Bloody Curse | Book Two of Blood Trilogy

Chapter 26

Violet 

I shot up in bed with a sheet of sweat covering my face. Tendrils of brown hair stuck to my forehead and neck. I shivered then glanced to see Ash lying still on his side with a face so innocent. I brushed a finger along his cheekbone down to the pulsing artery tempting me. The skin on his neck felt so soft and warm to the touch. 

But then I remembered the exact reason why I startled awake. Zayden's screaming- from the night he was taken- echoed in my nightmares. It stuck to my mind like tar. I rocked back and forth on the mattress with my head buried between my knees until Asher woke up and sat beside me with great concern. 

"Are you alright, love? You're not sick, are you?" He asked with urgency. I shook my head to both questions. I was so distraught that it could make me grow sick. That was an option. "Then what is it?" He urged. 

"I miss our baby boy dearly." I whispered back at him. His heart skipped a beat then plummeted. I felt every action his heart took. "He's been gone for over a week. I'm not sure how much longer we need to search for him, but we haven't gotten anything to get us closer." I shook my head slowly while peering into his dark and dangerous eyes. "I can't feel his presence, and you know I usually can with our children." No response from him, but that was enough for me because silence was all I expected. 

"I promise we will find him, Violet. No matter what, we will bring home our boy." He exclaimed as he reached for both my cheeks and held them firmly between his hands. "I love you, so please don't give up and stay strong. I know that you're a strong woman but don't let Zayden bring you down." 

I nodded then kissed him on the lips before sliding out of bed. He observed my every move with curiosity and fervor. 

"I can't sleep anymore, so would you like to accompany me on a walk to your office?" I asked with a side glance. He climbed out of bed and followed me quietly. Our very informal pajamas were not seen by anyone, until we walked into his office. 

Caleb sat swiveling in the chair behind Ash's desk. When he saw us walk in, he didn't bother moving. The look of defeat and abandonment enveloped his expressions and it was suffocating to see a man at such a low point. A man without his mate was the genuine definition of a broken heart. 

"I couldn't explain myself." His voice broke the awkward silence causing me to shuffle from one foot to the other. I honestly didn't know which side I was on; this was just too overwhelming. I grew goosebumps with the thought of Jilly being pregnant and close to giving birth but what if Caleb wasn't there for the birth? 

Asher's hand landed on my lower back and rubbed it in comforting circles since he saw a glimpse of my thoughts. 

"I'm sure she's fine. Knowing her, she probably returned back to her parents' house to stay the night and she'll be back soon enough." I replied with caution in case the unstable man before me bursted, in tears or of anger. 

"No, you don't understand. I couldn't stop myself. It wasn't even me!" He stood up and gripped his hair like an insane person, but I somehow believed every word he said. But what had he done to make my  best friend react with such anger that she just left? She was always the quiet one. 

"You don't understand." He hushed with tears streaming down his cheeks. "It was the Shadow. The Shadow did all of it, it was never me. You know I would never do anything to hurt Jill, I love her way to much to lay an unloving hand on her." He begged. The poor man was going to crawl on his knees. 

"Caleb, I believe you, but what happened? Tell me everything." Asher spoke before I had the chance to open my mouth. "What about those Shadows that put you in this situation?" 

The man stuttered initially but regained his ground. "A Shadow possessed the dead body and used the guard as a host. I fell for the bait. There was nothing I could do." He broke then snapped his head to the side to avoid eye contact. "It felt like I was in a coma. I could hear everything that was happening around me and I saw through different eyes what every action was happening, but I couldn't. I screamed at the top of my lungs but it felt like screaming underwater. Nothing was heard and I just suffocated even more."

He then looked at my husband with pleading eyes. "How would you feel if the Shadow put words into your mouth and forced your hand onto your wife? Do you know the look she gave me? I've never seen her fear anything so much in her life and the fact that she's used that look on me was just terrifying." I choked back a sob. Painful words spit from his mouth like vile. Sympathy grew for him, but that doesn't change the fact that Jilly wasn't here to listen to him. 

"When she threw the lamp at my head, I was ignoring that because there was no greater pain than emotionally. Screw the physical pain, I told myself, the love of your life is running away. I kept repeating that to myself and it felt like I was battling myself like some mad man. The moment the Shadow left my body, it felt like a rebirth. Honestly, I've never been so grateful for a breath of air, but she was far too gone. She refused to even look at me for a second." He sighed then stared at me; I only shook my head as another lone tear fell from my eyes. 

"I have to get her back and actually have a minute to speak before earning another slap to the face." He sighed then slumped back against the chair. "I know she's at her parents' house, she hasn't put up her block so I knew where she was the entire time. There isn't a time when I'm not watching them, Violet. I want them back." 

"You're having a daughter, Caleb." I smiled sincerely. "I'm excited for you. I know without a doubt that Jilly would accept you back into the two's lives. I know her. She's far too deeply in love with you." 

"I already chose a name." Caleb exclaimed with excitement. My heart warmed up but only one step at a time. Jilly isn't here and that made the difference between a family to something destroyed. 

His face fell. "I'm sorry, guys. I've been so selfish. We need to get Zayden back as well. He couldn't be far away since the Shadows are stationed around us at all times. I'm sure there's something out there that we missed." 

I froze then turned slowly to face Asher. "Actually...while you and Jillian were fighting, we explored with Cameron and Derek. We encountered a Shadow." Asher explained. "It stated something about Violet's past. That's the clue." 

Recollection snapped inside of me. The reason why I walked through the office doors was for Asher's resources. If we just studied his maps, then something might click. It has to. There has to be something. 

"Caleb, you should go rest. Ash and I are just going to look at maps until dawn so rest up for the day ahead." But he refused. I couldn't make him go if he wanted to. "Fine, then you help us look." 

Dust picked up for years and years of untouched pieces of paper. We scattered them all over the place. I laid on my stomach in a corner while Ash stood at his desk and Caleb scrambled through the bookshelves to see if any maps were hidden. 

"X marks the spot." Asher whispered. "Violet, the past." He pointed directly at the X marking that his father made years ago. I recognized it immediately. Flashes of Anabelle and Xavier filled my mind. I desired to storm out of the castle and straight to the trapdoor where I was held captive.