The Vampire’s Servant
Chapter 68

Both men stilled. Gray was barely breathing after the sharp inhale. I started to get worried, neither moved for quite a long time. I looked up to see them mouthing words to each other. "You don't want to. Neither of you want to." I sniffled.

No one wanted to really keep me. If they didn't mark me, my mark would fade and I'd be all alone again. Victor could leave me. Gray would probably choose to leave me too, after he wasn't stuck in a marriage with me anymore.

They weren't going to mark me. They were just planning to keep me until this marriage was over. The thought repeated over and over, mixed with the times vampires had told me they wanted me, times my parents told me I was worthless and bothersome, and times when I questioned why I kept choosing to live if I was such a pitiful, evil creature.

I wouldn't live like this. I couldn't just let them pretend to love me. I moved quickly, getting up and jumping off the end of the bed. I went to my closet and grabbed some clothes and my backpack. I slipped some jeans under the nightgown and made sure to grab my bra. I could put it on later.

When I turned back to the room, Victor and Gray were standing in front of the closet door. My tears had turned to anger. I didn't want to see them. I wanted to leave and never look back.

"Echo, please. Listen to us. We didn't mean to make you think we didn't want to mark you." Gray pled.

"It's quite the opposite. We've wanted to mark you ever since you marked us." Victor said.

I tried to push past them, but they stopped me. Of course, they would lie. They would say anything. They would use their strength to stop me from escaping the t*****e they were putting me through.

"If you don't let me go, I'll scream for Marius. I know for a fact that he will hear me." I warned.

They stepped back and I walked between them. I couldn't listen to their excuses. I wouldn't let them lie to me more.

"Echo. The reason we're hesitating is because you have only just come back to us. We love you and want to care for you, but it's difficult fighting the urges we have." Victor told me.

"It would be better if we could wait until school's over. Wolves in our school go unmarked or transfer to the pack school. It makes the humans panic when we show up with marks on us. The mark you gave me is easily hidden, my mark for you would be much harder to hide." Gray explained.

"You're just saying this so I won't get Marius to punish you both." I replied, unmoved.

"I'm afraid of him, but not nearly as afraid as I am of losing you." He said softly, taking a step toward me.

"Where are you planning to go, Echo?" Victor asked.

"I'm going to stay with my sister and brother. I know they really love me and they want me to be with them. I won't stay here if you two don't want me. Val was talking about taking over our old house. We'll go there." I answered.

"Echo, you're not thinking straight. Please, don't make a decision like that when you're upset. We want you. We want to be with you. Victor will show you how to make me your servant. Then I can always be with you." Gray insisted.

"His wolf will live as long as he does. He'll live as long as you keep renewing your bond with him. This is something that needs to be planned for and arranged. Not something that can be decided on a whim. Telling us you'll leave if we don't do what you want is manipulative. You have to see that. This isn't something you can control entirely. We've told you repeatedly how much we love you." Victor added.

"No. You told me you wanted Gray to mark me. You already tried to leave me. Now, you suddenly want to wait until after school. Then what? Then wait until I've finished college? Wait until after I've given you both children? Wait until they're grown? How long to I have to wait for you two? Because all of this feels like you're trying to run out the clock until you can leave me!" I shouted.

I glared at them. They both looked stricken. Victor recovered first and I saw that cold look come over his face.

"You've decided you'll leave first then? I made a mistake, trying to think of your health and future, and you decided that meant I already had one foot out the door. What makes you think that I'd give you up forever? I told you I would wait for you." He hissed. "I heard you. You were ready to leave me because I loved Gray too. I know you all think I can't hear you when you're whispering, or in other rooms, but these walls aren't exactly soundproofed, Victor! And I heard you tell Rosalynn that you didn't want to marry me!" I yelled.

"I never tried to give you up, Echo. I fought for you since the moment I met you. Why do you think I would ever give you up? You can ask Cam. Everyone, my brother, my friends, Victor, even my parents were telling me to have you reject me and move on. I wouldn't give up then, and I won't give up now." Gray stated firmly.

This was all too much. There was so much hurt and anger inside of me. I just wanted to run away. I didn't want to be here anymore.

I turned away from them and headed for the door. It opened before I got there and was faced with Amy and Talia. They crossed their arms and leveled the same disappointed gaze on me.

"You boys get out. We're going to talk to Echo." Amy said.

"No. I was leaving." I told her.

"You are staying. Victor, take Grayson to your office." Talia ordered.

"Yes, mistress." He replied quietly and pulled Gray past me.

The door closed behind them and I was left alone with the women. I felt my anger grow. How dare they stop me from leaving! I didn't want to stay there.

"I'm sorry I didn't keep a better eye on you, or I would have seen what was going on, Echo." Talia sighed. "I thought you wouldn't have this problem." "Let me leave." I demanded.

"You're no match for us, Echo. Sit your ass down." Amy growled.

That dangerous feeling I got before came back. She was actually threatening me. I snarled and stepped forward. Talia grabbed my arm and stopped me.

"You had better start thinking more clearly. That would not have ended well for you." She warned.

I bristled at being stopped and turned my attention to the tiny vampire. I knew she was old, but she was so small, she didn't seem that scary. Her eyes started glowing as she glared at me.

