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Chapter 29
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2024-10-29 19:42:56“You feel different,” Nora said as she leaned against the counter opposite where I sat on a stool sipping on cool water in hopes that it would help me subdue the emotions that were torturing me. “I never realized how much I’d felt your shine until you gave it to Anton. It’s crazy weird, but in a good way.”
My sexy distant cousin sauntered into the room with the grace and confidence of a wild beast and stood next to Nora. His presence filled the room as he grabbed an apple from the decorative bowl that she was determined to keep loaded with fresh, organic fruit.
“Did I miss anything exciting?” he asked as he placed his hand on her shoulder.
She looked from him to me, opened her mouth, and then shut it again. I got the impression that she was about to make a joke about our coupling and then changed her mind. If that was true, she was wise to keep quiet. Neither of us needed to be reminded of o
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I’d questioned whether it was a good idea to take Nora with us since she possessed no magic. After conferring with both her and Anton, we decided that she might come in handy since she still possessed a connection to the vampires. We weren’t sure the type or strength of the connection, but both Anton and I could feel that there were still mild vampire traits within her. Even if all she did was alert us to their approach, it would be an enormous help.“This place is creepier than I remember,” Nora said in a low tone that reeked of fear.“You have time to go back,” I assured her.Vigorously shaking her head, she said, “I’m in for the long haul. I’m just saying that it’s really creepy here.”“That it is,” Anton agreed. “It is a wonder how you managed to survive it for so long.”“It isn’t all like this,” I informed him.
Esmerelda Sleuth: The Journal (Book 4) Chapter 31
We’d searched for Killian for several hours with no luck.“The problem is that this place is so vast,” I complained. “It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.”“How long can we stay here without being at risk of discovery?” Nora asked.“The deeper we go, the more probable that is,” Anton grumbled. “It was foolish to think that he would be an easy find.”I sat on a boulder and put my fingertips to my forehead.“I need to think for a moment,” I said, more to myself than to them. “I opened and closed more portals for Marduke than I can even remember. Some led to realms that were literally used as prisons. If he hasn’t been killed or turned vampire, I’d wager he’s being held there.”“What if Marduke wants him for his magic?” Nora asked. “You weren’t put in a prison, were you?&rdquo
Esmerelda Sleuth: The Journal (Book 4) Chapter 32
I don’t mind admitting that I was overtaken by nerves when we entered Marduke’s prison realm. The danger of being discovered and captured by him or his cronies was all too real. For a brief second, after crossing through the portal, I questioned the wisdom of my decision to look for Killian there. I even had a split second urge to turn back. I literally had to stop and summon the courage to keep going without letting on to my companions that I was wrestling with what to do.“Which way?” Nora asked as her eyes darted nervously about.“Take a moment to compose yourselves, ladies,” Anton suggested, “while I get a feel for our location.”With that, he closed his eyes and raised one hand over his head with his index finger pointed toward the sky. I watched with wonder as tiny speckles of light swirled around his finger. When it stopped, he lowered his hand and opened his eyes.&ldquo
Esmerelda Sleuth: The Journal (Book 4) Chapter 33
Getting into the torture chamber was far easier than we’d anticipated. It was so easy, in fact, that we were on the alert for danger even more than normal.It took time for my eyes to adjust to the dim lighting. When I finally did and was able to move about without fear of bumping into something and bringing attention to our presence, I headed for the small cages along the back wall.There were six cages in all. Two were empty. I moved close enough to see the occupants in the other four. Only one was a human from my world. He was in the very last cage in the dank and darkest corner.I emitted an agonizing gasp as I peered between the bars to better inspect the cage’s occupant. Before me was what looked like the remnants of my husband. Instead of the robust, sexy, handsome man with raven hair, he was gaunt, hunched over, and sallow in complexion with streaks of gray running through his now dull black hair.&l
Esmerelda Sleuth: The Journal (Book 4) Chapter 34
We reached the area with the portal just as Killian came rushing forth. Or should I say the remnants of Killian because he’d been turned vampire? His dark eyes were now a fiery orange that literally looked as if they were spitting fire. I didn’t remember Nora’s eyes being that bad. I assumed it was because, although he didn’t possess as much magic as Anton, Lance, or me, he did possess magic.“Oh no!” I bellowed as I pointed out the fact that Killian was rushing toward us. “Look! It’s Killian! They turned him!”Anton picked Lance up over his shoulder and urged me to find the portal right away. My entire body trembled from shock over seeing my former lover and friend in such a state as well as in fear of what I knew that he was capable of doing to us.Because we were focusing on Killian, neither Anton or I paid attention to what was happening to Nora. Being this close to a v
