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Chapter thirty-four

Michaela

“ Where is the Key?” Markis growls down into the face of the human male.

His wife and children are sitting on the ground at my feet. I look down at their dirty faces. Dirt and grime from countless hours tending their crops caked their tattered clothes. Their home, a single cruck style home. A kettle of water boils over the hearth of the fireplace. Their life is hard.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the man cries.

Markis draws back and punches the man in the face. The crunching of bones and the fresh smell of blood assails my senses.

I look around the small home to the others that are with us. Over the years of my journey with Markis, we’ve lost and gained a few new people to the cause. And when I say lost, I mean people have changed their stance on what Markis is doing and he has slaughtered them for their objection.

As I look at the faces of the disciples still with us, I see a mix of emotions. In the eyes of Davorin, Florin, Talon and Venette, you can still see the confidence they have in Markis. The twins, Kozani and Kavita, still have the arrogant smirk that shows they are still enjoying what we are doing.

Muza, Alexander, Colin, Denisa, and Raoul all share the same expression: uncertainty. Those five have been with Markis and me for the longest. They are seeing the cracks in his sanity. They are noticing the things that I’ve noticed lately.

The man that we all met our first year at the Academy, the man with his sharp tongue and charisma, is looking like the monster he is.

My eyes land on Toraya next. The last disciple to join us. Her expression worries me the most. She doesn’t look like the twins or Davorin. She doesn’t have the gaze of a woman that is following a man because she believes in what he says. No, her face is like mine when I was that young seventeen-year-old girl with her first crush. I know that look. I also know the glow radiating off her skin. I know it well.

“Mizani,” Markis calls my name, getting my attention. “What can you tell me?”

I turn back to the sad faces at my feet. Their hallow cheeks and tear-filled eyes stare back up at me.

Turning back to Markis, I say with confidence. “It’s not here.”

He growls, kicking the man lying on the floor across the room. I turn away when his lifeless body hits the wall. His death was swift. And uncalled for.

“You told me that the witch was telling the truth,” Markis snarls at me. His anger with me has grown lately. There was once a time he would never even raise his voice at me. We’ve been on this journey together for 26 years. Now, he’s always mad.

“And she did,” I say.

“Then why are you telling me the key isn’t here?”

“Because it isn’t. She told you the correct bloodline. You found the wrong people.”

He bears his fangs at me as he takes a step in my direction. I raise a brow at him, wondering what he will do next. The one thing he has never done was put his hands on me. Not that he would need to. Mental abuse is much worse. Markis is older than me by centuries. He’s a highly trained vampire, even with all my skills, I could never defeat him in a fight. His sifting ability alone would probably crumble me.

He stops in his tracks, turning away from me. His jaw tenses, but he doesn’t make another move toward me.

“Master,” Toraya purrs in Markis’ direction. The hairs on my arms rise at the way she speaks to him. “We all trust your word and your guidance. You are our leader. However, I don’t think everyone else should get that privilege.” She cuts her eyes over at me.

Davorin and Muza, who were standing beside her, took three steps away from her. The old Mizani would have pounced. She would’ve seen Toraya as a threat. However, the woman that I have grown into lately does not care. My heart has slowly fossilized in my chest. It no longer feels anything.

“By all means,” I say, bowing to Markis. “If my services are no longer needed, I can just leave.”

Without waiting for his response, I turn and storm out of the home. I don’t get but a few steps away from the front door before Markis is on me. He grabs my arm and spins me around to face him.

“What is your problem?” he snarls.

“My problem is you still think I am that na?ve nineteen-year-old girl who you seduced out of her virginity. I am no longer a child, Markis.”

His gaze narrows. “What does this have to do with your insubordination?”

“You’re bedding her,” I growl, pointing to the young female vampire that has just stepped out of the house.

Markis glances over his shoulder at Toraya. I watch as lust, guilt, and then indifference change his features. When he turns back to me, his face is void of emotion.

“Do you have proof?” he asks in a mocking tone.

I stared at him. Everything I once thought was so catching about him melts away right now. His dark brown skin seems dull and ashy. Those lips that once toured my body with such a gentleness look crusty and unclean. The wide nose that once strongly spoke of his African ancestry looks too big for his face now. And the dark, nearly black eyes that I once thought held so much intelligence look soulless.

I smirk at him. His attention has been elsewhere so much lately that he does not know who I am anymore. Taking the memories from the female vampire behind him, I push them into his head. Every single thrust, every kiss, every time she has called his name in that way I used to. Every claw at his back from her nails. Every single word of love he’s whispered to her in their time of passion. I shove it into his head. He grabs his forehead.

