Page 90 of Fallen

Istayed in bed until the next afternoon. For the past week, I’d been buzzed on sex and the adrenaline that comes with falling in love. That had worn off right around the time Brien told me I didn’t need my own money or a passport. Because I was his slave. And no matter how special he said I was, he was a prince, and he saw me as thing to be owned, not his equal.

I felt like I’d jumped off that castle wall and crash-landed onto the rocks.

Time to get real. My heart was bruised, that was all.

It would recover. Someday.

Meanwhile, I needed to wrap up the feelings I had for Brien and shove them into a box with a tight lid. They weren’t important, not compared to my halmoni and why I was here in the first place.

For some reason, Kuro had backed off. I hadn’t seen him since that day in the ballroom, which was over a week ago—maybe because he simply hadn’t been able to get close, since I’d been spending every moment with Brien and sleeping during the day. I also hadn’t received any other threatening notes.

How much longer would he hold off, though?

Ignoring the breakfast tray in the living room, I dragged on joggers and a cropped shirt and went for a walk with Pinky, who was fast becoming a good friend.

Today, though, even she couldn’t cheer me up. “Is something the matter?” she asked.

I shrugged. “Just tired, is all.”

Her warm brown eyes crinkled at the corners. “Brien keeping you up all night?”

“Well, yeah.”

She nudged me with her elbow. “Tell him you need some sleep, girlfriend,” she said, grinning. “He’ll wear you out otherwise.”

I somehow managed an answering smile.

We were supposed to eat lunch with some of the other thralls, but I begged off, grabbing some bread, cheese and an apple from the kitchen instead so I could eat in my suite. After lunch, I tried to read, but I couldn’t get into the book. I closed my eyes and the next thing I knew I was asleep.

When I woke up a couple of hours later, I was still tired, but I made myself get off the couch. I brewed myself a cup of coffee and carried it into the secret garden.

While I was napping, thick rainclouds had moved in, throwing dark shadows over the castle. I was still in the same cropped shirt and joggers I’d worn for the walk with Pinky. I told myself that’s why I felt chilled, all the way to my silly, wanting-something-it-could-never-have heart.

I lowered myself onto a flat rock next to the waterfall, legs folded yoga-style, gazing at the koi and sipping coffee.

God, I was such a cliché. The slayer who’d fallen in love with a vampire.

But it was time to stop fooling myself. While I’d been falling in love, Brien had been fucking his shiny-new thrall.

Demon padded up and crouched next to my leg, staring at the fish, tail twitching. I stroked her narrow back, and her throat rumbled in a surprisingly loud purr for such a small animal.

I smiled. The little white cat had wormed her way into my heart. She reminded me of my friend Renata. Neither took any crap from anyone, but once you won their trust, you had a friend for life.

If only I could talk to Renata, ask what she’d do if she were me. But I already knew the answer, because she’d done it when SI had sent her after Zaq Kral. Rather than slay an innocent man, she’d risked everything to help him.

You have to tell Brien the truth.

The voice in my head sounded a lot like Renata.

“Yeah, yeah,” I said under my breath. “I know.”

Demon’s black ear twitched, although she remained focused on the fish. I felt a sliver of envy. If only life were that simple. She was a predator; they were prey. If she ever caught one, she’d show no mercy.

But I wasn’t like that.

He needs to know why you’re really here.

“But what about my halmoni?”

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