Chapter 10

Sterling - Chapter 10

Marty wasn't sure where the other man would have gone. They'd been by his house. The gallery, now closed, had been searched from top to bottom. And she'd even gone to the funeral home that was holding the service for his wife. It was as if Isaac had disappeared right off the face of the earth.

"Have you tried his cell phone?" She nodded at Sterling. "What the hell was he thinking? I mean, there is safety in numbers. We would have been able to protect him."

"Perhaps he didn't want you to protect him." He asked her what she meant. "Well, he's lost his wife and his brother murdered her. Do you suppose that he's just given up?"

"He has Benson." Marty told him that his heart was broken and he was more than likely not seeing it like that. "I can understand that. I felt that way a few times myself. I don't even blame him for it, but I don't want anything to happen to him. He's my friend."

"Mine too. And I don't either. He's a good man that has been dealt a shitty hand. I want him as safe as you do." She wondered if he was with his brother, if Robert had gotten him by luring him away from safety. She didn't want to bring it up because they were all tense enough as it was, but it had to be asked. "Has anyone seen Robert? Or heard from him?"

"No. I hope what we're both thinking hasn't happened. I don't think that Robert will go easy on him whether he agrees to do anything Robert wants or not." That's what she thought as well. "Where do you think he'd take him? If he has him, where is it that he could feel safe enough to do whatever it is he is going to do?"

"The building we found him in? I don't know. Perhaps Robert's home? I don't even know where he lives." Sterling did a U-turn and headed back the way they'd been going. "You know where he is?"

"I think so. Not to Robert's house, but we went by Isaac's. I just asked Trent, and they said they didn't enter because the doors had been watched by the police. So, if Robert can't get in by conventional means, he'll find other ways. Like through the basement doors. I remember Isaac telling me that he had to have it closed off soon before his son started walking." She wanted to ask him to slow down, but felt the same sort of urgency that he was feeling. Like if they didn't hurry, all would be lost.

As soon as they pulled up, Sterling took his cell phone out and called the police. He was telling them where he was and what he was doing when she looked at the officer on the porch. He was in the swing. No biggie, she supposed, until she started up the steps.

"Don't touch anything." Nodding at Sterling who had followed her, she saw it then. The poor officer was dead. His throat had been cut and the knife was still sticking out of his neck. "We've been told to wait. I'm not going to, but you are. This only proves to me that Isaac is going to need help and that his brother is with him."

"Why am I not going in to help you?" He looked at the officer, then back at her. "You told me I was an immortal, and while I'm not a wolf, he's my friend too."

"Yes, he is, but I can shift into a wolf to make myself heal, and you cannot. You are an immortal, but that doesn't keep you from being hurt." She could see his point. Marty didn't like it, but she could see it. "Just go back to the car and wait for the police or me to come out. Please don't enter the house. All right?"

"Yes, I won't. Not unless I hear shots fired or screams, then all bets are off. I know that you can heal, but that doesn't mean my heart will like it any better. Okay?" He kissed her and watched her move to the car. When she told him to be careful, he shifted. He went from man to beast in seconds.

When he shifted back, she thought he'd changed his mind, but all he did was open the door. Sterling as his wolf entered the house and was out of her sight. Marty was terrified something would happen to him and she'd not be able to help.

Just as she was thinking she'd be more help to him closer to the house, Chloe pulled in the drive behind their car. There were other officers as well, but she was the only one that she knew. In her uniform, Marty thought Chloe looked scary. Not that she didn't sort of frighten her a little anyway, but dressed the way that she was, it was official that something really was terribly wrong in the house. Chloe hugged her tightly, then went back to being Miss Cop.

"He didn't wait." It wasn't a question, but she answered her anyway. "I should have known the moment that I said for him to wait that he'd go in. Have you heard from him yet?"

"No. I was just thinking I could hear him better if I went closer to the house, but I'm also afraid of disturbing the crime scene as well." Chloe said they'd have that cleared away next, but first she wanted to go into the house. "Will he be all right?"

"Sterl? Yes. I doubt that Robert will be if something has happened to Isaac. He's a really nice man born to a shitty family." Marty started to ask her what she meant when a howl started. "That would be Sterl. I'm afraid you're going to have to wait here for him. I don't know what's happened, but that doesn't sound good."

It didn't either. It sounded mournful, like he was howling at the moon. Marty felt the hairs on her arm dance along her skin and rubbed the chill from them. It was cold, yes. But this was a deeper chill that had nothing to do with the weather and everything to do with her mate. Marty felt this cold all the way to her bones, right to her very heart.

