Crimson Truth (Onyx Assassins 4)

“Tell me where they held you,” I snapped. “Tell me where to find those assholes. Tell me how you escaped. Tell me what agreement you had to make with them to earn your freedom. Tell me anything, Princess.”

“If I tell you to go feed?” She folded her arms across her chest.

“Why the hell does it matter to you?” My voice rose. Good. Maybe one of my brothers would hear and come running, maybe someone else would witness the miracle of Avianna finally speaking.

“You’re deteriorating!” She accused, coming around the loveseat to glare at me. “I can tell you’re either not feeding, or not feeding enough, and you know how dangerous that can be! Bloodmadness—”

“Does Saint have it?” I countered, facing her fully, my fingers twitching for the feel of my daggers. “Is that why he took you? Has he finally succumbed to bloodmadness?”

“This isn’t about Saint!” She took a step forward. “It’s about you!”

I took a step back. “I’m not one of your concerns, Princess.”

She snorted...actually snorted. “Yeah, okay.”

My brow puckered. “You know what? Fine. How about I agree to go feed when you tell me how you escaped!”

She flushed, her eyes bright with anger. “How about you just go feed before you go into stasis!”

“I’m not going into stasis!” My fangs descended, both from the mention of hunger and how fucking close she was. Shit, I could see the beats of her pulse under the delicate skin of her throat from here.

“Are you sure? Because if you lose any more weight, they’re going to have to measure you for new fighting clothes! What are you doing to yourself?” Concern filled her eyes, and the sight of it knocked down my temper like nothing else could have.

“I’m fine,” I promised. “But you have to tell me what happened to you, Avianna. You just have to.” I swallowed hard. “That’s what’s driving me mad.”

Her lips parted and her shoulders sagged as those beautiful eyes of hers slid shut.

“Tell me.” I took a step in her direction, but paused just before reaching for her chin. Touching Avianna was something I’d only done once, and that had been to help her up after she’d fallen on her cute little ass in the middle of an ice storm.

Her eyes flashed open.

“I agreed to marry Samuel,” she whispered.

“No.” I staggered back, gravity shifting beneath my feet.

“I had to,” she cried, her hand reaching toward me only to fall just before touching me.

“What kind of Stockholm-syndrome-level bullshit are you speaking right now?” Fuck the distance and her rules, I grabbed her by her shoulders. “You are not marrying Samuel. He kidnapped you!”

“I know!” Her face contorted, and her eyes filled with tears. “Why do you think I’ve been silent! I didn’t know how to tell anyone! How to tell you!”

My head shook violently. “No. Nope. No fucking way. We’ll get you out of this.”

“Hawke, it was the only way to save Alek. They’re coming for the crown. That’s been their intention since we woke them from stasis. Saint is….” She trembled slightly. “I heard his plans through the door. He’s mad, Hawke. He wants Alek dead, all of the Assassins dead. Samuel convinced him to let everyone live, because if we’re married, then he has a direct line to the throne.”

“The. Fuck. You. Say.” My vision went in and out, pulsing with thermals as I fought for control. “You’re not ending up with that fucker. I forbid it!” Alek would find a way out of it. He had to. The vampire was the smartest male I’d ever known.

“You don’t get a say!” She pushed me away and stalked across the room, spinning back toward me once she’d almost reached the other side. “Don’t you get it? This was the only way to save everyone! To save you!”

“I don’t give a shit about me!” I shouted, my chest heaving as my stomach soured.

“I do!” She furiously wiped an escaping tear. “So you have to eat! You have to feed! You have to live, Hawke, because I did this all to save you!”

“Avianna,” I whispered, not understanding.

“I waited for so long, Hawke. Decades and decades after that visit from you and Alek at my finishing school. I thought you’d realize it once I came home, but you didn’t!” She reached for the top of her elbow-length glove.