Chapter 24 #2
But it’s too late. Henrietta’s features soften instantly, my compulsion slipping past her defences as easily as a knife through softened butter. She smacks Edie’s hand away. “Please, come in.”
I step across the threshold, flicking my gaze to Edie. “I won’t hurt her. I won’t hurt you.”
But the instant my gaze falls to Edie’s jugular vein throbbing beneath her skin, my fangs drop, and this time I don’t bother to hide them. What would be the point?
“Tell that to your fucking teeth,” she snarls, pushing Henrietta behind her and pulling out a wooden stake from the back pocket of her jeans.
I eye it, cocking a brow. “That won’t kill me.”
She swallows hard, holding the stake aloft. “I will stab you with it. Then we’ll see if it kills you or not.”
“I’d have you disarmed before you’d even be able to puncture my skin. Don’t make this harder than it already is. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Bullshit. You drank my blood, Dorian. You lied to me about who you are, about what you are. You’ve been deceitful. You… You… I am so angry with you.”
“It was bloodlust, Edie. I couldn’t stop myself.”
“And what about now? Are you going to bite me again? Are you going to drink my blood until I pass out, or worse, until I’m fucking dead?”
“I have myself under control.” For now.
She shakes her head and laughs, her fingers curling around the stake. “I don’t believe a single thing you’re saying right now.”
“Edie. There are things we have to discuss, and I can’t do that here. Dawn will rise eventually. I don’t have time for this.”
“You think I care? I don’t. Fuck off out of here.”
“Edie, why are you shouting so much?”
Henrietta steps out from behind Edie, her body relaxed, her expression soft.
It bothers me that she’s under my spell.
I happen to like her fun, flirty nature and her fierce protectiveness of Edie.
Seeing her like this, so dazed and utterly unlike herself, makes me feel like a fucking bastard. It doesn’t stop me, though.
Nothing will stop me from taking what I want.
“Come here, Henrietta,” I say, and she sidesteps Edie, taking a step towards me.
Edie grabs her arm whilst I clasp the other. “I’m stronger than you, Edie. I don’t want to hurt Henrietta, but if you insist on trying to pull her away from me, she will get hurt.”
“You absolute bastard,” Edie seethes, dropping Henrietta’s arm.
Focusing my attention on Henrietta, I grip her upper arms gently, ducking to look into her eyes.
“Henrietta, you’re a good person, and believe me, I don’t want to do this.
But I need to take Edie away for a little while, and I can’t have you remembering why I was here, or me, for that matter.
So here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to forget you ever met me, or Logan, or Viktor, or anyone connected to us. ”
“I knew you were a fucking hypnotist. How dare you do this?”
I glance over at Edie. “I’m a vampire. I can glamour humans using my compulsion. It’s better this way.”
“Then why haven’t you glamoured me? Wouldn’t this be easier if you did?” she spits.
“Because I can’t, Edie. I can’t glamour you. Believe me, I’ve tried.”
“You wanted to twist up my memories, make me forget. This is just getting better and better.”
“It would’ve been easier, yes. But nothing about us is easy, Edie.”
“There is no us,” she yells.
Still, I notice the way she falters, her eyes filling with tears, pain and disappointment flashing across her face. Sympathy rises within me, but the sting of my tattoos reminds me what’s at stake and I cut the feeling off, turning my attention back to Henrietta.
“Henrietta, you’re going to forget Edie ever met me.
You won’t recall any conversation you’ve had with her about me.
As far as you're concerned, she’s not involved with anyone.
Edie has taken some time off work. You’re not going to question it.
Right now, you’re to go to bed, and tomorrow you’ll wake up refreshed, unconcerned. Happy.”
“Good luck with that. As soon as I’m missing from work, shit will hit the fan. They’ll come looking for me.”
“They won’t,” I reply, stepping aside as Henrietta crosses the hallway and climbs the stairs. “One of my clan will glamour whoever I need them to in order to see this through.”
“You’re going to kill me, aren’t you?” she asks, backing up as I step closer.
“No, Edie. I don’t want to hurt you,” I reply, gently curling my fingers over hers, and removing the stake, chucking it down the hallway and out of reach.
“Then what? You want to use me as your own personal blood bank?”
My nostrils flare, and my gaze flicks to the pulse beating frantically in her neck. “I won’t deny I want nothing more than to drink from you again.” Her eyes flash with fear, but not before a thread of desire flickers across them. “Do you want me to drink from you again?”
“No.” But her cheeks pinken, and my fucking cock twitches at the scent of her arousal drifting between us.
“Edie. Will you come with me?”
“You ask as if I have a choice,” she replies, backing up.
I heave out a breath. “So be it.”
Ducking down, I lift Edie off the floor, throwing her over my shoulder.
She lets out a bloodcurdling scream, and I slap her arse.
She gasps, and seizing the moment of quiet, I say, “Screaming like that will get attention from Henrietta’s neighbours.
If they come out of their homes, I will have no choice but to have Logan deal with them, and he’s already pissed off with me for glamouring Henrietta.
I wouldn’t put it past him to take his frustrations out on anyone who tries to stop me. ”
Edie immediately stills in my hold. “Fine. But I’ll walk.”