“Oh.”
Sighing, I sat down on the porch steps and pulled my hat off. “I’m sorry for hollering at you. But I don’t like the way things are playing out right this second. I’m worried about her and really want her to come through this without too many scars. And it really pisses me off that in order to make sure that she’s safe, I have to pretend like nothing is going on between her and Michael.”
She lowered herself gracefully to sit beside me on the step and looked off into the night with clear hazel eyes that seemed full of memories. “He loves her, too. But he realizes that she doesn’t want his kind of life. She won’t consent to being turned into a vampire. And he doesn’t force the change on anyone. He never has.”
“Do you really think that he’ll give her up, though?”
She turned to me with a frown. “If it means that she’ll definitely stay safe, then yes. I think he will. But, I don’t like what that means for him. Giving her up means that he’ll need to leave here and not come back. This really is the safest place for him to be. There are too many vampires out there who want to use Michael to gain power. It’s not just Isaiah.”
That was something I hadn’t thought of. “What do you mean?”
“The social circles between vampires have been buzzing about Michael and where he is. Everyone knows how powerful he is. They think that if they can control him, they will become invincible. The Council fears him because they think he could take control of the whole system if he truly wanted to do that. There was a short period of time when Michael was considered to be the Heir.”
“The Heir?”
“The Heir of all control. He was a prince. It was decided that until Michael was fully trained to deal with all the issues involved in that kind of a position that Teddy and Isaiah would retain control. Isaiah didn’t like the idea of handing his power over to Michael. When he realized that he wouldn’t be able to control Michael once the power changed hands, he began to make plans to see that Michael did not inherit the throne.”
“Are you saying that Michael is rightfully the King of all vampires?”
“Just for North and South America. We leave the Europeans and Asians to handle their own problems.” She shrugged lightly. “Our Council needs a strong leader. But more than that, they need someone who isn’t constantly seeking power for themselves. They need someone who is fair and just and isn’t afraid to ask the elders for suggestions when necessary. Isaiah has always wanted the power for himself.”
I thought about the meeting Sarah and I had been to with the Council and how disjointed their system seemed to be. “What about Vincent?”
She sighed and shook her head. “Vincent McGrath is only a member of the Council because they had run out of options. He wants out. Charlie is too flighty to be King. Teddy prefers to work behind the scenes, even though she’s an excellent leader.”
“And the girls?”
An amused smile made its way across Victoria’s perfectly white face. “They still have a lot to learn, but they are powerful allies. Shapeshifters of any kind are coveted in vampire circles. Michael found the two of them eighty years ago after Meekah discovered them through a vision. He treated them like his own daughters. I was their nanny for several years before he handed their care over to Teddy.”
“Weren’t they too young to become vampires?”
“Physically, yes. In fact, Michael didn’t feel comfortable with the idea until he consulted Teddy about it. She was hopeful that the two would develop quite well if brought around the right way. The problem with turning them when they’re that young is making sure that they really understand what they are agreeing to. Michael explained everything to them. He talked about the blood, the power and the fact that they would never really grow up. They had just lost their mother to cancer, and their father was nowhere to be found. They adored Michael from the first moment they met him. They would have agreed to the change immediately, but he made them wait several months before accepting their answer.”
“Sounds fair of him,” I mused under my breath.
She smiled again. “He would have given them the moon if they’d asked for it. But he didn’t treat them the way he had treated Meekah before she left him. He didn’t look at the girls as a business asset. He considered them to be family.”
“What about you? Does he consider you to be family?”
There was a distant look in her eyes when she answered, “I’m more of a glorified secretary and security officer. Also a friend. Michael saved me from a horrible life. I will owe him my gratitude for a very long time.”
“You weren’t jealous of the girls?” I teased her.
“They were like my little sisters. Samantha was constantly getting into trouble with her shifting until she learned to better control it. Anne is a very accomplished artist and has excellent control over herself. Except when Samantha’s around. Separately, they were easy to manage. When they were together, they never failed to act like silly girls with no manners.” She laughed in spite of it. “If what I’ve heard is correct, Teddy has made some progress with them, but it’s been slow.”
Someone opened the back screen door and Victoria and I both turned to see.
Jones stood there with a mocking grimace on his broad face. “You’re not trying to steal my woman, are ye?”
“No, Captain. Just having a chat about politics,” I answered, standing up.
He hit my shoulder lightly as I passed by him onto the back porch.
The camaraderie between the three of us, despite my reluctance to divulge Michael’s plans, would continue to grow. Whether it was a transfer of their leader’s trust, an extension of their affection for Sarah or just my own personality, Victoria and Jones had accepted me as a part of the team. It felt good to be a part of something again.
I just wish I knew if I’d picked the winning or losing team.
CHAPTER 21 – Michael
“Self-sacrifice is the real miracle out of which all the reported miracles grow.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
I had to make sure I wasn’t being followed. No one could see what I was about to do.
