Thalia’s heart twisted as if he’d just shoved his dagger into it. “He died on the rug in my bedroom.”
Cassius’s eyes roved over her face, the blue so stark it faintly glowed. He took a step closer to her. “Do you want to finally know what happened that day?”
Thalia’s rage spiked. She shut it down. Shoved it under the sea of whirling regret in her stomach. “I know what happened.”
Surprise flared in Cassius’s eyes before it was gone. “What happened?”
She tilted her head. “You chose the coward’s path.”
Cassius shook his head, his burnished hair brushing against his shoulders. “I chose tolive.”
Thalia’s face twisted. “Live? As this?”
Cassius’s face darkened. “It was either that or dying.”
“Then you should have died!” Thalia’s chest heaved. She knew she should be quiet. Should be cautious of the other Vampyrs in the castle who could no doubt hear her, but emotions bombarded her senses, overwhelming her nerves as she stared at the man who’d ruined himself. “You are pathetic. A worthless, immoral creature who should have done the honorable thing and died before turning into one ofthem. But you were a coward. A weak, dishonest piece of shit who should have just turned his blade toward his own heart—”
He moved so fast Thalia didn’t realize what was happening until slight pressure on her throat made her freeze.
Cassius had pinned her against the door, his blood-crusted hands gripping her arms as his teeth pressed against her artery. Not enough to draw blood, but with enough force that she couldn’t move.
Her heart was a riotous beat in her chest. Her pulse fluttered like a bird caught in a cage. She could barely think as Cassius slowly released the pressure on her throat, but he didn’t move.
Didn’t so much as shift backward as he said lowly, “Pathetic? Worthless?” Thalia swallowed, and Cassius’s lips trailed her throat. “An immoral creature?”
Thalia began to tremble. She wasn’t sure if it was from fear or from his nearness. His very presence consumed her, engulfing her like a flame. She wished she had air in her lungs, only so she could gasp as his nose skimmed the sensitive skin of her jaw.
“I have morals, Princess.” He let out a dark chuckle. “Should we talk about them? Do you know what my morals tell me? They tell me to ignore all the wicked things that I imagine in my head.”
His hand traveled up her arm, scorching her collarbone as he brushed a strand of hair from her neck. “My morals tell me that I shouldn’t give in,” he said lowly. “That despite the fact that I canfeelyour blood as it runs through your veins, I have to ignore it. But it calls to me like a song. It begs for me to get a taste. Your heartbeatsfor me. And being in your presence, the idea of tasting your flesh again, it’s driving me insane.”
Thalia gripped his arms, hardly breathing as he tilted his head. “Do you know what else my morals say?”
She couldn’t speak, could barely give an acknowledgment as his lips brushed ever so slightly against the place he’d bitten.
“My morals tell me to let you go. That you are now bound to someone else. That you belong tohim.”
“I belong to no one.” Her words were breathless; they didn’t hold the weight she intended. Cassius pulled back, his burning eyes going straight to her parted mouth.
“You have no idea what it’s like to be near you. To feel your hatred. To burn in it.”
And she did hate him. But the words to shred him apart didn’t form on her tongue. Not as the burning in his eyes deepened, his gaze flicking to the bruised spot on her neck.
Something flashed in Cassius’s eyes. He let go of her suddenly, cold air rushing between them.
Cassius ran a hand through his hair, seeming to compose himself, his change in behavior more shocking than being doused in ice. “You are to stay in the castle until further notice. You may outrank me, but as hand, I speak on behalf of His Highness, who outranksyou.” He met her blazing stare. “This world is a dangerous place, Thalia. You’d be wise to heed its warnings.”
Chapter Sixteen
“There’s an informal council meeting today,” Camilla said, watching as Thalia got dressed the next morning.
Thalia looked up from where she was getting wrangled into a gown. “Oh?”
Camilla nodded, noting the dark smudges that had appeared under Thalia’s eyes. “Not all the Houses will be present, but House Avanerius wanted to discuss who will be the next lord. Would you like to attend?”
Yes, that had been her plan all along. To attend council meetings so she might better begin building connections within the court. So she might find a weakness among the Houses and exploit them.
“Will I even be welcomed, considering my position is merely a formality?”Not to mention the prince still isn’t here?
