Pandora rolled her eyes. She wasn’t too keen on the idea, but I still had hope it just might work. She exhaled slowly. “I’m on my way to oversee the voting right now. Don’t get your hopes up. Things have been this way for many years and the legion doesn’t take kindly to change.”
I nodded and Pandora disappeared in a blur.
“I’m going down to the Crystal Palace,” Orie stated, and I’d almost forgot he was still standing there. “I need to get my mind off this for a while. Do you want to join me?”
I smiled at Orie’s gesture, but was too anxious to get to the jail. I explained I had a lot of work to do and asked for a rain check. Orie understood and we made plans to meet back at the infirmary the next night to check on Cloe.
In no time flat, I rushed off to pick up the prisoner’s food, my heart beating furiously in my chest. My faith had been tested so many times recently I didn’t know what to believe anymore. But regardless of my confused state, I prayed harder than ever before. And as strange as it sounded, I prayed the face I would see inside of that jail would not be Guy’s.
TWENTY-THREE: RUBY
I left Big Nose Kate’s with a plate of food in my hands and a canteen of water strapped to my hip. Unfortunates crowded the streets beneath the glow of the lanterns and a cool breeze rushed through signaling the beginning of autumn. The town was just starting to liven up, music from various Saloons caressing my ears. But their jolly mood was lost on me, I was too overcome with debilitating fear. Fear of who I would find within the jail cell. Fear that it would be Captain Guy Stone chained to the wall.
I was unable to ignore the ache in my gut as I rounded the corner to see the large courthouse slumping over, the front steps crumbling into the great rift in the road. I didn’t know what I would do if I found my love imprisoned within. If it was him inside, it would be surreal, for I wanted more than anything to see his storm cloud eyes sparkle when they saw me. But this was not how I pictured our reunion happening, him being locked within the confines of enemy territory. And if he was in fact inside, who knows what they might’ve done to him.
I jumped the crack in the road and climbed the steps, the werewolf guard in front of the grand doors eyeing me. The same guard that caught me snooping around the night before— Humpty. I breathed in deeply steeling myself for what was to come.
“I’m taking over for Cloe for a few days,” I said.
He nodded, handing me a key.
“Pandora already informed me,” he said. “The prisoner is in cell B.”
He moved aside from the door and let me pass through and I couldn’t help but think that was way too easy. I followed the lamp-lit halls and weaved down to the end of the courthouse where I remembered the jail cells being. As I approached the barred doors to my right, my pulse quickened. I stopped in front of the one marked with a ‘B,’ surprised there were no guards outside like there’d been for me. Maybe because the man was human and they knew he couldn’t escape.
Please don’t be him. Please don’t be him.
Through the bars, the darkness veiled the form inside, but I did not attempt to use my vampire vision to see him yet, fear preventing me from doing so. I slid the key in the lock and turned it with a metallic click. I reached above me to pluck a torch from the wall and opened the door.
Please don’t be him. Please don’t be him.
I stepped inside, closing the bars behind me, and hung the torch on the wall. I turned and, in an instant, knew I could’ve never mentally prepared myself for what I saw next. Gasping, I nearly dropped the plate I carried at seeing his face— the face I prayed so desperately not to see.
Bruises and swelling marred Guy’s skin beyond recognition, but I knew it was him for his scent; leather, musk, and new-fallen leaves. But the vibrant aroma of life I usually sensed within him was nearly gone, only hanging by a thin tendril of his soul.
My legs trembled and it took all I had not to drop to my knees. My eyes wavered and broke with a rush of tears. I didn’t want to believe it. I didn’t want to even entertain the idea of it being him. But there he was, broken; the man who’d sacrificed everything to protect me. A sworn enemy of the Unfortunate Souls no less, a soldier that had gone out of his way for a vampire. For me. I whimpered, my voice barely above a breath.
“God, what have they done to you?”
