26. Chapter 26

26

Chapter 26

Soren

H aving this woman in my space is shaking me. Mainly because I think I like it. I'm watching her now, lying on the sofa with a book in one hand, fidgeting with a thick curl of auburn hair with the other.

"Stop staring at me," she says without glancing up from her book. I stop short, wanting to deny it. But that would be a lie.

"I wasn't staring," I say. "I was about to tell you that it's time for another blood draw." I steel myself for her reaction.

Mia's eyes flash with anger as she slams her book shut. "Of course it is. How could I forget? I'm just a walking blood bank."

Her words sting more than they should. I try to keep my voice level. "You know that's not true."

Not to me, it isn't.

"Do I?" She stands, her posture rigid. "Because from where I'm standing, that seems to be my only purpose here."

I sigh. This isn't going to be easy. How could it be, after everything that's happened? The failed escape attempt, her friends' apparent executions, moving her into my quarters – it's all created a chasm of distrust between us.

"Let's just get this over with," I say, gesturing toward the medical equipment I've set up in the corner of the room.

Mia walks over, her movements stiff and reluctant. As I prepare the needle, I can feel the tension radiating off her. It's a far cry from the almost comfortable routine we'd fallen into before.

"You don't have to watch," I tell her softly as I swab her arm with alcohol.

She lets out a snort. "Right, because closing my eyes will make this all better."

I insert the needle, trying to be as gentle as possible. Mia winces slightly but remains silent. I find myself struggling with a deep sense of unease. How did we end up here? And more importantly, how can I ever regain her trust after everything that's happened?

And why do I care?

The silence stretches between us, filled with unspoken accusations and regrets. I know there's nothing I can say right now to make this better. So I focus on the task at hand, all too aware of Mia's eyes boring into me, filled with anger and betrayal.

I watch Mia's blood flow into the collection bag, trying to ignore the guilt gnawing at me.

And then it happens: her body goes rigid. Her eyes roll back, and a gasp hisses past her lips.

"Mia?" I say, alarm rising in my voice. "What's wrong?"

Before I can react, a burst of energy explodes from her body. It slams into me, sending me staggering backward. The force is unlike anything I've ever felt – raw, primal magic crackling through the air.

What the fuck?

Mia's eyes snap open, glowing with an otherworldly light. "Soren," she whispers, but it's not her voice. It's the sound of the ocean, a whisper on the wind.

I try to approach her, but another wave of energy pushes me back. "Mia, what's going on?"

She doesn't respond immediately, but her head turns to me, those glowing eyes locking onto mine.

"Mia? Can you hear me?" I press. Suddenly, I feel a presence in my mind – Mia's consciousness, but amplified, overwhelming. Images flash through my thoughts: glimpses of her past, her fears, her hopes. I see her sisters, feel her love for them. I experience her terror at being captured, her despair at losing her friends.

And then, just as abruptly, I'm thrust into my own memories. I relive my turning, feel the centuries spinning bt. I see Maxwell, my maker, and feel the conflicting emotions of loyalty and resentment.

Through it all, I sense Mia's presence, observing, understanding. We're connected in a way I never thought possible, our minds and souls laid bare to each other.

As quickly as it began, the connection breaks. Mia slumps forward, the needle slipping from her arm. I rush to catch her, cradling her unconscious form.

"Mia?" I whisper, gently shaking her. "Mia, are you alright?"

Her eyelids flutter, and she groans softly. When she opens her eyes, they're back to their normal emerald green. She looks up at me, confusion on her face.

"What…what happened?" she mumbles.

I struggle to find the words to explain what just occurred between us. How do I tell her that for a brief moment, we shared everything – our pasts, our fears, our very essences?

"You had…an episode."

"Episode?" She frowns. "I thought I saw—" She sucks in a breath. "You used to be an explorer," she says with absolute certainty. "And a scholar."

I nod, wondering what else she may have picked up while she was floating around in my mind.

Her expression darkens. "You were in my head."

"Ditto," I say, still reeling from what just happened. Her eyes, moments ago glowing with power, now burn with a different intensity – one of confusion and demand.

"What the hell was that?" she asks, her voice shaky but determined. "What did we just see?"

I take a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. The images from our shared vision still dance behind my eyes – centuries of memories, both hers and mine, tangled together in a dizzying tapestry.

"I'm not entirely sure," I admit. "But that magic… Mia, I've never felt anything like it. How long have you been able to do that?"

She shakes her head vehemently. "No, that wasn't me. I can't do anything like that. My magic is…it's nothing compared to what just happened. Besides, I can't use it in here, remember?"

I raise an eyebrow, skepticism clear in my voice. "Come on, Mia. There's no need to hide it. I'm not going to tell anyone."

"I'm not hiding anything!" she insists, frustration coloring her tone. "I swear, Soren, I don't know what that was. If I could do magic like that, do you think I'd still be here?"

"Okay, fair point," I say, holding up my hands. "Let's say it wasn't you. Then what was it? Because something happened, Mia. Something powerful."

She looks away, biting her lip. "I don't know," she whispers. "But I saw things…your past. You were different once."

I nod slowly, uncomfortable with how exposed I suddenly feel. "Yes, I was. A long time ago."

"What happened to that man, Soren?" she murmurs, her eyes meeting mine again.

The question twists something in my gut. I've been asking myself the same thing lately.

I brush off Mia's probing questions, uncomfortable with how exposed I suddenly feel. "Never mind about my past. Let's focus on what just happened here."

"There's nothing to focus on," she mumbles. "Probably just some sort of freakish electromagnetic glitch. I mean, you've got enough witches locked up here that there's got to be magic floating around somewhere, right?"