“Stop,” he roars.

I don’t stop. I continue to show him everything they have done. I stop purposely, on the memory of him lying beneath her, her head resting on his chest as he strokes her long blond hair. The words he whispers to her cause a pain in my chest.

“She is only a tool in my plan. A weapon I use to get what I want. When I find the key, I will have no more use for her, and you will take your rightful place.”

“And the baby?” she asks, looking up at him.

He kisses her brow. “You have given me the greatest gift in the world. You will be my true mate.” I snatch out of her memories, causing her to crumble to the ground. Markis’s head is so well protected I could never get inside his mind. But that bitch doesn’t know me.

Markis stares back at me with wide eyes in amazement.

“How did you do that?”

It should hurt me more than it does realizing that I’m nothing more to him than I was to my father. A tool. Something for him to use just to get what he wanted. Even his response to what I showed him proves I’ve meant nothing to this man. His first reaction isn’t to ask for forgiveness or address his cheating. No, he is more concerned about my sifting.

“You are incredible,” he laughs. “I knew you could do this. I wanted you to find that memory. I planted it there.”

Once again, I look back at him, trying to see the man I saw before. All I see is the monster. Maybe, if I was still that foolish young girl, I would believe his lies. But the beating of that baby’s rapid heartbeat is my proof.

“You will never get the chance to use me again,” I say to him before turning away.

Walking away from that tiny home, I realized I’d had enough. Markis didn’t know it then, but he’d just made an enemy out of me.

I come awake abruptly sitting up in bed. Swiping at my cheeks, I pull my hand away and find them red with tears. No matter how long ago that day was, the pain of finding out the man I thought I’d been madly in love with was never in love with me, still hurts.

“Whoa.” I look up to find Phaedra stepping into the room with me.

Glancing around, I take in my surroundings. I was in some type of hospital style room. The white walls and antiseptic smell giving it away.

“Where is Enzo?” I ask as she approaches.

“He’s resting.”

Pulling the covers off my legs, I go to stand. I needed to see him. The last memory I had of him was him fighting that vampire.

“Where are you going?” Phaedra asks, when I stand up on my wobbly legs.

“To find him. I have to see him.”

She laughs. Moving around me, she pulls the curtain beside my bed back. I stop when I find Enzo, lying on the bed beside me, sound asleep. He looks so large lying on the small hospital bed. His feet hanging off the end. I take in his features. His thick dark beard and straight nose along with those full soft lips. Most importantly, I pay attention to the rise and fall of his wide chest. He’s alive.

“Well, I’ll be,” Phaedra says beside me.

I turn to her. “What?”

She chuckles. “At first, I was very confused on why the goddess moon would bond you two. I didn’t understand. But I see it now.”

“See what?” I lift my chin, trying to dismiss anything she thinks she sees.

“You two are perfect for each other.” She turns to look at Enzo. “You are exactly what he needs.”

“And he is what she needs,” Liz says as she walks into the room.

I run my gaze over her, making sure I didn’t miss anything. Making sure she didn’t get hurt.

“Are you alright?” I ask her.

She smiles and lifts a cooler. “I am very well, thanks to my best friend.”

Liz walks further into the room and places the cooler on the bed. She opens it up and pulls out a bag of blood. My mouth waters at the sight. She tosses the bag to me. I catch it and immediately bring it up to my mouth, puncturing it with my fangs. I expect both women to look away or feel disgusted. Neither reacts.

“Is this why you never ate at my house when we were younger?”

Finishing up the bag, I lick the residue off my lips. “I didn’t eat at your house, because although Ms. Cheryl could bake her ass off, her day-to-day cooking was not good.”

Liz tosses her head back and laughs loudly. “Yeah, mama was not a chef. Do you remember the Doritos macaroni she made us that time?”

I cringe at the memory. “Yes.” Tossing the first bag in the trash, I turn back to Liz. “You wouldn’t have another one, would you? That fight took a lot out of me.”

“You can have as many as you want.” I turn to find Chayton leaning against the wall in the open doorway. “After what you did to save my mate and children, you can have whatever you want.” He grins at me. We have come a long way from that first day I showed up on his doorstep.

Liz tosses me another bag. “Miko hasn’t stopped talking about you since it all went down yesterday. He thinks you’re some type of superhero.” Liz explains.

“I’m no hero,” I say, quickly dispelling that image they have of me.

