Chapter Fifteen
Melinda
“A beast,” I repeated for the third time after Isadora’s explanation of what occurred in our absence. Lucien and I had returned to find a bloodied porch and a rattled Isadora with an upset pair of twins.
“Yes! There was a small beast left on the porch last night and it had that note pinned into it,” she explained yet again.
I looked over at the piece of notebook paper that had the word “BLOODSUCKERS” written in either blood or red ink.
I didn’t want to find out. There were little holes from the pins, but it seemed a bit far-fetched for me.
“Isadora, kids play pranks. I’m sure it wasn’t real.”
“Ambrose wanted to eat it before the blood turned rotten, but I managed to stop the twins and wrapped it in a rug downstairs. Look, I’ll show you,” Isadora replied before leading me out of the bedroom.
Why Isa didn’t feel the need to show the “beast” when I first arrived back, I’d have no idea, but it would have saved time.
She led me to a bundle tucked away in the corner under the stairs. It smelled like something was definitely dead. Her arms wrapped around the rug as she carried it to the more open space in the entryway. She let it unravel to reveal the carcass. We stared down at it before I looked up at Isadora.
“That’s a coyote, Isa. Do you not have coyotes in Shadowhaven?” I asked. I knelt down, observing the remains of the coyote. Isadora had originally thought it was some weird hybrid werewolf, but it was much too small to be that.
Isadora watched me as I observed the wounds that had been left.
Unfazed by the bloated body, I carefully turned it over to see the wounds were only on its right side. The cause of death was more than likely the wooden stake that had been stabbed through it, but there was no telling as the starved coyote was poked beyond any comprehension.
“Care to come with me to check out a lead?” I questioned as I rose from my squatted position. When Isadora looked at me confused, I just waved for the vampire to follow and outside where my truck was waiting. “When did this get here?”
“I drove it here,” Lucien responded from beside us. Isadora did not react to her brother’s sudden appearance, but I wasn’t yet used to the speed of the vampires. “Your father wasn’t home so it was an easy in and out.”
I let out a heavy sigh, my shoulders dropping at the mention of my current situation regarding my dad and the secret he had kept from me. Lucien’s amber eyes softened at my plight as he crossed over to pull me into his arms.
“It’s as if you’ve been possessed, brother,” Isa spoke up, her tone taunting. “It’s weird.”
“As are you, Isadora, but you don’t see me mentioning that in your more content moments. Do you? Then perhaps don’t try to ruin mine,” Lucien snapped at his sister. Despite his rude remark, she couldn’t help but smile at his normal reaction.
“Be nice.”
“I’m sorry, but this is just how my sister and I are. See, she’s even happy about it. I told you she’s weird,” he continued to insult his sister.
I went to smack his arm, but he caught my hand before it could make contact and pulled me into another kiss. Ambrose’s gag was loud as he walked past us to the house, having just returned from his hunting trip.
Lucien broke the kiss to glare at Ambrose, but he had already made it inside the house. Exhaling loudly in disappointment, Lucien rested his head on top of mine.
“Good morning, Ambrose,” I greeted the young vampire, knowing he could hear despite the distance.
“You two were heading off somewhere. I will let you continue your adventure. While you are gone I’ll help Ambrose discard of that beast,” Lucien spoke with a teasing tone directed at his sister.
Isa glared at him, her honey eyes hiding venom inside their depths that seemed to not daunt him in the slightest. “Return quickly.”
“As quick as I want,” I responded, matching his teasing tone.
Lucien pursed his lips in thought. Then a wicked grin spread across his face.
“I can help with that.” He tilted my head back with a curled finger, staring deeply into my eyes before pressing his lips against mine.
I curled my fingers in Lucien’s blonde locks to deepen the kiss, tasting him fully on my tongue as ours danced.
He was the one to break the kiss when I forgot to breathe.
“Mmm, I might find myself tempted to be quicker than I had planned.”
“Okay, that’s where I call it. I think I might actually get sick from hearing my brother in this state. Come on, Mel.” Isadora tugged at my clothes. Her arm linked in mine and she managed to pull me away from Lucien. I pout, but couldn’t contain my laughter at Isadora’s antics.
“Take care of my mate, Isadora. I’m entrusting you to keep her safe.”
I pivoted, but his serious expression caught me off guard. He wasn’t teasing her this time and by the look on his face, he meant it. I turned to Isa to find her mirroring his serious manner.
