coming to a close. I had to gather
myself. Quintus would be here soon
and I had to have my wits about me. He
was going to barge in here to rescue
me from things I didn’t need rescuing
from and wanting to punish a man I
had promised to protect. I wasn’t the
same Cassandra and Killian wasn’t the
same man who had kidnapped me. I
had saved myself this time and I
wouldn’t let him harm a man I pledged
to keep safe.
I tried to smile but my lips were stuck
together with dried blood. My cheek
was swelling and now that the
adrenaline was starting to fade the pain
was settling in. Quintus would be here
and he would be fury and vengeance. I
had to feel like his equal so he would
listen to me.
As if on cue in the distance an explosion
made me jump back to my feet. The
adrenaline and power from the night
was fading, but there was still a little
coursing in my veins. I would need it.
My body screamed to sit down, but I
had to meet Quintus on my feet. I
squared my shoulders and straightened
my back.
The explosions got closer and closer.
Room by room he searched for me
leaving destruction in his wake. I could
hear their boots echoing in the hallway.
This time the sound of splintering wood
came from next door, the impact
almost knocking me off my feet. I
backed up and braced myself for what
was coming.
Time slowed down allowing me to take
in every detail. The oak door shattered
into a million pieces, turning each
splinter into a tiny weapon. I watched
as each piece flew through the air. I
turned my head away just before the
tiny wooden shards began to pierce my
body. Dust and debris clouded my sight
and when it cleared Quintus stood in
the doorway.
“I thought I lost you. When we figured
out where Killian had taken you we
feared the worse.”
He was beauty and horror married in
one body. A fallen angel back from
battle. Perfect skin, full lips, beautiful
eyes, but he was also a blood coated,
wild eyed, fanged creature radiating
enough power to bring this building
down. He was once the only person
who made me feel safe and now it was
all I could do not to run screaming from
the room. The instant he saw me, all
that force and all that ugliness folded
neatly back inside him. So quick and so
complete was the transformation that
it was easy to convince yourself that
you had never seen it at all.
I gently pushed on him and he let me
go looking a little hurt. Now was not
the time to weaken. I had to make him
see what needed to happen and he
would exploit any weakness in my
resolve to get his own way.
That was the ultimate danger of a man
like Quintus. He could be both. He
could be gentle, caring, loving, but that
was only the surface. An angelic façade
that hid what lay underneath, a wild
beast pacing in his cage, waiting for the
opportunity to be let out. He still
looked human, but that was the bait
that drew you in. Gave you a false
sense of security. Even the gentlest
beast will bite under the right
circumstances.
“Cassandra.” He ran to me, pulling me
close into his chest. I felt him bury his
face in my hair. “I… I thought I might
never see you again. I should know
better by now. You always come back
to us.”
I held back an unexpected tear. I wasn’t
coming back, not this time. “I’m fine,
really” He was holding me gently. His
concern was genuine, but it wouldn’t
last long. Once I told him what I had
done and what I had promised that
monster inside would once again be
straining for control.
“I feared the worst too, but I decided
killing Mab was a much better
outcome.” I laughed nervously. “It
seemed like a much better plan.”
His eyes went wide and now it was his
turn to take a step back from me. I
thought I detected a tiny bit of fear, but
maybe that was just wishful thinking. If
I could make a powerful creature like
Quintus fear me even for a second then
maybe killing the wicked witch had
been enough to earn the fae’s respect.
“I knew you could do it Goldilocks.
You’re a survivor.” Lucius pushed past
his father and rushed towards me,
crushing me to his giant chest. I slipped
my hands around him exhaling for what
seemed like the first time in forever. I
wanted to stay in his strong arms, they
felt like home, but I could feel Quintus’
eyes on us.
The warm smile turned cold and the
look he gave me left no doubt in my
mind that he saw how I felt for his son.
Any hope I had changed my mind about
being with him died in that moment.
“It seems we rushed here for nothing.”
His tone was clipped. He wasn’t even
trying to hide his anger.
“Father, would you rather she not
survive? All that training. She used
what we gave her and did the
impossible. You said yourself that Mab