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More her and Stefan. Then she says she needs to go pack up a few things, she’ll come back to him to stay. But returns home, Alex says she smells like him and accuses her of betrayal, so...massive blowout. She runs back to Stefan. Ends with “he’s all I need right now”
(and in alex book, he goes to see her at the end of his book)
Stefan
(one bit in the morning with him and Dacians, show the last of that and how it’s gonna be going forward)
Elizabeta
I lean against the counter, watching Stefan cook himself dinner.
“You sure you don’t want anything?” he asks over his shoulder.
I chuckle. “I’m good. The weakness has passed, and I’m better off just finding something to feed on. On the way home.”
He freezes for a moment. “You’re going home?”
I move closer to him, hugging him from behind. “Only for a few days. I need to pack a few things, then I’ll come back and help out.”
He sets aside the pan with sizzling meat, turning to me. “Help out? With what?”
“Your Dacians said you need a funnel to try and get to Zalmoxis. If you do that, you can find him, and potentially reinforce his prison bars, right?”
He tenses further. “Elizabeta—”
“I can be the funnel. Or my blood, anyway.”
He shakes his head before I’m even done. “Not going to happen. It’s bad enough Silviana is tainted by Zalmoxis, do you really think I’ll let you put yourself in danger?”
“I won’t be in danger. You can oversee the magic.”
“I can’t see anything, dammit! How blind can you beto the danger?”
I pull out of his arms. “Not as blind as you, clearly. I want to help. And you can either take the help, or I’ll go to Tytus and work alongside him and his brother instead.”
Stefan grips my shoulders at my words. “That’s out of the question.”
“Careful, Fane. That almost sounded like an order. And you know how badly I take those.”
His grip on me tightens. For a moment, he almost seems like he’s seriously considering a punishment—and my core clenches at whatever he’s got in mind.
Then, his expression eases and he drops his forehead against mine. “I’ll have conditions, if you’re to do this.”
I grin at him. “You can think them up while I’m gone.”
*
I make it a point to find some hikers and feed off them quickly, before heading home. The castle comes into view, and for the first time in my life, I’m apprehensive.
Elizabeta Dracul fears nothing. Fuck apprehension and all its cousin coward feelings.
I walk through the doors, head held high. A butler appears by my side, dressed impeccably.
“Your Highness, please allow me to take your coat.”
I glance over my shoulder at the shredded, barely-there jacket I’ve got on. Then shrug, take it off, and toss it to him. “You might as well burn it. And, I’m assuming someone can order me new clothes?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Good. I’ll leave a note with my siblings for where to send them.”
I head up the stairs, and run into Mirabela on my way up.
“Well, well. Look who shows her face finally.” She tilts her head to the side. “You seem...weird.”
I laugh, and her puzzled expression only deepens.
“I’m fine, Mira. What’s with the five-star welcoming I just got?”
She glances down at the butler. Another servant comes by, takes the coat I’d given him, and scurries away. “If we’re to be taken seriously, we need to play the part. Finally act our level, no?”
“Uh huh...”
She shrugs. “After the ball, Nico and I talked and made a few additions. We’re going to slowly start reaching out to human influentials, too. Policitians, then like. entertain them here, and...wine and dine them.”
“To what purpose?”
“Extend our influence. Make sure we have powerful allies.” She frowns. “After the attack, it was clear we need to send a better message.”
“And you think the vampiri will be afraid of a few human politicians?”
It’s her turn to laugh. “Oh, my dear sister. We’re looking to do so much more than make them afraid.” She steps closer, lowering her voice. “They’ll understand that if they want to do anything in this country, they bow down to us. Else, suffer the consequence.” She winks. “You’ll see.”
I shake my head, and move further on, to my room. I grab a duffel bag and quickly toss in some jeans, shirts, a couple of dresses and two jackets, bras, underwear, and my makeup kit. Then close the whole thing and exit back out.
Nico’s blocking my way. “Liza. You’re back? Vlad told me about—”
I pull him inside my room, and lower my tone. “I need to tell you something.”
And then, as quickly and efficiently as I can, I explain everything. The bond with Stefan, my role in saving Silviana, Tytus and Lucrezia and their visit, and why I’m basically moving in with a man I’d hated just two weeks before.
When I’m done, Nico blinks at me. Then, he bursts out laughing.
