Page 15

Vesper pulls out a chair for me with effortless politeness. I sit down reluctantly, crossing my arms as he takes the seat opposite me, sitting far enough back in the dim firelight that his face remains veiled in shadow.

I try to ignore the fact that a demon has treated me with more respect in the last ten days than my ex has in the last year.

Under the silver dome on my plate is a perfectly seared steak and a mix of roasted broccoli and cauliflower. My stomach gives an appreciative growl, causing Vesper to chuckle again.

“Eat.” Vesper settles into his chair. His pale blue hands rest on the armrests, his long fingers tapping a rhythmic pattern against the polished wood as he waits.

I pick up my fork, taking a small, tentative bite. What are the chances that he poisoned the food? Flavor bursts on my tongue, and I bite back a moan. I chew slowly, staring at him through the flickering candlelight. I finish the steak and a few of the veggies. “You never answered my question. Why do you own a pet monster?”

Vesper shifts, his blue knuckles tightening against the carved wood. “It’s hardly a pet. Twenty years ago, I found it at a crossroads not unlike the one where you bled for me. It was dying. Abandoned by its pack, torn apart by dark hunters, its infernal core fading into cold ash.”

I pause, my fork hovering halfway to my mouth. Something about the way his voice drops into a low, quiet timbre almost sounds… sad. Raw. “Abandoned?”

“Yes. I knew what it felt like to be discarded by one’s own kind. High demons don’t value weakness, Bellamy. When you don’t fit the mold of your bloodline, you’re cast aside. I saw a reflection of my own exile in that bleeding hound.”

“So you saved it?” I ask gently, surprised by the sudden ache in my chest. Was that how he saw me? Some dying little thing to take pity on?

“I bound our souls,” Vesper corrects. “It was an agonizing process. It nearly tore my demon core to shreds. I lost more than half my high demon powers in the binding, sacrificing my magic to anchor its wild spirit to my physical body. But I couldn’t let it die alone in the dirt.”

I stare at him, the silence between us growing heavy. The image of the cocky, arrogant demon who locked me in a gilded cage suddenly fractures, revealing something far more complex underneath. A creature who bled his own power away to save a dying, unwanted beast.

My body betrays me again. I’m shocked he gave me such an honest answer. My heart thuds hard against my ribcage, a dark, confusing heat swirling low in my belly. The scent of cinnamon and sea salt grows stronger in the warm conservatory air. It’s thick and intoxicating.

I bite my lip. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you think I’m just a monster holding you hostage,” Vesper replies, leaning slightly forward. The firelight catches the sharp angle of his blue jaw and the subtle flex of his chest beneath his shirt. “I want you to understand that everything I do inside these walls is to protect what’s mine.”

“I’m not yours,” I say, though the word lacks the bite it had earlier.

Vesper lets out a low, sensual purr that vibrates straight through the floorboards and into the soles of my feet. “Your pretty lips lie once more, little bird.” He leans across the table, hand extended. Before I realize what’s happening, he’s gripping my throat, those sharp claws digging into my skin. Squeezing. “Your pulse is racing, and yet you don’t back away from my touch.”

I jerk at his words, but it’s too late. We both know the truth.

He stands up slowly, the dark wolf pelt billowing around him like a cloak. “Finish your dinner. I have something waiting in your bedchamber.”

“I’m finished.” I rise from the table as well, my skin flushing with dark warmth under his glowing red gaze. “What the hell did you do?”

“So suspicious.” Vesper chuckles. “Consider it a peace offering.” He turns and leads the way out of the conservatory, guiding me back through the winding hallways until we stop outside my oak bedroom door.

He pushes the door open and steps aside.

On the massive mahogany bed sit several high-end shopping bags made of thick, matte-black paper.

“You’re probably tired of wearing shirts that don’t belong to you,” Vesper says, leaning against the doorframe, his tail lashing once behind him. “I had a few items brought from town. And… as promised, the deadbolt to the rose garden will be unlocked tomorrow morning. You may walk the grounds.”

My head snaps toward him in disbelief. “You’re letting me outside?”

“Within the boundary wards, yes,” Vesper murmurs. “Sleep well, Bellamy.”

Before I can answer, he dissolves into a dark pool of liquid shadows on the floor, vanishing into the stone and leaving only the lingering warmth of his ocean scent behind. Ocean and warm cinnamon. I should be tired of the scent, but I find myself craving it more and more.

I stand in the quiet room for a long moment, my chest heaving, my mind spinning from the events of tonight. Walking over to the bed, I pull the first bag toward me. Inside are soft, oversized knit sweaters in various colors, fitted silk button-down shirts, leggings, skinny jeans that fit my narrow waist, and black leather boots. I touch the fabrics, my throat tightening.

What the fuck? It’s my exact style. Soft. Elegant. Pretty.

My mind flashes back to Gregory. The bastard hated the way I dressed. He called my clothes ridiculous, feminine, and pathetic, forcing me into stiff, conservative suits that made me feel like an imposter in my own skin. Yet here, in a dark demon’s lair, I’m handed a wardrobe that feels like me. I swallow hard.

I reach for the final, smallest bag at the bottom of the pile.