Page 29 of Seduce Me in Shadow

She gasps, and I’m fucking relieved she’s able to breathe again. I’m grateful when she maneuvers her way out from under him. But it’s short-lived.

Lucan breaks loose from his chains, turns on me with the wild eyes of a madman, and attacks.

Chapter

Thirteen

When riled, my brother has the strength of ten men, and I know as soon as Lucan pins me to the bed and grabs my throat that, despite superior training, I’m in for the fight of my life.

I push at Lucan’s chest, struggling against his hold. But Lucan has gravity on his side, not to mention a grip that’s crushing my windpipe. Without air, I choke and gasp, barely registering a shuffling beside me.

I don’t fucking want to die, but I pray Sabelle gets help rather than putting herself in harm’s path again.

Suddenly, Lucan goes slack and collapses like dead weight on top of me. With a grunt, I push my brother off, then scan the bedroom for Sabelle, who’s primly belting her robe around her waist, looking somewhere between embarrassed and contrite.

“I’m sorry,” she murmurs, swiping away a tear.

Since Lucan is still breathing, I leap off the bed and put my arms around her awkwardly. “For not succeeding? You went above and beyond.”

“No, for being naive. I didn’t believe he would actually hurt a loved one.” She blinks up, looking so contrite it hurts. “He would have killed us both if we hadn’t worked together.”

“How did you stop him?”

“A quick sleeping spell. You intervened enough to free my hands so I could cast it. I hope that, in my panic, I didn’t cast the spell too hard.” She winces.

Another instance of magic potentially backfiring. “You did what was necessary to save us both.”

“None of this would have happened if I hadn’t loosened his chains, if I had managed to stop him from kissing me. If I…”

Before she can finish the sentence, Sabelle breaks down. Her wracking sobs are like a machete to the chest.

Lucan violated her. Yes, she consented, but in her mind, she endured something horrible and still failed to save him. I sense her bitter defeat.

I don’t want magic in my life. I don’t want to be here at all. But poor Sabelle… The least I can do is comfort the woman who bravely put herself in harm’s path to aid my brother.

Since I don’t know what to say—maybe she doesn’t want me to talk at all—I hold her gently, let her cry, and vow that I’ll never put others through this magical torture. I refuse to have a mate to mourn.

Minutes slide by as Sabelle’s tears flow. I swallow the urge to ask her how we care for Lucan, but now isn’t the time, and he isn’t her responsibility. That burden sits squarely on my shoulders. I have to find Anka and not rely on Sabelle’s sacrifices.

“Never again.” I take her face in my hands and wipe away the tears from her red-rimmed eyes. “Ever. We’ll find another way.”

She sniffles. The heartache in her eyes crushes me. “It’s the only way I know to keep him alive.”

“You did your best, but there must be something?—”

“What the fuck is going on here?”

I zip around, shuffling Sabelle behind me, and face the menacing growl at the door. Ice fills the portal, wearing an unpleasant scowl that says he’s about two seconds from ripping off my head.

The big, skull-shaved warrior prowls into the room, his green gaze raking Sabelle as if he’s checking every square inch of her for injuries—and getting more furious by the instant. He looks ready to pound flesh first—probably mine—and ask questions later. He radiates a territorial vibe I can’t miss.

Since compounding our problems would be stupid, I step away from her.

“Explain. What the hell happened?” If patience and politeness are virtues, Ice possesses not an iota of either.

Sabelle raises her chin. “I was caring for Lucan.”

Ice glances between a naked Lucan slumped on the floor, then at Sabelle with her wild hair, hastily donned robe, and the imprint of fingers around her neck.

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