Chapter 10: Who are you mated to?
Chapter 10
Ruby's POV
I sat shivering on the cold, hard floor of the changing booth, my back pressed tightly against the cold wall. Thane had suddenly vanished.
A hot blush rolled up my neck and chest, my cheeks burning with shame as I remembered how shamelessly I had rubbed against him.
“He fucking used his stupid spell on me,” I whispered, my voice shaky, refusing to believe I’d act so boldly with him of all people.
My hand flew to my neck where he had cut me, but I felt nothing, there was no sting and no mark. I rushed to my feet, nearly stumbling, and turned to the mirror.
The slightly deep cut on my neck was gone, replaced by smooth, flawless skin. “What kind of sorcery is this!” I gasped, my voice trembling as I pulled at the soft skin, my heart pounding with confusion. “It’s like those fucking online books I used to read when I was a teenager!” I gasped again in shock.
A loud knock at the door jolted me. “Are you okay in there?” Lucas’s voice called, a hint of suspicion in his voice.
“I’m alright,” I called out, mentally hissing at myself as my voice came out high-pitched and unsteady. Slowly taking deep breaths to steady myself, I stared at my wide-eyed reflection in the mirror with my chest heaving.
Finally patting my wrinkled clothes and messy hair in place, I headed out of the booth, my legs still shaking as I moved as they tried hard to barely hold me up. It was only by pure luck that I hadn’t tumbled hard onto the tiled floor.
“We’re done for today, let’s go,” Lucas ordered, his voice cold as he flipped on his dark sunglasses and began moving through the busy corridor, his boots clicking as he moved and I followed quietly behind, my eyes darting around the crowded shopping mall, searching for Thane’s tall figure, but there was no sight of him.
Why had he disappeared just like that? I wondered. In no time, we were soon out of the building, and I was quiet the whole time as we approached the car. The door slammed shut with a loud bang as I got in, and Lucas started the engine, pulling out of the parking lot with a low rumble.
The sound of cars honking and people screaming at the tops of their voices slowly slipped into the car as we got stuck in thick traffic,the noise didn’t even bother me as I had my head plastered on the side of the window, my breath fogging the cool glass as my mind slowly slipping away as thoughts of my father filled my head. I still needed to find his killer, but things just seemed to have gotten a little more complicated.
Soon, we were back at the house, and I slowly dragged my tired body out of the car, i felt very weak. I slammed the door shut behind me. “The clothes will be sent to the house soon, as well as your other purchases,” Lucas’s voice reached me from behind but all I did was nod and keep moving toward the entrance of the house,as i began climbing the stairs to the door.
“Argh!” A sharp scream of shock left my lips as I came face-to-face with Thane, who stood right in front of the door like a silent statue, blending into the dim shadows of the house. My heart thudded wildly in my chest as I stared at him, wide-eyed with my breath catching in my throat.
“Come with me,” he said clipped, his voice cold and sharp as he turned and stalked into the house.
I followed behind, my eyes running over his tall, imposing frame as he glided through the rooms. We soon walked into a room that looked to be a mini bar of some sort, with a polished countertop to one side, backed up with stacks upon stacks of colorful drinks.
“I really didn’t mean my words back at the shopping center… I was just a bit hungry, and when I’m hungry, I tend to say and do some things I don’t mean… it’s kind of like a human thing,” the lie I had practiced in my head on the drive back home tumbled out of my mouth as I took a deep swallow, my hands folding nervously in front of me, twisting together as the silence around us seemed to get louder.
Thane didn’t seem to even pay me any heed as he glided over to the bar and began pouring himself a drink, the amber liquid shining as it splashed into the glass, like he had completely forgotten about me.
“I know you must be really mad at me, but there is truly no need to kill a lowlife like me,” I stammered out as his silence began getting to me. I was slightly taken aback by the intense look in his eyes as he turned to face me.
For a moment, I forgot about the words i had planned in my head as my eyes took in his features yet again. I hated to admit it, but he was actually a beautiful piece of artwork with sharp jaw, dark, stormy blue eyes, a face carved like stone, though his cold attitude needed some work.
“Who are you mated to?” Thane’s deep, croaked voice cut through the air as he dropped the glass of whiskey he had been sipping on the counter with a soft clink.
He leaned on the counter, his hands folded, watching me with those intense eyes, waiting for my answer, mye eyebrows knitted at his words.
“Hun?” I mumbled out confused. What kind of question was that? Did he want me to call him my mate or what exactly was he driving at?
“Ummm… do you want me to refer to you as my mate?” I croaked out, my voice coming out small as I tested the waters while my eyes flicking nervously to his, searching for any hint of his thoughts.
But the second those words slipped from my lips, dread twisted in my gut telling me I’d said something terribly wrong. The room seemed to grow darker, the air also turning heavy.
Before I could react or even blink, Thane was now standing right in front of me, his tall, looming figure closing the distance in a heartbeat, moving so fast he was like a blur lunging from the darkness.
His eyes were now glowing red and I knew that I had pissed him off. My stomach dropped to my feet, a sinking wave of terror flooding my body, making my legs shake like they might give out soon.
His cold, rough, large hands clamped down hard on my throat, his hold was so tight, like iron bands squeezing just enough to make my breath catch in my chest.