Unedited.
Chapter Six
I sent Luke down to my office while Gregori and I went to Lena's. I had no clue what she wanted now but by the look on her face when we got there, it wasn't good.
"Close the door," she demanded.
There were two ways into Lena's office. The official way which involved getting through her assistant and the informal way which only Gregori and I had access to.
Gregori closed the door while I decided not to sit down. I'd had enough sitting for the time being and a few things were still a little sore from the exam so I propped myself against the wall.
"What's going on, Boss?" I asked.
"You have a problem," she said and stood up.
"I currently have a lot of problems so you're going to have to be a bit more specific."
She walked over to the door that led out to her secretary's office and opened it. She ducked out for a second then stood off to the side just in time for Ashely, said assistant, to walk in with the largest bouquet of carnations I'd ever seen.
White carnations.
My eyes narrowed as Ashley placed them down on the desk and then left the office without saying a word. I knew what this was about and I didn't like it.
I pushed off the wall and approached the flowers like they would come alive and bite me. I only got white carnations from one person for a very specific reason.
"When did they come in?" I asked.
"They were delivered to your office early this morning, before you got back," Lena said, closing the door after having a quick word with Ashley. "Security intercepted them and opened the card as per protocol."
The card sat piked into the center of the arrangement with "Ana" written in black pen on the front. At least I knew he wrote his own cards. I plucked the card out of the plastic thongs and opened it.
"We don't know who they're from," Lena continued, "but I have a suspicion."
The card read We need to talk in painfully familiar handwriting. A sketch of me screaming in the snow sat on the top half and I wanted nothing more than to crumple it up and forget about it. But the picture told me what he wanted to discuss and that couldn't be avoided.
Lena picked up a packet of papers off her desk and handed them to Gregori.
"Aidan Hanover filed a grievance against you this morning," she said to him. "He claims you are the murderer and kidnapped Vertigo in an attempt to brainwash her. Only after she submitted and promised to lie for you, did you agree to bring her back."
"How colorful," I commented.
"I think the flowers are from him in an attempt to get you away from your perceived kidnapper," Lena told me.
When we were in school, the usual school booster sold carnations for Valentine's Day. I'd sent him a white carnation once to declare my passion and devotion but he didn't figure out it was from me until I told him years later. So while we were dating, white carnations became our thing.
Still keeping tabs on Hanover?I sent down the bond.
Jon's checking in on the situation now.
Which meant yes on so many different levels.
Do you know Hanover's current location?
When he didn't respond right away, I knew he needed to get the information from his outside source.
"What does he want?" Gregori asked.
"Proof it wasn't you who murdered those people and that Vertigo is—fine."
"Well, I'm not fine and he knows that." I tossed the card on the table next to the flowers and thought. Everything Aidan did had a purpose. The obvious one for this was my attention. I needed to decide, and fast, if I wanted to give it to him. "You can send him my med report as proof. I'm sure he'll find it a fascinating read."
"We also have the security footage of Phillies being in the building during the time of the murders."
Problem was Aidan knew about Aleksei. He didn't know who did what and wanted to know. So in a way, this wasn't so much about the case but about—
"He wants attention," I said. "And I'm not inclined to give him any more of mine." I turned and faced Lena. "Feel free to give him yours though but my suggestion? Send the redacted file along with my med report and the security tapes and be done with it."
He's at the Brownstone, finalizing the move Michael responded.
And where is Jon?
Where do you think?
Sitting outside the Brownstone like a good little dangerous Vampire. That made me smile on the inside.
Tell him to introduce himself and I'll be there soon.
A very loud growl echoed through my head at the same time Lena said, "Why does he want attention?"
She was my superior and I owed her an answer. But how was I supposed to summarize all the toxic back-and-forth history I had with Hanover without revealing too much. Not to mention the fact he'd just killed me. That was a tidbit I never wanted to share with her.
"He thinks it'll get him what he wants."
"Georgiana, this needs to be dealt with. Now."
"Then deal with it," I said. "Unless you want me to."
"You most certainly will not deal with it," Gregori said.
He'd stayed quiet up to this point and I commended him on that. But now, he was overstepping just a bit. I gave him a sour look before turning my attention back to Lena.
