Murder

by Sandra R Neeley

  “What evidence?” Enthrall shouted to be heard over the bickering between the two males. He found it interesting that when Destroy helped Phrygia move closer to the two males, she passed right by Murder and sat next to Gaston, who gathered her in his arms. And Murder didn’t even notice.

  “My broom was broken in two places, she used it on someone. She left food out, halfway prepared, as though she was stopped in the middle of it.”

  “She used the broom on me!” Lore yelled, sick of the whole thing and tired of the two of them.

  Everyone stopped talking over each other and stared at Lore.

  “I went there looking for you,” Lore shouted at Murder. “You weren’t there. Phrygia was. I took the damn broom away from her because she was beating me with it. I tossed it over my shoulder and it apparently broke! She was crying and upset. She wanted her mate. So I took her to him.”

  “You gave her to Gaston?” Murder asked, confused.

  “You made me give you my promise that if I saw an opportunity to make up for the pain I caused her in the past, to do so. I saw an opportunity. So I did so!” Lore screamed.

  Murder looked at Lore with an even more confused look on his face. “But I swore to protect her. You can’t just give her to anybody!” Murder shouted incredulously.

  Lore snarled beneath his breath, before raising his voice to an uncomfortable level. “Murder! Meet Phrygia’s mate — Gaston!” he snapped, waving in Gaston’s direction. “Open your eyes! It’s right in front of you!”

  Murder looked over at Gaston, holding Phrygia, and Phrygia clinging to him tightly as she kept one arm around Anton who was seated right next to her. The three of them glared at him.

  Murder looked back up at Lore, realization beginning to slip into his overly adrenalin boosted brain. “I… I didn’t even….” He looked over at Phrygia. “I’m sorry, Phrygia. I didn’t even notice.”

  Murder struggled to get his feet. “I was so caught up in trying to find my own way and take care of you and trying to find Lucitari that I never stopped to realize, you knew the same thing I did — we aren’t mates. I should have noticed when Gaston brought you food. I should have paid attention, but I don’t even know if he was at the party. I am very, very sorry.”

  Lore stood still, waiting for Murder to get his footing. Once Murder was standing, Lore addressed him. “If you have any interest in ever finding Lucitari, we must leave now! I came for you this morning. I’ve been searching for you all day, without an answer I might add. And I find you here behaving like a jealous, controlling adolescent over a female that isn’t even yours.”

  Murder didn’t answer. Lore was right. “I only thought to protect her. I didn’t know she was here by choice.”

  “Did you ask?” Enthrall demanded.

  “Does anybody care that every single second we spend standing here is another second closer my sister moves toward oblivion?” Lore screamed at all who stood near enough to hear him shouting.

  “I care. Take me to her. I care, Lore,” Murder said, limping toward him.

  Lore gathered his mists and before Murder could come to a complete stop beside him, Lore reached out, gripping his arm and they faded from sight.

  Chapter 22

  Lore misted into purgatory gripping Murder unceremoniously by the arm. He let go so quickly that Murder stumbled.

  “Do you think I planned to stray from her?” Murder snapped, gaining his footing and doing his best to stand tall despite the injuries he’d acquired fighting the Dark One.

  Lore looked at him, really looked at him. He was bruised and still bleeding. He’d fought hard against the Dark One, and while Phrygia wasn’t his mate, he knew Murder well enough to know that Murder most likely felt obligated to Phrygia, whether she was his mate or not.

  Murder watched Lore watching him. “Why didn’t you tell me Lucitari was my mate? Was it some kind of secret between the two of you?” Murder asked, anger tinging his tone.

  Lore raised his eyebrows. “I had no idea. Why didn’t you tell me she was your mate?” he asked, giving as good as he got.

  “I had no idea. Not until I saw her at the party,” Murder answered.

  “Well, we all know how that ended. Just look for my sister and stop talking to me,” Lore snapped.

  Murder took a few steps into the heavy, white haze. “How am I supposed to find her?” Murder asked, genuinely wanting to know.

