Chapter 35 Nyx #3
“Cyrus, you weren’t exaggerating at how beautiful she is!
I’ve been eager to meet you ever since he came home singing your praises.
” I never went to my high school prom, but I imagine it’d go something like this: Naomi fawning over us as we stand awkwardly next to each other, pulling out her camera and telling us to kiss.
The thought makes bile rise in my throat, which I try swallow inconspicuously.
Unlike the genuine affection between Killian and his mom, the way Cyrus preens under her praise only confirms my suspicion that he’s a spineless momma’s boy.
“Oh, you shouldn’t have,” I grit out with a brittle smile at Cyrus. Luther’s eyes connect with mine briefly as the rest of his family ignores my discomfort, and I take my chance to interrupt the nauseating display of “boy mom” narcissism.
“How have you been, Luther?” I ask awkwardly. Everyone but Preston, who’s avidly watching this shitshow, looks at me like I’ve just sharted myself.
Even Luther looks confused when he answers with a stilted, “Fine.”
Cyrus clears his throat to remind everyone the world revolves around him and launches into a monologue about the changes he’ll be making to the training program next year as the new assistant coach on campus.
“I can’t believe Carrick still has a job, honestly. He was past his prime when I was a student.”
“And how long ago was that?” I ask.
He stands straighter and puffs out his chest. “I’ve been a Junior Councilman for four years now.”
Preston raises his glass in a mock toast. “I hope we don’t lose you to a life of teaching, Cyrus.
Tough to walk away from first pick of the ripest crop each year.
Maybe you can put in a good word for me as an adjunct.
” He winks at me, and I nearly lose the contents of my stomach as Cyrus and Marcus laugh along with him while Naomi merely rolls her eyes at me.
“Come now, gentlemen!” she admonishes, like they’ve just picked their boogers at the table instead of casually joking about abuses of power. Thane’s head is tilted back against the wall among a cloud of white smoke and Luther’s scowling with a look of disgust when I glance at them.
Alright, so the guy who had a psychotic break and tried to kill me has more integrity than the leaders of our government.
I need to get the fuck out of here.
“Excuse me, I need to use the ladies.” Hopefully that’s a good enough lie they won’t question why I’m practically running away.
This time, no one stops me as I get two glasses of champagne and hug the walls, sneaking around the edge of the crowds until I finally feel the cool evening breeze through the massive doors leading to the patio.
I haven’t been out here since the nightmare that was Samhain, but my heart beats faster with the hope it might be different tonight.
It takes me a few minutes to make my way around the many corners and alcoves, but eventually I find him. Ramsey’s devastating in his tux, long hair swept back, revealing his scars as he leans back against the stone wall. I don’t think he’s ever been more handsome.
“It took me so long to find you, I almost drank both of these.” I hold up the glasses and hold one out.
He doesn’t meet my eyes as he takes the glass, tossing the champagne back in a single gulp and dropping it in the grass.
“Jesus, that bad huh? Maybe you need this more than I do,” I tease, handing him my glass. “Milo said your parents found you?”
He stares at the glass hanging from his fingers, and scoffs.
“Yeah, they found me.” There’s a hard edge to his voice I haven’t heard before, and despite all of the painful, uncomfortable, and sickening interactions I’ve had tonight—Vivica, Armand, the Councilmen and their families—it’s that edge that makes my blood run cold.
Suddenly, I’m back in Lynden, where the preternatural sense that something lurks around the corner, stalking any unfortunate prey stupid enough to blink meant the difference between surviving and being swallowed whole by the shadows of a broken town.
“What happened?” I ask quietly, suddenly still.
“Why are you here, Nyx?”
I frown. “To find you? I thought we could sneak out, get changed, and maybe have dinner at your place? There’s that new movie—”
When his glowing eyes finally meet mine under the moonlight, there’s nothing of the Ramsey I know.
The man in front of me is a stranger. “And then… what—snuggle? Fuck?” He sneers.
“I couldn’t even bring myself to fuck you on Beltane, when that’s literally the whole point.
Don’t get me wrong—manipulating you into trusting me, wanting me, spreading your legs—it’s been fun, but I’m bored of playing with you.
” Each new cruelty devours the memory of his whispered confessions, when he said—when he said he wanted more.
In a broken voice I thought I’d never hear again, I ask quietly, “What are you doing?”
