King for a Day (The King Trilogy #2)(33)
Author: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

“No. Shall I pinch you?”

I nodded my head.

He reached down and pinched my arm.

“Ouch!” I yelped. “That really hurt.”

He smiled, and those little dents on both cheeks made an appearance. He was so beautiful, even now, after I knew so many horrible things about him.

I slowly rubbed my face and groaned.

“The water in the sink comes out hot if you’d like to wash your face.”

“Thanks.” I slowly rose to my feet, noticing my head felt light and clear for the first time in weeks. “That’s funny,” I said. “My headache is gone.”

“Well,” he flicked his hand, “you finally know all of my secrets and have accepted the truth.”

“All of them? Doubtful.” I hobbled over to the sink and splashed warm water on my face to rinse away the dried tears. I’m sure I looked like a complete disaster, but I wasn’t about to primp and try to look pretty for Vaughn.

I used the bottom of my navy blue sweater to dry my face while thinking about what I wanted to say. I had so many questions, but I suppose, what I really wanted to know was…

“No,” King said abruptly. “I would never have killed you to save my own skin.”

I turned and stared into those beautiful eyes. “You can hear what I’m thinking?”

He shrugged.

Well, that’s embarrassing. And it explained why he always knew my thoughts. “Then you know that I don’t believe you.”

He nodded. “I know. However, I will counter with pointing out how I could have killed you at any moment had that been my intention.”

“Why didn’t you?”

He tilted his head. “I have my reasons.”

“Such as?” Revenge? Because if you end your curse before you bring her back, you won’t get it, will you? You’ll disappear the moment your curse is lifted.

“Not revenge,” he replied to my thought.

“Then?”

He quirked a brow and flashed a grin. “All in good time, Miss Turner. All in good time.”

“Time,” I hissed. I think he just likes playing with me.

“I cannot deny I derive a great deal of pleasure from playing with you.”

Stop that. Get the hell out of my head.

“But it’s such a lovely place,” he argued. “As are your dreams.”

Oh Lord. “So, all those times it was you visiting me when I slept?”

He flashed one of those wolfish smiles that always put me on edge. “While I enjoyed each and every one of them immensely, those were all you. I simply got to watch the show.”

“Oh.” Now I’m really embarrassed.

“I believe arousing is the proper word,” he said, answering my thoughts.

“Please stop.” I held out my hand and winced. “I’d like to not have my final hours on this planet sharing them with the man who used, manipulated, and planned to kill me.”

“I thought we already covered that point. Murdering you was never part of my plan.”

“And I’m supposed to just,” I threw up my hands and leaned against the bare black wall opposite him, “trust you? Maybe you should let me inside your head.”

“I do not believe you’d enjoy it there.”

“Why not, King? Or should I call you Draco?”

“I have not gone by that name in a very, very long time.”

“Exactly how long?” I asked.

“Longer than you could possibly imagine, but that’s not important right now.”

I waited for him to tell me what was.

“I cannot allow this to happen,” he said.

“You mean, Vaughn’s sick little plan?”

“Yes. Because you are mine, Mia. And I mean it.”

He was starting with this again? Didn’t he see how moot this ownership thing was? “And, your point?”

“I will not allow him to end your life in such a cruel and violent way.”

Does that mean he has a plan?

He nodded yes. “That is correct.”

“Stop listening!” I barked.

“I cannot help hearing you, Mia.” His eyes flashed to the tattoo on my wrist.

Deep breath of patience…“So what’s your plan?”

He stood and walked over to me. “I want you to know,” he said with that deep, unwavering tone, “that I would never hurt you. Not to save myself.”

I didn’t like the sound of that last part. It insinuated there might be an exception to that rule.

“But I cannot allow Vaughn to perform the vile acts he plans for you. I cannot.” He rubbed his thumb over my bottom lip and studied my face for several long moments. A flicker of purple light danced in his eyes. “You deserve so much better than this, Mia.”

“Meaning?” My back still to the wall, I edged away, feeling uneasy.

He dropped his hands. “Do not be afraid, Mia.”

“A-a-afraid of what?”

“I am going to end your life before he has the chance.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

The moment King said those words, I bolted to the room where Vaughn had originally placed me. I slammed the door shut, but there was no lock on my side, so I resorted to using my back to keep it shut.

King wanted to murder me. Of course. I’m the last Seer. I die, and all of his problems are solved.

“No, Mia. You are wrong,” said King’s deep voice through the door.

“Get out of my head!”

“Mia, you need to trust me. You need to know that there is absolutely no other choice. And if you allow me to explain—”

“Fuck you, King.” I felt so hurt, but what should I have expected from him?

“As much as I would like that, I’m afraid that doing so in front of an audience is not my style.”

My eyes flickered to the 360-camera mounted to the ceiling in a small cage. Was Vaughn watching us now? Can he see and hear us?

“He can only see and hear you. As for me, I am visible only if I will it. However, he has stripped away all of my powers and created a barrier of some sort to keep me trapped inside the confines of this basement. Please, Mia, open the door.”

“Whatever you have to say, you can say through the door.”

I heard him sigh. “All right, but you’re being childish.”

Says the man who wants to kill me.

“Yes. Says the man. He is also going to tell you not to speak, but to listen. I can hear your thoughts. Vaughn cannot hear me speak. This provides us with one small advantage: privacy.”