Page 97 of A Throne of Blood & Vengeance

Draven grunted in response, but Kieran just shook his head with anoh, you poor idiotlook on his face. Kieran had been watching me stew in my rage for the past hour. He knew exactly how explosive my temper could be because he’d witnessed it more than once. Back then, it had been Alaric pissing me off. Now, Vail decided to take that spot.

“How are you feeling?” I fixed my features into one of concern as I walked towards the table. Draven and Kieran scooted aside so I could stand directly opposite from Vail and lean forward, placing my hands on the smooth wood surface.

Right next to so many wonderfully sharp, pointy items.

“Fine,” Vail said slowly. His instincts were likely warning him about danger, but he didn’t know what to make of my worried demeanor. “Thank you for saving me, but you shouldn’t have. I don’t want you to ever risk your life for me, Sam.”

My smile gained a sharp edge.

“Did you mean what you said?” I leaned forward a little more. The table wasn’t that wide. Vail could easily close the distance and kiss me. Based on the way his gaze dropped to my lips, I knew he was thinking about it. “That you’re sorry . . . and that you love me?”

His eyes snapped back to mine. “Every word.”

“That’s what I thought.” I nodded. My fingers closed around the two daggers my hands had been drifting towards. Normally,Vail’s reaction time was better than mine, but he was tired and still hurting—and I was really fucking motivated. Faster than he could react, I slammed them through the backs of his hands—pinning them to the table.

“Fuck!” he swore. “What in the fuck, Sam?”

I hammered a punch to his jaw, and pain ricocheted up my arm. Why did he have to have such a strong jawline? That fucking hurt. Worth it though. My arm shot back to punch him again, but then Kieran had his arms around my waist, laughing as he pulled me back.

“How fuckingdareyou apologize, tell me you love me, and then sacrifice yourself!” I screamed and flailed in Kieran’s hold, who just laughed harder at my antics. “If you fucking die before I forgive you, I will drag you back from whatever hells exist just so I can kill you myself, Vail Ferenc!”

“I was trying to save your damn life!” Vail bellowed as he jerked his hands upward. They hit the flat handle of the daggers, and the blades pulled free from the table, drawing another pained grunt from him. “You should be thanking me!” Blood poured from his hands as he rose and glared at me from the other side of the table. Good. I hoped it fucking hurt.

“Gods, he’s dumb,” Roth muttered.

“Impressively so,” Alaric agreed.

“Can this lover’s spat be taken somewhere else?” Rynn growled. “Some of us are trying to read and find solutions to our many problems.”

I stopped fighting Kieran, but he didn’t release me—because again, he knew better. Instead, he kept his arms wrapped around my waist and started kissing my neck, which did admittedly feel nice, but I excelled at multitasking, so I was perfectly capable of being turned on by Kieran and enraged at Vail.

“Samara, love,” Draven purred as he sauntered over to stand in front of me and Kieran. He gently gripped my chin and forcedme to look at him and end my stare off with Vail. Amusement danced in his eyes as he brushed a thumb across my bottom lip. “I spotted some clothes in one of the bedrooms downstairs. Why don’t you get cleaned up and rest a bit?”

Beneath the desire that Kieran and Draven were drumming up—and the anger towards Vail—exhaustion was tugging at me. Even if I wanted to help with the research, I suspected I’d have to read everything three times before it sank in. We were safe enough here for now. I could afford an hour or two of sleep to better get my wits about me.

“You all should take breaks too,” I said begrudgingly.

“We will,” Draven assured me.

I managed to turn my head enough to glance at the others, who were all buried in books. “Make sure Roth and Rynn eat something.”

“We’re not children,” Roth said wryly as they flicked their eyes away from the text they were reading long enough to scowl at me before immediately dropping them again. Rynn didn’t even bother looking at me, just made a rude gesture with her fingers as she kept reading.

“We will,” Kieran echoed Draven’s response, and I could feel him grin against my skin. “You going to behave if I let you go?”

“Yes,” I promised.

Kieran chuckled and pulled me tighter against his body while Draven leaned forward to whisper in my ear, “Be a good girl, and we’ll reward you later.”

“I mean, you could reward me now?” I fluttered my eyelashes at him when he pulled back, but he grinned at me before giving me an all-too-quick kiss.

“Go get some sleep, Sam.” Kieran released me and gently pushed me forward.

I made it halfway to the door before my anger cut through the dirty thoughts Kieran and Draven had planted in my mind, andI spun back around to face Vail. “Our discussion isn’t over, and I’m still mad at you.”

“You being mad at me is nothing new, Sam.” Dark grey eyes looked at me in challenge. “How about you do what you’re told and go get some sleep . . . my queen.” He bared his teeth at me.

“Fuck you!” I spat before stomping towards the door—only because I knew Kieran and Draven wouldn’t let me beat the shit out of Vail again.

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