“You,” she says, wagging her finger at Jess. “You were supposed to do as I asked, and you failed. Tell me what I want to know, and I won’t tell your sire what you did.”
What? Devon cocks his head and frowns. What is she talking about? He takes a step forward, but Other Liv holds her hand out to stop him.
Jess pales and shakes her head, her eyes fixed firmly on Devon’s.
“What is she talking about?” Devon snaps at her.
“I-I don’t know,” she stammers and Other Liv laughs.
“Are you going to buy that?” she asks him and turns back to Jess. She holds her hand up and the ball of Fire bounces on her palm. “Tell me or you die.”
“Devon,” Jess squeaks in panic, but he isn’t swayed. He wants to know what is going on.
Other Liv laughs in delight and says to him, “You aren’t going to try to save her? You will sacrifice your charge for your sire? Why does she deserve such loyalty? She doesn’t care about you anymore. That’s why you wanted me.”
He grimaces and has to remind himself it isn’t true. “What did you ask her to do?” Devon says, rounding on her. He has had enough of this Other bitch and her games.
“Oh now, it’s more fun if she tells you,” she says nastily.
He flicks his eyes to Jess and steps forward. “What?” he demands of her and she starts to shake.
“I didn’t do anything,” she says. “Please, Devon you have to believe me.”
Now he is at a crossroads. One would think he would believe his charge under any circumstances, especially when the third party in this discussion is Other Liv brandishing a Fire ball, but there is just something, something prodding at him that he can’t ignore.
“What did she ask you to do?” he asks. He knows her well enough by now. Her forked tongue is well mastered. She only gives you what you asked for. Much like some other people he knows and wishes he didn’t. He has learned by now to carefully craft his questions to get what he needs to know.
Jess shakes her head and he can see her biting her tongue.
“Enough of this,” Other Liv says, getting impatient and squashing the Fire orb in her hand. “I asked her to slip a little something to your sire in order to get rid of her for a while.”
Devon whirls around and advances on her. Before he can say a word, she adds, “Too bad she didn’t follow through.”
He knows she is telling the truth, but that leaves the question of if Jess did it and failed or didn’t do it at all. He turns back to Jess and he sees her looking anxiously at Other Liv.
“You gave it to her, didn’t you?” he asks quietly.
You could hear a pin drop in the ensuing silence and even Other Liv has shut up to wait for the answer.
“She asked me to put it in her blood. She threatened me,” Jess suddenly squeals.
Other Liv laughs scornfully. “Hardly, my dear. You couldn’t have been more cooperative.”
“You poisoned her?” Devon asks.
“No! No!” Jess says, her voice rising. “I didn’t. Remiel took her before she drank it.”
“No!” Devon says, stepping forward and clapping his hand over her mouth. Her eyes go wide as she realizes what she’s done.
“Uh-oh,” Other Liv says. “I am out of here.” She pops back out of existence as Lizzie storms through the door of his bedroom, murder on her face, which turns to horror as Remiel also pops in out of nowhere and looks around with narrowed eyes.
“What are you doing here?” Lizzie asks him, crossing her arms defensively.
“The girl keeps saying my name. I was curious as to why,” Remiel replies glibly.
Liz’s eyes go to Jess and takes in her fear as well as Devon’s hand still covering her mouth. “You aside, I know Other Liv was here,” she says, glaring at Devon.
“It’s not what you think,” he says quickly, letting go of Jess.