CHAPTER TWELVE
He watched her close the book and let out a shaky breath. "I want to remember. Is there a way to get my memories back?"
"It's happened before. Even if you forget me, I'll make you love me, again and again and again." The book was dropped to the floor when he climbed on top of her, savouring the way her eyes widened and her breathing quickened. "Or perhaps your forgetfulness warrants some punishment."
She let out a soft gasp when he bit her neck, hard enough to draw blood. His hand roamed beneath her clothes, loving the feel of her soft flesh without any barriers between them. "James…" she mewed, lifting her hips to create more friction between them.
He had always loved this part. The make-up sex was phenomenal. It was a consolation for the hassle of her forgetting him, but he wasn't about to let her go. Not yet…
Once she was bare beneath him, he slammed himself into her as if he was never going to have her again. His grip on her hips was bruising. The couch screeched with every thrust.
He could see the stark white body at the corner of his eyes and turned to glare at it. The demon wasn't going to have her. He kept his gaze on it as he continued to pump inside her.
By the Gods, he was never going to tire of this. This need for her was what always attracted the blasted creature.
He closed his eyes and buried his nose into the crook of her neck. A low groan escaped him when she squeezed him tightly, pushing him over the edge. She milked him as if he still had virile seed left to fill her belly and make it round with his babe.
"Sweet Madi…"
She sighed, holding him close. "So, I saw something else in that book that I don't recall writing, at all… You… Are you really dead? You feel pretty alive to me. A bit cold, but – "
"Yes, I'm dead," he confirmed. "But it doesn't make me any less of a man."
"I think you've proven that quite well," she tiredly laughed. "So, Holden is here?"
This was not a conversation he wanted, especially when they were both naked and he was still inside her. "Yes," he replied, absentmindedly tweaking her nipple.
She hummed.
He could tell exactly what was going through her head. She was wondering if John ever found out, only to also have his memories taken away. The answer was yes and it was truly a tragedy. The subject of their misery had been right under their noses all this time and deep inside, they knew about it.
"I need to call John," she mumbled, trying to push him off, but he wasn't ready to let her go, yet.
"Just a little longer."
They remained bonded until it was dark outside. By then, she had already lost her opportunity to call him. Alex had picked up the phone, stating that John was finally getting the treatment he needed.
"Treatment."
She hadn't believed a word she had heard. John wasn't crazy. He didn't need to admit himself.
James chuckled as she continued to rage, voicing to do Alex harm if anything happened to her brother. Elizabeth didn't see it, but his dear Madi had potential. He knew that he could shape her to his image. If her brother failed, he had no doubt that she would be able to finally finish it for him. "Why don't I order us some champagne? I'll have you nice and relaxed – "
"I want to see Holden," she suddenly said.
He tilted his head. "Isn't it much more appealing for us to – "
"Please, James. Take me to him," she begged.
How could he possibly refuse her?
She was quiet during their descent. He tried his best to engage her in conversation, but her mind was too far away. She held on to him as they walked out and walked down several sets of stairs into the basement.
When they arrived, she gasped at the sight of the beautifully crafted caskets. No one could ever say that Elizabeth didn't have good taste. It was only ever the best for her.
Madi slowly approached the neatly placed coffins and looked through each one. The first was empty, but the second showed her what she wanted to see. "Holden…"
There behind the crystal clear glass was her blonde nephew, looking as if he hadn't aged a day since his disappearance.
She pulled open the top and gently ran the back of her hand on the child's cold, pale cheek. "Is he… Is he dead?"
"No, of course not. He is very much alive," he replied, taking his place beside her. "You know what happened to him." He urged her to remember bits and pieces of the information herself and was rewarded with her eyes widening with realisation.
"Holden?" she whispered, rousing the eternal child from his slumber.
Blue eyes slowly fluttered open and blinked sleepily at her before he smiled, throwing his arms around her. "Auntie Madi! You're back!"
Her eyes widened further at James as she cradled the child against her chest.
He chuckled back at her. She must've missed the entries where she visited her nephew – quite frequently in fact. "You look very happy there." He wrapped his arms around her waist, whispering into her ear. "I'm starting to feel jealous. It was only moments ago when you had me against your bosom."
She shot him a look that made him smirk. "It shouldn't come to a surprise that I love Holden way more than I love you."
"But you do love me," he purred, causing her eyes to shift away. A very endearing blush flooded her face.
"I didn't mean it that way!" she hissed back at him.
The sound of tinkling giggles made them both look at the platinum blonde boy who was watching mirthfully at them. Madi kissed his head.
