Page 57 of All's Fair in Love and Magic

Soon enough, every vampire on the island was going to know exactly who they shouldn’t mess with.

twelve

LIAM

My nostrils flaredwhen I took the empty seat at Sage’s table. I’d spent too long in the water, but it felt great, and I’d been able to see my mate every minute I was gone.

“Why the fuck do I smell your blood?” I inhaled again. My sense of smell was horse shit next to a dragon’s, but still better than any human’s. “And… Cecil?” I was on my feet again in a heartbeat, but Sage caught my wrist.

She gave me a tired smile. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Like fuck am I not going to worry about it,” I snarled. “What happened? Why do you look like you’re about to fall over?”

“Cecil showed up and took a bunch of her blood after threatening to give her to the witches outside the wards,” the redheaded shifter said bluntly.

“What?” I nearly roared the word.

Giving her to the witches would be signing her death sentence. I would’ve seen him take her—but I may not have gotten to her in time. Not without my wings.

The fucking mate bond was going to get my female killed, and there was nothing I could do to stop it except stay by her side for every minute of every day.

“I handled it,” Sage said calmly.

Too calmly.

I opened my mouth to say something else, but my attention caught on a small smear of blood extending over the side of her thigh. Leaning over, I took in the rune. “What did you do?”

“Plenty.”

“Clove,” I growled. “I am not in the mood for secrets.”

“They were willing to kill me, so I returned the favor.”

“Give me thedetails, woman.”

She rolled her eyes. She looked so wiped out, the gesture made my stomach clench. “I made my blood incompatible with vampires for a while. They can drink it, but it’ll poison them. How much it affects them will depend on how much they drink.” She watched me closely for a reaction. “A few of them will probably die, but I wasn’t going to let them think they can attack me whenever they want. If I’m going to live with criminals, I have to make it clear that I’m as dangerous as they are.”

My chest rumbled.

As much as it pissed me off that my mate had to protect herself, I was really fucking relieved that she could.

“You shouldn’t have had to do anything… but it was a good call,” I said grudgingly.

She smiled.

Then tipped sideways, just a little.

I grabbed her to keep her upright. “How much blood did they take?”

“Too much,” the blonde shifter said. “You should probably take her home to rest.”

“I don’t need any more sleep,” she mumbled.

“You can at least spend the day watching movies on the couch or something,” the redhead pointed out.

Sage waved a hand, dismissing the idea. “I’m fine.”

“You clearly aren’t.” I lifted her out of her chair.

---