Knowing she would sleep through the rest of the day, that night and the following day, he donned a clean shirt, combed his hair, and transported himself to the Barrett estate. He wasn’t looking forward to telling Barrett what had happened, but Bryony’s family had a right to know.
He made a short side trip to the Bloodworth mansion on the way. He found the servant who had invited him into the house and wiped the memory of Bryony’s visit and his own from the man’s mind and replaced it with another memory, one where a stranger broke into the house and killed Bloodworth. He planted the same memory in the mind of the butler.
It was mid-afternoon when Stefan arrived at the Barrett house. Standing outside, he heard a dozen voices asking a dozen questions. Someone—Barrett’s wife? was weeping. He didn’t have to read Barrett’s mind to know that the familyknew Bryony had gone missing. Her father was certain she had run away to avoid marrying Bloodworth. Veronica was in a panic. Eli was out looking for her, along with a dozen members of the household staff.
His knock was answered immediately. “You!” Barrett hissed. “What have you done with my daughter?”
“Calm down and step outside,” Stefan said in a voice that brooked no argument. “I need to speak with you in private.”
The color drained from Barrett’s face as he called over his shoulder to his wife, telling her he would be right back. His movements were wooden as he followed Stefan toward a wrought-iron bench in the side yard and sat down heavily. “She’s dead, isn’t she?” he asked tonelessly.
Avoiding Barrett’s question, Stefan said, “She went to see Bloodworth, hoping to talk him out of the marriage. Bloodworth refused and then informed her that he intended to consummate the marriage then and there. Bryony resisted and Bloodworth struck her.”
Rage flared in Barrett’s eyes and was quickly replaced by resignation. And grief. “How do you know all this? Were you there?”
“I read her mind. When she fell, she hit her head on the hearth,” Stefan said, his voice filled with guilt and regret. “She was bleeding profusely when I arrived. I got there a moment too late.”
“Where’s Bloodworth?”
“I killed him.”
“Good,” Barrett muttered, not meeting Stefan’s eyes. “Saves me the trouble.”
“As I was saying, I killed Bloodworth and took Bryony home with me. She was very near death.” Stefan paused, wondering how best to tell Barrett what he had done. Buta quick glance at the man’s face told him Barrett already suspected.
“You turned her, didn’t you? You turned my beautiful, innocent daughter into a monster.”
“She is still beautiful,” Stefan said, his voice tinged with anger. “She is still innocent. And she will never be a monster.”
Barrett came off the bench, his hands clenched into fists, his outrage a physical force.
“Strike me if it will make you feel better,” Stefan said, his anger replaced by a wave of sympathy for the man. “This was all my fault.”
“I want to see her.”
“If you wish.”
Barrett frowned, obviously surprised by Stefan’s reply. “Just give me a minute to tell Maida I’m leaving and ask Brimhall to bring the carriage around.”
“We don’t need the carriage.”
Barrett stared at him for a moment, grunted softly, and hurried back to the house.
Stefan was waiting for him on the front steps when he came outside ten minutes later.
“Take hold of my arm,” Stefan said. “Use both hands.”
Barrett looked at him suspiciously. “Why? What…?”
“Just do it.”
Feeling foolish and a little embarrassed, Leyton grasped Stefan’s forearm in both hands.
He let out a muffled cry of alarm as the world fell away into darkness. A moment later, they were standing beside a bed.
“Bry!” Barrett dropped to his knees beside the bed, one hand cupping his daughter’s pale cheek while silent tears dripped down his face. “How could you?” he asked in a strangled voice. “How could you?”
“I could not let her die,” Stefan said. “I could not live without her.”
