by Unknown
Both men sat in silence, and it was somewhat relaxing. Brogan always believed that there would be a level of uncomfortableness between them, but it wasn’t true. With each passing day, they were becoming more and more at ease with each other.
When Chloe entered the room, Flynn opened his eyes and sat up. The woman looked harried, and that wasn’t like her at all.
“Jacques, I just got off the phone with a human member of Delina’s family, and they wish to meet with the mistress tonight. I didn’t think you’d want them in our home with last night’s events, so I told them I would contact Jolie’s mates and return your decision as soon as possible.”
Jacques was glad the woman knew them so well. “You’re right, Chloe. I don’t believe it’s safe for Jolie or the rest of the family.”
Flynn agreed. “There’s no way in hell that we’re letting a bunch of new vampyres into this house. Not until we screen them, first weeding out our own traitor. We know nothing about them, except their mistress was a bitch.”
Jacques steepled his fingers in front of his lips before speaking, “I do have an idea though,” he said, glancing over at his mate. “Let me feed, and I will let you in on it, Flynn.”
Chloe took that as her sign and crossed to Jacques. He held her hand to feed without saying a word. It was obviously a well-rehearsed routine.
“Thank you, Chloe.”
Without a word, she scurried away. At the door, she paused. “Jacques?”
“Yes, Chloe?”
“I just want you to know that Mina and I were in the kitchen the entire night, playing cards and drinking tea. We didn’t hear anything. We were oblivious to the world until we heard Jolie scream, and you rushed out of there. We followed you into the room to see what was wrong.”
Jacques waited for the point of the conversation. “I remember.”
Brogan couldn’t help asking. “Would you tell us if you knew?”
If she was offended by his question, she didn't let on. “Yes, Detective, I would. I love Jolie, excuse me, the mistress. She’s very special to me. When I had nowhere to go, she allowed me to come live with her and asked nothing of me in return, not even to be a donor. I volunteered for that much later when it was safe.”
He could hear the emotion in her voice.
“When I was in danger, she saved me, so I can honestly say that I would stand in front of her against whoever is doing this.” Chloe paused to stare in his blue eyes. “The one who created me is a bitch. When I found Jolie, she became like a mother to me. I love her with my whole heart.”
“I believe you, Chloe,” Brogan offered.
She didn't know why she was glad, but knowing they trusted her mattered.
“Chloe wait,” said Jacques, standing from his chair. When she returned to his side, he opened his arms and hugged her. At first she tensed, and then relaxed.
“Thank you for that,” she said.
“Our Jolie loves you too. You can tell in the way she looks and interacts with you. You’re just as important to her as Louisa was. She would be devastated if you were taken from us.”
“I know. That’s why I’ll find out who betrayed her for you. I don’t like the idea that someone is hurting her. They deserve her punishment. I’ll wait for you to contact me, Jacques, before I call the other half of the new family.”
“Thank you, Chloe.” He accepted the kiss to his cheek. When she was gone, he returned to his seat. “I think that I’ll call Mambo. She may know of a piece of land that we can use as neutral space to meet with the family.”
“Good idea. You can rest, and I’ll go check it out.”
“You’ll take Chloe with you, Flynn. I don’t want you wandering around without someone to watch your back. Genevieve would love to get her hands on you to hurt us.”
“No problem.” He didn’t protest, despite wanting to laugh. What was the donor supposed to do to keep him safe?
“Now, how about I feed you?”
Brogan was good with that. When Jacques approached him to place his hand on his bare chest, both men braced for the energy exchange. Flynn closed his eyes, allowing it to wrap around him. As quickly as it started, it was done.
“Feeling better?” asked Jacques.
“Yeah, I am.”
“Now, do me a favor. Go get some food or I can have Mina bring you something.”
He was still uncomfortable with people waiting on him like he was royalty. It would take a while to adjust to that yet.
“I’ll go down. It’ll give me the chance to intermingle with the family. Well, whoever is awake at this time,” he added, pulling his shirt over his chest after tucking the gun into the back of his jeans. “I’ll be right back.”
Jacques nodded and picked up Jolie’s phone to search for the number to call Mambo. On the third ring, it was answered.
“Yes, Jacques, what can I do for you?”
It threw him off guard, since he wasn’t expecting her to know it was him. The pause must have warned her, because Mambo’s laughter filled the phone.
“Do I need to tell you why I called or will you be surprising me with that too?”
“Boy, you need to be put over someone’s knee and have that sass beat out of you.”
Jacques laughed at that. “Oui, you are probably right.”
“What does our Jolie need?”
Jacques went into the story about Genevieve and how they were hunted. He even told her about the assaults on Brogan in his dreams. When he got to the topic of the meeting spot, he prayed the woman would be helpful. “Do you know of any private places where we can meet the other family?”
“I think I know of one. There’s an old plantation about twenty minutes from your home. It’s deserted and out in the open. No one could sneak up on you there. I use the land around it to gather my herbs for magick.”
“It sounds wonderful, Mambo.” He scribbled down the directions as she relayed them. “If you need anything from us, you only need to call me.”
