Page 251 of Flirting with Darkness

I climbed off the floor, feeling both foolish and so relieved my hands trembled. “I assumed you were too busy to notice him.”

There was the tiniest hint of a smile. “Oh, I was, but when my second’s attention was stolen by a mortal, I paid attention. Plus, I smelt the garlic on him as soon as he moved close to me. It’s disgusting stuff. It wasn’t hard to figure out he was going to try and kill me.”

I dusted myself off, still trying to comprehend Bal’s reasoning. “Why did you bother to compel him, or threaten his life if you had no intention of punishing him?” I blew out a heavy breath and shook my head. Why did I think, even for a moment, that Bal would harm my mate? Embarrassment heated my face.

“Dav, don’t beat yourself up over this. You are doing what any vampire who has found his mate would do. You’re protecting him from every threat, including me.”

“But I didn’t. Shit! I’ve ignored him. I’ve left him alone to go through bloodlust for the past forty eight hours. I pulled away because I thought he was still under your compulsion to do as I said; to stay here. I wanted him to be safe, and I wanted him to stay, but only if he chose it. He’s been lied to his whole life, he has no idea about a mate bond. He needs to know what it means before he makes a choice.” I ran a hand through my hair, mussing it even more, and looked at him sheepishly. “I didn’t want a bond to hold him here. I was prepared to beg you not to hurt him, and failing that, to tell him to run while I fought you.”

“Wait,” Bal held up a hand, and shook his head. “In all the hundreds of years of our friendship, that is the most confused reasoning I have ever heard from you.”

I rubbed my face. “You’re right. I am so fucked up over him. But if he stays, it has to be of his own free will, not because you compelled him to stay.”

The Count chuckled. “Dav, that small amount of compulsion I used would only have lasted a few days, a week at the most. He’s been here the rest of the time without any coercion from me. I wanted to give you time with him, to get to know him, and for him to know you. That’s all my compulsion was for. I assumed by this point that you would have claimed him and him you.” He glanced at the door. “Is that not the case?”

I swallowed hard, my heart beginning to race. “No, no it isn’t because I fucked up. I pushed him away. I hurt him, and now he thinks he isn’t good enough for me.”

“Ah, I see. Well, I think it’s time I meet Elliot properly. Then you can explain to him that he has his freedom. I’m sure once he knows he can leave, he won’t. From what you’ve told me about Elliot’s life, Victor Hamilton’s coven is not somewhere he’ll want to return.”

“Maybe,” I muttered, thinking about the vengeance Elliot wanted. Would he forgive me for leaving him alone to get through bloodlust? Jesus, I’d been a class A dick. He hadn’t a clue about bloodlust or what to expect, and I’d abandoned him, leaving him to suffer through it alone. I raised my hand to knock on the door, then hesitated. I didn’t deserve him after what I’d done.

“Dav?”

I took a breath, nodded at my friend and knocked gently. “Elliot? It’s me, and the Count. It’s safe, you can open the door. You will not be harmed. I promise.”

Silence. My heart rate notched up, worry tightening my chest. I banged hard with my fist on the door. “Elliot? Open the damned door! Now! Or I'll break it down.”

The Count caught my hand and smirked. “Probably not the best way to introduce him to me, my friend.”

I actually flushed. “Sorry, I lose my commonsense where he’s concerned.”

“So I’m beginning to understand. Let’s hope it settles a bit when you are mated.”

I swallowed hard. “If he wants me after what I’ve done,” I murmured.

The Count shrugged. “If he doesn’t, persuade him. By any means necessary.”

Before I could answer, he knocked politely on the door. “Elliot, this is Count Rossi. I give you my word that I have no intention of harming you, now or in the future. But I would like to meet you.”

SIlence.

My anxiety spiked. Elliot would never hide. Something was wrong.

“That’s it.” I kicked the door open, bursting the lock.

The room was empty. Elliot’s scent—and the coppery smell of blood—lingered in the air, but it was faint, as though he’d not been here recently. Panic slammed through me.

“No. No. No. No,” I muttered as I rushed into the bathroom. It was empty. I spun back into the room. A shirt laid over the back of a chair. I snatched it up, gripping it in my fist as I threw open the wardrobe door. Most of his clothes were still there, but his combats, boots and jacket were gone. I slammed the door shut making the heavy structure rattle. Quelling my panic, I tried to think. Vito had seen Elliot yesterday when he’d brought the blood up, but no one else would have been near him.

Because you’re a cruel and selfish son-of-a-bitch who abandoned your mate when he needed you most.

What the fuck had I done?I’d driven him away and killed any hope of him accepting me, that’s what. And the worst of it was, I couldn’t blame him, not even a little.

“Ahh!” I yelled, smashing my fist into the bedroom wall, leaving cracked plaster behind. “He’s gone.”

“Dav, he’s a vampire in bloodlust he can’t have gone far. He needs blood.”

I shook my head. Elliot was clever and resourceful. He’d left as soon as the blood had been dropped off by Vito. That blood was enough to last through his cravings for twenty four hours at least. And I'd sent more than any starved vampire could ever need. It was my blood. I’d bled for him, leaving myself weak. It had been the only way to ease my guilt at leaving him alone. “No, he’s gone. He left yesterday.”

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