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The Tessarae Inn |
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The Son Also Rises
CHAPTER 25 Blair opened her eyes slowly. They hurt and refused to open fully. Her whole body hurt and her face felt like it was the size of a pumpkin. How many days had she been in the other place? She couldn’t remember. A week? Four days? Ten days? Time seemed to have become elastic. She remembered drifting upward from an inky blackness into dim light, rancid smells and pain. It was hot and every now and then there were flashes of dancing flames. She figured she was in hell. But then a large, red face with puffy jowls and pockmarks loomed into view. Maybe hell operated by a different set of rules but that man was standing too close to her. He reached out with hands attached to long arms and then shook her and demanded that she wake up. He ripped the sleeve of her sweater away then injected her with something. She dove back under and found a hiding place in a sea of blackness. When she woke again he was gone and there were bandages on her head, left arm and most of her left side. He left his minions behind though and they were circling around her, chanting and poking her as if she was a prize pig about to be sent to slaughter. She tried to move but… “As long as I live I will never understand women like you.” What? Where was she and who was this woman? “Why didn’t you let the bloody thing go? No you had to make it difficult. Why did you have to fight so damn hard? The boy was fine.” A memory of Sean screaming for her surfaced like a claw and ripped at her consciousness. How long ago was that? A few hours? A few days? A few weeks? She touched her forehead to see if the bandage was still there. “That’s just a flesh wound. And the other wounds weren’t really that serious. They bleed like the dickens but you should have survived. But, of course, you had to go and die on me. Just to make things difficult. It would have served you right if that quack doctor hadn’t been able to bring you back. Damn it if you aren’t more trouble than you are worth.” Blair tried to take a measure of the woman in front of her but the pain in her arm, side and forehead were distracting her. Her right eye was puffy and almost closed shut. She touched her face carefully but a sharp pain shot through as soon as she made contact with even a small place. The man who had hit her hadn’t been concerned about where or how hard he hit her. She had honestly thought he was going to kill her. But in the end he had to let her see Sean and now she knew for certain that he was alive. Blair felt the around her and realized that she was laying on a crude bunk bed inside of what appeared to be a simple cabin. There was something oddly familiar about it. She sat up slowly and tried to ignore the waves of nausea that swept over her body. Her hands were tightly bound together with rope but at least they were in front of her. She balanced herself then locked her gaze on the woman. “Who are you?” The woman’s eyes flashed like a spotlight suddenly shone on emeralds. “You don’t know? You really don’t? He didn’t tell you?” “Who? Tell me what?” The woman whistled. “I should have suspected that. What a bloody lying bastard. I should have told you myself. Looks like you’re the one who gave a damn, not him. I could have gotten what I wanted through you probably with a lot less work and mess.” Her head and side hurt like hell but she wasn’t going to give this bitch the satisfaction of knowing that. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on or am I supposed to guess?” “I’m Katherine. Peter’s mother. Or as you self-centered asses call him …I’m Sean’s mother.” Blair studied her face for a few moments. Even though she could barely see through one eye and her vision was blurry in the other, she could tell that for once people had not exaggerated about someone. Katherine was as beautiful as everyone claimed but it was also obvious that she held her beauty like a façade to distract people from what lurked beneath. Within a matter of a moment Blair knew this woman was as cold as ice and as deadly as poison. She also knew something else. Those eyes filled with hatred she saw behind the barrel of that gun were Katherine’s. Her scrutiny seemed to unnerve Katherine. She jumped down from the table and flung her hair. “Not what you expected, huh?” “I expected you to be a man.” Katherine laughed. Blair quickly glanced around the room. She had been here before. But when and where was she? She shifted her gaze back to Katherine. “Actually I was thinking about how good you look for a dead person.” “Still have your sense of humor even after the last few days. I like that in a woman. I hate weak bitches and whiny little girly girls. Can’t stand most women. Always liked men much better.” “I guess that rules out a bonding session between us then.” “Don’t underestimate the possibility. After all we both have sons by the same man. You do remember that Peter is MY son, don’t you?” “I remember, but frankly, I’ve been wondering if you remember.” Katherine snorted then perched again on the wood table with her feet in the seat of a ladder back chair. She let her gaze sweep over Blair in an exaggerated slowness. “He should have stayed with me and we could have been a family. He, Peter and me.” “He never even mentioned you.” “The reason he didn’t tell you that I’m alive is because he regrets his