Revealed in Fire by K.F. Breene
Eighteen
A knock soundedat the door. I opened my groggy eyes, heat coating my back and a muscular arm draped around me. Darius stirred before squeezing me tighter.
“We’ve got movement.” Emery’s voice was muffled through the door.
“Your sermon yesterday spurred them on like I thought it would,” Darius said, the low rumble of his voice vibrating through his chest.
“Plus the way you hid among them while they discussed a very private matter. That’s a quick way to help them realize how naïve they are.” I turned around and burrowed into his warmth. “How far will you walk with us?”
“It depends on the route they take, but likely halfway. After our paths…diverge, I’ll go to the lair.” He kissed my temple. “We won’t be separated long.”
“Famous last words. What will you do for blood?” I squeezed my eyes shut as a blast of jealousy tore through me.
He squeezed me a little tighter. “Given my age and the amount of blood I took last night, I’ll be good for months. Your proximity makes me crave it. That is why I take so much from you on a normal basis. It isn’t necessary when we aren’t together.”
“I really don’t want you to be with another woman. We’re clear on that, correct?”
He kissed me languidly. “And I don’t want you to be with anyone else, either. We’re clear on that. I will wait for you for more blood. If the very worst should happen, I will have an assistant draw blood and offer it in a glass or thermos. It’s not ideal, but it will keep me functioning.”
“A thermos— Oh, to stay warm.” I shuddered. “I’m glad I didn’t get the vampire card.”
“I’m glad I did. It allowed me to stay alive long enough to meet my soul mate.”
I grinned and kissed him again. I usually wasn’t the soul mate/hearts-and-flowers kind of girl, but this guy had really burrowed down deep into my heart and taken up residence. He’d turned me into a total sap.
“I do not want to kick down this door,” Penny yelled through the wood. “But I will.”
“It’s a sturdier door than the one on the island,” I murmured, reaching down and wrapping my fingers around his fun factory. “She’ll never get through it. How about a quickie?”
His lush lips curled into a smile, and he rolled on top of me, settling between my thighs. His kiss was hungry as he slowly slid into me.
“I’m sure they have packing to do,” he murmured against my lips. “They’ll wait.”
I squeezed his middle with my legs and gyrated up to meet him. Although I’d gotten very little sleep last night and was still sore, it was not dampening my fun even a little. He slammed against me, fast and glorious. My body wound up, the pleasure overbearing. It crashed over me suddenly, and I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut as the orgasm took me. He shuddered against my body.
“I warned you!” The door blasted open, tearing off the hinges and coming right for us. I threw up a shield of air as Penny stepped in. She got a glimpse and quickly turned away. “Are you serious? Again? I warned you I was coming in!”
“Just had to see us naked again, huh? Can’t get enough.” I laughed, wrapping my arms around Darius for one more squeeze before allowing him to roll off. “You cheated, though. Magic to bust in a door?”
“Ew. Just get dressed.” She stomped away.
“Where are they?” came Callie’s voice. It sounded like she was just coming into the bungalow.
After dressing and quickly tossing all my things into my backpack, I strapped on the last of my weapons and met them out front. Darius had made it out there before me.
“Hey.” Charity walked up to us, her expression hard and eyes bloodshot. It didn’t look like she’d gotten much sleep last night. Kairi and Hallen trailed her. “I have news.”
“We’re leaving today,” I finished for her as Dizzy watched an orderly line of fae march past. It was the first time I’d seen that sort of theatrics. “How many are going?”
Charity turned to follow my gaze. “Ahead of us? Two couriers. They are alerting the elves that we will present ourselves to them.”
“And us with you?” Emery asked.
She glanced at Emery, then me. “Yes.”
“And going with us?” I asked.
“A force of about two dozen, plus you guys and the shifters. That’s apparently a normal force for visiting the castle. Roger has sent Barbara to get more shifters. He’s confident she can sneak past any trouble to get to the Brink.”
Barbara had to be the sour-faced woman. The name rang a very small and hard-to-hear bell. Even if she was awfully sneaky, it seemed like a mistake to send just one person out in this pressurized climate.
“So…you all know that the Realm isn’t exactly normal right now, right?” I hedged, not wanting to insult her intelligence. “It’s really intense and shifters won’t get a pass?”
“Yes.” She, thankfully, didn’t sound offended, and she didn’t linger on the issue. “As Emery probably told you, my grandmama has…stepped down from her duties as First. My father has taken over her role.”
“I didn’t, actually,” Emery said, standing off to the side with his hands in his pockets. He didn’t fool me with that relaxed, uninterested pose. The wheels in his cranium were turning. He was preparing for a sticky situation ahead. “They were busy.”
“Penny knows. She probably checked in a few times when we weren’t looking.” I winked at her, and she glared back, her cheeks red. “Congratulations on being the Second, though.”
Charity shifted uncomfortably. She offered me a curt nod. “By the way, thanks for telling everyone about the way Grandmama was manipulating our people to react to strangers,” she said. “The shifters will never admit it, but they’re grateful. It isn’t fun being made to feel like an outsider.”
“I have zero problem with it,” I replied.
“Well…” Her brow furrowed. “Right. Except for you, I guess. Anyway, Grandmama pulled away her…influence. She stopped using her magic to control people. At least, she says she did.”
“She will never fully stop using her magic,” Darius said. “It is ingrained in her now. You are simply forcing her to be much more discreet.”
Charity nodded. “My dad figured as much. Which is the other thing I was going to tell you guys. The custodes are officially leaving the Flush. This will be a sanctuary for the old or wounded, or those who do not wish to fight. Everyone who wishes to fulfill their duty to restore order will leave with us. We hope to find the rest of our people who left over the years and organize our forces. Representatives will be posted throughout the Realm. The goal is to eventually enforce the rules that have long been set. For everyone. But we’ll make a plan after we meet with the elves.”
“You mean after the big battle, right?” I lifted my eyebrows. “You must know the elves won’t just give up their advantages because a bunch of freedom fighters decided to show up to work after a long hiatus.”
“Yes, though we’re not talking about it in those terms. Romulus wants to give the elves the benefit of the doubt.”
“And get killed for his efforts,” Emery murmured.
Charity studied Emery for a long moment before turning to look at the shifters gathered down the way, Roger in loose sweats with a backpack full of clothes. He probably wasn’t planning on carrying it long. At the first sign of trouble, he’d hand off his things to someone who’d stay human, and then shift.
“Oh.” Charity put up a finger. “We’re bringing carts. You guys can put all your stuff in that. We’re assembling at the practice yard. Grab everything you need and head that way. We’ll be leaving at dusk, but Romulus figured you’d want to gather early so you can talk and ask questions.”
I looked at Darius. “I guess you’re not going to handle everything for me this time, huh? I actually have to participate?”
He rubbed my back. “Sadly, yes. You’ll have to pull your weight.”
“Dang it.” I smiled at the jest and shot a glance at Emery. “Shall we?”
“I never thought I’d go to the castle again,” Emery said, sounding uncomfortable.
“It’ll be fine.” Penny rubbed his arm. “We’ll get it sorted out.”
But I wasn’t so sure that was true. The elves didn’t seem to want to let his infractions go. By now they probably had a list of grievances about me too, including stirring up drama in the Realm. We likely wouldn’t get opposed on our way to the castle, but once we got there…I had a feeling we’d be staring down a butcher’s bill, and the fae and shifters wouldn’t be enough to pay the tab.
