21. Bite Me Part 1

We made it to the library in ten minutes and figured it would be something small, maybe a room full of books, but the second Seth opens the door, I know this is anything but what I was expecting.

The place is huge, and I mean huge in a literal way.

“This is the library?” I asked, not knowing what else to say.

“Yes, what were you expecting?”

“A one room with shelved walls, I don’t know. Something that wasn’t this?” I waved my hand in front of me.

“Most of the important books and documents are here. When we started the attack, Callisto made sure that important paintings, books, archives, things like that moved not to be destroyed.” Seth moved along a book row. I followed just because the mention of Callisto had me eager to ask more.

“Did he plan all this with you guys?” I asked, almost tripping on a stack of books near a shelf. We rounded the corner and moved further into the library.

A quick glance at him shows me he is quite annoyed.

I swallow, nervous.

“Sorry,” I whispered.

I mean, I can feel he doesn’t like me, but at least he should be honest like Adonis was.

Before I could ask another question, he stopped. “You should be careful of Callisto. What happened today should never happen again.”

“What do you mean?” I asked. He doesn’t look at me but continues walking until we reach a round glass table with six chairs.

There are already a few books stacked around it with two laptops, a board, a few pens, and a map. I leaned over, curious to see what kind of map it was.

I peered to the side. Seth settled in one of the chairs. “Ask.”

“Excuse me?” I spoke.

“You want to ask me what’s wrong with… me, right?”

I turned to glance at him. I don’t know if to like the sound of that question or to simply ignore it and pretend I have no idea what he is talking about.

But we had to start somewhere, so I decided to go along. Mostly because I want to know what his problem is with me. It’s not like we haven’t talked before or anything. Our first encounter was in the elevator, alone, which freaked the hell out of me, but I know he also cares for me in a way. Especially after the accident.

Not going to lie, I have absolutely no idea how this could go, especially since he is the weirdest of all five.

Just then, I noticed that Seth was staring back. Silver eyes stared coldly at me or, more precisely, my fucking neck.

I cleared my throat for his attention.

“What’s your problem?” I cursed under my breath. That came out the wrong way.

He arches a brow. Fantastic, now I have ruined everything.

“My problem,” he hissed as if tasting the words. “My problem is you.”

“Me?” I tense.

I know I’m not that likable but give me a break. I didn’t want to be here.

It’s not like I chose this. They were the ones who brought me here, and yet they don’t like me.

“Care to explain why? Because I honestly have no idea what I have done to any of you guys except be here against my will. So please, explain because I have no idea.”

A chair screeches loudly against the floor, surprising me as Seth rounds the table.

I make a run and start going the opposite way. There was no way in hell I was going to get hurt right now.

The anxiety in my chest starts and my body trembles with fear as he blurs closer and closer.

I watch him, worried he would attack me, but before I can run away, Seth disappears in the blink of an eye, leaving me confused.

I should probably take this moment and run. Fucking run out of this room before something happens.

“No, no, no.” Seth hissed as his arm went around my waist and pulled me to him.

I gasped as my hands moved to his arms to push him.

“Stop struggling!” his voice cuts through the noise. Deciding it was best to do as he ordered, I stopped moving and remained still.

Maybe I should just scream and let someone else come. Or maybe Adonis feels my emotions so he can come to my rescue?

I’m aware of the fact that his face is on the crook of my shoulder. It doesn’t make him more predictable though. I can swear one move and he can bite me.

“Do you want to die?”

What?

He pauses, then lets loose one of his arms. “I ask if you want to die.”

“What are you—”

“It’s a simple question of yes or no, Yophiel. Do you wish to die?”

How am I supposed to answer that?

The silence stretches, then he laughs. It’s a little forced.

I can barely think. He shifts and pulls me closer. S

eth was way taller than me. Taller than Hector or Adonis, or any of them.

His hands found my sweater. He tugs it up slowly baring my stomach.

He does it with his other hand. The cold of his skin sets mine on fire as he reaches my stomach and hips.

“You haven’t answered, Phiphi.”

