Chapter 30 #2
I froze as all eyes landed on me.
“Fuck. I didn’t think they’d notice you that quickly. Stay behind me.” Raphael moved forward and unsheathed his sword, his wings tucked away but his stance screaming predator.
I unsheathed my sword and fell into step beside him. “I don’t need to stay behind you.”
I stepped out into the melee and began taking down guards.
It had been a while since I’d used a sword, and each time metal clashed against metal, my whole body vibrated with the impact. But my muscles remembered everything, and I fell into a rhythm.
Val caught my eye from the other side of a fountain, his gaze locking with mine for a heartbeat before another guard charged at him.
We were grossly outnumbered, but with Nico darting between legs in squirrel form and ripping out throats with ruthless efficiency, we were making headway against the guards.
The last of the guards went down with a gurgle, and we all stood there, panting from exertion. Raphael positioned himself next to me and gave me a nod of approval.
Nico shifted and ran toward me, stopping short when Raphael held up his sword defensively between us.
“Who the fuck is this?” Blood covered Nico’s face, and he quickly wiped it off with the hem of his shirt.
I pushed down Raphael’s arm, forcing him to lower the sword. Nico’s eyebrows shot up at the familiar gesture, and then he closed the distance between us, scooping me into his arms.
My breath hitched as he held me close, his hand going to the back of my head. I didn’t know what I would have done if he had died. The thought alone made something cold and terrible unfurl in my chest.
“I would have ripped out every fucking throat until I found you.” He pulled back and looked at me, his eyes scanning every inch of my face. “There’s a lot to tell you. Like how your filthy bloodsucker stabbed us in the back.”
I looked over his shoulder and met Val’s eyes again. He stood on the other side of the fountain, unmoving.
“Maybe we should see what he has to say.” Amari came to stand next to Nico.
My eyes immediately went to his arm, and tears filled my eyes. “Amari…”
“What’s done is done.” Amari’s voice was a little too steady, all things considered. He shifted his attention to Raphael. “Who’s this?”
Raphael stuck out his hand. “Raphael. You must be one of her many lovers.”
My face flushed with embarrassment. We hadn’t exactly discussed labels, and hearing it put so bluntly made the complicated tangle of my feelings for these men impossible to ignore.
Ignoring Raphael’s remark, Nico looked at me with a worried expression. “You went to Earth? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Nico.” I put my hand on his cheek even though it was stained with blood, needing physical connection. “We should leave before more guards come.”
Amari looked around at the carnage. “There are no more… unless the council sends them. Val killed his father, and we took out the rest of his guards.” He looked over to the fountain where Val was now sitting with his head in his hands.
“He should be on the ground with the guards.” Nico turned and started walking toward Val, but Kage appeared, stepping between them.
“S-s-stop.” He held up his hand as if he were about to hold Nico back but dropped it without making contact. He took a deep breath. “He didn’t know what his f-father had planned. At least n-not all of it.”
“You’re defending the bloodsucker now? I thought you were supposed to be on my team?” Nico crossed his arms, and Kage visibly tensed. I knew from the tone of Nico’s voice that he was being sarcastic, but Kage clearly didn’t.
My heart ached for the house mage. As if hearing my thoughts, his eyes met mine, holding them for a few breaths before looking down again.
“You did well, Kage. Thank you for saving us. I know that must have been hard for you.” Nico had uncrossed his arms and was speaking in a calmer voice.
“I will go talk to the bloodsucker.” I spoke loud enough for Val to hear me, and he tensed at my words.
“Is that safe?” Raphael’s hand tightened on his sword.
I pinned him with a glare and then walked to the fountain, stepping over bodies as I went. When had I become so desensitized to the fact that dozens of dead lay before me?
I stood in front of Val and looked down at him with my hand on the hilt of my sword. I wasn’t planning on stabbing him, but if I needed to, I would.
“Val.”
He sighed and looked up, his eyes dark and his face drawn in a deep frown. He looked like shit and nothing like the confident vampire I knew.
“I’m sorry,” he choked out. His eyes went to the hand on my sword. “I didn’t know you were alive. My father sent me in his place because I thought he wanted to give me more responsibility. He wanted me out of the way so he could build an army without my knowledge.”
I gulped down the lump that had formed in my throat. “Did you know the council members were going to arrest me and probably have me executed?”
His eyes widened. “I didn’t. Samara, you know that I’d never let them hurt you.” He stood and tried to take my hands, but I backed up a step. He hung his head. “What can I do to regain your trust?”
I wanted to believe him. But trust was a fragile thing, especially in Inferna, and especially with royal blood.
“I can’t trust you. Not right now.” I cleared my throat. “We should get somewhere safe. There’s too much blood here, and we’re all exposed.”
What I didn’t add was that my own heart felt as exposed as ever.