Author’s Notes

AUTHOR’S NOTES.

IF YOU LOVE VAMPIRES AND A GORGEOUS MAN IN UNIFORM THEN THIS IS THE STORY FOR YOU!

NB..There is a difference between the Army and the Marines.

Prologue: Departure.

Prologue

To have a willing body warming your bed at night could possibly be every mortal man’s dream, but to have someone as succulent and innocent as Tony; unafraid and eager to please with a heart as pure as his soul was a hard thing to come by; yet he was mine. He’d given himself over to me completely and without doubts, making it viciously difficult to part ways with him; but I had no choice.

He wouldn’t survive an hour in my coven and it would be selfish of me to take him into my world completely unprepared. He was too flighty; too emotional and terrifyingly innocent.

It still baffled me to no end every time I thought of how far we’d come. Almost a year ago I’d thought of taking his life as he’d followed me through the streets of his old town.

He’d figured out what I was without even seeing me in action. He was a smart kid after all. Yet despite his knowledge I hadn’t been able to carry out the deed. Something about his trusting eyes and easy smile had captivated me and to this day I’d stuck by him and he by me.

As I stood on the roof of the abandoned hardware store, I watched him tear through the darkness with two men at his heels. He’d been stealing again. Always up to the same mischief and always expecting me to make it right and I suppose it was my fault; I’d spoiled him rotten; my little innocent one.

I continued to watch the chase. He was agile; that boy. Easily making his way through the crowd, twisting this way and that to pull himself out of harm’s way but while he was agile he wasn’t faster than the men following close behind him. His capture was inevitable and I suppose it was my time to swoop in and save the day like I always did.

A master class vampire playing baby sitter to a mortal boy; it was simply unheard of. How could I take him with me; amongst my own kind, when I couldn’t take my eyes off him for a second? They would tear him apart. He needed to change otherwise what we had was doomed.

It was that thought that left me unmoving as I watched the men latch onto the back of his shirt and pull him aside. Maybe it was time he learned to take responsibility for his actions. If I kept coming to his aid, how could he possibly change?

He tried to fight back, as I knew he would, but he was no match for them. I wondered briefly what it was that he’d stolen this time; it was always something inconsequential in my eyes; something I could have easily given him if only he’d asked, but I suppose it was the feeling of getting away with something his society deemed immoral that drove him. He was a rebel; it was in his blood.

I fought to remain where I stood as the men sought to teach him a lesson for his crime but I found myself gritting my teeth with every blow they landed on his soft flesh. Yet I was firm. This time he’d learn and every time after that.

It wasn’t to be so however, because when he screamed my name in fear I was helpless to his needs and without a thought I was jumping from the roof and to his rescue. The rest was history.

………………………………

“Was she any good?” he asked as I gently laid the girl onto the soil at my feet. She wouldn’t remember a thing when she awakened.

I turned, appraising him with a bloody grin. “Delectable.”

“When are you gonna start drinking from me. I bet I’d taste better than any one of these idiots.” Tony grumbled. His jealously was always rearing its ugly head.

“I’ve told you. You’re not ready for that. What are you doing here so early? Don’t you have some form of mischief to get on with?”

He shrugged, a gesture he knew I hated, then pulled a small stack of papers from the waist band of his pants. I took them from his weak grasp, my brows furrowing when I commenced reading.

“My friends dared me to do it. I didn’t have a choice.” He explained. I glanced up briefly to watch him stoop next to the girl to check her pulse. Satisfied her heart was still beating, he pulled up again and glanced around the cemetery in what seemed to be boredom.

“You joined the army? On a dare?” I questioned just to be clear and at his nod my teeth clenched.

“I’ll never understand how you can be so absolutely careless. Tell me something. If your precious friends dared you to throw yourself from a bridge, would you do it?” I asked, then watched as he shrugged again.

“Of course I would. It’s not like I’d get hurt right? You’d be there to save me.” He said without an ounce of hesitation.

“And therein lies our problem.”

“Anyway.” He went on completely disregarding my words. “The army people expect me to show up a week from now and they say if I don’t then it’ll be a breach of contract and I’ll end up in prison or something so I need you to fix it okay?”

Most people upon hearing this conversation would think him a spoiled brat who enjoyed the easy way out just a bit too much and they’d be right.

I glanced at the papers again. The army; where men were taught the importance of discipline and the meaning of responsibility. Where men quickly learned to become brave souls and where mischief could get you nowhere but in the ground.

I looked back at him; taking in his lazy stance and nonchalant disposition. My coven did not stand for cowardice and weakness. They respected discipline and spat in the face of immaturity. As a vampire of the master class it was my duty to present the perfect example of what a mate should be and anyone I presented who turned out to be less than what was acceptable for one in my position would not have his life before the day was out.

Tony would not survive there. We had pledged to always be together. I’d made a contract with my heart to love him for as long as I breathed but as he was, he would not make it and it hurt me deeply every time the thought came to mind.

“I could make it so that you won’t be bound by this.” I said holding up the papers and he smiled; cheeks dimpling as he did.

“Or you could join the army. Finally learn what it is to be responsible and disciplined. Finally do away with all the trouble you keep finding yourself in. It could be a better life for you Tony. If you continue the way you are now I fear you won’t last very long.” I explained.

“I have responsibilities towards my coven and if I cannot take you there with me then you’ll have to stay here and during that time I cannot protect you.”

“Then take me with you.” He said then; the excitement in his eyes was heartwarming and I hoped that if the time finally came for me to take him there; that excitement would grow.

“I’ve already explained that you can’t go there as you are. My coven looks up to warriors, you are but a child.”

“Nineteen is hardly a child Rien. Plus who cares what they think. You’re one of the top dogs there right? You can just tell em to shove off.”

It was these illogical statements he made that reinforced the point. He didn’t understand. No matter how many times I explained, he never understood and he would never understand until he gained maturity. He could not survive in his own world and he certainly wouldn’t be accepted into mine if he didn’t grow up, so with that my decision was made.

I handed him the papers. “You’ll honor your agreement. It’s time you started taking responsibility for your actions.” I told him and he gazed at me in horror.

“But I can’t be in the army! I have a life here; those guys are like prisoners!” he shouted and I smiled.

“Maybe it’s time you joined them.”

And that was when he broke down into tears. I didn’t listen when he begged me to help him or when he told me over and over again how much he loved me and couldn’t survive without seeing me every day. I refused to back down when he sobbed into my chest and promised he’d change; that he’d be good; that he’d be perfect.

No. His first step at change would be taking responsibility for his latest actions and though denying him what he wanted felt like I was driving a stake through my own heart I held steadfast.

 Three weeks later as I stood atop his barracks and watched as he broke down in tears before his drill sergeant I told myself I was doing what was best for him. He would learn what it meant to be a man and one day when I was satisfied he had become the person he needed to be in order to survive in the world, I’d come back for him and I’d finally make him mine; utterly and completely.

When I turned away from him minutes later I pledged not to return until that day came.

                                           AUTHOR’S NOTES

NB!

There is a difference between the Marines and the Army ..if you read on you’ll realize why Tony is referred to as a marine even though he is in the Army.

I’M SO EXCIED TO REALLY GET INTO THIS STORY! HOPE YOU’LL ALL ENJOY IT!

THANKS FOR READING!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 1: Battlefield

Chapter 1

Tony’s POV                         5 years later

“Over sixteen casualties sir!” the private called out to me and upon my nod he ran over to the others to help them unload the bodies. I turned away from the sight to glance down at the map I held in my hands. Sixteen casualties in twenty minutes. It was time to move out.

I shoved the battered waterproof paper into my uniform pocket and made my way over to the corporal.

“Moving out in two minutes.” I issued and he was quick to act.

“Yes sir!” then he was off. I finished suiting up, gathering what I would need for battle, before turning to view the bodies once more. I knew every man lying lifeless in the dirt. I had spoken with and helped to train each and every one of them and now they were nothing more than corpses to be boxed up and sent home to their families.

“Sergeant, awaiting your orders sir!” the corporal called out to me and with a silent prayer to whomever had the decency to listen, I was tearing across the dirt and into the leading Humvee.

“Let’s go!” I banged the palm of my hand onto the metal door of the vehicle and we were off; once more trudging head first into a war we probably had no business fighting, but one we would risk it all to win.

………………………………………….

Rien’s POV

He was a brave one; my Tony. Having finally grown into the man he so desperately needed to be. I watched his grace, his poise, his now muscular frame which had once been wispy and the scars that ran haphazardly over his arms. He was perfect; just as I remembered. He issued orders like that of a king and the men followed them without question. He had changed as I had hoped he would.

I smiled even though I regretted the ancient sadness I saw etched in his expression as he gazed upon the fallen men, but as he always had; he would learn from it and eventually move on.

He’d become strong, responsible, dependable; finally someone I could take to my coven and be confident to announce as mine. I continued to watch him as he geared up for his war; ever diligent; ever ready. I had missed him dreadfully, but now it was time to take him home with me; where he belonged.

I threw myself from the rooftop, landing perfectly on another as I proceeded to follow the vehicles that were tearing up the old soil as they made their way to the front. All the while my eyes remained glued to his face; the determination set in his features fueled my own and I ran faster; aching to once again hold him in my arms and to hear him whisper the words of love that had been absent for half a decade.

“It’s time.”

…………………………………………….

Tony’s POV

“Fifteen miles” the driver announced and the conversation quietened.

 The closer we got to the sight, the tenser the men became and I urged them to make the best of the time we all had left before we were dropped into utter chaos.

I’d chosen to ride with them in the back; wanting to offer them my strength and direction. Some of the faces before me had never performed in actual combat and I could see the nervous excitement as well as dread on some of their faces.

I looked out onto the filthy streets; glancing at abandoned homes with rusted zinc roofs and taking in the sight of the meagre dogs hunting for any leftovers. Every now and then we would pass by a soldier’s broken body or a lone civilian’s empty expression and my heart would go out to them.

It was a crazy time. This place that was once a beautiful city now an unfriendly war zone. I straightened my helmet and held on tighter to my weapon. An war zone that I hoped my men survived. I looked back, taking in their faces and nodding to each of them that glanced my way

“Ten miles”

Not long now.

“When this is all over, I’m buying my girl that ring she always wanted.” Private First class Rusty announced and a few of the men chuckled.

Rusty had been saying that for over a year now. After every particularly difficult drill, every time he got an injury and whenever he had upcoming leave, but he still had yet to get her the ring.

“I’m serious this time. A man’s gotta settle down, we can’t go on like this forever.” He trailed off and the others went silent.

“Well then when we get outta here, we’ll make sure you get her that ring.” Private O’Donnell said, patting him on the back with a grin and I turned to look outside once more.

It wasn’t hard to keep going on like this when there was nothing else to live for. Some of us would be at it until the day the soil decided it was our turn. We would die fighting for our country because that was all we knew, the only thing we loved and I was fine with it because that’s what I signed up for and I always lived up to my responsibilities.

“Five Miles”

“Make sure you’re ready men, there’s no turning back now.” I told them and as they fidgeted I pulled the map from my pocket once more, turning it over and over in my hands.

Five miles, five miles, five miles .

I shoved the paper back into my pocket and straightened.

The vehicle dipped and shook as we traversed the rough terrain and the men allowed their bodies to bob along with it. I spotted more corpses along the way and of course the ever present blood.

It was a gruesome battlefield yet in the height of destruction, I managed to spot a small child playing in the rubble and the disorder; left alone to his own devices in a time like this and I shook my head; wondering if at any moment his life would be snuffed out like all the rest.

“Two Miles”

I stood then and the others followed, holding on to the overhead latches as we prepared for our destination.

“See you when it’s over sergeant?” Rusty asked and I nodded.

“See you all when it’s over.” I corrected before offering them a small salute which they easily returned.

We rocked with the vehicle, our feet planted firmly against the metal floor with our necks bent in the small space. The dusty air rose up and coated our faces and uniforms and my eyes watered. None of the others had any words left to speak as we moved closer and closer to our destination and I was glad for it.

I needed the silence to think; about the upcoming conflict; not the life I may or may not have after today and certainly not the numerous lives that were sure to fall at our feet.

Another mile in silence and the terrain became rougher, jerking us about so that we bumped our heads and other body parts against each other and against the inside of the vehicle.

“Do what you have to in order to stay alive, watch each other’s backs, heads low and weapons raised. We have no time for error. I’m not dragging any of your bodies back to be buried…die on your own watch.” I told them firmly and it was when I turned back to look at their faces one last time before we departed the Humvee, that I saw the unwelcome flash of light, then the shocking feeling of the blaze as it consumed our vehicle.

I didn’t have time to blink before I felt the lick of the flames and myself being thrown from my perch. I heard a sickening snap and felt the pain erupt throughout my body when I landed in the dirt.

I tried to suck in a breath but felt the hot metallic taste of my own blood rise to my throat and seep through my lips. I couldn’t move my limbs, I could only feel the pain ripping through me as I gasped for air. Then I felt nothing at all as my world went black.

………………………….

 I woke to a dream and I imagined I was in heaven. I felt the softness of a million tiny feathers cushioning my body and the fresh smell of something wonderfully spicy in the air. Not an ounce of pain; not a feeling of discomfort or the heat of the dessert.

I remembered the explosion; I remembered the pain, I remembered the horrifying sounds of my men screaming in agony and the intense ringing in my ears, but I felt none of that now. I could feel only a strange calmness around me and I smiled, snuggling closer into my fluffy feathers.

So this was what heaven felt like. I breathed in the cool air through my mouth grateful for the breath of fresh air that had eluded me for what had felt like an eternity as I lay battered on the battlefield.

I wondered what would greet me when I opened my eyes; would it be the welcome sight of a dozen glorified angels? or the breathtaking beauty of a new world? I couldn’t imagine it and so I cracked my eyes open only to be greeted with a surprising sight.

It wasn’t feathers that I laid upon, but a bed twice the size of my own body with about half a dozen pillows propping my head up. I groaned in disappointment and in awe as I looked around the room.

Disappointment because it wasn’t paradise as I’d hoped and awe that I was actually alive and pain free after my ordeal. I turned my arms this way and that, searching for bandages or new scars, then lifted my legs one at a time to test their effectiveness.

I was fine; as healthy as I could imagine, but I knew for a fact that I’d been thrown from the Humvee and suffered injury. I pushed up from the pillows and rotated my neck, checking for even the slightest pain but I felt nothing and I frowned in confusion.

“I gave you my blood. You’re fully healed.” I heard a deeply accented voice say and I froze in shock because even after all these years that voice was one I remembered well. The voice that had tormented me as I slept; praying to be rescued from my own personal hell when I’d first enlisted in the army.

A voice I’d held onto whenever I’d felt lost or lonely.  A voice that had once held only love and comfort. A voice I’d missed and cried for night after night in my barracks until I grew to know better. A voice I now despised with every ounce of my being.

I turned to look upon the owner, dread cursing through my body and though I knew exactly what I would see, a surprised gasp still escaped me as my eyes landed on him. I was out of bed in an instant, my back plastered onto the wall furthest from him as my brain began to process the scene before me.

There he sat; the long ago object of my obsession, in a plush one seater, backed up against the opposite wall just under the large windowpane. He looked the same as I remembered him. The long, silky blue black hair pulled back in a tight ponytail at the base of his neck. The regal state of dress and the same intense grey eyes that had made me weak with need in another lifetime.

He sat with his legs crossed, his back straight and his posture as perfect as that of a monarch. Large and powerful with a slight air of hostility that I had long ago learned had nothing to do with me.

It was breathtaking seeing him after so long. I never expected that day to come when he appeared before me once again and I felt my throat constrict and my palms gather sweat as my gaze remained purchased on his still frame.

He wore a slight smile; one that I failed to decipher and I became uneasy as he watched me boldly. It took a while for it to stir inside me, but the hate I’d bore for him and his kind finally bubbled up within me and I clenched my fists and squared my jaw as I took a step forward.

“Why?” I gritted as my eyes narrowed and he raised an eyebrow in obvious amusement. It only spurned my anger.

“Do you mean why did I heal you? Why wouldn’t I? you were hurt.” He said simply as if I was stupid for asking and I bristled.

“Why am I here? Why did you take me from the war? Where are my men?” I questioned, looking around the room as if I expected one of them to suddenly appear, but the devil only tilted his head slightly, taking in my expression.

“Your men are dead, I took you from battle because you were hurt and I needed to heal you without prying eyes. As for why you are here…you are mine and you belong by my side.”

His words shocked me and for a moment I stood there gaping at him at a loss for words, but when he pushed up from his seat and took a step toward me I stepped back, finally finding my voice.

“Why didn’t you heal them? You could have saved them, why didn’t you?” I whispered brokenly as I thought of all the lives lost but he only shook his head.

“Why would I? they are but mere mortals, they mean nothing to me.” He said simply.

 Heartless beast

“Then why me? Why didn’t you leave me there with them?” I hated how broken my voice sounded as the pain of the loss flowed through me and I turned my head away as I awaited his answer.

“You’re questions are getting ridiculous Tony, maybe you haven’t fully healed after all.” He took another step toward me, reached out a hand to touch my brow and I roughly batted it away.

“Don’t touch me.” I said in disgust, then moved around him towards the door. My mind whirled with the thought of the war, the thought of the creature standing behind me and the thought of what I now needed to do.

I didn’t understand why he was back and I didn’t care. As I’d been taught to do, I shoved the matter from my mind as I reached the only door in the large room. I would focus on the most important thing; my duty to my country and to my men. I would go back to the front, do what I had to in order to aid the living, then help gather the bodies of the fallen and I wouldn’t cast another thought to the beast.

I jerked the door open and stepped into a wide hallway. It wasn’t difficult to find the staircase after that and I descended quickly, failing to take in the opulence of the place. When I came upon a door that could only be the exit, I pulled that open as well but just as I was about to step through I stopped in my tracks as I came face to face with a bloody-mouthed vampire.

“You’re not going anywhere friend .” The creature drawled, his pointed, stained teeth dripping from his latest kill. I drew back in horror reaching automatically for my weapon only to remember I no longer had it.

“You’re thousands of miles from the dessert Tony, that life is now behind you. It’s time we lived ours; just as you’ve always wanted.”

I swiveled to face Rien who was leaning casually against the banister at the base of the staircase, then back to the smaller, dripping creature on the other side of the door.

“You’re fucking insane.” I spat poisonously and rammed into the vamp at the door. I shifted him only slightly though before he gathered his wits and lifted me off the ground, slamming me into the wall by the doorway. I fought against his hold as he added pressure to my neck but he wasn’t fazed by my struggles.

“Still flighty I see, but brave…I’m glad.” Rien, who had appeared by the other vamp’s side, reached over to trail a finger down the side of my face as I struggled, then his expression softened and I was gazing into gentle eyes; eyes I remembered from long ago. Eyes that I didn’t want to see.

I twisted harder, trying to get away, sickened by their presence, then the fingers around my neck loosened and I fell to the ground panting.

“Fuck you.” I hissed at the smaller vamp and I stiffened when Rien’s laughter filled the air.

“And a filthy mouth.” he laughed, “You’re going to be just as much of a handful now as you were then.” He continued, his face alight with pleasure.

He held out a hand for me to take but I pushed up from the ground without his help and he retracted the offer; still looking amused. If the little vamp at his side hadn’t been glaring at me as if he’d rip my throat out at any sudden movements, I’d have found a way to wipe that smile off his face.

“Listen” I began, looking between the two. “I don’t give a shit who you are or why you’re here, so let’s make one thing clear: I don’t belong to you, I can’t even stand the sight of you and if you think you can keep me here then you got another thing coming.”

………………………….

Rien’s POV

He was angry with me.

 I suppose I should have expected it, after all I had left him for years in a place he hadn’t even wanted to be. I folded my arms before me as I leaned against the tree, watching him pace the upstairs balcony while trying to ignore my drudge who had a clear tendency to talk quite a bit more than he really needed to.

I looked away from the sight of them, turning my attention to the sun setting between the trees. He had changed just as I’d hoped. I’d stopped by on a few occasions over the years to see how he was getting on and learned a lot about him in the process. He was loyal to his cause, strong-willed; a fighter.

He’d gained a level of maturity that far surpassed his younger self of five years. He was responsible and his bravery had grown along with his determination to succeed but along with it, he had lost that youthful charm that had first captured me.

Those trusting eyes that had once looked up at me with love and admiration now looked at me with disdain, hatred and disgust. You couldn’t wish for change and expect it all to go the way you chose I suppose.

I shifted my gaze back to the balcony. He was sitting now, looking out over the trees; his expression contemplative; no doubt he was planning his escape and I smiled. He would be a challenge; my Tony, but as it now stood; things were clearly not the same. He wanted nothing to do with me nor the life I could provide for him so I had three options.

I could allow him to leave; to go back to his war and hope that one day he would seek me out of his own accord. I could drag him back to my coven despite his unwillingness; in the process asserting my dominance as was expected of a master class Vamp, or I could use our time together to remind him of how it once was between us. Ignite the passion I knew had to be buried deep and allow him to remember everything we’d been through together and what it had once meant to him.

I pushed up from my spot and turned to face the trees; my decision made. It was time to hunt and I would need to drink my fill for what I was about to do. 

                                           AUTHOR’S NOTES

FIRST CHAPTER: DONE!

HOPE YALL ENJOYED THAT! I’LL UPLOAD AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

KEEP SWEET!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 2: Vamp moods

Chapter 2

“Your pizza’s getting cold.”

I looked up at the offending creature with narrowed eyes and he stared at me with all the innocence of a young child. I shook my head and turned away, it was hard to believe that this was the same creature who had prevented me from escaping the day before.

If it wasn’t for the very sharp fangs that bared themselves whenever he spoke and the inhuman strength I’d have been out the door the moment Rien had left this morning.

“My keeper will be displeased if he returns and he sees you haven’t eaten.”

“Your keeper? What are you a dog?” I asked bitterly and as he’d been doing since the day started; he took my insult in stride, which annoyed me to no end.

“If that’s the best equivalent you can find to describe the duties of a drudge then I suppose I am…though I had thought humans were a bit more skillful in their use of the English language.” He said simply and I bristled.

“Then what are you? His lover? His little maid? What?” I asked again, throwing my hands up in annoyance and he smiled.

“I am his drudge. I perform whatever duties he sees fit.” Was his simple reply and my eyes narrowed.

“So you’re like a slave…so if he asked you to kill for him you’d do it.”

“Without question.”

I didn’t even know why I was making conversation with him. Gaining his trust was a pointless endeavor if I couldn’t use it to help me escape and with the way his loyalty to Rien ran; it would be next to impossible.

I pushed up from my seat and the creature’s eyes followed me as I made my way across the room and out onto the balcony. I’d go crazy if I had to stay here for much longer. I had responsibilities to my country, to my fellow marines; sitting here while completely healthy and doing absolutely nothing was a waste of time and of my training.

I found my anger at the situation rising again and I took a deep breath before propping myself up onto the ledge.

Rien and his little slave could go fuck themselves. There had to be a reason he’d come back after all this time; why he’d gone through the trouble of rescuing and healing me; then to have me guarded while he was gone.

I took it to mean that for whatever reason; my life, for the moment, was important to them, which could only mean that there wouldn’t be a threat of his slave killing me if I tried to escape.

I looked back at the slave in question with narrowed eyes. “What’s your name anyway?”

He smiled; something he did a lot I noticed and the more time I spent with him to more I wondered just how evil he could possibly be. “It is Kaio.”

“Kaio.” I said testing the name on my tongue.

“I’m told I was named after my father; though I cannot remember very much of my human life.”

“Really? You can’t be that old…when were you turned?” he didn’t look much older than me, in fact it was only his manner of speaking that gave any evidence of his maturity.

“Two hundred years tomorrow.” He offered and I assessed him warily.

 I still couldn’t get over how unchanging vampires were. The creature before me looked no more than twenty-seven years yet he’d lived almost two centuries. It was crazy.

“Did he turn you?”

“No. I was turned by a ‘familiar’.” He told me but when he realized I had no idea what he meant he smiled kindly and went on, “ A familiar is a vampire who is not of the master class; one of the common vamps who reside in my coven. Master class vampires rarely turn humans these days; one would have to be exceptional to be turned by one of the esteemed.” He explained and I hopped off the ledge and went to lean against the door frame.

 Which would explain why Rien never turned me back then; no matter how much I had begged him; guess I just wasn’t his idea of exceptional. Not that it mattered now anyway; who would even want that life.

“So how’d you meet Rien then?” I questioned out of morbid curiosity.

“For one who continues to profess his undying hatred of my keeper, you seem very interested in his goings.” He commented and I scoffed at the absurdity of his words.

“I’m not interested, I’m just passing the time since you fucking morons won’t let me leave.” I shot back.

He wasn’t offended.

“He recruited me from our coven years ago. Amongst our own; those who are not champions are thought to be weak. I’ve never been aggressive enough, as a result I was cast aside by my people and my keeper took me in. I haven’t left his side since…minus the year and a half during which time he courted you of course.” He finished and I snorted.

Courted me…right.

“You should eat…a warrior needs his strength.” He said, then gestured to the large box of untouched pizza sitting on the table before him and a thought struck me.

“It’s cold… I can’t eat it like that.” I said and as expected the ‘servant’ side of him was quick to act.

“I’ll heat it for you.” He said, then picked up the box and disappeared into the kitchen. I  saw my chance and I took it, bolting onto the balcony once more and  leaping up onto the ledge, it was just as I was about to throw myself off so I could make a quick escape into the woodland below that I felt the firm grip on my arm and I was being pulled from my perch.

I fought against his hold; using my combat training in an attempt to break free. As if I was nothing more than a small weak child, Kaio spun me around to face him; baring his teeth; his face set in a deadly expression.

“Do not tempt me human.” He growled and as I continued to fight, lashing out to land a quick punch to his nose, he grabbed my other arm, twisted and snapped.

I screamed in agony as the pain ripped through me and he released me completely.

I fell to my knees cradling my limp arm to my chest as the pain escalated. I felt like throwing up as I felt the unwelcome flash of cold sweat.

“I was instructed to keep you here. I’m not about to let my keeper down.” He was saying.

“I will heal you now and every time you try to escape I’ll break another limb until you understand the importance of what my duty means to me. Do you understand?” he asked softly, he stood staring down at me; his hands behind his back and his feet apart. I stared up at him gritting my teeth through the pain.

“Fuck you.” I gasped, then cried out again when he grabbed hold of the back of my head; jostling my broken arm in the process.

I watched, my face contorted in pain as he sunk his teeth into the flesh of his wrist. A moment later, blood was seeping from the small wound to pool into his palm. I fought against his hold when he clamped it over my mouth and I almost choked against the surge of hot liquid that flowed down my throat. Then he pulled away completely and I coughed; my throat burning.

“I am not your enemy but I am not so impressionable as to be easily manipulated by a mere human.” He continued and as I kneeled there against the hard tiles I released a breath as the pain in my arm subsided and I was able to breathe easily once again.

I pushed up from the floor, moving so that I stood an arm’s length away from him.

“You know, there’s one thing I learned back when I was a stupid kid following Rien around like some lost puppy.” I began and he titled his head slightly, “I learned that all it takes to kill an ordinary vamp is one simple knife to the heart, so you better stop hiding behind your damn immortality because the moment you think you’re safe I swear I’ll kill you.” I told him, my voice shaking with barely concealed anger. He shook his head and offered me a sweet smile.

“I wouldn’t be pathetic enough to allow a human to hurt me but it’s never a bad thing to hope I suppose.” He said and turned, leaving me alone on the balcony.

I spat, the taste of his blood on my tongue turning my stomach, then twisted my hand this way and that to test if it was fully healed. Satisfied, I dropped down onto the ledge once more, this time moving so that my back rested against the wall and I sat there for the better part of the day plotting a way to get out of the mess I was in.

………………………………….

Rien’s POV

“Your coven has been awaiting your return my Lord. You’ve roamed the outside for long enough. Have you forgotten your responsibilities?” Thames questioned.

“You know I haven’t.” I looked out over the city, taking in its magnificence, then back at him when he spoke once more.

“Then what’s stopping you from returning, nothing can be so important that you-”

“I’ve found a mate.” I said simply and when he only gaped at me, his eyes wide with surprise I continued. “It is my intention to present him to the coven when the time is right.”

“But you-“

I held up a hand and he fell silent.

“You should get back to the others. I have personal matters to attend to.” I explained and he paused for a second, gazing at me without saying a word, then he nodded and I turned away from him once more, listening to his footfalls against the rough concrete as he departed.

I hadn’t been standing there for very long when another blood drinker approached. This time it was one of the master class; my brethren Nathaniel.

“What is this I hear of a mate?” he spoke and I smiled despite myself, turning to greet him with open arms. Our embrace was short and welcoming and when I pulled away he too had a smile on his face.

“Does word travel so quickly then?” I questioned.

“I overheard your conversation with Thames…who by the way needs to learn his place.” He finished and I shook my head.

“He means well, though I’m beginning to wonder if things are so retched in the coven that two of its members have chosen to visit me on the same night.”

I watched him as he went to stand close to the ledge; sneaking a glance over before backing up a step.

“I never did understand your fascination with rooftops.” He commented and I smiled.

“It makes me feel in control.” I joked and he laughed heartily.

“In control brother? Have you not enough drudges and familiars to govern?”

“The control I speak of has nothing to do with governance Nathaniel and everything to do with understanding. The better understanding you get of humans the easier it is to control how they receive you, is it not?”

He appraised me with narrowed. “You do not need an understanding of humans; they are but a means to fill our stomachs.” Then he paused; considering. “Do not tell me your mate is human?” when I remained silent he continued in disbelief.

“Is this why you’ve been absent from our home for such a period? Because you believe a better understanding of humans will lead to an even greater understanding of your new mate?”

I shook my head. “No matter how much understanding I have of humans; I’ll never fully understand my mate.” Then I laughed. “I’ve been away from the coven because I must be. I have personal matters that need my undivided attention. I will return home when the time is right.” I explained but he wasn’t having it.

“What personal matters? Won’t you tell me brother? Have we reached such a low point in our bond that you now keep secrets?” he sounded hurt. As hurt as a heatless master class vamp could be expected to feel anyway, but I was quick to assure him; moving to stand before him, where I dropped a friendly arm onto his shoulder.

“Everything will be revealed in due time, do not trouble yourself. Now I’m ready to hear why you came to find me.”

He turned away and my arm fell to my side.

“Yes well, I suppose there really are more important things to discuss than mates and secrets.” He spoke and my brows furrowed as I continued to watch him.

“We have a bit of a problem back at the coven and you’re not going to like it.”

………………………………………………….

Tony’s POV

I was sitting around the dining table when Rien finally got back and I jumped to my feet the moment he stepped through the door. The first thing I noticed was that his usual cocky and disgustingly cheerful disposition was missing. He looked drained as if he’d just ran a marathon. I’d never seen him looking so…human before but I had more important issues to air.

“Why am I here? Why did you come back and why won’t you let me go?” I asked as soon as he glanced in my direction.

Kaio immediately went to his aid, helping him to remove his coat and I glared at the beast as he walked past me to deposit it onto the arm of a chair.

“You are my mate.” Rien said then, “I told you I would have returned for you.” He explained…then I watched as he tilted his head slightly and sniffed the air.

“Why do I smell blood?” he asked.

“Can we just cut the bullshit? I’m not your mate and you made it pretty clear you didn’t give a shit about me when you left, so why am I really here?” I shouted the question and this time he turned to me fully; his face devoid of emotion, but his eyes glinting.

“Are you calling me a liar?”

“You’re a lot a things, a liar wouldn’t surprise me; I want out of this dump.” I said gesturing to the obviously opulent and beautiful surroundings.

“You’ve chosen the wrong night to try my patience Tony. Sit down and shut up. I’ve no time to listen to your whining.”

“Kaio, a word.” He addressed his slave and turned his back to me and I felt an anger I hadn’t known I could muster consume me.

I reached out and grabbed his arm, spinning him to face me. “I’m not a kid, don’t you fucking dare treat me like one. I don’t give a damn why you came back, or why you saved my life but I couldn’t care less, I’m leaving; I’m going back to my own responsibilities and I swear if you try to-”

“Get your hands off him.” Kaio commanded, appearing by my side but before I could even acknowledge him, Rien spoke.

“I’m beginning to wonder if I’d made the right decision leaving you under the care of your state after all. All you do is whine and complain and use your foul language with no respect for those in your presence. What have they really taught you? You’ve learned nothing!” he snapped and it was as if the devil himself had taken over because I reached over as quick as a flash and swiped the dinner knife that lay beside the uneaten pizza.

I didn’t feel the coolness of the stainless steel pressed into my palm as I grabbed it up, I only felt the force of my own will as I swung it and plunged it into kaio’s chest. He collapsed instantly but not before I saw the shock written on his face.

When I turned back to Rien, his face mirrored the same.

“I learned exactly what they wanted me to learn. How to kill. Now get me the fuck out of here.”

                                        AUTHOR’S NOTES

LEMME KNOW WHAT YOU ALL THINK OF THAT… CAN’T WAIT TO REALLY GET INTO THE STORY; IT’S GONNA BE EXCITING!

sHOUToUT : TO  kgrissom; a dedicated reader who makes writing on wattpad worth it! Thanks you so much for your support sweetie it means so much <3

HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY!

KEEP SWEET!

DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 3:Denial, Guilt, Shame…love.

Chapter 3

Tony’s POV

His reaction to my words was instant and before I knew it, he had backhanded me across the cheek. My head snapped to the side and I tasted blood. Every part of me strained to respond in kind but as I straightened, I fought to reign in my temper. I couldn’t imagine someone surviving after getting into a fight with a vampire and unlike his little minion Kaio, I didn’t have a death wish.

Instead I stood there glaring at him and refusing to show even a slight sign that what he’d done affected me in anyway. I’d expected his anger, heck I even welcomed it, what I didn’t expect was the look of disappointment in his cold eyes as he looked down at me, more than that I didn’t expect to feel that strange twinge of guilt in my chest and I turned my gaze to Kaio’s still form.

I took in the blade that still protruded from his chest and the blood which had pooled beneath his body.

It wasn’t as if he was human; just a blood thirsty parasite with more loyalty than sense. There were bigger things at play here; like the fact that my men needed me in this crucial time of war.

Even one extra hand could make a difference between someone’s life and death yet here I was dragged from battle against my will and expected to play house with the likes of these pathetically immortal fools.

I pushed aside the guilt that tried to surface as I stared at kaio and turned back to Rien who was busy rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. He didn’t glance my way, neither did he speak and I felt uneasy standing there in the thick silence.

“I’m done with this place, you dragged me from my men, do you have any idea what consequences I could face when I go back?” I growled and he finally looked up, appraising me with a bored expression.

“If I had been foolish enough to leave you to your war, you would be dead right now.” He said, his tone cold.

“You were foolish enough to leave me in the army five years ago, why the sudden change of heart?” I snapped, disgusted with the entire situation.

“Keep in mind the fact that you got yourself into that mess.” He began, then I watched as he went over to the table and retrieved a knife from the holder. I took a step back, my heart pounding as I wondered what he would do with it.

He was a vampire, if I even managed to run I wouldn’t get very far.

“I’m not one to put up with insults, however I will turn a blind eye for now as I understand that you’re still upset that I left you” he was saying and I scoffed despite my unease.

“My reasons were honorable and despite the way you turned out…” he gestured to kaio’s body and the twinge from earlier returned. “the fact that you were able to slay a vampire; being the weak human that you are, shows some promise.”

I bristled at his words and took another step back when he stepped forward.

“He had it coming to him and if you’re gonna kill me, just get it over with, I’m not in the mood for your shit.”

His eyes glinted, as did the knife he held and I swallowed. Hard. In my line of work, one came face to face with death on a daily basis, but I’d never quite imagined dying at the hands of my ex-lover and certainly not in this way.

“You’re the murderer remember?”

 I watched as he turned to Kaio and stared down at his form for a while before lowering himself to his side. A surge of what I refused to identify as jealousy hit me when he rested a hand on the slave’s cheek gently and held it there for a brief second before he turned away from his face and focused his attention on his chest.

He was pulling the dull knife from the body slowly and with care and I frowned. After discarding the bloodied weapon, he ran his palm along the sharp edge of the knife he’d removed from the table and it came away dripping with the darkest shade of red I’d ever seen and my eyes widened when I finally realized what he was doing. All my anger fled only to be replaced by astonishment.

“I thought a vampire couldn’t be revived with another vampire’s blood.” I blurted out and he didn’t even spare me a glance.

“I am of the master class.” Was all he said as he closed his hand around his wound, raised his fist directly above Kaio’s chest and squeezed until the strange red liquid trickled from his hand and directly onto Kaio’s wound.

“This shouldn’t even be possible, brave men and women fight wars and get ill and die every day and you guys have the power to change that and you don’t do anything about it. You disgust me.” I snarled; the anger just as potent as before, but when he paused and turned to me; what I saw in his eyes, sent a shiver down my spine and my blood ran cold.

“Get out, before I do something I’ll regret.”

……………………………………………..

Kaio’s POV

Veins pulsing, blood boiling, heart rate uncontrollable, throat as dry as ash,..

There was something inside me, something burning me from within. I tried to open my mouth to let out that scream of agony that was buried deep, but I couldn’t find my lips, neither could I find my voice and so I existed in silence, aching and burning and afraid that whatever evil was cursing through me would consume my being.

I only saw darkness in my pain but I could hear the beating of my own heart as it raced in my chest. It was all I could hear and my fear escalated. What was this? What was happening? This empty space I floated in was too alien, too…empty, but the burning from within centered my thoughts once more until it was all that my mind could process. I felt it in my fingertips and my toes but the pain was worse in my chest; every time I took a breath I felt it drive deeper.

A breath

I breathed ! which meant I could smell and so fought to take in the air through a nose I couldn’t even feel and out of all the smells that assaulted me I latched onto one that was familiar; my esteemed master; my keeper, my savior whose scent it seemed would now be my saving grace for I turned my focus to his scent and thought of nothing else until the feeling of my entire being burning away, dissipated and I was finally awakened into a world I knew.

I opened my eyes as soon as I felt in control of my body, then squinted against the glare of the artificial lights hanging overhead.

“Ugh.” I groaned feeling the distant ache in my chest and tried to sit up despite the pain in my head, that’s when it all came rushing back to me; the unexciting day I’d spent with my keeper’s human that ended with him impaling me with a dinner knife. The shock I’d experienced then, returned full force and my mind reeled as I tried to understand how it was that I had been bested my a mere human.

“Kaio, I’ve waited long enough for you to awaken and now that you have, I’d prefer it if you didn’t waste your time stretched out of the floor. We have important matters to discuss.” A smooth velvety voice enunciated and I immediately scrambled up from the floor.

“My Lord…” For once I was at a complete loss for words as my mind began to process the only reason I could possibly be alive right now and I felt the shame burn through me at the thought of my master having to give me his blood.

To have that noble flesh torn to perform an act so completely beneath him; simply to bring an inconsequential being such as myself back to the land of the living.

I lowered my head, until my chin was brushing against my chest, fearful of what he might now do in the wake of my failure and shamed beyond anything I had ever known.

“I find myself uncertain whether to be angry with Tony for killing you or angry with you for allowing him to.” He spoke and I looked up at him, my eyes not quite meeting his.

“I apologize My Lord, I have failed you.”

“No need for the melodramatics Kaio, it seems we both underestimated him, though it would be a lie if I said I wasn’t disappointed in your defeat.” He continued, finally turning away from me to stand in the open doorway of the balcony, his hands crossed behind his back, his posture fitting that of a king.

“There seems to be whisper of an uprising in the coven, as a result I’ll need to make my presence known there as soon as I can. It simply means that I won’t have much time to get back into Tony’s good graces and we’ll have to take our chances with him unprepared.”

I nodded, then looked around the room, tilting my head this way and that.

“I do not hear his heartbeat.” I commented and I watched the infinitesimal tightening of my Keeper’s mouth before he spoke.

“He upset me and I told him to go, but no worries, I can hear him in the forestry; he’s still hasn’t realized just how far away from any human civilization we are.” He finished.

“Should I go fetch him sire?”

“No. I’ll deal with him when I see fit.”

I nodded and thought of how lucky the human was to have my master care so deeply for him. To get on my keeper’s nerves was no easy fete, but to anger him and still live to tell the tale was a miracle in itself and the boy took it all for granted; walked over my Keeper’s love as if it were nothing and spat in the face of his goodwill.

When my keeper turned to me once more fought hard not to chew my bottom lip as the shame spread through me once again. I would make the boy see that being offered my Keeper’s love was the best thing that could ever happen to him, because despite the fact that he had killed me, thereby lowering me in the eyes of my master; I still held no grudge against him. If my master saw that there was something in him to love then he couldn’t be a bad soul.

No, not bad. Just a creature in need of proper guidance.

“Go tend to your patient, he’s not received care since your death.” My Keeper announced and I felt a warmth blossom within me at the thought of seeing him .

“Very well my Lord.” I bowed respectfully and when I would have turned to go on my way, I paused. “Thank you sir.” I told him with sincerity and when he nodded in answer I left to room, moving quickly down the darkened passage, towards the only locked door in the place.

When I turned the key in the lock and pushed open the door I smiled at the sight of my patient resting fitfully on the large bed.

It still warmed me that my master had allowed me to heal him. He been severely wounded; even more so than Tony but when I’d laid eyes upon his still form as he lay broken on the battlefield I’d been unable to turn away and my Keeper had given me permission to take him in.

I fingered his discarded uniform; it was identical to Tony’s and I wondered briefly if they knew each other. I couldn’t wait for the day that my marine opened his eyes and I would be able to hear him speak.

Only a few days and he’d be completely healed then I’d be blessed with a warrior; just as my master was.

I reached up to swipe a hand across his forehead, then pulled back quickly when he groaned and shifted slightly.

Then I smiled.

I’d gotten myself a mate, I only hoped he would be happy by my side.

…………………………………………………

Tony’s POV

The more I ran, the more senseless the entire plan seemed. I jumped over partially concealed roots, ducks under low hanging branches and darted around trees until I was too tired to keep up the pace.

Around me I could only hear the sounds of the wilderness, no matter how hard I strained, I couldn’t detect even the slightest whir of a lonely car engine or even the whisper of a human voice. As the minutes ticked by my resolve weakened and after almost three hours of running I slowed then came to a stop.

It didn’t take me much longer to realize that this was the reason Rien had allowed me to leave; because he knew I wouldn’t be able to escape the forest. It was too vast and despite my training; the darkness made it next to impossible to navigate my way through the thick trees. Even using the stars as an aid was pointless with the way the trees hid them.

I slid to the ground, my back against the trunck of a tree and my  heart pounding in my chest. Even if I had made it out of this place what would I do? According to Rien we were thousands of miles from the field. Who knew if we were even in the same country. Yet if my some miracle I made it back  what would I say when I showed up there with a clean bill of health while my men’s bodies were boxed up and shipped home?

They would assume I’d gone AWOL for a while, hid like a coward from war, found refuge with the enemy…it didn’t matter, leaving active duty to go on a frolic of my own was tinged with unimaginable consequences. I could argue that I’d been a prisoner of war and I’d managed to escape but really who would believe the vampire story? There were so many lies I could tell but so many questions that would be asked that not even a well-placed lie couldn’t make right.

Did I really think I would have gotten away and everything would have magically gone back to the way it was?

“Ridiculous.” I grumbled under my breath and my head snapped up when I head a twig being crushed underfoot.

“Ridiculous that you’re sitting here filthy and freezing when you could be warm and comfortable in my home? Yes quite.” Rien said when I spotted him walking calmly toward me and I didn’t even have to energy to sass.

He’d taken me from war. He was the reason I probably wouldn’t be able to go back, yet he was the reason I was alive and I just didn’t know how to deal with it all. I’d been angry with him for years since he’d left me. My love and devotion had soured into hatred and scorn but eventually it had evened out into cold indifference so this constant anger I housed toward him now was frustrating but I couldn’t help it.

I guess I hadn’t really gotten over what he’d done and that ridiculous twinge in the annoying region of my heart whenever I saw him,  told me I hadn’t completely gotten over those feelings either.

Now that I sat on the cold hard forest floor with no hope of going back to the life I’d become accustomed to, I was able to push away the denial and accept it for what it was. Rien still had a hold over me. Even after all this years and it made me angry to think he still affected me in some way.

“I suppose I should have explained that it would take a human days to traverse this woodland in order to make it back to civilization.” He commented and I ignored him. Too caught up in my own miserable thoughts to care.

Then after a brief bout of silence passed, he shifted and I watched in unease as he lowered himself onto the ground across from me. His back also pressed against a tree.

“I killed your slave, why haven’t you killed me yet?” I asked in a low voice, my eyes on his.

“I really do care for you Tony. It doesn’t matter what you do, how angry you make me…and today believe it when I say I was angry enough to kill…but it won’t change what you are to me or how I feel about you. You are my mate.”

“You used to tell me that a lot back then…but you sold me out to the army anyway, and now you think you can just come back and I’ll follow you like a fool?”

“I did what was best for you. You would not have survived in my coven the way you were. It would have been cruel to allow you to hope.” He explained and it didn’t ease my mood any to hear the words.

Everything was a jumbled mess in my head; ever since he showed up again but there was one thing I knew for sure and it was that I didn’t want anything to do with his coven. He’d caused me the kind of heartache that no one should ever have to experience when he’d left and I wasn’t about to fall into that trap again.

I was a man now. A warrior as Kaio had said; I should be tough, responsible, brave; not someone who could be easily swayed by stupid emotions and beautiful faces.

“So you’re trying to get me back… I get it, you want it to be like it was before and we run off into the sunset together like a couple a girls, but it doesn’t matter if I even feel anything for you because I closed that chapter of my life a long time ago.”

“You’re still angry th-”

“No. I get what you’re saying. I was a kid, I needed to grow up so you left me there hoping I would and I did, so I guess I should thank you for that, but it doesn’t mean I want the same thing you do. I just want to move on…without you.” My voice was soft and my eyes never wavered from his as I spoke.

I saw the momentary flash of hurt in his eyes at my words but then he masked them and I looked away.

“We were fated to become mates, what you’re feeling now is only temporary I’ll show you, then when we get to my coven-”

“I’m not going to your coven Rien. You think dragging me there against my will is gonna make me change my mind? Then you don’t know me every well.”

“I know you better than you know yourself. When a master class vampire discovers his mate, they are bound for eternity. You’ll come around and I’ll give you the life you’ve always wanted.”

I looked at him then, my eyes narrowed. “If you really cared like you claim you do, then you’d let me live my life the way I choose.”

“I adore you Tony, but you’ve never been the best judge of what’s best for yourself. Years from now, you’ll thank me.” he said and I watched as he pushed up from the ground then offered me a hand. I looked at him; too tired to argue and too emotionally drained to think on my next plan of action. I placed my hand in his and  allowed him to pull me to my feet.

“Years from now, your face will be a distant memory.” I said with certainty, then pulled my hand from his and pushed pass him. He followed behind me slowly as I proceeded back to my prison. He uttered not one word in response.

                                            AUTHOR’S NOTES

TIRED, GOING TO STUDY, HOPE YALL ENJOY AND KEEP SWEET.

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 4: Kaio’s Patient

Chapter 4

Fifty-six

Fifty-seven

Fifty-eight

He had yet to utter a solitary word to me since I’d gotten back, instead he stood watch over me as he had been instructed by his master to do. He didn’t look particularly hostile or even at all put out by the fact that only hours before I had plunged a dinner knife into his heart.

Fifty-nine

Sixty

Sixty-one

My breathing was under control and my pace was steady as I counted along with each push-up while shooting kaio glances ever so often. Not once did he look my way and completely against my will I felt the ever present rush of guilt. I looked to the floor again, continuing with the exercise while trying to quash the unwelcome feeling.

Sixty-two

Sixty-three

Sixty-four

“You know, there are other things to do here rather besides tiring yourself.”

I froze mid push-up and looked up at him in surprise, fighting the urge to look around the room to see if he was talking to someone else.

“Why do you look so surprised? Did you think my Keeper would leave you without the necessary means of entertainment?” Kaio questioned, his head cocked to the side as he continued to watch me and I pushed myself up from my face-down position and moved to sit; legs outstretched on the floor.

“No, I’m just…surprised you’re speaking to me…” I trailed off, watching him suspiciously.

“Ah, you mean because you murdered me earlier.” He surmised and if the situation hadn’t been so completely serious I’d have laughed at how ridiculous his statement sounded. Instead I nodded slowly, then watched as he moved to take a seat in the chair facing me.

He crossed his legs, his posture perfect and his clothes unruffled. Then he turned his full attention on me, his expression unreadable.

“Holding grudges are for humans who have more emotions than they know what to do with. You bested me, which was shameful really considering your weak human frame, but it happened nonetheless and it cannot be undone. I am not angry, I have accepted it.” He said the words clearly, his voice controlled and dripping with sincerity and I shook my head. I would never understand these creatures.

I would have preferred him mad, or vengeful, hate I could deal with but this…kindness, this indifference only served to foster my guilt and I groaned, sliding across the floor so that my back was supported by the coffee table.

“Look I’m sorry I did what I did, I was pissed, you didn’t really deserve it and if you don’t give me good reason to, it won’t happen again.” I said grudgingly; expecting him to reject my half-baked apology, but I suppose it was no surprise that he smiled graciously and nodded at my words.

“Very well.”

His voice was calm and there was a warmth in his eyes I suddenly wished wasn’t. I shifted uncomfortably. It wouldn’t do to start liking the guy; I didn’t need friendship from my captors. What I needed was time to think of a way out of this situation. A way I could go back to headquarters and not be faced with the penalties that were surely awaiting me.

“My Keeper told me you are now allowed to journey outside, why is that?”

I scoffed, “Maybe it’s cause I’m not a flight risk anymore.”

His brows furrowed, and he seemed genuinely intrigued. “Why is that? Just yesterday, you would have killed to escape…in fact you did kill and tried to escape after the fact.”

He might have forgiven me but something told me he’d take every opportunity to remind me of my misdeed .

“I realized there’s no point. If I go back I’ll be arrested.” I offered.

“So you have decided to take the coward’s way out then. I see.”

I clenched my teeth and said nothing. If he was trying to get a rise out of me I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction.

“Where’s Rien?” I asked, quickly changing the subject.

He pointed to the main entrance and not a second later the door was being pushed open and Rien entered, decked out in his usual regal attire and stately disposition. I ignored the sudden spike in my pulse rate and schooled my expression to one of indifference as another person entered the room behind him.

This guy was dressed similarly, but didn’t quite carry off that quality that came natural to Rien. He was just as tall, his pale skin almost translucent skin, long blond hair and beady blue eyes. Kaio jumped up quickly to go see to their robes and I watched as the new guy surveyed the room, taking in everything at a glance, his mouth turned down in a frown and if it was even possible the frown deepened when his eyes skated over my sweaty frame. I kept my eyes locked with his, daring him to say something. He didn’t.

 Instead he turned away from me completely, and I knew that was a dismissal if I’d ever experienced one.

“I don’t understand your fascination with human amenities.” The man said softly; his voice was smooth like the touch of silk and his speech spoke of one highly educated.

“It is what my mate is familiar with. I want him to feel comfortable.” Rien replied and for the first time since he entered, he looked at me, a small smile touching his features. I didn’t return it.

The two came to sit in the couch across from me, while Kaio stood close by…waiting to be given an order I guessed.

Bloody slave.

“What name have you given him?” Blondie asked, his gaze travelling over me once again. I suddenly felt like a fly under a microscope and I fought the urge to shift under his gaze.

“The name’s Tony I’m not some kinda pet waiting for my master to give me a name.” I said then, not sure what else to add, but  for some reason needing to show him that I wasn’t just a useless slab of meat.

Blondie’s eyes widened and he looked at Rien who regarded me with some amusement. “You allow him to speak freely?”

“I do.” Rien answered simply and this only seemed to shock Blondie even more. I would have rolled my eyes if it was in my nature to do it.

“You have been absent from the coven too long brother…you have forgotten our customs. A mate should know his place.”

 This time I did roll my eyes and I caught Kaio trying to suppress a grin.

“I have not been away so long that I have forgotten our ways, however, he is my mate and I will do with him as I see fit.

I snorted and blondie’s head snapped my way, “By all means, continue to talk about me as if I’m not even here.” I mocked and pushed up from my place on the floor. I’d made it almost half way across the room before he spoke again.

“He needs training.”

“Fuck you too Blondie.” I said under my breath. If they heard I had no way of knowing as I exited the room without a backward glance.

 When I was outside, with only a line of trees for company I let out a breath and rubbed a hand over my face.

When had life gotten so complicated?

Five years ago I’d begged him not to leave me in the army and now here I was wishing I could go back. In his absence it had very quickly become my home; living among the guys, taking risks, hoping that when the next tour came around it wouldn’t be one of your buddies coming back in a body bag, yet despite the risks and the constant fear; it had become my safe haven; the place that had taught me to be better than I was, to think for not only myself but the others on my team.

I kicked at the pebble resting in the dirt before me and sighed. It was funny how at first I’d prayed for him to get me out, day after day I’d hoped he’d come back for me, when now I just wanted to go back to the life I knew.  Being here with him was too complicated, it was too much; bringing back all the memories and unwelcome feelings better left buried.

Escaping was pointless at this point; if the officials found me, I’d be living in a cell for the rest of my life and it wasn’t cowardice that held me back, it was self-preservation. I couldn’t fight for my country for five years only to be stuck in a cell for my efforts.

Fuck no.

I kicked another pebble and did what the army had drilled into our heads day after day; learn to adapt to your situation, that was your only chance of survival when everything else failed.

So I would adapt to the new state of things. I would do it Rien’s way because right now he was my only chance at survival, quite possibly the only person who could keep me out of prison. But while I was here, I would rip away his delusions; make him see that the Tony he came back for wasn’t the one he got; make him understand that the past was called the past for a reason. Then when he’d finally learned, I’d make him help me out of my predicament; it was the least he could do; he owed me that much.

…………………………….

Rien’s POV

 “He is…sad.” Kaio said softly.

 We both stood by the large floor to ceiling windows, looking out into the yard at Tony who, after two hours still stood out there kicking at pebbles and pacing.

“He misses his men. It is understandable; humans tend to form strong bonds with each other when placed in dangerous situations and he has had half a decade to form his. In time he will heal.”

“He is strong, your mate, but he is also stubborn, I hope he will one day understand that what you did for him was a necessary evil.” Kaio continued and I glanced his way, grateful for the support of my drudge.

“He will.”

We stood in silence for a while then, both of us watching my mate as he wondered around the yard aimlessly.  My coven brother Mathis had come and gone long ago yet Tony still kept his distance. The ache in my chest at his rejection ever since he got here still burned bright and I despised the feeling. He made me weak, that boy.

“I can see that he loves you but what will it take for him to give in to it? Do you think my mate will be the same way?” Kaio asked then, turning to me. He looked worried now; reminding me of how truly innocent he was and I offered him a comforting smile.

“You can never really tell with these humans, but trust me when I say, there can be no soul as difficult as Tony is, out there.”

Kaio frowned briefly then turned back to the window. “Of course you’re right. My mate will be good. I’ll make him love me as Tony loves you and we will be happy.” It was as if he was trying to convince himself of his own words and I hoped for his sake that the soldier laying broken yet healing in the other room was nothing like my mate.

“Gather your things kaio, we will be departing tonight.”

“For the coven my Lord?”

“No my mate has had enough of this place; we will take a trip.”

Kaio nodded then and exited the room. I continued to watch Tony who looked more miserable now than when I’d first brought him here.

I had been going about this the wrong way, thinking that if I waited, gave him some time that he’d eventually come around, but one could not expect reward without putting in some hard work. It was time for action, time to show my boy exactly what he was so willing to give up.

I turned away from the view when I heard the hushed voices emanating from the patient’s room. He was finally awake. Maybe it would be easier for Tony if he had a fellow marine with him. I was across the room as soon as I thought it and pulling open the door to see Kaio sitting beside the patient’s bed. He sat stiffly with his hands curled tightly in his lap as if trying desperately to prevent himself from reaching out to touch his mate.

I stepped all the way in, taking in the wounded soldier. He looked confused and dazed as Kaio spoke to him softly; offering him the usual comforting words every patient wanted to hear.

You’re safe

Everything will be alright

“Where am I, where are my- what happened?” the human asked, as he finally looked over at me. His accent was strange, one I was surprisingly not familiar and thick to the point where it almost sounded as if he was speaking another language.

I had thought being a soldier waking up in a strange place would have put him on edge but he only managed mild confusion as he looked back and forth between us and I assumed it was the remnants of kaio’s blood in his system that was keeping him so calm.

“You are in my home. Kaio rescued you from the battlefield and has been nursing you back to health. You owe him your life.” I said simply.

The man looked at Kaio then back at me. “But- why would you help me…you are…. American.” And that’s when it hit me; the accent, the strange shade of his uniform, his confusion. This wasn’t a marine from Tony’s infantry, this was-”

“What the fuck is this?” I spun around to see Tony in the doorway, looking shocked and betrayed. He took a step back, his eyes wide as he took in the scene. I watched as he grasped  for his waist as if reaching for a weapon, but when he came up empty handed, his eyes flickered between the three of us and he took another step back.

My gaze was drawn to the man on the bed. No this was no ordinary soldier and Tony wouldn’t be making friends with him anytime soon.

I sighed

We’d managed to rescue the enemy.

                                            AUTHOR’S NOTES

SHORT I KNOW..BUT DON’T WORRY GUYS AFTER EXAMS I’LL PICK UP THE PACE AND THE PLOT WILL FINALLY BE ON ITS WAY.

NB: The Marines and the Army are two separate branches of the military so read on to see just why Tony is called a marine even though he is in the Army.

If you’re interested in making a book cover for A Vampire’s Marine let me know ^_^

THANKS FOR READING!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 5: Before the present

Chapter 5

~ 5 and a half years earlier~

“You don’t have to hold my hand Rien, jeez…I swear I won’t do anything stupid.” Tony tried and failed to reassure me. My hand tightened…as much as I dared without crushing his fragile bones.

“I’ve learned it’s best not to take your word for anything.” I said in a dry tone and he rolled his eyes.

“The guy had it coming, if I didn’t steal his shit someone else would have, he’s a jerk, he deserved it.” He boasted and I shook my head while continuing to listen closely.

“Do you think I could stay by you tonight?” he asked when we finally turned onto his street, looking up at me with big ‘innocent ‘, pleading eyes.

“No. I’ll have guests.”

“I swear I won’t ruin it for you, I’ll just sit in a corner and watch, you won’t even know I’m there.”

Doubtful.

“That’s not the problem…these guests… You won’t be safe.”

“You’ll be there, I’ll be fine.” He said it with such confidence I had to smile.

 “You won’t be, but you’re welcome tomorrow night.” I assured him and when we finally stopped before his gate, I released his hand.

I heard the shattering of glass against wall and we both looked towards his home. The ones he called his foster parents were up to their usual antics again. I shook my head. Humans with their fickle emotions and their quick anger.

When I looked back at him his eyes were once again pleading. ”Just lemme come with you…just tonight RiRi please.” He practically begged, grabbing hold of my hand and squeezing and as always it was not easy telling him no.

“Go straight to your room and lock your doors. You will be fine.” I said prying his fingers from my wrist.

“I didn’t ask if I’d be fine, I asked to go with you.” he said and I could sense his annoyance and if I prolonged this further I would see his anger. He had a temper this one.

“And I said no. Now go and remember don-“

“Don’t do anything stupid, yeah whatever.” He finished, then turned away from me.

I watched as he half ran up the pathway leading to the house’s entrance then pulled the door open roughly before slamming it behind him. I stayed long enough to listen to his feet thudding up the wooden stairs and until he closed his room doors and turned the lock. When I heard the squeak of his mattress I disappeared into the night.

When I arrived at my temporary residence it didn’t take long for me to realize I had company; the screams of an unlucky human was my first clue. The door opened before I could reach for it and I was ushered in by an unfamiliar drudge.

“Brother you’re tardy. Why am I not surprised. Your human has all but sucked out all the good comportment you once professed to have.” My brother Jorlon spoke from the love seat where he was sprawled haphazardly, his shirt opened to expose his smooth stark white chest. Beside him a sobbing human boy lay, warm blood oozing from a shallow puncture in his neck.

On a seat to his left sat Kandane; my eldest brother; calm and composed; legs crossed and arms splayed on either arm of his chair. “It does not do you well to be late for a meeting as important as this brother.

I was helped out of my robe by the drudge before I lowered myself into a seat beside another brother; Marcan who was busy having his fill of a half conscious human girl.

“It could not be helped.” I said simply, then crossed my legs and took in the scene; the white carpet was now stained with blood; they would have to go.

“I’ve seen you with him; your human…you follow behind him like a cur, taking whatever scraps he offers you. It is demeaning.” Jorlon sneered.

“It is pathetic.” This said by Marcan who shoved the now dead body of the girl from the chair.

“It is a disgrace.” Peitre the middle brother spoke finally.

“Absolutely ridiculous.” Jorlon again.

I sat in silence taking in their words. This reaction had of course been expected.

“What do you have to say for yourself? Do you not think this has gone on long enough?” Kandane spoke then, his eyes piercing mine with their intensity.

“My private business has nothing to do with the lot of you.” I said simply.

“What you do has everything to do with us. You are our youngest brother; Father would have our heads if he found out you were out in the mortal world running around with humans.” Jorlon spat.

“Then let him have your heads, I care nothing of it and you are all wasting your time by bringing it up.”

“You ungrateful swine, how dare you speak to your elders in such a manner! You are nothing but a-“

“Enough Jorlon!” Kandane silenced him and he closed his mouth and sat glaring at me.

“Your runnings with the human is pointless Riener, he is weak; never to be accepted amongst our kind; even if you do take it upon yourself to turn him.” Kandane spoke to me as if I were a mere child and I turned my gaze upon him; letting the boredom I was experiencing at the entire conversation show in my expression.

His mouth tightened.

“He is far from weak and when I do decide to present him to the coven he will be accepted.”

They had the audacity to laugh and I shook my head. This meeting was pointless, I stood and their eyes followed me.

“Sit down, you have not been dismissed.” Kandane commanded, his eyes glittering with barely concealed anger.

“I am your brother, not your drudge, do not think you can demand anything of me.” I scoffed  and in a blink, Kandane was upon me, arm poised and ready to strike.

I watched as Peitre grabbed hold of his arm to prevent his abuse. “Remember our father.” Peitre admonished with wide eyes and Kandane finally lowered his arm grudgingly.

“You should be so lucky you are our Father’s favorite.” He spat and I turned my back to him,  fully prepared to retire to my study, leaving them to clean up their mess.

“I’ll warn you but once dear brother; do not present your human to our coven for if you do I will challenge him.”

“As will I.” Jorlon

“And I.” Peitre

“So shall I.” Marcan

“And as is custom  he shall be executed before the coven in the event of his failure.” Kandane finished and I looked around me at the ones I called my brothers and all I felt was manifest disappointment.

“Then I shall warn you…lay one hand on my mate in challenge and I shall disgrace you all before our very coven. No one shall determine my fate but me. Now leave my home at once, at the moment I am repulsed at the very thought of you as my blood.”

I let every bit of disgust I was feeling drip from my tone and one by one I watched them leave my presence, each leaving with me a scathing remark or a dirty look. I took it all in stride and when they had all departed I lowered myself into the love seat beside the still sobbing human.

“Get out and speak nothing of this night.” I told him and in a moment he too was out of my sight. I felt the anger inside me bubble and rise, then I took a breath and it dissipated leaving me wiped of emotion.

The night hadn’t turned out quite as I had expected and for once I was at a loss; completely uncertain of what to do next. I looked around the room at the discarded wine bottles, the bloodstains on the furniture and on the carpet, then at the lifeless body of the human girl still laid out on the floor. I then looked at the closed door my brothers had exited through earlier and pushed up from my seat. I was never one for family bonding anyway.

………………………………..

Five hours

He waited exactly five hours before he decided to give me cause for concern and I found myself actually impressed that he’d managed to go this long without mischief. I leapt from the balcony, darting through the trees and in a minute I was surrounded by the city lights.

I closed my eyes and searched for the sound of his heart beat in the chaos of the town…it was pumping wildly in his chest which was what first alerted me to his emotions. He was afraid.

I navigated the maze of buildings and like a shadow on the wall I went mostly unseen in my search for my boy. Then I found him; on his knees, pants drenched with the filthy sludge of the streets. This particular alley was deserted save for the body of the human lying bloody and lifeless before Tony. I approached the scene without haste, taking in every detail.

“Tony.” I said softly and surprisingly he heard me above the noise of his own broken sobs. I watched as he turned to look at me, hands pressed to a wound in the human’s chest.

“Rien!” sobbing.

“Help him” more sobbing.

 “He’s…”

 “They shot him” sobbing

 “He’s not breathing, help him.”

I lowered myself to the ground, crouching next to my mate and pulled his hands away from the unidentified human.

“He has no heartbeat, I cannot help him.” I said but he shook his head viciously, more sobs racking his small frame as he reached for the human once more.

“Use your blood, use your blood.”

“My blood will heal humans only if they are alive Tony…he is gone now.” Then because he had yet to acknowledge my words I continued, “Who is he? Did you know him very well?”

He managed to shake his head, “No I don’t know, he…they shot him.”

My brows furrowed.

“You do not know him?”

He shook his head again “What if he has a family.” Sobbing, “What if he has a family” was all he said, the tears seeming almost never-ending as they cascaded down his face.

It was this moment that had opened my eyes to the realization that Tony would not survive in my coven. We did not care for petty human life, we did not yearn for those we had lost unless they were our blood, we thrived on war and bloodletting was our entertainment.

Tony would not be able to adapt; not this sweet, caring human before me; a young man who stole from those who wronged him, yet cried for the spilled blood of a complete stranger.

……………………………………

Present

As I watched Tony now, turning the knife around slowly in his hand it was easy to see that the young man from years ago who had sobbed for a stranger was not the man who stood before me now.

He stared at the door that housed Kaio’s mate with a hunger for blood I had not known him to possess and an anger he’d still not learned to control.

“He will not be harmed Tony, discard your weapon and do not force me to retaliate.” I said calmly and he shifted his gaze to me.

“He’s our enemy, they killed my men, almost killed me! He can’t be trusted.”

“And clearly neither can you.  Keep your weapon then, it matters not, but you leave a scratch on Kaio’s mate and you’ll find I won’t be very forgiving.

He glared at me in disgust then turned his gaze back to the closed door.

“Do not test me Tony.” I said simply then turned from him to reenter the room.

Both kaio and his mate looked up at me then and I  took a few steps closer to the pair.

“You will tell me of yourself…leave nothing out or I’m afraid you’ll no longer be welcome here.” I spoke to the patient who regarded me seriously before glancing briefly at kaio who nodded.

Then he spoke, “I am Malik Laironov.”

                                              AUTHOR’S NOTES

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited

Chapter 6: The flesh is weak.

