Page 32 of The Vampire Curse
I step closer only to be stopped short by a sharp intake of breath from yet another girl huddled against a nearby tree. Blood stains the front of her dress. She whimpers at the sight of me and curls further into herself.
These women are terrified.Fucking demon cursed bastard.This is a blatant disregard of my orders.
“Victor, get up. We are leaving,” I bite out.
Victor pauses his movements as if he only now noticed I was here. He lifts his head and smiles. Blood coats his mouth and teeth, thick lines drip down from both corners of his mouth. Victor pushes up, leaving the girl without so much as a glance in her direction.
He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and waits for my next command. “Apologies, my Lord, I am still getting used to the bloodlust.”
“Join the others and wait for me.” I dismiss him with a wave of my hand and kneel down next to the young woman.
She flinches.
“Don’t worry,” I croon, infusing a light compulsion into the words—just enough to settle her nerves—and offer her my hand. Reluctantly, she places her cold fingers in my grasp. “Be at ease. This will not hurt.”
I help her to sit up. Pushing her hair from her shoulder, I examine the over-zealous bite marks that are already bruising her flesh. I place my palm over the wound still oozing blood.
The girl stares blankly ahead, her mind disconnected from her body so she doesn’t feel the pain of healing. I close my eyes and push my power through my hand and into her.
When I’m finished, I remove my hand and appraise her. The color returns to her cheeks.“There, you are all better.”
She blinks as if waking up. Gingerly, she reaches up and touches the spot where the bite marks had been. Her eyes widen.
“T-thank you,” she stammers and throws her arms around my neck in an embrace that nearly knocks me over. She withdraws almost as quick. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have—”
I place a hand on the top of her head and laugh. “It’s all right.”
Relief settles over me. Victor’s actions tonight have not made her fear me. But I still cannot allow them to remember the fear they felt.
Turning to the other girl, I gesture for her to join us. She hesitates, but one look at her friend and she is up walking on shaky legs. She kneels down next to us and I repeat the healing process on her wounds.
After using my power to heal two mortals, I will need to feed again, sooner than planned. But I can manage for another week or two.
I swallow the guilt prickling at my conscience. Altering their minds… taking away their will, their thoughts, histories, experiences, their opinions—it’s never sat well with me.
“We had a wonderful time tonight,” I say, infusing power into my voice.
Their eyes widen, pupils growing large until they nearly swallow up the entirety of their eyes.
“Thank you, ladies, for being so patient, and I do hope that you will forgive me for not being as neat as I should have.” I place a palm of my hand on each of their cheeks. More power flows through me, sending them images of the night and erasing the fear and pain they experienced. “Take a few days to rest and eat well.”
They nod in unison.
My guilt is only slightly assuaged by the fact that this will be better for them in the end. And they were not seriously injured, more frightened by the lack of care Victor bestowed upon them.
“Now go, return home and get cleaned up,” I say.
Again, they nod and rise as one, then walk from the field. If nothing else, they are alive.
Rising to my feet, I clench my fists at my sides. There is a young vampire who is in need of being taught a few lessons.
I race to the far end of town where the others await me.
Once Victor is within my sights, I speed up and slam into him. We land on the ground. I crouch over him, my hand wrapped around his throat. I bare my fangs and lower my face close to his.
“You and I are about to have a little chat.”
Chapter Twelve