Wicked Soul (Ancient Blood #1)(87)

“What do you mean, again?” I asked, choosing to ignore the disturbing threats of violence. My buzz helped.

His full lips pinched into a narrow line. “Do not concern yourself with matters you are too dimwitted to grasp.”

“You’re such a dick,” I said, smiling peacefully at him. “I can’t go back. I’m a witch. If anyone finds out, and he tries to protect me, he’ll be a target.”

Aleric’s eyes widened in shock, then narrowed into slits as his hand against my throat tightened a bit more than was comfortable.

Belatedly, I realized what I’d just done. But even through my dawning realization that I’d fucked up, my buzz kept me calm. “Well, shit.”

“Why are you always such a fucking thorn in my side?” he hissed. “What kind of a witch?”

“The terrible kind.” I shrugged awkwardly, his hand making the motion difficult. “I can’t seem to get it right.”

“I mean, what do you do? Potions, energy, necromancy…fucking tarot cards? What?” he growled.

I wheezed a laugh. “If I’d been a necromancer, your ass would be sooo screwed. I can do an energy-blast thingy. Well, I can sometimes do an energy thingy.” I lifted my hands to mimic a blast.

Aleric finally released my throat with a low groan and scrubbed both hands over his face. “Fuck!”

“That’s why I left,” I said. “I got a letter saying someone knew what I was… and if I didn’t disappear, they’d make sure Warin was targeted for shielding me. I didn’t want to leave. I love him so, so much. He can’t die for me, I won’t let him. So… I came here. He’s safe now.”

“He’s not safe, you stupid, ignorant bloodsack.” Aleric lowered his hands so he could glare at me. “He needs you. I can feel him, here.” He pressed a closed fist to his chest. “He was hollow for eight hundred fucking years, he was numb—but he was safe. Until you waltzed back into his life. And now… now all I feel in our bond is pain. You did this to him. And you are going to fix it. There is no other way.”

“But the letter.” I blinked up at him in surprise at the agony crossing his features. I’d not seen Aleric this animated before. “My powers...”

“Suppress them,” he said, his face sliding back into a cool mask. “Don’t ever mention them again. Don’t ever think about them. I will find the one who sent you that letter. Until then, don’t mention them to Warin.”

“But I—“

“No! He’s too blind when it comes to you—he’ll declare war on every fucking Ancient on the continent in a bid to keep you safe. He can’t know until the threat is gone. If you want him safe, you’ll do as I say.”

I sighed, defeated. Whatever else I may have thought of Aleric, as I looked up at his glowing features, I knew that in this one thing, our goals aligned. We wanted Warin safe at all costs. “Okay. But… Aleric?”

He arched an eyebrow at me.

“How did you find me?”

"I traced your cell phone, you idiot. The moment you turned it on, the GPS in it alerted me."

“Oh. I’d imagined something… I dunno, a bit more mystical.” I rolled around on my belly, sniffing the ground beneath me. It smelled amazing, so full of scents I didn't recognize.

“I won’t need a GPS anymore. Remember that.” Without warning, he hoisted me up by my jacket, and I squealed and laughed at the floating sensation.

"Humans," Aleric sneered from somewhere above me.

“Aleric?”

“What?”

“Did you make Diva tell me all those awful things about vampires? About the stalking, and that you can’t feel love?”

“Well, well. Not as stupid as you look,” he mused, finally placing me down on my feet. I stumbled, but managed to keep upright.

“I just don’t… why did you try to scare me away from him, when now you’re saying he needs me?”

He sighed. “I hoped he didn’t.”

“Aleric?”

“Gods, you’re a fucking nuisance!” he hissed.

“Who’s Thea?”

The irritation on his face drained away, leaving blankness in its stead. “You heard.”

“You and that dick… was it Zeth? Yes.” I frowned, trying to focus through my high. “‘Eight-hundred years’ always comes up. And he said that name… did he think I was her? Who is she?”

Ice-blue eyes locked in mine. “She is no one. And you will never speak her name again. If you want Warin happy, if you want Warin safe… you will never mention her name, and you will never again speak of what you heard that night. Zeth is not someone to be trifled with, and if he hears of that name coming from your lips… You will die.”





27





Aleric did not book me a first-class flight from Kentucky to Chicago.

Instead, I spent four hours shuddering in his grasp as he flew us, vampire-style, high above the ground at speeds that made my eyes water if I tried to peek out from his shoulder. It was the least comfortable road trip of my life, and by the end of it, I was so cold I wasn’t sure I’d ever warm up again. My only consolation was that Aleric had had about as much fun as me, since I spent the whole trip bitching about how horrible the ordeal was.