“But your skin, so exquisite, so flawless…” He crosses to her to trace his hands up and down her arms, searching her eyes.
She shrugs. “I wouldn’t have minded.”
“I would have,” he insists vehemently. “You are not, were not, some piece of cattle to be branded!”
“Not good enough for you?” she shrieks in his face, clearly outraged at his words.
“No,” he says hesitantly. “Aefre…you mistake my intention.”
“Oh, forget it,” she sighs and pushes him away. “You clearly don’t get it.”
No, he doesn’t. He did that to Clementine to punish her. To brand her as property that he owned. He could never have done that to his light. Never.
“Aefre…”
“I said forget it,” she barks at him.
“No,” he says, shaking his head. “You were never property…”
“Wasn’t I?” she interrupts him. “Sure as Hell felt like it.”
He purses his lips. Where has this conversation gone? “I haven’t seen you in weeks. Can we please move on from this?” he asks with a resigned sigh.
She gives him a softer look and a smile. “Of course,” she says.
His heart melts when she takes his hand and leads him to the bed. He is about to push her down and ravage her, when he remembers that Arathia is in her crib, pulled up tight next to the bed.
“Uhm,” he starts.
“Later,” she murmurs and snuggles into him. “Please just hold me for now.”
For now? What does that mean? How much longer is she going to make him wait? He knows she hasn’t been with anyone since he left. He would have felt it through their crazy bond. He hopes that she knows that he has been true to her as well. Even though it has nearly killed him, and his cock is so hard right now, it could take someone’s eye out. However, having his wife back in his arms soon relaxes him and the lack of sleep he has endured while he hunted down every last fucker that tormented her, plus all their family and friends, catches up to him and he feels his eyes close. He lets the exhaustion take him, knowing that she will be there when he wakes up, right where he left her. She always is.
To his utter amazement, Aefre is not still in his arms when he awakes. He glances at the clock and realizes it is close to dawn. He has slept for hours and she has snuck out while he was out for the count. He hopes that she has gone to the pit, but doubt lurks as to her fortitude in this matter. It all depends on whether her quest for vengeance outweighs her fears. He chews his lip while he debates whether or not to go and find her, and eventually he jumps off the bed and pulls on some sweats and a vest. He has to make her see this through one way or another for her own good.
He scoops up the ring he left on her nightstand in the hopes that she would reconsider and pockets it before he makes his way down the stairs. Dawn is still about an hour away, so he doesn’t think she would be waiting outside just yet. Question is…where is she? He pauses to try and sense her. He really hates that he lost that connection with her once they become un-sired. Even tying their lives together hasn’t fully recovered this particular trick. He breathes in deeply and follows her scent. He can smell the lavender lingering, so she wasn’t here long ago. He traces it to the kitchen where he stops dead when he sees the sight in front of him.
Marguerite is standing in the doorway, her feet planted wide apart. Her hands stiff at her sides as if waiting for something. His eyes flick to the huge kitchen island and zero in on the twisted piece of Silver bracelet that he knows is her protection against the sunlight.
“Marguerite,” he says quietly, staying where he is so as not to frighten her.
“Don’t stop me,” she says defiantly. “I just can’t go on. Not like this.” Her voice is but a croak from where her throat was cut, and it sends a pang of guilt through him. He should have been there for her. She is his employee and he abandoned her to ensure his daughter was safe.
“I won’t, if this is really what you want to do,” he says. “But you know the sun rises on the other side of the grounds, don’t you?” he adds lightly.
He sees her shoulders stiffen and hears her muttered curse, but she doesn’t move. “It will get here eventually.”
“Why torture yourself further?” he asks.
She turns quickly to look at him in amazement. “You really aren’t going to try and stop me?”
“Is that what you want?” he re
plies, now approaching her slowly.
“No!” she rasps. “I want to die. I can’t go on.” She turns back to the doorway.
“Have you spoken with someone about your ordeal?” he asks, hoping that she doesn’t decide to unload on him. He is fond of her, but he has his hands full with Aefre and her baggage. He doesn’t need to take on another female’s problems as well.