Page 22 of We Hunt the Night
“Alright, no fighting. I’ve really had enough of that today,” I ask, touching Black’s arm.
He looks at where I’m touching and something cracks in his eyes. “You should go with your people,” Black says coldly.
Lock comes closer to me. “He’s right. This is your world, with me, not them. We don’t belong in each other’s.” He grabs my arm and pulls me along with him. I see Black standing by the wall, watching us disappear into the crowd.
“That was mean.” I tug my arm out of Lock’s grip when we get to the bar.
“Not really, sweetness.” Urgh, that nickname is disgusting. “I feel like everyone treats them like more than they are. They are just tools for us to win the war.”
I shake my head. “That isn’t true.”
“In what way are they the same as us?” he scoffs. “We can do magic. They barely can.” I know that isn’t true for my shifters at least. Vale easily opened a portal, which is a level five spell. I’ve never attempted it. “Look, I know it must be confusing sleeping in a room with them. I sometimes get confused with my own bonded, but as long as you don’t ever cross the line, there won’t be a problem. I don’t think any of them are stupid enough to cross the line either. The punishments for both of you are very severe.”
“I’m not crossing a line with anyone. I’m not interested.” I wave him off, but my heart screams that I’m a big liar. Traitor. That those four—well, not Vale—are the only men that I can’t stop thinking about. For more reasons than our bond. It’s madness, it’s insanity, and it can’t be real.
“Come on.” He takes another step forward, boxing me into the bar. My heart leaps, but not in a good way—in fear.
“My fiancée.” He strokes his hand down my arm, and my stomach rolls. “We’re eventually getting married. That’s the end goal for us. I would love to start enjoying ourselves now, before it becomes just a chore for us to breed. I can take your mind off the academy and those dragons. I can make sure you’re at the top of the board and that you’re not killed off because they are fucking about. You’re my future wife and I will protect you.”
“Look, I’m not your future wife. I don’t want any special favors. I just want you to leave me alone,” I hiss. “You cheated on me with Lily. I know that.”
“How did you find out?” He looks shocked, not guilty, not anything but upset he was caught.
I laugh, but it’s hollow. “They talk around the town. Surely you know that. I found out not long after you’d left. I thought I loved you, but then I realized when I heard that, that I didn’t, actually. I don’t know what I was thinking. Either way, I’m not interested.”
“I was a stupid young boy, alright? I’m not now. Look, you can trust me—take my hand. Come on, Juniper, please just?—”
He’s yanked away and a thick fist slams straight into his face. My eyes widen as I see Kane right there before he starts beating the crap out of Lock on the floor. He holds his hand over the guy’s mouth so he can’t scream or cast a spell, only lifting it to punch him. Lock goes limp after a second of being beaten up, and it doesn’t surprise me. We’ve gained an audience, so many people staring at us. Kane stands up and casts his eyes aroundthe crowd, blood dripping from his knuckles. “No one touches our bonded.”
His voice echoes around the room, and he looks once at me, not meeting my eyes, before he walks out. No explanation. Nothing. I’m left with everyone staring at me and that warning echoing in the air like a spell. Rue is nowhere in sight. Neither is Black. Maz steps over Lock’s passed out body and touches my shoulder. “Hey, come on. I have somewhere else we can go that’s better than here.”
He leads me out, outside the castle, onto a bench that overlooks the forest. The walk eases some of the tension from what happened, making me feel a little better. Not by much, but a little. “Where have you been tonight?”
“At the camp, making sure everyone’s got enough food. Things aren’t always good back there, and their best hunters are now bonded.” He means them. Shit. “I don’t have any biological family, but I have an adoptive aunt, and she has a lot of adopted kids. She took in all four of us, actually. Slowly, over time, we ended up growing up together. War only breeds orphans.”
“I’d like to meet her sometime,” I offer.
“I’d like that too.” He stares at me for a long moment. “Kane’s history with you. It’s complicated.”
“It’s not that complicated—he just hates me, but tonight was confusing. Are all four of you that possessive?” I question.
“Yes, and no. Dragons can be known to be possessive about their bonded.” He smirks. “But Kane is worse than most.” Maz looks at me for a long moment. “I’m sorry about your father’s shirt. I saw the minute that I told you I’d thrown it away that it meant something to you, and I felt sick. I fucked up and I’m sorry.”
“It did mean a lot. It was my father’s. I don’t have anything else of his.” I look down. “But you didn’t do it on purpose. You were just trying to do something nice.”
“I’m still sorry. Come here.” He wraps his arm around me and pulls me to him. I rest my head on his chest, listening to his heart beat slowly. A gentle thump, thump, thump. “If I could go back in time, I’d change that. I definitely wouldn’t destroy that shirt. I thought I was helping you, and you had so little in your bag.”
I lift my head, realizing our faces are so close together, just inches apart. My eyes drop slowly to his lips and back up, finding his eyes are fixed on my lips too. Everything in me tightens, my heart racing as we stare at each other.
“I wish this wasn’t forbidden,” he whispers softly, his breath washing over me, minty and fresh. His scent wrapping around me like a blanket. God, he smells nice.
“Me too,” I admit out loud, because it’s not something I wanted to admit before. But there’s a connection, there’s something. We stare at each other for a long heartbeat where I wonder if he will cross that line and how good it would feel. One kiss. One fucking forbidden kiss.
He lifts his hand, stroking my cheek and sliding his hand to the back of my neck. Kane’s voice is like rolling thunder. “Maz, something happened at the camp. We need to go back.”
I jump, surprised I didn’t feel him getting closer. Maz lowers his hand slowly before climbing to his feet. “See you soon, Juni.” I turn to watch him walk to Kane, who has a face of fury, and his silver eyes are glowing like the moon in a night sky. What would have happened if he hadn’t interrupted?
I would have kissed my bonded…and ruined us both.
