Assassin's Kiss (29 page)

“Scorpio, do
not
go charging into that shit hole of dark magic until we have a plan.
Fucking do not.
That’s an order.”

Scorpio ground his molars in frustration. “She may be in danger. I—”

“I understand the severity of the situation. And I understand the need to get to your mate.” Arawn huffed out a breath. “But I don’t discount one goddamn word of Whysper’s analysis of these dark ley lines. And I will not lose you. You stay in Bronwy until we can come up with a plan. I want to send two teams in, plus Whysper and Melixa. You need to get that chief mage on board.”

“Yes, sir. That shouldn’t be too hard. My mate is his daughter.”

Arawn snorted. “You don’t do anything half-assed, do you?”

Scorpio pictured Tessa’s blue eyes, wide with utter confusion, and cursed. “I suspect we’ll be meeting very soon. The rival leader conjured mist wraiths and several of our men sustained burns.”

“Does Bronwy have a decent healer, or should I bring Ashina?”

“No, we—they have a competent one.”
We.
Already his first thought was of Bronwy being his own to care for.

“Good. Talk with the chief and get back to me. I’ll take care of things here.”

“Yes, sir.”

The line went silent as Arawn ended the call. Scorpio turned to Orser, who stood watching him with narrowed eyes. “I believe I misjudged you, demon,” the guard grunted.

“Pretty sure everyone did.” Scorpio squared his shoulders. “I never denied my past.”

“True. But I denied the possibility that your future might be different, and for that, I apologize.” Orser extended his hand. “You’ve helped in every way you could, and you still are. You could have left at any time.”

“I mean what I say,” Scorpio said.

“And I appreciate a man who doesn’t bullshit around.” Orser cracked a ghost of a grin. “Let’s go back to our injured. Inga and more men are on their way. Once we’re back, we’ll meet with Hallon and the Elders.”

Scorpio nodded. He appreciated Orser’s change of heart, but right now his soul had no room for anything but rage at Tessa’s abduction and the tactics needed to get her back to his arms. With purposeful strides, the two of them headed back to their team.

Thirty minutes later, Scorpio stood in Hallon’s very crowded living room with Orser. Kharv had insisted on coming, though both his arms were bandaged from wrist to shoulder and an ugly red ring encircled his neck. Inga had applied a numbing salve that he swore made the pain disappear.

The Elders all sat while Hallon paced. Fury, disbelief, and worry radiated from him as Kharv and Orser recounted the details for everyone.

“Winston.” Hallon stopped and set his hands on his hips. “How did we miss this about Zeebi? You’re the best at reading people’s auras. Tessa’s not far behind you. And you didn’t pick up on this treachery at all?”

“No.” The old mage’s face sagged with anguish. “I can only surmise that Damien was helping her to cover her aura. Perhaps she recited a spell periodically, or maybe she wore an amulet that projected her usual good nature.”

In the chair next to him, Callia clucked. “Our aura comes from our thoughts, and the deepest desires of our souls. To be able to transform that…” She shook her head. “I believe the next step will be actual physical transformation. They have grown much stronger than I could have imagined.”

Hallon glared out the window into the velvet night sky. “Scorpio.”

“Chief.” Scorpio clasped his hand behind his back as all eyes swung to him.

“You’re a soldier. You deal in predators and their tactics all the time.” Hallon turned to face him. “You asked to set up a night patrol. Tonight. Did you have any suspicions concerning Zeebi?”

Scorpio nodded. “I did.”

Sharp intakes of breath echoed in the otherwise silent room.

“I kept my thought to myself until I could show clear evidence of her actions.” He held his head high, meeting the leader’s dark stare. “I am not a reliable witness here in Bronwy.”

Hallon rubbed the back of his neck and huffed out an angry breath. “No. Not with half the coven still wanting a harsh punishment for you. Dammit.” He resumed pacing. “Zeebi is part of us, has been all her life, and no one would have thought she was capable of anything like this. I can barely comprehend it now. I can say, with a heavy heart, that I doubt I would have believed you had you come forward earlier.”

Scorpio stayed silent. The pain on Hallon’s face was raw, honest, and rueful.

“And because of my prejudice, Tessa is gone.” The chief stopped and regarded Scorpio with the sharp regret that arises from hindsight. “I owe you an apology.”

