ZIAHRA.
âI donât think thatâs wise.â Kash says to Zerachiel.
Kash had just stepped out of the temple when Zerachiel had tried to get past him. Being dutiful and loyal towards Zedkiel, he has been taking care of Evelyn and making sure nothing upset or hurt her.
Something that has only been getting on Zerachielâs nerves, but nothing compared to how annoyed he looks now that he has blocked him.
âI didnât ask you. I said I am going to speak to her.â
Zerachiel says coldly, frowning at him.
âWhy?â Kash counters,
âThe bond⦠I may not be one with Zedkiel, but we are still linked, and he will want to make sure that she is ok. I donât want to, but no matter how much I donât care for her, she is still our mate.â He mutters.
Kash frowns, but his words have relaxed him. I donât understand it; I donât feel comfortable around him, but perhaps because he is an animal, he is just a rude and obnoxious Lycan.
Kashâs judgement is surely better on these matters than mine. After all, they are of the same kind.
âYouâve got five minutes, and if I sense anything, I will come in.â Kash warns him as he allows him to pass.
âDo not test me with that attitude, remember I am Alpha, not you, pup.â Zerachiel growls at him and strides off.
âD**k.â Kash mutters as he approaches me.
âIs it wise? I mean, do you trust him?â I ask Äoubtfully.
âYeah, heâs just a rude dickhead. Iâm going to wait here, just in case.â He says quietly, running his fingers through his hair.
My stomach knots as his gaze locks with mine.
The memory of that burning k**s we shared not long ago returns to me..
(FLASHBACK â A SHORT WHILE EARLIER)
I kissed him.
I shouldnât have, but I did.
His hands instantly grab my waist, pulling me against him.
He tastes so good⦠pleasure courses through me as his hands roam my bare skin, his lips dominating mine.
Fireworks explode in my mind and my eyes flutter shut.
I m**n against his lips, my fingers threading into the long hair at the top. He g****s, throbbing against me, and I press myself further into him.
F**k heâs so..
My mind is blank, save for the desire and possessiveness I feel for him.
I know he refused me, refused to allow me to turn him to save his life. He doesnât want me, and even I know itâs foolish of me to even think so. We canât be together, yet this pull between us messes with my head.
The moment his hand slips lower and rests on my a*s, squeezing it, I pull away.
âThat was a mistake.â I say, my heart thundering as I try to not focus on the way my core clenches or the pounding of my heart.
His eyes flash dangerously before he pushes past me.
âYeah, it was.â He says, walking off.
I donât know what overtook me, but hearing him talking to that woman.. made me lose control.
What am I doing?
(END OF FLASHBACK)
âSure, Iâm going to keep a lookout.â I say, turning away.
âZiahra.â He says, taking hold of my arm. My heart skips a beat, but I freeze and tilt my head to look úp at him.
Heâs about to say something but we hear the sound of footsteps making him let go of me quickly. I take a quick step back just as Ragnar, Zedkielâs brother, comes into view.
âAm I interrupting?â he asks, looking between us.
This one has a temper, but I feel whatever he is inside, he is outside.
âNot at all. What is it?â I ask.
He moves past us, walking down the narrow stone path of the temple, and stops at the murky pond at the bottom, kicking a rock into it.
I wouldnât disturb anything hereâ¦
The place makes me uneasy.
âSo, care to fill me in on exactly whatâs going on here, because Iâm not a fool. Iâve been thinking thereâs been something off about Zedkiel, not to mention his eyes are stuck in Lycan mode.â He says, his eyes cold as he looks between us.
âI have no idea what youâre talking about.â Kash says smoothly.
Ragnar looks at him, his eyes burning red.
âDonât try me Kash, I heard what he said earlier before Evangeline disappeared into the temples. I can put two and two together. Something isnât right and I want to know what it is. Answer me or I walk.â
We canât have anyone leave, I need things to continue smoothly. Vadam ìs watching and I already know soon I will have to give him Zerachiel. I canât delay anymore. Blade has already begun questioning things.
What can I do aside from continuing on our way?
âTell him.â I say to Kash. He looks at me.
âZiahra-â
âNo Kash, heâs right. We need people on our side.
Right now I donât see many.â I say quietly.
He nods, exhaling heavily.
Iâm not sure if itâs the right choice, but I canât afford a scene hereâ¦
I glance at Kash, giving him the signal that Iâm leaving it to him before focusing on the surroundings as he quietly fills him inâ¦
Ten minutes later, Ragnar knows almost everything save the fact where exactly Zedkiel and Evangeline are or how long theyâll be there. Kash made it sound far less serious than it is, and he left out the part about the crypts and the ritual. Simply stating, that they had somehow split from their bodies.
