Chapter 88
Michael left the compound when the shamans started to unravel Ondrink’s spell. He went to the beach where he left Ann, and take her back to varsity. When he couldn’t find her on the beach, he feared the worst and scanned the waters. He spotted her and swam over to her, grabbing her around her waist, giving her a fright.
“What the hell are you doing?” Michael exclaimed.
“What does it look like I am doing?” Ann tried to get out of his arms.
***
Paris searched all night for Ann and when he could not find her, he went to the beach he made loved to her to watch the sunrise as he wanted to do it so many times before with her. In the water, he noticed Ann and Michael.
‘I guess she never really loved me,’ Paris thought, feeling his heart break as he sped off.
***
“Let me take you back to varsity,” Michael said to Ann.
“I don’t want to go back,” Ann said as fresh tears filled her eyes.
“Well, you can’t stay here,” Michael said, wishing Ann felt the way she did over Paris about him.
“Why not,” Ann questioned and pushed herself away from Michael.
“Because you are a human being with needs and not a bloody mermaid,” Michael spat, and grabbed her before swimming out of the ocean and speeding off with her.
Michael put an angry Ann down in front of her dorm room.
“You don’t get to tell me what I can do or not,” Ann said furiously,ly and stormed into her room, finding it empty. Instead of going to varsity that week, Ann stayed in her dorm room, spending most of it crying.
Lautari was locked up in the dungeons and waited for trial.
“Tell me where to find Torvald,” Michael said, standing outside of her cell. He has been asking the same question over and over, but she didn’t budge.
“I want to bury my son,” was the answer she gave over and over.
“Fine. You give me the location of Torvald and I will let you bury your son,” Michael eventually caved even though he knew the rest of the higher council won’t agree.
“Promise,” Lautari said, a light of hope in her dark eyes.
“I promise,” Michael said.
“Said in a complete sentence,” Lautari said.
“I promise that if you give me the location of Torvald, and I find him and he is behind bars again, then I will let you bury your son,” Michael said.
“That is not the deal,” Lautari snorted. “I give you the location and if he is where I say he is, you let me bury my son,” Lautari gave him the exact words she wanted him to promise.
“I promise that if I find Torvald at the location you give me, I will let you bury your son,” Michael said the words she wanted to hear.
“He is in the tower,” Lautari said.
“This tower?” Michael questioned in disbelief, since he did not pick up the fresh scent of his brother.
“Yes. He did not go to the tower through the dungeons but instead through the former hunters' quarters,” Lautari said.
Michael sped through the dungeons and down the spiral staircase and up a spiral staircase and there he found Torvald casually waiting for him on a chair.
Michael immediately felt his skin boiling because of the promise he made to Lautari, and had to speed back to her.
“Off you go,” he said and opened the gate. Before Michael knew what hit him, Lautari put a spell over him and walked out of the cell.
“Follow me, brother,” Torvald chuckled, having Michael under an obedient spell.
“What have you done?” Michael hissed.
“Shut up,” Torvald said.
“Goodbye, Lautari,” Torvald said and walked deeper into the dungeons.
Lautari used a secret passage to leave the castle and disappeared into the woodlands nearby.
***
ONE WEEK LATER
“Any word on Jessica?” Deacon questioned when Wynn walked into the lycan throne room.
“Sorry, still no word from her, but we won’t stop until we find her,” Wynn assured Deacon.
“Where is Michael?” Deacon questioned one of his hybrids.
“Right here,” Michael walked into the lycan throne room and wished he could somehow let them know that he was under Torvald’s will that had set a sinister plan in motion.
“Any news from your side regarding Jessica and Torvald?” Deacon asked, directing his attention to Michael.
“No,” Michael said as he truly didn’t know where Jessica was. Michael only knew that Torvald’s plan consisted of using Jessica as bait.
“How is Ann doing?” Wynn inquired.
“I have not seen her for a few days. She is obviously dealing with the loss of Paris.”
“I noticed that Lautari is no longer in the dungeons,” Deacon pointed out.
“I let her go, hoping that she will lead us to Torvald but my men lost her in the woods.
“You had no right to let her go,” Deacon spat.
“I did what I felt fit at that moment,” Michael said and turned to walk away.
“This meeting is not over,” Deacon yelled after him.
“I didn’t say it is, however, I am late for class,” Michael said and left.
“The nerve of that one,” Deacon sighed.
“He is right; we are late for class,” Wynn said.
“I am dropping out. I joined varsity to win over Jessica but it is clear that it will never happen,” Deacon snorted.
“Didn’t she make you a promise that if you help her that she will claim you as her forever mate?” Wynn questioned.
“She did but she is nowhere to be found. I rather spent my time searching for Jessica than attend stupid classes,” Deacon said and stood up from his throne room. “Why are you even attending? Don’t you have Ami to worry about?”
“You are right. This whole attending varsity is dumb,” Wynn chuckled and left the throne room to go to Ami.
***
Ann woke up and noticed that Jessica’s bed was occupied.
“Jessica?” Ann questioned.
“Morning,” Jessica stressed herself out with a yawn.
“Where have you been? Everyone is looking for you. Michael said that Torvald ran off with you after killing Mr. Lestat,” Ann explained, sitting up.
“Did he now?” Jessica chuckled. “I swear I thought that was a dream.”
“Well, it wasn’t,” Ann said. “Lestat is dead.”
“No wonder I feel so sad,” Jessica said as it sank in that Lestat was dead.
“Mind link Deacon and Wynn,” Ann suggested.
“I am so tired of them. I wish things could just go back to being human and oblivious to the supernatural world,” Jessica said, objecting to the suggestion.
“You should at least let them know that you are ok,” Ann said and got out of bed. “Come, we are going to be late for class. I have already skipped a week.”
“A week?” Jessica exclaimed. “I have been gone for a week without memory of it!”
“As I said, everyone is looking for you,” Ann said and walked over to the bathroom.
