Enticing Blood

chapter twenty-five

Melanie sat with her hands pressed tightly between her thighs and she stared at the frayed rug that lay at her feet. She controlled her breathing, making sure that she took deep inward breaths and let them outward steadily. Everyone was talking around her, not excitedly, but definitely not in the manner that Melanie would like with all that was going on.

"No, no, there's no way-Most bands sound better in acoustic sessions..."

"I definitely prefer coffee over tea, no matter how bad caffeine is for me..."

Melanie bit her tongue that formed soundless words, and when she could no longer take it, she abruptly stood, taking peoples attention away from their conversations and their useless topics as she shifted in the uneasy air.

"Where's the bathroom." It wasn't even a question, it was a demand that came from her pursed lips. Soundlessly, Cailia pointed a finger down the hall that no one had entered the full two hours they had been there.

"Down the hall and to the left." She said with an apprehensive voice.

Melanie didn't acknowledge her as she turned and slipped into the hallway, following her directions as she walked down the narrow corridor and turned left to find herself inside a small bathroom that smelt of stale shampoo and cleaning products. She closed the door and twisted the lock behind her then collapsed at floor with her body folded over her knees and head in her hands.

She was going mad. She knew it. Her insides were slowly unfolding and twisting and falling and turning-and every movement sent a shrill through her. Nothing felt right, especially now. Everything was wrong.

Everyone was acting normal as if this wasn't all shocking to them-as if this was some everyday event.

Was Melanie the only one who actually cared?

Melanie let out a silent sob and pressed her forehead against the cupboard of the counter and buried her hands inside her hair, trying so hard to keep her cries of pain more of a breath than a scream that wanted to escape her so badly. She rocked back and forth a few times, feeling her body weight shift over her tailbone with each sway.

She should have turned herself over and ended this war here; she could rule with Elias, couldn't she? She could save everyone's lives with just one simple word, "yes." She could get Wylde back to safety, get her sister on the good side and save everyone in the process.

I'm so stupid! She screamed at herself. The answer had been right there-become the ruler, and save everyone.

Suddenly...it all stopped-everything stopped and she felt something click inside her, and she stood on her shaky feet that almost failed to hold her upright. She looked at herself in the mirror to see that there was no evidence that she had been crying-because she hadn't-she had been screaming without the sound.

Melanie felt something inside her chest clawing, trying to release itself and she felt an insect prod her mind, its small antennas feeling around her brain. Her instincts kicked into overdrive, and before she realized what was going on, she turned and unlocked the door and threw it open and she glided down the hall, passed the living room where her small army sat and watched her with bewildered expressions, and she found herself at the front door of the cabin.

When she stood in front of the door, that was when she realized what had happened. It was as if someone had controlled her-

Melanie stopped, her hand hovering over the door's handle, and her breath froze in her throat.

Controlled.

Melanie suddenly threw open the door and the feeling was back, the feeling of unknowing, of no control and a sparse recognition sparked like a small flame in her chest-she had felt this before when Elias had controlled her that night.