Broken Souls (Book of Shadows)

Fifty-Three

Fifty-Three

HER

I dig my toes into the carpet of the living room and buzz with pure joy and excitement. At breakfast this morning, Varius told everyone he was going to swear Dayne into the Family. I didn’t know he was doing this. I thought my best friend was only visiting for a couple of days. To find out that he’s going to be here forever is making me giddy.

Standing in front of my best friend, Varius says, “Show me your power.”

Dayne holds up his hands. Electricity sparks between the fingers on his right hand. Red energy swirls between the fingers on his other as the runic tattoo on his left shoulder glows softly.

“Will you use your magic to protect the interests of the Shadow Domain?” Varius demands.

“I swear it.”

“Show me your weapons.”

Dropping his hands, Dayne removes a gun and a knife from their holster and sheath. He holds them up in front of him.

“Will you use your weapons to protect the interests of the Shadow Domain?”

“I swear it.” He puts them away as Varius asks, “Will you keep the secrets of the Shadow Domain?”

“I swear it.”

“Will you respect your brothers?”

“I swear it.”

“Then hold out your arm, and repeat after me.”

Dayne offers his right hand out, palm up.

“If I betray my vows to this Family.”

“If I betray my vows to this Family.”

He carves a stylized S into my friend’s palm beneath his middle finger.

“If I betray the Boss before me.”

“If I betray the Boss before me.”

A second S connects to the first at an angle, sixty degrees off its base, pointed towards his thumb.

“If I betray my brothers and uncles.”

“If I betray my brothers and uncles.”

A third S connects the first two to make a triangle.

“Then I will die under the reaper’s blade.”

“Then I will die under the reaper’s blade.”

Varius draws a drop of blood from the side of his finger. Then he squeezes it over the carving on Dayne’s palm.

“You now live for the Family,” Varius says. “Until death.”

“I now live for the Family,” Dayne says. “Until death.”

“Oh my gods, yes!” I squeal as I throw myself at Dayne. He laughs as he catches me. Varius’ jealousy comes down our bond, and I narrow my eyes at him. If he even thinks bad thoughts about my friend, I will bite him.

His jaw tics, so I squeeze my bestie extra hard before pulling away. I smile. “It’s good to be Family again.” I punch him in the shoulder. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I only found out last night,” he says, “when you were too busy getting your insides rearranged.”

I blush.

He grins. “And I like seeing you all excited. You’re cute.”

I narrow my eyes at him, then at Varius as I feel his jealousy hitting hard. His hand wraps around the back of my neck, and he pulls me to him.

“Thank you,” I say as I wrap my arm around his waist. His grip loosens a bit, but he doesn’t look at me, his focus on Dayne. “You will be her bodyguard from now on. If she steps out of this house, you better be with her.”

I groan. Dayne smiles. He’s going to be insuffereable.

“Yes, Boss.”

“You’ll be working with Quinton anytime she’s off the property.”

His smile fades, and mine shoots up. Oh, I am looking forward to teasing the two of them and putting them in awkward situations. I just know Quinton was all up on Vlad at the wedding reception just to get a reaction out of Dayne. It didn’t work, but give it time. I have never seen him so irritated by someone that he’s already fucked. Usually, that has always gotten them out of his system. The fact that Quinton is still in there is making me excited.

He gives me a look to tell me I better behave myself. My grin widens. This is going to be so fun.

“Now leave us,” Varius says. “I need to discuss something with my wife.”

As soon as Dayne’s gone, Varius turns to me. “Khalid has banned you from going to anymore meetings.”

“What?”

“He says you’re too volatile, and we can’t keep killing our allies.”

“But I apologized to the bitch! You’re the one who –”

“I know. And I’m sorry I messed that up for you, but you will still help me rule this Family, Micha. You’ll just have to do it from the shadows.”

My jaw tightens. All of this just feels like he’s trying to hide me all over again. Nothing but sweet words and no actions to back them up. “Whatever,” I say as I cross my arms. “You just don’t want to change tradition. Women are nothing b–”

“I risked starting a war and losing hundreds of million a year for you,” he says sharply. “I sure as hel will change a damn tradition for you.”

I don’t say anything, still not quite trusting him. But I nod so he knows I’m not blocking him out.

He sighs, then kisses my forehead. “I need to go meet Aleric. We need to figure out a plan to kill Antonio, but I love you, Micha.”

I nod again. He tenses as he waits for me to say the words. They sit heavy in my chest, not wanting to come out, not because I don’t love him but because I no longer want to speak at all. We still have our issues. I still have my fears, and sometimes they get overwhelming.

“I love you,” I finally murmur, but he’s already gone. So I get out my phone and text him.

With us at war with the Death Hunt, I don’t want him to ever leave the house thinking I’m mad at him. That could be the last thing he ever thinks of me.

My throat tightens as I grip my phone hard. A sudden feeling of deja vu hits me.

Every time my life starts looking up…

No!

Jumping to my feet, I head over to the gym to work out my nerves. But it doesn’t matter how many times I hit the bag or spar with Sau, I still can’t shake the feeling that our time together has already started to run out.