Ties That Bind: A Muse Urban Fantasy (The Veil Series Book 5)

by Pippa Dacosta

“It’s about time someone did.” His gaze skittered, and my prickling unease grew.

  “Yesterday, I’d have agreed with you.” He couldn’t look me in the eye. I pinched my bottom lip between my teeth and tucked my thumbs over my waistband. I didn’t mean to hurt you. The words were there, on the tip of my tongue, but fear held them back. Maybe we could pretend it hadn’t happened. It was a dream—no, a nightmare. It wasn’t us, wasn’t me. I’m not that monster. “We need him,” I said quietly. “We need Dawn if we’re going to restore the veil, and Adam knows where she is.”

  Stefan took my words on board and sighed. “That changes things.”

  “Yeah.” I swallowed and looked away, seeing only the memory of how I’d pinned him down and turned him into that twisted lust-poisoned thing. Please, don’t let it ruin us. My gaze flicked back to him. His eyes were bright, healed, but pinched with doubt. If I didn’t say something now, this unspoken wound between us would fester.

  “Look, about what happened… I…” His frown twitched, deepened. “I’m sorry,” I babbled, afraid to stop. “I didn’t know how to control it. I used too much lust or something, and I… I didn’t mean to hurt you… Not like that. God, it was awful—” Words failed me. I’d seen him, trying to claw through the shackles, the naked need on his face, his body. Guilt burned in my throat.

  “Stop.” He threaded his fingers into his hair and pulled the platinum locks back from his face, accentuating the savage downturn of his lips. “I know. It’s okay. It happened. We’re okay. We will be okay.”

  I inched closer, but immediately tension strummed through his body, as though expecting an attack—from me. “You know that wasn’t me, the real me. I would never use you like that. If there had been another way—”

  A gentle smile lightened his lips. “It’s okay. I… I don’t blame you. I made you do it. There wasn’t any other way.”

  But that didn’t heal the damage. “How can I fix this?”

  “Time, I think.” He dropped his hands to his sides. “I just need time. When Asmodeus got inside my head, Muse, he showed me things, about you. Ugly, untrue things, I know, but…” Stefan struggled with the words. “And then, when we… I er…” He pressed a hand to his chest, and I wasn’t sure if it was because he was hurting or because of the memory of the burns I’d given him. A delicate smile fluttered across his lips. “It will be okay. I promise. Just give me time.”

  Time. The one thing I didn’t have. “Okay.” All I wanted to do was throw my arms around him, but that wasn’t going to happen. Not yet. He’d been trapped at the mercy of my twisted father and then dealt a maddening dose of lust. He needed time, and that would have to be enough.

  “I er…” He winced. “What I did—tried to do…” His lips twisted around a grimace. “You know I would never hurt you.”

  “I do know.”

  A touch of hope widened his eyes. “We’re good?”

  “Yup.” Sometime in all of this, I’d perfected a face that told the people around me that everything was going to be all right. A shallow mask. Inside, I wondered if I’d damaged our fragile love beyond repair. Half bloods don’t get happy endings. “We still have that date…”

  “We do.” His smiled bloomed. “We’ve earned it.”

  “When this is over.”

  “Definitely.”

  “Good.” We’d talked. Got it out there. That had to be enough. For a little while. I cleared my throat and forced all the angst to the back of my mind where I could deal with it later. Right now, we had a job to do. “So here’s the rundown. I’ve spent the last few netherworld days trying to outmaneuver my father and the Dark Court, bargaining with the King of Hell, playing with lesser beasts, plucking Mammon’s soul out of me—”

  “Good job—”

  “Thanks—To find Dawn and dump her in the netherworld, so she might be able to save the rest of us. And now there’s one badass mother of an ice-demon beating on Adam, which I could totally get on board with once we use the bastard to get what we want. But she won’t listen to me, so I had to hitch a ride with Akil to get here in the hope that you’ll help.”

  He smiled warmly. “You know what you’re doing wrong?”

  “I’m not doing anything wrong. I’m doing everything I can.”

  “Sure you are.” He shoved off the bench and stopped close enough for me to feel the tug of his element. He flicked my coat collar up. “This coat looks better on you than it ever did on me.” I lifted a hand to lay it gently on his chest, but he backed up, shying away. “You’re trying to do everything alone. You’re not alone anymore, Muse. I’ll always have your back.”

