Ian had apparently sold him out to the police, Raph was already on his way, and Lys hadn’t been answering her phone.
The only thing he could do now was wait.
RAPH BEING escorted into the interviewing room was the most welcome sight Jesse had seen in a long while. Even with the frown and the look of sheer disappointment when his gaze fell on Jesse.
“Jesse.” Raph ran a cursory glance over him, what he could see of him anyway. “You all right?”
Jesse shrugged. “I’ve been better.”
A hint of a smile tugged at Raph’s mouth before disappearing again. He turned to the officers pointing their guns on him. “Is this room soundproofed?” They nodded. “Good. I’d like a word alone with my coven member please.” He gestured to the microphone on the table. “And I want that turned off.”
Someone was listening because Jesse heard them give the okay over the radio. The other officer—obviously senior to Blake—kept his gun trained on them as he motioned for Blake to open the door. “You’ve got ten minutes.”
As soon as they’d gone, Jesse turned to Raph. “I didn’t kill Ian. Peter had already drained him by the time I got there.”
“I know,” Raph replied, taking Jesse by surprise. “Or at least I suspected as much.” At Jesse’s confused expression, he added. “Peter’s an excellent liar, but I’ve known him too long to fall for his bullshit. I should never have sent him to investigate Ian. I’m sorry.”
“Why did you?” Jesse couldn’t help but ask.
“Because that’s his role in our coven, and I stupidly thought his ego would force him to do a good job. I didn’t consider his jealousy would get the better of him. I underestimated his feelings for you, and Ian paid the price.”
“Feelings?” Jesse scoffed. “He doesn’t have feelings for me.”
Raph shook his head. “Not the kind I suspect you have for Ian, no. Peter’s always been possessive of his things, and unfortunately he considers you one of them. I thought you were handling it well enough without me having to intervene, since you never came to me about him.”
Jesse glanced down at his hands, feeling suddenly guilty. If he’d gone to Raph before any of this started, Ian would probably still be alive. “I did turn him, though.” He couldn’t meet Raph’s eyes as he said it. Couldn’t face him while admitting he’d broken their agreement with the VLCD. The one Raph had fought so hard to keep. “I didn’t mean to.” He shook his head, still amazed how it had happened as he told Raph in detail.
“Fuck’s sake, Jesse.” Raph reached out and held his wrist, a wry smile in place. “Only you.”
“What do we do now?” Jesse hoped Raph had some ideas, because he had nothing. “If Ian’s saying I killed him and then turned him, I’m pretty much fucked.” Harper’s list of punishments played on a loop in his head. “Where’s Ian now?” He looked up, not liking the expression on Raph’s face.
“He’s outside in one of their waiting rooms. With Peter. They seem oddly joined at the hip, and I don’t believe Peter’s story that he freed him from your room. I take it that’s bollocks? You wouldn’t have been stupid enough to bring him into the coven and not tell me, would you?”
He raised an eyebrow, giving Jesse a look that said he knew exactly what Jesse had done. “Fuck. I’m sorry. I panicked.” His mind seemed to catch up with what Raph had said. “Wait, where’s Lys? She was supposed to be with Ian, but she’s not been answering her phone.”
Raph grimaced. “Yeah, I’m not surprised. I’m pretty sure Peter tried to kill her.”
“What?” Jesse jumped up out of his seat, chains pulling taut, but Raph was quick to push him back into it. “Calm down,” he hissed. “I don’t know details yet. The text she sent me was a little hard to decipher, but it said something along the lines of ‘Peter did it’ and ‘Send someone you trust to my room fast.’”
Jesse’s hands curled into fists.
I never should’ve left her, never should’ve got her involved in the first place.
“Who did you send?”
“Liam.”
Made sense. Raph and Liam were close, best friends for as long as Jesse had known them. Probably closer than that at times.
Raph ran a hand through his hair and fixed Jesse with a look that said he wasn’t going to like the next bit. “Liam found her on the floor with an iron spike through her chest. Peter’s scent all over the room.” Jesse’s mouth fell open, shock stealing his voice. “She’s alive,” Raph added quickly. “He pulled the spike out and got enough blood into her just in time. But she’s still coming around.” He pulled out his phone and set it on the table. “He’ll let me know when she’s coherent enough to explain what happened.”
