Chapter 57:
– Valerie –
The music pounded through the walls and into my bones, deep and relentless like a heartbeat you could dance to. The room pulsed with colored lights—violet, crimson, gold—flashing in rhythmic bursts that lit up faces and cast shadows in rapid succession.
It was sensory overload of the best kind. Normally, my vampire senses wouldn't be thrilled with the noise, the lights, the crowd... but tonight?
Tonight I was absolutely loving it!
Apparently, this place was the most exclusive nightclub in the entire Underworld. Entry required accompaniment from a high-class devil or above. Luckily, we had Kuisha, and that got us through the enchanted velvet rope like royalty. Which Kuisha technically was, because she was Sairarog's Queen?
Didn't really matter to me.
I was dancing with Kuisha now, pressed in close. Our hips moved in sync, the bass from the music guiding our bodies as we grinded and spun together under the strobe lights. It wasn't overtly sexual—we were just having fun—but I'd be lying if I said the sight of two tall, curvy sexy blondes like us dancing so close didn't look hot as hell.
I could feel eyes on us from all sides, and honestly? I didn't mind. From behind me, I caught snippets of groans and murmurs—low, hungry voices trying and failing to be subtle.
"Fuck, look at those two..."
"If they start making out, I might just lose it right here."
A girl near the bar wasn't even pretending to hide her stare. "Damn, I don't know which one I want more. Blonde number one or blonde number two?"
Someone else chimed in, laughing, "Why choose? They look like they'd be up for company!"
Kuisha must've heard them too, because she leaned in and whispered in my ear with a sly grin, "We're causing quite a scene over here."
I smirked, swaying my hips a little more deliberately. Let them watch. If they wanted a show, I'd give them one. But that's all they would get.
Selene sat at a booth nearby, the soft crimson glow from her dragon blood cocktail catching the light as she raised the glass to her lips. No matter how many times I tried to coax her onto the dance floor, she stubbornly refused.
"The thrill of combat is more my rhythm than this noise," she'd said with that signature, cool smirk.
Still, as I cast a glance her way from the corner of my ruby red eyes, I caught the slight upward curve of her mouth. She might not have been dancing, but she was enjoying herself. In her own quiet, composed, totally Selene way.
And then there was Runeas. Our short-stacked, big breasted, pink-eyed devil tag-a-long had somehow claimed the very center of the dance floor. She was absolutely going for it—shaking her ass with such reckless abandon that the crowd around her had formed a cheering circle.
Drunk devils, peerage members, even a few curious-looking werewolves were hollering and egging her on.
"Shake that ass, little red princess!"
"Sweet Satan, look at her go!"
"Who needs a stripper when we've got her?!"
The girl could definitely party.
I laughed, tossing my hair back as I turned back into Kuisha's arms. Yeah... this was shaping up to be one hell of a night.
Get it? HELL of a night…
Then one drunk devil got a little too excited.
He stumbled forward, grinning like an idiot, and slapped Runeas hard across the ass with a loud smack that echoed over the music. Runeas let out a sharp yelp, genuinely startled, her hips jerking mid-twerk. "Hey! What the hell?!" she shouted. She spun around, blinking in disbelief at first, her cheeks flushed—not with embarrassment, but a spark of rage.
The crowd, of course, didn't care. They howled louder, clapping and cheering like it was part of the performance.
"Yeah! She liked it!"
"Do it again, bro!"
"Spank her for the rest of us!"
The drunk devil puffed out his chest, soaking in the cheers. He gave a clumsy, overdramatic bow to the crowd, then turned back to Runeas with a smug grin plastered across his flushed face. "So," he slurred, pointing a shaky finger at her ass, "you want another smack, huh? Like a good little bitch?"
Runeas narrowed her eyes, her pink pupils glowing just a little too brightly now.
Kuisha and I both stopped moving. We exchanged a look, grinning like cats.
"This is gonna be good," I murmured.
Kuisha nodded in my arms. "I still think she's a brat," she muttered. "But that asshole's about to learn what happens when you touch the wrong girl."
None of us knew who Runeas really was. She hadn't offered a last name or title, and we hadn't pushed. But Selene and I both knew she wasn't some random little devil girl. The power radiating off her—quiet, dense, dangerous—was impossible to ignore.
Our instincts didn't lie. Runeas was someone you didn't fuck with.
