I left Liam's room and wanted some fresh air. I had no idea where we actually were or where we were really headed, but at least I knew the mode of transportation.
I noticed Pierce standing out by the railing, watching the water. I went to stand next to him and leaned my elbows on the metal.
"Still mad?" He asked.
I shook my head. "I overreacted."
"I don't think so."
"No?"
"No. You thought he was going to kill you."
I scoffed. "I'm still not convinced he won't."
"He won't. Liam isn't bad. I promise."
"Yeah, well, I guess I don't have much of a choice. I have to be around him."
"True." He agreed.
"He didn't really tell me what would happen if I wasn't around him."
"It's not pretty."
"How bad could it be?"
"Bad. You just spent a few hours away from him and you were pretty much comatose."
I scrunched my nose. "No I wasn't."
"You slept for almost nine hours. I was trying to wake you up for five."
"You were?"
"When he got closer, you started to wake up."
"So will I die?"
"Slowly and painfully."
I nodded absently. "This is such a mess."
"How?"
"How is it not? I can't be around him that much."
"I think you'll be fine in a few weeks."
"I don't know. It's weird to be around him and not really know who he is."
"You two share a connection, Anna. You know him better than anyone. Probably even better than he knows himself."
"I barely met the real Liam."
"That doesn't mean anything. There's a reason royals don't turn humans. The fact that you even survived a royal bite is a miracle."
"I barely survived it."
"You should have died. I don't know why you didn't. You must have someone looking out for you."
I laughed though it was only half heartedly. "Was it really that bad?"
"You're one of five known survivors. Royals are not meant to turn humans. Their venom is too potent."
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"What if it had been you?"
"It wouldn't have been nearly as bad. There still would have been the possibility of death though."
I thought about Pierce's words and watched the water like he did. I wasn't completely sold on the idea that I should have died that night, but multiple people seemed shocked that I survived. I didn't know why I survived. My only guess was that God still had a plan for me. I still didn't know what that plan was and I probably never would.
"So when we get to Ireland, what happens?"
"We try to figure out how far this goes."
"How far do you think it goes?"
"I don't know. Probably the whole council. Maybe even Eric's kingdom."
"Mariah's dad?"
"Yes."
I didn't believe Mariah was involved. She couldn't be. She was my friend. At least, I thought she was. I wouldn't put it past Rachel though. She seemed like the type to sabotage a king to gain power.
"Well, you finally met the real Liam. What are your thoughts?"
I shrugged. "He's nice."
"He is. You shouldn't write him off so quickly."
"Well, I don't really have a choice. I have to give him a chance."
"Only if you want to. He would never force you into anything."
"Maybe not. Still, I'm going to keep my distance. At least until I can get over him."
"You want to get over him?"
"Desperately."
"Why?"
"Because I realized that I never loved him. It was the first time I had ever felt something for a guy and that demon fed off of it."
"Interesting."
"I wanted to thank you though. I would be dead if it wasn't for you."
"I would do it again, you know."
I half smiled at him. "I know."
"Good. As long as we're clear that I'm the hero in this situation," he joked.
I laughed. "Of course."
"I'm going to try to get some sleep before we arrive."
I nodded in acceptance and watched his retreating figure. I felt guilty for believing Pierce was working against me. I should have trusted him more. Instead, I judged him just as quickly as I had judged Liam. I didn't want to keep judging people that way. It wasn't right and I knew it wasn't right, but how was I supposed to trust anyone I met? Every single time I trusted someone in the last year it had turned out poorly for me.
Except Pierce. He was the only one to not have an agenda. At least, he didn't have an agenda that I knew of.
"Anna," a man called my attention. He was dressed in a black three piece suit tailored to fit his tall, lean frame perfectly. His onyx hair was slicked back, giving an ample view of his well defined face. His skin was sun kissed, but his eyes were such an ice blue that they almost looked all white.
"Do I know you?" I asked.
