Page 93 of Cursed

“You owe me for my daughter.”

My senses return as my body comes back online with some extra adrenaline that must have miraculously gone unused in all this mayhem. Or maybe it’s the pure rage for what this asshole has done to my sweet mate.

“A bride price has been outdated for quite a while,” I snarl. “And even then, you didn’t take care of her properly. You only gave her pain.”

“You’re worth billions. Give me what I’m owed!”

I glance back at my mating coven. Shayla has passed out. Good. I don’t want her to see this.

Branden rushes around and comes up behind the pathetic fire mage. He whispers menacingly, right into her ear, “You should have walked away when Shayla told you to.” When I look at him in question, he shrugs. “I overheard their exchange. Shayla was trying to be merciful. The only reason I haven’t snapped this bitch’s neck yet was to honor our mate’s wishes.”

Her mother’s eyes widen as she realizes her mistake. She’s in between two predators who are much more powerful than she is.

I grab the piece of shit by the throat. “I’ll give you exactly what you areowed.”

I pull from my mage reserves. But my dragon answers my call. I remember all the faded burn marks over Shayla’s beautiful body. I imagine how much pain she has suffered. I know there were probably hundreds more marks that healed without a trace.

With a thought of intention, I light this abuser’s skin on fire in every spot I see in my mind in retribution for Shayla’s pain. She tries to use her magic to extinguish the fires, but mine is dragonfire, and she has no power over it.

I keep the flames sizzling long enough to do their damage and then toss the female from my grip. The smoke from her charred flesh fills the air. “You should have listened to Shayla’s advice.”

Branden looms over the jerk as she cowers, wailing in pain. “If any of us even hears a whisper of your existence again, we will end you. And I sure hope you fuck up, because I’ll be delighted to give you what youreallydeserve.”

“Do you understand?” I ask her, my dragon adding a bowel-clearing growl.

When she rapidly nods, Branden says, in his most menacing voice, “Run.”

The word sends shivers up my spine.

She races away so fast that I almost want to laugh at the sight. But that might be the fatigue hitting me.

I sway.

Branden catches me, looping my arm over his shoulder, and helps me walk back to the portal where all the faeries and our coven mates have already rushed through.

* * *

I’m not sure how I ended up in bed next to my darling, beautiful Shayla, but before I wake up completely, I scent her next to me—orange blossoms and honey. Calm washes over my soul.

When I open my eyes, Branden is next to me, and Shayla is on my other side. Arden is snuggled up to her. His large hand is on her waist, seeming to dwarf her figure.

Hollis and Landis aren’t in the room, but I suspect they aren’t far away.

I blink up at the ceiling, just trying to process everything that’s happened.

Branden brushes my hair from my forehead. In hushed tones, he says, “Good. You’re awake.”

“Was I out long?” I ask and turn my attention to Shayla’s sleeping face. “And how’s she doing?”

“You’ve been out for a day. She’s recovering and has stirred a few times, mostly to snuggle into you.”

In my haze and shock at being so close to her, I hadn’t realized how her body molded itself to mine. Her tiny hand is hooked over my bicep. Fuck, I could wake up to this every day of my life and never have enough.

Her eyes flutter open at my perusal of her angelic sleeping face. “Hi.” She smiles unguardedly and nuzzles into my arm like a cat. My heart just overloads from her cuteness.

Arden shifts and braces his head with his hand and looks over at me. “I’m glad to see you both are doing better.” He kisses her shoulder. I note zero jealousy rises inside me with the act, which is very different than before.

My eyes skim over her exposed skin, and I notice her faint scars are…gone.

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