Part 18 (2/2)

Lucian smiled at me, exposing the very tips of his fangs.

”That's a whole new topic you aren't going to want to get into right now.”

Slowly I sat up.

”Anna, give us a moment.”

Without hesitating she walked out the door, closing it behind her. I didn't like being alone with Lucian. I could tell he was frustrated with me. He adjusted his long black robe and sat beside me. Subtly, I hugged myself.

”Did you know that I was married a long time ago?”

I kept my eyes on the floor. I tried to imagine him happy and in love but I couldn't. When I looked at his face I couldn't see that. Whatever humanity he had was gone.

”But she was taken from me ...”

”By a vampire?”

It just doesn't make sense, why would he become a vampire if his wife was killed by one?

”No. By a guardian angel.” His black eyes glazed over like he was reliving some sick past memory.

”Guardian angels don't kill G.o.ddesses,” I stated.

”No, they don't. She wasn't killed, she fell in love.”

I swallowed hard. His wife fell in love with a guardian angel and left him. The pieces of the puzzle I'd been trying to complete since I first arrived at Sage were slowly being pieced together.

”That's why you made G.o.ddess and guardian angel relations.h.i.+ps forbidden,” I whispered to myself.

”Well, I can be a very possessive and jealous man.”

I ignored the fact that his statement sounded like a threat.

”What happened to them?” I asked hesitantly.

”I was turned into a vampire and I hunted them.” He smiled to himself, like he was proud. ”Now ask yourself, is it worth it?”

I pondered whether to choose my next words carefully or to just say what I feel.

”I think you can't choose who you love. I also think there's nothing wrong with loving someone who isn't the same as you.”

”You're brave,” a voice behind us scoffed. It was a familiar voice, even though it was decidedly cold. I ignored it.

”I also think it would be foolish for one man to think he has control over something so big.”

Lucian's c.o.c.ky smile straightened into an impa.s.sive line. He closed the distance between us before I could blink. He wrapped his long cold fingers around my throat and I gasped for air. Hunter dashed over to us and tried to pull Lucian off me but Lucian shoved him across the room and into the wall. Hunter growled loudly and Lucian hissed back before setting his sights back on me.

”Just because I'm using you doesn't mean you're my only option. You're plan A. If this fails I have a plan B, C, D, E, and I'm sure you know how the rest of the alphabet goes.”

A coughed spluttered out of my throat and he let me go. Lucian rose from his seat and walked over to Hunter.

”If you so much as raise an eyebrow at me again I will end you as quickly as I created you. Do you understand?”

Hunter nodded sheepishly and Lucian exited the room. Hunter zipped over to me, his cool fingers nipped my skin as he tucked a dark lock of hair out of my face. I was too dazed to recoil from his touch.

”Can I take you to your room?”

I shook my head. ”I don't want to go to my room. I need air, I need to breathe. I feel so imprisoned here.”

”I know just the place.”

Hunter took me by my wrist. I tried hard to picture him as the boy I cared about before his changes but it wasn't working. Gently I pulled from his grasp.

”I'll come with you but please don't push anything. I'm not ready to reconnect with you on the level we used to share.”

His lips twitched into a smile. ”I'm happy with that.”

In the moonlight I could see the red tinge of the maple trees that lined the walkway by the eastern garden. By now all warmth had left the air, leaving nothing but a cool chill behind. When the wind blew, a few leaves glided down onto the gra.s.s like drops of blood. How could a place that was supposed to be so terrible be so serene? This place is meant to be h.e.l.l on earth, isn't it?

A cold breeze brushed gently against the tress, making the leaves s.h.i.+ver under the glowing moon. I resisted the urge to hug myself in fear of it making me appear weak.

”Look, Ruby, I never intended on this happening. I -”

”I know,” I interrupted. ”It isn't your fault. It's just a shock to my system, you know... I thought you were dead but here you are, still technically dead but at least you're okay.”

He smiled and leaned against a slightly rotten fence post.

”A smart girl once said, what's wrong with caring for someone who isn't the same as you?”

For a moment I didn't recognize my own words, they sounded foreign to me.

”Yeah... bu - I -” I exhaled in defeat.

I did truly believe we don't get to choose who we love, our heart chooses for us. Why has mine chosen two? That isn't fair for anyone.

”You're a vampire, Eli is a guardian angel ... I'll be forever alone.”

”I know Eli would give everything up to be with you and so would I.”

I remembered the night Eli told me he wouldn't run away with me, for my own safety.

”I don't want to have this conversation right now,” I groaned, my head pounding hard against the back of my skull. ”A relations.h.i.+p with anyone is the last thing on my mind right now ...”

Hunter took a few steps toward me; I felt my muscles tense instantly.

”Your heart is racing, it's slightly distracting.”

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