Rebel Reborn (The Witch's Rebels Book 6)

by Sarah Piper

  “We what?”

  “We need to see him. We’re doing it together, Gray, or not at all.”

  I bit back a smile, toeing the ice with my boot. “So that’s how it’s gonna be, huh Vacarro?”

  “That’s how it is, Desario.” He shot me another quick glance, catching my smile, his own crooked grin making me dizzy. A hundred, a thousand, a million years from now, I had no doubt he’d still have the same effect on me.

  “So tell me something,” he said, continuing our walk. “Once the Prince of Hell lets you out of your deal, what’s your endgame?”

  “Ronan, he’s not going to let me out of the deal. Not even for Trinity.” I swallowed my disappointment, stopping our forward motion and meeting his eyes once again. “Do you… Do you really think that’s what this is about?”

  Ronan sighed, raking a hand through his hair. “No. Just had to be sure. It’s a big risk, Gray.”

  I looked deep into his eyes, so familiar, yet still so mysterious. There was so much more I wanted to know about Ronan—about his past, his human life, all the times and places our lives had intersected.

  Before all of this started, some part of me assumed that no matter what had happened between us, we would always be friends. That we’d grow old together in Blackmoon Bay, even though Ronan wouldn't age. It was a nice fairytale picture, one that used to get me through the dark days.

  But that felt like a million years ago. Now, I was immortal, too.

  Now, I knew what dark days really were.

  “You were born for this, Gray,” Ronan said, once again sensing the direction of my thoughts. “I’ve always known it.”

  But I didn’t want to talk about the war we’d yet to face, about the witches back at the lodge, about all the crazy shit still brewing on the horizon.

  “I was born for you,” I said. “Born to fall in love with you. Born to build a life with you. Born to… to touch you.” I reached for his face, the wind blowing the tips of his hair against my fingers—an all-to-brief tease that made my heart ache even as it strengthened my resolve.

  If Sebastian accepted my counter-offer, I would never take Ronan’s touch for granted again. Never push him away. Never shut him out.

  It didn’t matter whether we had days, weeks, or a thousand years together. I would never let him go.

  I closed my eyes, the frozen sea mist coating my lashes, the truth settling deep in my heart. Even if Sebastian refused, and our curse remained for the rest of our immortal days, that wouldn’t change the way I felt. Ronan was mine, and I was his.

  “What are you thinking?” he asked softly, and I opened my eyes to look at him again.

  The moonlight glittered in his eyes, a sad smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. I could taste the depth of his ache, the loss we both shared each time we looked at each other.

  “I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” I said.

  He reached for my face, but stopped short, just as I had, tracing the shape of my jaw a hair’s breadth from my skin. “And you will.”

  “Let’s just hope the rest of our lives last more than—”

  “Hey.” He touched a finger to my lips, ever so briefly. Heat sparked, but didn't ignite. “Shhh. Right now, in this moment, we have an eternity.”

  His hazel eyes blazed bright, calling to my heart, to that place deep inside where my love for him burned.

  There were no words for it. All I knew was that I’d never wanted his kiss as badly as I had in that moment, and I wanted him to know it. Closing my eyes, I let my influence gently touch his mind. He dropped his guard immediately, and I sent him an image of my desire, real and passionate and all-consuming. Enough to melt all the ice from the shoreline and chase away this eternal winter for good.

  Ronan leaned in close and whispered against the shell of my ear. “Me too, Gray. Always.”

  I nodded, offering him another smile. “I’ll spare you the rest of that vision tonight. But as soon as we get back, you’re getting the director’s cut.”

  “I’d better.” Ronan laughed, but eventually, his smile faded, and he turned away to watch Sparkle and Sunshine, who were trying to outrun the frigid waves about a quarter-mile down the shore. When he turned back and caught my eye again, he said simply, “I’ve already summoned Sebastian. He’ll be here tomorrow night.”

  I nodded once, grateful. I should’ve known Ronan was already on it.

  “We’ll have five minutes to convince him,” he said, “so let’s make it count.”