The plastic bag with the syringe and glass bottle was in the pocket of my black jacket, which I’d left hanging in the laundry room behind several other coats. No one was in the kitchen when I breezed through, but I sensed Jones was in the house. I flew through the back door and narrowly missed being spotted by Victoria and Jackson as they were coming back from the barn.
When I got to the far northern edge of the field perimeter, I doubled back to make sure I was still alone before I pulled the instruments of my demise out of my jacket. One little needle and one harmless-looking clear liquid. I stared at them both, trying not to think about the look on Sarah’s face when I left her.
I had almost hoped she might put up some protest when I kissed her. Knowing her as I did, it was likely that she would feel a little lost and sad once it was all over. But that initial feeling would go away eventually, and it would be far less painful for her to miss me than to see her whole world shattered by Isaiah and his schemes.
I had to trust Jackson to make it right for her and to make sure that I was in the right place at the right time. He had a big role to play in my plan. He was the only one I could trust to pull it off, because I knew how much he loved Sarah and how little he cared for me. The same could not be said for Victoria and Jones. They would give up their own lives to save mine. That’s what real friends do. But that’s not what I wanted. The two of them deserved some happiness after having spent so much time apart and yearning for each other.
There was no need to purge the extra bubbles of air from the syringe. If one of those reached my heart, it would do no damage. My biggest concern was making sure I used the right dosage. My contact in Costa Rica, a witch who had exceptional skills, had told me over the phone that the stuff was called “White Magic”. It was one of the very few natural chemicals on Earth that could render a vampire’s blood powerless. Unfortunately, i
t could also kill a vampire if too much were injected into the bloodstream. If given the correct dose, a vampire would become very weak and his or her blood would temporarily lose the properties that gave them the powers of strength, speed, supernatural hearing and sight. It could also remove a vampire’s individual gifts, such as the ability to read other’s thoughts or see future events.
The effects generally lasted for a week or so. If I were still alive, I would get everything back. The real challenges would be getting everyone into place, making sure that Alex took the path I’d opened for him, and trusting Jackson to take care of Sarah.
Before I injected myself, I made the phone call that would start the ball rolling.
“Is it time?” Meekah asked.
“Yes.”
“You are sure about Victoria and Jones?”
“Positive.”
“Very well.”
I hit the end button on the cell phone and slid the needle through my skin. As I forced the fluid through the needle, I hoped that Sarah would understand my choice. I hoped that my sacrifice would be enough. Enough to keep her safe and enough to bring me redemption.
CHAPTER 22 – Sarah
I ate a bowl of cereal standing at the kitchen counter. Jones had left. Jackson had gone to his room and closed the door. His face was cold and dark when he passed by me in the kitchen. I didn’t know what to say to him, so I stayed quiet. But I felt like an idiot.
What do you say to a man that you care about right after you’ve had sex with somebody else? What words would have made it better? If I were to try to pretend it hadn’t happened, I would have looked like a bigger fool than I usually did. But did I really regret what had happened? I had thought about it so many times, wanting Michael in both dreams and reality. The physical sensations he’d induced in me were nothing compared to the emotional bond we had forged in those heated moments on my bed. I couldn’t let that go, much less wish it hadn’t happened.
When I took my last bite of Golden Grahams, I turned to the sink and began rinsing out my bowl. The sound of a door opening upstairs was quickly followed by a strange scratching sound at the back door. I set down the bowl and went through the back porch. I expected to find Whiskers out there, pawing to get outside. But she wasn’t there. Neither was Sadie.
I opened the screen door and found Michael in a heap on the back porch, shivering and moaning.
“Oh my God!” I bent down and searched for a wound of some kind, some indication of what might have brought him down. “Michael, what happened?”
“He planned it this way,” said a rough voice behind me. It was Jackson. He was standing on the back porch with a strangely calm look on his face. He had already put on his jacket and had the keys to my truck in his hand.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“He’s doing what I’ve asked him to do.” Michael shuddered, managed to sit up on the steps and wrapped his arms around himself as if fighting off a cold. Jackson moved past me, reached down to Michael and with some effort, hauled him up over one shoulder.
“Sarah, I’ll need you to keep him upright in the truck while I drive,” said Jackson.
Thinking that we were going to go for help, I rushed ahead towards the truck and opened the passenger door. Once Michael was safely inside, Jackson turned to me and took both my hands. “He wanted me to keep this whole thing a secret from you, but I can’t do that. I know that you really do care about him. You should know that he’s doing this to save you.”
“What in the hell are you talking about? What is he about to do?”
“He’s giving himself up to Isaiah in return for Isaiah’s oath that you will never again be drawn into any vampire politics.”
There was a weak curse from inside the truck. “I thought I could trust you!”
Jackson glanced uneasily towards Michael and went on. “He’s made the deal and we have to go through with it. But, I want to stay with you when this is all over.” He cradled my face in his hands and stared at me solemnly. “I want to make this work with you, Sarah.”
