Taming A Predator

Chapter 9

Doe's POV:

Xander left for his royal prince business about an hour ago, leaving me to my own devices as I set out on a journey to figure my way around this gigantic floor.

Apparently, there was an outdoor garden somewhere around here? And an entire library?

I had to find the music room as well.

All of which I knew I could find easily with Xander's help, but I could use a bit of clueless adventure.

Now that I could safely leave our room in this territory, I wanted to take advantage and learn what this new place had to offer.

And, well, I figured that someone else may be in be in the same boat as me.

With her... roommate...I guess, being out on royal business and also having no idea where to begin in this new space we were in.

Plus, I think it's about time that we got to know each other properly.

I somehow managed to make it to the other side of this floor and spot the stupidly large doors that matched ours.

After giving it a knock, I stepped back and waited.

The door opened just a sliver, a light blue eye peaking through the crack to see who it was.

The eye widened with a quiet, "Oh!" before she opened the door fully.

She too looked like this place was already affecting her in a positive light.

Though I truly don't think we've ever interacted under an entirely stress-free circumstance, so that must play a part in what I was seeing from her now.

This is the straightest I've seen her stand, and lacking the usual look of her shoulders closing in on her.

I could see it in her eyes and the welcoming smile she gave me.

Jeez, we should have moved here months ago.

"What's up?" Even her voice heald more confidence behind it.

"The brothers are out and I've been wanting to explore around this place, so I was wondering if you wanted to join me?"

She perked at my offer before I got to the second half.

"I think it'd be nice for us to properly talk without the whole... getting shoved into freezing cages or getting caught in the middle of their old brother feud part of it. Without any vampires nearby, I guess."

There were so many restrictions on us that were no longer a thought here, and if I'm being honest, I still wasn't sure the proper way to approach it all.

But I didn't want to wait around on any of it either.

"I... Yeah, I would love that," She began stepping out and closing the door behind her, "I've been wanting to talk to you under some normal circumstances for a while now."

My brows rose.

"You have?"

I don't know why I felt so surprised by that.

She pulled down the sleeves that were priorly rolled up, smudges of blue and green streaking over her hands and fingers.

It was similar enough to the painter's hands I'd seen on the streets back in Bronwyn's territory that I made the quick connection.

"Of course," There was a slight stiffness in the way she walked, but I knew what it was from. Luckily it wasn't anywhere as bad as Marcus' was, "I wanted to talk more back at that clinic, but it wasn't the proper setting. Now that we're here there's not a whole lot stopping us, and I've missed having friends. I feel like we'd have a lot to talk about now that things are settled."