Page 39 of Kiss the Dawn
“Whoa, wait a minute. I’m not mating with anyone. I have to get back to Dracul. I have a duty to the Order.” To Ezekiel.
“I know you do. And you’ll be allowed to leaveafterthe ceremony. It’s insurance that you’ll come back. I just…I need you to promise me that you won’t cut me out.” More tears spilled down her cheeks, and her voice thickened. “I can’t live without them. I love them so much, I—” She broke down, hands over her face, and my skin went cold.
This was insane. This place was insane.
Frederick entered the room and froze at the sight of Eliza, who quickly reined in her emotions and swiped at her tears.
“I should go.” She threw me a pleading glance before sweeping from the room, but Frederick grabbed her arm, stalling her, his gaze hot and angry as it swept across her face.
She lifted her chin in defiance, then yanked her arm free and continued from the room.
Frederick’s chest expanded on a breath. “I suppose we should talk.”
“You’re damn right we should.”
Chapter 14
Frederick confirmed what Eliza had told me, then added salt to the wound by telling me that my request to see my mother had been denied.
I was saved from exploding at him by Lorenzo’s return. I filled him in on the Circle’s plan, and he wasted no time in summoning Daphne for a chat.
The head of Bloodmere House arrived in minutes, head held high, expression stony because no doubt she knew why she’d been called.
Lorenzo wasted no time in getting to the point. “You brought us here under false pretexts,” he said coldly. “The consortium won’t take kindly to this.”
“I can live with that,” she said. “What I cannot, will not live with is uncertainty. Miss Lighthartwillcomplete the binding with the covens chosen before she leaves.”
Like hell I would. “Good luck with that. You’ll have to drag me to your ceremony kicking and screaming.”
Something passed across her features…fear and doubt. Wait a second. “You need my consent, don’t you?”
Her eyes narrowed. “And you will give it.”
I scoffed. “Yeah, right. Lorenzo, I’m ready to leave now.”
Lorenzo looked down his nose at Daphne. “We had a deal. I’d examine the contract and Miss Lighthart would meet her family. I’m done with my examination. You’ll open a doorway for us now or face the wrath of the consortium.”
Daphne inclined her head. “I can do that or…” She fixed her cold blue eyes on me. “You can do the ceremony and save your mother’s life.”
My heart stuttered, and then anger burgeoned inside me. “You manipulative bitch.”
She flinched and took a step back as I advanced before finding her spine and holding her ground. My eyes sizzled in their sockets as I glared at her. “You refused to let me see her—for all I know, this whole thing is an elaborate setup. She might not even be incarcerated or set for execution.”
“It’s not a lie,” Clara said. “I was there when they took her. I visited her the first two weeks before they…” She pressed her lips together. “Began their physical interrogations.”
Jules covered her mouth, eyes wide with horror.
My stomach rolled with a mixture of nausea and rage. “I want to see her.”
“We can set up a halloscreen viewing,” Daphne said. “Then will you do the ceremony?”
“No. I want her here in the flesh. I want to speak with her in person. I want her given passage off this fucking Isle.ThenI’ll do your ceremony.”
Beside me, I was sure Clara held her breath.
Finally, Daphne nodded curtly. “You have a deal.”
My sistersand Frederick left not long after Daphne and I struck our deal, but not before Clara and Jules, both choked up with gratitude, hugged me.
