Tarek Rises in 3 hours
I WAS COMING OUT OF the shower, towel drying my hair, when I felt the shifting of energy in the house. Only three of us were capable of Tracing: Waleron, me, and Zurina, and her aura was much lighter when entering a domain.
Waleron.
“Fuck.”
I yanked my jeans on over my wet skin, threw on a tee, and headed for the door.
“You promised we’d discuss this,” Delara shouted in the living room.
I concealed my scent along with my heartbeat and breathing, then walked down stairs and stopped.
Waleron and Delara stood facing one another and heated anger boiled around them.
Her thoughts were shielded, but since we’d mindweaved, I could easily get past her safeguards and hear her words.
God, why can’t I hate him. Give me my heart back.
Fuck, this man was killing her. He refused to let her go and yet refused to be with her and love her.
A constant torture, and why she fuckin’ cut. It was one thing I hadn’t been able to stop, and the reason I’d considered doing as she asked and erasing the memories of her past with Waleron.
But the process was permanent and I’d never consider it unless it was life and death.
Delara’s emotions were erratic and filled with so much pain. It was rare I’d interfere where I didn’t belong, and this was certainly one of those occasions. I was in Waleron’s territory and, regardless of our laws, I doubted Waleron would control his fury if I interfered. And yet I couldn’t sit back and take the wrath of another.
Despite my casual appearance, I was merciless when it came to my enemies. My Talde often referred to me as “the calm before the storm.” Methodical and patient, and then a whirlwind of lethal ruthlessness.
It was in my nature to be composed, a lot like my mother. That was how I became so good at my mother’s spells; by trial and error—and it was a lot of fuckin’ error.
“Delara.” Waleron reached for her.
“Don’t you dare.” She shoved Waleron in the chest and stepped out of his reach.
Waleron tensed, his hands curling into fists. My eyes snapped to movement on the side of his neck. His Ink. The tattoo uncoiled and its eyes turned blood red.
Jesus. The rumor was true. Waleron did have an Ink that moved without being called to.
“I changed my mind. Xamien will take you to Spain. This is non-negotiable, Delara.”
She pinched the sides of her pants, her nostrils flaring. “Changed your mind? Bullshit. You pacified me by agreeing to discuss it. Now that I’m back, you’re sending me to Spain. Just like you planned from the beginning. You lied.”
“I couldn’t take the chance you’d vanish again.”
I tensed, watching them and ready to drag Delara away if necessary.
“Tarek is my responsibility. I’m not afraid of him and I want to face him.”
She was lying; the question was, did Waleron know it. Delara was terrified to face Tarek, although she’d never admit it. Tarek had beaten her down day after day until she became a slave to him. That wouldn’t be easily forgotten when she stood face-to-face with him again.
“Maitagarri, try to understand.” Waleron stepped close to her again and she turned her back to him.
I was about to walk into the room when Waleron wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against his chest.
Her hands had flown to his arms to shove them away, when he whispered something in her ear then trailed a light speckle of kisses along the juncture of her neck and shoulder.
I clamped my jaw.
Delara remained frozen, not reacting externally to his advances, almost as if she were fighting him without moving her limbs. Waleron must have noticed too, because he sighed then let her go. Delara couldn’t have seen it, but I did—the uncertainty as Waleron raised his hand as if to stroke the back of her head, then lowered it again, his fingers curling into a fist at his side.
Jesus Christ, those two were fucked.
From that slight gesture, it was clear that despite Waleron refusing to be with Delara, the Taldeburu still wanted her.
“You will go to Spain with Xamien. End of discussion.”
“There was no goddamn discussion,” she blurted, swinging around, but Waleron had Traced from the room. “Shit.”
I strode toward her, unmasking my scent and heartbeat. Delara turned and I hid my smile because she looked like a peacock with its feathers ruffled.
“Why didn’t you say something? You said you’d talk to him,” she said.
