Page 136 of Her Vampire, His Ruin

“Oh, you can call me Hettie.”

“The hell he can,” Logan snaps, striding towards us.

His fingers curl around Henrietta’s elbow, and she looks up at him, her smile spreading. “You know, I think you rather suit⁠—”

“Angel?” Viktor chuckles.

Henrietta gasps. “How did you know I was going to say that?”

“Are you drunk?” Elizabeth asks, screwing up her face as she watches Logan guide Henrietta around the table.

“I’m not yet, but I might be soon,” Henrietta replies with another giggle, her cheeks reddening as Logan pulls out a chair.

“Sit,” he commands.

“Where? On your face?” Henrietta replies, fluttering her eyelids at Logan before taking a seat.

Viktor bursts out with laughter. “I really, really like her.”

Logan throws him a look that would flay skin from bone. “Don’t even think about it.”

“What the hell is going on? Am I in an alternate universe or something?” Elizabeth asks, looking between the five of us. “Why is Henrietta acting like she’s never been here before, or met any of you⁠—”

“Because I haven’t, silly,” Henrietta says, reaching for an olive from a bowl on the table and popping it into her mouth.

“As a matter of fact, why do you look like... like...” Elizabeth motions towards Edie, her eyes narrowing on her face. “Like you’ve been⁠—”

“Thoroughly screwed?” Henrietta interjects, throwing a look of glee Edie’s way.

Elizabeth shakes her head, tutting. “Would you stop with the sexual innuendoes, Henrietta, and whilst you’re at it, drop the act.”

“What act? What’s gotten up your nose and laid an egg? If anyone’s acting like they’ve been taken over by an alien, it’s you.”

“Okay. Okay, I think it’s time. Dorian,” Edie says, canting her head towards Henrietta.

“Time for what, exactly?” Elizabeth asks, her eyes tracking me as I traverse the table and tug on the back of Henrietta’s seat, twisting her to the side so I can crouch beside her. Logan shifts over, but I feel the intensity of his stare as I reach for Henrietta’s hand, holding it in mine. “What’s he doing?”

“Just wait a second, okay? Everything will become clear in just a minute,” Edie says, dropping into the seat beside Elizabeth. They exchange a look, and I see the worry Edie holds in her body. Whatever the outcome is tonight, I’ll know she’ll need me to be there for her.

“Henrietta,” I begin.

“Hettie,” she replies, shifting in her seat, her eyes glazing over as my compulsion reaches for her.

“Hettie. You don’t remember this, but I glamoured you some time ago. I did it because I thought I had no choice.”

“Glamoured her? What’s he talking about?” Elizabeth asks, her gaze drilling into the side of my face.

“Just wait,” Edie urges, and Elizabeth falls silent.

“And now I mean to reverse what I did. This won’t hurt. You’re perfectly safe, okay?”

Henrietta nods, her body relaxing as I slip easily past her defences, searching for the memories I’ve blocked from her conscious mind. Finding them, I grasp her hand tighter. “You will remember everything I’ve hidden from you. All of it. There will be no part left hidden.” With a gentle shove, I push against the shield I put in place, and it disperses like warm air in winter.

Henrietta gasps, her whole body going rigid. Then her eyes lose their softness and focus on me. She snatches her hand from mine, then slaps it across my face. The sound of skin meeting skin cracking in the air.

“Henrietta,” Edie cries.

Next to her, Elizabeth’s mouth drops open with shock. “What the hell?”