Page 274 of Dragon Slayer

50

CANDY-FRAGILE

“How’s Brando?”

Everything about this, about having her here, was a marvel. Staring down at the top of her head, breathing in the scents of her shampoo and skin, was a revelation. The heat of her body pressed close to his side; the embrace of her arms around his waist; weight of her temple at his shoulder. He was fascinated by the glimpse of her bare ankles between the line of her pants and the tops of her black, borrowed sneakers. He couldn’t stop shaking. Wasn’t sure if he could ever stop.

Her hair rustled as she tipped her head back, propped her chin on his collarbone and smiled up at him. “I finally get here and you want to know about Brando?” she teased.

He couldn’t respond in kind, his voice as shaky as his hands. “I want to know everything there is to know about you.”

Her expression softened, smile going warm and a little self-conscious. “There’s not much to know.”

“I disagree.”

She sighed, fond. “Donna texted me a little while ago to say that Brando misses me – which I doubt – and that the other girls are spoiling him. She also wanted to know if she needed to call the real police for me. Or maybe even the National Guard.” She breathed a quiet laugh, but it was humorless. “I still can’t believe this is happening.”

She rested her head against him, lashes dropping low, and he could read the anguish in her. It was soft, but it was real, layered and confused. She didn’t deserve it, he thought.

“Mia.” He raised one unsteady hand and cupped it around the back of her head. Her skull felt candy-fragile, even given his own current weakness. “Your father isn’t exactly the villain here.”

She pulled back far enough to tip an angry, disbelieving look up to his face. “He’s holding you prisoner–”

“Just as hundreds of others have done before him. He didn’t put me in the cage, darling. He’s merely keeping me here. There are nearly six-hundred years’ worth of files and rumors and security tapes on me, and none of them tell a story that would convince a rational person that I was some – innocent pawn in all this.”

Her frown deepened, undeterred. “So? So you killed some people while you were in here, right? You said you did. That’s – well, that’s not ideal. But they were keeping you locked up. They were abusing you.”

“Are you trying to convince yourself?”

“No.” She braced her hand against his chest and pushed herself upright, so their faces were nearly level. “I asked you once before if you were trying to scare me off, and you’re doing it again.”

“I don’t want you to forsake your family just because–”

“Val.” She laid her hand on his face, and he couldn’t help but lean into it. Her gaze sparked, as ferocious as any wolf. “Family is made of the people who love you. Who you love back. The people who help you, and hold you up, and accept you. I get to choose that. I get to choose you – to be on your side. Stop trying to convince me I shouldn’t.”

She vibrated with energy and emotion. Her look dared him to challenge her.

But then she realized what she’d said – how forceful it had sounded – and she shrank a little, hand sliding down to his chest, her touch light – not enough. “I’m sorry, I–”

He caught her hand in his. “Mia.” He sounded ragged, and he didn’t care. This was…she was…

She waseverything.

The door opened at the top of the stairs.

“Mia, listen to me.” He grabbed her shoulders tight. Shoved his face into hers. “I need you to think about what you want. What youreally want. Not in fantasies and hypotheticals, alright? Decide. And trust my brother. He’s an asshole, I know, but he’s on our side.”

Her gaze flicked back and forth across his face. Uncertain now. “I…”

The barred door creaked open and footfalls moved toward them.

Val shut his eyes and touched his forehead briefly to hers. “Decide,” he said again, and then there was Vlad, come to collect her.

He looked especially stone-faced.

“What’s going on up there?” Val asked.

“The mage is here,” Vlad ground out. “And he has a revenant with him.”

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