“Real catch,” I muttered under my breath and Elise prodded me in the ribs to make me look at her. Her face was illuminated by the candlelight and I sank into the flames in her eyes.
“You can’t have me but you don’t want anyone else to, right?” She rolled her eyes and I leaned toward her again in the dark so my mouth was against her ear and my heart was thrumming in my chest as her delicious scent washed over me.
“I want you every minute of every day, what do you expect me to do? Seeing you with other men is torture.” I pulled away but she caught my tie and yanked me back toward her, tightening it enough to choke me. I low growl escaped me, but she didn’t seem to care.
Her mouth moved to my ear this time as she delivered her reply. “You deserve a little torture after the way you’ve treated me.” Her fangs grazed my ear and for a second I thought she was actually going to try her luck at biting me. Another growl emanated from my chest to warn her off, but part of me wanted to drag her closer.
Her breath fluttered across my neck and I turned my head to knock her mouth away from my veins. “No one drinks from me.”
“You might like it,” she purred and the almost playful tone to her voice made me wish things could stay like this. No matter how hard I fought it, she was becoming precious to me and with her this close, it was hard to keep up my walls.
“Go ahead and try,” I taunted, tilting my head to bare my throat. Mystice’s back was to us and her eyes glittered at the challenge.
She lunged forward with her Vampire speed, but I’d already tethered the back of her blazer to the floor with a vine. She jerked backwards and I smirked as she severed the bind with a wave of her hand.
“Dammit,” she hissed.
“Sucks for you,” I said with a victory grin. “I hear I taste angelic.”
“Who says?” she blurted then scowled as she gave away her jealousy over the idea of someone else biting me.
I didn’t reply, turning back to face my bowl, feeling her eyes tracing me like I was a hunk of raw meat.
“Oh well, I’ve got a Storm Dragon and a Basilisk on tap. AKA electric ecstasy and fuck-hot milkshake. You couldn’t taste better than them.”
I tried not to hate her for saying that. But I did. I hated that she bit them, I hated that their hands roamed her body while her mouth was on their necks. I hated that they shared something with her and that I’d never share anything with her again.
The rest of the lesson was spent speaking as little as possible and by the time we were packing up, I was feeling weak. Too long in her company gave the stars time to chip away at my willpower and I was already back to wanting to steal her away to the rooftop for another night in my arms. But as she walked away without even a goodbye, I knew what my fortune was tonight without having to scry.
I’d be alone. Like always. Like I had to be.
The class filed out of the room and my eyes lingered on Elise as she fell in to step with Leon, sharing some joke as they walked out of the door. I held back, wanting to speak with Mystice and trying not to feel the ache that was invading my body over her and the Lion.
I helped gather up the scrying bowls as the last of the students emptied out, heading up to pour the water into the large basin at the side of the room.
“Your aura is heavy, Gabriel,” Mystice broke the silence as he appeared beside me with another pile of bowls.
I nodded, my brows pinching as I looked to him. “Things have been…difficult recently.” There was no point in lying to him. Mystice was a master of the Arcane Arts, he could read my mood and even pick up signals about what was causing it if he wanted to.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said the other day. You mentioned there could be a block on my powers…”
“That’s not what’s causing this weight on you though,” he mused.
“No, but it is important. How can I break something like that?” I asked, desperation lacing my tone. If I could get a grasp on my gifts, I could make better decisions. I wouldn’t have to hurt Elise like this if I knew which path to take.
Mystice surveyed me thoughtfully. “It would need to either be broken by the Fae who placed it on you, or…”
“Or?” I pressed, hunting his eyes for the answer before he gave it.
He dropped his gaze. “It’s possible you could break it on your own. You’re powerful, Gabriel. If you keep pushing into the visions and grasping onto the celestial signals-”
“It never feels any easier,” I sighed. “I don’t think that’s the way.”
“Keep trying at least. Important visions will be more vivid, you should find it easier to see them when you have an emotional need for them.” I thought over that as he started stacking the empty bowls together. The night Elise had been taken into the woods, I had found The Sight more accessible to me than usual. That gave me some hope at least that I might receive visions in future that could protect her.
Mystice glanced at me from the corner of his eye as if he expected me to say something else. “Are you going to tell me what’s really eating you?”
I combed my fingers through my hair, staring up at the swirling depths of the lake above. “I found my Elysian Mate.”
Mystice inhaled deeply in surprise. “How wonderful.”
“No,” I bit out with a sharp glare. “It’s not.”
“Oh. And why not?”
I released a breath of frustration. “It’s complicated. I can’t be with her. Please…tell me there’s a way to break the bond. I’m trying to keep away from her but sometimes it just feels so impossible.”
Mystice’s eyes flashed with concern. “By the stars, Gabriel, why would you want to do such a thing? You must be causing yourself immeasurable pain.”
I shrugged in response because what did it matter how uncomfortable this was for me? It was her I was protecting and I couldn’t explain that to Mystice. “It’s the way it is. You must know something that can help?” I was half a second from clutching onto him and shaking an answer out of him, but he gave one before I lost my mind.
