The Mary Sue Virus: Beyond Death
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marysuevirusTitle: The Mary Sue Virus: Beyond Death
Chapter Sixty: Love and Family
Fandom: Anita Blake universe
Rating: 18 and up
Warnings: graphic sex and violence, language, anything else i can toss in.
Disclaimer: the recognizable characters and places contained herein are the property of LKH. i'm merely borrowing for the sake of entertainment. no money is being made from this venture. the Sues are the sole property of their originators, Ginevra, Dazzledfirestar, Nanaea, SilverFoxChan and ladydeathfaerie. the concept and title of The Mary Sue Virus are used with permission from Dazzledfirestar.
Author's Notes: jesus christ, its the sixtieth chapter. someone fucking stop me. this is way out of hand. way way out of hand. but at least you get to find out what happens next, i guess.
The Mary Sue Virus: Beyond Death - Index Link
"Aedan?" he asked, eyes locked on the scene before him. No response. He tried again. "Aedan? Again there was no answer. So he crossed the floor and reached out to put a hand on her shoulder. That got him a response. A fight for your life response. A fist came up, aimed directly at his chin despite her eyes not taking the time to track his location. Had he not caught it, she would have smashed her knuckles against his jawbone with dangerous efficiency. "Aedan! Stop. You're safe. Its me. Stop!" he barked, making sure there was authority in his voice.
That saw her blinking, saw her lifting her eyes toward his face.
"Edward?" she rasped. His name was followed by a sharp, hoarse cough. He holstered his gun, fairly certain the woman's remains weren't going to stand up without a head, and knelt down in order to pull her off the corpse. Aedan went easily, sliding off the body to sit on the floor in a pile of skirts. He tried to pull her close so that he could hug her, but she refused to let him do it. He wasn't sure if she wasn't ready for the hug or if she was afraid of getting blood on his tux. Not that he cared about the tux. Aedan's comfort, her life, was more important than some over-priced suit. But he didn't push it, simply knelt there and stared at her.
She was pale under the spatter of blood and brains, eyes a little too wide. Wide enough that he could see far more white than he should have. Her hair, which had been so eloquently styled, now hung in disarray around her face. A garrote was hanging from her throat, thin and innocuous and ominous. He reached out and pulled the wire from her neck, dropped it as soon as he'd pulled it free. It barely made a sound when it landed on the floor beside him. Then his hands were tugging at the choker so that he could see what the woman had done to her throat. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly.
She drew a breath, coughed again. "I think so," she whispered. He could tell by the way she said it that she wasn't.
The lace choker came away to show a livid red crease pressed into her skin. It was surrounded by shallower patterns that had come from the choker she'd been wearing. There was already a bruise starting to form under the channel, the color spreading out on either side to loudly proclaim what had happened to anyone who chose to look. It was no match to the bruise on her forehead, though. The entire expanse of her forehead was nearly black, except where the robin's egg had come up. He had a pretty good guess as to how that had happened.
The door slammed open just then, and Edward had himself planted between it and Aedan in the blink of an eye, gun in hand to face the newest threat. Instead he found himself staring at Wicked and Truth, both with weapons out. A second later, Jean Claude was stepping between them. Edward relaxed his hold on his gun and watched without comment as Jean Claude took in the scene in the bathroom. His eyes went from the corpse on the floor to where Aedan sat, then lifted to Edward's face.
Wicked and Truth spun as someone came to a halt in front of the open bathroom door and stared in. It was their host, Aaron Singleton, and the look of shock on his face suggested that he wasn't used to seeing someone's brains splattered all over the nice marble flooring. Then his eyes widened. "That's Felicity Greer. She's a member of the foundation. She's..."
"Dead," Edward told him. He shot a look toward Jean Claude, then turned back to Aedan. She was staring at one of the smears of brain matter on the floor, obviously not ready to deal with the public. He reached out to put his fingers under her chin, tipping her head up far enough that she was looking at him. "I'm going to have Singleton call Dolph. Are you okay with that?"
She considered his question for a moment, then nodded her head once. The way her mouth tightened at the corners suggested that her head was throbbing. "Yeah. Call him." Her words brought more coughing.
"Okay." Edward stood and turned to look at Singleton again. The man was still staring at the corpse. "Call the police. Request Detective Rudolph Storr and the RPIT team. Tell them there was an attack."
Singleton nodded, finally dragging his eyes away from the corpse. He pulled a sleek phone from his pocket and stared at it, fingers hovering over the number keys. As if he didn't know what he was supposed to do. One more glance at the corpse saw him turning and fleeing the room. Wicked reached out and nudged the door until it closed so that no one else could stand in the doorway and gape at the scene laid out before them.
"This is going to get messy. We should have one of the brothers standing guard on the outside of the door so no one can come in without permission. The fewer people who step on the scene, the better.
Jean Claude nodded and cut his gaze to the brothers. "Truth. You will guard the door from the outside. No one is to enter until after the police have arrived and secured the scene. Ensure that our people know we will explain everything later."
Truth nodded, then turned and went out through the door. Wicked moved to stand beside it on this side, an added layer of protection. Edward watched as Jean Claude picked his way through the gore until he could kneel down in front of Aedan. He used both hands to lift her face, not quite able to hide is frown as he got a good look at her. "You are a mess, ma mie," he said softly.
"You should see the other guy," she replied immediately, obviously a conditioned response. Her words ended with a sound that was half laugh and half sob. And that ended with another round of coughing. Edward didn't like the sound of that coughing. It made him think that the damage was worse than it appeared.
"I have," he told her. His tone suggested he was impressed, but unhappy. "Are you okay?" It was an innocuous question. However, the tone of his voice was anything but. Edward detected hints of anger there, along with fear and worry.
She shrugged one shoulder. "I guess. I mean, I'm still alive. Right? That's the important part. Isn't it?"
"The most important part," he said. The warmth in his voice told her, told them both, he absolutely meant it. "Tell me what happened."
Aedan shook her head, then winced. "When Dolph gets here. That way I don't have to keep telling it." She reached up to brush at her forehead and frowned when her hand came away coated with blood. She looked up at the two of them. "Is that mine or is it hers?"
"Both," Edward said. Aedan turned her frown toward him.
"You have a big goose egg on your forehead. And the skin is split." His fingers reached up to trace the mark on her neck. "You also have a lovely choker thanks to the dead woman's garrote." Edward frowned at her, then turned to Jean Claude. "How long is it going to take for those to heal up?"
Jean Claude studied the marks, then lifted a shoulder in a liquid shrug that could have meant anything. "There is no telling, really. It depends on the severity. The head wound will take longer. But it is entirely possible that the evidence will be gone before we leave here."
Edward frowned. "Not good. Those marks need to be there when Dolph arrives. They're proof she was attacked. If they're gone..."
"Use your damn phone," Aedan snapped, then broke into a brief coughing fit.
"Aedan--"
"If I have to explain what happened to the marks, I will. But he won't be able to argue with photographic evidence. Especially when the fucking body is behind me," she cut him off. She'd be opening a can of worms if she had to explain that to him and they both knew it. Edward sighed, but he fished his phone out of his pocket and snapped several photos that captured the bruises and the blood perfectly.
"By the way, excellent work stabbing her in the head. How the hell did you manage it?" Edward asked, gaze taking the time to look at the corpse. What was left of her head had a stick shoved through it.
"The hair sticks were plated with steel, then silver. The same with the heels on my shoes," Aedan explained. "All I had to do is shove down really damn hard."
"Good thinking, having those on hand," Edward complimented. Aedan flashed him an empty smile, then coughed again. She made a show of trying to gather her strength and get up off the floor. Edward and Jean Claude both put hands out to offer her help.
"I fucking hope Dolph gets here soon, because I just want to go home and sleep," she whispered. And coughed. And frowned. "And can I get a glass of water? My throat is on fire."
"It is on the way. I have asked Asher to bring you some water," Jean Claude told her. Aedan nodded. If she took note of the tone in his voice, she said nothing. But Edward hadn't missed it. He was sending Asher to get water because he didn't trust anyone. Someone tied to the goddamn charity they were supposed to be there to support had just tried to kill Aedan. There was no telling if there were more people out there who had a desire to take her head off her shoulders.
"Thanks," she croaked hoarsely.
"Your friends and family are outside in the hall, Aedan. They wish to see you, to know that you are well," Jean Claude said gently. Edward guessed he'd been in contact with someone on the other side of the wall using their mental link. Aedan looked up, eyes wide with fear.
"No. Not right now. Not when I'm..." she stopped and looked down at herself. There were pieces of brain matter clinging to the bodice of her dress. Stuck to her skin. Blood spatter marred the beauty of the gown, turning the blue dark enough to almost be black in some places. There was a fine spray of blood on her arms, while more bits of grey matter dotted her shoulders and even her face. Edward was fairly certain there were some globs clinging tenaciously in her hair. "Oh, gods. Oh... No. I can't. I don't want them to see me like this. Not like this. Please don't let them in. Please."
There was panic in her voice, letting both men know that the events of the past ten or fifteen minutes were starting to sink in. Edward had no doubt that Aedan was in some mild state of shock because, as far as he knew, this was the first time she'd really had to fight for her life. Not that he didn't think she'd killed people before. He was beginning to suspect there were things, people's deaths, that she was hiding from him. From everyone. But this death was different. This death was far more intimate and personal. And that fact was just starting to sink in.
"Of course, ma mie," Jean Claude said softly. Gently. He reached out and took her hands. "Come. Let us get you off the floor. There is a chaise lounge in the corner. You can sit there."
"Okay." Aedan allowed him to pull her to her feet, then followed him across the bathroom to the piece of furniture he'd spoken of. He'd just settled her onto the seat when there was a knock at the door. Wicked answered it, opening the door far enough to peer outside. He shut the panel again a moment later, a crystal goblet of water in his hands. Edward crossed to him and took the goblet. And then he crossed the room once again, all the way across to the far wall, where he handed Aedan the goblet.
He took up position on the empty end of the chaise, so that he and Jean Claude bookended her. Aedan took a sip of her water, a small dainty sip, and tried to ignore the way her hands shook. The ice clinked noisily against the goblet, the only other sound in the bathroom beyond the soft music playing through the speaker in the ceiling. There was nothing left to do but wait.
It was going to be a long damn wait.
~*~*~*~*~
"What was that?" Minette asked as everyone with enhanced hearing lifted their heads and turned to look in the same direction. She found herself staring at an opening in the wall on the other side of the room. Asher and Damian were suddenly frowning.
"Gun shot," Jason replied. He sounded very sure of himself. Minette was tempted to ask him how he knew for certain, but she saw Nathaniel nod his head in agreement.
Minette frowned at that. "Gun shot? Are you sure? I would think there'd be no need for guns at a charity event."
"He's right," Nathaniel murmured. "That was a gun shot. And there are a lot of rich people here. I can't imagine they'd be happy to go to some event like this and not have someone there to prevent them from being the easy pickings of an enterprising thief."
"Wicked and Truth are armed," Asher pointed out.
"As are several of the men stationed around the room," Damian added, one hand motioning to a pair of men standing next to the elevators. "And Edward is here. He is always armed."
"Something is going on," Isis said quietly. So quietly that it was likely that Rhia and Janika had a hard time hearing her. The rest of them no doubt heard her just fine. Isis nodded her head toward the other side of the room. Some distance from the opening in the wall. They turned to find Jean Claude was moving in the direction of that opening. Wicked and Truth were close on his heels. And though there was no expression on any of their faces, Minette got the impression that Jean Claude was unhappy and tense.
"I don't see Aedan," Rhia whispered, growing fear and horror plain to hear in her voice. "She hasn't been out of Jean Claude's sight all night. Except now, apparently. Because I don't see her."
Rhia had barely finished speaking when Minette was in motion, on her way toward that opening. The shot had certainly come from that direction. And Jean Claude was making his way in that direction. Whatever was going on, it was happening back there. And Minette was sure it involved Aedan.
She felt Micah and Jason come immediately behind her. The energy of both men was in hyper drive, letting Minette know that their emotions were up. She didn't like that they'd likely come to the same conclusion she had. Her hearing told her that Asher and Janika were next in line, the click of Janika's heels a staccato beat offset by the swish of her heavy satin gown. Rhia was next, her earthy magic coiling and uncoiling around her like troubled ivy. She no doubt had a hold of Nathaniel's hand, his particular energy battling with Rhia's magic. No doubt he was attempting to calm her down, but Minette felt he'd have a hard time because Rhia was as upset as Minette had ever seen her. That left Isis and Damian to bring up the rear. The lioness' energy was still calm and steady, but there was an undercurrent to it that said it would gladly run wild at the drop of a hat.
They'd barely made it halfway across the floor behind Jean Claude, Wicked, and Truth disappeared down the hallway. A moment later, their host followed after them. Only seconds later, the man hurried back out into the main room, a phone pressed to his ear.
"I smell blood," Micah said, careful to keep his voice low, when they neared the opening in the wall. It was a good thing, too, because the other attendees had noticed that something was going on and they were starting to move toward that opening. Minette could see it was a doorway leading into a small hall. Fortunately, the crowd hadn't yet clustered before it so it was relatively easy for their group to push through until they were practically in the hallway.
