by Sharon Kay
Peeking in, another fire bulb went on, showing her a luxurious bathroom with a sunken whirlpool tub and dark marble counters. Thick towels were folded neatly on a shelf.
Where am I? She stared at her reflection in the mirror, smoothing a hand over her tangled hair. Where would Zeebi take her?
Tessa’s head pounded. Wait—Zeebi had said something about a new home. Tessa rubbed her temples and walked back into the main room. Her cell was missing. Either she lost it in the portal or someone had taken it.
Gods, Hallon would be worried.
Scorpio would be enraged.
Her skin tingled at the memory of his eyes locked on her, imploring her to go to him. I will never hurt you. I will never leave you unprotected. She believed him, but still, none of this made sense. She needed to talk to Zeebi, then get her hands on a phone and call her dad, then—
The doorknob clicked twice. Had it been locked? Shit. She hadn’t checked. The handle turned. She reflexively reached for her knife, only to find it gone.
Oh gods. Panic started to fire through her veins, but she wouldn’t let it take hold. There has to be a reason I’m here. Her friend wouldn’t harm her. “Zeebi?”
“Not Zeebi.” A smooth male voice called. “But I can fetch her later if you’d like.”
The male stepped into the room and Tessa gasped. “Damien!”
He hadn’t changed since she last saw him. Then again, he never did. Taller than she, but nowhere near Scorpio’s towering height, Damien assessed her from the doorway. Thick dark hair and eyes of darkest brown went along with his strong jaw and straight nose. Physically, he was in shape, but she doubted his muscles could hold up against a Watcher.
Coldness and calculation rolled off him, as usual. He loved to be number one. Actually, his adoration went deeper than that: he loved himself. And though he was a powerful mage, she had no doubt he’d choke on his own narcissism one day.
“Hello, my darling bride to be.” He smiled, revealing perfect teeth and a wolfish grin. “I’m so glad you joined me ahead of schedule.” He’d always been overly polite with her, though she’d heard of him viciously berating his people if they displeased him, even using torture spells.
The smooth words and outwardly pleasant appearance were just a shell. Under it all, his soul had to be blackened and rotting. She didn’t harbor fear of him; rather, it was anger and disgust, topped with a large dollop of caution.
“I’m-this…” She glanced at the room. “I’m at Vespera?”
“Yes. I hope you like your room. Any detail can be changed to your preference.”
Tessa folded her arms. “My preference would be to go home.”
Damien closed the door and stepped to the middle of the room. “You are home, darling.” His voice was velvet, but his eyes glittered cold and hard.
Trepidation flared at his self-assurance. What the hell was his game? “I don’t understand.”
“Our timetable has been moved up.”
“What?” Indignation shot up her spine. “No. That’s not what we agreed on.”
“We also didn’t agree on you stealing amethyst crystals. Or on my guards being killed by your demon.”
He’s not my demon. Tessa opened her mouth then closed it. “I need five more days with my people.”
“And I don’t like competition.” Damien came close, a foot away from her. “That demon thinks he has a claim on you. So of course, I had to remove you from his presence to ensure your safety. He’s a powerful one, that Watcher. Who knows what he could do to you? You’re so delicate.” He reached out and grazed a hand down her arm.
Tessa took a step back, debating. She could let him think she was delicate, or she could hit him with witchfire. He arched a brow at her retreat, but didn’t move closer.
She decided to keep him guessing as to the effect of her fire. “He wouldn’t hurt me,” she said. “He had chances to and didn’t.”
“Tessa, he’s biding his time. Building you up to trust him. When you know he’s a killer.”
“Are you jealous?” She tilted her head. Damien was used to getting everything he wanted.
“No.” He took another step toward her. “But I will not let anything come between me…and what’s mine.” He reached for her hair, but she knocked his hand away.
“Don’t touch me.”
“But I want to. You’re my future wife.” He loomed over her, smiling that self-righteous smile. One that was conceited and had no care for others. “And when we’re married, I’ll touch you as much as I damn well please.”