  “With your heart. Feel for hers. It’s how Lily found her earlier, but now she can’t feel her anymore. I’m hoping because you’re her mate” Lore cut his eyes at Murder, “or should have been, that you’ll be able to feel her heart and lead us to her.”

  “I am her mate! Would have proudly been since the very moment I knew, if someone had bothered to stop playing games long enough for me to figure it out!” Murder snapped, closing his eyes and lifting his face up and spreading his arms wide. Imagining himself an open beacon feeling for his light, in an effort to locate Lucitari.

  Lore inhaled deeply, letting it out slowly in an effort to control his irritation. “Just find her, please.”

  Murder didn’t answer, he just kept searching for anything, any pull in any direction, any tingle, any sign of warmth. Something in the back of his head kept telling him to move back from the direction they’d been moving in since arriving. He didn’t turn around, just kept backing slowly. Then he turned to the right, not sure why, but knowing that something was drawing him in that direction. The further he walked, the stronger the draw.

  “She’s this way,” Murder finally murmured.

  Lore who’d been following along, but trying to stay far enough back to not interfere felt immediate relief. “If we don’t find her, she’ll become a part of this place and be lost forever,” he finally whispered to Murder.

  Murder shook his head. “I’ll find her. I will not allow her to be lost.”

  What seemed like hours later, Murder led Lore into an area obscured by a particularly thick white haze. He started taking smaller steps, and he opened his eyes, looking down as he walked, moving his arms back and forth to clear the haze from his path. “She’s here. She’s right here!” Murder insisted, walking in a small circle and sliding his feet rather than stepping. Then he took another step and felt her. “Here!” he shouted, dropping to his knees. “Lucitari!” Murder said, gathering her into his arms.

  “Luci!” Lore shouted, kneeling beside Murder. “Luci! Wake up! Wake up, Luci! Murder is here. He needs you. Lily has been calling to you as well. She needs you! I need you!” he begged, shaking her gently as Murder held her tightly in his arms.

  Murder kissed her pale, white cheek. “Wake up, Lucitari. Please,” he begged. There was no response.

  “She’s freezing cold,” Murder told Lore, finally dragging his gaze from Luci’s face to Lore.

  “We need to get her out of here. Hold on,” he said, holding Murder with one hand and Lucitari with the other, he misted them into Murder’s home.

  Murder looked around himself and realized he was home. “We need a fire in the fireplace,” he said, hurrying down the hallway with Luci still in his arms.

  Lore looked over at the fireplace and despite the fact that it was warm outside, did what Murder asked. He started a fire in the fireplace. Then he followed Murder to his bedroom and stood watching as Murder tucked Luci into his bed, pulling the covers up over her, only to reach beneath the covers and pull her shoes off, tossing them over his head.

  He piled extra blankets on top of her and started to strip off his clothes.

  “What are you doing?” Lore asked.

  “Have to get her warm. I’m going to get in with her and use my body heat to keep her warm.”

  “You’re bloody and filthy. Go clean up. I’ll stay with her while you do,” Lore said.

  “I don’t care about the blood!” Murder snapped.

  “I do! She doesn’t need to wake and find you a bleeding, bloody mess.”

  Murder didn’t argue with Lore, he just ran from his bedroo
m to his bathroom, soaked a towel in water and used it to wipe himself off. When the towel was bloody enough that he figured most of the blood had been wiped away, he ran back to his bedroom and found Lore tucking yet another blanket around Lucitari. “He didn’t know, either,” Lore was whispering. “You can’t blame him for something put into motion centuries ago,” he said softly.

  Murder hurried over, thinking she was awake. “Lucitari?” he asked.

  Lore straightened up from tucking in the blanket and looked at Murder sadly. “She’s not awake.”

  Murder nodded. “I heard you talking, hoped she was,” he said as he walked around the bed, lifted the covers and slid in bed beside Lucitari. Murder lay as close as he could to her, then turned her on her side facing him, so that he could hold her tightly against him. He placed her head on his arm, up close to his chest and tucked her beneath his chin, laying one leg over her to try to give her more of his body heat.

