Sex, Lies & Magic

Nine

The afternoon of our premeditated felony I still had yet to use the Power Reliquary. It sat on the end table in Craven's apartment. When we watched movies I found my attention riveted to dark metal housing like it'd jump up and attack me. It couldn't of course but that didn't stop me from being frightened of it.

"You're going to actually use that at some point," Craven commented idly as he caught me staring at it.

"Part of this is your fault you know."

He walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to his chest. "Is it?"

"You said it was painful."

"It is."

"Do you see how someone might want to avoid crippling pain."

"True, but I can keep the discomfort at bay."

"What? Why didn't you say so sooner?"

"You didn't ask."

"You're evil."

"Not quite." He chuckled and brushed his lips against my neck. "When are they going to get here?"

I checked my phone and groaned. "An hour."

"You don't sound pleased."

"I don't know what I am." With a sigh I relaxed back against him. "What if this only makes everything worse?"

"It's a possibility, but it could also solve your problem."

"Only after kidnapping someone and torturing them for a few days. I should probably mention that we're college students and not navy seals or action stars. Despite whatever Sam thinks." I fanned my fingers back through my hair and Craven kissed my forehead.

"People are capable of a lot when desperate."

"I can't shake the feeling like I'm going to get all my friends killed."

He didn't say anything, but being Seelie meant he didn't have to.

The unspoken often said as much as what he did say. I learned that much from being around him. The answer he didn't want to speak was that I might end up getting my friends murdered. But my only option aside from this horrifically stupid plan was to give myself up to Cael—so he could kill me.

"Maybe it would be better if I surrendered to Cael..."

"Unseelie Princes aren't exactly famed for their compassion or treating prisoners with kindness. Out of everything he could and probably will do to you, death would be the least of your worries, Mia. The Dark Court is full of Sadists." Releasing me, he stepped over to the end table and picked up the Power Reliquary. "You need to fight, and that'll mean some discomfort, but if it stops you from ending up in a Faerie dungeon it'll be worth it."

Suddenly my dreams from before came floating back, particularly the one where I was held in the torture chamber and Craven clipped my wings. With a sigh I rubbed the back of my neck.

"I guess we should get this over."

He patted the spot on the couch beside him and I took the seat.

"You're going to want to take your shirt and jacket off, maybe even your bra."

"Why?"

"Unless you want to get blood on them. I can take your pain, but you will bleed initially."

Nodding, I stripped as he instructed. Once I was nude from the waist up he slipped his hands up my sides and I shivered. His touch was warm but the tingle of the echo caused that tremble to roll through me.