Jaded Jewels (The Coveted Saga 2)

"He's found his soul mate, Aria. You said it yourself. There's no chance of him ever being with you now. You don't have to worry about that on this side. We've discovered a way to choose our own soul mates. All you have to do is be willing to choose me. The power on this side is more than Iris and the rest of them will ever have. It's only a matter of time before the war begins.

"Magic is about to collide, Aria, and you're currently on the losing side. I'm stronger on this side than I ever was on yours. Just imagine how strong the two of us could be together.

"Graven is just looking for some reassurance. Once he finds it, Iris and the rest of them will be destroyed. You may as well choose us and live happily with me. No more pain at all. You won't ever have to feel threatened again by anyone."

He dropped to one knee in front of me, acting as though he was ready to propose. He reached for my hand, but I pulled it away hastily, treating him as though he was contagious.

"Right now, you're the only one threatening me. And I would rather live in pain for the rest of my short life, than spend an eternity with you."

Yastine's mocking laughter rumbled across the room, growing louder with each new breath.

"Shut up, Yastine!" McKee roared. "I don't need to deal with you on top of everything else right now."

She scoffed, "I just can't wait to say I told you so. I think it's so cute that you thought you would be the first to turn a Coldwell witch. It is burned into their veins to be good. They have no choice."

Though she was insulting and sarcastic, the way she looked at him made me believe she liked him. That was the real reason she was acting like a royal bitch. That was why she was in such a hurry to get me out of the way.

Great, I thought to myself. Another love triangle. This time there was nothing in it for me besides a fatal outcome. A lunatic was trying to force me into loving him, and a malicious executioner wanted me dead because she was in love with him.

Irony was a real pain in the ass. Just earlier I had begged for death, and now I was desperately trying to figure out a way to survive—without joining their side.

I looked at the oversized clock hanging over the fireplace, and it gave me an ounce of hope. It had been four hours since I left the house now. Amelia would have told someone.

The only problem was... this was Graven's house. No one knew where it was. McKee was a bodyguard, and had most likely masked my scent the whole way there. No one could see them in visions or find their essence. I was going to get what I had begged for earlier—death by the hands of the enemy.

McKee moved toward me, propping one hand up on the back of the chair as he leaned down to meet my eyes. His begging eyes were gone, replaced by cold fury.

"Last chance, Aria. Choose me now—the easy way—or I'll let Yastine persuade you to choose me. The things she can do are twisted but impressive. You'll be begging to be with me before it's over."

Yastine smiled, seeming smug—not to mention eager. This was really going to hurt.

Bracing myself, I ansered, "I'll never choose you. Go ahead and kill me."

My voice shook, but I never broke away from his eyes, making sure he knew I was more determined than him. McKee stood up and motioned to Yastine, nodding his head in approval to finally give her the permission she'd been frothing at the mouth for.

But he leaned back down in front of me once more to whisper, "You may change your mind before she's finished. I'll become a very appealing option in just a couple of seconds, I assure you."

He backed away as she approached, keeping his cold gaze on me. I just sat there, immobilized by the truth. I knew running would be useless. Screaming for help was not an option either. No one that would be willing to help me would be able to hear me. I was trapped, and fear gripped me as I waited for the repercussions.

Yastine cracked her fingers and neck as she circled me. I was the mouse being toyed with by the cat. And I didn't see a cartoon happy ending in sight for me.

Her menacing grin grew darker by the second, as her sadistic excitement glistened in her eyes. "Finally," she said.

Then she threw her arms out in front of her, and the effect was immediate. A crushing force consumed me, stealing my breath as I stiffly fell from the chair. The pain from falling was eclipsed by the excruciating torture I was being inflicted with.

It felt like I was in a vice that never stopped getting tighter. My back was being pushed into my stomach, and my stomach was being pushed into my back. I couldn't even catch a breath long enough to scream. My bones threatened to snap soon if this didn't stop. I tried and failed to suck in a breath, my lips parting only to denied the oxygen my lungs craved.

McKee stepped up and waved her off.

"That's enough, Yastine." His tone was calm, but the hard edge was still there.

She dropped her hands reluctantly as she huffed and crossed her arms, sulking when she felt robbed of her chance to eliminate the competition. I didn't want to be the winner of McKee. I'd just run away like a good little girl if she'd give me that option.

This was the Mad Hatter's version of a three-way Romeo and Juliet. Unfortunately, I was going to be the only tragedy of the story.

The pressure released, but the pain was still unbearable. I prayed to pass out, but no such luck came. It felt like my insides were still stuck in the pressed form, and my body wouldn't move.

Every breath was labored, each wheezed intake more painful than the last.