Chapter 16 Faye #3
“My parents were weak,” Ian interrupted, catching his breath as the blood pouring from his eyes and nose slowed to a trickle.
“Hiding here in your precious sanctuary from their own kind, from their nature. I embrace who I am and refuse to be dictated to by a pack of witches. They gave themselves to the sun rather than accept the truth of their identity.”
Faye’s stomach sank; she hadn’t known his parents had given up their immortality. He’d always said they had left Foxford, like her own parents.
“Not everyone seeks immortality, and you certainly don’t deserve it,” Gwendoline retorted.
“Your parents came to Foxford because leaving their nest without permission from their queen was punishable by death. They didn’t want to be killers any longer.
They wanted a better life for you. You wouldn’t be alive today if we hadn’t given your family sanctuary.
Your parents were far from cowards; cowardice is hurting those you’re meant to love and protect. ”
“Lecture me all you want, but you won’t stop us from being together.
I should’ve changed her long ago, and then you wouldn’t have been able to influence her.
All I wanted was for us to be happy, but I should have trusted my instincts.
I know you better than you do yourself. You can’t live without me,” Ian hissed, wiping the blood from his cheeks.
“Your bloodlust nearly killed me. I don’t love you, and we both know that even if you change me, that won’t solve anything. You’ll just find other ways to hurt me, to control me,” Faye argued, finding her voice.
“You love me, and in time, you’ll forgive me.” The smudges of black ooze only made him look more frightening. “You always do.”
“No, I won’t.” Faye’s stomach dropped at the thought of him changing her – of never being able to leave him. She stepped back behind Gwendoline.
“Faye gave you every chance to become a better man. Without her, the coven would’ve punished you years ago.” Gwendoline snapped her fingers, and a pair of silver chains appeared in her hands.
“The other vampires in Foxford won’t allow you to do this to me,” Ian snarled.
Another snap of his jaws, and the chains were wrapped around his neck, ankles, and wrists.
Their weight brought him to his knees, and the smell of silver burning his skin filled Faye with a joy that should’ve disgusted her.
She didn’t want to take pleasure in another’s suffering, but her conscience allowed an exception for him.
“Yes, they will. They’re disgusted by the stain you’ve put on their kind.
They live peacefully among us, but you’re determined to harm the one person who loved you and defended you despite your abhorrent behaviour.
You should’ve treated her with the respect, loyalty, and kindness she deserves,” Gwendoline declared, standing over him.
“Faye! Don’t listen to this witch. You know how much I love you.” Ian turned to her. “Can’t you see how they’ve turned you against me? I admit I’ve wronged you, and I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you. Don’t I always?” he begged, struggling against the chains weighing him down.
Hearing him plead for mercy felt good.
“An apology means nothing if you don’t change.” Faye stepped closer. “All you’ve ever given me is heartache, empty words and broken promises.”
“Once this is over, we’ll be together, and we can leave this place behind,” Ian pleaded desperately. He wasn’t even listening to her – only trying to save his skin.
“I’ll never go anywhere with you. I’d rather die than end up like you or with you.”
Ian lunged toward her, but Benedict suddenly appeared and kicked him into the dirt. The vampire rolled on the ground, crying out as the silver tightened around his body.
“The coven are waiting at the temple,” Benedict said to his mum.
“Get him to his feet. We’ll escort him to the temple now that the coven is gathered,” Gwendoline said, and Benedict wrestled Ian upright.
There wasn’t much fight left him in under the weight of the silver.
“Do you want to quickly write a new statement to the coven before he’s sentenced?
Or we can use a crystal ball if you would rather make an appearance and speak to the coven directly, since magless can’t enter the temple,” she said to Faye.
“I can help you write it, or stay with you while you make your statement,” Luisa said, appearing suddenly. Faye stared wide-eyed as she took her hand. Benedict must have brought her for moral support.
“Lucinda wanted to come, but she went straight to the temple with the rest of the coven, and they’re waiting to pass judgment,” Benedict explained. “I thought you could use some company, and Luisa was with Lucy.”
“Thank you,” Faye said, grateful for the friendly face.
She couldn’t help but wish Peter were by her side.
He had a habit of turning up whenever she was in trouble, but this time it was the rest of his family who had appeared just at the right time.
“But the coven already has my earlier statement, and I’ve nothing left to say to him. ”
Still, the quiet determination in Ian’s eyes as they took him away made her feel far from safe. She wished she had let Gwendoline strangle the life out of him for all their sakes.
“Lucinda and I will update you on the coven’s decision, but I promise you can sleep easy tonight,” Benedict assured her.
Faye forced a smile, wishing she could believe him. She wouldn’t sleep easy until Ian was ash. She had expected him to be angry, but he seemed to truly believe his delusions that they would end up together and that she could still love him.
“Thank the goddess you’re okay,” Luisa said, wincing at the sight of the fang marks on Faye’s neck. “Grams will have a balm for that. We can go to Hawthorne House if you like? I’m sure she’ll still be awake. We can brew up some tea and clean up your neck.”
“Sounds like a good idea,” Faye said, touching her fingers to her bloody neck.
She was grateful that she had trusted her instincts and kept up with Grams’s elixir, or she could have been drained by Ian’s bloodlust. With the adrenaline wearing off, the wounds were really starting to sting.
She also didn’t feel like being in her apartment alone.
They waited for Ian to disappear under Benedict and Gwendoline’s guard before heading down the street towards Hawthorne House.
Once inside the temple’s warding, there was no way Ian could slip out of their custody.
Part of Faye regretted not attending his sentencing, but the other part of her never wanted to waste another second on him.
All she could do was trust the coven to protect her, as they had countless others before her.