by Tamara White
After all, that’s what it all comes down to. The soul-ties ensured they would never leave me because it meant we were destined to be together, but without them, they can now be with whomever they want. At least when they were a part of me, I could feel that they cared, but now, all that has flown right out of the window.
Why would they want me now? I can’t offer them immortality. I can’t even offer them safety, because someone is hunting me. So what do I really have to give? Nothing.
Talon stares at me as each thought goes through my mind. I worry for a second I projected to him, but I know my shields are firmly in place.
He brushes a hand over my cheek tenderly, right before his lips slam down on mine, leaving me powerless to stop him. No, the truth is, I don’t want to stop him.
This is the first time he’s touched me like this since we left that night. The night everything turned to shit.
I respond eagerly, but then I feel a spark in my chest and freeze for a second. Talon leans away while I frown in confusion, trying to grab on to that feeling. I could have sworn it felt like the soul-tie, just not quite...
Talon nips my bottom lip, grabbing my attention again. He lifts me up, and a squeal escapes my lips from the suddenness of his actions. His lips claim mine again and I get lost in the kiss. If the world exploded right now, I probably wouldn’t even notice.
He carries me to the sofa and sits down with me firmly planted in his lap. Only then does he break the kiss.
I pant with my head pressed to his chest as I try to calm my racing heart. No matter how much I try to find some clarity, all I feel is arousal. When I lift my head, it’s to meet his desire filled eyes. He cups my cheek, and I see a twinge of anguish hidden in the depths of his green gaze. “I am so fucking sorry. We were trying to process everything that happened, so we backed off. I realize now we should have been more insistent, showed you that soul-tie or not, we want you. There is no fucking way you will get rid of me. I can’t speak for the others, but you’re stuck with me for as long as I live.”
My eyes well with tears. “That’s what I’m afraid of though. What if you die because of me?”
Talon laughs wildly at that. He presses his head to mine as he tries to regain control of himself. “We may not be immortal anymore, but that doesn’t mean we’re just sitting ducks. Besides, I have a feeling that beast of yours would not approve of anyone hurting what’s hers.” He winks suggestively and I blush. My beast does seem to have a weird fascination for them and he’s one-hundred-percent right. She and I would fight to the death for any of them.
Nik and Dev appear at the back of the couch, each wearing a hurt expression. Nik is the first to make a move, leaning over the couch to offer me a swift kiss before hugging me, not seeming bothered by the fact Talon is in the middle of our hug. Nik whispers in my ear, “I’m with you all the way, Em. No matter what happens, I’m not leaving. You are my soul-tie regardless of whether the mystical connection is there or not.”
When he backs away, I nod, accepting his words as truth. I can feel that spot in my heart soften and I let my wall down, finally letting them in. I turn my gaze to Dev, feeling a little nervous. He’s not the most emotional guy of the group, but when he has something to say, he won’t beat around the bush.
He looks down on me, his expression a mixture of emotions, and I feel my heart pounding with nerves.
When he speaks, I fight not to retreat in my shell. “Even without knowing about the soul-tie, I wanted you. Hell, I was on board before these two pulled their heads out of their asses. So yes, I’m still committed to this, but I’m also pissed with you. How could you even think I would leave you? That cuts deeper than the silent treatment you’ve been giving me, babe.”
Once I process what he’s saying, I feel unbelievably shitty. He’s totally right. I should have trusted that they would be there for me regardless of whether we still shared a mystical connection. But instead, I let my insecurities and worry cloud everything, and it almost ruined us.
I climb off Talon’s lap, trying my best not to rip my dress in the process, and move around the couch to stand before Dev. I look up into his sad eyes and feel like such an epic bitch. How did I not see how much these guys love me?
