Mother of Darkwaters: Book one of the Vessel series (102 page)

   “No one asked you,” Rebecca says quietly with her back towards Jennifer. She sips her Tequila Sunrise through her straw.

   “Trouble in paradise?”, Tamara questions.

   “It’s none of your business.”

   “Ohh - kay…”, Tamara answers. She nods appreciatively towards the man who slides the drinks towards her.

   “We might need that bottle after all,” Tamara says while ignoring Rebecca, “It’s a little bit of a downer over here.”

   Rebecca remains silent while watching the man comply with Tamara’s wishes. She shakes her head as Julianna and Tamara walk towards the women lying by the pool.

   “You didn’t have to be that way,” Caroline quietly speaks her mind. “You’re being selfish, Becca. Tamara doesn’t even know why you’re mad.”

   “Because it’s none of her business,” Rebecca gives her final answer.

   “Let me know when I can have my bff back,” Caroline says while standing up from the bar stool. She sways while taking hold of her alcohol. Julianna’s cousin turns and heads towards the real party.

  
You all can bite me.

   Tamara shakes her head within her confusion. Julianna and the other women all look at each other after Rebecca projects unknowingly.

  
Keep it up and I just might, you spoiled brat.

   Rebecca quickly turns around. She stares at Jennifer with excited eyes.

   “Did I do it?!”

   “Heh,” Jennifer nods.

   Rebecca looks around at the other women. Caroline finds a seat next to her cousin and acts as though she hasn’t heard anything. Gale and Alexandria seem to be completely in the dark. Tamara has very confused eyes while trying to figure out what is happening. Julianna is quietly speaking to Tamara.

   Jennifer looks over at Julianna, “I want to teach her how to block.”

   Caroline laughs. Alexandria and Gale look confused. Julianna glances at Jennifer and grins.

   “Not in here,” Julianna replies, “Use a room with carpet.”

   “Do I have to?”, Jennifer questions pleadingly.

   Julianna smiles. She looks at Gale and Alexandria. You two need to make your vows to me by saying it.”

   “Okay,” Alex shrugs her shoulders, “I vow myself to you.”

   “I vow myself to you,” Gale says the words innocently.

   Julianna watches black ink swim across the med student’s eyes. She looks at Jennifer, “Take all three of them. I’ll work with Tam.”

   “My pleasure,” Jennifer says with a knowing grin.

   Julianna watches while everyone enjoys their breakfast. They all sit at a large table with twenty five chairs surrounding it. One chair to represent each stone formed within the foundation of her sanctuary. Every chair that is, except hers.

   The red wood of the furniture is glossy with its finish. The center of the table has her family’s emblem meticulously engraved with gold outlining. Above the long table hang two chandeliers. They are each made of clear crystal with accenting deep blue diamonds. Their lighting dances around the dining room like magical fairies in a child’s movie.

   Julianna sits at the head of the table. The love of her life, Tamara, sits in the first chair to her right. Next to her, in order, sits Caroline, Jennifer, Gale, and Larry Richards – one of the security guards from the hospital in which Julianna was admitted for her suicide attempt. To Julianna’s left, Rebecca sits. After the haughty goddess, Alexandria is followed up by Cole Quincy – another security guard from the hospital. Sitting next to him is Charles Stevens, the guard who was in charge over the other two at the hospital. He sits quietly with his impartial stare.

   Nine stones have now been placed to begin the foundation. Fifteen are left. And since Tamara’s wonderful arrival, Julianna is back on track again. She is ready to continue following the beckoning call emanating from the Place of the Dead. The subtle nature of the magnet of the unseen pulls her forward in perfect synchronization to the wall’s writing.

   “I have something I need to talk to you all about,” Julianna says. The clinging of forks, the sounds of small talk and laughter, and the sipping of drinks all come to a stop as eyes turn to look. Julianna looks at everyone with a worrisome gaze.

   “What’s wrong?”, Tamara questions with a concerning tone.

   “I’m not sure how to even say this,” Julianna confesses while not looking at anyone in particular.

   The room’s patrons look at each other, but no one speaks.

   “See,” Julianna says while looking at Tamara, “I thought you were dead. And - uh...I kinda went over the deep end.”

   “I know. I’m sorry.”

