30. Chapter 30
Eden
W ith a gasp for air, Eden sat upright and looked around even though most of the room was slightly fuzzy. She rubbed her eyes and strained them to try and focus on her surroundings. After her vision came into focus, she found herself in her bedroom at the Miller home. She gave herself a moment as each conversation and memory the devotee showed her replayed. Eden took in a deep breath as she stood roughly from the bed while her joints cracked slightly from the lack of use. The cold room sent a shiver through her body and she quickly grabbed a sweater and tugged it over her.
She glanced down to the bedside table where her phone sat on the charger which she figured Eloise had plugged. As the screen lit up she saw about five missed calls from Bastien, over ten from Wyatt followed by a long string of texts from him. Quickly, she slid the messages away as she planned out how she would explain her disappearance if her mother hadn’t already.
She pulled up her conversation with Eloise, she hit the call button. However, there was no answer. With a frown, she decided to look around to see if anyone was home. Someone has to be close by . She pocketed her phone and going down the stairs she was met with a very still and quiet house. However, the lights were still on which signaled at least Bastien was here and found her way to the kitchen.
While she started some water for tea, Eden leaned against the counter. She ran a hand through her knotted hair and pulled it up and away from her neck to deal with later. How am I going to explain this to Wyatt? Just when I thought I had all this figured out. Her mind wandered to the look in his eyes as they sat in the late-night diner.
His eyes were lit up with excitement as he looked down at her. He stepped closer and wrapped an arm around her slowly and pulled her in. Her hands met with the coolness of the black leather jacket he seemed to always wear. “Don’t worry, I won’t let any hunters get you.”
Lost in thought, she only broke from her daydreams when the loud scream of the kettle called. It quickly faded away as she removed it from the heat and the house fell into silence once more. That was until suddenly, the same voice from her memory drifted from somewhere in the house. She pushed off the counter and Eden looked around the kitchen worried her mind was now playing tricks on her due to the venom.
“Look at me, damn it!” His voice sounded more clear this time. Her eyes snapped to the basement door and her heart leapt into her throat.
For a second, every nerve in her body went numb. He’s here… No, no, no. The pit in her stomach that had been there for weeks suddenly seemed to rip open wider than ever. The air in her lungs suspended for the next few seconds as the fear for his safety washed over her. A little voice in the back of her mind pushed through the realization that if he was here, he knew exactly who she and her family were. He’s not going to get out of there alive and you’ll be a Heretic. It taunted her as her hand drifted to her side for a weapon that wasn’t there. Could now be the time I have to truly make my choice?
Fear gripped her which caused a lump to form in her throat. The image of Eloise stood in front of her with her hand wrapped around Eden’s wrist filled her mind’s eye. Her heart sped as she remembered the stories Bastien told her about the first Heretic. How after the Matriarch drew the magic from The Compass where a large letter ‘H’ appeared over it. Bastien also warned her the process wasn’t exactly painless as the magic was forced out. Eden blinked the thoughts away as she heard more voices downstairs.
She dashed to the door and pulled it open. Eden took two steps at a time down the steep wooden stairs and found her worst nightmare looking back. Eloise and Bastien were by the table of weapons and tools while Wyatt was chained to the wall. All of them looked at her with various degrees of shock and relief across their faces. Her heart broke as her gaze fell to Wyatt for only a mere second, the very thing she warned Bastien of was now reality. There’s no way to hide now . As she went down the last step she saw Wyatt smile at her in the classic fashion he always did.
“I’m here to save the princess!” He called to her, lightheartedly.
“Do you ever stop talking?” Eloise snapped at him and turned back to her. She walked over with her arms open. “Eden, my dear. I’ve been worried sick. How did you ever get in that state?”
Eden shook her head and took a step back from a now surprised-looking Eloise. The possibilities of how this could end ran through her head slowly and got worse with every scenario. If Eloise knew she had genuine feelings towards the man she knew he wouldn’t walk out of here. Maybe Eloise doesn’t know we are seeing each other. Eden procrastinated another glance at Wyatt as she positioned herself between her family and the demon she had grown much too fond of. She couldn’t look at him. Not yet, she couldn’t see the look of betrayal he must be feeling after this discovery. She wouldn’t give her true feelings away, not yet.
