Page 22 of Caution

“Well,weknow,” Cassius said, grinning. “Would you rather us be off on some compound all on our own or something?”

“Wouldn’t that be safer?”

“Safer for who?”

“The people thataren'tmystic beings,” I answered. “The people who have no idea any of this is going on.”

“Inherently? No.” He shook his head. “Our cares are not the same as humans, our worries, desires… honestly couldn't be further apart. We occupy the same space, but we operate on totally different planes.”

“How can you say that when I've been nearly attacked three times?”

Cassius looked at me with a raised eyebrow and I raised an eyebrow back at him until he shook his head again.

“Ambrosia, you're not one ofthem. You’re one ofus.”

Oh.

Shit.

Maybe my head was still not wrapping around that.

“Like I said… it’s been a long day. A hot bath, a glass of wine… I can help you process.”

I sucked my teeth. “Why do I needyouto help me process? What's your role in this? How am I connected to you? How do I knowyou'renot just as dangerous as the vampires you're referring to as leeches? You could be planning to just bleed me dry and dump my body in a field somewhere too.”

“Honestly, yes. I could. But I'm not.”

“How do I know that? Why should I trust anything you say, especially after you kidnapped me and put me in an incredibly dangerous situation, only to just sit back and watch. So that I could supposedlywake up.”

“For your own good.”

“Ohplease,” I huffed. “I don't even know you. What gives you the right to make decisions about what's for my good or not?”

“As your bonded mate, I'll be deciding many things for you.”

“As mywhat?!” I exclaimed.

“We'll discuss this later.”

“We'll discuss itnow,the fuck?!” I shouted. “Bonded mates? Have you lost your mind?”

“I am very much in possession of it, but thank you for your concern.”

I scoffed. "Oh, I gotta disagree. If you think you are going to… what, brainwash me?”

“I won't have to brainwash you,” he said. The words laying heavy on me as he met my gaze. “In due time, you will freely give yourself. Beg, even," he murmured, his voice drenched with a sinister…lust?

I shook off the feeling that incited in me.

“Here you go again,” I said, leaning instead into annoyance.

It was safer.

“Yes.” He nodded. “And you should get accustomed, since from now and for the rest of eternity—"

“Donotfinish that sentence!” I demanded, then noticed the car wasn't moving anymore.

We were now parked outside his house.

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