“Brigid?”

No!

She could feel it snapping to the surface again. There was nothing to protect him from her rage. Nothing to shield him from the outpouring of pain and anger that she felt begin to consume her.

Please, God, she begged. Let me be consumed. Don’t let me hurt anyone else.

He was at the threshold. She could feel him. She could feel his energy reaching out to her. Trying to surround her and comfort her, but she pushed it away.

“Brigid…”

Stay away! She lifted her eyes to meet his. The monster with the brilliant blue eyes stared back at her. Then he gasped, and she realized what he saw.

She was the monster now.

Brigid heard her feral scream erupt a moment before Carwyn’s amnis rushed around her and the mountain crashed down.

He moved effortlessly through the silent earth, using his amnis to protect her from the fire, pushing away the rocks and rubble until he could sense her. He felt the hum of her amnis glowing like a banked fire in the darkness. Carwyn pushed through the soil until he was next to her, stretching his body out with the earth between them. Then he moved his hand, clearing a pocket around her face, but leaving the rest of her smothered in the cool soil. Her hollow eyes flickered open. He couldn’t stop staring. The iris had been charred by her turning, and a deep grey border ringed the brown, creating a mesmerizing stare.

He said nothing. What was there to say?

Finally, she whispered, “It wasn’t you. Was it Deirdre?”

“Yes.”

She said nothing.

“Are you in pain?”

He could see the truth in her eyes, but she shook her head as much as she could. “The pressure feels good against my skin, in a strange way. Did I hurt anyone?”

Carwyn lifted a hand and brushed more soil from her face. He wished he had a wet cloth, or would that be too harsh on her newly turned skin? Her senses would be like a raw nerve now. He didn’t remember his own turning, it had been too long, but he had sired eleven children, though none had been born to fire. He knew how to soothe a vampire of his own element, but what would comfort Brigid now?

“You didn’t hurt anyone. Can you feel your amnis?”

“I understand why you call it a current now. I can feel it washing over me. It’s like water. Only very, very hot. Like the hottest bath you could imagine.”

“I know it hurts, but concentrate on pushing it over your body, if you can.”

She took a breath and closed her eyes. “I ruined his library.”

Carwyn forced a smile, cupping her cheek in his hand. It was scalding hot, but he didn’t move it away. “Technically, I did. Don’t worry, we’ll build another one.”

“Did I burn everything?”

“We’ll build again.”

“Ashes.” He saw tears come to her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. “I saw the room. I left it in ashes.”

“We can build again, Brigid. I promise. Even from ashes.”

He heard her take a breath and could feel her amnis cover her cheek as his hand lay against it. They stared at each other, enveloped by the silent, eternal earth.

“Do you remember last year in the pub when you put your hand on my cheek because it was cold?”

Carwyn smiled. “I remember.”

“It felt nice.”

“It did.”

“I don’t like it when most people touch me, but I don’t mind it when you do. Why do you think that is?”

He felt a burning in his throat and his eyes watered. “I don’t know, but I’m glad.”

“Me, too.”

They were silent again, and Carwyn could feel her amnis growing stronger. Her shield was building even as he watched. So strong. She had always been so strong. So determined. “Were you trying to kill yourself, Brigid?”

She blinked. “I don’t know, really. I just wanted to rest. I only wanted a little bit of peace. And now I’ll never have any.”

Carwyn swallowed back the harsh groan and said, “You must take care of yourself. Please, you must.”

“I know.” She sighed and the dust stirred in the air between them. “I was so tired. I only wanted to rest. Now I’m tired and hungry.”

He bit back a growl when he saw the fangs fall in her mouth. He would feed her if she asked. He wanted her to ask, even though he knew it wasn’t wise. He needed to get her blood soon, and a lot of it. Hopefully, Deirdre had made arrangements.

“We need to get you blood, and we need to dig out of this mountain.”

“I’m hoping you can do the digging part, because I’ve no idea how.”

He smiled. “I do. Why don’t… Why don’t you just let me take care of you for a bit?”

Brigid blinked her eyes again, watching him, as Carwyn felt the shifting in his heart.

He couldn’t solve the ills of the world. He couldn’t bring his son back to life, or heal his daughter’s grief. And he knew he couldn’t fix Brigid Connor, either. Not really. But he could help her. This young woman who had lived too much in her short life. He could help her take care of herself. Even if it was just for a while.

“Will you let me, Brigid?” Please.

Her eyebrows furrowed together. He could see the fear behind her eyes, the instinctive caution. Slowly, she nodded and Carwyn let out a breath. He cleared more room around her until they were huddled together in the ruins of the library. Then he stripped off his shirt and covered her. Brigid flinched when the cloth touched her sensitive skin, but he saw her force herself to relax.