Thane sighed, running a hand through his pale hair. “I wish it were that simple for you, love. Unfortunately, you, Serenity, Sean, and Loxley belong to two very powerfulfamilies. Three if you count the Blood Moon pack now. If she’s going to fuck with any of her victims, it’ll be one of you. If I know that witch, she’ll want to make it a spectacle.”
That caught my attention. “You knew her personally?” I asked Thane.
He nodded solemnly. “I was her bodyguard once upon a time. Back in my early days as a soldier,” His eyes were unfocused, as if he were remembering an entire lifetime. He probably was. Unease settled inside me at the thought of him being so close to that monster. “Please understand, Trixie girl; the whole world was swayed by her. Even before she was your uncle’s political rival, she was a figurehead in the Darkling community. A highly respected, ancient witch.”
My eyes flitted to War, shrouded in shadow save for the flickering firelight. “And you? Did you know her, too?”
He nodded. “From a distance, yes.” That was all. Curt. To the point.
“And neither of you ever suspected?”
Thane laughed. “Suspected what? That she might harbor some ill will toward the humans who persecuted our kind for centuries? No, never,” he waved me off, shaking his head. Silence fell between us as he stared into the fire and I stared at him. Then he said, “I don’t think anyone starts out plotting the downfall of an entire species.” His eyes flitted to mine. Haunted, and tired. “It’s a slow process. One too many injustices that just pile up higher and higher until eventually, it fucking bursts. That’s how villains are created. That’s when the ones who committed those injustices turn around and point their fingers at you and call you a monster.”
I swallowed thickly, my hand pausing on Gareth’s head. I had to admit, it wasn’t the first time the thought had crossed my mind. There was a small part of me that resented thehumans. Even the ones who weren't actively trying to push my kind to the fringes of society. A part of me hated them, and it was that part of me that scared me sometimes.
“You need sleep,” War said, his soft yet deep and resonating voice breaking me out of my thoughts. When my eyes refocused, I realized he was towering over me, having moved with incredible speed and stealth for a man his size. Vampire or not, it was impressive.
I settled back into the pillow behind me, once again skimming my fingers along Gareth’s fur. His breathing was more shallow now, but his eyes were still closed. I wondered if maybe he was actually away and listening right now, only pretending to sleep.
War bent down, placing both of his large palms on either cheek, gently cupping my face. His eyes were still dark, but they were a normal color, one gray and one green right now, reflecting my own face back at me. “Sleep while you can. Thane and I won’t let anything happen to you. And I suspect neither will he.” He nodded to Gareth, who continued to purr softly against me.
War’s lips captured mine in a sweet, soft kiss that I leaned into. We melted together as if it were the most natural thing in the world. As if I’d been waiting for exactly this to allow myself to settle. My body unlocked, starting from my head and working its way to my toes. I hadn’t realized exactly how tightly wound I still was after everything. When he pulled away, I wasn’t ready. I wanted to stay in that kiss just a little while longer.
Thane was watching us from his perch on the armchair, a contemplative look on his shadow-shrouded face. When he noticed me staring, he winked and then waved his hand toward the far window, blue magic dancing along his fingers. The glass lit up with blue and silver, undulating likethe aurora borealis. “Get some sleep, love. The place is warded, I promise.”
I smiled, sinking further into the bed, letting the warmth of my three protectors settle around me, wondering, as I slowly drifted off to much-needed sleep, how the hell I wound up in this situation. This shit was Serenity’s expertise, not mine. But alas, as sleep took me, I couldn't wipe the grin off my lips.
5
After three dayscooped up in the cabin, I was getting restless. I tried to call Sean and Serenity a few times, but I wasn’t getting through. War assured me it was probably a logistics issue on their end and that it wasall hands on deckto make sure the Luna of the Blood Moon pack was safe. Knowing the Nocturne vamps, they were relentless when it came to my cousin’s safety.
There was an uneasy pit in my stomach when I thought about my cousins. Sean was already in a vulnerable state of mind, and knowing that the very witch who’d done those things to him was free again had to have caused a setback. I just wanted to hear his voice and know that he was okay.
Gareth had disappeared each morning the moment the sun rose and then returned while I was sleeping. I tried to catch him a few times before he ran off, but he was too fast and too sneaky. Frankly, I was getting impatient, and this needed to get sorted out before we had to warn August that his cousin might go feral.
It happened sometimes. When something traumatic happened to a shifter, their minds could reject it. The animal that lived inside of us might not know how to handle certain emotions the way our human half could. There were stories of feral shifters who’d run off without a word and never return to their packs or society. They lived as wolves full-time, content to turn their backs on the pain that caused it.
I guess I could understand where they were coming from. There were some nights when the nightmares of what happened to me in Estelle’s holding facility were crippling. Sometimes, I woke up in a cold sweat, struggling to breathe, feeling like the walls were closing in around me. Sometimes, I’d feel the hot flash of fire ripping into my skin, and for just a split second, my mind would be back in that little operating room, strapped to a cold, metal table while the face of the glamoured doctor injected me with blue liquid.
Thane pushed a plate of scrambled eggs toward me while War was in the living room, flipping from news station to news station. I’d already been forced to have a cup of coffee, a bagel, and a banana, but Thane just kept the food coming. Any more, and I was going to burst. I screwed up my nose at it, moving to push it away. “Do you want me to puke all over you?”
He rolled his eyes, pushing them back toward me. “Eat. You’ll burn through it in the first hour if you don’t. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.”
I eyed the mushy eggs with disdain. We were going for a run today. They were going to show me the perimeter of the property and point out potential escape routes should the worst happen. I didn't argue with them because, after days of feeling stifled, all I wanted to do was run. I managed toconvince War to let me run in wolf form, even though he said it was risky and could possibly provoke Gareth.
He was out there in those woods, presumably sticking close to the cabin, but we rarely ever saw him. I caught glimpses of brown fur through the trees sometimes when I looked out the windows longingly, or a glowing pair of eyes in the bushes as the sun set. He was out there. Always close. Always watching.
I choked down my eggs, knowing he was right, and I wasn’t about to get outside and pass out in front of them. While I ate, I swiveled on the stool, watching Warrik change channels. The picture on the old TV was fuzzy and spotty, but he managed to get a few of the local stations.
It seemed like every breaking story was either about me or Estelle. My mugshot was all over the place, and I couldn't help but cringe every time I saw my own shocked and stricken expression. Everything happened so fast that day that I barely processed what was going on until I was already sitting behind bars.
“They could have at least edited the mugshot,” I grumbled, shoving the last bite of eggs into my mouth and chewing with attitude. “I’m not that pale, am I?” Holding my hand in front of my face, I inspected the bloodless pallor.
Thane snorted. “But pale looks so lovely on you. Especially when you blush.” I shot him a look, narrowing my eyes. He grinned. “See, like that. Delicious…”
Despite my glare, I felt my cheeks warm. Slapping my palms over them to cover any evidence that he was right, I hopped off the stool, grabbed my plate, and took it to the sink, keeping my back to the cheeky warlock. “So, when are we heading out?” I asked, perhaps a bit squeakily.
I stiffened as warm, strong hands encircled my waist from behind, and hot breath tickled my ear. “Oh, how I loveit when you squirm for me. You can’t hide those pink cheeks.” He nipped at my earlobe, and it was all I could do to contain a moan. “I can’t wait to see what other parts of you turn color under my touch.”
