Blood Oath (#8, the Mystic Wolves) Page 24

  He tutted in return. “Careful now, Mr. Lockhart. I would hate to see your pretty young lady friend cry over your dead body.

  “Ask for anything else, and I will give it to you.”

  He didn’t even hesitate. “That is my final offer. I give you until tomorrow morning to change your mind.” Gathering himself, he straightened his jacket before heading toward the door. “For your sake, and perhaps even mine, I hope you reconsider. She looks . . . delicious.”

  I couldn’t temper my anger as it rushed through me. There it was again—the offer that lit my world on fire and set it burning around me.

  Verity dropped into her seat again, her face pale with shock and she stared blankly at the doorway Mikhail had just left. “Devlin . . .”

  “Not here, my dear,” Vivien whispered, rushing over to help her. “Not here.” When she glanced at me, it gave me the kick in the pants I needed.

  “I agree, let’s leave.”

  While the rest of the night would go down in history as my most prized and guarded memory, it would be fleeting.

  It marked a moment of weakness and pure selfishness. But I didn’t care. Even now, I couldn’t bring myself to change it . . . to beg the Fates to at least permit me to remove this part from the arrangement.

  It wasn’t always those moments that were filled with darkness and ugliness that permanently scarred our souls.

  Sometimes it was the ones that blazed brightly with love.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  I stared up at the ceiling, the room dark, when I heard the door click closed. A few seconds later the bed dipped and a soft, warm body snuggled up to me.

  I’d known she would come once she knew Vivien was asleep in the other room we’d booked. Tomorrow we would be travelling home, but not before Verity bared her heart and soul to me.

  And not before I broke hers.

  “Are you asleep,” she whispered, her breath dancing across my cheek. Wiggling to get comfortable, I opened my arms and was rewarded with her head resting against my chest. Her scent bombarded me like a car slamming into a wall—filling my lungs with everything I loved about her. She once asked me if she smelled good and I’d chuckled. Words had instantly surfaced . . . the air after a rain, her favorite lilies that grew along the road to town, the aroma of freshly baked vanilla treats, that first scent after biting into an apple . . . while they didn’t fully capture her uniqueness, even the most subtle of hints left me craving more.

  “No, love,” I answered, holding her tightly to me. “Too many thoughts going through my mind for that.” It wasn’t a lie, either. Ever since returning to the rooms we’d rented after meeting with Mikhail, any chance I had of sleeping evaporated the second my head hit the pillow. It was as if some silent signal to the universe indicated it was the perfect chance to gain my full attention.

  Over and over, I pondered the events that brought me here. The future tugged at my awareness, demanding I address the road ahead, but I was too much of a coward to acknowledge it. There would be plenty of time tomorrow to submerge myself into that heaviness. Right now, all I could handle—all I wanted—was to enjoy these last precious moments holding the woman I loved in my arms. I wanted to cherish the words she would share and at the way her voice filled with excitement over her plans.

  The darkness would need to wait.

  It was the light that I desperately needed to remember before I forgot what it was like to ever bask in it.

  “Are you still upset over what happened earlier?” There was a slight waiver in her voice like she hadn’t quite convinced herself not to be afraid. In truth, Balthazar had terrified her—stripping away whatever courage Verity faced the world with and left her staring into shadows, trying see what dangers lurked there. It had been a brutal introduction to the reality humans shared the earth with predators. Magic she’d understood and accepted.

  Vampires and werewolves? She still didn’t have the words to make sense of it all.

  I wanted to whisk her away and conceal her from all the ugliness I knew existed—sheltering her in a way I never could Elynor. My greatest fear was watching Verity lose her innocence, it radiated from her and her belief in the goodness of others kept her from becoming jaded.

  Today, she’d come face to face with the epitome of evil and depravity and somehow she still stood tall. Only I knew what she kept hidden. Given time, my Verity would process what she’d seen and find a way to rise above it.

  She would survive.

