Justine Ch. 19

Jeremiah finally stopped yelling for them to come back. He had played his last hand and had lost. He could only imagine what David Sheffield would do to him and consoled himself that he wouldn't be abused sexually. It was one thing to be treated that way by a woman but to be touched sexually by a man was another thing altogether. But then again, it would be the ultimate humiliation. However, he just couldn't see David touching him like that. He sat on his cot, placed his head in his hands and began to tremble. He could honestly now say that he was afraid. A soft snarl reminded him to pull himself together. The guard that had snarled at him was new and under the guidance of a much older vampire. Who happened to be out of the room.

Jeremiah took a quick look around and allowed his fear to come forth. His death would be painful but it would be quick. The vampire approached the cell transfixed by the smell of Jeremiah's fear. His dark eyes never left Jeremiah's as he approached the cell.

"Hurry up!" Jeremiah wanted to scream but didn't. He could see that the vampire was struggling for control but he lacked the experience. The vampire was to the door of the cell and was about to open it when his mentor came back.

"What in the fuck are you doing?" he screamed at the young vampire. "Stand down NOW!"

The young vampire shook his head as if trying to wake up from a deep sleep.

"I... he..." he stammered.

"Go out and get control of yourself." The older vampire said quietly.

When he was gone, the older vampire approached the cell. His nostrils flared at the smell of Jeremiah's fear.

"You do smell good but not good enough to die for." The vampire said. "The Queen Mother scares you but her mate scares you even more. I guess you now understand how all of those women felt. It doesn't feel so good now does it?" he asked with an angry smirk on his face.

Jeremiah didn't reply. He wasn't expected to.

"I think that we're going to have to make other arrangements, we can't have someone accidentally killing you now can we?"

"What are you going to do to me?" Jeremiah whispered.

"Nothing but the queen has ordered a cell mate for you." The guard replied.

"A cell mate? Who is it?" David asked.

"Not who but what." The guard said with a smile. "He's behind you."

Jeremiah turned to see Buddy sitting on his cot. Buddy looked at Jeremiah with cold yellow eyes and stretched out on the cot.

"Oh fuck no!" Jeremiah said. "Get that mangy piece of shit out of here!"

Buddy slowly rose with his eyes fastened on Jeremiah's face and growled a warning.

"I don't give a fuck!" Jeremiah screamed, "GET THE HELL OUT!"

Buddy looked at him and laughed, at least Jeremiah thought that he was laughing and lay back down on the cot. Jeremiah stood in the middle of the cell for more than an hour before he realized that the dog did not intend to give up the cot. He knew from previous experience that the dog couldn't be budged unless he wanted to move.

"Fuck you." Jeremiah muttered as he went to a corner of the cell and sat down. He thought about going for his pillow but thought better of it when Buddy looked at him as if daring him to move. Jeremiah settled in for a long and uncomfortable day. Every time he opened his eyes, Buddy's yellow ones were on him. At that moment, Jeremiah hated Buddy more than he hated Justine.

As if to tell him that the feeling was mutual, Buddy stood up, squatted and left a pile of shit in the middle of the cot before vanishing. Jeremiah's eyes watered as the stench hit his nostrils. He turned when he heard someone chuckling behind him. It was the older guard from the evening before.

"I would suggest that if you don't want the Queen's familiar in the cell with you that you stop trying to get yourself killed."

He appeared in the cell with an armful of clean linens and cleaning supplies.

"There's a laundry bag in there, you can put your dirty linens in there."

"You don't expect me to clean that up!" Jeremiah exclaimed.

"I could care less." The vampire replied. "Sleep in a shitty bed for all I care." he said as he dropped the armload of supplies on the floor and disappeared.

Jeremiah couldn't decide if his treatment had gotten worse or if it was his imagination. He decided that it was a combination of the two and wondered what it meant. He stood up, grabbed the linen bag and held his breath as he quickly stripped the cot hoping that the odor hadn't seeped through to the thin mattress. If it had, he doubted that they would honor his request for another one.

By the time he had the bed stripped, he was gagging with tears stinging his eyes. As soon as the dirty linen was in the bag, Jeremiah sat it by the cell door hoping that it would be taken away sooner rather than later. He looked at the cot with distaste and decided to take a chance and ask for another mattress. To his advantage, the vampire that brought him the clean linen was gone.