“It was vampire venom.” She told them looking right at her uncle who looked back at her with relief and sympathy.
Her mother frowned at her as she stepped to block Wyatt. “Eden, why don’t you join us?”
“I’m okay right here,” she lifted her chin slightly and shifted her feet to stand her ground.
“That wasn’t a request. Come here, Eden.”
“Not until I know why you two have Wyatt Steele chained up in our basement.”
“Why would you care?” Her eyebrows rose over the rim of her glasses.
Eloise stood a little straighter and closed the distance between them. Her heels clicked on the floor and she stood just half a head taller as she peered down through her glasses darkly. It was now Eden could see the dark circles hidden behind the frames, she hadn’t slept. Her hair was tied into a braid that had half fallen out and she smelled of whiskey. This is worse than I thought. She cursed internally for not grabbing her knife from her room before she came down as she had no way to get to the cabinet.
“Your little friend,” she accentuated the word. “Seemed a little more concerned for your safety than the others. All but busting down the front door.”
“I didn’t bust it down, I slipped by you,” Wyatt interjected.
“I am going to cut out your tongue if you don’t learn when to be quiet!” Eloise snapped.
Eden’s throat tightened, of course, he wouldn’t just sit there and wait to hear from her. From experience, she had learned he wasn’t the type. Eden took another step back closer to Wyatt and Eloise followed now with a hand out to her unrelenting pull back to the family.
“This is your last chance to move past this with no questions asked.” Her mother almost whispered to her with wide eyes. It was a threat.
“I can’t do that.” She told her in the same hushed voice. “I know he didn’t go about this in the smartest way. I know Wyatt, he had good intentions.”
“Are you defending this disgusting creature?”
“He may be a demon, but he has hurt no one.”
“Hurt no one? Oh, dear Eden, this is my fault. I know you’ve been looking into Lennox but I didn’t think you’d gotten sucked in. I saw your notebook on your desk when I brought you to your room. There are things I should have told you a few weeks ago when I connected the dots myself. Mister Steele here is the very reason you were left in that orphanage. Lennox left you because he was the one who created that curse that was supposed to pass to you next.”
Slowly, Eden turned to face him. Her eyes drifted to the demon for a few seconds before she finally met his gaze. Wyatt’s previous demeanor shifted, regret reflected in his eyes. The world stopped as Eloise’s words weighed down the room. Eden felt her feet carry her a few steps toward him as emotions bubbled beneath the surface. The tips of her ears burned with the frustration of the thought she had been tricked by him. As she took notice of his busted lip as they parted as he started to speak.
“Eden, I- There’s nothing I can say that changes what I did over a century ago. I will spend the rest of my time making up for it, I am not that person anymore. If I was, you would have never spoken to me past hello.”
“How long have you known I was a Cade?” Her voice came out just barely more than a whisper.
“I just found out while I was down here.”
“If I find out you’re lying-”
“I’m not. The only thing I lied about was my past, as did you.” He pointed out. “I told you I would show you that demons were different than what you thought. I intend to keep that promise if you’ll let me. We just had to promise, no more lies.”
A pang of guilt sank into the ever growing pit inside her. There was no way to deny he was being genuine. As hard as it was for her to believe in this moment, it was in his voice. Just as it always was, only this time all their secrets were out. As his voice revealed his honesty, she felt herself slowly calm and returned to the moment.
“Enough Eden, are you really going to let this creature convince you of this? I didn’t raise you to be so naive.” Eloise’s voice drifted from behind her.
“At first he was a means to an end.” She turned to face her mother. Strangely now that everything was out in the open she felt like a weight was lifted and the truth started to spill out. “A way to get close to Lennox and Aron… But then even after I pushed him away he kept coming back. Somehow, it’s endearing. For once someone was on my side and for the most part I could depend on him.”
“This isn’t what the Miller family does. Do you want to end up like your great-great-grandfather?”