She laughed. “Don’t you tease an old crone like that boy.”
“Mambo, compared to me, you are but a babe.”
Once more, her laughter rang out. After bidding Mambo farewell, he hung up the phone to finish some other business before he called the death.
Dialing yet another number, he waited for someone to answer.
“Hello, Brash Reality.”
“Hello, Thomas. It’s Jacques Degaul. Are you well?” asked Jacques.
“Mr. Degaul, I’m doing fine, but I’m afraid the house hasn’t sold yet. I don’t have anything to update you with quite yet.”
Jacques smiled into the phone, knowing that would make the next job easier. “I need a favor, and I am willing to make it worth your while.”
“What is it you have in mind, Mr. Degaul?”
“I need to have a grave exhumed on the property. I’m afraid my … wife’s sister passed away a few weeks before we knew we were leaving, and we had her body buried on the property. I now need to have it sent to us here in New Orleans.”
There was an uncomfortable pause, and it was to be expected. Using a little vampyre compulsion, he gave the man a push.
“Okay. What do I need to do?”
“I need you to oversee the task and get the body sent to me as soon as possible. I’ll have the company on the property in a few hours, but I need someone to supervise the task.”
“Okay, give me your address.”
Jacques did just that.
“How much will you make in commission from the sale of our home?”
He did the calculation. “If it sells for asking, I will make almost fifteen thousand. Why?”
“If you get the body to me by tomorrow morning, I’ll transfer that amount into your account for your services.”
There was silence on the other end of the phone. “Are you serious? Just for shipping a body?”
“Oui,” said Jacques, smiling again. The lesson learned over time was that money spoke volumes, and they had plenty to buy whatev
er help they needed.
“You’ll pay me that much money to babysit a body?”
“Yes, I will, but it is not just a body to us. We would like her here by two in the afternoon to be interred on our new property.”
“Yes, sir,” he said, scribbling down the rest of the information. For that big of a fee, he’d pretty much do whatever they wanted, including digging the coffin up himself.
“I don’t care how much it costs to get it here, Thomas. I will authorize any fees.”
“Yes, sir! Have a good day!”
When he finished his call, Brogan and Mina were standing there. It was hard not to notice that Flynn was grinning at him.
“What are you doing now?”
He met the man by the bed and handed him the address for the abandoned plantation. “I’m getting Louisa’s remains sent here to be buried close to us. When she wakes, she’ll be distraught that Genevieve desecrated her body.”
“Jolie will think that you’re the sweetest man on the planet.”
“Not just me, but us. We’ll be the sweetest men. I can’t do this alone, so I’m going to need your help. The body will be arriving tomorrow mid-afternoon, and we’ll be with death. I need you to supervise to make sure it is done correctly. I’ve ordered a special vault to be placed in ground so Louisa will be able to be buried below the earth. The area is deep enough that they should have no problem, despite us being below sea level.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
“I don’t want her to know about it until it is done. She would be too tempted to see if Genevieve did anything to the rest of Louisa’s body. Her heart can’t handle that.”
“I agree. Okay, I’ll take care of it.”
Jacques was infinitely grateful. “I appreciate that, Flynn.”
Since Jolie was his heart, how could he not step up and handle it for their family? “Now, you need to rest, Jacques, and Mina has graciously volunteered to sit here until I get back or you wake.”
“Are you worried about me, Flynn?” he asked, grinning.
Brogan didn't plan on joking about this. “I’m worried about both of you, because you’re my family.”
Jacques dropped his hand to Brogan’s shoulder. “You’re a good man, Detective. I’m lucky to have you as my friend.”
“I think this goes beyond friendship, Jacques. Family always comes first for me.”
Jacques was touched by his words. Slipping from his robe, he curled around Jolie. “What will you do now, Flynn?” he asked.
“I’m going to patrol the house, talk to some vampyres, and then go do some detective work in the office. Do you mind if I use your desk?” he asked.
“Our desk, and no, I don’t mind. Just stay safe. If anything happens to you while we’re with death, it’ll destroy her and me too.”
Brogan grinned. “I’m not that easy to kill, Jacques. It’s like you think my day job is as kindergarten teacher and not cop.” Flynn headed out of the room laughing.
When he was gone, Jacques focused on Mina. “Wake me in three hours please.”
“Yes, Jacques.” Mina sat in the chair and started crocheting to keep herself busy.
Jacques called to death and could feel the cold claws close around his body to drag him toward the darkness. He reached for his mate, joining her in the silence of their death, hoping that when he woke, Flynn would be safe.
He hadn’t been kidding.
If the man was hurt, neither would survive the grief.
∞ ∞ ∞
Flynn walked the house, starting on the floor they lived on the majority of their time, and then each one above it. When he stopped in the nursery, there was a vampyre baby in a cradle while its mother watched over it.
She watched him warily as he approached.
“Master,” she said, lowering her gaze.
He had to look around to see who she was talking to. “Uh, no, just plain Flynn is fine,” he offered.
She still didn't look up.
