Page 25 of Call of the Ride
Would Tan give it all back if he could?
Before my thoughts could spiral further, I stubbornly dismissed my doubts. True, my Bright Dawn’s legacy was inextricably tangled up with mine, but that didn’t lessen the way we allfittogether, jagged edges and all. And while Asa, Nox, and I danced around the truth of that at times, Tan always made it abundantly clear how deeply he cared about the rest of us, and that we weredeservingof his affection, no matter how broken we were.
And he deserves the same.
“Tan,” I abruptly snapped the album closed, my voice kind but firm. “The very idea of you being unremarkable is ridiculous. Even before your powers manifested, you managed to crack openthistightly closed heart, which I never would have believed possible. Fate had sent me down some very dark paths by the time we’d met, but then youshowed up to remind me I still deserved happiness and even...love.” I smiled as Asa draped himself over me from behind, bathing me in a warmth humming with support. “And yes, the four of us meeting was preordained, but I believe our souls recognized each other, regardless. It wasn’t myRiderwho won me over. It was you—remarkableyou.And I don’t want to hear another word otherwise.”
My Bright Dawn gaped at me a moment before a wide grin stretched across his handsome face. “My sweet witch, that was the most loving scolding I have ever received. How romantic of you to shower me with such sweet nothings. I am positively aflutter, and I expect you to slip a diamond on my finger any day now, ya?”
I snorted. “Frankly, the skulls of our enemies sound more romantic to me than a silly diamond,” I haughtily replied, although I was pleased to see his radiant glow had returned.
Asa chuckled against my neck. “I love when you talk dirty to us, sweetness…”
A polite cough brought our attention to where Zehra was leaning against the kitchen doorway. “Eh, there’s a taxi waiting for you outside. Cass called and said you’d better meet the others there. Something...unexpectedhappened, apparently.”
Panic shot through me. While I’d received a brief jolt of volatile emotions from Nox earlier, I’d assumed it was nothing more than him reacting in his usual way to whatever Ms. Moonstone was revealing. My concern for my Darkest Midnight quickly turned to signature annoyance as I wondered why he wouldn’t use the tether to tell the rest of us if he was in danger.
Why does he always have to be so difficult?
“Trynot to kill Noxy when we get there, doll,” Tan murmured in my ear before striding over to where his mother stood and gathering her into his arms. “It is always good to see you, mum, and thank you for everything. I may need some time to accept thatVelesis my father, but I understand why you did it—all of it—and I’m grateful.” My Bright Dawn turned to smile at Asa and me again before continuing. “If that horned wanker hadn’t stuck his dick where it didn’t belong, then I wouldn’t have met thelovesof my life!”
Zehra gasped, but the smile hidden behind her hand told me she was used to her son’s inappropriateness.“Baban nailsa oglu da oyledir,”she murmured, earning her a playful swat from Tan.
“Like father, like son, my arse,” he muttered, stepping away from his mother, so Asa and I could also say our goodbyes.
“Tanny!” Zehra called out from the doorway as we headed down the walk toward the waiting taxi. “Please be careful. I can’tseewho your enemies are, but there are many.”
My Rider opened the car door for me before he turned to face her again. “Don’t fret, mum—you created me for this! And remember what dad always said.Al elmaya tas atan cok olur.”
“And what doesthatcolorful phrase mean, suge?” Asa asked from the front seat, as Tan climbed in next to me, firmly shutting the door behind him.
“It loosely translates tohaving no enemies means you are out of luck,”Tan grimly replied, although I caught an encouraging glimmer of determination in his eyes. “So, I suppose, we must be doing something right if people are trying to kill us for it.”
* * *
The instant we walked through the door of Cassandra Moonstone’s emporium, we found ourselves under attack.
A swarm of humans cloaked in dark blue robes immediately surrounded us, daring to touch me while excitedly babbling about “the curse of the Yaga” being broken.
Why must all these people be peopleing on me?!
“Give her space! Show respect to the current and last Yaga!” I gaped as a familiar, portly man pushed his way through the crowd to stand before me—his oiled hair catching the light from the chintzy chandelier swinging overhead.
“Harbison?” I eyed him suspiciously, wondering if the occultist were simply an apparition from the Nav.
His meaty hands snatched mine, squeezing affectionately and confirming he was indeed of this earth. “Yes, Vasilisa, I am alive and well, thanks to Madam Moonstone here.”
I glanced at Cassandra, eyes widening when I noticed she was wearing a scanty bathing suit that made my new dresses look modest.
“Aye, well, such is the gift of second sight!” The seer waggled her fingers in our general direction. “I sensed a disturbance in the force and pulled out the old Rolodex until my Spidey sense figured out who I was supposed to warn.”
“Oh, isthatwhat happened withmywarning earlier?” Nox grumbled from where he stood apart from the others, enormous arms crossed over his chest. I narrowed my eyes at him, silently daring him to continue withholding information, but his attention was firmly fixed on Cassandra.
What. Happened. Earlier?!
Nox flinched, his gaze snapping to me as if I’d spoken my angry words aloud, and I suddenly remembered previous instances of this phenomenon occurring. At the Facility, when Matthew had offered me a tour of the restricted area, Nox pleaded with me not to go with him. I later realized we’d telepathically communicated and used our bond in the same way the night we finally slept together.
When I told my Rider he belonged to me...