I snorted when she snapped her fingers with a little flick, like she was calling room service. A glowing crimson magic circle spun into existence right above the drunk bastard's head. The crowd didn't even have time to react before something massive dropped through it with a heavy thud.
A goddamn camel.
Yes. A full-sized, living, very confused camel tumbled out of the magic circle and landed squarely on the guy, flattening him to the floor in one loud, messy impact. The music didn't stop, but half the club fell silent trying to process what they just saw.
Runeas clapped her hands together with a beaming smile. "Hi, Cami-chan! I missed you!"
She ran up to the dazed camel and threw her arms around its long, fur-covered neck like it was a childhood friend. The animal just stood there blinking, making low snorting noises while it tried to make sense of its new surroundings.
I could barely breathe from laughing. That dumbass had it coming—but even I hadn't expected that to happen!
"A fucking Camel!? Hahahahaha!"
Kuisha's soft body, still pressed tight against mine from dancing, started to tremble. Not in excitement—this was different. Her face was inches from mine, and when I looked into her eyes, the fun was gone. Her pupils were dilated, her breaths were short and shaky.
I leaned in and spoke over the music. "Kuisha? What's wrong?"
She opened her mouth, stumbled over her words, then tried again. "There's only one devil in the entire history of the Underworld... who ever had a camel for a familiar." She hissed like it was obvious. It wasn't by the way. "How the fuck didn't I recognize her name earlier?" she added!
I blinked at her, completely lost. "What name?"
But Kuisha was too focused on Runeas and the camel to answer. I glanced over at Selene. Obviously her vampire ears heard everything. She just raised an eyebrow from her booth, gave me a half-interested shrug, and took another sip of her drink.
The guy was still unconscious on the dance floor, sprawled under the camel like yesterday's trash, and people just... moved on. I don't know what I expected from a nightclub in the fucking Underworld, but apparently knocking some dude out with a camel wasn't enough to interrupt anyone's night.
No one looked outraged. Hell, half the crowd seemed impressed.
Runeas, completely unbothered, had already gone back to the center of the dance floor. The camel—Cami-chan, apparently—stood beside her, bobbing its head to the beat like it had been clubbing its whole life.
Runeas bounced and twirled next to it, throwing her arms up and shouting, "Let's shake it, Cami-chan!"
I made my way over, curious and more than a little amused. Kuisha was already approaching her, shoulders stiff and looking way more anxious than usual. She stopped in front of Runeas and bowed her head slightly.
"I... I owe you an apology," she said, her voice tight. "For earlier. I didn't know who you were, and I was disrespectful. I'm sorry, Lady Runeas."
That made Runeas pause, mid-twerk.
She blinked, tilted her head, then smiled wide. "Aw, don't be so uptight," she said, stepping forward and casually patting Kuisha right on the tit like they were besties. Twice. "Seriously. Relax. Have some fun. And also... maybe don't tell anyone who I am, yeah? That'd be great!"
—
…A little while later, we were all crammed back in the booth, flushed from the heat of the club and more than a little buzzed. Runeas was absolutely thriving—downing shot after shot like they were candy, laughing at her own jokes, and swinging her legs under the table like an overexcited kid. "This is the best fucking night ever!" she announced, raising another empty glass before slamming it down for the next.
Right next to us, her camel—yes, still Cami-chan—was calmly slurping from a giant silver bowl filled with what looked like milk... until I caught the scent. Runeas had definitely spiked that shit. Who the hell gets their familiar drunk?
"Can camels even drink alcohol?" I muttered.
"Demonic camels can," Runeas giggled from across the table, like I'd asked the stupidest question in the universe. "He likes it. Don't you, Cami-chan?"
The camel bobbed its head like it agreed. "BURP!"
Ok then...
Kuisha hadn't said much. She was nervously fiddling with her fourth empty glass and watching Runeas like she expected the girl to suddenly snap or something. Kuisha was usually more chill then this, it made me wonder who the hell Runeas actually was?
Then the devil girl in question turned those bright pink eyes on Selene and me. "Soooooo," she said, drawing out the word like she was savoring it, "what's a vampire and a dhampir doing down in the Underworld?"
I leaned back, gave her a slow grin. "If I told you, I'd have to kill you. It's a secret." I added a wink.
She winked back without missing a beat! "Oh! I love secrets! Does it have anything to do with your sacred gear!?" she asked cheerfully.
