§ § §
Rainey was in a deep sleep, walking toward Kade. She had been waiting all day to go back to sleep so she could see the man of her dreams, literally. Rainey looked up to the sky as she heard the familiar ring tone she’d set for Becky’s calls. Damn, something must be wrong. It’s almost sunrise and she’s supposed to be asleep. She was only yards from Kade when she looked at him, a defeated expression on her face.
“That’s not my cell phone, so I’m guessing you have to go,” Kade said.
Rainey could see his face clearly now and, man, he was something. “I’m sorry, but I think it might be important. Same time tomorrow night?” Rainey asked, hopeful.
“I’ll be here with bells on.” He winked, blew her a kiss and then disintegrated.
“Damn, this better be important, Becky,” Rainey said as she willed herself awake. As she reached for her phone she noticed she had three missed calls, two from Becky and one from Jonah. She threw the covers back and started putting her clothes on as she hit the return call button.
Becky answered on the first ring.
“Get up here now, Rainey. Julia has crossed the line. Abe’s here, too. Hurry.”
“On my way.” Rainey shoved the phone in her back pocket and threw on a tank top as she ran out of her lair.
CHAPTER 24
Lidia had a lot of unfinished things to tend to but the morning sickness was putting all of it on hold. She couldn’t count the times she almost broke down and told Max about the baby, but he never seemed to be in a good mood. He had really been pissy ever since he found her and Jonah in the pool room the other night.
She needed to make an appointment with the Shaman to make sure the baby was healthy, but besides her, Jonah was the only one who knew anything about it. A regular pregnancy was nine months, but a vampire’s child was born after only seven and a half months. She didn’t know why that was, because the children could go out in the sun and didn’t crave blood. The only vampire traits were a better immune system and slightly increased strength.
As Lidia took a dose of the medicine Julia had prepared for her, Max walked through the door. She quickly put the cap back on the bottle and returned it to its place in the cabinet.
“Your stomach upset again?” Max sounded uncaring, indifferent to her suffering.
Lidia’d had just about enough of him lately and she was tired of playing nice. They were going to have it out and it was going to be now.
“Don’t bother pretending you care! The only time you say anything to me at all is when I ask you a question, and even then I usually have to repeat myself. What’s on your mind that you’re so damn distracted? Answer me that. Do I need to repeat myself, or do you understand? I need a little of your time. Let me rephrase that. I need a little of your time when you’re not pissed off at the world. Is living with me that damn bad? If so, get the hell out!”
Max rolled his eyes and went into the bathroom. Lidia followed behind him.
“I bet I know of one way to get a word out of you. I’m pregnant.” Lidia eyed the back of his head as his body went rigid.
Max turned and looked at her with hatred in his eyes. “You, whore!” Max ran at her.
“It’s yours, Max! I haven’t been fooling around, though God knows you deserve it!” Lidia cried as he raised back his arm.
He hit her so hard, that she flew back fifteen feet into the closed shower door and shattered it, her unconscious body landing in the shower, on top of the shards of glass. Max smelled the blood and realized he was long overdue for a feeding. He stepped over Lidia’s still body and walked out the door. He needed a meeker, and fast. He would clean this up later. He was sure he would have some explaining to do when Abe found out, but he would take that heat when it came. He just hoped he hit her hard enough to get rid of that bastard baby. He had never hit Lidia before and didn’t know what possessed him to do so then, but it was done now and he really didn’t feel that bad about it. Sure, when she came around and was all pissed off, he would have to throw some ‘I’m sorry’s’ and ‘It’ll never happen again’s’ and maybe even cry a fake tear or two, but right now all he wanted was to feed.
Max shut and locked his and Lidia’s chambers and went to the elevator.
§ § §
Rainey walked in the room and stared at the huddle of bodies. As she walked closer, she realized they weren’t in a huddle, but surrounding something… someone on the floor… Ariana.
“What the hell is going on?” Rainey asked as the group separated enough for her eyes to fall on the problem, a see-through problem. “Holy mother of God. You’re Michael, aren’t you?”
