One Last Hope

Chapter 24

⭐"Do not look for healing at the feet of those who broke you."⭐
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The silence in my room is deafening. The tension between us is almost too much to handle.

Nicolae: "And what are we?"

Nora: "There were too many weird things going on in this house, so I looked into it."

Nicolae: "I see."

My voice is shaking. I know I'm vulnerable. If he decides to attack me, I'm no match...

We look at each other for a few seconds. His expression softens. Has he read my thoughts? Does he know how scared I am?

Nicolae: "Tell me... What did you find out?"

I stare at him, my chest is rising and falling at a dangerous rate. I feel like I'm a wild animal caught in his trap.

Nora: "You're vampires."

Nicolae's expression doesn't change. He takes a step towards me and I move back again.

Nora: "I should have seen it before now. You never eat. Your skin is cold and pale. The way you move around just isn't human: too quiet and far too fast!"

Even though it's dangerous, I force myself to look him in the eye. Let me try and read his thoughts!

Nora: " And that strength that you have! Even Lorie! It's because of her that I first started having doubts! Your eyes change color, you dodge mirrors..."

Nicolae is playing with his rings. He seems to be thinking about how the conversation is going to turn out... and probably how he's going to trick me into staying...

Nora: "What did you do to me? The night I arrived? You manipulated my mind so I would stay, didn't you?"

This time he seems surprised. Ha! It looks like I hit the nail on the head.

Nora: "I believed you, Nicolae. I thought you wanted to help me... You even used my parents as an argument..."

Nicolae: "I had no choice."

Nora: "You could have just let me go!"

Nicolae: "Drogo went too far! You were in shock! I couldn't risk letting you leave the house after what you saw... You could have endangered the whole family."

So I already had it all figured out the night I arrived... But what exactly happened with Drogo?

Nora: "What did he do? What did Drogo do to me that night...? Did he try to... drink my blood?"

My legs almost give out at the thought of it.

Nicolae: "No matter how many times I tell him to be careful, he's incapable of restraining himself... when it comes to you..."

Restrain himself? What is he talking about?

Nicolae: "He broke our rules that night... He couldn't control himself. He was going to bite you...“

My God!

Nicolae: "I saw fit to alter your memory and make you see this altercation as a little spat..."

I look away. I just can't find the words...

Nora: "I don't believe it!... You went inside my mind and did whatever the hell you like with it!"

Nicolae: "I did it for your own good!"