“There’s a reason I was led to you,” Kadence said. “And I believe it was more than stopping the Savages from using you to defeat us. You belong with us; you belong withSaxon.”
Elyse gawked at her as Kadence shifted in her chair to touch Logan’s arm when he started twitching.
“So,” Kadence said when Logan settled down again, “are ice cream trucks real? Do they really bring it right to you?”
Elyse blinked at her before laughing; she’d never felt so grateful for a change in conversation. “They’re real, and, yes, I’ve gotten ice cream from them before. You’ve never seen one?”
“No. Things are different for female hunters, or at least they used to be,” Simone said. “Kadence changed things.”
They grinned at each other before focusing on her again. “I would have followed a portable ice cream machine everywhere when I was still mortal,” Kadence said.
Elyse found herself falling into easy conversation with them as they revealed some of their lives as mortals and immortals, and she told them about hers. For the first time in years, she relaxed around others. These two already knew the worst of her, and they were still talking to her.
Though she enjoyed talking with them, she found herself listening for the door to open and Saxon to return.
Chapter Forty
Elyse boltedout of the chair when she heard the door open and ran out of the room. She froze when Saxon entered the cabin; he stomped the snow off his boots and lifted his head to look at her. Relief filled her when she saw the red was gone and only the beautiful hazel of his eyes was present.
Guilt and self-disgust swirled within Saxon when he saw the hopeful expression on Elyse’s face. He should have been stronger for her; he should have controlled himself. She deserved better than the disaster he was becoming.
He stalked across the room and lifted her into his embrace. She melted against him as she buried her face in his neck. He bent his head so his lips brushed her ear. “I’m sorry.”
He wanted to promise her it wouldn’t happen again, but he couldn’t. The animals he’d fed from helped to calm him, but the longer they went without completing the bond, the more difficult it would be for him. If this continued, he would have to separate himself from her or risk hurting her.
The possibility made his fangs prick, but there was no other choice. For now, he had to hold her close so she could ease the turmoil inside him.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
He realized while he was feeding on a fox that he’d left her in a cabin full of strangers and Killean. No matter how much Killean disliked her, Saxon knew she was safe with his friend, but he couldn’t imagine how uncomfortable she must have felt.
“I’m fine,” she said.
“I shouldn’t have left. I was an asshole.”
“No, you weren’t. You warned me this could happen, and I understand.” She lifted her head to look at him and smiled. “Everything will be fine.”
“Yes,” he agreed, but he wasn’t so sure.
He set her down and clasped her hand as he led her into their room; he required some time alone with her, but Ronan stopped him. “We have to go soon, Saxon. The sun is rising.”
Saxon glanced at their room before looking to Ronan and the others. He dreaded doing this, but there was no sense in putting it off. “Let’s go then.”
* * *
Elyse stopped walkingto survey the woods lining the road. She waved the map away when Declan tried to hand it to her. “That was for you guys,” she told him.
She stared at the woods while she tried to get her bearings. Nothing moved in the shadows of the forest; not even a breeze stirred the limbs. Her breath pluming before her was the only thing stirring the air. When the sun reflected off the snow, it sparkled like thousands of diamonds were trapped within the white crust.
It would have been so beautiful if she didn’t know something sinister and deadly lurked within these peaceful depths. “This way,” she said as the call of her father’s blood drew her to the left.
They’d been walking for almost a half an hour; she could feel her dad getting closer, but she didn’t know how much longer it would take.
“What if she’s leading us into a trap?” Killean muttered.
Elyse didn’t bother to look at him; she didn’t have the energy for him right now, and her blood was beginning to sing. Or at least that’s the name she’d given it, as singing was the best way she could think to describe it while her blood vibrated in such a way it reminded her of the echoing notes of a singer’s voice.
She wanted to plunge forward and race through the snow, but she stopped instead. She had no idea what lay ahead, and she couldn’t accidentally lead them into a trap.
