Page 25 of When Day Breaks

"No, wait," I beg. Finding myself leaning forward to find the source of what was being provided to me. "Please, I need it." And a chilling groan echoes around me.

"You shouldn't beg, Lucynda." The warning doesn't threaten me much, because my senses start to flood me and I can't focus on anything but my further need for blood.

I blink some more, hearing a shift next to me and I turn my aching head to my right where a shadowy figure sits next to me, their fingers still touching my skin, only this time making small circles over the pulse in my neck with their thumb.

"There you go, little one. Come back for me." My arms rest in my lap, my legs sprawled out in front of me, as I lean lazily against the wall. But I force myself to sit up a bit so that I can get closer to the figure in hopes to make out who it is.

As the blood works its way further into my system, warming my veins and erasing the dizziness that clings to me, my vision starts to clear.

"I'm sorry to have left you in here for as long as I have. I needed to make sure you would be pliable enough for me. You're rather feisty under this curse. Hell," the voice chuckles, "you're feisty even without the curse."

I notice a small smile curl against thick lips, a smile that I know I recognize.

That's when I comprehend that this isn't some kind of fever dream and that my husband really is currently sitting beside me.

"Rivian." It doesn't come out as a question or a relief. It doesn't come out as much, honestly. If anything, it sounded more like pain.

Finally able to feel my limbs again, my head stops spinning and I push myself up to sit up straight against the wall. "Go to Hell," I say to him as I twist my head away to shake his hand off me.

Rivian stands, and I can hear him pace a few steps while he brings his hand up to his face to rub his jaw, the darkness fading as sunlight shifts through the small window.

"Cyn, I don't think you're in a position to fight against me right now. I understand that you might have some sour feelings toward me but-"

"But nothing, Rivian. You strung me around and took advantage of my trust for you. Trust I don't give to anyone . . . but I gave toyou." Sorrow grips my tone, and no matter how angry I plan to remain with him, I can't help but let the strength of my other emotions fight for presence. And trust me, I'm irate with my husband's betrayal but more than anything . . . I'm heartbroken.

"You don't think I battled with that line I know I shouldn't have crossed?" Rivian spins around to face me. "The facts are, Lucynda, that my exigency in regard to your mother started way before I even knew you existed. Hell, way before you were even born. I can't possibly explain what crossing paths with you did to me."

"I can," I fight back the unwanted tears that well in my eyes. "Itruinedme. Just like you promised me." I look up at Rivian, watching him drown in my words and I know he feels my pain. "So, I guess you can sayI told you so."

"Do you think I wanted this? That I found it gratifying and entertaining to use you? All I knew was that I couldn't deny the pull I had to you, I wanted to be so selfishly obsessed that no one would ever see you again because you'd be locked away in my room, just you and me forever."

"But you craved revenge more.How touching." I don't have the energy to argue with him, and I know it's no use to do so. But I refuse to just sit here, already helpless as it is, and let him be the only one to say something.

"I cravedyoumore, Lucynda. And that's why I fought to push you away. I saw what love did to my mother. And I manufactured this deep-rooted hate for anyone who played a part in that. That is why I set out on a selfish path of destruction.And yes, I thought I could use you to push my plan further because the moment I saw your eyes, I knew you wereherdaughter. But I didn't know I would be tethered to you and not in some stupid vampiric lore kind of way. My soul burns for you, Lucynda and I'm sorry I-"

"Don't." I close my eyes and try to squeeze the feelings he thinks he can push onto me. "I don't want to hear your apology. Not now. I'm still…" It takes me more than a moment to process what I want to say and how I want to say it. I'm not quite sure what I intend to tell him. That I'm still hurt, still disappointed. That I felt differently before all of this happened and now, I despise him. "It's going to take time, Rivian. I trusted you. I…" I can't. I won't.

And I'm thankful that my eyes dropped to something near his feet, causing a distraction from what I was about to so foolishly blurt out.

"What are those?" I ask, looking down at something that looks like a plate with some kind of pastry on it.

I wait for Rivian to answer me, a deep sigh leaving his throat before gently kicking the little dish toward me. "Cookies. Thought you might need something of thicker sustenance."

The act seems so silly in the grand scheme of things. Look at us. I'm chained in the basement of his castle with the blood of so many covering my body, after I set his precious kingdom on fire because he used me in his plans to kill my mother.

"I just unleashed my rage on over two dozen innocent humans, and you greet me with cookies?" I giggle in confusion. "Thegenerosity." My tone is sarcastic, and with intention.

None of this is funny. But how am I supposed to act? None of what I've been through in the last few days alone can be classified as anything genuinely normal and laughter is all I can think to provide right now.

I look down at the cookies, my mouth watering at the sight of them. I've never really been one to fancy the sweeter things in life, often opting for the salty or savory options. But I won't deny, I am starved. And I would really like to sink my teeth into something.

"How do I know they're not poisoned?" I ask, nodding my head to the plate of cookies.

"Not poison," he says surely. But there's a hint of something more in his voice. "They've been baked with a cure."

His words make me pause for just a few moments and I sit up a little straighter, intertest piqued.

"For vampirism?" My question sounds eager, like maybe there is hope in the simplicity of something as small as cookies.

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