Page 39 of Of Blackened Blood (The Blackened Blade #3)
Seria freezes, a slight stiffness entering her features before she straightens herself, ignoring the move as her lips curve into a soft smile.
“I’m so happy you came. I was worried with everything that’s happened lately between us that you wouldn’t.
” She glances quickly toward Annex and Ezra.
“I’m really happy that you’re here to celebrate with me.
” She brushes a hand through her wavy blonde curls, drawing attention to the gold flecks shimmering in her hair.
It makes her seem even more angelic. To those that don’t truly know better.
“Dad wanted me to stay longer at home and celebrate with the family, but I told him it wouldn’t be right to miss so many days just for my birthday.”
Her eyes watch me intently for some reaction with the mention of Dad. But it’s one she’ll never get. I’ve long since given up on wanting any affection from Greere Bane or that so-called “ family .”
I don’t need any of it anymore. I have the boys now.
I glance up toward Ezra and then toward Annex beside me, both glaring daggers toward Seria.
I’ve found my own family.
“Besides ...” Seria says, her voice sounding even sweeter than usual. “I have all of my friends here that are like a second family to me.” This puts pathetic smiles on all the assholes’ faces around us before she continues. “And I also have you, Micai.”
My gaze meets hers as a dark glint flickers in her blue eyes, some scheme being stirred in the background.
She tries to take a step closer to me before noticing Annex’s glare and thinking better of it.
“I know things have been strained between us lately. And I haven’t been there for you when you needed me.
I prioritised school and my own personal issues over our bond.
” Her fake smile softens to a slight frown, flitting around the room before quickly meeting my eyes again.
“But I want to you to know, I’m going to give it my all from now on.
I promise to put things back to the way they were .
.. with both of us how we once were before. ”
I can feel Ezra’s heart race pick up, his grip on my waist tightening with her words. I place my hand over his and reach for Annex, wrapping our fingers around one another and calming them both.
We all knew the real meaning behind those words.
She wants me below her, trapped and slowly dying as she sucks the life and power from me bit by bit.
But I’ll never let that happen. She’s taken enough from me. No more.
My lips part, ready to give her a piece of my mind and finally put her in her place, but she twists around, gesturing for a server. He comes over carrying a small navy box before handing it to her and hurrying off.
“It may be my birthday, but I wanted to give you something ... to show you how much I care for you.” She takes the box in her hands, leaning forward as her voice falls low.
“It’s something Dad gave me the first year I joined the family.
He told me it was something precious to him, but that he loved me so much that he wanted me to have it.
” There’s a strange glint in her eyes as she leans back, her smile growing before she opens the box toward me. “But now I want you to have it.”
My eyes widen, everything around me fading as I stare at the necklace in the small navy box in her hands. It couldn’t be ...
My hands unconsciously reach for it before Ezra pulls me back, confusion in his gaze as he watches me.
“I knew you would like it. It’ll suit you perfectly.” She pushes forward, ignoring Annex’s and Ezra’s glares. “I’m giving this to you, Micai, as a sign of my genuine love and affection. For my one and only sister.”
She pushes the box closer to my hands, my stomach twisting with anger at her words. The bitch knows exactly what this necklace is and she’s telling me she’s “giving it” to me. Like it was ever hers to begin with.
I try to calm my racing heart and keep my face schooled as best I can.
The necklace is still in her hands.
I go to take the box from her, my fingers grazing the small navy case. But just as I’m accepting it, someone suddenly knocks into Seria from behind. They both fall forward, hitting me.
I hold the box tightly in my hands while I fall backward, but before I can hit the floor, Ezra and Annex grab me and pull me away to safety.
Seria stumbles forward, hitting the ground before Kane and Xander can catch her.
“What the fuck?!”
“What the hell, man?!”
They both stare daggers toward Knox as he lays beside Seria on the floor.
She lets out a small groan of pain while holding her ankle as they both rush to help her. Xander whips her up into his arms while Kane checks her over.
Anders then rushes to Knox, pulling him from the ground and trying to steady him as he wobbles.
“Sorry,” Knox rushes out, straightening himself. “I got a little dizzy.”
He brushes a hand down his neck, and I notice a fleck of blood on his fingers.
“Then fucking sit down,” Xander barks as Seria wraps her arms around his neck.
Her eyes narrow darkly at Knox before whipping back toward me, her gaze focusing fully on the small box and necklace now sitting in my hands. Her grin reappears, growing wider as her eyes sparkle with mirth.
