Crave - Teresa Mummert Page 0,27

the weapon quickly and held it between us. He smiled down at the gun and back at me.

“Is this your way of saying you don’t forgive me?”

“Leave now. You are no longer invited,” I said trying to steady my hands. He let out a deep laugh.

“You can’t un-invite me. That’s just something the news made up to make people feel safer. Plus, it’s kind of rude, Eva.”

I pressed the barrel of the gun against his chest and his expression switched from amused to unreadable.

“You want to kill me?...again?” he asked sarcastically. He pressed his chest hard against the barrel of the gun, causing me to stumble back a step. “Do it.” There was no playfulness in his tone, but he wasn’t angry either. “Put me out of my misery.”

My hands shook wildly as a gripped down on the trigger. I closed my eyes as I pulled it back further hearing it click. I opened my eyes hesitantly to see him still standing in front of me.

“That hurts worse than any bullet could have done.” He grabbed the gun, pulling it effortlessly from my hands and throwing it against the wall across the room. “Ammunition is still on the table, remember?” he added, cocking his head to the side.

“I’m sorry,” I cried as I completely broke down.

“Shh… You don’t need to ever be sorry,” his words sounded pained as he wiped the tears from my cheeks. “You’re bleeding,” he said glancing down at my side to my palm that I had injured earlier on the broken dish. Fear overwhelmed me as I thought of what he did at the sight of my blood yesterday. His eyes became void and I slid my hand behind my back. He caught my wrist and pulled it toward him slowly.

“Why didn’t you just kill me yesterday? Why are you torturing me?”

His expression turned somber. “I never wanted to kill you. I thought I had better control,” he confessed and if lacking control was his only noticeable weakness, I was in a lot of trouble.

My front door banged open loudly, startling me and catching Elijah off-guard. I seized the opportunity and broke free from his grasp, running out of my room and straight into Grayson’s arms. He pushed me behind him and walked cautiously toward my bedroom. Elijah stood where I had left him looking positively pissed. Grayson aimed his gun at Elijah and cocked it.

“Can’t you take a hint?” Elijah asked with a chuckle and I cringed thinking of how he’d seen me kissing Elijah before. “She doesn’t want you.” he added looking at the gun.

“I suggest you leave and never come near Eva again,” Grayson hissed. Elijah cocked his head to the side, still grinning.

“If I don’t?” He asked, glancing over Grayson’s shoulder at me.

“I’ll pull the trigger,” Grayson replied coldly.

“You don’t scare me,” Elijah said harshly, stepping towards Grayson.

“I bet my wooden bullets do,” Grayson replied with a smile of his own and I exhaled loudly, relieved he had figured out what I was trying to tell him before Elijah showed up. “I won’t think twice about killing a vamp.”

Elijah hadn’t expected Grayson to know what he was and as he looked to me, he knew I had confided in him. His jaw tensed and the look of betrayal was clearly visible. He nodded his head once in understanding. He raised his hands slightly to signal that he didn’t pose a threat.

“I’ll go,” he said as he walked closer. Grayson and I backed into the hall as he exited the room. Grayson kept the gun pointed at his back as he walked toward the door. “I’ll see you later, Eva,” he called over his shoulder before walking out and slamming the door behind him.

Grayson turned to me and I wrapped my arms around his neck. Clinging to him, he stroked my hair soothingly as I sobbed against his shoulder. I was relieved, but I knew it was far from over. Elijah wasn’t going to stop until he got what he wanted. Unfortunately, what he wanted was me.

We made our way to the bedroom where I was finally able to take off my towel and throw on some clothing. Grayson kept his gaze on the wall, ever the gentleman even when we may die at any moment.

“What did he want? What did he say?” Grayson asked in a panic.

“He said… he said he was sorry.”

Grayson’s eyes narrowed as if he didn’t believe me. “He apologized for attacking you? Why?”

His tone made me angry. “Maybe