by C. M. Owens
He hangs up and tosses his phone to the side of the bed. He's starting to feel heavy, and I try to shift out from under him, but he traps me, pinning me down harder before his lips find mine again.
"She's nothing," he murmurs.
"I didn't say anything," I grouse, breaking free from the kiss.
"No, but you were thinking it."
I sigh, refusing to argue about something like this when I have so many other things to worry about.
"I love you," he murmurs softly when I don't respond. "I want eternity."
My heart almost stumbles, rapidly beating and scrambling to find a steady rhythm, but that's impossible right now.
"Eternity?" I ask, swallowing hard. I wasn't expecting this conversation.
He smiles, seeming to enjoy my noticeable panic attack.
"Eternity. I couldn't let you go then, and I can't let you go now."
He pulls up my left hand and intentionally kisses my ring finger. His eyes follow mine when I look to it. I feel his smile, though I refuse to look him in the eyes anymore.
"Scared of me again? I think your crush has gotten bigger, Alyssa," he teases, making my smile come up unbidden.
"I think this is a conversation for another time," I murmur, unsuccessful in trying to wipe away my ridiculously betraying grin.
"Is this about children?" he asks, suddenly looking a little sad. "Because bitten fey can't have children?"
"No," I sigh, though that thought has crossed my mind in the past. "Besides, even if you could have children, fey can't conceive a child from someone not within their own realm of magic."
He looks down, studying nothing in particular, as he murmurs, "But you and Gage could have a child."
I laugh, tiring of this nonsense.
"Gage and I aren't going to be together. Even if you weren't in the picture, I wouldn't be with him. There are plenty of fey orphans. One of my friends was adopted when he was an infant."
His smile returns as he looks back up to meet my eyes. "So you're considering eternity?"
I grin again, rolling my eyes at my own self. "I think we need to focus on the fact that I'm a secret monster in training first. Then we'll discuss eternity. You should be worried about what I could become."
He shakes his head, resuming his task of running his fingers through my hair.
"I'm not afraid, Alyssa. I'll bring you back every time you need me to. I'm tougher than you think," he says with a wink. "Besides, if you're like Freya, then you will be a leader, not a destroyer."
"Freya wasn't the only one of these unnamed creatures," I grumble, shifting out from under him finally when I find it hard to breathe.
He lets me, and he falls to my side.
"No, but the others were mindless, even savage. You're not. Dramatic, sure—but not mindless," he jokes, making light of the situation.
I laugh again, a genuine one this time. I don't know how he does it, but he makes any obstacle seem like a blip as opposed to a disaster.
His seriousness resumes as he continues, "Freya was revered as a goddess to some. Not unnamed like the monsters the others were. They couldn't control themselves. They didn't have anyone helping them because everyone was too scared. I'll help you."
My saving grace is a night stalker. If you had told me this a few months ago, I would have died from laughter. I've spent my whole life with a blindfold on, judging so many of the fey. Now, here I am, stuck in the dark place I don't want to be, and those I've judged are my allies as well as my jury. I just pray they never become my executioners.
"Can we just eat and sleep?" I ask.
"Definitely."
He hops up, quickly scrambling through the mounds of food he acquired, and returns with a few options. Eating with my boyfriend—a normal moment—I need more of these.
"I've got to change out of this hideous outfit at some point," I snarl as I motion to the skimpy ensemble I've yet to get rid of.
He chokes on his food when he tries to laugh, and I scowl at him as he forces the wad of food down.
"Sorry," he says when he sees my expression, still chuckling. "But I wouldn't dare call it hideous. In fact, I'm thinking about buying you more things like that."
I just shake my head, unable to stifle the grin he so easily provokes.
"So, a lycan attack?" I ask, shifting the topic when his scandalous eyes try to pull me in.
He frowns as if that upsets him. "Yeah. When we were on our way to Drackus's for the Were meeting, I got a call. Some locals stumbled upon a body in the woods. All I knew was that there was a dead cop. And..."