"Is there any chance that I could get a different mattress?"

"What's wrong with that one?" the guard asked.

"You don't smell anything?" Jeremiah asked.

The guard inhaled deeply and shook his head.

"I don't smell anything." he replied.

"You don't smell dog shit?" Jeremiah asked confused, his eyes were still burning.

The guard shrugged, "I don't smell anything but I'll see about another mattress."

"Thank you, I appreciate it." Jeremiah replied touched by the small show of kindness

The guard came back several minutes later with another mattress.

"You're in luck, it's a brand new one." the guard said as he put the new mattress on the floor and took the old one off the bed.

"I don't know how to thank you." Jeremiah said softly.

He wanted to know why the vampire was being so kind to him and decided to tempt fate by asking.

The vampire looked at him, started to say something and changed his mind. On his way out of the cell, he picked up the bag of dirty linen and walked away without looking back.

Jeremiah put the new mattress on the frame, made up the cot and laid down. Although he was worried about what David had in mind for him, and if it would set a precedent, he slept. Pam kicking at his feet awakened him a few hours later.

"What is it now?" Jeremiah asked wearily.

"Can't a girl say hello to a friend?" Pam asked feigning hurt.

Jeremiah didn't answer but looked at her and waited for her to continue.

"You have a dinner invitation." She said after several minutes.

The first thing that came to his mind was Mimi. His balls ached and his bowels clenched at the memory of those three days. He knew that Pam was watching him and knew what he was thinking. He could see the gleam of satisfaction in her eyes.

"Who am I having dinner with?" he asked his mouth dry.

"See you in a hour." she replied and vanished.

"Bitch." Jeremiah muttered under his breath.

*********

"Mom? Are you alright?" Justine asked after they left the cellar.

"I'm fine... he looks the same. I didn't know what to feel, I still don't. I mean that man took me away from you! But it isn't just about me. I don't know if there's a punishment severe enough for what he's done and death would be an escape for him and far too easy."

"What are you thinking?" David asked.

"I'm thinking that the caregiver part of me is fighting with the outraged part of me. It's reminding me of my promise to do no harm. And before you tell me that I'm not, I am even if I'm not physically doing it myself. The other part of me wants him to suffer for the rest of eternity"

"Mom, are you thinking about letting him go?" Justine asked her fingers crossed.

"What?" Josephine asked surprised. "So that he can do it again? Absolutely not. I don't know what I'm thinking but release isn't it."

Justine let out a soft sigh of relief. If Josephine had decided to free Jeremiah, she would have kept her word and supported the decision. It would only have been a matter of time before he was back in one of her cells but in the meantime, women would be at risk. She agreed that death would be too easy of a sentence and it was what Jeremiah was hoping for.

"There's no rush." she told Josephine in attempt to ease her mind.

"Invite him to dinner." Josephine said suddenly.

"What?" three voices asked at the same time.

"Invite him to dinner." Josephine replied. "I want to see him in a different setting."

"But dinner?" Justine asked.

"I know that you don't understand." Josephine said, "I'm not entirely sure that I do myself but please indulge me."

Justine, Quinn and David were speechless. David and Quinn waited for Justine to decide on what to do about her mother's request.

"What is it that you hope to accomplish?" Justine asked.

Several minutes passed before Josephine replied.

"I don't know." she admitted. "I keep thinking that he is someone's son and from what you tell me, a mate. One of the things that you don't know about me is that I've always been interested in why people think or do the things they do. Maybe I'm wondering if there isn't something redeemable about him. Even if there were, it wouldn't change anything but I just want to know for my own knowledge."

"I can tell you that there is nothing redeemable about him." Justine said, "But alright to dinner... what else?"

"I want to talk to him alone."

"Absolutely not!" David protested.

Justine shot him a withering stare but she agreed with him.

"Mom, I don't think that..."

"Why not?" Josephine asked. "What can he do to me? He has no power and even if he did it wouldn't matter." she argued. "I want and need to face him alone. He still feels as though he has some control, he thinks that I'm afraid of him."

