Page 116 of Their Blood Rite

‘No one else is touching you, Poppet,’ Dorian grunts. ‘You don’t need to bargain for that right.’

I raise my brow, awaiting Shaw’s agreement.

He slowly blinks, his hand gliding up my thigh at a torturous pace.

‘If anyone other than us touches you…’ His fingers slide beneath my underwear. ‘You use that dagger on them, and you tell them…’ Two fingers ease into me, and I can’t hold in the whimper. ‘Precisely who you belong to. And they will get far worse than a dagger after I hear of someone touching what we have claimed as ours.’ He hooks his finger into my wall and pulls me closer to him. He plants a chaste kiss on my stomach. ‘Got it?’

I nod, licking my lips as I try to get some moisture into my suddenly extremely dry mouth.

‘If anyone thinks they can touch a girl we have claimed, they must have a death wish,’ Dorian agrees. ‘So oblige their needs and kill them.’

‘Okay,’ I breathe.

Shaw pulls out his fingers, sucks them clean, then swiftly stands.

‘We’re giving you the earth coven grimoire when we return,’ he says. ‘We want you to study it.’

‘Why? I’m not powerful enough to read from it.’

‘You’re powerful enough,’ he scoffs. ‘Trust me. We’re sure you will be able to read from it. And we want you strong. Besides, webelieve the more connected you are to that side of your magic, the less darkness will settle in your soul when you use the other side.’

‘You think?’

‘You should be darker, Pixie. You should be cruel and craving blood. But you’re not. It’s the only reason we can think of. So, to keep you as you are… as we like you… we want you to use as much earth magic as possible. Is that okay with you?’

‘That’s amazing,’ I laugh, relief and appreciation making a lump form in my throat. ‘Thank you.’

He looks down at me, softly smiling.

‘Stay as you are,’ he repeats. ‘Try. Okay?’

I nod, not wanting to ruin the moment by reminding him they’re the ones encouraging my blood magic. Not me. I would carve it out if I could.

Shaw looks just past my shoulder.

‘Keep a look out for any trouble, Banshee,’ he commands.

Peering back, I see her watching. Her fists are balled at her side, and her sharp teeth grind as she glares hatefully at me.

Shaw opens the door.

‘After you, Pixie.’

Chapter 17

I’ve been in my father’s carriage many times. But this one seems far smaller despite being larger. I guess my father and I were the only ones to share the carriage. I feel tiny, stuck in here with three great males surrounding me. I sit beside Archie, who is reading some book in a language I don’t recognise. Dorian and Shaw sit opposite. Dorian glares out the window as if it’s personally offended him, and Shaw is just watching me.

I’ve never realised how hard it is not to meet someone's gaze or ignore it when it’s burning a hole in you.

If he’s trying to make me feel nervous, he doesn’t need to try so hard. Nerves flutter in my insides with as much grace as a hornet's nest.

I can’t fuck this up because I’ll end up bones on the bridge. Or if I almost fuck it up, I’ll end up broken in a cell.

I’m not very good at behaving. Not that I don’t try. I do! But shit tends to happen around me. Mainly when I open my mouth.

So I think tonight, I will keep it shut.

I think it equally wise to start my silence now to avoid any more threats.

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