Rainey looked at Abe, who was so tense she was surprised he could stand still. Awk-ward, Rainey thought.
“You must be Rainey. Nice to meet you,” Michael said.
“Likewise. Anyone wanna tell me how come Michael is here?”
Ariana cleared her throat. “Julia thought it would be a good idea if Michael came back to see me.” She smiled and then grabbed her stomach. “Ouch!”
“Are you okay?” Abe and Michael both rushed to her. They looked at each other and Abe stepped back.
Ariana screamed in pain, gripping her abdomen.
“Becky, call the Shaman quick!” Abe yelled as he rushed to Ariana again, completely ignoring the look Michael gave him.
“Yeah, but not for me, I’m not hurt,” Ariana panted. “It’s a woman. I haven’t met her before, but she is in a lot of pain and there is blood everywhere. AAAHHHH! Get her some help; I can’t stand this much longer.”
“What does she look like, Ariana?” Jonah asked.
“Thin build, long dark hair in a braid. She’s in a bathroom and she’s laying in the bottom of a shower with a lot of broken glass. Her stomach hurts her so bad, so bad. Someone help her!”
Ariana screamed in pain.
“That sounds like Lidia,” Abe said as he looked at Jonah.
“If Max hurt her, I’ll kill him, I swear,” Jonah spat.
“Are they really on the rocks that bad?” Rainey asked.
“We’re gonna find out. Come on, everyone. You, too, ghost boy,” Jonah said.
Abe held out his hand to help Ariana off the floor, and he turned and smiled at Michael when she took it.
“Do you remember when you said you would like to heal sick people, Ariana? Well, it looks like you might just have to see if you can, at least until the Shaman makes it here.”
The ride in the elevator to Lidia and Max’s private chambers was agonizingly slow. They sprinted to the room as soon as the doors opened. Jonah was the first one there. Realizing it was locked, he started pounding on the door. Ariana confirmed the injured woman was in there and she was alone. Jonah backed up and kicked the steel door clean off its hinges. He ran to the bathroom.
“Oh, God!” Jonah yelled as he saw Lidia in among all the broken glass.
The rest of them made it to the bathroom door. Jonah was pulling his hair out, mad with worry.
“She must have told him,” he muttered as his wild eyes flicked from her bloody form to Abe and back to Lidia again. “I didn’t think he would take the news this bad. Ariana, can you help her? Is there anything you can do?”
“I need some room. Becky, get something to get the glass out of her wounds and some disinfectant to clean them once the glass is out. I’ll see if I can locate what is hurt the most. I’ve never done this before, so you’d better pray for me and her both.”
Becky left the room to do as Ariana asked, and everyone else backed up.
“Someone get a broom and sweep as much of the glass away from her as you can. I don’t want to move her until I know what’s wrong.”
Rainey headed off, leaving Ariana in the room with two vampires, a ghost and a badly injured witch. Ariana cleaned a spot on the floor big enough to kneel down and bent over Lidia’s broken body. She put her hands on Lidia’s abdomen, where she’d felt the worst pain in her vision and sent all of her energy there. She really wasn’t sure
why or how she was doing this; her instinct told her to do it, and she followed it.
Jonah stepped forward. “I guess now would be a good time to tell you that she’s pregnant, huh? This must have happened when she told Max.”
“Shit, Jonah, you couldn’t have told us this before?” Abe asked as he pulled his cell out of his pocket, scrolled his contact list and hit send. “Trent, get the Force together. Yeah. Yeah. No. Max; find him and get him into a cage now! You heard me right, find Max and put him in a cage. Call me as soon as it’s done.” Abe put his cell in his pocket.
“Am I still on the Force? I’d like to interrogate that son of a bitch.” If there had been nails between Jonah’s teeth, he would have bitten them clean in half, he was gritting his teeth so hard.
“Yeah. Unofficially, you are. We’ll make it official when all this mess is cleaned up.” Abe looked at Michael. “And all the weirdness goes away.”
“You know? I kinda like it here. I think I’ll stay,” Michael said with a smile on his face.