“You can’t,” he said simply and those two words stopped air from flowing into my lungs. He placed a hand on my shoulder as I started retreating into a dark and hopeless place inside myself, forcing me to look him in the eyes. “If you go on like this, you will end up in a much worse situation than you can even imagine. The stars will draw you together and make you answer to the question of fate. When that happens and you make a choice not to be together, you’ll be star-crossed,” he breathed the term like it was a death sentence. “If you think you’re miserable now, you’re wrong. Being star-crossed would break both of your hearts. You could never be together, the stars would drag you apart if you ever tried to change your minds, but they’ll make you long for each other forever. They would never let either of you love anyone else.” His grip tightened. “You might be willing to shoulder that fate, but would you really place it on the girl you’re bonded to?”
My throat thickened and horror spread through me as I considered that. I hadn’t even thought about what might happen to Elise if I made that choice. If I kept forcing her away and we became star-crossed, her life would be ruined.
But what was the alternative? Give in to this feeling? Be with her?
I shook my head at the thought of it.
“Gabriel,” Mystice said gently, patting my arm. “Whatever reasons are holding you back, I think it’s time you considered the reasons to dive in. You deserve happiness just as much as any Fae and so does your mate. The stars have chosen her for you and that’s a good fortune. You’re reacting as though they’ve handed you a plague.”
“I just can’t let her get hurt,” I breathed, knowing I couldn’t explain it any more than that.
“Whatever it is you’re afraid of happening, you’re the only one who can protect her from it. You’re her mate Gabriel. Suited to her in every way imaginable. And the stars are on your side. You’re made to stand the test of time, no matter what trials may come your way.”
>
My pulse thumped unevenly in my chest. Then slowly, like a curtain being drawn back to let the sun in, hope bloomed inside me. It chased away the fear, the pain that had been drowning me as I let myself buy into his words.
Perhaps I’d been wrong. Maybe we could be together. Maybe Mystice was right...
“Thank you,” I said. “I have a lot to think about.”
***
I was perched in the crook of a tree up on Devil’s Hill at lunchtime with an Astrology book resting against my knee, not reading any of the words as Elise consumed my mind.
I’d made a decision, one which made me happier than I’d ever been. One that shook the foundations of my soul and sent light pouring through my body.
I’d fucked our relationship up so much already, I knew I couldn’t go swooping in on her, asking her to be mine without a grand gesture. I needed her to forgive me, I’d beg for it, I’d wait and wait until she finally let her walls down. But first, I’d give her what she needed from me the most. An explanation. Everything I knew of my past and everything I didn’t. I’d lay it all out for her, bare my heart and get down on my knees if that was what it took.
I had hope again. A feeling that had alluded me for so many years.
I’m not going to be alone anymore.
I let a flower grow in my palm, willing it into existence with my earth magic. Its petals were softest lilac and glittered like stardust. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.
My eyes slipped to her out on Devil’s Hill sitting with Laini, the two of them soaking up the sun’s rays. I moved to get up, planning to go over there and hand the flower to her with my first apology when my Atlas pinged.
Bill:
I’ve got some stuff I need you to look over. Place and time?
I had forty minutes left before I had to head to Combat Class, but if Bill had information for me, I needed to have it. I frowned over at Elise, figuring my apology could wait a little longer as I slipped the flower into my pocket. It was a shitty, cliché gesture anyway. I could do better.
I tapped out a reply.
Gabriel:
I can come to you now. Where are you?
Bill:
Can it wait? I’m kind of in the middle of something, kid.
Gabriel:
No. Where??
I waited, drumming my fingers on my book until Bill finally messaged back.
Bill:
3 Zodiac Street, East Quarter. Don’t rush.
I tucked my Atlas into my pocket, pulled my blazer off and stuffed it into my bag with the book. I balanced on the tree branch as I wedged the bag in a hollow of the trunk then pulled off my shirt and tucked it into the back of my pants. I gave Elise a lingering look, hating that I had to wait longer, but it would be worth it. She would be worth it.
“Ohmagodd, look! Gabriel Nox is stripping in that tree!”
I looked down to find a group of freshmen girls all gawping up at me.
I ignored them, releasing my wings from my shoulder blades to a round of applause then dropped from the branch, swooping over their heads before climbing back toward the sky.
I journeyed to the eastern quarter, locating Zodiac Street which was ironically one of the shittiest places in Oscura Territory considering it was named after the area of the sky which ruled our entire lives.
I came to land on the sidewalk, startling a cat washing its ass in a patch of sun so it darted off into an alley with a hiss. I frowned, hurrying up the road, wondering why in Solaria animals were cursed to wash themselves with the same part of their body they tasted food with. It was fucking tragic.
I located number three and bashed my fist against the brown door while a grubby man stumbled down the road in my direction.
“Gettin’ out my dongalongalong,” he sang and I bashed my fist against the door harder. I hadn’t exactly grown up in a palace, but this street was the lowest of the low.
He pulled up short beside me and I gathered magic into my palms, figuring I might have to knock him on his ass, but I never liked drawing attention to myself. He was just some junkie on Killblaze though, I doubted he’d remember anyway.
