Page 144 of Interion

My mind also kept circling back to the furious look he'd given me when I said I already knew about his father. Now I was afraid I'd driven the final nail into the coffin of his relationship with Serguei, and I had no idea what the fallout would be. Despite everything, I couldn't have hidden this from him—I needed to tell him, because I refused to let the subject hang over our lives like a ghost. I didn't want to hide anything from Zion, didn't want to make our relationship even harder. The problem was that every time I tried to fix something, the opposite happened.

When I'd finally paced as much as I could and my mind had calmed down, I headed to the closet and changed out of my going-out clothes into a short nightgown. It was blue, covered in lace, with a V-neckline. Then I went downstairs to get a glass of water before finally going to sleep, but when I reached the kitchen, someone knocked on the door. I frowned and glanced at the wall clock. It was already midnight. What could be so important that someone would bother coming at this hour?

Silently, I grabbed a knife from the knife block on the counter and gripped it firmly as I tiptoed toward the door. The house's protective wards were active, so there was no reason to be afraid. When I looked through the magic peephole, I saw Zion's face.

“Could you open up?” he asked quietly, and my heart sped up in the most pathetic way.

What was he doing out there? Why knock when he could just come in? I unlocked the door, suspicious, realizing too late that my nightgown was indecent. He was in his military uniform, hair pulled back in a bun, and just like the first time I saw him, his gaze swept over my exposed body.

“Why are you out here?” I asked, confused and a little surprised.

“You said the first time it would be better if I used the door and let you know when I came home.”

A satisfied warmth spread through my chest at that, and as I considered his words, I noticed the suitcase in his hand. I wondered if I was dreaming or delusional.

“I have a deal,” he said without blinking.

“Hasn’t tonight already been overloaded with deals?”

He just kept staring at me. It was like seeing a younger version of Serguei. Younger, more handsome, and infinitely more admirable.

“Okay. State your terms,” I grumbled, shivering from the cold outside.

“I’ll stay every day I can until I go back to the army, if you train with me every night and give a hundred percent to learning until the final test.”

He was proposing a truce, something to make us work together. His eyes watched me expectantly. I lowered my gaze to the knife, positioning its blade against my skin.

“Wait. What are you doing?” he asked, frowning at the weapon.

“A blood pact.” It was obvious.

Zion set the suitcase on the floor and moved closer, his chest coming within inches of mine while his scent filled my senses. Then he placed his hand over mine and gently took the knife, making it vanish into his clothing.

“I don’t need a blood pact to keep my promises, Kyller. I give you my word. This is a promise from your partner, sealed by the bond, not by blood.”

His eyes told me he was completely sincere, and there was no reason not to believe him. Not with Zion, not when he looked at me as if I were the only thing that mattered.

I looked at him directly, setting shyness aside.

And I saw the man who had made a blood pact to save me, who had kept his distance so I would be safe, who had overcome his desires to understand the logic of what Serguei proposed, even with an irrational bond pulling us together. The man before me had always kept his word with honor, protected me, and let me live in safety while fulfilling, from afar, his agreement with Serguei. Zion wasn’t a man without flaws—far from it—but he was a good man, honorable, and above all, he was becoming my partner in every sense of the word. He held so many pieces of my love and admiration that I no longer knew if my heart belonged to me or rested entirely in his hands. It was frightening.

“I accept,” I murmured, my voice barely audible.

The proximity was making me dizzy, and all that existed were his eyes, his fresh breath, the shape of his mouth. I didn’t know where to focus. For both our sakes, Zion lowered his gaze to my hand and gently pulled my palm upward. Then he placed it on his chest, closing the space between our bodies. His eyes captured mine completely, as if this were something intimate, elevating a simple act to sensual heights. I focused on that flame in his irises to keep my thoughts from running wild, and his hand traveled up my arms until his fingers reached the side of my face.

“Deal accepted.”

Zion brought his face close to mine, and my heart pounded like a drum at a Lúmiran festival. I must have stopped breathing when he pressed a kiss to my forehead, because I soon grew dizzy from lack of air. His soft lips touched my skin, and it felt like my body was catching fire. I felt the bond being pulled, felt the agreement filling it, felt the desperate need for air. I forced myself to stay still, just breathe and do nothing. Because, gods, if I moved, I’d be throwing myself into his arms, already knowing he couldn’t catch me.

Zion pulled away, and I let my hand fall, a bit dazed, my skin still burning from his touch. Then he picked up the bag and paused beside me. His shoulder aligned with mine; he leaned toward me, eyes intense. By the gods… those eyes were a thousand miles deep.

“Good night, Kyller,” he whispered near my neck. “Sleep well…” Then he smiled, adding, “if you can.”

He stepped inside, heading for the stairs, and left me alone staring at the cold night outside. After a few seconds, I closed the door, leaning against it, and looked around. My body was so sensitive that even walking would make me moan from the friction between my thighs. Kiara sat on the rug, staring at me. If she could smile like a human, she’d certainly look like a maniac.

“No,” I warned, shaking my head as she lifted an enormous paw and licked it. “I don’t want any judgment.”

She just kept licking and licking while I climbed the stairs, her gaze fixed on me as if in challenge.