Dawned (Circle of the Red Scorpion Book 3)

by Charlene Johnson

  He sighed and leaned his forearms on his desk. "I've been trying for years, Beverly, but I can't get it done."

  She grinned. "If anyone can do it, you can. I have faith in you."

  "Thank you. I hope you are right."

  Chapter 14

  Broderick decided to go home that night. Even though he was hurt, angry, and frustrated, he needed the comfort of his wife. He needed a night with her in his arms. He prayed she'd allow him to hold her and calm the pacing, irate beast inside him. He should go for a run, but his desire to be with his wife overrode the needs of his animal. The feline would have to wait.

  He strode down the hall to her art studio and knocked on the door. There was no answer.

  He knocked again. He opened the door. His wife wasn't there. He checked the entire mansion, but she was nowhere to be found. She was gone. She was with her lover.

  He went upstairs to look in on their son. He was the striking image of him, but his personality was all Elise. He sat on the bed and stared at his sleeping son. He knew Drake was his. He shouldn't have let Blackwell rile him.

  If I would have killed him, he thought, I'd be sitting in jail facing murder charges instead of being at home with my son. My son needs me now more than ever.

  He didn’t know what was going to happen with his wife. The thought her not being a part of his life pained him to his very soul. She was his angel and always would be. If she left with Solomon as the bastard threatened she would, the responsibility rested solely on him to take care of their son.

  Two weeks later, he and Elise finally had it out. Elise managed to be absent when he was around, and he was busy trying to solve the murders the news media was trying to claim was a serial killer, especially after two more women were found dead in an alley in a three-day period. He spent much of his time in Seattle trying to contain the situation. It left no time for him to confront her.

  When Solomon showed up at Jeff Martin’s trial, and Broderick was forced to see him throughout the two-day-long court proceeding and was a constant reminder of his affair with his wife, he decided it was time to confront her.

  Elise didn’t appear for dinner. She wasn’t in the mansion at all. He went into his study and poured himself the first of several drinks. He was deep into a bottle of Jim Beam when Elise came into his study. He was sitting at the bar, the bottle of whiskey and a half-filled glass next to him.

  “Broderick, I need to talk to you.”

  "You can't see Solomon Blackwell anymore, Elise.” He didn’t look at her. His words slurred. "I won't allow it."

  "I must go to him, Broderick, I have no choice."

  He turned and looked at her. "You do have a choice. He is a cold-hearted son of a bitch. He has the blood of many innocent victims on his hands. He has no regard for life. Any life. He will end up killing you."

  "No, he won't. Being with him is the only way I can keep you and our son safe. Don't you see?"

  "No, I don't," he responded angrily. "It is my responsibility to protect you."

  "How can you protect us?" she cried. "You are never home.”

  “Well lately, I’ve been home more than you have,” he accused.

  Her lip trembled. “I have responsibilities. Clients and art gallery owners to meet with.”

  “I know you do. If that’s all it was, then I’d have no issue with it. It’s your other obligations, the after-hour ones that I have a problem with.”

  Elise ignored her husband’s words. A tear rolled down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away. “There were times when I needed you, Broderick and you weren’t there.” She thought of her miscarriage. But there was no reason to bring it up now. It was more about the hold Solomon had on her than anything Broderick ever did, but she didn’t want him to know that. She didn’t want her husband to go after him. Better he thought it all was on her.

  “The work you do in the District Attorney's office consumes you. Body and soul. There's nothing left for us. Nothing left for me."

  He slammed down his glass and whiskey splashed on the counter. “Dammit, Elise. How can you stand there and say that to me?” Broderick’s face contorted with anger. “I know there were times when I spent too much time away from you. My job consumed a greater amount of my time. But after our son was born…I tried to be the husband you needed. The father my son deserved. But that wasn’t enough for you. It didn’t take long for you to go back to him.

  “What do you mean?” Her face was expressionless.

  “I know you’ve been having an affair with Blackwell for years. Don’t deny it. I suspected there was more to your relationship with him for a while. I saw photos of the two of you having sex on a rooftop terrace. Solomon happily confirmed the affair when he was in my office two weeks ago. For years, I’ve been trying to put that bastard away, Elise. For the good of my family and the public. He’s a menace. Don't you understand?"

  "It doesn’t matter what I believe," she said, as her eyes filled with tears she tried to turn the table and put the blame on him. She had to do it. "I do have one question. When you are not in Seattle working, where do you go? What are you doing for weeks at a time? You never tell me where you go. You don't call. You won't take us with you. Is there someone else?"

  In her heart, Elise knew her husband wouldn’t cheat on her, but he didn’t need to know that. It was all smoke and mirrors to save his life.

  Her words stunned him. He stared at her in disbelief. Those were not her words. No doubt Solomon convinced her he wasn't faithful to her.

  "No, angel," he said quietly. "There hasn't been anyone for me since the day we met. I love you. I always will.”

  How could he tell her the truth? He had to go out of town on his business trips to release his animal in areas where he was less likely to stumble on hunters or hikers. Sometimes he was in the greater area; sometimes he extended his trips to go to Canada or Mexico looking for more of his kind. She didn’t know about his beast and given the fragile state of their marriage; he didn’t think it was a good time to share.