  I gulped and found my throat painfully tight. When all this was over, I’d lock him in my apartment with a few days supply of ice cream, and we wouldn’t resurface again until we’d created new memories, ones that would stifle the horror of those summoned by lust.

  “C’mon.” Stefan hooked a smile onto his lips, his own type of mask. “Before my demon mother kills my bastard father.”

  “What about Akil?”

  There were things he wanted to say. I could see it in his eyes, the pain, the despair, but he kept those thoughts to himself. “Just don’t ask me to trust him.”

  Chapter 22

  Stefan had to save his father. The irony wasn’t lost on us. He made a start by banishing the ice barricade, so the house didn’t attract the wrong kind of attention when the nearby residents woke. Leaving Akil at the curbside, we ventured inside Adam’s home.

  Little had changed. Yukki continued to stab Adam with Kira-Kira. He still slumped in the chair, comatose but for a few twitches.

  Yukki beamed at Stefan, proud of her achievement. He sidestepped around the mess, skirting the edges of the room so he could close in on Adam from the front. Beside his mother, the resemblance was uncanny: same striking features, same dazzling eyes. She didn’t look a day older than him. Side by side, tall, both of them were too beautiful to be real. I wondered what she’d think if she knew how I’d mentally and physically burned her son.

  Stefan crouched down, gripped Adam’s face, and peered into his father’s eyes. “Where’s Dawn?” As cool and smooth as ice. No emotion. Certainly no anger. He’d become an expert in showing the world a fraction of what was going on inside him.

  Adam murmured something I couldn’t catch. I could have moved closer, but this wasn’t my fight. I still itched to land a few of my own punches for all the pain Adam had dealt me. I’d have to pick a number and get in line.

  Stefan shook his head. “That’s not gonna happen, Adam. You can’t protect Dawn. She has a more important role than propping up your dream. Tell us where she is.” More mumbling from Adam. From the tightening of Stefan’s lips, I could assume his father wasn’t cooperating. “Don’t make this any harder.”

  Adam’s upper body trembled, and I’d be damned if I didn’t hear sobs. I flicked my gaze away and willed myself to stay still. How long had he been here? Li’el brought Stefan back a few days ago, netherworld time, perhaps a week, Boston time. Had Yukki been torturing him for a week? From the blood-loss and smell, I could assume so. I hated Adam, but even I didn’t have the stomach to see him tortured.

  “What does he want?” I asked.

  “To be free,” Yukki sneered. “And you will not free him, Muse. My son understands. He knows. We are kin.”

  Stefan straightened. I wasn’t sure about him understanding. From the tight press of his lips, he looked as weary as I felt. “He says he’ll take us. That’s the only way we’ll get to her.”

  “No.” Yukki stamped her foot. “He’s mine.”

  Stefan pulled his gun on his mother, wedged the nozzle under her chin, and backed her up. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he growled. “But we have bigger issues than your thirst for revenge.” Wide-eyed and shocked into silence, Yukki stumbled back. Stefan plucked the sword from her hand and held it out behind him to me. I darted to his side, took the weapon, and scooted back.

  “Cut Adam free, Muse,” Ste
fan ordered.

  Kira-Kira’s razor sharp edges made short work of Adam’s ropes. I managed to get my arm around his broad shoulders, but he weighed twice as much as me. Dropping the sword, I heaved him upright.

  “Thank you, thank you, thank—” Adam mumbled.

  “Shut up. And don’t thank me. Thank your son.” He managed to find some strength in his legs and stood. We wobbled and stumbled a few times on the way to the door. At the porch, Akil took Adam from me like he weighed no more than a postage stamp. I headed back inside.

  Stefan eased off Yukki. “Okay, this is what’s going to happen. We’re leaving with Adam. Don’t come after us. If you do, remember he’s now under the protection of two princes, and the Mother of Destruction. Your chances of walking away from that fight are slim. I don’t want to hurt you, Yukki. I genuinely don’t. You’ve helped me and Muse…” He stole a few more steps backward, bringing him closer to me, but kept the gun up and aimed at Yukki. She seethed, body trembling, eyes ablaze with white flames. “But I will. As much as it sickens me to say it, we need Adam. Give me your word, as the Ice Witch, that you won’t follow.”

