Page 118 of Savage Sacrifice
The words leave my mouth a moment later, and he turns to look at me over Belladora’s shoulder with a grimace. He lowers her back to her feet, cupping her cheek. “I’ve missed you, My Love, but I must explain first,” he breathes, his voice melodic.
She nods, despite the clear confusion in her eyes, releasing her hold on him as he turns to face me. “The curse separated us,” he starts, and I frown.
“I don’t understand.”
He exhales softly, scrubbing at the back of his neck before he stands tall. “I wielded the chains.”
“You destroyed the world to get back to Belladora,” Minnie blurts, and he grimaces.
“I wouldn’t put it like that,” he mutters, and she scoffs.
“I would definitely put it like that. Do you have any sisters? I could do with a female version of you,” she states with a wink, and everybody stares at her with wide eyes, but she shrugs. “What? That’s hot.”
“Can someone catch me up to speed?” Lincoln grunts, folding his arms over his bare chest, and Felix smirks.
“Should I finish the story now?”
“It might be fitting,” I mutter, struggling to comprehend that the man before me is the same man who has given us hell.
“Juniper told you most of it, I can offer the parts after that,” he explains, and I nod. “They hated vampires the most, which is why they kept me completely trapped and separate from Belladora. I don’t know why they didn’t care that Timothe was one too, but I guess his social standing and well-respected parents worked in his favor,” he offers, glancing back at his friend, who offers him a sad smile.
Belladora steps toward us, placing her hand on Felix’s arm as she speaks. “What they didn’t know about is the child I had before the curse was conjured.”
“Child,” Beatrice breathes in surprise, and Belladora reaches out to touch my hair.
“You are a descendant of mine,” she explains, and Felix wraps his arm around her.
“I knew the hidden prophecy, the words spoken that fateful night, and I knew I could unwind their web. Unfortunately, every time I grew hopeful that the next child in her bloodline could help, something went wrong,” he discloses, but it still doesn’t make much sense. “Over the years, I learned it had to be a female descendant, she had to be a mind witch, and she had to love freely.”
I feel my men inch closer to me in support, but I don’t dare turn away from the man explaining our history.
“Sometimes it would take forever for it to be a girl, but when the time came, she wasn’t a mind witch, and if she was, she would have Juniper’s stance on life.” Irritation coils in my veins at the thought of it, but I try to shake it off. Changing the minds of people who no longer live isn’t worthwhile. “Your mother was a hopeful option, but she fell madly in love with your father, making it impossible, and I couldn’t tarnish that wholesome adoration they had for one another.” My heart warms a little at the fact as he lifts his finger in my direction. “Then they had you. There was something different, like I could see Belladora in your eyes,” he expresses, making my chest tighten as he grimaces again. “I bargained with your parents to place you in Florentine’s to keep you safe, but also to hope that you would see that factions didn’t have to matter. I kept tabs on you and almost considered compelling you to befriend someone until Sian came along and did it anyway, but it wasn’t easy; you were always guarded.”
“That sounds accurate,” Minnie chimes in, lightening the air like she always does.
“Until you arrived here, at Trinity Falls,” he states, making my cheeks heat. “You blossomed under the possibility of hope, searched desperately for your human friend while falling for four men who were not from your faction.” My blush darkens. “Then came the fifth, devoted to you more than I thought couldbe possible for a vampire,” he murmurs, but the tightness to his lips tells me he’s not done.
“It’s okay. Whatever it is, just say it,” I offer, and he nods.
“I had to take matters into my own hands. I’m sorry if anything I admit hurts now, but you asked.” I nod, and he proceeds on with the strength of Belladora back by his side. “I compelled Sian to love Terence enough that when Blaze inevitably grew protective in your honor, she would grow to hate you. I needed someone ready to attack at the right moment so that someone could guard the light,” he starts, his gaze drifting to Wylder, who nods in understanding.
“I will always guard the light,” he promises, making my heart soar.
“What they don’t tell you as an arrival from Florentine’s, when they do the whole cup ceremony, it reveals who your blood kin is, they just don’t tell you. I thought I would have to encourage you to be friends with Minnie, but that happened all on its own. You were loyal and ruthless in your love for her. The moment you took your life, I had to move fast.” He runs his hands through his hair nervously. “I’m sure you know I guided you to Krystal,” he states, and I nod, too afraid to speak. “The coins had to be in your possession so you understood, but I have to say, I was shocked it was Lincoln who broke the past to come in search of you. He didn’t even need any encouragement from me,” he says, seemingly just as bewildered now as he was then.
“Asshole,” the wolf in question grumbles under his breath, but Felix simply shrugs.
“I was never going to kill Blaze that night, I just needed him to think I was so he would react,” he continues, nodding toward Tatum. “And I knew the love Blaze had for you would be enough for him to heal Tatum’s wounds. Which brings me to Asher.” Sadness washes over his features as Asher remains stoic. “You felt my wrath the most. I’m sure you can see it wasn’t always mydoing. The curse was… brutal under that mask.” He nods, but doesn’t say a word. “It wasn’t all true, either. If you will allow me, I will drop the compulsion.”
“Compulsion?” he rasps, and Felix nods. Asher twists his head in question, and Felix drops his hold on Belladora to stand before him.
“I saw how you fought hard for your family at such a young age, how much you cared. I needed you to be strong and ready when the time came for you to wield the chain. It’s not for the faint-hearted.”
“Why, though?”
“Because I needed you to be strong for her,” he adds, lifting his fingertips to his temples as he whispers under his breath.
I watch in awe as understanding washes over Asher’s features, and he bows his head, overwhelmed with whatever was just released. I don’t press, not now, not with an audience. There’s time for that.
