The Rules of the Red - 2014 Watty Award Winner |✓|

Chapter Nineteen - Part Five

“It’s a potion, with a little essence of Ethan. You drink that, you forget your love of him, and I get the ring back. Problem solved.”

I tossed her the phial and she caught it, staring down at the cure in her hands. But when she looked up, it was with an expression that was far from what I had expected it to be. Where there should have been relief, there was nothing but sadness and more despair.

“Forget that I love Ethan?” Eve said unbelieving. And she looked to the dark horizon, as if a better solution were out there somewhere.

“Yes,” I said, remaining firm.

“Forget him?”

This time I said nothing, only watched her calmly.

“No. I-I can’t do that…”

“You don’t have a choice.” I said now, restraining the urge to shake her and yell. “This is the only way, Eve, or else you are going to have one extremely angry Vampire on your hands. Either that, or you’ll go mad. But probably both.”

Eve looked at the phial again, and then back to me. Her eyes had turned from unhappy now, to accusing.

“You would like that wouldn’t you, Naomi? You get rid of me and then I’m just one less liability. One less piece of evidence.”

“What are you talking about? I’m trying to save you.” I said. “This is your mess – I’m just trying to clean it up.”

“So what then?” Eve said, finally seeming to relent. “I drink this and the love goes? That’s it?”

I thought of what Eve had forced me into. I thought of the damage I had caused to Ethan and his family. And I thought of leaving Eve all to her love to somehow use it to cause more destruction and chaos over Ethan after this was done. Because I knew that given another chance, she would only wreak more havoc until he somehow went back to her, and I just couldn’t allow that. So I didn’t tell her the real truth – that there was a good chance that she would most likely forget more than just her love for Ethan that night. Otherwise, I knew she would never go for the potion.

“No nasty side effects, just a miracle drug to cure you of your sickness.” I encouraged with a cheerful smile. “So drink up.”

“And what if I don’t want it to go?” she said, dropping the phial at her side, and causing it to bounce dangerously on the ground. “What if like it the way it is?”

Finally losing my temper, I strode forward, scooped up the phial, and snatched her by the wrist. But she made no move to stop me when I turned over her hand and slapped the phial into her palm.

“For heavens’ sake, Eve, wake up!” I said, shoving her hand away roughly. “We both know that you are too classy and tough to let some immature feelings for a man reduce you down to this. Ethan may not love you, but your life can’t stop because of that. You can’t wait for him forever.”

It was the oddest, yet most truthful pep talk that I had ever given.

“But what if he forgets me?” Eve whispered, as a single tear rolled from her eye. “What if, one day, he doesn’t even remember?”

“Not possible,” I said quietly. “He hasn’t gotten over his guilt for you, Eve. And he probably never will.”

Eve gave a half-hearted chuckle.

“Yeah. Well, what more could a girl ask for, right?” she said, slipping off the ring and chucking it at my feet. “See you on the other side…”

She uncorked the phial and downed the contents, spluttering and coughing a little. Meanwhile I stooped and picked up the ring with my bare hands, depositing it within my pocket.

And in the intervening time, Eve had become light-headed as she stumbled slightly in her heels. She caught herself on the bridge’s rail, touching a hand to her temple with her eyes closed.

“Excuse me, Leader, but I’m a little confused.” Eve said to me, as I passed her on my way off the bridge. “Can you tell me how I got here?”

I smiled at Eve and shook my head in reply.

“Sorry, but I have no idea. I’m just out for a late-night stroll…”

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