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Taking the candy from my hand, he discreetly sniffs it while Tamelen walks out of the room. Nodding confidently, he hands it back to me and lifts his chin, motioning for me to eat it. Shrugging, I pull off the crinkling plastic and pop the sugary treat into my mouth. Feeling instantly better, I give Jesse a small smile before turning my attention back to Tamelen as she returns.
She hands me an unopened soda, and I thank her as she resumes her seat next to me. Thankfully, this time she doesn’t try to touch me.
“I cannot sense any hidden magic or spells attached to you, Eden. There are a few remnants of a sleeping spell, which is probably what Jesses tasted when he kissed you, but the amount of magic used was small and it’s quickly fading––which explains why Jesse didn't smell it on you right away.”
“So, Theodora was a witch?” I ask, my voice a bit shaky.
“Perhaps,” Tamelen says. “Or perhaps she buys her teabags from a witch’s shop and doesn’t even know it. We’ll never know for sure, but I can tell you with utmost certainty that there is no other magic here.”
She waves a hand in the air, motioning toward my whole body. I slump against Jesse a little harder, relief filling me as she smiles. Jesse makes some excuses for us to go as he takes my still-unopened soda can and hands it back to the gorgeous witch.
Standing, he pulls me up beside him. Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out a wad of cash and hands it to Tamelen. She nods, giving him a small, respectful smile before leading the way to the front door. She says nothing as we leave, just watches us with that violet gaze until our car pulls out of sight.
The further we get away from her house, the more uneasy I feel. I try not to be a negative person most of the time, but the way she declared me magical-spell-free so quickly raises about a dozen red flags in my mind. Especially since I felt nothing but relief and gratitude in her presence––emotions that are fading more and more quickly the further we get away from her.
My gut is telling me not to trust her.
But before I can bring my suspicions up to Jesse, the car pulls through a large, wrought-iron gate and up a paved drive nearly hidden by trees and bushes. The driveway bends and a large house comes into view, and my mouth drops open at the sight of it.
Three stories of gray brick rise up from rolling green lawns. Large picture windows cover the front, though I can tell even from here that most of them are covered on the inside with dark curtains.
Flowerbeds on either side of the front door are filled to overflowing with colorful blooms, and giant weeping willows flank the structure, with shaded benches beneath them and river rock pathways winding around the sides to the back of the house.
“Eden,” Jesse says, waiting for me to pull my eyes away from the house to meet his dark gaze. “Welcome to Belloy Manor…home of the vampire king.”
18
YOU’RE MINE
Belloy Manor is amazing. And guarded like the royal palace it is.
A beefy vampire jogs forward as the car rolls to a stop and pulls open my door. He stretches out a hand, and I place mine into his meaty grip and attempt not to shiver as he assists me from the vehicle. His hand is like cold iron and could crush my bones in an instant.
“Thank you,” I say quietly when I’m on steady feet and he releases me.
He nods, then offers a shallow bow to Jesse, who’s suddenly standing beside me.
“Thank you, Albert,” Jesse mutters before placing a firm hand on my lower back and leading me to the front door of the massive building.
Another giant vampire gives Jesse the same bow as he pulls the door open and holds out an arm, inviting us to enter.
“Peter,” Jesse says in greeting, not bothering to introduce me before guiding me inside.
My feet stutter to a stop, my eyes wide as I get my first look at the inside. Marble floors reflect the light glowing chandeliers, showcasing an intricate pattern of gray and white sunbursts that lead to a grand staircase. The carpeted steps split in two directions on the second floor, and I can see two more sets of stairs on either side, leading to the third.
The walls are painted a light gray to match the marble tiles. A row of large paintings, some of which look like they date back to the nineteenth century, graces each side of the long entryway.
That’s all I can take in before Jesse slips his hand into mine and pulls me toward the staircase. I can feel the tension radiating from him, so I remain silent as we head up the stairs to the second floor. Jesse veers to the right, leading me down a wide hallway with plush, white carpeting to the door at the end. Releasing me, he twists the handle and swings the door open before stepping aside and motioning for me to enter.
My mouth falls open as I take in the opulence surrounding me. The space is bigger than my entire apartment with dark purple carpeting so plush, my shoes sink into it with each step I take. A mammoth bed draped in black bedding sits against one wall, flanked by antique nightstands in dark wood. There’s a couch and two overstuffed chairs to my right, set up in front of a massive hearth. A closed door on my left leads to what I can only assume is a walk-in closet, and an open door on the same wall reveals the shiny black marble floors of what must be a bathroom.
“You shouldn’t have come.”
Jesse’s words stop me as I take a step toward the bathroom, and the eagerness I’d felt to explore dissipates. I slowly turn to face him, my eyes searching his face for any hint that he didn’t mean what he said.
I find nothing but cold blankness in his expression, and I cross my arms over my chest.
“I told you why I did.”
