Page 35 of Destined Dawn

She pulls away from Azlan and then she tiptoes over to me next, swaying again, her eyes slightly out of focus. She bends down to kiss me like she kissed him, her hands tangled in my hair. The others watch us, electricity sizzling in the air and in my veins.

Just as the kiss has my heart pumping blood down south, she steps back and walks over to Barone. He pulls her into his lap and kisses her hard on the mouth. I’m rolling my eyes, unsurprised that Barone would be greedy like that, taking more than the rest of us, but then he sets her back on her feet and she heads to Tristan next. He watches hercome, his emerald-green eyes darkening to olive. He takes a hold of her waist, positioning her between his legs as she kisses him too. The electricity and magic vibrating in the air is so violent now it’s sparking.

After a moment, she rests her hand flat on his chest and pushes him away and then she’s turning to Spencer. His eyes seem to flash and I wonder if the beast is in there somewhere, watching as their mate stalks towards them. He kisses her, hands traveling all over her body hungrily and then she’s pulling away from him too.

Her eyelids are heavy with a mixture of lust and alcohol. She bites her bottom lip between her teeth. I snag a flicker of her thoughts. Definitely impaired.

“And now I really am going to bed,” she says, attempting to walk seductively towards the door and tripping over her own feet.

I catch her with my arm and she lands in my lap. “I think that’s a good idea, sweetheart.”

“Are you going to come with me?” she asks, “all of you?”

Barone goes to answer her, but I beat him to it.

“Not tonight, sweetheart. I think you’ve had a little too much to drink.” She opens her mouth to argue with me and a hiccup pops out instead. “Exactly. Probably best you go sleep this off.”

“This is what I want,” she says, her eyes struggling to focus on my face.

“Oh, I’m sure it is,” I say, this conversation sucker-punching me good and proper. “But it’s probably a decision best made when you’re sober.”

She leans and whispers in my ear, thinking she’s keeping her next words between me and her when really she’s so loud we all hear. “But I might not be brave enough to do this when I’m sober.”

“Rhi,” I say, “you’re the bravest person I know. And I know him.” I jerk my thumb in Azlan’s direction. Then I gather her up in my arms and carry her out of the room.

I expect her to kick up a fuss like she usually does when she doesn’t get her own way. Instead, she snuggles into me, resting her head against my shoulder, and she’s out cold by the time I’ve reached the top of the stairs.

I lay her in the bed and then stir her, forcing her to drink a whole glass of water before I let her nuzzle down under the covers and drift away.

Then I get the hell out of there. In the dining room the others are still sitting there in a stunned silence, nursing their drinks. I pour myself another and knock it back.

“Shit,” I mutter to myself, knowing that, even if it was the right thing to do, I just turned down one hell of an opportunity.

An opportunity, given our current circumstances, may never come around again.

13

Rhi

I waketo Pip nudging my cheek with his snout, my head pounding.

I groan and drag open my eyes.

It’s morning, gray light visible around the gaps in the ancient curtains.

“Are you hungry again?” I ask Pip, tickling his ears. He definitely seems to be making up for not eating all those days he was ill. “Come on then, let’s go find you some food.”

And me some water. Lots of water. And possibly painkillers as well.

In the kitchen I find Winnie, already starting to brew the second dose of my potion.

“Are you the only one up?” I ask, stretching my arms above my head as I stagger towards her.

“Uh huh.” She gives me a sly smile. “I thinkI wore Trent out last night. He’s dead to the world. I’m assuming you did the same to those mates of yours. I’ve not heard a peep from them this morning.”

I shake my head. “Nope.” I rub my temples and run the faucet. “I drank too much and got put to bed like a naughty schoolgirl.”

Winnie drops her wooden spoon into the mixture and looks at me.