Page 61 of Fated

“I’m good,” he replied casually. “It takes about a week before I start getting uncomfortable side effects—mood swings, headaches, cravings, and even then, I can go another week before I’m—murderous.” He let his fangs slide out and my eyes widened at the sight, a flush creeping up my neck, catching me completely off guard.

Ash smirked at my reaction, but then his tone turned serious as he continued. “It’s one way Agidius controls the kingdom. He starves them, then rations the blood to keep them in line. Cruel but effective.”

“That’s awful,” I muttered.

“Guess who I ran into on my way to the cafeteria?” He smoothly changed the subject.

My head tilted, clueless. “Who?”

“Your little boyfriend and his brother,” he teased.

It took me a moment to realize who he meant. “Fin and Keo?” My face lit up at the thought of the two boys.

“You should have seen the look on Fin’s face when he saw you weren’t with me. The poor boy was heartbroken.”

I rolled my eyes though I couldn’t help but smile. Instinctively, I went to reach for my phone, but quickly remembered where I was. “What time is it?”

Ash pointed to a clock across the room on the wall. “It’s eleven. Breakfast was over when I got to the cafeteria, so I went back to compel the cook. As soon as she saw me, she nearly gave me a damn heart attack—came running, screaming at the top of her lungs before grabbing my face and planting a very wet kiss on my forehead.” He wiped his brow as if still feeling the remnants of it. “After that, she said she’d make me whatever I wanted.”

I snorted. “Seems like you’re quite popular down here.”

“I don’t know.” Ash glanced toward the door and rubbed the back of his head.

My eyes wandered over him. It was clear he had been up for a while. I guessed he had showered by the lingering scent of fresh soap mixed with something woodsy, and he was already dressed in his usual black.

“I was thinking—it’s so strange.” I said. “My world and this one are completely different planets, yet they still have so much in common.”

He looked at me curiously.

“Well, I mean, the buildings are similar, the people behave more or less the same … They speak the same way. And your motorcycle looks a heck of a lot like the ones on my planet.”

He tilted his head, his eyes distant as he stared at the door. “I never really thought about it,” he admitted, still distracted.

Suddenly, his face lit up, a mischievous spark in his eyes. “So, it’s your last day as a human. I have a surprise for you later tonight.”

My stomach did a little flip. “What kind of surprise?”

“You’ll find out later—that’s how surprises work.” He flashed another grin.

I rolled my eyes. “What about you? It’s possibly your last day as a … ripper. Is there anythingyouwant to do?”

His smile faded, a flash of sadness overtaking his eyes. “I would’ve loved to fly one more time. It’s hard to imagine my life without my wings but I don’t think the locals would take well to seeing a stranger flying around their city.”

The hint of true sorrow in his voice tugged at my heart. Somehow, I’d never considered the fact he would lose his wings. They were such an intrinsic part of who he was.

“I’m sorry about your wings.” I offered.

“Maybe I’ll gain some new cool superpower to make up for it.” He shrugged, forcing out a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

I lightly touched his arm. “It will be all right, Ash.”

He nodded, but an uneasiness lingered on his face.

A dull throb began pulsing in my temple, and I rubbed my forehead, sighing. “I don’t think I’ve ever gone this long without coffee.”

His eyes flicked to me, and without a word, he stood and took the empty tray of food.

“I’ll let you get ready,” he said, though he lingered a moment before speaking again.“Madam Pearl stopped me downstairs. She asked me to tell you to come see her at noon. She also said itwas up to you if I joined you …” His gaze dropped and his throat bobbed.

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