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Wolf stretches, his spine cracking loud enough to set my teeth on edge. “Slow down there, Alpha. There’s only one leader I accept in this merry little trio, and it’s not you.”
Trio?
Does that mean I’m outside the hierarchy? I don’t know how to feel about that. Then again, I don’t know how to feel about a lot that’s happened since awakening my power. Why should this be any different?
Malachi shakes his head. “He’s right. We’re covered in blood and Mina hasn’t eaten in…” He glances at me. “When?”
Damn, I was hoping he wouldn’t ask me. “I don’t remember.”
“Thought so.” He hooks an arm around my waist and half carries me to the center door. It leads into a room just as luxuriously appointed as the rest of this place. The bed is low to the ground and massive enough to fit several vampires Malachi’s size. An open doorway leads into the bathroom. There’s another of those clever waterfall walls and a shower with more shower heads than I can begin to know what to do with.
I brace myself for an argument. He’s clearly not happy with me; he hasn’t been happy with me since they identified the scent of brimstone and realized what Wolf and I have done. But Malachi just turns on the water and faces me. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” It’s even the truth. I’m exhausted despite my nap in the car and my stomach is attempting to chew its way through my spine, but I’m as well as can be expected at this point. “Are you?”
He shrugs. “Things were a little more complicated than we expected, but we got the job done.” He pulls me beneath the water and sets about washing me with the minty soap available. I almost argue that I’m more than capable of washing myself, but there’s a fine tremor to Malachi’s touch. I don’t know if it’s rage, or lingering fear for my safety, or simply a faltering control, but I keep silent all the same. Especially since each pass of his hands over my skin seems to calm him. No doubt it’s more side effects by the bond.
When we’re both clean, Malachi leans down and presses his forehead to mine. “Don’t do that again.”
“Malachi—”
He keeps going before I can figure out what I’m trying to say. “Don’t endanger yourself. Not on our behalf.”
“Who says it was on your behalf? Maybe I did it so I could rid myself of the bond.”
“Mina. Little dhampir.” He leans back enough that he can hold my gaze. “It will happen again. Even if you manage to break it this time, the bond is part of being a seraph. I’m not leaving you. I’ll just end up bonded to you again.”
“No.” I try to jerk back, but he tightens his grasp just enough to keep me in place.
“You can’t run from this.”
“Then I just won’t fuck vampires. Simple solution.” It’s not simple and it’s not feasible, though. Not if I want to be heir and dispose of my father. Playing vampire politics will be challenging enough with a strong partner at my side. Alone? It’s just adding another layer of complications to the mix because they’ll vie for a place in my bed and resent me when I don’t give it to anyone.
Another trap.
Another choice, taken away.
I drag in a breath. “Please stop pushing me. I’m doing the best I can.”
“I know.” He wraps his arms around me and hugs me close. “I don’t say this to hurt you, little dhampir. You have to know the boundaries of the fight before you can set foot into the arena.”
From the moment we met, Malachi has expected so much of me. Again and again, he’s challenged me to find new ways to fight, to utilize every weapon at my disposal. “I’m tired.”
“I know.”
I allow myself to lean on him for five slow breaths. When I straighten, he releases me easily. I don’t feel more centered, but with each path that’s removed from my options, my intent becomes clearer. There really is no other way.
Back in the bedroom, I’m not even surprised to find the closet filled with a wide variety of clothing. A quick check confirms that it’s in both mine and Malachi’s size. I suspect the other rooms have the same for Rylan and Wolf. “I still don’t understand how you were able to outfit so many places on such short notice. Isn’t is a concern that doing so will draw my father’s notice since he’s hunting us?”
“We used an intermediary. He’s someone who isn’t a known ally to any of us.” Malachi motions at the room we currently occupy. “Though we didn’t use him for this one.”
Curiosity sinks its barbs into me. It’s such a welcome distraction from the constant cycle of desire and fear and anger that it leaves me breathless for a moment. After a brief internal debate, I pull on a pair of leggings, thick socks, and a knit sweater. “Will you tell me about the person who owns this house?”
