Fallen University: Year Three

“Almost done,” the vampire rasped weakly.

“No, Kai, stop it!” Goddamn it, why were they all making it so damn hard to keep them alive?

“He’s got a wound on his ribs on one side,” my toffee-skinned mate gritted out. “It punctured his lung. As soon as that closes, I’ll stop.”

No. I can’t lose one mate to save another. Damn it, this is so fucked up.

I opened my mouth, prepared to use persuasion on him if I had to, but Kai shot me the most furious look he’d ever given me—and he’d given me plenty of death glares in his time.

“Don’t. You. Dare,” he said thickly. “This is my choice, and he’s my friend. Turn that shit off.”

I snapped my mouth shut and ground my teeth together. He was right. It wasn’t my choice. And if I didn’t want to become a damn villain, I needed to let the people I loved make their own decision.

Endless minutes passed as Kai grew paler and paler while Xero only looked incrementally better. Just when I was certain that it was hopeless, that I was about to watch two of my men die in front of me, Xero pulled away. He dropped his head back and took a long, deep breath, his chest rising and falling smoothly. As if there was finally no more pain.

“Thanks, man,” he murmured, grasping Kai’s unbloodied hand. “You good?”

“I’ll be fine.”

He didn’t sound fine though. He sounded exhausted.

I kissed Xero’s forehead, then extended my wrist to Kai. “We’ve got a long jump ahead of us. Recharge. You need it.”

“I’m fine,” Kai insisted, sounding a little better. “I heal fast, and I don’t think I gave him too much.”

“Hate to break up the love fest,” Michael interrupted, worry sharpening his tone. “But y’all can’t stay here.”

My head whipped up, my gaze catching on his. He shook his head, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck.

“That portal you created had a signature. They all do. Now, I’m well-warded and all that, but if they manage to track you, you’ll be in a world of shit. I’ll cover for you. Tell ’em I never saw you. But y’all gotta go.”

Chapter Eight

Kai and I helped Xero to his feet. He was still a little wobbly, but he was standing on his own before long. He gave me a slow, self-deprecating smile.

“Demons aren’t as efficient at healing as vampires,” he said. “It’s gonna take a minute for this to kick in all the way.”

“Are you strong enough to survive a portal back to earth?” I asked, chewing on my lip.

Xero looked doubtful. He took a few wobbly steps across the basement, then turned around and walked back with a lot less wobble. He nodded, straightening his shoulders. “Yeah. Just give me a few minutes.”

Tension crackled in the air as Xero shook off the lingering effects of his injuries. He looked so much better physically, whole and mostly unblemished, though his clothes were still ragged and his skin was smeared with dirt, blood, and sweat.

But what about inside?

What about his heart, his mind—his soul?

My stomach twisted to think of what he’d been through in the weeks we’d been searching for him. Would he be able to come back from that? What kinds of scars remained inside him?

As if he could feel my worry radiating from me, Xero looked over and met my gaze. He gave me a wan smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, but when he strode over to pull me into his arms, his heartbeat was steady and strong. I rested my cheek against his chest, listening to the gentle rumble of his voice as he spoke low.

“I’ll be okay, Pipes. I have you back. I have the other guys. We’re together again. Everything else, we’ll figure out. You’re all I need.”

My chest tightened at his words, and I hugged him back so hard it was a good fucking thing Kai had just healed his ribs. He chuckled, then tipped my head up to kiss me.

“Thank you,” he murmured. “For coming for me.”