Bound by Forever (True Immortality 3)

“Kiyo.” Her hands hovered near him. She was desperate to touch him, to help.

Claws protracted from his fingers, long and sharp and black and deadly, and he bellowed as he tore his shirt from his body.

How Niamh thought to protect their privacy during such a terrifying moment, she’d never know, but she sent out a flare of magic around the hotel room to soundproof it. “Kiyo.” She rushed at him, staring in horror at the silver veins pulsing beneath his skin, all over his torso like tree branches. They reached up toward his throat and down his shoulders, stopping just before his biceps. She placed a hand on his sweat-slicked shoulder and he roared in outrage and swiped at her.

Niamh startled, falling off the bed.

His eyes widened in horror. “Niamh.”

“I’m okay.”

Snarls and grunts fell from his mouth as his jaw elongated, his mouth filling with sharp teeth. Niamh rushed toward him, and he held up a warning hand just as his spine snapped.

“Kiyo!”

“No!” he yelled, eyes wide with terror. “Go! I’m not …” He panted for breath. “I’m not in control.” To her shock, tears wet his eyes. “I could kill you. Please. Go.”

The thought of leaving him like this broke her. Tears spilled down her cheeks. He couldn’t kill her. Not being what he was to her.

But he could bite and change her.

And he’d eventually be lost to her.

Niamh considered it, thinking it might be worth it to stay, to comfort him.

Kiyo saw her indecision and roared as his legs snapped. He clutched the bedcovers, ripping them to shreds with his claws. “LEAVE!”

Niamh sobbed. “I can’t!”

Horror filled his eyes. “Please,” he begged.

And she saw it. The possibility of hurting her was unbearable to him.

He didn’t know he couldn’t kill her and being here was making this worse for him.

“Okay,” she nodded, swiping at her tears. “Okay.”

She traveled.

But only into the locked bathroom.

Sliding down to the cold tile floor, Niamh pressed her ear to the door and cried quietly as she was forced to hide and do nothing while Kiyo endured an entire night of torturous torment. She sat hoping, hoping to the depths of her soul, that the stunted transformation would eventually heal him.26It had been quiet for a while.

Pushing onto her feet, Niamh hesitated a second before she opened the bathroom door.

She feared what she’d find in the bedroom.

Forcing herself to be brave, she stepped out into the room.

Bedside lamps laid broken and damaged. The bedspread and mattress had been torn to shreds and the headboard was cracked in half.

None of that mattered.

What mattered was Kiyo curled up in a ball on his side, on the floor next to the bed. He was now covered head to toe in silvery veins. Even his face.

His breathing was slow and raspy.

He hadn’t healed.

“Kiyo.”

His eyes flew open. Something warm glittered in them. “I knew you were there. I smelled you.”

She’d known he’d probably know. All he’d cared about was that she wasn’t close enough for him to snap his teeth at her.

Niamh threw her hand out and the room repaired itself. Including the bed.

Without a word, she reached for Kiyo and leaned down to help him to his feet. He held on to her, needing her strength. Resolve moved through her as she helped him onto the bed.

“The change didn’t work.” She pressed her hands to the mattress to lean over him.

He gave a slight shake of his head. He looked so strange with the silver veins spreading up his throat into his cheeks. Niamh wanted to kiss each one away. “The pain is better, though. I know I look bad, but I think my body is healing. I can’t die, remember.”

Niamh reached for the sheets and pulled them up to cover his nakedness. He didn’t look like he was healing at all, and there was a fevered flush to his skin.

“Think it might just take a day or two.” He reached for her hand. Trying not to jerk in surprise, Niamh let him thread his fingers through hers. “You changed your hair back.”

She gave a startled laugh. Were men supposed to notice these things? Especially when they were … Her smile died. “I’m me again.”

He squeezed her hand. “You were always you. Hair color doesn’t change that.” Worry darkened his eyes. “You need to eat.”

“I’m not hungry. And you should be the one who’s eating after …” She squeezed her eyes closed. “Kiyo, I’m so sorry about Astra. What you experienced last night …”

“Wasn’t your fault.” He tugged on her hand. “Order some food. I’ll try to eat some too.”

She knew he said the last part because it was the only thing that would motivate her to order room service.

Not long later, she placed the delivered meal tray onto the bed between them. Kiyo let her spoon chicken noodle soup into his mouth before shaking his head against any more.