He shifts his head down a little and bites my shoulder. It’s a kind of nip that doesn’t hurt, but I’m aware his fangs are out.

He continues moving his hands up until he reaches the curves of my breast. A wave of pleasure rushes to my body, making him growl.

I try to push the desire down, but how can I when he is touching me with so much care?

Seth moves to press his entire body with mine. “So? Do you want to die? Answer or I won’t stop.”

I grabbed his arms to stop him, but he was strong.

I try again to ignore the feeling. Yet it is hard to miss that what he is doing is not because he hates me or feels disgusted, it’s because he is trying to see at what moment I broke.

That’s the moment I straightened up and stopped. My arms fell to the side.

I start to snap when he lets go. His cold hands are no longer on me. His body is not against mine.

He isn’t even behind me anymore.

“Ah, just as I thought.” He smirked from his seat.

The bastard incited me to see my reaction.

I fixed my sweater back, then crossed my arms over my chest, and turned. “You seriously are a psychopath!”

He laughs. “No, Phiphi, I am a monster.”

This time I squinted my eyes.

He was the first one to say it that way, without hesitation or annoyance. He even seemed comfortable admitting it.

“I thought you hated me.”

“I don’t,” he responded. “But I do have a problem with you, although I pity, we can’t continue this…”

“Excuse me?”

“One could agree that you have something off going on. Did you know every time you have a strong emotional spike, Adonis and Callisto get hurt?”

“What are you talking about?” I asked, not knowing where this was going.

“I mean,” he appeared in front of me. His lips were an inch away from mine. “The connection you share with them, you also share with me. But not in the same way.”

My eyes went wide.

“We have a connection?”

He drags a finger over my breast to my neck, then my jaw, stopping right on my lips.

His grin goes wide and sinful. “We share a connection and I know what it is. But if you want to know, you will have to do something for me.”

Part of me is curious, but I’m not about to say yes to whatever crazy stuff is brewing in his head.

“So, are you curious?” He continues to move the same finger all over my body until it stops again on my chest, where my heart is beating like crazy.

Damn it, for once I wish one of the others would appear with a lame excuse.

I dig my nails into my pants where they are currently hiding. The tension around this room was starting to get suffocating as well, and I didn’t like it.

“Who me? If I’m curious?” I scoffed, but it came out with a nervous shake.

A snap from Seth distracts me. I lowered my eyes to his hand that was hovering in front of my chest. It only takes one second. One stupid second and the tip of the iceberg breaks. Then my sweater was on fire.

I let out a horrible scream as my hands flew to my clothes. The fire was consuming it, making my heart go to my throat.

There was one thing I hated, one thing I feared the most, and it was the flames of a fire. I didn’t care for vampires and this cruel world. I was scared, but not to the extent of when I saw fire blazing somewhere.

It was a small secret I kept hidden inside me.

I might have blacked out for a moment because then I blinked and realized I was now in Seth's arms and on the floor.

A couple of rushing footsteps are heading our way.

I hardly register the voices, I’m way more focused on my burned sweater more than anything else.

Just like that, without thinking, my hand finds Seth's face.

He makes a noise low in his throat, but he doesn’t move. His gaze is everywhere but on me. That’s when I scramble myself away from him. Place some distance while I try to make sense of what just happened.

The longer I look at him, the deeper my panic takes ahold. That’s when I realized I am afraid of Seth, I’ve always been. And now I understand what he meant about having a problem with me.

It was not that he hated me, but it was that he found my fear a problem. I mean, he knows what my sister did to me. And of course, him being able to wield fire at his will was an issue.

I feared being on fire. Even though I always said I was not afraid, deep down I know it’s a lie and Seth knows it.

Someone moves to touch me when I slap his hand. “Don’t come near me!”

I didn’t realize I'd said the words out loud until I saw how Seth was looking at me. The pain in his face breaks my heart into a thousand pieces. Except, I don’t know how to fix it now.

After that ruined afternoon, I can’t remember the rest of the day. Not until I’m seated on a chair in Darcy’s lab.