Page 65 of Marked By Night

“Stop treating the help like he actually has feelings,” Elian says.

My eye twitches as the urge to stab him takes over. He’s lucky my switchblade is in my bag or it’d be through his eyeball by now. Vin’s face shuts down and all traces of his former smile are gone.

“Fuck’s sake, you really are an asshole,” I snarl. “He’s a human being, and deserves some respect, or is that too difficult to compute in that bad boy brain of yours?”

Elian’s cold eyes narrow on me, like a blast of frigid air so cold it burns me everywhere his gaze roams. “He isn’t a human at all, my dear. He’s a shifter, and I’ll give you a quick history lesson, for free. Since you know nothing about our kind or our customs. The Alpha of all shifters owed the Night Weavers a favor once, and we collected because we always come to collect. Now they are indebted to us by a life debt.”

My mouth pops open, but not from shock. No, from rage.

“Indebted to you by a life debt? You, or your so-called Elders?”

How are these the people who are in charge?

Doesn’t anyone see how corrupt they are?

The air crackles as he strides toward me and lifts two of those inked fingers, trailing them across my jaw. Indignation flares through me but is quickly replaced by heat when he trails his fingers down the side of my throat, hovering above my thundering pulse. My traitorous body flushes from the contact, making him smile viciously.

“Them, and by extension, me and this Circle.”

My temper spikes again, and I reach up, cracking Elian across the jaw. He opens and closes his mouth a few times, rubbing his chin with the same hand he had on mine seconds earlier before he spears me with a look that’s pure malice.

I cut in before he can speak. “How dare you, Elian? How fucking dare you? Your head is so far up your own ass, I’m surprised you can even see two feet in front of you. You may think they are beneath you because they’reindebtedto your kind, but they are not. I’ve been treated like I was less than dirt for most of my life, and I won’t stand for it from anyone. Especially you,” I hiss.

His emerald eyes flash with something that almost looks like regret, but it’s gone before I can be certain. He doesn’t get the chance to respond because Dante snatches me around the waist and tosses me over his shoulder, dragging me away from the scene.

“Put me down, you lithe fuck.”

He doesn’t.

“I need to kick Elian’s ass. Show him who wears the pants in this situation.”

One of these days, that infuriating man and I are going to come to blows and the explosion we’ll leave in our wake won’t be for the faint of heart.

“Vinson, please show Ashley to her room. She’s still outside.” Dante calls over his shoulder, ignoring my protests.

From my upside-down position hanging near his ass—which is a very nice, tight ass, by the way—Vinson looks totally impassive. If it weren’t for the slight tightness in his jaw, I’d never know he’s bothered by Elian’s callous words.

My eyes find Elian once more before we round the corner. I make sure to give him my best death glare on the way out, but he’s not looking at me. He’s looking at the ground with clenched fists and sad eyes. Which totally wars with the icy exterior he exudes.

Dante’s shoulders shake with laughter as he pats me on the ass. “Ignore him, Angel. He must be on his man-period or something.”

“Sure, Dante. Whatever you say.”

I can’t help replaying Elian’s words in my head as we walk away.They are indebted to us by a life debt.

“Are they really indebted to the Elders?” I ask quietly.

He nods. “They are, and we take in as many as we can, but the packhouse is only so big. It’s a long story, Angel, but trust me when I say our Circle is much friendlier to them than the rest of the Weavers.”

He sighs, sitting me down on the ground. “Try not to worry about it too much. There’s nothing you can do for them right now.” I notice he saysright now,and it gives me the tiniest bit of hope that I can dosomethingin the future.

Because I won’t stand for the mistreatment of anyone. Ever.

27

Sadie

Dante shows me room after elaborate room, but I’m hardly paying attention. It’s all too much to take in and I’m still feeling a little raw after everything that’s happened the past three days. Three freaking days. It’s hard to believe it’s only been such a short period of time. Hell, look at me now versus a few days ago. Lounging around in a mansion like I’m somebody special. Pfft.

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