by Unknown
“I hate her,” Jacques said, discarding the bloody garments.
Jolie did too. She was furious that the other woman touched him so intimately. Feeding from that part of his body was something reserved for lovers.
Their kind knew that.
So, this was a personal message. By touching him there, Genevieve wanted to hurt Jolie.
“Fortunately,” Jacques began, “she missed her mark. Now, I’m grateful that our detective was wearing baggy jeans and not leather pants.”
Jolie was infinitely happy for that one little fact, or he would have bled out. “Can you get the tub running?” she asked, knowing that with how bad he was shaking, they needed to warm him up. Plus, she was going to pull down his boxers, and her Flynn was a bit bashful. The least she could do was give him some dignity, especially if Genevieve had already been in his pants.
He nodded, and then angrily headed into the bathroom to fill the tub with warm water. Genevieve would pay for hurting his mates.
Jolie climbed onto the bed, moving to his boxers. She silently prayed to whoever was listening, ‘Please don’t let her have damaged him.’ It wasn’t for her, but for him. She’d seen this happen before, and Flynn didn't deserve it.
He moaned as she slid them down his body. When she saw he wasn’t ruined, she was finally able to breathe again.
“Did she…?” asked Jacques from the doorway, unable to bring himself to look.
“No, she was planning on killing me, and then using his body for her amusement,” she said, getting angry all over again. “Then, she would have ruined him.”
Brogan began shivering as he laid there naked.
“We need to get him in the water and clean his wounds before we put him into a deep sleep,” Jacques said, lifting the man into his arms. “Then, we have other things to deal with tonight.”
They both knew what he was referring to.
“Yes, I know,” she said, stripping out of her clothes as quickly as possible.
He waited until she was in the water before lowering the wounded man to her. “I need to shower, Jolie. I want to clean out this wound, it’s burning.”
“If you wait, I’ll help you,” she offered, touching the bullet hole through his shirt. “How did you kill them, Jacques?” she suddenly asked.
“I shot them with the gun Flynn gave me for protection, and then I ripped their throats and hearts out,” he answered, stripping from his clothing before gliding to the shower.
She was glad they suffered.
Gently, Jolie went back to carefully washing the blood from Brogan’s body. He began stirring in her arms as she was forced to run the water over his wounds. It wasn’t like she could avoid it. His whole body was ravaged.
Suddenly, he began thrashing, fighting to get away from her. He screamed, and Jolie was forced to wrap her arms and legs around his torso, holding him tightly against her chest.
“It is okay, baby! Flynn, please wake up!” she pleaded. From the corner of her eye, she could see Jacques rushing to the tub side.
“Let me out,” he shouted, sitting up in the tub and pulling Jolie with him.
Immediately, Jolie released his body, hoping he’d realize where he was. The last thing they needed was for him to further injure himself.
“Where am I?” he asked, backing across the tub to the furthest spot from both of them.
Before they could answer, he must have realized he was home, and safe. “Oh God,” he whispered, as his body began shaking uncontrollably.
At first she was afraid to approach him.
“Flynn?” Jolie called softly. When he glanced up at his name, barely able to see through his swollen shut eyes, he reached for her. Jolie let him pull her to him, and she stroked his hair when he buried his face in her throat.
“Please don’t let me go,” he whispered, as fear washed through him.
Jolie did the only thing that she could do for her mate. She held on to him, allowing the man to get it all out. “Shhhh. It’s fine, bébé. We’re re here now, and you’re safe with us. Genevieve isn't going…”
He cut her off. “Please don’t say her name. She made me kiss her. I couldn’t stop myself. I’m so sorry, Jolie,” he whispered. “I’m just human. I’m nothing against her.”
Jolie was furious. Her poor, sweet man was blaming himself, thinking he had betrayed their relationship. “Flynn,” she whispered, touching his chin with her fingers. “I love you. You didn't do anything wrong. I know that Genevieve wanted to hurt me. Of course she’d kiss those sexy lips. I want to do it every second of the day.”
