Sanctuary Killer: Home

Chapter Twelve – I Found

I again walk the long hallway to my father’s study for the second time today. This day just keeps getting better and better every minute, I think to myself sarcastically. No doubt father heard me outside his office before him and mother had their tension relieving session as Strabo so grossly put it.

I knock on the door to my father’s study and hear him yell, “Come In”. I quickly enter and shut the door behind me. It is then I notice my father and another gentleman stand. My father motions for me to come closer.

Before me stands a very impeccably suited older man. I can tell immediately he is a vampire by the red ring near his pupils, his irises brown. He has faint squint lines around his eyes and a devilish smile. He is wearing an expensive blue silk suit, almost the color of my eyes, which he has not taken his eyes away from. I seem drawn into his stare. There’s something familiar about him and I can’t seem to look away.

I jump with a start as I hear my father, “Raelynne darling, this is Emissary Milano, who you may know as Griff’s sire.” My knees start to buckle out from under me and Milano quickly catches me in his arms and sets me in the chair next to him. Griff often spoke of Milano, but I didn’t realize I would ever meet his maker in the flesh.

I look at my father with a shocked look on his face as if to ask, what is he doing here and what does this have to do with me?”

Before I can say anything, my father mumbles “Well, I’ll leave you two at it.” Father lets out a nervous cough as he crosses the room. He takes one quick look over his shoulder before leaving the study as if he is trying to apologize with his eyes. I have never seen my father react this way to anyone. It wasn’t fear I saw in his eyes, it was something else.

“It is wonderful to meet you finally, my dear. Griff told me so many wonderful things about you” he says, as he gently takes my hand and places a chaste kiss on top of it. I study his voice for a moment as he gestures for me to sit in the chair next to him.

He quickly unbuttons his suit jacket and sits in the chair next to me. I watch as he crosses his legs and brushes some imaginary fluff from his pants leg. He slowly turns his head and looks at me.

I am sure by now I have a “What the fuck is going on?” look on my face. As if he can read my mind, Milano says, “So you have questions why I am here? Unfortunately, unpleasant business.” His words rattle around in my brain a few seconds as I try to figure out his dialect. “Swedish, Danish and a hint of German”, Birdy says. (A/N Imagine Mads Mikkelsen as Milano)

“Um. Yes.” I manage to squeak out, starring at him doe-eyed. I feel like a teenage girl being seduced by the local college professor. Something inside of me is yelling run, while another part is melting under his gaze. A feeling I am very unaccustomed to. I am usually very in control. I fiddle with Griff’s ring on my middle finger. A habit I recently developed when I find myself nervous. I begin to chew on the side of my mouth, waiting on bated breath for his next words.

“First before we get started, let me say to you how terribly sorry I am for your loss.” He stands and turns away from me as if to shield himself from seeing the tears that are already threatening to betray my bravery or lack thereof. He continues and walks over to look out the window. As if he is speaking to some unseen entity, “I know Griff, told you some about our history and were it not for the fact I thought of him as my own true son, I would not be here.” He slowly turns to face me. His eyes now as black as ice and thin black likes extend from his eyes all across his face, the tale tell sign of a vampire at the edge of madness. “Do not take this one brief instance of loyalty to Griff as weakness my dear. Should you ever decide to do so, I will crush you.”

Just as quickly as the words are spoken he lets a small smile form across his lips and his eyes turn back to brown ringed by red. I am pretty damn sure I still have the “what the fuck is going on” look on my face. I can feel Birdy close to the surface and I fight to keep control of my anger and his threat. He quickly reaches beside his chair and picks up a briefcase. I readjust myself in my seat to turn towards him as he unclasps each lock. He slowly opens the case and begins to pull out a stack of papers.

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand” I say to him in a voice just above a whisper. Suddenly my mouth is as dry as a desert and I begin to feel lightheaded.

“Speak up child, I can’t hear you”, he scolds me.

Now I’m just pissed. “I am not a child sir”, I say to him, drawing out the word sir to convey my distaste at him treating my like a child. He may be as old as dirt but I will not stand to be treated like this. Birdy growls in agreement with me.

He lets out a brief chuckle as he places a stack of papers in front of me. “These documents here are a brief description of all of Griff’s holdings. They have all been turned over to you to do as you see fit. I am to inform you there is staff in place to keep the companies running smoothly whether you decide to keep then, or sale them off. Your father was consulted before Griff’s death and asked if he thought any changes should be made. The two of them worked out those details, so you will need to speak to your father about that.”

Milano looked at me once again to see if I was comprehending what he was saying. I shake my head as if to say yes. “Good. I shall continue. You have also inherited all his estates with the exception of his mother’s home in New Orleans. He left that to her and his sisters. You do however now own a large estate outside New Orleans, a home in the Hamptons, the penthouse in New York, of which you are very familiar with.”

