Chapter 84
‘I hear you helped Michael with a spell to trap Torvald,’ Deacon mind linked Mr. Ondrink.
‘Is it a problem?’ Mr. Ondrink mind linked Deacon back.
‘Even if it is a problem, does it matter now?’ Deacon mind linked back.
‘How is the were-owl princess doing?’ Mr. Ondrink asked instead of answering Deacon.
‘Still alive, still in a coma,’ Deacon mind linked.
‘Good. Anything else?’ Mr. Ondrink questioned.
‘Yes, I want you to come to the higher council,’ Deacon mind linked.
‘Why? You know I have a pack to run,’ Mr. Ondrink objected.
‘So, you are willing to assist Michael, but not me?’ Deacon spat.
‘You have like a dozen shamans to your exposal. What do you want with me?’ Mr. Ondrink.
‘Discretion,’ Deacon mind linked. ‘It is not a request,’ Deacon warned him.
Deacon walked over to his own room and took a shower and freshen up before heading over to Jessica’s dorm room in the hope of taking her out on a date.
Deacon drove past Ann and Michael, that was sitting outside by the Starbucks café. ‘I wish Jessica was so forgiving,’ he thought.
Deacon arrived at Jessica’s room and raised his hand to knock when Jessica opened the door looking hot, dressed in a short red mini dress.
“Deacon?” Jessica questioned.
“Where are you off to?” Deacon questioned, blown away by her look and her scent.
“Frat party,” Jessica said and pushed past him. “Can’t stand all these depressed people.”
“Well, Paris did just die. So did Stella and Ami is fighting for her life,” Deacon said, amazed that Jessica was so cold-hearted. ‘She will make the perfect queen,’ he thought and followed her.
“What are you doing?” Jessica stopped when she realized he was following her.
“I am going to a frat party. I am looking at joining a fraternity,” Deacon lied.
“I don’t think you will be welcomed,” Jessica chuckled and continued walking.
“Why not?” Deacon questioned, and walked next to her.
“Because it is by invite only,” Jessica chuckled.
“Well, make me your plus one,” Deacon suggested.
“There is no invite for plus one. It is not a wedding,” Jessica chuckled.
“I have a better idea. Let me wine and dine you,” Deacon suggested. “Like old times,” he added, referring to how they used to spend their summer.
The memory of her summer with Deacon made her heart skip a beat, and she considered it for a moment. “I will pass, thanks.”
“Please,” Deacon pleaded.
“I have a fated mate,” Jessica reminded him.
“Yet you are going to a frat party,” Deacon pointed out.
“That he is supervising,” Jessica said.
“Since when do frat parties get supervised?” Deacon chuckled.
“Since it is the twentieth century,” Jessica said, and felt the need to get away from Deacon. ‘Why am I developing feelings for him again? Or did they never go away?’ Jessica wondered as she walked faster. ‘I have to tell Lestat what I am tonight and claim him,’ Jessica told herself, hoping by claiming Lestat her feelings for Deacon and Wynn will go away for good.
“Stop following me,” Jessica turned around, but Deacon was gone. A sense of loss swept over her. “Urg,” she sounded and stormed on.
***
“I wish I could take your pain away,” Michael said, taking Ann’s hand.
Ann pulled her hand away. “You can’t.”
“Actually, I can,” Michael said, reminding him what he was.
“I don’t want to forget him,” Ann said and stood up from the table.
“Where are you going?” Michael questioned, walking after her.
“I need to cry, ok?” Ann spat, desperate to be alone.
“Anywhere in the world. Where do you want to be?” Michael offered to take her anywhere she wanted to be.
“Alone,” Ann cried.
Without another word, Michael swept her up and sped off with her, taking her to the beach where she first made love to Paris, which he saw when he drank from her.
“Call me when you want me to come to fetch you,” Michael said and sped off, deciding it was time he goes search for Paris, realizing that he loved Ann and if he ever wish for her to truly belong to him he has to make sure that Paris was dead and if not, kill him. The thought of doing Paris harm burnt his flesh, and he put it aside. ‘First, I have to find an enchantress,’ he thought and felt his flesh burn again, reminding him that he promised Ann that he won’t. ‘I am screwed,’ he realized. ‘Give Ann up?’ he considered.
***
Paris traveled following his maker’s scent, knowing Eero can’t be far off as touching a vampire only gives a hunter so much energy. He found Eero miles away from the higher council, in the house, he shared with Stella.
“What have you done to me?” Paris asked when he walked straight into the house, surprised that there was no shaman spell to keep him out.
“Paris,” Eero looked at him, having just opened a bottle of rum. “Drink?” he offered.
“What have you done to me?” Paris roared.
“I am not sure. All I know is that putting a hunter or the offspring of a hunter’s heart into a vampire will able them to walk in the day,” Eero said.
“How the hell did you know that?” Paris asked shocked.
“All hunters know that,” Eero stated.
“You just gave away a secret that could get you all killed,” Paris said and took the drink from Eero.
“You are not going to tell anyone. If you do, you will put Ann’s life at risk,” Eero said and drank straight from the bottle.
“Your father won’t be happy about this,” Paris said, looking at the contents in the glass.
“How will he know it was me?” Eero chuckled.
“How am I supposed to explain myself?” Paris questioned.
“Are you going to drink that or what?” Eero chuckled. “You should be able to consume human food and drink.”
Paris cautiously put the rum to his lips before taking a bigger sip. “I always wondered how this tasted.”
“Welcome back to the land of the living,” Eero laughed.
“Why did you kill Stella?” Paris asked, after another sip of rum.
“Because I hate her and she killed Ami,” Eero said, his heart in pieces.
“Ami is dead?” Paris asked, not believing his ears.
“I know right? It just does not sound right,” Eero said and drank again from the bottle.
“When Michael touched me, I almost killed him and Ann,” Paris remembered.
“Wanting to kill vampires will wear off once the blood that was in Stella’s heart runs its cause. To make sure you don’t drink a human to death just make the promise to yourself and your burning flesh will stop you from killing a human by accident,” Eero said.
“So, all of the hunters know this?” Paris confirmed again.
“Yes,” Eero chuckled and drank more rum.
“I am sorry for your loss,” Paris said, looking at Eero that was clearly trying to drink his sorrows away.
“It is not your fault, now, is it?” Eero chuckled.
“I will leave you to it then,” Paris said. “Thank you for this,” Paris said and put his hand on his chest where he now has a beating heart.
“Don’t mention it,” Eero said and fell to the nearest sofa.
Paris sped off to go to Ann but found her dorm room empty. He heard the sound of music and thought maybe she will be at a party, so he ended up at the frat party.
“Invite?” he got stopped at the door.
“Fuck off,” he compelled the frat guy and walked right in.
“Paris? You are alive?” Jessica exclaimed when Paris walked straight into her.
“Who said I was dead?” Paris questioned, looking around.
“If you are looking for Ann she is with Michael. She thinks you are dead,” Jessica said, still in shock and relieved at the same time to see Paris alive.
“Who said I am dead?” Paris asked again.
“Michael,” Jessica said, looking at Paris, thinking something was different about him.
Before Jessica could find out what happened to him to make Michael believe, he was dead, Paris was gone.
‘Where is Lestat?’ Jessica wondered, looking around. She caught his scent, but she could not see him.
‘I have to claim him asap,’ Jessica thought and focused on finding him.
