Page 13 of Bound By Darkness

Succubus and angel?

He shakes his head again.You are balance.

Balance?I don’t understand.

Between the light and the dark. You are the answer.He pauses and the mist grows even thicker around him. I sense he’s about to leave, but I still don’t know what he’s trying to tell me. And while I notice he hasn’t reached his own orgasm, he seems unconcerned.

Trust the balance,he continues, his eyes boring into mine in such a way that I can feel his gaze all the way down my spine.And do not trust her.

“Her?” I respond immediately, wanting to capitalize on whatever time is left with him. My brain is reeling—I don’t understand his words.Morrigan? The Midnight Queen?

Trust the balance,he repeats before fading entirely into the mist.

CHAPTER FOUR

CAMBION

Mortal Realm

When I find her, Eilish is standing deep in the forest, looking out over a misty pond. I first feel anger at her stupidity, for wandering so far when none of us are safe. But upon seeing her face, I soften, my anger mellowing as I observe her still form at the water’s edge.

She appears so alone out here. So small. Not the creature I’ve become so wary of, but a confused girl trying to navigate a world of which she knows very little.

Regardless, my sympathy is in short supply, and I refuse to reveal the softer side of my feelings toward her. Ever since Variant’s betrayal, trust is not a commodity in which I’m willing to trade.

“How could you be so stupid?” I scold when she’s within earshot. In my efforts to safeguard my concern for her wellbeing, I may have overcorrected. My words are scathing and cruel. I see the hurt in her eyes as she jumps out of her reverie and turns to face me.

“I… I’m sorry. There was…” she starts.

“We’ve just barely escaped with our lives, or did you forget?”

Her mouth opens and closes, but she can’t manage to form any real words before I’m at her again.

“Who are you talking to out here anyway?”

“I was…” She clears her throat. “I wasn’t talking to anyone.”

I can see the lie in her eyes. Furthermore, I could hear her speaking with someone. No, I didn’t hear the other side of the conversation, but hearing her voice was enough. Clearly, she was talking to someone who has since departed.

“Sneaking off into the woods doesn’t help your case,” I interrupt her.

“I didn’t sneak off.”

“Then how do you explain the fact that you’re here? Beyond the perimeter of theGlyph of Wardingmeant to keep you safely inside our camp?”

“I… I had to relieve myself.”

“And you travel this far away?” I eye her with a narrowed and suspicious gaze. She’s clearly lying to me and she’s terrible at it. She came out here for a reason and I want to know what that reason is. And I also want to know who the fuck she was talking to.

This girl is trouble. Just like Lamia and her daughters were trouble. Just like all Succubae are trouble.

“Dragan might be fooled by your act but I’m not,” I say as I glare at her.

“It’s not an act,” she insists.

“I’m no fool. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were the one who alerted Anona to our location in the first place!”

Her eyes widen and her mouth drops open. I don’t allow her to speak. Instead, I close the distance between us and glare down at her from narrowed eyes.

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