Dhampirs of Sgiach

44.Altina

Altina heard the coughing first before the door to the apartment opened, and Kieran entered with the two werecheetahs he had left with early in the morning. She had spent the rest of the morning after they left, sitting at the dining table, sipping coffee, and watching Echo compulsively cook breakfast and bake with worry. She looked up at the three men and frowned.

Kieran was sagged between the other two as they helped him walk, and his body convulsed with violent coughs. The scent of blood mixed with his scent of spiced honey, and Altina wrinkled her nose in disgust.

“What’s wrong with Kieran?” Echo asked as she rushed over.

“He’s sick. I thought you people knew,” Altina said as she sipped her coffee. Is he even going to make it to finish the mating ritual so I can get my freedom?

Kieran glared at her as the others looked between her and him in shock. “What does she mean by that?” Echo asked. The front door opened again, and the female dhampir entered, grumbling under her breath.

“What’s going on?” the dhampir asked when she noticed everyone in the room.

“Yes, what’s going on, Kieran?” Artem asked.

“The rat gets the last laugh,” Kieran growled out before a cough tore through him. “What did you find, Mika?”

“Nope. You’re going to explain what’s going on first!” Echo snapped at him and forced him to look at her. Her eyes were stern but tightened at the sight of the red on Kieran’s lips. She pulled the towel from her apron and wiped gently at his lips. “Please.”

Between fits of coughing, Kieran explained that when the rats captured him, the room they had held him in caused some sickness to take hold that was eating away at him. He also explained that using his magic or even shifting only caused the illness to eat away at him faster.

“So, holding a Shadow Walker in a light room can kill them in the long run?” Altina asked as she sipped her coffee. Kieran’s coughing had stopped, but he looked exhausted.

“Dr. Sorcha said it kills one within days. She thinks my dhampir nature allowed me to survive longer than anyone else,” he said.

“You were held in a light room at the police station when they thought you killed Steve,” Echo said as she gently rubbed his back. Altina didn’t like the other woman touching him like that, which made her hate him more.

“I wasn’t in there for more than a few hours,” Kieran said thoughtfully. “But it was uncomfortable, and my skin itched.”

“So, we can’t rely on Kieran to sneak in and get Kage with his shadow magic. Guess we need to ask Lucifer for help,” Hikaru said.

Altina shook her head and spoke before Kieran. “He can’t. Nephilim can’t help other Nephilim.”

“And Kage left of his own accord. We can’t force him to stay with us or take him from Cain without him reaching out to us and asking for help,” Kieran added.

“What? Why?” Mika asked. “Those hellhounds didn’t seem like they would treat him well as they chased us off.”

“It’s part of the Pact between Angels, Demons, and Mortals. Nephilim eat our sins and strengthen our virtues, and humans help Nephilim in need,” Altina explained. “Until Kage reaches out to you for help, you’re stuck.”

Kieran growled as his fangs elongated and his eyes glowed like amber dipped in blood. Those eyes met Altina’s as she flinched away from the sight. He hissed at her and stood up from the table, heading to his room and using the wall to steady himself.

“What did I say?” Altina asked the others.

“He loves Kage,” Echo said as she stood and went to the kitchen.