Page 69 of Wicked Heirs

But I guess he’d decided that with this strange development of Alena Rose coming into our lives and drawing so close, it couldn’t be off the table right now.

Xavier:I want her.

Orpheus:Good boy.

Xavier:Shut it, I’m not Tal. That doesn’t turn me on.

Orpheus:You sure?

Xavier:Beyond a shadow of a doubt, little prince.

Orpheus:Only she calls me that.

Xavier:Interesting that you allow it.

Orpheus:I didn’t have much choice.

Xavier:Major denial.

Orpheus:Let’s end this passive-aggressive and full-on aggressive text conversation. After your last class we’ll meet to deal with Talon.

Xavier:I’ll be there.

I tossed my phone down and shoved a hand through my hair.

We were clearly both on edge and taking it out on one another.

It was a cross between what was happening with Talon right now, and the fact that we hadn’t been in contact with Alena for days on end.

After seeing Tal breaking down, she’d decided to stay away to give us space to deal with the situation, thinking her presence was too antagonistic for him—and upsetting after seeing her memory like that.

I’d seen her in class, but polite and friendly smiles had been the extent of it where that had been concerned.

She’d kept to her word.

But now I was ready for it to be over.

I needed to see her again.

She’d given me her blood, for fuck’s sakes. It had been an extremely brave and selfless act, and it had really helped me.

I’d wanted to thank her.

I’d planned to that day when I’d tracked her and Orpheus to the edge of campus, but I’d had to forgo it and the conversation I’d wanted to have afterward about other things, when Talon had fucking well gone in to attack her.

Let me handle my own business.

I would if you’d actually handle it.

His words had been patronizing, yes, but there was truth to them.

I did hold back a lot.

Since I was turned, I’d become that way, always worrying about my control, always terrified that my bloodlust and new vampiric nature as a whole—the beast in me—would take me over and I’d become subservient to it with no free will of my own left remaining.

The vampires here, the students I’d met, they embraced the demon within. Because we were in a controlled environment, they didn’t go too far or lose control and go on some major massacre.Butwhat about when they graduated, when therepressive rules and regulations here were gone? If I embraced the demon at all, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to go back, that I’d lose myself, that I’d lose my sorcerer side. I could already barely feel my connection to nature as it was. It was just a fraction of what it had been for me.

And I hated it. I hated everything about what had happened to me.

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