Assassin's Kiss (30 page)

She narrowed her eyes. “How did you get it right outside my front door?”

“I have my ways.” He smiled. “Drink more, darling.”

Tessa gulped the rest of the water because she honestly was parched. “The wards weren’t breached.”

“No. They weren’t.”

“Then how?” She handed him the empty glass.

“I have a messenger. She’s very good at following orders.”

Tessa stared in disbelief.
She?
Zeebi’s words circled back into her head.
They think I’m a spy, working with Damien.
“Who?” The whispered word left her mouth on a breath, part horror and part crushing disappointment.

“I’ll send her in soon, so she can fill you in on the details.” He straightened to his full height. “I’ll let you rest. Wouldn’t want you to get tired of me too quickly. Are you hungry?”

She shook her head. The thought of food made her stomach tumble.

“All right, darling. I have business to take care of, and wedding arrangements to finalize. I’ll see you soon.” He crossed the room, gave her one last smile, and left.

Tessa sat, unmoving, on the floor. All she could think of was Scorpio, how everything about him radiated honor and truth. He’d asked her to trust him, and she thought she did. Then when everything was on the line, she’d doubted him. She dropped her head to her bent knees and felt like someone had reached into her chest and ripped her heart out. She’d been faithless. All he’d ever done was protect her.

Because that’s what mates did. Lenore’s prediction, or curse, was that she’d despise him. And she’d let Zeebi talk her—or rather, spell her—out of trusting him.

No. She balled her fists as anger built inside her.
She
had let the doubt in. It was her own fault. Her own hesitation to believe that there could be more to the male than the events filling his past.

The events of our lives shape us. But they don’t define us, unless we let them.
She had let petty thoughts censor her view of a man who was noble and caring. “I’m sorry, Scorpio,” she whispered into the empty room.

But why had Zeebi done all this?

Minutes passed, and still Tessa heard nothing. Was there a dampening spell on the room? Surely Vespera was full of witches, busy with their own dark tasks, or with Damien’s.

The doorknob twisted again, quickly. Tessa snapped her head up, half expecting Damien to come back in.

But it was Zeebi’s blond hair that greeted her eyes.

“Tessa! Oh, I’m glad you’re awake.” She dropped down next to Tessa, putting an arm around her.

“Don’t.” Tessa grabbed her friend’s wrist and held her off. She scooted a few feet away. “Tell me what’s going on.”

“Tessa.” Zeebi’s eyes were huge, imploring. “You have to understand, it’s better this way.”

“What way?”

“Being here. Make a clean break and start our new lives.”

“I didn’t get to say goodbye to my dad! And others who practically raised me!” She shook her head. “It wasn’t time to go yet.”

“Actually it was. You and the demon were getting a little too cozy.”

“What?” Tessa gaped at her. “Okay first of all, you were pushing me like crazy toward him. And second, we are not cozy! He saved my life. Yours too, in case you forgot.”

“He’s wanted to get in your pants since he got here. And you, who never even has a date, suddenly have ripped underwear lying on your floor, after you lobby for his security detail to be relaxed?” Zeebi snorted. “Not too hard to figure out.”

Her friend’s see-saw opinions made no sense. “First you want me to hook up with him, then you want to make sure I don’t? Why?”

“I was hoping he’d sway you sooner and just take you to his fancy headquarters. Then I could take your place. Live here, with Damien. But you had to be so stubborn.”

Something about the way Zeebi said Damien’s name gave Tessa pause. “What have you been doing?” she whispered.

“I’ve been improving things for me and you. We’ll be much better off here, than struggling in Bronwy.”

Tessa stared as if her friend had spoken Earth Latin. “Bronwy is our home, our people.”

“No, this is our home, our land. Don’t you feel the pull? You always said you did.”

“Actually,” Tessa frowned. “No. I don’t feel it. Not like I do when we’re outside, walking close by.”

“Well, I don’t know why not. We’re here, and the ley lines will start feeding us their power, and we’ll be so much better off.”

“You-you want the dark magic?” Tessa blinked, stunned. “You
do
. My gods, Zee. What happened to you?”

“I got smart.” Zeebi twisted a lock of hair. “And I got to spend time with Damien. He’s so amazing, and has plans for us, for Vespera.”

“Plans involving dark magic and manipulation.”

“Plans that will make us stronger and richer. And eventually unite us and Bronwy.”

