Page 86 of Isabelle’s Forbidden Love

“LaRuson showed up again. I think I mentioned it when you came to my house: LaRuson came back as a vampire.”

“Yes, you did. So, he was human when he first met Margarite, before he went to prison?”

“Yes. He must have gotten turned after he was released. I don’t know any of the circumstances, but it’s possible that he realized somehow that Orlando was a vampire, and that he had to compete with him.” She shrugged. “In any case, he managed to turn Margarite’s head once again. When I discovered that they had started up their affair again, I implored Margarite to send him away. That’s when she threatened me. She said that if I said a single word to anybody, LaRuson would kill me. That’s why I didn’t tell Orlando. He had no idea that his wife had taken a lover. And that Margarite was going to leave him for LaRuson.”

“And let Orlando starve?” Because a vampire blood-bonded to a human could only drink his mate’s blood as long as his mate was alive.

A sad smile spread on Ines’s face. “I overheard that they wanted to kill Orlando, so they could be free. I was scared that if I said anything to Orlando, LaRuson would find out and kill me. So, for a few days, I battled with myself. When I’d finally decided to warn Orlando, knowing that I couldn’t just let him die, it was too late already. You see, back then there were no cell phones. And I couldn’t leave a message on an answering machine that Margarite might hear.” She sighed. “The day I finally found enough courage to warn Orlando, was the day of the massacre.” A tear rolled down her cheek.

Isabelle reached out and squeezed her hand. “I know it’s hard. But please go on. Tell me what Orlando did.”

“I was ready to leave for the night. I knew that Margarite had arrived to visit her parents only a short while earlier, so I knew I could go to Orlando’s house and tell him, because he was alone. But just as I wanted to leave through the kitchen door, I heard Mr. Arnaud scream. Margarite was attacking him. She stabbed her father first. I couldn’t get to the phone—it was in the living room where Margarite was stabbing her father. She would have seen me. So, I ran, trying to alert Orlando. The house he and Margarite lived in wasn’t far. But I only ran for a few blocks, before I saw Orlando. He raced past me in his car. He didn’t even see me. I think Margarite sent him a telepathic message.”

Isabelle felt her heart clench in pain. What had gone through Orlando when he’d raced toward his in-laws’ house?

“I followed him back to the house. When I got there, Orlando’s car was parked in front of the door. I went inside. They were all dead. The entire family.”

Isabelle held back a sob.

“That night I found out that a vampire’s tears are red.” Ines looked into her eyes. “I found Orlando holding the body of his dead wife, sobbing uncontrollably. A wooden stake lay on the floor close to her. I realized then that he’d had no choice. Margarite had lured him to the house so she could kill him too. Then she would be free to be with LaRuson.” She sighed. “What Orlando did was an act of mercy. It broke his heart. But Margarite had to be stopped. And prison or an asylum would have been much worse for somebody like Margarite.”

“But why did Orlando let everybody believe that he’d killed her family? Why take on that guilt?”

“Because he loved her, and he couldn’t bear for her name to be tarnished.”

It was what Orlando had said earlier.

“He was loyal to her even beyond her death. Maybe in the eyes of the law, he’s a wife murderer, but not everything is black and white. Nobody is without guilt. The Arnauds didn’t give Margarite the help she needed to deal with her illness, and LaRuson was bad for her. He amplified every bad intention in her, he groomed her for a life of violence. There’s so much guilt to go around.”

“And Orlando? What is he guilty of?”

Ines put her hand on Isabelle’s, a melancholy expression on her face. “He’s guilty of loving her too much.”

“The council—”

Ines shook her head, interrupting her. “I’ll testify to what Margarite and LaRuson’s plan was. Orlando was only acting in self-defense. I know it might not have looked like it with Orlando being so big and strong, but Margarite would have never given up LaRuson, and one day, she would have staked Orlando in his sleep. She had to be stopped.”

“I think we need to speak to my father.” Isabelle rose. “Come with me.”

Isabelle had hope now. Orlando wasn’t a stone-cold killer, but a compassionate, loving man. Her father had to see this, and the council too.

She led Ines out of the H lounge and together, they rode up the elevator to the executive floor. At the end of the long hallway, Isabelle knocked at the door to her father’s office. Without waiting for an invitation, she opened it and entered with Ines in tow.

Samson and Delilah stood near the window, locked in an embrace. She knew that Samson had fed from Delilah upon their return to HQ, because Samson’s cuts and bruises had already started to heal.

“Isabelle,” Samson greeted her and released Delilah from his arms. “Are you okay?”

Isabelle nodded quickly. “Dad, I want you to meet somebody.” She motioned to Ines. “This is Ines Taylor. She was the housekeeper for Orlando’s in-laws. She knows what happened that night in 1981.”

Samson raised his eyebrows.

“Ines, I want you to tell my father everything you told me just now. Can you do that?”

“Of course,” Ines said with a smile. “Anything to help Orlando.”

“Thank you.” She hugged the woman, before she turned to the door.

“Where are you going?” Samson asked.