Chapter 21

Edmund.

“She is going to come to tell you.” I lean over the table where my uncle sits and look him in the eye, giving him a knowing look.

“Finally, took her long enough.” His deep voice fills the room and I feel the same as he does.

“She thinks none of us knew. Thinks she hid it well enough all of this time.” I shrug. “What are you going to tell her?”

“I don’t know.” He sighs. “It has to be her decision. We can’t force this on her.”

“I’m trying to help her realize this doesn’t make her a bad person, or evil in some way.” I clench and unclench my fists at my sides.

“Well, that’s an uphill climb, son. Let me see what I can do.” He rubs his hand over his stubble and I can tell he doesn’t know how to handle this any more than I do. “I’m glad she has you. Glad the two of you have finally figured this out and she can turn to you for support.”

“Thank you.” I shake his hand. “I promise I’ll take care of her.”

“I know you will, but what about that other problem we have? Do you honestly think the police are going to handle Carley?”

“I hope they do. I don’t want to have any more blood on this family’s hands.”

“I know, I don’t either, but if she comes after my daughter again you’ll be hard-pressed to stop Summer or me from stepping in and handling it.”

“Okay, message received.” I nod at him.

“Edmund,” he calls my name as I make to leave the study.

“Yep?”

When I turn back around he is shaking his head. “Never mind,” he says, “I’m sure it won’t be an issue. The police will handle it.”

“Yea, sure.” I nod as I turn again and leave the room.

* * *

Edmund.

I smell her the moment I enter the apartment.

“Damn it, Carley!” I shout out the words. I expect to find her naked in my bed again. I know one thing is for sure, I am getting to the bottom of how she keeps getting in here before I have her hauled off by the police.

When I turn the corner into the hall and make my way to my bedroom, I freeze. She is on my bed, sitting on the end of it, with a shotgun in her hands.

“Morning, baby!” she calls to me. I let out a long, slow breath and lift my hands out in front of me.

“Carley?” I ask her as I take a slow step backward.

She stands and makes her way down the hall toward me. “Have a seat on the couch, Eddie. We’re going to chat while we wait for Rae.” I nod, at the woman pointing the gun at me and cross to the couch. Judging the distance between us, trying to decide if I could get to her and get the gun from her before she could pull the trigger. There isn’t enough space in here, I can’t shift and take her down that way. I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place as I sit down on the couch and watch her lean against the island, her back to the front door. Good, I think to myself, if anyone comes in she will have to turn toward them and I’ll have a chance.

“How do you keep getting in here?” I start the conversation off easy, I don’t want to piss her off.

“I made a key when we were together, baby. Don’t you remember?” I don’t, I never gave her a key to make a copy of, so clearly, she was unhinged before we broke up and I just didn’t notice. I don’t tell her this, as she is the one with the shotgun pointed at me.

“Oh, I think I do. That’s right,” I say instead. My scalp prickles and I feel sweat breaking out over my body as I watch her shift the shotgun in her hands, finger on the trigger.

“Where is, Rae?” she asks, eyes flicking to the door behind her.

“Not here. But she should be back soon though. Did you want to have a seat and wait?” I point to the barstools, hoping to get her to relax and let her guard down.

“No, I’ll stand.” She shakes her head at me, her eyes filled with something I can’t explain.

“Can I ask you what the plan is, Carley? What’s your end game here?” When she doesn’t answer I just stare at her, my fists clenched by my sides. Knees bouncing, I hate the feeling of being trapped here in my own apartment. “Do you think if you kill Rae I’ll be with you?”

I don’t intend to ask the question, but it slips out anyway.

“No! I don’t. I think either you will choose me, or no one will have you.” Realization dawns on me then. I know she plans to either get her way or kill me. Unknowingly, she brought the one weapon that might actually do the job.

“So if I don’t break it off with Rae, you’re going to kill me?” I want to make sure I have it straight, what this woman is planning in her mind. If I can keep her talking, keep her calm then I may have a chance at getting the gun from her.

“That’s the plan, Eddie.” She smiles a wicked smile at me and takes a step toward me. I flinch back from her.

“Carley, I don’t…” I don’t have the words, I don’t know where I was going with this, but I begin to stand up.

“Sit back down, Edmund!” Putting my hands out in front of me I try to calm her, but I need to come up with a way to end this before Rae shows up. I can’t have her in harm’s way.

“Carley? Can we get out of here? Together? The two of us? You can put the gun down and we can leave. Go have a conversation outside, get some fresh air and talk about this.”

“What’s there to talk about? Are you going to end it with her? I want to be here when you do.”

“Yes, I will, but first we need to talk—”

“Then talk, baby, I’m all ears.”

* * *

Rae.

