I fell to my knees and covered my face in shame. “How could you do this to me?”
Boaz stopped laughing. “You did this to yourself. You made the choice.”
“You tricked me.”
Boaz sat on the floor next to me, his back against the mirror. “Let me tell you a story. Maybe it will make you feel better.”
When I didn’t respond, he continued.
“There once was a young Indian boy who was gathering sticks for a fire. Across a river, he noticed a fallen tree where he could get plenty of wood. He was about to cross when a serpent stopped him.
“‘Please, boy, carry me to the other side. There is no food to eat, and I will surely die if I cannot get across.’
“‘But you are a snake,’ the boy said, ‘you will bite me and kill me with your poison if I pick you up!’
“‘Nonsense, boy. I will not bite you if you help save my life. Now, please, pick me up and carry me to the other side.’
“The boy agreed and picked up the snake. When they reached the other side, the snake bit him.
“‘Why did you do that? You said you wouldn’t bite me,’ the boy cried.
“The snake hissed back, ‘You knew what I was when you picked me up.” Boaz paused for dramatic effect. “You knew what I was, yet you still chose to let yourself be fooled because you so desperately craved love. You did this to yourself.”
I lifted my head. “How was that supposed to make me feel better?”
Boaz shrugged. “I’m just saying you can’t be angry with me. You were the stooge who let yourself be fooled.”
“Leave me alone.”
“This is my lair, remember? You leave if you want to be alone.”
I stood up, too depressed to care anymore how he spoke to me.
“By the way, your parents will be here soon to see your marvelous transformation,” he called after me. “Don’t disappoint.”
Chapter 21
I had nowhere else to go but to my room. I could run away, but I wouldn’t get very far, especially with Hunwald who could track anything. He frightened me as much as Boaz. I collapsed on top of my bed.
Escape was not an option, unless I used magic. A big part of me was begging for me to do just that. It could help me out of this mess…
Or could it?
Had Boaz really been helping all that time? Maybe I wasn’t as powerful as I thought.
I rolled over on the crumpled blankets and thought about the injection Boaz had given me. I was immortal. I didn’t know what that meant exactly or how it would affect my future, but it couldn’t be good. Any creation of Boaz’s should be destroyed.
Wouldn’t death be better than to be like the black wolf that shadowed him day and night? Was my magic the only good thing about me? I had more to offer. Didn’t I?
Several hours passed while I tried to decide between life and death. In the end, I decided to live and find a way to redeem myself of my past actions. It made me sick to think of how many people I had hurt, the lives I had damaged! No more magic for me, no matter how hard.
And with that seemingly small decision, the flame in my heart, already lit by the vampire I’d met in the city, grew, and I felt a sliver of peace.
The lights flipped on. Still wide-awake, I shielded my eyes from the glare, but when my parents walked through the door, I jumped to my feet and scooted backwards into the wall. Memories of the abuse they had inflicted upon me flooded my mind, and I thought I might drown in them. But then I took a deep breath, in and out, and cleared my head. I had to be strong for what was to come.
Sable crossed the room with a smile that made me think she’d just won a beauty contest. Her hair was pulled up into an elegant French twist, and an evening gown clung to her slight curves as if she were attending another one of her charity events. She threw her arms around me in a tight embrace—something she’d never done before.
“Eve, dear,” she said, releasing me and staring me right in the eyes. “You look absolutely wonderful. Boaz told us all about your remarkable transformation. To think, he actually made you an immortal! I’m sure you can understand now why we were so hard on you growing up. We only wanted what was best for you, and now you have the best thing possible.” She glanced back at Boaz, who was standing next to Erik in the doorway, and flashed another perfect smile.
Boaz nodded at me encouragingly. I wanted to give in, to be back in his arms, to feel the darkness that made me feel nothing. It would be so easy to do what they all wanted.
But it wouldn’t be right.
Now, at last, that meant something.
“Well?” Sable said, looking at me expectantly.
“Sorry to disappoint, but I’m not who Boaz thinks I am,” I said.
“What is she talking about?” Sable asked Boaz, her head cocked to the side.
“She’s confused. Don’t worry, it will pass.” Boaz crossed the room and took my hand, but I jerked it away.
“This won’t pass. I’m done with magic. I’m done with all of you.”
Boaz chuckled. “You’ve already crossed the line. There’s no going back.”