Her Wicked Secret {Sequel to His Mortal Bride}

♱ Chapter 8 ♱

Evander

When I showed her my memories, I knew what she didn't; that her mind would be open and vulnerable, open enough for me to see a few glimpses. I thought nothing of it at the time. It wasn't purposeful, just coincidental. The only way I could show her my memories, her mind and my mind had to be open. If some of her memories bled into my mind, then I couldn't help it. What possibly could this Princess have on her mind that was of any importance to me?

While I focused on showing her my memories, images and emotions came flickering in my mind. What was on her mind actually came to pique my curiosity. It wasn't important, just intriguing to know more about this strange Vampire.

She was angry. Anger melded into stress. I could see her yelling at another woman who I assumed was her mother, and then some unknown man who looked around her age. Maybe a boyfriend? Or what do they call it...? Soulmates. I assumed so until I saw a flighting image of another man her age across a table from her. I could feel her boredom and simmering anger towards him, just the same as the feelings toward the first man. Another man, dressed up just like the first two, smirked at her from beside her mother and I wanted to cringe.

A flicker of curiosity came over me, but I didn't want her to know that she was unwillingly bearing her mind to me. I was curious as to why she was so angry and why this anger was so fixated towards these men and her mother. I couldn't hear anyone, just images and the feeling of emotions. Overall she seemed strained. Of what, I didn't know.

Besides that, it was obvious she had many men pining for her attention. It wasn't shocking, she was exceedingly beautiful. But for some reason, she didn't seem to like these men very much. It was interesting.

Suddenly, images of my home, flowers, and I all flooded my sight. It was like looking in a mirror as I saw myself from her perspective. She didn't feel any fear as I pointed my loaded bow at her. I could feel her confusion when I told her what her kind was doing to mine.

It only confirmed that she truly didn't know what I was talking about.

When she ripped away from my hold on her, she looked dazed. I didn't react to anything I had just seen. By the time she left, I went to sleep knowing that this wasn't the last time I would see her around. It quelled my curiosity knowing that at some point, I would figure out what all those images and emotions of hers meant.

She'd be back.

♱

Piper

The moon was out without a single cloud in the sky to cover it. By the time I got back to the stables and snuck Silveia back into her stable, the residual effects of whatever Evander did when he touched me had me feeling pins and needles. Whether it was the magic or something else, I did not know.

I laid in my scolding bath looking up at the ceiling. If I closed my eyes, those little girl's eyes would find their way to haunt me. It made me sink deeper and keep my eyes focused on the gold ceiling above me.

When the sun came up the next day, I was laying in bed with my eyes still fixated on the fabric of my four-poster bed above me. I hadn't slept a wink.

I dressed and left my room to go get a drink. On my way there, I ran into my mom. Both of us stopped to look at each other. I could tell by the way she regarded me with her eyes that she was still hurt about what I said prior.

"Can we talk?" I asked her. She nodded and pulled me into my father's office. The tall walls filled with books loomed over us. The door shut behind my mother and I sat down with a sigh.