Page 65 of Ashvale: The Vampire's Thrall

“Something like that.”

I grit my teeth, trying to hold on to my humanity even as I teetered on the edge. "And Rowan? Which batch was he on?"

Her eyes glinted and I knew what she was going to say before she opened her mouth. "The first."

"Why keep them alive in the first place? Why not just kill them and be done with it if they were such a liability?" My voice was harsh and I tried to use my anger to numb my other emotions out as I questioned her on why she hadn't been more callous. Why she'd spared Rowan and the others.

She raised and dropped one delicate shoulder. "It was prudent to know some of the other long term side effects."

"You're a fucking monster," I growled and she smiled like it was a compliment.

"We can't help our natures," she said and I tilted my head.

"Lie."

"What?"

"You're lying—you weren't always like this, were you? "

Her jaw clenched and she shook her head. "You know, your father used to do the exact same thing."

All thoughts left my head as I stared at her in shock. "What did you say?” I whispered and her smile was cruel, like she knew I couldn’t handle anything else right then.

"I’ll admit, your level of power pleases me. If you hadn’t failed the most basic of tests, maybe I would have claimed you. But you couldn’t do that one key thing:survive.”

"I'm here, aren't I?"

"Because ofme." I blinked and she laughed, it sounded rusty, like it had been so long she couldn't remember how to do it. "You asked me before and looked so doubtful I thought you were going to call me on it right then and there." She shook her head with a snort. "Lie," she mimicked. "But you didn't. The only reason you made it here is because I made sure you were found. Made sure you had fresh blood close by."

"You called in the retrieval,” I murmured before looking up, a snarl on my lips. “The lake?" I wasn't sure if I could feel the floor under my feet as something beyond anger raised its head. "You put that girl there?"

Elowen looked at me, a small smile playing on her lips. "Drown," she instructed me, the thrall in her voice strong but I batted it aside. She had killed her, had put her in my way knowing I would lose control.

"If you cared so little, why take the time to save me?"

Elowen rounded the desk, each step precise and I kept my eyes on her.

"It seemed only fair. I was the reason you were killed after all."

Tit for tat. That was the extent of her motherly love. "Why?" I said hoarsely and cleared my throat. "Why leave Cal? Why hide me?"

If she was surprised I knew about Cal, she didn’t show it. All this time, she’d been right here under his nose. "Because the change made me different—he loved the old me. Not who I'd become. I knew he'd want to give you the chance to choose—vampire tradition or life as a mage. I didn't want you to waste that potential. Of course, I ended up disappointed anyway."

Bitch. "I'm going to kill you," I said simply, the anger and despair and sheer wrath inside of me filling every crevice of my being until I almost felt numb and she laughed again.

"You finally work out who your sire line is and you decide to kill me? Your own mother?"

I flinched. "You are not my mother. Not after everything you've done. Not after what you did to Rowan. What you made him do to me."

She tilted her head like a cat eyeing up its prey. "Interesting that you still hold such commitment to him. I told him what the possible side effects were, I told him to stay at Ashvale. He decided power was more important than potential casualties. But here you are, so loyal.”

I snarled. “And who else should I be loyal to? You?” I laughed. “I suppose you’re where I get my lack of sentimentality from.” I could feel the storm inside of me, lightning bubbling through my breaths til I could taste smoke on my tongue. If what she was saying was true—and I could see no reason why she’d start lying now—then Rowan had known exactly what he was doing with that drug. He’d known, and he’d done it anyway. Just like he’d pretended to be my friend whilst hiding the fact that he was my murderer.

"You are probably the biggest disappointment of my life,” Elowen spat and I laughed again, feeling sparks jump up my throat and flash in the air as I slowly lost control.

I felt nothing. Cared about nothing. I was pain and anger and thunder personified.

"You know, I bet Adrian thinks the same thing about you. He is your sire right?” Her eyes widened and I chuckled at that shot in the dark paying off. “I thought so, considering the interest he took in me at the debut. I think I saw him in the corridors earlier, maybe we should let him in on this little conversation.” I gestured to the doorway and laughed when Elowen’s hand closed around my throat.

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