I rewound my thoughts, playing events over in my mind, trying to figure it out.
This started the night we had sex,I thought.The night before that happened, he protected me from that robber. He put his arm around me when I was scared. He was kind and sympathetic to me during my heat, and even had sex with me to sate the urges.
The change had to have occurred then. I felt incredibly smug for figuring it out. Adriel thought he was so smart, but I could see through him like glass.
I was halfway to storming up to his room and knocking on the door, demanding answers, when I realized how brash I was being.
What was I going to do? Just demand he tell me the truth?
Yes,I thought with determination.That’s exactly what I’m going to do.
His door was closed. I raised my fist and banged on it a few times. Only then did the cold dread hit me. Not only was I about to confront my idol, but I was confronting an extremely powerful alpha vampire.
We had sex the other night, and he didn’t kill me, so I’m sure it’ll be fine,I thought hesitantly.
Adriel opened the door in one quick movement. His arms were crossed. “What is it?”
I forced myself to meet his eyes. They glinted like obsidian.
“Tell me honestly. Don’t hold anything back,” I said to him.
Adriel stared at me, as tall and unmoving as an obelisk.
“That’s what you told me. Earlier. That night we had sex,” I continued. “Those wereyourwords.”
His eyes widened for a moment. He spoke calmly. “Yes, I did say that.”
“So why…” Anxiety gripped me. I’d wanted to know the answer desperately just seconds ago, but now I was afraid. Terrified. “Why aren’t you telling me the truth now?”
Adriel uncrossed his arms, letting them settle at his sides. When he took a step closer to me, I backed up.
“Did you know,” Adriel began in a quiet voice, “that a human has never stood up to me this way before?”
A lump caught in my throat. He took a long stride closer to me, and I backed away again. The force of his intimidating aura flooded the hallway, and I suddenly felt very small and insignificant.
“Answer me, Caleb,” Adriel demanded.
“No, I - I didn’t know that,” I mumbled. My nerve dissolved. I was a squashable bug under his burning, unreadable gaze.
“You knew I wanted to be left alone,” Adriel said, “and yet you stormed up here, full of yourself, and demanded my attention. Did you not?”
I began to tremble. “Yes.”
In that moment, I was more afraid of Adriel than I’d ever been of Margaret. My body froze, unable to move except for backing myself up against the wall with no way of escape.
Am I going to die here?
Adriel’s arms shot out on either side of me, effectively caging me against the wall. I whimpered. As he towered over me, a smirk appeared on his lips.
“Humans are so predictable,” he said.
I swallowed loudly.
“But…”
Then Adriel did something I didn’t expect. He gently cupped my face, lifted it, and pressed his lips to mine.
I couldn’t move. I couldn’t think. All I knew was the euphoric feel of Adriel’s mouth against my own. Blood rushed to my head, turning my cheeks hot and my mind hazy.
