Page 59 of Blood Day

My eyes widened both at the statement and her bluntness. “I don’t hate you, Lily. Quite the opposite, actually.”

“But you keep failing me.”

“That doesn’t mean I dislike you,” I replied, surprised by her correlation. “I told you why you’re failing. That was the purpose of last night’s lesson.” It wasn’t her fault. She just wasn’t meant to be a Vigil.

She nibbled her lower lip. “I’m too small.”

“Yes. However, that doesn’t mean you’re weak.” I might call her delicate and fragile, but those words only applied to her physical form. “Strength isn’t just about size.”

“Are you saying there’s another way to fight?”

“Not as a Vigil,” I replied. “Not even really as a human.” Which was perhaps what enthralled me about this situation. Lily possessed a fighting spirit, yet there was no outlet that allowed her to shine.

I wanted to give her an outlet with me. I just didn’t know how to do it or what that desire even meant.

“Then what’s the point?” she asked, a flicker of anger darkening her expression. “Why do any of this at all ifthere’s nothing I can do? Why not just leave me alone and let me fail?”

I studied her. “Is that what you want?”

“Does it matter what I want?”

“In this world? No, not really.” But in a past life, yes.

“Then why am I here?”

“Because I want you here,” I answered unashamedly.

“But why?” Her cheeks were no longer pale but pink, her nostrils flaring in a clear sign of agitation.

It fascinated me to see so much emotion on her face, mostly because she normally controlled her features so flawlessly. But that façade was breaking now, and I wanted to force it to shatter.

“Do I need to have a reason to want you here, Lily?” I reached out to tuck one of her damp strands behind her ear. “Do I truly need to explain that decision to you?” I’d already told her I’d done it because I wanted to. What more did she need?

“No, I guess you don’t,” she replied, her voice holding a hint of bitterness that floored me.

“I don’t,” I agreed. But I would if she clarified her questions.

She grunted. “Right. Because you’re the superior. If you want to play a game with me, I have no choice but to participate. And since you’re the one making the rules, I’ll inevitably fail like I always do.”

My eyes widened at her little rant.

But she wasn’t done.

“Which leads me back to wondering what the point is for all of this. Maybe you want to mess with me before you kill me. I just wish you’d tell me exactly what to do to expedite the results so I could get it over with.” The last part came out in a grumble.

“My blood has made you quite bold,” I mused.

Her jaw clenched. “You healed me just to fuck with me. This is all probably some test you’ve designed for me to fail, too.”

“I am notfuckingwith you,” I bit back, not at all pleased by her accusation. Mostly because it made me wonder whether or not she was right. It’d been so long since I’d entertained a female that I really couldn’t define my intentions anymore. Not in this world.

“Yes, you are!” she screamed, shocking the hell out of me.

Which, of course, was the exact moment that two other things happened at once.

Someone knocked on the door—likely the servant with her food.

And my wrist started buzzing with an incoming call from Silvano. Apparently, he wasn’t waiting for my reply.