Harcourte Vampyre Society 01 Dangerous Revelations

by Unknown

  “Unfortunately, she succeeded in ending his life. When we arrived, Cassiel was feasting on his blood, and my Flynn was already gone.”

  Jolie let the sadness ebb into her voice. Most of it was genuine, since he’d chosen to leave her.

  “I lost someone I loved too.” Jolie lowered her head and prayed that Jacques could keep the illusion in her head going until after Vlad finished questioning them.

  “So, you freely admit that you killed Cassiel?” asked Vlad.

  “Yes, Master Vlad, I did.”

  As he searched her mind for any mistruths, Jolie remained incredibly calm.

  “You ended her life because you had no choice,” said Vlad.

  Genevieve screamed again.

  “Master Vlad, Cassiel freely admitted that she was the one preying on the humans in France.” A hush covered the room as that dirty laundry was aired.

  “That’s a lie!” screamed Genevieve. “I would have known. She was my only child.”

  “Yeah, just like you knew Medea was an angel?” Jolie spat back.

  Vlad pushed further into Jolie’s mind, seeking the validity of what she had just said. “She is speaking the truth. Cassiel did admit to the crimes which caused us to leave our homes.”

  “Because of her actions, Master Vlad, most of my society was killed in the fire that the hunters set to my home. It was my duty to find the killer then, and I’ve done my job assigned by the council. I’ll accept any punishment the council sees fit.” Jolie lowered her head and squeezed Jacques’s hand.

  “There will be no punishment for your actions, Jolie and Jacques. You did what was within the constraints of our law. We asked you to aid the police in finding the killers, and you did exactly that.”

  “No, she must be punished!” Genevieve whispered. “What of her killing Master Sergei?” demanded Genevieve, intent on hanging her, one way or another.

  “Please explain your actions, Mistress Jolie,” said Vlad.

  “Sergei sent a group of his vampyres to my home to kill us in our sleep. The police detective was sleeping in another room and heard the vampyres enter our quarters. I was injured, almost decapitated, and our detective was gravely wounded. We were forced to bond him to us, or he would have perished.”

  Vlad motioned for her to continue, since he saw no lies.

  “We then found it was him, and we retaliated by killing him in his own bed. It was wrong of us to do this without council’s permission. I apologize and we accept our punishment.” Jolie bowed her head and felt Vlad again travel into her mind. When he had found what he was looking for, he left again.

  “You have spoken only the truth.”

  Genevieve made a growling noise. “I vote for their punishment. She took a lesser member’s life without the council’s permission. She should be killed!” There was a common gasp from the room. Jolie looked up at her old friend, the betrayal not hurting nearly as much as losing her detective.

  “You wish my death for retribution. If it is the council’s choice, I’ll adhere to the decision, but only me. Jacques was ordered to participate. He was solely following my demands.” She immediately sensed Jacques tensing beside her, and she sent him love and peace.

  “We’ll adjourn and let you know of the vote, Mistress Jolie. I ask you please leave the area until we have decided on your fate.”

  “Yes, Master Vlad.” Jolie nodded to the members as she walked hand in hand with Jacques, away from them. They didn't stop until they were outside.

  Deep in her heart, she wanted to tell him to run. By himself, Jacques would have a chance.

  Jacques took her into his arms as if reading Jolie’s mind. “I’ll not live if they decide to end your life. You have to let me go with you.”

  Jolie warmed herself against his chest. “You can’t my love. If anything happens to me, you must take care of our society. You’re my mate, and it is your job now.”

  “Jolie,” he whispered, leaning down to kiss her with everything that he had.

  She curled into his body, relishing what may be her last moment with the man she loved.

  “I’ll not let you go alone. Balzac can run the society. I’ll not lose you after finally having you as my mate. There’s not going to be an argument, mon amour. I’m not afraid to die. I’m afraid to be forced to go on with only your memory.”

