Belly of the Beast

Chapter 52

I woke up in pain, which was better than not waking up at all. Vincent's firmly-set jaw was the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes. We were mid-flight, with the open sky stretching out above us as he carried me in his arms. Below us, the once grand labyrinth lay in scorched ruins.

"Reese." My name left his mouth on a strangled breath when he noticed I was awake, and I wanted to reassure him with a kiss. But I ached all over, and my head felt fuzzy, so I just smiled. "You're going to be fine. Wren will patch you up. I'll bet there won't even be a scar."

He spoke in a nervous rush, which wasn't his usual, and I knew he was worried sick about me despite my gifts. Had I really taken the necromancer out? The last thing I remembered was watching Dmitry's body surrender to the dust. I grimaced when a sudden twinge in my back reminded me about the knife. It was probably why Vincent mentioned the scar.

"The battle... Is it still going on?"

"No. Dmitry's demons gave up just before I found you passed-out in the chamber. His death must have released them."

"Are we sure he's gone? I don't trust..."

"Don't talk. We're almost there."

Vincent's firm command had me shutting-up willingly. It was all I could do not to get sick in his arms. We landed on the back porch, and Vincent brought me in through the solarium. Igor stood at the bar pouring liquor into a glass. When he saw us, he stopped and hurried over, still clutching the bottle.

"What has happened to her? Does she need medical attention, too?" The concern in his voice was heartwarming. Maybe he wouldn't be too upset when he learned I'd snuffed out his master.

"Who else is injured?" I asked.

"A demon who calls himself Titan."

I cringed, remembering what I had sent him to do. "How bad is he?"

"He has lost a finger. I am bringing him a sedative." Igor waved the bottle as he followed us through the solarium. Vincent had not stopped his momentum, making determined strides across the room and forcing me to call over his shoulder to Igor.

"I wouldn't mind one of those."

As we rounded the corner to our room, the angry wails of a hungry infant carried down the hall, and Wren wore the look of relief when Vincent barged into the room. I figured there was more than one reason for her relief as she met my weary gaze. But she wasn't holding my screaming boy. Truly had him bouncing against her shoulder while Wren sat on the bed with Titan, sewing up his hand.

"Reese is injured. She needs stitches." Vincent stood in front of them, still holding me in his arms. Even in my gollum form, he didn't seem the least bit fatigued by my increased weight and cumbersome wings. Such was the miracle of adrenaline and concrete musculature.

"How urgent is it? I'm nearly done here." Wren said without glancing up.

Vincent's eyebrows bunched as he looked down at me. The anguish was clear in his eyes. "Based on the amount of blood she's lost, I'm surprised she's still conscious."

This time, Wren glanced up. "Oh, dear. Well, it'll be best if she changes forms first. Can you manage that, Reese?"

"I'll give it a shot."

Looking hesitant, Vincent carefully set me on my feet, keeping a firm hold on my arm while I found my balance. His chest was smeared with blood, which I assumed to be a combination of mine and his. Since he didn't appear to be swaying with the movement of the room, most of it was probably mine, and I had a strange sense that I could pass out any second. So, I got a move on and focused every ounce of energy I had into making the change while everyone watched. Truly didn't even bat an eyelash.