The Coven (Coven of Bones, #1)(7)

“Do you have any idea what I would give to be the witch our ancestors chose to wear the bones?”

“I have some idea,” I said, letting the bitterness come through in my voice. I knew exactly what he would give to be chosen.

He would give them me. He would sacrifice me in a heartbeat if he thought the bones would fall to the only remaining member of the Hecate line. It was why he’d only had one child, so that there would only be one person standing in his way.

The sacrificial lamb.

He didn’t feel their call. Didn’t hear them whispering to him in the night when there should have been silence.

For Ash’s sake, that couldn’t happen. I’d grown up knowing that one day, I would either have to kill my father or allow him to kill me.

The ringing of the doorbell saved us from having to acknowledge that reality, making me sit up quickly as I glanced toward the door.

“Fuck,” I hissed, hoping for the first time that it was just a pesky, nosy neighbor coming with a casserole to pry into our business and my plans for how I would support the two of us.

My father hung up without a word. There was no touching goodbye—even knowing that if that was who I feared it may be, he might never see me again. There was a very good chance I wouldn’t survive Hollow’s Grove University.

I hurried for the door, sprinting to the stairs. My relief pulsed through the air when Ash remained safely tucked inside and out of sight. He’d been forbidden from answering the door years ago in an effort to protect him, leaving me to huff a breath as I adjusted my gray sweater and hurried down the stairs.

“Go into the kitchen and stay out of sight,” I whispered, shooing him as far from the front door as possible.

He did as he was told, tucking himself into the kitchen, though he lingered near the doorway so that he could listen to what might be said.

His curiosity would be the end of me.

I drew in a deep breath, trying to convince myself that it would just be Mrs. Johnson waiting on the other side. That she’d thought to see if we’d eaten already and brought us another lasagna. Placing a hand on the gold-plated doorknob, I glanced down at the amulet I’d already fastened around my neck. The chain was irrelevant, but the black tourmaline nestled safely within the rose-gold wire cage would protect against compulsion. All witches in the Coven wore them when they came of age, and I’d be damned if I risked facing one at my door without it.

With my free hand, I reached up and unfastened the chain and deadbolt. Twisting the knob as I confirmed with one last glance behind me that Ash had remained hidden, I pulled the door open a crack and peeked outside.

I swallowed as my eyes landed on the male standing on the front porch. He was alone, his lips twisted into the faintest of smiles. I had no doubt it was meant to be reassuring, softening his full lips from the tense set that seemed to linger beneath the unfamiliar gesture.

Definitely not Mrs. Johnson.

The power rolling off him confirmed he not only wasn’t my nosey neighbor, but that he also wasn’t even human, let alone truly alive. His eyes flashed as they connected with mine, the blue steel of them darkening for a moment before he lowered them down to the amulet at my chest. My breath caught at the sensation of those smoldering eyes running over my body, of the way I could feel it like claws dragging over the surface of my skin lightly.

He was beautiful and infuriating—a disaster waiting to happen.

“Miss Madizza, I presume?” he asked, his voice deep and raspy as he slowly tilted his head to the side. His gaze continued to rake down my body, sliding over my stomach and thick thighs until his smile broadened when he took in the combat boots on my feet.

“Are you talking to me? Or my feet?” I asked, pulling my sweater tight across my chest. His gaze came back up in a slow, languid path. He didn’t hurry to meet my eyes once again, in spite of the fact that I’d called him out, the arrogance of centuries of life allowing him to behave in ways that defied manners.

“I am most definitely talking to you,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest. He leaned his shoulder into the iron column that supported the roof of the open porch, looking far too comfortable in the space that was meant to be mine.

“What is it that you want from Miss Madizza?” I asked, resisting the urge to wrap my fingers around my amulet. My best chance in getting Ash out safely, even though they had already found me, lay in pretending I knew nothing of who they were. If I feigned innocence, maybe I could sneak him out.

“I represent a prestigious university. We have a unique opportunity for her to study alongside the best and brightest students of her year. Perhaps I could come inside to discuss it?” the male asked, pushing himself off the railing with a nudge of his shoulder. He took a step toward me as I stepped through the door, pulling it mostly closed behind me and blocking his path.

“No,” I said, my tone brokering no argument.

Too quickly.

He raised his brow at me, his mouth parting lightly as he ran his tongue over his bottom teeth. I smiled to soften the urgency in my voice, swallowing down my terror at having a predator so close. He took another step toward me, stopping when he was near enough that I had to tip my head back to look up at him.

“A girl can’t be too careful these days. I’m sure you understand,” I said, focusing on the rhythm of my heartbeat.

A deep breath in, then another one out.