My entire body locked up. My hands clenched into fists on my thighs, hidden under the table. How the actual fuck did she just guess that!?
Before I could say a word, Selene moved. One second she was relaxed, and the next, her gun was drawn—its barrel resting firmly between Runeas's eyes.
Runeas blinked, her pink eyes crossing slightly as she stared down the barrel. But instead of flinching or panicking, she just raised her hands slowly and looked... genuinely confused.
"What?" she asked, head tilted. "I was just asking. What's the big deal?"
I was still frozen, jaw tight, trying to figure out how she'd known anything about my sacred gear in the first place. Has this girl been spying on me somehow?
Kuisha immediately shoved herself forward between Selene and Runeas before shit could escalate further. "Wait, wait, wait!" she said quickly, holding both hands up. "It's just a misunderstanding. Selene—Valerie—chill." She turned toward Runeas, her voice a little softer but still firm. "You can't just call people out like that, Lady Runeas! Not about sacred gears! Not THESE DAYS. There have been hunts—raids—people getting abducted and killed just for being born with Sacred Gears. It's dangerous. You don't just say it out loud in a nightclub with ears everywhere. How did you even sense Valerie has one?"
Runeas looked puzzled for a second... and then let out a soft scoff. "Pfft. I was alive when God made those toys. Of course I know how to sense them. It's harder now, sure—but..." she trailed off when she noticed our expressions and pouted. "Hey! Quit looking at me like I'm OLD!" she whined.
Selene and I both stared at her. "Wait... you were what? You were around all the way back then!?"
Even Selene's hand hesitated slightly on the gun. Not lowering it yet, but her aim was less committed.
Runeas just sighed dramatically and slumped against the booth cushion like she was tired of explaining. "I'm sorry, okay? The world keeps changing every time I wake up. I really need to stop taking such long naps."
That word again. Naps. She'd mentioned it earlier, but I thought she was being cute or ironic. Now I wasn't so sure. Vampires sleeping for decades wasn't new to me—but I didn't know of any devils who did that. Hell, what kind of devil even could do that?
Kuisha finally cleared her throat and spoke up, her tone all respect and caution. She glanced between Selene and me before leaning in. "You two should probably know. This isn't just some random devil girl. This is Runeas Gremory. The original Gremory devil. She was created by Lucifer and Lilith. She's literally the first of her pillar clan."
I let out a low whistle, honestly impressed. "Shit, you're like, old-old."
Runeas pouted right away, shooting me a glare. "I can hear you, you know."
I grinned, feeling bold. "So, what, all devils are actually just Nephilim then?"
Runeas blinked in confusion. "What?"
I raised an eyebrow and parodied her tone, "What?"
She huffed, her lips forming another pout. "What are you even talking about?"
I shrugged. "Lucifer was a fallen angel. Lilith was supposed to be the first human woman, right? So wouldn't that mean all devils are technically Nephilim, or some kind of fallen angel hybrids?"
Runeas just snorted, rolling her eyes. "Please. My mother was anything but human. Trust me—you do not want to meet her. Honestly, your kind is probably closer to her than I am, and I'm one of her first daughters. Back in the day, they called Lilith the Queen of Monsters…"
There was something about the way she said it that made my skin crawl. My Nosferatu blood buzzed under the surface. For the first time all night, I had no urge to joke around. "R-Right..." I said and then cleared my throat. "Anyways, it's nice to officially meet you I guess, Runeas. What are you doing stealing Ice Cream if you're like Devil Royalty?"
She puffed out her cheeks and stuck out her large chest. "Hmph! I like going out without people recognizing me. Unlike that old fart old Bael, I don't enjoy being constantly worshiped and adored. Well... I do like being adored I suppose, just not worshiped. Both of my parents-creators-wanted that and look where it got them. Father is dead and gone-I think?-and mother fucked off to somewhere and hasn't been seen in over 1000 years..." Runeas explained.
Kuisha choked at the mention of 'old fart Bael...'
The conversation finally started to drift back to something more normal, at least by our standards. If Runeas had actually spent most of her life napping, maybe she wasn't as ancient as she sounded. Honestly, Selene might be mentally older than one of the first devils ever made. I couldn't resist poking fun at my adoptive mother about that, just to see her reaction.
"Y'know, Selene, you might actually be mentally older than the original Gremory," I teased, giving her a pointed look.
