CHAPTER 22
“I can’t believe Duncan turned himself in,” Steve grumbled from the driver’s seat. “And Sloan let him. Hell, Sloan took him.”
Jill sat in the passenger seat feeling numb at the news when she and Slade had returned to the compound. Slade had known it was going to happen and purposely kept it from her, but then again, what could she have done? Nothing, that was what. Absolutely nothing.
But that was about to change. She understood that the Warriors’ hands were tied, but she was a new Warrior and not high up. She was going to do this and no one, other than herself, could get in trouble. She ensured that no one else knew, except for Steve, but Steve was just her driver.
“They have a different sense of duty than we do, Steve,” Jill replied, sitting up straighter as they hit downtown Cincinnati.
“Yeah, well, I would never turn you or Adam in, that’s for damn sure.” Steve clicked on his blinker. “Even though every Warrior in there scares the shit out of me, I wouldn’t turn you in.”
“A lot of things scare the shit out of you, Steve,” Jill mumbled, trying to read street signs.
“Keeps my bowels in tip-top shape,” Steve replied, so serious that Jill’s head snapped toward him. “Well, it does.”
She didn’t know how in the hell he did it, but in any dire situation, Steve could say something so off the wall that she couldn’t help but laugh and laugh she did, so much so she started to dry heave. “Shit, Steve, you’re going to kill me.”
“I do what I can, babe... I do what I can.” Steve got into the furthest left lane turning on his hazards. “I think that’s it.”
“I don’t know.” Jill moved closer to the windshield to see. “Are you sure?”
The van in front of them moved and what it revealed made both Steve and Jill glance at each other. News trucks and reporters lined the street. Jill looked up at the building they were in front of. In big elaborate lettering, it said City Hall.
“Holy shit on a stick.” Steve had parked on the street in a spot someone had just pulled out of.
“I can’t do this.” Jill’s insides literally shook as she watched all the reporters standing around. “What in the hell did you tell them?”
“You told me to get the media here and that’s what I did. I told them there was a government cover-up that was going to be exposed.” Steve grinned, proud of his achievement.
“Seriously, I don’t think I can do this.” Jill hated to admit that, but it was true.
“Yes, you can.” Steve slammed his hand on the dashboard. “You are woman. Let them hear you roar.”
“I so want to kill you right now.” Jill sneered at him. “I hate that fucking song.”
“What in the hell are you waiting for?” Hunter slammed his hands on the top of the car while sticking his face through the open window.
Jill jumped, screaming. “What are you doing here?” When she saw Adam standing behind Hunter, Jill cursed. “Dammit, Steve.”
“I’m sorry, but I felt we needed some backup.” Steve gave his empty apology. He didn’t look apologetic in the least. “I tried to get her pumped up with that ‘I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar’ song, but she’s just not feeling it.”
Struggling with the door, she pushed her way out before she actually killed Steve. Standing, she swayed, but Hunter steadied her.
“Let’s just calm down.” Hunter forced her to look at him with a light shake. “Jill, this was your plan. Do you believe in what you set out to do here?”
“Of course I do.” Jill nodded, making her dizzy so she stopped.
“Then let’s go do it.” Hunter gave her a wink. “We’re behind you. You won’t be alone.”
Jill took a deep breath. “If he sings that fucking song one more time.” Jill knew she was stalling, but she couldn’t help it.
“I’ll kill him myself,” Hunter assured her without cracking a grin.
“Okay.” Jill almost nodded, but stopped. “Okay! Let’s do this.”
Steve, Hunter, and Adam surrounded Jill as they walked up the steps to City Hall. Jill tried to keep her eyes straight ahead, but she did see Steve giving reporters nods, and soon they had a crowd following them.
“I think I’m going to get sick,” Jill whispered, holding onto Adam’s hand.
“What the fuck are you going to throw up?” Adam whispered back. “You been holding out on me and found something better than crackers?”
