I watch when Klevon opens his eyes. He seems confused, and when he gets up, he groans in pain. I approach and lean over him.
"You got wounded yesterday, Klevon," I say. "You need to take a rest."
His eyes focus on me, and he beams. "Well, good morning to you too, beautiful," he greets.
I sigh. "It's not morning. It's already nighttime. I just had my dinner."
His eyes travel around. We are back in the inn, but Inanna stayed with Gezer and Ninus at the underground library. The inn is in the closest village to the library. The room has double beds and a single window where moonlight shines through.
"And the three vampires?" he asks.
"At the library," I answer.
He tries to stand up, but his arms tremble. "Damn! That Bryer got me really good. How about my weapons?"
"There," I say, pointing at his sword and whip. There are also a couple of knives and firepower. "You got a couple of them hiding in your clothes. Thankfully, I didn't trigger any of your bombs."
He grins. "You dressed me up."
My lips turn up. "No. I asked for help from the male servants."
"It's your chance. You should have taken the opportunity."
I hit his forehead, and he stumbles into his bed. "Idiot. You are weak, so stop flirting already."
I get away from him and say, "I will get your dinner."
"Kaiya," he calls. "I can feel magic around me. Did a healer check on me?"
"Yes, to ensure that you won't turn into a mindless monster," I answer and close the door.
I return to our room with food for Klevon and a fresh pot of tea. After placing the teapot on the wooden table next to him, I settle beside him as he eats his food, not saying anything. I feel like I need to tell him, though I'm not sure how I would start.
"How are you feeling?" I ask instead.
He looks at me and chuckles. "I'm fine," he answers before taking a sip of tea from his mug. "I actually like this. You taking care of me… I think I would like Bryer to injure me again."
I smile back at him. "Good." I take a sip of tea and set down the cup on the table before turning towards Klevon with a severe face. "Now, let's talk about this."
He scoffs. "About what?"
"About me saving you and keeping you from becoming a monster."
He chuckles softly. "Well, if you say it that way, I suppose I almost turned into a vampire?"
"You did. Thankfully, Inanna is there and can cleanse you up."
He smirks. "I think I should thank her for that."
"You should."
"And where is she?"
"She's quite busy with Ninus and Gezer."
"What about them?"
"Inanna is using her magic to fix their souls. Bryer damaged it when he drank their blood."
"Oh, I'm glad mine didn't get damaged," Klevon says with a sigh.
"Again, you should thank Inanna."
He stops talking and I take a long pause before I take another sip from my cup of tea. With each passing second, I feel the weight of the conversation increasing. There is still one more thing that I need to bring up.
"Kaiya?"
"What is it?"
"You remember what we discovered in the library, right?"
I sigh and place my cup down on the table. I look at him, grateful that he opens up the one point of conversation that I dread about. "I will not become your lover, Klevon."
He tilts his head at me. "Because of the mate bond?"
"Yes."
"And if you break the mate bond with Theo?"
My heart sinks at the thought of hurting him, but I can't help but feel like it will be necessary soon. Tears sting my eyes and I whisper, "I don't want to hurt him."
"Even if he is hurting you?" he whispers.
Klevon takes my hand and places a kiss on the back of it. I look down at his hand that is holding mine.
"Klevon, to tell you the truth. I also think that it's better to fall in love with someone else. You, for example. But right now, I can't stomach being a lover to someone other than Theo."
"That's fair." He smiles at me without releasing my hand. "But with the events unfolding, you must make a choice."
I swallow hard because it's what I have thought as well since we discovered that portrait.
"I would like you to know that I will not force you. I will not put pressure on you to love me. Even if you choose Theo over everything else, I will support you. However..." he squeezes my hand. "If you changed your mind and decided to cease being a vessel the way we learned about, I will always be here."
I clench my fist. "I think that being your lover will be my last resort. I will look for ways to escape being a vessel without using your affections. I've done it with Theo before. And as you can see, it's not a good idea."
He nods. "Good." He takes my hand in his and kisses it softly before releasing it. "At least, I am able to confess what I feel for you, even without the mate bond."
I smile at him and stand up. "Once you are all healed, let's check up on Inanna. And if anything happens, call me. I'm just outside."
"Kaiya, will you stay here with me? Besides, you have nothing to do outside, anyway. Let's talk more."
I look at him, and after weighing my options, I sit back on the edge of his bed. I place my hands on my lap and ask, "Okay, what do you want to talk about?"

**********************
I spent the next few days with Klevon and his recuperation. I help him around, although sometimes I think that he's already doing okay, and he is just prolonging my agony of supporting him.
I am taking a couple of clothes from the cabinet when suddenly Klevon hugs me from behind. I freeze as he leans his chin on my shoulders.
"Klevon, get off of me," I say.
"You just got out of the shower? You smell good."
I groan. Lately, he's been persistent with both flirting and courting. Too much for telling me that he's not expecting me to love him back.
I close the cabinet and turn to face him before pushing at his chest. However, he shivers at the slight touch. I grimace when I realize that he's half naked and his skin is warm to the touch.
"Why are you shivering?! I am not doing anything!"
He takes my hand, kisses it, and whispers, "That's the point, Kaiya. You don't need to do anything."
Then, he traps me against the cabinet and kisses me on the side of my neck before whispering, "What do you think? Do you want to get naughty with me?"
I push at him, but he holds me tighter. I am getting embarrassed by the way I huff as I push him away from me.
"You are enjoying this again!" I remark, which he answers with a laugh. "I think you are well enough to visit Inanna and the rest!"
"Ah, no," he says. He pulls back from me and sits on the edge of the bed again. "I might seem okay, but I am still too weak to fight."
"But last time, you were dying and were already okay after just three days!"
"That's only because we are in Pitchford. I am in my element there."
"We are in Owusu, your homeland!"
Klevon guffaws. "So, I guess you don't plan to give back to Theo the pain you suffered from him before? Like what you said to me before while we were in Duran?"
I scoff and walk over to my bed. "What does that have to do with all your flirting?!" He is just turning this around.
He smirks. "Do you think he can bear to hurt you if he feels the pain you have felt?"
I scoff and sit on the edge of my bed. "Klevon, are you telling me to cheat on him? By using you?" I ask, finally understanding what he meant.
"Cheat on him?" He laughs. "You said it before. You are not even together. It just happens that your mate bond is still active."
"You carnal, obscene mage hunter! You just want to have sex, didn't you?! If you want it so much and you are too weak to look for a woman, I will find a woman for you."
He stands before me. I look up at him and I swallow in intimidation. "Why would I need to look for someone, when you are right here with me?" he asks, before he kneels in front of me and pulls my head to him.
Then he kisses me.