“Hey, dude,” he said and I turned, finding him talking to the ass-licking cat who was now perched on a wall.
I turned back to the door.
Come the fuck on, Bill.
“What Order are you?” the guy asked the cat.
“It’s a cat, man,” I said, unable to help myself.
“A cat man? Woahhh.” He stumbled back a step, pulling out a shitty phone and moving in to take a selfie with the cat. It started growling and the second he looped his arm around it, the thing scratched one whole side of his face. The guy started laughing manically and I gave him a terse smile as I took out my Atlas to ring Bill.
The door wrenched open and the scent of sweat and smoke crashed into me. Better than the unwashed sock smell lingering out here though.
“Finally.” I shoved my past him into what I guessed must have been one of his safe houses. I’d never been here before; our business was always conducted in various bars around the city. I wondered why he’d asked me to come.
I turned to him in the ashy hallway with ancient carpet, taking in his wife-beater and jeans. “What the fuck were you doing? Do you realise I just watched a junkie take a selfie with a pissed off cat?”
“Oh that’s just Kyle.” Bill waved a hand as if the guy often did shit like that and I shook my head.
“You didn’t answer my question,” I said as Bill slipped past me, leading me into a small kitchen. A woman in a tiny leather dress was pulling on knee-high boots over fishnet tights, rising to her feet from a chair beside a table.
She smiled at Bill then her eyes slid to me and widened. “I do hope you’re here to pay for a round too, you sexy winged thing.” She moved forward, running a finger up my bare chest.
“No thanks.” I stepped back, looking to Bill, suddenly realising why he hadn’t wanted me to come over.
“See ya, Billy boy.” She leaned in to kiss him and he gripped her ass then slapped it as she walked away.
“Bye Ginger,” he said with a smirk as she sauntered out of the room and the front door clicked shut a second later.
“Why did you text me if you had company?” I asked in confusion.
“’Cause I took a smoke break from Ginger and figured I’d let you know I’d gathered some intel. I didn’t expect you to come flying over here like fucking Superman now, did I?”
I snorted a laugh. “So what have you got to show me?” I asked, leaning back against the kitchen counter, wanting to move swiftly on from the image of Bill screwing that hooker.
Bill took a box of cigarettes from his pocket and lit one up. “Well,” he said on an inhale of smoke. “I’ve got a few potential suspects I need you to rule out. If one of this lot don’t have Gareth’s phone then I’ll start looking through the students in your class.” He headed to a grubby-looking wall beside the fridge and ran his palm across it, dissolving a concealment spell and revealing an iron safe beyond it. “Top of the range this is, kid. It takes a sample of your magic so only I can get in. Watch.” He placed his finger in a little hole and a red glow emitted from it then a click sounded it unlocking. He took out a file, walking to the table and sitting down.
I moved toward him as he held out a small stack of photographs. I took them, eyeing the pretty older woman in the first photo with dark blonde hair. Despite her fine makeup, her expression was hollow like the light had long since gone out behind her eyes.
“That’s Gareth’s mom – totally my type by the way,” Bill said with a smirk. “You ever seen her before?”
I shook my head, thumbing onto the next photo and my heart turned to a solid lump of ice.
“That’s Gareth’s sister,” Bill supplied and I nodded mutely.
Gareth stood beside a girl with long blonde hair almost down to her ass. They were in a park in front of a tree with golden leaves. Apart from her hair and the carefree smile on her face,
I’d know her fucking anywhere.
She was branded on my body. She was sharing a room with me at school. She was my goddamn Elysian Mate. Gareth’s fucking sister.
She had his phone.
The messages.
The death threats.
“Holy fucking shit!” I cried then sprinted from the room, flung the front door open and took off into the sky.
The sun was shining down on Devil’s Hill and Leon lay with his hands behind his head, eyes closed, shirt off, bronze skin gleaming. The bell had already rung for our next class and everyone else was leaving but Leon seemed to have zero intention of following them any time soon. I approached him with a smile and kept walking until I cast a shadow over him.
“For fuck’s sake, Mindy,” Leon grumbled without opening his eyes. “I’ve told you, approach with the sun in your eyes so you don’t block it.”
I rolled my eyes at him, pitying his poor Mindys even though they seemed happy enough with their Lion King being an ass.
“Did you get my strawberries?” he asked, his mouth falling open as he waited for the missing Mindy to place one in his mouth.
I walked around him so I no longer cast a shadow over him and dropped to my knees beside him, leaning close so that my lips were almost touching his throat.
“Actually, I think I’m the one whose about to have a snack,” I teased as my fangs snapped out.
My lips grazed his throat and his eyes shot open as he grabbed me, propelling me over him so that I was straddling his waist. I sat back with a laugh, looking down at him with a smirk as his golden eyes brightened. He caught both of my wrists in his hands and pinned them behind me.
“Bad little monster,” he scolded teasingly. “I’ve told you, no biting until the main course.”
I shifted on his lap as I tipped my head to the side, considering him. “You know, I’m the one at an advantage here,” I purred. “I could bite you before you had a chance to stop me.”
Savage Fae (Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac Book 2) Page 21
