Last Blood

She turned her attention to Creek. “So what’s going on?”

“A lot.” He blew out a breath. “Not sure where to start, so I’ll just dive in. I’m sorry for my part in Mal’s death. I found out too late that I was possessed by a dark spirit, one who’s since been… exorcised. She was also behind my persuading the mayor to set the curfew in place and the reason I sided against you and Mal in the mayor’s office. For all of that, I’m sorry.”

Chrysabelle’s hard expression softened. “A spirit?”

“Yahla, the soulless woman. Damian and I set her free when we burned Aliza’s house down. Apparently, Aliza had trapped her in the house and was using her as a source of power. Yahla attacked my grandmother too. Would have killed her if I hadn’t gotten there in time.” He dropped his head. He wasn’t great at expressing emotion, but for Chrysabelle’s sake he’d do his best. “I’m sorry I didn’t figure this all out in time to save Mal. I know his death is my fault and I feel like hell about that.”

A few seconds of silence passed before Chrysabelle spoke. “Mal’s not dead.”

Creek lifted his head, not sure he’d really heard what she’d said. “What? How?”

“When he drank from me, his full strength returned and he was able to scatter again. Except when he scatters, he turns to smoke. He escaped into one of the storm drains with a few burns.”

Creek sat back, a little angry but mostly relieved. “Thanks for letting me think he was dead.”

“What was I supposed to do? You weren’t exactly on our side.”

He nodded. “You’re right. I probably wouldn’t have told me either.”

“Is your grandmother all right?”

“Yes. Thank you.” He rubbed a hand over his Mohawk. “Speaking of not being dead, Octavian’s in town. He’s come to work for the KM here since he can’t be of use in Corvinestri anymore.”

Damian tensed. “What the hell? That bastard works for you guys? Does the KM know he used to beat me whenever Tatiana told him to?”

Chrysabelle shot her brother a pained look. “You never told me that.”

“What was the point? I thought he was dead. But now…” Damian turned back to Creek, jabbing a finger in the air. “You tell him to stay out of my path. I’m not under Tatiana’s thumb anymore, and KM or not, he’s going to pay for what he did to me.”

Creek nodded. “I hear you. Right now, he’s working with the mayor, helping us keep tabs on her, so he’s got no reason to contact you.” He shifted uncomfortably. “I’ll be perfectly honest; I have my doubts about him but I’m still KM and those doubts are strictly off the record.” Damian’s info only added to those reservations. “On the record, I’m sure he only did what he had to in order to keep Tatiana from being suspicious.”

“I saw the pictures,” Chrysabelle said. “What he did to Damian was above and beyond necessary.”

Damian snorted, but otherwise kept quiet.

“I’m keeping as close a watch on him as I can,” Creek said.

Chrysabelle inched toward the edge of the sofa. “Anything else?”

Before answering her, Creek glanced at Damian. He seemed lost in thought. “Just that… I’d like us to be friends again. If that’s possible. I don’t plan on being KM longer than I have to, but right now, quitting’s not an option. I promise that if there’s anything I can do to help you, I will. I feel like I owe you that much.”

She nodded. “I appreciate that. That probably wasn’t easy for you to say.”

He shrugged. “Doing the right thing isn’t always easy, but it’s still the right thing.”

She stared at him then, a strange, almost sad expression on her face. She smiled, but it too seemed sad. He felt like he should understand more about the way she was looking at him than he did. “Thank you.” Her quiet answer did nothing to ease the sense he was missing something important.

“Something you want to tell me about?”

A quick shake of her head and whatever had been bothering her was gone. “No. Everything’s fine.”

She was a bad liar, but he understood whatever was on her mind wasn’t something she was ready to talk about. “Okay, well, you know how to reach me if you need me.” He got up to leave.

“Creek?”

He stopped and waited.

She looked away for a moment, her brow furrowing in thought. “There is something you could do for me.” When she glanced up, her eyes held the same sense of loss he’d seen in his mother’s when the judge had announced his sentence.

He sat back down. “What is it? I’ll do whatever I can to help.” She deserved that much.

Her fingers twisted together. “It’s about Mal. I can’t go into detail but he’s not himself. He’s… sick right now and the sickness is letting his darkness get the best of him. I’ve got the situation under control for the moment so there’s no reason anything bad should happen, but if you see him out on the streets…” She swallowed. “He’s not the Mal you know. He’s dangerous.” Her eyes met his again. “Please, keep him from doing something stupid. And don’t hurt him any more than you have to. I need a little more time to get him better.”

Creek nodded. Maybe it was better he didn’t know the details. “I’ll do what I can.”