I call my dad on the way back to the keep, when he picks up on the third ring I try to sound like I’m not nervous about this whole conversation.

“Hey, Daddy!”

“Hey, baby? Where are you at?”

“I’m on the way home from Ciara’s. Do you have time to talk to me when I get there?”

“Of course, baby girl. I always have time for you. I’ll meet you out front, we can go for a walk and get things out in the open.”

“So, you know?”

“Yes, Edmund came to me this morning and told me you were coming to have this little chat.”

“I literally have no privacy, no secrets.”

“It’s not such a bad thing to have a large family that cares about you, sweetie.”

“I guess you’re right. I’ll be there in five. Meet me out front.”

“See you then.”

He is standing out front on the steps when I pull up five minutes later, a smile on his face that makes me feel like I am a little girl again.

“Come on. Let’s have this conversation, it has been a long time coming.” He wraps his arm around my shoulders and leads me down the path to the gardens.

“How long have you known?” I look at him, the question filling my eyes, waiting for his answer I get butterflies in my stomach and my head swims. I don’t know why I’m so nervous to hear what he has to say, but I don’t want to know the truth.

“Probably since the first time, Rae. I can smell it on you. I know, better than anyone else, what the smell of human blood is.” Chewing on my lower lip, I listen to him go on. “It doesn’t make you a bad person. It is what comes naturally to you, to me, your mom. All of us face this. You don’t think she and I haven’t been through this?”

“You have?” I stop on the sidewalk and turn to him, confused at his meaning. I thought he hadn’t fed on humans in decades and didn’t think my mother ever had.

“We have, Rae, and I know you’re not evil. You’re not killing anyone. Right?”

“Right. I always make sure not to, to leave them with enough. I heal them and send them on their way.”

“So I’m not going to sugarcoat it, this isn’t fair to them. But you’re not evil. Preying on them comes naturally to you. We have to find another outlet for you.”

“Edmund said the same thing. Said we should go hunting.”

“I think that is a good idea, and he is right. I also think he is good for you and having him to help you will go a long way.”

“I’m not going to lie to you, Rae, the cravings are never going to go away. They are part of you. But it does get easier with time.”

“Thank you, Dad. Mom?”

“She knows, but she has her own struggles. She has gone through this before. I know you think she is some saint who has never tasted human blood, she isn’t. I honestly don’t know what gave you that idea. But it isn’t at all true.”

“I’m not evil, or broken?” Tears slip down my cheeks and I am flooded with relief at knowing I am not alone in this. I should have come to him sooner, should have trusted my family to help me instead of shutting them out.

“No, baby, you’re not broken. You are the farthest thing from evil.” My dad wraps me in a big hug and I let him hold me, relaxing against him and letting his strength ease the tension from my body.

“I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you too, kiddo.”

“Does Mom know about Edmund too? Does everyone know? Is there any point in us announcing it tonight?” He chuckles at my question.

“I think everyone suspects it and has for a long time. But you still need to announce it. Tell us all that you’re ready to have the news out in the open.” I smile at him, so happy I decided to come and talk to him. Happy Edmund talked to him before me and had him prepped and ready to give me the comfort I was seeking.

“Okay. I guess I should go find Edmund and tell him everyone already knows.” I shrug.

“Probably. You don’t want him to be too disappointed when you do the big reveal that isn’t so revealing.”

“Right, he can be sensitive about things like that.” I giggle, kiss my dad on the cheek and we head back toward the front door.

“I’m heading out for a bit. I’ll be back for dinner. Your mom, Aunt Melody and Lydia all went into town and I think Uncle Finn is out hunting. So…” He winks at me and I feel the blush spreading over my face.

“Eww, Dad. Come on. Don’t make this awkward.”

“I’m just saying, you’ll have the whole place to yourself for a few hours.”

“Stop it!” I shout at him as he turns and heads toward his truck.

* * *

Rae.

I can sense something is wrong before I open the door to the apartment. I hear Edmund’s voice and know he is talking to someone inside. As soon as I open the door I can smell her, my stomach drops when I see the shotgun in her hands.

“Rae! Finally, come on in, honey! We’ve been waiting for you!” Carley’s voice is steady when she calls to me. Her back is to me and I consider how quickly I could snap her neck. But the shotgun she has trained on Edmund could go off in the process.

“Come on, have a seat.” She pulls out one of the barstools at the island and motions for me to sit down next to her. “Eddie has something he wants to say to you. Don’t you, baby?”

I know in my heart anything that comes out of his mouth next isn’t true. I know he will say whatever she wants right now to convince her to put the gun down.

“Carley, you don’t need to do this.” I turn to her. “I actually just came here to tell Edmund something, then I’ll go and you two can be alone. Together.” I nod at her, trying to smile. My hands are shaking, and tears sting my eyes.

