Fleur Di Lis

Chapter Thirty

Baxter was standing at the head of the hangar, holding Alexandria by the throat and the dagger by his side.  Time seemed to freeze; everyone seemed to be focusing more on what Baxter was going to do to the witch instead of fighting.  I was transfixed, too - more focusing on Alexandria.  She looked utterly petrified; her eyes wide, gasping for breath, her fingers clawing futilely at Baxter's iron-like grasp on her throat.  

The one who he promised he wouldn't hurt, now he was risking her life?

For what?  

"Nathaniel!"  Baxter shrieked again, his wide, maniacal eyes scanning the hangar, searching for his brother.  "Come out, come out wherever you are, brother dear!"

Nate emerged from the fighting crowds, holding his hands up in surrender.  Despite all the fighting, he still looked neat as a pin.  Aside from the small spattering of blood on the sleeve of his shirt, nobody would have guessed that he'd been in the middle of the fight in the first place.  "I'm here, Baxter.  I'm here.  Let her go."

Baxter started laughing; a dry, humourless laugh that sent chills down my spine.  "Let her go?  After everything she did to betray you, you still want to protect her?"

"She's my friend," Nate's eyes darted to the witch.  "Whatever she's done, it was for her own survival.  I can't fault her for that."  Alexandria's eyes filled with tears, and she bit her lower lip to stop a sob from escaping.  

How he could forgive her, after everything she'd done...  Even as a vampire, he was better than any human in here.  Myself included. 

"Don't hurt her, Bax," Nate continued.  "It's me you have a problem with; not her."

"She cursed Ana," Baxter spat, pointing towards the open casket with his dagger.  "She's the root of all this.  She's to blame for Dana's murder, for all the girls' murders.  Do you still wish to protect her now?"

"Witches cursed Ana because she was a monster, brother," Nate reasoned calmly, stepping closer to Baxter.  His tone was similar to a parent scolding a petulant child.  "You know this."

"Then, what are we?"  Baxter screamed, his voice filled with anguish.  I cringed, looking away from him.  Despite all the homicides, all the maniacal scheming, looking at Bax now...  He just looked like a broken man.  "She made us, so what are we?"

"You know what we are.  We're monsters too.  Though, we can try and be better than she was.  Look at me," he held his arms out.  "Look at what I have become.  Look at what I have achieved.  You can do that too."

"I can't," Baxter shook his head.  "You've always been better than I.  The better man, the better brother.  The better son.  Now the better vampire.  I've tried to do what you do, Nathaniel.  I just...  I can't do it.  The thirst is too much."

Nate nodded, sympathetically.  I hadn't noticed, but he was getting closer and closer to his brother and Alexandria.  Then, it clicked.  He was distracting him.  I looked around and noticed that Michaela and Luka had spread apart so that they'd had Bax surrounded.  Bree and Kai guarded the hangar doors, eyes glued to Bax.  

"I know," he comforted.  "I know.  Though, I've had my setbacks too, believe me.  Remember New Orleans in the 1900s?  That wasn't a golden year."  He let out a small chuckle that Baxter shared.  "But, bringing Ana back and killing two more women, whether they're a witch or a human, won't make things any better.  It'll only make things worse."

Baxter let out a small scoff, and he gave his brother a wistful look.  "At least I'll have someone at my side."

Nate was close enough now that he was face-to-face with his brother and Alexandria.  The witch watched Nate with wide, terrified eyes, searching for some speck of whatever plan hid behind his eyes.  But, whatever he was planning, he was keeping it to himself.

"Is that what you want?"  Nate asked, his voice barely higher than a whisper that carried throughout the hangar.  "Someone by your side?"  

Baxter cocked his head to the side, giving his brother a curious look.  The sadness, the wistfulness, seemed to melt away, and the Baxter that I knew - terrifying, psychotic, controlling, murdering - had returned.  "I want the good old days."

In a blur, Alexandria was thrown on the ground in a heap, and Bax and Nate were gone with the wind. 

Time seemed to speed up until everything was in superspeed; Luca and Michaela raced out of the hangar with Bree and Kai, following the wind and taking the remainder of Baxter's henchmen with them.  I sprinted over to where Alexandria lay, sobbing quietly, and raised her to her feet.  Standing so close to the still-open tomb sent shivers through me.  

"Where is he?"  I demanded, grabbing her by the shoulders.  "Where's Nate?" 

Alexandria shook her head, sobbing.  "He's gone.  Baxter's gotten what he wanted." 

"Which is?" 

"His brother," she breathed, meeting my eyes.  "He wants to ruin him." 

Later that day, the pier was swarmed with police officers and people in black suits that I knew weren't the FBI.  They seemed to be conducting their own investigation, which the cops were keeping apart from, and taking particular interest in Alexandria, Michaela, and Luca.  Despite my scanning the crowds around me, I couldn't see any white heads bobbing about; Bree and Kai must still be out there, hunting the brothers down.  Or, keeping away from the men in black suits.

I couldn't say I blamed them; if the Fleur Di Lis were as foreboding as everyone was suggesting, I was worried for Nate when they caught up with him.

"How're you holding up?" 

I turned and saw Rik limping towards me, a blanket of sorts around his shoulders.  Rik had accompanied the officers when they attended the scene, and never left my side from the moment the cops and the people in suits arrived.  I'd perched on the bonnet of the police car that sat furthest away from the scene, a cup of hot coffee in my hands, and watched.  Rik, ever the vigilant detective, contributed to the investigation as much as his wounds would allow.  As for Michaela and Luca?  I noticed that the two of them had disappeared the minute the man in the suit had finished speaking to them.  I couldn't see Alexandria anywhere. 

I hoped she was alright. 

I let out a long, slow breath.  "Would you believe me if I said I was good?" 

"You really have to ask that?"  He perched next to me and wrapped an arm around me.  I rested my head on his shoulder, grateful for the embrace.  For a moment, neither of us uttered a word; content just to sit, watch and embrace.  

"What do we do now?"  Rik asked finally.  "The investigation has to close up; nobody would believe us if we reported the truth."

I shrugged, leaning away.  "Got too close to the perp, he got away...  Once my leave is over, I'll be on paperwork duty for the foreseeable.  End of story." 

Was it though?  Would I ever see Nate again?  

I didn't know.  But, I knew one thing for sure. 

My life would never be the same again.