Justine Ch. 19

"Shut the hell up!" he screamed at Albert who appeared not to hear him but kept sobbing. "Oh god." Jeremiah murmured when Albert began to scream again."

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Wilhelmina smiled to herself when she heard the date for the gala, July 1-7 2014. It was still winter so she had more than two years to plan. Better yet, because of the length of the gala, she would have more time to pick the best moment. Finally, things were looking up but now she had to decide what to do about Thomas and Lottie. After thinking about it and weighing the pros and cons, she decided to release Thomas. If she allowed him and Lottie to be together, his emotional attachment to her would be strong and she would become an even better pawn then she was now. The next step was to get someone inside of the house. This, she knew was going to be difficult if not impossible but she had to try. First things first, she had to bring Thomas into line.

She left her suite and went in search of Thomas with Lottie following close on her heels. Wilhelmina stopped in front of Thomas' door, turned to Lottie and dismissed her.

"I won't need you, go run my bath."

"Yes mistress." Lottie replied and hurried off.

Wilhelmina didn't bother to knock but walked in to find him sitting in an overstuffed armchair reading.

He didn't stand up when she came in and she made no comment about it as she sat in the chair across from him. Thomas closed the book, sat it aside and waited.

"As you know, I offered to release you from our bond. I would like to do so immediately."

His initial reaction was happiness as it had been before but then caution set in. There was much more to the offer than she was saying and then he understood. She wanted him even more attached to Lottie than he was and then she would be snatched away from him and he would do anything to get her back.

Thomas' throat tightened at what he was about to do.

"Well?" Wilhelmina demanded.

"I thank you for your offer but I'm afraid that I must decline."

"What? What do you mean you decline?" Wilhelmina asked shocked. She had thought that he would have jumped at the chance to be free of her- except that he wouldn't live to enjoy that freedom.

"I respectfully decline your offer and choose to remain at your side as your mate."

"I demand that you accept!" Wilhelmina said.

"And I am well within my rights to refuse." Thomas said quietly.

They argued for several minutes before Wilhelmina stood up and stormed out of the room. She had calmed by the time she arrived at her suite. She reminded herself that she had time and that all she had to do was to dangle Lottie in front of Thomas like a prize. It was only a matter of time before he gave in.

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Thomas sat in his chair shaking. He had just denied himself the one thing that he wanted in his long life. He almost ran after Wilhelmina to tell her that he had changed his mind. The only thing that stopped him was the knowledge that Wilhelmina would kill Lottie and then try to kill him as well.

For the moment, Lottie was safe although he couldn't say for how long. Wilhelmina was as unpredictable as she was cruel. After his shaking subsided, he warded his suite with a ward that not even Wilhelmina knew that he had and sat at his desk. He took out a small mirror that had been in his family for generations and laid it on the desk.

Whoever he called, it had to be someone who wasn't afraid of Wilhelmina and who hated her as much as he did.

He looked into the mirror and said a name three times. He leaned back into his chair and waited.