Page 35 of Our Sins in Silver (Coven of Sin 3)

I had to use every fiber of my willpower to suppress the attempts from my monster as she tried to free herself, to answer her mate’s call.

I had a choice to make, and I had to make it fast. Sterling was ready to mark me. The thing was, he didn’t know that my mark on his flesh hadn’t been enough to break the chain tethering him to his master.

Not taking advantage of Sterling’s lust was stupid, in a way. Once I told him everything that had happened—everything I’d seen—it was doubtful he’d still be in the “mood.” Of course, he’d still want to mark me, but it would be out of a duty to remove my father from our equation. The whole thing would be soured.

Better to let him claim me now simply out of his need to feel anything other than pain.

But as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t.

A fresh wave of tears stung my eyes as my monster unleashed an agonizing moan within me. That part of me didn’t understand why I was holding back from something I’d been salivating over for weeks.

My monster was so caught up in our mate’s call that she didn’t grasp the fact that if we went ahead with this, we ran the risk of Thomas Knight popping up in our heads while we mated.

If that happened... No, I couldn’t even begin to think about all the horrible things he’d make us see, do, or feel. If that happened, the moment meant to be beautiful and all ours would be poisoned forever.

Sterling wedged his hand between my thighs, and when I whimpered, he stopped, a frown slashing his lips. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t...”

Pulling himself off me, he sat back on his knees. His heated expression morphed back into one of guilt. “I’m sorry. Forgive my lack of...restraint. Of course, you don’t wish to do this now. Not when I nearly strangled you to death. I have no right to expect that you’d give yourself to me now.”

“It’s not that.” It felt like my heart had suddenly been filled with quick-set concrete. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

Picking up on the dread in my tone, his eyes narrowed. A tendon twitched in his jaw.

Steeling my nerves, I told him everything that had happened. How I had passed out in the vampire king’s tomb, how he’d visited me in my thoughts and forced me to see some pretty messed-up memories starring my guys. I told Sterling how the vampire king implied Dagon was already at his disposal, with his necromancy abilities at his blackened fingertips. I told my silver prince how I had not only felt but seen the magical energy my monster harnessed and how I’d used it to kick the vampire king out of my mind, even if it was just temporary.

When I finished, a pregnant silence engulfed us. I waited for my mate to speak, the minutes slowly crawling by on their hands and knees.

He finally rose to his feet, moved to his piano in the corner, and placed himself down on the bench. His slender fingers began to pluck the most melancholy tune that had my heart bleeding by the end.

This was the first time I’d heard him play in person, and it was so mournful I wanted to cry.

There were so many gaping wounds within the eldest Knight prince that words would never heal.

If only there was another way.

My mind went back to Isa and what she’d told me about magic being genetic. It was a batshit-crazy plan, one that probably wouldn’t even work.

But what if itdid?

What if I could use the same spell my dad did to allow me to enter Sterling’s mind and tell him his name that way? If it was a way to be closer—to feel safe and intimate with one another—why not try? Before I could even think about seriously attempting it, I had to know more.

Rising from the couch, I strode to the piano and straddled the bench beside him, so I was facing him.

“What was it like when my father entered your mind? Could you see him?”

The prince flinched at the directness of my question. He plucked out another few chords before answering with a sigh.

“Yes. In his twisted way, he thought he was showing me a kindness by giving me my sight back. But it just made his abuse more horrific.”

I worried my lip. “So, when he was in your mind, you weren’t blind? You could see his face?”

Sterling gave a grim nod. “The mental link combined our thoughts. If he saw it, he could show me as if I was seeing through my eyes and not his. As true to life as ever. That was the power of his magic...”

He trailed off, and after another composition that seemed to ease the stiffness in his shoulders, the tightness had gone to his voice when he spoke again. “What memories did he show you?”

I shuffled on the bench and cast my attention to the black and white piano keys where Sterling’s fingers rested.

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