Burns are not fun when they heal, but at least Mitzi was past the scabbing phase… thanks to Zane. The pulling, the tearing, the cracking of her skin, all avoided, at least to some extent.However, for months to come she would have to be careful in the sun because it could make the burns erupt with blisters again.
Zane hated the thought of having burnt her.It made him loath Brady so much that he was beyond getting mad and losing his temper.The whole way home all he could think about were ways to torture him for all that he had done.Brady had violated so many rules, one being that he had been living free for so many years, not belonging to any vampire.Well, that isn’t totally true, any human not owned by any vampire was automatically Zane’s.So, Zane took this a little personally.Then, there was the fact of what horrors he had put Mitzi through in the past, and his abuse of her.Then in the woods just recently, how he had nearly gotten control over Zane and Darius, if only for a minute.And the fact that Mitzi had come so close to death which meant Darius would have lost her forever.
Zane suggested that all three of them go to his castle first, where they could leave Mitzi under the care of Jasmine.Even though her burns were partially healed, they were severe and she had not done too well on the journey home.It was not only the pain but it was the whole experience of the last week that had exhausted her.With Mitzi safe, then Zane and Darius could deal with the matter of Brady.
Brady was a mess by the time they arrived at Zane’s castle.His back was burnt and without flesh in spots, and it was beginning to stink with that dull stench characteristic of infected and oozing flesh. Zane had not immunized him recently because he wanted Brady to feel an infection every now and then…. to experience the fever and the aches and the misery on top of the burns and wounds he had suffered. Because he had been dragged nearly for the whole distance of the journey, his body was purple with bruises and he suffered a few broken bones.His burns were caked with mud and debris, his cuts and scrapes hanging open.He had not slept much because Darius and Zane had taken shifts though the nights to watch over Mitzi, so they were, between the two of them, able to harass Brady continuously.They threw cold water on him if he dozed.Sometimes they would pull him up and shake him, or kick him to wake him.He spent a lot of time begging and pleading, but that only brought on more abuse from the vampires.Sometimes Brady was hung from a large tree by his armpits, the metal cord wrapped around his torso.Zane would occasionally beat him while he was hanging like this, striking him like a piñata.But not once did they bite him or take his blood.It was just too foul.Needless to say, both Darius and Zane were extremely hungry when they got home and of course, it made them ornery.
Zane and Darius, after chaining and shackling Brady to an outside iron pole near the castle wall, entered Zane’s magnificent castle.Darius was carrying a sleeping Mitzi when Jasmine met them on the steps winding up and around to the upper floors.She stood about four steps up, her black gown contrasting sharply with the crimson carpet which met the black marble floor.A massive chandelier loomed over them in the center of the giant foyer, its black crystals glinting in the low light.Jasmine’s milky white face was pinched with worry.“What happened to Mitzi?Did you find Brady?Were any other free humans there?”
“Mother, please.” Zane sighed with exasperation. “I’ll answer all of your questions but for now, I need you to take care of Mitzi for Darius and me.”
Jasmine finished her way down the steps and glided smoothly across the foyer toward them.A moment later Bree could be seen in the upper hall and when she saw Zane, Darius and Mitzi, she ran down the stairs.Her chestnut hair tumbled down her back and over her shoulders.She was beautiful.
“Zane!Darius!” Bree raced toward them. “Oh, no, is she alright?”When Bree and Jasmine got to them, they took one look at Mitzi and gasped.Jasmine took a step back and Bree looked up at Zane with an accusatory expression.
