Chapter Thirty-one

Mac spent most of the night tossing and turning. The pain in her chest was almost unbearable, but she refused to be weak and ask for something for the pain. Just before dawn, she awoke from a terrible nightmare. In her dream, Jon was being burnt at the stake and there was nothing she could do to save him. The dream had seemed so real; she jumped out of bed at a dead run. Practically tearing the door off it’s hinges, she ran into the sitting room, past Richie sleeping on the sofa to the main door of her suite, all still just wearing the t-shirt and panties she’d worn to bed.

Richie came awake with a jerk, just in time to see her throw open the door and run into the hall. Dragging on a t-shirt as he went, he ran after her. When he finally caught up to her, he grabbed her from behind, pulling her into a tight bear hug. She began to fight him, screaming for him to let her go, that she had to get to Jon.

He bent to say softly in her ear, "Mac, calm down. It’s me Rich."

"Richie, help me," she pleaded. "They’re killing him! I’ve got to get to him." She jerked away from him and took off running again, disappearing as she rounded a corner into another hallway.

Richie had no choice but to follow her. At the door guarded by two different vamps, Mac came to a skidding halt and demanded to see Jon. They refused.

Richie tried to placate everyone. "I think she had a nightmare that he was dying."

The two vampires eyed Mac from the top of her head all the way down to the tips of her bare toes. Richie frowned at them and pulled Mac behind him, hiding her from their hungry eyes. She immediately began to fight to get around him.

Jon’s voice from the other side of the door halted her fight. "Mac! Calm down. I’m fine. You just had a bad dream." The people in the hallway heard a soft thud as Jon’s head struck the door from the other side. Then his muffled voice was heard again. "Rich, please, just get her outta here. I’ll see both of you at the trial in a couple of hours."

Richie tugged at Mac’s arm, until he got her to walk back to her room. Through the door, Jon asked the guards, "Is she gone?"

"Yes," one of them answered.

Weakly, Jon slid down the door until he was sitting in the floor, leaning back against the portal. "Thank God," he whispered to himself. He had barely been able to restrain himself from tearing down the door to get to her. Had she stayed just a second more, he’d have lost the battle with himself.


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At 9am sharp, Mac and Richie were ushered into the Council’s chambers. They were shown to seats right in front of Jon. He was seated with two vampire guards, one on either side of him.

When Mac took her seat, Jon leaned forward to lay one hand on her shoulder. "See, I’m fine."

Mac opened her mouth to answer, but didn’t get the chance. The three members of the Council filed in to take their seats behind a large table on a raised dias at the front of the room. Mac watched as Caleb was led into the room and down to stand in front of the dias.

A vampire that was acting as a sort of bailiff announced to the room, "These precedings will be conducted in English for the benefit of the defendant. Court is now in session."

In a grave voice, Kristoff said from behind the table, "Caleb McAllen, you stand accused of kidnapping a vampire’s life mate and placing her in harm’s way. We will now hear the testimony against you."

Constantine said in a softer tone, "Ms. Mac Donaldson please stand."

Jon squeezed her shoulder reassuringly before she stood up as ordered.

"Ms. Donaldson," Constantine began, "please tell us about the night the accused took you from your hotel room."

Leaving nothing out, Mac carefully told them the story of that evening and what happened while she was alone with Caleb. When she was done, Sebastian told her that she could sit down and asked Richie to stand. Constantine then asked Richie to tell them his version of the tale. Richie complied, adding the part about his and Jon’s search for Mac and how they’d found her in El Paso. Finally, Jon was asked to tell his version of the events.

When Jon sat down, Kristoff announced to Caleb, "By your own admission you are guilty of this crime. Caleb, do you have any words in your own defense?"

Caleb had stood before the Council with his head bowed until Kristoff had spoken to him. Now, he looked up at the three powerful men before him. "My only defense is that I thought I was avenging an old wrong that Giovanni had done to me and a loved one. I was not aware of all the circumstances regarding that incident, but that is no excuse. I wish to apologize to Ms. Donaldson and to Giovanni. He only did what had to be done."

The three vampires stood, and Kristoff announced to the people assembled, "This council will now convene to discuss our decision in this case."

Once the Council had left the room, Caleb turned to face Jon and the rest. "Giovanni, I’m really sorry about all of this."

"I know you are," Jon said softly. "Go in peace, Caleb."

There was such solemness to Jon’s tone, that Mac and Richie realized there was some form of ceremony there, but they didn’t ask about it.

