Page 113 of White Raven (Nevermore Duet #2)

Neither one of them said anything. His head rose, and he met Sarah’s eyes. It was hard for her not to pity him a little.

“I’m so sorry. I know I don’t deserve what you’ve given us, Sarah.

I didn’t expect this new chance at life, and when we met at the pub in Boston, I—when Tony started telling you about John Allan, I didn’t know how to tell you then.

I didn’t know how you’d take it, and it was obvious you had no idea who he really was.

I could have given you all the answers, and God help me…

I should have. I just…I didn’t know how. ”

“Do you have any idea what happened after you left, Decclan?” Athan asked, growing angry.

She could feel it through their bond. “ Tony does. He came back to help Sarah figure out the truth. And then he helped her dig me out of Poe’s grave .

A grave I’d been buried alive in, all because you fucked him over all those years ago!

” Sarah reached for Athan’s hand, and he took it.

He was struggling to hold back on his long-time friend.

“I fucking died …over and over. I relived so many horrible parts of my past. I helped save your life on more than one occasion, against my better judgment, when what I should have done was let you fucking rot!”

“I’m so sorry, man.”

“You had the nerve to come at me in that alley outside the club. Throw blows with me over her . Over everything you wished you had that I wanted nothing to fucking do with. You’re the reason that she was able to torture us that long!

” He tilted his head towards Sarah, who was steadily beginning to place her anger with his.

He was right. Everything he said was absolutely right.

“You denied her information after she saved this entire coven. After she freed us all, and gave us a reason to truly live. I’m not gonna ask why you killed him, Decclan.

I know you fucking loved that whore . But don’t sit there and try to use the excuse that you didn’t know how to tell her the truth.

You’re a goddamn coward , Decclan Reynolds. You always have been.”

“You’re right,” he choked out, his eyes glassing over as he looked at them both.

“I am. I sought him out. I wasn’t trying to bullshit that man, Sarah.

I truly wasn’t. I had every intention of helping him end her.

The night before it happened, she summoned me to her bed.

I was bewitched. I let myself fall for her shit.

I got caught up in how she made me feel, and I still don’t know to this day if she had any inclination that I was planning to help kill her.

But if she did, it worked to her advantage…

because I just couldn’t. She didn’t tell me to kill him.

I killed him for the same reason that I begged Athan to save us that night they tried to set fire to that ship.

I killed him to save her.” A lone tear rolled from his eye, and Sarah watched it until it dripped off his chin.

“She was awful…but I loved her. I loved her so much. A part of me will always pine for her, and I’ve never gotten the image of how broken she was at the end, out of my head.

It’s broken me as much as hearing Patrick screaming on the other side of the rooftop door.

For what it’s worth, Athan…I’ll never truly be free.

I think I’ll always hurt. I think it’s my curse for what I’ve done. ”

Sarah stood, and softly released Athan’s hand as she took a few steps towards Decclan’s chair. He tensed, but his body suggested he was accepting of whatever she was about to do to him. He bowed his head to her.

“Decclan…you fucked up. And the only reason I’m not claiming that miraculously beating heart from your stupid chest is because I fucked up too.

” He raised his face and knotted his brows in confusion.

Athan remained quiet behind her. “Athan’s fucked up.

We’ve all fucked up. Every single one of us, all because of incurable love for someone else.

Athan killed me. He hid things from me. We fought our way back to each other, and then the night he was taken, I took my turn to fail him too.

I acted out, and let him leave while I was angry, all of that shit being misplaced, and misunderstood.

It cost us both. He ended up buried alive, and I had to run from the cops to try and find him.

And the triangle wasn’t even worth all the shit we went through to get to where we are.

You made a grave mistake. We finished it.

Edgar Allan Poe is dead. For good this time. ”

“You killed him?” he asked, shock etched across his face.

Sarah slowly nodded. “We did. Because he fucked up too. And it had nothing to do with you, or Dahlia, or anybody else in this coven.”

They all stared at one another silently for several tense minutes before Decclan finally spoke again.

“What do we do now?” he asked quietly.

Sarah reached for her mate, and Athan stood, sliding his arm around her waist and steadying her. “We choose to live. Without more ripple effects. We forgive each other, and we move the fuck on. We live . For the first time in our fucked up lives. Can you do that?”

He stood and moved the chair away, humbling himself. “Yes. And I’ll be at your mercy. Your service. If ever you need it.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way…but I don’t want it,” Sarah said, tilting his chin up and looking into his eyes.

“Not because of what you did…but because I’m not her , Decclan.

” Another tear left his eye, and he tightened his mouth.

It was weird to see such a braugh man break.

“You fools keep calling me a white bird . If you truly believe I’ve saved you, then go do something with it…

and for God’s sake let her go, dude. She’s fucking beneath you, Decclan. ”

He huffed through his nose, and wiped his eye as he nodded, smiling tearfully. “Yeah…I know. I am sorry, Sarah. Kane…both of you I—I’m deeply sorry for everything I’ve caused you.”

Sarah smashed her palm into his forehead, and he stumbled back in shock. “Forgiven.” Athan snorted beside her and tried to hide his smile as Decclan recovered. “Now, get over it so we can too… mate .”

A few drinks, and several dizzying dances later, Sarah and Athan finally left the pub, and took a taxi back to the airport.

Devin had tried to stick his tongue in her mouth at least a dozen times, and even sicked a drunken blonde who reminded her way too much of Rachel Foster, on her in an attempt at a threesome.

Athan seemed ten times as relaxed and cheerful as they headed to the terminal to catch their connecting flight.

It was likely equal parts relief, and the anticipation of seeing Old London again.

He didn’t even seem as unsteady as they boarded their second plane.

“You were wrong, you know…” he smirked, kissing each one of her fingers as they waited to take off. Sarah scrunched her brows and shot her face towards him.

“Wrong about what?”

He playfully bit down on one of her knuckles, and kissed over it. “This plane isn’t a bird of a different feather, love.” His sapphire eyes smoldered. “You are.”