Chapter 39: Newfound Regret
Allie crawled into bed next to her husband snuggling up to him. He began to stir wrapping his arms around her. "Allie?"
"Who else would be in our bed?" She teased.
He smiled as his eyes slowly opened. "I didn't really understand your message. What happened?"
"When I was finished with Kayla they found a location on Candice. I went with the strike team."
Seth sat up quickly, "What?"
She smiled and placed a hand on his chest, "Don't worry. I wasn't in any danger. I stayed behind I was just there to help with injuries. Good thing too because Candice was in bad shape."
"How is she?" He didn't know her all that well but he knew she was important to his sister and their make shift extended family.
"Well I did all I could. We got her back to her freezer and are keeping fresh blood going to her. After I got her set up I had to get to the hospital and covered most of my shift. Before coming home I went to check on her again but no change."
Seth opened his arms and Allie took the offer to curl up against him. He eased back to lay with her knowing she'd had a rough time. "You should be in your freezer."
"I know, I just wanted to see you first."
Seth looked down at her catching her eye, "Do you work tonight?"
"Not at the hospital but I promised I'd swing back by and check on Candice. Kayla too I want to see if she needs a refill."
He grinned, "Well after you're rested and finished taking care of everyone I think we should have some time just the two of us."
"Sounds like a date."
Seth sat up and moved out from under the covers wearing only his boxers, "Come on I'll tuck you in."
Josef sat behind his desk and ran his hand down his face. He was beyond tired. He hadn't rested since before they found Candice almost 24 hours prior. He'd handled the clean up and made sure Ryan was delivered securely to a remote location where they could question him once everyone was ready.
From what Allie had told him he already had a pretty good idea of what happened. The liquid silver covering Candice was his fault. He'd had that addition added to the anklet to insure if he cut it then he would be trying to remove the silver and the team could move in. He hadn't expected Candice to be hurt by it. He also knew that Ryan didn't cut his anklet until shortly before they found them. That leant validation to Mick and Beth's theory that Ryan was a victim too.
He hadn't removed the stake but given the possibility that he had been trying to save Candice as Allie surmised he allowed an IV to be set up to keep him fed. Soon he would know what happened.
Jean came to the door and stood there watching him. He hadn't stopped since he got home and she knew he needed to rest. He was so good at pretending he was all powerful but she knew better. Moving towards him Jean sat on the desk in front of him.
"Come to bed with me."
He looked into her eyes before looking at the time. "Putting me to bed before you go to work?"
"No I called in. I'm taking a few days off."
Taking his hand in hers Jean stands and pulls him up with her. He follows her up the stairs easily and to their freezer room. He lets her strip him down before he climbs into the cold oblivion where she quickly sheds her rob and joins him.
His hand strokes up and down her back for a few moments before he stops. Jean can tell something is bothering him and wants to help. "Candice is home and Coraline is dead. What else could be on your mind?"
Josef lets out a breath of air. "The last update I have on Candice says she still hasn't woken up."
"She will," Jean assured him. She knew they had to keep a positive outlook. Candice was a fighter and she wouldn't let this keep her from her mate.
"I hope you're right. I hope she does but this, coma or whatever she's in right now is because of me."
"Josef you can't possibly blame yourself for this. You used every resource at your disposal to find her. You even called in Coop and he's the one who found her. You kept everyone calm."
"True but my paranoia about Ryan is the reason Candice is catatonic. The silver she was covered with came from his tracking anklet."
"I don't understand."
"I had it wired so that if it was cut liquid silver hidden inside would spray out. The reasoning behind it made since but Candice cut the anklet. I don't know why she did but she did and her current condition is because of me."
"You did what you had to do. You can't blame yourself for doing what you thought was best."
Shaking his head he tried to shake the feeling. He wasn't used to feeling responsible for things, he didn't have regrets. He lived his life without them living each day for day. Somewhere along the way he'd grown to have a more constant conscious. He cared about people and that was changing him.
"I'm not used to having doubts," he admitted to Jean.
She nodded understanding him better than anyone. "Sleep. Everything will make more sense when you're at your peak. A very smart vampire told me that once."
Josef pulled her forward and kissed her softly, "You my dear are the most incredible thing in my life."
"Then let's get some rest." Jean moved down and snuggled up against his chest happy that he seemed to have loosened up some.
To Be Continued…
Evilous