   “No,” Julianna shakes her head, “Not like that.” Her ensuing reluctance brings a curious look from the others at the table.

   Julianna inhales and lets out a quick breath. “Okay.  I guess there’s only one way to say this.”

   “You know when David Snow hung himself?”, Julianna questions while explaining herself to Tamara.

   “Good riddance. Sick bastard,” Rebecca speaks up.

   Julianna turns her head to the left and looks at the woman with long blond hair.

   “That’s the thing,” Julianna continues, “He sorta lived.”

   “What?!”, Tamara panics, “No. He died. He has to be dead.”

   Julianna glances guiltily at Tamara before looking around the table of troubled faces.

   “What are you not telling us?”, Jennifer questions.

   “Um – I kinda had that whole thing setup.”

   “Why would you do that?”, Tamara sounds scared, “If he’s on the loose, you’re in danger. I’m in danger. We all could be in danger.”

   Julianna glances at Tamara before looking down.

   “I believe Julianna has him. Is this correct?”

   Julianna raises her head as all the faces in the room look in the direction of Charles Stevens. She nods with an appreciative smile.

   “
Why
do you have him,” Caroline questions.

   Julianna looks at Gale, “You and Alex are probably going to freak out. I’ve not exactly been caring for him like his mother would.”

   The two medical students look at each other with understanding. Gale looks away. Alexandria turns her attention towards Julianna.

   “We signed up for the good times
and
the bad. You do you. We will
always
be behind you,” Alexandria says. She glances across the table at her bff, “But we might not participate in something like this. We have other vows, too.”

   Alex looks at Julianna, “If that’s okay?”

   “I wouldn’t even consider asking you guys to do that,” Julianna confirms.

   “Participate in what?”

   Julianna turns her attention over to Tamara, “I have been sorta paying him back for your murder. And I haven’t been exactly gentle about it. I mean, I thought you were dead. I wasn’t about to let him live his life. I didn’t have it in me.”

   “Whoa,” Rebecca says quietly with a retreating head. She looks at Caroline who seems to be freaking out as much as she is.

   “Are you mad?”

   “No,” Tamara answers, “I would have tortured him much worse than you could ever do if I thought he had killed you.”

    “I’m not so sure about that.”

   Jennifer arches her right brow, “What’s the damage?”

   “He has one leg and the other is in bad shape from the bear claw.”

   “Bear claw?”

   Julianna looks at her cousin and nods. She, then, glances to Jennifer.

   “I beat him with a whip, sliced him with scissors, poked him with an ice pick, bit him, scratched him, fileted him, then there was a chainsaw, a…”

   “Okay-okay,” Rebecca stops the madness, “We get it.”

   “Is he still alive?”

   Julianna looks at Caroline. She nods. Her cousin moves her shock filled eyes to the table’s surface.

   Rebecca pushes her plate forward.

   “What do you want us to do?”, Tamara questions sincerely.

   “Nothing,” Julianna confesses her intentions, “I just wanted to be truthful to everyone. I’m probably going down there to finish the job. I wouldn’t dream of asking any of you to come along. This is on me.”

   “Down
where
?”

   Julianna looks at Rebecca, “The dungeon.”

   “Of course,” Rebecca replies, “The dungeon. How could I not think of that?” She looks at Tamara while presenting Julianna with her right hand, “She has a dungeon.”

   “I’m going to help.”

   All eyes look at Jennifer.

   “What?”, Jennifer sounds defensive, “That piece of crap tried to kill my bff. I want mine. I’d do the same thing if it was any of you sitting in this room.”

   Jennifer waves her right hand in a shooing motion, “So you all can just take that garbage somewhere else.”

   Caroline swallows nervously. Her belly grumbles.

   “Cousin,” Julianna speaks, “You don’t need to go. I don’t expect anyone to. I won’t think any less of you. Gale and Alex aren’t going. I’d be a real bitch if I ordered you to get involved. Family doesn’t operate like that. So stop feeling pressure. It’s not there.”

   Caroline lifts her head to view Julianna as she speaks, “That’s the thing. It
is
there. I want to hurt him...badly. He tried to take Tam from us. We all thought she was dead for six months. I freakin’ mourned her. I wanted to die…”

   Caroline stops as her eyes begin tearing up. She wipes the water away.

