Chapter 24: Shadows of Fear
Natalie~
Breakfast with Zane and a scary vampire who had almost drained me of blood minutes ago felt like stepping into a play I hadn’t been given the script for.
Sebastian lingered in the room, his presence as unsettling as a shadow that refused to disappear, no matter how brightly the light shone. His sharp smirk and relentless teasing made my skin crawl with fear, though Zane seemed completely unfazed. It looked like they were close friends.
Sebastian was clearly entertained by my startled reactions—especially when he moved with inhuman speed or sniffed at me like I was some kind of treat laid out for him but thanks to the goddess, he eventually grew bored of teasing me. With one last smirk, he finally left, leaving me to catch my breath for the first time since I entered the room.
Sebastian’s departure left the room quieter than I expected, yet the tension between Zane and me only grew. He sat across the table, his blue eyes watching me with an intensity that made my chest tighten; and it made me wonder what kind of thoughts were going on in his head. Every now and then, he’d tilt his head, a small smirk playing at his lips as if he knew something I didn’t.
I hated that look. I wanted to run again but somehow, I knew it would be futile.
Beside me, Alexander’s cheerful chatter provided a much-needed distraction. "Mommy, I love you, and I want to spend every minute of every day with you. Can we play outside after breakfast? I want to show you the flowers I found yesterday!" I wanted to correct him, telling him I wasn’t his mother but the way his beautiful golden brown eyes stared up at me made the words die in my throat.
I laughed softly, ruffling his messy hair. "Sweetheart, I love you too; and I love spending time with you, but I can’t be with you every minute of every day."
He frowned, his little nose scrunching up in protest. "Why not? I want to be with you all the time!"
I chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "What about when you need to go number one or two, hmm?"
Alexander burst into laughter, his small body shaking as he giggled. "Mommy, you’re silly!"