  “There are things you don't know about me. Things I can't explain. You have to trust me."

  "Broderick," she whispered, "how can I? You say you love me, but you don't trust me enough to tell me what you're hiding."

  "I can't. You'd never understand. Besides, you have secrets of your own."

  “Not by choice.”

  “You have a choice.”

  She stared at him with sadness in her green eyes. She wiped away her tears. "What's happened to us? I'm not sure I even know you anymore." Her heart ached as she forced herself to forge on, making him seem like the bad guy. There would be no forgiveness for her, not on the path she was going down.

  "You don't know me?" He shouted. "Well, I don't know you either. The beautiful young woman I married would never have debased herself with someone like Solomon Blackwell. He is evil incarnate. Why do you let him touch you?"

  "Because I must." She could no longer stomach the grief and pain she saw on his face. She had to get out of there. She picked up her parka, "I have to go. He is waiting for me."

  "If you don't stop seeing him, I'll divorce you. This has gone on long enough. I won't tolerate it another minute."

  Elise looked at him sadly. "Do what you must. Please tell our son...that I love him. I always will."

  "Angel," Broderick shouted and reached out to her.

  She turned to look at him. "Goodbye, Broderick...don’t ever forget, I love you." She went out the door and was gone.

  Broderick dropped his hand to his side. He did not try to stop her. He said nothing more as she left. He just stared at the empty doorway.

  He went to the bar and poured himself another glass of whiskey. He downed it in one gulp and poured another. He needed to dull the pain. She was gone, and she was not coming back. He downed the whiskey. Holding onto the bar counter to steady himself, he walked to the wingback chair and sank into it. He leaned forward, his head in his hands.

/>   "Why, angel, why?"

  Chapter 15

  Elise was sobbing as she walked on the path along the cliffs for the last time and through the forest, to the mansion Solomon owned adjacent to their property. She was going to her lover and an uncertain future. She prayed she made the right decision but wasn’t it already taken out of her hands? Solomon told her the night before it had to be this way. It was time she left her family and began a new life with him. The thought of never seeing Broderick and Drake again was so agonizing she didn’t know if she could live through it. Her heart had been ripped out and in its place was an empty gaping wound that would never heal.

  Benny was outside smoking a cigarette the front door as she approached. He greeted her and let her inside. She entered Solomon’s study without knocking. He was standing in front of the large bay window, looking out into the night. He turned to face her when she closed the study door.

  He smiled. “Is it done?”

  Elise’s lip trembled as she wiped away tears. “Yes. I just broke my husband’s…heart.”

  “He’ll get over it. He will have someone else warming his bed before you know it.”

  “No!”

  “Perhaps I can have Ruby send over one of her girls,” he said nonchalantly. “I’m sure she has someone who looks enough like you to take the edge off.”

  “I hate you,” Elise shouted.

  Nonplussed, he strode over to her and took her hands in his. “No, you don’t. I know you don’t love me and probably never will, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a satisfying life together. But before we can begin, there is something I must tell you. Something that may frighten you at first, but I hope you will be able to accept in time.”

  Fear filled her eyes. “What is it?”

  He began to tell her about his brutal upbringing, his years working with the North Side Gang, and his incarceration in Alcatraz. Elise looked at him incredulously. When he talked about Javier De Los Santos, his cellmate in Alcatraz and the night he turned into a vampire, she jerked her hands out of his. “You’ve said some pretty terrible things to me over the years but why this far-fetched story? Vampires don’t exist, Solomon, not even in your depraved world.”

  “I am telling you the truth.”

  She scoffed. “Really? That would make you ninety-five years old. It’s not possible.”

  “It is the truth.” His dark eyes burned into hers. “It is the reason I’ve lived so long . . . I am a vampire.”

  Elise laughed at him skeptically. “That’s not funny. Why are you saying such things? Are you trying to frighten me?”

  “No. I want you to know the truth, that’s all. I don’t want you to be afraid of me and what I am.”

  Elise was unconvinced. What was going on? Had Solomon finally lost his mind? “Show me,” she challenged. “If you are a vampire, then show me.”

  “Very well.” Solomon’s dark eyes began to dilate, and his fangs immediately began to lengthen. “This is what I am, Elise. I’m a vampire,”

  The sight of his elongated fangs caused her to stagger back against a wooden pedestal holding a large porcelain vase. The vase crashed on the marble floor and shattered. She was shocked and repulsed. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

  “My god, you truly are a monster! All these years and I never knew. How did you hide it from me?”

  “Elise, I will not hurt you. I’ve never hurt you. Not in all the time we’ve been together.”

  “Did you drink my blood?” she asked fearfully.

  He stared directly into her eyes. “Yes. I took the memory of it away by compelling you. I’m sorry; I should have told you long ago.”

  Elise could not believe what she was hearing or seeing. None of this could be possible but how could she deny what she saw? She backed away from him and fumbled for the study door. She managed to open it and ran down the hall towards the front door.

