Craved (25 page)

Micah pushed through the swinging
doors that led to the cells with me right behind him and Aiden
bringing up the rear. The main jail area held six cells that were
currently vacant, but we kept walking to the door on the far end
that led to the cells designated for vampires. My heart pounded and
slammed against my chest like a sledgehammer and my deep breaths
did nothing to calm it. I knew who I’d see beyond that gray door
and what he had done; the adrenaline inundated my body like a
flashflood.

Micah turned and said, “Are you sure
you wanna do this?” His eyes searched mine for any hints of
hesitation, but I was sure he couldn’t find an ounce of
doubt.

“Absolutely.” Aiden grabbed my hand and
squeezed it the tiniest bit and then we all three walked through
the door to confront Ian Despereaux.

Ian was leaning against the interior
brick wall with his arms crossed across his chest and his ankles
crossed. His eyes followed me all the way down the small hallway
until I was standing in front of his cell. I wasn’t sure how I
would react to seeing him again, but throwing a fit would have been
understandable. Instead, I was calm. I eyed him with an anger I
didn’t even realize I could harbor. I was definitely calm before
the storm; my insides churning like dark, cloudy skies, ready to
explode.

Micah and Aiden flanked me while I
stood front and center, ready for Ian to discuss whatever he wanted
with me. My hands fisted at my sides as I waited for him to speak
first, I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me throw a
temper-tantrum. He didn’t know that what he had done to Fiona was
gnawing away at me and destined to leave me in a heaping mess of
tears and loss. I would not give him the satisfaction of witnessing
the distress he caused.

Ian pushed off the wall and walked
over to the bars that separated us. His hands wrapped around the
thick bars and he quickly pulled them away as a thin wisp of smoke
floated from his burnt hand. A smile tugged at the corner of my
mouth but I quickly straightened it out and remained emotionless.
The FPD made sure that the vampire cells were encased with pure
silver. For reasons unknown vampires can’t tolerate
silver.

“I take it you got my message?” Ian
said. I bit down on the screams that wanted to leave my lips; I
would not go off on him.

“Yes,” I said softly. It tore me apart
to know that he referred to Fiona as a message he was using to get
to me.

“I’m sorry about that, but it’s you
that we need and your attention was necessary.”

“How about just asking for what you
want instead of murdering an innocent woman? Whatever game you’re
playing, your strategy sucks. There is nothing to hold over my head
now,” I spat out with a bitter laugh. Ian smiled devilishly and
pressed his face close enough to the bars to keep from touching
them but still close enough to my face. I wanted nothing more than
to take a step back and away from him but I wouldn’t back down from
his taunts.

“You know,” he began, running a finger
over his bottom lip. “after our kiss, it’s all I think about.” His
eyes turned black with desire as he stared intensely at me. Aiden’s
fist moved so fast, that all I saw was a blur as he punched Ian
through the silver bars. When he pulled his arm away, his flesh was
singed but otherwise okay.

“Lie again, asshole, and it’ll be your
head that’s ripped off next,” Aiden warned with a deadly calm tone.
Ian licked the blood that dripped from his lip and I watched in awe
as it healed before my eyes.

He laughed and made eye contact with
me again. “Ask her if I’m lying?”

I turned to Aiden and said, “He kissed
me, I didn’t kiss him,” and then turned back to Ian and said, “I
slapped him for it.” Ian laughed like the slap had been a playful
one and not one of anger.

Then he shrugged. “You can defend your
actions all you want, but I know what you felt in that moment; you
can’t lie about that.” Aiden snarled, pacing up and down the small
hallway as if trying to conceal his anger.

“Does your darling Aiden know that you
shared a kiss with Detective Reynolds here?” Ian nodded towards
Micah. I openly gaped at him, confused as to how he had known about
that. I hadn’t told Fiona. I knew exactly what Ian was doing, he
was trying to cause an argument between the three of us and I hoped
it wasn’t working. I told Aiden about me and Micah kissing when I
found him with the naked bimbo, but he hadn’t mentioned it since.
It seemed like a million nights ago.

“Yes, I know about that,” Aiden said
as he stared holes into Micah. I thought I was going to have to
witness Micah and Aiden fighting, but Aiden took a deep breath and
said, “Quit stalling. What’d you want to talk to Gwen about?” I had
no clue why I was even standing in the jail, giving Ian what he
wanted. I wanted nothing more than to go home, crawl under my
blankets and cry. The more I thought about that though, the more I
didn’t want to go home. Fiona wouldn’t be there and I wouldn’t be
able to escape the emptiness her death would cause.

“You are special, Gwen,” Ian said,
interrupting my thoughts. I brought my eyes back to him and cocked
my eyebrow, unimpressed.

“You don’t know anything about me and
if you don’t get to your point, I’m walking out those doors.” I was
slowly losing what meager control I had over myself and was on the
verge of frying him to a crisp.

“Oh I know more about you than you
think. We’ve been searching for someone like you for a while
now.”

“We
who?”

“That doesn’t matter. I’m the only one
who you’ll deal with.”

I released an annoyed sigh and ran a
hand over my forehead. “Whatever game you’re playing, I’m not
interested.” I turned to leave, not wanting to look at Ian anymore.
It seemed he liked playing with me like I was prey that he was just
waiting to kill.

“Even if I could bring Fiona back?”
Ian called from his cell. I stopped in my tracks and half turned to
face him.

“He’s lying, Gwen.” Aiden said. I
ignored him and walked back to Ian’s cell, my hand tingling with
the magic that waited to be directed.

“You already took her away from me,
now you’re going to taunt me with her resurrection? You are stupid
aren’t you?”

“Who’s taunting? I am one hundred
percent serious. I can bring her back on one condition,” Ian said
with a serious tone.