"What are you doing with my boy?" a voice suddenly interrupted the moment.
They looked at the door to see John Lowe's estranged wife. He had seen her walk around his hotel in the dark, cliché bloodsucker outfit many times after she was infected by Elizabeth, but it was Madi's first encounter with her since then.
"What the Hell are you wearing?" Madi glared at the woman, holding the child closer against her.
Alex sneered back at her. "That's not important. What's important is that you have my child and he doesn't belong to you. Come here, Holden. Come to mommy."
Obediently, the child gently pulled away from Madi and walked towards his mother. 'Mommy, I'm hungry!"
"I'll get us something to eat," she quietly told her son, carrying him in her arms, and not giving the couple another glance before she left.
Madi was fuming even after the blonde woman was gone. "I hate her!" she growled.
He kissed her shoulder. "I don't care much for her, either, but let us not have our moods dampened by someone like her. Dear Holden is safe and all is well, no?"
"But John is still in the damn loony bin, thinking that he's crazy!" she exclaimed. "I've tried calling him, but Alex has his phone and she won't tell me anything. I'll have to somehow hunt him down."
James frowned. He didn't want her to leave. Why couldn't she just wait patiently like him? He had faith that John was his man. He was going to fulfill his prophecy. Then again, she didn't know what he knew. She didn't know about all the things her precious brother had done.
"Have Liz help you," he said.
She smiled softly at him. "I can handle it." The kiss she left on his lips made him lean in for more. "Not here," she breathed.
"Then why not head back to my room?" He grinned, imagining all the things he was going to do to her, but she quickly popped his fantasy bubble.
"Not now, James. I have to find John. I need to tell him that he's not going crazy. I bet that bitch didn't even tell her that she found Holden!"
He resisted the urge to pout when he couldn't get his way. "Fine, but I do expect to see you very soon. Run off while I still allow it."
She laughed and quickly went on her way with her phone in her hand.
He huffed.
…
The hospital was easy to find. It was the closest one by where my house was. John's therapist was also known to work there from time to time. The only problem was having someone allow me to see him. None of them seemed to care that I was his sister or how worried I was. Apparently, he had asked for no visitors and I really couldn't understand why. "Just let me see him for one minute. That's all I need!"
The lady glared at me and I could see the orderly cross his arms, stepping closer.
Muttering curses, I turned and left the place, dialling the therapist for help. Unfortunately, the call ended up going to voice mail, so I left a long, angry message before speeding back to the hotel.
James was a wonderful distraction to all the shit in my life. He was the bit of fantasy that I clung on to in order to stay sane. He was the night that cloaked around me, hiding all the crazy that was happening.
"I need you to come over! We need to talk!" Alex's call had woke me up in the middle of the night. Her voice was the last thing I wanted to hear, especially when I was so comfortably wrapped in James' arms.
"And what makes you think we have anything to talk about?" I shot back. "You've made it plenty clear before that you hate me and it's no surprise that that feeling is completely mutual."
"Don't go," he groaned behind me, running his hand down my body. His cock twitched against my back.
"Please, Madison. I'll tell you everything once you're here," she went on as if we were suddenly friends – as if we were suddenly each other's confidantes.
Thinking while James was trailing kisses down my neck was extremely difficult. "I…"
I took a sharp breath when he thrust into me. He was unrelenting even when I was hitting him and trying to push him away. My actions only seemed to fuel him. The bastard was enjoying my discomfort. "Is this something we can do over the ph-phone? It's not really the time…"
"Madison… Can't you behave like a normal adult for once?" Her condescending tone only served to anger me further.
How dare this woman speak to me as if I was the one in the wrong? "Forget it. I want nothing to do with you."
"I'm sorry!" she blurted out. "Please, do this for Holden? It could change his life!"
I gritted my teeth, trying my best not to cry out when he began to rub the bundle of nerves that was becoming oversensitive from the stimulation. "Fine! L-Later… I'll be by your place in a f-few hours," I somehow managed to utter out.
"I know we're not best friends – or even friends, but I really appreciate you doing this for me. I'll see you later."
My teeth were biting down on my lips so hard that I could taste copper, so I hung up without saying anything else to her. "Oh, God! James!"
It was nearly morning by the time he grudgingly let me go. I promised to be back, soon, but he merely grumbled back at me. F or such a prim and proper man, he could be such a child, sometimes.
The drive to the house was long. I dreaded seeing her, again, but I had been in no mood to argue with her and it was entirely James' fault.