Chapter 6

Rien’s POV

“Is that name supposed to mean something to us?” Tony had entered the room and stood with his back to the door, eyes planted on the patient as he waited for an answer to his question.

The man looked over at him, lips twitching and eyes crinkling in amusement and suddenly I found him a bit more interesting.

We all continued to watch as he looked away from Tony without a word, turning his gaze instead to the window to his right, then he shrugged; smile still glued in place.

“I guess not.”

He was a strange little man, if I could call someone bigger than Tony little . Here he lay, not fully healed, in a bed surrounded by three men he perceived to be his enemy; who he must know could end his life at any minute, yet he could smile such a genuine smile as if completely unaffected.

He was either very brave, very foolish or he knew something we didn’t; instinct told me it was the latter.

“Go on.” I prodded and the man shrugged; a gesture I’d always disliked.

“It is like he guessed…I’m nobody special. Grew up in a small town; my father a butcher, my mother a …how do you say…dressmaker? My family was poor, I needed money, I joined the army.” He spoke smoothly, no hitch in his voice, steady heart rate, no change in his expression, yet I knew for a fact that he had just lied. Lied with a smile on his face.

Kaio shot me a look filled with trepidation, eyes pleading. I had warned the human yet he had the gall to insult me by lying. It only served to remind me why I disliked the human race so.

“Bullshit.” This came from Tony who had now advanced two steps closer to the bed; expression menacing.

“Kaio, take this time to remind your mate that the next time he defies me, he will not live to smile about it.” I said as I grabbed hold of Tony’s arm and pulled him through the door with me.

“Mate?” I heard the patient question in confusion. I tuned out to rest of the exchange as I continued to drag Tony down the hall; this action was of course not without his usual protestations and profanity.

When we got to his room, I lifted the hem of his shirt and pulled the kitchen knife from the waistband of his jeans, then I flung him into the chair by the door and when he made to get up I threw him a look that would have made even the fiercest warriors of my coven rethink his options.

He straightened himself in the seat and after a moment spent glaring at me, he looked away; jaw clenched and knuckles white where he gripped the arms of the chair.

“Do you remember that night you found a stranger in an alleyway, dead from a gunshot wound more than five years ago?” I asked after allowing a minute of silence to descend.

“In case you haven’t realized it, I’m only human, don’t expect me to remember every little thing that happens in my life.” He spat.

I grabbed another chair and dropped it directly in front of him, after which I sat. “It is unfortunate that you should consider that particular event “little.”

As expected he couldn’t avert his eyes for very long with me sitting directly before him and eventually, he glanced my way, eyes not quite meeting mine.

“Is there a point to this whole conversation?” he asked then, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. I could detect the faint flush of his cheeks and could feel the increased heat rising from his flesh.

Also another thing I had expected. He was affected my presence, the same way he had been years ago. At least that much had not changed.

“Do you remember what you said to me later that night?”

He looked away again feigning boredom, propping his elbow onto the chair arm and depositing his chin into his palm. He looked like a child sitting there trying to be ignore me and I found myself smiling at his actions.

“You told me that if you were a vampire, you would make sure that no one died, that you would heal everyone who needed your help. You told me you would only feed on the wicked, that you would be a good vampire.” I attempted to refresh his memory. Though it was clear he had accomplished that all on his own.

He did not move, nor did he show any sign of having heard my words so I went on.

“Do you see what is happening here?” I began, “You wished to become one of my own kind so that you could help humans, so that you could save them, yet you are still human and you are determined to end the life of another of your own kind whom you know absolutely nothing of. It is interesting how one changes do you not think so?”

I crossed my legs and settled into my seat, awaiting his response. It wasn’t immediate but it didn’t take very long for him to crack and when he did, for a brief moment I caught a glimpse of the person he had one been; I saw his shame, his guilt, but in no time at all, this was masked and he was looking at me as if he just wanted me to vanish.

“What I’ve come to understand from war is that both sides usually believe they are fighting for what is right, each warrior  has it in their minds, that they are in essence; good, while their enemy is the evil being that deserves to be struck down. “ I continued and his furrowed brows told me he was considering on my words.

“Think on that next time you decide you’d like to murder Kaio’s mate.”

His eyes flashed to mine. “Don’t sit there actin all high and mighty, like you’re some kinda saint, you’ve killed people, I’ve watched you kill hundreds of people without a second thought and you never care, you don’t give a shit what happens to them.” He accused.

I smiled. “Ah yes, but I have never professed to be anything but a blood drinker, it is simply my nature and not something I want to change. Have you professed to be more than a human being Tony? Is killing in your nature? Is that who you are? A killer?” I questioned. My tone neither judgmental nor curious. It was simply words he should think on, words he needed to hear.

I watched as they sunk in and seemed to hit him hard. He swallowed and if it were possible, his mouth turned even further down in a frown, his eyes mirroring the guilt of his very soul. There he was; my boy.

“Why do you care anyway? Didn’t you say you needed a warrior to bring home to you crew? Why do you suddenly give a damn if I’m a killer or not?”

“Coven.” I corrected. “…and a warrior without a heart is nothing more than his fists and his strength. I’ve lived many lifetimes surrounded by them and if that is what you become then you will be just as useless to me.” I explained and finally, I uncrossed my legs and pushed up from the seat.

I felt his hand wrap around my wrist just before I could turn to go. I felt the current rise throughout my body and the heat simmering just beneath the skin of my flesh. I turned to him and the instant our eyes met I saw his need, felt it in his very presence. That need of the mind, the need of the flesh. We stood that way, eyes locked for a while. He seems powerless to it and I stepped closer, the pull of our bodies difficult to deny.

When we were close enough so that only the wind could pass between us, I reached up to cup his cheek. It had been so long since I had had the chance to touch him like this. I could hear the pounding of his heart and the rushing of his hot blood through his veins. I smelled his need and the eventual press of his body to mine, allowed me to feel it.

“I knew you would come around.” I whispered when our lips were only mere inches apart. The change in him was instantaneous. The expression on his face was as if he’d been slapped. He pushed against my chest, eyes wide, passion replaced with anger and when his strength had failed to move me even an inch, he cursed and put some distance between us.

“You-” he began but I cut him off with my next words.

“We leave within the hour. I grow tired of this environment as I am sure you do too. Kaio will have your items packed and ready for our journey.” I told him and closed the door behind me as I left him room. When I had gotten to as far as down the hall I heard something shatter, then a thud.

Yes a change in environment would do us all some good.

…………………………………..

Tony’s POV

It wasn’t until we were all loaded up into some fancy chopper and flying high over the trees, that I realized how futile my previous attempt at escape had been. We had already been in the air for half an hour and staring ahead I could only see more trees for miles. On foot I wouldn’t have been able to make it out of the forestry, at least not without the proper equipment. That night I hadn’t even brought with me a bottle of water.

If anything, the thought made the entire day even shittier than it had been upon my discovery of prisoner; and that was exactly what I saw him as. It was the only thing keeping me from losing my cool and reaching over to slam his head into the metal frame. He was hiding something, the bastard and that only served to agitate me even more about, so thinking of him as a ‘travel buddy’ or even the vamp’s mate was out of the question.

I kept my eyes on the trees that dotted the land because every time my eyes skated across anyone else trapped in the chopper with me, it pissed me off. I found myself wondering quite a few times where it was that we were headed and what I would do once we got there.

I hadn’t thought up a game plan since I’d failed at my most recent escape attempt and I was completely at a loss. If our next stop was somewhere in civilization would I escape again? I thought once more about reporting in, but how did one explain my disappearance from the front? Vampires? That would surely get me thrown into prison or worse a madhouse and there was no way I’d be spending the rest of my life in either. Neither would I be spending it with these freaks.

 My other option would be to just escape, live my life hidden where neither the vamps nor the army could get to me and even that was plagued with issues. Number one being the fact that I hadn’t lived among civilians in years. With no real family ties, no friends and no real home I had opted out of every chance of leave I’d been offered. The thought then crossed my mind that it would have been in my best interest to have made a few more friends while in service.

I could go on and on but the bottom line was; I needed to have a plan of action before I made my move and currently I had none; so I was stuck here.

When we’d finally departed the chopper, I stood facing the private jet we were expected to continue our journey in and tried not to be impressed by it all. After all they’d probably been robbing banks for centuries without the fear of being caught, to amass this kind of wealth.

…………………………………………

Rien’s POV

“Tired?”

He was seated across from me, eyes red and lids drooping. He shot me what I could only describe as a ‘dirty’ look and I was just about disgusted by his behavior.

“As ridiculous as this will sound to you and as much as you cannot fathom to be in my presence right now, I propose that for this journey you at least try to be civil. What do you think? One very brief journey where we can have one decent conversation, where you can stop looking at me as if the thought of driving a stake through my heart would please you. What do you say? After that you can go back to your sulking and pretending to despise me.” I put it out there and it was up to him to accept or decline.

I had long since grown tired of the feeling of having to walk on eggshells around a human. No matter how much said human was worth such a treatment.

Tony still sat with his arms crossed, refusing to look at me and it was that moment that Kaio arrived, taking the seat beside Tony.

“He is resting.” He said with a whisper of a smile and I returned it.

I caught Tony’s scoff and I could just imagine what he was thinking. Knowing him, it would be something along the lines of “ …ridiculous, treating a full grown man as if he’s some fuc**** child.”

“He’s not very pleased to be referred to as my mate.” Kaio announced. He looked worried.

“It is nothing to be concerned about. As long as you feel the link between you both then so does he. It is only a matter of time before he relents.” I assured and it seemed to appease him.

I turned my attention back to Tony. “Well?”

He accepted grudgingly but it was an acceptance nonetheless. I watched as he let his crossed arms fall and he shifted to get more comfortable in his seat.

“I’m fine. When do we touch down and where are we going?” he asked.

“An hour and a half and as for where, you’ll see when we get there.”

He did not seem particularly pleased about that piece of information but he nodded regardless and silence descended once more.

“Do you mind telling us of your life as a marine?” Kaio asked, his complete attention set on Tony which I assumed was due to the fact that his mate was in a similar field.

Tony glanced his way and for a moment I imagined he wouldn’t answer, then he shook his head and began. “I’m not a marine; I enlisted in the army, not the marines.”

Kaio was confused.

“Then why does my Lord refer to you as a marine? I do not understand.”

He seemed to consider the words then took a breath and let it out slowly.

“I was friends with this guy in my unit. We were pretty close and for a while he was my only friend there. He was the best guy you could ever meet; honorable, loyal, just somebody who was worth anyone’s time.” He smiled, his gaze taking on a far way look as it travelled to the small window of the Jet.

“Every man in his family was a marine and he used to talk about them a lot. He said they were the bravest men you could find. They would sacrifice their lives for a friend in need; that they were good through and through…” he trailed off, the smile had turned to one of sadness.

“He used to tell me I had the heart of a marine, until he eventually started calling me that and pretty soon everyone in my unit was calling me that; Marine ”

I had of course known it was nothing more than a nick name but it was the first time I had known of its origin.

“Did your friend perish in the explosion then?” Kaio continued to question. Mouth tight, Tony shook his head.

“He died years ago.”

“I’d say Malik has the heart of a marine as well.” Kaio announced with a grin. He looked like a proud mother.

Tony snorted and turned away.

“Your friend was right. You are a marine, even if it is just in your heart.” I told him and I reached over to touch his knee only to have him jerk away.

I smiled.

It would be a while yet before I had him exactly where I wanted him, but so far we were on track and once we landed it was time for me to take this to another level. Before the week was out Tony would be putty in my hands.

……………………………………….

Tony’s POV

It was just like before; the heat, the all-consuming need to just reach over and touch him, to feel his skin against mine to feel his lips- I shook my head, trying to clear it. To feel this way after just one bloody touch; it was pathetic. I took a breath, willing my body back to normal.

He was a vampire.

He was a bloodthirsty vamp and not just any vampire, but Rien; the bastard who had used me and let me go; I shouldn’t be feeling anything for him. He meant nothing to me.

I cursed under my breath, hating my body in that moment and the heat that still consumed me. I jerked the collar of my shirt, trying to cool down somehow but when I looked over and our eyes caught, I was lost.

The flesh was weak.

                                               AUTHOR’S NOTES

AS ALWAYS THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND ENJOY!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Sneak Peek for Chapter 7

Chapter 7 Sneek

Rien’s POV

Had I known this trip would have brought nothing but trouble, I would not have organized it and I certainly would not have brought my mate along for a front row view of the unapologetic whims of my coven.

Looking back I should have realized things had been too…quiet…after receiving three visits from adherents of the coven in under a month. Though I suppose that could not be helped; trouble would have found me no matter where I had decided to go, this trip only quickened the process.

The flight itself had been without any fanfare. After our brief conversation, Tony had fallen asleep, too tired to put up much of a fight against his heavy lids and for a while I had simply watched him. He had looked so peaceful in sleep and I had already become so accustomed to the ever present scowl on his face, that this new look had been thoroughly refreshing.

Before I knew it, the time had flown and we had finally arrived. I had hoped to re-introduce him to his hometown; the place where we had met, where things had been far simpler, the place where he had looked upon me with adoration rather than hate, with a smile rather than a frown. It was the place where his heart had not yet transformed into the mangled bits and pieces it now was, I suppose it was silly of me to think that it would have gone smoothly. These days nothing ever did.

I sensed their presence the moment we touched down onto the well missed soil of his home town and before the steps were lowered to allow us passage to exit the jet, the small space was invaded by none other than my brothers.

“Father has summoned you.” Marcan announced as soon as I came into his sight. There was no welcome, not that it had been expected.

“I fear I’m a bit busy at the moment, tell him I’ll drop in to see him in a few years.” I offered in a offhand tone. Kaio stood behind me, tense, as he watched it all play out. My brothers of course did not spare him a glance.

Marcan’s face reshaped into a mask of fury, as I knew it would. “I am not now, nor shall I ever be you messenger, father has summoned you and you shall do well to heed him.” he spat.

“Then don’t relay my message, it matters not.” I moved to pass him in the tight space of the aircraft when Peitre stepped in front of me, thereby blocking my path.

“It seems he has finally been made aware of the mate you have so poorly hidden from him. He desires a meeting with you both.”

                                               AUTHOR’S NOTES

REALIZED I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO GET THE CHAPTER UP IN TIME SINCE I’M NOT QUITE FINISHED, SO I DECIDED TO  OFFER A SNEAK PEEK WHICH I HOPE WILL TIDE YOU OVER UNTIL I UPLOAD .

THANKS GUYS!

Chapter 7: Before the court.

Chapter 7

Rien’s POV

Had I known this trip would have brought nothing but trouble, I would not have organized it and I certainly would not have brought my mate along for a front row view of the unapologetic whims of my coven.

Looking back I should have realized things had been too…quiet…after receiving three visits from adherents of the coven in under a month. Though I suppose that could not be helped; trouble would have found me no matter where I had decided to go, this trip only quickened the process.

The flight itself had been without any fanfare. After our brief conversation, Tony had fallen asleep, too tired to put up much of a fight against his heavy lids and for a while I had simply watched him. He had looked so peaceful in sleep and I had already become so accustomed to the ever present scowl on his face, that this new look had been thoroughly refreshing. Before I knew it, the time had flown and we had finally arrived.

I had hoped to re-introduce him to his hometown; the place where we had met, where things had been far simpler, the place where he had looked upon me with adoration rather than hate, with a smile rather than a frown. It was the place where his heart had not yet transformed into the mangled bits and pieces it now was, I suppose it was silly of me to think that it would have gone smoothly. These days nothing ever did.

I sensed their presence the moment we touched down onto the well missed soil of his home town and before the steps were lowered to allow us passage to exit the jet, the small space was invaded by none other than my brothers; Marcan and Peitre.

“Father has summoned you.” Marcan announced as soon as I came into his sight. There was no welcome, not that it had been expected.

“I fear I’m a bit busy at the moment, tell him I’ll drop in to see him in a few years.” I offered in a offhand tone. Kaio stood behind me, tense, as he watched it all play out. My brothers of course did not spare him a glance.

Marcan’s face reshaped into a mask of fury, as I knew it would. “I am not now, nor shall I ever be you messenger, father has summoned you and you shall do well to heed him.” he spat.

“Then don’t relay my message, it matters not.” I moved to pass him in the tight space of the aircraft when Peitre stepped in front of me, thereby blocking my path.

“It seems he has finally been made aware of the mate you have so poorly hidden from him. He desires a meeting with you both.”

If I had been such a man, I would have cursed in my most fowl tongue at his words, but as it stood, I simply watched him, jaw clenched and feeling quite a bit more than simply annoyed.

“You always were foolish, though I hadn’t quite believed you were so far gone as to have told Thames of your mate without expecting the entire coven to know of it.”

“Kaio gather the bags.” I ordered, eyes still holding my brother’s.

“At the moment you’re lucky father does not know that your mate is human. I would suggest you deal with that particular matter now while you have the chance because the moment he sets eyes on your little play thing the court will be in an uproar.” This spoken by Marlan.

“It’s as if you haven’t been listening. The court be damned, father can wait, I have prior engagements now if you would excuse me-“

Kandane, who up until this moment had been noticeably absent, stepped through the aircraft door and we all froze. “We did not journey here to request your company. You and the human will join us. Now stop this nonsense and let us be off.” He tone was firm and the look in his eyes called for absolute obedience. If I resisted any longer the situation would become worse.

Fists clenched I said nothing as I watched him turn to exit the way he had just come. The other two followed without another word.

This time I did curse, then looked over at my mate who was surprisingly still asleep.

“Kaio.”

“Yes my Lord?”

“Take Malik to the lodge. I will call for you when I can.”

…………………………..

Tony

To be completely honest I had no idea what was going on but whatever it was it couldn’t be good. I’d woken up to Kaio shaking me roughly, brows furrowed in concern. I’d been shocked  to see that we had landed, usually I was a light sleeper; I had to be and I couldn’t understand what had made me sleep so deeply, that I hadn’t even realized we’d touched down.

What was even stranger though, was how Rien was acting and the fact that we were sitting in the back of some other fancy vehicle in complete silence.

The one time I’d opened my mouth, he’d shot me a warning glance that had me snapping it shut and turning away from him. It was strange behavior even for him, and instinct told me something was happening here; something that even Rien couldn’t control.

We’d been driving around for about an hour but I had absolutely no idea where we were or where we were headed. The windows were tinted pitch black so that the only thing I could see when I looked to my left was my reflection, but from the way Rien stared at his, I got the impression, he could see through it just fine.

Another strange thing was the fact that Kaio wasn’t with us and as far as I could tell Kaio never left Rien’s side. I rubbed my arms trying to dispel the uneasy feeling I had as I glanced over at Rien who still had yet to utter a word.

He just sat there, legs crossed, arms clasped in his lap and eyes planted on his window. His stiff posture told me he was tense and it hit me that I had never seen him like this before. He was usually oozing confidence and dripping with power.

I didn’t know whether to be concerned about what this all meant or to gloat at this interesting new development. In the end I chose to suffocate in the thick wall of silence that he had raised between us, allowing myself to wonder and to wait.

Eventually though when even the silence got to be too much, I decided to pull my tail from between my legs and turned to him.

“Is there a reason we’re sitting here in complete silence?”

 “I’m surprised you’re bothered by it. I usually have to force the words out of you.” He commented in a dry tone and I gritted my teeth.

“What’s going on? Who were those morons from earlier?”

The ones I’d seen standing by the other car as soon as I’d exited the plane. The ones who hadn’t even bothered to glance my way; as if I wasn’t even there.

It was then that the car finally came to a stop and he finally looked at me. “We’ll continue this conversation when we’re alone.” And a moment later our doors were being pulled open and he was stepping out of the vehicle, I had no choice but the follow.

The first thing that popped into my head when I first caught sight of the place was that I must have been dreaming, then when I managed to come back to my senses after realizing that just about everyone standing around us were vampires; my second thought was that this must be his coven.

The third and final thing that popped up in my head after catching sight of Rien’s less than excited expression however, was that something was very very wrong and even this particularly beautiful setting couldn’t do much to mask reality.

The place looked like a self-contained city, only not as harsh as those which we humans occupied. It was hard to explain its magnificence and when I tried to look around to take in more of its beauty the vamps converged around me, blocking my view. As the led us to wherever it was were were going, all I could see were their dark robes and the blue sky up above.

Beside me, Rien walked with his hands clasped casually behind his back and his face completely devoid of emotion. There was no talk among the vamp men and the longer we walked the less curious I was about who they were and the more eager I was to get away from them. The unease I had felt earlier had risen tenfold and with every step I grew even more anxious.

“You need to relax, I’ll keep you safe, there is absolutely nothing to worry about.” Rien finally spoke up, his voice clear and confident. I snorted.

“Gimmie a break, I can take care of myself.”

Clearly he still saw me as the little weak string bean I was years ago, I wasn’t scared so easily anymore, yet… even as I thought the words I wondered if maybe this intense feeling of unease was something much more potent, I wondered if it was possible that I was….afraid.

I was in a vampire coven, surrounded by bloodsucking immortals who refused to acknowledge my presence and when they did, looked at me like I was a dirty spec on their clean floors. Despite my words, even I wasn’t stupid enough to think I had a chance against these beasts, so maybe this unease really was fear. After all, the unknown was a powerful thing and suddenly it felt like I was walking toward my own execution.

We didn’t have to walk for very long and when we finally came to a stop, the robed vamps surrounding us withdrew, bowed and promptly departed. Afterwards we were led into a building; it looked like it could have been a home, but the furniture and décor reminded me of something out of a museum. Despite the fact that a single candlestick from this room could probably keep me fed for a month or two, the atmosphere was cold and dreary and reminded me of a funeral; no life.

It was no wonder the vamps couldn’t even crack a smile if this was the kind a place they had to wake up in every morning.

Rien came to a stop before a wine-red loveseat and lowered himself onto the soft cushion, crossing his legs before him, back straight, hands as always; clasped in his lap.

“Leave us now.” He spoke and the two remaining vamps bowed low and quickly departed. We were finally alone.

I turned to him. “Wanna tell me why we’re here? Because if this was some stupid idea of yours to get me to fall in love with the place and choose to stay then you’re wasting your time.”

A small smile graced his lips before he turned his intelligent gaze upon me. “The only thing I need you to love is me, anything else is irrelevant.” He began, “but in answer to your question, I would have preferred to wait a little while longer before I brought you here, but as it stands, the choice was taken from me.” he finished, as calm and collected as ever.

I regarded him with furrowed brows and he reached over and patted the cushion beside him, indicating that I should sit. I shook my head and he continued.

“My father has requested that we meet with him.”

“Your father? You mean the king of all vampires? Why’d he want to meet with me?” I asked suspiciously.

“He’s hardly a king, though it would certainly give him pleasure to be seen such, neither does he rule all blood drinkers, he is simply the leader of this particular coven.” He paused and seemed to consider something.

“I am told he seems to have learned that I have a mate and wants to meet you.”

“Well you can tell him I’m just some guy you met, I’m not up to meeting any demon kings right about now, especially if he has some blood relation to you.”

He didn’t acknowledge the insult, he just went on as if I hadn’t said a word. “ In a few hours you will be presented to the court but there are a few things you need to understand before that time comes, now listen closely.” His gaze turned serious as he stared intently into my eyes and after only a moment’s pause, I moved to lower myself into the chair across from him.

……………………………..

 

Don’t open your mouth unless invited to speak.

Do not be insolent.

Never let them see your fear.

Answer only what you are asked and for god’s sake Tony stop your glaring.

Rien’s rules reverberated in mind as I stood in the center of the large room, dressed in an uncomfortable, heavy robe and being ogled by about three dozen expressionless vamps. This was what Rien had called the court ; just a large open room with ridiculously high ceilings, whitewashed stone walls with no windows and not much in the way of décor. The creatures stood on either side of the room watching and waiting in complete silence, but they didn’t concern me as much as the ones standing on the podium at the front of the room. There were four of them, two of which I recognized from earlier when we’d landed.

 I assumed they were of some importance since they were standing up front. Their expressions mirrored everyone else’s but there was something in the way they looked at me that gave me the distinct impression that there was a large degree of hate there.

It was hard to take that kind of treatment without giving them so much as a glare but only an idiot would disregard Rien’s rules in a place teeming with bloodthirsty vamps, so as expected I stood there like a meek puppy dog, not saying a word and trying to act ‘ like a decent human being’ : Rien’s words not mine.

The four of them stood beside a chair, in fact it was only one chair in the entire room; one fit for a king, upon which sat a vampire who looked way too wise to have such a young face. He wore gold threaded robes and sat much like Rien always did; looking regal and confident; maybe even a bit cocky.

He wore his hair long so that it shrouded either side of his thin flawless face and his piercing black eyes were like pits waiting to suck me into its dark debts. He looked like evil incarnate and he looked pissed. Beside me Rien stood as always looking calm and unruffled by it all.

“You have brought a human into the court, dressed him in our robes and have had him stand before me as if he is one of our own, do you try to insult me Riener?” the man spoke for the first time.

My eyes narrowed at his words.

“You requested an audience with my mate and now that we stand before you, you complain? Which is it father? Do you wish to meet him or not?” Rien said simply and I glanced at him in surprise, and he lectured me on insolence?

A chorus of whispering went up among the vampires standing on either side of us.

“Watch your mouth child, How dare you speak to father in such a tone” one of the men up front exclaimed and my brows furrowed.

They were brothers?

“Kandane, you have no right to speak here after allowing him to run about like he has.” The father said in a cold voice and just like that the fight seemed to leave the one called Kandane. He didn’t look particularly pleased but he nodded and stood back.

“Why is it that nothing you do surprises me Riener? You leave the coven for years on end and whenever you choose to return it is only for an insanely short space of time and now you have brought with you a human whom you call mate, what am I to do with this news? How is this to benefit our coven?”

“Who I choose to mate has nothing to do with the coven as you so rightly know father.” Rien began then looked around him. “Why have you invited so many men, I was led to believe this was a meeting between father and son.”

“I had thought to present to the court my son and his companion and now I see that it has been a waste of time.” He began, “You have always made rash decisions Riener, now it is time for you to take on some responsibility. I will select a worthy mate for you, then you can carry out your duty and stop with this nonsense.” He said it as if he were discussing the weather and I clenched my fists, teeth gritting as I watched him.

Worthy of a fucking vampire. Damn high and mighty piece of shit . That was the thing with these monsters, they all thought they were better than humans and even Rien wasn’t above that.

“I’ve already made my choice and this has clearly turned out to be a complete waste of my time.” Rien spat.

Before I could even blink, Rien’s father was standing before us and not a moment later the back of his hand came crashing down on the left side of Rien’s face. I heard the sickening crunch of smashed bones as I watched in horror and just like that I felt an irrational surge of anger build up within me until I only saw red.

“You son of  a bitch!” and my fist was flying before I registered any decision to retaliate, but just moments before my fist touched flesh  Rien grabbed hold of my arm and yanked me back.

“That’s enough.” He ordered, voice cold and dead serious and I ripped my hand from his then froze when I caught sight of his face.

Four gashes ran from eye to mouth and oozing the darkest blood I’d ever seen, it was like ink; jet black and thick that also dripped from his smashed nose, then right before my eyes the wounds began to pull together, the flesh healing, knitting the skin back to its previous smooth texture and saving the blood, it was as if nothing had happened.

I watched in awe as he simply removed a piece of cloth from within his robes and swiped it over the mess on his skin as if he was only drying water from his face and not blood resulting from his father’s violent behavior.

Rien didn’t even seem particularly concerned and it just served to piss me off all the more.

“Look I don’t give a damn what you freaks wanna do to each other, but I’m done, I want the hell out of here.” This I said to no one in particular and when I turned toward the direction of the exit, Rien’s hand on my arm stopped me.

“We will resume in my chamber.” I heard the voice of their leader close behind me and a moment later he was gone.

“I warned you.” Rien said with barely concealed anger and when I tried to pull out of his grasp, he tightened his grip.

“Problems in paradise brother?” one of the vamps asked with a slight grin and I cut him a glare, “You had better heed our father before something worse comes your way.”

                                    AUTHOR’S NOTES

…..Meh…..

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 8: Decisions

Chapter 8

Tony’s POV

“Sit.” Rien ordered as soon as we entered the room and for a second I thought to defy him but the almost murderous look in the vampire’s eye could get anyone to obey.

I dropped into the seat to watch it play out.

The room, as expected was large and spacious. Gray stone walls, cold stone floors, wooden and polished furniture from some other era with blank walls and not a touch of personality. I felt almost claustrophobic in the lifeless room.

“One thing I asked your brothers to do and as expected they have failed me.” his father was going on about something.

“I am not a child father, you cannot expect them to follow me about, trying to make decisions for me.”

“They were always a useless lot, a complete disgrace to this coven and now they have allowed you to take on a human mate-“

“As I have said I am free to make my own decisions and it would do you well not to continue treating them that way; they despise me enough as it is and they are undeserving of such a treatment from their own father.”

I watched them with furrowed brows, confused by the direction their conversation had taken. The guy had all but ripped his neck from his body and here Rien stood having a civil conversation with the man as if nothing had happened. I couldn’t understand it.

“They will not even take a step without an order from me. They hold their tongues when I command it, they run when I say and bend over backwards to do my bidding. They fear me, they are weak”. The vamp spat, clearly disgusted.

Rien moved to place a hand on his father’s shoulder and I shook my head. I’d never understand vamps.

“You do not make it easy for them.”

“Yet you manage to defy me at every turn. You have never been one to obey my orders or to take my words as they are, it is why you are my beloved son.”

And here was a father playing favorites . I took a breath.

“It has been rare that I have expressed any disappointment in you Riener, but today you stand before me challenging my authority, disgracing the court with your human, calling him mate, letting him speak out of turn, it is repulsive and had it been any other, I would have had them punished severely for such a grave error.”

Rien’s hand dropped to his side and he moved to stand beside me.

“And what will you do now father? Do remember that it was your wish that I present my mate.”

The father finally lowered himself into the chair across the room, he watched Rien for a second then his black cold eyes turned to me, piercing my gaze with their ruthless intelligence and I held them until my eyes watered and I had to blink. He didn’t look pissed anymore but neither did he look particularly pleased and I wondered which was the lesser evil.

“What are you called?” it took me a second to realize he was talking to me and with narrowed eyes I addressed him.

“Ask your son, you’ve been doing a pretty awesome job of ignoring me so far, don’t stop on my account.” I issued in annoyance and I felt Rien stiffen beside me.

The leader’s eyes darkened if that were possible and I glanced briefly at Rien, then back at him.

“I suppose I can see why you chose him. He’s not very different from you is he?”

Rien spared me a glance, “On the contrary, he is almost the total opposite and I did not choose him. He chose me.”

I rolled my eyes at the bullshit he was spouting.

Your brothers have issued a challenge, are you aware of that?”

Rien took a breath.

“I am not particularly surprised, they had warned me they would. I decline of course.”

“You have not the authority to decline, however in light of what you are to me, I shall spare you just this once.” He began, “You are my son. I respect you and I love you as much as any father could love a child. I understand how it feels to hold such emotion for another, so who am I to deny the very same to you.” He spoke softly.

“If your human can vouch for your love to one another, you shall be free to live your lives together as you choose. Of course with the view that you shall change him when the time presents itself. If not, then you must discard all thoughts of this ridiculous mating and I shall choose a mate for you.”

Then the leader turned to me, a strange glint in his eyes.

“So human, do you profess to love my son, you need only say the words and you belong to him.”

“Father wait, you must give me some time to-“ Rien began but I cut him off with my next words.

“No I don’t love him, give him a mate, I don’t care, just get me the fuck out of here.” No one would own me. Rien could get his mate for all I cared and I could go free.

I watched as Rien spun to look at me, horror written all over his face.

“Very well then, you have his answer_”

“No, you heard his heartbeat, he has lied.”

“No matter, I asked him to say the words and he has.” His father appraised me, “My son should not have to beg for the affections of anyone. He needs a mate who will take his or her rightful place by his side. You will be escorted from the coven grounds after the mating ceremonies are completed.” He said all this with a smile, his eyes unblinking as he watched me and in turn I watched him without a word.

“I cannot accept this, he is my mate and I assure you I will-“

“That’s enough.” The vamp interrupted Rien, his voice low but firm. “I have offered you enough courtesy. I shall find you a suitable companion and the human shall be on his way.”

Rien shook his head, mouth tight, “Then I shall leave this place and this will be the last you see of me. I will not be forced to bend to your will. Not in this way.”

His father slammed his palm onto the surface of the desk and regarded Rien with a cold look.

I stood up then, unsure what the vamp would do.

“If you dare to leave this coven, abandon your people for this… this…. human, I shall hunt you both down and I shall make you watch him die by my hands.” The tension in the air was suffocating as I processed the words. I found it hard to believe that I’d actually wanted to be a part of this life with Rien years ago, that I would want to live among these blood thirsty animals.

It pissed me off that he’d actually thought to drag me into this and I wondered if this ‘love’ he professed to have for me was nothing but a need to be in control.

“Now leave me, I wish to be alone.” The vamp said then, turning his back to us and without glancing my way, Rien turned on his heel and left the room. I followed at a safe distance, taking in the now empty court; now even more lifeless that when we’d first entered. Rien said not one word to me as we made our way across the vast expense of tile and even as we exited the place, walking across the yard.

I noticed though, that as we walked no matter what they were doing, the vampires close by turned to watch us…or at least they watched Rien as if fascinated by his very presence, as if he was a celebrity or…a God. I moved so that I was walking alongside him and allowed myself to take in his appearance.

I suppose he looked the part; if being strikingly beautiful somehow made you Godly. It was of course of no surprise to me when he ignored their stares and continued on his way, jaw clenched, posture perfect, feet drifting gracefully over the concrete without a sound.

A servant opened the door for him when we got to the place we would be staying and as swiftly as he had entered he dismissed her, turning to face me, his expression unreadable.

“Do you have any idea what you have done?”

I grabbed a seat because something told me we were about to have one of those conversations.

“I’ve got a vague idea, why?” I offered cheekily and I could have sworn I saw the fire in his eyes.

“You are the most unforgiving, uncaring little human I’ve ever had the misfortune of knowing!”

It was the first time he’d ever actually raised his voice at me but it was the words that stung and I couldn’t understand why I couldn’t just look at him and feel nothing.

I said nothing. I just folded my arms and watched him school his expression into one of contempt.

“Well I suppose you finally got what you’re after. You’re free to live as you choose now. You’re free to enjoy your life without me.”

I snorted. “Always wanted? The only thing I’ve ever wanted was for you to come back and take me from that hellhole they call the army. You left me there for five years saying I need to learn responsibility, then as soon as you felt like it, you came back and pulled me from battle, pulled me away from my men. I’m a deserter because of you and you have the audacity to talk about responsibility.” I would have spat at his feet if I’d been so inclined.

“You wanna know the truth? Fine. Yes I love you, I’ve always loved you, even when I hated you I loved you, but now I just want to live my life for me . I’m sick of my world revolving around you, my every thought being about you . I feel like I can’t even breathe!”

He stood in silence and watched me rant.

“I’m glad your father gave me the choice. I’m glad I was finally able to make one fucking decision for myself, for once without your damn interference. You’re in love with control Rien, not me.” he opened his mouth to interrupt and I pushed on, “and even if you really are in love with me, that means nothing without respect and that’s one thing you don’t have for me, otherwise you’d have given me a choice, you’d have treated me like your equal rather than dragging me around and ordering me to bend to your will like I’m your annoying kid brother.”

“I see.” Was all he could say and I took a breath and let it out slowly.

“You pulled me out of battle, now I’m a wanted man. You need to fix it. You owe me that.” I didn’t want to talk about us anymore.

“Very well.”

Suddenly I felt very tired. Tired of fighting

“It’s been years, I’m tired of being angry with you. It doesn’t matter how much you think you can change me or that you love me and I feel the same…what matters is that this is my life and I want to be able to choose my own fate…for once, I need to do what’s best for me.” I watched him carefully as I said the words, needing him to understand me and what I needed.

“Your father’s gonna choose a mate for you and I understand how you feel, having someone forced on you like that, because that’s exactly what you’ve been trying to do to me.”

He looked up at me then and I finally saw a flash of understanding in his eyes; understanding and regret.

“The mating ceremony will take up to a month until its completion. As my father promised, you will be able to leave as soon as it is over and I’ll take care of your predicament.” He seemed to think on his words then, gazing at me with so much longing I had to turn away. “Then you shall be on your way, free to decide your own fate.”

I watched him walk away and for once since that fateful day he’d rescued me from battle I didn’t feel anger, instead I felt a load on my shoulders, threatening to pound me into the ground and even though it was my very own decision and I was finally having my voice heard, I felt like I’d made a huge mistake. I felt utterly confused.

                                          AUTHOR’S NOTES

EXTREMELY SHORT I KNOW, I APOLOGIZE I’VE JUST BEEN TOO BUSY TO WRITE MORE BUT I PROMISE TO TRY HARDER AND WHEN NEXT I DO UPLOAD IT WILL BE A FULL LENGTH CHAPTER.

THANKS FOR READING AND THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

If you do any fan art for any of my characters lemme know so we can all fangirl over them!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 9: The spirit of the coven.

Chapter 9

 I woke to complete silence, the kind of silence that could drive a man crazy and no one could call peaceful. There were no birds chirping, no rustling of trees or wind brushing against the window panes, nor was there any sound of household appliances coming to life, or living creatures scurrying about, just silence that had me snapping my fingers to make sure I hadn’t suddenly gone deaf.

I hopped out of the oddly shaped bed I’d fallen into in complete exhaustion the night before and made my way to the connecting bathroom, which of course like everything else in the place was extraordinarily opulent.

I didn’t take much time to enjoy the feel of the soft towel against my face as I dried it, nor did I spend a particularly lengthy space of time in the shower to take in the beauty of what I was certain were actual golden faucets.  I just did what I needed to do and got out and as I made my way down stairs I hummed to drown out the uncomfortable stillness.

The place was empty as far as I could tell and while every room was immaculate it felt as if no one had really lived here. My humming grew louder with each room I passed through and I found myself pulling curtains apart to let in the sunlight; the place was creepy enough without the darkness.

It wasn’t until my growling stomach led me to the kitchen –which hadn’t been easy to find- that I finally met another ‘living’ soul. She was of course a vampire; a drudge as kaio would call it and she stood just inside the kitchen; a fake smile plastered on her pale face.

“My Lord has asked that you join him this day.” She announced and I wondered if she’d just been standing there waiting for me this whole time.

“Uhuh.” I looked at her strangely as she continued to watch me and when I reached over to the counter to grab a fresh looking bread roll her hand shot out to stop me.

She smiled again. “I must insist.”

Then she was leading me up staircase after staircase, twisting corners and through hallways until she opened the final door and we were on the roof, the blinding sunlight had me shading my eyes with my palm and without a word the drudge left. I suppose it shouldn’t have surprised me that the roof looked pretty damn good too, after all it seemed as though these beasts thrived on beauty.

I took a few steps forward, taking in the small table laden with the most mouthwatering dishes I’d ever seen. Everything looked fresh and succulent, from the fruits to the loaves to the meat and my stomach growled at the sight.

“Feel Free to eat what you can, this is all for you.”

I glanced up at the sound of his voice and my eyes narrowed when I saw him standing not too far away; is back facing me. A few steps in his direction and I too was looking out at just the most magnificent view. I’d thought the coven grounds were beautiful but this…this was something else.

“Holy fuck.”

“I thought you would appreciate it.” I could hear the smile in his voice and I glanced his way.

He looked back at me, the usual sparkle in his eyes absent.

“I trust you slept well?”

“Sure.” The guilt I felt was irrational. He’d sealed his own fate by taking me here. I’d simply made a decision that was best for me.

He nodded and turned back to the view, failing to offer much more in the way of conversation and my guilt grew.

“Look you’re a grown man…vampire, I don’t know much about the vamp lifestyle but this is the twenty first century, arranged marriages are practically a thing of the past. Just don’t do it.”  

“You are absolutely right…you do not know a thing of our lifestyle. My father does not renege on his threats, I assure you if I do not go through with this, he will hunt you down and he will find you and when he does, he’ll have no trouble ending your life right before my eyes.”

I didn’t know what to do but try to cast blame, this wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t interfered with me in the first place. I just didn’t need the guilt and suddenly I missed the anger I’d had toward him, anything was better than feeling as if I’d been the one to take the sparkle from his eyes and I cursed under my breath.

“That foul language does not become you Tony.”

As always he looked regal, standing there dressed in robes that fell to his toes-hiding the muscular frame I remembered all too well- His hands were planted behind his back and his head held high as he overlooked his home.

He looked like a king.

“Tell me about your brothers.” I tried, anything to break the silence.

“They are my brothers, what more is there to tell.”

I shifted uncomfortably. “Why does your father need a whole month to find you a mate, I’d have thought he’d already have someone picked out.”

“It is of course never so simple.” He turned to look at me then.

“My Father does not actually choose my mate, I suppose you could say my mate chooses me.”

My brows furrowed as I stared at him in confusion.

“Nailed outside the court walls is a scroll in which every vampire who wishes to become my mate shall sign, then as soon as my father deems it fit, they shall all be selected to fight for their place by my side, the last blood drinker standing shall be mine.”

“Fight?  Are you kidding me?”

“This is the warrior coven Tony, it is what we do and only the strongest shall ever be worthy.”

I shook my head in awe. “What happens if no one signs it?

His eyes lit with amusement. “Would you like to see the scroll?”

I shrugged.

At my response, he turned away from me, making his way gracefully across the tiled roofing and I followed, grabbing an apple from the table as I passed and before long, we were outside in the warm air, escorted by two drudges who kept their eyes averted from Rien, who didn’t seem to care either way.

…………………………………

The short walk over to the court was uneventful if not completely breathtaking and I wondered if I’d ever get used to the beauty of the place. It felt as though the entire place wasn’t really of this earth, as I’d never seen anything flourish quite so beautifully to the point where even the sun in the sky looked bright and more spectacular than it had in human society.

As we walked, I began to notice other things, like the fact that the vamps out on their own business still watched Rien as if he was something from another world and that while the admired they never came close to him, as if he was off limits to them.

As was his tendency he didn’t say much when in the presence of the drudges and I wondered if maybe he just didn’t want them to know his business or if it was something more; another important reason.

He dismissed the two when we stopped in front of the court, the only other structure apart from Rien’s home that I’d been in. The large scroll nailed to the wall wasn’t easy to miss and I watched with interest as he unrolled the thing so that the bottom half fell to the ground and continued to roll a few feet away from us.

“What’s with all the blood?” I asked in confusion, taking in the hundreds of red marks dotting the sheet.

“They are blood signatures. The familiars who wish to partake in the ceremony offer their  signatures in the form a single drop of blood smeared on the thumb of their right hand. It symbolizes their promise to be bound by the rules of the ceremony and prevents them from choosing to back out.”

I shook my head. The whole thing was ridiculous. They were all competing against each other and Rien was the grand prize. I didn’t like that the thought of him practically being offered up on a silver platter didn’t sit well with me and I shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, trying hard not to grit my teeth.

“There’s over two hundred thumb prints on this roll, you telling me every one of these blood suckers are gonna fight to be with you?”

“Of course.” He said simply, neither pleased nor particularly interested; he was just stating a fact.

“I’m assuming they’ll be fighting in pairs right? So how’re you so sure it’ll end in a month, with this many people lining up?”

He looked at the scroll again. “A fair question…and of course the list will continue to grow as the fights progress but there is a simple way around that.”

He turned away from the list to watch an approaching figure.

“To cut down on the number, thereby allowing us to end this on the given date, the ceremony will begin as it usually does…” A pause “They will all be thrown into the ring together to fight and after the appropriate time has passed, my father shall select the best warriors from the lot, after which they  will be able to fight in pairs.”

I didn’t get the chance to respond to that because the figure whose approach Rien had been watching so keenly had finally arrived.

He bowed low to Rien but when he made to take his hand Rien pulled it from his reach. It was then that I noticed Rien’s demeanor had changed. He had tensed, his eyes darkening as they narrowed to watch the vamp before him.

“How dare you insult me by thinking to invade my presence?” Rien’s voice was cold and hard as he spoke and the vamp looked up at him; stricken.

His robes told me he wasn’t of the master class, just a familiar who, like every other blood sucker here, was too beautiful to be real.

“My Lord…Riener, please forgive me…had I known the news would have reached your father I would not have spoken of it.”

He had finally straightened up, his hand still outstretched, his face had crumbled into one of shame and I actually felt sorry for him.

“I told you of my mate in confidence Thames, I had not thought you would speak of it to another and now my father knows of him. Do you understand that I have now lost him? that I will be made to mate with another?”

Rien looked angrier than I’d ever seen him and instinct had me taking a step back. I hadn’t expected this to be about me. I really looked at the vamp then, he was being sincere and I was sure that Rien saw that too but his anger had him ignoring it

“I have wronged you in the worst possible way Riener I…do not deserve your forgiveness but I ask of it as I cannot bear to have you loathe me so.”

The anguish on the vamp’s face had me turning away from him.

“Your wagging tongue has cost me everything, I should have your head for this treachery.” Rien spat the words in clear disgust, then he turned away from him. “Leave my sight.”

“Riener…my Lord I beg of you-”

“Approach me again and you shall not live another day.” He said with a finality no one could be stupid enough to oppose and with another anguished look at his Lord, Thames left.

I watched Rien whose anger was still evident in his expression.

“Who is he?”

It took him a while to answer and when he did, his voice was once again controlled and his expression unreadable.

“Someone I had once thought of as being closer to me than a brother. Now he is nothing. It seems I stand to lose everything I love before the year comes to an end.”

………………………………………

As it turned out, the first fight signaling the beginning of the ceremony was later that night and Rien had explained that while he was not expected to attend them all, it was a requirement that he be present at the first and the last. It was to be held in the court, in a room I’d never seen before, which to my surprise was ten times larger than the first.

The place was filled with vamps sitting and standing as they all prepared to watch their comrades fight for Rien. I’d expected cheering at least, which was the usual occurrence back where I came from but the place was oddly quiet as everyone watched the warriors assemble in the middle of the space. There were hundreds of them, all lined out in formation as if they were an army.

I took the time to glance at Rien who sat across the room at the right hand of his father. Both men watched the warriors who consisted of both males and females of almost equal turn out.

I hadn’t been allowed to sit with him because, as a drudge so aggressively pointed out, only those of the master class were allowed the privilege of sitting on the podium, not that I cared. I’d been given a perfectly good seat where I could watch the event with ease.

I glanced back to the warriors and as if they had been waiting for some silent cue, they curled their right hands into fists and slapped it over their hearts, holding it there as they all looked up at the podium where Rien sat, then at his nod their hands fell, a horn sounded and the chaos began.

It wasn’t until the first vampire went down, his blood painting the far wall, that the cheering began and I felt as if I’d go deaf, sitting there among the excited masses. I of course didn’t join in, I simply watched, my eyes glued to the battle ground as the shock rolled through my body. Vampires tearing at each other, limbs flying, throats ripping, blood spilling and hearts being plucked from chests. There were no weapons but their hands and teeth and they used it to their advantage.

It was a fight to the death .

As I sat there horrified beyond belief, I still couldn’t look away. I was a soldier but never had I seen such war, such carnage and blood spill. To see men ripping away at each other’s flesh, vamps who had once been friends killing each other, all to be Rien’s mate. It was insane, it was barbaric. They were nothing but animals.

It was hard to keep up with it, when one went down, another rose up and he too went down. I felt the roiling in my stomach and I clutched at it, feeling as if I’d be sick. The army never prepared me for this, nothing could prepare me for this, yet I stayed until my eyes began to glaze over and all I could see was a sea of red.

Men and women continued to fall and the crowd kept on cheering and through it all I watched, unable to believe what I was seeing, unable to comprehend how this could be real. I stayed until it seemed like there were more dead than alive and I remained seated until another horn was blown and the remaining vamps lined up once again, looking proud and happy in the face of what they would call victory .

It was then that I was able to drag my eyes from them, to settle on Rien who, instead of watching the floor, watched me. Then while he watched I shook my head and pushed up from me seat, shoving against unmoving bodies until I was finally out of the court and outside in the darkness, the fresh air bathing over my hot skin.

I found a corner against the wall and slid to the ground, my knees bent to accommodate my elbows which I rested on them.

I didn’t know how long I sat there, my mind blank, my head spinning, my heart heavy, but when my eyes finally focused Rien was crouched in front of me, his gaze tinged with concern.

He reached over, cupping my cheek gently in his palm and I leaned into it, needing the contact, needing some form of human interaction to steady my nerves and to somehow help me to obliterate all I’d seen, but then I remembered Rien wasn’t human and what I’d seen would never be erased and as the memories assaulted me so that I could only see blood and gore, I ripped my face from his hand, turned and retched into the flowerbed at my side.

“You’re nothing but animals” I managed to gasp out, then I heaved again, feeling as though my entire body was trying to reject the sight I’d witnessed.

……………………………….

Five and a half years earlier

“Tell me about your coven.” Tony asked, raising the stick that held the soft white fluff he called a marshmallow to his mouth.

He’d persuaded me to make a fire in my back yard and now, half an hour later he was still burning the white fluff over the flames and sticking it into his mouth.

“My coven…it is very difficult for me to describe. It is almost like…like the scorching heat of an unpredictable flame; untamed, free…maybe just a bit destructive.”

His brows furrowed. “Then why do you love it there so much if it’s so awful?” he asked. The confusion etched into his face was understandable.

“Because as with everything bad, there is some good. My people, they are relentless warriors, ruthless and cruel, but they are also determined and loyal. When they hate, you will know it but when they love you will feel it. They are as fearless as they are passionate and they would sacrifice their lives for something they believe in.” I smiled. “It is home for me, if you have the chance to see the good then that is all you see.”

He dropped his stick to the ground, looking into the flames before him. He seemed to be thinking on my words, his bottom lip trapped between his teeth and his brows creased. To this day it still surprised me how princely he looked, flawless, young, compassionate…beautiful and mine.

“Then I can’t wait to go there…would be pretty great to see some good once in a while.” He commented, his eyes still on the flames.

“Yes, well my coven is not for everyone, if you survive it then you are lucky, but if you love it then they say you have a dark heart. I’m not sure I would want you to be caught up in that. It is too dangerous for humans.”

He looked at me “I’ll be fine when I go because you’ll protect me from the bad stuff, like you always do.” He said it with such confidence, such certainty.

“Really now? And how can you be so sure?”

This time his gaze pierced mine, glinting with pride and another warm emotion. “Because you love me.” he said and I smiled.

 “I do.”

                                             AUTHOR’S NOTES

BEFORE YOU ALL DECIDE TO CHEW ME OUT..I KNOW I HAVEN’T BEEN GIVING THIS STORY MY ALL AND I KNOW I’VE MADE YOU WAIT FOR WHAT SEEMS LIKE FOREVER SO I APOLOGIZE AND I PROMISE TO DO BETTER.

HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE CHAPTER AND THANKS FOR STICKING WITH ME ON THIS DESPITE MY POOR ATTITUDE :(

Share your Fan Art of these two so we can all fangirl over them!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 10: Use of Force.

Chapter 10

“It is as if you will never learn. Father has gone out of his way to forgive you for your indiscretion yet you mock his mercy, you are a disgrace.” Kandane spat, his expression equally as disgusted as his tone.

“Mercy? You think this is mercy? He has practically ripped my mate from my arms!”

“Leave the dramatics to Peitre Riener, it is not as amusing on you.” Jorlon drawled in a bored tone. He lay on his side, his body stretched out on the love seat with his head propped in his hand.

”Father has done you a favor-” Kandane continued and I was quick to cut him short.

“He has done me no such pleasure. I am being forced to connect with someone who can never truly be my mate. He has threatened Tony’s life and now expects that I carry out the remainder of my own here with the likes of you all.” I laughed without mirth. “You call that a favor? You see that as being merciful?”

“ The remainder of your life ? You speak as if you shall one day die.” Jorlon laughed and I shot him a glare which he ignored.

Marcan sighed from his seat across the room. “I grow bored of this weak banter. The fact of the matter is that you left the court before the permitted time. Those worthy warriors fought long and hard for your approval and you had the audacity to leave them without so much as a fraction of praise. It was disgraceful, had I not witnessed it with my own two eyes I would not have believed it myself.”

“Tony needed me.”

Jorlon scoffed. “When will you do away with your fantasies of a life with the human? He can never be yours do you not see it? You are betrothed to the worthiest of warriors. You are meant for greater things.”

“ Betrothed Jorlon? What century do you believe us to be in?” Marcan teased.

Jorlon waved him off. “Betrothed, destined, forced, the words mean nothing and everything, what is important is that you fulfill our father’s wishes and you carry out your duty. You disappointed us all when you left court. Do not let it happen again.”

What was the point of arguing with the lot of them if they refused to consider a word I was said? I fell silent, watching them each in turn, hating them for their own unfounded hatred of me.

None of them flinched under my scrutiny.

“If you are all finished lecturing me I would like you to leave, I will never understand why you all go out of your way to preach to me when you so clearly despise me. It only makes the lot of you even more bitter.”

I didn’t stand when they did, instead, I impolitely allowed them to rise, watching their departing backs. Before they reached the door however, Jorlon turned to face me. “We are your brothers, we love you…it is your actions that we despise.” He looked me in the eyes as he said the words, then departed with the others a short while later.

They would of course never understand, their mates were all chosen for them and they accepted their duty without blinking, but only because they had never known what it felt like to really care for another and of course because they feared our father too much to oppose him.

I stood, straightening my robes before moving to fetch an apple from the kitchen-Tony always favored the things- then I quietly made my way up the staircase and into his room where he lay unmoving. Half the day had passed him by and he had yet to part ways with the bed.

“I took the liberty of bringing you an apple.” I said into the silence of the room. He said nothing, just continued to lay there on his side, his eyes planted on the window. I deposited the fruit onto a nearby table and made my way over to him. He hadn’t said much since the night before and I suppose the fault was mine.

 He blinked when I blocked his view but didn’t look at me. Then his mouth tightened. He was sweating, his soft hair sticking to his forehead and I reached out hesitantly, unsure how he would react to my touch, but when he offered no response I touched his forehead, sweeping the hair back from his face and running a finger along his jawline.

“I should not have brought you to the court. Had I known it would have affected you so I would have allowed you to stay here. I apologize.”

It was then that he finally looked at me, his eyes sharp. “I’m glad I went, at least it made me see what you all really are.” He grumbled.

“Animals…yes you made that quite clear last night.” I paused, giving him the chance to speak but he said nothing. “We are not barbarians you know. It is simply our practice, it is what we are accustomed to and if you lived here; if this was your home you would understand, it is only because you grew up elsewhere that you choose to judge us so harshly.” I watched him as he flipped onto his back then sat up in the large bed, his back resting against the mahogany headboard.

“Gimmie a break Rien. Even if I lived here all my life I’d think the same thing. Your people are dying…literally dying to be with you and you don’t see anything wrong with that?”

I fell silent. Here was another soul who just did not understand and possibly never would. Explaining it to him wouldn’t make a difference he was too stubborn and his mind had already been made up.

“Are you hungry? I could have the drudges prepare you a meal.” I said by way of changing the subject. For a second his eyes narrowed then he sighed.

“I’m fine.”

When I reached out to touch him this time he pulled away and I nodded. “I had hoped to spend the day with you, unfortunately I have a meeting to attend so I shall leave you with a friend.”

His eyes narrowed, then widened when Kaio entered the room. I noted his relief and the way he fought to hide it. Despite their differences it was no surprise that he would be happy to see a familiar face.

He cleared his throat, his face taking on a somewhat bored expression. “Thought you were gone for good.” and Kaio smiled.

“Of course not. I have my duty to my Lord, it was always expected that I return.”

“They arrived this morning while you slept.” I explained and Tony’s eyes narrowed.

“They?”

“Kaio and Malik of course.” Then I watched in amusement as his lips thinned and his hands clenched into fists.

“I must go, but I shall leave you both to seek after your own entertainment.” I bent to kiss his forehead before he could argue, then gave Kaio a short nod and left the room.

In no time at all I was making my way across the grounds, down the stone steps, through the gardens and into the dwelling place of my fellow brethren Nathaniel. His drudge held the door open for me with a polite greeting before she departed and I was left alone to discuss clandestine matters with him.

“It is good to see you again Riener. I must apologize for my failure to attend your ceremony last night. I have been…busy.”

“No matter, if I could, I would have been absent myself.”

Nathaniel nodded, offering me a seat which I took before lowering himself into another directly across from me.

He looked at me for a minute. His eyes one of concern. “I was disheartened to hear of your misfortune. That your father should deny your human mate…it cannot have been easy for you.”

I shook my head. “Thank you, but let us not discuss that today…you called me here for business correct?”

He nodded. “Of course.” He paused, his eyes piercing mine with their seriousness, then he cleared his throat and began. “You should understand that the knowledge I am about to impart is in no way meant to offend you or your family. Nor is it to be construed as anything but what it is; mere facts. I only wish to alert you of the situation we spoke of when I met with you last.” He explained and I knew I wouldn’t like where this was going.

“Then I shall take it only as news, go ahead.”

“Very well…your father is losing his mind.”

I chuckled, “My father has already lost his mind, but do tell me what this particular leave of his senses relates to.”

“In this year alone he has made so many enemies I am surprised we have not yet been under attack.”

I raised a brow. “Enemies inside the coven? How did he manage that?”

Nathaniel was shaking his head. “No brethren, not within.”

“I do not understand. We do not interact with outside covens, how could he have made enemies?”

“He claims that our lands are not enough, that we need more warriors, more resources so he has taken to getting such things by force. Over the last two years alone he has managed to raid fifteen covens. He convinced our people that it is what we need and of course they will always blindly stand by him.”

I sat watching him; speechless.

“We have lost some of our best warriors to the raids and we have been receiving threats of retaliation from the covens we have wronged. It is only a matter of time before they come after us.”

“This makes no sense. We have enough lands, people and resources…” I shook my head. “What mechanisms has he put in place in the event of outside use of force?”

Nathaniel frowned. “Nothing. He has concealed it from the coven, it is only those of our Master class that are aware of the threats. He claims that allowing the information to become public knowledge would insight our people to stand against us.”

“Then he has left us at the mercy of the outside because of his fear? He has truly gone mad! How many of the master class stand against him now?”

“As far as I know. It is only I that stand against him and I hope that you will stand with me my brethren, because it seems your father means to get us all killed.”

…………………………………

Tony’s POV

“Where’s Malik? Figured you’d want him around.”

Kaio smiled, a sort of dreamy faraway look that annoyed me. “He is resting. While my blood has repaired most of the damage, he has yet to be fully healed.”

I kicked at a loose rock as we walked along the path, no longer interested in looking at the beauty that surrounded me. The slight breeze was nice though, it helped me to relax after the stressful night I’d had.

“Would you like to see the gardens? They have fashioned a maze out of the trees. You seem like a man who enjoys solving a puzzle.”

He walked with his hands behind his back, his feet silent against the stone path.

“You’re kinda naïve, you know that?”

 His steps didn’t falter. “How so?”

“We don’t know a thing about your little mate, he obviously lied to us about who is and here you are with your head in the clouds…let’s say he eventually does tell you the truth though because for whatever stupid reason he falls in love with you…what do you think he’s gonna do when he finds out what you are?”

“Everyone lies…humans more so than others, but it did not take much persuasion to get him to tell me the truth. It also turns out he had already known of the existence of vampires…it all worked out in my favor so I suppose my naivety is debatable.” Kaio explained…that annoying smile still plastered on his face.

My eyes narrowed. “He knows about vamps? What are the chances you find a mate who already knows about vampires? Something isn’t right here Kaio. What did he tell you? Who is he really?”

“I may not be accustomed to being in this form of relationship but I do believe I have some knowledge of what it entails and spilling my mate’s secrets to another would not be wise…nor would it be right.” He said simply, then turned a corner, leaving me to follow.

“Alright then and what if get Rien to ask you…would you tell him?”

Kaio looked back at me beckoning that I walk beside him, so I did.

“My Lord is fair, he would not ask such a thing of me. If it was detrimental to our lives, only then would he expect me to speak up and I would.”

I shook my head. “But what if he did?”

“He will not.”

I let out an exasperated sigh and moved to walk ahead of him.

“I don’t trust him…I think you need to be careful.” I bit out.

“It makes me glad that you seem to care about my wellbeing Tony. It is interesting how one’s behavior toward another can change to such a degree. You killed me and now you are concerned for my welfare.”

I turned to glare at him. “Yeah well I already apologized for that and it doesn’t mean I care I’m just giving you a friendly warning.”

“Ah so now we are friends. I do think I like the sound of that. I have never had a friend.” He looked so excited in that moment that I had to turn away from him, making my way over to the small pond just a few feet up ahead.

“You end my life and now we are friends…it certainly is interesting.” He continued thoughtfully.

“Jesus Kaio will you drop it already? How many times do you want me to apologize?

“I have already forgiven you Tony; after all it was my fault why you had even felt the need to strike out, but really how many times do you think is acceptable for one to apologize after slaughtering another? So far you have done it twice maybe-”

“Fuck you.”

He laughed then, the sound loud and joyous as it bounced off the trees and it hit me that I had never heard him laugh before. I’d actually never even seen him so happy.

“I only jest of course. It is nice to have a friend do you not think so?” He said with a wide grin and I rolled my eyes and turned away. When I got close enough to the pond I kicked off my shoes and pulled my pants above my ankles. It was just as I was about to dip my toes into the strangely crystal clear water that Kaio spoke up.

“It would not be in your best interest to do that.”

I looked at him, my foot hovering over the water’s surface. “Why not?”

“This particular pond is home to a particular plant that secretes a very interesting substance. It is what makes the water so clear.” He came to stand beside me, crouching to dip his hand into the water.

“Now what is interesting about this plant is that the substance it secretes is poisonous…not to blood drinkers of course, but certainly to humans. If you are bold enough to dip even a toe into this water, it will quickly absorb into your bloodstream and within minutes I expect you shall be dead.” He said it calmly as if talking about the weather and I pulled away from the pond, taking a few steps back.

“But couldn’t you just give me your blood, then I’d be fine right?”

He shook his head. “Ah but that is where it gets interesting. You see the rate at which vampire blood heals is not fast enough to counteract the flow of the poison, which means there is nothing that could be done to help a human.”

I shook my head. “Then why would you guys even keep a pond like this?”

“Well is it not obvious? We do not have many human visitors. Why deny ourselves the beauty of this gift from nature simply because there is a possibility a human might find himself victim to the pond’s deceitful pull?”

I suppose it made sense. “Throw me my shoes will you.”

Kaio looked at me with a strange expression then. “Am I to be your servant for the day?” he sassed and I sighed, moving to the edge of the pond to snatch up my things but the minute I bent to retrieve the boot, Kaio’s hand came to rest of the small of my back.

 Before I could question it I was being pushed forward and flailing wildly, my heart in my throat as I went crashing into the poisonous water.

I screamed when I erupted from below the surface, wading quickly to the banking and pulling myself out of the water. When I was on dry land again I was still panicking, flashing the water from my skin as if that would help.

“Kaio help me!” I gasped, squeezing the water from my hair but Kaio only stood there smiling down at me with an amused gleam in his eyes. It took me a minute but I finally understood the look for what it was and I stopped my thrashing around to glare ta him.

He’d been playing me the whole time, the pond wasn’t even really poisonous.

“You fucking asshole!”

He only smiled. “Okay, now I forgive you for murdering me.”

…………………………………………

Rien’s POV

“I take it you had an enjoyable day?”

Tony shrugged. “It was fine.”

It had been more than just fine . He had actually come back to the house smiling; something I had not seen since I rescued him from the battlefield and I was glad that I had had the foresight to bring Kaio and his mate back here.

“What did you do?”

“I went swimming.” He grumbled and my brows furrowed.

“We have not the facilities to allow you to swim.”

He shrugged but refused to elaborate and I decided that it was best not to push it.

I watched as he pulled off his shirt and pulled on another. Then he bent to undo his shoes.

“Would you like to go for a walk?” I asked but when he shook his head my heart fell.

“I’m tired.”

“I see. Very well Tony, sleep well.” I turned to go and when I reached the door he spoke again and I froze.

“I’m gonna go through the maze in the garden tomorrow…maybe you can come with me…if you have the time.” I said the words softly and almost nonchalantly, as if he didn’t care what my answer was, but I knew better and a smile blossomed on my face.

I didn’t turn to let him see it.

“I shall make the time.” I said, then exited the room feeling as if I was floating on clouds simply because my mate had offered me a small courtesy.

As I descended the staircase only one thought ran through my mind;

I would fight for him…no matter what .

                                           AUTHOR’S NOTES

ENJOY!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 11: His sick bed.

Chapter 11

Kaio

“More blood would help.” I tried to convince him but he only shook his head, then flinched as he turned onto his side. Had it been My Lord’s blood he had consumed he would have healed long ago, but my diluted plasma was not enough to completely heal his extensive wounds and with him continuously refusing  my help, I had to sit and watch him suffer.

Every time he flinched I felt equally tormented, as if his own pain were mine and as I had been many times over, I was tempted to just force my help onto him, consequences be damned. It was only the trusting way in which he looked at me that held me in check.

“Are you hungry? I could make you something, you’ll find I’m quite handy in the kitchen…just name it and it is yours.”

“I’m fine…help me up.”

I crossed the room to where he lay and helped him into a sitting position.

“Thank you… I think maybe I just need some air.” He panted, clearly tired from the small exertion.

“Air will not ease your pain.”

“Neither will being cooped up inside.”

I shook my head. “It is safer inside…my coven…it’s not a good place for a human, I told you.”

“Tony’s human.”

“Of course but Tony is my lord’s mate, no one would dare lay a hand on him…you on the other hand are simply the mate of but a lowly drudge…no one but me cares for your safety.”

“I can take care of myself.” He said firmly, his eyes steadily holding mine.

I smiled. My brave warrior.

“You and I both know that to be a lie Malik you can barely take a step without falling over.” His eyes drifted closed then and his brows furrowed as if he had a headache, but he didn’t argue and I suppose I should be glad of that, because something told me that when he was fully healed his days of heeding my words would be over.

I walked over to the floor to ceiling windows and glanced out over into the courtyard. “I think I may have underestimated Tony. It so happens he may not be as bad as I once believed.” I offered in the way of conversation and he cracked an eye open to peer at me in askance.

“He’s an angry guy, I never thought he was bad.”

“Yes well, you weren’t the one he murdered.”

He smiled then, one side of his mouth turning up in that signature smile I loved.

“You goaded him, what did you expect?”

I shifted to face him completely. “You’re defending his crime?”

He chuckled, then clutched weakly at his chest. “What changed your mind about him?”

“You don’t spend the day with someone without learning a bit more about them. Let’s just say I gathered a lot yesterday and now it seems we are friends…I’ve never had a friend before, I quite like the feeling.”

“That’s good then, maybe you can convince him I’m not the bad guy he thinks I am too.”

I shook my head. “It would take a lot more than my word to convince him of that. He is of the belief that you are hiding something-which of course you are and he also thinks you mean to do us all harm.”

