Page 45 of Betrayed In Crimson
He exhales, eyes closing as it pains him. “Only you can make my name hurt like that.” His eyes open again; violet, empty. “I considered keeping you,” he says quietly. “Forever. You’d have learned to love me again. You did once.” A beat passes. “But I made a deal. A blood oath.” His jaw tightens. “So, you have to leave.”
My thoughts stutter. A blood oath? “With who?” I breathe, but he ignores it. “Look at me, Lilith.”
I do. He smiles, soft, almost sad. “Maybe in another life…” His lips hover near mine. “You’d be my queen.” Then he kisses me. And for a split second, memory, warmth, what he used to be,what I thought he was. I don’t kiss him back. He feels it and pulls away.
And something in him… settles. “You’re not mine anymore,” he says quietly.
“No,” I agree, my voice steady now. Hard. “I’m not.”
The words come faster then. Sharper. Years of buried anger are tearing loose.
“I don’t love you. I did once. stupid, naive love. But now?” I laugh bitterly. “Now I pity you. You’ve lost everyone. Your brother. Me. And you did it to yourself.”
His hand snaps out, gripping my arm as I try to pass. “I won’t be alone,” he says softly.
I shrug. “Good for you.”
That smile returns, but worse this time. “There’s someone you should say goodbye to first. A farewell dinner, perhaps.” He releases his hold on me and moves to the wardrobe, pulling out an emerald green dress. “Wear this. Dinner, then you can go.” He nods before leaving me standing there, my head a whirlwind of questions. But mainly:What the fuck is going on?
I change into the dress, the deep V cutting down near my navel. The sheer organza-style fabric barely covers me. It’s seductive, elegant, powerful; everything I’m not.
My stomach twists as Cara leads me down the hall. I don’t want to follow. I want to run as far as I can. But I don’t. I follow her. Something deep inside my gut urges me to stay, to go to this dinner.
Cara opens the doors and gestures for me to enter. The room is vast; a ballroom. And in the centre, a body. Chained. Broken. My breath catches, shattering in my throat as I run forward, dropping to my knees before him.
“Silas.”
His eyes barely open. Pain flickers there deep, consuming. “Go,” he rasps.
“I’m not leaving you,” I whisper, cupping his face.
“Go,” he grits, every word agony.
“I’m. Not. Leaving.”
“Well, this is touching,” Morbius drawls behind me. “Lilith, dinner will be served promptly. Don’t worry, I have entertainment for Silas, so he doesn’t feel left out,” Morbius instructs, clicking his fingers.
“Let her go,” Silas snarls. “We made an oath.”
“I said she can go,” Morbius replies lazily. “After dinner. I can’t send her out there on an empty stomach.” Morbius tuts, shaking his head back and forth.
My voice breaks. “You swore a blood oath… for me?”
Silas doesn’t speak. He nods. Something inside me twists painfully.
“Why?” I choke. “Why would you do that?”
“Because he loves you,” Morbius says lightly. “Has for decades. Now, if you don’t mind, dinner is served.” I’m forced back as a woman; no, their eyes are white voids of emptiness, their skin pale grey. Velmora vessel women—beautiful and naked—surround Silas. Their hands caress him, their mouths kissing along his neck. He squeezes his eyes shut, the muscles in his arms straining. I swallow, wanting to rip them from him, wanting to tear them apart for touching him. My chest tightens, but it doesn’t matter. Not now.
“You can’t do this,” I whisper, turning back to Morbius. “What are you doing to him?”
“Becoming a vessel isn’t pleasant.” He shrugs. “He’ll live. I merely thought I would make the transition more enjoyable,” he says with a smirk.
“A vessel?” My voice trembles. Silas keeps his gaze cast low.
“Come eat, let him enjoy himself.” Morbius firmly takes my elbow and guides me to the huge table. Metal wine goblets, filled with blood. Pillar candles line the centre of the table, theroaring fire behind Morbius; the entire setting is romantic. I sit, the sounds of the vessels moaning and groaning as they rub themselves against Silas. I grit my teeth, feeling sick to my stomach. “You’re looking exceptionally beautiful this evening,” Morbius compliments.
Tears sting my eyes as I look up at him. “Why are you doing this? What did I do to you for you to hate me so much?” I choke, staring at the male I had given my heart to. The male I had trusted. The male I thought even right up until this very moment still had some good in him.
