Page 29 of Knight’s Seduction

“You don’t know,” she rasped.

“Tell me.”

She was quiet for several seconds. “Leaving that life…my old life behind, it hurts like hell, it does. I miss my parents. I love them. But I also feel…Kryos, I feel lighter…” She cried out, the sound tortured. “I feel like this massive weight has been lifted. What the hell is wrong with me?”

“There is nothing wrong with you, Meredith. Nothing,” he said and pressed his lips to her hair again.

“It’s just…the pain of never meeting their expectations, of their constant rejection, the lack of any kind of affection from them, it took a toll. Yes, there’s pain, a lot of pain, but honestly, I’m not sure how much more I could have taken. How much longer I could have pretended to be someone I’m not. They’re hurting, and I feel like I’m finally free, of all of it. What kind of a monster does that make me?”

He tightened his hold on her. “You’re not a monster. They treated you like shit, sweets. They hurt you, even if they didn’t know why, even if they struggled to connect with you because of what you are, that was wrong. They were wrong.” Kryos stood and held out his hand. “Come with me.”

Wiping her eyes, she stared up at him. “Where are we going?”

“Flying.” It was all he could think of to make her smile. And he needed her to smile again, for the pain she was feeling to go away.

Taking his hand, she stood, watching as he pulled off his shirt and tucked it in the back of his jeans. He scooped her up into his arms as his wings extended. “Hold on tight.”

Then he jumped to the top of the balcony railing and dove off, catching the wind and shooting high into the sky. Meredith clung to him tighter, screaming and laughing.

They flew for a long time because Kryos loved having her in his arms, her body pressed tightly to his, her warmth soaking through him. Her scent, like heaven, filling him up. He never wanted to go back.

And he never wanted to see her as upset as she’d been on that balcony.

Meredith turned to him, her mouth brushing his jaw. “Will you take me home, Kryos?”

His mouth went dry. “I can’t, you know that. You can’t go back.”

She shook her head. “No, I just want to see them one last time. I just want to know they’re okay. That’s all.”

He couldn’t deny her. Everything inside him cried out to give her everything she would ever want and need. So he changed course. “Okay, but you can’t talk to them, and they can’t see you.”

“Thank you,” she said, her full lips brushing his skin again, and his heart skipped a beat.

Christ, he was already lost to her in every way.

It didn’t take long to reach her house.

The night was starless and the yard was deep in shadow as they flew over it. But lights shone brightly from every window in the house, and there was low music playing inside. Kryos landed in the back yard and, taking her hand, led her around to one of the side windows, where the music was coming from.

Meredith moved closer, staring through the glass at her parents inside. Both were wearing black and they were slow dancing. They were laughing, talking, seemingly fine. No, more than fine. There were several bunches of flowers around the room, a table with empty plates, glasses scattered around the room as if they’d had a party.

Or a funeral.

There was a large picture of Meredith on a small table to the side.

“It’s been just over two weeks, and they’ve already written me off.”

“They think you’re dead, Meredith. We made sure of it.”

She turned to him. “You did?”

“In your case, it was necessary. It would’ve been worse for everyone if there was uncertainty and they were out looking for you.”

She turned back to the window. “I guess, but look at them.”

“People grieve in different ways.” Yes, that was true. He was full of shit in this case. This wasn’t grief. This was relief, just like he suspected. He’d seen it many times with the families that were left behind.

“They never loved me, did they, Kryos?” she whispered.