Page 69 of Promised in Blood

His sigh is deep and weary. “Go to bed.”

The relief that floods the room is like a wave. But before I can move, he puts a hand on my shoulder. “Not you.”

Double fucking shit.

My co-conspirators cast me a worried glance.

“I said go to bed,” Alexandros orders.

“But what about Xavier?” Ophelia asks, her hand still clasped in mine.

“Xavier and I have something to discuss. Now leave us.”

A second later, we are alone. I stare at him, wondering if this is it. Did I finally push him over the edge? At least with me out of the way, he only has to share Ophelia with Axl and Malachi.

“That you believe me capable of such cruelty does not surprise me, Xavier.” He cuts through my thoughts. “However, that you believe me capable of such cruelty toward you and to Ophelia and your brothers by depriving them of you…” He draws a deep breath through his nose. “That saddens me.”

“So you’re not going to kill me?”

He inches closer, and I feel the heat radiating from his body. It warms me in ways that it shouldn’t. “If I were going to kill you for defying me, it would have happened a long time ago, would it not?”

I shrug, feeling too vulnerable under his scrutiny. “I guess.”

“Tell me what she did in the woods. How she evaded you all.”

I swallow. “She read about a spell that manipulates air to mask scent and emotions, and that’s what she used.”

He hums. “You could not trace her at all?”

I shake my head. “But we could still speak to her. We knew she was safe.”

His anger threatens to boil over once more, and he sucks in air between his teeth. “Anyone could have been masking themselves in those woods. All it would have taken was a moment, and she would have been gone. Within the grounds of this campus, there is a measure of protection, but outside of the boundaries of the university, Xavier…”

I swallow. He’s right, and I hate admitting that we put her in danger simply for the thrill of chasing her. But I don’t need to admit it aloud for him to know.

He sighs. “Her powers grow quickly, and soon she will be teaching you how to control your mind.”

“Yeah, she’s too smart for me.” I give a self-deprecating laugh.

“No.” He shakes his head. “She is powerful and smart, but you underestimate yourself, Xavier. You always have.”

I regard him with suspicion. This feels like a test rather than a punishment.

“Oh, this is a test.” He runs a hand over his beard. “Anda punishment.”

He grabs my throat, pulling me close so our chests are pressed flush together. “But if you ever openly defy me like that in front of your brothers again, Xavier, I will not be so lenient.”

I swallow nervously. “Yes sir.”

“Close your mind to me,” he orders.

I frown. I wish I fucking could. “I can’t. You know that.”

“Try.”

I close my eyes and feel him inside my head, searching my thoughts. And now my memories. He flicks through them like images on a cell phone. Going back to my life when I was a human.

My heart rate spikes. “No.” I don’t want to see even a snapshot of that time.

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