A smile spread across Edge's face. He nodded. "Of course." He had a strangely sunny deposition that angered Chris.
Chris walked briskly, without speaking, until they got to the courtyard. He whirled around to Edge after the door was shut. "My mind tells me that I know what you did…There is this…conviction that grabs a hold of me." he turned to Edge, "I've felt it once before."
Edge sat on the Edge of the stone fountain. "Did you bring me here so you could make silly assumptions?"
Chris walked in front of Edge and looked down at him. "No," he said coldly, "I came to give you a warning. Cease these mind games--now. Or suffer the consequences."
"How…frightening." Edge said dryly. He stood and looked at Chris. "You can't have her…I won't let you. Not again."
Chris narrowed his eyes. "I don't want her. You're paranoid." He shook his head. "As I've told you before…if I wanted her, Id have her already."
"Oh, you want her. You can fool yourself. But I know you. And now you're trying to incorporate yourself into her life with the premise of 'protecting' her."
Chris moved his face close to Edge's. "You've played this game before…you get fearful…that she's straying away from you. That she'll leave you…so you play with her mind…and drive her crazy. Don't turn her into Tessa."
Edge's eyes widened and he grabbed Chris by his collar. "Don't you speak to me about Tessa! Don't ever speak of her to me! You have no idea."
Chris smiled. "Oh, but I do. She was scared of you, you know? She would tell me. But she had this unconditional love for you that I couldn't understand. I still don't."
Edge clenched his fists. "Our love was beyond your comprehension. She was mine and you took her from me with your whispered promises and lies."
"No, my Edge. That was you. You told her lies and tricked her so many times…yet you still had a hold on her. You hurt her so deeply with your malicious intentions."
"You drove her to her death." Edge whispered.
Chris eyes roared to life. He reared back and punched Edge squarely in the jaw. Edge stumbled back and fell into the fountain, splashing the foul around them. He yelled and jumped up, then speared Chris to the ground. They crushed the dying rose bush underneath them. Chris could feel the sharp thorns pierce his skin but the anger that was coursing inside him didn't allow him to feel pain. He punched Edge and shoved him off of him and they both stood. Edge bared his fangs for a moment and wiped the blood that was trickling down his brow.
Chris suddenly grabbed a fallen branch and broke it over his knee. He walked purposefully towards Edge, and grabbed him by his neck and slammed him against the wall. He held the sharp branch in his other hand, a make shift stake. "Tell me why I shouldn't kill you now."
There was fear in Edge's eyes for a split second. Then he laughed happily. "Do it." He taunted. "Do it, and you'll be alone. You know the system--should you kill me, my entire line dies with me. No more Christian, no more Stephanie. They die as well," he straightened, "Are you ready to give that all up?"
Chris knew what he was saying. The stake crumbled under his iron grip. He moved his hands quickly to either side of Edge's head and slammed it against the wall. Edge gave a small yelp before falling to the ground, unconscious.
Chris stood over him. His protégé. He had no idea how things had come to this. This bitter rivalry…ever since Tessa. He shook his head. And now there was Stephanie. Who was as delicate as a flower. He would swear she was…her. But she wasn't. And it drove him to insanity. That was why he had to stay away.
He sighed and looked at Edge. He rolled his eyes and bent down. He patted the side of Edge's face. "Get up." He said, annoyed.
Edge moaned. He shoved Chris's hand away. "Leave me alone." He tried to get up but crumpled back to the ground.
Chris grabbed his arm and put it around his neck. "You test my patience, Edge. Far too much," he paused, "Im still angry with you. But you're mine--I created you so you know I could never desert you."
Edge leaned on Chris as they walked inside. "Just let me have her, Chris…let her go…" He pleaded.
Chris stopped and looked at Edge. "What do you mean 'let her go'?" He asked, confused.
Edge stared at Chris and moved away. "You know what I mean…" He ran his hands through his hair and walked away.
Chris stood motionless. What had just happened here? He shook his head. Far too much drama for one day. He turned and walked out of the house into the night. It was time to feed and everything inside him was craving something dark and unspeakable.