Leaning in, she gently placed her mouth against his. Jolie didn't push, she let him lead. It wasn’t a passionate kiss, but it offered them both reassurance.
Jacques wrapped a towel around his waist and knelt down next to the large sunken tub. He put his hand on the undamaged part of Brogan’s shoulder to get his attention. “What did they do, mon ami?” he asked him.
“God! It was horrible,” he whispered, pulling her closer, much like a rag doll. “They kept me locked in a crypt. It was like a coffin!”
Jolie started to shake at the fear in Flynn’s voice.
“There was a decaying body in it,” he whispered in horror at the memory.
Yes, this was getting worse and worse.
At any second, Jolie was going to lose her mind.
Jolie lightly stroked his torn back, and when he began to marginally relax, she added, “I will kill her for what she’s done to you.”
“I never want to be in the dark again,” he admitted weakly.
Jolie kissed his ear, and when he flinched, she saw red. The glass in the entire bathroom shook.
When it caused Flynn to hold her tighter, Jolie knew she needed to let the anger go. “I won’t hurt you, Flynn, I promise.”
He only nodded.
“I need to bathe your wounds and give you more blood before you sleep tonight.”
“Okay,” he replied, relaxing against the back of the tub. He flinched when his body touched the cold tile.
“Let me help you, Flynn, my love,” she offered, moving to sit behind him again. This time, when he leaned back, it was against the warm softness of her body.
“Thank you,” he whispered, as she began the gentle ministrations of washing the dried blood from his flesh. Softly, she whispered to him, offering him calm.
Slowly, he drifted into the motions. When he felt himself slipping, he jerked awake.
“It’s fine, my love. We’re right here,” Jolie crooned, licking at his ear. This time when he shuddered, it wasn’t because of pain. “We won’t leave you alone.”
Jacques took that as his sign, going off to get a silver knife. They needed to get some ancient blood into him, and soon.
He could feel Jolie’s distress and reached for her mind. “Mon amour, there’s no other way. He’s lost too much blood. That little bit you gave him isn't healing his wounds at all. He needs a great deal more. If he sees his face and body in a mirror, he’s going to be damaged psychologically.”
“I know, but with this feeding he will be more us, and less him.”
“It will also make him stronger and less killable.” He was trying to get her to see the positive, but he understood her hesitation. They were stealing more humanity.
“I know. I just don’t like knowing that we’re taking away his choices. He deserves to choose.”
Jacques touched her cheek, his eyes saying it all. He didn’t like the idea either, but it meant saving him and healing the vicious scars crisscrossing his body.
On a sigh, she gave in. Jolie sliced another wound in her wrist and held it to Brogan’s lips. “Flynn, I need you to drink from me again.”
He stirred beneath her wrist, and slowly his tongue began lapping cautiously across her wound. Then, it was like a transformation had occurred. He went from tentative licks to full on sucking.
Already, it called to him.
Jolie let him drink as much as he needed as she held him crad
led against her body. When he stopped the hungry pulls to the open wound, Jolie knew he was full.
Satiated, Flynn let her support him as he fell into the darkness. He didn't even feel Jacques lift his body from the water to carry him to bed as Jolie delicately began wiping the moisture away with a large fluffy towel.
Once in bed, Jolie tucked him in and ran her fingers over the wounds. Already, they were beginning to close. Her ancient blood was already causing the change in him. The handsome man she loved was now one step closer to them, and one away from humanity.
“Do you want me to search his mind, Jolie?” her mate asked, knowing she didn't want to see what their detective had suffered.
“No, I’ll do it,” she said, gently leaving kisses across his face. Already, his eyes were less swollen, and his lips were healing.
Touching him on the forehead, she slipped effortlessly into his mind. There, she saw it all. Flynn was sitting at the table eating, and then Devin was there. She listened to the words he said, and then everything that happened next. Jolie’s eyes filled with tears as her brave cop didn't think twice.
