Page 27 of Fighting for Her Heart

“So youweren’thiding Ember for these darkness keepers?”

“No. Not for them.” Her eyes narrow slightly. “I was simply hiding her to keep her safe. Hiding her from creatures like you—from vampires.”

“And also hiding her from the light keepers or whatever the fuck they’re called.” I watch for her reaction. “The ones who want to use the Illuminant to control vampires.”

Shaking her head, she leans forward, pushing her hands against her thighs. “Again, I didn’t protect Ember for any group. Magic keeper politics don’t interest me. All I have ever cared about is Ember, hiding her to keep her safe from anyone who would harm her.” Her eyes narrow. “Or anyone who’d use her to their advantage.”

Turning away from the flames, I stand directly in front of her, arms crossed, letting her drink in my size and my strength, my tattoos and scars.

“Which is it, then?” I lean forward, towering above her seated figure. “Are yougladshe met us? Or do you want to keep us fromusingher?”

Her posture remains remarkably relaxed under my intimidating one.

“Both.” She draws a long breath. “Finding her with you guys, learning she’s a vampire herself…it’s been difficult and confusing, but my bottom line is keeping her safe, and I can tell that’syourbottom line too.”

I back away and sit down on a rock, hands on my thighs, studying her. “So where have you been all this time? For the decade Ember was all alone in the world?”

“Trapped,” she says, and then casts her eyes down.

“Trapped where?”

“I don’t know.” She shakes her head. “I was held captive by a spell that frequently changed the appearance of my surroundings.”

Her eyes glaze with tears that flash in the light as she stares into the waning fire. “They wanted me to tell them where Ember was. To admit that I’d been protecting her. I was interrogated, over and over. ”

“By whom?”

She looks into my eyes. “I don’t know. And I don’t know why they released me either.” Her head shakes. “No. I do know why I was released. Clearly the timing can’t be a coincidence. Whoever was holding me must have known she escaped from that dungeon.”

My eyes narrow. No one knows that.

“But since it waswitchesholding me, andvampiresholding her, I don’t get it.” She blinks. “Witches and vampires, our kinds don’t mix.”

Octavia was connected to witches, but it appears that Nora has no connection to vampires. Nothing about her tone or body language tells me she’s lying.

“Do you really think that the more times we take her blood, the longer the effects will last?”

Her expression brightens. “I don’t know for sure, but that’s something I’ve heard.”

My cock twitches as I think about taking Ember’s blood again, as soon as I can. I already plan to fuck her the first chance I get, but fucking her, great on its own, was heightened after my feeding. And even though she was facing away from me, the connection I felt when I fed while inside her… I’ve done that with other vampires but it was nothing like this. Not at all. I finally get why some folks make such a big deal about love.

I shift on the rock, hoping to hide my obvious arousal from the witch.

“The idea of becoming a day walker excites you,” she says without judgment. “It should. With my daughter’s help all three of you could become day walkers.”

“And her?” I glance toward Nora without fully turning my head, hoping to catch her off guard. “Willsheever be able to walk in the light?”

“That I don’t know.” Nora’s teeth drag over her lower lip. “I don’t think there has ever been a vampire Illuminant.”

I toss the final stake into the fire and watch the flames consume it.

Ember’s safe with Axe and Zuben, for now, and I’m itching to explore more of the world in daylight. Not only will I pick up some things for Zuben, maybe I’ll pick up some fresh clothes for everyone and some kind of special treat for Ember.

Turning to Nora, I grin and turn on the charm. “I’ve got a few things to take care of. Can I get you to switch up your spell so I can come and go from the property?”

She shakes her head. “If only it were that simple. The spell was cast with very specific parameters, and it’s very complicated, not to mention dangerous—”

“Come on.” I wink. “You seem pretty fucking powerful to me. Can’t you do me a solid?”