Vampire Mine - Kerrelyn Sparks [109]
“Do what?” Radinka asked.
Ian shifted in his chair. “Corky had a camera. She threatened to expose our existence on the Internet if Casimir was killed.”
“Damn,” Gregori muttered. “I’ll get a laptop and see if anything has come up.” He dashed from the room.
Connor’s jaw shifted, and he rubbed his brow.
Marielle was relieved just to see him move. He’d been motionless for nearly an hour.
“Well, I think Connor did the right thing,” Phineas mumbled.
The room grew silent.
“I agree,” Brynley said. “Connor had a chance, and he took it. Who knows when another chance would have come up?”
Another silence stretched out.
Gregori returned with a laptop and began scouring the Internet.
The shifters wandered into the kitchen to look for some food.
Roman drank some Blissky. “Father Andrew’s funeral will most likely happen during the day. We won’t even get to see it.”
Shanna patted his arm. “We’ll have a memorial for him here.”
Roman stood and lifted his glass. “To Father Andrew. May we remember him always, and may he rest in peace.”
Everyone stood and lifted his glass to Father Andrew. Then silence pervaded the room once more.
“Oh shit,” Gregori muttered, drawing everyone’s attention. “Corky posted a video on YouTube.” He clicked on it, and Corky’s strident voice filled the room.
“Here it is! Proof positive that vampires are real! See the blue glowing eyes on the vampire with the sword? And see what happens when he kills the other vampire? Dust!”
Brynley snorted. “No one’s going to believe that. No one will even see it.”
Gregori winced. “It’s been up three minutes, and it already has a thousand views. If it goes viral, we could be screwed.”
Connor stood abruptly and exited the glass door into the garden.
Marielle followed him. “Connor!”
He headed toward the woods.
“Connor, please. Talk to me.”
He slowed to a stop.
He kept his back to her, but she could see the tension in his stiff spine and clenched fists. “I know you’re upset.”
“Do ye have any idea what I have done?” He spun around to face her. His eyes were filled with pain. “I have sentenced all my friends to death.”
She flinched. “It can’t be that bad.”
“It is. For as long as vampires have existed, our first priority has been to keep our existence a secret.” He snorted. “God, how many times have I preached that to my friends? I would have never believed that I would be the one . . .”
She stepped toward him. “We’ll figure something out.”
“The world will want to destroy us.” Connor’s mouth twisted with pain. “I have failed my friends. I have failed everyone I have ever known.”
Her vision blurred with tears. “Connor, please. Don’t do this to yourself.”
He squared his shoulders. “But I willna fail you. I will get you back to heaven.” He vanished.
“No!” She ran forward, but he was gone. “Connor! Connor!” She collapsed on the ground, crying.
What if she had lost everything? Connor. Her wings. Her heavenly home.
Eventually, she heaved herself to her feet and walked back to the cafeteria.
“I am so sick of crying.” She wiped her face. She felt old. And tired. And human.
She let herself back into the cafeteria.
Everyone was talking about the new problem. Someone had turned on the television, and a news station was reporting on the video. A ticker ran across the bottom of the screen. Vampires are proven real!
Sean Whelan strode into the cafeteria. “Quiet! This is no time to panic.”
The room grew silent.
Sean glared at the television. “What a stupid mess. I’ll get ahold of my contacts in the government and get them to declare this whole thing a hoax.”
“Will they do that?” Roman asked.
Sean snorted. “They’ll do anything for a price. I may have to let a few key people know that vampires are real, but I’ll make it to their advantage to keep the secret.”
Angus’s eyes narrowed. “Why would ye help us, Whelan?”
He glowered at Angus, then at Roman. “Because I’m one of you now.” He turned and marched toward the exit. “I’ll start negotiations immediately.”
“We’re coming with you.” Angus and Emma dashed after him.
Everyone started talking again,