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Corbin stops and twists me so that I’m facing him. “What do you mean you were in a cell for five years?”
“The blood witches.” I sigh, squeezing my eyes shut. “That’s what they kept me in until the day I escaped. The only time I was let out was when they wanted me to do something for them. Or unless . . .” I shake my head, not wanting to think about it.
“Unless what?” he demands.
Slowly, I lift my head, tears swarming in my eyes, and the energy around me swirls. “Unless Death came for me.”
“The fuck does that mean?” Corbin snarls, tightening his grip.
“Death became my master, did what he pleased with my magic.” I drop my gaze and utter the rest. “With my body. I was his to toy with.”
“I won’t put you in the cell, but you will not be allowed alone either,” Corbin grinds. “Now, get walking. It’s getting late, and I’ve got shit to do tomorrow. We’ll deal with you more after that.”
I let out a breath at his words, though I didn’t know what he meant by dealing with me. He at least isn’t going to put me in a cell. For that, I’m grateful.
Chapter Six
Corbin
Fuck me. Dragging Karsyn back to the clubhouse has my wolf and me on the outs. All he wants to do is mark her, keep her, and make her ours. Fuck that. I’m not about to make this witch my mate. I don’t give a damn if fate says she’s mine or not. I refuse, yet a part of me hates the shit she’s been through. What she told me she endured for five years.
More than that, I hate those last words she said. She was Death’s toy. Whoever the fuck Death is.
Without another word, I keep my hand around her arm, ensuring she can’t vanish once more as we make our way back. I still can’t believe she could do something like that as it is. None of us could believe it. Dane and Daniel wanted to go after her, but I ordered them back while I went after her alone. She is, after all, my mate, even if I don’t want to accept the fact. The truth is still there. She’s mine whether I like it or not. That is unless I reject the mating. Or she does.
I’m not about to let her do it, though. It will make me look weak, and I won’t have that.
The clubhouse comes into view, and I notice the way she shivers. I feel like an ass for making her walk the entire way barefoot. I saw it earlier in the room as we questioned her. The way she’s dressed, no shoes, the dress . . . sheer, barely enough fabric to cover her body. Hell, even now, against the cold, I can see her hardened nipples pressing against the material.
Gritting my teeth, I stop, twirl her to me, and scoop her in my arms. With her being only a half-shifter, I can only assume she doesn’t have the warm blood flowing through her veins like we do. Normal half-shifters have a wolf still, but she doesn’t, which makes her susceptible to the cold.
Fuck, I don’t think I’ve ever met another half-shifter that doesn’t have a wolf. It’s fucking weird.
“What are you doing?” Karsyn gasps, clinging to me.
“Getting us to the clubhouse faster.” I grunt, trying not to let the scent of her get to me.
“I can walk. I walked this far,” she mutters.
“Yeah, but you look like you’re about to freeze to death.”
“Bet you would just love that.” She doesn’t hide the suspicion from her voice, and I don’t give her an answer.
Right now, all I want to do is get her inside, get her to a room, and plant a guard on her. One that will keep an eye on her for the remainder of the night. After that, I intend to get the fuck out of here. I need to run. To relieve the tension building inside me. I already had my hands full with the shit going on in the club. I didn’t need this on top of that.
At the meeting with Orpheus the other night, he requested we up the number of runs we do for him. That’s not something I was able to agree to. He wants his product to double. I’ve got no problem with vamp, but he’s going to have to look elsewhere if he wants to do that. I don’t have the time to give him. Not when my club’s also running shit for the humans.
Inside the clubhouse, I shove the thoughts away as I take Karsyn to my room. Why did I take her there? I’ve no fucking clue. I just do. Once in the room, I set her on her feet. “Here, you’ll stay in here tonight.”
“This is your room,” she utters.
“Yeah, it is.” I grunt. “Take a shower.” I step over to my dresser and pull out a pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeve tee for her. I know it’ll engulf her, but it’ll do. Turning back to her, I toss them to her. “Here, you can change into these,” I say as she catches them, and I point to the bathroom. “The shower’s through there. Feel free to use my soap and shit. Don’t try to leave the room. I’ll have someone stationed right outside, and they’ll sense if you up and vanish.”
“Okay.” She nods and draws her bottom lip between her teeth. Eyes meeting mine. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me.” Spinning on my heel, I stalk out of the room quickly, not wanting to be anywhere near her right now. Being too close to her calls to my wolf, and we don’t need that shit. Without looking back or stopping to talk to anyone, other than to give Tucker orders to watch over my room, I prowl toward the exit, shift, and take off into the night. No way am I sticking close to this place. Not with my mate in my room, in my bed.
Running through the night did me good. I ran, hunted, fed, and expended much-needed energy. Once I finished, I went to my house and crashed, only to sleep longer than I meant to.
