The darkness rippled around Ansel, slowly clearing away to the face of a woman.

Her scent was woven in his body as she carefully checked the pulse on his wrist. “You’re stable,” the woman muttered under her breath. 

Beautiful. She’s beautiful.

“Sasha?” he groaned as he tried to ease himself into a sitting position.

A masculine chuckle interrupted their conversation. “I suppose Razel’s poison gave you more illusion than pain.” Brief silence, then Giro continued. “Those two are messing with you. Razel was not lying that his blood can kill but…he made sure the poison he gave you would do nothing more but induce stomach ache.”

“And headache,” the woman...