“Mm-hmm.”
Just as Tez predicted, Damian was in the hospital lobby coordinating the search for Lorcan. He’d come to the same conclusion we had about the shadow taking Lorcan’s identity, and made the same assumption that the vampire was still alive somewhere.
“Is there anything we can do?” I asked.
“No, Liebling. Until we figure out how to stop him, no one is safe. We’re attempting to take precautions, but there’s not much we can do. We don’t know how he takes the form, or whom he might attack next.”
I told Damian about our theory, explaining how Tez and I believed that the founding families of Broken Heart might be involved with a conspiracy to cover up something terrible that happened—something that started with the murder of Elizabeth Silverstone.
“Started?” asked Damian. “You think there’s more than one victim?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Tez is right. This doesn’t feel finished. If the demon shadow is trying to fulfill some sort of purpose prevented more than a hundred years ago . . . there may be no stopping him.”
“If you’re right, Elizabeth, then we have much to fear.”
Damian’s admission ramped up my own worries about what was unfolding in Broken Heart. I only hoped we could stop it—him—before someone died.
“How’s Patsy doing?” asked Tez.
“Not well. When she awoke, she was immediately enraged. She’s not herself. Dr. Michaels issued a sedative—a knockout gas, if you will. Unfortunately, we must keep her unconscious for now.” Damian’s phone buzzed, and he turned away to answer it.
“Let’s go see Eva,” I said to Tez. We got the room number from the receptionist and took the elevator to the second floor.
When we arrived at Eva’s room, I saw Darrius, who was one of the royal lycan triplets and brother to Damian, standing guard outside the door. Usually he and his other brother, Drake, were the cutups, but his demeanor was all business. His jade green eyes didn’t even hold a glint of his usual humor.
“How is she?” I asked.
“Alive,” he said. “But not in her right mind.”
Trepidation filled me as I pushed through the door and into the dimly lit room. Tez followed me, his hand resting on the small of my back. I stopped near the bed and gazed down at Eva. Her eyes were closed; her wrists and ankles were strapped to the bed. I sensed the fairy gold interwoven through the restraints.
“Eva?”
Her eyes opened and within their brown depths I saw pain so deep, so jagged, I felt cut open by it. Surely no human was meant to suffer like this. Had Patsy felt the same way? Did it torment her still, and that was why she was enraged?
“Let me die,” she whispered. “Without him, I’m nothing. He broke my heart, Elizabeth. And I cannot bear it.”
“Lorcan would never hurt you. He lives for you.”
She squeezed her eyes shut, pressed her lips together, and turned her head. Her shoulders started to shake. Vampires could not cry, but that didn’t mean the urge to shed tears left us.
“He doesn’t love me,” she said in a wounded voice.
“Eva, shhh.” I reached out to touch her, to offer some small comfort, but Tez stilled my hand. He was right, of course. If she was as volatile as Patsy, she could well rip off my hand with just her fangs.
“Darling, can you tell us what you found out about Broken Heart?” I asked softly. “Do you know what happened a hundred years ago?”
She looked at me once again, her expression filled with anguish. “What?”
“You and—Well, you were looking in the archives for old newspapers, diaries, anything that could help us figure out how Elizabeth died.”
Eva frowned, and her gaze flickered. It was almost as if the need to mourn the loss of love wasn’t her emotion but someone else’s forced upon her. If the shadow had somehow injected grief into my friends, then Eva and Patsy had been emotionally poisoned. I had no idea what the cure might be, if my theory was correct.
“I don’t remember . . . Wait.” She frowned as though she were sifting through the murk of her memories. “We found something in the archives—a suicide note tucked into a book of poetry. Lorcan found it.”
“Was it written by Mary McCree?” I asked.
She shook her head. “Catherine Allen. She hung herself in a big oak tree outside her home. Her note said that her husband’s infidelity had broken her heart, and she couldn’t bear to live another day.” She looked at me, and behind that terrible sorrow in her gaze, I could see the flicker of Eva’s true self. “That was when Lorcan told me I should take a hint. That he didn’t love me, either. That he’d been with other women—women who loved him better. He . . . he . . .” Her mouth quivered.
