It was often that in moments of quietude, such as what Henry was in now, his mind would wander to subjects of the past—the fire in the lab, the experiments in the warehouse, letting Dorian slither so deeply into his life. Ruminating on such events would lead to anger, and anger always drew Hyde out. And Henry’s guilt made it hard to contain Edward. The once formless creature had been excited and eager to use his new body. He would go out for a whole night, partaking in horrid, immoral things, sometimes allowing Henry to experience them as well.
Jekyll hadn’t led such an unhinged, self-indulgent life such as the one Hyde led; there had been too many college papers, too many rich eyes on Henry to see him mess up. And while Henry wasn’t accustomed to immorality such as Hyde’s, the doctor had found a secret thrill in it all. But that had only given him more to regret and more opportunities for Edward Hyde to make a name for himself in society. It had felt like an endless, exhausting cycle that would never end. Two months seemed like such an understatement.
Jekyll had wanted to hole himself in a less populated area, to keep Hyde at bay, but since his old house had been burned down by the “serial arsonist still on the loose”, there could be no going back. No, Dorian Gray had made sure of that, careful to have pinned everything once more on Jack Blevins. Since the media had focused on that, Jekyll had again escaped the suspicious eye of the media. Seizing the opportunity, Dorian had eagerly set the doctor up with a spacious house on the corner of the street of some rich neighborhood a few minutes away from the bustling city, nowhere near as solitary as his old home. Jekyll could almost hear Dorian taunting him, “I’m not finished with you, Doctor.” The star had even gotten a lab built onto the side of Jekyll’s new house, as if rubbing in the threat.
Henry sighed in relief that Dorian had been too busy mourning lately to bother checking in himself. Yet, it had left Henry to spend many lonely days fighting off his memories and his worries for the future. Especially those regarding Hester and her trial. The authorities hadn’t taken her back down south to be arraigned there, since the uniqueness of her crimes called for more fortified measures. The press had spouted over and over that she’d refused to speak to the cops and her lawyer, asking for a priest to hear her confession instead. Confession of what? Henry mused anxiously. How much would she tell? What all did she remember? Nothing maybe. At least, that was the hope.
Henry shook his head and shoved out such thoughts once more. No need to worry now; that trial could be a year from now. Instead, he focused on enjoying the fresh air of the neighborhood through his open window. But it wasn’t long until he could feel himself squirming. He despised the presence of so many people strolling by below him, waving kindly up at his sickly face where he sat in the second-story window. They had a freedom and an ignorant joy Henry could never have. Once more, he was back in his dark thoughts, his fury rising.
A small cough drew Henry out of his daze. He turned to his former manservant, Mr. Poole—the one thing Jekyll would ever be grateful to Dorian Gray for.
Mr. Poole bowed his head at his boss’s acknowledgment. “Sir, there’s a visitor here for you,” he explained.
A guest—finally! Henry turned and closed the window. “Who is it?”
“Jill, she said, nothing more. I seated her in the parlor. Do I need to send her away?”
The name turned Henry’s blood cold and he gave a quick glance out the window then back to his servant. How had he not seen her come to the door? Wringing his hands together, he wondered how to proceed. Sending her away would be a great offense but the idea of seeing her again distressed him. Wasn’t business between them finished? The thought of another vile, dying cultist made him sweat. No, it couldn’t be that. What if she wanted more of the chemical? Absolutely not! He turned back to his butler and gulped.
Mr. Poole read his master’s distress and nodded grimly. “I’ll tell her you’re not seeing any visitors.”
“She’ll just keep coming,” a voice echoed behind Henry as his butler turned and started out the room.
The voice set Henry on edge and he focused in on Edward’s reflection in the glass of the window.
Hyde grinned wickedly and chuckled. “And the more you send her away, the angrier she’ll become.”
Then there’s no avoiding her.
“Stop. I’ll see her,” Henry said.
Mr. Poole’s steps stopped for a moment. “Very good, sir.” He continued away.
