Nykin 2: Persuasion

7: The Devil Incarnate

Lies.

All lies.

Adelaide thinks that Harry is surely the devil incarnate as the words roll off his tongue and fall from his mouth all too easily.

He starts to move from where he sits and Adelaide braces herself, ready to defend herself from his attack.

Harry notices and freezes, pain registering on his face as he sees that she is afraid of him.

And it wounds him deeply.

He swallows his hurt as best he can and instead holds his hands up in a show of compliance, that he means her no harm.

"Adelaide..." he begins but is cut off when her mouth parts slightly and he sees her fangs elongate themselves.

This is not how he pictured finding her.

Turned against him by someone who treated her so heinously in her former life.

How can she not remember?

He must try and get her to remember.

"Adelaide, do you know who I am?" he asks her.

"The enemy," she instantly replies, "my enemy."

"Why do you think that?" he responds.

"Because..." she begins and falters for a moment.

Images of his naked form entangled with Sabinè flow through her mind, the visions burn into her eyes even as she closes them and tries to shake them.

It hurts her heart deeply though she can't think why.

She does not remember anything with regards to Harry, of spending any time with him, conversing or even...

Even laying in bed by his side as Sabinè has.

"Because?" he sees the doubts in her mind and he presses her gently to answer him.

"Because he told me so!" she suddenly yells, "because you once loved me but left me for another..."

"I did not!" he cries, "I have been searching for you, frantic ever since he took you from me..."

Adelaide recoils in shock at his words.

"Jonathon did no such thing!" she argues, "he has been nothing but kind to me since-"

"Since when?" Harry interrupts her.

"Since..." she falters again, "since..."

"The last few days?" Harry offers, taking a tentative step towards her, "because that's how long you've been missing for Addie."

Adelaide shakes her head.

"You are mistaken," she replies, "and...and lies! He said you would tell me lies!" her voice begins to rise again.

"But Adelaide," Harry continues, taking another slow step, "if Sabinè and I are together, why has she been with yourself and Jonathon and not me? Why does she care what happens between you and Jonathon?"

Adelaide's eyes narrow as she listens to Harry.

"Why are you trying to lie to me? Confuse me?" she yells, "Jonathon said you-"

"He lies!" Harry suddenly yells back in desperation, "he treated you horribly Adelaide, he did unspeakable things and because you were betrothed to him you felt you had no choice but to let him!"

Adelaide puts her hand out in a gesture to stop Harry and shakes her head violently.

"He said you would try this, that you would say horrible things about him..." she backs away as Harry begins to slowly venture closer to her.