Seven

ZEVRAN ILVANE POV

I blinked my eyes open but the throbbing in my head soon had me shutting them back.

Goodness, everything hurt. 

The glare of the lights hitting my eyes made it uncomfortable to go back to sleep, though, so I had no choice but to force myself out of bed.

I moved to get up, my teeth gritting together as a flood of pain wracked up my side.

I puffed out air, sweat dotting my brows and hairline as I struggled through the pain to sit up.

Sucking in a sharp breath, I tried to calm down and wait for the ache to lessen, but my head was thumping hard. It also felt like I was missing something.

Glancing down my body, my brows pinched together as I noticed all of the bruises on my bare chest and the bandage on my arms. 

"What the hell..." I broke off, my heart kicking in my chest like a sledgehammer as the memories of what had happened the night before crashed through my head.

Goosebumps rippled down my arm, the taste of metal filling my mouth as my heart drummed so frantically that my vision went dark for a second. When it finally cleared, I was gasping for air.

"Ves? Vesper!" I called, my voice breaking as terror seized my lungs, dread filling my veins as I looked around the room wildly. There was no trace of her.

Pushing the blanket that covered my knees off, I rushed down the bed, the pain from before non-existent as I limped to the door and yanked it open.

Master stood at my door, forcing me to stop in my tracks. I braced myself, my hands clenching at my side.

He looked disappointed.

"Where do you think you're going, Zevran? If I were you, I'd stay far away from her from now on."

My breath caught. "Why should I do that?" I yelled, anger twisting in my chest like a hot band of iron. It seared at my flesh, burning and wounding until my breath came out in short sharp bursts, a red haze clouding my vision.

"Because I command it so. You're obsessed with an enemy and it's only going to get you killed. Ana has been with us for years and you slit her throat without hesitation just because you saw that little bitch worrying over her. You killed your Master's Mistress."

I froze, staring at him. Had he been watching us, or did he see the CCTV cameras?

"I won't punish you anymore for killing Ana, but as for that little bitch, she's going to die, so forget all about her and get your head on straight."

"And if I don't?"

His cruel eyes burned into mine. "I'll kill you alongside her. I have two more heirs that would grow up strong and take your spot if you hate it so much," he threatened.

I could tell he meant every word.

My fist tightened, my knuckles glistening. "The two heirs you speak of are still in the womb and it would take years for them to grow. If you so much as touch a single hair on Vesper's head, you'll never get to see them because I'll make it my mission to get them out and twist their necks!"

Master's eyes blazed, his shoulders squared and rising as his hands bunched into fists. "Do it then. Don't just say something that you're not able to back up."

We had a standoff, the pain I felt becoming more unbearable the longer we glared at each other.

"I'm watching your every move little boy. Do not piss me off and think I'll let you get away with it. I can always have as many sons as I want, but you'll only get one Vesper. If you don't behave, once I kill her, I'll cut her into pieces and make you eat her flesh; that way, you'll have her in you since you seem to want her so much," he spat, his eyes glinting with pure evil.

My stomach twisted, my trembling fists tightening. There was no way to kill him. Thousand had tried and failed, and I was sure I'd be no different. He would see it coming before I even started to plan.

"You can go to her, but tomorrow she dies if her mother does not give me what I want," he said, turned, walked a few steps, and then stopped. "Don't hold your breath on her ever liking you, Zevran, especially after what you've done," he said, turned the corner, and disappeared from my sight.

My nostrils flared, the rage and confusion pulsing through my veins, turning my vision dark. I breathed through my nose, hard and slow.

What the hell did he mean by that, and what did he mean he was going to kill her tomorrow. Did he move the day of her death forward while I was unconscious?

No. No. That can't happen. I won't let it happen.

With the world spinning all around me, I stumbled through the corridors until I found the door I was looking for. 

I stopped in front of it, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm as horrible thoughts swirled in my head.

Swallowing down the bitter taste at the back of my throat, I grabbed the handle, pushed the door open, and stepped into the room.

The world stopped spinning. I stopped breathing. 

My legs locked, sealing me in place as I stared at Vesper's beautiful face and then trailed down her body filled with welts and small cuts.

Did father beat her or was it... My thoughts froze, my heart stopping cold beneath my ribs. No, there was no way. It's been ages since Zevroth came out. There was no way. But those cuts... Those cuts...

I clutched at my chest, my fingers digging into my flesh as I doubled over, the pain radiating through my body making me shake.

I couldn't move toward her, no, not when I couldn't remember if I'd been the one to hurt her or Master. With my memory non-existent, there was a high probability that I'd been the one to cut her. 

I couldn't take it, couldn't bear it.

Slowly, I raised my head, and flinched, my eyes widening as they met Vesper opened ones.

"Are–are you alright" I stuttered, the panicked feeling in my chest making it hard to get the words out.

Vespers mercury eyes pierced through me, the terror in them suffocating.

"Did I... Did I–did I..." I couldn't bring myself to ask, the crippling fear freezing my heart cold and brutal.

"You said you were going to be my friend" she got out, her voice hollow and broken. "Where have you been for five days," she asked, tears slipping down her cheeks, leaving a glistening trail in its wake.

My chest got tighter. "I thought... I thought I hurt you" I rushed out on a breath, my legs pushing me to move forward, but a flinch from her had me freezing in my steps.

She sat up, her eyes squeezing in pain. 

Her pretty sundress was all bloody.

I wanted to hold her, wanted to take the pain away... I couldn't do anything.

"You need to help me out of here Zevran. I don't think my mother is ever going to give your father what he wants. Tomorrow is the last day. You promised to help me escape, but all you did was..." she stopped, shaking her head, as if trying to chase off painful memories.

"I'm not going to let you die!" I bit out, the shaky edge to my voice betraying the fear I was trying hard to hide.

Forcing my legs to move, I closed the distance between us and snatched her hand even as she recoiled from my touch, a small flinch betraying her as tried to stay still and let me hold her.

There was something wrong. She said Master hurt her, but her reaction to me made it feel like I'd been the one to hurt her. Why couldn't I remember anything? No. Focus. You need to bloody focus.

"I'll come up with a plan, but you have to promise me something. Promise me you'll take me with you when you escape. Promise you won't abandon me?" I urged, my eyes pleading with hers, because staying behind only meant one thing. Death.

She placed her hand on top of mine. "I'll never leave you behind. I promise."