Page 44 of Depths of Desire
“Why should I? Why should I trust you? If you’d let me go before, I could have been halfway around the world by now.”
Nico glares at me, the pulse in his jaw pulsating. “If I’d let you run, Malrick would already have you, and you would be married to him by now. Please trust me, Luna. You don’t have a choice.”
I wrap my arms around myself. He’s right. I don’t have anyone else at this point. Pippa wanted to help me, but now that Luca knows what’s going on, he won’t let that happen. But maybe, just maybe, I can still use the escape plan if Pippa has kept quiet about it. I refuse to believe that Malrick can track me halfway around the world. Just outright refuse. I cannot live with the idea that I can never get away.
“Luna, what I’m trying to tell you is that we need a plan to deal with Malrick.”
“You just said that he didn’t formally make a plan to marry me, whatever that means,” I point out.
“It means that he didn’t go to a tribunal of vampire kings and apply for a marriage license. If he had, that would mean we are all bound by blood and our laws to honor it.”
I shrug. “So, he didn’t. Great. I don’t have to deal with him then.” I put the heel of my hand on my forehead. It feels like there’s a spike through my brain right behind my right eye.
“Yes, you do,” Nico counters. “He’s not going to give up on you. You are too precious to him. Malrick has pissed off quite a few groups in the magickal realm. There’s no way he’s going to let you slip through his fingers. Not when you can save him.”
All this is making my head throb. “If I’m so damn important why didn’t he go the formal thing?” Not that I wanted him to, but I was curious now.”
It was Nico’s turn to shrug. “Probably never thought it was necessary. He had your parents in a vise-grip. They were going to do whatever he wanted.”
“Okay. Now what? What are you trying to tell me?” I am running out of patience. I want to call Pippa and find out if she mentioned the plan to Luca. I also want to know if Royce Dunbar’s yacht is somewhere close.
“I’m trying to tell you that just because he didn’t do the formal thing doesn’t mean he won’t come for you and demand that we give you to him. He is your fiancé, according to him and your parents. He has every right to come for you.”
“And I have every right to refuse.”
Nico remains silent.
I narrow my eyes at him. “And I have every right to refuse,” I say again.
“Yes and no. Your parents made the deal. Malrick will say they were your guardians at the time, and they had the legal right to do so. It will come down to Malrick trying to force our hand. He will appeal to the vampire kings.”
“But you said he didn’t do the formal thing,” I counter.
“Doesn’t mean he won’t try. And he has a claim.” Nico frowned. “We have to be prepared.”
“Fine,” I sputter. “What do you suggest?”
Nico stares at me. “I have a few ideas, but I need to do some research.”
I throw my hands in the air, exasperated. “What the hell do you expect me to do?”
“I expect you to go to bed. It’s almost dawn. You need some sleep. I need to do some work to prepare. I’ll wake you if anything happens.”
“You think I can sleep now? Are you crazy?” Nico has lost his mind if he thinks I can sleep now. I just heard my father confess his and my mother’s betrayal. There’s no way I can sleep now. My brain is going at lightning speed.
Nico disappeared inside the house. I took a moment to breathe and try to get my thoughts straight. I could still take off. Would Malrick try again tonight? I’m thinking no. I refuse to believe that vampires can track me if I’m far away. It makes no sense. I close my eyes and rub my temples. My head is pounding.
“Here,” Nico says as he offers me a bottle of aspirin and a glass of water.
I stare at it.
“I can tell you have a massive headache.”
I sigh but take the bottle. I open it and shake out two tablets, and then take the water. I down the pills, praying that getting rid of the headache will help me to focus on my next steps. I rub my temples again. Suddenly, I feel dizzy. I lurch slightly. “What the hell did you give me?” I demand as I try and focus on Nico’s face.
“Aspirin.” I think he’s frowning, but I can’t tell. My eyes won’t focus.
“You…you’re lying. You drugged me,” I mumble. My knees buckle and I start to fall but Nico catches me. I struggle to stay awake. “What the hell did you do?” I demand weakly. I want to scream the question at him, but it comes out as a whisper.
