Page 23 of Hell Storm

“Well … it was stupid really.” My gaze lowered and I fidgeted with my fingers while spinning a lie. “I suppose I just wanted to be a part of your world for one night. I wanted to … I don’t know … experience life as an Ianite, escape my own misery.”

Levi sat in absolute silence, and I was going insane with worry as he seemed to assess my answer.

“Interesting,” he breathed.

“How so?” It took everything in me not to ramble more to plead my case. All that stopped me was knowing it’d only make me look guiltier.

Levi leaned in closer, so close the bright flames turned his silver eyes to gold.

“It’s interesting because you clearly desirenothingof our world, and yet you claim our acceptance was worth nearly dying for that night.”

Sweat beaded at the nape of my neck, and I was certain he detected how anxious I’d become.

“I’m sorry, Love. Have I wandered into that dreaded, forbidden territory again?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Of course not,” I lied through my teeth, “but … you might want to consider that you’re not as good at reading people as you seem to think.”

It was a risky move, challenging someone as strongminded as him, but I had to saysomething.

“On the contrary,” he rebutted. “I think I’ve read you perfectly.”

My brow quirked. “Is that so?”

“It is,” he blurted without hesitation. “You pretend to be tough, but you’re scared more often than you let on. You’re keeping an entirescrollof secrets. And … I’m even willing to bet it wasn’t thirst that drove you to the kitchen tonight.”

My breaths came quicker, but I crossed both arms across my chest in defiance anyway. “Oh, really? Then please, Levi, tell me what it is you think I was doing down there.”

“Escaping.”

Wishing I hadn’t pushed so hard, I said absolutely nothing.

“Because you’re terrified of this blood bond, terrified of this place. And I’d go so far as to say you’re terrified of me,” he added, sending a wave of heat rushing up my body.

We reached a stalemate. He’d just backed me into a corner, and I was known to come out swinging.

“Well, I’m gonna have to call B.S. on that one,” I scoffed. “I don’t even fear death. So why on Earth would I be afraid of you?”

The softness that touched his eyes left me feeling undone, like I’d miscalculated somehow.

“Because what you fear is feeling too much,” he assured me. “You fear feeling too much in a world where life, for your people, is cruelly fragile.”

His response stunned me into silence. I was frozen to the point that, when he reached for my hand again, I didn’t have the presence of mind to pull away.

“Only, yours is no longer so limited. Soon, you’ll be one of us.”

I wasn’t sure how to read his strange tone, but my reaction was to slowly remove my hand from his, so that’s what I did.

“Like I told you, I was just thirsty,” I reiterated.

“And like I toldyou, I’m not buying it. Just admit that I’m right, admit that the idea of me terrifies you.”

“Not at all.”

“Prove it,” was his final challenge.

Frantic surges of air filled my lungs as I forced a question from my mouth. “Prove it how?”

My eyes followed his tall frame as he rose from his chair, coming close until he stood before me, eclipsing the fire. He leaned so close that I held my breath when both his hands came to rest on the arms of my chair.

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