CHAPTER 13: One More Thing
Drew calls me later tonight to check on me. I glance at my phone on the bedside table and grab it as soon as I see his name on the screen.
"Did I wake you, love?"
I glance at the clock. It's an hour before midnight. I'm in a t-shirt and panties under the blankets with the lights off yet wide awake. "No, I haven't been sleeping."
"Neither have I."
"Have you been working?"
"At first, and then I decided to call you."
"Why?"
"Why else, love? Because I miss you."
My legs twist. "I miss you too." I've gotten used to sleeping in Drew's villa, spending nights having sex or cuddling with him until we fall asleep. Now that I'm alone in my room, I feel like something's missing.
"Will you sleep over here again after our date?" Drew asks.
"Maybe, depends on how our date goes."
"Challenge accepted. You'll enjoy our dinner together, love. It will be nothing you've experienced before."
"Really?"
"Aye."
"What will it have?"
"You'll just have to find out, won't you?"
I curl into a ball.
"Have you spoken with your brother?"
"Y-Yeah."
"And?"
"And," I drum the back of my phone, "I'll tell you after the date."
I hear movement from the other end. Is Drew anxious too?
"Alright, love. Whatever works for you."
I remember my conversation with Max and what he told me about Drew. The Vampire King is supposed to be this all-powerful figure in society that makes those who don't give him what he wants disappear. From what I've seen when he gets angry, I'm guessing some form of violence takes place before the bodies vanish.
The same person who makes that happen is on the phone with me right now, and I'm refusing him.
What will happen to me?
"I've heard things about you, Drew," I begin slowly.
"Not great things, I gather?"
He already knows what I've heard about him. I'm sure he's tracking me somehow, but we'll get to that later. "I've heard that you hurt and make those who don't give you what you want disappear. Is that true?"
A brief silence passes on the other end before confirming, "Aye."
I flinch. Speculation is one thing, but my boyfriend outright admitting that he hurts people is something else.
"Just know that I don't take that decision lightly, love. I don't hurt people unless I find it necessary."
"When would you find it necessary?"
"Like in war, when there's something or someone to defend–to protect."
Like when Bastien attacks me. As soon as Drew sees my injuries in the light, he reveals a different side of himself. The side that will kill without hesitation.
What will he do if I tell him to kill my uncle?
"Does this make you see me in a negative light, love?"
After the thought I've just had? "No."
"Good, because I will kill for you, May. The only one who can stop me is you."
Dark, but also strangely comforting. If Drew only kills to defend people he cares about, then he's technically not a bad guy, right? Just a good guy who does bad things.
Does that make our relationship…okay?
"Bastien is still alive, as I've promised you. He's back with his family, unharmed."
I gasp, "He is?"
"He won't hurt you again," Drew adds. "I would have preferred him dead after what he did, but I honored your wish. I know how you'll feel if I didn't."
"Drew...thank you."
"Does that improve how you see me?"
"Yes, definitely."
"Good."
"I had no idea you care so much about what I think of you."
"Of course, I care. I really like you, May, so I want you to like me too."
There it is, the reason I easily forget how dangerous the Vampire King can be. To everyone else, he's the monster you shouldn't provoke. To me, he's just Drew: my overprotective, generous boyfriend who will give me the moon, if I ask.
"I really like you too, Drew," I assure him. "You don't have to try so hard."
Drew exhales, "I'm glad."
I smile before letting out a yawn.
"Sleepy, love?"
"Mhmm."
"Rest, then. I'll see you soon."
"I will. Goodnight, Drew."
"Goodnight, love."
I place my phone back on the bedside table and yawn again. I've been wide awake before the call, so being sleepy after a few minutes of conversation is a little shocking. Sleep has never been easy to come by for me. Most nights, I stare at the ceiling until my eyelids get too tired to stay open—which can take hours.
But a few minutes with Drew, and I'm all settled?
I wrap myself with the comforter and try to convince myself that it's Drew's warmth, not the blanket's. When that doesn't work, I remember the orgasms Drew gives me before he tucks me to his chest.
I palm my heart and replay those memories. Usually, at this time of night, I remember how Brendan and I would sneak into discreet motel rooms and spend entire nights together. Now, I'm replaying how Drew and I made love at the beach when I saved his life, and how Drew whipped and pampered me after I defended mine.
I remember Brendan again and sober. His killer—or killers—is still out there. It doesn't help that Uncle Davian is a suspect and out of the kingdom. I can't question him, I can't go in the archive for answers, I don't know who or where else to go to—what can I do?
I shield my forehead with the back of my hand. I need to stop thinking or I won't get any sleep. That usually isn't a problem. It's been a routine.
But Drew is in my life now, and he's protective of me. If he sees how tired I am, he'll worry.
I shut my eyes. I have to sleep. Sleep, May, sleep.
And I do sleep when I remember Drew's smile.
~.~
The first thing I do after getting off work on Friday is visit Bastien's home. Last I checked, he's back to living with his parents after Brendan's death so they can grieve together. But Brendan died when he was seventeen years old. His family has been grieving for ten years.
I don't blame them. So have I.
