Page 10 of These Wicked Desires

It makes no sense, and I know that, but I’ve always been the type to put off punishment. Even if it makes it worse later on.

My phone buzzes again, this time a text, and I glance at it. Forty-three messages.

Kai: WHERE ARE YOU

Kai: ellis! are you okay?

Cade: please let us know if you’re okay.

Kai: i swear to the gods, if you don’t answer me i will lose my fucking my mind!!

Cade: we’re really worried, love. Sterling is scouring the mountain in his wolf form, and Kai is about to go berserk.

I grimace and my thumb hovers over the keyboard. Maybe I should just send a quick text and tell them I’m on my way home and I’m safe. But I chicken out and set my phone in my lap, screen face down.

The closer we get to the cabin, the more I feel like I’m going to vomit. This was quite possibly the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. I should have just waited for Cade and Kai to get home, so they could take me to talk to Cole. Why didn’t I do that? Oh yeah, because they would have never agreed to it.

“Fuck me,” Drew grumbles. “If I could, I’d make you walk the rest of the way. Kai is going to murder me.”

“I’ll put a good word in for you,” I say, but it doesn’t come out as confident as I hoped it would. It’s too hard to breathe, even as I take in one deep breath after another in an attempt to calm the roiling in my stomach.

When the cabin comes into view, I swallow thickly, my mouth suddenly dry. Cade and Kai are both on the porch, and I want to crawl under the seat and hide. Purple sparks flicker at Cade’s fingertips as he flexes his hands. Kai paces back and forth, his hair a mess from where he’s run his hands through it. I slink lower in the seat, guilt and shame riding me hard at their worry and fear.

Both guys jump off the porch before the car comes to a stop and Drew mumbles something under his breath before stepping out. I open my door more slowly, and Cade is upon me in seconds. His magic bursts out of him, purple wisps fluttering around me, caressing my skin as if searching for an injury. Cade’s eyes flare in surprise before he reins it back in.

“Are you okay?” He grabs my face in his hands, not as gentle as he usually is, and the fear in his gaze makes me want to sink into the ground and never come back out.

Guilt makes my skin prickle, like it’s stretched too tight over my bones. I try to nod, but his grip is too strong. “Yes,” I croak. “I’m fine.”

“Where the hell did you go? Why didn’t you tell us? Ellis, we were worried sick about you!”

“I’m sorry,” I mumble, casting my gaze down, unable to look at him as shame heats the back of my neck.

“I’m going to rip out your fucking throat!”

Kai’s growl jerks my head up, and I see him pinning Drew to the side of the car. I pull away from Cade and rush around to grab Kai’s arm.

“Wait! Kai, don't hurt him!”

He growls in response, no words, just low, rumbly vibrations I feel in his arms. His eyes are glowing red and his fangs are longer than I’ve ever seen.

“Kai, let him go! It was my idea to leave. Drew didn’t want to take me, but I told him I’d go without him if he didn’t.” I try to wedge myself between them, but Kai shifts so I can’t.

Drew wheezes, Kai’s hand around his throat making breathing difficult, but he manages to say, “I made sure she was safe.”

“Please, Kai. Let him go.” I tug on his arm, but it’s like trying to pull down a steel beam. “Don’t punish him for my choices.”

Kai holds Drew pinned to the car for a second longer before he pushes away. He doesn’t go far though. Faster than I can blink, he throws a right hook. I scream as Drew’s head snaps to the side and blood sprays.

“Fuck,” Drew grunts, holding the side of his face. Blood streams from his broken nose and dribbles down his chin. I try to go to him, but he holds out a hand to stop me. “It’s fine. It’s the least I deserve.”

Kai grunts and turns to me. Under that piercing red stare, I shrink back. Normally, I’d be excited to draw the monster out, but this time I know I really messed up. The monster isn’t out to play.

“Kai,” I breathe shakily.

“Get inside.” His voice is barely recognizable as his own, and his entire body is taut like a bowstring.

Drew hesitates. “Ellis …”

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