Queen

Two days passed since that night. Two torturous nights of having to pretend that he was the man I loved. He was getting better, I had to admit- he was doing his research. There were times when he was speaking and my mind glimmered over the idea that I had dreamed up that entire night...I wish I was stupid enough. I wish that I could give into the illusion of him, but I knew that meant giving up on the real Syn who I knew was out there and breathing. I could feel him. He was okay— stressed and angry, but okay.

I sat across from him, avoiding eye contact as I pushed the eggs around on the plate. The past two mornings had been like this— him knocking on my door every morning and calling me down for breakfast. It was this or breakfast in bed, which he had offered before. No fucking way. I didn't want to be around him as is- let alone anywhere near a bed.

"You're not eating," he pointed out and I glanced at up him, willing myself to snap out of my daze as I cleared my throat.

"Sorry, I haven't really had the appetite," I said, giving him a quick smile before looking down at the plate.

"Because of your period?" He asked.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes- this being the possible tenth time he'd asked me about it in the past two days. I reined it in, clearing my throat a bit before setting down my fork. "No, it's not that—"

"Is that still going?" He asked, setting down his utensils and clasping his hands together under his chin. I nodded, uncomfortable under his gaze as I looked anywhere else. "Do you know when it will end?"

"Why do you care so much?" I finally snapped, looking at him.

He smiled at my small outburst before looking down at the table and shrugging. "I can't just miss you— miss touching you...being in bed with you?" He questioned, eyeing me for my reaction.

Act natural.

"I miss you too." I breathed out. "But you were right— it's better this way."

"I knew you'd come around." His hand moved on top of mine, giving me a small squeeze and I forced a smile onto my face. After a moment, he stood up— the chair screeching under him as he pushed it back and walked around the table. I kept my eyes on him as he held on to my hand and lowered himself onto one knee beside me. "I do truly love you, Queen. I may have a funny way of showing it sometimes, but I do. My world has become all about you from the moment I saw you..." He rubbed his thumb over my hand.

Who are you?

"I- I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything." His fingers moved to my chin and I swallowed the bile creeping its way up my throat as he looked down at my lips. He leaned into me, and I froze as his eyes met mine. For a moment, I actually could've sworn it was Syn. He had his eyes, his face...his lips. Every physical attribute of Syn's that I was beyond in love with was right in front of me, but it wasn't him.

I coughed violently, not bothering to cover my mouth as he cringed and withdrew from me. He stepped back, not daring to try to kiss me as he looked at me in disgust. I cleared my throat and pat my chest. "Gosh, I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry."

"It's fine." He wiped his face, letting go of my hand and standing up. He walked to the kitchen and I let out a silent breath of relief.

One more day. Syn had one more day before I decided to deal with this asshole on my own.

"I was thinking," he said with his back to me as he grabbed a glass from the cabinet. Oh, great. "Maybe we should go on a vacation somewhere. Surely you don't want to stay here...the service isn't even working."

"I've been meaning to ask you about that, actually," I spoke up. "How have you been able to communicate with the Underworld? I'm surprised you haven't been more panicked without the cell service."

I raised a brow and he stilled for a brief second before filling his glass with water and shrugging. How was he going to lie himself out of this one? "They're fine," he said. "If something is wrong, they know how to reach me."

"Interesting." I nodded, taking a sip of my orange juice.

"Not really." He yawned. "It's all very boring. Don't worry about those things. I have it handled."

"I bet," I said flatly, eyeing him. "You look tired."

He laughed softly. "Because I am."

"Have you slept?"

"No."

"Since when?" I asked.

He shrugged. "A few days, maybe."

"Why is that?"

"Because I want to stay up with you," he said. "I feel like if I go to sleep and wake up you'll just be gone."

Damn fucking straight.

"That's crazy." I smiled, drinking the juice.

"Maybe, but—" He froze, his eye twitching as the glass of water slipped from his hand and went crashing down onto the floor. His eyes snapped past the living room to the door and I looked at him in confusion. "Stay here."

"What's going on?" I stood up, following him as he strode to the window in the living room and peeked outside. I looked around him, just seeing the trees as my curiosity grew. What had him so tense all of a sudden? "What is it, Syn?"

