Broken (17 page)

Felix bent and grabbed a rail of the broken chair from the ground; he began to hum a little tune as he flipped it casually within his hand and steadily approached her. Renewed strength flowed through her when she realized that this was the end. Rolling over, she fumbled to try and grab another piece of the chair but it was just beyond her grasp.

Frustration filled her; she lurched forward and wrapped her fingers around a piece of wood. She pressed her palm into the floor and forced herself over as Felix loomed above her. Driven by survival instinct alone, she somehow found the strength to sit up. Pain exploded through her body, dizziness swept through her but she swung out and drove the wood into Felix's thigh with enough force that she felt it scrape against the bone. Her jaw clenched, satisfaction filled her as she viciously twisted the wood deeper into his flesh.

He bellowed as he swung back with his hand. Throwing herself to the side, she managed to avoid the blow that would have shattered her jaw. She strained to scramble backwards but her ribs and beaten body protested the movement. Felix's eyes burned like the sun as he lifted his gaze from his leg to focus on her. She'd never seen anyone so incensed in her life; a ferocious snarl escaped him. Even with the piece of wood sticking out of his leg he came at her with far more speed than she had expected.

The wooden front door exploded into the room, the splintering crash reverberated through the hut as Felix lunged at her. Felix's blood red eyes and gleaming canines filled her vision before he was abruptly lifted away from her. She realized she'd been wrong, she'd never seen anyone look as enraged as
Atticus
did right now. He heaved Felix over his shoulder and across the room with enough force to rock the hut. Atticus took up a defensive position in front of her with his hands fisted, and his lips pulled back to reveal his lethal canines. His eyes blazed the color of glittering rubies as he focused on Felix.

***

Atticus felt the blood boiling within him as the vampire he'd tossed across the room hit the wall with a thud. Before the man could even begin to scramble back to his feet Atticus sped across the room, wrapped his hand around his throat and lifted him off of his feet. The man's fingers tore at the back of Atticus's hand but he barely paid him any attention as he squeezed down more forcefully. Blood spilled out between Atticus's fingers and slid down his arm when his fingers pierced through the man's flesh.

He was standing on the edge of a treacherous precipice; he knew that. He'd never killed anyone before but his mind was filled with the image of Genny lying on the floor with blood running down her cheek, bruises marring the left side of her face and her left arm twisted at an awkward angle. There were rules to follow amongst their kind but he didn't care, this man had laid his hands on her, this man had been going to
kill
her.

A bellow tore from him as his fingers dug into the man's throat before he wrenched his hand backward. The man's mouth dropped, hideous noises escaped him as he clawed at the place where his throat and windpipe had been. With ruthless intent, Atticus bent down and tore the piece of wood from the man's thigh. The man wobbled and would have fallen if Atticus hadn't thrust his elbow into his chest to keep him pinned against the wall. He remorselessly held the man's gaze; a smile curved his lips as he drove the wood through the man's heart.

Atticus released him abruptly and turned away even as the man's feet continued to kick against the floor. Genny's glazed eyes landed on him. Where alcohol, blood, and even murder had failed to ease any of the coiling pressure within him, the sight of her did it immediately. Even bruised and battered she was the most amazing thing he'd ever seen.

He rushed to her side and dropped onto his knees beside her. The scent of her blood on the air drove him. He bit into his wrist before pressing it against her mouth. Her mouth opened to the flow of his blood, he cradled her in his lap as he felt his blood seep in to strengthen her.

When his bite marks healed, he pulled his arm away to bite into his wrist again. "I've had enough," she whispered.

"Are you sure?" he asked and brushed the hair back from her swollen face.

She smiled up at him. "I dreamed of you," she muttered before passing out.

He pulled her closer against him, making sure to be careful with her badly damaged arm and battered body when he adjusted his hold on her. Merle and Camille appeared in the doorway when he was rising to his feet with her clasped tenderly against his chest. Merle's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared around the decimated room. Atticus barely paid any attention to the blood splattered room, the destroyed furniture, or the body lying by the door.

"Where can I put her?" he demanded of Camille.

She didn't seem to process his question immediately as she stood gaping at him. Finally she broke out of her shock and scurried over the debris. She thrust open a door to reveal the small room beyond. Though little illumination pierced the room, he could clearly see the straw pallet and two small trunks that took up all the space within. Something inside of his chest withered as he realized just what kind of conditions Genny had been living in. What kind of
vampire
she had been living with and yet she had still chosen to live here rather than wait in the shadows while he fulfilled his duties.

His gaze drifted down to her as she lay against his chest. She would have better from now on, he vowed. No matter what he had to do to make sure that happened.

"Please tell me she'll pull through this." Camille shifted nervously from foot to foot before him as her gaze darted to the open door of the room where Genny lay.

Atticus glanced back at Genny's still form. He hated leaving her alone in there, but he had to help take care of this mess before he could be with her. He'd know the minute she awoke though and he had no intention of stepping foot outside of this hovel again without her. Merle had managed to prop what was left of the door over the open frame, and was staring at the body on the floor.

