by Jillian Neal
“I don’t give a damn how you bleed out just so long as you do,” Garrett huffed furiously. Vasquez turned Keaton into a moving target, never keeping him over any part of his body for more than a second. Vindico stepped in behind Vasquez.
“It’s over, Vasquez. You’re surrounded. The Governor and the entire police force are right outside. You’re done for!”
Vasquez spun and spit into Vindico’s face. But Vindico was too quick. He reflected it instantly back into Vasquez’s mouth.
“Ándate al puto infierno, Vindico,” drawled from Vasquez’s lips in a hateful snarl.
“Oh yeah, I’ll meet you there,” Vindico quipped.
“EE,” Keaton pled, terrified. Rainer’s heart raced. All of his training, all of the hours casting and shielding, could never have prepared him for this.
“Emily,” Vindico stated very calmly, “When I give you the signal, I want you to cast only Keaton. Can you do that for me?”
Emily nodded, and shuddered in her terror.
Rainer let the stunning realization rock through him. Vasquez wasn’t leaving the House of Mirrors other than in a body bag. Vindico and Garrett shared a slight nod, and Rainer’s heart hammered violently.
Vindico would never allow any of Wretchkinsides’ men the chance to go back and confirm the power of Emily’s ring. He was a dead man walking. As soon as Keaton was safe, Garrett was going to make certain that Vasquez never hurt his family again.
“Good. As soon as she shields him, Vasquez, I’m going to have Officer Haydenshire blow you to hell. So, here’s your final warning. Either give the baby to me, and you can plead for mercy in front of the Senteon, or keep this up, and you can tell Satan I said to fuck the hell off when you get back home.”
Vasquez tried to edge away from Vindico, but found himself backing towards another mirror. With that, Vindico nodded to Emily.
She summoned, and Rainer had never seen anything like it. She projected the brilliant green shield from her left hand, using the vast energy contained in the ring.
The illuminating energy was so bright, he had to shield his eyes, but so did Vasquez. He dropped Keaton to block his face.
This was the most powerful shield Emily had ever cast, even when her own life had been in danger. Her inborn will to protect her brothers projected out from her body, and the ring responded to her will.
Keaton ran to Logan, who scooped him up and sobbed.
“Now!” Vindico shouted. He leapt out of the way as Garrett unloaded his pistol into Vasquez.
The echo of the repeated shots throbbed in Rainer’s skull. Emily’s body gave out, and she collapsed into Rainer. Logan fell back against the wall, unable to believe what had just happened and what he’d just watched his brother do.
Garrett dropped his gun. It tumbled to the floor. He turned and took Keaton from Logan. He held him tightly as tears flooded from Garrett’s eyes into Keaton’s hair.
Vindico led everyone out of the house.
Governor and Mrs. Haydenshire were sobbing as Keaton was passed from Garrett to Mrs. Haydenshire. Vindico gestured into the fun house.
“There’s someone inside. He didn’t quite make it.” The Medio medivac team nodded their understanding. As Governor Haydenshire took his turn with Keaton, Mrs. Haydenshire sobbed into Garrett’s chest.
“Are you okay?” she stammered.
“I’m fine, Mom,” Garrett assured her, though everyone listening knew he was lying.
“How did he get back here? I thought he was in Mexico,” Rainer demanded of Vindico.
“Yeah, so did I. Apparently, Mr. Vasquez has a twin brother. He made a few appearances for him in Mexico.
Wretchkinsides was pissed that Mrs. Haydenshire survived the wedding, and decided to play even more cruelly,” he shook his head in disbelief. “It’s just never with him. The only way out is to end him,” Vindico stated firm in his belief.
Rainer let that information wash over him, and it threatened to make him sick after the afternoon he’d just had. Emily clung to him. She was still shaking in her terror.
“But Vasquez is done for, and he was the only one here. It will take Wretchkinsides a little while to regroup. So, if you can, maybe try to enjoy the rest of your vacation. You certainly all deserve one,” Vindico urged the Haydenshires, who were thanking him profusely.