  “He won’t harm you, Verity,” I spoke, burying my face in her hair and inhaling. Like a thief, I stole the comfort she offered, knowing that I could give little in return. Shoring up her false sense of security and pretending to be the same Devlin she’d fallen in love with, I shoved aside the urgency that whispered time was running out. “I’ll make sure of it.”

  “Why would I worry when I know I have you to protect me? I trust you. I say we forget everything about that horrible man and focus on what’s truly important . . . us.” She stretched upward and feathered a soft kiss under my jawline. Her fingers pressed a little into my chest before she settled again.

  “I love the sound of that word.” Verity couldn’t see it, but her faith in me brought a smile to my face. “Us.” Saying it again, I rolled her onto her back and peered down at her. “You are mine, Verity Tysdale.”

  “And you are mine, Devlin Lockhart, now and forever. Nothing will ever keep us apart and I plan to make you incredibly happy.” She brushed her fingers through my hair and by the faint flickering of fire in the room’s hearth, all I could see was how deeply she believed that.

  I rested easily on my elbows, careful not to crush her beneath my weight. “You already do, darling.” My mouth found hers, her lips tasted sweet.

  “Then blissfully so. We’ll return home where you’ll get down on one knee and ask me to marry you. Vivien will perform the handfasting and all our family and friends will attend. After celebrating into the wee hours, you’ll whisk me off to bed where . . .” She bit her bottom lip, the action sent a jolt of desire through me. Verity lowered her lashes and I didn’t have to see clearly to know a dark blush spread across her cheeks.

  “Where I’ll make love to you as my wife.” My voice was husky with desire. What I wouldn’t give for us to be there in that moment instead of here. I’d had a long time to imagine what it would be like to strip away her clothes and truly see how beautiful she was. The sight of her naked, her soft skin begging for my touch . . . my lips . . . my tongue . . . it was almost more than I could bear and, if it wasn’t for the dwindling sense of honor I felt, I’d have acted upon those fantasies right now.

  In my youth, I’d told myself that I would always be in control of my destiny—that my need to fulfill my blood oath would never alter who I was or take me away from the ones I loved.

  I’d been wrong.

  So, very wrong.

  “You’re suddenly very quiet,” she nudged.

  “Just wondering what it would be like.” It was as truthful as I could be. “There is nothing I want more than to become your husband.” My hand lowered to her abdomen. “To fill your belly with our children.” My voice dropped to a low murmur as my thumb brushed over the light fabric of her nightgown. It would take little to remove it. “To grow ridiculously old together surrounded by our family.”

  Her breath hitched and I waited for her to laugh—to say there would be plenty of time for such intimacy once we returned. The heat from her body warmed my palm and my fingers itched to move. I fancied I could hear her thoughts and that her silence was actually her willing me to take charge . . . to show her just how incredible our life would be . . . could be.

  Instead, she lay still beneath me and peered up with soulful eyes, silently telling me everything I needed to know. She trusted me. If I wanted to claim her now, she would do nothing to stop me. In fact, Verity would welcome it and answer it with her own burning passion.

  “Verity,” I whispered, lowering my head.

  “De
vlin,” she responded, her lips tickling mine as she spoke my name. It would be so easy to take what she offered. My God, how desperately I wanted to take her . . . to fill her . . . to become so entwined that neither of us remembered ever being apart.

  The problem was—should I cave and do whatever fiber of my being demanded—there would be no way I would ever leave her. Everything that I’d gone through would be for nothing. Those who relied on me to restore the balance and set things right would be left to waste away in lives that no longer held any meaning.

  Succumbing to what my heart wanted would destroy those I’d sworn to protect. I’d had my chance to choose Verity and everything she promised, and I’d followed my stubborn pride instead.

  Letting out a small groan of frustration, I shut my eyes and made that same damning decision.

  I chose my blood oath.

  I chose my sense of duty and obligation.

