Chapter 19 · A Hunter's Heartbeat

Edwin's hands were shaking when he cut away Dorian's sleeve.

I stood in the doorway of the medical wing, watching him work. The burn ran from Dorian's wrist to his shoulder, black lines spreading under his skin like cracks in ice. The crest that used to sit on his forearm—three ravens and a crown—was just ash now.

"Get out," Dorian said. He didn't look at me.

"No."

"Iris." Edwin didn't turn around, but his voice had that tight edge he got when he was trying not to yell. "You shouldn't be here. The smoke from a broken blood oath is toxic to—"

"I'm not leaving."

Dorian's jaw tightened. He was sitting on the edge of the exam table, his shirt half off, and even in the low light I could see how pale he'd gone. Vampires didn't get pale like that unless something was seriously wrong.

"You got what you wanted," he said flatly. "I'm alive. You're alive. Go back to your room and let Edwin do his job."

I crossed my arms. "What I wanted? You think I asked you to blow up your entire life?"

"You didn't have to ask.