Page 51 of Our Little Monster
I couldn’t trust him. He was keeping things from me, and if he was, they all were. But he had also killed them and saved me,again. Why?
The air felt heavy, as if every breath we took drew us closer, the space between us narrowing with each passing moment.
“Serina, I meant what I said that we would never hurt you,” he swore, and just from the look in his eyes I knew he was telling the truth.
But fuck, now I knew there were things they were keeping from me.
His gaze, intense and unwavering like a fire, bore into mine, creating a bridge that spoke volumes in the silence. It was a dance of desire and distrust.
Reckless… So fucking reckless.
He brought one of his hands up to cup my cheek, his gaze never leaving mine. My stake never moving from his chest.
The only space between us was the wedge of the wood.
“If this is how I go, it’s worth it,” he whispered against my lips.
I was stunned for a moment, unable to move, to think as he readied to close the space between our bodies.
Was he willing to stake himself to prove a point to me? Or try to kiss me?
Ever so softly, he moved his hand to the back of my head to place his forehead against mine, the stake already starting to dig further into the skin of his chest.
And then he eliminated the space between us. I had to drop the stake to prevent it from hurting him further, and I did. I didn’t know why I did, but I fucking did. I should kill him for keeping things from me. Kill all of them.
But if I ever wanted to find out the truth, I would need him—themalive.
Time seemed to suspend, and the world around us fading into the background. His fingers traced the curve of my jaw, sending a cascade of shivers down my spine. There was a subtle intensity building, a magnetic pull that drew us closer with each passing heartbeat.
The softness of his touch, the mingling of our breaths, the power of his gaze peering into my fucking soul as if heknewme.
He didn’t kiss me, but his body was flush against mine and his lips were only a breath away. As if he only wanted to prove his point that I wouldn’t kill him. The ruthless Serina Velika, dropping the stake, letting a Vampire near her, touch her, breathe her air.
It was a brave gamble, but he had won.
I fisted at his chest, gripping his leather jacket to push him back. I needed space.What the hell is happening to me?
“Is something wrong?” he asked, his voice breathy, his eyes closed.
I placed my feet back on solid ground and used the wall to steady myself before I spoke. “Yes,” I murmured.
“What's wrong?” he whispered.
“I-I don’t know… I don’t want whatever that was,” I stumbled through my lie. A part of me wanted everything—all of him. Hell, maybe even all of them as I thought about it.
But I couldn’t be with him. No, I couldn’t be with any of them. How could I?
Especially not now… Not now that there were things they were keeping from me.
He didn’t look even the slightest bit disappointed as he whispered, “Yet…” against the shell of my ear before he backed all the way off of me from the wall.
He turned and started walking back in the direction that we parked the car. It took me a minute to gather my bearings, letting the breeze cool my heated skin.
I’m fucked, was my last thought before I started following Nox back to the car.
16
Serina
