To his right sat her Master, whose usual sly smile was nowhere to be found.
“I heard you have found your heartkeeper,” the man at the head of the table said.
Alexandru did not speak.
The man leaned forward. “Listen to me, brother. You know my words are for your sake—-”
“I didn’t say it was not, Mihail.”
“Just listen then.” Mihail waited until his brother had turned to face him. “Do not make yourself suffer just to prove me wrong. I already know how strong you are. You are, in fact, one of the strongest persons I know – more so than me because you had the courage to love. You fought for that love even if it meant leaving us—-”
Alexandru said tightly, “I didn’t want to do it, but you leave me no choice.”
Mihail shook his head. “The past is over and done with. There is no need to argue over it. What matters is today – the present – and you and I both know that you have found her.”
“It doesn’t make a difference—-”
“Of course it makes a difference,” Mihail exploded. “She is your heartkeeper, Alexandru! You know what that means——” He broke off when his brother stood up.
“I apologize, milord. I recall a previous obligation that requires me to leave—-”
Mihail watched his brother turn his back and head for the door. “Alexandru—-”
Alexandru paused. Without looking back, he said, “I respect you, Mihail. Not only as an older brother but as the Marquis of Sangre. You know I will do almost anything for you, but not this. Do not expect me to change my mind about this.” He exhaled sharply. “Even if Zari is indeed my heartkeeper, I will not claim her as such. My heart belongs to Katarina, no one else.”
“ZARI?”
“Zari?”
The first thing she saw was a blurry image of her Master as he came to sit at the side of the bed.
“What’s wrong, pet?” His voice was rough with worry, and when he reached for her face to wipe her tears away, that was the only time she realized she was crying.
“Did you have a vision again?”
She shook her head, still crying.
“Then what’s wrong?” Alexandru demanded, the sound of his pet’s tears hurting him.
She could only look at him, the vampire she used to think she was being manipulated to care for.
“Tell me what’s wrong, pet.” His gaze fell to the contract. “Is it because of that? You do not want…you have changed your mind then?”
Her heart broke at the question. Oh, if only she could change her mind. But even after what she had learned, she knew it was too late.
She loved him.
She was hopelessly in love with her Master, and he was just as hopelessly in love with another girl.
Managing a smile, Zari said, “I’m all right, Master. I’m just happy…” She reached for the pen he had left on the bedside table. Head bent, she signed the contract. By placing her name next to his, she knew she had made a choice.
Over her head, her Master said quietly, “It is done then.”
Not looking at him, she whispered, “Yes, it is. Master.” Zari’s tears started to fall again as she watched his hand cover hers, their fingers entwining with each other. Their gazes met as he raised her hand to his lips.
Alexandru asked softly, “Why do you keep crying?”
She shook her head.
His voice turned harsh. “No more lies, pet.”
She wanted to say she was afraid. So, so afraid. She was afraid of her Master leaving her, of realizing he couldn’t ever love her, of a woman named Katarina taking him away from her.
But of course she couldn’t say that. She owed it to her Master, to her parents – to herself to be strong. So many people had risked their lives to keep her from harm. The least she could do was to enjoy the life they had gifted her, even if it meant living with half of her heart in pieces.
Slowly, Zari looked up, her chest squeezing painfully when she saw the worry in her Master’s gaze. She knew then she wouldn’t be able to lie to him, not when he was looking at her like that. And so she reached for his face instead, knowing this was the only way she could avoid saying the truth.
Her Master drew his breath sharply at her touch, and Zari knew it was because she had never been the first one to touch him and certainly not like this in the past.
She whispered, “Master…kiss me.”
For a long time, Alexandru only gazed at her.
And then he smiled, a beautiful smile that was both warm and sad, and she knew then that he was aware she wasn’t quite being truthful with him – that he thought she was regretting her decision to be his pet but unable to say it.
The realization had her lips parting in painful dismay. Oh, God, no, she didn’t ever want him to think like that, didn’t ever want her Master to feel hurt like that. But before she could speak, he had beaten her to it.