Savage Fae (Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac, #2)

by Caroline Peckham

“Well maybe he had a fucking point!” By the pissing stars, did I just agree with Nox?

“You realise they would have killed you, right?” Her eyes glazed in a way that told me she didn’t really care and that hurt me more than anything else had this morning.

I had to end this. Had to regain control, because this feeling of total fucking humiliation was simply not acceptable for a guy like me.

“Good. I don’t need you in my life anyway.” She sped away and something shattered inside me like glass. I grunted as pain spilled through me, filling up my magic reserves. I was ruined and made at once.

We were one and the same. Between the ice and the dark, I remembered who I was. A man without a heart. A vessel made to destroy the Oscuras. I didn’t feel anything but pain and lust.

Ryder Draconis did not have weaknesses. There wasn’t a single dent in my armour. And Elise Callisto was no exception.

“Where were you?” Dante asked as he drew me closer. “I was only gone a minute to get you a glass of water and when I came back you were nowhere to be found. I’ve been hunting for you half the night.”

There was real concern in his eyes and for a moment all I wanted to do was soak myself in it. Bathe in the feeling of his protection and just let him look after me the way he kept asking to.

“Were you worried about me?” I teased gently.

“There you are!” Gabriel growled as he dropped inside and glared at me. I flinched at the loudness of his voice and recoiled into Dante’s arms. “Not so loud, asshole,” I snapped.

“What do you mean, Lunar Territory?” Dante growled, catching my chin to make me look at him again.

“I searched everywhere for you!” Gabriel shouted angrily. “I thought you might have ended up in the fucking Rusty Nail or something. I almost went banging on their door to see if-” “That’s exactly where I ended up, actually,” I said because he was making my fucking head hurt worse and I just couldn’t help but be a smart ass.

“What?” Dante snarled, his grip on me tightening painfully. “Ow,” I snapped. “What is it with assholes manhandling me today?” I yanked myself out of his grip and found the two of them glaring at me.

Gabriel piped up because apparently they’d decided to side together on something for the first time ever and it was against me. Brilliant.

“You called that stronzo for help?” Dante asked, looking at me like I’d just taken a shit on his grandma’s birthday cake.

“You’re the one who ran off,” he snarled but Dante had already shifted his rage around onto Gabriel, static electricity rolling through the air and making my hair raise around me. “You did what to her?” Dante demanded dangerously.

“You fly around this place, acting like you’re so fucking superior, Gabriel,” Dante snarled. “But having two Elements only makes you more powerful. It clearly doesn’t make you any more of a man.”

“Elise!” Dante yelled from back in our room as he finally realised I was gone. I reached out to knock on Leon’s door just as he and Gabriel made it out into the corridor.

“I feel like shit and my room is full of loud assholes, will you rescue me?” I begged, not even caring about the fact that I sounded desperate.

“Elise isn’t here,” Leon said cheerily as he stood in the doorway even though they could both see me. “Just come out and deal with this situation,” Gabriel demanded.

“Elise, just come back to our room,” Dante demanded. “I only want to talk to you,” Gabriel added, glaring at me.

“You wanna talk to these two butt munchers, little monster?” Leon asked casually. “No,” I groaned. “I just want sleep.” “You heard the lady,” Leon said as he swung the door shut.

I’d never seen him do anything aggressive like that and I bit my lip as I watched him facing off against the other two Kings on my behalf.

“Dormi bene amore mio,”

“Thank you,” I breathed, leaning against the foot of Leon’s bed and releasing a breath of relief. “I’ll always be here for you when you need me, little monster,”

He was so strong and solid, I felt like I could rely on him entirely in that moment. And despite the obvious concern in his gaze at the little I’d told him, he respected my wishes enough to hold off on the questions.

“Let me look after you, Elise,” he breathed in my ear and goosebumps rose along my flesh as his stubble grazed my neck. “Just this once,” I agreed with a faint smile because I felt like shit and that sounded like heaven.

I rested my head on his pillow, breathing in the rich smell of citrus and summer that was him as my eyes fell shut.

“Thank you,” I said and he grinned like I’d just told him I loved him, not shown gratitude for a bit of questionably prepared food.

His gaze slowly slid over the shirt I was wearing but he seemed more interested than annoyed like Ryder had been.

He wrapped an arm around me, tugging the covers over us and I turned into him, laying my head on his chest as he drew me close.

“You can sleep with me, little monster,” Leon murmured as he ran his fingers through my hair. “I’ll guard you against any nightmares that come looking for you. They won’t get past me.” “Okay,” I breathed, a smile on my lips. “I trust you.”

drinking in the heat of his flesh as a knot unfurled in my chest. Somehow, in that moment at least, I really meant it.

my eyes open and I found myself curled against Leon as he watched some old gangster movie.

“You believe me?” I asked because Gabriel and Ryder hadn’t and I didn’t like to admit it but that had hurt.

his grip on my waist tightening as if he wanted to reassure himself that I was safe here now and nothing worse had happened to me.

“And I think they would have killed me too if Gabriel hadn’t shown up.” “When I find out who they are, I’ll tear them in two,”

But I was just so sick of feeling like I didn’t know what was going on.

He insisted that I was meant for him, but if that was the case then why was I here now in Leon’s arms without the slightest desire to be anywhere else?

“But I’ll hold my own hand.” “You know, relying on other people from time to time isn’t the worst thing in the world,” he teased.

“Well, everyone I’ve ever relied on has either lied, left or died. So I don’t make that mistake anymore,”

“You can’t just go through life assuming people will always let you down,”

I had no intention of relying on anyone else ever again. I could look after myself and I’d never be stupid enough to tie myself to one man alone and open myself up to him ruining me if he left. No. I’d follow my own path and count on me.

and I tossed Gabriel’s shirt up on his bed for him to find.

“Yeah, I found Elise in the woods. She was lost, screaming for help, crying about people trying to hurt her. But there was no one else there,” he said. “What?” I asked, my mouth actually falling open as he stood there and just fucking lied. “You saw it! You saw them kill that boy, you-” “Saw who? There was no one out there but you, Elise,” he said, frowning like I was confused and I wanted to punch his pretty fucking face until it was nothing more than a patch of pulp.

I hated that I’d let myself think I could rely on him. I hated that I’d let myself feel anything at all for him.

But the small, stubborn part of me that was tearing open at his betrayal couldn’t just let him walk away without explaining himself.

When was I going to learn not to put my faith in people? Why did I always keep trusting in others when all anyone ever did was let me down? Even Gareth had abandoned me in the end.

And it wasn’t the first time. Ten percent of the red juice coating the chopping board was probably my blood.

And that might have been gross to most people. But luckily for me, the Fae I was preparing them for had a taste for blood.