Page 15 of Marked Resistance
“You failed.”
My head tipped back till I collapsed back onto the bed and looked skyward. A dull white coated the ceiling and agreed with the emotions roiling within me.
I blew out a breath and groaned. “Of course, I did.”
I wanted to fall through the bed, through the floor, and into the hot, molten core of the planet to burn in a sea of pain and misery forever.
“Get up. We need to get going.”
Wait. What?
I raised myself onto my left elbow and stared at him. His face was as matter-of-fact as it was a moment ago when he said I’d been unconscious for two days. “You just said I failed.”
“So?”
“So, why would you want to take me anywhere?”
The corner of his lip curled up. “Because you were taught a very painful lesson. I trust it’s not a mistake you’ll repeat?”
“No. I won’t.”
“Good. Then get up, and get dressed. We need to get going.”
Xavier rose to his feet and tossed me some clothes. They landed with a soft thud on my shins. He wanted me to get dressed, but the last time we spoke, we were taking off clothes, not putting them on. I had to address the elephant in the room.
“I thought I’d never see you again.”
“Yeah, well, life’s funny that way.”
Okay. Not quite the response I was expecting.
“Life. I keep hearing that.”
“Get dressed, Zenobia. We’re going on a hunt.”
I was in a white t-shirt and matching panties which left little to the imagination and made me wonder which was worse—the fact I didn’t catch him staring at my breasts or the fact I was a little angry I didn’t catch him staring at my breasts. I thought back to the last time we were alone in a room together and couldn’t remember if he’d given my ladies the proper attention they were due.
Maybe he’s not a breast man?
I peeked over my shoulder, looked at my ass, and gave it a shrug. As if this couldn’t be any worse. My first day on the job with my new team, I get beaten within an inch of my life, am forced to break my vow to not drink from a live human, miss days of action, and report to a man who watched it all unfurl and did nothing to stop it. All while I’m wondering if he’s a breast man or not.
Placing my palm to my forehead, I shook my head and sighed. I resigned myself to the fact that this man obviously had no intention of revisiting that night so, why should I? Xavier left out of the room and shut the door behind him with a soft click. Dressing and cursing myself for acting like the youngling they insisted on reminding me I was, a few minutes later found myself on the outside of the door, basking in the moonlight.
“Glad you finally decided to join us,” Xavier said. He’d waited for me. I guess he felt I needed a babysitter.
Maybe I did.
“Sorry.” I dropped my eyes to the floor and crossed my arms to hold my shoulders. A sudden chill swirled around my body, but not from the night air.
“I don’t need you to be sorry. I need you to be better.”
This wasn’t going the way it should’ve. I seemed to be playing catch-up and every time I did, they moved the finish line. A mix of emotions swirled in my stomach as he spoke, respectfully but authoritative mixed with disappointment.
One of the emotions crashing into the inside walls of my stomach bubbled to the surface. The words came out but under my breath. “Why are you all such assholes?!”
“You’re young,” Xavier remarked. “You’ll get there in time. It comes with age.”
Shit. He heard me? Fine then. I’m not about to be spoken to, or look down on like some lonely grade school student on their first day of school.