Page 91 of The Magic of Betrayal
"Where are we going?" I breathed, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst.
Bram looked at me over his shoulder as he threw his hand out toward the empty space to his right, the portal shimmered and grew instantly.
"Emerald Lakes," he reached for my hand and Khol grabbed my other, "now."
The two of them pulled me through the portal just as I looked back and saw armed guards bursting through Bram's door.
Home, I'm going home. My heart skipped when I thought about seeing my guys.
Fuck, I've missed them so much.
This was becoming a shit show.
Kai was off the rails, his depression was in the driver’s seat and until we got Saige back, I didn't see how that would change. The mate bond was probably making it worse. I would say it sucks to be him, but his shields had slipped and I could feel everything he was broadcasting, and on my own level, I understood. Having him around was uncomfortable though, and the beer run he took earlier was actually a relief.
Cam was refusing to face reality. Silly viking. He still kept a good hold on his shields, but try telling that to the gods damn storm cloud that followed his gigantic ass around. He did nothing except research and strategize with Laurie and Bette. I listened in, of course. But I really hadn't seen anything that would suggest any of these plans would end in success. Much to my dismay, I also hadn’t been able to catch Laurie in a moment of vulnerability, either.
I was in control these days. After Saige convinced Fischer to let me out of my internal prison the night we'd fucked, he hadn't really locked me back up. Then, at the warehouse, it was like he dropped all shields and begged me to take over. Too much pain forhimto take. That was fine. I lived off pain and blood. This is why heneededme.
The interesting part of all of this was that I really did miss Firefly. I liked her spirit, her sassiness, her unabashed ability to just be herself. Fischer could really take some pointers from her in that department. It was high time he stopped denying that I was a part of him. He’d been a wreck ever since the warehouse. Realizing his beloved Sloane had been in love with him and yet betrayed him so blatantly… tough pill to swallow. Pfft, I was sure Saint Fischer would be back soon, ready to send me back to the mental prison he saved just for my bad boy ass.
The sun had set an hour ago, Sloane would be here soon.
Sloane. The motherfucker who always tried to keep me locked up. Well, I'm out now, and I'm not going fucking anywhere. And if he thought he could try that alpha shit on me, he had another thing coming. Fischer put me in charge because it was too much for him to feel. I suppose feeling heartbreak from other people was easier to swallow than your own. Either way, I was going to keep the both of us safe, and I needed my Firefly. Also, I was desperate for some bloodshed, but I swallowed that down.
"Fischer?" Bette asked, and when I blinked in her direction, I realized it was likely not the first time she'd addressed me, but also, that wasn’t my name.
"Yes?" I answered.
"Are you okay? You've been really quiet." She stood beside me and we both stared off into the darkness. Laurie was out there in the woods, setting up who knows what. She was also still blocking me from her emotions, but I didn't want to rock the boat if she was willing to help us. Some people were just more private, though I did wonder where she'd been trained to learn such a skill.
Not looking at her, I answered, "Yes. I'm fine. I’m ready to see if this works tonight."
She hummed in agreement. I knew she was anxious, because unlike her daughter, she did nothing to hide her feelings. Bette's feelings fluctuated between angry, sad, anxious, and worried. ‘Probably should ask her how she is, asshole,’Fischer reprimanded me and I rolled my eyes at the polite prick.
"And you?"
"I just want her back," she gritted out.There's the anger again.
The roar of an engine in the distance had me clenching my fists. I knew exactly who that engine belonged to.
"I'm going to go grab some things from my place. I'll meet you guys down there." Bette walked away toward her cottage and I heard the crunch of gravel as Sloane got closer to the house.
Letting myself back inside, Kai and Cam were in the kitchen, having a beer.
"Sounds like Sloane is here," Kai stated.Captain Obvious, this guy.
Cam grunted and I said nothing as I dropped into the seat beside Kai. The shifter seemed to be a little brighter in the eyes tonight. The despair wasn’t rolling off of him like it had been, so maybe he did have a bit of light left in him. The door to the mudroom squeaked and I stared down the dimly lit hall waiting for him to come around the corner. Sloane appeared a second later, his eyes catching mine instantly and I smirked, which didn’t match Fischer’s heartache at seeing the asshole. Sloane’s heavy boots thudded on the hardwood. Dark jeans wrapped around his thighs and a black Breaking Benjamin t-shirt was tight against his chest.
Sloane’s eyes widened a little when he realized it was me,Faris,smirking at him, no doubt wondering what the hell was going on.Good, let him wonder. I’d pushed Fischer down into our psyche and the others hadn’t been bothered by having me around all this time, so he could suck it.Literally.Granted, they didn’t technically know Fischer had left the building, but they knew something wasoff.We all watched as Sloane removed his backpack and gently sat it on the ground, but before he could get it unzipped, Maven exploded from the thing, growling.
"Didn't have anywhere else to put him while I rode over," Sloane explained as Maven scowled at him.
"You literally piss off every living creature you're around, huh?" I asked, slouching back in my chair, watching his face.
"Fischer, I'm sor—" he started, but I cut him off.
"Good for you. Can we get on with this?" I stood up looking at Cam, but he was staring at Sloane.
