Tasting Darkness

Chapter 16 

Everything ached, there wasn’t a single part of me that didn’t hurt, and I had never felt so relieved to be locked back in my room; I would take this prison cell over not having to face those men again. Lycus had placed me on my feet just inside the room before shutting the door. He locked it. I heard the door click and heard him storm off up the hall.

He didn’t say a word to me, yet I could tell after we got back to the castle-like he was second-guessing getting me out of classes. Every time my skin touched his, he would tense like he couldn’t even bear the thought any part of me was near him. His jaw was tense as he climbed the stairs before placing me in the room and leaving. I kind of hoped I could see Kalen. I couldn’t understand the strange vibes I got from him.  

Like I needed to protect him, but from what? Like he was fragile somehow, I noticed they were super protective of him, but I wouldn’t hurt him. I had no magic to even if I wanted to. I t fizzled out, and until they either gave me some, which is unlikely, or I managed to sneakily obtain some, I was utterly defenseless, and that thought scared me.

Moving toward the bathroom, pain rippled up my legs, it

caused pain through the bottoms of my feet, but I needed to clean them. I winced when I placed my foot on the cold tiles, m y foot sliding as my blood stained the tiles, making it slippery.

I made my way over to the bathtub and sat on the edge, planning to rinse them under the tap and assess the damage when the door suddenly opened. I look up to see Kalen step in with an angry-looking Lycus. Lycus quickly glanced out the door into his room before shutting it and locking it. Lycus moved to the door leading into my room, and I jumped up in a panic when he closed and locked it also. They were locking me i

“Woah, woah, calm down. I won’t hurt you, neither will Lycus, see,” Kalen says, pulling bandages from his pockets and alcohol wipes and showing them to me.

“Just hurry, Kalen, if Darius comes in and finds you with her. H e will lose it,” Lycus tells him.

“Since when doesn’t he, Lye. He gets angry if I am out of damn sight for more than five minutes or If I don’t text him every five bloody minutes,” Kalen mumbles. Lycus sighs but perches himself upon the sink basin while I glanced between the two o f them.

“He won’t do anything, Aleera, sit. We want to help,” Kalen told me.

“Speak for yourself. The only reason I even brought her up here is for you, not because I want anything to do with her, don’t speak for me, Kalen,” Lycus snaps, and Kalen rolls his eyes and sighs. I glanced briefly at Lycus but sat on the edge of the bathtub again.  

my feet. My eyes burned with tears at the stinging sensation as he

heal her?” Kalen asks, glancing over his shoulder at

me before looking down at Kalen. Kalen mutters under his breath and starts wrapping my feet

snaps at him; his hearing would be a

the only one allowed to have a say about

than just take your magic,” Lycus scolded him. I was a little shocked he

he knew I would heal her when

have pissed him off, now hurry so I can get you out of here

if you are worried

Just observed. I peeked at the markings on Kalen’s neck, and before I could stop myself, my hand reached out to touch them. Lycus’s hand was wrapped around my wrist in a bone-crushing grip before I

wanting to touch him; their marks called to me. I knew it was the bond, making me act strange, yet didn’t they feel any pull toward me at all? I just wanted to touch him, reassure him that I would be fine and not to worry. It

swallowed and tugged my hand away and placed it

me,” Kalen said before glaring up a t Lycus. My fingers twitched to touch the markings, to

Always, ” My breath hitched in my throat at his breathtaking smile. Lycus, however,

I thought mates only marked their

snarled. Kalen pressed his lips in a line before running a hand through

it is taboo for male mates to mark each other, frowned upon. But it was the only way if we wanted to keep our magic,” Kalen explained. I nod. Looking at Lycus, he stood with his arms folded

had already marked Lycus before I found out about you, or them, though,” Kalen tells me, and Lycus growled at him.

at him, but

already together before we found out we were mates,”

boyfriends?” Kalen nods, and my eyes dart