Chapter 31 Thirty One
DANIKA
"Bellamy, I'd like to talk to Kaziel alone," I say, and both men freeze. Bellamy flashes me a weary smile.
"Alright. See you around, Angel. Good luck, cousin," he says. Then he walks out, shutting the door behind him.
Taking a deep breath, I move over to Kaziel while he watches me closely, unease written all over his face. I lean in to kiss him on the lips, and he literally melts, nuzzling into my palm when I hold a hand to his cheek.
"How long were you planning on hiding it from me?" I ask, and he lowers his gaze.
"I'm sorry," he mutters.
Crouching beside him, I take hold of his hand.
"I know you want to protect me because you think I'm fragile. But you can't do that at the expense of your life. I won't let you do that," I tell him.
His gaze softens. "I've burdened you enough. You're so strong, dove. But, right now, you're still human. I can't just drink from you. I'm terrified that I—"
He swallows hard, fear flashing in his eyes.
How can a man so terrified to hurt me murder his own girlfriend? It didn't make sense. Eve had to be mistaken about him.
"You won't hurt me. I won't let you," I say, and he tenses.
"How are you so sure?"
"Because you're going to teach me how to protect myself. You promised, didn't you?"
His eyes sparkle with amusement. "What do I do with you?"
Heat creeps up my neck at his comment.
He reaches for me, sliding a hand to the back of my head before kissing me deeply like he's starving. I meet his energy just as intensely, letting him feel all of my pent-up emotions.
When we finally pull apart, he gives me a smile.
"I'm going to be okay, Dani. You don't have to worry about me. You probably don't know this, but...being a tribrid makes me...immortal."
My eyes go wide. "You're serious?"
He nods slowly. Then I smack him on the arm, hugging him.
"Why didn't you tell me that before? You let me worry for no reason," I groan, and he chuckles, rubbing my back.
"I'll come over to your house tonight. And yes, we're doing the double cultivation thing," I add, and his body goes rigid.
"But—"
I press a finger against his lips.
"I know you're an immortal. But that doesn't mean I have to let you suffer in pain," I say, pulling away. He watches me as I rise to my feet, wide-eyed.
"Where are you going?" he asks.
"To prepare myself. Also, you can't leave on your own. Please call one of your friends to drive you home. Make sure you're well rested by the time I come to you, okay?" I say, pressing a kiss to his forehead.
"Who are you? You're different," he utters, blinking slowly.
“Guess you'll find out tonight."
I flash him a grin before straightening and leaving his office. However, there's someone standing there, a clear suspect of eavesdropping.
"Really, Bellamy? What are you doing?" I demand, folding my arms across my chest.
He winces, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry, I—"
"I don't trust you. But since you're here, please drive Kaziel home. If anything happens to him, I'll come for your throat, I promise," I say, and he pales. Without another word, I turn away from him, smiling to myself as I head down the hallway.
Was it Kaziel's blood?
Ever since drinking it, I've had an alarming level of confidence. Not that I'm complaining, though.
...
Cora's apartment smells like instant ramen, perfume, and strawberry lip gloss. Very homey.
She's sitting cross-legged on her bed, scrolling through her phone when I drop onto the bed beside her.
Cora glances up, smirking. "That face says trouble. What did you do?"
I fiddle with the hem of my sleeve. "I need... advice."
Her brows arch. "Advice? From me? Okay, this must be good."
I bite back a grin. "Let's say my friend has a hybrid boyfriend. And she's thinking about, you know... getting intimate."
Cora lowers her phone dramatically. "Your friend, huh?"
I sigh. "Don't start."
"Fine, fine," she says, waving me on. "What's the problem?"
Before I can answer, the door opens and Jazmine steps in. Her identical face catches me off guard every time. She lingers at the door like she's not sure she's welcome.
"Hey," she says softly. "Danika."
"Hey," I reply, unsure.
Cora shoots her twin a warning look. "You gonna be nice this time?"
Jaz exhales, setting her bag down. "Yeah. I actually came to apologize."
She turns to look at me fully, guilt in her eyes. "For accusing you of trying to seduce Nathan. I was jealous and stupid. I said things I shouldn't have."
I study her for a moment. Her apology seems real, she keeps fiddling with her fingers. "It's fine," I reply. "I get it. You were protecting your boyfriend."
