Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Panic like no other seizes my mind. Snatching a towel, I wrap it around myself, and grabbing the bundle of my clothing from the floor, I try to get past Sebastian.
Static sounds buzz in my head. Faint noises penetrate from somewhere, but they are so far away, it barely registers. I need to get out of here.
I need to hide.
Strong fingers wrap around my arm to stop me, and something in me breaks.
A hysterical scream is wrenched from my lungs, my body jerking violently in hopes to free myself from whoever is trying to keep me here.
The fact that I was somewhat calm while in the presence of monsters this whole time doesn’t matter.
Whatever it was that possessed me to do what they asked and talk to them is long gone now.
I lived a miserable existence for so long, not because I wanted to prove something.
I did it because I didn’t want to die. That was the simple truth of it.
I want to live.
Voices get louder, overtaking the buzzing in my ears.
I keep thrashing around, the towel long forgotten where it dropped at my feet.
I couldn’t care less if I’m naked. All I want is to get out of here.
Strong arms wrap around me, pulling me to a firm chest. It doesn’t stop me from doing my best to free myself.
I scratch, hit, and scream. When a hand pushes my face close to skin, like a wild animal, I open my mouth, sinking my teeth in it.
Warm blood rushes in, the sweet, coppery taste taking me by surprise.
I’ve sucked on my cuts through the years, I know how blood should taste. This is not it.
Just having that thought that I should know what blood tastes like stops my frantic movements.
Too late, I realize I’ve actually swallowed whatever fluid filled my mouth.
A deep, masculine groan vibrates through my chest and goosebumps cover my arms and legs.
The short hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
Everything is so quiet in the room, the silence pulses like a living being.
When I try to pull away from whoever it is that holds me, the arms tighten around me.
One hand is still pressing my face to what I now know is a thick neck.
My lips are still on the skin, the blood trickling between them coating the inside of my mouth.
Instantly, I become acutely aware of a few things.
First, it’s Sebastian that is holding me prisoner, wrapped around me like an anaconda holding her prey before it swallows it whole.
Second, I’m buck naked like the day I was born.
And third, the power radiating from him, his scent, and the taste of his blood make my body react in ways I’ve never felt before.
All my nerve endings are on fire. Even the air in the room touching my skin sends it ablaze.
Another groan vibrates from Sebastian through me.
I push against his hand on the back of my head slightly, requesting him to let me go.
Reluctantly, he does, allowing me to push off him and scurry away.
Crouching, keeping all my focus on him, not daring to even glance away, my hands search for the towel.
When my fingers sink in the plush fabric, I snatch it up and hold it in front of me like a shield.
He still hasn’t moved, his eyes closed with a reverent look on his handsome face.
Catching a glimpse of movement from the corner of my eye, I step further away so I can see the entire room.
I’ve managed to exit the bathroom in my hysteria, but apparently, I haven’t gotten far.
Now, here I am, backing up until my naked butt hits the wall opposite the window.
The shadow that got my attention was Marcus coming further inside the bedroom.
All three of them are now looking at me.
Andrei and Marcus with worry written all over them.
Sebastian, on the other hand, has a fire burning in his smoldering gaze, making my blood run hot and cold at the same time.
The collar of his pristine white shirt is covered in red on one side.
My stomach gives a violent lurch, reminding me why that is.
He was bleeding. No, not bleeding. He has bled. He is not anymore.
I can still taste his blood in my mouth.
“I want to live.” My voice sounds far away. I have no idea why I even said that.
“You will not die tonight, April.” Sebastian takes a step towards me, my body pressing at the wall like it wants to become one with it. He stops with a frown.
“I’m not going to the Council Towers.” I’m reduced to stating obvious things at the moment. As if the three of them were not aware of those facts.
“You will not go there tonight, no.” He takes another step closer. The other two just stand frozen like statues, not saying a word.
That’s when I realize how stiff my whole body has been. Hearing those words relaxes my muscles, making it so my feet can’t hold my weight anymore. Sliding down the wall, I curl up in as tight of a ball as I can.
“Thank you.” My words are barely a puff of air passing through numb lips, but I know they heard me. Because they are not human, April, my mind screams so loud, my body involuntarily jerks.
“Leave us.” Sebastian is still watching me intently, not even glancing away when his soft words are spoken.
A blast of air caresses my skin before a soft click sounds in the room.
To my frightened mind, it seems as loud as a gun going off.
I flinch, causing Sebastian’s smoldering gaze to soften a bit.
We stand like that for a long moment. I can’t help wondering what he thinks when he looks at me.
Apart from his misguided idea that I’m something that I’m not.
Does he see a woman? A girl, as he called me a few times?
Is he disgusted by a human in his room? Or does he see food, like a wolf cornering a frightened rabbit in the middle of the winter?
Him looming over me brings his height to the front of my mind again.
Even if he was human, he could’ve crushed me with one hand if he wanted.
“You still fear me, April.”
“No shit I fear you, Sebastian.” I can’t hold my tongue.
“What did you think? You’d tell me a story, and I’d get all warm and fuzzy?
Jump on the crazy train to resurrect your long-lost queen, or whatever?
You must think I’m an idiot.” When he keeps watching me, saying nothing, I get uncomfortable, so I continue talking.
“Granted, I can’t blame you if you think I’m stupid.
I haven’t been acting very smart since you’ve seen me.
In my defense, that’s what people do when they are cornered…
or abducted. They act in self-preservation, on instinct. ” With a firm nod, I finish my speech.
One side of his lips twitches slightly.
“What?” Anger at finding myself in this position makes me snap at him.
“I love how brave you are.”
Taken aback by those words, my mouth opens and closes a few times as I squirm a bit before I can speak. “Wha…what?” Yeah, I know, a brilliant reply.
“You fear me, yet you fight me with every breath you take.” A smile like pure sin blossoms on his face. My stomach somersaults, my thighs clenching in reaction.
His nostrils flare, that smoldering fire returning to the intent gaze.
Gulping air, I stare at him. Sebastian shakes his head slightly as if to clear it and turns around.
His long legs take him to one of the chests of drawers, and he rummages through it.
After a moment, he comes back in front of me and hands me what looks like a black t-shirt. A very large black t-shirt.
“Put it on.” His words come out as a growl, and I jerk back, bumping my head on the wall. “Please,” he tries again, softly, after clearing his throat. “I would like to keep my word, but your scent is too tempting. I think this will help…hopefully,” he adds as if telling himself that last bit.
I am all in agreement as soon as he says it will help him keep his word.
Reaching for it, I yank the shirt from his fingers and look at him expectantly.
He gives me a smirk, but thankfully, he turns his back.
Not wanting to tempt Good Fortune, in case she decides to join Luck and Hope in becoming a bitch and the bane of my existence I pull the shirt over my head, shoving my arms through the holes as fast as possible.
When I stand up, it drops down, covering me a few inches to my knees.
It’s not the best, but it’s better than being naked.
“You can look now.” Kicking the towel away with one foot, I pull my hair out of the shirt.
“Let us organize ourselves before we answer the summons.” After sweeping his gaze over me from head to toe, he offers his hand.
I look at it like it’s a snake ready to bite me as soon as I touch it.
Not daring to look into Sebastian’s eyes, I push his hand away and stomp towards the living room.
There is no getting away right now, but it doesn’t mean I’m happy about being here.
His chuckle from behind me makes me stomp harder.