Page 11 of Caution

“You’re not going to ask how I knew what you were thinking?”

He was standing beside me now, joining me in my observation of my own home.

There was averyconvenient growth pattern in the trees, allowing an unobstructed view.

“Why should I ask new questions when I haven’t gotten any answers to the first ones?” I countered, glancing up as he turned to look at me, instead of outside. “Clearly you’ve decided to do what you want anyway. So, making me sit in here and wait… is this part of the torture or whatever you’re planning?”

“Torture?” He smirked and I hated the way it lit up parts of my body that should be decidedly turnedoffby this whole ordeal. “This is for your own good, love.”

“And I’m supposed to just… take your word for it?” I scoffed, looking away from him, where it was safer. “Forgive me if I’m not seeing it.”

“Clearly there’s a lot you don’t see, but rest assured. You’re no damsel in distress, Ambrosia.”

I moved away from the window, heading across the room to… anywhere that wasn’t close to him.

He followed.

“Stay away from me,” I demanded, with full understanding that I heldzeroauthority for such a thing.

The amused grin Cassius pinned in my direction as he stopped in his tracks a few feet away underscored that fact.

Mocking me.

“Not mocking, admiring,” he said in a tone that sounded like correction.

Even though I hadn’t actually said anything.

“Fine,” I snapped. “Tell me, how are you in my head?” I crossed my arms. “Did you drug me? And I want thetruth,” I insisted. “None of thisvampirebullshit.”

“I’m afraid that what you refer to asvampire bullshitis the very truth you’re seeking.”

“Nonsense.”

“Do you think you can make that the truth by saying it?”

“Couldn’t I ask you the same?”

He nodded. “You could, but… are you honestly not even alittleconvinced by the fangs?”

And… there they were again.

Extending right in front of me, impossible to write off as simple jewelry.

“I thought vampires were like… vulnerable to silver?”

“Lesser ones, yes.”

“There’s a hierarchy?”

He scoffed. “There’salwaysa hierarchy.”

“And you’re at the top?”

“My family is, yes.”

“And where am I in this hierarchy?”

“Right up at the top with me.”

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