33: I Fall to Pieces – Pt. 3

“What the hell are you doing here?” Victoria asked taking Jake’s arm and quickly leading him into her garage away from possible prying eyes. “Are you crazy? Why would you come here?”

“Derrick asked me to check on you so I came. Why? What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? Jake! You’re dead! How do you think it looks for a dead man to suddenly show up at the doorstep of the detective who investigated his murder? What the hell was Derrick thinking asking that of you? I can’t have you here! You can’t just up and walk into my driveway whenever you want!”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t thinking,” Jake grinned, amused by Victoria’s panicked expression and rambling. “Derrick was worried about you, alright? He said your bracelet was acting up or something and that he needed to know you were ok.” Victoria looked down at her wrist and noticed the color seemed to be blended in one. She’d been working at it and now it seems her work had not been for naught. “And he’s my friend. I hated seeing him so worked up; seriously things are getting out of hand there so here I am. And since I’m here, how are you doing?”

“I was better before you stalked up my fucking driveway!” Victoria tossed her hands up in frustration and backed away from the tattooed vampire. She peeked through the windows of her garage checking to see if anyone was on the street that may have seen Jake’s unannounced arrival.

He paused a moment and watched her face run a gamut of emotions. “Derrick thinks he has information about the recent homicides.”

“What?” Victoria asked, looking up into Jake’s face as though he hadn’t been standing there the entire time. “Oh. Yeah so, I hear. He’s called about a dozen times now. I don’t know what he thinks he knows but I’m not interested.”

“Even if it means saving the lives of innocent people?”

“Look, Jake…”

“I know it’s not my place but when I see people I care about in a bad place I can’t just sit around and do nothing; it’s kinda what led to my death. Call me a creature of habit, I guess. Derrick is concerned about you and it’s making for a pretty hostile environment for everyone. Talk to him. You have to at least try and bite down on whatever anger you feel for him, Detective Carson, and get through this.”

“Victoria,” she replied with a sigh. “Call me Victoria, my friends do.”

“Alright, Victoria. Derrick wanted me to tell you to look for a similar pattern 25 years ago and work backwards.”

“What does that mean?” Jake shrugged and Victoria nodded her head. “Alright, I’ll look into it, thank you. Now can you turn into a Raven too?”

“No, I haven’t quite mastered the art of shapeshifting. The best I can do is a Cockatoo.”

“A Cockatoo?” Jake shrugged and Victoria sighed heavily. “Whatever, just do that and leave please and don’t ever come back here. There’s no way I can explain your appearance to anyone.” She stepped back and watched as Jake shifted into a large bird and gasped. “And tell Derrick when I said to leave me alone, that included his friends!”

“Derrick?” Loretta asked in surprise and took a step out of the door to glance behind him. “Is Victoria with you? There was something I wanted to show her in the 3^rd volume of the Book of Charms.”

He peered at her, eyes solemn and emotional as he shook his head no. “I fucked up, Loretta.” 

She backed away from the door and let him inside. “Can I get you anything?” He nodded negatively and rushed forward leading her toward the kitchen. Pacing frantically in front of the island as she finished up her herbal brew, she stirred in a squeeze of lemon and pointed him toward the patio door before turning on the timer to her cookies. “What’s going on with you?”

“Victoria.”

“Ah, and what spell has my granddaughter cast on you this time?”

“It wasn’t a spell at all,” he sighed and dropped onto the white wicker sofa across from her. “I did something stupid and now she’s pissed at me; won’t say two words to me outside of ‘fuck off.’”

“And should I hazard a guess as to what put you in this predicament?” he quickly averted his gaze and she breathed in heavily and leaned forward to place her tea cup on the table. “Uh huh, I warned you about this, Derrick!”

“I know!” he growled and stood again in a rush pacing once more in front of the banister. “I wanted to tell her so many times I just didn’t know how.” A crash of thunder rolled through the sky and his eyes went up to the encroaching gray clouds as the sun disappeared. A few drops of rain landed on the flower garden at his feet and he watched the water roll sorrowfully off the leaves falling to the soft dirt below. “Have you seen her lately?”

“Oh yes, she keeps in touch; visits whenever she can and calls almost nightly. She’s been working hard to improve her magic skills but she wouldn’t tell me why. I guess I know the answer to that now.”

“She’s probably trying to figure out how to uninvite me from her home.”

“Or a way to disenchant the charm bracelet you gave her,” Loretta replied with a sigh. Derrick kicked the wooden banister that held his weight and roared with the roll of thunder that drummed the sky.

