Page 91 of Realm of Wind and Vines
Closing my eyes, I draw in a deep breath as it drowns out all the hurt and pain and rage and that awful, awful regret that is poisoning me from the inside.
It’s cut off abruptly as the soldier’s heart gives out.
Grinding my teeth in annoyance, I open my eyes and glare at him as his body topples to the floor in a heap of limbs. His face is white with fear and his glassy eyes stare unseeing up at me, terrified even in death.
I feel nothing but satisfaction.
“You killed him?” Draven says.
“I couldn’t risk him telling the others,” I snap back, feeling suddenly both guilty and defensive.
And I also needed to feel that burst of pleasure again,my treacherous mind adds silently in my head.
But Draven just shoots me an annoyed look. “I know. I wasn’t lecturing you. I was confirming that he’s dead.”
“Oh.”
Blinking, I just stand there for a second. Then I glance down at the very dead man at my feet. I clear my throat, feeling bothembarrassed that I snapped like that and grateful that Draven’s moral compass is as broken as mine.
“Yes, he’s dead,” I confirm.
“Good.” He jerks his chin. “Then let’s go.”
We spin around and dart through the messy living room until we reach the windows on the other side. After shoving one open, we leap out onto the deserted street beyond.
“We won’t be able to overtake Lavendera,” I say as Draven and I start running down the street so that we can circle the building and make our way towards North Gate.
“The others can handle it,” he replies.
“Iwant to handle it,” I growl back, fury streaking through me.
I want to be the one who kills Lavendera. Ineedto be the one who kills her.
He slides his gaze to me, glancing at me from the corner of his eye, while we continue running.
A small cloud of black smoke erupts beside me. I suck in a sharp breath as Draven suddenly hauls me up into his arms and shoots down the street, his wings beating hard on either side of him. My stomach lurches as he swerves around a corner and flies down the next street at full speed.
My mind has barely managed to catch up with what happened, so I draw in a deep breath and wrap my arms around his neck while houses flash past on either side of us. Lying in his arms, I look up at his handsome face and try to read the expression there. But only his usual mask of ruthless power and authority is visible on his features.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
“Don’t thank me.” He shoots me a look dripping with threats. “You will owe me severely for this. And when I come to collect, I expect complete obedience. Understood?”
“You can always have whatever you want from me. I thought you already knew that.”
His gaze darts down to mine, and there is another violent tug at the mate bond.
Draven sucks in a sharp breath between his teeth. Shaking his head, he snaps his gaze back to the street ahead and forces out, “Shut your mouth. Right now. Or I swear to God, I will drop you right here and leave you behind.”
A violent storm thrashes inside me, but I slowly close my mouth again.
Apparently satisfied, Draven picks up speed and flies around another corner.
My heart jerks hard in my chest when I realize which street we’re on.
But before I can scream at Draven to go back, to take any other road, any road except this one, we’re already halfway down it. And right next toit.
The house.
