"So you test all the humans?"
"Yes." His voice was final. "And if they fail…"
"They die."
"They're simply eliminated before the natural order of things happens. Eventually they die. Take Mason's mate, for example. Lovely girl, obsessed with the wolf — dead."
My eyes burned with unshed tears. "Ara…" I hated saying her name. "She didn't love Ethan."
"In her selfish heart, I believe she thought she was in love with him. She loved him in the best way she knew how. She loved herself more."
I nodded, sadness piercing my chest, making it hard to breathe.
"More questions, or shall I simply touch you and be done with it?"
Ignoring him, I shoved another book in its place. "Stephanie says you aren't bad."
He said nothing.
I thought he'd left, but when I glanced over. He was staring into the space above my head as if in a trance. "Stephanie." Her name sounded different on his lips. But as soon as he'd uttered it, he closed his eyes and shook his head as if he didn't want to talk about it anymore.
"I'm not bad." His eyes turned white. "But I'm not good either."
"What? So you just hang out in the middle?"
"When it suits me." He smiled then stood. "Tell me, do you believe yourself strong enough to resist a Dark One's touch?"
"I did before." I stepped back from him. "Before I was mated to Ethan."
"His blood makes you strong. His mark… stronger than before." Cassius tilted his head. "But the human heart is the strongest of all. It surpasses all immortal claims."
"My heart is my own."
Cassius sighed, his eyes sad. "And that is the problem with humans, is it not? They continuously lament not being able to find love, and when they do, they still refuse to relinquish their most prized possession. Oh, they give their bodies, their souls, but their hearts?" His chest almost grazed mine. "They keep for themselves."
"Why?" I blurted.
He stilled, tilting his head to the side, making himself look more predatory, like an animal ready to pounce. "Fear."
A gasp escaped my lips.
"Fear," he repeated, "is not welcome here."
And suddenly my world made sense.
"I wonder," Cassius whispered, his breath freezing the air in front of me, "when the time comes, will you also choose yourself? Give into fear, or finally sacrifice the one last shred of humanity you have in order to gain immortality?"
I opened my mouth to answer.
"About done?" Drystan called then appeared around the corner.
My lips were freezing, probably blue, but Cassius was nowhere to be seen.
"Genesis?" he repeated. "Are you alright?"
"Yes." I found my voice. "Fine. I'm almost done."
"Good."