Molly didn't really want to go. She wanted to be there when Shane made his decision, but one glance at Cat and she quickly stood and followed her from the room.
"Did you have to say that? You couldn't have just let him hope," Cat tore into her as soon as they were a safe distance from the men.
"Do you want him to get help or not? I gave him hope so that he would go, but I couldn't let him think I'd just jump back into his arms just because," Molly replied erecting her walls once again.
"So you have not a single thought of getting back with Shane," Cat asked fire dancing in her eyes.
Molly had to tread carefully. Cat was in full Momma Bear mode, and Molly didn't want to risk suffering the consequences of poking the bear. Cat had destroyed many a foe on Molly's behalf, and after witnessing the carnage, Molly had no intention of being a victim.
"I don't know. Maybe one day. It's complicated," Molly said.
It was probably best to leave things open-ended. Sure, part of Molly would love to get back to that can't eat, can't sleep, starry-eyed bliss she'd once had with Shane. Together forever had been a wistful sigh from her lips to her heart but now she wasn't so naïve. She knew better to count on prince charming to swoop in and rescue her. He hadn't rescued her. Molly had saved herself while he'd left her to rot, beheaded in a grave. He'd resigned himself to disintegrate both mentally and physically as he'd abused drugs in a misguided attempt at punishment and grief.
"It really isn't. Either you still love Shane, or you don't. You need to figure that shit out Molly because you will forever be a danger to him if you're still on the fence," Cat said.
That pissed Molly off. Cat was seriously protecting Shane, right now. Choosing to acknowledge Shane's feelings over hers.
"A danger to him! What about the danger he put me in? He tricked me into thinking he would turn me and then left me to die. He left me vulnerable to Maura. He brought this all not just on me but on all of us," Molly ranted.
Cat put a hand on her hip and eyed Molly like she had just lost her mind.
"Are you even listening to yourself right now? Do you forget that fucking beheading is damn near impossible to come back from? Do you forget your own choice to believe Maura's lies? Your willingness to turn your back on Shane and me in your thirst for revenge? I've forgiven you for that. Shane has done nothing but grieve and obsess over winning you back. Honestly, Molly, it's you that needs the fucking help. You're stuck in the fucking past and making piss poor fucking choices because of it."
Cat's words hit Molly like a semi going over one hundred. She was floored not just by the truth in her friend's chastisement but the fact that for the first time since returning home, Molly truly saw things from her friend's point of view. From Shane's point of view. Her eyes began to sting, tears forming once again. Pooling along her lash line before spilling from the corners, a stream of regret.
Molly turned and fled the room. She didn't want to let Cat see that she was right. Molly would never hear the end of it, and frankly, Molly would rather find out what Shane's decision was about getting help. If he chose not too then all of this was for nothing anyway. She could never be with him the way he was now. She headed for Shane's quarters only to stop when she saw him holding a duffel bag and chatting somberly with Xander and Claude by the front door.
"You're leaving," she asked walking up to the group.
Shane looked up and smiled softly.
"I've witnessed the effects of detoxing before. I don't think I could handle you all seeing me so broken. Besides, it will be a surprise for you how far I'll have come when I return. It will seem much more impressive if you don't see it in progress," Shane said.
Molly threw her arms around him in a big hug. Shane's arms encircled her and held her close to his sharp bony frame. Molly looked into his eyes and kissed him to keep him from seeing the newly forming tears in her eyes. There was a desperation to the kiss. As both of them knew that this wasn't the right way for them to come together. Yet they held each other tightly, making out until Mack cleared his throat.
"Sorry to interrupt but we need to get going," Mack said.
Reluctantly Molly pulled away.
"Will you be here waiting when I get back," Shane asked.
"I can't promise you that. Not just because of everything but because I'm meeting with the Council in two days and there's no telling how that will go," Molly said.
"Well that explains the Council's summons," Xander said.
Molly opened her mouth to ask him what he meant by that but was cut off by Cat.
