Rissa took in a breath so fast, she squeaked. Her eyes opened wide in fear. She could hear her own panicked breathing and the room started to spin. She knew if she was going to get out of this, it would be the performance of her life. Her head spun with the consequences. Her mouth was dry, her heart hammering inside her chest and she was trapped, she couldn’t break free of the stockade.
She looked at him, her voice calm. "I did it for you. All of it was for you. It was only once, Alec. I promise you. The potion, Max had the potion. I had to get it from him. He wanted to kill you, take D.C. from you. He wanted me to leave with him, but I didn’t want him. Alec, please, I did this for you.”
Her sobs racked her body, as the blood tears spilled from her eyes, but this was no performance. Her heart was breaking. "I love you. I love you Alec, please, please."
Alec let the photos drop from his hands as they fluttered to the floor. "You do nothing for me, Rissa. You do what serves you, and if it also serves me, you take credit for it."
He knelt down until his face was close to hers, looking into her tear-filled eyes. He saw fear but no remorse. "I did love you, Rissa, in my own way, as much as it is possible for a man like me to love. You should at least know that."
He reached up and placed both hands on either side of her face, and planted one last kiss on her lips. Looking into her eyes, he snapped her neck, hearing the sharp crack and one last straggled cry cut short in her throat, as he watched the life fade from her eyes. Her head dropped lifeless, and her legs collapsed, her body dangling limp from the stockade. He stood up and stared at her, feeling nothing, not even the satisfaction of exacting his revenge.
73
Alec turned and walked out of the chamber, slowly climbing the stairs to the main floor. He walked into the study to find Santos cleaning up the mess of broken glass. He poured himself another glass of Midnight and downed it in one gulp. Picking up his cellphone, he dialed Braden. As always, Braden picked up on the first ring. "What's up, boss? You get home okay?"
Alec paused for a second before he answered, "I think you need to get over here."
Braden looked at his watch. It was after midnight and he’d been looking forward to a good night's sleep away from the campaign. "Yeah, sure. Drive or teleport?"
Alec took a cigarette from the elaborate box on the desk and lit up, his hands shaking slightly. “Better drive. Just in case we have paparazzi."
Braden told him he'd be there in thirty minutes tops. Alec tossed the phone back on the desk before collapsing in the chair. Santos looked at him as he replaced the broken lamp back on the desk. "Is there anything I can do for you, master?"
Alec looked at him with blank eyes. "What?"
Santos had never seen him this distracted. "I said, is there anything I can do for you?"
Alec shook his head and dismissed him with a wave of his hand. "No, thank you, Santos, not yet. Stay close, though. I may need you."
Alec sat, almost immobile, in the dimly lit office, smoking one cigarette after another, the red glow of the cigarette's tip visible in the darkened room. He had no concept of time passing, when he heard the knock at the door, and Santos rushing to answer it. Within minutes, Braden was in his study, turning on a few other lamps.
"What the hell is going on, Alec. Why are you sitting here in the dark?"
Alec stared back at him before standing. "Follow me."
Braden shrugged and followed Alec to a door beneath the main staircase that led to a basement. "I didn't know you had a basement."
Alec didn’t answer him, as he led the way down the stairs. Opening the heavy, reinforced door to the chamber, he stepped back to let Braden enter. Braden stepped into the room, his eyes scanning the walls and the various contraptions, all specifically designed for the BDSM set. He wasn’t surprised. Then his eyes landed on her. It was Rissa, her lifeless nude body hanging limply from the stockades. Braden stopped in his tracks. "Christ, Alec, what have you done?"
Alec stood still in the deadly quiet room, staring at her lifeless form. "Doesn't matter now. Just tell me what to do."
Braden walked over to her, looking at her body, checking for any visible marks or injuries. "How did you do it?"
Alec stepped closer and stroked her shoulder, already cold to the touch. "I snapped her neck. One quick twist and it was over."
Braden ran both hands through his hair. "On purpose? Or did things get out of control?"
Alec closed his eyes. "On purpose. She betrayed me, in a way I couldn’t forgive. I had no choice."
Braden paced the room as he started to consider his options. "Okay, let me think. There's no way to hide this, Alec. She was too high-profile. I have people on the payroll. It will cost you, but we can bring in our own doctor who will oversee everything. We're going to have to move her, get her dressed in a robe or something long. We’ve already established she wasn't feeling well on the campaign. We can say you guys came home, and she took something to help her sleep. She got up to get something to drink from the kitchen and she fell down the stairs, tripping on her robe. We need to move quickly. We'll have to call 911. People would expect you to do that. This means mortals will come. They’ll have to see her body at the foot of the stairs. Once they take her away, I can have my doctor take over. He can oversee the autopsy. The broken neck will fit the story."
Braden started to unlatch the stockade. "Come on, Alec. A little help here, buddy."
Alec stepped forward, catching her limp body as Braden released the stockade.
"Come on, Alec, follow me."
Braden rushed up the stairs as Alec followed him. He called for Santos as they re-entered the foyer on the main floor. “Santos, run upstairs and grab one of Rissa's robes, something floor length, and silky."
Santos stared at Braden, then saw his master come through the door holding Rissa's nude lifeless body in his arms. His mouth dropped open, but he didn’t question. Turning, he ran up the stairs, rummaging through her closet until he found one of her long robes. When he returned, he found Alec and Braden standing at the halfway point on the staircase. Alec was holding Rissa's body upright and Braden grabbed the robe from his hands, and slipped it on her, untied. Stepping to the side, he instructed Alec. “Okay, now push her forward gently, let her fall naturally."
Alec did as he was instructed, as the three men watch her body crumble and fall in a contorted heap at the bottom of the stairs. Braden was satisfied with the result. He turned to Alec and told him he was to say he’d been in his study when he heard her fall. "Now, call 911. And keep your fingers crossed."
As Alec left to call 911, Braden pulled out his phone and called the doctor. "Got a situation here." Braden relayed the details of what he needed, and the doctor responded, letting him know everything was under control.
74
Kate was putting the finishing touches on the nursery that would soon be occupied by their daughter. Sophia was the first child to present herself to Kate, shortly after she was turned. The room was painted the palest pink, and Kate had found an antique crib in an ivory color, along with a large armoire, also in ivory, both worn with age. The sofa bed had been reupholstered and moved from Lorenzo's room to Sophia's room, and Kate added a rocking chair, a toy chest, and plush rug to cover the hardwood floors. She was putting baby clothes into the armoire when Theresa rushed in. "My lady! You need to come see this."