Sinister Secrets Book. 3

❅ Chapter 17 ❅

A black mass hovered over the Count, whispering in his face. Monks surrounded him, their red cloaks swirling around them as they hurried and scattered around about. They were mumbling words I didn't understand, thick with an accent I couldn't place. All their faces were thick and mangy with scars, their lips pulled over their lips as they spoke.

"What is it," I whispered, my hands flat on the cool stone. Akan glanced down at me, his eyes solemn.

"An aswang. You know this."

I nodded slowly. "But what is that?" I pointed to the cloud hunkering low to the ground.

"It's soul. It's possessed him."

My was a soft breath. "How?"

"He let it into his soul."

I couldn't keep the shock from my face. "He let that thing crawl inside of him?"

At this, Akan offered me a sad smile. "Mortal souls do strange things for stupid reasons. I assume he did it for the power it gave him. Maybe he did it for revenge, or for love. You can ask him."

My heart skipped a beat why my head whipped back around. Bash was on the cool stone, naked apart for a linen cloth draped over his middle. His arms were outstretched and bound over his head, his legs spread and bound. He lay in the middle of a large white circle, strange markings etched into the stone surrounding the perimeter of the circle.

Bash panted, his chest heaving with every breath. It didn't look as if I could speak with him. Hell, it didn't look like Bash was in their anymore. "Are you sure?" I rose slowly to my feet, using the threshold for balance.

Akan nodded slowly, ushering me forward with a small push.

The monks' cold, golden gazes fell on me, their chants stopping dead on their lips. They glared as if I was the one that brought on a plague, but they mumbled to themselves as they shuffled from the room, itching at their woven scars.

I shuffled, stumbling to Bash's side. I fell to my knees beside him, my toes scraping against the stone. But I ignored the pain and bent over the witch, my hand coming up to cup his face. "Bash."

At first he didn't stir, but after a few more coaxing words, he mumbled, his eyes fluttering. I wiped the sweat from his broad forehead with my sleeve, eager to see those golden eyes that reminded me so much of the lightning in a storm. When my hand touched his clammy skin I realized he felt hot. Too hot.

I turned to Akan, still standing in the doorway. "He's burning up."

My father shrugged. "He is fighting a parasite, Neva. He will be warm. It's an infection his body has never encountered. It will be a miracle is he survives this."

My lips were a hard line as I turned back to the Count. "Come on Bash, wake up." He stirred once more before those wonderful eyes opened.

I almost gagged on the relief that choked me. Golden and familiar, and despite the pain he was enduring - clear.

"Nicola?" Though I was shocked, I shook my head.

"No, no. It's me, Eve."

I felt Akan's presence push into my back as he approached, no doubt curious to see the battle raging before him. "I'm here," I whispered, falling to my rump on the cool stone floor. I cradled his head, placing it in my lap. "How are you feeling?"

His eyes focused on me, his lids narrowing slightly and I knew he was debating on fighting or submitting."Like shit," he mumbled, smacking his lips together, running his tongue over cracked and white lips.