BLAKE

The present came back to Blake like the sky had fallen, the universe crushing him underneath its weight. Sometimes when Blake knew he was having a nightmare, he could stir himself awake. However, Blake couldn't escape tonight's endless torture. It was like struggling at the bottom of the ocean, drowning in darkness, and fighting the sink of sand. His muscles pounded and as he roused awake, Blake discovered a hot sticky wetness covering his cheeks.

Blake groaned and fought his own body to try to get up, slowly gaining ownership again. He had no thoughts. Just memories flashing over and over again. He shut his eyes tight, trying to push them away, but he only saw blood. He only saw Nicholas curled on the ground dying.

Tightening his fist, Blake remembered the weight of the dagger in his hand.

"Headache?"

Popping his head up, Blake locked eyes with Ignacio in the bed next to him. Ignacio was back in his demon form, red skin, horns, sharp teeth, and golden eyes. A month ago, Blake would've looked at him like he was something that needed to be killed. Something monstrous. But in this morning light, Blake burst into tears and threw his arms around the creature.

"Whoa!" Ignacio jumped, but he didn't hesitate to return the embrace Blake back. "What's this?"

"I'm sorry," Blake sobbed and held on tighter. He could feel his wounds now, the bite marks that nearly ripped him apart. They cried out for mercy, threatening to open up otherwise, but Blake refused to let go. 

"Sorry? You haven't done anything to me," Ignacio whispered and stroked his hair, attempting to soothe Blake.

Using Ignacio to get up, Blake took a deep breath. "I have to find Danny."

"You still want to find him?" Someone asked.

Blake jumped, grabbing Ignacio as he turned to find Adrian by the window. He was looking out into the falling snow. He tilted his head. "He abandoned you last night and you still want to find him? Blake, you're better than that."

"It doesn't make sense," Blake said. He got off the bed and went searching for his clothes, breezing by Adrian on his way to the dresser. "Something must be wrong. Danny wouldn't do this."

"He was angry with you," Adrian reminded Blake. "People do a lot of terrible things in anger."

"Not Danny. He wouldn't just abandon me or anyone, actually." Blake opened his dresser... but his clothes weren't there. There were clothes, but nothing he recognized. Blake took out a maroon sweater. As they came, Blake spoke his thoughts aloud, "If Danny said he was going to meet me, he would. He's too reliable... these aren't mine."

"They're in your drawers," Adrian laughed. "Whose else would they be?"

"Right," Blake said and shook his head. He must've forgotten Michael buying them for his new wardrobe. Quickly as he could with his wounds, he started exchanging the suit from last night to the maroon sweater, white button up, and tan pants.

"I think you should wait to look for him," Adrian said, walking up behind Blake. "You were so hurt last night. I don't want to see you like that again. He shouldn't be given the chance to hurt you more."

"But that's the thing. He doesn't want to hurt me. He'd never hurt me. Something has to be wrong." Blake turned for his nightstand but didn't see his phone. Thinking it must still be in his suit, Blake rifled through his clothes and then, the floor. "I'm going to find Michael and see if he knows where Danny went. Or maybe Frances knows. I bet he was at the Gala longer than us. Oh! And Josephine. She had to have been the last person to see him—"

Adrian cut Blake off. "All you're going to do is cause a panic. Daniel is the one at fault. He should come to you."

"Where's my phone? Iggy, have you seen my phone?" Blake asked, still searching.

"No, Blake," Ignacio said softly. He sounded as tired as Blake felt.

Frustrated, Blake kicked his clothes and sighed, extra annoyed by the fact he was thinking about Daniel fussing at him to keep his room cleaner. Now of all times. Blake's chest was still aching. He wanted to see Daniel. He needed to see him. Blake didn't like that he was too far to be seen. That he wasn't just an arm's length away.

Blake stormed to his bed, searching the covers. "You're not listening to me. Something's wrong—"

"You're not listening to me," Adrian roared, and Blake froze. His blood went ice cold as he shrunk back. Never in his entire life had Adrian yelled at Blake. Or anyone. Adrian never raised his voice louder than necessary. Once, Blake and his father, Clay were harassed outside of his office building, but when Adrian dealt with the man, his voice was hardly above a whisper.

