Page 83 of Resurrection
“April.” One second, I am storming down the hall, breathing fire. In the next, my back is pressed to the wall and Sebastian has me pinned to it.
“I need you to stop focusing just on Sara. There is a whole community of magic users in this city, and tunnel vision is a sure way to get yourself killed. I’m all for revenge—he was my friend too, after all—but not at the cost of your life.” Holding my head between both of his hands, he keeps my gaze locked on his. The fear I see there makes my knees buckle. “I dedicated my life to finding you. I will not lose you now. Not for anything. Do you understand?”
“I’m not easy to kill, Sebastian.” Anger and hurt stab me through those intense irises, and I latch onto his forearms when he tries to step away. “I love you, too.” I let him see it clear in every line of my face and every blink of my eyes. “But I have to do it. Surely you understand that.”
“And I will help you do it.” The hard lines on his face soften just as he presses his forehead on mine, closing his eyes. “But not by rushing in blindly and getting ourselves killed. We will scout, make a plan, and follow it. Promise me.”
“Okay.”
His deep, husky chuckle makes me melt, and I’m grateful he is holding me up with his body. “I need a promise, not an okay.”
“It’s not my fault you are older than dirt.” Grinning, I pull back and kiss the tip of his nose. “In this century, okay is a promise.” I’m going to burn in Hell for this, but I push the guilt down, keeping eye contact.
“If you lie to me, I will throw you over my knee and spank you.” Hunger burns bright in his gaze. “Just so we are clear.”
“Promises, promises …” My breathless snicker is silenced by the mushing of our lips.
My back bows off the wall, and I press harder on his chest, clawing at his shoulders. Even in the heels I’m wearing, I have to stand on my toes to reach him, but it’s worth it judging by the hard erection poking my lower belly. His deep groan vibrates from his chest to mine, and I have to push him away or we will be fucking in the middle of the hallway. That bitch Sara couldn’t wait just long enough to let me enjoy Sebastian before betraying me? Especially after getting my full memories back and the fight with the Council? His snarled protest pools heat between my legs.
“I’ll tear those mages apart for this alone,” Sebastian informs me, and I snort.
“Cockblocks, all of them,” I sass, and butterflies burst to life when one side of his mouth tilts up. “Not for long though, right?”
“No. Not for long, tesoro.” With one long, lingering look at my swollen lips, he tugs me from the wall and leads me to wherever Marcus must be hiding.
Chapter Seventy-Seven
SEBASTIAN
“We have searched those tunnels many times over the last couple of weeks.” Pressing my weight on the long table where my hands are bracketing the blueprints of the city’s underground tunnels, I glance at Marcus. “You personally led the search party just yesterday, did you not? How did we miss them?”
The lead we have on the mages points at a tunnel not far from where April had her safe spot picked out while she was hiding from the Council. At the time she was human, so she wouldn’t have noticed any discrepancies in the energy around her. She had no idea that magic existed. But obviously Sara did, and maybe that was the reason they stayed there? Darting a quick glance at her beautiful face tells me she’s thinking along the same lines, as well. The hurt simmers in her gaze, and my chest is too tight from noticing it there. She has suffered so much. First betrayed by her consort, and the cost was her life. Now betrayed by her only friend, and it may have the same price.
“Your guess is as good as mine.” Scrubbing a hand over his face on a sigh, Marcus turns to April, and I have to clench my jaw so I don’t snarl at him. “You know these tunnels better than any of us, April. What are you thinking?”
“Non c’è bisogno di coinvolgerla in questa ricerca.” I glare at him. “Until we are certain where they’re hiding, she will stay here where it’s safe.”
“I don’t need to be involved? Are you ordering me to stay here?” One of April’s eyebrows cocks in question.
I forgot that with remembering who she was, her Italian is as good as mine. She understood when I told Marcus she doesn’t need to be involved. Judging by the glint in her eyes, I have no doubt I’ll be paying later for my words.
“Tesoro …”
“You know what, Sebastian?” Her hand lifts, stopping my words, all the lingering softness in her gaze from my kisses in the hallway gone. “I’ve heard enough. So, how about you take a seat, Tesoro,” she says the nickname I’ve given her like a joke. “Or, you can leave and go do something productive. Like not ordering me around, huh?”
“Sei davvero stupido.” Marcus speaks under his breath, shaking his head. He said ‘you really are dumb’, which I agree with but will not say it out aloud. He continues with, “When did that work in your favor even when she was human?”
“Am I the only one here who is using their brain?” Eshe and Marcus have the decency to glance down when I turn my eyes on them. “They want her. So, what are we doing? We are just going to hand her over on a silver platter?”
“Actually, I think they would rather get their hands on you, tough guy.” April smirks. She has absolutely no care in the world for her life. “Whoever is in charge of their group is not an idiot, or we would’ve found them by now. They know they will lose many if they take me, especially since I’m hell bent on ripping all of them limb from limb. And they were present when the Council fell, so they know what I can do. You, on the other hand, can be used against me. I’ve already lost Andrei; I’m not losing you.”Her penetrating stare turns from me to my second in command. “Or you, Marcus.”
Silence spreads around us as all eyes turn on me. Marcus gapes like a fish, not expecting her to place him in the same bag as me, and I can’t say that my expression is any better. After everything, it still catches him by surprise that she will do anything to protect him. While I’m brainstorming to keep her safe behind these walls, she’s been doing the same. Warmth blankets my insides that April cares so much for my safety, but this is going to be a problem. My mouth opens to tell her as much but Eshe beats me to the punch.
“I liked you better when you were pretending to be an asshole, Sebastian.” Gone is the lilting accent I’ve known her by, replaced by modern speech I never would’ve expected from her. “Trust someone that has known her for a long time. She will not hide behind you.”
A muscle is ticking on one side of my jaw, and my nostrils flare as I take a deep breath. I’ll need to think of another way to keep April out of this without provoking her ire.
“How much do we trust the source of this information?” I turn my question to Marcus.
