The Mystery Memory

Half of the guests of the gathering had stomped into the alleyway upon hearing Ember's scream, including her brothers and Viscount Bryne.

Her shivering figure was gathered into Barrett's embrace as he led her out of the crime scene, the Bureau taking over.

The head had belonged to Francesca, the girl who chatted with the Duke earlier. And, the culprit had been beenrmed to be the devil - the vampire.

It had cut off her head and kept it rolling onto the street. Francesca's blood had smeared the brick walls, slowly dripping its way down.

It was yet another traumatic scene Ember had experienced.

After stumbling upon her father's cold, lifeless body with the vampire's bite, she had spent days having nightmares about the scenario, and it took so much courage and Lauren's help to get it off her mind.

Now, another one was added to the list. This certainly would take much more effort to be taken off her mind.

"You are not to be seen with anyone but me, Edward, and Viscount Bryne again."

Barrett had ordered later that night before Edward led Ember to her bedroom.

It was an exhausting evening, which had concluded in a terrific event. 

Ember laid back on her bed after getting washed up by her lady's maid, Grace, and stepping into her nightwear.

Edward had chosen to stay by her bedside until she fell asleep.

"I'm so sorry you had to see that."

Edward finally defeated the silence that had long engulfed the room after they both settled.

Ember said nothing in response and just stared blankly at the ceiling.

"We shouldn't have left. We should have stayed."

Ember quirked a brow at him.

"I mean Barrett, Sharon, and I. We shouldn't have left you here in Belmont. And, Barrett also thinks that."

Ember frowned at him. It was odd. She never knew Barrett ever aired his thoughts to Edward.

"Barrett, that fool actually cares. He cares that he refuses to show that he does."

Ember angled her body towards Edward, suddenly invested in the conversation.

"When we learnt of father's demise, he cried. And, when he discovered the vampire could be as well after you, he cried. He beat himself up for not coming for you the minute it killed our father."

Ember frowned.

"He did?"

Her voice held a slight wonder. She had never imagined Barrett could blare his nose, let alone produce a single tear.

"And, he is very worried as we speak. He worries what might have happened between you and that vampire that led him to erase your memory."

Ember pushed herself off the mattress, sitting up.

"You think something happened between us?"

"What do you think would have led to him erasing your memory?"

"I don't know. He probably wanted to kill me but couldn't due to an interruption, so he erased my memory to have me forget what he looked like?"

Ember shivered, recalling that she'd had an encounter with the person who brutally murdered Francesca. 

Suddenly, she became curious. What might have led to the vampire not harming her as he should? Could something have happened that was deemed necessary to erase her memories? But it's probably best she doesn't figure it out. The thought alone caused her to shiver to her bones.

Being alone with the vampire and having something with him, what a terrifying scenario. 

"You think so? Em, Barrett asked me not to tell you this, but I think you should know."

He inched closer, lowering his voice to a whisper as he said, "Barrett suspects it's someone you are familiar with."

This reveal only made Ember more terrified and astonished.

The only men she knew personally all her life were her fathers and her brothers.

It was ridiculous nonsense, but it was still terrifying.

It was terrifying because Barrett was always right. It was terrifying because Barrett would never make such speculations without having his reasons. 

"We had found you formerly dressed. It should mean you were called out by that person, Barrett supposes."

Ember gulped down the lumps gathered in her throat.

She was called out? Who would have called her out? No, who would have called her out and had her dressed that formerly?

"Barrett wants to find out who called you out. He seeks a way to undo the memory erase. But, fret not. It certainly isn't someone you would know too well."

She did fret. Edward's words did a poor job of convincing her that she shouldn't.

When she pretended to be asleep and watched Edward put off the candle and walk out of her room, she fretted. All through the night, she kept her eyes wide open, thinking of the possibility of knowing the vampire.

Perhaps her brother was wrong. Perhaps, for the first time in his life, he speculated wrong. And with that, she tried to put herself to sleep, assuring herself that she wouldn't possibly know the vampire personally.