  Solomon followed her and reached out, but she avoided him. He looked stricken. She never expected to see the genuine hurt on his face. Anger? Yes, Twisted amusement? Yes. Cruelty? Yes. But true pain? Never until that moment.

  “Don’t touch me, you bastard! You drank my blood,” she said and touched her throat, shivering at the thought. “How could you?”

  “Elise, please. Let me…”

  “You truly are the devil I always thought you were. I hate you!” She turned the doorknob with a shaky hand and opened it. “Stay away from me, Solomon. I never want to see you again.” She went through the door and ran down the front stairs.

  “Elise, I love you!” he called after her.

  “Go to hell, where you belong!” she screamed, as she headed through the dark forest toward the cliffs. She was going home to her husband and her son. She would tell Broderick everything, her fear she was cursed for leaving her tribe, the miscarriage, her affair with Solomon and his constant threats. Her husband would find a way to protect them. She had to apologize for the cruel things she said to him. If he could find it in his heart to forgive her, they could be a family again.

  It took her some time to maneuver through the heavily wooded area, but she knew the way and was rapidly approaching the cliffs. The rocky path was dark, but the full moon above her gave it a soft illumination. Soon she would be home. Home where she belonged. She thought about Solomon and his terrifying revelations and wondered if he would come after her. He and his men could be after her right now. She quickened her pace and stumbled on some loose rocks but kept going. She had to hurry. Not much longer and she would be free of Solomon forever.

  A sound in the distant startled her, and she turned quickly, fearing Solomon was following her. Her foot slid on more rocks and tried to regain her footing but overcompensated. She spun around and lost her balance; the force of her movements propelled her forward toward the edge of the cliff. With nothing to hold on to, her arms flailed helplessly in the air as she went over the cliff and was in free fall. Her last thoughts were of Broderick and Drake and the wonderful life they would never have.

  ***

  Broderick woke up to hear his son’s footsteps on the stairs and seconds later the closet door opened and closed. He heard Drake run down the hallway and enter the kitchen. He is going after her, Broderick thought. But he won’t find her. She’s with Solomon. I have to get him.

  He stood up, unsteady on his feet. By sheer willpower, he made it out the study door and down to the kitchen, through the kitchen door. He grabbed Drake just as he stepped off the bottom step.

  "Son, where are you going?" He asked. "Come back inside."

  "I'm going to get Mom. I saw her run out the door. She was crying. I want to make sure she's all right."

  Broderick sighed, leaning heavily on the railing. "She's angry with me. She didn't mean what she said. She'll come back. She always comes back." He looked off into the darkness.

  “I didn’t mean to listen, but you were shouting.”

  “I’m sorry. I should have stopped when I heard you.”

  "How did you hear me? I didn’t make a sound?"

  Broderick turned back to his son. "It doesn't matter. Go up to your room and get your homework done. Don't worry." He put his arm around his son's shoulders, and he walked unsteadily back into the house. Drake helped him back to the study and guided him to the couch to lie down. The full force of the whiskey hit him hard.

  "Go to sleep, Dad. You need to rest."

  "I'm fine, son." He flung an arm over his eyes. "Don't worry, she'll be...back..." were the last words he remembered before he drifted to sleep.

  ***

  “Wake up, Broderick, Drake is missing.” Jake Sims shook him roughly.

  Broderick opened his eyes slowly, trying to focus on the man leaning over him. “Jake, what’s going on?”

  “Drake is not in the house, and I can’t find him on the grounds.”

  Broderick sat up abruptly, momentarily dizzy. “Shit,” he exclaimed, as he rubbed his head.

 
Jake shook him again. “Get your ass moving. We have to find your son.”

  “I told him to go upstairs and do his homework.”

  “The little rascal must have come back downstairs while you were passed out and left the house. My wife told me he was asking about his mother. She was concerned about him and went upstairs to check on him, but he wasn’t in his bedroom. She asked me to look for him, and that’s when I discovered he was not in the mansion. It’s too dark for him to wander around the estate on his own with nothing but a flashlight if he even took one with him.”

  “Dammit. It’s my fault.”

  “No time for recriminations. We have to find Drake.”

  Broderick swung his legs off the couch and stood up. He swayed but caught himself. Jake shoved a cup of coffee in his hand. “Drink this and let’s go.”

  Broderick did as he was told and set the empty mug on the coffee table. “I’m ready.” They covered the entire grounds, but they didn’t go into the woods. Drake would never go in the woods alone at night.

  “You reek of alcohol. You must have had quite a night.”

  Broderick stopped walking. “I was such an ass, Jake. I could have handled the situation with Elise better. I have to say; she fired back at me with both barrels. Solomon is definitely in her head. He must be holding something over her. I think our marriage is over.” As he said the words, the photo of her and Solomon on the rooftop terrace popped into his head. He grimaced and blinked the thought away.

  “Don’t give up,” Jake implored. “The two of you love each other. It’s pretty clear.”

  “I’m not so sure about that.”

  “I am,” Jake replied. “Hang in there.”

  “I’m trying to. But before I can think about that, we have to find Drake.”

  They started back along the path by the cliffs on their way toward the mansion when Broderick suddenly stopped, suddenly on high alert. He turned his head to the side and listened.