Chapter Thirty-Five-Temptations of the Darkest Kind

Chapter Thirty-Five
Temptations of the Darkest Kind

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Melanie Wilkes sighed as Spencer was running his hands through her hair again. She glanced at the clock. Midnight. Of course. Spencer sat behind her on her bed, running his long thin fingers through her golden hair, muttering soft poetry in her ear. She had woken from a nightmare, sobbing and screaming. It was such a blessing that Reid had been sleeping next to her in his chair, there to comfort her.

"My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips’ red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damask’d, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare."

"Sonnet...130?" Melanie asked.

Spencer chuckled softly. "Yes. Why doesn't it surprise me you have this memorized?"

Melanie smiled, blushing in the moon beams coming through the window. "That was one of my favorites."

Spencer smiled, pressing his cheek against her hair,"Mine too..." he mumbled.
"It's truth. He doesn't sugar coat anything."
"Second line might by wrong about you though..."
"Shut up," she up mumbled, leaning back onto him.
"What was your dream about?" he whispered, twirling a gold strand around his pointer finger.
"Spencer..." was all she mumbled, and brought his hand to her red lips,"you know, sometimes I think I would die without you..."
***
"This isn't right! People are dying and I can't do anything to stop it!" Melanie threw the black shawl wrapped around her shoulders on the floor, and it landed in a discarded ball of forgotten fabric.
     It was getting worse, these ignorant farmers picking up there pitch forks, blaming anyone and anything that stood for India. Another man was dead, for simply not believing the girl with the rich honest voice and straight A's was a murderer.
"Some times, we just can't Melly-"
"That's a lie and you know it, Spencer! You know it!"
"Mell..." Phillip whispered, he put his hands on her shoulders, and she turned to him, sobbing into his chest. Reid twitched inwardly. He had tried to help, but she wouldn't accept it. Her fiance had to but say her name....
"You can't save everyone, Melly..."
"But I should try! And I didn't..."
"You could never have known."
"Melanie, dear, there is something you could do..."
Melanie's big honest blue eyes looked up at her mother's beau. She blinked away the tears, but the sadness still lingered on her face.
"What?"
"We should take this somewhere more private..."
"Whatever you say in front of my sister can be said in front of me," Charlie sneered. Melanie blinked between the two.
"Charlie...it's alright." Slowly, her older brother nodded, and Melly and Mayor Barly went to Ardely's library.
"Lovely collection."
"Hardly. I've read them all dozens of times," Melanie sighed. The Mayor laughed.
Melanie sat in a reading chair and the mayor opposite her.
"Melanie, India needs to come home."
Melanie instantly stiffened. "They'll kill her. And I don't even know where she is-"
"She has a brother, doesn't she? He's been placed in an orphanage not far from here. Surely she would come if he would fall to harm..."
Melanie rose,"If you think-!"
"But, Melanie, he is in danger. That man killed last night wasn't the first. Young Freddy shares blood with a young woman who is believed to be a witch. It's only a matter of time they direct there attention toward him."
"I didn't even think...I'm bringing to Ardely. We're not using him as bait. The BAU will find Indie and bring her home. I won't-"
"Melanie, I honestly didn't want to play this card," the Mayor sighed. Melanie stared.
"...What do you mean?"
"Melanie...are you happy in the BAU?"
"...Of course."
"You feel successful in that?"
"Yes..." she mumbled, stretching out the word.
"Melanie, your mother and I have been talking, and I'm sure even your Aunt would be able to pull some strings, and I myself have connections."
"What are you talking about?"
"Melanie, I'm talking about a promotion. How would like to work in the white house?"
"What would I do in the white house?" Melanie sneered.
The Mayor shrugged. "Whatever you wanted. But couldn't you see it? You'd be a dozen times more successful than you are now. Melanie...you'd be such a star."
Melanie's eyes glazed over with the thought of it, but she snapped back soon enough.
"I'm not using Freddy and I'm not using India. I'm not going to hurt her.

Ever."