Page 78 of Dark Souls

After blindly destroying everything within my reach, I fell to my knees by the front door, staring out over the cliff at the thrashing waves beyond. This was why she could never be with me. This was why I could never be the mate she deserved. I could never protect her the way a mate should. I closed my eyes, trying my best to muster some kind of patience from somewhere as I listened to the faint ticking of the grandfather clock down the hall, reminding myself that each sound was one second closer to me being able to leave. Even though the stress of time passing so fucking slowly was unrelenting.

Hours passed and I hadn’t moved. The splintered floorboards were digging into my knees like knives and my body ached from the tension and rigidness every muscle held, but my red eyes remained focused on the horizon as I watched the sun dip bit by bit in the distance. The uneasiness in my chest, knowing she was in danger, never subsided but only heightened, which deepened my fury.

A vibration that was so foreign to me came from the dining room and my head snapped to the side. Using my vampire speed, I raced back in to find Ilaria’s phone screen had come alive. Picking it up, my heart thundered as I read the message on the screen from the contact ID: Grandma Maddy.

I want my dagger back, douchebag.

My knees nearly buckled under the full force of relief that flooded through me. I sat down in the chair, staring at the words, unable to believe that uneasiness had all been in my head. I’d never experienced anything so intense since I’d turned off my humanity. The instinctual need to see her, to know she was safe, had tormented me for days, but what I’d been feeling all afternoon was something else entirely. It was as if I could sense that she was about to be ripped away from me. That I’d never see her again.

My fingers flew across the screen as I typed out a reply.

ARE YOU SAFE? ARE YOU HURT?

I watched three little dots dancing across the screen and I had no idea what that meant. My heart was hammering, refusing to calm down until I knew this was really her. Until I knew she was unharmed.

A new message appeared.

I’m home.

PROVE IT. I WANT A PICTURE.

You have no right to demand anything of me, Red.

My eyes narrowed.

BUT THAT DOESN’T ANSWER MY QUESTION. ARE YOU HURT?

Not that it matters to you, but I’ll live. Just. You can go back to pretending I don’t exist now. Well, after you return my baby to me.

I growled at that and had to stop myself from breaking the phone in my grip.

JUST? WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WHAT HAPPENED? FOR FUCKSAKE ILARIA. ARE YOU OKAY?

Her reply was slower this time. I stood up and started pacing the room, staring as the dots appeared and disappeared several times.

I’m fine. You seem concerned? I thought you felt nothing but anger? Or is that what the aggressive CAPS are for? To hide your concern behind your anger?

CAPS?

Capital letters, dickhead. Have you never sent a text before?

I frowned, looking at the keyboard on the screen. All the letters were capitals. There wasn’t any other option. What was I missing?

NO, I HAVEN’T. AND I DON’T KNOW HOW TO TURN IT OFF. BUT YES, TAKE MY CAPS AS ME BEING AGGRESSIVELY CONCERNED. I SENSED YOU WERE IN DANGER. I DON’T KNOW WHY. WHERE ARE YOU?

She didn’t reply. I was losing my damn mind.

DON’T IGNORE ME. I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE.

You are a mind fuck, Red. What do you want from me? Because the last I checked, you wanted me to stay as far away from you as possible. I did what you asked, didn’t I? I went to another fucking realm.

I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU NEVER DO WHAT YOU’RE TOLD?

So you don’t want me to stay away from you? Is that what you’re saying? If you tell me you were trying out reverse psychology on me, I will rip your fucking dick off.

I ran my hand through my red hair but couldn’t help smirking at her threat.

NO. I MEANT WHAT I SAID. YOU SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM ME.

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