I glanced his way. He had his bruised lower lip trapped between his teeth as he contemplated something.

“What did you tell him?”

“Nothing…what you told me will remain between us, you have my word.”

He nodded then turned his big browns onto me and I couldn’t quell my smile, especially once he offered me a small one in return.

The few days we had spent together had taught me more than I thought possible. We had exchanged stories of the past and wishes for the future. He had come to trust me with his inner most secrets and I still could only wonder what it was that he saw in me that made him come to care for me so quickly.

It wasn’t until I met him that I fully understood what my Lord felt for Tony. It was as if my heart beat with his, as if every breath he took was my own. His entire being had consumed my senses since the moment I had laid eyes on him and found that he was my mate and with each passing day the feeling only grew.

I loved this man laying before me and though we had not known each other for very long I ached for the day he would feel the same.

“Come here.” He called softly and of course I went to him, kneeling at his bed side, ready and willing to aid him in any way he needed.

“It’s nice to actually have somebody care about what happens to me.” he whispered, reaching up weakly to run his fingers through my hair. “I feel like I’ve known you forever.” He continued and I felt the beat of my heart double in velocity.

“I agree. I had never thought I would find a mate until I saw you lying there beaten and broken.”

His fingers continued to trail through my locks then all too soon his hand dropped to his side and I guessed he was just too weak to hold it up himself.

“I really do think that my blood would-”

“Kiss me.” the request was softly spoken but firm enough that I broke off midsentence and just looked at him.

He had made a similar request two days prior and I had done as he asked and was pleasantly surprised by the feelings it aroused within my body. It had been the first time I’d been allowed to touch my lips to that of another and I had not known it could feel so good until I had felt his against mine.

His eyes darkened as I knelt there watching him and then his lips drifted slightly apart. I felt the stirring in my loins before I could offer much of a response and like the first time, I also felt a strange shyness come over me at his request.

He was clearly a master of such things, expertly teaching me the best ways to make the experience worthwhile, but while I remembered his every instruction, I still felt inadequate in the face of his expertise.

“You are weak…and tired, I think it would be best for you to rest up a bit…or at the very least have something to eat. You have yet to take a bite of anything since you woke.”

“Kiss me.” he said again, eyes twinkling with that perfect smile in place and so I did.

…………………………………………

I’d managed to get him to eat and after about an hour of fighting it, he finally fell into a fitful slumber. It was obvious that he didn’t like being so helpless, yet he was still too stubborn to take any more of my blood. I frowned as I walked along the south corridor of my Lord’s abode. So lost was I in thought, that I almost ploughed into my Master who had come to block my path and I bowed low, voicing my apologies.

As expected master Riener waved them away and instead, regarded me seriously.

“I’m surprised to see you moving about up here Kaio, I had thought you would want to be by your mate’s side.”

“Of course my Lord. I only came to seek you out, in case you have need of my assistance, I have shirked my duties for far too long.”

He waved a hand again. “While I am here, I have no need of your assistance, father has provided me with more servants than I could ever truly need. You are free to turn all your attention onto your mate.” he offered kindly and I bowed once more, grateful for his consideration.

“Thank you my Lord…I had also hoped to have a word to your Tony. I wondered if he might have need of some company.”

“He is in his bedchamber getting ready for our walk, I plan to take him to the maze, you’ll be free to speak with him later today, after which I’ll also need a word with you. There are some issues that have come up that I wish to discuss with you.”

He turned from me before I could reply and I watched his gaze seek out and find the figure in the courtyard below.

Thames. The vermin who had betrayed my Lord. Had I been prone to such things, I would have scoffed at his very presence there, but as it were I stood and watched as the traitor crossed the yard and approached the door.

There was an infinitesimal tightening of Lord Riener’s mouth before he turned from my presence and made his way along the corridor and down the stairs; quite possibly to receive his long time friend, now turned traitor. I turned away, making my own way back to my mate’s room where he still lay resting, looking pale and bruised against the stark white sheets.

“You don’t need to babysit me Kaio, I’m comfortable alone.” He explained to me hours later and I was quick to assure him.

“I’m not, I simply enjoy your company.”

He was silent for a minute before branching off into another topic of conversation.

“Everything’s good with him and Tony now?” he questioned then broke off in a fit of coughs that had me moving quickly to his bedside to place a hand upon his forehead, testing his temperature.

He reached up and brushed my hand away.

“You have a slight fever.” I announced and when he only stared blankly up at me I sighed and answered his question.

“It seems they are further apart than before. My Lord has been ordered to take a mate of his father’s choosing and Tony doesn’t seem to care. I had thought that maybe Master Rien could fix it but I may have been wrong. Tony is not an easy man to persuade after all.”

“You still haven’t told me why they’re at odds with each other.”

“Nor will I do so. If you wish to know it is best to ask Tony or my master, I prefer not to discuss their personal matters.” I told him firmly and he took it in stride.

“Tell me something about you that I don’t know.” He changed the subject yet again and this time I pulled up a chair and lowered myself into it, crossing my legs before me.

He reached out slowly until his hand came to rest upon my knee where he made small imaginary circles as he awaited my response.

I cleared my throat. “Very well… I don’t like to read. I never have and after all this time I doubt I ever will.”

He paused in his drawing and looked at me strangely, then I watched as his gaze travelled around the room before they settled on me again and then he began to laugh, a breathy sound that must have been painful but contagious enough that I joined him because every corner of my room was lined with books of every kind.

After all I said I didn’t like to read I never said I didn’t like to collect the things.

                                             AUTHOR’S NOTES

IF ANYONE MENTIONS HOW SHORT THIS CHAPTER IS I WILL TEAR MY HAIR OUT BECAUSE I KNOW..I KNOW..I KNOW AND I’M JUST TOO TIRED TO TYPE MORE SO…THERE YOU HAVE IT.

…..PAY NO MIND TO MY RANTING..IT’S THE EXHAUSTION TALKING…I STILL LOVE YOUR SEXY FACES <3

THANKS FOR READING YOU SEXY BEASTS..DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW MY BUTT ON TUMBLR AND TWITTER AND SUCH..LINKS ON MY WATTPAD PROFILE AND…WELL….ENJOY!

-DoUbLe.A

unedited.

Chapter 12: Plans and Schemes

Chapter 12

His desperation to get back into my good graces was obvious but his betrayal, however unintentional, was still thick in the air and seeing him so soon after his dismissal had my anger bubbling to the surface.

As I descended the stairs I watched as the drudges allowed him entry into my dwelling place and when they left the room he stood in its centre gazing up at me, hands fidgeting before him as he awaited my descent.

“I take it you have forgotten my recent warning.” I said when I came to stand only a few feet away from him.

He took a breath, then another, before speaking. “I apologize Riener and I understand you have no interest in seeing me, but I have news that I believe would suit you to be made aware of.”

“Is that so?” I glanced around the room and in a few short strides I was seated quite comfortably on one of the many love seats that the place contained.

He did not follow.

“Yes, it regards your father, I have heard that he means to lead a team into the far lands. He wants to raid their coven and take their acreage by force.”

“I am aware of my father’s plans, it seems you have wasted both our time coming here to speak your leader’s business.”

He seemed crest fallen and for an instant I felt a strange guilt burn through my chest, but it was gone just as suddenly as it had come.

“You are aware of what he means to do and you do not wish to retaliate?”

My eyes narrowed.

“You wish me to lead a rebellion against my father?”

“Of course not I merely-“

“You wish me to throw our coven into war and chaos Thames?”

“No my Lord…Riener, I am simply concerned for the well-being of our flock…should there be response from the far covens, we stand to suffer. We are not large enough, neither are we well equipped to take on even a few angry covens. Your father needs to be stopped!”

“It is that tongue of yours that will lead to your demise. You use it without thought and the implications are always great. Have you relayed this to another?”

He swallowed, then shook his head.

I nodded. “Very well…I would advise that you keep it that way.” Then I indicated the door. Leave me.”

“Riener, you do not seem to understand the urgency that is warranted here. Your father means to set out in but a few hours to wreak havoc on our brother coven, why does it not t-“

I sat up straighter. “Hours? He intends to go tonight?”

A quick nod.

This was exactly what I had feared, though I hadn’t expected my father to move so quickly, especially given his commitment to my mating ceremony. I pushed up from the love seat.

“You may leave.” I instructed before turning on my heels, taking the stairs two at a time.

When I arrived at the door of Tony’s bedchamber I knocked softly before entering, catching him in the act of pulling on his shoes. He glanced up at me in briefly before turning back to his task with obvious disinterest.

“Ready?” he asked, trying the final knot and straightening so I could see his face.

I already regretted the thought of disappointing him especially at such a crucial point in time.

“Unfortunately I won’t be able to join you in the gardens today. My father is…I have matters that need my attention.”

He was shaking his head before I finished the sentence, then waved his hand as if to command my leave.

“I have no choice in the matter, the-“

He cut me short, “Who’s stopping you? If it’s important then you should go.” He said then dismissed me with another wave of his hand.

Surprisingly he didn’t seem particularly upset, he didn’t seem affected in the least really and I watched, disappointed as he dropped himself onto the bed cushion, his back flat on the soft surface and his eyes drifting close.

“Another time then?” I offered.

“Mhmm.”

I wanted to say more, possibly relay to him the importance of my mission, maybe even further apology and it was those thoughts that reminded me how much I had changed since meeting him all those years ago. I had once been as cold as my brothers, uncaring of the human disposition, thinking them all weak little things that existed for my own pleasure.

If I had known back then that I would one day fall helpless at the feet of this man I would still not have believed it.

“The drudges are at your disposal, feel free to tour the surroundings no one will dare lay a hand on you.”  I explained but still he offered nothing in the way of a polite response so I took my leave, calling for Kaio who appeared by my side in an instant. Together, with obvious urgency we departed for my father’s court. It was only my hope that I could stop him from making one would prove to be a grave mistake.

………………………………….

~Tony’s POV

~ Five and a half Years earlier ~

Lower and lower he trailed, his lips moving slowly over my heated flesh. When I felt his teeth scrape against my skin I tensed, waiting for what I knew he would never give me.

“You know it’s yours if you want it.” I gasped out when felt another scrape…lower this time before he let up completely and moved to lay beside me, his bare chest to the ceiling.

“I do not need your blood Tony.” And just like that the spell was broken, I shifted onto my side, my upper body supported by my propped elbow and opened my mouth to offer the usual retort.

“I won’t fight with you tonight.” He said with finality and I sighed, dropping down onto the bed once again in silence. I wasn’t much in the mood to fight either.

I allowed the silence to settle while I lay staring at him, staring at the ceiling, then I pushed up and swung my feet over the edge of the bed.

He glanced my way.

“Are you leaving?”

I bent to pull on my worn boots. “Got some errands to run, I’ll be back in a few hours.”

He sat up then, eyes narrowed.

“And by errands you mean you’ll be looking for trouble.”

I shrugged. He called it trouble I called it business.

“This is not wise Tony.”

Another shrug, “You coming?”

I knew the answer without having to ask and as expected it came without fail. “You know I am.”

I grinned. Sometimes I wondered if it was wrong of me to expect so much of him. I’d come to rely on his presence so much that I couldn’t even remember what it was like not having him there, but that was the thing about RiRi…he was dependable, the only constant in my life. The only person who would never let me down…

………………………………………..

Present Day

My eyes snapped open and I shook my head to clear it of the unwanted memory. Thinking about the past only made the present harder to bear. I rolled across the bed and hopped to my feet. Sitting here rehashing old memories would get me nowhere. In passing I glanced out the window in time to see Rien and Kaio quickly crossing the yard and I briefly wondered what all the haste was for.

It hadn’t surprised me when Rien had put off our walk through the maze, I’d come to expect no less from him after all, but the worry was new. He was usually so calm, collected…a few moments ago he had seemed…on edge. It was strange.

“My Lord has summoned me to do your bidding sir, how may I honor my duty to you?” a drudge issued from the doorway and I looked toward him. He didn’t meet my eyes.

“I’m fine, go…take the day off or something.” I waved him off and after only a brief look of surprise and a moment’s hesitation, he bowed low and a second later he was gone.

It didn’t take me much longer after he had left to decide on my main course of action, so with another glance out the window and a quick stop at the drawer beside my bed. I was off. I tucked the pocket knife into the waistband of my jeans and straightened out my shirt, looking into every room as I went in search of Kaio’s little friend. It was time we had a chat.

…………………………………….

Kaio’s POV

My Lord was agitated, something I rarely saw and in turn it left me worried as I wondered what could have upset him so. At first I had thought it was Tony, but I ruled that out the closer we got the court.

Lord Rien was walking with purpose, eyes fixed on the edifice, determination flashing in his eyes as he went. With the mood he was in I did not dear to question him and so we went in silence, only the sound of our feet could be heard tapping loudly against the stone path.

Travelling with Lord Rien to the court never failed to heighten my stress levels and this time was no different. It was the way they looked at me that did it; His brothers, his father, as if I did not belong in the same space with them, as if my very presence in their meetings was an insult to them all and I knew it was only my Lord’s insistence that I be there that kept them from possibly ripping me apart.

They were a feral bunch; my lord’s family. Even more so than the many other blood drinkers I had known throughout my lifespan. The moment we were safely out of the coven could not come quick enough, I always looked forward to leaving, though this time it seemed we were to leave with my Lord’s mate and I found myself wondering how much our lives would change with the new addition. I wondered if his mate would look at me the way My Lord’s father looked at me; a fly to be swatted, a mat to be stepped on.

I shook my head. It was not an easy life; the life of a drudge.

“Quickly Kaio.”

I glanced up at his voice, surprised to see how far I had fallen back and I lengthened my stride to catch up with him. When we pushed through the outer door of the court I took a breath, letting it out slowly and lowering my head as we walked, careful not the meet the eyes of any vengeful master class vamp.

“Clear the way, I need to speak with my father.” Lord Rien ordered a guard who blocked the door to our leader’s chamber. He was quick to step aside and we entered without any fanfare.

In the large room which I had only managed to see a handful of times, stood the coven leader, his sons and a small group of blood drinkers I had only seen walking about the coven. They all looked up when I entered and most of them frowned when they saw me.

“Why do you always insist on taking your help to our meetings?” Lord Kandane was the first to speak and I kept my eyes respectfully lowered.

“Why do you always insist on having something to say whenever I enter a room?” my master shot back and his brother scoffed.

“This is precisely the reason you were not invited here today, your abhorrent disregard for the rules-”

“Save the speech brother, I am entitled to be here just as you are.”

“Boys, this bantering will get you nowhere.” Our leader finally spoke. “I am heartened you have joined us my son.” His gaze warmed as it usually did in the presence on Lord Rien and my master offered him a short nod.

“I am being told it is your intention to invade our brother coven. Does this prove to be true?”

To say I was shocked was much of an understatement but I held my reaction well.

Our leader on the other hand; smiled, his gaze filled with wisdom and cunning. “It is and I would love for you to join us. To fight alongside my sons. It would bring me pleasure.”

“Am I to assume I cannot change your mind as it regards your plans?”

The leader’s smile faltered. “Are you here to make trouble Rien? Because if it is so, I will not stand for it.”

I cringed at his harsh tone.

My Lord moved deeper into the room and I followed slowly behind him. “You tend to learn quite a bit when you have lived amongst humans for as long as I have and there is a saying they tend to repeat; If you can’t beat em, join em .” My master said and my brows furrowed in confusion. “I am here to join you father.”

This time I could not conceal my shock and my head snapped up to look at him. He would raid an innocent coven willingly? It had to be a ploy.

The moment was punctuated by a strange silence then all too quickly our leader spoke. “There is hope for you yet my son.”

I do not think I had ever seen our leader smile quite so much in all the time I had known him.

…………………………………

Two hours later, after all the plans had been discussed and set in motion we were once again crossing the courtyard. The shock roiling through me had long ago died as I had come to the conclusion that this had to be a ploy. My Lord would never be party to such a crime. It was simply impossible.

“I can practically hear the wheels turning in his head Kaio. What are your thoughts?”

I cleared my throat “I have surmised that is could not have been more than trickery on your part my Lord. I find it hard to believe that you would willingly join your father on such a…troublesome expedition.”

My Lord smiled “You know me too well Kaio. I mean to put an end to this madness. There was nothing I could have done to alter his decision in that moment, I could see his determination the moment I entered the chamber.” He spoke.

“May I ask how you plan to thwart his efforts my Lord?”

We took a turn along a cobblestone path, down a shaky stair way and through a thriving garden.

“I shall travel with them tonight, I can only hope to form a plan before they massacre our far land brothers.” He explained and I nodded, silently wishing him well on what would only prove to be a dangerous undertaking.

“Nathaniel is on my side and so it Thames it seems. Perhaps we can put our heads together and find a solution.”

“Thames my Lord?”

“In times such as this, petty quarrels need to be set aside for the greater good.” he explained simply.

“Betrayal is hardly a petty quarrel my Lord.” I interjected and he nodded but offered nothing more in the way of conversation.

When we approached Lord Nathaniel’s dwelling place we were invited in without pause.

“They intend to carry out a raid tonight.” Lord Rien began as soon as we were led into the study.

“So soon? I had hoped we would have had time to plan.”

Lord Rien lowered himself into the offered seat and I stood beside him.

“Yes well I told him I would join, we leave at sunset.”

“Very well I’m at your disposal. What do you propose we do?”

And so it began… additional plans were put in place, ideas quashed and new ones formed. It was hours before either of them took a break and even then we were still at a loss as to how it would be dealt with. This did not bode well for our coven.

………………………………….

Tony’s POV

I pushed open the last door at the end of the hall and finally there he was, looking weak and breakable in the center of the large bed and I stepped into the room, pulling my weapon from my waist.

He glanced my way in surprise but an instant later a small smiled spread across his face.

“I wondered when you’d show up.” Malik said and I took another step into the room.

                                         AUTHOR’S NOTES

SORRY I TOOK SO LONG TO UPDATE GUYS I’VE BEEN BUSY WITH EXAMS. STARTING NEXT WEEK , A VAMIPRE’S MARINE WILL BE UPDATED EVERY WEDNESDAY !

ENJOY.  Also check out my new book called skittles out on my profile

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 13: Sleep deprived

Chapter 13

Tony’s POV

“You won’t have to defend yourself, I can hardly even step out of this bed without help.” He said gesturing to his beat up body, but I gripped the knife still and my eyes narrowed as I watched him.

I didn’t trust him for a second. Using my heel I pushed the door closed, eyes still glued to him and he titled his head for second, raising an eyebrow as he watched my approach.

“Unless you didn’t take it with you to defend yourself. Let me guess, you came here thinking you would kill me.”

“I’m done thinking.” I said simply but the bastard didn’t even have the decency to look frightened he just lay there confident and smiling and it pissed me off to no end.

“You forget…I’m kaio’s mate. Hurting me will only hurt him.”

“What makes you think I give a fuck about Kaio? I killed him once without batting an eye, hurting his feelings is hardly anything to cry over.”

His smile grew. “Yes but that was before you considered him a friend.” He continued, then looked around the room, “And by the looks of it, he’s the only friend you have.”

I snorted. “Let’s cut the chit chat and get down to business.”

He gestured to the chair by his bed with a weak wave of his hand. “Then by all means.”

I chose to stand.

“Who are you?” and then because it was bothering me; “and what the fuck happened to your accent?” I continued. The first day I’d ‘met’ him his accent had been strong; a mixture of Russian, or was it German and French, now he sounded one hundred percent American and that more than anything heightened my suspicion.

He shrugged. “I’m good with accents and I told you, my name is Malik Laironov.”

“You say that like it’s supposed to mean something to me.”

A strange look glinted in his eyes but it was gone before I could decipher it. “It should actually, but we both know it doesn’t.”

 “Why are you here?”

Another raised brow. “Kaio rescued me, didn’t he tell you?” he tried to play coy, the little bastard and I cursed, taking another step closer to him.

“How about you stop with the games and tell me what you want? Who are you, why are you here and what do you want with Kaio?”

He sighed, an exasperated sound. Or was he just tired, I couldn’t tell. “I am Malik Laironov, here because your little vampire friend rescued me, but trust me Tony, what I want has nothing to do with Kaio and everything to do with you.” He said, shooting me a pointed look and I watched him in confusion.

“Me?”

“Yes. It’s always been about you, the reason I was on the frontline… I’m sure you’ve realized by now that I’m not actually a soldier.” He said “Obviously I didn’t expect to get hurt but…it was pure dumb luck why kaio found me. Now I’m exactly where I want to be…maybe it’s fate.” He reached across the bed and picked up the half empty glass of water, bringing it briefly to his lips before depositing it back onto the table.

“This doesn’t make any sense, what could you want with me?”

His amused expression died then to be replaced by something calm, gentle before a small smile spread across his face.

“Everything.”

I gritted my teeth, tired of the games and his annoying confidence. He hadn’t answered one question I’d thrown at him. The only thing he’d succeeded in doing here was making me even more distrustful and if I couldn’t trust him I didn’t want him around Rien or Kaio. Something wasn’t right here.

“You think I can’t hurt you? You think I won’t just skin you right here?”

“I know you won’t, the same way I know you’re worried I’ll hurt your friends…but I’m no threat to them, I’m no threat to any of you, you have my word.” He said simply but I questioned the sincerity in his voice.

“Your word doesn’t mean shit to me.”

He cocked his head to the side. “You’re so full of anger, it’s… kind of sad really.” His tone softened and then something occurred to me;

“Are you human?”

He laughed, a weak breathy sound that sent chills down my spine. “Of course I’m human, look at me.” he gestured to his body again then sighed, blinking his eyes rapidly as if to clear them.

“I’m more tired than I thought.” He mumbled, then, “Either kill me or get out I need my rest.” His suddenly harsh tone surprised me and I looked down at the weapon I held so tightly in my hand then aback at him. His eyes had already drifted close.

I could do it. A single plunge into the heart and it would be over. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about his intentions or whatever threat he posed to all of us. I took a step forward, my eyes locked onto his face which had already softened with sleep, then I gritted my teeth, cursed under my breath and turned away. Keeping him alive until I figured out what he wanted was probably best. I told myself, then turned on my heel but his voice stopped me just as I pulled the door open an di froze.

“Find a computer, research the name Laironov, then when you’ve figured out why I’m here, come visit me again and we’ll talk.” He said simply.

I looked over my shoulder at him. “There are no computers here.”

“Pity.” He said, then closed his eyes again and with a frown I left the room, slamming the door behind me as I went.

…………………………………………………

Malik Laironov . Weren’t vampires supposed to be able to sense deceit? I thought as I walked along the corridor, too wired to go back to my room just yet. They’d just welcomed the bastard into their lives without a second thought, with not a bloody care in the world as to what he might do or as to what he was. The fools.

The cocky son of a bitch was going to be trouble, I could feel it and that bullshit speech about whatever the hell he wanted with me was just the beginning. I ran a hand over my face, using the other the tuck the knife back into my waist band and as I passed each window lining the corridor, I looked out into the courtyard, taking in the trees further out.

‘ You’re so full of anger…it’s kind of sad really ’ Malik’s voice mocked me as I went. I had every right to be angry and who was he to judge? He didn’t know a damn thing about me.

“Asshole.”

I took a breath, then another, trying to cool my temper and pretty soon I didn’t feel the intense need to go back and rough him up until he told me what he knew. His name didn’t even sound vaguely familiar to me. I couldn’t imagine what he expected me to find if I got the chance to research it; nothing of consequence I was sure. I nodded at a drudge who passed by me along the way, then turned the corner.

It was only when I looked away from another window and turned my attention to the path ahead that I even realized I’d missed my turn earlier. I glanced around then up at the set of wide double doors standing a few feet ahead. I turned around, fully prepared to go back the way I’d come but something stopped me. Curiosity probably and I turned toward the door once again.

Three steps brought me directly in front of it and I ran a hand over the curved brass handles. They were cold to the touch. I looked around again, careful to make sure I wasn’t being watched, then I pulled down the handles and shoved the massive doors open. The moment I stepped in I pushed them close behind me, then looked around and it didn’t take me long to realize just where I’d broken into; Rien’s room.

I glanced around the large space, given the size of my own room I was surprised there was actually something bigger. I took a few steps further into the space, taking in the robes which were strewn about; some hanging off the backs of chairs or lying on the floor. I spotted boots sticking out from under the bed and other little things sitting haphazard around the place.

Well someone was a slob . I thought as I kicked a boot out of my way. I could smell him in here; that scent I used to crave back then; it was everywhere, all around me and it was intoxicating. I took a deep breath, then another step, running my hands over the fabric of one of the robes draped over the chair.

This room was different from the rest of his house. It felt…lived in, personal. I stuffed my hands into my pockets and looked around. Nothing hung on the walls but they weren’t bare. Instead there were designs…murals painted on the surface of each wall. Each design different but somehow similar and I knew instinctively that Rien had painted them. This wasn’t just a room…it was his sanctuary.

On the wall directly across from me he’d painted an entire forest, using various shades of greens and yellow bringing life to the otherwise colorless room and I wondered if he hadn’t gotten enough of the trees outside why he’d felt the need to hide them in his bedroom. The other walls held similar things, mostly of nature; life I guess was what he was trying to portray. I shook my head. Typical Rien, everything around him had to have some greater meaning, even his fucking room.

I could feel my anger rising again and for the life of me I couldn’t even understand why. I took a calming breath. On his bed lay what I assumed was a well-worn sketch pad, the cover was so washed out I couldn’t make out the words that were once there and the spine looked as if it had been taped and re-taped a hundred times, the thing was practically falling apart.

I reached across and picked it up. It felt heavy despite how frail it looked and I lifted the front cover, fully prepared to take a peek inside but I paused, shook my head and dropped it onto the blankets. I already knew what would be on the pages. His stupid trees yes, but more than that, I knew I’d see sketches of myself, some from the past, maybe a few recent and I didn’t want to deal with that. I didn’t need another thing about Rien tormenting me late at night when I craved sleep.

I was getting sentimental. Being in his room, surrounded by his things and his smell was bringing back those pain-in-the-ass feelings I’d tried to bury back in the army.

 I needed to go and so swinging around, I’d planned to do just that when my gaze landed on the necklace glinting on the small table by his bed. My heart began to pound in my chest as I took one step, then another, making my way slowly and hesitantly to the table and there it was. The leather cord was broken; snapped really, but there was still no mistaking it.

 I picked up the thing, holding the two pieces of cord in my hand as I looked at the pendant dangling in the middle. The stone was plain and translucent and like the door knob, it was cool to the touch.

He still had it. Guess I shouldn’t have expected any less, Rien was a hoarder, but even that thought didn’t slow my heartbeat or make the pain I felt there any less. I sat down on his bed, looking at the ruined necklace in my hand and I could remember it as clear as day. I could remember when I’d given it to him…

…………………………………..

 

Six years ago.

I clutched the crumpled bills in my hand, holding them tight against the wind so they wouldn’t blow away as I gazed through the window of the store. There it was; genuine leather cords held together by silver plated clasps with a single pendant dangling from the end of it.

I couldn’t tell what kind of stone it was, it was a translucent looking thing, but I could tell it was hard and solid, durable even, kind of like Rien. Three weeks ago I’d seen it, just sitting there in the shop window amongst all the other expensive looking stuff in the place and ever since then I couldn’t get my mind off it.

I’d never given Rien anything before and I felt like he would like it for some reason and that had decided that. For three whole weeks I’d walked by here, peering into the window to make sure it was still there and for three weeks I’d saved for it. At first I’d thought of stealing it, like I did practically everything else but it felt wrong somehow, like if I was giving it to Rien I had to get it the right way and damn if that hadn’t been hard.

Mowing lawns for miserable old people, recycling plastic bottles, taking out the trash at home all that domestic shit other people couldn’t be bothered to do, I’d done it. Eighty-two bucks; the exact price for the necklace and I had it all in my hand. I didn’t think I’d held so much cash all at one time before in my life and for a minute I felt as if I was on top of the world.

I grinned at my refection in the glass then smoothed out my shirt, making sure it wasn’t too wrinkled. People didn’t like you coming into their stores looking like you didn’t belong, then with one last look, deciding I was as put together as I would ever be, I made my way to the store entrance, one foot poised to enter, when I was shoved back from the door. I tripped and steadied myself before I fell, then looked up, meeting the eyes of the pissed off security guard.

“Get outta here, you think I don’t know what you’re here for? You kids always think you can come up here and steal people’s hard earned cash but not around these parts you hear? go on now.” He waved me away and I straightened, glaring over at him.

“I’m not here to steal asshole, I’m a paying customer, just like everyone else.” I said making sure he caught a glimpse of the cash, but the guard’s eyes only narrowed.

“I said get going kid, don’t make me teach you a lesson.” He continued and my anger only grew. I shoved past him anyway, sick of his high society attitude and made to enter the store again, but this time he latched onto my arm and pulled me away from the place, dragging me along and away from prying eyes as I fought to get free.

“Get off me!” I cursed but he only stopped when we were safely hidden from view in the alley not far away, then he held up his useless baton, and twisted my arm until I cried out. The cash went flying, but not before he snatched it up in his fat meaty palms and held it up for me to see.

I didn’t move as my arm stayed trapped where he held it. “That’s mine!”

“Yeah right, all you little devils are the same, probably stole it from some innocent, law abiding folks.” He said then dropped my arm and I held it, aching against my chest.

“I worked for that cash, there’s no way in hell I’m letting you take it.” I gritted out then struck out to get it, but the big guy shoved me again and this time I landed on my side, skinning my elbow on the rough asphalt.

“Get going, next time I see you round here, it’s the cops I’m callin, you got that?” he threatened and just like that he turned and left me there and I let him.

It was hours before I calmed down to a point where I could even think, but I was still so mad I could have sworn I saw red. A thousand times I’d thought of just running up to the bastard and flooring him, but you had to be smart about that kind of thing. I’d even thought of going to the police myself but in the end it would be his word against mine and no right thinking member of this shitty society would believe me for a second.

So four hours and sixteen minutes later, after my head was clear enough to think straight I’d  come up with a plan. It was simple really; didn’t take much brains to do it and so under the cover of night, when all the stores on that block were closed and the security guard had gone to the side of the building to take a smoke I’d set off. I had the hood of my sweater drawn up to cover my face and the brick clutched in my hand.

The moment it went through the glass window the alarm went off and the entire block was just a blaring mess. I had to be quick about it and so without much thought, I ducked through the smashed up window, making sure to keep my head down and grabbed the necklace from the pillow before tucking it away deep into my jeans pocket.

I was back out onto the street in no time and had managed to take exactly three steps before being tackled to the ground. I felt a blazing pain erupt through my side and another in my arm and I managed to throw up my hands to cover my face. Again and again I was hit, then I felt the sickening snap of my pinky and I cried out.

I couldn’t tell how long it went on for, I could only remember the pain in that moment. Pain like you wouldn’t believe then…nothing. It took a moment for me to realize I wasn’t being hit anymore and another to push myself up just enough to see the guard lying not too far away from me, his head lying in a pool of his own blood and his eyes staring sightlessly.

“Holy shit.” I gasped out, my ribs aching and practically every other part of my body throbbing, then I was being hoisted up from the ground by strong hands.

“Come one let’s go!” the familiar voice shouted and I turned, following my rescuer down the street, through the alleyway and down an unlit road. I ran until I was wheezing then we ran some more until we both had to stop for air.

That was when I caught that first glimpse of my savior. “Carl.” I panted and he looked up at me with a grin.

“Jesus Tony, a minute more and you’d have been road kill huh?” he said with a grin and I lowered myself onto the ground, trying to catch my breath.

“You alright there buddy?”

“Yeah, fine.” I managed, hands shaking. Everything hurt, then. “You killed him.” I accused.

Carl nodded. “It was you or him dude.”

I looked away from him, then ran a shaky hand over my face hissing when I accidentally smacked my pinky. Yup definitely broken.

“I don’t see you around here much anymore, where you been Tony?” he questioned ad I shook my head.

“Trynna stay outta trouble I guess.”

He chuckled. “Yeah I can see that.” Then he went silent and I looked at him. He sat there, beside me, a ‘comforting’ hand on my shoulder and when his lips touched my neck I pushed up and away from him.

I couldn’t. Before I’d met Rien? sure I’d do it no problem, but I was done sleeping around.

“Hey what’s the problem T?”

I shook my head, “Nothing I gotta go.” Then I was walking away from him surprised he hadn’t issued a word of protest yet. I glanced back to see him watching me, or rather watching something in front of me and I turned around and smacked right into… Rien.

I clutched my chest in shock, my heart pounding, before I relaxed and glared at him.

“For Fuck’s sake Rien, why do you always do that?” I bitched but he ignored me, his eyes planted on Carl who had finally stood up and was watching us, a strange expression crossing his face.

“Can we go home now?” I asked leaning into my RiRi and letting him shoulder most of my weight. I didn’t look back at Carl as we walked away. It was the last time I saw him and I had a strange feeling that had something to do with Rien, but I never asked.

 He took me to his house then and made me sit on his bed while he dressed my cuts and scrapes. When he snapped my broken pinky into shape, I wasn’t sure if it was the pain, or the stress of the night that made me do it, but I cried and cried some more like a snot nosed brat and he held me against him, my head cushioned against his chest as I let it all out, because sometimes I just couldn’t be as strong as I wanted him to think I was, and I think he knew that.

Later that night, possibly even early morning we lay in his bed and I watched the wood crackle in his fire place. “Every time I see you you have some new injury. I can hardly keep up.” He said softly, his deep voice flowing over me and around the room.

It was then that I even remembered why I’d gotten the scrapes in the first place and I sat up reaching into my pocket with my good hand to pull out the necklace which I held out to him. He took it, his expression one of confusion as he looked at it and I shook my head.

“It’s a necklace.”

“I know what it is, I suppose I just don’t understand why you’ve given it to me.” he said simply, looking from me to the necklace and back as if no one had ever given him a thing in his life.

“I want you to have it.”

His eyes narrowed. “How did you come by it?”

“I bought it.” I said quickly and he raised a brow.

“You have no money.” He said and I relented.

“Okay I stole it, who cares, just put it on.” And after a brief pause he did. It looked good on him, just as I’d expected and I looked at the stone nestled in the hollow of his throat. He brought a hand up to touch it.

“Is there meaning behind it?” he asked and for a second I just looked at him, then shrugged.

“Nah, I just thought it looked cool.”

He nodded. “Thank you.”

………………………………….

 

Present day

Something cool was moving along my cheek and I wrinkled my nose trying to dislodge it. There it was again and this time I moved a hand to brush it away and something latched onto it. I woke up then, opening my eyes slightly to see a shape hovering over me.

“RiRi.” I breathed and he smiled.

“I’m here my love.” He said softly and for a second I stared at him, my head still muddled from sleep.

It took me a second but when I realized what was happening I smacked his hand away and sat up, surprised I’d fallen asleep in the first place. It took me another second to realize I was still in his room and I moved to get off his bed but his hand against my chest stayed me.

“You don’t need to get up. You’re tired.”  I blinked, I was never at my best after just waking up and I allowed him to push me back down as I regained the rest of my senses.

He smiled. “You were always more malleable directly after sleep.” And before I knew what was happening he was lowering his head to mine, soft supple lips against my own and like a fool I allowed him to.

Later on I would blame it on my being tired, but in the moment I allowed him to kiss me and it felt just like it did back then…no better. I missed this. His hand moved to cup my cheek and my eyes drifted closed but all too soon he was pulling away and I blinked them open to watch him in confusion.

“Unfortunately I must go. I only came to change from my robes. There is an urgent matter that requires my attention and it seems I shall be gone from here for at least a day, maybe two.” He explained and I sat up again, my head finally cleared as I took in his concern.

“What’s going on?”

He gestured to my hand and I looked down at the necklace which was still trapped between my fingers. “Did you come to take it back?”

I unwound it and dropped it back onto the table beside me. “No I was just…surprised you still had it.”

His brow furrowed. “Of course I do, it was a gift.” He said simply and I nodded.

He glanced at the window then back at me “I’ll explain it all to you when I return. I apologize but I must go.” He said and after a quick touch of his lips to my forehead he was gone.

For a while I could only stare at the closed door as I wondered what the hell had just happened.

                                           AUTHOR’S NOTES

HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT!

THANKS FOR READING GUYS

FAN ART WELCOME

Don’t forget to check out my new story ‘Skittles’!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 14: We need to talk.

Chapter 14

Rien’s POV

They were like little monkeys, swinging from branch to branch as we made our way through the thick forestry. I could sense their thrill, the excitement pumping through their veins and it disappointed me that they would find delight in what we were about to do.

Over the short period I had been gone my coven had transformed from the simple warriors they had once been into a savage lot. Their willingness to destroy the lives and homes of our fellow blood drinkers was telling and I questioned my father’s ability to lead.

Far up ahead I could see my brothers walking alongside our father, listening and nodding while he spoke. They were as much to blame for this as he was, but I suppose I was too. Had I been here living amongst my people rather than squatting in the world of humans I could have prevented all this.

I clasped my hands behind me, turning my head this way and that to survey the area. If my father craved land so much he could have taken this one. It was no man’s land, ripe and ready for the taking, but of course most of the time my father’s decisions were…unreasonable at best and I wondered how one so wise could make such foolish choices.

Around me, other blood drinkers walked and I guessed that the ones jumping around in the trees had something they wished to prove.

The fools . They would likely tire themselves out before we arrived, but perhaps it would allow our brother coven some leeway to freedom. Or they could use our weakness against us to harm my men and despite my unwillingness to fight the innocent, I could not allow our own warriors to come to harm.

“Get down from the trees.” I spoke softly and as expected one by one they all jumped to the ground, proceeding to make their way like the rest of us.

On either side of me walked two warriors, who had remained with me since the beginning of the journey and who ever so often would shoot me small glances. Three times now the one to my right had opened his mouth to speak and all three times he had changed his mind. I would be lying if I said it wasn’t getting just a tad annoying.

It was the warrior on my left who finally seemed to build the courage to say what was on his mind and even then it wasn’t particular interesting.

“It is truly an honor to walk alongside you my Lord, I am Hubris and this is my brother Paltin.” He said gesturing to the warrior on my right.

Their father must have been inebriated when he named then. I offered a short nod, which seemed to please them considerably.

“I have long wished to find myself in your presence my Lord. We both have.” Hubris continued and this time I merely listened halfheartedly.

After brief hesitation he went on. “My brother and I…we have put our blood signatures to your parchment sir, we will fight in your mating ceremony.”

It was only then that I really looked at the two. Each had large frames, perfectly capable it seemed, with faces that were pleasing enough to the eye. They seemed to make good warriors but really one could never tell without some skillful demonstration.

“You would fight your brother for a place by my side?” I questioned Hubris, whose chest puffed up with pride.

“I would my Lord, it would be an honor.”

“And you do of course realize that it is a fight to the death. You would slay your own brother for me?” I asked Paltin, who stammered out a response.

“Y-yes of course sire.”

That was their first flaw. They had no loyalty to family.

Strike one .

“Tell me familiars, what do you think of this excursion my father has taken us on? Do you think it right that we should enter the lands of our innocent brethren and take by force what they have worked for?”

Paltin looked uncertainly at Hubris who in turn looked at me and after only the briefest of hesitations he responded.

“It is as our leader said my Lord, only the strongest can survive this world and it is our right to take what we can to satisfy our people.” Hubris explained.

“Yes, but I asked what it is that you think, you have merely regurgitated my father’s words.”

“Well…I think as he does my Lord.”

Another flaw, he did not think for himself.

I looked at Paltin who looked ready to throw up his dinner. “And you?”

“I-I-I…I merely think it is a necessary evil sire.”

“A necessary evil. Hmm… Explain.”

The lad was a ball of nervous energy as he walked along side me, eyes wide, heart pounding.

“It…it just is my Lord.” He answered finally and I nodded.

An idiot then.

Strike two

“Let me ask you both this then. Why me?”

“My Lord?” Hubris questioned in confusion.

“Why me? Why have you chosen to partake in my mating ceremony? To slay your own brother for me when you have never exchanged a word with me until this moment?”

“Well because you are of the master class my Lord, any familiar would give their very life for the chance to be called yours.”

I thought on that and I was unsatisfied with their response. They wanted status of course, what more was there. After all they did not know me, not at all.

“I have a final question for you both.”  I said looking at each brother in turn.

“If one of you were to be successful and come to be called my mate. To whom would you pledge your loyalty? To me? Or would you still obey my father before all others?”

It took them longer than expected to answer and even when they did they seemed terribly uncertain.

“Y-You my lord?” they both stammered out the response and I shook my head.

“Strike three.” I said softly and Hubris glanced my way.

“I beg your pardon my Lord?”

I shook my head, then waved a hand out in front of me. “Walk ahead with the others.” I commanded to which they did with only brief hesitation and without question.

Why would I want my mate to obey me? What I wanted was his love as an equal, not a slave. I needed someone who held intelligence, who would not be afraid to question my decisions, someone who could ignite that flame buried deep within me.

My gaze travelled to the brothers now walking a few steps ahead of me and I felt a pang of loss. If I were to hazard a guess, everyone competing in the ceremony were all just as ill matched for me as those two. Not one would come close to my true mate Tony. Not one would stir my passion and turn my heart as he did. Not one could truly be called mine.

These thoughts led me back to earlier today when I had found him asleep in my bed. His scent in my lonely bedchamber was a welcome change and I smiled as I imagined being greeted by his lingering smell when I returned.

At the time I hadn’t wondered why it was that he had come to be asleep there and I suppose it was just my surprise at his presence really that knocked the question from my mind but it had certainly been the most beautiful sight. My Tony, how I had become putty in his hands.

“Assemble into formation men.” Kandane commanded and I shifted my thoughts to the present.

We were quickly approaching the Far lands. I had hoped to prevent the coming destruction but with such short notice, Nathaniel and I discovered there was not much we could do after all. Warning our Far land brothers could have two possible outcomes: they could flee or they could prepare themselves for war, in which case my own coven could face injury.

That, we had agreed could not be allowed, so with only two short hours to plan we had absolutely nothing to show for it. My objective here this night was to aid as many of our Far land brethren as I could without being seen and given the size of our clan it would be a difficult feat indeed.

I moved between the men and they shifted quickly to allow me pass. When I came to match my brother Jorlon’s pace he nodded in greeting.

“Ready brother?” he asked, a strange look entering his eyes.

“Even if I’m not, it would make no difference.” I said and we fell silent.

Not far up ahead we could see the massive gates bordering the Far lands. Open wide as if in invitation which struck me as odd the moment I glimpsed them. However not a sound was uttered as we trudged along and I surveyed the area around us looking for any visible signs of danger.

When we were close enough, my clan took to the walls, hopping onto the thin bricks which would allow them a better view of the territory. I watched as one blood drinker sniffed the air from his perch before his brows furrowed in confusion.

Even from where I stood just outside the gates, the scent of the blood drinkers within the walls should be somewhat overpowering but all I could catch was a faint whiff of their scent, as if…as if there was no one there and what was left were traces of what had been.

My father called out the order and we descended, entering the territory full force, prepared to do battle, however, what greeted us was not a coven of vampires, but buildings, clearly empty of its inhabitants and I fought back a smile. Nathaniel must have found a way to warn them.

“What is this?” my father bellowed. “Search the dwelling places!” but we all knew that there was nothing to be found. I could hear no heartbeat nor smell any trace of warm blood. It had been deserted; not very long ago it would seem.

…………………………………….

It didn’t take very long before our own coven’s flags were hoisted on the property but even this did not please my father who believed success could only come if it was won through fighting. He had wanted the bloodshed, craved it even and it angered him that it was not to be.

“You should be glad of your victory father. We got precisely what we came for with not even a ruffle in our coats.” I told him and of course he scoffed.

“This is not a victory Riener, this is nothing more than a disappointment.”

He looked at me then, his eyes travelling from my face to my boots and back before his mouth tightened. “There is one thing I cannot understand and it has just now come to my attention.” He began and I raised a brow.

“And what is it you fail to understand father?”

“I was of the belief that this mission would hold no interest for you. After all you have never been concerned with much regarding this coven and now, on the very night of the raid you have joined us and on this night that you have so willingly offered your assistance our enemies have fled. Tell me, what could this mean?”

I smiled and looked around the empty courtyard. “I fail to see any underlying meaning behind the circumstances. It is just ill luck that on the night I have chosen to partake, there was nothing to partake in.”

His eyes narrowed. “You worry me Riener. Notice of this incursion was only relayed to our clansmen and your brothers. I clearly stated that it should be kept within the walls of my court, yet you came knowing full details of my plan. How did such a thing come to be?”

My smile wilted. “If you are accusing me of something father, I would rather you not tarry with it. Say your piece.”

His eyes darkened. “How did you come to know of my plans?”

“I fail to see how that matters.”

“I told him father. I thought he might like to come along so I made mention of it earlier today.”Jorlon spoke on my behalf, surprising me with his lie.

I glanced at him but he did not looked my way.

“This is the truth?” father continued his interrogation and I nodded.

“Why would he lie?”

Why indeed . After looking briefly between us, he managed to swallow the story and for the moment at least his suspicion shifted from me. Jorlon had lied for me, something he had certainly never done before, but more importantly why had he lied? I would think he would be just as curious as our father to find out if I had betrayed them.

My eyes narrowed and when they found him again he nodded infinitesimally. We would discuss it later. This was certainly proving to be an interesting night.

………………………………

To my surprise we did not tarry very long in the Far lands but I suppose father wanted to deal with the issue of the absent coven as quickly as possible. I imagined no one would rest tonight as he interrogated the clan. After marking the territory as best we could we were off again, hardly a fruitful trip I decided. A complete waste of time; time that could have been spent doing something more to my taste.

The men were in a somber mood as we made our way back and the tree hoppers from earlier no longer seemed as delighted as they had been. Then of course there were my brothers, who with the exception of Kandane seemed to be in good spirits. It was something I carefully noted for later.

I thought of Tony as I walked, glad that I would be able to make it back to him earlier than estimated. It was just after midnight but I doubted he would be asleep. Ever since I’d brought him to my home I had realized how difficult he found it to rest and I remembered reading something about the impact war could have n the human mind.

I found it unfortunate that humans had to live with such frail bodies only to have their minds equally subject to such frailty. It was one of the reasons I found it just to feed on them; after all even a slight twisting of the wind could break them, so giving up their bodies as vessels through which vampires could consume their blood meant that they were at least able to serve some purpose in their very short lives.

Or at least it was how I used to think, before I met Tony and he taught me that humans held so much more than blood within them; that they could actually be more than my prey.

 I sped through the forestry, past the trees, over the roots and around the brush far ahead of the others as I made for the coven. I did not wish to spend the journey back with them. I had much to do tonight.

………………………………………

Tony’s POV

Rien was back.

I could hear him with Kaio down the hall and I didn’t know what to do with myself. The kiss from earlier was still painfully fresh in my mind, bringing back memories of kisses from the past, kisses and feelings I didn’t want to remember. I paced the room, arms crossed over my chest and head down. Every sound I heard caused a stressful spike in my heart rate when I thought it was Rien passing by my door or stopping by to wish me good night.

This was ridiculous, a grown man and here I was acting like a fucking teenage girl. I felt hot and I tried to pull the neck line of the shirt away from my chest to allow some cool air in. It was no use. Everything was just…shit. I shouldn’t have gone into his room to begin with, should have just turned around and found something else to do with my time, then I wouldn’t be dealing with all these unwelcome feelings.

I froze when I heard a thud outside my door and held my breath, waiting to see what would happen next, but whoever it was walked by and I could breathe again.

“Get a hold of yourself.” I whispered over and over as I tried to get my breathing under control. This was just Rien, the same blood sucker who’d abandoned me for five years, the same Rien who was going to have some mate picked out for him in a few weeks, just the same old Rien who would be out of my life forever as soon as I was allowed to leave. What did it matter if he happened to drop by to say goodnight? it would be just like all the other nights. It wouldn’t matter.

I took a deep breath and resumed my pacing, so caught up in my confusing thoughts that I somehow missed the silent knock on my door as well as the creaking as it was pushed open.

“Your heart is pounding at a fairly unusual rate tonight. Are you feeling ill?” I gasped when I heard the voice close behind me and clutched at my chest in surprise.

“Jesus! Don’t fucking do that!”

“What’s wrong?” Rien asked seriously, looking at me in concern and I fought back a nervous chuckle.

“Nothing…what are you d-doing here?”

His gaze travelled over the length of me and his brows furrowed. “I came to wish you goodnight, as I always do. Why were you pacing?”

I sighed running a hand over my face in frustration. Then looked at them as they shook. “It helps me think.”

“What are you thinking about?”

“None of your damn business, are we done here?” I came off sounding like a dick. I knew it but I couldn’t help it. Everything was just so bloody frustrating and I was feeling shit I wasn’t supposed to feel and and…

“I have endured your anger, disregard and disrespect since the moment I pulled you back from war. I decided you had the right to act this way and I should give you time, but this is getting ridiculous.” Rien spoke softly, his voice cold and his eyes glinting dangerously and my instincts screamed at me to take a few steps back, but I was frozen in place by his stare.

“This ends tonight. Sit.” He commanded, shoving a chair in my direction which I caught quickly before it could topple over.

“What are you-”

“Sit.” This time his tone brooked no argument and I felt an unfamiliar frisson of fear travel up my spine.

I looked at the chair, then back at him and kept my eyes fixed on his face as I lowered myself into the seat. Then I watched as he calmly pulled up another, placing it a foot away, but directly in front of me and lowering himself into it.

“We shall sit here for however long it takes you to get it all off your chest, after which time we shall end this feud or whatever it is between us because frankly I am sick of it.”

I took in the tight set of his mouth, his cold glinting eyes and his rigid posture. He was dead serious. I gritted my teeth and looked away.

                                           

                                                             AUTHOR’ NOTES

THERE YA GO GUYS, HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE ‘CHILL’ CHAPTER.

THANKS FOR READING!

REMEMBER FAN ART IS WELCOME

CHECK OUT MY NEW STORY ‘SKITTLES ’ AS WELL AS MY STORY ’ CELL MATES .’

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-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 15: Recollections of the past.

Chapter 15

Rien’s POV

Not once did he glance my way since my declaration and I suppose I expected this reaction. Tony was stubborn, had always been and of course, war had made him even more so. For a while I only watched him, taking the opportunity to appreciate the delicate curve of his chin and the faint dusting of hair that added a touch of rugged masculinity to his features.

The fit of his shirt showed off the firm muscles he hadn’t had before I’d sent him off to the army and only supplemented his overall beauty. For he was beautiful, my Tony; inside and out despite his imperfections.

At the moment his teeth were clenched, his eyes locked firmly out the window and his hands gripped the arms of chair tightly. He was angry, which was another thing that had’nt changed; that temper of his that more often than not had gotten him into situations I would prefer to forget.

“You know very well that I have no qualms about sitting here all night.” I announced as a way to prompt him into speech, but he remained silent and I could imagine his building anger. Like a child he didn’t like being told what to do.

Another ten minutes passed and as I had a thousand times before, I memorized every inch of him; the scaring on his knuckles, the length of his lashes and the tense set of his shoulders. He sat without a cover for his feet which were planted firmly on the floor.

Another fifteen minutes and he finally glanced my way, his eyes weary but with just a touch of annoyance so I offered him a smile and his eyes narrowed.

“Why are you doing this” he gritted out and I found myself pleased with the progress.

“Because after all we have been through together I find it unfortunate that we cannot spend a moment or two in each other’s presence without you finding some way to insult me.”

“Fuck you.” was his immediate response before he turned away again and I turned my eyes to the heavens. He could try the patience of a saint.

“If you did not want to join the Army, then you shouldn’t have done something so irresponsible as sign up on a mere dare. This was all your doing and you choose to blame me for your own recklessness.”

“Jesus Christ! Can we just drop this? It was five fucking years ago, why can’t you just get over it?”

I could only look at him with raised brows. “I cannot get over it because you clearly have not.” I said simply and he shook his head.

“I’m over it. I’ve been over it since the moment you left me there.”

“And now you choose to lie? Be the man you profess to be and speak your mind. You were never a coward, don’t start now.”

“Fuck you.”

“Is that the best you can do? You think that will make me give up? Stop being a coward and speak your mind!”

“I’m the coward? You sent me off to the Army because you couldn’t handle a little trouble? I was nineteen, my family didn’t give a shit about me and I needed a way to vent, so I made some mistakes and you weren’t man enough to stick around; but then you’re not even a man are you? You’re just a bloodsucking parasite who left a scared, troubled kid to fight in the Military and suddenly I’m the coward.” He raged and I fought down my own temper.

“A little trouble?” I asked, my voice calm, my expression closed.

He said nothing, only shook his head and turned away.

“I could deal with a little trouble, I could deal with your anger, I could come to your aid every time you needed me and I did, but you were on a self-destructive path and no matter what I did, no matter how much I warned you, the further down that path you went. I had no choice.”

“Bullshit.”

I smiled without humor. “Do you remember what I asked you when you handed me the contract you’d made with the Army?”

He said nothing. “I asked you if your friends dared you to throw yourself from a bridge if you would do it and what was your reply?”

Still no answer. “You told me of course you would because I’d be there to save you.” I reminded him.

“So I believed in you, like a fool I thought you loved me, so what?”

“I loved you Tony, which is why I couldn’t let you go on the way you did. I spent every waking moment trying to get you to see that what you were doing was unwise. I warned you that I could not always be there to rescue you from your flighty decisions, but you took it for granted that I would. Had I let it go on, you would have gotten yourself killed.”

“I was an angry, messed up kid and you were all I had. Then you left.” His words were spoken almost without emotion and I refused to allow him the final say.

“Perhaps you will be more understanding when I remind you of some of the little things you have done.”

…………………………………………..

……………………………………………

Five and a half years ago .

I should have known he would choose such a peaceful night to go off and do something senseless. I watched him as he walked along the empty street, a baseball bat in hand and a scowl on his face. He was up to no good, which was of no surprise to me. I hopped down from the roof and moments later I was walking next to him, my hands behind my back, my posture impeccable.

He glanced up at me with a raised brow. “Lemme guess, you’re here to convince me to rethink this.”

“I suppose I will know what I’m here to do once you have explained why you need this.” I said, pulling the bat from his hand.

He shrugged. “Gotta teach some people a lesson.”

“And what is it that these people have done to you?”

“What haven’t they done? Assholes think they own this damn town. Think they can mess with me and my friends and get away with it.”

“Ah, you and your comrades, and where exactly are these friends of yours? Should they not be here with you? Supporting you as you have them?”

He shook his head. “I don’t want them to get hurt.”

“Are you yourself impervious to danger then?” I questioned and he grinned.

“I’ve got you don’t I?”

My eyes narrowed. “You had not even told me you were seeking out danger tonight. How would I have known to come to your aid?”

Another shrug. “The same way you always do.”

“Tony-”

“Don’t start with your lecturing Rien, I’m not in the mood.” He interrupted before pulling the bat from my hand.

“I would not need to lecture if you would only listen to me.” I said in annoyance and he waved a hand in complete disregard.

A master class blood drinker chasing after a reckless human boy. If my father could see this he would surely collapse in shock, or rip out my heart to preventent further humiliation.

We walked in silence, but about half a mile ahead I could hear the breathing, moving about and chatter of a small group. I separated the intake of each breath, singling out the different patterns and rate of heartbeats which allowed me to count fifteen humans grouped together further down the street. It was obvious then just where Tony was heading and for a moment I imagined shaking him until he could see his own stupidity.

“There are fifteen men up there, how did you really think you could do much of anything walking up to them with a bat?” I questioned in frustration and for a minute he paused.

“Fifteen?”

I nodded.

“Great, they’re missing two people.” He said with a wide grin then continued on, leaving me to stare on at him in disbelief.

“What if I choose to leave right now. What would you do?”

He didn’t even turn back to look at me. “Go if you wanna go, nobody’s stopping you.” He had the audacity to reply and I felt the anger in me build.

In less than a second I was once more by his side, where I reached across, took hold of his neck and gentle squeezed the pressure point. He went down without a sound and I caught him before he hit the ground.

He had actually made the decision to come here alone with a useless wooden bat, expecting to go up against seventeen men. I lifted his unconscious body into my arms and turned to go the way we came.

With each day that passed he grew more reckless. I found myself wondering how soon it would be before I showed up late and his heart was no longer beating.

………………………………………..

 

3 months later.

I could hear his screams and the rapid pounding of his heart from miles away and I tore through the streets on feet that practically flew, trying desperately to get to him. He was hurt and afraid and I was too far away to help him. Dark alley after dark alley, over trash cans and through poorly lit streets I went, until the screams ceased and I could practically taste his blood in the air. He was supposed to be with his parents.

He had told me he had no plans for the night but I should have stayed and watched him to make sure he did nothing troublesome and I cursed myself for thinking that this night would have been any different from all the others.

I was vicious when I got there, ripping one human off him and flinging him across the lot. I snapped one’s neck and the third man ran off only because I let him. Then I pulled Tony to me, cradling his beaten body in my arms, angered beyond words that he was hurt.

I ripped into my palm, tearing the hardened flesh until the blood came, before rubbing it into his wounds; healing him instantly. The internal damage he suffered from the violent beating would take much longer to restore and so I pulled him into my arms and took off at a run, swiftly making my way to the place I called home.

When I set him on the bed I paced the small room, waiting for him to awaken but it was to be an hour before he opened his eyes again, hopping from the bed and stretching as if he had merely been asleep.

When his eyes locked on mine he sighed and pulled out a chair in which he sat. “I’m guessing you saved my life again.” He said simply while I clenched my fists, trying to calm myself before I did something we would both regret.

“You know very well that if a human’s heart stops beating I cannot revive him. You would have died out there had I not reached your side in time.” I said seriously.

“Look, my parents pissed me off okay? I was mad and I went out to clear my head and when I saw those guys they started saying shit and I lost it. It’s not as if I planned the whole thing so stop looking at me like that.”

I took a deep breath before I spoke my next words. “Let me teach you how to fight, just a series of techniques you can use to at least defend yourself.”

He shook his head. “No, I told you I don’t need some stupid fancy foot work to get at those losers.”

“Then what would you have me do Tony? Tell me what the fuck you would have me do because I have reached a a point where I am just lost when it comes to you!” I shouted and he froze looking at me in shock.

It was the first time I had raised by voice at him and something told me it would not be the last.

I took another breath. “It is impossible for me to be there to protect you every time you need me, you know that, and I am trying Tony. I am trying so hard to get you to see that what you are doing will only lead to your demise.”

He sighed “RiRi-”

“No, shut up and let me speak.” I commanded and he fell silent. “I do not need to tell you just how many times I have warned you, how many times I have just about begged you to stop. Every time you find yourself in a bad mood you somehow trap yourself in some dangerous situation that you expect me to rescue you from, but it is insane that you would expect me to aid you every single time, because there is no way that I can!”

“It’s no big deal Rien, you’re overreacting.”

When I only stared at him he sighed. “Fine, then turn me and take me to your coven.”  He spoke and the urge to shake him grew.

“My coven will never accept you the way you are now. You are too reckless, too flighty and if I turn you, it will change nothing. Do you honestly believe you would be safe in my coven simply because you are a blood drinker? There will still be those who are stronger and given the fact that you cannot defend yourself and you allow your anger to rule you, then I can guarantee that you will be dead within the first week of residence there.”

He pushed up from the chair and moved to stand a foot away from me. “I’m sorry. I swear I’ll stop.” He said, and while he might have believed his words true, I knew differently. He was a wreck, he would do this again and again without a thought of the consequences and I had no idea how to change that.

Two weeks later he was nearly shot by a store keeper in attempt to rob him.

…………………………………………….

…………………………………………….

 

Present

“Do you need me to go on? Because you know as well as I do just how many times you have placed yourself into these situations.” I continued but he sat in silence, staring at the wall above my head.

About half way into the recount of his violent expeditions, the anger had seemed to melt out of him and he simply listened while I spoke.

“Please don’t refrain from speech on my behalf. Go on, tell me what it is that I should have done to help you. Tell me that the Army was not the best solution and explain to me what I could have done differently.” I offered and his mouth tightened.

“I could have been killed in the Army just as easily as I could have been killed back home.”

I shook my head. “That is where you are wrong Tony. At the rate you were going, you had a better chance of dying at home that you had in the Army and it was just a risk I had to take.”

He remained silent so I went on. “I have trained warriors, led armies into battle and broken the toughest of men, but save permanently injuring you, or locking you away so you would not get hurt, there was nothing else I could have done and you know I tried.” I said.

“Centuries I have lived on this earth and I swear to you I have never seen a person as prone to recklessness as you once were. I loved you enough to leave you for half a decade so that you would not ruin yourself and I never said it was an easy decision to make.” I said softly and for a moment his eyes met mine and I saw the guilt written there before he looked away again.

“Why didn’t you just leave then? Why bother let me go through with the military. The outcome would have been the same.”

I nodded. “Maybe if I had left you would have come to realize that you could not afford to be so reckless, but I also wanted you to learn something and the Army seemed like a suitable place to start.”

“You have no idea what I went through.” He said then, his eyes glinting up at me.

“I can only guess I suppose, but if I had to do this again, to make the same decision I did five years ago I promise you Tony, I would do the same thing, because whether or not you believe I love you, you are honestly everything to me and I refuse to watch you destroy yourself.”

………………………………………………

Tony’s POV

I looked at him with a lump in my throat and the traitorous tears swirling in my eyes that succeeded in showing him just how weak I was.

“The first year I was in I’d look at your picture every night before I went to bed. I was teased for it, beaten even because everyone knew that little Tony was a fag who was pining over the boyfriend who never visited, not once.” His eyes held mine as I said my piece.

“I didn’t care though, I used to tell myself that one day you’d come back for me, that you’d just show up and take me away from all the shit I was going through. Once I even prayed, begging some invisible man in the sky to bring you back to me, promising I’d be better if only my RiRi would come.” I said scornfully and he didn’t bat an eye.

I licked my dry lips and blinked a few times to keep the tears in check. He thought I was strong, that the Army made me into a fighter, yet here I was trying and failing to hide my pain from him, to keep five years of hurt and anger in check while he sat and watched me fall apart.

“The second year was easier. I made a few friends, even managed to crack a smile every once in a while. I was even doing pretty good as a soldier, managed to impress a few people, even stopped looking at your picture so often, once a week, twice if I was feeling particularly nostalgic I’d take a look, but like a damn fool I still thought you’d come.”

I shook my head, then ran a hand over my face and through my hair.

“The third year I visited your place when I qualified for leave. Thought I’d get the chance to see you after so long. I remember being nervous as hell as I walked up the stairs to your front door.” I smiled. “I’d even picked out a suit, a nice tie even, because I wanted you to be impressed when you saw me. I wanted you to think ‘ wow he really got his shit together .’ But when the door opened, I got to find out that you no longer lived there, just a beautiful family of five who’d never heard of anyone named Rien.”

“I moved very soon after you left for the Army.” He said quietly and I nodded.

“I went to a motel that night and I ripped up your picture, grabbed a bottle of wine and bawled my eyes out. The tough, hotshot army man Tony, crying in my motel room over some guy I hadn’t even seen in three years.”

He looked devastated now as he watched me and I swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump that made it hard to speak.

“My fourth year I was mostly angry at you but with no picture to look back at, it made it easier to push all thoughts of you to the back of my mind, until eventually I hardly even thought about you and when my tour ended I reenlisted; there was no reason I shouldn’t anyway. My foster parents never really gave a shit about me and my boyfriend from so long ago had clearly moved on.”

“You’d think that by my fifth year without you, I’d be completely over it, but sometimes when I got time to myself I’d sit and I’d remember lying awake with you at night and listening to stories of your coven or the times you let me roast marshmallows in your back yard and I’d smile and wish I could go back for even a day so I could relive it, but then I’d come to my senses, shake my head and push you to the back of my mind again so I could concentrate.”

I took a shaky breath and pushed up from the chair, feeling his eyes on me as I went to stand before the open window.

“I could have done it you know.” I continued. “One more year and I know I could think about you and not feel a thing.” I said, my voice shaking.

When my lips began to tremble I bit down hard but this time when I tried to  blink the tears away, they fell anyway rolling down my face before I could bring a hand up to stop them. I wasn’t strong; even after all this, even after everything I’d been through in the military and in life I was still weak.

I thought I’d managed to wipe all these shitty feelings, but here they were, still threatening to pull me under and Rien had a front row seat to watch me fall apart.

 I still loved the asshole and it made me angry that I couldn’t just get over him, that I couldn’t be stronger than I was so I could take it. I heard him get up and I brought up a shaky hand to run over my face; embarrassed beyond words but still hurting to the point where I felt as if I wouldn’t make it another day.

“Fuck.” I cursed, trying to take deep breaths in order to prevent the inevitable.

I froze when his hands came around me from behind and I could feel him pressed against me.

“I’m sorry.” He said and those words alone broke the dam and I fell apart, right there in his arms.

“Why’d you have to come back?” I asked brokenly and his arms tightened around me.

I’m sorry.  He whispered over and over again as I let out all the hurt, the pain and heartbreak I’d stored inside for too damn long.

                                            AUTHOR’S NOTES

ENJOY!

Follow me on tumblr @ http://www.tumblr.com/blog/twinzdouble and check out my other stories over on my profile.

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 16: Snow White and My Prince.

Chapter 16

When I was spent, having nothing left in me to let out, I pulled away from him and he let me. I didn’t feel lighter, didn’t feel as if a load had been lifted, I just felt tired and worn; like if I had to deal with much more tonight I’d crumble. The large bed in the center of the room wasn’t particularly inviting, but hiding away under the piles of blankets and soft pillows for a few hours sounded like a good idea.

I couldn’t look at Rien after all the embarrassing shit I’d just pulled, but I sensed it when he followed me across the room and when I entered the bathroom I glanced up briefly to see him leaning against the door frame, watching, waiting; for what? I didn’t know.

I turned on the faucet and guided the ice cold water to my face, even going as far as to dunk my head under the pipe so that it sloshed into my hair and cooled my heated skin. When I was done, I didn’t bother with the towel hanging on the rack only an arm’s length away, instead I pushed past Rien and entered the room, dripping everywhere.

I pulled off my shirt, dropped it into a nearby chair and climbed into bed, burrowing myself under the covers, shutting out everything around me.

I could still feel him though, somewhere in the room; watching over me like he used to do long ago, only this time I didn’t like it. It didn’t bring me comfort, nor did it ease my fears.

“I should have realized how much my leaving would have affected you.” His voice interrupted the silence and I closed my eyes, listening to him as he said his piece.

“I wish I could tell you that I really would have done things differently had I the chance to change it, but I refuse to lie to you.” He continued and I wished the damned ache I still felt in my chest would go away.

“I chose to return only when I believed you were ready, when you would know your own worth and stop trying to destroy yourself, and when you would no longer feel the need to rely on me as much as you did.”

“You needed the Army Tony.” He said then and I pulled the covers away to look at him. He stood by the window, looking out into the darkness with his hands clasped behind him.

“I needed you .” I corrected and he shook his head and turned to look at me; a small smile playing on his lips.