She smacked my arm—light, playful. "Watch it, brat. You'll hit that age one day too, and you're not going to want everyone throwing it in your face…"
I just stuck my tongue out at her, grinning. Runeas caught my eye, mirrored my face, and stuck her tongue out too. She then tossed back another shot and thumped the table. "Come on! Enough talking, let's hit the dance floor again!"
Kuisha just laughed nervously and shook her head, but it felt like everyone was finally relaxing. For a second, it was just four weird and sexy supernatural girls, and a drunk camel ready for one more round.
We'd barely been back on the dance floor for a song or two when this grating voice started booming out in third person—like he was narrating his own damn entrance. "Well, well, well, four beauties have graced Riser's nightclub tonight. It would be a tragedy for Riser not to introduce himself!"
I groaned under my breath. Kuisha's face was already twisted in irritation before the guy even got close. A blonde devil strutted toward us like he owned the place, with a whole entourage of women trailing after him. They were all dressed in these skimpy, borderline pornographic outfits.
Their nipples might as well have been on display for everyone to see.
Kuisha growled and squared her shoulders, her whole vibe shifting to defensive in an instant. "Hello, Riser Phenex," she said, her voice tight with annoyance.
He shot her a condescending smile. "Greetings, queen of that magical failure Sairaorg."
Kuisha shot him a deadly look. "You got the balls to say that to his face, Riser? Or just to women when you think you're safe?"
He huffed, flipping his hair back. "Of course Riser does! Riser doesn't believe that failure with no magical power reached Ultimate-class for real. That rank has to be fake—nepotism from the Great King's faction, obviously." He said it loud enough for everyone nearby to hear, smirking like he thought he was clever.
Then his eyes slid over to me, Selene, and Runeas—undressing us with his gaze in the most obvious, sleazy way. Just from that look, I knew this asshole was a world-class creeper.
And watching his so-called 'peerage' trailing behind him just hammered it in. Most of them just looked checked out—dead eyes, painted smiles, going through the motions like it was a job they couldn't quit. A couple of the girls seemed downright scared, not even making eye contact with anyone. It was just fucking obvious that the peerage system, for all its pomp, was really just supernatural slavery with fancier clothes. At least for most servants.
I'm pretty sure Kuisha avoided that because Sairarog was a nice guy and she was ALREADY a High-Class pureblood Devil.
Either way, it made me even more glad I got Gasper out when I did even if Rias was "nice" too.
Riser's eyes swept over us again, slower this time, and I could practically feel the slime dripping off his stare. He licked his lips like a cartoon villain, then zeroed in on Runeas with an exaggerated grin. "Those crimson locks… Riser would recognize them anywhere. You must be a scion of the Gremory clan."
He took a step closer, still grinning like he thought he was charming. "Although, since Riser does not recognize your face, you must be from a lesser branch. Or perhaps… a bastard? That would explain your low-class presence here."
Runeas didn't even blink. She just raised one eyebrow and tilted her head, letting him dig his own grave with that mouth of his.
Then, as if the dumbass hadn't already crossed every line imaginable, he started ranting—right there on the dance floor, arms flailing like a drunk preacher. "Riser's family is still furious with the Gremory clan! That marriage to my precious Rias-chan was Riser's future! And now, disgrace! Shame!"
I blinked slowly. Was this guy seriously giving us a monologue?
"But…" he said, eyes now locked onto Runeas's chest, "perhaps Riser has found a solution."
Oh, for fuck's sake… We all knew where this was going.
He grinned wider, eyes flicking from Runeas to Selene to me. "Yes… if you agree to be Riser's personal sex slave, Riser would be willing to forgive your family's crimes. Of course, your two sexy vampire friends would be included. A noble like Riser needs a full set of beautiful slaves to make him feel better..."
And that was it. The entire club went dead quiet. Not one person stepped in. Not a single noble, peerage member, or bar-hopping asshole dared to challenge him. Instead, the crowd just whispered. Not in amusement or agreement—just pity.
"Those poor sexy girls..."
"Shhh! You can't make comments like that around the Phenex Clan!"
Kuisha looked like she was glitching, her expression frozen between rage and disbelief. I could almost see her trying to compute the level of bullshit coming out of his mouth.
So much for Lilith being the "safe" capital of the Underworld.
Safe for who, exactly? Rich assholes like this clown?
