I know Malachi’s right, and I hate it. I take a slow breath. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. The bond has to take priority.”
Wolf is watching me, too. For once, the ever-present mocking amusement on his face is nowhere to be seen. “The cost is always high for demon deals.”
I don’t say that I’m willing to pay it. I can’t, not without knowing what it is. “I’m not prepared to rule out any option until we’ve fully explored it.”
Malachi looks like he wants to argue, but Wolf has already jumped to his feet. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Now?”
“No time like the present.” He strides out of the room without a backward look. Knowing what I do of the man, he might be intent on his destination…or he might get distracted and disappear for a few days, only to show back up having totally forgot his intentions. Wolf is as wild as his namesake, and ten times as unpredictable.
Rylan starts for the door. “This won’t work.”
“Rylan.” Malachi doesn’t move, but his gaze tracks the other man. “You need to stop resisting. Last night can’t happen again.”
“Mind your own business.”
It seems like every single conversation we have these days circles back to this fucking bond. I want to rip it out with my bare hands. “It’s fine.” I continue when it seems like Malachi might argue. “Leave it, please.”
“Look at you, already acting like the heir.” Rylan’s gone before his cold words fully penetrate.
I can’t work up even a half-hearted glare in response. Not when he’s right. Not when I’m strangely grateful the unnatural peace from last night is no longer in play.ThisRylan, I understand. When he’s cold, he makes sense. Even the feral, out of control version of him is safer than the shell-shocked man who shared a shower with me. It’s hard enough to keep him at a distance with the bond pulling at me when we actively hate each other. If there’s a softening at all…
To distract myself, I look at Malachi, he doesn’t seem any happier than he did a few minutes ago. I want to storm out of the room to avoidthisconversation, too. Unfortunately, that’s not a permanent solution. “I’m sorry about last night.” I rush on before he can say anything. “Not about what happened with Rylan, though I’m sorry it worried you. But I’m sorry about after.”
“Mina, come here.”
I almost don’t. My reasons for choosing this chair instead of the couch remain, but it’s just the two of us now and I miss the feel of his body against mine. I want to blame that on the bond, but I’ve been drawn to this vampire since before it snapped into place. “We need to talk about it.”
“We will.” He motions with his fingers again, beckoning me. “Come here. Please.”
Please.
Have I ever heard Malachi utter that word? I don’t think so. That, more than anything, gets me up and moving around the coffee table to take his hand. He tugs me down to straddle him, but there’s nothing sexual in the move. It’s as if he wants the comfort of touching me as much as I crave touching him.
“I didn’t know I could do that,” I whisper.
“I suspected it was possible.”
I blink. “You didn’t think to say something?”
“Suspecting something and knowing it for truth are two different things, little dhampir.” His gaze coasts over my face as if memorizing my features. “I won’t say I liked the feeling, but if you hadn’t done something, I might have killed Rylan. I…wasn’t thinking clearly.”
“Malachi.” A bitter little laugh slips free. “We are such a mess.”
“It’s no surprise there’s a learning curve on this. There is on all magic.”
“I wouldn’t know.” Up until a month ago, I thought I hadn’t inherited any magic at all despite the fact most dhampir children of Bloodline vampires get some kind of magical skill. Based on my father’s Bloodline, I should be able to glamour people. Instead, I was thought a dud and sent to Malachi as a brood mare.
Apparently my seraph blood stifled or overpowered the vampire genetics. I’m still not sure which is the truth. I don’t know if I’lleverbe sure.
The whole thing makes my head hurt if I think about it too closely.
“Mina.” Malachi waits for me to look at him to continue. “We’ll figure it out. Together. I’m not prepared to hold missteps against you while you’re exploring the parameters of your powers. Do you intend to compel me again?”
“No!” I swallow hard and temper my tone. “Absolutely not.”
“That’s all that matters. Consider yourself forgiven.” He hesitates. “I’m…sorry…as well.”