trial after a month of arguing. It was a shock to us all when Ren decided to give himself up to be with you,” he sourly says. “The bastard left a bottle of his blood for me and a note that he would be back.”
“Sounds like Ren,” I chuckle, but it dies off when I remember he is alone with the angels that last time killed him. Gods, he can’t die.
We come out of the pathway to another small cabin with a pond outside the front and cute little white windows. I’m not surprised when Madi pushes the door open and steps out, smiling at me. Behind her are two men I don’t know, but the one with a cloak and staff scares me. As he would most people, I suspect. The queen of the tales is dressed only in a white T-shirt and jeans with Skechers on her feet, looking so…well, normal.
“Thank you for keeping the vampires safe and no doubt helping them rescue us,” I say, stepping forward, feeling a need to point that out. Madi walks right up to me and nods once.
“I told you before, I don’t believe killing an entire race is ever the right thing to do. You guys are struggling, and I’m on your side. Angels have never once shown us any respect until they demanded our help when the academy fell. Instead of being respectful that we did help, they acted like we were their slaves. I nearly killed them myself before Gabriel stepped in. He isn’t like the others, is he?” she says with a long sigh. “Either way, I’ve made my bed, and I plan to sleep in it.”
“I need more of your help,” I warn.
She nods and looks back at the men at the door. One of them clicks his fingers, and a portal made of smoke appears next to us. “Come through.” Madi walks in, and I follow, with Henry at my back. The room we come into is old, like really old. Thick stone walls surround us, and at least twenty glass boxes on alters are littered around the room.
“The room is magically protected so only those who are allies of the tales can enter. This is our treasury, and don’t ask me what any of the things do. We don’t have a clue, and I don’t want to test anything to find out. In fact, I didn’t know this room existed until Ren said we took something that belonged to his race, and we searched,” she explains and nods her head to the only glass box with a lid that’s lifted. I glance at the books, orbs and one oddly shaped pencil we pass before getting to the box with a rock inside. Just a plain rock one I couldn’t pick out of a lineup of rocks if I tried. “Ren told me you need to cut your hand on this, and it will take you to him. He said only one can pass through the rock, and it must be a true mate. If you go through and take one of these stones, you could open a portal wherever Ren is and get him back.”
“She has to go alone, back to the angels?” Henry demands. I place my hand on his chest, and Madi looks away.
“It’s Ren. I need to go,” I whisper. “He went there for me.” Henry looks like he wants to fight the subject but eventually nods. Before I move my hand away, he tugs me to him and kisses me like he wants me to never ever let go of his lips. I moan into his mouth, completely forgetting we aren’t alone until Madi clears her throat, and Henry slowly lets me go.
I turn back to Madi, and she offers me the stone. “The stone needs force to open the portal. So just throw it down on the ground or at a wall or something. My mate will close the portal the second you are through, and we will fight anyone who gets through by accident if need be.”
“I owe you big time,” I say, taking the stone and slipping it into my hoodie pocket.
“Friends don’t owe each other. We support each other,” she says and slides a dagger out of her holder on her hip. Damn, she is a cool friend. I lay my hand out flat for her, and a small cry leaves my lips when she cuts a line across my palm. Henry picks the rock out of