Page 8 of Blood Claims
“Yeah, that may be so, but you’re not exactly painting me a picture of patience here when it comes to her,” I pointed out, and of course he knew what I was talking about. Which was the reason he took a deep breath and let it out on a sigh before scrubbing a hand down his face.
“I lost my temper,” he admitted.
“No shit,” I scoffed, making him frown, but before he could snap his fangs at me again, I told him, “Look, I get it, and despite what you think, I am not trying to make you feel worse here, brother, nor am I blaming you.”
“Yes, it sounds like it,” he replied wryly.
“My point is that if we push her too hard, it will only backfire.”
“What, and you just wanna let her get away with pulling this shit?” he snapped.
“No, of course not, but until we get her back then we have to play this right. Now once we have her in our grasp, then we can take our time in showing her exactly what it means to belong to us,” I said, already itching to do just that. “But until then, you need to focus on the why, not the crime,” I added when he remained silently contemplative… whilst I continued not sounding like myself. Because had this been just like any other enemy we faced, then I would have been the first one to suggest breaking bones now and asking questions later.
But as for our Fated, then that was different. Yes, she had stolen from us and committed what was considered the most atrocious act against a Vampire King that could be carried out. However, the type of punishment she would face wouldn’t evercome with laying a harmful hand on her body. At least not the type that would bring unwelcomed pain or leave lasting marks. Yet despite this, she would need to learn her lesson and what it meant to think she could simply walk away from us. Speaking of which.
“She chose to walk away,” my brother said bitterly, making me close my eyes for a few seconds, the hurt in his tone mirrored in my own feelings. Affections I never thought myself possible of having beyond the love I had for my own brother. Which was what made navigating our way through this all ever more foreign.
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean it was the easy choice, just one that she believed would benefit us,” I argued on her behalf.
His head snapped to mine and again, I was glad I had convinced him to let me drive, knowing the steering wheel wouldn’t have survived from being crushed in his fisted hands.
“She was a fucking fool!” he growled.
“No, she was acting out of love and love makes you selfless… or so I am told,” I added wryly.
“You really believe she loves us?” he asked, now playing the foolish one.
“Ask yourself, why did she feel the need to try and explain herself? Why not just take the dagger and leave? The red mist of fury may have clouded your judgement of her for the time being, but my own was clear enough to see the true pain in her eyes.”
“I heard what she said, Tal, I was there,” he gritted out, thinking back to it.
“Yes, but did you see what those words did to her? The battle she fought within herself? There was no triumph in this…not for any of us,”I added bitterly.
“I know that,” was his curt reply.
“Good, then I suggest you cling on to that knowledge like I do, after all, she believes we have been bewitched into loving herand she will be the only one to cling on to the memories of it being real for her.”
“Then she will soon know the truth,” Victor stated firmly, that knowing tick of annoyance jumping at his jawline.
“That she will, just as soon as we find her.”
My brother’s shoulders slumped after he tried ringing her for the tenth time but without joy.
“She really believes what she did last night was wrong… like some fucking crime against us!” he snapped as it continued to play on his mind, making me grit my teeth.
“She gave in to temptation by giving herself to us last night, and we will soon prove to her that no crime was committed against us with that act,” I argued once more on her behalf.
“I swear if I find this witch, I am going to rip her fucking heart out and make her last few moments of life be to watch as I crush it in my hand!” my brother snarled, making me smile viciously.
“Now there is the twisted bloodthirsty brother I love,” I said, making him scoff a laugh.
“Yes, and speaking of being thirsty for blood, let’s hope the sweetest blood of all finally answers her fucking phone,” he said, tapping on the screen and putting it to his ear. It seemed the patience I had been eager for him to find had finally paid off.
Because our Little Peach was caught in our net as she…
Answered the phone.
I wasn’tsure if my brother felt better or worse after what transpired from the phone call, but it at the very least provided us with what we needed.
