He squirmed, clenching his jaw.
“I was bait. Meant to capture William. Eva and Stricker used his feelings for me to set a trap. Riley knew. Knows. That’s what sparked the jealous rage all aimed at William. He saw him as a threat. As competition.”
Charlie had pieced that much together.
But anyone using his sister as bait was unacceptable, and his wolf agreed, a growl stirring in his gut. Remember, we promised not to get mad or be judgmental. The wolf cooled a little.
Melinda continued.
“When Eva first captured William, he was helpless. They hung a bucket of werewolf blood over my head, I didn’t know until too late.”
“A bucket? Where the heck… son of a bitch. The dead werewolf, right? The one I thought was the alpha?”
“Yeah. That’s the one. They drained it and used the blood to capture William. When he arrived to save me like they assumed he would, they dumped it all over both of us. It paralyzed him. In seconds. I didn’t stay covered in the blood long, Riley dumped some icy creek water over me, hence the freezing ass cold I couldn’t ditch until yesterday.”
Charlie’s clenched jaw started to grind.
Not getting mad. Not mad at Melinda anyway. She was doing her best to explain but the struggle was obvious in her tone.
“William lost all control over his body. He couldn’t even blink properly.” Melinda’s arm went nervously up to her neck, sifting up through her hair. “Eva told him he would suffer for killing her father and mother, and that she’d only let Riley stop torturing him once he begged for death.” Melinda ignored the growl gritting through her brother’s teeth. “But there was another condition. An even sicker one than just your run of the mill torture threat.” She held her stomach as if she might get sick, but took a breath and said, “If William begged for release, which Eva promised most sadistically he would, they would burn me alive, make him watch, and then kill him after…”
A snarl percolated in Charlie’s throat; he had a difficult time staying put and not punching something through a wall.
Melinda avoided catching his eye. He was mad and she’d expected nothing less. She’d messed up and there was no pretending she had not.
He knew it had been bad. Horrific. And terrifying. But this made him wish he had the chance to bring Eva Jordan back from the grave and kill her again. And again. And again. His wolf growled in unsatisfied agreement. And the Feyk, if they ever stepped foot on the Isle again he’d make sure they never left it, alive. And what about his sister? How would she heal from this? It took four years the last time, and if possible, this was worse than just losing her parents.
“Charlie,” his sister called out uneasily.
“My anger is not aimed at you.” He nodded for her to continue. It was difficult to listen, but he guessed a hundred times harder to tell it, and have lived through it.
“When Riley… I shouldn’t say it was him, because the blame is all on Eva and Stricker.”
“But it’s Riley’s face you see…”
“I hate that it is, but yes. When I close my eyes all I see and hear is Riley torturing William. Eva taunting him. It lasted all night long. They didn’t stop. And William took every punishing blow so I would not die.” She stopped, needing a minute. Saying it aloud made it all too real. Too fresh.
Her brother grabbed her hands, nothing else he could do to comfort her.
They owed the vampire more than he, or anyone, could ever repay. William had been part of the Howard’s lives for such a long time. An important one he hated to lose. Blaming him for the death of this tourist was the last thing he wanted to do.
“Um, so, that’s not all of it,” Melinda said, a bit more calmly. He let go of her hands, sat back a little, giving her space to continue. “None of it would have happened if I’d had the guts to be honest about my dream. But I was afraid of the confrontation, of having an awkward conversation. Of admitting how I really felt. So I didn’t. And even though I was the one who messed up so badly, William would have let himself die, or let the torture continue forever, if it meant keeping me alive. I really messed up, Charlie. It was entirely my fault. And there’s no pretending it wasn’t to make me feel better.”
Charlie held a weighted breath.
Melinda didn’t stop, spilling everything she’d kept secret.
Explaining the entire dream from start to finish. Every painful and uncomfortable detail. And even told him exactly what happened after she, William, and Lucas had been captured by the Feyk. Finding Emily in the cage with Lucas. She even went so far as to tell him about her bad dates, including Jerkwad. Meeting Riley and finding out too late, he was a Deane.
