Blood spewed out of Leviathan’s mouth, his body convulsing as black seeped across his bare chest. Eyes full of agony and fear met Cullen’s, and tears formed in his own eyes, his hands pressing to Leviathan’s chest to staunch the bleeding.
“Levi, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to!” His voice broke. “I don’t know what I was thinking–”
He broke off as Leviathan reached for his face, his fingers brushing weakly against his cheek, smearing blood there. “I thought…you were happy…”
“I-I was. I am! Please, don’t die! Don’t leave me!” Pain ripped through him as Leviathan’s eyes fell shut, his hand dropping to the floor.
A scream tore from him, but it made no noise. Darkness swept in and then Leviathan’s body was gone and he was alone in an empty void–
He shot up with a cry of terror, reaching out for a body that was no longer there. The training room was gone, a soft, familiar mattress under him and a blanket tucked around hiswaist. The room was dark and warm and silent, aside from the rapid thumping of his heart–and the soft breathing beside him.
Slowly, he turned to look at Leviathan, his gaze dropping from his eyes–flickering gently under his closed eyelids–to his chest, his eyes narrowing as he watched the gentle rise and fall there.
Relief flooded him. He hadn’t even realized he’d been holding his breath until he released it, his hands coming up to cup his head.
What the fuck was that?
A nightmare about killing his kidnapper was one thing, seemed fairly normal even, but that fear…that guilt and regret… The relief he’d felt when he’d seen Leviathan laying beside him, unharmed… He thought of the way he’d snapped at Leviathan for trying to make him sympathize with him and swore under his breath, scrubbing his hands over his face. He never should have given in to anything. Never should have said a single goddamn word to the fucker.
And now…
I like it here. I like you.
What the fuck had he been thinking?
It wasn’t true. Not a single damn word of it–
The vision of Leviathan bloody and pale in his lap flashed through his mind, making him wince. His lips pressed into a tight, unhappy line.
Not true.
Just a lie to appease the demon so Cullen could get what he wanted. So he could stay alive. So that his mind wouldn’t break…
The vision flashed again and his teeth snapped together, his jaw clenching as he turned to look at Leviathan again. Hischest rose and fell steadily, his face calm and relaxed in his sleep. Something tightened in Cullen’s own chest.
Relief. Relief that it had been a dream, that the demon lord was beside him, unharmed, his breathing calm and his heartbeat steady.
Stupid. So stupid to have let this softening towards him happen. To have let these emotions happen. But, truthfully, he wanted nothing more than to lay down with the monster and let that quick, even heartbeat lull him back to sleep. But it felt like giving up something vital to do so. Something that had only ever belonged to Walker. Something human that would be sacrificed…
But I’m not human anymore.He thought a bit numbly.So does it really matter if I betray them?
And Walker…that was over. He knew that, even if the knowledge stabbed at him. But it had been weeks–months–and it still hurt, like a wound that kept tearing open. But…the wound was healing. Slowly. Very slowly. And shouldn’t he let himself feel what little bit of happiness was possible at the moment? He’d been dragged here against his will and held hostage and he had spent so many disappointing years with Walker, despite the love between them…
So, surely, it wasn’t such a massive, terrible thing to lay down beside the demon. To edge closer and closer to him until he was tucked into the protective curve of his arm and his ear was pressed to his chest. The quick, steady rhythm of his heart had Cullen sighing quietly in relief.
The soft sound must have woken Leviathan; his arm came up to curl around him, drawing him closer. And he turned his face until his lips met Cullen’s forehead.
“You okay?” His voice was quiet, still half asleep.
Cullen leaned into it, running a slow hand over his chestbefore wrapping it around him to pull himself closer. “Yeah.” He whispered, closing his eyes against the tears that threatened to escape. “I’m okay.”
36
Come on, Cullen! Just get in!” Irritation tinged the brat’s voice, drawing Leviathan’s attention for a split second. He looked up and out of the brat’s eyes and saw a dark haired boy shifting from foot to foot at the edge of the water.
Leviathan watched him for a long moment, his curiosity piqued.
The boy was clearly nervous, his hands balled into fists at his sides and the lightest of blushes on his cheeks as he gazed out at the lake full of other teens. Moonlight glimmered on the rippling water and made the boy's skin glow as if he were made of snow. Leviathan admired him for a few heartbeats before looking away, bored with the whiny voice of his host body as it told the boy to get in again.
