Page 17 of Reluctant Rebel

When he tried to pull away, Sabre held firm. He stopped tugging, resigned to his fate. “Go ahead. I’ll give you a free pass.”

Sabre scowled. “As if I need a free pass to kick your butt. I was going to say that you deserve to have a mate, too.But…” She squeezed his hand to the point of pain. The cracking of his knuckles was loud in the open space. “I respect your choice—and Jinx’s. I don’t understand it. And I think it’s fucking stupid. But I respect it.”

“Ow!” Mikhail exclaimed, snatching his hand back. He cradled it to his chest. “I didn’t know respect hurt so much.”

Sabre bared her teeth at him. “Well, it does.”

Mikhail zipped his lips, figuring he’d pushed his luck enough for one day. When Sabre began walking back into the palace, he followed silently. He couldn’t help looking over his shoulder in the direction Jinx had gone. “I wish it didn’t have to be this way,” he whispered.

Sabre didn’t say anything, but she did pause so he could catch up. He was grateful for her shoulder brushing against his as he turned his back on fate.

8

The bell above the door chimed softly as Jinx pushed her way into Café Nocturne. The aroma of freshly ground coffee and warm pastries enveloped her like a comforting embrace. Sunlight filtered through the stained-glass windows, casting an ethereal glow across the weathered wooden tables and plush velvet armchairs. In the far corner, half-hidden by shadows, sat Eric.

His porcelain skin had a healthy glow, and his streaky blond hair fell in gentle waves across his forehead. As Jinx approached, Eric's lovely eyes flicked up to meet hers. In an instant, his expression shifted from casual nonchalance to pure happiness. He was always so damn glad to see her.

Jinx stumbled clumsily to the table, her legs feeling weak all of a sudden. With the fluid grace of a vampire, he rose from his seat, concern etching lines across his handsome face. Before he could utter a word, she humiliated herself by bursting into tears.

Eric looked positively horrified. “Jinx? What’s wrong?”

He gathered her into his arms, and she sobbed against his chest. He was no longer the skinny vampire she’d met months ago. He’d filled out and packed on muscle, so he was more thancapable of holding her up while she had her breakdown. Pulling back, she scrubbed forcefully at her wet cheeks. “I’m sorry.”

“Never mind that,” Eric retorted swiftly. He lifted his shirt and wiped at her tears gently. “Let me. You’re too rough.”

Jinx stayed still, allowing her friend to tend to her. Feeling much better, she grinned at him. “Careful, or I’ll be fighting half the café. You’re giving the room a peep show there, buddy.” She gestured to his ripped abs on display.

Eric rolled his eyes as if she was ridiculous, but Jinx saw his cheeks glow and how he glanced around surreptitiously. She nudged him with her elbow when a red-headed nymph in a miniskirt blew him a kiss from across the room. “What did I tell you.”

“Don’t think I’m letting you change the subject,” Eric grumbled, holding a chair out for her. “What’s going on? Did the meeting go bad? Are you hurt? Who do I need to kill?”

Jinx’s eyes widened. “Wow. That escalated quickly.”

“Jinx. Spill,” Eric demanded, reaching across the table to take her hand in his.

She sighed, wondering where to begin. She’d almost sent Eric a message cancelling their catch-up. After leaving Mikhail, she just wanted to be alone. Yet, somehow, she had found herself standing in front of the café with no memory of how she got there. Apparently, her subconscious wanted her golden retriever, vampire bestie.

Eric was so damn mellow that he hadn’t even blinked when he wasn’t invited to the breakfast meeting. Jinx mostly understood. He was a very new member of their family. But hewasa member and had more than proven himself. So, being the giver that she was, she’d told him to meet her at one of their favourite cafés mid-morning so she could tell him all the goss.

She squeezed Eric’s hand one last time in thanks before leaning back in her chair. “The war council didn’t happen.Unless it’s happening now without me.” The thought bothered her.

Eric’s eyebrow rose in surprise. “They kicked you out? Is that why you were crying? What the hell is wrong with Sabre?! I’m going to give her a piece of my mind,” he muttered, rising from his chair.

Jinx grabbed him, pushing him back down. “Easy, cowboy. There’s no need to get suicidal. Sabre had nothing to do with it. Something … unexpected came up.” She braced herself before revealing, “Mikhail is my fated mate.”

Eric blinked, his face frozen in shock. “Come again?”

She chuckled a little. “I know, right?! Can you believe it? Me, being the soulmate to the King of Purgatory.”

“That’s not what I meant at all,” Eric said with a frown. “Finding your mate is crazy. What a mind fuck.”

She snickered because the description was spot on. “You’re not wrong. I walked in, and it felt like the entire world faded away. His scent was intoxicating, his touch set my body ablaze, and my damn tiger wanted to roll on him like he was a giant piece of catnip.”

Eric reached out and patted her head, his touch brotherly and comforting. “That sounds pretty intense, Jinx.”

Jinx nodded. “It was.” She anxiously twirled a strand of black and white hair around her finger as she looked around the quaint cafe. It was adorned with strings of delicate, twinkling lights that hung from the ceiling and walls, casting a soft glow throughout the cozy space. The walls were painted a pale shade of grey, and blossoming flowers climbed to the ceiling, adding to the charming atmosphere.

“Wait …” Eric sat up straight, his expression becoming stormy. “Is that why you were crying? Because ofhim?” His fangs descended, the sharp points digging into his bottom lip. “What did he do to you?”

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