“It wasn’t Lorcan,” I said. “He would never say such terrible things to you.”
I could tell I was losing her to the miasma that had seeped into her soul and tainted her love for her husband. “Eva, you must try to contact Lorcan with your telepathy. He’s hurt and he needs your help. We need to find him.”
“He keeps trying to get inside my mind,” she said, her mouth thinning. Her gaze went flat. “He’s killed me,” she said in an ugly voice. “Let him die, too.”
“That’s our cue to leave, Ellie.” Tez guided me out of the room.
“She any better?” asked Darrius. The tone of his voice suggested he already knew the sad answer.
“She’s heartbroken,” I said. “And it appears Lorcan’s been trying to contact her.” I tapped my temple. “He must be alive someplace he can’t escape. He’s probably very confused and worried about not being able to reach his wife.”
Darrius’s phone rang, and he plucked it from the holder on his hip. “Ja?” He listened for a moment and then hung up. “Lorcan gave up on trying to convince Eva to talk to him, and used his mind connection to Jessica. He’s been trapped down in the morgue freezer. Whoever knocked him out took everything, including his clothes, then used one of Patsy’s fairy-gold necklaces to chain the handle.”
Relief flooded me. “I’m so glad he’s okay.” I looked over my shoulder at the closed door of Eva’s room. “I hope he can get through to his wife.”
“If he cannot,” said Darrius, “we will escort her to the prison and drug her, as we did Queen Patsy.”
I hated the thought that another friend would be imprisoned—all because of the shadow. What had happened to the ghost? Had I been wrong thinking we were dealing with two entities?
We said our good-byes and headed out of the hospital. As we got into the car, Tez said, “How come Jessica can hear Lorcan? I thought that telepathy was just between vampire mates.”
“For some reason, Jessica had a connection with Lorcan, too. Maybe it was because she was the first person he killed, or maybe it’s because he’s the twin of her mate. She’s the only of one of us, other than those of the Family Koschei, who has a telepathic connection with someone other than her husband.”
“Huh.” Tez reached toward the GPS and I slapped his hand away.
“I’ll give you directions,” I said starchily.
“Can you do it in a breathy voice and make sexual innuendos?” he asked. “Because that’s really what I’m looking for in a navigator.”
“You can have another scone,” I said.
“That’s porn enough for me,” he said, and laughed.
“Wow,” said Tez.
I did a little spin, smiling. The red wrap fit perfectly, and, naturally, I had the perfect pair of stiletto heels to match. I had taken some care with my makeup and hair, sweeping it into a simple updo. I wanted to look nice . . . and wasn’t about to arrive at the were-cat colony without appropriate battle armor. If Serri was right, showing up on the arm of the potential alpha would make me a threat to the were-cat females hoping to woo the alpha.
“I’m gonna smear your lipstick, princess,” said Tez. He kissed me, pressing me fully against him—and, I swear, I saw stars. When he finally let go, he’d made good on his promise. I repaired the
mess, and we left.
Unfortunately, we had to let GPS Jenna guide us to the destination. I had never been to the community, so Tez plugged in the address to the unit, and we listened to the breathy voice direct Tez to the location.
I was nervous. I didn’t really want a showdown with the were-cats. I wasn’t sure how they would feel about having a vampire in their midst.
The were-cats had settled outside the town, choosing to build their houses on a vacant lot of land. I’d never bothered to find it before because, as I’ve mentioned, they kept to themselves. They never participated in town events, not even the public-welcome Broken Heart Council meetings, and they didn’t encourage visitors. Given what I had learned from Serri, I could see why they wouldn’t invite outsiders.
The gravel road leading to the were-cat living quarters wasn’t well defined or paved, and had a lot of potholes. Thank goodness the bumpy journey didn’t last long.
There were no streetlights and, without a full moon, darkness blanketed everything.