Charlie let her explain, and didn’t interrupt. But his mind had trouble accepting and processing it all. How had he missed so much? He thought he knew his sister well. Believed she held nothing back from him. As it turned out, he might as well have been a stranger. Not a brother who’d taken over as a poor replacement for a mother and father. He didn’t understand how her mind worked at all. He’d missed so much.
And Jerkwad… Melinda was not aware, but Jerkwad had a name Charlie was familiar with and the asshat had better hope they never crossed paths.
“I always thought we were close,” he mumbled absentmindedly. He hadn’t meant to say it aloud. Or for it to come out as a bad thing, more an observation and a failure, on his part.
“I’m sorry,” she spilled tearfully. She didn’t think she could feel any lower or more ashamed. Rock bottom. This had to be it. Nothing left, all out in the open now. No more secrets. Charlie knew every detail of her life that she’d kept hidden.
She’d left out the most intimate moments of her time with William after he’d saved her life, as well as Riley at the quarry, saying only that things had happened, but Charlie got the idea and didn’t need to hear the rest.
There was a wide mix of feelings emoting out of Charlie, none winning over the other for precedence. Melinda wondered what he was thinking about all she’d revealed. But the more she thought about it, her brother hadn’t been entirely honest either.
“You’ve had your secrets too, Charlie,” she reminded.
Melinda was right. There were many things he’d kept secret regarding his inner werewolf, about how the alpha who turned him could have gained control of his heart, mind, and body. The alpha, being the now deceased Eva Jordan.
He hadn’t told them about Nina, his summer fling; the Guardian who sacrificed herself so he could have her protection ring.
Or that he’d been taking unconscious nighttime strolls across the Isle, waking up naked in the woods. But there wasn’t much left to tell now.
“I don’t want to know all your secrets,” Melinda clarified. “And I can’t promise to tell you everything about my life. But if it’s important to the job, or something I need help with, I will tell you.”
“I guess I thought I was more available to you than I was. Just promise me, Melinda, don’t let me push you away, or get too busy. Make me stop. Make me listen if I’m not. I didn’t realize how wrapped up in day-to-day life I got. I’m always worried about you. But I never pushed, and never asked. I guess I should have.”
“And I never told, Charlie. We’re equally at fault on this.”
“We can’t let it happen again. Not only because of being witches. You’re my sister and I care about what goes on in your life. And you can tell me anything. I know I’m stubborn and impatient sometimes… just, call me on it. And I’ll do my best to…” She stopped him.
“Don’t sell yourself so short. You’ve always done the best you could. You’re supposed to my big brother, not my dad.”
A brittle chuckle escaped him.
“Charlie, you’re a pass or fail kind of guy. There is no middle ground for you, and I think that’s where we all are right now. This gray, ugly, middle ground. I think it’s where I’ve been living these last four years.”
“I’m not a fan of middle ground,” he stated, agreeing in her simplified explana
tion of him.
“It’s not a place I want to live in anymore, either. But I’m not sure how to climb out of it, and stay out of it.” She paused, lowering her gaze. “Are you… mad at me? Disappointed?” Melinda had to ask him.
“No. Equally at fault, didn’t we agree?”
“I mean about falling for two guys I should not have fallen for, and no matter how hard I try still have feelings for, even after everything’s that’s happened.”
“Oh, that, um… a Deane and a vampire. Riley and William. A few days ago, I might not have understood, so easily. But today…” he trailed off with an eye roll.
“What do you mean?”
Charlie puffed out his cheeks, pushing out a pocket of air.
“The other night I sort of, may have, kind of, without thinking first, professed my undying love to um… Lizzy… Deane.”
Melinda choked out a cough. What the heck happened in the last week? She’d missed a lot since getting caught by the Feyk.
“Yeah… another Howard in love with a Deane. I can’t judge,” said Charlie. “And I’m in so much freaking trouble.”
“Why? Because you lied in the heat of the moment?”
