Chapter Ninety Three - Bullseye - Maya's POV

My eyes widen when I hear his threat. I scoot back a little more, but there is only so much more room I have to go before I meet the outside wall. By the time I stand and reach for the windows, he'd probably have his hands around my throat and drag me back to finish the job. 'You fear me?" He asks as another thump from his boot on the floor jars me. 'Good. Be afraid of me. Maybe you're smarter than you look after all." 'Damian will –" I choke. Words refuse to come out. With how Simon looks at me I know it's pointless, but some little part of me wonders if he's bluffing. Damian wouldn't leave me unguarded if he had to go anywhere on the estate. The guards have to be outside the door. 'Keep looking at the door, hoping for someone to answer you or check. But here's the thing. Why would they when you are with me, the trusted beta? Think about it, Maya," he claims, his voice steady and certain. I tremble as I keep scooting back until my back hits the wall. This is it. This is the moment I finally meet my end, but if I do, so do they. 'If I die, you do too. The curse will take over. Think about that," I warn. 'See, there's a catch. Damian's father wasn't too far off. You see, the original curse was cast because the brothers killed each other, but there is a buried secret not many know about. It happened again a few hundred years later to another set of twin alphas. Damian thinks he and his brother are the first and so do most. It's not well known at all. But if the brother who isn't swallowed by darkness kills the one who does, then we are saved until it starts all over again." 'No, you're lying to me," I whisper. My heart hammers in my chest as I take him in. From down here on the floor, he is even that much more intimidating. My gaze lands on his hands, watching them clench at his sides. One squeeze and he could break me. 'Why? What do I have to lose by lying to you? Why would I?" He bursts out laughing. 'Sure, everyone has their thoughts about it. But it's a cycle, just like everyone else. There are layers you uncover and the thing is, Damian wants to accept it as the straight forward riddle it is. The one bound by blood and the one bound by fate. Well, life isn't always that simple and you aren't falling in love like you're supposed to." 'It's all lies," I say, tears burning behind my eyes. 'Oh, it would be nice if life was like a fairytale, but it's not. This time, it's brutal and cold like most of the paranormal world," he says, then pauses. 'Get up. Clean up your face." Slowly, I look up, but I don't dare fight back or say anything. Instead, I do just as he requested and wipe my face with my hands before standing up. 'If he asks, I came to light the fire. That's it." Simon moves back toward the door, and I instantly freeze. It's then I realize he must have heard him coming down the hallway. The door opens a second later, Damian taking a step inside. Simon has his hand outstretched like he was reaching for the doorknob to leave. 'Simon, what are you doing here?" He asks, sounding surprised. 'I came to check on Maya. She was cold, so I started the fire." Damian looks at him, then at the fireplace, then at me. He seems to accept the answer, though he looks a bit skeptical. 'Good. You may want to check on the others. Most seemed to be doing well, but I will be tied up for the next few hours." Simon dips his head before heading out of the room. I tremble at the thought of what Simon said. I know I should tell Damian, but if I do, then Simon may kill him after the curse is broken. 'You look nervous. Did he say something to you?" I chuckle low under my breath, trying to squash down the fear threatening to choke me. 'No, nothing other than the others got hurt. It was just Simon being Simon." Damian doesn't buy it for one second. He closes the gap between us, his hand gently reaching out to cup my cheek. 'What else did he say?" 'Nothing, Damian. It's truly nothing." He turns toward the fireplace and notices a piece of paper floating in the air. It's on fire and charred black, so it's not like he can tell what it is exactly other than paper. 'Why did he burn paper?" 'To get the fire started?" I can't lie to save my life and now I know for a fact I will never be able to pull it off. Damian whips his head around to stare at me. 'You're lying. What did he do?" I swallow hard, my mouth instantly going dry. 'Well, there was a piece of paper inside the clock." Damian sucks in a breath, but doesn't act surprised. 'You found my grandfather's note." I blink. 'What?" 'You found his note explaining things. Is that what is in the fireplace now?" I nod. 'Yes, because Simon took it from me and burned it. But the better question is if you had that all along, why did you use that to show everyone what the answer was?" He looks down, completely defeated. 'I already did once. Simon wasn't around when I did, so he must have thought by burning it, he'd force something. But why him? Is he the mole?" My eyes widen as I hear those words. 'You suspect him?" He glances up, barely meeting my gaze. His eyes glow golden. 'I knew there was someone here coordinating with everyone outside our territory. The day we found him in the office, I suspected something was going on, but he is my trusted beta. Now I know it has to be him or Luce." 'Luce? Are you sure?" One brow arches. 'She is like a glowing neon sign of trouble. Just put a bullseye on her forehead because she's probably right there with him."