023: JEALOUSY AND RESENTMENT

023: JEALOUSY AND RESENTMENT
Cassian wishes he could eat dinner in his room, or maybe somewhere far from Alastor’s family, and he doesn’t realize how much he hates eating at the dinner table when Alastor isn’t joining. Without him, Cassian is left to endure the judging gazes of everyone who seems to want his downfall one way or the other, and now there’s another weight added to his neck—Elyndra.

She seems nice. Too nice. She hasn’t done anything for Cassian to hate her, and that somehow makes everything worse. The mere fact that she is Alastor’s vessel leaves a bitter taste on his tongue that no amount of food can wash away. Cassian doesn’t like her, but he doesn’t hate her either, and that unsettles him more. There is something about her smile that unsettles him, and he always trusts his gut.

Suddenly, the Duchess clears her throat, gaining everyone’s attention. “Lord Alastor will not be joining us tonight,” she announces calmly, eyes flicking to Cassian for a second before moving on. “He has pressing matters to attend to.”

Of course he does. Cassian keeps his gaze on his plate, pushing food around without appetite.

Elyndra turns to him then, offering a gentle smile. “You must miss him,” she says.

Cassian stiffens while everyone looks at him, as if expecting him to say something wrong.

“I manage,” he replies coolly, lifting his glass of supposed blood and taking a sip. He refuses to give them what they want, but he notices the way Elyndra’s gaze flickers to his plate of food as if searching for something. “Is there a problem, Elyndra?”

She grins. “Oh no, there’s no problem, Cassian; it’s just I realized your meat is overcooked compared to ours, and I might have never seen humans before, but I believe that’s how humans like to eat their meal.”

Cassian’s eyes twitch, and his hands slightly tremble around the glass that he slowly places down on the table.

“I’ve noticed too,” Clarissa chimes in. “His food is always different from ours, and he doesn’t smell like a regular vampire either.”

Suddenly, the silence that spreads across the table stretches long. Everyone looks at him while Cassian grips his knee. What game is Elyndra trying to play? What does she know? Cassian hides the way his hands twitch as he glares at her.

“Do you perhaps doubt that I am a vampire?” Cassian asks.

“That’s ridiculous—” she starts to say, but Cassian cuts her off.

“It’s indeed ridiculous. No one seemed to have a problem with how I want my meat cooked, except you. If you have perhaps an assumption, I’ll advise you to voice it.” Cassian has never been so mad. Who does she think she is to question what he eats? The only one allowed to have a problem is Alastor.

Cassian believes he has a reason to dislike her at the moment.

She looks uneasy as she stares around the table, perhaps looking for someone to back her up. “It was a simple observation. I didn’t mean to offend you, Master Cassian.”

“I’ll also advise you to keep your observations to yourself. You are only here as Alastor’s vessel. I don’t need to remind you of your place,” Cassian counters, taking control of the room as everyone falls silent. Then he rises to his feet, pushing his chair. “I lost my appetite,” he says, and then he’s leaving, heading for the door, until the duchess calls behind him.

“Remember our agreement, Cassian. Without a mark, you hold no real power here.”

Without a glance back, Cassian storms off.

~~

For the rest of the night, Cassian stays curled up in his bed, but that’s until the door suddenly opens and Oscar’s head peeks in before his entire body.

Cassian doesn't move from his position. “What are you doing here? I thought you were avoiding me.”

Oscar shrugs as he stands at the edge of the bed, his hands in his pockets. “I was, and I could, but then I realized you’ll be dead without me. We made a deal.”

“More like you will be dead with me,” Cassain murmurs.

Suddenly, Oscar is sitting in the space on the bed beside him. “Come on, tell me what’s wrong. Are you thinking of how to bear Alastor’s mating mark, or are you jealous of Elyndra?”

In an instant, Cassian jerks up to a sitting position. “Jealous of her? Why will I be?”

Oscar shrugs. “I don’t know, maybe because you have feelings for Alastor and want him all for yourself.”

Cassian whips his head to Oscar quickly. “Feelings for Alastor?” he echoes in disbelief. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard in my entire life. You think my heart will beat for a vampire after what they did?”

Oscar chuckles and playfully hits Cassian on the shoulder. “I said maybe; you don’t have to be so serious. I’m glad you still remember why you’re here; Alastor has to be the one who falls in love, not you.”

Cassian tsks in annoyance as a flash of his near kiss with Alastor suddenly invades his mind. He looks away, forcing the memory to the back of his head. “You don’t have to remind me; I’ll never fall in love with him. Vampires ruined my life and took away my home. All I’ve ever wanted is to make them suffer.”

Oscar stares at him for a moment longer. “What if you fall in love with one? What if that love comes in the way of your plans?”

Cassian’s jaw clenches further, and without hesitation, he says. “I won’t.”

Not in this life and the next.

He looks at Oscar with a determined gaze. “As long as I live, I won’t let such cursed love come between my plans. I will get my revenge, and I will find my brother.”

“Good,” Oscar says without missing a beat, then he reaches out and ruffles Cassian’s hair before getting off the bed.

“Have a good night,” he says, and then he walks out the door, leaving Cassian sitting there on the bed with so many thoughts coursing through his brain.

There is no such thing as love in his world.