“You will not!” she hissed, furious. “How dare you think you can command me to your whim?”
“Because I like fucking. With one partner, or more. With an audience, or alone.” His eyes traveled her body as her stomach threatened to revolt. “And if you don’t want to fuck me alone in our bed, we’ll do it in front of my men.”
Her jaw dropped and she let out a gasp of horror. “You-you wouldn’t.”
“I haven’t decided yet.” He walked back to the bed, stroking one post in a way that made her shudder. “Shall I keep your delectable body to myself, or show it off to the men, to make them jealous?” He shrugged. “Decisions, decisions.”
Tessa gagged and clapped a hand over her mouth.
“I’ll give you some time to think about it.” He patted the duvet. “Who knows? You might decide you like being watched.”
Tessa backed up until she bumped a wall, then slid down to the floor on muscles that had turned to jelly.
Damien glanced down at her and frowned. “You don’t look happy, darling.” He went into the bathroom, where she heard the splash of water and then his footsteps coming closer. He squatted down, thrusting a glass toward her. “Have a drink. It’s been a long night for you, I gather.”
She eyed the water suspiciously.
“Tessa, I just took this from the tap. It’s not poison. See?” He took a drink, then offered her the glass again. “I have nothing to gain from hurting you.”
She took it, keeping her eyes on him. “You’re holding me here against my will.”
“You were going to join me in a few days anyway.”
“I didn’t finish all my blade orders for Bronwy.”
He shrugged. “Oh well.”
“Oh well?” she repeated, irate. “That’s lost revenue.”
“So we’ll compensate your daddy. Make up the difference. Your people will be fine.”
She took a cautious sip of water, grateful for the cool slide down her throat. “He’ll be worried about me. Can I at least call him?”
“In a little bit, yes.” He studied her. “I think you’re going to be very happy here. Your power will grow exponentially.”
She didn’t want more power. “All I want is to help Bronwy.”
“Of course. You’re so selfless.” His tone was all sugar, yet a hard edge churned beneath the saccharine. “And you know your demon is the root cause of this, right? If not for him, you wouldn’t be about to marry me.”
She swallowed. “That’s a twisted way to look at the situation.”
He chuckled. “It may be…but it’s true. Do you deny it?”
“I refuse to argue a hypothetical with you.” She scowled.
“Oh darling, you can argue with me all you want.” He winked. “I love to win. And I love to find creative ways to make up.”
She stared at the fire bulbs flanking the main door. Run for it? No. Not with the way her legs had turned to mush. Slap him? No, he’d probably like it. Gods, what a nightmare.
“You never acknowledged my note,” he murmured, breaking into her thoughts.
She narrowed her eyes. “How did you get it right outside my front door?”
“I have my ways.” He smiled. “Drink more, darling.”
Tessa gulped the rest of the water because she honestly was parched. “The wards weren’t breached.”
“No. They weren’t.”
“Then how?” She handed him the empty glass.
> “I have a messenger. She’s very good at following orders.”
Tessa stared in disbelief. She? Zeebi’s words circled back into her head. They think I’m a spy, working with Damien. “Who?” The whispered word left her mouth on a breath, part horror and part crushing disappointment.
“I’ll send her in soon, so she can fill you in on the details.” He straightened to his full height. “I’ll let you rest. Wouldn’t want you to get tired of me too quickly. Are you hungry?”
She shook her head. The thought of food made her stomach tumble.
“All right, darling. I have business to take care of, and wedding arrangements to finalize. I’ll see you soon.” He crossed the room, gave her one last smile, and left.
Tessa sat, unmoving, on the floor. All she could think of was Scorpio, how everything about him radiated honor and truth. He’d asked her to trust him, and she thought she did. Then when everything was on the line, she’d doubted him. She dropped her head to her bent knees and felt like someone had reached into her chest and ripped her heart out. She’d been faithless. All he’d ever done was protect her.
Because that’s what mates did. Lenore’s prediction, or curse, was that she’d despise him. And she’d let Zeebi talk her—or rather, spell her—out of trusting him.
