18

The Truth Hurts

"I swear if he has even harmed one single hair on her body, I am going to..."

"You are going to what, Louis!" The growl was personal and deep as Henry dropped Louisa onto the bed as she rolled back and forth, hissing uncontrollably. "I thought I told you not to be in here when we arrived." He hooked my arm with his hand as he pulled me to the corner of the room, sheer annoyance in his eyes at the disregard of his instructions.

"Hey, hey it's ok, it's Louis. I am here, you will be alright." He was so gentle and soft with her as he sat her up removing the covering from her head. Her eyes darted back and forth across the room until she found exactly what she were looking for, me. Her eyes gridlocked to mine as her lips twisted, the snarls fastening.

"Out now." Henry spoke low as he guided me to the door, his body protecting every move we made.

"Maybe I can help her, she's scared Henry look at her."

"She's not scared she is starving." He laughed sarcastically as he shook his head in annoyance.

"He's right Eleanor, you need to get away from her, we shouldn't have bought her along." Will rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, ready for any kind of attack.

"Finally, someone who is seeing some sense."

"This is for Louis, we owe him this much." My heart felt for him, he was riddled with guilt and pain as he sat beside her lost.

"They are right." I paused as he spoke up. "I've kept her this way for my selfishness. It was I that could not live without her, not the other way around. I should never have let her get this way, now it's too late."

"I'm so hungry." She trembled, unable to move. She was weak but if she fed too much she would become strong deep down, that terrified me.

"What do I do, Henry?" Louis's bottom lip quivered as Henry ran his hand through his curls. "I'm asking you as my brother." Henry's shoulders sank as Louis looked to him in disparity.

"I want to tell you this will all be fine, but brother you know as well as I do that it won't. She's been hungry for far too long. If we give her what she needs now her mind has been absent she will be strong, and I cannot put Eleanor at risk you must understand that."

"I know.... I get it, I do." He nodded repeatedly as he looked at me. "I won't let her harm you, Eleanor, you have my word."

"I know you won't Louis." A tear trickled to my lips as I blew out air. My heart aching for his pain, if only I could take just an ounce of it away for him.

"I know what I have to do, I just need some time alone with her first."

"What do you mean?" I gasped, gripping at my chest.

"It's not fair to any of us, and it's certainly not fair to her. She's in excruciating pain Eleanor and I need to make it stop, I have to make it stop." His head hung as his body jolted as the tears fell to the ground. I tried to run to him as Henry gripped my arm.

"Let me go. You can see she is too weak to even move." I harshly shrugged him off as he sighed. "You don't have to do this. We can think of a way." I knelt before him, stroking his blonde hair from his face as I kissed his forehead before burying his face into my neck. Louisa hissing the longer time went on.

"There is no other way, I see that now. Please, I need you all to leave us alone. I need to do this alone."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure." He held his head high and smiled through the pain. "I will come to you when it's done."

"Louis, I can stay with you if needed." Henry placed his hand onto his brothers shoulder as they shared a moment without saying another word.

"Come, I think he needs his space." Will opened the door as I gave him one final look. This was the bravest moment I had ever witnessed he was sacrificing the one thing he truly loved not to save us but to let her be free.

The walk along the corridor was somber as we all knew and felt Louis's pain. My hands trembled as I opened the room door.

"We need to get you something to eat you must be starving." Will rubbed my back as I nodded. "Here what do you fancy they do room service." He passed the menu as I had become tired my eyes were heavy as the wording become blurred.

"I will just have the loaded nachos and a cola." I shut the book loudly as I looked at Henry. "And what about you, what will you eat." My lips pressed tight as I realised I was still burying the thought of him feeding from my mother.

"I'm not hungry." His mouth twitched at the corners as he turned away.

"Oh why is that, I would have thought you would have been starving considering you have not eaten all day, but maybe it's because of something else."

"I don't know what you are trying to imply Eleanor." He spoke my name with arrogance as I stepped forward.

"Oh I think you know exactly what I mean Henry." My forehead tightened as Will rubbed the back of his neck stepping between us.

"I don't think this is the time or place. Everyone is tired and on edge I think we should just take a moment."

"No Will this is undoubtedly the time and the place and I want to hear him say it." I folded my arms as his head hung in shame his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose as if I were giving him some kind of headache.

"What is it exactly you hope to hear Elle?"

"You know what." My hands pushed him aggressively not moving him an inch as my body shook from the anger.

"Come on, this is not helping anyone."

"Do you think I wanted to feed from her."

"I don't know what I think anymore. You've lied to me over and over. I can't trust what you say Henry." His nostrils flared as he sighed.

"Would you believe me if I told you she asked me to?"

"And why would she do that?"

"Because she knew I was not feeding from anybody else, and she asked me to stay strong to protect you and your sister."

"You are lying." My voice broke as he spoke.

"Why would I lie about that? She spoke of you every day. Sure when I was patrolling your street I would listen to your conversations, but I learned the details from her, her stories, she made me fall in..." he hastily turned away "Will call room service I need some air, I will be back shortly?"

"That's it do what you do best."

"I do what I know I have to do." He shook his head before leaving.

"God he makes me so mad." I threw the menu to the table as Will smiled.

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself."

"What's that supposed to mean." I snapped embarrassed as I began to pour myself a glass of water.

"Oh come on Eleanor. Even a blind man can see the feelings you have for Henry. Why else would you be this upset."

"I have just found out he fed from my mother who he did not even tell me was alive. Do you not think that warrants being a little angry toward him."

"Ok, I'm not here to get caught up in your jibes toward one another now why don't you go and take a nice hot shower there's a robe hanging on the door and I will order you room service."

"Thank you." I smiled, rubbing his arm.

"Eleanor, it's all going to be ok, you have my word."

"Sadly, William I don't believe anybody who promises anything anymore. This world is just full of heartbreak in millions of different shapes and forms, it's something I just have to learn to live with. I will see you shortly."