Free Bound to Me by Jocelynn Drake Page A

assignment had originally been given to Valerio, but it now fell to me, following his supposed death. The coven was the true power in my world, not the promises of safety that Sadira was so carefully weaving.
    “No. The important thing is killing Artus. That is what the coven ordered and that’s what I’m going to do,” I said, my voice gaining strength as I spoke.
    “Is this how you’re going to honor Valerio’s sacrifice? He died trying to protect you and now you’re going to throw your life away by chasing after this warlock?”
    I pulled my face out of her grasp and pushed to my feet, forcing her to take a step backward, away from me. “Valerio would respect my choice. The coven ordered that this warlock be hunted down and killed for what he has done to our people. I obey the coven. I obey Jabari’s wishes.”
    Turning, I started toward the door, confidence starting to fill me once again. I was pushing Sadira out of my thoughts and I was focused on a single mission: kill Artus. Nothing else mattered.
    “He’s using you, Mira,” Sadira said sharply, halting my hand as I reached for the door handle. “Jabari is only using you.”
    Narrowing my eyes, I gazed over my shoulder at my maker, waiting for her to continue. Her expression had changed from one of happiness and sweet compassion to a cold, hard look. I had always suspected there was a growing animosity between the two nightwalkers, considering that Jabari had essentially stolen me right out of Sadira’s arms. I knew there was no love between them, but I wondered how far either creature would go to have complete control over me.
    “Jabari is merely playing a game with you, testing you,” Sadira continued, now that she was sure that she had my full attention. “He wanted to know if I could steal you back if you were forced to enter my domain again.”
    “Jabari sent Artus to Madrid?”
    “Yes.”
    “Jabari told Artus to kill nightwalkers?”
    “Artus has killed at least a dozen nightwalkers and it is all because of Jabari.”
    “And Artus has killed Valerio,” I murmured, turning to look at the door again.
    “Possibly so.”
    “All in the name of a tug-of-war contest between you and Jabari over control of me,” I snarled. “I’ve heard enough. I’m going to kill Artus and then I will deal with you and the Ancient.”
    “Mira, you can’t think to take on Jabari,” Sadira argued. “He will destroy you or worse.”
    “Worse? Worse than what? Remaining here as your puppet and witless doll? Jabari may have his games, but he doesn’t try to control my actions the way you do. I’ve had enough. Don’t come near me again.”
    “Mira!” she cried, her hand falling on my shoulder as I jerked open the door. At her touch, I could feel her attempting to push into my brain again where she could warp my thoughts. I shoved her out of my mind as I shrugged off her touch. The door burst into flames as I slammed it shut behind me. Sadira’s scream of terror could be heard echoing throughout the old castle. I could hear her thoughts clearly as she called for her children to help her. She was unharmed, but flames were starting to creep around the room, scaring her. I wasn’t concerned. There was a window in the room. If she wanted freedom, she had a way out. She was first seeing who would come rushing to her rescue.
    A dark smile lifted the corners of my mouth as I stalked past more than a dozen nightwalkers down the long hall. Not one of them reached out to stop me. Not one attempted to knock down the door to free their precious savior. They feared Sadira and the punishment that she would mete out, but they feared the Fire Starter more.
    I didn’t know whether to believe everything Sadira had told me about Jabari, and in truth, it didn’t matter. My only concern now was hunting down Artus, killing him, and discovering whether Valerio was truly dead.

 
    CHAPTER SEVEN
    I focused all my powers on looking for the energy signature of the warlock and/or