  “Jacques,” she said, holding onto him and sending out a silent prayer. The council had every right to sentence her to death. She had broken the rules. “I love you, Jacques. Please don’t ever forget that.”

  They turned when Master Vlad’s guardian stood in the door.

  “Please come with me. They have finished the vote.”

  Jolie took her mate’s hand as they went to see what their fate was to be.

  The room was completely silent.

  It wasn’t a good sign. She looked at all the other members. Half wouldn’t look her in the eyes.

  Well, shit. It appeared that they were more than willing to get rid of her. Apparently, she made some enemies.

  Jacques squeezed her hand tight.

  She reached for his mind.

  “Je t’aime.”

  “I love you too.”

  “Jolie and Jacques, please kneel,” stated Master Vlad. He watched as they both dropped to their knees and two large guardians moved to stand at each of their sides. “Do you understand what you’re being charged with by the council?”

  “Yes, Master Vlad,” answered Jolie and Jacques in unison.

  “I’m sorry to inform you that it has been decided that your punishment is to be strict. We understand why you did what you did, but we can’t allow stronger masters and mistresses to kill the weaker without repercussions.”

  “Yes, master Vlad.”

  “We, the high council, sentence you to seclusion.”

  Jolie and Jacques both looked up, and their hearts began beating again. “Separation, Master Vlad?”

  “You hereby forfeit your place in our council. You will no longer be permitted in our city. Instead of death, we have voted for your excommunication.”

  Jolie looked around at the rest of the members. “Yes, Master Vlad.”

  “You have until Monday to be out of our city.”

  “Yes, Master Vlad.”

  “Do you understand your sentence and accept it?”

  Jolie and Jacques stood. “I understand the terms of our punishment. We’ll take our society and willingly leave Philadelphia by Monday. Thank you for sparing our lives, Master Vlad.”

  “The only reason your lives were spared, Jolie, was you have always served the council and our people. I’ll tell you that I was the tie-breaking vote. Please take this knowledge and leave our presence. Don’t return to our territory, no matter what. Go, the clock begins ticking now.”

  With that, the council left the room, refusing to look back at them.

  When they were all gone, Jolie and Jacques looked at each other and smiled. He picked her up and spun her in his arms. “Mon amour, we need to leave. I can’t believe how fortunate we are.”

  There was movement behind them. “I wished and voted for your destruction, Jolie,” said Genevieve, walking toward them. “You killed my child to spare the human’s life.”

  “Please go, Genevieve. You know that you’re not to speak to me now that I’ve been excommunicated.” Jolie stood in front of Jacques, since she didn’t trust the woman.

  “You’ll pay for this, Jolie, if it takes the next thousand years. I’m now your worst nightmare. Be prepared to lose what you love most, since you took someone I loved.” With that, she turned and walked away.

  “Let’s go, my love. We need to get home and tell the family to pack.” Together, they raced out of there, knowing how lucky they had gotten.

  For now, Jolie wanted out of Philadelphia in the worst possible way.

  In the vehicle, Jacques turned to face her. “I thought that I had lost you,” he said into her hair. He breathed in her scent and let his nerves relax.

&nbs
p; “It is okay, Jacques. We slipped by with the skin of our teeth. Now, we must leave and regroup.”

  “Regroup?” he asked, as she climbed back into her seat.

  “Do you think that Genevieve will drop this? She will hunt us to the ends of the earth until she kills one of us.” Jolie fastened her seatbelt. “We must build a stronghold to protect ourselves.”

  “You’re right, mon amour. Let’s get home and prepare the family.”

  Jacques reached for Chloe and told her to return to the house. When he heard her acknowledgement, they headed on their way.

  It was time to start anew.

  At least now, they had each other.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  Chloe was in Flynn’s kitchen making him a sandwich when she paused. Turning toward the man, her face was void of any emotion, but it appeared that she was busily conversing with someone in her mind.

  “Did she call you?”

