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21
Rainey
Miserable fucking asshole.If it weren’t for sheer will to survive, I’m pretty damn sure my blood-pressure would have exploded my veins by now.
First, Bronywyn goes off the fucking deep end, and now we have a spy in our group. Our group that is getting too fucking big as is.
“What’s on your mind, love?” Elijah questions, as we step into our apartment.
“You mean other than the fact that we have a rogue dark witch on our hands?”
He reaches over and brushes a hand down my back. “Bronywyn’s not rogue, she’s lost.”
“Your ex-girlfriend has gone so far off the deep end we’re going to lose our own asses, pulling her out.”
Tossing my keys on the counter, I turn toward him just in time to see his expression darken. His guilt weighs on me, and I instantly regret my words.
“She’s in this because of me.”
“No. She’s in this because she wouldn’t let us help her. We didn’t ask her to absorb the damn power, Elijah. She did it of her own volition.”
“Even still, I can’t ease my guilt.”
“That guilt is going to misguide us,” I tell him. “It will keep us from making the choice we all know we’re going to have to make sooner or later.”
“Later,” he says quickly, and I nod.
“She has until we find a way to break that bond between her and Tarnley. The moment killing her won’t kill him, I’m going to take her out. I won’t lose anyone else, Elijah. I can’t.”
He reaches forward and cups my cheek, tilting my face up to his and pressing a kiss to my lips. So many times since we first met in that alleyway, he’s done this. And still, every time, the simple action brings a wave of relief over me.
Because despite everything we’ve faced, every villain and every fight, we’re still standing.
“The bond is not the only thing linking Tarnley to Bronywyn,” he says softly, as he pulls away. “Killing her would be like ripping you from me, painful and life-ending.”
“I won’t watch you lose your best friend, Elijah.”
“We won’t. Because we’re going to find a way to save her.”
I study him, the way his hair falls to his shoulders in light waves that even now my fingers itch to touch. “I wish I shared your optimism. But the way I see it, you and Del both have targets on your back when it comes to Bronywyn. You broke her heart, and Del pissed her off the night they killed Lucy. Which means, if she totally loses it, she’s coming for the two of you first, and I won’t risk that. Not even to save Tarnley from getting his heart broken. He’ll survive that, you and Del won’t survive her.”
Elijah opens his mouth to respond, but someone raps on my door, cutting him off.
Instinctively, my hand wraps around the butt of my pistol. “Who is it?”
“I wish to speak with Rainey Astor.” The voice is aged, shaky, and unfamiliar.
“Who’s asking for her?” I question, Elijah keeping his presence unknown for now. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that keeping the element of surprise on your side can mean the difference between life and death.
“My name is Odette Fleur, and I am a member of the new witch council.”
What the fuck is she doing here?I mouth to Elijah, who shakes his head, eyes hard. Keeping my hand firmly wrapped around my firearm, I slowly open the door to find an older woman standing on my porch.
White hair cut short on top of her head, she stares at me with dark brown eyes, her wrinkled face expressionless as she regards me. “May I come in, hunter?”
“Why the hell not.” I step to the side and let her and her two tall bodyguards enter. They’re her exact opposite, young, and dressed in all black. “To what unfortunate event do I owe this visit?”
“I see you are just as warm and welcoming as they say you are.”
