Page 131 of Into the Void

Pale skin was drawn taut across his face, his eyes were closed as if in sleep, and Nick tried to focus through the screaming in his head. The void roared in his chest, flooding him with power and rage and consuming everything else.

It promised him justice and vengeance and revenge, and he almost let it take control.

“He’s not dead,” Faye said. “Although he isn’t far from it. Vampire venom has that effect.”

Nick looked at her. The void slowed its thrashing, but it didn’t stop. Hope dampened the deafening screams in his head, and Nick clamped down on the dark thunderstorm of power rushing through him, forcing it back under his control.

“What did you do to him?” Nick said. He tried to check Henry’s pulse, but his hands were shaking, and he couldn’t feel anything.

“We made him comfortable,” Faye said. “Who do you think put all those pillows under his head?”

“You bit him. You infected him with your venom.”

“Technically, I forced him to drink it, but I suppose the rest is true.”

He could feel the void tugging at his restraint, trying to unravel his senses until he lost his grip on the floodgates and let it tear through these monsters.

“Can he be saved?”

“If I let it happen,” Faye said with a light shrug. “If I were you, I’d keep me alive until I fix him.”

Nick tightened his grip on the void. “Why?”

“It was just a few drops of vampire venom. I used my own, just to add a personal touch, but it doesn’t really matter who it came from. You know how dangerous it can be.”

“Why?” Nick repeated.

“It’s not enough to kill him,” she said. “I was very precise.”

“What’s going to happen to him? Will he turn?”

She raised an eyebrow. “That’s not how it works.”

“So he won’t turn?”

“He won’t. He’ll sleep for a couple of days while his body fights off the infection.”

“I should kill you for this,” Nick said.

Dixon and Richards stepped forward, but they didn’t come closer. Neither of them looked him in the eye. They were watching his skin, staring at the void. Black veins spread across his skin like spears of lightning. The void wanted to rip them apart, and they could see it in his eyes.

“Tell me why you did this to him,” Nick demanded.

“I don’t want him to interfere,” Faye said.

“With what?”

She smiled. “Now we’re getting to the good stuff.”

“Wait, how did you even get into the house?” Nick demanded, trying to sort through the countless questions in his head. “Vampires can’t get inside.”

“Naive, aren’t you?” she laughed. “Surprising, considering the reputation that your kind carries.”

“You found a witch willing to work with you.”

“Of course I did. It wasn’t difficult.”

“What about Brett? Where is he?”