After a few minutes, the headlights illuminated a single long building painted white with a black shingled roof. It looked austere and unwelcoming, especially without any windows or other aesthetic touches. We parked behind this building and got out of the car.
“Looks like soldier housing,” said Tez.
I wondered if the females all stayed in one place. I couldn’t imagine living in a crowded space with women who shared the same men, and had no other purpose than to breed. I thought it was a terrible way to live. And, I wondered, if Tez decided to become alpha . . . would he take on the traditions of the pride?
Tez took my hand, and together we walked past the bunker, following the sounds of music and laughter. I could also hear the crackling of a fire. We rounded the corner, and I could see immediately that I was overdressed.
Directly across from it was a small white building with a steeple; it looked like a church. On either side of the clearing were two houses. The one on the left was bigger; and although it, too, was white, it was obviously the most luxurious accommodations. The other house was smaller, less showy, and struck me as a home rather than an example of power.
So, the bigger house was certainly the alpha’s, and the other must be the second’s, where Serri and her family lived. That left the bunker to house the other females and their children, although according to Serri, there were very few kids here. I wondered what deity they worshipped at the church—it looked very traditional, especially with its stained glass windows.
In the middle of all these buildings, in the huge clearing, a bonfire raged. People milled around the blaze, most holding either beer bottles or plastic cups. To the left were several tables set up buffet-style and laden with food.
“This is my kind of party,” said Tez. He glanced at me.
“I know,” I muttered. “I’m overdressed.”
“Take off your high heels,” he suggested.
“Over my cold, dead body.”
“Looks like most of the ladies are barefoot,” he pointed out.
I sent him a withering look.
“Or you could keep ’em on.”
“Tez!” Tawny, wearing a pair of tight faded jeans and a halter top, bounded toward us. She wasn’t wearing shoes. She stopped in front of us, and eyed me. “You dropping Tez off before you go to the opera?”
“She’s my date,” said Tez. He wrapped an arm around my waist. “Unfortunately, we can’t stay long, so . . . where’s Calphon?”
The double whammy of claiming me and asking to see the alpha made Tawny’s eyes narrow. What? Had she planned to liquor up Tez and have her way with him? I really didn’t like this woman.
“He’s over there,” she said, jerking her thumb over her shoulder. “I’ll take you.” She gave me a strange look before turning away. Apparently, we were supposed to follow her. The wide-hipped, buttock-twitching sashay was no doubt for Tez’s benefit.
“Princess, your fangs are showing.”
I rubbed my tongue along my teeth. I’d never felt compelled to show my fangs before. I used them only for feeding. My anger at Tawny had had a visceral, physical response.
“You hungry?” asked Tez
“Starved,” I said. “Do you mind swinging by the donor’s home before we head to Tulsa?”
“Hell, yeah, I mind. But I’ll do it anyway.”
He held on tightly to my hand, and we followed Tawny across the clearing, past the bonfire, to a large man sitting on a lawn chair. He looked pale, his eyes shadowed with pain. When he stood up to shake Tez’s hand, it obviously took a lot of effort to get to his feet.
“Glad you’re here,” said Calphon. He sat back down heavily, the chair squealing in protest. He lifted a beer bottle to his lips. His hand trembled, and I looked away. I was embarrassed for him. “You mind if we talk alone?” He slanted a gaze at me, and I realized he wasn’t happy that I was here.
Well, that made two of us. Actually, it probably made a dozen of us. I doubted anyone else at the party was thrilled I was here, either.
“I’ll check out the buffet,” I said before Tez could respond. He needed to chat with the alpha, and I needed to eat something with fat and carbs and sugar. I gave him a little wave of my fingers and strolled toward the tables.
“Elizabeth!” Serri was at the far table, holding a little boy. A tall, lean man with gentle gray eyes stood next her, his hand on her shoulder.
“Hello, Serri.” I hurried to join them, glad to find someone who didn’t seem disappointed I was around. “This is your mate? And your son?”
“Dayton,” she said fondly.