"You guys can discuss that later. Right now we need to get Shane and Mack on their way," Cat said.
Molly gave Shane one last hug before moving so Cat could do the same. Then he was off.
Preparation Hell
Shane was gone. Molly had prayed for a reprieve from his constant presence, but now that he was gone, she felt oddly empty. Even when she'd been under Maura's influence, Molly never thought him absent from her heart. Shane had always been there. Even at times when Molly was seething with hatred towards him.
When she'd returned home to find the broken shell of a man that he had become, the anger had turned to pity and disgust. If he was going to go on without her, he could at least have the decency to do it well. He was supposed to be happy and healthy. Not a miserable intoxicated skeleton. He was supposed to be someone she could fall back in love with. He hadn't been. So she pushed him further away. Clung to her anger, instead of falling into the despair at the loss of the only man she had ever loved.
How dare he destroy her dream of happiness a second time? How dare her heart still care for the man who'd left her for dead? Who'd conned her into believing the fairy tale of Together Forever?
She was falling down the rabbit hole again. Choosing to deny the truth. Not just about what had transpired after the accident but about her feelings. Molly didn't want to have feelings. She wanted to move on and live an uncomplicated life as a successful club owner and upstanding member of Vampire society. Maura’s tainted blood be damned.
Molly sighed and checked the clock that hung on the wall above her office door. Xander should be there any moment. She made her way out to the bar. It was empty as the sun had yet to set and Mack was out of town until after the Council visit. Molly was exhausted, it was well before her typical waking hours. Still, she hadn't been able to sleep last night. Thoughts of Shane being whisked away to rehab as well as the Shadow's ire.
The Shadow had paid Molly another lovely visit last night. Downright pissed that Shane was so far from her ability to meddle, the Shadow took it out on Molly per usual. Molly rubbed the still tender skin of her arms. Her heightened senses picking up hints of the sickeningly sweet smell of burning flesh. The scent one that Molly was far too acquainted with thanks to that monster. Molly still couldn't believe Cat listened to that thing as if it was the good guy in all of this. For all they knew, the Shadow was the real monster, and Maura was just a poor soul also under its twisted influence.
Molly shook her head with a laugh. Maura was far from innocent and definitely not a woman to be manipulated. Maura was the manipulator, and the Shadow was no better but definitely not worse. At least the Shadow operated under the guise of helping. Maura was a selfish bitch determined to rule the world and destroy anything and everything in her path. The Shadow was probably just a vindictive spirit out for revenge against Maura. That wasn’t too much of a stretch. Molly just wished the Shadow was as gentle as it claimed to be benevolent.
Maybe she should bring up the Shadow with Xander when he arrived. Cat could be in grave danger, and if anyone could protect her, it would be him. Granted Xander didn't like Molly all that much either. They'd reached a truce at this point, but they weren't buddies by any means. He'd be more likely to think her crazy and get rid of her himself than to listen to her ideas about this Shadow character.
"Are you ready?" Xander said startling Molly from her thoughts.
Molly turned around with a sigh. She did
her best not to wring her hands or bite her lip, both actions a dead giveaway to her nerves. The Council visit was just over a day away. Molly had never been more on edge in her entire life. Even being turned into a vampire and waking up in Maura's lair hadn't been so terrifying.
"As I'll ever be," Molly sighed.
Xander smirked flashing a row of pearly whites that would make any other woman swoon, even with his massive canines. Xander was an attractive man, and Molly could totally see why her best friend had fallen for him so quickly. Even without the vampire charm, he was a sight for the eyes.
"It's okay to be nervous. Don't tell anyone but I was afraid I might piss my pants when I first faced them," Xander said.
"I find that hard to believe. You survived Maura's horrors. I know I don't know what all that entailed, but I've been in her presence long enough to know it couldn't have been a picnic," Molly replied.
"We aren't here to talk about that. We are here to get you prepared to present your case in front of the Council," He said.
"I know, so where do we begin," She asked.
"Have you decided to share your abilities with them," Xander asked.
