Seeing the switchblade already in my hand, Tamara snorts. “Girl. Relax, we’re not going to kill you.”
“Why not?”
“Because we’re trying to recruit you, dumbass.”
Blinking, I study each of them in turn again. It’s dark aside from Tamara’s dim light, but I realize none of the people here are looking at me with disgust, which makes me realize what this is.
“You’re all Proselytes.”
“Except me,” Tamara nods. “But my mom was a Proselyte. Keep that to yourself, though.”
Which means…
“This has something to do with the anti-Noble shit,” I guess.
One of the guys grunts, scratching his beard. “Big conclusion to jump to. If this shit about the anti-Noble movement starts to get out of control, we will need
~Asad~I nearly bite my damn tongue off.Oh my gods, her body is so fucking beautiful.It's impossible not to recall just how tight and wet and utterly addictive it was to be inside my Mate.My eyes snag on a water droplet that traces slowly down the smooth skin of her neck before it drips on her right breast, dripping towards her pointed nipple.I want to lick away the water and then…graze my teeth into that over that nipple that is calling me so loudly.Fuck me.I should not have thought about her nipple. Now it's all I can think about.Olyon exhales sharply, and Jayan makes a strangled sound, gripping his own erection.Meanwhile, Bethany holds my gaze as a very clear show of ‘fuck you’ as she slips into Jayan's sweater, which reaches a
~Asad~More voices of my late family members join, and everybody is talking at the same time, including my uncles and aunts.My head starts to pound.When Olyon catches me watching him, his eyes flash with warning."If you've got something to say, Mort, you can shove it right up your ass. I know your ghosts of a family are already somewhere, wedging jingle bells in your head since you’ve been so busy trying to heal Bethany that you forgot about yourself. Never lock me in Velthra again, or I'll rip my way into your already ruined psyche and make the jingle bells in your head seem like child’s play."The emotionless idiot knows more about me than I thought he did.“I'll take it that you understand my peaceful warning, Mort?”I'm about to answer, but Jay cuts me off. “Don’t you fucking threaten him, Olyon?
~Asad~‘What are you hiding, Bethany?’My entire life, I've studied magic, even though I was naturally born with too much of it.When I was with my grandfather, I learned more about it, developed lots of antics, and created many incantation spells from scratch. Spells that my grandfather uses to guard his magical island. I also perfected many more unstable spells.I've done more than most casters could ever do.My grandfather was never a fan of how the Liminal order monitors the craft, censoring certain types of magic and many potion ingredients.Instead, he made it a point to let me explore and even play with forbidden magics that the Liminal order would never have permitted, had they been aware.So, I know magic, even the kinds I’m forbidden to practice.My eyes slip back to the empty bowl of blood nearby, and I’m… captivated. Bethany probably thought I didn't notice. But I once developed a tricky spell that lets me know once my blood or any item belonging to me is used to create an
~Bethany~I didn’t mean to do that.I deplore losing control.It’s dead quiet before Jayan murmurs, “Bethany?”He steps toward me, but I stare him down, ignoring the tired throb in my head.“Leave. Me. Alone.”But now that my emotions aren’t under tight hold, my voice wobbles. I internally curse the Deskar when I realize that moisture is threatening to escape my eyes.I'm doing something I've never done since I started my journey to becoming the Venenum. I'm fucking crying.Seeing the sign of my tears makes Jayan go perfectly still with horror, and he swears softly.“Snugbug…oh gods, please don’t cry or I’ll-”As if the gods have finally decided to sprinkle some mercy into my existence, there’s a sudden knock on the front door. I glance down at my bloody clothing, as do Asad and Jayan.Without a word, I slip back behind the corner of the hallway. Finally giving in to the lingering weakness from reviving from death, I brace myself against the wall and listen as they open the now-unlock
~Bethany~“I tried everything. How are you suddenly up looking like nothing happened? You're not even in pain anymore.” Asad queries.“I’m still in pain.”I’m not lying. I’m in pain; it's painful being around them like this.Asad’s face softens. His gaze drops to my chest, where a hole torn by my foxglove-spelled switchblade is supposed to be. However, the hole is all healed now with no visible scar.“You had no heartbeat. I thought I lost you.”You can’t lose what you never wanted in the first place.“Yeah, well, stuff like that happens,” I mumble instead.No, stuff like that doesn’t happen. But, hey, what else should I have said?When I try to step around the Fae, he only moves closer, determination and something unbearably tender bleeding into his expression.Seeing that bit of tenderness sparks my temper. From some angry, petty part of my mind, Mikah’s sneering face comes back to me along with her words.‘They might even fuck you once or twice out of pity. But make no mistake, the
~Bethany~Reviving is slow and disorienting since I forced myself to keep my eyes shut. But I have to because I have no idea how long I was gone or what I'm about to wake up to.I hear Asad and Jayan outside this room still, talking and snapping quietly at each other.Peeking one eye open, I realize I'm lying in the enormous bed where I first explored Jayan and discovered his praise kink.Just thinking of that creates a twinge of hurt in my chest. To my horror, warm goosebumps scatter down my arms.This stupid fucking body of mine. It's just confused.The pain is entirely gone now, which I find fascinating. At least now I know that Foxglove shrub isn't listed among the few ways to actually kill me, even if it hurts like hell.My head rolls to the side, the bedside table next to me is crowded with every kind of spell ingredient known to the world of casters, and several rags stained with drying streaks of blood.Gritting my teeth, I try in vain to move again. My body is much weaker tha