It was a special kind of torture that he had once again allowed Maura to cloud his judgment towards someone he cared for. It was a festering wound, one that no amount of time had been able to fully heal.
"First order of business. We clear out Shane’s space. Cat, I know you have been itching to update something in this mansion. A change of scenery might be just what Shane needs to shock him back to reality," Xander continued.
Cat's eyes lit up for a moment before sighing and shaking her head.
"As much as I would love to rid the theater room of shag carpeting. That isn't going to help Shane. If anything it will only make things worse because we will have lost his trust. We can't be of any help unless he trusts us." Cat began to pace and worry her lip.
Xander could almost see the gears working in her head as she fought to control her emotions and find a solution that would best help Shane. A sense of pride swelled in his chest. His mate had been the glue to hold their very dysfunctional family together for the past few years. She'd cared for Shane and kept him sane as long as she could on her own. She'd managed Claude's ego like a pro and helped him find happiness with Gretchen. She'd done so much for all of them without asking a single thing in return. She hadn't asked for this life, she'd been turned without permission, and yet, Xander couldn't help but be thankful.
In a way, Shane's downfall had been his rebirth. If the crash that had stolen Molly from Shane and started this horrific chain of events hadn't happened, Xander would never have had the opportunity to claim the magnificent woman he now called mate.
"Fuck trust. We can worry about that when he isn't some bleary-eyed lunatic. He is far beyond reasoning with at this point. We have to take drastic measures now, or we will have to put him down. Bad enough we have to deal with one crazy vampire. I'm not risking..." Claude didn't get to finish as Cat slapped him.
"Don't you dare suggest that Shane is anything like that bitch! What is wrong with you? Shane is our family! How could you even think about killing him," She fumed.
Claude turned a solemn gaze on Xander before his attention returned to Cat.
"You didn't see him tonight. Never in all of my years, including my time with Maura, have I seen any vampire that..." Claude struggled to find the right words.
"Tortured, violent, out of control, a single-minded focus on destruction," Xander finished for him.
"You agree with him!" Cat glared at him.
So much for not provoking her wrath tonight. Xander should have had the others leave. Greg was new to being a vampire. He had his own things to deal with. Mack was an exceptional resource, but also an outsider. Neither one of them had a stake in this. Cat and Claude proceeded to bicker, and Xander just wasn't in the mood to break it up at the moment. Even if he knew it wasn't helping them find a solution.
Greg cleared his throat, but it was clear Cat and Claude was too busy arguing to notice. Greg crossed the room to stand between the two.
"Look I'm new to all this, but from what Gretchen told me, you vampires have a whole set up just like humans. So don't you have some kind of rehab program we could send him to," He asked.
"Not that I am aware of. The Turned vampires don't have much in the way of a family structure. Purebloods would be too wary of admitting any weakness in their bloodline. Anyone showing this extreme lack of control would be locked away until they died or put to immediate death," Xander said.
As he spoke, Xander noticed Mack shaking his head.
"Maybe about fifty years ago, but the human drug problem has spread far enough to the vampire community that there have been some changes. They don't have their own facility, but they have worked out a deal with a prestigious human one. If you can afford the fees that is an option," Mack said.
Claude chuckled.
"Of course Mr. Encyclopedia of all things paranormal would know this," Claude said, "Still, we are tainted by Maura's blood. We aren't accepted in the vampire world. If anything they would be more likely to take the chance to kill Shane rather than help him."
"The place is run by humans. They don't care about vampire politics only about the money. If you want extra assurances, we can register him with false identification," Mack suggested.
Xander looked around the room for a moment before sighing heavily. He didn't like the idea of Shane being out there so vulnerable, but he also couldn't ignore the fact that without professional help Shane may have to be put to death. Xander couldn't imagine the damage that would do to the small family they had formed over the years. Shane was like a brother to him, closer even. There was no real choice to the matter.
"How soon can he," Xander began before Cat cut him off.
"The risk is too great. I can't let you ship Shane off when we are all perfectly capable of handling things here. It's our fault that we let him get this bad and it's our responsibility to help him get better. If the humans at that facility can be bought so easily, how can we trust them? Besides, it wouldn't take much for another vampire in their care to recognize Shane as sired by Maura."
"That is true. Even the newest of vampires have a way of sensing her evil within us," Claude sighed.
Cat squeezed Xander's hand. He wasn't sure if it was to reassure him of this decision or to reassure her that they could handle it together.
"You guys do have an aura about you. I wouldn't call it evil per say but more an extreme magnetism. More so than any other vampire I've come across," Mack agreed.
"Not saying I'm a miracle worker or anything, but I did my fair share of relationship and addiction counseling while I was serving. I could be of some help to Shane if I can get him to open up to me," Greg chimed in.
"Alright Shane is staying, but first we need to clean his room," Xander said hating that he sounded more like a frustrated parent than a concerned friend.
"Look I'm the first to admit that Shane is off his rocker but I don't think we should be the ones making this decision. I think we should see what Shane thinks," Claude said surprising everyone mostly Xander.