  “No, it was Jacques. They’re on their way home. I must go,” she said, putting down the sandwich. “Good luck, Detective,” she stated, hurrying from the apartment.

  Brogan got up from his seat and started tossing pictures and important mementos into his duffle bag. He went to his bedroom and took a few books of his mother’s and grabbed the box that Jolie had left for him.

  It was time to go be with his family.

  He had the feeling something was wrong, but he still couldn’t reach for Jolie and Jacques. It didn't matter, because as soon as he arrived there, he would give them the third degree.

  Then, he would beg them to take him back.

  Hopefully, they would forgive his stupidity.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  Jolie and Jacques pulled into the driveway. Neither moved at first, and then finally Jolie spoke. “I’m going to miss this house, Jacques,” she said, sighing.

  “I’ll also miss it, my love,” he reassured, taking her hand in his. “We’ll find a new home. It’ll be special because it’ll be our new place together.”

  “I know, Jacques. I hope Flynn is okay. I wish we could have resolved this before we were forced to leave.”

  “There’s still time, my love. He may change his mind, mon amour,” he said, kissing her knuckles.

  Jolie looked over at his beautiful face. “Thank you, Jacques, but I fear his mind is made up. Let’s go. We need to call the family and have a meeting.”

  “It’s already done, my love. They’re already waiting, and we’ll break it to them together.”

  She was so glad that she had Jacques by her side. He was certainly her rock.

  Jolie and Jacques walked into the room where the family was convened. Their faces said it all as they expectantly waited for the news. There were nerves and fear flashing across their faces, and Jolie couldn’t blame them.

  It was Balzac who stood when they walked in. “What’s wrong, Mistress?”

  “I’ve been sentenced to be excommunicated from the council,” she stated, as everyone gasped.

  “How can that be?” asked Balzac. “You’re one of the ancient vampyres.”

  “Balzac, we’re fortunate to escape with our lives. We were one vote away from death.”

  There were more gasps.

  “Oh no, what are we to do?” asked Zola, wringing her hands.

  “We have been ordered to leave the city. We have until Monday, and that is less than a week away. We must get packed up as quickly as possible and leave,” added Jacques.

  “Where are we going to go?” asked Devin. “We have known no other home but here.”

  “How about New Orleans?” came a voice from behind Jolie and Jacques.

  She spun, hope filling her body. When she focused on him leaning against the door frame, her heart skipped in her chest.

  “Isn’t New Orleans the capitol of the weird and unusual?”

  “Flynn?” Jolie looked at Jacques as he raised an eyebrow. “We thought you were gone.”

  “Yeah, well, I can’t leave the family, especially since we need to pack up this mausoleum and get out of here fast.” Tentatively, he took a few steps toward Jacques and Jolie. As usual, the man stared at him, completely blank, but Jolie on the other hand had tears in her eyes.

  “Well? What do you think about The Big Easy? I think that we can blend in pretty well, especially since you’ll have a connection with the police department,” he offered, hinting at how willing he was to protect them all.

  Jolie was afraid to look away from him, or he might disappear.

  “That is, if you still want me to be part of all this,” he said, waving his hand to encompass everyone in the room.

  Jolie looked at Jacques, and he grinned at her.

  She didn't need any more words to see that they were all getting a second chance. The shitty day was looking better and better. As she began walking toward him, he opened his arms and she dove into them, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

  He was back!

  When she wrapped her arms around his waist, Flynn dropped a kiss to her forehead as he tried to soothe her sniffling.

  “Are you sure, mon ami?” asked Jacques, coming up behind Jolie.

  That was a no brainer. “Yeah, I am,” he reassured, putting his hand on Jacques’s shoulder. “Care to tell me why we’re getting out of Dodge at daybreak?” he asked, still holding onto Jolie as he tried to make her laugh.

  “Ah, it’s a long story.” Jacques turned back to the family, trying to give them some privacy. “Start making preparations for the move. It looks like we’re heading to New Orleans.”

