Evaline | L. Lioncourt ✔

[26] Fatal Mistake

Lestat was in his study reorganizing his scrolls and books when a gentle tap on the door shook him out of his thoughts and he turned to see Evaline enter. He beckoned her closer and his brow furrowed upon taking in the worry on her features.

"Chérie, what happened?" He had gently gathered her in his arms, fingers running through her soft tresses in an attempt to comfort her, "has your friend gone by now?" 

"Yes," she mumbled but even her voice was dimmed which indicated that there was something that was bothering her sensitive heart.

"Eva, pray tell me what is the matter? You are worried, I can see it. But I can not deduce why is it so if you keep silent."

"You can read my mind, can you not?"

"But I no longer do so. I respect the privacy of your thoughts," he replied, gently taking her hand in his own and placing a delicate kiss at her knuckles.

Her eyes locked with his grey irises at last as she spoke, "Lestat, Theresa told me today that Rob and his men are up to no good. They are planning something wicked against us."

His face was set in a thoughtful expression, lips pressed together in a small frown, "ah, so it has come to this... I had my doubts regarding them but Miss Theresa has confirmed it altogether."

"What doubts?"

"Pray do not trouble yourself, my love. I shall deal with it and there will be nothing for you to worry about any longer."

However, she knew very well what Lestat meant by dealing with the matter at hand as her eyes widened in alarm, "but Lestat... I do not want you to spill any more blood on my account. The guilt harrows up my soul."

His palms gently cupped her face as he looked down reassuringly in her wide blue irises, "chérie, some matters are meant to be dealt with in such a way."

"I do not want you to kill," her hands fastened upon his wrists, eyes pleading him and a stab of guilt pierced through his heart.

He had tilted his head to the side as an apologetic sadness filled his eyes, "but that is what I am. A killer. A vampire. A monster."

He knew well enough that those words would hurt her hence he hated saying out loud to her but he also knew that the time had come for him to deal with Rob for one last time and render him absolutely incapable of ever bothering the two again.

"My sweet maiden, if I do not take the first step he will come up with whatever heinous plan he is devising. And though I do not fear him nor his men in the least, I fear for your safety. I would never want you to get hurt due to them hence I have to deal with them first."

He stood up from his chair, gently holding her close as he kissed her forehead. Her hands clutched tightly on to his jacket as if forbidding him to leave her but he had made up his mind already and nothing, not even Evaline, could stop him from carrying out the decision he had taken.

"I will not be gone for long, chérie. Lock the door and do not open for anyone other than myself."

She followed him to the door but deep inside she was terrified. She knew Theresa had been right and by then even she could sense that the current tranquility was the sort of calm before the eruption of a terrifying storm.

Eva locked the door as he stepped out and even checked it twice before finally retreating to the living room. But she could not shake off the terrible feeling of dread in her heart that was warning her that her whole world was about to come crashing down upon her and perhaps that once she would not be able to survive from the calamity that was poised to strike.

***

Theresa was curled tightly as the blows struck her hard. Her hands and feet were bound tightly and in spite of the terrible pain, her cries feel upon deaf ears as Rob did not cease the beating. Blood stained her dress and tears poured down her cheeks but the whip struck her frail form mercilessly.

Rob's hand had closed round her throat as he lifted her head up so that she was looking up at him, her face tear stained and even the gag in her mouth had reddened from the corners as she struggled to break free.

But Rob was pulled forcefully away from her and she fell back on the ground, her head hitting the floor and darkness swimming in front of her eyes. She blinked twice to clear her vision but the sight before her terrified her out of her wits.

Lestat had dug his fangs deep into Rob's jugular as he drained the life out of him then let go of him after snapping his neck. He fell to the floor right in front of Theresa and she backed off in fear, her eyes wide from terror locked onto Rob's lifeless form.

 He wiped the blood off his mouth and bent down on his knees closer to Theresa who backed off in fear once again, her body trembling and her eyes wide open. Very gently he removed the gag from her mouth and undid the knots that bound her hands and feet.

"Pray do not be afraid, Miss Theresa," he spoke in a low calming tone, "I will not hurt you."

"Eva... Eva..." Her voice was stuck in her throat but he supported her and bent down closer to listen to what she was saying. But since she could not bring herself to speak as her condition was already worse and witnessing Rob's ruthless murder in front of her eyes had shocked her even more so Lestat had to resort to read her mind.

And as he did so, his eyes widened in alarm as well upon coming to know of all that Theresa had overheard. And he realized that he had indeed made a fatal mistake by coming to the tavern. He should have stayed with Eva instead so that he could protect her from the people who were bent on burning her at the stake.

"Please... Save her," her hazel eyes rolled back in her head as she lost consciousness and though Lestat did not want to leave her in such a pitiable condition, he had no choice but to leave for his house as soon as possible to save Eva from the angered townsfolk.

So laying her down on the ground he rushed out through the back door, his head swarming with a thousand worried thoughts. Eva was alone at the moment and he had to reach there before the townsfolk did otherwise she would be in a fatal danger that could even take her life.

And no matter what happened he could not risk losing her as well.

***