“Edmund," I turn toward him, "I just talked to my dad and I don’t think I can do this anymore.”

“Don’t do this, Rae. We will figure it out. You don’t have to do this.” he says, as the tears start to slip down my cheeks.

“Shut up, Eddie! She is right. You two aren’t right for each other.” Carley moves toward him, the shotgun still in her hands. I have to do whatever I can to protect him. I don’t know if he will survive that kind of injury and there is no one home to help us right now.

“Edmund, she is right. I need to end this.”

“Rae, stop it!” Edmund gets up from the couch as he is speaking. I flinch and scream as I hear the sound of the shotgun being fired.

“Oh my god! Eddie! No!” Carley is screaming. “I didn’t mean to. It was an accident. I didn’t... oh my God!” She drops the gun and runs to him. I see him lying on the couch, the blood spreading over his stomach as she pushes her hands to the bullet wound there.

Tears sting my eyes and I suck in a sharp breath. “You fucking bitch!” I scream at her. When she turns to me I see the fear in her eyes. I know what mine look like. I know the silver glow filling them makes me look otherworldly. I don’t care if she knows, I don’t care if the secret is out. She won’t live long enough to tell a soul.

“Rae…” Edmund gasps my name, “…no. You’re better than that.”

“I’m not. I told you I talked to my dad. I’m not. This is who I am and the first step to moving past it is accepting it. I am accepting it for what it is, Edmund.”

“What? What’s going on?” Carley looks back and forth between us. “Do something! Call someone! He needs help!”

“You’re the one who did this.” I move toward her, shouting in her face, “You’re the one responsible for his death! I hope you’re fucking happy now! Is this what you wanted, Carley?”

“If I couldn’t have him, then neither can you!” she screams back at me, standing, her blood-covered hand smacks me across the face and I lose it then.

Falling forward onto her, I jerk her head back, exposing her jugular to me. My fangs slip from my gums and I see the fear in her eyes, can see her heart racing in the pulsating veins on her neck.

“No! Fuck! No!” She is trying to free herself from me and I just laugh at her weak attempts to pull my hands from her. When I sink my teeth into her neck, and the hot blood fills my mouth, I get nothing from it, no release of endorphins, no happiness, and the taste isn’t even something I enjoy. I was right, she tastes terrible. I don’t care, I don’t stop. She has to pay for what she has done.

My eyes flick to Edmund’s still body on the couch as I bleed her dry. When there is nothing left, not a drop left in her body I release her, and she falls to the ground with a thud. I lick my lips clean and kick her as I make to step over her toward Edmund.

He isn’t breathing, I put my hands onto the gaping wound in his abdomen and I sob, my hands come away bloody. Sticky with it. I reach in my pocket and pull out my phone, tears pouring down my cheeks.

“Alec!” I scream at him when he answers the phone. “I need help! We need help! Edmund was shot. He isn’t breathing.”

“Where are you, Rae?”

“At his apartment, at the keep.”

“I’m on my way.”

I lean over Edmund more, curling next to him on the couch, when I lay my head on his chest I can hear his heart and I jump up. “Edmund? Please, look at me!” I pull his face to mine, I can see he is taking slow, shallow breaths.

“Holy shit. You’re healing,” I tell him, through my sobs. I don’t know if he will heal fast enough, or if he will bleed out before he heals. I feel like I’m going to be sick, I’m losing him and there is nothing I can do.

I watch as the puddle of blood on the floor in front of the couch grows, and then he stops breathing again. Pounding on his chest, I rage and cry. I had him back, but now he is gone again. I attempt to give him CPR, but I don’t know what I’m doing.

When I feel hands on my shoulders pulling me from his body, I scream. “Rae, shh. We’re here. It’s okay.” Aunt Sam is taking me in her arms and pulling me into her. Pulling me away from Edmund.

“I need to help him!” I shout at her through my tears, my mind is focused on one thing. I need to help him. I can’t help him if she won’t let me touch him.

“Shh, Rae. Alec has him.” She is patting my hair, trying to soothe me, I can feel her hand on my back. When I look down at the floor, I see Carley’s crumpled body lying at our feet. I let go then, my sobs turning into wails of grief.

“Rae.” I hear him calling my name, but I know it can’t be true. I watched him die. Not once, but twice. “Rae,” he calls my name again, and I feel Sam patting my back, trying to pull me from my grief back to her.

“He is all right, he is going to be all right, Rae,” Aunt Sam is whispering in my ear. I shake my head at her, I know she is lying. Know the voice I am hearing is only in my mind. I’ve officially lost it and I’m going crazy.

“Rae, please look at me.” I lift my head and turn toward Edmund. He is sitting up on the couch, no longer slumped over.

