I stayed in the car, my fingers clenched around the steering wheel, staring at Nathaniel. The bruises on his face were deep, purple smudges against his pale skin. Blood trickled from a cut above his eyebrow, running in thin streams down his cheek. He looked like hell.
He didn't speak right away, just stood there, staring at me, his chest rising and falling with labored breaths. There was something in his eyes that I couldn't quite place—a mixture of anger, desperation, and something darker that sent a shiver down my spine.
I rolled down the window a crack, just enough to let our voices pass through. "What happened to you?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, calm, despite the pounding in my chest.
Nathaniel let out a short, humorless laugh. "What do you think happened?" He took another step closer, his gaze intense, almost challenging. "Your precious Ciara happened."
My stomach tightened. I should have known. Of course, Ciara had done this. It was written all over him, the fury in his eyes, the tension in his shoulders.
I felt a flicker of annoyance, then something warmer, an unwelcome satisfaction that Ciara had fought for me, protected me. But I quickly squashed it down. This wasn't what I wanted. Not like this.
"Why?" I asked, though I already knew the answer. "Why did she do this?"
Nathaniel snorted, wiping the blood from his brow with the back of his hand. "Because she thinks I'm some kind of threat to her," he sneered. "She doesn't like competition."
"Competition?" I echoed, trying to wrap my head around his words.
He laughed again, this time a little more bitterly. "Oh, come on, Aeliana. You can't be that naive. She sees me as a threat to whatever… thing you two have going on. I get it, she wants to stake her claim, make sure no one else gets too close." His eyes narrowed, and there was a sharp edge to his voice. "But you should be careful, Aeliana. She's not the kind of person who shares. She's dangerous."
Dangerous. The word hung in the air between us, heavy and ominous. I felt my heartbeat quicken, a mix of fear and… excitement? Damn it, why did this feel like a thrill? Why did I feel a jolt of adrenaline rush through me at the thought of Ciara's jealousy, her possessiveness?
"Ciara wouldn't…" I started to say, but Nathaniel cut me off.
"Wouldn't what?" he snapped. "Wouldn't hurt someone just because they got too close to you? Think again. She's a warrior, Aeliana. She's used to taking what she wants, no matter who gets in her way. I wouldn't be surprised if she's done worse before."
I shook my head, trying to dispel the doubts forming in my mind. "No," I said firmly, more to myself than to Nathaniel. "You don't know her like I do."
He raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a mocking smile. "Don't I?" His voice dropped to a whisper, barely audible over the breeze rustling through the trees. "You think you know her, Aeliana, but people like her… they hide things. Dark things."
I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry. "What are you trying to say?"
Nathaniel took another step closer, his eyes locking onto mine. "I'm saying you should be careful," he said, his voice low and urgent. "She's dangerous, and I think she might be hiding more than you realize."
I felt a chill run down my spine, his words echoing in my head. Dangerous. Hiding something. The doubts I'd been trying to ignore resurfaced, louder this time, more insistent. What if he was right? What if there was more to Ciara than I'd seen, more than she'd shown me?
But no… I couldn't let him get into my head. I knew Ciara. I knew her flaws, her rough edges, her sharp tongue and bad attitude. But I also knew the way she'd looked at me, the way she'd touched me so gently, like I was something precious, something she couldn't afford to break.
Still, doubt lingered, like a shadow I couldn't shake.
"What do you want from me, Nathaniel?" I asked, my voice stronger now, challenging. "Why are you telling me this?"
He leaned in closer, his face inches from mine, and for a moment, I thought he might try to touch me again. "Because I care," he whispered, his breath warm against my skin. "I care about what happens to you, Aeliana. I don't want to see you get hurt."
There was a flicker of sincerity in his eyes, but I couldn't tell if it was real or just another of his tricks. I hated that I even had to question it. "I'm not some damsel in distress, Nathaniel," I replied, keeping my voice firm. "I can handle myself."
"Can you?" he challenged, his gaze piercing. "Because from where I stand, it looks like you're getting caught up in something you don't understand."
I took a deep breath, feeling a mixture of anger and confusion boiling inside me. "Maybe I am," I admitted. "But that's my choice, not yours."
Nathaniel straightened up, his expression hardening. "Fine," he said, his tone colder now. "But don't say I didn't warn you."
He turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing in the quiet night. I watched him go, my mind racing. Was he right? Was I being naive? Was Ciara hiding something from me, something dark and dangerous?
I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I needed answers, and there was only one person who could give them to me. I had to find Ciara.
***
The castle was dark and quiet as I made my way through the halls, my footsteps echoing on the stone floor. I could hear my heart pounding in my chest, a mixture of fear and determination driving me forward. I needed to see her, to look into her eyes and ask her the questions that were tearing at my mind.
I reached her room and paused outside the door, my hand hovering over the handle. I hesitated, taking a deep breath, trying to steady myself. What if Nathaniel was right? What if I was about to step into something I wasn't ready for?
But I had to know. I pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of moonlight filtering through the curtains. Ciara was there, sitting on the edge of her bed, her head down, her hands clenched into fists. She looked up as I entered, her eyes sharp, assessing.
"Aeliana," she said, her voice low, guarded. "What are you doing here?"
I took a step closer, my heart racing. "I need to know something," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I need to know if what Nathaniel said is true."
Her eyes narrowed, a flicker of something dangerous flashing across her face. "What did that bastard say to you?" she demanded, her tone sharp.
I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry. "He said… he said you're dangerous. That you might be hiding something from me."
She stood up, her movements slow and deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey. "And you believed him?" she asked, her voice soft but edged with steel.
"I don't know what to believe," I admitted, feeling a pang of guilt for even doubting her. "I just… I need to hear it from you."
Ciara took a step closer, her eyes locked onto mine, her expression unreadable. "You want to know if I'm dangerous?" she asked, her voice a low, seductive whisper. "I am. I won't pretend to be something I'm not. I won't lie to you, Aeliana. But hiding something…?" She paused, a small smirk forming on her lips. "We all have secrets. Even you."
Her words hung in the air, heavy with implication. I felt a shiver run down my spine, a mix of fear and… something else. Curiosity? Desire? I couldn't tell anymore.
"What secrets?" I asked, my voice barely a breath.
She stepped even closer, so close I could feel the heat radiating from her skin. "Stay with me tonight, Aeliana," she whispered, her voice a seductive lure, "and maybe you'll find out."
My heart pounded in my chest, my thoughts spinning. I didn't know what to think, what to do. All I knew was that Ciara was standing there, so close I could feel her breath on my skin, her words echoing in my mind.
And I had no idea what would happen next.
Ciara's eyes darkened with an intensity that made my pulse quicken. She stepped closer, her gaze never leaving mine. "I don't do games, Aeliana," she murmured, her voice low, rough with desire. "I want you. Right here, right now."
The rawness of her words sent a jolt through me. Her hand reached for my waist, her touch electric, possessive. Her lips hovered close to my ear, and I could feel the heat of her breath as she whispered, "I want to feel you, taste you… take you."
My heart hammered in my chest, torn between the pull of her voice and the chaos in my mind. Every fiber of my being felt alive, trembling under her touch. But I couldn't. Not like this. Not with everything else swirling between us.
"No," I said softly, but firmly.
She stilled, her hand tightening on my waist for a brief second before she let it fall away. Her eyes searched mine, a flicker of frustration crossing her face, but I held her gaze, unyielding.
"Not like this," I added, a gentle resolve in my tone. I needed more than just heat and hunger. I needed trust.