decision to come back to you.” Another wave of nausea swept over her body and she felt dizzy but she couldn’t afford to let Katherine think she was weak. She had to figure out how to play this woman. She had to get out of this alive. Starr needed her. Jack needed her. Sean needed her. And Todd needed her too. She had to stay alive for them. She steadied her voice and said, “Maybe.” “Maybe?” “I know he regrets leaving his son with you.” Katherine tightened her lips and rocked her head for a second. “I never would have accepted your bratty daughter and he knew that. He had a choice and he only chose you because he felt you had the prior claim.” “And he never looked back.” “Oh, he looked back all right. Ever wonder where he was all those times he disappeared—months, years… He came crawling back to me.” A dull pain ricocheted in her head. Was that true? Was it possible? Had she been right before? Had Todd’s love all been a lie? She steeled her soul. She could not let this woman rattle her. “Yet you felt the need to blackmail him to get money from him. Why was that?” “Oh, so you know about the blackmail but you didn’t know it was me. He doesn’t trust you a lot, does he? Terrified that you couldn’t handle knowing I was alive and still making him explode in his shorts at just the thought of me.” “I guess not,” Blair said slowly. Katherine smiled at her with narrowed eyes. Blair could read the delight she was taking at kicking her while she was down. She already knew that Katherine had never been a little girl who picked up wounded animals and nursed them back to health. Katherine stoned them to death and considered it a favor. A sharp pain shot through her side but she gritted her teeth and ignored it. “Is Sean all right? Did you bring him here?” “MY son is fine. I wouldn’t hurt that boy. He’s weak though. Crying and calling for you. After the little fracas I had to bring him in here and show him you were still alive before he calmed down.” “Todd?” “Thinks you’re dead. I’m still debating whether or not to make that a reality. But I finally got his attention and made him realize that I’m serious. Five million probably seems like change to him now. Should have paid up front. Now, it’s going to cost him.” “Why are you doing this, Katherine?” “I have my reasons. And I don’t like people taking what’s mine.” “Sean?” “We made him in a fierce passion. No man ever touched me like that before then he stuck his tail between his legs and ran back to you.” “That’s not the way I heard it.” “If he told you anything else, he lied. And don’t tell me he’s never lied to you before.” Blair fought to stay focused. It didn’t matter what Todd did or did not do in the past. She had to survive in the present.
======================= Sean-Ryan was amazed that a little boy could hit so hard and struggle so intensely. He had to stomp him once or twice or so just to calm him down. The three morons who were supposedly guarding him were less trouble to take care of than this kid. On the other hand, they wouldn’t be giving anyone any trouble ever again. The price for negligence at this level was high. He tightened his grip around the boy’s waist and clamped his hand like a vise over the boy’s mouth. He stood perfectly still and listened to the voices raising and falling in the cabin. At just the right moment, he kicked open the door. Katherine reached for her gun and pivoted toward the sound but he had caught her by surprise with her pants down. He locked his gaze on her. “Don’t make me shoot you, Katherine.” She glared at him then shifted her gaze to some point beyond him. “Don’t worry. It’s just us and the crickets.” “Not for long. I’ve got men stationed all around the periphery here.” “By the time they get their heads out of their asses, I’ll be long gone, Katherine.” “How did you find me?” “The question is what took me so long.” “Let Peter go.” Sean-Ryan pushed Sean into the room. “My pleasure.” Sean-Ryan smiled when the boy whirled around, balled up his fists and then lunged toward him. He was a gusty kid but stupid. If he had to stomp him again, he would. “Stop it, Peter,” barked Katherine. The kid stopped in mid-lunge and then froze in place. “Peter, go sit over there by your new mommy but don’t touch those ropes. Understand?” Sean-Ryan watched the boy rush next to Blair Manning, who looked bloody awful—battered, bruised and pale as snow. He studied Blair for a few seconds. There were bandages on her forehead and arms and from the visible bulge he suspected on her side as well. Still she didn’t look too bad for someone who was supposedly deceased. She stared at him with calm eyes but he sensed the fury behind them. She was marking time, waiting for her chance and if the way she had reacted to the sight of him manhandling the boy was any indication then Katherine had better stay on her toes. He walked over to Blair and squatted down in front of her so they were nearly at eye level. “Good to see you, Mrs. Manning.” She cocked her head slightly to the right and he shifted his gaze away from her face. She really did look like she’d been to hell and back. It was painful to see. She had been such a beautiful woman and a pretty nice one too. Life really wasn’t fair. “I guess your name is not Philip Spenser.” He forced himself to look at her again. “Is not but it was fun for a while. Name’s Sean-Ryan McGill. If your luck holds you can ask your husband about me.” Her eyes flickered with something that