“Well, you are to me,” Liz says, rolling her eyes. “And just so you know, Marley has been staying with us since you got here.”

I look at Chayton, “Sorry.”

I love my sister, but that empath ability can be a lot for those that aren’t used to it. Her excited energy sometimes bounces off the walls.

“No problem,” he waves me off. “She keeps Miko entertained.”

I can only imagine. Placing my attention back on Enzo, I worry. If I’ve been out for a day, why isn’t he up yet?

“Is he okay?” I ask no one in particular.

“Yes,” Phaedra says. “He was up earlier stressing over you and wouldn’t stay in bed, so I gave him some tea to calm him down. His ribs have healed nicely, but he needs to rest.”

I finish up the second bag of blood and toss it in the trash. Walking over to his bed, I stare down at his face. I stare so long; it startles me when someone clears their throat behind me.

“How about we give these two some time alone,” Chayton says, holding his hand out for Liz. She walks over and places her hand into his.

“I’m going to head to lunch. My mate cooked for me today,” Phaedra says with a bright smile. “If he wakes or if you need anything, let us know.”

I nod my head. The three walk out of the infirmary, closing the door behind them.

“I thought they’d never leave.” Looking back to the bed, I come face to face with Enzo.

“You were faking?” I ask.

He shrugs. “Phaedra and Luna were both hovering over me. If I even flinched, Phaedra was trying to pour tea down my throat. If I woke up while they were here, they’d never have left. So, I had my Alpha lure them out.”

Shaking my head, I roll my eyes at him. He sits all the way up. I go to help him, and he stops and gives me a look.

I hold my hands up in surrender. “Okay,” I say teasingly.

He rights himself on the bed, spreading his legs open. He pats the space between his legs.

“Come here.”

“Zo, you’re injured. You need to heal.”

He grabs my arms and tugs me onto the bed. “I’m a wolf. I’m already healed.”

I allow him to tug me into his lap, my back pressed to his chest. He wraps his arms around my middle and pulls me into him. For some reason, I feel completely content being here in his arms. As soon as I realize that, guilt hits me.

“I appreciate what you did, but never risk your life trying to save me again.”

He pushes at my back. I lift and turn slightly to look at him. His narrowed gaze runs over my face.

“That’s not going to happen.”

“Enzo, I mean it.”

“And so do I, Michaela. I know how we started wasn’t ideal. And I wasn’t always the best person to you, but I mean it when I say we are in this thing together. There will never be a time when I won’t risk my life for you. I know it might be too early, but I think I’m falling for you.”

Before he could finish his sentence, I push away from him and climb out of the bed. For a split second, I allowed that feeling of happiness and longing to take over me. For just a moment, I thought I could finally get my happily ever after. But I reminded myself it isn’t possible for me.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t have time for games, Enzo. I’m too tired.”

“What are you talking about?”

I pace the floor. I didn’t like this feeling. This needing to be near him or concerned about him is not who I am.

Turning to face him, I shake out my hands. “What do you want from me?”

He looks highly confused. “Right now, I just want to hold you.”

I shake my head. “No. I’m being serious. First, Chayton being nice and now you’re trying to tell me you’re falling for me. What do you want? Everybody wants something from me. So just tell me. Do you want me to train more scouts? Do you want me to stick around for you to fight off this enemy? Just tell me what you want?”

He watches me so closely for so long I feel as if I’m standing before him buck naked. Slowly, he brings his legs to the side of bed and stands.

“You want to know what I want?” he asks.

Finally, we were getting to the bottom of this.

“Yes.”

He walks over to me, placing his hand on my chest over my heart. “This. This is what I want, Michaela. Your heart.”

I step away, clutching my head. “Stop, please,” I beg.

“No, I won’t.” He removes my hands from my head and tilts my face up to see him. “I know many people have let you down. That shit is so obvious to me. People have mismanaged you, Baby Girl. But I’m here now. And I’m going to change all of that.”

I want to believe him. That young girl that still believed in love wants to trust what he says is true. However, my mind is telling me to be smart. It knows I’ve heard all these words before.

Shaking my head, I turn away from him. “You’ll change your mind. You’ll realize that I am not worth it.”

“Look at me,” he demands. I turn to face him. “I’m not him.”

Once again, the urge to believe him weighs on me, but I’m reminded of the dream I just had. I remembered the way I hurt when I realized Markis was playing me the entire time.

Stepping away from him, I turn my back to Enzo. “You’re only saying this because you think the goddess wants this for you. It’s the mate bond talking.”

He laughs out loud. I turn to glare at him.