“I stand here and I see the man you have become. I see your strength and I see the change in you. Everything you are today is a result of your own drive. You may have missed me, but you never needed me. What you have accomplished proves that, and I am proud of your achievements.”

I couldn’t deny the sincerity of his words. I saw it in his expression and I heard it in his voice. He always had more faith in me than I had in myself…back then it was a pain in my ass, now I didn’t know how to feel about it so I rolled away from him, staring up into the ceiling in silence.

I’d be lying to myself if I said I didn’t get why he left. By bringing up the past he made me remember things I hadn’t really given much thought to in years; like the way I used to be; angry all the time, always searching for trouble, trying to prove I was bigger than all the other assholes in my town.

Maybe Rien was right, maybe I needed a wakeup call, maybe it was the best way to set me on the right path, but it didn’t change the fact that it hurt like hell and that feeling could never be undone.

“You’re right.” I said after a moment. “I was a fuck up, I needed to change. I might not agree with the way it happened but it did, and I need to suck it up and move on.” I told him seriously.

There was a long breath of silence that passed between us, which I used to count the tiles in the ceiling, unwilling to think about what had just transpired.

He cleared his throat and I glanced his way. “And I suppose I need to respect that decision. Maybe I too need to accept my own fate and capitulate to my father’s wish for me to take a mate more suiting to my position in this coven.” He said softly.

I felt the unwelcome pang in my chest at his words but I didn’t look away. I only nodded. Whatever happened after this would just happen and we’d both need to accept it.

His gaze stayed locked on mine for a few moments before he took a step towards me.

“There is only one problem with such a plan.” He said softly.

“Yeah and what’s that?”

“I do not wish to take on another mate.” He said simply, then he took another step, eyes blazing with determination. “One word Tony. Yes or no. You tell me if there is even the slightest of possibilities that you would be willing to have a life with me and I swear to you I will fight for us.”

My mouth went dry and my heart pounded in my chest at his fiercely spoken words. A chance to have a life with him…after everything we’d put each other through. How could it be so easy? Why should it be so easy?

I shook my head and in a flash he was beside me, my hand trapped in his. I sat up and glanced down at our intertwined hands, then back into his eyes.

“It will be good between us.”

I shook my head again. “And what about the next time things don’t go as planned and you want to teach me a lesson? You gonna send me off somewhere again so I can learn? You gonna run off and leave me for another five fucking years so I can come back the way you need me to be? Because I’m not going through that again Rien. I’m done missing you and feeling like shit every time I think about you. I can’t do it again.”

“No. We will face whatever challenges come our way together, I swear to you.”

I shook my head. “So you say now. You’re the one who said if you had to do it again you would, or have you forgotten already?” I mocked.

“No I-”

“If you make me choose now, my answer will be no.” I interrupted and he looked down at our hands, slowly trailing the lines in my palm.

“Take all the time you need.” He said softly, without looking at me and for the first time since I’d known him, I felt his vulnerability.

A wave of tenderness stole over me and I pulled my hand from his before sliding down under the covers, my head cushioned by a feather pillow. He said nothing, just continued to stare and I glanced away from his face and at the ceiling above.

“Where’ve you been these past few years anyway?” I questioned to break the silence.

He adjusted himself on the bed so that his back was pressed against the headboard and his knees drawn up so that he had a place to rest his elbows.

“Nothing exciting. I have been drifting mainly, making new acquaintances, settling old vendettas, hunting…anything that would pass the time.”

“Why didn’t you just come back here?” I continued. You’d think a hot shot vampire royalty like him would want to come home and be waited on hand and foot.

“I suppose I quite liked being away from home. Sometimes this life can get a bit…tedious.” He explained, “Out there, the world is far more exciting and I find that the relationships I have entered into feel more pure on the outside, untarnished by political endeavors and social responsibility. I do love my coven but it can be suffocating, whilst the world is truly like a breath of fresh air.”

“Relationships?” 

He smiled. “Friendships I suppose you would prefer to name them.”

“Must have been nice.” I replied sarcastically and this time he frowned.

“It could have been better.”

I rolled my eyes. Then because there was no point in trying to avoid it I asked; “When’s the next stage in your mating ceremony?”

He hesitated. “Tomorrow evening. Unfortunately I will need to be in attendance. Do you wish to join me?”

“No.”

The silence after my reply punctuated the night and I had the patterns in the ceiling tiles memorized by the time he spoke again.

“Very well.”

“I’m not trying to be an asshole, I’m just not interested in sitting around watching a bunch a bloodsuckers kill each other.” I explained then suppressed a yawn.

“Tell me something.” I began and he glanced at me. “Why is Malik here?”

“He is Kaio’s mate.” He said simply.

“And you trust him…just like that?”

His eyes narrowed. “Is there a reason I should not?”

“You guys find this random stranger on the side of the road and just because he turns out to be Kaio’s mate you suddenly trust him? It just doesn’t make sense to me.”

Rien’s brows furrowed. “We did not find him on the side of a road, he was-”

I groaned in frustration, interrupting him, “Yeah I know, I’m just saying…You don’t really know him so why would you trust him? Last time I checked, trust has to be earned so what changed?”

“Why do you believe he has not earned our trust?” he continued and I frowned.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“Malik is not a threat to us, I assure you. In fact it would be best if you end this…rivalry you seem to think exists between you two.”

“He said he’s not really in the Army, that he was here for me? What does that mean?”

“Hmm…what else did he tell you?” Rien seemed intrigued.

“He told me to research his name and tell him what I find.”

“And what did you find when you did so?”

“Nothing, your primitive people don’t have computers here remember?” my frustration was growing.

“On the contrary, we do have a room for such matters down by the main hall. If you ask Kaio I am certain he would not mind accompanying you.”

“You have a computer room? Here?” I asked skeptically and he nodded.

“So he told you about himself and why he’s here.” I assumed.

“No, but it was not particularly difficult to surmise.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“What did you find out?”

“I believe it is his own right to make his business known to you. I’ve chosen not to interfere.”

“Goddammit Rien, it’s a simple question.”

“I agree, which is precisely the reason you should ask Malik.”

“You know he won’t tell me.”

“Then neither should I, it is not my place to utter another’s personal business.”

“You don’t owe him that kind of loyalty…You don’t owe him anything.”

“On the contrary Tony. I owe him everything.” he said seriously and I watched in surprise as he pushed up from the bed and straightened his clothes.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, but instead of answering he leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead.

“Sleep now. I must go join in conference with my father.”

“What’s so important about this guy?” I asked when he was already half way across the room and he turned to me briefly.

“Do what he asked, complete your research and I promise you, you will have your answer.”

A moment later he was gone and I was left to my own muddled thoughts.

……………………………………………………

I slept for far longer than I’d intended and woke up when the afternoon sun was streaming through my windows. By the time I put myself together and left my room, the place was already bustling with activity. Drudges moved about doing all the shit drudges were expected to do and with every one that I passed I got the same question.

“ Is there anything I can do for you sir?”

It wasn’t something I could get used to and I wasn’t sure I even wanted to. This world was unreal. I’d thought so when I’d just arrived and I would be thinking it when I left. It was magnificent but it was too different. I never liked different.

I continued down the corridor, sweeping my hand against the white walls as I went; lost in thought and it wasn’t until I’d stuck my head through practically every door of every room on the left wing that I realized I’d been unconsciously searching for Rien. With a silent curse I spun around and made my way back the way I’d come, searching out the room Malik now shared with Kaio.

“I’m afraid he is still asleep.”

I turned to Kaio who stood just behind me, hands clasped behind his back, his expression one of amusement. I shook my head and continued down the corridor despite his words.

“What makes you think I care?”

He now walked beside me, his steps mimicking my own. “Well it could be because of the slightly unhinged determination in your eyes, but of course I could be wrong.” He said cheekily and I gave him the finger.

He grinned.

“I just need to ask him a few questions then Malik can sleep his life away for all I care.” I continued.

“Would you like to go for a walk?” he asked as if I hadn’t just spoken.

“No.”

It didn’t deter him however, because as soon as I uttered the word, he slipped his arm through mine and was practically hauling me along the corridor and down the stairs beyond.

“Kaio, I don’t have time for your stupid games… stop.” I commanded, pulling my hand from his grasp.

He stopped when I did in the middle of the staircase and regarded me.

“He won’t tell you what you want to know until you do as he asks.” He said and my eyes narrowed.

“How do you know he asked me to do something?”

“He told me of course.” he said, looking too pleased with himself and I gritted my teeth.

“I have a bad feeling about him.” I tried to persuade the vamp but he only smiled.

“I assure you, there is no need.”

“Yeah so everyone keeps telling me.” I grumbled.

“A walk then? The grounds are quite extensive, I am certain you’ll find pleasure in the scenery.” He said and I glanced back up the stairs then into his strangely trustful eyes and moved past him.

“Just take me to the damn computer room.”

……………………………………………

I couldn’t help it when my mind drifted to the talk I’d been forced to have with Rien the night before. I thought about everything I could have said and everything I didn’t, and I reflected on the things he’d told me and the reasons behind his actions.

 I don’t know that it accomplished anything other than that I wasn’t as angry as I had been. I understood that I’d been a pain in the ass, and I knew the path I’d chosen to take back then wasn’t particularly ideal, but I still believed everything could have gone differently if only we’d both found a way.

I ran a hand across the back of my neck, feeling hot and bothered as we walked outside. Kaio hadn’t been kidding when he’d said the grounds were extensive; ten minutes later and we still hadn’t reached the main hall.

I glanced over at my companion then, wondering how he would take it if Malik turned out to be the snake I knew he was. I’d seen him angry and I figured that would probably be his reaction: anger, hurt, then maybe he’d drain the very blood from Malik’s body and I wouldn’t blame him.

I’d been through enough shit to understand just how it could hurt when someone let you down, and Kaio was too trusting for him to be immune. He reminded me of how I was back then. It’s what got me into this mess in the first place.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then lifted my hand to shade my eyes and came to a stop when a vampire the size of Malik and me combined, blocked my path.

“So the human finally makes an appearance.”  He announced, loud enough for the other bloodsuckers walking by the take notice.

I tensed when Kaio stepped between us, realizing that this was no friendly greeting.

“To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?” the creature continued sarcastically before his gaze shifted menacingly to Kaio.

“Step aside drudge, I have addressed the human.” He continued and my eyes narrowed.

“This human is under the protection of our Lord Riener. I would suggest you stand down or I assure you my Lord will hear of this.” Kaio said, his voice dangerously low.

The vamp took a step closer, his expression one of rage. “Lord Riener is to be my mate. You dare speak to me in such a way?” he questioned and for a moment Kaio seemed to freeze, as if unsure how to progress.

“Fuck off asshole. You’re no closer to being Rien’s mate than even Kaio is, and after tonight you’ll probably be nothing more than a pile a limbs like all the other fools who lost the last time.” I added my two cents and a flurry of murmurs went up from the small group of onlookers.

“How dare you address me you useless piece of meat!” he erupted, but was held quickly by two other massive vamps when he moved to lunge at me.

“Sven, no need to waste your time on this little ant.” Another voice broke through the crowd. This guy was smaller than the first, but still large enough to intimidate a lesser man. He stood much like Rien usually did: with the perfect posture, arms behind his back and head held high.

His robes were the whitest white I’m sure I’d ever seen and his hair, if possible was just as white, only he was young; or at least he looked it. Young and strikingly handsome with eyes as blue as the ocean. He wore the most arrogant smile that only seemed to accentuate his beauty and he walked with a confidence I’d seen few men display.

When he stood before Kaio, to my surprise, the drudge stepped aside and went as far as to offer him a small bow.

“My Lord.” Kaio addressed before straightening, and I looked between the two before finally focusing my gaze on the newcomer.

“Lemme guess…another hot shot master class vamp.” I said, looking him up and down.

He smiled. “Not quite, but close enough in rank that one would be wise to treat me with respect.” He said. His voice was soft, his words properly enunciated and hinting at intelligence.

I snorted. “I’m sure.”

He said nothing though and his smile remained in place as he took his time to look at me; his eyes travelling slowly from my feet to my eyes and I was struck again by the rich color.

“So you are the human Riener so rudely presented before the court.” He said with that same arrogant smile in place, and for a second I imagined reaching over and smacking it right off his face.

“I suppose I can see the appeal. You are a small thing aren’t you? Lovely little face, fire in your eyes…yes I can certainly see the appeal.” He continued with a touch of amusement.

“Fuck off snow white.” I spat and this time his smile grew, seeming surprisingly genuine.

“And a filthy mouth. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, raised as you were in the land of the barbarians.”

I laughed without mirth. “You assholes tear each other apart just so you can find a mate, literally suck the life out of people, and kill for fun and you call humans the barbarians?”

“It seems I have much to live up to if Riener is to be my mate, especially now that I know just what he prefers.” He said completely disregarding my words and I could only watch him in shock.

“You’re competing to be his mate?” I couldn’t hide my surprise. Somehow I couldn’t picture him in a ring killing with the other fools.

“Of course. Riener is, after all the ideal mate and one should always strive for the best.” He finished.

“Yeah well good luck with that fairy dust.” I insulted and stepped away from him, then glanced at Kaio who stood observing the exchange with obvious interest.

When he caught my eye, he moved to catch up with me and I turned away from the others completely.

“I do hope you enjoy your stay here little ant.” Snow white called out as I walked, but I refused to look back, instead, making my way along the pavement with Kaio by my side.

“Asshole.” I cursed when we were far enough away and beside me Kaio chuckled.

“He has been called many names, but asshole is certainly not one of them.” He said and I shook my head.

“Who is he anyway?”

“He is Lord Christophe, and despite what you may believe, he is good . Possibly one of the few kind Lords we have in the coven.” He assured me and it only succeeded in pissing me off.

It wasn’t hard to imagine though. Snow white riding off into the sunset with my prince, blue eyes and all.

Kaio seemed to like him so why shouldn’t Rien?

The entire thing soured my mood and I continued in the hot sun, eyes seeking out the damn main hall so I could get it over with.

“It is the building up ahead.” Kaio announced and I followed his gaze, eyes widening at what he so casually called the building .

It was… something out of a travel magazine. Huge windows, massive pillars set against the engraved walls and enormous double doors that I was sure no one could actually push closed.

“Jesus, what do you guys keep in here, a couple small countries?”

“No need to exaggerate Tony, come along.” Kaio said, moving past me as I stopped the stare at the structure.

When I’d gathered my jaw from the ground, I followed him, climbing the stone steps leading up to the doors. Inside was equally surprising. I’d expected rows upon rows of computers, like the average internet café but the set up was more like a lounge area. There were expensive looking love seats and cushions surrounding each computer. Each section was unique in its design and each equally as inviting as the other.

It was a nerdy girl’s wet dream and my means to an end. I spotted only a few vamps lounging around, mostly younger looking bloodsuckers; like teenagers; the pasty white kind that killed for fun.

Kaio led me to the closest available section and I dropped into the seat. It was softer than I’d expected and I imagined it would be comfortable enough to sleep in. Kaio chose to stand behind me, reading over my shoulder as I booted up the computer, and waited a few seconds for the page to load.

I glanced over at him. “You gonna lurk behind me the whole time?”

“Yes I suppose I will.”

I shook my head and turned back to the screen, opened the browser and typed in lover boy’s name.

Malik Laironov .

I clicked the link with his picture and stared, wide-eyed when the page opened.

“Holy shit.”

                                          AUTHOR’S NOTES

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED READING THAT AS MUCH AS I ENJOYED WRITING IT!

THANKS FOR READING GUYS AND KEEP SWEET!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 17: While you were away.

Chapter 17

I stared at the screen, eyes wide. Who would have thought, the asshole was rich.

‘ Billionaire tycoon Malik Laironov makes yet another surprising takeover bid.’

For a second I stared at the title, then glanced down at the picture just to make sure it was the same arrogant Malik I knew. He looked different with his expensive suit and perfect haircut. I scrolled down the page, skimming through his many business deals and acquisitions, then closed the link and clicked on another.

If he’d seriously sent me down here to read about his success, I’d strangle him while he slept. I closed the link and entered another, then another, and another, before I cursed under my breath and turned to Kaio.

“How the hell is reading about his business ventures going tell me why he’s here?” I asked in annoyance. The asshole was probably just messing with me.

“Perhaps it is not his business that you should be focused on.” Was all he said, and for a second I just looked at him, further annoyed by the secrets he hid along with the rest of them.

I turned back to the screen, eyes skimming the title of each link, before I took to the keyboard again and typed the words into the search bar.

When in doubt, choose Wikipedia .

I scanned the page, passing over the career section and jumped into his personal life. There was no mention of any kids, wife, partner or otherwise. He was born in Russia, to some wealthy parents, who died in a car crash on his twenty-second birthday.

He had a younger brother who was kidnapped from the family home when he was still only a toddler. He and his family had moved to America; land of the free when he’d turned eighteen and he gave regularly to charity.

A real saint . I thought scornfully, and closed the dead-end link. Once again nothing to tell me why he was here. Which meant this had been a complete waste of time. The asshole really was only messing with me.

I turned back to Kaio. “You wanna tell me what I’m missing here? Or are you going to continue bullshittin’ me like everyone else?” I questioned seriously.

Kaio seemed torn, and I watched the many emotions flit across his face before he masked them and shook his head. “It is not my place to say.”

“Jesus Kaio for once can you just forget about duty and help me out here?” I threw up my hands in exasperation.

“This is not about duty. It is simply not my secret to tell. Surely you must understand.” He tried, and I pushed up from my seat and turned to face him.

“I’m in the dark here and I don’t trust this guy, so I’m asking you as a friend to shed some light on him…please.”

“Do not put me in such a position Tony. I would like to think I am worth trusting. If you are a friend as you claim, then you will stop asking me to butcher my own honor.” He said seriously and I shook my head before turning to leave.

I could sense him following close behind me, but neither of us said a word as we walked across the room and out the door. Once outside, I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my jeans, and kept an even pace as I walked. Vamps stared as I passed them, many with scorn, few in curiosity, and I stared right back, refusing to turn away from the obvious challenge.

Assholes.

“You should avoid provoking them.” Kaio said behind me and I snorted.

“They should avoid provoking me .”

He fell into step with me then. “You know, before we plucked you from battle, my Keeper would speak of you quite frequently.” He began. “He described you as a gentle soul, innocent, stubborn, flighty-”

“Is there somewhere you’re going with this?” I asked, interrupting him and he smiled.

“I used to dream of the day I would meet my Lord’s mate. From his praise of you, I found that I was eager to serve you as well as he, but you are nothing like he described. All I see in you in anger and resentment.” He finished and I chose to remain quiet as we walked on.

“Once in a while I can see the shadow of the man you once were; the gentleness, the innocence…” he trailed off. “I do hope that one day you will come to be as you were. I wish to see you happy Tony.”

I ignored him, instead taking in the lands around me, the trees and plants and the massive structures. I wondered how such a beautiful place could house such terrible creatures.

At one point I spotted a small dog being led by an ancient looking bloodsucker and I paused, taking in the scene. That was something I didn’t expect to see here.

“Very few blood drinkers keep pets.” Kaio explained. “I am certain Lord Rien would be pleased to gift you with a one should you so desire.”

I shook my head and continued on. “No point. Won’t be here long enough anyway.” I mumbled.

“That is your own choosing.” He replied.

Even if I wanted to stay with Rien, there was no way in hell I’d choose to live here. I could practically smell the evil in the air. It might look pretty, but the heart of the coven was as rotten as the core of a fallen apple. I wondered how Rien could even stand it.

“Would you like to see him before he leaves?”

I glanced at him. “What do you mean? Where’s he going?”

“Hunting with his brothers. It is customary for them to feed together when they are all home.”

“Feed…on humans?” I asked, knowing the answer even before Kaio confirmed it.

“Of course.”

“And you wonder why I’d want to stay here. You’re animals…all of you.” I insulted, but Kaio being Kaio took it in stride.

“I am told you once offered your own blood to fill my master’s gut. Why is it that you are now disgusted by the thought of a customary hunt?”

“Back then I was young and naïve.”

“It is not wrong to hunt humans Tony.” He announced and I looked up at him in disbelief.

“You look at me as if I have been relieved of my senses, but what I say is true. You humans hunt animals for food because it is what you deem the correct way to ensure your survival. But just because the animals cannot speak to you, does not mean they themselves do not think you to be barbaric for hunting them. Do you really think animals want to be eaten by the likes of you?” He asked. “It is simply the way it should be. Animals eat plants, humans eat animals, and vampires drink humans…the natural order of things.”

“It’s not the same.”

“It is. You simply refuse to acknowledge it.” Kaio said with a smug smile.

“And just because you’re supernatural freaks you get to be at the top of the food chain, is that it?” I questioned with a glare.

“Vampires do not top the food chain. There are those that hunt us. It is how it should be.”

My brows furrowed. “Something hunts vampires? What is it?”

Kaio shook his head. “Do you wish to see your mate or would you prefer to return to the dwelling?”

“I want you to answer my question.” I said, folding my arms before me.

“You will never need such information unless you yourself are a blood drinker.”

I stared at him for a second. More secrets…why was I not surprised.

“I’m going back to the house.” I grumbled and with a nod, he followed.

Kaio greeted a few others as we passed; a nod of the head here, and smile there and for the first time I realized that he might actually have a life outside of Rien. It was strange to see him in a different light.

“Thought you said you didn’t have any friends.” I commented when we passed another drudge along the way.

“Do you think I have lied?” he asked with a raised brow, and I pursed my lips.

“It is polite to greet a fellow familiar.” He explained in that annoyingly superior tone. “I do not think I have ever witnessed you complete a polite deed.” He said thoughtfully and I looked to the sky.

“Yeah well you idiots kidnapped me, dragged me across the world, and made me a prisoner among bloodsuckers so it shouldn’t really come as much of a surprise.”

He seemed to think on it, then his brows furrowed and he looked at me.

“No, I believe you have been ill-mannered since birth.” He said seriously.

I snorted. “Kaio?”

“Yes?”

“Shut up.”

He grinned.

Not far up ahead I spotted the house, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t glad to be back and away from prying eyes. I wondered what the drudges had cooked for breakfast this morning, I felt like I hadn’t eaten in days.

“Will you be attending the ceremony tonight?” Kaio broke the silence and I shook my head.

“You?”

“Of course. I am expected to be in attendance.” He paused. “I do believe Lord Rien would be delighted to see you there.”

“Uhuh.”

“And of course Lord Christophe will be competing…” he trailed off.

“And?”

“Well you are clearly jealous of him, I thought that if nothing else, it would prompt you to attend.”

I looked at him with raised brows, then snorted. “I’m not jealous of that snow queen, gimmie a break Kaio.”

“I personally think it is good that you are. It gives me hope.” He smiled as he said the words, then stepped in front of me and walked ahead.

I followed behind at a more sedate pace, my appetite suddenly lost.

………………………………………………..

Rien’s POV

I looked at each of my brothers in turn, watching them prepare for the hunt. Centuries I had stood in this very spot and watched as they readied themselves for what was merely custom, and for centuries I had burned with excitement at the thought of what was to come, but today I felt only uncertainty as I watched them; wondering just what thoughts they had buried in their sly minds. Neither had spoken a word since our arrival and that in itself was strange indeed.

This was usually the point in time one or more of them would choose to lecture me on something only they found important, but no. This was an evening of silence; it was almost stifling.

“Where is Kandane? It is not like him to be tardy.” I spoke to penetrate the stillness, but only Peitre, who was fastening the straps of his boot turned to answer me.

“He has sought our father’s counsel.” He said, his eyes meeting briefly with Jorlon’s. “He will not join us this day.”

I pulled the leather glove onto my hand, making sure it fit securely over each finger before I turned to Jorlon.

“It seems we have much to discuss brother.” I said simply and he nodded, his expression one of seriousness as his eyes met and held my own.

“We all do.” He spoke, and I watched as he crossed the room and took a seat. His eyes drifted to mine once more and I followed, lowering myself into the settee across from him.

One by one the others drifted over and also sat. The silence was deafening.

They said nothing and I chose to follow suite, instead, waiting for one of them to share their own thoughts. I could feel the unspoken words like a heavy weight in the air. It pressed down on me with its secrets and meaningfulness and finally I opened my mouth to speak, but it was Marcan who first gave voice to his thoughts and all eyes travelled to him.

“It is shameful, your behavior.” He said to me and I raised a brow.

“And what, pray tell, have I done this time brother?’ I questioned. My tone conveyed my boredom.

“One human was bad enough, but now you have brought two amongst our brethren, have you no sense of honor?”

I shook my head. “I suppose I don’t. Is that all?”

Marcan’s eyes narrowed. “Is there something particularly fetching about the taste of his blood that you would also go as far as to give refuge to another of his kind?” Marcan said scornfully.

“Is one human not enough for you?”

I laughed without mirth. “You should ask yourself that question whenever we go hunting Marcan. The trail of empty human bodies you leave behind is appalling.”

“Yes well it is better I fill my stomach than play house with my meal.” He retorted and once again I shook my head.

He would never understand. None of them would.

“Marcan is right Riener. Father has allowed you free passage with one human, there was no need for you to bring his brother into it as well, and if you believe father will not find out you are a fool.” Jorlon added.

For a moment I stared at them, irritated that they could not keep their noses out of my private affairs just this once.

“Is that all? I wish to hunt and you have once again wasted my time.

Peitre straightened and I glanced his way.

“A change of subject then.” He began. “I would like to know what it is you are planning as it relates to father. Why did you join us on the excursion yesterday?” He asked, and I offered him a small mirthless smile.

“Whatam I planning Pietre? Why must I always fall under your suspicion?”

“It could be because you always choose to act so suspiciously.” Marcan replied for him and I turned my eyes to him.

“Do tell me Marcan…In what way do my actions bear suspicion?”

“Every breath you take is plagued with mischief Riener, but for once let us cease with the games. Tell us what it is you are planning. You had no way of knowing of our journey to the Far lands yesterday, yet you appeared, ready and informed just as we were about to set out.” Peitre continued, his eyes narrowed.

“I take it you do not believe Jorlon’s tale then.” I surmised.

“Jorlon was merely preserving your life.”

I rested a hand against the arm of the chair and glanced at each of them. They watched me with eyes that were not distrustful, but wary and my confusion grew.

“I have no plans to speak of, unless you consider my intention to attend the ceremony tonight to be a plan .” I told them and after a moment Peitre nodded, apparently satisfied with my answer.

Marcan straightened in his seat and I watched him pull on his gloves. He offered no more in the way of words and neither did Peitre.

“We warned our Far-land brothers of father’s plans. That is the reason their territory was abandoned when we arrived.” Jorlon finally spoke and my brows furrowed.

“Why would you do such a thing? You have always followed fathers lead like dogs on a leash.” I replied.

Only Marcan appeared slightly offended.

“Yes well. That was when he had the best interest of our coven in mind.” Jorlon continued. “He has changed greatly these years you have been away Riener. If he is allowed to continue the way he has, our coven will soon be nothing but a memory.”

“What I do not understand is why he thirsts for land. We have no need for more territories.” I added.

Jorlon shook his head and Marcan chuckled. “You really have been away too long if that is what you think he is after.”

My brows furrowed. “Then what does he seek? Power? Wealth? I do not understand.”

“Clearly.” Marcan murmured drily and I shot him a nasty glare.

 “The children of the moon Riener. He is hunting the children of the moon.”

                                            AUTHOR’S NOTES

IT’S REALLY SHORT I KNOW, BUT IT COULDN’T BE HELPED; I’M CRAZY BUSY RIGHT NOW.

HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT AND THANKS FOR READING!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 18: The hunted.

Chapter 18

 “He hunts the wolves? Is he mad?”

My surprise evident, it was the very last thing I expected to hear. This was…this was truly madness.

“I cannot say whether he is thinking clearly or not, but we cannot allow this to continue.” Jorlon said, his eyes downcast.

“What can he possibly hope to achieve? The beasts are relentless when they have been wronged, and they are greater in number than our entire species.” I could hear the outrage in my voice and I could feel it bubbling within me.

“Only our father knows his own mind. We can only hope to find a way to dissuade him and of that I have my doubts.”

“You know him well enough to understand that once he has chosen a path, he cannot be discouraged from it.” Marcan continued.

“Then what course of action can we possibly take?” Jorlon questioned him and Marcan stood, moving silently across the room, where he bent and picked up his cloak.

“If the wolves catch wind of Father’s plan we can surely expect a war…a war that we will lose brothers.” He slipped the soft material over his shoulders, then turned to face us once more. His eyes shone with determination and regret.

We knew his solution without his spoken words, and the thought alone was too much the fathom.

Jorlon stood. “He is using the wolves’ allies to single out each pack’s weakness. We managed to warn our far land brothers in time so that they could flee, what if we were to continue doing so. Surely it would make a difference?” Jorlon seemed to be pleading.

“It was pure luck that allowed us to learn that our far land brethren were allied with the wolves, the chances of such good fortune occurring once more is unlikely.” Peitre explained.

“Then we have no choice.” I said quietly. “Father’s death is the only way to secure our continued existence.”

Marcan nodded. “It is the only way.”

“Then it shall come to pass.” Peitre finished. I watched as he too stood and pulled on his cloak, Jorlon followed suit.

“What of Kandane? Is he to know of our plan?” I questioned and Marcan’s eyes shot to mine.

“No. He is more like our father than you know. He cannot be trusted.”

“Then how do we succeed? He will certainly turn against us should we put an end to father’s reign.”

“Then I fear he too must meet his end.” Marcan said simply and I stood.

“No. I refuse to harm our brother. We will make him see reason.” I suggested.

“And if he does not?” Peitre asked.

I looked at each of them in turn, they could not possibly be prepared to live on without him.

“I will not harm Kandane. I would sooner see us plunged into war than watch my brother die.” I said with a finality that rang as clear as a bell in the silence.

Marcan pulled the hood of his cloak up so that it covered his face. “Then we shall find another way.” He said. “Come brothers, let us hunt, we have postponed custom long enough.”

He was out the door in a heartbeat, leaving only the brush of the wind as he passed, and soon the others followed. I pulled on my own cloak when I alone stood in the dark room, and then I too was one with the night.

……………………………………………………….

Tony’s POV

It was night already and I’d wasted the entire day lounging around, thinking…always thinking; about Malik and his secrets, about what Kaio had said, and about the ceremony later tonight. I squeezed the grape between my thumb and forefinger and watched as the juices spilled over onto my fingers.

 I still didn’t know what to make of the events of the day. I found my thoughts travelling to Rien more often than it should, and I was annoyed with myself for not visiting him when I’d had the chance this morning. Kaio told me the hunting party had left much later than usual…only twenty minutes ago actually. A whole day wasted.

Through the window across the room I could see the stars high in the sky. I pictured Rien and his brothers sucking the life out of some helpless girl, and it left me feeling even more frustrated that I’d been after doing my research on Malik this morning.

I dropped the squashed grape onto my plate and pushed up from the table. The place was too big. Even with about a dozen drudges running around upstairs I couldn’t hear a sound. Just silence and emptiness and my own thoughts. I exited the dining room and dropped down onto the first couch I saw when I entered the ‘family’ room.

There was nothing in the form of entertainment here, just chairs, paintings and ancient looking books. I wondered if it would kill Rien to get a damn TV in the place. At least it would have provided some form of distraction, and God knows I needed it. I stretched out onto the couch, my head resting against the chair arm as my eyes drifted shut.

“You have not eaten.”

“I know.” I responded to kaio’s statement then cracked my eyes open to watch him cross the room. He crouched before me, his eyes travelling over my face and I drew back slightly.

“Ever heard of personal space?”

“We prepared all your favorite foods, is it not to your liking?”

“It’s fine, I just lost my appetite.” I mumbled, once again allowing my eyes to drift close.

“Are you ill?” his cool hand touched my face and I batted it away, eyes still closed.

“No, haven’t you ever just not felt like drinking blood?” I asked, cracking my eyes open yet again.

He cocked his head slightly and bit his lip, giving my question serious thought. “No, I don’t believe I have.”

I rolled my eyes. Of course not .

“Maybe it’s just a human thing, doesn’t mean I’m sick and it doesn’t mean anything’s wrong with the food.” I explained and after brief contemplation he seemed to accept it.

I watched as he straightened up from the ground and went to sit in the chair across from me. He crossed his legs, which made his long robes swish around his ankles, and when he was finally comfortable, his eyes settled on me.

He smiled. “Malik is doing better, soon he shall be roaming these halls as much as you do.”

“Couldn’t care less.”

Kaio continued, unperturbed. “He inquired about you today.”

“Uhuh.”

“He wanted to know how you were doing.”

I could just imagine the smirk on the bastard’s face when he found out I’d actually been dumb enough to research him.

“Honestly Kaio, the last person I wanna talk about is Malik.”

He uncrossed his legs and got up. “Very well.”

I pushed up unto my elbows, watching him in surprise. “Where are you going?”

“I must prepare for the ceremony. My Lord would not be pleased should I arrive late.” He said before turning to go and I sighed, lowering myself back onto the couch.

I could feel a headache coming on and I kneaded my forehead with the pads of my fingers. I could hear Kaio ascending the stairs. His footfalls were like the sound of raindrops against pavement, too light to disturb, but still enough to soak through if given the chance, and I felt every step like thunder in my mind.

I closed my eyes and continued to knead, but the aching only grew and with it thoughts from earlier rose up. Malik, Christophe, Kaio’s words, the ceremony, Rien…Rien… Rien ….

I opened my eyes and sat up, allowing my hands to fall to my lap, and with a curse I stood.

I was going to the damn ceremony.

……………………………………………….

Rien’s POV

The taste of her blood was like a soothing balm over my tongue, quenching the thirst at the very core of my being. It flowed through her and into me, and I could feel the life in every drop. There was nothing in the world like this.

It was like the sweetest sugar, the most refreshing fruit, like fine wine on a warm day, or like the scent of the earth travelling on the breeze. I could hear the beat of her frail heart, pumping to keep her body alive, but most importantly, I could hear the squelching of the blood within, every twist and every turn, journeying through her veins and into my mouth, where not a drop was wasted, where every drop satisfied, but did not quench.

I yearned for the chance to take all this vessel had to offer, but the smell of her fear floated through my senses and attacked my conscience. One last taste, one last drop, before I pulled away and pushed her from me. She fell to the ground, her salted tears feeding the earth as she begged me to leave her.

I ran my tongue over my teeth and lips, searching for remnants of the metallic liquid. On the ground the girl still cried, clutching at her ruined neck in horror and fear.

Around me, I heard the sounds of my brothers feeding, and I smelled the fresh blood they had allowed to be spilled, to be wasted. They were messy eaters…always were.

I turned away from the girl, my eyes travelling over the others, watching them take their fill as I too craved more. My eyes searched and sought, then finally they found. A man this time, cowering in the street as he watched us and wailed. He had surely never seen beasts the likes of us before, and now he possibly wished it to be a dream.

I could make him dream , I thought. Just a touch of my lips to his neck, a deep swallow, maybe two, and he could dream on forever. I took a step toward him, a smile gracing my lips as his eyes widened at my approach, then his fear grew, and his screams penetrated the air, tainting the night with its terror.

When my teeth pierced his flesh his screams all but melted into a whimper, and with a drag and swallow, my eyes drifted shut and I was once again enveloped in the taste; the succulence, the richness. It was sweet.

…………………………………………………

Tony’s POV

I sat in the stands with Kaio, watching the chaos ensue around me. It felt more packed that last time. The large court almost felt as if it had diminished in size. Around me, the bloodsuckers chanted and screamed. Many laughed and shouted down to the competitors in the center of the space, but for the most part they were ignored.

There were dozens of them, more than the first time I’d been here. They stood silently in the center of the court, lined out like soldiers standing in a cue. Heads straight, postures impeccable, feet apart and eyes ahead.

At the very front of the room sat the leader of the coven, his son by his side, but the others had yet to arrive and I wondered where they could be. Fifteen minutes we’d been sitting here, and still no Rien, and not once did the competitors move a muscle. It was as if they were waiting for an order. Maybe they waited for him.

Beside me, Kaio was a ball of excitement. He didn’t show it, but I could feel it. At the end of the day he was just like the rest of them; thirsty for bloodshed and ripped flesh. I shook my head. Coming here was a mistake, it wouldn’t be much different from the first time. In fact, judging by the crowd, I’d say it would be worse, much worse.

I looked around the room, then back to the center of the space, and like it had so many times before, my gaze traveled to Christophe, his white hair wasn’t easily missed. He wore similar clothing like the rest of them, all leather. I guess it was easier to wash blood from leather, but then with the amount of bloodshed we’d surely witness tonight, I figured the best thing to do would be to dump the clothes once the fight was over.

A horn sounded, and I followed the gaze of the rest of the audience as the massive doors of the court opened, and in walked the brothers, with Rien following close behind them. They were expressionless as they moved, quick with their steps, but showing no emotion as the crowd erupted in cheers at their entrance.

It surprised me to see people bending over the rails and stretching as far as they could manage so they could touch Rien. He didn’t shy away from their hands, but neither did he encourage them. Instead, he walked briskly like his brothers, his robes as black as the night, draped over his body like they belonged.

A few from the crowd called out his name but he kept his head straight as he walked, and soon he was sitting with his brothers and father at the front of the room.

“They’re treating him like he’s some kind of celebrity.” I said almost scornfully, and Kaio nodded and offered me a smile.

“He is our people’s champion, it is how he is always treated.” He said by way of explanation.

“What do you mean?”

Kaio’s brows furrowed. “Do you know nothing of your own mate Tony?” he asked in surprise. “Lord Riener is the epitome of a strength, the ultimate warrior and the people respect him for it. As they should.”

“Lemme guess, he’s the leader of your blood sucking army?”

“He once commanded our warriors yes, but he is far more than that.” He glanced over at Rien and smiled. “For centuries he has led our people into battle, and not once have we failed. He has trained the best of our warriors, broken the spirit of our most relentless enemies through determination alone. He is revered amongst our people Tony, surely he has told you of his accomplishments.”

I shook my head slowly, surprised by his words. “He might have mentioned something, but I never really gave it much thought…” I trailed off, my eyes on Rien as I reflected on kaio’s words.

“It is believed he will succeed his father as ruler of this coven, even as the youngest master class blood drinker amongst his brothers.”

“Just because he can lead an army?”

“We are the warrior coven Tony. It takes a mighty champion to lead us. His father is worthy, but Lord Riener…he is something else entirely.” He said, as if he himself was in awe of his own master. “In the distant covens they call him the ‘ Príncipe cruel’ - The ruthless prince .” He translated . “ I am truly lucky to be a servant to one such as he.” He said with obvious pride and once again my eyes drifted to Rien.

 I wondered just how much I really knew about him.

“Did you not wonder why so many have chosen to compete?” he asked then, and I shrugged.

“Thought this was the same for every ceremony.”

Kaio shook his head. “I do not think I have ever seen so many blood signatures on a single mating parchment, and every day the list grows. Our leader promised you would be free of our coven once the ceremony ends, but it is clear it will continue for longer than any of us had anticipated.”

I was surprised that the news didn’t anger me. I didn’t know what to feel.

A hushed silence fell over the court then, and Rien stood to speak.

“For you to have come this far means you have shown outstanding courage, strength and true bravely. I commend you.” He addressed the competitors. “I am truly honored that you would all wish to stand with me, but only one can hold a place by my side. I wish you all the best.” He finished and when he sat, cheers tore through the crowd.

It was the speech that signaled the starting of the fight, and I watched as the participants took their places.

“It is strange.” Kaio spoke again and I glanced at him.

“What’s strange?”

“That you would give up a man so many others choose to die for.” He said seriously, and for a moment I only looked at him, surprised by his words. I took a breath and turned away, my eyes once again moving to the center of the room as the fight began.

When the first punch was thrown I put Kaio’s words from my mind.

……………………………………………

The woman dodged, her midnight black hair flying freely behind her and as expected, her opponent latched onto the lengthy strands and pulled her across the floor. She fell, her backside hitting the hard surface and I could have sworn I heard a crunch.

 I watched in morbid fascination as he slammed his fist into her face, again and again until the blood gushed, then, when she lay, limp and weak, he took hold of either side of her head and twisted roughly.

I turned away, but nothing, not even the noise from the cheering spectators, could mask the sound of bone being pulled apart. I imagined the sickening thud of a headless body falling to the floor and gritted my teeth against the thought.

Another match won, too many more to go.

As the night progressed, the vamps around me never grew tired. They cheered endlessly for every match, their stomping feet and barbaric cries were something I wouldn’t soon forget. Match after match, vamp after vamp went down, their blood spilled on the fighting space; their lives extinguished and all for one man.

Too often my eyes strayed to him. Much like the first time, he sat comfortably watching the match, but he looked more bored than impressed, and truth be told, either emotion was disturbing in the face all that brutality.

Snow white’s match had been one of the first to start off the ceremony and to my surprise he’d been pretty skillful in his execution. Twenty minutes into his match, he had managed to rip the heart out of his opponent’s chest. I remembered the blood dripping from his white hair and trickling down his face. He was a good person , Kaio said, but good people didn’t do what he did, and Rien didn’t need someone like him. He didn’t need any of them, they were too…polluted.

Five more matches and they finally called it a night, announcing that the next round would be held tomorrow night. I pushed up from my seat, following Kaio and yawned. Most of the audience still stood in place, cheering for the victors and clearly not ready to end the ‘festivities’.

 I allowed my gaze to travel across the room as I headed toward the exit, and I caught the exchange between Rien and Christophe. Apparently it was custom to shake the hand of every victor after the ceremony, but when Rien laughed at something Christophe said, and their hands seemed to stay joined for a moment longer than was necessary I surmised that they knew each other.

“Is everything alright?” Kaio asked and I looked at him. I hadn’t even realized that I’d stopped and I nodded.

I glanced back at Rien for a second to see that he’d moved to greet another victor, then I turned away from the scene and fell into step with Kaio.

It took us ten minutes to break away from the crowd and another fifteen to walk back to Rien’s place. I pulled off my clothes and hopped into the shower as soon as I had privacy. I scrubbed my sweat soaked skin, wishing I could wash the night from my mind completely.

I didn’t know just how long I stood under the warm spray, but when I exited the bathroom, the tips of my fingers were pruned, and the only thing I wanted was to fall into bed and sleep for a year, but when I finally managed to crawl between the sheets, I heard Rien’s voice down the corridor and I hopped out from under them, and padded down the hall. A drudge passed me on the way and offered a small smile I wasn’t in the mood to return.

I approached his open door, then leaned on the frame with my arms crossed as I watched him pull his shirt over his head.

“Had fun?” I questioned and he turned slowly to face me, bare-chested and smiling.

“Not particularly, but I am delighted you came. It made the whole ordeal somewhat bearable.” He said, bending to untie the lace of his shoe.

“So…you know Christophe…” I mentioned casually.

“I have seen him in the coven once or twice.” He responded, kicking off the boot, then bending to pull the laces of the other.

“Really? You two seemed pretty friendly tonight.” I continued as a way of making conversation and he straightened, his eyes finding mine as a wide smile spread across his face.

“Is that jealousy I detect Tony?” he questioned in obvious delight.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” I spat, turning on my heels to leave, only to feel his hand on my arm.

I turned to face him in surprise and he pulled me to him.

“There is no need for you to be jealous. I see only you.” He said softly.

“Don’t worry about it, I wasn’t.” I told him seriously, but he only smiled as he took a step closer.

 I backed away, and my eyes automatically went to his bare chest, then darted to his lips, and finally settled on his eyes.

I tugged my arm from his, but froze when he moved closer. I could feel his warm breath on my face as he leaned in, and my mind screamed at me to leave, to get out while I still could, but his gaze held me in place.

I could practically see the need in his eyes and I swallowed hard, watching as he leaned in, too entranced to do anything but wait, and watch. The closer he came, the harder my heart pounded, and when his lips finally met mine I was lost.

                                         AUTHOR’S NOTES 

I DECIED TO GIVE YOU GUYS AN EARLY UPDATE SINCE SO MANY OF YOU REQUESTED IT.

HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT AND AS ALWAYS THANKS FOR READING!

KEEP SWEET!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Bonus chapter: Giving in.

Bonus Chapter

Rien’s POV

I could feel his eagerness just as well as I could sense his uncertainty, and I was reminded of a time when he would come to me willingly, craving my touch, hungry for the pleasure I alone could give him.

Now he was cautious, his touch hesitant, and his mind divided. It was an indication of just how much of him I had lost and how hard I would need to work to restore his confidence in what we once had. His calloused hands settled lightly on my chest, while my own travelled freely over his body.

I felt the bunching of muscles beneath his thin nightshirt, and the press of his erect shaft against my leg was as unmistakable as the scent of his arousal in the air.

He shivered when I ran my tongue down his neck, trailing after the veins that lay just beneath the surface of his tanned skin, and his nails bit into my flesh. I moved a hand down, running the pads of my fingers across his abdomen and lower still, over the soft dusting of hair just below his navel.

He grabbed my wrist when I dipped into the waistband of his pants and I lifted my head to look at him. He was torn, his face flushed with passion, but his eyes tormented.

“We can’t” he whispered unconvincingly and I smiled, pulling my hand from his and moving to cup him through his clothing.

He groaned, dropping his forehead onto my shoulder and rocking his hips slightly as I stroked him. With my free hand, I took hold of his neck and forced him to look at me. His eyes stared back slightly unfocused, while his breath passed raggedly through his parted lips.

 I kissed him and he responded instantly, moving his lips against mine with the enthusiasm of an impassioned lover. All the while I stroked, working to increase his pleasure even as he stood there clutching me. I deepened the kiss and he groaned, welcoming the intrusion as our tongues fought for control. The heat rose up from his body and enveloped me and the more I stroked the more he moaned until he had to break the kiss to take an unsteady breath.

I pulled away from him and kicked the door shut. My eyes never left his flushed face and his own gaze travelled hungrily over my body. I grabbed the tail of his shirt and he allowed me to pull it over his head and just as quickly, I discarded the rest of his clothing so that he stood before me, nude and magnificent in the soft light.

I kissed him again, this time, sure that I had bruised his lips during my assault, but he wound his arms around my neck and pulled me closer, taking what I offered while I in turn took all he gave.

“I’ve missed this.” I whispered, before lifting him off the floor, taking two sure steps and dropping him onto the mattress. He used his elbows and feet to push to the center of the bed and his eyes followed me as I shed my own garments and climbed in after him. I settled between his legs, balancing on my elbows as my lips descended to his once more.

He was exquisite, laying there beneath be, his body tensed in anticipation. The little sounds he made filled my mind and fed my arousal. I trailed my hands over his heated flesh, leaving no place untouched. I knew his body like I knew my own mind, knowing just where to touch to bring him pleasure, and exactly how to take him to the edge and back. He writhed under me, rolling his hips and bringing his rigid flesh into contact with my own.

I suckled his neck, loving the smell of his blood, pulsing under his skin.

“Mmm…” he moaned when I skated my hand over his shaft, enjoying the feel of the strength of it in my hand.

I squeezed gently and he arched his back, gasping and whimpering while I fondled him. His nipples stood up like small pebbles, the rose-colored beads providing the perfect contrast against his chest.

“S ’agapó̱…” I whispered in his ear, just as I used to, and he sighed, his warm breath skating across my skin.

I weighed his sac in my palm, teasing him.

“Please…” he begged and I relented, running a finger between his cheeks and spreading him.

He raised his legs up slightly, allowing me access and I made good use of the opportunity. When my finger breached the tight ring of muscle, he cried out and I covered his lips with my own, suffocating the sounds as I prepared him well.

He was lost, having completely surrendered himself to me, if only for the night and I gave him exactly what I knew he craved.

“Rien!” he gasped and I finally gave in, positioning myself to make him mine.

I kissed his lips again and when I finally took him, he was mine, utterly and completely.

We moved together to the beat of our own hearts, giving and taking until it all became too much and we shattered, spilling against each other and panting from the intensity of the act.

Afterwards, we lay sated and worn in the silence of the room, and I listened as his heart rate slowed and his breathing evened.

He slept.

My gazed raked over his nakedness. His chest was home to a littering of scars made through battle and his hard frame spoke of his strength, for he was indeed strong; in heart and in mind. He was also beautiful and he was mine.

“ S ’agapó̱…”

………………………………………………..

Tony’s POV

I groaned and stretched, blinking against the morning sunlight which streamed through the windows. My muscles and joints ached as if I’d recently run a marathon, and the throbbing I felt deep in my lower back brought back memories of the previous night. I sat up with a curse and ran a hand over my face.

“A foul mouth and at such an early hour. You never did like mornings.”

My head shot up at the sound of Rien’s voice and I immediately spotted him across the room, standing buck naked in front of the wall, a paintbrush in hand.

When I felt the familiar stirring in my loins, I looked away.

“What are you doing?”

“I’ve decided it is time for change.” He said in answer and I rolled my eyes.

“Would it kill you to put on some clothes?” I asked in annoyance.

“I am standing in my bedchamber, I hardly see how this can be deemed inappropriate.” He replied and I glanced over at him again in time to see him make the first stroke of the brush against the wall.

He said nothing else and I glanced at the floor in search of my own clothes. What the hell was I thinking ? I thought in frustration.

“Last night was a mistake.” I said and he turned to look at me.

“It was many things, but a mistake is not one of them.” He said seriously.

“We can’t-”

A knock on the door interrupted my words and I pulled the blankets over my own nakedness when Rien called out for whoever it was to enter.

The door swung open and Kaio came in, pushing a cart of food before him.

“I have prepared Tony’s meal as requested my Lord.” He addressed Rien, then deposited the thing beside the bed glancing down at me with a grin.

“I trust you had a good night Tony.” He said, eyes twinkling with mischief and I glared.

“Don’t start.”

He gestured to the tray. “Once again I have prepared all your favorites. I do hope you eat this time Tony, it cannot be wise to exercise on an empty stomach.” He continued, his grin growing wider.

“Do not tease him Kaio, he is already in a sour mood.”

Kaio offered him a small bow.  “Of course my Lord.” Then he turned to me and offered another smile before spun and left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

“I would like us to spend the day together.” Rien said, his focus still on whatever he was painting.

“I have plans today.”

He glanced around to look at me with a raised brow and I held his gaze, refusing to back down.

“Very well.” He said after a moment, then dropped the brush onto the floor with all the others.

Before I could blink he was climbing onto the bed, dirtying the sheets with his painted hands.

“What are you-”

“Let us not waste any time then.” he said, grabbing my leg and pulling me to the center of the bed.

I protested, shoving against his hold until he settled between my legs and lowered his mouth to my neck, by then I lost all ability to think.

                                        AUTHOR’S NOTES

JUST A BONUS CHAPTER FOR ALL YOU THIRSTY FOLKS…YOUR COMMENTS GIVE ME LIFE HAHA!

FOR THOSE CELL MATES FANS…DON’T WORRY I HAVENT FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOU, I JUST THINK IT’S ONLY FAIR TO SWITCH MY FOCUS TO THIS STORY FOR A LITTLE WHILE…CELL MATES WILL BE BACK REALLY SOON!

THANKS FOR READING GUYS.

 -DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 19: The shapes in the clouds.

Chapter 19

Rien’s POV

Twice already I had brought him pleasure and now I watched him as he lay beside me, looking at anything but me as he fought with his own confused mind. His need was as clear to me as it had always been; he could not deny it and neither could he resist its pull, but I found that I craved more than just his desire. 

I missed the ease with which we once spoke, and the happiness we once found in each other’s arms; the nights when he would talk for hours on end, telling me about his day, his future plans, his every thought and every wish. They were days I once cherished and times I wished for again. Now as I watched him, I could only guess his thoughts, and wonder if at any moment he would shun me.

“What are you thinking?” I asked to break the silence.

He bit his lower lip as he stared at the ceiling and I watched him twist his fingers together, before resting his hands on his stomach.

“This doesn’t mean anything. I still have a decision to make and what we did won’t change that.”  He said seriously.

“I understand, and of course I shall respect whatever decision you make.”

 He nodded, with his eyes still glued to the ceiling and his mouth set in a hard line.

“Good.”

“…but my feelings for you will never change. That is just the way it is.” I finished, and for a second his eyes darted my way and he swallowed.

“You should stop saying shit like that to me.”

“Why shouldn’t I be allowed to express how I feel?” I asked. “How else will you know what I hold in my heart?”

“I don’t want to know.”

“But you do. I can see just how much you do, just how much you need to hear it and I will not stop simply because you are afraid to admit it.” I said adamantly.

“Why are you being like this?” he sat up and demanded with narrowed eyes.

I sat up as well, my back against the headboard. “Because I refuse to let you go without a fight. I care deeply for you and I will not rest until make you understand that.”

He cursed and moved to leave the bed, but I grabbed his arm before he could step down.

“Let me go.” He said and pulled against my hold.

“No. It is time to stop running and listen to what I have to say. I care ab-”

“No.” he interrupted, pulling harder as a litany of curses spilled from his mouth.

My hold tightened. “Listen to me, I lov-”

“For fuck’s sake, let me go!” he shouted then, his anger building, and I tightened my hold, then latched onto both his arms and shook him.

“You are a stubborn fool Tony, you are impetuous and selfish. You are also brave and benevolent, with a soul so pure sometimes it pains me to look at you, but I love you and everything that you are.”

“Don’t.” he protested weakly.

 I shook him, “S ’agapó̱, you are my mate and I would do anything to make you happy, but I will not sit idly by and watch you run away from something you know you want. I refuse!” I shouted the words, trying to make him understand what drove me, to make him recognize that everything I did, and every decision I made, was made with him in mind, but he said nothing.

He simply sat there, limp in my arms as he looked at me with tormented eyes.

I stared at him for a moment, suddenly feeling exhausted and ancient, then I released his arms sat back against the headboard.

For a long time, neither of us spoke, and I listened to his beating heart and the sound of his breathing.

“You sent me to the army so I could be strong but I’m not strong Rien.” He said, surprising me with his words. “I don’t want to get hurt…not again.” He finished softly.

When I finally spoke, my voice sounded too loud in the quiet room. “Do you remember what you said to me the first time we met?” I asked.

His brows creased and he turned his eyes to me. “I told you you looked ridiculous in your robes and you needed to learn how to dress like a man.”

I smiled. “And I told you that if you knew just how many ways I could end your life, you would not insult me so freely.” I continued. “But you rolled your eyes at me and walked away. Why did you do it? Why would you completely disregard my words?” I questioned and for a second, a ghost of a smile graced his face.

“Because I wasn’t afraid of you.” He said simply.

“That’s right. You weren’t afraid. You have never feared me, even knowing what I am, and I would like to think that it is because deep down, even without truly knowing me, some part of you trusted that I would not harm you.” I told him softly. “And now I need you to trust me once again, trust that I will never hurt you.”

He said nothing so I took his hand in mine and squeezed gently.

“Can you do that? Do you think you can trust me again?”

His eyes grew wide with an emotion I could not readily decipher and his lips trembled slightly before he spoke.

“Please don’t make me fall in love with you again Rien.” He pleaded desperately and I lifted a hand to run through his hair before letting it settle on his cheek.

“You are already in love with me Tony…I cannot change that.” I told him softly, staring into his now pain filled dark orbs.

I allowed my hand to fall from his cheek and he turned away from me, moving to lay once more on the bed, his back facing me.

I pulled the blanket up and over his shoulder, before leaning in to press a light kiss on the side of his head.

“I won’t let you down my love. I swear it.”

………………………………………………

“I am beginning to think we rushed our decision.” Jorlon said when we met in Peitre’s study later that day.

“I disagree.” Was Marcan’s adamant reply.

“It cannot be right that we have plotted to slay our father after but a few minute’s consideration. Does his life mean nothing to us?” he continued and I shifted in my chair to face him.

“He is a merciless despot who clearly cares nothing for his people. Have you not seen how he continues the mating ceremony, allowing men to kill each other, while knowing full well that his own actions would leave us in need of an army? Death is too good a punishment.” I told him seriously, and he glanced away from my piercing gaze.

“You surprise me Riener.” Peitre announced and my gaze shot to his. “You are the apple of our father’s eye. There is nothing he would not do for you, yet you seem to crave his death more than any of us.”

“I do not deny it.”

“Riener would do anything for his human, is that not already clear?” Marcan issued scornfully and once again I did not deny the spoken words.

“Father has threatened to hunt him down and slaughter him before my very eyes if I choose to leave with him. I assure you, his death would bring me no pain.”

“I hope you harbor no fantasies of a fairytale ending with the human once Father has left us.” Peitre spoke then. “After all, you still have a duty to the coven. A suitable mate must be chosen.”

My eyes narrowed. “I will not choose a mate.”

“Dozens have died for a place by your side. Families have lost their sons and daughters. If you are to withdraw from the ceremony, there will surely be an uproar.” Peitre continued.

“Their blood is on father’s hands.”

“No it is on your hands. It is for you that they do this, and you have allowed it to go on.  Take responsibility for your own acquiescence and put away your childish desires.” Marcan interrupted, his eyes blazing with reproach.

I gritted my teeth, their words whirling through my mind like autumn leaves on high wind.

“Tony is my mate.” I replied quietly.

“There are more important things at play here than matters of the heart brother. One day you will come to realize that.”

I pushed up from my seat and turned to leave, no longer interested in the topic of conversation.

“After father’s death, the people will look to you for guidance Riener. It is you they love and trust, and it is you who will be expected to lead them. Do not think for a moment that your needs trump their own.” I paused to listen as Marcan spoke, then I threw open the doors and left their presence.

…………………………………………

5 years ago

“Look, don’t you see it?” Tony asked from where he lay with his head resting against my chest. He stared up into the blue skies.

We sat on a beach, hidden from the world in a secluded space between two massive rock structures, the dry sand being weighed down by our outstretched bodies.

“As I’ve said many times before, I do not see anything but lumps of white.” I told him seriously, while I searched the sky for the shapes he claimed to see in the clouds.

Tony sighed in exasperation before turning his head to look at me. His large, expressive orbs wide with annoyance. “Everyone can see shapes in the clouds.”

With my head nestled in the shifting sand, I stared deeply into the sky once more, brows wrinkled as I fought to see what he did, but they were as they always were; nothing but white lumps. Centuries I had lived on this earth and they never seemed to change.

“Perhaps it is only humans that can spot them.” I supplied and he shook his head, a smile blossoming on his face as he gazed at the clouds.

I wished desperately then, that I really could catch a glimpse of the interesting shapes, to share in his own experience and take pleasure from the sight, but instead I watched him, enjoying the many expressions flitting across his face as he lounged.  He was happy here, I could tell. In this pointless sandpit, with its loose flooring and salted water; it was where he was the happiest.

He sighed in satisfaction and I watched him in fascination. “I’d spend the rest of my life on a beach if I could. Drinking coconut milk, bathing in the sea and running around barefoot in the sand with you.” He said, his grin widening.

“We can, if you so desire.” I told him and he turned his head to look at me, his happy eyes melting into pools of sadness.

“Things like that only happen in fairytales RiRi.” He explained seriously.

“Then we shall have our fairytale. We can have this life for as long as you want it.”

He sat up and ran a hand through his hair, then with a sigh he pushed up from the sand and stood beside me, his hand outstretched.

“Haven’t you heard Rien?” He questioned. “Fairytales aren’t real.”

I took his hand and allowed him to think he was helping me stand. When we stood side by side, I looked up at the clouds.

My eyes travelled from cloud to cloud in search of something…anything to bring me closer to his way of thinking, but it was not to be and I realized then, that I could not see his shapes because I did not think as he did. He saw life where it did not exist, and he dreamt of things he did not truly believe he could attain.

………………………………………

 

Present

I departed from my brother’s dwelling place and walked out into the courtyard, took a deep breath and stopped, breathing in the earthy smell of the air, and listening to the sound of the trees as they fought the wind. Then I placed a hand over my heart and offered up a silent prayer to whomever cared to listen.

 A moment passed, and another, then with a breath, I looked up into the sky, searching the clouds for Tony’s shapes, hoping to find at least one interesting outline that would brighten my day, but just as it had been for centuries, I saw only the lifeless white lumps; nothing more and nothing less.

                                             

                                                 AUTHOR’S NOTES

THE MORE I WRITE, THE MORE I FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK.

Feel free to checkout the video i shared on the side and check out my book ‘A Home For Timmy’

ShOuT Out

: To lilingppg007, because your comments never fail to entertain me.

THANKS FOR READING GUYS AND AS ALWAYS KEEP SWEET!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 20: The Ant and his escort.

Chapter 20

Tony’s POV

I kicked the pebble and watched as it bounced across the pavement and into the nearby shrubs, then I kicked another, and another, and another until the boredom got to me and I continued walking.

My mind was everywhere, and I felt like I was losing it. I remembered a time when I could make a half decent decision and stick with it, now I decided on something and I had to rethink it, and question it until I didn’t even know which way to turn.

I did it with Rien, and I was doing it with Malik. I still didn’t trust the guy, that wouldn’t change, but I’d gone from being slightly obsessed with finding out exactly why he couldn’t be trusted, to not giving a rat’s ass about what he did, so long as he didn’t interfere with me.

Then of course, there was the ever present Rien situation. That one was tricky, and more than a little frustrating. I had to decide whether to risk it all again and be with him, or let him move on with his new mate. Then to add another rock to the pile…sleeping with him at a time when I needed my mind clear enough to make a reasoned decision.

I felt like I was being pulled in a million different directions as I fought with logic, lust, my heart and my instincts. The answer was right there in front of me, but I didn’t know which was the right one, and there was no one else out there who could just tell me what to choose.

I kicked another pebble as I walked, and watched it skate across the pavement and slam into the tip a stark white boot.

I looked up, coming face to face with their owner, and my annoyance grew.

“Just what I needed today, my very own ball of cotton.” I issued sarcastically as Christophe approached me, his mouth turned up slightly in a condescending smile.

“Ah, Little Ant , I am surprised to see you without your usual guard.” He said, coming to stand before me, his hands behind his back and his long white hair blowing in the wind.

“Yeah well, I’m surprised to see you on this side of the playground. If you’re looking for Rien, he’s not here.” I got straight to the point, and he looked at me in surprise.

“Look for him? If only such a thing were allowed.”

I raised a brow in askance.

“Do you think that if familiars were allowed to simply call upon the master class whenever we pleased, that Lord Riener’s home would ever be free of guests?” he began. “You are very fortunate to be allowed the chance to dine with one so esteemed Little Ant . I would advise you to treasure it while you still can.” He had the audacity to laugh then, and I felt an almost overwhelming desire to rip the hair from his head.

Instead, I said; “Is there a point to this conversation, or can I get on with my life?”

He seemed to think on it for a second. “I suppose not. I am merely out for a stroll. I must say, I am very surprised to see you so far away from Lord Rien’s dwelling place. I will offer you another piece of advice…do not stray too far without an escort. You would be surprised at just how many in this coven would be glad to see your head mounted on a stick.”

I glanced back to Rien’s place which was only a short walk down the path, and shook my head.

“I think I can manage.” I sidestepped him and continued, I needed to clear my head and a walk alone would do me some good.

“Very well, then I shall offer my services as your chaperone.” He called out behind me, and I snorted.

“No offense Snow flake, but I can take care of myself.”

He appeared beside me, his stride matching my own. “I did not think you foolish enough to utter such nonsense. A frail human, walking through the warrior coven? I could breathe on you and your bones would shatter.” He exaggerated and I picked up the pace and ignored him.

“I noticed that you attended the ceremony.” He said. “I could smell you the moment you entered the court.”

“Uhuh.”

“But do you know what I smell now Little Ant ?” he questioned in that annoying self-assured voice that was already getting on my nerves.

“The name’s Tony, use it or don’t bother addressing me.” I growled out.

“It may shock you to learn of this Tony , but I am Lord Christophe, and I shall call you by  whatever name I choose until you have addressed me respectfully.”

I rubbed a hand across my forehead and sighed. “You’re giving me a headache.”

“Do you know what I smell now?”

I shook my head. “No, but I’m sure you’ll tell me.”

“I can smell him . Lord Riener’s scent clings to you like dried mud.”

 I glanced up at him to take in his casual expression. “Jealous?”

He scoffed. “I have no place being jealous. The master class have always been an insatiable lot. It is something one comes to expect.”

I paused and so did he. “So lemme get this straight. You’re risking your life for the guy, and you don’t give a damn that he’s fucking me while you do it?”

His mouth tightened. “Your language leaves much to be desired…and no, when I do become his mate, I will be expected to turn a blind eye to his exploits. That is the way it is done here.”

My eyes narrowed. “Then you’re a fool. No one should have to put up with that shit. In any case, Rien’s not like that, so good for you.” I said drily and resumed the walk.

“Truly? Then what is he like?” he asked, suddenly looking like an eager child. His new demeanor threw me off, and for a second my mind went blank.

“Go talk to him and you’ll find out.” I replied seriously, and for a while we walked on in silence.

My mind drifted as we walked and once again the decision I had yet to make worried me.

“May I trouble you with a question Tony?” Christophe interrupted, surprising me when he used my name.

“What’s that?”

“What is it like where you come from?”

His question confused me. “It’s just like everywhere else I guess, same kinda people, same kinda places…nothing special.”

His brows furrowed. “Yes, but the human world itself, what is it like there?”

I had to pause again, this time looking at him with raised brows.

“You’re talking like you’ve never been there before.”

“I have of course, however only for very brief periods when I am permitted to feed. Otherwise I have not seen much of your world, unless of course you wish to count what I have seen on your internet.”

“What do you mean permitted? I thought you bloodsuckers could go wherever you wanted.

He smiled. “Most can, however I am a member of the nobility. I have waited all my life to get the chance to fight for a place by Lord Rien’s side, my family expects that I should remain pure…in every sense of the word.”

I shook my head. “Pure as in….” I trailed off.

“It is expected that I do not intermingle with the humans, nor should I complete certain acts that would tarnish me in the mind of my mate.”

He said it so casually as if it was common knowledge and I chuckled. “You’re saying you’re a virgin… That’s rich!”

I grinned, then shook my head. The guy came off as a man of the world, overconfident, bordering on cocky; as if he had everything figured out, yet here he was as clueless as an untouched flower.

The irony.

“I hardly see how that warrants your laughter. It is the greatest gift to a Lord of the master class to be presented with the very epitome of purity. Not many can live the way I do.” He continued with that same arrogant lift of his head.

“Abstinence is hardly an achievement, besides, you really think Rien wants to bed some clueless know-it-all?” I ridiculed, and for the first time since we started on our walk, his smile slipped.

I looked away and instantly felt regret. Why should I be the one to feel guilty when he was the asshole Rien would probably end up with. I glanced over at him again to see his mouth pulled down in a frown and his brows knitted in concentration.

I sighed, the guilt had already taken hold.

“Forget I said that.” I mumbled, but he said nothing.

“Ah, I had wondered when I would be given the opportunity to meet the human.” A voice interrupted my thoughts, and I glanced up to see a bloodsucker twice Christophe’s size making his way over to me, with about half a dozen vamps surrounding him.

