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Olivia looked down at her bracelet, the one thing she’d inherited from her parents. Had it protected her her entire life? Protected her parents from Bryan’s detection? But if they gave the bracelet to her, then…
“Are my parents still alive?” she asked, clenching her fist. “Did you kill them?”
“No. Did you not hear what I said? I’ve not found anyone from your bloodline for three hundred years.”
Bryan’s scornful tone ignited flames of rage within Olivia. Without a doubt, her parents had abandoned her because of him. This man, this thing here, was the reason she was alone, constantly afraid. Afraid of failure. Of abandonment. Of love.
Without him, she might have grown up with her real parents. She loved her adoptive parents and would be eternally grateful for them, but she couldn’t help wondering how her life would’ve turned out if her parents hadn’t left her on those church steps.
For the first time, she wished she had the power to kill, to destroy Bryan the same way he destroyed her family. For the first time, she experienced hatred so violent and powerful that it made her crave bloodshed. The pool of magic within her flared and sloshed and shot up like geysers.
Bryan’s lips quirked, dark shadows flickering over his form. The circle’s glow flashed and sparked in response. “Do you want to kill me? Come inside.” Hypnotic. Tempting. “I’ll even give you a free pass. Let’s see what your bloodline is made of. It’s been a while since I fought one of you.”
He was baiting her. Adding fuel to the fire.
I’ll kill him. Kill him. Avenge my family.Her magic swelled into a giant wave, more than any she’d summoned in her training with Andrea.
“Stop.” Marek’s icy command penetrated her magical haze.
Olivia blinked, her surroundings suddenly coming into focus. Marek’s grip on her arm, hard and unyielding. Andrea’s concerned gaze focused on her. Blackmore leaned against the wall, his expression cold and eyes glittering with shrewd intelligence.
Lastly, Bryan’s cocky smirk. “I’m waiting.”
“Shut up,” Marek snarled before he cupped her face and turned her away from the fae. “Don’t let him get into your head. You can’t kill him.”
Could she? Olivia honestly didn’t know. Her magic burned inside her, begging to be released, craving an outlet. Green light flared agitatedly around her.
Hot. She was suddenly so hot. Burning up from the inside.
“I… I need…”
Marek’s searched her face, desperate. “What? What do you need?”
“Too hot,” Olivia muttered, forgetting everything except the heat. It was her magic. She’d summoned it, and now she needed to set it free.
“Olivia.” Cool fingers on her hands. Andrea. “Olivia, focus. Remember what we practiced. You are in control. Send the magic to your bracelet.”
Olivia nodded, barely able to concentrate on Andrea’s words through the pain, but her practice came through. The magic listened to her and leaped in joy at the chance to be useful. She concentrated on the bracelet around her wrist, on her familiar feel of cool metal, on the simple comfort it always provided her, and directed the magic there.
The bracelet vibrated, heating up, but it gave no resistance. It sucked up the magic like an endless vacuum, always hungry for more.
As the fevered feeling, of being burned alive inside out, blissfully waned, Olivia cut off the flow of magic. Her legs gave out, her limbs losing all strength. Marek caught her before she hit the ground.
“Olivia, talk to me, Olivia,” Marek said with urgency.
“I’m fine.” She groaned. It sucked, but she was getting used to how weak magic left her. “Help me up, please.”
Nodding, Marek helped her to her feet. Bryan didn’t look pleased. “Tsk, I should’ve expected this. Blood never lies. Just like the rest of your family, who’d rather run than fight.”
Olivia didn’t rise to Bryan’s taunts, though the mention of her family deepened the ache in her chest. “I’m tired. Can we leave now?” she asked Marek. She’d gotten more than she’d bargained for.
“Julian, release me or kill her!” Bryan looked to Blackmore with the hint of something one might mistake for desperation. “Think about Leah. She’s only human. You think she’s in danger now? Wait until my brethren are free. She won’t survive a week. Kill her, and Leah will be safe!”
Olivia’s pulse quickened as Blackmore’s merciless, Arctic eyes landed on her. She swore she saw death coming for her. Andrea placed herself between Olivia and Blackmore. Marek tensed, ready to run or fight, she wasn’t sure. If Blackmore sided with Bryan, would she survive? Would Marek or Andrea survive? Pain lanced her heart. How had she gone from being all alone to deserving of people who would fight to their deaths for her?
When he spoke, Blackmore’s voice was devoid of emotion. “My mate isn’t someone who would sacrifice another’s life to save her own. Until you are ready to swear a blood oath not to harm Marek’s mate, we’re done here.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
