Page 25 of The Blood Widow

When he was a bloody mess on the ground, I stumbled to my feet, holding my wound. I raced after the kid. With each step, I was eager to get the fuck away from this mess. My portal needed to be as far as possible, so the demon didn’t use the essence of my magic left behind to track me. Bell put a spell that could help in the note she sent me, but I didn’t want to take any chances.

I was slower than I wanted, but I caught up to Brian. He was clearly tired, and he had a limp that would make him easy prey.

When I scooped him up, he fought, ripping my wound open even more. "It's okay. I'll get you to safety."

The roar from the demon made me whimper. Fuck me. I was healing, but I hadn’t fed, so it was taking too long.

"Stop, you bitch." The demon’s pained grunts had my heartrate rising.

A dash of fear leaked into my senses, but I pushed it away. I couldn’t let my emotions control me, or I'd screw up. Calling on my portal, I'd chance the first one getting tracked. There was no way he'd be fast enough to use my second portal to follow me.

The magic listened to my frantic plea to disappear because it appeared before us. The swirling yellow circle was the most beautiful thing I had seen all day.

“No!” The demon yelled as I gripped Brian tighter and jumped to safety.

Landing on the sand of Egypt would confuse him. I also said a spell to cover my magic, but he could unweave the shield if he was powerful. He would need more time to do the same with my second portal though.

Brian slipped from my grip.

"I got you. Just hold onto me tightly." My words were just a whisper, but his little arms tightened around my neck.

I didn’t waste time. Whispering the spell to conceal my magic made grey vines wrap around in the air, and then disappear. My vision blurred for a second, causing me to stagger. Brian cried inmy arms. It hurt my soul to hear his sobs, but I couldn’t focus on them. My wounds and lack of feeding were creeping up on me, I'd pass out soon.

Gripping Brian’s body, I hobbled as far as I could to open another portal. The sides of my vision were darkening again, so I practically belly-flopped into the swirling yellow portal, crashing onto the hardwood floor of the safe house. I managed to turn at the last moment, so I didn’t crush the boy.

A female shrieked, and then I heard men's voices. Great, I wasn’t alone. All three of the men I had been trying to avoid hovered over me. That bitch set me up. I really was going to smack Bell the next time I seen her.

"Novem!"

"What the fuck happened?"

“Wait. Novem? Are you sure that’s her? She looks like a child.”

"Yes, I’m sure.”

“Hold on. We got you."

I didn’t know who said what, but I didn’t care. As much as I didn’t want to see them. The safety that clung to me right now was worth it. I needed their help. Though I didn’t know what with at the moment because I couldn’t think straight. But their concern and strength let me give in to the emptiness without worry. I was protected.

Chapter

Fourteen

Waking up in Cole’s arms with my fangs buried into his neck was not how I thought I’d wake up. A moan slipped out of me before my mind fully registered what was happening. My body stiffened. I was straddling his hips and rubbing my sex on his hard cock. I could sense the shocked gazes from Dominic and Ezra burning holes in the back of my head. It all rushed over me at once.

Fuck my life. I was seriously trying to punish myself… and him.

He put his hand on the back of my head. “It’s okay. You need to feed.”

Yes, I did but not from him. Ghouls only let their mates feed off of them. I could never be Cole’s mate, and I couldn’t lead him on.

With shaky legs, I got up from his lap. His hands gripped onto me, begging me not to go.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that,” I whispered and stepped away.

There was a woman with them, and she wasn’t a person they had just rescued. Being in the room with a stranger made my hackles rise. It had nothing to do with her country-style beauty and flowing golden hair. I was out of it, and I didn’t want to lash out at the wrong person, which meant I needed to leave.

Before I could stumble away Dominic’s warm hand grabbed mine. I met his worried, red gaze.

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