Fire Moon - Miss CrazyPlantLady (sci fi books to read txt) 📗

him, and my legs wrapped around his middle as he replaced his fingers, and he thrusted into me.

The water was baptising us, drowning out the noise coming out of my mouth, and Alexei’s mouth captured all of my breathless words. His fingers were digging into my arse, his head dipped into my neck, and he licked his masked mark. My body jerked in memory as his teeth grazed it, he pulled back to search my eyes for the answer to his unspoken question, and I didn’t have to say anything as his teeth sunk into my neck.

The water was hissing as it hit my skin, steam enveloped us, and my heart felt heavy again as Alexei slowly put me down. His own eyes glowing through the steam, he said nothing but hadn’t let go of my wrist, and he sighed, “See you around, sweet Eden.”

I cried for the rest of the shower.

I got dressed, this infidelity was heavy on my shoulders, and I met everyone in the kitchen. Before Sawyer called us all into his throne room, my eyes finding the exact place Wren’s body laid, and stepping around it.

The Soothsayer was sitting on the step of his fake throne, his dark eyes were tired, and hungover, “August is arriving shortly, he said he has important information.”

We all turned our heads to watch Danny bring in Alexei, our eyes met quickly before I turned away, “Why is he here?”

Sawyer shrugged, “August said he needed to be here as well.”

The Oracle groaned before lighting a cigarette, “How far away was he?”

“We’re inside, Bain,” Urith said dryly.

“And?” Bain took a draw, and blew it in his direction.

August entered at that second, the painting within his eyes were glowing with rage, and we all watched him walk up to Sawyer, “Alexei is still working with Kier.”

The words sliced threw me like a knife, my mouth fought to drop, and my eyes found Alexei’s instantly, “What?”

Those emerald eyes were as wide as saucers, watching us all with the same disbelief we watched him with, and he shook his head, “I swear on my life that I’m not.”

“I went into his head, Augustus” the Soothsayer interjected, “He’s not working for him.”

“Kier told me himself,” August’s voice boomed down at us, “He told me he was a Null-hound, and that no powers work on him, he tricked us.”

Sawyer’s dark eyes darkened for the first time with fear, they met mine, and urged me to speak but my secret held my tongue.

Alexei’s frown was harsh on his face, “I told the truth!”

“He’s job was to take Eden back to West Stygian, to create a weapon for Kier to use, and to help him win this war” August’s voice roared over Alexei’s.

To create a weapon.

A weapon for Kier to use.

My eyes met the emerald souls of Alexei, “Is that true?”

Alexei’s eyes grew wider, “You know me, Eden,” his words came out desperate, “I helped you control your powers.”

My frown formed on my face as he spoke as the realisation struck me, “You weaponised me.”

His mouth dropped open, “No!” he broke free of Danny’s grip, and grabbed my arms, “You know me!”

“He weaponised you, Eden” August continued, “His job was to make sure you killed those children.”

My heart dropped. The contents of my stomach threatened to rise. Everyone’s eyes fell on me. Their confusion and shock swallowed me. I begged for this to be a dream.

Wake up. Wake up. Wake up.

“The children are dead?” my chest threatened to combust as Miles’s voice spoke. The realisation hit her face, and I felt it in my chest.

I was gasping for air, and I felt myself stepping backwards, away from them, “I’m—I’m sorry.”

My knees buckled as I fell to the ground, Miles kneeled in front of me, and grabbed my face, “Breathe, Eden” her hands were soft against my face, “Breathe, it’s okay.”

“Don’t believe that bullshit, Eden” Alexei shouted as Danny managed to retain his grip, “How about you tell everyone that you were going to leave Urith and Miles behind, because you couldn’t be bothered to try harder to save them” he spat his words at August.

I watched Quinn still instantly, Urith went to touch her shoulder, but Quinn shook her head, “Baby, don’t touch me,” her eyes swallowed August, “You were going to leave my mate behind?” her words were deadly calm.

I was crying in Miles’s arms, she was whispering soothing words in my ear, and I met her warm amber eyes, “I—I couldn’t tell you.”

Her eyes were glassy as she smiled, rubbing my arms, “Eden, it’s okay.”

My head shook feverishly, “I killed—killed them,” a sob ripped through my body, “They were—children, Miles.”

She sighed, “I know,” her tears fell silently down her face, “You remember when I told you about Fleur?”

I nodded, “The Healer?”

Her breath was uneven, and she smiled again, “I lied,” she wiped at my tears, “Alex didn’t kill her, I—I did. Kier promised me freedom if I did, and I didn’t hesitate, we all have done things that haunt us.”

Bain rushed to us, grabbing us off the ground, “We need to leave,” my eyes found Quinn, she was glaring up at August, and Sawyer was cowering off to the side before he saw us leaving, and ran to join us.

“I changed my mind, E” the Soothsayer said breathlessly, “I fear Quinn more.”

Urith stood behind Quinn, helpless, and unmoving. He waved us off, and stayed behind his mate.

