The beast and the blessed novel by Ashley Breanne

Forty-Seven: Natalie

Natalie's P.O.V.

"Absolutely not!" I snapped as we walked away.

Joselin pursed her lips as she looked away from me and to Killian as if she was expecting him to take her side over mine. 'She felt it!"

He let out a deep breath, and I knew that if I looked back he would be pinching the bridge of his nose. It was his tell that he was frustrated. But I didn't look back, because I knew in my heart that we had grown past this. He wouldn't be taking her side over mine, not over something as significant as blood.

"It couldn't hurt to do some testing.”

My body went still, and he caught himself just as his chest collided with my back. His hands found my hips, and he steadied me as Joselin smirked in victory. He didn't bother to unhand me as I spun around in his arms, glaring up at him.

"Seriously? It's my body, my blood. I said no."

He must have not realized how angry it would make me for the two of them to not respect my decision.

Joselin groaned out in irritation, and I turned my glare to her as she spoke up. "I thought you were over this whole you versus me thing! Friends, remember?" "We are friends, and I'm not mad that he's siding with you right now." I tried to step back, but Killian's hold on me tightened slightly. "I am irritated with both of you equally. I said no to you wanting to take my blood, and I don't need the two of you trying to pressure me or gang up on me, so I am stopping this conversation here before we get into an actual argument.” "But you felt the magic. Do you know how rare that is for someone who doesn’t come from magic?” She asked, and she lit up with excitement.’ This could explain why you didn't shift!" "I felt death. I felt a darkness that made me want to jump in the shower and scrub myself clean as if I had just been standing in a room full of rotting corpses. There was nothing magical about it." I lowered my voice as I spoke, knowing others could still hear me with their supernatural abilities, but hoping it wasn't loud enough for the sound to get back to the infirmary where said infected men were resting.

"Just a few tests. You can watch me do them, and then you can dispose of the blood yourself." Her pleading was unexpected, but I knew she needed a win. After failing at finding more information on the curse, she seemed eager to get answers about me.

But while I wanted to trust her, I had heard about witches. I had heard what they could do to you if they got their hands on one of your personal items. Handing over blood was suicide if it got into the wrong hands.

I let out a sigh.

“There is something else I want to try first to trigger my shift.” I felt Killian breathing pause as he held his breath for a moment, and I knew he was thinking about the mark I had asked for. "If that doesn't work, I will let you run your tests, and I will dispose of my blood when you are done. But... if the council is here, the deal is off. I don't want any of the other witches to know about it. They don't need to get their hands on my blood.”

Joselin pulled her lips in before popping them out and nodding in agreement. "I agree to your terms.”

The sight of Charlotte rounding the corner made us all pause, but it was the furious look on her face that had Killian moving around me and stepping between me and his sister. "Are you out of your mind, Killian Amery?" "Oh," Joselin chuckled darkly. "This is going to be good.” "Oh, for the love of the Goddess! Whatever it is, we can have this conversation in my office.” Killian groaned, reaching down to grab my hand before pulling with him down the hallway and toward the office that we had just fucked in.

My cheeks burned as I remembered how demanding he was. I loved it when he took control, but that didn't mean that I would let him do that all the time. At some point, there were a few fantasies that I wanted to make reality too.

The girls were silent as they followed, Joselin looking positively gleeful and Charlie fuming. I half expected Killian to burst into flames from her glare on his back. But he wisely bit his tongue until we had reached the office.

I smirked when I spied the documents on his desk. They were still pushed off to the side. His laptop was hanging over the edge, and as he pulled me to his side of the desk, he pushed it back onto the surface.

"Sit." He commanded, and I looked to the other two women, expecting them to take a seat, but I found all three pairs of eyes staring at me. Killian released my hand, placing his warm palm on my lower back and guiding me toward his chair while he stood at my side.

Oh, my heart.

It was a sign of respect, one that sent an odd flutter through my chest. I kept my hand down at my side as I resisted the urge to rub away the weird sensation.

"You're bringing in the council? We don't know if we can trust them, Killian!" Her voice was deeper than before, more gravelly as if she were trying to prevent herself from shifting.

'We have no choice. I will not put our pride before our people. There will be extra precautions in place during their stay, but we need answers. If getting a group of our allies to pool their magic and provide those answers will save not only our family but our people, then that is a chance I am willing to take!" Killian growled, his hand resting on the back of the chair that I was sitting on.

'You should have discussed this with me! We could have looked at other options!” Charlie refused to sit. Instead, she leaned forward with her hands on the edge of the desk as she glared daggers at her brother.

"I don't need to discuss anything with you, Charlotte. You are the one who chose to leave. You don't get a say when you are not ever here. I am the King!" His body shook, and I looked over my shoulder at him. His glowing red eyes were burning bright toward his sister, and I reached up and placed my hand on his.

As soon as we touched, his claws retracted from the leather surface, leaving holes in their wake.

"I did what was best for me! I couldn't stay here. How long are you going to resent me for leaving? You're making a mistake bringing them here, Killian!" Charlie's face was hard and cold. A mask of what she was truly feeling as her voice cracked.

'You are one person, Charlotte! I am doing what is best for millions!" Killian stepped forward, keeping his hand beneath mine but moving to stand at my side instead of being behind my shoulder like a bodyguard. "I am happy you left and found peace! But you don't get to come in here every time you stop by, trying to take control of the kingdom that you left behind!" “And what of Talia? How do you think she will react when she arrives and learns the truth?" The bitter question was meant with silence, and I watched with wonder as even the smirk from Joselin's face fell. She had been enjoying the bickering, but the second the name left Charlie's lips, her amusement was gone.

Talia.

Who the fuck is Talia?