Vampire Bride

Eternal Bride Chapter One, Part Two

Maxwell

While Charlie's at work, I find myself bored. A useless human emotion. I laugh at the thought. I can hear her now, 'like a lost little puppy.' The thought brings a smile to my face. And then an abrupt, way too loud ring that fills the room wipes it away. My phone lights up on the coffee table. I can see Grace's number on the screen.

I answer it after the sixth ring. "What's so important that it can't wait Grace?"

"What are you doing that's so important? I thought Charlie was going back to work today?"

"Nothing, she is at work, but I'm starting to despise your call, because you never seem to have anything good to say."

"That hurts, really...and it's true." She says thoughtfully, "because" she draws out the word and takes an extremely lengthy pause, "there's a change in plans."

"How big of a change?" Was this really necessary? What the hell is going over there? Silence. "Grace." I shout at her.

The words quickly tumble from her mouth and at first I thought I didn't catch them correctly, but I'm all too positive I did, "The trail is being moved up. You need to leave tomorrow."

"Why? The trail is less than a month away, per Benjamin's scheduling, so why the sudden urge to push it up."

"Duke. He's claiming that he has some prior engagement and won't be present for the trial. Benjamin insists that he needs to be present since all council members need to vote on the judgement, so it's being held before he leaves."

"He's scared." I mumble.

"Most likely. His bad judgement is finally coming back to bite him in the ass. He can assume that Daisy is a two timing bitch and will throw him under the bus to save herself. I mean Henry did groom her." Grace explains in agreement. "He runs Maxwell, the trail would be postponed and Daisy would..."

Silence. She doesn't doesn't want to say it and she doesn't need to. Without Duke the trial would be postponed or canceled and Daisy would slip away. Benjamin wouldn't exert all his power to keep her around and the other members would take the donor's word and let her go, because her word would be against me, someone they hate.

Grace changes the subject when she finally decides to speak. "Henry's dead, he got what he deserved, but Duke. Duke helped and he needs to get what's coming to him. With Charlie alive or not, without him it's all for nothing."

"We'll be there."

"One down. Two more to go. I'll see you soon." Grace says.

"Yeah. Tomorrow." I hang up lost in thought.

Aimlessly, I wander around the house lost in thought. Lost. I can't lose, Charlie can't lose. This only complicates the already complicated. Charlie wants to believe she's strong and competent, but she's not. There has to be a way to break it to her without bringing on the fury of vampire Charlie. I don't think she can handle biting herself again.

A distraction and a string of compliments might do the trick and maybe spurring a surprise trip on her will get her back to the Council's home without her even knowing. Is it the best path? No. But it's better than the fear and nervousness that will eat her alive in the time between now and sunset tomorrow.

In a manic frenzy, I prepare my plan as best I can. And I don't have to wait long before she comes through the door, "honey, I'm home," she says the second she enters.

The minute she enters the bedroom all thoughts of the trial, Grace, Duke and Daisy leave my mind and there's only her. My once tense body melts against her as I quickly close the gap between us.