Zander scowled and looked like he was going to argue. "I wouldn't if I were you," James warned him. "She's not kidding or exaggerating so it'd be better if you just nod and say yes ma'am."
"Whatever," the boy said instead, making James shake his head. He was beginning to believe the kid had a death wish.
"That'll work for me," she said and released him then walked over to James and surprised him with a kiss on his cheek. "Thanks for having my back. Now let's go talk to the alpha."
James couldn't help but puff out his chest with pride as she wrapped her arms around his. He glanced back to Zander. "You too. I'm sure he wants to talk to you."
"You can't tell me what to do," he snapped.
"No but we can drag you there," Lily said, as they walked back to the hotel.
Nick gave them all a nod when they came into the conference room. His eyes narrowed at Zander when he noticed the baggage. "Glad you're here, all of you are here," Nick said, looking over the map spread across the table.
"How are we standing after last night?" James asked, glancing at the map too. Not much had changed on it since they were there yesterday.
"Surprisingly good," Nick said, though he didn't sound happy about it. "Everything that wasn't in this Vincent's objectives was merely distraction tactics. So no life was lost on our side, and injuries were minimal with the exception of Bonnie, " he continued then gave Zander a sympathetic look. "Doc says she's really bad, but he expects her to pull through."
The kid tried to pull off that angry I don't care attitude, but James could see the relief in his eyes as he nodded to his alpha.
Nick sighed and rubbed his face. " I don't think he intended to kill her. Not while he can use her friendship with Tristen against the girl. She told me this morning, he'd promised her that those close to her would suffer for escaping," he explained, shaking his head. "She's almost in a panic about her family back in Miami. Thinks he'll make a move against them so I've asked my brother to get in touch with the alpha there and see if they can't have the family watched."
"This vamp is a bastard," Lily spat, anger pouring off of her in waves.
"He is," Zander said, flatly. He was radiating guilt almost as much as Lily was angry.
"Thank you for your help last night. If you hadn't stepped in I'm convinced we would've lost Tristen last night," Nick said to him, which only made guilty look stronger in the kid.
James couldn't help but wonder who Zander thought he was fooling. He had to know he was radiating guilt like heat from an open fire. He glanced to Nick. The ex-alpha wore a sad, knowing smile.
"With that and Jessie Hart in custody, I feel obliged to count this as some kind of semblance to a victory. She's in room 109. I suppose you want to question her yourself?" Nick asked, looking at Lily.
"Of course!"
"Have at her, but can you please not kill or maim her. She's no good if you have a hissy fit and cut her into pieces as you did Thompson," Nick complained.
"Why does everyone make me swear not to kill," Lily complained back at him. "You guys are just ruining all my fun," she huffed. "Well come on, James. You better tag along and make sure I play nice!"
"You ready for this?" James asked as they approached the room where Jessie was held.
She gave him a weak smile. "I need to know why James. As lame as it sounds, I thought she was my friend. She not only betrayed us and put our son, who she often played with, in danger. It doesn't make sense, and I need it too."
James placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Then let's go find out," he said, knocking on the door.
Donovan opened the door and without a word, moved aside. Jessie was handcuffed to the bed with duct tape across her mouth. "I am going to take a nice slow walk. Just so you know," he said with a hard expression on his face before leaving. With no one else in the room, James knew that Donovan was giving Lily freedom to do what she wanted to the human. He looked at Jessie and wondered if she knew how bad her situation was.
James stood at the side of the door with his arms crossed over his chest. Lily needed to handle this, and he was willing to let her take the reins and deal with it.
Lily got a chair and pulled it over next to the bed while. "Is there any point to asking why?" She asked after ripping the tape off Jessie's mouth.
"I didn't have a choice," the human said, her voice sounding dry and rough.
Lily made a dry laugh. "We always have a choice. Try again."
"No, I didn't. I have cancer, Lily. It's terminal, and there is nothing any of the doctors can do. I have about two years left to live if I'm lucky," Jessie told her, anger curling her lip like a snarl. "I went to the queen. I went to Queen Hazar, and I asked for her help, begged her even. She wouldn't turn me because of something she saw in one of her stupid visions!"
"So what? You risk the life of a two-year-old, a good man, and a friend of yours so that Silvano would do it?" Lily asked, disbelief marring her voice.
"Yes, Silvano promised to turn me if I gave him James. I didn't know about the kid until it was already done," Jessie replied.
"And you didn't do anything. You would let my son at the mercy of those blood suckers just so you wouldn't die in two years?" Lily demanded, her voice rising with her anger.
A cold, hard expression took the woman's face. "Yes. I would. In a heartbeat! I've served the Aequivalere almost my entire life! I deserve this! If one freak of nature has to die for it, then so be it."
Stark shock ran through James as he looked at Jessie. Nothing of the woman he knew as Jessie showed in the woman he was looking at now. A glance at Lily told him she felt the same thing.
Lily bowed her head, holding onto the arms of the chair with an iron grip and taking deep breaths. When she looked up, her expression was guarded and stoic. "How did you get involved with the vampire named Vincent?" Lily asked, her tone sounding all business now.
Jessie made a dry laugh. "When Silvano died, I had to find me another vamp. Vincent approached me and offered me to work for him. He needed someone with human contacts since he was going to be keeping a human pet."
James watched as Lily's fingers tightened on the chair. She was beyond pissed right now and he was impressed that she hadn't lost it yet.
"Where is he hiding?" Lily bit out. Despite her attempts, the anger was obviously spilling into her voice.
"He's in town, but I made sure that none of you are going to be able to get close without maybe losing almost all the people you have with you," Jessie answered, looking proud.
"What is Vincent's end game?"
Again Jessie made a dry laugh. "Whatever his boss tells him too!"