Chapter 704. Blackmail
"That’s blackmail."
"Call it whatever you want," Louis said, "but we both know I don’t give up easy."
"That’s not completely true," Mauve replied but didn’t elaborate; this was not the time to discuss another of Louis’ major shortcomings. "Still, I don’t want to let go of this so easily. Not after you just told me you intend to keep even more things from me to protect me."
"I already failed one person, and I can’t exactly fix that. I am sure with this incident, whatever progress had been made has completely been ripped asunder. I don’t want you to bear any burde—"
"I can handle it," Mauve interjected.
"I didn’t say you couldn’t. It’s completely selfish of me, and I realize that is not a good thing. The results sometimes don’t outweigh the process but I have no intention of changing. Let me shield you. Let me deal with all the troubles, and the two of you would think your lives were nothing but a field of daisies. That is all I can ask for."
He paused for a moment, only to start speaking again, this time the emotion in his voice was clear as day. "I can’t even look at your face, Mauve. You have no idea how it crushes me to see the mark the bastard left on you, and I am sure Jael feels the same way. I am sure he wants nothing more than to rip him to pieces, but unfortunately, there is only so much we can do, and I hate that."
His voice turned malicious, "The Lords are like sharks waiting to pounce at the sight of even the tiniest blood. I hate that you have to come into the mix. I hate that we have to follow proper procedures, but I swear on my life—and Jael’s—we won’t rest until Seraphino is buried deep in the ground. To hell with the rule that you can’t kill vampires. To hell with that rule!"
Mauve sighed. "Please stand up, Lord Louis. Please."