"I know what this is about, Lena, you don't. So take my advice or let me deal with it my way."
"We all know he's not going to be placated by words on paper," she said. "He wants a face-to-face conversation with you because the attention he wants is yours."
Lena wasn't stupid, but in a way, she helped create this mess. Part of me wondered if she realized that yet.
"Was that not obvious when you first read my file?" Her eyes popped wide and before she answered, I continued to speak unfiltered. "I've never actually read my file but I know Aidan Hanover's name popped up in there more than once and the results were never good. Pretty sure the shrink I saw back in Nebraska suggested all contact with Hanover should be prohibited and supervised. Do you want me to continue pointing out the totality of the fuckup taking Hanover's case was or have you figured it out yet for yourself?"
"Vertigo—"
"No, Lena, and I'm trying to be as respectful as I can about this but—" I shrugged "—I don't know what else you want from me. You opened this can of worms by taking his case and assigning it to me. You either figure out how to close it on your own or let me deal with it my way."
Lena stood there, fuming and thinking about it. "Fine. Just make sure whatever you do doesn't land at the Guild's feet. I can only protect you so much before people begin to cry favorites."
And I felt completely off my leash.
I almost smiled on the outside. In my head, I grinned like a feral cat who caught a mouse. Maybe a little bit of my crazy had finally slipped out of the box. "It won't. Trust me."
"Geo."
I didn't even look at him as I left the office. He hurried after me and pulled me to a stop out in the hallway.
"You are not going over there."
"Who says I am?"
"The look in your eyes says you are."
"You know, the great thing about being Second in Command is I only have one person to answer to and it's not you."
"Geo—"
"What?" I snapped.
"You cannot go over there by yourself."
I looked at him like he was crazy. "Who says I'm going by myself? And why can't I? I'm a grown-ass woman and I can do what I want."
"You're pregnant."
"And the fucking sky is blue, so what?" I yanked away from him and he held up his hands. "You need to get it in your head that I get to dictate this, not you. Besides, the conversation between Hanover and I needs to happen."
"Not right now. Not today."
"Why not? He's already murdered me. What else can he fucking do?"
"I'm being serious," he hissed.
"So. Am. I."
I tried to move by him but he blocked me. "I get that you're pissed—"
"You have—no idea," I said. "None."
"Considering I held your bloody, lifeless body in my arms about twelve hours ago, I think I do."
"Don't do that," I said. "Don't belittle my experience by bringing in yours like it means more."
"I'm not. All I'm saying is today isn't the day to deal with Hanover because you will end up killing him."
And that would be a bad thing because? "Like I told Lena, I'll deal with this my way. It may not be up to your standards or expectations but when I'm done, he won't be a problem anymore."
"I just think you should wait. Today has been—leave the Hanover thing for another day. Don't make quick judgements out of anger—"
"Who are you to lecture me on making snap decisions based on emotion?"
"I'm the one sitting on the other side of a snap decision that I deeply regret. So, yes, I can lecture you because you do not want to be where I am right now. Go but don't kill him. It may feel great for a few seconds but then it'll sink in and you'll hate yourself for it. You know that."
"Well maybe I don't want to know that. Ever think of that? Or maybe I just don't care."
"You should care."
I considered where he was coming from. Part of me wanted to snap, let my anger off its leash and leave him, as well as everyone else in this hallway, devastated. Because that's what I felt on some level. Devastated by everything that happened today.
But I took the high road and a deep breath to get myself re-centered.
"Your objections are noted," I said. "And I need a copy of that security footage in the next five minutes. Leave it at the front desk."
I started walking away but I heard him say, "Be safe."
All I did was wave over my shoulder.
*
I actually had no idea how I wanted to handle this. Part of me wanted to wait, to send over the proof and see what he did next. However, the other part of me wanted to take a more—direct and proactive approach. I was tired of only acting after something happened and in my mind, the Aidan Hanover situation needed to be dealt with long before now.
I snagged a copy of my medical report from Brad and the prepared security footage from the front desk. I sent Luke a quick text letting him know I had to take care of something before I'd be down to my apartment. But just as I pressed send, I was stepping outside and found the dynamic duo approaching Sword & Arrow while Michael's hired car idled at the curb.
