Chapter 34
CASSIUS
Shae flowed through the kitchen like her feet had mapped out every inch of the floor.
She had been with me for a long time. I still remember her in her youth.
She had these tight, brown curls that coiled tight to her scalp.
I can’t lie… when she was first assigned to my staff, I found great pleasure in pushing her buttons.
But even with my years over her, she always spoke to me like I was the child.
Like she had to mother me. And maybe she did… a little.
I could smell the sweet mixture from the bowl—crushed cherries mixed together into a jam paste. She was preparing pie. I waited until she turned around, and slunk around the table before dipping my finger into the mixture.
As if she had eyes in the back of her head, she quickly swatted my hand away. “This is not for you,” she hissed, though a hint of a smile played at the corners of her now-aged lips.
“You’re not even the cook here.” I rolled my eyes and leaned against the wooden table. “You spoil her too much,” I sighed. “You used to love cooking for me.”
Shae laughed as she removed the bowl from beside me and brought it to the pan that was now covered in dough. “Morrigan is much more fun,” she teased. “She helps me in the garden.”
“I love gardening with you!”
“You used to,” she accused.
“You told me I was horrible at it!”
A faint chuckle slipped past her lips. “You’re right… I remember that now.” Then she nodded. “You are horrible at it. I think I’ll leave it to Morrigan.”
Once she finished prepping the pie, she wiped her hands on her apron and walked over to me, shoving me off the table.
“Now, go.” She shooed me away with her hands, motioning for me to leave. “Go spend some time with her. If I’m lucky, you’ll convince her to stay. These withered hands have come to enjoy the welcome help.”
“You’re still eighty years young, Shae!” I yelled back at her as she all but shoved me out of the kitchen.
Her laughter echoed through the hall when she shut the doors, and I slumped in defeat, making my way to the library. Morrigan could survive a single day off of studying, and remove her nose from her books for once.
“Morrigan!” I yelled, shoving open the library doors and peering inside.
I was surprised to find it empty, which didn’t make sense because it was Thursday, and Harley should have been there. I stepped inside, looking around for any sign of them.
“Harley?”
No answer.
A black figure moved in the corner of my eye, and my head turned, assuming I would find Morrigan.
Instead, I noticed a couple of books tossed around on a nearby desk.
Narrowing my eyes, one particular book caught my attention.
It was a record of the war, and the pages had been turned to a section titled “The Curse.” I swallowed thickly as I skimmed over it, remembering the day I learned what Rosina had done to us.
The people I had hurt…
I hadn’t meant to—I couldn’t stop myself. Thank the gods Harley was there and pulled me back before I actually killed anyone. The others… well… some of them weren’t as lucky.
“Cass?” My head snapped to the side at the sound of her voice. She was walking down the stairs from the second level. “I thought you had more work to do today.”
Her hair had been braided back as she usually liked it. Shae always did it in the mornings for her. But even with it tied back, small, relentless curls peeked out, spiraling around her ears and framing her face in the most beautiful way.
You should just tell her, I thought to myself. She’d understand. You didn’t mean to. If you hadn’t been injured, you would have done it the right way. The honest way.
Would I have, though? I wasn’t entirely sure anymore.
“I decided to take the rest of the day off.” I sauntered toward the last step, meeting her just as she descended. “And so are you.”
Without giving her a chance for rebuttal, I slipped my hand around her back and pulled her in.
I stole her lips in a kiss far sweeter than the cherries I had craved moments before.
Her tantalizing moan vibrated against my lips, and it sent a jolt of heat straight to my core.
A single look from this woman, and I would do anything she asked of me.
Anything but tell her the truth.
I ripped away from Morrigan, startled by the voice in my head that should have been my own but… wasn’t.
“Are you okay?” she asked, her eyes flickering between both of mine in concern.
“Yeah…” I shook my head and smiled. “Shall we go for a ride? It’s beautiful out today.”
The dimples on the outer corner of her lips crinkled as her cheeks blushed. “I would love that.” She walked past me, grabbing my hand and leading me toward the doors. “Let me just go and—”
I lost my footing and stumbled into one of the desks, a sudden headache aching behind my eyes.
“Cass!” she yelled, lowering herself to wrap an arm around me. “What’s wrong? What’s—”
“Nothing.” I waved her off and began to stand again. “I just moved a little too quickly.” I took a few confident steps before I faltered again, this time bracing both hands against the desk.