I can’t help but blush at the innuendo he is implying. “In addition, there is a flat in London, Paris and Montreal. The ranch in Australian outside Henbury Station. I can go on and on, my dear but I am sure you are now more than aware, Griff did very well for himself in the two-hundred and forty-eight years after I turned him and therefore you are now very well off. So much so that you no longer need your families’ wealth.”

Milano sits silent for a moment knowing I am trying to absorb everything he has just said. I sit nodding like one of those little bobble-heads. “Now before I get to the last piece of business, I must tell you something. Griff called me two days before he was killed. I knew something was wrong. A maker knows these things.” I see Milano’s eyes mist over and I instinctively reach over and touch his leg in an effort to offer some sort of comfort. He jumps with a start.

“I’m sorry” I say and quickly pull back my hand and place it in my lap. He just as quickly grabs my hand again and gives it a gentle squeeze.

“No, I’m the one that should be sorry my dear. It isn’t often I am touched by anyone.”

I wonder to myself, does he mean physically or emotionally?

“Both” he replies as if I asked the questions out loud. “Where was I?” he says. “Oh yes, the phone call. Griff, called and made one request of me. Now you must understand dear, out of all these years Griff has only asked me for two things, the first to release him from my bond and the other to promise him I will ensure your safety. Both of which I granted him. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” I answer.

“Now I have a request of my own before I give you this next envelope. When we are done here, I want you ask your father the details of how long he and Griff have known each other and how it came to pass that Griff entered your life. Will you do that my dear?”

“Well of course yes, but I already know the answer to those two questions” I quickly reply.

Milano gives me a look that stops my heart, “Do you honestly believe that to be true in your heart? No don’t answer just consider the possibility that you don’t know the whole truth.” And with that he hands me an envelope with my name written on the outside in silver ink.

I take it from Milano’s hand as my own hands begin to shake. I trace the letters of my name and feel the tip of my finger burning, realizing it is made with true silver ink. I turn over and see Griff’s personal seal on the back. The same seal made from the ring, I now wear on my finger.

“Please don’t read it dear until I leave the room. This is something Griff meant for only you my dear”. With those words, Milano grabs his suitcase, then cups my face in his large hand and places a lingering kiss on the crown of my head to say goodbye.

Tears begin to silently slide down my face before I hear the door open then quickly shut again. I sit starring at the envelope for what seems like hours trying to summon up the courage to open it. I pick up the letter opener on my father’s desk and quickly break the seal. The paper rattles in my shaking hands and I try to unfold it.

My Dearest Raelynne, My love.

If you are reading this then the inevitable has come to pass and I am no longer bound to the laws and restrictions of this world. Please know you are and always will be the one thing that made my long existence worthwhile. I never thought I would find love and it pains me to know that as you read this your heart is breaking. Please be strong, as I know you are. You are by far the most precious thing I have ever known, but I must tell you that all those promises I made to you were not mine to make, they belong to another. I know you may not believe me, but I have seen him in my dreams. I have seen the love and passion you two will share. You must know this is the reason all these months, I have denied you the one single thing I most wanted to give you, your complete self.

I have known for some time now that our destinies have been intertwined since the beginning of time and speculated their final purpose. You will soon find out if you haven’t already, that there have been many secrets kept from you all these years. I must confess I too have been a guilty party. Just know darling, it wasn’t to hurt you, but to protect you. I never intended to fall in love with you, but how could I not.

I have so much to tell you and should have told you while I was there, yet I was prohibited by my vow. I have made preparations for this day and hope you will forgive my cryptiveness. I trust no one, not even my maker with your secret. He was instructed to give this letter to you last, so now you know all my holdings have been transferred into your care. You shall do with it as you see fit. All my worldly possessions are now yours. I know you have gone to my home in New Orleans to see my mother and by now you should have in your possession some of my journals. They will help you find the lockbox.

I asked my mother to give you my ring, after I am gone as it is the key to unlocking the box containing the secret. My only request is if you are not already wearing my ring you do so immediately and once it is on never take off the ring, not for anything. You will be the only one that can put it on. You do not have to worry about taking it off during a shift, it will shift with you as it holds very strong magic, power and protection. It is also your last remaining link to me and me to you.

My heart breaks Raelynne, knowing you are all alone right now and will soon know truths I wish could remain hidden. Just know I am watching over you and I will help lead you to your true-mate. I know you thought he didn’t exist but he does. I have seen him. I have one last favor to ask of you my dear, always follow your heart.

Forever and always,
Griff.

I can’t control the tears. All I want to do is run. So, I do.