I rise up on my tiptoes and wrap my arms around his neck, kissing his cheek. “I’m so sorry, Devin. I love you and I hate that my insecurities have made you feel like this. I didn’t mean to, I swear.” I lean back and let him see the sincerity of my words in my expression. “Sometimes, I just find it very hard to believe that you’re all happy sharing me in this relationship. Now that you’re free from the soul-ties, it makes sense that you would want to date someone better, more suitable for you than me, because let’s face it, I am not princess material. And no matter how much my mother tries to groom me for the position, I doubt I ever will be.”
Dev gives me an annoyed look. “We don’t want a princess, Em. We just want you, exactly the way you are.”
I shake my head, not believing his words. He needs to understand what I realized, actually they all need to. “But wouldn’t you rather be with someone who isn’t going to screw shit up for speaking her mind? Someone who will be a good little vampire and produce babies? Someone who isn’t going to be hunted for the rest of her life for being different? You guys all deserve everything and I realize I can’t give you that.”
“Nope, we still want you,” Dev replies, grinning like this is nothing more than a joke.
“And what happens if you get hurt? Now, you guys could actually die. What if being with me gets you all killed? I couldn’t live with that.”
Dev starts laughing and pulls me against his chest. I rest my head over his heart, listening to the steady thrum. “Em, no matter whether you wanted me or not, I would die for you. You could even try to kill me and I would still protect you. You could try to kill my best friends, and I’d still love you. There is nothing in this world you could do or say that would make me stop loving you. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”
Some of the pressure in my heart eases and I relax in his arms as he rubs a hand soothingly up and down my back.
Talon gets up from the sofa and joins us. He tilts my chin up, making me look at him. “Now that you know there is nothing you can do that would make us leave you, are you going to stop shutting us out? Can you trust us to be honest about how we feel and listen to your concerns, rather than just going into self-preservation mode and pushing everyone away?”
I smile up at him, feeling a little more stable. “Yes, I promise I’ll work on being more open with you. But I have one important thing we need to discuss before we leave for this meeting.”
“Name it,” Nik states, moving closer to Talon’s side.
“You guys need to start giving me some time alone with Britt again. I know you think she had something to do with our soul-ties being broken, but I swear she’s innocent.”
Talon’s eyes harden and I know what he’ll say next isn’t going to make me happy. “Em, she had your blood. She’s the only person who had access to it. And she’s strong enough to do the spell.”
I frown in confusion. They’re basing this all on the fact they know she has my blood? “How do you guys know there was even any blood left after the blood oath? There was only a small amount on that cloth, so even if she wanted to do the spell, it’s highly unlikely she’d have the blood for it.”
Nik sighs sadly, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “Blaine and the others are blood oathed to protect you, and they felt something off with Britt. When he approached us with his suspicions, he explained that he’s asked Britt multiple times to see the original cloth she preserved with your blood on it, but she keeps making up excuses as to why she can’t show it to him.”
Blaine has asked to see the cloth and she told him no? That doesn’t sound right. I’m sure there’s probably a logical excuse for it. Maybe she doesn’t want Blaine or the others to have access to it because she’s worried they’ll try and break the bl
ood oath?
Talon’s growl fills the room and I look at him as he begins speaking. “That’s not all, Em. You know her husbands are oathed to protect you. Well, any time they are in the same room as you and Britt, they feel this overwhelming urge to protect you, like there’s a threat of some kind nearby. That’s what sealed the deal for us. You won’t be alone with her, and that’s final.”
“Please, I’m begging you, just give me a chance to talk to her alone. I’m sure if I ask, she’ll give me the cloth back.”
Talon shakes his head adamantly. “Nope. Not alone. One of her husbands can stay with you, because we trust each of those men with your life, but Britt is an unknown right now. If her own husbands don’t trust her with you, then we don’t either.”
I sigh, understanding their reasoning, but I still feel like they’re overreacting a bit. Maybe what Blaine and the others are feeling regarding me is just the side effects of the magic from the blood oath, not an actual protective urge? All I know is I need to talk to Britt soon, before things go too far.