Beside me Christophe bowed low, but the vamp ignored him, his gaze coming to settle on me.

Rien’s brother.

“I am Marcan and in the event that are too dull-witted to realize it, I am also Riener’s brother.” He insulted, then stared down at me expectantly.

“Then I’m pretty sure you already know who I am, unless you’re too full of yourself to take a look around every once in a while.” I shot back, and without a pause his hand was at my neck and I was fighting to breath past his strong grip.

“Do not think you are safe here boy. I could snap your neck without a second thought.” He threatened.

I clutched his hand, fighting to loosen his grip. “Then do it asshole.” I gasped out, and for a second I saw black dots as his fingers tightened, then he let go completely and I fell to the ground, gasping and spluttering as I tried to catch my breath.

“You are but a fly on the wall I will gladly crush if you dare to insult me again.” He spat, then as quickly as he had come, he was gone and I was being helped to my feet by Christophe, who looked at me with obvious reproach.

“Have you gone mad?” he exclaimed as he held me up, and I ran an unsteady hand over my aching neck.

“Fucking asshole.” I cursed, my voice sounding raspy to my own ears.

“You are fortunate that you still have your life.” Christophe reprimanded, and I brushed his hand away. “That was a foolish thing to do… do you need me to carry you?”

I glared at him. “Does it look like I need you to carry me?” I growled.

I’m sick of this damn coven .  I thought as I rubbed my neck.

No matter what choice I made, I wasn’t staying here any longer than I had to. Fucking barbarians.

I straightened up and glanced in the direction Marcan had gone, then at the street up ahead, and when Christophe shifted slightly beside me an idea formed. I looked up at him with a grin and I saw the curiosity in his eyes.

“You said you want me to tell you what it’s like in the human world right?” I asked.

“Of course.”

“What if I showed you instead?” I asked him, my gaze holding his.

“I do not understand.”

“I’ll show you myself. I’ll be like an unofficial tour guide.”

Comprehension dawned. “You would have us leave the coven?” he asked uncertainly. “Have I not explained to you that such things are not permitted for me?”

“Walking around with a bunch of humans isn’t going to taint you, Rien’s done it a million times, and so has practically everyone here. I’m showing you the place, I’m not telling you to make friends out there.” I tried to convince him, and I could see that it was working when he bit his lower lip.

“I have worked very hard to become what I am.” He told me seriously.

“And I’m telling you…Rien doesn’t give a shit about that. I know him better than anyone.”

It felt strange using Rien to convince him, as if I was ready to hand him off to Christophe on a silver platter.

His eyes narrowed. “Why would you choose to help me?”

I looked at him for a second, then shrugged.

“I couldn’t really give a damn about helping you, I just need outta here for a while…to clear my head, and since I don’t know the way out… I’ll need your help.” I said truthfully.

“So you would use me to suit your own selfish desires?” he questioned and I nodded.

“You in?”

“This goes against everything I believe in.”

“You’re the one who wants to know what it’s like out there. This is your golden opportunity, so take it or leave it.”

He looked around him, then back at me, and for a while we both stood staring at each other, until finally he nodded.

“Very well…. When shall we depart?”

I grinned. “Gimme a few minutes to get something at the house and I’ll meet you back here.” I told him, and when he gave to okay I took off down the street.

I ran back the way we came, through an alley, down some stairs and along the path. Then I ran past a drudge as I entered the house, took the stairs two at a time, down the corridor and finally I was pushing my room door open.

“I was wondering when you’d show up.”

My head shot up at the sound of the voice and I froze in the door way, surprised to see Malik sitting comfortably at the end of my unmade bed.

I released the breath I was holding, and walked further into the room, where I flung open the door of the wardrobe.

“What the hell are you doing in here?” I asked as I searched through the piles of clothes Kaio had had delivered for me.

“I figured it was time I paid you a visit.” He said simply, and I shook my head, grabbing hold of the leather jacket as soon as I spotted it, and slipping it over my shirt.

“Aren’t you supposed to be laid up in bed dying or something?” I asked distractedly, pulling off my cotton pants in favor of the jeans laying on the floor.

“Yeah well…I caved, made Kaio give me a sip of his blood so I could at least make it over here.” He explained.

“If you could take a sip of his blood, then why didn’t you just make him heal you completely?”

“Because I don’t like the idea of being indebted to a vampire, but I figured a sip was worth it, especially since we have a few things to discuss.” He continued.

“I don’t have a thing to discuss with you…now if you’re done, I’d like you to get out.” I said, remembering how stupid I was for listening to him to first time.

I snapped my jeans shut and pulled on my boots.

“Where are you going?”

“Out.” I replied, then ran a hand through my short cropped hair.

I couldn’t deny the fact that I was just a little nervous about going back out there in the world after having being gone for so long. Rien had taken me straight from the desert, to that damn fortress in the middle of nowhere, then to his coven. I’d wouldn’t be surprised if I didn’t remember how to hail a cab.

“Jesus, what the hell happened to your neck?” Malik exclaimed, climbing slowly off the bed and toward me. When his hand moved to touch my skin, I stepped away from him.

“Did Rien do this? Is he hurting you?” he interrogated, almost sounding angry…as if he had any right to be.

“Look, I don’t know what you’re playing at, but I aint interested, so you can take your fake concern, and shove it up your ass on the way out.” I insulted.

I wasn’t naïve like the rest of them, and if he thought I’d be bending over backwards like everyone else to make him feel welcome, he had another thing coming.

“Look Tony I’m only trying to-”

“Not interested.” I interrupted, before walking out if the room and leaving him standing there.

I passed two drudges on my way down the corridor, but managed to slip into Rien’s room unnoticed. I went immediately to his chest of drawers, puling each one open, and shuffling the contents in search of some cash.

It was mostly clothes and useless junk I couldn’t identify. Drawer after drawer was the same thing, until finally I came upon a stack of credit cards and I stared at them in surprise.

A Vampire with a bank account . Now that was something you didn’t see every day. I picked up the first one, turning it around in my hand.

He was using fake names. I shook my head, dropped it back into place, then pushed the drawer shut. When I opened the one below it I finally hit the jackpot.

Stacks of cash sitting untouched amongst his robes. I pulled out a few bills and stuffed them into my pockets, then kicked the drawer shut and left the room.

I made quick work of it, eating up the distance to get to Christophe before he changed his mind. He was standing exactly where I’d left him, looking tall and regal even as he waited, and I shook my head, wondering if bloodsuckers ever just loosened up.

“Let’s go Snow white.” I called when I got to his side and he nodded.

“Follow me.”

                                           AUTHOR’S NOTES

TAKE IT, IT’S YOURS..NOW I CAN GO WATCH MY MOVIE .

ENJOY!

IF YOU HAVEN’T YET, GO

CHECK OUT MY

NEW BOOK; “A Home For Timmy” 

THANKS AGAIN FOR READING, AND AS ALWAYS KEEP SWEET!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 21: Night Life.

Chapter 21

Rien’s POV

I slammed my fists against the surface of the table and the hard wood shattered instantly. No one in the room uttered a word as they watched me.

“Any word from the trackers I sent out?” I questioned no one in particular, but Kaio’s voice rose up from the group; soft and lacking its usual confidence.

“They lost the scent my Lord. Tony cannot be found beyond the walls of the coven.”

A flurry of scenarios spun through my mind, each one more terrifying than the first, and I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, before I spoke again.

“He has been missing since the morning, how could you have kept this news from me until now?” I questioned my most loyal drudge in the calmest voice I could muster.

I could hear the rapid beating of his heart as he struggled to answer, and for the first time since I had known him, I felt a disappointment so great, I could hardly stand to look at him.

“I thought I could find him on my own my Lord. He is my duty and I failed you.” He whispered.

I closed my eyes, calmed my breathing, and listened to the silence, searching out Tony’s heartbeat as I had done so many times since I had learned the news, but as with all the other times, I heard nothing but the sounds around me, which meant he was too far away from the coven, or…or his heart was no longer beating.

For the first time since I awakened on this earth I knew what it meant to be afraid. I could not begin to understand what had happened. I had left him sleeping soundly between my sheets only this morning, and now not a soul seemed to know where he was.

My first thought had been that he had run away, but without help, he would not have been able to pass through the main gates, and there was not a vampire here willing to aid a human in his escape.

Now I imagined far worse things; like his lifeless body drained of blood, or him trapped and afraid somewhere, waiting for me to rescue him.

I turned my eyes on everyone in the room, my gaze travelling from one face to the next, from the drudges, to the warriors and to my trusted brethren. “You will search high and low for him, both inside the walls of the coven and outside. Harm no humans in your wake, just bring Tony back to me safely.” I commanded, then watched as they departed.

“Kaio.” I called out as he turned to leave. “You will remain here with me, and you will explain exactly why you allowed him to take one step outside these doors without your supervision.

………………………………………………….

Tony’s POV

“You sure the thing you sprayed on us will cover our scent?” I asked Christophe again, and he regarded me as if I was stupid.

“As I have said so many times before, no blood drinker will find us. We are free to enjoy what is left of this night, just as we have enjoyed the day so far.” He finished with a smile. Then he pointed to the drink I’d ordered for him just moments before.

“Now tell me, what is it about this concoction that humans find so tasteful? I fail to see the attraction.”

I grinned. “It’s not supposed to taste good, it just makes you feel good.” I explained and once again he picked up the glass and sipped the amber liquid.

“I feel no better than I was a minute ago.” He announced in annoyance and I laughed.

“You’ve only had two sips Snowflake, what’d you expect?”

“Oooh Snowflake, is that what they call you baby?” a small male body forced itself between us, and we were both left to stare at the intruder.

He wore the skimpiest attire, so tight that it fit him like a second skin, and his multicolored hair was practically glowing in the flashing lights.

“Of course not. I am Lord Christophe of the warrior coven.” He said simply, and I shook my head.

The twink standing between us ran a finger up his arm and Christophe watched the movement with interest.

“You’re funny… I like that.”

Christophe’s eyes lit up at the compliment. “Thank you… I have certainly always thought so…not very many tend to appreciate my humor, it is nice to-”

“I like your accent. Where are you from sweetheart?”

Christophe looked at me, then back at him. “Did you not hear me? I am from the warrior coven, and my name is not sweetheart, it is Christophe, Lord Christophe, and it would do you well to address me as such.” He commanded and I chuckled.

“Oooh kinky, I like that. Alright Lord Christophe, you wanna dance?”

Christophe looked appalled. “Dance? I would sooner suck you dry than dance with you.” He said seriously and the twink practically melted.

“Baby, you can suck on me all night, how about we go back to my place for a little while.”

I rolled my eyes as Christophe now watched the man with obvious interest.

“You would allow me to drink from you?” he asked in surprise. And the man held out a hand which Christophe took, and with a quick sip of my drink, I stepped between the two.

“Trust me, you don’t want any part of the sucking he’s planning on giving you.” I told the stranger, whose gaze raked over me and a smile brightened his face.

“I wouldn’t mind a little fun with you too honey.” He began, and I batted his hand away.

“Not interested, now… go away.” I turned my back on the guy, and moved back to my stool where Christophe was taking yet another cautious sip of his drink.

“I had not a clue humans were so willing to offer us their blood. It is no wonder the familiars flock the human world so regularly.” He began.

“He wasn’t offering his blood Chris, he was trynna pick you up.”

His brows furrowed. “Pick me up? With those meagre arms?” then he laughed, and I rolled my eyes. The guy wouldn’t last a day in this world.

I glanced around the room and caught the eye of a guy, watching me as if I was an order of bacon he couldn’t wait to taste. By the time I glanced back around, there was another twink standing beside Christophe.

“I like your muscles daddy, do you work out?”

Christophe’s eyes widened in shock, much like it had been doing pretty much all day. “I assure you, I have never fathered a child, and if I had, it certainly would not be human!” he said, clearly insulted.

I called over the bartender and left the cash on the counter.

“Come on daddy , time to go.” I said, pulling him away from the new guy.

Maybe a gay bar hadn’t been the best idea after all.

When we stood outside I led him down the semi crowded street, and his eyes travelled from person to person, skating across shop windows and skyscrapers as we walked. We’d left the coven early this morning, and I’d dragged him all over the place.

He’d seen more of the city than many people got to see on a single vacation, and despite his general cluelessness, he seemed to be enjoying himself. If I let myself admit it, I was too.

“Come on, I should have done this earlier.” I told him, and when he stopped to touch the parking meter standing on the side of the street, I grabbed his hand and pulled him along with me. He followed willingly enough, looking like a child seeing the world for the first time.

I pushed open the door of the first clothing store I spotted, glad it was still open this late and we walked in.

“It’s time you take off that damn dress and wear something normal.”

He glanced down at his robes.

“I’ll have you know, these robes were made from the finest…”

………………………………………………….

Rien’s POV

An hour later and I still had nothing to go on. The trackers were useless, as was everyone else. Not even I could scent him, and I knew his signature smell inside and out.

“My Lord, Malik wishes to speak with you.” Kaio announced when he entered the room with Malik in tow.

“I saw the bruises.” He said simply, and I looked up from my ruined desk and at his face.

“Malik as much as I do enjoy a good riddle, now is certainly not the time. I am not sure whether you have been informed, but your brother is missing.”

“I know…maybe he’s running from you.” He said, his anger obvious. “I saw the bruises you left on his neck asshole.”

I stood, and my chair toppled over. “Bruises? I have never left an unpleasant mark on his body. When did you notice this, did you speak with him today?”

Malik looked from me to Kaio, and his expression melted into one of uncertainty.

“Are you saying you weren’t the one who hurt him?”

“I am saying I know not what you speak of. Explain yourself.”

“I saw him this morning, he said he was going out. He looked pissed off…but that could’ve just been because I was in his room. He had bruises all over his neck…I thought it was your doing.”

As if it were even possible, my worry grew.

“His skin was unmarred when I left him this morning. Where did he say he was going?”

He shook his head. “He didn’t tell me, but he looked like he was in a hurry.”

The door of my study burst open, and Lord Nathanial came in followed closely by Thames.

“Witnesses say that Marcan threatened Tony in the square today. They said he promised to end his life.” He announced and my blood ran cold.

………………………………………………….

Tony’s POV

“Who knew peasant clothing could be so very comfortable.” Christophe was saying as we waited to be served at the restaurant I’d picked out.

“I’m getting a burger, what’d you want?” I asked, staring down at the menus I held.

“A serving of blood will do quite nicely.” He said, looking at me expectantly and shook my head, wondering about him.

“They don’t serve blood here, choose something else.”

He offered me a blank stare. “Perhaps I should drag the chef outside and make a meal out of him instead.” He said seriously and I ignored him, ordering us both a burger and fries when the waitress came to take our order.

“I have never filled my gut with anything but human blood.”

“Well it’s a good thing there’s a first time for everything.” I said with a grin and his eyes narrowed.

When I took my first bite I was in heaven. It had been months since I’d had anything like this, and it melted in my mouth, all the flavor settling on my tongue and sinking between my teeth. It was intoxicating.

Across from me Christophe spat the bite he’s just taken back into his plate, and looked at me in horror. “This is horrendous. How do humans consume this garbage?” he said loudly enough for a few heads to turn, and I bit into my burger again and ignored him as his rant continued.

When he realized I wasn’t about to take part in his little melt down, he fell silent, instead watching me as I continued to eat. His eyes followed my hand as I picked up a fry, right up until the point where I plopped it into my mouth, and so it continued until my plate was empty, and he looked as though he might throw up at any minute.

“Where shall we go next?” he asked when I paid the bill, and I thought about it for a minute as we exited the place.

It was getting late, most places were already closed for the night, which left only one more place to go before our adventure came to an end.

“We’re gonna go watch a movie.” I said, leading him down the street, where we’d passed a cinema only hours before.

“That’s hardly very exciting. I have watched movies before.” he complained.

 Oh the life of the spoiled, rich and famous.

“You’ve never watched it on the big screen.” I explained.

“I hardly see how that will make much difference.”

I grinned. “It’ll make all the difference, trust me.”

“Very well. I shall take your word for it.

……………………………………………….

Rien’s POV

I burst through the door of his bedchamber, and pulled him from the sheets where he lay with his whores.

“What have you done with him?” I raged, slamming him against the wall which gave way to a crack.

He shoved against my hold, and managed to dislodge my arm, but within an instant I had him pinned once more. He may be strong, but in the face of my fury, he could not hope to escape.

“How dare you enter my bedchambers in this way! Pry your hands off me!” he shouted, eyes clouding with rage.

“You attacked my mate in the square, left him injured and with a threat to end his life. What have you done with him?”

“I had every right to retaliate after he had the nerve to insult me before my people!”

My rage built, and my hands tightened “What. Have. You. Done with him?” I asked, my voice cold and harsh in the silent room.

“I have done nothing with him, but that is not to say I was not tempted. He has a foul mouth that filthy human of yours, and if he dares to use it against me in such a manner again, I will rip out his tongue!”

He was being truthful I realized, and I thrust him from me.

“He is missing. I need to find him, tell me what you know.”

 He looked me up and down in disgust. “Ask that white haired familiar he travelled with, I know nothing of his whereabouts, now leave my dwelling place at once!”

“I will find him brother, and if you make the mistake of laying a hand on him again you will not be pleased with the result of such a foolish act.”

I turned to leave, descending the stairs as quickly as I had come. Out in the courtyard my men waited for me.

“Find Lord Christophe and take him to me.” I instructed, and without a sound three men fled in search of him.

“Your father has surely heard word of this Riener. If he finds that your mate is no longer in the coven, he will have him executed.” Lord Nathaniel warned me.

I looked at him, then back into the direction the men had gone. “Tony could very well be dead already.” I said, and the pain that clenched my heart became so great, that I had to lean against the stone walls for support.

………………………………………..

Tony’s POV

He enjoyed the movie just as I’d expected, with his eyes glued to the big screen in awe. When I’d made the mistake of asking him something while he watched, he’d shushed me, before giving the movie his undivided attention from that point on, until the very end.

“This day has been truly remarkable Tony. I cannot believe just how much I have missed while trapped in the coven. I am eternally grateful.” He said, the sincerity in his gaze unmistakable.

“No problem, we should go find a room for the night.” I said when the cab I hailed pulled up to the curb.

“A room? No, we must make our way back to the coven. Our presence will surely be missed by now.” He said and I shrugged.

“It’s too late, I’m tired and we’re miles away from the coven. We’ll just find somewhere to crash for the night, then we’ll head back in the morning.” I told him, and after only a moment’s consideration he agreed.

………………

Later that night, safely tucked away in our motel room, I lay staring at the ceiling. Across the room, Christophe stood by the window, looking out into the street.

“Perhaps we should find a way to contact Lord Riener. I would not want him to worry for your safety.” He said thoughtfully and I shook my head.

I’d gone a full day without feeling the stress of all the decisions I had to make, and the feeling of being trapped in a world I couldn’t understand. I just wanted to enjoy what I had left of the night without any thoughts of the place I’d left behind this morning.

“He’ll be fine without me for one night.” I assured him, then I pulled the blanket up over my shoulder and turned to him.

“You’re not such a bad guy after all Christophe.” I said softly.

He turned to look at me with a grin. “I never thought I was.”

                                            AUTHOR’S NOTES

I JUST HAD TO GIVE YOU GUYS ANOTHER UPDATE.

ENJOY!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Bonus Chapter: All good things must come to an end.

Bonus chapter

I sipped my coffee and watched them, wondering what kind of strange form of communication passed between Christophe and the child who couldn’t be more than five months old.

They continued to stare at each other as I took a bite out of my turkey sandwich, until he finally looked around. His expression filled with curiosity.

“What?” I asked around a mouthful, and his gaze travelled to mine.

“The child’s blood…it smells strange.” He commented, and I glanced at the kid, then back at my breakfast companion.

“What do you mean?”

“I believe it is diseased.” He surmised and I frowned.

“With what?”

He pursed his lips. “Do I appear in any way to be a physician?”

I rolled my eyes. “Whatever it is I’m sure the doctors caught it already.”

“Perhaps…” he trailed off, eyes drifting back to the child, who was now fidgeting in his mother’s arms.

I took another bite out of my sandwich, savoring the taste of it, and enjoying the atmosphere in the cozy diner. I felt relaxed and ready for the day ahead.

“The child’s parent should be informed.” Christophe announced, his eyes still fixed on the baby, and after a breath I nodded, picking the crust from the rest of my bread.

“Alright, we can, but just wait a little, there’s a certain way to go about these things, we can’t just walk up to her and say-”

“The child is diseased.”

My head shot up, and the first thing I noticed was the now empty seat across from me. The second thing I realized was Christophe standing a short distance away, beside the full table where the child was being held by the mother.

She looked up at him in surprise. “Excuse me?”

“The child.” He repeated. “It is diseased. I would advise that you take it to see a physician at once…though I hardly see what good that could possibly do when judging from the stench of the blood, it seems your offspring may not have very long to live.” He finished and the scraping of chairs sounded against the tiled floor. A man, possibly the kid’s father stood.

I cursed under my breath, but held my seat as I watched it play out.

“What are you playing at asshole?” the man exploded.

Christophe put his hand to his chin as if in contemplation. “I suppose I could turn him… of course that would mean he would live out the rest of his existence as a blood drinker…and of course I would need to take him to my coven…I cannot very well leave him among humans…” he continued, and I glanced around the room slowly to see every eye in the place taking in the scene.

The father’s face contorted in disbelief. “Are you on something? Get the hell away from my kid!”

“Hmm now that I have had the chance to think upon the matter, perhaps turning him would not be a wise course of action, after all, since the child was not born a blood drinker he would be forced to live forever in his current state…and I do believe such an act would be far crueler than death.” He said, as if speaking to himself. Then he turned to me. “What are your thoughts on the matter Tony?” he questioned, and everyone’s eyes turned my way.

Across the room, I could already see the manager making his way over to us, his expression hard and unforgiving. I sighed.

So much for a quiet, relaxing breakfast.

…………………………………….

“Are those people actually eating balls of cotton? How strange…” Christophe trailed off, and I followed his gaze over to a small group of people, who were purchasing cotton candy from a vendor.

“It smells sweet…and the texture is odd…” he continued, and I chuckled.

“That’s because it’s not actual cotton, it’s candy.” I explained.

“It looks nothing like any sweets I have ever seen.”

I shrugged.

“I would like to taste it.” He announced, taking a step toward the group, and I grabbed his arm.

“No, everywhere you go you cause a scene, we’re going back to the coven now.”

He regarded me with a bored expression.

“Since the very beginning of this trip you have forced me to bite into things I shall never speak of again. This time there is something that has caught my interest, and I will have it.” He said adamantly, and with a shake of my head, I released his arm and watched him cross the street, not even bothering to look both ways as he stepped onto the asphalt.

I followed him.

“I would like to taste your sweets.” He declared once he stood before the cart, and while the guy prepared it, Christophe’s gaze took it all in.

When he finally held it in his hand, and I’d paid the vendor, he examined it as he walked, turning it this way and that, before finally ripping away the clear plastic and taking a large bite. He swallowed, then smacked his lips together, before running his tongue over them.

He contemplated, and contemplated as we walked, still examining the treat, and when we got to the end of the block, I lifted a hand to hail a cab.

“This is repulsive.” He announced finally, then handed what was left of it to me.

I took it just as the cab pulled up, and bit into the sugary treat myself when we were settled in the backseat. We were heading back to the coven.

 I wondered what Rien would have to say about my impromptu trip. Nothing good I was sure.

                                       AUTHOR’S NOTES

MINI BONUS CHAP FOR EVERYONE WHO WANTED A BIT MORE SNOWFLAKE IN THEIR DIET…MUNCH ON THAT WHILE I PREPARE THE FEAST YOU HAVE ALL BEEN DREADING!

THANKS FOR READING,

FOLLOW MY SEXY BUTT ON TWITTER AND TUMBLR

(

LINKS ON MY WATTPAD PROFILE

) AND AS ALWAYS, KEEP SWEET!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 22: Consequences.

Chapter 22

“Suddenly, I am feeling very nostalgic at the thought of passing through these gates.” Christophe said.

I looked up at the massive structures, and I couldn’t say I didn’t feel the same way. On the other side of these gates, stood the coven and all the shit that came with it.

“We can go back anytime.” I told him and he smiled.

“I would like that.”

I nodded.  “Alright let’s get this over with.”

The second the gates opened, I took a step back in surprise. Standing before us, were about a dozen vampires, all looking equally menacing as they stood, blocking our entry.

“What is the meaning of this?” Christophe asked, his voice strong and authoritative.

“The trackers have sent word to Lord Riener of your return…he has summoned you both to his work chambers.” One of the men replied, and the way Christophe’s eyes widened in alarm, told me this couldn’t be a good thing.

“Trackers? But we only have use for them when seeking out an enemy.” He finished, and before I could blink, he was grabbed by two vamps, who stood on either side of him, holding in his arms.

“Then take comfort in the thought that there has been no error. You are now an enemy of the master class.” The bloodsucker announced, and for a second, Christophe’s horror-filled eyes flashed to mine, before he was led roughly away by them. Eight others broke off from the group and followed.

“Let him go, it’s all a misunderstanding.” I told the other two bloodsuckers who stood watching me.

“Lord Riener has instructed that you are to be brought unharmed to his work chambers. Come this way.” One of them said, using his hand to indicate the path ahead, and I went, gritting my teeth in annoyance as I did.

“Hands off.” I warned, when the guy to my right attempted to put a hand on my shoulder to steer me in the right direction. He complied.

Up ahead I could see the other guards, but Christophe was completely blocked from my sight.

………………………………………….

He was standing by the window when we entered the study, his back facing us. His usual robes were replaced by something similar to the outfit the participants had worn at his ceremony.

I protested when they shoved Christophe to his knees, then held him there as they waited for Rien’s next orders.

“Leave us.” He said when he turned, his eyes tight with barely concealed rage, and whatever I was about to say died in my throat.

The guards left, and still, Christophe remained kneeling, his eyes turned to the floor and his expression unreadable.

“Rien…” I trailed off, completely at a loss for words in the face of his fury. I couldn’t remember a time I’d seen him like this; looking so calm while his glinting, deadly eyes told another story.

He approached me slowly, those eyes sweeping over my body quickly and efficiently as he did. His expression didn’t change when he pulled down the collar of my jacket and surveyed the mess his brother had made of my neck, then just as quickly, he turned away from me, and moved to sit on the edge of the large mahogany desk.

“Where have you been?” he asked quietly and without inflection.

“Out…I wanted a break so we left the coven for a while.”

“I will ask you only once more.” He continued softly. “ Where have you been?” I looked away from his hard eyes, feeling ten feet tall under his gaze. Then I shook my head.

“I’m a grown man, I don’t answer to you.” I said evenly.

He slipped off the desk and stood before it with his arms behind his back.

“Do you think the rules I have invoked for your own safety are without cause? There are those in this coven who wish to harm you Tony. It is this very reason I have declared that you should be with an escort at all times.”

I shook my head. “Maybe you should have thought about that before you brought me here.” I shot back, then realizing I was being a dick, I sighed. “Look, I was with Christophe anyway, I was completely safe…so can we put this behind us and get on with our lives?”

I almost flinched when he slammed his hand against the surface of the table.

“You left without so much as a note explaining where you were, and now you stand before me asking that we put this behind us? The coven did not rest last night as we searched for you. You inconsiderate-”

“Here we go.” I interrupted his tirade, and he fell silent.

“It is clear that you fail to understand just what you have set in motion.” He began again.

“And what’s that? A bunch of tired vamps who don’t do shit anyway had to look for me, and you were worried. Is that it? I’m sorry… Is that what you wanna hear Rien? I apologize, I’m a selfish asshole… I know it, and you know it, but I needed a break from this place, and I’m not going to apologize for that…what’s done is done.”

He turned away from me, saying nothing, and I watched him uncertainly as he went to stand before Christophe. Then he crouched, bringing them to the same level.  For a moment nothing happened as Rien stared at him, and Christophe kept his face averted. He did not move and he said nothing, until the air around us became thick with tension.

“Do you believe as he does Lord Christophe? That you have done nothing wrong?” he asked softly.

Brief silence .

“…It was wrong of us to have left without informing you my Lord.” Christophe replied, and Rien took hold of his chin roughly, forcing him to meet his eyes.

“You were brave enough to disrespect me by taking him from the coven, so gather your courage now, and meet my eyes while I am speaking to you.” He said harshly, and without a sound, Christophe did as he asked.

“Jesus Rien, calm down will you?” I interrupted, and he shot me a glare.

“The time for you to speak has passed.” He told me with a finality I couldn’t ignore, and I ran a hand through my hair in frustration.

“Where did you go?” he continued his interrogation, and Christophe told him everything…every last detail of the trip, while Rien crouched there and listened.

“Shared a room? How kind of you Tony.” He said sarcastically as he glanced my way briefly, then he twisted, and backhanded Christophe across his face. I watched in shock as the blood gushed from his nose, but as soon as it had started it stopped, and all that was left was a dripping mess as he healed instantly.

“Rien! Stop it!” I barked, and grabbed his arm when he made to do it again.

“My father now knows that you left the coven. Do you have any idea what this means?” he yelled back. “Kaio!” he called. The door of the study burst open and Kaio came rushing in.

“Take him out.” He ordered, and a pair of strong hands latched onto my arms.

“No, let me go!” I fought his grasp while he dragged me, and when I realized I couldn’t win, my eyes shot back to Rien who still crouched before Christophe.

“Don’t do this Rien…it was my fault I swear!”

I was dragged out into the hall and the doors of the study slammed shut.

…………………………………………….

Rien’s POV

When the doors closed, I returned my gaze to the familiar kneeling before me.

“My father promised to end his life if he made the mistake of setting a foot outside the coven walls.” I told him softly, and his eyes widened.

“I swear to you, I meant no harm my Lord. I knew nothing of his threat-”

“The entire coven knew of it!” I bellowed. “Your ignorance only serves to sicken me….or did you do this to guarantee his death?” I questioned.

“No my lord, I would never wish him harm. Tony may be human, but he is good , I could never knowingly put his life in danger.”

His sincerity was unmistakable. I stood, and his eyes followed me just as I had instructed.

“Tell me, Lord Christophe.” I began. “Why do you fight for a place by my side?”

“It is expected of me. My family has wished it since my birth.”

“And is that the only reason?” I continued.

A brief pause.

“I have always looked up to you, I have heard tales of your greatness since I was too young to understand it. I have heard of your skill on the battlefield, and your competence as a leader of the people…I have also seen it firsthand, and I have always dreamt of standing by the side of one so great. I have…I have dreamt of it…” he trailed off.

“If you have heard the tales, then you know exactly how I punish those who have betrayed me, those who have acted foolishly in my presence, and whose actions have brought only danger upon us.”

 “Yes my Lord.” He answered after a moment’s pause, and the fear shining in his eyes were clear and genuine.

Fear I myself had felt only the night before at the thought of never seeing my mate again, fear at the thought of what my father meant to do to him now, and as I looked down at the white haired familiar, my rage built, and I lashed out, hitting him once, then twice, after which I straightened, watching as his blood flowed freely.

He did not cry out, he made not a sound, instead he took it as if he deserved it. My anger did not dissipate.  

“Get up.” I commanded, and he did as I asked without question.

“Is there anything else you have not told me with regards to your trip?”

He shook his head, wiping his bloodied nose on the sleeve of his cotton shirt. “I have told you everything my Lord.” He assured me.

I held out a chair and gestured to it. “Sit.” Then I propped myself onto the table beside him.

“My father does not forget. He will end Tony’s life without a moment’s thought, so we shall sit here, all day if we must, and together we shall think of a way to prevent this.” I told him.

He nodded slowly. “I could…tell him it was I who led Tony astray. I could say I took him forcefully from the coven. That way he would take my life in his place.” He offered, and I shook my head.

“No. Tony has already grown fond of you, if you are harmed in such a way he will never forgive me, and I do not need him to find yet another reason to be angry with me.”

Lord Christophe bit his lip as he thought of another way, and I turned away from him, working to think of something myself, anything to prevent my father from getting his way.

………………………………….

Tony’s POV

They’d been in there for hours, in which time I’d managed to eat two meals, and change out of my clothes, and I still hadn’t heard a peep from inside the room.

“What’s happening in there?” I asked Kaio again, who, as he’d done every other time I’d questioned, folded his arms and said nothing.

“Come on Kaio…I’m losing my mind here.”

“It is not my place to say. I am already under scrutiny for having allowed you to wander out without me, I will not give Lord Riener further reason to distrust me.”

I sighed, propping my elbows on my knees, and resting the back of my head against the wall as I waited. The guilt tore at me, and with every hour that passed I felt like the worst kind of man. It was my fault Christophe was in there, my own selfishness that put him in this position, and if Rien hurt him I’d never forgive myself.

“Would you like a cushion for your posterior?” Kaio asked, interrupting my thoughts, and I shook my head.

“Then perhaps you should retire to your bedchamber for the night. You have been waiting here since the morning, you must be tired.”

“I wouldn’t have had to wait if you’d just let me go in there.” I countered, and he pursed his lips. Then to my surprise, he moved to sit on the floor beside me.

“Lord Christophe knows that you are Lord Riener’s guest. He should not have taken you from the coven without his consent, just as I should not have allowed you to pass through the main doors without me. We both deserve to be punished for our actions. After all, our first duty is to the master class and we have failed.” He said. “Yet here I sit with you; unharmed. You will find that my Keeper is not as ruthless as one would think…not unless a person’s actions are so inconceivable that he would have need to be.”

I dared to hope. “So what about Christophe? Were his actions inconceivable?” I asked, and when Kaio nodded my heart fell.

“They were. Leaving the coven with you quite possibly could have been overlooked, but our leader has warned that you must not depart without his prior consent, or your life will be forfeit.” He turned to look at me. “You must understand Tony, there is no one Lord Riener cares more for in this world than you, and Lord Christophe has gone as far as to pave a pathway to your demise. His own life is now forfeit.”

“I’m the one who convinced him to go, why should he have to suffer for what I did?” I questioned, then stood pounding on the door of the study.

“Rien! Do-”

“You mustn’t, or I will be forced to drag you to your bedchamber.” Kaio hissed, pulling me away from the double doors with a strength I couldn’t hope to fight.

…………………………………..

Rien’s POV

Outside the door I could hear Tony’s heartbeat, his low breathing, and his footsteps as he paced, and I wondered what he was thinking as he waited. Sitting in the same chair I had held out for him earlier this morning, was Lord Christophe. His eyes were narrowed in concentration, and his lip was trapped between his teeth as he thought of yet another way.

Plan after plan had been shot down, and the longer I sat with him in the large room, the more hopeless the situation felt. Every strategy he had thought of was completely plausible, and it surprised me that he could form sensible ideas and think so quickly under pressure.

Had we been plotting against anyone but my father, any one of his ideas would have worked.  It was truly unfortunate that the coven’s leader was so wise.

I stood, allowing the feet of the chair to scrape against the hardwood.

“Did he enjoy himself?” I asked suddenly, and Lord Christophe looked up at me in obvious confusion.

“My Lord?”

“Tony…did he enjoy the outing?”

“I would like to think he did…he seemed to be, but human emotions are so fleeting that I find it difficult to judge.” He explained.

I turned to the window and looked out into the yard below. “You are free to go.” I told him.

“…I do not understand my lord…we have not yet found a solution.”

I glanced back at him. “I shall find a way…I always do.”

He pushed up from his seat, eyes still uncertain as he glanced at me, at the door, then back.

Finally realizing I would not be altering my decision, he bowed low and turned to leave.

“Lord Christophe.” I called just as he was about to touch the door’s handle.

“Yes my Liege?”

“I am certain I need not explain to you what will ensue if you do something so foolish again.” I stated.

“No my Lord, I understand.”

“Then you should also know that if Tony should meet his end as a result of this, your life is worth nothing to me.”

A brief pause.

“Of course sire.”

“Kaio.” I called out when he exited, and my drudge came quickly through the door.

“Allow the drudges to retire from here for the night, and lock the doors. I want no one coming or going for what is left of the night.” I commanded.

“Very well.”

I turned back to the window when he left, my mind now on other things.

……………………………………..

Tony’s POV

“Jesus, what did he do to you?” I whispered in shock when Christophe finally exited the study. His shirt was bloodied, his face discolored as if healing from an old injury, and his once straight nose was badly disfigured.

He raised his hands to his face, aligned the sides of them with his nose and snapped the bone, then held it in place for a few seconds before letting it go. In an instant his crooked nose was straightened but he still looked to be in pain.

“Lord Riener is a far better person than I imagined.” He said with a smile, and I raised a brow in disbelief.

“Do not look so horrified Tony. Any other leader of the master class would have surely ended my life, yet he chose to release me. I am indebted to him.” he continued, and I shook my head.

“You don’t owe him a damn thing. You didn’t do anything wrong Christophe.”

“But I did…I knew I should have acquired his consent before we left, and my actions have now placed you in danger. What I did was unforgiveable and for him to grant me mercy…I cannot believe just how kind he has been to me.”

 He turned down the corridor and I followed beside him.

“What were you two doing in there this whole time?” I questioned uncertainly.

“He asked that I aid him in finding a way to prevent our leader from taking your life. We have spent many hours presenting ideas, but I am saddened to say we have failed…yet he still allowed me to leave…” he trailed off, and my eyes narrowed.

“Trading ideas? That’s it? He beat you to a pulp then asked you to help him?”

“He cares for you.” He said after a moment of silence, and I noted the wistfulness in his voice.

I didn’t know how to respond.

“Now that I have seen just how deep his love runs, I do not know how I shall complete the ceremony. How can I continue, knowing I will never be able to hold a piece of his heart?”

I shook my head slowly. “I don’t know what to tell you…”

He smiled, a genuine lift of his lips that shone in his eyes. “I wish to feel what he feels.” He began. “I would like to know what it means to have someone care for me in such a way.”

“It’s not all it’s made out to be, trust me.”

When we reached the main doors, he turned to me. “I am certain it is far better than living without ever finding out.” He said, suddenly impassioned. “I will continue to think on ways to thwart our leader. I do not wish the see you harmed.” He finished, and I nodded.

“This is my fault. I knew the consequences and I went anyway, you’re not obligated to help me.” I assured him, and he rested a hand on my shoulder.

“I do it because I wish to…Farewell Little Ant.” He announced as he stepped through the doors and into the night.

I turned and rolled my shoulders, trying to dislodge the tension as I headed for my room.

……………………………………

Much later, showered and tense, I exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped around my waist, water dripping from my hair and falling to the carpet below.

 I stood before the wardrobe, rolling my shoulders, and massaging the tension from the back of my neck. The day had been stressful, making the perfect night I’d spent outside of the coven, feel like a complete waste of time. I rested my head against the door of the cupboard, and continued to massage as my mind fought to process and store the events of the day.

I didn’t hear it when the door creaked open, and I didn’t feel the presence in the room until I was being held from behind. Large arms wrapped themselves around me as soft lips kissed my shoulder. For a second I savored it, but all too soon I stepped away from him and he allowed me to.

I watched him warily, holding my towel firmly in place and he watched me, his eyes assessing my body like a butcher examining his meat. Then with a grunt, I propped myself onto the edge of the bed and rolled my shoulders.

“I could give you a massage, you need only ask.” He announced, and I shook my head.

“What you did to him…” I began and his mouth tightened.

“…Is far less than he deserved.” he finished.

“Then where’s my beating? If he deserved it then so do I, because I’m the one who suggested we go in the first place.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I would never lay a hand on you.” He said as if insulted.

“A leader is supposed to be unbiased.” I told him.

“I am not your leader. I am your mate.” He answered.

My eyes narrowed and I met his gaze. “You hurt someone like that again for something I did, and you better damn well be prepared to treat me the same way.” I told him seriously.

“I punish based on the chain of causation. If not for him letting you out of the coven, my father would have no immediate reason to harm you.” He explained, and I scoffed.

“Don’t give me that bullshit. If not for me persuading him to go in the first place I wouldn’t have created this mess. It works both ways, you just choose to see what you want to see.”

His jaw tightened. “I will not apologize.”

“Yeah well I won’t either. I needed the break, and I’m glad I got it.” I told him truthfully, and finally his hard expression softened.

“I wish you had come to me with this instead of running to a stranger.”

“If I had, you wouldn’t have let me go.”

He nodded. “I take it you enjoyed yourself?”

I shrugged. “More than I have in a long times, yes.”

“One day it will not be like this…One day you will be free to do as you please, and I will ensure your happiness.” He told me, and I chuckled.

“RiRi I haven’t been able to do as I pleased since the day I met you.” I said.

He smiled softly, his eyes gentle and inviting, and suddenly I missed him…I missed everything we used to be, and everything we thought we would be by now. Despite the heartache, the pain and the hurt…I just missed him, and I swallowed hard.

“Rien?”

He raised a brow.

“Come here.” I called, and for a moment he only looked at me uncertainly, before he moved to stand before me.

“What is it?” he asked, his eyes travelling over my face in concern.

“Kiss me.” I commanded softly, and he did.

                                                 AUTHOR’S NOTES

SO I GAVE YOU GUYS NOTHING TO DREAD IN THIS CHAPTER..YOU’RE WELCOME!

THANKS FOR READING GUYS…KEEP SWEET!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited. (as always.)

Chapter 23: Plans and Schemes.

Chapter 23

5 years, four months and two days ago

“Dear god Tony, for the preservation of my sanity, get down from there.”

I rolled my eyes at his nagging but jumped down from the ledge anyway, and went sit beside him on one of the many cement blocks scattered across the rooftop.

“I want you to meet a friend of mine.” I told him.

 “No.” came his expected, and immediate reply. I propped my elbows onto my knees and regarded him.

“You don’t even know who it is.”

“All your comrades are delinquents, who, in my opinion are a bad influence on you.” He said drily, and I smirked.

“I’d like to think I’m the bad influence.” I said with a wide grin.

He glanced over the ledge, taking in the view of the city below… “You are certainly a frequent contributor.”

“His name’s Noah…I told you about him remember?”

He glanced over at me.

“How could I forget, arrested more times than anyone has any right to be, multiple piercings, drug dealer, and of course your first kiss… certainly a meeting to look forward to.” He finished sarcastically.

“I never said he was a drug dealer.”

“No, but I imagine the profession will soon find him.”

I ignored him.

“He knows about vampires.” I continued, and his eyes shot to mine.

“You told him?”

“Of course not…you think you’re the first vamp to reveal himself to a human?” I questioned, and he actually seemed to be think on it.

“It would not surprise me.”

“I already told him I was bringing you by to meet him, so you can’t back out now.”

He raised a brow. “That was your vow, not mine.”

“Is that a definite no then?” I questioned, knowing the answer before he said it.

He glanced at me, his eyes narrowing at my smile, before he turned back to the view below.

“When have I ever really been able to say no to you?”

I dropped a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “I really appreciate this Rien.” I told him sincerely. When he nodded, I planted a quick kiss on the side of his head, and hopped back up to my perch on the ledge. He turned his eyes to the sky in exasperation.

……………………

………………. Present ………………..

 I squinted against the bright light shining through the window, and rolled to the edge of the bed in preparation to go pull the thick curtains closed, when an arm snaked around my torso and pulled me back to the center of the bed.

“Where do you think you’re going?”  Rien whispered, and I smiled.

“Is there a reason you need to know everything?” I teased when he nipped my ear, and I could feel his answering smile against my neck.

“It brings me comfort.”

“I was going to close the drapes.” I told him as I raised a hand to shield my eyes from the rays of the sun.

His hand landed on the inside of my thigh.

“Kaio will do it.”

“The window’s two steps away, I can get it myself.” I complained and my breath caught when his fingers travelled higher.

“I’m not quite finished with you yet.” He kissed the sensitive spot behind my ear, and I shivered.

“Someone once told me that master class vamps are insatiable…you’re proving them right.”  I said grabbing his hand and moving it away from my body.

“You’re absolutely ravishing, I cannot help myself.”

Another nip, and finally I pulled away from him completely.

“Yeah well I’m only human and I can only get it up so many times in only a few short hours.” I said with another grin, then with a sigh, the smile melted from my face.

“There’s something we need to talk about and you’re not going like it.” I told him seriously, and with an uncharacteristic groan he finally released me, and propped his head up on his elbow to stare.

I sat up with my back against the headboard, then took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m going back to my home town for a couple of days.” I told him, and as expected, his expression shuttered.

“That is out of the question.”

“Good thing I’m not asking then.” I said softly and he finally pushed up from his position and sat.

“My father is happily planning your death for leaving the coven only a fortnight ago, and I have yet to find a way to prevent it. Do you really believe I would let you leave again?”

“We don’t know if he’s planning anything at all, you said it yourself, he hasn’t even mentioned it and it’s been two weeks.”

“He is a patient man. I assure he has not forgotten.”

“It doesn’t matter, I’m already in the hot seat, so leaving again can’t be that much of an issue…what’s he gonna do? Kill me twice?” I questioned with a grin, but he didn’t appreciate my humor.

“I would rather he did not kill you at all to be frank.” He said seriously.

“I’m trying to make this work here. I’m working hard to get over all our past shit and somehow move on, but I feel like a prisoner here and sometimes I just need an escape.” I explained.

“If you leave again, he will view it as a form of disrespect, and there is no telling just how he will retaliate.” He said in earnest and I shrugged.

“Maybe if you talk to him. You’re already playing by his rules by doing the damn ceremony, it can’t be that much of a big deal if I leave.”

He turned away from me and stepped off the bed, and I watched him, naked and magnificent as he padded across the room and picked up his robes.

“Father likes to be in control, he does not give second chances, and he does not reconsider a decision once he has made it.”

“You’re his favorite son, that has to count for something. Just use that advantage.” I tried.

“It will not make a difference to him who I am. He knows his own mind.” He countered, and slipped the robes over his shoulders.

“You won’t really know until you’ve tried.” My eyes found his and our gazes held, and finally, he stopped trying to fix his clothes and lowered himself into the chair across the room.

“Where will you go?”

“I’ve been thinking of giving Noah a visit…I haven’t seen him in years.” I said with a grin as I remembered my best friend from long ago.

His mouth tightened, reminding me of the one time they had met and how badly it had gone down. I winced. “I heard he opened a tattoo parlor down the street from that old theatre we used to hand out at.” I continued, selling him on the idea of Noah as an upstanding citizen of the world.

“Even if I were open to the idea, I cannot leave the coven now, there are things being put into place that require my attention, which means flying halfway across the country at such a time is impossible.”

“I think I can survive a trip home without you…relax, I’m not a kid anymore remember?”

“Regardless…you cannot go without an escort. I will not allow it.”

I gritted my teeth for a second, then took another calming breath. “Then I’ll take Kaio with me.”

Compromise.

“Kaio has a mate to see to, he cannot leave at such a crucial stage in his recovery.” He put up another roadblock, and my eyes narrowed.

“Alright, how about one of the other drudges?”

He shook his head. “They have a set routine that cannot be broken.”

I saw what was going on here.

“Then I’ll go with Christophe-”

“Absolutely not! That familiar-”

“…has all the time in the world and nothing to do with it.” I finished for him “Stop with the excuses Rien. Either I go with Christophe, or I go alone, either way I’m going.” I told him adamantly, and for a minute we glared at each other; our eyes unblinking and hard in the well lit room, until finally he glanced away.

“I cannot see how this will end well.” He said.

“It’ll be fine, just find me a cell phone, lend me your jet and some cash and we’ll be on our way, and back before you know it.”

He considered it. “Perhaps flying would not be your best option if you are a wanted man…well unless…” he trailed off and I waited for his conclusion.

“Very well. I will allow it, but with a few conditions…”

“Those being?”

“No shared rooms. You return to the coven on the precise date we agree upon, and you must keep in touch.”

“Deal.” I said with a grin, then shook my head at his  protectiveness.

“One more thing.” He continued, and I gestured with a hand for him to continue.

“You cannot go right away. Allow me a few days to approach my father with the matter, after which time, provided all goes well, you may leave.”

My eyes narrowed. “At least try to actually convince him instead of coming back here with some story about how you tried and failed.”

He grinned.

“Would I do such a thing?”

I rolled my eyes. “You staying over there all day or can we get on with our morning?” I asked with a sly smile of my own, before pulling the covers from my body.

His gaze raked over me slowly and his lips parted slightly. “I suppose we could both use a good morning workout.” He pulled off the robes and started for the bed.

…………………………………………

I approached the large grey mansion with Kaio by my side, and the doors were opened to allow us entry. Two drudges stood just inside the doors, and gave us both a short bow when we acknowledged them. The atmosphere in this particular home was different from Rien’s place. It felt more open, less formal and far less opulent. But it was nice, it felt as if it was well lived in, and I immediately felt comfortable here.

“Lord Christophe awaits your presence in the drawing room sir. May I take your outerwear?” One drudge asked and I shook my head. 

I looked around as we were led to the room, taking in the colors that bathed each wall. I was surprised by the shades, especially when Christophe himself wore only white.

“Ah Little Ant …To what do I owe to pleasure of your company?” his voice sounded from the very far end of the room as we entered, and my eyes widened in surprise.

“What’s up with your hair?”

He stood with a smile and came to greet us both with an outstretched hand. I shook it, my eyes still focused on the hair that once was.

“”I decided it was time for a change.” He said simply. “My adventure with you weeks ago opened my eyes to the beauty of the world and I thought I would share in it.”

“By cutting your hair?”

“Yes. Do you like it? My siblings think I look atrocious but I believe it suits me.”

And it did. It was like looking at a new man. The style allowed us to see what we couldn’t properly appreciate before, like the large eyes set against high, well-shaped cheekbones and a prominent jawline. He looked more like a model than a stuck up bloodsucker and I found that I actually liked the new look.

“It’s nice.” I told him, and his smile widened.

“Why not go for a wardrobe change too?”

He waved a hand. “I happen to like my apparel, and white has always been my favorite shade.” He gestured to the chairs before us. “Sit, tell me what brings you here. It has been two weeks without a word.” He said, and I dropped into the chair, waiting for Kiao to take a seat beside me.

“Yeah, I’ve been a little…busy.” I explained and he nodded. “I’m visiting my home town in a few days, and I want you to come with me.”

He eyes widened, then they travelled to kaio and back to me in disbelief. “Have you forgotten the consequences of our last outing? Lord Riener would have my head.”

“He’s all for it…you can ask him yourself if it’s such a big deal.”

“My family believes I have brought shame to our name as a result of my foolish actions. I do not think it wise to leave the coven again.” Christophe said carefully.

“You left the coven for a day, I don’t see the shame in that…your family’s been controlling  your life since the day you were born, don’t you think it’s time to make some decisions of your own?”

He was silent for a while, then finally he spoke.

“When will you depart?”

I grinned. “I’ll have to get back to you on that.”

“Very well. I will need some time to think about it, and only once I have received permission directly from lord Riener, will I chance it.” He said, and I nodded in agreement.

“Perfect.”

…………………………………………….

Rien’s POV

Later that evening I entered  my father’s study with my brothers, and several other warriors in tow, after being summoned to a meeting  without prior notice.

He stood in the very center of the room, and we were forced to gather around him. No one spoke, and not a breath could be heard as we awaited his speech, but when his eyes met mine, my blood ran cold.

He meant to speak of Tony’s actions . I surmised.

“Father, I do realize that the human you have so graciously allowed to remain among us has recently-”

“I have no time to worry myself with the human Riener. This meeting was called to order so that we may discuss our future plans.” He interrupted me.

“Plans with regards to what, may I ask?” I questioned, and he smiled, his eyes travelling from face to face before he spoke.

“We shall journey from the coven on a vital undertaking.” He began, and Jorlon and I exchanged a meaningful look.

“Three years ago, I sent a very small team on a great mission.” He began. “Their orders were to infiltrate a wolf camp and gather whatever secrets they could. Secrets that we can use to our advantage, and secrets that I can now say with pleasure, that we possess. This team has lived amongst the wolves for long enough, and they have done well.” He said with relish.

“Over the course of the next few weeks we will plan a path that will lead us to the very heart of this pack, and we will tear it apart from the inside out.” He looked at me. “I regret to inform you Riener, that your ceremony will be postponed until after our victory. At the moment we have need of every warrior this coven possesses as we prepare for battle.”

“Why do we battle with the children on the night Father? I fail to see how their downfall will be of any good to us.” I spoke, and once again all eyes turned to me.

He smiled. “Their downfall will be far more beneficial than you can ever hope to imagine my son.” He said ominously, and once again Jorlon and I shared a look.

“And this pack? Where is it?”

He rattled off a location, and everyone’s eyes flew to his in shock.

“You mean to infiltrate the largest pack in the state?”

He had the nerve to smile. “The very same, led by one Carson and his Beta Thomas.”

                                              AUTHOR’S NOTES

IF YOU GET WHERE THIS IS GOING YOU’RE A CHAMP!

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME PEOPLE! I LOVE YOU AND GOODNIGHT.

I’ll be following back everyone who leaves me a message on tumblr or who chooses to follow me on tumblr tonight!

Follow me on tumblr :

http://www.tumblr.com/blog/twinzdouble

 

KEEP SWEET!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 24: Dear Rien.

Chapter 24

(This chapter is dedicated to those who risk their lives to fight for us all.)

3 years ago .

 

“…and I can’t wait to hold you. So come back home soon so I never have to let you go again. From your precious baby girl and your loving wife. Keep safe

♥…”

The guys sat on their bunks, some on the ground, while others stood as they tore open their own mail and dug in, but we all listened as Mickey finished up his letter, and I grinned as I watched him press it to his chest with a soft smile. It was days like this that made being here easier. For those of us who didn’t get mail from loved ones, listening to a letter addressed to others was like a soothing balm over our own aching hearts.

When K9 started on his own, I got comfortable on my bunk. His brother sent him the funniest letters from back home. I could always count on a good laugh whenever he tore open his envelope.

While he spoke, I smiled down at my own care package, hands shaking as I ripped off the tape as carefully as I could. I never got letters, but this was just as precious to me, and I appreciated it more than I could say.

I’d been getting the deliveries for two years now, they came at the same time every month like clockwork, and while he always only included his initials it wasn’t hard to guess who kept sending them.

Rien.

It was one of the reasons I couldn’t get over him I decided, because despite the lack of communication, he still at least seemed to care for my comfort. The first thing I noted when I pulled open the flaps was the customary photograph he sent with every delivery. It was of a place I had never been to and as usual, it was beautiful. I turned it over, and noted the words scrawled on the back : Tuscany .

I flipped it back over and stared longingly at the green hills, a far cry from the desert, and a place I wouldn’t mind losing myself in for a while. I took in everything possible in the small picture, then brought it up to my face so I could sniff it, wondering if I would catch even a whiff of him… but as expected it smelled like one would expect a photograph to smell; like nothing  special.

 When I’d taken in my fill, I placed it carefully beside me on the bed, and one by one I pulled  the contents from the box; body wash and shampoo, socks to warm my feet, toothpaste, and all the basic amenities he usually sent. The next box I opened had other things; like pens and a small witting pad, and DVDs for the portable DVD player he’d sent me a year ago.

There were also snacks and some tinned food and of course candy; all my favorites, stuffed into one neat package. I pulled out the final item from the bottom which was wrapped carefully in a green undershirt and smiled. A kindle.

I pulled it out of the packaging, set aside the charger and earphones that accompanied it, and turned it on. It powered up in an instant and I realized it was already pre-loaded with wide array of books I was sure I’d enjoy. I smiled, running my hand over the smooth surface of the device.

That was Rien…thoughtful as usual. God I missed him.  

Every day that passed I found myself fantasizing about the day I’d visit his place again. I’d already decided I’d wear a suit. He was going to take one look at me and wonder why he’d ever let me go.

I stuffed a piece of candy into my mouth before organizing all my stuff and putting them away safely, then I spread out on my bunk, with a pen and paper in hand, looked at the kindle lying beside me, and smiled again before I put pen to paper.

“ Dear Rien …” I began, knowing full well that even when I sent the letter to the address stamped on the box, I’d never get one back in return, but something told me he read them.

“…Tuscany looks pretty cool, now I feel like I want to go there one day to see those green hills. Can’t tell you the last time I saw anything half as decent out here.  Thanks for the package, I really appreciate it, especially the e-book reader. Now I don’t have to wait a whole month to read another title. I miss you…bet you’re tired of hearing that… but I do, and I can’t wait to see you again.

The guys are alright… just the usual with them, some asshole stole my phone, but I figured I’d let him have it…I don’t have anyone to call anyway, so he probably needs it more than I do.

I’m lying here wondering what to write when all I can think about is how much I miss you. I wish you’d write me back, but no pressure. I don’t know why you insist on sending me an entire box of band aids with every package. I’m not as clumsy as I used to be you know. The guys are starting to call me ‘sick bay’ because of you; every time they’ve got a scrape they come to me.”

I paused in my writing and bit my lip.

“It’s okay though…you can send whatever you want…I always find some use for everything. I bet the neighborhood is quiet without me; no more trouble makers to make a fuss. LOL. Anyway, I don’t want to bore you so I’ll keep this letter short.

I miss you, I love you, and I can’t wait to see you.

-Tony.”

A month later, when I opened yet another package I pulled out a brand new phone, then I set it aside with a shake of my head to pull out the customary photograph. It was a picture of a street I’d frequented in my old neighborhood, and on the back he’d scrawled. “ Too quiet.”

Those two words touched me more than I could ever say, and much like Mickey always did, I held the card to my heart and smiled.

………………………………………………….

                                            AUTHOR’S NOTES

I wrote this chapter to give you all some insight into the minds of our fellow men and women of the military. What they do isn’t easy and they need our support in any way we can give it. Many of these brave men and women don’t even get a phone call from their loved ones, and any soldier, marine etc can tell you that even a letter counts, a single paragraph from someone who cares that they exist.

So I put it to you…go to the link that I have provided below and adopt a soldier…it doesn’t matter how old you are, you can just sign up and send one brave soldier a letter… or even a package…it could make his whole year.

http://www.adoptaussoldier.org/index.php/site/adopt

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 25: My brother; the snake.

Chapter 25

The tennis ball bounced off the wall and I raised a hand to catch it, then threw it again without pause. Over and over again I did this, working my arms as a way to ease the boredom. Off to the side of the courtyard, Kaio stood watching me, his eyes following the motion of the ball in deep concentration.

I’d been at it for over half an hour, and already I was wondering what I could do next. The days here in the coven dragged by slowly, and the more time I spent here, the more restless I became.

I’d come from Christophe’s place only four hours before, after trying to convince him to make the trip to my home town with me, and now I wished I’d stayed there. Despite his cockiness, his company was still more agreeable than sitting around Rien’s place doing nothing.

“This game looks to be positively tedious.”

I caught the ball and looked toward to sound of Rien’s voice, then shook my head when I spotted him sitting on the windowsill up above.

“That’s because it’s not a game, it’s just a way to pass the time.” I told him, then added. “You guys should get a gym, or a TV. I don’t know how you survive in this place.” I said with a shake of my head, and he smiled.

“If you were a blood drinker, I would suggest that you visit the arcade, however in your present condition such a thing would be unwise.” He said.

My eyes narrowed. “Present condition?”

He gestured to my body with an outstretched hand. “You are human.” He said simply, and I shook my head and threw the ball again.

This time instead of catching it, it breezed past the tips of my fingers and went flying into the nearby bushes. I glanced around with a sigh, then back at Rien.

“What do you do at the arcade?’ I questioned.

“Testing of skills mainly. Knife throwing, hand to hand combat and the like.” he said, and I perked up instantly.

“That’s sounds great, you think because I’m human I can’t beat any one of you bloodsuckers?”

He shook his head. “If a human so much as sets a foot in that place, he will not likely walk out with his head.” He explained, and once again my mood soured.

“I’m losing my mind here Rien, I need something to do.” I told him in earnest, and for a moment he seemed to think about it.

“Join me in my bedchamber. I am certain we can find a way to pass the time.” He teased, and I glared at him.

Kaio cleared his throat loudly, and in that moment I wished I had the ball in hand.

“I serious.” I said, and he smiled.

“As am I.”

“What did your father say about me leaving the coven for a few days?” I questioned.

The smile immediately fell from his face.

“I have decided my father’s command means nothing to me now. I too have business beyond the coven walls, therefore while I am gone you will be permitted to visit your friend…providing you have an escort of course.” He finished.

I raised a brow. “You spent the last two weeks worrying about what your father would do to me and now you don’t care? What happened between this morning and now?” I questioned.

He merely shrugged.

“I have discovered that he may very well be unhinged, and I cannot follow the orders of one whose mind is not with us.”

I shrugged. “Alright, when do I get to leave?”

“I depart in two days. I would prefer if you too vacated the coven at such time.”

I grinned, then thought of Christophe and pursed my lips. “Talk to Christophe for me.” I asked him and after only a brief pause he nodded.

“Very well.” And I looked up at him in surprise. Just this morning he’d almost bitten off my head at the mention of Christophe’s name, and now he was agreeing to convince him to come with me. Something was up.

“What’s going on?”

He fixed me with the most innocent expression. “Whatever do you mean?”

My eyes narrowed. “Why are you so amenable all of a sudden? What changed?”

He straightened himself on the windowsill. “I have recently come into some information .” He began. “I shall provide you with the details tonight.”

“Why can’t you tell me now, it’s not like we have anything better to do.”

“On the contrary.” He said. “I’m talking you to dinner outside the coven walls, I cannot think of a better way to ease your boredom than to take you amongst your own kind. Am I right?”

I shrugged.

“Count me in.” I told him, and he turned his attention to Kaio.

“Relay the message to Malik. We shall set out at once.” He said and my smile evaporated.

“You’re taking Malik?”

“Of course. It would be unforgiving to leave him here when he too is plagued by boredom.” He explained, then before I could get a word in, he disappeared from the window and I cursed under my breath.

An instant later he was back, but this time, instead of taking a seat he jumped through the window and landed directly in front of me, where he handed me my leather jacket. I took it with a grumbled ‘thank you’ and slipped it over my shoulders, then waited impatiently as he ran a hand throw my hair to tame my unruly spikes.

“What would you like to eat?” he asked, and I shrugged.

“Doesn’t matter, I’m fine with a burger and some fries.”

“We shall have sea food then.” He announced, and I rolled my eyes and stuffed my hands into my pockets as we waited for Kaio and the cocky bastard to arrive.

While we waited I kicked the pebbles at my feet while thinking of the days I’d been forced to stand still in the sun for hours on end and I wondered where all my patience had gone.

“There are a lot of things you’re keeping from me aren’t there?” I questioned seemingly out of the blue, but it had been on my mind for quite some time now. His distraction was evidenced by the number of times he’d left our bed late at night, only to return just before the break of dawn, and how he’d lower his voice whenever one of his brothers were over and he knew I was nearby.

“I do have secrets, but I do not intend to keep them from you indefinitely.” He said. “When the time comes you will be privy to all I know. I promise you.”

“And Malik?” I questioned, “You finally gonna tell me what’s going on with the two of you?”

He looked at me regretfully. “If he wishes you to know, he will tell you himself.” Was all he said, and when we heard the scraping of gravel on the concrete we looked toward the sound.

An expensive looking black car pulled up to the building. Fancy transportation for an impromptu evening out. When the driver came around to open the passenger door, Rien gestured to it and when I got in. He climbed in behind me and then we watched as Kaio and Malik exited the building.

He wasn’t hobbling like he had been before. He had clearly healed considerably in the last two weeks since I’d had words with him, but it was clear he was still feeling slight pain. Kaio fell into step with him and they talked as they made their way over to the car.

“What does Kaio see in him?” I asked because it was something I was actually curious about, and beside me Rien smiled.

“You cannot imagine the number of times someone has asked me that question about you.” He said in amusement.

I shrugged. “I just get this bad feeling about him.” I trailed off, and when the two finally entered the vehicle I turned my attention to the passing scenery out the window.

We drove for half an hour before the car pulled up before a restaurant called Chadvacks. The place was fancier than the car, and the staff took our jackets before escorting us to a table way in the back of the room, that afforded us the most privacy.

I found myself seated in the corner with Rien beside me and Malik across from me, who offered me a warm smile when he realized I was watching him. I scowled.

“Seafood’s my favorite. I remember the first time we visited America and my father took me to an American/Japanese restaurant. I fell in love with the food to the point where I didn’t want to leave” he chuckled. “So he promised me he would take me back for my birthday, and without fail, every time my birthday came around he flew the whole family out just so I could eat there.” Malik told us and while Kaio smiled, I shook my head.

“When I was younger my foster parents promised me a happy meal if I’d stop crying so I did, and I still haven’t gotten it.” I offered sarcastically, staring straight at the guy who had been born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

“So you were relegated to the foster care system when you were…” he trailed off.

“Five.” I answered, and he nodded as if I’d just confirmed something he already knew.

“You were adopted at the age of three am I right?”

 I looked suspiciously at Kaio and he continued. “So what happened? Why’d you end up in a foster home?”

“My folks died…anymore questions your highness?” I continued sarcastically, but he only shook his head.

“Wow, they bought you, then died after just two years with you…whoever said karma was a bitch didn’t lie.” He commented, and I froze.

“What did you just say?” I asked, my voice dangerously low as I glared at him.

Malik shrugged, and as I watched him my anger boiled.

“Nothing. Just that sometimes bad things happen to bad people.” He finished, and I saw red as I lunged at him from across the table, only to be pulled back before I could do any damage.

I cursed at him as Rien held me, and dragged me out of the place while those around us watched.

“You need to calm you temper.” Rien told me. “Words mean nothing.”

I shook my head, feeling raw and angry as I stared back at the restaurant doors. “What gives that asshole the right to talk about my parents like that?” I went off. “They were good people, they-”

“Tony, relax. He didn’t think before he spoke. I’m certain he did not mean to anger you.” He said and I stared at him in surprise.

“You’re defending him?”

“I am simply painting a picture.” He replied, and I shook my head.

I took a few breaths before lowering myself to the curb.

“I may not have remembered them, but do you have any idea how much I used to wish they would somehow come back and take me from that damn foster home? You have any idea how much I wished for a normal family with people who actually gave a shit about me?” I asked.

Rien lowered himself to the ground beside me.

“I have some idea, yes.” He said.

“They were good people.” I told him, but he said nothing, only ran a hand over the back of my neck and squeezed gently.

“We came for dinner. Forget everything that happened and try to enjoy what’s left of the evening.” He said, and for a while I just sat there, saying nothing.

I had a good reason not to trust the asshole. He was a snake just waiting for the perfect moment to strike and I’d put myself directly in his path.

I pursed my lips. The bastard wasn’t going to get another chance.

…………………………………

I ignored his apology when I reentered the restaurant, and when our order came I dug in without a word. I’d decided on the spicy curried fish with pita bread, while Rien chose sushi. For a moment I watched as he dipped it into the sauce they had provided, and plopped it into his mouth and I wondered why Christophe couldn’t appreciate normal food like Rien and Kaio so obviously did.

When he caught me staring, I turned back to my plate, satisfied with my own delicious choice.

“Where will you stay when you visit your friend?” Kaio asked after a few minutes of silence, and I glanced at him briefly, then shrugged.

“I’ll figure something out.”

