Chapter 82 An experiment
Shockingly, the dragon sanctioned his indignation. “Exactly what I said.”
My focus drifted towards Hale across the room. He looked nothing like himself, eyes shifting, face tense and green like he just ate bad food.
“Mon amor, take a seat,” Draki said, also catching his discomfort.
Hale let out an irritated hiss, yanking at his tie as he strode towards the tufted leather Chesterfield sofa in the cozy seating area facing the walk-in closet.
Finn immediately turned towards the pitcher above the fireplace, and started to fill a glass.
“Nevertheless,” Draki picked up the conversation, “refusal to meet their demand came with consequences.”
Finn turned and headed in Hale's direction with a glass of water.
“Consequences in the shapes of plagues,” his voice deepened, filling the room, “When I delayed picking an ascendant this year…” Silver eyes met mine, but we were apparently both distracted by activities at the other side of the bedroom.
Our side visions observing the way Finn handed the glass of water to Hale. And how Hale caught his hand, brought it up to his lips and brushed his knuckles with a kiss.
The shadow that crossed Draki's eyes mirrored the emotions in my heart. Dark possessive jealousy.
I ducked my head immediately.
“...the premature birth crisis happened.” He finished, voice hoarse.
My head jerked up.
That look, the look of guilt on Hale's face back at dinner. It all made sense now.
“This makes no sense.” Finn crossed the bedroom in a few strides and stood before us. Zero hint of fear in those aqua-colored eyes.
My heart was pounding. And instinctively, my body pulled away from Draki on the ottoman.
I couldn’t even imagine speaking to him the way these men did.
There were perks to being his lovers after all. Real lovers and not a wife of convenience, their sacrifice-in-waiting.
“Who’s causing these um…plagues? The firstborns?”
“Yes, Finn.” Hale called from behind in exhaustion, slouching against the couch. Hale never slouched.
“So you do something horrible, yea? Upset some universal law or whatever, and then they decide to rain plagues on the same universe. Except you maintain a freaking human sacrifice every decade?”
Draki gave him a sad smile. “You're undoubtedly my kindred. I have held these same sentiments for years now.”
“Then bloody fix it.” Finn fired. “You’re strong enough to take them on.”
“Hey,” Hale sat up instantly. “Don’t get him started on that foolish idea, it took me years to get out of his head. Things do not work that way, the universe has rules, we broke them. For justified reasons, yes. But we did. And now we have to pay the price.”
“Only you’re fucking not!” Finn lashed out. At Hale. He had only ever directed his ire at Draki.
I sprang up, and hurried towards the balcony.
My chest was heaving, my hands trembling. Why won't he just shut up?
These two were not ordinary men. Love interest or not, they may snap one of these days, lose control.
“How long has this ritual been going on? How many more women have had to die?” he went on in that husky baritone that sounded unsteady whenever his emotions were high like this.
“And I hope to the fucking gods I don't have to say this again. But I’m not gonna sit back and watch Lys die.”
I froze just before the glass door. The room went silent.
I spun around to find a surprised look on the Hearthrown Alphas' faces. And then they both turned to stare at me, as if seeing me for the first time.
What? Had they forgotten I was an Ascendant and was scheduled to die in twelve months?
They turned away again. But there was a conflicted look in their eyes.
“I chose this.” I shifted on my feet, feeling the need to speak up.
Aqua-colored eyes met mine immediately, furious. A shiver ran through me at the memory of his rage just days ago in that kitchen, right before he hauled me onto the kitchen counter and slipped his hand in my shorts.
Heat spread up my cheeks as I jerked my head away.
“She’s right. She chose this. Begged for it,” Hale said.
Draki remained unusually quiet.
“And before you say anything,” Hale cut in right as Finn was about to speak, “The pack, innocents, and even children would bear the brunt of your decision to go to war with the Firstborns.”
He was speaking to Finn but looking at Draki.
“They can't destroy you…” He looked from the dragon to Finn, and then his eyes moved to me where I leaned against the balcony door. “Even you.” His voice dropped to a strained whisper.
“You’re all special even if you both don’t realize it yet.” His eyes swept between Finn and me. “But take a second to think of the people who aren't, the tiny pups and the children who are only just mastering the shift.”
There was complete silence in the room. The air so still I could hear the far off sounds of LA traffic.
Knowing Hale as well as I did, the thought of this ritual was hurting him more than anyone else here.
But he was a good man.
He would do the right thing even if it meant sacrificing the people he loved, literally. Even if it killed him.
“If we’re going ahead with the ritual,” I folded my arms and crossed my legs, resting most of my weight against the glass doors. “Why are all these still happening? The skin walkers, the children of the last moon.”
I needed to understand this. Make certain that my effort to resist the ritual, protect my heart, was not responsible for the looming destruction of our city.
“Children of the last moon?” Finn had a betrayed look on his face as his eyes jumped between the three of us.
I recognized that look, exclusion. He was always the last to know anything.
“Yes.” I winced, “The taxi driver.”
His head jerked back in surprise. Draki glanced back to give me an odd look.
I turned my gaze to the door. It was reckless to bring that night up so casually. My cheeks were on fire at this point.
“That's a different issue, fairy.” Hale rose to his feet. “It has nothing to do with the Firstborns.”
He turned for the door with long strides. “A word, love.”
Draki paused for a second and then stood up.
At the door, he glanced back, hands on the doorknob. There was naked suspicion in his eyes as he looked at Finn, and then at me.
“I’ll be in the bathroom.” I pushed away from the door, and turned for the bathroom.
He was right to not trust us alone.
I, even, would not trust myself alone with Finn, not with the emotion in his eyes every time he thought I wasn't looking.
“To answer your question, pet. Those skin walkers are failed ascendants.”
I froze. “What?”
“Over the years, a few women have agreed to be ours, but after the oaths, they changed their minds.”
My brows were furrowed as I stared, numb.
“They sought witches' help to break the bond, and that creature you saw tonight was the result of one such experiment.”