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“Benedict!” Mariah exclaimed.
“No, it’s okay. I understand him. Benedict is like us, out of his era. All we have are our morals, intelligence, and ethics to fall back on. I think we all may have lashed out at first, especially when we saw familiar faces, living and breathing again,” Tristian said calmly.
“I do not need your platitudes, Black Duke!”
“Benedict!” Mariah exclaimed.
“Mariah, I am unsure if the Rakehell Six came to gloat, but this is my life. Not some damn fairy tale. They may have been able to return, but why not my family? My family gave their lives in dedication to God and to wipe out evil. All they did was get murdered, however unfairly it might have been,” Benedict snarled and disappeared.
Mariah spun to the three men, embarrassed on Benedict’s behalf.
“I am so sorry. He’s never been easy to get along with the whole time I’ve been here.”
“Do not apologise, Mariah. We may not agree with his thoughts, but we can sympathise with his position. We all haunted alone, and it is a terrible existence. It could only be worse for Benedict because, however rudely he stated, they gave their lives in service, where we were unfairly murdered. But Benedict needs to understand he is not alone.
“We were never friends nor allies; we were rivals and barely friendly ones. Our disagreements were legendary, Mariah. Society understood to never invite both groups to the same ball unless they wished to be the subject of talk and scandal. But he is from my era, and I am a duke; therefore, Benedict and his family are my responsibility.
“The Rakehell Six will stand by the Nortons Mariah, as agitated and annoying as they may be. No doubt they find us similar, but we are all that’s left from an era forgotten. And no matter what, we’ll stand together and help them find their footing should they return,” Tristian spoke firmly.
“Thank you!” Mariah replied. “I must find Benedict before he does something foolish and rash.”
“If you need us, Mariah, please call us. Here are our cards. They have each of our numbers on. Do not hesitate; we shall come immediately,” St John said, standing up and handing Mariah six cards. When Mariah looked, the front had the husbands’ names on, and the backs had their wives.
“Thank you, excuse me,” she replied with a smile. Mariah offered an awkward curtsey and dashed off past workmen who were nodding at and greeting the three men.
Tristian
“Did we do right?” St John asked as they drove away from the Black Cat.
“With?” Daniel sought.
“Not letting Benedict know that we’re aware of Lucian’s whereabouts,” St John replied.
“I think so. Unfortunately, our own stories impact theirs. I feel they are to return; their situation is remarkably like our previous one. But I also believe we are supposed to guide those who are to help them. This time, the Rakehell Six aren’t meant to lead but instead support the Nortons. It is a set of new circumstances for us. But Melisandre is correct. The angels did comment there would be others we were required to aid. But they didn’t say lead. So, we must allow the Nortons to discover their path and give them a poke every so often,” Tristian replied.
“If the others call for restorations of their inns, Melisandre will know where they are. Will it be safe for her?” Daniel mused, thinking of the Norton’s infamous tempers.
“Yes, the angels would not risk Melisandre. For all intents and purposes, the angels are fond of the women. Even Henrietta,” Tristian said, throwing a smirk at St John.
St John shrugged. There was no denying his wife was a handful.
“They wouldn’t allow them to come to harm.”
“There is that. Do you think others of our era also haunt? Because I remember the six lords who vanished. Sabine can find no mention of them,” Daniel inquired.
“Let’s handle one mystery at a time, shall we?” Tristian snorted. But his own brain turned to the six lords who disappeared mysteriously overnight. And his thoughts reminded him of one little fact nobody else knew. They hadn’t been entirely stand-up citizens. Highwaymen sprung to mind!
No, Tristian would not consider them for his sense of peace!
Mariah
“Benedict? Where are you?” Mariah called as she strolled through the apartment. Now he was no longer purple; she discovered it was much harder to find him. Benedict didn’t answer her, so she wandered back to her lounge.
She settled in an armchair, grabbed her laptop, and logged on. Mariah scrolled until she found what she wanted and then began ordering items. She just hoped she had them correct. Once her order had been placed, Mariah walked into the kitchen and checked out her food stores. She’d replaced everything Benedict had turned rotten and decided to cook a Caribbean chicken casserole. She thought Benedict might enjoy it. Her mind went to the Rakehell Six and their far-fetched adventures as she cooked. If she hadn’t seen them, she’d never have believed them.
But each man was a high-powered businessman, each commanding vast fortunes. They wouldn’t each be so rich if they were delusional. No, their stories were true as Benedict’s were. This meant, to Mariah, Benedict had a chance of return to being human. Although he called himself the walking dead, what was he really? Benedict was transitioning to be a vampire, but it had been frozen with his imprisonment of Vemis.
Mariah stirred the pot as she considered why it mattered so much that Benedict returned. She acknowledged that her sense of fair play was insulted. Benedict and his family had done much to protect innocents, yet they’d been penalised. It was more than that, though. While Benedict shouted and hollered and played nasty tricks, he’d never once hurt her. Benedict had given her more than a few scares, and some heart-stopping moments when he bellowed in her ear, but not once had he harmed her.
