Page 51 of Claimed

How could I have let that happen? How could I have overlooked it? Was I so fucking ruined by lust that I didn’t see it? Or was part of me – the part that stirred when I was straddling Nix on the floor of the museum, pummelling the shit out of him – trying to make sure he stayed alive?

As Kim picks up the dagger, I shake my head at him. “You can’t kill him,” I whisper.

Kim flexes his fingers around the handle. “The fuck I can’t,” he growls.

“No,” Luna puts her hand on his arm. “Kim, you can’t. It’s a curse. A spell. Lucien can’t kill him. We’ve got his blood inside us now so…”

“Is this true?” Kim strides toward me.

Beneath me, Nix tilts his hips and I jump to my feet.

“It’s true,” Nix says, rubbing his jaw and smoothing down his clothes. “A gift bestowed on us by our maker. Neither brother can kill the other.”

Kim scrapes his fingers through his hair. He looks hopelessly at the dagger. We have no plan; we spent the last few hours fucking our feelings out instead of talking about what happens next. We thought – I thought – that Nix would wait a few days before making his next move. I never expected him to just stroll into the museum and⁠—

“Lucien…” Luna is standing between us. She’s wearing jeans and a loose white sweater, and she looks like a fucking angel. No makeup. Hair still tousled from our ‘fun’ with Kim.

Nix is staring at her like she’s something else, though. A goddess. A queen.

“Maybe we should listen to him.” She looks from me to Kim and then gestures to Nix.

Kim’s mouth visibly drops open, mirroring the way the pit of my stomach drops. Whatever he said to her, in just a few minutes, Nix has convinced her he’s worth listening to.

“Don’t look at me like that, Lucien. I have my own mind. I’m not that easily manipulated.” She pushes her shoulders back and raises an eyebrow at me, then strides into the centre of the three of us. “Nix can’t use The Covenant without me. The Covenant’s power is unlike anything else in the entire history of the world…”

She’s using a tone that implies she’s making fun of us all a little.

“So, why not use it to create a better world?” She points at Nix again. “I don’t know Nix the way you do, but he’s right about humans being pretty fucking awful to one another. Maybe it’s time things were done differently. Maybe we have a chance if we work together⁠—”

“Luna, whatever he said to you, peace and unity for all is not what Nix is planning.”

Nix smirks, and Luna gives him the same look she gave me.

“No, I don’t suppose for a moment that it is,” she says. “But every single one of us here in this room is drawn to darkness. Not just Nix. Not just me.” She points at Kim. “Kim ate a vampire heart. You cut pieces off my ex-boyfriend. And me? I enjoyed watching you do it.”

A mixture of dread and pride is colliding in the pit of my stomach. “Luna, you’re right, of course you are. But what you don’t see is that Nix’s version of darkness is completely different from the shadow side the three of us like to play with. You can’t possibly comprehend the kind of evil that will be unleashed if you unlock The Covenant.”

Her eyes flash with annoyance but Nix remains silent, watching things unfold as if this was exactly what he intended.

“Right now, you can use your power to kill your ex-boyfriend, and then rein it back in. Have a rest. Take a break. I mean, even then, you accidentally destroyed half my mansion and weren’t in control of what was happening. But the power contained in The Covenant is completely different. It’s⁠—”

“You condescending asshole.” Luna looks at me like she hates me. For the first time, she is truly angry with me. And it’s mixed with hurt, too. A woundedness in her eyes that I never ever wanted to be the cause of.

Her fists clench. Shadows swim around them like living, inky bracelets. I move to take her hand, but Nix steps between us and claps me hard on the shoulder. “I think that’s my cue to leave,” he says.

His face is nearly healed now, which makes me want to punch him again.

“Brother, let me know if she talks you round.” He turns to Kim. “Demon hunter…” He looks him up and down and an unexpected pang of jealousy tugs at my stomach. “The way you handle your dagger is truly impressive. Good grip.” Nix licks his lips. “Let me know if you ever want a more generous boss.”

Then he fixes his gaze on Luna. “And you, my queen…” He steps toward her. And then the slimy bastard kneels on the floor and takes her hand. “I have taken up residence in the old church on St Joseph’s Street. The Covenant is with me. When you decide you’re ready to embrace the power it can give you, you will be welcomed with open arms.”

26

Luna

Lucien is furious, but Kim is very quiet. Everything about him is still and pensive. And as we follow Lucien – to his study this time, not one of the weird bedrooms at the back of the museum – he remains close to me.

Storming ahead, even Lucien’s back looks angry. All tense muscles and pent up rage. As the study door closes, he turns to me and inhales slowly. “I apologise for offending you.”