The lock disengages and the door slides open. Zavin whirls around as Kazren walks into the room.
His attention moves from my face to Percy on the desk to the sleeping platform visible through the archway, and then back to Zavin. A smile settles into the corners of his mouth as he focuses back on me. “I see you’re redecorating.”
Zavin snarls, baring his teeth as he strides across the room. Lethal black claws extend from his fingertips and he slams into Kazren, notching his forearm under Kazren’s chin. Kazren stumbles backwards as Zavin pushes him out of his room. Kazren’s back slams into the corridor wall outside.
“How did you open that door!” Zavin snarls.
The fury is open now. Red hot and flowing bright. His tail lashes behind him, slashing through the air. The tip sweeps across the floor, gouging the concrete.
Kazren lifts his hands, palm side up. I don’t understand how he can smile in the face of Zavin’s fury. And then I realize with a sickening clarity that he’s smiling because he got what he wanted.
“Easy, brother. Your door was unlocked and I knew you were inside,” Kazren says.
The door was not unlocked. I heard the click after Resh left. Saw the light flash from red to green. The lock was engaged.
Zavin snarls, baring his teeth as he leans close to Kazren. “And how did you know I was inside?”
“I saw that guard dog of yours stalking the corridors and put two and two together.” His eyes slide to me. “Your latest conquest is quite the beauty.”
Zavin moves, blocking Kazren’s view of me. “You will not look at her. You will not speak to her. Do you understand?”
“Tsk tsk, the great Zavin has lost his temper. Over a female, no less.” Kazren taps Zavin’s shoulder. “No need to strain. She looks too breakable for my tastes. Humans always are. I’ll let you get back to your… personal meeting.”
“You come into my quarters uninvited again and—“
“And what brother? You’ll kill me and bring the wrath of our father on your head. Not to mention what will happen to that female. I don’t think you’ll do anything.” Kazren slides out from under Zavin’s arm. He smirks as he makes a point of looking at me as he adjusts his jacket and Zavin snarls at him again.
Kazren makes a thoughtful sound and walks away. Zavin’s tail lashes as he stares at his brother and then he stalks back inside, slamming his palm on the control panel and closing the door. The lights flash from green to red, locking me inside with a raging Zavin.
Kazren is right about one thing. Humans are easily breakable and Zavin vibrates with rage. He’s a dangerous male. I’d forgotten my place. Became too comfortable.
I go rigid. There’s nothing I can do if Zavin lunges for me. I don’t stand a chance other than to beg for it to be over quickly. I’ve compromised Zavin. Not only that, he’s second in line to lead House Sethrak. His father is the Dom that runs this whole house and he demands complete obedience.
Beings disappear every day on this godsforsaken planet. At least my parents already think I’m dead. They have already started to heal over these last few months. I only hope that he looks after Percy. Percy might only be a machine but I swear he knows me more than any other being on this planet. Which is also kind of sad.
Zavin locks blazing eyes on me and I take an involuntary step back, swallowing hard. His scales almost glow an iridescent orange. His hair is a wild tangle down his back. His claws are still unsheathed. Tail lashing. He looks every inch the harbinger of death he’s known for. The cog in his father’s wheel of blood.
I swallow hard and notch my chin. The only thing I have left is to die with some dignity. And then Zavin falters to a stop. His brow lifts. His mouth parts. Closes.
He stares at me, searching, recalibrating. “You think I’d harm you.” The words scrape out of him, barely voiced. Hollow.
“I…”
His tail goes still against the floor and his shoulders sag. I’ve never seen him so defeated. So… gutted.
My stomach hollows. I don’t like seeing him like this. As though my step back was an insult. As though my fear was a slap. I had it all wrong. Let my assumption color what’s in front of me.
He’s… not angry with me. He was never angry with me.
The fury when he came to collect me. The fury that threw Kazren through the door. The fury that filled this room thirty seconds ago. All of it was… fear.
Fear that someone would reach me. Fear that he would fail. Fear that I would become one more thing this House took from him while he was still learning how to want it.
He cares for me.
The knowledge lands cold. Sickening. Complete.
In his world, caring is a weapon. Caring is used against you. Loving is a weakness and I’ve proved his point.