"And gun powder," Nathaniel added. This close, Minette was sure everyone could smell those things. Even with the fragrant scent of flowers filling the air.
The hallway was short, with three doors and two tables. Each table had an oversized vase on it, and each vase was bursting with freshly cut flowers that spilled forth their gentle scents. A glance told Minette that one door was on hinges that allowed it to swing either in or out, so probably a doorway to the kitchens. The second door was marked with a plaque that had "MENS" engraved into it. Truth stood before the last door, obviously the women's room, physically blocking it with his body. Not that people seemed to be trying to get in. The expression on his face was enough to see most people running away before trying for the door. She, however, wasn't most people. And she really needed to know what was going on in there. He didn't move when Minette approached, bringing a frown to her face. "Step aside, Truth. Let me in."
"I cannot," he replied, voice low and serious.
"Why not?"
"The master's orders. No one is to enter until the police have been here," he explained.
"The police? Why do the police need to be here?" she asked. Something unhappy and scary settled in her breast. The police never meant anything good. And she was sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Aedan was in there.
"The master will explain everything later."
"Bullshit he'll explain later," she snarled. "He'll explain now. Let me in, Truth, or I swear to the heavens that I'll rip you apart."
For a moment, she got nothing from Truth. Not the blink of an eye, not a frown. Nothing. But then he looked at her directly and she saw touches of displeasure and fear in his eyes. Something softer than the normal face many of the old vampires showed the world. His voice, when it came, was low and as soothing as she'd ever heard. "I know she is your friend. And I know you are scared. I wish I could tell you more. I wish I could allow you entry. But I cannot. Because the master wishes to keep everything contained until the police arrive. As soon as I am able, I will allow you entry. Or I will tell you what I can. But for now, I must do as I was bade."
"Come on, Minette," Micah said softly, his hand curving over her shoulder. She turned to look at him, her frown deep and intense. "We'll find out what's going on when Jean Claude wants us to know. Let's just go sit down and wait."
"I'm not leaving the hallway," she insisted stubbornly.
"Standing here won't get you the information you want any faster. All you'll get is sore feet. Come on," Micah said, this time slipping his arm around her shoulder. "Let's go find a seat and wait. That's about all we can do at the moment. Jean Claude will explain when he's ready to explain. You won't make him get to that any faster by standing in the hallway, glaring daggers at a door. And I'm sure the last thing Aedan wants is for people to stand here, gawking like they're staring at some circus side show freak."
"Asher?" Janika asked. There was something in her voice that caught Minette's attention, saw her turning toward Jean Claude's second. He looked as if he was lost in a memory. But it only lasted a moment. Then he offered a smile to them all. Minette thought that smile looked pained.
"Aedan has requested a glass of water. Jean Claude has asked me to go get it personally." There was something in his voice that made everyone give him a sharp look. He said nothing else, just walked off to fetch that glass of water. Minette let her gaze slide from one face to the next. She could see they were all thinking the same thing. Jean Claude didn't trust just anyone to bring Aedan a glass of water. Which meant he was positive someone was willing to try and poison Aedan in front of him. That made her want to shove Truth out of the way so she could go into that bathroom and find out exactly what the hell was going on.
Micah must have sensed what she was feeling, because his hold on her tightened. He pulled her away from Truth and the bathroom door, though she didn't make it easy, and back out into the main room. The guests were all focused on the doorway now, and Minette could see their heads bent together as they whispered to one another. Some people were trying to push closer, but the men that Aaron Singleton had working security seemed to have moved to keep people back. Minette heard the women's whispers, as they tried to decide on just which piece of gossip seemed the most likely. The one that had the most prevalence, and seemingly the most support, had something to do with the idea that the Master of the City's human servant was having an illicit affair in the bathroom. Minette would have laughed at the absolute lunacy of that idea if she wasn't sure that something much darker and possibly deadlier had happened in that bathroom.
She didn't realize they'd made it to a table until Micah gently urged her down into a chair. Everyone else was sitting, one by one, until the entire group was clustered around the table. Even Asher was there, meaning he'd found and delivered the requested glass of water. She turned a look his way and opened her mouth. But he shook his head before she even had a chance to form words. "I did not see her. I do not know what happened."
"Damn Jean Claude for being such a secretive bastard," Minette muttered.
"Aedan isn't much better," Jason pointed out. That brought Minette's attention his way. He gave her a faint smile meant to be an apology. "I'm sorry, but you have to admit that its true. She's carrying something around that not even you know about. The two of them are perfect for one another."
"Maybe," Minette conceded. Aedan was notorious about keeping her secrets to herself. "But it would be nice to know if she's hurt. Or dying. Or... Just something. Anything. I don't like that he won't even let Truth tell us what's happening."
"I'm sure he has his reasons," Nathaniel replied. Then he frowned as if he'd thought of something, which was followed by look of consideration. Minette had no idea what he was considering, but he must have come to a decision because his face cleared and he gestured back toward the hallway with one hand. "And this may not be his doing. Isn't it possible that Aedan doesn't want him telling anyone anything until she's ready?"
"Maybe. I suppose." Minette's words came slowly, as if she really didn't want to admit that Aedan might be the one keeping them in the dark. "I just don't like it. Especially not with the police on the way."
"I hope this isn't like the night she went to save Micah," Rhia said quietly, a shudder rippling up her spine.
"What do you mean?" Minette asked, turning her attention the witch's way.
"I had a vision that day. One that told me that Micah would die soon. I had no doubt that he'd die if we didn't act right away and find him. So I texted Aedan. Told her that I needed to speak to her. She was already in a bad mood when she got to my apartment. And the description of my vision didn't improve her mood at all. When she learned that I couldn't give her a place to look... " Rhia stopped and shook her head. "She was already dealing with so much guilt. So I suggested we go see a friend. I thought he might be able to help."
"Did he?" Minette asked, curious as to what had happened that day. She remembered fighting with Aedan, then going looking on her own. She was never going to forgive herself for getting her Rodere companion killed. She'd never heard what had happened that night.
"Oh, yes. He did. Aedan came out of his study and told me he wanted to speak to me. While I was discovering that he didn't, she left. Got in her car and drove off and left me there by myself." Rhia frowned.
"You did the best thing possible," Nathaniel said soothingly, one hand reaching up to stroke her arm gently. She flashed him a smile. When Minette turned her focus his way, Nathaniel picked up the story. "Rhia called me and told me Aedan had gone off to find Micah without back up. We called Richard and Rafael. Jean Claude was able to get in contact with Edward. They went off after her while we waited for word."
"Edward, Richard, Rafael, and their back up arrived after the male kidnapper had stabbed his sister. And me," Micah told her. "Silver coated blade. Right to the belly."
"He stabbed you and his sister? She was his sister? What happened to her? What happened to him?" This was all information Minette hadn't heard yet. The whys and hows of Micah being there to rescue her from Bruce and his pard hadn't seemed important in the face of his actually being there.
"The sister died. Richard healed her well enough to get information from her. When they were done, she killed herself," Jason supplied.
"How did you survive a silver coated blade to the belly?" Minette turned her attention back to Micah. He gave her a soft smile.
"Aedan. When she arrived, she was prepared to shoot them both. But the brother threw his weapons at her and ran. I think she was going to let him go, that she was going to work on saving me. But I told her to pull the knife out of my belly and go after him. The sick piece of shit couldn't get away. And she went."
"You shouldn't have let her go after that psycho alone, Micah," Minette whispered, horrified by all that could have possibly happened.
"I sent Edward after them. I don't know what he found. When he and the others arrived, when I knew that Edward was going to go find Aedan, I finally gave in and passed out. The next thing I knew, you were gone and Aedan was trying to destroy a heavy bag. We came to find you."
Minette frowned. That wasn't the whole story. She knew it. "What happened in between?" she asked, turning to look at Jason. Her actions startled him and he looked, for a moment, like he wasn't going to answer her. But he sighed and shook his head.
"Someone tipped off the police. And they arrived to find the room where the kidnappers had held Micah was full of weapons and blood and not much else. Someone stumbled across Edward and Aedan. She was covered in blood. And she was holding a really bloody knife. The two of them ended up going down to RPIT's offices, where Dolph questioned her." Jason frowned at nothing before pressing on. "Edward somehow got a message to Jean Claude that they'd been taken in for questioning. So Jean Claude called his lawyer and took a rather impressive group of his people down to the police station to reclaim Aedan."
"She was in shock when we arrived," Asher said. The lack of emotion in his voice suggested he hadn't been happy that evening. "And Detective Storr was determined to discover what had happened to the male kidnapper. He apparently never found out what took place between the time she left Micah's side and Edward found her. But she was not herself when we first saw her. All she would tell anyone for certain is that the kidnapper would never bother us again."
Minette blinked. That sounded very ominous. And completely unlike the woman she'd called best friend for years now. Then she was reminded of Aedan's strange behavior when she and Micah had arrived at Bruce's place. Of the odd things she'd said. Minette pinned Asher with a stare. "Do you think she killed him?" she asked, so softly that she wasn't sure if Janika or Rhia had heard her.
Asher consider it. Frowned deeply. "I do not know. I do not care. What I do care about is how this event will shape her relationship with Detective Storr and the police. If he already has reason to mistrust her, whatever has happened tonight will likely only intensify that feeling."
"Shit. Speaking of Dolph," Jason muttered. The entire table looked up then, eyes turning toward the elevator they'd arrived in. Just like every other set of eyes in the place had done. Dolph and Zerbrowski were stepping off the elevator, eyes moving around the room with intense efficiency, before one of the security team stepped over to talk to them in a low whisper. "I think the shit is about to hit the fan."
~*~*~*~*~
Aedan was still settled on the chaise lounge by the time the police arrived, sitting with her shoulders slumped and head hanging down. Likely so she wouldn't have to stare at the corpse spread out across the floor. The glass of water Asher had collected for her was clasped loosely between her hands. The ice still lingering within rattled gently against the goblet's crystal walls. She did not look up as the door opened and Detective Storr stepped into the room. Zerbrowski was behind him, as were several other men. He watched silently as the group of men slowly took a careful look at the room around them, making note of every minute detail of the scene, before their attention shifted and they turned their blank cop faces toward Aedan. After several silent moments, they started the trip across the room to Aedan's side.
"Damn, Kinkade. You clean up good," Zerbrowski said. "Well, minus the blood spatter and all."
"This is the second time I've found you covered in blood, Kinkade. At least this time, there's a body." Detective Storr sounded less than enthusiastic about the scene. "You want to tell me what the hell happened?" It came out as a question, but every person in the room knew it for the demand it was.
"The corpse tried to kill me." There was no emotion in Aedan's voice. No inflection. Nothing.
"And why would the corpse try to kill you? Do you know her?"
"Never met her before tonight."
"I see," Dolph replied. His gaze lifted from Aedan's bent head and glanced at the two men who flanked her. Seeing as he was one of those men, Jean Claude was gifted with the full power of his glare. The man's frown might have been frightening had it belonged to someone who was less than human. "Take a walk, boys. I need to speak to Aedan alone."
"I am afraid, Detective Storr, that we will not leave Aedan's side," Jean Claude said, drawing Dolph's attention his way. Dolph's frown intensified and his attitude shifted from being merely annoyed to being fully confrontational. A glance toward the door saw Wicked leaving his post and moving to stand next to him. Which gave Aedan an added body guard. Something the good detective did not like at all, if his deepening frown was anything to go by.
"And why not?"
"Because someone just attempted to murder her," Jean Claude pointed out, even though he felt it should already be obvious. "She is lucky to be alive."
As if sensing the growing hostility in his boss, Zerbrowski moved forward and knelt in front of Aedan. "Kinkade? That true? Did that woman try to kill you?"
"Yes," Aedan finally replied. Her voice was hoarse, something that they'd likely missed when she'd spoken earlier because she hadn't spoken very loudly. She lifted the glass, hand still shaking slightly, and took a sip of the water inside. And then she lifted her head.
"Jesus Christ, woman! What happened?" Zerbrowski asked the moment he got a good look at Aedan's face. Her wounds had yet to start fading away, which was a point in her favor. "Someone get a goddamn medic in here!"
One of the men who'd arrived with Dolph and Zerbrowski hurried from the bathroom, Zerbrowski turned back to Aedan and put his hand on her chin so he could tip her head back and get a better look at her throat. "I had to use the bathroom. There was no one here when I arrived except the attendant," Aedan began. One hand motioned to a stall. A glance showed a pair of feet resting near a pool of blood. "When I stepped out of the stall, she was nowhere to be seen."
"What happened next?" This from Dolph, who had brought out a pen and a pad of paper, upon which he jotted down notes.
"I was checking my reflection in the mirror when I saw her shoes," she replied. Her voice was a hoarse whisper and Jean Claude couldn't tell if it was having been choked or a rush of emotions. Either way, Aedan sipped her water and let her gaze slide to the stall where the attendant's body still sat. "I went over to investigate. Just as I neared the door, it opened and that woman came lunging out of the stall at me. She had a knife in her hand."