  “Will she awaken?” Murder asked as he laid in his bed holding his very cold, very unresponsive mate in his arms.

  “I don’t know. She was there for a long time. If you hadn’t been able to find her, she’d have been lost forever.”

  “Can you help her? Heal her?” Murder asked.

  “You know I don’t have that gift, Murder,” Lore said quietly.

  “Can Lily?” Murder asked.

  “Possibly. I’ll be back.” With that Lore left the room, his mists carrying him silently away.

  <<<<<<<>>>>>>>

  Luci slept peacefully, no pain, no anger, no frustration. She felt nothing at all. And the longer she slept, the more the nothingness seemed to lure her in.

  Then, suddenly she was cold, freezing cold, and there were warm hands lifting her, calling her name, shaking her trying to make her wake. But she didn’t want to wake, all she wanted was more sleep. She hid herself away deep inside and allowed herself to drift back to sleep.

  <<<<<<<>>>>>>>

  Lore misted directly into Carnage’s living room. Carnage was walking toward the kitchen and almost bumped into Lore. He jumped back and snarled. After realizing it was just Lore, he shoved at his arm. “Nooo missss!” he ordered, irritated that Lore misted into his living room and startled him.

  “Sorry, Carnage. Is Lily here? We found Lucitari, but I’m hoping that Lily can tell me if she’s okay. She won’t wake up.”

  “Lenah!” Carnage called.

  Carolena answered right away. “Coming.”

  As she entered the living room her pace quickened when she saw Lore. “Did you find Lucitari?” she asked, worried about her friend.

  “Yes. But she’s not waking up. Can Lily come with me to Murder’s home to see if Luci’s okay. I can’t heal, I don’t have a feel for whether or not she’s okay.”

  “I don’t want her healing anyone. The last time she did that, she took Felicity’s illness into herself. We almost lost her, Lore. You know that.”

  “I know. All I want her to do is to tell me if she feels Luci. If she feels her, then she just needs a little time. If not, then I may have to bargain with some I don’t wish to bargain with to insure that Luci survives.”

  Carolena looked at Carnage. Carnage nodded. “Okay. But no direct healing.”

  <<<<<<<>>>>>>>

  Lore, holding Lily’s hand, misted into Murder’s living room. He could hear Murder talking to Lucitari, and when Murder paused, he listened very closely hoping that Luci would answer. She didn’t.

  “You ready, Lily?” Lore answered.

  “Yes,” she answered, still holding his hand and walking beside him down Murder’s hallway.

  “Murder? Lily and I are here. She’s going to check on Lucitari for us,” Lore called out.

  “Alright,” Murder answered.

  When they entered, it became apparent to Lore that Murder had shifted her. He’d turned her on her other side and snuggled up behind her, doing his best to wrap his whole body around her to keep her safe.

  Murder pulled the covers from Luci’s face just enough to allow Lily to see her.

  “Hello, Lily,” Murder said, offering her a smile.

  “Hello,” she answered, looking at Luci’s face. “She looks cold,” Lily said.

  “I’m doing my best to keep her warm,” Murder promised.

  Lily nodded, then climbed up on the bed. She reached out and touched Lucitari’s face and closed her eyes. After a few quiet moments, Lily opened her eyes and smiled. “She’s there. She’s just sleeping. She’s not ready to wake up yet, but she’s there.”

  Murder got choked up, his breaths coming in great heaves. “Thank you,” he said quietly, trying to maintain control.

  “Thank you for finding her. I tried, but I didn’t feel her anymore,” Lily explained.

  “We both love her a lot,” Murder said.

  “Yes,” Lily agreed. “I’m sorry I was mean.”

  Murder smiled at Lily. “I’m not. You should have been a lot meaner and much sooner so I could have figured this all out long ago.”

  “Thank you, Lily,” Lore said, reaching for her hand for her to come to him.

  “You’re welcome,” she answered. When Lily moved her hand from Luci’s face, lavender mists followed her movements.

  “Momma said no healing,” Lore chided.