Jesus Christ, you're worse than Gregori.
"I take offense to that," Michael said out loud.
"You shouldn't," I dodged around a few people before making it to them. "What are you doing here?" I looked at Luke. "And why are you out here?" Then it occurred to me. "Did my brother finally leave?"
The car door opened and Sebastis got out. If there'd ever been someone who looked out of place in this city, it was my brother.
"What the fuck?" I waved at him.
Why is he here? I asked.
He has something to say Michael waved my brother forward.
That he's leaving?
Sebastis took a couple steps forward but put his hands in his pockets, telling me he wasn't ready to be here and have this conversation. We stood there awkwardly for a few more seconds before I rolled my eyes and said, "I don't have time for this."
"Make time," Luke implored.
"I'm a two-time zombie whose body is eating her alive with a biological parasite in her womb. I have a very limited amount of time and standing here, letting him feel out of place and awkward isn't on my to-do list." I turned to Michael. "Will your guy drive me or do I need to hail a cab?"
Now who's being unreasonable? Michael shot down the bond. "Car will take you and wait. I've called another to take me home."
"Fantastic," I said and then added, "Thank you." I walked over to where my brother still stood awkwardly by the car and shooed him, "Move."
He stared me down like my father used to do but for the past six years, I'd dealt with Gregori, Lena, and Guild members who thought I was nothing more than a speck of dirt on their fighting gear. The Vertigo stare-down had no effect anymore.
"Move or I'll move you," I warned. "I have your daughter's godfather to potentially smack around and I'd hate to bruise my knuckles before I get there.
He sighed and came at me as if to hug me but I ducked away, shot him a nasty look, and got in the car.
Good girl Michael snickered as he and Luke came over.
"You going?" Michael asked Luke.
He took one look at me and shook his head. "Nah. Jon can supervise."
I snorted. "Jon's the one who needs supervision."
"True," Luke drawled. "But this is something you need to handle without an audience and I respect that."
Luke got it. Luke sawme.
"I'll go," my brother said.
"You'll go home," I corrected. "You have a family to get back to, more time that shouldn't be missed in case something important happens."
"I deserved that," he said while ducking into the car.
Oh, he deserved so much more. I didn't say anything to him as he settled into the seat across from me. Michael held the door open and gave me that look. You ok with this?
He'd be more than happy to haul my brother out of this car by the lapels.
It's fine. Maybe he'll finally go home after this.
"Ok," he said out loud.
He ducked in, kissed me on the side of the head, then was gone, shutting me inside with my brother.
We got underway but I didn't look at him, didn't even acknowledge him.
"Look," he finally said. "I'm sorry."
"No, you're not. You want to be but you're not. Great thing about my job is I learned to hear people's bullshit, know when it's the truth or just smoke because of how pissed off they are. Every word that came out of your mouth earlier was true, darling baby brother. You truly believe I've let you down by not being there for your big moments. And I did, I didn't show up. Not for your graduation or your wedding, not for the baby shower or after Sophia was born. I know it hurt, I know it disappointed you, but I didn't do it to hurt you nor did I do it in hopes to disappoint you. Out of everyone, you were the one person I never wanted to hurt or disappoint. Perhaps in my attempts not to make you a casualty, it happened anyway. And for that, I am deeply sorry. But you played a hand in it as well. You showed as much effort as I did."
He sat there for a few minutes before nodding.
"I'm sorry I was insensitive."
"No, you're not."
He sighed and looked out the window. "You don't get it. You weren't here. Sword & Arrow went nuts when they opened the door and both of you were gone. The whole place went into lockdown, they sequestered us in our rooms upstairs and wouldn't tell us anything. They interrogated us like we had something to do with it. Aidan got—grilled, locked up, accused.
"And then Michael swooped in around the same time they found security footage of Phillies driving out of the City with no sign of you—no one knew where you were and none of them believed Phillies had anything to do with it."
Everything the Guild did was protocol. It didn't surprise me that S&A acted the way they did. Sebastis not being listened to on top of not being told anything and worrying—he held a position of authority at the school so being treated like he didn't matter wasn't something he was used to anymore.
