by Mary Abshire
Jeremy inhaled a deep breath. "Hey." His voice was soft. He kept his arm draped over mine.
"Sorry I woke you."
He yawned and rubbed one of his eyes. "I was only napping."
Rain pattered the windows. The memory of dashing through the rain to investigate the kitchen popped into my mind, followed by my fight with Renaud.
"How long have I been here?" I asked.
He rested his arm over mine again, then nudged me closer to his body. "Since yesterday afternoon."
"Since yesterday afternoon?" Surprise elevated my tone. "What time is it?"
He lifted his head and we both glanced at the clock under the lamp. The time showed ten minutes before four.
"Four in the morning?" I sat up and my vision twisted slightly. "You let me sleep all this time?"
Jeremy tugged on my arm, bringing me back down on the bed. "You need to rest."
Sore bones and muscles prevented me from arguing with him. The little bit of movement had been enough for me to crave a strong muscle relaxer or painkiller. I carefully lay back down.
"How did I even get here?" I brushed the bangs from my forehead. "The last thing I remember is seeing Dimitry."
"Drake sensed you were in trouble. We rushed back to the fort and, when we arrived, Dimitry was carrying you in the rain. You looked as pale as one of them." He glided two fingers around the rim of one of my eyes. "Drake and I brought you back here."
"Thank God you found me." I inhaled a sigh of relief. No telling what Dimitry might have done with me while I was unconscious.
"Drake searched you and cleaned you up in the bath, but he didn't find any open wounds."
I scrunched my brows. "Really?"
"Yeah, we thought it was odd since you had plenty of blood on you."
"I was bleeding. Renaud bit into my wrist."
"Renaud?" He stared at me with quizzical eyes. "He was with Dimitry?"
"No…" I paused, wondering if Dimitry had been in the kitchen watching me battle Renaud. I had been so busy fighting Renaud and trying to stay alive that I hadn't paid attention to the back door. Thinking harder, I recalled Renaud had left it open. "At least, I don't think so."
"What happened, Jessie?"
"I wanted to investigate the crime scene. One of the servants, Jack, let me in. He stayed with me for a while and then left so I could look around. Did you know there's a back door in the kitchen?"
"No, but I really haven't been there much to notice."
"The back door isn't far from where we found Sean."
"Ah…" He propped his head up in his hand, elbow pressing into the bed. "Someone came in through the back door and killed him."
"That's what I thought, especially since there were no signs of a struggle. If someone had come in through the main door, Sean would've fought the person. His body was in the corner, not far from the door. It makes sense someone would've come in while Sean's back was turned."
Jeremy's eyes lit up. "Did you see what was behind the door?"
"No, I couldn't," I replied with a heavy sigh. "I asked Jack about the door since the keyhole faces the kitchen. He said he didn't have a key, nor did he know what was behind the door."
"The vampires know what's behind it. I bet Drake probably knows."
"Yeah, I plan to ask him." I stared up at the ceiling. "After Jack left, I looked around a bit. When I started to leave, I heard someone unlock the back door."
"You are fucking shitting me."
I twisted on the pillow to face him. "It was Renaud. He killed Sean. I know he did. I felt it in my gut."
"Jessie, please tell me you found evidence," he said, voice thick with worry. "I believe you, but those vampires base everything on fact, not feeling."
"You know what he told me? He said, 'Find anything I missed?'"
Jeremy sat up. "He could have been talking about his investigation." His words sounded defensive, but I understood his logic.
"Maybe, but then he told me, 'My friend didn't fight.’"
"Is that all he said?"
"Why would he say that?" I asked, ire building in my tone.
"Because he knew, just as Drake did, that Sean didn't struggle. Did you get any evidence?"
"No, but I'm telling you the way he spoke to me, looked at me, and my gut reaction was evidence enough." My heart and gut never failed me. Renaud killed Sean. I didn't need physical evidence.
Jeremy slid off the bed. "Jessie, what happened to Renaud?" Instead of wearing only boxers, he wore a wrinkled white t-shirt and a pair of jeans. His wide eyes with a hint of fear bore down on me.
"We fought and the fucker bit my wrist as I was trying to sever his head."
"Oh God." Jeremy pressed his hands on the sides of his head. "Did you?"
"You bet I did," I said proudly. "And I sent his soul to Hell, too."
"Oh fuck!" He stomped his feet and began pacing the room.
His reaction worried me. I'd done the right thing. Justice had been served to the evil vamp. So what was the problem?
Body aching, I pushed myself upright on the bed. I took a few breaths, then slowly rose. A ringing in my ears and slight dizziness bothered me, but I managed to stay balanced with my knee pressed against the bedframe.
"I understand your concern, but I would've thought you would be happy for me. He killed Sean. He probably killed other people too that didn't deserve to die. The man was a murderer."
Jeremy rushed toward me. "They're vampires. They kill people and we're stuck on an island with them. Do you think they are going to be thrilled that you destroyed one of their kind and sent his soul to Hell without their approval?"
The condescending tone of his voice irritated me. "I know I did the right thing. He was evil. He murdered Sean. If I'm wrong, then I will be damned to Hell. And you know what?" I shrugged. "I can live with that."
