Page 127 of House of Crimson Kisses
Her gaze snaps up to me. Her breathing is ragged. “That’s not your blood,” she says and then has to wipe her chin, as if she’s about to drool.
“No, it’s not,” I say.
“Then why is it in front of me, Octavia?” she snarls. I have to give her credit. Her body is literally decaying in front of us, and still, she comes out swinging.
Wendell glances at me with skittish movements. I can tell he’s uncomfortable. I nod at Amelia to take over his position. She relieves him, and he races from the room.
“Amelia,” Red says and then tilts her head at her sister.
Xavier leans against the wall, an amused expression on his face. But he won’t be laughing when I make him have a go at convincing her without compulsion next. I pray for his sake that Amelia can convince her sister. Because while I want Red to choose to do this for herself, I find a piece of myself wanting her to stay alive more. And I wonder whether I really am above compulsion and making her drink it, or if I meant what I said to Xavier.
“What’s going on?” Red says.
Amelia sits on the bed and strokes the back of Red’s hand, her eyes flitting between the blood bag and Red’s grey pallor.
“You passed out at the Castle St Clair casino night. You’d gone outside, none of us know why. Especially as Octavia asked you to stay put.”
“I...” she says, but her words fade.
There’s a flicker of hesitation.
“Don’t remember,” she finishes.
The hesitation was enough. She’s lying. She remembers, but she’s choosing not to tell us. Oh Red, why must you continue to disobey me?
She pushes Amelia’s hand away. “I don’t want it.”
“I know you don’t. But the strengths trial starts after dusk, and if you don’t drink, I’m not sure you’re going to survive the trip, let alone be able to take part.”
That same hesitation I saw wrapping around a lie washes through her expression again. She’s wavering. Thank gods, keep going, Amelia.
“Of course I can compete. I can get there fine,” she says, but as Amelia glances at me and then Xavier, it’s clear none of us believe her. This is bravado in the face of the decision she’s been avoiding.
“We’re not judging you,” Xavier says from the wall. “We just want you alive and healthy.”
Red cocks her head at him as if trying to examine whether that’s the truth.
It is. I can tell when Xavier is lying, and he isn’t.
“You really think I’ll die if I don’t?” Red asks, her voice quiet.
“Yeah, Red, we really do,” Amelia says and strokes her hand.
“I must look shit,” Red tries to laugh, but it comes out more of a stifled sniffle.
Amelia holds the bag up again. “Please? I can’t bear it if you were to...” She looks away, her eyes filling with unshed tears.
Fuck, Amelia, you are a master manipulator. This performance is golden.
“I can’t…” Red says, her voice high and whiny.
“Tell her, Amelia,” I say.
“Tell me what?” she asks.
Amelia sighs. “The research I’ve been doing… this whole time… Your addiction was never your fault. It was always in you. It’s the transition calling because drinking blood is part of you and who you are… who you’re meant to be…”
Red bites her lip, worry lines crease her forehead. We’re close to convincing her, but it’s her expression that makes bile claw up my throat. Are we any better than the Chief? We’re all stood here, manipulating her to drink blood when she doesn’t want to. But is it still manipulation if she’ll die if we don’t convince her?
