Don't Touch My Men - Helen Scott Page 0,17
I wouldn’t try running for it again. But yes, I would try escaping. The dream, vision, connection, whatever the hell it was with Ellis, had renewed something in my soul that I had desperately needed, even if I hadn’t realized it at the time.
“This place is special, you know. It has an incredible history.”
I thought of my grandfather’s name carved into the side of the headstone. “What kind of history?” I asked, my voice nonchalant as I speared a piece of cherry tart on my fork and continued eating.
“This place is where I was buried. The last time I was killed.”
How many times had he been killed?
“It was meant to be a final resting place. No other being has come back after being buried on these cursed lands. As you can see, both around this home and in the cemetery itself, nothing grows here. Nothing can live here. Dirt is made to bring forth life, but someone very clever changed it into something that keeps the dead dead.”
Interesting. I hadn’t known such a place was possible. “So that’s why this building is here…?”
His laugh rung in my head, and the sound was unpleasant and grating. “No, my naïve bride, this building was built here…not quite by coincidence, but certainly without the builders realizing just what a place they had chosen. They built this house to heal those whose minds were sick, only they didn’t realize this place was cursed. The sick only became sicker here. Their doctors and nurses became twisted. Soon, this place became a home of such evil that the stench can never be erased, even if they burned this building to the ground.”
The tart in my mouth tasted like ash when I swallowed it. “So that’s why you stayed here…because evil is drawn to evil.”
Again, he laughed, and my teeth gritted together. “No, don’t you see? Our greatest enemy buried all the creatures of legend here that he feared, and it’s my intention to raise them from the dead and create an unstoppable army.”
“To destroy the world?”
His humor faded, and I felt as if the headless man analyzed me. “This world is already destroyed, Mary. We will bury the mess and restart, creating a bigger and better world.”
I finally sat my fork down. “We really need to get this straight between us. I won’t be helping you in this crazy quest of yours, so you may as well come to terms with that now.”
“Have you ever been on a safari?”
“No.” Where the hell was this going?
“It’s fascinating, actually. When the herds travel from one water source to another, the predators only need to remain around the water sources, and they know they’ll get fed. Because it doesn’t matter if they know the lions are lying in wait for them, they still have to go to the water. They need water to survive. The lions need to eat from the herds to survive. It’s just the way it is. And you, Mary, no matter what you’ve been told, you belong with me. You need me to survive, and one way or another, you’ll come to me.”
“Except in this case we’re both carnivores.”
“Yes, we are,” he replied, and he sounded oddly pleased.
“Enjoy your lunch. When you’re done, I’ll have my banshee show you around.”
“Or you could just let me go.”
He laughed. “Eat, Mary. You’ll need your strength.”
Of that I had no doubt.
After that, we were interrupted by one of the Horseman’s minions. They talked in low voices at the other end of the table, and I was glad to be able to eat in peace. It was creepy as hell to be talking to some man who thought he owned me for no reason. Who thought we were destined to be together, even though I’d made it clear we weren’t.
If he started rubbing lotion into my skin, I’d have to try running into that damn invisible fence again. As I was contemplating that, he suddenly stood and excused himself. I watched him hurry away with his henchmen at his side and briefly considered following him.
But before I could make up my mind, the banshee was back.
I lifted a brow. “Already? I feel like we could’ve gone a hell of a lot longer without seeing each other.”
“The feeling is mutual, my reluctant queen,” she said, giving a bow that felt sarcastic.
I rose and followed her. She led me to a room where there was scribbling on the wall. Ranting words that looked oddly like they were written in blood. They