Page 10 of House of Crimson Kisses
“Then why did you come here? I didn’t think I was seeing you until Morrigan’s wedding,” Bella asks.
“I…” Red hesitates, her brow furrows, the confusion of compulsion washing over her expression. “I guess I’m not sure. Something happened earlier that made me cross and then I don’t… Maybe I drank too much and figured I’d go see my bestie.”
Bella—the bestie—frowns, folding her arms under her ample breasts and glares at Red. Oh dear, she doesn’t buy the bullshit the compulsion is making you spew.
She’s a good friend.
“Red…” I say, recognising that I need to get her out of here before the spots in her memory make her friend even more suspicious.
“Honestly, Bella, I’m totally fine. I drank wayyyy too much at the end of the challenge today, and I just missed you.”
That softens Bella. She opens her arms, and Red flings herself into them. My jaw tightens so hard I’m sure I’ll crack a fang. It’s not that I’m jealous. She can hug whoever she wants, especially her best friends.
But… she is mine.
And mine alone.
And I don’t like people touching what belongs to me.
I don’t give a fuck who says that’s toxic; I like my romance dark and intense and flavoured with the fieriest spice.
I glance at Scarlett, who hasn’t taken her eyes off me this entire time. Her gaze is narrowed as she watches me watch Red. Assessing.
Perhaps I underestimated the magician.
“I should go,” Red says, disentangling herself from Bella. “We’ll have the winner announced in the morning, and it’s going to take us all night to get back.”
“Do you still have the orb Remy gave you?” Quinn asks.
Red nods.
“Good, use it. For anything. We’re here for you,” Quinn says.
Red says her goodbyes to Quinn and Scarlett and together we retreat into the shadows. The assassin-magician’s eyes bore into my back long after we’re out of sight.
We’re silent for a long time.
She’s keeping her distance, a good three feet of space between us.
So this is how it is.
Back to her hating me, hating vampires. Forgetting every time she’s fallen for me. So strange that we can be bonded, and she doesn’t even know.
It occurs to me that now I’m standing next to her, my chest has loosened. I feel… better? This must be the bond working. We are tied physically, mentally, and spiritually. This is going to make the fact she doesn’t remember falling for me a lot more complicated.
How will we get through this? I pull a hand over my face, as if that will wipe away the frustration. I can’t look at her. Instead, I glance anywhere, at anything but her. With each compulsion, each tearing of my heart, it gets harder.
The light in this tunnel is a pale rouge, like watered down blood. But the dark, rough walls make the air seem thick and moody. Ivy and vines grow up some of the tunnel walls, garrotting the lights that hang from the arched ceiling. I don’t recall ever coming into the tunnels this far on foot.
We continue in silence, which means my mind continues to race.
What happens when the competition is over and she no longer wants to be anywhere near me? What if she tries to leave and accidentally kills herself because she strayed too far from me? But worse, what if this is the time she doesn’t fall in love with me again?
Should I remove the compulsion?
No. That’s stupid. I can’t because if she accidentally let slip who she is… if I’m not with her. Gods forbid anything happen to her. The blood drains from my face as I grasp just how complicated this has become and that all of it is my fault.
Red jolts me out of my thoughts. “Don’t make a habit of visiting New Imperium,” she says as we trudge deeper into the tunnels. The gloom takes over, making it harder for her to see me, no doubt.
