Page 28 of Trapped By the Blood Ruby

“Zola?” My vision blurred.

“Yes, darling.”

“Can… Can I have a hug?” The question shocked me. But after what I’d just seen…

“Oh, you sweet child. Here.” She pulled me into her arms.

I fought back the moisture gathering in my eyes. “Thank you for being nice to me.”

“No tears,” she scolded.

“I know,” I sighed, pulling away. “I’m trying to be strong.”

“I know, darling. I know. Now, go to bed. I’m needed downstairs.”

She didn’t wait for me to go through the door. One moment she was there, the next, she was gone.

Sleep didn’t find me for the rest of the night, even when I took two more painkillers to ease my aching throat. I tossed and turned, my mind churning over the way Laurent acted around me. Most of the time he was cold, detached, emotionless—but occasionally, something else flickered beneath the surface. Was it only his hunger, his desire to drain me, that possessed him to be a little warmer, a little softer?

It was dangerous—I knew that—but I let myself think back to those moments when he’d given me the shirt off his back to stop my bleeding. When he’d carried me against his bare chest. The feel of my cheek against his skin. The way he’d held me, careful but possessive.

His words haunted me most.

My skin turned hot. What a stupid thing, to want to feel wanted. To want to feel…coveted. Like I was worth something to someone. A single tear slipped free. I was weak. So weak. So dumb for letting myself feel a shred of desire over his greed.

One of the most powerful vampires in the world wanted me. Me. And here I was, allowing my soul to preen over the thought. The dark, damaged part of me didn’t care that it was for the wrong reasons, didn’t care that it was twisted. That broken part gladly accepted whatever it could get, because it was a hollowed shell never worth wanting.

Another tear fell.

I hissed, squeezing my feathered pillow with my fist. I was stronger than this. I’d gotten through worse by focusing on what I could control, not dwelling on what destroyed me. I couldn’t let Laurent’s cruelty break me down.

Taking a sharp breath, I swiped at my tears and forced myself to stop. Then I just laid there, numb.

Zola barged into my room at dawn, tray in hand. I staggered from bed, shocked by the sudden intrusion. “Ah, darling, good morning. How are you feeling?”

She set the tray on the table. It was piled with bandages and medical supplies.

I eyed it warily. “A little better, I think?”

I no longer felt the bone-tired weakness, but there was still pain. My hand lifted to my neck.

“Good. Sit. I’ll change your bandages.” She took my shoulders and guided me into a chair. “Relax. I was merely caught off guard the first night I saw you. I’m not going to finish Henrietta’s job.”

I sputtered. “That’s not…”

But that’s exactly what I’d been thinking.

Zola hummed and set to work, hissing when she beheld the ruin of my skin.

I forced down the lump in my throat. “That bad, huh?”

“I’ve seen worse.”

“Is that supposed to comfort me? How do vampires get away with this kind of thing anyway? How come tons of people aren’t walking around with bite marks covering their necks?”

“We clean up after ourselves.” She took in my confused expression and added, “Our saliva has healing properties, darling. We close the wounds we create.”

“But—“