I can’t help it. I slap the shit out of him, cutting him off. And then he starts off, louder and more uncontrolled still.
Since violence didn’t work, I roll my eyes and wait him out.
A few minutes later, he finally calms down enough to wipe at his face. “Ah... Damn. To think, I’d always thought you’d be the last one to fall...”
I narrow my eyes on him. “You knew I’d fall?”
“Liza, we’re all falling. That’s how the curse works.” He shrugs. “And, it’s not so bad. I’ve tapped into parts of myself I didn’t know existed.”
“Ew.”
“Not like that, you dirty mind. My point is, you gotta do what you gotta do. But have you told Alex?”
I look away. “No. Can I... Could you?”
He nods. “Sure. But don’t be surprised if he doesn’t believe me, and comes to get you himself.”
“Yeah...I figured as much. Thank you.”
I hesitate, then reach for him and hug him quickly. “I’ll miss you.”
“It’s not like you’re leaving forever. But, Liza? Be careful.” He frowns. “I don’t like the thought of you doing this, though I understand it’s needed. Especially if it’ll get us answers about Father.” He pauses. “do you want me to tell the others?”
“Yes, please.”
Then I move to leave.
No sooner do I get outside of the castle, that someone else steps out of the bushes. His expression stormy, Alex levels his accusing glare on me. “Leaving without saying goodbye?”
Fuck. How much does he know? And how?
He takes a step closer, sniffing. “You even smell like him.” Shakes his head. “Never thought I’d see the day you betray your own kind.”
“I’m not betraying anyone.”
“No?” he moves in more. “then what the fuck do you call what you did? Spreading your legs for a human?”
I scowl at him. “you had no issue with me sleping with humans before. We’ve hunted and fucked them for ages.”
“but we don’t FALL IN LOVE with them, Liza! FUCK.” He runs a hand through his hair. “I’ve expected this shit from Nico and Vlad. But you?”
“Alex...” I step closer to him, something in me breaking at his tone, and the hurt in his eyes. I’ve never seen this level of vulnerability from him. “I didn’t do this to hurt you. The curse—” I shake my head. “I can’t blame it on that. Maybe it started like that, sure. But Stefan has shown me another side of me, something I didn’t think existed any more.”
“oh, fucking great. He showed you. I bet he showed you plenty.”
“watch it,” I warn. “I’m not gonna take shit from you.”
“TOO FUCKING BAD!” He screams, getting up in my face now. shoving me with every word, he keeps on yelling, “YOU—WERE—SUPPOSED—TO—BE—UNFALLIBLE! Like me!”
“I DIDN’T BETRAY YOU!” I yell, shoving him right back.
Now we’re both panting, yelling at each other. I’m not sure how much everyone in the castle is hearing, but they’re definitely getting an earful.
And then, what Alex said hit me. “What do you mean, like you?”
He sneers, saying nothing.
“Alex, what did you do?”
“Nothing. I did fucking nothing, that’s the whole point. Because it’s entirely possible to do nothing. Curse or no curse.”
The smug expression on his features makes me want to wipe it.
“Alex...I’ll ask again. What are you talking about?”
“You all act like there’s no way this curse can be undone. It can. By us not complying. Which I did perfectly fine.”
“You...what?” And then it hits me. “Oh my god. We never found out which one of us sparked the curse. It was you? All along, it was you? And you knew? But didn’t tell us?”
The sneer gets more pronounced. “Why should i? my business is my own. As it should be.”
I’m in his face, shoving him yet again. “Violeta suffered because of you! We all did! Vlad, me! Nico. You think this shit would’ve started if you hadn’t—GODDAMIT ALEX. And you talk about betrayal? What the hell is wrong with you?”
He looks me in the eye. “You have no business looking down on me. Get your shit and get out of here, Elizabeta. You’re no sister to me.”
And then he walks past me, shoving his shoulder into mine. I stumble back, watching him go, my heart in my throat.
And then I turn away, blinking away tears, and run. And run. And run.
Because I’ll be damned if I let this hurt me. Alex has no leg to stand on, having hidden this from us all. He could’ve stopped the curse from getting so bad. But he chose to let his hate for humans get in the way. He’d do anything to maintain tahat, even if it meant killing us all.
I’m not willing to do the same.
And if he never comes to his senses, so much for Dracul loyalty. I’ll be fine. I’ve got Stefan, and that’s all I need.