Page 23 of Embers in the Wind

Corvinus rocks me as I cry. Maybe it’s always going to be like this, dream after dream, night after night, never being able to shake the evil monster from my mind. “You know what hurts the most?” I sob.

He strokes a finger down my cheek. “Tell me.”

“If I hadn’t tore off from the group and followed Lucas that night. He may have taken what he wanted and left, went back to the rogues, or at least what was left of them after the battle was done. And the purebloods may not have ever seen him again. Or would still be dealing with his wrath. But instead, they think I went to be by his side. Fucking losers.”

Corvinus holds me. “Maybe you feel a little guilty for his capture and death? Sometimes these emotions can manifest, turn into something that they’re not.”

I turn, looking him straight in the eye. “Guilty, after what he did to them, to my friends and to me? No, I don’t feel guilty. Not even in the slightest, Corvinus. I feel used, run through the mud, shit on and absolutely betrayed by the very ones who said they would take care of me for an eternity.”

He strokes the side of my arm. “Including Lucianna?”

My chest tightens with angst. “She didn’t stop it or defend me and could have, but I understand her first allegiance has to be to the vampires as a whole and not just to me. It still fucking hurts.”

“So that’s a yes.”

“It’s a maybe.”

“And Descallia?”

“A definite yes.”

“What do you think you’ll find here that you wouldn’t find if we went back? At least back home, in Chicago, you could face what’s bothering you about them. Maybe even face to face.”

“At least here, I can find out if the witches were involved in any way and make them pay.”

Chapter 20

Corvinus

My chest tightens with unprecedented wariness. I’m in foreign territory where worrying about a female is concerned, but especially one with enough guts to defy the orders of Descallia and the witches. And that’s exactly what it sounds like she plans to do.

“I thought you were trying to befriend the witches, not start a war.” I swipe a hand through my hair. “Embry, this changes everything. Why didn’t you say that before?”

Embry shrugs. “Because I didn’t know it before. You know how sometimes you just have to follow your heart and let things work themselves out as you walk through life? I think this is one of those moments of clarity, perhaps because of the talk I had with Belinda earlier, coupled with the fact that they knew I was coming, didn’t say anything, and had blood and clothes put in the cavern.”

My eyes narrow. I have thoughts of my own, and should keep them to myself for now, at least where the pesky witches are concerned but that’s probably not going happen.

Her eyes meet mine. “Why would my gramma send me here all those years ago, after a thing like this with Lucas? It's like sheintentionally threw two volatile groups in with each other. She knew this land was one of contention, whether I knew the exact area or not. She did, yet that’s where she sent me.”

“You’re sure you’re following your grandmother’s instruction and not some trickery of the witches?”

The gold in those purple orbs flashes a warning. “I’m missing something and I want to know what it is, and I want the truth about my gramma. I’ll tell you what,” she says, “you help me get this figured out and I will go home with you. I promise not to start a war, only to find out why the witches know so much about me, how they knew I was here, and let me stay in the cavern, and in all honesty? My gramma, I still can’t shake the feeling that my gramma is here, watching me.”

I pull her to me and gently kiss her on the lips. I’m not leaving you. “I do need to go to Master Romano’s estate though. It’s not far from here. You’ll come with me, then we’ll return.”

She shakes her head. “I can’t go with you. Devora didn’t tell Raven because she didn’t want her to inadvertently tell Master Romano I was here. If it gets back to Descallia that I’m here, who knows if a war will erupt. No, I made a promise to the witches, and I plan to keep it. You go, and I’ll be here tomorrow.”

“Love, Descallia already knows. Everyone knew you were here. There are creatures in and around this sacred land that have loyalty to both the vampires and the witches. Descallia knew where you were the day he sent me. But I don’t know that Raven knows.”

Embry’s eyes meet mine. “I’ll stay here, keep a low profile until you return.”

My eyebrow arches not fully sure if she intends to keep her word. “And promise to stay out of any trouble. Understand?”

“Yes, lord,” Embry says, grinding her bare ass against my dick.

I grin into the dark and roll her over, because it’s too late to venture out now. Daylight will be here soon, so I’ll head out at first dark tomorrow. Plenty of time to play, and then get some sleep. Besides, I’m more than awake now.

The next day,I lie awake as night approaches, watching Embry sleep for longer than I should. Destiny is definitely to blame for this and for so much that has entered my life.

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