Touch of Innocence

20

"I want to be there," Hadley said, wrapping her arms around his front so he couldn't leave.

"I won't put you in any harm's way," he answered, pulling her hands from around his waist.

"Please, Clay, please. This is about me too. This affects our future son. I want to be there."

"What if something unexpected happens Hadley? And you are hurt somehow?"

"I appreciate the sentiment, but that's not going to happen. How would I be hurt?"

"We are dealing with witches. Witches who have been adamant about destroying my bloodline for hundreds of years. I do not trust them around you."

She understood his suspicions, but she wanted to be there to ensure the curse was broken. She wanted to know for herself, know that her son would be okay.

"Please let me come." Her fingers wrapped around his as she stared up at him with puppy dog eyes.

He bent and kissed her forehead. "No."

Clay opened the door and walked out. Hadley scowled as the door closed a few inches from her face.

She sat on the couch for twenty minutes, giving Clay enough time to get to the castle dungeons and not suspect her of following him. When twenty minutes had passed, she slid on a pair of shoes and headed down to the dungeons.

She hadn't been down there many times before because it was cold and always freaked her out. The darkness didn't scare her, she had always been drawn to the darkness. Nighttime was her escape from her parents, something she always looked forward to when she was little.

It was the bad people, vampires who had misbehaved, that scared her. They were down there, groaning in agony. While they deserved their punishments, she didn't like the coppery smell of blood that always filtered through the hallways.

She cringed when she thought how Ulric had banished Amaryllis to the dungeons for a few weeks when she first arrived at the castle. He wasn't the same cruel man he had once been, but it shocked her that he treated his mate like that.

She gasped when a body appeared in front of her.

"I told you to stay upstairs," her mate's deep voice growled.

"Well... I didn't listen."

Clay grabbed her arm, leading her in the direction she came from, but she fought against his pull.

"No, Clay! I want to be here for this. You cannot make decisions for me all the time."

Clay stopped and turned around, his black eyes burning into her blue ones.

"I will make decisions for you when it comes to your safety, Hadley."

"I know that you want to keep me safe. I know that. But I'm not going to get hurt. Do you forget that you and your father are the strongest people in this kingdom? What could a witch do to me with you two there?"

"I won't risk your wellbeing."

"Nothing is going to happen to me."