As a group, every set of eyes in the room turned toward the spot where a knife lay on the floor. The blade was rusty with dried blood. Jean Claude was surprised to find that it was some kind of hunting knife, with a heavy blade and a thick handle. Knife mentally catalogued, everyone again focused their attention on Aedan. "How did you get the knife away?" Zerbrowski asked.
"I broke her wrist. She dropped the knife. I guess she either can't use her other hand or didn't think to. So she went for the garrote." Aedan gestured to the wire. Used her good hand to loop it around my neck. Used her other arm to hold me in place."
"What kept the garrote from cutting into your neck? Crushing your windpipe?" Dolph asked.
"The choker she was wearing," Edward told them, his hand motioning to the scrap of lace that lay forgotten on the floor. At a nod from Dolph, one of the men on his team moved to the choker and picked it up. Seeing as he had gloves on and Dolph didn't, it made sense. The man brought the lace over to where Dolph stood.
It looked like an ordinary piece of lace, save the plastic boning used to give it shape. Aedan had complained that it was slightly uncomfortable, that she couldn't lower her head without poking herself with the plastic bits. It looked like that had been a good thing, in the long run. "The plastic acted as some kind of shield to keep the garrote from cutting into her flesh," Dolph said. Then he looked at his man. "Bag it. The garrote and knife, too."
"The garrote has my prints on it," Edward told them. Dolph turned a look on him. "Do you honestly think I was going to leave it around her neck until you got here? Someone had just tried to kill her with it."
"Okay," Dolph nodded. "Tell me what happened next."
"I had to stop her from choking me. So I stomped down on her foot." Aedan lifted her skirts to show that the heel of one shoe was coated in blood and bits of flesh. She reached down to undo the buckles and pulled the shoes from her feet. "The heels are coated in steel, then silver. I couldn't carry a gun wearing this, so I wanted something with which to defend myself."
"Shoes?" Zerbrowski asked, looking both skeptical and amused.
"And hair sticks," Aedan replied, motioning toward the sticks that still stuck out of the corpse's body. "Then, to ensure that she wasn't going to get up and try to assassinate me again, I stabbed her in the heart with my hair sticks. But it wasn't enough. Her master was able to communicate through her. Able to channel his strength through her. She reached up and tried to choke me with her bare hand. So I pulled a stick from her chest and drove it through her head."
"And just how is she missing part of her head?" Dolph stared at her.
"That would be because I arrived in time to see the bitch choking Aedan and I blew part of her head off," Edward replied. Jean Claude was surprised to hear what amounted to hatred in the man's voice. It was nothing he'd ever expected of the hitman.
Dolph nodded and made a note on his paper. Zerbrowski reached up and very gently brushed his fingers over the knot on Aedan's forehead. "How did this happen?"
Aedan flinched, letting him know the spot was still tender. But she didn't pull away. "After I broke her wrist, she tried to subdue me by slamming my head into the sink. Used her good hand to grab my hair and shoved my head against the rim of that piece of marble."
"How is it you're still conscious, if that's the case?" Dolph asked.
Aedan's gaze slid around the room, landing on every single man in there. She waited to look his and Edward's way last. Then she sighed. "What do you know about human servants?"
"That they serve a vampire," Dolph replied. It was a simple statement that was correct and yet very wrong.
"True. But not entirely accurate," Aedan told him. "First of all, only very strong master vampires can make a mortal their human servant. They use a series of marks to make that happen. Once all of the marks have been given, the mortal and the vampire are bound together."
"The human is a slave?" Dolph asked.
"No. No. A vampire's powers allow them to enslave a human's mind, if that's what they want. Not that many do it, because it tends to earn them annoying things like death sentences. But there are vamps out there that don't care about rules and the like. A human servant is more than the name implies. Yes, they're bound to the vampire. They're bound to serve. But its a give and take situation. Vampires gain the ability to experience things that they haven't been able to do in a long while. If the mortal happens to be some kind of magic user, that magic can be used to solidify a master's power base. Not their power, but their power base. Because there will always be another master out there, trying to take territories and destroy someone's kiss. Masters can only protect their people and their territory by being strong."
"So what does the human gain?"
"Strength. Near invulnerability. Longevity."
"Are you saying you're his human servant?" Zerbrowski asked. He sounded shocked. The question earned her a hard stare from Dolph, as if her answer was far more important than it should have been.
"It wasn't a choice that was given to me, but yes," Aedan replied softly. "Which is how my head met marble and all that happened to me was a big lump on my forehead."
"How wasn't it a choice?" Dolph questioned. He looked ready to tear Aedan apart. She must have seen that, too, because she rose to her feet and stared him in dead in the eye, despite the fact that she was so much shorter than he was.
"Because Anita Blake didn't give me a fucking choice that night. She just dumped all of her shit on me. All of it. Her powers. Her place in Jean Claude's life. Her position as your preternatural expert. Her everything. If I had known what making a promise to a dying woman would mean for me, I never would have made it. I never would have let myself be thrown into this insanity. But I said yes. I promised a dying woman that I would take care of the people she cared about most. So here I am. And now I've got a fucking death sentence on my head because people don't like that everything here in Jean Claude land is peachy keen. So excuse me if I'm a little testy or tired or bitchy or whatever adjective you want to use to describe me. Because this shit has been about a billion times less fun for me than it has been for you."
"Aedan. Ma mie," Jean Claude said softly. She turned to look at him. Which must have cost her more energy than she let on because she wobbled on her feet and would have fallen over if not for the hand that Wicked put on her arm. She turned a thankful smile his way, then allowed him to settle her down onto the chaise.
"None of that explains why this woman--"
"Her name is Felicity Greer. She works for the MarSin Foundation," Edward supplied.
"None of that explains why Felicity Greer would want to kill you." The way Dolph said it suggested he was having a hard time swallowing her story. Likely because he was unhappy with the way things had gone and he wanted to punish someone for basically every bad event that had happened the past several months.
"Because the people who killed Anita want Aedan dead now, too," Jean Claude told them. There was no point in keeping that bit of information from Dolph. Detective Storr narrowed his eyes on her.
"You know who killed Anita?" It was obvious by the way he asked the question that he was ready to tear into Aedan for keeping that information from him.
"No. I don't," she snapped. "I don't have a fucking clue who's behind her death. And even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. Because the people who would be brazen enough to kill her on the street would run right over you without breaking a sweat. I'm not even sure I can take them down. There are nightmares among this group that vampires fear even more than they feared Anita."
Dolph looked like he wanted to take Aedan to task for that. Jean Claude had no doubt he felt there was nothing he couldn't handle. But he was merely human. It was highly unlikely Dolph would survive a confrontation with Anita's killers.
"You said the woman's master communicated through her. What do you mean? Who was her master?" Zerbrowski asked, obviously trying to shift the focus back toward the attack on Aedan's life.
"I have no clue. I've never heard of a vampire actually communicating through a human servant. If any vampire is capable of such a thing, they'd keep it hidden from pretty much everyone. Otherwise it would be an instant death sentence."
"You're sure?"
"Aedan is correct," Jean Claude told them. "Any vampire with such a power, who was open about it, would find themselves under a sentence of death by our ruling body.You see, Detectives, we spent too many years hiding in the shadows from mortals. Now that we have been allowed to taste the public eye, we will do whatever necessary to ensure that the right to exist is not taken from us. Even if that means killing one of our own."
The police were still digesting that bit of information when the officer who had left earlier returned. Jean Claude wasn't sure how long he'd been gone. "I found a doctor in the crowd. Sorry it took so long, but I was trying to be discrete," he told them. Jean Claude wondered why he would bother. The crowd had plainly seen the police arrive and head for the bathroom. It seemed odd to keep from them the information that a doctor was needed. But the questions were pushed aside when the door opened and a very familiar, very welcome face stepped into the bathroom.
"You are?" Dolph asked, turning his attention to the latest person to step into the bathroom.
"I'm Dr. Lillian. I understand you have someone in need of medical assistance," she said. Then her gaze flicked Aedan's way. It was a good thing the woman had seen so much in her years as the Rodere's doctor because not an ounce of shock or surprise showed on her face. "Goodness. What happened here?"
"Who's this with you?" Dolph's gaze flicked to the man who had come in with Lillian. Rafael took no offense to the question.
"My help," Lillian replied without batting an eye. She made her way around the cluster of police who had come into the bathroom with Dolph. They didn't stop with their picture taking or their evidence collecting or whatever else they were doing, ignoring Lillian as she passed them by. The woman gave a cursory look at the corpse before carefully working her way through the blood spatter and bits of flesh until she stood before Aedan. Rafael came behind her, power rolling off him that anyone in the room who was purely human wouldn't feel. But he suspected Dolph noticed it in the way Rafael carried himself because his eyes remained locked on the rats' king as he stood close to Lillian without getting in her way. "Now, young lady. Tell me what happened."
"The corpse attacked me. Tried to stab me. When that didn't work, she slammed my head into the sink. Then tried to garrote me. And choke me."
"All that with a broken wrist?" the woman asked. All the while, her fingers were prodding at Aedan's throat and her forehead.
"She was very determined," Aedan replied. Coughed a little. Sipped her water.
"Throat on fire?" Lillian asked, hands carefully feeling along the channel the garrote had dug into Aedan's flesh. Jean Claude watched as she hissed once or twice, when those adept fingers found a particularly tender spot.
"Yes," Aedan replied.
"Mhmm. Probably from almost having your windpipe crushed. You were lucky that the garrote didn't dig in any deeper. How about the head? Any pain there? Any nausea? Are the lights bothering you at all?"
Aedan considered it. "Mild head ache. So far, no. And not at the moment. Though I suspect that might change when I leave the bathroom. Brighter out there than in here."
"Sounds like a mild concussion. I would recommend not sleeping for a while yet," Lillian told her with a bit of a smile. "Any other injuries I should know about? There's a lot of blood."
"None of it mine," Aedan informed her.
"Some of it is yours. From that wound on your head. Most of it, though, comes from the corpse," Edward told her. Lillian raised her eyes his way. Since the cops couldn't see her face, they didn't see the question in her eyes. She wanted to know if he was responsible for the corpse's present state. And if he was the reason Aedan wasn't injured as badly as she could have been. Edward tilted his head to the side just a bit in answer. No doubt he didn't want to have that particular discussion in front of the police.
Lillian turned to look at Rafael. "Go get some towels. Some wet and some dry. I'd like to be able to see what we've got going on on her forehead." Then she paused and turned to look at Dolph. "That is, if you have no objections, Detective?"
"None. Just let my crime scene people take the towels when you're done with them."
"Of course."
Some ten minutes later, Lillian had Aedan's face cleaned off of all the blood and they'd gotten a much better look at the knot on her forehead. It was black and blue and quite swollen. A crusty scab had already formed to hold the gash closed, which Lillian had been careful about cleaning so that she didn't open it up again. After another examination, she proclaimed that Aedan would be right as rain in a few days with proper rest. Then she rose and, after shooting a look Jean Claude's way, turned to Dolph. "Do you have any more questions for your victim?"
"This is a murder investigation," Dolph replied calmly.
Lillian snorted and shot him a dirty look. "A murder investigation? Really, Detective? Just based on what little I've heard, your victim was acting in self-defense. Are you saying she needs a lawyer?"
"I know a really good lawyer," Edward added almost cheerfully. If the look Dolph shot Edward was anything to go by, the detective had a good idea what lawyer the other man was speaking about. Jean Claude could well imagine just how much Dolph did not like Angel Cervantez.
"Does Aedan need a lawyer, Detective Storr?" Jean Claude enquired politely, hand already drawing a slim cell phone from his pocket. If anything, the look on Dolph's face got darker. He finally shook his head.
"There's no need. We can always continue this discussion after Aedan's had some rest. I am going to need that dress, though. She's wearing evidence," he replied, motioning toward the blood spattered gown. Aedan sighed and stood up.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you like seeing me without my clothes," Aedan commented. But she managed to find the zip at the back and pulled it down. The gown let go of her body and slid to the floor to pile up around her feet. She was left in only a pair of panties, a matched strapless bra, and silk hose held up by a lace garter belt. Rafael had his coat off in an instant.
"Here. You can't go around without something to wear," he offered. Aedan gave him a grateful smile before pulling the coat on. She had to hold it closed in front with a hand, but it was long enough to hang down to mid-thigh on her. If she was careful how she moved, she wouldn't flash anyone.
"Thank you," she said softly. Then she turned to look at Jean Claude. "Can we go home now?"
"Of course, ma mie," he replied, gaze never leaving Dolph's face. The man obviously didn't like that he was losing his witness yet again. Aedan gave him a smile that looked more like grimace and took a step forward. Her legs wobbled, letting them all know that she wasn't quite as unaffected as she wanted them to believe. So Jean Claude closed the distance between them and scooped her up so that she was cradled safely in his arms. He was careful to ensure that the bottom hem of Rafael's coat was caught between her thighs and his arm in order to preserve her dignity. Then he glanced at Edward and Wicked before starting for the door.
