Chapter 14 Ezekial
Accept the proposal. Please, for the love of all that is Light and Dark, accept. I’ve considered all other logical options, the ones that give Jasmine the most control, and this is the most reasonable.
Okay, reasonable may be a stretch, considering I’ve bought the building she’s staying in. But owning the penthouses wasn’t enough. I needed to vet every resident. I need her safe. I need control.
Jasmine doesn’t have to know, not yet anyway. My unit doesn’t need to know either, though I think my brother already does.
I handle all of our accounts. Sai doesn’t even know how much money we have, Julien has his own wealth and rarely dips into ours, but my brother sometimes takes note—especially when it’s a large sum. You know, a building-purchasing sum. But he hasn’t said anything.
So if she doesn’t accept, I’m out of logical ideas.
Kidnapping is still on the table.
I’m not sure it’ll help our budding friendship. Even if my darkness insists it would, whispering images of shadowed hallways, her body slung over our shoulder, soft gasps in the dark, taking her in so many—
“Okay, I’m willing to try.” Her soft voice cuts through my thoughts, easing the worry lodged in my chest.
Then she adds, “Thank you.” And that gentle appreciation nearly sends me over the edge.
We all tense at her gratitude, knowing we don’t deserve it, haven’t earned it. We should be the ones on our knees, thanking her for gracing us with her presence.
Wait—she… accepted?
After weeks apart, a mere wall will be between us. A few bricks and concrete. Something we could destroy with a touch…
But I won’t. No. No matter how tempting it is. No matter how much my darkness insists that if we could touch her…
No.
Jasmine holds all the power here, and she has to know that.
“Who would you like to stay tonight?” I ask, forcing a soft smile.
Beneath it, my darkness is clawing at me, scraping my insides, desperate to escape and force her decision.
Make her see me.
Choose me.
Her cheeks flush and I’m enthralled. Imagining that soft blush of rose spreading elsewhere, painting her smooth skin in heated splotches whilst her scarlet eyes haze over…
“Whoever’s the least busy?” she says, but it’s hesitant.
Rather than simply choosing, she pushes the decision back onto us.
Because she doesn’t want to choose. Doesn’t want to hurt us.
She’s too good for us. Too kind, too unaware of the power she wields.
She doesn’t see that no matter the jobs waiting for us, the work we’ve all set aside to be here tonight, no matter how chaotic our lives become—she is and will always be our first priority.
Our gazes flicker between one another, and Jasmine watches.
“So, we fighting for it?” Sai cracks his neck, left then right and his markings buzz.
I scowl. “I’m sure watching us brawl will convince her she was right to give us another chance. Won’t make us look unhinged at all.”
“Hey, if I remember right, she enjoyed watching us fight.” He smirks.
“On this occasion, I agree with Ezekial,” Julien says, and Sai’s brows slip into a furrow. “Let’s be diplomatic about this. We need to consider who she’ll feel the most comfortable with, and who won’t make… rash decisions.”
Who wouldn’t make rash decisions? We all would. But who would make the least?
My gaze trails to my left. “Brother, you’re being awfully quiet.”
“I’m trying to be fair.”
I frown. “Fair?”
He doesn’t respond with words, instead flashing an image of Jasmine soundly asleep on his chest. The shadows in the room explode, Jasmine’s gaze darts to them.
“I know it shouldn’t be me, but that doesn’t stop me wanting it to be.” Kane looks at the others. “We all know who it should be.” Then back to me.
Me.
I barely keep that word slipping out, tensely waiting for someone else to confirm it.
“I still think a fight’s pretty fair,” Sai grumbles, then he sighs. “Fine. I guess, if we want to do this right, it should be his holy highness.”
“Agreed,” Julien adds.
Kane nods once.
I hold my composure, even when I feel my darkness rattle its cage, like the permission has awoken it.
“I’ll stay,” I finally confirm, aloud, noting Jasmine’s gaze is already locked on mine. The subtle flicker of her lips catches my attention—makes me wonder what she’s thinking. “If that’s okay…”
She presses her mouth into a tight line, as if struggling to hold something back, then clears her throat.
“Fine, but before we leave, I just need to make a couple of things clear.” Her fiery eyes flash over us, but there’s no need, she already has our full attention.
Always. “You all have to want this, and if any one of us decides this friendship isn’t for them, that’s their choice and we will all accept it. ”
Sai scoffs softly. “Baby, we’re in this for the long haul, can’t you see that?”
“And you can’t call me that,” she fires back, while Sai pretends to look confused. “You don’t call your friends… that.”
“Baby?” he repeats, shaking his head with a sly smirk. “But I call all my friends that.”
