"We've checked her for weapons, but if anything happens, stay behind me."
Alec gave Dorn a look. "Dorn, if anything happens, get the hell away from me. I can take care of myself."
Dorn laughed. "I guess you can, can't you?" He put the key in the door and turned it, then typed in a series of numbers on a keypad beside the door. Again, Alec heard the locks slide open and Dorn opened the door and entered.
The cellblock was a stark, bright-lit room with five cells on the left and right. Ms. Farris was in the middle of the five cells on the right. She sat in her maid's uniform, back straight and staring at nothing. Her jaw was starting to turn purple and bruise where Alec had struck her. She didn't make a sound or move as Dorn and Alec approached. Two security officers had followed them into the cells. Both had their hands on their guns and their eyes were trained on Ms. Farris.
"Ms. Farris?" Dorn said, trying to get the woman's attention. She didn't move or respond. "Can you hear me? I'm Dorn, head of security here. Do you know why you've been detained? Do you remember what happened?"
She didn't respond. She just sat there with her hands in her lap like she was watching television or listening to someone speak.
"Ms. Farris, do you remember attacking Alec?" Dorn asked.
At Alec's name the woman twitched a little. Nothing big or grand, just a small tick. Alec and Dorn looked at one another. Alec wished he was burning blood, just in case she somehow pulled out another knife and tried to hack his head off.
Dorn nodded to Alec and motioned for him to speak to the woman.
"Ms. Farris, I'm Alec. Do you remember me?" When Alec spoke, Ms. Farris twitched again. Her hands seemed to spasm like she was squeezing something.
Very quietly she said, "Alec?" like she was confused or lost and his name held some meaning for her. She licked her lips and wrinkled her brow, thinking.
"Alec," she said very quietly, "I have a message for you."
A cold chill went down Alec's spine. Ms. Farris was speaking so low that Alec could barely hear her. Dorn narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
"Alec." This time her voice carried some volume and Dorn could hear her as well. She turned then on the bed to face Alec, her green eyes meeting his blue.
"I have a message for you." She stood then and started walking slowly towards the bars of her cage, each step measured and precise. She tilted her head to the right, like she was listening to something.
"He wanted me to tell you something, Alec." Step by step she got closer to the bars. Both security men still had their hands on their weapons. Alec’s heart was beating quickly in anticipation of what might happen. Then, Ms. Farris stopped and just stood there.
"He wanted me to tell you…he's coming for you." She smiled a little then, like she was remembering something pleasant. Her demeanor slowly changed, her smile turning to confusion, then to fear and then to pain. She shook her head slowly like she was fighting with something.
"He wanted me to tell you he's coming…for you."
"Who? Who's coming for me?” Alec asked, a tremor of fear in his voice.
Her eyes snapped back to Alec's again and her gaze burned with manic ferocity. This time she didn't whisper. She screamed.
"THE DEVIL…THE DEVIL IS COMING FOR YOU, ALEC!" As she screamed these words she threw herself at the bars of her cell like a mad woman and began bashing her head against them over and over again. Blood and gore covered the woman's face. Dorn grabbed his walkie-talkie and screamed into it that they needed a medic and sedatives immediately. Alec was suddenly burning blood but he could only watch helplessly as the woman thrashed and beat her head bloody. Then she just stopped.
Alec was burning blood so his senses were hyper aware. He could smell the blood covering the bars and the floor of the cell. He could smell the bitter sting of the sweat coming off of the three men standing around him. And he could hear their heartbeats.
The woman said, "He's coming for you," one last time and then Alec heard her heart just…stop. Her eyes rolled up into her head showing only the whites and she crumpled to the ground bonelessly.
Dorn fumbled for the keys on his belt trying to find the one that would open Ms. Farris's cell. The two security officers had their guns drawn and pointed at the woman.
Alec just shook his head. "She's dead."
Three sets of eyes turned to look at him in shock. Alec could hear a key in the outside door and buttons being pressed. The locks clicked and the door opened admitting the medic. He was a portly, slightly older man with a mustache and he was carrying a medical kit with him. He rushed into the room and pushed one of the security men out of the way so he could approach the cell. Alec heard him say, "What the hell?" to no one in particular.
Alec explained to the medic what had happened and that he and heard the woman's heart just stop and then she fell to the ground. The medic looked like he didn't believe Alec but he didn't say anything. When the door to the cell was finally opened and the medic had a chance to examine the body on the floor, he declared her dead and noted the time. Dorn ordered that the body be taken to Doctor Schubert's office and for the blood to be cleaned up. And then he and Alec made their way through the hallways and twists and turns back to the sitting room.
As soon as they entered, Alec walked straight to the scotch, poured two glasses and handed one to Dorn.
"I'm on duty, Alec," Dorn said holding his hands up. Both his hands were shaking.
Alec said, "I insist. You need a drink."
Dorn didn't refuse a second time. He took the drink from Alec and both men downed the liquid quickly.
Alec poured himself another; Dorn set his empty glass on the end table.
"What the hell just happened, Alec?" Dorn asked confused. "One minute Ms. Farris is alive and the next… her heart just quits beating? Is that even possible?"