“I’m not doing this. Absolutely nothing is worth risking my family,” Governor Haydenshire choked out his vow through his tears.
“Governor, could I give you a police escort home, and provide you a broad range security detail? There are some things you need to know,” Vindico requested.
Governor Haydenshire nodded. He was still clinging to Keaton who, to Rainer’s shock, seemed to be falling asleep tucked in his father’s protective embrace.
Rainer climbed into the Hummer and drove Emily, Logan, and Adeline back home.
Logan was a disaster. Adeline constantly tried to soothe him, but wasn’t having much luck.
Rainer didn’t have anything to offer him. It was the most terrifying experience he’d ever lived through, and having watched Garrett come unglued and taking out his revenge on his mother’s would-be murderer and his baby brother’s kidnapper, had been a horrifying thing to watch.
As he drove, Rainer kept rubbing his eyes and blinking repeatedly. It wasn’t until Emily touched his arm, closed her eyes, and pushed her soothing calm into him that he was aware he was crying. He followed a long line of cars back into the front yard of the Haydenshires’ beach house.
Police cars peeled off to the sides to allow the family to park their vehicles. The family was escorted inside, with the media fighting desperately to get shots or reactions from any of the Haydenshires or their guests.
Police held them at bay. They screeched at them to get away from the Governor’s Suburban as he and Mrs. Haydenshire rushed the twins inside.
Iodex officers surrounded the house. No one was getting in or out as Vindico rushed Emily inside. He blocked her from the cameras on her right as Rainer blocked the press on her left.
The Price of the Priceless
The door was shut and bolted once everyone was seated in the Haydenshires’ living room. A shield cast from multiple sources outside the house covered the home.
Vindico accepted one of the beers Will was handing out.
Emily fell into Rainer’s lap, and he held her tightly as she buried her face in his neck.
The world was just too much. He understood only too well. He casted her, and didn’t think anyone would mind talking to them while they glowed a faint green.
Vindico offered him an understanding smile, and nodded his appreciation of the gesture.
The twins had both fallen asleep on the ride home and slept soundly, each in one of their parents’ arms.
Mrs. Haydenshire refused to allow them to be put in their cribs, and no one argued.
Vindico glanced around the house. He seemed to let uncomfortable memories wash over him. As he studied him, Rainer wondered if Vindico had ever come to the beach house with Will and Garrett when they were younger, and he wondered if Amelia had ever come along.
“It’s going to be a media circus for a while,” Vindico began morosely. He gestured to the throngs of press agents setting up camp along the Haydenshires’ property lines.
“Fine; I’ll make the announcement that I’m no longer running for Crown from here,” Governor Haydenshire huffed. Fury had quickly replaced his terror.
Vindico looked sickened. “If that’s your decision, Governor, certainly the Realm would understand, but before you decide, there are a few things you need to hear.”
“Daniel, my wife and two of my children were both almost murdered in one week’s time. What could you possibly have to say to me that would make me want to continue on with this insanity?” Governor Haydenshire demanded. He stood, and handed Henry to Emily as Rainer let down his shield. Emily cradled Henry to her chest as he continued his nap.
Vindico drew himself up to his full hei
ght and met the Governor’s infuriated gaze.
“Lachland Peterson just accepted a $5.2 million dollar campaign contribution from Dominic Wretchkinsides.”
“What?” Governor Haydenshire gasped in stunned incredulity.
Vindico gave a morose nod. “I decided to do a little digging. Seems Wretchkinsides has guaranteed Peterson the win, in exchange for a few favors after he’s in office. Samantha was the recipient of this.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and scrolled through a few pictures until he came to a photo of a brand new black Mercedes M-class.
“So, I decided to play private detective myself for a day or two, and I don’t know if you want to use these, Governor, but there are plenty more where they came from.”
Vindico scrolled to the next photo. It was a relatively close- up shot of Samantha and a few of her friends, along with several men that Rainer didn’t recognize.
