Page 74 of The Bonds of Nyx

My throat tightened unexpectedly. “I was told by Elias that you needed to see me.”

Maeve straightened and, without another word, pulled a small vessel from a drawer in her desk. The shifter didn’t speak as Maeve lathered the small puncture holes with the paste.

“Thank you for your time today, Navya,” Maeve said, putting the vessel away. “You’ll start feeling better soon.”

The shifter, Navya, rose from the edge of the desk and shook out her arms. “Already feeling better. Your venom isn’t as strong as it used to be, Grey.”

My stomach twisted, and I couldn’t help but avert my eyes as the shifter quickly fixed her shirt. Maeve also didn’t respond to the comment. I wasn’t sure what it was about this that made mefeel so...uncomfortable. I knew that Maeve would have to feed from living people at some point and had to have fed from them before the invention of blood bags. So, what was it that made me irrationally angry?

Navya paused before me and bowed her head, thumping her fist against her chest. “I’m sorry for your loss,” she said quietly, her brows furrowing as she frowned. “May your mother rest peacefully with Nyx.”

Before I could respond, she was gone, slipping out the open door and shutting it gently behind her. The corners of my eyes burned with the threat of tears, but I blinked them away rapidly.

“The tonic I promised,” Maeve said, her accent thicker than it normally was. I glanced up and found her holding a small blue vial, the liquid shimmering in the desk lamp’s waning light. My brows furrowed asI looked between her and the vial, and she continued, “It will help with the nightmares. This should hold them at bay until you complete your third mate bond.”

My heart clenched as I approached the desk and picked up the small bottle. “Thank you,” I replied, voice soft. I clutched the vial in my hand as I met her stare. “Really. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

Maeve gave a simple nod and stepped back, clasping her hands behind her back. “Drink a third tonight, a third tomorrow, and the rest the following night. It will take three days to fully settle in your system, according to Queen Greer, but it will help.”

A shiver raced down my spine at the coldness in her tone. “Okay.”

Our eyes met. There was a hardness in hers I didn’t recognise, one that made my heart crack a little. Like she didn’t trust me.

Walking in on her feeding was probably a taboo in her world.I swallowed the thickness in my throat. “Did I do something wrong?” I whispered. “I’m sorry about what just happened, and—”

Maeve blinked. For the first time since I walked in, another new emotion finally appeared on her stony face:surprise.

She shook her head. “Of course not. Why would you—”

“You’re acting like I might bite you or something,” I replied. “Like I’ve done something to upset you. And I understand if I have because I just wasn’t thinking when I walked in, and...”

I trailed off as scorching heat ran down my cheeks and neck. The vampire stared at me for a long moment, like she was unsure how to respond. The careful mask slipped back into place as her eyes searched mine.

“You have done nothing to upset me, Ivy.” I almost flinched but held myself together—or tried to, at least. “My apologies if I made you feel as such. What you witnessed here is completely normal, though not something I participate in regularly. Only when blood bags are unavailable.”

Part of me didn’t believe that was all. She was harder than she usually was. Sometimes, I caught a rare softness in her eyes that warmed me and gave me a sense of peace. I wanted to gauge her emotions, to understand what was running through her head. The need to know was a force I didn’t quite understand, but I was slowly realising that perhaps I wasn’t supposed to.

Maeve bowed her head, and moved, like she was prepared to ask me to leave. My heart crashed against my ribcage in warning. It knew I couldn’t leave until I got a response from her, until I understood her better.

She took a step, and without thinking, I jumped forward. “Wait!” I reached out as if to touch her but hesitated. “Please. Just—just talk to me for a moment.”

“Ivy, I—”

“Please.” Her entire body was wound so tight I expected her to run. She could escape this easily with her speed, but after an agonising beat of silence, her shoulders fell, and she turned to face me with a wary expression.

I swallowed hard and motioned to one of the chairs surrounding her desk. “Just sit with me for a few minutes,” I pleaded.

Maeve blew out a long breath and shook her head. “There is nothing wrong.Youdid nothing wrong.” Despite saying it like the talk was over, she sat anyway, and I took one of the chairs across from her. I fought the urge to reach out to her and tucked my hands into my lap.

“Then whatiswrong?” I asked carefully.

“You have to understand, I mustalwaysbe in control,” she stared, voice stiff. “It has been a long time since I lost control like that. And it never should have happened.”

My brows furrowed as I took in the defeated drop of her shoulders and the loathing in her striking eyes. I wracked my brain for a moment, trying to understand why she might be talking about a lack of control, when she continued.

“It hasn’t happened in years—the blood lust taking over me like it did. My intention had been to train and work through the plans for our departure, and in doing so, I ignored my hunger. That is no excuse, I know, and I apologise for frightening you. You never should have been in a position to see that.”

I stilled completely and cocked my head. “You’re sorry for what happened in the basement?” I asked quietly, wringing my hands to avoid reaching out to her again.

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