I snapped my head to him. “Have you considered that if you hadn’t been so selfish, I wouldn’t be here?” I raised my voice.
“Alina, please lower your?—”
“My what? My voice? Are we afraid of public perception now? Like I was afraid of being seen withyou?” I yelled at him.
Luka approached out of the corner of my eye.
“No!” I screamed, throwing the glass at his head, though he moved just in time for it to shatter against the wall behind him.
The parlor guests gasped and muttered.
How dare they actsurprised? Why would no one help me? Why was it not alarming to them that a battered and bruised woman with a collar was locked away upstairs?
“Enough,” Luka spoke lowly as he grabbed one of my arms.
“Apologies! We have it handled!” Silas addressed the gathering as he grabbed the other arm.
The two dragged me toward the back of the estate, bringing me to the garden.
The garden looked like a maze of tall hedges. It was a perfectly private place to tear these two to shreds.
“What? Sorry, is this embarrassing foryou? How do you think I feel being treated like livestock in captivity?” I shouted, pulling my arms away from their grip and backing away. I stood in the middle of the grass, the two creatures eyeing me cautiously.
“Alina, the Nest is full of very old, very strong Vipera that would not hesitate to slaughter you if you step out of line like that. If I weren’t there, there is no telling what they would have done to you,” Silas said calmly, stepping toward me.
“If you weren’t here, I wouldn’t be here either! See how that works? Both of you are currently the source of all my problems.”
“Well, technically, I am only involved becauseyou were poisoning the Nest,” Luka corrected. “You’reherebecause it was a step belowkilling you.”
“You can’t just lash out like that. They think you are feral. If a Host becomes dangerous, they will put them down,” Silas scolded. “You need to cooperate.”
“Like I did last night? Was that not enough cooperation for you? Even when I trust you, you nearly kill me by feeding on me too long!” I spat at them. “You are both fools.”
“The meal was worth it.” Luka smirked.
“You are not helping,” Silas snapped at him.
I could not stand them. Their presence alone was grating against every one of my senses. I took a deep breath and let out the most bloodcurdling scream I could rip from my throat.
Silas rushed to me and clamped his hand over my mouth.
“Go. I’ll handle this. You’re not needed,” Silas instructed Luka, and began dragging me into the hedge maze.
I thrashed against his grip, pulling and biting at his hand until he let me go, pressing me against the prickly hedge.
“Alina, I can’t help you if you keep acting like this,” he pleaded.
“Like what? Like an animal?” I glared.
There was something in his eyes that looked genuine. Like he was worried for me. I did not believe one bit of that act.
“I need more time. Please just trust me,” he whispered, resting his head against mine.
“How much more time? How many more hours of torture will you subject me to while I wait for my golden knight to break me free?” I mocked him. “Will you let Luka play with me again? Or feed from me while you stare at your hands and wonder what to do? Will you allow him to have me next? I’m done waiting.”
“It’s complicated.”
“For you maybe,” I scoffed. “I’m getting myself out of this, and when I do, I never want to set eyes on you again.”
