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All the windows and doors are locked. My phone is on charge, and I’m desperately waiting for news.
For three hours I’ve been wandering around the apartment. I’ve sorted out our bags from Killiecrankie, and I’ve wiped down the kitchen over a dozen times. But nothing can make this waiting and worrying any easier. I’ve called him several times, and each time it’s gone straight to his voicemail.
I flick off the TV, and as soon as I drop the remote on the couch my phone vibrates. It’s not a call or a message, but a notification. I know it’s probably nothing, but I’m that wound up, I’m kind of praying it’s some form of message to tell me Adrien is safe.
I swipe my phone up off the charging mat in the kitchen. It’s a Facebook post I’ve been tagged in from mum. I haven’t used Facebook in months. Since I’ve been with Adrien, I’ve kept my social media appearances to the bear minimum.
I click on the app and my jaw falls open. There’s a frigging photo of Adrien and I, after we just got married. Mum has tagged me in it, and wrote how proud she is because I’ve married my prince. I can’t believe this. The picture is beautiful, and I would like a copy myself. But she’s posted it on the net as a public post, and it’s already got five hearts. Shit, I’m going to have to call her.
I scroll down to her number, pacing behind the couch.
“Lizzy,” she answers with a shriek. “That picture. Wow. You looked amazing sweetheart.”
“Mum,” I snap. “Where did you get it?”
“That young man, what’s his name... Dom.”
My eyes roll. Trust Dom.
“You need to take it down,” I say, trying not to sound too harsh.
“Hmm...what?” She’s not happy, I can tell by the decibel of her voice.
“Mum, look, I’m really glad you like it. But... But...” I’m stumped, trying to think of an excuse.
“But what Lizzy?”
“Adrien has a very important meeting... with friends. It’s like a multimillion dollar deal. He wanted to tell them himself. You see, they won’t be happy they didn’t get an invite.” I cringe up.
“Well, I’ll put it on private then. I just wanted to show you off.”
I feel so guilty, but having our picture online is not something we need right now. I’d hate it even if Adrien wasn’t what he is.
“Mum, I’m sorry. But can you please take it down. Like I said, it’s a multimillion dollar deal. Please Mum.” I hear her mumbling, thinking about it. “Just get it blown up. You can get a fancy frame for it.”
“Okay Lizzy. Though, I can’t promise it will be forever.”
I blow all the tense air out from my lungs. “Thank you Mum. Right, I’ve got to go.”
“Hold on. That’s the only reason you called me. You not going to tell me about your day... your night?”
I close my eyes, I’m being such a bitch. I don’t want to be, but my life right now isn’t within the normal boundaries of the normal world. I can’t just have a chat with her, when I’m waiting for a call.
“Mum, I love you. But I’ve got to go. I’ll call you soon.” I quickly hang-up.
I call myself a bitch several times, looking down at the time on my phone. It’s been nearly four hours now. What the hell is happening out there?
There’s a tap on the door. My heart jolts, taking away my breath. I quickly dash across the room, but then stop. For a second I was hoping it was Adrien and the others coming back. But he has a key. I think Sara has a goddamn key. After everything that’s happened, I’m now overthinking everything, being too cautious.
I press my hands against the door, and position my right eye over the peephole.
“What the fuck,” I murmur, taking a step back.
Selene is standing outside, frigging waving at me. She’s right on the other side of that door with a grin on her white face, waiting. Well she can wait. I’m not opening it for her.
I nervously run my fingers through my hair, wondering what the hell I should do. I lift up my phone and my shaky finger scrolls down to Adrien’s number again.
“Oh Elizabeth. You really don’t need to call Adrien. He is the reason I’m here.” She’s tapping what sounds like her fingernails on the door. Drum. Drum. Drum.
“He sent you?” I lean forward, holding my breath.
“In a sense, yes.”
Oh god. Now I’ve got all sorts running through my head.
Is he okay?
Is he hurt?
Is he fucking dead?
I’ve got no choice. I reach out and unlock the door. With my eyes closed I breathe in and open, before I change my mind.
“Aren’t you the vision of youthful beauty.” Her voice sends a shiver through me.
I open my eyes on her. She’s wearing what looks like a long white nightgown, with a short black leather jacket. However, her hair is blacker. I can’t explain the shade because I don’t think I’ve ever seen it before. She has hair that is long, almost reflective, and as fine a spider silk. She looks young, yet her voice sounds old and spine-chilling. And her skin looks as delicate as fine china, white with shades of grey. She most definitely does not fit into the human world, even though there is something strangely beautiful about her.
“Are you going to admire me all night, or let me in,” she asks with a beaming grin across her lips.