“Cassius, what’s going on? Should I go get Harley—”
Her words paused when I looked up at her, and her eyes went wide in what looked like horror. “What’s wrong?” I asked before a wave of nausea twisted in my stomach.
No. Not nausea… hunger.
“Cass,” Morrigan’s voice shook. “Cass, your eyes… they’re… black.”
Black? Why would they be black?
“Go—” I swallowed, trying to ignore the ache that continued growing in my chest. My gums felt like they were being torn apart. “Go get Har—”
I let out a scream as I felt a tearing sensation in my mouth. When I lifted my fingers to feel it, my skin scraped against something sharp.
“Oh, gods,” Morrigan cried, clasping her hands over her mouth. “Your teeth…”
Quickly, I swept my fingers against my gums and felt small pricks above each of my teeth. But… it wasn’t possible… the only things with fangs like those were…
“Morrigan,” I warned, and felt a chill from the sound of my own voice beginning to change. It was… deeper… frightening. “Morrigan, you need to leave.”
No, that voice in my head began again, You don’t want her to leave.
“Cass, what’s happening?” Morrigan trembled as she slowly backed toward the doors. “You're scaring me.”
I’m scaring myself, I wanted to say to her, but the other voice continued to pry within my mind.
Taste… Just a taste…
My nose twitched, and my lips peeled back in a sneer as I tried to hold on to my control. But I couldn’t stop staring at the veins in her neck. I could practically feel her pulse on my tongue.
“You need to—” I groaned, feeling myself slip away, unable to withstand it much longer. “Get—”
The moment she turned to run, instinct snapped into place.
I raced after her, making it to the doors before she could escape, and grabbed her arm.
With a hard yank, I ripped her away from the doors and slammed her into the wall.
I wanted to stop; I tried so hard to stop, but it was like my movements were no longer my own.
“Cass!” she screamed. “Please! You’re hurting me!”
“I’m—” I grunted. “I’m… sorry.”
Before I could stop myself, I lowered my head and tore into her throat. I could feel the skin tear beneath my teeth, and her screams were muffled in my ears, the sound of her pulse drowning them out.
Feed.
Feed.
Feed.
The voice in my head kept my lips locked around her neck, even as I felt her blood spilling from the wound.
I have to stop… Please… I need to stop…
“Ca… Cass.” Her voice was gargled and weak, but I couldn’t pull myself away from her. She tasted so good. So… fucking… good…
Drink more. Drink all of it. That’s what you want, isn’t it? More… Always more… Drink.
“P-Please,” she begged.
No… Please… let me stop.
You can’t stop. You’ll bleed her dry someday, why not now?
A tear slipped down my cheek, mixing with her blood that now smeared across my face as I fed like an animal. It wasn’t until I felt her body fall limp against me that I could finally pull away. I sucked in a sharp, painful breath just before the sound of rushed footsteps echoed in the hall outside.
It took me a couple of seconds to realize that Morrigan had fallen to the ground. In one quick motion, I dropped down and pulled her into my arms. “Morrigan!” I yelled at her, covering the still bleeding wound with my hand. “Morrigan, I’m sorry! I don’t… I don’t know what—”
A scream screeched from the doorway, and I turned to see Shae staring in horror.
“Shae! Get Harley!” I pleaded.
But the look she gave me was one of pure fear. “You…” She pointed at me with a skinny finger. “You did this… You… You’re a monster…”
No… I’m not… I didn’t…
I looked down and saw Morrigan’s blood caked along my shirt, turning the orange vest into a deep crimson color. In an instant, I bit into my wrist and brought it down to her mouth. “I’ll fix this,” I heaved. “I can fix her.”
No, you can’t. You will be her ruin. You have stripped her of every choice. You have bound her to you, and her only escape will be in death. Because that is what will happen. You will kill her.
No, I wouldn’t. I love—
You love yourself.
I tried to shut out the voice, but I couldn’t stop the pain in my chest as I felt the warmth leaving her body. Her skin grew colder by the second, and her eyes hadn’t blinked for such a long time.
“I’m sorry,” I cried, pulling her to my chest as I held her tightly. “I’m so sorry. Please… Please don’t leave me, Morrigan… Please…”