resembled disgust and he narrowed his eyes. “Maybe, though, you already know about me.” “I probably know the most important things,” she said softly. “Katherine explained that she was in love with my husband and I guess you were the obstacle.” “Shut up,” Katherine hissed. He stood up slowly then locked his gaze on Katherine, whose cheeks suddenly flushed red. He balled his hands into fists then forced himself to relax his fingers. Did she have any idea how much he had gone through to find her? Did she have any idea what he was risking? “Oh, I’m sorry I got that wrong didn’t I?” Sean-Ryan turned toward Blair and stared at her but she leaned forward and focused on Katherine. “You said I was the obstacle but only because I was pregnant when Todd went to Ireland.” “You misunderstood me.” “Did I misunderstand how you reported that no man ever touched you the way my husband did and how he kept running back to you over the years?” Sean-Ryan stretched his neck then moved close to Katherine. “You were in contact with Manning all this time?” “Don’t be a fool, Sean-Ryan.” “A fool? Well, now I guess I have been.” “That woman is deranged. She’s just a jealous shrew who can’t accept the fact that her husband slept with another woman.” Slept with? Enough of this shit. He grabbed her arm. “Come on. We need to talk.” Katherine tried to pull back but he locked his hand onto her arm like a bulldog. He dragged her outside and slammed the door to the cabin then pulled her toward the clearing. He released her arm and stepped in front of her. “How many times?” She dropped her head. Damn her. “How many damn times did you let that bastard touch you?” “Sean-Ryan, you know the truth. It was just that one time and then it was only to …” Damn her straight to hell. He hated the relief he felt hearing her say that but he couldn’t let her know it. He moved so close to her their faces were almost touching and said, “Playing with her head weren’t you? Need to be careful you don’t fall into your own trap.” Katherine sucked her teeth then stepped back. “Why are you here, Sean-Ryan? I told you I would handle this. I’ll take care of Cameron on my own.” “There are things in the mix that cannot be controlled.” “What are you talking about?” “There were contracts that cannot be nullified.” Her eyes grew wide. “He knows?” “Yes. And he’s mad.” She glanced around anxiously. Good. She needed to be anxious. “Grab the boy and we are getting out of here. I’ve made all of the arrangements.” “I can take care of myself.” “Yes you can, but for just this once, let me handle it.” “Manning is going to come through for me. He’ll give me the money and…” This is what he hated the most. When she got all delusional and wishful. He wanted to slap her. Instead he said, “He thinks she’s dead and he is coming after you. It would have been better to kill him and put pressure on her.” “Well, I still could do that.” “It’s too late, Katherine. His head on a platter is the one thing that may have made Cameron relent. He hated being in debt to him but Manning’s too dangerous now for you to catch him off guard.” “So what are you saying?” “We have to disappear, Katherine. For real this time. And we need to take the boy because otherwise he’ll always be a link to you. Leave her be. Looks like she’s almost dead anyway. Somebody will find her or not. Either way we’ll be long gone.” “I don’t think leaving her alive is a good thing.” “It’ll slow him down, Katherine. He loves her.” “I don’t see why.” “We don’t have time to debate this. There can be no dangling threads this time but we have to move now.” “All of a sudden you are willing to accept Peter?” “I don’t give a damn about him but I cannot leave him behind—alive at least.” “What kind of monster are you?” “I’m the monster I’ve always been. Never claimed to be anything else.” “Why are you doing this then?” “I made a decision and we need to go.” “No.” He wanted to strangle her. Just strangle the freaking life out of her. “What the hell are you doing, Katherine?” “I’m supposed to give up my life to you? This is my mess and I will damn well clean it up. I don’t need you. I never have. Go puff your ego on someone else’s soul.” He yanked at her jacket and pulled her close. “I am one step away from not caring a thing about what happens to you. Do you understand? One step away.” She wrenched out of his grip. “Take the damn step, Sean-Ryan. Take it.” “If I walk away now, I’m not coming back, Katherine. You know that.” “My life would have better if you’d never come near me. Finally, I am able to say that and mean it.” To hell with you. That was it. He had been a fool to care about what happened to this bitch. He glared at her for a few seconds then released her. “You want me gone. I’m gone for good.” He took one last look at her because this time was for good. He would never see her again. Cameron would see to that. He turned and then walked briskly around the cabin and started down the trail. In a few minutes he would reach the car and then he was getting out of this place and out of this bloody country once and for all. It was a bloody shame about Blair Manning. But he couldn’t afford to care what happened to her. She was all but dead already anyway. And she didn’t stand a chance against Katherine’s fury and dogged insanity. Katherine could handle Cameron! What a crock of shit. But no use crying over spilt milk or dead women. No use at all.
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