Guy lay on a bench near the corner of the cell, his legs chained to the bottom of the wall. His chocolate brown hair looked crimson for being so matted with sticky blood. Shades of red, blue, and purple colored his skin from the obvious beatings he’d received. His clothes hung in shreds, barely covering his thrashed skin.
I laid the plate of food on the floor with trembling hands and carefully sat on the edge of the bench. I reached down and gently took his hand, bringing it to my lips. I softly kissed his fingers, the only spot on his body not damaged. My heart had never felt so much pain and I didn’t know what to do or say. Could he hear me? Sense I was there? My breathing came in ragged spurts as I placed my head to his chest. The faintest of heartbeats pulsed within him and I knew he rested on the edge of death. I released a mournful cry.
For the many times I died or came close to death, seeing Guy like this was worse. I wanted to die right along with him. I wanted it to be a dream, a terrifying nightmare even, but it wasn’t. The scars on his body were as real as the ones forming on my heart. I was shattering from the inside out, my heart nearly breaking in two. I had to do something.
Without thinking, I immediately released my fangs and sank them into my wrist. I brought my bleeding flesh to his cracked lips like back at the old Mission when he was attacked. But he was conscious then and not, in any way, as bad as this. I hoped he would be able to drink.
After a few moments of letting my lifeblood pool into his mouth, he instinctively swallowed. I sighed, realizing how relieved Orie must’ve been when Cloe swallowed his blood for the first time. But Guy’s condition was considerably worse than Cloe’s. His chest didn’t even rise and fall with breath. I wasn’t sure my blood would heal him. But I didn’t have much time to ponder the what-ifs. The werewolf guard outside the jail would notice I was taking too long and come to check on me.
But even so, I kept feeding Guy. Every time my wrist would close with my body’s own fast healing reaction, I would create a new puncture, letting the blood drop into his mouth. Again and again he swallowed, each time more hungrily. His body twitched beside me and his eyes shifted beneath his lids. I grazed my fingers down the side of his face and leaned over, placing a gentle kiss upon his mouth. His lips were as cold as mine, but I could feel warmth coming from his breath now. I began feeling a glimpse of hope that this wasn’t the end for him, and that he would survive after all. But I needed a bigger and better plan than just bringing him back from the dead. I needed to free him and get him far away from this God-forsaken place. And I also knew now, that I would not be able to stay here, either, especially after devising an escape plan for Guy. My time in Tombstone would soon be up.
My ears perked as the door at the front of the courthouse opened. I quickly wiped away the blood dribbling down Guy’s chin and stood up. He still lay unconscious, his pale skin grey and ashen. My heart squeezed in my chest. I couldn’t bear leaving him like this. It broke my heart. Yet I could not chance being caught caring for him this way, either. If they knew my feelings for him we would both be killed.
There had to be a way we could escape together, I just needed to find out how. I also needed to make sure Guy did not lose the will to live, for I would require his help in freeing us both. I gazed down at his limp body, thinking I needed to give him a sign that all would be well and I would return.
I reached up with shaky hands and removed the beaded chain from my neck and balled it up. I opened his hand and tucked the rosary in his palm, closing his fingers around it. I pulled the blanket over him, making sure his arm and hand were covered. I hoped he would find it when he awoke before anyone else did. I hoped it would give him the will to keep fi
ghting.
I wiped the tears from my cheeks and breathed in deeply, forcing a calm and unaffected expression onto my face. I reluctantly approached the cell door.
I glanced back at my love one more time, the swelling in his face depleting and his chest now visibly moving with breath.
“Don’t worry,” I whispered. “I will get you out of here. Or die trying.”
I hoped my promise wasn’t in vain and I would indeed save him from this misery. But how I would go about doing that was a mystery within itself.
TWENTY-FOUR: RUBY
Sleep did not come easy for me that day, images of Guy chained up and desecrated washing through my mind over and over again. Even the few short times my body finally gave way to fatigue, fading in and out of consciousness, Guy still haunted my dreams. The ache inside of me was immeasurable, all-consuming. The scent of him lingered on my clothes and I couldn’t stop breathing him in. I finally succumbed to the idea that lying in bed was as helpful to me as a stick in the eye.
