Page 69 of Lunar Diamonds
This protection spell meant nothing. Marcus had already breached the mansion once. He’d do it again. The gloves were off, the game in full swing. The new shadow master would not stop, and neither would his heir.
My fiancée. My moon and fucking stars. Her shadowy influence crawled inside me like a scorpion, dominating me with the threat of darkness. The ultimate sting in her tail.
“Tell me you want me, Drake…”
“I want you…”
That night in my bed, rampant and sweaty. We’d done it in every position. Fucking out the pain, fucking for the thrill. I didn’t want her, only the ecstasy.
Huge mistake.
We’d never slept together again since that night, and we didn’t share a bed. She got her kicks from locking me up or forcing me to make her dinner. I didn’t understand her but remained grateful for dodging her touch.
The spot where she’d injected her bond on my left wrist burned. Soon I’d have to leave, walk the streets of Coldharbour to find my betrothed, compelled to be by her side again. I’d tried running before, getting a whole day’s drive away from her, only to turn back and find myself back in my cell.
Shit. That couldn’t happen again.
Riley stopped speaking, closing his eyes. A sheen of sweat gleamed on his face, his complexion too pallid.
I wanted to help, poised to react if I had to.
I’m sorry, Riley…
Guilt chewed and spat me out, only to lick me back up again to repeat the process.
Selfish, useless trash.
“He doesn’t look well,” I said.
“And the first prize for most obvious comment goes to…” Isaac rolled his eyes.
Sarcastic wanker.
How wonderful to be a useless lump of clay. But I couldn’t cast spells or make potions. I searched and found, a walking detector ofeverything.
He’ll be alright…
He’d better be. Riley Aurora was my ticket to freedom.
Shit. I needed a hit of ginkgo power. Desperately. It’d been too long since my last dose. My hands shook from withdrawals, my skin prickling with abrasive itching.
“Riley?” Isaac touched his brother’s arm, giving it a squeeze. “Talk to me.”
Riley’s eyes shot open, his mouth opening as if releasing a scream, but he spoke instead. “It happened again.” His eyes returned to normal, as radiant as sapphires under a spotlight, his complexion healthy again.
“What happened?” Isaac asked, taking his hand.
The two brothers got to their feet, Riley talking about a blue orb—the first incident occurring earlier today.
Watching and listening to him spurred my guilt to hammer its nails into my soul. I tried rejecting it, to kill my conscience. Why should I feel any remorse for wanting to save myself? I hadn’t hurt him. In fact, I’d guided him into the arms of his destiny.
Man, I wanted to hug him, and I didn’t do hugs. And I never let anyone get into my head like this, leaving me wishing I’d kissed him back at the bar. Yet here I was, wrapped in those feelings, a pleasurable heat in my belly.
Shit.
My chest tightened, those guilty nails long and rusty. Riley couldn’t hide his hurt, his face an open book. But what choice did I have? And what choice didhehave? He’d never find the lunar diamonds without me. Even if they found another scrying witch, it would take days or even weeks before they broke through the thick layers of magic hiding them.
Whoever hid those gems knew what they were doing.
