Nikolai
After searching for Adrik all night, we had found nothing. Absolutely nothing. No scent, no trail. We just knew he was there. There was a slight lingering scent under the canopy tree. Avalyn had popped his eyeball out of his socket. And the squashed eyeball was lying on the floor with drops of blood around it.
I was so fucking proud of her.
I wanted to talk to her. I wanted to talk to her earlier, I wanted to keep her near me all night, especially after I heard what happened. But fucking Eli took her back on the ATV. I didn’t even need that thing. My legs are just fine, thanks.
I knew how to control my scent. It travelled through air. So I kept it contained around my body and didn’t let it float away. And that is exactly what I was doing as I paced outside Eliyah’s room, wondering if I should go in or not.
She was injured. In ways that I hadn’t imagined. I wasn’t thinking about anything other than the fact that I wanted her around me more. Especially when I saw her horrified eyes when she was back in our bedroom. I thought that being around me would calm her down. But I ended up hurting her more.
Just because we weren’t mates anymore didn’t mean I didn’t care about her. I wanted to hurt her, yes, because I was still fucking furious that she hurt me like she did, but it had to be on my own terms, not like this, never like this.
Which is why I needed to make sure she was okay.
And then I heard a whimper. “No. No… please no… stop…” and then her soft cries, “please…red…”
I slammed open the door and stepped inside, looking at Avalyn lying in the middle of the bed, tears pouring out of her eyes and her sweat coated body struggled in the bed.
Eliyah was trying to shake her awake since what seemed like a long time. “Avalyn, wake up!”
He hadn’t seen me yet, his entire focus was on her. And she wasn’t waking up. The normal style never seemed to work whenever she was having a nightmare. Only I worked.
“Avalyn!” I snapped in my Master tone.
Her eyes, like always, snapped open and then she sighed and closed her eyes, covered her face with her hands and began crying.
I leaned back on the wall and stuffed my hands in my pocket to stop them from doing something stupid.
“What are you doing here?” Eliyah asked, an undertone of anger in his voice.
“Doing what you can’t do.” I replied.
“Like what? Hurting her and trying find new ways to do so every single day?” He hissed.
“Watch your fucking tone.” I said with no heat as I kept my eyes on Ava. “Why didn’t you tell me?” My voice sounded accusing.
Her hands lowered from her face and she looked at me. “Tell you what?”
“Everything that happened with Adrik.”
When she realised that I had heard their entire conversation, her eyes were spitting fire at me as she screamed. “Why? Why would I tell you? You wouldn’t even have cared!”
Her words angered me, hurt me so I hurt her right back. “Of course I wouldn’t care.” I scoffed. “But keeping things to yourself affected the investigation.”
Her face crumpled in pain.
“I doubt that since you ended up hearing our entire conversation.” Eliyah interjected, his eyes red and his vampire itching for blood.
I flashed my canines at him and his eyes lowered.
“Anyways. I would like to apologise. I didn’t know you were hurt. It was not my motive to hurt you.” My fists clenched in my pockets as I waited for her next words.
I needed to hear her say that it was okay. And that she accepted my apology. I needed her to know that I was saying the truth. I meant what I said.
“It wasn’t your motive to hurt me?” She cracked, her voice low but rough, like it hurt her to speak. “It wasn’t your motive to hurt me?” She repeated, her voice loud and hard. “Don’t lie to me! That’s exactly what you wanted!” She screamed, her eyes wild. “You want to hurt me. You always hurt me. Always.”
My body vibrated with anger. She thought that. And why wouldn’t she? It’s true. I hurt her. That’s all I do. That’s what I’m good at.
That’s what she expects of me. So that’s what she is going to get.
“You must be a sick masochist then. Since you always come back begging for more.” I pushed myself off the wall and walked out.
It was four thirty in the fucking morning and I’m all charged up. There was so much energy in me that I was practically bouncing on my feet.
Valerie isn’t even here to siphon it out of me. I’m sure as hell isn’t asking Avalyn.
I didn’t feel like working out. It didn’t help. And no one was strong enough to spar with me without it being fatal for them.
I walked out of the west wing. Searching for something I can use to exhaust myself.
A few vampires were roaming around and the guards were on their duty. The slaves were cleaning the palace.
I turned around a corner and a particular slave caught my eye.
I can get fucking laid.
It’s been too long.
Ever since Ava was pregnant and when I was in that other world. Ten months. Seven years. Whatever the fuck it was.
“You.” I called.
She stiffened before she turned around and looked at me. I looked at her face. She would do. She immediately bowed. “Alpha King Nikolai. How may I help you?”
“Follow me.” I said and walked towards the guest bedrooms. I entered one and started unbuckling my jeans.
“Alp-”
“Shut up. Lock the door. Strip. Kneel.”