I sigh. "There's nothing to be afraid of, Mia."

Mia scoffs, her eyes meeting mine again, filled with wariness. "I can't believe you," she says softly. "How do I know you won't use this against me?"

Without thinking, I reach out and gently take her hand, placing it on my chest where my heart would beat if I were still human. The contact sends a jolt through me, and I see Mia's eyes widen in surprise.

"I swear to you, Mia," I say, my voice low and intense, "I'm not lying. Whatever just happened, I won't tell anyone. You have my word."

I feel the warmth of Mia's hand against my chest, her pulse quickening beneath my fingers, where they're wrapped around her wrist. Our eyes lock, and suddenly, the air feels like it's crackling between us.

"Soren," she whispers.

I know I should pull away, maintain the distance between us. But I can't. It's like she has me on a leash, pulling me closer. My hand moves of its own accord, cupping her cheek gently. Mia leans into my touch, her eyes fluttering closed for a moment.

When she looks at me again, I see a storm in those jade depths – fear, confusion, and something else. Something that makes my long-dead heart feel like it might beat again.

"We shouldn't," I murmur, even as I lean closer.

"I know," Mia breathes, but she doesn't move away.

The last shred of my self-control snaps. I close the distance between us, capturing her lips with mine. The kiss is gentle at first, hesitant, as if we're both afraid this fragile moment might shatter.

But then Mia's hands are in my hair, pulling me closer, and I'm lost. I deepen the kiss, pouring centuries of longing and loneliness into it. She responds almost frantically, her body pressing against mine.

I taste the salt of tears on her lips, though I'm not sure when she started crying. All I know is the feel of her in my arms, the softness of her lips, the racing of her heart against my chest. For this moment, nothing else exists – not my duty, not our impossible situation, just us.

I break the kiss, panting as I gaze into Mia's eyes. They're dark with desire, matching the hunger I feel coursing through me. For a moment, we simply stare at each other, the air charged between us.

Then Mia's hands are on my shirt, frantically undoing buttons. I should stop this. I know I should. But the feel of her fingers brushing against my skin sets me on fire. I capture her lips again, kissing her deeply as I slide my hands under her top.

She gasps into my mouth as I caress her bare skin. The sound lights something primal within me. I lift her easily, carrying her to the bed. Mia wraps her legs around my waist, pressing herself against me.

We fall onto the mattress in a tangle of limbs. I trail kisses down her neck, reveling in the way she arches into me. Her hands explore my chest, nails scraping lightly across my skin. Every touch feels electric.

"Soren," she breathes, and my name on her lips is nearly my undoing.

I pull back just enough to look at her, taking in her flushed cheeks and swollen lips. Part of me still can't believe this is happening. That she wants me as much as I want her. Any remaining doubts vanish as she presses her body against mine. I lose myself in the taste of her, the feel of her skin under my hands.

But it doesn't last. How could it?

I freeze as Mia suddenly stiffens in my arms. She pushes against my chest, breaking our kiss. The loss of contact is like a slap to the face, shocking me back to reality.

"Wait," she gasps, her voice trembling. "We can't… I can't do this."

I pull back, watching as a myriad of emotions flit across her face. Desire gives way to confusion, then horror. She scrambles away from me, clambering off the bed.

"Mia," I start, reaching for her, but she flinches away.

"No!" she says sharply. "Don't touch me."

The pain in her voice cuts through me. I watch helplessly as she backs away. Her hands shake as she rakes them through her hair, tugging as if trying to pull it out from the roots.

"What am I doing?" she mutters, more to herself than to me. "How could I…after everything…?" She begins to pace, muttering angrily beneath her breath.

Suddenly, she whirls on me, her eyes blazing with renewed anger. "Sabine and Jemma," she spits out. "They're dead because of you. Because of what you are."

My mouth opens and then closes. I desperately want to explain things to her. But I can't. The words stick in my throat, held back by duty and the blood oath that binds me.

"And here I am, what? Making out with their executioner?" Mia continues, her voice rising with each word. "What kind of person does that make me?"

I stand slowly, keeping my distance. "Mia, it's not that simple—"

"Isn't it?" she interrupts. "You're a vampire. I'm a witch. We're enemies. This…whatever just happened…it can't happen again."

"You're right," I say because she is. This is insanity. A complication in an already convoluted game that I don't know the rules of. I stand, straightening my clothes. My shirt is unbuttoned and pulled free of my pants. When I catch her staring, she averts her eyes, her cheeks coloring.

I watch as Mia turns away, her body language screaming conflict and regret. The reality of what we've just done crashes over me.

What the fuck were you thinking?

This can't happen. It shouldn't happen. And yet…

"Mia," I start, but she holds up a hand, silencing me.

"Don't," she says hoarsely. "Just…don't say anything."

I can see the turmoil in her eyes as she glances back at me. I know she's thinking about Sabine and Jemma, about what she believes happened to them. The guilt sits like a lead weight on my chest.

"This was a mistake," Mia says, wrapping her arms around herself. "We can't… I can't do this."

I nod, even though every fiber of my being wants to argue, to pull her back into my arms. "You're right," I force myself to say. "It can't happen again."

We stand there, the air between us so taut with tension that I feel like I could touch it. I want to tell her the truth about her friends, about why I'm really here, about everything. But I can't.

As Mia moves toward the bathroom, likely seeking an escape from this awkward moment, I'm left alone with my thoughts.

What have I done?

This complication could jeopardize everything – my position, the mission, Mia's safety. And for what? A moment of weakness?

Frustration and desire war within me. How am I supposed to continue guarding her after this? How can I maintain my duty when all I want is…

What? What is it that I want?

It doesn't matter. Because whatever it is, I can't have it.