BloodSworn (21 page)

 
Chapter Twenty-three

“
T
hank you.” Drew studied his shoes, his gaze flicking
up to watch the men quietly talking by the door.

“For what?” Trina stopped watching Merrick and leaned over
to nudge Drew with her shoulder. They were sitting side by side on the couch,
waiting for the others to stop arguing.

“For not letting him kill me. For showing me magic.” His
eyes shone with his first real taste of power. A prick of jealousy needled her
at his ability, but she quickly dismissed it. He’d learn soon enough that magic
could be a curse.

“You have to be careful around other witches. Most don’t
bring outsiders into the coven. If you go to them for help and they find you
lacking, they will bind your powers and leave you to fend for yourself.”

The happiness on Drew’s face drained away. “The people I
came with.”

Trina nodded. “They literally sent you into the lion’s den to
spy for them without an ounce of protection. Out of the hundreds who ask to be
trained, few are ever taught magic. Only those who can benefit the coven are
welcomed. Unless you are extremely powerful or adept, they don’t even pretend
to be nice.”

The street kid she recognized in him came out. His face hardened,
hiding his disappointment. “Not all of them are that way.”

Trina played with her fingers. “No, not all of them. Most
are decent, but the nice people are not the ones who make the rules.”

“They never had any intention of teaching me, did they.”

It wasn’t a question, but she answered anyway. “No, I don’t
think so. You have enough magic to be of interest to them, but not enough to
bother with training. Worse, you’re an outsider. If you had been born in a
coven, it would’ve been different.”

He paled at that. “They would take it away?”

Trina swallowed hard. “If you’d stayed, they would’ve use
you in a way that would’ve burn out your magic. You would never be able to cast
again.”

A bitter laugh shook his skinny frame. “So you are saying
I’m screwed either way.”

Trina pursed her lips. Memories of her past rose. The
loneliness. The confusion. The pain and resentment of having her magic stolen
from her. She couldn’t bear to have it happen to him. “I don’t think so. You’re
here now, not with them. Just don’t go back. If you asked, Merrick would allow
you to stay.”

Drew snorted. “If
you
asked, maybe.”

“Just don’t leave. They asked you here, so you have a spot. They
won’t kick you out, can’t if they don’t want to piss off the witches. You’re
their Familiaran.”

Drew inhaled deeply then lifted his hand, chewing nervously
on his nails. “If they don’t kill me first.”

Trina didn’t understand what made him so nervous around
shifters, although most people didn’t need a reason. She didn’t pry. People
like them had reason to fear. “They would never harm you, but if you are
worried, prove yourself indispensable. Practice magic. Contact the witches,
tell them that you’re searching for the scepter but need some supplies. They’ll
send whatever you request. I’ll give you a list of books that will get you started.

“You have an innate talent with magic. Fast and strong. Not
fighting mage level yet, but you could be good if you allow yourself to be.”

“You think?” He dropped his hand, sitting straighter at the
mention of becoming a witch’s protector. For a young witch with nothing, it was
a lot of prestige. His earnestness hurt. If the wrong witches got their talons
in him, they would destroy all his potential, stealing it for themselves.

“Only thirty percent of the witch population can use magic.
The top five percent of casters became the leaders. The next tier contains the
mages, ones who can cast and fight at the same time, a rare talent that most
witches can’t perform well together, though they are often derided for being
impure. The majority who try for a position fail the brutal training. The
remaining witches are the professors and alchemists.” She didn’t tell him that
everyone else with magical potential that never matured remained in the coven
to be harnessed by others. That’s where outsiders like him, ones without training,
fell. “If this is what you want, practice hard. Help the shifters.”

“The virus thing.”

“The more exposure they have to magic the better. It can
only help them. Practice calling on magic. It gets easier with time. Make
yourself indispensable.”

Drew listened very carefully then spoke solemnly. “You’re
leaving.”

Panic flickered in her chest, and her gaze flew to the men.
They were too busy arguing to notice, although Merrick watched her as if he already
expected her to pull something.

“I’m not safe here anymore.
They
are no longer safe
if I stay.” The back of her throat ached at the thought of leaving them. She’d
never allowed herself to get close to others since the coven, but she messed up
with the shifters. She got attached. The pain of the upcoming separation could
very well destroy her. She wasn’t sure if she could make it on her own anymore.

“I know my way around the streets. I could go with you.”

Drew’s tentative offer gave her a pang. “I would love for
you to come with me, but the shifters need you here more. Vampires will be on
my tail, not to mention that the witches will be joining the hunt in earnest. I
need to rescue my sister, and the only way to do that is by stealing her back.”

The kid blanched at the thought of entering the vampires’
territory, and Trina knew exactly how he felt. She didn’t relish being hunted.
Death surrounded her, waiting to strike down anyone who got close. As if coming
to a decision, Drew’s expression grew mutinous.

She shot to her feet, standing in front of Drew to block his
gaze of Merrick, fearing Drew would give away her plan. Words tumbled out of
her mouth in a rush. “My blood will protect me. Anyone with me can’t say the
same.”

“Your blood only protects you so far.”