“What’s so funny?” I pout.

He shakes his head. “Damn, we don’t know shit about each other’s world,” he says before sobering. “Mate bonds don’t work that way. This bond can’t make me feel anything I don’t want to feel.”

This is news to me. I thought this attraction and these feelings I was having were due to the mate bond. I thought that’s why he was suddenly being so nice to me and touching me.

He smiles, grabs my arm, and pulls me toward him. “I want you. I won’t lie, as if this was easy to come to terms with. I hated everything that you were when we first met. But even then, I was drawn to you. I had no idea why. Shit, even my wolf was confused. He realized I was attracted to you sooner than I did. The moment I stopped trying to hate you, I realized why the goddess blessed our union.”

“Why?”

Placing his hand on my back, he pulls me even closer to him. His lips only inches from mine.

“Because you were made for me. The reason your ex mistreated you and didn’t value you, is because you were never his to have.”

My will is slipping, but I have to continue to fight. “But the disgust and the remorse I felt from you that first morning.”

He shakes his head. “I thought I was supposed to be mated to another. Her name was Ana. She was the first daughter of an Alpha. Her father wanted her to find an alpha for a mate. He thought she was too good for a beta.”

I scrunched my nose. Sounds like her father was a dick.

Enzo continues. “We had plans to run off and form a mate bond at the next moon jubilee. We both figured her father would take us seriously then.”

The memory of the blonde with the blue eyes lying on his chest comes to mind. The day I was telling him how to fight a sifter, he pulled up the memory of her. I didn’t even have to look for it. I guess he was feeling it so strongly he pushed it to my thoughts.

“What happened?” I ask.

He swallows, his golden eyes looking away from me. “Her entire family was killed by vampires.”

So much makes sense to me now. This is why he hated me so much when I first arrived. It also makes sense why he felt so much remorse the next day after our mating.

“I’m sorry, Enzo.”

There wasn’t much else I can say. Like I told them, vampires don’t kill without a reason. He might not like the reason, but there is one.

He cuts his eyes back on me. “No need to apologize. I just wanted you to understand why I felt that way the morning after. I’ve been so angry with you because of the pain vampires have caused me, but my wolf made me realize you are not all vampires. You have not done me wrong.”

It’s my time to look away from him. If he knew the things I’d done, he wouldn’t be feeling this way. I’m everything they hate about vampires. I don’t deserve his kindness or forgiveness.

“I have a past,” I start.

He shakes his head. “You’re a member of the legion, Michaela. I’m not stupid. I know you’ve done shit you’re probably not proud of. Hell, you’re nearly five hundred years old. Nobody lives that long without fucking up or making bad decisions. I don’t need a breakdown of your past. I’m here in the present. The only thing I’m worried about is your future.”

The tears I’d been keeping at bay fall. For the first time, I feel seen. I feel as if someone actually notices me and not what I can be or what I can do.

“I want to make this work,” he continues. “No more games. No more plotting. You asked me what I wanted, and I’m telling you. I want you to stop fighting me. Let your guard down and allow us to work.”

I step back, glaring at him. He shakes his head.

“Not your wall. You can keep your secrets. I want you to lower the guard you have around your heart.”

I relax, knowing that he isn’t asking for my secrets. However, his request is just as difficult. Turning away from his gaze, I look down at my hands. His finger under my chin turns me back to him.

“You don’t understand,” I say. “My guard is all I have. It’s all I know. It has kept me safe for a long time.”

“I get that. I’m not asking you to drop it completely, I’m asking you to let me in. Let me be who you lean on.”

I’m not sure what an anxiety attack feels like, but I think whatever is going on with me right now is fairly close to one. My heart is pounding, my thoughts are racing, my palms are sweaty and everything inside me is telling me not to trust him. But there is a small voice in the back of my mind, a voice I hadn’t heard since I was a young girl. The voice pleads with me to try it.

Liz’s words from yesterday pop in my head. “Promise me you will give love a try. For me.”

“I’m doing this for you, Liz.”

Sighing, I finally say. “Okay.”

He smiles proudly, grabbing me and pulling me into his chest. I place my hand on his stomach to halt him. He looks down into my eyes.

“Don’t break my heart, Enzo. It won’t end well.”

His smile grows higher. “Even when you’re threating me, my dick still gets hard.”

He leans forward and presses his lips to mine. His tongue slips into my mouth and takes over. His scent explodes on my senses.

With his lush lips pressed to mine, I let my guard down. I guess I’m giving this love thing one more try.