“What’s your name?” he asked, the cop in him kicking in, as he stared down at the sleeping child. The irony was that the baby looked just like any other one, except she was one of the undead.
“Jessica,” she offered. “I was just checking on Veronica before I went to death.”
Brogan could hear the fear in her voice and tried to sooth it. He remembered her being one of the vampyres in the room when he shot Balzac. While it upset him to scare anyone, Jolie and Jacques had to come first.
“She’s beautiful. May I hold her?” he asked, trying to build a rapport.
Jessica looked worried. “I didn't betray the mistress! Please don’t hurt my baby!”
He was appalled. Dropping to his one knee, he touched the woman on the arm. “Hey, I’m not going to hurt Veronica. I promise. I just like kids, and I’m new at this vampyre thing.”
She calmed as she stared into his eyes. “Okay, Master,” she replied, reaching into the cradle to hand her child to him. There was a sound behind him as the vampyre’s mate arrived.
“What’s going on?” he asked, going to stand behind Jessica.
“You have one heck of a cute baby here,” he offered, cradling her in his arms. It was a little disturbing, as the child lay limp in his arms. After all, she was just a shell. “Veronica looks like you,” he said, holding his hand out to the man to introduce himself.
“I’m James,” he said, taking his hand. “Are you really going to kill the person who betrayed our family?” he asked.
Brogan ran his fingertips over the baby’s soft cheek. “Yes.”
Something surprising happened next.
“Good. I hope you make them pay,” James said, putting his arm around his mate. “Whoever did this has to suffer. By letting anyone in this house, we’re all at risk, including my child and wife.
Brogan relaxed. “We meant what we said. If you hear anything, please find us. We want to make sure everyone is safe here, and we need your help.”
Jessica spoke, “I didn't see anything, Master.”
“Flynn,” he corrected.
“I spend most of my time up here, but I’ll keep an eye open.”
That’s all he could ask for at that point. “I appreciate that,” he said, handing her back the little bundle. “She’s sweet.”
“Thank you,” James said, gazing down at his child with nothing less than pure love. “We’re blessed.”
Brogan nodded, heading out of the room. It made him wonder if he’d ever get to have kids.
WOW!
Where did that come from? It wasn’t like he ever thought he would or wouldn’t. It was always something he figured was out of his reach. After all, cops made lousy husbands and fathers, at least all the ones he knew did.
It gave him something to think about as he continued through the house. Passing by a few family members, he committed their faces to memory.
Again, they called him Master, and he had to correct them. That wasn’t going to work for him. He wasn’t comfortable with being put on that kind of pedestal. Not now, and certainly not ever.
In the office, he ran his hands over the armor that stood there. Jolie had it placed in there, probably to remind Jacques of their past adventures.
It made him a little sad.
Brogan wanted her to have something to look back at and remember their time too. Unfortunately, he didn't do battle centuries ago for her honor. How he wished he did.
Walking around the room, he took in the pictures of her and Jacques on the shelves, and his heart was a little wounded that he didn't have a place there with her. Well, it had only been a few months, and just days since they first made love.
Yeah, he was going to have to work on romancing Jolie. One way or another, he wanted to leave his mark.
Then, he had an idea.
Heading to the desk, he pulled open all the drawers until he found exactly what he was looking for. There inside was a blank journal, and Flynn knew exactly what he was going to do.
Since Jacques had
the advantage of time, he would use what he did have-his heart.
Sitting, he began scribbling out his feelings and emotions for the woman he loved. He knew he wouldn’t be as suave as Jacques, but he could try.
What did he have to lose? If the words weren’t perfect, he could toss it later.
As he forgot all that was around him, his heart bled out through the pen onto the paper, sharing his love.
Dearest Jolie,
You’re incredible. Never in my life did I ever believe that I would find myself so in love with a woman like you. You’re smart, sexy, and funny. I’m hopelessly lost. When you found me on the patio and asked me to show you how I really felt about you, it was nothing compared to the truth. You’re everything to me, and I can’t find the words to express it. I watch you smile, laugh, and love, and there’s hope. You’re my today, tomorrow, and centuries from now. I am truly blessed to have you in my life.
Thank you for being mine,
I love you,
Flynn.
After reading it over and over again, Flynn knew it was a good start. Closing the book, he sat back in Jacques’s chair and closed his eyes. Now, he would hide the journal until he wrote in it again.
There’d be more.
After all, they had centuries ahead of them.
Then, a wave of unease filled him.
If Genevieve got to Jolie, that might not be true. Sending out a silent prayer to whoever was listening to him, Flynn begged for her safety.
“Please, if someone has to pay, don’t let it be her. Let it be me.”
Flynn Brogan would die to protect her.
He loved her that damn much.
∞ Chapter Fourteen ∞
Saturday Afternoon
Jacques could feel the summons from death’s grasp as he struggled to take in his first breath. He had been ‘alive’ for over seven hundred years and getting away from death was always difficult. The one who ruled their lives didn't like to relinquish control.
It was the painful price you paid for being the undead.
