Page 89 of In the Blood

“Hey… it’s alright. I apologize." His tone softened as he pulled me onto the bed and into his lap. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I told you, I’m prone to… moods. And now that you’re seeing more of me, they’re difficult to hide. Right now, I just need an escape from who I am and what I’ve done. I can’t stand myself.”

His head hung low in defeat. I cradled his face between my hands and brought his lips to mine. He hungrily kissed me back, lifting me, until I was straddling him. He situated himself until he’d slid inside me with one long thrust. My breathing hitched as he filled me, moving my hips up and down.

I lost myself to the rhythm and before I knew it, his teeth were in my neck and he was drinking from me. The sudden rush of magic made me spasm uncontrollably, followed shortly by his release. He pulled away from me, lips red, and gave me the first smile I’d seen from him since this morning.

“You’re incredible,” he murmured.

I shook off the haze from his bite and went to clean myself off. “Galen,” I called from the bathing room, putting a towel against my neck. “I need contraception.” The last thing we needed was a faerie-human baby for the Elders to butcher. The twisted thought stopped me in my tracks. Would weeverbe safe to have children? Not in this world. Not with his mother in power.

“I’ve been drinking a contraceptive tea, but I can bring some for you tomorrow as well,” he called back.

I know, but I don’t trust you, I mumbled to myself. I’d been careless. I had to start taking myself more seriously. I was giving him too much control. We went to bed in each other’s arms, but I laid awake for hours, with a mind too busy for sleep, before finally drifting off.

I was back in the drizzly forest. And I was sick of this dream—of pine trees, of being wet, of running. This time, when I saw my mother's silhouette in the distance, I didn't give chase. Instead, I walked away from her.

My chest ached to follow, but I stayed firm in my decision as I walked the path in the opposite direction. I knew this trail, had walked it every day when I'd lived in a small cabin with my parents. And if my mother wouldn't come to me, then I would go to our home and wait for her.

I stood at the edge of the forest, staring at my childhood home. Smoke billowed from the chimney perched on the thatched roof. Someone was inside. My stomach fluttered uneasily. The impulsive part of me wanted to sprint forward, fling open the door, and shout for my mother. But my feet stayed glued in place, because… what if instead of my mother, I was greeted by my father? I wasn't sure I wanted to face him.

Hesitating, I studied my surroundings. My heart galloped when I took in the small barn and paddock at the far side of the property, tucked behind an apple orchard and my mother's magnificent gardens. I'd spent so much of my youth in that barn with my first horse, Skye. I hadn't thought about her for years and I didn't know how I'd let myself forget her. She'd been my best friend and my protector when… when my mother and father would fight. Sometimes I'd sleep in a pile of hay beside her instead of my bed.

Hazy memories flashed in my mind as I made my way to the barn: the smell of oats and molasses, the tickle of alfalfa dust in my nose, the sharp tang of leather and sweat from the tack room, soft huffs from Skye as I brushed her coat.

Skye. She was grazing in the paddock, flicking her tail back and forth as raindrops rolled off her shaggy Palomino coat. Her ears twitched in my direction and then her eyes locked with mine. I jogged forward excitedly, before slamming into an invisible barrier. The force of it sent me tumbling backwards. It was a barrier of… wind.

Confused, I slowly turned around, then staggered back. My mother stood before me with a sad smile on her face. "I'm sorry, Goldie. But there's no time. You need to follow me. And we need to hurry."

I glared at her, angry beyond reason. "Why? Why do you keep telling me to run? Why are you haunting me?”

"Because he's chasing us. And he won't ever stop. Not until we’re dead."

I nearly crumbled to the ground. Tears filled my eyes as I said through gritted teeth, "You're already dead. And I'm sick ofrunning. I'm tired."

"Just a little longer, my love. Just a little longer. Quickly." She held out her hand and I took it, letting her lead me back into the forest.

I found myself more eager than ever for my session with Rafael. Last night, something had changed in me. I was angry. I was formidable. And I was ready to stop being a victim; a victim of my mother’s death, my father’s abandonment, of my circumstances. I was more than a misfit navigating a new world, trying to keep up with the rules. I wanted tochangethe rules. I wanted to fight. I wanted todestroythe systems that prospered by oppression.

Sensing my mood, Raf had us begin with combat. My shields were coming effortlessly these days, making it easier to use both hands for offense. He decided to put his shadows away today and let me fight his earth magic—still a fierce opponent. The earth quaked under my feet as he shot vines at my wrists, but today I was faster.

I hovered above the ground and dodged his vines, throwing ice daggers one after another. They were nearly invisible as they soared through the air, aided by a cold gust of wind. In a series of blurry movements, he blocked them, but the blizzard that followed obscured his senses, giving me enough time to turn his hands into two blocks of ice. He grinned, unable to counter attack.

For a brief moment, I’d won. Then he turned into shadow, breaking from the ice. He popped up behind me to whisper, “Good job,” making me jump. “Maybe we should practice our dance. You seem pretty competent in your magic these days.”

I gave a half-smile back, stepping away from him. “Sounds like the Prince of Shadows is scared of my ice daggers.”

His gaze darkened as he prowled closer. “You know perfectly well that Iloveyour ice daggers.” The way he said it made my stomach dip. “And I hate to break it to you, but you’re not that scary.”

I scoffed at him, while my pulse hammered. He was leaning over me now—so close that I had to tilt my head back to look up at him.

“There's also the fact thatyou’rethe one who can’t seem to control your heart rate when we’re together,” he said, staring at my lips.

I felt uncomfortably hot under his heavy-lidded gaze. “Fine. Let’s dance,” I snapped, lacing my fingers with his—not giving myself time to second guess my decision. He placed his other hand on my hip. I was hyper-aware of my heart slamming against my chest.

Pull yourself together, Marigold.

“What’s next?” I asked as his breath tickled my forehead.

“Next, you just let go and let me take the lead.” He swung me around, marched me backwards, hooked my leg around him with a firm grip, then dipped me back. A laugh bubbled from me as I let him take control.

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