Raising Innocence: A Rylee Adamson Novel(37)

Her eyes narrowed.
I went on. “And I’m betting your family just dumped you here, once your temper tantrums got out of control?”
“They weren’t temper tantrums!” Tears starting to leak out of her eyes, the first I’d seen since I’d stepped into the church. This was one tough little kid. She reminded me a little of myself.
I softened my voice. “No, they weren’t. But that is what they thought, isn’t it?”
Gulping back a sob, she gave one short nod.
“Come on, kid. Let’s get you out of here.”
In my heart, I was crying with her. To be abandoned by your family, to have them walk away from you because you were a freak, that was a wound that would never truly heal—and if it did, it would scar her deeply. I would find her a place to learn, to study and hone her skills. Somewhere safe. Maybe the Coven back home. Now that I knew they weren’t what Milly claimed, they would probably welcome the kid with open arms.
Sniffling, she reached out for my hand.
I covered her fingers with my own. “I won’t let anyone hurt you. I promise.” Dangerous words, but she needed that. I could see it in her.
She lifted her eyes to mine. “My name is Pamela.”
“I’m Rylee. Or as dipshit over here would say, ‘The Devil.’”
“You admit it!” He screeched.
I was rewarded with Pamela stepping out of the shadows and nailing him with a pure bolt of power, flipping him ass over tea kettle and into the far wall with a thud.
“Easy kid,” I said, pushing her hands down.
“He hurt me,” she whispered, staring at where he lay.
My hackles went up, anger spilling through my body, but what she said next slowed me down.
“And that should even the score.”
I smiled at her. “Come on, let’s go.”
She took two steps fully into the light, her socks peeking out from under the long sack dress. Shocked beyond the ability to speak, all I could do was stare at her bright blue socks.

12
Milly had him carry her through the Veil and into the castle where they’d first found India. He was unable to do anything physical to stop what was happening, but his mind formulated plan after plan. He just needed to . . . what? He had no way to break this spell Milly had on him. Not unless he could get the torc off his neck.
“I don’t want you to hate me, Liam. I know Rylee loves you. And she’s like family to me.”
He could hardly believe the lies pouring from her lips; was she really going to try and explain this backstabbing behaviour?
Milly directed him up the stairs, through the castle, and out the front gates where there was, of all things, a horse drawn carriage waiting for them.
They stepped in and the carriage rolled forward before Milly spoke again. “I don’t want to hurt her, but she needs to see, to understand how deadly a game she is playing without even knowing it.”
O’Shea closed his eyes. At least he had that much control. At the moment, anyway.
The witch kept talking. “Faris, he’s special. He will be the new emperor. And I will be his counsellor.” She paused. “You may speak your mind.”
“Are you fucking nuts?” O’Shea roared.
Milly lifted an eyebrow. “Crazy? No. Pragmatic? Yes.” She smoothed her clothes out over her body, hands lingering near her belly button, confirming his suspicions and freaking him out at the same time.
“You’re pregnant with the vampire’s child?”
She burst out laughing, leaning her head back and giving him a perfect view of her throat. The image of his teeth burying into the slim white column burned into his mind, giving him something to look forward to. Particularly if it was the vampire’s child she carried.
“No,” Milly said, her eyes softening. “Ethan’s child. He’s the leader of the Coven I was a part of.”
O’Shea said nothing, and she went on as if he’d encouraged her.
“Ethan is the most powerful warlock in the western hemisphere.”
“So you threw your family under the bus for a lay? I hope it was worth it.” O’Shea said, glaring at the sultry, slutty witch.
She glared back. “I love him, and he loves me, regardless of his past. And as soon as he can, he’s going to come here to be with me and the baby.”
He smiled, a mere baring of his teeth; then laughed. “Let me guess, he had a wife and he told you that he would leave her for you? That you were the one he’d been waiting for? Please, with all the men you’ve fucked, you can’t tell me you actually bought that line?”
“You don’t know him! He’d not like the others. He won’t leave me. Besides his wife is already dead,” she said, her green eyes snapping with anger.