Page 23 of An Oath at Midnight

I stood there, staring at the door for long seconds, then finally sat heavily on the bed. Every time I left, every time I did what I had to, I felt myself slipping deeper into the shadows, into the role of monster. I became something, someone else without Mags to hold me steady, and it was leaking into my life here, it was ruining what she and I had.

But the truth was—I’d never felt more myself.

Because I was a monster.

Because that was exactly what I was meant to be.

CHAPTER 6

Magnolia

I looked over my shoulder, checking out my back in the mirror. There was a dark bruise low on my spine and another around my wrist. I grabbed the balm from the cabinet and smeared it across my skin before tugging on Bram’s oversized shirt.

Bram was in bed when I walked out, his arm propped up behind his pillow, dark eyes on me.

My belly churned, my heart and mind rioting. Usually just being in the same room as Bram calmed me, not tonight. My belly hadn’t stopped churning over what happened at the party. When would I see Willow again? How the hell were we going to prove she was innocent? And my heart was still beating hard after what happened in my room. I studied Bram now. There was something in his dark eyes I didn’t recognize. I’d tried to pretend I never saw it, but I did, more and more often lately. The realization that he’d kept pieces of himself from me, that there were parts of him that I didn’t know, unsettled me. Wounded me.

I tugged back the covers and got in, and he immediately pulled me in close.

Neither of us said anything.

Bram was protective to the extreme, but tonight he’d threatened to kill Relic if I ever kissed him again. And the look in his eyes, so cold, so devoid of all emotion except rage when he said it—he’d been deadly serious.

It was a giant step over the line, but I didn’t call him out. Something in me said not to. No, it screamed it.

His arms tightened around me, and I willed the tension from my body, relaxing into him. If anyone walked in here now, they’d think we were a couple—that we were lovers. Was it weird to other people, how close we were? I’d never really thought about it too hard. I’d just done what felt right, and being with Bram as often as possible was what felt right. That’s the way it’d always been. I guess that’s why his unexplained absences were so painful.

I was the most important person in his life, and he was mine. And once upon a time, we’d told each other everything.

I rested my head on his chest and slid my arm across his stomach.

He dipped his head and breathed deep, scenting me. It was subtle, but I felt it, heard it. Thankfully, I’d washed all traces of Relic away. Whenever he’d gotten possessive in the past, this was the part where he’d apologize for overreacting. He’d say he was just worried about me, or only wanted the best for me. As the silence dragged out, I realized that wasn’t going to happen. Not this time.

A weird feeling slid through me.

His hand traveled over my back, and I jerked.

He froze. “You’re injured.”

I needed to tell him what happened, but I’d been prepared to completely avoid it until morning because saying it out loud meant it was true. That my pregnant sister was in hiding, that she was most likely in Hell, and I had no idea when I’d see her again.

“Magnolia?”

“A lot’s happened the last few days.” My hand was on his chest, and his slid to my wrist, lifting it. Every one of his muscles beneath me tightened.

“Who the fuck did this?” he snarled and rolled me off him so I was on my back. “What the fuck is going on?”

Pain stabbed at me, as everything that had happened while he was away hit me again. I ignored it. I’d gotten good at that. “There was another murder, a couple days ago…Margot. She was tortured, carved up and killed,” I said woodenly. He didn’t move, his black eyes locked on mine. “Then there was another one tonight. The witches council came for Willow, they think she did it.” Art had talked to councilor Trotman and he’d shared, probably more than he should. “The evidence against her is overwhelming. The witch killed tonight was found at The Cauldron. There was no break-in, no sign of forced entry. The body was found in Willow’s old bedroom in the back.”

Wills had lived in the shop for years before she moved home during her trial. There was a small apartment behind the store, but we didn’t use it anymore. The door between the back room and the storeroom had been closed and locked. No one could remember the last time we’d actually been in there.

“There were traces of blood and hair, but not just the latest murder, the other two as well.”

Bram cursed viciously. “Where’s Willow now?”

“They got away. The rest of the hounds are with them. Willow’s pregnant…we were there to celebrate, then…” My voice cracked.

Bram pressed a kiss to my forehead. “War will keep her safe until we can figure this out.”