“Alright, fine. Can we go grab Britt and her husbands so we can get this stupid meeting over with? Now that things are okay with us, I just want to climb into bed and let you all hold me.”
Nik grins widely and takes my hand, leading me to the door. “That’s the best idea I’ve heard in weeks. Let’s go act all nice and shit. Then when it’s over, we can all come back here.” He winks down at me.
As we step out into the hallway, I see Britt standing there with a smile plastered on her face. I hesitate for a moment, wondering if she heard the guys. Then I see Blaine, who’s standing behind her with the rest of her husbands, give a subtle shake of his head. I know he’s soothing my fears, reassuring me she heard none of it. Even so, I still feel guilty talking about her behind her back. You don’t do that to your friend, no matter what they may or may not have done. That’s how friendships are ruined.
As a group, we walk down the hall, stepping into the elevators. We’re all dressed for this meeting and I can’t help but wonder what the place will look like. All I’m imagining is a barn crammed with supernaturals standing around and bitching about one another. Oh well, I guess I’ll find out soon enough.
Two
The Gathering
Emerald
Well, it’s official. Magic is fucking awesome. I’m standing here, completely awestruck by the sight before me. I expected nothing more than a field filled with prissy people, all complaining about getting their fancy clothes ruined. But no, this place is magnificent. A fake floor has been magically placed over the whole field, as well as tables and chairs for people to sit at.
I see a podium at the front with a small microphone attached, and I have a feeling that before the night is over, I’ll end up on that podium. To my surprise, behind the podium rests three cages, each containing a person.
I recognize Heather in one of them, and can’t help the cruel smirk that crosses my face. Serves the bitch right for trying to kill me. I don’t know who the other two are, so I push them to the back of my mind and begin looking around for my parents. They took a separate car, explaining they were supposed to arrive last. Something I didn’t understand.
Talon tried to explain it to me in the limo as we rode over, but I was severely distracted by the way they were all touching me.
I feel a strange sensation and look up, gasping at the sight of a magical dome covering the whole field. The enormity and strength of it makes me feel so insignificant. The magic buzzing off of it is so powerful, even from here, that I’m a little wary to cross it. I take a deep breath before stepping forward and crossing the edge of the dome, praying it doesn’t electrocute me. When it doesn’t, I let out a relieved sigh and continue walking with Talon, Nik, and Dev not far behind me.
People are gathered all over the area, talking, laughing, and a few are even dancing. It feels like this is a big family reunion of sorts, which is definitely not what I expected. I thought there would be hostility between the different groups, but there seems to be a genuine friendliness, which I find surprising considering the reason we’re all here.
Talon leads me around for a bit, letting me take everything in, then he moves us to the middle of the open floor and bows. “May I have this dance?”
I blush and nod, feeling nervous about dancing in front of people who look so poised and graceful. I don’t think I can dance to such fast-paced music. As if in response to my thoughts, the song fades and soft music begins to play. I look in that direction and notice a band hidden in the back. For a second I think they’re human, but then I notice their fangs. A vampire band, how awesome!
We dance together, with Talon spinning me around in ways I never thought possible. I allow myself to let go and just have fun. Nik cuts in on the second song, stealing me from Talon. His manner of dancing is a little more refined than Talon’s, but they’re each great in their own way. When the song is over, he lets Dev take me. As I wait for the next song to start, Dev grins at me wickedly. “Hope you know how to breakdance, Em.”
I cock my head in confusion, but then the music starts up and I can’t help but laugh. Dev starts breakdancing on the dance floor in front of me and I just wait, cheering him on, because there is no way in hell I am even attempting those kind of moves in this dress. How the hell does he even know how to do that? It’s like his body has gone fluid, with no bones to restrict his movements. I find myself completely fascinated.
When the song finishes, Dev jumps to his feet and scoops me up. He spins me around the dance floor while I laugh, feeling free in this moment. The weight of the past two weeks is no longer wearing me down, and I feel like a whole new person.
