Chapter 36 #3
Clairemont didn’t move as his life’s blood spilled on the filthy alleyway floor. Dead or unconscious, Elsie didn’t know or care. The only purpose Clairemont still held was found in his pockets. She dropped the ax and rummaged through them until she found the key to that fucking collar.
Elsie hobbled over to Saint, fumbling with the chains that pinned him to the wall while he pressed his nose to her stomach, making low grumbling noises about the state of her body.
The chains came loose, and her demon hit the ground hard, his legs failing to hold him up. “Hold on, I’ve got you.”
Searching for the keyhole was made difficult by all the black and gray fur matted together by his own blood. Elsie found it, then struggled with the slippery metal before forcing the key inside. The lock clicked, and he was free.
Saint sighed and changed into his human form, crumpled over but smiling. “I knew you’d come for me,” he said, exhaustion making his voice nearly inaudible. He leaned forward and carefully wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered frantically, pressing her face against his throat. “You weren’t there when I woke, so I came as soon as Marley told me where you were.”
“Mistress, I told you to stop accepting blame for things that aren’t your fault.” He guided her back far enough to let him look into her eyes. “Your squad did this, not you.”
“But I’m the one who made you come back here. I should have listened to you, we should have run. But it’s too late now.”
He cupped her face with both hands and kissed her so gently it broke her heart. He opened his end of the bond, pain and exhaustion coming through, but his love… Gods, the love Saint had for her had seeped into his soul. She put her hand over his, new tears spilling down her face.
The touch of his lips on hers was sweet and trusting, and it nearly broke her. A sob wrenched its way out of her throat, and he stopped. “Mistress?”
“Kiss me, Saint.” Elsie held on, pulling him back. If these were the last moments she’d spend with him as her mate, she wanted it to be something worth remembering.
He kissed her again, their tears becoming one until all they tasted was the salty bitterness of grief. Saint smiled and hauled her into his lap, taking a second to gaze into her eyes before going back for more. His mouth opened, and she followed his lead, fire igniting in her belly.
His presence tingled along her every nerve ending, and her body demanded more. She always wanted more. Her fingers dove into his curls with one hand and held onto his shoulder with the other, all the while he held her gently, avoiding her injuries with great care.
He was attentive, noting her exhaustion and halfway supporting her weight. His kisses carried no demand or urgency, just relief. Saint’s happiness to have her in his arms again felt like pure comfort.
Elsie let him keep the pace, but even as slow and soft as he was moving, the ache inside kept growing until the little heathen inside of her demanded she take him for her own.
He tracked where her intentions were leading and chuckled softly, whispering between kisses. “Sealing the bond has to wait until you’re healed, but once you are, we can do whatever you want.”
Elsie’s tears kept flowing, knowing she would be the reason he broke that promise. She took everything from that moment. His scent, his taste, the way his touch lingered, all committed to memory in the tiniest detail.
She didn’t want to stop, because once she did, the illusion of their future together ended.
She’d wanted Saint for far too long, and the day they’d chosen their own happiness, the whole damned world conspired against them.
She clung to him, deepening their kiss and pressing herself against him, wishing things were different.
That she could keep him.
Elsie broke their kiss and laid her forehead on his shoulder, furiously willing the tears to stop. She had to hold it together if she was going to be convincing. She needed him to believe. She needed him to hate her.
He continued stroking her back, murmuring sweet words in her ear, and her resolve started to crumble. She stood on shaky legs, unable to meet his eyes any longer.
“We need to sneak you out of the compound safely, but there’s a minor complication I need to deal with first.” She stepped over Clairemont’s lifeless body to retrieve a shovel. Saint stood beside her, glaring down at the man who’d tormented him.
“Why not burn it?” he asked, assuming she wanted to bury the beastmaster’s body.
“No, his people can dispose of that filth,” she answered. Stepping up to the nearest stall, she lifted the latch, then shoved it aside and slid the heavy door open.
“Yesss,” Saint hissed.
They opened every door while the demons inside watched in fear, unwilling to come out if it meant facing their deaths.
“The beastmaster can’t hurt you anymore. Make it through the barrier, and you’re free,” Elsie said.
