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His eyes widen at my harsh tone and deadly glare.
“I’m tired of taking orders. You said you wouldn’t hurt me—well, I’m calling your bluff. How long will that last when I refuse to obey?”
His lips part but then slam shut again. Swiping his hand back through his hair roughly, he grunts his dissatisfaction.
“Why must human women be so difficult?”
I blanch at his words.
“You’re kidding.”
“No, Marina. I’m not. I’ve made no move to harm you, yet you’ve been nothing but combative.”
“I was stolen from my home,” I yell.
“I’ve told you a million times,notby me. I’ve done nothing but keep you safe.”
“Then stop. Let me go,” I demand, knowing full well I’m being childish. He’s already explained why I can’t go, yet here I am throwing it back in his face after all he has done.Ungrateful much?But I can’t help it.
“If you leave here you will die, Marina, and not at my hands. I can’t save you if you leave.”
“Ugh,” I groan. “I’m so tired of hearing the same things over and over. I’m saving you, I won’t hurt you. You sound like a broken record.”
“What do you want from me, Marina?” Julian yells back, clearly done with my breakdown.
“The truth. That’s all.” My words come out defeated. I’m tired. Tired of fighting for the day, tired of lies, tired of getting the same answers. Most of all, I’m emotionally spent. Maybe I’m being unfair, expecting too much too soon, but what I saw today has me unraveling.
I’m living under a roof with the corpse of the ex-Crown. A creature that was obviously cruel—given he started and ran the auction—and merciless. I feel off-kilter around Julian, and I still don’t know if it’s because I’m starting to care for him, or if it’s a symptom of PTSD or some equivalent mental illness. Hell, it could very well be magic too. I’ve yet to attempt that puzzle.
Julian takes a deep breath.
“The truth is I will never harm you, Marina. Everything I’ve done is truly to protect you.” His shoulders sag, the fight leaving him. “But if you insist on knowing things—things that will put you in further danger—I’ll tell you.”
“Everything?”
He nods, resigned.
“Everything.” He turns away. “Go clean up. We’ll have dinner, and then I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”
I walk to him, placing my hand on his back.
“Thank you, Julian.” He looks over his shoulder, gives me a nod, and walks away.
* * *
“What was all of that about?” Stacey asks with wide eyes.
“I saw his father. He was killed, and Julian says he thinks it’s because of some secret that his father was hiding. I want him to tell me the secret.”
“Why? What good can possibly come from you entangling yourself further into the vampire web, Marina?”
I consider Stacey’s words. She isn’t wrong, but at this point what does it matter? If I’m to believe Julian, I’ve been marked. I’m stuck here and in the direct path of the vampires. If I try to leave, they’ll come after me anyway. Knowledge or not, I’m as good as dead. Knowledge is power, right?
“What if it’s something that could help get us home? Don’t you want that?”
She purses her lips. “Yes, but I think we should listen to Julian. He hasn’t given us any reason not to trust him.”
“He’s keeping secrets.”
