Page 67 of Taken By the Blood God

“Well, maybe it hurts because you’re fighting this so hard. You talk about a witch being in touch with her emotions and how that’s the key to controlling her power. To be in touch with your emotions, you must accept them. To move through them.” Shesqueezed my hand. “If you accepted them and dealt with them head-on, would it change?”

It was my turn to raise an eyebrow at her. I sipped my iced coffee to wash down the last bit of brownie. “And how do you know so much about this?”

“Lots of therapy during my teen years,” she answered, waving her free hand. “Stop avoiding my questions.”

I sighed. “You’re right. I’m fighting myself.”

Sela released me and sat back.

“But I know that letting myself fall for a blood god is a disaster waiting to happen.”

She shrugged. “I thought the same thing about falling in love with a werewolf, and now look at me.”

I scowled at her. “That’s different. Talant isn’t like Garrett. That werewolf worships the ground you walk on. He would do anything for you. He lives to take care of you.”

“It sounds to me like Talant wants to take care of you, too.”

My first instinct was to brush off her words, but I stopped myself before I opened my mouth and thought about what she’d just said. I also thought about Talant’s words and actions over the past few weeks.

Why didn’t I want to believe that he cared about me? The epiphany seared through me like a lightning bolt, making my scalp tingle and my eyes burn. I didn’t want to believe it because it was less dangerous if I kept him at arm’s length. If I didn’t let myself care about him.

A strange stillness washed over me, the tumult in my stomach and chest calming almost instantly. I’d been in such a state of stress for the past few weeks that I’d no longer noticed the fine tension that ran through my muscles every waking moment.

“You look like you’ve come to some sort of conclusion,” Sela commented.

I blinked, focusing my gaze on her.

“I have.”

“Want to share?”

“Not really.”

She scowled at me. “I just bought you one of everything from Marjorie’s bakery. The least you can do is tell me if I helped you or not.”

“You helped me,” I replied, getting to my feet.

Sela stared at me, annoyance practically dripping from her pores. “And?”

“And I feel better.”

Dropping her head back to stare up at the ceiling, Sela groaned in frustration. “You are the most irritating woman I’ve ever met. And that’s saying something considering that Cari is my best friend, and she lives and breathes to irritate me.”

It was my turn to smirk at her. “I’ll be sure to tell her that the next time I see her.”

Sela got to her feet, gathering up the treats and stuffing them back in the paper bag. “She already knows because I say it to her face at least once a week.”

I laughed and stood, moving to wrap my arms around her.

“Thank you for bringing me coffee and pastries and forcing me to talk to you,” I said, squeezing her in a tight hug.

She sighed and turned to hug me back, her long arms squishing me into her. “You’re welcome, my annoying little witch friend.”

I laughed, and she flinched, pulling away from me.

“That tickles!”

“What?” I asked, stepping back and holding my arms out to the sides.

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