The ride to his parents’ home felt longer than usual for Gabriel. He wanted to go straight to Selene and take her head but first, he needed to see his mother’s state. He could not lose his mother like this.
In moments like this, Gabriel wished his mother and Cassandra were both vampires. Lucinda would heal slowly but it was better than bearing the pain she felt now. Human lives were too easy to end.
Cassandra held Gabriel’s hand for all of the ride to see Lucinda. She secretly hoped that by the time they reached his family home, Lucinda was dead and had not shared much of Bryce’s appearance.
Cassandra was careful about what she said now since Gabriel looked as though he would kill anyone who said something he didn’t like.
When the carriage stopped at his parents’ home, Gabriel exited without waiting for Cassandra. The front door was wide open, and he could hear the servants panicking as they ran around.
"Where is she?" Gabriel yelled as he entered the home. The overwhelming smell of blood caught his attention, making him even more furious.
"She is here," said George Valor, Gabriel’s father. "I want that woman dead for what she did. I want her dead!"
Gabriel walked by his father to get to his mother who laid on the bed. Her eyes weren’t open as a doctor still tended to her. Gabriel regretted not taking her home and allowing her to find her own way.
"Mother," Gabriel got down on his knees beside the bed. "I am here, mother. How long has she been asleep?"
"Since she arrived. The farmer said she had been awake for most of the ride but she fell unconscious by the gates. She lost a lot of blood, Gabriel. What they did to her leg was cruel. They even stabbed her. This is the work of someone who hated her and wanted her dead," George said, his anger growing the more he looked at Lucinda.
George was both angry and annoyed. Angry that someone was so bold to harm his wife and annoyed that her body was so weak to become like this.
"Will she survive this?" Gabriel asked the doctor.
"It will be hard-"
"She will," George spoke over the doctor. "She will not die like this."
George couldn’t have Lucinda spoil the light on their family like this. The town was to be celebrating what Gabriel had done, not mourning for Lucinda. Why would she have travelled alone when all this attention was on her?
Gabriel needed his father to be careful with what he said. "I’m sure she can hear us so you should be encouraging her to wake up. Did the farmer say the name Selene?"
"He did. That woman tried to kill your mother. You must do something about her. I don’t care who she is married to," said George. "The town guards should be able to deal with her."
Gabriel held his mother’s hand, taking in her touch for a moment in case the worst might happen when he was away. "Save her. I will pay you handsomely if you save her," he told the doctor.
Gabriel stood up, ready to leave for the Blackthorn estate. "Father, send for the town guards to meet me at the Blackthorn estate and take care of Cassandra in my absence. She has come to help take care of my mother. I trust you will keep her safe."
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