Eden opened her mouth to retort but quickly closed it as she realized she was about to follow right in the same path. She knew the story of the beautiful siren who had seduced him as easily as taking candy from a baby. Though Wyatt was no siren, he lured her in the same way. She moved to the ground, she saw Eloise’s feet move past her. Her attention went to keep an eye on her mother, her eyes landed back on the one person she saw while she was in that dream world.
Wordlessly, his eyes pleaded with her. Though she had found out so many things about his past over the last few days, she couldn’t let go of all the moments they had shared over the last few months. He had shown himself to be someone good, someone she could see herself happy beside. Her hand started to reach out to him before his eyes darted up at Eloise.
The woman bent down to him, her hand reached for the knife in her pocket. She pressed the metal to his cheek and peered up at Eden with a cruel smile. Eden knew the look and moved forward quickly, however wasn’t fast enough to stop her from drawing a line across the side of his face with the blade. Wyatt sucked in a sharp breath as Eden swiftly bent down and grabbed Eloise’s wrist. Carefully, she pulled it away from him and twisted her body once more between the two.
Eloise, who had been on the balls of her feet, was forced backward and stood as Eden pulled at her magic. Momentarily she had forgotten her powers would be stronger than what it had been. What was meant to be a tight grip with some ice behind it to make it harder for Eloise to lash out for a few seconds suddenly turned much colder. She forced her mother to take two steps back as her hand started to turn blue.
Eden watched as within a few moments it quickly shifted deeper and deeper purple. The air in the basement dropped a number of degrees and ice formed on her mothers’ skin. Eloise let out a gasp followed by a small sound of pain The two women eyed their hands before their eyes locked. Her mother’s eyes were narrowed at her and goosebumps formed on her arms as she paused.
“You’ve made your choice, don’t back down now.” Eloise’s voice cracked ever so slightly.
In a fluid motion, her left hand shifted the knife around and away from Eden as she gripped her wrist tightly in return. The tips of her finger pressed into the center, Eden was forced to release. She used the force from her bottom arm and Eloise pushed their arms up which forced Eden to twist to face Bastien. Using her strength to push her forward, Eden stumbled and a pair of arms caught her which caused her eyes to shoot up to him.
“I’m sorry,” He whispered as he helped her to stand.
“Hold her back! I won’t have any more interference!” Eloise demanded.
Eden felt Bastien’s hand on her arm and the sound of metal clanging together caught her attention. She looked over to Wyatt who looked at her with fear written in his face and as he attempted to stand. However, the metal sounded closer and now came from behind her. The grip on her arm vanished and something cold was clamped around both wrists behind her back. She craned her neck to see, she found one of the portable chains they kept around the basement.
She gritted her teeth and felt the magic-blocking properties they had charmed take hold. Her magic was beyond an invisible wall, just beyond reach of that blue thread. Eden glared at her Uncle and she took a step toward him and the weapon table. He shifted himself to block her path and shook his head and put both hands on either side of her. He bent down slightly, he caught her eyes seriously for the first time in years.
“This is for your own safety. If you want to help him you won’t make this worse.”
“That’s easy for you to say,” She hissed and spoke only loud enough for him to hear. “If it was Corvus in those chains you’d be just as scared as I am.”
“I know…”
“You are the monsters and you can’t even see it,” Wyatt seethed from behind them which drew her eyes back to him. “You’d rather deal with me than make sure she’s okay after what just happened!”
“I will have time once I deal with the intruder that seemed so anxious to get to her.”
A loud smack followed his words which caused her to flinch and spin around. With a quick flash, the knife was sunk into his leg and dragged down an inch. A fire burned within her irises as Eloise did so and watched Wyatt’s face contorted with pain. His whole body shook as he let out a loud scream. Eden’s body quivered with anger, her mother was after information at any cost now and refused to listen to her. She stepped forward once more but was forced back when Bastien grabbed the chains and pulled.
“Do you truly believe that you are what’s best for her? Not only are you a demon and she’s raised to kill your kind but look at the pain you’ve already brought her. Though, I guess I have you to thank for bringing her to me.” Eloise gripped his shoulder and pushed his back against the wall. “Even if I approve of this vile charade, how long will it be until you revert back to your natural ways? Demons. Don’t. Change. Mister Steele. I think we show these two how easy that switch is, yes?”
