Page 5 of Barely Breathing (Merely Mortal #3)

Chapter

Five

“You’re not actually considering going into the Alpha’s territory, are you?” Anthony asks as we walk back toward the penthouse from the coffee shop. I can’t shake the feeling that we’re being watched and can only assume it’s my stalker vampire boyfriend.

Boyfriend. That word still feels wrong. Paul is boyfriend material. Costin is…

I don’t have a name yet for what he is.

I don’t have a name for what we are together. Although stupid comes to mind.

Ill-fated. Ill-advised. Mistake.

“Tam, seriously,” Anthony insists when I forget to answer.

“Of course not. Does that sound like me?” I touch the amulet for reassurance. “I’m just gathering information. ”

“Liar.” He bumps my shoulder. “You’ve got that look.”

“What look?”

“The same one you had right before you convinced Conrad to chase that ghost in Jersey.”

I start to laugh, but then I picture Conrad’s face, and all the humor in the memory leaves me. “Jersey Devil. Conrad wanted to find the Jersey Devil.”

“You two drove into a cemetery and nearly got possessed,” Anthony says.

“Only a little possessed,” I joke. In reality, we only told our parents that because the cops picked us up for trespassing. We had to tell them something.

“I’m hurt I wasn’t invited,” he says.

Suddenly, the world feels like it tilts. Heat radiates from the amulet and floods through me. Anthony catches my arm when I trip on the sidewalk, but I barely feel it. I see flames engulf a nearby building. Draakmar’s consciousness intrudes into mine, more urgent than ever before. Images flash, and I see blood running down stones, moonlight through glass, and wolves circling. As fast as the hallucination hits, it dissipates like smoke in the wind. But the danger whispering through me lingers.

“Blood and moonlight?” Anthony’s voice sounds far away.

“What?” I blink several times to get my bearings. The vision fades, leaving me with the lingering sensation of a sunburn.

“You said blood and moonlight,” he insists.

“Did I?”

“What’s wrong?”

I shake my head. “Nothing. I’m fine.”

He frowns and presses his hand to my forehead. “You’re not fine. You’re burning up.”

Before I can answer, Costin materializes from the shadows beside us, his interruption making the air thick with tension. When he looks at me, I see the predator in his eyes. The possessive gleam makes my pulse quicken. As mad as I want to be at him, there is no denying he stirs my blood.

“Planning an adventure?” the vampire asks, his tone deceptively calm.

Anthony leans close to me. “Just taking my sister home.”

“Actually,” Costin’s gaze fixes on mine, “I can see her home. Tamara and I need to have a discussion.”

“There’s nothing to discuss,” I tell him. “A friend needs help, and I owe it to him to help. I’m not waiting for your permission.”

“So I gathered from your conversation with the wolf.” His lip curls slightly. Had he been eavesdropping? “Tell me, castoff, do you think storming werewolf territory alone is the wisest course of action?”

I hate that nickname. It’s so dismissive. He first used it when he found me in the forest with a burned hand. “I wasn’t going to?—”

“You were.” He moves closer, and even Anthony takes a step back.

“You can’t know that,” I say.

“No?” He arches a brow as if daring me to finish the protest.

“You need to go away.” I walk faster, making both men keep up with me. Between gritted teeth, I grumble, “I’m still mad you mesmerized me for a week.”

“Not cool,” Anthony mutters in support.

Costin ignores him. “However, if you insist on this foolishness, you won’t go alone.”

I narrow my eyes. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying,” he reaches out to trace my jaw with cold fingers, “that I know where the Alpha lives. I will take you there myself for an audience.”

I’m not sure I trust him, but I’m too focused on finding Paul to question why.

His touch lingers longer than necessary, and I hate how my body betrays me by leaning into it. I shiver at his proximity. His coolness calms the sunburn sensation from moments before. I get a flash of his hand holding my small one after Anthony burned me with the fireball. It feels impossible that I’ve known him for a lifetime, and he still looks exactly the same. Never would have I guessed as a child that I’d grow up to be his... whatever we are.

I feel him starting to pull me back in, and I jerk away from his touch. We’ve given up the pretense of walking.

“Like hell you will,” Anthony interjects. “After what you did to her?—”

“What I did was protect her.” Costin’s voice carries an edge of steel.

“She is a Devine. She’s not yours to control.” Anthony pushes past me, crossing his arms to face off the master vampire.

“Easy, boy.” Costin’s words are both condescending and dismissive.

“Who are you calling a boy, old man?” Anthony returns.

“The little man in front of?—”

“Oh my gods, stop it!” I yell, forcing their attention back on me. “You’re both acting like children.”

