Page 14 of Betrayed In Crimson
I don’t stop her. I let her hit me, taking every blow, every ounce of her loathing, resentment, agony. Eventually, she slows and stops. She steps back, meeting my eyes.
The vibrant green in her gaze is dulled.
“Befriending you and your brother was the biggest mistake of my life. I fucking pray one day you too will suffer and feel pain like this.”
She spins and vanishes into the forest, just a blur in the dark.
Little does she know I feel it every single fucking day.
Rage surges up, hot and violent. I whirl around, wrench the door off the bird-watching shed and launch it into the forest. A roar tears from my chest as my fists slam into the wood, smashing and splintering it with vampiric strength. I don’t stop until there’s nothing left but a pile of rubble.
“He looks sad. Go say something,” Evelynn whispers.
“No. He’ll talk when he’s ready,” Lucian counters.
“You’re his friend, and he’s your VP. Go and be there for him,” she hisses.
“Evelynn, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Vampire hearing,” I call out over my shoulder.
She approaches and takes the seat beside me at the kitchen table, her sympathetic eyes searching my face.
“Sorry, I forgot. You sure you’re okay?” she asks softly.
Her sympathy is almost too much. “I’m fine,” I snap.
“Silas,” Lucian snarls in warning.
“Sorry. Just stop looking at me like I’m some lost cause,” I sigh. “I preferred it when you didn’t like me.”
Evelynn smirks. “Fine, asshole,” she says, nudging me with her shoulder.
“You know what would cheer him up?” Clutch grins as he joins us, dropping into a chair.
“Not happening,” Lucian dismisses before Clutch can say another word.
“Oh, come on. We fought the Dominion and Anathema. That deserves a celebration,” Clutch argues. He flutters his lashes at Lucian.
“I’ve seen men beg, plead and perish. I have never seen one flutter their fucking eyelashes at me,” Lucian says flatly.
“That’s because I am unique. C’mon, what do you say?” Clutch presses.
Lucian looks to Evelynn. She gives him a soft, encouraging smile.
“Fine,” he relents.
Clutch launches himself across the table and plants a quick kiss on Lucian’s cheek. “Fucking best President ever.”
Evelynn bursts into laughter, while Lucian looks one second away from ripping Clutch’s head clean off.
“We need to discuss how she turned,” Cain says as he walks in and takes a seat.
I glance at Evelynn. Her eyes flick between us.
“Lucian bit me,” she murmurs, brows knitting.
“Prez,” I warn.
He takes her hand, presses her palm to his lips. “They mean because you were dead,” he says.
