Page 60 of Jade Lion and the Witch Boy
He wipes his face and moves closer to the bed. “If I had not fallen for the trap, if I had been stronger, then maybe…”
“Woah, woah, time out, you handsome lion.” This earns me a slight smile, so I continue, “You are not to blame for any of this.”
He sniffs and nods. “I did not want you to give up your blood. I would not have let you—”
“And let Ashley run rampant with your body and use you to kill people?” I give a feeble chuckle and lie back. “Fat chance. Anyone who takes control of my man answers to me.”
Kai laughs and wipes away his tears. “I never wanted you to get hurt. Or lose your life force.”
“I did it willingly. And I’d do it again,” I reply.
“But you almost died!”
“Almost.” I tap the tube coming out of my arm. “I feel fine now. Well, I’m getting there. I won’t be donating plasma anytime soon.”
I laugh, but Kai stares at me with that heartbroken expression. “I cannot have you sacrificing yourself for me, Sebastian.” He shakes his head. “I would leave you forever if it meant you were safe.”
“Hey, no, Mr. Zhou.” I point at him and give him my best chastising tone. “There was too much at stake. And you’re the Jade Lion. The world needs you. Your destiny is so much bigger than that of a witch boy like me.”
Kai shakes his head again. “But I have no destiny without you.”
Swoon. I pat his hand and stroke it lovingly. It’s entirely possible we’ll be alright, but I still have so many questions.
“What happened to that traitor, Ashley, anyway?”
Kai laces his fingers with mine. “She used too much geo arcanum at once. It rendered her catatonic. The Union plans on forging documents so she ends up in a mortal asylum.” Kai frowns. “She wanted to kill all wizards. I felt her blood lust. And when I was free, I almost killed her.”
I grimace and Kai shakes his head. “But I knew you would not want that. So I held back.”
“I prefer my boyfriends to be murder-free, if possible,” I reply with a smile.
Kai chuckles and gets up. He moves to the other side of the bed, and I know exactly what he wants. I pat the space next to me, and he pulls back the covers. There isn’t much room for his hulking mass, but like the kitty he is, he curls up by my side. I rub his head and he purrs. The storm in my soul settles into contentment.
“Wearestill boyfriends, right?” I ask.
“If you would like.” He pivots so that his precious dark eyes are gazing right at me. “Lisbeth told me that the only way that spell would have worked was if you, um…you were my…”
I grin. “Your fated mate. I remember. I cast it after all.”
We both chuckle, and he scoots so his head is next to mine. I want to kiss him so badly, but everything feels so tense. “You, um…you do not have to if you do not want to,” he says in a meek tone.
“Don’t want to what? Be your fated mate?” I lightly punch his thigh with my left arm. “I’ve got news for you, bud: fate says we should be together, so that seems pretty permanent. Can’t break the lease now.”
We both laugh softly, and my smile dies when I glance at his mouth. “Do you remember what I said in your mind when I cast the blood spell?” I lick my lips and continue, “What I told you to…hold on to?”
Kai nods. “To you, Sebastian.” He whispers the next few words, irrevocably changing my soul. “To the love I have for you. The only real thing I’ve ever known.”
My breath hitches, and after a moment, I shut my eyes. “I love you, Kai. For real. No hexes, no manipulations, no—”
My words are cut off by his lips on mine. Maybe it’s magic, but my body feels so much lighter now, and the pain seems farther away. Kissing Kai is a special kind of wonderful. I’m finally complete.
We pull apart for air, and he strokes my cheek. “I love you, too, witch boy.” We laugh in bed, and tears of joy trickle down my cheeks. Kai is here, and we love each other. How can I feel anything but powerful when the greatest man I’ve ever known is here in my bed, telling me he loves me? For the first time in a week, I think we’ll be alright.
CHAPTER 25- SEB
ONE WOULD THINKa super-secret wizard meeting room would have, like, torches and statues, with maybe an old book in the center. But no, those are gross stereotypes. A witch boy like me should know better.
I’m here, seated in a plain boardroom at the very top of the Union building. To my right, the High Council, AKA the three bigwigs of the wizard world, sit at one long mahogany table. The rest of us have our own table. Across from me are dozens of older wizards of varying ethnicities. Among them are Luther and other agents from their sorcery protection special ops group. To my far left are the rest of my coven—the ones who didn’t hypnotize Kai and try to kill anyone, anyway.
