Pursued(128)

“Oh no, girl-child. The venom of the thorn does not give you physical pain,” the Elder with glowing eyes said. “It causes you to relive your deepest emotional pain from the past. Only by sharing your pain and shame with us can you be worthy to receive the healing powers of the skrillix.”

“Oh,” Elise whispered faintly. “Oh.” She didn’t know what else to say. He heart was suddenly pounding in her ears and her hands felt cold and numb. The deepest pain from my past. The vault…it’s going to be just like the AllFather all over again. Only this time everyone will see it. Merrick will see it.

“Is this a problem for you?” the Elder with the beast-mouth asked sharply. “Do you wish us to revoke the judgment? I can give you leave to go now but if you do not prick your finger and share your pain we cannot give you the branch. And I promise you, outsider, we will not allow you to steal another.” His muzzle wrinkled into a threatening snarl that would have been scary if Elise hadn’t already been frightened to death by something else entirely.

“Elise, baby…” Merrick put his hand on her shoulder but she shrugged it off.

“Don’t.”

He looked up at the Elders angrily. “You don’t know what you’re asking. You don’t know the pain in Elise’s past. You can’t expect her to bring up all that shit and share it with everyone here—it’s fucking monstrous of you to even ask.”

“We sympathize with your concern, but our judgment remains unchanged,” the Elder with the beast-mouth growled. “The hour grows late and the twilight fades—make your choice, human!”

Elise took a deep breath. This was going to be the end of her—the end of the vault. After the AllFather had violated her mind she had somehow managed to cram everything back in place and lock the door again, but she knew she couldn’t do it twice. This time everything was coming out and she would have to deal with it—deal with memories and emotions she’d been rigorously suppressing for over a decade. If she had been given a choice between this and death, she would have picked death with no hesitation at all.

But it’s not just my death I’d be choosing, she thought, her eyes flickering up to Merrick’s concerned face. I’d be killing Merrick too. And I love him too much to do that.

As the words whispered in her head, she knew they were true. She didn’t just care for the big Kindred, she loved him—loved him with all her heart. And she would do whatever it took to save him—even throw open the doors of the vault. Still, her soul cringed with shame when she thought about what he and all of the Elders were about to witness. What would he think of her when this was all over? How would he feel?

It probably won’t matter, Elise thought numbly. Because chances are I’ll be such a basket case I won’t care how anyone feels about me after this is over. I’ll just want to die.

“Elise, you don’t have to—” Merrick began but she shook her head.

“No, don’t try to talk me out of it. This is something I have to do, Merrick.” Walking slowly, as if in a trance, she approached the long table and held out her hand. “I’m ready.”

“Very well.” The Elder with pointed ears nodded at the skrillix branch. “Simply prick your finger and let the drops of blood fall into the cup of honesty.”

Feeling like she was drowning, Elise reached for the branch. “No!” Merrick shouted, but it was too late—one of the long, cruel thorns pierced the tender pad of her index finger and she felt the venom of the pain vine enter her system. Numbly, she held her hand over the blue carved cup and allowed exactly four drops of blood to fall into its deep red contents.

The same color as my blood. Crimson—their sacred color, she thought. And then the venom ripped the vault door off its hinges and the visions began.





Chapter Thirty-one




“Quickly, drink!” the Elder with glowing eyes exclaimed. “The venom works with the speed of a striking snake—we must all drink if we are to share her pain.”

The Elders passed the cup among themselves quickly and then the one with glowing eyes pressed it into Merrick’s hand. He took a quick look at Elise as he drained the bitter dregs. He could feel nothing from her through their bond and she was just standing there, still as a statue, with her big brown eyes open but unseeing. It was obvious her gaze had turned inward.

She’s remembering, he thought grimly. Remembering what happened all those years ago. He just hoped he’d gotten enough of the bitter juice with her blood in it to share her pain. He didn’t want her to have to go through this alone, whatever it was.