“She’s like family to me, Lucien. Her safety goes beyond my own.”
“Okay, this is a little out of hand now. We are going to ask Hugo about the coyote.. Now, having a different vampire in his office might do more harm for Isadora than myself. Why not give her a word of encouragement or something brotherly?” I suggested to the two of them.
Isadora snorted at the notion, but looked at her brother expectantly.
Pausing for a moment, Lucien finally gave a response. “Don’t be an idiot.”
Smacking my forehead in disappointment, I just climbed into the driver’s seat instead of trying again. Sometimes I let myself forget that they were not normal siblings.
Did they love each other at least?
“Yes, we do,” Isadora answered my unspoken question as she entered the passenger side.
I looked over at her, brow furrowed that she answered.
“Oh, Lucien probably wanted to keep our little trick a secret, but you should know. Pureblood vampires can read the minds of others. Werewolves and other shifters are harder to read, but that’s due to their split personalities.
One is a beast while the other retains a level of humanity. Makes it a bit difficult.”
Read minds? How much of my thoughts had Lucien read? How many had the others? As my questions piled, Isadora picked up every single one with a burst of laughter. Deciding to start heading to Hugo’s, I backed out of the driveway and began driving that way.
“Have any of you read my thoughts?”
“Not intentionally. You’re sometimes very loud with your thoughts.
I’m not sure about Lucien, that would be a question for him.
Although, I’m sure he’s shown signs if you think about it.
Erie doesn’t like looking into the minds of others so she keeps her own mind under an impenetrable lock.
Not even our father can get into her mind. ”
I would have asked more, but I was exhausted from all this new information. The remainder of the drive to the mechanic shop was done in silence while Isadora stared blankly out of the window.
When we arrived, Bryon’s truck was not there nor any others that weren’t under repair.
“Well, they might not be here,” I spoke aloud as she stepped out behind me. Isadora looked out at the building and cars, seeing that I was right.
“That works better for us. Maybe we can snoop around and see if maybe he actually is the killer.”
“I’d advise against that. My father is not one to look the other way if a vamp goes searching through his stuff.” A familiar voice came from behind us.
Isadora turned to look at who was there while I remained facing away. My breathing hilted. I had almost lost track of how much time had passed since I last heard this voice. However, hearing it now, it was as though that time had never passed at all.
“And who are you?” Isadora demanded in a curt tone.
“Lance Strickland and who are you?” he shot back with a matching tone. His voice still had an effect on me that caused the feeling of guilt to flood in along with it. How could someone still create such a reaction from my heart after finding a mate?
“I’m Isadora Dumas and this is—.”
“I know who Mel is,” Lance said before I felt arms circle my waist. My heart skipped at the sudden intimate embrace. “Are you still upset with me?”
His words vibrated against my back and despite my guilt, I found myself leaning against him. “Not completely over it, but as an adult I understand why you left. I understand even more now.”
“I came back,” he breathed against my hair. “I told you I wouldn’t leave you forever.”
I heard Isadora inhale sharply as she looked at us.
The guilt finally overwhelmed me, pushing me from his arms and closer to her.
Lance looked a little hurt, but when he noticed Isadora standing in front of me in a more protective way, something seemed to click for him.
He pointed between the two of us with an inquisitive expression.
“Not me, but my brother,” Isadora answered the unspoken question. He looked at me then to her. “Yes, they have.”
“Willingly? I know how your kind can be.”
“Completely willing,” she nearly snarled at the accusation.
He looked at me, but my eyes fell to the ground.
He made a sound beforeI heard him step away.
“We need to ask about a coyote that was dumped at our house. It had whittled wooden pins in it with a note. It had ‘Bloodsucker’ written in blood.”
“Theatrics aren’t a hunter’s form of intimidation. I’m sure this local killer you have is trying to scare you and judging by how you’re shivering in your dwarven designer boots,” he eyed Isadora with venomous amusement. “I’d say it worked.”
“Or it could be your father. From what my brother tells me, he seemed very theatrical when he met him. Where is he?”
“That’s none of your business,” Lance shot in her direction.
The increased octave in his tone had me lifting my head again to look at him.
I noticed then how terrible he actually looked.
The bags under his eyes suggested a lack of sleep while the shake of his hands let me know he also hadn’t eaten in a while.