Dalton, Tymber - Brimstone Blues [Brimstone Vampires 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) (36 page)

The Tribunal members nodded, agreeing with her logic but obviously still disquieted that she had that much power. Matthias’ arm encircled her waist for support, but she felt fine. Steady. Strong.

At least he wasn’t shying away from her. Matthias had been to hell and back with her, and Taz knew, finally, he would always walk by her side as long as he could physically put one foot in front of the other.

And he did not fear her.

As if sensing her thoughts, even through her strong barrier, Matthias laced his fingers through hers, squeezed her hand, and sent her a thought.

“I’m here. I’m not leaving you. Not unless you order me gone.”

She squeezed back.

Taz didn’t take any pleasure over what she did, and knew Bartholomew wouldn’t go down without some sort of scene. Had they gone with the traditional route, they’d still be screwing around trying to locate a vein, not to mention they’d be restraining Caroline, and someone could get hurt in the process.

They continued down another hall to Bartholomew’s cell. It was far enough from Caroline’s he couldn’t hear what happened. He sneered when he saw Taz.

“You couldn’t wait to see me die, could you?”

Dame Agnew repeated most of what she said to Caroline, but added a few more lines. “Torvald, you have been sentenced to death by the Tribunal for the conspiracy to commit the murder of Rafael Collins, the conspiracy to commit attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and conspiracy to commit bodily injury to Anastazia Proctor and Matthias Hawthorne, for conspiracy to commit heinous acts against our kind, and for rogue actions resulting in great bodily harm and death to others. Do you have any last words?”

He leered at them all. “I’ll see you all in Hell.”

Taz shook her head. “What a waste.”

“The Tribunal orders the sentence be carried out,” Dame Agnew said.

Taz knew Bartholomew wouldn’t sit. As he started another tirade, she simply reached out and snipped.

He dropped to the cell floor, dead before the sound of his voice stopped echoing in the concrete cell.

“The sentence is carried out,” Dame Agnew said, and turned from the cell, motioning for Taz, Matthias, and Tobias to follow her.

Back upstairs, she turned to Taz. “Are you all right, dear?”

“I’m okay. I didn’t enjoy that, if that’s what you’re wondering. As part of the Tribunal, one day I’ll make a decision about someone’s life and be a part of carrying out the sentence. If I didn’t think they were guilty, I never would have let them be executed. We know beyond a doubt they were, and they killed, would kill again if let loose. Caroline was unstable, even if she was remorseful. But Bartholomew—” Taz shuddered, unable to continue.

Dame Agnew nodded. “Matthias, take her home.”

“To the hotel?”

She shook her head. “To Florida. We don’t have any Tribunal business for a few weeks, at least, that she needs to be a part of. Love her.” She turned to Taz and put her hands on Taz’s shoulders. “Let him love you. Let these men take care of you. I know you’re a strong woman, I see a lot of me in you. The strongest people learn they must lean on those they love for support. That more than anything gives them strength beyond what they would have standing alone. It is not weakness to rely on others when you need them. And plan your wedding.” She smiled.

Taz nodded and let Matthias put his arm around her to lead her to the car. He sat in back with her, and she leaned against him, not crying for once. Albert drove while Robertson rode shotgun back to the hotel. She felt Matthias’ arm around her, and he rested his head against hers, protective, loving her even though she still had a thick barrier up against him.

She closed her eyes and went to Rafe’s room. He sat, waiting for her. He opened his arms, and she curled up in his lap and cried, even though in the car, with Matthias, she didn’t shed a tear.

Fortunately the car ride was long, and she had time to compose herself with Rafe. He tipped her face to his.

“Are you okay?” he whispered.

“I have to be.”

He kissed her lips, tenderly, then her forehead, and each cheek. “Thank you for being humane. You were far kinder to them than they ever were in their lives.”

“They would have killed again.”

“I know.” He met her eyes. “Are you really okay?”

She smiled. “Yes.”

He hugged her to him for a few minutes, then patted her shoulder. “Good news is, like this, you never get too heavy.” She laughed, and he kissed her again, gently. “Go to Matthias, Taz. Let him love you. He needs you, and you need him. I’ll be here, don’t worry.”

She opened her eyes and looked up at Matthias, found him studying her.

“Are you all right, Taz?”

She bit off her snarky reply that she wished everyone would quit asking her that. “I’m okay. I think everything’s going to be okay now.”

“I know it will.”

She looked at him, not trying to probe his mind. “Why aren’t you afraid of me?” she whispered. He smiled and touched her face.

“Because your blood runs through me, remember? You saved my life. You fed me. I’ll admit you startled me in Yellowstone, at first. But I know you would never hurt me.” He kissed her. “And even if you were to hurt me, what could I do about it? You are far stronger than I am. I don’t think we’ve even come close to figuring out what you can do.”

