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Julian sits up straight, leaning toward me as though he’s going to bestow some secret on me.
“That’s not my bird. I didn’t have it or any other thing follow you. Be careful with your accusations, Marina. I don’t take people from their homes. I simply saved you from a shortened life of being drained of blood.” He sits back. “I believe a thank you is in order.”
“Never.” I stand tall and drill him with a glare that promises retaliation.
“You’d do best to not challenge Julian. He’s a bit of a hard-ass at times.” Law winks at me, trying to soften his words.
Every second of every day, I’ll challenge him. My survival instinct has kicked in, blanketing me in a fog-like state. Everything is happening on autopilot, and I can’t be sure what’s real and what’s not. It’s my brain’s way of protecting me. It’s shutting down fear and replacing it with numbness.
He might not have sent that thing after me, but it was there. I know it. I’m learning there are very few coincidences in my life. Everything that’s happening now has to be linked with all the monsters from my childhood. How could it not be?
“I’m sorry you think the worst of me already, Marina. I don’t have anything to do with the... acquisition of the donors.”
I cringe at the use of the worddonors.
“Those girls were not donors. They didn’t choose to give your kind anything. It’s being taken from them by force. That makes them victims.”
Julian stands from his throne, stalking toward me. Slowly. “I’m not a monster, Marina,” he says, reaching out and grasping my hair in his hands. He doesn’t pull, only strokes the locks between his fingers with a faraway look. Perhaps hecanread my mind, for surely, he can see that a monster is exactly what I think he is.
Julian winces, signaling I might be on to something. The only reason he would have to react that way would be if he heard my thoughts.
A throat clears and Julian steps away from me, dropping my hair as he goes. “Right now, I’m starving. Will you eat with us?”
The change of direction is jarring. Julian seems to enjoy keeping me off balance, and I don’t like it. Now he wants me to eat with him? My eyes go wide, imagining all sorts of morbid ways that these creatures eat. Law notices my expression and laughs.
“We’re not beasts. We enjoy the same meals that humans do.”
I make an effort to make my face blank, unwilling to allow them any more insight into what I’m feeling. I have a habit of wearing my emotions, and I can see they are good at reading me. Katina said they could smell emotions too. I’m doing everything possible to snuff all of it out. Embracing the numbness is what I need to do.
“We don’t require human food, nor does it provide the nutrients that we need, but we enjoy it nonetheless,” Law continues.
I’m relieved to know I won’t be forced to watch them drain someone of blood or worse, become the meal myself.
Chapter Ten
I sit ramrod straight in my chair, refusing to eat a thing placed in front of me, even when my stomach gurgles in hunger.
“Eat, Marina. You need your strength,” Julian demands.
“How do I know this isn’t laced with something?”
I’m starving. The truth is, I need the food. I haven’t touched it because I don’t trust them and I don’t want to give in.I won’t show them weakness.
“There’s no weakness in taking care of yourself.”
My head turns to Julian’s. Eyes narrowing, I question just what other things Julian is able to do. He’s read my mind too many times this evening for it to be coincidence.
“Are you reading my mind?” I say through gritted teeth.
Law’s head snaps to Julian. “That’s impossible, unless you are his familiar, and that’s just a silly legend, right Julian?”
Julian doesn’t answer him. Instead, he lowers his eyes to his bowl of lobster bisque and raises his spoon, taking a small sip, completely ignoring my question as well. Law’s mention of a legend swims around in my head. What legend is he talking about?
Clanking trays have me forgetting all about legends, as servers covered in head-to-toe black place plates of steak, potatoes, and green beans in front of us. My stomach growls and I know I won’t be able to resist. I can’t hold out any longer. Hunger demanding, I feed myself.
Like a ravenous beast, completely lacking manners, I begin shoving pieces of potato and bread into my mouth.Calm down. You just ate recently.
Julian’s brows raise as he watches me eat. He smothers a triumphant grin and stabs his fork into a piece of potato, bringing it to his mouth. I watch as his tongue darts out, licking his bottom lip and giving me a peek at his elongated canine. I shiver a bit at the sight of it, but that reaction is quickly replaced with something else. Something unwanted. As he opens his mouth and allows the fork to enter, his lips wrap around the morsel in the most arousing way. There is something so sensual about the way he chews, swallows... everything about him. He’s an enigma, and I’m trying so desperately not to be fascinated.
