Chapter Two
"What? She attacked her own son?" Chester could hear the shock in his own voice.
Silas nodded and rubbed his hands over his face. "Yeah. I was at work at the time. She knew it. That’s why she turned up when she did."
"Why?" Chester shook his head. Why would she attack her own son?
"I never found out. We'd split up, and Troy had wanted to stay with me. She'd become unstable, and I'd tried to persuade her to get some help. Even her mother asked her, but she refused. It got so bad that I took Troy and left, bought this place, and started to rebuild our lives."
"And she found you."
"I didn't know at the time, but she was feeding from Troy."
Chester sat upright in shock, his eyes widening. "What? No parent feeds from their child."
"Well, she was." Silas shook his head, looking down at the table, his shoulders slumped. "I should have known," he muttered.
"How could you? Troy would have kept it quiet. She was his mother."
"He should have been able to tell me, but I was never there. Always busy with work."
"How much do you know about vampires, Silas? Did you learn everything from her?"
Silas raised his head and Chester lifted his hand to touch him when he saw the look of defeat on his face. When Silas sat back, Chester dropped it, and Silas gave a small smile."Yeah."
"You wouldn't have known what was right and wrong where vampires are concerned. You only knew what she told you."
"I know that now. I've done my research, and I've seen someone about it."
"What about Troy?"
Silas glared, refusing to answer.
"Please, Silas. This could have damaged-"
"I know," Silas muttered harshly. "He's seen someone, and he talks to his grandmother."
Chester nodded. "I'm glad he has her."
"She loves Troy, and even though she loved her daughter, she hates her for what she did to him."
"Was there more than her feeding?"
Silas nodded, sighing deeply. "She took him out hunting."
"Hunting?" Chester furrowed his brows. God, not hunting humans. "Humans?" he asked quietly.
"Yeah."
"Did he kill any?"
"No, he wouldn’t, and she punished him for it." Silas stood abruptly and paced in front of the table. "How the fuck did I miss it? My own son was being abused right under my nose, and I did nothing."
Chester stood and grabbed Silas by his shoulders, stopping him. "Why would you expect a mother to harm her child?"
Silas shook his head. "I should have-"
They looked up at the ceiling when they heard an anguished scream.
"Shit. Troy."
Silas ran from the kitchen, and Chester stood still, not knowing if he should follow.
He stepped out into the hallway, walking towards the front door when he heard the sobs. Troy needed his father right now, not some stranger.
He pulled a card from his wallet and left it on the side table for Silas. Maybe he would use it, maybe he wouldn't, but for now, there was nothing Chester could do but wait… again.
❊❊❊
Silas held Troy as he cried quietly. He always did this after a nightmare. Silas hoped this time he would tell him about it, but Troy never spoke about his nightmares. Even the therapist Silas had taken him to wasn’t able to get him to open up. Troy remained silent.
How could he help his son? How could he help his son beat his demons? He felt so useless, a stupid lump of flesh that couldn't even protect his own child.
"Stop, Pops."
Sighing, Silas murmured, "Tell me, Troy, please."
"Why? It wouldn't make any difference."
"How do you know? Please try, for me."
"Pops," Troy whispered. "I don't know what to do."
"Then tell me, Troy. Let me take this from you."
Troy pulled back and blinked his eyes, tears spilling over the edges. His face blotchy from crying, he looked at Silas. "Will you still love me?" he whispered. "When I tell you what happened, will you still love me?"
Silas gripped the back of his head and pulled him close so they could look into each other's eyes. "You are my son. Nothing you say will change that. I love you, Troy."
Troy's eyes flickered between his and then he closed them. "I killed him."
Silas reared back, his mouth dropping open. "What?"
"She made me, Pops. She was tearing him apart, stripping..." Troy cried out, dropping his head onto Silas’s chest. He gripped Silas’s t-shirt in his hands. "She was stripping the... the... he screamed so much, he..."
Silas held him in a tight embrace, grieving what his son had endured and hating his ex-wife. "Shh. Stop, Troy."
"But Pops-"
"Where is he?"
Troy leaned back and continued crying. "Over by the barn."
They did more than hunt. Silas swallowed. God, so close. "Are there others?" Troy cried harder, and Silas closed his eyes. "I'll call the guys in."
"Will I go to prison, Pops?"
"No," Silas spoke firmly. "No one is taking you away from me."
"Pops..."
"I need to make some calls. Stay here, and I'll make you some hot chocolate."
"Pops-"
"Let me deal with this. I know what to do, okay?"
Troy nodded, and Silas helped him get back into bed and pulled the covers over him. "I'll just be a few minutes. I love you." He stroked his hand over Troy's head then left the room, pulling the door behind him, but leaving it open slightly so he could keep an ear out for Troy.
He walked downstairs and into the kitchen and collapsed to the floor, biting his fist to stop the pain inside of him from escaping.
Oh god, his son, his boy. If she weren't already dead, he'd kill her himself.
After a few minutes, Silas slowly stood and reached for his cell, dialing a number he knew well.
"Robert, it's Silas."
"Hey, boss. Thought it was your day off?"
"I need you to get the team out here. There's a dead body by the barn."
"What the... Silas?"
"Tina," was all he said. They all knew what she'd done.
"Oh shit, Silas. How's Troy?"
Silas swallowed, the compassion and concern in Robert's voice touching him. "Not good."
"I'll get everyone together and we'll come straight over. Don't worry, Silas. We got you."
❊❊❊
Chester had driven no more than a mile when he was overcome by a wave of deep emotional pain. Not his, but Silas'. He pulled over, forcing air into his lungs, rubbing at the pain in his chest. What the fuck had happened?
