9. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Wilder

Apart of me is screaming that I've gone absolutely insane, especially as Bronwyn begins to struggle to pull away, and I am forced to circle my arms around her to keep her in place.

What would possess me to put my lips on the Eel girl? If my father is to be believed and you can become tainted by association, then I am very, very tainted by this merchant's daughter.

Panic. Pure and simple. This is what I will blame this on. I heard Morozov coming, and I panicked. I am unsure why my panicked response is to kiss Bronwyn, but that's something that I will have to dwell on later.

I simply knew that if the professor caught her in his office without a good excuse, then he would end her. And as annoying a creature as she may be, I don't necessarily want to see her ended.

And so, I kissed her. Gods, I kissed Bronwyn the Eel, what is wrong with me?

"What in Skyhold's name are you doing, boy?"

I pull away, feeling oddly lightheaded, something I attribute to the disgust I'm sure I'm currently experiencing. It isn't helped by Bronwyn immediately shoving me away. I reach out, grasping her hands to keep from losing my balance.

I drop her hands immediately, but she is still looking at me. Unmitigated murder flashes in her eyes.

Dear gods, forget about the vampire in the doorway. This woman is going to kill me.

"Wilder," she gasps out, her tone seething with rage. I take a small step away from her for my own safety.

I whirl, praying that she doesn't say anything further to ruin my plans. If she gives away that we are not lovers stealing a moment in a darkened room, then I will have kissed her in vain.

"Don't worry, dearest," I say past clenched teeth. I hope that my words convince him that I love this girl because my tone leaves much to be desired. "I shall handle this." I turn to Morozov, holding my hands out in a pacifying gesture. "Professor, I—"

"Not another word from you, Zubkov. I gave you my key to access my office when I'm not around. Not so that you can…" he trails off the disgust apparent in his tone. "Who is this girl anyway?"

"She's uh…" I trail off as I glance at her, my mind suddenly going blank as I take her in. Her hair is disheveled—did I do that?— and her eyes furious, and all around she's truly breathtaking. My mind is sluggish and filled with unhelpful thoughts about how beautiful she is right now and wondering if she kissed me back, that I can barely remember just what I'm saying and why. "This is Bronwyn," I finish dumbly.

"Is she a candidate?" Morozov demands, never one to be distracted from his plans of creating a vampire population.

However, his words have the same effect as dousing me in freezing water, reminding me of the direness of this situation. And just how close he can come to killing her. The Eel girl may be trouble, unfortunately distracting, and just a little frustrating, but I certainly wouldn't want her to become the next of Morozov's victims.

He has not remained a vampire in the academy this long without spilling more blood than he can even consume. "Certainly not," I reply with a snort.

"Hmmph, I'll be the judge of that." He eyes her up and down. "Tell me, girl, of your talents."

"None," I say hurriedly stepping in front of her, hopefully breaking Morozov's contact with her. I tilt my head slightly. "She's a bit dull and couldn't cast a spell to save her life."

I hear Bronwyn gasp loudly behind me, but don't turn around. I can't afford to have my thoughts scrambled by looking at her again. I need to have my wits about me.

"Why are you associating with such a useless creature then?" Morozov asks, arching his brow.

"I happen to like useless creatures," I state defensively.

"I suppose that like calls to like," the professor says glibly. I fight the urge to wince. He takes a step to the side, and I mirror his actions keeping myself between him and Bronwyn. She must seem to sense the danger because she keeps her mouth shut, proving me wrong about her being dim at least. "But we have a special job for useless things." His tongue snakes out, licking his lips as a hunger enters his eyes.

Oh gods, why won't he just give up and let us leave?

"So does my father," I blurt out.

This causes Morozov to pause. He may have no respect for me, but my father is another story.

"I'm to marry Bronwyn." I can barely believe the words coming out of my mouth. I don't know where this story is coming from because it certainly wasn't my brain. My tongue just decided that it had a life of its own and started wagging. "She may not be much, but her father is quite influential."

At this, Bronwyn smacks my arm, quite hard. I hope Morozov takes it as a sign of affection.

"Hmmm," Morozov says slightly taken aback. "Your father did not mention any betrothal."

I slowly slide my hand into my tunic's pocket. I'm still holding the paper with Bronwyn's information on it. I can't have it going and proving me a liar by proving that her father is only a merchant. Albeit an influential one, but not nearly someone so important that my father would ever consider having his only son wed this merchant's daughter.

"And why would he tell you? It isn't as if he needs your permission on what to do with his own son."

I'm lying so much that I'm surprised that Dagmy the goddess of lies doesn't materialize in front of me to congratulate me for digging such a massive pit for myself with my words.

But this finally gets Morozov to snap his mouth shut.

"Now if you will excuse me, I was in the middle of something before you interrupted us." I reach back, snagging Bronwyn's hand and yanking her toward the door after me.

Blessedly enough, the professor lets us leave. I breathe a sigh of relief as we clear the room, but that sigh is proven to have been premature as Bronwyn yanks me to a halt in the hallway and hisses, "Wilder Zubkov, you have two minutes to explain yourself before I kill you."