Chapter 7
RONAN
If Darian knew what I was doing, I’d be as good as dead.
Hiding an unregistered witch was bad enough; it was against the law for witches to live here, no matter if you have powers or not, to not be registered.
If the council got wind of it, she would be dragged before them in chains, interrogated, hurt and then forced into one of the factions.
A witch with a dragon, though, that was a whole different level of danger.
Dragons were extinct, wiped out a long time ago.
Having a dragon as a familiar was against the law back when they were alive, a rule Vespera made because bonding to a dragon could make a witch more powerful, and she couldn’t have that.
Cherry would be executed without a trial.
My duty was to protect this realm, and anyone who broke the law I had to turn in. Instead, I was covering for her, lying for her and protecting her.
I had no damn idea why. I went into the woods alone the other night because I needed a break from Darian’s constant bitch fits.
Ever since we were attacked the other night by that blood mage, then toyed with by some witch that we couldn’t find, he has been in a foul mood.
I thought it was quite funny at first because it’s easy to rile him up when he’s in a mood, but it’s been almost a week, and I’m close to killing him now.
Darian has been my brother in every way that mattered, just as Kieran is, but lately it feels like he's slipping away.
He’s always been a control freak with a temper and a germaphobe who rarely smiles on a good day, but these days, there's something different about him, like he's carrying a dark cloud over him. Darian has always been Vesperas' favourite, which I am not complaining about; most of us hate her.
She’s sadistic and cruel, who loves power way too much and has everyone shit scared of her.
Kieran took off the other night, probably went to find some woman to screw, and there was no way in hell I was staying back at our place to listen to Darian’s nonstop ranting. I left to go for a walk, something drove me to the Whispering Woods, and that’s when I heard the roars and the screams.
Then I found her.
Cherry.
That’s what she smells like, and I don’t know her name, so it seems fitting. Watching that fucker hurt her sent something primal through me, and then I spotted the dragon not far from her; it was about to be a vampire’s meal. That should have taken all my attention, but it didn’t; she did.
The intoxicating scent, sweet cherries and warm vanilla—wrapped around me like a spell, clinging to the air even through the blood and the dirt.
It made me reckless, and before I even realised what I was doing, the vamps near the dragon were already dead, their bodies hitting the ground.
The ones that were about to tear into her never even got the chance.
My blade was already slicing through their necks, their heads rolling like discarded fruit.
I didn’t stop to think or question.
I just moved, and they were dead in seconds. Barely a breath passed before they were dead, lifeless and forgotten. That’s when I finally saw her up close.
Even bruised and bloodied, she was fucking breathtaking.
Her hair, a cascade of white silk, tumbled over her shoulders, the ends tinted with red—whether from the blood or dye, I wasn’t sure.
Strands clung to her skin, damp from the fight, wild and untamed.
Full and inviting lips were slightly parted from catching her breath.
Her skin, despite the smudges of dirt and bruises, was flawless, kissed by the moon's glow.
But it was her eyes that got me.
Shining silver, like molten stardust, with flecks of pale violet swirling around the pupils—haunting, otherworldly, pulling me in before she closed them, cutting me off from whatever storm raged behind them.
I should’ve stepped back, left her and reminded myself that she was just another witch, another lawbreaker.
Another problem that I didn’t need, but fuck if I could.
I helped her, cleaned her wounds and tended to all of her injuries.
I took care of her without so much as glancing at where I shouldn’t.
It would have been disrespectful, and no matter what people thought of me, I wasn’t that guy.
Yeah, I have had the odd fling, something to just satisfy a physical need, being close to somebody even if it was just for a night. I was nothing like Kieran, though, who swapped women like he was trying to complete a damn collection.
He had emotional issues, was a grumpy fuck with most people, but at least we got to see his sarcastic side; he could be funny at times.
Not as funny as me. I'm hilarious.
Darian has only ever been with one woman, whom I cannot stand.
A high-level witch, an empathic overload, so she could use your emotions to break minds or control you, and she also worked with Vespera.
Sera did everything for Vespera, wanted her crown too, and she was utterly obsessed with Darian.
Darian stayed with her because it was easier than the headache she would cause if he did try to leave; he tried, and she turned into one crazy bitch.
He has to protect his brother and sister.
