Chapter Twenty-Five #2
“Our options are limited and that’s being optimistic. Of the Thirteen, we have Hekate and probably Desdemon on our side since she essentially saved his sister. Samhain won’t take sides unless it gives him an advantage and I can’t see that happening here.”
Looking over my shoulder at a sleeping, peaceful, Sage, I have a million ideas running through my mind, each more catastrophic than the last. There isn’t a place in this universe that’s safe from the Dei.
“Why is she in a…coma? You didn’t explain that part,” I ask all three of my brothers, but none of them answer. Instead, a feminine voice interrupts our dire conversation.
“It’s my fault.”
My gaze swings to the door where Slay is still leaning, and behind him I see a head of bright-red hair. I don’t need to see her face to know it’s Danika.
“The fuck it is,” Slash blurts out and we all agree. Nothing that’s happened is her fault.
Stepping inside when Slay rises to his full height and gives her the space, Danika’s red-tinged eyes find my chosen and her tears are immediate.
“Is she going to be okay?” That’s the fucking question of a lifetime, isn’t it?
“She’s exhausted, her body needs rest. Between her protection shield and the way she made Rafi burst like a grape, her mind and body are on shutdown.
” Pierce looks at me and nods. “She’ll be fine, brother.
Maybe we should consider going to Georgia with her.
Our security around our property is nothing if not top-notch.
” He’s right, of course. It’ll give me the time to think.
It’ll give us the time to come up with a solution.
Because if they kill Sage, they may as well kill me right along with her.
“Hey!” Danika’s voice is much perkier than seconds ago which can only mean…
“Satapti?” As soon as those mismatched eyes fall on me, my whole world makes sense again.
“That’s a lot of people watching me sleep.” Her voice is groggy, like she’s drunk or still half asleep.
“What can we say, we were having a dance party to the rhythm of your snores.” I punch Slash in the shoulder, hard, making him lose his footing.
“Asshole!” The look on his face is no different than that of an offended toddler.
“Don’t disrespect my chosen.” Fucker.
“Oh, because her putting a spell on me is all hunky dory.”
I grin, then look at my Satapti.
“Sorry about that, Slasharoo.” Sage’s face is anything but sorry.
I don’t need to ask to know that Slash wasn’t going to let her walk into a situation without a plan. Knowing my Satapti, her only vision board was getting Danika. The rest was a minor inconvenience.
“That’s a good one.” My brother grins. “I forgive you for spellgate, only because that’s a great nickname. You should reuse it.”
Sage’s smile, the fact she looks well rested and happy to be with her new family…us, is both a welcome solace and a shard through my heart.
I have to find a solution, a way to make sure she’s untouched by this whole fucking shitshow.
“Danika, oh my goddess.” Danika falls into Sage’s arms as soon as they’re open for her.
The tears are immediate on my chosen but Danika just stares at nothingness.
There's no way for me to understand what she endured all these months at the hands of Rafi, but one thing is certain: she’s going to need time to wash the trauma away.
“Has anyone contacted my brother?” No sooner are her words out than the vampyre Dei walks through the doors, shouting her name.
“Danika!”
With a kiss on Sage’s cheek, the fiery vampyre leaps from the bed and runs to the bedroom door, looking right then left a mere nanosecond before she’s lifted into the arms of her big brother.
They don’t talk, they don’t move for the longest time and I wonder if Des is running through her mind to see what happened to her.
“Don’t!” Danika steps away to reveal Desmond’s face and the horror marring his usually perfect features tells us everything we didn’t need to know.
Fuck.
“Oh, sister mine.”
“Don’t do that. Do not fucking pity me. I’m fine.
I’ll be just fucking fine. All of you, stop it.
I’m not broken. I’m not crying myself to sleep.
This is not a fucking melodrama. I will survive and no one will treat me like I’m a fucking glass doll.
” Danika ends her monologue with a pointed index finger accusing every single one of us, landing on Slash last.
“Don’t look at me, little red tempest. There’s nothing fun about a glass doll. I think what you need is a night out full of faerie drinks.” Quick as a whip, Sage throws a tiny fireball at Slash’s head.
“Do not corrupt my best friend!” Desdemon and Danika both snort like it’s the funniest thing they’ve ever heard. “Fine, don’t corrupt her…more.”
“Well, as much fun as all of this drama is, I do believe it’s time for you all to find another home.” Samhain isn’t in touch with his deeper emotions.
As though a button is activated, everyone moves at the same time.
Sage jumps out from the bed, her movement fluid, her exhaustion a thing of the past. Slay and Pierce walk out, both nodding to Desdemon on the way out.
When Slash’s gaze lingers a second too long on Danika’s lithe form, he gets dragged out by his warrior braids, the purple contrasting with Des’s red.
“Touch her and I will fucking destroy you.” Anyone else would cower, but Slash just smiles like he’s about to say “Challenge accepted.” He doesn’t, of course, because he may be impulsive but he’s not a fucking idiot.
“Understood.”
I push my brother out of the door with one hand while the other is pulling my chosen, who decided to dress like an anthros with a thick sweater and jeans.
Before we’re all out the door, Des stops Sage in the hallway, his face a mask hiding myriad emotions, no doubt.
“Petite Sorcière, I owe you everything. I am in your debt.” Then he does the unthinkable and bows his head to my chosen, and for a long moment, everyone just freezes.
Instead of being polite and merely acknowledging him for his gratitude, I decide time is of the essence.
“Prove it.”