Checkmate

𝐬 𝐢 𝐱

06 | Kaspian

"We will find out who stabbed her,"  Mackenzie said, leaning backward in his chair.  "Somebody is after us and obviously they thought their best target would be the red-head."

Kaspian cringed.  His best friend wouldn't even refer to Nox by her name.  It was always her, or the red-head.  Something had happened between the two after Nox had gotten stabbed- Kas could only hope that Mackenzie had realized his feelings for her were different than hatred.

Far different.

For years he's been on her back.  Criticizing her every move.  Hounding her about the way she was dressed, the length of her nails, the way she went about a task.  Kaspian at first was like that with Zara- a few hundred years ago- and then realized how much easier it was to be a friend to her, rather than hate her for no apparent reason.

Except he knew why he wanted to hate her.

He wanted to hate her because she didn't realize what was in front of her.  He wanted to hate her for not returning his feelings.  He wanted to hate her for being so beautiful that he didn't even have a shot with her.

But hating Zara was too exhausting, so he turned to being her friend.  After all, in Kaspian's mind, being friends is much better than not talking unless you're forced.

At some point, he would tell his friend that he needed to stop, but Kas was trying to let Mackenzie reach that point on his own for he wouldn't take advice from Kaspian lightly.

"So," Mackenzie stated, moving on from his funk about Nox's stabber.  "Kas, I let you have some time but you still haven't told me.  It's about time I should know what's going on with these mysterious phone calls you've been getting."

"Kenz," Kaspian said, keeping his voice smooth.  Despite the many times he's wanted to throttle Mackenzie, he has resisted.  "You don't need to worry about everything.  I've got this under control.  I'll let you know when I have more information alright? I always do.  You need to trust me on this."

"Zara better not know before me."  He snapped.  

Mackenzie's hatred towards the good relationships in everyone's life made Kas sad.  He was sad for the cold walls Mackenzie had put up when he joined the Elites.  He was sad for the life of hatred he lead.

Yet Kaspian was hopeful Nox would bring him out of his shell and perhaps thaw his icy heart.

"She probably will," Kasipain shrugged.  He wasn't about to apologize for having a close friend.  Or happiness.  He hadn't done anything wrong. 

"What if the information could be used to figure out who stabbed her."

Kaspian internally smiled at his words.  He knew Mackenzie wanted to wring the man's throat just for the fact that he'd gone after Nox Toussaint.  Then Mackenzie would make him hurt in ways unimaginable for going after the Elites. 

 First, he'd focus on Nox.

Like always.

After a few more pointless excuses and protests from the mouth of the British vampire, Kaspian left the room in search of Zara.

Her room was empty so he checked the place he'd been finding her for the bast hundreds of years.  It was where she went when she wanted to be away from all the dangers of the rich and powerful.

The ballet room.

It was actually more of a cathedral space of practice but everybody just referred to it as a room.

It was on the top floor of the main building of the Chateau de Castillon.  Walls of glass surrounded the smooth floor.  The only concrete wall was taken up by a barre that Kas often found Zara stretching on.

Kaspian always thought of how perfect this form of art fit Zara.  She was long and graceful, yet if she was stuck in a deadly dance she would execute it perfectly.

As he slipped into the room Zara didn't falter from her pirouette in the middle of the floor.  For a moment it gave Kaspian the peace and privacy to admire her in the tightly fitted leotard and tights.  Her hair- which was in a bun- showed off her flawless facial features and regal neck.

She was stunning.

And she'd stopped spinning and was now watching Kaspian stare at her in awe.

"Bonjour," she greeted softly, removing her pointe shoes and placing them in her bag in the corner of the room.

"How are you?"

If his guess as to why she was practicing right after a mission instead of sleeping was correct, then Zara was in need of some comfort- and not just the type provided by drilling the same turn over and over again.

"I hate men."  She snapped proving Kaspian's theory.

He let her walk over to his arms and slump into them while she ranted in French about why men deserved nothing.

He let her talk and worry because Kas knew he was the only person Zara would ever let see her like this.  Normally his girl was a brick wall (who was slightly afraid of looking stupid) but a brick wall nonetheless.

But sometimes brick needed a new coat of paint for a different color change, or some new plaster, and Kaspian would always be there to help her get through it.  If it wasn't him, nobody would.

"Are you not rattled?" she whispered into his chest.

He carefully took her bun down and ran his fingers through her silky smooth brown hair.  Her hair tie was now on his wrist- something he'd never give back (even though it's a hair tie).

"Of course I am.  That was one of the worse ones we've seen you know."

"I just feel so stupid," Zara admitted, already wiping away the tears from underneath her eyes.

"And we all know you hate that," Kaspian teased, making her let out a laugh.  Her laughter made his heart skip a beat, despite the fact it sounded broken and disgruntled.

He loved her and it killed him inside to watch her date and indulge in other men while he was standing right in front of her.

He was the one holding her as she cried!

He was her best friend.

And he would have her in any way she would let him.  Even if she just wanted sex, he would break the code of the vampires and do it.

All for her.

His phone rang in his pocket.

Kaspian already knew who it was.

It was his mother- the one who'd put a bounty on the lives of the four elites.

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