AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“They’re hoarding me,” I said, because it had to be said. “Dragon-style. I don’t think they’re cool with me leaving the mansion.”
“You mean you snuck out?” Ryan gathered. He didn’t hold any judgement. In fact, he added, “Good girl.”
“Seraphus scares the shit out of them. Like, you know when Grandma’s apartment had that rat infestation and she couldn’t sleep, eat, or do anything else until she felt she was safe?” I chewed my lip thoughtfully. “I think that’s where their minds are. Times a million.”
“I’m thankful for it,” Zach admitted, surprising me. When I gave him a pensive look, he said defensively, “Well shit, Zaz. I can’t go anywhere or do anything. I can’t protect you this time.”
“Yeah, but if we let them be crazy, then maybe I’ll be safe. But what happens to you?” I demanded. I squeezed his hand. “You’re too important, Zach. I want to be here for you.”
“You staying safe is good enough for me,” he told me. “I just want you to be happy.”
“Well, I’m not happy,” I corrected. “I’m stuck in a mansion, and I have two jailers.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “I thought you said that they were sexy.”
“Yeah, sexy jailers.”
He looked me over and sighed. “I have a sexy jailer, too.”
“Damn straight,” Ryan grunted, shifting in his seat. He had picked up the newspaper and was reading through it. “Speaking of jailers, Zaz, it’s time for you to get back home so your brother can rest.”
“No way,” I snorted, getting up from the bed and smooching my brother on the cheek before heading towards the living room. “Do you know how much shit I’ll get for sneaking out to see you guys? I’m moving in. See how long it takes them to figure out where I went?—”
I’d just gone through the door of my brother’s room when I realized I wasn’t in his living room.
I was definitely in Caspian’s.
Before I let my dread really settle in, especially because both men were there with murderous expressions, I walked back through the door I’d come in. Nope; that was Caspian’s kitchen.
I tried another door. Nope. Theatre room.
I spun around. Apparently, there was something amuck that I had not been privy to. And now I was back where I’d started.
I said the only thing that came to mind, slapping my hand against the nearest door frame. “FUCK!”
CHAPTER 15
Murtagh
Samael deserved a fucking medal.
He’d been scrawling something down shortly after testing Zazie’s blood, but before he left, he cornered me alone and pressed a sheet of paper into my hand.
“Don’t let her get caught,” he told me. He pointed at the sticky note between us. “Put down this rune. Add one drop of blood, and say her name. Djinns can be summoned just like demons can. If she goes beyond your grasp… pull her back.”
I thought that was a creepy idea, not to mention unnecessary. I hadn’t planned to let her leave my sight. If she got kidnapped, it would be over my dead body.
And then she snuck out, made me feel stupid, and after searching for her for a couple of hours when she didn’t return and night outside ran inky black, it was time to pull out necessary measures.
I didn’t know that using the rune would work like it did. I thought it might make her feel dizzy or zap her energy, but she just appeared, still speaking mid-sentence, walking straight through the room as if she had walked through a door.
She looked bewildered, her eyes darting around as if trying to piece together how she had ended up back here. She even looked at the doorframe accusatorily. Caspian stood beside me, his arms crossed, an unreadable expression on his face. I knew he was thinking the same thing—we both hadn’t expected her to be able to escape the mansion, let alone for over two hours. We’d both thought that the rune was more of a safeguard, but now we knew it was likely imperative to keeping her at our side.
I wished she hadn’t run.
I had to admit, though, her ingenuity and strength were impressive. It wasn’t every day that someone managed to give us the slip. I was honestly surprised she’d had the balls to try to escape us.
But there was this gnawing irritation in the back of my mind.