Already annoyed and filled with anxiety, I knocked on the door, shifting from feet to feet as I waited. The door swung open moments later, revealing the blonde woman who no longer looked as if she was as put together as she did in the coffin room.
Gone was the bold, black dress and up-do. She was now clad in comfortable sweats with her hair tangled and frizzy. This was more like the woman James had first married.
"Thanks for coming," she mumbled. "The children are asleep. We'll talk in the kitchen."
I quietly followed her, entering the home I hadn't seen since that day five years ago. "So what did you want to talk about?"
"Did you want something to drink?" She opened the fridge and my eyes widened when I saw the blood bags.
What on Earth?!
Were they for Holden? Or were my suspicions correct about her?
"Never mind… Is water alright?" she asked, quickly slamming the door shut.
I crossed my arms. "No. I don't want anything to drink. I want you to tell me what the Hell is going on and why you couldn't just say everything on the phone."
She sat down with a sigh. "After the Countess led me to Holden, she offered me something I couldn't refuse. I think I… I think I made a mistake. I thought I was doing him a favour, instead – "
"Wait! Slow down. You're not making any sense," I interrupted her. "What exactly did she offer you and what did you do to his man?"
"She infected me with an ancient virus, the same as the one she had given Holden. Anyone who has it is unable to age and requires blood as sustenance," she explained. "I used it on a child who was dying of measles. I… I didn't know that it would end up like this." She rubbed her face. "I didn't think that he'd take it and start recruiting people. I've created a monster…"
I shook my head in disbelief. "What you're telling me is that… you made a deal with the woman who kidnapped your son and infected him with some sort of vampirism and you're completely fine with that, while you ostracise John and me?" The logic escaped me.
"She offered me the chance to be together with him forever! How could I refuse?" she replied as if it was the only answer.
"You're insane… You're obsessed with him. Have you even thought of your other child, as well? Not only did you forbid me from seeing her here, you're just abandoning her at her grandparents' place. What kind of mother are you?"
"That's not the point! I don't need you to tell me how to be a mother. I need you to help me with the boy – "
"The one you fucked up? You know what's going to happen to him and everyone he turns? They'll either die or start killing people!" By the way her face screwed up with guilt, I already knew that that had already happened. "There is nothing I could do to save them. I don't even know why you bothered calling me."
As I was about to leave, she quickly grabbed my wrist. Her grip was tight enough to make me wince in pain. When had she gotten so strong?
"No, I need you to help me with what I've done. I need you to erase me from this world, everything that I was. All I want to do now is to be left alone with my boy without anyone finding out what happened," she said. "I know you can do it. You can just hack into all the government archives and – "
I scoffed. "No. You fucked up. You deal with the repercussions. I'm not going to help you get away with this crime. If I call the police, now, they'll arrest you. They'll test you in the labs and then experiment on you. Even then, I still won't care because you were the one who always preached about karma and consequences. Well, looks like it's finally coming about to you."
Wrenching my hand away, I ignored the throbbing pain and stomped away. The woman was crazy if she thought I was going to help her. I wasn't going to risk everything I worked so hard to accomplish for that piece of shit. She should be grateful that I wasn't actually planning to call the cops on her.
When I returned back to the hotel, I was in an absolutely foul mood. I stormed past Iris who looked as if she was worse for wear and if I was able to sympathise past my own anger, I would've stopped to ask her if anything was wrong. Instead, I headed straight for the bar.
Liz smiled at me. "It's been a while since I've seen you here."
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Just a bit of sexy time before more drama.
Thank you sandradee27, Cosmo39, kai-baekyun98, guests (Guest, anonymouscsifan) for reviewing!
sandradee27:Thank you!
Guest: I'm still not quite sure what I'm going to do with John and Madi's relationship… I had something in mind, but now I'm teetering towards something else… Eek! Don't worry about your spelling! I know perfectly well what you meant!
anonymouscsifan: I'm curious about what your theory is, but I also don't want it to clash with what I had planned, so I'm hoping to hear it once that chapter is out! I'm so stuck on the brother-sister relationship, right now. When I watched Cult, I couldn't stop thinking about what I could do if Madi was Kai's sister, but I'm also contemplating different options… I don't know what to do! At least I still have a lot of time to stew on that…
Cosmo39: Thank you! I love him as James March as well, but no one will ever beat Tate for me! Kai was also quite nice… I think I like all the crazy ones… What does that say about me? Hmm…
kai-baekyun98: Thank you! Yes! Things are slowly falling into place, but she doesn't know everything, yet.
Thank you as well to everyone who has favourited and followed this story.
Please, leave a review if you enjoyed this!