Alec shrugged and shook his head slowly. "I don't know. I just know that when she stopped beating her head against the bars her heart simply stopped and she hit the ground."
"What did she mean by 'He's coming for you?' and why did she say it was the Devil?" Dorn started pacing back and forth in front of the white leather sofas.
"I don't know," Alec said quietly. "She was compelled by somebody to come in here and either shoot at me and cut my head off or deliver a message. Does this sound like any of the vampires you've dealt with in the past?" Alec asked narrowing his eyes.
Dorn shrugged and sighed. "No, but that doesn't mean a damn thing. Some of these people have had centuries to plot and plan and come up with stupid shit to do to one another." It was a sign of how upset Dorn was that he hadn't apologized to Alec for his language. This had thrown both of them.
"Maybe Silas will know something," Alec said hopefully.
Dorn just shook his head. "I'll have to type up the report so that Silas can review it as soon as he rises. He is not going to be happy." With that, he excused himself to review the footage from the cells and write up the report that would send Silas into a fit upon rising. Alec sat on the leather sofa and just stared at the floor, thinking.
He'd been having some issues with being a vampire and questions about whether or not he had a soul any longer, but he hadn't spoken to anyone about it. Who could have guessed he was struggling with this and could send this message to mess with Alec's head? He doubted very seriously that the Devil was sending him messages through housekeeping, but then again, several weeks ago he wouldn't have thought that vampires were real and out to kill him either. What a screwed up mess this was turning into. It just seemed to get worse and worse.
Hopefully, Silas had some ideas or advice because Alec was lost and at his wit’s end. He finally took a moment to let out his pent up emotions from the security guard's death earlier. He didn't even know the man's last name. He laid down on the couch, buried his face in his arms and cried quietly. Two people were now dead because of him. It was ridiculous and frustrating and Alec wanted to break something, but it was the truth. Tw
o people wouldn't be going home to their families ever again, because of Alec Carson. He cried a little bit longer and then without realizing it, his emotions and the turmoil of the day caught up with him and he drifted off to sleep.
A sound awoke Alec suddenly and he realized that he had fallen asleep on Silas's couch. He sat up just in time to see Silas, his face like storm clouds and his eyes sizzling with energy, followed by a worried-looking Marcus, enter the double doors. Silas carried a tablet of some sort in his hands. It obviously held Dorn's report.
"Alec, what the hell happened?" Silas asked, his tone angry, but not with Alec.
"Are you okay?" Marcus asked quickly scanning Alec for injuries. What Marcus didn't realize was that Alec's injuries were on the inside where no one could see them. His spirit felt bruised and raw from the emotional damage that was being done to him.
Alec shook his head and addressed Marcus first, "I'm fine," and then he filled the men in on what had happened since Xavier had shown him to the media room. When they got to the part about Ms. Farris responding to Alec, Silas pulled out the tablet and hit a button, pulling up the surveillance video footage of the incident. All three men watched the screen quietly.
When the video stopped, Silas stood quietly, thinking.
Silas finally asked, "Alec, are you sure that Ms. Farris was compelled by someone and not just insane?"
Alec nodded his head. "She had the same slack look and dull eyed stare I've seen when one of you compels someone." He shrugged.
Silas grunted.
"Who the hell is 'the Devil'?" Marcus asked. At Alec's confused look he clarified, "I know who the Devil is as far as literature and mythology goes, I mean who is the Devil in this context?"
Alec thought about it for a minute. "In the Tarot the Devil card can mean self-bondage or some form of enslavement to an idea or cause. It can also stand for the darker side of life; lust, greed, sadism. That sort of thing."
Marcus tilted his head and looked at Alec confused. "Where did that come from?”
Alec shook his slowly, thinking. "I don't know. It just…felt right, like it was the right idea and right thing to say."
Silas was biting the inside of his cheek, lost in thought. After a moment he said, "I'm going to put security to researching any vampire cults or factions out there that might use the Devil as their symbol or icon. Maybe there's a group out there trying to make a point. However, I don't know of anyone off the top of my head that could compel a person's heart to just stop on command. The compelled's brain overrides such commands and ignores them since the body usually can't just stop a biological process."
"Maybe it was coincidence," Alec said, but the words sounded hollow even to him.
"I doubt it. A heart generally doesn't just stop. It usually goes through some sort of process, either spasms or erratic behavior, and then it stops. I'm curious to see what Doctor Schubert's autopsy reveals.
“Listen, Alec, I've made a decision. I have business in Saint Louis and I've been debating whether to take Marcus with me or leave him here to watch over things while I'm gone."
"To watch over me, you mean," Alec said smiling.
"Among other things, yes. After what happened earlier I don't feel comfortable leaving you here alone. So I'm taking you with us."
Alec perked up at this. "That's great. When do we leave?"
"We were going to leave tomorrow night, but after what happened, I think the sooner the better. If no one knows you've left, maybe that will buy us some time to figure out what's going on. We can tell the staff you are upset over everything that's happened and that you have decided to stay in your room. Dorn can take your meals in and make it look like you are still here."
"You don't think it will look suspicious, the head of security bringing me meals?"