  “I always do, Vacarro.” I sent him a quick flash—a sneak peek of just what I had in store for him if we could entice Sebastian to take the deal. “Just in case you needed evidence of my commitment to breaking this damn deal.”

  Ronan groaned, then glanced down at his jeans, now bulging. “And now you’ve got evidence of mine, too.”

  I cracked up, wishing we could play this game all night, because I definitely would’ve won. But back in the direction of the lodge, a figure had emerged from the mist, running toward us. The breeze carried the sound of my name.

  “Who is that?” Ronan asked.

  “I think it’s McKenna.” I called the hounds back from their chase, and the four of us made our way back toward home.

  “Gray,” McKenna said when we’d caught up, her cheeks red from the cold, her eyes bright. “Okay, don’t freak out, but we’ve got a slight problem.”

  “Define slight and define problem,” I said.

  “It’s… It’s probably best if you come see for yourself.”

  Twenty-Two

  LIAM

  Gray stood at my bedside, her face inscrutable, though her anger was quite palpable. Even my comparatively dull human senses could discern as much; her energy was so fierce, I feared my bed would ignite, with me in it.

  “A concussion?” she demanded. “You got a head injury?”

  “The pain is not unbearable,” I said, which was only partially untrue. “To be fair, McKenna doesn’t believe it’s a concussion. We just have to ensure I don’t fall asleep for a prolonged period tonight, but that is merely a precaution. In most of these cases, I’m told the patient—”

  Gray held up her hand, silencing me. “What happened? The short version, if you don’t mind.”

  “Your sisters were sparring with the detectives, trying to learn the best techniques for defending against shifter attacks. Were you aware that most shifter communities follow complex hierarchical structures that dictate—”

  “Liam. What is it about the phrase ‘short version’ that’s so unclear?”

  “Right. Of course.” My cheeks warmed under her scrutiny, but I pressed on. “Detective Hobb, in his wolf form, had set up on one side of the beach, with Haley and Bex on the other. He’d been alternating between them, charging straight for them while Detective Lansky instructed the women on defensive maneuvers. On this particular turn, Lansky wanted Haley to run straight at the wolf instead of waiting for him, but as she did so, she twisted her ankle. Down she went.”

  “Oh, shit,” Gray said. “Is she okay?”

  “Your sister is completely fine,” I assured her. “As for me, well… I’d been timing them on the sidelines, taking notes and making observations, as I do. But the moment I saw her go down, instinct took over. I leaped in front of Hobb to prevent the inevitable collision, and…” I shrugged, knocking lightly on my head.

  “You jumped in front of a charging wolf?” Gray nearly exploded. I’d never seen her so upset, so worried. “You’re lucky you’re still alive! You can’t do things like that anymore, Liam. You’re human. Understand? Not Death. Not the Great Transformation. Not a bird or a bat or a wisp of cloud on the breeze. You are a man, with breakable bones and spillable blood and a head that could crack open like a melon if you hit it too hard.”

  Shame burned a hot path up my spine and I turned my head, unable to hold her gaze. “As much as I appreciate the detailed enumeration of my many weaknesses, I assure you, I’m fine. So if that’s all, I’d like to be
alone now if you don’t mind.”

  Undeterred, Gray waltzed over to the other side of the bed, once again capturing me in her gaze. From those twilight eyes, I could no more look away than I could’ve defended myself against the inertia of the rapidly charging wolf.

  But now, her eyes were soft. Wounded. Gentle. “That’s… that’s what you think this is about?”

  “It matters not what I think. These are merely facts, Gray. I can no longer protect you or any of the people I’ve come to care about. Not the way the others can. I am a liability in the truest sense of the word.” I gestured toward the window, against which the wind sang winter’s incessant song. “Despite the fact that I’ve brought much of this chaos to your doorstep, I am no longer in a position to help you defend against it. Despite the shame in my heart, I’ve lost the ability to right those wrongs or any of the—”

  “Stop. Just… stop.” She took my face between her hands, her thumbs sweeping over my cheeks. Tears shone in her eyes, and when she finally spoke again, her voice had lost all of its anger, though none of its ferocity. “It’s about losing you, Liam. I can’t… I told you that night at the cemetery—you’re family. Losing you is not an option.”

