He was grabbing me. He was far too weak and had only seconds now. I put my legs over his huge arms and held him down as I kept my grip over his mouth. He began to fight me even more. I was worried the woman would wake. I had to stop him. His throat seemed to try and heal right before my eyes. Hellhounds could heal but not that fast. He was full of vampire blood. Without thinking, I reached down and ripped his windpipe from his throat. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and his body gave a slight twitch before it was over. I listened as his heart shuttered one final time. This time, I didn’t feel bad for killing him.
I sat back, sighed, and thought of home.
CHAPTER
30
The sun was starting to come up over the trees as I walked over to the back porch and sat down on the swing. The screen back door opened as I watched the new day sun come up in the east. I hadn’t bothered putting my clothes on. I was not only high from the vampire blood in my system but also my victory.
No words were spoken as Rayce slowly sat next to me on the swing. Being covered in blood was probably shocking but he didn’t speak. He didn’t question me. I knew he could smell vampires and Gage all over me. He only put his arm around me and we watched the sun come up together.
We sat until the bright orange orb of the sun was mid-morning high. “That was beautiful,” I said softly.
“I’ve seen better.” I turned my head to look at him. His eyes were pools of passion. I couldn’t help but smile. “Did he hurt you?”
I bit my blood covered lip and I could feel the lump growing in my throat. I thought killing him wouldn’t affect me but it did. The brutality would haunt me forever. “He didn’t even have a chance,” I softly whimpered as my emotions flooded me.
He carried me upstairs to our bathroom and started my shower. He stayed with me and washed the blood from my body. I brushed my teeth and tossed the brush in the trash. I used mouthwash to get the rest of the wild flavor of his blood from my tongue. I could still smell him all over my body. I washed again to make sure I got it all off.
The scent of Gage lingered in my nose. Rayce climbed in bed with me and held me as I told him what I had done. How I hunted and drank five vampires and why I did it in the first place. I was a monster.
I woke with a start and my eyes flew open. My heart was beating a hundred miles an hour and my breathing was erratic. Nausea hit me and I ran to the bathroom. I let all the blood in my system go into the toilet.
I washed my mouth out and looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was long and beautiful and my eyes clear as ever. I felt really good but at what cost?
There was a commotion outside as I descended the stairs. I walked out onto the back porch and discovered the whole pack was outside. Marie came up to me and smiled the biggest smile I have ever seen her give. She gave me a huge hug nearly knocking me off my feet.
“What’s going on out here?”
“Everyone is here to celebrate what happened. We are free Jessica,” she said smiling. “Finally, free.”
“Oh?” I looked at everyone’s faces. They were all happy. Even Jay was kind of smiling but I could see a pain in his eyes. “What’s wrong with Jay?”
Marie looked back at him and sighed, “He’s not sure how to feel. He knows everything is over, but he’s still having a hard time wrapping his mind around it. Don’t worry, he’ll be fine, give him time.”
“Give him time for what? What the hell’s going on?”
I scanned the crowd of people and spotted Rayce speaking with my brother. My heart did a flip at the sight of him. I ran right into Bobby’s arms.
“What are you doing here? I’ve been so worried.”
My brother let out a laugh that touched my heart. “There’s nothing to worry about now, sis.”
I could feel the joy rolling off of everyone around me. I let go of my brother and looked at Rayce, “Can you please tell me what the hell is going on around here?”
He pulled me close and placed a kiss on the top of my head. “I think we should talk in private, my love.”
“O…k,” I said. We walked toward the front of the house and sat down on the porch steps.
“They found Gage and he was dead for sure this time.” I knew he was dead and I had done it. His death was something to celebrate, but it was still haunting me. I looked down at my murdering hands and rubbed them together. Rayce took my hands in his and made me look at him. “Jessica, I owe you everything for doing what you did. Killing Gage freed this pack from his rule. We don’t have to worry about anything ever again. Life is going to be perfect.”
“Rayce, you’re wrong. We still have to worry about your uncle and his pack. What I did is going to have his iron fist crashing down on us, more than ever now, and every one of the half breeds will die because of me.”
“No.”
“Yes, Gage can’t hurt us anymore but your uncle will retaliate and it’s going to be bad. I can’t tell you how sorry I am that I did that. Things are going to end badly because of me. Everything we have will be gone. All the people we love will die. What kind of life is that?”
Rayce laughed at me and I was a little taken back by that. What I had said was not a laughing matter to me at all. He took my hands and kissed my palms before he spoke. “Babe, my uncle is dead.”
“What?”
“Yes, he’s dead. Gage killed him a few nights ago and when he did, he declared himself pack master of the Oklahoma City pack. What you did saved us all. You saved all the half-breeds from death. Everything is going to be alright, now.”
“Are you telling me that my family, our family, are going to be okay?”
“Yes.”
“You still get to lead your pack?”
He nodded and smiled. His beautiful brown eyes sparkled with excitement. He was going to be safe and never had to fight for his position anymore. He was a pack leader and he had his brother back in his life. The world was his oyster. He would be able to build a life again and we would be able to be happy together without ever having to look over our shoulders.
“Rayce, there is one more thing you have to know about me before we can truly celebrate.”
He looked at me with question in his eyes, “You can tell me anything, babe.” he said smiling.
I looked at the house and back into his loving eyes, “How would you feel if you heard the sound of the pitter patter of little feet in the house?”
At first, he was confused, until he caught on. His face filled with even more joy, “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” he asked smiling.
“Yes. I’m, well, I think I’m pregnant.”
Rayce hugged me as his lips locked with mine. We shared the most passionate kiss we ever had.
