He jumped down from his perch and walked away from the blaze as firetrucks arrived. It was with conviction in his own mind Dante realised Alexandra had accepted death, and so did the Battys. Again and again.
Fuck the Battys. The maggots in the earth could feast on the bits that weren’t charcoal for all he cared. But there was another aspect to this: Julian. He was the one that pulled the strings, orchestrating this from behind the scenes. What he did best. Dante would never forgive or forget. Julian didn’t do this alone. The puppeteer always has a puppet. He would never stop targeting Alexandra. Julian would never stop.
*
Michelle parked the car and took one step out the door before pausing to check the text message she had just received. Her heart leapt.
DANTE: Both your apartments have been guarded with waratah against Julian. Be safe. Please.
She quickly stowed her phone and headed up the stairs, closing the door after Alex.
Alex gripped her in a hug so fast she almost tripped backwards. “Thank you so much for doing this.”
“For what?” Michelle asked, running her hand behind Alex’s head. She tried to remind herself not to breathe in through her nose. She remembered how wonderful Alex smelt, and Michelle tended to lose focus if she had her face too close to Alex’s hair but she couldn’t help it. It was only a quick inhale, but even that sent tingles to her temples.
“For letting me stay here. I just didn’t want to be alone tonight. Just…for being there.”
Michelle flattened her hand against Alex’s back, giving her a few soft strokes. “Can I get you anything to eat?”
“No thanks, hun. I’m going to take a shower,” Alex said.
“No worries,” Michelle replied, sitting down with a sigh and leaning back. Alex placed her hands on Michelle’s shoulders and gave a quick, soft squeeze.
“You wanna join me, baby?”
“Yeah…wait, what?”
Alex looked confused. “I said have you got a towel handy…”
“Oh…” Michelle said, giving her head a slight shake. She sat forward and took a towel from the top of the clean pile on the opposite lounge suite and handed it to Alex.
“What did you think I said?” Alex asked with a slight smile.
Michelle gave her best impression of a dismissive laugh and a shrug. “I don’t…I don’t know.”
Alex took the towel and playfully shook her head. “You seem really off. You sure you’re ok? You’re distant. Is it me staying here? If I’m a burden…”
“Shush. You’re no such thing,” Michelle said, putting her feet up, appearing to relax. “Things are just crazy. You saw the sky when we got out and on the drive over here. It’s been like that for weeks. I’m just settling, you know. Glad you’re ok. Everything is fine, sweets.”
Alex didn’t press the matter and left for the bathroom. As soon as Michelle heard the water turn on, she crept past the door and headed into her wardrobe, placing the necklace inside an old shoe box. She had no idea if it was dangerous, but thought the best thing was to keep it close. Just in case. The last thing she needed was for Alex to somehow find it. Michelle almost dropped the box as a piercing shriek came from the bathroom. Michelle shoved the box haphazardly in the top drawer and bolted down the hall, launching her shoulder against the door, breaking it free. She stumbled and set eyes on Alex, sitting naked on the shower floor, knees bent at an angle while she looked down at her side. Michelle moved around to look at what Alex was looking at.
“Oh sweetie…”
Alex’s lips were quivering as she pressed her fingers against what was her tattoo of Nick. His name with the wings. Now it was nothing more than a scabby, sore riddled wound. Alex finally looked up to Michelle, partially showing her the bloodied fingers she had touched the tattoo with. “Did you know about this?” she stammered through tears. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“No…”
“Stop lying to me!” Alex screamed as sobs and fear consumed her. Michelle switched off the water and sank to her knees, wrapping her arms around Alex whose head fell onto her chest, clinging to Michelle’s arms with her fingers. “What happened to me…” she wailed, rocking back and forth, scrunching her eyes. “What happened…”
*
Dante approached his building and looked up to see Margaret, who had been sitting with her knees to her chest on his doorstep, rise. She marched over to him, lip quivering. He had a feeling what was going to happen, but he let her come.
She slapped him with all her might, screaming through raging tears. “You bastard! I trusted you! I want you to look me in the eye and tell me why you betrayed me. Go on. Tell me right now what was worth doing that to my daughter!”
Dante waited for her wheezing breaths to slow before answering, “I loved her.”
Margaret shook her head slowly, her lip trembling. “How dare you…how fucking dare you. You gave me your word.”
Dante closed his eyes briefly and moved past her. “I trust you can get home safely.”
“Don’t you just walk away from me! I want an answer.”
“You have one.”
“You think that’s good enough? That it makes it ok to sleep with my daughter?”
“It was her choice, not yours.”
“I have stood by you through everything! We’ve been through hell together. But. I. Can’t. Even. Look. At. You. Do you have any idea what could’ve happened? You could’ve killed her!
Dante gave a roar-like yell and punched the wall next to his door before rounding on her. “Any idea? Any idea? Did you have any idea? All those years ago when you made me promise to never cross that line with her, did you know what would happen if I did?”
“I heard stories, that’s all.”
“And you never once thought to tell me?”
“I had your word. Little did I know how little it meant.”
“Then you are just as responsible for what happened to her.”
