Chapter 18 Sai #4
If she hit me with that smile, after a lifetime of being a moody, miserable fuck, I’d probably malfunction too.
“Take. The. Coffee.” His eyes don’t even flicker to me.
He takes it, eyes dancing between the travel cup and her. “Thank you.”
“That’s a caramel cappuccino,” she explains, sipping her own before adding, “If you don’t like it, it’s fine, I can always—”
“I like it.”
I scrub a hand over my face. “You’re meant to say that after you’ve tasted it, mate.”
But she laughs. I got her to smile, but Kane got her to laugh.
The bastard.
But I decide it’s one of her top five sounds. Maybe top three, but I’ve gotta leave room for the whimpers and moans and—
“Sai?”
“Yeah, baby?” Fuck.
Is she gonna be mad at me for calling her that? Not let me take her for coffee again?
“Can you take this one to Ezekial?” Thank whatever fucks are up there she decides to gloss over it. She’s pointing at the cup labelled vanilla, and I have to bite back a joke. “Don’t worry if you’re busy—”
“Leave it with me, Red. I’ll be your errand boy.” I grin. “Anything else you want me to take, or give, or—”
“You’ve taken plenty already.” Kane’s voice cuts into my head.
“I’ve got one for Julien too.” Red rests her hand over the one marked honey. “I wasn’t sure if…” She swallows. “How is he? Really?”
Kane stares over her head at me. “Don’t lie.”
I set the tray on Zeek’s desk. “Sending Zeek was a good shout, Red. It helped. But… the big guy’s still struggling.”
“Struggling,” she repeats, nodding softly. “So he’s still starving himself?”
“This has happened before, Red.” I try for a smile, probably crooked as hell. “Don’t worry.”
“But why can’t he feed exactly?” She looks between us. “Can’t he just have a blood bag or something? Does blood coffee exist? I should’ve asked about that...”
“Even if they did make that kinda thing, he wouldn’t be able to drink it. His darkness won’t let him.” I want to touch her so badly, ease her racing thoughts. “We’ll get him through this.”
“But why won’t it let him?” She turns to Kane. “Can’t you help him? You control the dark.”
My eyes bulge as I stare at Kane. Red’s back to me. “Be careful, man. Don’t hurt her feelings.”
“It wants you.”
Her whole body flinches. “Oh. So, it is my fault,” she murmurs.
“Fuck’s sake, Kane.” I press my fingers to her lower back. “No. No, Red. This has happened before, it’s just this time… after you said... And remember, this isn’t your fault, but when you said—”
“His blood is mine.” She stares at the ground.
“Yeah…” I sigh. “That kinda... His darkness is pissed at him for giving what’s yours to others. So he’s punishing himself.”
“He’s harming himself because of what I said?” Her eyes flick between me and Kane, and neither of us has a damn clue what to say.
“I can’t see him? Can’t even speak to him? He’s just gone and I can’t even…” Her voice cracks, and so does something in my chest.
Then she walks away, closer to the glass wall and stares out at the district.
“Ah fuck, she’s breaking my heart, Kane. Say something.”
“This is what he has decided. To keep you safe,” he says, but she keeps her back to us. “I’m sorry.”
“He’ll be back, Red.” She won’t look at us. “He always comes back.”
“Is he in the Pit?” Her words echo.
We both hesitate, and when neither of us answers, she turns.
Her eyes are darker now, a rich, heavy, deep red. My easy-going smile dies, and she locks straight onto it.
“Don’t tell me he’s chained in the Pit again.” Her sudden anger is intoxicating, all my markings buzz and pulse in response. “I thought he might be at the house but then… of course not. He’s there, isn’t he? Chained like a monster.”
The way all the shadows of the room bend to her will, spilling out to surround, makes every dark piece of me snap to attention.
“This is bad,” I mutter, only to Kane whose eyes are locked on the storm of shadows crawling around us.
“I want him out. Now.” Her voice drips darkness, eyes flickering in and out of burning red.
We move without speaking, Kane to her front, me at her back.
I lower my mouth to her ear. “It’s not that simple, baby.” My fingers trace her spine. “He asked for the chains. If we bring him out now, he’ll go straight to you.”
“I can handle him.”
Kane’s fingers reach her jaw, cupping it. “If we let him out now, he’ll find you, and he will feed from you.”
For fuck’s sake, what is he doing?
“And afterwards, he will drown in the guilt. The Pit is temporary, that would not be.” He lowers his face, levelling his eyes with hers. “That would be his undoing. Hurting you. Do you understand?”
I’m not sure if what Kane says makes it better or worse, so I track the shadows.
They hold, then slowly ease back.
“I understand. I wasn’t thinking straight.” She blinks, and more shadows slip away.
Kane and I don’t move an inch, and for just a second, I wonder if maybe he has done this before. If he’s actually got experience sharing.
That thought sparks something filthy. I’m painting all sorts of pictures—Red tangled in his shadows, those little whimpers spilling out as he holds her down. Me watching, then joining—
“Can you at least pass a message on from me?” Red glances over her shoulder at me, because she knows I’m the weakest link.
“No.” Kane’s voice barks in my head.
“Sure, Red.”
“Idiot.”
“Tell Julien I understand and I... I appreciate what he’s doing for me.”
“Do not tell him that.”
“Done.”
Kane cants his head. “Leave. Now.”
I slap on a brilliant grin. “I’ll take this to Zeek, and pass on your message, Red.” I brush my fingers over her cheek, almost touching those soft lips, and she doesn’t even try to pull back.
Fuck. Yes.
When I step backwards, I refuse to take my eyes off her. “Pick you up same time tomorrow, Red. Yeah?”
She’s smiles and fuck, I love that.
And I think Kane says something, but I couldn’t give a shit, all I see is Red’s face as I flit away.