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Believer
“What was that?”Blaine asks, gesturing to the crumbling house. “That’s not possible. You couldn’t have survived that.”
Just as I thought. Blaine can’t leave well enough alone.
“Did you search the place? Do you know what those demons had hiding within those walls?” I raise a brow and when he doesn’t answer, I continue. “Didn’t think so.”
“That storm came out of nowhere,” Blaine changes tack, but I stay right with him.
“What? Now I control the weather?” My hands fly up in the air. “It’s freaking New Orleans, Blaine. I don’t control the erratic weather patterns.”
“She’s right. Cut her some slack. She just cleaned up a mess you weren’t going to.” Zeke joins the conversation. Finally. “I, for one, am grateful for it. If not for that lightning strike, we’d have some explaining to do when people stumbled upon a house filled to the brim with corpses. Not all human, I might add.”
“Something is off.” Blaine hurls the accusation at me. “What you did in there”—he shakes his head—“something’s off.”
Zeke’s in Blaine’s face before I can even think about intervening. “Knock this shit off. Whatever you think is going on, it’s in your head. You can’t handle the fact that she’s more skilled than you.” Zeke shrugs. “Deal with it. We’re going home.”
Zeke grabs my hand and leads me away from the group. When we’re out of earshot, my head turns toward his. He doesn’t look at me. I’m trying to gauge just how pissed off he is. After that overshow of power, he’s going to have to do damage control. We can’t allow Blaine to go snooping around my business, and I know that’s just what he’ll do. He’s asking too many questions, and after tonight, he won’t stop unless Zeke steps in.
Using persuasion is dirty, but in times like these, it’s imperative. I put him in this position, and I wouldn’t blame him for being angry. We walk the whole way back to my house and not once does he look at me.
I sigh. “I’m sorry, Zeke, but what choice did I have? That place had to be destroyed.”
“It’s not just the house, Tori. You blatantly kicked that door down and incapacitated five demons before any of them could blink.”
“I never wanted to fight with humans.”
His head snaps to mine, fury radiating from him. His clenched jaw and narrowed eyes make me want to retreat, but I don’t.
“You’re the one who insisted,” he says through gritted teeth. “I asked if you were sure.”
“Well, I wasn’t,” I yell. “My life was just flipped upside down, and then that human girl practically challenged me.”
He groans. “Leave Maeve out of this.”
“Now you’re defending her?” My hands fly up in awhat the actual fuckexpression. “You know what? You should go,” I say, turning away from him and heading inside.
I’m halfway up the stairs when he comes bounding up behind me.
“Stop it, Tori. Don’t even think about pulling this bullshit. I won’t let you push me away. Not after what just happened.”
“What happened was me taking care of business, Zeke. What I was born to do,” I throw over my shoulder, stepping into my room and plopping down on my bed.
“Never in front of humans. You know better.”
“I know nothing,” I scream. “I’m damned to this place, and the only thing I can cling to is hunting. Now you want me to give that up to fight with some pathetic humans?” I blow out a harsh breath, preparing to send him packing. I’m wiped out from the hunt, and this conversation isn’t going to go well tonight.
“You’re going to give us away, Tori. You have to be smarter.”
“You know what, you’re right. You should run away from this,” I snap. “You have no idea what trouble I’ll bring you. Do us both a favor, Ezekiel, and forget I exist.”
He bends down, grabbing me by both elbows and pulling me to my knees so that we’re face to face. His chest heaves as he attempts to control his mounting anger.
“That’s never gonna happen, Tori. I don’t scare so easily. You of all people should know that once I’ve got something in my sights, I’ll move Heaven and Earth to have it.”
“I don’t know that,” I bite. “How would I? I barely know you.”
“Do you believe all of the lies you tell, Tori? For two damn years I’ve pursued you.”
