"Actually, my brother killed himself because his kidnapper was going to kill him and use his power to capture Griffin's sister. The two of them were indeed secretly bonded, and he knew if he were already dead, the kidnapper wouldn't be able to take his power. When Griffin's sister-who was precognitive like you-realized her mate was dead, she wrote a vision of the future before she followed him to the grave." A tear slid down Mason's cheek. Tessa crossed the room and hugged him tight. "She said a child from the house of Vaughn and a child from the house of Deidrick would bond in love and bring an end to the fear of our children and the pain of their loss."
"So when it started to happen again, you and Griffin decided to force together your children in hopes of fulfilling the vision. Little did you know your children had already found each other." She sighed. "It just wasn't the daughter you expected."
"The funny thing is, if your timeline is correct, Chase had no idea he was promised to one of Griffin's daughters until after he met Danielle. That makes me feel a little better about his behavior. It saddened me to think he was capable of leading a girl on for his own selfish pleasure."
"You said one of Griffin's daughters, not Nightmare Barbie specifically?"
"Her name is Samantha. Chase had a choice between the twins, but Sam can be very persuasive. Not to mention she's beautiful, hence the Barbie reference. To answer your question, no, it didn't have to be Sam. So if it is known that Dani is Griffin's daughter, I could break the engagement between Chase and Sam without causing a house feud. Sarah would lose her mind, but that is something for Griffin to deal with."
"I think it's more important for her to survive your faulty penal system first." Tessa put her hands over her face. "They're going to kill her, Mason. I have watched it every night for a week. You can't imagine what it's like to watch your child die."
Mason stroked her back. "I know I've let you down, Tessa, but I'm going to make this right. Not only is she my godchild, but I also believe she holds the key to my son's future happiness and the fulfillment of the prophecy. I need you to understand that if it comes down to it, I will expose her identity. They will be much less willing to execute the daughter of a councilman."
"Or, they might kill her on the spot for being an abomination to your race who would muddy your bloodlines," she retorted.
Griffin was arguing with Gage when they entered the area known as "the hole."
"I'm sorry, Griffin. I don't like it either, but we must follow the letter of the law. She killed another vampire, so I have to detain her until the council passes judgment. Kayden is losing his mind, and Koren won't speak to me, but I'm sworn to uphold the law."
"Do you have to detain her in a prison cell? You know she isn't going to run," Griffin growled.
"I know no such thing. She was on the run when the murder took place. To be honest, I think this is the safest place for her, given the tension around here," Gage returned.
"You know damn well it wasn't a murder! She was defending herself! Did you see her? She didn't do that to herself!" Griffin snarled.
"The fact remains that our law states that any vampire who kills another has committed murder and must stand trial. Self-defense can be achieved without killing your attacker. This is what others will argue," Gage calmly explained.
As they reached the door before the row of cells, Griffin took a deep breath. He didn't want to see Danielle locked in a cell. He had been unmercifully haunted by the voice in his head since he found her the day before. It asked him over and over again how he could be so blind. It demanded he protect this girl and care for her like one of his own, like a daughter.
When he reached the nine-by-nine jail cell, the sight of that sweet girl, so petite and fragile looking, huddled in the corner at the far end of the metal slab they called a bed, broke his heart. She had her legs tucked up to her chest with her arms wrapped around them. She seemed so small curled around herself like that. She looked like a child. Her face was turned away from him, so he couldn't see the bruises at first.
"Do you want to stay out here or go in with her?" Gage asked.
"Lock me in. I'll call for a guard when I'm ready to leave."
Dani gingerly got up from the bed and approached the bars when she heard Griffin's voice. Her lips were split and her eyes blackened from the fight. Her nose had a cut across the bridge and looked as if it could have been broken. Worst of all was the sight of her neck. It was black and blue with the marks of repeated strangulation. Gage stepped into the cell and took her chin in his hand, turning her face from side to side trying to assess her injuries.
"You look like a prizefighter who forgot to fight back. I thought I taught you to keep your hands up," he accused, shaking his head. He heard the cell door locking behind him.
It was distressing for Griffin to see her pretty face marked. She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest.
"Thank you for coming. Did you bring a camera with you?"
"Yes, I brought a camera, but I'm not sure what you want it for." He hugged her a bit uncomfortably and loosened when she winced. "I'm sorry."
"I need your help. It's a little embarrassing, so I needed to ask someone I trust." She stepped back with a blush. "I think it will help my claim of self-defense if I document my injuries before they heal. I have no idea how long it will take to get to trial," she paused, "so I need you to take the pictures." Danielle backed up and asked, "Can you do that for me?"
"Yes. It's a shame I didn't think of that. Are you sure you don't want me to find a woman to do this?" He knew she would have to remove her shirt.
"I don't feel safe with the others here, and I'm not comfortable with Kayden doing it. He's having trouble looking at me. He feels responsible for my injuries, particularly the marks on my neck. I don't want to make him see the rest of my injuries," she explained.
"Alright then, if you're sure; let's get it over with so you can rest." Griffin pulled a thin digital camera out of the inside pocket of his suit jacket. Danielle moved back against the wall and pulled off her shirt. Griffin tried not to look shocked at her battered torso. The girl had scrapes, cuts, and huge bruises covering her entire body. He did as she asked and took pictures of her as proof of the brutal attack.
The council chamber was housed in a building that also contained the Hall of Records and a library. It was where their history, family trees, laws, and disciplinary hearings lived shoulder to shoulder in a huge, round building with a domed roof. The council chamber was a round room in the center of the building that was surrounded by a marble hall. The room was floor-to-ceiling Carrara marble. There were five sets of double doors that led into the chamber from various angles. The library and Hall of Records ringed the outside of the building, along with private councilmen offices. Inside the chamber there were rows of curved, dark wood benches all directed toward the rear of the room and the long tables occupied by the council. The council passed laws that affected their entire race and passed judgment on those who broke the law. Their law was very strict, and punishment was swift and exacting. Because of those consequences, it was unusual for vampires to break the law. The benches were full of curious vampires and angry warriors, waiting to witness the fate of the vampire youth known as Danielle Scott.
She'd killed another vampire, and that was the most heinous of all crimes. Even worse, she had killed a warrior. It was the human equivalent of murdering a cop or a soldier. The crowd was aflutter with rumors of everything from a crime of passion to Danielle's inability to control the power she was rumored to have. Most of those people had not met Danielle. For that matter, most of the council had not met her, either. The vampires were leery of the claims of her power.
In the front row sat all of those who cared for Danielle and several who did not. Chase sat with Debbie's arm around him. He was haunted by Danielle's last words to him. She loved him as much as he loved her, and she would suffer for that love. Debbie knew the pain of her son revolved around Danielle, but he wasn't willing to talk to her about it. So she sat in silent support.
Griffin's family sat on the other end of the row. Samantha sat in silent joy at the possibility of the death of the bitch who plagued her happy future. Sarah couldn't care less about the girl either way, as long as she stayed away from her daughter's fiancé. Brandi Vaughn looked at her mother and twin sister in disgust. Neither one of them cared what happened to the girl who had willingly risked her own life to keep her brother, J. R., from harm.