| |
––––––––
MALACHI PULLED AWAY from the group hug to speak. “Can we take this reunion somewhere else?” he asked. “Somewhere drier maybe?”
“Let’s go to my house,” Eden suggested. “But only if you promise not to assassinate Sebastian,” she added, only half teasing.
Sorcha nodded reluctantly. “I won’t kill him,” she agreed. “Unless I find out he’s turned you into his thrall. If he has, he can kiss his butt goodbye.”
“We’re both each other’s thralls,” the succubus said with a grin. “We used our power on each other without realizing it and we’re stuck with each other now.” Even if they hadn’t been bonded by the spell Kade had cast, she had a feeling their innate magic and charisma would have linked them together forever anyway.
Sorcha frowned at Eden, but she seemed to be in charge of her own mind. “Let’s go,” she said, giving in to the inevitable. Kade moved closer and teleported them all to Eden’s front door. She let them in and they paused to take off their sodden cloaks. The magic of Nox dried their clothing as the succubus led them to where Sebastian and Jardine were waiting in the formal living room.
Sebastian crossed to Eden and bent to give her a scorching kiss. Jardine did the same with Malachi. Sorcha observed their interaction, feeling jealous that her friends had both found someone who seemed to care about them. She flicked a look at Kade to find him watching her. His amethyst eyes crinkled a little at the corners when he smiled at her. She scowled in return, unwilling to trust a man who had clearly been lying to her ever since they’d met.
“You must be Sorcha,” Sebastian said when he broke off his kiss with Eden. His tone was polite, but his green eyes were guarded.
“Sorry about trying to assassinate you,” the sorceress said. “I thought you’d turned Eden into your puppet.” It was clear the succubus and master vampire had genuine feelings for each other. “I won’t try to kill you again,” she promised.
“That is a relief, mademoiselle,” he said and gave her a small bow.
“I take it you’re all part of the rebellion?” Sorcha asked as they took seats on the couches and armchairs. A cup of tea appeared on the coffee table in front of her and she picked it up. Even though she was now dry, a chill remained in her bones. The Immortal Triumvirate would think she was dead, which meant she would have to stay in hiding like her friends were. If they found out their assassins were still alive, they would want to know how and why.
“We are,” the female master replied. “My name is Jardine, by the way,” she added. Sorcha inclined her head in greeting. There was no need for her to introduce herself.
“We’re working on a plan to overthrow the Immortal Triumvirate,” Sebastian said. “We are gathering strong allies to aid us in our task. I hear you are a sorceress. It would be good to have you on our side.”
“You can count me in,” Sorcha said grimly. “I’ll do whatever it takes to get rid of our masters.”
“Former masters,” Malachi corrected her. “We don’t answer to them anymore.”
“We can’t tell you all of the details yet,” Eden said, darting a glance at Jardine and Malachi. Sorcha realized they weren’t privy to all the secrets Sebastian, Kade and Eden were keeping.
“Why is Raum involved?” Sorcha asked. “How could you trust the Demon Guild Master?”
“It’s a long story,” Sebastian replied. “We require his talents from time to time and we have an alliance with him.”
“What does he get out of it?” the sorceress asked, then answered her own question. “More power, of course,” she muttered.
“It isn’t an ideal arrangement, but we’re stuck with him,” Eden said with a grimace.
“You can’t go back to the Assassin Guildhall now,” Malachi warned her. “The Immortal Triumvirate will think you’re dead. If they see you, they’ll ask questions that none of us will want to answer.”
Sorcha felt bereft that she no longer had a home of her own now. Eden was living with Sebastian and it seemed Malachi was living with Jardine. She flicked a look at Kade, who had remained silent so far. He was watching her intently. “I’ll find somewhere safe to stay,” she said. She had no intention of going anywhere near the Immortal Triumvirate. “What can you tell me about the rebellion?” she asked. She didn’t need to worry that their meeting would be disrupted by an assassination order. The annoying letters from her overlords would never flutter in front of her, trying to force her to read them ever again.
Her friends and new allies filled her in, but there were a lot of gaps and she was left with questions. Sorcha had a feeling Eden knew a lot more about the rebellion than Malachi, but the succubus was being tightlipped. She hoped she would get the opportunity to question her friend when they were alone.
“We should be getting back to our kiss,” Jardine said once they’d told Sorcha everything they could.
“They’ll be worried about us,” Malachi agreed. The pair stood and the others copied them. Sorcha gave the incubus a hug and followed him and his undead partner to the door.
“You’re welcome to stay here,” Eden said to the sorceress.
Sorcha eyed the succubus and her gorgeous lover and shook her head. “I don’t want to be a third wheel,” she replied.
“May I speak to you in private, Sorcha?” Kade asked as he donned his cloak. He automatically pulled the hood up to hide his face.
She scowled and was about to tell him to go to hell when Eden drew her aside. “You should give him a chance,” the succubus whispered.
“Why?” Sorcha asked just as quietly.
“Did you visit Madam Quilla?” Eden queried.
“Yeah,” the sorceress replied sheepishly. “Xiara Evora told me to visit her. Madam Quilla told me the man I’d least likely think could help me would assist me to break my bonds.”
They both glanced at Kade, who was chatting to the others. “Did she say anything else?” Eden prompted.
“She said he would give me the choice between doing good or continuing to do evil and that I have an important destiny,” Sorcha replied.
“She told me the same thing about Sebastian,” the succubus said. “You need to talk to Kade and listen to what he has to say. I know you care about him, or you wouldn’t have slept with him.”
“He told you that?” Sorcha asked in mortification.
“He didn’t give us all the gory details.”
“Us who?” Sorcha demanded.
“Malachi and me,” Eden said, then waved away her concern. “The gypsy’s prediction came true for me. I’m pretty sure she was right about your future as well. Go with Kade and hear him out. You can trust him.”
Sorcha looked over at the man who had to be a warlock and became caught in his gaze. She nodded reluctantly. “I’ll hear you out,” she agreed and Kade smiled in relief.
“Make the right decision, Sorcha,” Eden whispered. “I did and I’ve never been happier.”
Sebastian’s head turned, proving he’d heard every word they’d said. He gave the succubus a scorching smile that was almost enough to heat the entire house.
Jardine and Malachi had taken a carriage home, but Kade held out his arm to Sorcha. She took it in trepidation, then he teleported her to his home.