Before he could attempt to move away, Eloise gripped the hilt of the knife and yanked it from his leg. Wyatt yelled out once more, body slumped forward as he gripped his leg. Blood started to pool around the chains, the sight sent a new wave of fear over her. He can’t die, he has no dagger available to us at least. She had to remind herself as her eyes followed each tool in her mother’s belt while she clung to the belief that she didn't have the time to make a Demon Dagger.
Wyatt pulled himself upright and locked eyes with her. Her breath caught in her chest for a second and her gaze softened for a second. In a moment of understanding, he didn’t move as Eloise’s grip closed around the chain on the right side and lifted it and his hand from the ground. Fight back. She begged him internally in hopes he could read her eyes. Eden’s brows tilted down slightly to show her concern for him while Eloise was distracted. With another flash of silver, the blade was drawn across the top of his hand through the rose that resided there. He grimaced but never wavered and refused to give in to Eloise’s wishes.
“A tough guy huh? Good to know.” She reached down and twisted his now bloody hand until a snap was heard.
Wyatt yelled but didn’t lash out. The demon forced his hand away from her, she let go and his eyes drifted to the side and he kept an even expression. Though the pain he felt was clear in his face this caused Eloise’s jaw to clench. She became visibly annoyed and stabbed the knife back into him, this time his shoulder blade.
“Be useful and hold this, why don’t you?” The Matriarch stood to her full height. Without turning to face Eden, she directed her next question behind her. “My dear daughter, how could you let yourself be fooled by this thing? Are you really going to throw yourself at the first sign of love?”
“I-” Eden stopped looking down to hide the hurt. The comment wasn’t out of character for her mother but nevertheless it stung.
Eden could feel Wyatt’s eyes on her as her mother berated her again. The lump in her throat grew with every word. She started into her usual speech on how she always imagined her having this wonderful life as the top Matarich of the hunter families. Eden didn’t dare look Eloise in the eyes and she felt the grip on her arm return as Bastien squeezed slightly. Embarrassment filled her as Wyatt heard everything, however his grip helped to keep her composure as the edges of her vision tainted itself red.
“This boy has made you soft. Weeks ago you were becoming a Matriarch this family could be proud of. Now look at you, all of this? I’m so disapp- Oh? I see how it is.”
The sound of metal as it fell to the floor and heels click away made Eden finally peer up to her mother. Eloise closed the distance and came over to her and Bastien with a hand out. The Matriarch looked past Eden and spoke directly to Bastien.
“Give me the chains.”
“Eloise- What are you doing?” He questioned as he pulled Eden closer to him.
“What I said earlier still stands… If you can’t handle it- Get out. This is your last chance.” She told him as her eyebrow rose.
He watched her closely but allowed her to take the other side of the chains. Eloise turned back to Wyatt and pulled Eden with her over to the hooks they installed along the bottom of the wall. As Eden realized where they were going, her eyes went wide. Never had another Miller been chained up in the basement, she knew Eloise was mad but this? Her nerves lit like wildfire as Eloise pulled the chains around the hook far enough she or Wyatt wouldn’t be able to reach each other. Internally, she attempted to grip the blue thread but her hands slipped off. Eloise took a step back, her gaze unreadable as she looked between the two.
“You wanted to be beside him- You are.” She continued to move back until she stood between them just out of reach. “Unless you want to remain where you belong.”
“I am a Miller, but I don’t agree with these old beliefs. There’s more to these creatures than we know and it’s time we open our minds.”
“Open our minds!” Eloise took a step toward Eden so they were a few inches apart. “How many times has one of them almost killed one of us? How many lives do they have to destroy for you to see it, Eden? I’ve spent all these years trying to show you.”
Wyatt spoke up, “There’s no one on Earth that hasn’t made a bad decision.”
“A human’s bad decision doesn’t typically get people killed, or cursed.” Eloise shot back as memories from her poisoned sleep flitted through Eden’s mind.
“But it can.” Eden challenged.
