No armor of competence.
No hiding my fear.
No making the decision to survive at any cost.
Instead, I trusted that he’d never hurt me. If I couldn’t believe that the one person whose very survival depended on my well being would take care of me, then there wasn’t even a point in this bond.
Right? My heart twisted painfully. My breathing bordered on hyperventilating.
I could see Levicy clearly in his mind. As he stared at me, all he saw was how they were like hers. Like every Rinah witch that ever came for him.
“I’m not them,” I reminded him gently.
He crawled closer until our noses touched. A tremble I couldn’t control rolled over me.
He isn’t them either.
I held that version of myself inside me with more force than I could fathom it would take. I should have known. Habits like these weren’t that simple to break.
My hands shook as I raised my hands above my head as his lip lifted to show the row of razor sharp teeth up close and personal. “I’m not fighting.”
I could never ask him to shatter his defenses if I couldn’t lower mine.
The promise that I was his for eternity was the only thing keeping me cemented in place. It wasn’t perfect, but hopefully he’d see me trying and match my energy. Like he had all the other times.
This was the path to the future we wanted.
He pulled back enough to show me his pupils shrinking. The distinctive light of humanity slowly made his eyes glow. He studied me with his brows creasing together in confusion.
He scanned the position I was in with critical disbelief. It made me self-conscious, but I held my hands where they were, resisting the urge to put up some kind of defense against his criticism.
“What are you doing?” His voice was rough from all the fighting and roaring.
“Learning.” My voice broke.
“Because you want me to do the same?” He lifted an eyebrow in a way that was curious and steadied my hands.
A kaleidoscope of emotions wheeled through my chest in the long seconds as he took in my position. Softness filled his eyes in a way that made it easier to breathe.
Yes. You see.
Sudden, yet familiar, terror took my breath away again.
“No. Please,” I begged.Don’t let them win.
“Why would I trust a witch? He had that book because of you.”
“He stole it.” Stay calm. This shit is hard, and he’s been doing it longer.
He roared loud enough to make me cover my ears. “You set this up.”
“No. I didn’t,” I whispered, hoping it would encourage him to lower his voice.
“You’re one of her descendants. It’s your job to destroy me.”
“If I did that, I would die,” I reminded him.
“You’ve already shown that you have no regard for your life. Why would that mean anything?” He snapped his teeth. “I knew I shouldn’t have let you get close.”
