chapter forty-one

The doorbell rang, jolting me out of my thoughts. I was in the middle of mixing a new scent for my soap line when the sound interrupted my concentration. Sighing, I set down the pipette and made my way to the front door.

As I swung the door open, I was met with the sight of Orpheus, his tall, imposing figure standing in the doorway. He held a beautiful box in his hands with a letter attached to it. His expression was unreadable, but there was a sense of sadness in his eyes that I couldn’t ignore. “I’ll understand whatever you decide to do with the contents,” he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. “And I’m sorry.”

Without another word, he turned and left, leaving me alone with the mysterious box. Curiosity got the better of me, and I brought it inside, setting it down on my kitchen table. Carefully, I unwrapped the box, revealing a glass container within.

My eyes widened in shock as I realized what it was—Orpheus’s heart. Vampires could only be killed if they were stabbed through the heart or their body was completely destroyed, but each part of them could be removed from the body itself. I quite literally had Orpheus’s heart—and thus his life—in my hands.

I couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions as I stared at the organ. It was a strange and intimate gift, one that held a certain vulnerability. Orpheus had entrusted me with something so precious, something that was a part of him. It was a testament to his trust in me, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of responsibility.

As I held it in my hands, I couldn’t help but think about the implications of what I was holding. Orpheus’s heart was a symbol of his life and, by extension, his love for me. It was a physical representation of the bond we shared, a bond that had grown stronger with each passing day.

I carefully placed it back into the box, my fingers lingering on the glass container for a moment before I closed it.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Hadrian, who had been silently observing from the living room, asked slowly and deliberately, his voice a mix of concern and curiosity as he watched me with an intense gaze.

I didn’t say anything, just stared at the heart. It was a heavy silence that filled the room, the weight of Orpheus’s heart and the gravity of the situation pressing down on me. I could feel the tension in my shoulders and the weight of the decision I had to make. Hadrian must have understood that I needed some space because he left the room, giving me time to think.

I decided to cuddle Samwise for a moment for some comfort. His soft fur and warm body helped soothe my nerves as I tried to process the situation. What did Orpheus expect me to do with his heart? And more importantly, why did he give it to me?

As I sat there, stroking Samwise’s back, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by the weight of the decision in front of me. The heart continued to beat steadily in its glass container, a reminder of the life it represented. I knew that whatever I chose to do would have consequences—not just for Orpheus but for me as well.

 

As I sat in my lab, I stared at Orpheus’ heart sitting innocently on the table in front of me. I had complete control over his life, whether he lived or died. But now, after what he had done, I didn’t know if I could forgive him. The heart was a tangible reminder of the power I held over him, a power that I had never truly understood until now. It was a responsibility that weighed heavily on my shoulders, a burden that I wasn’t sure I could bear.

As I gazed at the heart, I couldn’t help but think about the consequences of my actions. If I chose to take his life, I would be responsible for personally ending a person I loved. But if I decided to spare him, I would be allowing him to live with the knowledge that he had betrayed me, a betrayal that I wasn’t sure I could ever forget.

I picked up the heart, feeling the warmth of it in my hand. It was an addicting sensation to hold the heart of another in my hand and have the power to decide their fate. I closed my eyes, trying to focus on the decision that I had to make. I could feel the heart beating against my palm, a rhythm that was both comforting and terrifying.

As I held the heart, I couldn’t help but think about the man who had given it to me. Orpheus had been my everything, my love, and my life. But now he had betrayed me, and I wasn’t sure if I could ever forgive him. I knew that I had to make a choice, a choice that would change the course of my life forever.

The heart looked back at me, mocking me with its innocent appearance. How dare Orpheus kill Saul? How dare he make me fall in love with him? How dare he give me one of the only tools to kill him and put me in this position to choose if he should live or die? I hated him as much as I loved him.

My hands gripped the scalpel tightly, so tightly that I didn’t realize the blade was close enough to my skin that it cut me slightly, allowing my blood to mix with the blood from the heart. The anger inside me was fueling a fire that I couldn’t contain. In an act of fury, I used the scalpel to stab the heart in the dead center and then hacked it to pieces with the blade.

The heart, once so innocent, now lay in ruins; its once vibrant red color now a dark, bloody mess. The anger within me was palpable, a storm of emotions threatening to consume me. I felt a rush of adrenaline as I continued to hack away at the heart, my movements becoming more violent with each swing of the scalpel.

As I finally stopped, panting heavily, I looked down at the mess I had made. The heart was no more, reduced to nothing but a bloody pulp. I felt a sense of satisfaction wash over me, a twisted sense of justice for the pain I had endured. But as I stood there, covered in blood and sweat, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret. This wasn’t who I wanted to be, but it was who I had become.

I dropped the scalpel to the floor, my hands shaking as I wiped the blood from my face. I felt a strange mix of emotions. There was anger and regret, but there was also a sense of freedom. I had taken control of my life and of my future, and I wouldn’t let anyone take that away from me again. I would find a way to make amends, to find redemption, and to become the person I wanted to be.

Orpheus’s heart lay in pieces on the table, a reminder of the love and betrayal that had brought us to this point. I didn’t know what would come next. He had made his choice, and I would make mine.