“Now that you’ve got everyone desperate for a taste of your cunt, it’s only a matter of time before you’re bought and bred by the highest bidder.
I’ll give it a year, tops, before you’re paid for in full.
” My eyes burn with tears at the disdain dripping from his lips.
“Fucking beats me why anyone wants you though. You weren’t anything special before, and they think all that’s going to change now you have power?
All I see is someone who’s going to fuck shit up for the rest of us, just like the last Bloodwitch did.
We wouldn’t have Vampires if it weren’t for her.
How are you going to ruin everything this time, huh? ”
“Stop,” I whisper as the first tears fall.
He stands from the wall and chugs the champagne in my glass, and it lands with a dull thud when he drops it on the ground and looks down at me. “Dry your tears, witchling. Nobody cares if you cry. That’d require you being worth anything to anyone. Well, aside from how much you’ll bring at auction.”
I remain frozen in place as his footsteps fade, but the damage is done. His venom bleeds into every happy memory I’ve made in the last nine months, tainting every smile, every kiss, every—every time I hoped it was real. I believed it all, and it meant nothing.
I meant nothing.
Stupid.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Stupid to think things would be different here.
Stupid to not crush that little part of me that thought I could still be happy while I still had the chance, before this world used it to crush me instead.
I don’t know how long I stand there, staring into the moonlit sky. Dreaming of flying far, far away and landing among the stars, above everything and everyone that would hurt me. Of dancing by starlight in that great, infinite silence.
“Oh pretty girl, what happened?” The heat of his jacket when he wraps it around my shoulders is the anti-venom that finally frees my paralyzed thoughts.
“Come on, let’s get you out of here.” When he tries to help me walk, my limbs are still rooted to the ground, so he sweeps me into his arms. I lean my head on his shoulder as he talks to me, even though I can’t respond.
“My mom liked you, by the way. To be fair, she likes almost everyone. To a fault sometimes, but she really liked you.”
The trees blend together in the darkness, leaves rustling in the warm breeze with promises that tomorrow’s dawn will burn away the last of Ramsey’s venom, but I won’t make the mistake of believing it.
“What can I do, pretty girl?”
Oh. We’re in my room. When did we get here?
“Do you want to change clothes?” I must nod, because the next thing I know he’s handing me my pajamas.
What was I supposed to do with these?
“I’m going to unzip your dress, but I promise to close my eyes, okay?”
Suddenly, I can breathe again as the fabric slides down my body.
“Arms up.”
Okay.
The fabric is cool as it slips over the red marks in my skin from the dress.
“Sit.”
Okay.
A warm washcloth starts cleaning my face, erasing the makeup and tears.
“Open.”
Okay.
I drink the water he pours into my mouth.
When I open my eyes again, Killian’s looking down at me with a soft smile.
“There she is.”
“Killian?”
“Yeah?”
“What are you doing?”
“I wanted to help you. Is that okay?”
“I’m tired, Killian.”
“I know, pretty girl. What can I do?”
“I don’t—” I shake my head, because I don’t know what I want. Except for this night to be over. “Is it stupid if I want to ask you to stay?”
“No, sweetheart, that’s not stupid. I don’t know what happened, but I think my mom would disown me if you asked me to stay and I said no with you feeling like this.
Do you want me to stay?” I look up at him from where I’m sitting on my bed, and he starts undoing the pins in my hair.
He pulls them out one by one with single-minded focus as I watch.
When he finds all of them, he runs his fingers along my scalp and I rest my head against his taut stomach, moaning in relief.
He gently pulls my hair back and cups my cheek. “Do you want me to stay?” he whispers, looking down at me.
I nod.
“Okay.” He slowly undoes the cufflinks on each sleeve and untucks his dress shirt from his waistband, watching me watch him as he undoes every button until it slides off his bare chest and on to the floor.
I reach out and lightly run my fingers down his muscled stomach, leaving goosebumps in my wake. “How are you even real?” I whisper, and he chuckles under his breath.
“Is this okay?” I nod. When his hands move to undo his belt, I notice the growing bulge beneath his slacks. Hypnotized, unable to look away when he pulls his zipper down, revealing his black boxer briefs underneath.
“Is this okay?” I nod. His pants drop to the floor and he slips his shoes off, stepping out of them, standing there, waiting for me.
“What do you need, Nyx?”
I look at him, looming over me. I need to forget what happened tonight. I need to be held. I need so many, many things.
“You,” I whisper.