His voice trails off, seeming uncertain about continuing. Then realization strikes me, and my hunger dissipates.
"And you were worried that blood matched the blood in my back seat," I say while gripping my head and leaning forward.
"The blood did match," he says softly, making my stomach tense. "But the body was almost unrecognizable. I think you might have been trying to save him, and it's possible he died in your car. The humans destroyed the scene by tromping around through the woods, but there was a trail of blood. You probably drug him out there when he died. I'm sure you were trying to do damage control. A lycan shredded him. The last I checked, you're not a lycan."
I sigh in relief—as sick as that is. I can't believe I'd just dump a body like that, but I wasn't myself last night. I don't know who I was. I wish I could remember something.
"Care if we get drunk tonight?" I ask, prompting him to laugh.
"You can. It's a little hard for me. I'll gladly take care of you."
My smile returns, but the pounding on the door kills the moment. Kane swears under his breath as he goes to inspect our unwanted visitor. He swings open the door without so much as checking to see who it is.
I scramble around on the bed, knocking a Styrofoam plate of food onto the floor, when I see it's Gage. I don't even acknowledge the mess.
"Why are you here?" Kane groans, blocking Gage's view of me.
"Sorry to interrupt the honeymoon, but we've got a problem. It's about Castine."
Chapter 6
No Time For A Break
Gage takes a seat at the desk-like table in the room, while Kane comes to scoop up the food I spilled.
"What about her?" Kane asks as he trashes the spoiled goods.
"For starters, she's been all over the world killing and draining witches—immortal and mortal. She's gearing up for a fight. The night stalker council is now involved, and they want you to help them find her."
I huff out. We can't have one day—one frigging day—of peace.
"Worst day ever," I mumble, prompting Kane to sit beside me and wrap his arm around my waist.
"Our bond is severed. I can't find her. Speaking of which—how did you find us?"
Gage starts to speak, but I answer before he can. "Fucking cell phones," I gripe, wishing now I had removed the batteries from both. The second Kane spoke with Sierra, Gage knew exactly where we were.
"Dark user thing," Gage adds. "I told the night stalker council your bond was severed, but they still want your help, since you were her favorite."
Kane tenses, and my heart breaks for him. I can only imagine what being Castine's favorite entailed. I reach over, grab his hand, and then squeeze it in mine. He doesn't acknowledge the gesture. He seems to be lost in the past.
"Tell the night stalker council to kiss our asses. They're on their own. There wasn't anyone stepping in when she was just after us. They can go fuck themselves for all I care," I interject, sick of all the damn councils and their demands.
A small, ghost of a grin touches Kane's lips, letting me know I've done something right. Gage doesn't seem quite as impressed. I'm done with the fey councils expecting everyone to fight their battles. If Castine is stirring up a war, it's up to the councils to deal with her.
"These are innocent fey and mortals, Alyssa," Gage says, warily studying me. "Since when don't you give a damn?"
He looks to Kane as though he's tainted fr
uit that has poisoned my mind. I haven't stopped caring, I've just stopped—I don't know.
"It's not our problem until it's our problem again," I mutter dismissively.
"You sound more like a night stalker than a light witch right now," Gage growls, his murderous glare still casting daggers toward Kane.
"Because we're all so callous and cold?" Kane quips, accidentally making me feel like a bitch.
"I sound callous and cold?" I ask pitifully, bringing both of their eyes toward me.
Instant regret washes over Kane's face, but I speak before he can.
"I'm not cold. I don't want anyone innocent to die, but it's time we make the councils do what they were designed to. We're not strong enough to take on Castine, and that's what they expect. They say they need his help, but they'll leave him alone if he finds her. I'm not going to watch him die. I can't."
Gage looks away when Kane pulls me onto his lap, gently kissing my forehead as he does so. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that," he murmurs softly.
"We need to get back to Alyssa's house and regroup, plan against an attack that will come when Castine is finished refueling," Gage grumbles. "We're going to have to face her again—one way or the other."
