AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Feeling her lean into me, her fragile body delicately perched against mine, I wonder if we would have ever crossed paths if it weren’t for this vendetta.
It wasn’t that long ago that her kind was strange and baffling to me. I still remember walking the dark market, pondering to myself how any demon could find human women attractive.
Then, by whimsy more than anything, life showed me the one exception to the rule—a human who was willing to fight the establishment’s choking grasp around her neck. It inspired me, seeing my preconceptions unravel before my eyes.
But it could have been anybody.
You set the bar so low, that you’ve started idealizing her.
I nod, more to myself than anything.
With all of my strength, I wrap my hands around her, letting time fly by.
It could be the end of an era. After all, what do we have binding us together, other than this strange, coincidental alliance against a shared enemy?
“We’ll get this asshole,” I say, partly to myself.
She nods, holding me tightly. I’d love to capture this moment forever, to claim this one isolated segment of time.
I might not know what will hold us together after the death of our arrangement, but I know that Zathex is as good as dead.
And I know I’m going to enjoy seeing her genuine happiness when he’s gone forever.
21
HANNA
Opening my eyes to the morning light, I catch sight of the red-hued skies outside my bedroom window. But Kazrith isn’t at my side anymore, even though he certainly was last night.
I woke up too late to see him go.
Even though I try to fight against it, emptiness fills my chest and makes me wonder if I could’ve done anything to make him stay. I know that he has work obligations to figure out, but why can’t he shove that all to the wayside for a day and spend more time with me?
I sigh, pushing myself into a sitting position on the bed. “This is Kazrith. He’ll never prioritize me over his money.”
I’ve seen glimpses of what Kazrith can act like when he doesn’t focus so much on his business. Despite his brusque nature and the callous way he can treat others, there are times when he can be sweet.
Honestly, he’s been treating me sweetly ever since we arrived here. From the food he has sent to my room to the flower bouquets that he makes his servants pick out for me. He’s a demon who has probably never shown this type of emotion to anyone else before.
The thought excites me, even if it really shouldn’t.
I pinch my nose bridge, somewhat disappointed by my own thoughts. “You have to get back to your dad. You have to get revenge on that stupid fucking Zathex. You can’t get sidetracked right now.”
But then I remember Kazrith going out of his way to organize a dinner date for us. I remember the ways he snuck glances at me whenever he thought I wasn’t looking. I remember how his hands touched my skin last night, igniting a fire in my soul that had long been extinguished.
Sex with Kazrith is becoming a more frequent part of my routine.
A deep sigh leaves my body. “I don’t know what’s going on with me.”
After all, this is all going to end soon. Very soon, actually. Kazrith has a spy keeping an eye on Zathex back in New Solas. It’s only a matter of time before we return. That should be everything I ever wanted. But it isn’t.
I want to be here with Kazrith beyond that. I want to wake up in this estate every day, gazing out upon the red sky and the exotic garden that adorns his home. I want to learn more about his culture and understand why he is the way he is.
None of this should be happening, though. That’s what breaks my heart the most. My mind knows what I have to do, but my heart refuses to listen. My stubborn heart wants to stay right here with Kazrith, even if he doesn’t see me of any use anymore.
You’ve fallen in love with him, Hanna.
“That can’t be true,” I whisper, closing my eyes tightly. I already feel the beginnings of a migraine settling in. “That can’t be fucking true.”
