Page 50 of Revenant

“You have no idea—”

“Oh, but I do. And while all of us are trying to get the hell off this campus, attempting to have a life outside of these grounds, you’re here sulking, starving yourself because you’re too afraid to face what’s staring at you in the mirror.” I don’t stop moving until we’re nose to nose. “If it wasn’t for you, Sage wouldn’t be a vampire; she would still be a witch who could’ve been an asset. But instead, you let your self-righteousness get in the way. And we’ve been having to clean up the mess you created, while salvaging whatever relationships the rest of us want to build with Alicent.”

Elias, dutiful as always, attempts to step in before things can further escalate. “Maybe we should get back to the pressing matter—”

“This is pressing,” I bark at Elias, the three of them staring at us in shock.

“If you want her, Bas, have at her. Nobody’s stopping you. Drain her for all I care.” Eryx pushes past me, knocking into my shoulder before disappearing into the other room. My fists clench at my sides, anger swimming in my veins like an old friend.

Koen grabs my arm. “Bas, let it go. For now. It’s not worth it.”

I shrug out of his hold. “She’s worth it.” I leave the room, needing the space away to be alone with my thoughts before I do something I’ll regret. I find myself at Alicent’s dorm, pushing all my feelings down into the grave where they belong before knocking.

Alicent pulls open the door, shoving in an earring like she’s in a rush. “I told you I had plans.” She stands there, a lock of her beautiful red hair falling to the front—still not inviting me in. I try not to let that sting.

I plaster on my smile, the one that so easily conceals everything I’m feeling. “Figured I’d tag along.”

“Yeah, that’s not happening. Thanks for stopping by.” She tries to close the door, but I stick my hand out before it latches. She rolls her eyes, walking back into her room, and I take that as my invitation. “Moriah’s going to be here any minute, and I’d really appreciate it if you were anywhere but here when she arrives.” I haven’t brought myself to come to her room. Memories are painted into the now chipped walls—ones I’d rather forget.

“A party, spawn, and you think I won’t be there?” I make myself comfortable on her bed, holding one of her pillows against me so her scent is engraved into the fabric of my shirt.

“Don’t call me that,” she fumes.

“What? Spawn? That’s what you are, no?”

“No.” She pushes the word through clenched teeth.

“The little spawn of the witch that doomed us all. Very fitting if I do say so myself,” I muse, enjoying the way it makes her tick.

She rolls her eyes, deciding this is an argument she would rather not have at the moment. She wants me gone. Or at least she’s pretending she does. She’ll never admit that my presence is filling a void she’s had for the last week. If I were the others, I would be envious of my gift, because it doesn’t matter what she says, I have undeniable access to all her thoughts. And that’s something I wouldn’t trade for the world.

“It’s not a party, it’s a clu–” She stops, turning slowly to face me. Because it finally dawns on her that she never mentioned a party, or any other get-together for that matter. “I never told you what I was doing.”

“Didn’t you?” I feign ignorance. “Guess I heard it through the grapevine.”

“If that’s the case, I guess I’ll see you there.”

I smirk, hearing her thoughts run from a mile away, gloating that even if I wanted to go, I couldn’t. Moriah’s taking her somewhere off campus, but I keep that knowledge to myself. She’s so cute when she thinks she has an advantage. “Thought we could go together. What building is it in?” I pry, wondering if she’ll take the bait.

“Did you hit your head on your way here? You can’t just not talk to me for a week and then expect me to go back to how it was.” Her honesty is refreshing, a breath of fresh air that doesn’t come with a smoke screen.

“Enlighten me, how exactly was our time together?” Her heart rate picks up, right before thoughts of our time together in the tunnel play like a movie inside her head. I stand, keeping my eyes on her as I close the distance separating us. “Intoxicating? Thrilling?”

“Try nauseating.”

“Awe, see your mouth is saying one thing, but your mind is screaming another. Do you get off on lying to me?”

“I’m not—”

“But you are. Lying’s a sin. Maybe you should repent.” My voice stays low, enticing her to take the bait. “Ask for forgiveness, my little spawn.”

Alicent’s breath hitches, heart rate hammering against her throat.

“I don’t think I’m the one that needs it.”

“I’ve pleaded, and do you know what I got in return?” I trace my fingers down the side of her face, gripping her chin between my fingers. My eyes search hers, tracking the slight quiver in her lower lip. Her glacial blues downcast for the briefest moment, just in time to catch my tongue sliding over my own. “Tortured with temptation.”

She gulps amd my other hand snakes around her waist, fighting the urge to pull her completely into me—though my body screams to be pressed against hers.