The Company of Fiends (Tempting Monsters, #2)

by Kathryn Moon

And there was a kind of power in being able to say no without any consequence, not even a cold shoulder.

"I want to be erased," I breathed, blinking up at him. "Never," Antin murmured back. "But you can be remade."

"I'm not eager, Hazel. I'm desperate. Desperate for you to listen to me, for me to finally quit being such a coward. Desperate to touch you, kiss you, watch you falling apart in my arms again." His voice was torn, agonized, all three eyes pinning me in place with tangible gutting, like he'd just thrust a sword through me, to the wall. "Desperate to apologize, and desperate for you to forgive me. Desperate to know if…if it even matters."

"Then he should be terrified of me. I am both," I said, lifting my chin in pride.