I park my motorcycle in front of a familiar brick building. I've insisted that Bastien and the rest of the Birch family move to a neighborhood less...dirty, but Brendan's family wouldn't have it. They want to stay in the home they raised Brendan in and preserve his memory. At least, they've accepted the money I offered them. They use it to spend less time at work and more time with each other.
I scan the streets through my helmet visor, gazing at every dirty gutter and peeling paint. There's less trash on the road and even children playing on the sidewalk now thanks to Allistar's efforts to make Littleroot Street safer for its residents, but a lot still needs to be done. I want all the streets of Isle to be cleaner and safer. I want poverty to never exist again.
Guess that's another incentive to marry Drew.
There's no reason to feel guilty, but I do. Drew has offered his money specifically so I can help people. He wants the same thing I do. So why do I feel like I'm using him? Our marriage is supposed to be political, but it becomes something else when feelings are involved.
"May!" Rowena Birch, Brendan's mother, pulls me into a hug. I've been so deep in my thoughts that I don't register walking three flights of stairs and knocking on their apartment door. "Charlie, come out! May is here."
"May!" Charlie Birch, who is also Brendan's father, embraces me when Rowena pulls me into the dining room. "It's been a long time, sweetheart. How have you been?"
"I've been doing alright," my heart swells. Ever since my parents died, Rowena and Charlie have been the closest to parental figures I can get. Brendan had promised they would adopt me when I married him.
But Brendan is dead, and I'm dating Drew. The fact that I'm here at Brendan's home to relish his parents' affections while I'm dating another man makes me feel like scum. Why have I come here?
Oh yeah, to make sure Bastien is as well as Drew says he is.
I don't mean to act like I don't trust my boyfriend, but we have just met, and there's already confirmed suspicion that Drew has a propensity for killing people who inconvenience him. I've also suspected he's somehow tracking me too but pretty much confirm it myself when I remember how mad Drew had been that I asked Brock for vampire insight instead of asking him. Brock has stressed how important it is not to piss off Drew like Max and, well, everybody else has. I won't be too surprised if Drew is suddenly using Brock to spy on me.
Will Drew get angry if someone tells him I'm at my ex's house?
I guess it doesn't matter. I've loved Brendan and his family much longer than I've known Drew. If there's anything redeemable to what I'm doing right now, it's that I respect history and the people I share it with.
"How have you guys been?" I ask as the couple ushers me to the dining table prepped with tea and cookies. "Are you still having back problems, Charlie?"
"You know what the doctor says, May? He says I haven't been moving enough! Thank you, honey," Charlie accepts a teacup from his wife. "So, Rowena and I have been taking walks in the park—the one you built down at Chevy—and my back is feeling a lot better! The trees are also giving us good air! I've been feeling cramped in this apartment!"
"That's really good to hear!" I beam. "How about you, Rowena?"
"I've been doing fine, darling, thank you for asking! I've actually been knitting to keep everyone warm for the upcoming winter. That reminds me–here!" Rowena scurries out of the dining area and returns with a red scarf. "Your favorite color is still red, right?"
"Of course! I've been liking green lately, but red is still my favorite. Did you make this?"
"Of course! And it's made for you with love."
My eyes bug. "No, no! I can't possibly accept this!"
"Of course, you can, dear! After everything you've done for this family and our communities? You deserve all of the scarves and more!" Rowena takes the soft red scarf and loops it around my neck. "Don't even buy scarves anymore! Just tell me when you need one, and I'll make one for you."
Tears blur my vision. "Th-Thank you so much! I'll cherish it."
Charlie and Rowena look happy and healthy. No sign of grief, which means that either Bastien is fine, or that his parents haven't heard that he's not. Nothing is worrying them. They're just filled with joy and love to see me.
I really am the scum of the earth.
"May!" Rowena clasps my shoulders. "Why are you crying?"
I can't help it. As soon as Rowena acknowledges it, I burst into tears. "It's just…you both are so good to me. You always have been. And I'm just an awful person that…I'm so sorry!"
"May, May, calm down. Tell us what's wrong," Charlie holds my wrist like a father comforting his child.
"Yes, May, tell us what's wrong! We'll help you get through it."
"Please stop being nice to me," I croak. "It makes it worse. I don't…I don't deserve it."
"Nonsense," Rowena sits beside me. "May, just tell us what's wrong."
Charlie and Rowena sit at each of my sides like parents would for their weeping daughter. I don't even remember my own parents doing this for me. They died so long ago.
Officially overwhelmed, I tell Charlie and Rowena my real relationship with their son. That he and I had been more than just friends but had been keeping it a secret. But someone had probably found out, and that's probably what killed him. Charlie and Rowena are wonderful parents, and I've had their son killed.
"No, May, don't say that," Charlie dismisses. "Even if someone did attack Brendan because of your relationship, you can't blame yourself. You couldn't have known that someone would hurt him like that!"
Not completely true. That's why my relationship with Brendan had been hidden from the public in the first place. Sure, I've mostly been expecting Uncle Davian or some other court official to force me and Brendan to break up, but I should have expected violence too. I hadn't expected someone to physically hurt Brendan, but I should have. I should have.