I rose in the early evening and readied myself in the basement while it was still light outside. The werewolf brothers had left early again and I impatiently waited inside the front door for my chance to leave. The second the sun fell below the mountains, casting its shadows across the land, I bolted. I flew through town to finish my blood slave duty first, giving only a few extra minutes to converse with my human friend Earl. He didn’t mention waiting on a vote from the legion, but I saw the hope in his eyes that his life could amount to more than just living in a cage. And even though I was the one who put that hope there in the first place, I, myself, was empty of it.
Not only was the man I loved being tortured and held prisoner in the jail, my best friend had been rendered unconscious by Horus as well. My whole world had turned upside down in the matter of a few days, and the optimism I’d somehow found before in that dark place now bled from me, turning into ice-cold doubt.
I needed a plan that would allow me to safely free Guy Stone from jail and let us escape from this place unharmed. But I couldn’t do it alone, knowing I would only cause more harm than good. I needed help, and the only person I trusted enough to confide my secret in was Cloe. Unfortunately, she was no help to me in her current state.
I thought about going to Pandora with the information, but despite her connection to Wilson, she still held loyal to the vampires. I had little confidence she would sympathize with my situation. In her opinion I would be a traitor by not only killing one of our own to protect a human’s life, but falling in love with the enemy in the first place. Despite my desperation, I rushed toward the Crystal Palace Saloon to meet Orie. I still needed to go with him to the infirmary before visiting Guy in the jail once again.
I walked through the wooden swinging doors to find him, head hanging, sitting at the crowded bar. His usually slick and shiny pony tail, hung matted and un-brushed. He swirled a glass of what looked to be whisky in front of him, his eyes searching the bottom.
The noise in the bar increased as more patrons filtered in and I could barely hear myself think for the werewolves who bantered loudly over a game of poker. I quickly grabbed the last vacant seat next to Orie and sat down. I placed a hand gently on his shoulder.
“You okay?”
“What do you think?” he scoffed. “Of course I’m not okay.”
I retreated in response to his shockingly abrasive manner. Orie was kind and gentle, not cold and distant. This was not Orie.
Realizing his brashness, he looked up at me and sighed. “I’m sorry, Ruby. I didn’t mean that. It’s just…”
“I know,” I said in understanding, thinking I hadn’t been myself lately, either. We sat together in silence, Orie spinning his bar glass and me staring blankly into space.
“I know how much you are hurting,” I finally said.
Orie looked up, his gaze searching mine. “Do you though?” he asked. “Have you ever loved someone so much it was painful to look at them? Because no matter what, you will never be together, and no matter how hard you try, you cannot protect them.”
My heart sank heavily with his words and I ran my fingers mindlessly over the bar top, knowing exactly how he felt.
“Yes,” I replied. “I know how it feels. I live it every day.”
He spun the bar stool to face me directly, his brows lifting in curiosity. “You do?”
I nodded, wrapping my arms around myself as though to warm the chill inside. But no matter how much I related to him, I could not tell Orie about Guy. I could not let anyone know the torment I held inside.
“Yes,” I answered. “But it is something I can’t speak about. Just know you’re not alone in this, Orie. I understand. And if there’s anything I can do to help…”
“Tell me,” Orie stated flatly, surprising me. The desperation in his eyes was deep and pleading. “Tell me how you know. Your secret is safe with me.”
Living with Jax and Orie had brought us closer together over the last few weeks. I thought of them as my family now, assuming Orie felt the same about me. I wanted more than anything to confide in him, but couldn’t. His brother Jax, was the head of security and I could not put Orie in such a dangerous position.
“If I told you…” I kneaded my fingers together, my gut clenching tightly. “If you knew, your life would be in danger. I just… I can’t do that to you.”
He considered me for a moment and opened his mouth to speak, but not before a violent gush of wind blew in through the doors. Horus stood at the front of the Saloon, his eyes flashing angrily and his fists clenched tightly at his sides.