"They already know. It's one of the reasons I'm so nervous. I don't know how to control it," Molly said.
Xander nodded.
"Then we will start with that," He said.
"I told you I can't control it. I don't know how to make it come out or how to make it go away. It's too dangerous," Molly hung her head.
Usually, she wouldn't feel comfortable showing so much weakness, but he was her best friend's husband. He was one of the few people she knew she could let her guard down around. Had needed to in fact multiple times as she'd found her way in the world post incident.
"Alright, then we can work with that. We won't bring it up. So the Council as a whole does a pretty good job of governing the vampire population in this region as I'm sure you've already discovered," He said taking a seat at the bar.
They'd agreed to meet at her bar because it was the one place they could gather without prying ears and eyes. The mansion, while secure, wasn't the place for this. Cat would be interrupting and weaseling her way into the conversation. Gretchen was far too curious about the vampire world to be kept away either, and that meant Claude would be right by her side. That was already too much of an audience for Molly's liking. Then there was the issue of Shane. He may not be there at the moment, but there were too many reminders of him at the mansion for Molly to ever be comfortable.
"Yes, there are five ruling families. One for each of the five habitable continents. Each has a ruling Council that does all the grunt work, so to speak. It's that Council with which I will be meeting. They will take their opinions to the ruling family who will make the final decision. Judging if I can live the life I'm currently enjoying, or if I am to be exiled as you and the others have been," Molly recited what she had learned from Brody.
He may have been an asshole, but he'd had his uses. Molly glanced at her office door remembering their last encounter. When she discovered Brody had been lying to her the entire time. When he'd made it clear he wanted more from Molly than she was prepared to offer. All the other little things that bothered Molly spilled forth. That had spurred on the colossal argument before he'd stormed out of her office and out of her life. Hopefully for good, once this Council business was over and done with.
It probably hadn't been a good idea to have a messy break up with the Council's liaison. Especially before the meeting, but there was nothing she could do about it now. Molly turned her attention back to Xander. He'd been rambling on about the Council members and their personalities despite her obvious distraction. It was relevant information to pay attention to. Knowing your opponent was half the battle.
"I'm sorry but can you go over that again," Molly asked.
Xander scowled but started over from the top. With a renewed focus Molly listened and began to take notes.
"There are five Council members. Northernmost America represented by Kirima. She, and trust me despite her brutish appearance, will probably be the most in your favor. Kirima is what you could call a feminist, but in the extreme," Xander paused as Molly rolled her eyes.
"You would associate a brutish woman with feminism," Molly muttered.
"It is not her appearance, but her beliefs. She believes women should rule the world and if Maura hadn't been a glutton for beautiful young women I'm sure she'd welcome her into polite society with open arms," Xander continued despite her interruption, "The United States represented by Nathaniel will be the most against you. He believes all women should stay in their place. The only boon is that he may spend more time arguing with Kirima than giving you any thought as long as he isn't aware of your power. He may, however, insist that you fall under my jurisdiction because of your connection to Maura."
Molly reached behind the bar and poured them both a cup of blood.
"Great! A feminist and a chauvinist. No need to worry. This will be just like handling you and the others."
"This is serious, Molly! You know that there is more than the fate of your bar at stake here," Xander downed the blood she had poured.
Up until that moment, he'd been playing it cool, but as Molly studied him now. A slight sheen of sweat across his brow. A brow that was creased with worry. He actually cared, and that hit Molly harder than anything else he'd said in the last few minutes.
"I am taking this seriously," she said softly. "I just... I need to find something to poke fun at, or I'm going to lose my shit."
Xander sighed and shook his head.
"You and Shane are a fucking pair you are," He said.
Molly frowned.
"Let's not bring that up. The Council?"
Molly sat up straight and did her best to look perfectly serious. Xander sighed before moving on with his explanation.
"The Central and Southern representatives Cadmael and Eadrich are twins. They usually share the same opinion, as well as their looks, but don't be fooled. They may be the hardest to turn in your favor. Not because of any personal motives, but your active association with Maura is something they may not be willing to overlook."
