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CHAPTER 19

Mike's eyes fluttered opened. He groaned and tried to sit up. Fat chance. I had tied him down on my bed, with ropes that bound his wrists and feet to the bedposts.

After my ridiculous crying fit subsided, I got hold of myself. Mike still needed to be handled with.

Lounging in my chair across the room, I toed with my favorite split blade knife. "Have a nice black out?" I snickered. His eyes widened as the blade flashed in the sunlight.

"Look…Bella…" He struggled, trying to get a better view of me. It didn't help. I made damn sure that he couldn't leave until I let him. If I let him. It was a good thing that Charlie was going to be home late tonight.

In a swift movement I jumped on the bed and straddled him. He gasped in surprise at the unexpected action. My lips gave an evil smile.

Listen, Mike, I don't do pleading. You are going to tell me everything." Putting the blade between my teeth, I grabbed hie shirt at the collar. With a quick jerk I tore it open. Carefully, as to not cut myself, I removed my knife and placed the tip to his hot, smooth flesh. I put a little pressure on it, just enough to make him gasp.

"Now. Tell me." My voice was dead and calm. "Do you know that Jessica, your friend is dead?" He shook his head. I pressed harder.

"Alright!" he bellowed. A corner of my mouth turned up. "Yes. Yes, I know that he killed her. But it was a sacrifice that had to be made."

In anger I brought the knife up and slashed him across the torso. A deep one. He yelled in pain.

"Don't you ever tell me that you have to make sacrifices." I growled through clenched teeth. "You gave her up! Probably without a moment's hesitation. And for what!" I demanded.

He stared me square in the eye. "Revenge."

Another line of blood appeared below his collarbone as I drew my knife across his chest again. More slowly this time. He whimpered, but no satisfaction came to me.

"He's…he's trying-"

"You gonna get that sentence out any time soon?" I demanded

"He's trying to get you from the inside-"

"Then kill me." I finished. He nodded. "Duh." I said exasperated. Rolling off him, I started to pace. "Why Mike? I don't get it. Has he paid you? Lied to you to make you believe that I'm something I'm not." My legs stopped long enough to stare at him. He looked back but didn't answer. I picked up my knife that had fallen to the floor, to show who was still boss.

"I ran in to him three weeks ago one night." His voice seeped with hatred. "He told me what you had done to him. The cure you put on him. He said the only way to get back was to get rid of you." He spat the last word out. But it caused me to laugh.

"He said he wanted to go back?" I advanced on him. "Mike Angel the no-soul-vamp, has every intention of killing for the fun of it. He has no interest in mercy. Take it from someone who has known him a long time. You were just one of his pawns. Do you think that he didn't enjoy Jess's blood? Huh?" I watched Mike's face as my words sunk in and realization hit him. Suddenly I felt sorry for him. He was just an ignorant boy that Angel had caught. It wasn't Mike's fault that he hears Angel's side first.

"Oh God." He whispered. His voice shook.

"Mike, I'm going to let you go. But please, stay away from him. At this point he won't decipher from what he hunts and what gets in his way."

He nodded and I cut him loose. Sitting up slowly, he rubbed his wrists where the ropes had cut into his skin.

"Bella, I'm really sorry." He said, standing up. Then unexpectedly, he drew near and gave me a hug. "I can't believe that I betrayed her." He sobbed, and I assumed that he was talking about Jess. I stepped back.

"It was Him, not you." Mike looked down at his bleeding cuts, then back at me. I threw him a towel from my desk. "They'll heal soon." I promised. He nodded inspite of his despair then left. I stared straight ahead as he passed, and the door shut quietly behind him.