Dark Flame (The Immortals #4)(20)
“Listen, Ever, it’s been covered, and now you’re just being redundant. I heard you the first time, just like I heard you this time. And if you’ll remember, we agreed to disagree. Besides, how you gonna get what you want if I don’t cozy up to him?” She glances between us, eyes narrowed, catlike. “Trust me, Roman’s hardly a threat, at least not to me. He’s so incredibly sweet, and kind, and loving—he’s nothing at all like you think. So if you two want to be together”—she wags her finger between Damen and me—“then you’ll probably want to stay on my good side. As far as I can tell, I’m pretty much your only shot at this point—no?”
Damen steps forward, his eyes sparking, angry, voice low and menacing when he says, “It’s a dangerous game that you’re playing. And while I realize you’re excited about your prospects, thrilled with this new power that’s raging inside you, it’s all too easy to get in over your head. I know, because I was once like you. In fact, I was the first. And even though it was a very long time ago, I remember it like yesterday. I also remember the long list of mistakes I made, the regrets I accumulated when I let my hunger for power override my common sense and human decency. Don’t be like me, Haven. Don’t make that mistake. And don’t you even consider threatening either Ever or me in any way. We have plenty of options, plenty of means, and we don’t need you to—”
“Enough already!” Haven shakes her head as her eyes dart between us. “I’m sick of you both talking down to me all the time. Did you ever stop to think that maybe I can teach you guys a thing or two about how to use all this power?” She rolls her eyes and scowls, answering her own question when she says, “Of course not! It’s just, ‘Do this, Haven, do that, Haven, we’re rationing your elixir because we don’t trust you, Haven.’ I mean, come on. If you refuse to trust me, then why am I supposed to trust you?”
“It’s not you we don’t trust,” I say, eager to defuse this, calm things down before it gets any more heated. “It’s Roman. I know you don’t want to see it, but he’s using you. You’re just a pawn in this twisted little game that he plays. He sees all your weaknesses and he’s using them to pull your strings like a puppet.”
“And what weaknesses are those?” She drums her fingers against the box and presses her lips into a thin, grim line.
But before this can go any further, escalate into something we’ll all surely regret, Damen holds up a hand and jumps in. “We’re not trying to pick a fight with you, Haven. We’re trying to protect you. It’s for your own good.”
“Because I need protecting? Because I’m too dumb to figure stuff out for myself?” Her gaze darts between us, and when Damen sighs in frustration, her eyes grow cold. Then she nods, grips the box tighter, and stands. “I wish I could believe you, but the thing is, I just can’t. Because you’re the one holding something back, Ever—I can feel it. And even though I have no idea what it is, one thing’s pathetically clear—you’re jealous.” Her lip curls when she adds, “Yep, believe it or not, perfect Ever Bloom is jealous of me—little Haven Turner.” She shakes her head. “How’s that for a change of events?”
I stiffen but continue to stand there, not saying a word.
“You’re used to being top dog around here. The smartest, the prettiest, the most perfect at everything, with the most perfect, smartest, sexiest boyfriend.” She smiles at Damen, then shrugs and laughs when he fails to return her smile. “And now that I’m immortal like you, it’s just a matter of time until I catch up—until I’m perfect too. And the fact is, you can’t stand it. Can’t stand the thought of it. But the funny part, the ironic part is, in the end, you have only yourself to blame, since you’re the one who made me this way. And even though you claim you’d make the same decision all over again, I can’t help but think you liked me better before. Back when I was a pathetic, little, attention-starved wannabe—the loser who ate too many cupcakes and made up stuff at anonymous meetings.” She shrugs, shoulders rising and falling with such confidence, such arrogance, it’s clear she’s no longer that girl. “Don’t bother denying it, I know those are the weaknesses you were referring to. It’s pretty obvious how superior you’ve always felt to Miles and me. Like you were deigning to hang with us until something better came your way—”
“That’s not true—you’re my best friends—my—”
“Please.” She rolls her eyes, clucking her tongue against her cheek in the same way Roman does. “Spare me your heartfelt declarations. The moment the Italian stallion came along”—she nods at Damen—“we pretty much only saw you at lunch, and sometimes not even then, since the perfect little couple was too busy with their perfect little lives, and their perfect little love, to hang with such unperfect dorks like us. We were just the losers you kept on standby—just in case you might need us someday. But now it looks like you’re in for a long and lonely summer cuz Miles is headed for Florence, and I made some new friends who aren’t the slightest bit intimidated by the new me.”
“Haven—this is crazy! How can you even say these things?” I ask, as my eyes rake over her, taking her in. Even though she’s just as teeny as ever, even though she hasn’t grown even the slightest bit, it’s like her diminutive stature is somehow more pronounced—more toned, more sinewy, like she’s a tiny black panther in black leather leggings, lacy black shirt, and tall spiky black boots. And though she’s gotten mad at me before, this time is different—she’s different. Now she’s dangerous, and knows it, and likes it that way.