"You had a shitty couple of days," I said.
He glared at me. "That's putting it mildly. They only believed Aidan had nothing to do with it when someone took a shot at him."
Ironic, considering.
I thought about that though. He was still defending Aidan, kept saying 'we' and 'us' like it should mean something.
"Michael really didn't tell you anything today, did he?"
He glared. "No. He scolded me like I was seventeen again and before you got back, once he figured out I was team Aidan—"
The laugh I let out was completely devoid of humor. "Team Aidan. God, are you going to break out the hashtags next?"
"That's not fair."
"Hmm," was the only sound I made.
Why didn't you tell him anything? I asked Michael.
Not my story to tell, I told you. You're an adult, Georgiana. You can either choose to explain yourself or let him keep blindly trumpeting for Hanover. And if you don't tell him, maybe he'll piece it together by the time he leaves.
But you told him I'm pregnant.
Jon did that. Sebastis said something particularly nasty Jon took offense to.
So he decided to blurt it out?
You know how Jon is.
"You're talking to him, aren't you? Confirming my story?"
I raised my eyebrow. "Finding out who told you what."
"Meaning?"
"You tell me, Sebastis. You've been on your high horse since you got here and have yet to get off it. You have a slanted view of my life and motives and act like you know everything. So you tell me, what's my meaning?"
"I don't like this version of you."
"Which version is that?"
"This one. Angry, defensive, blind."
I laughed on the inside and gave him a pitying look on the outside. "I'm blind? Surely, you're not this naïve. The brother I knew always saw the bigger picture, gave infinite amount of support, and actually cared what I thought and what was going on. Glad to know time and replacing me with Aidan Hanover managed to completely alter your personality and view of the world and me."
"I didn't replace you with him—"
"He was a groomsman at your wedding, he's Sophia's godfather, pretty sure you talk to him on a weekly basis and have get-togethers for certain holidays. You replaced me even if you didn't realize it."
The car pulled off to the side and came to a stop. The divider rolled down and the driver said, "We're here, miss."
"Thank you," I responded.
I grabbed the file from the seat next to me and got out before my brother could say anything else. I didn't bother asking if he wanted to wait in the car. He'd come in with me and probably defend Aidan some more.
This would be fun.
*
For the most part, I didn't know what I would find inside but I had an inkling, a nagging suspicion that Jon wouldn't be able to resist the temptation. So when I entered the brownstone, I wasn't surprised by the sight before me.
Jon stood with Aidan laid out on the marble floor under his foot, bleeding.
Jon looked bored while Aidan—he was pissed off.
Jon twitched his foot, allowing Aidan to look over. Jon had definitely done a number to his face with a bruise flowering at the corner of his mouth, bottom lip split open, three deep scratches on his forehead. It actually looked like Jon had banged Aidan's head on the floor a couple of times.
Aidan's demeanor changed as he began thrashing under Jon's foot, trying to get away, but it didn't work. I don't know how Jon kept him there but that wasn't the important part.
"Ana," Aidan gritted out. "Run."
My brother made a move to go past me but I shot him a look.
He stopped dead.
"Stay here," I muttered.
"Are you—"
"I said stay here."
So he stayed and I started walking over, trying my damnedest to control my anger and keep an even head. But it raged inside, battered against my better judgement. I shucked my coat halfway, dropped it carelessly on the floor, while keeping the file in my hand.
By the time I reached them, something had snapped inside me and the crazy came pouring out.
I plopped down on the floor a few inches away, my legs folded under me like I was a child. Aidan's eyes swiveled over to meet mine, imploring. But because of the way Jon had his foot positioned, he couldn't talk or move his head.
"I'm having a conundrum. A—crisis of conscious if you will." I took my gun out of its holster and placed it on the floor on top of the file. "I think you know what my conundrum is, don't you?"
He looked from me to the gun then back, a slight nod to answer but not too much. I wanted his attention completely captured and thankfully, Jon gave that to me.
"You're my niece's godfather, one of my brother's oldest friends. They love you and you love them. You've become—family." I folded my hands under my chin and rested my head on top. "To take you away from them would be—" I let out a breath "—heartbreaking and cruel. And I'm sympathetic because I'm darkly intimate with the unique heartbreak that comes with losing you. I know what it's like to want and wish and pray for you to magically reappear but never have it happen."
