Page 50 of Viripotent

I want to throw up and lean against Vlad’s chest, falling silent again. He combs his fingers through my hair at my temple, breaking up the blood that has stuck the strands together as he massages my scalp and presses his palm over my ear.

The movement stops me hearing anything, not even my own breathing, and my voice is too low to flow through his hand.

“I’d just freeze, not understanding why he was staring at me or what the grunts meant. No one ever asked why my pajamas were cut and dedka would have killed my parents if he found out. He’d always say it, that if I tell anyone I’ll lose the only person I have.”

He would have done it too. My parents aren’t exactly hard to kill, and Grandfather would have been forced to choose between his reputation and me. My father has already weakened it, he would have disowned me for being broken, dirty. I’d be useless to him once the rumors started.

Soft lips brush my forehead as they move closer to my ear and Vlad lifts his palm enough for me to hear his promise.

“You’re marrying the devil. You won’t lose anyone.”

My laugh is more air than sound and his lips curve up against my skin as he adds.

“It’s your wedding present, meelaya.”

He keeps massaging my scalp, his fingertips gently making circles as he adds more promises.

“You’re my wife. No one will hurt you. As a Vartanova you’ll wear a crown outside of our vows.”

The scent of blood is strong and mixes with his own smell, lulling me into dangerous safety.

Pressing my lips to his cheek in the dark, I try to hide inside his chest and pass my gratitude to him. He lifts his palm offmy ear, the massaging doesn’t stop, and my eyes close at the comforting gesture. It’s soothing and I nearly miss the question as I bury my nose in his bloody neck.

“Is that why you don’t like being left behind?”

Nodding because I can’t trust my voice and I refuse to be weak any more than I have, he rests his cheek on my temple shielding my eyes from the lights as he starts the engine again.He doesn’t move me as he drives, and the engine noises cut out, replaced by a soft whirring as we continue moving.

My body isweightless and my chin drops as I’m carried into the elevator. I don’t have to open my eyes to know where I am with the familiar ping and the faint smell of cardamom, sandalwood, and copper fills me with comfort, telling me I’m safe. Warmth strokes across my shoulder before Vlad starts massaging my scalp again and there’s no exhaustion in his voice despite how late it is.

“I know you’re awake.”

He has to spoil my fun and I wriggle trying to get down. He holds me tighter, not allowing me to leave his arms and my eyes snap open at the command.

“Stop moving.”

I don’t and wriggle harder challenging him.

“Or what?”

Loosening his hold in response, my hands whip out, grabbing anything I can to stop my fall. He catches me easily and brings me back up with a dumb smirk on his face.

I don’t trust him not to drop me just to prove some stupid point and grab his shirt in my fist as my other hand holds his nape. I hope his shirt rips and my nails scar his neck.

“You’re not very funny.”

My pout is audible, and he shakes his head, muttering under his breath too low for me to hear. Fixing me with his stare, he doesn’t look away as we step out of the elevator and his monotonous voice comes out.

“Did you talk to yourself as a child?”

The weird question has my anger lessening and I shake my head, confused at what insult he’s going to come up with.

“You should have. It might have made you shut up more as an adult.”

Being immature when I don’t have anything to shout back, I look away from him and stutter out, “You’re not a nice person.”

Everything pauses and we stop moving as he throws his head back and laughs. It’s deep and vibrates though his body, making me shake in his arms. The laugh doesn’t die down and I’m staring at his lips, hoping it lasts forever. He tightens his arms around me and starts walking again as the joyous sound flows through his words.

“Fuck me, you’ve only just realized? I thought you were intelligent, meelaya.”

---