1
He was awake.
For the last hour, I’d felt Kyros climb from the relative peace of slumber, but after a week at his Lyall Bay property, I knew he’d spend another hour pretending to be asleep.
All to avoid time in my company.
“We have zero tolerance for sexual harassment,” I told Eric over the video call. He was one of my many CEOs. “Sack him without a payout, and if Rhiannon wishes to take legal action, give her our full legal and financial support.”
Eric dipped his head. As cold as ice, the guy acted like I’d just told him to yank weeds out of the garden instead of fire a human being.
“I will send confirmation when it’s done, Miss Le Spyre.”
I withheld my wince as his firm tone cut through my tender ears.
“Good. Did we win the contract for Gyron-Easting Pharmaceuticals?” I scrolled through his latest update on my phone, leaving his face on my laptop screen. I was missing my office space big time.
“They met your additional terms. I expect the revised contracts today and will forward them to your legal team before they’re presented for your signature and final approval.”
Eric was one of my youngest CEOs, but also one of the best, and one of the few who hadn’t tried to assert their dominance on the twenty-one-year-old heiress of the Le Spyre Estate. Advice from those with more experience, I’d happily take—though Grandmother ensured I was capable of managing and increasing the family fortune. A few of my employees had learned the hard way that I wasn’t a normal twenty-one-year-old.
I’d grown up in the shark tank before learning humans were really the fish. Business interactions seemed insignificant now. A lot of things did.
Disconnecting the call, I leaned back, stretching my arms overhead. Carefully. The bruises on my abdomen had faded to yellows and greens, and the jagged scar on the right side of my neck from Theodore’s brutal bite had formed a hard red scar with the help of Kyros’s saliva and surgery, but I was still sore.
My jaw cracked as I yawned.
Blood loss was a bitch. Dr Olivia said it would take between four and eight weeks for my blood cells to be replaced, and that I could feel dizziness and fatigue in the meantime.
I glanced at my phone. 2:00 p.m.
Nap time. At least I was down to one nap a day. I wasn’t sure what Kyros would do once I got rid of them altogether. He only left his room to leave for work once I left the open-plan kitchen and lounge area around this time.
Familiar anger gripped me, and his own anger flared in response. Even in pretend sleep, Kyros was mad at me.
Guilty. Sad. Uncertain.
I woke one week ago after a brush with death and had patiently waited for him to snap out of this mood ever since. He just wouldn’t. The distance was swelling and freezing, and I had no idea what to do about it.
He couldn’t be distant. It wasn’t just that I needed to complete two more blood exchanges with him. Whether because his emotions were infiltrating my own or otherwise, his sorrow was breaking my fucking heart.
His uncertainty occupied my every thought, accompanied by frustration and yearning in turn.
I felt terrible, and yet regretting what I did to save Tommy was ludicrous.
A one-hundred-and-fifty-year-old vampire creeping around his own home was equally ludicrous…
Maybe he just needed more space.
Now I was mostly healed, returning to the estate may be best.
I slowly got to my feet. My head spun, but I forged through it, walking to my room just down the hall from Kyros’s. The damage to my ears and general blood loss had set me back in adapting to the changes in my senses after the fourth exchange.
I stared into the shadows of the sprawling house. The house wasn’t a mansion by any description. The spaces were minimalist and efficient with ingenious custom additions that gave the home a unique edge. The décor was modern, but the natural textures and earthy palette with occasional splashes of colour lent the space ample warmth. The property perched on the cliff tops overlooking Lyall Bay. The birthday gift was kind of perfect for the crown prince of the Sundulus clan.
Through the shadows of the hall and the heavy wooden door at the end, I could feel Kyros focusing on me.
I was focusing on him focusing on me.
This was ridiculous.
Scrolling through to Fred’s number, saved under Butler Badass, I hesitated.
I’d hurt Kyros a lot. Even if I couldn’t regret the action. Even if I’d do it all over again to save Tommy… when I decided to enter Fyrlia territory alone, to actively prevent him from following me there, I’d cut the cord between us.
He was adrift.
Be the bigger person.
I whispered, knowing full-well he could hear. “I’m sorry that you feel so shitty after what happened with Clan Fyrlia. I think you need space, so I’m calling Fred to come get me and take me back to the es—”
The door to his room slammed open against the wall. Into the wall.
Kyros stalked out, stopping halfway down the hall. He crossed his arms, and I swallowed hard as my eyes roamed over his bare chest. Sweatpants on this vampire should be illegal. The ridges of his abs disappeared under the dark waistband, and I dragged my gaze back to his arms and the expanse of his pecs.
The current I hadn’t felt since the fourth thrall ended began to vibrate again.
Oh yeah. The blood bond definitely wanted our pelvises on speaking terms.
Having been there once with Kyros, I was in no way adverse to a repeat performance. Especially because it would close the emotional gap between us to some degree. Or was it unwise to use sex for that reason?
“You will not leave this house.” His deep voice rumbled down the hall.
We just needed pistols to make this a stand-off.
“Yes, I am. It’s for the best,” I said calmly.
Kyros stepped forward, meadow-green eyes blazing. “Try it.”
Rolling my eyes, I steadied myself on the wall to turn on my heel.
Reaching my room, I ripped out the bag Fred dropped off last week, throwing my few belongings into it.
The bag was torn from my hands.
I blinked as it crashed against the far wall. Heat flooded my cheeks. “Kyros, you have some fucking nerve trying to stop me when you haven’t uttered a single word in a week.”
His short laugh twisted with bitterness. “The problem in this is me?”
Stay calm.
Kyros was precariously close to losing control. Not only was that bad for the human in close proximity, but he’d feel worse afterward.
“I’ll always do whatever is needed to save Tommy, just as you’d do for your family.” I tipped my head back to meet his gaze. “I’m not sorry for meeting Theodore, I’m not sorry for calling your siblings to stop you coming after me, but I am sorry for how it made you feel. As I’ve said.” Multiple times.
Inwardly and outwardly, I watched him struggle for control over his alpha power. His body shook with the effort. Closing my eyes, I sent him calm, soothing thoughts. We’d managed to send each other cautionary vibes a few times, and his emotions gave me strength two weeks ago. I wasn’t sure if calm thoughts would be any help right now, but it was worth a try.
When I peeked again, his shaking had stopped.
Good. “It’s best if I go—”
His roar shook a painting off the wall.
Not good!