Chapter 99: Not a Dumb Goldfish

Blair power-walked toward the nearest elevator, keeping her head down.

She navigated the crowded hotel lobby with rigid, desperate movements, doing everything in her power not to bump into anyone or draw a single ounce of attention to herself. But she was a human. In a sea of apex predators, her scent alone was a beacon.

Suddenly, three tall fox beastmen stepped into her path.

Blair gasped, halting in her tracks. The beastmen smirked, effectively boxing her in.

But their smug expressions vanished instantly. The three foxes scrambled backward, tripping over their own feet to get out of the way as a arm draped casually over Blair’s shoulder.

Blair froze. Every muscle in her body locked up. Hesitantly, she raised her head.

Her wide, terrified gaze met a pair of bright, ocean-blue eyes. The man standing beside her had long blue hair, with expensive pearls and sparkling diamonds adorning the casual, stylish clothes he wore.

Blair’s stomach plummeted into her shoes. She recognized him instantly. It was the fish beastman she had encountered in the woods. He ate other beastmen; that was the part she remembered the most clearly. He was a Ghoul Fish beastman.

Her body stiffened like a board, her heart pounding a frantic rhythm against her ribs.

"Of all the places I thought we’d meet again," Jasper purred smoothly, a charming smile stretching across his lips, "here wasn’t one of my guesses."

Blair didn’t say a word. She stiffly walked with him toward the elevator, trapped under the weight of his arm. All around them, the crowd of beastmen began muttering and whispering among themselves.

Blair kept her gaze glued firmly to the floor as they walked. How will I get out of this? her mind screamed in panic.

They stepped into the elevator, and the doors slid shut, cutting them off from the lobby.

Blair was still tucked tightly under his arm.

"I don’t remember if I told you before," he started, his voice light and melodic, "but my name is Jasper. Jasper Silver. What is your name?"

Blair didn’t answer. She kept her mouth clamped shut. All she could think about was the horrific image of him tearing into the flesh of that feline beastman in the dirt.

Jasper frowned, his cheerful demeanor faltering just a fraction. He looked down at her pale, trembling face. "You don’t have to be afraid of me," he told her softly. "I won’t hurt you."

He tilted his head. "I saved you from those beastmen in the lobby. Don’t I deserve to at least know your name?"

Blair squeezed her eyes shut. She took a deep, shaky breath to steady her racing heart. "Thank you for saving me," she said quietly.

Jasper removed his arm from her shoulders. He let out a low hum, crossing his arms over his chest. "I’m not used to getting ignored by a female," he confessed, sounding genuinely baffled.

He selected a button on the elevator panel. "We should get to know each other over drinks," Jasper suggested smoothly.

"I don’t drink," Blair told him instantly.

The elevator chimed, and the doors slid open.

Jasper grabbed her wrist and pulled her along behind him into a quiet, empty pub.

"I wasn’t asking," Jasper told her, his grip firm but careful.

Blair didn’t dare argue with a cannibalistic monster. She let him lead her to the self-serve bar counter and obediently sat down on one of the tall stools.

"I really just want to be your friend," Jasper told her, stepping behind the counter. He picked up a bottle and skillfully poured a colorful liquid into a crystal glass.

He slid the drink across the counter until it rested right in front of her.

"I read somewhere," Jasper continued, leaning his elbows on the counter and resting his chin in his hands, "that the best friendships are built on the darkest of secrets that each has to take to the grave."

His bright blue eyes locked onto hers. "You know my darkest secret. I want to know yours."

Just then, the elevator doors just outside the pub chimed and slid open again. Three beastmen walked out.

A shiver ran straight up Blair’s spine almost immediately. The air in the room seemed to drop ten degrees. There was only one person in the world who gave her this terrifying feeling.

She slowly turned her head. It was the Crown Prince, Killian Lexur.

Jasper frowned, his gaze shifting past her. "We’re no longer alone," he murmured in annoyance. "You can tell me later."

Blair shrank into her seat, her mind reeling. She seriously wondered about her luck. Was everyone else born with some of it, and they just skipped me entirely? She kept her head ducked, desperately hoping he wouldn’t notice her. She prayed silently, begging God to help her just this once.

Jasper interrupted her frantic thoughts. "This isn’t fun unless you speak to me," he complained, tapping his fingers against the bar.

Blair looked at him, her eyes wide with desperation. "Can we go somewhere else?" she whispered frantically.

Jasper hummed thoughtfully. "Only if you promise to talk to me."

"I promise," Blair agreed immediately.

She hopped off the barstool and quickly slipped past the counter, rushing right back into the open elevator. Jasper followed closely behind her.

But as she stepped into the metal box and the doors slowly began to close, her eyes drifted to the side.

Her gaze locked with Killian’s.

Blair’s breath hitched sharply in her throat. The look in his piercing purple eyes wasn’t his usual cold arrogance...he looked genuinely surprised to see her standing there.

The doors finally clicked shut, blocking him from view.

Blair released a shuddering breath, her legs feeling like jelly.

"Why do you want me to be your friend?" she asked Jasper, her voice trembling.

She didn’t wait for him to answer. She just wanted him to leave her alone. "I won’t tell anyone what I saw," she swore quickly.

Jasper slapped the red emergency stop button on the panel. The elevator jerked to a sudden, grinding halt between floors.

He stepped forward, backing her right up against the mirrored wall.

"At first, I wanted to be your friend because I thought you were funny," Jasper told her, his voice losing its playful edge. "And, well, to keep an eye on you, of course."

Blair’s heart hammered against her ribs. She was trapped. Jasper’s cool fingers gently tipped her chin up so she was forced to look into his eyes.

"When we met," Jasper started slowly, his gaze intense, "it was after you were buried alive. You were badly hurt. Barely alive, with snake venom in your body."

He tilted his head, observing her flawless complexion. "But you look well. Already healed in a matter of a few weeks."

His hand traveled from her chin, his fingertips trailing lightly down the side of her neck. He brushed the skin right over the dark, bruised claiming mark Daemus had left on her.

"You were marked by a wolf," Jasper murmured. "And it’s a full moon, yet you aren’t with him. Not only that... wolves rarely mate out of their own species."

A dark, victorious smirk slowly spread across his face.

"Now," Jasper purred, leaning in closer, "I find you interesting."

He let his hand drop from her neck.

"I’m going to take a wild guess," Jasper said softly. "Your name is Blair."