Justine Ch. 08

Dressed in black from head to toe, Mikhail began to arm himself. He was fully prepared to kill Jeremiah to protect the human woman and her children as well as Justine and Quinn. It surprised him that Jeremiah would go through such lengths to become king and wondered if he knew how it would end. He suspected not, because if he did, Mikhail doubted that he would still be after Justine.

******

"What do you mean there's more to it than that?" Pam asked

"Exactly what I said." Violet replies, "You must be Pam."

"Who are you?" Pam asked.

"Pam, this is Mrs. Violet Rhodes, she owns this house and she is our currant queen."

Pam blushed and apologized.

"I'm sorry; I meant no disrespect and thank you for giving us a place to stay."

"You are very welcome and no offense was taken." Violet replied. "Have you spoken with Justine?"

"Briefly." Zoe replied. "She hung up on me but I think that something was happening."

"I've sent Mikhail after her." Violet said in a voice that dared anyone to argue with her.

"Isn't he the assassin?" Pam asked not knowing or caring about vampire etiquette.

"Yes he is but he has offered his services." Violet replied. "And I will hear no more of it!" she snapped stopping Pam from arguing with her. "There is something that Jeremiah must not be aware of, if he should succeed in taking Justine, he will be in for a very nasty surprise- remember the sayings beware of what you wish for? Or king for a day?"

"Can he kill her?" Pam asked.

"There is a way to kill all of us." Violet replied.

"I don't understand!" Pam explained, "she's your replacement but you're not really doing anything to bring her here and don't tell me that you didn't know where she was because if you did you'd be lying..."

"Silence!" Violet said.

"I know that you are concerned about Justine as we all are but that doesn't give you license to be rude." Violet said her eyes flashing in warning. "I am your queen whether you chose me or not and I expect the respect due me."

"Yes ma'am." Pam replied her face red from embarrassment.

"Good, now that we understand each other," Violet continued, "if Quinn dies..."

"I get it!" Pam snapped once again forgetting who she was talking to, "but what aren't you saying?"

Zoe and Violet looked at each other.

"I don't owe you any explanations!" Violet said angrily.

"The hell you don't!" Pam retorted, "Justine is like a sister to me so start talking!"

Before Pam knew what was happening, Violet had her hands around her neck.

"My Queen!" Zoe exclaimed.

Violet ignored her but slightly released the pressure around Pam's neck.

"Listen to me and listen well!" Violet hissed, "I am not one of your girlfriends that you can speak to me in such a manner. As long as I am queen, you will speak to me with nothing but respect. You will accept whatever information I give you and you will not ask for more! Do you understand?"

"Yes!" Pam squeaked out.

Violet dropped Pam to the floor and walked out.

"She's nuts!" Pam exclaimed.

Zoe didn't disagree; the Violet she knew wouldn't have done what she just did. She may have voiced her disapproval but she never would have raised her hand to a newborn. They had to find Justine and get her to the house quickly. If Violet had to remain queen until another queen came along...

Zoe looked at the clock; they had sixteen hours left in which to convince Justine that she needed to come to them.

********

Jeremiah stood in front of Amanda and glared down at her. He could smell her fear even though she fought to hide it.

"What were you doing to her?" Amanda asked as she held on tighter to the baby.

Jeremiah reveled in her fear. He had forgotten what it felt like to feel the naked fear of a human, that's what he had been doing with the girl. He has been bathing in her fear and this human thought that he was going to molest her.

"I am not a pervert!" he said as he stepped even closer and took a deep breath inhaling Amanda's fear laced scent. Had he been a much younger vampire, he wouldn't have been able to resist but he wasn't and there was no reason for him to allow himself to lose control.

He was about to step back when the baby suddenly wriggled in Amanda's arms and reached for him. Horrified, Jeremiah stepped back and looked at the baby whose arms were still stretched out toward him.

"Sit down and don't speak." Jeremiah commanded.

Amanda gasped as she moved to the sofa and sat next to Lana who was paralyzed with fear. She didn't want to sit down; she wanted to promise the sun, moon and the stars to this man if he would only let the girls go.

"I know what you're thinking about." Jeremiah said, "Don't waste your time, I only want two things and they aren't here yet."