Esmerelda Sleuth: The Journal (Book 4) Chapter 35
We eased Lance into bed and inspected his condition. He was in very bad shape.“I fear I can do very little for the man. We need better medical help than I can provide,” Anton confessed.I was at a loss over what to do. Taking Lance to the hospital would bring on a slew of questions that neither Anton or I were prepared to answer. I thought about calling Roger, but he was never totally brought into our world. Since he wasn’t magical, Killian had felt it best to keep him in the dark about most things. I also knew that one of the main reasons why he and Nora broke up was because she hadn’t shared much with him either. How could I tell him that his partner had been turned into a vampire and that Lances condition was a result of his work? There was also the question of explaining what happened to Nora to him.No, Roger was not the answer.“I can take him back to the past, but I ques
Esmerelda Sleuth: The Journal (Book 4) Chapter 36
My head felt like it was filled with lead as I sat at the kitchen counter and stared into my empty coffee cup. I had no idea how long ago I’d finished the beverage. I was numb with despair.“How are you doing, my beautiful Esmerelda?” Anton asked as he walked up behind me and placed his hand on my shoulder. “What can I do for you?”“I feel like my world has just crashed and burned,” I moaned as I leaned back against his rock hard, yet comforting chest. “I don’t know what to do next.”“There is very little to do, but be supportive,” he said with sadness.“He should be taken back to his time,” I whimpered as I wiped at a stray tear. “I think he’d be happier if he was.”“I agree, but the doctor said that he can nay return to the past,” he said. “It would take what little life he has left in him. I
Esmerelda Sleuth: The Journal (Book 4) Chapter 37
Lance rejuvenated enough to be coherent and conversational for a few days. As I watched the color return to his face, I began to feel encouraged.Sadly, it was short lived.He’d returned to his old self long enough to reassure me of the love that he had for me and to make sure that I knew that I was to move forward with my life. Reminding me of my magic and my ability to time travel, he struggled to get me to go over the running of the estate with him to be sure that I understood and could handle it on my own both in the past and in the future. I didn’t want to have that conversation with him, but I eventually lamented and allowed him his say.When he felt confident that I was prepared for the inevitable, he told me something that shocked me to my core. He’d been Marduke’s prisoner since the night I’d learned that he intended to take me back to the past. With the help of Killian to keep me occupied, Jason and his w
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I was furious with the society. They not only informed me that they had no one available who could assist me in returning to the past alongside my husband, they insisted upon returning him to the past immediately since his body was decomposing at record speed. Apparently, teleporting a body back to the past did not require that someone skilled in time travel accompany it, while teleporting a human being did. I imagine I taxed their nerves when they had to repeatedly assure me that they were positive that Lance would end up in the right place. They might have been doing things the way it was done for centuries, but it wasn’t my way and my confidence level was low.A full day passed before Anton appeared before me.Rushing into his arms, I wailed my dismay over the chain of events that occurred.“I saw to his burial myself, lass,” he assured me. “He was laid in the family plot. You can visit his grave her
Esmerelda Sleuth: The Journal (Book 4) Chapter 37
Lance rejuvenated enough to be coherent and conversational for a few days. As I watched the color return to his face, I began to feel encouraged.Sadly, it was short lived.He’d returned to his old self long enough to reassure me of the love that he had for me and to make sure that I knew that I was to move forward with my life. Reminding me of my magic and my ability to time travel, he struggled to get me to go over the running of the estate with him to be sure that I understood and could handle it on my own both in the past and in the future. I didn’t want to have that conversation with him, but I eventually lamented and allowed him his say.When he felt confident that I was prepared for the inevitable, he told me something that shocked me to my core. He’d been Marduke’s prisoner since the night I’d learned that he intended to take me back to the past. With the help of Killian to keep me occupied, Jason and his w
Esmerelda Sleuth: The Journal (Book 4) Chapter 36
My head felt like it was filled with lead as I sat at the kitchen counter and stared into my empty coffee cup. I had no idea how long ago I’d finished the beverage. I was numb with despair.“How are you doing, my beautiful Esmerelda?” Anton asked as he walked up behind me and placed his hand on my shoulder. “What can I do for you?”“I feel like my world has just crashed and burned,” I moaned as I leaned back against his rock hard, yet comforting chest. “I don’t know what to do next.”“There is very little to do, but be supportive,” he said with sadness.“He should be taken back to his time,” I whimpered as I wiped at a stray tear. “I think he’d be happier if he was.”“I agree, but the doctor said that he can nay return to the past,” he said. “It would take what little life he has left in him. I
