Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
SEBASTIAN
It’s difficult to see her face from all the dirt and grime that is smudged around it from her tears.
Still, those eyes reach out all the way to the center of my chest. I would hate to have to compel her; I need her willing, not fighting me every step we take.
Whatever I was expecting when I found her, it wasn’t this.
The girl barely looks human…even for a human.
Dressed in clothes two sizes too big she shouldn’t look intriguing, yet, she does.
Malnourished, her hair un-brushed for years, still can’t cover her high cheekbones, large expressive eyes, and thick pillowed lips.
Nor can any humanity cover the fire that I saw in her gaze when she spat at me while hanging from the building, eleven floors up, at my mercy.
I’m sure she would’ve bitten me if I was close enough. That thought makes me smile.
Her eyes narrow to slits, and my smile only grows.
Andrei called her feisty. Feisty doesn’t even cover half of what she is.
She is a fighter, and she’s perfect. Something of my thoughts must’ve shown on my face because she kicks out so suddenly that I don’t have time to move out of the way.
Fortunately for me, unfortunately for her, she hits my thigh.
She was aiming for my groin, but thankfully, it was not meant to be.
Her jaw clenches, no doubt from pain, while I feel her boot barely graze my skin.
Her body trembles in rage when there is no reaction from me.
I let her save some of her dignity. Twisting my mouth as if in pain, I shake my leg to stretch out the muscles.
The smile blooming on her tear-streaked face is well worth the effort.
“Will you go in the shower on your own, or should I get in there with you to make sure you obey?” My words are not received as well as I hoped.
“I don’t need your shower or anything else from you, asshole.” Her nails claw at my arms in hopes that I will release her. “You’ll just have to kill me like this, while I’m stinking up your nice apartment.”
“You keep forgetting that it doesn’t bother me. I thought since you are a woman, you’d appreciate it. You don’t have to hide anymore. Ever.”
I can feel Andrei lurking outside the door to the bedroom.
Smart male, letting me handle this on my own.
From the moment I had her in my arms, I find it more difficult by the second to have others around her.
Luckily for all of us, when Niklas was here, my logical brain overpowered my instincts.
I’m not sure how long that will be the case.
The feeling grows stronger the longer I keep my hands on her.
With that thought, I set her gently down on her feet and release her reluctantly.
“What I will appreciate more is being free. I don’t suppose that offer is on the table.”
“What you don’t understand, girl, is that you will finally be free.”
“What does that even mean?” screeching in my face, she finally makes me flinch. “You do understand how fucked up this whole situation is, right? What do you want from me? Either kill me or let me go. Stop messing with my mind.” A sob bursts from her lips. “I can’t do this. I won’t play your games.”
“I’ll make you a deal…”
“No!”
“You don’t even know what I was going to offer.” Crossing my arms over my chest, I glare at her.
Stubborn little thing.
“Unless you were offering for me to walk out that door, the answer is no.” Lifting her chin defiantly, she stares down her nose at me. It’s quite a talent, I decide. “The answer will always be no to everything else.”
“Even if in the end you know exactly why you are here? Why I’ve been searching for you?” Curiosity glitters in her gaze, but she shakes it off.
“You don’t even know me, dude. Whoever it is you’ve been looking for, I’m sorry to burst your bubble. It’s not me.” Mimicking me, she crosses her thin arms over her chest.
My lips twitch, and she glares at me. It’s an intense glare.
I cannot fight the urge. The smile I’m trying to suppress crinkles the corners of my eyes.
Her own narrow at that and I throw my head back laughing for the first time in decades.
The door opens slightly, and it’s Andrei’s shocked face peering through it.
His mouth is slightly open while he stares at me.
I can’t blame him. Ignoring the male, I look at the woman in front of me.
“Let us decide if that is true after I’m done telling you a story.” When she says nothing, I sigh profoundly, rubbing the back of my neck. “Andrei can stay in the room too if it makes you feel better. No one will touch you or get near you. You have my word.”
“All I have to do is hear your story, and you’ll let me go?”
“Ah, no. You have to take a shower. While you are doing that, I’ll tell you my story. Then you will eat.” Her stomach rumbles loudly, and whatever she was about to say was left behind her thinly pressed lips. “After that, we will see what you think.”
“You really are insane if you think I’m going to take my clothes off with not just one, but two monsters in this room.”
“If any of us wanted to hurt you, in any way, it would’ve been done by now many times over. We are not animals.” She angers me, implying that we will act like we’ve never seen a woman before. Who does this little girl think she is dealing with?
“I’ll have to disagree, big guy. Your kind is worse than animals. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.” Her hand lifts up, her fingers trailing over a scar I didn’t notice until now.
Someone has attacked her, and by the looks of it, almost chewed off half of her neck.
Rage makes me see red, and I’m in front of her before she can blink.
April tries to move away, but I hold her firmly, inspecting the puckered skin.
Andrei is looking over my shoulder, a growl vibrating from his chest.
“Who did this, April?” I can barely recognize my voice.
“I think I’ll take that shower now.” Gulping air, she watches me wide-eyed.
She is willing to obey me only because she doesn’t want to talk about whatever has happened.
Picking my battles wisely, I allow her to pull away.
I will know every detail, just not now. Maybe not even this night, but she will tell me who did that.
If he still lives, I will enjoy ending his life very slowly.
With my hand on her lower back, I guide her to the bathroom.
Opening the door, I push her through it gently, staying at the threshold.
She stops a couple of feet inside, looking around in wonder.
I try to see it through her eyes. What would it look like to be in this place after hiding in shadows and sewers all your life?
Shaking my head, I push that to the back of my mind.
It’ll get me to the point of no return, and I’ll go visit the Council members tonight for a chat. One step at a time, I remind myself.
“No one will get anywhere near you. I will stand with my back to you until you tell me you are done.” When she glances at me over her shoulder suspiciously, I give her what I hope is a gentle smile.
“That way I can talk, and you can listen. Your hearing is not as good as mine to hear my story over the running water and through a closed door.” When she doesn’t move, I nudge her further into the bathroom.
“My kind may be worse than animals, but I will not break my word. I can control my instincts.”
I regret those promised words five minutes later.