“I mean it, Don.”
“As do I, Little Warrior.”
Vince looked up, eyes wet. “It wasn’t my fault, was it?”
He was thinking of what had happened on Xome. I’d caught the occasional stray thought that he was culpable in his assault because he hadn’t fought hard enough or long enough, and now, I was being able to see the entire scope of his thoughts. How this entire situation was something Vince blamed himself for, which was utterly false.
I cupped the back of his head. “None, and I mean absolutely none, of this is your fault, Vince. You were taken. You were hurt. You survived. You are not to blame for what others did to you.”
His breath sped up and his hand fisted on my chest. “It wasn’t my fault.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
He was practically panting as he said again, “It wasn’t my fault.”
I didn’t think Vince was talking to me anymore.
The first tear slid down his cheek. “None of this was my damn fault. None of it.”
Tugging him closer, I kissed his forehead. Vince shivered. A sob broke out of him, and I kissed him again. More tears landed on my chest as Vince wept, curling against me.
Chapter 24
Halfway there.
I was sitting with Seth while he talked to the gathering of humans. Brad, Camden, Roman, and Pierce were firmly on Team Human, and I thought there were a couple of other people coming toward their side. I wasn’t, as much as Caleb protested, but I supported Seth. Also, I was attempting to leave my room and do something. I mean, I was reading now and staying out of my bed, but I was trying to engage as much as I could.
After telling Seth I loved him and everything that had happened, our relationship had gotten a ton easier.
In an effort to move past Xome or at minimum accept what had happened to me, I’d started talking to Camden and Pierce. They’d both been in brothels like me, and our experiences weresimilar. I wasn’t cured, but it helped. They’d already made a support group of sorts and invited me to join.
I’d been almost hurt they hadn’t asked me before, but they hadn’t wanted to impose. I’d held myself apart from the other humans from Xome and clung to Seth and Teddy or stayed in my room. I told myself I wouldn’t have come earlier even if they’d asked, and it was true. I hadn’t been ready to talk. Hell, I still wasn’t ready, but this was something that I needed to do.
Don spent every night in my room now, but we hadn’t done anything, even kissing had been minimal. I felt insanely guilty that I clung to him, but I didn’t want to lose him. He was mine. For now.
My eyes flicked to Teddy, who was across the table. He hadn’t spoken to me much since I’d told him I was going home. I hadn’t even told him about what happened on Xome. I should’ve; I needed to, but it was hard. I didn’t want to dump my trauma on him when he was lugging around his own. But he was my friend, and I didn’t want him to think I was abandoning him.
Teddy spoke up for the first time, “We won’t have to touch the Crystal, right? I don’t fucking want to.”
“I have spoken to the Cohort, and no one will be forced,” Seth informed us. “You will be soul tested, but you don’t have to touch the actual Crystal.”
He frowned at the soul testing bit, but his shoulders relaxed.
I was right there with Teddy. I didn’t want to know who my soulmate was, or if I even had one. Honestly, anyone besides Don would piss me off. Besides, I was going home. It would hurt whoever my soulmate was.
And knowing my luck, it would be someone like Mindy, and I would hurt Teddy. That was literally the last thing I needed. Also, Mindy. I shuddered at the sunshine man who bounced around with Caleb, the two of them laughing like idiots whileTeddy and I shook our heads. I couldn’t handle that, nor would I want to.
“Anyone who wants to touch the Crystal and seek their soulmate can,” Seth said. “I can explain the process.” No one said anything, so Seth added, “We can also talk in private if anyone is feeling shy.”
Seth gripped my hand, and I pulled it onto my lap, smoothing my fingers over his palm. He struggled with this whole leader thing, but god, he was good at it.
“It’s time for your combat class,” I said, saving him.
“Right,” he said. “Does anyone want to join me?”
Teddy, Brad, Pierce, Roman, and Camden immediately jumped up.Team Human, go, I thought. A couple of others joined more slowly.
Seth looked at me, and I shook my head. I wanted some downtime. I’d been spending basically all of my time with Seth or Don, barring a few times with the other humans or Don’s family. While I needed to interact with people, part of me longed to be in my well-lit room alone.
