Chapter 23: The Poison in the Glass
The event dragged on longer than Danielle could bear. All she wanted was for it to end, to step out of the golden prison of her father's mansion and breathe again.
Theo was always by the far end of the hall, his stance looked so rigid. He had watched her the entire evening, never too close or too far, always somewhere she could see him if she turned her head.
He wasn't protecting her anymore just out of duty; there was something else in his bones.
When the music softened and the guests began to leave, Danielle finally was able to relax. She was smiling politely at the man she had danced with earlier.
"It was a pleasure meeting you," Danielle spoke slowly.
"The pleasure's mine," the man replied smoothly. He reached for the table, poured a drink into a crystal glass, and handed it to her. "A toast? To courage."
Theo had been watching the whole time. Something about the man's tone, the quick pour, the way he didn't sip his own glass made Theo's instincts fly up.
Danielle hesitated. "I really shouldn't…"
But before she could finish, Theo appeared, and in one gesture, he took the glass from her hand.
"She's done drinking," Theo stated flatly.
The man frowned. "It's just wine."
Theo raised an eyebrow. "Then you won't mind if I finish it."
Danielle's eyes widened. "Theo?"
But it was too late. He lifted the glass and downed it in one smooth motion, keeping his eyes locked on the man the entire time.
"Next time you offer her something, make sure I'm not in the room."
The ambassador's son forced a laugh, though his eye twitched a little. "You must be joking."
"I don't joke…Especially not with people who touch what I'm paid to protect."
Then, the man smiled thinly and stepped back. "You're overreacting."
"Maybe," Theo gave him an unkind smile.
He turned to Danielle. "Let's go."
Danielle followed him without talking back this time. She didn't know what shocked her more; Theo drinking from that glass without hesitation, or the way he had stood between her and the man like a guard that refused to pass.
The black car waited by the gate, and Theo opened the door for her without looking back at the mansion.
Danielle slid in, trying to calm her breathing. "You didn't have to do that," she muttered.
Theo shut the door behind him and got in beside her. "You're welcome," he said dryly.
"I didn't say thank you."
"You were going to."
Danielle crossed her arms and glared at him. "You're controlling, you know that?"
"Good! That's my job."
For a few minutes, the car moved through the dark countryside road in silence. Danielle stared out the window; Theo leaned back, closing his eyes briefly.
Then, he felt it.
A sting behind his eyes…it was very light and weak at first, then it started growing, spreading across his forehead.
He frowned, rubbed his temples. The world outside the window started to blur, the edges of light melting into one another.
He blinked hard.
Danielle noticed his sudden change of his usually calm behaviour. "Theo? What's wrong?"
"Nothing," he replied but sounded uneven.
Within seconds, the burning grew worse. His vision pulsed red and black. His head started spinning. His hand reached instinctively for his gun, but it was not out of fear, just his habit.
Something was really wrong…
"The drink," he hissed under his breath. "That bastard!"
Danielle turned toward him, and her own breath caught. "My eyes… they're burning."
Theo's head snapped toward her. "You drank too?"
She shook her head weakly. "No. But maybe…maybe when you…"
Her words slurred. Her hands went cold.
Theo forced himself upright, trying to focus. "Stay with me," he ordered.
The driver's voice came from the front. "Sir? Are you all right?"
Before Theo could answer, a sudden crack split the night; !Bang!
The windshield shattered. The driver's body jolted forward, a thin line of blood fell down from his collar.
"Theo!" Danielle screamed.
Theo lunged forward, grabbing the steering wheel as the car swerved violently off the road.
His blurred eyes barely caught the flash of red lights in the distance. It was like the same red dot he had seen moving across the campus days ago.
"Hold on!" Theo shouted.
The tires screeched, and Danielle's hand reached for him just as the car broke through the guardrail.
Then…there was nothing.