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“It’s why I was searching for you. You are one of the last of your kind. Most members of your race had been annihilated by an ancient war.” Demons in particular had been responsible for nearly wiping out their existence, but for now, he decided to keep that fact to himself. It was clear that Zari was sufferingfrom shock, and it was best to tackle such knowledge on another day.

Zari rubbed her temples, her head literally hurting at how hard she was trying to understand what had just happened. She said haltingly, “But I’ve never seen something like that before. So why—-” That was when she remembered his earlier words.

I’m going to bite you now, just to open your mind a little more and let you see...

She gazed up at him. “Why...did you want me to discover what I am?”

“Because it’s who you are, and in my world, you’ll need your powers as a soul seer to survive.”

The words struck her as both true and untrue. “That’s not the only reason,” she said quietly. “Is it?”

A smile touched his lips. “No. It’s not.”

She waited for him to say something more, but when more than a few seconds passed and his handsome face remained impassive, Zari said, “You’re not going to tell me, are you?”

No. He wasn’t. Not when he knew that his reasons could –would– hurt her.

He said finally, “Just know it is for your sake that I’ve done this.” He offered his hand, wondering if she would take it. If she still trusted him.

She took his hand.

Again, the pang through his chest, one that felt more and more familiar.

He helped her to her feet, and when she was upright, he was the one who bent down to dust off her knees. It made Zari inhale in surprise. “You don’t have to—-”

When he straightened, he murmured, “It’s my duty as your Master to look after you.”

“Oh.”

“You’re glaring at me, pet.”

Because the way he was smiling at her was making her heart throb, but of course Zari couldn’t say that.

Alexandru suddenly yanked her to him, causing her body to slam against his. Her cloak parted open, and she gasped at the contact of her naked skin against his fully clothed form. She opened her mouth to yell at him for being a pervert, but he beat her to speaking.

“This is the last time I’ll ask you.”

Zari froze.

In all honesty, he did not want to ask her again. In his mind, she was already his. But he also knew he would not be able to live with himself if he did not give her this one final chance to be free of him. One last chance to live a life without pain because sooner or later, Alexandru was sure he would only make her cry, and it wouldn’t be tears of pleasure.

“Are you sure you want to remain by my side as my pet?”

The words had her looking down. She didn’t want the vampire to see howrelievedshe was at what he was saying.

“Zari?”

She said softly, “Yes.”

The world seemed to shift the moment she spoke. When she gazed up at Alexandru, she could see that it was the same for him.

It is not politically correct to call human pets as food.

If that was the case, then we pets have the right to call vampires bats with feet.

Zari’s Rules for the Modernization of Relationships between Human Pets and Masters

~ Zari ~