Page 32 of A Token of Blood and Betrayal

“Aboveground,” I said.

“That’s not possible.It’s below or not at all.”It sounded like Satine was moving away.

Nora stalked toward the door.

“No pets allowed,” Satine said from somewhere deeper inside the house.

Nora shifted.Then Blake.I stumbled in that brief moment when he disappeared, probably would have hit the ground if he hadn’t reappeared in his human form and caught my arm, keeping me on my feet.

On my feet and pressed against his naked body.

I sucked in a breath, fighting against the urge to lean into him.My focus needed to be on Satine, on the vampires inside, not on the warmth of Blake’s skin or the memory of our mountainside kisses.

“Stay here,” I said.

Blake’s gold-rimmed, human eyes shifted from the doorway Nora had just disappeared through to me.“No.”

I grabbed his arm when he started forward.“I can’t protect you down there.”

Surprise flashed through his eyes.He extinguished it immediately.Then he very deliberately held my gaze.Invaded my space.Leaned close.“Iprotectyou.”

Heat surged through my body.It was ridiculous to feel that flame between us here, with danger and violence waiting just over the threshold.

I backed away.Reclaimed my sanity.“Can you order Nora to come back?”

He shook his head.“Not when she’s like this.”

Of course not.That would be too easy.

I stared at the open door, mustered my courage, then walked inside.

Blake didn’t try to stop me.He followed.Christian attempted to enter too, but the remaining werewolves cut him off, likely at Blake’s mental command.A sliver of relief threaded through me.It was safer if he waited outside.

The darkness closed around me faster than I’d expected.Blindly, I reached out and found Blake’s arm.He took the lead, and my hand moved to his shoulder.Muscles flexed beneath my fingers.

“There’s a study toward the back of the house,” I said, relieved I managed to keep my voice steady.“Just left of the kitchen.”

“I sense them,” he said.Then the hallway lit up.Blake had found and flicked on a light switch.

I could have stopped touching him then.

Shouldhave stopped touching.

The hallway light lit the study enough to see Nora heading down the stairs that were usually concealed behind a heavy bookcase.Two vampires watched her.Then they watched us, arms crossed, not speaking.I hadn’t seen either of them before, didn’t know if they were Satine’s guards, if they had been Arcuro’s, or if they might be loyal to Jared.

We reached the stairs, and that’s when my memories crashed in.My feet rooted to the floor.My throat tightened, and it became a struggle to draw in enough air.I’d almost died down there last week.With Satine here now, it was just as dangerous.I’d taken so many risks these past few months.This might be the time I didn’t make it out alive.

Blakemight not make it out alive.

He either sensed my fear or felt me fall behind because he stopped and turned.“Their magic is strong.You don’t have to come down.”

Right.The magic.That extra bit of manufactured doom.My fear was real and justifiable, but this place enhanced it.Itwould notsmother me.I just needed to take a step.

“I can help,” Blake said.“Like at Beltane.”

Beltane, where he’d used his magic to counteract the fey’s.Instead of being enchanted by them, I’d allowed myself to be mesmerized byhim.I’d dropped my defenses, and it had felt good—easy—like it was the most natural thing to be laughing and flirting with him.

“I can handle this,” I said.I’d survived Arcuro without Blake’s help.I’d survive Satine too.