"She's right." Quinn said softly. "He thinks that she's afraid of him and the fear that he showed wasn't because of her, it was because of David."

"You're agreeing with her?" Justine asked incredulous.

"What can he do to her besides glare at her or try to manipulate her?" Quinn asked. "We'll be in the next room if he tries anything although my suspicion is she won't need any help."

Josephine gave Quinn a grateful smile and then turned to Justine.

"I'm meeting Jeremiah Mathers alone." she said firmly. "You can be in the next room if it makes you feel better but this is my decision to make."

"Jo..."

"David, enough." Josephine said softly but her black-purple rimmed eyes flashed.

Justine, Quinn and David heard the determination in her voice but it was more than that, it was authority. The room vibrated with power as she looked first at Justine and then at David.

"I know that you're worried about me and I appreciate it but I'm fine." she said her tone softening. "David, I know and understand that you want to protect me but you have to let me do this. You too Justine."

The debate went on for another hour before Josephine ended the conversation.

"I'm doing this."

**********

Quinn sat back and watched realizing that life was going to be interesting with two strong willed women under the same roof. He and David were in for a very interesting and challenging ride. He waited for the debate to be over before pulling Justine aside. She was angry with him, he could see it but he wasn't going to back down.

"You agreed with her!" Justine exclaimed.

"Yes because she was and is right." Quinn replied quietly.

"But dinner alone with him? You support that?" Justine asked.

"Again, yes." Quinn replied. "Justine, your mother is fully capable of handling scum like Mathers but this isn't what this is about is it?" he asked.

"Of course it is!" Justine snapped. "My mother wants to have dinner with her rapist! Don't you find that odd?"

"How is that any odder than what the other victims wanted? Mimi had dinner with him too." Quinn said. "And while she wasn't alone, she did spend three days with him your mother is dealing with Jeremiah in her own way but I think that the real issue is that I agreed with her." Quinn said.

"No it isn't!" Justine retorted.

"No?" Quinn asked raising his left eyebrow indicating that he didn't believe her.

"Are you accusing me of lying?" Justine asked.

"Not at all." Quinn replied. "I'm only saying that you thought that I would agree with you just because we're married. Let's face it, this is the first real disagreement that we've had since we mated and we need to understand something, I don't expect you to always agree with me. I fully expect you to tell me when you don't even if I may not like it and I think that you're wrong. I also expect to be able to do the same with you."

Justine started to argue the point and realized that Quinn was right. She had expected him to back her for the reason that he stated. He was also right about something else, her mother was entitled to deal with Jeremiah Mathers in whatever way she chose and if it was dinner then so be it.

"You're right and I'm sorry." Justine said after a few minutes.

"No apologies needed." Quinn replied as he took her into his arms. "It's a learning experience and I can't wait until we have our first really big fight." He said hugging her tighter.

"Why is that?" Justine asked her mind still on her mother.

"Haven't you ever had make up sex?" Quinn asked.

"What? No... I don't think so." Justine replied distractedly.

"Jussie, she's going to be fine." Quinn assured her. "We'll be in the next room."

"I know." Justine said after several seconds. What she was concerned about was Jeremiah.

"She won't kill him." Quinn said reading Justine's thoughts.

Just hearing him say it eased her anxiety. She wrapped her arms around his waist, laid her head against his shoulder, and relaxed. She wondered what Josephine had in mind for her dinner with Jeremiah.

*******

David took Josephine to their suite and tried to talk her out of her dinner with Jeremiah.

"You don't have to put yourself through this."

"I know that but David, I need to face him. It's something that I need to do for myself." She said. "I don't expect you to understand, you've never been violated before."

"No I haven't." he agreed, "But Jo did you see the way that he looked at you? Even after all of this time he lusts after you."

"I know and it doesn't matter." Josephine replied standing on her toes and giving David a kiss on the chin. "Once I do this, I can start thinking about what I want done with him. I know that you don't understand but I need you to trust me on this."

"It's not you that I don't trust." David replied putting his hands on her hips. "But you have to understand that under normal circumstances a male wouldn't allow his mate to face her attacker and would be murderer alone."

"I do understand." Josephine replied, "But these aren't normal circumstances."