Jill choked out a laugh, then leaned in toward Adam. “I’m having a hard time pissing,” she admitted with a whisper not knowing why she shared that with him, but just felt the need to do so.
“Welcome to the club.” Adam opened the door allowing Jill to go in first. “After this is over, we can compare symptoms.”
“Deal.” Jill’s smile faded as they were met with a metal detector. She didn’t bring her weapon and hoped the guys didn’t either or she would be going in there alone. Jill started to go through, but the officer running it stopped her.
“What business do you have here?” The officer’s tone was nasty.
“I’m here for the—” Jill started, but was interrupted.
“Step to the side and let these people pass,” the officer ordered.
Jill did as she was told. Tension rolled off Adam and Hunter who flanked her. Steve’s face was even pinched in a very pissed-off sneer.
Getting a little angry herself, she looked at the reporters and cameramen before trying to walk through again. This time, the officer stepped from behind the screening counter and started to reach for her.
“I’m going to put this as politely as I can and believe me that is not easy for me to do especially when I’m staring into the face of ignorance.” Hunter stepped in front of Jill, blocking the officer. “What you are doing is against the law. If she passes through the metal detector without incident, she can legally walk into this building as a US citizen. You are profiling her because she is a half-breed.”
“I asked her a question.” The officer didn’t look too sure of himself.
“Which has no merit,” Hunter replied before looking at a pretty reporter with a wink. “Isn’t that right? You rolling on this?”
“As a matter of fact, I am.” The reporter smiled back at Hunter, then to the officer she held out the mic. “Would you like to explain your reasoning on questioning this young lady when not questioning others?”
The officer gave the reporter and Hunter a dark glare before going back behind the screening table. “Go ahead,” the officer snapped.
Jill gave the woman reporter a nod of thanks before walking through the metal detector then waited as Hunter, Adam, and lastly Steve who stared wide-eyed at the officer showing his golden vampire eyes as he passed.
“Maybe you should do the talking.” Jill glanced at Hunter.
“Nah, I just used up all my nice,” he replied, coming to a stop and looking around. “I’ll end up shooting off at the mouth and all will be lost.”
“I think that’s the room you’re looking for.” The reporter pointed to a room people were filing into.
“Thank you.” Jill smiled as she made her way inside. They found a place to sit near the front and waited. Six men and three women sat on a podium that stretched across the room. One man was talking, but Jill wasn’t listening; instead, she focused on what she needed to say and hoped with everything she had she didn’t screw this up. She started to turn to see how much media was in the room, but Hunter stopped her.
“Don’t,” Hunter whispered. “No one other than you and those nine people up there are in this room. Fight, Jill. You’re not only speaking for yourself, you’re speaking for a whole race.”
“We’re going to open up now for citizens to express concerns,” one man said, drawing Jill’s attention.
“You’re on.” Hunter gave her an encouraging nod.
Steve and Adam touched her as she passed in encouragement. As soon as Jill stood and started toward the podium, a man stood also heading that way.
“Hey, dude,” Hunter called out. “Ladies first.”
The man, embarrassed, nodded and sat down. A few people snickered.
Jill walked to the podium staring at the microphone. “My name is Jillian Bucha...”
“You need to speak up.” One of the men on the council said, looking irritated to have to even say anything.
Her eyes searched each and every one of them and only two, maybe showed any interest in what she had to say and that set her soul on fire adding fuel to her growing anger.
“My name is Jillian Buchanan.” Her voice was strong and clear this time.
“I take it you are the reason for all the media here today.” Another man who sat on a platform higher than her looked down his narrowed nose.
“Yes.” Jill nodded, knowing they were only seeing her mismatched eyes. “I most certainly am and I’m glad I made that call because just getting into this building proved difficult. Only with the help of a reporter was I allowed to walk inside.”
“State your business.” Another man looked at his watch, not even at her.