“Are you going to hunt down every murderer?” Wyatt asked.
“Once we rid this world of your kind, I will.” Eloise hissed as her hand went to her weapons belt.
The room went silent as Eloise glared at them. Bastien stepped to the side and stood a few feet from where Eden was chained, ready to intervene. Her heart raced and her eyes shot to the dagger Eloise had her hand over. Her hands shook slightly in the cuffs as she returned her attention to her mother.
“Why can’t you just let me make my own decisions?”
“Because, they have already been made. It is your twenty-second birthday today, you’re due to meet the suitors over the next few weeks.”
Her chest tightened at the reminder of The Hunter Arrangement. “Mother, I have no interest in any prospects you and Stacey have chosen.”
“Eden, Holden is a wonderful option unlike Mister Steele here. I may be biased but he is my personal pick.” Eloise’s demeanor shifted as she became distracted by the new topic.
“Prospects?” Wyatt’s question hung in the air.
“I’m not surprised she didn’t tell you yet. I told you there was no way this would go anywhere past its little phase. She’s going to be married this time next year.”
“Little Viper, please tell me she’s lying.” His voice broke slightly.
The sound of his nickname for her caused her body to go rigid. She saw him look at her from the corner of her eyes. Guilt ate at her just as it did whenever the topic came up among the family. The sound of the chains as he shifted in his spot filled her ears as he attempted to catch her attention.
“Look at me, please.” His tone turned desperate as he pleaded with her.
She couldn’t speak as her mind raced to find the right way to explain.
“Eden, I need you to talk to me. No more of this second-hand bullshit. Are you engaged?”
“No, not yet…” She managed to choke out.
“Not yet? So you plan to be?” His voice came out harsher than she was used to. “I need to hear this from you.”
“It’s not really by choice… As next in line for the Matriarch position within the family, if I didn’t find a suitable partner by my twenty-second birthday a marriage would be arranged so the families could continue.”
“You’re more than someone’s prized mare, Eden.” His voice broke again. “I’m right here, I’m never going anywhere.” He interrupted.
“A suitable partner,” Eloise reiterated to him.
“When I get out of these chains, I will watch the life leave your eyes.” His anger turned toward Eloise for a moment before he peered back to her.
“No, you won’t… If Eloise dies I have to step up…” Eden breathed as her stomach lurched at the mental image of Wyatt over her dead mother. “I’ve wanted to tell you everything for weeks, Wyatt but could I have?”
His hardened expression shifted into a mix of defeat and pain as he let out a sigh. Wyatt shook his head at the ground before he lifted his eyes to her once more. He seemed to fight with himself as her eyes softened, his eyes traced every detail of her face.
“Yes, you could have. I would have stood beside you and helped you if you wanted to escape… Walk away from this. I’ve just seen firsthand how your mother treats you. Look at where you’re at. Is this really the life you want to live?”
“She can’t walk away, if she does the family line dies out. You owe that to the family after everything we’ve given you. After this little rebellion.” Eloise spoke up once more slowly and took a few steps toward her.
“Eden, you are more than a vessel for the next generation.” He lifted an eyebrow, a different kind of desperation hidden in his voice now. “I’ve seen that for myself.” “For once we can agree Mister Steele. She is much more and will be even while fulfilling the duties of the position.”
The sound of Eloise’s heels approached and Eden’s gaze was pulled away from Wyatt. A hand brushed a strand of hair from her face as she looked into the earth brown pits of her mother’s eyes. The previous rage had settled as she narrowed in on Eden.
“You can still move forward from this. You don’t have to let this mistake haunt you. It will be a lot harder among The Salvamari if this gets out… You know your grandfather doesn’t know how to keep his mouth shut.”
“I still have a year until my duties are enacted. Until then you will let Wyatt and I go or I will fight my way out and stay out.” Eden’s tone darkened in response to her attempt at manipulation.
The threat hung in the air heavier than anything that had been said within the walls of the basement. Although it had come down to a choice sooner or later, she was desperate to keep both sides of her life for as long as she could. Unable to let go of either she glanced at Wyatt who let the smallest smile creep onto his face.
