Page 70 of White Raven (Nevermore Duet #2)

“Yes, I did.” He reached for her hand again, grabbing it this time, and refusing to let her go.

“That diamond? That was me planting my flag in this nightmare. Which would be a worse one if you weren’t in my life, Rhaena Northwood.

You promised me a future. Don’t you think for one second that I’m letting you back out on me.

” He reached up and swiped his thumb across her lower lip.

The blood that stained his finger made her want to lose her shit, and vomit all at once.

“I’m a monster.” Her voice clipped with tears, and they flooded out of her eyes uncontrollably.

“No, you’re not,” Wren said, taking a seat on the side of the bed next to Brandon. Her hand rested on Rhaena’s knee. “The real monsters are out there. Killing old ladies, and kidnapping people. It’s a hurdle, Rhaena. This doesn’t change who the hell you are.”

Rhaena sniffled and wiped her nose on the back of her wrist. “Killing old ladies?” she asked.

“You’ve missed a few things,” Wren said sadly. “Ryan Sykes murdered Nell.”

“Actually,” a booming voice said from her bedroom door. Rhaena’s eyes softened as her captain stepped through it, relief and fondness in his eyes. “She didn’t. She might have taken some things that didn’t belong to her, but this report says she’s not a murderer.” He teetered a file in his fingers.

“Cap,” Rhaena breathed.

“Welcome back, Gloves. You alright, kid?”

“I—um…yeah. I think so.” Brandon leaned toward her, stretching his arms, and she practically fell into them, gripping the backs of his shoulders tight. “Athan…did you find Athan?” She pulled back to look at his face, and he slowly shook his head.

“Why don’t we start with a shower, and some food. Then we can all sit down and catch you up on everything. Good?” Brandon asked, stroking the side of her face.

“Okay.”

“The bird informs me that my little raven has taken flight.”

Ryan leaned against the wall, watching her master as he wrote at a small desk with his back facing her. The hands that she had clenched in the pockets of her coat began to sweat.

What if the fucking bird informed him of more than that?

“She has. Apparently on her way to Virginia. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

He scratched an old pen across the worn pages of a journal that had seen better days, and didn’t bother to turn around. “I knew she could do it on her own. She just needed a bit of an incentive. What of the mate?”

Ryan swallowed, picturing the state of what Athan Kane must look like right now.

Her shame grew heavier every moment he spent inside that box.

“He hasn’t been able to free himself. It’s as you said it would be.

How did you know he’d weaken like that?” She already knew the answer, but maybe after all these years, he’d slip and give her some clue.

“I know the reason for your curiosity. When you’ve paid the debts for your family’s protection, I’ll return your father to you. One family for another…surely you haven’t forgotten.”

Such a fine line between love and hate. She was grateful for his help, but her hatred for the price she was forced to pay for that help was stifling.

Over the years, he had become a father enough for her.

So much so that she found herself loving him in some strange way.

But there was no room for the kind of twisted insanity this man harbored.

Could she overpower him, and end him in the most brutal way imaginable?

Of course. But he had an army of a coven in different parts of the world, who would no doubt hunt her and her kind to their deaths.

Was it not bad enough that werewolves were once hunted in the same way the witches of old times were?

Burned at stakes, and enslaved to vampires all over the world?

Seers, and beings who could control and wield nature itself as a weapon…

she couldn’t execute her master. The consequences were too great.

As old as he was, there was no telling what manner of allies he’d accrued.

“I haven’t forgotten. I just don’t see why you’ve put them through all of this. Her mother is dead. Wouldn’t it have—”

“Don’t deign to question my ways!” He yelled, forcefully turning himself in his wooden chair to look at her.

Ryan startled against the wall. His dark, haunted eyes burned with the kind of crazy you’d be better suited to find in a nuthouse.

“If your conscience is damning you, then that’s another weakness you’ll have to learn to rectify.

I don’t recall asking for your thoughts on the matter.

Neither one of them are suffering any less than I have.

I need an heir that will have a spine steeled enough to delegate this coven.

How I test them is none of your concern.

You’ll do as instructed until your indenture is relieved. ”

“Yes, master,” she whispered, lowering her chin.

“You’re dismissed. Board the next flight to Richmond and report her success. Check her mate before you leave.”

Ryan nodded once, and her footsteps were heavy down the old, narrow steps.

Her walk to the grave seemed long with thoughts of her mother and her well-being.

Thoughts of all the others like them that were waiting to hear their fate if she failed.

She could hear Detective Kane’s beating against the coffin underground, long before she reached it.

Silent to human ears, but drumming in hers, filling her with more pity that she couldn’t afford to have right now.

His faint screaming rang in her ears, and she lifted her hood over her head, lighting a cigarette she knew he’d want, could he have one.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, exhaling her smoke as her heels clacked on the sidewalk.

There was something off about the ceiling.

The beams didn’t fit quite right, and either it was made to make you think about it, or whoever built this place, did so in a hurry…

and whoever owns it needed their money back.

All of which Brent made a mental note of as he laid on the stiff leather couch in the therapist’s office.

He’d have to make sure to check every inch of every wall to get the worth out of his penthouse.