Selene's fingers twitched. She was going for her gun. I knew that move. She wasn't bluffing. But before she could draw, a blur of shaggy fur and drunken energy zipped past me.
Cami-chan. Runeas's drunk-ass camel launched forward, surprisingly fast for an animal drunk off his ass. The crowd barely had time to gasp before it happened—Cami-chan went straight for Riser's groin and bit down with a full chomp.
The sound Riser made wasn't human. It wasn't even Devil. It was just raw, squealing agony as he dropped to the ground like a sack of bricks, clutching his bleeding crotch and screaming, "WHY AM I NOT HEALING?! WHY AM I NOT HEALING?!"
Runeas clapped gleefully and skipped over to the scene of the crime. "Good job, Cami-chan! Who's my goodest boy?"
The camel gave a pleased little snort and sat right on Riser's chest.
I was speechless, which was saying a lot for me. Selene lowered her hand, visibly disappointed that she hadn't gotten to shoot him.
Riser's peerage were frozen in place, mouths open, eyes wide. One of the girls even dropped the drink she was holding, the glass shattering on the floor and snapping some of the others out of their daze. Not that I blamed them.
Despite the blood pooling beneath him—and yeah, it was coming from the worst possible place—it still hit my nose. He was a main descendant of a pillar clan, that blood was potent. Rich. Addictively sweet with a kick of something ancient. My fangs ached. My stomach tightened. I fiddled with a strand of my long blonde hair, trying not to focus too hard on the scent.
But then I looked down at him. Still squealing, pinned under an 800-pound camel. "Well," I muttered, "waste not, want not." I crouched down beside him, tilted my head, and looked him right in the eye. "Your sister was a lot nicer. And way more respectful. You really should've tried emulating her instead of being such a fuckboy."
Before he could choke out a response, I leaned in and sank my fangs into his neck. Not to kill—just a taste. A few greedy gulps. His blood burned going down, sharp and heavy, like drinking molten fire.
SO GOOD!
It took all my willpower to pull back. But I wasn't going to kill him. Not with so many witnesses unfortunately.
He whimpered like a kicked dog and then went limp, completely passed out. Getting turned into a eunuch and drained of a few pints was apparently his limit.
Then, one of the girls in his peerage finally snapped out of it. She let out a scream so shrill it made people wince. "These low-class monsters are trying to assassinate Riser-sama!"
Oh, here we go.
She whipped a hand behind her back and pulled out a glowing summoning flyer. Before any of us could react, she hurled it onto the dance floor. The circle erupted in flames—and out stepped a tall, elegant devil with long blonde hair and the same build as Riser. He looked about twenty-five in human years, lean but strong, dressed in a finely tailored suit that probably cost more than everything I owned combined.
I heard Kuisha whisper beside me, voice tight and low. "Ruval Phenex."
Whispers broke out around the club like wildfire.
"Is that really the Ruval?"
"One of the strongest devils in the Underworld."
"He's ranked top ten in the Rating Games... some say top five."
"The real power of the Phenex Clan—his flames are unmatched!"
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Big deal. I had unlimited access to the most powerful holy water in existence—Riser's flaming big brother didn't scare me.
Ruval's gaze swept the club, landing hard on his brother, who was still bleeding out under a very content Cami-chan. His face twisted into something between horror and disbelief. "What... what happened here?" he demanded.
One of Riser's peerage girls immediately pointed at us like we were villains in a soap opera. "It was a Gremory! And those two filthy vampire whores helped her! They tried to assassinate Riser-sama! The Gremory Clan has betrayed us!"
Ruval's face hardened, and I felt the sudden rise in heat as fire flickered around his hands. "You three will be coming with me. Now. You'll answer for this attack against House Phenex!"
Yeah, that wasn't happening.
I tilted my head at him slowly, deliberately. His fire aura was already flaring hotter, practically radiating off him in waves. I could see the twitch in his jaw, the way his fists clenched, trying to hold himself back.
Then I made it worse.
I dragged my tongue across my bottom lip, slow and unbothered, tasting the last bit of his little brother's blood. And I didn't break eye contact while I did it. His pupils narrowed, flames licking up from his fingertips. The rage in his expression turned absolutely murderous.
And me? I just smiled sweetly, resting my chin on my knuckles. "Tastes noble," I murmured, just loud enough for him to hear.
That really did it.
