Tasting Darkness

Chapter 18

Chapter 18 

Aleera POV 

I was sitting huddled under the blankets trying to get warm. The room was freezing since someone had opened a window, and the bloody thing was jammed open. I had asked Tobias if h e could shut it. He even watched me struggle with the damn thing as I tried to pull it closed, giving up when it hurt too much to stand. So I had gone and climbed in bed, wrapping the blankets around me like a cocoon.

–

He said not one word and had placed my food in the room and left. I was starving, and I was pretty sure I inhaled my food without tasting it. I was that hungry from barely eating all day and starting to feel shaky.

Darius walked in, and I was too cold to be scared. Freezing as the frosty night air seeped into the room and my aching bones. Darius walked over, gripping the handle on the window and yanking it shut. I watched his every movement carefully while wondering what he wanted now. Was he here because he didn’t get to punish me earlier for skipping classes? I didn’t doubt it. He hated me. They all hated me, and I didn’t believe me running was an acceptable excuse, as if they wouldn’t have done the same.

Yet despite me hating him too, I also couldn’t deny the bond. The bond made me crave them. My entire body told me I needed them even if I didn’t want them, and I hated myself for it. Yet also longed for interaction after so much solitude, longed for touch and to feel some semblance of normality. I wanted rest without having to look over my damn shoulder. I wanted for once to feel wanted.

I haven’t had any of that since nana died. I missed my nana terribly, missed when she was alive, and I had somewhere to call home before I was tossed into the care of the Fae Authorities and institutionalized at boarding school with nothing left but memories of what I once had and lost.

Darius’s entire body was tense as he moved toward me. I was too cold to care what he did to me at this point. I watch as flames spurt from his fingertips and form a sphere in his hand. Darius then tosses it at the small fireplace; the wood instantly caught alight. The flames erupt up the chimney before dying down and crackling loudly.

Darius’s hands were fisted at his sides as he approached the bed. Now I couldn’t blame the cold for all my shaking as his

stood over me. It made it more obvious how easy it would be for him to hurt me or

shoulder and tossing me backward on the bed. My eyes widened as he reached toward me again. His hand grabbed my ankle as he yanked me toward him, a shriek left my lips,

to choke on it. Like invisible hands gripped my throat, and I

gasping for breath. My heart was pounding painfully against my ribs as I sucked in much needed air. He lifted my foot, examining

ran across the split where my knee connected with his face, and my eyes widened as he rubbed his fingers together. His eyes dart to mine, and the anger behind them made my throat thicken like something had lodged in it. I swallowed in horror

blood dribbled down his chin again,

want to when his eyes darted to my feet briefly, and he sighed

me,” I blink

spluttered at

shake my head, horrified at what he asked. He couldn’t be

feet like that?” M y eyes dart to my throbbing feet that seemed to now have their own

want to get that close to him, just being in his presence was bad enough, let alone close enough to

feet ached, the swelling making my skin shiny, and I would have to walk around on them. But why did I have

“Wait,” I blurted out.

Although I didn’t

pumped faster at what I agreed to do. Darius stopped and looked over at me. He smiled before walking back toward the bed. He stopped looking at me. I stared at him. Why was he making

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