CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Astrid
Dinner at Zython’s was a way more chilled event than I thought it would be. It was mostly just us, the usual crew, and a few of my dad’s incubi friends he’d grown up with. We’re all sitting outside for once, enjoying the warm breeze. The long, white table is candlelit, and the food tonight is divine. With a glass of red wine in my hand, I turn to Rave and smirk as I watch him eat his perfectly separated food in order. He’s currently eating his vegetables while I’m digging right into my steak. It still amuses me that this big, scary shadow daddy can’t deal with the idea of his food touching each other or being eaten all at once.
“It’s nice having you here,” I say quietly, for his ears only.
His big hand reaches under the table, splayed out possessively on my thigh. “I’m happy to be anywhere you are, Princess. And I’ll be even happier to take you home alone after this and fuck you until you come all over my cock.”
My cheeks heat, hoping no one, especially my dad or brothers, heard his words.
Or Bane.
I don’t want him to hear it either.
Even though we are just friends, I know he likes me, and hell, I did like him back, just not in the same way I feel about Rave.
Still, I never want to hurt or make him uncomfortable.
It’s a nice feeling knowing his mate is out there, though, and maybe I could help him find her.
Soren, sitting opposite us with Axe, leans back in his chair, amusement etched over his expression. “So, am I the last to know about Nico and Sinda fucking? Because I accidentally walked in on them today, and I’m still in shock.”
We all go silent, and Soren barks out a laugh. “Never mind, I guess I’m the first to know then.”
He’s right because I had no idea at all. Of course, I’ve seen them hanging out together, but I never suspected it was anything romantic.
“If they wanted us to know, then we would know,” I mutter, giving Soren a look that clearly tells him to shut his mouth.
“Well, everyone knows now,” August mutters from next to Soren, picking up his ale and taking a sip.
“Hey I’m just trying to work out if they’d let me watch on purpose next time. What I saw was fucking hot,” Soren adds, grinning.
Rave drops his fork on his plate and sits back with an amused smirk. “My brother can fuck who he wants, but if you ask him about it, we’ll likely have to deal with an earthquake. So, everyone shut the fuck up.”
Nico is a little bit of an asshole, and Sinda is so nice, so maybe they’ll balance each other out. I know Nico’s fated mate died, but I haven’t seen any visions about who Sinda’s is. And now I’m feeling a little fucking nosey.
But Soren can’t help himself and adds, “Hopefully, Sinda doesn’t bend Nico’s sword.”
My lip twitches at his reference to Sinda’s metal manipulation magic, and the men chuckle.
Even Rave laughs, and when I turn to watch him, his blue eyes bright and his dimple in full show, I want nothing more than to drag him somewhere and get down on my knees for him.
“Look at me like that, Astrid, and we’re leaving right fucking now,” Rave whispers in my ear, sending shivers down my spine.
I’m considering accepting his offer when my dad comes over and invites Rave and Soren to see his weaponry. They both follow him, Rave leaving me with a lingering look that leaves my panties wet.
“You’ve got him wrapped around your little finger,” Axe comments, moving into the seat Rave vacated. His arm touches mine, and then he stills, his brow furrowing in confusion. He drops his head into his hands.
“What’s wrong?” I ask him, sitting up and touching his back. “Axe?”
Bane and Kai come over from their seats to see what’s going on, but Axe just sits up and forces a smile, looking at me as if he’s never seen me before. “It’s nothing, just a little head spin.”
He stretches his neck from side to side, and I feel his agitation. His fingers strum on his wine glass, and I stand up, grabbing his bicep. “Come with me,” I demand, and he allows me to drag him to a large tree, far enough away from the others that they won’t be able to hear our conversation. “What the fuck was that?”
Axe crosses his arms over his chest. “Astrid, you know that I’m a mirror.”
“Yes,” I reply with a slight shrug. “What about it?”
His lips tighten. “I’m. A. Mirror.”
And then it hits me.
His arm touched mine.
He must have mirrored my magic.
He touched me and had a vision.
He knows what I am.
Fuck.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” he whisper-yells, his hands gripping my shoulders. “You’re a fucking seer?”
“What did you see?” I ask him, gripping his forearms.
Fear flickers in his green eyes, his throat working as he swallows, “I saw—”
“What’s wrong?” Bane demands, rushing up to us. “Axe, get your fucking hands off her.”
My brother lets me go, and Bane pulls me against him.
Axe scowls. He wasn’t hurting me, but I see the way he was looming over me could appear aggressive. “Nothing is wrong. I’m having a private conversation with my sister, who is apparently a fucking seer and didn’t tell any of us.”
So much for a private conversation.
I’m about to yell at Axe for having a big fucking mouth when out of nowhere, five vampires appear.
And then all I see is darkness.
***
My eyes flutter open, focusing on the dark stone ceiling, my head feeling heavy. What happened? Sitting up, I realize I’m all but lying on top of Bane, and we’re alone in a cell. Our legs are shackled in thick silver, and I start to panic, and it all comes back to me.
The vampires took us.
Bane is bleeding from his head, the blood dripping down his face. His lip is swollen, his eyes are purple, and likely will be black tomorrow. Ripping off a strip from my tunic, I gently press down on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding while I heal him.
How did they get to us?
How did I get knocked out?
I don’t remember fighting, just passing out.
“Bane?” I whisper, checking his pulse. Placing my warm hands on him, I let my healing magic do its job, watching in satisfaction as all the damage on him disappears, only a slight discomfort hitting me. My magic is getting stronger and stronger because before, I would have been drained and have had to sleep it off.
He’s alive, and when his dark eyes open, they flicker amber. “Are you okay?”
Bane takes me in silently, then forces himself to sit up. “Motherfucker. You healed me?”
“Of course I did. What happened?” I ask, still confused.
“The vampires came and used a witch spell on you. It knocked you unconscious. It happened so fucking fast. When they tried to zip you away, I quickly held onto you and came with you. I fought them off when they tried to separate us, so they gave up and threw me in here with you. There were a lot of them.”
“You could have zipped away.”
“I’m not leaving you. What kind of male do you think I am?” He scowls, leaning his head back against the stone wall. “And these shackles are magic. We can’t zip now, even if I had the energy.” I don’t miss the way his half-mast eyes zoom in on my neck.
Of course, he lost a lot of blood. He must be hungry.
“Bane, do you need—”
“No,” he growls out, closing his eyes. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”
I scoot over to sit next to him, resting my head on his shoulder. “How long until they find us?”
“I don’t know,” he admits, swallowing hard. “But we just need to stay alive until they do.”
No one comes for us that night, and we fall asleep together.
Cold.
Hungry.
And fucking angry.