Jesse had a fair idea. “He waited until I’d gone, then somehow got Lys to leave Ian alone.” He met Raph’s gaze. “He’s threatening him with something.” Despite his earlier doubts, Jesse knew deep down he hadn’t misjudged Ian. Hadn’t imagined the spark, the solid connection he felt when they touched.
“That would be my guess.” Raph glanced at the time on his phone. “I imagine he thought Lys was as good as dead. Look, we don’t have much longer. We have an advantage at the moment as Peter doesn’t know we found Lys. He’ll know you’ll have told me your version of event’s though, so we have to hurry. I need you to think.” Raph leaned towards him over the table. “What could Peter use to get Ian to lie for him? He’s got to know Peter’s likely to try and kill him the first chance he gets after this.”
Jesse tried not to think about that. If the VLCD convicted Jesse, then Peter and Ian would be free to return to the coven. Raph couldn’t protect Ian all the time. And Jesse would be—
No. He couldn’t think about that right now.
Although he hated to admit it, his knowledge of Ian’s life was minimal. Jesse knew nothing about his family, but he did know who his best friends were. And so did Peter. Fuck. That was it. Blake was safe in the VLCD building, but what about Cate? Would threatening her life be enough to get Ian to do what Peter wanted?
Jesse had her number in his phone, but Harper had taken it when they arrested him. “Ian has another best friend,” he said quickly as their time ran out. “Peter’s used his fucking mind trick on her before. Try and get Blake to call Cate, make sure she’s okay. I think Peter could be using her to get to Ian.”
Raph nodded just as the door handle started to turn.
“Another thing,” Jesse added quickly. “Peter said he could turn his tracker off, that’s why they can’t place him, Michael, or Simon in that alley, but they were fucking there, I swear it. Someone took that photo, right?” The door opened and Harper walked in, Blake and another guy flanking him.
“They did indeed.” Raph squeezed his wrist once, then stood and left the room with Harper.
Jesse was back to staring at his hands, all the while feeling the weight of Blake’s glare and the heavy presence of two guns trained at his head. The situation was out of his control, and he hated being so powerless. Hated Peter for doing this to him.
Hated waiting for someone to tell him whether he was free to go, or his life was over.
IAN LICKED HIS lips, despite trying not to react to all the scents around them. Raph had made him feed before they’d come here, but even full as he was, the lure of warm, fresh blood was like an itch under his skin. He knew it was there, but he couldn’t have it. While controllable for now, Ian wondered how long it would last.
He hadn’t seen Blake yet. He and Peter had been ushered into a room as soon as they’d arrived. Ian wondered if Blake was under orders not to see him, or if Blake was avoiding him. Whatever reason, it was probably for the best. Ian wasn’t sure of the reaction he’d get, and he didn’t need any more shit piling onto his already huge pile. He also worried he wouldn’t be able to face Blake and not blurt out that Cate was in trouble.
The room they were in was locked from the outside—no one trusted a newly turned vampire—but not soundproofed, and Ian’s head snapped up as he heard Rap
h’s voice along the hallway.
“If you could please ask him to do this, it’d be very much appreciated,” Raph was saying.
“I’ll do it now,” Harper answered. Ian recognised him from when they arrived.
He felt Peter tense next to him, obviously listening too, and Ian took small comfort in the fact that Peter was twitchy. He’d been that way ever since Raph had gone in to see Jesse alone.
Jesse would’ve told Raph the truth. He’d have called both Ian and Peter liars—rightly so—but there was no proof, no evidence to back up his story. Peter must have known Jesse would tell Raph a different version of events. He had to be counting on the fact that Ian corroborated Peter’s story, had backed up everything he’d said with as much sincerity as he could muster. Coupled with the photograph Peter had made him send, who’d believe Jesse?
I’m so fucking sorry.
