The Shadow's Son Read Online Free PDF

place to be talking about these things. Let's go and we can talk about it."
    "That's the problem," he said, looking at his hands. "I can't think straight around you."
    She stood up and held out her hand.
    He sighed and took it, allowing her to pull him up. "You can talk your way out of anything."
    "Not with you."
    " Especially with me."
    She led him by the hand from the bar, blindingly aware that Tristan's eyes followed their departure. She would have to question him later.
    They lingered on the dark street around the corner from the bar, memories of her first night in Ashburton in a hundred and fifty years flashing through her mind. That lane to their right, that was where she'd saved Zac's life from a pack of werewolves that had jumped him. She'd lost control and tore them into tiny little pieces.
    "It's complicated," Aya said, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had cropped up between them.
    "Explain it to me, Aya, because I obviously don't understand." He used her name condescendingly and it hurt.
    "How can I explain it, when I don't understand myself? I love you," she said, almost pleadingly. "Please."
    "Really?" he shook his head. "I can't think straight for want of you, Aya. You drive me mad. Why won't you let me touch you? What are you afraid of? That I'm going to end up like the werewolves you so unashamedly ripped apart?"
    "No!" Except that was exactly it.
    "Then what?"
    She looked at the vampire she'd fallen so madly in love with and pushed away the uncomfortable thought that she was driving him mad, that their love was driving both of them mad. The pain and confusion on his face tore her apart and she didn't know what to do. She couldn't just give herself to him. All their problems wouldn't just magically disappear if she did. It would tear them apart.
    "Your silence speaks volumes," he snorted.
    "You won't touch me again, will you?" she whispered as he looked away into the darkness. That was something she was afraid was going to happen and it looked like it was going to anyway.
    "It's not about that and you know it."
    "Zac..."
    "What aren't you telling me?" He snorted, shaking his head when she didn't reply. "What can I do if you won't say anything? Whatever it is it's obviously screwing this up, Aya."
    "I-I don't…" Why couldn't she say it?
    "You don't trust me."
    She looked up at him with wide eyes. "Of course I do."
    "No. You don't. If you did, then we wouldn't be having this conversation."
    He was right. For the first time in her life, Aya was lost for words. Zac was the only one who had ever had the guts to call her out. She'd walked through two thousand years building a reputation for brutality and unrelenting chaos. She was someone who was feared and here was Zac pulling her back down to earth. Aya had never felt so small in all her life. And it was a feeling she deserved.
    "What's changed?" he whispered, his green eyes searching hers. "For the life of me, I can't work it out."
    She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but nothing came out. A strange sensation stung her eyes and she realized she was fighting back tears. Zac didn't seem to care and without a word, he turned and took a few steps then disappeared into the night.

 

 
    Deep down, Zac knew that something had been wrong for a while. Aya hadn't been the same since she had woken after her wounds had healed from her fight with Arturius. He'd disregarded her aversion to their intimacy and trusted her to work it out. He didn't want to think about it. Instead, like the fool he was, he let it fester until it pulled them apart. He'd finally told her exactly how he felt and she had pushed him away. Again. He shouldn't be surprised, but it didn't stop it from hurting any less.
    It wasn't about sex, not by a long shot. Even he wasn't that much of an ass. It was about trust. Always had been. She was hiding something and didn't trust him enough to just confide in him. Whatever it was- whatever - he would stand by her, he'd help her.