“Will you look at me, Loretta?” Derrick sighed as he turned back to his old friend. “417 years old and I’m acting like a besotted teenager.”

“That’s what love does to you, Derrick,” she smiled and her voice took on a more comforting tone as she watched him rub at the back of his neck in heavy thought. “Does Victoria know?”

“Does she know what?”

“How you feel?” Derrick smirked as Loretta hid a smile behind her teacup, bringing the brew toward her lips to drink. “It’s written all over your face, Derrick. I could tell from the moment you showed up with her that first day, the way you look at her when you think no one is watching. Does she know?” 

“Doubtful; your granddaughter has real commitment issues. And she doesn’t really talk about that side of her. I figured it’s because she’s been hurt more times than she cares to admit. I can see it sometimes; the longing and the loneliness. Besides she doesn’t see me as anything but a friend; and not even that anymore.”

“In other words, you haven’t told her because you’re scared.”

“Of pushing her away, yes. I can deal with her treating me like a friend or pretending like we’re just high school pals because it gives me the chance to be around; makes me useful to her. It’s this silent treatment crap that’s driving me crazy! I mean she refuses to even look at me longer than three seconds and when she does it’s as if she’s looking right through me. I had her trust and I lost it because I was too stupid to say anything. What’s worse is I have no idea how to make this right.” He huffed and dropped onto the sofa again, closing his eyes a moment to drown in the sound of the pouring rain. “It’s worse than a fucking stake through the heart.”

A faint ding alerted Loretta of the cookies in the oven and she pulled up from her seat to tend to them. “Just don’t go doing anything rash, Derrick, like all things there’s a way to fix it. Time heals all.” She left the patio door opened as she stepped inside and pulled on her oven mitt. The sound of the front door bell pulled her up from task and she placed the pan on top of the stove before hurrying to see who was now knocking rather frantically.

“I want this thing off my wrist!” Victoria snarled and stepped into the living room as her grandmother opened her front door.

“And hello to you as well, Dear,” Loretta smiled sweetly and closed the door before joining her granddaughter in the den.

“Sorry. Hi, Nana. Now can you get this thing off my arm?”

“I can’t, Victoria, it’s Derrick’s promise to you. Did he not explain how this works?”

“I don’t care what Derrick said and I don’t care what he thinks! I don’t want this magical jewelry, this connection, this, whatever it is. I want it OFF of me!”

“Well like I said, Sweetheart, I cannot simply remove it.”

“How is that possible? He said you’re the one that blessed it. Wouldn’t your magic work in un-blessing it so I can get it the hell off of me?”

“It would, of course it would, but not without killing Derrick.”

“And that’s bad why?” Derrick stood and moved toward the porch glass doors hearing Victoria’s voice. A slight burning started in the back of his throat as he listened to her unceremoniously call for his head.

Loretta pressed her hands into her stomach as she paced in front of her granddaughter and started to the kitchen. “I don’t know what happened between the two of you for you to be this riled up, Victoria, but whatever it was, you’re not thinking rationally.”

“I’m thinking just fine, Nana! Derrick’s a lying scumbag and I don’t want to have anything more to do with him! I have dead people showing up at my front door advocating for Derrick all the while not thinking about the level of exposure that has for me. This is MY LIFE we’re talking about, Nana! I need it to stop!”

“Would you care to talk about it? It might help to get it off your chest.”

“He lied to me, Nana! For months he’s been coming into my bedroom and my bath and…remember that raven I told you about? It was Derrick the whole time!” she nearly shouted again and froze at the end of the counter as she looked into her grandmother’s eyes noting no significant change in emotion. “Wait you knew? You knew and you didn’t say anything? Why?”

“It wasn’t my place, Victoria.”

“Wasn’t your place? You’re my grandmother! You’re supposed to want to protect me from things like this!”

“And that’s what I was doing. Like you, I held something Derrick told me in confidence and I was not about to break his trust in me as I wouldn’t do with you and your secrets. Besides I told Derrick he should tell you before things got out of hand!”

“Out of hand? I undressed in front of him! Several times! On top of that he watched me in the bathtub and heard some of my most intimate thoughts, Nana! How much more out of hand could this have gotten?!”

“Well, when you put it that way, I guess it already got to that point, cookie? I just pulled them out of the oven.”

Victoria glanced behind her and noticed the timer turn off and frowned. “Are you always baking or did you know I was coming?”

