Page 24 of Sienna Rossi: Beyond Shattered Trust

Beautiful eyes that belong to a man who is as dangerous as he is powerful.

He is an ally, I remind myself, yet there is something about him that keeps my instincts on edge. He has a quiet, cunning side that is hidden beneath his composed exterior, which makes me a little uneasy.

I push the thought aside, feeling guilty for thinking it. We are here together, sharing the same ground, and suspicion alone is no reason to suspect him. Yet vampires are not wolves, and they are different from us, but even I’m different – it’s wrong to assess like this.

A vampire’s eyes turn red for a period of time after they’ve consumed blood. They say if a vampire’s eyes are not red – run. I noticed last night that all the other vampires here had red eyes, and unless the vampire has great control, they can be dangerous if they are low on blood. But in the case of the Crown Prince, despite his eyes being clearly violet right now, he doesn’t seem to be struggling with hunger or control. That, or he’s exceptionally good at hiding it.

“You are not very trusting, Demon Princess,” he remarks, his gaze drifting towards the outpost.

I am certain my expression gives nothing away; is he good at reading what one’s thinking?

I respond after a moment, “You misunderstand, Crown Prince.”

“I rarely misunderstand,” he replies smoothly in his strong accent. “And that is saying something, considering how many years I have walked this earth.”

I wonder how old he is.

“I apologise if I have offended you,” I say.

His eyes meet mine, as if searching for something I refuse to reveal, before the faintest smirk touches his lips. “No offence taken.”

He’s handsome, with a square jaw, dark straight hair, a red jewel glinting in his ear, but there’s also a dangerous charm to him, one clouded with secrets and mystery.

He turns and walks ahead, his figure towering tall as he strides towards the outpost gates.

That was a strange exchange.

I follow him. Once inside, I decide to look around the outpost yard to choose a good spot for whatever Jayce wants to test, while I wait for his return.

I smile softly. I could sense him last night. A thin wall was the only thing that separated our beds, and I slept better than I have in ages. I could hear his steady breathing become rhythmic, and it was the perfect soothing lullaby to make me sleep.

My cheeks flush despite the cold, and I smile.

He’s so close…

“Create a barrier.” The sharp, abrupt words make me blink, and I turn to see Jayce walking towards me, lighting a… cigarette.

“When did you start smoking?” I ask, not knowing why my stomach sinks.

He narrows his eyes. “And why should I answer that?” he asks.

I shake my head. “Ok… don’t. But it doesn’t suit you,” I whisper, looking away.

I can sense his irritation as he takes a long drag on it, as if making a point. “And I don’t fucking care.”

I purse my lips. Whatever.

Lifting my hand, I begin raising a barrier, the same kind as the one I made beside the dome. I can feel him watching me, the intensity distracting me slightly.

Focus, I remind myself, forcing the chaos beneath my skin into something steady, something obedient.

The barrier forms at my command, ten feet by ten, dense and alive, its surface dark and shimmering. I step back, my pulse loud in my ears under Jayce’s intense gaze.

“You can try it now,” I say, turning my gaze to him.

Jayce nods as he tosses the cigarette to the ground; it hisses for a second before it’s snuffed out, the heavy snowflakes covering it almost instantly. I brush snow out of my hair, shivering as I watch Jayce examine the barrier carefully.

He then raises his hand to the heavens, and the sky answers immediately, lightning tearing through the clouds in a violent flash before a blinding bolt slams into the barrier with bone-shaking force.