“That could work, but if I were there, it would be a useful distraction. Siah said it will be hard to organize the lamia. I imagine it will be even harder if all eyes are on him. You all know we can’t just attack from outside. The paladin have been there and done that; somehow Adriel gets the upper hand. You guys are here to rescue Lachlan and Keegan. I’m here to kill Adriel. Our best way of accomplishing what each of us wants is this way,” I explain.
“I don’t like it, Killer. You said yourself that we should stick together. If we split up, we’re weaker targets,” Knox pleads.
“Adriel doesn’t want me dead. He wants my abilities. He’ll be focused on trying to get what he wants from me, and it will leave him vulnerable in other places. He’s not going to kill me, and I may be there dealing with him alone for a little while, but we’re all connected,” I tell them motioning to each of them in the room. “I can talk with you, feed you information, help you fine tune the attack. This really is our best option.”
“You act like death is the worst thing he can do to you,” Valen speaks up. “We don’t know what his tactics are like. You’re assuming he’s going to take his time trying to win you over, but what if he just tries to take them from you. What are we supposed to do if that’s what goes down? You’ll be on your own, no buffer, no protection.”
I take a deep breath and consider what he’s saying. My eyes focus on Valen’s hazel gaze, and I wish I could smooth away all the worry I see in his face. “You’re right, we don’t know how I’ll be treated once I’m in Adriel’s hands. All I do know is that, as long as he’s alive, I will never stop being hunted.Wewill never be safe. I know he’s a monster. I know not to let my guard down. I am not defenseless. Icando this,” I reassure them, and I feel the truth of those words settling deep in my veins.
Valen looks away from me, and I watch as he and the rest of my Chosen each lock eyes in turn.
“She’ll have Sorik and Siah in there too. I’m not sure what condition Lachlan and Keegan will be in, but they’ll fight if they can,” Ryker adds, and they all nod their heads in agreement, even though they seem lost in thought.
“Fuck, I wish there was a different way,” Bastien grumbles out, and I honestly wish there was too.
This plan is better than thetrade myselfplan I’ve been wrestling with since Aydin told us what happened, but I still don’t like walking into this situation with so many unknowns. Then again, unknowns seem to be the way of life for me these days, so I should probably just get used to it. I blow out a deep breath and look around the room. I feel this sudden drive to commit the space to memory since I’ll probably never see it again. If we win, we’ll go home, and if we lose… I shove that thought away, not even willing to entertain the possibility.
“Okay, well, it looks like we’re doing this,” Valen announces, and when no one argues with his statement, I push off the mattress I’m sitting on and stand up.
“Right now?” Knox questions, tugging at my hand to try and pull me down into his lap.
“No time like the present,” I tell him and pull away to move to the doorway.
The atmosphere in the room is solemn and suddenly heavy. This overwhelming feeling surges through me that I can’t leave like this. I’ve left too many moments open-ended, shoved away too many emotions I wasn’t sure how to interpret or communicate, but I can’t walk out of here leaving any possibility of doubt.
“I love you,” I announce, turning around at the door. “I know it’s fast, and I know the feelings I have for each of you will deepen with time, but I just wanted you to know.” I look up at them finally as I run out of words, and I see smiles, looks of shock, and one really pissed off face.
“Did you justin case I never see you againlove bomb us?” Bastien asks me angrily.
“Um…” I say as I search for the answer.
Shit, did I?
“No,” I finally say. “I just figured that each of you deserved to hear it now that I’ve realized that’s how I’ve been feeling. Like I said, it’s new,” I stammer on. “No pressure though, you don’t need to feel like you have to say that to me just because I said it,” I ramble, and then I bite down to keep myself from saying anything else. Fuck, why am I making this so awkward?
“Well, take it back,” Bastien demands. He’s pissed, and I’m not really sure how to feel about that.
“You can tell me that when we see each other again. When I can feel it in your kiss and in the way your body feels against mine. Not as some afterthought as you walk out the door, worried that something could go wrong.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “It’s not an afterthought. I felt like I needed to say it, so I fucking said it. I won’t take it back, so you can just shove it up your ass.”
Knox snorts. “Did you just tell him to shoveI love youup his ass?”
“Yup, and if any of the rest of you want to treat my expressing feelings as a declaration of war, you can shove it up your ass, too.”
I turn around and stomp out of the room, reeling. I figured there might be surprise when I finally admitted how I was feeling, but I didn’t fucking think any of them would get pissed. They say females are confusing, but fuck that shit, males take the cake. I shove out of the front door, and I’m once again greeted by the night. Man, I miss the sun. I never knew how attached I was to that fiery little orb until I barely got to see it anymore.
A hand seizes mine, and I’m yanked back and spun around. Lips press against mine, and I’m wrapped in strong, warm arms as I’m kissed senseless. I thread my hands in his thick wavy tresses and pull him impossibly closer to me. “I love you, Vinna. Bastien does too, he’s just scared.” I nod in understanding and kiss Valen tenderly one more time before he steps back to make room for Ryker.
“I love you, Squeaks, be safe and come back to us.” I smile at him, and he cups my cheeks in his hands and guides my mouth to his. His lips are soft, his tongue expressive, and I can taste his reverence and his declaration on it. Ryker pulls away, and Knox shoves his way in.
Knox picks me up, and I wrap my legs around his waist and hold on to his big shoulders. “I’m sorry, Killer. I’m sorry for being distant the past couple of weeks. Just know I’m always here. I love you. I always will, and we’ll figure everything out together, okay?”
“Okay,” I tell him, and he hugs me tightly.
Knox kisses me slowly, tenderly, before he pulls away, sets me on my feet and moves back to make room for the next Chosen. It’s like a love assembly line where they each take a turn adding a piece to me until I’m battle ready.
“You love me, Witch?”
