Page 96 of Invoking the Blood
Faye rested her arms on her knees, glancing at the fire. Needing to see anything but him. “I prefer that side of you.”
“You would not if you truly knew it,” Rune said quietly.
He would believe her if he paid attention when he poked around her head. She leaned into the aggressive presence that longed for her. If he cared to look, he would have noticed it. Faye sometimes wished she could take that part of him and leave the man.
She leveled her gaze to his. “We both know we’re not right for each other. You don’t have to add me to your list of lovers. I’m asking for my ritual. Close your eyes if you like, just hold me above the Darkness.”
“It is not that simple,” he countered.
Faye sighed, looking up. Here we go. “It is. Breach me and get off me. That’s all I’m asking you to do.”
“You are stronger than me. We will require the assistance of others.”
Every argument Faye prepared blanked from her mind. He wanted to bring others to perform her rite. She paled, pulling her legs in tighter.
“Not in the bed,” Rune said as though he could hear her thoughts. “This is the cost of power. When the woman is stronger than the man, others are needed to hold her mind and keep her from plummeting into the Darkness.”
Faye’s level of comfort began and ended with Rune. She didn’t anticipate having an audience. She’s never heard of a Ceremony of Blood being done this way. “Can they see or feel what we’re doing?”
Rune canted his head at her like she was the one introducing nonsense into their conversation. “No. A mental tether is created through the minds. Sadi will—”
“She hates me,” Faye said without thinking. Her evil twin was definately not invited.
“She does not hate you.”
“Oh really? If I wasn’t fated to you, she would throw my ass into the Darkness herself.”
The corner of Rune’s mouth lifted into a ghost of the smirk he typically wore. “She is my oldest and most loyal friend.”
“Friend?” Faye asked. The dark courts defined that as loosely as they did kidnapping.
Rune exhaled, leaning back in his seat. “Familiar call to predetermined mates. Familiar are fated to other Familiar. She came to court after she invoked her blood. I have known her, her entire life and never pursued her. I trust her. She has saved my life many times over. She is strong and will do as I ask.”
Faye knew Sadi’s loyalty ended with Rune. She would protect him and protect her through proxy. “I’m fine with your conditions.”
“Are you fine with death?” He asked.
“I think you and my evil twin will be able to hold me above the Darkness.”
Rune thinned his lips. “You are risking more than your life. We will both survive your rite, or we will both perish.”
“Aren’t you being a little dramatic, big guy?”
“My death will have consequences. My court has survived for more than five thousand years, it will fall with me. Lyssa will be challenged for her seat as High Queen and likely overthrown. My brothers are considerably weaker than I am. My younger brother Jareth will be forced to maintain Hell’s floor. Is your rite worth that risk?”
Was Faye willing to have some half measure of life because she was unlucky enough to be fated to a broody vampire? The outcome he sought to escape was inevitable and Faye wasn’t willing to sacrifice for a thing that would come to pass anyway. “You can’t untie yourself from me, and I don’t think fate would tie you to me just to kill you. If I plummet, let me fall.”
“Spoken like a true Familiar.”
“I don’t turn into a cat. I don’t think I’m Familiar.”
Rune rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. “I suppose if it happens now or within the century, it makes no difference.” He stood and said, “I will make the arrangements. You will be meeting my court soon.” He turned and silently strolled toward the hall.
“Rune,” Faye called. He turned to glance at her over his shoulder.
“Thank you.”
Chapter forty-five