Elspeth stared at the floor.You did do it, though.
“What do they care for some human woman? I have pressed her for her connection to Genevieve for hours upon hours—she says nothing! What is she to Genevieve that she would set a witch hunt on me?” Laurent gnashed his teeth.
A mother, Elspeth thought.One who knows she stands between you and her children.
Oxley said anxiously, “Laurent, my place ain’t all that secret; soon they’ll find someone who knows you frequent it, y’know. And the new master—he’s a dab hand at that pig sticker.”
“He isnotthe master,” Laurent snarled. He turned his gaze on the crumpled form in the corner. “So, Genevieve cares so much about one measly human woman she’d have her new attack dog hurt me? She’s taking to power quite well.” He drummed his fingers on his thigh. “Well, I suppose I should leave her a present. A gift, to celebrate her queenship, as it were.” He smiled. “Elspeth, come here.”
Elspeth’s throat closed.
Laurent clamped his fingers in her hair and dragged her eyes up to meet his. He looked from her to the woman crumpled on the ground. “I command you to kill her.”
The command fell on Elspeth like the sword of Damocles, cleaving through her marrow.
“Oxley and I will go to Chelsea. You will follow when the deed is done and the body is found.” He smiled. “I would like to hear what they think of my gift. Come, Oxley.”
“Chelsea?” Oxley complained. “Can’t get a decent meal in Chelsea.”
“Offer one more opinion on my plans, Oxley,” Laurent said, his voice fading as they felt the room, “and I’ll rip out your tongue, so you’ll moo just like your namesake.”
Then they were gone. Silence fell.
Elspeth dropped to her knees like a cut marionette. The compulsion sank its teeth into her, beginning its insistent staccato that would only build until she had completed her master’s bidding.
If only it were dawn, she thought frantically. But it was only half past two. There was no way she could hold out until dawn.
“Please,” the woman whispered. Evangeline. “I have—children.” She had heard all.
Elspeth pressed her hands to her mouth to stifle her sobs. “I’m sorry,” she gasped. “I’m so sorry.” Hot, red tears ran down her cheeks. “I c-c-can’t defy him.”
Kill her. Kill her. Kill her.
The repetitive command built until it was a hammer in her brain.
She crawled to Evangeline and turned her over. She was in a bad way. Cut and bruised and bitten on her neck and face and arms. Maybe some broken bones. But not on her last breath. Not yet.
Elspeth closed her eyes against the flashbacks of memory.
“I wanted to die when they were hurting me…but my children. They’re alone,” Evangeline whispered.
“No,” Elspeth gulped. “No, Genevieve found them. They’re safe. She’ll keep them safe.”
Evangeline let out a sudden breath and relaxed against the floor.
Kill her. Kill her.
Elspeth pressed her hands to her temples, trying to keep out the drumming. Thunder growled overhead, adding to the insistent clamor.
The past she had pushed away for twenty years was melding with the present. In that maelstrom of horror, a thought struck her like lightning. “I c-can’t gainsay this. I c-can’t, but—d-did he make you drink his blood?” She shook Evangeline so that the woman would look at her. “Did you feel close to death and then get better?”
Bottle-green eyes blinked slowly. “Yes.”
Not again.Not again. “D-Drink mine.” Elspeth ripped into her wrist and let the blood flow. “D-Drink mine or you’ll be his slave past even death. You’ll never be free of him.Hurry.”
She pressed her wrist on Evangeline and held it to her lips as long as she could, until Elspeth’s whole body shook and blood dripped from her ears and nose from holding off Laurent’s order.
The bites on Evangeline’s face and neck were closing.