Henry abruptly turned from the glass of the window and closed his eyes, taking a moment to control his breathing. Then he got up and made his way to the parlor, each step causing a great panic in him that he had to force down. As he stepped into the room, he trembled violently just from the effort.
Jill’s eyes were on him before he even fully entered the room. Despite her attire being all black, she appeared cheery, like when they’d first met. Her gaze still unsettled him, but there was less power in it now, giving Jekyll a sense of boldness he didn’t have before.
“What do you want?” he demanded.
She grinned at him kindly. “I wanted to apologize,” she said. “I know it’s been a few months since the incident, but I never thanked you for trying. It meant so much to me and I will remember it always.” She got up and began to pace in front of the windows overlooking the small flower garden in the backyard. “For the first time in my life, I’m unsure of what to do.” She stopped at the glass, her back toward him. “Everything I thought I knew is gone now.”
For a long time, she stood there, silent and eerie as she brooded over her loss. But when Jill turned, she was smiling. “I’ve decided to start a new life. Here near the city. I have never been anywhere quite like this, but I will survive.” From there, she came across the room, grabbed his trembling hands, and bowed to kiss them.
Though the mere thought of her sickened him, he didn’t withdraw. Instead, he felt conflicted, sensing Hyde’s excitement at the gentle touch of her soft lips. It sparked Henry’s own desires.
She glanced up with an all-knowing stare, as if she could sense Hyde as well. Then she slowly straightened, eyes locked onto his. She raised her brows slightly, leaving him feeling cautious once more. “I look forward to seeing you in the future, Doctor,” she said, her smile glistening and bright. “And your friend, too.”
Henry exhaled heavily, unsure of himself. “Dorian hasn’t been here in a while,” he said.
“Mr. Gray is not someone I find pleasure in knowing,” she hinted. “You and I know exactly who I mean.” Her grin filled with life and intrigue once more.
Left with uncertainty, Henry found himself struggling to make his constricting vocal chords work to form words. So, he nodded and quickly withdrew his hands, turning his eyes from her and forcing Hyde at bay.
Her heels clicked against the wood flooring as she made her way across the room. “Your home is very lovely,” she complimented.
Henry tried but couldn’t seem to form words. Finally, he took a deep breath and turned to her. But she was already gone. Frantic, he ran back up to his room and peered out the window.
There she was, walking away, her small, petite frame swaying as she moved…
No!
He gasped and reared back, pushing away his wandering thoughts.
“What’s wrong, Henry?” Hyde chuckled. “Tempted?”
Jekyll stepped away from the light of the window, hiding himself from the outside world. “I don’t like that she knows where I live,” he breathed. “Dorian said no one would know. But she knows!” She knows more than just where I live.
But how foolish he was to think he could lie to dear old Edward. “How long has it been, Henry?” the creature’s soft voice echoed from the window’s reflection. “How long since you set aside your chemistry set and started actually making chemistry?”
Henry grew warm at the purr in Edward’s voice. The thoughts of his own past danced in his head—nothing as crude as Hyde’s recent escapades, though. But he cut the thoughts short, realizing what Hyde was doing.
Desperate, he ran to his bathroom. There, he turned on the cold water and splashed it on his face and neck. When he looked up into the mirror, Hyde was leaned against the counter opposite him, flashing a foul smile.
“Aw, we don’t have to talk about that,” Hyde offered. “When’s the last time you went out and just wreaked a little havoc? College, maybe? No one-night-stands? No telling some teenage girl you loved her just to get in her pants?”
Jekyll thought hard, but all he could recall from his youth were the few college parties he’d attended. Those things he’d done then were definitely unwise—fun as they were—but nothing compared to what Hyde did now. Henry smiled and chuckled once at the memories of mischief. Then he snapped out of it and gave his lack of a reflection a worried look. “I can’t do any of that now,” he insisted. “I’ve grown up, made a name for myself—a name I already almost destroyed once. I can’t afford any more mistakes. Besides, some of the things you do are just…immoral.”
