THIRST (The Elite Book 3) by Hanleigh Bradley (read the beginning after the end novel .txt) 📕

“I thought you’d want to know.” She says it in such a way that I almost believe her. I almost believe that she’s just showing Farah a kindness.

Except, the Mother never does anything without a reason.

“And I need…”

My entire body tightens in response. I grip Farah harshly, pulling her closer. My legs are ready to spring, prepared to run.

“What do you need?” Farah asks, giving me an irate look. She doesn’t understand. How could she? She doesn’t know the Mother the way I do.

I don’t need to hear what the Mother intends to say to know that she’s taking my choice away from me. If that’s what it was. I’m beginning to think I never really had a choice at all. There was only ever Farah.

Her life. Her blood. Her body. Her death.

I always knew I’d kill her, but that doesn’t mean I’m ready for this right now.

“This can wait,” I ground out. “We can discuss this later.”

The two women look at me like I’m talking a foreign language. Apparently, they don’t share fear. Even Farah, who has always been adamant that she wants to live, doesn’t seem to realise that her life is hanging in the balance.

“I need someone to rule Scotland,” the Mother says the words that I feared she would.

“Excuse me.” Farah is completely lost. Flabbergasted.

“She’s not doing it,” I bark. There’s no way I’m letting Farah out of my sight for more than a few hours, let alone letting her live in another country. Not to mention, we still don’t know who killed Kirdem. I will not allow Farah to be put in danger.

Farah

I don’t know what has suddenly gotten into Everette. He’s furious. He gets to his feet so quickly that if it wasn’t for his arms around me, I’d land on the floor in a heap. He lowers me to his side gently, his actions contrasting with his words.

He growls at Jessamine. Actually growls at her. And Jessamine doesn’t even react. If anything, I’d think she might have been expecting it.

“I forbid it,” he says, his voice deadly cold.

“You forbid it?” Jessamine laughs.

“I’m serious, Mother.”

“And so am I,” Jessamine retorts. “You fear being the reason for her existence. I do not.”

“Enough. We’ll discuss this later,” Everette says, grabbing my hand so he can pull me from the room. “Let’s go, Farah.”

“Where?” I ask, struggling to keep up with him. I still have questions. I don’t understand what just happened or why Everette is so angry. But I know better than to argue with him when he’s being so pig headed.

CHAPTER FOUR

Farah

I don’t know what has gotten into him. He as good as drags me out into the hall, and then his eyes shuffle between the front door and the stairs. He doesn’t know what he wants to do. It’s out of character for him. He’s usually so sure of himself. Determined even.

It’s unnerving. I’ve grown so used to his self-assurance. His dependability. As much as I usually hate his heavy-handedness, I think I hate this more.

“Everette?”

He doesn’t even spare me a glance, but I feel his fingers tighten around my hand. That slight gesture is reassuring. He looks towards the door as if he’s assessing some danger that I don’t see. Then he glowers at it, baring his teeth. Not that I have any idea what the door has done to offend him.

“Damn it!” He growls.

That’s when I hear it. The sound of tires on the gravel outside.

“Go upstairs,” he demands, “and lock the door.”

His words fill me with fear. What the hell is going on? I open my mouth to ask him, but he doesn’t give me a chance to say anything.

“For Christ’s sake Farah, for once could you just do what I ask?”

I nod my head and stagger towards the stairs, my feet unsteady. Jessamine is standing in the doorway to the breakfast room and she’s glaring at the door too. That can’t be a good sign. My body itches to run, but I know that if I try and run up the stairs, I’m guaranteed to stumble.

Instead, I grip the banister and take steady, measured steps. I feel Everette’s eyes on me and I’m tempted to look back at him, seeking reassurance. But I won’t do it. I have more pride than that. My life has been completely turned upside down by this crazy psycho of a vampire.

He’s addictive. Seductive. And I’ve struggled to understand what he does to me. I could easily imagine this to be love, but it can’t, can it? I barely know him. It’s infatuation. A chemical reaction. An addiction perhaps.

Closing Everette’s bedroom door, I do as he instructed and twist the lock.

Leaning against the door, I crumple, fear ransacking my body. If he doesn’t change me, or kill me, he’s going to prematurely age me with all this stress.

I listen for something. Anything. There should be talking or a door opening or something. Except vampires move quickly and silently. Or at least I know Everette does. My heart is pounding heavily against my ribcage and I can hardly breathe.

My cheeks are still raw from where I cried earlier, and so the tears that are falling now burn my face. The pain is a nice distraction. Until I hear a loud bang and I’m almost certain I feel the whole house shake. Biting down on the back of my hand, I refuse to scream.

Everette

When I hear the lock click into place on my bedroom door, I feel my shoulders slump slightly with relief. The movement wouldn’t be noticeable to human eyes, but I don’t doubt that the Mother sees it. Usually, I’d avoid showing such weakness in front of her. It doesn’t do to allow anyone to know your weaknesses.

And that’s