Page 110 of Petals and Fangs

“No. I am coming with you,” she says.

“Lily, after everything that has happened today, you may want to start listening to me. I care about you more than I care about anyone.”

“Ethan, you may want to push me off your world, but trials are a human thing. I am coming with you on this,” Lily says as she gets out of the car.

“Fair enough,” I chuckle, and hold her hand

I take a deep breath. Lily has been right next to me every step of the way. Even though I may be a vampire, Lily has given me a new life. One filled with joy, happiness, and love.

As I approach the entrance, I smell a familiar scent. I look behind me and there he is. Demetrius. Once again.

“It's you again?” I say, urging Lily to stand behind me.

“Ethan Rothschild in front of a courthouse with no representative? How come? Do you not have a faithful attorney, Ethan?” Demetrius leans in, a smirk barely visible on his face.

“I believe in the truth of Rothschild Pharmaceuticals practices. I am going to speak for myself because, I may have something to hide, but it is only for the benefit of humans.”

“That I know, for sure. I am afraid you do not have to go inside,” Demetrius says as he places his palm on my shoulder. I move back, but he keeps his hand steady. He has no intentions of letting me go.

“What are you saying? I need to save what those traitors ruined.”

“There is no trial, Ethan. It has all been falsified. Every document. Every inquiry. And you fell for it so hard, haven’t you? That attorney of yours must have been so good at this.”

“What?” I ask, my brain feeling numb. It is both a relief and a shock at the same time.

“Look here. Falsified data. Even some of your products are not spelled correctly.”

“Maybe I really should start paying more attention to the paperwork. This is not the first time it has happened to me,” my mind takes me back to the first day Lily entered my office.

I could have known that she was the one who was going to be the company’s florist If I had just looked at her file. Here it is, happening again.

“I told you to be aware of your surroundings, Ethan, didn't I?”

I hate that he is right. I hate that he warned me about everything, and I didn't listen.

“Yes. You did,” I grit out through my clenched teeth.

“That lousy attorney that you had has never been your friend. He urged me to join him on his mission of ruining you, but I objected to that.”

“Why?”

“See, Ethan. I never wanted to harm you. I just wanted to intimidate your little human for a bit, but that's natural. I am a vampire just like you, except I tend to enjoy frightening humans.”

“Why didn't you stand on Perry's side? You have always had a grudge against me and my practices. Tell me the reason. I deserve the answer,” I say, utterly curious to know the answer.

“I could have. But no, I am better than that. I respect what you are doing, even when it is against our nature. Speaking of Perry, where is he?”

“He is dead. Decapitated.”

“Tough move,” Demetrius laughs, his fangs appearing for a split second.

“He messed with the wrong person. Chloroform must have really done it for him at first.”

“And then?”

“Then I tore his head off his body. Same thing with Nick and Alfred. I will have the place burned down soon, along with their bodies.”

“Mind if I do that instead? I have always been fond of burning things down,” he smiles.

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