My senses were fully coming back to me now, the drugs wearing off quickly. Did he just say that he believed me? Who was this man? Could I trust him? Could he offer the answers I desperately searched for?
“You can trust me,” he offered, as though reading my mind. “I’m on your side.” He leaned back in his chair and reached inside the pocket of his suit, producing a packet of chewing gum. He pulled out a stick and offered it to me. I shook my head. He shrugged and opened the gum, sticking it in his mouth. He chewed for a moment and then sighed.
“Listen,” he looked at me pointedly. “I’ve heard about you. You are one of the youngest expert marksmen in the military and your strength and stealth is unmatched. You are being highly underrated and underpaid for your skills.”
Again, I creased my brows, wondering what this had to do with Lily’s disappearance. I didn’t understand where he was going with this.
“What I’m getting at is I want you to come and work for me.”
A long moment of silence passed between us. I had yet to say a word to the “general,” still remaining confused by his visit.
“We can help each other out, Stone. After some training, I will promote you directly to Captain. And in return I can help you find Lily.”
“H… how do you know her name?” I finally found my voice.
Brandt laughed, a rumbling in his chest. “I’m like Santa Claus. I know everything.”
I couldn’t help but wonder who the hell this guy was and why he wanted me to work for him. What’s more, I couldn’t imagine what sect of the military he could possibly work for being dressed like that.
Again, as though reading the questions in my mind, he spoke. “I’m with the Faction of Unfortunate Souls Elimination. Otherwise known as FUSE.”
I looked at him cross-eyed. Unfortunate what?
He popped a bubble. “I know what you must be thinking. You’ve never heard of FUSE. That’s because we are a top-secret sect of the Government. We work in the field of capturing vampires, werewolves and the likes. We protect unsuspecting humans every day.”
So it was true, vampires were real, and I wasn’t crazy after all. The words sounded so unbelievable coming from his mouth, but I did believe him. I had to. I had no other choice. Yet that still didn’t ease the pressure in my chest at knowing such evil was still out there lurking about and, what’s more, I’d been completely unaware of it for my entire life.
Brandt continued. “No one knows vampires even exist because of us. That is our job. Imagine what would happen if that information ever got out to the public. Complete pandemonium. No one, other than the President and those who work for us, have ever heard of us. And now with what you’ve witnessed, you are under my jurisdiction. You’re my case.”
What the general said made me uneasy. He spoke as though I had no other choice but to work for him. What would happen if I declined?
“What if I don’t want to work for you?” I asked, my voice scratchy and dry.
Noticing this, Brandt leaned over to a side table and grabbed a cup of water. He handed it to me, waiting for me to take a drink before answering.
“That’s the thing. What you have seen cannot be unseen, and that means you have two choices.”
I raised a brow, waiting for the rest. By the look on his face, I gathered it wouldn’t be much of a choice. My stomach clenched.
The general popped another bubble and leaned back in his chair. “You can come with me or you can stay here,” he gestured to the tube running from my arm, “and enjoy dreamland for the rest of your life.”
My heart raced as his words sunk in. I knew what I would have to do. The general leaned forward.
“So whad’ya say? You wanna learn how to kill some vampires?”
FORTY: RUBY
Despair blackened my heart, and fear claimed my mind. We’d been caught.
Orie and Cloe sat huddled together on a bench in the empty holding cell of the jail. They had the fear of God in their eyes. I sat on the floor across from them, my back against the concrete wall. My body trembled and my heart slammed against the wall of my ribcage. Cloe and I exchanged worried glances and Orie fidgeted with his uniform.
Jax didn’t say a word but strode back and forth inside of the cell, rubbing his temples, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he knew about our escape plan or if it was mere coincidence that he’d caught us. Regardless, he was madder than a wet hen, and I wasn’t too happy with him either, now knowing that he voted against the humans.
Jax finally stopped and snatched our pack of supplies from the ground.
