Authors: Shirlee Lewis
“This man is now without his mate. If anyone has knowledge of Freda’s whereabouts, come forward.”
Looking around the room, I noticed Carl from the hotel in Modena. He glanced my way and immediately looked down at the table. Stepping forward I asked, “May I have permission to speak?”
Thorment nodded once.
“This man, I recognize from the hotel in Modena,” I said pointing to Carl. “He was with a woman whom I do not know.”
“I have never seen this woman before,” Carl blurted.
Whispers started in the room and Thorment growled, “Order!”
All was quiet.
“Melian, come forward,” Thorment demanded.
Melian rose and stood in front of Thorment.
“This woman recognizes you and Freda is missing. Truth be told, do you know where Freda is?”
“Master, I do not. I do not recognize this woman either.”
“Mrs. Mureaux, come forward?” Thorment asked.
I walked to where Leviathan and Melian, Carl, stood. Melian cocked his eyes toward me and then forward.
“Is this the man you saw at the hotel?” Thorment asked.
“Yes, he is. He was with a woman wearing a blond wig. They followed me and my husband. Now he is missing.”
“Melian, is Mrs. Mureaux speaking the truth?”
“No master, she is not.”
“May I say something?”
Thorment waved his hand and nodded once for me to continue.
“Melian, or as I know him, Carl, You’re going to stand here in front of everyone and lie? You know as well as I do, you were at the same hotel.”
“You can go to hell,” Melian growled.
“Silence,” Thorment ordered. “I see we have a dispute. Broods gather in my chamber for a private meeting. Melian, Jessica and Leviathan follow me. Colin, you’re in charge until I return. No one leaves. Understood?”
In unison the entire room said, “Yes, Master.”
Walking to Thorment’s chamber a piece of paper was placed in my hand. Sticking it in my pocket and continuing
to the third floor of the castle, we entered a small room with a round table, enough for eight people, each one taking their seats. The last seat had Freda’s name, but I didn’t care. I took my seat and waited for Thorment to proceed.
“M
elian, if I had no reason to doubt you before, I do now.”
“But Master,” Melian started to protest.
“Silence, Melian. You’ll get your turn.”
“As I see it, Jessica came here believing her husband was here and as it turns out, he is not. For Jessica to single out Melian causes me to believe there is more to her truth than be told. I am willing to wager all odds and keep an open mind. With that said, Melian you may speak.”
“Master, I have nothing to add. I have no idea who this person is and I don’t know anything about Freda’s disappearance. For all I know she could have decided to leave the clan on her own.”
“The night Tony and I went to the beach, you were there with a woman pretending to be lovers. You were on the same floor at the hotel and knocked on our door claiming to have the wrong room. I’m not stupid, Carl.”
“You must have me mixed up with someone else because I sure don’t recall being in Modena.”
“Then how do I know your name is Carl. Coming up the stairs when Tony went into town, I happened to lock myself out of my room. I remember hearing you and that woman discussing him being gone. What was that all about?”
“She,” Melian abruptly stopped.
I had caught him off guard.
“Melian,” Thorment thundered loudly. “You know the consequence for this. You’re best interest is to tell us everything you know right down to Freda.”
“Master,” Melian hung his head. “Freda promised I would be her mate if I obeyed her and help
ed her with her quest.”
A deep low growl came from under Leviathan’s breath.
“What quest would that be?” Thorment asked.
“May I start at the beginning?”
Thorment nodded.
“Freda approached me after the meeting back in March. She told me she belonged to no one, but pretended to be with Leviathan because she loved helping in the decision making of the clan. During the last three months she planned to start her own clan and needed bodyguards, singling out Mr. Mureaux. I didn’t know or realize she planned to actually carry out her plan until we were in Modena. By then it was too late to turn back. I pretended to be her lover and help her talk Mr. Mureaux into becoming her personal bodyguard, but Mr. and Mrs. Mureaux were never apart. I tried my best to persuade her to make me her personal bodyguard, but she had her eyes set on Mr. Mureaux and then she started talking about kidnapping. Immediately I protested and she banished me from her clan and I came back here.”
“Was it Freda who took Mr. Mureaux?” I asked frustrated.
“Oh, I don’t know. I left her in Modena the minute she banished me and came back here.” Melian quietly spoke.
Thorment stood, leaned toward Melian and growled, “It wasn’t Freda’s to offer.
Guards take Melian to the dungeon, he can wonder if it’s worth the trouble while I decide his fate.”
A shocked look came on Melian’s face. “Master, I swear I didn’t know her plans.”
Thorment nodded to the guards. Five guards surrounded Melian to keep him from escaping. Two guards took each arm with one guard in the front and two in the back escorting him to the dungeon.
“Master, I swear,” Melian called over and over until he was out the door. Thorment stared into the abyss without blinking an eye. When the door closed, Thorment turned to me. “Jessica, this mishap goes without saying, a troublesome matter for my clan. I apologize to you for Freda’s and Melian’s foolishness. They will be punished accordingly.
“Carmina, call the Devil’s Advocate Hotel and set Mrs. Mureaux a room for the night. See to it her needs are met at once.”
“Yes, Master.” Carmina bowed and left the room.
Thorment got up and walked over to me. Placing his right hand on my shoulder he whispered, “Any one bothers you, come to me at once.”
“Okay.”
Thorment left through a side door. I stood among the guards without knowing how to get out of this room or the
front door to the outside. “Excuse me, how do I find the hotel?”
“Follow me,” one of the guards said.
