Page 56 of V for Vilified
“You don’t think we’re enough?” she asked, sarcasm absent for the first time in a question she’d directed at me. “You think the human will tip the scales and keep her from falling prey to him?”
I glanced at her, sighing. “That’s precisely it. You’re not daft, woman, loathe as I am to admit it. You see how much she cares for the human. A bond forged from more than magic. It’s a different kind of love and connection, but one we can’t dismiss. The human is vulnerable and incapable of protecting herself against supernaturals. If she were to become their target—”
“Ah, but that can backfire, too. V will blame you if anything were to happen to Kate,” she rebuked. “And something tells me you’d never recover if she iced you out.”
I crossed my arms, affronted. “If you truly believe I would put her friend in any real danger, someone she cares for so deeply that she entered a portalwillinglywithout the faintest notion of what lie on the other side, then you’re an absolute twit and you’ve completely underestimated my feelings for her.”
Jo’s head tipped to one side, her calculating eyes studying me. “You mean to protect the human? You, the Dark King, watching over something as useless as a human?”
I huffed and tossed my hair back. “I’m no longer that monster. My darling has made me better. And yes, I’ll protect her friend because making V happy is the only way I’m happy.”
The dagger stopped, and she grasped it. “Good. I’ll do the same. We have the Hunters now, and they’re not completely useless if they can destroy a building full of Mean Greens, Reds,and escape the Hollow Fae gang. I’m guessing you’ve taken in account that Lyra will read all the plans we’ve made from her weak human mind.”
“Will it matter when everything’s been blown to bits by that self-proclaimed god bastard? Besides, she’ll know what we want her to know. Wiping a human’s mind is easy enough, and I could even…fabricate memories to help our plan along with that ancient hag. Doubt she’ll suspect anything when she thinks I’ve attempted to protect her mind with the necklace she wears. I have another plan, but it’s better we focus on keeping V out of Aram’s grasp and her powers trained.”
“Damn, I hate to say I’m impressed, but I’ve heard enough about the Dark King not to be totally surprised you’d come up with a plan even Lyra couldn’t anticipate. Okay, I’m in. I’ll back you up when you explain it to her.” She didn’t bother to wait for an answer. She was gone when I glanced back over.
The Daughter of Shadows was a formidable opponent, and while I’d never admit it, I was grateful she was soft on my dove and willing to fight for her. All things considered, it was better to have that sort of devil on our side rather than against us. Gods knew we were already outmatched with the Nether Royals and this bond to contend with. Her shadow ability could give us an edge if there was any lapse in V’s power.
With that in mind, the stone levitated in front of me with a flick of my hand and my voice echoed inside the study. “Big, I have a request.”
“I don’t like your requests. Is my little vampire there with you? Have her make it instead,” he griped.
I rolled my eyes and sighed. My dove was too bloody charming.
Chapter 23
Holy Polyamorous Batman!
It really felt like an ambush when Cash and Jo teamed up todiscussKate’s return. I’d been blindsided by the sudden comradery between them, enough to agree without having fully understood what they meant. Now, I was connecting the dots as Kate dragged me along to meet the others, her soft arm locked with mine.
They totally brought her back to keep me on the path of righteousness. They didn’t trust I’d be able to refute Aram’s charms. Assholes. Why did they have to buddy up over my systematic betrayal?!
Big was in pixie form, hitching a ride on my friend’s shoulder like it was completely normal. Guess he’d insisted on being here, a surprise to everyone including the mutinous team of Fae.
Wings generally stayed out of sight and out of mind. They had history with both the Chaos Fae and Nether Royals, and not a good one. Based on how we met, it made sense. Dust was insanely powerful from what I’d been told. It wasn’t a limitedability like Fae magic, but it wasn’t infinite either. If wrung dry, itwouldkill them.
Had I not been in a whole world of what the fuck, Big could’ve been my ticket home without a portal, but unfortunately not anymore. Nothing was safe until these terrifying assholes were six feet in the ground.
The group was waiting for us in the receiving room, and Kate’s eyes went all glitter and sparkle the second they landed on a whole room full of hotties. “Holy shit, are you collecting idols in here, V?!”
“Something like that,” I complained.
“Monsters, more like,” Big murmured from her shoulder, and I cut a scathing look at him.
Phillip cocked an eyebrow at me, and Sloan gave the two of us his thousand-watt smile, bewitching my bestie on impact. Kate swooned on her feet, and I tightened my grip on her arm with a sigh and head shake.
No hope for this one. Even disillusioned she couldn’t be trusted. Cash still made her blush and trip head and foot over her words. Unlike me. I’d built effective shields for all their swoon-worthy charms. I was immune to them, in fact. Something I repeated over and over in my head like it wasn’t a bold-faced lie I told myself every day as we strolled into the room.
Don’t judge this girl. I’m manifesting.
Big was suddenly a thousand times bigger and towering over the rest of us, his smile much darker than anyone had any right displaying around me. He collapsed onto the only available armchair, and I watched with nothing short of confusion as Kate wandered to stand next to him.
I didn’t have time to contemplate the weird tension between them because Phillip made damn sure Kate didn’t have to ask what the nature of our relationship was or wonder why he’dchase me all the way to another realm. He grabbed me the minute I was within reach and made me sit on his lap, next to Sloan on the couch.
As if they’d all conspired against me, Sloan leaned over and kissed me directly on the mouth for the others to watch. It wasn’t my fault that I immediately responded. It was a knee-jerk reaction to a delicious pair of lips pressed against mine. But it was over before I could react and…probably still kiss the gorgeous Brit silly, because just look at this handsome asshole. Apparently, charm was being handed out by the liter when it got to my group of supernatural baddies.
Jo peered over from her spot on the wall before our eyes found each other the way they always seemed to. As if we were magnets forever drawn to each other. Every time I thought of her mouth, her fingers, that lethal body, it was every memory of the pleasure she gave me invading my head.
