A Valley of Darkness (A Shade of Vampire #52)(37)



I crossed the blades in front of me, moving them slowly so the moons’ reflection hit Caspian right in the eyes, making him squint with discomfort.

“And if I find out you have something to do with people getting hurt around here, these blades will come looking for you. They don’t know social status, nor do they care,” I added, then lowered my swords.

Amalia looked genuinely shocked. Even from down here, and despite her natural pallor, I could’ve sworn she was flustered. I couldn’t be too mad at her, as she probably didn’t know much about our previous exchanges, and she surely knew next to nothing about me. But Caspian was a whole different issue. He knew exactly what he was doing. She walked away from the edge, while Caspian didn’t let me out of his sight. The only reaction I got from him was a scoff.

I knew then that he got my message, loud and clear.

I whirled and headed inside, blades in my hands. Several Imen waiters took a few cautious steps back as I headed upstairs and into my room. I locked the door behind me and dropped the swords on the floor with a double clang. My whole body was shaking, a mixture of rage and distress rumbling through me like a runaway train.

My breathing was ragged and my chest heavy as I tried to pull myself together.

How could he be so two-faced, so… divergent?

One minute he’s glaring and warning me to stay away, the next he’s dazzling me with his self-confidence and seductive touch, only to tear it all down by being an absolute jerk, basically asking for a good old-fashioned beating.

And I was the one trying to keep up, without getting my ego bruised.

Not that I’d done a bad job of defending it up to this point. I glanced down at my blades, then removed the sheaths from my thighs, slid my babies back inside, and put them by the bed. One look at them and Caspian had probably understood that I was not to be played with, that he did not have a free pass to intimidate or insult me.

The nerve of him…





Caia





(Daughter of Grace & Lawrence)





I’d just made it to my room, fresh out of the heels and wiggling my toes with relief, when I got a glimpse of myself in the floor mirror. I stared at my ballgown and hairdo for a while, wishing I’d worn them in better, more relaxing circumstances. The dress itself was a sartorial masterpiece, and I loved every inch of it.

A knock on the door broke me out of my reverie.

I opened it and found Blaze standing in the hallway, the top of his shirt unbuttoned and revealing a portion of his tan, muscled chest as he leaned against the wooden railing behind him. Voices emerged from downstairs, along with the sound of glasses clinking and a single, sad violin.

An awkward silence fell between us as our gazes locked like we were seeing each other for the first time. The Spring Ball had been intense, and Blaze had spent most of the evening with Rewa, after which had come the briefing in the infirmary. We hadn’t really had a chance to catch up.

“Blaze, what’s up?” I finally asked, unable to stand there much longer while I got lost inside the midnight blue of his eyes.

He cleared his throat, then took a step forward, enough to reach the doorway. I felt my temperature rise as he got closer.

“You were definitely right,” he said. “Rewa likes me. She was quite clear about it, actually.”

He wasn’t telling me anything new, but hearing the fact from his lips didn’t exactly make me feel better. Yet, I’d also seen the glances he’d given me throughout the evening, as he’d danced with Rewa. As if he really didn’t want to… be there with her?

I wasn’t sure how to respond other than by shrugging. “Okay… And?”

“Well, it’s a bit awkward for me now, because I do like her as a person… I mean, she’s pleasant enough… But I don’t know what to do with her, how to behave. I don’t want to lead her on…”

“Why are you talking to me about this?” I couldn’t help but blurt out. I frowned, still not sure what he wanted from me. I’d already made it clear that Rewa liked him; he was simply confirming what I’d already pointed out. It felt redundant, and it annoyed me, mainly because we were inches apart and all he could talk about was how he wasn’t into Rewa, while all I could think about was what his arms would feel like around my body.

Damn it, Caia, focus!

Blaze looked a little disheartened by my reaction, as if he’d expected some form of support from me. But I was too busy feeling the sour taste of jealousy to actually focus on his predicament with the Exiled Mara.

That’s it… I think I’m jealous. Not good, not good, not good!

“I came to you because you’re the one who pointed it out in the first place,” he replied. “You’re the one who urged me to be her escort for the Spring Ball.”

And I still regret pushing you in front of the bus like that, because I somehow ended up under the wheels with you…

“I did it for the sake of the mission,” I said, holding my chin up, trying hard not to inhale his intense fragrance. But I could still get a whiff of cedarwood, coriander, and musk—just three of the notes used to craft his cologne, which had presumably been provided by his tailor along with the suit. “I think you’re a big boy and can handle this yourself. I don’t understand how I could possibly help…”

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