Jeremiah wondered where they were. He had expected them to rush over without thinking which would have been to his advantage. He wondered if they had mated yet, it they did... He couldn't have he realized, he would have known it. Every vampire no matter where they were would have felt the changing of the queens. He still had a chance.

Another thought occurred to Jeremiah, if he killed Quinn, Justine would kill herself even if they hadn't mated. If she claimed him verbally and he accepted, that was almost as good as the mating and if that happened...

"Shit!" he swore as he realized that if Justine died, Violet would remain the reigning queen until a new queen came along. If that happened, he would be hunted down and before Violet. He shuddered at the things that she could and would do to him. She would keep him alive for as long as she remained in power and that could be for centuries.

"Leave!" he told himself. However, he wouldn't, in his mind he had nothing left to lose and everything to gain. Once again, he wondered where Quinn and Justine were. He didn't believe for one second that Quinn would allow his ex-wife and two children to suffer, "where are you?" he whispered.

*******

Mikhail found Jeremiah's car parked down the street from where Amanda Adams lived. The problem was going to be getting inside of the house. Jeremiah wouldn't be so stupid as to come out and he was sure that the woman wouldn't invite another strange man indoors even if Jeremiah let her answer the door. It was a mistake that she would never make again becoming almost manic about it.

Mikhail vanished to the front of Amanda's house and debated his next move. He didn't need to tell Jeremiah that he was there, he already knew. He took out his cell phone, dialed Jeremiah's number, and was surprised when he actually answered the phone.

"What do you want Mikhail?" he asked.

"Since when do we involve innocents in our affairs?" Mikhail asked.

"I had no choice!" Jeremiah replied.

"There is always a choice." Mikhail replied, "You have the choice of letting them go. You have the choice of placing yourself at the mercy of the queen...."

"She'll kill me and you know it!" Jeremiah interrupted.

"Maybe, but maybe not but if you continue with this you will die whether it's by my hand, the queen's of Justine's. I am prepared to make you a one time offer....."

"Fuck you Mikhail! Do you really think that I don't know what's happening here? You'll kill me and then Quinn O'Dell and take Justine for yourself."

"That isn't true." Mikhail replied, "I just want everyone to come out of this in one piece primarily the innocents, they have nothing to do with this. Once the queen here's of this....."

"Exactly.... So tell me Mikhail, what do I have to lose?" Jeremiah asked and hung up.

Mikhail relaxed slightly, the humans were safe for the moment but that could change at any time. He considered telling Jeremiah that even if he mated with the queen, his reign, as king would be short lived-if the story was to be believed. After thinking about it, he believed the story, so far, everything else in the story had happened so Jeremiah was right, he really had nothing to lose by continuing. He was going to die no matter what he did the question was who was going to be the one to do it?

********

"What did she mean when she said that's there's more to it than that?" Pam asked massaging her neck.

"I have no idea but Pam she could have killed you." Zoe replied worriedly.

"But she didn't." Pam replied.

"She's at a very fragile point right now, don't push her, as a matter of fact; keep your mouth shut whenever she's around." Zoe advised.

"What? I'm just supposed to sit here and not say anything? If you think that I'm going to do that you're just as nuts as she is!"

"Try calling Justine back." Zoe said ignoring Pam's outburst, "see if she'll tell you what her plan is."

*********

"Call whoever you need to call so that we can figure this thing out." Quinn said.

Justine found herself impressed by a few things, one, Quinn didn't just go running out of the door. The second thing was how calm he was and how logically he was thinking. She didn't think that she would be as calm if it was her own family...

"What in the hell am I supposed to tell them?" she muttered under her breath. In all of this, she hadn't taken the time to think about how her vampirism would affect them. They absolutely couldn't know but how would she explain the not aging thing? In addition, how could she live through watching her family die of old age and disease? Quinn she decided, he would help her through that. Which brought up another question... he was human so how did that work?

"Justine?" Quinn called worriedly.

"What?"

"I was asking if you're going to call whoever it is that can give us some answers."

"Yes, I'm going to call.... Quinn, I'm sorry that your ex and child are in the middle of this."

"It isn't your fault but I promise you this, the son of a bitch who has them is going to wish he had killed himself."

Justine blinked, she knew that Quinn was strong but there was a.... she searched for the word to describe what she was seeing. A warrior! There was a warrior buried deep inside of her King...

