Threads of Fate

Chapter 45 ~ Carnage in the Night

    A strangled scream came from beside him and Talarion bolted upright, his hand already closed around the dagger he'd placed beneath his pillow. A choking sense of dread clutched his chest with icy talons. His gaze darted about the room, but he found nothing amiss. Then, he glanced at Kaius.

    At once, he dropped the dagger and doubled over his mate. "Shit. Shit! Kaius, wake up!"

    The male's eyes and marking spilled blinding light across his pillow like an ivory puddle of blood. His hands were fisted, arms locked against his chest while his jaw clenched against another scream. Talarion shook him, then again, harder, but Kaius gave no sign of hearing him.

    "Fuck!" He spat, and slapped his mate. Kaius's jaw unclamped and he cried out once more, but the light didn't fade.

    Talarion's thoughts raged with every scream Kaius gave. Why hadn't he stayed awake? Why had he been so foolish as to fall asleep first? Why hadn't he made sure Kaius drank his tea? What was Drenusha showing him? What was Astaroth going to be able to rip from his mind?

    Talarion shook Kaius once more, then darted off the bed and ran to the door that joined their room to Tissaia and Azael's. He gripped the knob, and Kaius let out a heaving cough. He looked back at his mate in time to see him lurch upright, gulping down ragged breaths.

    "Gods," Talarion rasped, and returned to his side. "Fucking Hel, Kai. Are you all right?"

    He didn't respond. Talarion stiffened as Kaius looked up at him through wide hazel eyes and silent tears dripped down his face. His entire body was shaking hard enough to rattle his teeth. Talarion dropped down beside him and pulled him into his arms, but Kaius didn't return the embrace.

    "They're coming," the male panted. "They're coming. He's coming! We have to leave." Talarion could barely understand him amidst his shudders. "We have to go! Please," Kaius begged, his tears falling harder. "Please! We need to leave, now!"

    "Who is coming? What did you see? What's going on, Kai?" Talarion urged. But he couldn't persuade any more coherent sentences from him, and the male's growing desperation was enough to convince him that now wasn't the time.

    "All right," he agreed, smoothing his palm across Kaius's cheek. "All right. I'll go wake Azael and Tissaia. Grab what you can and we'll leave." Kaius nodded, though his tears continued to fall and his shaking hadn't eased. Talarion touched his mouth to his temple and returned to the conjoining door.

    He pushed it open, not bothering to give a warning before his intrusion. He let his footsteps fall heavy and Tissaia was on her feet before he'd moved an inch into the door. He offered her an apologetic look, spying the fleeting terror on her face before she subdued it. Azael rose too, already taking stock of his visible tension.

    "What is it?" Tissaia pressed.

    "Kaius had a vision. I don't know what he saw, but he's raving that we need to leave now. He's shaken enough that I don't think we should risk staying. Pack what you need and let's get out of here. Vael and Kahari will have to track us."

    "Should we leave them a message or something?" She asked as he turned back to the door.

    "No," Talarion answered, sharper than he intended, but he couldn't apologize now. There was no time, and he needed to get back to Kaius. Something warned him not to leave the male alone for long. "Leave no sign of our presence here. If someone is coming after us, we don't need to bring these people more trouble than we already have." He left before either of them could respond.

    He found Kaius looking somewhat more collected than before. He was already dressed and hurriedly gathering their belongings and stuffing them into their satchels, but the male's gaze remained vacant and far-reaching, a sure sign that his mind remained detached from his body.