Page 241 of Evil Hearts

“I don’t know if I can do this,” she whispered, her thoughts strained with uncertainty. “How can I possibly accept everything you are?” Amelia turned away and fled out the door.

Chapter Six

Amelia’s fingers weretrembling as she clutched the edge of the mahogany desk. Dimitri’s confession resounding in her head, a din of disbelief and fear.

“I’m a vampire,” he had said, his voice low and resonant, eyes haunted by centuries-old secrets. She had backed away from him that night, unable to reconcile the man she loved with the monster he revealed himself to be.

Now, she was in Lancaster House, her family’s estate and a grand, stately manor. Her family was away on vacation, blissfully unaware of the turmoil that gripped her heart. The Georgian-style mansion loomed around her, a display of generations of wealth and refinement. Pale limestone walls, shrouded with ivy, glimmered under the morning sun. The gardens outside were methodically manicured, boasting vibrant flowerbeds and a tranquil fountain at the center of a circular courtyard.

Inside, the air was swollen with silence. Amelia’s debutante bedroom was a safe refuge of pastel hues and delicate furnishings. The canopy bed, draped in soft blush curtains, stood at the room’s center, surrounded by vintage-inspired decor. Floral wallpaper and shelves crammed with porcelain dolls and framed photographs. A vanity table, cluttered with perfume bottles and pearl necklaces, reflected her refined tastes.

“Amelia, we’re here!” Charlotte’s voice rang out from the grand foyer, breaking the stillness.

“Upstairs,” Amelia called back, trying to steady her shaking hands.

The burden of Dimitri’s secret pressed down heavily on her chest. Could she really keep this from them? Could she live with such a dark secret?

Moments later, Charlotte and Elle appeared at her door, their faces lined with concern.

“Sweetie, what happened?” Charlotte asked, her blue stare scanning Amelia’s face for answers. She stepped forward, enveloping Amelia in a warm hug.

“Yeah, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Elle moved closer.

If only it were as simple as that—just a ghost. But no, it was far more complicated and sinister.

“Just…a fight with Dimitri,” Amelia lied. “It got intense.”

The words tasted bitter on her tongue. Lying to them felt like a betrayal, yet the truth was too perilous to share.

“Intense how?” Charlotte’s brow furrowed. She wasn’t buying it.

Obviously she wasn’t—Charlotte knew her too well. Amelia’s thoughts sped through the events of last night: Dimitri’s haunted eyes, his confession of centuries-old pain. How could she ever explain that?

“Words were exchanged, tempers flared,” Amelia replied, avoiding eye contact.

She couldn’t tell them the truth; it was too surreal, too dangerous. And they would never believe her that Dimitri was a vampire. The very idea seemed absurd even in her own mind, yet the evidence was obvious.

Charlotte frowned, crossing her arms over her fashionable dress. “Sounds more serious than just a fight. Are you sure you’re okay?”

Her concern was genuine but also probing—a double-edged sword that cut through Amelia’s defenses.

“She’ll be fine. Right, Amelia?” Elle placed a pacifying hand on Amelia’s shoulder. The tenderness of Elle’s touch was grounding but fleeting.

“Yeah, I just need some time.” Amelia forced a smile, though her insides churned with the heaviness of her secret. Time—what an elusive concept when every moment felt like borrowed breath under Dimitri’s dark shadow.

“Well, we’re here for you,” Charlotte said, her expression softening. “No matter what.”

“Thanks, both of you,” Amelia said, feeling a rush of gratitude. In spite of everything, their friendship was a lifeline.

Yet even lifelines could fray under the consequences of veiled truths and life dangers. How long could she keep up this charade before it all came crashing down?

“How about some tea?” Elle suggested, already heading toward the kitchen downstairs. “Or something stronger?”

“Tea is fine,” Amelia replied.

Elle left the bedroom and Amelia could hear her hurrying downstairs.

“Amelia,” Charlotte’s voice dropped, becoming more serious. “Is there something you’re not telling us? You know you can trust us, right?”

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