44. Let It Go

I n new bandages and clean clothes, Turney stood off to the side with Min-ji, Scarlett, and Theo—whose eyes were back to normal—struggling to keep the smile off his face while Octavius went on and on to the detectives.

Though, as Octavius beamed happily, and waved his pointer at the sparkly case board, he found his gaze meeting Detective Robins’. In that moment, a clear understanding seemed to pass between them. Part of it was an apology of sorts, for ever suspecting them…while the other part…looked to be him possibly worrying for Turney’s sanity. The former was one thing…but the latter, well…it was far too late for him to worry about that.

“SO, you see, we discovered that he held an old grudge over his failed engagement. Which ended in him accidentally, horribly mutilating and murdering multiple people…followed by him chasing us with knives, but we caught him!”

Collapsing the metal pointer, which had seemingly appeared out of thin air, Octavius slipped it into his pocket, and with his newly bandaged hands on his hips, said, “Case solved!”

“I…see,” Detective Banks slowly said.

“Well, that…all…does make sense.” Robins cleared his throat. “We will…take it from here.”

“Can we leave?” Scarlett asked, sounding bored as can be. “As in, leave the state? I understand about the murders and all that, but…frankly, the owner being the one involved does make staying here…problematic. I also imagine the place may be closed down.”

“Right…” Banks blinked. “We have your statements, and we have your contact details, and you are… Well, as long as you don’t mind making the drive, or flying here, if we need you to testify… I think it’s fine for you to go home for now… But…” The human eyed Octavius. “Your phone.”

Octavius frowned. “Mine?”

“We need it…for evidence,” Banks explained.

“WHAT?!” the vampire cried.

Detective Robins rumbled, “You can wipe your messages and sign out of things, but the phone needs to stay here with us.”

His boyfriend stared, wide eyed, looking truly speechless.

“Octavius, give me your phone, I’ll do it for you,” Turney said.

The vampire eyed him with a whine, before slowly pulling it out and reluctantly handing it over.

Taking it, he flipped it open and started it up. Turney backed up all of the vampire’s contacts to the cloud connected to the man’s personal email, before signing out of everything, deleting his messages, and handing it over to Detective Banks.

Wrapping his arms around Octavius’ waist, he started to tug him away. “Come on, let’s go get our things and head home.”

The vampire pouted, before letting out a whimper. “How about one more water slide? Or…one of the other rides?! I DIDN’T EVEN GET TO GO ON A ROLLERCOASTER!”

“Octavius, no.”

“BUT MY VACATION!?” Octavius cried.

Detective Robins cleared his throat. “To be clear, we will be shutting the park down within the hour.”

“See, Octavius, there will be no park to play at! Home we go!” Turney practically dragged the man past the detectives.

The vampire suddenly dug his heels in, batting his hands away as he sprinted back, reaching for his glitter board.

“WAIT!” Detective Robins ordered. “Let us keep that, for now.”

“Bu-but—” Octavius sputtered.

Scarlett came up behind the vampire, slipped her arm through his, and started dragging him forward. “Come on.”

“BUT MY GLITTERY CASE BOARD OF DOOM?!”

Octavius put the last of his things into the trunk with a sad sigh. Vacation…ruined. Fun over… And…that BASTARD, who had burned his zombie bun, was still alive! Though, he could fix that later…

Eyeing the bandages on his hands, he tsked and started undoing them.

“Octavius.”

He jumped, spinning around to find Turney right behind him. “Others…still…packing?” he asked, slightly surprised that they’d gotten their things in before everyone else.

“No, they will be out in a minute.”

His brow rose as Turney brushed his hands aside and took over the task of removing his bandages. Taking off one and then the other, the zombie tossed the wrappings into the trunk, before taking Octavius’ hands in his. “Octavius…”

“Yes?” he asked with a brow raised.

“Let it go.”

Octavius slowly tilted his head. “Let…what go?”

“Let go of whatever you are plotting… Aurelius has been arrested. He killed six people. He will get multiple life terms. He will die in there, and never get out. It’s enough.”

His hands clenched as he forced his face to remain neutral. “I’m not planning anything,” he lied, because it wasn’t enough. It would never be enough. The thought of the man remaining on this earth for even one second longer than he deserved was enough to make Octavius scream.

“Don’t lie to me.”

“Turney…you have to understand…”

“What I understand is that you don’t care that he tried to kill you, but you are angry that he hurt me.”

“No, I’m angry that he could have killed you, and would have if we hadn’t left when we did. If I hadn’t put the flames out,” Octavius hissed. “I’m enraged that the bastard dared to endanger you at all.”

“He endangered Scarlett and Min-ji as well, and so many other people.”

Octavius opened his mouth to deny it, yet…he couldn’t… Turney wasn’t wrong… Min-ji could have died in the tank, and if she had died so would Scarlett… “I just…”

“I know. But for me, let it go. Let this be enough. Aurelius will rot away in a jail cell until the day he dies. Let that be punishment enough in this life, and then let the Gods, Goddesses, and Devils do what they will with him in the aftermath. Just don’t use me getting hurt as a reason to kill him.” Turney kissed one hand first, and then his other. “Don’t dirty your hands for me, please.”

He swallowed hard. “Turney, my hands…haven’t been clean for a very long time.”

“I know you have killed people. Hell, I ended more than a few lives myself in those underground tunnels. And I’m sure, sometime in the future, I will again. But I don’t want to be your reason for killing someone. Not when there is another option. As your boyfriend, I want to be the reason that you don’t kill. I won’t ever judge you for doing it, but please…let this one go.”

Let it go… Could he?

He flinched when a vision of Turney crying as flames licked away at his body rushed to the forefront of his mind. How could he let it go?! Yet…

Octavius stared into Turney’s earnest face and wavered. This man…was really too good…too forgiving… But…he supposed the zombie had to be if he had any chance of putting up with his special type of crazy.

He slowly smiled. Being with such a forgiving man…it would be wrong of him to be so unwilling to let go of things… Especially since his zombie bun had asked it of him.

Aurelius, you better hope you never get out, because I will kill you if you do, Octavius thought.

“Okay… For you…I’ll let the bastard live,” he relented, before adding, “As long as he stays in prison.”

“Yeah, if he ever gets out, feel free, as I doubt he will leave us alone.” Turney chuckled happily. A wide smile spread across his face as the man pulled him into a hug. “Thank you. Love you so much.”

Octavius wrapped his arms around the zombie with a sigh. “Love you too.”

“Meanwhile…” Turney started slowly, but didn’t finish.

He pulled back with a small smile. “Meanwhile?”

“Instead of plotting a murder, how about you work on getting my classes started back up?”

His eyes widened when the words registered. “You…mean… REALLY?!” he cried.

Turney chuckled. “Really.”

With a happy squeal, he picked Turney up and spun him around.

“Put me down,” his precious, kind, beautiful zombie bun laughed.

“NEVER!” Octavius giggled, holding the man tighter against him. “Mine!”