“So, was Maralee okay?” Victoria asked Casmiere. They were sitting on a bench in the garden, admiring the view, instead of training, like usual. Today was Victoria’s birthday, and they felt as though they could both use a break.
“Yeah, she was fine,” he lied, not wanting to spoil the day with talk of suffering and death. “She was just having an episode. You get used to it after a while.”
She knitted her brows together. “Well, she’s still coming today right? I mean, you did invite her?”
“Asked her this morning, and she said she’d love to,” he replied with a smile.
She smiled and focused her attention on the blue, cloudless sky. “There’s no way to stop it, is there?” she asked, suddenly.
Casmiere raised his eyebrow at her. “Stop what?” he demanded.
“This binding thing,” she replied.
He raised his eyebrow at her. “You want to stop it?”
“No, I don’t want to stop it,” she exclaimed. “I’m just saying that if something happens, and one of us does, would there be any way to stop it?”
Casmiere sighed. “It doesn’t work like that,” he explained.
She raised an eyebrow at him. “What do you mean?” she demanded.
“Well, the ritual just completes it all. The bonding process started the moment you accepted my training. You’ve felt it, haven’t you? Like a sudden fire was lit inside of you?”
She nodded. “Yeah, something like that.”
He sighed, staring at his hands. “Victoria,” he said, looking into her eyes.
“Yeah?” she replied, not breaking eye contact with the sky.
“Would you still feel the same about me even if I wasn’t who you thought I was?” he asked.
She looked him in the eyes and knitted her eyebrows together. “What do you mean?”
“If I’ve done evil things in my past,” he replied. “If I was the very definition of mayhem and destruction, would you be willing to accept that?”
She sighed and placed her hand on his cheek. “Is this about what Maralee said yesterday? About blaming yourself for things that weren’t your fault?”
He placed his hand over hers; reveling in the comfort her touch brought him. “There are things about me,” he said softly, as he gently stroked her hand with his forefinger. “Things that not even Maralee knows. Dark things I’ve never told anybody in my entire life.”
She raised an eyebrow at him. “Things like what?” she asked.
He sighed, and dropped his hand onto his lap. “I want to tell you, Victoria,” he said. “I want to tell you so bad.” He lifted eyes to meet her gaze. “And I will, but I just need time. I can't expect you to accept something that not even I do.”
She smiled at him. “Of course,” she said, and leaned forward to place a kiss on his cheek. “I think we should get ready for the party,” she suggested.
He smiled back at her. “I’ll walk you to your room,” he offered.
“And I’d be honored,” she replied, as the two of them stood from the bench.
They walked in silence to her room, though it was a comfortable silence, a needed silence. For, while no words were spoken, none were needed. The couple shared a kiss before Victoria retreated into her room, and Casmiere headed for his own.
YOU ARE READING
Prey {editing and revising}
Vampier**The Unwanted, Book 1** Casmiere has never had an easy life. Ever sense his birth, he's been nothing but trouble. He's the last of the demons known as Tesheerans, and doesn't believe he deserves the life he has. His past is filled with carnage an...