“You wouldn’t walk away from this family.” Eloise shook her head.
“Wouldn’t I? Do you really want to test where I stand after you’ve just told him everything?”
Her mother paused for a moment and seemed to debate her question. She drew in a long breath and Eden continued to stare daggers between each other waiting for the other to break first. This was now a battle of wills and she was determined to win. Slowly, Eloise walked over and pulled out a key from her belt. With a click, the chains were unlocked.
“Your love for him will lead to your death, just as it did for Roy.”
Eden opened the front door for Wyatt and let him step out first. For a moment she paused and looked over her shoulder to make sure they weren’t followed. When she saw no one behind them she turned to face the grounds. The sun was on its way down as they stepped onto the grass outside the Miller home. They walked slowly down the street and Wyatt struggled a little with the cut on his leg. Eden pulled the jacket she wore off and used it to cover the blood that continued to stain his pants from the upper thigh of his jeans. Goosebumps formed as cool winter air danced across her arms followed by a small shiver.
She quickly tied the sleeves around his waist and felt his stormy eyes on her. As she knotted it she let a curtain of long hair hide her face until a hand gently placed itself on her arm. She froze for a second before she put her own hand over top and led his arm around her waist so they would look like they were on a date. His weight shifted against her ever so slightly and she started to move them forward.
“Eden.”
The sound of her name sent a wave of guilt over her. She kept her eyes low, still attempting to muster the courage to meet his eyes. “Not here, we can talk when we get back to Kappa. It’s almost curfew and we can get in much easier if we make it there in time.”
“I’ll be okay, I just need to be patched up… Are you okay?” His free hand reached over and tilted her head up to him as they walked.
She finally met his gaze which caused her to stop for a second. She had expected to see anger and frustration linger there, instead, she found confusion, concern, and guilt. The worry on her face faded and the tightness she had felt since she awoke unraveled. A strange laugh escaped her as she looked at him incredulously.
“You were used as a knife block today and you’re worried about me?”
“Little Viper, you’ve been comatose the last five days and your mother had you chained up inside your home. I’ve been through worse.”
“How do you always manage that?”
“Manage what?” He questioned and frowned slightly.
“Make everything seem like it’s going to be okay.”
“Because it will be,” He promised.
Minutes before curfew the two of them made their way through the front door of Kappa Theta. She glanced around and breathed a sigh of relief at the empty room. Eden helped him to the stairs and they made it a few steps before a voice stopped them in their tracks. She shifted closer to him, gently pressed her leg against his and used it to cover any red stains. Her hand slid to the spot on his shoulder blade that now had a hole in the leather jacket.
“Well hey, there love birds! Spending the night Miller?” Aron asked as she craned her neck to see him standing in the entrance hall getting ready to go outside.
“Couldn’t resist the invitation.” She attempted to be casual.
“I’ll see you in the morning, you two.” He smirked and slipped out.
Finally, they walked into Wyatt’s room where she helped him over to the bed. Eden gently lifted his arm back over her head and lowered him down. From the edge of the bed, she helped him pull off the jacket she had tied around his waist and the now ruined leather one. She swallowed the knot that tied itself in her throat as she caught a glimpse of each cut and stab wound and she turned away to find a place to put them.
“You’re a hunter…” It was no question but a shocked statement now that they were finally safe.
“Yes, and you’re the reason Lennox was cursed and I was left. Why I’m a Miller.”
Silence fell between them for a few seconds before she turned to face him, still with the stained clothing. They were both hiding from their lives and now it slapped them both in the face at the same time. Nothing was left but bare bones to pick up. “I am and I have questions just as you probably do. Promise me, no more lies?”
“No more lies, from either of us,” She agreed as he watched her face.
Wyatt patted the bed beside him to ask her to join him. With little hesitation, she approached and took a seat as his hand rested on her knee. As he spoke, he recounted a dream he had about a training session that had taken place over ten years ago. He described the scene as Eloise had hit a younger Eden and Bastien defended her.
“It was more than a dream… It was like a memory, have things always been like this? I know the Miller’s have a cruel reputation but I didn’t think it included family members.”
