Gilded in Gold Ch. 07-08

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Tibby asked hopefully.

With a start, he noticed they were at her door. "Of course, I hate leaving you now, but soon I'll have you in my bed every single night. We'll talk. "

Tibby smiled before closing the door. But before it was fully closed, she flung it open and kissed him one last time. Knowing it would be the last time he'd ever kiss her, Xerxes let all the hidden feelings for her bloom. He showed her the gentleness he should have shown her from her beginning, letting her taste his vulnerability. He was so flawed, marred by his numerous sins and for this one moment her touch forgave him.

Tibby pushed herself away, looking reluctant but ducked back into her bedroom and shut the door.

Dazed, victory in hand Xerxes walked back to his room. He now had the outlying map of Tibby's and by extension Daniel's Mental Map. He was already in the process of uploading the data to his PACT, connecting it to the layout he had of Gianna's map. He took out his PACT and put in the premade virus to eat away the slave contract on Gianna's mind. It wouldn't completely erase the contract but it would sever the bond between her and Daniel. The only thing left to do was to completely crush Daniel's walls, which he would do after he took down Daniel's operation.

Trying not to think of the long golden hair and soothing fingers running over his flesh, he immersed himself in Daniel's destruction. After barricading himself in his room, he let Eli back into his mind to aid in creating a program to break down Daniel's walls. The virus would be an exact replica of his walls, matching up his own and destroying them. Tomorrow, he would load that to his Mental Map. They worked quietly through the night, Eli only speaking to him once throughout the long hours.

~You're despicable. You don't even deserve what Tibby gave you.~

He couldn't agree more.