CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Bane
Out of Saylor’s illusion and feeling much calmer, Astrid wanted us to talk everything out so we could move forward.
“You would have stolen my mate if you had the chance, not to mention you drank from her, so get off your fucking high horse, Bane,” Rave snaps, and I wince when I hear Saylor’s gasp.
Soren mutters another curse under his breath, and Astrid looks at the floor.
Shit.
I had no idea that Saylor and Rave have history, and the whole thing has blindsided me. I hate that he was her first, fucking hate it.
Why did it have to be him? Motherfucker . I want to strike him with lightning until he turns into the smoke he loves to fucking show off with.
“Wait a minute,” Saylor cuts in, crossing her arms over her chest and facing me. “You and Astrid?”
Fuck .
I can feel her hurt through the bond before she blocks it, and it kills me. I never want to hurt her.
“Nothing happened,” I assure her, forgetting about my anger to try and calm her. “Yes, I drank from her, but we were locked in a cell and didn’t have a choice.”
“Fucking convenient.” Rave scowls and I really wish he would shut the fuck up.
“So nothing happened physically?” Saylor presses, cute little lines appearing between her brows. “So it was emotional? That’s even worse!”
Goddammit.
“I take it back. She’s not my hall pass,” Saylor continues, watching me with an unreadable look in her doe eyes.
Wait, what?
“I’m your hall pass?” Astrid pipes up, looking surprised and a little too curious.
“You don’t get a fucking hall pass,” I growl, feeling the urge to bite her and remind her just who she belongs to.
Rave frowns at Astrid, his shadows wrapping around her waist if she decides to run off at any minute.
“This is getting interesting,” Soren muses, his lip twitching. “But I left my mate back in the Witch Kingdom, so please tell me what you both need so I can get back to her.”
Saylor is still frowning, processing what she’s learned, so I speak up for her, “We need a favor. We’re looking for Saylor’s older brother, Shadow. He’s been missing for a few years now. I thought, who better to ask than the best tracker in the realm?”
Soren’s gray eyes go to Saylor, who is still lost in her own head. I take her hand in mine and squeeze it. As soon as the two of us are alone, we’re going to have a chat.
“Leave it with me,” Soren agrees, and Saylor flashes him a smile that doesn’t quite meet her eyes. “Thank you, Soren.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” he murmurs, turning to me as he rakes his hand through his blond hair. “I’ve never met him, so it’s going to be hard without knowing the trace his magic leaves behind. Can you give me something that was his? Clothing or a personal item would work.”
“Yes, of course.”
“If he’s changed his identity, Bane’s blood scenting might come in handy, too,” he adds, a contemplative look on his handsome face.
Saylor’s eyes finally find mine, widening. “You can scent bloodlines?”
I nod, cupping her cheeks, then running my fingers down her neck. I speak to Soren but keep my eyes on my mate. “We will bring something of his to you.”
“Okay, I’ll see you both soon.”
He says goodbye to Rave and Astrid and zips back to the Witch Kingdom.
“Let’s leave now ,” I whisper, getting her out of here before anything worse can happen. I take her to my bedroom and lay her back on the fresh, dark-green sheets. “I never touched her, Sunshine.”
“But you wanted to.” She sighs, sitting up and scooting back against the wooden headboard. “We both have pasts, Bane. I get that. And yes, I slept with Rave, but that was just physical. I could tell you and Astrid are really close, and it didn’t bother me. But now I know it was something more than that, and you actually had feelings for her.”
“Sunshine—”
“You had feelings involved, I didn’t. I just wanted to see what the big deal was about and fuck someone—” I put my finger on her lips, cutting her off.
She’s right, and she’s wrong.
“I did have feelings for Astrid at one stage,” I say slowly, trying to find the right words. “Then she told me my mate was out there, and she saw you. And everything changed for me. And now that I’ve met you, anything I thought I felt for her pales in comparison.”
“Astrid is nothing like me, Bane. She’s small, petite, and—”
“You are everything I need, Saylor. You are not nor will you ever be in competition with anyone. You were made for me, and you are fucking perfect. I couldn’t have asked for a better mate,” I assure her. This is the first time she’s shown me any kind of vulnerability, and I’m glad she can be honest and trust me enough to do so, but she has nothing to worry about. “I only see Astrid as a friend and have so for a long time now. I don’t want her.”
Sitting up next to her, I pull her onto my lap. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” she replies, burying her face in my neck.
We hold each other for a few long moments in silence. “Now, let’s go and get something that belongs to Shadow and take it to Soren in Allyria.”
“I have his gold chain at my house,” she replies, planting a soft kiss on my mouth.
“Good,” I reply, tucking her long hair behind her ear. “And then I’m going to spend all night showing you just how much I want you.”
My mate will have no doubts about my loyalty to her when I’m finished with her.