Everyone in the room fell silent, and they looked at each other as if trying to come to a decision.
“This is to catch the killer who’s been framing you?” Nathan asked.
“Yes. Once we find out who’s been setting me up, the prince can take it from there. He’ll devise a story that will leave our”—I motioned around at all of us—“participation out of it.”
Mason shook his head. “And he’d do that because…”
“Don’t you know?” Alice said. “Prince Valemont is pushing for reform for vampires and werewolves.”
“And he knows I’m being set up.” I stepped forward, trying not to appear too desperate. “I have his word he won’t seek tolearn your identities or anything about you if you help with this. You can keep on living your lives in peace.”
Alice, Nathan, Lexa, Mason, and Bradley continued to look at each other.
“Come on, guys,” Bradley said. “Wickham is one of us. Who are we if we don’t watch out for our own?”
Slowly they all nodded, and hope gathered in my chest. This could work.
Mason unfolded his arms. “Okay, Wickham, what do you need?”
The next evening, I got the vampires in place. Being a vampire had its advantages in that our speed and strength made it easy to climb and hide in trees. Also, it was effortless to get out of trees, considering a fall of such a small height wouldn’t injure us.
I left them there and went to Cupid’s Confections, where Lydia and her family awaited. Despite the closed sign on their store, they had the door unlocked, and I slipped in. I found four out of five of the Bennet sisters together at the tablesharing a cup of tea, each of them with hands on their teacups looking rather serious.
Lydia stood and embraced me. “Everything ready?”
“Our snare is in place,” I said, pulling her close to feel the security of her warmth next to me as a reassurance that all would go to plan. “Where’s Mrs. Bennet?”
“Jane took her out to see a movie. We figured that might be best,” Kitty said.
I nodded. Considering the way she fawned over Lydia and made a big deal over things, it probably was best.
“Has Darcy provided the tech yet?”
“Yes.” Lizzy handed me an earpiece. “Darcy’s butler brought this by while we were having tea. Nearly tripped over Lydia on his way in.”
“We confirmed the plan with him, and he gave us the tech. We’ll also listen in, though you won’t hear us,” Mary said.
I turned to Lydia. “And do you have what you need?”
Lydia held up the blue-hued potion. “We worked on it together. It’s designed to work very similarly to a vampire compulsion. Once I pour it onto the phone and go into the woods, it will be very hard for the owner of the phone to resist coming to reclaim it.”
“Once we have him, we’ll use the truth serum on him, and he’ll have to tell us who’s actually behind this,” Lizzy finished.
And you have your stone?I asked in my mind.
Lydia smiled.Always.
“Then we’re almost ready,” I said. I slipped the earpiece into my ear and clipped the mic onto my shirt. “Darcy, are you there?”
“I’m here. Are we about set to get started?” Darcy had agreed to help with the plan after Lydia and I had come up with it.
“Yes, Lydia is about to put the potion on the phone and head to the woods. I’ll monitor her from a distance until she’s in position.”
Lydia took a final sip of her tea, then the sisters rose from the table and gathered in a hug.
“You’ll be okay,” Lizzy said, more to reassure herself. She looked at me as she said it.
“No one will touch her,” I vowed.