“No need. I’ll arrange to have you stay at a guesthouse nearby.” Rien announced.

“You’re allowing him to go off again? You’re the one who was complaining about your crazy father just a days ago.” Malik spoke up, and I gritted my teeth.

“He’s not allowing me to do anything. I’m a grown man.”

“I’ll deal with my father.”

“I can’t see how this is a good idea.”

“Why is this your problem? It’s my ass on the line.” I addressed him, but he ignored me, glaring at Rien instead.

“It cannot be helped. I have urgent business to attend to in the south, and I would prefer if he were far from the coven until I return.” He continued.

I took another bit of my fish.

“So you’re letting him go alone? Jesus Rien what are you thinking?” he blew up, and my eyes narrowed.

“He will have an escort.” Rien replied calmly.

 Malik threw down his napkin and shook his head.

“I’ve lost my fucking appetite.” He grumbled, and I shook my head before dipping the bread into the spicy curry and biting off a large chunk.

 ……………………………………………………

It was late when we got back to the coven. After having desert and walking around the town for a bit with Malik still in a bad mood, I’d decided to grab a pair of shoes in a store nearby.  When I entered Rien’s room, I dropped the box onto the floor by his desk and pulled off my clothes for a much needed shower.

“You said you’d tell me what’s going on. Now’s a good a time as any.” I shouted to him over the noise of the shower when I heard him enter the bathroom.

“It seems my father has lost his mind.” He began and I chuckled.

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“He means to hunt a wolf pack to extinction.” He said as I kneaded my scalp.

“Wolves? Why? What did they do to him ?

“The fact that they exist seems to be his main reason.” He said with a sigh.

My brows creased as I thought about it. “When you say wolves….” I trailed off, poking my soapy head through the crack in the curtains.

“I mean the children of the moon…werewolves.”

I gaped at him. “Werewolves? You’re shittin’ me. You’re telling me werewolves ; humans that change into actual wolves exist?”

He nodded, crossing his arms before him, while he leaned against the door frame.

I released an expletive. I didn’t know why anything surprised me anymore. “Why haven’t I ever seen one before?” I continued my line of questioning, dipping my head under the stream.

“Unlike blood drinkers, they have structure and rules. Exposing themselves to humans is prohibited.”

“Everyday you learn something new.” I mumbled to myself.

“My brother and I are plotting to assassinate him.”

“Assassinate who?”

“My father.” He said it as though he were talking about the weather, and I stuck my head through the crack to take in his expression.

He was as serious as a heart attack.

I stared at him for a second or two, then I shrugged. “I have no objections.” I told him, and smiled when I heard his soft chuckle.

“What I don’t get though, is why it’s such a big deal. Supernatural freak hunting down other supernatural freaks…isn’t that supposed to be the ‘natural’ order of things?”

“It’s a big deal because no matter what strategies we have in place, or the fact that we may very well have the element of surprise on our side, we cannot win this war. The wolves are too great in number.”

“Does this have anything to do with the reason you’re going out of town?”

I pulled apart the shower curtains and stepped out, dripping all over the tiles.

“Yes.” Rien said, handing me a towel. “I will journey to the south and I shall warn the wolves.”

“I thought you guys were sworn enemies. You can’t just walk into their pack and warn them.” I told him, but he only smiled.

“We are not enemies, my father simply intends to make it so. I will be fine. I shall warn them and if needs be I will gather all blood drinkers in the coven who are loyal to me, and we shall fight with the wolves against my father. The ensuing chaos will provide the best cover for an assassination.” He explained.

“Why don’t you just forget about the fighting and kill him now?”

I brushed past him to step into the bedroom and he followed.

“It is not as easy as one would like to think. This is the best way.”

I didn’t like the sound of this. “So it’ll be a war then. Lives will be lost, people will get hurt. It’s serious.”

He nodded. “It is.”

“I’ll fight with you.” I decided, and my eyes narrowed when he only laughed.

“In your condition? I would be surprised if you made it past a single opponent.” He continued laughing and with an annoyed roll of my eyes I hopped up into bed and covered my nakedness with the sheets.

                                                AUTHOR’S NOTES

SORRY FOR THE POOR QUALITY OF THIS CHAPTER GUYS…I’LL MAKE IT UP TO YOU IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANKS FOR READING!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 26: Low spirits all ’round.

Chapter 26

Rien’s POV

My eyes followed him as he paced the room—back and forth, back and forth until I became dizzy and had to look away. I understood his anxiety because it was something I felt myself. Our future, our livelihood and our continued existence as a coven depended entirely on the decisions we made today. It all rested on our shoulders and with each passing minute the burden seemed to grow heavier.

I crossed my legs and strategized in my mind, but only one path was clear to me and I knew my brothers would not approve.

“Jorlon would you stop with your pacing, it’s giving me a headache!” Marcan shouted, but Jorlon didn’t slow.

 I imagined he was trapped in his own mind…too worried and desperate to remain in the present as he tried to find a way out of our current predicament.

“With every day that passes our time dwindles…we need to act now.” Peitre said softly and for a moment I glanced at him.

He sat by the window, staring out into the yard below. More than any of us, he looked worn—beaten. Father’s actions had already started to take its toll.

“I agree, we must act now, while we have the opportunity.” I told them and Peitre glanced my way.

“It is easier to speak the words than it is to do the deed.” He said and I nodded.

“I have racked my brain for weeks and I do not see how we could end his life without facing serious consequences. The coven would be in an uproar and Kandane will have our heads.” Jorlon finally paused long enough to say, and once again I nodded.

“You’re right of course, but short of framing another after we have done the need, I see no way to proceed. He is always surrounded by his most loyal warriors—day and night he is with them and Kandane is also never far behind.” Peitre continued.

“And let us not forget our own father’s cunning. He himself has been made leader for a reason. He will not be easy to trick, nor will he be easily killed and I myself am no match for him.” Jorlon finished.

“I have taken all these things into consideration.” I told them and  Peitre raised a brow.

“And what conclusion have to come to brother?” Jorlon asked and I looked him straight in the eyes.

“You will not like my answer.”

He scoffed. “Nonsense! Any answer that will do the job will have my favor. Speak brother. I grow tired of my own helplessness.”

I looked to Jorlon, to Peitre and finally to Marcan and they all watched me with interest.

“I have decided to fight with the wolves. It is the only way to guarantee our success.” I told them in all seriousness, but Marcan laughed and the others simply stared at me as if I had gone mad.

“I would not tell jokes at a time such as this,” I said. “Father cannot be made to see reason and if we fight with him this coven will fall.”

Marcan shook his head, his gaze piercing in their intensity. “Your plan is flawed. Our aim is to protect this coven, how can we protect our people if we choose to fight against them?”

Jolron nodded.

“We can, if they choose to stand with us. I will take a stand against father. I will speak to our people and have them decide who they will fight with. I have no doubt many of them will see reason, but for those who do not…then they are just as crazed as our father and we do not need those thinkers in our coven in any event.”

It surprised me that Marcan seemed to be contemplating it.

“Father would have you killed before he allowed you to persuade his people.” Jorlon said, but I disagreed.

“Father is a prideful leader. He would watch and see if anyone in the coven would choose to side with me and then he would strike us all down…but I will not allow that to happen. We will all travel to the wolf pack and if he strikes us down it will be while we fight for what is ours.”

“What makes you so certain the children of the moon would trust us? What makes you so sure they will want us to fight with them?” Marcan asked and I smiled.

“I have a way of persuading people. I shall visit with the Alpha tomorrow and I will tell them of father’s plan after I have been given assurances that we may seek refuge among their kind until this is all over.”

Jorlon still seemed skeptical, but Peitre and Marcan, having no other ideas, nodded in agreement.

“Very well Riener.” Peitre began. “I can only hope your plan proves fruitful or we are doomed to die before the battle has even begun.”

………………………………………….

Kaio’s distressed face gave me the answer before I asked it, but I questioned him nonetheless.

“How is he?”

He shook his head—his eyes darting to the top of the staircase and back. “There has been no change my Lord. He is just as downtrodden as he was at first light. He has refused my company and his meals.”

My worry only grew. We had retired to bed in good spirits the night before. There was nothing that took place between the time he feel asleep and the time he opened his eyes this morning. Yet, he had begun his day with an expression that showcased his depression.

His behavior was strange indeed.

“Malik has tried his hand at raising his spirits, but I fear he has only made it worse.” He continued apologetically and I nodded in understanding.

“Hand me his supper. I shall take it to him.”

Kaio bowed and left the room.

I glanced to the top of the staircase with a frown as I racked my brain, trying to arrive at some conclusion as to why his temperament had taken such a sudden turn, but nothing came to mind.

My Tony was a strange one indeed and it worried me that there was truly something serious troubling his mind. I closed my eyes and straightened my spine, listening to the sounds around me; every indrawn breath, every whispered word, the shuffling of feet and the echo of water dripping from a leaky faucet. As I listened, I slowly disregarded all other sounds except that of his beating heart. It beat steadily in his chest and his breaths were just as normal.

I did not wait very long for my drudge to reenter the space with Tony’s meal in hand and I took it without pause, before turning to make my way up the stairs, down the corridor and up yet another flight of stairs that led to the roof.

I smelled the nicotine before I spotted him with it and I frowned.

“I was not aware that you smoked,” I said as the door closed behind me and he glanced from his perch upon the ledge. He held the cigarette between his fingers and turned around without a word, before he brought it to his lips. Then he took a long drag of the thing and let it out through his nose.

“You’d be surprised at how much you don’t know about me,” he answered without glancing my way and my frown deepened.

“Feel free to enlighten me.” I offered, moving closer to where he sat with a foot dangling over the ledge.

For a while he said nothing and I allowed him his silence to think upon his next words, but when they came, they were as I had expected them to be.

“Maybe some other time.”

He said it without emotion, his vacant eyes staring out over the empty courtyard. He looked lost.

“Kaio tells me you haven’t eaten today and it is already the evening.”

No response.

“I took the liberty of presenting you with your meal myself,” I announced as I took the few steps necessary to reach his side. When I placed the plate beside him on the ledge, he glanced down at it momentarily then looked away once more.

“I’m not hungry,” he explained.

“Of course you are. Any human would be after so many hours without a bite. You will weaken if you choose not to eat.”

“Like I said…I’m not hungry”

“What’s the matter with you? You’ve been this way since the morning.”

I stood with my hands behind my back and my eyes intent on him as I awaited his reply.

“I can’t get them out of my head,” he said simply and I lowered myself onto the space beside him.

“What do you mean?”

“The guys…they had families waiting for them at home and just like that…they’re gone. I couldn’t even go to their funerals.” He shook his head. “It’s fucked up…and now all the others can only assume I’m dead or a prisoner of war. I can’t even visit their families and tell them what brave men they were…I can’t tell them what their last words were…I can’t even give them that.” He continued and finally I understood his plight.

“Their demise was indeed tragic…but dwelling on that will achieve nothing. Now you must live the life they can no longer have,” I told him. “Do not sully their memories with these sad thoughts, it is as you said…they were brave men—brave men who died honorable deaths.”

My words didn’t seem to have much of an impact on him and I could only watch him helplessly.

“Tell me something Rien.” He began and I raised a brow in question.

“Out of everyone you could have saved…why Malik?” he asked…not with malice, but with genuine curiosity and I thought of just how badly this day would end if I chose to tell him the truth.

“It was Kaio who saved him, not I.”

“But still…why him?”

“I sent Kaio to rescue you, but he mistook him for you.” I answered honestly and his brows furrowed.

“You people can track a human by their blood alone, how could he mistake someone else for me?”

“I suppose he thought Malik’s blood signature was a close match.” I said, slowly easing him into the truth.

He placed the cigarette to his mouth without another word and I watched and he took another deep breath and let it out slowly. Soon, we were surrounded by a cloud of stinking smoke and I thought briefly of pulling the thing from his hand.

“I suppose if you had the chance you would have had Kaio rescue a friend of yours rather than Malik,” I commented and he surprised me by shaking his head.

“Who am I to decide who lives and who dies.” He said wisely and I nodded.

“It is that very thought that should motivate you to think happy thoughts once more and put all this behind you.”

“I can’t just put it behind me. Those guys were like my family…you don’t just forget about your family.” He finished.

“I suppose you’re right,” I said. “But as much as it hurts you to know that they are no longer with you, you should not neglect your health Tony.” I said, pushing the plate closer to him.

He shook his head and pushed up from the ledge.

“You wouldn’t understand.” He spoke quietly, before he turned away from me and pulled the door open, leaving me alone with his untouched food and my thoughts.

It was not very difficult to imagine the emotions coursing through him. I suppose I could liken his loss to that of any of my brothers, and the thought alone was almost too much to bear. Which is why I would allow him his time to mourn. I would leave him be for as long as he needed so that  he could come to terms with the deaths of his brethren and eventually find the will to move on.

I stood and walked the short distance to the door that would take me back inside and while there, I decided it was time to have a word with Malik. This could go on no longer.

………………………………..

I pushed open the door to Kaio’s bedchamber and stepped in, in time to spot them in an intimate embrace. They broke away quickly and Kaio stared at me with wide, guilty eyes.

I turned to Malik who appeared to be unperturbed. “It’s time you told Tony the truth,” I told him and he frowned, moving to lower himself onto the edge of his unmade bed.

“I told you, I’m waiting for the right time.”

“You have been presented with many a good opportunity and you have wasted each one. The time for waiting has come to an end. The longer you wait, the worse his reaction will be and we will all be forced to bear the brunt of his displeasure.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them, he stared up at me with conviction.

“It’s not something I just want to blurt out. I want to earn his trust before I explain it to him. It will be easier for him to take in that way.”

“You cannot earn his trust. He already knows that you are harboring secrets and every time you open your mouth he loathes you even more,” I told him. “Tell him now.”

“No.”

His disobedience angered me. “You may have saved his life on that battleground before I arrived, and I am forever indebted to you for that, but make no mistake Malik, when it comes to my mate I do not play games. Tell him what he needs to know, or I will and I promise you…if he hears it from anyone but you, you will never have his trust.”

He offered no retort and without another word, I left them to their activities and exited the room. It was a gloomy day at best and with every turn there was some new burden to be endured. I walked silently down the corridor and stopped before an open window. In the courtyard, Tony stood, throwing his ball against the wall and catching it before it could bounce away into the bush.

His expression was one of concentration, but his eyes were troubled. I imagined that for as long as he lived he would have days like this, where the death of those closest to him would haunt his dreams and waking hours, but eventually  he would learn to cope…it was life. All things had a time to die and those left behind moved on.

…………………………………

Kaio’s POV

 “You must not anger Lord Riener Mal, you should tell Tony. I am certain that given time, he will understand.”

My mate shook his head, his expression one of misery as I watched him.

“You don’t understand Kaio. He loved those retches he calls his parents. If I tell him the truth…if I tell him that they orchestrated his abduction he won’t believe me and more than that, he’ll hate me for ruining whatever memory he has of them,” he said and I bit my lip.

“Tony has been searching for a family all his life. He would not give up a newfound brother. He is stubborn, it is true, but eventually he will come to care for you.” I tried to persuade him.

“I need him to trust me first, that way he’ll know that what I’m telling him is the truth.”

Tony was stubborn, but so was Malik. They were truly brothers.

I sighed. “You don’t have a choice now. Lord Riener has ordered it and you must not disobey him. He is capable of much more than you know and I will not have you suffer the consequences of your own inaction,” I said adamantly and after a moment of silence, he smiled and I all but melted.

He reached out from where he still sat and took hold of the front of my robes, puling me closer to him, and when I stood before him, he wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his forehead on my belly.

“I won’t tell him…not yet,” he said and when I tried to pull away, he held on tighter so I relented.

“You must.” I told him, running a hand through his soft hair.

“I won’t.” he said and I sighed.

                                       AUTHOR’S NOTES

THERE YOU GO GUYS, THANKS FOR READING AND AS ALWAYS KEEP SWEET!!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 27: Breakfast routine

Chapter 27

Kaio’s POV

I ran a finger across his forehead and smiled when his brows furrowed.  He was even more beautiful when he slept. I could see not a flaw in his features and not a worry in his expression. He was calm…peaceful. I lightly traced his soft eyebrows, then continued until my finger danced on the tip of his nose and I smiled again when he scrunched his nose.

With every day that came and went I looked to the skies in question.  I was nothing but a lowly drudge. My existence meant nothing to anyone but my beloved lord and my disappearance would not be felt by many, so why was luck on my side? Why was I blessed with this lovely creature sleeping by my side?

Had I not met him, I would not have thought it possible to love another as deeply as I did and I would not have thought it equally possible to fear for another’s life as much as I did his.

It was strange now to think that I once wondered why Lord Riener invested so much of his time and concern for his Tony, but now that I thought as he did the answer became so simple. When I ran a finger over his lips his eyes finally drifted open and he batted my hand away before turning away from me, grumbling under his breath. I chuckled.

He was never at his best in the morning, another trait I found endearing. When I ran my hand through his hair he groaned in annoyance. “Stop.”

“You cannot sleep away the day Mal, we have much to do.” This time when I ran a hand through his hair he ignored me, eyes closed as he tried and surely failed to fall back into his dream world.

“Lord Rien was very specific about our departure time. You have angered him enough and I wish to begin the day in peace.” I continued.

“As much as I care about Tony, stalking him for a week isn’t exactly a compelling reason to get out of bed in the morning.”

“We’ll be doing no such deed. Lord Rien has entrusted me with his care and I take such matters seriously.”

“I’m sure.” He muttered drily and with a shake of the head, I hopped from the bed and stood watching him.

“Very well, you’re welcome to remain here for the duration of our trip if you so choose. I’m certain the drudges will love the company.” I told him before turning on my heels, robes swishing around my ankles as I exited the room.

When I was halfway down the corridor I heard his defeated sigh and the thud of his bare feet on the cool tiles. I smiled. It always surprised me how easy it was to get my way with him. Had I used a similar tactic on Tony I was certain it would not have yielded such good results. It just illustrated how complicated humans could be. Their emotions changed with the wind and none were truly alike, it was a wonder how they managed to coexist.

 I turned down the hall and when I proceeded to descend the stair case I could detect the sound of my keeper’s voice. He was on the right wing, in Tony’s chambers partaking in a seemingly serious conversation with his grumpy mate. As I walked, I filled my mind with other things so as not to overhear his words.

“I had begun to wonder whether or not you would make it down from your bedchamber today Kaio.” A fellow drudge, Hester announced when I entered the kitchens.

“Mal was being particularly trying this morning.”

She grinned, her pearl white fangs glinting in the sunlight streaming through the open windows. “He would sleep away the beauty of the day if we allowed it.” She said with amusement and I nodded.

“If he would only allow me to give him more blood he would not tire so easily.”

“You should force it upon him, he is weak, he would not be able to stand up to you.” Soleil suggested when she entered the kitchen. Hester was already shaking her head.

“Malik is a proud man, he would not recover from such an act.” She said wisely and I was quick to agree.

“It would be unforgiving of me to do such a thing to him. I suppose we will simply continue to care for him in hopes that he recovers his full strength soon.”

Soleil sighed.  “He was victorious in darts once again yesterday, the others are beginning to think he is concealing a special power from us.”

I smiled. “He is simply talented, it cannot be helped.”

“It cannot be fair that a human can throw darts better than the lot of us. We are superior in every way.” Mary was saying as she entered the kitchen with a large mixing bowl wrapped in her arms.

“Mal is special.” I told them with obvious pride and Hester nodded.

“He is, it is just unfortunate that his brother cannot see what we do.” She said.

“Lord Riener’s mate has much more important things to think about I suppose.” Soleil answered and without a word I went to sit by the counter. It had become a routine for me to sit and listen to them bicker in the morning before my duties began.  It was strangely soothing.

“I am certain that if he knew Malik was his brother he would treat him differently.” Mary—the lover of all things Tony—spoke up and Hester snorted.

“Tony is not what one would term a social butterfly. I am of the view that he would treat him just as he does now.”

“I disagree.” Mary said with a frown and Soleil nodded in agreement.

“I think he’s lonely. Sometimes I’ll watch him as I go about my duties and he never truly seems happy. I do not remember a time I have seen him smile.” Soleil continued, her expression one of ancient sadness.

“He has lost much in his short life.” I explained and she nodded. “I assure you Lord Rien makes him happy. You have not seen how his spirit awakens when he is near. I would not worry too much about our Tony.”

“You make him happy as well Kaio… you are the only other person in this dwelling place whose company he seeks out.” Hester commented.

“I swear every time I come down here you’re all talking about Tony.” Mal said when he entered the room and Hester enveloped him in her usual motherly hug before he could find his seat beside me.

“I made all your favorites today Malik.” She told him “I want you to take as much as you do not eat now on your trip today.”

“I always tell you, you make too much” he told her as he pulled up a stool.

“Do you not think it strange how Tony and Malik enjoy the same foods and at times share a similar personality yet Tony has no notion that Malik is his brother?” Soleil spoke.

“It doesn’t exactly work like that Soleil. We only just met recently and I’m nothing but a stranger to him…eventually he’ll get to know me and it’ll be different.” Mal explained before taking a bit of his crunchy bacon.

“It’s tragic the way humans are forced to live. If he could only smell your blood he would know who you are. You are all so limited in how you live.” Mary commented as she set a large glass of fruit juice before Malik.

“Well thanks for your sympathy.” Mal said sarcastically around a mouthful of food and I chuckled when she reached over to tug none too gently on a lock of his hair.

He winced.

“Perhaps you will be able to gain his friendship on your upcoming trip.” Hester added.

“No, we are to keep him safe from a distance. Lord Rien made it quite clear that Tony is not to know we are there.” I explained and Hester frowned.

“I’ve decided to do it today.” Mary announced after a moment’s silence and we all groaned. This had been an ongoing thing since the day Tony arrived. Every day she pledged to speak with him and everyday she failed to act.

“He spoke to me yesterday.” Soleil interrupted, looking quite proud as she said the words.

“You should not lie Soleil.” Mary scolded with a frown and Soleil gasped.

“I have done no such thing! He did speak to me and we had a pleasant conversation.”

“Very well since you insist on fibbing, what did you speak of?” Mary questioned, arms folded and chin raised.

“Well if you must know, it was as I was serving him his supper last night and I asked him if he would like a glass of water to go with his meal. He looked me right in the eyes and asked if I could do him a favor, and of course I told him I would.” She took a breath, “then he asked if I could stop calling him master Tony. Naturally I said yes.”

“Go on.” Mary muttered.

“I have nothing more to tell. It is what took place and I have no reason to speak anything but the truth.”

“Well it was hardly a conversation now was it?” Hester interrupted and Soleil pursed her lips and turned to the bacon still sizzling in the pan on the stove.

“You all sound obsessed.” Mal of course had to comment but none were offended.

“Can you imagine what it would be like to become friends with one so esteemed? He is Lord Riener’s mate… there must be something truly wonderful about him for him to have been chosen by our Lord.” Mary said, her hands clasped before her as if in prayer.

“Yes well do not expect to become his friend when you have yet to utter a word to him.” Hester advised from her spot by the counter.

“You shall all bear witness…today I shall speak to him and he will be just as pleasant to me as he is with Kaio.”

I chose to remain silent and beside me, Mal chose to add another forkful of eggs to his mouth rather than comment.

And so the  morning continued with bickering drudges, talks of Tony and the strange smells of sizzling human food in pots and pans which were guarded by or resident mother hen Hester.

When Mal cleared away most of his meal, he turned to look at me, propping his head in his hand as he watched me watch him.

“What time do we leave?”

“Noon…Tony wishes to get an early start.”

“You really think it’s wise to follow him around like this? He’s a grown man, I’m sure he can take care of himself for a few days.”

I shook my head. “There are dangers out there that you know nothing of.”

“Or you and Rien are being overprotective…if he finds out about this I promise you you won’t like his reaction.” He warned.

“There is tension in the coven…things afoot that you would not wish to know of…Tony needs to be kept safe…and so do you for that matter.”

He raised a brow, “And Rien thinks you’re the man for the job?”

“I will not be the only blood drinker trailing him. Lord Rien has safeguards in place to ensure his mate returns to him exactly the way he left.” I explained.

He seemed to consider this, then he shook his head and pushed up from his seat.

I watched him as he walked around the counter and dipped a finger into the cake batter Hester was busy mixing and when she raised her wooden spoon threateningly, I chuckled, slid from the stool and exited the room. It was time to prepare for the day ahead.

                                    AUTHOR’S NOTES

THANKS FOR WAITING GUYS…I’M SWAMPED IN WORK SO THAT’S THE REASON I’VE BEEN TAKING FOREVER TO UPDATE BUT I’M WORKING ON IT. 

THANK YOU FOR READING!!

KEEP SWEET!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 28: Discovery bay.

Chapter 28

                                 

~ More than five years ago~

I watched him adjust his footing, before he finally stilled and looked to the ground below. There was no comfort for me here. I was certain that at any moment, he would shift and accidentally topple from his perch. With my mate, anything was possible and that thought did nothing to aid my enjoyment of the day.

It had been Tony’s idea of course; to climb into the trees for no other reason than to be up here, and like a fool I had agreed, allowing him to put himself at risk simply because saying no was a much more difficult act.

The tree in which I stood was not much taller than his, but the distance between them was worrying, which was the reason my eyes never left him, not for a moment.

“Can you imagine how perfect it would be to live in the trees?”

I raised a brow at his ridiculous question. “No I suppose I cannot.”

His expression was much like it was whenever he looked to the clouds; serene, with a touch of happiness. Being up here made him happy.

“Why would it be perfect?”

He shrugged…an action I would always dislike. “You don’t feel it?”

My brows furrowed and I could only watch him…waiting for his words of ‘wisdom’.

He grinned. “It’s different up here…it’s like another world and nothing on the ground matters anymore.”

“Hmm…”

The trees were his fantasy and the ground was reality. It was as though he always wished to escape. The earth could not satisfy him; his aspirations were bigger than anything it could offer. It was a humbling thought.

  When he shifted again, he almost lost his footing and I watched in horror as he grabbed hold of a limb to keep himself rooted. My mood soured instantly.

“Perhaps it is time we left the trees… you will find that with your clumsy disposition, the ground is surprisingly safer.”

He rolled his eyes, but his smile remained. I noticed however, just how strongly he still gripped the limb. When he closed his eyes and took a breath I jumped down from my perch, landing on the dirt with nary a sound to disturb the leaves. Then once more I was climbing; this time into his own tree, where he still sat with closed eyes and a tranquil expression.

He gasped in surprise when I touched him, his eyes wide, but the moment I pulled his hand from the limb and sat him in my lap, he relaxed.

“Tell me about your father.”

I frowned. “For what reason?”

He shrugged before running his fingers along my clothed knee. “I don’t know, you just never really talk about him so I was wondering.”

“My father is a beast. He is merciless, uncaring and vengeful… We are very much alike…it is the reason he cares for me so.”

He snorted. “Stop fooling yourself Rien, you’re nothing like that.”

“Perhaps I have changed…but I assure you, I was every bit the monster he is.”

He twisted so that he could look at my face. “Why do you say that?”

I am not sure why I smiled then. Perhaps I wished to hide from him the deep agony I now held within me at the thought of some of the things I had done…or perhaps it was because somewhere inside me, I still housed the feeling of great enjoyment at all my conquests.

“I have slaughtered many in the name of sport…blood-drinkers and humans alike. I have beheaded them, ripped their hearts from their chests and laughed at the sight of their blood on my hands. I enjoyed it…it was my life.”

“But you said it yourself…you changed…that’s in the past now so you might as well let it go.”

“Perhaps.” I said to appease him and he frowned.

“I’ve done pretty shitty things too…”

I smiled in amusement. “Have you now? And what terrible deed have you done?”

“I threw a brick into a store window to get you that damn necklace and my friend bashed the guard’s head in to save me…then I just left him there to die.” He said the words softly, and with each breath he took, I could taste his agony.

This was something he would never forget…just as I would never forget my own sins. They would eat away at us, always stuck to the back of our minds like parasites feeding on dead flesh. Perhaps it was Tony and I who were alike. I held him just a little bit tighter and he rested his head against my chest.

“There is something you should know…” I trailed off and once again he twisted so he could watch my face.

I took a breath and looked out at the trees, at the particles of dust floating on the wind and the caterpillars chewing on the green leaves they could reach.

“I killed my mother.”

He drew in a breath just as I released mine.

……………………………………………………….

 

Present

“Father expects your presence on the training grounds this day. What would you have us tell him? That his perfect son has fallen ill?” The sarcasm dripped from Marcan’s lips.

“Tell him whatever you wish. I shall be gone no more than a week, providing all goes well.  I can only hope you all have some level of intelligence to enable you to persuade him for merely a few days.” I spat.

I was not in the best of moods this day.  I was once again being forced to part with my mate, and after all this time together, I had yet to completely gain the trust he once had in me. He still held so much back and I needed much more time to pull him out of himself.

I found that I missed the ease with which we once lived. I missed his constant smiles and his frequent displays of affection. Time apart would certainly do more harm than good, yet what choice did I have?

“Riener, you know very well that father is not easily persuaded. He will come to suspect.”

“Then let him suspect. I cannot always be here to tend to the lot of you…Figure it out.”

“Well aren’t you touchy today… trouble with the human?” Peitre said with malice and I chose to take a breath rather than let the words I had on my mind drip from my tongue.

Jorlon was the only one in the small room who had not spoken since my arrival and I turned to him. He sat on the edge of the loveseat, his eyes glazed and his mind clearly not with us.

“Jorlon.” I spoke, and he glanced my way in surprise. “I can only pray you will play your part well since you have given me no assurance that you are focused on this undertaking.”

He said nothing and I shook my head. “Today I set out to form an alliance with the wolves. I hope that when I return it will not have been in vain.”

I swept from the room, my robes fluttering behind me as I went. If they let me down, there would be hell to pay.

I spotted Christophe the moment I entered the courtyard of my dwelling place and he bowed low when our eyes met.

“My Lord Riener.” He greeted.

I nodded in response and he straightened, before lowering his eyes respectfully.

“Do keep at the front of your mind that the sole reason you are here today is because Tony requested your presence.” I began. “With that said I trust you will keep a respectful distance from hi—”

“Give him a break Rien.”  Tony interrupted me, but I shot Christophe a warning glance nonetheless and I was satisfied he understood what it meant.

I turned my attention to the object of my affection, watching as he slung the bag from his back and deposited it into the trunk of his chauffeur-driven car. When he slammed the door and turned to leaned against the vehicle, I twisted slightly to address Christophe once more.

“Fetch my drudge. Tell him I am in need of his assistance.” I commanded. There was a infinitesimal tightening of his lips before he nodded and set out to do my bidding. So he wasn’t completely weak-willed; good.

“Does being an ass come with the territory or did you develop the habit in the five years I’ve been gone?” Tony commented the moment Christophe entered the dwelling place.

I offered him a small smile and moved to stand before him. “Perhaps I am simply filled with jealousy at the thought of him spending the entire trip by your side.”

He folded his arms at his chest and drawled sarcastically; “Yeah I’m sure that’s it.”

I glanced from the top of his head to the boots on his feet; cataloging him, taking in all the scars and corners I had already memorized. I found that I would miss him for the short period we were apart.

“You will not return here once your trip has ended, there are things underway that would prove dangerous for you if you were to return.”

This got his attention. He straightened; eyes narrowing and brows furrowing as he watched me. “Is it the same thing we talked about?”

“It has much to do with it, yes.”

He frowned, his expression changing from surprise to one of uncertainty. “Maybe this isn’t the best time for me to leave…” he trailed off and I smiled in amusement, then lifted a hand to his cheek.

“It is sweet that you would wish to assist my love, but—”

He slapped my hand away as though my words had angered him. “I’m not a snot-nosed brat anymore Rien—”

“No, but you are human and this is not your fight.”

He said nothing, instead he watched me with displeasure. I reached into the folds of my robe and pulled out a wad of cash, holding it out for him to take.

He glanced at it only briefly, before his gaze met mine. “I don’t need your money.”

“This is one of those times when pride will get you nowhere. Take it, you have no other means of survival once you leave here.” It was a long time before he reacted, but finally he took the offered cash and stuffed it into the pocket of his jeans.

“Once I have made the necessary plans, I will send you instructions, detailing where you will go once you have concluded your trip.” I explained, then pulled out a fully-charged cell phone and handed it to him.

“I don’t like this.” He commented with a frown and I nodded.

“Soon this will be over and it will be safe once more.”

This time when he only watched me silently, his beautiful eyes set firmly on my face, I leaned in and pressed a hand gently to his cheek. “May I kiss you?” I asked him.

The seconds ticked by, where he only watched me and finally he shook his head. “You can kiss me when I see you again.”

I grinned. “I shall hold you to it then. We should not be apart for more than a fortnight, but I do believe I shall miss you.”

He looked away, a soft blush gracing his cheeks. “Yeah well…you can always call.” His grip on the phone tightened and I nodded.

“Very well…I shall.”

Brief pause.

“Look…I just want you to know that I…” he trailed off when Christophe exited the dwelling house and I urged him to continue.

He shook his head. “It’s nothing… I’ll see you soon.”

I stepped away from him, allowing him to straighten and pull the car door open. Then without another word he entered the vehicle and closed the door in his wake.

As I watched, with a bow, Christophe too entered the car and with nothing to do but to give the chauffer the signal, a moment later they were off, the wheels of the glinting black car, crushing the pebbles into the ground as they made their exit.

Just as quickly as they had gone, another car rolled up and I turned to watch Malik and Kaio exist the dwelling place. In each hand, my drudge held a large bag filled with all manner of personal contraptions that held no interest for me. He bowed when he saw me, while Malik ignored my presence completely. He entered the vehicle and slammed the door behind him. I raised a brow at Kaio, who smiled in apology.

“Everything has been prepared to your specifications my Lord. Your designated warriors have already set out and are on the trail of Tony’s car as we speak. No harm will come to him while he is away from your side.” he assured me.

“Good. Allow him his space. He is to enjoy this trip.”

He bowed once more. “Of course my Lord.”

“You must go now Kaio…I will keep you informed of my progress while I am away.”

Finally I watched as he too departed, and without pause, I shed the robe which hid my hunting garments just as Nathaniel hopped from the balcony above and landed by my side.

“It is as your father said, the informants have arrived…they are visiting with him in his chambers as we speak, which means it should be safe to call on the children of the moon.”

“Good, we must go while we are free and clear to do so.”

“If we set out now, we should arrive by nightfall.”

I pulled on my leather hunting gloves, then pulled out my cell phone, after which time I quickly dialed the number.

“Well isn’t this a pleasant surprise.” The voice on the line answered.

“This is not a social call. I have a task for you.”

“Since when am I your bus boy? Is Tony on his way now?”

“Yes he should be with you in but a few short hours.” I explained.

“Does he know we’ve been in contact?”

“No, unless you have decided to explain to him exactly why we are on a first name basis.”

“Tell my best friend I almost succeeded in killing the love of his life while he was trapped in the army? No, I think I’ll pass.”

I shifted impatiently. “It seems we have very different recollections of that night.”

He laughed and I took a breath. “Focus Noah… this task I spoke of…”

“Alright, shoot.”

I briefed him on the situation, leaving nothing out as I explained just what I needed him to do, and as expected, he was reluctant.

“Give me one good reason why I should help you…I hunt bloodsuckers for a living, why should it matter to me if you fools kill each other?”

“Because it is only very few in this coven who have prevented my father from taking his fill of the human population thus far, and if I am to fall in this war, so will you and your kind… and so will Tony.”

“I swear to God Rien, this is the last time I’ll let you guilt me into one of your shitty ideas.” He grumbled and I smiled.

“Just gather your finest hunters and be ready when I call on you.”

“Yeah yeah.”

“And Noah…” I called. “It would be in your best interest not to execute the white-haired blood drinker Tony travels with…it seems he is quite fond of him.”

I heard him curse. “It’s always something with you—” he began his usual grumbling and I ended the call before he could finish.

“Are you all set?” I turned to Nathaniel, who stood patiently by my side.

When he nodded, we set off, blazing through the coven until we were beyond the walls of our home, and so we continued, through the streets of human towns, crossing rivers when we entered the woodland and running far beyond the used trails, until we were deep into the forest and far beyond any human life.

As we ran the air grew frigid and the forestry grew denser. It was like a maze of greenery, huddled together to keep the stranger beings out and the beasts of the green lands trapped.  Navigating through it was not a truly difficult task, but it was still not as easy as I thought it would be, yet we did not slow.

I witnessed the sunset while I hopped from tree to tree, but the beauty of it was blocked by nature, which I did not truly mind since nature was already so beautiful. We ran until I began to wonder if there was truly any land left to run, and still we continued, following a scent that grew stronger with every mile.

We stopped for nothing, we did not speak, we did not lose focus and when finally we reached the high walls of the wolf pack, it was nightfall—just as Nathaniel had predicted.

 For one hour we studied the walls and the territory, then I instructed Nathaniel to run the distance around the land and report back to me on any possible weak points, but as expected, there were none, which left us with only one choice.

I walked to the entry gate of the pack with Nathaniel close behind me and without pause, I struck the large metal bars with the heel of my boot, ripping the thing from the walls and sending it flying a few feet away. It landed with a loud boom and the response was immediate.

The wolves descended. They came to us on their two legs, as well as their four legged forms and soon we were surrounded by them and their stench.

Their aggression did not go unnoticed. Those who stood on two legs, pointed their human weapons our way and those who stood as animals growled at us, baring their sharp teeth that would no doubt easily tear through flesh.

“We mean you no harm…we simply wish to speak with your Alpha.” I announced and their growls grew louder.

“What do you want with him? You break down our gates then say you mean us no harm? Do we look like fools to you?”

I looked at each of them in turn. I could not say at just a glance.

“I have urgent business to discuss…take us to him, or I fear we are all truly doomed.”

They glanced at each other rather stupidly right then, and I waited impatiently for them to make up their minds.

There were a few whispered words, before one of their number broke from the group and took off.

“We know you’re blood-drinkers, what do you need to discuss with the Alpha?”

“It is no surprise you know what we are, after all, we have taken no pains to conceal it and had I wished to impart my knowledge on you lot, I would not have asked specifically for your Alpha.”

More growls, and soon they were shouting among themselves…like group of headless chickens they were, and I wondered how they got anything done. For ten minutes we stood there and they tried and failed to get anything out of us, until finally, when they grew tired of my evasion, they grew rowdy, pushing and shoving—angering me almost to the point of retaliation.

“You have me surrounded, what threat could I possibly be to your leader? Take me to him and you will learn that I do in fact have no negative intent.”

A buzz of voices went up and I heard the click of weapons as they sought to make real their threat. I gritted my teeth, then froze, turning my nose to the sky when a new scent permeated the air. Soon the voices and the growling melted away into silence and the wolves around us parted to allow for another presence.

My eyes widened when I saw him; a human. He was small in build, almost the size of my Tony, but wiry, with metal studs in both his ears and bleached hair that spiked toward the sky. He looked us over carefully, yet with a nonchalance that insulted me.

“Unfortunately for you, the Alpha isn’t available right now, you’ll just have to make do with me.” he spoke for the first time, with an air of authority and clear confidence that only served to further confuse me.

Why was there a human among these beasts?

“And why should you prove to be of any importance to me?” I questioned and he stuffed his hands into his pockets, tilting his head to the side to appraise me.

“Because I’m the Beta’s mate and right now I’m the only listening ear you’ve got.”

“Grady, I don’t think this is a good idea.” Someone cautioned the man standing before me, but the human held up a hand to silence the interruption.

“Follow me.” he said, before turning and walking away.

I glanced only briefly at Nathaniel, who looked just as confused as I was, then without a word, I followed. On either side of us, the wolves prowled, waiting for their chance to attack if we dared to fall out of line.

                                           AUTHOR’S NOTES

ENJOY!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 29 : In-flight

Chapter 29

For the most part, we’d had a quiet trip, both of us lost in our own thoughts and enjoying the passing scenery. Forty-five minutes this lasted, until he glanced over at me with narrowed eyes. His gaze was assessing as it fixed on my face and I raised a brow in question; wanting to know what was on his mind but refusing to ask.

“Perhaps you should not get too invested in the thought of a life with Lord Riener.” He commented at his own pace, and I rested my head back against the headrest and watched him.

“Is that so?”

“I can see that you believe this intervention to be an act of jealousy…and in some ways I suppose am quite covetous, however I say this only to save you from your own heart.”

“And this is an intervention?” I questioned in a bored tone and he crossed his legs.

“It is.”

 I shook my head. “Protecting me from my own heart…wow snowflake, never knew you cared.” I drawled sarcastically and he continued to watch me, unfazed.

“I do not believe I know you well enough to care, I am simply offering useful advice. Despite the postponement of the mating ceremony, when the time is right it will be continued and Lord Riener will be forced to take a mate. The fact that he fancies you does not mean he has any real choice in the matter.”

He said the words a matter-of-factly. There was no malice, no scorn and no amusement. He said it as though he were simply talking about the weather. “Any other words of wisdom you want to lay on me?”

He actually seemed to think about it and my annoyance grew. “No, I believe that is as much as I am willing to offer at this moment.”

I shook my head and turned away; my mood soured.  Maybe taking him along hadn’t been the best idea after all.

I ignored him for the rest of the ride, which wasn’t really hard since he didn’t exactly seek out conversation. His eyes were mostly glued to the window when we finally reached human civilization, and I took the time to let my mind drift while I had the chance.

Not surprisingly, I thought about Rien and how life with him had been ever since I’d decided to somehow make this work, and even the possibilities scared me shitless. He hadn’t really changed much in the years we’d been apart, except that , if it were even possible, he was more attentive, far more willing to compromise and clearly desperate for me to forgive him.

He was the same Rien, it was only me who had changed. I didn’t need his constant protection like I used to. I was now a realist rather than an optimist…the time for dreaming had already passed, and now I had an independent mind, rather than needing to defer to him on everything.

Rien didn’t get that though. He saw me as the same kid who used to trail behind him and treat his every word like the gospel and I think that in some ways, he wanted that kid back.  I propped my chin in my palm and watched the buildings disappear.

It was crazy how the mind worked, for years I’d managed without him. I’d bitched and I’d moaned, but in the end I had managed to suck it up and move on and just a little over a month he was back in my life and all that time we’d spent apart just went through window.

After years of thinking I was better off, here I was missing him after having left his side for a measly forty-five minutes.  I glanced down at the screen of my phone then shoved it into my pocket so I wouldn’t be tempted to look yet again.

 My mind and my body fought against logic and it seemed logic was forever losing. Some nights I woke up shaking, my mind never refuting the possibility of a repeat of the last five years, and every time I thought about it, my fear grew.

A man shouldn’t have to live this way. I spent five years of my life learning to be tough and one look, one touch and one thought had me terrified. I swallowed against the dryness of my throat and ran a hand over my face.

When I glanced up again, I noticed we’d finally arrived at the makeshift tarmac. Just a short distance away the jet was stationary; a black carpet having been rolled out from the foot of the stairway onto the asphalt. I shook my head. Leave it to Rien to add a little flare to a simple plane ride.

I shook my head and straightened in my seat. When the car finally came to a stop, I hopped out, while snowflake sat waiting like the entitled ass he was, for his own door to be opened. Immediately I went to the trunk to retrieve my bag, after which I struggled with the drudge on site, who practically ripped it from my hands so that he could deposit it onto the plane himself.

All that strength, all that potential, wasted on servitude.

“Shall we go?” Christophe asked when he came to a stop by my side and with a quick look around and a shrug, I climbed the stairs of the aircraft and lowered myself into the first available leather seat I spotted.

Christophe, who chose to sit some distance away from me, lowered himself more gracefully into his own seat. I watched with some detachment as he gathered his stark-white robes carefully in his hands, then let it fan out around him as he sat, the rich fabric spilling over onto the seats on either side of him.

When he was settled, he crossed his legs, raised a hand and snapped his fingers. A drudge immediately came rushing to his side and with a shake of my head, I pulled down the window shade and closed my eyes, blocking them out, if only for a while.

 It was only when I woke much later that I realized I’d fallen asleep. I sat up and ran a hand over my face, then opened the window shade and squinted against the almost blinding sunlight. When I glanced away, I was surprised to see Christophe sitting in the seat beside me, a table before him with a glass of what I was certain wasn’t actually red wine and a thermos sitting next to it.

“You brought a thermos of blood?” I asked with raised brows and it was the first time I noticed just how hard he gripped the arms of his own chair. The frames where his fingers clutched were crushed out of shape and his breathing was too deep and raspy to be unconscious.

“You all right?”

He raised a chin as if in defiance.

“I brought a few actually. Father had the drudges prepare me a number of my favorite blood formulas to take on this trip. When he learned that I had been given the esteemed task of ensuring your safety by none other than Lord Rien, he was quiet proud.” He said with a smile and I nodded slowly.

“I’m sure he was.”

I looked down once again at the open thermos and the untouched glass of blood, then back at him.

“You planning on damaging all the chairs beyond repair or just this one?” I asked, gesturing to the ground-up armrest.

He released it slowly, lifting the fingers on each hand one by one until it was free from his grasp.

“I do not understand why we had to travel in this metal contraption. Why could we not have continued on our journey in the car?” he complained.

“It would take us days to get there in the car…this gets us there in a few hours.”

Who would have thought, the big, strong bloodsucker was afraid of flying.

“If it makes you feel any better, if we go down, you have a better chance of surviving than I do.”

He cut me a look that I couldn’t hope to understand and folded his arms before him.

“It is not death that I fear, but the lack of control.” He explained. “I am accustomed to feeling the earth beneath my feet. Now all I feel is metal and wind. It is…disconcerting.”

“Uhuh.”

“If this thing were to shatter, I would simply float away, unable to right myself until I made impact with the dirt. I hate to even imagine such a dreadful feeling.” He continued.

“Good day, Lord Christophe, Master Tony.” The pilot’s voice sounded over the intercom. “ I fear we’ll be experiencing some turbulence up ahead. I ask that you remain in your seats and keep your belts fastened until I give you the go-ahead to do otherwise. We should be arriving within the hour, where I expect fair skies and a smooth landing. Thank you and enjoy the rest of your flight.” The pilot concluded and Christophe gripped the seat once more; his body tense.

“Why must he constantly choose to strike up conversation with us? Should he not be focused on steering this stinking metal beast?” he cursed.

“You need to calm down.” I told him and he gritted his teeth.

“And you need to cease your speaking so that I may concentrate!” He hissed.

“Concentrate on what?”

“On. Calming. Down” he responded through clenched teeth.

I opened my mouth to offer a retort and thought better of it.

Why, oh why did I take him with me?

                                    AUTHOR’S NOTES

EXTEMELY SHORT CHAPTER..I KNOW, DON’T BITE MY HEAD OFF…MY ASS IS BUSY..BUT I’M TRYING..I PROMISE <3

Chapter 29 continued…

Continued…

I shook my head and turned my attention to the small window, where I blocked out everything in the small space and let my mind drift with the clouds below. They always looked different up here….not as fluffy and full, instead they were thin, less perfect and the shapes they held weren’t as noticeable as they were on the ground.

I continued to watch them though. They’d always been a constant in my life, always there with me, reminding me of the possibilities that lay in wait. Reminding me that if I searched hard enough, if I tried hard enough, I could always make something out of what seemed like nothing. I could transform my life—my dreams, into whatever I imagined. The clouds gave me hope.

I glanced back at Christophe with furrowed brows and he watched me with narrowed eyes— eyes that were tinged with fear.

“Look out this window and tell me what you see.” I said to him, and after a moment, when the curiosity got to him, he did as I asked; hands still holding the chair in a punishing grip as he leaned forward slightly to take in the view.

“I see nothing but sky and clouds…what am I to look for?”

I grinned. “The clouds…tell me what you see when you look at them.”

His brows furrowed, but he did as I asked anyway and when he saw nothing, as I expected, he glanced back at me with a frown. “The same thing I always see… They are white in shade, they look soft and when I look hard enough I see strange shapes. Why? What am I to see?”

I looked at him in surprise. “You see the shapes?”

He glanced out the window again, then back at me. “Of course, ever since I was a tyke. Do you not see them?”

“Yeah I just…I do. I’m just surprised, I thought vamps couldn’t see them.”

He pulled away and settled once more into his seat with a scoff. “Of course I see them. We have eyes and an imagination just as the humans do.” He said, clearly taking offence and I nodded slowly.

“How long has it been since the chauffer told us we were expected to meet once more with the earth?”

“The pilot ,” I corrected, “said we’d be there within the hour…it’s only been five minutes …relax.”

 A moment or two passed before he took a deep breath and bent his head, allowing the short, silky strands of his white hair to cover his face. “I would like to request that we take a car on our return to the coven…please…I do not believe I am…equipped for air transport.” He said. His voice sounding weak and strained. That alone alerted me to just how much this was affecting him.

I pulled down the window shade, then snapped my finger, much like he had done before and a drudge came running to my aid.

“May I offer my assistance master Tony?”  He asked, eyes not quite meeting my own.

“Close all the shades and go warm this up.” I ordered, shoving bloody thermos into his hands.

When he left quickly to do my bidding, I turned back to Christophe. I couldn’t see his face, but I could imagine his expression.

“You know…I had a friend once who was terrified of flying.” I began.

“As he should be…humans are not meant for the air…no one is.”

I shrugged even though he couldn’t see me.

“Maybe…but to actually be able to see the world like this…it’s something men in the past could only dream about…we’re lucky to get this chance.”

“I fear I do not share your notions Little Ant.” He whispered and finally righted himself—moving to rest his head against the headrest. His eyes were closed, his lips slightly parted and if it were even possible, he looked paler that I was accustomed to.

I looked down at his hands which still gripped the armrests and as I watched, particles which had been crushed fell to the floor, creating a film of black dust on his white shoes.

“I can feel the wind brushing against the walls. I cannot understand why the pressure surrounding us has not burst through the metal yet. It is…not a pleasant feeling. I can no longer feel the presence of the creatures of the land. It is only air and the heat of the sun.” he continued softly.

“So this friend of mine…”

“I do not wish to hear about your cowardly human friend…he has good reason to fear the skies, after all, one slip and the pressure alone would render his lungs useless.”

“Trust me…he was hardly a coward…he fought with me in the army. He was the craziest son of a bitch you could ever meet.” I remembered fondly.

“Do you refer to all your friends in such crude terms?”

I chuckled. “He was terrified of heights, everybody knew it, everybody ribbed him about it, but you know what?”

Christophe looked at me.

“He was always the first to jump out of a copter, or hop on a fighter jet, or scale the side of a cliff.”

“Did you not just say he was terrified of heights?”

I nodded. “Yeah but that didn’t mean he was gonna let that stop him. He didn’t let things like fear get in his way…it’s just who he was.”

He was silent for a moment. “ You speak of him in the pasttense.”

There was a question there somewhere.

“He died not too long ago…in the same explosion that should have killed me.”

His brows furrowed. “Yet you are here…why is that?”

“Because Rien chose to save my life.”

He nodded slowly. “You now owe him a great debt.”

“The men I spent years of my life with are all dead and I’m the one left standing…I don’t know that it’s a debt I’d happily pay.”

“I suppose it would take a man of strength to be thankful for such a life despite the circumstances that led to it.”

I thought about it for a moment and nodded slowly. “Don’t you think it takes a man of strength to take on his fear even when it feels like the pressure’s just too much?”

For a moment he only stared, then after a breath, he released the arms of the seat and folded his hands into his lap.

“I knew not that you were so wise Little Ant…with every day that passes, the less I understand of you.”

We both looked up when the drudge appeared beside him and with slightly shaking hands, Christophe took the offered thermos. I watched as he disregarded the glass and drank straight from the mouth of the Thermos, his throat convulsing with every swallow.

When he was done, he places it on the table before him and clasped his hands tightly in his lap once more.

I pulled the shade halfway open and glanced out again.

“Rien doesn’t see them.”

“See what?”

“The shapes in the clouds…he never has.” I told him.

He smiled. “I like to think that we see what is not there because we have dreams that we hold dear…fantasies and things of beauty that we still wish to be made real. Perhaps he does not see them because all his dreams have already become his reality. He needs not imagine. Not when everything that means anything to him is already his.”

…………………………………….

Christophe was out the door before I could even stand and I shared an amused smile with a drudge as I passed to exit the aircraft.  When I reached the open door I paused, taking in the sight of him as he stood stretching, extending his arms to the sky.

The sun bore down on his frame giving him an almost luminescent glow and the gentle breeze shifting his hair to and fro. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was an angel come to earth…the angel of death and destruction, come to wreak havoc on all we held dear. Not a bad description after all.

He turned to watch me descend with a small frown.

“If I never set foot on that beast again, it would still be too soon.” He grumbled. “Where do we go from here? I am itching to be one with the earth once more.”

“My home town. We’ll be their in fifteen minutes if we leave now.”

He indicated the car which was waiting on the tarmac. “Shall we go?”

And we were off. As we drove, I could already feel the familiarity of the area. The modern buildings, the dirty asphalt, the smell of the cattle on ranches not far away. It was all coming back to me. I was surprised by just how much I actually missed this place.

“This friend we have journeyed this far to visit with, was he also a warrior in your army?”

I glanced at Christophe and grinned at the thought. “In the Army, you’re trained to take instruction, the lead and be led. Noah isn’t exactly someone who likes taking orders.” I explained.

“You seem quite fond of him. Is he your greatest ally?”

I nodded. “I’ve known him my whole life.”

“And he knows what I am?”

“He does.”

“Very well. Then I do believe we shall get along splendidly.”

He turned to look out the window and I did the same.  God I missed this place.

It was ten minutes before the car finally came to a stop and another minute before I came face to face with a man I hadn’t seen in years. I grabbed him to me and we greeted each other with a few slaps on the back and grins between us.

“Jesus Tee, look at the size of you. Last time I saw you, you were skin and bones!” he exclaimed and I laughed. Equally surprised to see that all the facial piercings I’d been accustomed to back then had been removed and the only real sign of his former rebelliousness were the tattoos that peeked out from beneath the sleeves of his shirt.

“I decided it was time to grow up.” I said good-naturedly and he laughed. The infectious grin from all those years ago, was just as bright as I remembered.

I glance up at the place I knew well and thought of the days I would run through the halls with him while his father spouted obscenities our way.

“I heard about your dad…I should have called—“

He waved a hand to cut off my words. “It’s cool, the old man finally got what was coming to him.”

“And you got his place.” I commented.

He grinned. “Yeah…turned the ground floor into a tattoo shop a few years back. Knocked down those ugly as fuck walls in the kitchen, you remember them? And renovated upstairs into something livable. It’s not too bad now.” He finished with a proud grin which I return.

“Can’t tell you how much I missed this place.” I told him and he nodded.

“Kinda surprising since all you could talk about back then was leaving and moving to the city.”

I shook my head. “Yeah well you live, you learn…When I was in the army, I didn’t think about the city. It was always this dump of a town.” I glanced round again, still surprised by how not much had changed.

The same dirt roads, the same graffiti-covered walls in town and the same blue skies above it all. This was home.

“That your only bag?” he gestured to the large knapsack in my hand and I nodded.

“The polite way to have gone about this, would have been to introduce me before you commenced your endless conversation. But of course, one cannot rely on human beings to follow through with the proper formalities.”

I glanced over at Christophe who stood not far away with his head held high and his eyes narrowed.

“Oh yeah…this here’s Snowflake…a bloodsucker and a general pain in my ass…” I trialed off and his eyes narrowed further.

“Last time you introduced me to a bloodsucker, it didn’t go well.” Noah said with a slight frown.

“I am Lord Christophe of the warrior coven and I have bags that need attending to.” He said with an air of authority.

“Then go get them and meet us inside.” Noah replied, his frown deepening and I watched Christophe to see what he would do. There would be no drudges to look after him here…maybe this was a good place for him to lose of that high and mighty attitude.

As expected, he appeared offended, but just as quickly as that expression had come, he wiped it from his face. “This is your greatest ally? He smells of ink.”

“And you smell like death…can we take this inside now?” Noah countered drily and I raised a brow at Christophe, who, after only brief hesitation, turned to pull his things from the car with as much dignity as a noble Lord could muster.

 Noah glanced at me and I shrugged. He was’nt impressed.

                                     AUTHOR’S NOTES

JUST THE SECOND HALF OF CHAPTER 29 THAT I HADN’T GOTTEN THE CHANCE TO UPLOAD LAST TIME. HOPE YOU ENJOYED!

THANKS GUYS <3

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 30: Human of the wolf pack.

Chapter 30

 I was getting inked.

It had been years since I’d voluntarily put myself under a needle and this was the first time it held any meaning to me. The names of my brothers…my family who had lost their lives on that fateful day out on the battlefield would be etched permanently over my heart.

 Every time I looked in the mirror I would see their names and I’d remember their bravery. I’d remember that these were men who had once lived and dreamt of futures they’d never get to see.

“How many times do I have to tell you not to touch my shit?” Beside me Noah bellowed at Christophe who stood somewhere out of my line of sight.

I tried to twist around without moving while Noah worked on the tattoo, but I still couldn’t see the devil. They’d been at it since sunset and the constant bickering was already getting to me.

“I merely wished to get a better appreciation of the instrument.”

“Ever heard the saying; look, but don’t touch?” Noah continued in annoyance.

“One needs to attune all their senses to an item in order to further understand its inner workings…do you know nothing? you miserable—”

“Jesus Christophe, can’t you just sit still?” I asked in exasperation and beside me Noah cursed under his breath but remained silent.

“Your friend knows nothing of how to treat his guests. Since my arrival I have been utterly ignored and left to my own devices…what do you suggest that I do if not acquaint myself with whatever fascinates me?”

Noah paused and glanced over at him.

“Maybe if you’d stop breaking everything you touch I’d be okay with it.”

“Do not tell tales. I have broken but one of your ridiculous instruments and had you not propped the thing so carelessly on the shelving, it would not have fallen.”

I ran a hand over my face. They were like two kids who just couldn’t get along.

“Touch one more thing in this room and I’ll break your damn hands myself.” Noah threatened.

“Ha! Do you really believe that your petty human threats have any effect on me. I could break all your brittle bones with a simple flick of my wrists.” He boasted. “It would suit you well to remember that.”

“And it would suit you well to remember whose place you’re standing in bloodsucker.”

I heard his scoff. “I assure you, had I known that this would be the place I would be expected to rest my head for the next fortnight, I would have repudiated Tony’s invitation.”

“No one’s stopping you from leaving.”

“I have been tasked with the duty of ensuring Tony’s safety, and in any event I would never leave him to endure your bloody company alone.”

I could imagine the arrogant tilt of his chin and I shook my head.

“Jesus Christ Tony, where’d you get this freak show?”

I heard something behind me shatter and in an instant Noah was out of his chair.

I sat up and turned around, glaring at Christophe.

“That one I broke intentionally.” He said with a smile. “Shall I wait for you to attempt to break my hands or should I take them to you.”

“Get the fuck out!” Noah blazed—pointing to the exit across the room.

Christophe lifted his chin in defiance and I gritted my teeth.

“Would you just please do as he says?” I said to Christophe, then turned to Noah.

“Look man, I didn’t mean to come here and mess with y—”

“You never were very good at picking your friends.” He replied. “Just get him out of here, at least until I can finish your tats.”

I glanced at Christophe, whose eyes narrowed.

“Very well, I shall make myself scarce. I have no wish to be in the presence of this blubbering, weak-willed coward anyway.”

Before I could blink, Noah had crossed the room and my eyes widened when he pulled out some kind of mechanical bow and arrow contraption, aiming it at Christophe; eyes glinting and his mouth set in a hard line.

“Don’t tempt me asshole.”

“Let’s just take a breath here Noah.” I tried to pacify him.

Christophe only raised a brow. “Ha-ha, do you really believe you can harm me with your little toy?”

I heard a click and suddenly a steel arrow was flying through the air, embedding itself into Christophe’s shoulder.  I watched the blood erupt and seep through his cotton shirt. Then watched still as he pulled it out of his flesh and held it up for us to see.

For a moment he looked down at his clothes, then back at us with a frown. “You stained my robes.”

He spun the arrow in his hand and aimed it at Noah…

…………………………………………………..

Rien’s POV

One might say arrogance and confidence went hand in hand, and this human certainly had both. He sat on the only desk in the large room and watched us with a nonchalance that grated on my nerves. He had certainly secured his place among the wolves and he wore it like a badge of honor.

“So you two gonna tell me what you’re doing here? or are we gonna sit and stare at each other all night?”

“We did not travel this distance to speak with you. We wish to conference with your leader. It is he who must weigh the matter we have come to discuss.” Nathaniel explained.

“My leader ?” the human raised an eyebrow, his expression, one tinged with amusement.

“We have risked our lives and the trust of our coven by travelling here. This is not a joke boy.” Nathaniel spat.

 The human frowned. “And I actually have important things to do, so how about you stop wasting my time and say what you came here to say.”

“I have already explained to you that—”

“Yeah…you wanna talk to the Alpha. I get it.” He began in clear annoyance. “But trust me when I say that I’ve lived here long enough to know that as soon as the Alpha and the Beta get here, you’ll be thrown into lock-up and you’ll be lucky if you catch a glimpse of either of them.” He mocked.

I could sense Nathaniel’s anger. “Your pack has been encroached upon and they would choose to ignore the reason for the intrusion? What kind of leaders do they really profess to be?”

“We have procedures we need to follow… You practically committed an act of terrorism against us—sometimes it’s better to take action first and ask questions later.”

Nathaniel scoffed. “It is a wonder the lot of you survived as long as you have.”

The human took a deep breath and expelled it slowly. “Look fang-face…right now I’m your best bet at getting them to listen to you, and lucky for you, I happen to like vampires…so let’s hear the reason you came here, or we can just skip the niceties and leave you to the lockups…your call.”

“Fang-face?” Nathaniel’s mouth turned up in a sneer and I held up a hand to silence him.

“Very well. I shall burden you with our news, but only on the assurance that you will relay it to your Alpha and Beta as soon as reasonably possible.”

He nodded.

“I am Lord Riener, Master Class blood drinker of the warrior coven lead by my father.” I told him, then gestured to my brethren. “This is Lord Nathaniel and we have journeyed here under unfortunate circumstances.”

“Sounds ominous.” The human drawled. I could see he still had yet to take our words seriously.

“Why are we standing here speaking to this blubbering idiot?” Nathaniel spat and the human had the audacity to smile.

“You fools barged into a camp full of werewolves with no back-up and I’m the idiot?”

Had I not been accustomed to Tony’s manner of speaking, this human’s words would have insulted me. I glanced at Nathaniel and it was clear that they had an effect on him.

“My father wishes for more power. He has lived a long time and he finds himself dissatisfied with all that he has accomplished, so he has turned his sights on the wolves.”

“Okay…”

“In short, he wishes to conquer the lot of you.”

The human scoffed. “Yeah and how do you plan to do that? Have you seen the size of this pack?”

“Not I…my father. He is of course aware of your size, however he has a secret weapon, something that may bring this camp to its knees should he wage his war.”

The human straightened, slipping from the desk so he could stand before it with folded arms. There was no longer any hint of amusement in his expression.

“If you have a secret weapon like you claim, then why are you here? Why are you telling me all this?”

“As I have explained. It is my father who wishes you harm, not I.”

“Uhuh and once again…why tell me?”

“Because I do not think as he does. There is every possibility that he may succeed, just as there is every possibility that he may not. But either way, many lives will be lost on both sides and I do not wish to see my people suffer for my father’s thoughtlessness.”

His eyes narrowed and he bit his lip, looking at me as though he were trying to decide what to believe.

“I still don’t get it, why tell me? What good will it do telling us. We’ll just prepare ourselves for war, which means even more of your people will die. Your reasoning isn’t making a lick of sense.”

I could hear the gritting of my brethren’s teeth, but he wisely remained silent.

“Because when I leave here, I will travel back to my coven where I shall attempt to persuade my father to end this foolishness. Should I fail—and I am very likely to—I shall appeal to my people.”

“And if that doesn’t work?”

“I assure you, many will stand by my side and for every blood drinker that does do so, I shall take them with me, and together we shall fight alongside you against my father.”

For a moment he only looked at me, then his eyes widened in what looked to be understanding.

“You don’t really think your father can win do you? That’s why you’re here. You want to be on the winning side.”

He was perceptive this one…much like my Tony.

“It is true that I have no confidence in his endeavors, and as a strategist I have decided to band with the side that can ensure the survival of my people.” I told him. “When this is over and my father has fallen, my brothers and I will lead our coven the way it should be lead, and provide a safe and happy home for our people.”

“You’ll have to forgive me if I’m not exactly trusting of a thing you say.” The human said. “All this just sounds like a ploy to me. Get our pack to trust you, we get complacent and you turn against us…it’s a classic comic book plot.”

I smiled. “Had you trusted me so easily I would of course think you a fool. It is good to be wary human. It means you will be vigilant and ready to retaliate should the moment present itself.”

“You realize that everything you’ve just told me could backfire right? If Carson and Thomas reject your offer, all we need to do is be ready to attack and you’d have wasted your time here.”

I nodded. “There are of course always risks.”

“And you’re willing to take them? Just like that?”

“For the good of my people, yes I am.”

“You know, you kinda remind me of someone.” He said with a slight smile, which I returned.

“As do you…Will you relay the message to your Alpha and Beta?”

He frowned. “You haven’t told me what this secret weapon is yet.”

I smiled. “I realize now that you do not draw your confidence from your position among the wolves.” I observed. “No… it is your own mind that gives you the freedom to do as you please.”

He shruged. “You were saying about the weapon…”

“Three years prior, my father had the idea to inject three blood drinkers into your pack. They were tasked with the duty of living amongst you. To learn your ways, learn your secrets, learn your weaknesses, and when the time was right, report back to him on their progress.”

The human’s expression shuttered.

“Suffice it to say, these blood drinkers have succeeded and have gone to take up their rightful place by my father’s side.”

“You’re lying.”

“I have praised you for your brilliance human, do not disappoint me now.”

He shook his head. “They wouldn’t. We…They’re like family…”

“Then can you speak to their disappearance this day?  Can you truly say that their arrival here had not struck you as strange? You are a perceptive being, have you truly never had a moment’s doubt about their intentions?”

I could see the moment my words hit home. Could see his acceptance, could feel his surprise and his hurt in the face of their betrayal.

I  tilted my head and sniffed the air when I felt a new presence in our midst and not a moment later the door of the room was shoved open and I found myself in the presence of two beings whose power was unmistakable.

Standing before me were the men of modern legend. I did not need to request their names to know that here stood The Alpha and his Beta, however so great was the atmosphere surrounding them, that I could not begin to tell the two apart.

Years I had heard tales of their greatness, but never had I expected them to be so youthful. I had imagined men wizened with age and ready to offer wisdom, but these beings looked no older than my Tony.

They stepped into the room, the larger of the two, folded his arms before him and went to lean against the wall by the door, while the other came to stand before us, his face devoid of emotion, but his eyes evidence of his displeasure. This one was the Alpha I surmised and the one glaring at the human was the Beta.

