A Meet of Tribes (A Shade of Vampire #45)(50)

“We are so much stronger together, but what would you know? You’ve been living in complete isolation since you were born. You can’t possibly begin to comprehend the force behind a group like ours. We can’t live in fear of one vision or another. We can’t be afraid of whatever might or might not happen. We’d stop living altogether if we did! The Oracles don’t have these visions for us to cower before the future, Draven. The Oracles warn us, so that we can prevent the future, so that we can work around it and make sure our choices take us somewhere good. If we stand apart because of one possible future, you might as well walk out of this mansion right now and surrender to Azazel.”

The hot air filled my lungs in one deep breath. I’d said plenty, yet nowhere near enough. I didn’t have the courage to tell him that I needed him close to me, that I couldn’t see the future without him, no matter the outcome. But I hoped I had at least given him enough reasons to stop pushing me away like I was an undesirable stray cat.

Some time passed before I realized that he hadn’t responded to anything I’d just said. He merely stood there, quiet. I started to worry, thinking I was about to get kicked out of his study for my impertinence. I may have been a little bit too abrupt, but he had been asking for it.

“Draven?”

Nothing. The silence weighed heavy, and after everything I’d just said, it was making me feel awkward.

“Draven, say something.”

I watched his hand come up to his face. He removed the bandage from his head. I gasped as he opened his eyes, his beautiful gray eyes, and saw me for the first time in days. Sheer happiness washed over me, and in a moment of relief I totally forgot how mad I was.

The Daughters must have considered his debt repaid and restored his eyes.

Two whirlpools of stormy silver shadowed by long black eyelashes drilled into my very soul. I couldn’t get enough, but I also had to remind myself of my dignity. He’d attempted to toss that out the window. Sight or no sight, he didn’t deserve to get off that easily. I mentally chastised myself for softening up so quickly.

“Well then, it’s good you have your eyesight back, so you can watch as I walk out of here. I don’t work with cowards.” I turned toward the door.

But before my fingers reached the doorknob, Draven crossed the room and caught my wrist, whisking me around. He wrapped his arms around me and crushed me against his firm chest. I froze, my breath stuck in my lungs and my body was tender against his.

His gaze softened, and his mouth took mine in a hungry kiss, devouring me. I caved in. My knees trembled, and my core ignited with white fire. I kissed him back, hard, parting my lips against his.

I felt his heart savagely beating in his chest, sending echoes through my ribcage. His breath faltered as we consumed each other. His hands traveled up and down my back as if trying to feel as much of me as he possibly could.

And then, just as suddenly, he stopped and pushed himself away, leaving me to struggle with standing on my own. I leaned my back against the door for a moment to get some stability back in my legs. My breathing was ragged and fast, matching the insane drumming of my heart.

He looked at me, fires burning in his eyes. His lips were red and tender, and his chest moved with deep inhalation. His face took on a pained expression that rang alarm bells in my head.

“I’m sorry, Serena. I am so sorry,” he sighed.

I waited for him to continue. I was too numb to say anything. I was too hot and too vulnerable to even consider a negative outcome from this conversation.

“I can’t… I am too…vulnerable around you, Serena. You’re… You’ll be the end of me if I don’t put a stop to this now. I gave in to my instincts. I was so happy to see…to see you again. I’m sorry.”

My stomach dropped like a stone. My heart followed suit, but I forced myself to maintain a dignified position and turned the pain of his rejection into furious energy.

I left, slamming the door behind me. I couldn’t be in the same room with him anymore. My heart was stung. Tears welled in my eyes.

I sought the comfort of the greenhouse once more. I couldn’t stand being pushed and pulled like this. My feelings were hurt. My pride was torn. I’d only wanted to be close to him, and he’d given me one more taste of his heaven before shutting me out again.

Cruel and heartless jerk.





Vita





I was becoming desensitized to seeing my friends injured. Phoenix in particular had made a habit of getting himself patched up almost once a day. The shock and grief had become part of my daily existence, and I realized that I’d learned to set my emotions aside and focus on the healing. I was good at nursing someone back to health, especially now that I knew the purpose of each herb in the medicine cabinet.

I left the basement with a frown but no longer distraught by Phoenix’s or the Daughter’s injuries. They’d been treated and were resting, and Anjani watched over them.

I was worried about Phoenix and his connection to the Daughter, but I shook the thought away. It was too early in the day to bring myself down with such gloom. It had taken me a while to get over my visions from yesterday, and I was too tired emotionally to deal with another potentially grim outcome.

After all, I had a surprisingly good dream keeping me company from the previous night. It had involved Bijarki holding me, whispering sweet words into my ear, words I could no longer remember. But his touch and his raspy voice had lingered well into the early hours of the morning, when I woke to a bright sunrise beaming through my window.