Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 50512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 253(@200wpm)___ 202(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 253(@200wpm)___ 202(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
“We don’t know whose mark it is,” I growl.
“It’s more than that,” he fires right back. “You’ve been her lifeline since we found her. How can you be shocked she’d want to feed from you when forced to choose?”
“I don’t know,” I grumble. “I don’t want her mind clouded by the help my abilities offer her.” I don’t want to take her choices away without knowing it. Fuck, what if by taking care of her, I’ve somehow altered her mind to soften to me?
“She’s more lucid now than she’s ever been before,” he continues. “Annika and Cassandra and the other girls have been helping her just as much as you have. You’ve seen that. It’s not just about your powers.”
“Then why doesn’t she want to feed from one of them?” I ask even though the idea of her fangs inside anyone else’s neck is abhorrent to me. She’s been my responsibility since we found her in that abandoned house, chained up and barely clinging to life. My responsibility because I didn’t have the strength to stop my brother at the first hint of his defection.
Dagon eyes me. “You’re smarter than that.”
I sink into the chair next to him.
“She’s wearing your mark, Saint. Speaking as someone with mate experience, it will drive her straight back into madness if you deny feeding her for too long.”
Panic lashes through me, my instincts itching to move. “We’re not sure that’s my mark,” I say again. “You’ve said it yourself, there are signs.” I sigh. “I don’t know if I’m having any.”
I sink inward, desperate for a clear answer. Aurora deserves so much more than me, but if fate chained her to her abuser? I’ll burn the entire world down if it would break that bond.
“There are signs, but you know from all of us that this isn’t an exact science. And it’s still really early. Give it time and be open to any possibilities.”
“I have no idea how to be open to anything.” I’ve kept myself closed off for so long, I’m not sure how to be any other way.
Dagon shifts away from the table, an idea churning behind his eyes that makes my instincts prickle. He heads closer toward the door, almost like he’s retreating.
“Okay, how about this? I’ll ask Annika if…” He pauses, his focus on me but his body poised to run. “I can feed Aurora.”
I’m on my feet instantly, fangs out, ready to shred him. “Fucking. Asshole.”
Dagon laughs, hurrying out of my way as I storm past him.
“You’re lucky I don’t kill you.” I throw over my shoulder, feeling as out of control as the instincts demanding I act—to bite and claim and fuck. But I’ve always felt that way about Aurora, mark or not.
And it’s the last thing I can act on because Aurora means too much to me. She shouldn’t be mated to either of us. My brother, her abuser, or me, his twin, the walking reminder of all she suffered.
“You really think he’s in lycan territory?” Ajax asks as he quietly follows me.
“I wouldn’t put it past him to hide here. To try and throw us off.” We venture deeper into the territory, down one of the more secluded districts. This street is packed with industrial warehouses and a few hole-in-the-wall bars. We’ve searched this territory before, all the supernatural territories actually, but I won’t stop until I find him.
“I’m surprised Alek got you access to hunt here.” Ajax eyes me, almost like he’s asking if we’re here legally.
“He made the request himself at Conclave earlier,” I assure him. Though, he’s not wrong to be suspicious of me. There’s no line I won’t cross to bring Samuel to justice. He’s been allowed to live for too long after all he’s done.
The image of Aurora in chains, emaciated and terrified, flashes in my mind. Despite her being mostly healed and healthy now, I’ll never forget the moment I laid eyes on her. The pain that lashed through my heart. The way it felt like I was being starved all over again. I knew first-hand the lengths my brother went to during his torture sessions thanks to him imprisoning me when he tried to force a marriage to Avianna, the princess. And because of my abilities, I also knew exactly what he’d done to her.
She’d trusted me with her pain. He deserved worse than death.
“Good,” Ajax says, turning left down another block we’ve yet to clear. “I was just checking.”
“And if I’d said he hadn’t?”
“You know I’d be here either way.” Ajax flashes me another look. “I’m with you. We all are.”
I nod. I know they are. Dagon and Talon and Zachariah are exploring the witch lands, even though we’ve checked those extensively. We’ve checked everywhere. Every time we get a hint of Samuel’s scent, he disappears again. I hate it.