Chapter Fourteen

This is a bad idea.

The thought ricocheted, echoing back to me as I settled on the couch in Dimitrius's study, my wet hair pulled up into a tie. Soft leather gave under my weight, all but swallowing me in the fabric as I heaved a sigh.

If I were smart, I’d refuse. Demand to deal with my own injuries or even wrap them now before Dimitrius had a chance to finish with the captive. I couldn’t let this infatuation get worse, it was already too big as it was.

Despite that, I didn’t move. Muscles groaned, protesting even the thought of getting up and when his footsteps sounded, coming closer with every second, I gave up the pitiful resistance I’d been building.

I’d always been weak to things I wanted, whether it be a chocolately dessert I knew I shouldn’t have or a book that was well out of my budget. Apparently Dimitrius fell into that category too.

Brilliant, just what I needed.

The man himself strode in, sweeping a look around the room before smiling at me. “Good, I half thought I would be tracking you down after all.”

Oh honey you have no idea how close I came to running for the hills…

Not saying that, I smiled. “Not like there’s anywhere to run, besides I’m not done seeing this through with you. Until that’s over, you’re not getting rid of me.”

He hummed, eyes trailing to the baggy shirt I wore. “Noted, now what is the worst of your wounds?”

I could try to argue with him that I healed quicker than a human, but was it really worth it? Dropping any thoughts of fighting him, I turned and fell on my uninjured side, bearing the other one for easy access.

Facing the couch now, I spoke. “The one on my side is the worst, all the others are superficial and already mostly healed.” The soft shuffle of footsteps came, then hands brushed my shirt up. Vulnerability rolled through me like a wave when he froze, fingers lingering over the dozens of scars littering my back.

Biting back the urge to drag my shirt back down and run, I stared resolutely at the leather cushions and grunted. “I can do it myself if you’re not up to touching me. I know the scars are pretty gnarly to someone who isn’t used to them. I’ve done this without help hundreds of times.”

A wicked burn covered a chunk of my hip, not to mention the dozens of abrasions where the whip landed and knives dug in. All remnants of Salem’s hate forever printed in my skin. I wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t want to touch it, I didn’t and they were on my body.

He let out a noise of argument, soft but loud in the eerie quiet. “That is a horrifying thought, but it matters none. You are not alone anymore; should you be injured, I will offer aid. But Julian…who did this to you?” Under those words welled rage, similar to the one I’d heard him level at the kid’s kidnappers but different somehow.

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Swallowing around the painful lump in my throat, I answered honestly, memories of decades long passed beating against my skin.

“I’m not exactly the most well liked, Dimitrius. If it isn’t other mages out for my blood, it’s humans.”

His hands trailed over the open cut, a cool rag sending stings of pain along my side that I grit my teeth through. It’d fade, it always did. Breathing evenly as if my side wasn’t on fire, I continued, using memories to distract from the present.

“I’ve been hunted as long as I can remember. My time here with you is probably the most I’ve ever stayed in one place since I was…fifteen?”

Roughly. Trying to remember just how old I’d been when that mess started was near impossible. Not that I wanted to remember, some things were better left forgotten to time.

A noise of anger rolled from behind me, Dimitrius’s words throbbing with promise. “That ends now. If you wish to travel, that is your decision, but as I live and breathe, my home is yours. As others of my blood consider this their sanctuary, so too shall it be yours.”

Sanctuary. The word felt so foreign. Had I ever been safe somewhere?

I didn’t even have to think on it to know the answer. No, I hadn’t. Every new town was another risk, another threat, and another potential trap waiting around every corner. The magical community came together to make my life hell in any way they could, and that included slapping a price on my head.

Staying in one place was a death sentence, until now.

A hard knot swelled in my throat and I coughed, trying to clear it and the emotion lingering just on the edge of my tongue. “I wouldn’t offer that if I were you, you’ll never be rid of me.” Humor, it was the safest defense mechanism I had right now.

Unfortunately, Dimitrius was having none of it.

He finished wrapping bandages around my cut, then tucked his palms on either side of waist and rolled me over. Once we faced each other, he knelt, hand stroking my cheek as something warm lingered in his face.

“Then allow me to offer it again. You are welcome here and that will never change.”

His other hand drifted to mine, squeezing lightly as if to add weight to the words. The intent stare bore into me, ripping words away until all I could do was stare and try to take in what he’d offered.

A home, a place to be without worry of a knife landing in my back.

A sanctuary.

Emotions welled hot and painful, swelling out until I could hardly breathe through them, but I couldn’t look away. As if he’d caught me under a thrall, my focus remained on him in a deadlock and after a minute of soaking in the quiet, I nodded.

“Okay.”

There was so much more I wanted to say, but if I opened my mouth I’d probably do something embarrassing like confess while blubbering my pathetic feelings to him.

Yeah, better to say less in this case.

When he moved to stand though, I gripped him tighter, wrangling out two words that couldn’t be left to the wayside.

“Thank you.”

For everything he was offering, that was the least I could do.

His lips twitched, hand squeezing mine again. “This is nothing to thank me for, Julian. Everyone deserves to be safe, especially you.”

I almost asked what he meant by that, but logic stopped me. Dimitrius was nice, he always had been since the day I’d met him. Of course he’d want to give me a safe haven. I shouldn’t look further into it than that.

Minutes ticked by, the quiet tap of the clock hands nearby the only noise, before finally I pulled away. I didn’t want to, but staying here–even if the only thing we did was hold hands and stare at one another–was dangerous.

I couldn’t do this; not while knowing rejection waited at the other end.

Sitting up carefully as to not aggravate my side, I coughed. “Thanks for that too. I should probably get something to eat, if you don’t need me for anything?”

He shook his head, standing and offering a hand. “No, that is all. If that changes I will find you.”

I grunted, moving for the door with quick strides. Thankfully he didn’t call out and when I hit the hallway, I sucked in deep, calming breaths.

Getting this crush under control was going to be hell, but there was no other option. I’d never had a sanctuary before and I wasn’t about to throw it away for something that would never happen.