“No,” Vito says. “He is gone.”
I turn into his chest and, gripping his shirt tightly, I start to sob, letting it all come out. Somewhere inside me I had held onto the hope that some magick, from somewhere, could help him, but now…now that hope has been shattered.
He is truly gone.
Vito takes me by the arms and turns me, still weeping, into CK’s arms, knowing that he too needs solace right now. He squeezes me tightly for about a second and then lets go.
“Don’t think of him that way,” he says to me. “Remember him how you loved him.”
I nod and he nods back, visibly swallowing his feelings. Now is not the time to get him to open up, but I will have to later on or this will eat him alive.
He runs his hand over my belly and then says, “I am going to get Dr. Hathaway.”
“No, I told you it’s nothing to worry about,” I say.
“Aefre, please, don’t force me into being helpless,” he says quietly, before he just Teleports out.
“Well, okay then,” I mutter and head out of the library to the doctor’s office on the other side of the castle.
“I’ll come with you,” Devon says.
“No, it’s okay,” I say, even though I know he will be disappointed. “I need a minute.”
“Of course,” he says and drops back.
I slowly make my way across the ground floor of the castle, deep in sorrowful contemplation. I reach the doctor’s office door a
nd I push it open, kicking it closed behind me.
“What the fuck?” I yell as my heart slams in my chest at the sudden attack that occurs, forcing me to duck as much as my bump will allow me, before Frederick gets his hands on the Vampire that attacked me. I push myself back into the door, my hands going up in front of me to blast out some magick, but I freeze. A feeling of dread wells up in me as I watch Frederick battling with the Vampire that nearly knocked my head off.
“Mi’ lady,” he says to me with that cold smile. “Nice to see you again.”
“What is going on?” I ask as Frederick slams a stake into the Vampire’s chest. He explodes but another appears in his place, Teleporting in and confirming not only his status but his age as well.
“Jesus,” I whimper out as Frederick swings a fist at the newcomer with all the force of ten men. He knocks the intruder flying into the medical equipment as I just stand there, unable to move. As Frederick hauls the Vampire to his feet, another pops up right in front of me, flashing his fangs behind an evil smile.
I scream like an idiot, forgetting that I am completely capable of protecting myself from this oaf. In a second, Frederick is shoving the Vampire out of the way and pressing his hard body to mine as far as the baby bump will let him. I stare up at the back of his head as he grabs the Vampire by the throat, his claws digging in, causing blood to spray out everywhere.
“Nice of you to show up,” Frederick grits out suddenly.
I peek around him to see a thunderous CK launch himself at the Vampire, ripping him off Frederick’s claws with what sounds like a painful gurgle.
Dr. Hathaway holds his doctor’s bag up in front of him as the blood spatters right across him and he just stands, staring at the scene in front of him with shock.
“Wait!” Frederick calls out before CK has the chance to rip the Vampire’s head off. “Find out what he knows.”
CK snarls at the Vampire clutched in his fist by his neck, his feet dangling inches off the floor. “Why are you here?” he demands.
The Vampire remains silent and stoic until CK shakes him so hard I swear I hear his teeth rattle. “Just a diversion,” he stammers out before CK clenches his fist tightly and the Vampire’s head pops off his neck in a bloody gush before he turns to ash at CK’s feet.
Dr. Hathaway makes a strangled noise of fear when CK turns, covered in blood, with a triumphant look on his face that makes my blood run cold. I haven’t seen that look in centuries and it makes me want to run in the opposite direction.
“What are you doing here?” he growls at Frederick, who is still protecting me by pressing himself against me.
“Protecting the lady,” Frederick says, finally stepping away from me.
“A diversion?” I whisper. “A diversion?” I say louder. “Delinda!” I finally get into motion and Astral myself out, straight to my daughter, with CK and Frederick Teleporting right in behind me.