Bastien
My head is swimming with too much information. I don’ t remember any of the events Selene is describing, and so much of it defies everything I believe to be true. Still the ev idence in front of me is overwhelming. The videos Selene showed me prove that Arabella has been lying to me, and as strange as it seems, it’s actually a relief. Things have felt off ever since I arrived here, as if I’ve been trapped in some strange fog. I thought it was simply a side effect of losing my memory, but now I suspect it’s Arabella’s doing.
As I look down at my beautiful mate, Axel rages in my head, urging me to claim her, protect her and punish her for risking her safety all at once. However there’s not time for any of that now. “You need to get out of here.” | com mand, rising from the couch and pulling her up with me. “You can go down the fire escape.”
“Come with me.” Selene begs, “she’s going to know ! was here either way.”
“I’m not running away like a coward.” I announce.
“Oh but it’s alright if I’m a coward?” She demands, full of sass.
“You are far more precious than I am.” | inform her, eye ing the slight swell of her belly. “I’ll find you after I’ve dealt with Arabella.”
“Just, do me a favor and keep this.” She requests, push ing the cell phone into my hand. “You can reach me through Helene. You can also track me that way – we‘re set up to share our locations.”
“Alright.” | agree, opening the window and lifting her out onto the fire escape. “Now hurry, and be careful.”
“Bastien wait!” She exclaims, before I can close the win dow.
“What’s wrong?” | pause, scanning her lovely face, which looks deeply conflicted.
“Kiss me?” She requests in a small voice, as if she’s afraid I’ll refuse.
this from the moment she walked in the door, at first feeling terribly twisted for being so attracted to someone so evil, and now relieved beyond belief that it isn’t true. I slant my mouth over hers, drinking her in with an urgency that pulses deep in my bones. Coaxing her tongue out to play with mine,
12 13
her when I hear Arabella’ s keys jingling on the other side of the front door, and there are tears in Selene’s eyes when
finally closing the window, “I’ll come for you. I
the living
- ly.
a lot cleverer than you
so?” Arabella questions, eyeing
fact just about everything you told me about her was wrong.” | continue, stalking my way
you again already?” Arabella
| correct, “How long did you think you could keep this up, Bella? Did you really believe you could turn me against my
176 – Bastien
night – you saw her
me why I can’t remember meeting her the other night?” | demand. “Re mind me why I was mysteriously so ill that I slept through a week of news coverage that exposed
playing with your mind, Bastien.” Arabella ar gues, backing away from me into the kitchen, “Please don’t let her divide us
my mind is you!” | thun der, “How have you been
Arabella whines, adopting a put upon expression, “How
up Bella!” | order
girl image nev er did sit right with the woman I remembered. The furious blonde on the verge of a tantrum however, that is exactly the way I recall Flynn’s baby sister. “I knew that bitch was aning to ruin my nlans – like she always does!” She
LU
think you could go on doing this forev er? For the rest of my
a cruel smile, “But in my defense, I didn’t plan on the rest of your life being
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