Point of No Return (37 page)

“It’s going to be...like you?” she
whispered.

“Yes,” Theo said, putting his hand on her
shoulder. “Just like Elle—”

A wave of fear hit me. Tawny had died because
Elle had gotten too big too fast.
What if that happened to
me—?

Danial put his hand on my shoulder. “Stephen
will take care of you,” he said tenderly. “Don’t worry, Sar.”

He was right. There was nothing to worry
about. Theo would take care of me.

* * * *

“Did you leave Danial the cat?” I asked, as
Theo and I lay cuddling on the couch.

“Yes, in a large cage with a bow in Danial’s
bedroom. He’s got food and water, but it won’t be long before he’s
discovered. I let Elle in on the cat.”

That was good. Danial would be missing me
tonight like I was missing him.

“I was given an invite for us to Ivan and
Janice’s mating,” Theo said. “It’s in mid-June, on a Saturday.”

“Put down four people,” I replied. “You, me,
Elle, and Theoron. That way Danial won’t have to worry about
skipping out on a meeting if he has one that night. He can just
meet us there whenever he’s able.”

“Sure.” Theo paused. “I have to ask; was
Devlin mad when you found out it was mine?”

“Yes, livid. But he said it didn’t matter.
Danial told him he could essentially wait his turn.”

“So long as he accepts it. That’s the best I
hoped for.” He paused again. “I’m a little afraid. I’ve wanted this
for so long, and now I finally have it.”

“I’m not going anywhere, if that’s what
you’re worried about,” I said, kissing him. “I’m going to need your
help, the bigger I get.”

“I’ll be here,” Theo said, kissing me. “Just
tell me what you need.”

“Nothing right now,” I said softly, kissing
him. “I have everything that I need right here.”

“I’m glad you’re happy,” he murmured
lovingly. “I was worried you wouldn’t be.”

I gave him an odd look. “Why do you say that?
Of course I’m happy.”

“It doesn’t matter now,” Theo said
soothingly. “I love you, you love me, and that’s all that
matters.”

* * * *

That night, I awoke in a sweat. Theo lay
beside me, still sleeping soundly.

I looked around for what had awoken me, but
saw nothing amiss. The dogs were sleeping peacefully, and there
were no noises from the cats sleeping in front of the fire.

Maybe that was it; the fire was out. It was
cool in here. As I got up to go out to the woodstove, I brushed
back my hair, and felt it snag hard, radiating pain through my
scalp.

Carefully, I felt around. My hair was caught
somehow in my choker. Carefully, I reached back and unfastened it,
untangling my hair from the gold links. To my surprise, it was
Danial’s fox head, not Devlin’s bear. I’d forgotten to switch them
after coming back from the trip.

I went to my box, and opened it, putting
Danial’s choker inside. As I did, I noticed a few sheets of paper
folded in the bottom near Devlin’s poetry. Closing the box, I
replaced it, then brought Devlin’s choker with the papers into the
other room.

The fire was not out, just low. I added wood,
then sat in a nearby chair to wait for the flames to catch it. As I
did, I read the papers.

I’d written them, but I didn’t recognize
myself. This Sar was besotted with Devlin, crazy in love,
completely in thrall to him. She hated Theo for leaving her, and
blamed him for everything. Some of the accusations and graphic
details were terrible.
If Theo should ever find this, he would
be so hurt...

I opened the woodstove, and quickly cast the
pages into the now roaring flames. I turned down the damper,
watching the fire consume the written ravings.

They had been ravings; ravings of a madwoman.
I wasn’t that woman anymore; I was back to my old self.

The pages were soon ash. I looked down at the
choker in my hand, the bear’s eyes gleaming green. I had an instant
desire to throw it in too, but then it passed.

Devlin had saved me, not Theo. I not only was
Oathed to him, I owed him. The least I could do was honor the
promise I had made.

I clasped the choker around my neck, feeling
the ends sliding together. Then I turned out the light, and went
back to bed.

About the Author

Tara Fox Hall’s
writing credits include nonfiction, horror, suspense,
action-adventure, erotica, and contemporary and historical
paranormal romance. She is the author of the paranormal
action-adventure
Lash
series and the vampire romantic
suspense
Promise Me
series. Tara divides her free time
unequally between writing novels and short stories, chainsawing
firewood, caring for stray animals, sewing cat and dog beds for
donation to animal shelters, and target practice.

Other works by the author with
Melange Books, LLC

Return To Me

Surrender to Me

The Origin of Fear in
Spellbound 2011 Anthology

Night Music
in Midnight
Thirsts II Anthology

Partners
in Midnight Thirsts
II Anthology

Kink
in Wicked Christmas
Wishes Anthology

The Oath
in Wicked Christmas
Wishes Anthology

Bedtime Shadows
Anthology

Make Me Behave Anthology

Latham’s Landing, An
Anthology

The Promise Me Series

Promise Me,
Book 1

Broken Promise,
Book
2

Taken in the Night,
Book
3

Taken for his Own,
Book
4

Promise Me Anthology,
Book
4.5

Immortal Confessions,
Book
5

Her Secret,
Book 6

Point of No Return,
Book
7

Coming Soon

Lost Paradise
, Book 8 of the
Promise Me Series

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