Trent showed up a few minutes later. By the look in his face, she knew that it was bad. He moved to the house without a word to her, and Joe came to stand beside her. She asked the other woman what was going on.

"They're both dead, Robert and Isaac. I'm so sorry." She asked her if Sterling had done it. "Yes, one of them. He killed Robert. It's not a pretty sight, Trent told me, but Sterl is in a bad way. It's why he can't come out right now. Trent is trying to talk to him, but his mind is a mess."

"Because of the officers here?" Joe told her that he didn't know the police were here yet. "I don't understand. Is he afraid of me?"

"He killed a man. Trent thinks it's the nightmare returning to him with all this. He's covered in blood. It wasn't an easy death for Robert. Nor for Isaac, from what Trent is telling me. He suffered greatly. Again, I'm so sorry. I know he was a very good friend of you both." Marty looked at the house, then back at Joe. "Trent wants me to take you to your home. He said that Sterl is an emotional mess right now and worries for him."

"Fuck that shit. I'm going in there." Joe laughed and told her not to touch anything. "I might do more than touch Sterling. Is that going to be a problem?"

"You might remember someone telling you that you can't hurt your mate, but I don't think that's going to be an issue for you. Go to him and smack his nose. That should get his attention." She wanted more than just his attention, she wanted him to understand that she wasn't a delicate flower he needed to protect. "Marty, he might not know who you are when you first see him. He's in a bad place and seems to not know who anyone is."

"I'll take care of him. I love him." Joe said that they all did. "But he's all I have in this world. I need him well. I just need him to love me."

As soon as she entered the house she could smell the blood. It was overwhelming and made her just a little queasy. Going to the stairwell that led to the basement, she made her way down, careful of not touching the rail nor the walls. On the bottom step, she looked around.

Blood was everywhere, and not just sprayed, but in puddles as well. There was fur as well as torn clothing. In the middle of one particular circle of it was a small shoe. Benson's little sneaker was lying on its side like it might have been left in the rain. Red, nasty rain.

"Marty?" She had to work hard at tearing her eyes away from the scene, then looked at Trent, she could see he had blood on himself as well. When she asked him if he was all right, he nodded to her left, and there she saw Sterling as his wolf. He too was covered in blood, his fur matted with it.

Curled into a ball, he was whimpering. Coming down the last step, she'd started for him when he growled at her. Taking a step back, she glanced at Trent to see what she should do.

"He's not himself. I think.... This is bringing back some of the memories from before. Before you." She nodded and asked if she could touch him. "I'd not do it. He snapped at me. But you might have better luck. Just talk to him, honey. Bring him back to us."

Bring him back from what? she thought. Then it occurred to her. From the paintings that he'd done. That's where he was, she knew, but had no idea how she was supposed to make him come out of the nightmare she was sure that he was having right now. Walking to him slowly, she started talking to him.

"I'm here for you, Sterling. Forever." His growl made her pause, then he bared his teeth at her. "You're making me think of the little girl and the big bad wolf. Please don't scare me, Sterling. I'm in love with you."

He whimpered again and she got down on her knees. There was blood there, a great deal of it, but she was trying her best to focus only on him. Reaching out her hand, she noticed that it was trembling, but she wasn't going to stop now. Sterling put out his nose to sniff her and whimpered again.

"Joe told me to smack you on the nose. I don't think that would go over too well, do you?" No answer, when she knew he could speak to her as his wolf. "I'm going to have your baby. Remember that? A child of yours and ours to raise and love."

"Marty, try to get closer to him. The police won't come down here until you have him under control." She nodded as Trent spoke to her. "Just be careful. Like I told you, he's not himself."

"I love you, Sterling. I want you to come home with me. We have to...I'm so sorry about Isaac. He was such a nice man." The whimpering again tore at her heart. "Talk to me, Sterling. Please?"

She's here. Marty started to ask Sterling who, but he continued and she understood. Helenia hurt me. She tried to get me to kill my family. Showed me how to do it in my dreams. It's like she's back here now and talking to me. I hurt, Marty. So badly.

"If she were still alive, I'd kick her ass from here to the end of time. The fucking cunt." Trent laughed a little, but Sterling laid his head back down. "You have me now, and she's not in your life. I am, and I'm worried about you."

I killed that man. She told him she was glad it was Robert and not him. I didn't just kill him. I...my wolf, he played with him. Made him suffer. I don't want to be the monster she wanted me to be. I need to go away and not return before I hurt you or our child.

When he lifted his head up and looked at her, she smacked him hard. When he growled at her, she did it again. This time he stood up and she did as well.