“Apology accepted.” Scorpio held the man’s eyes. “But we need a plan in place as soon as possible. We need to get Tessa back. I’d also like to get you back on your own rightful land. I request that you accept two Watcher teams, plus two of our staff witches. They can be ready to arrive within hours.”

“Witches?” Winston asked. “Who?”

“Whysper and her apprentice, Melixa,” Scorpio said.

Surprised murmurs went through the Elders at the mention of Watcher HQ’s oldest witch, and Winston stood to his full, though modest, height. “Allow the demon’s plan, Hallon. I insist. If we are to combat the dark ley lines, we need power such as Whysper’s.”

The rest of the Elders nodded.

“Okay.” Hallon’s gaze swept the Elders, then looked at Scorpio. “Bring them all in. We’ll accommodate and strategize. And get Tessa back.”

C
HAPTER
27

T
ESSA SIGHED AND TWISTED IN
bed. The remnants of a dream clung to her, trapping her in a limbo of images. Scorpio, tall and strong and desperate to save her. To keep her with him. He wanted her to walk away from Zeebi. Zeebi, scared and alone in the woods, saying the rest were all against her.

Which was true? Zeebi’s fear was real. So was Scorpio’s devotion. Tessa had to decide…she had gone somewhere…

Rocketing upright with a gasp, fully awake, she found herself in a sumptuous bed. Silky sheets and a heavy duvet met her exploring fingers, and four thick posts stood at each corner of the mattress. She strained her ears but heard nothing. “Hello?” she whispered.

A fire bulb flicked on across the room. It was next to a door, which was heavily carved in a lustrous dark wood. Tessa glanced down, relieved to see she was still in the clothes she’d been wearing in the woods.

Zeebi had put a spell on her and taken her into a portal. Was she here? “Zeebi?”

A second fire bulb turned on, on the other side of the door. Tessa could now grasp the dimensions of the room, which was huge. An armoire and dresser sat in one corner, and two chairs and a coffee table occupied another. A door on her right was open. Tessa scooted off the bed and crept toward it.

Peeking in, another fire bulb went on, showing her a luxurious bathroom with a sunken whirlpool tub and dark marble counters. Thick towels were folded neatly on a shelf.

Where am I?
She stared at her reflection in the mirror, smoothing a hand over her tangled hair. Where would Zeebi take her?

Tessa’s head pounded. Wait—Zeebi had said something about a new home. Tessa rubbed her temples and walked back into the main room. Her cell was missing. Either she lost it in the portal or someone had taken it.

Gods, Hallon would be worried.

Scorpio would be enraged.

Her skin tingled at the memory of his eyes locked on her, imploring her to go to him.
I will never hurt you. I will never leave you unprotected.
She believed him, but still, none of this made sense. She needed to talk to Zeebi, then get her hands on a phone and call her dad, then—

The doorknob clicked twice. Had it been locked? Shit. She hadn’t checked. The handle turned. She reflexively reached for her knife, only to find it gone.

Oh gods. Panic started to fire through her veins, but she wouldn’t let it take hold.
There has to be a reason I’m here.
Her friend wouldn’t harm her. “Zeebi?”

“Not Zeebi.” A smooth male voice called. “But I can fetch her later if you’d like.”

The male stepped into the room and Tessa gasped. “Damien!”

He hadn’t changed since she last saw him. Then again, he never did. Taller than she, but nowhere near Scorpio’s towering height, Damien assessed her from the doorway. Thick dark hair and eyes of darkest brown went along with his strong jaw and straight nose. Physically, he was in shape, but she doubted his muscles could hold up against a Watcher.

Coldness and calculation rolled off him, as usual. He loved to be number one. Actually, his adoration went deeper than that: he loved
himself
. And though he was a powerful mage, she had no doubt he’d choke on his own narcissism one day.

“Hello, my darling bride to be.” He smiled, revealing perfect teeth and a wolfish grin. “I’m so glad you joined me ahead of schedule.” He’d always been overly polite with her, though she’d heard of him viciously berating his people if they displeased him, even using torture spells.

The smooth words and outwardly pleasant appearance were just a shell. Under it all, his soul had to be blackened and rotting. She didn’t harbor fear of him; rather, it was anger and disgust, topped with a large dollop of caution.

“I’m-this…” She glanced at the room. “I’m at Vespera?”

