Page 22 of Princess of Bael
Ezra’s energy surrounded me in a ball of comfort that I’d never known I needed. I nearly leaned into him, craving more, but an eternity of sadness shattered the inclination.
He left me.
Abandoned me.
Betrayed me.
I’d never meant anything to him, just a passing pawn to be used as a one-way ticket to Hell.
There was no comfort in that memory. No happiness. Only soul-destroying agony and a deep-seated need to make him pay.
I’d messed this up by trusting Ashmedai to help me more than himself. Just as I’d trusted Alastor to come through on our deal.
My father had taught me better. As had all my mentors. My supposed friends.
I’d grown up terrified of demons—so many of them had wanted me dead.
Being Bael’s daughter had changed all that. At least in his realm. But I wore a target on my back whenever I left, especially when I didn’t bring my personal guard.
However, I’d used many of those escape experiences to learn how to properly defend myself. Because I knew there would be a day when I finally found Ezra, and I would need every bit of training I could get in facing powerful beings.
I just hadn’t expected his touch to feel sowelcoming.
My jaw clenched, my eyes closing as I forced myself to ignore it.
This is just part of the bond he tricked me into,I thought.He’s not mine. He will never be mine. And I will never be his.
I wanted to kill him.
A simple touch wouldn’t change that.
Once we finished tracking Kristina down, I’d follow through on my intent. Then no one could accuse me of being selfish in my need for revenge because I would have fixed the problembeforefulfilling my vengeance.
I opened my eyes to find him scrutinizing my features.
I shut down inside, refusing to let him see any part of me.
I’m not yours. And you will never be mine.
Ezra
Hatred.
Desire.
Fury.
Sadness.
The emotions swirled in Kayla’s gaze, each one more devastating than the last.I did this to her, I thought, noting the fractures deep in her eyes.
She tried to hide the pain behind a mask of anger, but I could sense each agonized sensation through our bond. Fuck, she’d really grown up.
“I’m not the weakling you abandoned in hell, Ezra,”she’d said earlier.
No. She’d blossomed into a warrior female. All hard edges and crude lines founded in anger.
Anger at me.
