Sinjin by H. P. Mallory Page B

snatched me momentarily. Despite my acknowledgment that Jolie and Rand were my sworn enemies, I had to admit Rand was a good man, even if his convictions were wrong. It was clearly obvious that he loved my sister. Although I didn’t know why, I felt a bit grateful to Rand for loving Jolie as much as he did. The feelings didn’t make sense to me right away; but after I thought about them longer, I knew that even if Jolie were on the wrong path, in her heart and core, I believed she was a good person. Who knew? Maybe with enough training, we could wash her head of the lies and propaganda that the Underworld had forced her to believe all this time. Maybe there would come a day when Jolie could be one of us, an Elemental. Maybe , for that matter, there would come a day when we could truly be the sisters we were born to be.
    Jolie faced me with an expression of concern, as if whatever she had to say wouldn’t please me. “With Sinjin now serving as your guardian, Bryn, he must be able to track you in case you should decide to try and escape,” she started hesitatingly with a deep exhale. Immediately, I knew where she was going.
    “He already drank my blood,” I nearly interrupted her , fully aware that the only way for a vampire to track someone was by drinking her blood. Throwing my hands on my hips, I scowled at her. “And that was the first and last time a vampire will ever feed on me,” I added.
    “Unfortunately for you, beautiful heathen,” Sinjin interrupted as he stepped in front of me to make sure he had my attention, or so I assumed. He stared down at me before a pleased smile appeared on his full lips. “Having sampled your blood so long ago, my tracking instincts could be quite impaired … that is, were they put to test.”
    “I don’t give a sh—” I started.
    “I’m sorry to have to do this, Bryn,” Jolie interrupted. She faced me with a pitiful expression in her big blue eyes. They were exactly the same as my own eyes, an observation which suddenly filled me with ire. It was unfair that my own flesh and blood would subject me to something that clashed against every fiber of my being!
    I shook my head at Jolie fiercely, setting my jaw in stubborn defiance. There was no way I would willingly allow this vampire, this revolting creature, to feed on me! Not after promising myself it would never happen again. “You’re going to have to come up with some other alternative,” I hissed between my clenched teeth. “I will never allow a vampire to drink my blood again.”
    “You have no other choice,” Jolie argued with a heavy sigh, looking defeated. I don’t have another option; don’t you see that!? she asked me in her mind. I must protect my people and my kingdom, which means I have to know where you are at any given second! It’s not my intention or desire to subject you to any of this, but you give me no choice, Bryn!
    Then just keep me locked up in my room! I snapped back at her.
    But she shook her head. Regardless of whether or not you have a guardian or remain imprisoned, this is a safety precaution I must insist upon. You are a danger to my people, Bryn, and I can’t, and won’t, jeopardize anyone’s safety.
    I don’t need your explanations, I spat back, knowing I was stuck. I could see Jolie’s reasoning; and were I in her position, I would have done exactly the same thing . Let’s just get on with it then, I admitted with unconcealed defeat.
    At least allow me to magic you so his bite won’t hurt, she pleaded with me.
    Absolutely not! I replied immediately. I was offended at the very idea of letting Jolie magic me. That would effectively drop all my psychic walls, and thereby allow Sinjin’s powers of persuasion to work on me. And I was no dummy when it came to underestimating a vampire’s powers of persuasion. Under a vampire’s spell, the creature could basically do anything he wanted to do to me; a horrifying thought if ever I’d had one! There is no way in hell I would