prepare for what may come. Each of you will select and carry a weapon from my armory. You will not be without it at any time. Ever. Is that understood?”
“Aye, Athair,” the vampires agreed in unison.
Archer glanced around at everyone again and sighed heavily. “I don’t think I could bear it if something happened to any of you.”
Trey sniffed and broke down into tears again. This time they were silent. I put my arm around him and held him. Poor Trey was so sensitive…
“Alright,” Archer said, turning to Quinn. “Let’s get this done as quickly as possible. The sheets are upstairs.” Quinn nodded and wasted no time in ascending Archer’s private staircase. Archer then spoke to the rest of us. “Hunter and Seamus are going to clean the second floor. The rest of you divide up the first. I want us on the road within the hour, so use haste.”
Everyone started splitting up and I turned to Trey. “Are you going to be okay, honey?” I asked as I briefly squeezed him in a side hug.
Trey took a deep breath, removed a dainty lace-trimmed white handkerchief from his back pocket and dabbed at his eyes. “I will be,” he said with a deep sigh. “It’s been a taxing evening, hasn’t it?” I nodded my head and gave him a final pat on the back before I stood up.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” I said softly. “I can’t imagine what it’s like to feel everyone’s emotions all at once.”
Trey smiled sadly and shook his head. “I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”
A light breeze ruffled my hair and I whipped around to find Jameson standing behind me.
“Agh!” I screamed in surprise, dropping the bottle of Grey Goose that I was holding and clutching my hands tightly to my heart.
Jameson flashed his hand out and caught it before it hit the ground. “Sorry, love, sorry,” he apologized quickly, setting the bottle in the near-full box at my feet. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
“Uh…, no, I’m sorry,” I said, taking a deep breath and shaking my head. “I’m just a bit on edge still I guess.” I turned around and resumed selecting liquor bottles to restock both bars with.
“Archer’s looking for you,” Jameson said, reaching over my shoulder and grabbing a bottle of Macallan 18.
I grabbed four more bottles and put them in the box before turning around. “Yeah? What does he want?” I asked, tossing my long auburn hair over my left shoulder and out of my face.
“No clue,” Jameson answered, bending down and picking up the full box at my feet. “He’s up in his office, though. I’ll follow you out.”
I sighed, nodded my head, and left the room. I had Jameson put the box of new liquor bottles behind the first floor bar. I grabbed six bottles out and made my way up the wide metal staircase to the second floor. My eyes immediately went to the now empty table where we had found Greyson Mead’s dismembered body only forty minutes ago. Images of his decapitated head flashed in my mind and I fought a sudden, overwhelming wave of nausea. It was the most horrific thing I had ever seen and I knew I would vividly remember the gruesome sight until the day I died. I quickly shook my head and struggled hard to rid myself of the dreadful images. I swallowed the huge lump in my throat as I walked over to the bar and deposited the bottles on the counter.
“Thanks,” Hunter mumbled distractedly as he set down the rag he was using to clean the counter top with and started putting away the bottles.
“Yep,” I mumbled back as I turned to the left and opened the door to Archer’s private stairwell. I slowly trudged up the narrow, spiral staircase. After being on my feet for the last ten hours, my five inch spinal stilettos were absolutely killing me. I reminded myself to go to the employee lounge when I was done with Archer and get my comfortable black Converse Chucks out of my locker. I didn’t want to wear these heels a minute longer than I needed to.
I reached the top of the stairs and gave a quick three knocks on the closed office door.
“Enter,” Archer responded.
I opened the door a few inches and peered in. Archer was sitting behind his massive African Blackwood desk and was talking on the phone. Aoife was perched on the edge of the desk next to him,