  “You are not my son. No son of mine would let that creature live. He is not even a man. He has no honor. He is a lesser thing.”

  “Yeah, I know what Adam is.” His words were flippant, but a slight crack in his voice betrayed the real emotion. “Give me your word.”

  “I give you one earth day and night, then I come for him.”

  Stefan lowered the gun. “That’ll do.” We hurried outside and found Adam propped up in the back seat of an Institute Ford Taurus with Akil beside the open driver’s door.

  Stefan strode across the lawn beside me. He tucked the gun away. “I’m not riding in that car if he’s driving.”

  “Seriously?” The fierce glare silenced me. Hell would have to freeze over before Stefan let Akil drive. It was like dealing with children—deadly, all-powerful, testosterone-pumped children. “Well, I’m not riding in the car if you’re driving.” I grumbled. “It’s bad luck. For me. Akil…” I thumbed over my shoulder. “You’re in the back. Stefan, you get shotgun. I’m driving.” This was a terrible idea. Akil glowered. Stefan simmered. Adam looked to be on the verge of death while we bickered. “Move,” I snapped.

  Yukki’s pale face peered through Adam’s living room window. Her icy glare burned while I fired up the Taurus and gunned it away from the curb. And thus began the most awkward and trying car journey of my entire life.

  Chapter 23

  To say the atmosphere in the car was tense was an understatement of epic proportions. The somewhat strained history among the four of us sucked the air out of the car, making it damned difficult to breathe. Stefan wanted to kill Akil. We all knew that. Who knew what Akil wanted? But whatever it was, it wouldn’t complement Stefan’s plan. I wanted them both to get along, just for a little while longer. We all wanted Adam dead, which made the fact we were supposed to protect him all the more frustrating.

  Adam had muttered “Middlesex Fells.” The underground base of operations was some thirty minutes out of town. Akil argued we should kill Adam and walk right in through the front doors, citing the fact that, not long ago, he’d walked out of their facility without so much as a scratch. Stefan replied by saying the lower levels weren’t so easily infiltrated. Akil muttered something about it being easy for a true prince, a low blow, even for him. Stefan growled and retaliated by saying we might not get inside without Adam’s security clearance. More snarls ensued. Thirty minutes. That was the time they’d need to keep their claws sheathed. One thousand and eight hundred seconds. I knew that because I’d figured it out in an effort to think of anything else besides the two princes with more than enough ego between them to suffocate us all.

  Stefan jabbed at the radio. He found something screechy and angry—Linkin Park—and settled back in his seat, brooding in silence. That lasted about a minute before the radio mysteriously died. The swirl of smoke rising from the dash, of course, had nothing to do with Akil.

  “How’s the view back there?” Stefan asked, lips twitching around a roguish smile.

  “Delightful,” Akil purred. “Having spent several weeks sharing Muse’s soul, it’s not as though she and I need to be physically close. I know her like no other.”

  Perfect. If these two could wield words the way they wielded their elements, we weren’t going to make it another mile. I rolled my eyes and checked the illuminated display for the time. We’d been traveling for almost ten minutes. “Akil, can it.”

  Stefan allowed himself a little victory chuckle.

  “You too.” He gave me the hey-I’m-innocent expression, but the crooked smile cheapened it. Nineteen minutes to go. “How’s Adam?” I flicked my gaze to the rear view mirror.

  Akil’s dark eyes met mine. “His heart rate is concerning. He’ll need medical attention after we’ve secured Dawn. But he’ll live.” He said it with a growl, most perturbed that Adam had to breathe the same air as him.

  “Until tomorrow night,” Stefan said. Nobody had anything to add to that.

  An awkward silence ensued. And by awkward, I mean every second of every minute dragged by as though time sunk its claws in and refused to budge. The sound of the tires rumbling on the road surface and Adam’s deep breathing kept us company. An insane urge to giggle tickled my throat. I cleared it. “So…” I dragged that one little word out to three syllables. “Crazy weather, huh?”

