Page 19 of These Dangerous Fates

The corners of my lips tug upward as I glance around the room. It looks like it was a library once, or rather still is. The room is two stories tall, and the second story hasn’t been touched—a balcony with a gold railing wraps around the second floor with shelves and shelves of books. On the first level, more bookshelves are shoved to the side, but I notice there is still enough space to walk between them.

The walls are dark wood, and the floor is a beautiful white marble. A large, ornate fireplace takes up much of one wall, and the large screen TV perched above it looks so out of place I can’t help but laugh. I see a table next to the fireplace with various gaming consoles, and there are a few leather sofas for lounging. On the opposite side of the shelves, a pool table and workout equipment take up the rest of the space.

“Well, what do you think?” Malakai asks, watching me take it all in.

“It’s … unique?” I’m not sure what to say. The clash of original features with modern touches is quite the juxtaposition.

Malakai and Cade laugh, and Sterling just grunts. My cheeks heat, and I immediately regret my statement.

“Sorry,” I say quickly. “That was rude.”

“Nah, it’s true,” Malakai says and approaches me.

His prowl reminds me of his appearance when he broke into my room, ready to whisk me away. There had been blood on him. The crimson liquid had dripped down the dagger he’d held in his hand. Once again, the realization that I’m at the mercy of these guys, floats to the forefront of my mind. None of them are known for being good men. Breathing suddenly becomes difficult as my lungs tighten. It’s as if an elephant is sitting on my chest, preventing me from taking a deep enough breath. I take a step back, then another. My gaze never leaving the predator before me.

Those gray eyes are intense as he tracks my movements, cataloging every step, every breath, and every blink of my eyes. His nostrils flare, and like he did in my bedroom, and his steps falter. But he doesn’t stop his approach. When his fingers wrap around my wrist, I flinch. Fear of him bringing my arm to his mouth and sinking those fangs deep in my vein has my heart pounding, sending my blood rushing through my body. He tugs me forward slightly, and I stumble closer to him, my legs suddenly forgetting how to work. Being vertically challenged, my head barely reaches his shoulders and I have to crane my neck to look at him.

“You are safe here, Ellis.” He says with such sincerity I almost believe him. “This room is warded. Cade has magic and technology surrounding every inch of this space. No one will get in without us allowing it. And we won’t allow it.”

I swallow, and as he watches the movement of my throat, his eyes dilate and his hand grips me tighter. Oh, gods. I bet he can hear my heart racing and blood flowing. There is no way I could ever forget this man before me is a vampire.

Malakai’s grip tightens on my wrist before he releases me. “You are safe with us,” he reiterates. “We won’t hurt you. You have my word.”

I want to believe him. I really do. But every instinct in my human body is telling me to run. I’m prey to these guys, that’s all I am, despite how they’ve treated me so far.

Malakai frowns before stepping away. “Sterling, can you go to the kitchen and get us some food? Cade, take her to my room to shower while I check in with my dad.”

Leave the library and the wards? I’ve never met Malakai’s dad, and I have no desire to do so today. “Is it safe to leave the library?” I ask. My voice trembles, and I swallow, hoping to hide my nerves.

Malakai turns from the door to look at me, his gray eyes shining brightly. “Cade will make sure you’re safe.”

As a mage, I suppose he can. I remember my mom using her magic to monitor for danger one night we got stuck downtown after the sunset. So I nod, and watch Malakai and Sterling exit, leaving me with Cade who gives me a reassuring smile and motions with his head to follow him. I hesitate, but of all the guys, Cade is the one I feel the most comfortable with. Something about him is less threatening. Maybe it’s the fact he is more human than Malakai and Sterling.

I follow Cade through the estate, and try to catalog my surroundings. Knowing how to get around could end up saving my life. Unfortunately, my head isn’t in it. I’m exhausted, hungry, and scared. My thoughts are spiraling, each one heavier and scarier than the one before. The barrier I have learned to erect around my mind, the one that keeps the memories at bay, is failing. My vision morphs, turning the red carpet lining the hall darker, more like dried blood. It sends the wall around my mind crumbling to the ground, and the memories I try so hard to forget crash into me.

Time blurs. I don’t know if what I’m seeing is real or a product of my trauma from ten years ago. Phantom liquid squishes between my toes and I glance down. That can’t be real, I’m wearing gym shoes. The copper scent of blood floats in the air and I rub my nose. Not real. Not real. Not real. Shaking my head, I squeeze my eyes shut, but when I reopen them, the bloody carpet is still there.

By the time we reach Malakai’s room, I’m sweating. It runs down my back and between my breasts making my shirt cling to me uncomfortably. My hands shake with fine tremors that vibrate my arms, and my heart is pounding so hard the echoes of it can be felt all the way to my fingertips. Breathing is becoming more difficult. I can’t draw in a full breath, it’s like my lungs are constricted by my rib cage. The more I struggle, the fuzzier my vision becomes. I stumble into the room and Cade catches me around the waist.

“Whoa. Ellis, what’s wrong?” His violet eyes take me in and a crease forms between his brows. “Hey, are you alright?”

He leads me to a window seat and gently pushes me into it. I dimly register him kneeling between my legs, his big hands resting on my thighs. Usually, just the thought of a man touching me would terrify me, let alone him actually touching me. But I can’t breathe, and all my focus is on trying to get oxygen into my lungs. I’m going to suffocate. The ghosts won’t leave me alone. I can’t escape them, they chase me wherever I go. I’ll never be free.

Cade grasps my face in both of his hands, and he forces me to meet his gaze. The color of his eyes draw me in, and I cling to them like an anchor. They shimmer and glitter, like an oil spill, but the only color is purple—a myriad of shades of purple, swirling together. It’s mesmerizing. Beautiful. He is beautiful, with his scratchy beard and brown hair ruffled and falling over his forehead. His lips, that look so seductive when he smiles, are pulled down in a frown.

His thumb rubs back and forth on my cheek, a gentle touch I don’t know what to do with. Keeping our eye contact, he scoots closer, further into my legs.

“Can’t … breathe …” I manage between small gasps of air.

He takes one of my hands and places it on his chest, while his other hand keeps rubbing along my cheek. “Breathe with me.” The low and melodic tone of his voice is soothing. “Feel my heart beating, nice and steady.”

I do as he says, narrowing my focus to his chest under my hand, where a steady thump thump thump echoes. It’s calming, the repetitive and expected rhythm something I can focus on instead of my restricted breathing. His chest rises and falls under my hand with his controlled inhales and I breathe with him, shallow at first, but growing stronger with each breath and each beat of his heart.

“That’s it,” he says softly. “You got this. Keep breathing.” He stares at me like I'm the only thing in the room. A lifeline I desperately hold onto. “You don’t have to be afraid of us, Ellis. I swear we won’t let anything happen to you.”

We stay locked in this position for several minutes. Eventually, my breathing slows and I take a deep, shuddering breath. The panic has passed, but the shame of him seeing me break down like that quickly takes its place. Tears prick the corners of my eyes and I try to blink them back, but one slips free and slides down my cheek. Cade brushes it away with his thumb.

“Please don’t cry,” he whispers, the brightness of his eyes dimming slightly. “I don’t want to see you cry.”

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