“What the fuck has happened to you? You’re blaming me? How fucking dare you!”
“You’re damn right I dare!” he roared back. “Because of my mistake, I broke a vow to you, ignored warnings and cast her into the clutches of evil itself. In order to save her and rectify my error, she will never see or remember me again. You came close to losing something…” He pointed towards his chest. “I did lose something. I have to live with that for eternity. You knew everything I had to lose and you didn’t say a thing. So go ahead. Rage and storm at me. I deserve it. But know this. I am paying for my mistake over and over again. You still have the choice to see her. To hold her in your arms. Things I will never get to do again. Think about that the next time you want to hate me for loving her. You said what you came to say. To hell with you and your judgement. Never come back here again.”
“Or what?” Margaret asked.
“Or I’ll kill you,” Dante replied, slamming the door behind him. He moved slowly through the hall until he reached his study. Above the fireplace stood a framed picture featuring Margaret and her husband Ray holding a newborn Alexandra. Dante had taken the picture, their joint thought was that was the only way Dante could be in the frame somehow. Dante could never have known that over twenty years later he would’ve lost all three of the people in the picture in one way or another. He had lived the majority of his immortal life to protect humans. To live a good life, if not an honourable one. This required an almost indifferent perspective on a day to day basis. Not to take an interest in their lives, the stupid mistakes they made. To view them as people, not food. But Dante realised how that line of thinking had worked out so far and it made him think his entire outlook had been flawed. How many lives could have been spared, or better off if he had thought differently, like Vincent. Cold. Calculating. Ruthless.
Dante had spent so many decades early in his vampire life searching for the one that made him, all to no avail. From there, he had created his own way of living for eternity. His own path and mindset. He had long given up the idea of findi
ng and killing the creature that made him, but he would never be the monster that beast was. Cold. Calculating. Ruthless.
Dante could never do that. Or so he had thought, as the frame crumbled to pieces in his blood and charcoal stained hand.
Chapter Eight
This Is Australia
Alex hissed as Michelle pressed down on the stickered gauze. “Sorry,” Michelle whispered. Once done, Michelle adjusted Alex’s pyjama top over her shoulders, to which Alex moved her shoulders out of the way. Alex’s hair still dripped from the shower, but she had made no attempt to dry it and Michelle thought it best not to press.
Michelle backed off and sat facing Alex on her bed.
“Did you know?” Alex asked quietly.
Michelle shook her head.
“Am I supposed to believe you?”
Michelle reached out a hand. “Alex…” but she was waved off.
“I know you’re hiding something from me. I could tell at the hospital. After everything that we’ve been through, the last thing I ever thought was that you would lie to me.”
“Alex, it’s not like that! It’s just…it’s so complicated.”
“So uncomplicate it. Please! Am I dying? Did I shoot a dog or something? Did we have a fight? Did I say something to upset you? Tell me. I can handle it.”
Michelle clenched her sweaty hands, struggling with the words. “Alex, it’s not that I don’t think you can handle it. Please try to understand that we were advised-“
“We? Who’s we?”
“Well, me and…and you. I mean, you were in the room, just asleep.”
“Would you just tell me?!” Alex had taken Michelle’s hand and looked into her eyes as if desperately trying to keep her emotions from overflowing. “Mish please…just trust me.”
“Hun, trust has nothing to do with it. I told you, we were advised not to mention anything about the last few days. At least until you’d recovered.”
Alex clasped her hands tighter. “Did I do something?! Did I hurt someone?” she yelled.
Michelle looked into her eyes, clearly filled with fear. God, how was she supposed to tell her, without telling her? “Hun…you…no, you didn’t do anything.”
Alex let her hands go and stood up. “I hit my head. That’s what you’re still going with? We both know that’s a lie. This,” she said, pointing to her side, “isn’t a bump on the head. Lying to me is one thing, but thinking I’m an idiot is a low act.”
Alex stormed out of the room, rushing past Michelle in a flash.
“Alex…Alex!”
Alex had vacated the apartment before Michelle had even left the room. Michelle bolted after her, her own thoughts slowing her down; what to say when she caught up to Alex? How best to explain? How to get her back inside? Although it would crush Michelle, she would rather Alex hate her than be unprotected.
Michelle stepped foot into the brisk night and spotted Alex roughly ten feet away, turning into the street. She probably just needed to cool off, but Michelle couldn’t let her out of her sight.
A man sat on the mailboxes, looking casual if not a little cold even in his parka. “Hey Alex,” he said as Alex strolled past him.
“Do I know you?” she asked.
“No,” he replied, standing.
Michelle’s senses were alert. Panic made her sprint forward, screaming Alex’s name as the stranger reached into his jacket and pulled out a stubbed pistol.
“But Julian Kent sends his regards,” he sneered, pulling the trigger twice.
Michelle reached the scene almost instantly but Alex was already motionless on the ground. The shooter spun around and locked eyes with Michelle. In that instant, he would’ve seen the pain…the hurt…the devastation she carried because of his actions. There was a brief moment of shock on his face, and that was all Michelle needed. As he prepared his gun arm to aim at her, she leapt up and brought her knees to her chest before lashing out. Kicking him directly in the chest with both feet like a slingshot. He flew backwards as his weapon clattered to the ground. Michelle’s back hit the ground, but she instantly jumped back to her feet clenching her teeth and groaning, rage fuelling her movements.
