“I could ask—you the same damned thing, shadow-wielder,” he croaked.
“She doesn’t want you here.”
I was prepared for him to counter with the same statement, but then his body shuddered with broken laughter. The grating sound was knowing, as if he had a secret to share.
“Actually, she does.”
I stepped back, keeping my cold mask on. Before my shadows murdered him, I shoved them back inside me. The pet rubbed his throat, and his remorseful eyes tempted my hand.
“A part of me wants to keep you in your head. Let you suffer with whatever thoughts are eating you alive.” He sighed. “But this isn’t about our…” He shook his head, that self-deprecating look snapping back onto his face. “The guardian bond wouldn’t let her leave my side with the ongoing attack. And since she couldn’t stop worrying about you and looked dead on her feet, MJ made her drink a sleeping draught.”
“And you didn’t leave after she fell asleep?”
“I didn’t want to risk the bond waking her.”
I scoffed. “No, you just didn’t want to.”
MJ wouldn’t have gone to some novice for a sleeping draught, especially not when it came to Lucille. She would’ve asked Sam for one, and he would’ve made it strong. No bond, battle, or bellow would wake her.
The pet placed his hands into his suit pockets and shrugged. “Maybe I didn’t.”
I eyed him from head to toe. Alexei’s suit fit his length, but the sleeves and legs hung loose. His hair, though washed, was too long. Someone, most likely MJ, had given him a razor to shave his face. Now he appeared younger, paler—weak. Not just physically, but mentally.
“You don’t deserve her.”
He laughed again, short and mocking. “I’m well aware of that. But neither do you. Over the last two months, she never once mentioned you. After figuring out you were bonded when you fought to get to her, I wondered why. Why would Lucille let me run my tongue down her body and wring sweet cries from her?—”
I slammed my fist into his fucking smug face. He flew back into the settee, the wooden legs screeching against the floor. He smiled, rubbing his jaw and split lip. Then the stupid bastard kept talking.
“When you admitted to the bond, and to blocking it from her, I felt a lot like you do now.” His smile dropped. “Pissed off. I had already broken her heart, and you decided to break it again on the day of her mother’s funeral!”
I lurched forward, wanting to hit him again, then hissed as my nose hit a flaming red barrier.
“Yes,” MJ snapped, stalking into the room. “Let’s just shout and scream, beat each other up, and act like worthless children instead of the immortal warriors you are. And in Lucille’s rooms. Even better.” She slow-clapped, keeping her flames between us.
Shame held back any pathetic explanations. It seemed it did the same to the pet too.
MJ nodded. “That’s what I thought. And I agree with Aspen. Currently, neither one of you deserves her. Now get the hell out of her room. Aspen can stay in Oliver’s.”
I opened my mouth to protest.
“That way he’s nice and close to you so you can keep an eye on him, Ronen,” MJ said, cutting me off.
He’d also be nice and closeto someone else.
“Why don’t you show him where that’s at, Ronen?” MJ had herifyou fuck with me, you’ll regret itface on, so I ate my words and resisted dragging him out by his neck as we left.
After shoving the pet into Oliver’s room, I stormed through the castle halls, pissed about the pet, the infection, and Lucifer’s antics at the funeral.
I hadn’t planned on stabbing Lucille’s mom through the chest. Nor did I ever think Lucifer would stoop so low as to ask his daughter to expose herself and burn her mother. Even voicing the question was dangerous. I knew he was in pain. I knew he didn’t want to be the one to complete the ceremony. That was why tradition dictated that loved ones of the deceased were to elect a Power who wasn’t close to the death to burn the body. The soul-burst and witnessing the bones were traumatic enough.
We had a Power selected. Then he disrespected the ceremony and his daughter by asking her.
Lucille didn’t have an Obscurus Rune carved into her skin as I did. If she exposed herself and our gates opened, releasing souls and blood-banded, they could tell the council or Michael. She’d no longer be safe here. And even if an Obscurus Rune could help hide her from those who’d talk, it came at a high price—one Lucifer and I had both agreed she wouldn’t pay.
So what the fuck went through his head?
I reached Lucifer’s rooms and banged my fist against the dark wood.
