• 𝓚𝓲𝓽𝓮 •

Mae's shock was evident, even more so now than when she realized that I was attracted to her. I was glad to be off of that subject, since I didn't really know how to approach that with her. We'd just formed a truce between the two of us - or rather I said I'd be nicer, and in turn assumed she'd dial down on her hatred of me.

When she'd attacked me, it told me we still had a long way to go before she didn't completely want to rip my throat open. Which was why I wasn't teaching her how to kill a vampire quite yet.

I didn't like talking about my friendship with Zero, and I didn't want to get into it. But I told myself that was the easiest way to get her to trust me. Opening up about myself wasn't easy, and it was even more difficult opening up about my prior relationship with Zero.

Zero was the kind of person who was nice enough, until you crossed him even the smallest amount. If he said don't look at someone, and you accidentally glanced at them, he did a mental one eighty and never went back. Temperamental was an understatement with him.

Mae's eyes narrowed. "And you were going to say something when?"

"I wasn't," I said. "It's not relevant, really, in the grand scheme of things."

At least I didn't think it was.

"He hates you though." Blunt and to the point as always.

I shrugged. "Yes. He does."

Because of her, but I wasn't going to say that.

"Why?"

Well, shit.

I sighed, debating on whether I wanted to tell her the whole truth or not. She didn't seem like the type that would blame herself for things outside of her control, but let's be honest. I didn't know her all that well. Just the few things that Noah had decided to fill me in on, and what I could figure out on my own.

Mae was strong. No one weak would attempt to run from their captors. Or attack a literal psychopath by stabbing them in the eye with a fork.

But I didn't want to hurt her, or her feelings.

"Part of it is because his father wants to rule," I said. "And in turn, he would rule once his father stepped down."

Her lip curled in distaste. It didn't take a genius to know what kind of ruler he would be. There was no word to describe how he would be, but it would not be remotely pleasant. And if Mae was alive when he took over?

God help her.

"The other part is you," I continued.

She blinked, then pointed to herself.

She may be a hardass, but she could be cute.

I bit back a smile. "I'm sure you realized the extent of Zero's fascination with you after he killed your boyfriend."

"He wasn't my boyfriend," she argued. "He was an occasional fuck. And by occasional, I mean twice because someone fucking killed him."

"That's neither here nor there," I said. I hadn't realized it'd been more than once, and by the look on Noah's face, he hadn't either. "I wholeheartedly believe Zero is incapable of feeling love, but he was - is - obsessed with you."

"What does that have to do with you," she asked.

How to put it? Just come out and say it, or give her the bare minimum?

I guess I contemplated too long, because her eyebrows furrowed and she tilted her head before looking back at Noah, like he'd explain. I wasn't good with words. Not with her, at least. I never knew what was or wasn't the right thing to say, or what would or wouldn't set her off.

"I shared my interest in you with him." Screw it. The truth will set you free and all that bullshit. "Thought it would be a common interest we could share. He didn't like it. Said some things. Now he hates me."

When she turned back, her eyebrows had furrowed even further, confusion and - I'll admit it - disgust trickled over her features.

"What things were said?" She crossed her arms.

Fuck the truth setting me free this was going to end badly.

I waited a moment, going through the conversation I'd had with him in my head. I remembered it clearly, but there were parts of what he said that never needed repeating. Things he said he wanted to do to her that no one should ever admit to wanting. He was sick, and only admitted to these things after I said that I was interested in her as well.

It was the whole reason I claimed her as my own, to protect her from him. If she was claimed, whether that be by me simply drinking from her, or even claiming her as something more, she wasn't allowed to be touched.

I could kill him for harming her. Hell, I could have killed him for what he'd said about her, but there was more at stake than she even realized if I were the one to do it.

If I told her, would it scare her, or would it make her that much more keen to kill him?

But how could I tell her that he wanted to chain her, cage her, in a room so she could never see another person outside of him? How was I supposed to tell her that he wanted to break her to the point she was nothing but a shell of herself, and in turn be alive solely because he allowed it?

I couldn't.

"I think that's a topic for another time," I finally said.

Her eyes narrowed, but I guess the look on my face was enough to tell her that she shouldn't push the subject, because she just sighed.

I didn't think it was over. I knew she'd bring it up again, and I knew I had to figure out a way to tell her.

"Now," I held my hands out, "let's keep going."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you," she asked, a teasing glint to her eye.

Yes.

Yes, I would.