by Angel Lawson
“Are they here?” I ask, handing him back the water.
“No. The house is empty.”
I called them the instant I left Morgan, but one look at my phone tells me they haven’t replied. We never should have separated. I never should have left her. “I want you and Sue to stay downstairs, understand?”
“Yes, Master Dylan.” The old man looks at me. “Be careful.”
I make sure he’s down the stairs before I enter Bunny’s room. I feel the dark magic lingering in the room. How did we miss it?
Walking through the room I take a moment to look at the intricate paintings of the Otherside. My body reacts instinctively to the images, sheer terror. Nothing good happens in that place. The Morrigan has ultimate control over the living and dead—we’d barely made it out alive the last time. I’m not sure any of us would again.
An odd pop, followed by a blast of cold air occurs behind me, and I spin, blade already in my hand. My grip tightens when Bunny fully emerges from one of the paintings.
“Dylan,” he says, shaking the dust off his boots. With his hair sticking up in matted spikes and dark circles under his eyes, he looks more frazzled than usual.
“I see you learned a new painting technique.”
Bunny glances at the painting. “It’s come in handy.”
“Why?” I ask him. I shouldn’t. He’s a traitor to our mission and nothing but a criminal now, but I still want to know. “Why are you working with her?”
“We’ve always worked with the Morrigan,” he says. “That’s what we do—you’re the one that changed sides and picked the new young thing.”
“We work for the forces of good, Bunny. We keep the Morrigan in check and balance the powers. When the split occurred there was no choice which way we’d go.” I study him. “At least, I didn’t think so.”
“We freed Morgan from the Darkness. That was the goal and I was behind getting her out of the danger zone. She should have gone on and lived her life in peace. She could have done that.”
“While people were dying up here from the spread of the virus? Do you really think she could have lived with that?” I shake my head. “You don’t know her very well.”
Bunny reacts with laughter, disturbed giggles that he stifles behind a paint stained hand. “You’re right, I don’t know her well. Not like you. Not like the others. I haven’t fucked her, you know.”
“That was your choice.”
“Was it? Or maybe I just repulse her. Maybe she’s only with me because she feels the guilt from that day.”
“That’s the Darkness speaking, Bunny, not Morgan.”
He shrugs and runs his hands through his hair, making it even more wild. “It’s too late Dylan. The wheels are set in motion. The virus is spreading—”
“Morgan has captured Anita. That stops today.”
He scoffs. “People are already infected—dozens of them. They’re walking the city now. Flying on planes. There’s no stopping the plague this time, Dylan.”
“There’s always a solution. Always.”
“Not this time.” Bunny walks past me and gathers a few things on his worktable, slipping them into a bag.
“Morgan may be weakened without you sealing your relationship, but she’s still strong.”
Bunny’s eyes flick up to mine, curious amusement tugs at his mouth. “You don’t know, do you?”
“I know that you’re crazy.”
“No, seriously, you don’t know.” His forehead creases. “I knew I could trick the others, but you? You’re slipping, my friend. Probably too much pussy fogging that brain of yours.”
Tired of the riddles and games, I lunge at him, pushing past the bottles and jars on the table. They shatter to the floor, smashing in pieces. I land hard on broken glass, the small pieces embedding in my skin. Bunny uses the commotion to avoid my grasp, racing toward the door.
I’m up in a flash, kicking his feet from beneath him. He falls and I lash at him with the blade, nicking him on the ear when I slam the tip into the hardwood floor. I’m on top of him.
“Watch your mouth, brother,” I tell him. “And turn this around before it goes a step further. I don’t want to hurt you, Bunny. But I will, and the gods will approve.”
“It’s too late,” he says, squirming beneath me. “She has them all. You won’t win this one, Dylan, but it’s not too late to join us.”
I must be stunned by his announcement—she has them all—because he wedges a knee between my legs and jerks upward. The pain is instant and he escapes from my grasp. I grab the knife but when I face him again he’s fumbling with the lid on one of his containers. Flipping the cap with his thumb, he tosses it in my face. Powder rains and I cough and rub my eyes. He may be smaller than me but he’s resourceful.
