Page 68 of Eternal Devotion
Ensley
I jumped to my feet with a shout, stool toppling, phone pirouetting off the end of the table and clattering to the floor. Unsure what to expect, I froze, only then questioning my choices. We stared at one another for a long time, neither of us speaking. His calmer demeanor was a contrast to what I’d witnessed earlier, so I didn’t panic and run or take up the fire poker—I’d left it close by in case I needed a weapon. Decades of gaming had taught me a thing or two. Never trust the undead, especially when they seduce you into bed and try to wipe your memory.
Mordecai, mildly squinting and looking as befuddled as a child who’d woken from a heavy nap, glanced at the overhead light before taking in the poker and the splintered doorframe. It seemed self-explanatory, so I let him draw his own conclusions. Yes, I’d been downstairs. Yes, I’d seen him in his… bed—I refused to think of it as a coffin.
“Interesting place to sleep,” I sputtered, with a boldness I didn’t feel. “Especially when you have a perfectly functional king-size bed upstairs, or is that just where you take guys to fuck them?”
Mordecai raked his teeth over his bottom lip, his eyeteeth not nearly as pronounced as earlier. He seemed at a loss for words. As he pressed fingers into his eyes and scrubbed a hand over his face, he mumbled, “It didn’t work.”
“What didn’t work?”
He scowled at the light, examined the uncovered window, and peered at the map still spread on the worktop. “I’m sensitive to light.”
“I figured, but it’s staying on. Suck it up, buttercup.”
He didn’t argue. We’d spent plenty of time in lighted spaces. He’d been outside with me during the day. If it was uncomfortable, he could suffer. It might be the only advantage I had.
“What didn’t work?” I asked again.
“You shouldn’t be here, Ensley. You shouldn’t remember.”
I already suspected he tampered with my mind, so I ditched unnecessary questions and went for broke.
“You’re a vampire.”
Mordecai winced. His features pinched in disgust. “I’m not a fan of that designation.”
I huffed humorlessly. “Well, excuse me. Is there a more politically correct term for vampire?” The rich sarcasm in my tone was unintentional, but I was both terrified and annoyed, so I didn’t apologize.
Mordecai’s shoulders fell. For a man who’d slept all day, he looked exhausted. “No. The term is… accurate. How much do you remember?”
“Everything.”
My answer seemed to trouble him. He braced his hands on the worktop and leaned heavily like he was about to topple. “I don’t understand.”
“Whatever you did to me only lasted until I spoke with my mother and Mars. After that, things trickled back all on their own. Slowly at first, but I pieced it together. Cute trick, by the way, but if you wanted me to forget, you should have considered how many people in my life already knew about you.”
He hung his head. “Of course. A foolish mistake. I didn’t consider those obstacles. I’m not used to… Usually, when I… Gah, never mind. Cristofer is going to have a heyday with this.”
“Cristofer, Cristofer, Cristofer. Who’s Cristofer? You’ve mentioned him before. Is he your vampire boyfriend back home?”
With a weary sigh, Mordecai straightened. A faint smirk lifted the corner of his mouth. “No, Ensley. Cristofer prefers his lovers more… adventurous.”
I laughed derisively and indicated the map. “So, single-handedly chasing down your kidnapped uncle who is likely protected by civilian armed guards isn’t adventurous enough for him?”
“Is that jealousy?”
“Fuck you, Mordecai. I hate it when guys play games with me, but I hate it more when they mess with my head, and you took it to the nth level.”
“And failed.”
“Yes, you did, and if you ever try that again…” I floundered and didn’t finish the sentence because if he did try it again, I would never know. He would be sure of it. Whatever mistake he’d made the first time, he wouldn’t make it twice.
His expression seemed to confirm my conclusion.
“Don’t do it again,” I pleaded, suddenly terrified. “You have no right.”
“Relax. I couldn’t right now if I wanted to.”
