"You never told me what your vision was about, but I think I know what it is now."
It doesn't matter what I saw!
"You saw someone working for AGNEX open a Devil's Door in New York."
Shut up!
"You saw this result in death if you didn't do something about it."
I'm not going to let it happen!
"But if you did something about it..."
Zari sagged against him.
"You saw something else, didn't you?"
Zari's fingers curled desperately against his chest. Please...
"Tell me." And this time, Alexandru spoke as a Master to his pet. "Tell me what you saw."
Even though her heart was already breaking at what he was asking for her to do, she just couldn't make herself disobey him, and so she heard herself whisper brokenly, "I s-saw y-you dying."
He wanted to ask her how, but even as exhausted as his pet looked now, he could also sense her determination not to say anything beyond this.
Zari heard her Master sigh in her mind. You think to save me from death, yes?
Zari just had to raise her head so she could glower at him. You don't think I can?
Her Master sighed again. I know you fancy yourself a big, bad trapper now...
Despite everything, Zari couldn't help releasing a teary little laugh at the gravely spoken words.
And you think of me as this weak old man you need to protect...
Zari couldn't help rolling her eyes, knowing full well that her Master was only deliberately teasing her this time.
However...
Alexandru suddenly cupped her chin.
"Do have a little more faith in us, pet."
Her breath caught as the import of his words sank in, and her eyes started tearing up again. It almost seemed an eternity ago, but there had been a time that her greatest wish was just to be strong enough so she could proudly stand next to him and never have to worry about Alexandru risking his life to protect her.
And now, he was reminding her...
That day had already come.
And together...
A smile slowly wobbled its way over his pet's lips, and the tightness in his chest gradually eased.
"I've been a fool..." Zari's tone was part rueful, part shaken. "Haven't I, Master?"
"Not at all." Her Master spoke in the same (fake) grave tone he had used earlier. "You just didn't want to lose me, and that's why you were incapable of thinking clearly. It's to be expected, considering how incredible a lover I am—-"
Master.
The way she wrinkled her nose up at him was too cute, and it had him cupping her face so he could have another taste of her lips. He kissed her with unconcealed hunger, and she kissed him back just as eagerly, her body immediately pressing close—-
A groan escaped him, and Alexandru had to swiftly cut things off before he ended up fucking her right next to a crime scene.
There's something else we should talk about, he told her, and after that we can get back to fucking.
Zari could only nod, not yet trusting herself to speak. She had a feeling if she opened her mouth, she'd only end up begging her Master for a quickie.
What else do you know about devil's apples?
Not much, Zara felt rather ashamed to admit. All I know is that they can be used as some sort of cocoon or vessel until demons...
Alexandru saw the moment the penny dropped, with the way his pet suddenly gasped.
As you've probably guessed by now, he confirmed grimly, mandrakes are one of the simplest ways to open a demon's door from this side. It is also very likely that the demon responsible for these killings is the same one that you and your boss have been on the lookout for.
Zari was so startled at her Master's revelation that it had her stammering out loud. "How d-did you know—-"
"Your boss and I have made a deal."
Zari didn't know how to feel about this. Exactly what kind of deal is it?
"The specifics of it are nothing you have to be concerned about," Alexandru dismissed. "But we can talk about it after we solve our current case, if you wish. For now, however...can you call out Martin again?"
A moment later, the boy was back standing between them.
"Zari tells me that you know of devil's apples because of your mother."
"Yes, sir."
"Can you recall of any other time you smelled it?"
"Here in the grave?" Martin asked uncertainly.
"I meant when you were still alive," Alexandru clarified.
"Well..." The boy's voice turned thoughtful.
"Take your time."
"Oh!" He suddenly looked up, and even with his sockets still empty, it was so easy to imagine the boy's eyes shining with excitement, and Zari had to quickly blink back tears.
"I remember now. I smelled it again," Martin revealed eagerly, "when the thirteenth boy arrived."
Zari blinked. I don't get it.
Alexandru, however, understood all too well.
Your thirteenth boy, my love, is the demon we're looking for.
The Apartment Wherein
She Sees
Chapter Fifteen
ALEXANDRU NOTICED ZARI's confusion when she saw him hail a cab as soon as they were out of the park, but her expression changed the moment they had slid into the backseat, and she heard him supply the driver with an address.
"So you do know about my properties," Alexandru confronted her without preamble as he leaned back against the seat. "When I realized where you were living, it made me wonder if Mihail had neglected to tell you—-"
"It's not that at all." Zari was horrified that she had made him think such a thing of his older brother. "Mihail tried his best to convince me to live in one of your, um, properties, but..." She lifted her shoulders in an awkward shrug. "It just didn't feel right."
He raised a brow. "None of them was suitable?"
"In a way."
Alexandru felt a little stung. "You truly didn't like any of my homes?"
"No, no, no." Zari almost cringed, having realized just how much of a mess she was at explaining things. "What I mean is...it didn't feel right because..." Feeling a little self-conscious, she couldn't help looking away from her Master as she mumbled under her breath.
"What was that?"
"I said—-" Zari could feel her cheeks turning red as she forced herself to repeat the words. "It didn't feel right because...you...weren't...with me."
Her face was on fire by the end, and her voice was barely above a whisper, but as soon as she heard her Master chuckle lazily, she realized too late that he had heard her the first time.
Master!
But he was already reaching for her, and Zari, conscious of the fact that they weren't exactly alone in the cab, was hard pressed not to struggle as Alexandru dragged her onto his lap.
The cab's driver staring at us!
So?
Can't you please just behave, Master?
Only if you can try being a little less cute, Alexandru drawled, but I don't think that's possible, pet. You're just too fucking cute—-
Oh God, he was just too good at making her want to kiss and strangle him all at the same time.