by Gow, Kailin
“Due to the serious nature of the crime, Your Honor, we ask that bail be refused and the defendant held until trial.”
“Ms. McDaniel,” the judge said as he nodded to Asher’s lawyer.
“My client has always been an upstanding citizen and has no prior record, Your Honor. While the severity of the crime is great, the evidence in this case is flimsy at best. In addition, my client poses no flight risk, and we believe he should be released on his own recognizance.”
“No flight risk?” the prosecutor argued. “This young man brutally murdered one of San Francisco’s most highly regarded citizens.”
“Allegedly,” Ms. McDaniel threw in.
“Your Honor,” the prosecutor went on. “Asher Fritzpatrick has no known family in the San Francisco area, in all of California for that matter and he’s forged a very small number of thin friendships in the small time he’s lived in the community. With a murder charge hanging over his head, he has absolutely no reason to remain in the area.”
The judge flipped through the court papers on his desk then glanced at Asher with a frown on his brow. “Bail will be set at five point five million.”
Ms. McDaniel jumped to her feet. “Your Honor, that is an outrageous amount. There is no way my client can come up with that kind of money.”
I nudged Brax with my elbow.
“Sorry, Lux,” he whispered. “I can’t come up with that amount of money so fast. I received just a little over two million and the rest is to come later.”
Moore rose. “Your Honor, if I may.”
The judge nodded.
“I’ve known the defendant for only a few months, but in that time I’ve come to know him as a respectable and hard-working young man. While he may not have a great number of friends in the area, I do know that he’s very close to Lux Collins.” He gestured towards me. “And would not want to run.”
Turning to me, the judge waved me to stand. “What is your relation to the defendant?”
“I’m a close friend, Your Honor. In the short time I’ve known him he’s been nothing but kind and gentle. I was also there the night of the murder and know Asher had nothing to do with it.”
“We have a statement from…” He perused the court papers. “Shayne Hatchett. She walked into the room to see the defendant’s hands around the victim’s neck.”
“Shayne is my sister, Your Honor,” Moore said, “and she may have acted on the stress of the evening when she made that statement.”
“If that’s true, she’s had plenty of time to amend her statement since then.”
“I fear she may also have felt slighted by the accused. She’d made romantic advances which he’d rebuffed.”
“Women,” the judge muttered.
Brax got to his feet. “Your Honor, I was also there the night of the murder.”
“And you are…?”
“Braxton Kingsley.”
Perplexed the judge flipped through the court papers once more. “Any relation to Dr. Kingsley, the victim?”
“Yes, Your Honor. I’m his nephew.”
The judge fell silent as he glanced at us one by one, turned to Asher, then at the court papers before him. With a pound of his mallet against his desk, he said, “My decision stands… bail at five point five.”
Ms. McDaniel stood to argue, but Moore quickly interceded. “I’ll post bond, Your Honor.”
The judge stared at him. “All of it?”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
After hours of paper work, running to the bank to prepare the required certified check and signing more papers, all four of us walked out into the brilliant afternoon sun.
“Wow,” Asher exclaimed. “Never thought I’d be so excited about seeing the sun again.”
“These past weeks must have been awful for you,” I said.
“You don’t know the half of it.”
“Sorry it took so long for me to come for you.”
“Don’t sweat it. The important thing is that I’m out now.” He glanced at my silent partners.
Both with their hands shoved deep in their pant pockets and both glaring at the ground beneath their feet, Brax and Moore seemed reluctant to even acknowledge Asher’s presence.
“I can understand you bringing Brax here, but Moore?”
“We suspected the bail would be astronomical.”
“Still, I really don’t like the idea of having him around.”
“Don’t worry, dude,” Moore said. “I’m not too thrilled about being around you either.”
Ignoring him, Asher addressed me. “You know it’s dangerous to have him around you. Haven’t we had enough trouble?”
“I knew I should have left your sorry ass in there.” Moore’s face reddened with anger.
“Guys, please.” I stopped and stood between the great towers of testosterone. “Asher, Moore is fighting the darkness and he’s also keeping an eye on Shayne to ensure she doesn’t drain a soul. I also need him to help me find the beautiful beings at St. James.”
“Beautiful beings? At St. James? What are you talking about?”
“A drained body was found a few days ago and we think it’s someone from St. James.”
Shoving his shoulders forward in a confrontational show of anger, Asher glared at Moore. “Exactly. Don’t tell me this clown didn’t have anything to do with it.”
“He didn’t, Asher.” I put my hand to his chest and reached out to do the same to Moore as he approached, prepared to fight Asher. “Can you guys just put aside your differences for a minute? Can we just all work together? Lord knows we have plenty to do.”
Huffing like rival bucks, the pair backed away.
“If you guys can just manage to get along long enough for us to rid St. James of its beautiful beings, then you can all hate each other all you want after that.”
Chapter 11
I awoke the next morning with the fierce knowledge that a battle was eminent. With Braxton, Asher and Moore on my side, I had my own little army and was prepared to face the beautiful beings.
My crucifix around my neck and my bag slung over my shoulder, I opened the front door to face the big day ahead.
“You bitch!”
