Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26960 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26960 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
I moan and grip her tighter.
She breaks away. “Ronan—”
Goodbye is all over her face. I can’t stand it. I won’t last without this woman. I need her in my life, and I only know one way to ensure that.
Giving into my urge is a relief.
“Become a part of me, as I become a part of you. And ever after, I promise myself to thee. Each day we share, I will be honest, good, and true. If this you seek, heed my Call. From this moment on, there is no other for me but you.”
There. I said it. And inside, I’m rejoicing.
Except…what if she doesn’t Bind to me?
Kari blinks. “Those words… Did you speak the Call?”
She looks shocked. My nerves set in. She said she loves me, but what if she doesn’t believe me? What if she refuses?
“Yes. I want you forever, love.”
She looks stunned. “I don’t know what to say.”
I force down panic. Does she mean she doesn’t know the words to accept or that she’s too shocked to answer? “There are two responses. You either wish to Renounce me or Bind to me. Tell me which, and I will give you the words.”
“I—”
Suddenly, the front door smashes open, splintering into pieces. The chilly wind whooshes in, along with a pale, leggy brunette. A witch, based on her magical signature. Dressed in lingerie that would make a hooker blush, she’s clearly trying to turn heads. I’m not interested in the least—especially once I see her ruthless gaze.
“My name is Rhea.”
I have no idea who she is. Did I shag her sister or something? “What do you want?”
She draws her wand and points it my way. That’s never a good sign.
“You broke my door!” Kari protests. “You’ll pay to fix it.”
Cursing, I shuffle her behind me. Can’t she see that, despite being the fairer sex and wearing delicate lace, this witch has violence on her mind?
Rhea laughs. “How touching. You’ve Called to the human, and now you seek to protect her.”
“What do you want?”
“To talk to her.” Rhea gestures to Kari. “About something that happened before you arrived.”
“She knows nothing.”
“Say another word, and it will be your last,” the barely dressed witch threatens. “We’ll see to it.”
We? I turn to find two unfamiliar wizards with merciless expressions blocking Kari’s only means of escape.
I break out in a cold sweat. Three against one. What if I can’t protect Kari? I’ve always joked that I’m a lover, not a fighter. At this moment, I wish very much that I had poured half as much energy into battle as I did all these years into bed sport.
Carefully, I slip my arm around her. If worse comes to worst, I can teleport us out…
“Take your hand from her,” Rhea barks. “Let her speak—or else.”
Kari touches my shoulder. “I know nothing. Once she learns that, it will be fine.”
I hate it, but if I can’t transport her with me and she can’t run, I won’t leave her with these dodgy pricks. I can only hope they’ll ask their questions and leave. If not, well… I’m holding my wand. I’ll do whatever it takes to save Kari—or die trying.
Kari
“What do you want to know?” I challenge the scantily clad woman whose gaze seems pure psycho.
“A human with sense.” Rhea looks at me as if I’m an oddity. “A tall wizard in black leather and sunglasses was here recently.”
“Shock?”
She smiles. “The very one. What did he want?”
Will the truth put Tynan in danger?
“I don’t know exactly.”
The witch raises a skeptical brow. Blast it all. I’m a terrible liar. Right now, I hate that.
“He was here at the same time as Tynan O’Shea.”
“O’Shea?” Ronan mutters behind me. “Related to the Councilman O’Shea?”
“His grandson,” I murmur.
Ronan curses.
“The Tynan who seems to have joined the Doomsday Brethren, run by that meddling Bram Rion. Sound familiar?” asked Rhea.
“No. Sometimes, I overhear occasional conversations, but that—”
“Stop prattling. Did Shock and Tynan speak?”
Lie. I must lie—and convincingly. Tynan’s life may depend on it. So might mine. “I don’t know. I was in the back. Didn’t hear a thing.”
“I don’t believe you. Let’s see if this helps.”
Before I can brace for it, Rhea zips her wand in my direction. Ronan points his at the witch, but it’s too late. An arc of light streams straight toward me, blinding and green. Dangerous.
Ronan shoves me away. But the blast already hit me in the middle. Pain is a bee sting, a paper cut, a twisted ankle. This is agony. It crashes through my system, and I fall to my knees as my vision turns black, my heart stutters, and my breathing stops.
I feel an instant from death.
“Tell me now, human, or I’ll finish you off. What did Shock and Tynan discuss?”
I open my mouth. No idea what to say. The truth could get either or both men killed. My brain is consumed by torment and the excruciating hurt.