Page 56 of Night Wedding
When I finally pulled myself up, I barked, “The two of you are driving me insane tonight.” I pointed at Sebastian and then Lucas. “Stop following me and leave me alone.”
Lucas stepped forward and crossed his arms. “I can’t do that, bro. You need to come to the Network with us.”
“Why?”
“You must sense that something isn’t right.” He tapped the side of his head.
I flinched and then hunched my shoulders. How did he detect my uncertainty? Maybe I should consider going with them. After all, the Network was where I’d found my job and place to live.
“You’re not taking him anywhere, dragon,” Diana declared with bared fangs. “He’s with me. And we’re moving away from your poisonous influence.”
Lucas snorted. “Hypocrite.” He pointed at her. “We know what you’ve done, and you won’t get away with it.”
“If you go with her,” Sebastian warned, “We’ve lost you forever.”
“And worse,” Lucas added, “You’ve lost yourself.”
Those ominous words battered my already rattled nerves. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t listen to them,” Diana interrupted. “Remember how you told me they were playing a prank on you? They’re juvenile. This is another one of their ruses.” She trailed her fingers over my bicep. “They want to keep you from me. Don’t let them.”
I glanced into her eyes and then to my friends. Something was wrong. I could sense it, in the same way I knew something was off, but I couldn’t grasp why. Frustration burned. I extended my fingers before curling them into fists. The last time I tried to untangle the threads in this murky confusion in my brain, it led to searing pain. I couldn’t dig too deep, not without help anyway.
“Diego, let’s go,” Diana insisted. “All the best meals will be claimed.”
Finding a delicious meal was a better plan than bumbling over my roommates out here. I turned to them. “You have thirty seconds to explain what the hell’s going on.”
Frustration twisted inside, and I took it out on them. It all seemed to stem from this confusing block in my head.
Lucas and Sebastian exchanged a look.
“I’ll go,” Sebastian said.
“No, I should,” Lucas said.
“I’ve been the one shadowing him,” Sebastian countered.
“But I was just at the Network,” Lucas argued. “I know more about what’s going on.”
“23, 22,” I counted as I crossed my arms with impatience.
“All right, all right,” Sebastian began with a raised hand. “We think she’s tricked you with magic to think you’re still in love with her. And she’s done something to mess with your memory. Don’t you remember seeing her with another guy at the Halloween ball last year?”
I searched for any recollection of the event. Nothing came to mind but fragments of images too dark and blurry to identify. They were like images distorted by drops of water.
“You were there with Nova,” Lucas added.
“Nova.” I ran my hands through my hair. “There’s that name again.” I ground my teeth. “For the last time, I have no idea who that woman is. You keep bringing up her name, and she acts like she knows me. What you’re doing is sick. It’s not a funny prank. It’s twisted. And I already told you that you’re taking things too far.”
“It’s not a prank,” both Sebastian and Lucas shouted almost simultaneously.
“Think about it, Diego,” Sebastian insisted. “And think hard. She’s in your head somewhere.” He placed his hand on his chest. “And in your heart. You’re in love with Nova. You just proposed to her before this vindictive vamp came along and messed with your head.”
“Again.” Lucas added. “She nearly destroyed you the first time. Don’t let her finish it off now.”
“Lies!” Diana hissed at Lucas. She pulled my hand. “Diego, let’s go now. We need to get away from these liars as soon as possible.”
“Don’t do it, man,” Sebastian warned.