It only took a matter of minutes before the Council came back into the room and announced their verdict. Kristoff stood up and looked at Caleb sadly. "Caleb McAllen, this council finds you guilty. Your sentence will be carried out just after sunset tonight. Go in peace."

Caleb nodded his acceptance of his fate, then was led from the room by his guard. Kristoff stepped down from the dias and walked over to Jon.

"Giovanni, you are welcome to act as a witness to tonight’s events, but I’m sure your friends will not want to be there," Kristoff told Jon quietly.

"I have no desire to act as witness," Jon answered, "I know the Council will see that justice is served."

Kristoff nodded. "I understand."

"Kris, I do have one favor to ask," Jon said quickly, as his friend began to turn to walk away.

"Anything in my power, I will be happy to grant," Kristoff replied.

"I won’t ask that everyone leave us alone, but can I have a few minutes with my life mate?"

"I’m sure that won’t be a problem, as long as the two of you don’t discuss your case," Kristoff answered, then motioned for the guards to follow him. After they had moved a few feet away, Richie also discretely excused himself, leaving Jon and Mac alone but under the watchful eyes of the entire room. Richie was the only one that politely turned his back to the couple.

Roughly, Jon pulled Mac into his arms and held her tightly. "I need you," he whispered against her hair.

Her hands rested briefly on his chest, but then smoothed over the fabric of his dress shirt, past his collar stroking his neck right before her fingers slid into his hair. "Kiss me," she pleaded, her eyes wet with unshed tears.

"You don’t have to ask," he told her, "in fact, there’s nothing that could stop me."

When his lips met hers it was without tenderness. It was no gentle kiss. It was a fiery meeting full of hunger and passion. His tongue swooped into her mouth to taste and tease, but when it retreated back home, her’s chased behind it. As their tongues dueled for supremacy, her’s slid past his lengthening fangs. With his arms around her waist, his hands slipped down to cup her ass, pulling her lower body tighter against his. He groaned as he tasted the sweet, tanginess of her blood, and he realized his fangs had pricked her tongue. He sucked hard on her tongue savoring the taste of her blood. Forgetting they weren’t alone, Mac moaned softly against his lips.

With super-human effort, Jon managed to get his senses under control. He nipped gently at Mac’s full bottom lip, then kissed the tip of her nose. "I love you, moglie mia," he told her softly, "don’t forget that."

"I’ve already told you that I won’t," she assured him, breathlessly.

There was one more thing that Jon wanted to tell her, but he was concerned that if he told her not to do it that she would do it anyway. He had to try. "Does your room overlook the courtyard?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Then please, Mac, I beg you to stay away from the windows today, but more importantly this evening after sunset."

"Why, Jon?"

"Because that’s where they’ll carry out Caleb’s sentence."

"What sentence, Jon?" Mac asked, fully aware that although the Council had handed down a verdict, they hadn’t said what the sentence would be.

Jon still couldn’t bring himself to tell her. Instead he just pleaded softly, "Please, Mac. Just stay away from the windows."

A polite cough came from Jon’s right, and he looked over to see Kristoff standing next to them. He’d been so involved in Mac, he hadn’t even heard his friend’s approach.

"Giovanni, I must separate the two of you now," Kristoff said regretfully.

"I understand," Jon replied.

"The Council will convene again the day after tomorrow to begin your own trial."

Jon bent his head to brush Mac’s lips with his, before he released her and stepped back. "Thank you, Kris," he told his friend, before he turned to leave the room between his two guards. Jon had fully expected his trial to begin when Kristoff had told him. They would carry out Caleb’s sentence tonight, and then tomorrow would be Caleb’s ceremony of passage. It would be a ritual to honor Caleb’s bravery in coming to the Council on his own for judgement.



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That afternoon, back in her room, Mac paced the floor, back and forth past Richie, who was slouched in a chair with his booted feet propped on a low table in front of him.

Mac stopped her pacing to spin and face Richie. "Did you notice that they didn’t hand down a sentence, only a verdict?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I thought that odd, but then everything about this whole thing has been really strange."

Richie watched as Mac absently rubbed her chest. The pain must be back.

"Jon asked me to stay away from the windows today and tonight," she told him.

"Really? Why?"

"He said that they would carry out Caleb’s sentence in the courtyard."

Richie stood quickly and strode toward the nearest window. "Well, he didn’t ask me to do shit." Moving the curtain aside, Richie looked down into the courtyard and what he saw brought a curse to his lips. "Fuck," he swore softly.

"What is it?" Mac asked, suddenly concerned.

"Uh, nothing important," Richie told her, "just please do as Jon said." He headed toward the door. "I’ll be back in a few minutes."

