Daughter of Night (A Daughter of Nyx novel)

Chapter Ten

He watched her, that intensity burning in his eyes. Did he know what she was going to say?

"I blame you for so much that you will never know about, but I mostly blame me." She brought the empty glass back to her lips before realizing what she was doing. Nikolas stood in front of her, hand out and wordlessly, she handed it to him.

"None of this is your fault," Elliot said and she smiled through the sudden tears.

"That's not what you said a few nights ago. What were those words... 'You don't know what you've done and that is a terrible place to be'. You were correct on both counts. I don't know what I did. And I have to admit, this is a pretty terrible place to be."

Nikolas handed her back a full glass and she took a sip. The whiskey and fire numbing her emotions and that was what she needed.

"You—"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore. Please. You quickly corrected an assumption I had made. And you did it in probably one of the most vile, horrific ways I have ever seen in my life. You forced me to watch you and that assumption is gone. Thank you. Don't be friends with the vampires. And since that..." She took a breath. "Since my best and only friend has become one of you, I guess I'm alone now."

"You're not alone, Chevonne. We are going to help you."

She stared at her glass, the firelight reflecting through the liquid, painting her hand in gold.

"I'm a grown woman, Elliot. I make my own decisions. And I will not stay in a house where I watched a woman breathe her last. Where I was made to watch you swallow her life." The tear that landed on her hand startled her. She thought she was all dried up.

"I've told you—"

She could feel her smile, could feel the sadness in it. "And I told you, I will never believe you." She looked up at him. " You also told me that you wouldn't hurt me. And that... That was so far beyond pain that I can't think to put it in words."

"I said physically."

That was true.

"Stay. I'm asking, not ordering. Stay until Friday night. I promise you'll be safe."

She stared into his eyes, watching the reflection of the flames. "Why? You did what you did for a reason. You could have told me to leave. You could have taken my memories. You could have done a number of things. But you made me watch and let me remember. Why?"

"I can't answer that, Chevonne. But, yes, I have my reasons."

She stared at him, trying to read what was behind that impenetrable gaze, but he was locked away.

"Choose wisely."

That was written on the card. The card she kept in a box under her coffee table. Because up until that moment, he had given her no reason to fear him. He helped her.

She looked at Nikolas, sitting across from her, silent and observing. "What about you?"

"The whole reason I'm here, the reason Elliot called me, was to kill the thing trying to hurt you. I think I can keep my fangs to myself. I don't have a death wish."

"What does that mean?"

Gray eyes flicked to brown before meeting hers again. "Vampires heal fast, but we do feel pain. And Elliot would make my death hurt."

She held her glass up, swirling the liquid. "Elliot would be fine with you drinking me, Nikolas. If not, it's only because my blood is... what was the word... potent? He doesn't get to be greedy. And besides, by his actions, you should know that he doesn't give a single damn about my well-being."