"What are you going to do, Sterling? Kill me because I hit you? Are you going to make me pay for making you feel?" He growled again, and she drew back her hand to hit him a third time. "Do it and I will quit you. I don't mean just leave you, but I will leave you and you'll never see this child, ever. Not only that, but I swear to you, I'll make your life a living hell."

It is now. This time when she smacked him, she saw blood run from his nose. Damn it, stop hitting me and listen.

"Why? You're not listening to me. Is it me giving you a horrifying life? Is it our child? Tell me. Tell me how you figure that I'm the one not hurting because of your words." He told her that he loved her. "Do you? I'm not so sure. You just told me that you're living in hell. That does—"

She found herself on her back, Sterling the man, above her. Trent was laughing when she heard him close the door to the basement behind him. Marty looked up at her mate and touched her finger to his nose as it bled a little.

"You hit me." She nodded and smiled at him. "I don't know what happened here. I know that I killed him, but I don't remember much of it."

"You did it because you loved Isaac." He nodded and put his forehead on hers. "I'm in love with you, Sterling, and I hate that you hurt so much."

"I didn't mean that you're giving me a horrific life. But there are times when I can still see what she did to me. What she made me feel." She held him to her. "I can't function when that happens. I'm so afraid."

"Whatever you're doing, wherever you are, you should get up, if you can, and go paint. We'll do whatever you need to go and paint her out of your life. A bigger building. A studio in the house. Anything. Whatever you need." He looked down at her. "I have you, Sterling. I will always have you."

"I hurt so much, Marty. Every day I think of the things that she made me do. How she wanted things from me." She pulled him down for a kiss and was glad that he returned it. "What would I have done without you?"

"You would have been a mess. It's a good thing I'm here to keep you on your toes." She kissed him again. "If it's all the same to you, I'd like to leave this place. It's...I can see blood on the ceiling, and it's making me sort of weirded out."

~*~

They were given clean clothing and theirs was taken away in bags. Sterl wasn't sure what he was supposed to say to anyone, which he supposed was fine since no one was asking him anything. It was like he'd not just been down there and killed a man. Chloe came toward him, dressed in a blue paper suit over her uniform, and smiled.

"You were never here." He nodded. "No, what I mean is, I'd like for you to go home, clean up, and stay there until I call for you. Myra, your friendly witch, has made it so that it looks like a murder-suicide here, and that you were never around. I think I like her, by the way." He told her he did as well. "All right. Go. And while you're at home, I want you to lie down, have a nap, and hold your mate. She's about to bust she's so worried about you."

"She's talking to Joe. I just wanted to have a minute." They both looked at Marty and Joe and noticed that Noah was there as well. "She calmed my beast like no one has ever done before. I think.... He's afraid of her. Did she tell you that she hit me? And that Joe told her to?"

"No, but that's all right, isn't it? I mean, per Trent, you were out of it." Sterl didn't agree or disagree with her, but he had been. "Like I said, this is on the books as a murder-suicide. With all the paperwork we have on Robert, it will be an open and shut case when it hits trial. I'm glad that you didn't wait this time, but the next time I tell you to, please do so. You might not be so lucky next time."

"He is...Isaac was my friend." Chloe said he was a good man and would be missed. "Thank you. I'll head home as soon as Marty is back. I don't want to drive."

They were on their way home when he thought of Benson. Sterl's mom was with him, but the little boy had no idea how much had changed in his young life. Sterl was going to try his best to make things easier for him. Even going to the house again to pick up things from his family. It was the least he could do for the child.

Sterl did just what Chloe told him to do. As soon as he was out of the shower, after scrubbing himself several times, he pulled on his robe. He even tossed the sponge he'd been using into the trash, wanting no more memories of today than he had to have. Entering their bedroom, he saw that the television was off and the lights were dimmed. Removing his robe and crawling into bed with Marty, he held her.

"We have an appointment in the morning with the curator of the gallery. I guess he wants to talk to you about another showing that Isaac had set up for you." He said he'd think about it. "Also, there is someone from the bank that wants to talk to us. I don't know what that one is about."

"I put your name on my accounts. He more than likely wants you to come in and sign the paperwork so that it's completed." He held her closer. "I'm suddenly exhausted. I think I could sleep for a month."

He closed his eyes and let the day's events just move to the back of his mind. He didn't want to think about Isaac nor Robert. His parents still had Benson at their home, but he was going over to see him in the morning, or today he supposed. As he let sleep take him under, he thought of the gallery and wondered who would run it now. Sterling thought for a moment that he might like to buy it if they were going to close.

