Page 92 of Forsaken
She turned her attention back to him as hereleased her shoulder and leaned away from her. The sorrow etchinghis face created pinched lines around his mouth as red flickered inhis eyes. The idea of her leaving tormented him, but she suspectedhewouldlet her walk out the door.
Her feet remained frozen in place. She didn’tunderstand why, but she couldn’t do that to him.
He loved her. The realization hit her like ahammer between the eyes. He’d said he did, but now she saw thatlove etched onto the planes of his handsome face. Hereallyloved her, and he was terrified of losing her. He might be moreterrified of losing her than she was of letting him into herhead.
Unable to resist touching him, she cradledhis cheek in the palm of her hand. “If I let you into my mind, willI understand everything?”
“I hope so. I told you to remember everythingwhen I said you could, but something could have gone wrong, or Imight have buried your memories so deep that I can’t set them freeagain. However, I’m going to do everything I can to unleashthem.”
“Then do it.”
Julian bent to kiss her hands before placinghis palm against her uninjured cheek. Pride swelled inside him ashe took in the steely determination on her face. “You are sostrong.”
Aida’s mouth parted on a breath, and feelinglike she’d taken a shot of whiskey, a warm, fuzzy feeling spreadthrough her insides. She hadn’t survived the island by being weak,but for some reason, hearing Julian say she was strong turned herinsides to goo.
Julian’s smile faded as his power swelledinside him until it filled his cells and swirled up through hisbody. He kept his eyes locked on hers while he pushed his power outto take control of her mind. He hated doing it as much now as hehad the first time, but the desperation driving him now hadn’t beenthere before.
“You are to remember everything I told you toforget. Remember me telling you that only I could set your memoriesfree again, and Iamsetting them free. Remember me, Aida,and everything we’ve shared. Remember our love and everything Itold you to forget.”
Instinctively, Aida tried to resist himtaking control of her mind, but her walls toppled beneath the waveof power he emitted. She lost herself to the beauty of hislapis-colored eyes as memories rushed over her. Caught up in thetsunami of emotions and images battering her, she lost her abilityto breathe as the truth replaced everything she believed sheknew.
How could she have forgotten so much? Howcould the life she’d believed she lived for these past few weeks beso different than what it truly was?
The power he possessed and the way he soeffectively changed her memories caused goose bumps to erupt acrossher flesh. Yes, she’d given him permission to invade her mind, andshe would do it again if it meant keeping him safe, but thisability unnerved her. She needed a few minutes to orient herself.Screw minutes, it would probably be years before she made sense ofall this.
Aida looked a little green again, and whenJulian went to hug her, she held up a hand to keep him away. “Justgive me some time.”
His hands fell to his sides as frustrationand apprehension warred within him. She agreed to let him into hermind, but was it the final straw? She’d dealt with so much fromvampires over the years and suffered far more at the hands of themthan any mortal should. She loved him, but had he driven heraway?
Aida leaned forward and put her head betweenher knees again. Her stomach revolted when she recalled Gerald’sviolation of her mind and what he made her do to Julian. “I stabbedyou,” she moaned.
When Julian reached for her again, his handhovered over her shoulder before he pulled it away. She’d lostcontrol of her mind and body because someone else invaded them. Nomatter how badly he ached to hold and comfort her, he would respecther wishes.
“You were compelled to do it, but you stillbroke through his control enough to fight against what he orderedyou to do,” Julian said. “Your love for me is so strong youresisted the control of a vampire. That’s an amazing feat.”
Tears burned her eyes as she recalled thetorment tearing her mind apart. She had to kill him, but she lovedhim so much the idea of doing it fractured her into a millionlittle pieces. Thankfully, she hadn’t killed him, but she’d neverforget the feel of plunging a stake through his flesh beforestriking bone.
“I’m so sorry,” she whimpered.
“It wasn’t your fault.”
Aida took some comfort in his words as hernausea subsided. Still, it was another few minutes before shepushed herself up to meet Julian’s troubled eyes.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
Aida leaned forward and, clasping his handsin hers, squeezed them. “I’m okay.”
“If there had been another way, I wouldn’thave taken control of your mind.”
“I know.” Aida rested her palm against hischeek as she studied the face she loved so much. “I can’t believe Iforgot about you.”
Julian turned his mouth into her palm andkissed her. “That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
She hugged him when he rested his head on herlap. “What would you have done if you couldn’t free my memories ofus?”
“I would have found a way to make you fall inlove with me again.”
“And I would have.”
