I looked over the woman's shoulder. Raised one eyebrow. "Come again?" He couldn't have said what I thought he just said.He repeated it. Word for fucking word. Damn it. I shook my head. "No. No. There's no such thing as magic. Not like that anyways." I looked at my brothers. They shook their heads slightly. Well, shit biscuits. Why the hell didn't you tell me you hadn't told either of them that we're magical? I snarled mentally.And when would this auspicious conversation have taken place exactly? Thane raised a single eyebrow. Hollyn was staring at me as if she could see into my head. Read my thoughts. Scan my memories. Hear my waking nightmares. I dropped her hand and stepped back. "You won't get me to believe in anything like that."Hollyn's mouth twitched up at the corner. "Would you like to make a bet on that?" She lifted her hand out to me again. I scowled at her. Snagged her smaller hand in mine. "Hit me with your best shot." My grin was a little savage.
"By the stars, please let this work," I muttered as I fell to the ground next to Tagan. Guilt wracked my body. I knew I shouldn't have let him pull on my magic. Magic does nothing but cause pain and sorrow. "Stella vulnere remedium," I chanted over and over as I tried to pull even more magic from my body. Barely a trickle of magic crossed between us. I shook my hands out, prayed to the gods I hated, and laid my palms back on Tagan's raw and bloody back. "Stella vulnere remedium." This time I shouted it. Brilliant light shot from my hands into his body as his ribcage shuddered under my fingers. "Come on. Come on.""You have no right sharing your magic with him. With any of these men," Matt said as he grabbed a fistful of my hair. He wrenched my head back, a knife in his hand. "Your magic belongs to us. The Faithful. We have served and served, all to no avail. The gods have deserted us. And now, you-the Deserter-are wasting your powers on these bastards? No. Not while I'm here
"What the fuck is happening, Hollyn?" I shouted at her as her body swayed. Tagan's body was a bloody broken mess on our living room floor. The woman who'd crashed into my life had her hands lit up like spotlights against his wound. And neither of them fucking said an eternal damned word. I was about to go insane. The heat and rage of seeing one of my brothers wounded right in front of my eyes was scorching through my body, consuming everything in its path. Belly-weakening fear rolled over my mind. I couldn't lose him. Not either of them. I'd already lost too much. We all had. I reached out, touched Hollyn's shoulder. Her eyes were closed, her lips were moving, but I couldn't make out anything that sounded close to English. As soon as I touched her, she toppled over to the side. "Fuck, Thane," Tove said as he pulled her head into his lap. He wiped at the cut over her right eyebrow. Smeared his fingers under her nose where more blood was slowly oozing down to her mouth. "What th
The taste of Thane's flavor exploded in my mouth as he forced his way past my lips with the sexy slide of his tongue. I moaned into his mouth and pressed my body against his. Angry about the clothes that kept our skin from meeting. That forced distance between us. His mouth ripped away from mine, leaving me gasping for air and struggling to pull my emotions back. I braced for the blow I'd been taught to expect. The pain of fists and feet impacting my body. I opened my eyes, my heart in my throat. My eyelids fluttering like a hummingbird's wings, I looked up at Thane. He was towered above me, his chest billowing under his heaving breaths. I lowered my head. I'd seen the harsh look of disgust on his face. My belly dropped to my toes. Unwanted. Even here where they didn't know me. Not really. I closed my eyes against the burn of tears.Stupid idiot. I almost got his brother killed and now I think he wants to kiss me? Make love to me? I don't deserve such benevolent treatment
I watched her face. The shuttering of her soul masqueraded as rapid blinking. The withdrawal of the heat in her face. The moment had passed. Stuffing my disappointment, I reached down a hand. She jerked back as if I'd offered to punch her in the face. This strong, slightly crazy, woman had pulled back into my brother as if she needed protection. I clenched my teeth at the instinctual action. She wasn't impugning my honor. She was reacting without thought. If I ever met the person who taught her how to cower, I was going to rip him, or her, into fucking shreds. "I just wanted to help you to your feet, Stretch," I said. Still leaning back into Tove's arms, she looked up at me from under her deep purple bangs. "I knew that." She put her hand in mine and allowed me to haul her to her feet. I bit back my smile. "Sure, you did."She wrinkled her nose at me before looking away. Her gaze stuck on something to her right, her eyes widened. "Matty."I growled. "I suppose we
I wanted to sew my lips shut as soon as the words left my lips. And I was awful at sewing. Not bothering to wait for them to withdraw their help or friendship, I pushed the book back to Tove and pushed to my feet. "I'll go. You guys shouldn't be put in this position." I moved towards the door, that big panel of wood that stood between me and their safety. I needed to leave. Now. "Thank you for your kindnesses. They will be forever treasured." I reached out a hand for the lever that would permit my escape. Tag's arms came around me from behind. His energy felt like the waves washing against the shoreline. Warm, steady, full of potential. "You're not going anywhere. That statement didn't change a thing." He laid his warm lips to the back of my neck. "You're stuck with us, sweetcheeks."I laid my head against the door, called myself every name in the book. I was weak. But I'd found more acceptance from these three strangers than I ever had in thirty years in the Oaks. I was going
I wasn't sure what I expected when I suggested a movie night. Having Hollyn sit on the floor barely two feet away from the TV wasn't how I'd envisioned the night progressing, that was for damn sure. But her astonishment when I'd turned the movie on had curbed any desire I had to quash the joy lighting up her face. What the fuck are we going to do? I asked my brothers as Harry visited Diagon Alley for the first time on the screen. We need some straight fucking answers, Thane said. His mental voice was tight and hard. We can't keep her locked up in here, no matter how much each of us seems to want that. Tag snorted mentally. We need to have a conversation about sex. Fuck, she didn't even know what movies were. Glad to see you've come around, Grumpy, I said. Tag elbowed me in the ribs. I stifled my groan before it could slide out of my mouth. Asshole. I don't know what it is either, but we can't lose her. She opened something up inside me and damned if I don't feel li
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "What do you want, Ainsley? I told you, we're done."She stared at me as if I were speaking a different language. Her wide mouth firmed into a thin line. One dark red eyebrow raised as she tapped her fingers on her crossed arms. "Why now? What's happened that you need to do this now, Thane? We've come so far. We're almost there."I gritted my teeth. Not that I hadn't been aware of the fact that she was with me because we were the supposed it' couple of the rich and sexy set,'-her words, not mine-but having it shoved in my face wasn't really going to help her case at all. "Why do I need a reason? You know I've never cared about any of that. Look, we had some good times. Hell, we even had some great times. But I'm done. And please don't pretend like you're hurt. I know we don't have that kind of relationship." I crossed my arms, pinned her with a hard stare. Heat rose to her cheeks. "Can you hold off at least until the Autumn Gala is over?"