I’m already shaking my head before he finishes. “I’m not asking Zaros for help.” He may be an ally, but I know better than to owe a vampire king anything.
Anxo mutters under his breath before straightening. “I figured you’d say that. So I asked him to teach me instead. Took a few tries, but I’ve got it now. I can do it.”
I don’t know what to say. He went through all that trouble forme? Anxo always said he had my back, and I believed it to an extent, but this… this isn’t just words.
I swallow the lump in my throat. “So you want full access to my mind? You sure you can handle it?”
“I live with a crackhead.” He points to Nevaeh, who swats him, still grinning because she takes pride in how unhinged she is. “I know how broken minds work.”
Honestly, I don’t want him poking around in my head. I would’ve straight-up refused if it were anyone else. But even ifhe’s a close friend, I don’t want to subject the poor guy to the garbage running through my head day and night.
Everyone is watching me, waiting. Dean nudges me, and I know I can’t get out of it. It’s not like I have a choice. Not being able to link them isn’t even an option anymore. Not after the close call last night.
Anxo exhales in relief when I agree and moves to sit on the edge of the table before me.
Seiji couldn’t wait for a fist bump, and Anxo looks like he’ll need a written letter of consent to shake my hand.
Anxo waits for my nod before placing his hands on either side of my head, eyes falling shut in concentration.
At first, there’s nothing, then suddenly a sharp pain spikes through my skull, and I flinch.
“Anxo…?” I ask when the pain doesn’t ease up.
Anxo jerks back like I burned him. He takes another step away, anger flashing in his eyes. His jaw locks as he breathes out, something I know he does when he’s trying to swallow his anger.
He turns to Dean. “Call the healer.”
My stomach drops. Is he hurt? Did I hurt him?
Dean doesn’t question him, immediately linking Khatri to bring the healer.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, but Anxo doesn’t answer. “Hey, I think I deserve to know what’s so broken in my head for you to act like this.”
“There’s nothing broken about you,” Dean snaps, his voice sharp enough to make me pause.
I don’t get a chance to process it before Anxo starts pacing like a man unhinged. Back and forth. Faster with every step.
“How many times have I told you I wanted to help? I was ready to go to warthreeyears ago. Are you really that stubborn, or do you just not trust us?”
Hold up. What the fuck is he talking about?
“Seriously, Hazel? You have been hurting this whole time and never said a word?”
But I’m not hurting…
“We’re your family, we care about you!” Anxo shouts, and the room goes still.
I’ve never seen him like this. Not even when everything fell apart.
“Angel, you’re freaking her out,” Nevaeh whispers, trying to calm him.
“She’s freaking me out! Look at her!” His gaze snaps back to me, pain and something close to betrayal burning in his eyes. “Do you really think we wouldn’t care that you were in pain? That you were covered in bruises all over?”
“Stop it, Anxo!” I push off my chair. “I don’t understand what—”
When he grabs my wrists and turns them over, I stop breathing at the sight of dark purple bruises spread across my wrists.
And then, like I’m seeing myself for the first time, bruises start showing up everywhere. One after another. Crawling and claiming space that I thought was untouched.