“Eloise would never actually hurt me like a supernatural creature. But yes, training can get a little intense.”
“I’m sorry that’s how you grew up.” His gaze drifted away from her and moved down. “That curse was never intended to leave my workroom.”
“Then why did it?”
He sighed deeply before he looked back to her, regret clear on his face. “I was drunk and bored… To be honest I almost didn’t send it away but then it got the better of me. I wanted to know who it would choose.”
Eden fell silent once more as she took in his words. From her dreams this past week and this discovery it seemed she finally saw everything he was hiding. She let her hand fall on top of his, she held the other over the long cut on his leg. She pulled at the blue thread and allowed the magic to mend the injury and moved her hand to his shoulder blade before she repeated it. She let her eyes drift to him and scan him over, exhaustion clear in his face.
“I just need to know. Why does everyone around the victim die?” She asked almost not wanting to know the answer.
“It was a side effect of the ingredients I used, I've come to believe.”
“Do you remember them? Maybe I could help figure out where it came from.” She offered.
“I’m sorry, Little Viper. I don’t remember them and the list is still locked away in my desk in hell.” He yawned and turned her hand in his while he weaved his fingers through hers. “I have to know… Are you the one responsible for Felix and Rue?”
“No, that was Eloise-” Eden lied and internally cursed herself for it. As she looked into his eyes she knew if she told him the truth he would never forgive her. One more lie.
Wyatt nodded and squeezed her hand lightly. His eyes scanned her face and his lids drifted down. Though he was somehow still awake, he was pale from blood loss. Eden leaned her head down and she slowly placed it on his shoulder. Her gaze fixed on the wall of photos he had above his desk.
“I’m not interested in the arrangement my family has made.” She started quietly.
“It’s okay, that's tomorrow’s conversation. That and any more questions can wait. You look exhausted.”
“Me? Wyatt, I’m fine.” Lie number two.
“You’re not, but that’s okay… We both need some rest, do you want to borrow a shirt and sweats?”
Wyatt stood after he released her hand, he pulled off the ruined shirt and walked over to his wardrobe. As he revealed once again an untouched torso, he looked at himself in the mirror for a moment at the dried blood on his skin. Mesmerized for a moment, she noticed the new-looking silver scars tracing into the shape of wings across his shoulder blades and a long black ink spine tattoo of the moon phases. Her eyes moved back to his reflection where she saw him smirk back at her. A hot blush crept into her face as she was caught staring. Quickly she looked away and down at her hands she heard a few drawers open and close.
“It’s okay to look.” His voice caused her to do just that. He had two sets of clothes and a small box wrapped in purple. “It’s still your birthday.”
Her eyes widened for a moment, “You didn’t have to get me anything.”
“I wanted to Viper.” He smiled softly at her as he placed a set of clothes and the box beside her.
Reaching down she picked it up and carefully undid his perfect wrap job. Eden pulled the paper away and she found a small blue velvet box. Confused, she opened the lid and was met with a thin bracelet with a single charm soldered to it.
“A Nazar bracelet,” She breathed as she ran her fingertips along the blue sapphires and diamonds.
“To protect you when I can’t be there. My time as a curse creator has made me believe in this stuff.” He admitted as his jaw tightened at the title.
“Thank you, Copperhead. It’s beautiful.” She couldn’t help the genuine smile that formed on her lips.
Wyatt knelt down in front of her and took the box while he pulled the bracelet out. Easily, he fastened it around her wrist, his touch was light as a feather across her skin. His head tilted up to her and for a moment, everything they had just been through was pushed to the side. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized he was only inches away. Before she could say anything he stood once again and handed her the box back.
“I’m glad you like it. I’m going to take a shower, if you want you can join?” He offered with a laugh.
“Nice try.” Eden shook her head. “I’ll go after you.”
“Suit yourself. Don’t get into too much trouble.” He nodded and winked as he left the room.
“No promises,” She called after him.
Once he was gone, she let out a long breath, relieved to have a moment alone. Eden fell backward on the bed and peered at the bracelet now on her wrist. A feeling of comfort washed over her as she realized the blankets smelled just like the cologne he wore.