“Oh my god!” I run to him, collapsing into his arms.

“Hush. I’m okay, it’s okay.” He is trying to reassure me, but it is no use. I’m beyond consoling. I rub my face in his shoulder and cry until I have no tears left to cry. I curl into a ball on his lap and sit, arms wrapped around his neck, for a long while.

“There is nothing I can do for her.” I hear Uncle Alec’s voice and turn to look at him talking to Edmund. Edmund shakes his head and I pull back from him, looking into his face.

“For who?” I ask, confused about who they’re referring to.

“No one, don’t worry about it.” I feel Edwin shift under me and stand. Carrying me with him, he makes his way down the hall toward the bedroom. When he sets me on my feet in the bathroom I look up at him. There is blood all over his face, my bloody handprints cover his skin. I lift my hands and look down at them, my hands and arms are covered in it, too. “It’s okay, we’re going to get cleaned up,” Edmund says, and I just nod, still confused about everything that happened. My mind feels hazy.

* * *

Edmund.

I step toward the shower and open the glass door carefully, trying not to get blood on anything else in the apartment, as it is we are going to have one hell of a cleanup. I have no doubt my aunt and uncle will handle the mess in the living room the best they can while I get myself and Rae cleaned up.

My body aches, sore and broken, I move slowly. But I was able to heal, Alec’s abilities helped me. As I sat on the couch I faded in and out of consciousness, no doubt bleeding out then healing and bleeding out again. I listened to Rae’s sobs, listened to the exchange between her and Carley.

I know what she did. Know why there is no help that Uncle Alec can offer Carley. She is gone. Rae bled her dry, and once she remembers what she did, I don’t know if she will ever forgive herself. We will have an uphill battle in convincing her she is not evil, again.

“Edmund?” she croaks out my name and I turn to see her standing looking at herself in the mirror. She has blood all over her face, down her neck and soaking the front of her shirt.

“Rae, it’s okay. Come here. It’s going to be okay.”

“What did I do?” Her hands are shaking as she reaches up and tries to wipe away the blood, but she is only succeeding in spreading more of it onto her.

“Come here. It’s going to be okay.” I repeat the words to her. When I pull her to me I slip her shirt off over her head and try to wipe at some of the blood on her face with it. It's no use, I toss it onto the floor and take mine off as well.

Looking down at the pink skin marring my abdomen she gasps, holding her shaking hands out toward me. They hover over the scar there, and I see more tears slip from her eyes.

“Hush, kitten. I’m okay, we’re okay.” I unbutton her pants and kneel down in front of her as she slips out one leg and then the other. Doing the same, and adding mine to the pile of bloody clothes I open the shower door and let her step in. When Rae tips her head back and scrubs at her skin to get the blood off, I close the shower door for a moment.

Grabbing a towel and wrapping it around my waist, I nab the pile of bloody clothes from the floor and take them out to the living room. Aunt Sam steps toward me, with the help of Uncle Alec’s magic the room has been completely restored, no body, and no signs of the attack.

“Can you take care of these too?” I ask them as I hand the pile of clothes to Sam. They disappear before she even has full possession of them.

“Is she going to be okay?” Alec turns to me and asks. I shake my head at him.

“I don’t know. I don’t think we’re going to be up for dinner though. If you can let everyone know what happened and see if you guys can take care of any loose ends that may need to be cleaned up.” I motion toward the empty spot on the floor where Carley’s body lay moments before, shrugging.

“We will. Go take care of Rae,” Aunt Sam tells me.

I nod. “Thank you, thank you both for coming.”

“Of course,” Uncle Alec answers. “You need to take it easy, get some rest. Both of you.”

“This has been too many close calls for this family,” Aunt Sam tells us both.

“I agree. But I think we can safely say that Rae took care of the issue.” I nod at the two of them and turn, heading back down the hall.

As I enter the bathroom, I see Rae sitting on the floor in the shower. The water pooled around her is still pink with blood. I unwrap the towel from around my waist and step into the shower with her.

Slowly, I help her stand, lather up a loofah and gently scrub her body free of the blood. When I turn my attention to my own body she just leans against the tile wall and watches me.

“I thought I lost you,” she says finally, as I’m turning off the water and wrapping her in a clean towel.

“I know. But you didn’t. I’m right here.” Pressing my hand to her cheek I wrap my other arm around her shoulders and pull her to me.

“I killed her,” she whispers against my chest.

“You did,” I nod my head, “but you had no choice.”

“Yes, I did, Edmund. Don’t tell me that. Don’t try to make me out to be the hero.” I watch as she drops her head into her hands and I know she isn’t going to forgive herself easily. I let it go. I know she is right, she did have a choice and now she is going to have to live with the decision she made.