She thought about the spoon moving but kept it to herself as he continued. “Taz, I love you. And I know you love me. I know deep in my heart, because of what we have shared between us, that the safest place I could ever be is by your side.”

She snuggled up to him. “Then why do you worry about whether I’m safe or not?”

“That’s my job. Let me have a little dignity.” She laughed with him. “I know you would never hurt someone unintentionally. You wouldn’t just walk into a Starbucks and pinch someone who didn’t make your caramel macchiato right.” Taz smiled, and Matthias continued. “I’m the brute force. If someone attacked us, you wouldn’t want to kill them outright. You’d be afraid to use your powers. I, on the other hand, wouldn’t hesitate to kick the living shit out of them.”

She laughed again. He was right. “I have a responsibility. If I’m going to be a part of this, they’ll do it right or I won’t let them.”

“I know. And I love you for it. If it was anyone else, I would have applauded their determination. I was just scared of what that might do to you.”

“Killing them?”

“Yes.”

“It was better than standing there for the better part of an hour watching them struggle against the IV team and fight the drugs before dying.”

“Yes, I know that now. I’m not as much of a stupid Neanderthal as you think.”

“Yes, you are, big guy. Just not about that.”

“Does that mean I get to drag you by the hair back to my cave?”

She kissed him and let her hand drift south to his lap. “By which hairs did you mean, sir, the short hairs?”

He jumped and laughed. “By whatever hairs I can have you, darling.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

The evening after their return from London, Taz went downstairs. She carried the box containing the locket. It was a small sterling-silver vial, covered with hearts and filigree. If someone didn’t know what it was for, they’d never suspect.

Everyone else was asleep.

“Except me, Taz baby.”

“Shut up, you.”

Now that she knew Rafe was there, she held plenty of silent conversations with him. At least she wasn’t crazy. Holding a strong barrier in her mind against Matthias and the others exhausted her, but she was getting better at it.

“What are you doing, Taz?”
Rafe tried his best HAL 9000 voice. He’d been a movie buff, like her, loving among others such sci-fi classics like
2001: A Space Odyssey
.

“You know what I’m doing.”

She picked up the urn from its place on the mantle and carried it into the kitchen.

“Don’t sneeze,”
Rafe joked.

“Would you please stop?”

“Hey, I don’t want you getting all sad enough to die on me again. You’re living for two, you know.”

She ignored the comment, set the urn on the table, and figured out how to open the vial. It had a threaded cap, and in one of the kitchen drawers she located glue to secure it once it was together. It would be waterproof.

She carefully filled the vial using the tiny provided scooper. Rafael remained silent during the procedure. When she finished she dabbed a drop of glue on the threads and sealed it, hanging it around her neck.

“Feel better?”
he asked her.

“Not really. It’s something.”

She replaced the lid on the urn, threw away the scooper and the box the locket came in, and returned the urn to the mantle with a gentle caress.

“Hoo, baby. Do that again.”

“You watch it, I’ll do something to you.”

“Promises, promises, you freaking tease. Come here and show me, baby girl.”

She felt the pendant gently swaying in time with her steps, bumping against her skin.

“You wanted in my pants. At least this way, you’ve always got your face between my boobs.”

His laughter sounded nearly deafening inside her head, and she smiled.

There were worse spirits to have inhabiting her skull.

At least Rafe wasn’t totally dead.

And, at least, she’d finally found the will and reason to keep living.

* * * *

A few days later, Matthias broached the subject. He wasn’t an idiot, either guessed or researched what the pendant was but didn’t mention it. “Do you have any thoughts as to what you’d like to do with his ashes?” he asked.

Taz fixed him with her eyes, not to control but to convey the force of her message. “They are staying right where they are. He didn’t leave any instructions.”

Matthias eventually nodded. “Okay.”

She softened her gaze. “You don’t mind?”

He shook his head. “If it’s what you want, it’s what we’ll do.”

She felt bad about her dictatorial style, but she was still adjusting to the news, still coping. Technically she could ask Rafe what he wanted, but she wasn’t ready to turn him loose yet and he wasn’t volunteering any ideas.

Not to mention she couldn’t admit any of that to Matthias.

* * * *

His assistant looked a little green. “Do you need me right now, sir?”

Gerard smiled. “Don’t have the stomach for it, do you?”

He shook his head. “Honestly? Not really. I’m sorry.”

Gerard nodded. “At least you’re honest. I can appreciate that. I’d rather you have the balls to be honest to my face than act like a fucking weasel. That’s one of the reasons I trust you. I know you’re not afraid to tell me the truth. Go on. Get out of here.”