Richie marched to his own room, slamming the door behind him. He picked up a vase and threw it violently against the wall. He now knew what Jon had been hiding for days. Richie was furious with his friend for keeping this from him and for leaving him to have to cope with Mac when she finally realized the truth. He strode across the room and once again looked out a window, down at the courtyard. There was only one reason that the Council wouldn’t have announced a sentence, and Richie knew why. Furiously, he watched as workers stacked wood for a bonfire in a circle around a tall wooden pole in the very center of the courtyard. Richie released the curtain, letting it fall gently back into place, and immediately picked up a lamp that was soon in shards against the nearest wall.

"Damn it, Jon," he cursed violently. He tried to calm himself. Richie knew he had to calm down and think rationally, because they needed a plan.


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Mac had watched Richie storm out of her room. She hadn’t missed the clenched fists and the muscle twitching in his jaw as he fought to keep from losing control in front of her. She was unsure of her new vampire powers, but she was very sure of her gut instincts. Richie was pissed. Wild horses couldn’t have kept her from going over to look out that window.

At first, she wasn’t quite sure what she was looking at, but once it clicked she stood there frozen in fear for several seconds. Finally, her legs got the message from her brain to start walking. She hurried from the room and went in search of the one person who could give her the answers she sought.

After asking several members of the household staff, she eventually found Kristoff in his office. She didn’t knock on the door; she just burst into the room to find him sitting behind a massive desk. His chair was turned to the side, and he was just staring at the wall.

When she stormed across the room toward him, he turned his chair so that he was facing the desk and an angry Mac. "Did you need something, Mac?"

"Yeah," she answered sarcastically, "Jon."

Kristoff smiled sadly. "Let me rephrase the question. Do you need something that I can get for you?"

Placing her hands palm down on the desk, Mac leaned forward. "Yeah," she repeated, "Jon."

Kristoff leaned back in his chair. Mac wasn’t sure if it was to seem more relaxed, or if it was in an effort to get further away from her angry snarl, but either way, she refused to back down. "Mac, as much as I would like to let you see Giovanni, I can’t. However, I would be happy to help you with anything else."

"Okay, we’ll get back to the Jon issue. Give me some answers."

"Answers? To which questions?"

"All right, let’s start with Caleb. It has come to my attention that he will be burned at the stake tonight. If that’s his sentence for kidnapping me, what is Jon facing for turning me?"

Kristoff seemed truly puzzled. "There is only one sentence the Council carries out, and that is death."

Mac’s heart fell to her stomach, and her arms were barely able to hold her weight as she continued to lean on the desk. Her face lost all color, and she had to take several deep breaths. Kristoff stood as if to come to her aid, but she held up one hand to stop him.

"Perhaps, you should sit down," he suggested.

"I don’t wanna sit down," she hissed angrily, "I want to see Jon. Alone." She stressed each word of that sentence, but not nearly as strongly as she emphasized the last word.

"I’ve already told you that is not possible."

"Is it the Council’s intention to kill me then?"

Kristoff frowned at her question. "Not this minute, no."

"Then you better make it possible to see him. Because, until you let me see him, I’ve drank my last drop of his blood." Mac spun on her heel and strode toward the door.

"Mac," Kristoff called after her, "please be reasonable. You’ll only be harming yourself, and this will certainly not do any good for Giovanni."

"He’s facing a death sentence.....how much worse can it get?" she tossed over her shoulder as she walked out the door.

Kristoff watched her go with mixed emotions. He had no intention of letting his friend be put to death. Giovanni had told him not to get involved to the point of danger to him or Maria, but he owed his friend. He was even now working on a plan that he would put into action if he was unable to convince one of the other two Council members to vote with him. Kristoff didn’t want to get Mac’s hopes up though, so he wouldn’t mention his plan to her. He smiled over her spirit though. Giovanni had chosen well.


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In his room, Richie was making and discarding plans when he heard Mac’s door slam next door. But, it was the sound of something heavy smashing against the wall that sent him over to her room at a dead run. Throwing open the door, Richie stood frozen to the spot at the scene in the room.

Mac stood in the center of the room with tears rolling down her face, but it was the look of total fury on her face that immediately caught his attention. That and the furniture flying around the room at the slightest wave of her arm.

She was in a fine fit of temper. Richie watched as Mac’s arm slashed through the air like a conductor directing his symphony and a vase full of flowers flew across the room to splinter into a million pieces against the wall. Now, this was a conniption! And, it could mean only one thing.

She knew.