Esmerelda Sleuth: The Journal (Book 4) Chapter 35
We eased Lance into bed and inspected his condition. He was in very bad shape.“I fear I can do very little for the man. We need better medical help than I can provide,” Anton confessed.I was at a loss over what to do. Taking Lance to the hospital would bring on a slew of questions that neither Anton or I were prepared to answer. I thought about calling Roger, but he was never totally brought into our world. Since he wasn’t magical, Killian had felt it best to keep him in the dark about most things. I also knew that one of the main reasons why he and Nora broke up was because she hadn’t shared much with him either. How could I tell him that his partner had been turned into a vampire and that Lances condition was a result of his work? There was also the question of explaining what happened to Nora to him.No, Roger was not the answer.“I can take him back to the past, but I ques
Esmerelda Sleuth: The Journal (Book 4) Chapter 34
We reached the area with the portal just as Killian came rushing forth. Or should I say the remnants of Killian because he’d been turned vampire? His dark eyes were now a fiery orange that literally looked as if they were spitting fire. I didn’t remember Nora’s eyes being that bad. I assumed it was because, although he didn’t possess as much magic as Anton, Lance, or me, he did possess magic.“Oh no!” I bellowed as I pointed out the fact that Killian was rushing toward us. “Look! It’s Killian! They turned him!”Anton picked Lance up over his shoulder and urged me to find the portal right away. My entire body trembled from shock over seeing my former lover and friend in such a state as well as in fear of what I knew that he was capable of doing to us.Because we were focusing on Killian, neither Anton or I paid attention to what was happening to Nora. Being this close to a v
Esmerelda Sleuth: The Journal (Book 4) Chapter 33
Getting into the torture chamber was far easier than we’d anticipated. It was so easy, in fact, that we were on the alert for danger even more than normal.It took time for my eyes to adjust to the dim lighting. When I finally did and was able to move about without fear of bumping into something and bringing attention to our presence, I headed for the small cages along the back wall.There were six cages in all. Two were empty. I moved close enough to see the occupants in the other four. Only one was a human from my world. He was in the very last cage in the dank and darkest corner.I emitted an agonizing gasp as I peered between the bars to better inspect the cage’s occupant. Before me was what looked like the remnants of my husband. Instead of the robust, sexy, handsome man with raven hair, he was gaunt, hunched over, and sallow in complexion with streaks of gray running through his now dull black hair.&l
Esmerelda Sleuth: The Journal (Book 4) Chapter 32
I don’t mind admitting that I was overtaken by nerves when we entered Marduke’s prison realm. The danger of being discovered and captured by him or his cronies was all too real. For a brief second, after crossing through the portal, I questioned the wisdom of my decision to look for Killian there. I even had a split second urge to turn back. I literally had to stop and summon the courage to keep going without letting on to my companions that I was wrestling with what to do.“Which way?” Nora asked as her eyes darted nervously about.“Take a moment to compose yourselves, ladies,” Anton suggested, “while I get a feel for our location.”With that, he closed his eyes and raised one hand over his head with his index finger pointed toward the sky. I watched with wonder as tiny speckles of light swirled around his finger. When it stopped, he lowered his hand and opened his eyes.&ldquo
Esmerelda Sleuth: The Journal (Book 4) Chapter 31
We’d searched for Killian for several hours with no luck.“The problem is that this place is so vast,” I complained. “It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.”“How long can we stay here without being at risk of discovery?” Nora asked.“The deeper we go, the more probable that is,” Anton grumbled. “It was foolish to think that he would be an easy find.”I sat on a boulder and put my fingertips to my forehead.“I need to think for a moment,” I said, more to myself than to them. “I opened and closed more portals for Marduke than I can even remember. Some led to realms that were literally used as prisons. If he hasn’t been killed or turned vampire, I’d wager he’s being held there.”“What if Marduke wants him for his magic?” Nora asked. “You weren’t put in a prison, were you?&rdquo
Esmerelda Sleuth: The Journal (Book 4) Chapter 30
I’d questioned whether it was a good idea to take Nora with us since she possessed no magic. After conferring with both her and Anton, we decided that she might come in handy since she still possessed a connection to the vampires. We weren’t sure the type or strength of the connection, but both Anton and I could feel that there were still mild vampire traits within her. Even if all she did was alert us to their approach, it would be an enormous help.“This place is creepier than I remember,” Nora said in a low tone that reeked of fear.“You have time to go back,” I assured her.Vigorously shaking her head, she said, “I’m in for the long haul. I’m just saying that it’s really creepy here.”“That it is,” Anton agreed. “It is a wonder how you managed to survive it for so long.”“It isn’t all like this,” I informed him.
