The Hybrid Curse [MM]

Chapter: 8

*****

Liam's POV:

I knew Roman well enough to realize that no matter what, he was going to dig into this situation. Telling him to back off would only make things worse. I'd been aware of his feelings for me for a long time, and this whole situation felt like a total betrayal. To top it off, I couldn't even bring myself to face him.

I slammed the door behind me, a whirlwind of anger, irritation, and exhaustion swirling inside me, and I ruffled my hair in frustration. Just then, I noticed a shadow in the dim light of the room, which made me stop in my tracks. A quick glance revealed a man standing by the window.

Panic set in as I wondered how this guy had gotten into my room. Had Alexis or Roman misplaced my keys or something?

"Who are you?" I asked the stranger, who was still facing the closed window.

Then, a soft, chilling laugh filled the room—one I recognized instantly, even in my dreams. He turned to face me, confirming my worst fear—what on earth was he doing in my room?

His laughter faded as he walked over to my bed, the sound of his shoes clicking against the floor echoing in the silence. He plopped down on the bed, looking at me as if he expected me to react. He sat there with one leg crossed over the other, completely at ease, leaning back against the headboard like he owned the place.

I told him, "You shouldn't be here," feeling a surge of confidence I couldn't quite explain. Maybe it was the anger bubbling up from him barging into my space, or the confusion over why he was here after he had humiliated me in his office. Or maybe it was the strange feelings stirring in my stomach that I was trying to ignore.

Instead of answering, he just smirked at me, a lazy yet predatory grin that made me feel like a pawn in his game, and I couldn't stand it.

"This must mean a lot to you," he said, twirling a golden necklace in front of me. I wanted to grab it, but he was quicker. What was I thinking? He was a vampire, and not just any vampire, but the vampire Lord.

"You can't touch that," I shot back, anger flaring as I tried to push away the memories tied to it. It had been a long time since I'd seen the necklace, but I couldn't just erase it from my mind.

"What? Are you really getting upset over a dumb necklace?" he teased, still playing with it. I wanted to explain that it wasn't just any necklace, but I knew that would only complicate things. Roman was right outside in the living room, and having him see this would spill all my secrets.

"The necklace looks familiar, that's why I noticed it. Plus, the gold quality is rare these days; it was more common back then," he said. He was right; my grandmother had given me that necklace the night my parents died, and it brought back a flood of memories I wasn't ready to face.

"What are you doing here?" My tone was sharp, but my body was tense, giving away my unease. Still, I wasn't about to let him get under my skin like he usually does—he's really good at that.

There was silence. He tilted his head slowly, almost mockingly, as if he was actually thinking about my question. "Your room is nice," he said, completely brushing off what I asked. "I thought I'd give it a try."

I couldn't help but notice how he lounged against the pillows, looking so at ease, so unbothered. It made my skin crawl. This is my space, and his presence felt like a violation—not just of my privacy, but of my control.

But he wasn't being aggressive. No threats like last time, just… existing here in a way that really messed with my mind.

His fingers played with the necklace he was holding, moving in a way that was clearly meant to unsettle me.

The silence was thick and heavy.

Finally, Zeke put the necklace down and patted the spot next to him, an invitation that made my stomach churn.

"Sit," he ordered. I knew better than to fall for his games, but ignoring him might be even worse. I had to weigh my options—stand there and let Ezekiel keep pushing my buttons, or take charge by playing along with his little game.

I finally took a step forward, but instead of sitting down, I stayed standing at the edge of the bed, giving Ezekiel a silent challenge.

He let out a sigh, and I could see the frustration building in him because of my behavior, but I wasn't about to back down.

In an instant, he was no longer next to me. I glanced around, confused, and then suddenly felt a hand pulling me closer, bringing him right back into my space.

My body tensed, my breath caught in my throat, but I refused to show any weakness. No way.

His voice dropped to a low murmur, his grip just tight enough to make his point clear. "You're not scared of me, are you?"

Without thinking, I yanked my hand away and stepped back, my heart racing. He just smirked, as if my reaction was exactly what he was hoping for.

"Good," he said smoothly, finally standing up. "That means I can have more fun with you." Before I could say anything, he disappeared, leaving behind a lingering scent of leather and something darkly alluring.

I let out a sharp breath, suddenly aware that I had been clutching my sheets way too tightly, wiping the sweat off my forehead with my hand.

I kept telling myself I wasn't affected by him and that I wasn't scared, trying to brush it off, but then something icy grazed my wrist.

I looked down at my stomach—an uneasy churn of fear hit me.

There it was, a mark on my wrist that hadn't been there before. A dark, twisting sigil burned into my skin like a brand, while blood had already soaked into my bed.

My heart raced, ready to burst out of my chest as I stared at it. My breathing was all over the place.

I know exactly what this is. And what it signifies.

Zeke just claimed me.