Page 192 of Cruelly Bitten
I let her lead, my thumb brushing her skin to test her temperature. It seemed the sweater and jeans she was wearing were providing enough warmth for now. She also had on thick socks and boots, and a winter hat—something she’d referred to earlier as abeaniebefore donning it for the meeting.
After living in former-day Canada for the last twelve decades or so, she seemed quite content with the weather here.
We wandered without speaking, her mind lost to the scenery while I observed her enjoyment.
Maybe that humanlike innocence is why I never turned her,I mused to myself.It certainly is charming.
But it would be a selfish reason to keep her mortal.
She said nothing, her thoughts quiet as we walked.
After over a half hour of wandering, she stopped and looked at me. “We used to do this when we first met.”
I arched a brow. “We did?” I hadn’t heard any memories in her mind about this, but I caught them now as she started remembering certain walks.
One in particular caught my interest because it’d ended with me fucking her up against a tree.
Her already pink cheeks darkened a shade at the thought, aware I’d overhead that particular gem.
Alas, she cleared her throat and looked away. “We should head back. But I’d like to do this again before the meeting tomorrow. Sitting all day is exhausting.”
“Listening to them debate is exhausting,” I countered.
She gave me a look. “They’re trying to shift the alliance, Cam. That takes strategy and conversation.”
“Is that how Lilith did it?” I asked.
“Yes,” a deep voice replied, drawing my focus to my approaching cousin. Calina was with him, her gaze filled with awe as she stared at the lake like she’d never seen water before. “She made alliances, hence the name, and coaxed the royals and alphas into following her lead.”
“Hmm,” I hummed. “More like intimidated them into it. That was the point of my public death, yes?”
“True. Is that what you propose we do, then? Throw Lilith’s head on the table alongside Michael’s remains?”
“It would paint a lovely picture,” I admitted.
“So that’s the kind of leader you want to be?” Jace pressed.
“If it is?” I countered.
His gaze narrowed. “Then I think we need to discuss it more.”
I shrugged. “Sure. We’ll do that tomorrow.” I wrapped my arm around Ismerelda’s shoulders and led her away, intent on avoiding further discussion.
It worked.
For a day.
Then Jace brought it up again. And again. And again.
By the fifth day of meetings, I was ready to kill everyone and walk away. But Ismerelda was engaged with the plan, her hope deepening with each conversation.
I observed her as she offered suggestions, told them what she’d seen on the cameras, and reviewed what little intelligence Damien and Cedric had on the underground compound.
It seemed both of them had been trying to hack into the network, their work not nearly as successful as they’d hoped. Primarily because there didn’t appear to be cameras everywhere in the bunker.
Which confirmed there were sections, perhaps even full floors, that I hadn’t seen while under Vatican City.
Ismerelda stood in front of me now, her focus on the schematics the team had crafted over the last few days since Ryder and Damien’s return.