“We
are
Bronwy.” Tessa gritted. “Or have you forgotten?”

“
I
haven’t been. Not for a long time.”

Tessa scooted farther away. “Why are you doing this? We’ve been friends forever. You were like a sister to me.”

“Tessa, you’re not getting it.” Zeebi glared. “You’re the lucky one, the pretty one, the one with the most talent, the daughter of the chief. Everything came easily to you.”

“What? You never lack for male attention. And your metal affinity is valuable to the coven.”

“I’m always the second choice, and I’m tired of it. I want more power and not just with metals. I’m learning how to transform appearances.”

Tessa shook her head, not believing this. “But you’re gorgeous. And anyway, you don’t need a man, or a special power, to have value to the coven. Everyone loves you.”

“Probably not anymore,” Zeebi muttered.

“It doesn’t have to be this way. Let’s get out of here, sneak back home, explain everything to my dad.”

“Ha.” Zeebi snorted. “No way. I’m not going back to being second best.”

“Zeebi, what the hell are you talking about?”

Zeebi turned angry eyes on her. “Damien wants you for your ability. And you barely have to work at it. Scorpio? Gods, he took one look at you and decided he had to have you at his side forever because of whatever this mate thing is. And I’m just sitting there. Unnoticed.”

“No one thinks less of you in any way. You have to stop this, stop beating yourself up.” Tessa softened her voice. “And you think Damien, of all people, will…will what? Think you’re amazing?
I
know you are, but he’s a cold-hearted monster. He doesn’t value anything but himself.”

Zeebi frowned. “He’s a leader I want to follow, one I want to emulate. One who makes decisions quickly. Not sitting and consulting forever first.”

Unbelievable. “He’s a power hungry maniac. Why would you want to have anything to do with him?”

Zeebi shook her head. “You don’t get it.”

“No, I don’t.” She folded her arms. “I don’t get any of this. How are you able to mask your true intent from me? Your aura never changes.”

“You may as well know, since you’re here now.” Zeebi’s fingers slowly traced the opal necklace she’d worn every day for the last several months. “Dark magic takes care of many things.”

Stunned, Tessa focused on the precious stone, its blues and pinks muted in the room’s dim light. “That’s how you hid all this?”

A smile tugged at her friend’s lips. “Yes. And you’ll have access to the same degree of power soon.”

No.
But saying that seemed to fall on deaf ears. Tessa tried to draw a calming breath but instead, anger took over. “I asked Damien about that note.”

Zeebi’s eyes flicked to Tessa.

“He said he has a messenger, and referred to her as a she.” She waited, pinning Zeebi with a look. “Was it you? Did you leave the note outside my door?”

Zeebi rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I did.”

An odd, cold detachment rolled through Tessa’s limbs. The slices of betrayal cut deeper with each revelation. “I can’t believe this.”

“Yeah, well, not everything is what it seems.”

Tessa stared as if seeing her friend for the first time. “I guess so. So it’s all true? The things you said that Scorpio said? The
lies
about you?” Tessa made air quotes around the last words.

Zeebi sat silent.

“They aren’t lies, are they?”

Zeebi glared at the floor. “Tessa, I want to stay friends. And you’re going to need a friend here. Do you know how many females are jealous of you? Damien could have his pick of anyone here, and yet he chose you, an outsider.” She made a scoffing sound. “They already hate you.”

“I don’t care if anyone likes me. I made an arrangement and I’ll stick to it. But you…you have to let go of this need for more. The dark magic is pulling you too strongly. I don’t want to see you get hurt.” It was true. Despite everything Zeebi had done, Tessa didn’t want her to succumb to the darkness. It was a recipe for slow insanity.

“Too late.” Zeebi got up. “I know what I want and how to get it. I want more power, and I want to lead Bronwy. I’m on my way, and I’m not giving anything up.” She stalked across the room and opened the door, casting a glance back at Tessa. “Stop being so stubborn. It’ll be easier all around if you just go with the flow. Make your knives, sleep with Damien, keep him happy. It’s not too hard.” With that, she slammed the door behind her.

Tessa sat shell-shocked—again. Unable to wrap her head around Zeebi’s words and actions. It was the dark ley lines. It had to be. How else could her sunny, happy, goofy friend turn like that?

