The Beast And The Blessed by Ashley Breanne
Chapter 42
Natalie’s P.O.V.
Tobias grunted as I turned to him and let out a deep breath. My eyes felt dry, and my smile fell as soon as Killian was gone. It finally made sense why I felt so connected to him… why I felt like something was missing when he wasn’t around. But what I was feeling now was more than just my mate being away from me. I felt a crushing pain in my chest from the news of my parents dying. They hadn’t birthed me, but they were still my parents. I loved them, and now I had lost them. I couldn’t even find it in me to be angry at Killian for showing my mother mercy. He had done right by her and sent her to be with my father in the afterlife.
She was dying anyway. He just put her out of her misery.
I met Tobias’s eye, and he tilted his head toward the hallway. It was time for me to act like the queen and to be there for the man who had risked his life to protect mine. It wasn’t time to grieve, and the more I thought about the events of today, the angrier I was becoming. I wanted revenge. I wanted blood.
It took a moment for me to collect myself, but I lifted my chin and made my way out of the room.
I nodded in greeting to each person I passed on my way to the infirmary, and they dipped into a bow or curtsey in return as I walked by. I could hear the shouting of multiple men over the sound of screaming, and I slowed.
Maybe now wasn’t a good time…
But it was too late. As soon as I reached the doorway, I was spotted and several heads turned my way.
Heath was lying on the bed, being restrained by several men. The chains around his wrists and ankles hung free, no longer attached to the floor as he thrashed to get away from his pack mates. His face, neck, and chest were a dark burgundy as he screamed and roared in anger for freedom.
Blood bubbled between his lips and spilled over his chin.
My hand twitched at my side as I resisted covering my mouth in horror.
There was a darkness in the room that made the air feel thick and suffocating. It reminded me of the previous queen’s room. The scent of death was hovering like a plague, ready to strike and take its victim.
I wanted to help. I moved forward only to stop as the screaming cut off. Heath’s head snapped up so that he was looking in my direction. Our eyes met, and a shiver ran down my spine.
“So, the queen has come to grace me with her presence.” He hissed, his voice sounding layered and higher pitched than what I had been expecting. Whenever Killian had spoken with his beast, it was deep and rumbled as if he was in a constant state of growling. But Heath’s voice sounded light, airy, and melodic. It sounded evil.
I swallowed hard, the lump in my dry throat barely moving as I did so. “You were very brave today, Heath. I wanted to come to see how you were and extend my gratitude. Is there anything I can get you?” It was difficult not to fidget as his glossy eyes held mine. They swirled, the whites turning black as he let out a dark laugh.
The men around him remained tense and continued to hold him down even though he had stopped struggling. The veins were straining beneath his skin as his muscles remained coiled and tight.
Tobias moved forward until his shoulder was in front of me, standing as a barrier between Heath and me. But I could still see around him. I still watched as a smile stretched over Heath’s face, and he flashed his blood- covered teeth at me.
“You’re going to die,” He whispered. From the corner of my eye, I saw others moving closer to me, keeping their focus on Heath as they stood protectively between us. His eyes never left mine as he pulled at the hands restraining him once again, and began to scream. “I’ll kill you myself if I have to! I’ll kill you!”
My feet were fused to the ground as I masked my fear behind a blank expression.
He continued to shout, screaming for my death as the healers joined the attempt to hold him down. “I’m going to kill you!”
I blinked quickly as I watched the scene unfold. One of the healers moved in rapidly with a large syringe in their hands, and I flinched as they stabbed the needle into the side of Heath’s neck. He struggled for a few more seconds, his glare burning into me before he went limp, and the room fell silent.
The young healer that had taken care of my ribs looked up at me, “Your Highness, I do not think it would be wise to have you here when he wakes.” It was respectful and polite, but a clear dismissal. As much as I wanted to be supportive and helpful to my people. She was right. He had escalated and had the potential to hurt those around him with his need to get to me… to kill me. My arm reached out, and my fingertips brushed Tobias’s lower back to signal to him that I would be leaving. “I would like to stay updated with his status.”
She nodded in agreement as I turned and walked away. I would check back later once he was stable.
I was in shock by his outburst. The man who had just been willing to sacrifice himself for me now wanted my blood.
My mind was spinning as I made my way back toward the staircase. I knew very little about vampires and even less about magic, but I wasn’t going to be some ignorant damsel in distress. Until Killian returned home, I would go back to the library and study as much as I could.
A loud commotion disrupted my thoughts as I placed my foot on the first step. I turned, looking over my shoulder as a group of men entered the castle with a familiar face struggling in their hold as he cried out in pain. It was the stream of blood coming from his mouth that caught my attention.
“What happened to him?” I asked a young woman who was crying as she followed behind. Her eyes stayed locked on the man being taken to the infirmary, but she dipped her head before wiping under her nose.
“He just dropped down and started screaming. They said it was the same thing that happened to Heath. I don’t know what to do!” She sobbed, and I stepped forward, wanting to place a comforting hand on her shoulder, but Tobias stopped me. He shook his head discretely, and I nodded in understanding. “Just be there for him. Thank you for giving me a moment of your time. I’m sorry to have kept you.” I whispered, and she nodded before running down the hall and rejoining who I a*s*sumed to be her mate.
Tobias nodded toward the stairs quickly, wanting me to hurry back to a safer place. As soon as I entered the library, wanting to grab a few books before I made my way to my room, Tobias closed the door behind us. I paced for a moment, and he waited patiently until I had collected my thoughts.
“I want another guard,” I said, stopping to face him. Tobias raised his eyebrows, but his face hardened as I realized how that would sound to him. “Not to replace you, in addition to you. If I am going to save Killian’s life during the battle, I need to be alive to do it.”
I took a deep breath as I walked over to the bookshelf that I had been going through last and grabbed the next book on vampires before moving to look for a book on magic.
“I also want everyone who had had direct physical contact with either man to be quarantined and under surveillance until we can be sure they have no symptoms.”