King? Why that word she wondered and if he was her king...

Her cell phone rang before she could complete the thought.

"Justine? It's me, Pam. We really need to talk..."

"Pam, I don't have time right now, I'll call you when I can."

"Justine! Wait!"

But she had already hung up.

*******

"What did she say?" Zoe asked anxiously.

"That she couldn't talk right now and that she was going to call when she could." Pam replied.

Violet stood outside of the door listening. She felt horrible at the way she had acted and being upset about the possibility of remaining queen was no excuse. She took a deep breath and walked into the room.

Both women looked at her but only Zoe spoke.

"Pam just spoke to Justine."

"And?"

"She didn't have time to talk but will all later. Frankly, I'm concerned."

"As am I." Violet replied softly as she turned to Pam. "Pam, I owe you an apology. I am sorry for the way that I acted toward you. Justine is your friend and you have every right to ask questions. I sometime forget how humans can be so impulsive and inquisitive and yes, I am aware that you aren't human but you do not know the ways of this world yet. I humbly ask your forgiveness for my behavior."

Pam was speechless. She was getting an apology? And from a queen to boot?

"It's alright and I do kind of let my mouth get ahead of me sometimes... apology accepted."

"I thank you for that, now where do you suppose Justine is?" Violet asked now back in full control of herself.

"The only place that I can think of is my apartment but it's probably being watched." Pam replied.

"Our Justine has gifts that would override any security system and get her past any sentries." Violet replied, "I think that you should go there... Zoe, go with her."

Violet watched as they left the room and began to resign herself to spending several more centuries in this world.

"I'm so sorry Edward." she murmured softly as a tear ran down her face. She began to wonder if the arrow that laid so close to his heart had disintegrated. If she had him by her side, she could stay and be relatively happy about it but she wanted this to be done. Time was racing by.

*******

"Do you know how to teleport?" Zoe asked Pam.

"I did it once and it took me awhile." Pam replied honestly.

"We'll have to drive then, how far is your apartment from here?" Pam asked as she grabbed her purse on the way out.

"Not sure... forty-five minutes maybe?"

"Then we'd better get moving, call Justine and see if she'll answer the phone." Zoe said as she unlocked the car doors of a deep purple Lamborghini Diablo.

"Pam's mouth fell open as she looked at the car.

"Damn girl!" she exclaimed enviously.

"It is a gift from the queen, now get in we have to go."

Pam got into the car and settled back into the plush black leather seats. "I have got to get one of these." she muttered as they took off with tires squealing.

*******

Justine's phone rang again and she answered it with an impatient hello.

"Pam? Yes I'm here, where are you? I'll wait."

"Who was that?" Quinn asked.

"My friend Pam, she and Zoe Carpenter are on their way here."

"Do you trust them?" he asked.

"I trust Pam with my life and if she trusts Zoe then that's good enough for me and besides, I knew Zoe from the law firm." Justine replied.

"People change." Quinn replied.

"I know that and she has changed but for the better." Justine replied, "I think that she can tell us what we need to know."

Quinn looked at the clock and decided to call Amanda's house, if Jeremiah answered, he would demand to speak with Amanda.

"What are you doing?" Justine asked when Quinn picked up the phone.

"I'm calling Amanda's house, I need to know that her and the girls are alright and besides, Jeremiah has got to be wondering why we aren't there yet. At least I would be if I was in his position." Quinn replied.

Justine gave it some thought, Quinn was right. Jeremiah had to be wondering and possibly become more dangerous to his hostages if he didn't hear from them. She nodded her agreement and sat back to wait while Quinn made the call.

*******

"Where in hell are you?" Jeremiah asked no one in particular. He was becoming antsy. Maybe he had overestimated the regard in which Quinn seemed to hold his ex wife and child. On the other hand, he thought, maybe they didn't believe that he would hurt an innocent. But he would, even if he didn't want to, he would hurt one of them... the daughter he decided.

"Come here." he compelled Lana.

He could see her struggle not to obey the command and he could see Amanda trying to hold her back.

"Come here now!" he said impatiently and watched as Lana made her way toward him. When she was standing in front of him, he looked down at her. "Why hasn't your daddy come yet?" he asked not really expecting an answer.

"I don't know." Lana replied softly. She was in fact, wondering the same thing."