“Werewolves are dangerous—” Costin begins.

“Nighttime is dark, Captain Obvious,” Anthony interrupts.

“—and your sister insists on throwing herself into their path,” Costin finishes.

“Fine, you want to help?” I step between them and face Costin. “Then tell me what you know instead of treating me like a child who needs protection. ”

A woman slows as she passes us, her rapt attention on our conversation.

“What are you looking at?” I yell at her.

“Keep moving,” Anthony adds. The woman rushes along.

Costin keeps his gaze on me and continues as if we weren’t interrupted. “You are a child compared to me, Tamara.” His eyes flash crimson. “I’ve watched empires rise and fall. I’ve seen what creatures like the Alpha are capable of. Werewolves are not like the rest of us. They’re…”

“Wild,” Anthony finishes for him.

“Dogs,” Costin says at the same time.

“I have to agree with Costin,” Anthony says begrudgingly. “This is dangerous.”

“I’m not scared of wild dogs. I’m not helpless,” I snap. To Costin, I say, “Now, remind me because I forget. Was it you who faced down a dragon and saved the world?” I glance at Anthony. “You?”

Anthony turns his attention down the sidewalk and studies a crowd of drag queens coming out of a bar.

Costin’s expression softens slightly. “No, you’re not helpless. You’re reckless. There’s a difference.”

Part of me wants to tell Costin to go to hell, that I don’t need him or his misogyny. But then I see my brother. Anthony won’t let me go alone, either. My brother is powerful. I trust him .

I trusted Conrad.

Anthony isn’t Conrad. I need to remember that and not let Conrad’s betrayal mess with my head.

“Fine, Lord Constantine,” I finally agree. I can’t put Anthony in danger with the werewolves. My brother is the future of the Devine empire. As much as I might hate it, that idea of familial duty is rooted deep in me. “We’ll do this your way. But no more mesmerizing me. No more secrets.”

His answering vampire smile is dangerous. I see the hint of fangs in his mouth.

“I’m serious, Costin,” I warn. “You mesmerize me again against my will, and that’s it between us.”

“I won’t mesmerize you.” He is suddenly closer, though I didn’t see him move. I gasp in surprise. “But secrets, little castoff? Secrets keep us alive.”

The amulet pulses a heated warning against my chest. I still can’t tell if it’s warning me about Costin or the werewolves. Maybe both. Maybe neither. I haven’t been able to determine if Draakmar is my friend or a beast I have to keep subdued so he doesn’t spew lava over the world.

Anthony clears his throat. “If you two are done with your twisted courtship ritual, can we please get off the street? We’re drawing attention.”

I start to agree, but another wave of heat floods through me. This time, I hear Draakmar’s growling in my head. Somehow, I am able to translate words from the ancient sounds telling me that blood will flow under the moonlight and old powers are stirring.

I shake my head, trying to get the noise to stop. I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want another complicated prophecy or supernatural ritual. I just want to save Paul and send him home to his daughter.

When I look up, Costin is watching me with an intensity that makes me wonder just how much he knows about what’s coming. His calculating gaze reminds me of chess pieces being moved into position.

Why can’t Draakmar either say what he means or just keep quiet? The distractions are not helping me stay calm.

Not for the first time in recent months, I feel as if I’m straddling a large crack in the earth. On one side is the supernatural. On the other is humans. The crack slowly spreads, and soon, I’ll have to choose where to jump or fall into the dark chasm below.

“Then it is decided,” he says as if coming to a decision. “I’ll take you to the Alpha tomorrow night.”

“Why not now?” I insist, not wanting to wait. “The night is young.”

“He’ll need time to request an audience for us,” Anthony says, clearly expecting he’ll be going too.

“You need time to consider what you want to know,” Costin adds. He strokes my cheek with the back of his hand, and I feel our connection pulling me toward him. “And remember, some questions are better left unasked. Wolves do not carry the best of men.”

“That’s cryptic,” I mutter.

Costin’s lip twitches like he’s going to smile, but then he disappears. I quickly look around but can’t see a trace of him.

Anthony touches my shoulder. “You certainly like them domineering.”

I frown at him, and he laughs.

“Hey, no judgment,” Anthony adds.

I ignore his attempt to lighten the mood. “What do you think this ritual is all about?”

“We shouldn’t talk about it out here.” Anthony pulls me with him down the sidewalk toward home.

I take a deep breath, trying to process everything. Draakmar seems to have calmed, but I fear it’s only for a short time. The dragon’s ominous message of blood and moonlight feels like a threat. I can’t help but feel that I’m walking straight into another prophecy. Only this time, I’m unsure if I’m the hero or the sacrifice.