Chapter 47: A New Mystery

Jade's POV: I told Charles to take her upstairs and help her but he wouldn't. I started yelling and I said, "DO IT! SHE'LL DIE IF YOU DON'T!" He immediately replied, "Wait here, I'll be right down!" I had no interest in waiting for Charles right now. I quickly picked my knife back up off the ground and I headed outside. I walked out to the lake when someone grabbed my arm, I went to turn around but that person threw me in the water. I quickly arose to the surface and found a man standing at the dock. I called out, "Who are you?" He jumped into the water and I started swimming away. The man said to me, "Don't be afraid little girl, I won't hurt you. I'm looking for Charles Suliman, do you know where he is?" I saw Charles standing by the house door about to run, I whispered "No." and shook my head so Charles would leave, the man thought I meant I didn't know where Charles was so he asked, "Well do you know where I can find him?" I was frightened but I said in a calm tone, "I don't, he fled off early this morning without telling me where he was off too. I've never been in this area so I don't know what's around here that he might go to." The man gazed into my eyes and said, "Where is Charles Suliman?" He thinks I'm human, what a charm, he's trying to compel me. I continued so he'd think his compulsion was working and I said, "I don't know. He left early this morning and hasn't returned." The man smiled sincerely at me and said, "Alright then love, let's get out of the water shall we?" I nodded my head as I swam towards the dock. Once we got up I asked, "Can I ask...why are you looking for my boyfriend?" I tried sounding as normal and innocent as possible saying that so he wouldn't suspect me. He answered, "Well, I came here looking for Charles because he and I used to be really good friends. A very, very long time ago." I knew he was lying but I had to keep up the act just in case he's dangerous. I then asked, "There was a woman that stopped by just a couple minutes before you showed up, did you see her at all? Red, ginger hair with green eyes. She was injured and seemed really frightened. I'm just curious." He smiled at me and replied, "No, I didn't see anybody like that around today. Is she still here? Maybe I could calm her down or help at all. If you'd like." He took a step closer to me when he said that last sentence and my heart stated bolting out of my chest in fear. I had to answer him so I said, "She left before you got here, you barely missed her. Sorry about that." He raised his eyebrows and nodded his head with a smile. I smiled back and asked, "So, why are you looking for Charles right now?" He gave me a confused look so I continued, "Well I just mean that you said it's been a very long time since you two have seen each other, why didn't you go find him sooner?" The man looked around me trying to find an excuse when he said, "Well, uhm...we got into a huge fight, I swore to myself I'd talk to him again, but my pride got in the way so I ended up leaving him for good. Until now that is." I smiled sincerely. Then I casually added in, "Wow, this is embarrassing, we've been here for a little while and I never got your name?" He held out his hand and said, "My name is Henry, Henry

St. Claire." I reached my hand out and shook his as I said, "Nice to meet you Henry, I'm Jade." Henry raised his eyebrow and asked, "Jade..." he wanted my last name so I quickly replied the first name that came to mind, "It's Jade Devereaux." He smiled and released my hand from his grip. I then said, "Why don't we go inside and learn a little more about each other while we wait for Charles to come back." I said it a little louder so Charles heard everything word of it so he'd take that woman and himself out of there ASAP!

Charles' POV: I carried the woman off the bed and ran out of the house just on time. Once I exited I heard Jade and Henry entering. I ran at my fastest vampire speed to who knows where. We were in the middle of the woods when I finally stopped. I layed the woman down gently on the ground and asked, "Can you hear me?" She replied, "I-I can hear you." I held up her head and said, "What's your name dear?" "Rosalyn." She answered in a weak voice. I was going to continue to ask her questions but she look on the verge of death. I quickly bit in my wrist a held it up to her mouth and said, "Drink. It'll heal you." Rosalyn started drinking my blood. Once she was finally healed perfectly I asked, "Rosalyn...what happened?" She took a quick breath and answered, "My boyfriend. He uhm...he started hitting me and throwing me against the wall whilst screaming in my face. He was having a bad day and then he called one of his friends over. He was saying on the phone how I was being clingy and needy even though I wasn't. Anyway, his friend arrived earlier this morning and he has the same anger issues as my boyfriend does, I asked them if they needed anything while I was out. I was heading to the grocery store. They said I couldn't go but I insisted, we needed some food in the house. So instead of telling them I was leaving I just snuck past the front door, I'm not sure how they heard me because I was quiet as a moused, but once I got in my car I heard someone coming towards me, it was my boyfriends friend. I quickly pushed on the gas pedal and headed towards town, however, he followed me there too. So I continued driving, hoping I could ignore the fate I was about to face. My car ran out of gas right before I got to your house, so I locked my doors and prayed he would go away. Obviously he didn't, he broke through my window, unlocked the door and opened it. I wasn't fast enough to move or do anything, he reached in and yanked me out of my car. Then, he started beating me. He hit me until I nearly passed out, that was when I grabbed a stick next to me and stabbed him with it, then I ran inside your house. I thought I'd be safe there since he probably couldn't get in. Then you and that other woman found me on the floor near death. And now here we are." I was shocked at the story. I noticed something odd in her story so I asked, "You said you thought it'd be safe since he couldn't get in. What exactly do you mean by that?" Rosalyn giggled and replied, "Oh come on! You're seriously playing dumb with me right now? Vampires can't get into homes that humans own!" I tried playing it off like I had no idea what she was talking about So I just gave her a confused look. She continued, "Let's skip the part where you pretend you have no idea what vampires are...let alone that you ARE one! You just saved my life with your blood, I'm not an idiot." I turned my head and faced Rosalyn and said, "Rosalyn, how and what do you know about vampires?" I tried compelling her but that clearly didn't work. She replied, "Nice try. I'm on vervain. But I'll gladly answer your question, on one condition..." I raised an eyebrow letting her know I want her to continue. She then said, "I want you to kill my boyfriend and his friend." I gulped and answered, "Listen, Rosalyn, I don't think killing them will solve all your problems-" She cut in, "Yes it will! As long as you can kill them without getting yourself killed then I'll tell you anything you want to know!" I laughed loudly and said, "You're joking right? You can't seriously think I can be killed!" She had a straight face so I continued and said, "Wow. My reputation is getting held back I suppose! Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Charles Suliman. One of thee original vampires!" Rosalyns face went ghost white so I quickly said, "Don't be scared Rosalyn. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not all that bad you know!" She calmed down a little and said with an attitude, "Call me Rosie." I smiled and said, "Well, if we're going to be killing your little boyfriends I suppose we should head back!" Rosalyn nodded her head and we started going back to the lake house...