"Aedan," Dolph's voice carried across the room. Jean Claude watched as she cast the other man a look over his shoulder. "I'm going to need an official statement from you on this. And you, too, Mr. Forrester."
"Of course," Edward nodded. There was the rustle of some fabric and a creak of leather. "You might as well take this, too. I fired one shot, which you will find embedded in what's left of Miss Greer's head. I'm surprised you didn't ask for it already."
They slipped out of the bathroom before Dolph could find anything else to say.
~*~*~*~*~
"They're coming," Isis whispered. Those two words brought everyone's attention to the doorway. It was to find that Jean Claude was emerging from that small hallway, Aedan cradled in his arms. She had her face turned into his coat. And she was no longer wearing her dress. Or her shoes. And her hair was in wild disarray around her hidden face. Edward was with him, with Wicked and Truth following close behind. Rafael, who was not wearing a coat, and Dr. Lillian brought up the rear. None of them looked happy.
In an instant, every eye in the place turned to the spectacle that was a nearly naked Aedan being carried by Jean Claude and the whispers started up again. Rhia could well imagine what they were saying. She was glad she couldn't hear it because she didn't want to hear these arrogant, ignorant idiots say horrible things about people she loved. No one dared get close, though, because the looks on Edward, Wicked, and Truth's faces didn't encourage chatter or breathing or even generally looking.
The group was stopped by Aaron Singleton, who stepped in front of Jean Claude. Singleton's back was to them, but his arms were moving about wildly. It was obvious he was speaking. As for Jean Claude, he barely moved and only spoke when the need arose. Rhia wasn't sure what the two men were saying to each other. Whatever it was, it didn't last long. Barely a minute had passed before Jean Claude was on the move again. Every eye watched them as they crossed the room.
Well before the small group had gotten close to the table, every person sitting around that table had risen to their feet. They clustered around Jean Claude and the others, forming a barrier between the man who carried their friend and the attendees who looked like they might want to try and ask questions. They made it to the elevator and, when the doors opened, Jean Claude stepped in with Aedan, followed by Edward, and the Wicked Truth. The rest of them waited to go in small groups, making it hard for anyone to access the elevator on the off chance someone wanted to try and chase after them.
Rhia stayed close to Nathaniel, stomach in knots. She'd wanted a reason to leave early. She hadn't wanted that reason to come at the expense of one of her friends. He kept his arm around her, whispered softly and soothingly in her ear, and waited until it was their turn to ride the elevator down to the car they'd come in. They rode back to the Circus in silence, Rhia's mind turning over what could possibly have happened while Nathaniel simply held her and said nothing.
She and Nathaniel had been the last of the group to reach their car, so they were the last of the group to arrive at the Circus. When they made it to the bottom of the steps, it was to find that everyone was clustered in the living area, settled on couches and chairs, staring in silence at the couch where Aedan sat with Jean Claude on her right and Edward on her left. She sat with her arms resting on her knees, a glass of water pressed between her hands, and her head tipped down toward the floor. Her hair, which had been so beautiful styled for the charity event, was in wild disarray around her head. It hung down around her face to keep her hidden from view. She was still wearing Rafael's suit coat and little else.
"You promised us an explanation," Minette said with anger simmering in her voice. "So explain. What the hell happened tonight?"
"There was an attack," Jean Claude said without preamble. Rhia was kind of surprised he hadn't tried to beat around the bush a little, but she could see that his patience was at an all time low. Maybe he wanted the evening over as much as the rest of them did.
"What kind of attack?" It was Janika who asked, and every eye in the room went to where Aedan sat after she asked it.
"Someone tried to kill Aedan," Edward said quietly. And with a great deal of anger. Rhia blinked. She'd never heard him speak with any emotions really in his voice like that before.
"But... why?" Isis frowned.
"There is a death sentence on Aedan's head, put there by the very people who killed ma petite and brought Aedan to my side. They have already tried to attack her in her own apartment. Now they have tried to kill her at a public function. If not for her quick thinking and the gifts given to her by Anita, they might have succeeded."
"I went to use the bathroom," Aedan said, voice hoarse and low. It was hard to hear her because she spoke to the floor. But she continued to do so anyway. "Did you know that that place was so fancy, they have a bathroom attendant? Well, they had one. My attacker killed the attendant in order to kill me without witnesses."
"That woman's death is not your fault, Aedan. Do not blame yourself," Jean Claude said, putting one hand on her shoulder.
"The fuck it isn't. She wouldn't have died if that bitch hadn't followed me into the bathroom to attack me when none of you were present. But she made a mistake. She didn't hide the attendant's body well enough. I saw the woman's shoes under one of the stall doors. And when I went to investigate, that Greer woman launched her assault." It was at this point that Aedan lifted her head. And shocked them all with the livid bruises marring her throat. Her forehead. "Felicity Greer tried to stab me with a knife. But I broke her wrist and made her drop the knife. So she slammed my head into the edge of the marble sink. That was followed by a garrote. The only way I stopped her was to put my foot down on hers. And drive my heel through her foot."
"That's why you're missing your shoes?" Minette wondered. Aedan looked at her and nodded. Took a sip of her water.
"The heels were plated in steel. To strengthen them. Then in silver. Just in case." Aedan paused a moment, as if she was gathering her thoughts or maybe finding the right words. Or maybe as if she was finding her courage. "Greer went down. Hard to stand on a foot that's just been stabbed. She tried to crawl away from me. But that's hard to do with a bad hand and foot. She swore her master would see me dead. So I tugged the hair sticks free and stabbed her in the heart with them. But it wasn't enough."
"Was she a shifter of some sort? A vampire?"
"No. She was a human servant. Or something along those lines. And her master did something I've never heard of a vampire doing. He spoke through her. And he gave her his strength. I'd just stabbed this bitch in the heart, but she lifted a hand and wrapped it around my throat and squeezed with all the strength of a goddamn vamp. And I couldn't stop her. So I pulled one of the hair sticks free of her chest and stabbed her in the head with it."
"Which is about the time I burst into the bathroom and shot the woman in the head. And that put an end to her attempts to murder Aedan," Edward said. His words tasted of relish. He was terribly proud of what he'd done. Or something along those lines. He shot a considering look around the gathered throng before speaking again. "And I think, given the way things are going right now, we need to pick your weapons handling lessons back up."
Aedan stood up abruptly, wobbling a little on her feet before righting herself. She handed the glass of water off to Edward, then looked at Jean Claude. "I'm going to go shower. Then I'm going to go sleep. I know you have things you have to do before the sun comes up. So I don't expect you to put anything aside for me. I'll see you tomorrow night."
She left the room without saying another word.
~*~*~*~*~
Minette waited until she was sure Aedan was out of hearing range, then she turned her attention back to the men on the couch. "You're just going to let her go? Neither one of you is going to offer her the comfort she so obviously needs."
"She doesn't want to be touched," Edward informed her. "I tried earlier. She wouldn't let me touch her."
Minette snorted and just barely kept from muttering about their stupidity under her breath. "You mean she wasn't ready to be touched. Would you want someone to touch you if you'd just had to kill a woman like she had? She needed time to process what happened. Now is a good time to go offer her the hug she obviously needs."
"Unfortunately, Aedan is correct. There are things I must attend to before the evening comes to a close. They are important things. So any comfort I am to offer her will have to wait until I finish those things." Jean Claude didn't sound happy about having things to do that would keep him away from Aedan's side. Minette wanted to scream at him to let it go until the next night, but the touch of Micah's hand on her arm stopped her. "And I would prefer that Edward not attempt to hug her while she is in the shower."
"Jealous, old man?" Edward asked. It almost sounded like he was attempting some levity, but that couldn't be. Death didn't have a sense of humor. Jean Claude didn't answer. But then, he didn't have to. They all knew that the he and Aedan had taken whatever their relationship was to its next level. And Edward didn't fit into that level, whatever it was.
"Well, if you aren't going to go offer her comfort, I will," Minette stood up and made sure she glared at them to let them know she thought they were being shits about the whole thing. "She's obviously just had a really horrible thing happen and she needs someone to ground her and remind her that it'll be okay."
Edward looked slightly amused by her outburst. Jean Claude, though, was studying her intently, as if he'd just discovered something new and entirely unique. She wasn't sure she liked that look. But then he smiled at her and she saw something genuine and honest in his eyes. Relief. "I believe, Minette, that that is an excellent idea. Aedan needs to be around someone who is dear to her. Someone who is family. That someone is you. The comfort you offer will mean more to her than the comfort I might offer. Or that Edward would offer."
"You're sure?" She thought he was taking Aedan's rejection awfully well. Especially considering the way the woman had clung to him at the charity event earlier. It was entirely possible that Aedan secretly hoped that Jean Claude would come offer her comfort.
"Of course, Minette. I am very sure. Aedan could use the touch of something gentle and familiar. You are that and more," Jean Claude replied. "The two of you are family. And she needs family."
Minette considered his words for a few seconds before nodding her head. His logic was sound. Aedan's relationship with the vampire was still too new and tentative. No doubt the other woman had no clue what it was or where it was going. And her relationship with Edward was... a really bizarre kind of mentor and student thing that Minette couldn't even begin to understand. She shot a glance at Micah she hoped he understood, then headed off in the direction of the sleeping chambers and the room she knew Aedan had been given.
It was silent in this part of the Circus. That was something that always caught Minette unaware. The absolute silence that came from being so far under ground and surrounded by so much stone. It should have been unnerving. But it wasn't. It was actually kind of relaxing. Minette found her way to Aedan's room with little trouble and knocked at the door to announce herself. There was no immediate answer, and Minette's keen hearing picked up the sound of water running. Apparently Aedan had been serious about a shower. So Minette let herself into the room. She crossed to the bathroom door and let herself into the smaller room.
Aedan stood in the middle of a spray of water, arms wrapped tightly around herself and shivering uncontrollably. Her head was bent so that the water beat against the back of her skull. Minette heard the faintest sound and realized Aedan was crying as silently as she could. Minette stripped her clothing off before climbing into the shower with her friend. Aedan barely moved when Minette wrapped her arms around Aedan and simply held her. After several long minutes, Aedan turned and clung to Minette as if she was her anchor.
"Its okay, Aedan. Its okay. You're okay," Minette whispered soothingly. "I know you had to have been scared, but you survived. You did what needed to be done to survive. It was either her or you. Shhhh. Its okay."
The sobs grew in intensity and sound for a short while, then gradually died down. The shivering came to an end, too, leaving Aedan spent and silent as she leaned heavily against Minette. When Minette thought she was ready, she pushed Aedan back so she could look her in the eye. The shower had obviously rinsed bits of dried blood from her face, because it didn't look as bruised as it had before. Either that or the accelerated healing was finally kicking in. She still looked terrible, all pale and wide eyed and bruised both in body and in spirit. "I killed that woman, Minette," she said. Her voice was low and rough and filled with pain. Minette gave her a sad smile and reached up to run a hand through the sodden length of Aedan's hair.
"I know, honey. But you had no choice. She was going to kill you. You were protecting yourself. Defending yourself. You'll move past this. It'll take a while, but you'll do it. Because you're strong and you have a good heart. And I'm here for you," Minette told her. Then she reached around Aedan and shut the water off. "Come on. Let's dry you off and get you into bed. You need rest. This has been a really bad night and you've suffered a big shock."
Minette took Aedan's hand and tugged her from the shower. She handed her towels and made sure she dried off. When she was done, Minette hung the wet towels up and nudged Aedan toward the door. She went, opening the panel only to stop dead in her tracks. Minette peered around her and smiled. Micah, Nathaniel and Rhia sat on the edge of the bed. She was glad to know that Micah had understood her look. "Minette?" Aedan whispered, as if she wasn't sure she trusted her voice.
"Tonight, you're going to sleep in a kitty pile. It has rejuvenating and curative powers. I promise," Minette told her, then pushed her out into the bedroom proper. Micah was the one who got up and crossed to them, taking Aedan's hand in one of his.
"You deserve to have family surrounding you tonight, Aedan," he told her. She didn't resist as he pulled her toward the bed. Nor did she resist when he slowly, carefully pulled her into his arms for a hug. In fact, she pressed herself against him and released a loud sigh. A bunch of tension went with it. When Micah let her go, Nathaniel and Rhia were there to envelope her in another embrace. As they did so, Micah stripped his clothes off. Nathaniel got nude in a matter of seconds the minute he stepped back. Minette was surprised that Rhia followed suit when she released Aedan.
Micah nudged Aedan toward the bed, ensuring she climbed up into it and settled into the center before he held his hand out to Minette. She climbed in next and pressed up close to Aedan. Rhia copied her actions on the other side, then Micah and Nathaniel got in. Micah made sure to reach out and turn the light off, leaving them ensconced in darkness. Then he and Nathaniel wrapped themselves around Minette and Rhia and made sure their hands touching Aedan's bare skin.
They fell asleep like that so that Aedan knew she was where she belonged, surrounded by family and love.
Chapter Sixty: Love and Family
Fandom: Anita Blake universe
Rating: 18 and up
Warnings: graphic sex and violence, language, anything else i can toss in.