Abe crossed his arms. “Like hell, you will.” He said it calmly, but with much purpose.
“Who the hell are you to tell me I can’t?”
“I am High Vampire of this island. It and everything on it is mine. I am the law here.”
“Well, fang boy, how exactly are you gonna make me leave?” Michael stood an inch away from Abe’s face, but there wasn’t a whole lot either of them could do to each other.
“Will you guys just quit it? I have a badly injured patient here. I think I eased her pain, because my own pain went away, and I’m trying to concentrate on healing the damage. So, if you two are going to act like two immature little boys, you can take it out of here. I don’t need any distractions.”
Both Abe and Michael crossed their arms and looked away from each other. If Lidia’s situation hadn’t been so serious, Ariana might have laughed at their stand-off. They looked like they’d been made to sit in a corner for misbehaving.
Once again, Ariana placed her hands on Lidia’s abdomen. Rainey and Becky came back in. Rainey swept the floor and shower stall around Ariana and Lidia and then moved out of the way so Becky could get in the shower with her tweezers, antiseptic and gauze.
“I don’t know if or how badly it’s injured, but the baby has a heartbeat,” Ariana said, her eyes closed in concentration.
“Oh, thank God!” Jonah exclaimed.
“There is a small tear in her womb, some minor internal bleeding, and two broken ribs… a hairline fracture in her collarbone, too.” Ariana looked at Lidia’s face. “I think she might have a shattered cheek bone, as well, and a broken nose. Plus about a hundred superficial lacerations from the shower glass. Can either of you move her to the bed without causing her additional damage or pain?” Ariana looked between Abe and Jonah. They both rushed to Lidia’s side, but Jonah made it first.
He gently placed his arm under her knees and the other under her shoulder blades. Lidia let out a soft moan as he lifted her up, but she relaxed as he walked to the bed and lowered her gently down.
Ariana was right by her side, her hands resting on Lidia’s abdomen again. Her hair fanned around her face as if a breeze blew it, and sweat showed on her brow as she put all her energy into healing Lidia’s injuries.
The group gathered around the bed and watched in awe as the cuts and bruises disappeared before their very eyes. After half an hour of straight healing, Ariana opened her eyes and looked at her friends. “I think she and the baby are going to be just fine.”
She smiled and then her eyes rolled to the back of her head. Abe caught her just before she hit the floor.
Abe’s cell started ringing as he carried Ariana to the sofa and laid her down. He moved out of the way to answer it.
Michael put his hand on Ariana’s cheek. “Wake up, baby.”
Ariana’s eyes fluttered open. “Michael? I had this horrible, bizarre nightmare that you died in an accident and…” Ariana looked around and then back at Michael, a tear overflowing her brimming eyes. “It’s real, isn’t it?”
Michael nodded but didn’t say anything.
“Here is a wet cloth, Ariana.” Becky started dabbing Ariana’s forehead with it. “I believe you might have set a new record for passing out in one day, girl. You think you might be done with that for a while? Just so I’m prepared.”
“Sorry,” Ariana said as she sat up. “I just feel so weak.”
“How’s she doin’? Abe asked as he ended the call.
“I’m fine, Abe. Did they find the asshole who did this?”
Abe smiled at her. “I guess, if anyone has a right to know, it’s you. You want to interrogate him, too? Or would you like to be the judge and give him his sentence? The Force has got him in a cage in the courtroom.”
“I’ll pass on the legalities. I need to lie down. You just make sure he pays for what he’s done,” Ariana said standing up, a little wobbly on her feet. Michael tried to help steady her, but his hand went right through her arm. Abe smiled.
“Becky, can you help Ariana back to your room, please?” Rainey asked. “I’ll wait for the Shaman to get here. Not a whole lot of good it will do, as Ariana’s already done all the work, but he’s on his way.” Rainey turned to Ariana next. “I’ll check on you later, Ariana. Try and get some rest, honey. I won’t wake you if you’re asleep, but I’ll leave you word about Lidia’s condition.”
“Wake me up if she needs me again,” Ariana instructed them.
