Page 14 of Vicious Little Vows
Gabriel lunged.
As graceful as a dancer, Crispin took my hand and pulled me out of the way, twirling me in a full circle until my back was pressed against his chest, one arm around me. Sebastian had disappeared in a cloud of darkness before Gabriel could lay a finger on him, though I wasn’t sure that had been Gabriel’s intent now that he simply stood with his hands balled into fists, glaring at Sebastian where he had reappeared behind the kitchen counter. I was pretty sure getting Sebastian away from me had been Gabriel’s only intent, which kind of pissed me off.
I patted Crispin’s wrist where it crossed my collarbone, signaling that it was safe for him to release me.
Once he did, I stepped forward. “Look, I know this is an awkward situation, and I know I’m the one who has made it even more so. But if any of you seriously attack each other I will find a way to cut you out of our little conduit star so fast it will make your head spin.”
Standing with his arms crossed casually behind the kitchen counter, Sebastian’s brow twitched. But hey, at least he was looking atmewith amusement this time and not at Gabriel.
Gabriel, however, looked hurt, and I almost regretted my words.Almost, because if they actually did start attacking each other, we would never complete our mission. It was too important for petty squabbles.
I gave him an apologetic shrug, but stood my ground.
Crispin lifted a finger. “Perhaps now would be a good time to discuss our watchers in the Bogs.”
Sebastian’s eyes locked again on Gabriel’s. “Watchers?”
Sebastian hadn’t ridden in the cab with us, so we hadn’t had a chance to tell him what happened. While I had been doingmy best to avoid thinking about it, now I was grateful for the distraction. “We accidentally shifted in the Bogs. Ringo heard voices. Someone saw us.”
Sebastian’s eyes slid to me, “Us?”
“Me, and Gabriel,” I clarified, debating just how much I should say. I knew Mistral didn’t want me blabbing about the state of things in the Bogs. “It was an accident. But we didn’t leave the realm—we just shifted to another place in the Bogs.”
Sebastian’s eyes narrowed at us both. “And you have no idea who saw you?” I shook my head and he sighed. “I’ll see what I can find out. Review the contract before you go to sleep.” He disappeared in a flash of darkness, leaving his untouched coffee behind.
With Sebastian now out of the way, I looked at Gabriel. “Was I wrong in trusting you to come here?”
“That’s my cue to leave,” Crispin said at my back. I glanced his way to see him retreating into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him just as soon as Ringo scampered through.
I returned my attention to Gabriel, waiting.
His jaw ticked, hands flexing. “Being with you is a gift. He should not treat it as a joke.”
It took me a moment to answer, “Now how am I supposed to be mad at you when you go saying things like that?”
My words earned me a hint of a smile. “I apologize. I did not mean to upset you, but—” He looked down, not finishing his thought.
I took a deep breath and let it out. He hadn’t meant to upset me, but he was upset himself. And I wasn’t sure what to do about that. “Maybe it would be better if you went back to the Bogs tonight.”
His expression was entirely unreadable as he asked, “Is that what you would like?”
I stepped closer, wishing I was better with my words. I tried my best to be straightforward, but I had never been great at expressing my feelings. So straightforward it was. “That’s not what I wouldlike, but I think it’s necessary because what I wouldlikeis to avoid further conflict, and to do that I need the space to chew Sebastian out and tell him to stop being such an asshole.”
Gabriel took my hands in his, raising them to press his lips against my knuckles. “I would normally argue, but after what we saw, I am worried about Mistral.”
A shiver went down my spine at the memory of the gray trees, the dying ground. “I’m not sending you back into danger, am I?”
“Not immediate danger.”
I met his dark eyes. “Are you sure about that?”
When he didn’t answer, I moved closer. He released my hands to wrap his arms around me, pressing my cheek against his chest.
I breathed in the scent of him, wondering how much longer I would have it. “I’m scared we won’t be able to open the pathway to the goblin realm in time.” I took a shaky breath. “And part of me is also scared that we will.”
“Even if we do, I won’t leave you.”
I tilted my head back to look up at him. “But if Mistral goes—”