But I couldn’t even consider such a thing while Michael was so weak and about to give up his life for me. How could I let it happen? Hadn’t he already done far too much for me? I didn’t want to consider what would happen to Michael once he was Isaiah’s prisoner. Would he be killed immediately or would Isaiah draw it all out and torture him endlessly?
“I can’t imagine how you thought I might go along with this, Jackson,” I sputtered.
His hands fell to his sides and he sighed. “I didn’t think you would. Neither did he.”
“That’s why I’m counting on Alex,” Michael groaned.
“Alex?”
“Forget it,” Michael said. “Jackson, we’ve got to go now.”
Jackson went around to the driver’s side of the truck, got in and started up the engine. I was frantically trying to think of a way to talk them both out of this crazy idea before we reached the perimeter. I got into the truck and put my seatbelt on.
Michael’s face was even paler than it usually was.
“What about Alex?”
“Don’t tell her anything else,” Michael growled towards Jackson, who was driving past the house and down the lane with a fearsome look in his dark eyes.
“I won’t have the strength to get out and check. You’ll need to run up there to make sure the gate stones are still in place.”
Jackson shot him a wary look. “What if they were able to move the stones?”
“Not likely. But before we leave, I need to know they won’t be able to follow us,” Michael replied weakly.
I was thoroughly confused. “Who are you guys talking about?”
“Don’t worry about it, Sarah.” Jackson pulled the truck up next to the battered fence post by the meadow and jumped out. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.” I watched him disappear in the darkness as he made his way towards the caves.
“Michael! What the hell is going on? Is somebody going to clue me in?”
“Not yet. Once it’s done, Jackson will tell you everything.”
I really wanted to punch something.
CHAPTER 23 – Jackson
Everything was in place. Victoria and Jones were in the caves, along with Katie and the others who were still sleeping. The three gate stones, having not been moved for decades up until that night, were solidly locked into place in each of the three entrances to the caves. Michael had done it before he’d injected himself with the White Magic. He’d told me that the stones were so heavy that he could only move them inches at a time and that Victoria and Jones together wouldn’t be able to accomplish an escape in less than a few hours, at least. It was pretty clear evidence of how much more powerful Michael was than his vampire friends.
We both knew that Sarah would be confused and probably pretty pissed off. I had asked Michael why we couldn’t just leave her at the house. He thought that she would find a way to get to us unless we just knocked her out or something, and neither of us were willing to do anything like that. He also said that it was important for Sarah to be there when the deal was finalized. Especially if Alex’s help was needed.
After checking to make sure the stones were still in place, I headed back towards the truck. When I opened the driver’s side door, Sarah was shaking her head and tears were falling down her face. It made me question what we were doing. Wasn’t the point of this whole thing to save Sarah from getting hurt? What if losing him ended up being the more painful of her limited choices?
I put the truck into gear and turned around in the gravel lane, doubts flying at me like rocks.
“Michael, are you sure about this?” I asked him quietly.
He shrugged and shivered again. “It’s better this way.”
Sarah sniffled. “I can’t believe you think it could be better for me if you were Isaiah’s prisoner. This is fucking ridiculous!” She grabbed a clean fast-food napkin that had been abandoned on the dashboard and wiped her nose.
“Isaiah w
ould continue to try to find ways to get to me, Sarah. It puts everyone you love in danger. The Council will be sure he keeps his oath to leave you alone.”
“I don’t trust most of them either, Michael!” she shouted. “Teddy is the only one who wouldn’t lie to me. Everybody else seems to have their own motives.”
“Then trust Teddy,” he said. “You can also trust Charlie and the girls. The girls, especially.”
We had passed the house and were heading down the hill towards the gate at the road. The gate was open. “I don’t know exactly where the perimeter ends,” I reminded Michael lowly.
The moment I turned the truck onto the gray surface of the road, and the headlights of the truck illuminated what was before us, I hit the brakes. About a half mile down the road, six dark SUV’s were parked horizontally across the road with their lights still on. There had to be twenty or thirty figures standing around the vehicles, all dressed in black. There were females and males, tall and short. I thought I recognized Teddy and Vincent in the crowd. I didn’t see the girls.
Michael nodded towards them. “They brought reinforcements.”
With her clear blue eyes wide, Sarah sat up suddenly in her seat and gasped. “Alex.”
I didn’t have to look very hard to find him in that group. Alex was slightly taller than the rest of them and had been the first one to turn towards us when we pulled onto the road. I did remember him enough to recognize his face, but the bright blond hair would have given him away in any group of people.
“Isaiah is going to know something’s wrong with me,” Michael whispered.
“Maybe he won’t take you, then,” Sarah said.
“If he doesn’t take me, then this whole thing has been for nothing. He’ll want you, Sarah.”
I shook my head. “No way. I won’t let that happen.” Turning to Michael, I gave him a once over. He looked awful. He was going to have to put on one hell of a show to convince Isaiah he was getting a good deal out of this.
The Vampire's Redemption, A Paranormal Romance (Undead in Brown County #3) Page 10