Children of the Fallen: Bloodlines (BOOK #3)

Chapter 37: Half

Morgan Sinclair

I spent the night with Grayson, I didn't sleep I just looked at him and I don't know why. My mind was screaming, I was- am a mess. Then suddenly seeing him was the only thing I wanted. The only thing on my mind. It offered a repose from the screaming, so I took that distraction in with open arms. I left when Chloe came in to change his bandages this morning. Wounds caused by demonic magic take a while to heal. It'll be a couple of weeks before they're closed up and scarred. I can't stand that Lucien used demonic magic on him, I can't stand that he's going to be permanently scarred from it. I caught a glimpse of the extent of his wounds while Chloe changed his bandages and I had to look away.

I've don't worse to people. Far worse and yet my stomach couldn't handle this.

He's still unconscious, he has been since we brought him back. It's not common for me to be awake this early in the day but between Grayson and the looming threat that my marks could be activated at any given moment I couldn't go to sleep even if I wanted to. Lucien knew I would try something, I wouldn't just give up his dagger he only wanted to torture me. His favorite "perfect" daughter betrayed him and all he wants to do is torment me. He's succeeding, I hate to admit that but he is. It hasn't even been that long and I'm driving myself insane drowning in the paranoia of when he'll connect that crystal. I feel like I'm back being trained by him. If I do something wrong or flinch or something I'm going to be punished. I don't like being on edge, feeling like I'm going to jump out of my skin. "You will die I've ensured it..." He told me, what the fuck does he mean by that?

In the kitchen I lean against the counter next to the sink staring down at the glass filled with scotch in my hand. "Hey." Chloe's voice pulls me out of my daze.

I look up at her. "Hey."

"Do you need anything?"

I take a large sip of the scotch and shake my head no.

She bites the inside of her cheek as her eyes nervously jump between my eyes to my hands and up my arms like she can see my scars through my shirt. I know she knows, I heard them talking about it last night. "Whatever you want to ask, ask it."

"He really used demonic magic on you?"

"Yes." I ball my free hand into a fist. She notices. "It was his preferred method of fixing me." I say.

Her eyebrows knit together and I don't know if she responded or not because my hands fly to the back of my neck, dropping the glass it smashes on the floor as I feel the surge of pain ravaging my body. I fall to the floor and I can see Chloe saying something but I can't hear over my own screaming. Her eyes are bulging out of her head looking me over unsure what to do- there is nothing. I just have to endure it and hope it doesn't last too long.

She grabs one of my hands yanking it from my neck, taking it in hers she closes her eyes and then they shoot open, widening stricken with pain. As she does that, mine lessens- still destroying me physically but more bearable than before. My screaming's stopped reduced to a loud groaning and gritting my teeth together. She posts her hand on the ground as she yells unrestrained, squeezing down on my hand.

Sterling and Victoria come rushing over, "What's happening?!" I hear Sterling shout.

Chloe shakes her head unable to speak, now with tears streaming down her face. Suddenly it stops. The both of us gasp for air as the faint glow dissipates and the pain subsides. She crashes back against the island counter and Sterling kneels down next to her. "What the fuck just happened?" Sterling asks.

Chloe and I stare at each other, she's still out of breath too concerned with catching it to answer. My eyebrows crease, "She," I breathe, "she was taking the pain." I slowly push myself up. Victoria kneels down steadying me with a hand to help me sit up. I lean my forearms on my knees gathering myself. Pierce runs down the hall to see what's going on while Kellan strolls his attention solely on Chloe.