Claude wasn't usually the type to sit around for other people to make a decision. He had a very take charge personality, but then again, Xander knew that finding a mate had a way of changing you without you even knowing. If the women weren't so involved in Shane's well-being Xander would have put him to ground without hesitation. After the atrocities they'd all been through, the men had discussed the possibilities of one or all of them losing their senses. One could never be too careful given their demonic sire.
"If he were capable of making that decision he would have done it himself long before now," Xander argued.
"All I'm saying is we should ask him first. It won't matter if we force him into getting help and he's not ready," Claude said.
"I agree with that one. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink," Greg chimed in.
"I need to leave soon. I can take Shane with me to the facility tonight, but that's it. I really must be going," Mack said checking his watch for the fifth time since the discussion had begun.
"Well then I guess we better wake him up," Cat said and marched out of the room before Xander could stop her.
He cursed under his breath before following her out. He loved Cat more than anything, but sometimes he wished she were of a more demure nature. It would make moments like these so much easier. Still, he made no move to stop her just tagged along in case Shane needed to be restrained once again.
Revelation
Molly should be at the club, not sitting like a psycho outside of the Mansion where her best friends lived with their mates. The same mansion where Shane lived. Where she would have lived if things had gone to plan. Molly rested her head on the steering wheel. Now wasn’t the time to go through that scenario again. It was in the past, and this was about the future. Not even the future really but just the present. Something terrible was happening, and Molly couldn’t afford to be out of the loop.
"Just go inside already. Just go and make sure everything is fine and then you can leave
."
Molly attempted a pep talk. When she'd seen Claude carrying a limp Shane out of the alley on the security camera feed her heart had nearly stopped. Molly immediately kicked Brody out of her office and ran every light on the way to the mansion. She had to make sure Shane was okay. That he was still alive. Molly could tell herself all she wanted that she didn't care about Shane but she absolutely did. Her heart still very much belonged to him. If anything happened to him. Molly felt the tingling of power rising up and hovering just below the surface. As if her feelings were a physical threat that she needed to be protected from.
She took a few long steady breaths. Doing her best to calm her nerves. To ease the tension and hopefully diffuse the magic threatening to overwhelm her. It was more work than she anticipated. Sweat glistened on her brow, and she quickly wiped it away. After a few more minutes she decided it was a lost cause. Her emotions were too out of control, and she couldn’t guarantee the safety of her friends when she was like this. She reached for the keys to start her car when her phone buzzed. She dug in her purse for her phone and saw the text from Gretchen.
Have you made it yet? Is Shane okay?
Molly sighed. Gretchen could have easily messaged her mate for the information. If Claude wasn’t cluing Gretchen in, that meant things really were bad. Claude did everything he could to keep Gretchen safe both physically and emotionally. Molly hadn't even told Gretchen where she had been going, but Gretchen was always the observant one. A skill Gretchen learned while working with Felix in Scotland and mastered after her transition. A necessary proficiency to protect herself from making the same mistakes that had gotten Gretchen into this mess along with the rest of them. Gretchen knew more than anyone the struggle Molly felt when it came to her feelings for Shane.
Going inside now. Will let you know.
Molly dropped her phone back into her purse and opened the door of the car like ripping off a Band-Aid. Making this about gathering information for Gretchen instead of facing her feelings for Shane had done the trick. Molly was calm enough to go inside, but her hands still shook slightly as she opened the door to the mansion. The fact that the door was unlocked gave Molly a moment of panic.
Had Maura attacked? Had Maura gotten to Shane? Was he under her spell again? That would explain why Xander and Claude had knocked him out.
Molly stepped into the familiar entryway and headed down the dark hall to the study. The lights were on. A fresh glass of blood was on the side table next to the leather settee. There was no one to be found. Molly started to call out. It was unusual that no one would have come as soon as she came in. That she would have gotten this far into the mansion without Cat coming to greet her or Claude coming to bug her about how late Gretchen worked at the club.
What if Maura was here? It was quiet, too quiet and the place felt like a funeral home. The air heavy with despair. Was Molly too late? Had they been forced to put Shane down? That thought was like a knife to the heart. Molly focused her senses, and finally, she heard the muffled voices of her friends coming from the direction of her old room. With a sigh of relief, she headed down the familiar hallway. Her mind racing with a million different possibilities and none of them good.
Shane's eyes drifted open slowly. His head was killing him, but that wasn't unusual. He was used to the effects of abusing his body by now.
"Thank god!" Cat's relieved voice penetrated his psyche.
"Cat? Why are you in my room? Did something happen?"
Shane sat up slowly letting his brain catch up. He wasn't in his room. Instead, he was in the guest room. Molly's room. He inhaled hoping to catch a hint of her perfume. Of course, there shouldn't be. It had been months since she'd slept here and Cat and Gretchen made sure the mansion was in pristine shape. Shane registered the fact that there were others in the small room, but his eyesight was still a bit blurry. The soft light of the lamp was nearly blinding so he kept his gaze lowered. Shane was apparently off his latest high. He should have taken more than just two of the pills his dealer had slipped into the tip jar for him. Human drugs had a way of dulling his vampire senses until Shane felt almost human again. Still sad and angry with himself but at least while high, he didn’t have to worry about doing anyone any real harm.