Jeremy shook his head. "I will follow you to Hell and back, without question. But I had hoped we'd have a little more time on earth before that happened."
I chuckled. From dead serious to funny, that was Jeremy. Or, maybe he was just being frank.
"They have to at least listen to me. I'll explain if they don't already know." They should've heard every word, every hit, and every bone snapping with their sensitive vampire ears.
Jeremy's hands slid down my arms. "They know. They called Drake to a meeting earlier in the evening. He said he'd come back afterward."
"Has he come back yet?"
He gave a single shake of his head. "Not yet."
It was four in the morning and he hadn't returned. That didn't bode well for me.
Jeremy sat on the bed, legs spread. "When you were fighting Renaud, did you see Dimitry?"
"No, never. But I wasn't looking."
"He could have been waiting on the other side of the door."
"Maybe. Why do you ask?"
"Those two came here together, trying to persuade you. I think they might have been working together."
I folded my arms. Sure, his theory sounded reasonable, except for one part. "Why would Dimitry have healed my wrist? He could have let me die."
The loss of blood had knocked me out. If he truly wanted me dead, he had the perfect opportunity.
"I don't know why, but he must have a reason," Jeremy said. "I don't trust any of them."
"What about Drake?"
"I don't trust him either. I only went with him because I could pick out that servant. But now…" He shook his head again. "I'm wondering if Drake might be involved. Maybe he wanted to get me away from you so Renaud or Dimitry could attack you."
"That's absurd," I said in an elevated voice. "Drake would never do anything to endanger my life."
Jeremy sprung to his feet. "Believe what you want. I don't trust them. They have their own agenda and you"—he pointed his finger at me—"are the pawn in their game."
I stepped toward the end of the bed. The muscles in my legs tightened with the little bit of movement. "Not Drake. You're wrong."
My he
art knew, without a doubt, Drake would never do anything that might put me at risk. Jeremy wanted me to believe Drake's loyalties were with the VETOV, but Drake's love for me was much stronger. He'd risk his own immortality for me if he had to. Wanting to avoid a heated argument, I headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"To the bathroom." The hardwood floor felt cold and I wished I had socks on. Before I'd reached the door, my vision spun and I swayed sideways, bumping into the wall.
"Jessie, wait."
My legs wobbled as I tried to twist to face him. The room slanted, giving rise to a churning in my stomach. To calm the unease, I leaned my back against the wall.
Jeremy came to stand in front of me. He placed his hands gently on my arms. "You need more rest. Drake didn't give you much of his blood because they called him away. You could pass out again."
A wave of nausea rose. Maybe he was right. "Fine, I'll lay down after I use the bathroom." I straightened away from the wall.
Jeremy wrapped his hand around my arm. "I'll help you."
"Okay, but I can manage in the bathroom." Each step created an ache in my body.
"I'll wait outside the door for you." He moved his arm to my waist, then put his other hand back on my arm.
I grinned at him. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"Absolutely. I would love to give you a bath. I'd make sure every inch of your gorgeous body is clean."
A few steps from the bathroom, I lost my balance and drifted to the side. Jeremy's grip tightened, stopping me from bumping into the wall.
"Maybe I should come in with you," he said.
"I'll be fine, really. Just give me a few minutes."
With slow steps, I made it into the bathroom. I shut Jeremy out, but I didn't lock the door this time, just in case I did fall over. It would be incredibly embarrassing, but worse if he couldn't get inside to help me.
After I'd finished, I stood over the sink, washing my hands. When I glanced in the mirror, shock hit me. My colorless complexion, purplish lips, and dark blotches under my eyes made me look far worse than any spook I had ever encountered. I doubted any amount of makeup could pretty me up.
Soft taps on the door took my mind off my horrible appearance. "Jess, are you all right?"
I turned off the water, then dried my hands. "I'm done."
He opened the door, then took my arm and guided me to the living room.
"I want to sit out here for a minute," I said as I ambled to a recliner. I dropped my rear onto the soft cushion.
"Do you want me to order any food?"
My stomach twisted at the thought. I wrinkled my nose. "Not now. I don't feel up to eating anything."
A knock at the door captured our attention.
"Who is it?" Jeremy asked.
"Drake."
My heart jumped with excitement. Though it had only been a day since I last saw him, it felt like forever.
Jeremy opened the door and the smell of rain blew inside. Drake entered, wiping the moisture from his face. He rushed to me, then kneeled by my legs. He took my hands into his. "Your skin is cool. How are you feeling?"
"Like I have a bad case of the flu."
"I can help." He rose, pushing the sleeve of his green sweater up his arm.
"No," I said. "Not now. I need to know about the meeting."
After Jeremy shut the door, he moved to the recliner next to me and remained standing. "What did they decide?"
Drake looked at Jeremy. "They didn't decide on anything yet."
"How long were you in the meeting?" I asked, confused. Surely, a group could reach a decision after spending several hours in a meeting.
"It just ended," he said.
"Seven hours?" Jeremy asked with surprise in his voice. "You've been in a meeting for nearly seven hours and they couldn't decide anything?"
