Revenge

Chapter 14

Dante

It felt like a punch to the gut. His words, his tone. 

Look at me, I willed him. But his face was turned away, as if he didn't want to see the destruction his words had caused. 

I had to get away so I ran. 

No future.

I'm bored of you, Dante.

These words played over and over in my mind. The worst part about it all was that I knew this would happen. I knew Elliot's reputation, he made it blatantly obvious when he tried to seduce me the first night I met him. But then I ran into him in the woods and I thought it was the perfect opportunity to get close to the prince and get more information on the vampire attacks. 

But then we spoke. Really spoke and to say I was surprised would be an understatement. Elliot wasn't the person I thought he was that first night. He was kind and he cared about people and animals, especially animals. 

The second time I met him had been coincidental but the third time, when he was breaking down by the spot that had become our spot, I couldn't stop myself from going to him. I think that was it for me. I saw him for who he truly was, a broken boy who needed someone to love him.

And I tried so hard not to, too. Because there was always this little voice in my head that whispered he would leave me someday. I wasn't foolish enough to believe I could be enough for a prince but by some strange miracle, it appeared that he actually liked me.

Still, he made it obvious he wanted to have sex with me but I didn't want to go that far with him until I was sure he felt about me the same way I felt about him. I didn't want to be used, I didn't want to be someone's toy, I wanted love. 

When I realized I loved Elliot, I was terrified because I knew it couldn't end well for either of us. But then, at the winter solstice, he had surprised me with that horse and I saw it in his eyes. I know he told me before that he cared about me, I just... It was so hard to believe. 

But I saw it in his eyes that night and I finally gave in. 

It had been beautiful, magical even. There was still a small part of me that thought he would be done with me now that he had gotten what he had wanted but no. It had only brought us closer together. 

I never said the words because I was still afraid but I showed it in my actions. I finally started to believe...

But now, all of that was gone and my worst fears had come true. 

I ran from the palace, taking my horse and riding her home. I didn't stop to talk to anyone on my way upstairs to my room, I couldn't face them. I didn't want them to see how broken I looked. 

There was knocking on my door, worried voices but I kept the door locked and refused to see anyone.

And that's how it went for a few days. Then I started going down to eat, trying to put on a brave face for my family but they knew what was wrong because I was here and not there, with him. 

There was some, small, foolish part of me that thought he would come back. That he would come to me and apologize and have some sort of explanation. But that hope dwindled as a week went by, then two.

I could only take my emotions out on the creatures that plagued this forsaken country. It helped to take my mind off my heartbreak but only until I was back in my bed and I would be reminded of the nights we shared here, talking and kissing late into the night. 

He was my first love and it had all been one-sided. 

"Dante?" I look up as Emilia entered my room. "I knocked but you didn't answer."