âSo, let me get this straight, Somehow Evangeline and Zed left their bodies, and we are heading into a death trap, with a cocky Lycan and a serial psychoâ
âThatâs one way to put it.â Kash shrugs.
Ragnar nods slowly, âEvangeline will be back soon. Then whatâs going to happen to her alter ego?â he jerks his head towards the temple, and I frown.
In all honesty, I feel the same. Iâve asked myself that tooâ¦
Sheâs been behaving so well. I donât understand how they even call her evil. She seems like someone who would fit in perfectly with the vampires. I actually donât mind her. Unlike Zerachiel, who has been grinding on my nerves more than anyone else.
âI donât know,â Kash replies to him quietly, âI do feel bad for her. Sheâs broken. I genuinely believe she deserves a chance.â
Ragnar shrugs. âYeah, yet no oneâs going to give Her that.â
âThatâs not on us⦠you just make sure no one knows what I have just told you.â
Ragnar nods, frowning as he mulls over things, as he stares at the murky water.
âI better head back. I donât trust Eve being up to no good.â Kash mutters.
âIm not one to care, but if Zedkiel wasnât even held accountable for killing his brotherâs woman, then I donât get why sheâs being treated like this.â
Kash looks surprised as he looks at Ragnar.
âWhatâs your angle? I wasnât expecting that.â
âI donât have an angle.â He snarls before shoving Kash right where heâs injured.
My eyes flash as Kash glares at him, rubbing his shoulder.
âWell, you arenât known to f*****g care.â
âAnd I still donât, but the thought simply came to my mind, that if there is a way to give her a body of her own, then why not?â He shrugs, frowning. âI f*****g donât care. Sheâs a psychotic bitch.â
Kash seems to be pondering over that suggestion, and I knew his question before he even asked it. â
As there a way to do that?â Kash asks me.
âNo, soul transfer is dark, even for us, not to mention dangerous,â I reply. âPlus, I donât know anyone who can.â
He didnât mention my abilities to Ragnar, and Iâm glad, because not even all of my own people know.
Mother made me keep it a secret since I was young, mainly from Vadam.
âRiskyâ¦â Kash murmurs.
âWhatâs life without risk?â Ragnar asks, cocking a brow.
âReally Ragnar, I donât-â
âStop.â I cut in, tensing. I thought I heard something
Both men freeze and I can hear the loud silence, the rustle of the branches, the howling wind Everything stills as I focus on where I thought the sound came from.
Both men look around but say nothing.
Kash is about to speak when I raise my hand there.
My eyes flash as I draw my dagger, throwing it through the trees and I hear the slight crunch of gravel, itâs faint, very faint, but itâs there.
âSomeoneâs there!âI hiss, and in a flash, Iâm running towards where I threw my knife, the men hot on my heels.
âThereâs no one here⦠â Kash says, just as I spot my dagger on the floor.
I didnât hear it far. nor did it hit anything..
Someone caught it and placed it down.. or it would have gone much further.
Someone was hereâ¦
Did they overhear us?
I hope not, because I donât want to think of the consequences if this gets to Vadam Exodus.
âMaybe it was Eve. She canât really be sensed.â
Kash murmurs.
âI donât think it was.â Ragnar says as he scans the woody surroundings calculatingly.
âHow can you be so sure?â Kash asks quietly.
Ragnar walks over to my dagger and picks it up, sniffing it.
They really are animals.
I saw her return to her sleeping bag, in tears.â He remarks.
âThen who was out here?â Kash asks the question that is looming on all three of our minds.
âWho knows..â Ragnar murmurs, as he scans the trees from where heâs crouching.
âLetâs head back, Iâll ask Blade if anyone left the clearing.â I mutter.
Thatâs not going to go down well. Blade and I are somewhat in a casual relationship, or We were.. He knows thereâs something going on between Kash and me, heâs already questioned me and each time, I deny it. But I can sense his hostility towards the werewolves growing.
âIf heâs trustworthyâ Ragnar says, making my eyes flash.
âHe may not be to you, but I do trust Bladeâ 1 counter icily
âDo you? Kash says, I know why heâs asking.
He wasnât the one I had chosen for the ritual but thatâs not because I donât trust him, but because l donât think heâd want to help themâ¦
âIâm going to check on Zerachiel and Eve,â Kash says before he runs off.
âI wonder who.â Ragnar mutters.
I turn sharply to address him, but heâs staring off into the darkness,
âWhat is it?âI ask.
âNothingâ He says, standing up and heading backâ¦.
For a second, I stare at his back Why do I feel like he knows something?