A tear slipped out, down his nose, and dripped onto the floor.
"I wished so hard I would hallucinate you. You'd appear in those paint-splattered jeans and charcoal-stained fingertips and you'd talk the way you used to. But then I'd blink and you'd be gone and I'd be alone all over again. I'd cry and beg and swear to whoever listened that I'd do anything, anything just to have you back but you never came."
"Ana—"
I covered his mouth and shook my head. "It's not your turn to talk yet." I slid down until I was lying on the floor next to him, eye level. "Right now, you just listen because this is important for me to say and you to hear, ok?"
He nodded, looking just as sad as I felt. Because, yes, there was sadness mixed in with the anger I felt. How could there not be?
"I've had some time to think about you and me since this whole thing happened. I had a bit of an epiphany and its sad really that I didn't think of it before. I called you around six years ago, late at night, do you remember? It was the summer after we graduated and I told you—you were going to kill me. And you said, no, that's not possible, I could never kill you or something to that effect. And yet—" my eyes moved from one of his to the other since I was so close I couldn't see both at the same time "—here we are and I can't help but think how sad that is because this is not where we were supposed to end up."
Because we had plans, big ones, back in the day. None of them came true. Not even in the slightest.
"What did you think would happen when you went into those woods, hm? That you'd save me? You'd just—point your gun and shoot no matter what, hit the bad guy, and I'd be so eternally grateful that we'd come back to New York and be together until I died in March. Was that your plan? Because I know what your intentions were but I also know you had to weigh the risk that maybe, just maybe, I was there because I wanted to be and that wasn't acceptable to you."
"Georgiana—" my brother started but stopped for whatever reason.
"He doesn't know," I whispered. "I didn't tell him and I don't think he's pieced it together yet. And I'm not sure I want him to because you're so ingrained in his life, I think it would break his heart to know the truth. I don't want to break his heart, so—"
I sat up and stared down at him. We stared at each other and I tried to see the good, have it outweigh the bad but—
All I saw was blood and snow and his horrified expression when he realized what he did.
"Bast, this is the point where you go wait in the car," I said and then looked over my shoulder at him. "Or you stay and find out how I died. Your choice."
My brother stood there for a few seconds, trying to decide. I could see him trying to figure out if knowing was more important than keeping the status quo.
I wasn't surprised when he turned and walked out the door. It hurt. This enormous pressure in my chest made my heart feel like—
I shut it down, added it to the pile of things I needed to deal with later. But before I could stop it, a tear slipped down my face.
"Ana—"
I wiped it off and tried to get out of my own head. But instead I found myself a bit ensnared in an emotional web.
"I need you to say it," I said and looked at Aidan. "Jon's going to let you go and you're going to say it."
Jon moved his foot and stepped away but Aidan didn't move. He just kept lying on the floor and staring at me with tears in his eyes.
"Get up and say it," I instructed.
He shook his head.
"Why not?" I whispered.
"Because."
I shook my head and felt so angry, tears flooded my eyes. "Over the last twenty-four hours, I've had the chance to take a good, hard look at the life I've been living. Do you know what I realized? I haven't been living at all because I was too stuck in the past to realize how sad it made me. I was too stuck waiting for you to show up."
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm sorry I didn't—"
"I was stuck in a toxic cycle, thinking if I just clung to the idea of you that I would be rewarded for sticking it out when you finally let it click in your head. But when it did, you didn't show up and instead let it fester and rot until you shot at that girl—"
"No!" He finally sat up, determination hardening his eyes. "That's not what happened—"
"She looked like me, didn't she? And then you found her in bed with another man and you just snapped—"
"No—"
"Then why—why when you can move faster than I can and have fucking fangs did you choose to use a gun both times?"
He didn't have an answer, but he sat there fuming while the answer sat on the tip of my tongue. He still thought like he was a human, still tried to appear human. He used a large amount of control to suppress the fact he was a Vampire.
"Ana, I—"
"Say it," I hissed. "Admit it."
He shook his head. "No."
"Why not?"