The words rang out before I could even see who’d spoken them. Before I could register what was happening, I was lunged at, my hair pulled back, yanking my head up to a painful angle. I let out a frail yelp as a mass of blond hair and black leather clad limbs attacked me.
I’d been prepared for a battle that day, but not this, not so soon, not in my own home.
Taking advantage of the surprise factor, my attacker shoved me to the kitchen, punching and slapping me all the way, a tight and painful hold still clinging to my ponytail. Given a forceful shove, I fell back with a dull thud.
“First you manipulate my brother into flying you to England…”
Shayne, I thought with a deep sense of dread.
“Now you have him freeing that idiot murderer.” Clapping her hands to my ears, she raised my head inches off the ceramic tiled floor and slammed it down hard.
I heard a loud crack and wondered if it was my skull or the tile that had split it in two.
The room darkened and through the gloom I felt Shayne’s fingers wrap around my neck and squeeze. She had the rage, and with me on my back, she had the advantage. Fear of death invaded my thoughts as the world became increasingly black and bleak. I had to find the ability to fight her. With a deep breath and a rush of adrenaline, I gathered my strength and jerked her choke hold off me.
“You’ve caused me enough problems since arriving at St. James,” she spat. “I put up with you.” Before I could roll away from her, she shoved her knee into my belly, and accentuated each word with a sound punch to my jaw. “I humored my beloved but anal brother with his desire in getting to know you, and I even befriended you.”
Her knee dug in deeper, allowing me little room to breathe.
“I’ve ran out of patience.” Her voice changed, becoming an eerie growl;
a satanic growl I’d heard too many times before. “I want the Book of Angels, then I want your soul.”
Through the mane of wild hair I saw a glimmer of the beautiful girl Shayne had been.
“I don’t have it.”
“Liar,” she snarled. “You may have fooled Moore, but I see what you are. He’s just too stupid to see you’ll destroy him. You’ve already usurped his energy and have turned him into little more than a lap dog.” Pressing her fingers to my throat, she leaned closer, her demonic, red-rimmed eyes intent on my face. “Now where is that damned book?”
“Shayne,” I gasped through breaths as I struggled to loosen her grip. “Shayne, I know you're in there. I know you're aware how wrong this is. You have to be strong and fight it.”
Her fingers clamped tighter. “You may have played that angelic game with Moore, but you can forget about dragging me into it.”
Pushing her hand off my throat, I threw her off and quickly sat up. “It’s the devil who is dragging you down, Shayne. I know you feel it. Fight it before it’s too late. Fight it like Moore is doing.”
Her eyes glazed over as her laughter rang out, loud, wicked and vile. It crept through the house, invading the crevices and filling nooks. The room darkened and vibrated with her satanic energy.
Crawling back to the cupboards, I leaned against the stove and pulled out the drawer my dad kept his sharpest knives in. As her maniacal cackle rang on, I slipped the smallest knife into the cuff of my blouse.
With honed instincts that were disturbingly accurate, she turned her attention to me, her nostrils flaring as she searched the source of eminent danger. Her troubled gaze sat on my crucifix for a long and perplexed moment before dipping to the wrist that hid the knife.
Her brow crinkled, giving her monstrous features an oddly cartoonish effect. “You should have slain me.” Her voice was now an unrecognizable growl.
“You’re Moore’s sister.” While in my heart I knew I would have to slay her should she attack again, I wanted to spare Moore the loss of his sibling. If possible, I would simply maim her with the knife, just enough to subdue the demon in her. “He loves you and would want me to try to save you.”
“How noble of you.”
“I mean it, Shayne. I do want to help you.”
“We tried to save ourselves already, remember? The Book of Angels… Asher. Had you truly been so eager to help us, you wouldn’t have intervened. Instead, you ruined everything.” Like a high strung cat, she lunged at me, tore my crucifix off and tossed it aside before pounding my head to the oven door. “You ruined everything!”
The demonic power within her, fueled by rage, gave her strength beyond any I’d ever encounter. With one hand, she stood me on my feet, shoved me into the living room and pushed me headlong into my mother’s curio case. The knife flew from my cuff and lay useless several feet away.
Hearing the crash of my mother’s cherished Lladro porcelain collection brought a new sense of dread and fear. My parents’ house… they would arrive from work to find my body drained and lying lifeless amidst the wreck that had been the normal home they’d always worked so hard to offer me.
On my belly with Shayne’s weight on my back, I stared at a shattered angel on the floor, my mother’s most recent acquisition. My strength waned.
“I’ll find the Book of Angels myself.” Shayne grabbed my ponytail and used it as a handle as she repeatedly pounded my head to the floor.
With the chipped angels wing just inches from me, I felt my consciousness ebb away. I caught a sharp ray of light beaming through my eyelids and I turned to find the source.
Asher, tall, strong and glorious, stood at my door, his bright light blinding as it shimmered all around him. He bounded in, grabbed Shayne’s mane and sent her flying across the room to the opposite wall. With an odd gurgling sound, she slid down the wall and lay in a heap.
“Lux,” Asher said, quick to come to my side. He turned me over and I groaned softly as the menagerie of pain took over my entire body.
