Page 24 of Blood Bought

“He won’t be shy about it. It will though, I’ve given multiple humans one, some just choose to never use it. Some denied me outright. I just think it should be the person’s decision if they want their thoughts heard... unless they’re mated, of course. No spell can block that.”

“Mated?” I asked, licking my lips quickly. “Brander mentioned mates... I have to run, but I have about a million questions for you. If I promise to wear the bracelet, can I see you again soon?”

“Of course. Just hold it close and call my name, it’s tethered to my magic. Enjoy your dinner.”

That only raised more questions, but for now, I thanked her again and practically sprinted up to Alaris’ room. I didn’t remember until I was standing right outside his door that I was supposed to be the onebringingthe dinner, so I cussed loudly and ran all the way back to the kitchens to get the trays, then prayed to gods I no longer believed in that they weren’t angry with me for being so late.

“Alaris?” I called when I got there. “My hands are full, would you mind opening the d—”

He yanked the door open with a confused expression. “Didn’t hear you coming or I would have opened it. What do I smell?”

I huffed. “I bathed. If you’re asking about dinner, I don’t know. I grabbed the trays and ran up here.” I let myself in, setting the trays down and staring wide-eyed at the vibrator just sitting there. “Um...”

“Adalind,” he growled, eyes locked on the bracelet. “What is that?”

“I could ask you the same question,” I countered, though the anger in his voice was sending a chill down my spine. “It’s just a bracelet so I can keep my thoughts to myself for once. I’m tired of being told the whole castle can hear me.”

“They can’t,” he argued. “Everyone is busy with their own lives, they’re not listening to your thoughts. Even I can hardly hear you unless you call to me or we’re in the same room. We’re not gods, we can’t hear all, see all.”

“Oh.” I softened a little. “Still, I don’t think it’s too much to want some privacy. She told me you were going to be mad about it.”

“She?” he deadpanned. “As in Azel.” Alaris walked over to me and reached for it, growling when it burned his hand and made his fangs pop out. “Of course it does. Fine—” he wrung out his hand— “privacy. All I wanted to see was how you felt about your new toy.”

I watched his fangs retract before my eyes, but my fear didn’t exactly go with it.

“I’ll enjoy it a lot more knowing I won’t be overheard. Thank you, Alaris. Nice to know you’ll at least share me with an inanimate object.”

He rolled his eyes again. “Sit. Eat with me.”

Alaris plopped down and started pulling off the lids, eyeing me with an annoyed expression he couldn’t hide.

“Are you going to tell me why you dumped Azel years before she expected you to?” I asked, listening and sitting down a couple of chairs away from his. “Or should I ask her myself when I see her again?”

My seat choice only seemed to annoy him further. “Really? You want to know about my ex?”

“I want to know why she’s under the impression it was my fault,” I admitted, then decided to appease him at least a little and moved right next to him. “If she’s going to stab me in my sleep, I’d like to at least know why. She seemed like she wasn’t over you.”

“She won’t. She doesn’t kill humans, Sweets. I broke up with her because I was told you were coming early. As soon as her and I started anything, I told her one day I would leave her. She knew that going in. She doesn’t have the right to blame you. She already had her fun getting me back with the fucking stoner.”

I carefully set my fork down and chewed slowly, staring at him, thankful as all hell that for once, my thoughts were my own. “Alaris, why would it matter that I was coming early?”

“Because my father said you’d be brought here regardless of your mother’s debt, so I told her she had until you came, then... wait, do you mean like why does it matter at all? Why I can’t have a girlfriend and you?”

“Ding ding,” I said, leaning back in my seat. “Especially given that we’ve established I’m just your bait.”

He glanced up at me with hungry eyes, then shoved a giant piece of steak into his mouth to stall, not speaking again until it was gone. “I didn’t know you’d choose to be bait.”

None of this is fucking helpful, Alaris.“Ah, right. Handcuffed and taken from my home, tossed in a cell and starved for days, you lied about your identity to spy on me and then punished the first person who was nice to me. Can’t imagine why I made that decision, right?” I huffed, rubbing my eyes. “So what, you just assumed the second I got here I’d fall on my knees for you and we’d just... live happily never after?”

The plate he was eating off of was hitting the wall before I realized what was happening, and he was standing above me with a snarl. “Get out.”

I didn’t have time to be snarky or respond with my usual brand of bravado — I’d crossed a line, and there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that he’d kill me if I didn’t go. My feet barely cooperated as I snuck under his arm and stumbled to the door, and if I hadn’t been even more afraid of the Faint Wood than I was of him... I’d have never stopped running.