   “Well shit,” Rebecca curses, “I guess I’m going to.”

   “You don’t have to, Becca.”

   Rebecca holds out her right palm towards Julianna’s face, “Shut it.”

   She lowers her hand, “You people aren’t making me out to be the bitch.”

   “Heh.”

   Rebecca glares at Jennifer.

   “And you guys?”, Julianna questions the men .

   “If he still lives when the ladies of the house are finished,” Charles Stevens answers, “I’ll break each bone until he is done. A man hurting a woman is unacceptable.” He nods respectively at Tamara. She returns a small smile of appreciation.

   “Same here,” Larry Richards replies.

   Julianna looks at Cole. The man nods.

  
Beep.

   Snow looks towards the door. Last night was the best night he’s had since being brought here. He was well fed, the lights stayed on – no eerie voices, he took a hot shower, received clean clothes, and slept on a real mattress. For breakfast this morning, Captain Woods gave him steak and eggs before cuffing him naked to the pull up bar. David would have objected to it, but was afraid it would anger the guy. He’s supposed to be restrained by the shackles against the wall – allowing him access to the bed. And he was told that he could keep his clothes on. But to needlessly anger someone because they have made a mistake would be a grievous error on his part. Captain Woods is a decent man in comparison to that crazy bitch.

  
click-click.

   The door slides open. Julianna steps inside. David Snow’s eyes widen.

   “I didn’t try to off myself. I…I swear to it. I didn’t.”

   “I know that silly,” Julianna confirms, “I’m not here to harm you.”

   Snow’s facial expression relaxes.

   Julianna steps to the side of the doorway, “They are.”

   Tamara steps inside.

   Snow panics, “You…you’re supposed to be dead.”

   Tamara’s brows narrow as she grits her teeth. She didn’t realize, until this very moment, how angry hearing his voice or seeing his face would make her. She quickly closes off the distance to Snow and begins punching him in the face.

   “Leave some for the rest of us,” Rebecca says whenever she witnesses Snow get knocked out. Tamara punches Snow three more times before Rebecca’s words register within her wrathful mind. Tamara breathes heavily as she steps back. Snow’s nose is broken – leaving a blood splattered face in the aftermath.

   “Is that the room?”

   Julianna nods.

   Rebecca Hindsworth glares as she passes by Tamara’s attacker. She enters the room.

   “Damn,” Rebecca says, “How long did you plan on keeping him?”

   Julianna remains silent. Truth is, she doesn’t really know the answer to Rebecca’s question.

   Rebecca steps out of the room, walks around to the front of Snow, and holds up a machete, “What’s it feel like?”

   Julianna shrugs her shoulders, “Like cutting ham?”

   Rebecca’s head retreats, “You like ruining stuff for people, don’t you.”

   Julianna doesn’t have a chance to reply before the blue-eyed girl turns her back on her. Rebecca uses both hands to violently shove the blade into the boy’s left side. He wakes up screaming. Rebecca looks over at Tamara who is now standing by the double sinks against the wall.

   “Is that about right?”

   “It was the other side,” Tamara answers with surprised eyes, “But thanks.”

   “Huh?”, Rebecca can’t hear anything due to the screaming in her ears.

  
Thanks, Becca.

   The previous captain of the cheer squad walks over and hugs Tamara.

  
I love you, girl.

   I love you.

   Julianna isn’t sure if she should laugh, cry, or run. This is a situation she had not considered. Her mind struggles with what should be normal and what should be considered insane. But then again, should any of her life be measured by the governing standards set by other minds? Who is to say that they, themselves, do not possess a certain amount of insanity? And if they do, no matter how miniscule the amount, then it would be wrong to compare her actions against what they say is acceptable. It would be the same as a smaller fish pointing at a larger one to complain that it is a fish. Now
that’s
insanity.

   “What are you waiting for? You started this sister-bond slaughter.”

   Julianna snaps out of her thoughts when Rebecca’s voice breaks through the begging sobs produced by David Snow. She watches Jennifer look away from Rebecca and walk towards the tool room. Julianna turns around and heads for the entrance. She stops by Caroline who stands by the wall – away from the terror in front of her.