Page 43 of Forsworn By The Vampire
Jesse wouldn't look at him, his entire focus was on me, and it was the most terrifying thing I'd ever experienced.
"The vampire is right." My aunt finally stood up to the warlock. The woman had guts, I had to give her that. "As Luukas said, this is not your decision to make," she told him. "It's mine. My coven's. I invited you and Luukas here as a courtesy, to witness her punishment. That's it. So kindly step back and remember your place here."
I held my breath, worried for my aunt. But Jesse only smiled at her and went back to stand by Shea.
"Aunt Judy--"
With the slightest movement of her hand, she silenced me. "No," she told me. "You've said all I needed to hear." Glancing behind her at Keira, she said, "As you're family, would you join us, please?" Keira stepped up to take a place beside her, her expression carefully blank.
The slight didn't go unnoticed by me or any of the others. But Jesse only smiled and pulled Shea up against him when she shot him an anxious look.
However, it was Keira who said, "Jesse deserves to be here just as much as I do, if not more so. He's family, and if it wasn't for him, your Alex would be dead right now."
After a long silence, Aunt Judy nodded her head.
Once everyone was in the circle, they joined hands and my aunt delivered her decision. A decision, she said, that had already been discussed at length between all of the magical powers present. A decision it broke her heart to give, but one that had to be made.
For the crimes I'd committed against the coven, crimes that had used my magic to put other's lives in danger, there was really only one way this could go. There was no other way to break the bond between me and the djinn.
This would end in my death.
"No! No! You can't do this!"
Mike's scream came at me as though through a void. Even though I'd expected it, to hear the words come out of her mouth stole the breath from my lungs. And yet, other than that first shock of surprise, I just felt numb. I heard a noise to my left and looked up to find Alice crying. The rest of the coven just looked angry. And I couldn't blame them.
I got to my feet, and my eyes met those of my aunt. "Can you help Mike?" I asked her.
"Once the bond is broken between you and the djinn, we'll do what we can to protect him."
That was really all I could ask.
Jamal's sharp features floated in front of me like a mirage. I wished I'd had more time with him. More time to get to know him. To ease his fears. To love him...
I'm sorry...
Jesse suddenly cocked his head. "Someone is coming." With a softly spoken word to the raven, she flapped her wings and flew off. Everyone watched her go except for me and Mike. His eyes never left me.
I tried to give him a reassuring smile, but I couldn't.
However, I still had one play to make. The chances were pretty damn low, but maybe--just maybe--I'd be able to walk out of here with my life.
And in the process, save Jamal's.
Chapter 24
Jamal
When we drove onto the clearing where the coven was holding Angel accountable for her actions, we found her standing in the middle of a circle of witch's, all in normal street clothes, much like they'd done when they saved Kenya and when they'd performed the location spell at Lizzy's store.
This time though, the only light was from a small fire, and the way the flames darkened her eyes and danced across her white skin and red hair made her look like a demon that had just risen from the depths of hell, surrounded by the ones who wished to persecute her.
A hell it looked like I'm gonna return to with her. Because I had some revelations in the forty minutes it took us to get here. And I had some shit I needed to work out. But I got to thinking that maybe I'd like to do that with her. But first, I had to stop whatever the fuck was happening right now.
We were still probably a good quarter mile from this clearing when I felt it--magical vibrations in the air. Some darker than others, but all filled with malice, and all aimed directly at Angel. At my...
Mate.
MY mate.
