Page 83 of Insidious Monsters
“It’s delicious.” I dunked another.
He made anewface. “You need help.”
“If Nandi were here, she’d join me.” But Nandi had left a few minutes before I got home after a call from Devyn. The human PD were allowing the guild access to Margie’s house. Quentin had accompanied her to make things seem official. They’d probably think she was a rift walker.
I took a swig of tea to wash the chocolate out of my mouth. “You think she’ll find anything?”
“I hope so. It could help close the case, otherwise we’re flying blind and this Holy fucker gets away with murder.”
“If there is anything to find, Nandi will find it.” I glanced at the clock. “I’m hitting the hay. It’s been a long day.”
“O-kay…” Archie shrugged. “I mean if you’d rather sleep than watch the new season ofKickass Demon Hunters, then sure.”
“Wait, what? Is that out already?”
“Episodes dropped last night.”
“Fuck sleep. I’m in. I’m gonna shower real quick and put on my PJs. I expect popcorn when I get back. Oh, and grab the fluffy blankie from the airing cupboard.”
“Got it.”
I dropped an impulsive kiss on his cheek, then headed up to my room to get changed out of the ruined dress.
I sensed Telarion’s presence before I opened the door. He was back. I took a deep breath and entered my room, closing the door behind me with a snick.
He stood by the dresser, looking out into the night. “You were going to let him fuck you.”
My chest grew tight. “I didn’t have a choice.”
His body vibrated. “There isalwaysa choice.”
“Fine, there was a choice. Fuck Lothos or have Barathos have him tortured or killed.”
He rushed toward me, coming to a halt a couple of feet away. “Then you should have let him die!”
His bellow of rage blew my hair back from my face. I wrestled with my own rage, holding it down and giving him a level look. “I protect the people I love, Telarion. It’s who I am. Letting Lothos die wasneveran option. It was never a choice.”
“You made the choice to let him die as soon as you agreed to let him fuck you, because you see, August, Barathos may have spared him. But I would not have.”
He’d have killed Lothos for having sex with me? “You’re insane.”
“And you belong to me.” He gripped my arm and hauled me close. My eyes burned with frustration, because every time he said those damn words hope flared in my chest. To be his. To have him as mine. It was what I’d wanted for longer than I’d recognized. “You’re mine.” His tone softened, tracking the tears that skated down my cheeks.
This was our push-pull moment. The moment when he’d cave and give me a taste of what my soul craved only to tear it all away a moment later and leave me out in the cold.
No. Not again. Not this time.
I shrugged him off. “Fuck you, Telarion. Fuck you and your messed-up monster thoughts. I don’t belong to anyone. I belong to me. And we donothave a relationship. You made that clear the other day, remember?” My lip curled. “You madeyourchoice and I’m free to make mine. I can fuck whomever the hell I choose.”
I spun on my heel and slammed out of the door, needing to get as far away from him as possible. I kept going until I was outside, cold air filtering through my lungs and kissing my flushed skin.
How dare he? How dare he stake claim to me whilenotstaking claim to me. One moment he was all over me and the next he was “no kissing” and avoiding me and then he swoops in and claims me as his property and threatens to kill my friend.
Okay, so it was more complicated than that, but I was too pissed off to focus on the details. The shortened version worked just fine.
I needed to cool off. Calm down before I could formulate what I really needed to say. I was almost at the cemetery gates. Perfect, I’d go see Jacob. Maybe he had some pearls of wisdom he could part with.
I picked up the pace, crossing the boundary onto the leyline land before I felt the presence behind me. It was on the tip of my tongue to tell Telarion to back off and give me some space when confusion pricked at my nape and scalp, because the presence behind me wasn’t Telarion.
