Chapter 138

The effect of the alcohol seemed to have vanished from Laura immediately, and she pulled away, angry.

"You snapped at me?"

Delice already felt sorry.

"Laura, I'm just a little tired and---"

"Well, you are supposed to be there with me, no matter what! I'm going through one of the toughest moments of my life and you are snapping at me?"

"Laura, I apologize. I'm just in a terri---"

"You are being selfish by not comforting me. Do you know how it feels to be cheated on?"

Delice was stunned.

Of course, she knew. Laura and Oliver made her understand that feeling perfectly.

Laura's claws dug slightly into Delice's wrists, tears dancing at the brim of her lower eyelids.

"Oliver is cheating on me, and you are snapping at me, when I came to you with my problems? This isn't how a good friend should be. Honestly," she paused, her voice hard, "I'm very disappointed in you, Delice. You are my priority, I do everything for you. I deserve to be your priority too."

Somewhere along that, Laura's tears had vanished. She set Delice's wrists free, then left.

The words were too much, and Delice knew that something was wrong with them, but Laura was the only one she had, the pillar that held her life together, the only vampire she had gone most of her life with. They filled in the gaps in each other's lives.

She couldn't lose her.

So, she ran after her to play the fool and keep the cycle of their toxic friendship from breaking.

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Valerick had been a great host.

He had asked them how their journey went, asked them if they needed anything, and showed them where the food stand was in case they were hungry.

"I have asked my servants to prepare you two rooms, for you to pass the night, and a carriage for you to leave tomorrow morning." He concluded.

"Tomorrow morning?" Zezi exclaimed. "But we have a lot of things to discuss, I miss them."

"They will leave tomorrow evening then."

There was no arguing with him and winning on this was impossible, not with George in the mix. She knew that, so she nodded, not saying another word about it.

"Please, make yourself comfortable. Nicholas will be at your service for anything you need."

Just like that, Nicholas was here again. He groaned in displeasure very lowly as he joined them.

"Your Majesties." He bowed slightly in greeting before turning to the guests. "Good evening, Nicholas at your service."

He obviously hated this and Valerick knew that, but he ignored him, suppressing a smile.

He was just so happy tonight, he couldn't really be mad about anything.

"If you'll excuse us."

Zezi's eyes darted to Aunt Alice at Valerick's words, signaling to her to carry Mira who had already fallen asleep on her shoulder.

"Wait, Zezi. I have a gift for you." George spoke for the first time since they had seen each other tonight.

Zezi's body tensed up. She knew he was judging her and she could understand. They had been through torture and hell together, and here she was, next to the King of the creature bringing more of that to them; next to that creature as his Queen and mate.

She had promised him she would come back, but now they both knew that was impossible.

"For you." He took a step forward, and stretched out the gift bag to her and she took it.

Inside the bag was a gun framed in glass. She would recognize the initials carved on it anywhere.

That was her first gun, it wasn't so good anymore but she had kept it for the memories it gave her.

"George this is wonderful! Thank you for bringing it to me."

"I knew you'd love it. We are too close for me not to figure out a good gift for you that will make you genuinely happy."

Zezi tensed up and it became he j awkward when Valerick's hand tightened around her waist. "Oh, well, it's good to see the gun again."

She laughed. If she did that, maybe this moment would fade away angd everyone would move on. She could feel Valerick go rigid around her and she didn't want him doing anything that she would regret, especially not in front of Mira.

"How about you give that to Nicholas, my love? It is time for you to see my gift and you are going to need both hands for it."

Nicholas took the gift. Aunt Alive took Mira from her before he could.

"Well, she has other gift---"

His words ceased and he went pale, the veins in his neck bulging before he finally regained himself, nearly stumbling away if not for Aunt Alice's help.

It had happened so fast, and Zezi had turned just in time to see the black lines retreating into Valerick's skin, fading away.

"They can wait." Then he turned to Zezi with a fanged smile. "Come, darling."

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The tall doors of what seemed like a hall clicked shut and before Zezi could turn and assess the slightly echoey hall they had stepped in, Valerick had pulled her to him by her waist. Her palms were pressed flat against his chest, acting as a weak barrier between them.

He was leaning in too close though and weakness threatened to pay her knees a visit.

The racing of her heart must fill his ears, her shaky breath must be more than enough confirmation to him, if the bond wasn't already exposing her to him with the connection they shared.

It was pointless to resist this effect he had on her, yet she tried. Over and over again, she tried.

"You really like that weapon. I felt your excitement in my veins." He paused, his eyes darkening. "Why? Are you planning to use it to dig a hole through my head, darling?"

Zezi stared back at him for a couple of seconds before she laughed. "What? No." She patted his chest playfully, a smile still on her face as she explained, her voice relaxed and peaceful. "It was my first gun. I used it for my first kill and it is just so special to me."

He smiled and.. she liked it.

His smile.

"What was your first kill?" Valerick asked, his eyes searching hers.

"A rogue that wanted to attack Mira, when we found her in the forest close to our pack. A little sick baby in a basket, and a bad, mad wolf."

Humour glimmered in her eyes and her delight reflected in his.

What he would give for them to always be like this.

He knew she was just caught in the moment, a moment he would certainly explode so she could see the potential they had, the great thing they could be together.

"So you shot him?"

She nodded, feeling proud of herself and enjoying how he watched her with pride.

But alas, the intensity of the moment reminded her that she was supposed to hate him. So, she cleared her throat, and put on a blank stare.

The risk of forming a bond deeper than they already had loomed over her head.

No way! She was stronger than this urge, whatever it was.

Trailing a finger on his chest, she stopped it right where his dead heart laid beneath, and dug her claw into it.  "Right here."

She was desperate for him to do something terrible, something to remind her that what she was doing was right, something from him.

Instead, his hand curled around hers and pulled it away, his right hand still anchoring her waist, like she had done nothing to him.

Instead, his eyes darkened, and the intoxicating scent of lust filled the air.

By the Moon. She wasn't trying to turn him on.

"That is very good, Zezi. I wish I had been there to see you, bathed in your prey's blood."

She froze a single claw trailed down her throat, igniting flames of desire in its path. She hadn't expected what he had said to have this effect on her.

This vampire was altering her brain, or maybe it was just his unfiltered feelings that were rushing through her veins that she couldn't help but surrender to.

"How breathtaking you must have looked."

Fuck.