Page 57 of Our Sins in Silver (Coven of Sin 3)

I wasn’t even paying attention to the memory he’d flung us into. It was somewhere before his vampire life if the colors and the details were any clue.

He took a step back as I approached. “Spare me your pity. I don’t deserve it. Not after what I just told you.”

“I don’t pity you.” I swallowed. “I know you wouldn’t have done that to me. I think you know that too. Hence the pity party you got going on. I think a part of you—” I approached his monster with caution, my arm outstretched like I was approaching a cornered animal who might snap. He didn’t back away, only eyed me wearily as I touched his bicep and stroked his scarred flesh. “—is mad that you put my feelings before the fate of your kingdom. I don’t blame you for that. You’ve been hurt in ways I’ll never fully understand, no matter how much I explore your mind.

“I understand the thought crossing your mind to…claim me before I was ready. Your monster wanted to sacrifice what we have to save literally everything else. But you didn’t let it. That’s what counts. Because you knew I wanted something different, something risky and dangerous. You indulged me, even knowing the risk.”

“I was selfish because I wanted to see you. To hold you. At that moment, I wasn’t thinking about him or what might happen if he showed up.” My silver prince cupped my chin and stroked his thumb over the patch of skin beneath my ear. “All I could think about was experiencing you in the same light that Corry, Eros, and Vincent do. And I wanted to give you something a crippled lover can’t.”

“So…let’s say this is both our faults. Our monsters’ curiosity and horniness put us in this situation. Now…” I rose up on my toes, pressing myself against his chest while I wound a silver lock of his hair around my clawed finger. “I want my gentle priest back, so he can use that brain of his to come up with a plan to get us the fuck out of here.”

Right before my eyes, Sterling’s scars began to disappear. The dark shadows coiling around his frame leached back into the memories surrounding us.

Once he was back to his ethereal, flawless self, he grabbed my head and dragged my lips to his in a searing kiss.

“I have a plan,” he murmured against my mouth. Drawing back, he pinned me with a look that made goosebumps explode on my skin.

“But I’m afraid you’re not going to like it.”

Chapter twenty-five

The Magic of the Knight Progeny

Sterling’svoicehadanedge, sharp as a dagger.

That didn’t stop me from moving closer to him, as close as I could. The feel of his lithe and hardened physique flush against mine sparked a flame inside. It boiled away all the fear and humiliation that had bubbled up with my dad’s unwelcome appearance, leaving me with nothing but resolute fury.

For the first time, I trusted my anger. Found comfort in it. Because this fire that was filling my veins? This ache in my heart? Those weren’t the reflex reactions of a frightened girl.

Those were the choice weapon of a woman scorned.

“I might not like your plan—whatever it is. But I’ll do it. Whatever it takes.”

Sterling studied me for a long pause before giving a nod. “This way.”

Taking me by the hand, he led me through his memories.

Colors swirled around us, taking shape as quickly as the details formed. Some were hazy while others were crystal clear. We didn’t slow down enough for me to pick up sufficient features of the sequences to make sense of them. Just minor details. Blurred faces. A crucifix here, the scriptorium there. Pages of manuscripts. Blood and ink-soaked fingers struggling to hold a quill.

As we headed into more recent memories, colors and images faded, and darkness took over.

My jaw went slack as the murk of his vampiric memories enveloped us. This was the part of Sterling’s mind after he lost his sight. This was how he saw the world. I knew the blind vampire had his own unique way of seeing, but I didn’t think the darkness he lived in was this...alive.

A symphony of sounds reached my ears, rich scents tickled my nose, and shimmering splashes of pulsating light ribboned around me.

In this memory, Sterling’s voice spoke with a slight echo to it as it stretched from the past.

Curiosity made me stop in my tracks to take in the memory. Sterling was having a conversation with another person. Since this was from his point of view from his vampire life, I couldn’t make out who he was talking to. At least, not in the traditional sense.

The outline of a man—a big one—stood before him. His shape was outlined in a light made of lustrous, red sparks. Almost like fire. Somehow, I knew this was Vincent’s aura. A second later, my suspicion was confirmed when the dark fae spoke. “You don’t sound happy with my news. Maybe you didn’t hear me right. I killed our master, Ster. The king is dead. He can’t hurt us anymore.”

Sterling of the present tugged on my hand. “Come. We must hurry.”

I remained frozen in place, gaping at Vincent’s radiant aura. It was sinister and beautiful all at once like he was made of flame and fury, noxious, violent energy.

“When you told me you see people’s auras, this wasn’t what I imagined.”

Sterling gave a thoughtful hum. “Vincent’s is unusual due to his fae blood. Not everyone’s is as caustic as his.”

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