Greyson rode ahead of him, blocking him from going any further. “You’re being ridiculous. We are hours away from the border. Get back on the horse.”

  “Couldn’t have been that long,” He looked to the horizon. “The sun barely looks up.”

  “Time works differently here, than in the Human Lands.” Greyson squeezed the reigns of his horse. “You can’t trust the sun and moon. We have to use special clocks.”

  He walked around the horse. “I don’t care how long it takes. I’m going back to Dee.”

  “I already told you she’s fine.” He blocked him once more, and the horse whinnied. “If you go back now, you’ll only be putting her in more danger.”

  “Greyson,” He sighed, “You may not know when to quit, but I do.”

  “Don’t act like you’re above me.” He jumped off his horse. A muscle in his jaw feathered, “You’re running back to your little witch because you’re afraid you won’t make it in this world.”

  Maddy scoffed, taking a step back.

  Greyson continued forward. “And you’d rather let everyone else in your life control you, rather than do anything for yourself because then you’d have to actually take responsibility for your actions.”

  A dark smile formed on his lips a strange confidence washed over him. “What do you want to hear Greyson? That everyone I’ve ever cared about has died because of me? Because of what I am?!” He thought of Carrie lying on his bedroom floor, Mr. Nanabo’s cold gray eyes and Dee’s limp body in his arms. “I’m not just afraid. I’m terrified. There is a fucking monster inside of me constantly trying to break out and kill.” Tears threatened to streak down his face, but he wouldn’t give Greyson the satisfaction of seeing him cry. “And because I’m half-Fae, that automatically puts a target on my back. No matter where I go, I’m hated for who I am. And nobody hates me more than me!”

  Greyson reached out a hand to touch his face, but he swatted it away and wiped his cheek with the palm of his hand. “I know I can’t have a normal life. At this point I know, I don’t deserve it, but I’m going back, because it’s the closest thing I have to normalcy and despite all I am and done, Dee has been the only one to ever tell me it was going to be okay, that I am okay just the way I am.”

  From this close, Maddy could see every detail of Greyson’s face. From the tip of his nose to the fullness of his lashes, his features were sharp and soft in all the right places, and it was always a wonder to look into his eyes. They were beautiful, just like the rest of him, but from this close, there was something awfully sad in his gaze, and the only reason Maddy recognized it was that he often saw it in his own reflection, grief, and guilt.

  He wasn’t expecting to see that. He jerked his head and made a move to step back, but Greyson grabbed him back and pulled him in. A cool thumb grazed the thin scar along his cheek and it burned as if he’d just gotten it. His thumb continued to caress his cheek as he said, “You should be more honest with me.”

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  Fear. Genuine and unbridled fear shot through his body. He flickered down at Greyson’s lips and then back at those silver pools in his eyes, looking for something to hold on to. But taking in all of Greyson only made the pit in his stomach grow so, he twisted that fear into anger and curled his hand into a fist and threw it toward Greyson’s chest. “Did you not hear a single word I said?”

  “I did,” He grabbed his hand and used his free hand to keep Maddy’s attention on him. “But I’m not afraid of you and I’m not as fragile as you either.”

  “I-“ He sucked in a breath. Greyson’s lips were so close now all he had to do was lean in. His entire body tingled and the mark on his neck buzzed. He closed his eyes, nuzzling his face into Greyson’s hold.

  Birds chirped in the early morning and squirrels scampered across the forest floor, but nothing happened between them.

  Maddy furrowed his brows his eyes fluttered open and he gaped at Greyson’s smug expression.

  “I’ve decided,” He said, his smug smile beaming, “I want you to choose me.”

  Greyson released Maddy’s face and slowly, like a sticker on thin paper, he peeled himself away.

  Immediately cold air replaced the space where Greyson was standing, but he hardly noticed it as his entire body shook like tracks at the station, before the train arrived. He could practically hear Dee’s voice echoing in his head,

  Greyson’s eyes flickered with excitement and he let out a laugh. “Look’s like I made the right choice.”

  “Fuck you.” He glowered.

  A satisfied smile formed on his lips as he turned back to his horse, rubbing her nose. “I like it when you curse at me. Makes you actually seem normal.”

  His whole body stiffened and he turned back to the muddy path they walked on. But this wasn’t him. He didn’t punch or curse at people, and he certainly didn’t wait for them to kiss them.

  Greyson huffed. “Not this again.”

  He curled his hands into fists and shoved them into his pockets, resisting the urge to lash out. It was exactly what Greyson wanted. He continued walking, the cold biting at his toes.

  A frustrated noise came from Greyson, “If you want some space, then take it, but I’m not going to feel sorry for you like everyone else because your life is hard. You aren’t the only one who lost people they’ve loved.”

  Maddy stopped in his tracks. He’d mention he had a sister. Was she the one who died?

  “You have a choice to let this world consume you, fall in despair every time something tries to break you, or you can rise to the challenge. Look your fear in the eye and show it cannot control you.”

  “That’s easy for you to say. Your fear can’t hurt other people.” His voice was low, but he knew Greyson could hear him.

  “You’re making excuses.” Greyson’s words had made his gut twist. It made him dig deep to find something cruel to say.

  That guilty look on Greyson’s face crossed his memory and he sucked in a breath, like a snake ready to strike, but he hesitated looking at the path in front of him. There was no way he was going to make it back to Dee on his own. He’d have to figure out a different way to get to her. He looked over his shoulder to find Greyson pulling out a can of tuna and some hard-boiled eggs from his horse’s saddlebag. Hunger edged at his thoughts slowly consuming them but, he wasn’t going to let the vampire win just yet.

  “Well, we can’t all be as tenacious as you.” He said and added for good measure, “Don’t eat all the food.”

  He wanted to stay pissed off for a little bit longer, but it was hard when Greyson just kept messing with his feelings like they were dirty clothes tossed in a washer at high speed.