Blood & Wine

36 | Fynley

Eden cracked her knuckles, staring down at the Rogues. Calla had a flame in her hands, and Jagger had his claws stretched. "Who sent y'all?" Eden asked.

The Rogue's necks stretched as he tried to swallow the truth her magic was forcing him to answer. Eden had used too much magic, and I had tried to forbid her to use this magic, but she had disagreed. Just tonight, she said, then I'll take a break for a few days. We had pinky-promised. I knew she wouldn't break it.

"We were sent by three different people," he said, digging his hands into the sides of the chair. "Why can't I shift? Where is my werewolf?"

I didn't look at Eden for fear of giving her away. The Mark of the Werewolf had come with a gift—Mother Adhaya had given her the ability to strip away the werewolf spirit in werewolves. Only until she no longer needed it. It used a lot of her energy, though, and that was the price she had to pay.

Eden had wanted to try it. Now she knew.

Calla set his leg on fire, and he screamed. "We're asking questions," she snarled.

Jagger placed a hand on her shoulder, tugging her back. The werewolf burned on, the fire hot, but his skin undamaged. "Calla," he warned. "He won't give us answers if he's in pain."

Eden laughed. "How do you think torture works?" she asked lightly, but her eyes were on the burning werewolf. The fire died down, and she got in front of his face and looked into his terrified eyes. "Who sent you?" she asked. "And why?"

The werewolf shuddered, teeth clenched.

I watched. The answers took a few seconds before they could no longer fight it—before the magic ripped their insides to shreds in unbearable pain for not speaking. We were on the first one, and the other two were still blind and deaf, sinking into nothing as they waited for their chance to be interrogated.

"The Leader of the Rogues," he answered, his voice high-pitched as it escaped his mouth. "I was supposed to die. We agreed to die before getting captured."

I cocked my head tot he side. The Leader of the Rogues—just as I had expected. However, who else had sent them? "Why?" I asked, already knowing. I stepped closer to Eden. Her hands trembled with rage, but she held herself tall and calm.

Lethal.

It was the sexiest thing I had ever seen.

He breathed heavily through his nose, sounding like a bull getting ready to charge. When he looked up, I saw the whites of his eyes. "Because of this. He knew this could happen—he knew she could happen to us." He stared at Eden, and a growl slipped from his throat. But, without the wolf in him, it was lackluster and nonthreatening.

Still, I wrapped my hand around his throat. "Growl at her again, and what I do to you will be worse than anything magic can do," I threatened, squeezing.

Red flushed to his cheeks, and I held him another few seconds before letting go. My Mate, I thought, that primitive feeling covering me. Eden could defend herself, but she didn't need to use anymore magic than necessary right now. Also, I didn't care if she could defend herself. I'd rip through everyone for her.

Eden smiled dangerously. "Just me? No one warned you about my Coven?" she asked.

He nodded his head. "Them, too. They told us about the fire-breathing man—"

His head snapped back quickly and with an ugly popping sound. He was still for a moment, his chest not rising, his mouth parted. Then he made a high-pitched keening noise.