Page 46 of Zomromcom
Blood rushed deafeningly in Edie’s ears, muffling whatever reaction the others might have had to Max’s admission, and she struggled to think.
To reason through what was happening and what he’d just admitted.
Because the Max she knew—the Max she’d decided not to doubt, even for a moment, ever again—wouldn’t murder anyone, much less a longtime lover, in cold blood.
Well, his blood was always cold. That was kind of a fundamental thing about vampires. So yeah, okay, if he killed, he’d definitely do so in cold blood. But he wouldn’t kill an innocent or someone who didn’t force his hand through their own actions.
She believed that. Down to her marrow.
Looping an arm through his, she pressed closer to Max’s side. He exhaled slowly, and the thigh muscles that had bunched beneath her palm relaxed a tad.
“So you admit your guilt.” Judgment dripped from every sneering syllable of Sabrina’s next question, and she stood tall, fists braced on her hips. “Do you feel any remorse for murdering a woman so much weaker than you?”
“None at all,” he told her with a smile.
Gwen inhaled sharply and curled up into a fetal position in her armchair, while the trolls’ eyebrows rose in unison. Starla continued to watch Sabrina, concern cutting deep creases across her forehead.
And Max…
Not that he would willingly reveal any vulnerability to the witch currently interrogating him, but—Edie couldn’t spot any falseness in his expression. More…genuine amusement.
What had this Jacquette woman done to him?
“And then, after you pitilessly murdered your human lover, you disappeared, seemingly into thin air”—Sabrina’s fingers flicked outward in a sort of poof gesture—“and managed to entirely escape punishment for taking the life of an innocent person.”
Now Edie sat forward too, because they were finally coming to the crucial bit. The context. The part of the story Sabrina had gotten wrong, which would explain what he’d done and why.
“Innocent?” Max actually laughed, long and hard. “Yes. Of course. Poor, innocent Jacquette, slain by her cruel vampire lover despite her utter blamelessness.”
“Are you—” Sabrina’s nostrils flared, her cheeks darkening with her enraged flush. “Are you smearing the reputation of a woman you murdered , vamp?”
“I’d explain more, but…” He waved a dismissive hand. “My apologies. I can see you rendered your verdict long ago, witch. I’d only waste your time by arguing my case now.”
The thought of Sabrina—of everyone in this room—believing such a terrible thing of Max for even one more minute…
No. They needed to hear the truth. The entire truth.
Because it would absolve him of blame, and they needed to believe in his fundamental trustworthiness before entering battle with him tomorrow.
Otherwise, the only one who’d have his back would be Edie, and she couldn’t be everywhere at once.
She didn’t have the strength of a troll, or the potential power of witches and oracles and telepaths, or…
Or whatever the half-fae Girl Explorers had. Other than badges. And delicious cookies.
“I want to hear it, Max.” Remembering his half-delirious confession the previous night, Edie immediately commenced Operation Doe Eyes, tugging on his arm until he had no choice but to look down at her and confront her wide, pleading stare. “Tell me what happened. Please.”
As he met her gaze, she might have fluttered her lashes once or twice. Then one of those lashes must have detached and fallen onto her freaking eyeball, because suddenly she was squinting and blinking involuntarily, her right eye watering. Dammit.
“My coveralls-clad femme fatale,” he murmured, and brushed away the moisture from the crest of her cheek. “I think it’s out now, darling. Better?”
After she nodded, he spoke to her. Only to her, albeit at full volume.
“Feeding directly from a human is a vulnerable act for everyone involved, my Edie.” He took her hand in his and laced their fingers together. “We can easily kill our blood source, of course.”
“Of course,” said Sabrina with bitter sarcasm.
He ignored her. “But drinking fresh blood is an intimate, pleasurable process for vampires, with or without sex. It’s such a powerful relief of hunger, it naturally engenders goodwill and trust toward our human suppliers.
Whether or not they deserve that trust. And the more often you feed on the same person, the easier it gets to become attached and…
careless. Particularly if sex is part of the experience. ”
“Basically, you catch feelings,” Edie said. “Even if the relationship is meant to be entirely transactional, but especially if it’s not.”
She was trying her best not to envision Max holding other lovers’ hands over the centuries. Combing through other lovers’ hair with gentle fingers. Watching other lovers with soft denim-blue eyes.