  Family. The word echoed in my mind, suddenly bigger, grander, greater than it’d ever been. In truth, I’d wanted nothing more than what she was offering, but now, I felt as if I were the runt of the litter, the one who’d constantly need looking after while the others risked their lives to keep me safe.

  But Gray was having none of my self-pity. She stripped down to nothing but her T-shirt and undergarments, then gestured for me to move over.

  “What is this?” I asked. “Not that I’m complaining, mind you. It’s just… a bit unexpected.”

  “As it should be.” She flashed me a quick wink, then climbed into the bed beside me, sliding beneath the blankets, her bare legs tangling with mine.

  The brush of her soft skin against mine was a balm for all that pained me, physically as well as emotionally.

  We lay on our sides, face-to-face, and there we remained for many long moments. There was a time, however briefly it’d lasted, when it felt as though I could read the thoughts swimming in the depths of her eyes. But tonight, whether it was the loss of my greater powers or merely the shifter-induced scrambling of my soft human brain, I could no longer anticipate the direction of her mind’s many wanderings.

  “Please tell me what you’re thinking,” I finally said, my voice breaking, though I couldn’t have said why. Some strange, uncomfortable emotion had climbed into my chest and taken hold of my heart, making it skitter and stall.

  I hated that I’d disappointed her.

  Gray ran her fingers through my hair, and I closed my eyes, settling into the comfort of her gentle caress.

  “You’re not weak, Liam,” she said softly. “You are brave and strong and wise beyond measure. But you are accustomed to immortality. Eternal immortality. You don’t have that self-protective instinct that humans develop. Your instinct is always to protect those you care about, and I appreciate that more than I can even express. But you have to balance that with common sense. What happened today with Detective Hobb… What if something like that happens in the Bay? What if it's not friendly shifters next time? What if you’re not surrounded by witches with healing magic?”

  I opened my eyes to meet hers once again. “Then I shall do my best to outwit them.”

  “That's not good enough.”

  “I will not allow you to fight these battles while I cower in the shadows. That is not up for debate, little witch.”

  “I'm not asking you to sit this one out, Liam. I'm just asking you to know yourself. Not as Death, but as a mortal man.”

  She was right, of course, and I promised her I would do as she asked. This seemed to appease her, and she drew closer to me, the crease between her eyes smoothing once again.

  I traced an infinity symbol on her forehead, and she sighed, her eyelids fluttering closed.

  “Tell me what you’re thinking now,” I said.

  “Just that I miss our philosophical talks.” Then, opening her eyes again and turning a bright smile my way, “But that just means we’ll have lots more to talk about when all of this is over, and we can finally breathe again.”

  “I am looking forward to that day more than you know.” I traced my thumb around the curves of her mouth. “I love you, Gray Desario.”

  She parted her lips to reply, but I cut her off with a kiss, drawing her closer, hoping she could feel just how much I’d meant those words. I would’ve been quite content to kiss her for the rest of the evening, but Gray pulled back.

  “That day on the beach,” she said, “when we first kissed? Do you remember?”

  “I remember everything about that day. About you.”

  “You told me you’d never done anything like this before. Does that mean you haven’t…” Her words trailed off, but her intense gaze didn't waver, and I knew exactly what she was asking about.

  Again, heat flooded my cheeks, and I found myself babbling in the wake of her question.

  “I… I have studied human anatomy as well as that of the animal kingdoms of several realms, and I'm quite knowledgeable about the physical mechanics of—”

  “Liam. That's not what I meant, and you know it. But if you'd rather not talk about—”

  “No, it's okay. It's just… I'm not exactly sure how to answer your question. Presumably, you’re wondering as to whether I have ever engaged in sexual intercourse.”

  Gray’s tender smile made my heart flutter. “I probably would have chosen to word the question differently,” she said, “but yes, that is what I'm asking.”

