The nanny bowed her hear, unable to bow with the baby in her hand. I gave her a small smile.
“The infants get adopted quickly, so we don’t worry that much. It’s the older ones who face the rejection.” Ian said gently and then a loud cry startled us.
My eyes fell on the baby crying in the cot. My feet instinctively took me to the baby and I picked the little guy in my arms.
Huge watery grey eyes met mine and the baby fell silent, studying me closely. He was so cute and so chubby that I couldn’t even see his neck! Babies are so cute!
The picture of a baby with Nik’s grey eyes and my deep brown hair flashed in my mind but I squashed that thought as soon as it appeared. I can’t get pregnant. Not unless I want to die. And the thought of being apart from Nik pains me. As selfish as it sounds, I would rather have Nik than a child.
I caressed the baby’s cheek. So soft. So cute.
Eliyah
After we were done at the orphanage, Avalyn decided to go to the school. We were on our way, passing through a road which had very few houses. The other ones were still being built.
“Pull over.” She suddenly said. I did and then she jumped out, “I’ll be right back, stay put,” and then walked to the other side of the road. That’s when I saw an old lady carrying two bags that looked too heavy. Two other bags were on the ground and she was helping her. I hadn’t even noticed the old woman. The guards immediately stepped out to help her. Tessa and I stayed put as she asked.
I had been living among supernaturals since the day I had been born. Never in my twenty five years of age have I seen a supernatural-a living being as kind as her. If there was a problem, she’d try to solve it, if someone was sad, she’ll talk to them and try to make it better. And then hug them, not caring about their stature or specie or any background. If the person had a soul, it was enough for her.
Her hugs were like what I imagine a mother’s hug would feel like. Not that I would know. My mother didn’t care about me. She had several other kids to take care of and birth. I had more siblings than I bothered to count.
Avalyn’s sympathy hug was the first hug of my life. A touch that though not wanted in the beginning, was a touch for my benefit and not for someone else’s pleasure. After everything I had been through, I had become numb to the cruel ways. She made me feel again. That day, I realised that she actually cared for me. And since that moment, I had decided that she was the only person worth caring for. I had taken a silent oath when she had hugged me and offered me the comfort I never knew I needed or wanted-I will protect her with my life.
Not that it counted. I was weak. I was strong inside the arena, but outside of it, I was fragile. I hated it. And I knew what I wanted to do to change it.
What’s taking them so long? I stepped out of the car. It had been about five minutes since Avalyn and those guards had carried the bags inside the house.
“She has the tendency to talk to people a bit. She’ll be out in some time.” Tessa have her unwanted opinion. I knew she liked me the second she saw me. I knew the way she saw me and the way her gaze lingered on me. I fucking hated it. I fucking hated women who looked at me like they wanted to eat me up. Their eyes made my skin crawl. I’m a goddamn man and not a fucking boy toy. A guy looks at her like he wants to fuck her-the same way she looks at me, she’ll make a disgusted face and hide behind Avalyn’s skirt.
Everyone sees the problem female slaves face. Males are ignored. Because ‘men can take pain’. Because ‘all men like sex and like to be touched’. Fucking bullshit. I never want to be fucking touched ever again. I never want to have fucking sex again. I thought I never wanted to kill again too. But killing Adira gave me more satisfaction that all the orgasms I’ve had in my entire life combined. And now I wanted to kill for Avalyn too.
And right now, my hands itched to kill again. Something was wrong. I could feel it. I took out the brief case from beneath the car seat and took out the gun and walked to the house.
“What are you doing?” Tessa shouted in her typical shrill, overly concerned voice, rushing after me.
“Shut the fuck up.” I grunted.
I stopped outside the door.
No sound.
I opened it and stepped inside.
No sound.
The house had an open layout with the basic couch, television and a mini kitchen in the corner. But there were no guards. No old lady.
And no Avalyn.