ZEROI feel Anne’s warm body pressing into mine from behind and it’s like the dangerous daze breaks. I felt her pain tugging at my heart from afar and I almost drowned in misery and regret. When I saw my father choking her, the desire to snap his neck raised its head. Dread and anger became one. I was seeing red and I had lost control over myself.I can’t bear the thought of Anne getting hurt. If I hadn’t left her here, she wouldn’t have to go through something like this.“ D—Don’t do it. Please. Please, Zero. ” She pleads in her shaky voice. “ Leave him. ”As if I was only waiting for her to say this to me, I release Gualterio. He falls to the ground, the shadows leaving his body and dispersing into thin air.I blink to get rid of the black haziness as my hands instinctively wrap around Anne’s wrists. I almost killed my father because he hurt her. I don’t understand how I can lose control over the mere thought of seeing her in pain but I do. Always.Anne breathes against my back, h
ANNEI huff as I lie down on the bed. Zero was gone when I came out of the bathroom after an hour of sulking under the shower. Zero is not making me feel bad about ditching him as I did and I have apologized and explained my side so I feel a little clear-headed now.The fact that he stopped when I asked and didn’t lash out at me is so satisfying. It must have felt like a slap to Gualterio’s face who thought I meant little to his son.Now that Vampire King asshole and his younger son know that Zero is into me and I am into him. They will have to stop trying to get between our bond.The other good thing is that Natalie is fine. Ryker texted me earlier so I am at ease about that.Turning and tossing in bed, I get tired of waiting for Zero. I fear he is down there somewhere, losing his control over the bloodthirst and killing humans mercilessly. I can’t feel his emotions so it only makes me feel like I am on the edge, about to fall off the cliff to my death.Pushing myself off the bed, I
ANNEThe more Zero realized I needed him to confess his love to me, the more he started taking amusement out of my misery. I kept repeating I love you and he kept saying he knew with a stupid heart-stealing smile on his lips.I didn’t know a few words could make me so desperate and I didn’t know time could pass so fast. I am used to taking bath with Zero now like he said I will. He is always here. We sleep in the same bed, I wake up by his side every day, we smile, we laugh, and we walk together. Even Zero’s family has become bearable for me because Gualterio and Liam refrain from getting in my way after what Zero did to them three weeks ago.Natalie is about to give birth. And as usual, the Vampire King is eager to get Zero on the throne before that.I did discuss with Zero about the future. I told him what Liam had said to me about the whole age difference thing and then I found that little evil shit with a broken spine again. After that, Zero assured me that he had been reconnectin
ANNEZero shrugs his hand off his shoulder and turns around, climbing the stairs and reaching the red cushioned and golden-armed chair.Liam comes to stand beside me, his eyes fixed on the big chair. I glance at him, understanding the look in his eyes.It doesn’t take much to realize that he wanted that spot. He is not that evil, just a vampire throwing a fit over what he thought was rightfully his.Zero grumpily stands beside the chair as Vampire King gestures at someone to bring something. I stare at him and he stares back at me even from up there.“ He doesn’t even want to be there. ” Liam huffs childishly.Zero snaps his head in his direction, shooting him a warning glare. I chuckle as Liam sniffs dramatically.“ He doesn’t even want you to talk to me. ” I copy Liam’s tone, huffing.“ I know right? ” Liam sighs. “ He hates me. ”My heart skips a beat as Gualterio grips Zero’s forearm and makes him face him. The father and son face-to-face look like a carbon copy of each other. “
ANNELiam, Gualterio, and Freya did all they could. And saved Zero.It was not a nightmare. It was the worst moment of my life. I almost lost him and lost my mind.Now, he lies on his bed in the room as Freya sits by his side, crying silently. I was wrong about his family—They care about Zero more than they let on. They just don’t how to show it to him when Zero is not ready to listen to them or ever accept their affection.I wipe my wet cheeks and suck in a huge breath while I look at Zero and his parents from the doorway of the room. I still can’t feel Zero’s presence in my head. Neela said Zero blocked our connection completely to protect me. He didn’t want me to feel his pain.Prick! I died with fear when I couldn’t feel him. My heart had almost given up on me at that moment.“ How did you know they were going to attack? ” I hiss at Liam who is standing beside me, his side resting against the door.“ I saw them. ” He shrugs his shoulders. “ Clearly, I was not as distracted as you
ANNE“ Anne. ” Zero whispers my name, making it sound so sweet, so meaningful.When I don’t answer, he pushes me away to look at my face. “ Did someone do something to you? ” Furiously, he hisses at me.“ Yes. ” My eyes snap open, narrowing into slits. “ You are still asking. Don’t you know already? They almost killed me because of you. ” I shrug off his hands and stand up. “ I just realized what this means to stay under the same roof as some deranged vampires like you. ” The wall in my head shuts down, keeping all emotions trapped inside as I spit poison at him.“ What happened? ” Zero is out of bed and over my head in no time.He is seething, so enraged that the veins in his neck are poking out. “ I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to die for you. ” I whisper.“ You don’t want to stay?” Zero frowns.I shake my head, gulping all tears down. He will never know.“ Do you want me to take you away? ” He steps forth only to see me stepping back from him.“ I promised your father th
ANNEHe let me leave. I didn’t waste a moment and left him there. He was better off without me. I should have realized this sooner.A week has passed since that Goddess awful day yet my heart still hurts the same. A little part of me even wanted Zero to follow me. I didn’t think it was this easy to push him away.When I left the vampire territory, I was not sure where I wanted to go. At that moment, Natalie called me and asked me to come to her. She was in pain again but this time, it was labor pain.For some time, I forgot about my misery and stood outside her hospital room as she screamed in agony. Ryker was by her side for hours straight.Her labor was prolonged. Giving birth to a hybrid was hard for her but she survived. And gave birth to a blue-eyed angel. Rhys Ambrose—Natalie and Ryker named their son together.Ryker had stepped out of the room with his baby only when Natalie had fallen asleep under the influence of some potions. My heart had filled with so much happiness for my
ANNEIt takes me a few hours to get to the vampire territory. My heart continues to pump blood at the speed of lightning. The thought of seeing him after what I said that day is killing me but even for my own selfish reasons, I need to know he is doing fine.As I drive the car towards the huge gates of the mansion, the vampires push it open, letting me inside. My heart begins beating faster than before. I turn off the engine when I am in the driveway.Wiping my sweaty hands over my jeans, I open the door and step out only to meet Liam who is rushing to me. In a familiar gesture, his arms are engulfing me in a hug.I sigh, not finding it in myself to get angry today.“ How have you been, sweet Anne? ” He questions, smiling genuinely.“ I thought you didn’t like me anymore. ” I let out, taking a step back.“ Oh, that was some angry banter. Don’t take it to heart. ” He flaps his hand in the air before he is dragging me inside the mansion where his parents await me.My eyes nervously roam