Chapter Seventeen
Simon recognized the pity swimming in Madison’s eyes. But he saw something else in their depths as well. Attraction. Though she would likely deny it.
He couldn’t believe he’d opened up and revealed his past to her. The death of his wife and child was something he’d never talked about with anyone other than Roman.
“I get it now,” Madison murmured, interrupting his train of thought.
“What’s that?”
She held his gaze. “Why you wanted Lydia so bad.”
Simon ran his thumb across Madison’s knuckles. “I never wanted Lydia. I needed her blood to defeat Svetlana.”
“I know that now. And after what I’ve learned over the past hour, I can’t say that I blame you.”
Simon looked away. “Don’t make me out to be some saint. I’ve done my share of unmentionables. I’m also the cause of Laya’s death.”
Madison tugged on his hand, forcing him to meet her gaze once more. “I know about Laya. Lydia told me everything. You didn’t change her, Simon. Svetlana did.”
“Had I not taken her to begin with, she would have never found herself on Svetlana’s radar.”
“Did you love her?”
Madison’s question caught him off guard. “Laya?”
“Yes.”
Simon shook his head. “Don’t get me wrong, she was certainly beautiful. But I had lost my wife and son. I was…”
“Grieving,” Madison finished for him.
Simon stared into Madison’s whiskey-colored eyes. “My wife’s name was Elenore.”
“And your son?”
“James.” Simon hadn’t spoken his son’s name in centuries. It felt strange to say it aloud. “I can no longer recall their faces while they lived…only the frozen expressions of their deaths.”
Madison leaned in closer. “It’s been over two thousand years. That’s a long time. Even for a vampire.”
Simon’s gaze lowered to her mouth. He watched her speak, mesmerized by her soft, pink lips. “Too long.”
She slowly inched forward. “If you had it to do all over again, would you have walked out into that sun?”
Instead of answering, Simon asked a question of his own. “If it happened to you, would you choose death over eternal life?”
Something flickered in her eyes. “Probably.”
Simon’s stomach clenched at her words. She had just admitted that she’d rather die than to be like him. Not that he blamed her. If given a choice, he wouldn’t have chosen the Dark Gift either.
They stared at each other for long moments, moving ever closer on that bed.
Her breath fanned his face. He could hear her heartrate increase with every inch that brought them closer together.
“Madison…” His lips brushed across hers, gently at first.
She sighed against his mouth, melting against him with a hesitant surrender.
Simon was lost.
“Well isn’t this precious.”
Simon jerked back and was on his feet in an instant. He inserted himself between Madison and the owner of that hideous voice. He’d been so caught up in Madison, he hadn’t felt or heard his maker’s presence.
Svetlana’s eyes glowed red in the darkened room. “You think to shield the redhaired bitch from me?” Three more vampires suddenly appeared behind her.
Simon’s fangs shot down. “How did you find me?”
“Did you really think I wouldn’t know about this place? You’re even more naïve than I thought.” She blurred her way deeper into the room, coming to stop directly in front of Simon.
Thought Simon could feel Madison’s fear, it didn’t stop her from surging to her feet. She attempted to step up next to him, but he blocked her with his larger form.
“She’s a brave little thing,” Svetlana crooned, the smell of roses wafting from her. “Stupid, but brave nonetheless.”
Simon faced Svetlana, daring her to touch one hair on Madison’s head. “Leave her be. It’s me that you want.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Svetlana remarked, amusement lining her voice. “I grow rather weary of your games. I bet your little plaything tastes just like a peach. Not that I would know what a peach tastes like, but I’ve often imagined it.”
A growl vibrated in Simon’s chest. “If you touch her, you will never—”
Pain, unlike anything he’d felt before, slammed into him. His legs buckled beneath him and he dropped to his knees on the floor. Still, he held Svetlana’s gaze. “I swear to the God who has forsaken me that I will find a way to destroy you if you harm her. Let her go, Svetlana.”
And then Madison did the unthinkable. She placed her body between Svetlana and Simon and shoved the female vampire back a step. “Leave him alone!”
“Madison,” Simon ground out, fighting to no avail with everything he had to break Svetlana’s hold on him.
Madison didn’t look at him, she merely stood there, her feet planted apart, facing off with one of the most powerful vampires in the world. “Screw you, Slutlana.”
Svetlana’s laughter filled the air, sending nausea rolling through Simon’s gut. She reached out, gripped Madison by the throat and lifted her off the floor. “I could kill you without the slightest effort, you twat. But I won’t. I have something much better in mind for you.”
Svetlana tossed Madison into the arms of one of the vampires behind her. “Hold her.”
Simon could only watch helplessly as the vampire manhandled Madison.
“You will regret this,” Simon sneered, shifting his attention back to Svetlana. “No matter how long it takes, I will send you straight to hell.”
Svetlana dropped to her haunches before him and leaned in close. “Then I guess I better make the best of what time I have left.” She ran her tongue across his lower lip. “Starting with tonight.”
She pushed to her feet and turned to face Madison. “But first, I think I’ll sample the goods.”
Simon fought with everything he had to get up off his knees, but Svetlana’s persuasion was far too strong. She drew back her hand and slapped Madison across the face with enough force to render her unconscious. Her head slumped forward.
Svetlana had Madison by the hair, her head jerked to the side and her fangs buried in her neck in less than a second.
Simon roared in denial.