Selene sighed beside me, already adjusting the angle of her draw. Her fingers moved with calm precision, like this wasn't her first rodeo—which, of course, it wasn't. "Knew it," she muttered, more resigned than angry. "Can't visit the Underworld without leaving a few bodies behind" Her tone was dry, almost bored, like we were about to get into an annoying bar brawl instead of a high-stakes fight with a top-tier noble. Her blue eyes flicked toward Ruval without a trace of fear.
Just that focused, clinical cool she always carried before shit got violent.
But before either of us could move, we both felt hands grab the backs of our collars. Suddenly we were airborne, flung backward like dolls.
We landed—on Cami-chan's massive back. I barely had time to grab hold before I realized Runeas was already seated in front, grinning like a maniac!
She let out a loud, wild laugh. "Now this is what I call a night out! Dancing's fun, but nothing beats an epic fucking getaway! Hahahahaha! You'll never take us alive!" she shouted in excitement!
"Wait—" I started.
"Run for it, Cami-chan!" she shouted, slapping the camel's side. The moment her hand made contact, Cami-chan's legs tensed, cracked the marble floor beneath us, and then launched us forward—straight through the wall of the nightclub.
We burst out onto the streets of Lilith in a storm of dust, broken stone, and very confused bystanders.
People screamed. Drinks flew. One poor guy got flattened by a chunk of wall and still managed to hold onto his glowing cocktail. Was he dead? I think he was dead...
Runeas just cackled like a lunatic. "This is the best night ever!"
"You think you can escape?!" Ruval's voice boomed after us, wild and enraged. "You've attacked the Phenex Clan—you'll never leave Lilith alive you murderers! I swear it! The Phenex Clan will hunt you three down!"
I looked over my shoulder, hair whipping in the wind, and flipped him off with both hands. "Tell your brother thanks for the appetizer, dickhead!"
Cami-chan galloped like a demon, hooves slamming against stone streets and throwing sparks into the air. Runeas was howling with laughter, her arms raised like we were on a roller coaster. Selene had one hand on her holster and the other gripping the saddle—or well, the hump—for balance.
"This is about what I expected from a night in Hell," she muttered.
"It's a lot weirder that I was expecting, to be honest!" I shot back, still high on blood and laughter.
Runeas twisted around to grin at us. "I regret nothing! Now let's see how long it takes them to catch a drunk camel on a rampage through the capital!"
I started feeling really fucking hot—like, sweating-through-my-shirt hot—and that never happened to me. Dhampir body temp is naturally cooler, and I don't sweat unless things get seriously intense. I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand and stared at the moisture like it had betrayed me.
"Okay... that's weird," I muttered.
Selene noticed instantly. She turned around in her seat, eyes narrowing, nostrils flaring subtly like she was scenting for blood. "What's wrong, my daughter?"
I shifted uncomfortably, tugging at the collar of my jacket. "I think... I think I'm having some kind of reaction."
"To what?"
"Riser's blood," I said, wincing as a wave of heat rippled through me like I was sitting on the surface of the sun. "I don't know what the hell is in direct Phenex blood, but it's doing something." It was way different then that branch member I drained months ago.
Selene frowned, her expression tightening. "Your pupils are dilated. Your skin's flushing."
"Yeah, no shit. I'm pretty sure I'm glowing. Like, literally. Is my skin glowing?"
She didn't answer. Instead, she reached out and touched my forehead. Her fingers drew back instantly. "You're burning up."
Runeas half-turned from the front of the camel, clearly eavesdropping. "Ooooh, you probably drank too much too fast. Or maybe he had too many supernatural STDs...? Can that make you sick?"
I stared at her. "Please don't put that image in my mind!"
She just shrugged and laughed. "I'm just kidding. In all honesty, I sense that you're evolving somehow?" she tilted her head. "Congratulations...?"
I kind of figured that was the case since Alucard told me something would happen if I drank direct Pillar Devil blood. Meanwhile, my skin was practically tingling. My heart rate kicked up like I'd just downed five shots of espresso and run a mile. I gritted my teeth.
Selene sighed again and reached into her coat. "I swear to the Moon, if you pass out on me in the middle of a high-speed camel escape—"
"I'm fine!" I snapped, then groaned and felt dizzy. "Okay, maybe not fine. But functional..."
And then all of a sudden my eyes rolled back and everything went black…
XXX