CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

I hadn't known what to expect when returning to Elysium Plains. I had a vision of Blue curled up on a sofa, lost in a book the way she was at the office, but the scene I stepped into was something else.

The first thing I'd noticed was the screaming. It had crashed through the door before I even reached it. Then it was the sight I ran in on.

I found Blue before anyone else. It was as if my eyes had built in homing sensors designed to find her in any situation. I found and locked in on her bent over another person, beautiful face a twisted mask of something I had never seen there before. An almost demonic sneer that curled her lips back over her teeth and crinkled lines across the bridge of her nose.

But it was the hate, the inferno of loathing in her eyes that stopped my feet. It was the low, shredding hiss of her words cutting into pandemonium that stilled my heart.

"If you ever mention his name again, even when you think you're alone, I will find you and make you watch as I gut every person you love in front of you before hanging you by your intestines. Do you understand?"

Had I not seen that sight of her, had I not heard the words with my own ears, I never would have believed my little Blue capable of such rage.

Such violence.

Watching her in that form, that primal state, a fucking goddess unleashing vengeance...

If I hadn't already been unimaginable in love with this woman, that would have done it.

I washed the blood from her hands and cleaned the thin slices running across already scarred flesh. A few were still bleeding. Tiny bubbles of crimson welling from the deeper ones.

I applied ointment and swaddled each palm in padding and gauze. Then placed band aids on the pad of her thumb and three of her fingers where she'd gripped the shard of glass against Jeannette's throat.

For me.

My soft, sweet baby threatening to gut another person ... for me.

I'd never been so proud of anyone or more in love in my life.

Her small hands properly swaddled, I brought the knuckles to my lips. The fingers trembled.

I lifted my eyes to her face and started at the tears clinging to her lashes.

"Blue?"

A droplet escaped with the lowering of her chin. It landed on the back of her free hand and soaked into the gauze.

"Are you angry with me?"

I would have laughed long and hard if she didn't look so heartbroken.

I tucked my finger under her chin and lifted her face back to mine. "One word, my love, just one and I'll gut that bitch myself."

Blue sniffled. The sound a rusty dagger through the heart. "I made such a mess."

I shook my head. "It's nothing I can't fix."

Her gaze lowered again. "I'm not sorry."

I didn't bother concealing my grin this time. "Nor should you be."

"She is a terrible person." That fire was in her eyes again. In the hard set of her jaw. "I never want to hurt another person. I didn't think I was capable. But I wanted to hurt her. I wanted to..." she broke off with an expression between that goddess and uncertainty shifting over her features. It was like watching a beautiful war. "But I think I finally understand why people hurt each other. It feels good. Being in control. Seeing the fear and pain in their eyes." She bit her lip and a tear slid down her cheek. "Having power over them."

I realized she wasn't talking about Jeannette anymore. This was something else, a personal trauma she was coming to realize, and I didn't like it. I didn't like the flatness of her tone. The defeat in her shoulders. The way she was picking at her bandages.

"There is a difference, sweetheart. The person who hurt you never had power over you. So they tried to break you instead. They failed."

She shook her head, chin quivering. "They didn't."

I captured her face and forced her to look at me. "They fucking did, Blue, because the vengeful goddess I just fucking saw was not a broken woman. She was fierce and beautiful. Christ, baby, she was a fucking sight to behold. But she's in there. That piece of shit couldn't break her."

I pulled her into my arms. Cradled her in my lap with her legs around my waist on the floor in the middle of the shop as she wept into my shoulder. I pressed her into my chest, trying to absorb every violent tremor. I told her again and again that I loved her.

I fucking loved her so much.

But only in my head. It wasn't the time.

"Thoran?" she whispered into the side of my neck several minutes later.

"Yes, my love?"

"Please don't be angry with Cyrus. I don't think he could have stopped me."

But you still got hurt, I wanted to remind her. Even if it was by her own hands, her blood was too precious to spill.

"That's not how it works," I said instead. "He was supposed to watch over you."

Blue raised her head. Eyes lined with red and filled with annoyance met mine. "He's not a babysitter. Honestly, he shouldn't have even been here. He should be protecting you. You're more important—"

I captured her jaw. "You're fucking important to me, Blue."

Her brows furrowed. "Who is going to come after me? No one even knows I exist. But if they see you unguarded..."