  I considered her question, uncertainty creeping into my chest. But with Gray, there was no need for shame or nervousness. I’d betrayed her, and somehow she’d seen fit to forgive me. To welcome me back into her life, into her arms. From now on, I would only be open with her. Honest, no matter the topic.

  “Perhaps my vessel has,” I said. “And perhaps I, as a human all those eons ago, engaged in such pleasures. The truth is, Gray, I cannot recall much of that time. For all intents and purposes, I suppose I’m what you might consider… inexperienced.”

  She trailed her fingers down my arm, her touch sending electric tingles throughout my entire body. In a gentle voice, she asked, “Is that an experience you might like to have? With me, I mean?”

  I swallowed hard, my heart trying its best to climb into my throat. “Is that something you might like? With me, I mean?”

  Gray bit her bottom lip and nodded, her cheeks darkening.

  I cleared my throat. “How would we… I mean, do we just… I’m sorry. This is… I suppose I am a bit out of my element.” I offered her what I suspected was a rather awkward smile. For all I knew about human anatomy, for all I knew about a great many subjects both large and small, nothing had prepared me for this moment.

  “Let’s just figure it out as we go,” she said, wriggling beside me as she stripped away her remaining clothing, and I did the same.

  She shifted closer, our bodies touching. A brilliant warmth radiated from deep inside her, the complex magic pulsing like a second heartbeat, calling to me as it always had.

  I was instantly erect.

  I touched her face, capturing her mouth in another kiss as I shifted to lie on top of her. Gray parted her thighs and arched her hips, reaching for me, guiding me, and suddenly I was inside her, sliding into her wet heat, the feel of it unlocking ripples of pure, exquisite pleasure.

  I gasped, unable to hold back, and instinctually, my body moved, faster, deeper, desperate for more of her. For all of her.

  “Slow,” she whispered, smiling up at me. “Let’s go slow.”

  I did as she suggested and forced myself to slow my movements, though everything inside me was screaming to push harder, faster, to chase this feeling of pure bliss until it exploded inside me like a newborn galaxy.

  “Breathe, Liam,” she whispered, the tou
ch of her palm against my cheek bringing my attention back to the moment. Back to my breath, which I now realized I’d been holding for far too long. I exhaled slowly, and I looked into her eyes, letting my gaze wander down the slope of her nose, across the planes of her cheeks, down to her dark pink lips.

  I’d seen the sun rise and set upon every country in this realm. I’d seen the very bottom of the deepest part of the sea, and followed the winds across the highest mountain peaks. I’d watched the stars die and be reborn.

  Yet I’d ever seen anything so beautiful as the look upon her face as I made love to her.

  It was almost too much to bear—the warm silk of her skin, the sweet taste of her kiss, the soft moans escaping her lips, all of it creating a symphony of sensations that conspired to stop my heart. No matter; if this was to be my final hour in this mortal vessel, I could think of no better way to depart from this realm.

  Eventually, I relaxed into the rhythm of this divine act, and just as Gray had suggested, we figured it out. Soon I sensed a shift in her demeanor, her hips arching, her own movements quickening.

  “We can go fast now?” I asked, hope rising inside.

  Gray laughed, soft and sweet, her cheeks flush, her eyes sparkling. “Yes, Liam. We can go fast.”

  At her words, I quickened my movements, my body taking over, bringing us closer and closer to the final act in this seductive dance. In so many ways I wanted to prolong that inevitable ending, but the mere idea of it felt like standing in the ocean and trying to hold back the waves with your bare hands.

  “Liam,” Gray breathed, her eyelids fluttering closed. I sensed she wanted to be touched, and I slid my hand between us, fingers seeking her most sensitive flesh, knowing we were both mere moments away from letting go.

  She moaned softly at my touch, then gasped, her body clenching me in a grip so tight, so perfect, it made the stars dance before my eyes.

  No, not the stars, I realized then, but Gray’s eyes, open once again, locking fiercely with mine, her gaze full of love and passion that mirrored my own.