The last thing Ian wanted was to get Jesse locked up for God knew how long, but he couldn’t let Cate be hurt. Couldn’t let them kill her and make all her nightmares come true. “If they convict him,” Ian asked, forcing the words out, “how long will they lock him up for?”
Peter turned to face him, a flash of regret passed over his face—unless Ian imagined it—before he schooled features into his usual slightly smug expression. “They won’t lock him up. They’ll execute him.”
“What?” Ian froze, his chest tight, as though unseen hands tried to squeeze the life out of him. “They’ll kill him?” No.
“Yes.” Peter glanced over to the door as footsteps approached. “They’ll do it quickly too. No hanging about on death row where the VLCD are concerned. Can’t have a dangerous vampire in the building longer than strictly necessary.”
The door opened, cutting off further conversation as Raph walked in. Harper waited by the door as Raph came over to them.
He gave Ian a quick once over. “How you doing?” It was a loaded question and Ian answered without thinking.
“I’m not tempted to eat anyone, if that’s what you’re asking.”
Raph’s eyebrows shot up, and he spared a quick glance at Harper. “Good to know. I’m sure everyone’ll be pleased to hear that. Jesus Christ. I can see why Jesse couldn’t stay away.”
Ian felt Peter’s subtle foot-nudge and realised he was smirking, not the reaction he should be having, and he quickly turned it into a scowl.
Raph watched it all but said nothing. He turned to Peter. “Jesse had quite the different story to what you told me.”
Peter merely shrugged. “I’m sure he did. Wouldn’t you in his position?”
Raph’s answering smile reminded Ian of a shark. “I would. Which is why DS Harper and I are going to go over tracker information now. Both yours and his,” Raph added. “Since he insists it was you who killed Ian, and that Ian’s lying.”
Ian flinched, but Peter relaxed into his seat a bit more, as if that was exactly what he wanted to hear. “Of course. I understand you have to investigate both of us.”
Raph gestured towards the door. “At the VLCD’s insistence there’ll be guards posted outside this room at all times. Please don’t try and leave. I’ll be back soon.”
Raph followed Harper out of the door, closing it behind them.
Ian fidgeted in his seat, wanting to be anywhere but stuck in a room with Peter.
“Blood lust getting the better of you?” Peter whispered, his shoulder brushing Ian’s. “I bet it’s just torture being around all these lovely warm-blooded humans.”
Ian’s fangs slid out unbidden, Peter’s words hitting home regardless of how hard he tried to ignore them. “Fuck off,” he murmured, closing his eyes and trying to focus on something other than the images Peter had conjured up. “Aren’t you the least bit worried about what they’re going to find when they check the tracking data?”
Peter laughed. “No. How stupid do you think I am?” He rolled his head from side to side, the crack of his spine loud in the quiet room. Ian wanted to snap it, see how quickly he healed from that. “See these?” Peter gave his wrist a jiggle, indicating the tracking bracelet. “They’re in there now, looking at the data to see where we were last night.” He glanced at the clock on the wall. “Well, the night before that, now.”
Ian glanced up to see it was well past midnight now.
“Mine will show that I was at the coven, safely tucked up in my room at the time that photo was taken. As were Michael and—” He seemed to suddenly realise his mistake, but Ian had got there way before him.
“Oh dear.” Ian grinned, not caring that his fangs refused to slide back in. “It would appear you’re very fucking stupid after all.” Ian saw the panic in Peter’s eyes, and it was glorious. “If you hadn’t told them you took it, you’d have been in the clear. But instead you’ve lied your way into a corner and there’s no fucking way out. I’d imagine tampering with your tracker is against the rules too?”
“Shut up!” Peter hissed, shooting up from his chair.
Ian saw the blow coming far too late as Peter backhanded him and sent him flying off his chair and into the far wall. His jaw cracked from the impact, head smacking into the concrete with a sickening crunch. He was getting pretty fucking sick of being tossed around by Peter.
Ian lay in a crumpled heap, stunned from the impact, crying out at the excruciating pain as his body fought to heal itself. He struggled to raise his head, a dull ache radiating across his skull as it knit back together.