“There is only one thing that sets me apart from you,” Jill began, taking time to look at each council member. “I love like you. I breathe like you. I even have a heartbeat like you, but the thing that sets me apart from you is I’m a half-breed who has been sentenced to death. As you sit on your platform playing God, I, along with hundreds more are slowly starving to death.”
Murmurs from the crowd echoed throughout the room, but Jill wasn’t finished.
“By no choice of my own I was given a manmade serum to turn me into a half-breed. The serum is making us sick. The only way to save us is to change us, but a new law you proposed and had passed prohibits any half-breed to be changed. I refuse to let my husband, Dr. Slade Buchanan, change me because of this law. He would lose his VC Warrior status, be jailed, and lose his medical license.” Jill’s throat swelled with emotion preventing her from saying anything for a second. Jill swayed, black spots dotted across her vision. Swallowing hard, she cleared her throat. “You have already jailed a highly regarded VC Warrior for changing his loved one, I’ll be damned if you jail another.”
Jill watched as one council member leaned over whispering something to another.
“I am standing before you today to fight for my life. I deserve to live whether I’m human or vampire.” This time tears filled her eyes. Her body was weak and the room swayed, but she kept a death grip on the podium because she was not going down until she finished. “This happening to me means it can happen to one of your loved ones, even yourselves.”
“Mrs. Buchanan, you need to realize we have to have some kind of regulation,” a stuffy older gentleman who eyed her with disdain said into his little microphone.
“Why?” Jill asked, now leaning against the podium. Something was wrong and she was fighting to stay on her feet. Her breathing felt funny and her vision kept bouncing from clear to blurry. When the man didn’t answer, Jill’s anger skyrocketed. “It’s a simple question.”
“No, it’s not,” he replied. “We can’t have vampires running around changing people...”
Jill shook her head. “I see that you have no clue what the hell you’re talking about.” Moving her face away from the microphone, Jill tried to take a couple deep breaths. When Hunter started to come to her, she waved him away, turning back to the microphone. “If by regulation you mean jailing a VC Warrior for saving his wife’s life then this council is a lost cause.”
“Insubordination will not be tolerated.” The old council member’s jowls bobbled with anger.
Jill slammed her hand down hard on the podium. “I am fighting for my life as well as the lives of others and you want to talk about insubordination? I speak the truth. What you’re doing is a crime. I am a VC Warrior and I swore an oath to protect...protect you...all of you in this room. You are people of power, who can easily do what’s right.” Jill looked down at her hand which was cramping and clawing, the pain excruciating. “But you refuse to do so because of your fear, and because of your fear, innocent people are suffering.”
“Yes, we along with many other councils proposed this law, but you have to understand Mrs. Buchanan the crime rate with your kind is...”
Jill interrupted the old man who sat in judgment of her. “So you decide to see us die when you know the cure.” She shook her head as if trying to understand their reasoning. “Not to mention jailing a VC Warrior who upholds the law.”
“It is a travesty, but...”
“No!” Jill pointed right at him as she interrupted once again. “For you to have any power over people’s lives is a travesty.”
Knowing that talking to these people was a waste of time, Jill turned toward the media directly behind her. “I was human, I am still half human. I have the right to live as does hundreds, maybe thousands more who are dying like me. Desperation is going to set in and this law is going to be broken...has been broken, but not by evil. This law is going to be broken by people who are just trying to save their loved ones. Don’t let this happen. Fight because it can be yourself or a loved one you’re fighting to save next.”
A loud roaring echoed in her ears. Her sight dimmed. Dammit she wasn’t finished, but knew she couldn’t go on. She wanted Slade.
“Mrs. Buchanan, are you okay?” The woman reporter who was closet to her asked.
“No, I’m not,” Jill replied, a tear slipping down her cheek.
“Jill?” Adam, Hunter and Steve surrounded her.
“Get me out of here.” She whispered, fear filling her soul. “I want Slade.”
Hunter and Adam grabbed her. People moved quickly out of the way as they passed, every news camera on her. Once outside on the steps, they were surrounded by more media as well as half-breeds and vampires who must have been watching the news and came in support.