“No. Because I was telling the truth. And I’ve been avoiding the subject ever since. Not that I haven’t been busy. Her too.” Lizzy was off the island right now with Lucas, searching for Riley. They’d gone to the mainland and had not yet returned.
“Wow. I never thought I’d see the day my brother fell in love.”
“Is it really that hard to believe?”
“Yes,” she answered honestly. “And with Lizzy? Huh…”
“Huh good, or huh bad?” he asked hesitantly.
“Actually, I think, huh, kind of perfect. I mean, if you’re looking for someone to call you on your bullshit…”
His breath caught an edge, he smirked, giving his head a self-admonishing shake.
This conversation had not been easy, but was long overdue. And although painful in places, not so bad in the end. So why was it always so hard to get it going? And why did it always end up being a blast of admissions all at once, rather than sharing things along the way. This passive aggressive Howard trait needed a swift kick in the pants! And Charlie was determined to do better.
“Not to change the subject,” he started a minute later. “I think we’ve been honest enough for one day. This whole thing between William and you, is this why he left the Isle?”
“He said it had nothing to do with us. Only for some reason he would not say, he had to leave.”
“You realize his sudden absence will only make him look even guiltier in the eyes of the law, right?”
“Charlie, I know whoever killed that tourist on the beach is not William. I’d bet my life on it. He was in control when he came to me. He wasn’t crazed, or high on blood.”
“I believe you,” Charlie said. “I’m just not sure how to prove his innocence to Mack. I wonder why he’d leave.”
“Maybe he needed some space for a few days? Like you said, he did go through hell. Unlike anything I can even imagine. I was merely an observer.”
“I’d disagree with that sentiment, Sis. You suffered. Differently, yes. But suffered nonetheless. Don’t degrade your feelings. They are valid. And yours. No one else experienced it like you did. Not even William. It’s okay to admit it, most especially to yourself.”
“Look at you,” she breathed out. “Being all smart and stuff.”
“God. Don’t go telling anyone. Especially Lizzy. She’ll have my nose shoved in a book before I know what hit me.”
“And I’m sure you want your nose shoved in… oh I so didn’t even start to say that. Moving on…”
Charlie cleared his throat. “Yeah. Enough with sharing time. We can button it up, just a little. Siblings and sex lives, not a topic I care to discuss in depth. Unless necessary,” he reminded, for her benefit. Any other asshat had the gall to treat her like Jerkwad; he wanted to know about it.
“Anyway,” she changed the subject. “William…”
“Right. It’s not like him to up and leave.”
“No. But this whole thing isn’t like anything we’ve ever gone through before. I guess we’re all dealing with it the best we can. He’s a vampire with ridiculous control, but maybe it was too much, even for him.”
“My fear exactly. He is a vampire who experienced severe trauma and drank a ton of human blood. Who is missing.”
“And a body turned up, death by vampire bite…” Melinda sighed. “Freaking perfect.”
“Yeah. A second vampire on the island who is into drinking humans. Not a good thing. And not something I want to deal with today. Or tomorrow. Or next week.”
Melinda tossed her brother a determined gaze. “I’d like to go home. I’m fine. Really, I am.” She shook her head. “Okay, not fine, but I’m okay. And that’s as good as it’s going to get right now. I’m sad. A little confused about some things, but what’s new? And I’m tired, but I’m healing, and I think I actually will go crazy if they make me stay here. Besides, you need me. Michael’s taking care of Emily, and William’s gone…”
“I think you’re ready to go home,” Charlie told her. He’d actually never been so confident about his sister’s mental health. “But let me check with the doctor and make sure, okay?” He stood up to leave the room and stopped. “You know how much I love you, right?”
“Lots?” she returned lightheartedly.
“Yeah. Lots.”
“I love you too, Charlie. You might not be Mom or Dad, but you’re one of the two best big brothers a girl could ask for.”
He responded with a blunt chuckle and left the room wishing that were true. Best, was not what he was thinking at all. His sister was right about being a pass or fail kind of guy. If he didn’t get it right, he was a failure. But the middle ground was not an attractive place to hang out in…
While he checked with the doctor, Melinda lay back and stared at the ceiling.