Down three flights of stairs and through the meeting room, I was at the front door in no time. Driving through town, I looked around to see where I might find this hotel. Not a black cloak was roaming the streets so I couldn’t ask for directions when an eerie feeling of an evil presence engulfed me. Overwhelmed with the presence, I stopped the car in the middle of the street. Looking at the sky, I saw several bats flying around when suddenly an oversized bat flew to the ground in front of the car transforming into a human. Eyes wide, I watched as an arm extended with its hand waving for me to come forward. With both hands on the steering wheel, I started to shake because the human started walking toward the car. Now, I was not sure what it was besides a transforming bat, I put the car in drive and took off looking in the rearview mirror. The human was gone.
On the outskirts of town, a red light blinking off and on caught my attention up ahead. Pulling up slowly to the front of the building the doors opened with no sign of anyone around, but the sign hanging on the outside read: Devil’s Advocate Hotel. Maybe, I should drive back to Modena and not wait until morning, but Thorment had welcomed me with open arms, so I felt obligated to stay the night regardless. Slowly getting out of the car, a bat circled up above. Not wanting to see the oversized bat again, I
grabbed my bag and hurried into the lobby of the hotel. Carmina standing at the desk, greeted me when I walked in.
“Your room is around the corner.” Carmina pointed to the left side of the staircase. “Thorment has requested you to stay indoors. No matter what you hear, do not come outside. I’d rather you left, but it’s not up to me. Sleep tight and don’t let the vampire’s bite.” Carmina laughed an eerie laugh and then left the hotel.
Carmina wasn’t the only one not wanting me here. Wishing I had of waited until morning to make my way here instead of so late in the evening, but I was here and made the most of it.
Deciding
not to wait to shower until I was back in Modena, I lay on the bed and thought of today’s events. Putting my hands in my pockets, I feltthe paper which was given to me by one of the brood. Pulling it out, it read:
Bloody Inn, Room 102
.
Bloody Inn was on the other side of town and I didn’t care to encounter the large bat again, but I had to know what was going on and I didn’t want to be conspicuous going out into the night. With nothing black in my bag, I started rummaging through the dresser. Nothing. Opening the closet,
there hanging on the rack was a black cloak with a note attached. Taking the note from the cloak it read:
We have information you need to know. Stefan
Taking the robe from the closet, laying it on the bed, I walked to the window. The sun was hiding behind the trees giving the effect of darkness. Closing the curtain, I put on the cloak, grabbed my room key and headed to Bloody Inn with the hood over my head.
The bats were circling above, but I didn’t see the oversized bat as I stepped out into the street. All was good. During my walk, I noticed several black cloaks walking toward Mortensin Castle. Watching, I mocked the cloaks so I didn’t bring attention to myself. Tucking my hands inside the sleeves, I hung my head slightly down and walked up the street.
Outside of Bloody Inn, I stopped and looked to make sure other black cloaks weren’t behind me before I entered the Inn. With the coast clear, I entered the Inn and went to room 102.
Knocking lightly on the door, a petit voice asked, “Who is it?”
“Jessica Mureaux.”
The door opened. The room dimly lit with candles with two small figures standing in the middle of the room. “Please have a seat. I’m Jayde and my mate is Stefan.”
Taking a seat in the chair I asked, “Nice too meet you and what information do you have for me?”
Jayde and Stefan look at each other. Stefan cleared his throat, “Freda is the one who took your husband.”
“How do you know this?”
“Stefan, may I?” Jayde asked.
“You’re the one who saw them. Go ahead my pet.”
“Mrs. Mureaux, Freda arrived during the night with four men and your husband. She took him to her room, but sometime during the night they left again.”
“How do you know this?”
“Freda had a room two doors down. I was running an errand for Stefan when they were coming down the hall. At that time it was Freda and your husband going to her room. The other men left after they dropped them off, but shortly after they came back and took Freda and your husband away.”
“Do you happen to know where?”
“I heard Freda telling someone she was going to the Amazon Forest.”
“Can you tell me what Melian’s role was in all this?”
“I’m sorry, I don’t know.”
Footsteps could be heard coming down the hall. Jayde whispered, “Put your hood up and be quiet.”
Putting my hood over my head, the footsteps stopped outside the door. “Jayde, Stefan, the meeting is about to begin. Come now!”
“We’re on our way,” Stefan answered.
“Don’t be late.”
The footsteps headed away from the door and they breathed a sigh of relief. “We must go now. Thorment is waiting for us. Wait thirty minutes then head back to your hotel. Stay hidden on the way. No matter what you hear, stay inside, okay?”
“That’s exactly what Carmina said, but I will. Thank you for the information about my husband.”
“You’re welcome. We must go now. Remember wait thirty minutes.”
Nodding my head yes, Jayde and Stefan took off for Mortensin Castle.
Waiting thirty minutes seemed to take forever. Looking around their room, it was basically bare. Two chairs where the only items in the room with no other doors except for the door leading to the hall. I guess being a vampire, you didn’t need much furniture.
Looking out the window, I didn’t see any black cloaks. It was time to go back to my hotel room. The moon, full, cast shadows throughout the town. Halfway back to the hotel a shadow past by me. Stopping dead in my tracks, I glanced around and the shadow followed me. It was my own. Sighing, I hurried to the hotel when chanting started up the street. Stopping in the doorway of the hotel, I looked toward Mortensin Castle. Behind the castle I could see a red and orange glow and the chanting grew louder. Shivers started in my feet working its way up my spine. Goose bumps on my arms and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. “One night,” I said out loud. “One night and I’ll be away from here and hopefully never to return.”