“His guilt turned into fixation,” he says quietly. “He didn’t fall in love with Nell—heformedher. Shaped the world around her until she fit the space he’d already carved out for himself.”
“That’s not true,” I say sharply. “Lucian loved?—”
But the words falter.
Because I think of the way Lucian used to mesmerize me when I was human to make me second guess myself. How he plans around me. Anticipates my needs before I voice them. The way my life has been quietly, efficiently rearranged since the moment he stepped into it.
Santiago sees the hesitation. He leans into it.
“Do you really think Nell would’ve stayed with him if she’d known the truth?” His voice drops. “She thought he was her savior. But Lucian was the demon who destroyed her life, then stayed close enough to pull her from the wreckage. He created the chaos, Elliot, and then positioned himself as the only thing that could save her from it.”
I force my face into stillness, even as doubt coils tight and ugly in my chest.
“He didn’t mean to love her,” he murmurs. “Just like he didn’t mean to love you. But once Lucian decides something belongs to him…” His gaze flicks to my throat. “He doesn’t let go.”
“No,” I say again, louder this time. “I don’t believe you.”
Santiago’s eyes spark. “You’re allowed to deny it, of course. But patterns are hard to ignore. A tragedy. A disappearance. A truth softened until it can be mistaken as kindness. And then Lucian steps in, offering answers only he controls. He keeps the rest locked away, convinced it is protection.”
I swallow hard, heat climbing to my ears. His words are poison, seeping in despite myself.
“All I’m saying,” Santiago says with mock innocence, “is that if Lucian could do it once—reshape the truth around Nell—why wouldn’t he do it again to keep you?”
Kayla.
I can’t help but think about how Lucian took his time finding out what happened to her. How he hadn’t said a word about her being killed. How he was there when I thought I smelled her perfume at VMR and stopped me from looking for her.
And the way there’s always this unshakable feeling that he’s keeping things from me.
“As I said before, Elliot, you’re smart. Smarter than Nell was by far. I can’t see you letting him manipulate things for long,” he says. “You can step out of the cycle. Stop letting him manage every aspect of your life. Use your immortality to do more. I can help you there. Sanguine would welcome you.”
I pause.Have I just been another Nell to Lucian?
“Maybe you should ask yourself, Elliot…” He steps closer to me. “This…Kayla. Are you sure she’s dead?”
I don’t take my case or my pack when I leave my apartment after my run-in with Santiago. His words won’t leave me alone.
He’s far from innocent in the manipulation department. I’m sure he was embellishing some things to get me on his side, but flat-out lying? I’m not sure.
The things he said about Nell and me and Kayla—it rings true.
I should ask Lucian outright, but would it even matter? I can’t trust him.
When Andrew and I get back to VMR, it’s like a ghost town.
I don’t know where everyone is.
Everyone I want to talk to, that is.
Lucian.
The elevator to his VMR floor is locked.
Instead, I go looking for Vittoria, and then I abandon that idea too. We’re not friends, and she’s the most like meandthe least. She’s loyal to one person, not counting herself, and that one person is Lucian.
Lucian, who told me Kayla was dead.
“This…Kayla. Are you sure she’s dead?”
