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Seti helped Mihal to his feet, and they both left. In a temper, I punched the bridge, breaking several bones, and swore.

How dare Mihal judge me? How dare Seti take Mihal’s side so blindly? The Vam’pirs would judge me? The judgemental assholes had condemned me without even hearing an explanation. Nobody had a clue what happened. Those bastards thought I killed Julia for fun?

Oh, yes, did you not know? According to my own asshole family, I kill for kicks! That sounds like me, doesn’t it, reader?

Why didn’t Vam’pirs know I would never have harmed a hair on Julia’s head? Julia was desperate and would have carried on killing. Poor Julia had to be stopped, and the only way was to give her the peace she craved.

I glanced at the book that had fallen on the floor. Neither had seen it, and I picked it up and put it in my pocket. I was clueless but knew someone who wasn’t.

Futilely trying to calm down, I walked to Barrington’s townhouse and sought my potential ally. A room, at the rear, held a sleeping Elizabeth. Bending my knees, I leapt onto the balcony and nearly fell off. The damn thing was tiny, and there was barely enough space to stand. I tapped softly on Elizabeth’s window and sensed her stir.

Elizabeth settled, falling back to sleep. I knocked again, keeping an eye on the street below me in case anyone noticed. Elizabeth woke and came to the window. Confusion showed on her face. That changed to concern as she saw me.

“What are you doing here? In fact, how did you get on my balcony?” Elizabeth demanded as I entered the bedroom.

Curiously, I looked around and admitted that the room suited her. The blue and cream decor made for a relaxing atmosphere. There was nothing frivolous, a few knick-knacks furniture, and that was it. In all honesty, it was rather plain, but Elizabeth clearly liked it that way.

“Dear Elizabeth, I beg a favour,” I whispered.

“Jacques, you can talk but softly, Mother is sedated, and David is out. Only servants might hear. However, they’re likely asleep. Explain your presence and how you reached the balcony,” Elizabeth asked again, pulling on a dressing gown.

Elizabeth was handling the late-night visit with aplomb. Elizabeth remained calm despite a man being in her room.

“Dear girl, please sit. I need to share something important, though it might be difficult to hear.

Deliberately taking a deep breath, I began to explain what I was and how I had become a Vam’pir. Elizabeth sat spellbound and made herself comfortable as the night wore on.

Finally, I ran out of things to say, and I waited for Elizabeth’s disgust and condemnation. The only things I held were my crimes against the Hamiltons, Julia’s secret, and her subsequent death.

I was undecided about sharing Julia’s madness and paced for a few moments, unsure whether to tell Elizabeth. In the meantime, Elizabeth absorbed my story.

“Jacques, you have my great sympathy. What a terrible tale you’ve told. No doubt, what you have spoken is the truth. I feel deeply for your situation, but why tell me this? What has this to do with me?”

“Elizabeth, I am unsure what to do with this and wondered if you might have some idea.”

Throwing caution to the wind, I handed the leather book over. Elizabeth flicked it open to the first page. She began reading, stopped, and looked up with faint shock showing on her face.

“What is this?” Elizabeth asked, concern and worry clear in her voice.

“What it says it is. The Ripper’s diary.”

“But it belongs to Julia.”

“Julia was a Vam’pir. Elizabeth, I killed Julia three days ago and helped her get her desired peace. She left me this. Do I give it to the police? Would they dismiss it as the ranting of a madwoman? In all honesty, I’m unsure. Also, I don’t want the rest of my kind to realise what Julia did. I would prefer them to remember Julia as she was and not as the Ripper.”

“Jacques, I understand your dilemma. Of course, you can’t give it to the authorities. Vam’pirs should certainly not know incase they get similar ideas. If you wish, I will keep it here for safekeeping.”

“Would you?” I asked, relief flooding me.

If I left Julia’s diary at home, there was a slight chance that another Vam’pir would discover it. Julia’s sordid little secret would become public knowledge.

Isn’t that what I’m currently doing? Making it public, you ask.

Yes, but with over a hundred years passing, it does not matter anymore. There is nobody alive the secret affects anymore.

Initially, explaining Julia’s actions to others seemed impossible. In fact, now they might realise that I did not kill Julia with ease but with a heavy heart. Julia’s death has haunted me for years. But I am secure in the knowledge I did the right thing, releasing a spirit that was so tortured.

“I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t mean it, Jacques,” Elizabeth said in a slight reprimand.