AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Ugh, safes. Don’t remind me. I can’t believe I ever thought I was some kind of safe expert before. Seriously, if I ever have to look at another safe after this bullshit is over, it will be too soon.” I sipped on the warm blood and moved on. “What about you? Any luck with the caterers?”
“Yes, but I had to pull out my big guns. They fell right in line after that.”
“Big guns?”
Sunny only smiled at me. “I’ll never tell.”
The only thing getting me through the safes now was hate.
I was hate-cracking them.
But, as silly as it sounded, it worked and by the time Sunny came down with lunch, I’d made it through three-quarters of the new safes.
“You seem in better spirits,” Sunny said, sitting at the metal work table.
I took the blood she offered. “Appearances are deceiving, Sun.”
“Well, you look more rested, anyway.”
I supposed that was a good thing. I just couldn’t wait for the waiting to be over with. Less than twelve hours and I could see Julian.
“Honestly, as lame as it sounds, I think being away from Julian screws up my mood.”
“It’s not lame, Eden. It’s the way the mating bond works. You’re supposed to crave each other’s company to build the bond.”
“Where I’m from, girls who can’t function without their man are definitely lame.”
“Yeah? Well, where I’m from people who are lucky enough to find a mate to bond with cherish it for the honor it is,” she said in a sharp tone I hadn’t heard from her before.
My gaze flew up to meet hers. “Is everything okay, Sun?”
She nodded. “Yes. It’s strange to hear you complain about a thing so many vampires wish they could experience.”
“Okay, you win. I’ll complain less and appreciate more. Deal?”
“Deal.”
“Aside from that, are you holding up okay?”
Sunny speared me with an intense stare, one she probably saved for caterers and witches, before her posture deflated. “Honestly, Eden, I have no clue. I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to face Titus. I’m just doing my best to stay busy and not think about it.”
Girl, same.
I chewed on my cheek before asking the question that had been drilling me in the back of the head the last five days. “I need you to tell me worst case, what happens if Titus finds that diamond.”
Sunny swallowed audibly before straightening her back and giving me the full weight of her gaze. “If Titus’s people find the Tzarina’s Diamond, then Titus will absorb Laurel Cove into his territory and walk back any changes King Julian made that he doesn’t like.”
I nodded, motioning for her to continue.
“Which means Titus will steal the wolves human form by subjugating the witches once more. He will have every made vampire in the cove executed, right after he beheads you and King Julian.” Sunny took a deep, steading breath. “And if he doesn’t kill me outright, he’ll drag me back where I belong. In his tower.” Sunny’s lip disappeared between her teeth.
“You know that’s not where you belong, right?”
She shrugged, green eyes rimmed in unshed tears. “My family is one of the longest lines of pure vampires left, so in his mind, I do. And it’s exactly what he’ll do if we don’t hold our own.”
I took her hands in mine. “I won’t let him win, Sun. I promise.”
We finished lunch and I was able to make my way through three more safes by the time B came for my lesson. Before he’d even reached the last step I drilled him with questions.
