Page 66 of Blood Claims
“That wasn’t your decision to make!”
“Yes, it was,” Victor replied arrogantly, making me lose it even more.
“NO!” I shouted, not giving a damn who heard us. Which made Victor grip my arm again, tighter this time as he led me further into the hallway, closer to the restrooms and away from any potential prying eyes.
“I know you don’t quite get this yet, but you are ours…”
“I am not…”
At this Victor lost his patience and snarled,
“You are ours…and therefore, if we choose to protect you from certain information then it is our right to do so!”
My eyes widened in utter disbelief!
“How dare you!”
“Oh, we will dare…every… fucking… day!”Victor growled. His eyes glowing silver, telling me how close to the edge he was and giving Tal cause to put a hand on his shoulder.
“Easy, brother,” he warned, but this was when I lost my shit completely and stepped right up to him, knowing he would never hurt me. So, with nothing to fear but making him lose his temper further, I looked up at him and pointed a finger in his face as I told him,
“You may kidnap me, force me to live with you. You can make your bargains, but I didn’t bargain for my soul. No one owns me, Victor! And right now, neither of you ever will, because if there is one thing I can’t stand, it’s a lover who lies!”
He flinched back as my words hit their target.
“Nessa, we didn’t lie,” Tal tried, being the one who retained his calm, but I turned to face him and said,
“No, maybe not, but you made the decision not to tell me that my best friend was in danger and that… that is so much worse than the lie I know you would have told me had I asked.”
Tal closed his eyes and released a heavy sigh.
“You asked us now, and we didn’t lie,” Victor pointed out.
“No, you were just caught out, there is a difference.”
“You are being unreasonable,” he stated after a frustrated sound.
“Oh, am I? Did I not just an hour ago ask if I could send her a picture, mention her by name? And you never said a word. You knew and yet you said nothing. All for what exactly? So you could bring me to this gala without me making a fuss?!” I argued.
“We didn’t tell you because you have been through enough trauma and we didn’t wish to add to it,” Tal replied, no doubt fearing what his brother would say next to set me off.
“Yeah, and why is that? Why has my life been turned upside down, where my dreams haunt me, a witch wants me dead, and people are targeting my best friend. Because I gotta say, life was pretty safe until you two came on the scene,” I snapped, regretting it the second I saw hurt take hold, their expressions pained, even if it was for just a moment.
“And just how long would you have lasted in that safety you built, huh? How long would you have drowned in debt, Vanessa? How long until you dug your way out of it, only to trust the wrong asshole again?” Victor argued, making me flinch.
“How dare you! I didn’t ask you to pay off shit!”
“No, you didn’t. In fact, you have asked for nothing and yet, look where it would have gotten you? Decades of debt that we eradicated just like that,” he said, snapping his fingers and making me scowl at him.
“Yes, but at what price? What did it cost me, Victor? Does that make you think you now own my soul? Because I don’t remember making a deal with the devil!” I shouted, my anger quickly making its way up to furious levels.
“Of course not! You’re being ridiculous!” I baulked at that.
“I am not the ridiculous one if you think that any of this is okay,” I told him, making Tal intervene again.
“Alright, you have made your point, sweetheart.”
I shook my head, some of the anger seeping out of me.
