Page 35 of Obsessed in Blood
Devon enteredCressa’s bedroom expecting a sense of loss to greet him. And it hit him like a brick. She’d been in the manor for less than three months and had been through so much. They both had.
He was angry for allowing her to stay at the condo. After he’d beaten the Poppy and settled the beast, he’d seen how angry Lorenzo had been. He wasn’t privy to what was happening in the Council with the discovery of Magic Poppy in Gheata’s basement, but rumors were beginning to leak. Whoever was behind the Poppy would have to put their plans—whatever the endgame was—on hold until things cooled down. And that could take several months.
The Sentinels, who would be put in charge of the investigation, were known for their slow and methodical approach, but even with that, he doubted they’d find the ringleader. His gut told him Lorenzo was the mastermind behind the Magic Poppy, and if he ever discovered what Cressa was, they might never find her. Devon’s only hope was that their ruse of her being his Blood Ward was the only reason Lorenzo had bothered taking her.
After his meeting with Colantha, he’d gone to the safe house to check on Jacques. He was up and around, though his skin wasn’t completely healed. But it wasn’t his physical injury that kept him from being approved for full active duty. Jacques blamed himself for Cressa’s kidnapping. No one faulted his actions that day, but only time and recovering Cressa would heal his mental state.
Devon knew all about blame. He’d made a huge blunder blaming Cressa for his mental fugue after the Poppy incident. And Madame Saldano, who’d been at the safe house with Jacques, seemed to relish chastising him for his impatience during his recovery. He assumed she did it for Jacques’s benefit, especially since she’d been right.
His further discussions with Colantha had confirmed the healer’s opinion. His fugue was an aftereffect of blending two blood types after a high-volume exchange. Colantha also believed he would carry residual dreamwalker blood in his system for some time. It wouldn’t harm him but was most likely the reason he was able to reach Cressa in a construct. She’d been surprised he’d recovered as quickly as he had. When he’d confided his experience at the scene of Cressa’s accident where, after a massive headache, instant clarity had returned, she’d simply nodded.
Strong emotions, like his anger and fear for Cressa, had pushed the final healing. She equated it to Cressa’s intense emotions. More specifically, the anger and frustration she felt around him when they’d first met, which had sparked her dreamwalker abilities.
He stared down at the scarf in his hands, not remembering picking it up. It held her scent, but before he could fall back into the blame game, laughter made him spin around. He’d been so busy with his musings, he hadn’t noticed there was anyone else in the room.
The laughter was coming from the closet. When he peered in, he found Lyra, Ginger, and Colantha huddled in the back, their heads bent close. Ginger was still giggling.
“Why are you all in here?”
The three women turned around at the same time. Their cheeks were tinged with blushes, even Colantha, and he was sorry he asked.
“Colantha wanted to know more about Cressa.” Ginger held a pair of jeans in one hand and linen pants in another. “These two garments express a very different Cressa. During the day, she’d just as soon wear jeans or sweats, though she wears what’s expected of her with these.” She waved the arm that held the linen pants.
“I wasn’t aware these other clothes bothered her.” Devon had requested she wear clothes that reflected her status as a Blood Ward to fit the persona she’d agreed to play.
“Oh, don’t get me wrong, she likes these other clothes, but they remind her of her days living with Christopher. But she has her favorites—things you bought her.” She moved in a circle, taking in the entire closet. “If you were to look at the clothes you first bought her and compared them to your more recent purchases, you’d see they’re not the same. Both represent the Blood Ward of a House leader, but the newer clothes fit her personality better. Maybe you didn’t recognize it when you made the selections, but you did it just the same.”
“I hadn’t noticed.”
Ginger shrugged, and she handed the linen pants to Lyra, who hung them in their appropriate spot. “I’m a fashion hound. Cressa, not so much. It’s not that she doesn’t like the finer stuff, it’s just not as important to her. Like I said, she’d lounge around in sweats all day if she could.”
Devon looked to Colantha. “And this helps you how?”
“I control everything in my constructs, down to the clothes a person wears, how their hair is styled, to what makeup they wear. We have to assume that, just like you, Venizi has procured a specific wardrobe he demands Cressa wear along with certain expectations of behavior. Knowing what I do of Venizi, he will be more stringent in his requests where you were willing to bend.”
“You want to bring Cressa to a construct as she would see her true self. Not just in the environment but in her choice of clothing.”
“Exactly.”
“But we think Colantha might have to change constructs during the session.” Lyra took the jeans Ginger had been holding, folded them, then hugged them to her chest. “Places that represent Cressa’s personalities, as well as the world she lives in with us.”
“You make it sound like this was just a staged play she’s been living in.” Devon didn’t like what he was hearing. Had he forced Cressa to be someone she wasn’t? Yes, he’d provided clothing befitting her role, but that was when she’d first arrived and their relationship was strictly business. Did he still see her in that role? Worse, did she see herself like that? With no freedom to make her own decisions.
“Don’t go there, brother.” Lyra touched his arm.
Colantha chuckled. “Don’t worry, vampire. I know how this must look to you. You’re wondering if you’ve been controlling her all this time. You’re concerned she sees life in this manor as restrictive as it must be with Venizi.” She moved past Devon as she left the closet, the rest of them trailing after her.
She took a seat by the cold fireplace, and like good soldiers, everyone took seats around her. A tea service had been set on the coffee table, and Lyra poured everyone a cup.
Colantha sipped her tea and nodded approvingly. “Ginger shared Cressa’s youth with me in addition to their life after they met. It was a hard life, but a happy one. One they felt comfortable with and had learned to bear. All of that changed when Cressa was caught by Sorrento and found her way here.”
Devon braced himself for what was coming. When he considered the last three months, he grimaced. He’d been difficult, moody, and single-minded in his pursuit to destroy Lorenzo and regain his place on the Council. So he wasn’t prepared at all for what Colantha said next.
“Cressa has found a home here. She’s made friends among the cadre and with Lyra. You’ve allowed Ginger to be included in this new life, and she’s reconnected with her mother on a more mature level. While you don’t realize it, vampire, you’ve given her a place to spread her wings and become who she was always meant to be. You’ve allowed Pandora to come out when required. And yes, it was for your own gain, but having your censure removed in order to secure your vote on Council matters benefits all of us—vampires, shifters, and humans alike. It is in this environment, and only this one, that dreamwalkers can once again take their rightful place in society.”
“We both benefit from Cressa.”
She shrugged. “One could look at it that way, but Cressa isn’t the only one required to make the world safe for everyone. All I’m trying to say is that this House, your people, and Ginger make up her world. One that is comforting to her, one she’s willing to fight for. And that is what my construct must represent in order to break whatever tendrils Venizi holds on her.”