Since that night, all I can think about is Cherry. I have never been like this with a woman; there was a pull to her that I couldn’t explain, something tugging in my chest, rooting her in my mind like a damned curse I didn’t remember asking for.
Darian stormed into the kitchen, already dressed for the meeting, his face locked in a permanent scowl. He opens the fridge, grabs a water bottle, and slams the door shut like it offended him.
“Where were you last night?”
No good morning, no hey, Ronan, how’s your fucking day going? Just straight to the interrogation.
Classic Darian.
I took a sip of my coffee, eyeing him over the rim as I let the silence stretch to piss him off.
I smirk. “Good morning to you, too, sunshine.”
Darian narrowed his eyes, taking a long swig from his water bottle before placing it down on the table with enough force to make it rattle.
“Don’t fucking sunshine me, “he snaps. “You have been disappearing every night for over a week now without telling us where you’re going. So, I’ll ask again—where the hell have you been going?”
I downed the rest of my coffee, placed the mug in the sink, and I knew he would demand I wash it—control freak.
“I was out,” I faced him.
His jaw ticked. “That’s not good enough.”
I arched my brow. “It’s the answer you’re getting.”
“You know we don’t keep secrets.”
I laughed sharply, and right on cue, Keiran’s door creaked open. He stepped out, half-dressed and looking like he would rather be anywhere else but here, but I could see the hint of a smirk. We both enjoyed pissing off Darian.
He glanced between us, rolled his eyes, and muttered. “Jesus, you two bicker like an old married couple.” He stepped up beside me, pulled out a mug, and poured himself a coffee—then dumped in four massive teaspoons of sugar. I watched in mild horror.
“How the hell do you still have teeth?”
He smirked slightly and then poured in some whisky before sipping his drink like it wasn’t pure syrup and eight o'clock in the fucking morning.
Why am I not surprised?
I turned back to Darian, who was still glaring at me as if I had just shit in his hands and made him clap. Disgusting image, but point made.
“Who the fuck would marry him?” I jabbed a thumb in Darian’s direction. “Doesn’t respect privacy, acts like a damn drill sergeant, and we don’t keep secrets? That’s rich coming from you. The guy who tells us absolutely nothing when it comes to Vespera.”
Darian’s jaw tightened as he stepped forward, all tense shoulders and barely restrained irritation. Kieran just shrugged, completely unbothered and placed his hand on Darian’s shoulder before he could start spouting his usual, I carry the weight of responsibility speech.
“He’s got a point, man.”
Darian’s death glare swung to him now, but Kieran just took another lazy sip of his sugar-infused coffee. I caught the way his gaze flicked to the sink, right to the mug I had left there, and—yep—there it was—the barely perceptible twitch of his eye.
Control freak.
“Where have you been sneaking off to anyway?” Kieran asked me, and I almost punched him right in the face.
If it wasn’t for trying not to laugh at Darian’s eye twitch, I would have.
“Got yourself a lady friend?”
I scoffed, ignoring him, and picked up the mug in the sink, rinsing it off and placing it on the drying rack.
Right on cue, Darian pushed away from the counter, stormed over to the sink and rewashed it himself.
Like I knew he would.
Kieran rolled his eyes.
“Unlike you,” I gave Kieran a look. “I would rather keep my dick intact. Honestly, I’m shocked yours hasn’t fallen off yet.” I shuddered just thinking about it, and Kieran just grinned like it was a compliment
“And as I told him,” I nodded towards Darian, who was now scrubbing the already-clean mug. “I was out. I don’t need to tell you what I do in my free time. In the same way, I don’t question what Vespera tells him in their secret meetings that can’t be shared with the rest of us.”
Darian’s shoulders went rigid. Satisfied, I cleared my throat and turned on my heel, heading out of the kitchen to pull on my boots.
“Wow, you’re extra twitchy today. Not getting much sleep?” Kieran teased Darian, leaning against the counter as I laced up my boots, my thoughts tangled up with Cherry, her eyes, her scent, her beautiful body and that laugh. Fuck.
“Yeah, well, for one, I had to pull Drew from yet another fight, and check on Daleyza after the mess from last night, then a fucking banshee spent hours screaming in your room. So, no, I didn’t get any fucking sleep.
” Darian snapped, pushing past Kieran, who just chuckled before leaving his mug in the sink without washing it.
Classic Kieran.