“Yes. I hope you like your room. Any detail can be changed to your preference.”

Tessa folded her arms. “My preference would be to go home.”

Damien closed the door and stepped to the middle of the room. “You
are
home, darling.” His voice was velvet, but his eyes glittered cold and hard.

Trepidation flared at his self-assurance. What the hell was his game? “I don’t understand.”

“Our timetable has been moved up.”

“What?” Indignation shot up her spine. “No. That’s not what we agreed on.”

“We also didn’t agree on you stealing amethyst crystals. Or on my guards being killed by your demon.”

He’s not my demon.
Tessa opened her mouth then closed it. “I need five more days with my people.”

“And I don’t like competition.” Damien came close, a foot away from her. “That demon thinks he has a claim on you. So of course, I had to remove you from his presence to ensure your safety. He’s a powerful one, that Watcher. Who knows what he could do to you? You’re so delicate.” He reached out and grazed a hand down her arm.

Tessa took a step back, debating. She could let him think she was delicate, or she could hit him with witchfire. He arched a brow at her retreat, but didn’t move closer.

She decided to keep him guessing as to the effect of her fire. “He wouldn’t hurt me,” she said. “He had chances to and didn’t.”

“Tessa, he’s biding his time. Building you up to trust him. When you know he’s a killer.”

“Are you jealous?” She tilted her head. Damien was used to getting everything he wanted.

“No.” He took another step toward her. “But I will not let anything come between me…and what’s mine.” He reached for her hair, but she knocked his hand away.

“Don’t touch me.”

“But I want to. You’re my future wife.” He loomed over her, smiling that self-righteous smile. One that was conceited and had no care for others. “And when we’re married, I’ll touch you as much as I damn well please.”

“You will not!” she hissed, furious. “How dare you think you can command me to your whim?”

“Because I like fucking. With one partner, or more. With an audience, or alone.” His eyes traveled her body as her stomach threatened to revolt. “And if you don’t want to fuck me alone in our bed, we’ll do it in front of my men.”

Her jaw dropped and she let out a gasp of horror. “You-you wouldn’t.”

“I haven’t decided yet.” He walked back to the bed, stroking one post in a way that made her shudder. “Shall I keep your delectable body to myself, or show it off to the men, to make them jealous?” He shrugged. “Decisions, decisions.”

Tessa gagged and clapped a hand over her mouth.

“I’ll give you some time to think about it.” He patted the duvet. “Who knows? You might decide you like being watched.”

Tessa backed up until she bumped a wall, then slid down to the floor on muscles that had turned to jelly.

Damien glanced down at her and frowned. “You don’t look happy, darling.” He went into the bathroom, where she heard the splash of water and then his footsteps coming closer. He squatted down, thrusting a glass toward her. “Have a drink. It’s been a long night for you, I gather.”

She eyed the water suspiciously.

“Tessa, I just took this from the tap. It’s not poison. See?” He took a drink, then offered her the glass again. “I have nothing to gain from hurting you.”

She took it, keeping her eyes on him. “You’re holding me here against my will.”

“You were going to join me in a few days anyway.”

“I didn’t finish all my blade orders for Bronwy.”

He shrugged. “Oh well.”

“Oh well?” she repeated, irate. “That’s lost revenue.”

“So we’ll compensate your daddy. Make up the difference. Your people will be fine.”

She took a cautious sip of water, grateful for the cool slide down her throat. “He’ll be worried about me. Can I at least call him?”

“In a little bit, yes.” He studied her. “I think you’re going to be very happy here. Your power will grow exponentially.”

She didn’t want more power. “All I want is to help Bronwy.”

“Of course. You’re so selfless.” His tone was all sugar, yet a hard edge churned beneath the saccharine. “And you know your demon is the root cause of this, right? If not for him, you wouldn’t be about to marry me.”

She swallowed. “That’s a twisted way to look at the situation.”

He chuckled. “It may be…but it’s true. Do you deny it?”

“I refuse to argue a hypothetical with you.” She scowled.

“Oh darling, you can argue with me all you want.” He winked. “I love to win. And I love to find creative ways to make up.”

She stared at the fire bulbs flanking the main door. Run for it? No. Not with the way her legs had turned to mush. Slap him? No, he’d probably like it. Gods, what a nightmare.

“You never acknowledged my note,” he murmured, breaking into her thoughts.