Chapter 295: Chapter 295 The Space Between Us
My body felt heavy, like I had been buried under water for too long. My eyelashes fluttered as light slowly filtered into my vision. Everything was quiet except for the sound of my own shaky breathing. My head pounded, and when I blinked again, I realized I wasn’t on the study table anymore.
I was sitting on the couch.
The room looked the same, dimly lit and warm, but everything inside me had changed. I swallowed hard as my memories came rushing back. Princess Anastasia’s words echoed in my head like a curse that wouldn’t stop repeating itself. The seed must die in order to give life.
My throat burned. My hands trembled in my lap. I couldn’t even bring myself to look around at first.
Then I heard him.
"You look so cute... Master."
I froze, that’s when I realized a pair of hands pressing my cheeks. Everything that seemed blurry was now clear.
I jerked his hands off my face as if they were scalding my skin. Damon stood in front of me with a funny face, and he reeked of alcohol.
He leaned too close for my comfort, his dark eyes gleaming under the soft light. He puffed his cheeks like a child and tilted his head, making a funny face.
I just stared at him. My heart clenched so painfully that I thought it might stop.
He reached out, his fingers brushing against my cheek. "Why are you crying, Master?"
My lips parted, but nothing came out. My vision blurred. I didn’t even realize I was crying until the tears started spilling down my chin.
Damon blinked, surprised. " Stop crying, master." His voice dropped, gentle and uncertain.
He sat beside me immediately, his warmth closing in around me like a suffocating blanket. He tried to lift my chin, but I turned my face away. My hands tightened around the pendant.
"Did I say something wrong?" he asked again, his tone softening even more.
I shook my head slowly, biting my lower lip until I tasted blood. He didn’t understand and I didn’t know how to tell him. How could I tell him that I had just watched his world fall apart? That I had watched him lose everything he ever loved, and now I was here, sitting in front of him, as the curse tied to his pain?
’So much for a second chance... I’ll just end up causing him more pain... It’s better to stay away from him.’
He leaned closer, frowning slightly. "Then why are you crying?"
I couldn’t hold it in anymore. A sob escaped before I could stop it. I turned away, my shoulders trembling as I tried to wipe my tears. "Please... don’t," I whispered.
"Don’t what?"
"Don’t come closer." My voice broke.
He froze.
I pushed myself back into the couch, hugging my knees. "Just... stay away from me."
The confusion in his eyes made it worse. He looked like he wanted to say something, but instead he let out a small, nervous laugh. "You’re acting weird, Master."
When I didn’t answer, he smiled, trying to lighten the air, and closed his eyes in that ridiculous way he did when teasing me. "Come on, Master, at least smile once. You’ll make me think I’ve lost my charm."
I stared at him with an unreadable expression. I wanted to apologize for everything that had happened to him... to be truthful he had the right to hate me.
’He should hate me... I’m nothing but a fleeting experience in his lifetime.’
That made the tears fall harder. He reached for me again, but I caught his wrist, holding it for a second, before pushing it away. "Don’t... touch me."
His smile faltered. "Aeris..."
"It’s master." I forced a shaky breath. "From now on you are to stand 6 feet away from me."
His brows knitted together, hurt flashing through his eyes. "Why are you acting like I did something wrong?"
I pressed my hand against my chest, trying to stop the ache that kept growing. "You didn’t do anything," I said quietly. "This is my law and you must obey it."
He blinked, clearly lost. "You’re not making sense." His words slurred.
I looked at him. The same man who once lost everything. The same man who had begged for his mate to wake up. The same man who now looked at me with a soft smile like I was his whole world... and yet, I wasn’t.
I was just the curse that came after.
The tears wouldn’t stop. "You should hate me," I whispered. "You really should."
Damon frowned, his expression darkening. "Where is this coming from?"
"Just..." I stood abruptly, turning away before he could reach for me again. My legs shook as I took a few steps toward the door. "Just stay away from me, Damon."
He rose too, his tone sharper now. "Aeris... Master."
I continued walking towards the door, right now, I didn’t know what to feel, I felt guilt and pain and hatred... I could feel his confusion, longing, and hurt. His emotions crashed with mine... I knew he felt mine too.
I held my wrist, staring at the woven bracelet. I had to take it off... I can’t let him know about my true emotions.
The silence that followed cut through the air like a knife. His stare burned into my back.
When I finally looked back, his expression was unreadable. He stood there quietly, his lips slightly parted.
"Why do you hate me this much, Aeris? I accepted to be your pet... but why do you treat me like this? You may feel like I’m not enough... You make my heart clench with pain."
His words made my steps falter.
"I know you suddenly grew hatred for me in the battle with the Witches. Does that mean Ember is back?... Ember if you are really back can you talk to me... please. Let me right my wrong." His words came out in a slur again.
Hot tears streamed down my cheeks. "I don’t know what you are talking about... There is no Ember here."