"Who is this?" Merle inquired and nudged the limp leg with the toe of his boot.

Atticus focused on Camille; she bit into her bottom lip as her gaze drifted to the unmoving man on the floor. "Marie's lover, Felix"

"And Marie is?"

"Our mother."

Merle rose and wiped his palms on his tunic. "And where is your mother?"

Camille shrugged and glanced at Atticus. "I don't know."

"What caused him to attack her?" Merle demanded.

Camille's eyes narrowed, fire flashed through them as she fixed Merle with an unyielding stare. "He's a monster, that's the only reason he ever attacked her," she replied. "Or he
was
."

Atticus rested his hand on her arm, drawing her attention to him. "This wasn't the first time he's done this?" he inquired sharply.

Camille opened her mouth before closing it and shaking her head. She frowned at him before speaking again. "You should talk with Genny."

A sick feeling twisted in his stomach, his gaze drifted to the man he had just murdered. Talking with Genny would only confirm that tonight hadn't been an isolated incident, he was certain of that fact. He found himself wishing the man were still alive, he would have made his death a lot slower and more painful, he would have savored in watching the life leave Felix's eyes.

"When is your mother coming back?" he asked.

"We never know when Marie is coming back," Camille answered.

Atticus's teeth ground together, it would be a disaster if that woman returned now, but if he had anything to say about it, he
was
going to meet her. "We have to take care of the body, Merle."

He was an aristocrat, this man no more than a commoner but there were still laws that had to be obeyed, even for him. He had just broken into another man's home and murdered him. That wasn't something that would be approved of anywhere. It didn't matter that Felix had been abusing Genny, for many vampires that was an acceptable practice, especially if she was living under his roof. They might not kill him for what had just occurred, but they would lock him away for years. Worse yet, they may kill Genny if they thought her death would punish him even more. That would be a sentence far worse than death to him.

"I'll dispose of his body; make sure that no one finds him but what will you tell people who know you live with him?" Merle inquired of Camille.

"Felix left here tonight in a foul mood and never returned," Camille replied. "He's not well liked in the community. I doubt many will miss him or question his whereabouts for long, if at all. What will we do if his body is found?"

"It won't be found," Merle vowed.

"Even if it is, no one will believe you or Genny had anything to do with his death," Atticus assured her. "That either of you would be able to kill him. I would guess that he was at least a hundred years old."

"One hundred and ten," Camille confirmed. "What if someone saw you come in here?"

"
No
one saw me," Atticus said forcefully.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"How will you explain the ruined furniture to your mother?" Merle pressed.

Camille guiltily looked toward where her sister was sleeping before staring at the far wall. "If we clean up Felix's blood and body she won't question the missing furniture."

Atticus's hands fisted, he was unable to stop the rumble of displeasure that rolled through his chest. Oh yes, he definitely wished that the man was still alive so that he could kill him all over again. Merle leaned away from him and Camille took a hasty step back.

"That's what we will do then," Merle murmured. His eyes fell on the coin scattered around the room. "Why is all of this money on the floor?"

A distressed look crossed Camille's face, she glanced at Genny again and then at him with pleading eyes. "Please, can't some of this wait until Genny can speak with you?"

Atticus squeezed her arm reassuringly. "Yes. We'll need your help with this."

"Gladly. What do you need me to do?"

"I'll take care of the body," Merle said. "If you can clean up the blood."

"I can do that," Camille promised.

Atticus walked over to help Merle with the body but his cousin waved him away. "I have it." Merle glanced over at Camille before lowering his voice. "Can we trust her to keep this secret?"

"Yes. She won't do anything that might endanger her sister. She also came to get me; she's an accomplice in all of this."

"You better make sure she knows that. There are many that would do anything for money or to elevate their own position in this world." He gestured around the small hut. "Who would do anything to get out of a place like this."

"They will
not
be here for much longer," Atticus vowed.

Merle's eyebrows lifted but he kept his mouth closed as he turned away and grabbed hold of Felix's arms. "It could only raise more questions if you relocate the woman that lived with the man that recently disappeared."

"They will whisper rumors no matter what, but if there is no proof that I killed him, or of his death, they will remain only whispers and
no
one will accuse a noble without proof."

"True," Merle agreed. He knelt down and easily tossed Felix's body over his shoulder. "I'll be back as soon as possible."

Atticus nodded to him and moved the ruined door out of the way so that his cousin could exit. He watched Merle swiftly disappear into the woods with the body. He didn't know what he would have done without his cousin here to help him tonight, but then Merle had always been the one he could count on. He glanced at the huts closest to them but they remained dark and quiet. They were far enough away that even if someone had been home, they probably wouldn't have heard much of what had occurred anyway.

He placed the door back the best that he could. Bending down he began to pick up the ruined pieces of the chair as Camille brought out a couple of tattered blankets that were full of moth holes. She began to sop at the puddle of blood that was already soaking into the hard packed dirt.

"Your mother will smell the blood," he commented.