They made quite an impression.

The human uttered not another word as we all stood there in silence, but neither did he slink back in fear. He merely returned to his seat on the desk, his attention focused on the Beta as silent conversation passed between them.

I returned my own focus to the Alpha: Carson, I believe he was called.

“I suppose I should repeat all that.” I spoke and his eyes narrowed.

                                           AUTHOR’S NOTES

ENJOY!

THANKS FOR READING AND KEEP SWEET!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 31: As he lay dying.

Chapter 31

White hot pain like I’d never felt before raced from my shoulder and across my chest until all I could do was gasp in surprise. My impact with the floor jarred me and for a second, the resulting agony was so great that the room around me dimmed.

‘What’s wrong with me?’  Was my last thought before the world went black.

……………………………………………..

Kaio’s  POV

 I was tearing down the street at the first whiff of his blood in the air. It was potent and rich like the purest, sweetest wine—aged to perfection. Yet it terrified me. Something was wrong. I could hear Malik panting as he ran a great distance behind me, but I could not pause to allow him to grow nearer. I had been entrusted with Tony’s care and if the strong scent of his blood was anything to go by, I had failed.

I took in the scene the moment I burst through the door and nothing prepared me for the sight of them. Tony lay stretched out on the floor, his once glowing skin, pale and tinged grey—the color of death. His eyes were closed and his lips parted slightly allowing for the shallowest of breaths to pass through.

His head was propped in his friend’s lap. Noah, I guessed was his name. He wore an expression of deep concern and pure regret and had I not heard the slow beating of Tony’s heart with my own ears, I would have thought him dead from his friend’s aura alone.

At his side Lord Christophe knelt; a position I had seen him in but once before, and he too bore an expression tinged with deep emotion. However, it was his clothes that gave me pause. His once pristine white robes were stained with the red of Tony’s blood, as were his hands—his warrior hands with blood seeping between his finger nails as he pressed his palms to Tony’s shoulder.

 I ran to his side and knelt by my master’s mate, where I ripped into my wrist with my teeth and peeled at the skin there, allowing my own blood to flow freely. Without a word, Lord Christophe removed his hands to allow me access to the wound and I allowed my own blood to mix with his, where it would heal his broken flesh. But as I waited, nothing happened. There was no knitting together of his skin, no dissipating of his blood and no return of color to his pale cheeks. I looked at them in horror.

“Why does he not heal? What has happened to him?”

Noah shook his head. “He jumped in front of me, he was trying to push me out of the way before the arrow hit but it…” he trailed off

“The fault is mine.” Lord Christophe spoke then. “I was angered by Noah’s actions. I sought to graze him with the tip of the arrow, but Tony believed I meant to do his friend harm and he meddled.”

I could not fully process the words being spoken. Only one thing mattered to me at that moment. “Why does he not heal? I have mixed my blood with his. I have drenched it upon his wounded flesh. Why does he lay as still as the dead?”

“The arrow I used. “ Noah began. His voice low and ominous. “The tip was poisoned. It’s meant to incapacitate bloodsuckers. There’s no telling what effect it can have on the human body.”

“That explains nothing.” I snapped.

“The ingredients used to formulate the poison is meant to slow down the healing properties in a vamps’ blood. It’s a weapon that’ been passed down from generations of vampire hunters.”

Lord Christophe’s head snapped up, his eyes widening in shock. “You are a hunter?”

I interrupted him. “That is hardly important right now. Tony lies dying before us!” It was the first time I had snapped at one of my betters’ and it would possibly be the only time I did not regret such an act.

Lord Christophe nodded slowly, his troubled gaze returning to Tony. “You say the arrow is meant to incapacitate a blood drinker, yet I still kneel here unharmed despite the fact that your arrow pierced my own flesh. What does this mean?”

Noah gritted his teeth. “How the fuck should I know.  Maybe there’s something wrong with your blood.”

“Or perhaps that is the answer we seek!” I exclaimed as a thought struck. “Give him your blood!”

Lord Christophe looked up at me in horror. “Are you mad? I have not been authorized by Lord Riener.”

“His mate lies here dying as a result of your careless act. Do you truly think he would be angered by such a thing if it will come to the aid of his love?”

“Tony is the only friend I have truly ever known. I would never willingly put him in harm’s way.” He protested. It was the first time I had ever seen a noble Lord wearing such an expression of deep regret.

“Then be a friend now and help him.”

Lord Christophe looked away from me, then down at Tony and after a second, brought his wrist to his lips and ripped into the flesh there. I watched him press his wound to Tony’s and when enough of his blood had spilled into his, he pulled back and we waited.

Much like before, nothing happened and as the moments ticked by, his breaths became shallower until my own panic set in.

I could not watch him die here. Just as Lord Christophe had professed, Tony was as dear to my heart as though he were a blood relative. His stubbornness and the deep-rooted sensitivity he tried so desperately to hide had charmed me and allowed me to come to trust him.

“Are you certain there is nothing you can do hunter?” I questioned Noah and he shook his head.

“If there were, I’d have done it by now.”

“Then we are left with but one choice here.” I told the two of them and they glanced my way.

“We must notify Lord Riener immediately. He will know how to handle this.”

“And should his actions prove futile?” Lord Christophe questioned.

“Then he shall kill us all.”

……………………………………………………….

 Rien’s POV

“I can see that you do not quite believe my tale. I can also see that you have your doubts and that alone gives me hope.”

The Alpha raised a brow in obvious irritation and I smiled. “Where there are doubts, there is also the likelihood of successful persuasion.”

“Keep talking like that and you’ll have a greater chance of being kicked outta here than you will of actually getting their help.” The human interrupted.

“Do you always allow your human pets to speak on your behalf?” I questioned and the Beta growled, his lip curling to bear his sharp incisors.

“I of course meant no offence. I am simply curious as to why a wolf would choose to keep a human in its pack.”

“I’m his mate, he’s mine…simple.” Once again the human interjected.

“If it were anyone else you’d be locked up in the cells with all the other trespassers waiting to be executed. Why shouldn’t we do the same to you?” the Alpha questioned in a dry tone.

“While I agree that we are in fact intruders, I believe it was the three blood drinkers who lived amongst you for such an excessive length of time that were the true intruders. Whereas they came here with ill intentions, we come here with only good. Surely you must see that? After all, we have harmed none of your kind.”

“As if you could.” The human snorted and the Beta cleared his throat.

Before Nathaniel could gather his breath to retort, as I knew he would, a shrill noise went up in the room and we all looked to the human who pulled a phone from the pocket of his pants.

He put it to his ear without pause and listened to the voice of the other end.

I watched as his narrowed eyes widened and his mouth tightened in displeasure. “What’d you mean you didn’t get the keg? Jesus Christ Scottie, you had one job!”

“Grady.” His mate commanded, but the human did not seem to hear him.

“Give Laken the phone—no I don’t want something else. It’s a frigging bonfire, we need beer .”

“Grady.”  The human looked up at the beta, but dismissed him with an impatient wave of his hand.

“Would you just put him on the phone?”

“Grady!”

This time when he looked up, his eyes darted around the room, settling on each of our faces before he heaved a sigh and slid from the desk. We watched as, with the phone still plastered to his ear, he crossed the room and exited.

 My attention travelled back to the men standing before me. Their expressions were just the same as when they had arrived. Despite my explanations and even after divulging things about their camp that I could not have known but for the help of a traitor in their midst, they remain stoic.

My father had relayed their secrets to me when I visited him last, but while I in turn relayed few of them to the wolves before me, they remained unaffected by my words, save a minor tightened of the lips and a clenched fist between them.

They impressed me with their calm in the face of such a situation, but they irritated me with their unyielding mistrust.

I gestured to the closed door, then caught the Beta’s eye. “He believes me you know, your human. He knows I speak the truth.”

“What’s your point?”

“He is your mate. Am I to assume you do not value his input?”

His hands dropped from where he had folded them before him and he took a step toward me, his eyes hard and glinting. “Lemme explain something to you here vampire .” He began.

“You’re dealing with us now. Not Grady, not the pack, but My Alpha and I, which means no matter what assurances you may have gotten from anyone else you met up with along the way, we make the final decision. We decide what’s best for the pack and right now you’re talking yourself into an early grave.”

“Do you really think it wise to threaten me wolf?” I asked, my tone calm and voice low.

He did not back down. He nodded to the door before training his gaze on me. “You see that human you seem to like so much?” he began. “He means everything to me, so if we take your word for it and he gets hurt, I’ll rip you apart myself. That , is not a threat, that’s a promise.”

“You clearly do not trust me nor my companion, yet you expose your weakness to us so freely. One might consider you stupid for such an act.”

“On the contrary, Grady’s my strength and it’ll do you well to remember that.”

“Take away a man’s strength and what is he left with?”

 His eyes narrowed.

 “Rage.” I found that I liked his answer.

“That’s enough.” The Alpha interjected. “We’ve heard what you’ve had to say. We’ll take it into consideration, after we’ve carried out our own investigation.”

Beside me Nathaniel froze. “We have no time for you to investigate. Our leader continues to ready our warriors for battle. Every day he only grows more determined to see you fall. You must understand the haste with which we are to act!”

“I guess we’re just having a hard time believing you came all this way to convince us to fight with you against a coven of vampires you’re trying to save. It doesn’t make a lick of sense.”

“Perhaps it truly does not make sense on the face of it, but I am a strategist and I have reason to believe that this allegiance will save more of my kind and yours, if we are to fight together.” I explained. “I tell you this now so that you may be ready to strike when the time comes. If you should agree, I shall journey back to my coven to garner the cooperation of as many of my people as I can and then we too will fight to show my father the error of his ways.”

“So you say, but it doesn’t reassure us in anyway. We don’t know you. Why should we trust you?”

“Neither did you know the blood drinkers sent to infiltrate your pack three years prior. Yet you let them in. Gave them a place in your coven, only to be betrayed. I come here with no such motives.”

“So you say.”

I nodded. “I have spoken a great deal this night. My brethren and I have tried to persuade you of the truth. We can only hope you will make the right decision, for if you do not, many lives will be lost in this battle. Think of your youth. Think of your mates.”

“If what you’re saying is true, lives will be lost whether or not we decide to fight alongside you.” The Alpha continued and I nodded.

“You are right of course. However together we have a chance of sparing many more than we do apart. Take the night to think it over, but please keep in mind that every moment you go undecided is a moment well spent by father in his preparation for this great battle.”

……………………………………………………

An hour later I found myself seated on the ledge of a roof in a town miles away from the camp. It was not a quiet place. Not like many of the other small towns I had traveled to. This was bustling with activity. A perfect feeding ground for myself and my companion, however we were forbidden from partaking in our meal here by the wolves and if I wished for their aid, it would be in our best interest not to anger them.

They were quite an interesting pair, the wolves. They were quite capable despite their youth. Each holding a quiet strength that impressed me. It was not easy to gain my respect, but they had it no matter what decision they came to.

I had already begun formulating another way to trump my father in the event that they refused to believe me, but without allies, it seemed doomed to failure. I thought briefly of our neighboring covens, but it would take more convincing than I had the time for to persuade them to stand against my father.

I also thought of Noah and his hunters. He would not fail me, I was certain. However despite the large group of them he could surely bring together in such a short time, they were not enough. They did not possess the strength of the wolves nor were they large enough in number.

I needed the wolves to secure a hold over my coven leader and the largest pack in the state were my answer. I stood, walking around the ledge as I thought, and Nathaniel sat patiently and watched. It was him I did this for, and for my people, and for my mate.

Tony.

It surprised me just how much I craved his company in the short time we had been apart. To see his beautiful face, those stubborn eyes, the warm, reluctant smile on his lips…I craved the sight of him. Yet I could do nothing to change it now.

 I pulled the phone from deep within the chest- plate of my gear and typed the number that would allow me to hear his voice.

It rang multiple times without an answer and I shook my head. It did not surprise me that he would choose not to answer, though I had hoped the time apart would soften his stubbornness.

Instead, I called Noah and when he too failed to answer, I called Kaio and waited.

Nothing.

For a moment, I stood there in contemplation, my mind jumbled with possibilities. Kaio had never missed a call from me in all the time he had been by my side. If I summoned him he came. If I instructed him, he did and if I called him…he answered, without question and without fail.

A niggle of worry set in at the thought of what this must mean and I repeated my actions, this time ringing Kaio before the others. When the results proved to be the same, a single thought went through my mind.

Something is wrong .

I jumped from the roof and landed on the pavement below, startling a dirty man lying in the streets. I glanced in the direction of the wolf camp, then in the direction that would take me to my mate and made my decision.

Nathaniel landed by my side when I took a step in the way we had first traveled.

“What is it Riener? What troubles you?”

“I am unable to make contact with them.” I said simply, knowing that he would understand just whom I spoke of, and he did.

“Perhaps they are much too busy. I am certain they will make contact when they come to the realization that you have been trying to reach them.”

I shook my head. “No. Something is wrong, I can feel it.”

When I made to leave, he startled me with a hand on my arm, but drew away quickly when my eyes met his.

“I apologize my Lord, but we cannot leave at such a crucial time. The wolves have yet to make a decision. Leaving now will only fuel their suspicions.”

“Then stay here and await their answer. Tony may be in danger and I refuse to wait here when I may be able to help.”

He hesitated, then with a nod, he stepped back.

It was then that I took off into the night and not once did I look back.

His town was quiet when I arrived fifty-nine minutes later. There was no life here. All the inhabitants had returned to their homes for the night and the streets were as empty as a derelict warehouse. I did no tarry. I had one goal in mind. One face appeared before my eyes as I skated through the town and it did not take very long for me to taste his blood in the air and to hear the dying beats of his young heart.

The sound terrified me more than anything ever had. Many a time had I heard the sputtering of a weak human’s heart. The uneven beats which signaled a close death. I could not understand why this was so now. I had appointed so many of my own people in watch over him, they would all lay down their lives to ensure his safety, so who was this insurmountable foe who had caused them to fail?

I burst through the doors of Noah’s dwelling place as soon as I arrived and took in the sight of them all. Christophe, Noah, Malik, Kaio and finally my Tony, where he lay on the floor in a pool of his own blood.

………………………………………………

Kaio’s POV

“My Lord…”  I whispered when he burst through the front doors. His eyes did not meet my own as he immediately went to his mate.

I lowered the phone I had held to my ear. I had intended to call him and it shocked me now to see him here before us—like an apparition formed from the very thought of him. The others moved to give him way, until it was only Malik kneeling beside his brother, his expression unusually unreadable.

“Why has no one healed him?” my master questioned and I had no words for him. I did not know whether it was the fear of what he might do, or my sorrow of Tony’s fate that drove me to silence, but I watched as my master bit into his own flesh and pressed his blood into the wound of his unconscious mate.

No one said a word. Lord Christophe stood a great distance away. His face turned away from the two of them and Noah stood, his back against the wall, watching them, his mouth tight with what I could only guess was anger.

My Lord ran a hand over Tony’s forehead in a gentle caress. Then bent to whisper words of reassurance into his ear. Tony did not stir and my Lord watched him in clear and utter confusion.

“I have healed his wound, yet his heart still beats with the frailty of one who is dying.” He spoke quietly.

“Healed, my Lord? Are you certain you have managed to heal it?” I finally found my voice and he looked up at me for the first time with narrowed eye.

“What plagues him?”

“The arrow which pierced his flesh was poisoned Master… we have tried to heal him, but not even his flesh would knit together. It seems your blood has done a better job of it.

The cold way in which he stared unnerved me, but he eventually looked away and we all watched as he bent his head, and to my surprise, bit into Tony’s shoulder.

Malik let out a shout.

In his unconsciousness Tony whimpered, but did not wake and I continued to watch as my Lord and master sucked from his flesh, while Noah and my own mate protested his actions.

He pulled away just when I thought I would need to intervene to pull Malik away, and he licked the dripping scarlet blood from his lips.

“You fucking lunatic, get away from him!” Malik cursed, trying to shield his brother with his body, but Lord Riener regarded him just as coldly as he had me.

“I was able to pull the poison from his body.” He began. “His blood tastes clean, but there is no telling what damage it has already done. As it stands, his heartbeat remains weak.”

I suddenly felt the fool for not having thought to do so when I had had the chance. Then I felt like a failure when my Lord’s eyes travelled once more to my face, then the faces of my companions.

“Who did this to him?” came his cold and quiet question.

I took a breath in preparation to speak, but it was Lord Christophe who took the floor.

“The fault is mine my Lord. I pierced his flesh through my own carelessness.”

I expected Lord Riener to lash out, to strike him dead, but his murderous expression brought with it no such action. Instead, his eyes met mine once more.

“Where were you when this came to be?” he questioned and I turned my eyes from him. Too ashamed to hold his gaze.

“I…I wished to give him a few hours of space my Lord. I never dreamed that this would happen—”

“Space.” He said the word as though he were practicing the sound of it on his tongue.

This behavior was completely unlike him. My Lord was swift in his punishment, merciless in his anger. Yet he sat calmly, having gathered his mate into his arms.

I continued to watch him and finally, when the silence became too much I looked into his eyes and felt as though they were scorching me. He was enraged. Coiled and ready to snap. Yet he did not.

“Is he going to be alright?” Malik questioned him. I could sense his anxiety and I could feel his fear.

Lord Riener glanced down at his mate again and moved a hand gently through Tony’s hair.

Tony whimpered as though he were feeling pain even as he lay there in forced sleep.

“Shhh…my love. I will take away your pain.” My Lord whispered to him and Malik looked at me with wide eyes.

There was nothing I could do to reassure him. Tony’s heartbeat had improved slightly, but no better than that of a dying man’s. I swallowed hard.

“Three of you here are equipped to protect him. I left him in your care because I trusted that you would ensure he came to know harm.” My Lord’s voice travelled over us— cold and dangerous. “

“I sought to protect him from the enemy, yet it is you who have hurt him.” he continued. “If he dies… I shall take pleasure in ripping you all apart…That is a promise.”

I felt my fear. It was as potent as my Lord’s threat, but I also felt my deep sorrow—the thought of my Lord’s own pain if something were to befall his mate. I could not bear it. I could not bear my Lord’s pain, neither could I bear Malik’s and likewise I did not think I could bear my own… for Tony had become a dear friend to me and losing him now would be like losing a brother.

I watched my Lord stand with Tony in his arms. Lord Riener cradled him as though he were a child. Holding him so close, it was as though he wished to pull him into himself.

He walked with him, across the room. When he reached my side, he spoke without glancing my way. “Ready the car.”

I leapt to do as asked, making my way out the door and down the stairs as quickly as I could. A mile down the road I started the engine and soon I was parked in the street in front of Noah’s home.

I opened the rear door for my Lord and he entered, positioning Tony on the seats so that his head rested in his lap.

“Collect your mate and let us be off.” He commanded and I gestured to Malik, who was standing by the door, looking out at us with an indecipherable expression.

He came instantly, seating himself in the passenger seat beside me.

“Where shall we go my Lord?’ I asked him hesitantly.

In the rearview mirror I caught sight of him. He had brought Tony’s hand up to clasp in his own.

“Just drive.”

I did as he commanded.

                                  AUTHOR’S NOTES 

ENJOY!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 32: My promise to the world.

Chapter 32

Five years prior

I could feel his gaze on me despite the fact that my eyes were closed.

“Why must you always stare?” I questioned him and opened my eyes so that I could see his expression.

He smiled. “Habit I guess.”

We lay in the very center of my bed, the sheets twisted beneath our naked bodies. All about the floors our clothing lay, thrown there the night before and forgotten during our time between the sheets.

Now he lay with his head on my chest, his eyes on my face and his smile as soft as his heart. A heart I could see shining through his orbs as he watched me. It had many times left me speechless, and I wondered if I would one day grow accustomed to it.

“Are you busy tonight?”

I raised a brow “The morning has just come yet you question me about the night?”

“Yeah.” He answered easily. “I was thinking I could stay here tonight.”

“You remained here last night.” I reminded him and he sighed.

“Come on RiRi, you know how they get. Why do you always make me go back?” he asked in distress as he sat up.

“I will not get involved in any squabbles you have with your parents. I have told you time and time again.”

“Foster parents—”

“No matter, they are your guardians nonetheless.”

Another dramatic sigh. “Are you gonna be busy or not?”

I could sense his annoyance brewing just below the surface. “Careful Tony, soon you will have me thinking you entertain me only for the shelter I provide away from your parents.”

He rolled his eyes—a habit I disliked. “Sometimes I just want us to spend the whole night together.”

“Did we not do so last night?”

“Yeah but not often.”

“I have obligations. It is not often that I can entertain your presence here at nightfall, which is the very reason I give you as much of my days as I can spare.”

He said nothing, but he looked miserable as his fingers trailed a path from my chest to my navel and back.

“Noah says it’s only a matter of time before you leave.”

I let my gaze roam over his face. “You should not take Noah’s word as the gospel. Every time you listen to him you get yourself into compromising situations. One would think you would have learned by now.”

His mouth tightened, but his fingers continued their soothing back and forth trail. “Sometimes I feel like I’m gonna come over one day and you’ll be gone…just like that.”

I frowned. “You are simply allowing your friend to put these ridiculous thoughts into your head.” I told him. “Cast away your doubts Tony. I would not leave here without you.”

He glared back at me and I wondered what I had said to raise his temper this time. “I have a mind of my own Rien. Why do you always have to treat me like some damn kid?”

“If I were treating you like a kid you would not be naked in my bed right now.” I assured him, but it only seemed to upset him more and I sat up when he cursed under his breath. I watched him make his way off the bed and across the room, where his clothes lay in a pile and continued to watch as he pulled on them on hastily.

I wondered if I would ever grow accustomed to his quick temper.

“Where are you going?”

He glanced up at me with a characteristic frown “Noah’s.” and he turned to go.

 My eyes narrowed and I was off the bed and blocking his path in an instant. “You will do no such thing.”

His glare met my own. “Let me pass.”

“Noah’s recklessness knows no bounds. There has never been a time you have not found yourself injured in his presence. He is no good for you.”

“Let me pass.”

I gritted my teeth. “I swear, one day he will be the death of you and I will rip out his heart myself.”

He flinched at my words, then balled his hands into fists at his side. “You don’t get to hurt the people I care about.”

His voice was low and tinged with a seriousness I never knew he possessed.

“Should his recklessness put you—”

“I can count on three fingers the number of people who give a shit about me and I won’t let you hurt them.”

“And should there come a time when you lay dying and my blood can do nothing for you…all because of the friend you care so deeply for…then what? What would you have me do?”

“You can turn me.” he said with conviction.

“Never.”

His mouth tightened. “Then you can watch me die, but you don’t mess with the people I care about.” He said adamantly. “Promise me.”

“I cannot.”

He grabbed hold of my arm and his pleading eyes caught me. “Rien please.”

It was a moment before I could answer, but when I did, I was clear and certain. “I promise you that should the actions of anyone harm you to the point where I shall be expected to mourn you, I will rip them apart.”

His hand dropped from mine and for a moment, I saw the hurt and disappointment in his eyes, before a flash of anger took over. He said nothing, only ducked under my arm and out the door. I could hear the angry pounding of his feet on the stairs and not long after, the slamming of the main entrance door.

I crossed the room and took a place by the window so I could watch him cross the yard and when he exited the gate, he slammed that too.

My little ball of fire.

I shook my head. There was little I would not do for him, but this was asking too much. I would not allow anyone who hurt him to go on as though he did not matter. I would tear them apart and let them watch as their own blood stained the carpet at their feet.

That, was my promise.

                                      AUTHOR’S NOTES

JUST A LITLLE GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST.

HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT. LOOKING FORWARD TO POSTING THE NEXT CHAPTER!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 33: My brothers; his saviors.

Chapter 33

Present

Kaio’s POV

I kicked the door and it fell with the dramatics of an old tree.

 Screams and a shout rent the air when I stepped into the small room and I was the first to catch the horrified expressions of the family whose home we had just invaded.

They were fragile looking humans, this lot. Including the man…a skinny little twig of a being, with small eyes and large glasses that framed his face like a particularly gigantic pair of googles. The woman was larger, big breasted, with surprisingly small legs.

She wore a knee length flower patterned dress that did nothing in the way of accentuating whatever curves she may or may not have possessed and her eyes were nothing special, though they were the perfect size for her perfectly rounded face. The other woman— a girl really, looked like a cross between the man and the woman, though she had gorgeous eyes that perfectly captured her terror.

I came to the conclusion that they were quite ordinary people, living in a house that could do with a bit of tidying up, though it had a warm and cozy feel to it. If I had to imagine what a true home would feel like; this would probably be it.

It was such a shame that they would be put out of the use of it for a time. After all, Tony’s needs far outweighed their own and I had no desire to further upset my Lord Riener simply because I did not wish to inconvenience the humans.

Malik stepped in after me and for whatever reason sought to appease the scared folk, who seemed frozen in place as they watched our entrance. Once Lord Rien stepped into the space with an unconscious Tony in his arms, I was quick to point to the place I logically deduced was the way to the bedchamber. He started up the stairs without a word or a glance at the room’s inhabitants.

I then took hold of Malik’s arm and pulled him with me up the staircase, leaving the beings to their own machinations. I was certain that within but a short period of time they would be out the door in their quest to call on their authority figures, which meant very soon I would be expected outside to see to the matter.

For now however, I had to see to my Lord’s wants and needs and the needs of his mate. I entered the room just in time to see him lay Tony gently on the bed in a strangely decorated room. He made sure the pillows were piled around him to ensure his comfort, before he sat on the bed beside him, looking down on his mate without a word.

I could sense his worry from where I stood, but I could also sense his anger. It was molded together with a barrage of emotions like disappointment and disgust. It was unfortunate that I could not tell which emotion was prominent, for if I could do such a thing, it would allow me to have an inkling of how to tread where he was concerned.

“Have you informed Nathaniel of our plight?” his deep voice resonated within the room and I shivered.

“Yes my Lord. He has already explained to the wolves the reason for your absence.”

“Very well.” He issued softly, then; “Leave us.”

I turned to go just as Malik protested and I had to latch onto his arm to prevent him from meeting a fate he was not destined for.

“What are you doing?” he questioned me with obvious anger when I dragged him into the hallway. “I’m his brother, Tony—”

“—does not know that, neither does he like you.” I interrupted and I watched with deep regret as the fight slowly died in his eyes. “I meant only to say that Lord Rien has a better chance of pulling him out of his unconsciousness.” I explained. “Hearing your voice—”

“Yeah… I get it.” He informed me, before running a hand over his face.

I waited there in the hall with him, knowing that my Lord would not allow us to enter for the rest of the night. I could hear his softly spoken words to his sleeping mate. I listened to him apologize for his absence and his inability to come to Tony’s aid when he had first been impaled with the poisonous arrow.

He told him that if only he would wake up that he would try to be less overbearing than he acted on occasion, then he apologized for being unable to cure whatever ails kept him in the grip of his unconsciousness.

The more I listened, the more sickened I became…sickened at myself and my own inability to carry out the only duty my dear Keeper had bid me perform. When Lord Rien began to speak of intimate things, I took my own mate’s hand and drew him gently down the stairs with me.

He came without protest, looking battered and worn, but mostly guilty…though perhaps not as guilty as I felt.  The first thing I noticed when we entered the room with the fallen entrance door, was that the inhabitants from earlier were gone…just as I had predicted.

The second thing I noticed was that the breeze circulating the room caused Malik to tremble slightly, so after releasing his hand, I lifted the door back to the unbarred entrance and propped it up as though it were not in need of repair.

Malik sat himself down into the larger of the two couches and as soon as I sat on the other end, he dropped his head into my lap and shielded his eyes with his forearm.

“I should have told him.” he spoke quietly.

“I agree.”

He brought his arm down from his face and looked at me with raised brows. “This is actually the part where you tell me I shouldn’t think about that right now and everything’s going to be okay.”

I ran a hand through his hair and pulled gently. “I will not lie to you.”

He was silent then and for a moment I thought I had upset him, but he smiled.

“Hmm. “

“You need  not worry  yourself about your brother yet. It seems he is fighting to stay with us.”

 He blinked up at me. “Can you hear his heart beat?”

I nodded. “It has not changed since we carried him away from his friend’s abode. It has neither grown weaker nor stronger. It is a very strange thing.”

“We need a doctor Kaio. I could get him the best doctors.”

“There is nothing that human medicine can do for him now Mal.” I explained. “A Master class blood-drinker’s blood is more potent than any medication in this world and my Lord has given it to him.”

“So if he doesn’t heal…” he trailed off.

“Then there will be nothing anyone can do about it.” I finished and he closed his eyes.

“I can’t lose him now…not when I just found him.” he whispered to himself and I brushed careful fingers across his furrowed brows.

“You should have told him when you had been urged to do so. It was foolish of you to wait.”

He sighed. “I know…I just…” he paused and his beautiful eyes met mine briefly before they slid away again. “I guess I’m a coward.”

He took a breath.

 “The truth is, I was afraid of how he’d react when I told him. I guess I couldn’t stand the thought of him rejecting our family…not after how long I’ve searched for him.”

“You should make a vow.” I began. “To tell him the truth if he awakens.”

“You mean when .”

I shook my head. “ If . You should never give yourself false hope Mal. It will only hurt all the more if luck turns against you.”

“Maybe staying positive is the only thing helping me through this.”

“Positivity has no place here.” I told him. “ I will help you through this and we shall both pray for Tony’s well-being.”

“Do you think Rien will turn him?”

I frowned. “I cannot say. Would you respect his decision to do so?”

He shrugged. “If it means saving my brother’s life, he can do whatever he wants.”

I nodded. “There was a time when Lord Riener told me that Tony wished to be turned, however he has changed since then. He has grown and I do not think it is Tony’s wish to become a blood-drinker.”

“If it comes down to deciding to turn him to save his life and his wishes, Rien better make the damn good choice.” I could see the intensity behind his eyes.

“We must respect Lord Riener’s decision Mal.” I warned him and he sat up.

“Rien’s word isn’t the gospel Kaio.”

“No, but he has never let me down and I choose to believe that he never will.”

He shook his head and chuckled without mirth. “You know, sometimes I think that if you had to choose between us…” he trailed off, but I could sense his question in the words he did speak, as well as I knew my Keeper could hear our every word from where he sat with his mate.

It was a question I had contemplated since the moment I had found myself in love with him and one I already had the answer to.

“I would do what was in my heart and hope that my Lord could forgive me for it.” I told him and I wondered if it was relief that I saw in his expression.

His only words were; “That’s good.” and I knew that my answer had pleased him.

When I pulled him back into my arms, he came willingly and when I planted a gentle kiss on his forehead, it seemed to calm him…if only for the moment.

………………………………………..

Rien’s POV

 He was in pain. I stood by the large windows of the small bedchamber and watched him in his misery. His whimpers throughout his unconsciousness were often and the fever which had developed not too long before was only getting worse. I did not understand this illness.

There had never been a time when the blood of my veins could not heal another and it was difficult to imagine him suffering because I could do nothing to help him.

The morphine drips we had retrieved from the hospital was just as useless at dulling his pain. I did not know what more I could do and I could not bear to see him this way for much longer.

I looked away from him and out the window, choosing instead to listen to the beating of his heart…too slow, but steady.

 My fists tightened almost of their own will and I felt my nails digging into the flesh of my palm—drawing blood. My instincts had warned me not to trust Lord Christophe with him, yet I had gone against my own nature and sought to do so for Tony’s sake.

The blood-drinker was nothing but a walking disaster and if not for Tony, I would have ended him where he stood tonight. I could picture the look of sorrow on his face as he had stood staring down at my injured mate and it disgusted me.

It was his foolish actions that had led to this moment. His inability to do as he was told. Keep my mate safe I had said. Protect him from those who would wish to do him harm , I had told him and he had assured me that he would. Yet it was he who had delivered the blow.

Never again.

There was a hitch in Tony’s breathing and I glanced his way, surprised to see his eyes flutter open.

“Tony.” I whispered his name as I went to kneel by his bedside. He did not turn to look at me, instead his shifting eyes remained planted on the ceiling above him as his hand went up to clutch at his chest.

 I rested a hand against his cheek, willing him to look at me, but it was as though he was not even aware of my presence.

“I know that you are in pain my love. I will find a way to help you, I swear it!”

His hand still continued to clutch at his chest as he took breath after painful breath. Still, his eyes remained unfocused, as that of a blind man’s.

I pulled his hand away from his body and held it in my own, knitting my fingers between his.

“Kaio.” I spoke.

A moment later, I heard my drudge’s footfalls on the creaking wooden stairs, before the door to the small bedchamber was being pushed open to announce his arrival.

“My lord.” He bowed respectfully before entering. For a moment his eyes traveled to Tony, but just as quickly it traveled to the floor.

He cared for my mate. There had never been a doubt in my mind, but I could not allow him the time he craved by Tony’s side. I could not bear to be away from him, not for a minute, not for a second. Not while he lay in this state.

“I fear his condition has worsened.” I told him and he looked at me with wide eyes.

“I do not understand, his heart—”

“—Is not the problem.” I interrupted and once again, his eyes travelled to my mate.

“I do not understand…”

“Nor do I. There seems to be but one solution. One I had not thought to use, but desperate times…” I trailed off and Kaio nodded quickly.

“You wish me to contact your brothers.” He surmised and I allowed a small mirthless smile to play about my lips. He knew my mind well.

“Convey to them the urgency of the situation. Tell them my mate will meet his end lest they come quickly.

He frowned. “I beg your pardon my Lord, but do you think it wise to impart on them the nature of your grievance? They loathe Tony and the relationship you have formed with him. Would they not be satisfied were he to die?”

I reached up to brush the sweat from Tony’s brow. My brothers were merciless it was true, but they were not heartless. As much as they cursed me for my choices and spoke of Tony’s death as though it would mean nothing to them, they had one fatal flaw; their affection for me.

Now that they had seen with their own eyes just how deeply I cared for Tony, not one of them would wish to see my own pain should something grave become of him. They were cruel, ruthless and hateful, but they were not monsters—not like my father.

“They will come.” I assured my drudge and with a bow, he turned to do as I bid.

When the door closed softly behind him, I turned my attention back to my mate, whose eyes had once again fluttered shut and his hand became limp in my own.

I glanced across his bare chest, taking in the markings Noah had no doubt put there—a tattoo, though I could see that it was incomplete.

It contained names…the names of men I did not know, yet I knew instinctively that these were the men who had died in battle. I straightened his hand in my own and trailed fingers along the back of his.

Despite everything, there was one thing that could never change in him and that was his heart. He loved too deeply, cared too much for those around him. I had once thought it endearing and I suppose that in some way it still was… but now it was proving to be the fruit of his downfall.

He whimpered and my heart tightened in my chest. “Hush now my love. Soon your pain will be nothing but a memory and you will once again be whole.”

Without releasing my hold on him, I lay my forehead on the bed beside him. It was this very position my brothers found me in when they arrived but a few hours later.

“I do not think I have ever seen you so disheveled brother.”

“This is what happens when one invests so much in a mere human…dear brother, how you have fallen.”

“Get up Riener, you look pitiful kneeling there and you know how much I cannot stand such a pathetic disposition.”

They filed in one after the other, each with a mouthful of words to spit my way and I raised my head to watch them take up different positions around the room.

Marcan stood in the center by the door, arms resting in the pockets of his tailored dark pants. Jorlon took up residence in the chair by the small bookshelf, where he proceeded to pull out a dusty, old book with a frown and Peitre leaned against the wall opposite Jorlon, dressed in full robes and regarding me with narrowed, accusing eyes.

I stood. “I need your help.”

It was Marcan who spoke first and as was usually the case, his words brought forth my annoyance. “I had almost forgotten your propensity to state the obvious.”

                                       AUTHOR’S NOTES

ENJOY!

PS..if you can guess correctly which brother said what when they entered the room then you have earned the position as the number one fan of this book.. How well do you know my characters?

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 34: In transition

Chapter 34

“You do realize that our departure from the coven has surely sparked father’s suspicions?” Marcan continued and I glanced down at Tony.

“I had no choice in the matter. My mate is ill and I know of nothing that will cure him.”

For the first time since his arrival Marcan glanced at my sleeping mate. I had peaked his curiosity, but he had yet to show a willingness to provide aid.

“What ails him?”

“He was shot in the shoulder with a poisoned arrow.”

“Would I be correct in assuming that you have tried to heal him with your blood?”

“You would.”

“And you have of course pulled the poison from his body?”

“I have.”

Marcan nodded, his eyes moving over my mate in slow appraisal. “Then you know that there are but two options open to you in light of your attempts.”

I shook my head and he frowned.

“You must turn him.” Jorlon spoke.

“That is not an option.”

“Then you must let him die.” Pietre finished and I chose to ignore his words.

“You know what you must do brother. I do not see why you have summoned us here, unless it was to provide you with company while you made your decision.” Marcan’s eyes met mine and I held his gaze.

“I would not have called you here if I did not think you could help him. Do not insult me with your foolery.”

Marcan smiled without mirth. “Need I remind you of the reason you left the coven Riener? What of your obligation to meet with the children of the moon? Why do you waste the little time that we have on your human, when the continued existence of your coven depends on you?”

“I have already spoken with the wolves.”

His expression was one of surprise. “Have they agreed?”

“They are deliberating. I left Nathaniel to see to it while I assist Tony.” I assured him. “I have never before asked anything of you Marcan. Do not take this request lightly, not when the life of my mate depends on it.”

He turned away from me, his hands trapped behind his back, his posture straight and his movements sure.

“It would serve you right should I chose not to help you.”

I gritted my teeth but held back my retort.

“You deserve to feel the pain of losing someone you love.” He turned to me. “We should all dance with glee at the thought of your misery when he dies and I should take joy in your suffering after the fact.”

I could see the anger in his eyes as he said the words. I could sense his rage just as well as I could hear it in his steady voice and I knew just where he meant to take this conversation.

“Our mother—” I began.

“Yes brother.” He spat. “ Our mother, whom you slaughtered without a thought and left us to mourn her for as long as we shall live.”

“There was never a time that I wished her harm.”

“Yet it was you who brought harm to her very head.”

“Had I the ability to change what happened I would do so without a moment’s thought, but as it stands, I can do nothing but mourn her alongside you brother. I—”

“She adored you and you betrayed her!”

I felt the familiar ache in the pit of my stomach at the thought of her.

“There is nothing I can do to atone for my crimes against her. I know that, but—”

“Perhaps there is.” He interrupted. “A life for a life, is that not fair? You should lose the one you love just as we have.”

“I loved her just as much as any of you! There is not a day that goes by that I do not think of her death and ache at the very thought of what I did.”

“You ended her life—”

“—I was young and foolish. I should not have allowed myself to be caught under father’s influences.” I began, “but as soon as I came to my senses, I despised myself for it and I have not been close with our father since. You know this Marcan!”

“What I know does not remove the pain I have had to live with because of your actions.”

“And what I did does not change the fact that I too must live with this pain. I am sorry.” I said, looking at each of them in turn. “If it is a life for a life that you desire then take mine, but do not let an innocent human suffer because of my actions.”

Jorlon shook his head and Marcan’s lip curled in distaste. “As much as you deserve it, I would not wish to see you dead.”

“Nor I.” Pietre commented and Jorlon nodded from his dark corner.

Marcan’s gaze met and held my own. “We have hated you for what you did for a long time Riener.” He confided. “It is only unfortunate that our love for you far surpasses any hatred we may have in our hearts.”

I nodded. “And I thank you for it.”

“We do not need your thanks. Nor do we want it, but we will help you nonetheless.” Jorlon spoke and this time it was Pietre who nodded.

“Jorlon is right of course.” Marcan began. “I will help your mate in any way I can, because despite everything, I do not wish to see you suffer, but make no mistake Riener. I will never forgive you for what you did, so do not ask for it.”

There was nothing I could say in the face of such a statement and so I nodded and held his gaze until he turned away from me and moved to Tony’s bedside.

I watched as he touched a hand to my mate’s forehead then pulled back his eye lids to reveal Tony’s vacant and shifting eyes.

“Have you learned the type of poison that was used?” Marcan questioned.

“Kaio.” I commanded quietly.

“I will inquire into the matter my Lord.” My drudge responded from where he sat with his mate downstairs and we all listened as he dialed the number on his phone.

………………………………………………

67 years prior

“You should have been there to witness it mother. Never have I seen such an expression of pure terror!” Marcan recalled with glee as he spun our mother around the room, twirling her to the sound of the music wafting through the air.

She laughed, the purest sound to pass through the lips of one so beautiful. “You should not play with your food my dear. They are just as alive as we are.”

Her skirts swirled about her ankles and I could see her bare feet as she twirled on the tips of her toes.

“He was but a thief in the night. The humans will be glad to hear of his death.” Jorlon chortled from his perch on the arm of the settee.

“Then I am proud, my dears, for you are men of honor!” she sang and when Marcan spun her, Peitre caught her hand and continued the dance.

Her happiness was contagious. I loved being in her presence after a day of hunting. It was like a breath of fresh air after a night in the pit.

I hopped onto the table which had been set with wine and an assortment of her favorite cheeses and when Pietre meant to pass me by, I took hold of our mother’s hand and pulled her unto the surface with me.

She laughed, but her voice was scolding. “You know I like my furnishings clean Riener.” Yet she continued to twirl about, until I released her hand and she hopped from the surface and fell gracefully into the cushions of the settee.

I bent to pluck a grape from the bowl, then sat on the edge of the table with a bottle of red wine.

Mother watched me, a smile about her face, but with her eyes were tinged with concern.

“I do wish you would not take your brother on these excursions Marcan.” She said, turning briefly to look at him, and I sighed.

“Mother, I am not a child. I have trained men in battle for God’s sake!” I told her and she raised a brow.

“Be careful of your language Riener.” Then turning back to Marcan she said; “The hunters have been more frequent in town since late. I simply do not wish to see him hurt.”

Marcan snagged a glass of wine from the table and put it to his lips.

“Only Riener mother? What of the rest of us? Can we not also bleed?”

She glanced at Jorlon with a smile.  “I needn’t worry about to rest of you love. You are not so reckless as Riener.” She said and I waved away her concerns.

“You are simply worrying over nil mother. Riener is capable—we are all capable and the hunters are just as useless as they have always been.”

When she stretched out a hand for the wine, I handed her my bottle and she tilted it to her lips. “One must never underestimate one’s foe my child.” She warned, lowering the bottle. “In fact, one should never underestimate a friend.”

“Do you mean we should trust neither friend nor foe Mother?” Jorlon questioned. “Who then must we trust?”

“Family of course.”

I plucked another grape from the bowl and Marcan stole it from my fingers and plopped it into his mouth.

“How dreadfully boring.” I told her. “To only be free to trust one’s family. When family is unavailable, must we live in suspicion?”

She titled the bottle to her head once more and when she lowered it, she smiled. “The answer is simple of course.” She said “Find a mate, fall in love, and you shall have yet another soul in which to entrust your faith”

 “I do not wish to find a mate. I suppose I will have to make do with the lot of you then.” I announced and mother laughed.

“One day you will think back to this day and call yourself foolish my son, for love…ah love… it is something one simply cannot live without.” She said with a dramatic sigh.

I snorted. “Then I shall give all my love to all of you, that way I will not live without it.”

Marcan looped an arm around my neck; his laugh echoing around the large room, then he ruffled my hair and stepped away from me to take mother’s hand as he had done earlier.

She set her bottle to the ground and was once again on her toes. When Marcan twirled her to the center of the room, her own laughter melded with his and the music seemed to rise up in the space, swallowing us all in its confines. We stayed up all that night— our constant chatter and laughter piercing through the music, only to be lost as the day came.

…………………………………………

Present

When kaio broke the news, it was difficult to conceal my surprise.

“The blood of a human in transition? Are you certain?” I questioned him, though I knew he would not have given us the answer had he been uncertain.

“Those were Noah’s very words my Lord.”

“Very well Kaio, leave us, for we have much to discuss.” I told him and when the door closed in his wake, I turned to my brothers.

They did not seem to share my surprise, nor my confusion, but simply looked on in varying degrees of contemplation.

It was I who broke the silence. “I was not aware that the blood of a human in transition could be poisonous.”

Pietre stuffed his hands into his pockets. “How could you? You tend to shy away from the entire ordeal of turning humans.”

“Regardless….I am certain I would have heard of such a thing. There would be blood drinkers falling left and right if that were the case.”

“The blood of one in transition does not kill blood drinkers Riener. Do pay attention.”Marcan began. “It simply has inhibitive properties. Rendering us inoperable for but a short span of time. Well…not us …familiars. It has never been very effective against the masterclass.”

“Neither was it effective against Lord Christophe and he is certainly not of our class. How then can you explain that?”

“Lord Christophe you say?” Marcan seemed to think on it. “The nobleman who lives in a constant state of white?”

I nodded. “The very same.”

“Perhaps he is unique. Who can say.”

I waved away the notion. “Now that we have knowledge of the poison, what can we do to help Tony?”

“You must understand brother.” He began. “A human in transition goes through a series of rapid changes that completely transforms his inner workings; his blood, his cells—his entire makeup. It is not the bite that stops his heart, but the substance secreted into his system and when his heart restarts, it is pumped throughout his body, changing his blood to effect the change. “He continued and I glanced at Tony when he whimpered next.

“It is this very reason that the change is so painful for humans. Their very blood becomes a poison in their veins for a time, affecting their senses, ripping apart their cells, while new, stronger cells are formed and it is only when the blood has run its course that they are made into blood drinkers.”

“Had I been in need of a science lesson, I would have told you so Marcan.”

He sighed. “In short, the blood that entered your mate’s system from the tip of that arrow—no matter how small the dosage—is affecting him in the same way that it would a human in transition. It is the reason his heart beats at such a rate and it is the cause of his great pain.”

“Do you mean to say Tony is himself transitioning as we speak?” I asked in shock.

“Do not be daft Riener. Of course not.” He said and I could only watch him as my confusion grew. “Only a bite and a single drop of blood can turn a human, as you are well aware. As it stands, had you not sucked the bad blood from his body he would already be dead.”

“And now ? What ails him now ?”

It was Peitre who took the reins then, as he crossed the room to stand by the bed. “I have seen this only once before.” he began. “He will not die…but until all the poison passes through his system, he will remain in a constant state of pain and unconsciousness.”

“Is waiting the only remedy available to him then? Is there no way to reduce his agony?”

“Nothing that I can conceive.”

I nodded slowly, my eyes on Tony’s face. My heart aching as he ached.

“Thank you.” I told them and each nodded in turn.

“I apologize for interrupting my Lord, but I do not think you would wish me to keep the news I have just learnt.”

We all looked to the door Kaio had entered through and I appraised him with raised brows.

“What is it?”

“I have just received word from Lord Nathaniel.” He began and there was an instant shift in the atmosphere of the room. “The wolves have decided. They will fight with us.”

I felt a sudden twist of relief in my chest at the words and Marcan’s eyes met my own. For but I moment I saw a flicker of satisfaction.

“There is more my Lord.” Kaio continued. “They have offered refuge to your mate. He is welcome to heal in their ward while the preparations are made.”

                                 AUTHOR’S NOTES

THANKS FOR READING!

IF YOU HAD TAKEN ON THE CHALLENGE IN THE LAST CHAPTER THEN HERE’S THE ANSWER:  

1st Jorlon

2nd Pietre

3rd Marcan.

A FEW OF YOU GOT IT RIGHT!! YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME! THANKS AGAIN!

 -DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 35: My Keeper. My Savior. My King.

Chapter 35

Kaio

The journey to the wolves’ den was a tense one. My Lord and his brothers sat together in the spacious vehicle speaking of plans and hatching schemes that would make us all successful in the fight against our leader.

From all outward appearances they seemed optimistic, perhaps even cheerful, and to one who had not grown among them, it would be with confidence that such an assumption would be made. However I knew differently. The stiff set of their shoulders, the slight tightening at their mouth corners, the clasping and unclasping of fists that betrayed either anger or nervousness, perhaps both.

 Then there was the way they all spoke. Not loudly by any means, but perhaps a tad louder than I was accustomed. This lot was scared.  I knew that I too would have been a quivering mess had I taken on a task such as this, but Lord Riener’s demeanor grounded me.

Of them all, he was the only one who betrayed no form of anxiety. He sat as he typically did; back straight, face calm and devoid of emotion. He did not fidget. In fact, he did not speak unless he had something meaningful to add to the conversation and of course, even his voice remained level.

I needn’t fear the future if my Lord did not. After all, if any soul could save us from the evil that was his father, I had not a flicker of doubt that he could. He was strong, wise beyond all reason and fearless. He was my keeper, my king and my savior and I had the utmost faith in his success.  It was this strength and honor that he held that grounded me and it was those same characteristics that made me more ashamed of myself with every passing second.

He had looked upon me, a mere servant, a simple doormat for the feet of the worthy, and had trusted me with the enormous task of caring for his love. Many a time he had done so and twice I had failed him miserably. When would I be worthy of this trust? How could I be when every good intention on my part yielded error?

I contemplated this as I sat in the last row of the vehicle, with my own beloved beside me, holding Tony’s head in his lap. My heart ached at the sight of my lord’s fallen warrior. My friend. He was the first human I had allowed myself to trust and I had quickly discovered the reason Lord Riener could love him as he did. It was because Tony was simply a being deserving of anyone’s love. I had seen his soul and it was good. Burning bright with the essence of his humanity.

 And here he lay, a broken bulb in a room that knew no light. I thought of those he would leave behind were he to die. My Lord Riener, his dear friend Noah, the maker of his injury; Lord Christophe and of course, the love of my own life: Mal, whose only wish had always been to live with his brother by his side.

I watched Mal now. I watched the gentle swipe of his hand against Tony’s forehead as he fixed his gaze out the window. I watched the anxiousness in his expression that only grew as time passed. There was love in him, my Mal; A large stream of it that poured out of him in waves whenever he stood in his brother’s presence and I wondered what it was I had done to deserve even a piece of it. I smiled.

 It was a simple answer really; I did not in fact deserve it. He had simply chosen to brandish it upon me because that was the way he was; kind, loving. He could not help this.

When Tony whimpered, two sets of eyes travelled down to his face: One belonged to Lord Riener and the other to Malik and I saw in those eyes an almost identical determination. It was as though they willed him to live, willed him to fight and it was then that I realized that though they did not show it, they too were fighting. They fought for a man who deserved it more than anyone else I knew and it was then that I decided that I too would fight.

For Tony. For his life.

……………………………………………

Six years prior

-Rien-

 

“Why must you continue to test my patience?” I questioned in irritation and he frowned.

“You’re acting like I went out and broke my own arm.”

“You might as well have. I warned you of the dangers of fighting. I told you—”

“Jesus, don’t start. You’re not my dad, you’re my boyfriend so start acting like it.” He retorted with a roll of his eyes.

“And how, pray tell, should a boyfriend act? Should I not show concern? Should I not wish for your well-being?”

He stretched out on the narrow hospital bed, turning his bruised face away from me and folding his arms before him. “Well for one, you can stop nagging me.”

If I had not thought it would  do him more harm, I would have grasped his shoulders and shaken him until he saw sense.

Instead I chose to say nothing. To do nothing, until the silence became too much for him and he glanced my way. That ever-present frown still in place.

“Aren’t you gonna heal me? It’s starting to throb. I think the medicine they gave me is wearing off.” He stated, inspecting the cast that encased his arm.

“I will not heal you.”

He paused his inspection and looked at me. “What do you mean you won’t heal me?”

“It is time you experience the consequences of your actions. I will not be here to patch you up every time you choose to make a fool of yourself.”

His eyes narrowed. “He attacked me first, what did you expect me to do? Stand there and take it like a coward?”

“Had you not provoked him, he would not have retaliated. You are too reckless. I have told you many times. Yet you continue to put yourself in harm’s way.”

He shook his head and turned to inspect his other hand. He knuckles were badly bruised and already his skin had started to swell. The same could be said of his knees which were skinned bloody and of course his face, which was bruised and swelling.

I shook my head as well. He was a mess. “Perhaps this experience will teach you something.”

“But I’m in pain.” He turned accusing eyes on me.

“Your doctor will soon present you with a prescription. You can find relief in a drug.”

“This is ridiculous.” He grumbled before finally resting his head on the pillows stacked behind him. I could see that he was tired now, which was understandable after the night he had had.

“Hand me that marker.” I instructed, and with a frown, he reached over for the object lying on the clipboard beside him.

I took it, then took hold of his cast and he smiled suddenly. “You’re gonna sign it?”

He watched me while I scrawled the words onto the white plaster and when I released his arm and recapped the marker, he frowned.

“ Next time it could be your neck. – love Rien.”

He read the words aloud, then regarded me with an expression of mild irritation. “Gee, thanks for the sweet words.” The sarcasm dripped from his lips and I smiled.

“If it is sweet words that you desire then of course I can be of service.” And so I leaned in to place a kiss upon his cheek. “I love you.”

“Then heal me.” His expression was one of such misery that I could not look away.

It was in moments like these that I wished I could harden my heart against him, but as was usually the case; a single soulful look and I could deny him nothing.

So I healed him.

…………………………………………..

Present

We came to a stop before two large metal gates and there was no doubt in my mind that we had finally arrived at our destination. The scent of the wolves permeated the air. Tangy yet woodsy; a strange combination, but not unpleasant.

The two creatures who stood by the entrance, stepped aside when the large gates creaked open and we were allowed to enter the premises. It was certainly an interesting place, I thought. Certainly nowhere near the magnificence of our own coven grounds, but it held a certain charm that the coven lacked. There was almost as much forestry inside as there was beyond the camp walls. Luscious trees, rich dirt and everything a lover of nature could dream of.

The buildings were not made of wood, but concrete and stone. Solid and practical and despite the fact that night had fallen long ago, many of the creatures roamed about outside, some watching as the vehicle passed by and others simply partaking in their own private conversations and activities.

We were directed by wolves who stood along the roads, and five minutes later we came to a stop before a building I guessed to be the medical Centre, if the potent smell of chemicals was anything to go by.

It was Lord Riener who lifted Tony from the vehicle and onto the stretcher which had been rolled up to the van and we were greeted by two wolves, who I learned were the Alpha and his Beta. They were large, capable beasts whose exuded an aura that I could not readily identify. I could sense their fierceness behind their stoic expressions. 

These were not a friendly lot, I decided. Or if they were, it did not transfer to blood-drinkers.

We were also greeted by the camp doctor, who was as gruff as his leaders, but quick and clinical as he rattled off questions, before finally rolling the stretcher into the medical Centre.

We were made to follow and when I entered the large room I was surprised to see that it was empty of patients despite the many beds that lined the walls. I found myself hoping that the emptiness was due to his superb medical skills and not his lack thereof, but of course, if Lord Riener was comfortable leaving his mate in the doctor’s care, then he must have been worth his salt.

“I’ve never seen anything like this. You said you’ve tried painkillers? Morphine?”

“Yes I have tried everything. My brothers tell me that all we can do is wait. Eventually he will awaken pain-free. However, if you find something that can aid him then by all means, do what you can.” Lord Riener told him.

It was an odd feeling, standing in the room with the wolves and the masterclass as they discussed Tony’s treatment. Odd because it felt as though I were a part of an important moment in history. Though perhaps odd was not an accurate way to describe such a moment.

The wolves and the blood drinkers working together to save the life of a human. I had never before heard of such a thing, but it was certainly something for which I was grateful. Two different species with vast knowledge. I was sure that between them, a cure could be found.

When the talks came to an end and the doctor had left with the intention of returning much later that night, I stepped aside to allow Lord Riener a moment with his mate.

 He said nothing as he stood by Tony’s bedside, staring down at him. Then very gently, he reached out to run a finger across his cheek. It was but for a moment, where everyone in the room watched him, then he turned away—his face betraying no expression—and exited the room. His brothers filed out after he did, and finally the wolves, until I was left there with Malik and the sleeping Tony.

“I’m going to get some air.” Mal announced just as quickly and I nodded in response. When he was gone, I took a seat by Tony’s bedside.

“He’s in good hands you know.”

I glanced up and spotted the human I had met earlier. So insignificant he had seemed to me at the time, that I had not even remembered that he had entered the room when we did. He had stood quietly in the corner while the discussions had taken place and it seemed, he had not felt the need to leave with the others.

“I suppose that is good to hear.” I told him and for the first time, he took a few steps closer.

“So, fang face has a human for a mate. Interesting.”

I bristled at the insult and he shrugged upon seeing my expression. “No offence. I just thought he hated humans.”

“Well he certainly has no love for them.” I told him honestly. “It is only Tony that he cares for.”

“Yeah I can see that. As crazy as this might sound, you should be glad your friend here is hurt.”

“Why should that make me glad?”

“Because if we hadn’t found out he had an injured human mate, Thomas and Carson never would have given you guys a chance.”

I frowned. “I do not understand why that should have mattered.”

“Having a human mate means that he understands restraint. It means he has to be careful when he’s with him. It means he has a heart. He’s not just some cold, bloodthirsty bloodsucker with nothing to lose.”

“It still seems a bit foolish for you lot to place such importance into that factor.  What if my Lord knew it was a sure way to your hearts and simply plucked some random human from the streets and brought him here?”

He nodded slowly. “Yeah well after that little display, we have no reason to doubt him.” he said. “You can’t fake that kind of emotion. The dude’s in love and if he double crosses us we have leverage.”

I raised a brow. “Are you threatening—“

“I don’t do threats. It’s just a fact.” He shrugged, then he glanced at the closed door.

“What I’d like to know is why Malik Laironov is running around with a pack of vampires.”

His words surprised me so much that for a moment my mind blanked.

“You know him?”

He snorted. “He’s that billionaire whose face pops up on my TV screen almost every damn week. I think the whole world knows who he is by now. Throwing money around like it’s nothing. Us normal folk tend to notice shit like that.”

Ah. That would explain it I suppose. “Tony is his brother.” I told the human and he nodded thoughtfully.

“Never knew he had a brother.”

“It is a complicated situation.”

“It always is.”

“Kaio.”  We both glanced toward the door where Lord Riener appeared and I stood.

“Yes my lord?”

“Come with me.” he commanded and with a nod at the human, I did as my master bid.

I followed behind him in silence, taking in what I could of the wolf camp as we walked, but too soon we entered another building and I found myself standing among my Lord and his brothers. Before us, stood the Alpha and Beta.

“Alright, now that we’re all here, we’ve got a few ground rules.” The Alpha began.

“This is wolf territory, which means you don’t feed here. There’s a town not far from here and that’s off limits too. You want blood, you go as far away from here as possible to get it. Or better yet, find a rabbit or two. Humans aren’t food.”

Beside me Lord Marcan’s fists clenched by his sides, but he remained silent.

“You’ve probably noticed that there’s a human living here in the camp.” The Beta picked up and my mind went immediately to the human I’d spoken to in the medical Centre.

“He’s also off limits. Don’t mess with anyone and if you have a problem, you take it up with me or my Alpha. Got it?”

“Very well. Is that all?” Lord Riener questioned and the Beta frowned.

“One more thing.” He continued. “When the time comes you don’t lay a finger on the vamps who betrayed us. They lived among us and for all intents and purposes they were a part of our pack, so we wish to reserve the right to deal with them our own way.”

“That will not be a problem.” Lord Jorlon spoke for the group and after a moment of silence, the Beta nodded.

“Good. Now that we understand each other, let’s talk strategy.”

                                AUTHOR’S NOTES

THANKS FOR READING!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 36: Soon it will pass…

Chapter

Rien’s POV

“We will strike when the moon is full. While my father holds court with his trusted few and while he does not expect it.” I spoke and they listened; the wolves and my brothers, hanging on to my every word as though what dripped from my tongue were the fruits of wizened thoughts.

“We will need to visit upon him with an army. Otherwise he will retaliate without thought.” Marcan added and I was in agreement.

“You say you can seek out the help of your lycanthrope allies.” I spoke now to the Alpha and his Beta and upon their affirmation, I continued. “Then you will need to make haste, for even as we speak, my father prepares to descend upon you.

“We’ll send word out to the other packs tonight. We’ll have an army when it’s time to make a move.”

I nodded.

“I will lead you inside the coven walls. We will be allowed to enter without question and my brothers shall lead you around the lands where you will surround them all. It is then that I will call upon my father and relay to him the situation.” I told them.

“Or we could just attack. Quick and easy. We’ll be in and out without much cause for concern.” The Beta interrupted.

“No.” I told him. “I will not allow my people to be slaughtered without first giving them the choice to join me.” I was firm, and on this point, he conceded.

“Alright and if your father doesn’t listen to reason, then what?”

“Then I shall try my hand at persuading my people to join me. They will be given two choices: Join me or flee. If they are foolish enough to accept neither, then of course it stands to reason that they will fight with my father, and if they do so, they will die.”

“Just like that huh?” The Beta interrupted once more. “You’ll just cut down your own people?”

“Would you rather they massacre your people? Slaughter your innocent and take control of your territory? Because I can assure you that that is what you will face if they are not dealt with.”

The Alpha shifted in his position at the front of the room. His arms were folded before him, his legs set apart and his expression hard. “And what about your father? I’m guessing if it comes down to it, you’ll want to deal with him yourself?”

I could not help but smile, though it was without mirth. “No. Do with him what you will. He is far from worth my attentions.” I told him. “But there will be one who will stand by him; my brother Kandane. You will recognize him from his resemblance to my brothers.”

“Okay, what about him?” The Beta questioned.

“He is not to be harmed.”

The Alpha nodded. “Then we’ll do all we can to make sure he isn’t.”

“Thank you, young Alpha and while you fight alongside us, we will protect your kind in any way we can.” I told him truthfully. “This war— if it does come to past, will not be without bloodshed, I hope this is something you have come to terms with.”

“War is war. It’s the same no matter how many time’s it’s fought right? Lives are lost and no one really wins.” The Alpha pronounced wisely and once again I smiled.

“It seems you have seen much war in your lifetime.”

He nodded. “I’ve seen my fair share.”

“Then it is my hope that you will live past this one.”

He nodded, though his expression did not change.

“I’ll call a meeting with my pack in the courtyard at midnight. I’ll fill them in on what’s going on and you and your brothers will be introduced. Try to get there on time.”

“Of course.”

“If there’s nothing else, I’ve got a lot to do…” The Alpha trailed off, his gaze holding my own.

I gestured to the door. “By all means, do not let me keep you.”

A moment later he and his Beta trailed out of the room and I was left alone, but for the presence of my brothers and my drudge.

“The filthy cur!” Marcan spat and I turned to him with a raised brow.

“I’ve always despised those damned beasts. Believing themselves to be entitled. Prancing about with that pathetic air of superiority, as though blood-drinkers are not good enough to grace the same space as they.” He ranted.

“Kaio.” I spoke and my drudge turned his gaze upon me.

“Walk with me.” I told him and when I turned to leave, he of course followed. I listened to the click of his feet on the stone floors and chose to drown out the sound of my brother’s cussing as I went.

Outside, the stars were high and bright in the sky. It was a shame that such a beautiful night was tinged with despair.

Kaio was silent as he walked by myside. Gone was the constant chattering that was part and parcel of his personality. He tended to become withdrawn whenever he believed I was upset with him and I suppose that in all honestly I was.

I had tasked him with keeping my Tony safe and he had instead chosen to use poor judgment.

“Tell me Kaio.” I began and not once did he look my way. Instead, his eyes remained glued to the ground, his shoulders stiff.

“Yes my lord?” he answered softly.

“Where are the guards I sent along with you to watch over Tony while he was away?”

This time he did look at me and his eyes were wide with his innocence and his fear.

“I know not my Lord. I had believed them to be there at the time, perhaps hiding amongst the trees as they sought to keep Tony safe, however when I called for them upon learning of Tony’s injury, they did not come to me.”

I nodded. “I see… and you did not think to report this to me at soonest?”

His eyes widened further. “I did not think my Lord. So focused was I on the events of the night that I had unconsciously removed them from my mind.”

“I see. And tell me again why it was that you were not there to prevent the arrow from piercing Tony’s flesh.”

He took a breath. “You had asked me to allow him to enjoy his stay my lord and I thought it would be best to give him as much space as possible.”

“You needn’t go as far as you did. He would not have known you were there if you had positioned yourself correctly. You would not have ruined his fun even if you were close by and had you been close by, perhaps all this could have been avoided.”

“I apologize my Lord. Of course I take full responsibility for his injuries.”

I looked away from him and up at the stars. We had paused in our walk and I allowed the faint night breeze to brush against my skin.

“It is Lord Christophe who is responsible. Were it not for Tony’s fondness of him he would now be but a pile of ash.”

“Lord Christophe does care for him my Lord. He would not intentionally harm your Tony.”

“No matter. He is to be blamed and some way or another, he will be punished for his crimes against my mate.”

“Will I too be punished my Lord?” he questioned quietly. “For I will accept it with—”

“It seems you have punished yourself enough.” I told him and it was true that he had, for Kaio took nothing lightly— not his duty and not his failure to carry it out.

I placed a hand on his shoulder and he looked away. “Go and comfort your mate Kaio. He has not taken his brother’s injury well.”

“And you my lord? Will you seek to comfort your own mate this night?” he asked with a quick glance my way.

“Perhaps at a later time. I must speak with Lord Nathaniel.” I told him and with a nod and a bow, he left me.

At that moment a chorus of howls rent the air and I looked to the sky, wishing that I too could howl at the stars. Sometimes it was not easy being so contained. At times even a blood drinker of the Master class wished for a way to release his pain, but I would remain forever composed. After all, it was expected of me and if I were to breakdown, then from where would my Tony gather his strength?

………………………………….

I met with Nathaniel just beyond the camp gates, under the cover of night.

“My sources tell me that nothing has changed since our departure. It would seem your father suspects nothing.”

“Very good and what of my bothers’ absence? Has it caused much talk?”

 “Not that I was made aware of. Perhaps they provided a good tale with regards to their absence. Not a leaf seems to have been stirred in the coven.”

I nodded. “That is good to hear.”

“I am afraid however, that I have not yet heard word of your guards. It is as though they have simply vanished.”

“No. it is never so complicated. I believe they may have betrayed me and are in hiding.”

His brows furrowed. “I have never heard of any soul brave enough to betray you.”

I glanced into the trees as a squirrel ran across a limb. “Times have changed, I suppose.” When I glanced back at him, he seemed troubled. “What is it Nathaniel?”

“I suppose you could say that I wish for the days when life was easier. When I lived in the coven without a worry.”

“Yes. Those were better days, but now is not the time to dwell on the past. Find the guards and question them using whatever means you choose.”

“I will.” He turned to leave.

“Nathaniel?”

He glanced my way. “Do no tarry.  Time is not something we have on our side.”

“Of course.” And with a nod, he darted into the thick underbrush that would take him far away from this place.

I took a step toward the gates, fully prepared to visit with my mate for the night, when my incisors lengthened and a wave of lightheadedness overcame me.

I was starving. It had been too long since I last fed. I took a breath, a hand on the bark of the tree for balance. I could not visit with Tony in this state.

The wolves had banned the consumption of humans in the surrounding towns. It would therefore take me at least an hour before I found myself another town where fresh meat walked. An hour if I ran.

