Page 79 of Taken By the Blood God

Minerva

As soon as I cast the spell to keep Davian and Talant out of the house, I took a long, scalding hot shower. I washed dirt, dead grass, leaves, and ash from my skin. I tried not to think about what created the ash as I scrubbed it away because every time I did my stomach clutched and rolled, threatening to rebel.

Once I was clean, I braided my damp hair, dressed in my rattiest, comfiest pair of yoga pants and a loose t-shirt that nearly reached my mid-thigh. I needed the comfort of soft clothes and warm blankets. At least for today.

My stomach growled after I got dressed, but the idea of food also made it turn over. Finally, I settled on a bowl of orange sherbet. The icy treat settled okay, but I still didn’t feel well. Probably because my heart was broken.

I’d fought against my feelings for Talant for as long as I could. And just when I accepted that I was falling in love with him, he proved that I couldn’t trust him.

I was half-tempted to pick up the phone and call Sela, but I knew she would come over, and I wasn’t ready to talk to anyone yet. I needed some time to sort through my thoughts andfeelings. Basically, I wanted to stew. And brood. And maybe get drunk.

Getting drunk sounded like a good plan at the moment. Sure, the responsible part of me knew it wasn’t my best idea, but my heartbroken side said that numbing the pain for a little while was necessary.

I was in the kitchen pouring myself a glass of sweet red wine when the back door opened, and Davian walked in from the sunroom. I set the bottle of wine on the countertop with a thud. “You havegotto be kidding me! What the hell, Davian? How did you get past the spell?”

He stopped a few feet away and crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes dropped to the glass of wine in my hand. “Drowning your sorrows?”

I rolled my eyes. “You know what? I don’t give a shit how you got past my spell. Get out if you’re going to be a dick.”

He sighed. “I’ve told my brother time and again that love makes people stupid. I see that it even applies to you.”

I snarled at him and set the glass of wine aside as well. I pulled up the long sleeves of my t-shirt, preparing to throw his ass out using whatever means necessary.

He held up a hand. “I’m sorry. All I meant was that you’re a very smart witch, and you should have realized that the binding spell you placed on me carried a trace of your magic, which means?—”

“My ward recognized you and let you through,” I finished for him with a sigh.

He nodded.

“Okay, that still doesn’t explain why you would bother coming inside when you know that I’m not happy with your brother. Or you.”

“How am I to blame in this?” he asked.

It was my turn to cross my arms over my chest. “You mean you didn’t know the same things that Talant did? And you didn’t keep them a secret either?”

He winced at my words. “Good point. But, in my defense, I told my brother he should discuss this with you, sooner rather than later.”

I rolled my eyes and snatched up my wineglass, swallowing half of it in one gulp.

He took a step closer. “You’re not her,” he stated. “Not truly.”

My only answer was to glare at him and finish off the glass of wine. I reached for the bottle to pour another glass, but his next words stopped me.

“Cassia was nothing like you, Minerva.”

I took a deep breath and continued to pour myself another glass of wine.

Davian seemed to take that as an invitation to continue, because he kept talking.

“You have sharp edges and a dark sense of humor. Your tongue is edged like a blade. You never back down from a confrontation, even when it might be safer to do so. Cassia was pure sweetness. She never let a cross word pass her lips. If she was angered, she wanted to talk it out, to discuss what happened until she understood. Then the situation could be handled in a way that she felt was appropriate. She loved unreservedly, but she wasn’t fiery or full of passion. She was peace. And joy.”

I lifted the glass to my lips, ready to drain another glass of wine because his description of her just made me feel worse instead of better. It sounded like Cassia was everything I wasn’t.

Davian took another step forward. “You aren’t her. Talant knows that. What he feels for you isn’t because you carry her power or her memories. You aren’t Cassia reborn, like you said. You’re a vessel for her magic, not a new version of her. Mybrother fell in love with you because youareso different than she was.”

I shook my head, drinking more wine. “It doesn’t matter. He lied to me. He knew what I was, and he didn’t tell me. It wasn’t just selfish, it was dangerous.”

He cocked his head to the side and studied me. “You want to be loved for who you are. That’s understandable. So does he. What are Cassia’s memories of him, witch? The god he was then—is that who you want?”

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