66 Lonely (1/2)

Ruby had to wonder if he would still try to enact his plans without her there bankrolling him. He did have a couple million in the bank at this point but would that really be enough? This place was well-fortified and the vampires she had met so far were nothing like him.

They were ice cold and followed Dorian's commands without question. She had a hard time imagining any one of them ever having fun at all, let alone caring about each other. They moved around silently, swiftly, and separately.

Other races of fae tended to compare vampire covens to werewolf packs because of the magical bonds the members shared but this place was nothing like the werewolf packs she had met back home.

Those guys all horsed around with each other, were physically affectionate, and laughed boisterously at jokes only they understood. They were close friends with each other. Their bonds were more similar to those she had seen between the fire fairies in Las Vegas than the Cromwells.

What had Ash's coven been like? Was it as cold and austere as this place? She had a hard time imagining someone as easily amused as him in such an environment but he did say his kin had cared about him in general terms but never bothered to understand him.

He also said she was the kindest fae he ever met and that she was fun to talk to and made him laugh. Maybe that was because laughter wasn't a thing in vampire covens.

What a sad way to live. He did say he never wanted to be coven leader either. If his coven members treated him similarly to the way these vampires treated Dorian—with respect, but distantly—he must have been terribly lonely.

Lonely while surrounded by others. Ruby knew exactly how that felt. Maybe that was part of why the two of them got along so well.

Ash was probably lonely again now. Blair's accusation that he wouldn't be able to handle losing anyone else might have carried more weight than she cared to admit.

She hadn't wanted to leave him either. Of course she hadn't! He was the first fae she ever met that knew something about her powers without wanting something from her since her parents passed away.

Ruby had trusted him with everything except what she actually looked like but that was only because she didn't want the way he saw her to change. To use a human phrase, she had a face not even a mother could love.

From the time she was old enough for her glamour to appear her parents encouraged her to wear it at all times. Even when they were at home.

Ruby hadn't shown her true form to anyone since for fear of what they would say. Even if she had managed to stay with Ash a while longer she never could have stayed by his side permanently.

She wanted to be free. To not have to wear her glamour at all and fly however much she wanted. That simple dream seemed so far away now.

Flying was going to be impossible for the next century due to these ankle weights. Even once she did get out she would be responsible for Flora for at least another twenty years. She would be free to go off on her own after that but what if she didn't want to?

If Flora stayed with her forever she wouldn't be able to be herself that way either. She couldn't bear if the adoration on that little face turned to disgust.