Adrian must've saw something on Blake's face because his tune changed, his demeanor softened as he fixed a smile on his face. "What I mean is that I'll go find Daniel. You stay here..."

Blake fixated on every detail of Adrian's walk, his face, and his eyes.

It wasn't like Adrian at all.

But Blake recognized it all the same.

"I like knowing where you are," Adrian's voice said.

In that moment, Blake completely disappeared. He let what made him, him vanish and replaced it all with Henry Winslow. With his most loving smile, Blake squeezed Adrian's hands back. "Okay. You're right. You're always right."

"That's right," Adrian chuckled as if they were joking.

Blake listened for anything else, for anyone walking by. Nothing. The castle never felt bigger.

His self-preservation kicking in, Blake went in for a hug and over Adrian's shoulder, he locked on Ignacio. Blake widened his eyes, hoping his horror had been conveyed. Ignacio ever-so-slightly nodded, and Blake could feel a rigid horrible crack down his body. Blake was in danger of destruction. This was now a living nightmare and Blake couldn't wake up from.

Blake moved back, putting his hands behind his back as he opened his palm and called the knife still on his tray from yesterday's lunch. The little thing whizzed through the air and landed in his hands. Blake squeezed it and stepped out of Adrian's path.

On his way by, Adrian used his shoulder to pull him a little forward and then kissed the top of his head. Blake held his fear back and kept himself from flinching. He held his breath as Adrian walked all the way to the door and left. Breathing hard, Blake threw himself at the door and he wasn't surprised to find it locked. Bending down on his knee, he blew through the tumblers and they all dropped away.

Jumping up, Blake threw the door open, but a hand caught it. Blake yelled, jumping backwards as Adrian swept into the room in a blur and shoved Blake the rest of the way inside. He slammed the door behind him and locked it again.

"What are you planning to do with that knife?" Adrian asked.

"Stay away from me," Blake snapped, raising the knife, and putting it between them.

"You wouldn't hurt me, would you? I'm Adrian. Your best friend. Your caretaker."

"You're not Adrian. I know you're Edward."

The fake Adrian smiled wickedly, curling the sides of his mouth as if him and the whole world was laughing at Blake. He didn't flinch at the knife once. "You've changed in a lot of ways, Henry and yet, you're still so stupid."

Adrian snatched the blade of the knife and pressed his fingers into it. His blood flowed and from his fingers, spilling down his arm. The horror Blake felt punched through his chest and twisted his heart. Blake was speechless and almost ran to him but couldn't. His legs were cemented to the ground. Going to him was like sticking his hand in front of an angry snapping dog.

"I am Adrian." He took a step forward and Blake's foot mirrored him, moving backwards. "At least in body. Is this not his blood?" Adrian switched the knife to his other hand to show Blake his bleeding wounds. "If I take this knife and drag it across my neck? Will that somehow not kill Adrian? Should we test it?"

"You won't." Blake shook his head, panicking. "That means it's over for you too—"

"Wrong again." Adrian let out a horrible laugh. "God, aren't you tired of being wrong? I'd stop wasting my breath if I were you. If this vessel goes, I'll find another one. I only picked him because he seemed worried about you. Guess I got lucky he was so perfect and this one..." Adrian admired his arm and hands as they twisted the blade. "A vampire. How interesting."

In another blur, Adrian closed the gap again and Blake stumbled, the back of his legs hitting the bed. Blake was able to catch himself before he fell. Pressing the knife to his own cheek, Adrian spilled a little more blood and turned Blake's stomach. "These little cuts won't kill this body. But if I throw myself out that window? If I drive this knife through my heart? Would that do it? Are you going to kill Adrian?"

"Stop. Stop. What do you want?"

