"Skye…" She hears her name being whispered barely audible.
Skye's shut eyes flew open, where she had been hoping for everything that happened to be a dream. She raised her head and saw his red eyes half open as he stared at the ceiling. His chest rose weakly, his lips were pale and so was his skin.
"Zed?" she whispered, rushing to his side. Her heartbeat racing fast
He was alive! After minutes of believing she'd lost him, he was breathing again.
His pale lips parted like he wanted to say something. "Blood…" his raspy voice called.
Skye leaned closer, straining to hear him.
He blinked slowly, struggling to focus on her face. "Please, send in two guards. Quickly." he whispered to her.
"Of course," she replied, not thinking of why he would need the guards, she was too relieved to see him alive. She quickly hurried, her bare feet echoing against the floor. Within moments, two guards followed her into the room.
She stood outside waiting patiently, then she heard a bitter scream from the two guards causing her to rush in.
Her stomach dropped as she pushed the door open, unable to believe the sight before her.
The guards lay lifeless on the floor, eyes wide open. And beside their bodies, Zed was in a crouched position, his mouth glistening with blood.
He turned at the sound of the door, eyes wild "I didn't ask you to come in!" Zed shouted, his voice sounding like more than one talking at the same time. He hadn't expected her to barge in, he hadn't cleared the bodies. He quickly turned away from her, his mouth filled with the blood of the guards.
She stared at the scene still shaken, while her eyes held so many questions.
"Zed?" She called to him, her voice quivering as she neared him. Looking at him, she noticed his pale-looking complexion.
Zed grabbed the edge of the table nearby to stabilise himself, the ache in his head had gone, but he barely felt alive, he couldn't feel his limbs as he lacked blood.
"Zed" he heard her directly behind him causing him to lick the blood off his lips and he turned to face her but couldn't meet her eyes.
"I'm sorry I killed them" he apologized.
Why he was apologizing? he didn't know but he just did.
Skye's breath caught. Her hands trembled, but when she saw the faint despair in his eyes, she couldn't bring herself to run.
"It doesn't matter now. Are you alright?" Without thinking, she raised her trembling hands to his cheek. Zed sighed at the feel of her warm touch, where his body was cold and he felt barely in control of himself as he could move but there wasn't enough blood flow for him to register the action.
"Skye…" he began, his voice quieter now, but before he could finish, she pressed her lips to his.
Had she read his mind?
His body stiffened for a moment, then melted into hers. Immediately the heat she exuded filled his senses, the warmth of her human body so close to his, he felt himself regaining control of his body and like always his raw form threatened to come out but he needed that warmth from her so he didn't pull away.
He deepened the kiss, his arms wrapping around her waist, trapping her warmth against his cold body. He could hear her heartbeat, pounding loudly in her chest.
His lips left hers, travelling down her jaw, her neck causing her to shiver. "Zed?" she whispered, she tried to move a little, surprised at the strength he still had, though he looked so pale like he could fall.
He didn't answer. The soft brush of his lips filled her senses, then his coarse tongue stretched to lick her neck before sucking on the tender flesh and her mouth fell open with a gasp.
Zed groaned in approval and she felt his claws digging into her waist. Something was wrong. She cried in pain as his grip tightened on her and she desperately tried to move away, noticing the shift in his mood.
His lips that were soft suddenly parted and his fangs dug into her neck with such a harsh bite and began to suck her blood.
Pain shot through her neck as he bit even deeper and she screamed a bitter scream but Zed didn't relent, he was focused on what he was doing.
"Zed, Stop!" she cried, pushing against him. But his grip tightened. His claws dug into her waist, pinning her in place. Her scream echoed through the room, but Zed was lost ... .consumed by hunger, blind to her cries and everything but the taste of her blood.
Skye felt the blood in her system being drained at a high rate and she suddenly felt weaker. Grabbing him by the hair, she pulled his head back with force causing him to groan in pain at the ache and she shoved him back with all the strength she had left, rushing to the other side of the room.
"Help!" she screamed, clutching her bleeding neck. "Someone help me!" She screamed as she studied Zed. This was not her husband, it had to be a different person.
Zed lifted his head slowly, his lips stained red and his expression changed "Hush Princess," an evil smile curled on his lips, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished, only to appear right in front of her.
"Zed, please—"
Grabbing her jaw she wailed in pain not being able to move from his grip, his claws scratched her and he forced her neck to the side, his eyes gauging the opening where blood flowed freely due to his bite. He stuck out his tongue to resume his task but he had barely tasted the blood when he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen.
The pain hit him hard causing him to groan and he looked down to see a blade buried deep in his abdomen, he struggled and turned back to see who stabbed him before falling on his knees.
"You stab your own blood?" he rasped, eyes wide as they met the one person he didn't expect, Pharian.
Pharian pulled the blade out, watching Zed with no change in his expression.
Zed's hand came to touch his abdomen and he clutched his side. His breath came out ragged, he could taste death again.
"You almost killed her, Zed." Pharian stated.
Zed looked past him, to Skye. She stood trembling in the corner, tears streaking her face, one hand pressed against the bite on her neck. The horror in her eyes broke him more than the wound ever could.
"Skye…" he whispered weakly before turning to Pharian. "Please help," Zed pleaded, gasping. The pain was unbearable.
Pharian ignored him and rushed over to Skye embracing her and she wept bitterly in his arms which was enough to upset Zed, realizing that he caused her harm and he had just revealed his true self to her, he was simply evil.
Zed stared, his vision dimming. The sound of her crying was the last thing he heard before everything went dark.
• ○ • ○ •
When his eyes opened again, the air here was thin but very familiar. He was back in the Underworld not only that but in Pharian's room.
Zed groaned and weakly turned to see Pharian standing by the window.
"She almost had my head for killing you," Pharian said quietly, not turning around.
Zed's throat tightened. "I didn't mean to hurt her. I just… needed blood."
Pharian's jaw flexed. "You needed control."
"You almost killed her Zed" Pharian frowned, not caring for his excuses.
The silence was heavy between them and Zed lowered his gaze, guilt pressing like chains on his shoulders. "I'm too dangerous for her," he said softly. "She'll never look at me the same way again."
"What happened?" Pharian asked and Zed narrated everything that happened to him and Pharian's frown grew.
"He was a demon?" Pharian asked and Zed nodded.
Pharian sighed, crossing the room. "No need to hunt, I have a few human offenders who are in need of punishment,"
He led Zed down a dim hallway, to a locked door reinforced with steel. Pharian pushed it open, inside there were families huddled together, men, women and children. The adults were trembling, their eyes pleading.
Zed stared at them. "Who are they?"
"Human offenders," Pharian replied, waving his hands.
"What was their offence?" Zed asked, gauging the humans in front of him, his throat tingling from his blood craving.
"They tried to poison me. I thought you might… find use for them."
"Why mess with the humans?" Zed asked, his eyes darkening from hunger.
"I merely seek amusement," Pharian smiled.
Zed walked deeper into the room and the petrified humans looked at him with pleading eyes, unfortunately he wasn't one to show compassion.
Pharian leaned against the doorframe. "At least spare the children," he could tell Zed was desperate for blood by the way he looked at them.