"He must be afraid." Jeremiah said softly.

"No he isn't!" Lana screamed in defense of a father that she barely knew.

"So where is he?" Jeremiah asked again.

Amanda watched helplessly as Jeremiah psychologically tortured her child. She was now regretting telling Lana about Quinn but she had the right to know who it was that came to see them that night. She then realized that it would have changed nothing. This man would still be here threatening her and her daughters.

Tears ran down her face as she listened to Lana jump to Quinn's defense. She felt shame as she agreed with Jeremiah, Quinn hauled ass and left her and her children in danger. An anger that she hadn't felt in years rose in her that he would do this to them. She kicked herself for actually believing that he had changed, apparently he hadn't. A drug dealer was in their home looking for him and some woman.

The clanging of the telephone ringing made all of them jump. Amanda stole a peek at the clock; Adam would be taking lunch break about now and would be calling.

"Who calls this late at night?" Jeremiah asked, "Speak." he commanded.

"My... my husband, he always calls on his lunch break."

"Answer it and get off of the phone quickly."

Amanda practically ran to the phone snatching it from its cradle. She stole a look at Jeremiah and saw that he had a hand on Lana's shoulder. She tried to sound natural as she spoke with Adam.

"I'm fine, yes the girls are too, and we watched Cinderella again.... I agree, alright, have a good rest of your shift, we love you."

Satisfied that she hadn't give anything away, Jeremiah removed his hand from Lana's shoulder and gave her a shove.

"Get back over there and don't move." he commanded.

Amanda had barely sat down when the phone rang again startling her. She didn't think that it was Adam unless he forgot to tell her something.

"Answer it." Jeremiah said.

Amanda handed the baby over to Lana and went to the phone.

"Hello?"

*********

Quinn groaned in frustration when he called and got a busy signal. He hung up waited a few minutes and tried again relieved when he heard Amanda's voice on the line.

"Amanda....."

"What have you done?" Amanda cried into the phone, "One of your drug dealing friends....."

"Where in the hell are you?" Jeremiah asked after snatching the phone from Amanda, "I would have thought that you'd be here by now."

"Before I say any more to you, I want to talk to Lana and Amanda." Quinn replied. There wasn't a trace of nerves or fear in his voice as he made his demand.

"We talk first and then we'll see." Jeremiah replied.

Quinn took a deep breath and decided to take a risk. "Good bye ass hole." he said and hung up.

Justine watched and listened with pride. She understood how hard it must have been for him but like him, she knew that he couldn't show any fear whatsoever. It was their best chance of getting Amanda and the girls out of the house alive.

********

Jeremiah stared at the phone in disbelief he hadn't foreseen this. He thought that Quinn would be willing to do anything to speak with his wife and daughter, and what was that he heard in Quinn's voice? He had only spoken to him once before and what he had just heard hadn't been there.

Not only was there no trace of fear or at the very least anxiety that Jeremiah had anticipated, there was strength. He had been strong but this was different, added to that strength was the anger of a father whose child was in danger. There was also calmness that unsettled Jeremiah. Without his even knowing it, Quinn was growing into his role as Justine's king.

*******

Mikhail sat on the porch of the house and waited. There had to be a way of getting into the house without being invited or some way of getting Jeremiah to come outside but the way escaped him. Even if the little girl came to the window, he could compel her to let him in but them Jeremiah might harm her in the process. He tensed when he felt Jeremiah searching for and locating him. Mikhail hoped that his presence would be enough to keep Jeremiah from doing anything rash.

"Jeremiah," Mikhail said softly, "end this now, come out before an innocent gets hurt."

He wasn't surprised when there was no response; Jeremiah was going to play this out until the bitter end.

*******

"Justine! It Zoe and me! Open up!" Pam called through the door.

Justine looked at Buddy who was sitting by the door, his tail wagging excitedly. She opened the door, grabbed Pam pulling her inside and hugged her.

"Are you alright?" she asked stepping back and examining her from head to toe, "You're not hurt or...."

"Justine, I'm fine! Better than fine, this vampire stuff is pretty damned cool."

"Hello Justine." Zoe said softly. "I hate to rush the reunion with your friend but we have things to talk about...."

"It will have to wait; Jeremiah Mathers is holding Quinn's ex-wife and two children hostage."