ROTTEN LOVE

STARVED| 26

Zain did not move me from his embrace. The smell of burned flesh did. I lift my head from his chest.

The first thing I see is his arms. Those strong arms that held me up against him days ago were now charred. Clear handprints were prominent.

The skin is inflamed and red. It was so red that it resembled muscle. I think I seared his skin off. It has to hurt.

While I was crying, apparently I couldn't keep my hands still. He has several prints across his arms. I lift my gaze toward him.

There is no resentment in his eyes. I can see sweat break across his brow. He is pained but is not letting me know.

He is trying to take accountability and sees this as his punishment for the harm he has caused. Yet, I do not believe we are even.

He will heal. It might hurt now but by tomorrow he will be better. However, tomorrow, Marisa and I would still be alone without our brothers.

This moment of vulnerability changes nothing. It has opened my eyes though, given me a sense of clarity.

The truth is that I need Zain, more like his protection while I come up with a plan.

Despite being injured, it is he who lifts me by the arms to my feet. I look at him then retreat my eyes not wanting to let the guilt of burning him get to me.

He allows me to step back into Marisa's embrace. I decide to say the first words.

"We will stay. Marisa, Adam, and I will share a room. You are not to approach them without me present. You will not speak to us unless we ask you something and you will share absolutely everything you know about the Ambroses. Everything. If you cannot comply, then we will leave."

Zain stares me down. His tension grows at the realization that my lapse means nothing to us. He is an enemy.

"I accept your terms."

With that, our conversation ends. Marisa and I installed ourselves in our new room. We decided to settle in the room that used to be Maddox's.

I can't distinguish smell like the vamps and werewolfs but I can feel energy. In some small way, he lingers in this room. His aura is so strong that it has made an impression in the room's air.

It's suffocating not knowing where he is now or the condition he is in.

Adam woke up about an hour later. To no surprise, he quickly searched for Marisa and stopped his hunt when he saw her right by him, staring down.

When their eyes met, she flinched. I saw it. Something like shame in her eyes. Adam didn't ask her anything. He didn't even talk to her.

And when she quickly got up from his side, he gave her space. Marisa was not okay but she had not divulged further with me as to what she saw.

Days went by and there was not much talking from either of them. The guilt was unbearable. What horrors had they gone through to completely silence themselves from me and each other?

They did not speak but they couldn't be more than a couple feet from one another. Marisa would get up. Adam would follow.

He would look out the window. She would settle herself at the chair near the window.

She showered and he handed her a towel. They completed each other's tasks like muscle memory, afraid to stray from the other but in silence.