Footsteps sounded as Peter walked towards him, and Ian braced himself for another blow, but Peter crouched down in front of him. “You’re going to tell them Cate took that photo and sent it to you.”
“What?” Ian peered up at him, eyebrows scrunched together in confusion, Peter’s words not making any sense. “You already told Raph you took it.”
“I told Raph, not the VLCD. I’ll just deny it.”
Jesus Christ, he’s unhinged.
“No one’s going to believe a fucking word you say if you keep changing your story.”
Ian wanted to stand up and move away, but Peter had him caged in.
“They’ll believe you though.” Peter had a wild look to his eyes, and Ian wanted to be anywhere else other than in that room alone with him. He’d already proved he was stronger, faster, and now fucking unpredictable. Ian couldn’t decide if it was best to keep him talking or try to make a run for the door. VLCD officers were guarding it, weren’t they?
Why hadn’t they come in already?
With a sick feeling, Ian realised that two vampires fighting between themselves ranked low on their priorities. Maybe they hoped he and Peter would kill each other? Save them a job.
Peter pulled out his phone, and Ian tensed. “Out of all of us, you’re the one that has nothing to lose as far as the VLCD is concerned. If you say Raph’s mistaken, then problem solved.”
“No.” Ian pushed himself to his feet, forcing Peter to do the same. “I can’t call him a liar in front of the VLCD. It’s bad enough you’ve got me telling him a load of bollocks about Jesse. He’ll never let me stay in the coven if I do this.”
Peter sneered. “If all goes as planned, he won’t be in charge for much longer.”
So he plans to kill Raph. Ian had wondered. He’s probably going to kill me too once he gets Jesse out of the way.
This life wasn’t something he ever wanted, but now he had it, he didn’t want to give it up so easily, and that went for Jesse too.
Peter opened the FaceTime app and clicked on the last number dialled.
Ian’s stomach sank, knowing he had no choice but to go along with whatever Peter said. No matter how insane it seemed. The VLCD would want to question Cate about the photo, and then what? Would Peter have to kill her too?
Christ.
Ian’s only hope was that Peter would hang himself with his web of lies and hopefully not take the rest of them down with him.
Michael appeared on the other end of the call, looking a little apprehensive. “What’s up?”
Peter g
lanced at Ian, eyebrow raised. “Ian’s just deciding if it’s time for a midnight snack.”
“Fine,” Ian hissed, hating Peter more with every second that passed. “I’ll do it.”
“I thought you might.” He turned to Michael. “Sorry. False alarm.” He hung up and pocketed his phone. With a manic grin that sent shivers down Ian’s spine, he grabbed Ian’s arm and shoved him onto one of the chairs. “Right, let’s get our story straight.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Jesse sat there, knee bouncing and fingers tapping on the table.
Raph had left a while ago, and while Jesse had no idea exactly how long, surely it was long enough to look into the tracker information by now. They were only checking for one night. It was also long enough to persuade Blake to call Cate, but Blake was still stood in the interview room, gun never wavering from its position pointed at Jesse’s head.
Had Raph been humouring him?
Jesse thought back over their conversation. Raph had said Peter was an excellent liar, but maybe Raph was too. Maybe he’d believed every word Peter had told him and thought—
Stop.
Just stop.
All this silence was messing with his head.
That and the first edges of hunger creeping in, but no way was he asking these two to get him some blood. They’d probably shoot him on the spot for daring to ask.
The minutes dragged by until finally he heard the crackle of Blake’s earpiece.
The other officer—Watts, according to the tag on his uniform—couldn’t hear what was being said, but Jesse could, and he curled his hands into fists.
Fucking finally.
Turning to Watts, Blake pointed to the door. “I have to make a quick phone call. Harper’s orders.”
Watts nodded. “Lock the door.”
Jesse raised his hands and gave them a shake. As if he was in any position to make a run for it.
Blake did as requested and locked the door behind him as he left.
Try as he might to overhear anything, the room was far too heavily soundproofed. A fact he’d been grateful for earlier, but now cursed under his breath.
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