Page 75 of Bite Me

“It's not my call, Dragon. You will not interfere with the one making the decisions here.” Leon was a hell of a lot older than Jakob. Maybe as old as their First Dragon.

Jada did not want to see the Green Dragon wyvern and Leon throw down. But, she certainly wasn't the one making decisions around here.

“Then, who is?” Even Jada could sense Ciara's emotional hold on Jakob was slipping. She put her hand on his arm and the fist he had bunched dropped open.

“Only the ones Portia has wronged can decide her fate. That is how it works in the coven. Since the Dragon whose soul she has stolen is not here, the one she has betrayed will have to decide what to do with her.”

Every single eye in the room turned to Jada.

Crap oh rama.

“What do you want to do, Jada? You can do anything from permanently ban her up to death.”

“Death?”

“Yes,” Leon nodded, “she threatened both your life and the life of your mate. It's fair for you to threaten hers in return, even take it.”

Jada had heard that other covens were much more brutal than Leon's. But it was only ever rumors. Leon was strict with them, but Portia's last punishment was the first one they'd had in years.

Jada wondered what could have happened to Portia when she had been banned and sent to Geshtianna's coven. What had happened in that month to turn her friend and sister against her?

She had a hard time believing that this whole thing was over a guy.

If Portia felt anything like what Jada felt for Ky, she could understand. It still hurt.

If this were truly her decision, she needed to make it count.

“I won't harm Portia.” The coven side of the room erupted in protests. Jada raised her hand, and surprisingly they quieted. “I don't deny that her betrayal has cut me deep. I'm not sure it's a wound that can be healed.”

Portia’s anger slipped from her face and was replaced with guilt and sadness. They both knew things would never be the same between them, and that hurt almost as badly. Portia swallowed several times and then dropped her eyes.

“I choose instead of punishment, reparation. Portia will take us to her mate and together they will help us rescue mine.”

Portia's head shot up and she gasped. “Geshtianna's coven is a dangerous place. She may well kill me for bringing you and the dragons there. Send me in alone. I swear to bring Jett out and help you find your mate.”

“I wish that I could trust you. But you know that I can't.”

Portia nodded.

Leon shooed the other demons away. “Pack what you want to take with you, Portia. While Jada will not ban you as her punishment, I will. If we cannot trust and rely on each other, we cannot be family. Once your mission to help Jada and the dragons recover what you have taken from them is complete, do not return to us.”

A heavy lump hung in Jada's throat and tears pricked her eyes. It hurt so much to think that the woman she had grown up with, her only friend, would no longer be a part of her family. She wanted to take it all back and say everything was okay. But it wasn't and they would both be dealing with the fallout for a long time to come.

Portia left the great room and Leon circled the dragons to talk. “Portia is not wrong when she says Geshtianna’s coven is dangerous. She's almost as old as I am and has had a grudge against your kind forever, both she and her brother Dumuzid.”

Jakob didn't exactly look concerned at that news, but thoughtful. “Do you know why?”

Leon shook his head. “No idea. But demons have long memories. So, whatever it was probably happened a very long time ago, and it's been boiling and bubbling in her ever since. You won't be safe there, even a little bit. Get in and get out as fast as you can.”

“You're not coming?” Jada had hoped Leon would help smooth the way with Geshtianna.

“No, she and I have our own age-old feud. Besides, you know I don't really like the desert. They’re all so old and stuffy over there. “

“Which reminds me. I got you this.” Leon reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out an iPhone. “I put my number in there for you. I won't be around to protect you so much anymore. It's time for you to get with the times.”

Jada took the slick piece of technology and held it awkwardly in her hand. Hopefully Ciara or Fleur would help her figure out how to use it. Because she was likely to break it on her own. “Thank you, but is this your polite way of telling me not to summon you anymore?”

“Yeah, don't do that.”

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