Page 51 of His Eternal Temptation

Vera laid a hand on Nicole’s shoulder. “I don’t know.” She turned to Lane. “The pain must have been the curse taking hold again, before it leveled out between the two of you. I’d say it’s stable now.”

“Then we’re exactly where we were before,” Rowan said with steady authority. “That’s fine. There must be something else we can try.”

“We need more time,” Vera said.

“And a new idea.” Nicole seemed to gather herself. “If the parasite can’t be stopped outright, we’ll have to find another way to unravel the magic.”

Strain appeared around Rowan’s eyes, some of his composure slipping. “My hunger is worse than it was when we walked in. Do you think it’s the curse renewing its hold?”

“Could be, and I don’t like it.” Worry cut lines around Nicole’s downturned mouth. “We’ll get back to work.”

Vera agreed, and the two hurried out.

“How are our blood supplies?” Rowan asked Hunter.

“We’re okay for now, and there’s always the magic community bank. Don’t starve yourself. I have a feeling that’ll make things worse.”

Rowan grumbled his agreement.

Hunter handed him a blood bag and went to organize the stock on hand. As soon as he was gone, Rowan seemed to abandon all pretense, sagging into his chair.

“He’s lurking in my mind again.”

Lane stilled. Rowan was turning to him for support, sharing his troubles unprompted. “Your sire?”

Rowan closed his eyes. “Yes. It keeps happening, but I don’t see why hunger should weaken me this much.”

“You aren’t weak, Rowan.”

“I can’t think of any other reason Cris persists in stealing my attention. I have plenty to be concerned about without fixating on my past.”

“That doesn’t make fixating weak. You’re the strongest person I know.”

Rowan gave him a skeptical look. “Please.”

“I mean it. This is human, Rowan. Give yourself grace.”

His face softened infinitesimally. “I’ll try.”

Lane wanted to rejoice, but settled for a smile. “Glad to hear it.”

Rowan snorted, his lips twitching before settling into a hard line. “I wish I could get Cris out of my head. I don’t believe the lies he used to tell me anymore, and yet they follow me around.”

“What lies?”

He looked away. “Nothing worth mentioning. Insults and drivel.”

“Rowan.”

“Yes, all right,” he snapped, then collected himself. “This isn’t nothing. His abuse follows me around like a cloud, but I should handle it better. I usually do.”

Did he ever talk to anyone about what Cris put him through? Lane had a horrible feeling the answer was no, but he wasn’t here to interrogate Rowan. With so many other stressors, now wasn’t the time for a deep discussion about past trauma.

Hopefully he could be there for Rowan when things settled. For now he said, “I’m sure you’re usually more resilient, but you’re under a lot of stress. You can’t expect yourself to be at one hundred percent.”

“Perhaps, but it feels like more than that.”

“Has anything else changed?”