Unbound: The Cursed Trilogy, Book One by Betty Legend (small books to read .txt) 📕

his flawless face, red flashing in his pale eyes.

“I want more,” he growls.

Like a crazed animal, he comes at me but is stopped by the rushed movement of inked muscled arms and crimson wings.

“You’re not going to touch her!” Emeric slams Phoenix into the wall. His wings spread out, flames lurching into the air from his hands as he stands his ground between me and Phoenix.

Phoenix’s shoulders lower, reality seeming to take over as the red in his eyes fades. He glances at me, ignores me as I stumble to my feet, and rushes over to a woman’s body in a white dress. He falls to his knees next to it, his hands fisted and releases an ear-piercing scream as he punches the floor, putting a hole through it.

“Get Selene out!” he orders Emeric. “Before they come back.”

Emeric already has his arms around my waist, holding me up. Bundling me in his arms, he carries me out of the house and lifts off the porch, his widespread wings flying us to the rooftop of the house. Setting me down, he turns my shaky body toward him.

“Do you have the strength to portal to Griffin’s house?”

“I think so.”

“Go, baby, and I’ll meet you there. I need to talk to Phoenix first.”

Emeric tries to take a step back, but I pull him to me and hug him, his warm, strong chest soothing my trembling body.

“How did you know I was here?”

“Cyrus told us you were coming here. I don’t give a fuck whose party I have to crash. I wasn’t letting you go in those doors without my eye on you.”

“Thank you. If you hadn’t shown up, I don’t know what Phoenix would’ve done to me.”

“I’m going to put my fist through his face for that.” Emeric pulls back from me, scans our surroundings, then caresses my arms. “You need to go. I won’t be far behind.”

Rubbing the charm on my necklace, I make the cast, and the silver portal appears in front of me. Emeric nudges me through it, and I glance over my shoulder to see him fly off the roof as I tumble into Griffin’s rooftop bedroom. As I sit on my knees, every muscle in my body aching, Griffin comes rushing through his bedroom door.

He looks at my bloodied arms, dress, then my neck. For the first time, anger flashes in his ocean eyes as he lifts me into his arms.

“How bad are you hurt?”

“Everything hurts, and I feel weak.”

“Let’s get you in a bath, then I’ll make you something to eat.”

Griffin carefully undresses me, helps me into the shower, and holds me to his chest as he rinses the blood off my body. Carrying me to the bath, he places me in the tub and fills it with warm, soapy water. He’s gentle in every caress of his hands, the magic tingling from his skin to mine as he cups the water and pours it over me. Taking his wrist, I stop him, and he stares at me with loving concern in his eyes.

“Get in with me.”

Taking off his stained and wet clothes, he slides into the sizable tub behind me. He holds me against his warm skin as he continues to cup the water over me.

“What happened?”

“The Holy Accolades killed all the vampires at Phoenix’s party. I only saw one of the Holy Accolades leaving. I don’t know why he was the only one still there, but if I’d come sooner, I know I would’ve been hurt too.”

Hearing the fear in my voice, he kisses my temple, hugging me to him.

“How did you get the bite marks on your neck?”

“Phoenix was badly injured. I was trying to help him. He said he needed to feed from me, then attacked me. He wouldn’t stop, Griffin. I was getting dizzy, feeling like I was going to faint, but he wouldn’t stop. He didn’t care.”

Griffin goes silent, caressing me as he’s lost in his thoughts.

“How am I supposed to bond with him when I can’t trust him not to hurt me? And I’m certain he lost someone he loved tonight. Maybe that’s why he was so crazed.”

“He was crazed because of bloodlust. Your blood is going to be far different from anything he’s tasted before.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re his counterpart and possess the same blood magic that courses through him.”

“I can’t… I can’t process this right now. I need to eat and sleep. Can I stay here tonight?” Griffin’s tingling touch strokes my arm.

“You never have to ask that. You can come here anytime you want and stay for as long as you want.”

“Every time I’m apart from you, I miss you. I miss your touch.”

Griffin places his fingers between mine, and our magic mingles, restoring some of my energy.

“You should stay here with me for a while. It’s safe here. The others can stay as well if they want.”

“I think until I’ve bonded with all of you, that’s the best thing for me to do. Plus, I’ll have more time with you, Emeric, and Cyrus.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

EMERIC

“If I take you to Mordeeves Island, can you keep your teeth out of her neck?”

I understand the vampire just lost his partner, Vivian, but I’m not letting that excuse the way he treated Selene.

“I don’t need a fairy island to keep me safe. I have a coven.”

I follow Phoenix through his house as he discards one clothing item after another.

“Guess that means you don’t give a shit about apologizing to her.”

“Do I look like that’s a priority right now?” Completely naked, he stomps into his shower and closes the clear glass door.

“What are you going to do about all the bodies in your house?”

Phoenix punches a hand into the shower wall, and pieces of tile land near the drain.

“Some of those bodies have to be properly buried. They were Artino royalty.”

“Sounds like a pain in the ass when you can light the remains on fire and be done.” Arms crossed, I lean against the wall, waiting for him to finish.

“I don’t