“……”
“But Erica hasn’t lost faith in you just because you were frame. Part of why I was able to come to your house is because I made a huge fuss about it, but she would’ve never let me out of City Hall if she didn’t you.”
When Euphemia heard Zelaide was released, she pleaded with Erica to let her see him just once. She was hard-pressed thinking that everything would work out if she could only see him again.
She promised to follow every guideline and condition Erica laid out. Erica contemplated it for a while before giving Euphemia permission under the condition that she didn’t do anything alone and that she came back to City Hall by noon the next day. There might’ve been more scheming surrounding her sister’s permission, but Euphemia was so desperate to see Zelaide that she became blind to everything else.
“A lot of guards are stationed outside. Should be safe,” Zelaide said calmly.
He’d noticed the neighborhood and house were being heavily watched during his drive home. City Hall’s exclusive Guardian force was on guard duty. They surrounded the house without leaving a single blind spot. They were the elite of the elite all right.
“I th-think the people who brought me stuck around…” she stuttered.
“I expected we’d be under surveillance. Doesn’t matter how much you begged your sister, there’s no way she’d let ya come here alone… Honestly, it’s unbelievable she even gave you permission to come. Especially after all you’ve been through.”
“Erica knows me well enough to realize she can’t keep me locked up forever. I’ll go along with her for the time being because the situation calls for it…”
“Ya don’t seem to realize it, but I betrayed your sister’s trust. I gave in to my desires and had sex with ya,” Zelaide bitterly admitted.
Sadness filled Euphemia as she looked up at his pained face. “It’s…what I wanted.”
“No. I was weak. Can’t be called a pro now!” Zelaide spat.
“Do you regret it?” she asked.
“I wouldn’t worry so much if I did.” Bitterness contorted every angle of his face.
“Good,” Euphemia said with a slight smile.
“Nothing good ’bout it. Anyway, go back to your sister. Our contract period isn’t up yet, and I’m still obligated to protect you, but the mayor isn’t gonna care ’bout some contract after I got myself arrested.”
“But I told Erica I would become bait! I know that there’s a traitor at Biotech. This isn’t just my personal problem, but an issue that threatens the safety of Gothic City! Think about it! Biotech contains more than just Muta. We have a large supply of Night Blooms that could be turned into Nightz, and countless pathogens. It’s crazy to involve citizens to threaten me and my sister,” Euphemia huffed.
“I agree. But I’ll be the bait. Your enemy and my enemy are connected. But ya can’t be the bait, Yumi. Just go home for now.”
Zelaide’s instincts told him their enemy was extremely prideful and hated being made a fool. And most of all, this enemy believed they were in an unshakable position no matter what crime they committed.
Euphemia didn’t seem to notice that even her reunion with Zelaide was just another piece of Erica’s grand scheme. Granted, she probably didn’t expect Zelaide to actually make love with her little sister. Or did she expect it and approve anyway?
Mayor Saionji, you even used your sister as chips on the betting table. Zelaide was disgusted with Erica’s drive to do anything so long as she won.
The pervert who collected Zelaide’s sperm from the breeding lab that night knew just what kind of relationship Zelaide and Euphemia had. Through their despicable peeping, they verified their relationship and went to the extent of killing Manuela to separate them.
In the end, they would be able to cut Mayor Saionji’s credibility in half, overthrowing her as mayor once they forced her to take responsibility for hiring a murderous Beast Blood to protect her defiled younger sister. That was the nifty little scenario they seemed to be working toward.
But Erica poked holes in their plan and everything unraveled.
Sucks for you, creep. I was freed and am currently with Yumi. I can’t undo goin’ mad with love and having sex with my mate, but I can hope that provokes ’em more.
Come out, come out wherever you are. Go crazy with rage and show your true colors.
Erica probably intended to smoke out the enemy and force them to take action with this double provocation. Now that the die had been cast she wanted to quickly bring her precious family back under her wing.
“…Hey, Zel! Are you listening to me? I said I’m—” Euphemia pursed her lips at Zelaide for not looking at her. He had to avert his eyes from that adorable gesture.
“I’m listenin’. But haven’t ya had ’nough? Stay put in City Hall for a while,” he said gruffly.
“I’ll be confined like sardines in a can again if I go back,” Euphemia protested. “Erica told me not to go to work anymore… It’s to the point now where she’s even had my gerbils transported to City Hall so I can conduct my research there. She was able to negotiate with Biotech to make it happen after jumping through a lot of hoops…”
“That’s big. You can work still. Be grateful to your sister.”