  The members of the family wasted no time. They began scurrying from the room.

  “Let’s retire to our quarters, and I’ll explain it to you there.” Jacques moved them to the stairs and away from the rest of the family.

  Jolie stood between the two men, with an arm around each of their waists. The simple action joined all three of them together. “Why did you return, Flynn?”

  “I told you that I wanted to be with my family. I don’t know how it happened this fast, Jolie, but I feel like I need to be with you and Jacques,” he said, being completely honest with them.

  “We’re glad you’ve returned.”

  When they were back in their quarters, he took a seat on the corner of the bed and began removing his sidearm. “Tell me what’s happened.”

  The mood went from a celebratory one to a very serious one.

  Jacques went over the entire story, leaving nothing out. He watched the different emotions wash over Brogan’s face, from anger, to sadness, and to fear for their lives. It was obvious that he was not happy with the threat Genevieve had made before they had left Master Vlad’s home.

  “That makes me nervous,” he said.

  “We’ll be fine. We just need to be out of here well before Monday.”

  “I agree. I also think I need to stay in here with both of you until we’re safely out of the city limits.”

  Jolie had no complaints. After all, she had invited him to their bed, and it wasn’t just for that one night. “We’re fine with that, Flynn, but why?”

  “Because I don’t die and if I hear a noise, I’ll wake up,” he added, watching the two vampyres who had become an important part of his life. “Plus, they think I’m dead. They won’t expect you to have a human guarding you in the daylight.”

  “What about your work?”

  “I quit when I took the other job. I can sit here all day playing watchdog until we get out of here.”

  “That makes me very happy,” answered Jacques.

  “Even better if we can stay awake during the day. I don’t think Genevieve will challenge you during the night.”

  “Most likely not. She won’t chance that I’m more powerful,” added Jolie.

  Brogan got up and began pacing back and forth. “Then we’re agreed. We sleep at night, I stay with you both during the day, and we head to New Orleans ASAP.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Oui.”

  “We should be out of this house b
efore the weekend,” added Brogan. “I just have a bad feeling about all of this.”

  “Well, then, we must get on with the preparations. I have a new house to buy for us, and I don’t have much time,” added Jolie, as she walked into the bathroom.

  Jacques remained in the chair and listened to the water start in the shower. He looked contemplatively at the man in the room with him.

  “Flynn?”

  “Yeah?” he answered, watching the man warily. Jacques was a wild card, and one never knew what he was thinking. For all he knew, the man was going to give him hell for playing with Jolie’s emotions.

  “I need to ask. Will this be permanent?” he inquired.

  Brogan understood. This wasn’t going to be a ride that he could get on and off. If he was in, he was in for life.

  Eternity.

  “Yes. I’m never leaving again,” he reassured.

  Jacques paused, and then thought about it. “Let me be the first to welcome you home, my friend,” he stated, as he turned and walked into the bathroom to go find his beloved mate.

  Brogan smiled.

  Yeah, it certainly was nice finally being home, and it was even better since he was getting a family too.

  One thing was for sure.

  He was certainly blessed in more ways than one.

  ∞ Chapter Twenty-Six ∞

  Friday Late Afternoon

  The following three days flew by in a blur. The family spent the nights packing up the valuables and loading them into crates. The evening before the departure, the moving trucks flowed into the driveway in a small fleet. Thirty movers began loading all their possessions in preparation to start their new lives.

  Jacques and Flynn stayed close to Jolie’s side at all times. They had decided she shouldn’t be left alone, in fear that Genevieve would come and enact her revenge for Cassiel’s life.

  When the three slept at night, it was indeed all in the same bed. The first night was a bit awkward for Flynn, but as death came for the two he cared most for in life, he had learned to relax and not over think it. Over the next couple of days, he woke curled around Jolie, and it didn’t seem to offend anyone in their room.