Page 33 of By the Moonbeam and the Mist
Nothing. Nobody was out at the moment.
Nobody I could see, at least.
Steeler’s voice dropped a shade lower.As much as I’d love to, Rayna, I can’t spy on you 24/7 or I’d lose my mind in yours. And I’dneverwillingly stand there and watch you touch another man.
I bristled at the pure possessiveness in that voice, the dominance on the brink of a frenzy. But he went on before I could come up with a response scathing enough to bite.
When I sensed that man trying to touch you against your will, though… let’s just say I got there as fast as I could. But it looked like you had the situation handled all on your own, didn’t you?
And now there was pride—actualpride—in his voice. As if the thought of me slicing off someone’s fingertips thrilled him.
Hypocritical, coming from you, I scoffed, resuming my lumbering path toward the Wild Whisperer house…but still keeping half an eye out for any human-shaped movement in the dark. If Steeler had truly been in that room just five minutes ago, I had no doubt he was watching me now, following me this very instant. I cleared my throat.As if you didn’t do the same thing to me last year.
Steeler’s presence in my head seemed to hold its breath, then let it out in one long, slow exhale. It was worse than if he’d been breathing in my ear. He was breathinginsideme.Withinme.
I made a careless mistake in letting Kitterfol Lexington keep that particular memory, he said finally.Not a day goes by where I don’t curse myself for forgetting he had it.
I’d made it to the double doors of my own house, but now I stopped on the front steps, letting the rain soak my tangle of curls.
That’swhat you curse yourself for?My whole body trembled with rage at the audacity, something in my chest shifting like a mamba trying to strike through the bars of its prison.You’re not ashamed of the things you did to me in that memory, but forfailing to erase the evidence of it?I wrenched open the doors and barged into the foyer, laughing humorlessly again.Maybe if you weren’t so obsessed with me, you would’ve remembered to mess up other people’s minds, too.
Oh, trust me,Steeler said without hesitation.Without shame.Obsessing over you has put a wrench in all of my plans. You are the most distracting, most devastating addiction I’ve ever known.
Chills grazed down the back of my neck as I lurched up the stairs. To the second-year floor. Down the dark, quiet hall.Predators can’t stay away from their prey,Dyonisia had said. If I’d truly put a wrench in Steeler’s plans, then… then he was admitting the same thing now. He actuallywantedto stay away, to leave me alone—but couldn’t.
Each step seemed to pull the air from my lungs, and the walls wavered. Maybe my intoxication had never cleared after all.
It wasn’t until I’d made it to my own door that I was able to dredge up any kind of coherent response.
If you’re so addicted to me, then why don’t you come out from wherever you’re hiding and face me again? I’d love to reenact what I just did to that Shifter with you.
Not the horrible, clammy kissing, obviously. But the slicing.
A dark chuckle rumbled through my mind.
As tempting as that is, little hurricane, it’s not Sunday night yet. But until then—a gentle caress against the walls of my mind—sweetest dreams.
And then he was gone.
“Where’d you go?” I called into the darkness of my room. “Come back here right now. I’m not finished with this conversation.”
But the voice that answered wasn’t Steeler’s.
“Rayna? Who are you talking—oh.”
A lantern flickered to life across the room. Neither Emelle nor Cilia had made it back yet, but Dazmine’s face flared into stark relief as she pressed her fiercest glower onto me, her fingertips drumming against her crossed arms. Even through my haze, I could see the pinpricks all over her arms—as if she’d been spending her free time practicing with the sundew.
“You’re drunk, aren’t you? I can smell you from here.”
“Not drunk,” I muttered. By the orchid and the owl, I sounded stupid even to my own ears. “Just a little tipsy.”
Dazmine raised her eyebrows.
“You going to cut my throat with that, or are you going to put it away?” She nodded at my raised hand, and I startled at the sight of my knife still in my fist, the blade glimmering with blood.
I fumbled with my dress for a moment before sliding it back into the sheath around my thigh. I’d clean it tomorrow.
“Sorry about that.” My body seemed to lurch for my bed of its own accord. I fell on top of my covers and pressed my face into my pillow, moaning sideways, “My life is so messed up, Daz.”