No. She balled her fists as anger built inside her. She had let the doubt in. It was her own fault. Her own hesitation to believe that there could be more to the male than the events filling his past.
The events of our lives shape us. But they don’t define us, unless we let them. She had let petty thoughts censor her view of a man who was noble and caring. “I’m sorry, Scorpio,” she whispered into the empty room.
But why had Zeebi done all this?
Minutes passed, and still Tessa heard nothing. Was there a dampening spell on the room? Surely Vespera was full of witches, busy with their own dark tasks, or with Damien’s.
The doorknob twisted again, quickly. Tessa snapped her head up, half expecting Damien to come back in.
But it was Zeebi’s blond hair that greeted her eyes.
“Tessa! Oh, I’m glad you’re awake.” She dropped down next to Tessa, putting an arm around her.
“Don’t.” Tessa grabbed her friend’s wrist and held her off. She scooted a few feet away. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“Tessa.” Zeebi’s eyes were huge, imploring. “You have to understand, it’s better this way.”
“What way?”
“Being here. Make a clean break and start our new lives.”
“I didn’t get to say goodbye to my dad! And others who practically raised me!” She shook her head. “It wasn’t time to go yet.”
“Actually it was. You and the demon were getting a little too cozy.”
“What?” Tessa gaped at her. “Okay first of all, you were pushing me like crazy toward him. And second, we are not cozy! He saved my life. Yours too, in case you forgot.”
“He’s wanted to get in your pants since he got here. And you, who never even has a date, suddenly have ripped underwear lying on your floor, after you lobby for his security detail to be relaxed?” Zeebi snorted. “Not too hard to figure out.”
Her friend’s see-saw opinions made no sense. “First you want me to hook up with him, then you want to make sure I don’t? Why?”
“I was hoping he’d sway you sooner and just take you to his fancy headquarters. Then I could take your place. Live here, with Damien. But you had to be so stubborn.”
Something about the way Zeebi said Damien’s name gave Tessa pause. “What have you been doing?” she whispered.
“I’ve been improving things for me and you. We’ll be much better off here, than struggling in Bronwy.”
Tessa stared as if her friend had spoken Earth Latin. “Bronwy is our home, our people.”
“No, this is our home, our land. Don’t you feel the pull? You always said you did.”
“Actually,” Tessa frowned. “No. I don’t feel it. Not like I do when we’re outside, walking close by.”
“Well, I don’t know why not. We’re here, and the ley lines will start feeding us their power, and we’ll be so much better off.”
“You-you want the dark magic?” Tessa blinked, stunned. “You do. My gods, Zee. What happened to you?”
“I got smart.” Zeebi twisted a lock of hair. “And I got to spend time with Damien. He’s so amazing, and has plans for us, for Vespera.”
“Plans involving dark magic and manipulation.”
“Plans that will make us stronger and richer. And eventually unite us and Bronwy.”
“We are Bronwy.” Tessa gritted. “Or have you forgotten?”
“I haven’t been. Not for a long time.”
Tessa scooted farther away. “Why are you doing this? We’ve been friends forever. You were like a sister to me.”
“Tessa, you’re not getting it.” Zeebi glared. “You’re the lucky one, the pretty one, the one with the most talent, the daughter of the chief. Everything came easily to you.”
“What? You never lack for male attention. And your metal affinity is valuable to the coven.”
“I’m always the second choice, and I’m tired of it. I want more power and not just with metals. I’m learning how to transform appearances.”
Tessa shook her head, not believing this. “But you’re gorgeous. And anyway, you don’t need a man, or a special power, to have value to the coven. Everyone loves you.”
“Probably not anymore,” Zeebi muttered.
“It doesn’t have to be this way. Let’s get out of here, sneak back home, explain everything to my dad.”
“Ha.” Zeebi snorted. “No way. I’m not going back to being second best.”
“Zeebi, what the hell are you talking about?”
