Dirty Little Secret

Chapter 31

Mac spent most of the night tossing and turning. The pain in her chest was almost unbearable, but she refused to be weak and ask for something for the pain. Just before dawn, she awoke from a terrible nightmare. In her dream, Jon was being burnt at the stake and there was nothing she could do to save him. The dream had seemed so real; she jumped out of bed at a dead run. Practically tearing the door off it's hinges, she ran into the sitting room, past Richie sleeping on the sofa to the main door of her suite, all still just wearing the t-shirt and panties she'd worn to bed.

Richie came awake with a jerk, just in time to see her throw open the door and run into the hall. Dragging on a t-shirt as he went, he ran after her. When he finally caught up to her, he grabbed her from behind, pulling her into a tight bear hug. She began to fight him, screaming for him to let her go, that she had to get to Jon.

He bent to say softly in her ear, "Mac, calm down. It's me Rich."

"Richie, help me," she pleaded. "They're killing him! I've got to get to him." She jerked away from him and took off running again, disappearing as she rounded a corner into another hallway.

Richie had no choice but to follow her. At the door guarded by two different vamps, Mac came to a skidding halt and demanded to see Jon. They refused.

Richie tried to placate everyone. "I think she had a nightmare that he was dying."

The two vampires eyed Mac from the top of her head all the way down to the tips of her bare toes. Richie frowned at them and pulled Mac behind him, hiding her from their hungry eyes. She immediately began to fight to get around him.

Jon's voice from the other side of the door halted her fight. "Mac! Calm down. I'm fine. You just had a bad dream." The people in the hallway heard a soft thud as Jon's head struck the door from the other side. Then his muffled voice was heard again. "Rich, please, just get her outta here. I'll see both of you at the trial in a couple of hours."

Richie tugged at Mac's arm, until he got her to walk back to her room. Through the door, Jon asked the guards, "Is she gone?"

"Yes," one of them answered.

Weakly, Jon slid down the door until he was sitting in the floor, leaning back against the portal. "Thank God," he whispered to himself. He had barely been able to restrain himself from tearing down the door to get to her. Had she stayed just a second more, he'd have lost the battle with himself.

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At 9am sharp, Mac and Richie were ushered into the Council's chambers. They were shown to seats right in front of Jon. He was seated with two vampire guards, one on either side of him.

When Mac took her seat, Jon leaned forward to lay one hand on her shoulder. "See, I'm fine."

Mac opened her mouth to answer, but didn't get the chance. The three members of the Council filed in to take their seats behind a large table on a raised dais at the front of the room. Mac watched as Caleb was led into the room and down to stand in front of the dais.

A vampire that was acting as a sort of bailiff announced to the room, "These precedings will be conducted in English for the benefit of the defendant. Court is now in session."

In a grave voice, Kristoff said from behind the table, "Caleb McAllen, you stand accused of kidnapping a vampire's life mate and placing her in harm's way. We will now hear the testimony against you."

Constantine said in a softer tone, "Ms. Mac Donaldson please stand."

Jon squeezed her shoulder reassuringly before she stood up as ordered.