Her voice drops into a disbelieving drawl. “Since when?”
He lifts one shoulder in a half shrug. “About five minutes ago.” He points to Julien. “Right, baby?”
“No.” Julien sighs, pitiful, as though finally questioning why he ever chose this fae as his closest companion.
A flicker of amusement tugs at her mouth. “Anyway.” She quickly glares at Sai, and he mimes zipping his lips, ending the action with a wink.
The corner of my mouth twitches despite myself.
“You can’t predict the future, and things change,” she murmurs, eyes hazing over with a distant memory that breathes deception into the air, then her gaze is back on us.
“This isn’t a contract. There’s nothing binding.
I want you to understand, all of you, that if you decide this isn’t for you, if I’m not. ..”
If she’s not what? Right? Enough? Worthy?
A low growl rumbles in Julien’s chest. Sai’s glow flickers. Darkness sweeps across the ceiling like spilled ink on a page.
Her gaze catches it all—feels it all.
She swallows. “What I’m trying to say is, you have an out.” She lets the words settle, then looks at Kane. “Understood?”
His eyes are unwavering, deep black and endless as they stare back. He nods.
She releases a breath and we all watch, transfixed, as she switches.
Her gaze narrows into vicious little slits as black shadows curl around her skin like veins. My darkness surges forwards, sensing hers, eager to collide—I grip the chair.
I’d give anything to be one of those coils, wrapping her, guarding her, touching her.
To other beings, the dark weight of her presence would be terrifying, intimidating enough that they’d recoil under her gaze.
But not us.
No. To us, she is enthralling as we stare with desperate admiration.
“Secondly.” Her voice is laced with darkness, fiery gaze trapping us in her rapture. “I won’t have another relationship built on lies.” Her tendrils sweep out, circling, then binding us all in her grip.
The sensation is... euphoric. I barely bite back a moan.
“If you ever keep anything from me again, even if you think it’s in my best interest, even if you believe your intentions are good.” Her gaze cuts to each of us in turn, daring a challenge. “This ends.”
It takes everything in me not to drop to my knees when her power, wound so tight, pulses.
Sai groans, unashamed.
The last time she did this—mistakenly thinking we were injured—it blindsided us. Now, we all stare, some with open hunger, others trying and failing to hide it. Even my brother’s gaze burns brighter, obsidian flames flickering as he takes her in.
As our bond, she should be our equal. Our match in every way. But she is so much more—she’ll be the strength in our weakest places, the force that’ll bind the cracks we’ve carried for centuries.
Then it’s gone. Her dark embrace slithers away. I feel bereft.
She nods, happy with our silence, and as her eyes return to that ineffable red fire, she stands.
“Ready?” she smiles.
The question is clearly aimed at me, her eyes are on me, her smile is mine, but we all stand like trained dogs desperate to please.
I’ll do anything to please her, to make her think we’re worthy, but she also asked a question, and the burning begins.
I hold out my hand. “Yes—”
“Nope.”
My gaze snaps to Sai. “Don’t you fucking dare,” I snarl.
“Something you’d like to say, Sai?” Jasmine asks, that tiny smile flicking into something fuller.
Sai runs his tongue along his teeth, and I swear I hear his mind rifling through every dirty answer he’s dying to give.
We all glare at him in unspoken warning, especially Kane.
“Pick me instead of Zeek.”
“You little fuck.”
He laughs. “I literally can’t help it. I’m just telling the truth.” Sai holds up his hands, smirking. “Trust me, I could have said something much less PG. I held back, give me some credit.”
I grit my jaw, not convinced Sai won’t throw in another comment just to rile me. “Do not say another word. If you jeopardise this for me, I’ll trap you in a memory for a week.”
“My friends.” Julien’s calm, level voice intervenes. His gaze sweeps over us in silent warning, before settling on Jasmine. “It’s been a long evening, one I think best we end here.”
In response, Sai rolls his eyes. But when his lips part like he’s about to speak, I tense, then move. More than ready to deliver the punch he asked for, and—
An intense heat encases my arm, burning through the sleeve of my shirt, into my skin.
I glance down to see nimble fingers gripping my elbow, and the irritation of Sai melts away under her fingertips.
And I know I shouldn’t.
I know it’s wrong of me—selfish.
But I flit.
The second Jasmine realises we’re now outside Kacey’s apartment, she steps back, and the heat dies away.
Confusion graces her features but—thankfully—she doesn’t seem annoyed.
Her mouth pulls to the side in an adorable smirk. “You know that’ll piss them off, right?”
“That was one hundred percent my intention.”
She laughs, the soft sound rushing through me, reminding me of the beatific melody.