Page 42 of Awakened and Betrayed
Not that Enoch and the others have given me any time to myself or a chance to get away and have any kind of a life. It’s been training, training, and more training. I start running through excuses and scenarios that might get me out of this dinner, but I come up empty-handed.Fuck.Why can’t I think of anything?
“I know what that look means, Vinna. Don’t even think about it. Enoch has already told all of us that we’re not to let you out of our sight for even a second today. You are not going to get the chance to sneak off again. Everyone is on high alert, which means you are coming to this dinner whether you like it or not.”
I glare at Kallan and mentally curse Enoch and his dad.
“You don’t know me well enough to know what the looks on my face mean,” I grumble. “All I was thinking, was that I’m tired, and I want to take a nap.”
It’s as if speaking the words have magically given them some kind of hold on me because even more exhaustion washes through me. I suddenly feel completely lethargic and groggy. I pause mid-step, not sure of what just happened. My limbs feel heavy, and there’s an ache to my body that wasn’t there seconds ago. What the hell?
Kallan bends down, bringing his face even with mine. His blue eyes dart back and forth between my light-green unfocused irises.
“What just happened? You okay?”
Just as quickly as the exhaustion sweeps through me, it’s suddenly gone, and I shake off the echo of it in my limbs.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just...tired.”
Kallan’s concerned look stays etched on his face, but he gives me a nod, and we both continue toward the house. Maybe I need to eat something. All this magic use has definitely been catching up to me this week.
* * *
Another yawn escapes me,and I clap a hand over my gaping mouth to prevent the tired groan that wants to accompany it. It’s all I can do to keep my eyes open as we wait for the gates to open and grant us entry into the Cleary Mansion. I crack my neck from side to side and try to get my shit together. Elder Cleary is too sneaky and calculating for me not to be on my toes. I need to be ready for whatever he’s going to throw my way.
I just need to shake this exhaustion. Magic seriously has been taking its toll on me this week. I swear I haven’t been this tired since I started training to fight with Talon when I was fifteen. Maybe not even then. Talon’s face pops up in my mind, and I find comfort in his familiar and strong features. I’ve been working hard to see this version of Talon when I think about him, instead of the gaunt and tortured memory of how he looked before he died.
The ache I feel over his loss sits ever present in my mind and heavy in my soul. Just like with Laiken, I’m coming to accept that the sadness and pain will never really go away. I know with time I’ll learn to function with it, and some days that will be easier than others.
Enoch pulls off to the side of the colonial monstrosity, columns and all, and I release the deep breath I’ve been holding. Car doors slam all around me, indicating everyone’s exit from the car. I sit and stare out the window at the siding of the house as I once again try to come up with some kind of way to get out of this dinner. My door flies open, and Nash gives me a look that says,don’t even try it.I huff and unclick my seat belt, taking his warm hand as I step out of the car.
We make our way to the front door. I almost expect Enoch to ring the doorbell, but he grabs for the doorknob and lets himself in. I remind myself that he probably grew up here. The entire inside of the house is cream and gold, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t picture a young Enoch and his friends running through these halls. We walk into a formal living room and the noise of multiple conversations lower.
Elder Cleary and Elder Albrecht are talking to each other on one side of the room, and there are clusters of other casters spread out through the lavish room. Kallan and Becket both move further into the room and receive hugs and kisses from women I would assume are their mothers. I suppose that would make the rest of the older males in this room part of the different covens Becket, Kallan, and Nash come from. Elder Cleary’s eyes fix on mine as I walk into the room before his gaze slowly moves down my arm and settles there.
It takes me a minute to figure out what he’s staring at. But I soon realize that Nash is still holding my hand from when he helped me out of the car.Shit. How the hell did I not notice that? I yank my fingers out from between his. Nash looks over at me, but I don’t answer his questioning glance.
Fucking hell.
I can practically feel Elder Cleary’s smugness from here. I clench my teeth and berate myself for being so stupid. I can’t help but think that somehow I’ve just fucked everything up. If the elders believe there’s even a hint of a possibility that my guys aren’t the mates that I choose, then they could deny their Bond Claim. I might have just given them the fuel they need to continue to try to control me and force me into a match with Enoch and his coven. Motherfucker!
23
Itake an involuntary step back from Enoch and Nash, trying to create as much separation as possible between them and me. They don’t seem to notice, or if they do, they don’t react. A short woman with strawberry-blonde hair and a burgundy dress walks in and makes a beeline for Enoch. She grabs him in a hug and then sandwiches his cheeks in both her hands.
“You look tired? Are you not sleeping?”
Enoch chuckles and pats her hands on his cheeks.
“I’m good, Mom; you worry too much.”
Her eyes scrunch up ever so slightly with concern, but she nods her head and gives Enoch’s cheeks a squeeze before releasing him. She turns to Nash, and she showers him with similar maternal affection before her eyes land on me. I’m not sure what to do exactly, or what I really expected when it came to Enoch’s mother. I figured she’d be a lot like Elder Cleary; cold, calculating, worthy of only mistrust, but first impressions lead me to believe she’s quite the opposite. I almost find that even more unsettling. Why would a female like this be with someone like Elder Cleary?
“Mom, this is Vinna. Vinna, this is my mother, Isla Winifred.” Enoch offers.
Isla’s smile brightens, and she stretches her hand out to me. I take it, and she places her other palm on top of our joined hands and gives a gentle squeeze.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Vinna. You’ve been quite the talk of my mates since your arrival, and I’m thrilled to be able to put such a beautiful face to your beautiful name.”
Her words make me pause ever so slightly before I smile back and tell her it’s nice to meet her too. I know casters are polyandrous, and I have no idea why I thought the Elders would be any different, but I did. I pictured Enoch in this stuffy pristine house eating quiet and awkward dinners with his scheming, power-hungry father and his equally thirsty and grasping mother. I’m starting to realize that I couldn’t be more wrong.