Disclaimer: the recognizable characters and places contained herein are the property of LKH. i'm merely borrowing for the sake of entertainment. no money is being made from this venture. the Sues are the sole property of their originators, Ginevra, Dazzledfirestar, Nanaea, SilverFoxChan and ladydeathfaerie. the concept and title of The Mary Sue Virus are used with permission from Dazzledfirestar.
Author's Notes: jesus christ, its the sixtieth chapter. someone fucking stop me. this is way out of hand. way way out of hand. but at least you get to find out what happens next, i guess.
The Mary Sue Virus: Beyond Death - Index Link
"Aedan?" he asked, eyes locked on the scene before him. No response. He tried again. "Aedan? Again there was no answer. So he crossed the floor and reached out to put a hand on her shoulder. That got him a response. A fight for your life response. A fist came up, aimed directly at his chin despite her eyes not taking the time to track his location. Had he not caught it, she would have smashed her knuckles against his jawbone with dangerous efficiency. "Aedan! Stop. You're safe. Its me. Stop!" he barked, making sure there was authority in his voice.
That saw her blinking, saw her lifting her eyes toward his face.
"Edward?" she rasped. His name was followed by a sharp, hoarse cough. He holstered his gun, fairly certain the woman's remains weren't going to stand up without a head, and knelt down in order to pull her off the corpse. Aedan went easily, sliding off the body to sit on the floor in a pile of skirts. He tried to pull her close so that he could hug her, but she refused to let him do it. He wasn't sure if she wasn't ready for the hug or if she was afraid of getting blood on his tux. Not that he cared about the tux. Aedan's comfort, her life, was more important than some over-priced suit. But he didn't push it, simply knelt there and stared at her.
She was pale under the spatter of blood and brains, eyes a little too wide. Wide enough that he could see far more white than he should have. Her hair, which had been so eloquently styled, now hung in disarray around her face. A garrote was hanging from her throat, thin and innocuous and ominous. He reached out and pulled the wire from her neck, dropped it as soon as he'd pulled it free. It barely made a sound when it landed on the floor beside him. Then his hands were tugging at the choker so that he could see what the woman had done to her throat. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly.
She drew a breath, coughed again. "I think so," she whispered. He could tell by the way she said it that she wasn't.
The lace choker came away to show a livid red crease pressed into her skin. It was surrounded by shallower patterns that had come from the choker she'd been wearing. There was already a bruise starting to form under the channel, the color spreading out on either side to loudly proclaim what had happened to anyone who chose to look. It was no match to the bruise on her forehead, though. The entire expanse of her forehead was nearly black, except where the robin's egg had come up. He had a pretty good guess as to how that had happened.
The door slammed open just then, and Edward had himself planted between it and Aedan in the blink of an eye, gun in hand to face the newest threat. Instead he found himself staring at Wicked and Truth, both with weapons out. A second later, Jean Claude was stepping between them. Edward relaxed his hold on his gun and watched without comment as Jean Claude took in the scene in the bathroom. His eyes went from the corpse on the floor to where Aedan sat, then lifted to Edward's face.
Wicked and Truth spun as someone came to a halt in front of the open bathroom door and stared in. It was their host, Aaron Singleton, and the look of shock on his face suggested that he wasn't used to seeing someone's brains splattered all over the nice marble flooring. Then his eyes widened. "That's Felicity Greer. She's a member of the foundation. She's..."
"Dead," Edward told him. He shot a look toward Jean Claude, then turned back to Aedan. She was staring at one of the smears of brain matter on the floor, obviously not ready to deal with the public. He reached out to put his fingers under her chin, tipping her head up far enough that she was looking at him. "I'm going to have Singleton call Dolph. Are you okay with that?"
She considered his question for a moment, then nodded her head once. The way her mouth tightened at the corners suggested that her head was throbbing. "Yeah. Call him." Her words brought more coughing.
"Okay." Edward stood and turned to look at Singleton again. The man was still staring at the corpse. "Call the police. Request Detective Rudolph Storr and the RPIT team. Tell them there was an attack."
Singleton nodded, finally dragging his eyes away from the corpse. He pulled a sleek phone from his pocket and stared at it, fingers hovering over the number keys. As if he didn't know what he was supposed to do. One more glance at the corpse saw him turning and fleeing the room. Wicked reached out and nudged the door until it closed so that no one else could stand in the doorway and gape at the scene laid out before them.
"This is going to get messy. We should have one of the brothers standing guard on the outside of the door so no one can come in without permission. The fewer people who step on the scene, the better.
Jean Claude nodded and cut his gaze to the brothers. "Truth. You will guard the door from the outside. No one is to enter until after the police have arrived and secured the scene. Ensure that our people know we will explain everything later."
Truth nodded, then turned and went out through the door. Wicked moved to stand beside it on this side, an added layer of protection. Edward watched as Jean Claude picked his way through the gore until he could kneel down in front of Aedan. He used both hands to lift her face, not quite able to hide is frown as he got a good look at her. "You are a mess, ma mie," he said softly.
"You should see the other guy," she replied immediately, obviously a conditioned response. Her words ended with a sound that was half laugh and half sob. And that ended with another round of coughing. Edward didn't like the sound of that coughing. It made him think that the damage was worse than it appeared.
"I have," he told her. His tone suggested he was impressed, but unhappy. "Are you okay?" It was an innocuous question. However, the tone of his voice was anything but. Edward detected hints of anger there, along with fear and worry.
She shrugged one shoulder. "I guess. I mean, I'm still alive. Right? That's the important part. Isn't it?"
"The most important part," he said. The warmth in his voice told her, told them both, he absolutely meant it. "Tell me what happened."
Aedan shook her head, then winced. "When Dolph gets here. That way I don't have to keep telling it." She reached up to brush at her forehead and frowned when her hand came away coated with blood. She looked up at the two of them. "Is that mine or is it hers?"
"Both," Edward said. Aedan turned her frown toward him.
"You have a big goose egg on your forehead. And the skin is split." His fingers reached up to trace the mark on her neck. "You also have a lovely choker thanks to the dead woman's garrote." Edward frowned at her, then turned to Jean Claude. "How long is it going to take for those to heal up?"
Jean Claude studied the marks, then lifted a shoulder in a liquid shrug that could have meant anything. "There is no telling, really. It depends on the severity. The head wound will take longer. But it is entirely possible that the evidence will be gone before we leave here."
Edward frowned. "Not good. Those marks need to be there when Dolph arrives. They're proof she was attacked. If they're gone..."
"Use your damn phone," Aedan snapped, then broke into a brief coughing fit.
"Aedan--"
"If I have to explain what happened to the marks, I will. But he won't be able to argue with photographic evidence. Especially when the fucking body is behind me," she cut him off. She'd be opening a can of worms if she had to explain that to him and they both knew it. Edward sighed, but he fished his phone out of his pocket and snapped several photos that captured the bruises and the blood perfectly.
"By the way, excellent work stabbing her in the head. How the hell did you manage it?" Edward asked, gaze taking the time to look at the corpse. What was left of her head had a stick shoved through it.
"The hair sticks were plated with steel, then silver. The same with the heels on my shoes," Aedan explained. "All I had to do is shove down really damn hard."
"Good thinking, having those on hand," Edward complimented. Aedan flashed him an empty smile, then coughed again. She made a show of trying to gather her strength and get up off the floor. Edward and Jean Claude both put hands out to offer her help.
"I fucking hope Dolph gets here soon, because I just want to go home and sleep," she whispered. And coughed. And frowned. "And can I get a glass of water? My throat is on fire."
"It is on the way. I have asked Asher to bring you some water," Jean Claude told her. Aedan nodded. If she took note of the tone in his voice, she said nothing. But Edward hadn't missed it. He was sending Asher to get water because he didn't trust anyone. Someone tied to the goddamn charity they were supposed to be there to support had just tried to kill Aedan. There was no telling if there were more people out there who had a desire to take her head off her shoulders.
"Thanks," she croaked hoarsely.
"Your friends and family are outside in the hall, Aedan. They wish to see you, to know that you are well," Jean Claude said gently. Edward guessed he'd been in contact with someone on the other side of the wall using their mental link. Aedan looked up, eyes wide with fear.
"No. Not right now. Not when I'm..." she stopped and looked down at herself. There were pieces of brain matter clinging to the bodice of her dress. Stuck to her skin. Blood spatter marred the beauty of the gown, turning the blue dark enough to almost be black in some places. There was a fine spray of blood on her arms, while more bits of grey matter dotted her shoulders and even her face. Edward was fairly certain there were some globs clinging tenaciously in her hair. "Oh, gods. Oh... No. I can't. I don't want them to see me like this. Not like this. Please don't let them in. Please."
There was panic in her voice, letting both men know that the events of the past ten or fifteen minutes were starting to sink in. Edward had no doubt that Aedan was in some mild state of shock because, as far as he knew, this was the first time she'd really had to fight for her life. Not that he didn't think she'd killed people before. He was beginning to suspect there were things, people's deaths, that she was hiding from him. From everyone. But this death was different. This death was far more intimate and personal. And that fact was just starting to sink in.
"Of course, ma mie," Jean Claude said softly. Gently. He reached out and took her hands. "Come. Let us get you off the floor. There is a chaise lounge in the corner. You can sit there."
"Okay." Aedan allowed him to pull her to her feet, then followed him across the bathroom to the piece of furniture he'd spoken of. He'd just settled her onto the seat when there was a knock at the door. Wicked answered it, opening the door far enough to peer outside. He shut the panel again a moment later, a crystal goblet of water in his hands. Edward crossed to him and took the goblet. And then he crossed the room once again, all the way across to the far wall, where he handed Aedan the goblet.
He took up position on the empty end of the chaise, so that he and Jean Claude bookended her. Aedan took a sip of her water, a small dainty sip, and tried to ignore the way her hands shook. The ice clinked noisily against the goblet, the only other sound in the bathroom beyond the soft music playing through the speaker in the ceiling. There was nothing left to do but wait.
It was going to be a long damn wait.
~*~*~*~*~
"What was that?" Minette asked as everyone with enhanced hearing lifted their heads and turned to look in the same direction. She found herself staring at an opening in the wall on the other side of the room. Asher and Damian were suddenly frowning.
"Gun shot," Jason replied. He sounded very sure of himself. Minette was tempted to ask him how he knew for certain, but she saw Nathaniel nod his head in agreement.
Minette frowned at that. "Gun shot? Are you sure? I would think there'd be no need for guns at a charity event."
"He's right," Nathaniel murmured. "That was a gun shot. And there are a lot of rich people here. I can't imagine they'd be happy to go to some event like this and not have someone there to prevent them from being the easy pickings of an enterprising thief."
"Wicked and Truth are armed," Asher pointed out.
"As are several of the men stationed around the room," Damian added, one hand motioning to a pair of men standing next to the elevators. "And Edward is here. He is always armed."
"Something is going on," Isis said quietly. So quietly that it was likely that Rhia and Janika had a hard time hearing her. The rest of them no doubt heard her just fine. Isis nodded her head toward the other side of the room. Some distance from the opening in the wall. They turned to find Jean Claude was moving in the direction of that opening. Wicked and Truth were close on his heels. And though there was no expression on any of their faces, Minette got the impression that Jean Claude was unhappy and tense.
"I don't see Aedan," Rhia whispered, growing fear and horror plain to hear in her voice. "She hasn't been out of Jean Claude's sight all night. Except now, apparently. Because I don't see her."
Rhia had barely finished speaking when Minette was in motion, on her way toward that opening. The shot had certainly come from that direction. And Jean Claude was making his way in that direction. Whatever was going on, it was happening back there. And Minette was sure it involved Aedan.
She felt Micah and Jason come immediately behind her. The energy of both men was in hyper drive, letting Minette know that their emotions were up. She didn't like that they'd likely come to the same conclusion she had. Her hearing told her that Asher and Janika were next in line, the click of Janika's heels a staccato beat offset by the swish of her heavy satin gown. Rhia was next, her earthy magic coiling and uncoiling around her like troubled ivy. She no doubt had a hold of Nathaniel's hand, his particular energy battling with Rhia's magic. No doubt he was attempting to calm her down, but Minette felt he'd have a hard time because Rhia was as upset as Minette had ever seen her. That left Isis and Damian to bring up the rear. The lioness' energy was still calm and steady, but there was an undercurrent to it that said it would gladly run wild at the drop of a hat.
They'd barely made it halfway across the floor behind Jean Claude, Wicked, and Truth disappeared down the hallway. A moment later, their host followed after them. Only seconds later, the man hurried back out into the main room, a phone pressed to his ear.
"I smell blood," Micah said, careful to keep his voice low, when they neared the opening in the wall. It was a good thing, too, because the other attendees had noticed that something was going on and they were starting to move toward that opening. Minette could see it was a doorway leading into a small hall. Fortunately, the crowd hadn't yet clustered before it so it was relatively easy for their group to push through until they were practically in the hallway.
"And gun powder," Nathaniel added. This close, Minette was sure everyone could smell those things. Even with the fragrant scent of flowers filling the air.
