Haeven

Chapter 14

As soon as she left Herrik, Avery and Artur all started speaking at once. They obviously hadn't seen what I noticed in Carah's expression or manner. None of them mentioned or acknowledged in any way how suspicious she looked and sounded. For a moment I second guessed myself. Carah and I had never gotten along and I wondered if my distrust made me see something that wasn't truly there.

I glanced over at Herrik as he sat beside me. He was listening to Avery and Artur who had come back and were standing in front of him. His eyes darted back and forth between the two of them as they each pelted him with their theories and ideas. The thought that someone who must have known him had tried to kill him thoroughly distressed Herrik.

It broke my heart to watch all the anguished emotions washing over him; I had to speak up even if I was wrong.

"It might have been Carah," I whispered.

Herrik was the only one who heard me. He turned and looked at me with an incredulous expression, "What?!"

Avery and Artur quieted at the sound of his voice.

I took a deep breath, "I...I think it was Carah."

"No. Absolutely not!" Herrik shook his head back and forth.

It wasn't at all the reaction I expected. Herrik's outright rejection of the possibility stung and I stood up and faced him. "What makes you so sure?!" I asked and unfortunately I sounded more like a jealous housewife than a confident, informed accuser.

Artur touched my elbow, Avery looked away and Herrik's expression softened when he realized how much he had upset me.

"I'm sorry," he stood up, "I didn't mean for it to come out like that. We're all on edge right now and none of us are thinking clearly."

I tried to explain myself, my suspicions, but Artur cut me off, "Emily, you don't understand what you're saying. It's just not possible. In fact it's quite impossible that any of the vampires here could plan an attempt on Herrik's life without him knowing."

Avery and Herrik nodded assent to what Artur had said.

"Why not?" I demanded. "He's just as vulnerable as any of us. In fact more so with his open door policy and his unwavering trust of...of everybody..."

Herrik smiled and it seemed to say that there was something they all knew, some vital piece of information I didn't possess.

"Carah could not have planned an attack on my life without me knowing. I assure you. None of the vampires could. They have all pledged themselves to me and..."

"A pledge?!" I guffawed. "A few words someone utters doesn't protect you from them doing you harm!" His confidence outraged me.

"I never told her," Herrik apologized to Avery and Artur.

"Never told me what?!" I demanded.

Herrik looked at Artur who cocked his head as if to say OK.

"Let's sit," Herrik took my hands and pulled me back to the chair then sat down beside me. Avery and Artur pulled chairs across from us. "Well, you see," Herrik bit his lip nervously, "when a vampire comes to join us they are allowed to stay on a trial basis without any questions or obligations. If they like it, if they decide to join our community, there is an...an initiation and they have to agree to pledge themselves to me."

I shrugged my shoulders still not fully understanding.

Artur met my eye, "The pledge is more than words, Emily. These vampires, everyone who is already here..." Artur motioned to himself and to Avery then all around as if to indicate the entire compound, "We are bound to Herrik by more than just words."