He wondered if Foley was still interested, as he’d found himself reluctant to keep walking through the door.

Wren didn’t like to stay, or hang out there often, and honestly…

he didn’t mind it so much. He tended to be more content at Wren’s place these days.

“Brent? Are you still with me?” Dr. Lennox asked, breaking his concentration.

Shit…what did she ask?

“Um…sorry, Doc. What was the question?”

“Where’d you go, just now?” she asked instead, crossing one of her legs. Brent sighed, and drummed his fingers over his belly, shaking his head as he continued to stare at the ceiling.

“Don’t you think we’ve accomplished what we set out to accomplish? Are you not tired of seeing me, yet? Or am I actually crazy, and you’re trying to figure out how to tell me I need to be in some padded room?”

Dr. Lennox chuckled. “You’re not crazy, Brent. And that was never why you were here. You’ve gone through a lot and giving it a voice helps relieve you of everything you think you need to hold onto. So, I’ll ask you again. Where’d you go?”

He tightened his mouth. “Honestly? Nowhere. I was sitting here thinking that your ceiling is fucked up, and how I still have a long list of things to do before I even think about selling my place.”

“So, you’re still thinking of leaving your apartment?”

“Yeah…it’s never really felt like home, anyway.”

He could hear her shift in her chair, and her pen scraping across her notepad indicated that for some reason, she found that interesting. All it accomplished was irritation on his end.

“So, are you saying that you’ve found somewhere else that feels like home? Or some one ?”

Shit…that was it. Clever old bitty.

Brent sat up and dragged his hand through his hair, contemplating it. “I—maybe you’re right.”

“About?”

“It’s someone. That’s my problem. I never…

I never stayed at my ex-girlfriend’s place.

I always told her no. I thought I loved her, and it turns out…

I’m a real asshole, who cared more about my lavish things, than the woman that was supposed to become my wife .

” He turned himself to put his feet on the floor and face the doctor.

She peered at him over the rim of her cat-eye glasses.

“Ever since I almost met my maker, I don’t think I’ve thought about a single thing I own.

It’s like my need for it is just…gone. Like I’m just realizing that none of it ever made me happy. ”

“And you think it has something to do with your near-death experience? Or the girl that you’ve been seeing?”

“I’m confident in saying both.”

“Alright…so? Where do you think you’ll go when you sell your home?”

Good question.

He had mentioned leaving Boston, but did Wren want to do that?

Would leaving the city and trying to start somewhere else be something he’d end up doing on his own?

Would it cost him that little red-headed menace?

He couldn’t imagine being happy anywhere she wasn’t around.

Not now. Not after what they’d been through, and how strong their connection was now.

“I’m—I’m not sure, I—”

His phone started buzzing in his pocket, and he pulled it out, glancing at it. Dr. Lennox gestured for him to take it. “Go ahead. It’s about that time. We can pick up next week if you want.”

“Thank you,” he said, sliding the call open. “Brent Stratford.”

“Brent? Hey, it’s…it’s Dr. Ambrose.”

He hadn’t seen or heard from her since—that day she’d tried to seduce him. The day Wren finally…

“Dr. Ambrose…it’s good to hear from you. I’ve been meaning to—”

“You don’t have to do that, Brent. It was terrible judgment on my part. Completely unprofessional and impulsive. I truly apologize for that.”

“I didn’t exactly help the situation.”

“I shouldn’t have put you in that position. It’s on me. That wasn’t the reason for my call, though.”

“Everything alright?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine. Are you still…well, did you find another firm to work at?”

“Uh, no…I’ve kind of put it off. Enjoying some time to myself.”

“I’m glad to hear it. You need some joy. I’ll let you go, then.”

“Wait, wait…if you need some help with something, I’m still licensed. I haven’t been disbarred or anything.”

“Oh…well, it isn’t for me. But the medical examiner’s office has someone with no next of kin. It looks like this case was taken by your friends at the precinct you were at the day I came there. I recognized the names.”

“Are you talking about an old woman named Nell?”

“Um…lemme see…Anelle Kincaid. Yes, that might be it. Did you know this woman?”

“No, my—um…my girlfriend. She worked with her. They were becoming pretty close.”

“Right…the girlfriend. Wren, wasn’t it? So, the two of you are together. I’m really glad for you, Brent.”

“Thanks. So, no next of kin…you’re looking for some legal responsibility? Her will and such?”

“Exactly that, yes. But…you probably should come down here and see this for yourself.”

Something twisted in his gut. Not just about the fact that if he went a foot close to Dr. Ambrose, Wren would likely chop his nuts off. But the way she had just said that didn’t settle right with him, either.

“Could I…bring her with me?” he asked, twitching an eye as he waited for the uncomfortable answer.

“I wish you would. She’s got some papers to sign.”

“Papers?”

“I’ll be here until eleven. See you soon.”

She hung up without another word, and he found himself equal parts intrigued, and confused…maybe even a bit nervous about what was about to happen when Wren met this woman for a second time. It could be civil…or disastrous .

“Everything alright, Brent?” Dr. Lennox asked, unpacking her lunch at her desk.

“Yeah…yeah, everything’s good. See you next week.”