Page 99 of Infernal Secrets

I’d let Ezra drink my blood.

I’d consumed his blood.

I closed my eyes as the ordeal flickered through my mind like a damaged movie reel. I couldn’t remember everything, but I remembered his eyes in vivid detail. The sight of them cut through my delirium even before the power in his voice.

In contrast to Cyn’s solid black eyes, Ezra’s glacial blue irises shone with an ethereal glow, intensified by the surrounding blackness of his sclera.

His “human” eyes betrayed nothing of his emotions. But in his infernal form, they became far more expressive. Even the skin around his eyes and brows revealed more than I’d ever seen in his human face.

Despite a foggy memory, I remembered blood and skin.

He’d taken his shirt off, cutting into his own flesh to feed me his blood.

To save me.

I couldn’t understand why he kept saving me. Three times now. Did he truly believe I was the only way home?

I shut my eyes and forced the discomfort away. I tried to remember what happened after he climbed on top of me and told me to drink from him. I couldn’t remember the bite or falling asleep.

I didn’t understand the sweetness lingering in my mouth. The water hadn’t erased the syrupy taste. I didn’t remember eating anything after sharing blood with Ezra, either.

After brushing my teeth, I took another shower to clean off the sweat and blood from my shoulder. I changed into a sweatshirt and flowy lounge pants to avoid pressing on the wounds on my thigh before heading downstairs to check on the guys.

Before I even reached the bottom of the staircase, I heard Cyn shouting.

“I told you there’s something going on! Lesser infernals don’t just attack humans en masse like that!”

“You’re right,” Ash agreed. “But suggesting Rae had anything to do with it—”

“Of course she did. They were attacking her, not some random bystanders.”

“There were no random bystanders,” Ash said.

“What if it was the wrong place, wrong time kind of thing?”

I watched as Cyn whirled on Zeke. “Wrong place, wrong—” He paused, lowering his voice. “Wrong place, wrong time? Do you really believe that?”

“I don’t know,” Zeke said, shrugging. “I don’t think she’s done something bad.”

“No, perhaps not,” Ezra said, surprising me. “I suspect she’s unaware of her role in this or why we’re here and why lesser infernals are drawn to her. I’m interested in where she got this.” He lifted the book that started everything.

“I wonder if anything like this has happened before,” Zeke said, taking a seat on a stool. “She seemed terrified. She didn’t react that way to seeing Cyn’s alternate form, and she’s said she’s seen lesser infernals before. Did she get scared of you?”

Ezra shook his head. “It’s hard to say. She wasn’t entirely there, I don’t believe.” He glanced to the side, his jaw flexing. He looked uncomfortable. I hadn’t seen him show much emotion, but discomfort was easy enough to read. Had something happened upstairs?

“Anyone would fear a horde chasing them,” Ash said.

“That’s true.” Zeke nodded. “But maybe she’s never been attacked before?”

“Not since my parents died,” I said, finally making them aware of my presence.

They all turned from the counter to face me.

Zeke hopped off the stool and rushed over, pulling me into a tight hug. “How are you feeling?” He held me at arm’s length and looked down at my leg. “Are you sore? Do you need anything?”

I blinked before I burst into laughter.

“What?” He looked over at the guys for help.