There were no more secrets. She’d done what William had asked.
Her heart was lighter in some ways. Heavier in others.
She wondered where he was, what he was doing, if he was alone. And most of all when he would come home. She could not even think straight at the thought of maybe he had left, and would not come home. That their short goodbye was in fact, a final goodbye.
Maybe it was everything to do with them, and he’d lied to make her feel better. He’d promised no more secrets… at least revolving around them. So perhaps it really wasn’t anything to do with them. But that meant it was something else that no one knew of, and he was not willing to share. Even with her.
And William had told her to forgive Riley… what she really heard was, he’s right for you, I’m not. She hadn’t expected anything different, and yet it still hurt to hear. God. Riley… she wanted to forgive him. She really did. It wasn’t even his fault, all that had happened and all the terrible things he’d said, and done. The memory of his dashing smile warmed her, but turned to dread when his lips curled into a vile grin. She wished she could breathe out the memory of that and let it fly away across the ocean.
Not too long ago she’d thought he was perfect. And he could comfort her in a way no one else could. And even if that comfort might feel good right now, in a way, Melinda didn’t want it. Which had nothing at all to do with Riley and everything to do with the one thing her brain had successfully worked out during her time in the hospital.
She never wanted to be helpless like that ever again.
She did not want to depend on her brothers, or William, or Mack, or anyone, in the future.
Only herself.
Which meant picking herself up, getting back on her feet, and proving she could make it on her own.
CHAPTER 2
Lucas and Lizzy Deane were on the ferry heading home to The Demon Isle. They’d attempted to follow and track Riley’s trail after he’d fled the Isle three days prior, but the trail had gone cold, and they were forced to give
up and go home. All they’d been able to figure out, he’d headed south. Which is about the only direction you can head when in the state of Maine, unless you want to end up across the border in Canada, and Riley didn’t have a passport.
All he did have was his motorcycle and few personal belongings. None of which included a phone they could use to contact him as he’d dumped it before leaving the Isle. Not that he’d answer or respond anyway. He’d run away, and frankly, even worried about him, they couldn’t blame him for doing so.
It was early morning, minutes before sunrise. Lucas and Lizzy had slept only a few short hours in the last few days, never mind the time before that during the confrontation with the Feyk. But they had to try to find Riley, even with the assumption the effort would prove useless.
Fog rolled across the bay, lazily; it was still too cool for it to lift, but the ferry departed on time, regardless. Lucas half-heartedly followed Lizzy to the upper deck. Cloud cover, drizzle, and fog did not stop Lizzy Deane from staying outdoors, rather than comfortably inside. Where anyone else in their right mind would be on a morning such as this.
She went to the damp railing, grasping it for support, and watched the big boat push off the landing with a loud toot of its horn. The sound rippled out across the bay in warning of its departure.
Lucas took a seat nearby on a long wooden bench, pulling his jacket tightly around himself. Everything was damp. The benches. His hair. His jacket. His skin. It had a way of seeping deep inside and chilling him straight through.
He was going back to a place he’d rather not be.
No matter what Lizzy claimed about him needing to embrace his witchy heritage, he hated magic and the strife it brought his family; a curse he was damned to live with, forever, seeing as Deane blood coursed through his veins.
Riley was old enough to look after himself, but he’d never been on his own before and had never gone through an ordeal similar to the one they’d just survived. Lucas feared it had changed his brother, for good. That he might not recover and be the same Riley he’d been before.
Lucas had watched his brother change enough already after their parent’s deaths. And after his magical feeling gift had kicked in, he’d pulled into himself a little, no longer the outgoing, having fun, always the popular guy at the party, type. Dated women who treated him like a stop at a highway rest area… quick in, quick out, nothing worth sticking around for… until meeting Melinda Howard. Lucas recalled that first day his brother came home after spending the afternoon with her… lazily meandering into the manor, a faraway dazed grin on his face.
Vampire Interrupted (Wicked Good Witches Book 8) Page 3