“Why would you?” I countered. Fiona
meant nothing to him and I was sure that the only thing he wanted
me for was my blood. He was currently stuck in jail and not getting
out anytime soon. Not to mention, the dead couldn’t be brought
back. Their souls moved on to the hereafter and those who didn’t,
still couldn’t connect with their bodies anymore.

“I have my reasons.”

“What’s the condition?”

“Does it matter? Wouldn’t you do
anything to save your best friend? Whatever the price to bring her
back is worth it isn’t it?” Ian asked with knowing eyes. It could
have been my weariness or the loss I felt for Fiona, but I was
actually thinking about his offer. He was right, it didn’t matter
what he wanted from me, if it meant Fiona would be okay.

“Let’s go, Gwen, you don’t have to put
up with this,” Aiden said, wrapping an arm around my waist and
pulling me towards the door. I dug my heels in as best I could and
ran back to Ian.

“Prove it, prove that you can bring
her back and I’ll agree to help you.” A victory smile spread across
Ian’s lips while a shiver ran all through my body. I knew what I
was saying was stupid but I couldn’t risk not trying whatever Ian
had up his sleeve.

“What? Absolutely not!” Aiden
yelled.

“I’ll need to see her body to bring
her back,” Ian said, ignoring Aiden’s protests. I looked
expectantly at Micah but he didn’t seem interested in what Ian was
offering either.

“Please, Micah! What if it was Wyatt
dead on that slab? What if there was a way to bring him back?
Wouldn’t you do it, or anything else to save him?” I was at the
point of begging, but the seeds of hope had been planted in my mind
and I couldn’t stop thinking about the possibilities. If Ian could
prove to me that Fiona could be brought back, I wouldn’t stop until
it happened.

“Gwen, you don’t even know if he can
actually do it. This could be a ploy to escape. You should know
better than anyone that the dead can’t be brought back. If you
agree to this, it’ll be your body on that slab and I can’t take
that risk. I’m sorry, Gwen,” Micah said with finality.

“I promise Gwen will not be killed.
She‘s too special,” Ian said. We all turned to look at him and
Micah gave a gruff laugh.

“Excuse me for not believing a
murderer.”

Ian pursed his lips in mock thought.
“Do you have proof I’m a murderer?” Micah began to speak but closed
his mouth as he thought about what he could charge him for. Ian
hadn’t come right out and said he killed Fiona, or any other
witch.

“If you didn’t kill her, then why did
you turn yourself in?”

“I didn’t. I came to the police
station because I knew you’d be looking to blame me. I’m not
worried, though, because you’ll find no evidence that ties her
murder to me.”

“How’d you know she was dead?” I asked
in disbelief. His story sounded all well and good but he couldn’t
dodge the fact that he had come to the police station knowing Fiona
was dead already.

“Because I saw who did it and what
they want,” Ian said with a smile. I considered him for a few
moments and crossed my arms across my chest. He reminded me of one
of those animals I’d seen on the Discovery channel. They tempt
their prey into coming to them and then they strike. He knew the
information would be too tempting for me to turn down. I could see
myself getting closer and closer to the lions’ den but I couldn’t
stop myself from exploring it.

“Who killed her and what do they
want?” I asked. Aiden was leaning against the wall with a look that
could kill and Micah stood just behind me waiting for Ian to answer
my questions. I knew that Aiden was trying to keep me safe, but I
couldn’t risk ignoring Ian’s tempting offer. I was powerful in my
own right and could handle myself against Ian if I had to, or at
least I hoped I could.

“I cannot tell you who they are but I
can say that you, Gwen, are on everyone’s wish list. I’m surprised
you haven’t been kidnapped yet, actually. And you are very lucky
that it was me who found you and not the others.”

I laughed bitterly. “Yeah, that’s me,
lucky.”

“Considering the other option, you
are,” Ian said with a grave tone.

“I don’t know what you guys heard, but
I’m not different from any other witch.” I released an aggravated
sigh, annoyed that I was being targeted for the wrong reasons. Ian
watched me with knowing eyes and I averted my gaze to the floor
where I focused all of my attention on my stilettos.

“Shall we visit your friend then?” Ian
asked. My head popped up and I looked back at Micah expectantly.
“You can keep him in silver while he tries to bring her back. If he
can’t do it, then you just throw him back in here.” I hoped my eyes
conveyed my hopelessness and that Micah would fall under the weight
of my stare.

I was spared having to beg any further
when Micah pulled out a pair of silver handcuffs and said, “Turn
around” to Ian. Ian happily complied and stuck his hands through
the small window that allowed Micah to handcuff him. The handcuffs
were made out of pure silver and Micah made sure that they touched
Ian’s wrist so wisps of seared flesh floated through the small
holding area. I breathed through my mouth so I wouldn’t inhale the
smell of burning flesh; but it didn’t help, I could still smell it.
Micah unlocked the cell door and grabbed hold of Ian’s arm, pulling
him into the hallway and toward the door. I quickly followed behind
them and shot Aiden a look that I instantly regretted. He looked
pissed!

“I don’t understand why you’re falling
for this, you’re smarter than that, Gwen,” he said, his tone filled
with disdain.

“You don’t need to tell me that this
is stupid, I know that!” I snapped back. “But…what other choice do
I have, Aiden? If there is a small chance that he can bring her
back, even if it’s only a one percent chance, then I’ll try it.” I
looked at him as my eyes blurred with unshed tears. The memories of
what Fiona had looked like in the tall grass haunted my thoughts. I
blamed myself for not watching after her like I should have. I knew
that Ian was bad news and I still let her walk out of our apartment
with him. If the FPD was looking for someone to charge with her
murder, than I was as guilty as Ian. Okay, maybe not, but I felt
like I was, I had seen her in the hands of the enemy and didn’t
rescue her.