Abe stroked her cheek gently. “I’ll come check on you later and let you know what the outcome is in Max’s trial. Sleep well, my Princess.”
Abe smiled smugly and walked out the door behind Jonah before Ariana could chastise him. She looked at Michael and blushed. She couldn’t help what Abe felt for her but he didn’t have to be so over-the-top about it in front of her dead husband. On the other hand, she hadn’t drawn away from his touch, either.
Michael just dropped his head and fell into step beside Ariana and Becky. Becky settled Ariana into bed and Michael sat down in a chair beside her. Ariana wasn’t sure if he was actually sitting in the chair or just appeared to be sitting in it.
“Do you get tired?” Ariana asked him and he lifted his gaze to her face.
“No, but I figured you would be more comfortable with me sitting down.”
Ariana paused for a moment. “You can lay beside me, if you want to. We can talk till I fall asleep.” She yawned. “Which won’t be long. I haven’t had much sleep since I arrived here.”
Michael laid on his side beside her, his head propped up on his hand.
“So that’s who they want you to be with? The High Vampire? Good catch, I have to say.”
“We don’t have to talk about it now…”
Michael’s eyes couldn’t meet hers. “Everything happens for a reason, you know? I was supposed to die and you were supposed to move here, with all these freaks.”
“Hey! I happen to be one of these freaks now.” Ariana smiled and then sighed. “Well, for what’s it’s worth, I would have rather gone to the Bed and Breakfast with you.”
“I know. I’m just sorry that we didn’t do it the previous weekend.” Michael took a deep breath and Ariana could tell that he was already regretting what he was about to say.
“Don’t, Michael. Let’s just enjoy the moment we have now and leave that for another time, okay?”
Michael smiled but she could tell that he didn’t know how long he would be there for, or whether he would get another chance.
“I want you to know that I love you very much, Ariana. I know I never said it enough. I never paid enough attention, never did the little things that mattered to you so much, but I guess I just didn’t know how to make you happy. I’m just glad you picked me first. I’ll always have that: I was first.”
A tear rolled off Ariana’s nose; Michael tried to catch it and cursed when the tear went right through his finger.
“I miss you so much, Michael,” Ariana sobbed.
�
��I know. I miss you too, but there are bigger and better things waiting for you. Your life is just beginning. I’m not going to hold you back from what you could be. I love you too much to do that to you. I know you’d rather save what I have to say for another time, but if I don’t say it now I may lose my nerve and never say it at all. It’s hard for me to let you go because you are the only girl I’ve ever truly loved. I get the vibe from that big ass vampire that he feels the same way. I can tell he loves you and I think the only thing holding you back is me. Don’t let that stand in your way, Ariana. I love you, and I always will, and because of that I want you to be happy. If it’s Abe’s destiny to make you happy… then so be it. I can’t give you what you need anymore. You loved me, but that doesn’t mean you can’t love again. Let the memories we had be happy memories and then make more happy memories with someone else. Now go to sleep and I will be right here when you wake up, okay?”
Ariana couldn’t stop the waterworks. Her chest had never felt so tight before. She could hardly breathe around the pain breaking her heart. Michael was letting her go, and if it was this hard for her, she didn’t even want to imagine how hard it was for him.
As she closed her eyes she felt her lips get cold and knew Michael had kissed her.
CHAPTER 25
Abe was seated at the head of the large courtroom with Jonah standing beside him. There were two dozen Force members present, vampires and witches, with Max in a ten by ten cage in the center of the room.
Abe slammed the gavel down hard on the desk three times, to get everyone’s attention. Most people were still confused as to why they’d been sent to hunt down and cage the second in command.
“Order!”
As the crowd hushed, Abe began his opening speech. It wasn’t often he had to come into this room anymore, and when he did, it was never good for the accused. There were three members of the Force who made up the Judges’ panel. They decided whether the accused was guilty or innocent. Trent and Abe were two of them. The third used to be Max, but since he was the accused, Jonah would be standing in his spot. A unanimous decision was not necessary; two votes were enough.
Eternal Island (Book 1 in the Eternal Series) Page 14
