Page 103 of Consumed

Mike closed his eyes and took a breath to brace himself for having to see Doug again. He’d seen too many dead bodies over his years as a vampire, but none of them had ever bothered him. Doug’s would haunt him for the rest of his life.

“This way,” Mike said and led them into the next room. The others would eventually want to see their uncle and friend too, but this time was for them alone.

Mike flicked on the light switch in the bathroom to illuminate the broken blue floor tiles and green tub. It was the last place he wanted Doug to be, and he could have buried Doug already, but he knew the others would want their chance to say goodbye to him.

Mike stayed by the green sink as Liam and David approached the tub. They gazed at Doug with similar expressions of rage and sorrow.

Mike gave them a few minutes to take it in, but he knew that days from now, the loss of Doug still wouldn’t have sunk in. They’d all known this day might come for one of them; if they’d remained mortal, they could all be dead by now, but none of them had ever truly expected to lose one of their own.

“There are a lot of Savages on that island,” he finally said. “We may need more help than what’s here.”

“There is none,” Liam said without taking his eyes off Doug. “Sera and Emma had to stay with the children. Aiden contacted Ronan to see if he could send some help, but he has his own problems with the Savages and can’t help.”

Mike’s teeth clenched as his thoughts turned to his nieces and nephews going to that island. “They all have young children, and Willow and Julian haven’t fully matured yet. They can’t put themselves at risk.”

Willow turned nineteen in January, and Julian’s eighteenth birthday was April first, but neither of them had fully come into their vampire powers yet.

“They all insisted on coming,” Liam said. “I tried to talk them out of it, but they refused to be deterred. Jack wouldn’t leave one of them behind, and they won’t leave him behind. They also believed it was best if both mates came. They didn’t want their children to see what would happen to the mate who remained behind if they lost the other during this.

“With Levi still so young, Emma had to stay with her son, and Sera agreed to remain to watch the other children; Kyle and Cassidy will help them. Willow and Julian are going to stay here to protect Aida and Mollie. It was the condition they agreed to upon coming with us.”

“I see,” Mike said. He still didn’t like it, but his nieces and nephews were powerful, immortal adults who could make their own decisions.

“I didn’t like it either,” Liam said. “I also didn’t like leaving Emma and Sera behind as the only two fully matured vampires, but none of us wanted any of the children near this, and we knew this would require as many of us here as possible. The compound is safe, and the two of them are strong, but it still makes me nervous,” Liam said.

“Understandable,” Mike said. It made him nervous too. “We’ll find Jack and end this as soon as we can.”

“Wewillmake them pay for this,” David said.

“Yes,” Mike agreed. “What do we do with Doug? We can’t keep him in this tub much longer, and I didn’t want to bury him so far away from home, but…”

“But there’s no other choice,” Liam said when Mike’s voice trailed off.

* * *

Mike and Molliespent most of the next morning in bed. By the time everyone arrived the night before, and they buried Doug in a secluded spot overlooking the sea, it was too late for them to set out for the island to rescue Jack. They had to find boats, discuss a plan, and learn as much as they could from Mike, Mollie, and Aida about what to expect and the layout of the land.

Doug’s funeral was simple, far simpler than Mike would have preferred, and he vowed that one day, his friend would have better. When they returned to the motel after the burial, everyone went their separate ways with the agreement to meet again at noon. Until then, most of them needed rest and some time alone.

With the funeral over and his family gone to their rooms, Mike had sunk onto the bed, and for the first time given in to the tears he’d kept suppressed since Doug died. Doug was gone, and nothing would ever fill the hole his passing had created. Cradling him in her arms, Mollie held him until his tears subsided and he lost himself to the miracle of their love for each other.

Lying in Mike’s arms, Mollie could almost pretend he wasn’t going to leave her and walk back into danger, but as the red numbers on the bedside clock climbed steadily toward noon, she stopped pretending.

“I’m a vampire too; take me with you,” she whispered.

“No,” Mike said as he ran his fingers over her arm and savored the feel of her bare body against his. “You’re newly turned and could be more of a danger than a help if you lose control there.”

“I’ve handled the change well so far.”

“And how do you think you would handle seeing a lot of blood? Remember how much you saw when we were on the island. If you lose control, you could get yourself killed. I won’t be gone long, and Julian and Willow will help you hunt animals to feed on if it becomes necessary, but you can’t come, Mollie.”

“Mike—”

“Believe me, I’d rather have you with me than leave you behind, but we can’t risk it with you being so newly turned.”

She knew he was right. Just thought of blood made her fangs tingle; what would happen if she were tossed into the middle of the hunt and surrounded by all that blood again? She shuddered at the thought of losing control and becoming a Savage.

“You’ll come back to me,” she whispered.

“Nothing could stop me from returning to you.Nothing. We’re going to get Jack, and then I will be back in your arms.”

His mouth found hers as he pushed her onto her back and slid his thigh between hers. When he lifted his head to look at her again, the love in his eyes stole her breath.

“You’re mine forever, Mollie.”

She smiled as she rested her hand on his cheek. “And you’re mine forever.”

Bending his head, he reclaimed her mouth. Later, he would go rescue his friend, but for now, it was just the two of them, and she had no doubt he would return to her. Their love and this bond consuming them could never be broken.

The End