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“Apologies will never be enough,” he said, shoulders slumped. Where was the rigid vampire I knew? What was happening to him?
“You need to eat so you’re strong enough to help fight him. We need you on our side,” I said, letting go of the barbs I’d been attacking him with. It would do no one any good.
“But if I become the weapon, as you put it, I’d be more dangerous,” he pointed out.
“But you won’t. You’ll fight him off because I told you to,” I said with false confidence. “We have evidence that lends support to that theory. I can counteract vampire glamour. I did it to myself in the mirror. Go ahead, try it.”
Julian furrowed his brow. “Is this a trick? Am I supposed to refuse ever to do so again?”
“You already told me you’d choose to again if you had the chance. So here it is, take it. I’m not wearing a charm.” Nor would I ever need one again. I trusted my own abilities, and I’d made sure of it in the mirror.
Julian glanced at my cleavage, which I’d left purposely low and uncovered to reveal my lack of a necklace. Desire sparked, but only for a moment, then he looked back up, meeting my eyes with his undulating blue gaze.
“Kiss me,” he commanded.
I laughed. “Nice try.”
“I didn’t expect it to work. You seemed sure. But Silas is my sire, which is a different kind of power than glamour.”
“He’s your sire, but I’m your mate. I’m betting that connection is stronger. It’s strong enough to bring me back to life over and over again after all. Even if we keep screwing it up.”
Julian stiffened, which felt familiar rather than uncomfortable. “You…called yourself my mate.”
“That’s the technical term, right?” I asked, refilling my water glass as I attempted to be as nonchalant as possible. “I expect that, scientifically, our chemistry somehow connects us. It explains the pull I feel—”
Julian’s lips crashed into mine, but I shoved him away.
“That wasn’t an invitation.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, rubbing his face and backing away. “It’s just… I’ve wanted to hear you say that for so long.”
“Julian,” I leaned forward with a sigh. “I don’t know if I can be with you even if we are successful with Silas. I’m being honest.”
“I know and I deserve that.” Julian deflated again. “Perhaps with time—”
“No.” I said, stopping him. “Trust is important to me. You didn’t trust me enough to let me in on your decision even though it directly involved me.”
“It’s me I didn’t trust, Charlotte. Not you.” Misery dripped from his words, but I shoved down the lump in my throat and pointed at the door.
“Please go feed. I’m waiting to hear from Lydia that Silas has returned to the island, and when he does, we have to move. He plans to turn me tomorrow morning.”
The pain Julian wore on his face tore at my heart, but I didn’t let it show. This was the consequence of his actions. Instead, I drank my water until I felt the wind that meant he’d left. Then I set the glass down and let the tears loose.
Chapter Twenty
Vengeance Stirs the Heart
Silas did not return until the next morning, almost at the last minute, which meant things had to go down in Dad’s lab at the vampire estate. I didn’t like it, but it was our only chance to act. I wasn’t alone either. My friends and family were behind me, and though I didn’t want them risking their lives, I knew I couldn’t succeed without them.
I showed up as planned, pretending to remain glamoured. Zoe was on standby, ready to portal Sam, Hazel, and Daphne through at a moment’s notice. And they had a voyeur charm activated so they’d hear everything I said.
“Good morning, Sire,” I said brightly, walking into Silas’s office. The hardest part was controlling the trembling in my body, so I shoved my hands in the back pockets of my pants and planted my feet. I’d finally returned my hair to my usual red color and felt more like myself.
“Ah, perfect timing, Mon Cher,” he said, rising to greet me. “I have someone I want you to meet.”
He led me to the fireplace, and I tensed, but he turned the statue of a raven on the mantle and the entire thing slid backward and to the side, revealing a winding stairwell. What would a vampire estate be without secret passages?
I followed him down the steps and through a metal door that led inside my father’s lab from the rear. Dad was examining someone, his back turned to me, and Lydia waited to the side, near the awful machine they’d created.
