Page 16 of The Last To Know (Hallowed Halls Series #2)

H e sat next to her bed soaking in her beauty as he waited for her to awake.

“You shouldn’t have dosed her so much.” Mentor had been displeased when he told him about the struggle. “You could have killed her.”

“I knew what I was doing.” He snapped to shut Mentor up. Mentor’s surprise quickly turned to anger, which he ignored.

He turned back to her and smiled. She would wake soon. He’d checked Veronica’s pulse. Weak but steady.

“I told you she was all wrong.” Mentor stood behind him silently judging. It didn’t matter. Soon, Mentor’s help would no longer be needed. Soon, it would be just him to carry on the tradition of Embalmer.

She moaned softly, her lips parting prettily. He leaned forward waiting for that moment when their eyes met for the first time . . . well, again. She’d seen him at her house.

They fluttered open. She looked around the room frantically before zeroing in on him. Those almond eyes widened.

“How are you feeling?” he asked because he cared about her. He hadn’t intended to double-dose her, but it had been necessary.

A scream ripped from deep down inside her soul followed by another and another .

“No, it’s okay. You’re okay. He won’t hurt you.”

But she wasn’t looking at Mentor. She looked straight at him. He was the monster in her eyes. Perhaps Mentor had been right about her.

“Calm down.”

“Shut her up,” Mentor growled.

When she continued to scream, he clamped his hand over her mouth.

Was she unworthy after all? He’d been so certain about Veronica.

He could feel Mentor gloating. Everything he did wasn’t up to Mentor’s standards, and now he’d possibly screwed up again by insisting Veronica be part of their family.

With each beratement the truth became clear. He’d have to get rid of Mentor soon. Time for the mentee to shed his mentor’s clutches.

Veronica stared up at him with terror in her eyes and tried to speak.

“I’m going to take my hand away. Don’t scream or I’ll have to put you under again. Do you understand?”

She slowly nodded.

He lifted his hand. She didn’t scream. “Do you know who I am?” She hurled the question at him.

“Of course. You’re Veronica Turner.”

“ Judge Veronica Turner.” She stressed the word judge. She’d gotten control over her emotions. Her fear now replaced with anger. “I know people in every branch of law enforcement as well as the government. Do you know what they’ll do to you when they find you?”

His smile slipped a little. “That doesn’t matter now. You’re mine. I’m going to make you immortal.” She continued to look at him as if he’d lost his mind, and he added, “You were chosen. You’re worthy.”

She fought against her restraints and cursed him. “I’ll kill you—”

Her threat sent him over the edge. It reminded him of her and the way she’d treated him and the others.

He grabbed another syringe and injected it into her neck. Her wild-eyed fear slowly faded. Her eyes closed. She was out.

“You’ve killed her. You overdosed her and killed her.” Mentor’s distain was clear. “I told you she wasn’t worthy.”

“Shut up!” He whipped toward the man he’d once adored and strode to within inches of his face. “Shut up, shut up, shut up. She’s not your pick. She’s mine, and she’s perfect.”

Mentor’s expression never changed, but simply stared him down with cool disdain confirming him unworthy too. Perhaps one day Mentor would write that word above his mentee’s dead body.

He went over to Veronica and felt for a pulse. Not a single heartbeat. “It doesn’t matter. I can still make her part of the family.”

“You ruined the process. She’s bleeding from the puncture wound and from the mouth. It won’t be the same. She’s imperfect.”

Mentor was right—he’d flawed her. Somehow, he held onto the rage burning inside and kept from grinding his words out. “It will be fine.” He grabbed the hairbrush from the nearby table and began smoothing out her tussled strands while Mentor watched his every stroke.

I’m sorry. You are perfect to me . Still, he’d cheated himself of those precious moments with her before he’d taken her life. He’d let emotions get in the way.

Once Mentor was no longer in his head, he talked to her like he would if she were awake.

“I hope you enjoy your new home.” He’d put a smile on her face. Her expression was far too stern. “You must hate having to deal with criminals all day long. Don’t worry. You won’t be stressed anymore.” He remembered the deep purple dress he’d found in her closet and went over and picked it up. “Look. I chose this for you to wear. And those pretty brown boots. I’ll take that creased brow away so that you can be happy when we talk.”

He spared Mentor a look. “And you won’t be alone. You’ll have Tiffany for now. There will be others. More to come. We will have our own little family. Only it will be perfect.” Not like the family he’d ended up with. A mother who neglected her children for drugs and a father he never knew.

But that was the past. His new family would be perfect. Filled with the most talented and beautiful people. The ones he chose to share his life with.

“First, I must get rid of your humanness.” That’s what he referred to the process Mentor had invented to drain the body of fluids and then replace it with a far more advanced embalming method, making his new family member immortal.

He finished brushing her hair and glanced lovingly down at her. In her handbag she had makeup and the perfect shade of lipstick to match the dress. She would be beautiful.

He attached the syringe that would remove her blood and sat down beside her, trying to snub Mentor.

“We can share each other’s days. Oh, and you’re right next to Tiffany. You’ll like her.”

He reached for her hand. Still warm and soft to the touch. Imagined her fingers entwined with his as they talked. Her smile. Shining eyes. He’d give her the most beautiful eyes. Perhaps with a hint of amber, he thought.

Once the blood was removed along with her organs, he did his best to close her up with the least amount of scarring to her perfect body.

“There. We’re all done. That wasn’t painful, was it?” He laughed at his own joke. Of course, it wasn’t painful.

With her smile in place, he picked up the dress and carefully slipped it on her. After it was zipped up, he smoothed it into place.

“You look amazing.” He stood back and admired her. “Your eyes practically sparkle.”

“You are being foolish.” Mentor’s darkness intruded into this special moment. “There’s no talking during this part.”

“Maybe for you there isn’t.”

He retrieved Veronica’s purse. “Now, for your makeup.” He’d noted the brand she used. Very expensive. She deserved as much.

Once the base was applied, he added eye shadow and lipstick then stepped back to adore her. “Lovely. Simply lovely.” He carefully lifted her into his arms. “Let me show you to your perfect resting place.”

He carried her into the room where his immortals would all be placed. Tiffany smiled as he passed. He’d speak with her after he had Veronica settled in. He didn’t want her to feel left out. “I have company for you, Tiffany. Meet Veronica.”

Tiffany continued to smile, no doubt pleased to be so close to the lovely Veronica.

He stepped into Veronica’s space, recreated to reflect her living room down to the same book he’d found on her coffee table during his many visits. Her favorite chair sat in the corner next to the side table, where a glass of wine had been poured for her. Veronica’s reading glasses lay beside the wine. Next to that, a photo of himself with her and Tiffany and Mentor he’d photoshopped. A happy family that would soon be growing. He’d made one for Tiffany as well.

“Do you recognize this place?” He showed it to her. She was happy. He could tell from her smile she liked having her things close. “It’s your living room, my sweet.”

He carefully lowered her into the chair and arranged her hair and dress.

“There. You’re all set.” He glanced at the wine. “Your favorite Merlot. Enjoy.”

With a final lingering look, he stepped out into the hall and stopped next to Tiffany, who waited patiently for his visit.

“How are you today, my dear?” He clasped her hand and looked into her eyes. “I hope you and Veronica will get to know each other better. I think you will be pleased with her.”

He had no doubt they’d get along. And soon, he would have more family to share with them. So much more.