"Look, Shane. You lost your shit in front of humans. You need help," Claude said.
Shane sighed. He only remembered being at the club and then waking up here. Nothing else. Maybe this new pill had different side effects. If what Claude said was true. He was lucky he was waking and not staked and buried.
"I'm sorry. I don't remember. Thank you for not staking me," Shane said although he wasn't entirely sure he wouldn't be better off dead.
Molly didn't want him. He was proving useless in the search for Maura's new hideout. In his current state, Shane wouldn't stand a chance in any fight either. He was a lost cause and judging by the tension in the air he knew his friends felt the same.
"Don't thank us yet. We understand that the last few years have been rough for you. We are just as much responsible for your state as you are. So we have decided to give you a chance to redeem yourself," Xander said.
Shane looked up then and saw the seriousness in each of their eyes. While he'd known Cat, Xander, and Claude were in the room, he was shocked to see Mack and Greg there as well. If they were here, then this was indeed a serious matter. Shane had done his best to keep his troubles to himself as of late. He had obviously failed in that task.
"I'm afraid I'm too far gone for redemption," Shane said.
"No! Don't say that," Molly's voice came from the doorway.
Shane's gaze shot up and made contact with hers. He hated seeing the concern there. The tears glistening in the corners of her eyes because of him. Always because of him. He was still letting her down. Maybe it was time for him to let her go. If it were his choice to let her go, then perhaps, he’d get over it faster. Find a better way to cope than poisoning himself. Sure, human drugs didn’t do much damage with occasional use, but with the amount and frequency of his current habit. Shane couldn’t be sure that no permanent damage had been done.
As Molly approached the room, the voices she’d heard stopped. They had sounded serious but not panicked meaning everything was probably fine. Molly had almost turned around to leave. Then she'd heard his voice, weak and defeated as he declared himself unredeemable. She couldn’t go at that point. Her heart wouldn’t let her. She stood in the doorway studying Shane’s sad state. When his eyes met hers she almost didn't recognize what she saw.
No matter how bad he'd been before, he always looked at her with love and longing. Now his eyes were full of sadness, regret, and defeat. He was a broken shell of the man she once loved, and that was not okay with Molly. She walked into the room and knelt before him. She reached for his hand, but he pulled away.
"Go, please. I don't want your pity," Shane said.
Molly grabbed his hand anyway. It was cold and frail, and she could detect a slight tremor as he fought with his emotions.
"Good because you don't have it. For the last year, you've been chasing me. Invading my space. Inserting yourself into my daily life. Trying to win back my affections, and I've been a total bitch. I've avoided you and dismissed your feelings. I've been so adamant about you betraying me that I couldn't see how much the last few years has affected you as well," Molly said.
There was a flicker of hope in his eyes, and his loose grip tightened around her hand.
"So you have noticed," He said.
"I have, and frankly, I haven't liked what I've been seeing. Your drug use. The drinking. I want to be able to forgive you. I just can't when you haven't forgiven yourself. When you insist on destroying everything about you that I once loved. You need help, Shane. I need for you to get help," She pleaded.
"Which is what we are offering," Cat chimed in.
"I can help you here. I have some informal counseling experience from my time in the military. I know we don't know each other well, but if you accept my help it wil
l require you to trust me with things," Greg said.
"Or you can pack a bag and leave with me tonight. There is a human facility that treats vampires for a substantial fee. They have a pretty high success rate in treatment, but it's all up to you. You have to want to get better," Mack said.
Shane looked between the two men and then back to Molly.
"Which would you prefer," Shane asked.
"It's not about me right now, Shane. This is about you. What do you think you need," Molly said.
"You. I need you," Shane said and kissed her.
Molly kissed him back. She knew she shouldn't. Molly knew she should probably keep her distance, but she couldn't help it. Her heart missed him, missed this and part of her knew that this kiss was more than just an expression of lust. He needed this for reassurance. He needed to hope that they could go back to how they were before.
They couldn't, of course. Too much had happened at this point. Molly was a different person, and hopefully, after getting help, Shane would also be. The truth was that they could never be the same, but maybe they could find a way to be different people together once this was all behind them. Molly pulled away with a sigh.
"I need you too. Just not this you. Please, Shane, get help," she pleaded with him.
"Okay, for you, I will," He responded.
"No, Shane not for me. For yourself. I love you, I will always love you I just can't promise it will be in the way you want me too. Don't hinge your recovery on getting me back. That's unfair to both of us," Molly said, and she saw some of the hope leave his eyes.
Shane moved his hand from hers, and she felt a piece of her heart fade away like the warmth of his touch.
"Molly, why don't we go talk and let Shane discuss his options further with the guys," Cat said.
Shane's Redemption (Maura's Men Book 3) Page 3