"Considering all that's happened, Alec it wouldn't be suspect to take precautions for your safety. By now I'm sure the staff knows what's happened to Ms. Farris and everyone knows that you and Dorn were together when it happened. He's also human so it wouldn't be unusual for you to place your trust in him."
"Okay, but how are we going to sneak me out of the mansion?" Alec was nervous about this whole idea but the thought of getting out of this mansion for a while and hiding somewhere sounded like a great idea to him.
"I'll have Xavier call and prepare the jet for takeoff immediately and have a car waiting for us in the garage. Alec, you stay here and out of sight. Marcus, you go to Alec's room like you are checking on him and saying goodbye. Pick up anything you think he'll need like his phone charger and anything small you can carry out in your pockets. We will buy you clothes once we arrive."
"Actually, Alec has been wearing some of my extra clothes. I can just pack for both of us in my chambers," Marcus said. "No one knows how long we will be gone so it won't be weird that I take extra clothes with me."
Silas nodded. "Good. Let's get started. I want to be in Saint Louis before sunrise. I'll phone ahead and let Hisashi know that we will be bringing a guest."
Marcus stood. "I'll let Dorn know what he needs to do and let him know that you want the rest of the staff questioned and monitored for any sort of compulsion that might be on them. I'll pack and meet you guys back here in an hour."
"Alec, you stay here so that you aren't seen and everyone thinks you are in your rooms. I'll let the kitchen know that Dorn will be delivering your meals to you." With that, Marcus and Silas left the sitting room to carry out their duties. Alec sat quietly on the couch, thinking. Two people had died because of him. Hopefully, this would prevent anything else like that from happening while the staff was questioned. He sighed. Alec hoped Saint Louis wouldn't be too dangerous.
Something else occurred to Alec. It was time to be proactive. No more being intimidated by others. No more letting people shove him around. No more. It was time Alec Carson started acting like the man he wanted to be. It was time to start standing up for himself.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Saint Louis
Alec sat comfortably aboard the jet that belonged to Silas. He'd never been aboard anyone’s personal jet before, nor had he known anyone who had one. It felt very weird. Silas and Marcus had gone about their preparations and met Alec in the sitting room. They had exited through one of the doors in the back and taken a hallway, which led to a garage, where a car picked them up discreetly and took them out the back entrance. Alec hadn't even been aware that there was a back entrance. He'd only seen the mansion from the front. However, he wasn't surprised.
Worry and doubt were eating away at Alec and getting the best of him. Two people had died because of him today. He couldn’t stop thinking about it. He also couldn't stop worrying about the issue of whether or not he was damned. The fact that the Devil was coming for him, metaphorically speaking or not, had to mean something didn't it? And what about the horrible nightmares he’d been having? Was this some sort of sign that Alec was now some sort of soulless creature that was damned for all eternity? He didn't really feel any different, but didn't all gifts come with a price?
Alec was so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn't heard Silas speaking to him. Alec jumped when Silas laid his hand gently on his shoulder to get his attention.
"Are you okay?" Silas looked at the younger man, concern written on his face.
"I'm fine," Alec lied, not meeting Silas's gaze.
"Alec, I've been around a long time, and I know when something is eating away at someone. Out with it." Silas crossed his arms across his chest and sat back.
Alec felt stupid saying it all out loud, but once he started it all came pouring out in a torrent of words and emotions. Silas listened quietly while Alec unburdened himself. Alec realized that Marcus was listening as well. He didn't really care, he trusted Marcus with his life.
When he finished, Silas sighed heavily.
"Alec, the first thing you have to realize is that you did not cause the death of either Nancy or Max. Someone else's actions were responsib
le. You didn't pull the trigger and you didn't set them on the course that led to their deaths." Silas made sure he had Alec's attention. "Yes, you were the focus of someone's attention but that isn't your fault either. What happened to them was horrible and tragic, but it wasn't your fault."
Alec struggled to explain his feelings. "I know that I didn't actively kill either one of them, but if I hadn't been there, they would still be alive today."
Silas nodded. "That may be true, but you can't take the blame for that. You were brought into this crazy world by Clarissa. I took you into protection. You were just as much a victim as they were. But the sole person that is responsible for their deaths is still out there. They alone are responsible for what happened. Not you, and not I. Do you understand?"
Alec nodded. He felt a little better. He still felt bad about what happened but he realized there was an unknown attacker out there that had set these actions in motion of his or her own reasons. And they were the ones that needed to pay.
"And as for being worried about your soul," Silas suppressed his grin, not wanting Alec to think he was making light of the situation, "I know someone you need to talk to. I can't make any guarantees that we can get to see him anytime soon or that he'll see us, but I think your unique circumstances might pique his interest."
"Who?" Alec asked intrigued.
"It's a long story and I'll let you hear it from the man himself, but his name is Jacob and he is the one vampire that has ever died and been brought back as far as we know."
“What?" Alec asked hardly believing the words that Silas was speaking.
Silas nodded. "I won't go into details, it's his story to tell, but he died and came back. It's a truly unique story, as unique as your own," Silas said smiling.
Shadow Born: Book 1 of the Shadow-Borne Chronicles Page 15