Samantha was taking a long drag from a marijuana cigarette. The next photo showed Samantha laid out on the hood of her new car, with one of the men in the previous photo. His hand was up her skirt.
Rainer shuddered, as did all of the men in the room.
“Is that…?” Garrett glanced at the phone before handing it back to Vindico.
“Yeah, seems Peterson and Wretchkinsides have played matchmaker. Not sure if that was part of the deal, but that’s Adrian Malicai. He’s an up-and-coming player in the Interfeci. Wretchkinsides is personally training him. He’s taken a special interest.”
Governor Haydenshire looked sick.
“I’m not using something like that. That girl obviously needs attention from her father that she isn’t getting. It’s sick and disturbing. It’s not political fodder.”
“Stephen, you have to run, and you have to win,” Mrs. Haydenshire stated firmly. “This is no longer about the better of two choices; all of the shades of grey just turned to black and white, sweetheart. Now, we’re fighting good over evil.”
“She’s right, Dad,” Garrett vowed. “If Peterson wins, Wretchkinsides will control the Senate. The Realm will fall right back into the hell it was before you and Carrington, Dan’s dad, and Governor Lawson fought so hard to make it right again.”
“I will not use photographs of Samantha Peterson being taken advantage of, Lillian.”
“Of course not,” Mrs. Haydenshire soothed, “But you are staying in this race, and we are going to have to make the Realm see what’s going on here.”
“Does anyone else have those?” Governor Haydenshire gestured to Vindico’s phone.
“She was in the driveway of the Petersons’ mansion and, I can assure you, I wasn’t the only person parked close enough to see her. I don’t know who might have photographs, but if you don’t want to use them, I’ll never show them to anyone else. You have my word, Governor.”
“I will also provide your entire family with twenty-four-hour security, but please, for the Realm, you have to run, and you have to win.”
“Please consider everything that has happened to me today, Daniel, and don’t take offense when I say this, but I believe you were providing Serena Carrington twenty-four-hour security, were you not?”
“I was, but Gallic was not my choice, nor was he my hire. Serena liked him because he didn’t do his job. He let her be and was off doing other things.” Vindico looked sick.
“If you’re concerned, I will gladly provide you with all of my Elite forces throughout the campaign. If we need to hire others, then we’ll let Anna Eleanor or your own daughter interview them. Certainly, Emily would have picked up on Gallic had she ever been in contact with him,” Vindico sealed the deal.
An Ioses Predilect who believed in the powers of Receivers was certainly a force to be reckoned with.
“I’ll just provide my own security. Thanks, though,” Garrett stated.
“I can take care of myself, but I want her watched constantly,” Logan gestured to Adeline, who was seated in his lap.
“Done,” Vindico agreed. “When Emily and Adeline aren’t at work, bring them with you.”
“Same deal here,” Will demanded. He had one hand behind Brooke’s back, the other on her protruding stomach.
“Of course,” Vindico agreed. After a few more logistical plans were made, Keaton sat up bright-eyed in Mrs. Haydenshire’s lap.
Tears trailed down her cheeks again. He began looking around as every eye in the room was gazing at him adoringly.
He giggled happily. “I some juice!”
Relief spread through the room as everyone chuckled at his proclamation. Rainer was able to draw a full breath in the light of Keaton’s mischievous smile.
Governor Haydenshire fixed him a cup of apple juice, and Keaton scrambled out of his mother’s lap. He retrieved his bucket of Matchbox cars, and asked Vindico to play with him.
“Come on, Danny. We’ll show you how to play,” Garrett laughed at Vindico’s bewildered expression. Garrett, Rainer, Logan, and Connor left their chairs to sit on the floor and play cars with Keaton, while Henry slept on in Emily’s lap.
“Dan, I’m making us dinner, and you’re staying. I’ve been through enough today, and I’m expecting my eleventh child, so turning me down again would not only be rude, it would be cruel,” Mrs. Haydenshire demanded.
“Yes, ma’am, of course; thank you,” he offered politely.