She smiled weakly. "Yeah... I'm kind of overprotective of him."
Cora snorts. "Kind of? Girl, you nearly ripped a girl's throat out for looking at him."
"Okay, in my defense," Jaz says, glaring at her sister, "he's human. I can't exactly afford to be careless."
That catches my attention. "Wait... he knows what you are?"
Jaz nods. "He figured it out. I was starving one night, and I tried to sneak out before I lost control, but he stopped me. Said, 'If you're gonna bite someone, bite me.'" Her voice softens at the memory. "I told him no, that it could kill him, but he insisted. So now I feed from him. Carefully."
Cora wrinkles her nose. "Romantic and horrifying. Classic Jaz."
Jaz glares but smiles faintly. "It's actually... intimate. Every time I drink from him, he lets me get that close to his pulse... to his life. And I have to fight every instinct not to take too much."
I swallow, the image hitting harder than I expect. "That sounds... dangerous."
"It is," she admits. "But it's also beautiful if you do it right. That's the thing about vampires, we love with our teeth bared. We crave, we protect, we consume. That's why we're careful who we love."
Cora hums, twirling a strand of her hair. "And werewolves? Totally different story. They claim both body and soul. Once they mark you, it's mostly permanent."
Jaz rolls her eyes. "Yeah, so basically, your 'friend' should know what she's walking into. Hybrids are both wild and restrained. Their instincts clash, and that makes them unpredictable. The more they care, the harder it is to control it."
"Great," I mutter. "So either way, my friend is doomed."
Cora grins. "Or lucky. Depending on how you look at it."
Jaz smirks, leaning against the wall. "Tell your friend to be honest about what she wants. Hybrids can sense lies, especially when it comes to desire."
I feel my cheeks heat up immediately. Cora cackles. "Busted!"
"I hate both of you," I mumble, hiding my face in the pillow.
Cora tosses her lipgloss at me. "No, you don't. You love us. Now, start talking. What's your friend's hybrid's name?"
I don't answer. But the smile tugging at my lips gives me away.
...
By the time I reach Kaziel's front porch, my heart is doing cartwheels.
My tote bag is heavy with supplies. And the little black pouch Cora shoved into my hands before I left.
"Extra protection," she'd said, with a wink and zero explanation. "Your friend might need it."
I didn't dare ask what was inside.
I'd even taken a long shower, shaved until my skin was smooth, and swapped my usual cotton set for something...sensual.
I take one last deep breath and raise my hand to knock. But the door swings open before I touch it.
Bellamy stands there, hair messy, his shirt half-buttoned. His mouth curls into a knowing grin as his gaze shifts from my face to the tote bag in my hand.
"Well," he drawls, leaning against the doorframe, "someone came prepared."
Heat floods my face. "It's not… I mean…these aren't—"
He chuckles, clearly enjoying my embarrassment. "Relax, Angel. I'm not judging. Come in. I'll try not to tease you too much while you wait for Sleeping Beauty to wake up.”
I narrow my eyes, clutching the strap of my bag tighter. "Where's Kaziel?"
Bellamy's grin softens a little. "Sleeping. He's been out cold since earlier this afternoon."
My chest tightens. "He's okay, though?"
"Yeah. He just needs rest." He gestures inside. "You can wait if you want. He'd probably like to see you first thing when he wakes up."
I hesitate on the threshold, suddenly aware of how fast my heart is still pounding. Bellamy's smirk is gentler this time.
"Don't worry," he says. "I'll behave."
Somehow, I doubt that. But I step inside anyway.
Bellamy leads the way silently, his steps soft against the marble.
When we reach Kaziel's door, he stops and tilts his head toward it. "He's in there," he whispers.
I nod, my fingers tightening around the strap of my bag. Slowly, I push the door open just a crack.
Kaziel is asleep on the bed, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. He looks… peaceful.
Relief spreads through me. I don't go in, I just watch him for a few seconds, letting the sight steady my pulse.
He's safe. He's healing. That's all that matters.
I pull the door closed softly and turn around, but Bellamy is there.
He's too close. He leans in, pressing a hand against the door beside my head, the other sliding into his pocket.
"Bellamy," I say carefully, stepping back, but there's nowhere to go.
He studies me for a long moment, his expression unreadable.
Then, his eyes darken.
"Tell me the truth, Angel. Are you his mate?"