Fractured (Deep In Your Veins, #5)(48)

“Lazarus, Eleanor, and Eleanor’s partner, Davis.”

I folded my arms across my chest. “Who do you think attacked Imani?”

Juliet shrugged. “I have no idea. But I know you have the wrong people incarcerated. I may not have warm feelings for Imani, but I have no reason or wish to end her existence. Tait despises her, but such a sly manoeuvre is not her style.”

Jared pursed his lips. “What about Marco?”

Juliet’s gaze briefly cut my way. “If the target had been Imani’s consort, I would have believed the culprit was Marco. He is very cunning and indeed vindictive enough to commit such an act. But he would not cause Imani any pain.”

“He already did that by Turning her,” I snapped. “Does no one get that?”

“But he did not do that out of a wish to harm her,” said Juliet. “He did it to keep her.”

“I don’t agree,” I told her. “I think he wanted to hurt Imani for being with me. I think that to him she’s nothing but a toy that he didn’t like losing. He wanted to punish her.”

“You are wrong. He would never end her life.”

“You act like he’s protective of her but the truth is he wasn’t with her when she needed his support,” Jared pointed out.

She paused in her stretch. “What are you talking about?”

“He abandoned her after he Turned her,” said Jared. “Why would he do that if she was important to him?”

Juliet blinked, looking sincerely surprised by the question. “Because Lazarus sent him away, of course. Lazarus only allows his vampires to Turn those who come to this life willingly. Marco broke that rule. The penalty is usually death, but Lazarus is fond of Marco. He ordered him to stay away from the castle and away from Imani.”

Jared snickered. “Maybe that’s the story that Marco fed you—”

“Ask anyone in the castle,” said Juliet. “They will tell you that he did not willingly leave her. After she left, Lazarus allowed Marco to return to the castle, but he forbade him from contacting her. You see, Lazarus let Marco live, but he had to punish him. He needed to be seen to punish him so that others would not consider repeating the crime. Marco’s punishment was to be kept away from Imani.”

If that’s true, why would Lazarus lie about it to Imani? Jared asked me.

No f*cking clue.

“That didn’t stop Marco from watching over her,” continued Juliet, confirming what we had already suspected. “He hired vampires to erase her trail and keep her safe from hunters.”

Sam snorted. “He was keeping tabs on her. Be honest.”

Juliet sat on the floor, lotus style. “Yes, he was also keeping himself updated on her whereabouts. But it was her safety that concerned him most. I do not think he has ever given up hope that she would return.” She closed her eyes, her features settling into a calm mask. “Now, if you will excuse me, it is time for my meditation.” We’d been dismissed.

I don’t think there’s anything more she can tell us anyway, said Jared as he gestured for Sam and I to follow him.

“Unlike Tait, she’s very ambivalent toward Imani’s existence,” said Sam. “I get the feeling she wouldn’t care if Imani lived or died. She’s just not on Juliet’s radar.”

I nodded. “If she’s lying, she’s good at it.”

Jared led us past more cells, turning this way and that. Eventually he stopped in front of another cell.

Marco was standing near the glass. He studied us all carefully. Then he smiled. “She’s alive, isn’t she? Good.”

Sam lifted a single brow. “Is it?”

Jaw hard, Marco said, “You can’t think I did this.”

Rolling her eyes, Sam waved a bored hand. “You’d never hurt Imani, yeah, yeah. But you already did.”

“I brought her into this life without her consent, yes,” he allowed.

“Why, Marco? What was it about Imani that made you want to start your own line?”

“Bring her here and I’ll tell you.”

I growled at that. He smirked.

Sam’s nose wrinkled. “Nah, I’ll give that a miss.”

Marco jerked his chin in my direction. “Get him out of here, and summon Imani.”

Fuck that.

“I can’t quite work out why you think you’re in a position to make demands.” Sam turned to her mate. “Can you?”

Jared sighed. “No, I’m stumped here.”

“Why do you want to see her?” Sam asked Marco.

“She’s mine,” he replied simply.

Sam made the sound of a buzzer. “Wrong.” Very f*cking wrong.

“She is mine, and I want to see with my own eyes that she’s alive.”

“She doesn’t think she’s yours, does she? She severed all ties with you long ago.”

“You watched over her though, Marco, didn’t you?” said Jared. “You’ve spent all these years keeping her safe from people who would hunt and use her for their own gain. And how does she repay you? By shacking up with another guy.” Jared put a hand to his chest. “Personally, I’d be pissed. Aren’t you?”

When Marco didn’t respond, I said, “You wanted revenge. You wanted to punish Imani for being with me. You wanted to hurt us both. Her death would have achieved that.”