Page 139 of House of Crimson Kisses
She sniffs and wipes her face, shaking her head, and then she leans into me, her head on my chest.
“I’m not doing this to hurt you, but to save me. Because I need to take back control. I need to be in control of something.”
“I don’t under?—”
Something cold and sharp and then burning hot clamps over my wrists.
“What the fuck?” I hiss, staggering back.
Her face is like cold, hard stone. There’s no emotion. No remorse.
“What are you doing?” I mumble, my wrists burning as I shake the cuffs. But they’re attached to a tree. I’m literally chained in place.
I tug at the cuffs, trying to yank them off, but they’re made of silver. Every movement causes a white-hot lancing pain to shoot through my wrists and arms.
Fuck.
Fuck fuck fuck.
The fights.
“Red, listen. You need to release me so I can fight Dahlia. Whatever you think you know, you don’t.”
She huffs. “So, you didn’t take the first memories of us together? You didn’t hide the fact that the only reason I’m addicted to blood is because you gave me my first taste?”
I open my mouth to say no, but I can’t, can I? Because I did those things. That first time especially, I took her memories because she hurt me. I didn’t appreciate what she would be to me. What she would mean.
I shut my mouth, and she laughs. It’s a nasty sneer of a thing.
“I thought you were different.” Her eyes well and I’m not sure if it’s the bond or the fact that I understand her so well, but she throbs with pain and hurt, and I carry it in my chest like an anchor.
“Don’t do this,” I say, but the words are pathetic and limp. “If you fight alone, you’ll lose.”
“I’m not as weak as you assume, thanks to last night.”
“Red, come on, that’s not what I mean. You are still human. I need you for the final round. You’re the only one who can open the door.”
“You need me,” she taunts, shaking her head at me. “Cool. Octavia. Cool. Cool. Cool. Good to know that’s the only reason you keep me around.”
My breathing hitches, my stomach flutters to life, dancing with panic. She’s going to get herself killed, or she’s going to lose.
“This round, of all of them, needs us both. Let me fight. I can’t watch you get hurt.”
“No,” she says and then steps into my personal space. “You’re going to watch me intentionally lose. From here.”
“What?” I say, the word a whisper. My blood freezes. Gooseflesh ripples over my arms. Hot ice drips down my spine. “What the fuck do you mean you’re going to lose intentionally?” I jerk forward, trying to catch hold of her. She steps back out of my reach.
“You heard me. That was the price for my memories. Sadie said she would give them back if I intentionally made us lose this round.”
“You wouldn’t dare. You WOULDN’T FUCKING DARE. After everything I’ve done for you.”
I can’t breathe. This is my one shot. This is the only chance I’ve had in a thousand years to make this city feel like home. To finally belong. She wouldn’t do that to me. She can’t take that from me.
She huffs a laugh. “Everything you’vedone? What, like control me, manipulate me like everyone else? Steal memories and create a narrative that suits you?”
“YOU ASKED ME TO TAKE THEM,” I shriek. My throat is thick, pins and needles scratch at my fingers. I have to do something. Stop this madness. I don’t understand what’s going on or why the hell she’s doing this, but it will ruin everything.
“Verity—”
