fate forever and signed over my soul. Whatever flicker of hope I had felt inside me was now gone, blown out like a candle. I didn't even know what I had been hoping for, only that once I pressed the send button, it would be gone. My index finger hovering over the key, I took a deep breath and pressed it. When it was done, I turned to Thrain with a smile, feeling guilty but not enough to stop myself from placing a soft kiss on his cheek.
He raised his hand to touch the spot. "What was that for?"
"Just so." I shrugged and got up, eager to return to the solitude of my room. I had defied my mother's wishes of marrying a rich guy. I had done the exact opposite of what everyone expected of me. How could I possibly tell him that for the first time in months I felt free? Lost but free. And it was so worth it because I was ready for something new. I was ready for him because I was about to fall in love—with a demon.
Chapter 13 - Thrain
The way Sofia's hips swayed, she almost looked as though she was dancing her way out of the library. She looked so sexy in her tight jeans, I had a hard time keeping my gaze focused above her waist. I hoped her sudden change in mood could be attributed to my presence and the fact that she had just placed a kiss on my cheek, but my teenage-like hope was laughable. At my age, I was way past receiving kisses on the cheek from my love interests. Usually, they moved a lot faster than that, and yet I appreciated the fact that Sofia wasn't throwing herself at me the way others did. It made the whole experience more interesting.
A few minutes after Sofia left, the others returned. Cass's gaze fell on me and stayed there. The question mark on her face wasn't exactly discreet. I raised my brows. "What?"
"You share a bond with her."
It wasn't a question but a statement, and it didn't even take me by surprise. I had been interested in women before, but not to the extent of just wanting to be near her, smell her, touch her hand, and hold her near for the rest of our lives. "How would you know?"
"We're not stupid." Amber slumped down next to me and waved a hand in my face. "All this staring at each other and not being able to stay away even though your job's done, I've seen it before." With Aidan. If anyone knew what the bond felt like, it was Aidan and Amber. I shot him a quizzical look only to receive a very meaningful grin and a slap on my shoulder.
"Congratulations. You've just won a ticket to lifelong manipulation and headaches," Aidan said. Amber's eyes shot daggers as she slapped the back of his head. He rubbed it, grinning. "What? It's true. If that girl's only half as feisty as you are—"
"Don't even think about saying it, or you'll be spending the night in a nice place called garden. I've heard that bench's really comfortable." Amber turned toward me, her temper mellowing down a little.
"I don't know what sort of game you're playing but Sofia needs to keep a clear head. So, back off," Cass said.
"Who said I'm the one pursuing her?"
"Come on. I might be way younger than you, but I'm not stupid." She rolled her eyes. The childish action gave her an innocent flair, but the dark rims were already there, signaling she'd have to leave very soon.
"Trust me, Cass. Stupid is the last word I'd use to describe you."
Her freckled face lit up, and for a moment she seemed to be the same carefree girl I had learned to love like a sister. But an instant later, the frown lines across her usually smooth forehead returned and I knew she was about to lose it again. The short temper wasn't her fault. The reaper inside her was demanding death, causing her body to suffer immense pain until she gave in.
Time to change the subject. I shot Aidan an imploring look. He clicked his tongue. I inclined my head and pointed at Cass.
"Sleeping Beauty's been gone forever," Amber said, following my line of vision.
"It's called being a vampire. It's not Clare's fault she has to rest during the day. You'd be sleeping too if it weren't for me helping this lot steal that Shadow book," Cass