Page 70 of I Am the Wild

I lower my voice. “You don’t think the prosecution stole it, do you?”

Sebastian grits his teeth. “We shall see. But in my experience, the Van Helsings will do almost anything to punish Dracula. He caused much pain to their family, back in the days when we were not governed by laws.”

I look to the Count, but he says nothing, his eyes fixed on a fireplace crackling amongst the gray stone.

"If the baby wasn't Dracula's, then who was Mary involved with?" I ask aloud, though no one answers.

Dracula just clenches his fist.

Liam looks ready to set the building on fire.

Elijah and Sebastian have no more answers than I do.

Derek steps around the corner, looking drained of all life—even for the undead. "It's not good," he says, speaking to all of us. "If another outburst occurs, we will each be fined. Heavily. And…” he pauses, looking uneasy.

“And?” asks Sebastian. “Spit it out, brother.”

Derek takes a deep breath. “And for the remainder of the trial, due to his entanglement in the case, Liam isn’t allowed in the courtroom.”

“What?” roars the fire Druid. “I’ve done nothing wrong.”

“Be that as it may,” says Derek coolly, “the judge believes things will proceed more…smoothly…if you are not present.”

Liam leaps to his feet, pacing next to the fireplace and sparking the flames with his fingers. “Fine. Go and protect this monster,” he says, gesturing to Dracula. “I took this case for Mary. And we don’t even know who actually killed her yet. So go. Go play lawyer. And while you do, I’ll be here focusing on what really matters. Finding the truth!”

He clenches his jaw, and the fire roars at his back, casting him in crimson light. Steam mixes with his breath.

“Perhaps,” Elijah says plainly, “if you had been honest with us from the start, we could have avoided this problem.”

“It wasn’t that simple,” hisses Liam.

“Listen,” I say, looking at everyone calmly. "We could argue all day, but that’s exactly what the prosecution wants. Dracula’s outburst set us back profoundly, as did the paternity test. We need a new plan. We need…” I swallow, this next part hard for me to say. "We need to discredit their expert witness. I have to take the stand, to testify to what Jerry did to me."

My words have the intended effect, and all their fury at each other seems forgotten.

"No!" Sebastian says roughly. "We aren't putting you through that.”

"We can find another way," Derek says.

Elijah shrugs. "If she's willing, I say we let her."

"You would say that," Liam spits. "All head and no heart."

I can see the wound his words create in Elijah, though I suspect no one else can. It's covered up so quickly.

"Then what do you suggest?" Elijah asks Liam, who has no response other than to glare and turn away.

"It's the only way," I say. "If you want to win. And…I can do this. I need to do this. And not just for the case."

One by one they seem to understand what I'm not saying. That this is my way of fighting what he did to me. This is my way of standing up for myself.

Each of them nods at me in turn.

Then Lily returns, breathless, her suit stained with sweat around the collar, pink hair disheveled. “The crystal wasn’t there,” she says between heavy gasps. “It’s gone.”

“Shit,” curses Sebastian. “How did they get past our security?”

“Perhaps they didn’t,” says Dracula, his voice defeated. “Perhaps the Van Helsings aren’t the only ones who wish to see me imprisoned.”