“Babe, you have made me the happiest man alive,” he said kissing me again.
“I said, I think I’m pregnant,” I said laughing. “I mean, I missed my period. It’s usually a good indication but not definite.”
He pulled me toward the backyard where everyone was still celebrating the joyous news. I followed him up onto the back porch and he got everyone’s attention. “Today is a great day in our lives, but I have another announcement for you.”
I gripped his hand tightly, “Rayce, I said, I think,” I whispered as I tried to smile at everyone.
“My future wife has informed me that we will be adding another member to the pack,” he said proudly. He looked down at me. “Trust me, babe,” he said placing a kiss to my lips. Great cheers exploded. People clapped their hands and whistled.
Marie ran up to me nearly jumping out of her skin with joy, “I told you so,” she said smiling.
“I have to say, I didn’t believe you when you said I was in heat. Well, I guess we will see in nine months?”
The following month, I was experiencing a little morning sickness but Marie was persistent on having the wedding. I was looking forward to being married to Rayce, so I looked passed the nausea and slipped my white sundress over my head, and slid on my white sandals
. It was an awful lot of white, but I was the bride. Plus, Marie insisted on it.
Rayce had spent the night at my old house because he wasn’t supposed to see me before the wedding. I hated sleeping without him. I gave Marie rule over the whole thing, she also insisted on keeping it traditional all the way.
She handed me my bouquet of yellow roses from my own garden. I smelled them. Their sweet scent didn’t remind me of my old house anymore, they reminded me of Rayce. I walked out of our room and headed down the stairs. Marie came down after me in her soft pink sun dress. She looked amazing, and the color set off her tan skin and her raven hair.
“Marie, you look stunning,” I proclaimed. My friend, the Native American beauty always looked beautiful. She smiled and kissed my cheek.
“Thanks, Jessica, but if you saw yourself right now, you would see who the stunning one is. Are you ready for this?”
I nodded and closed my eyes. I felt a hand grab mine and I opened my eyes. My brother was standing next to me. My parents were there, but because of worsening hip problems, my father couldn’t walk me down the aisle. I love my adoptive parents with all my heart, but having my brother, my fellow hellhound, my childhood best friend, take his place made the walk even more meaningful.
“You ready for this, Jessica?” he asked smiling.
I took a deep nervous breath, smiled, and nodded. My curled hair bounced against my back. Marie started the wedding march on the sound system. My nerves were on edge but I was more than ready to marry Rayce. When I saw him, worry drifted from my mind. He was the only thing in my sight. The I Do’s went by so fast and in a matter of five minutes, I was Mrs. Rayce Tate. The guest cheered and some even howled when we kissed.
We partied and danced our socks off. Unfortunately, I had to stop every now and then to run inside and barf. Morning sickness sucks. I saw Rayce sitting alone at a table as I came out of the house. I walked over to him and he welcomed me with a smile and a seat on his lap.
“Any regrets?” He looked so handsome in his tuxedo.
He looked up at me and smiled, “I could never regret marrying you,” he said as he stood and took me into his arms. “How do you feel?”
“Sick,” I giggled. “But, it will pass. Hopefully sooner than later.”
“Have you heard from Chayce?” We hadn’t seen him since the night I did what I did. Rayce told me he took off after I stormed out.
“He called, but he said he had some things to take care of. He is busy trying to straighten out all that was destroyed before his rule,” he explained. Chayce had taken the pack master position back in the City.
“I’m sorry he couldn’t be here.”
“We will see him again.”
The goodbyes were a little harder than I expected them to be. I would see my family again, but it didn’t make me feel any better. I missed them.
After all the guests had left, I was sitting with Rayce at the kitchen table. He wouldn’t let me drink coffee. He insisted I drink only juice.
“You’re taking this a little far, aren’t you?”
“I only want you to be healthy,” He smiled and stroked my jaw with his thumb.
As he knelt down to kiss me, there was a knock at the door. Rayce groaned but went to answer it. He stopped in the doorway and turned back, quickly snatching his coffee cup from the table.
“You shit.” I rolled my eyes at him. He knew I would sneak a drink while he was gone. I stuck my tongue out at him and he laughed.
I was rubbing the ache in my stomach as he walked back in the room. He sat a huge box on the table, “It’s addressed to you,” he said curiously.
I stood from my chair and he handed me a pocket knife. I cut the tape. Rayce shrugged his shoulders. I pushed the packing popcorn out of the way. Nestled inside was a huge old leather book. I set it on the table. The fragile leather cover seemed like it could fall apart at any moment. The front had a cross branded into the skin and inlaid with silver. I brushed my finger across it.
“Who would send me a crusty old book?” I looked at my husband and he had turned pale. “Rayce, what’s wrong with you?” I asked reaching for him.
He sat down in his chair. “Jay told me about a book, the book,” he said. I stroked his hair away from his face and sat in his lap. I opened the book and inside there was an envelope addressed to me.
“Ok, now I’m confused,” I said as I lifted the seal and pulled out a letter. I couldn’t imagine who would send me this old book and why. The writing was in a woman’s elegant hand.
Jessica -
This book holds all of our histories. As a descendant of The Book Keeper, it is up to you to protect it and keep it safe from vampires. Hide it immediately! You are the only one I can trust. The vampires will do anything to find this book, and I do mean anything. Tell no one of the book or this letter. I cannot tell you how important it is that you keep it safe. The lives of all hellhounds depend on you and the safety of this book.
I will be in contact soon, my daughter. I love you.
-Irene.
WORDS FROM THE AUTHOR
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