She had no argument for that. “The one who attacked me as a
child almost died from consuming it. I’m stronger now. If anyone tries it again,
they will die.” She’d make sure of it.

“You’d sacrifice yourself?”

“That’s not my plan, but I can’t just do nothing when there
is a chance I could stop the war.”

The kid looked like he wanted to argue, but she turned and
grabbed her bag, preventing more conversation. She pulled out the switchblade
she’d pocketed the first night she met Merrick.

“Here.” She handed it to Drew. “Learn how to use it. If I
fail and war comes, you need to learn how to fight. Ask one of the shifters to
teach you. If you are with the shifters, they are not your enemy, understand?”

Trina needed to move up her plans in case Drew spilled the
beans. Her wish to say a private good-bye and spend one night with Merrick was ripped
away, and it devastated her. She straightened, hating the tears that clogged
the back of her throat. With her heart heavy, she spoke her goodbye. “Gentlemen,
it’s been a long day. I need to rest.”

* * *

“You can’t do this.” Victor growled the words. “You gave up
everything to build this pack. You can’t just walk out now.”

“I’m not walking away. We’re on the brink of war. The only
way to save the pack is to find a way to avert the upcoming confrontation.”

“Not like this. With everything that’s been revealed, you
are both too valuable for the pack to lose.”

“What other option is there?” Merrick wanted to growl in
frustration. “She’s at the center of everything. If we lose her, the pack will
fall. She’s leaving, and I’m going with her. It’s not up for discussion.”

“The pack—”

“She’s my pack now. The Den needs to prepare for war in case
we can’t prevent it, and I need you to do that for me. If they take her, the
vampires will breech the borders. We are the only line of defense.”

“At least take some soldiers with you.”

“Too easy to track.” Merrick smiled at his friend’s
frustration. Despite everything, he relished the chance to be out in the field
again. It’d been years, and he’d missed the adventure, the thrill of the chase.
His beast had been cooped up too long. The prospect of freedom was too tempting
a lure with Trina at his side. He just wished it were under other
circumstances. “Keep the pack together until I get back.”

Victor sighed. “Just make sure you do come back.”

Trina stood, and Merrick immediately stilled as if watching
prey. She was up to something. She was too calm. She’d made her decision, and
the beast in him wailed in denial, a mournful sound that would haunt him if she
vanished before he could catch up with her.

She might be going after her sister, but he was going for
Trina. He wanted a future with her. If it took a war to keep her safe, so be it.
Merrick spoke without taking his gaze from hers. “We’ll finish this discussion
in the morning.”

Everyone obediently left. Drew looked like he wanted to
protest but after a moment’s hesitation, reluctantly left the room.

Left Trina.

Merrick knew how he felt.

Once they were alone, Merrick clenched his teeth against
confronting Trina. If he thought she would obey, he would’ve done it in a
heartbeat.

It both amused and angered him that she thought to sneak
away from him and the future he was building for them. But if he so much as
whispered a word that he knew of her plans, she’d find a way to escape his
watch.

And leave him behind.

The claiming between them was fresh and his body was clamoring
to finish it. He hated that she hid his mark behind a bandage from the other
shifters, but didn’t say anything for fear she’d become suspicious.

It was too soon to tell her the truth. History said the mark
was supposed to make him irresistible to her, make her want to jump him at
every opportunity.

He wanted that because that’s how he saw her…everything
he’s ever wanted wrapped up in a delicious package waiting for him to unravel. He’d
just have to convince her that she needed him as much as he needed her. “I’m
going to take a shower.”

She nodded quickly. “I’m just going to run to the lab and
grab my notes.”

Beast wanted to leap the distance between them and follow
her. It was all he could do not to demand that she stay. Instead, he curbed the
desire to roar and pretend like his world wasn’t shattering.

She disappeared out the door and never once looked back as
she walked out of his life.

The coven and her family had abandoned her when she needed
them most. She was so loyal that even after all these years she would risk her
life for them.

He wanted her to feel that intensity for him.

No wonder she was so protective of Drew. They were both
alone, tossed away from where they belonged by the people who should have protected
them. She was trying to make a place here for Drew. He just had to show her
that she had one, too.

Next to him.

He stripped off his clothes, letting them fall where they landed.
Turning the shower on full blast, he ducked under the spray and hurried. The sense
of time growing short increased the longer she was out of his sight.

He stepped out and quickly dried off, dressing in the first
things he grabbed. In the bathroom mirror, he noticed that his neck had healed
without a scar. The area was still sore, but not bad for having his throat torn
out.

He walked out of the bathroom and knelt on the floor to grab
the weapon case under the bed. Only then did he realize the ease of the move.

He slowly straightened. Though sore, his back had more
mobility than he’d had since he’d been shot.

She was healing him. Her blood even took away the small
twinges that had plagued him these last weeks. It gave him hope that he might
be able to protect her the way she needed.

He had to move fast if he hoped to catch her before she
disappeared on him. He belted on knives and gun holsters, shoving spare weapons
in a pack. Memories of his teenage years rose, the fights for dominance and
survival he carved out of the chaos of the pack. When he opened the door, he
nearly ran over a pacing Drew.