The hallway was short, with three doors and two tables. Each table had an oversized vase on it, and each vase was bursting with freshly cut flowers that spilled forth their gentle scents. A glance told Minette that one door was on hinges that allowed it to swing either in or out, so probably a doorway to the kitchens. The second door was marked with a plaque that had "MENS" engraved into it. Truth stood before the last door, obviously the women's room, physically blocking it with his body. Not that people seemed to be trying to get in. The expression on his face was enough to see most people running away before trying for the door. She, however, wasn't most people. And she really needed to know what was going on in there. He didn't move when Minette approached, bringing a frown to her face. "Step aside, Truth. Let me in."
"I cannot," he replied, voice low and serious.
"Why not?"
"The master's orders. No one is to enter until the police have been here," he explained.
"The police? Why do the police need to be here?" she asked. Something unhappy and scary settled in her breast. The police never meant anything good. And she was sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Aedan was in there.
"The master will explain everything later."
"Bullshit he'll explain later," she snarled. "He'll explain now. Let me in, Truth, or I swear to the heavens that I'll rip you apart."
For a moment, she got nothing from Truth. Not the blink of an eye, not a frown. Nothing. But then he looked at her directly and she saw touches of displeasure and fear in his eyes. Something softer than the normal face many of the old vampires showed the world. His voice, when it came, was low and as soothing as she'd ever heard. "I know she is your friend. And I know you are scared. I wish I could tell you more. I wish I could allow you entry. But I cannot. Because the master wishes to keep everything contained until the police arrive. As soon as I am able, I will allow you entry. Or I will tell you what I can. But for now, I must do as I was bade."
"Come on, Minette," Micah said softly, his hand curving over her shoulder. She turned to look at him, her frown deep and intense. "We'll find out what's going on when Jean Claude wants us to know. Let's just go sit down and wait."
"I'm not leaving the hallway," she insisted stubbornly.
"Standing here won't get you the information you want any faster. All you'll get is sore feet. Come on," Micah said, this time slipping his arm around her shoulder. "Let's go find a seat and wait. That's about all we can do at the moment. Jean Claude will explain when he's ready to explain. You won't make him get to that any faster by standing in the hallway, glaring daggers at a door. And I'm sure the last thing Aedan wants is for people to stand here, gawking like they're staring at some circus side show freak."
"Asher?" Janika asked. There was something in her voice that caught Minette's attention, saw her turning toward Jean Claude's second. He looked as if he was lost in a memory. But it only lasted a moment. Then he offered a smile to them all. Minette thought that smile looked pained.
"Aedan has requested a glass of water. Jean Claude has asked me to go get it personally." There was something in his voice that made everyone give him a sharp look. He said nothing else, just walked off to fetch that glass of water. Minette let her gaze slide from one face to the next. She could see they were all thinking the same thing. Jean Claude didn't trust just anyone to bring Aedan a glass of water. Which meant he was positive someone was willing to try and poison Aedan in front of him. That made her want to shove Truth out of the way so she could go into that bathroom and find out exactly what the hell was going on.
Micah must have sensed what she was feeling, because his hold on her tightened. He pulled her away from Truth and the bathroom door, though she didn't make it easy, and back out into the main room. The guests were all focused on the doorway now, and Minette could see their heads bent together as they whispered to one another. Some people were trying to push closer, but the men that Aaron Singleton had working security seemed to have moved to keep people back. Minette heard the women's whispers, as they tried to decide on just which piece of gossip seemed the most likely. The one that had the most prevalence, and seemingly the most support, had something to do with the idea that the Master of the City's human servant was having an illicit affair in the bathroom. Minette would have laughed at the absolute lunacy of that idea if she wasn't sure that something much darker and possibly deadlier had happened in that bathroom.
She didn't realize they'd made it to a table until Micah gently urged her down into a chair. Everyone else was sitting, one by one, until the entire group was clustered around the table. Even Asher was there, meaning he'd found and delivered the requested glass of water. She turned a look his way and opened her mouth. But he shook his head before she even had a chance to form words. "I did not see her. I do not know what happened."
"Damn Jean Claude for being such a secretive bastard," Minette muttered.
"Aedan isn't much better," Jason pointed out. That brought Minette's attention his way. He gave her a faint smile meant to be an apology. "I'm sorry, but you have to admit that its true. She's carrying something around that not even you know about. The two of them are perfect for one another."
"Maybe," Minette conceded. Aedan was notorious about keeping her secrets to herself. "But it would be nice to know if she's hurt. Or dying. Or... Just something. Anything. I don't like that he won't even let Truth tell us what's happening."
"I'm sure he has his reasons," Nathaniel replied. Then he frowned as if he'd thought of something, which was followed by look of consideration. Minette had no idea what he was considering, but he must have come to a decision because his face cleared and he gestured back toward the hallway with one hand. "And this may not be his doing. Isn't it possible that Aedan doesn't want him telling anyone anything until she's ready?"
"Maybe. I suppose." Minette's words came slowly, as if she really didn't want to admit that Aedan might be the one keeping them in the dark. "I just don't like it. Especially not with the police on the way."
"I hope this isn't like the night she went to save Micah," Rhia said quietly, a shudder rippling up her spine.
"What do you mean?" Minette asked, turning her attention the witch's way.
"I had a vision that day. One that told me that Micah would die soon. I had no doubt that he'd die if we didn't act right away and find him. So I texted Aedan. Told her that I needed to speak to her. She was already in a bad mood when she got to my apartment. And the description of my vision didn't improve her mood at all. When she learned that I couldn't give her a place to look... " Rhia stopped and shook her head. "She was already dealing with so much guilt. So I suggested we go see a friend. I thought he might be able to help."
"Did he?" Minette asked, curious as to what had happened that day. She remembered fighting with Aedan, then going looking on her own. She was never going to forgive herself for getting her Rodere companion killed. She'd never heard what had happened that night.
"Oh, yes. He did. Aedan came out of his study and told me he wanted to speak to me. While I was discovering that he didn't, she left. Got in her car and drove off and left me there by myself." Rhia frowned.
"You did the best thing possible," Nathaniel said soothingly, one hand reaching up to stroke her arm gently. She flashed him a smile. When Minette turned her focus his way, Nathaniel picked up the story. "Rhia called me and told me Aedan had gone off to find Micah without back up. We called Richard and Rafael. Jean Claude was able to get in contact with Edward. They went off after her while we waited for word."
"Edward, Richard, Rafael, and their back up arrived after the male kidnapper had stabbed his sister. And me," Micah told her. "Silver coated blade. Right to the belly."
"He stabbed you and his sister? She was his sister? What happened to her? What happened to him?" This was all information Minette hadn't heard yet. The whys and hows of Micah being there to rescue her from Bruce and his pard hadn't seemed important in the face of his actually being there.
"The sister died. Richard healed her well enough to get information from her. When they were done, she killed herself," Jason supplied.
"How did you survive a silver coated blade to the belly?" Minette turned her attention back to Micah. He gave her a soft smile.
"Aedan. When she arrived, she was prepared to shoot them both. But the brother threw his weapons at her and ran. I think she was going to let him go, that she was going to work on saving me. But I told her to pull the knife out of my belly and go after him. The sick piece of shit couldn't get away. And she went."
"You shouldn't have let her go after that psycho alone, Micah," Minette whispered, horrified by all that could have possibly happened.
"I sent Edward after them. I don't know what he found. When he and the others arrived, when I knew that Edward was going to go find Aedan, I finally gave in and passed out. The next thing I knew, you were gone and Aedan was trying to destroy a heavy bag. We came to find you."
Minette frowned. That wasn't the whole story. She knew it. "What happened in between?" she asked, turning to look at Jason. Her actions startled him and he looked, for a moment, like he wasn't going to answer her. But he sighed and shook his head.
"Someone tipped off the police. And they arrived to find the room where the kidnappers had held Micah was full of weapons and blood and not much else. Someone stumbled across Edward and Aedan. She was covered in blood. And she was holding a really bloody knife. The two of them ended up going down to RPIT's offices, where Dolph questioned her." Jason frowned at nothing before pressing on. "Edward somehow got a message to Jean Claude that they'd been taken in for questioning. So Jean Claude called his lawyer and took a rather impressive group of his people down to the police station to reclaim Aedan."
"She was in shock when we arrived," Asher said. The lack of emotion in his voice suggested he hadn't been happy that evening. "And Detective Storr was determined to discover what had happened to the male kidnapper. He apparently never found out what took place between the time she left Micah's side and Edward found her. But she was not herself when we first saw her. All she would tell anyone for certain is that the kidnapper would never bother us again."
Minette blinked. That sounded very ominous. And completely unlike the woman she'd called best friend for years now. Then she was reminded of Aedan's strange behavior when she and Micah had arrived at Bruce's place. Of the odd things she'd said. Minette pinned Asher with a stare. "Do you think she killed him?" she asked, so softly that she wasn't sure if Janika or Rhia had heard her.
Asher consider it. Frowned deeply. "I do not know. I do not care. What I do care about is how this event will shape her relationship with Detective Storr and the police. If he already has reason to mistrust her, whatever has happened tonight will likely only intensify that feeling."
"Shit. Speaking of Dolph," Jason muttered. The entire table looked up then, eyes turning toward the elevator they'd arrived in. Just like every other set of eyes in the place had done. Dolph and Zerbrowski were stepping off the elevator, eyes moving around the room with intense efficiency, before one of the security team stepped over to talk to them in a low whisper. "I think the shit is about to hit the fan."
~*~*~*~*~
Aedan was still settled on the chaise lounge by the time the police arrived, sitting with her shoulders slumped and head hanging down. Likely so she wouldn't have to stare at the corpse spread out across the floor. The glass of water Asher had collected for her was clasped loosely between her hands. The ice still lingering within rattled gently against the goblet's crystal walls. She did not look up as the door opened and Detective Storr stepped into the room. Zerbrowski was behind him, as were several other men. He watched silently as the group of men slowly took a careful look at the room around them, making note of every minute detail of the scene, before their attention shifted and they turned their blank cop faces toward Aedan. After several silent moments, they started the trip across the room to Aedan's side.
"Damn, Kinkade. You clean up good," Zerbrowski said. "Well, minus the blood spatter and all."
"This is the second time I've found you covered in blood, Kinkade. At least this time, there's a body." Detective Storr sounded less than enthusiastic about the scene. "You want to tell me what the hell happened?" It came out as a question, but every person in the room knew it for the demand it was.
"The corpse tried to kill me." There was no emotion in Aedan's voice. No inflection. Nothing.
"And why would the corpse try to kill you? Do you know her?"
"Never met her before tonight."
"I see," Dolph replied. His gaze lifted from Aedan's bent head and glanced at the two men who flanked her. Seeing as he was one of those men, Jean Claude was gifted with the full power of his glare. The man's frown might have been frightening had it belonged to someone who was less than human. "Take a walk, boys. I need to speak to Aedan alone."
"I am afraid, Detective Storr, that we will not leave Aedan's side," Jean Claude said, drawing Dolph's attention his way. Dolph's frown intensified and his attitude shifted from being merely annoyed to being fully confrontational. A glance toward the door saw Wicked leaving his post and moving to stand next to him. Which gave Aedan an added body guard. Something the good detective did not like at all, if his deepening frown was anything to go by.
"And why not?"
"Because someone just attempted to murder her," Jean Claude pointed out, even though he felt it should already be obvious. "She is lucky to be alive."
As if sensing the growing hostility in his boss, Zerbrowski moved forward and knelt in front of Aedan. "Kinkade? That true? Did that woman try to kill you?"
"Yes," Aedan finally replied. Her voice was hoarse, something that they'd likely missed when she'd spoken earlier because she hadn't spoken very loudly. She lifted the glass, hand still shaking slightly, and took a sip of the water inside. And then she lifted her head.
"Jesus Christ, woman! What happened?" Zerbrowski asked the moment he got a good look at Aedan's face. Her wounds had yet to start fading away, which was a point in her favor. "Someone get a goddamn medic in here!"
One of the men who'd arrived with Dolph and Zerbrowski hurried from the bathroom, Zerbrowski turned back to Aedan and put his hand on her chin so he could tip her head back and get a better look at her throat. "I had to use the bathroom. There was no one here when I arrived except the attendant," Aedan began. One hand motioned to a stall. A glance showed a pair of feet resting near a pool of blood. "When I stepped out of the stall, she was nowhere to be seen."
"What happened next?" This from Dolph, who had brought out a pen and a pad of paper, upon which he jotted down notes.
"I was checking my reflection in the mirror when I saw her shoes," she replied. Her voice was a hoarse whisper and Jean Claude couldn't tell if it was having been choked or a rush of emotions. Either way, Aedan sipped her water and let her gaze slide to the stall where the attendant's body still sat. "I went over to investigate. Just as I neared the door, it opened and that woman came lunging out of the stall at me. She had a knife in her hand."
As a group, every set of eyes in the room turned toward the spot where a knife lay on the floor. The blade was rusty with dried blood. Jean Claude was surprised to find that it was some kind of hunting knife, with a heavy blade and a thick handle. Knife mentally catalogued, everyone again focused their attention on Aedan. "How did you get the knife away?" Zerbrowski asked.