The first demon crept through the door of her stall, crouching close to the wall, as far away from the hunter and wolfhound as she could get. The second she passed them, she bailed out of the barn and into the compound. A rush of bodies in various stages of healing followed.
Elsie watched them go bitterly. She couldn’t grant them their freedom. She wasn’t powerful enough to take the barrier down, but she’d given them a fighting chance.
Limping and shuffling their way out of the barn, Elsie led Saint to where the raven’s body lay. She picked it up by the feet, then turned and walked straight toward the barrier.
“What’s with the bird?” Saint asked.
“He found me,” Elsie answered, knowing he would understand. The horror masked his face, and he grabbed her shoulder, stopping her several yards before the barrier wall.
“Wait, you can’t go out there, they travel in flocks. If they’ve come looking for this one, they’ll find you,” he said urgently.
“Don’t you think I know that?” She brushed off his hand and continued. They walked through the barrier, and Elsie turned, placing her hand on the dome, making adjustments without telling him what she was doing. No matter what happened now, he wouldn’t be returning to the compound.
They carefully made it through the dead zone and into the trees beyond, but Elsie kept walking.
She felt his confusion, but also his trust. He didn’t ask any questions; he just followed her as he always did.
Two agonizing miles into the woods, Elsie threw the raven to the ground and leaned the shovel against a tree.
Taking a deep breath, she turned and looked in Saint’s general direction, still unable to actually face him.
“We can’t do this. I can’t do this.” She was pleased with how monotone she’d managed to make her voice sound.
“Do what? Bury the bird? Sit down and focus on healing. I’ll dig.” He reached for the shovel.
“That’s not what I meant,” Elsie told him. She put up the barrier he’d taught her to use, blocking him from any emotion she might accidentally share. He felt it the moment she did, and his brows furrowed.
“What did you mean?” he asked.
“Marley informed me that you killed an innocent soldier who had nothing to do with what Callum did. Saint, we’re so toxic together, we aren’t good for each other.” She meant to continue her explanation, but his reaction threw her off. Saint laughed.
“What are you talking about? We’re perfect for each other, that’s why the Ancient Magic gave us our bond. You were dying, and I wasn’t thinking clearly when he got between Callum and me.”
“Sometimes the universe is wrong,” Elsie said firmly. Saint blinked, reaching for her as though it were second nature. She took a step back before he touched her. “You were right from the beginning. I was using you, just like I used everyone else.”
“No, you weren’t. We both know I stopped thinking like that a long time ago. I know who you are now. I didn’t, then.”
“You have no idea who I am.”
“We’ve spent every minute of every day together for the last two years, nobody knows you better than I do.” The confusion was evident in his eyes.
“You only know what I’ve shown you.” She pointed back to the barrier. “They’ve scheduled your execution, Saint. I can’t protect you anymore. And honestly? I’m tired of fighting with everyone around me to fool around with a demon who’s no longer of any use to me.”
“You’re not making any sense, did they drug you?
You don’t have to protect me from them anymore.
We’re already outside the barrier, and those demons will keep them busy for a while.
Nothing is stopping us from leaving right now.
We can gather food from the wilderness, and you don’t have to worry about running while you’re still healing.
I’ll shift, and you can ride on my back. There’s so much I want to show you—”
“I don’t want to see it!” she shouted, loud enough to startle them both.
“I can’t protect you out here either, not with the king of the fae breathing down my neck.
And don’t even try to claim that you’ll protect me.
You didn’t last three days without me, I had to come save you!
What use do I have for a weak demon who can’t even take care of himself? ”
“That’s not fair, Mistress.” The confusion in his voice had shifted to hurt. “I only submitted because I didn’t want to harm anyone you might still care about. And I didn’t want my actions to fall back on you.”
“You make it sound like I’ve never had to bend over backward to explain your behavior or apologize for your existence before. I was dying in there, and you didn’t care enough to stay by my side,” she accused.
“You know that’s not what happened. What’s this about?” Saint asked, willing as always to listen before passing judgment.
“I’m tired, Saint. Tired of fighting with my people over a demon who refuses to even attempt fitting in. Tired of having to keep an eye out for you, and tired of you hovering over me like some dark, broody shadow all the damned time. I’m tired of you.”