Page 174 of Their Blood Rite

‘I know,’ I state clearly. ‘I was there. I know she loved me. And now I know she loved me despite knowing what I was. My mother was fucking amazing. Powerful and brave. KnowingNeve pushed me out doesn’t change that.’ I walk up to him, my head tilted all the way back so I hold his gaze. ‘The fact that you stole me on the blood rite doesn’t upset me, Shaw. I’m grateful. You saved my life. You fucking me?’ I shake my head. ‘I’m not upset by that either. I enjoyed it. Immensely.’ I take another step closer. He doesn’t move an inch, and now we’re toe-to-toe. ‘Would you like to know what has really upset me, Ronan Shaw?’

‘Desperately.’

‘First. You could have taken me at any time. You tasted my blood in that pub after we first met, and it was strong enough for you to walk my dreams that very night. But you chose to let me go home to face the Blood Rite, knowing that the flames would tell everyone what I was. Knowing that I would be executed.’

‘We were always going to get you out before they killed-’

‘I was tied to a tree, Shaw.’

‘I know.’

‘I was cut twenty-three times. I was punched. Kicked. Spat on. Stabbed. And had the tip of a knife almost fuck me.’

‘We needed the fire to give you access to your magic. We didn’t know you already had it, or we would have taken you from the pub.’

‘Would you like to know what else I’m slightly annoyed about?’ I ask through a clenched jaw. He remains silent, letting me have the space to speak. ‘You using me to bring back your ex-lovers. You forcing me into that circle and watching as I suffered their deaths. Deaths you all inflicted on them. You cut Neve three hundred times. Dorian crushed Dhalia. Archie hung Sinthia.’ My teeth grind together as I feel that noose. Those stones. Those cuts. ‘You making me think you cared about me when you were using me the entire time. Making me feel for a moment that I could trust you. Making me think you wanted to protect me. That upsets me. And you letting Neve go, along with Cole,reallyfucking upsets me. You manipulating me to use blood magic,knowing it will make the same monster you kill for a living, upsets me. You carving up four witches. Taking the still beating heart from my father-’

‘Every single one of those witches betrayed you,’ he spits furiously, waving his arm in the direction of the circle. ‘That’s why we chose them. It had to be that way for it to work. Don’t you fucking dare tell me you will weep for your father. For Thalia. For that prick of a coven leader who tried to rape you with a fucking knife.’

‘And Kieran?’ I ask. ‘Did he deserve it?’

‘He… he was an unfortunate casualty. It was supposed to be Cole, but he disappeared after we left the king’s palace. Kieran was the only other male we knew lusted for you.’

I shove him hard, and he flies backwards, slamming into a tree. The gnarled roots shoot out and pin him to the bark, holding him there. He doesn’t struggle but watches me.

‘I may hate you to my core, but I am thankful for you feeding me so much of your blood and then standing by as I get killed by the woman you used to fuck. Because now I’m as strong as you.’

‘You’re not like us because you fed from us,’ Dorian says, stepping between Shaw and me, his arms outstretched as if calming a wild animal. ‘We told you. We’re not true vampires. We’re demigods, trapped by the blood coven. You have no right to be what you’ve become, Ashe.’ He glances over his shoulder at Shaw. ‘But we’re going to help her figure it out. Help her control it. Aren’t we?’

‘And how will you do that?’ I sneer.

‘We’ll start by finding out who your father is,’ Dorian suggests. ‘That might give us a clue as to what you are and how you’ve become… like us.’

‘Dead. I died.’

‘You’re a necromancer. Death doesn’t apply quite the same to you,’ he replies.

‘I’m not like you. I have all the blood witch blood I need to access my powers.’ I look at my hand. ‘I can tap into my own blood. I’ll kill Neve or die trying, in which case your curse is broken. You’re free. And if I succeed…’ The corner of my mouth twitches. ‘I’ll return to you.’

‘And then?’ Shaw asks.

‘Depends on my mood.’ I turn.

My body binds, suffocating me as I fall to my knees. Dorian holds my poppet, squeezing it tightly. Shaw breaks free, tossing the bark aside like it’s nothing, and strides towards me. He holds my chin and leans down so his forehead rests on mine.

‘You’re not leaving.’

‘Lock me up,’ I hiss. ‘Use your fucking claim to control me. Let Dorian keep his doll. But I will never stop trying to escape. I will never stop hating you for-’

‘I love you.’

My throat feels as if Dorian’s hand is wrapped around it yet again, and I forget to breathe.

‘You hear me, Pixie? Neve wasn’t lying when she said she could smell love on me.’

‘No, you don’t,’ I reply in a hush.

‘And unfortunately for you,’ he continues, ‘that means I now own you. You are mine, and I will not allow you to walk away from me to your death.’

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