"I broke her wrist. She dropped the knife. I guess she either can't use her other hand or didn't think to. So she went for the garrote." Aedan gestured to the wire. Used her good hand to loop it around my neck. Used her other arm to hold me in place."
"What kept the garrote from cutting into your neck? Crushing your windpipe?" Dolph asked.
"The choker she was wearing," Edward told them, his hand motioning to the scrap of lace that lay forgotten on the floor. At a nod from Dolph, one of the men on his team moved to the choker and picked it up. Seeing as he had gloves on and Dolph didn't, it made sense. The man brought the lace over to where Dolph stood.
It looked like an ordinary piece of lace, save the plastic boning used to give it shape. Aedan had complained that it was slightly uncomfortable, that she couldn't lower her head without poking herself with the plastic bits. It looked like that had been a good thing, in the long run. "The plastic acted as some kind of shield to keep the garrote from cutting into her flesh," Dolph said. Then he looked at his man. "Bag it. The garrote and knife, too."
"The garrote has my prints on it," Edward told them. Dolph turned a look on him. "Do you honestly think I was going to leave it around her neck until you got here? Someone had just tried to kill her with it."
"Okay," Dolph nodded. "Tell me what happened next."
"I had to stop her from choking me. So I stomped down on her foot." Aedan lifted her skirts to show that the heel of one shoe was coated in blood and bits of flesh. She reached down to undo the buckles and pulled the shoes from her feet. "The heels are coated in steel, then silver. I couldn't carry a gun wearing this, so I wanted something with which to defend myself."
"Shoes?" Zerbrowski asked, looking both skeptical and amused.
"And hair sticks," Aedan replied, motioning toward the sticks that still stuck out of the corpse's body. "Then, to ensure that she wasn't going to get up and try to assassinate me again, I stabbed her in the heart with my hair sticks. But it wasn't enough. Her master was able to communicate through her. Able to channel his strength through her. She reached up and tried to choke me with her bare hand. So I pulled a stick from her chest and drove it through her head."
"And just how is she missing part of her head?" Dolph stared at her.
"That would be because I arrived in time to see the bitch choking Aedan and I blew part of her head off," Edward replied. Jean Claude was surprised to hear what amounted to hatred in the man's voice. It was nothing he'd ever expected of the hitman.
Dolph nodded and made a note on his paper. Zerbrowski reached up and very gently brushed his fingers over the knot on Aedan's forehead. "How did this happen?"
Aedan flinched, letting him know the spot was still tender. But she didn't pull away. "After I broke her wrist, she tried to subdue me by slamming my head into the sink. Used her good hand to grab my hair and shoved my head against the rim of that piece of marble."
"How is it you're still conscious, if that's the case?" Dolph asked.
Aedan's gaze slid around the room, landing on every single man in there. She waited to look his and Edward's way last. Then she sighed. "What do you know about human servants?"
"That they serve a vampire," Dolph replied. It was a simple statement that was correct and yet very wrong.
"True. But not entirely accurate," Aedan told him. "First of all, only very strong master vampires can make a mortal their human servant. They use a series of marks to make that happen. Once all of the marks have been given, the mortal and the vampire are bound together."
"The human is a slave?" Dolph asked.
"No. No. A vampire's powers allow them to enslave a human's mind, if that's what they want. Not that many do it, because it tends to earn them annoying things like death sentences. But there are vamps out there that don't care about rules and the like. A human servant is more than the name implies. Yes, they're bound to the vampire. They're bound to serve. But its a give and take situation. Vampires gain the ability to experience things that they haven't been able to do in a long while. If the mortal happens to be some kind of magic user, that magic can be used to solidify a master's power base. Not their power, but their power base. Because there will always be another master out there, trying to take territories and destroy someone's kiss. Masters can only protect their people and their territory by being strong."
"So what does the human gain?"
"Strength. Near invulnerability. Longevity."
"Are you saying you're his human servant?" Zerbrowski asked. He sounded shocked. The question earned her a hard stare from Dolph, as if her answer was far more important than it should have been.
"It wasn't a choice that was given to me, but yes," Aedan replied softly. "Which is how my head met marble and all that happened to me was a big lump on my forehead."
"How wasn't it a choice?" Dolph questioned. He looked ready to tear Aedan apart. She must have seen that, too, because she rose to her feet and stared him in dead in the eye, despite the fact that she was so much shorter than he was.
"Because Anita Blake didn't give me a fucking choice that night. She just dumped all of her shit on me. All of it. Her powers. Her place in Jean Claude's life. Her position as your preternatural expert. Her everything. If I had known what making a promise to a dying woman would mean for me, I never would have made it. I never would have let myself be thrown into this insanity. But I said yes. I promised a dying woman that I would take care of the people she cared about most. So here I am. And now I've got a fucking death sentence on my head because people don't like that everything here in Jean Claude land is peachy keen. So excuse me if I'm a little testy or tired or bitchy or whatever adjective you want to use to describe me. Because this shit has been about a billion times less fun for me than it has been for you."
"Aedan. Ma mie," Jean Claude said softly. She turned to look at him. Which must have cost her more energy than she let on because she wobbled on her feet and would have fallen over if not for the hand that Wicked put on her arm. She turned a thankful smile his way, then allowed him to settle her down onto the chaise.
"None of that explains why this woman--"
"Her name is Felicity Greer. She works for the MarSin Foundation," Edward supplied.
"None of that explains why Felicity Greer would want to kill you." The way Dolph said it suggested he was having a hard time swallowing her story. Likely because he was unhappy with the way things had gone and he wanted to punish someone for basically every bad event that had happened the past several months.
"Because the people who killed Anita want Aedan dead now, too," Jean Claude told them. There was no point in keeping that bit of information from Dolph. Detective Storr narrowed his eyes on her.
"You know who killed Anita?" It was obvious by the way he asked the question that he was ready to tear into Aedan for keeping that information from him.
"No. I don't," she snapped. "I don't have a fucking clue who's behind her death. And even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. Because the people who would be brazen enough to kill her on the street would run right over you without breaking a sweat. I'm not even sure I can take them down. There are nightmares among this group that vampires fear even more than they feared Anita."
Dolph looked like he wanted to take Aedan to task for that. Jean Claude had no doubt he felt there was nothing he couldn't handle. But he was merely human. It was highly unlikely Dolph would survive a confrontation with Anita's killers.
"You said the woman's master communicated through her. What do you mean? Who was her master?" Zerbrowski asked, obviously trying to shift the focus back toward the attack on Aedan's life.
"I have no clue. I've never heard of a vampire actually communicating through a human servant. If any vampire is capable of such a thing, they'd keep it hidden from pretty much everyone. Otherwise it would be an instant death sentence."
"You're sure?"
"Aedan is correct," Jean Claude told them. "Any vampire with such a power, who was open about it, would find themselves under a sentence of death by our ruling body.You see, Detectives, we spent too many years hiding in the shadows from mortals. Now that we have been allowed to taste the public eye, we will do whatever necessary to ensure that the right to exist is not taken from us. Even if that means killing one of our own."
The police were still digesting that bit of information when the officer who had left earlier returned. Jean Claude wasn't sure how long he'd been gone. "I found a doctor in the crowd. Sorry it took so long, but I was trying to be discrete," he told them. Jean Claude wondered why he would bother. The crowd had plainly seen the police arrive and head for the bathroom. It seemed odd to keep from them the information that a doctor was needed. But the questions were pushed aside when the door opened and a very familiar, very welcome face stepped into the bathroom.
"You are?" Dolph asked, turning his attention to the latest person to step into the bathroom.
"I'm Dr. Lillian. I understand you have someone in need of medical assistance," she said. Then her gaze flicked Aedan's way. It was a good thing the woman had seen so much in her years as the Rodere's doctor because not an ounce of shock or surprise showed on her face. "Goodness. What happened here?"
"Who's this with you?" Dolph's gaze flicked to the man who had come in with Lillian. Rafael took no offense to the question.
"My help," Lillian replied without batting an eye. She made her way around the cluster of police who had come into the bathroom with Dolph. They didn't stop with their picture taking or their evidence collecting or whatever else they were doing, ignoring Lillian as she passed them by. The woman gave a cursory look at the corpse before carefully working her way through the blood spatter and bits of flesh until she stood before Aedan. Rafael came behind her, power rolling off him that anyone in the room who was purely human wouldn't feel. But he suspected Dolph noticed it in the way Rafael carried himself because his eyes remained locked on the rats' king as he stood close to Lillian without getting in her way. "Now, young lady. Tell me what happened."
"The corpse attacked me. Tried to stab me. When that didn't work, she slammed my head into the sink. Then tried to garrote me. And choke me."
"All that with a broken wrist?" the woman asked. All the while, her fingers were prodding at Aedan's throat and her forehead.
"She was very determined," Aedan replied. Coughed a little. Sipped her water.
"Throat on fire?" Lillian asked, hands carefully feeling along the channel the garrote had dug into Aedan's flesh. Jean Claude watched as she hissed once or twice, when those adept fingers found a particularly tender spot.
"Yes," Aedan replied.
"Mhmm. Probably from almost having your windpipe crushed. You were lucky that the garrote didn't dig in any deeper. How about the head? Any pain there? Any nausea? Are the lights bothering you at all?"
Aedan considered it. "Mild head ache. So far, no. And not at the moment. Though I suspect that might change when I leave the bathroom. Brighter out there than in here."
"Sounds like a mild concussion. I would recommend not sleeping for a while yet," Lillian told her with a bit of a smile. "Any other injuries I should know about? There's a lot of blood."
"None of it mine," Aedan informed her.
"Some of it is yours. From that wound on your head. Most of it, though, comes from the corpse," Edward told her. Lillian raised her eyes his way. Since the cops couldn't see her face, they didn't see the question in her eyes. She wanted to know if he was responsible for the corpse's present state. And if he was the reason Aedan wasn't injured as badly as she could have been. Edward tilted his head to the side just a bit in answer. No doubt he didn't want to have that particular discussion in front of the police.
Lillian turned to look at Rafael. "Go get some towels. Some wet and some dry. I'd like to be able to see what we've got going on on her forehead." Then she paused and turned to look at Dolph. "That is, if you have no objections, Detective?"
"None. Just let my crime scene people take the towels when you're done with them."
"Of course."
Some ten minutes later, Lillian had Aedan's face cleaned off of all the blood and they'd gotten a much better look at the knot on her forehead. It was black and blue and quite swollen. A crusty scab had already formed to hold the gash closed, which Lillian had been careful about cleaning so that she didn't open it up again. After another examination, she proclaimed that Aedan would be right as rain in a few days with proper rest. Then she rose and, after shooting a look Jean Claude's way, turned to Dolph. "Do you have any more questions for your victim?"
"This is a murder investigation," Dolph replied calmly.
Lillian snorted and shot him a dirty look. "A murder investigation? Really, Detective? Just based on what little I've heard, your victim was acting in self-defense. Are you saying she needs a lawyer?"
"I know a really good lawyer," Edward added almost cheerfully. If the look Dolph shot Edward was anything to go by, the detective had a good idea what lawyer the other man was speaking about. Jean Claude could well imagine just how much Dolph did not like Angel Cervantez.
"Does Aedan need a lawyer, Detective Storr?" Jean Claude enquired politely, hand already drawing a slim cell phone from his pocket. If anything, the look on Dolph's face got darker. He finally shook his head.
"There's no need. We can always continue this discussion after Aedan's had some rest. I am going to need that dress, though. She's wearing evidence," he replied, motioning toward the blood spattered gown. Aedan sighed and stood up.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you like seeing me without my clothes," Aedan commented. But she managed to find the zip at the back and pulled it down. The gown let go of her body and slid to the floor to pile up around her feet. She was left in only a pair of panties, a matched strapless bra, and silk hose held up by a lace garter belt. Rafael had his coat off in an instant.
"Here. You can't go around without something to wear," he offered. Aedan gave him a grateful smile before pulling the coat on. She had to hold it closed in front with a hand, but it was long enough to hang down to mid-thigh on her. If she was careful how she moved, she wouldn't flash anyone.
"Thank you," she said softly. Then she turned to look at Jean Claude. "Can we go home now?"
"Of course, ma mie," he replied, gaze never leaving Dolph's face. The man obviously didn't like that he was losing his witness yet again. Aedan gave him a smile that looked more like grimace and took a step forward. Her legs wobbled, letting them all know that she wasn't quite as unaffected as she wanted them to believe. So Jean Claude closed the distance between them and scooped her up so that she was cradled safely in his arms. He was careful to ensure that the bottom hem of Rafael's coat was caught between her thighs and his arm in order to preserve her dignity. Then he glanced at Edward and Wicked before starting for the door.
"Aedan," Dolph's voice carried across the room. Jean Claude watched as she cast the other man a look over his shoulder. "I'm going to need an official statement from you on this. And you, too, Mr. Forrester."
