Read Online From the Ashes (Witches of The Demon Isle Book 8) by Rachel Humphrey-D'aigle - Free Book Online
Authors: Rachel Humphrey-D'aigle
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doing.
“Playin’ devil’s advocate,” challenged Mack. “If William was on an uncontrollable rampage and had gone wild with bloodlust…”
Melinda put out a silent plea. William. If you can hear me. Please come home. Please don’t let this be you. God, I wish you could hear me.
“When was the last time you saw William?” questioned Mack.
“After we came out of the woods at White Pines,” answered Charlie. “We took Melinda and Emily to the hospital and William said he was going home, and would come as soon as he could.”
“But he never showed?”
“No,” confirmed Melinda. “He didn’t. But Mack, this isn’t him. He might have gone wild but it was to save us, and kill Eva Jordan. He was fine when… when he left White Pines to go home.”
“But later? A day or two after when the blood cravings kicked in?” It was Charlie who said it, and Melinda had no argument. “I don’t think it’s William either, Sis. But we do have to consider the possibility.”
“God dang it this sucks.” Mack replaced the sheet over the bloodied body. “If it is William, he’s killed two people. You know I can’t allow that to continue. As to what that means, and what else happens…” she tossed her hands into the air in a hopeless gesture.
“And if it’s not William, it means there’s another vampire on the loose,” said Charlie. “Making himself, or herself, far too comfortable on the Isle. And no one is safe, either way.”
“We haven’t had any vampire deaths on this island since before William came here. You guys know I’ll do my best to cover it up, but if the press gets hold of it…” she eyed them both, but they already knew how bad it would be if that happened. “We don’t need tourists comin’ here thinkin’ vampires are real.”
“And then finding out they really are.” Charlie could only imagine that nightmare come to life.
“And find out they are not like William, or the sparkly kind who don’t drink human blood and get written about in novels,” added Melinda. “Good thing that new D.E.S.I. Reporter, Courtney Jessup, has been laying low.”
“We can’t count on that to last though,” noted Charlie. “And there’s more reporters out there just waiting for a scoop like this.”
“Actually, that gung-ho reporter chick up and quit a few days ago,” informed Mack. “You guys have been busy so you missed the news.”
“She quit?” reeled Charlie. “Huh…”
“Isn’t that a good thing?” asked Melinda.
“I guess. Timing seems kind of strange. She was so eager and had that blog, and was on the air like it was her life mission to out the truth or something.”
“Guess island life just wasn’t for her,” jeered Mack.
“More like she couldn’t keep wearing her favorite shoes,” said Melinda, recalling the woman’s ridiculously spiked heels wobbling across the cobblestones that lined downtown.
Charlie got a laugh out of that. “Probably best for all around if she leaves because she was getting a little too close to the Feyk. Who knows what else she would have uncovered given more time.”
They all agreed.
Melinda took a last glance at the bloodied sheet and let out an empty sigh.
Charlie understood exactly what she meant without her saying a word.
So did Mack. She eyed each of them, no less worried now than a week ago when they were battling the Feyk.
“I sure am sorry to put this vampire bularkey on you guys. William responsible or not, you deserve a nice, long break.”
“Deserving or not, the job goes on,” said Charlie. “You know us, Mack. We’ll get it done. Somehow.”
She got quiet. Her tone hushed when she spoke a tense few seconds later.
“Are you guys all okay? This last thing was… beyond brutal.”
“We’re still kicking,” vowed Charlie. Although it was a constant struggle to stay present and in the moment. Or willing to face the future, or heck, sometimes the upcoming hours or minutes.
Melinda added, “A little broken in
“Playin’ devil’s advocate,” challenged Mack. “If William was on an uncontrollable rampage and had gone wild with bloodlust…”
Melinda put out a silent plea. William. If you can hear me. Please come home. Please don’t let this be you. God, I wish you could hear me.
“When was the last time you saw William?” questioned Mack.
“After we came out of the woods at White Pines,” answered Charlie. “We took Melinda and Emily to the hospital and William said he was going home, and would come as soon as he could.”
“But he never showed?”
“No,” confirmed Melinda. “He didn’t. But Mack, this isn’t him. He might have gone wild but it was to save us, and kill Eva Jordan. He was fine when… when he left White Pines to go home.”
“But later? A day or two after when the blood cravings kicked in?” It was Charlie who said it, and Melinda had no argument. “I don’t think it’s William either, Sis. But we do have to consider the possibility.”
“God dang it this sucks.” Mack replaced the sheet over the bloodied body. “If it is William, he’s killed two people. You know I can’t allow that to continue. As to what that means, and what else happens…” she tossed her hands into the air in a hopeless gesture.
“And if it’s not William, it means there’s another vampire on the loose,” said Charlie. “Making himself, or herself, far too comfortable on the Isle. And no one is safe, either way.”
“We haven’t had any vampire deaths on this island since before William came here. You guys know I’ll do my best to cover it up, but if the press gets hold of it…” she eyed them both, but they already knew how bad it would be if that happened. “We don’t need tourists comin’ here thinkin’ vampires are real.”
“And then finding out they really are.” Charlie could only imagine that nightmare come to life.
“And find out they are not like William, or the sparkly kind who don’t drink human blood and get written about in novels,” added Melinda. “Good thing that new D.E.S.I. Reporter, Courtney Jessup, has been laying low.”
“We can’t count on that to last though,” noted Charlie. “And there’s more reporters out there just waiting for a scoop like this.”
“Actually, that gung-ho reporter chick up and quit a few days ago,” informed Mack. “You guys have been busy so you missed the news.”
“She quit?” reeled Charlie. “Huh…”
“Isn’t that a good thing?” asked Melinda.
“I guess. Timing seems kind of strange. She was so eager and had that blog, and was on the air like it was her life mission to out the truth or something.”
“Guess island life just wasn’t for her,” jeered Mack.
“More like she couldn’t keep wearing her favorite shoes,” said Melinda, recalling the woman’s ridiculously spiked heels wobbling across the cobblestones that lined downtown.
Charlie got a laugh out of that. “Probably best for all around if she leaves because she was getting a little too close to the Feyk. Who knows what else she would have uncovered given more time.”
They all agreed.
Melinda took a last glance at the bloodied sheet and let out an empty sigh.
Charlie understood exactly what she meant without her saying a word.
So did Mack. She eyed each of them, no less worried now than a week ago when they were battling the Feyk.
“I sure am sorry to put this vampire bularkey on you guys. William responsible or not, you deserve a nice, long break.”
“Deserving or not, the job goes on,” said Charlie. “You know us, Mack. We’ll get it done. Somehow.”
She got quiet. Her tone hushed when she spoke a tense few seconds later.
“Are you guys all okay? This last thing was… beyond brutal.”
“We’re still kicking,” vowed Charlie. Although it was a constant struggle to stay present and in the moment. Or willing to face the future, or heck, sometimes the upcoming hours or minutes.
Melinda added, “A little broken in
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