But she wouldn’t have wanted him to be alone all that time, would she? And those previous men and women had helped him develop the dicking-related skills he’d displayed last night, so…maybe she wasn’t jealous of all those exes after all. Maybe she was grateful to them.
Other than this Jacquette fucker. Without even knowing the full story, Edie already hated her for betraying Max. For forcing him into violence and turning him even more cynical. For driving him into total isolation.
“So you trusted…Jacquette.” The other woman’s name tasted bitter on Edie’s tongue. “And then you got careless.”
His thumb skimmed over the back of her hand. “After the Battle for Containment, I was tapped to become a SERC representative. I was reluctant to get so deeply involved in political wrangling among and within various species—”
Edie snorted. “I bet.”
Max wouldn’t have been known for his tactful diplomacy and goodwill toward all, even back then. Not after centuries of bloodshed and infighting and hiding from those who’d gladly eradicate his kind, and especially not after what happened to his parents. Edie would lay good money on that .
“—but my mentor, my late mother’s truest friend, convinced me the Council needed a vampire presence, especially one with my longevity and power. So I agreed to serve. Jacquette supported me in that decision.”
The only sound in the room came from a shadowy corner, where a clock perched on a bookshelf ticked away their remaining hours. Otherwise there was utter silence.
“There are very few Enhanced humans with two separate, distinct talents.” The muscles in Max’s jaw jumped. “I knew Jacquette was a necromancer, but she didn’t tell me about her second ability. Pyrokinesis.”
Gwen’s palm rested protectively over her belly. “She could set fires with her mind?”
A stake through my heart will kill me , he’d once told Edie. So will removing my head or…burning me alive .
His voice had gone a bit funny at that last part, if she remembered correctly. And he’d swallowed hard enough that she’d noted his discomfort.
Oh shit.
“Yes,” Max said tersely. “As I discovered firsthand, at the same time I confronted her other vampire lover. Janos, an ally of many centuries who wanted the SERC seat for himself. He arrived at my home fresh from slaying my mentor, and Jacquette let him inside as I slept.”
Eyes wide, Kip ripped open a bag of truffle-flecked potato chips he’d unearthed from somewhere. “Daaaaaaamn.”
“That’s some Jerry Springer shit right there,” Lorraine agreed, and grabbed a handful.
Max’s attention didn’t stray from Edie. “To her credit, Jacquette had no interest in political power. She desired my wealth. At the time, she was the main beneficiary in my will.”
Only complete trust would have prompted him to change his will for her. And then—
“After feeding and other…activities with Jacquette, I’d dozed off.” Max’s hand tightened on hers, and she squeezed back as hard as she could. “I woke in flames.”
Her breath hitched, and she had to close her eyes for a moment because…dear gods and goddesses. She couldn’t imagine it. She didn’t want to imagine it.
Starla gasped. A choked sound came from Gwen’s chair, where she had a hand clamped over her mouth, her stare tear-bright and horrified. Sabrina’s fists fell from her hips.
Kip and Lorraine made big eyes at each other, then each took another mouthful of chips.
The question stuck in Edie’s throat, too terrible to utter in full. “Janos…what did he…”
Her hands were trembling, and Max chafed them. As if she were merely cold and not aghast and sickened and roiling with too many emotions to name.
“He held me in place.” When she furrowed her brow in silent confusion, he somehow interpreted the look correctly. “Protective gear, sweet Edie. He came prepared. For the fire, anyway.”
His lips twisted into a small smile then. It wasn’t pretty.
“If that’s what actually happened,” Sabrina said, her voice gruff but less hostile than before, “how the hells did you survive?”
Max’s shoulder lifted in that signature Gallic shrug.
“I’d always been mindful of Jacquette’s relative fragility.
She didn’t have any conception of how strong I truly was.
And Janos might have been an old, powerful vampire, but I was older.
More powerful. More than capable of ripping out one betrayer’s throat and removing another’s head. Even as I burned.”
“Holy fuck,” Edie whispered. “Max, you must have been in agony.”
He inclined his head. “Yes. That.”
She could only make a pained noise in response.
Her nose was running. She couldn’t see him or anything clearly anymore, and then something soft brushed against her wet face. A handkerchief, which he’d apparently kept tucked away in his hoodie’s pocket. Tenderly, Max blotted her eyes and cheeks before pressing the cloth into her free hand.