"I can hear what you think of me, Echo. That is a dangerously stupid thought. Go sit down before I make you." Talia commanded.

"I want to leave." I said.

"You need to center yourself. We'll let you leave tomorrow, if it's what you still want." She told me.

Though I wanted to fight, I decided to do what they said and sat on the bed. Talia brought my computer chair over and sat in front of me. Amy stood to the side like a guard.

"I didn't think you would be affected, but you're acting like a young vampire. For the first month or so of a young vampire's second life, they feed primarily on their sire and humans. Not werewolves. We learned from Mr. Darknight that you were fed blood donated by the rogues who worked for him. It was a quiet way to get the blood that wouldn't alert the Master of the territory." Talia explained. "Werewolf blood can make vampires a little more impulsive and more easily angry. Combine that with the... issues... you would have inherited from feeding on Victor and it means you're more likely to act in a childish fashion when you feel slighted."

"Add the possessiveness that comes from marking a werewolf, and that means you're more likely to lash out at what you perceive as attacks on your relationships and people encroaching on your territory. Namely, Gray and Victor. Even now, you're growling a little while we talk about them." Amy added.

I covered my mouth. She was right. When Amy said that Gray would be eating with the other wolves earlier, I started getting angry. I worked even harder to be cheerful.

"When a young vampire drinks from their sire, they end up sharing some traits. You got Victor's temper. You weren't going to let go of whatever started this argument until you got what you wanted or were sufficiently distracted." Talia said.

"Drinking from werewolves makes you more volatile and emotional. Meaning it was only a matter of time before something made you really go off. Having a bond with an alpha blood wolf, means you would experience these feelings a little more intensely. The mate bond wants to be completed. It would push you to feel the things that would make you want to complete it." Amy explained.

"So... none of this has been me? It's all been what I got from them?" I asked.

"No. The overly emotional, easy to anger, childish tantrum parts are because of the blood and the added bond. I want to work with you on learning to calm yourself. Marius said you kept your temper when he was bothering you, this part isn't you. The part that loves them. The part that was scared of losing them. The part that hurt. Those are all you. The part that turned your hurt to anger, was them." Talia said. The anger had been leaving me. As I started to understand that it wasn't me, I started to control myself more. I started to realize what I'd done and told Talia and Amy everything. I was in tears again by the end.

"We heard a lot of the fight. You can get quite loud when you want to." Amy snickered.

I picked up that she wasn't just talking about the fight. The heat of embarrassment replaced the heat of anger I'd had earlier. I hid my face in my hands.

"Don't be ashamed, if I had two mates I'd never leave my room." She laughed.

"If you had two mates I doubt you would be able to leave your room." Talia snickered.

"What exactly are you trying to say?" Amy asked.

"Like you wouldn't try both at once. I can imagine you would suffer a lot of mating related accidents." Talia chuckled.

Amy blushed this time. "I never thought of that. Yeah. I would totally do that. Two men, goddess, you're a lucky girl, Echo."

"They're going to be mad at me for what I just did." I whispered.

"You wanted them to mark you because you were feeling insecure. That isn't on you or them. It's on the people who made you believe that you weren't worth love. They love you and they're perfect for you. Seeing you and Gray together made me miss my Lucien. He makes you more lively. When you're with Victor, you're almost vampire-like." Amy said.

"Yes, she reminds me of my Solus Amor when she's with Victor. My Amor is sweet and tender. It helps me unwind after I've had to be someone's punishment." Talia smiled. "You soothe him, Echo. I have never seen Victor as happy as he is with you. You know he didn't smile for over two hundred years. Not since his last servant asked to be released from his bond."

"He's lost a lot of people that he cared about." I sighed. "That's why he is trying to think of my health and my needs so much. So I'll stay with him."

"It's the nature of being a vampire. Some of us don't associate with 'lesser beings'. I can't help myself. I know one day my friends will pass on, having my Solus Amor is helpful. You'll see that in the future. Knowing that Victor is always there will soothe you." Talia told

me.

"I just worry about losing Gray." I sighed.

"Victor is right. You can make him your servant and he will live as long as you renew the bond. If you have a true death before the bond ends, it will end immediately. He will live until his life would have naturally ended. It's like a pause on their lifespan." She explained.

I yawned. I was exhausted. Crying had worn me out.

"You need rest. Go to bed. Sleep on your own tonight. In the morning, make your apologies. We'll talk to them and make them understand." Talia said.

"I want to fix this tonight." I replied.

"You're still being affected by Victor's blood. It would be best if you were only battling one outside influence. Dillon has big plans for you tomorrow. Bellamy will go with you two. She hates shopping, but she will help keep you safe in the places he can't go." She smiled.

"Alright. That makes sense." I said.

I took off my jeans and slipped into bed. When they left, I pulled Victor and Gray's pillows to me. I missed them.

"I'm so sorry. I love you both so much. I was so afraid you didn't want me that it made me want to push you away. It wasn't fair to you. I'll be better in the future. I won't hurt you again, I promise." I whispered, focusing on Gray and Victor.

With luck they heard me. Just saying it made me relax even more. Soon, I was drifting off to sleep with the scent of my mates around me, and a cold bed. I deserved it, though. I should have realized what was happening.