She picked up the gun and fired directly between his eyes, his skull exploding through the back of his head. Michelle twisted her entire body to where Alex lay, only to find her on her elbows, staring fixedly at the dead man.
Michelle dropped to her knees and clutched Alex with both hands.
“Oh my God! Are you…are you ok?”
Alex didn’t answer as, still in a trance-like state of shock, she sat staring at his body. Michelle ran her hands over Alex’s chest and stomach. Even in the darkness she could’ve sworn that’s where the bullets were aimed. Michelle could find no blood.
She gripped Alex on both sides of her face. “Alex can you hear me…Alex!”
The last word seemed to rouse her, finally looking at Michelle. “Are you ok?”
Alex gave a slow, then quick nod. No words. Michelle gently caressed her face, smoothing the strands of hair back from her forehead. “Alex…listen to me. The adrenaline could be having an effect. Did he get you? Are you in any pain?”
It took a few seconds, but when Alex shook her head again, only then did relief start to pour into Michelle. Luck, chance or a shitty shot. Michelle didn’t know but she brought Alex in for the tightest embrace she could manage.
“You killed him…” Alex mumbled. “Without even thinking twice. I’ve never seen you so angry before.”
Michelle leaned back to glance over the body. “Alex…”
“I get it. It’s ok. You thought he killed one of your friends-”
“I thought he killed you,” she replied softly.
And finally, Alex had some truth. Within an instant Michelle had murdered a man for killing Alex, or appearing to. Michelle had meant the words, but she realised they were both holding each other in an embrace. The actions coupled with the words gave an air that Alex was much more than a friend to Michelle. Seconds turned to minutes before either moved. Alex got to her feet first. When Michelle placed her hand to the ground, she felt some odd shaped, yet sharp rocks. She rose to her full height, tucked the gun into her pocket and faced Alex.
“Is this part of what you were afraid of? What you weren’t telling me?” Alex asked.
“Please come inside and get into bed. We can talk more tomorrow. I promise.”
Once inside, Michelle placed Alex in the spare bed without another word spoken between them. She left the door open, just in case Alex needed anything, and switched the flickering, failing light on in her own room, digging out the rocks she had felt earlier from her pocket. Something told her she should have a closer look in the light, and now she could see why. She placed a hand gently over her mouth. They weren’t rocks. They were metallic. Two of them. Bullets. Partially flattened, yet the tips of which were indented, crushed back in on themselves with such force the metal had split and fanned out.
The shooter hadn’t missed. They had hit Alex. And they had been destroyed without leaving a blemish on her. The Night Mother’s words continued to repeat in her head. Saviour…and she had to be protected. But what on Earth would Alex need protecting from if she was bulletproof? Michelle heard her door creek open and dropped the bullets as she twisted to find a sobbing Alex closing in on her, crawling over the bed.
“I’m so sorry…” she said.
“Honey what’s wrong? About what?”
“About everything I said before I left…I didn’t mean it…I’m sorry.”
Michelle rubbed her back as Alex nestled her head against her neck. They slowly fell back onto the bed and lay there. Michelle content to hold Alex until she stopped crying.
“It’s ok…it’s ok.”
“No…I know you would never hurt me. Not on purpose. I know you’re keeping things from me, but I know that you would have a good reason. Just please tell me one thing…whatever happened, to me or whatever…did I hurt you?”
Michell
e thought back to the night Dominus took over Alex, just after he had violated her, taking control of her fully. And how much pleasure could be seen in Alex’s smiling face as she kicked Michelle…
“No, hun. You didn’t hurt me.”
Michelle put extra emphasis on the ‘you’, but whether Alex noticed or not, Michelle didn’t know. Alex had turned around, taken Michelle’s hand and put it around herself, holding it in place. Michelle wanted to turn the light off but at that instant the ember in it finally gave out, drenching the room in darkness. It surrounded the two of them like a black void yet they themselves seemed oblivious, shielded from it, evidenced by the ease at which Michelle drifted off to sleep. For tonight anyway, Michelle would take advantage of being truly at peace and comfortable for the first time in months, due in no small part to the woman beside her. She would get rid of the gun at first light. Let someone else call about the body.
Chapter Nine
Primal Chaos
Alicia reminded herself to slow down, letting Nicole keep pace with her. They had stayed off the main roads and kept to the dark mostly. Alicia had given her shoes to Nicole to protect the girl’s feet, and truly, Alicia moved better without them. When they slept, the little they could, it was in the thick branches of a tree. They hadn’t really spoken in over a day. Not that there was any animosity, quite the opposite. There just wasn’t much to say without bringing tears.
Nicole hadn’t uttered one word of complaint. But she couldn’t stop the flow of tears that seemed to unconsciously fall from time to time. Like this very moment. Alicia could tell Nicole was trying to remain silent, but failing.
Pack Master (Undeadly Secrets Book 4) Page 5