“Absolutely not. Aurora will not be in debt to you,” Ezra growls.
When I place my hand gently on Ezra’s arm, he immediately relaxes.
And being the one thing that soothes a creature like him?
Yeah. That kind of power feels divine.
“It’s okay, Ezra,” I say, planting a kiss on his cheek. “Iain, what will it cost me?”
Iain chuckles, obviously enjoying the game he’s playing with us.
“Don’t you worry now, little blackbird. It’s really nothing. I just want the hound over there,” Iain smirks.
Something cracks inside me.
Emme surges forward, wrathful and ravenous, feeding on the rage.
Fucking opportunistic bitch.
Iain stumbles back when I burst into flames, his gaze snapping up when my antlers and sweet briar crown twist their way out of my head.
My rage sharpens, focused entirely on the wrakh. Ezra’s shadows churn at his feet, thickening into something old and terrible. The Cù Fèidh emerges, clawing its way free. It joins us in the cramped kitchen, and although Iain looks terrified, he also looks at me in awe.
My hand rests on the Cù Fèidh’s back, shadows and flame reaching for each other.
The hellfire twists along the darkness of my shadowed protector, creating a writhing, deadly beast ripped from any child’s nightmares.
Ezra and I glance at each other, and I flash him an excited smile.
When his gaze drops to my fangs, I make a show of running my tongue over them as a shadow curls up my throat, drawn to the promise of my bite.
Emme may be steering the magical part of me, but it’s not like before.
I’m here, too, holding my own.
Turning back to the wrakh, I nod my head, and the Cù Fèidh stalks toward him.
“You dare ask for an underborne as a reward for helping one of your own? Louie is not athingto be given. She is a living, breathing being who can make her own fucking decisions. I’ll pay you whatever money you ask, but if you try this shit with meagain, my friend here will rip you to shreds, even if we are on friendly terms,” I roar at Iain while he cowers against the wall.
Emme disappears the moment Ezra’s cool fingers touch my cheek, applying just enough pressure to turn my head.
He kisses me deeply, then whispers, “Aurora, you’re so violently tempting right now. I want to feel your fangs scrape along the length of my cock, little goddess. Please calm yourself so we can go home.”
Ezra kisses me again, his tongue curling around one fang with a barely contained growl.
His shadows tremble, desperate and starving for more. One of them wraps around my throat, a jet-black collar loosely holding me in place.
I take a deep breath, and my magical form retreats, while the Cù Fèidh returns to Ezra in a swirl of shadows and ember-laced aether.
Iain sits on the floor, arms dangling over his bent knees, chuckling.
Louie is still sitting in her chair, picking at her nails, popping her gum, and generally looking bored.
“I told you, little blackbird. You already know what you’re doing. It’s that rage you gotta keep under control.”
Iain stands with a grunt, then returns to his seat and his still-steaming cup of tea. “But you didn’t let me finish my request. The little hound?”
His gaze slips to Louie, who immediately gives him the middle finger.
