Marie’s expression soured. “Our arrangement was not for you to sell my abilities for your own gain, Zet. I’m not a common whore.”
The Ancient gave her a small smile. He crossed the floor and gracefully sat on the bed next to her, grasping her jaw with one hand. When he turned her face to his, there was iron in his gaze. “Our arrangement is that you offer your body, your blood, and your abilities whenever I demand, and in return, I let you live. You are a whore, Marie, and I am your master. I suggest you remember this if you do not wish for me to withhold my blood again.”
The witch paled, eyes widening. “P-please, my lord, I’m sorry. Please. I’ll die without your blood.”
“Painfully so,” he murmured, brushing her hair away from her neck in a caress, his ire obviously calmed at her swift submission. “Now, tell me… can you help our friend?”
She nodded, gaze downcast. “It is… very tricky, but it’s possible.”
“What are we waiting for, then? Let’s get started,” Aleric said. “I need you to remove Warin’s memories of his soulmate. Every last one.”
Marie looked up at him, a small smile on her lips. “Is that’s what this is about? You think just erasing his memories will heal his soul? It’s been rent in two, vampire. He is lost. Forever.”
So she knew Thea was dead. Aleric glanced at Zet, but his expression betrayed nothing. Not that it mattered if she’d been involved in the Ancient’s scheme—she was nothing more than a slave to her master’s wishes.
“Make him forget her,” Aleric said, steel in his voice. “He was whole before her, he will be whole after as well. Tell me what you need and make it happen. We don’t have much time.”
“Blood,” she said. “I need his blood. Or yours.”
Of-fucking-course. It always came back to the blood. Aleric stalked across the room, rolled up his sleeve, and bit into his own wrist. Crimson drops pooled at the edges of the wound and threatened to drip on the floor. Before they could, Marie fetched a chalice from the small table and caught the blood. She collected every drop that leaked from his wrist until the wound closed over, leaving only smooth skin behind.
The witch carried the chalice to the end of the bed where a small trunk sat. Kneeling in front of it, she opened it and rummaged through its depths to retrieve several dried herbs.
“Come.” She motioned at Aleric as she got to her feet.
He went to her, ignoring the small hairs at the back of his neck standing on end as invisible power gathered around the witch. Once he was by her side, she gave him a cold smile and whispered, “Protega.”
Flames sprang up around them in a perfect circles, sparking green magic as they hissed against the uneven floorboards.
Marie drizzled the dried herbs into the chalice, muttering incantations until it began to bubble. When emerald sparks flew from the cup, she downed the viscous liquid in one long gulp, threw the chalice to the floor, and lifted her hands. Verdant light shone from them as she reached up to clasp her palms to each side of Aleric's face. He felt the sear of her magic and smelled the stench of it as he stared into her dark eyes.
Everything in him ached to snap her neck and drain her lifeblood to end the threat of her power, but he fought himself to stay still. Whatever he had to withstand to ensure Warin forgot about Thea, he would. Even allowing a witch to use him for her foul magic.
“Look at me,” Marie snapped. “Allow my magic into your blood, vampire. Welcome it. Can you feel it? Can you feel it filling you? Searching… Think about the girl. Picture her with him.”
Aleric obeyed, his mind searching for every time he had seen the two of them together. The look of wonder and frustration in his brother’s eyes. Her fear. They should never have met—this soulmate shit was an abomination. Whatever Fate had planned, it had been wrong. His brother was strong, fierce… a warrior to the bone. No human female would ever tie him down, not even in death.
He felt the moment Marie’s magic connected with his memories. It sparked through his blood in unpleasant shocks, but he gritted his teeth and endured. As he would endure anything for Warin. Even the act of betrayal.
“He has forgotten her,” the witch said, staring into his eyes. “He no longer remembers her face, nor his shared time with her. She will be forever wiped from his memory, from now until the end of time. Swear by the blood that this is what you desire.”
“I swear it. By the blood, I swear this is my desire.”
His veins burned sharply in response, making him cry out. It was gone as quickly as it came, leaving him shaking in the witch’s grasp.
She smiled that same cool smile at him and lowered her palms from his face. The flames died down, leaving only a singed circle around them. Echos of power still vibrated through the room, but quieted for every shuddering, unnecessary breath Aleric drew to calm his mind.
“It is done,” Marie said, stepping back from him. “He will not recognize her if he sees her again.”
“Sees her again?” Aleric asked as he worked his shoulders. His body still felt stiff from the invading magic. “She’s dead.”
The witch shook her head at him as if he were a slow child. “Some souls reincarnate. We do not know which, but even if hers does… he will not know her. She could pass him on the street and he would never see her for what she truly is.”
“Thorough. I like it,” Aleric said with a short nod. The last thing he needed was to go through all this shit and end up in an Ancient’s debt just to have Thea pop up again in a few decades. “I believe our business here is done. My lord, I trust you have your methods of finding me when you wish to have my debt made good.” He nodded at Zet as he rolled his sleeve back down and stalked toward the door, more than ready to find Warin and get the hell out of London.
“There is one more thing,” the witch called from behind him. He paused, though he wanted nothing more than to keep walking until he would never have to see her or this cursed room again.
“The spell is thorough. It won’t just work on your brother. No vampire in your bloodline, whether they walk the Earth today or in several hundred years, will recognize his soulmate, should he come across her.” Her voice rang with smug satisfaction. “You will not curse any more of my sisters with your tainted souls.”
Chapter 13
Aleric
It didn’t take Aleric long to find Warin. He was wandering the streets nearby where they had discovered Thea’s corpse. Aleric followed the now oddly muted pull from their bond, weaving through drunks and late night revelers until he finally laid eyes on his brother.