Page 227 of Blue Moon Mistress

“Because blood magic is only as powerful as the blood it uses.” I look back at them, knowing I look like a complete grotesquerie. “And blood given freely is always stronger than blood taken from the unwilling.”

Standing on shaky legs, I leave the protective circle. I don’t bother with the cloak. It’s drenched.

Johnny reaches out for me.

“Let me get cleaned up first.”

But he snorts. “Do you know how many times we’ve each woken up drenched in blood. You might look like you’re straight out of a horror flick, but you don’t scare us.”

He picks me up, and even in spite of what I said, I pull myself close to his warmth. But they don’t take me back to the house and the shower I expect.

When they stop, it’s by the steaming pool and Thomas picks up a large bowl someone left here when I wasn’t paying attention.

“We figured you wouldn’t want to get in until you were cleaned off,” he says, scooping out steaming water.

“Thank you.”

They all help to get the blood and herbs and off of me, avoiding the silver flakes, even though they shouldn’t hurt them anymore.

The wolves are gone—hunting—and soon, so is every last remnant of the spell it took to be rid of Aphrodite Lourdes for good.

“Come on,” Chase says, pulling off his shirt and nodding toward the pool. “Get in. We’ll be right there.”

I don’t want to wait.

And they do not disappoint me. I snuggle in between them, letting the water warm me back up and let their nearness remind me that no matter how close I was to losing them… it didn’t happen.

Itwon’thappen.

“Hey,” Thomas asks, tipping my chin up. “What’s got you smiling like that?”

“I love you. I don’t know if I say that enough.”

“Pretty sure once a second could never be too much.” Joshua kisses my shoulder. “But we know. Even if you don’t say it as often as wewantto hear it.”

“We love you too, Scarlette.” Chase pulls me to him and kisses me so deeply, I begin to lose myself. But when he pulls away, I meet his clear eyes. “You’re it for us.”

“And… if you’d like to shorten that pre-engagement period…” Johnny looks at me hopefully and I can’t stop myself from smiling.

“We’ll see.”

Twenty-Two

Tomorrow,Yule is over and we’ve weathered it without a single possession.

Lying in the enormous bed Joshua made, I’m as exhausted as they are.

But a prickle at the back of my mind, makes my eyes fly wide and I wiggle out from under Thomas’ arm.

“Where are you going, beautiful?”

I pull on my underwear before I answer. “Get dressed.”

Joshua is out of the bed in an instant, taking hold of my arm and turning me to him. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s wonderful, just get dressed and come on! We have to go outside.” I pull my warmest skirt on and grab one of Chase’s shirts, It’s just going under my jacket, anyway.

They’re still pulling their pants on, looking at me like I’m crazy when I hurry through the house to where I’ve stashed what I hadn’t previously had any idea how to give them.

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