  “Just a nudge, no healing,” Lily said grinning.

  “Let me get you home to your parents,” Lore said, not letting go of her hand.

  “Bye, Uncle Murder,” Lily said as she climbed off the bed.

  “I’m going to leave you and Lucitari to work out whatever this mess is. I had no idea, Murder. You know that I would have never been sorry you were her mate. It would only have made us closer than we already were. You should have known that.”

  “I do know that. I was just so turned around, so confused, thoughts of all kinds moved through my mind. Terrus finally explained everything to me, but still — the emotion — I was raw. I’m sorry for doubting you, Lore. I really am.”

  Lore stood beside Murder’s bed, with his sister tucked — still sleeping — in Murder’s arms. The heat in the house almost oppressive from the fire in the fireplace. “If we are being honest, I must confess that I questioned your motives as well. I came here not only to have you help me find Luci, to ask why you never claimed her or told me of her being your mate.”

  “I didn’t know.”

  “I know that now. And I’m off to take Lily home, then to find Terrus and have him explain everything to me, find out why I wasn’t privy to it all before. I’ll check on you both a little later,” Lore said.

  Murder pulled Lucitari closer and pulled the covers up again. “I appreciate it, Lore.”

  Murder opened his eyes groggily and immediately became aware of the female in his arms. She wasn’t as cold as she had been before he fell asleep. She was actually very warm. He kissed her shoulder then let her go, slipping out from beneath the mountain of blankets that were piled atop them. He went to the bathroom first, then to the living room to extinguish the fire in the fireplace.

  He went to the kitchen and gathered a quick meal, then took a platter of bread and cheese back to the bedroom in case Luci woke up hungry. He opened the curtains to allow in some moonlight and looked up at the sky hopefully. It was just a regular night sky, no blue tint hung over his home.

  He arranged his pillows so that Lucitari would be propped up, then sat beside her as he ate his portion of the food and spoke to her.

  “I think I understand why you hid yourself from me, Luci. I do. But I can’t know for sure that you really want me, that you’re willing to accept me until you wake up and talk to me.”

  He stopped to take another bite of cheese and bread.

  He looked at the woman sleeping in his bed, their bed now. He smiled at the thought of his bed now being theirs. “I’ve never felt this way. Ever,” he said quietly. “I’ve known women, even been in a relationship or two, but I’ve never in all my years felt like I do when I look at you,” he admitted.

&nb
sp; “I feel like I could do anything. And I feel like I’m the weakest male alive at the very same time. I feel like I’m the luckiest male alive, then I feel like I’m afraid every waking second. Is that what love feels like? It makes you feel stronger because you’re not alone anymore, but then it makes you humble as well, because if you lose that love you know you’ll never be as strong as you are with it? If so, then, this is it,” he declared.

  “I’d give my life for you, happily,” Murder said, reaching out to stroke a strand of her hair from her face.

  “Just know that I’m here, and I’m not leaving. Take your time, rest all you need to, I’ll be here when you’re ready to wake up. I’m yours, Luci. Always will be,” he promised.

  He got up and took the food back to the kitchen, then he had a proper bath. After a few hours, he’d bathed, eaten, and had told his entire life story to a sleeping Luci. He’d used a damp cloth to clean her face, brushed her hair, and finally climbed back into bed with her, holding her close as he fell asleep curled around her again, leaving the curtains opened so the moonlight would spill in through the window.

  The next morning, movement woke Murder from a very restful sleep. He stretched not realizing the movement was what woke him. His muscles were still sore and healing from his fight with the Dark One. He carefully moved away from Lucitari and rolled over onto his back, stretching even more, trying to work out some of the tightness in his muscles. He glanced out of the window at the sunlight streaming through it. “It’s morning. Good morning, my Luci,” he said in his gruff, sleep rested voice, not expecting an answer at all.

  “Good morning,” Luci answered.

  Murder turned toward her immediately, sitting up and looking down at Lucitari where she lay watching him from her side. “You’re awake! Luci! I was so worried. Are you well? Can I get you anything?” he asked.