Through the haze I spot him shoving more items in his bag and then tossing it over his shoulder.
“Think of it this way,” he says, inching toward the paintings. My throat is clogged with the powder. I spit, trying to clear my mouth, my throat. I struggle to breathe but I’ve still got the blade in my hand. “Now you’ll have her all to yourself.”
Cold blasts through the room and even though my squinted eyes I see the ripple appear in one of the paintings. Bunny steps one foot inside and I close my eyes, pulling my arm back and releasing the blade in a fluid motion. I hear the same pop from before and the stick of my knife, followed by a crash. I blink, expecting to find him on the ground but no, it’s just his bag. The blade wobbles, sticking out of the middle of the painting.
I’m alone.
Grabbing a rag from the workbench I clean my face, wiping the powder from my eyes. Then I walk over and stare at the picture, holding my hand over the surface. I’m afraid to touch it—afraid of where it may lead me. If Bunny was telling the truth then the other Guardians are in trouble and I’ll have to find them.
The knife entered right in the middle of the castle, the place I assume Bunny traveled to. Without touching the canvas I yank the handle and the blade slides out. There’s now a huge hole gouged in the middle. I’m both worried and relieved that this may make the painting useless. At least no one can slip back through this one.
I hear footsteps in the hall and I brace myself, but I know the sound of her anywhere and it’s no surprise when Morgan walks through the door. Her eyes bulge at the scene, at my powder-covered face.
“Are you okay?” she asks.
I can’t answer that. “Are you?”
She nods. “Anita is downstairs. Davis showed me the cells.”
“You didn’t kill her. Good.”
“I wanted to.”
I sigh and rub my head. “I almost killed Bunny.”
Our eyes shift to the painting. To the hole left by my knife. “But you didn’t?” she asks.
“No, but I probably should have.” The exhaustion of what’s to come hangs over my head. I don’t want to tell her. I’ve let her down—no, I failed.
Something about her expression tells me she already knows. Even so, that knowledge doesn’t keep her from walking over, from resting her cheek on my chest and wrapping her arms around me.
“They’re gone,” I say over her head. I’m glad I can’t see her face.
“We’ll get them back.”
I stare at the paintings. At the lunacy that had been running through Bunny’s head. That’s what the Otherside does to you. It makes you crazy. It makes you hard. I don’t want to tell Morgan that even if we get them back they may never be the same.
Hope you enjoyed reading part four of The Raven Queen’s Harem. I love writing this series so much! The pain, the love, the lust! Book Five, Obsidian Fire is available HERE!
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Dear readers!
Thank you for coming on this extraordinary journey with me. I’ve written a lot of books (see below) but this one has lit a fire in my mind and fingers. I’m grateful for
the support and friendship! My ARC readers are the best! They tolerate my love for RIVERDALE and last minute needs! My Raven Group on Facebook is a wonderful place for sharing and fun. My author friends like Lisa Swallow and Beth Bolden and Samantha Marscott get me through the questions and quandaries and nerves and doubt. My cover designer, AngstyG is the best. BEST. And my editor Vanessa literally edits for me while having and taking care of babies. Talk about devotion.
Thanks for everything,
Angel
Angel Lawson Books
Raven Queen’s Harem:
Raven’s Mark (Part 1)
Ebony Rising (Part 2)
Black Magic (Part 3)
Obsidian Fire (Part 4)
The Death Fields:
The Girl Who Shot First
The Girl Who Punched Back
The Girl Who Kicked Ass
The Girl Who Kissed the Sun
The Girl Who Broke Free
The Girl Who Saved the World
Creature of Habit Series:
Creature of Habit (Book 1)
Creature of Habit (Book2)
Creature of Habit (Book 3)
A Vampire’s Seduction (Ryan’s Story Book 4)
A Vampire’s Fate (Sebastian’s Story Book 5)
The Wraith Series:
Wraith
Shadow Bound
Grave Possession
Urban Fantasy
The Lost Queen
Vigilant
Contemporary Romance:
FanGirl-A Girl Who Shot First Companion Novel
For the Win