Dark Enchantment (Elvis Presley Story)

Chapter 28

"What?"

Elvis didn't like the wary mistrust on Sophia's face when she turned to him for confirmation. But he liked the smugness on Marceau's even less.

"That wasn't our agreement," he gritted out.

"That was before," Marceau said, unmoved.

"Before what?"

"Elvis, what is he talking about?" Sophia said angrily.

He slid his hand behind her neck, caressing her with his thumb. "I agreed to give him blood in exchange for information. My blood. Not yours."

Horror replaced the anger. She stepped away from him. "You have got to be kidding! Elvis, he's a vampire. "

Marceau grinned. No fangs showed. Except for an overly pallid complexion, he looked almost human. Almost.

Sophia gripped Elvis's arm. "You shouldn't do business with this...this monster. He's evil and immoral."

"Some would say I'm evil and immoral, Elvis argued. "If he can help us-"

For a second she looked stricken, then glanced away and said, "he won't help you. He'll use you and betray you."

Sophia was nearly as pale as the vampire. Perhaps her warning merited closer consideration. She was acting strangely. And Elvis had a strong feeling it wasn't all directed at the vamp. Fine. He'd demand an explanation later, but right now they should get the hell out of there.

"Find me if you hear anything," Elvis said, opening the car door for Sophia. When he turned back, the vampire was gone. Elvis banked his growing unease until he and Sophia were safely back in his suite, giving her the chance to gather herself and her thoughts during the moody drive. He'd taken the long way to make sure nobody had followed them.

They had now been sitting in his kitchen for a while now. Sophia hadn't said more than a few words the whole time.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine," She said.

Right. "Why are you shielding your thoughts from me?"

Her gaze flickered to him, then away again. "No reason."

"Then let me in."

She shook her head.

A small, dull ache began to unfurl in his chest. She was shutting herself off from him. Not just her thoughts. Her whole self. "Sophia, what's goin' on?"

She looked up. Her expression was carefully even. "Why didn't you answer my calls for you? In the club?"

"The walls were warded. They interfered in our connection. I came as soon as I found out you were there. If I'd known-"

She gazed at him as though she wasn't listening to his explanation. As though she was seeing him for the very first time. He shut his mouth.

"My God, Elvis, you're one of them."

It wasn't an accusation, exactly. More of a statement. But damn, if it didn't feel like an accusation. He wasn't sure what she was getting at, or how to respond. "I am a demon. You've known that from the beginning. Is there a problem?"

Again she shook her head. "No problem."

The ache grew sharper and twisted in his gut. Sure there wasn't. She'd been upset by the vampire. Maybe that held a clue. "You warned me about Marceau. What do you know of him?"

"Marceau's brother, Elijah, is...was...an adept with the cadre, up until last year."

Elvis frowned. "Marceau is over three hundred years old. How-"

"So is Elijah."

It was Elvis's turn to be shocked. Well, not really shocked, but- okay he was shocked. "The cadre has vampires working for them?" How had he not heard this?

"A few. And familiars, weres, shapeshifters. Not many, but some. It's not knowledge we spread around."

"Demons, too? Besides portal guardians, I mean?"

She nodded. She didn't look particularly happy about that, either.

"Paras hunting paras?" He tried not to be so stunned. After all, Sophia had hunted demons professionally for years. But then, she was human. He could accept that. Hunting your own kind seemed...distasteful.

"Sometimes it takes one to know one," She said.

What was she trying to say? "Why? Why would they do it?"

"I suppose because they agree with the cadre's philosophy."

"Which is?"

He knew perfectly well what it was, but he wanted to hear it from her mouth. He suddenly wondered where sleeping with a demon fitted into her philosophy. Where he-they-fitted Into it.

"To study and learn as much as we can about inhabitants of the dark realm," She answered.

"Like we're some kind of science project?"

"I suppose in a way." She didn't even blink when she said it.

Anger spiked, fast and irrational. "And am I part of your science project?"

She ignored him and continued, "we humans must protect the mortal realm from harmful paras or risk perishing ourselves."

Ah. The crux of the matter.

"And who gets to decide what is harmful?" He asked. Striving hard for equanimity.

She gazed at him with somber eyes. He must be slipping. She knew it was a trap. "You're starting to sound like Elijah."

So, obviously he didn't fit in. Too harmful...for what? Her peace of mind? And here he'd been feeling all squishy and...human towards her. He ground his teeth. Equanimity lost. "Maybe he's right."

"I don't confuse duty and honor with personal feelings, Elvis."

Anger nearly paralyzed him. "I see," he growled. Unlike him, apparently. To his unending shame.

Sophia's hand halted half way to her mouth. After two long seconds she stood abruptly. "I have to go. I should phone Marcolf and read him the riot act about the attack." She marched out of the kitchen.

But no more. She'd reminded him he was a demon, and of his place in her world. From now on it was back to business.

The vengeance business.

What is Elvis going to do? Hope you enjoyed this chapter! And thanks for reading! Xoxoxo