Read Master of Miasma (The Valhalla Series) for Free Online Page B

in his eye and exhales death into the atmosphere. “Don't look back, look forward. The past has no purpose other than to be a catalyst to change our status quo. Trust me, you'll never be in that situation again. T'ach'aa don't run away from their problems, we solve them with honesty and integrity.”
    Dropping my spoon so it clangs a dull ping into the brown stoneware bowl, I turn my ire on him, “Macala, you are not helping! Guy fucked me over and you ruined my hand! Men suck!”
    Shoving his chair into scraping murderously out from under the table he stands, his arms flaring up in helplessness, “What must I say? Go face him so he can humiliate you? That's bullshit, Emma. You're so much better than him! Leave the trash where it belongs because it stinks! As for your hand, I refuse to apologize.”
    His eye is glowing again and I can't help but keep looking at it. Seeing my attention on it he plants his fists on the table to lean in, “Go on, look at it. I'm a freak like you! You're not alone Emma, you're one of us!”
    Anger is radiating off him and he ducks his head, giving me an eyeful of spiky soft looking hair, doing something I can't see with his hand. Dramatically he drops two contact lenses in front of my bowl and stares at me with challenge oozing. “Read my eye. What do you see?”
    I'm drawn to it as if cursed by his order. Watching what he sees in me is a revelation. It plays out interminably, him seeing Guy steal away with Des, guilty and obviously in lust, to me being observed, a lot, over and over and over... alone at the FF. Dancing alone, me alone in my cabin crying myself to sleep, sobbing until my pillow looks like an oil spill. Diving deeper, to the aura inside me, the galaxy hiding in my irises that I didn't even know was there, to watching me sitting in the tree behind the den reading a paranormal romance - alone. God I am such a fucking loser!
    A slam bumps my soul right out of my body, his hand on the table after pounding it registering belatedly because my bones are breaking under the pressure of surprise again.
    “If you think that again Odin fucking help you girl.”
    “ Leave me alone!' I shout, skidding my chair out, tears glistening my eyes in fright.
    Before I can flee I'm snared as I exit halfway out of my chair and hurled up against the hardest wall in history, locked there in a bitter grip. His breath is shaking out of him, blowing in my eyes when he leers so close I'm blinded by the brightness in his left eye.
    “You fuck with my sanity, Emma. I refuse to stand by while you berate yourself for trusting, for making mistakes. Open your eyes and see what's right in front of you!”
    “ A maniac,” I whisper without thinking.
    I think I'm going to faint from the pain of his fingers pinning me to the wall, from my heart so terrified it's trying to exorcise.
    He drops me as suddenly as he caught me. Turning away, jamming hands into his pockets, he walks stiffly to the open plan exit into his bedroom and whatever else I haven't seen yet because there's no light in those nooks. “I'll see you in the morning. You can stay in this room tonight. I'll be close enough if you need assistance.”
    I can't find words, my voice is scratching to climb out of my throat, guilt making me want to apologize, but before I can find the courage I'm alone.
    At least he knows the word fuck. He's spent some time in the trenches then. Slopping back into my chair at the table I finally cave into the overwhelming desire to weep. The reasons are too numerous to list, but I'm ashamed, confused, and heartbroken.
    He never told me about dad.
    I insulted him.
    Passion rises in the brave when faced with a challenge. It's clear he's trying to rescue me from myself, but maybe I'm just a lost cause.
     
     
    I sit and cry for a good half hour before using the paper napkin to dry my eyes and blow my nose, resolute.
    I'm not interested in this new dynamic. I'm better off alone. I'd rather be by myself because at least then