I don't realize I've said this out loud until Rowena takes my hand. "Listen, May. I'm glad you're being honest with us now, but the truth is, we've already known you and Brendan were dating."
I reel. "You have?"
"Of course, we've known! You think a child can hide anything from his parents?" Charlie scoffs. "Our Brendan wore his heart on his sleeve. He would have yelled that he loved you on the moldy roof of this building if your relationship hadn't been a secret."
"And we also know that Brendan had been the happiest he'd ever been when he was with you," Rowena chimes. "No evil woman could have made him as happy as you did. You're the best person Brendan could have ever dated. We wouldn't have given anyone else our blessing."
My frown quivers. "But I…"
"Do you know what our therapist says?" Rowena interrupts. "You can plant a seed anywhere you want to—nourish it however you want to—but you can't control how it will grow or how long it will live. That flower may live for a long time. Or, for a day, if someone decides to pluck it. But the point is that you can't control everything that happens in a relationship. You can only plant the seed, watch it grow, and cherish it while it lasts."
"Want to know something else too, May? You told us a secret, so we'll tell you one of ours," Charlie points. "Brendan thought about breaking up with you once. Just once. Bastien once convinced him that dating you would kill him, so Brendan hung out with him and his friends when he told you he had a fever. He wasn't sick; he was trying to get over you. But at the end of that week, as you already know, Brendan met you at that motel and did things men only do to the women they love."
I blush, and Rowena waves him off.
"It's true," Charlie chortles. "He couldn't live without you, May. He only lasted a week, and even then, he had second thoughts the whole time. When a man loves a woman, May, nothing—not even the fear of dying—will keep him from her. Brendan knew the risk of being with you—loving you—and he did it anyway! You did nothing wrong. Brendan chose to be with you like you chose to be with him. No man in his right mind would stay away from a woman he loves."
I bite my lip. "I…I don't know if I'm worth it."
"You were worth it to him, May, and that's what matters," Rowena takes my hand. "Don't blame yourself for what happened. It wasn't you who hurt him that night; it was whoever took him from us. They are to blame for our pain, not you. So don't blame yourself, darling. It isn't your fault."
That's not how I feel but I don't tell them that. I do say what will offend them less. "I'll find out who did this to him. I'll make them pay for hurting him."
"Closure would be nice," Rowena glances at Charlie. "But just be careful not to be obsessed with it, darling. Punishing Brendan's murderer won't bring him back, but it may keep you from being happy."
"I'm already unhappy, and I'll keep being unhappy until I find out who did this to him."
"Or until you learn to stop blaming yourself."
I bite my lip and look away.
"Whatever helps you get closure, May, we'll support you on it," Charlie vows. "We want you to be happy. That's all Brendan wanted, so that's what we want too."
I cringe. "There's something else you guys should know."
"What is it?"
"I still love Brendan. I always will. But…I started seeing someone. The Vampire King, King Andrew."
Rowena and Charlie are visibly shocked by this. Almost out of fear, they give me space. Rowena releases my hand.
"Oh my," Rowena palms her heart, "we want you to move on, but…I guess King Andrew can protect you."
"It will be harder, even impossible to kill–much less, hurt–him, that's for sure," Charlie concurs.
"Wait," I blink, "you want me to date someone else?"
"Of course, darling! Like we've said, we want you to move on," Rowena insists. "You've been so miserable since Brendan passed away. Now it makes sense why you have more color in your cheeks. You've found love again!"
"We'll support you on this, May," Charlie repeats. "We'll even come to your wedding, should you invite us."
I give them a stiff smile. I'm glad they're not upset about my new relationship, but I can't shake the feeling that something's off.
Are Rowena and Charlie afraid of Drew too?
"Where's Bastien?" I ask as casually as I can.
"Oh, he's off with his friends somewhere–celebrating," Rowena supplies. "He had us worried sick because he didn't come home until this morning. Turns out he had a meeting with King Andrew, and King Andrew has recruited him to be a guard! Bastien accepted, of course, because King Andrew pays his security staff well. Bastien even received a starting bonus, which he spent on a fancy breakfast he surprised us with. The food looked so good; I took pictures. Look!"
Rowena pulls out her phone and scrolls to a picture of herself, Charlie, and Bastien at their dining table. What strikes me is that Bastien is smiling. Smiling. I've never seen him smile in the years I've known him, and he's doing it for the man that threatened to kill him?
Not just smiling too—working. Bastien is going to work for Drew now. How can he go from being the Vampire King's prisoner to the Vampire King's new hire?
That's when I realize that Bastien looks nothing like he would have last night. There aren't scars, bruises, or even a limp to indicate that I've beat him up. He looks so well; his parents wouldn't believe that I hurt him out of self-defense. Bastien may not have even told them that our fight happened at all.
Drew has explained that Bastien will be fine and obedient to him, just not how. But Drew doesn't have to explain anymore; the answer is staring me in the face.
Only vampires can heal like Bastien has done. Like I've done. Drew didn't bring Bastien to his detention chamber to interrogate him.
He brought him there to turn him.