He turned and drove back the way he came, back to his mate. He needed to be there with him and help him face whatever had happened. Shit, he hoped it wasn't Troy. He might not have children of his own, but he could feel the love Silas had for his son. It was so strong, so powerful.
He pulled into the driveway and stopped in front of the house. Getting out of his car, he ran up the steps and into the house. When he reached the kitchen, he paused, seeing the look of utter devastation on Silas' face.
"Silas," he muttered, walking closer. "What's happened? Is Troy okay?"
Silas stared at him, his eyes blank. "She made him... She made him..."
Silas' head dropped, and Chester didn't hesitate. He pulled him close, holding him tight. "Whatever it is, I'm here for you. For both of you."
Silas gripped his jacket and Chester held him tighter. Silas' emotions were chaotic. Anger, pain, devastation. So many emotions were flying through him, he wasn't sure he knew what he was feeling.
He heard a sound behind him and turned, fangs dropping. No one was going to see his mate like this. He stood in front of Silas, blocking him from the officer's view. Officer Robert Weston. He remembered him now; they'd met a number of times.
He watched him swallow. "Silas called us in. We need to speak to him, Chester."
"What's happened?" Chester demanded, the words harsh due to his fangs.
"It's okay, Chester. I called them." To Robert, Silas said, "I don't know how many there are, Robert, but Troy said the body is by the barn."
"Shit, Silas. Did she make him?"
Silas nodded. "I know you're going to have to take him in."
"Silas, he was twelve when it happened."
"They'll still need to question him and... fuck, Robert."
"I'll get the vampire council involved, Silas. It was a vampire who committed this crime, and it is a crime to involve a child. Do what the human laws tell you to, but I'll make sure the council is aware. Troy won't be left undefended."
Silas grimaced and then nodded. "I'll show Robert where Troy said he was buried."
Silas and Robert left the kitchen, leaving Chester on his own. When he heard the floorboards above him creak, he glanced up, staring at the ceiling. Taking a chance, he went upstairs and knocked on the partially opened door. Pushing it open, he saw Troy sitting on his bed, his head in his hands.
"Hey, Troy, it's Chester."
"Can they help me?"
Chester furrowed his brow then lifted them. "You mean the council? Yes, they can."
"I didn't want to..."
"You were innocent, and we are taught not to harm humans. We're stronger, faster, and sometimes, we can hurt humans without realizing it. Your mother would have known this."
"She's not my mom," Troy spat out.
Chester nodded slowly. "Okay, Troy."
"Am I gonna go to prison? I mean, will they charge me with murder?"
"Did you willingly kill anyone?" Chester didn't know all the details, Silas hadn't told him, but one thing he knew for sure, no matter what had happened, Troy wouldn't be left to face this alone. Fortunately, he knew just the person who could help.
Pulling out his cell, he called Jared.
"Hey, C. Another mission?"
"No. Look, Jared, I need to speak to Sacha. Is he there?"
"Is everything alright?" Jared asked, the concern evident in his voice.
"Yeah, I just need to talk to him."
"Okay, he's here now." There was a brief silence, then Sacha spoke. "Chester, are you okay?"
"Does your father still talk to the council?"
"Our council? Yes, he does. Why?"
"I need their help. Can you get your father to speak to them for me?"
"Of course, I can, but I need to know why?"
Sighing, Chester shared what he knew, which admittedly, wasn't much. He stopped talking when Troy stood and held his hand out for the cell. Explaining to Sacha what was happening, he handed the phone to Troy then sat back in shock as Troy told him everything he'd suffered.
He spoke quietly, and even though Troy wasn't his son, Chester's heart ached for him. To have endured so much, seen so much horror at such a young age and then to be forced to kill your own parent to save your own life. Chester shook his head. He couldn’t understand her, couldn’t understand why she would do that to her own child. Maybe he never would.
When Troy finished talking, he handed the cell back to Chester and sat on his bed staring out of the window.
"Hey, you still there, Sacha?"
He heard a throat clear then Sacha spoke. "That poor boy… I'll call my father straight away and get back to you as soon as I can."
"Thanks, Sacha."
He hung up and sat next to Troy on the bed. From where they were sat, they could see the cordoned off the barn, and more officers arriving.
"Will they take me away?" Troy asked, his eyes never leaving the scene outside.
"They will probably have to take you away for questioning, but don't answer until you have a lawyer present. You need a vamp lawyer too."
"Why? What does it matter now? I killed him."
"You were a child, Troy, and from what I heard you tell Sacha, you ended his suffering. She would have done far worse to him if you hadn't stepped in."
"I didn't know what to do. I was so scared."
They sat in silence watching the men work outside when Troy said, "That was when she tried to kill me."
"Because you killed the human."
"Yeah. Said I'd betrayed her."
Chester shook his head. "I don't-"
Troy grabbed his arm. "I don't want to be a vampire. Can you make it go away?"
Chester looked into Troy's watery eyes and slowly shook his head. "It's who you are. Don't let her take away how special you are. We aren't all like that."
"I don't want it." Troy pushed away from Chester and paced in front of him. "I don't want it."
"Troy," Silas said as he entered the room.
"What good is it having him as a mate when he can't help me!" Troy shouted, pointing at Chester.
"What?" Silas glanced between them, a frown marring his features.
"He doesn't want to be a vampire," Chester told him.
"Troy, we've talked about this."
"No, Pops. I'm gonna go to prison because of her."
"Look, we do need to go to the office. Robert's going to ask you some questions-"
"Wait. I have a vamp lawyer coming. He needs to be represented by both a human and vampire lawyer." Chester stood in front of Silas. "I know you don't want this," he muttered, "but let me help you."
"Why?"
"Because you're mine and so is Troy. Mine to protect."