  If Verity was disappointed when I rolled off her, leaving her with the smallest of kisses before gathering her back in my arms, she didn’t say. Perhaps in her mind, she envisioned that I was still her knight in shining armor, valuing her virtue and defending it against the inner dragon that viewed her virginity as his treasure.

  And, bastard that I was, I let her continue thinking it. The time would come when she’d finally see me for who I was.

  “Can I sleep here with you tonight?” she asked, a hint of uncertainty in her voice. “I guess today has taken more of a toll than I care to admit.”

  There was no way I could refuse her. “Close your eyes and sleep, sweetheart. I’ll watch over you and keep the night terrors at bay.” Caressing the side of her arms, I waited until I heard her breaths fall even and body to relax before I entertained those lurking dark thoughts.

  The night might have floated away into slumber for her, but for me, it had only just begun.

  I wasn’t ready for the knock at the door. Placing my pen on the table, I quickly folded the letter I’d finished writing, and let the newcomer in.

  “Are you still sure you wish to do this?” Vivien’s features spoke of her reluctance to follow through with the plan I’d confided in her earlier. Despite her efforts, there was no convincing me otherwise. I had to stay the course. My regrets and doubts had no place taking up residence in my heart.

  I gestured for her to come in. “The sooner you take her home, the safer she’ll be.” Stepping aside for Vivien, I watched as she pulled out a black sachet and unlaced the ties.

  “She won’t forgive you for this, Devlin. We both know she wouldn’t ever agree to being forced from your side. Are you prepared for her to hate you?” Her fingers paused inside the pouch. “You can’t undo this. Once she inhales this powder, she’ll awaken later knowing you betrayed her.”

  Each word felt like a vise tightening its grip around my heart—my soul. I knew exactly how much this would cost me and how angry Verity would be at my betrayal. It was absolutely a violation of trust, but I saw no other way around it.

  “You can give her a choice,” Vivien gently added, her gaze beseeching. “And cruel or not, your sister would never have asked this of you. Elynor would weep that you’d place your promise to her over your love for Verity.”

  I shook my head hard and steeled my spine. Now was not the time for second-guessing. My mind was made up and there would be no convincing the Fates to grant me yet another boon. I’d known of this moment when I’d agreed to their conditions. I’d already stood before them and begged for their mercy, only to have them refuse.

  Somewhere, I knew they were watching—gleeful smirks on their faces as they witnessed yet another piece of my heart break.

  “Do it. Dawn is coming and I must arrive before sunrise.” When Vivien didn’t obey, I reached to snatch the pouch from her hands, narrowly missing it. “If you find it distasteful, then allow me to do it. Regardless of who performs the spell, Verity must be far away from Bath by the time I meet Balthazar. It’s the only way I can stomach seeing him again.”

  She shook her head and removed a pinch of the herbs she’d prepared. “I promised you I would do everything in my power to assist you, Devlin. That includes those things that pain me.”

  Sprinkling the fragrant ingredients over the sleeping Verity, she began chanting softly under her breath. Magic instantly responded as a hum filled the air. Energy pressed against my senses and for a moment I wondered if it would wake Verity.

  The spell only took a few moments and when it was done, Verity looked unharmed. That was . . . unharmed by the enchantment. Her hurt was still to come when she finally broke free and awoke to discover she was back home.

  Returning to the table, I grabbed the letter I’d written and handed it to Vivien. “Give this to her. I know that it’s a pitiful offering but hopefully what I’ve written will help her understand.”

  She accepted it and tucked it into her skirt pocket. “The carriage is downstairs waiting and our baggage is loaded.”

  The moment had arrived.

  “Then let’s waste no more time.” Scooping the love of my life up into my arms, I took her downstairs and out onto the street. All around the sounds of Bath filled my ears as people slowly moved about in preparation for the day. It would be a few more hours before it truly bustled; but for now, I welcomed the quiet. The last thing I wanted was for others to witness my shame and cowardice.