I study her for a second. If I let her in, she can do what she wants to me. But then she said this is about Adrien. I know she dotes on her executives, surely this is why she’s here, because she cares.
I open the door wide and say, “Come in.”
She kind of floats by me, her eyes looking all around our apartment. I notice she has no shoes on her feet, they’re filthy. She turns to me and holds out her hand. Her fingers are unnaturally long and slender, and she’s wearing what I think is a silver ditale ring on her thumb, ready to draw blood from the victim of her choice. She actually thinks I’m going to kiss her hand. That’s not going to happen.
She laughs, bringing her hand down. “I suppose you’ll get used to our customs in time.”
She turns and runs her hand over the back of the couch. She sits down and gestures me to join her. I’m kind of dumbstruck, and can’t believe this is happening.
“Elizabeth, I am on a tight schedule.”
I decide to keep as much distance between us as possible, and perch on the opposite edge of the couch.
“You said this is about Adrien. Is he okay?” I enquire quietly.
“This is about both of you. It’s why I came. I’m concerned that mistakes made on both our parts, are now starting to come back to haunt us. The night Laurence attacked you Elizabeth.” I close my eyes, not wanting to remember it. “Well he used a piece, rather like this.” She holds up her thumb to display the ditale ring.
“Yes... but it was bigger.” I feel sick to my stomach, feeling the blade once more running through my skin, and Laurie’s touch on my body.
“I’m sorry.” She tilts her view side to side on me, pretending that she cares, when really there is no empathy in her at all. “The ring had a poison on it. Tell me, have you noticed anything different about Adrien lately.”
Oh my God, I have. His moods have been a little erratic, and his feeding habits have increased. But what happened with Laurie, happened months ago.
“Poison?” I yap at her.
“Well, a curse if you will. It is all my fault.” She places her hand on her chest. “I should have known Laurence was digging around in the dark arts. I do however, have the cure.”
I don’t mean to snigger, but I am. Curses and cures, witches, and now her sitting across from me, it’s beyond crazy. But I find my laughter dies out quickly, thinking over what’s been happening to Adrien.
“Has Adrien been feeding from the living?” she asks. “Has he been aggressive?”
“NO.” I shake my head down at my clammy hands. “Yes. But he hasn’t hurt me.”
“Laurence implanted something into your body, which will eventually drive Adrien mad. And soon after that, it will kill you.”
“What!” I jump up from the couch in a panic. “I’m going to die?”
“Look Elizabeth, when you chose to marry a vampire, you also made a promise with me. I am here to protect you both, because you are both my family. Adrien cannot know I have been here. He cannot know I have helped you. He cannot know about any of this.”
“Why?”
She pulls a small glass vial out from her jacket. “Adrien needs to have no knowledge for this to work. If he knows of the poison, well the curse, it will only grow stronger in his mind, much faster. Like Adrien is now out there, fixing my mistake in choosing Vincent as the next executive here, you have to do this for him.”
I turn away from her, keeling over to breathe into my hands.
“What do I have to do?” I ask, straightening up.
“Come, sit beside me.” She pats the cushion.
My heart pounds against my ribs as I join her. “Now what.”
She reaches out and takes my hand with her stone cold fingers. I yank back my arm, but of course I can’t get free from her.
“Be still. This will cure everything. Trust me, Elizabeth.” Her voice almost lulls me into a state of obedience and fear. “I just need one drop of your blood in this solution.”
“Then... then what?” I’m trying to look strong, but even my words are broken.
“That’s it.”
She turns over my hand then pulls out my index finger. The muscles all around my back tense up as I cringe, watching as she nears the tip of the ditale ring to my skin. Within the time it takes to blink, she pierces through my skin, and begins to milk a drop of my blood. I anxiously frown. She seems to be enjoying herself too much. She’s humming while rubbing the lip of the vial over my fingertip, until a drop of my blood falls into the black solution.
Finally she releases me, and replaces the cork back into the vial. “This will do nicely.”
I wipe the blood from my fingertip onto my thigh. “What now?”
“Now...” She stands up and slowly strolls to the door, staring at my blood. “You leave everything to me. You will see me soon enough.” I spring up to my feet. I don’t care to see her again. “Don’t worry about a thing. When this is done, you will know. Remember, Adrien must not know a thing about my visit tonight.”
“What happens if I let it slip; I’m no good at lying to him?”
“Then what happened with Laurence, will be nothing in comparison. If you love him, you shouldn’t have a problem with this. Now, enjoy your honeymoon, and you make my Adrien happy. Goodbye Elizabeth.”
She’s gone in the same manner she came, all floaty and calm. Now all I feel after her visit is stupid, and worried I won’t be able to contain this secret. I don’t even know whether it should be a secret at all.