When he woke, the room was still dim but he thought it was more due to the curtains being closed rather than it being dark out. He felt.... Well, he wasn't sure how he felt, but he wasn't as restless as he had been. Staggering a little to the bathroom, he was surprised to find that it was indeed dark out, and wondered about that as he turned on the water to take another shower. He was just stepping under the spray when Trent started laughing in his mind.

You feel better? He told him he felt wonderful as a matter of fact. I should hope so. You've been asleep for three days. It was all we could do not to go there and check on your breathing. But Marty said that you were fine and we left you alone.

Three days? Are you serious? Well, that explained a few things. Like how badly he had to pee. That he was starved and needed another shower. Have you seen, Marty? I mean, is she all right? I could reach out to her, but I think it freaks her out a little.

I've noticed that as well. And yes, I just left her with Noelle. They're partners now in the shop. Second Time Around is going to be a big hit, I think. And someone that has information on the desk has come forth too. I think they're going to meet with him in a week. Chloe wants to be there, as well as Chris Bentley. Sterl finished his shower as Trent continued catching him up on things. Mom and Dad are having fun with Benson. He's staying with them until paperwork is done. Grandma and Grandpa are moving into their own home too. I don't know a lot about it, but they're keeping it all hush hush for now. I could look, but this is more fun for them.

I'm about to go downstairs. Is there anything I need to know before I do that? Like, is there a squad of cops down there waiting to take me in? Trent said no, not that he knew of. I killed that man.

Yes, you did, and thank you for that. And I think had you been in trouble, you wouldn't have rested so well. You must have really needed this. Marty said you were sleeping soundly, like you had not a care in the world. I'm happy for that. He hadn't felt this good in a very long time and told Trent. You have beaten the demons and it's showing, I think. Not completely yet, but I believe you're on the mend.

Sterl found that he wanted to paint, and badly. So, he made his way to the kitchen to let Alta know that he was going into town for some supplies. Even as he was making a mental note on things that he wanted, she told him to have a seat and eat, Marty's orders. He sat and reached out for his mate.

Oh, I'm so glad that you're awake. How are you feeling? He told her what he'd said to Trent. Good. You have some things to take care of when you have time. And so that you know, I had no idea there was so much involved in painting.

Sterl said that it was sort of an expensive thing. Why, are you considering taking it up as well? Are you planning on joining me in the world of art?

No, God no. I was... You haven't looked out back yet, have you? I mean, I figured that you did it, but now I don't know. He stood up and looked out the kitchen window. It was there that first morning, and I went out to see what it was. Then every time that I stepped in the place, it had more supplies. I had to look a couple of them up. There is a canvas stretcher, numerous rolls of canvas too, and so much paint that I doubt you'd ever have to leave for supplies.

After eating, he made his way out to the building and opened the door. Sterl was no longer listening to Marty, but just taking in the whole thing. She was right, he'd not have to have supplies brought in for a very long time. And there at the drafting table sat Myra and Chris. He asked Marty if he could have a moment, and she was laughing when she told him to get back to her.

"Hello. I see that you feel better." He nodded at Chris and sat when she asked him to. "There has been a lot of speculation about you. Did you know that?"

"No. I don't know.... Did you do this?" She shook her head and then nodded. "As clear as ever, I see."

Her laughter filled the large room. Sterl liked these women, even respected them. Chris was a grand witch, the most powerful being on earth. And here she sat in torn jeans that he was sure were from working rather than fashion, with an odd little woman dressed entirely in Lego print, from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet, he was sure.

"What I mean is, I had some help with it. From some other beings that are happy that you helped them out." He asked her who that might be. "Richard for one. He's grateful to you for a lot of things, but mostly for not calling him on his bad behavior when he was here before. And the faerie queen. She would like for you to paint her sometime. She has it in her head that you'd do a good job of it."

"I'd like that. There really is a faerie queen?" Chris nodded. "Why? I mean, I've only just looked around a little, but this is a great deal."

"You deserve it. And I think there will be more coming your way. It's for what you're about to do as well." He asked her what that might be. "I cannot tell you as yet. You'll find out soon enough, but for now, it must remain a secret. Not harmful. I think you've had enough of that for several lifetimes. That brings me to the next point of why I'm here."

As she told him what she needed of him, he pulled a pad of paper and a pencil from the desk in front of him. He was sure that it hadn't been there before, the paper or the desk, but he took notes on what she was telling him. And each time she gave him information, he felt his need to paint double. Sterl was going to be very busy from now on, it appeared.