Camille's eyes were remorseless when she lifted her head to meet his. "Marie is a selfish woman, if she smells the blood she won't go out of her way to do anything about it. What could she possibly do anyway? You're right; no one will believe Genny was capable of killing Felix, or even that the two of us together were. Marie will move onto her next lover without a second's hesitation. No matter what your friend may think, I will
never
reveal what happened here tonight. Genny is all I have; she's all I've
ever
had. I'll never do anything to hurt her, anyone she cares about, or anyone that has helped to keep her in my life. He
was
going to kill her, have no doubt about that. This secret will die with me."

A shudder ran through him at the certainty of her words. If he'd been even a minute later Genny wouldn't be alive in the other room right now. His gaze settled on Camille again. They'd formed a truce that day in the market but he realized now they also had a common bond, and a common love. "I trust you and Merle is my cousin."

She smiled at him before focusing on her task again. Atticus gathered the rest of the ruined furniture and dumped it into a pile by the door. "There's a barrel outside the door," Camille told him.

Moving the ruined door aside again, he stepped outside and grabbed hold of the rickety barrel sitting there. With one hand he lifted it from the ground and brought it inside. He dumped the debris into it and then Camille gathered the blankets and dropped them on top of the furniture. He would have Merle take it into the woods and dispose of it when he returned.

"I'll gather some water from the river to wash away the rest," Camille said.

"Wait until Merle returns and send him to get it. Have him take the barrel too."

She laughed and shook her head. "Genny and I have been on our own most of our lives, I can take care of myself."

She was much more like her sister than he had originally thought, stubborn and defiant with a streak that leaned toward rebellion. Neither of them seemed to have any inclination to acknowledge his rank either. "Just do as I say, especially tonight. If your mother were to come back and find only me here…"

She held up a hand to forestall his next words. "I understand, I will stay but please stop calling her my mother. Her name is Marie and you'd do better to remember that around Genny also."

"Thank you for the advice."

"Hopefully you won't need it and she'll stop being so stubborn after tonight," Camille muttered.

He glanced at Camille questioningly but he suspected she would again tell him to speak with Genny first anyway. Without another word, he slipped back into the room with Genny, closed the door, and settled onto the uncomfortable pallet beside her. He stopped feeling the hard ground beneath him or the straw poking into his hips as he focused on her again. Mindful of her injuries, he gathered her in his arms and held her against him. For the first time in weeks, solace crept through him as her warm body pressed against his.

***

Genny stared at the far wall as she tried to assimilate everything that had happened yesterday with the arms that were wrapped securely around her. Arms that she knew were his even if she couldn't see him. The corded muscle of his biceps and forearms rippled against her as he held her against his broad chest. She wanted to meld against him and never face the world again but that was never going to happen.

She didn't know how to feel about what had transpired yesterday. She was so unbelievably relieved to be touching him again, to be back in his arms, but he had
seen
. Shame slid through her, she turned her face into the pallet as heat burned her cheeks. Though she felt consumed by shame, she was also filled with a sense of profound relief. It was over, Felix was dead and she was still alive. She hadn't thought that was going to be the case last night, she'd been certain she would never see the light of day again.

Atticus had killed a man, for
her
. "Will you be punished?" she inquired.

He brushed the hair tenderly back from her face. "Merle and Camille helped to take care of everything. No one will be able to prove he's dead."

"Is Camille safe?"

"She is," he assured her as his lips pressed briefly against her temple. "Why didn't you tell me what was going on here?"

"It's not something that was easy to share," she managed to get out around the lump in her throat. "I was ashamed of what was happening."

"You had nothing to be ashamed of. Those bruises I saw on you in the forest were from him."

It wasn't a question but she answered him anyway, "Yes."

A low hiss escaped him but his touch was still gentle upon her. "You should have told me Genny."

"I was going to," she whispered. "That last day, but…"

Her voice trailed off, she closed her eyes against the upsetting reminder of the last time she had seen him. "I told you about Anna."

So that was the name of the woman that would have his children and share his life, for some reason hearing her name made it all the more real and caused sorrow to lance through her heart. "Yes," she confirmed.

His hand stilled on her cheek, his body stiffened against hers. "I would have helped you."

"I know you would have but you had your own problems to deal with. It would have been unfair of me to put even more on you when it was better that we part."

He rested his hand on her arm and carefully rolled her over. The sight of those clover eyes above her caused tears to bloom as love swelled within her chest. She had missed him so much. She rested her hand on his cheek and felt the roughness of the bristles lining his face but she still couldn't believe he was actually real.

"You're here," she breathed.

A smile spread across his full lips, his eyes sparkled as he took hold of her hand and kissed her palm. "I'm here and I intend to stay here, if you'll let me."

"Atticus…"

"I understand why you had to leave before but I
am
going to keep you safe and I can give you a better life than this."

"I've always taken care of myself and Camille."

"But you don't have to do that anymore. It might be difficult but we will find a way to make this work. I'll talk to my father; tell him that I can't marry Anna. We can figure this out but I can't go on without you in my life. These last few weeks…" His voice trailed off as he shook his head and kissed her hand again. "I love you Genny."