“Maybe.”

“Maybe what? I asked you two questions. You knew I was coming? Are you a psychic or something?” she asked and reached for a cookie.

“Careful; they’re hot.”

“You’re not gonna answer me are you, Nana?” Receiving a smile from the woman standing behind the counter Victoria huffed and bit into the chocolate chip.

“I expected you were coming, Victoria, not because I’m a psychic, just a woman and intuitive.” She nodded behind her granddaughter and turned the oven off. Derrick stepped into the room from the patio and leaned against the wall.

“What’s he doing here? I thought I told you to stay away.”

“Well technically, Victoria, you told me to stay away from your house, your job and you. You never said Loretta’s was off limits,” Derrick smiled and Victoria rolled her eyes at him.

“Nana?”

“What? I think the two of you have a lot to talk about and as friends you should figure this thing out. Now if you’ll excuse me.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Victoria stood and started for the door and Derrick rushed behind her.

“Victoria, wait, please!” He gripped her arm tightly and released before the pressure became too much for her. “We really need to talk; I need you to hear me out.”

“And I’m not in the mood for more lies, half-truths or cockiness, Derrick. I’m just tired of it and would much rather hit the range and shoot something full of holes. Then again it wouldn’t kill you maybe you’d like to volunteer as my dummy? I could use the practice. Outside of that I haven’t much use for you.”

“Victoria, please. I fucked up, yes, I know that and I’m sorry. I was going to tell you I swear I just didn’t know how. And with everything going on it just wasn’t the right time.”

“I always have stuff going on, Derrick, when is there ever a right time!? After I’d gotten naked in front of you for the 100^th time and used your beak as means of sexual relief?”

“No, I turned my back when you undressed and…you what? You were going to do that?”

“My God! That was an exaggeration!” Irritated once again by his arrogance her hands went over her head and she turned for the door.

“Victoria.” He caught her arm again this time pulling her into his chest until her full attention fell on his eyes. In all seriousness he apologized and slowly she backed off of him. Pointing toward the living room Derrick followed behind Victoria and took a seat on the sofa beside her. “I don’t know what to say really.”

“Good because I don’t want to hear it anyway. Do you have any idea how it feels to believe in something only to have it blow up in your face? You hurt me, Derrick! You lied to me and I just, I felt betrayed by someone who was my guide through this supernatural crap. And all this time you were using your supernatural abilities against me! I mean really what was the point of coming around like that?”

“Vex was a way for me to keep an eye on you before the bracelet went into effect. I only stayed a little afterwards to make sure it was working properly. I had no idea you’d come outside to say hi or leave out snacks to feed me. I’m not a pet and I never meant for that relationship to go beyond simple lookout.”

“Then why not just come clean when I first started talking to you like a crazy person?”

Derrick smiled inwardly, hiding the grin behind his hand as he thought about her first rant. It was very nice the way she took to his form and sweet how eager she seemed to want to nurture and take care of him. “Curiosity; plus, I thought it was kinda cute. Look it was wrong coming into your room under the guise of ‘Vex’ but I never intended for you to become comfortable enough that you’d confide in me like that.”

“And then it sort of got to the point where I thought being there for you as Vex helped ease your concerns about magic, the cult and even what was happening at work. I never meant to hurt you. God, Victoria, that was the last thing on earth I wanted and I’m sorry. I tried to tell you a few times! I thanked you for the snacks, told you it wasn’t something Ravens ate; I even helped you with the Cole thing after hearing your conversation with him!” 

“And at any one of those points you could have just said ‘oh and by the way, it’s me!’ Instead, you kept playing your little game acting like the pet you claim you’re not!” she yelled and rose to her feet.

“It’s not an easy thing to tell someone. Can you imagine how shocked you’d have been if I shifted in front of you?”

“Oh, you mean like the day you showed me you were a vampire? Yeah, that was MUCH easier!” Loretta poked her head around the corner and sighed watching the two in heated discussion before slipping back down the hallway. “You have the subtlety of Jason Voorhees in Times Square! Why not just tell me like you did that day at your club?”

Derrick got to his feet and slowly moved forward keeping enough distance to brace himself for a collision if she started talking with magic. “I thought if I helped you figure it out you might understand better! Why else do you think I kept dropping hints?”

“For your own sadistic amusement! You enjoy getting me angry, you said as much yourself once!”