Does a leopard change its spots?
She thought again of what Orser had asked. Yes, Scorpio had changed. But she was convinced he had been a good person under it all, despite the life of endless killing. He’d been coerced and rightfully concerned about his siblings. So his core hadn’t changed. Just his circumstances.

But Zeebi? Tessa was bombarded with memories of silly girlhood games, endless chatting and fighting like friends do, only to make up. She shook her head. Zeebi had to be the same, deep down, too. And Tessa felt like crap for not recognizing sooner that the dark magic had begun to exert its pull on Zeebi.

She’d lied. Gods that hurt. But equally bad was knowing Tessa had hurt Scorpio in the process. She didn’t want to cause anyone grief, but especially not him. Exhausted, she climbed back into the bed and lay on her side, blocking out the truth of where she was and remembering how Scorpio’s arms had felt, holding her tightly.

He was warm, hard, and strong. So much bigger than she, so powerful on his own. Yet he seemed to love her skills. Her heart warmed as she remembered him saying he was glad she hit him with her fire.

Only a strong man would say that.

Sharp inadequacy chilled her. Was she good or strong enough to be his mate? She’d been weak in a crucial moment. Tessa wrapped her arms around herself and vowed to apologize to him. Some way, somehow, she’d get out of here. Maybe only for an hour. But she would find her demon and tell him she understood him and forgave him everything he’d ever done. He was an honorable male.

He deserved a mate as steadfast as he was. And her recent actions didn’t come close to worthiness.

C
HAPTER
28

S
CORPIO STOOD IN THE MAIN
gathering area of Bronwy as the sun set on the longest day of his life. He ached to find Tessa, and it killed him that she wasn’t far, but he’d had the warnings about Vespera hammered into his head enough times that they stuck. Mostly. His tactical mind knew they needed a very good plan, and several back up plans in the wings.

Hallon, Orser, and a handful of guards flanked him, with the Elders behind them. Actually, the whole coven had turned out to greet the imminent visitors. Two teams of warriors and a celebrity witch? Evidently this was the most excitement at Bronwy…ever.

The air prickled with the soft buzz of portal magic. “Incoming,” Hallon announced, as several darkly shimmering circles appeared in the air.

Lucky for the Watchers, the portals hadn’t opened too far off the ground. It could make for a nasty fall, as evidenced by what had happened to Scorpio when he landed here at Bronwy. But tonight, his fellow warriors had only grins as they were dumped from the portals and leaped up.

“Hey man.” Aleksai strode to Scorpio and gave him a one armed man-hug. “Good to see you in one piece.”

Scorpio clapped him on the back and turned to Brenin, who was shaking his head. “Dude, I can’t get used to you with hair.”

“Whatever.” Scorpio turned to Hallon. “Chief mage Hallon, meet my brothers in arms and the leaders of these two teams, Brenin and Aleksai.”

Hallon extended his hand to shake each of theirs. “We are grateful for your help on this matter. We may have to bunk you two to a cabin, but we’ll make room.”

The air stirred and swirled around the group, along with a new, more subtle pulse of magic. “This must be Whysper?” Scorpio asked.

“Yeah, she travels in style. Check this out.” Brenin nodded to the center of the space, where the fighters on the two teams had formed a protective ring.

A cloud of mist rose from the ground, rotating in a lazy circle. It grew to a height of six feet, changing from gray to white. Murmurs broke out among the coven members, excited and anticipatory.

Scorpio grinned as the mist cleared, revealing three females clasping hands. Whysper, only five feet tall, blinked her eyes open first. Her long gray hair swished around narrow shoulders, brown eyes finding Scorpio at once. “There’s my boy.” She let go of the other women.

Melixa, her apprentice, stepped aside to let the old witch pass. She looked to the third female, a blond elf. “That was very smooth, Johanna.”

The elf rolled her shoulders and cracked her gum. “Thanks. I guarantee a positive travel experience.”

“A porter?” Orser stared. “You Watchers have a porter on staff?”

“No, Arawn hired her for this trip,” Aleksai said. “Would be convenient to have her around all the time though.”

The diminutive elf turned purple eyes on Aleksai. “Can’t monopolize a porter, warrior. There’s only six of us.”

Whysper shuffled close, right up to Scorpio. “No portal nonsense for me. These old bones and all. Goodness.” She grasped Scorpio’s hands in a surprisingly strong grip and stared up at him. Her intense brown eyes never missed a thing. “My dear boy, you are well.”