Page 68 of Sticks and Stones and Broken Bones

“But you don’t understand. My grandmother will see that as an act of war.” How could they be so stupid? They didn’t know what my grandmother could do. How vindictive and cruel she could be. She would see this as a personal slight and I knew that she’d use it as a tool to rouse the rest of the coven into a frenzy that would only be satisfied by blood.

“Raevyn,” Rook said calmly as he stepped towards me. He cupped my jaw with his long fingers. “I promise you, your grandmother poses no threat to you or to us. You don’t need to worry.”

I knew what he said to be true, but it still didn’t appease the sliver of fear that had punctured my heart. She would do something. I just knew it. None of them were safe whilst I was still here.

I needed to see her, face her and destroy her. No more would she hold power over me, and I would protect my men. Even if it was the last thing I ever did.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Casimir

Something was off with Raevyn. I could sense it and so could Deimos, not that I was listening to him because I was totally ignoring the fact that he could speak to me now. I figured that had something to do with Raevyn. He’d been quiet before she’d arrived and now, he didn’t seem to shut the fuck up.

And the things he thought about… Fucking Hell. I didn’t realise I was into chasing people, but I seemed to be into the idea of chasing Raevyn. I might even take a back seat while Deimos runs riot and makes her scream.

I squeezed my dick through my pants, suddenly hard at the thought of a little game of cat and mouse.

“What are you thinking about?” Nox asked, well, purred. He could do this thing with his voice that made it sound all sultry and sexy and it kind of just made me want to punch him in the throat. Women seemed to love it though. Not that it mattered anymore, there was only one woman he was interested in. Well, that we were all interested in, and she was stood in front of the long window in the study, just staring out at the city below.

“None of your fucking business,” I snapped.

Nox held his hands up placatingly. “Sorry. Just enjoying the taste of your sexual tension.”

“Well don’t.”

“Stop thinking about sex and I will.”

That was going to be difficult. All I could seem to think about when I looked at Raevyn was sex. I’d never felt so drawn to some, so obsessed by anyone in my life and I’d lived for a very long time. It was like there was something tying us together and I just wanted to take care of her. And kiss her. And chase her through the fucking woods apparently.

“You’re still thinking about it,” Nox crooned. Gods, I wanted to hit him.

“Fuck off, Nox.”

He laughed and the sound caught Raevyn’s attention. She smiled at us, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She had her long hair up in a bun on the top of her head and she was in an oversized jumper and leggings. She looked cute and cosy, and I had the sudden urge to wrap her in my arms and get under a blanket with her.

“Sounds sunggly, love. I’m in.”

Fuck off, Deimos.

The God laughed and it was a dark and rough sound better suited to a haunted house than racking around my brain.

“Hi,” she said wistfully and I wished there was something I could do to make her feel better. To take all her pain away so she could be happy. She’d been through so much and I just wanted her to smile and for it to be warm and bright.

Fuck, she was making me turn sappy.

“Get dressed. We’re going topside to fetch another soul,” I said gruffly.

“Smooth,” Nox whispered.

She winced at my harsh tone and I inwardly cringed. I needed to get better at the thinking before speaking. I’d never had to censor myself before and it was just going to take some getting used to. But I wanted to be better, for her.

“Okay,” she replied softly, here eyes a little watery.

I inwardly sighed and cursed myself for being an arse. I grabbed her arm as she passed and tipped her chin up with one of my fingers. “I’m sorry, Raevyn. The others were right when they said I wasn’t good at playing with others. I’m not good at…”

“Being decent?” Nox supplied with a laugh.

Raevyn shot him a dark look over my shoulder and his laugh instantly disappeared.

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