He risked himself to save one of their donors.
Then, she saw the second before Genevieve attached him. There was the flash, the scent of hideous perfume, and the darkness.
Jolie had enough of that.
Yet, she wanted to know.
She needed to know.
Searching around, she found everything related to the abduction. There were the memories as Genevieve ran her hands wantonly all over his body, and the kiss that he couldn’t stop. When she got her hands on the woman, she was dead.
Her soul had been tainted by Genevieve’s filth. She took what was hers. It healed a piece of her that even while Flynn struggled to live, she was in his thoughts.
Now, it was time to reclaim what was hers.
Removing her hand, she lowered her mouth to his and gently replaced the evil which had touched his mouth with something more.
Love.
Jacques was in her mind, and he saw it all. “So, it was Devin, oui?”
“I’m going to kill him,” she hissed, getting off the bed. “There shall be no mercy for him tonight, or anyone who tries to stop me,” Jolie promised.
He didn't blame her.
“If you can’t do this,” he began, willing to carry this burden.
She cut him off. “Oh, I can do it. In fact, I’m going to do it for Flynn, and I guarantee I’ll enjoy hearing him scream.”
Jacques followed her out.
Tonight, Devin was going to wish he escaped when he could.
Now, there was no choice.
He was dead.
∞ Chapter Twenty-Two ∞
Jolie and Jacques walked hand in hand to the library, both vibrating with anger at what had been done to their third. When Jacques opened the door, and his mate entered, every eye was on them. Neither was surprised when Balzac was the first to jump up from the couch and storm toward them.
Jolie raised a hand to stop him. “I’m in no mood, Balzac. Let me warn you of that right now before you continue.”
“Jolie, we have been kept in here like cattle to the slaughter. We deserve an explanation!”
The look on her face said it all.
Balzac knew immediately that he’d gone too far when her eyes bled black, and she bared her fangs.
“Cattle to the slaughter?” she hissed angrily. “We have just spent the last hour washing the blood from our mate’s body, because I have a betrayer in my home. He was handed over to Genevieve like he was cattle. She dared to abuse his mind and body for her own pleasure, so right now you have no right to complain to me about neglect. He protected all of you tonight, when asked to do it. He didn't hesitate to run from the safety of our home, because he believed that one of us needed his help.”
Balzac went to speak, and he was cut off.
“He was traded away like nothing but an animal. You’re lucky you have no idea what that is like. Maybe you should all experience it!”
“Is he hurt bad?” asked Balzac with concern.
“Yes, he is. Genevieve locked him in a crypt with a decaying corpse, and then shredded his body until pieces of him were falling off. Then, there is the transgression of calling him MEAT! I find that beyond offensive. He’s not meat, he’s our soul!”
Jolie walked toward the family and her rage rose as she got closer. They parted for her until she was standing facing Devin and Zola.
“Zola, please move from your mate,” she requested, not taking her eyes from the male vampyre.
Zola looked dumbstruck. “Mistress, you can’t believe…”
“MOVE!” Jolie commanded and the glass in the room shook. “Why did you do it, Devin? Why did you betray me to her? Haven’t I given you and your mate everything that you required and wanted?”
He stood and said nothing.
“Answer me,” she hissed, anger eating at her control as the room shook around them and glass cracked.
There were scared gasps from the family.
He stared into her eyes and calmly replied. “Genevieve offered me power and control.”
“You tossed Flynn, my mate, to her for power and control?” She clenched her fists, balancing precariously on the edge of uncontrollable rage.
“Yes, willingly.”
The entire room gasped audibly and took a step back. Zola began weeping and dropped to her knees at Jolie’s feet.
“Please spare him, Mistress. We’ll leave the house and not return. I plead for mercy on his behalf.”
Jolie threw her head back and laughed, electricity cracking all around her in anger. “There will be no mercy, but I do wish to know, Devin, what power was offered that you would betray your family and mistress?”
