Surely if Alexi was here, she would know it.
Moving quietly, she put her shopping bags on the floor and tiptoed through the downstairs, turning lights on as she went.
Nothing.
For a moment, she stood at the bottom of the staircase, one hand on the banister, and then she started up the steps.
Chapter Thirty-four
"Grigori?"
She paused outside their bedroom, her hand on the latch. She knew, knew, something was wrong.
Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and stepped inside.
The heavy drapes at the window shut out the light, so that the room was nearly dark. As soon as she stepped inside the doorway, the overhead light went on.
Tension went out of her in a whoosh as Edward stepped in front of her.
"Edward! You scared me out of a year's growth. What are you doing here? Edward?"
The relief she had first felt at seeing him quickly turned to alarm as he stepped behind her and closed the door. "Edward?"
"Go sit down, Marisa."
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, and everything."
"You're not making sense."
"You'll understand soon enough." He gave her a little push and she stumbled forward.
It was then that she saw Grigori. He lay still as death on the bed, bound by a heavy silver chain ... a chain that looked very much like the one that had once bound Alexi.
"What have you done to him?"
Edward pulled a syringe out of his coat pocket. "I put him to sleep, and then I bled him." He nodded at the basin on the table beside her chair. It was a large bowl, and it was filled with blood. Grigori's blood. Enough to weaken him. Enough to...
"He's not... not dead?"
"Not yet."
"Edward, please - "
He pushed her toward the chair in the corner. "Sit down, Marisa. Alexi will be here soon."
"Alexi! He's coming here?"
Edward nodded, his expression unutterably sad. "I'm sorry, Marisa."
She sat down heavily. "Why are you doing this?"
"I have no choice."
"What do you mean? Of course you do...." The words died in her throat. "He's done something to you, hasn't he? Oh, Lord, you're like Antoinette."
"No. She had no mind of her own. Alexi has left me my mind, Marisa, but he has robbed me of my will." His voice was raw with torment. "This is worse. I know what I'm doing, and even though I don't want to, I can't refuse."
"Fight him, Edward! You've got to fight him."
"I can't." He began to pace the floor. "He's too strong." He stopped in front of her, his eyes wild, his hands clenching and unclenching. "He took my blood, made me take his. I can hear his thoughts in my mind. I can't shut them out!" He placed his hands over his ears and shook his head. "I can't shut him out!"
"He's going to kill us, isn't he?"
"He's going to kill Grigori. I'm afraid he has worse things in mind for you." Edward dropped to his knees in front of Marisa. "I'm sorry." He pulled a short piece of rope out of his coat pocket. "So sorry."
Instinct overcame fear. With a cry, she jerked her knee up. It caught him under the jaw. His head snapped backward and she kicked him in the chest with all her might. The air whooshed out of his lungs as he fell to the floor.
Jumping to her feet, she ran for the door. She screamed as she felt his hand close over her arm.
"Let me go!" she shrieked. "Let me go!"
She struggled against him, but he was too strong for her. Twisting her arm behind her back, he quickly tied her wrists together, then guided her back to the chair and pushed her into it.
"Marisa, I'm sorry."
She was shaking now, frightened beyond words. Alexi was coming. She felt a ripple in the air, a stirring against her skin, and knew that Grigori was emerging from the dark sleep.
Edward felt it, too. Reaching under his coat, he withdrew a sharpened stake.
"Edward, don't!"
"I won't. Not unless I have to." He glanced at her over his shoulder. "Alexi wants that pleasure for himself."
"Edward, please, please don't do this. Please. I'd rather be dead than become his creature."
"Marisa." A groan rose in Edward's throat. She saw him struggle against Alexi's hold on his mind, saw the torment in his eyes.
"Please, Edward. He'll make me like Antoinette."
He looked up at her, helpless, every muscle in his body taut. Pain flickered in his eyes, and she knew that Alexi was reading Edward's mind, knew the vampire was exerting his influence.
"I... I can't fight him," he said, panting heavily. "He's too