Page 61 of Midnight Enchantment

“Couldn’t you have used a location spell of some kind? Anything!”

“It would have taken time,” Ava explained. “Raedan wouldn’t wait. And there’s no guarantee I could have found one before … ” She swallowed hard. “Before Varden … before he had his way with you.”

Lily sank back against the sofa. Would she really rather they had waited? Had they done so, she might still be in Varden’s power, unable to fight him off, forced to endure his touch. Just the thought of him violating her even once made her stomach clench in revulsion.

“Lily?”

“Was the promise to give the demon my blood to be a one-time thing?” Lily asked hopefully.

“No.”

“So, Raedan agreed to … to bite me whenever the demon says so? How could he do that? What if he loses control and … and … ” She couldn’t say it out loud. It was too horrible to think about. And what if one day she decided she didn’t want to see Raedan anymore? It was unlikely, but anything was possible. Maybe he would tire of her. What kind of life could she have if she had to let him drink from her whenever the demon asked? What if she refused?

What if Raedan hadn’t made a deal with the demon? What if she’d had to endure being Varden’s prisoner for days while Lily and Raedan searched for her? Suddenly, feeding the demon didn’t seem quite as bad as the alternative. She would much rather let Raedan drink from her than be Varden’s prisoner, subject to his every repulsive whim.

Pressing her palms to her throbbing temples, she closed her eyes, thinking her life had suddenly turned into a living, breathing, nightmare.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Raedan woke with the setting of the sun, his first thought for Liliana. Opening his senses, he searched for her. She was in the kitchen, having dinner with Ava and the warlock, Mason Balfour. When his mind brushed hers, he detected worry, fear, depression, and confusion.

Damn. He showered, dressed, and went in search of prey, his own mind filled with guilt, and doubts about any future they might have had together. Had making a deal with the blood-demon destroyed her faith and trust in him? Could he blame her if it had? He had condemned her to a horrible fate. Perhaps he should have waited. Perhaps Ava and the warlock might have found a spell or incantation that would have guided them to Liliana’s whereabouts. But how could he have waited, knowing Liliana was at the mercy of a vampire with only one thing on his mind? He couldn’t bear the thought of her being raped time and again by another man.

Any man, human or otherwise.

He fed quickly, taking more than he usually did in hopes of placating the demon, but not enough to do the woman any harm.

Leaving his prey, he moved down the street, wondering if he would be welcome at Ava’s house, if Liliana would be glad to see him, or if she would turn him away.

Lily glanced at the clock as she magicked the dishes into the dishwasher. It felt good to be doing something so ordinary, so natural. Dinner had been pleasant. Mason had entertained them with stories of his youth in England, of his travels across the world as he perfected his magic. He had seen all the wonders of the world, known some fascinating people.

It was easy to see that Ava was totally smitten with him. Not that Lily could blame her. Mason was a very attractive man with a winning personality and an easy smile. The two of them had gone outside to be alone after dinner.

Sitting in the parlor, Lily tried to read, but she couldn’t concentrate. She jumped at every sound. Putting the book aside, she paced the floor, her thoughts confused and fragmented.

She shivered when the doorbell rang, remembering the night past all too clearly. But it couldn’t be Varden or his men. Raedan, then? Was he coming to visit her, to see how she was doing? Or to take her blood for the demon? What would happen if she refused to allow it?

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door. He was dressed in ubiquitous black, and it occurred to her that he was a part of the darkness, a part of the night itself. As always, his very nearness called out to her.

“Liliana, I know you probably do not wish to see me right now,” he said quietly, formally. “I just came by to make sure you were all right and to tell you how sorry I am.”

When he turned to leave, she caught his arm. “Don’t go. We need to talk.”

With a nod, he followed her into the living room, took the chair across from her when she settled on the sofa.

For a moment, they simply eyed each other warily.

“Tell me,” Lily said, hands clenched in her lap. “What, exactly, did you promise the demon?”

“I swore I would give him your blood whenever he asked for it if he would lead me to you.”

“And if you don’t your word?”

“I do not know. I guess we will find out.”

“What do you mean?”

“I saw what it did to you when I complied the other night. I felt its effect on the demon. It made him stronger and that is a bad thing. He is going to want more, and want it more often, and I am afraid … ”

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