“By whose standards? You enjoyed it all anyway,” Hyde scoffed. “What is immorality anyway? Come on, Henry, don’t be a stick-in-the-mud! And besides, you don’t have to worry about ruining your reputation.”
“And why’s that?” Henry questioned.
Edward cackled and set his hands on his chest. “You have me, Henry!” He shook his head. “Can’t you see? You’ll be fully partaking in all these pleasures with me while my face is the one seen by all! Your name won’t be tainted. Ever!”
Henry clenched his jaw and drummed his fingers against the counter. No, he wouldn’t let such corrupt thoughts…such tempting thoughts…sway him. But when he looked back at Edward, hiding behind Hyde seemed like a perfect idea.
Frustrated and ashamed, Henry closed his eyes and turned away.
“Come on, ol’ boy,” Edward pressed. “You’ve done so much for me already. Let me do this for you.”
After a long pause, Henry sighed and turned back to the mirror, though he dared not look into it. What harm could it do? he wondered inwardly. Who wouldn’t want to live out their deepest, darkest desires with no strings attached?
“Henry.” Edward leaned forward. “You deserve this. Let me show how grateful I am to you for sharing your body with me. These past months of trouble and frustration—let me make them up to you.”
Henry built the nerve and stared into Hyde’s face. Mischievous-looking as it was, Jekyll suddenly felt a great comfort in it. “What do I have to do?” he asked.
“Just let me out.”
Henry sighed, perplexed. “How? What am I supposed to do? When I get angry or—”
“No, no,” Edward interrupted. “Good Doctor, you don’t ever have to worry about that again. You don’t need to do anything. All I need is your permission.”
Henry hesitated. Permission? Sounds too simple, he thought. Edward never cared for Henry’s permission before. Why require it now? Perhaps Henry’s struggle to keep the creature inside is what made Edward push back in the first place. Maybe an agreement would make life a little easier.
“You’ll be in full control,” Edward added, sensing the doctor’s warring thoughts. “You can tell me when to come and go. Just promise me that you’ll give me some time, you know? Don’t keep me cooped up.” He shrugged. “So, what do you say, Henry?”
Henry remained silent, trying to pick a steady emotion. He was skeptical, but a strong sense of hope pushed him forward. With a nod, he acquiesced. “Hyde, I grant you permission.”
Edward Hyde smiled, jagged and ugly.
But Henry accepted the horrendous sight of emotion instead of cringing, knowing that from then on out, they were going to be one. With great effort, he forced a smile in return.
—
Suzette nearly danced in her seat as the mountains came into view. After two months of loud people, dirty streets, and an endless horizon of buildings, seeing the bright green formations filled her with a sense of joy she hadn’t felt in a while. It even revived her weary bones.
Bram had always been eager to get her out on the street, busying her with mobsters and the common criminals of the city while he had done God knows what. “We’re just waiting for Hester now,” he had said. “Not much we can do but wait.” That was, until word broke out that the authorities were planning on moving Hester to the psychiatric hospital. Bram wanted to get a closer, inside dealing with Hester. Suzette had nearly hugged him when he suggested she go down to Lady Augustine’s and have the elderly woman order some forged intern credentials so Jack could be a pair of eyes inside the hospital. Bram had even proposed Suzette try and get a job at the police station so she could be eyes on the other side of the system.
She sighed, worried that Bram had used all of the Hester drama to keep her out of some major development with Dorian Gray and Henry Jekyll. He had said he hadn’t, but she questioned it all the same. Two months had seemed a long time for Abraham Van Helsing to stay stagnant. I wonder if Jack knows anything I don’t, she mused. After all, Bram had been spending more time over at Jack’s place. Jack could have heard a stray thought or plan that Bram hadn’t intended to share. Then again, maybe Bram would have shared intentionally; the murmurs Suzette had heard through the walls had showed that they seemed to get along well enough—better than they did with her, from what she could tell.
