Free Crimson Desire by Elisabeth Morgan Popolow Page B

stated. “She is already on her way to bring you back. You are afraid of her, I know. But do not show her that you are afraid. Show her a determined and strong woman, and she will back off and become bored. Boredom is her greatest weakness. If she is bored, she will not act. That is how Annabelle is.”
    I asked, “How do you know all this? Where are you? Why aren’t you here with me now? In reality?”
    He sighed and pressed his lips to my forehead. “The tea you drank earlier, Lily. The tea was laced with her blood, and I felt it. I wanted to tell you, but she blocked me from your mind and filled you with fear and the idea to escape. It was a failed plan to begin with. Her blood is in you and yours in her. You cannot escape her. She will always find you.” He tightened his grip on my waist and ground his hips into me.
    I was scared. Really scared. “She has my blood in her, and I have hers in me? So she can track me because she, well, because she just can? My plan was a failure from the start?”
    He slowly nodded and kissed me on the lips, tongue parting them and entering inside me as he slid himself over my teeth before withdrawing and taking a deep breath. “Yes, that is correct. Now, Lily, I want you to promise me that you will resist and you will wait. I am in Europe and searching desperately for you and Sang. Just be patient. Be patient and have faith in me. Please.”
    I hugged him and didn’t want to let go, but he was already fading away, slipping from my dream like some kind of ghost. It hurt to see him go.
    I answered, “Yes! Yes, I promise to be good and wait. I’ll wait for you as you waited centuries for me.”
    A sly smile graced his face, and he said, “Good.” His body fully vanished into nothing, and I found myself hurling my body off the cliff and falling quickly into the water.
    I gripped Sang’s side with my hand and examined all around me as I waited for Annabelle’s arrival. Sang tossed in his sleep and groaned, and I could only imagine the nightmare he was having as sweat dripped from his brow.
    I waited.
    Bats circled above by the trees, and a small breeze whistled past. I laid there, stomach twisted and throbbing.
    I waited.
    I waited for what seemed like hours, and sure enough, not long after, my captor came to take me back. Hounds surrounded us and barked loudly, and one little mutt came over and licked me on the face as I lay still. It whimpered as Annabelle came over on a large grey horse and cracked a whip on the ground, scattering the dogs and leaving a clear view of Sang and I curled on the ground together.
    She jumped off her horse and in an instant was beside me, deep green eyes drilling into me as she scrutinized the sleeping man near me. Her face was the image of anger and rage contained within a façade of airiness and joy.
    “Lily, Lily, did you enjoy your short hours of freedom?” she asked, lifting me by the neck and digging her fingers into my flesh.
    Wait? Wasn’t she drunk? How could she ride a horse? Why did she seem all right? Unless…she faked all of it. It was all a ruse to see if we would carry out an escape or not. Damn, I felt like such an idiot.
    I smirked and replied, “Yeah. Yeah, I did. Thanks for asking.”
    She sneered, and her lips curled into a fake smile. "Oh, you just think you're all that, don't you? Well, you won't when I'm finished with you. You should've known better than to test my patience. There was no way from the start that you could've possibly escaped, you know."
    Her black hair was like shimmering spun silk as the wind combed through it with ease. Her skin was as pale as milk, and she had an inhuman appearance like a porcelain doll with her plump scarlet lips and fierce emerald green eyes. She stood straight; chin held high with such dignity, you would think she was a modern-day knight. Or princess. Whatever you prefer.
    She was clad in a black long-sleeved shirt with golden buttons and matching riding breeches with tall boots and