Once Bitten *On Hiatus*

𝕰𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙𝖞 𝕱𝖔𝖚𝖗

• 𝓜𝓪𝓮 •

I let my hand fall away from Zero's chest, and the moment his grip around me loosened, I took a step back. He watched me, his face still impassive.

"I forfeit," I said.

You could hear a pen drop with how silent the room went. No one moved, no one breathed, like they were waiting for me to say that I was kidding and rip Zero's head off. But we'd come to an agreement, and while I didn't trust him as far as I could throw him, the moment he burned me, it wouldn't just be me against him. He'd die the day he fucked up.

He was giving me six months for this truce. Six months would not only give him time to grow stronger, but it would make me stronger as well. And after that truce was up, he'd die. He just got to choose whether it happened sooner rather than later.

He knew I was too strong right now. That's why he was giving me six months. I didn't believe for a second that he was doing it to be nice. Zero wasn't nice. Zero was evil and manipulative. But within those six months, I could use those traits of his. 

"You what?" Titus sounded dumbfounded.

Zero linked his hands behind his back and turned, allowing Titus to see me. The moment he turned though, he plastered that sick smile on his face.

"I forfeit," I repeated.

"I don't think you understand the consequences of that choice," Titus said, speaking each word slowly like I was an idiot.

Maybe I was. The choice had been a split second decision. I hated Zero with every fiber of my being and wanted him dead more than I wanted anything else. But what good would that do when Titus could - and likely would - continue to threaten people I cared about for me to become whatever monster he wanted me to be? I could control the monster beside me. I couldn't control the one on the throne.

Not yet.

Zero wouldn't touch anyone I cared about, and that included the two next to Titus for six months. I made sure of that.

I held my hand out. "Meredith, please come here."

Meredith picked Bea up and carried her down the stairs. I watched Titus, at the way he looked back and forth between them and me, irritation flickering for only a moment before he schooled his features.

Meredith kept Bea's head turned away from the guard behind me, and I could only imagine what it looked like if she was still shielding her from it.

Titus stared at me. "You understand I cannot control what Zero does to you from this point forward, don't you?"

I shrug. "I've dealt with it this long."

He shook his head. "No, I don't think you quite understand, Maeve. If you don't follow through, I told him he could do anything he wanted with you."

Of course he did, the sick son of a bitch.

Zero tilted his head, still smiling.

I second guessed myself for only a moment. "I understand, Titus."

"Mae-"

My name was cut off by a grunt and I glanced over at Luca, who grimaced as the guard with his foot on his back dug his heel in deeper. I would have tried to stop him, but remembered what Seraph and Kite had said before we even came into the room.

Do not fight the guards. And do not fight Titus.

Titus looked on speculatively. "Okay...then, Zero. Your choice?"

I didn't look at Zero. I didn't want to. He was still within touching distance from me and it wouldn't take much to kill him if he decided to cross me. Seconds, if that.

"I'd like to let her go back to her little harem," Zero said, his voice taking on a teasing lilt. "At least for now. I need to better prepare her future living space."

I looked up at him then, narrowing my eyes. I shut off all of my thoughts, knowing anything that could tip Titus off to what was actually going on would be told to him.

Titus hummed, but Doyle smirked.

The little girl couldn't beat his son, and now she was giving up her freedom to allow him to do as he wished to her. It was written all over his smug face. That, along with a sort of pride.

Part of what Zero wanted was his father to die. During our hushed conversation where I gave him my stipulations, he also gave me his. I didn't touch his father. And I would let him kill his father when the time came. I didn't have the chance to ask why, but I honestly didn't care. If he took one person out of the game, I only had to focus on Titus and him.

And what would happen after Titus finally fell.

Titus stared at me, his eyes narrowing like he knew what my plans were before I did. Something I was learning about Titus was the fact that he was always five steps ahead of those around him. He had this whole fight planned out. He had what he was going to do with me afterwards planned out. And now that we've fucked up those plans, he was angry.

He hadn't expected me to forfeit.

And up until about five minutes ago, I hadn't expected it either.

"Alright then," Titus said. "Let them go."

Noah was the first to reach me, grabbing my arm and pulling me to him. Luca took Meredith, still keeping Bea's eyes away from the dead guard at my back.

Kite stepped up beside me, glancing between me and Zero. And beside Kite stepped Seraph, though his eyes were all for Zero. He stared straight at his old friend, his hands in his pockets, looking for all the world to be someone who couldn't care less if he tried.

He tilted his head, and Zero kept that smile on his face.

"I know what you're doing," Seraph whispered.

Zero shook his head, his smile becoming cynical. "I guarantee you have no clue."

Noah began pulling me out of the room, and I finally got to look at the guard. Blood and brain matter was pooled around his head, still dripping slowly from his ears, nose, and eyes. His face was contorted in shock, his dead and bloodied eyes staring up at the ceiling.

A breath wooshed out of me at the sight, and Noah pulled me again, forcing me to step around the pool of blood and towards the doors to the throne room.

'That was oh so very disappointing, Maeve.' Titus's voice would have made me pause if it hadn't been for a hand on my back, urging me forward. 'I'm not sure what your game is...but I will find out.'

I closed my eyes for a moment as they led me out, focusing on Titus and his heart. The moment I touched it with my mind, it was like a huge wall pushed me back and blocked me out.

I opened my eyes and looked behind me to catch the shock on Titus's face before we exited the throne room.

If I never went back there, it would be too damn soon.

*****
A/N: I'm going to be doing a little bit of "editing" for the beginning of this story soon - so just be aware you might get a few updates about it in your notifications. ❤️