Page 15 of Resurrecting His Soul
“Just for the record,” Allison said, “if you had killed that bitch, I’d totally support you in that too.”
“Allison!” Lisandra smacked her friend’s arm, and Allison just laughed. She couldn’t have found a better friend in this world if she tried. She was truly lucky to have this woman in her life. She hoped that Allison was right. That she would learn to control the darker side of her nature and soon because if she couldn’t, she might have to walk away from the only person who’d always been by her side, and that was one thing she was sure she couldn’t survive.
****
Whena knock sounded at Lisandra’s doorway it only took her a moment to realize who was on the other side, and it was not Ricardo. She could smell the retched scent of jealousy and anger, and she knew it was Melina. Allison was opening the door before she could say anything.
“It’s about time you come to check on… You!” Smack!
Lisandra was at the door in an instant, but she wasn’t as fast as Ricardo, who had Melina by the throat against the opposite wall in the hallway. Allison was shaking her hand like it stung.
Lisandra pointed out the doorway at Melina. “Allison, you hit her?”
“Hell yes, I did, and she’s lucky Ricardo pulled her away or that wouldn’t have been all I did to her. Nobody messes with you and gets away with it.”
“I’ll kill you,” Melina growled through clenched teeth.
Lisandra watched in shock while Ricardo tightened his grip on Melina’s throat and shoved her harder into the wall. “You won’t touch her,” he roared. A shiver ran down her spine. It was one thing for him to protect her, but seeing him defend Allison—she shook her head. She should not be lusting after him when he looked like he was ready to take off Melina’s head, but damn that protective side of him was doing something to her.
“So I’m just supposed to let those two attack me and take it like a pushover?” Melina pouted. “That’s not fair, Ricardo.” Hearing Melina’s voice was enough to pull Lisandra out of her haze and she ripped her eyes away from Ricardo and narrowed them on Melina, putting her body between them and where Allison still stood.
“Don’t try that pouty tone on me,” Ricardo snapped. “We both know that I’m not falling for that helpless crap. You tried to kill Lisandra and had I not been there to stop you and feed her my blood, you would have succeeded. I’d say they were both more than justified in their actions against you, and quite frankly, you’re lucky I haven’t sent you to your true death. However, I assure you that if you even harm a hair on one of their heads, then I will send you straight to Hell without a moment’s hesitation. Are we clear?”
Melina narrowed her eyes over Ricardo’s shoulder at Lisandra and she felt that intense anger wash over her again, but she gripped the doorframe and held herself in place. Refusing to let Melina get the better of her again. Allison was right. She could be the better person, even if she had to physically hold herself back to do so.
Ricardo wasn’t as passive in his reaction. He slammed Melina’s head back into the wall once again, that time with enough force to crack the sheetrock behind her. “I said, are we clear?” he growled.
Melina’s eyes flew back to Ricardo, wide and bug-eyed. Lisandra smirked when she saw the fear in Melina’s gaze. She would be the better person and not kill the bitch, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t find a small piece of satisfaction watching the girl get put in her place.
Melina quickly painted the mask back on her face and tried to hide her fear, but it was no use. Its perfume was thick in the air, and Lisandra could swear she could taste it. “Fine, Ricardo. I’m not the one who came here to fight, anyway. I was just trying to tell your little girl of the week over there that I wasn’t holding any grudges after she attacked me.” She looked over Ricardo’s shoulder, and Lisandra had to tighten her grip on the doorframe to keep from lunging forward when Melina’s eyes met her own. “And you need to teach your human pet the dangers of attacking a vampire before she winds up just like you, or worse.”
“Not another word out of you!” Ricardo slammed his fist next to Melina’s face. “I think it’s time for you to go.”
“I live here!” Melina yelled.
“Then I suggest you offer our guests a sincere apology and lock yourself in your room for the rest of the day before I wind up handling you myself.”
“I’m sorry,” Melina ground out through her clenched jaw. As soon as Ricardo loosened his grip on her, she was gone, and a slamming door sounded behind her less than a moment later. Lisandra knew she wasn’t sorry, and she was sure that Ricardo knew it too, but she would give him a break for the night. He looked like he was barely holding it together. And after everything that had went down in the past few hours, Lisandra knew exactly what that felt like.
Unfortunately, Allison didn’t share that sentiment and was in his face faster than Lisandra could process everything that had just happened. “I know you’re not gonna let that bitch stay here after everything she’s done to Lisandra!”
Ricardo held his hands up and took a step back from Allison. “I know, but it’s complicated. I’m her maker. She wouldn’t be this way if not for me. I taught her to be the vile, vindictive monster you met on that Ferris wheel and again today. I have to give her a chance to change, just like Lisandra is giving me a chance.”
“She doesn’t deserve anything,” Allison argued, then she ran her eyes up and down Ricardo, her lip turned up. “And I’m starting to think maybe you don’t either.”
“Allison, please,” Lisandra tried to intervene, but Ricardo shook his head and held up a hand to stop her.
“It’s okay, Lisandra. Allison isn’t wrong. Melina probably doesn’t deserve a second chance. Neither do I, yet you insist on believing in me, and because of you there is a small part of me that believes that I can change too. I made Melina the monster she is today, but maybe if I can show her an ounce of the compassion you’ve shown me, she will also be able to look into herself and find something good to cling to so she can move past the evil creature she has become. But if she tries anything with either one of you ever again, the deal is off. I will not hesitate to take her down, permanently. You two are family now and I will protect you.”
****
Melina
Walking away from Lisandra’s room without at least killing her human friend made Melina want to rip through the walls and put that little bitch in her place. What the hell was so special about this girl? Ricardo was acting like a whipped puppy, and she had to find a way to bring back the vicious vampire who had created her and taught her what it meant to live without a care for anything or anyone. In just a few days, Lisandra had turned him into a weak shell of his former self. Leaving the house and heading into the nearest town to find a fresh source of blood, Melina decided she would find a way to get rid of Lisandra and her friend no matter the cost, starting with following their trail back to wherever they came from. Maybe a few threats to their family would be just what they needed to convince them to disappear for good.
ChapterTen
Ricardo