“Would someone like to explain this to me?” He turned the bag upside down and dumped the items to clatter to the floor. He kicked each one with his foot. “A loaf of bread. Flasks of blood. Knives. Weapons. A first aid kit. A map. Money.”
None of us spoke.
“This doesn’t look like the usual contents of a woman’s handbag. If I didn’t know better, I’d think someone was going on a journey.”
I bit my lower lip and wrung my hands together, casting my gaze downward. I didn’t want to look in Jax’s eyes for my emotions would betray me, anger and fear combined.
“And you,” he growled. I looked up to see Jax pointedly staring at Cloe. “What were you doing lurking in the bushes? Aren’t you supposed to be in the infirmary?”
Cloe opened her mouth, but Orie stood and cut her off.
“It was my idea.”
Jax’s glowing eyes drilled into his younger brother, but he said nothing.
“After Cloe… after Horus…” Orie stuttered. “I couldn’t stand it anymore. I can’t bear to see her ravaged by that beast any longer so I planned an escape. I wanted to take her away from here. Away from him so he couldn’t hurt her anymore.”
Jax’s attention turned to Cloe. She wrapped herself tighter within her cloak.
“Is this true?”
I squirmed uncomfortably, guilt burning my insides. I couldn’t let Orie take the blame. I guess he felt the need to repay me for having his back before. But it was me who pulled all of them into this mess and my conscious got the better of me.
“No,” I said, standing up like Orie. “I’m the one who planned this whole thing.”
Jax spun to me, a mix of emotions on his face. I braced myself for the truth I was about to tell. There was no other option at this point.
“Yes it is true that if we don’t sever Cloe’s ties with Horus she will likely die. And it is true that your brother loves her so much he would risk his life for her. But it is much more complicated than that.”
I clasped my hands together, readying myself for what I had to do. I needed to confess everything to Jax. I needed to try and make him understand our motives and why it was for the best. All I could do after that was hope the glimmer of compassion I’d seen in Jax still remained there. I held onto the small chance he would understand.
Cloe stood up next to Orie, their mouths wide open in shock as I recalled every detail to Jax. Not only did I reveal our escape plans, but I revealed my entire journey as a vampire thus far. I told him how I’d died as a human and how my biological father saved me by turning me. I then told him about Guy. I spoke of his honor and bravery in saving my life that night long ago at the Bisbee battle. I told him how Guy betrayed his brothers for me. I said that Guy would never cause harm to the Unfortunates of Tombstone because of his love for me.
That led to Tombstone and its unjust segregation. How the elite vampires had anything they wanted but the rest of us were made to live under such scrutiny and harsh rules. We were merely slaves like the humans. I mentioned how Horus killed Earl for merely being associated with me. I told Jax of his people’s hope and their desperation for something better, something more. But I held back the urge to scold him for his voting decisions like I wanted, thinking that would probably make matters worse.
To my surprise Jax did not cut in or interrupt me. He just listened.
I finished my speech with the details of our plan. How
we would break the captain free as well as the humans and escape to a better place. How we hoped to find true happiness.
When I finished, silence hung thick in the room and Jax’s chest rose and fell with slow breath. The glow in his angry eyes subsided as he studied the three of us.
“Sit down!” he growled, causing us all to flinch. “All of you.”
Orie, Cloe and I quickly sank back down, fear crashing through me. Maybe I hadn’t gotten through to Jax after all. Maybe this was the end for me. For all of us.
Jax took a deep breath and scrubbed his face with his hands. He paced the floor.
“This is never what I wanted,” he said, his voice surprisingly calm and even. He gazed far off as though deep in a memory. “When I heard of a safe haven, one where we could be free to be ourselves, I thought we’d finally found true happiness. I thought that my brother and I would finally be free from the judgment of humans who wanted us dead because we were different. I dreamed of a place where I would someday raise a family of my own and they would be safe and happy. Like when we were young and our father was still alive.”