"And the fifth?"
"Maximus. He is mostly there as a tiebreaker. Maximus is a member of the ruling family and represents the purebloods. Don't focus too much on him. He would prefer we all be killed immediately. It's rumored that it was his great, great, grandfather who sired Maura," Xander said.
Molly stopped taking notes.
"Killed? Really? If he is a part of the ruling family how can I expect his opinion not to out rule the others?"
"It didn't matter in our case. There is no reason to expect any different. Although, at the time, we all were under the impression that Maura was dead. Her reappearance may sway things," Xander admitted.
One of Molly’s human vendors walked in from the back with a shipment of alcohol. The clinking of bottles as he dropped his delivery at the bar signaling that time was up.
"We'll meet one more time before the visit," Xander said before leaving.
Molly didn't feel the slightest bit more prepared for the Council visit, but business came first. Council or no Council, without Club Obelisk, Molly was just another one of Maura’s unfortunate victims. She was nobody, an outcast, a threat.
Rodney did his best to hide his disgust at the carnage before him. This had definitely not been in the brochure. Not that there was one for becoming a vampire slave. As always, Axel had bitten off more than he could chew. What had seemed the deal of a lifetime, was now Rodney's worst nightmare. Actually, worse than Rodney's worst nightmare. Nothing could have prepared him for the horror that was Maura.
Carefully, he chose his path through the pile of bodies strewn on the floor. Not that it mattered, the penthouse was bathed in the blood of fallen men. A crimson shrine to Maura. Their bodies tossed haphazardly across every available space. Some even stacked on top of one another, but for the time being that is where they would lay. As gruesome as it
was, Rodney's task was much worse. He shifted the slender figure of a woman over his shoulder careful not to wake her. It was the only kindness he could offer before her demise at the hands of Maura.
"You're late," Maura stated licking fresh blood from her hands.
Axel and the man who owned the penthouse both sprawled at her feet. Not dead but close to it after what no doubt was a punishing sexual encounter with their mistress. It didn't matter that she stood before the floor to ceiling windows as this was the only high rise building in the area and the glass was mirrored on the outside.
Rodney didn't bother to answer. Giving an excuse would elicit a punishment worse than his silence. Maura was brutal with her punishments. It was one of the reasons Rodney did his best to stay on her good side. Not that it really meant anything. Maura didn’t have a good side. It was all bad basking in her shadow. Especially in her current mood. She was still pissed and pondering her revenge on the traitors. If it hadn’t been for Molly and the blinding light she’d used against Maura. Well, there was no telling what would have become of the world. That bastard Declan had surely gotten the better deal. Being beaten to death by the little brown haired mouse of a woman was better than living with Maura any day.
Rodney pushed the thought of that night out of his head. No use dwelling on the past. Maura did enough of that for everyone involved. He carefully set the girl down in front of Maura. Giving her a pinch to the ribs to awaken her. The girl gasped and nearly fainted again at the sight of Maura covered in blood. The girl's obvious horror brought a smile to Maura's face. Even covered in gore, Maura stood regally before them. Like a Queen posing for the admiration of her followers. Any other man would be entranced by her beauty, but Rodney was immune. He knew the cost of that perfectly symmetrical visage, and well. It was more than just the pound of flesh before her.
Maura stared out at the street below formulating her latest plan. The blood of her snack working its magic, smoothing creases that had sprouted near her eyes and mouth as she'd entertained herself with her most recent acquisition. In the past month, she'd gathered an army and gorged herself on young flesh in preparation. After her surprising defeat at that dreadful cabin, Maura had almost descended into madness. She had thought her magic lost, but no, it had been transferred into that unfortunate woman Molly. Rodney had stalked the woman for weeks learning her habits and weaknesses, ready to bring her in for the power transference before an ultimately delicious death.
Shane's Redemption (Maura's Men Book 3) Page 4