"What's mine. I had a deal with that fucking demon--" Adrian pointed the knife at Iggy "--and he broke it, so I'm privileged to some retribution. Ignacio promised to give everything I wanted to Nicholas. Well, I'm taking it back. At the end of the week, I will be the one to marry you and gain control of that power and the coven."

"No. It can't work like that—Iggy?" Blake searched for Ignacio in the room. He didn't know how long he was there, but Ignacio was behind Adrian, perched on the couch. His eyes were dead, staring at the floor. The last of Blake's warmth vanished. All the blood drained from his face and limbs. "I'm not going to marry you. Fuck you."

"You will if you want to save your family and the Bellerose's lives."

Blake's jaw tightened. "It won't work or make sense to anyone."

"Ignacio," Adrian said.

On command, Ignacio stood up. He walked up to Adrian and touched his back, encasing him in a familiar red smoke. The moment the cloud billowed over Adrian's head, it started evaporating to reveal Daniel's double. He smiled and Blake's fear twisted into anger.

"I hate you," Blake told him, fighting the burn of tears. "I hate you."

"I'm hurt." Using Daniel's face, Adrian pretended to pout and made sobbing little noises. It made Blake's stomach twist.

Then, he smiled, and Blake wanted to punch it clean off. Daniel or Adrian or Edward took the dagger and started for the door again. Blake didn't move, feeling chained there and trapped in this room. "Where's Daniel? Have you done something to him?"

Edward snickered, still playing with that knife. "I'll tell you after the wedding. If I find out you went looking for him, I'll kill him and Adrian." Taking the knife, Edward slit his arm up and his skin unfolded. "If I find out Daniel escaped, I'll kill him and Adrian. If I find out you're told anyone about me, I will kill Daniel and Adrian. Do you understand?"

Blake's jaw clenched. 

"Answer me, Henry."

Closing his eyes, Blake could only manage a nod. 

"Good." Edward closed the door behind him. 

Locking it once again.

Blake hated the sound. How long did that take? A minute? Maybe a few? It took so little time for Blake's entire world to come crashing down and around to trap him for good. Still, so trapped in one little room. His chest tightened and he couldn't catch his breath. "Iggy. I am an idiot." And was wasting his breath, suffocating on his own stupidity.

"Blake, no," Ignacio said, finally leaving the couch and moving like he was still something alive. As soon as he was close enough, Blake collapsed into his arms. Clinging to the demon, Blake trembled and tried to breathe through the straw sized tube lodged inside his throat.

"Danny was right and I— I'm the reason this is happening."

"Edward used your love against you, but it's not over yet."

"I don't know what to do. He's got Adrian and Danny hostage and I don't even know where Danny is. I can't let anyone die because of me again, Iggy."

Ignacio's eyes flashed. "Damn."

"Wh-what?"

"Edward is calling for me." Ignacio closed his eyes, flinching at something Blake couldn't hear. Gathering Blake up, Ignacio spoke through the pain. "Remember, I gave your family the tools you needed to survive."

And with that, Ignacio disappeared and slipped out of Blake's fingers. He fell forward with no one to hold his weight and hit the floor hard. He tried to keep from crying, but his grief overpowered him and possessed his senses until there wasn't any Blake left. If Henry could see him now, he'd be so disappointed that he fell into the same traps as before...

If Henry could see him.

If Blake could talk to him.

Blake stopped crying. He pushed himself up and glanced around the room. He summoned a demon here not too long ago. If he could do it once. Maybe he could do it again. Nobody knew about Edward, except for two other people. Blake looked down at his hands and gripped them tight. Ignacio gave him these gifts.

So, he better use them.

#

AUTHOR'S NOTE

So Blake knows now! And obviously all the theories were right! Edward is possessing Adrian~ Adrian hasn't been really there since the start of the book. Writing this scene was so wild. What do you think? Was it as wild to read?

Please let me know your thoughts! How do you think Adrian will react (if he survives) when he finds out what his body was used for? Are things better or worse now that Blake knows? What do you think Blake has planned?? And how will that save Danny??? And where is Danny?!

As always, if you liked this book, check out my others.