"Oh, I would hope so."
"Um, I'm sorry, but I don't think we've met."
"My name is Azrael. Well, my preferred name is Azrael."
I raised my eyebrows in suspicion. I knew that name from somewhere, but I couldn't place it.
"When did we meet?"
"About a year ago."
I was more confused than before. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You know me very well, Anna. After all, you did want to marry me."
Oh my God.
There was no way. It couldn't be him. It couldn't be the demon that possessed Liam.
"Y-you?" I managed to sputter out. "But . . . But how?"
"I am not limited to the king's body," he said flatly.
"What innocent person are you wearing now," I demanded.
"This is my true self."
He took a step closer to me, but I took a step back. I wasn't going anywhere near him.
"I'm not going to hurt you," he assured.
"All of this happened because of you! Of course you're going to hurt me!"
"I would never hurt you."
I scoffed. "And you expect me to believe that?"
"No, but it is the truth."
"You're a demon."
"So that makes me unable to tell the truth?"
"Obviously."
"Anna," he scolded. "You know better than that."
"The hell I do!"
"Don't curse. It doesn't sound right coming from you."
I scoffed and ran my fingers through my hair. "Are you insane? Liam and Pierce will kill you."
"They can't kill me just like they can't kill you."
"What?"
"You and I are not that different. As much as you want to believe otherwise, we are quite similar."
"I'm nothing like you."
"Yes, you are. We might not share a bloodline, but we share a race."
"I'm not demon."
"Neither am I."
"Then what are you?"
"An angel."
"You're lying," I accused.
"I'm not. I am often assumed to be a demon, but I am the Angel of Death."
"What do you want?"
"I want you to understand that I never meant for things to get this out of control."
"Oh, so you were completely fine with buying me and everything else?"
"See, I understand that you're upset, but I'm not really sure what you're upset about."
My jaw just about hit the floor. He couldn't be serious.
"You ruined my life."
"I saved your life."
"By buying me?"
"Yes. Like I have said before, if I didn't buy you you would have ended up with Ahmad. I think we both know what that outcome looks like."
"You don't know that."
"He was the highest bidder."
I scoffed. "I don't care. You still bought me and put me into slavery."
"So we are back to this?"
"Yes!"
"Look, Anna, I don't expect anything from you, but I did want you to know that it was never my intention to hurt you."
"So you unintentionally ruined my life and killed my family?"
"I did not kill your family. Those were actual demons."
"That you probably suggested!"
"I did not. The plan all along was to take the royals out of power because they were greedy and manipulative. The council was angry that I brought you in the mix and they killed your parents."
I pressed my lips in a tight line and stared at him. I didn't know if it was more unsettling to see Liam and expect to know him or to see this man and know him, but not recognize him.
"You played me the entire time. You didn't have to do that to me."
"I didn't do that. I honestly love you, Anna."
I scoffed. "No, you don't. If you loved me, you would have been honest with me."
"I was honest with you. Everything between us was real."
"You were wearing someone! How is that real?"
"My form might have been different, but that doesn't mean I was different. I had no intention of falling for you."
I didn't even know what to say. I glanced behind him to see if anyone else heard our conversation, but no one came.
"Leave me alone. I don't ever want to see you again."
He nodded absently. "If that's what you want."
"It is."
"I know it's not, but I'll leave you alone for now."
"Don't act like you know me!"
"I know you very well."
"Leave."
I turned back to the water and crossed my arms tightly over my chest. I hated that he was right. He knew me better than anyone, but that didn't mean I wanted to be with him.
I felt him place his hands on my shoulders and kiss my temple. I tensed when he touched me, but not out of fear or disgust. I knew he was the one I fell in love with and I hated him for it. I wasn't convinced that our relationship was anything more than a sham.
"I'll always love you, Anna. I can promise you that."
Just as quickly as he appeared, he was gone. I didn't know how or when I would see him again, but I knew it would be too soon.