“You’re a detective, Victoria. I didn’t think it would take much for you to figure it out! You read the history book I gave you right?” She nodded and shut her eyes tight as part of the book provoked a memory; these creatures can shapeshift into bats or other large, predatory birds. 

“So basically, it’s my fault for not realizing you were sneaking into my home as a fucking bird? Gee, thanks. Yeah, throw the blame on me! You know 400 plus years you’d think you’d understand the basic concepts of an apology. This is just an epic failure. Thanks for telling me I suck at detective work for ignoring the obvious when it’s in my face, I won’t make that mistake again.” She growled and started for the door. Admittedly she felt a bit stupid for not seeing it before and that was maybe partially why she was so angry. The blame wasn’t completely on Derrick even though he should have come clean sooner; she hated herself for not knowing.

“Victoria, wait please, I’m trying here, ok? You could probably guess that saying ‘I’m sorry’ about anything isn’t my strong suit so yeah, I’m not the best at apologies.” She froze and listened to him before turning to meet the sincere plea in his eyes. “What happened the night you found out about me was the sole purpose of me coming around in that form in the first place. There are dangerous people out there that want to stop you from getting those talismans. And outside of moving in with you and becoming bunkmates, I just didn’t know how else to keep an eye out and keep you safe. I’m truly sorry I hurt you.”

“Yeah,” she sighed and paced in front of the sofa as her fingers delicately rubbed over the bracelet in deep thought. “And I guess I never said thank you for that either.”

“It’s not something I do for a thank you I do it because I care about you…y-y-your safety and I need to know you’re ok.”

“But you promised me complete honesty, Derrick.”

“And I’m working on that, I swear. I’m not exactly the open book kind of guy; never have been. You’re the first person I’ve told much of anything to, Victoria. It’s a slow process but I’m trying, for you.”

“Well, is there anything else you haven’t told me?”

“Nothing that I can think of, Scout’s honor.”

“Were you in the scouts, Derrick; ever?”

“Uh does eating a Brownie count?” he asked behind his signature smirk.

“Yeah, no and you can stop right there. I really don’t need to know more than that. Ok,” she sighed and paced the living room a little more. “Wait a second, you pooped on Cole’s car, didn’t you?”

“And if I say yes?”

“Derrick!”

“What? The guy had it coming to him! So, I may or may not have sprinkled a bit of good luck on his windshield.”

“Gross,” Victoria laughed and shook her head. “If you ever do that to me…”

“Never.”

“Alright well, if I see Vex again, I’m feeding him to the strays.”

“I can live with that,” he smirked and slowly approached her. “So, are we ok?”

“For now, I guess. The offer still stands for target practice though.”

“I’ve already taken a bullet for you, Victoria. It’s not a performance that demands repeating,” he smiled earnestly and rubbed a hand over his heart. Victoria grinned in return with a small giggle bubbling through her lips. “What’s that for?” he asked as he continued caressing the hair behind her ear.

“I don’t know. I guess I kinda missed having you around,” she sighed tenderly making the smile spread over his face.

“I missed you too. Very much.” Derrick licked his lips and watched as Victoria slowly nibbled on hers. Leaning forward he aimed his mouth for hers intent on kissing her without the influence of snake venom. Tilting her head upward, he waited for her to move a little hoping she would encourage his actions. When her eyes closed slightly and she pouted her mouth he leaned in closer, his lips just inches away from hers.

“My, my,” Loretta sighed as she again turned the corner into the living room. “Is it safe to approach now?” The two pulled away and Victoria nodded her head as her grandmother dropped a large leather-bound book onto the table in front of her. “Remember when the gargoyles came out and you thought they were attacking you?”

“Yes, of course. Those things scared the living daylights out of me.”

“Well, it seems you may have been right about them. In the book of charms there’s a spell that refers to a witch with the power to awaken the Destroyer. I think perhaps the gargoyles may have come after you because you’re the one to which the spell refers, look here.”

“Under Ember Lake the Destroyer sleeps
The war long fought there rests
But blood of cultist spirit keeps
And wait to punish the transgressed
By dragon’s breath they are burned
And magic’s power put to the test
Secrets long lost will be relearned
Through one poised to make the behest
By witch’s blood he will be taken
To witch’s voice he will awaken.”

“I don’t understand. How does this relate to me?” Victoria asked once finished reading the incantation.

“We three Coleman witches are something different than most witches, Victoria. My blood, your mother’s blood and yours have powers all of their own. And according to the prophecies, yours, Victoria, has the power to change the course of history as we know it.”

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