The look instantly has my hackles up.
“I’m glad it didn’t get damaged.” Her gaze turns softer and toward me. “Make sure you take good care of it. It’s delicate.”
I close the box and grip it in my hands, wanting to scream at the evil bitch but knowing it would do me and the guys no good.
I take a deep breath, calming myself.
One day ... one day I’ll wipe that smile from her lips permanently.
“See? We can all get along.” Anders steps forward, a soft smile stretching his lips as his eyes look back and forth between me and Seria. “We should just put the past behind us all and move forward together.” He looks to Kane and Xander, a pinch of worry entering his gaze as it flits to Knox.
“We can ... try to do that.” Kane nods slowly, stepping beside Anders. “If you’re willing to move forward, so can we.” He meets my gaze briefly before turning to Xander.
“Xander ...” Kane gestures toward me.
Xander looks my way, annoyance flaring on his face before he schools it.
“If you behave around Seria, then maybe ?—”
Before Xander can properly start his Seria propaganda speech, Annex and Ezra begin chuckling. The sound is dark and menacing and lacks any real mirth. They move forward, gently placing themselves in front of me as they stare from Anders to Kane to Xander.
“You wanna try and play ‘nice’ now?” Annex sneers. “It’s too late for that shit.” He cracks his knuckles, his signature grin stretching his lips as he steps toward them.
“Where were your manners and this Brady-Bunch bullshit when you were with Micai before?” Ezra’s voice is low and cutting, the anger rolling off him in waves. His body is stiff and fists tightly clenched, ready at any moment to tear into them.
My deranged psycho and beautiful Siren were pissed. And all for me .
Murder hangs in the air between them.
The room is so quiet, I can even hear the waiting staff trying to scurry out between tables as the other guests try to leave.
You could cut the tension with a knife.
“W-we ...” Anders starts before stopping, his brows pinching together as he glances back toward his friends and partner before turning to me, a strange and confused look forming in his eyes before Ezra cuts him off.
“ We don’t need your excuses. You’ve made yourselves clear through your actions. And I believe we made ours clear before too.” Ezra glances toward Kane, who flinches. “Unless you need another reminder?”
Ezra then glances around the room, catching each set of eyes still here. They either flinch with the dark look or cast their eyes to the floor.
“Micai is ours and one of us. If you fuck with her ... you fuck with all of us.”
He wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me closer as he glares across the space.
“I don’t like people messing with what’s mine either.” Annex pulls out his Bowie, his signature smile tracing his lips as he playfully flips it in his hand. “It makes me want to make things bleed.”
A few people still near us take a few steps backward and away from him as he peers their way.
Annex then twists around, turning his gaze toward Seria in Xander’s arms. “If anyone does ... I’ll make sure to drag them to hell and watch them drown for eternity in an endless abyss.”
Seria flinches, her eyes going wide before turning to Xander, who sends a weak glare Annex’s way as the psycho chuckles.
Ezra turns us both around as Annex joins us at my other side, wrapping his arm around my shoulder.
“I’d like to say, ‘thanks for the invite, we enjoyed ourselves,’ but I’m not in the mood for playing nice anymore,” Ezra calls as we head toward the door. “You would probably read too much into it anyway and try to invite us to another one of these horrible parties.”
“Hey—” Xander barks before Annex stops and glares back at him, begging him to start something by the look on his face.
Anders pulls at Xander’s arm, shaking his head.
“Pathetic.” Annex scoffs, twirling his blade in his free hand.
“You should work on your shitty decorating skills instead of annoying us.” He gestures his blade around the room.
“This place looks shabby as shit, and your food tastes like ass. And that ...” He points his blade toward the magical tapestry on the back wall.
“You look constipated in every damn photo. Put a filter on that shit and save your guests’ eyes. ”
“Some people just aren’t photogenic, Annex,” Ezra adds, grinning as he opens the door for us.
Annex sighs dramatically while nodding. “Ain’t that the fucking truth.”
Both of them look genuinely serious as Seria’s head twists our way, her eyes wide as she stares at my two men in disbelief.
“Let’s grab some proper food and have our own party, Red.” Annex kicks the door open further, the clang ringing out around the room as we leave.
Ezra links my arm with his as Annex wraps an arm around my waist, grins stretching both of their cheeks as we walk out into the hallway.
Whispers start up as we leave the Elites behind and I stare up toward the two men to each of my sides, my chest swelling with warmth.
This is how it was supposed to be when someone has your back unconditionally.
This is what real loyalty and love is.