  I hadn’t given her a choice then, I had no other option but to deny it again.

  Vivien waited until I made sure her sleep-induced friend was securely inside the carriage before she climbed in. In agonizing slowness, I closed the door—barring me from joining them.

  “Please, Devlin. Reconsider.”

  Instead, I reached into my pocket to remove the piece of amber I’d kept since the funeral. I no longer felt worthy of such a divine token.

  “Give this to Verity with my letter,” I finally said, emotion choking my throat. The stone felt warm in my palm and I almost imagined it pulsed as though it too wanted to show its disapproval.

  Vivien took it without any hesitation. “The Goddess intended this for you as a reminder of her love for your sister. She would want you to keep it for protection.”

  My voice gave out and it took me clearing my throat several times before I could finally find the words. “Once you leave and the sun comes up, any hope for my soul will disappear with it.”

  “Why won’t you tell me what you’re intending? Let me help!”

  “I’m beyond all help, my dear friend. Take care.” And with one last agonizing glance at Verity, I hit the side of the carriage, ordering the driver to go.

  I waited until they were out of sight before I spoke again. “I am ready.”

  While she’d remained in the shadows, I’d sensed the instant Klothos materialized.

  “I am with you, Devlin Lockhart.”

  And as the night sky began showing signs of lightening, I made my way toward the only life that now lay before me.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  “I wondered if you dared come, puppy.”

  The smug look of arrogance that danced across Mikhail’s features irritated me. Once upon a time, he’d scared me, forcing me into a false sense of respect because I’d been human. Too much had passed between us, however—or would still occur—for me to ignore.

  I gritted my teeth. “I’ve come to see Balthazar.”

  “And so you have found me, young man.” His voice floated across the room and enveloped my body with an overwhelming sense of affection. Part of his power was the ability to influence the emotions of others, and it rankled that I found myself softening toward the being I hated almost as much as Julian Blackwell.

  Balthazar sat with his back to me. That he didn’t turn around to size me up spoke of his confidence in being indestructible. His powers were so great he viewed no one as a threat—least of all a human seeking his mercy.

  His fingers moved across the organ’s keys, lightly pressing down so the pipes emitted the soft echoes of a melody. Despite
how long he’d been a vampire, he’d maintained an odd fascination with his upbringing at a far away monastery. Balthazar would later share stories of being taught by the monks how to play the eerie tunes—examples of the pious devotion he later renounced for a life of debauchery and later violence.

  When I’d first been introduced to him, I hadn’t seen beyond the façade he presented as a genteel man with a kind look. With sandy blonde hair, he’d learned the art of hiding the truth from his eyes—preventing those who met him from seeing him for the demon he was.

  Balthazar could walk down the street, mingle with the lords and ladies at the royal court, and no one would ever be the wiser. In fact, they would flock around him and willingly invite the viper into their beds and confidences. It’s what made the vampire lethal.

  You never saw the danger of welcoming him in until it was too late and Death stood knocking at your door.

  I was one of those fools.

  I’d come here hoping to convince him to grant me immortality—of striking some other deal that didn’t include Verity— my Verity—from becoming his blood slave. My hope lay in my belief I could become a trusted soldier in his army—that by submitting to his demands, I could prove I was just as valuable an asset as the other vampires who served him.

  Only now, I held a vital piece of information I didn’t have then.

  I knew exactly what it was that prevented him from killing me on the spot.

  It wasn’t who I was that appealed to him.

  It was who I knew that made his decision for him.

  “I see you didn’t bring her with you. Tell me, why I should listen to whatever speech you’ve prepared in that feeble mind of yours. Tell me—” He abruptly turned around, his red eyes flashing, his fangs descended. “Why should I make you vampire?”

  I willed myself to remain calm and strong. While I knew the outcome, it still required finesse. “I have a promise to keep and you are the only way I can honor it.”

  He waved his hand dismissively and turned about to face the organ again. “I care not for your mortal oaths.”