Zeebi turned angry eyes on her. “Damien wants you for your ability. And you barely have to work at it. Scorpio? Gods, he took one look at you and decided he had to have you at his side forever because of whatever this mate thing is. And I’m just sitting there. Unnoticed.”
“No one thinks less of you in any way. You have to stop this, stop beating yourself up.” Tessa softened her voice. “And you think Damien, of all people, will…will what? Think you’re amazing? I know you are, but he’s a cold-hearted monster. He doesn’t value anything but himself.”
Zeebi frowned. “He’s a leader I want to follow, one I want to emulate. One who makes decisions quickly. Not sitting and consulting forever first.”
Unbelievable. “He’s a power hungry maniac. Why would you want to have anything to do with him?”
Zeebi shook her head. “You don’t get it.”
“No, I don’t.” She folded her arms. “I don’t get any of this. How are you able to mask your true intent from me? Your aura never changes.”
“You may as well know, since you’re here now.” Zeebi’s fingers slowly traced the opal necklace she’d worn every day for the last several months. “Dark magic takes care of many things.”
Stunned, Tessa focused on the precious stone, its blues and pinks muted in the room’s dim light. “That’s how you hid all this?”
A smile tugged at her friend’s lips. “Yes. And you’ll have access to the same degree of power soon.”
No. But saying that seemed to fall on deaf ears. Tessa tried to draw a calming breath but instead, anger took over. “I asked Damien about that note.”
Zeebi’s eyes flicked to Tessa.
“He said he has a messenger, and referred to her as a she.” She waited, pinning Zeebi with a look. “Was it you? Did you leave the note outside my door?”
Zeebi rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I did.”
An odd, cold detachment rolled through Tessa’s limbs. The slices of betrayal cut deeper with each revelation. “I can’t believe this.”
“Yeah, well, not everything is what it seems.”
Tessa stared as if seeing her friend for the first time. “I guess so. So it’s all true? The things you said that Scorpio said? The lies about
you?” Tessa made air quotes around the last words.
Zeebi sat silent.
“They aren’t lies, are they?”
Zeebi glared at the floor. “Tessa, I want to stay friends. And you’re going to need a friend here. Do you know how many females are jealous of you? Damien could have his pick of anyone here, and yet he chose you, an outsider.” She made a scoffing sound. “They already hate you.”
“I don’t care if anyone likes me. I made an arrangement and I’ll stick to it. But you…you have to let go of this need for more. The dark magic is pulling you too strongly. I don’t want to see you get hurt.” It was true. Despite everything Zeebi had done, Tessa didn’t want her to succumb to the darkness. It was a recipe for slow insanity.
“Too late.” Zeebi got up. “I know what I want and how to get it. I want more power, and I want to lead Bronwy. I’m on my way, and I’m not giving anything up.” She stalked across the room and opened the door, casting a glance back at Tessa. “Stop being so stubborn. It’ll be easier all around if you just go with the flow. Make your knives, sleep with Damien, keep him happy. It’s not too hard.” With that, she slammed the door behind her.
Tessa sat shell-shocked—again. Unable to wrap her head around Zeebi’s words and actions. It was the dark ley lines. It had to be. How else could her sunny, happy, goofy friend turn like that?
Does a leopard change its spots? She thought again of what Orser had asked. Yes, Scorpio had changed. But she was convinced he had been a good person under it all, despite the life of endless killing. He’d been coerced and rightfully concerned about his siblings. So his core hadn’t changed. Just his circumstances.
But Zeebi? Tessa was bombarded with memories of silly girlhood games, endless chatting and fighting like friends do, only to make up. She shook her head. Zeebi had to be the same, deep down, too. And Tessa felt like crap for not recognizing sooner that the dark magic had begun to exert its pull on Zeebi.
She’d lied. Gods that hurt. But equally bad was knowing Tessa had hurt Scorpio in the process. She didn’t want to cause anyone grief, but especially not him. Exhausted, she climbed back into the bed and lay on her side, blocking out the truth of where she was and remembering how Scorpio’s arms had felt, holding her tightly.