Upon the sight of the vampire, Orie’s demeanor changed instantly. He turned from lax and sad, to tense and defensive. I squeezed his hand as if asking him not to confront Horus. It was no mystery he hated the vampire, but angering him would not solve anything. Yet I glanced at the two, realizing my gesture meant nothing. It wasn’t Orie I would have to worry about. It was Horus.
The vampire leader flashed through the horde of bodies, halting directly in front of us. He leaned over combatively and I knew this conversation wasn’t going to be pretty.
“Which one of you did it?” he hissed, indicating he knew very well that Cloe was healing more rapidly now and someone was feeding her blood. He looked between me and Orie, madder than the fires of hell. “Which one of you fed my creation their blood?”
I glanced to my werewolf friend, noting his face bulging in anger, the veins in his neck strained. Orie looked Horus directly in the eye, his teeth gritted. “What does it matter?” Claws slid from his fingers in defiance. “Whoever it was, they did you a favor. You nearly killed her you blood-sucking son of a bitch!”
Orie’s shout caused the Saloon to fall silent and I cringed. All eyes were now on us.
“Orie.” I reached over and grabbed his wrist, fearing I could not stop the inevitable. And like I suspected, the young wolf beside me began to transform, his skin stretching and face morphing into that of a wolf’s. His body grew from beneath his clothes, ripping sounds pulling at the seams. Yet, Horus was unfazed by this, his inky gaze blazing fire.
“It was you, wasn’t it Wolfboy?”
Orie’s face started sprouting hair and his nose extended into the long shape of a muzzle. Sharp teeth sprang from his mouth as he stood, throwing back his chair. “What if it was? What are you going to do about it?”
Horus and Orie were at a stand-off, the tension in the air thick and heavy. My heart pounded against my ribcage.
“You are going to die, you low-life mutt,” Horus seethed.
In a flash, Horus went for Orie’s neck with his fangs bared, and I quickly screeched my barstool back to avoid contact. The two fell to the floor, Orie now having completely transformed into his wolf body, black and grey, and larger than the vampire. His torn clothes laid in a heap on the floor. Screaming erupted from the crowd as the two writhed on the ground together, clawing and biting, gnashing and hissing. Horus flipped Orie on his back and the wolf yelped in pain. Just before the va
mpire went to sink his teeth into the werewolf’s neck, a loud booming voice stopped him in the process.
“What the hell is going on in here?”
Jax stood at the front of the Saloon with Pandora and Morin at his sides.
Horus stopped immediately and rose to standing, his thin chest heaving. Orie was still on the floor, his large wolf body bulging with muscle, sharp teeth snarling from behind his lips. Under normal circumstances I imagined Horus, the most powerful vampire ever, would have no problem killing Orie. But I glanced around at the concerned patrons muttering beneath their breaths. Horus was in werewolf territory and would be greatly outnumbered.
“He went against my wishes and fed my creation his blood,” Horus shrieked, his long finger pointing at Orie. “Werewolves are not to meddle in the business of vampires. He must be punished.”
Jax’s face melted into a deeper frown than normal. Pandora stood indifferently. And Morin twiddled her fingers nervously.
“Is this true?” the werewolf leader asked his younger brother. “Did you feed a vampire your blood against the wishes of her maker?” The bar fell silent except for a cough somewhere in the back. Everyone sat on the edge of their seats waiting for Orie’s reply. He opened his mouth, but before I knew what I was doing, I stood up.
“It was me,” I announced, stepping forward, then almost immediately regretted my decision.
Horus’ dark gaze shot to me, but I ignored him, keeping my head held high. He already hated me, so what was a little more hatred in exchange for a friend’s life? I couldn’t let Orie take the blame.
“Orie was just trying to protect me,” I explained. “But he lied. It wasn’t him. It was me.”
This time, Pandora spoke up. She held a neutral stance, but fire blazed in her expression.
“Ruby. Is it true you went against the vampire leader’s wishes?”
Broken Souls Page 14
