Page 124 of Their Blood Rite

‘See that?’ Shaw asks, his kiss ended. ‘He’s jealous.’

‘I think you’re confusing your emotions, dream walker. That’s hatred.’

‘Oh yes. Hatred, for sure. But he reeks of jealousy.’ He sweeps my hair from my face, maintaining his pretence of a devoted lover. ‘He still loves you, and seeing you in my arms drives him insane.’

‘No. He really doesn’t love me. No one could do what he did to the woman they love.’

‘Men like us always break the things we cherish most. Love brings out the worst in all of us, Pixie. And sometimes, it destroys what we love most. That’s the danger of being loved by a monster.’

‘You speak as if you have experience of love.’

‘Many lifetimes ago, Pixie.’ He kisses my forehead.

‘You’re not going to marry me, are you?’

‘I might.’

‘Well, if you want to keep me, you better figure something out.’

He takes my chin and looks down at me. ‘Now. Keep your composure when I tell you this,’ he says. ‘The king has ordered we stay the night.’

‘What… why?’ I glance around at the many guards lining the walls.

‘Cole is being sworn in as the new coven leader tomorrow at noon. It’s a whole thing. There’s a party afterwards, but I’ve gained permission for us to leave after the ceremony. Not sure I can take any more parties for a while.’ He reaches over and collects two more glasses of wine, handing one to me.

The knowledge he gets rewarded with power over an entire coven after everything he’s done makes my teeth grind violently. If I were stronger, the glass in my hand would shatter.

Bastard. I hate him with every ounce of me. Inside and out.

‘You’ll finally get to see him kneel. Just as you wanted,’ Shaw reminds me. ‘And I’ll have you at my side, just as I promised. That’s something, right?’

I nod. It’s something. But not enough. Not by a long shot.

‘Drink up, Pixie. You’ve earned it.’

The hours pass, and for the most part, I‘m bored out of my skull. The boys are happy enough talking to the many curious court members that approach. Many of them are women who look at them with poorly disguised lust. Compared to the men they are married to, they’re nothing short of gods. Podgy men with blotchy skin bellow with forced and superior laughter as they talk. I remain by the large stained glass window and sneakilytake a glass of wine as it passes on a tray. The servant side eyes me in distaste, so I wink at him and blow him a kiss.

I do like wine. It fills me with warmth and makes me feel giddy. I drink deeply, watching a young blonde woman slide her hand down Archie’s arm. He leans in and taps the edge of her nose playfully, making her blush. Dorian stares with utter boredom into nothing as some gentleman talks nonstop at him. He drinks deeply from his wine and groans in the relief it provides. Shaw has the ear of the queen as she remains seated on her throne.

It becomes very clear that the guys are a treat and curiosity for the court. A delicacy, perhaps. Three powerful, lethal and beautiful immortal males are in their midst. I guess that doesn’t happen too often. They're what the human females were in their castle.

Something different. Something usually forbidden.

Cole stands like a soldier by the doors, staring at me nonstop. I feel his gaze like fire on my skin. Thalia remains a step behind him, just as we were taught to. One step behind. Hands clasped together. A passive and pleasing expression and a lowered gaze.

She’s the image of a good earth witch. Timid. Obedient. Well groomed and understated. Humble and pure.

Pure my arse. I’ve seen her bent over and screaming.

I down the rest of the wine and promptly snatch another as it passes.

When Dorian’s mark twinges, I see him glaring at me. He slowly shakes his head as I lift the glass to my lips.

Without any instruction from me, my hand lowers. He has his hands behind his back, but I know he’s got my doll in his fingers and is controlling me. He makes me return the glass to a passing tray before returning his extremely bored attention to the drunk man still speaking.

I look at the door.

Cole is gone. Thalia is still there, still poised and pathetic.

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