Scarlet Night (Limited Edition) (18 page)

Zane frowned and looked over at her and tilted his head as he thought for a moment. She was so different than mo
st the girls he had met. Something about her that irritated and enticed all at once; an arrogance that bordered confidence—or was it the other way around?—and a perception that seemed to skew everything it took in.

He smiled softly; she was
definitely
a mystery to him.

And he’d always loved a good mystery.

“There’s nothing wrong with being worried over finances, you know. Aside from you, everybody else seems to understand that much.” He sighed and leaned against the wall to catch his breath, “And it’s not like I
choose
to worry about it! Believe me, I’d much rather just have to worry about money. It’d be a lot more peaceful, I’m sure!”

Serena smirked, “Aw! Afraid you’ll get more grey hairs?”

“It’s
not
grey!” Zane growled, running the length of silver in his bangs between his fingers to analyze it himself, “And it’s
not
from worrying, either!”

“
So what is it from, Zane? More of this curse-thing? Just what
are
you?” She turned and sat next to him and leaned back as well. “You definitely aren’t like any vampire or therion I’ve met before. I mean, I
saw
that… that
thing
you became, and I’ve never seen a therion look like that! But what sort of vampire can change its shape?”

“It’s hard to say anymore. I sometimes feel like the vampire that dreamed he was a therion, other times I feel like the therion that dreamed he was a vampire
.” He looked down so that he wouldn’t have to see her expression, “The only truth that matters is this: I’m a
real
monster. I’m what never should have been; what is supposed to be kept as nothing more than a myth or a threat—a boogieman for mythos parents to scare their kids into behaving. The point is to show me
real
suffering. It takes me when I’m at my most vulnerable and it leaves behind chaos with my name written all over it. It kills without discretion and it lives to destroy so that, when I’m back in control, I have to take in the aftermath and know it was me.” He shook his head and sighed, “I’m a plague, Serena. A nuclear warhead handled by an idiot with a mallet. That’s all you need to know.”

“That’s hard to believe.” Serena drew her knees up and leaned against them for a moment. “
I mean, you aren’t a
bad
person—
sure
, you’re a dick and a whiner—but that doesn’t make you a monster. I can tell that much. Even if you
do
become some cheesy mythos version of The Hulk, I’d still think you were a pussy,” she smirked, “but at least you’re a pussy who’s
also
a good person.”

Zane scoffed and shook his head,
“I
wish
I could become The Hulk! At least he’s admired! I’m worse than what the comics could make me out to be… and besides, I’m not green.” He looked over and smirked, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes. Though she held his gaze briefly, he was forced to look away from her growing look of sympathy, wishing to everything he could believe in the words she was saying. Wishing he was something—
anything
—other than a monster. Leaning back until he faced the ceiling, he tried to stifle his body’s shaking as the memories returned. He could still feel every puncture into his flesh; could still smell the ceremonial incense and boiling ink and spilled blood and putrid sweat and tears. He could still remember every agonizing second as the cursed ink assaulted and warped his body and core to a cellular and spiritual level. And every time he remembered, he felt the same scorching and his skin began to burn and crawl; trying to escape from itself and its history. “I should go.” He went to stand up and walked towards the door before pausing and turning towards her, “You should go to the infirmary for some synth-blood if you’re still in pain.”

With that, he turned away from her and left the room.

“You like him, don’t you?” Devon grumbled.

“He’s a good person,
I guess.” Serena frowned and turned to Devon as he appeared beside her.

He sighed and she felt the warmth fill her more as he looked around the room.

“I can’t protect you like this.” His image shifted and faltered as he lost focus on staying visible, “Dammit, Serena! I’d give
anything
to be able to protect you like he can.”

She tur
ned to him and smiled warmly before standing up and walking over to him. “And you will, Devon. Soon enough! Sooner than you think! We’ll find a body for you! This clan can help us both and when you’re in your own body again we’ll finally be able to be together! Just like we’d always planned! Forever!” She smiled and shook her head, “Don’t worry about Zane! We aren’t right for each other.”

“If you say so,” His spectral features curled into a
smile and he chuckled, “Either way, I’m happy you said that.” her aura shifted as he spoke, and he moved a palm that she couldn’t feel over her cheek, “I love you, Serena.”

She smiled, trying to hold back her emotions for his benefit
. “I love you too, Devon.”

Zane’s eyes widened as he listened in to Serena’s conversation. She was speaking to something
—some
one
—else in the room, and though he couldn’t
see
her aura he was certain that the shift in energy hadn’t been somebody new. Either she was more out of her mind than he’d thought, or there was something occupying her auric force. Zane pried further, trying to figure out just what he was hearing without being seen. As he peeked around the corner he caught sight of her facing away from him, staring intently on whatever it was she was conversing with. As he narrowed his eyes in an attempt to see, something shifted in front of her—something shaped like a person, but completely transparent—as Serena’s aura refracted some of the room’s light. He frowned, wishing he could see auras in this body, but, sadly, that ability was reserved for the beast. Either way, one thing was for certain…

She wasn’t crazy.

There was somebody anchored in her aura; somebody desperate enough to cling to another’s life-force and still aware enough to carry on a conversation.

And an intimate one
at that!

He frowned at the thought
and, feeling a familiar tingle, looked down to see the tattoos on his arms glowing. Despite not wanting to hear any more of the one-sided ghostly conversation, he couldn’t tune out Serena’s words and he realized that he was the topic.

“
We aren’t right for each other.”

He
struggled to stifle a growl and shook his head as he turned away from the conversation to regain control. Why was he getting so upset?

It wasn’t as though he’d thought any different.

He knew he was a monster and didn’t deserve her.

Still,
the burning in his chest was hard to argue with.

He’d already been forced to admit that w
ith her around he felt more in tune with himself than ever before. Even the beast, which had
never
responded to
anybody
as something other than another thing to rip apart, seemed oddly calmed when she was near. And, selfish as it was, he wanted that peace to last.

He wanted her!

Swallowing away the feeling of nausea that crept inside of him and, after several deep breaths, looked down at his arm as it stopped shaking and the ink faded back to black. Knowing there was nothing more to be gained from eavesdropping than more pain he hurried away to the upper levels and into his room.

He couldn’t trust her and
, worse than that, he couldn’t trust himself around her.

Zoey couldn’t st
and it!

Try as she might, she couldn’t stay away from Isaac!

Though they both knew what they were doing was wrong, they had begun to see each other more often. She had sworn—taken what she’d hoped was a solid and unbreakable oath—to herself to, for the benefit of her clan, never to see him again.

That oath had barely survived a day!

Damn him and his animal magnetism!

All inhibitions had been lost; all qualms and worries squelched and justified with flimsy reasoning.

It was wrong!

It was foolish!

It was reckless!

A
nd Zoey loved it!

As
the spark of excitement at being reacquainted with her forbidden lover was stoked to an all-consuming flame in her chest, she wove between the trees and hurdled stumps and rocks as they presented themselves. With Isaac keeping a steady pace beside her, she navigated through the forest, not caring where their journey took them. So long as she’d arrive there with him. She felt complete.

“You’re too slow!” Isaac growled playfully as he sprinted
ahead of her and cleared a gorge overlooking a shallow stream.

“No fair!
” Zoey pouted, hurtling herself over the gap and, realizing she wouldn’t close the distance, using her aura to carry her to the other side. As her feet touched down on the grass she let out a sigh of relief, keeping her eyes shut until she had caught her breath, “You’re
used
to this sort of thing! You’ve been running in the woods your entire life!” She looked up to shoot him a glare and frowned when she saw that she was alone, “Isaac?”