Eva threw up her hands. “Oh, well, that’s totally fine, then! Of course I understand. He’s completely forgiven now.”
“Really?”
“No, Meph,” Raum drawled. “That’s called sarcasm.”
“I know what sarcasm is.”
“Can we get back to the fucking point?” Bel snapped. Flames flickered in his eyes, and everyone snapped to attention. They were not risking another blown-fuse Belial. “I’m the oldest and most powerful, and I say all five of us are leaving this city. If you don’t like it, too bad.”
“No one’s objecting, bro.” Meph held his tattooed palms up. “But we need somewhere to go.”
Unfortunately, no one had an answer for that.
“Fuck.” Ash dragged his free hand down his face. He was having the damnedest time focusing on the conversation.
“You okay, Ash?” Meph asked, studying him. “You’re looking pretty pale.”
“I’m fine. Just tired.”
“He’s right,” Bel said suddenly. “You look like shit.”
“I’m fine,” he growled, suddenly impatient to escape the scrutinizing gazes of his brothers. Unfortunately, as he turned to step around Eva into the hall, he got really light-headed and staggered into the wall.
He would have gone down if Bel hadn’t been there to catch him. “What the fuck?”
Ash straightened and tried to jerk out of his hold. “I’m fine.”
“How much blood did you lose?”
“I said I’m fine.” He tried again to fight off Bel’s grip on his arms.
“You don’t look fine. Move your hand and let me see the wound.”
“I’m fi—” Except as soon as Bel finally let go of him, he staggered again.
Bel caught him and jerked his chin at Raum. “Move his hand so I can see the wound. I’ll hold his arms.”
“Fuck you!” Ash protested, struggling in Bel’s iron grip, but he was weak from blood loss and couldn’t break free. Raum came over and yanked his hand back from the wound, still clutching the blood-soaked T-shirt. Blood immediately leaked over from the gaping wound.
To make matters worse, his hand had tightened around the shirt when he was forced to move it, and he ended up accidentally wringing it out. A steady stream of blood dripped from the shirt into a nice little pool at his feet.
Eva gasped. Her cat hissed again, just because.
Belial cursed a blue streak. “Turn on the stove and get a knife. We have to cauterize this.”
Raum rushed to obey while Bel shot a glare at Eva, eyes flickering with flames. “You didn’t notice how badly he was wounded?”
“This isn’t her fault,” Meph said, uncharacteristically reasonably. Ash would have said the same, but he was suddenly using up all his concentration on not passing out.
Eva flinched. “He said he was fine.”
“He can’t feel pain,” Bel snapped. “He’ll always say he’s fine.”
“Leave her out of this.” Ash’s voice came out slurred. “I said I’m fine.”
“Shut up. Raum, get that blade heated up.”
“Already on it.”
