I’m not sure when it happened, but I slept a little longer. It seemed like the rest—and medication—were doing some good. The blue veins hadn’t faded, but they’d stopped spreading for the time being. I took it as a blessing. Hell, I’d take whatever progress I could at this point.

After dinner—soup and Jell-O, curse Sorsha for her near liquid diet—I felt myself drifting toward sleep once again. Except… an image gradually clouded my vision, blurring my gaze until I could hardly see the room around me. Had I passed out and been dragged into another nightmare? Was I hallucinating? I’d prefer hallucinations to having my life force sucked out again.

The vision gradually solidified, the wispy smoke coalescing into… Sam.

“Caith?” His voice was faint—distorted. I heard him, but not with my ears. It was as if he spoke into my mind instead.

“Sam?” I waved my hand through the scene in front of me. “Is that you or am I hallucinating?” It was like the after-image I got after staring at a bright light. I couldn’t quite focus and there was no color. Despite that, I could still recognize Sam. My Sam.

“It’s me, amica.” I loved the endearment—sweetheart. “Astral projection is the only way I could communicate with you.”

“There aren’t any phones in your neck of the woods?” My gel mate always had to complicate things.

“No service.” He frowned. “We were in a city a few days ago, but the ones I’m protecting have traveled to… well, away from civilized lands. It is quite rustic.”

“Where the hell are you?” He hadn’t been able to share much about his divine mission, which pissed me off. I understood why On High wouldn’t want him sharing information with the devil’s niece, but come on. All he’d grudgingly told me was that he had to watch over a pair of fated twins that needed divine guidance.

If it was up to me I’d give them some infernal guidance… and a few hellfired weapons. I was generous like that.

“Far away.” He kept up with the evasive act, his stare drifting from my eyes. I gritted my teeth and tried to hide my frustration with his vague answer. “I’ve been worried about you. I felt your distress earlier.”

“Felt it?” I nibbled my lower lip.

I wasn’t too sure what powers Sam had nowadays. Astral projection hadn’t been on his list the last time we’d talked. The longer he continued his journey toward grace, the stronger he became. He wasn’t a full gel—yet—but he drew nearer every day.

I didn’t want to think about what’d happen to us when that happened.

“I can always feel your pain. We are connected, you and me.”

I waggled my eyebrows. “I remember the last time we were connected.”

Sam sighed and shook his head. I couldn’t help it. It had been for-ev-er since I’d seen him, had him inside me. My wolf paced and growled with his absence, my body anxious for his possession once again. My inner beast had claimed Sam as our mate even if he hadn’t done the same in return. I’d bitten him—come with him deep inside me—but he’d kept his pleasure restrained.

So far.

My wolf urged me to hunt and take what belonged to us, but if we did that… he’d never get back to On High’s good side.

“Not connected like that.”

I snorted and smiled. “You’re a dork.”

“How are you feeling?”

I shrugged. I’d been shrugging a lot lately. “Like crap.” I wiggled lower in the bed and stared at the image of Sam floating behind my vision. “They won’t let me out of bed and I’ve got ‘concerned parties’ on all sides watching me to make sure I stay out of trouble.”

“Is Rush there? I asked him to check on you.”

I scowled at my mate, which was a bit hard when his image wouldn’t stay in one place. “Yeah, thanks for that. Just what I needed, another babysitter.”

“Amica…”

“Don’t start.” I held up a hand to quiet him. “You knew exactly what you were doing. Don’t try to deny it.”

He looked away and while it was hard to see within his colorless image, I could have sworn I saw a blush creeping up his cheeks. Sam had always been protective of me—from the first day we’d met.

It never ceased to get on my fucking nerves. Oh, I knew it was because he cared, but sometimes it felt like he didn’t think I could take care of myself. Or make good decisions for my own well-being.

Okay, he was probably right about the last part. Good decisions were no fun and I tried to keep them at a minimum.

“We’re all concerned about your health.”

“Yeah, well maybe they should try talking to me instead of avoiding me. Maybe I’d be a little more understanding.”

“What do you mean?” He had that confused look down.

“I’m getting the cold shoulder from Uncle Luc and even Jezze of all people. No one is being straight with me. They’re hiding something, Sam, and I know it.”

And I did know it. I just hadn’t said it aloud until now.

“They’re simply struggling with this situation,” he murmured and I could practically feel his thick arms wrapping around my waist, his heat enveloping me as he sought to calm my anger.

“And I’m not?” I threw up my hands, disgust coating my grimace. “I think they’ve been talking to Sorsha behind my back. There’s something they’re not saying. When have I ever tiptoed around shit?”

“They probably don’t want to upset you.”

“If they think hiding shit won’t upset me, they don’t know me very well,” I snarked and turned my head. Of course Astral Projection Sam stayed in my vision. I tried closing my eyes, but I could still sense his presence.

“If I’m upsetting you…”

I sighed. “No, don’t go. We haven’t gotten to talk in a while. I need this.”

I need you.

But that went unsaid.

We talked for as long as I could remain awake and he could maintain the connection.

And I was a total whiny girl the whole time. I admit it. But if anyone ever asked, I totally didn’t pout when Sam had nothing to offer but his love.

Which I would totally take, of course.

“Amica, you need to have faith in yourself. You’re not helpless, but you’re also not invincible. You need to learn to accept help.”

Sam still didn’t accept that “faith” wasn’t a thing in the underworld.

“Yeah, yeah,” I grumbled, but didn’t whine. “Come back soon, okay?”

“As soon as my mission is complete.”

I closed my eyes and allowed exhaustion to wash over me. As sleep consumed me, dragging me into unconsciousness, I thought I saw another person float into my vision.

A face that haunted my dreams the rest of the night.