"We're going to my house," Kane murmurs, tensing. "Alyssa doesn't want to go back to her home."
Thanks to a psychotic spirit, a crazy human witch bitch, and a crafty night stalker.
"Where's your place?"
"You can just follow us," Kane says through a sigh, reluctantly standing while still holding me to him.
"I'll wait outside."
Gage vaporizes, rushing away. I'm sure this is hard for him, just as it was for Kane. I hate it, but what am I supposed to do? Never touch Kane because it's difficult for Gage? I didn't ask for all this confusion.
I wish I'd never involved myself with Gage. He saved me from my bond with Kane, and I should be grateful, but now I'm hurting him. I love Kane. I never loved the dark user who willingly used my vulnerability against me. He knew he'd extinguish my light if we got too close. How could he?
"You ready?" Kane asks, snapping me out of my sad reverie.
"Yeah. Let's go play nice with Amy and Gage."
He snorts derisively, shaking his head. "One day, it'll just be us. I swear."
"I can't wait."
Amy is all snarls and icy death-glares. I just ignore her, pretending she doesn't even exist. Sierra and Deke have been slaving away on the cages downstairs, preparing for the red moon that will be here tonight.
"How long until this cycle of red moons is over?" I ask when Kane comes to wrap his arms around me.
At least I'm wearing jeans and a T-shirt now. I feel a thousand times better in an outfit that doesn't beg to be noticed.
"Another month, maybe two. It's been a while since there was a cycle this big. We've still got five more ahead of us—at least."
Great. Five more nights of watching over Amy. Bitch.
"Slasher films and pie?" I ask, shrugging.
Kane smiles, nodding as he jogs backwards to pick up two movies and wave them around. The sun isn't far from setting, so I hope they have those cages ready.
"I need to go help Sierra and Deke," Amy growls, agitated with the way Kane has completely refused to acknowledge her existence.
"We need more pie," Zee chirps while walking out of the kitchen.
Kane bursts out laughing when Zee sets down two pie plates—two empty pie plates.
"You ate both of those?" I gasp.
"It's been too long since I've had the bite. Pie helps. I'll go get some more."
"I'll go," Kane chuckles out, motioning for me to join him.
I gladly accept the offer to get out of the house. Fortunately, Gage hasn't gotten here yet, which is great, considering dealing with Amy has already given me an ulcer. Stupid, fanged, she-devil, bitch, monst—
"You ready?" Kane asks, holding the car door open for me.
Hell, I managed to walk all the way out here without even noticing.
"Yeah."
Kane does his best to make me laugh all the way to town. If I'd never been brutally jarred into facing the fact he's a killer, I'd never have believed it.
"I'll grab the pies. You hang out," he murmurs, kissing my hand.
I cut the music off and enjoy the silence as he rushes into the store. It's so peaceful right now. As I gaze around at all the people oblivious to the real world—not realizing they're not on the top of the food chain—I notice a large woman and several children walking by.
I tilt my head, curious. The children are all so skinny—eyes sunken in, clothes hanging off of them. They look dirty, malnourished, and neglected—five of them. I open the door, ready to go blast that chubby bitch walking them into a house.
One child whimpers, and she slaps the child across the face, bringing my blood to a boil. I'll show her how to slap someone who deserves to be slapped.
I'm caught mid-stalk, hands on my waist, as Kane forces me to stand in place. I fight against him, furious that he's holding me back.
"They're fucking kids!" I growl.
"They're human, Alyssa. What are you going to do? Beat the hell out of her? You'll have to dust her memory. What good will that do? You'll get yourself into all kinds of trouble. I know a cop. Let me make a call. We have to handle human shit with human politics."
I glare at the house, memorizing everything about it. If the cop doesn't do something, I sure as hell will.
"Call him now."