“Biotech’s president was really accommodating, surprisingly. Do you know him? His name is Murakami, but to be frank, he’s not very popular at work. He’s not a bad person, but he’s always wandering around with his head in the clouds. Everyone says he’s unreliable. Plus, his hair is thinning these days. Director Burhardt is waaay more capable.”
“His hair…” Zelaide laughed under his breath.
Murakami, you’ve got quite the reputation goin’ for ya. Zelaide sympathized with Murakami, but he also learned of his hidden talent through Euphemia’s off-handed remark. Roaming around the facility looking incompetent was likely how he gathered information without anyone being the wiser.
“Director Burhardt is rumored as the most likely next president. Remember when we went to lunch with him? He’s been so kind to a new researcher like me and has been extra considerate ever since I was first attacked by Vermi. Meanwhile, President Murakami didn’t even say a word to me.”
“Hmm, I see.”
“Well, not that I care to talk to him either… Oh yeah, you met up with Wei too, right?” Euphemia asked, changing the topic.
“Yeah.”
“What did you think of him?”
“Nothin’ much. Don’t have any interest in men. But thanks. You asked him to help me, right?”
“Yes. I don’t have many friends…and I wanted to do whatever I could to help…” she muttered meekly. “I felt like I was going stir-crazy not doing anything.”
“I…” I felt the same way. Zelaide balled the hand he instinctively reached out to touch her with.
Euphemia was deliberately dragging the conversation out.
She knew she shouldn’t cause more problems for her sister than she already had. And also that she shouldn’t go out right now. But knowing that didn’t erase her desire to stay with Zelaide longer. Sure she said she was leaving, but that was with the hope he’d ask her to stay.
Don’t go—that’s what she wanted to hear.
Euphemia wanted to fight this battle with him.
But he quickly dismissed her.
“Okay, you’ve stayed long ’nough. Get ready to go. The mayor made the right decision. Stay under your sister’s protection for a while, Yumi. I’ll get in touch with ya through her if anythin’ happens. I’m not gonna let things end like this. I’ll get ’em back whatever it takes.”
“All right… But don’t be reckless… I know saying it won’t stop you, but I still need to. It hurts me to see you injured… Earlier was bad enough.” Euphemia shivered from the memory of the fresh bruises and cuts marring his handsome body. “Don’t get hurt anymore.”
“I’m fine. Cuts don’t hurt anymore. And anyway, you’d be doin’ me a big favor by staying safe, Yumi.”
Sadness seeped into Zelaide’s heart seeing his mate worry over him.
But this is for the best.
Or at least that’s what his head said. He decided to ignore his heart.
“Okay, fine…I’ll be good. Will you see me home? Since I have to go back anyway.”
“Yeah, sure. You have a whole entourage waitin’ for ya, after all,” Zelaide said with deliberate enthusiasm and shrugged.
His first attempt at cooking for someone ended in failure. This was what he got for doing something out of character. Euphemia not noticing the pot on the stove was his only saving grace.
“Say…Zel…do you like me…even a little?” Euphemia asked as her last act of resistance.
Zelaide scrunched up his face. Euphemia instantly regretted forcing him into that pained expression. She had asked a question she knew he wouldn’t answer. How could she put him on the spot when she should’ve been satisfied he called her his companion?
The truth was that she was filled with ugly feelings that made her want to question him about Palmina and his mate, but she put a lid on her egocentric envy for his sake.
“…I’m sorry. I won’t ask again…” she said in a threadbare voice.
“All I can say is that now is not the time to be thinking ’bout things like that.”
Tears glistened in the expressive eyes that looked up at him. Zelaide averted his eyes from her face before it awakened his desire again. She was irresistible. Such was a Beast Blood’s mate.
Aah, I wanna hug her. If I can’t hug her, I want to kiss her.
But even a hug would be the prelude to take-two of what happened last night. Zelaide was finally a free man. It wasn’t good for them to be together right now, no matter how difficult it was to be apart. He needed to devote his energies to securing her bright future.
“Zel? Why the scary face…?” Euphemia searched his face, worry filling her emerald eyes.
“My face is always scary,” he replied, subconsciously touching his taut cheek. There was a sharp gleam in his silver eyes.
Come and get me, ya cowards. I’ll take ya on.
“I’ll drive you… Go get your coat,” the Beast Blood said brusquely without looking at his mate.