If I wasn’t mistaken, I could’ve sworn I saw a glisten in Jax’s eyes, but he continued on, his voice low and rumbling.
“At first, Tombstone was great. We all worked together to build up what had been lost. We worked on trying to reconstruct the broken city, the dream of something better. A true sanctuary was on the tip of everyone’s tongue, but as time lapsed, I began to see the shift and our groups slowly separated. Certain vampires rose to elite status and no longer cared about the rest of us, deeming us lower than themselves. We were moved to different parts of the city to be with our own kind and that’s when everything changed. That’s when I saw the division. But I’d been striving for something better for so long, I couldn’t give up. I couldn’t brush aside the idea of happiness and freedom. And now I find myself, years later, seeing my people suffer. And not just werewolves. Others are suffering, the witches, the humans, and even some of the vampires.” His gaze flickered to Cloe. “I’ve tried to ignore it, but I see that is no longer possible.”
I turned to my two friends and watched as they clasped each other’s hands tightly. Their faces melted into understanding at hearing Jax’s words and warmth spread through me at Jax’s admittance, now knowing we weren’t the only ones that felt this way.
Sadness and morose covered Jax’s features. He turned to Orie.
“Is this what you want little brother?” he asked, his brows drawn into a hard line. “You wish to leave the place we have worked so hard for?”
“Only if it is with her.” Orie gestured to Cloe.
Jax turned his head away. “I will never leave Tombstone. It is my home and a place I will strive every day to make better. But against my better judgement, I won’t stand in your way.”
The three of us let out audible sounds of relief, but Jax spun to us, pointing a finger.
“Only on one condition.”
A long moment of silence passed as we waited with baited breath for Jax’s condition. Jax looked at his brother firmly.
“Orie. You must find Mother and Sister. Make sure they are safe and well taken care of.”
Orie nodded stoically, but his golden eyes brimmed with tears. Jax went to the window and peered out at the moonlight. “If you are going to do this, you’d better get a move on. You don’t have much time.”
At his words, none of us made a move. We were still processing what Jax said. Was he really letting us go? Would it be that easy? The werewolf leader stared out the window of the holding cell, his broad back stiff and unmoving. After some hesitation and a collective sadness, we all stood to leave. But Orie stopped Cloe with a hand on her arm.
“Give me a minute?” he asked, wanting a moment with his brother.
She glanced over at a forlorn Jax, knowing what this meant. This was goodbye.
“Of course,” she whispered.
Cloe and I went into the hall to give the two brothers some privacy to say their farewells. Tears rolled down my cheeks and I looked over to see Cloe in the same predicament. We exchanged a glance and laughed, swiping away the wetness from our faces. Moments later, the four of us stood in the hall.
Jax smiled down at Cloe. He leaned over and whispered something in her ear bringing a smile to her lips. He then turned to me, a serious expression on his face.
“This is a good thing,” he said. “I see that now. And just so you know, I wanted to vote for the humans, but Horus threatened me. He threatened to hurt my brother.”
I smiled, not because Horus would hurt Orie, of course. I smiled because I knew Jax wouldn’t have voted to keep the humans caged without a reason behind it. The fact that Horus blackmailed Jax infuriated me, but it didn’t matter anymore. Orie, Cloe, and the humans would no longer be in danger after this night. Jax came to me, surprising me with a large hug that squeezed the breath from my lungs.
“You take care little vampire,” he grinned, placing me back down on my feet. “And don’t ever stop seeing the good in people. It will do you well on your journey.”
I nodded, trying to keep the tears at bay. I had grown to love Jax not only as a friend but as a pseudo older brother. I would miss watching him scarf down the pancakes I made while talking at the dinner table. I would miss his growls and snarls and frowns. But most of all I would miss his rare smiles.
“And you don’t have to worry about the watchtower guards,” he said to me with a wink. “I’ll take care of them.”
I sighed with relief. Maybe our luck hadn’t run out after all. “Thank you Jax. For everything.”
