“Doctor?”
Still on her knees, her body shaking because of the fight, Katarina turned to the girl.
“Miranda asked…” Zari swallowed. “She asked me not to tell her Master.”
Slowly, Katarina nodded.
“She loved him…” Zari whispered. “—-very much, you see.”
Katarina said quietly, “I promise. I will keep her secret.”
“T-thank you.” Zari closed her eyes. “H-how did you find me?”
“I knew enough about the case and your abilities to figure out that your vision may have made you decide to hunt down the killer yourself.” A pause. “Alexandru’s been trying to talk to you through your bond, but I told him you’re too weak.”
Unlike her, Zari thought dully.
Zari heard Katarina get up. Forcing her eyes to open, she saw the female vampire walking away. When Katarina came back, what she held in her hand made Zari’s lips part in a silent gasp. How did Katarina know?
Katarina’s eyes were on her as she spoke. “Alexandru?”
There was a moment of silence before Alexandru spoke. “Is my pet okay?”
“Yes. She is.”
Another pause. “Good. I’d like the chance to kill her when I reach her.”
“I don’t think I’ll bother to tell her that.”
A chuckle, one that made Zari’s heart break.
And then Alexandru asked, quietly, so quietly, Zari almost couldn’t make the words out. “Why are you there, Kat?”
Looking at Zari, Katarina said, “Because I want to be with you.”
Chapter Eight
He had chased her to the ends of the earth, and finally they met again.
“Alexandru.”
It made him furious that she sounded so surprised. “You really think my love can be killed just like that, Kat?” He gripped her arm, hauling her close to him. “If you disappear, I’ll just hunt you down. If you marry another man, I’ll just kill him. That’s how much I love you.”
“But I’m not your heartkeeper,” Katarina said brokenly.
“It doesn’t matter,” he hissed. “Do you understand me? It will never matter. I don’t give a fuck if you’re not my heartkeeper. It’s MY heart. MY heart. Do you understand? It’s MY heart, and I decide who keeps it for me.”
“I cannot be with you. My honor will not allow me.”
Alexandru looked sick at her words. “You will truly choose honor over me?”
“Don’t look at it like that,” she pleaded.
“Sometimes, I wonder if you truly love me.” Alexandru’s voice was bitter. “I’ve turned my back on my inheritance for you. I’ve chosen to give up ever having a soul for you. But still you choose not to be with me.” He shook his head. “What more, Kat? What more do I have to do to make you choose me?”
Somewhere deep inside her, Katarina knew he was right. She loved him, but she loved her honor equally. Perhaps, like he said, she loved it even more. The right thing would be to finish everything between them now, once and for all, but she couldn’t do it. She wanted it all. She wanted her honor and she wanted Alexandru to keep loving her.
“I will always love you, Alexandru. Even if you find your heartkeeper, even if you allow your heart to be snatched by another woman, I will always love you.” She said the words, knowing that Alexandru’s own honor would make him believe she said them to free him. But that had always been his flaw. He had always thought she was someone good, but she was not.
She looked at his eyes and knew that he believed every word, knew that Alexandru didn’t suspect the truth. She said the words to bind him to her forever. To prove to those who were against them that no matter what happened, this hunter would be hers. Forever.
When the enforcers officially declared the murder case solved, Zari was startled to feel someone squeezing her hand.
It was Rhapsody.
She asked immediately, “Are you okay?” It was not like her new friend to display any kind of emotion.
Rhapsody slowly released her hand. “Thank you for clearing my name.” She added solemnly, “My Master and I have also thought of a way to return your kindness.” Her voice lowered. “If you ever wish to leave and be alone, he can have it arranged, even just for a while, and there is nothing – not even your Master or the headmaster – can do about it.”
As they joined the queue of people filing out to leave the courtroom, Rhapsody stressed, “Anytime, Lady Zari. You just have to say the word.” They stepped out of the room. “I must go now. I still have to write to my Master about what happened today.”
And then Rhapsody was gone before Zari could even say goodbye.
Suddenly, the hairs on her nape started to prickle.
She whirled around.
There, standing out in the crowd of students, was Alexandru. Her Master. Even though it had only been days since she had last seen him, last night’s events had made it feel like an eternity. Had he always this been gorgeous, she wondered painfully. It was weird, but somehow it felt like he became more and more irresistibly beautiful in her eyes each day.