Page 22 of The Aether

“I seduced him, and in doing that, I somehow chained myself to him. He eventually finds me wherever I go.”

CHAPTER8

“Bloody hell!”

“Damian, I’m sorry.” Josie jumped to her feet. “I’ll go to France right now. Maybe he didn’t pick up on this location.”

“You’ll do no such thing,” he growled. “You’re going to stay right here and tell me everything you know and why he tried to seduce Taryn.”

“He thought she was the weak link in our family.”

“Taryn?” Damian actually chuckled. “Did he not research your family first?”

“Well, Viv was in love with you. I’m rebellious. And Soleil…”

What could she say that wouldn’t sound derogatory about her flighty sister? Soleil loved her plants and romance novels. Technically, she should’ve been the easier to lure to Morgan’s side, but he’d once claimed he didn’t have it in him to seduce a “fatty.”

Josie had wanted to rip his eyes out with her fingernails, but she’d laughingly agreed with him that Lei was the most unattractive and could stand to lose weight. Personally, Josie thought her sister was perfect just the way she was, but of course, she couldn’t reveal that in any way. She’d gone so far as to mock Lei whenever Morgan was visiting.

The hurt on her sister’s face wounded Josie’s soul.

“Say no more.” A grim smile tightened Damian’s mouth.

“Soleil is beautiful, Damian.” Where she found the courage to snap at him, Josie would never know, but she was floored when he grinned.

“I never thought otherwise. However, I’m happy you recognize her worth.”

“I always have,” she said quietly. “I just wish she knew that.”

“She will. You’ll tell her when this is over.”

“If I survive Morgan.”

“I’m going to make it my mission to see you do, Josie. I promise.”

Tears burned her eyes. It was the second time she’d almost cried in the Aether’s presence, and she didn’t understand why she was so emotional. The last time she wept was the day of her parents’ funeral, twenty-two years ago. As an eighteen-year-old girl left to care for her teenage sisters, she’d been distraught and scared shitless.

But they’d made it work.

In recent years, she’d tried to distance herself, allowing her siblings to take over more responsibilities by acting as if she were too good to run the family store. She wanted to make sure they didn’t rely on her, but on themselves, should anything happen to her like it had their parents.

She was doubly glad she did because she’d never anticipated Morgan.

“Tell me everything.”

She did. Whatever she recalled, she regurgitated and let Damian draw his own conclusions.

Horrific tales of Isolde de Thorne had prompted Josie to protect Vivian and Sabrina on her own. She didn’t care for the way her sister had become so enthralled with the Aether or how quickly it had happened. It was as if Viv was under a spell. Belatedly, Josie realized she should’ve never tried to save them without getting to know Damian better, but the man was reclusive by nature. Although courteous, he’d never been overly friendly with Josie or her sisters. His primary focus was always Vivian.

Josie could admit she was probably wrong about him. Yes, Damian was one scary motherfucker. But he’d healed her when he could’ve left her to suffer. He’d resurrected Vivian when he could’ve easily left her to her fate and absconded with Sabrina, as he would’ve, had he truly desired her abilities. And now, he was offering to shield Josie when anyone else would’ve told her to fuck all the way off after what she’d done.

She’d misjudged him.

“First things first. We need to get your family here,” Damian said after a long silence. “They aren’t safe from Morcant. He’d just as soon kill them to steal their magic as look at them.”

“Why do you think he hasn’t already?”

“My protection wards—” Swearing viciously, he stared at her with something akin to horror. “I destroyed them to bring Sabrina home. Do you know if your sisters restored them?”

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