“She offered me control of this society after she killed you and your mates.”
Balzac stepped forward. “You wouldn’t gain control at Jolie and Jacques’s death. I would.” Then, realization dawned in Balzac’s eyes.
“You were next to be betrayed, Balzac,” said Jolie calmly. “Devin would have killed you and enjoyed it. You can tell by the look on his face.”
The family stared the vampyre. The only sound in the room was Zola’s weeping.
Jolie turned to Jacques. “I have a suitable punishment for his crime. I know I said burn his flesh, but that would be too fast for the sins he committed. My Flynn suffered and so will he. In fact, if I could stomach touching him, I’d reenact the exact torture for all to see. Unfortunately, the idea of tasting his corrupt blood disgusts me!”
Jacques knew what needed to be done. Moving toward the man, he pushed him toward the library door.
“Where are you taking him?” asked Zola, bordering on hysteria.
“I don’t want to ruin my favorite rug, so I’ll stake him to a tree and bleed him like Genevieve did to Flynn. It’s only fair, as I believe in an eye for an eye, Zola.” She paused. “Does anyone object?” she asked, watching the faces of her family and daring them to stop her. If they did, they’d die too. For one of the mates in her life, she’d stop at nothing.
For once, Balzac took her side.
It was astounding.
“No. He betrayed us to the woman who got us removed from our home. His punishment is beyond fair,” said Balzac. “We’ll watch Zola.”
The woman threw herself on Jolie and began sobbing. “Please, Mistress! He’s my mate. I ask you spare him.”
Jolie knelt down in front of her and touched her face. “I’m sorry, Zola, but Flynn is my mate, and yours callously forgot that.”
“But your mate is human and not one of us.” She wept uncontrollably, praying for mercy. “We’re your family.”
“I’ll pretend that you didn't just say that to me, Zola. I’ll excuse that as part of your distress.” She stood before continuing to the door. Reaching out to Chloe and Mina, she instructed them to go to Brogan and watch over him. No one was to get anywhere near him.
Specifically Zola.
&nbs
p; “Come along. I want to get this done. I have a mate to worry about. Devin has already wasted too much of our precious time.”
Many of the family followed Jolie to the gardens outside of the home, and the mood was somber. She picked a tree furthest from their home, only to not have to see it every day when she looked outside.
“Are you at least sorry?” she asked Devin.
“Yes. I’m really sorry that I stayed here and didn’t escape. I figured I could cover myself a little longer, until Genevieve delivered what she promised.”
Even in death he was arrogant, and that wasn’t helping his case. She’d never understand that. In death, they were all equal.
“Ready, Jolie?” asked Jacques, using his energy to pin the man’s hands above his head. When she nodded and pulled two silver daggers from her boots, he had his answer.
Everyone stepped back, wanting to avoid the spray of blood once it began.
In that moment, Jolie didn’t feel the hostility that she should have. Instead, there was intense sadness at the betrayal.
“I’ll do this for you, mon amour,” whispered Jacques into her mind.
“No. If I’m going to make these threats, I need to be able to follow through.”
Jolie faced Devin down. “I’m so sorry that you felt that you needed to betray us.” Without warning, she sliced the dagger across his throat and stepped back from the spray.
From inside the house, Zola screamed in agony. Granted, Devin cheated on her, betrayed them all, and nearly cost Zola her life too, but she still loved him.
He was obviously her mate.
The same couldn’t be said for him.
Devin gurgled his reply to her strike, “He is merely human and food for us.”
Jolie stepped closer and leaned into his ear. “And yet he is more honorable than you ever were. That ‘food’ shall rule by my side as our equal, and you shall die spilled on my boots,” she promised, slashing the artery in his leg. When his body jerked, Jolie stepped back.
Zola must have broken free. She came stumbling down the path to fall at her mate’s feet. With her hands, she tried to staunch the blood flow, but it was just too much.
“No! No! No!” she sobbed, still begging for his life. “Please save him,” she pleaded.
