Of Witches and Warlocks: The Complete Series

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

"What choice?" I asked in a choked voice, my mouth going dry and I found myself suddenly wishing for the glass of water I left downstairs.

"There's a demon following your family and he's awaiting a signal from me. If he doesn't get one—your family will be fine, if he does, he's to see that every last one of them is slaughtered, including the remaining members of the coven in Arizona who didn't come."

With a sinking heart, I realized I'd never been the one in control of this meeting. He'd been expecting me all along. Lashing out, I backhanded him hard across the face. He barely flinched at my attack, but I saw a bit of fire shoot through his eyes, belying his calm exterior.

"How dare you!" I snarled, taking a step toward him and raising my hand to hit him again. He caught me at the wrist this time, easily deflecting the blow.

"Don't mess with me, Portia," he warned in a low voice. "This is not the time to play around."

Anger surged through me at his threats. I wrenched my arm away and slammed my booted foot against his. He flinched away from me, and I felt a moment of triumph, advancing as I struck out again.

Grabbing both of my hands, he yanked me hard against him. "Stop it!" he growled, pinning my arms behind me. "I don't want to fight you."

"Then why are you doing this?" My weakness began to show in the form of tears.

"It's the only way I know to get through to you—to get you to listen to me," he replied, releasing me from his grip.

"I'm listening," I replied flatly.

"Are you?"

"Yes. Tell me, how can I keep you from sending that signal?" I stepped backward, sinking onto the edge of the bed. My knees were shaking too badly to hold me up any longer.

"It's simple," he said, kneeling in front of me and grasping my hands, his eyes searching mine. "I want you to stay here with me, in this house, and be my wife."

I snorted. "How's that even possible Vance? You'd want to drink from me and would probably end up killing me instead."

His eyes sought mine and I saw some sort of desperation pass through them. "I want you to let me turn you so that we can be together," he stated and my blood ran cold.

"Mayla told you to kill me," I reminded, my stomach lurching at what he was asking me to do.

"I don't care what Mayla says." Standing abruptly, he moved away. "She'll understand eventually. She doesn't know what it feels like when I'm away from you."

"What happened to breaking your connection with me? You said she showed you how it would work." I couldn't keep up with him and all his contradictions.

Running a hand through his hair in a frustrated gesture, he leaned against the dresser. "It did make sense to me then. But after you left, I drank a lot of blood, trying to get past my thirst for you. The more I drank, the clearer my thoughts became and it didn't make sense anymore. I want you in my life, Portia, but I can't have it both ways. Either I kill you and I don't have you at all, or I can turn you and keep you as my wife. I choose the latter."

"Mayla will never agree to it. She has other plans for you, plans which definitely do not include me."

Vance slammed a fist down hard onto the dresser and the wood cracked beneath it. "She'll agree to it or I'll kill her!" he said violently, and his eyes flashed red for a moment.