I shook the little boy’s hand. He giggled, and then shyly laid his head against his mother, his big eyes on me. “He’s darling.”
“And this is Trak,” said Serri.
He shook my hand. “It’s good to meet you,” he said. “Serri has nothing but good things to say about you.” He looked around, then leaned in. “Is it true that your queen would grant us sanctuary?”
“Yes,” I said.
He shared a look with Serri. “That’s good news.” Then he gave her a kiss, and chucked his son under the chin. “Nice to meet you, Elizabeth.”
“And you, too, Trak.”
Serri’s gaze followed the loose gait of her husband as he headed toward the beer coolers. It was obvious she loved him very much. “He wants to wait until the new alpha is named,” she said. “If it’s Tez, then maybe we won’t have to move. Maybe he’ll create new traditions for the pride.”
“I have no doubts about that.”
She looked startled, and then she tilted her head toward Tez and Calphon. “Doesn’t seem like their talk is going too well.”
I looked over my shoulder. Tez stood up abruptly, his face mottled with anger. Calphon’s expression was pure stubborn. He gestured at Tez with the hand holding his beer bottle and then waved it toward me. Tez leaned in very, very close to the alpha’s face and said something that made Calphon rear back.
Then he turned and marched toward me.
“You hear any of that?” I asked.
Serri shook her head. “Too far away.”
“Yeah. For me, too.”
Within seconds, Tez had arrived. “You ready?”
“Um . . . sure.” I shot Serri a look, and she shrugged. But her gaze was worried.
“Good night,” I threw over my shoulder as Tez took hold of my elbow and steered me away from the party. “What happened?”
“Calphon’s an asshole. And I’m allergic to assholes.”
“But what about being alpha of the pride?”
Tez opened my door, and I slid into the passenger seat. He got in the driver’s side and started the car. “I don’t know if I want to be part of this pride, Elizabeth, much less their leader.” He reached over and squeezed my hand. “Let’s go to Tulsa, okay? We have a mystery solve.”
We arrived at my parents’ home a few minutes before eleven p.m.
Tez followed the paved drive and stopped a few f
eet from the marble stairs. He looked at the house, and whistled. “You grew up here?”
“Yes,” I said. I didn’t bother trying to downplay the grandness of my childhood home—which was huge, with marble columns, red brick, arched windows, and surrounded by beautiful landscaping. I couldn’t pretend I wasn’t rich, or that I didn’t enjoy the perks of wealth.
Martha, our longtime housekeeper, greeted us at the door, sharply dressed in black pants and a crisply ironed white oxford. Frankly, my mother would be lost without Martha: she ran the household, performed secretarial duties, mitigated the chaos of the kitchen, and generally kept everything in working order. I wasn’t surprised she looked as fresh as a daisy this late at night—I swore the woman never slept. Oh, how I adored her.
“Miss Elizabeth!” She grinned broadly. Her once- raven black hair was now nearly gray, and wrinkles gathered at her eyes and mouth. But she still had the same twinkle in her brown eyes that let me know she’d baked cookies—just for me. Martha led us into the foyer and hugged me. She was small and compact, with just enough roundness to her form to give the best hugs ever. For a moment, I was transported back to my girlhood days, and I enjoyed the wisp of nostalgia.
“This is Tez Jones,” I said. “He’s a police detective from Tampa.”
“Oh, my,” said Martha, blinking up at him. “Is something wrong?”
“Nope,” said Tez, grinning at her and offering a saucy wink. “I’m just the boyfriend.”
“Well, then.” She sized him up, and nodded.“It’s about time Elizabeth found someone who deserved her.”
“I worship at her dainty feet.”
I skewered him with a glare, but he pretended not to notice.
Martha patted his cheek, her smile widening. “He’s a keeper, all right.” She looked at our overnight bags and then back at me. “How long will you be staying?”
“Just the until tomorrow evening,” I said. “I need to go through some of Grandfather’s things—papers or other items he brought with him from Broken Heart.”
Cross Your Heart: A Broken Heart Novel Page 15