I pulled my lids open a crack.
“Lux, talk to me. Tell me you're okay.”
Through the slit I saw a shadow of movement from the other side of the room. I wanted to tell him, warn him, but my body refused to respond to my command. All I could manage was an incoherent murmur as Asher fixed his worried gaze on my face, unaware of the movement behind him.
Shayne grabbed him by the throat and tried to snap his neck as she had Dr. Kingsley, but Asher wasn’t about to let her win. With one quick swing of his arm, he sent her toppling to the floor, her head catching the corner of the solid marble tabletop along the way.
Limp, if not lifeless, she crumpled.
Asher quickly brought his attention back to me, his hand gentle as he wiped my brow. “Lux,” he whispered as he pulled me into his arms and kissed my brow.
The nauseating dizziness that’d built up began to diminish just enough to allow me to sit up. “My head.”
“Yeah,” he said with a relieved chuckle. “She got in a few good bangs before I could jump in.”
“She was killing me,” I muttered softly.
“I heard you… you called for me to help. You were so reluctant at first, I didn’t know whether you really needed me or not.”
“Blame it on misplaced pride. Admitting I can’t handle a battle isn’t easy.”
He smiled. “I’m just happy to see you're okay.”
“I guess you really are my guardian.”
“That I am, and from now on I’ll come running at the first sign of trouble, your misplaced pride or not.” He kissed me again, this time bringing his lips to mine with brewing passion.
Though I appreciated him more than he could fathom, the kiss left me with an uncomfortable sensation and I pulled back. “I’m happy you're free. I missed you.”
“Yeah, me too.” He sat back and flicked his hair off his face. If offended by my rebuff, he didn’t make a show of it. “I see you also have two other guys who care enough about you… enough to help you get me out.”
Through the throbbing in my head, I felt the heat of blush on my face and noticed Asher’s subsequent grin.
“Don’t sweat it,” he said. “It’s good to know they’re there for you… even if I do still reserve some doubt where Moore is concerned. Makes my job easier knowing they’re looking out for you… besides, who knows how the whole murder trial thing is going to work out.”
I ran my hand over his stubbled chin. “I’m not going to let you go down for something you didn’t do.”
Leaning into me, he nuzzled my neck and breathed in heavily. “You smell so fresh, so sweet… just like honeysuckle. I would devour you…”
“But,” I put my hand to his chest. “You won't, right?”
He snorted and glanced at the floor before meeting my gaze. “Is it because of Brax?”
“It’s complicated, Asher.”
An indignant grimace came and went from his features. “What… is it? Moore? I thought he just came around to the court house to provide the cash. Is there more going on between you two?”
“Asher, so much has been happening.” How could I explain the special bond I had with each of them? How could I tell him of the attraction I had, the affection…?
He nodded his understanding, but his lips remained tight. “Can you stand?” With a firm hold of me, he steadied me as I got to my shaky legs. “We should get you to the hospital.” He tapped my temple with his finger. “Make sure everything in there is still in order.”
I wanted to argue; there was so much to do and going to the hospital would waste precious time. “You're the guardian. I’ll do whatever you think is best.”
He grinned and I instantly knew where his thoughts had turned. “Spending a whole lot of time with me is what I think is best.”
“That’s a given.”
He laughed. “And what do you want to do about blond, spoiled and bitchy over there?”
We turned to find only a splattering of blood where
she’d lain.
Shayne had disappeared.
Chapter 12
The final count turned out to be scores of lacerations and contusions, a broken wrist, a cracked rib and a light concussion.
“We’re going to keep you overnight, keep an eye on you and if everything looks good, you can leave tomorrow morning. Then,” Dr. Sorensen said as he gave me a warning glance over my chart, “I recommend you take it easy for a few days.”
“Sure thing.” I sank into the flimsy pillow of the hospital bed I’d been allotted and watched the young attractive doctor walk out. The moment the door closed, I turned to Asher. “What d’you tell them? How did you explain all this?”
I held up the cast that had already been set over my wrist.
“I told them the truth. I told them about Shayne.”
Chewing on my lip, I looked at him with a disappointed pout. How would Moore take this new turn of events? “I wish you hadn’t. I don’t really want to get the authorities involved.”
He sat on the edge of the bed and took my hand. “I’ve never been particularly good at making up stories. I suspected you’d rather I not mention Shayne, but I just didn’t know what else to tell them.”
“Did you mention Shayne to the police or just the doctor?”
“It’s a nurse who asked about you, though she did mention that she would notify the police about the attack.”
“Good. If and when I’m questioned… well, I’ll think of something to say.”
“I also contacted your parents.”
“Thank, that’s really sweet and thoughtful of you.”
“They should be here any minute.”
I closed my eyes, my head pounding as if Shayne still had me in her clutches, banging my skull to the floor.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.” I opened my eyes and was touched by the concern in his eyes.
“How did she manage to cause such damage?”
“Element of surprise. I didn’t see her coming, not one bit. Before I even knew it was her, she was all over me. And…” I thought of the one brief moment when I could have had the upper hand. “And she’s Moore’s sister.”