"What were they talking about?" I asked.
Drake took a seat on the edge of the coffee table. He glanced at Jeremy, then gave me his attention. "They discussed their investigation with Sean's death—"
"Murder," I corrected.
He leaned his elbows on his knees. "They reached a conclusion that he didn't struggle during his attack. And the reason for his sudden death is still unknown."
"They actually agreed on that?" Jeremy mocked, crossing his arms and spreading his legs. "We already knew he didn't fight. As for the reason, it's obvious someone killed him because of his relationship with Jessie."
"There is no evidence—"
"Come on!" I said loudly, interrupting Drake.
Jeremy was right about them. They based their decisions on physical proof, nothing else. Fuck, I was in trouble.
I faced Drake. "What do you believe?"
"Someone killed him because he had a connection to you, but I would like to know more. Did Sean know something? Was his murder an act to hurt you? Was he killed because he could protect you?"
"All of the above," Jeremy said.
"Maybe." Drake's gaze slid from Jeremy's to mine. "We may never know."
"What else did they discuss?" I asked.
"They spoke about what happened between you and Renaud. Dimitry said he saw you take Renaud's soul."
"He murdered Sean." I stared deep into his eyes.
"Can you prove it?"
I swallowed and shook my head.
"They want you to show up this evening and ask you questions about what happened. Right now, they think you handled the situation inappropriately. They think you rushed to judgment."
"That's fucking bullshit," I said.
Drake stiffened. "They have different standards—"
"And they suck," I snapped.
He rose. "Look at it from their point of view—you sent a vampire's soul to Hell without a judge, jury, or trial."
Anger was causing my blood to heat up. I silently cursed the vampires who believed Renaud was innocent. They were not going to believe me no matter what I had to say.
My hair brushed over my shoulder as I shook my head in disgust. "I'm not wrong about what I did and I don't regret it for a second. Even if it costs me my life, I know I did the right thing. He murdered Sean."
"Jessie, I trust you. I believe you. But they need to know for certain that Renaud killed Sean."
"Even if they had proof, what would they do?" Jeremy asked. "Would they have let Jessie take his soul?"
Drake's loving eyes fell upon mine. "In my honest opinion, no."
Jeremy chuckled. "Yeah, that's what I thought."
Head throbbing in frustration and weariness, I stayed mute. Voicing my disapproval of the VETOV wouldn't have mattered or helped anyway. They claimed to be ethical, but they constantly let vampires get away with murder. Alexander was proof enough. He’d killed for centuries and the VETOV did nothing but give him a lecture. My respect for them was in the toilet.
"What did Dimitry say?" I wondered what fabrications the Russian vamp had told them since he had been against me from day one.
"He said he walked in as Renaud's soul disappeared, so he didn't have time to stop you. He said you collapsed. When he checked you, he noticed an open wound on your wrist. He healed it."
Well, well, he hadn’t made anything up. How unusual.
"What's his connection to Renaud?" Jeremy asked, standing stiff.
"They were old friends and business associates."
I snorted. "I already knew that."
"What's behind that door in the kitchen?" Jeremy asked.
Oh, good thinking.
"Door?" Drake asked, brows furrowed.
"I saw a second door in the kitchen, not far from where Sean's body was found," I said.
The questionable look on Drake's face disappeared. "It leads to a tunnel that connects to some of the buildings and the main island."
"Do the members believe someone snuck up behind Sean and slit his throat?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Then it has to be one of the members that killed Sean," I said.
Drake stood. "Not necessarily. Members have taken servants down to some of the rooms."
"Do they really think a servant could have killed a warlock?" Jeremy asked.
"No, but no one can prove it was a vampire either," Drake replied.
Shit, he had a point. And if we never found any evidence, Sean's murder would remain unsolved, under their terms.
"So what happens after I answer their questions tonight?" I asked.
"They will discuss it. They may ask you return the next night to ask more questions."
More frustration settled within me. How many more times did I need to answer questions?
"How long do they plan to keep us here?" Jeremy asked, as if he heard my thoughts.
Drake lowered his arms. "As long as it takes to reach a consensus."
"That could be a long time." I recalled how Drake had spent six weeks talking to them. If I had to spend many more days at the fort, I might try to swim to the mainland. With Sean's death so fresh in my memory, I wanted to leave and get away from all the vampires, except Drake.
"Maybe," Drake said in a soft voice.
I rubbed my temple. The ache in my head chiseled deeper into my brain while the ringing in my ears intensified.
Drake squatted in front of my knees. His cool hand touched my leg. "Headache?"
"Yeah," I said softly.
"Let me help you." His compassionate eyes warmed me.
"I—"
Drake rose fast, startling me. Without a word, he headed for the door.
"Who is it?" I asked.
Three raps on the door sent my heart into overdrive. Jeremy stayed near me with his fists clenched at his sides. Clearly, he was ready to fight and protect me.
Drake swung open the door.
"I thought I heard my name mentioned," Dimitry said as he strode in with a smug grin on his face.
Chilled by his presence, I quivered. Why on earth was he standing in our living room?