He sets me on my feet and starts kissing me. Then a voice cuts through the silence. “You’re only gone a few weeks and end up in a relationship with three men. I have to say I’m not impressed, Emmy.”
I gasp at the familiar voice and whip around, breaking the kiss. I see my dad standing just a few feet away with a wide grin on his face. People seem to have stopped what they were doing to watch, but I don’t care. I take off in a rush, despite Dev’s protests, and leap into my dad’s arms, gripping him for dear life. Tears begin to flow and he soothes me as I continue to sob, relieved to see that he’s okay.
When I regain my composure, I step back. I start to wipe away the last of my tears with the back of my hand, but then Nik is suddenly there, handing me a handkerchief. I take it gratefully, and do my best to clean myself up, while not taking my eyes off my dad, afraid he’ll disappear.
He grins at me, the dark circles under his eyes becoming more pronounced as he does. Looking at him, I have to wonder just what he’s been dealing with since I left.
“I can’t believe you’re here, Dad. I thought they’d ban you or something.”
“No one is stopping me from seeing my baby girl.”
I grin in response, but then I notice my parents standing a few feet behind my dad. My mother’s face is a mixture of unreadable emotions, but my father dives straight for Dad, punching him in the jaw.
“You son of a bitch!” he growls at him, and tackles my dad to the floor. I stand there, completely dumbstruck. I thought they were okay with everything that happened, but clearly not if this fight is any indication. Thankfully Talon intervenes, lifting my father to his feet and keeping a firm hold on him while I help my dad up.
My dad rubs his jaw and looks at my father with an amused grin. “You still hold back, Ax.”
At that, my father deflates. Talon lets him go, but I watch each of them carefully, not wanting a fight to break out. My mother moves around them, coming to my side. She wraps an arm around my shoulder, and gives me a squeeze, before letting go and moving to stand in front of my dad.
She bows deeply before him and a hush falls around us. “I am sorry for my soul-tie’s actions. I am in your debt. You saved my child, raised her to be a beautiful, strong young woman, and I am eternally grateful for the love you have shown her.”
My d
ad looks down at my mother with wide eyes, and I can tell he’s at a loss for what to say. My father frowns deeply, then mimics my mother’s bowed position. “My wife is right. And while I am angry at you for never telling me our child lived, I’m thankful you raised her with compassion, kindness, and love. Others would not have done so. If you need anything from us, then we will gladly give it.”
Shock seems to fill the room, and I’m feeling the same way. I thought for sure my parents would never be able to forgive my dad for what he did, but here they are, offering him their thanks for raising me.
“I just wanted her to be safe. She didn’t deserve to die because those old pricks couldn’t handle what she was.” By old pricks, I assume my dad means my grandparents on their side of the family. Now that I think about it, I don’t seem to have the best luck with grandparents.
My father stands and pulls my dad into a bone-crushing hug. “You saved her. You kept her safe. That’s more than I could have hoped for.”
My mother gets to her feet and stands tall, straightening her back. For the first time, I can tell why she’s so well respected in the coven. There’s an aura of power shining off her and you can see by the subtle shift of the vampires around us that they, too, can feel what I do. They gravitate toward her like a moth to a flame.
“Regardless of why you did it, thank you. You will be welcome in our coven for as long as I still live.” She speaks with authority, and I can tell the silent people around us are absorbing every word, just as I am.
“Thank you, Your Highness. It will be nice to visit and see Emerald from time to time,” my dad responds just as diplomatically. I fight against the sudden urge to roll my eyes. If I didn’t know any better, I would assume this was all just for show.
With that resolved, my mother turns to glare at the people closest to us. It’s like a switch has been flipped, and everyone resumes their conversations as if nothing just happened. The meeting is now in full swing with laughter and music again, but I stand here, still completely flabbergasted.