Elizabeth Finn - Immortal Protector

The elevator stopped in the basement, a level she’d never been, and as the doors opened, she looked out upon the expansive underground parking level. A man who Ember had seen a few times in the building was standing by waiting. He was a personal assistant of sorts to Sylvan, and the moment she stepped beyond the threshold of the elevator, he moved to her side, clutching her elbow in his broad paw of a hand. He was large; more than large. He looked as much a bouncer as an assistant, and she could only fathom this man was used as much for his muscle as his wit or charm. Ember tried to pull from him, but his fingers clamped hard on her arm.

When he pulled her to a nearby black sedan, she put up little struggle. It would do no good, and she didn’t trust Sylvan not to kill her at any chance he got. The muscle man pushed her into the back seat, never releasing her arm, and the moment Sylvan climbed behind the wheel, they pulled away, passing row after row of cars before finally ascending the ramp to the exterior. As they passed from the basement to the city beyond, Ember looked to see the valet Jonathan. He nodded to Sylvan, and knowing she was truly screwed, her gaze followed him as they pulled onto the city street. He watched her too with not so much as a hint of surprise. He was expressionless as she was led away to slaughter.

The moment he and Angus returned to the building, Truman relaxed. Nothing of interest had happened, and he was relieved to be back within the safety of their building. He and Angus had talked of Mason, and while he knew the council at large wouldn’t necessarily go along with his idea to take Mason down sooner rather than later, he knew he would have Angus by his side. Angus had little respect for Sylvan and disagreed as much with his refusal to go after Mason as Truman did. They parted ways in the deserted lobby, and he made his way up to the residence, imagining Ember and what she might be doing.

He thought nothing of it when he found their residence empty, and it wasn’t until he’d reached the pool and found it empty as well that he worried. When he saw her robe tossed over a nearby chair, his heart lurched. He stopped at Bremmer’s residence on his way downstairs and found him alone. When he mentioned he couldn’t find Ember, Bremmer’s brow furrowed with concern. He’d become fond of Ember over the past many weeks she’d been there, and Truman’s own anxiety compounded just seeing Bremmer’s. Ember wouldn’t leave on her own. In fact, the valets had explicit instructions to not allow her to leave, so it was nearly impossible to imagine she could be somewhere other than the building.

When he made his way back down to the lobby to speak with the valet, he ran into Sylvan and his assistant, Krill, as they entered the building. Sylvan’s nostrils flared for half a second at seeing Truman. “Have you seen Ember?”

Sylvan regarded him coolly, barely hiding his distaste for her. “I can’t say that I have.” His words gave nothing away, but the look that flashed across the valet’s face as his gaze snapped to Sylvan spoke volumes. Sylvan walked past Truman to the elevator with Krill in tow, and as the elevator doors closed and it ascended, Truman spun to the valet. He didn’t wish the valet any harm, and he’d always found the man to be decent and honest, but he was ready to kill the man if he didn’t get the answers he needed. Truman was in all out panic mode at this point, and there was no remaining question in his mind that something bad had happened.

But Truman didn’t have to say a word or threaten the man in any way. He spoke the moment the elevator doors were closed. “He left with her about two hours ago. He and Krill from the parking garage. I don’t think they expected me to see them. And…” His pause was overlong as he considered his next words. “She looked scared, Mr. Solomon.” His gaze fell to his hands as he waited for Truman’s rage. But Truman wasn’t upset with him, and as he looked at the man, Jonathan shook his head. Jonathan was concerned for her. Truman was more than concerned; he was ready to break into a million pieces and fall apart. His heart was thudding loudly, not that the human in front of him could hear it, and his mind was racing.

What if she was dead? What if he’d killed her? Truman couldn’t survive that, and there was nothing in this world that would keep him from killing Sylvan if anything had happened to her. Truman was standing in front of the elevator watching the floors tick off. He saw the elevator stop at the council’s floor, and as it returned to the lobby, his teeth were gritted, his heart continued to thud, and he felt as though he were losing his mind. He had to get to Sylvan, and he was prepared to do whatever was in his power to get the information out of him.

When the elevator returned, he slammed his hand on the floor button, and he called Angus, hastily explaining the situation. He asked that Angus meet him in the lobby, and the moment Angus said he’d be there, he disconnected the phone and paced. When the elevator stopped, he found Krill waiting for him, and the moment he stepped into the corridor, Krill’s fist met Truman’s chest, throwing his body back and down to the floor. But Truman was fast, and as quick as Krill’s arm had knocked him back, his own foot swept Krill’s stocky legs out from under him, and the moment the man was on his level, Truman lunged for his neck. His teeth sunk in as Krill still struggled to sit up, and as he closed his teeth around the man’s carotid, he ripped, severing the artery completely. Blood was gushing from the gaping wound, and as Krill grasped at his neck to stop the bleeding, Truman took the opportunity to twist the man’s head like a pop bottle, severing the spinal column as the vertebrae crunched and broke at the yaw. The man’s eyes went suddenly dead, and his body slumped to the floor of the corridor, continuing to spill blood on the dark marble floor.

Truman wasted little time getting to the council door and bursting through to the interior. Sylvan was alone, standing by the lit fire in the fireplace. He didn’t look at all surprised to see Truman, and the sound of Krill’s death couldn’t have gone unnoticed. He looked pale, more so than even a vampire should look. He regarded Truman before looking to the fire. “It was the valet, wasn’t it? I wasn’t expecting that one.”

“Where the fuck is she? Tell me now or I swear I will kill you.”

“Oh, I fully expect you’ll kill me. That fucking valet.” His words were spit in fury, but he was giving up no information.

When Truman grabbed the poker and thrust it through the man’s gut, he staggered back and sank to his knees. He was panting, gasping, and blood was dribbling from the man’s mouth. It wouldn’t kill him, little could kill a vampire, but he was hoping it would make the man talk. “Couldn’t very well be the one responsible for her death now, could I? It was supposed to look as though she’d left on her own. Fucking valet.” When Truman’s foot connected with the man’s face, sending him to the floor, he chuckled. It was a defeated laugh that held no humor.

“Tell me where she is.” And collapsing to his knees in front of the man. “Please. I’m begging you. She doesn’t deserve this.” He was begging, pleading the man he wanted to kill for answers.

“The fuck she doesn’t. She’s destroyed everything … and you’ve let her!”

“Where is she?” Truman’s voice was bellowing, and he was practically shrieking in fury and fear.

“Where do you think? Your old family home. I gave her to him! Doing you a damn fucking favor!” And with hatred showing clearly through his gritted bloody teeth, he continued. “My only request was he kill her like she deserve. You’re too late, Truman.” Sylvan’s face was an evil mock as he spoke. Truman’s fury reached its threshold, and still kneeling on the floor in front of the incapacitated Sylvan, he reached for the poker sticking out of the man’s gut. He yanked it out, thrust it through the man’s skull, and twisted hard to sever his neck, and when he heard the crunch he was waiting for, he collapsed.