The shock of Cassandra's lips against mine jolted me like an electric current. My instinct kicked in before my brain caught up. I shoved her away, maybe a bit too hard, watching as she stumbled back, her eyes wide with surprise.
"What the hell, Cassandra?" I snarled, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand like I could somehow erase the taste of her from my lips. "What do you think you're doing?"
She had the nerve to smile, a sly little grin that made my blood boil. "Just acting on impulse, Ciara," she replied with a shrug. "You looked like you needed a distraction."
"A distraction?" I snapped, my voice rising. "From what exactly?"
But I didn't need an answer. I could feel it, the burning in my gut, the sensation that something was terribly wrong. I turned my head, my gaze darting around the garden. That's when I saw her. Aeliana.
She stood there, her face pale, her expression a mixture of shock and something else… something that twisted the knife already lodged deep in my chest.
For a second, everything seemed to stop. The world narrowed to just the space between us, the air thick with tension and unsaid words.
Then, before I could take a step, before I could even think of what to say or how to explain, Aeliana turned and walked away, her steps fast, almost frantic.
"Shit," I muttered under my breath. Panic surged up, hot and wild. I needed to get to her. I needed to fix this. But as I moved to follow her, I saw him. Nathaniel.
He was there, his eyes gleaming with that insufferable smirk stretched across his face like he knew something I didn't. And then he did the unthinkable he reached for Aeliana, pulling her close, his arm slipping around her shoulders.
"What the—" I could barely breathe, my fists clenching at my sides. Nathaniel's gaze flicked to me for just a moment, his grin widening as if he knew exactly what he was doing. I felt my stomach drop, rage clawing its way up my throat.
I knew this was his doing. I didn't have proof, but I didn't need it. The way he held her, the way he looked at me like he'd already won it was all too damn obvious.
I wanted to rip that smug smile off his face, wanted to march over there and drag Aeliana away, but something stopped me. The fear. Not fear of him, but fear of myself. Fear of what I might do if I let this anger consume me.
My pulse thundered in my ears, and I took a deep breath, trying to steady the wild, erratic beat of my heart. I couldn't lose control. Not here, not now.
Damn it! This wasn't how it was supposed to go. I needed to think. I needed to handle this carefully. My demon side was lurking, scratching at the surface, desperate to come out, and if I wasn't careful… if I wasn't very careful… I'd ruin everything.
My hands were trembling. I clenched them tighter, digging my nails into my palms until I felt the sting of pain. I needed to focus. I needed to keep it together.
Should I confront Aeliana directly? Would she even listen to me now after what she saw? That flash of hurt in her eyes... I didn't know what to make of it.
And Nathaniel, that bastard, he was playing some kind of game, and I was stuck in the middle of it. I hated feeling this way, so out of control, so vulnerable.
I could bide my time, wait for the right moment to talk to her. Maybe if I explained… but would she believe me? After everything she'd seen, everything she thought she'd seen? Damn it, why did this have to be so complicated?
A deep, unsteady breath left my lungs. I tried to push the anger back down, tried to bury it somewhere deep where it wouldn't explode out and turn into something I couldn't control.
Think, Ciara, think.
I needed to keep my distance for now. I couldn't risk an outburst, not when I was this close to the edge. But every second I stood here doing nothing felt like a loss, felt like Nathaniel was pulling her further away from me, inch by inch.
He's using this. He knows. He's trying to get under my skin. And it's working.
My hunger was growing, gnawing at me, making my thoughts fuzzy, my control slippery. I hadn't fed properly in days, and it was starting to take its toll. My fangs itched to descend, my body craving something more, something primal.
And the scent of Aeliana, even from this distance, was making my head spin. She was the perfect match. I needed her blood, needed it more than I was willing to admit.
I wanted to rush over, to grab her, to explain, to demand why she let Nathaniel near her. But I couldn't risk it. I couldn't risk losing her more than I already had, couldn't risk her seeing the monster I was afraid of becoming.
I took another step back, the distance between us feeling like a chasm. I needed space, needed air, needed to get away from this suffocating feeling that was choking me. If I stayed, if I even tried to confront her now… I wasn't sure what I would do.
My breath came out ragged, my heart pounding too fast in my chest. I felt a scream building in my throat, a frustration so raw it felt like it could tear me apart from the inside. But I swallowed it down. I had to.
I turned away, forcing myself to walk back, to leave the garden, to put one foot in front of the other. My vision blurred at the edges, my thoughts racing too fast for me to catch. Damn it, Nathaniel. Damn it all to hell.
Back to my castle, that's where I needed to go. Away from here, away from them. My head was spinning, and I knew if I stayed, I'd do something I'd regret. Something that could ruin everything.
I made it to my room, slammed the door behind me, and let out a frustrated scream, my fist pounding against the wall. "Fuck!" I snarled, feeling the pain in my knuckles, feeling the pressure release just a bit.
I had to figure this out. I had to find a way to get her back. But right now, all I could do was try to calm the storm inside me before it ripped me apart.