"Of course," Edward nodded. There was the rustle of some fabric and a creak of leather. "You might as well take this, too. I fired one shot, which you will find embedded in what's left of Miss Greer's head. I'm surprised you didn't ask for it already."
They slipped out of the bathroom before Dolph could find anything else to say.
~*~*~*~*~
"They're coming," Isis whispered. Those two words brought everyone's attention to the doorway. It was to find that Jean Claude was emerging from that small hallway, Aedan cradled in his arms. She had her face turned into his coat. And she was no longer wearing her dress. Or her shoes. And her hair was in wild disarray around her hidden face. Edward was with him, with Wicked and Truth following close behind. Rafael, who was not wearing a coat, and Dr. Lillian brought up the rear. None of them looked happy.
In an instant, every eye in the place turned to the spectacle that was a nearly naked Aedan being carried by Jean Claude and the whispers started up again. Rhia could well imagine what they were saying. She was glad she couldn't hear it because she didn't want to hear these arrogant, ignorant idiots say horrible things about people she loved. No one dared get close, though, because the looks on Edward, Wicked, and Truth's faces didn't encourage chatter or breathing or even generally looking.
The group was stopped by Aaron Singleton, who stepped in front of Jean Claude. Singleton's back was to them, but his arms were moving about wildly. It was obvious he was speaking. As for Jean Claude, he barely moved and only spoke when the need arose. Rhia wasn't sure what the two men were saying to each other. Whatever it was, it didn't last long. Barely a minute had passed before Jean Claude was on the move again. Every eye watched them as they crossed the room.
Well before the small group had gotten close to the table, every person sitting around that table had risen to their feet. They clustered around Jean Claude and the others, forming a barrier between the man who carried their friend and the attendees who looked like they might want to try and ask questions. They made it to the elevator and, when the doors opened, Jean Claude stepped in with Aedan, followed by Edward, and the Wicked Truth. The rest of them waited to go in small groups, making it hard for anyone to access the elevator on the off chance someone wanted to try and chase after them.
Rhia stayed close to Nathaniel, stomach in knots. She'd wanted a reason to leave early. She hadn't wanted that reason to come at the expense of one of her friends. He kept his arm around her, whispered softly and soothingly in her ear, and waited until it was their turn to ride the elevator down to the car they'd come in. They rode back to the Circus in silence, Rhia's mind turning over what could possibly have happened while Nathaniel simply held her and said nothing.
She and Nathaniel had been the last of the group to reach their car, so they were the last of the group to arrive at the Circus. When they made it to the bottom of the steps, it was to find that everyone was clustered in the living area, settled on couches and chairs, staring in silence at the couch where Aedan sat with Jean Claude on her right and Edward on her left. She sat with her arms resting on her knees, a glass of water pressed between her hands, and her head tipped down toward the floor. Her hair, which had been so beautiful styled for the charity event, was in wild disarray around her head. It hung down around her face to keep her hidden from view. She was still wearing Rafael's suit coat and little else.
"You promised us an explanation," Minette said with anger simmering in her voice. "So explain. What the hell happened tonight?"
"There was an attack," Jean Claude said without preamble. Rhia was kind of surprised he hadn't tried to beat around the bush a little, but she could see that his patience was at an all time low. Maybe he wanted the evening over as much as the rest of them did.
"What kind of attack?" It was Janika who asked, and every eye in the room went to where Aedan sat after she asked it.
"Someone tried to kill Aedan," Edward said quietly. And with a great deal of anger. Rhia blinked. She'd never heard him speak with any emotions really in his voice like that before.
"But... why?" Isis frowned.
"There is a death sentence on Aedan's head, put there by the very people who killed ma petite and brought Aedan to my side. They have already tried to attack her in her own apartment. Now they have tried to kill her at a public function. If not for her quick thinking and the gifts given to her by Anita, they might have succeeded."
"I went to use the bathroom," Aedan said, voice hoarse and low. It was hard to hear her because she spoke to the floor. But she continued to do so anyway. "Did you know that that place was so fancy, they have a bathroom attendant? Well, they had one. My attacker killed the attendant in order to kill me without witnesses."
"That woman's death is not your fault, Aedan. Do not blame yourself," Jean Claude said, putting one hand on her shoulder.
"The fuck it isn't. She wouldn't have died if that bitch hadn't followed me into the bathroom to attack me when none of you were present. But she made a mistake. She didn't hide the attendant's body well enough. I saw the woman's shoes under one of the stall doors. And when I went to investigate, that Greer woman launched her assault." It was at this point that Aedan lifted her head. And shocked them all with the livid bruises marring her throat. Her forehead. "Felicity Greer tried to stab me with a knife. But I broke her wrist and made her drop the knife. So she slammed my head into the edge of the marble sink. That was followed by a garrote. The only way I stopped her was to put my foot down on hers. And drive my heel through her foot."
"That's why you're missing your shoes?" Minette wondered. Aedan looked at her and nodded. Took a sip of her water.
"The heels were plated in steel. To strengthen them. Then in silver. Just in case." Aedan paused a moment, as if she was gathering her thoughts or maybe finding the right words. Or maybe as if she was finding her courage. "Greer went down. Hard to stand on a foot that's just been stabbed. She tried to crawl away from me. But that's hard to do with a bad hand and foot. She swore her master would see me dead. So I tugged the hair sticks free and stabbed her in the heart with them. But it wasn't enough."
"Was she a shifter of some sort? A vampire?"
"No. She was a human servant. Or something along those lines. And her master did something I've never heard of a vampire doing. He spoke through her. And he gave her his strength. I'd just stabbed this bitch in the heart, but she lifted a hand and wrapped it around my throat and squeezed with all the strength of a goddamn vamp. And I couldn't stop her. So I pulled one of the hair sticks free of her chest and stabbed her in the head with it."
"Which is about the time I burst into the bathroom and shot the woman in the head. And that put an end to her attempts to murder Aedan," Edward said. His words tasted of relish. He was terribly proud of what he'd done. Or something along those lines. He shot a considering look around the gathered throng before speaking again. "And I think, given the way things are going right now, we need to pick your weapons handling lessons back up."
Aedan stood up abruptly, wobbling a little on her feet before righting herself. She handed the glass of water off to Edward, then looked at Jean Claude. "I'm going to go shower. Then I'm going to go sleep. I know you have things you have to do before the sun comes up. So I don't expect you to put anything aside for me. I'll see you tomorrow night."
She left the room without saying another word.
~*~*~*~*~
Minette waited until she was sure Aedan was out of hearing range, then she turned her attention back to the men on the couch. "You're just going to let her go? Neither one of you is going to offer her the comfort she so obviously needs."
"She doesn't want to be touched," Edward informed her. "I tried earlier. She wouldn't let me touch her."
Minette snorted and just barely kept from muttering about their stupidity under her breath. "You mean she wasn't ready to be touched. Would you want someone to touch you if you'd just had to kill a woman like she had? She needed time to process what happened. Now is a good time to go offer her the hug she obviously needs."
"Unfortunately, Aedan is correct. There are things I must attend to before the evening comes to a close. They are important things. So any comfort I am to offer her will have to wait until I finish those things." Jean Claude didn't sound happy about having things to do that would keep him away from Aedan's side. Minette wanted to scream at him to let it go until the next night, but the touch of Micah's hand on her arm stopped her. "And I would prefer that Edward not attempt to hug her while she is in the shower."
"Jealous, old man?" Edward asked. It almost sounded like he was attempting some levity, but that couldn't be. Death didn't have a sense of humor. Jean Claude didn't answer. But then, he didn't have to. They all knew that the he and Aedan had taken whatever their relationship was to its next level. And Edward didn't fit into that level, whatever it was.
"Well, if you aren't going to go offer her comfort, I will," Minette stood up and made sure she glared at them to let them know she thought they were being shits about the whole thing. "She's obviously just had a really horrible thing happen and she needs someone to ground her and remind her that it'll be okay."
Edward looked slightly amused by her outburst. Jean Claude, though, was studying her intently, as if he'd just discovered something new and entirely unique. She wasn't sure she liked that look. But then he smiled at her and she saw something genuine and honest in his eyes. Relief. "I believe, Minette, that that is an excellent idea. Aedan needs to be around someone who is dear to her. Someone who is family. That someone is you. The comfort you offer will mean more to her than the comfort I might offer. Or that Edward would offer."
"You're sure?" She thought he was taking Aedan's rejection awfully well. Especially considering the way the woman had clung to him at the charity event earlier. It was entirely possible that Aedan secretly hoped that Jean Claude would come offer her comfort.
"Of course, Minette. I am very sure. Aedan could use the touch of something gentle and familiar. You are that and more," Jean Claude replied. "The two of you are family. And she needs family."
Minette considered his words for a few seconds before nodding her head. His logic was sound. Aedan's relationship with the vampire was still too new and tentative. No doubt the other woman had no clue what it was or where it was going. And her relationship with Edward was... a really bizarre kind of mentor and student thing that Minette couldn't even begin to understand. She shot a glance at Micah she hoped he understood, then headed off in the direction of the sleeping chambers and the room she knew Aedan had been given.
It was silent in this part of the Circus. That was something that always caught Minette unaware. The absolute silence that came from being so far under ground and surrounded by so much stone. It should have been unnerving. But it wasn't. It was actually kind of relaxing. Minette found her way to Aedan's room with little trouble and knocked at the door to announce herself. There was no immediate answer, and Minette's keen hearing picked up the sound of water running. Apparently Aedan had been serious about a shower. So Minette let herself into the room. She crossed to the bathroom door and let herself into the smaller room.
Aedan stood in the middle of a spray of water, arms wrapped tightly around herself and shivering uncontrollably. Her head was bent so that the water beat against the back of her skull. Minette heard the faintest sound and realized Aedan was crying as silently as she could. Minette stripped her clothing off before climbing into the shower with her friend. Aedan barely moved when Minette wrapped her arms around Aedan and simply held her. After several long minutes, Aedan turned and clung to Minette as if she was her anchor.
"Its okay, Aedan. Its okay. You're okay," Minette whispered soothingly. "I know you had to have been scared, but you survived. You did what needed to be done to survive. It was either her or you. Shhhh. Its okay."
The sobs grew in intensity and sound for a short while, then gradually died down. The shivering came to an end, too, leaving Aedan spent and silent as she leaned heavily against Minette. When Minette thought she was ready, she pushed Aedan back so she could look her in the eye. The shower had obviously rinsed bits of dried blood from her face, because it didn't look as bruised as it had before. Either that or the accelerated healing was finally kicking in. She still looked terrible, all pale and wide eyed and bruised both in body and in spirit. "I killed that woman, Minette," she said. Her voice was low and rough and filled with pain. Minette gave her a sad smile and reached up to run a hand through the sodden length of Aedan's hair.
"I know, honey. But you had no choice. She was going to kill you. You were protecting yourself. Defending yourself. You'll move past this. It'll take a while, but you'll do it. Because you're strong and you have a good heart. And I'm here for you," Minette told her. Then she reached around Aedan and shut the water off. "Come on. Let's dry you off and get you into bed. You need rest. This has been a really bad night and you've suffered a big shock."
Minette took Aedan's hand and tugged her from the shower. She handed her towels and made sure she dried off. When she was done, Minette hung the wet towels up and nudged Aedan toward the door. She went, opening the panel only to stop dead in her tracks. Minette peered around her and smiled. Micah, Nathaniel and Rhia sat on the edge of the bed. She was glad to know that Micah had understood her look. "Minette?" Aedan whispered, as if she wasn't sure she trusted her voice.
"Tonight, you're going to sleep in a kitty pile. It has rejuvenating and curative powers. I promise," Minette told her, then pushed her out into the bedroom proper. Micah was the one who got up and crossed to them, taking Aedan's hand in one of his.
"You deserve to have family surrounding you tonight, Aedan," he told her. She didn't resist as he pulled her toward the bed. Nor did she resist when he slowly, carefully pulled her into his arms for a hug. In fact, she pressed herself against him and released a loud sigh. A bunch of tension went with it. When Micah let her go, Nathaniel and Rhia were there to envelope her in another embrace. As they did so, Micah stripped his clothes off. Nathaniel got nude in a matter of seconds the minute he stepped back. Minette was surprised that Rhia followed suit when she released Aedan.
Micah nudged Aedan toward the bed, ensuring she climbed up into it and settled into the center before he held his hand out to Minette. She climbed in next and pressed up close to Aedan. Rhia copied her actions on the other side, then Micah and Nathaniel got in. Micah made sure to reach out and turn the light off, leaving them ensconced in darkness. Then he and Nathaniel wrapped themselves around Minette and Rhia and made sure their hands touching Aedan's bare skin.
They fell asleep like that so that Aedan knew she was where she belonged, surrounded by family and love.
Tags:
- author: ladydeathfaerie,
- character: aedan kinkade,
- character: asher,
- character: damian,
- character: edward,
- character: isis moonrip,
- character: janika odon,
- character: jason schuyler,
- character: jean claude,
- character: micah callahan,
- character: minette poulson,
- character: nathaniel graison,
- character: rhiannon fitzpatrick,
- character: rudolph storr,
- character: zerbrowski,
- universe: anita blake