“You have to pick a car, man,” Garrett urged Vindico.
“I’m really better with a bike.”
Keaton ended up selecting a purple full-size Ford van for Vindico to play with.
“A full-size? Really?” he quizzed incredulously.
Rainer and Garrett laughed as they picked their own cars. Henry woke up a little while later, and joined the group of fully-grown men playing Matchbox cars on the floor with Keaton.
The Governor attempted to play as well, though it was very obvious his mind was many miles away.
What Remains
The press remained, en masse. They formed a strange sort of intrusive barrier that surrounded the Haydenshires’ property on all sides.
Enhanced helicopters circled overhead constantly. They were all desperate to hear from the Governor, or for a photo of any of the children, especially the twins.
The constant whirring sound was exhausting, and everyone decided to call the vacation short. Hopes of leaving the house to enjoy the beach, or any other form of entertainment in the area, seemed impossible, and when Keaton had asked to go out to the beach to see the crabs, everyone’s resounding, “No” thoroughly confused him.
It seemed best to get the twins back to the farm, where their life could return to normal, for the most part.
Completely exhausted, the Governor and Mrs. Haydenshire had gone to bed after they’d put the twins down after their baths.
Will and Brooke had retired early, as well.
The girls had kissed all of their significant others good night and had disappeared to their room, though they were still talking and laughing when the boys decided they were bored and headed to bed.
Rainer had just emerged from his shower and pulled on fresh boxers. He’d hoped a shower and clean clothes might wash away some of the anguish the day had held. He climbed into his bunk when there was a knock on the door.
Logan stood and edged it open.
“What’s wrong, baby?” concern filled Logan’s tone as he opened the door further to reveal Adeline. The other girls were standing behind her, looking somewhat abashed.
“Emily said she didn’t think you all would mind if we decided to invite you all to our sleepover,” Adeline explained nervously.
Logan nodded and grinned at her adoringly. “Anybody here ever not wanted to be invited to a girls’ sleepover?”
Everyone laughed and scooted over in their bunks as their girlfriends and fiancée’s crawled in beside them.
“Hey there,” Rainer hushed as Emily scooted in beside him. He wrapped her up in the sheets and blankets and then in his body. She beamed as she wiggled until her back was pressed t
ightly to his chest with her head under his chin. Her energy began in jagged jarring twists, but as Rainer wrapped his arms around her, he felt it begin to calm.
“I’m scared I’m going to start having the nightmares again,” her whisper was barely audible to even Rainer. As all of the couples tucked up in the bunks were whispering to one another, with no one paying any attention to anyone but their own bedmate, Rainer nodded.
“Do you want me to go sleep with you in your room, so we won’t be in here in case you do?” She smiled but shook her head.
“No, Dad won’t mind this, but he doesn’t need anything else to worry about, and I think that would bother him.”
“I’ve got you, baby,” he continued to soothe her. “I’ll hold you all night long. I’ll never let anything happen to you, okay?”
“I know,” she still sounded frightened and uncertain.
He wrapped his arms around her tighter, and let his shield cover the two of them. He felt her body relax instantly.
Logan followed suit, and Rainer assumed Adeline was worried as well.
“Do you think the twins are all right?”
“Em, sweetheart, they’re in their cribs in your parents’ room, and there are Iodex guards surrounding the house. No one is getting in or out.”
She nodded and seemed to relax again, but a few minutes later, she turned, burying her face in his chest.
“Rainer, do you think Samantha will be ok?”
He felt his heart fracture slightly. He would never lie to her again, and she was truly terrified for Samantha, even after the hell she’d put Emily through.
“No, Em, I don’t, not at all.”
“Yeah, me either,” she stated in a choked whisper.
“Try to get some sleep, baby. There’s nothing we can do for Samantha tonight, and I have a feeling the next few weeks are going to be rough.” He thought again about his idea for her birthday present and the peace it would hopefully allow them, if only for a little while.
Emily was exhausted. He could feel her energy waning rapidly.