“Let us through.” Steve fought to clear a path.
Jill collapsed on the steps. Adam was too weak to do anything. Hunter tried to carry Jill and fight his way through the crowd with Steve. Jill watched it all happen through a dimmed haze of death and knew it was too late for her and she was terrified. She wasn’t ready to die.
Hunter laid her down, staring at her with fear and fury, people pushing at him, but he shielded her body with his. One hard push had him falling on top of her. With a roar, he threw his head back. His body rippled as he changed on the steps of City Hall and stood over Jill snapping at anyone who came near. She could hear Steve screaming to someone and felt Adam’s hand on her hair.
“I’m so sorry, Jill.” Adam’s voice shook with tears.
She tried to move her mouth to talk, but nothing would come out. Her heart slowed, her body dimming like a burned-out candle. Her last thought as her eyes closed was of Slade, and in the distance, she heard the cry of a wolf.
******
Slade stood in front of the television in Sloan’s office, his eyes glued to Jill who stood fighting for not only herself, but others. He watched as she swayed and held onto the podium, alarms going off in his brain.
“How far is City Hall from here?” Slade frowned when he watched Jill squint her eyes. “How fucking far?”
“About ten minutes with traffic.” Sid took his eyes off the screen for a split second.
“Get me out of here.” Jill’s voice filled the room as they all watched her sway again. “I want Slade.”
Slade was the first out the door with everyone following. Within seconds, motorcycles flew out of the parking lot. Sid led the way zooming in and out of traffic. Brake lights for as far as you could see stretched out in front of them. Jared passed them waving his arm. Slade revved his bike and followed up an embankment and out of danger from the cars.
He had to get to her in time. He saw the signs of her body shutting down. She seemed okay when he left this morning, but he knew how fast organs could fail. “Fuck!” Urgency made Slade crazy with fear. “Come on!”
Sid pointed and Slade saw tons of people, cops and ambulances. Slade r
ode his bike up on the sidewalk, hitting the steps of City Hall before laying the bike down safely away from citizens. His feet didn’t miss a beat as he ran knocking people out of the way and then there she was with Steve and Adam trying to guard her. Hunter in wolf form was poised over her growling at anyone who dared to come near.
Sliding to his knees, he reached for her, bringing her to him. “Jill?” He checked her pulse and barely felt it beat against his fingers. “How long has she been like this?”
“About five minutes.” Adam’s voice was weak, but anger fractured every word.
“I’m here, Jill. Hang on for me.” Slade moved his ear to her chest and counted her heartbeats. They were too slow. She wasn’t going to make it. “God dammit!” Slade’s bellow rang out, making people take a step back. Warriors started showing up and circled Slade and Jill, keeping prying eyes away.
He felt a hand on his shoulder. “Do it.” Sloan’s voice registered in his mind.
Not that he needed permission, but Jesus, he could still lose her. Slade Buchanan was terrified and broken. He looked down at Jill’s pale face to see red tear drops splattering her skin. His fangs elongated as he tilted her neck. He heard the chant of courage coming from the Warriors who stood to protect him as he tried to save the only person who ever mattered to him and the one he loved more than his own life.
CHAPTER 23
Slade waited as patiently as he could as they processed his paperwork at the jail. Duncan, from what he understood, had been released hours earlier. Jill had done it. She had gotten the law changed and he was so fucking proud of her he could burst.
Because of all the media attention, he had been allowed to stay with Jill until she fully recovered. They City Council members wanted no more bad press. Like they could have stopped him from staying with her. His own death would have been the only thing that kept him from her side. Also Sloan threatening to pull every VC Warrior under him out of the city had made a big impact on allowing Slade to be able to turn himself in at a later date.
It took only two days for Jill to be up on her feet. She hadn’t experienced the shock Pam had and for each individual it was different. Some turned fast and other’s could take weeks while a few didn’t make it at all. His Jillian was a strong woman.
A Warrior Wedding Page 16