Don’t think about that. She shook the lonesome thoughts from her head, the winding roads perking her up. You’re going to Lady Augustine’s. You don’t need the guys. The thought of companionship made the drive down south completely worth it. Just as the sun kissed the top of the mountains, Suzette pulled into the beautiful, paved driveway and parked. Stepping out of the car with her bag, she looked around at the giant trees that surrounded the property. Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath and released it slowly, listening to the tranquil sound of the branches rustling in the breeze—no cars, no people, nothing but nature. She nearly skipped up the stairs to the door and set her bag down next to her. Knocker in hand, she left a melodic rat-a-tat-tat on the door and swayed as she awaited her entry into the house.
Thalia swung open the door. Squealing in delight, she wrapped her arms around Suzette and pulled her in for a big hug. “Good to see you again, love!”
Suzette laughed. She hadn’t realized just how much she had missed everyone until she saw Thalia’s sweet face.
“Come in!” Thalia grabbed the bag on the step and then led Suzette inside, closing the door behind them.
Mel appeared around the corner, grinning shyly. “Hello, Suzette. It’s wonderful to see you again.”
Suzette gave her a quick hug. “It’s good to see you guys, too.” Pulling back, she asked, “How did it go with the papers?”
Thalia crinkled her brows. “Papers? I don’t remember a mention of them. What papers?”
“Jack’s intern credentials,” Suzette explained.
“Yes, for the hospital,” Mel interjected, eyeing her coworker.
Thalia’s eyes widened. “Oh, yeah! Callie mentioned something about them. I believe she just got them this morning.” Suddenly, she gave Suzette a teasingly sultry look. “What, your big hunk of a hunter couldn’t get his own papers? He seems quite capable, from what I hear.”
Suzette could feel herself grow warm with confusion, but she managed a laugh. “Bram could have done it, but he knew Lady Augustine’s connections would work much faster.”
“I’ll make sure we get the papers to you, dearie.” Mel grinned at Suzette. “Oh, and Lady Augustine also said you mentioned something over the phone about a job?”
Suzette nodded. “Yeah, but it was more of a hopeful idea from Bram, I think.”
“Well, the Lady has a trusted point of contact in the city who got you a part-time clerical position at the police station,” Mel explained quietly. “It took some coaxing to get him to agree, but after the Lady told him your entire story, he quickly complied.”
Suzette’s jaw dropped. “Entire story?” she repeated. “Not even the ID guy knew my entire story.” Her body stiffen
ed just at the thought of one more person knowing everything.
“She wasn’t too descriptive,” Mel said, trying to mollify Suzette’s horror. “Just a summary, really. But with such a trusted place in the station, I believe it may have been needed.” Mel shrugged. “Regardless, we have those papers ready as well.”
The idea still bothered Suzette. She shook her head, too concerned to reply.
Thalia grabbed Suzette’s shoulder and spun her around. “Don’t you worry about that, love. It’ll all work out. Now, dinner will be in the sunroom. We’re expecting a ‘special guest.’” She winked. “So, feel free to freshen up in your room.”
Suzette smiled, all her worries melting away at the thought of her room. She took her bag from Thalia and hurried upstairs. Once in her room by herself, Suzette put on a nicer shirt and started fixing the loose strands in her bun. Special guest, huh? The idea of a refined Franklin Stein joining them for dinner made her excited to get down and see his progress. She knew Lady Augustine had enjoyed rehabilitating him, so she expected great advancements. Finished tidying up her appearance, she made her way downstairs. Each step made her more eager for dinner. The old woman wasn’t someone who had much in common with Suzette, but she was still pleasant company; a loving grandmother-figure Suzette had never really had. The maids were kind and interesting to talk with, sort of like sisters. Seeing Frank, refined or not, was even a pleasing thought. It almost felt like family.
Callie met her near the den. “Suzette,” she said with a small nod of her head.
Unable to hold back, Suzette gave Callie her own hug.
The older maid chuckled and hugged back. When they let go, Callie frowned a little. “You look tired.”
If only you knew. Despite the thought, Suzette grinned. “I’m better now.”
Blind World (The Onyx Fox Saga Book 1) Page 43