Page 42 of Fatal Vengeance

Some of my anger melts away, feeling for him, for Griffin, and mostly for Creed. This is a fucking mess, but I’m here now, and I’ll sort out Creed if it’s the last thing I do. Placing my hand on Asher’s bicep, I softly tell him, “I’ve got this, Asher. Please, let me help him. I'm the only one he'll see right now.” Maybe I'm delusional for thinking that, but if I know a single thing about Creed, it's that I'm safe with him no matter what state of mind he's in. Which makes me the best option in this room to step forward and talk him down.

Creed whimpers before Asher has decided whether to let me through or not, and it's a sound so broken and hollow that Asher and I move at the same time, determined to help piece Creed back together. Asher only manages one step forward, though, before that knife is swishing through the air in a clear warning. I don't even look at the blade as I keep walking, and Creed doesn't point it my way, just like I knew he wouldn't.

Movement behind me informs me that Griffin is losing his patience, about to charge forward and probably snatch me right off my feet. I don’t spare him a single look, confident in Creed and I, in our bond and my ability to get through to him.

Taking a slow, careful step forward, drawing Creed’s frenzied eyes, I hold out my hands and whisper, “Hey, Creed. Baby, it’s me. I’m coming to you now, alright?”

Creed bites his bottom lip, fisting a hand in his hair. He still has the knife pointed in Asher’s direction with his other hand, but I don’t feel a shred of fear for myself. Creed would never hurt me. Never. I’m as sure of that right now as I am every other day with him.

“Ember,” Creed murmurs, tugging on his hair while his eyes swing from me to the people behind me. When he settles on me once more, he shakes his head and stutters out, "I-I can’t— It’s all black and white and fucking gray. I can’t see any colors. H-how am I supposed to keep you safe if I can’t—" He stops and bangs his palm against his head, gritting out, “If I can’t get my head right? I’m crazy, Prudence. I’m crazy and insane and fucked up in every way, and I can’t keep you safe. I’m sorry, I’m so fucking sorry. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” His voice cracks and tears race down his cheeks, absolutely shattering me into a million pieces while he bares his soul to the room. It feels like a personal moment, something that should be reserved for only the two of us, and I suddenly have the urge to shelter him from everyone else in this room. He doesn't need witnesses to this. He just needs me and some quiet to settle his mind.

I lurch forward, not caring about the weapon he’s holding, practically slamming into Creed’s lean body and wrapping my arms around him. With my cheek resting over his pounding heart, I close my eyes and squeeze him tight. “I’m safe, Creed. I’m okay, I’m right here. Feel me, I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

His free hand spreads across my back, his fingers pressing into my skin like he needs to dig his way inside me to find himself again. “Do you promise? You’ll stay with me, Ember?” he whispers shakily.

My heart cracks right in half and collapses into the deep pit that is my stomach. Is that what tipped him over? Finding out I was planning on leaving, on trading myself in to The Celestials? God, Prudence, you dumb bitch. Look what you did to this sweet, broken man. I grip Creed impossibly tighter, feeling one of his tears drip onto my shoulder. My throat is too tight to utter a single word, but I squeeze Creed until I’m positive he can feel the way my heart beats for him.

Footsteps shuffle closer, but whoever it is — Asher or Griffin, or maybe even my sister — Creed doesn’t approve of anyone else being near him. His muscles lock up tight, his body going rigid against me while his arm tightens on my waist, and an honest to god growl rumbles up his throat. It’s a warning, a threat, and a sign of possession all wrapped up in one.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Asher mumbles with a deep sigh.

“Are you okay, little flame?” Griffin asks hesitantly, sounding much closer than where I had passed him by a few minutes ago.

“I’m fine,” I reassure him in my calmest tone, pulling back from Creed just enough to look up into his eyes. In the few minutes that I’ve been close, wrapped around him like a gravity blanket, he’s started to come back down from whatever manic episode he was lost in. His eyes, while still slightly unfocused and wide, are much less frantic as he peers down at me. With Creed’s gaze pinned on me, I smile softly and say again, “I’m fine. I’m okay.” I’m speaking to Griffin, but I mean the words to each of my men, to reassure them and hopefully help drain some of their nerves.

“Yeah, well, I’m not,” Asher snaps.

Creed’s dangerous eyes flash at Asher, his lip curling up until he looks like a true predator. “Nobody fucking asked you,” Creed drawls, his voice deep and deadly. Then, looking back down at me, Creed’s features soften, and he twists a lock of my hair around his fingers. “My sweet Ember… My fiery red girl.”

I have to clear my throat before I manage to gently say, “Can you see my colors now, Creed? Are you coming back to me?”

He blinks a few times, as if he’s trying to force his eyes to soak in my appearance, and then he cups my face between both hands, even while his grip on the knife remains strong. “Almost, but I… Come with me?”

And because I’m hopelessly in love with this man and couldn’t be afraid of him even if I tried, I allow him to link our fingers together and guide me out of the room. I catch Asher’s eyes and give him a subtle shake of my head when he frowns at me, and though I can tell it pains him to do so, he collapses onto the couch with a roll of his eyes and leaves me to handle Creed on my own.

Let’s just hope I can draw my wild storm back out to me before his chaos can reach another boiling point.

28

Prudence

With our fingers laced together, the knife still clutched in his other hand, Creed pulls me right out the front door and into the dark of night. I cast one last glance back over my shoulder at the guys and my sister. Genevieve bites her lip as she watches me, worry riding her features, but even though we don’t know a lot about each other yet, she trusts me in this moment, and I’m grateful for it. Asher and Griffin look considerably less trusting, so I narrow my eyes at them before either guy can get some silly idea, like charging out here after me.

Once I’m sure they’ll stay put, even if they aren’t happy about it, I give my full attention to Creed once more. He’s gazing up at the sky as his steps slow to a halt, his hand tightening in mine like he’s making sure I’m real. With a deep sigh, Creed shudders and closes his eyes.

“What is it?” I ask hesitantly, leaning closer to him and laying my head on his shoulder.

“The stars,” he breathes, shaking his head softly. “They’ve ruled our lives for too long. I’m done hiding from them. Done being afraid.”

Hearing him say the stars rather than The Celestials has thoughts of my mom thrusting up unbidden in my head. I blink through the tears that bite the backs of my eyes, trying not to turn this night into my issue. Tonight is about Creed and what he needs to feel safe right now, not about my grief that rears up whenever the air blows just right.

“Don’t you agree, Ember?” Creed whispers a moment later, pulling me back into the present.

I nod mutely, because fuck yeah, I agree. That damn cult has ruined so many lives, least of all mine. It’s time to stop running and hiding, and start striking back. Even with Creed’s… delay tonight, our plan still stands. It has to. If we have to push things back until next month’s full moon, then so be it, but either way, I will be facing down The Celestials and getting my fucking revenge once and for all.

“Then fuck ’em, baby. Take back the colors with me, and tomorrow we’ll start a war.”

I raise my brows at the charming, swoon-worthy smile Creed gives me. His whiskey eyes are far less frenzied out here than they were inside, when he was surrounded by people. I quirk a smile right back, turning into his warm, strong body so we’re pressed together chest to chest. Pushing to my tiptoes and wrapping my arms around the back of his neck, I murmur against his perfect lips, “What did you have in mind? How can I help?”

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