Adam by Teresa Gabelman, Hot Tree Editing Read Free Book Online Page A

thin with tension.
    Lana looked down as she tried to make sense of images that flowed through her mind like an old time picture movie. “She isn’t as strong as Jared’s brother.” Lana frowned, rubbing her forehead. “I’m getting images and…”
    Caroline gasped her eyes shooting to Damon, but Lana gripped Caroline’s arm hard, shaking her head.
    “Caroline, back off.” Lana ’s voice was firm, her eyes still on the ground.
    “Sorry.” Caroline frowned , biting her lip, not making eye contact with anyone.
    “Did you know that Rose was sick before she… died?” When he didn’t answer, Lana looked up at Damon. “Listen, she needs to move on and she’s not going to until you lose your selfish attitude and answer my questions.”
    “No.” Damon glared at her, but answered , “I didn’t know.”
    Lana nodded. “She wanted to tell you, but was afraid that you would leave her.” Again, Lana looked away frowning. “So instead, she begged you to change her. Did you turn her down? Did you not want to change her?”
    “No ,” Again, Damon answered with the one word answer.
    “Listen , Damon, I need a little help here. She is too weak to talk to me, so I’m getting images. Trying to figure this out is not easy. So stop making this harder than it needs to be. You cared for this woman once, so treat her with respect and answer the damn questions with more than a ‘no’.”
    “What the fuck do you want me to say?” Damon finally lost his cool, letting go of Nicole’s hand before taking an aggressive step toward Lana. “That I killed her, drank every drop of blood in her small defenseless body? Is that what you want to hear?”
    Sid went to pull Lana behind him, but she slipped out of his grip and placed a small hand on Damon ’s chest. “I already knew that. What I want to know is why you feel guilty. It is why she has not been able to move on?”
    Damon deflated , his broad shoulders slumped as his head dropped forward as if in defeat. A look no one had ever witnessed on the Warrior before. “So not only did I kill the woman I loved, but she has been stuck for all these years because of my guilt?” His head shot up as pure rage filled his eye, their golden color going to jet-black in an instant. “Jesus! Who the hell wouldn’t feel guilty? I’ve hated myself, still do.”
    Looking away from the anguish in Damon’s face, Lana pushed herself deeper because she knew Damon wasn’t going to be much help. Scenes played through her mind, and she knew without a doubt, Caroline was seeing the same, so at least if she missed something, chances were Caroline would pick it up.
    “You didn ’t want to change her. You were newly changed yourself and knew you didn’t have control, but because of your love for her, you gave in and…” Lana didn’t finish as she gazed up at him, sadness filling her soul and she knew only part of it was her own feelings. She was feeling the young woman’s anguish. “You need to let go, Damon. It is the only way for her to move on, but your feelings of guilt have kept her from doing that.”
    Damon di dn’t say a word, just stared a hole through Lana. The only movement was a tick in his upper jaw.
    “She was sick , Damon. She never told you and she apologizes for that, but she wanted to be changed so she wouldn’t feel the pain anymore. She pushed you into turning her even knowing the chance she was taking.” Lana took a step closer, staring up into his glaring, dark eyes. “She would have rather taken a chance dying trying to live, than wasting away from a sickness as you watched her wither away. She didn’t want that. She doesn’t blame you. It was her choice.”
    Finally , Damon looked away from Lana to stare just above her head. “Is that all?” His voice, which was usually blunt and sharp, was soft with a touch of harshness.
    Lana and Caroline glanced at each other quickly before Lana nodded as she looked back at Damon , whose eyes came back to hers.