"Creak—"
The door opened.
Light from the hallway spilled in as a tall man stepped inside.
Mason Nightshade hadn't expected Aurelia Shaw to still be awake. He froze for a moment, walked over and squatted in front of her. Moonlight fell across her bloodless face and he suddenly went rigid.
"What's wrong?" Mason Nightshade held Aurelia Shaw's hand; her palm was icy under his.
How could it be this cold? Did she not pull the covers over herself properly tonight?
Mason Nightshade wrapped both hands around hers, rubbing them, breathing warm air into her palms. "Is that a little better? Didn't wake up from the cold, did you? …I reminded Aunt Rong to turn on the floor heating tonight, she must've forgotten..."
"Where did you go?" Aurelia Shaw lowered her eyes to look at him.
There was a smell on Mason Nightshade.
It was a scent she knew all too well. Maybe she hadn't understood it before, but now…
She knew very clearly it was the smell of blood.
