Page 88 of Haunted Nightmares
“Ah ha!” I find the tiny box wedged up under the new dresser, secured with duct tape to the pieces of cellophane still wrapped around it.
That wasn’t a terrible hiding spot, but it wasn’t great. Wraith could have tried harder for sure. He’s more creative than that but I can’t complain too much since I went hunting against his wishes and needed to be quick.
Branoc clicks and clacks at me again, shifting his weight back and forth on his feet, probably debating on running to find my mate or being loyal to me since I’m basically his mother.
With a satisfied smile, I sit back on my butt and scoot toward the bed, making sure to lean against it in case this causes a very unwanted outcome. Namely blacking out or something worse.
Neither of which have happened since I’ve learned to harness my gifts but you never know.
It is Drusilla’s finger; anything is possible when I touch this nasty thing.
I take a deep breath and slowly lift the lid, my nose scrunching the second I see her muddy brown nail polish.
Thank gods Wraith cleaned it up some, and he must have must have used a chemical or something on it to slow decomposition. It isn’t as gross as I was expecting it to be after swimming around in troll guts for who knows how long before it was discovered.
I can do this.
I can totally do this.
It’s for the greater good, to ultimately help our people.
If we find Drusilla, we find the portal and if we do that, we can prevent an entirely different and more dangerous war from happening.
That’s good for everyone.
Nodding to myself, I lift the gnawed off finger from the box, then immediately drop it on the floor when I hear, “Zephyr!”
Shit.
At least I know my raven didn’t narc on me.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Wraith scolds the second he steps into the room. “I told you not to touch that. I explicitly asked younotto try to read my mother’s finger.”
That’s possibly the weirdest sentence I’ve ever heard.“I know, but honey, it could be a game changer for us. It could?—”
He lumbers toward me, all pissed off and sexy with his button up shirt open, his Italian slacks sitting low on his hips, and those spindly black scars poking up over the waistband like they’re trying to reach the ones that cover his pecs.
“It could be seriously detrimental to your health,” he snaps as he snatches the box and finger off the floor. “The last time you came into contact with her?—”
“I discovered there was a spy in the Purists.”
My mate frowns as he closes the wooden finger casket and sets it on the dresser. He can’t argue with me there, and I didn’t really have any negative side effects when that happened so he can’t make that point either.
“I know you’re just trying to protect me, honey, but I want to help, and this is how I can.” I take his hand as he offers it, allowing my mate to pull me to my feet. “Not to mention, this is sort of part of the mission I’ve basically abandoned since we mated. It would probably earn me some brownie points with a few gods if I figured out where that torn portal is.”
Wraith rolls his eyes. “They don’t give a shite about your safety, my love, but I do. I will not put you at risk again, I cannot. Losing you…“ He shakes his head and cups my cheeks. “I know you are strong; you are powerful and more intelligent than anyone else I’ve ever met, and I’m sure you have abilities I’ve yet to see first hand but even knowing all of that, I cannot let you do something that has the potential to harm you in any way.”
“And I love you for it but… “Oh no.Oh shit. Of course it would all come to a head right now while the love of my life decides to get sweet with me.
“Zephyr?”
“I… uhm, I need to, if you can just… “
My mate’s brow furrows. “What is it, what’s wrong? You look as if you’re in pain.”
Shaking my head, I grip his wrists and pull his hands away from my face. “No, not really. I just, I need to, I need a minute alone, ok?”
I start backing away from Wraith toward the bathroom, the look of confusion and concern on his face kind of adorable. Or it would be if my lady parts didn’t decideright nowis the time to do what I’ve been waiting a week for them to do.
