Seraphina
I dipped myself in the comforting warmth of the shower, resting my head on the tile wall as the water rolled down my back.
I had woken up tense and on edge, though I couldn't decide if it was from the dream I had last night or the heaviness that followed me since we got here.
It felt like someone, or some unseen creature was keeping an eye on me and the weird feeling that settled in my stomach was even more terrifying.
I didn't care what it was, I was going to get answers today. Cleo or whatever her name was could go to hell. My life had been thrown into chaos and I was done sitting quietly in the back seat while everyone else fucked it up.
I turned off the shower and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around my body before catching my reflection in the mirror. My eyes looked tired, but I couldn't give two fucks. I dressed simply. A plain white shirt, fitted jeans and tied my hair back.
I didn't want to ask Kael where or how he casually had female clothes in-waiting. I had a feeling that I wouldn't like whatever the answer was going to be.
The hallway outside my room was quiet at first, that strange kind of calm that always came before something bad happened. But as I made my way toward the main hall, the faint echo of raised voices stopped me in my tracks.
Kael's voice blasted through the cracks. Low, sharp, angry.
And Cleo's.
I slowed my steps, moving closer to the door that was slightly ajar. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but their voices were impossible to ignore.
"—I said leave, Cleo. I really do not think you should be here."
Her laugh came next, bitter and sharp.
"There's no way that you're speaking to me like that, Kael. After everything I've done for you all these years. I kept your little secret safe for this long, didn't I?"
"Don't test me." Kael's voice roared with impatience.
"Oh, I'm not testing you, Kael. I'm reminding you. Don't forget who stood by you when no one else did. You think she'll understand what you are? You think she won't run the second she finds out the truth?"
There was a heavy pause before Kael spoke again, quieter this time.
"This isn't up for debate Cleo. Leave. And please do not make this look like you stood by me in some really dedicated fashion. You and I were simply fuck buddies. I made that clear enough. I've told you Cleo, that I can't give you what you want. You should leave now, I'm losing my patience."
I barely had time to move before the door flew open and Cleo stormed out. Her heels clicked against the floor like gunshots. She stopped short when she saw me standing there. For a moment, we just stared at each other.
Her eyes burned with anger, but underneath it, I saw something else.
"Well, well well," she said, tilting her head, her lips curving into an evil smile. "If it isn't the princess herself. Did you enjoy the little show last night?"
I froze. My throat went dry, but before I could say anything, she stepped closer, close enough that I could smell her perfume; sweet and heavy, like poison wrapped in flowers.
"You must think you're special," she continued, voice low and cruel. "That just because he saved your life, he's suddenly your knight in shining armor. Let me save you the trouble. Kael isn't who you think he is."
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, trying to sound unaffected even though my heart was racing.
She smiled, a slow mocking smile that didn't reach her eyes. "You'll find out soon enough. Just don't act surprised when it happens."
She turned to move but stopped midway and leaned her head low enough before whispering into my ear.
"This isn't over yet. Just so you know, I'll never let Kael go, and as for you, you better start counting your days because I'll come back to destroy you, I swear on my life. Oh and, trust me when I say this, you won't be able to take even half of Kael's length. You're not his type to begin with. It's only I who truly knows Kael's wants in the bedroom."
Then she walked off, with a superior look on her face. Her heels echoed down the corridor until they disappeared completely.
I stood there for a moment, trying to steady my breathing. What the hell did she mean by that?
The door behind me creaked and I turned to see Kael standing there. His face looked calm but his eyes gave him away.
"Sorry about that," he said after a beat. "Cleo can be…difficult."
"That's one word for it," I muttered. "She said some pretty strange things. About you."
He didn't flinch but the muscle in his jaw ticked. "I'm sure she did."
"So, what? I'm just supposed to ignore it?"
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. It was clear from the corner of his eyes that he was tense but fuck, he looked so freaking breathtaking i almost lost my composure.
"Seraphina, there are things about this place, about me, that are…complicated. I can't explain all of it right now, but you deserve to know at least part of the truth."
I crossed my arms, waiting.
"Then start talking." Something about him had changed.
He didn't feel or look like the regular bodyguard I knew. The aura emanating from him was powerful, it felt insulting to even think about him as a lowly bodyguard. Focus Seraphina, focus.
He gestured for me to follow him, and we moved down the hall to what looked like a study. It was dimly lit, walls lined with old books, the faint hum of technology hidden behind wooden panels.
He motioned for me to sit, but I stayed standing.
"This house," he began slowly, "isn't just a house. It's a base built decades ago as a private refuge for the Agrevian military elite. My father was part of that circle before he was…removed."
"Removed?"
He ignored the question.
"When the system collapsed, the remaining members dismantled their projects. This one was abandoned. I inherited it and decided to rebuild it, you know, newer systems.
AI security, encrypted networks, surveillance cloaking. Alexa, the car, everything you've seen. They're part of the network."
"So, you own all of this?"
"Yes."
"And the people who attacked us?"
"They're connected to a much larger group," he said quietly. "And possibly the same ones who wanted you dead."
My stomach tightened. "You said 'possibly.' You're not sure?"
"Not yet."
"So, what am I doing here, Kael?" I asked, my voice sharper than I intended. "Am I some part of your underlying problem or is this simply you protecting me!"
He looked at me—really looked at me. I saw the hesitation flicker across his face before he masked it again.
"You'll find out soon enough."
"Kael."
He exhaled slowly, his gaze hardening again.
"Because the attack on you wasn't random….Seraphina. It wasn't just about money or power. There's something more to it."
I stared at him, my pulse quickening.
Kael didn't say anything else. He just looked at me, calm, unreadable and in that silence, a cold realization began to settle in.
Whatever this place was, whatever Kael was hiding…I wasn't just caught in the middle of it by accident.
Cold dread settled in my stomach and I had to hold back the nausea trying to force its way out of my stomach.