Danny moved Alexei with us into the kitchen. We all watched him as Danny let him go, Alexei’s eyes were still wide as he breathed, “If I had family, I would swear on their lives that I am not working for Kier.”

Everyone was sold enough to let him stay with us, and I waited until everyone was distracted by the Soothsayer’s eccentric stories, I grabbed Alexei into the pantry.

I held him at an appropriate distance, “Was your job to weaponise me?”

His hands tried to grab me but he held them back, and he shook his head, “No, my job was to kill you” his breath was warm against my face, “I was supposed to kill you when your father staged the car crash.”

“What changed your mind?” I found myself asking, but I already knew the answer.

His smile was glowing in the darkness of the pantry, “You were half-unconscious, and you refused to let your friends be hurt by my stupid henchmen, you pushed a full-grown wolf off Bain,” there was laughter in the back of his throat, “and then you looked at me, your eyes saw right through me, and I couldn’t kill you, regardless of what Kier would’ve done to me.”

“So, this wasn’t all a part of your plan to get me to come back with you?” I let him grab the silver sun out of my shirt.

He held the fine pendant in his large hands, reaching down to kiss it before meeting my eyes in the dark, “No, my plan involved more unspeakable things, and your body.”

“Then why is August saying those things?” I frowned.

“It’s all bullshit,” he growled, before putting the necklace safely back under my shirt, “You said it yourself, all of this seems fake.”

“When did I say that?” my voice was skeptical because I didn’t remember saying that at all.

He laughed at this, the sound travelled through my body, “The first time you tried Sawyer’s drink, after Wren died.”

My frown was deepening, “I didn’t say that.”

“You came to my room after August had a fit about me being out, you were extremely drunk” another laugh, “You told me lots of things.”

My mouth dropped open, shame swallowing me, “You’re lying.”

My eyes closed automatically as his hand wrapped around the side of my neck, “You told me about how you felt with August, you told me about your nightmares, and you told me that you could burn the entire world but wouldn’t let a single flame touch Alice or your friends,” his mouth kissed the corner of my mouth, “Or me.”

“I wouldn’t” I admitted in a whisper.

“I know” he smirked before his lips met mine, it was so tender that I almost cried.

That second, the pantry door opened, and Sawyer stood there with a blank expression. I practically jumped away from Alexei, the Soothsayer just crossed his arms, and shook his dark head, “Library, 5 minutes.”

The Soothsayer was sitting at the centre table, his map rolled out, and his hands folded on the table. He watched us sit down, Alexei sat a chair away from me, and shame stopped me from meeting Sawyer’s eyes.

“Please don’t tell August,” I breathed, and my eyes were captured on the wooden table.

“I won’t be telling him anything, I’d rather not have my head torn off” Sawyer smirked, his eyes falling on Alexei, “Alexei James, any requests?”

The Null-hound shook his head, shrugging his shoulders, “Be nice?”

Sawyer rolled his eyes before returning his attention back to me, “When did this happen?”

I sucked in a breath, “Yesterday.”

The Soothsayer nodded casually, like we weren’t talking about mate infidelity, “Did you and August mate?”

“Is this necessary?” Alexei interrupted.

Sawyer ignored him, and gestured for me to answer. My fingers shook as I pulled down the neckline of my shirt, showing him Miles’s healing mark, and I watched his normally calm eyes grow wild as he took in the dark lines.

I was on the edge of tears when I spoke, “It was more painful than the foxglove that almost killed Urith,” I could feel the emerald eyes watching me, “I thought this was normal because no one told me what I was to expect, I wasn’t warned of what was not supposed to happen, and I was lucky that Miles found me when she did.”

“Does August know?” the Soothsayer asked softly, watching the curved lines as if they’d jump out for him.

“How would I tell him?” I laughed dryly, “He would probably blame me, or try again.”

“Did you two mate?” his eyebrows rose in question before he sighed, “Actually I can smell it, it’s just not as strong as it is normally, and that was your plan wasn’t it?”

My cheeks heated in shame, my hands covered my face, “What do I do?”

“Is it obvious, the smell?” I heard Alexei ask, his hand came to rest on my leg under the table, and I didn’t move it off.

Sawyer clicked his tongue, “No, I was just searching for it,” I peered through my fingers at him, and he clapped with a laugh, “I had no idea about this, the Forecaster has been holding out on me.”

“What do I do, Sawyer?” I asked again, my tone irritated.

The Soothsayer’s smile vanished, “Don’t let anyone else catch you, even better, don’t see each other,” he stood, and grabbed his map, “I’ll go talk to Maisie, but until then, stay away from each other, and don’t tell anyone about the healed mark.”

We watched him disappear out of the library, and my heart was heavy as I turned back to Alexei, my eyes burned with the threat of tears, “He’s right, Alex.”

His emerald eyes were avoiding mine as he nodded, standing up abruptly, “I know,” was all he said before leaving me alone in the library, dragging my heavy heart behind him.

 

17

 

“WHAT’S THE STUPID NECKLACE FOR?”  

My back straightened instantly as the Zeta laughed. 

Dan was holding my other arm, glaring at