Page 23 of Witch's Rebirth
"Hold on, back up." I raised a hand. "Why would Diana agree to this? It's a pretty big risk for her, even if she wants revenge on him."
"Because he promised to deliver you to her." The answer came from Raum, who looked mighty pleased with this plan. "She knows where we are thanks to Juno, but has no way of actually reaching you when you're surrounded by flexed demon muscle." He grinned. "She thinks he's the key to slipping past us, now that Juno is gone."
"Again, why?" I asked. "He betrayed her side first. She has no reason to trust him now."
"That's why we added a little dramatic flair," Sal replied, his chest rumbling against my back as he spoke. "Remember the state Seth was in when he first came here?"
"How could I forget? You guys beat the shit out of him."
A pang of guilt stabbed me. He tracked us and snuck onto our property immediately after his cover was blown to the hunter's guild. Because we had no idea yet whose side he was on, the guys used him as a punching bag then tied him up in the basement while we figured out what to do with him. I healed his wounds immediately, but now my heart ached at the idea of him being hurt at all in the first place.
Damn it. Why was I starting to care so much?
"Well, we did that again to make it look like he wasn't welcome here either. Make Diana think he was reaching out to her with his tail between his legs because he had zero options left."
"What?!" I looked up to see Sal's green eyes flash. "How could you guys do that? You said we would protect him."
"Relax, love. It was Seth's own idea." Ash's voice soothed me the tiniest amount. "We honestly didn't hurt him badly, just made him look like he was." He rubbed his jaw. "Let's hope he's a convincing actor."
"Well, he fooled us, didn't he?" Raum piped up, his grin as bright as ever. "I'm starting to like the guy. He's a clever little bastard."
"Let's make sure he comes back alive before we get too attached," Ash grumbled. He looked at me. "Any other questions, love?"
I shook my head. Nothing ran through my mind except worries and fears. I didn't like this plan but we couldn't do anything about Diana without taking some risks. And if we had to risk anyone Seth made the most sense, but I still hated that he had to do it.
He didn't have to. He volunteered for it.
That thought wouldn't leave the forefront of my mind, no matter how much I tried to shrug it off. Seth didn't even say goodbye. The last time we talked was that awkwardly intimate moment in the kitchen when my teacup broke. He and the guys agreed to this plan and set it in motion while I slept. There had to be a reason for that. Did the guys think I would try to stop him if I knew?
You would have. You know you would have.
I chewed my lip in thought as Sal and Raum shifted to reach the location undetected. Ash and I jumped into the pickup truck, which we'd leave about a mile away to approach while cloaked at a separate time. The fewer of us for Diana to sense, the easier we'd be able to make our move.
Ash drove us in relative silence through the winding mountain trails as the sun began to set. Damn, I really needed to un-fuck my sleep schedule. I was wide-eyed and wired as dusk turned into night, which meant I'd be falling asleep again when the sun came up.
After nearly two hours of driving, Ash cut the headlights and took the truck off-road. He parked it well-hidden in some dense bushes before cutting the engine. I unbuckled my seat belt and slid over to exit the passenger door, but he grabbed me quickly by the waist and pulled me almost directly onto his lap.
His kiss came hard and fast, prying my lips open like he'd never taste me again. The next thing I knew, my back was pressed against the cab seat, his hands a tight, desperate grip on my ribs. He left me breathless, hot, and with a distinct sense of vertigo. Then he abruptly jerked away and gave me a cold stare.
"Promise me you won't run out there, no matter what happens," he rasped. "Swear on us that you won't give yourself up, no matter what she does or says."
I pulled away, just to get a breath of air and ease the intensity of his aura surrounding mine. He was scared, unsure, but he had to be strong. He had to stay in control.
"I can't promise you that, angel." I whispered the confession like a dirty, sinful secret. "If anything happens to you three, I won't be able to stop myself from protecting you."
"My love." His voice sounded pained. "I know you don't see it this way but this is the truth. All demons are replaceable.Youare not." He gently took my chin in his hands and made me face him. "There has only been one of you in the entirety of human history. Do you understand that? Humans, demons, witches, all of us cannot afford to lose you."
My sadness seemed to swallow me up like a black hole. I could see his point but what good was I if I lost the loves of my life? How could I benefit the future generations of witches while heartbroken and alone? Humans loved the saying, time heals all wounds. But what if your wounds cut deeper than time itself?
"I understand," I answered softly, knowing no other answer would satisfy him.
He kissed me again, slower and more gently this time. His tongue swept across mine like he wanted to memorize every muscle in my mouth.
"The only thing that kept us going before was knowing we'd have you back one day," he said. "If even a speck of an angel's kiss hits you, it might as well hit all of us."
"Hm, no pressure then," I whispered humorlessly into the bristles of his beard.
His finger trailed across my jaw. "Just let us handle things if it gets crazy. Your only job is to kill that crazy bitch when the time is right. Don't be a hero."