"Because then I'll have to admit what it means and I refuse to do that."
"You can't hide from the truth. I won't let you."
"I'm sorry, Ana, and I'll do whatever—"
"There is nothing you can do to make this better!" I yelled at him. "Nothing you could ever do or say can erase what you did. And nothing can make me forgive you."
"Don't say that," Aidan pled. "Ana—"
I picked up the gun and held it to his forehead. He didn't flinch, didn't look surprised. He actually looked relieved.
"I need you to say it now. Out loud for both of us to hear."
He shook his head slowly, just once. "No."
"It'll still be true even if you don't. Say it or I will."
"Ana—"
"I'll give you five seconds."
He shut his mouth, pressed his lips closed so hard they turned into a harsh slash on his face.
"Five."
He shook his head.
"Four."
He stared at me, unblinking.
"Three."
He sat up straighter.
"Two. Time to grow up, Hanover."
He wasn't going to do it. He seriously thought I'd let this go.
"One," I whispered. "Say it. Or I will."
"I won't," he said.
"Because you're a stubborn bastard or because that'll make it real?"
"Real."
"You murdered me," I whispered.
"It was an accident," he whispered back.
"You brought a gun up that mountain."
"Stop—"
"You pointed it through the trees—"
"Ana—"
"—you pulled the trigger—"
"Stop!"
"—twice—"
"That's enough—"
"—and you shot me."
He let out a breath and I dropped the gun. He was angry but I don't think that anger was towards me. Traitor tears dripped down his face and I felt like those tears were distasteful. I couldn't feel sorry for him or even sorrow. All I felt was anger and betrayal.
"You did this," I said. "You murdered me."
"I know."
"And you have to live with it."
"But you're alive."
"Not for much longer."
"Long enough."
"For you to kill me again?"
"No," he whispered. "Ana—"
"No," I hissed. "You don't get to talk, scheme, or manipulate your way out of this one." I stood up, gun at my side. "You get to livewith this one and it's going to burn from the inside out for a nice, long time."
"Ana."
I pointed at the file with my gun. "As if this wasn't enough, your proof. Phillies didn't do it, I'm still me, and you—you get to deal with all this. Alone."
He didn't look at the file, didn't look anywhere else but at me. There was love and sadness and desperation in his eyes. I knew, right then that he wouldn't deal with it. He still believed there was something he could do to fix it.
I put my gun back in the holster. We stared at each other for a long time and for a second, I wondered if he would paint this moment. What it would look like.
I turned on my heel and headed for my jacket. "Drop it with the Guild." I picked it up and put it back on. I turned around and pulled my hair out from under the collar. This was breaking him down and I didn't care.
I was done.
I dug my hand in the pocket and pulled out the one thing I'd kept willingly besides the painting to remind me. I walked back over, crouched down to pick up his hand, and dropped the flying hawk necklace into his palm.
I closed his fingers over it and let go.
When I walked out the door, I found Sebastis standing out on the porch. I didn't know if he overheard any of it but what he thought didn't matter anymore. Our relationship was broken and by the look on his face, I knew neither of us were in a rush to repair it.
But like I did with Aidan, I had to let go. I reached out and took his hand out of his pocket and dropped Sophie's necklace into his palm.
"If you don't like me, that's fine, but I'm done feeling bad for protecting you. I'm done being your vacation and then having you punish me for it. I'm your sister and I love you unconditionally. I just wish you'd extended the same courtesy to me." I closed his fingers over it and for a second held onto his hand. This one hurt but—it was his choice, not mine.
And he'd made it.
Even if he didn't know what it meant.
"Good bye, Sebastis Vertigo. I'll miss you."
Jon remained behind me the whole time, hands clasped behind his back. But this time he stepped up next to me, surveying my brother with hard eyes.
"Remember what I said," was all he said.
And here I thought he'd have a speech prepared.
He managed to keep his mouth shut until we were settled in the car.
"This isn't over."
"Of course it's not. That was just a warning, a line in the sand."
And if Aidan crossed it, I wouldn't be responsible for what happened to him.
A grin split his face. "Oh you cruel, beautiful thing."
~*~
Music Selection: Terrible Thing by AG & Brad Gordon