  Stefan’s glance said, “seriously?”

  Akil’s dulcet tones rolled over my attempt at small talk. “Do you hear them, Wrath?”

  Stefan’s lashes fluttered. He swallowed and propped his elbow against the door. “Yeah, the princes are bickering, something about a death-bringer.”

  Oh. I lifted a hand. “That’d be me.”

  “Really?” Stefan twisted to look me over. His smiled turned devilish.

  “What?”

  “That’s a name. Wrath is too vague. But Death-bringer? C’mon, that’s pretty sweet.”

  I allowed myself a selfish smile. “It is pretty cool, huh? I thought maybe I’d get a tattoo. Across the knuckles.”

  Stefan played along. “You don’t have enough knuckles.”

  “Well, there is that—”

  Akil’s snarl from the back dashed my humor. “The names are variations on primal motives. Many demons have died in pursuit of such names. Titles should be treated with reverence.”

  Stefan quick-fired back, “Aren’t there any less sadistic titles?”

  “What would you suggest? The Prince of Loyalty, perhaps? Or the Prince of Hope?”

  “Why not?”

  It was Akil’s turn to chuckle. “Those things don’t exist in the netherworld.”

  “That’s why it’s dying. You need a little hope to keep things alive.”

  “Why don’t you petition the King of Hell. I’m sure he’ll acquiesce to your request. It’s not as though he’s had eons to consider whether his world might be dying because the netherworld isn’t nice enough.”

  I tried not to laugh, which resulted in an unattractive snort. Stefan shot me a dry look. The fact the two of them were able to hold a fairly civil conversation had me riveted.

  “Muse, if we can perhaps discuss something more pressing than Wrath’s complaints, the princes, including your father, actively seek you. They know I’ve returned and suspect you of deception. It will not take them long to realize you’re near me.”

  “Then why are you here?” Stefan asked, tone sharp. He twisted in his seat and glared into the back.

  I flicked my gaze to the mirror again. Sparks of fire glowed in Akil’s dark eyes. “Because, Prince of Impudence, the last time Muse attempted to restrain Dawn, the girl almost killed her, as you well know. When we find Dawn, Muse will need help to restrain her.”

  I shivered. “It won’t come to that. She’ll listen.”

  “Yeah.” Stefan ignored me and mock-frowned in disbelief at Akil. “But weren’t you the one who betray
ed Dawn the first time?”

  Akil’s eyes narrowed. “I think you’ll find I saved her from Leviathan’s clutches.”

  “Sure you did. It’s not like she could look after herself. Oh wait, she could. She killed Leviathan.”

  Okay, this topic was starting to head toward the do-not-discuss zone. Time for me to referee. “Guys.”

  “You, Prince of Sarcasm, are not entirely without blame in all of this.”

  “Excuse me?” Stefan growled, all traces of humor simmering dry behind mounting tension.

  “Seven enforcers, wasn’t it?” Akil inquired.

  A muscle jumped in Stefan’s jaw. I caught the twitch out of the corner of my eye. “Akil,” I warned. Ten minutes to go. Just ten little minutes. Was that ice on the inside of the windshield? I reached forward and tried to brush it off. Definitely ice.

  “Do you know how many enforcers I’ve killed?” Akil asked.

  “Why don’t you go right ahead and regale us with your infamy,” Stefan replied dryly.

  “None.”

  “Actually,” I said, before I could stop myself from wading into their argument. “You killed one. Sam.”

  “The spy,” Akil replied, not impressed.

  “Yes, he was a spy, but you did kill him.”

  He hesitated. “I stand corrected. I killed one to protect Muse.”

  Stefan barked cold laughter. “To protect Muse? Right. It’s not as though she could think for herself, or y’know, maybe make a judgment call, had you told her the truth.”

  This wasn’t going to work. Nine minutes to go, and it might as well have been an hour. These two weren’t going to last another minute trapped in the car together. Really, it had been a miracle they’d lasted that long. “Guys.”

  “Said by the man who stabbed her through the chest.”

  The growl that bubbled up Stefan’s throat was pure demon, and laden with threat. “That was an accident.”

  “Of course it was.”

  “You sent hellhounds after her,” Stefan scoffed. “Hellhounds.”