Page 24 of Cryptic Dreams

“I... I... I... ”I can’t do this. I can’t do this at all. I’m terrified and heartbroken, inappropriately turned on and I’m pretty sure I’m going to black out if he gets any closer. I can’t do this.

“Youwhat?”

“I... I’m sorry... ” My words squeak out in a barely audible whisper.

Wraith snorts. “That answers nothing. And to think your cousin says you are a genius.”

A few more tears slide down my cheeks, roll off my chin and drop to my chest. “I... I was just... just trying to—”

“Don’t,” he snaps. “Do not say it, do not even think it.”

“But I—”

“I saiddon’t!”

I roll my lips between my teeth in order to keep the sobs at bay.I can’t do this. I’m not strong enough to do this.

“Listen and listen well,female,” Wraith spits, every word dripping with disgust. “Whatever the stupid and fanciful reason is for you to follow me through the streets in such an unsafe and idiotic manner, forget it. Forget your fabricated reality, forget we met, forget I fucking exist.” He lowers his mouth to my ear. “You believe yourself to be nothing, Zephyr, and why would a Descendant wantnothing? That is the only thing I want you to remember from our one and only encounter. A Descendant, a vampire with the blood of the original flowing through his veins walking amongst disgusting mortals, would not,could not,want someone who is absolutely nothing.”

Then he lets go and starts to walk away, my body sagging against the cold brick behind me.

But for some screwed up reason, I open my mouth.

“I know it was you.” The words are forced and small, my throat tight and thick with emotion. “I know it was you following me this past week.”

Wraith stops dead in his tracks but doesn’t turn, doesn’t acknowledge me beyond that.

So I keep going. “I know it was you who stopped those men, who kept them from hurting me in the alley. I know you’ve been protecting me ever since then too: following me around town, watching outside my window.” I swallow hard and try to look at him when I say as confidently as possible, “And I know you’re my mate.”

In a flash, Wraith has me pinned against the wall again, my arms above my head, his hands wrapped so tightly around my wrists it stings, his entire body covering mine.

“Look at me,” he growls, the sound low and menacing.

And because apparently I really do have a death wish, I meet his beautiful black eyes head on.

“I am aDescendant. I am a god among our kind. I have no use for a mate and even if I did, I can promise you the unlucky female bound to me would not be a weak, cowering, terrified little flower. If I had a mate she would be nothing like the way you conduct yourself. She would not benothingat all because she would refuse to believe it was true.” He snaps his teeth at me and grins when I flinch. “If I had a mate, she would be everything you choose to believe you are not, therefore if I had a mate, she would most definitely not be the illusion ofyou.” Wraith smiles like the devil, those bottomless eyes gleaming with anger. “Forget your silly dreams of mating with a Descendant, love. They’ll only crush you in the end.”

Then he lets go, backs away with that sardonic grin on his face, and disappears into thin air.

And I slide down the wall, bury my face in my hands and fall apart completely as my heart shatters in the middle of my chest.

I knew this was a stupid idea, I just didn’t think it had the potential to kill me from the inside out too.

8

Heartless Moron

WRAITH

Pulling my duster tighter around my body, I duck my head as I make my way to the bloody library.

Yes,thatlibrary, the one Zephyr works at while it’s closed. And yes, I’m referring tothatZephyr, the female who appears to be my mate if I were daft enough to accept the bond.

It’s strange to me that she works at the human library.

There’s one for our kind a simple few blocks away, one that is open at night so that any vampire who is looking to further their knowledge of our history, or indulge in a species specific author or story can do so, but it is not the library my gentle breeze works in.

And that has been merely one of many thoughts I’ve had regarding the female the Gods of Old so thoughtfully pushed into my path after living in the same damn city for over two hundred years.