The Compelled (Page 25)

“I don’t drink human blood,” I mumbled. I’d always been proud of my resolve, but here, when blood was being offered, I felt weak. What if I couldn’t stop at a sip? What if I ruined everything?

“Then how did you ever expect to fight this Samuel?” Lavinia asked, her eyes boring right into me. I glanced over to Cora, but she looked down at her hands folded in her lap. “You said that you were bringing vampire strength to this battle. But if you’re refusing blood, then you’re refusing that strength within you,” Lavinia said.

“We only need one vampire to do it, right? Maybe it’s better…”

“Not for me,” Lavinia said flatly. “Either this vampire feeds on Alice’s blood, or the deal is off.” I looked at Cora, and she nodded encouragingly. Stil , she didn’t truly know what human blood did to me. In her mind, I was a wishful hero. She didn’t know me as the monster who’d never, ever have his fil .

“Go on, brother,” Damon said. It was the same phrase he’d used to egg me on countless times, ever since I was a child and he’d dared me to jump off the Wickery Bridge on the first warm day of the year.

I didn’t have a choice. I slowly pul ed her wrist to my mouth. My fangs sliced into her skin, releasing the pungent, sweet smel of blood into the air. I plunged my canines into the tiny blue veins in her wrist and was hit with waves of ecstasy I hadn’t felt in almost twenty years. I al owed the blood to wash down my throat, feeling it soothe al the pain and fear I’d carried. It surged through my body, making me feel safe and strong and alive. This was better than the blood in New Orleans, better than the oceans of blood I’d drunk during the murderous sprees of my youth.

Better than my father’s blood.

I wanted more, as much as possible, enough to fil my veins and my heart. A growl escaped from my lips.

“Vampire!” Lavinia cal ed sharply.

I pul ed back and wiped my mouth. I felt al eyes on me.

“I’m sorry if I got carried away,” I said stiffly.

“You did exactly as I asked,” Lady Alice said, but her face was pale. “Damon?”

She held out her wrist and I watched as Damon slowly took a smal sip, as though he were drinking a fine champagne. I couldn’t help but feel he was being so mannerly on purpose, to show the blood-hungry brother how proper feeding was done. I knew that even though I’d drunk from Lady Alice’s wrist briefly, I’d revealed part of my true nature. I was too greedy, too insistent, and I’d heard my angry, guttural growl as clearly as everyone else had.

When Damon finished, Lady Alice brushed the excess blood away with the inside of her sleeve. “Now, Damon and Stefan, come join our circle.” She held out her hands.

Instead of standing next to her, I chose to stand between Damon and Lavinia. It seemed safer. Because now that the taste of Lady Alice’s blood was on my tongue, it was al I could think about.

Lady Alice began to chant, and, one by one, the other witches joined in. I al owed my tongue to run back and forth over my teeth; the filmy coating left by the blood felt like both a blessing and a curse. The flames from the fire dimmed, sending the room into semidarkness.

“Vinculum,” Lady Alice said. The rest of the witches echoed the word.

Vinculum, I said under my breath. I hoped it worked. It had to. Lavinia dropped my hand. The room brightened.

“It’s done. We’re bound,” Lady Alice said.

“Good. Now, let’s discuss the next steps,” I said, glancing pointedly at Damon until he settled onto the bench next to the blond-haired witch. “What we need to do is trap Samuel, and the best way to do that is to use Mary Jane as Samuel, and the best way to do that is to use Mary Jane as bait. We can lead Samuel to her,” I said.

“How wil you do that, vampire?” Lavinia asked.

“I thought we could have Samuel spot Mary Jane in the East End, then attack,” I explained.

“No, no, no!” Lavinia protested. “Far too messy. We can’t have the battle where humans are. We need to do it somewhere hidden.”

“My house,” Mary Jane said quietly. “It’s the perfect spot.

We have a spel on the property that keeps the rent col ectors away. Humans don’t seem to notice it, even though it’s right there.”

“Good thinking,” Lavinia said approvingly.

“I suppose one of us could be used to bait Samuel,” I suggested, thinking on the fly.

“Too dangerous.” Lavinia shook her head. “Weren’t you paying attention? Vampires are crafty. He’l kil you without thinking twice. You need Samuel to know you have something he wants. You need to tel him you have Mary Jane.”

“He already knows,” I said numbly.

“Does he know he’s involved?” Lavinia asked, jerking her chin at Damon.

Damon shook his head.

“I say Damon goes and offers to bring Samuel to the girl,” one of the men suggested. “I know Samuel, and he wants power. No matter what you’ve done to him, even if you’ve stared in his eyes as you’ve attempted to stake his chest, he’l forgive you, if it means he’l get what he wants.”

“Al right.” Damon nodded. “I can talk him into listening to me.” His eyes gleamed, and I knew if anyone could pretend he was going to the dark side, it was him.

“Damon wil bring Samuel to Mary Jane, and we’l attack,” I said, finishing off the plan. The witches nodded in agreement. It seemed simple.

“Are there any spel s that wil protect her from a vampire? Vervain won’t work. And Samuel has a witch on his side, so we need to protect against that, too,” I said, emboldened by the way the witches were agreeing with me.