“Get away from him!” Maris yells at Isla. She’s going to do something stupid, I can feel it. I’m certain of it.
Isla turns to face Maris. “No.”
Immediately, I see Maris’ mind working. She looks at the gun that now lays between them. She shot Isla three times and nothing happened. She should know by now a gun isn’t going to work on something as old as Isla. Then her eyes go to the fireplace. Fire is a good option. It always is when you’re dealing with something as dark as Isla and I.
She better not burn this house down if she’s still in it.
I look at her, I beg her to look my way and when she does, I try to tell her to run. Why doesn’t she save herself? Get up out ofthis house and leave now while she still can. I would handle Isla. She might have me now but I’m still working out how her magic works. No magic is perfect. I just have to find the weak point like I did with Rosanna’s command. For as powerful as Isla says she is, I’m already finding where her magic breaks. I’ll be free within the hour, and once I am, I’m going to rip her throat out and end all of this blood magic bullshit. Her so-called guardians haven’t done much but fawn for her and beg for attention like starved dogs.
Pathetic.
I thought them human before because they were too weak for me to sense. They’re little more than ghosts. They won’t be able to protect Isla. None of that matters because right now I can’t protect Maris. I’m trussed up like a pig to roast. Embarrassing.
“You can’t have him! You fucking psycho cunt. You think I’m going to let you leave with him?” Maris gets to her feet and starts to circle Isla. “You said your influence doesn’t work on me. I’ll find you after this. Wherever you go, I’ll be there. I’m going to kill you.”
Isla sighs like Maris is exaggerating. For a being who claims to be all connected to her progeny you would think she would know Maris better, but she doesn’t know her granddaughter like I do. Maris will do exactly what she’s promising and more.
“No, you won’t,” Isla says and jerks me toward her by my throat, “because he’s going to glamour that out of you. Once I give him the command, my new pet will do exactly what I tell him to do, and that’s wipe your memory of any of this and command you to live the rest of your miserable short life right here in Vesper House. The first thing you’re going to do after tonight is find someone to mate with. Remember, I need an unbroken line. I don’t care who it is. The only thing that matters is that he puts a baby in your belly, Maris. You’re going to give me exactly what I want because that’s who we are. I always win.”
Isla’s cunning. Her plan is solid. If I glamoured Maris, she wouldn’t be able to break it. Only I could, but that’s fine. I can work with this plan. If I glamour Maris then she’ll be safe and once I kill Isla, she’ll be free. I give up fighting when Isla strokes my face and forces me to look at her.
“Get your hands off of him.”
Isla doesn’t. She leans in closer to me. “He’s handsome for a vampire. I think I’ll keep him with me through the centuries. We both know he’s a fine lover.”
Maris does the something stupid I knew was brewing. She rips the knife from the holster at her ankle and slashes at Isla. The siren dodges the blade and kicks Maris back. I watch, helpless, as Maris flies back into the wall and hits the floor.
“Learn your place, Maris and stay down,” Isla commands.
She tries to get up and fails. She looks so small and broken on the floor.
I’m going to make Isla pay for hurting Maris.
“Look at me. Not her.” My eyes go to Isla. Fucking cunt. Fucking bitch of a goddamn siren. When I free she’s going to die screaming. Isla sees the fury in my eyes when she leans back with atsk. “Ohhh, you are fiery. Protective of her, aren’t you?” Her wet, cold fingers trail down my face and then she grabs my chin and gives me a shake. “You’ll feel that way towards me once you have my blood, but it’ll be so much better.” She lets me go and slashes at her wrist with her claws. “My blood is the real deal, pet. One taste of me and you’ll forget all about her.”
Her.
There’s always been a her that someone has tried to take from me. I hear Maris move. I pray she’s got sense in her to run this time while Isla brings her bloody wrist closer to me. Her blood isn’t right. There’s a sickly sweet smell rolling off it. It’s green, not red. It looks like shit.
The door slams and I know Maris finally chose right.
She ran.
“All alone now. Just the way it was meant to be. Maris was smart enough to bag the only man worth anything in this town when she pulled you in. I approve of her taste, even if you are a vampire. I’ll overlook the shortcomings.”
Isla doesn’t know it’s the other way around. It was me who wanted Maris, me who did the work to have her, and it’s me who’s going to keep her safe from Isla. She jerks my head back and comes closer.
“You’ll be good for me, won’t you, pet? Obedient and sweet. You won’t let anyone near your master.” Isla forces her mouth to mine. The kiss is sour and acrid. It makes me want to vomit. She’s nothing like Maris. She tastes like ash.
Master.
Rosanna called herself my master too.
I don’t tell her to go fuck herself because I can’t. The order she gave me to stay silent sits heavy on me. It keeps me quiet while Isla does as she pleases. She looks me over and I can hear the steady tap of her blood dripping onto the floor. Her guardians swirl and converge on the fallen blood like vultures to a corpse. I don’t know what Isla is looking for but whatever it is she finds it with a gasp.
“You really do love her,” she whispers.
Ah, that. Of course I love her.