"No, they aren't and I have to remember that." David replied. "May I propose a compromise?" he asked.

"I'm listening."

"I'll agree as long as I'm in the next room and as soon as he raises a hand to you, I kill him."

"No because I expect him to try. He has no other choice than to try and kill me in the hopes that he'll be killed." Josephine said. "If I were in his place that's what I would do." Josephine replied.

"I don't like it." David said pulling Josephine closer.

"I know but my decision is made. I'll be alright, I promise." Josephine assured him.

"I know." David replied thinking about how she had survived her kidnapping but the protective mate part of him couldn't accept what she was going to do and tried again. "Jo..."

"Dinner is in less than an hour, make love with me." she interrupted.

David immediately hardened when Josephine reached down between then and began to rub his cock through his pants. There wasn't enough time to take her to bed properly and he thought about asking her to postpone the dinner with Jeremiah until the next evening. He didn't only because he knew that she would refuse. Suddenly, Josephine's hand stopped moving.

"What's the matter?" David asked hoping that she was reconsidering her decision.

"Nothing, but David, your eyes. Go look in the mirror."

Curious, David went to a mirror with Josephine following. He looked down at her and then looked into the mirror. His eyes, which had been a clear gray, were now a storm cloud gray with steel gray flames dancing around them.

"What does this mean?" he whispered.

"It means that you are my counterpart in this reign." Josephine replied looking in the mirror at their reflection. She had always thought that his eyes were beautiful but now they were gorgeous. They stood looking in the mirror forgetting that they were going to make love before her meeting with Jeremiah. There was a subtle shift as David's strength was added to that of Josephine, Justine and Quinn's power.

******

Jeremiah was in the shower when he felt the power surge. He paused and then continued his shower grateful that the shampoo wasn't the foul smelling stuff that he used for Mimi. A banging on the door reminding him that he had about ten minutes left before they dragged him out of the shower. He quickly rinsed his hair and body, dried off and slipped into the clean sweat suit that was waiting by the door.

When he got back to his cell, he saw one of his suits hanging from the bars of the cell and a pair of his dress shoes sitting on the floor. A small cart sat by the cot containing various toiletry items. He should have been excited to see them but he wasn't. The fact that he was expected to dress up only made him more nervous about who he was meeting for dinner. Whoever it was, it had to be someone important and he wondered if he or she would be able to help him in some way.

He had just finished dressing when they came for him. He gave himself one last look in the small mirror and nodded at his reflection. He almost felt normal.

"Let's go." one of the guards said his tone curt.

Jeremiah followed the guard up the stairs, through the house and into a dining room where he saw a place setting for two. He turned to speak to the guard but he had already taken his post by the door. Not sure of what to do, Jeremiah walked over to the table, stood by a chair, and waited.

His heart pounded as the seconds passed. He was beginning to wonder if his guest was coming when he heard the door behind him open.

*******

Josephine stood on the other side of the door with David's arms around her. She wasn't nervous or afraid and she was ready to face her attacker.

"We'll be listening in the next room." he assured her.

"I know and David? I'm fine." Josephine assured him as she pulled him down for a kiss. She took a moment to look into the storm-gray eyes and whispered that she loved him before going into the dining room.

She looked at Jeremiah's back for several seconds before going to the table. She knew that he heard her come in but could tell that he was too afraid to look. She could smell his fear even through the aftershave that he wore. She took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of his fear and slowly released it before she spoke.

"How does it feel to be frightened?" she asked.

*******

When he heard Josephine's voice, Jeremiah's fear increased. Why would she want to have dinner with him? He wondered as he slowly turned to face her. He didn't understand it. When he saw her last, he wasn't afraid of her per se but more afraid of what she had planned for him. Now he was afraid. Maybe it was the softness of her voice or the lack of anger in it but whatever it was, it frightened him.

"I asked you a question." Josephine said as she approached him. "How does it feel to be afraid?" she asked again.

Jeremiah's mouth was dry. He tried to speak but he couldn't. Then he realized that she was doing it. She was controlling him as he had controlled her that night. The difference was that her power was stronger than his had been and he was centuries older.

Abruptly, she released him.