Page 45 of My Dark Obsession
“What have you done?” Rí growled so low it vibrated the glass that was scattered along the floor.
I had been too late. The Council had already employed a cover, someone to befriend the witch, someone to encourage her along her way to fully embracing her powers so that she could open the portals fully.
Bri was the undercover friend.
“You- it was you they employed,” I snapped as I followed her steps. Each step back she took, I followed with a step forward.
She grinned as she smoothed out her too bright dress.
Not answering, just smiling as if this was all some sort of game to her.
The idea that this person had made Amaya believe she was a friend hurt my chest. It was another thing to hurt her, another thing to make her believe she wasn’t worthy of everything she deserved.
“Cole, you better explain now, my dragon wants out and he wants out now.” Rí’s rumble was more dragon than man.
“The Council, they employed a misfit to play Amaya, to encourage her to embrace her full powers. To go back to the human realm alone. If she fully embraces it, she can open the portals fully.” I braced myself for their wrath as I carried on.
“I told her she could go through the crack. She’s the only one that can enter the portals. Even if they’re closed.”
Vines snapped out from Ziel’s jacket and wrapped around my wrists, slicing into my skin and pulling my arms behind my back before more followed and slithered around my neck. They tightened enough to make me choke out in an attempt to breathe.
“So you’re in on it. Filthy fucking White Witch. You were against her every step of the way. She’s your Circle Link. Your Mate!” Ziel’s vines tightened, cutting off my entire course of air.
I didn’t struggle. I knew I was a piece of shit. But there was more they needed to know.
Rí’s angered roar pulled the misfits from their trance. They looked around at the chaos before blanching when they saw Rí’s bright glowing eyes, and Ziel’s vines wrapped around me.
What can I say, we had an air for the theatrics.
My vision turned black with the lack of air; my lungs burned as my throat constricted.
The misfits and shifters ran from the room; cowards that they were avoided our eyes as they scattered.
“Awh, are we having a little family dispute,” the Siren Bri chuckled, unfazed by my current choking situation.
The vines left me in a pile on the floor, gasping at the sudden release as they whipped to her and wrapped her up in the same way.
“Tell us everything White Witch. Now,” Ziel rasped as I saw his body fully turn to skeleton.
Standing to my feet, I rubbed at my bruised throat as I choked out the truth, “The Council knew of Amaya; they knew she was alive. They have been waiting years for her to come through. Planned to get her to open the portals. They wanted her under their thumb, married to a White Witch and doing as she was told. But they weren’t expecting her to have Circle Mates.
” I shifted my feet, unable to meet Rí’s eyes as I went on.
“They planned the downfall of the Dragons, the Dark Witches. Everything was planned. For years. I was being controlled. Mind-fucked. He poisoned me, had me doing his dirty fucking work. Earlier, Amaya, she took pity on me and healed me. I remembered everything. Every damn thing.” I sighed and rolled the tension from my shoulders and looked to the old wooden ceiling. I was tired, so damn tired of it all.
The silence of the room had me looking to the Circle brothers.
I could have been part of that. Their bond was now unbreakable; they were mated or at least bonding with their Circle Link and had stood by her from the start.
I sighed again. I was afraid of their pity, of their anger.
They exchanged a look between them; unspoken words and they came to the same conclusion. Whatever that was.
“Who–” The double doors slammed open, halting Rí before he no doubt told me to fuck off and die.
I froze as the Council walked through, Mikhail and the twins, Fergus and Finnigan, strolled in as if they owned the place, their pure white cloaks laughable in the dim, glass-covered bar.
“Get the hell out of my bar before I let my Dragon loose.” Rí stepped forward as he spoke oh so calmly: a sure sign shit was about to go down. Ziel stepped next to him, as his entire skeleton burst to blue flames. The room heated with both their anger.
Looking over at him I swallowed the lump in my throat.
The fear that crawled up my spine and sent chills skating along my flesh was undeniable.
I may have been finally free off the effects of whatever poison he pumped into my body, but the memories were still there. They were always going to be there.
Amaya was strong, so I needed to be. If I wanted to prove to her that I could be a worthy Mate, I needed to buck the fuck up. Decision made; I stepped to the other side of Rí and stared down the Council. My magic brewed within me, ready to be summoned.
“Now, now Misfits, we aren’t here for a fight.” Finnigan nodded to Bri and then to me. Finnigan smiled wide and fake as ever. “We are just here for our property.”
My brows shot up high. Property? If I was anyone’s, it was going to be Amayas.“I'm not your property. I’m where I belong. Leave.” I bit out.
“Don’t be stupid boy.” He bit out, his calm facade snapping as he stepped towards me, his hands glowing in his usual sign of magic about to whip out at me.
“I. Said. Get. Out.” Rí’s dragon growled as his canines grew once more. His height increased as his muscles rippled, ready to rip apart and become one with his dragon.
Fergus grabbed Bri by the scruff of her neck and started to drag her away, the bruising around his healing mouth left over from Amaya’s anger. Mikhail stood still, his eyes never leaving mine as Finnigan snapped a final, “You stay here boy, and we won’t protect you.”
Scoffing, I raised my hand and gave him the finger, “Eat shit.”
“Where the fuck do you think you’re taking her?” Ziel rasped as they continued to drag the Siren from the bar.
“My granddaughter is no concern of yours, Warrior.” Mikhail snarled before turning and leaving the bar.