I had already. After she’d left my room last night, I’d called Waleron. The conversation had been simple—I offered to stay in Toronto to help protect Delara. Waleron said no and hung up on me.
“I did. He refused. He won’t even entertain the idea, Delara.”
“You’re a Taldeburu. Trace to the Realm and tell the Wraiths.”
“You’re part of his Talde, not mine. I can offer suggestions, but nothing more. Ultimately, you must obey him.”
“He doesn’t own me.”
“No. But we all have an oath to uphold and you must obey your Taldeburu whether you like it or not.” Delara had more leeway than most Scars because Waleron let her get away with shit. But he’d not be lenient about protecting her from Tarek.
A tear escaped and slipped down her cheek. Fuck.
I pushed off the wall and came to her, pulling her into my arms, then wiped the stray tear with the pad of my thumb. “He does this to protect you.”
She lowered her head, nodding, and I put my finger under her chin and raised her head again. “Delara, you can’t fight him on this. You won’t win.”
The floorboards creaked behind us.
“Stealing another man’s woman, Xamien? Always the fuckin’ bastard.”
Delara pulled away so hard and fast that her spine hit the wall. I dropped my hands to my sides and glanced at Damien, who scowled at me then at Delara.
“Damien, it’s not what you think,” Delara said.
But the words were hollow, and Damien was a Scar; he’d see right through it.
“Damien. Nice to see you.” I nodded.
Damien scoffed. “Fuck off.”
Delara peered at Damien, mouth gaping.
I sighed, knowing better than to try and appease Damien. He’d hate me even more when he found out I was hiding Abby in Spain.
Waleron had been forced to lock him in the subbasement when Abby was supposed to be executed and Damien had gone insane. It had been months, but Damien still looked like he wanted to kill anyone in his path.
Damien turned his attention to Delara. “I heard you mention Abby’s name earlier. Why? She’s been dead for months. Why were you thinking about her?”
“Oh God.”
“Relax. Don’t let him get to you,” I said.
“I can’t really remember, Damien. They were just thoughts. Maybe seeing you again reminded me of her. And stay out of my head.”
“Well done, kitten.”
Damien scrutinized Delara for several seconds. Every muscle strained, his eyes piercing into her as if attempting to figure out if she was lying or not.
His eyes snapped to me. “Get the hell out of my territory, Xamien. I came to this side of the world so I never had to see you, so fuck off.” He brushed past us and went out the front door.
“Holy shit, he really doesn’t like you,” Delara said. “I didn’t even know you guys had met before.”
That was an understatement. And my past with Damien was off limits to everyone. “Let’s eat.” I linked my hand in hers and pulled her toward the kitchen. “If I can’t eat you, then real food will have to suffice.”
She rolled her eyes, then asked, “If I were in your Talde, would you let me confront Tarek?”
I released her hand and pulled out a pot and frying pan from beneath the stove. “Yes, but you’re not.”
She reached up in the cupboard and grabbed a can of tomato sauce. “So why—”
I cut her off. “You can’t refuse him.”
She sighed, setting the can down beside me. “I know.”
I disagreed with Waleron’s choice, but understood why. His oaths superseded all else and his oath to protect Delara because she was a Scar took precedence over what Delara wanted or needed.
“Don’t get me wrong.” I grabbed several spices from the spice holder magnetized to the stove hood. “I will always interfere if your life is in question.”
She was silent a few minutes. I opened a can of tomato sauce, poured it into the frying pan, and stirred it with the wooden spoon.
“I won’t willingly Trace with him.”
No, she wouldn’t.
The girl had more guts than any woman I knew, except perhaps Max. But Delara’s vulnerability was showing, and if Tarek got near her, I was afraid how that would play out.
“I know you won’t.”
“Do you ever lose your cool, Xamien?”
I chuckled. “No. Not often.” I winked at her. “It’s all in the cock, babe. Have control of that and you have control of everything.”
“Do you ever stop thinking about sex?”
I laughed. “Rarely.”