Page 25 of When Night Falls

Her soft breathing lingers between us as she allows me to run the tip of my finger from her hairline at her forehead, down to the perfect trace of her bottom lip, puffy from biting on it in a nervous state. I almost have the urge to do the same, to reach down and bite it. But I refrain, because it's too dangerous for me to corrupt her like that right now. It’s too dangerous to corrupt myself.

"You aren't afraid of me, are you, little one?" Her eyes flicker between my eyes and my lips, something fierce roars through me but I'm hanging onto my resolve by a fucking thread here. I want to enjoy the feeling of exploring her. Taunting her. Watching her crumble.

"Do you crave the taste of danger as much as you cling to your fantastical idea of finding ahappily ever after, just like in your books?" I take my finger to trace the scar there on her cheek. The one I witnessed being born. The feeling of it is somewhat smooth under my touch as I slowly move the pad of my thumb across its slightly raised edges. She doesn't try to shake me away, instead she just lets me explore that piece of her that is branded by the pain she suffered that night. A night she has no idea I helped her escape.

"Please," she whispers, looking for an answer.

"Do not beg in front of me, Cyn. I won't survive it, and neither will you," I warn her. Feeling far too lost in my need for her and for the taste of blood to be able to accept defeat at the pretty sound of her begging. I need to accomplish what I came here to do tonight. Hearing her plead is too much for me to handle right now; I refuse to let her have this kind of power over me.

"What are you doing to me?" she asks, still holding my eye contact, helpless as I cage her in but willing to let me continue my curious caresses. My finger falls from her scar down to the collar of her dress, following the neckline as it dips down between her breasts. And I almost ask her the same question back, realizing that my task to accustom her to what is in store for her future has turned into a power struggle between my self-mastery and my deadly need for her.

"Nothing you don't want me to do," I assure her. Knowing that I'm invading her thoughts, and I don't feel guilty for it one bit.

"You don't know what I want," she argues but we both know that's not true. And it's evident in the way her breathing comesshort and harsh. I remove myself an inch, taking my hand off the wall and pulling my other hand into my front pocket, savoring the feel of her skin on mine.

"If I told you that I can read your mind, little one," I watch her as she shifts against the wall, but not taking her eyes off mine, "would you believe me?"

I can see her apprehension melt just a little as satisfaction plays on my lips and dances in my eyes, watching her try to digest my words. I decide to help her understand a little better by feeding her a thought I know she knows all too well.

I focus my eyes on hers and enter that space that's open for invasion.

Listen.

I silently command her.

Breathe.

You're safe, and it's going to be okay.

"Wait…" Her eyes move from me to the floor after being held hostage for a moment or two.

She closes them for a second before fully removing herself from the wall, escaping the small space I held her to, and turning to me with fire in her eyes. "You? You've been behind my illusions and the . . . thevoices. You're the voice that's always in my head. But how? Why?"

"It’s what I had to do to get you here. But I also needed to keep you safe," I try to reassure her, approaching her in a more empathetic light. And I'm not lying. I do want to protect her, but only because Ineedher.

"Well, I don’t need you or anyone else to keep mesafe. How the hell did you do it?!" she shouts, her rage vibrating through the air like an electricity surge.

"I beseech you to calm down, Lucynda."

“Do not tell me to calm down you . . . you monster! You made me feel like I was losing my mind, like I was going crazy!” Ofcourse, my act of invasion has caused her to vilify me. I only needed to gain her trust. Despite my agenda, I didn’t mean to cause true harm . . . yet.

And normally, her rather theatrical outburst wouldn’t bother me too greatly, but I can see despair painting her expression and the betrayal that marks her eyes.

As I watch deception color her, I am surprised at my need to undo the carnage; unravel the truth and dismantle her belief that she's been actually going insane. Though, she's been suffering long before I entered her life and I don't care if it causes her to see me as the villain. I will not fail at this task.

That's what I am, isn't it? The villain. We suck humans dry of their blood and erase their memories thereof in order to live a life of power and feigned immortality. We use them to survive and even though some might be willing, we still take more than we give. I won't let some pretty little girl take away my need for revenge. I will see this through, even if I have to force her into it.

"I don’t know what you want from me but I want no part of it." Lucynda makes her voice heard as she stands her ground. "I don't need to be saved or protected by anyone. You don't even…" she stops herself and rewords her thought, "I don't even know you!" She points her finger at me, disappointment bleeding from her soul; I can feel it.

At this point, I'm starting to get annoyed with her perseverance to push back. But I do admire the hell out of her strength all the same. It's just in this current situation, I need her to be morewilling.

I should have just fully corrupted her thoughts and made her believe she needed to marry me for whatever reason I wanted to give her. I could sit here and tell her all of the things that I think she'd want to hear just to make her feel better but I'm starting to lose my patience. I don't want to hurt her—not more than I have to—but I can't let her ruin this for me. I won't.

"Lucynda, I honestly don't have time for you to argue with me about any of this," I say to her, running my hand through my hair.

"Any of what? I don't even know what any ofthisis!" She raises her voice again and I try my hardest not to lose the last modicum of patience I've held for this entire conversation. She's right though, and this is where Zharus is going to sayI told you so.

He said I should have done this the easy way instead of trying to ease her into the idea, but I know that when she hears what I have to offer her, she'll want it. No questions asked. Even if it has nothing to do with me, even if shewantsnothing to do with me. I have to lure her into wanting this and by doing so, I need to be trustworthy in her eyes. I can't risk her wandering off.