Page 25 of Cursed Heirs

I tugged at my hair.

“Alena, I appreciate you continuing to check on my son, but he needs time now. Time away, unfortunately. A cool off period between the two of you.”

My gut twisted as his words were put out there, words I knew had needed to be spoken, but that were so incredibly difficult to hear.

The idea of being away from her, cut off fromusand what we shared, was painful.

But it was best for her safety.

She might be insanely powerful, but her human side made her vulnerable to injury. And her reactions couldn’t compare with those of a vampire, unfortunately. I could do her a great deal of damage before she even managed to call her magic to defend herself.

“I’m sorry,” I told her.

She waved her hand, putting on a brave face and responding, “No need for apologies, I get it. Whatever you need.”

“Thank you. You know, you should head back to the Academy. I’ll be fine here.” I gestured at my dad. “As you can see, he’s well enough to be with me now.”

She tried to hide her hurt that I was suggesting she go away, that she leave me, but I could see it and almost feel it from her too.

As much as I hated doing it, pushing her away like this… I had to.

For her safety, yes. But also because it would make it a little easier for her not to be so attached to me with what I was planning.

“So, this is a break?” she asked, like she couldn’t stand the taste of the words.

Neither could I.

Nevertheless, I pressed on, “Yes.”

“Xavier—”

“It needs to be, Alena.”

“I’m here for you in good timesandbad.”

“I don’t want you to be,” I uttered harshly, detesting the terseness I was putting out there, but knowing I needed to in order to make her go.

“After everything we’ve been through, how can you—”

“Without my magic, I’m not the man you fell for. I’m nothing.”

“Xavier,” my father said, shaking his head.

“It’s not true,” Alena told me.

“It is for me. And more than that, I don’t feel the same when it comes to us. I can’t feel much of anything.”

“But you said you need to keep me at a distance because—”

“Out of carnal desire and the thirst for your addictive fucking blood, Alena. That’s all. There’s no emotion there now. No care. It’s just how it is now.”

Tears pricked her eyes and I looked away. Her upset was fucking wretched to witness.

“All right,” she murmured. “A break that sounds much more like a breakup.”

“Then that’s what it is, what it needs to be,” I said, turning from her fully and folding my arms across my chest, staring at the damn wall.

I heard a sniffle, then her golden light erupted.

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