Page 47 of Taming
Selfishness is so similar to loneliness sometimes.
“She’s the fucking mage.” Rime’s eyes are frost-kissed and filled with hostility.
The moment his words settle, everyone’s attention is on me.
Kain’s big hand grips ahold of my wrist in an almost painful way.
My jaw clenches. Slowly my gaze meets Chaos’ pretty eyes. Confusion and hurt shine there and it’s hard for me to admit that I hurt him.
I hate that I hurt him above all else.
He’s too sweet to hurt even if that wasn’t my intention. I never meant to hurt them, I just meant … to survive long enough to find the future I want so badly.
I swallow hard and with more force than I knew I was capable of, my magic rips through me and is fuming around them, pinning them in their place. My lips purse together as I pull my arm away from Kain. His eyes shift even as I hold his big body in the hands of my powerful magic. It’s exhausting. The power within me is crying for rest, but I have to keep pushing.
My heartbeat is drilling through my chest, my eyes held wide on the man before me.
“I’m sorry I lied.”Fuck, I’m sorry.“But I’m not some manipulating sorceress.” My tone dips and still I hold his gaze. “I’m just a woman who was stupid enough to fall in love.” The words fall out of my mouth, and I can’t seem to stop them. “I don’t owe Kreedence money.” My voice quiets with rampant emotion. “I promised him my heart. I was too naive to realize he wanted my soul.”
Just as my eyes close, my chest shaking for a breath, the walls around me burst.
It takes only a moment for me to realize I’d released my hold on them. Three massive and roaring dragons take form before me. Their wings spread wide until they break through the thin walls of the place I’ve called home for over a year. My attention flickers to the helpless fish near my bed and he watches the scene before him with big, pressured eyes. But he’s safe. For now.
With a fiery breath, Kain torches the bag on the floor. Money bursts out from the magically enclosed satchel. Parchels waft through the air, singed and burning, causing ash to drift about.
“Stop. Stop!” It burns my palms, but the paper is nothing more than crisps of ash when they hit my skin. I sink to my knees staring around at the destruction of my home.
All my hard work lies in ashes, and there’s nothing I can do about it.
All of this was for nothing.
A growling bark is so loud it drowns out their roars, and Grim is by my side in an instant. His soft fur is hot against my skin as his hulking frame shields me from the reckless dragons.
In a way, I know I did this to myself. I was so set on starting a new life I couldn’t see what I was doing to myself.
I put myself in danger.
Again.
My palm pushes aimlessly through Grim’s thick hair, and he settles against my touch. I pull him hard against me and bury my face into his soft fur.
Moments pass, and the steady sound of their footsteps is the only sign that I’m no longer surrounded by the creatures but the men.
I don’t know if there’s much of a difference anymore.
Both are just as deadly.
“How do I know you’re not lying?” Kain’s voice is commanding, but I don’t have the energy to look at him. Or even answer him.
Fuck him. If he doesn’t believe me, then fuck him.
“Kreedence isn’t exactly too trusting. He’s a demon,” Chaos says.
“And she’s a lying mage. She led us around here by our dicks. Helping us look for the mage when she was the damn mage the entire time.” Kain isn’t forgiving, and I don’t ask him to be. I have nothing to apologize for.
“She was afraid. She never said she wasn’t the mage.”
I can almost feel the glare Kain is giving Chaos right now. I embarrassed them. I put them in danger.
