This made her fake friendliness disappear completely.
“You really are a fucking freak.” She sneered. “You should be happy I’m showing you any attention.”
“It kills you, doesn’t it?” I bared my teeth viciously.
“What?”
“That every man in the village will crawl into bed and share you, but I never will.”
She swallowed hard at my insult. I had never stuck up for myself. But the void was buzzing with excitement.
“Do you know why they don’t mind sharing you, Kira? Because you don’t mean anything to any of them. It doesn’t matter how many men you sleep with. They will never love you; they won’t marry you.”
She gaped at me, and I stopped smiling at her. She opened her mouth to say something but closed it immediately and suddenly looked like she was scared to move. Something made Kira suddenly freeze and turn to look over her shoulder. After a moment, she began looking around frantically, but I didn’t know what was wrong with her.
“Haden, did you hear that?” She asked worriedly as she watched the woods.
“I didn’t hear anything.” But as soon as the words left my mouth, I saw Della.There she is.I smiled. Her bronze skin popped against her black clothing. She stood at the tree line, but when Kira looked in that direction, she didn’t seem to see her. Della’s pretty, star-colored eyes glanced at Kira and then moved to me with a frown.
Way to go, you upset Storm.The void sighed.
“You’re still seeing her, aren’t you?” Kira looked at my face as I stared at Della and admired her. Every single thing about her caught my attention.
I didn’t answer.
I didn’t care if she thought I was a freak or told everyone. Remy was the only one who believed I could see a woman anyway. Kira frowned and peered around us. Her blue eyes skipped right past Della, who was watching us—me.
I shook my head like it would get rid of her. It didn’t, thankfully.
She was right there. How could no one see her? Della’s black hair tumbled in waves over her shoulder when she tilted her head to the side. The dress she wore had small, thin, black straps that showed off her flawless, dark skin. In the shade of the trees, I could see the faint silver light of a glowing tattoo that was wrapped around both of her arms.
“You’re scaring me, Haden. No one is standing there.” Kira’s face looked at me with concern, like I was a freak. My chest was tight with worry that Della would see how others treated me and decide I wasn’t worth her time anymore.
She won't think that.The void was confident.
As much as I didn’t want to, I looked away from her and focused on Kira. Della had hardly spoken to me. I should not feel this way about someone I barely talked to. But the void inside of me hummed at the sight of her. The memory of how soft her voice had been hit me and made me long to hear it again. MaybeI had lost my fucking mind. But I remembered the feel of her soft hair twisted in my fingers as she stared at me; that was not fake. My hands fisted at my sides. I wanted to be that close to her again.
Kira stepped back up to me, and I stepped out of her reach. Her blue eyes narrowed on me.
“I will snap your fucking fingers if you touch me again.” My anger slipped from me.
“I don’t understand you, Haden. You don’t have anything to offer anyone, and I’m here trying to give you company, and you act repulsed by me.”
“That is because you fucking repulse me.” I sneered at the perfect ‘O’ her mouth made at my remark. I had never looked at anyone like I looked at Della, especially not this pompous bitch.
Her face was red with indignation. “I’m the only one in this fucking realm that doesn’t recoil in disgust when they see you,” she yelled.
“What the fuck is your problem?” I snapped at her. “I didn’t ask you to follow me.”
“You are lying about your feelings for me.”
“I’m not,” I spoke truthfully. “My gods, woman, how many times have I told you to leave me alone?”
“Maybe something is wrong with you,” she muttered. “After all, you see a woman that no one else can.” My eyes narrowed on her as she continued her rant. “And you’re passing up an opportunity to be with me. I’m of noble birth, and you’re lower than shit. You have nothing to offer anyone.”
I clenched my jaw angrily. I knew I was nothing. My father made sure to tell me how worthless I was every day. He had told me from a young age how no sensible woman would want to marry a freak. But back then, he had been talking about my elite magic. Now he said it because I saw that woman.
“You are such a bitch.” I rolled my eyes. “Do your little friends know that you chase me around, trying to sleep with me? What’s wrong, Kira? You already spread your legs for all the noble boys in town, and now they don’t want you anymore? They realized you aren’t anything special?”