"I- uh," he stuttered, turning around to face me and grabbing my shoulders. "There's something I haven't told you," he said. "The reason why I've been acting so strange— the reason why I haven't been able to sleep."

Oh?

"What is it?"

"Aiden managed to escape— the night I went to Drake's. I found the basement empty and the window open. I didn't tell you."

"Why would you keep that from me?" I asked.

"I didn't want you to be afraid," he said. "He's a dangerous man."

He had no reason to be saying this to me right now. I already knew he wasn't Syn so whatever he was saying wasn't for my benefit...it was for his. I thought silently, seeing the panic in his eyes as he looked down at me. All of this happened the moment that we brought Aiden into this house— he sent Paris and Syn to Drake's and all of a sudden Syn came back alone acting like this.

He was the start of everything happening right now and this person in front of me had no reason to mention Aiden...

Unless...

I didn't hear him come into the house that night— if there was a portal he would've been weaker and if he used the front door, I would've heard him come in.

He was already inside the house...

"Aiden..." I said slowly.

"Yes." He nodded quickly. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about him. I didn't want to scare you."

I sucked in a breath, my mind going a mile a fucking minute as I looked at him- pieces beginning to fall in place. The scaring me, crumpling up of his shirts, the messiness...squeamishness with blood...Aiden.

Fucking Aiden.

"I'm only telling you now because I need us to be careful," he said. "Aiden isn't...he's not like us. He's more powerful than I could've foreseen and he has the power to be anyone."

I raise a brow. "Be anyone? What does that mean?" I asked.

"I will answer all your questions later," he assured me, rubbing my arms and I remained tense.

"Why tell me all this now if you weren't prepared to tell me everything?" I asked.

"Because we have a visitor." His jaw clenched. "And I need you to be cautious with people that aren't me."

Yeah, right. A knock sounded at the door and I looked past him towards it as irritation filled his features. "Who's here?" I walked past him and he sighed. I wasn't expecting anyone but I was beyond relieved for anyone to be here. Even a mailman would've sufficed but judging by his reaction and how tense he was— I knew it was someone more important than that.

I unlocked the door, twisting the knob open as I felt him move behind me and I cringed. I opened the door and froze, my eyes landing on the woman I despised more than anyone on this planet, and her mouth spread into a nervous grin. "Hi." She waved with her free hand- her other hand wrapped around a suitcase and shopping bags.

"How the fuck are you here?" I snapped, stepping past the threshold in front of her and I felt the stranger's arms move to my waist in an effort to hold me back and I pushed him away. "Answer me, Lilith!"

"Well." She rocked on her heels, looking behind me. "Syn invited me," she said. "He said you've been feeling down and could use your mother- I was so glad to get the call yesterday. I always take the chance to be there for you in whatever way I can." She pulled me into a hug and confusion filled every crevice in my body. I knew she was alive, but I could've sworn she was being held captive.

"Thank you for calling me, Syn," I heard her say to him as she pulled away.

We didn't have service...

"Y- you're welcome," he said. Moments ago he looked on edge, peeking out of the window as if an intruder has stepped onto his property. But now he knew— he invited her? No. That didn't make a lick of sense.

He had told me all about "Aiden", unknowingly revealing his identity to me— his rant- no, his nervousness was genuine. Probably the only genuine thing about him since he'd approached me a couple of days ago. He wasn't expecting this.

He was playing along just like I was.

"You invited her here?" I looked over my shoulder at him.

He nodded. "Well, like she said. I've noticed you've been down and thought she could cheer you up."

"Yes," my mother said. "Because we've been working on our relationship."

"Exactly," he agreed. My eyes moved to Lilith and she gave me a tense smile, her eyes pleading with me to play along and I nodded slowly. I looked back over my shoulder at him and before I could say anything, he spoke. "Or I could get rid of her instead."

Interesting choice of words.

"No," I said quickly, taking Lilith's luggage from her. If it were anyone else, I would've slammed the door on them and pretended I didn't want them here. To protect them. It was becoming clearer by the day that I was in more danger than I realized and if anyone deserved to be collateral, it was her.

"Come on in. I'm thrilled that you're here."

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