Page 40 of House of Crimson Kisses
“What’s the theory?” she asks.
“It was something Mother said in the ballroom. That the dhampir will be a true hybrid and that they have to embrace their vampire side…” I say a little too loudly. My words hover in the air, thick with unsaid realisation.
“Oh, fuck,” Amelia says and a second later, Xavier groans.
“She’s not going to like it,” he says.
“That muchis evident.”This time I can’t help the little snarl that rips from my chest.
Red wakes, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. “Where are we?” she says and coughs, struggling.
“Thirsty?” Xavier asks.
“Yeah, but… umm. I…”
“Come here,” I say, saving her the embarrassment of having to answer. I hold out my arm, and she slides back into my embrace.
She seems smaller at this moment. More fragile and I hate it. The Red I know is strong, fierce, angry, but she’s weakening without what she really needs.
Xavier clears his throat. “I know who you are… what you are.”
“Me too,” Amelia says.
Red’s eyes snap up to him and then flick feverishly between all three of us.
“Xavier is going to help us,” I say.
“And you trust him?” Red asks.
Xavier glares at me, but I discover, in this moment, that I truly do.
“He was willing to sacrifice his memories for you. I trust him with your life because he owes you his.”
“If you’re curious, I’ve actually known longer than anyone,” he purrs.
“How?” Red says, her throat dry and crackling.
“Your blood. When you helped heal me in the amulet challenge, I took your blood and knew it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever experienced. If I weren’t so injured and in such shock at the exquisite taste of your blood, I may have had a problem controlling myself. You are quite the delicate morsel.”
“Xavier,” I snarl. His eyes have gone dewy.
“Sorry,” he says, breaking out of the memory. “I do apologise. That was impolite. I will, for the record, just reiterate that you have my word of secrecy. It might interest you to know I was the one who told Octavia about your blood. And as a result, you weren’t the only one Octavia compelled. She’s only just given me my memories back. My point is, you saved my life. I will help to save yours.”
The carriage slows to a halt as we reach the underbelly of the Whisper Club. Xavier helps Red down and out of the carriage. She leans on his arm as he guides her through the club and up towards my office.
Erin waves at me .
“Could you send word to Rhea Nightfall that I’ll be visiting?” I ask.
Rhea works in a border town between our city and the next. Gods, I hate that fucking city. It’s run by seven fae mafia families. Awful place it is. No one has any morals, everyone’s a fucking villain and none of them can see that their city is going to corrupt itself to death if they don’t get a grip. But I suppose you can’t save everyone.
Rhea, though, has good standing with all the families. She’s a mediator of sorts. She also has ears everywhere in this city. So if anyone knows what’s going on with the hunter attacks, it will be her.
Erin vanishes, and I return to my office. Amelia is sitting on a chair with one leg crossed over the other, her foot tapping as she sips from a blood bag she hasn’t even bothered to pour into a glass. Xavier leans against the back wall, his expression stiff, like he’s trying to calculate something unfathomable.
Red is scrunching her nose at the bag and turning a sickly shade of green.
Fuck me.
