Page 80 of Taken By the Blood God

I flinched. I couldn’t control it. There was no way I would have fallen in love with Talant if he was anything like he was then.

Seeing that his question had gotten beneath my skin, Davian continued. “He wanted to give you time to see him for who he is now. As someone who’s been in his shoes, spending over a millennium imprisoned but conscious, that kind of experience can change someone. He is different now. I told you that before.”

He paused, as though he wanted his words to truly sink in. “I’m different as well. I still don’t share your love for or desire to protect humans, but I no longer wish to rule them or harm them. I just want to live in peace. Even if I must exist among them.”

“He may have changed, Davian, but he lied. I’m not sure I can get past that. It wasn’t a small fib. He kept a pretty damn important piece of information from me. How can I ever trust anything he tells me again?”

He was clearly getting impatient. “And you’ve never lied to anyone because you were worried that it would cause them pain? Or that it would change the way they saw you?”

I winced again because I hadn’t exactly told Ally about what was going on with Talant and Davian. Or that I’d been hurt. As much as I hated to admit it…he had a point.

“If you’re afraid, you should be honest about it.”

“Why would I be afraid?” I asked.

He scoffed. “Because you’re not in control here. Neither is he. You two are the biggest control freaks I’ve ever known. You can’t call the shots with each other, and neither of you knows how to handle it.”

The sadness that clung to me earlier was getting pushed out by annoyance. Because I knew he was right, but I wasn’t ready to admit it.

“And you know better?” I asked.

Davian shook his head. “No, I don’t know better. I’m as fucked up as the two of you. Just in different ways.”

I sighed. How could I argue with that?

“Once you’ve cooled off, talk to him, Minerva. Treat him the way you would want to be treated if you made a mistake or the wrong choice.”

Fuck. How did the biggest asshole I’d ever met become the voice of reason in this situation?

“Fine, I will. It may take me a while to calm down, though. I’m pretty pissed off at him at the moment.”

“He’ll wait. As long as it takes.”

I wasn’t sure if Davian was right, but this talk did convince me of one thing—Davian needed to have his freedom. He’d been trapped for far too long, and it was clear that he’d changed. It was time for him to move on if he was ready.

“I release you from your vow to remain in Devil Springs, Davian.” The magic chimed as the binding spell was broken.

Davian stared at me in shock, apparently rendered speechless by my actions.

I smirked at him. “I can’t wait until you’re the one who makes a mess of things so I can be all superior and knowing and throw advice at you.”

That seemed to break through his surprise because he smirked. “I look forward to it,” he said, bowing his head. Whenhe straightened, he continued, “I’m not leaving yet, though. Not until I know my brother is okay. But after that…”

I nodded.

“Now, I’m going to gather some things because you need your space, and my brother needs me. Though you won’t let him in the house, I doubt Tal will go far, so I supposed we’ll be nearby.”

“Have at it,” I said, gesturing with my now empty glass. “Just be sure your brother keeps his distance.”

Davian shrugged as he headed out of the kitchen toward the staircase at the front of the house. “I’ll do my best.”

I topped off my glass of wine and carried it into the front parlor. I needed to take the time to calm down and think. I also needed to give myself the space to feel. Suppressing my emotions in favor of logic would only help me in the short term. I would have to work through my feelings and figure out what I truly wanted.

Chapter

Thirty-Three

Talant

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