Page 51 of Dhampira

“Don’t!” I said, hot tears sprinting down my cheeks. “Duncan, look at me.”

He obeyed, his mouth trembling. A dimple appeared in his cheek as he offered a tremulous smile. “It’s all right, Corinthe.” He tugged at the bandage, sweat trickling down his temple. His uninjured hand shook so badly, it took him a few tries to unravel the gauze. At last, the bandage fell away, revealing two stumps where his first and second fingers should have been.

I covered my mouth, more tears falling over my knuckles.

“Don’t cry,” Duncan rasped. He reached for me but then seemed to realize he’d extended his mangled hand. Frowning, he quickly withdrew it. “I’m sorry.”

A sob slipped around my palm. Lowering my hand, I shook my head. “You have nothing to be sorry about. I’m the one who’s sorry.”

“As you should be,” Rasimir said, catching my eye. “If not for you, Mr. Bagley never would have ventured near the Feyline. But he did, making it exceptionally easy for Sir Vander to apprehend him. Isn’t that right, Captain?”

Vander stared straight ahead. “Yes, Majesty.”

Rasimir gave me a look like See?

“Let him go,” I said, my voice shaking. “He’s just a human. He’s beneath your notice, remember?”

“That was before.” Rasimir gestured to Duncan. “This fool attempted to enter my territory. I can’t let that stand. And now he’s seen you at my table.” Rasimir’s smile was like acid. “What will he tell the fine people of Derryton about Lilawen, I wonder?”

Mama’s face floated in my mind. Doubt and fear followed. Rasimir had a point. Duncan had seen too much. And he could live for several more decades. Could he keep secrets that long? How would he explain his injury?

I turned back to him. “Duncan, listen to me. If you want to live, you have to swear not to tell anyone you saw me in Nocta. Can you do that for me? Do you promise?”

His mouth worked, sauce gathered in the cut on his bottom lip. His chest lifted as he drew an uneven breath, a look of longing descending over his features. “But…will I ever see you again?”

My heart sank. I gripped the chair, desperation leaking into my voice. “Just promise me, all right? You have to promise not to tell anyone.”

“This is folly,” Rasimir said. “Sir Vander, remove one of Mr. Bagley’s remaining fingers, please.”

Vander drew a knife and stepped forward.

“No!” I stood so quickly that my chair tipped backward and crashed to the floor. My fangs shot down. “Don’t touch him!” I screamed at Vander.

Ignoring me, he clawed Duncan’s chair away from the table and seized the man’s uninjured hand.

“Corinthe!” Duncan cried, shrinking away from the knife.

“Stop it!” I swung toward Rasimir. “Father, please! Don’t do this!”

A flash of steel drew my attention back to Duncan. He screamed as Vander pinned his wrist to the arm of his chair. Fangs bared, Vander lifted the knife.

My growl echoed in my ears as I vaulted across the table and barreled into Vander. We crashed to the ground, dishes shattering behind us. He grunted as his back struck the floor. Instincts firing, I thrust a knee between his legs and yanked it up, connecting with his testicles. He wheezed, the promise of retribution flashing in his silver eyes. But he went slack long enough for me to scramble upright and spin toward Duncan.

Again I acted on instinct, dragging him from his chair and spinning him so his back pressed to my chest. Then I clamped an arm around his shoulders and buried my fangs in his neck.

He jerked as his blood pumped into my mouth. The scent of hay, ale, and horse manure drifted into my lungs. Sweat and fear covered his natural essence like a blanket. Underneath it all lay the faintest whiff of cologne. Tears burned my eyes as I pulled at his vein. This is mercy, I told myself even as doubt swirled in my mind. Rasimir wouldn’t give him a swift death. But I could. I could spare Duncan torture and degradation. I could make sure the last thing he saw was a kind face. He deserved that much. Jerking him more tightly against me, I sucked harder. His blood was thick and sweet. And then it was nearly gone. When he went slack in my arms, I lowered him to the floor and went to my knees beside him.

“Corinthe,” he whispered through blue-tinged lips. “I love you.”

“I know,” I said, brushing his hair back from his forehead. “I love you, too.”

Joy spread through his eyes. “You do?”

“Yes.” A tear fell from my cheek and splashed his chin. I wiped it away with trembling fingers. “I love you, Duncan.”

“And—” His breath rattled. With a determined look, he sucked in another one. “We’ll be together?”

“Yes,” I lied, stroking his cheek. “We’ll get a fine house in the country. Just the two of us. And we’ll find Tess. We’ll buy her back and build a paddock for her. Would you like that?” His breath rattled again as he tried to answer, and I pressed a finger over his lips. “Shh, it’s all right. I’ll take care of you. I’ll cook for you. And when your mother visits, we’ll have the biggest parties. You can hunt, and I’ll make whatever you catch. It’ll be…”