Kane nods once, returning to the abandoned bags of pie he apparently dropped on the sidewalk. I cross my arms over my chest, but a brush of air finds my cheek, making me almost curse aloud.
"What?" I grumble, knowing damn well Gage is behind me.
"I need you to come with me to see the widows. They wish to know the details of how their fallen spidress died. They want to help us find the main puppet-master who helped the spirit and human witch."
"Widow help," I scoff, never moving my eyes from the house.
"She's not going without me," Kane says as he joins us.
"Did you call him?" I ask, realizing I'm so focused on this human that I've tuned out almost everything else.
"I did. He'll be by in a couple of days to start the process. He has to clear it through some channels first."
Gage tilts his head, but he doesn't question our conversation. "How are you going to leave Amy alone on a red moon night?" he asks, returning to the immortal problem at hand.
"I'm not leaving her alone. She has plenty of people there. Most everyone was already coming since we've got Thad's memorial to go to tomorrow. The coroner finally released the body, and his changer family has cremated his remains. We're going to the cemetery to bury his urn, putting him in the same place as his parents' urns," Kane says, bringing all that pain back to life.
Immortals have to be burned and buried once they are dead to pass through the correct planes—another part of our fucked-up world. We even have to keep their ashes inside a welded-shut urn.
"I have to take her to see the widows, Kane. Do you really need me to verse you on the outstanding rivalry between your species and theirs?"
Kane's jaw tenses and he cracks his neck to the side. I hope he's not worried about me being alone with Gage.
"It's fine, Kane. We need their help. A group of pissed-off widows could prove useful—as long as we're not the ones they're pissed at," I mutter to defuse the burning glare exchange.
I glance over my shoulder at the house once more, wishing I could go save those kids. Some humans are just as evil as all of our dark entities. The fey just have fangs as proof of a vicious side.
"If they want to help us, they'll eventually have to deal with my species," Kane snarls.
"Agreed. And I'll make them aware of that tonight," Gage says, shrugging, stifling his triumphant grin.
Kane murmurs something too low for me to hear, and then he jerks me to him, pressing a deep, devouring, showy kiss to my lips. My hands tangle in h
is hair, bringing him closer, even though this is really just his way of pissing on me to claim his territory. Men, I scoff inwardly.
After his tongue leaves me desperate for more, he withdraws, showing he's as breathless as me.
"Hurry back and call me if anything happens," he murmurs softly, offering one last kiss, though this one is chaste.
"I will."
I walk away, feeling Kane's eyes on me as I make my way to Gage. His back is turned as he waits by his car—no doubt trying to avoid witnessing the kissing exhibition.
"Ready?" he asks as I approach, not turning to meet my eyes as he moves to the passenger side door.
"Not really, but do I ever have a choice these days?" I grumble, as he opens the door for me.
"You have choices—you just tend to make the wrong ones usually."
"I'm not—"
He shuts the door on my retort, smirking as I fume at him. As soon as he sits down beside me, I don't hold back.
"I'm not making the wrong choice. I blame you for this—all of this. You knew. You knew you could kill my light, but you came for me anyhow."
He sighs out as he cranks the car and begins speeding away. I look back just as Kane pulls away from the curb. I already regret not pushing harder for him to come, but the widows really do hate night stalkers. I'd be afraid they'd do something stupid if he showed up unannounced and unwelcome.
"They won't touch you, Alyssa," Gage says, not looking at me or acknowledging my last comment.
"I'm not worried about that. Witches and widows have never clashed."
"I didn't fucking do this!" he yells suddenly, shocking the hell out of me. I guess he decided he couldn't overlook my tart remark after all. "It wasn't my fault. You're not going dark because of me. You're not dark at all! It's him. He's toxic. It started with that stupid bond, and now it has gotten worse. I'm the one who's capable of saving you from yourself."
Oh, good grief. Why did I open this stupid door?
The steering wheel whines under his grip, and he loosens his hold in response. I'm not surprised to see that the steering wheel has been bent in certain places, making it looked warped now.
