Page 143 of Decimation

I collapse beside her, pulling her into my arms, holding her tightly.

She’s quiet, her body warm against mine, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps.

I kiss her forehead, my hands roaming over her body, exploring every curve, every inch of her.

He says he will protect me. He says he will keep me safe.

They’re such pretty words, but how do I know he actually will? And how do I know that this isn’t some trick, some awful repeat of last time, that I’m once more in love with a monster and ignoring all the screaming red flags that are dangling before me?

I spend the next few days watching him, observing him, trying to figure out if he is really just another monster or if he is my monster, my saviour.

He clearly notices, because on the third day he is gone, he has vanished. Zayn tells me he will be back, that he has gone on urgent business. He informs me that he is here to help me study, to help me learn my new place and ensure I perform exactly as the wife of the Grand Master is expected to.

When I look at him, it’s hard not to blush. He saw me naked, he hurt me, but he also made me come on his tongue. How on earth am I meant to look him in the eye after that?

Only, he doesn’t seem bothered. He just sits there, at Lazarus’s desk with a pile of papers, calmly reading out loud pieces of scripture that I apparently have to learn by heart.

The words Zayn reads aloud blur together, a monotonous drone that makes my eyelids heavy. My fingers trace the edge of the parchment on the desk, the texture rough beneath my skin. The room feels stifling, the air thick with the scent of ink and old paper. Zayn’s voice is steady, unwavering as he recites the scripture I’m supposed to memorize.

“The wife of the Grand Master shall be a beacon of virtue, a pillar of strength, and a vessel of…”

I tune him out, my mind wandering to Lazarus. Where is he? What urgent business could possibly pull him away so abruptly? Zayn insists he’ll return, but the uncertainty gnaws at me. Is this another test? Another game?

Zayn pauses, his sharp gaze cutting through my thoughts. “Leandra, are you listening?”

I blink, forcing a polite smile. “Of course.”

He arches an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced, but he continues anyway. I try to focus, but my mind keeps drifting. The memory of Lazarus’s touch lingers, a phantom sensation that sends a shiver down my spine. His hands, his mouth, the way he made me feel, both terrified and exhilarated.

And then there’s Zayn. Sitting there, so composed, so unaffected. As if he hadn’t seen me at my most vulnerable, hadn’t been the one to…I shake my head, pushing the thought away. My cheeks burn, and I focus on the parchment, pretending to study the words.

Hours pass, or maybe it’s only minutes. Time stretches and contracts in this room, and the walls feel like they’re closing in around me. Just as I’m about to lose my mind, the door creaks open.

I look up, and there he is. Lazarus.

He leans against the doorframe, his presence already commanding the room. His dark eyes meet mine, and a smirk tugs at the corner of his lips. My heart skips a beat, and I quickly look away, pretending to focus on the parchment.

Zayn sighs, clearly annoyed. “We still have hours of study left.”

Lazarus waves a hand dismissively. “Such things can wait.”

Zayn huffs, folding his arms across his chest. “You’re disrupting her progress.”

“Progress,” Lazarus repeats, his tone mocking. He steps into the room, his gaze never leaving me. “Leandra, come here.”

My stomach twists in a mix of anticipation and apprehension. I glance at Zayn who looks thoroughly pissed off, but I stand anyway. My legs feel unsteady as I walk toward Lazarus, my pulse quickening with each step. When I reach him, he takes my hand, his grip firm but not painful.

“What is it?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

He smirks again, his eyes gleaming with what I’ve come to realise is mischief. “Patience is a virtue.”

I frown, but he doesn’t elaborate. Instead he leads me out of the room, his hand still holding mine while Zayn’s protests fade into the background as we walk down the hallway.

“Close your eyes,” Lazarus says, stopping before a heavy oak door I’ve never noticed before. The villa is full of doors, it’s a labyrinth dressed in marble and silk, and I am still learning its secrets.

I close my eyes.

His hand finds the small of my back. Warm. Grounding. “I told you I would give you vengeance.”