Page 113 of Your Coffin or Mine
Yes. It means they can’t do anything. It could fade, but I won’t let that happen. She may be human, but she is my mate, whether or not any of them believe me. As an immortal, now that I’ve started it, she can return it—despite hercurrentmortality.
“I am leaving. Feel free to see yourselves out,” I toss over my shoulder as I walk away.
I make it a few steps and Frank starts laughing. “One hundred years and this is what you have to show for it? Lovesick over some insignificant human. You fool, you don’t know what you’ve done,” he says, and I ready myself, waiting for any excuseto rip into him. “Humans cannot be trusted. How often have you said those same words?”
“Watch yourself.”
“You know the rules. If you wipe her mind before she returns it, all will be well.”
“For the last time, no one is wiping anyone,” Doyle snaps, losing his patience. He stomps to put himself in Frank’s line of sight. “Aubrey is innocent and has actually been good for him, from what I can tell.”
Surprise that he’s defending me, and her, fills me. He gives me a look over his shoulder that says he will side with me, no matter how he feels.
“I’m done talking to you lot. Gentlemen, if you’ll excuse me, I have a party to get back to. Doyle, make sure they leave my home.”
“You will regret this,” Frank says to my back.
The only thing I regret is leaving Aubrey alone and unattended for any amount of time. Especially with Frank here, the one person I need her farthest from. The thought of her being hurt by anyone makes my hair stand on end and my undead heart feel like it’s fallen from my chest.
I wave my hand dismissively as I exit the cathedral. They won’t do anything, not with her under my watchful protection.
“Threaten me all you like, Frank, but I promise you this: friend or no friend, if you touch a single hair on Aubrey’s head, I will burn your precious empire to the ground and dance on the ashes. I may be old, and let myself wither for an age, but you forget who I am.”
TheDracula Tepesh.
I have been alive for longer than all of them, and I will outlive them as well.
Chapter 34
AUBREY
“Really,Fifi. Really? All the way down here? Like, what were you even after?” I say to him as I hold him in my arms. “There are zero doggy treats in here, bud, and definitely no hot babes for you to bark at.”
After trekking awkwardly through the dark hallways for ages, my red dress clinging to my thighs as I walk, I am currently cursing myself for not wearing comfortable shoes. Anything that looks remotely familiar would be amazing at this point. My palms are clammy, and sweat has been trickling down my spine so much I know this dress is ruined even though the cloak protects it.
I look down at my phone for the millionth time, cursing it for not giving me bars this deep in the castle. It’s the whole cellar issue again, but apparently worse. Not to mention the corridors down here are definitely creepier at night, and I have been fighting panic for what seems like hours already.
The pug whines suddenly and I squeeze my arms around him tighter.
“What is it, boy?” I whisper.
We are, after all, in this together and talking out loud makes the tunnel less scary, which means I haven’t shut up since Whitley said the dog had raced off this way. Vlad has never taken me down here, and I didn’t know it existed until I saw Fifi’s chunky little butt racing down some stairs.I hope he wasn’t chasing a rat.
“Oh, George owes me big time. Your owner is in for a rude awakening, and I swear I will get you a nice leash. It will be perfect.” The dog growls again. I don’t know if it’s at me, or a spooky ghost I can’t see, but it scares me every time he does it. “Okay, maybe like a diamond-studded leash. You help me find our way back and I will buy you so many dog treats you won’t know what to do with yourself.”
My god, my feet are killing me. There is no way I can wear these shoes for much longer.
My eyes land on a lever on the wall. “Look, Fifi, we are saved.”
After some unladylike cursing and grunting, the lever finally moves and the wall rotates, revealing an outdoor exit. Nothing about this area of the castle looks remotely familiar. Snow flurries swirl, and the bite of winter slaps at my cheeks, chapping my lips almost instantly.
“This is so not the door I was looking for.” I shiver and hold Fifi closer to steal his warmth. “Man, it’s cold.”
A flash of light passing outside in the distance catches my eye, and I can just make out the vague outline of someone moving quickly and holding a lantern.
“Hey, you!” I shout, but the sound is lost in the wind.
I look down, shaking my head at the dog.