We all stole glances at one another, knowing this was it, our last steps before freedom. Jax started for the front of the Courthouse, but stopped and turned.
“One more thing,” he smiled awkwardly. “If anything should happen, you never saw me.”
Orie held his hand up in a security salute. “I vow it on my life.”
We all nodded our agreement and Jax disappeared into the darkness of the hall.
Orie turned to me. “You have the cell key?”
“Yes.”
He nodded. “We’ll stand guard until you two come out.”
I shook my head. “No. There’s not enough time. Go get the humans and we’ll meet you at the watchtower.”
Orie and Cloe exchanged glances but after a long moment, nodded.
“Go,” Cloe smiled at me. “Go get your Captain.”
I grasped my friend’s arm gently and returned her smile. “I’ll see you on the other side.”
FORTY-ONE: CLOE
Ruby had done it. She’d made Jax see the truth and made him remember what the true meaning of happiness was. It wasn’t status, nor money, nor any of those materialistic things Tombstone gave so much heed to. Happiness was love and freedom and peace of mind. She’d done for Jax what she’d done for me, made him see possibility. She’d made us all realize hope remained even in the bleakest of times, a light in the dark.
Jax wasn’t a fan of Orie’s feelings for me, but deep down I knew he wanted what we had. He loved his brother dearly and wanted the best for him and I was so glad he’d finally came to terms that leaving Tombstone was best for Orie and me.
I’d always wished for a sister, maybe one like Ruby, or a brother like Jax, someone who would’ve looked out for me in my human life, someone to share the happiness with, but most of all, understand the pain. If I’d had a brother or sister, would I still have ended up leaving with Horus that night? Would I have ever become a vampire at all? Maybe not.
I thought of my mother, wondering if she’d ever cleaned up her life since I’d left years ago. Though there was a slim chance of that, I still liked to pretend she had. I imagined her somewhere on a beach, maybe in California, reading a book and enjoying the sun. She’d have a man by her side, one who was good and brave and treated her the way she deserved. Though she was a terrible mother, I still wanted the best for her.
But when I left my old life to bec
ome an immortal, I adopted a new family. Jax, Orie— and now Ruby— being a large part of that. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of friends. I was luckier today than ever before.
But now our family was parting, Jax being left behind to cover our tracks. It made my heart swell in thinking he was a good man and deserved the best. I just hoped when we left, he would finally have what he always wished for, a safe sanctuary and a family of his own.
When we parted, tears flooded my eyes. The words he whispered in my ear rang through my head and warmed my soul.
“I always knew you were a good person, Cloe. I know you will take care of my brother as he will take care of you.”
And now, I still saw the sadness in Orie’s face over leaving his older brother. He puffed up his chest with breath as he took my hand in his. We stood on the crumbling steps outside the Courthouse while Ruby remained in the jail with Guy. I gave my handsome werewolf a knowing smile before flashing us off to The Shelter. Our job wasn’t over yet.
Broken glass glittered the sidewalk in the moonlight in front of The Shelter. From what Ruby told me, Horus had broken the doors in a fit of rage. I pushed aside the thought of him, wanting to get this night over with, quickly and safely. No more negativity. No more Horus. No more fear.
I unlocked the door with the keys Ruby gave me. Orie and I entered the back room to see the blood slaves dressed in lavish old-style Victorian Clothing. I snickered at seeing familiar pieces, some Horus’ and some Natalia’s adorning the humans. They now looked like dashing noblemen and women, instead of weakened animals. I took confidence that our plan would work after all. We walked down the long hall, unlocking one cage at a time.
After all of the humans were out, they formed into three groups. A woman in a gold dress and bustle approached me. She was thin and pale —as all of them were— but held an expression of determination. I knew her face, though not her name. Guilt washed over me at the fact that I’d never known any of their names while I was the blood slave attendant. I should have.
“I’m Kate. I will help with anything you ask of me. Just give me the word.”
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