"He stays with you," I bit out.

"Thoran..."

I kissed her.

I clamped a hand on the back of her neck and held her to my angry frustrations. I filled her mouth with my tongue and consumed her whimper.

"This conversation is over," I growled into her swollen mouth. "Cyrus stays with you."

"But—"

I bit her bottom lip until she cried out. "Over," I warned for the last time.

I saw the flash of heat and irritation a split second before her hands were tangled in my hair, dragging my head back.

"You take Cyrus." She kissed me when I started to speak. "Give me someone else if it means that much to you." Her palm clamped over my mouth when I opened it to protest. "That's my compromise, Thoran. I need to know you're going to come home when you go out."

I drew in a breath. "I'll think about it."

She skimmed her lips over mine. "And no punishing him. No!" she said when I growled in my throat. "Promise me."

I glowered up into her beautiful face. "What do I get in return?"

She blinked. "What do you want?"

My grin was slow and sharp. "Are you still sore?"

Her cheeks darkened, but she shook her head.

"I want you naked on my bed, legs open."

"What are you going to do with me?"

"I'm going to fuck you, Blue. I'm going to sink my cock deep inside your little cunt while I finger your ass."

Her eyes widened and she burst out laughing. "Thoran!"

I smirked. "We can start now. I bought a months' worth of condoms. I can fuck you from behind against the books. My hands in your hair. The other playing with your clit."

She moaned and her fingers tightened just enough to send shivers along my spine. "That's not fair."

I chuckled. "Never said I was going to be." Carefully, I helped her to her feet and rose with the first aid kit in hand. With my free hand, I brushed back a lock of hair off her cheek. "Are you hungry? Do you want to go home or see the rest of the village?"

"Home," she whispered, stepping into my chest. "I feel exhausted."

I kissed her brow gently. "Home it is."

I left the kit on the table for Ivelle to find in the morning and reached for Blue. I didn't take her hand as we left the shop. I slipped my arm around her waist and kept her against my side. She made no protest as she lay her head on my shoulder for most of the walk.

"Did you say a month's worth?" Blue tilted her head back to squint up at me.

I laughed at the wide eyed stare. "I wanted to make sure we didn't run out tonight."

We reached the gate leading to the manor.

"Why do you lock the gate?" she asked as Cyrus unearthed his keys and undid the bolt.

"The property between here and the house are wild. The wall around the village and the house is to keep out wolves and bears. And it keeps people from finding their way to the house. It's just protection all around."

Blue made a small sound of understanding as Cyrus held the door open and led us through. The lock was placed on the inside and snapped closed.

"Is this the only way to the village?"

I shook my head. "There's a main road, but the village is right against the woods so there would be a lot of wildlife just walking down the street. People were getting attacked. So, my grandfather built the wall. Animals still wander in from time to time, but less."

We walked on in silence for several steps. The woods hummed a surreal vibration that was both heavy and weightless. It had begun to rain lightly. A soft drizzle that dampened our clothes and hair. But Blue didn't quicken her strides or complain.

"Thoran?"

"Hm?"

She was quiet for a long moment before she tipped her head back on my shoulder to peer up at me.

"Those women mentioned something back at the bookshop."

A raindrop hit her upturned cheek. I brushed it away lightly with my thumb.

"What did they say?"

Her hesitation tangled with the knot in my gut. "They mentioned you were married. A few times," she added softly. "And you killed them."

I drew in a breath and faced forward. "I see."

I met Cyrus's side glance as he moved ahead of us, giving us privacy.

"Are you married?" she asked.

"No."

"Were you?"

I shook my head. "No." I took a deep breath, accepting that I had no fucking choice. She deserved the truth and I needed to tell her before someone else did. "But I tried." I stopped walking and turned until we were facing each other. "I tried five times, Blue."

She didn't seem angry that I hadn't told her. She didn't even seem upset. She watched me with a tiny winkle between her brows and a tilt in her head.

Concern.

She was concerned.

For me.

"What happened?" she asked.

Not, did you kill them? Because I knew that was what was said.

What happened?And I knew she would believe me no matter what I told her.

I could lie.

Tell her they were accidents. I could even explain it in a way that sounded like I had nothing to do with it.

But I couldn't because I had three weeks to save my cursed inheritance and she needed to know why I had to let her go.

"I killed them, baby."