Page 17 of Wicked Curses
Sahira’s room was next to his, a soon-to-be convenient fact. He smiled as he set another glass down and tossed his towel on the bar.
And then Carmella’s words sank in, and his eyebrows rose as he glanced from her to Sahira. Sahira wasn’t exactly his favorite immortal in the realms, but she was technically almost family, and no one looked at or talked about his family like that.
CHAPTERTWELVE
“The abomination?”he inquired.
“You do know what sheis, don’t you?” Carmella retorted as she poured some beer into a mug.
“I do.”
“It’s an absolute disgrace that her mother let avampirerut between her legs.”
“We’ve all done some rutting we’ve regretted.” He gave her a pointed look as he slid another glass toward her. “And I’ve been disappointed a time or two.”
Carmella shoved a loose strand of black hair behind her ear as she swung hate-filled brown eyes to him. Orin grinned at her before switching his attention back to Sahira.
He couldn’t help admiring the way the brown fae pants hugged her enticing ass and firm thighs. Those thighs could probably cinch around a man and keep him locked inside her. He would find out.
Her black shirt was off the shoulder and had multicolored flowers running down the front and between her breasts. And the swell of those lovely breasts was emphasized by her low, scooped collar.
He shifted as his shaft stirred. It would be a long game with Sahira, and part of that game would be him playing the good guy role. He wasn’t familiar with it, but he’d give anything a try at least once.
He couldn’t take some other girl out back to fuck while he was working on getting Sahira into his bed. It was tempting, but it would give her a reason to stay away from him.
He had to play nice, and when he won the game, he could play with everyone again. Until then, he’d be the one thing he’d sworn never to be—a one-woman man.
Suppressing a sneer, he watched as Sahira reached the bottom of the stairs and stood with her hand on the banister as she surveyed the room. Her amber eyes were curious but also filled with unease.
“You might be interested to learn that witches and vampires worked together to bring down the Lord. And they continue working together to protect the new queen of the Shadow Realms. The queen”—he leaned closer to Carmella as he pitched his voice lower—“who happens to be the niece of the woman you just called an abomination.”
Carmella glowered at him before shifting her attention to pouring another beer. “Not by blood.”
“Blood isn’t what always matters in life. Blood can be the death of you, while found family can be a savior. The last arach is alive because of Sahira and her brother, who is also a vampire. She loves them both, and they are under her protection. You and your little witch friends would do well to remember that.”
Carmella slapped the beer tap closed as she spun to face him. “And you should remember thatnoneof it means anything here. That world doesn’t exist to us anymore.Thisis our existence now, and anyone who believes they’re important because of who they were in theiroldlife is wrong.” She leaned closer to him. “Including dark fae princes.”
Orin laughed as he lifted a strand of her hair and twirled it around his finger. She tried to slap it away, but he refused to relinquish her as their eyes locked.
“Even if we never return to our old lives and who we were, some of us possess more power than others. You’re a little witch in a realm where it doesn’t matter.”
“Fuck you, Orin.”
“Never again, Carmella. My hand has more moves than you.”
Her face turned the color of a tomato. She tried to tug free of him, but he grasped her wrist, locking her in place as he released her hair.
“Now, get this through your pretty, empty head. If you or any of your other tree-hugging cohorts get any ideas about attacking her, I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my family. And,sheis family.”
Besides,noonewould mess with the witch… except him. He owed Sahira and would repay her for putting that tracking spell on him and refusing to take it off.
“You can’t take us all on,” Carmella hissed through her teeth.
“I can and I will. Not only do none of you spell casting twats scare me, but cursing another is forbidden in this realm. If you dare to try it, I will stop you, and you’ll also bring down the wrath of Belda and her pack on your heads. Trying to curse someone as powerful as me will weaken all of you, and you’ll either be destroyed in the pit or banished to the Barren Lands.”
When she jerked at her wrist, he didn’t release her. “Let me go.”
“You’re going to make sure all the witches and warlocks understand this too. Youwilltell them everything I just said.”
