Page 99 of Crossing Between
I closed my eyes, drawing comfort from their presence surrounding me, their hands anchoring me to reality. The room was dark and quiet, just our breathing and the distant sound of rain against the windows. Safe, for now.
But Ryan's words echoed in my mind: "I gave everything to protect you."
What had he meant? What had happened to my little brother in the years we'd drifted apart? And most terrifying of all, if the Essencefeaster and Ryan truly were merged somehow, could I save one while destroying the other?
I didn't have answers, only questions that twisted like knives in my heart. But as I lay there, cradled between the three men who had bound themselves to me, I made a silent vow.
I would save my brother, or I would die trying.
Chapter 54: Zoey
The gentle crackle of burning wood filled Varon's library as I sat curled in his lap, my head resting against his chest. Outside, rain pattered against the windows, creating a soothing rhythm that matched the steady beat of his heart beneath my ear. We hadn't spoken much since the guys left, both of us content to exist in the silence that had settled over the house.
Elias and Kenji had been summoned to an emergency meeting with the Supernatural Council hours ago, leaving Varon and me alone. I'd expected him to leave too, but he'd simply stated he was staying, his tone brooking no argument. Not that I would have protested. The thought of being alone after that nightmare made my stomach clench with anxiety. Kenji had joked it had to be nice being stronger than anyone on the council.
The library was my favorite room in Varon's sprawling home, the walls lined with books that smelled of leather and that book smell, plush furniture in rich burgundies and deep blues, and the massive stone fireplace that now bathed us in golden light. The fire danced and swayed, casting our shadows in a dance against thewalls.
I shifted slightly in Varon's lap, causing his arms to tighten instinctively around my waist. My body still ached pleasantly from our night together after my nightmare, a reminder that amid all the chaos and horror, there were still moments of connection. Of pleasure. Of something that felt dangerously close to hope.
"You're thinking too loudly." Varon's lips brushed against my temple.
I smiled despite myself. "Sorry. It's a bad habit."
"Don't apologize." His hand stroked lazily up and down my spine. "I'm just worried about you."
"Fair enough. I'm worried about me, too." I traced my finger along the embroidered pattern of his shirt. "Do you think my brother is really gone? Or was that just the Essencefeaster messing with my head?"
Varon was quiet for so long, I thought he might not answer. When he finally spoke, his voice was uncommonly gentle. "I don't know, little one. But I promise you this. We will find out, and whatever can be done, we will do it."
The simple certainty in his words made my throat tighten with emotion. I burrowed deeper into his embrace, breathing in his scent that, like the other two men, instantly helped me relax and feel safe.
"Zoey." The way he said my name made me look up. His expression was uncharacteristically vulnerable, grey eyes holding mine with an intensity that made my breath catch. "There's something I need to tell you."
My heart skipped a beat. "That sounds ominous."
A ghost of a smile touched his lips. "No, not ominous. Just difficult for me." He shifted me slightly so we were facing each other more directly, his hands resting on my hips. "I have been alone for a verylong time."
The weight behind those words struck me. Time meant something different to vampires, especially one as old as Varon. When he said "a very long time," he wasn't talking about years or even decades.
"As a vampire elder," he continued, "I don't have the luxury to trust easily. Trust is a liability in my world; it makes you vulnerable, exploitable." His jaw tightened. "And my inner monster, well, it's always been there, just beneath the surface, restless and ready to break free. It made it nearly impossible to interact with others, especially humans. Strangers."
I nodded, remembering the few times I'd glimpsed that part of him, the predator lurking behind his carefully controlled exterior. The part that could drain a person dry without remorse.
"When I first scented you," his voice dropped lower, "something happened that I've never experienced before." His fingers tightened on my hips. "My monster, it relaxed. For the first time in centuries, it wasn't fighting to get out. It recognized you and just settled."
My eyes widened. "What does that mean?"
"I don't know," he shrugged. "I haven't been able to explain it. But I knew then that you were important. Special." His gaze dropped momentarily. "I loved you just for that at first, for the peace you brought to the war inside me."
My heart hammered against my ribs. He'd never used that word before. Love. I'd felt it through our bond, that complex tangle of desire, protectiveness, and something deeper, but hearing it spoken aloud made it real in a way it hadn't been before.
"And now?" My voice felt like a shout within the library, even though it was barely there.
Varon's hand came up to cup my cheek, his thumb tracingthe curve of my lower lip. "Now it has grown into something I can barely contain. Something that terrifies me because I have so much to lose." His eyes held mine, vulnerable and fierce all at once. "I love you, Zoey. Not just for what you do to my monster, but for your bravery, your compassion, your stubborn refusal to give up even when you should, and even for how clumsy you are."
The words unlocked something in my chest, a floodgate of emotion I'd been holding back. Without thinking, I surged forward, capturing his mouth with mine. The kiss was desperate, hungry, a physical manifestation of the feelings I couldn't yet put into words. My fingers tangled in his dark hair, pulling him closer as his arms encircled my waist.
Varon growled against my lips, the sound vibrating through where our bodies connected. His tongue sought entrance, demanding and insistent, and I yielded without hesitation. The kiss deepened, became something primal and consuming that made my head spin and my body ache with need.
