Hive Queen by Sinclair, Grayson (ereader iphone .TXT) 📗

to her room, the one Eris had been staying in when this all started. I told her to come get me if she needed anything and bid her a good night.

After heading back to our room, Eris and I took the longest bath ever, and by the time my pruned and shriveled skin had soaked up a gallon of water, we got out and dried off, falling into bed together.

“Sleep,” I moaned.

“Not quite, my love,” Eris said, despair filling her eyes.

“Right.” I sat up and pulled the tie from my hair. Guess we’d better get this over with.

I couldn’t stop the anger and betrayal from creeping back from where I’d locked them away. They came willingly, and my heart burned in anguish.

“You slept with someone else. The spider queen, if the notification is any indication.”

“I did,” she said with hardly any emotion.

I shot up from the bed and whirled on her. “Why?”

“Because I needed her power, and that was the price she asked of me. That doesn’t excuse what I did, though. I knew it would hurt you, but I still chose to agree to it.” Eris paused. “I’m sorry I hurt you, my bonded. I am. But I needed Reina’s blessing.”

“So that makes it okay?”

I threw my hands up and paced the room, trying not to scream at her. The pacing helped while I waited for her response.

Eris didn’t say anything for a long time, her head down and her arms folded over her chest as she sat on the bed.

“I nearly died, Sam. It was so close, and I know you felt what I felt. I nearly died because I’m weak, weaker than anyone here, and that can’t continue. I refuse to let it continue.” She stood and padded over to me, her hand found mine and she gave it a squeeze. “I love you. I love you as much as I’ve ever loved anyone, but Reina reminded me that I’m not human. And I shouldn’t hold myself to human ideals.

“There is absolutely no love between Reina and I. It was simply an exchange of favors. My kind thrived on the practice, as I told you. It was business.”

Her response was clear, logical, and I hated it. I hated that I understood her motivations. But I knew she wouldn’t have just done it because she wanted to. She isn’t that kind of person. I knew she had to have a very good reason to sleep with someone else. My anger is just because she did it.

My rage boiled to the surface, and I turned away from her, slamming my fist into the wall. Bone cracked, and the skin over my knuckles split open. “Godsdamn it, Eris. I get it!”

I turned and sagged to the ground, completely ignoring the pain in my hand. She was right, and I hated it.

My rage slipped out as cold apathy gripped me. I was too worn down. Too much had happened in the last few days, and I couldn’t handle it. I brought my knees to my chest and laid my head on my arms.

“You’re right. You’re not human, and I can’t stop you. Do whatever you want, I don’t care.”

Chapter 24 - Acceptance

Eris

Sam’s words cut deeper than any blade, and I sucked in a breath as a cold weight pressed down my chest. As he hung his head, his voice defeated, I couldn’t stop the tears that rushed over my cheeks. I’d hurt him so bad, and I didn’t know how to fix it.

I dropped to my knees and crawled across the stone to him. My hands tugged at his warm skin. He tensed as I touched him, and my heart broke again. I grabbed for his hand, the one he’d damaged.

I tore my shirt off and ripped a long strip from it. He gave me the hand I gingerly wrapped and tied a knot to keep the bandage from falling off. When the blood stopped dripping, I just held his hand in mine, unsure of what to do.

Sam refused to look at me, his head hidden by his knees.

I couldn’t take it. I pushed in between his legs and cupped his head in my hands.

“Sam, look at me.”

He didn’t move, and my desperation grew.

“Sam, please.” My voice broke and I choked as I sobbed. I clutched at him, my hands digging into his shirt. “Please.”

His head lifted as I devolved into hysterics and bawled into his chest. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” I didn’t know what else to say, and my voice failed me as I cried.

Sam’s powerful arms wrapped around me and brought me closer. I only cried harder at his touch and clung to him with everything I had.

His warm cheek brushed against mine, and he held me for a very long time before he spoke.

“I forgive you.”

I only cried harder at his words, I cried until I had no more tears to cry and my throat hurt from the strain. Sam eventually picked me up and held me tight as he took me to our bed.

He didn’t say another word as he leaned back against his headboard and ran his fingers through my hair. We stayed that way for hours, until eventually the emotional drain and exhaustion settled in and I fell asleep, still holding onto him.

***

I didn’t know what time it was when I finally awoke, but from the way my eyes stuck together, I guessed we’d been asleep for a very long time. The events of the night rushed back to me, and a well of emotions rose in my chest.

Sam had forgiven me; his words and his touch told me that, but I wasn’t sure if I’d forgiven myself, not of the act itself. I knew that I’d made the right choice there, but