So I ran.

…………………………………..

“I must admit. Human behavior has always puzzled me.” I said as I approached my prey. “Every night your news is delivered to you on your fancy screens. News that speaks of kidnapping, rape and murder, yet you lot continue to risk your lives by traversing the streets alone at night.”

The woman backed away from me as I approached. I found it strange that she did not scream out, though fear was perhaps the driving force behind her silence. Her eyes were wide and tear-filled. Her hands shook and her lips trembled as she watched my approach, backing up until the wall hindered her movement.

Still I approached. “It is not bravery you know.” I told her. “Your actions can only be described as utter stupidity, but perhaps after tonight you will have learned to remain indoors at such an ungodly hour. It is not safe for women…in fact, it is unsafe for any human.” I explained and finally, when I grew tired of lecturing her, I pounced and for the first time since I had cornered her in the alleyway, she screamed. A blood curdling sound that traveled with the breeze and would have woke any household…if any such thing was nearby.

I was careful not to hurt her too much as I sank my teeth into her warm neck and oh, her blood was heavenly; warm and rich; just the way I liked it. As I sucked down the warn liquid, eventually her screams died and soon she was only a whimpering mess, trapped between a wall and…well…me.

I drank until I was somewhat satiated and I lifted her into my arms when she fell unconscious, her soft breathing, the only sound that could be heard. I walked a short distance before depositing her onto the steps of a closed hardware store, then I healed her ripped neck and went on my way.

…………………………………………

Tony’s POV

Holy fuck, I hurt.

Everything hurt; my throat, my legs, my fingers and Jesus; my chest. It felt like someone had shoved a burning poker through my chest and was still twisting and turning; waiting for me to cry out for them to stop and holy shit, I did.

I cried out for it to stop until the pain forced my eyes open and I was staring at the ceiling of a dark, unfamiliar room. I gasped for breath and my chest erupted with what had to be fire. Nothing else could burn like this. Nothing else could hurt like this, but when I slapped a hand against my chest, there was only skin—No flames, not scorching heat, just painful chest and cold sweat.

I rolled onto my stomach, praying that the movement would ease the pressure, but it only seemed to grow worse and I cried out, calling for help from whoever chose to help me.

Anyone. Anyone .

I rolled again and sat up, clutching my chest. The world around me spun and my vision blurred. I had to make it stop. If I could just get help.

I swung my feet over the edge of what I realized for the first time was a bed and a moment later, my feet touched the cold, hard floor.

When I stood upright, the pain magnified and a wave of dizziness took hold of me and left me gasping for air.

Something was wrong with me. Really wrong.

Through the fogginess of my vision I saw a door and I took a step towards it, then another, but I couldn’t take a third. In fact, I couldn’t move a muscle as I felt the agony consume me. There was nothing I could do but stand there and gulp in air. I felt the wetness trickle from my eyes and a moment later, I heard a shout, just as my knees buckled.

I waited for my impact with the floor, but it didn’t come. Instead I felt arms around me, holding me up and for a second I looked up and saw an unfamiliar face.

“I’ve got you,” the voice assured me and a moment later the darkness came to meet me.

………………………………………….

Rien’s POV

I knew something was wrong the moment I stepped foot inside the large metal gates that enclosed the wolf camp. There was a certain tension in the air; an almost fretful sorrow that I could sense coming from somewhere among these souls and it left me with an odd sense of foreboding.

I did not pause, did not stop to wonder about the feeling. Instead I took a direct route to the medical center. The closer I got to the building, the more the feeling grew and when I burst through the doors of the center, it was to see a group of familiar faces standing around the bed of my beloved. The Alpha and his Beta were present, as was the Beta’s mate. I saw a young wolf I did not recognize and in one corner stood Kaio and Malik.

They all glanced my way when I entered, but I could not register the emotions on their faces. I could not stop to take the time out to analyze them when my mate lay upon his sheets, his eyes finally and blessedly open, but his face as pale as the pillow on which he rested his head.

The doctor was bent over him and upon my approach, he straightened to look at me.

“I’ve tried everything I can, but…his pain…there’s nothing I can do to reduce it.”

“Rien.” I heard the shaking voice of my Tony and I looked upon his face. I saw his fear, I saw his agony and his desperation.

I approached him cautiously, lowering myself into the chair by his side before I took hold of his hand.

It was cold to the touch; cold and weak as it lay limp in my own.

“Rien I can’t…” he trailed off as his lips trembled and I watched him grit his teeth as he fought to keep it together.

He was hurting. Anyone in this room could see it, yet he fought to keep it hidden. My warrior, my brave warrior.

“I know you hurt my love, but I swear to you. It will pass.”

“If you could just….Your blood, please I just need—”

“I have tried Tony. It will not lessen your pain.”

For a moment he closed his eyes and for the first time I noticed his shallow breathing, as though he believed that breathing any deeper would worsen his aching.

He made a pained sound, then gritted his teeth. Even at a time like this he was too prideful to let others see him hurt. It was a devastating thing to watch and I thought of how cruel it was to allow him to continue to hide when he was already dealing with so much.

I turned to the witnesses. “Leave us.”

At first I expected opposition, if from no one but the wolves but after only brief pause, they did as I asked and finally we were alone. “It is only we who remain here my love.” I assured him then and it was as though it had been exactly what he had needed in that moment, for he released a breath and with it came a pained cry.

“Something’s wrong Rien. Just…just one drop please!” He begged me and when I once again sought to explain, he gripped my hand, nails biting into my flesh.

“RiRi please…Please…”

I bit into my wrist without another word and even while knowing it would do nothing to help him, I allowed him to drink, to drink until he too realized how useless it all was and finally rolled unto his side, clutching at his chest as the pain wracked his frail human body.

“Soon it will pass. I swear it!”

 So I told him; again and again, but time passed and when he realized that the pain would not ebb…not even for a brief moment, the worse it became for him, until finally, he could hold it in no longer and he screamed and screamed. So loud, I thought he would soon lose his voice. So loud that I had no doubt the camp was brought alive by the sounds alone. So loud, that the sounds of it burrowed into my mind and I knew I would remember it forever.

 Still he screamed and as his agony grew, he writhed and cursed and wept, until I placed my fingers strategically against his neck and pressed down until he fell unconscious.

It was only then that all was silent and even then—his whimpers could be heard while he slept.

                                          AUTHOR’S NOTES

ENJOY!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 37: Let us howl at the moon…

Chapter 37

The pack leaders had convened their meeting in the courtyard across the camp. I could hear the chatter amongst the crowd as the Alpha had his say. I listened to their outrage when they learned of the blood-drinker’s betrayal and their angst at the thought of the upcoming battle.

I listened as my brothers were introduced to the wolves and I heard the uncertainty among the creatures at the idea of working with us.  While I listened to them, I watched Malik, who sat by my mate’s bedside, holding his hand as he regaled him with tales of his childhood.

It was a pitiful site I thought. Speaking animatedly to an ill person who lay in troubled sleep.

Pitiful and sad and almost without hope. The feelings I felt as I stood there were foreign to me, like an anxiousness I had never before experienced, and a sense of hopelessness that would surely drive me insane. Here I stood; the predator living amongst my prey, the confident hunter, the ruthless warrior, yet I was quaking in my antique boots—fearful for the life of a mere human.

Except he had never been a mere human. Never in my eyes. Not since the first instant I had laid eyes on him and not a moment since then. He lay there, brave even in sleep, fighting even in pain and dearer to me than my own life.

Throughout the centuries I had heard this feeling of love called by many names, but never had I thought of it as a burden; never until this moment. It had become a burden the second I had to watch him suffer, unable to offer aid. The moment I had had to sit and watch him scream in agony, unable to offer him relief and he instant I had had to render him unconscious in order to silence his cries. My love for him had become a burden and for the first time in my very long life, I hurt.

…………………………………………..

A mere three months after they first met

“So I was thinking…” he trailed off and I watched him run his fingers slowly over mine. One by one before he linked our hands together and squeezed slightly.

“Go on.” I prompted him and he looked away from our joint hands and toward the star-filled sky and shrugged.

He allowed the silence to settle between us and for a while I allowed him time with his thoughts.  It was a night I could only describe as peaceful. There was a slight breeze, not much in the way of vehicular traffic on the ground below to disturb our thoughts, and for whatever reason the stars appeared particularly bright in the sky.

I was able to watch him uninhibited. I took in every touch of his long lashes against his skin, every swipe of his tongue across his lips and the beating of his pulse under my thumb at his wrist. As I watched, he let out a sigh, then shrugged; an action I had never liked.

“A shrug is not an answer.” I told him and finally he tore his eyes away from the beautiful black vault above us and looked at me.

Another shrug. “Never mind, I was just…thinking out loud I guess.”

I continued to watch him, taking in the stiff set of his shoulders, the way he bit his lip slightly and how while he looked at me, he could not seem to meet my gaze.

“Something troubles you. Tell me.”

He shook his head and once again looked away. His eyes travelled around the roof, settling on nothing in the dark. “Nothing’s bothering me… I’m just…Now that I’ve thought about it I doubt it’s something you’ll be happy to hear.” He explained.

“How will you know unless you tell me?”

When he extricated his hand from mine and stood, I continued to watch him, unable to understand this new mood he was in, especially when he had been practically on the edge of euphoria just moments before. Humans were strange I thought. Their mood changed with the wind, their thoughts strayed with a breath and their stubbornness knew no bounds.

Humans…or perhaps it was just this human. My human. Perhaps this was simply an aspect of his ever-evolving personality; something about him that I would, like everything else, eventually grow accustomed to.

When he stepped to the edge of the roof, I stood. “Why must you continually put yourself in harm’s way?”

He turned to me then, his feet just at the very edge of the ledge and I was surprised when his smile grew. “Don’t you just wanna feel the rush sometimes?”

He was making not a lick of sense.

“The rush of what?”

“I don’t know…the rush!” he exclaimed and I took another step toward him. “Like…” he seemed to contemplate his words for a moment before he issued a sigh. “I can’t explain it.”

When I was by his side I took hold of his arm and pulled him away from the edge.

“I suppose you mean the adrenaline. Humans tend to experience it when they find themselves in dangerous situations. Though I fail to see why anyone would feel the need to force it upon themselves.”

He allowed me to pull him back to the center of the roof without objection, but when I urged him to sit, he did not. Instead he turned his face up to the sky and smiled.

“I think maybe I like danger.”

“No one likes danger.” I argued, but his smile only grew.

“You said it yourself that you’re dangerous.” He began “I feel that rush every time I’m with you. Every single time, no matter what we’re doing and it’s addicting… and I like it.”

“Then perhaps we need some time apart. It cannot be healthy for you to—”

“I’ve been thinking…” he interrupted and I paused.

He was an odd one, my Tony, but I indulged him nonetheless.

“And what is that that you’ve been thinking?” I questioned, wondering if perhaps this time he would relay what was on his mind.

When he looked at me, our eyes met and in his I could see an emotion I had seen too many times in the past. An expression I had seen mirrored in the eyes of many beings over the centuries, though not one I had ever expected to be directed my way.

“I’ve been thinking that maybe I love you.” He said finally, his voice clear and his tone firm, as though he were challenging me to dispute his words, and when I offered nothing in answer— perhaps due to my own surprise or perhaps because I knew not how to respond—he smiled.

…………………………………………………..

Present

“Poor time for you to be spilling all your dirty secrets don’t you think?”

Malik stopped mid-sentence and looked up at me, his expression torn. “I already feel like shit for not telling him before all this, you don’t need to rub it in.”

“If he does not make it, everything I have been urging you to tell him from the start will be lost. He would fade away without ever knowing you meant anything to him. He would fade away without ever having known that you cared.”

He looked down at Tony, then at their joined hands and for the first time since I had met him, his expression reflected an ancient kind of sadness. As though it had long ago settled in his heart and could no longer be contained.

“I made a mistake. I’ve already accepted that.” He said, before his eyes met my own. “I’m guessing you already told him everything you wanted to say then? You’ve got no secrets left unsaid…no last words?” he taunted and for a moment, I felt the urge to reach out and stifle him.

“Tony knows of my love for him. I have told him everything he needed to know. If he should go I shall have no regrets.” The lie rolled off my tongue, leaving behind a bitter aftertaste.

“You speak of him as though you have given up on any chance of his recovery.” It was Kaio who spoke then. His voice was soft and filled with hurt and when he looked at me, I could see his pleading. I could see his fear.

“I would never give up on him. He is my life mate. No one else in the world can hold a candle to what he means to me. However we know nothing much of his injury. I have never before seen a human in his condition and as much as you wish differently, hope alone cannot save him.”

“Then change him.” Malik retorted, his voice sounding harsh and unforgiving in the quiet room. “Make him one of you.”

“Do not be daft Malik. We do not know enough about his injury to know how his body would react to the change right now. He could die were I to even attempt it.”

“He’s dying anyway!”

“My brothers said—”

“You’re brothers don’t know shit and worse, they don’t even care whether he lives or dies.” He interrupted. “They said all we need to do is wait, but look at him. He’s only getting worse!”

“Then you would rather I risk sending him to a quick death rather than waiting for a while to see if he will come back to us?”

“He’s suffering.” He said simply, angry eyes piercing mine and I looked once more at my sleeping mate.

“He is suffering, but I will not take a risk with his life.”

“You’re risking his life by standing there doing not a goddamn thing. You’re pathetic and you claim you love him? This isn’t love, this is cowardice!”

I could feel the rage building within me as I watched him and my hands curled into fists by my side. “Kaio, it would do you well to restrain your mate, lest he lose his tongue.”

Kaio’s eyes widened and when he took  a step toward his mate, Malik held out a hand to stop him.

“If you won’t turn him, then Kaio will.” He said adamantly and for the first time since  Tony’s injury, I felt a smile form on my lips.

“Is that so?” I turned to Kaio, whose expression was one of shock.

“My Lord I assure you, I—”

I held up a hand and he fell silent.

“You may be accustomed to getting whatever you desire Malik Laironov. Born as you were with a silver spoon in your mouth. The spoiled child of wealthy fools. Perhaps in your little human world you are able to make orders and have them followed, but you are in my world now and in my world, I give the orders.” My voice was as low and controlled as I could muster as I watched him. “Tony is mine . I alone will make decisions on his behalf and it would do you well to remember that.”

He laughed; a cold mirthless sound that bounced off the walls of the infirmary. “He’s yours? Yours ? He doesn’t belong to you, you possessive piece of shit!”

“Mal please!” Kaio tried and failed to calm him.

“You think that just because you suck blood for a living and you’re a little stronger than the rest of us that we should all bow down to your greatness?” The sarcasm dripped from his voice. “Well fuck you. You know what I’ve learned in the time I’ve had to live around you?” he continued, the disgust, clear in his voice and his eyes flashing dangerously.

“Do tell.” I offered in a voice that showed restraint.

“I’ve learned that you’re nothing but scared little boy, hiding behind a couple sharp fangs, begging for whatever scraps my brother feels like throwing your way.” His voice was a snarl and his expression mirrored it well. “And I’ve got news for you buddy. You’re the one who cast him aside when he needed you. You’re the one who came and fucked up his life and you’re the one who’s let him down for five long years while he waited for you to rescue him from hell!”

I watched him in silence, knowing that if I opened my mouth or moved and inch he would lose his life in this very room.

“Tony doesn’t need you and he doesn’t need you to make decisions for him. You got your chance.” He spat, at last his little speech coming to an end and when I moved a step closer to him, I could see the uneasiness in his gaze.

“I’m not sure whether it is that you simply lack the sense of an average human, or if it is that you are so caught up in your own ridiculous sense of self to notice this, but since the moment he met you, Tony has despised your very existence.” I drew satisfaction from seeing him flinch then. “You have lived in his presence for weeks on end, lying to his very face about you are and in all that time the only thing you have managed to do is make him despise you more.” I continued. “So tell me Mr. Laironov, if Tony were to choose, just who do you think he would turn to? Just who do you think he would prefer to make decisions on his behalf, because we both know that it would never be you.”

“Fuck you.” Came his clever retort and I watched as his face became as red as a beetroot as I watched him.

“You waited until your own brother lay on his deathbed before you would even muster up the courage to tell him you are a relative. Yet you come to me with talks of cowardice.” I continued softly. “You are the coward here Mr. Laironov and if my Tony does die—yes my Tony—he will die never knowing that you were anything to him but a man to be hated—”

“Rien!”

I broke off in surprise at Kaio’s outburst. Shocked that he had interrupted me. Never before had he dared to do such an act and never before had he called me by my given name…not in such a way.

I looked up at him prepared to give him a proper tongue lashing, until I saw his devastated expression. Until I saw the way he held Malik protectively against him, as though shielding him for me .

It was then that I noticed the state of his mate. Then that I realized that the fight had left him long ago and he sat, his hand gripping Tony’s so tightly that both their hands had paled, his head lowered onto the bed by my mate’s side as he sobbed into his bedsheets.

I stepped back in surprise, unable to utter another word as I watched him. Here was a man fearful for his brother’s life, regretful of all the decisions he had made up to this point. A man who I knew loved my mate with everything in him and I had torn him apart with my vicious words. Here I had stood and told a scared man with only hope to carry him, that his brother did not love him.

I watched as my loyal drudge turned away from me to focus his attention on his agonized mate and for the first time in all my existence I felt a shameful loss for words. I felt a feeling I did not understand grip me in that moment and all I turned away from the sight of them. Turned away and left the room.

I walked until I was as far away from them as I could manage, hopping across the rooftops of the camp buildings, exiting the main gates beyond and navigating through the woodlands, on and on until I broke through into the town a great distance away. I found my perch on the highest rooftop in the area and when I was settled, I leaned against the wall and tilted my head back so I could see the stars.

I searched the sky, for a twinkling light, a shining star, which would give me a sense of direction, an insight into my place in this universe but the fog that covered the sky was too thick for even my own eyes and I gave up hope.

When I glanced around the empty rooftop, my mind drifted to a time long ago, when Tony had uttered his first words of love to me. I smiled now at the thought of the casual way in which he had said it and how his beautiful eyes had challenged me to object to his declaration.

My smile only widened as his face entered my vision. His eyes, his easy grins, his wild abandon.

If only I could hear those words again. If only I could see the sparkle in his eyes just once more. I thought.

  If only… My Tony lay, possibly dying and I was useless to him.

I slid to the paved floor of the roof and for the first time in my life allowed myself to let go of all control… and for the first time in my very long life, I cried.

                                                  AUTHOR’S NOTES

THANKS FOR READING!

ENJOY!

DoUbLe.A

unedited.

Chapter 38: Schemes and Plans

Chapter 38

I lost track of time as I sat there drowning pitifully in my sorrows. My ridiculous sobbing had long ago ceased and now only the residue of my tears still clung to my lashes and the dried tracks staining my face were the only real evidence of my momentary loss of control.

 As I sat there, my feet stretched out before me, and my hands lying motionless in my lap, I felt the presence of three blood drinkers I would have preferred not to lay eyes on until I had managed to compose myself. It was unfortunate that luck did not seem to be on my side as of late.

I watched as they approached, at a sedate, almost casual pace, and when I looked into their faces for once I could not read their expressions. Tonight was the night of firsts it seemed.

“Mock me if you must.” I offered quietly. “It seems that for once I have given you the perfect opportunity.”

They came to a stop before me and I tore my gaze away from their faces, instead, content to simply watch their shoes, which were as clean and shining as though they had been purchased only a moment before.

I did not think I would ever see you in such a state brother.” Peitre was the first to speak.

“Yes well, I suppose anything is possible.”

“So it would seem.” He continued. I closed my eyes and leaned back to rest my head against the wall.

“It is not like you to simply give up all hope. Where is your spirit? Where is the fight?”

“Sometimes one grows tired of fighting Peitre.”

“Yes, but not you …never you.”

“My mate—”

“—Still has every chance of making a full recovery.” Marcan interrupted and I felt a strange urge to shrug…much like my Tony tended to do.

The very thought of him sent a stinging pain through my chest and I winced.

“I cannot bear to see him like that any longer. I cannot stand to hear his cries of pain or watch his unconscious face as he suffers. It is maddening. It is…” I trailed off. Explaining what I felt to my heartless brothers was as pointless as the tears I had shed only minutes before.

I reopened my eyes when Jorlon moved to sit by my side on the hard concrete floor and a moment later Peitre had also moved so that he could occupy a place on my right.

“Is there a reason you’ve both decided to invade my personal space?” I questioned, though I knew not whether I cared for the answer. For just a few hours I would have liked to wallow in my own company. A few hours alone before I would have need to return to some semblance of equanimity.

My brothers however, clearly had other ideas.

“I read long ago that close proximity is a great way to comfort another. Are you comforted?” Jorlon questioned and when he raised an arm to brush the hair from my face I grabbed his wrist and shoved it back toward him.

“Well I tried.”

“Please just leave me be.”

“Wow the great Riener asked nicely, you must really be doing poorly.”

“Now is not to time for teasing Jorlon. We came here for a reason and we must see to it that it is done.” Marcan scolded and I took a breath before turning my gaze once more upon his face.

“How did you come to find me?” I questioned in mild curiosity and once again it was Jorlon who spoke.

“We followed the trail of your tears. It practically flooded the camp.” He teased and this time I reached over and shoved him away from me.

He stood with a huff, brushing the dust from his robes. “I don’t know why I bother where you are concerned. You are impossible to like.”

“And you’re just learning this now?” I offered dryly.

“No. I am only now just accepting it.”

“Enough of the mindless chatter. Dry your tears Riener, we have much to do this night.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I received word from the coven.” He began and my eyes met his. “Father has requested our presence without delay.”

“Then do not tarry. You must keep up appearances after all.” I told him.

“I am sure it has not escaped your notice that you are to be included in the visit.” He replied with obvious impatience.

“Then I am certain it has not escaped your notice that I have an ailing mate who is in need of my attention. Send my apologies to father…or don’t…no matter, it would not be the first time I have defied him. I am certain he has since come to expect it.”

“You think sobbing your mind away on a roof is helping your mate?”

“No, but it is helping me, so if you don’t mind—”

When Peitre took hold of my arm and hoisted me up, I glanced at him in surprise.

“Have you lost your mind?” I questioned and a moment later Jorlon had taken hold of my other arm.

“We are at a crucial time in our scheme Riener. We cannot afford for you to ruin it all with your childish thoughts of rebellion.” Marcan pronounced and when my eyes narrowed he stepped in front of me so that I could look nowhere but at his face.

“We will all journey to the coven tonight and play our parts once we meet in father’s presence whether you like it or not.”

I shoved and pulled against their hold, but their grasps were firm and I was trapped.

“I will not leave Tony like this. This is a crucial time.”

“For as long as father retains control of the coven it will always be a crucial time. Your mate has an entire pack of wolves to watch over him. He will be fine.”

“Do not test my patience Marcan, you will lose.”

He turned away, arms behind his back and his posture as straight as it always was. I watched with narrowed eyes as he walked to the very edge of the rooftop and peered over.

“You have two choices in the matter.” He began. “Either you come willingly, walking upright and with pride as we enter the coven gates, or we drag you with us, unconscious and helpless.”

I laughed then, a mirthless, cold exercise of the lungs that had him whirling around to look at me.

“There is but one thing you did not consider dear brother.” I spat. “While the lot of you have spent your years wasting away in the coven, I have always remained a warrior.” I twisted roughly using my feet to propel me forward into a flick and as my arms twisted in theirs, I was able to dislodge them. The three of them approached me cautiously as I stood there and equally cautious, I backed away.

“I do not wish to fight you brothers.” I told them as I continued to back away, knowing that if it did indeed come to that, I would not be the one who arose the victor. No warrior could take on three master class vampires, not even one as skilled as I and we all knew it.

Still, I continued to back away until finally, I spun in a flash and bolted away from them. I ran to the very edge of the roof and jumped, landing some time later on the asphalt road below. I was off before I could blink and I heard their approach not far behind me. I was fast, but so were they and the outflow of my heavy robes behind me slowed my steps considerably.

I skated across the pavement, jumped over an overturned trashcan, sidestepped a sleeping cat and darted across the empty street before turning sharply into a narrow alleyway. At the opening just within my line of sight, I could see the dark trees of the forest rising up to welcome me and and I knew that once I entered the woodland, they would be unable to capture me.

So I ran, the wind beating against my face, my hair fanning out behind me as it fought with the air and the closer I came to the alleyway opening, the more secure I became in my quest for escape. I could hear my brothers not far behind me. I could hear the pounding of their feet against the pavement and the harshness of their breaths as they came and this only fueled my drive to run faster.

It was as I was a few feet away from the opening however, that a figure stepped out and into my path and I slowed down, before coming to a complete stop. Someone plowed into me from behind and we both flew to the ground, until I was hauled to my feet a moment later.

The figure who has stepped into my path took but a solitary step closer and my eyes widened in disbelief.

No

“ You cannot be here .” I whispered in shock, before I whirled on my brothers who stood behind me, watching with equally unreadable expressions.

“What have you done?” I asked in horror, but it was the figure before me who spoke and I turned to him— my surprised eyes meeting his cold ones.

“This is hardly the time for questions brother.” Kandane issued, his voice as cold as the night.

I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head just as I heard the crack in my own skull and a moment later, the world darkened.

………………..

 I could feel the mending of my scull, the shattered fragments drifting together just as the wound where the blow had been directed also knitted into place.

Slowly my blurred vision became clear and I found that I was staring at wooden beams in the ceiling of a very large building.

“Welcome back brother.” Kandane’s unmistakable voice drifted over me and I sat up on the table on which my limp, lifeless body had been placed while I recovered.

“So it was not a dream then.” I began coldly, my eyes roaming the room, resting only momentarily on the faces of my brothers who stood watching me.

“Not, not a dream, but for you, a nightmare perhaps.” He continued, ever the deliverer of bad tidings.

“You have betrayed me.” I addressed Marcan, Jorlon and Peitre. “I suppose I should not be surprised by this. The lot of you never really had one backbone among you.”

“Oh be quiet Riener. No one has betrayed you or the cause. Kandane has seen reason and he wishes to join us.” Marcan spoke.

I could not even force a laugh. They were idiots, the whole lot of them.

“If you truly believe Kandane wishes to join us then you are more hopeless than I thought.” I stepped down from the table and stuffed my hands into the pockets of my robes as I watched their faces.

“They speak the truth. I wish to remove our father from his position and I have journeyed here to offer my aid.”

I walked to one end of the room and paused by the window, looking out into the trees. I did not recognize this place.

“Tell me brother dearest.” I spat. “How did you come to know of our schemes? Was it one of these fools who told you.” I gestured to the other three but only Marcan seemed offended by my words.

Kandane moved to sit on the table I had just vacated, a smirk on his flawless face. “Do give me credit brother. I am quite resourceful when need be. I knew you were scheming since the moment you left camp. Do you remember those guards you sent to protect your mate?”

I nodded. “Yes, I had suspected they were traitors. After all I have not heard from them since that day.” I offered. “However that does not explain how you came to know of our plans. They could not have followed me to the camp. I am not so careless.”

“No, that you are not. However your good friend Nathaniel is not so skilled. It was not so difficult to trail him, even with the scent concealer he doused onto his body. You see, I knew the four of you were scheming and when I received reports that Lord Nathaniel was found around these parts I put it all together.”

“I suppose congratulations are in order.” I mocked him and his smile melted into a frown.

“In any event. I am here to give whatever aid I can.”

“I have never trusted you Kandane. Why do you think I should start today? You have adored our father since birth. You have spent years in his presence, craving his approval. I do not believe for a moment that you would readily betray him, so what trap is this?”

“No trap.” He said simply. “It is true that I have always been loyal to him, but it is equally true that I have stood by and watched as he ran our coven into the ground, again and again like a fool with no direction.” The anger in his voice was unmistakable and… genuine.

“He has done no such thing. It is only now that he seeks to do so.” I clarified, but he only shook his head, his frown deepening.

“Our coven was once a place blood-drinkers for miles spoke of with reverence. Beings feared us as much as they respected us. The name of the warrior coven was once spoken with revere and none dared carry out a simple act without first gaining our approval. Father has crippled us!”

“We are still feared.”

“No Riener, you are feared. We are laughed at. We are mocked. No more!”

“Very well and how do you think removing our father from his reign will change that?”

“It is simple. Once he is no more, I will take leadership of the coven and carry our home back to its former glory.”

And this, I decided, was what this was all about.  He did not lie when he said he wished to join us. No, he would not betray us after all. Not when our success would lead to his power.

“The coven will be in no better hands with you as the leader.”

“What you think does not matter. The coven is my legacy, my birthright, but father will never die and I grow tired of waiting for him to step down. This is the best way.”

“So you see Riener. With Kandane on our side, we have a chance of preventing the demise of our people in a war that will accomplish nothing. Our victory is now guaranteed with his help, we only need accept him.” Peitre appealed to me and I thought of how naïve he was for one so ancient.

“Preventing our father from raiding wolf camps will indeed be a victory, but only a temporary one. If father is forced to step down and Kandane is to take his place, I am certain that only destruction will await us.” I told them.

“Very well. Perhaps I should phrase it in this way.” Kandane began. “If you choose not to help me I shall report back to our father of your plans and the destruction you speak of will no longer be a future threat.”

“This is the madman you wish to trust?” I questioned the others.

Marcan sighed. “Trust does not rear its head here brother. He has information, a way to help us win and we will make use of it.”

I looked at them all in turn. They had already decided and it was clear to me that my words would yield no change.

“Very well. We will work with you.” I told him. And when the time came, like our father, he too would be dealt with if he stepped out of line.

Kandane clapped his hands before him, the glee in his eyes slightly disturbing. “Good. The first thing you need to know is that father’s army is larger than you thought. He has garnered the help of three of the major easten covens. He has thought this through.”

“When you say garnered…” I trailed off.

“I mean he has forced their hand. They come to his aid unwillingly, but they come nonetheless.”

“That will still not be enough to trump the wolves. We have the largest pack in the state on our side.”

“No, perhaps not, but father believed he had surprise on his side and though your wolves are now aware of the threat, when father attacks, a significant number of lives will still be lost.”

“The wolves have already sought the aid of other packs within the region, it will give us even more of an advantage.” Jorlon spoke for the first time.

“Our primary aim is to avoid a war.” Kandane addressed him. “To do so, you will need more than a mere advantage.”

“We do not have the time necessary to gather such forces.”

“Ah, but you do.” He continued. “Father has extended the window of time before his attack. He plans to strike in exactly eight weeks, which means you have four weeks to gather as many warriors as possible and plan a strategy that will guarantee our success.”

“Four weeks.” I had to admit it was a better outlook. “I shall notify the pack.”

“There is only one other thing that you should know.” Kandane continued and I met his cold gaze. “Father means to return his spies to the wolf camp before the week comes to an end. The moment they walk through those gates, they will know that you have been there.”

“Yes. That could prove to be a problem.” I spoke more to myself than the others, then I addressed him. “They will be dealt with. Father will not suspect a thing.”

“For all our sakes, I hope you’re right.”

“What of the meeting with father? He still expects us to attend.” Jorlon added.

“Yes and you will attend, the four of us will be there as he has requested, but Riener must remain here to put plans into place.

“Father expects him to attend as well. If we enter the coven without him—”

“Father would not be surprised. Riener’s disregard for his orders have certainly reached legendary status. We will make do.” Kandane finished and with a nod in my direction, he turned to leave, the others in tow.

“Kandane.” I called and he paused without a glance in my direction. “It would do you well to remember that should you betray us, you will have a pack of wolves ready and willing to tear you apart.”

Without a word he continued on his way and it was only after they had exited the room, that I too departed.

                                   AUTHOR’S NOTES

ENJOY.

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 39: Betrayal

Chapter 39

“Trust him? I repeated with a laugh. “No, I fear that would be a foolish mistake.”

“So what? You think your father knows? That maybe their trying to get us to lower our guard?” The Beta questioned and it was unfortunate that I was unable to provide him with a determinative answer.

“That could very well be so. Or he could be speaking the truth, but my brother is not an easy one to read.” I explained.

“Then we’ll just continue as planned and whether or not he’s planning to attack in a few days or a few months we’ll be ready.”

I nodded. “Yes but it is still my hope that we intercept them on the coven grounds, so do what you must and assemble as much help as is possible. I am also gathering other warriors to aid us. They shall descend upon the camp in but a few short days.”

“They’re welcome here provided they follow our rules.”

I nodded in answer. “They will be advised as such, though I doubt you will have an issue with them, they are humans after all.”

“Humans?” The Alpha questioned in surprise. “What’re we supposed to do with a bunch a humans?”

“They are more adept than you’re thinking.” I told him. “In fact, they are hunters.”

“What do they hunt?” The Beta questioned.

“Blood-drinkers mostly, but it would not surprise me if they’ve added other like creatures to their list of beings to torment.”

“So you’re friends with people who hunt your own kind.” The Alpha surmised.

“It is a complicated situation I’ll admit. I am a friend to one of their high ranking members, though the story of how that came to be is a matter for another time I’m afraid. I must visit my coven tonight.”

The Beta’s brows furrowed, while the Alpha’s expression remained stoic.

“You have any reason in particular why you’re visiting with them at a time when we should be planning our attack?” The Alpha questioned disapprovingly.

“I’ve never been one to believe in coincidences young Alpha.” I began.

“Would it kill you to call us by our names?” The Beta—Thomas interrupted.

“Very well. When we spoke earlier my brother seemed far too keen to keep me away from the coven. Therefore, I believe it is incumbent that I visit so that I may judge for myself whether he and my father are concealing an alternate plan of action.

“And if they are?” Thomas questioned.

“Then you shall know of it. I hope to return by late evening tomorrow. I believe that shall be enough time for me to gather the necessary information. I only ask that you keep an eye on my mate while I am away.”

The nodded in unison. “He’s in good hands, just keep us informed.” The Alpha—Carson requested.

“Of course.”

“When do you leave?”

“Within the hour. I only need visit shortly with Tony, then I shall be off.”

“Alright go, we’ll deal with everything on our end. Do what you gotta do.” Thomas offered and with a nod and a simple word of thanks I left the room.

As I walked across camp I thought of the great debt I now owed them for their hospitality. One I would be sure to repay within their lifetime.

I paused briefly when I reached the door of the medical center, half hoping Tony was awake, though knowing that he still slept.

Before I could push the door open however, it was pulled by Kaio, who greeted me with a bow and a string of apologies.

“We will talk about it when I return.” I told him. “I am to dine with father tonight and I have only enough time to bid Tony farewell.”

“Of course my Lord.” He began respectfully. “Am I to accompany you to the coven?”

I walked past him and further into the room, my eyes planted on Tony who still slept in the very center of his small bed. “No. You will remain here and keep Tony safe and comfortable.”

 I glanced around the room before allowing my gaze to settle on my drudge. “Where is Malik?”

His expression was one of guilt as he failed to meet my eyes. “He went for a walk my Lord. I apologize for his behavior. He is not usually prone to such—”

“Later Kaio. I have not the time.” I interrupted his ramblings and went to sit by Tony’s bedside.

I took hold of his hand which was warm to the touch.

“I fear I must leave you for a short while my love but I shall return before you know of it. I only hope you will wake in my absence and greet me with the evidence of your health when I come next.”

As I watched him I felt only sorrow, then I looked at his hands and squeezed gently.

“You know that I have never been the praying type Tony. Do not let me start now.” I beseeched and with a final look upon his face I stood and exited the place.

 Kaio did not follow, though I did not expect him to and when I was half way across camp, I heard him whispering assurances of my return to Tony as he slept. I hoped that if he did not listen to me, that he would at least listen to Kaio and finally open his eyes.

……………………………..

Years prior

“Must you fidget?”

Tony frowned, loosening the tie around his neck as his eyes darted around the room. “They’re all looking at me.” he said.

“I assure you no one in this room is looking at you.” I told him, but he only shook his head before finally pulling the tie off and dropping it onto the table before him.

“They know I don’t belong here. Can’t we just go somewhere normal?”

“This restaurant is completely normal. Why would you not belong here?”

He looked me dead in the eyes and his frown deepened. “Because these are rich, stuck-up snobs and I’m just normal, dirt-poor Tony.” He said with conviction.

“Well then take pleasure in the fact that you all at least have one thing in common.” I began

“What’s that?”

“You all tend to whine and moan when you don’t get your way.” I said. “It’s your birthday…enjoy something different for once. Now pick up your menu and decide on your meal.”

He sighed but picked up the menu nonetheless. “They don’t have burgers or fries or anything I recognize.”

“Try the salmon, I have been told it is superb.”

When he only continued to frown down at the menu, I glanced around and caught the eye of a waitress, who without pause, started in our direction.

“Have you decided what you’d like?” she questioned with a smile and I reached over to pluck the menu from Tony’s hands before handing it off to her.

“My companion will have a burger and fries and I will have a glass of red wine, thank you.”

She hesitated, looking decidedly uncomfortable. “I’m sorry sir, but…we don’t serve burgers or fries here.”

My eyes met her own. “Of that I am aware, however judging from your menu, I see that you do have the necessary ingredients and as I also gather that you have a chef on staff who seems to be fairly competent in the kitchen, then I would like you to prepare a burger and fries for the gentleman.” I gestured to Tony, who was looking expectantly between us.

“Preferably before he starves.” I added and looking as red as a tomato, she mumbled a few words and turned away.

“They’re gonna kick us out.” Tony commented as he watched her go and I smiled.

“They wouldn’t dare. Now tell me about your day. What did you do?”

He shrugged. “Hung out with Noah mostly. Met up with the guys for a little while, then snuck into the movies with Jerry…nothing good was playing though.”

“Met up with the guys.” I repeated. “What illegal activity did you get up to this time?”

Another shrug. “Dee stole a car.” He said simply, then glanced down at the screen of his phone. “Haven’t heard from him since though, so I’m thinking he got busted.”

“Is that all?”

“Yeah, it’s been a pretty boring day today for some reason. Oh!” he exclaimed, before standing after which time he pulled the shirt from his pants and lifted it so that I could see his chest…just below his right sternum where a small tattoo was nestled.

“A tattoo?”

“Yeah he said it’s the symbol for brothers, but this one means we’re closer than blood.” He said proudly, before finally lowering his shirt and retaking his seat.

“I’m assuming he stole his father’s equipment to do that. I’m not surprised the man has an ulcer putting up with the two of you as he does.”

He waved away the notion. “He’s got an ulcer because he wanted it. It’s got nothing to do with us.”

“I’m sure.”

“Excuse me sir. I am the manager here. Is there anything I can do for you?” I glanced up to see a short, balding, though immaculately dressed man standing by my table with the waitress from earlier, hovering just behind him.

“Yes. I’d like to be served right away please. We’ve been waiting for long enough I think.”

“Yes, I understand sir, but, you see…we do not serve…”

He trailed off when I handed him one of the many Identification cards I carried on my person and for a moment his eyes widened when he looked at me.

“I apologize sir… I didn’t realize.” He’d practically turned red himself. “You’ll be served momentarily. I apologize for the delay.”

When I only nodded, he handed the card to me and left as quickly as he came, the waitress quick on his heels.

“What’s so special about your ID?” Tony questioned then.

“My family, despite our nature, has made a mark on the world you’ll one day learn. After all we have been around for quite some time. The name alone is bound to turn a few heads.”

“Have any of you ever robbed a bank?”

I suppose I should have expected such a question from Tony, who I’d long ago learned tended to ask the most random questions.

“Of course not.”

He frowned. “But why not? You guys live forever, you can’t be held in a prison, you can’t be killed. You can get away with anything. You could have made a fortune from—”

“Stealing from humans?” I finished and he nodded.  Had I not known his mind, I would have taken offence. “We have our pride Tony. We need not be so petty as to pinch from humans. Not when we can use the brains we possess to earn our own way.”

Tony only shook his head, his eyes wide with disbelief or disappointment. Perhaps both.

“What a waste.” He mumbled.

“Not everyone has the mindset of a criminal as you clearly do love.”

When the waitress stopped by our table to serve the wine we paused to watch her and when she departed, I raised the glass to my lips and took a sip.

A drop of human blood would have made it exquisite I decided and lowered my glass just as Tony raised his own to take a gulp of his water.

“I believe now is as good a time as any to make your birthday wishes don’t you agree?”

He lowered his glass and for a moment seemed to think on my question.

“I wish I could move out of that damn zoo I live in, get my own place and never see my foster parents again.”

“You could. You are of legal age as of today”

He shook his head “Doesn’t matter. The money my parents left me won’t be mine till I’m nineteen because of whatever bullshit reason the lawyer said so I’m stuck.”

“Perhaps it is for the best.” I said honestly. “I can only imagine the havoc you would wreak were you on your own.”

He shrugged, looking decidedly depressed. “That was not a good wish anyway, make another.”

“I don’t have anymore. Might as well be realistic anyway. Wishing can only get you so far right?”

“Let us imagine that all wishes, no matter how ludicrous, could actually come true. Tell me yours.”

“Why?”

“Well isn’t it obvious? It is simply something I would like to know.”

He shrugged. “That’s easy then. I’d want a brother…or sister, whichever.”

“Really? Did you not just tell me of Noah’s claim on you?”

He shrugged. “Yeah, but Noah already has an actual brother. I’d want somebody I didn’t have to share you know? I’d teach him everything I know and he’d be a part of my crew. We’d really look out for each other you know?”

“Ah, a brother who you could suck into your life of crime. Yes, I suppose I can see it.”

He shook his head. “You wouldn’t understand, you don’t even talk to your own brothers.”

“Well take it from someone who has centuries of experience in the field of brotherhood…it is not all it is puffed up to be. You’re quite possibly better off as an only child.”

“I doubt it. For what it’s worth though, I think you should make it right with them. There are people out there who’d kill to have what you have.”

“Then let them kill and when they do get it, they’ll see that it was not worth the bloodshed.”

“Your burger and fries sir.” Tony looked up when his food arrived and shifted his tie out of the way so that the plate could be deposited before him.

“Thanks.” He mumbled to the woman before digging in immediately.

“You know, today marks exactly a year since we first met.” I told him as he bit into his burger. “I suppose you could also call this an anniversary of sorts.”

“This is pretty good.” he mumbled and I surmised he had not heard a word I had said.

“Do you want some?” he questioned when he glanced up briefly and caught my gaze.

“Eat your food Tony.” I urged him, then raised the glass of wine to my lips once more.

………………………………..

Present

 Rien

The coven gates were opened immediately upon my arrival. I did not return in the usual vehicular transport and I suppose it was strange to the familiars who stood around watching as I walked through them and up the path.

I did not have time for pleasantries as I went, but I did drink in the sights. This was my coven; the place I had lived for a good part of my life. These were my people, faces old and new, who had watched me grow and I them. These were my gardens and my streets and my walls and my father was foolish enough to risk it all.

I  made no stops as I went, not even to my own dwelling house—I had one goal; one destination in mind and the sooner I did what needed to be done, the better it would be for us all. 

I felt the usual multitude of eyes on me as I walked, familiars and nobles watching my progress as I made my way up to the steps of my father’s private chambers. The coven guard greeted me with a nod when I entered and I followed the sound of my brothers’ voices down the hall.

The scent of rich human blood wafted through the air, as did the sound of clinking glass. Another guard nodded in greeting when I passed him by in the hallway and when I finally turned the corner at the end of the hall, I took in the sight of them. My brothers and my father seated around his dining table partaking in a meal of blood and bread.

“It is good that I am not prone to bouts of jealousy, for the sight of you all would have surely sent me into depression.” I spoke and they all glanced up.

Kandane was the first to react, his mouth turning down in a displeased frown and his eyes narrowing. Then there was father, whose very face lit up at the sight of me and his smile was as big and bright as the moon in the sky.

“Riener.” He greeted. “I was told you would not be attending.”

“Yes well, I decided I might as well be unpredictable every once in a while.”

“A chair.” My father ordered the guard standing by the south window and he was quick to act, pulling out a chair from the very end of the table and placing it to my father’s right side as he directed.

I took my place by his side, but did not miss the scathing look Kandane threw my way as I did.

“I do believe Kandane wished to be seated by your side father. He watches me now with great contempt.”

Father looked between us before raising his glass to his mouth. He took a sip and swallowed before his eyes rested once more on me.

“It is no secret that you are my favorite Riener.” Came his simple reply and I could only shake my head.

“No…but perhaps it should be.” I needn’t look toward by brothers to see their displeasure.

“Nonsense. Now grab a glass of blood and tell explain to me why it is you have defied me.” He said it as smoothly as though this were a normal topic of conversation and I was careful to show no reaction to his words as I poured the treat into my glass.

“Do explain father. In what way have I defied you?”

He was smiling as he watched me, his eyes dancing as though to advertise that he knew something I did not. I felt an almost overwhelming urge to look to my brothers then; to see which of them had slipped him the news, but instead I kept my eyes on that of my father, for he would expect no less.

“Do you think I would not find out that you have removed the human from the coven?” he questioned and for a moment I was able to relax…though only slightly.

“I saw no point in keeping him here any longer.”

“That was not your choice to make.” He returned, though for some strange reason, his expression remained cheerful. It was a disconcerting thing.

“No matter…it is done.”

“And what makes you think I will not send out an army to hunt and slaughter him?”

“Because you have other uses for your army as you have made very clear.”

He leaned back in his chair, the blood-filled wine glass in one hand. I watched him swirl it around and around, his gaze never breaking from mine.

Not a sound came from my brothers, who tended to wilt with shyness in my father’s presence…or perhaps fear was the operative word.

“Ah yes…the army I will use to conquer the wolves.” he said slowly—calculatingly.

There was something bigger at play here. I could feel it.

“How are they by the way?” he questioned finally. “The wolves I mean. Have you succeeded in allying yourself with them or is still a work in progress?”

He said it so clamly, so confidently and with a smile on his lips, that this time my eyes travelled around the table almost of their own accord.

“Do not despair Riener.” Father continued. “Your brothers told me nothing. They are surprisingly loyal to you. Or so it would seem.”

I turned my gaze back to his and waited for his next words. I only felt a hollowness as I watched the leader of the coven. He knew of our plan. He knew and he was confident in his knowledge. There was no point in putting on a show and so I did not.

My mind went immediately to Tony and I felt a sudden burst of real worry at the thought of what father could have planned next.

“You think I have betrayed you.” I stated

“Oh I know you have. Do you think I am a fool my son? Do you think that I know not what goes on in my coven?”

I needn’t answer. I had always known never to underestimate him. I had always known he was wise beyond reason and once I had even worshipped him for it.

As I watched him, I wondered how long this conversation would be allowed to continue before he ordered my death…before he ordered all our deaths.

“Don’t you wish to know how I came of know of your plan?”

I ran a finger around the rim of my glass. “No matter. I know that you are resourceful.”

“Yes I am, aren’t I?” he said proudly and still, his quiet glee surprised me. Where was the anger? Where was the rage?

“I know of how you planned with your brothers to overtake the camp. I know that you have met with the wolves, I know that the human lies ill and I know that you succeeded in making them your allies.” He spoke. Then he turned his attention to Kandane who stiffened when father’s gaze connected with his.

“Tell me Kandane, were you also scheming with them to betray me?”

“Of course not father. I have always been loyal to you.” The lie fell easily from his lips. He did not know the meaning of the word loyal. He was a liar and a coward.

“How easily you lie to me.” Father commented and Kandane almost dropped his glass.

“Father I swear—”

Father raised a hand and he fell silent.

“Now that you know of our treachery, what is it that you plan to do father? What is the point of conversation? Do decide your mind.” I told him and to my annoyance his smile grew.

“Is this not the part where you throw yourself at my feet and beg for forgiveness?”

“You know that I have never been the sort.” I commented simply and he nodded slowly.

“Yes, that I do know. Just as I knew that from the moment you learned of my plan to invade the wolf pack you would take action.” He said. “Just as I knew that the moment you learned that I was conquering the territories of other blood-drinkers you would act. Just as I knew that if given just the right nudge, you would fight back.”

“Is there a point to your babbling?”

His smile, for the first time since I had entered the room, fell as he regarded me coldly and in but a fraction of a moment his hand shot out and I felt the sting of it across my cheek. I could feel the shattered bones of my cheek and the trickle of blood from my right nostril and in an instant I could also feel myself healing.

I suppose I should have known that was coming. After all, I had received enough of his abuse throughout my early years. I retrieved a napkin from the table and dabbed at the blood leaking from my nose.

“Watch your tongue Riener.” He continued. “Now where was I? Ah yes…I know you Riener. I know your very thoughts before you think them, I know your every move before you make them and I know your very heart. I know you because you are me. You are like my very reflection. My beloved son.”

“I suppose this is the point where I should say I am nothing like you.”

“But we both know that would be a lie.” He finished and I neither corrected him nor agreed.

I felt the tightening of the tablecloth beneath my hands and I looked to my left where Jorlon sat, his hands bunched in the cloth, as though he were holding on for dear life.

He was afraid, I realized. Afraid of what our father would do to him, I surmised. When he caught my eyes, I offered him a small smile, one which he returned with some great degree of effort.

Father cleared his throat and we both glanced his way. “There is but one reason I summoned you all here today my children. Though I had thought I would have had to send the guards to fetch you Riener.” He said as an aside. “You have all plotted against me, planned my downfall, allied yourselves with my enemy and wished to see me fail and now there is but one thing I have to say to you.” He looked at each of my brothers in turn before his sharp, wizened gaze fell on me and I braced myself for his next words.

“Well done.”

………………………………….

Kaio

“Perhaps you should try to sleep a while.” I urged him, but he only shook his head. “You cannot be of much help to him if you tire yourself Mal.” I continued.

“I’m not much help to him anyway.” He said bitterly. “The least I can do is stay with him for as long as he needs me.”

I glanced between the brothers, my gaze settling on their joined hands and I thought of how awful he must feel, wondering if he would ever be free of his secrets.

Then I looked at Tony, at his face which, as the hours had passed had gained some color. Whose whimpers had ceased long ago and who now only lay in silence. I knew that Malik was even more hopeful now than ever, but I had lived long enough to know that there were times when a person seemed to glow just before they parted ways with the earth. When they seemed to get better, only to melt away into the night.

I only wished I could prepare him for the inevitable. It had been hours since Lord Riener’s departure and when I had noticed the changes in Tony I had tried to contact him. Now I glanced down at the screen of the phone. He had yet to answer.

He should be here for Tony’s last hour. He would never forgive himself if his lover parted ways while he was away.

“Kaio!” I glanced up at my mate when he hissed my name. “His fingers moved!”

I shook my head. “An involuntary twitch I’m sure. I have told you Mal, he may look as though he is getting better, but do not get your hopes up…Tony may very well—”

I froze mid-sentence, disbelief and surprise preventing further speech.

Disbelief because I had not truly believed there would be a miracle tonight and surprise because as I stood there, Tony’s eyes were open. Open and watching me as I watched him.

“Tony, you’re…I…you’re awake!” was my somewhat incoherent reaction. He winced, groaned as he tried to shift on the small bed, then finally, he turned his head to his right, his gaze first landing on his hand which was trapped in Malik’s and then slowly, his eyes traveled up-up-up, until it stopped on Malik’s face.“

For a moment they stared at each other and then as though realizing he had no right, Malik pulled his hand from Tony’s, his expression one of uncertainty.

“Tony…” he trailed off as though unsure of what to say.

I watched as Tony, blinked, a slow lowering and raising of his lids, before he swallowed, though his eyes remained fixed on Mal.

 “So,” Tony began, his voice sounding as hoarse as I had ever heard it. “I hear you’re my brother.” 

                                               AUTHOR'S NOTE

ENJOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 40: Some Are Born Great.

Chapter 40

Rien

“Enough with the games. Make your pronouncement and stop wasting our time.”

Father only smiled. “I do not play games Riener. You more than anyone are aware of that.”

“And this? What is this? You have learned of our treachery and you offer your congratulations? If not a game then what is it?”

“Call it a father’s pride in his sons. You have all exceeded my expectations.”

“Have we now?” I indulged his madness.

“Indeed. You especially Riener. You say this is a game, but I assure it is not. This was a test and you have passed.”

I needn’t look to my brothers to know their expressions. It was clear that father was partaking in some form of trickery and soon his true intentions would become known. Perhaps playing his game would proffer the time I needed to form a plan of action.

“You’ve always prided yourself in the fact that you are blunt without apology father…Do get to the point.”

His eyes narrowed. “That tongue of yours will get you into trouble if you do not keep it in check.”

I released an uncharacteristic sigh “Yes and so will my hands if I do not keep them to myself and my eyes if I do not use them the way you wish…If not for your punishment, then why are we here?”

“Your impatience will also get you nowhere. A trait from your mother no doubt.”

I felt the air around me go still with tension. Talk of mother was always laden with pain and discomfort. Coming from father however, was much worse.

“Do not speak of our mother. Riener is right, you have summoned us here, it is time for you to say your piece. We are not interested in small talk.” Marcan spat and father raised a brow as he watched him.

“I was beginning to wonder if I would ever learn the sound of your voice Marcan.” He said with another uncharacteristic smile. “It seems time with Riener has made you bold. This is good.”

Marcan gritted his teeth but said nothing more as he glared at our leader.

Father turned his attention back to me and this time I stared at him without a word.

“It took my men three years to gain the trust of the wolves. Three years for them to truly welcome them among their own, yet it took you three days to ally yourself with them.” He began. “You managed to gather hunters—the very men who have massacred our kind for centuries. The very men who despise us and you, a blood-drinker, managed to ally yourself with them.”

He knew far more than I had thought originally. “And? What of it?”

“It is no secret that you and your brothers do not see eye to eye, yet you came together against a common enemy.” He said, his eyes filled with untamed glee. “In the face of adversity you were able to think Riener. You were able to act and you succeeded!”

“Well, clearly my success is in dispute considering the fact that you have known of my plans even from the beginning.”

“No.” he said. “Your success is very much alive and I am glad for it.”

“I still do not follow.”

“How do you think I came to know of your plans Riener?”

“I suppose I was not as careful as I had believed.”

“No, you could not have been any more careful than you were, I assure you. It is just that I was on the path before you even learned of it.”

I looked at Peitre who sat across from me and he shook his head. “Despite popular belief, I have never been a fan of riddles.”

“What I meant is, I designed this scheme. I planned it all in hopes that you would prove me right. Do you really think I would send my coven to their deaths? It would take more than an army to conquer those wolves. I would have to be a madman to actually go through with it.”

“You aren’t making much sense.”

“Think about it my son.” He began, leaning in so that his hands rested on the table. “How many from the coven visited you after you rescued the human from his war? Did you not think it strange that they all came to you to persuade you to return to the coven?”

My eyes narrowed. I did remember thinking it strange at the time, that after five years away from the coven, I had found myself being approached by so many blood-drinkers in close succession of each other.

“But they failed to persuade me.” I told him.

“Yes they did. Which is why I sent your brothers to fetch you. They believed I simply wished to meet your mate, but I had bigger plans of course.”

“So you managed to lure me to the coven. That does not explain much.”

“Once I brought you here, I knew I only needed to plant a seed of doubt in your mind for you to act. So of course, I had to ensure that you learned I was raiding other territories.”

“But you were not the one to tell me of it. It was….” I trailed off as the very person who had made me aware of my father’s plans from the start, entered the room.

He walked with purpose, robes flaring out behind him as he came to stand just behind my father.

“Nathaniel, I know.”

My mind immediately went to the day in his dwelling house, when he had told me of the news. This was unbelievable, but when he placed a hand upon my father’s shoulder I came to know the truth and to think he was my father’s pawn was sickening. When I met his eyes, he looked away.

“Nathaniel was tasked with telling you of my plans to raid our brother covens. He was to persuade you that my actions would bear no fruit and on the day you joined the first raid to the Far Lands, I knew he had succeeded.

“Do not think of this as a betrayal Lord Riener.” Nathaniel spoke. “This was only a test of your ability. This was necessary .” He said.

“Necessary to achieve what end?” I questioned coldly. He was already dead to me. Who could you trust if not your closest friend?

“Patience Riener. You will soon come to know everything.” Father said simply, before raising his glass to his mouth.

I looked away in disgust.

“After your talks with Nathaniel, I of course had to make it a bit more convincing… that, I did with the help of another friend of yours…Thames.

I felt the anger build, but I did not put it on display. “He is no friend of mine.”

“No, but he was certainly instrumental in the success of my plan.”

“When we arrived at the Far land coven, it was free of all inhabitants. Had my brothers not warned them, would you have slaughtered them all in the name of your precious plan?”

“Their coven was weak. I would not have had to slaughter them, they would have simply surrendered. In any event, despite the plan, we were able to take hold of a considerable amount of territory.”

“You cannot know that they would have surrendered.”

He shook his head. “You do not live as long as I do and not learn a bit about how people think Riener. They would have surrendered, but no matter, your brothers’ actions made it easier and it allowed me to see for the first time just how useful they could be.”

“You sound very proud of yourself.” I said and though I knew I sounded every bit as calm as they, I pictured myself ripping the very smile from his face.

“Well, my level of cunning is not an easy thing to achieve.” He said it as though it were quite obvious. He had always been full of himself.

Centuries of having others bend to your every command would have that effect on anyone I suppose. Add that to his general conceitedness at birth and what you were presented with was the man before me—the master manipulator; my father.

“If you had only summoned me to the coven to carry out this so called plan of yours, then why was I made to endure the mating ceremony? Why did it matter if I chose a human?”

He frowned. “Because a human is not good enough for the master class and when you have heard the rest of the story, you will understand why you cannot have him.”

“Then get on with it. You say you brought me here. You lied about the raids on other covens and you schemed with Nathaniel and Thames to get your plan on track. What next? Why let me think you were going to raid the wolves?”

“It’s simple really. It would be good for the coven to gain an alliance with the wolves.”

“But you could have had your alliance. You said your spies had gained their trust. Now the wolves believe them to be traitors.”

“It was my intention to persuade the wolves that an alliance would bode us well, so injecting a few of our kind into their pack was a good way to do that, however were they to refuse, I needed safeguards. Their pack continues to grow and soon they will be impossible to handle. Were they to become our enemies in future, I needed their secrets.”

“I still fail to understand how my telling them you wished to raid their camp could have amounted to any alliance.”

“Three years they lived amongst the wolves and every time they broached the topic of an alliance they were shot down. The wolves do not wish for the help of outsiders and knowing that you could get the job done, I added it to your test.”

“Well you have failed, because they now despise you.”

“Ah…but they trust you and since you are to become the leader of this coven, that trust is important.”

“Father!” Kandane shot up from his seat and it toppled over. The surprise on his face mirrored my own shock.

“What is it Kandane? Have my words surprised you?”

Kandane looked from our father, to me and back. “You cannot mean what you say. You cannot mean to hand the coven over to this…this…this…” he gestured wildly to me, his face contorted in disgust.

“This prodigy?” Father supplied and Kandane spluttered. “Yes. I do. He has proven to me that he is capable. He has passed my test.”

I shook my head. “I…I do not understand.”

Father turned to me. “I have watched you grow from a reckless fledging, playing tricks on the drudges in my dwelling place, into a merciless warrior, known to every coven in the world.” Father began.

“Father please.” Kandane interrupted and father waved a hand at him in annoyance.

“I have watched you train men, lead the fiercest of warriors into war and come out victorious every single time. I have also seen the love you have for every soul in this coven. I have seen your ruthlessness Riener, but I have also seen your compassion.” He continued. “For decades I have thought of you as my heir…my youngest child, but the only one deserving of this title.”

“Father this cannot be.” Kandane spoke out once more and this time when father turned his gaze upon him, he looked away.

“I already knew you were a great warrior Riener, but I needed to ensure that you could be more than a warrior to my people, so I sought to test you.” He said. “And you exceeded my expectations. The coven will be yours.”

I opened my mouth to say…something… anything , but Kandane beat me to it and Father and I both looked toward him.

“Father I do not understand this. I am the eldest son. I am the only one who has stood by you through every decision, every ceremony, every raid, everything . I have been loyal to you since I was a fledgling.” He took an unsteady breath. “Unlike Riener, I have never disobeyed you and I have never deserted the coven. How could you choose him ? I have prepared myself for this role for centuries! I am the better leader!”

Father shook his head slowly, a small smile gracing his face. “Look at what you have just said to me Kandane and you will realize just why it is that you are no leader.”

He took a step back, looking as though he had just been slapped. “I do not understand.”

“It is true that you have always obeyed me. It is true that you have heeded my every word and stood by myside, but that does not make a leader.” He said.

Kandane’s hands were shaking as he balled them into fists at his side.

“Riener has been speaking out against my decisions in open court since he was old enough to understand them. He has never been one to follow blindly. Instead he does what he believes is right.” Father told him. “I told you that I was going to raid the largest wolf pack in the state and you were willing to follow me to our deaths, simply because I said it.”

“But…I…no. I knew it was wrong. I knew it.” Kandane countered. “It is the reason I left the coven and sought out Riener, because I could not sit back and watch you do it. So you are wrong father. I do not follow blindly.”

“You have just proven my point.” Father replied. “ You sought out Riener. Why not the other way around? Why did you find the need to rush to your younger brother for aid?“

Kandane was speechless at this point. Looking as horrified as I had ever seen him.

“I can easily answer that for you.” He continued. “It is because you knew he could get the job done and you wished to be a part of that.”

Kandane shook his head slowly. “I have been loyal to you since I was a fledgling…”

“You have been a follower since you were a fledgling. You have never been a leader and if you were honest with yourself you would admit that you are not worthy of this task.”

Father turned to me when Kandane said nothing. “So you see Riener. This is why you cannot take on a human mate. When it is time for you to lead, you will need someone worthy by your side. Not someone weak.”

“While I am flattered by your words father, I fear your test was pointless.” I told him. “I have never wanted to lead the coven.”

He surprised me by smiling. “And that is the very reason you will have it.”

“I do not want it.”

“It is not your decision to make. It will be yours and you will lead.”

“He throws your gift back into your face and you continue to insult me by denying me my birthright.”  I looked at Kandane then, who had spoken and what I saw surprised me.

Gone was the look of horror and despair and in its place was an expression of pure hatred. His eyes were cold and empty as he watched my father and for a moment I could no longer recognize my brother.

“And you insult me by continuously interrupting. Sit Kandane. Or leave, whichever strikes your fancy.”

Kandane’s mouth twisted and I saw something in him I had not expected to see. “I have not done this all for nothing. I will not be treated as though I am nothing after what I have done for you.” He began—his voice cold and dripping with promise.

The corners of his eyes tightened as they narrowed into slits.

“You will regret this.” He said, then he turned to me. “You think your wolves can protect you? You think your human is safe?” he then glanced at the others. “You have all made an enemy you will live to regret.” He spat the last word and with a slow, calculating look around the room again, he turned and left.

“Let him go and wallow. When he returns he will see that I am right.”

“Father, I do not think he—” Jorlon shot up, but just as quickly, he fell silent when father turned his gaze upon him.

“I have never seen him this way. Father I fear he may be serious with his threats.” Peitre spoke for the first time since his arrival and when I looked at all my brothers in turn, I found that I had come to the same conclusion they had. We were lost to Kandane. His threats were not empty.

“You worry for naught. He is only being childish. Another testament to his ineptitude.” Father issued with all the confidence of a man who at that moment, should have none.

“Kandane may have stood by you all his life father,” I began with certainty, “but you do not know him as we do.” I glanced at each of my brothers and I could see the truth mirrored on their faces.

“Kandane is not lacking in backbone. We have grown with him and you need to trust us when we say that he is not someone to underestimate.” I said with a seriousness he must surely understand. “Kandane is ruthless and he now sees us as his enemy.”

Father lowered his glass to the table and sat back. The smile which had earlier graced his face had slipped while I spoke and now he regarded me with narrowed eyes. “He would be a fool to oppose me.”

“No father.” I said, pushing up from my seat, my eyes still locked with his. “You would be a fool not to heed my words. Kandane has made many allies in the time he was worked under your thumb.”

The others stood and father raised a brow. “Where do you think you are all going?”

I was halfway across the room by the time he’d spoken the last word and I turned only briefly to acknowledge him. “To warn the wolves…Kandane means to attack.”

                                                      AUTHOR'S NOTES

G O BACK AND READ CHAPTER’S 10,   13 AND 14 AGAIN IF YOU WANNA REFRESH YOUR MEMORY AS IT RELATES TO THE INSTANCES THEY MENTIONED IN THIS CHAPTER.

THANKS FOR READING!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 41: What lies within

Chapter 41

Tony

Gone was the cocky attitude, the annoying confidence and the know-it-all grin. In its place was uncertainty and maybe just a touch of nervousness.

It was definitely a far cry from his usual disposition.

“I guess you heard everything then.” He was saying now, eyes not quite meeting mine and his fingers knotted together in front of him.

“I heard enough.” I replied in a voice that no longer sounded like my own. My throat felt as though it had been rubbed raw with sandpaper and every time I swallowed it hurt like you wouldn’t believe.

I glanced over at Kaio, who stood at the foot of my bed, watching me with an expression I could only describe as awe. When he caught my eyes he offered a small smile.

“It’s true.” Malik was saying and I glanced back at him. “You’re my brother.”

“My parents died in a car crash when I was just a scrawny little kid and I lived in foster homes until I was nineteen.” I told him quietly. “Throughout all those long years I’d go to bed every night and wish for a brother or a sister or any sort of family to take me away from there and through all that wishing and hoping; that brother and sister never came. So if you really are who you say you are, then why now, why at all?”

Finally he met my eyes, determination burning bright as he watched me. “Those people who died in the accident weren’t your parents. If anything they were your kidnappers.” he began and I felt the low throbbing begin in my temple. “You were taken right from our own backyard. You were just a toddler…barely even able to walk.”

I could only look at him. With every word he spoke, the more drained I became and when he opened his mouth to continue, I turned my attention to Kaio.

“Where’s Rien?”

His eyes went to the phone he held and he frowned at the screen. “He had an urgent matter to attend to. He will be back here as soon as time allows.”

I glanced around the room, taking in the rows and rows of empty beds and the bare white walls.

“Which hospital is this?”

Kaio and Malik exchanged a look. “This is not a hospital. It is merely a place for you to recuperate. We have taken refuge here for a while until Lord Riener negotiates a plan of action.”

Even reaching up to run a hand over my forehead took some effort. “What plan? What’s going on?”

“Perhaps when you are better rested we may discuss it.”

“Tony, if you’d just give me a chance I’d like to explain everything. I want to tell you about our parents and how I managed to find you after all these years.” Malik tried again and I took a breath.

“Maybe when I’m better rested we can discuss it.” I recited Kaio’s words and to my surprise Malik grabbed my hand and squeezed.

“I swore to myself that I’d tell you everything when you woke up. I’m done with the secrets.”

“And I’m not in the mood to hear them.” I told him firmly and it was the truth. I was feeling all kinds of banged up. Everything hurt and I was tender in places I didn’t even know were there. My head was throbbing, my throat was raw and the longer I kept my eyes open, the more I found myself losing focus of everything in the room. I wasn’t in the mood—not for anything and certainly not for this.

“You’re stubborn… I get that. It’s something I’ve had to deal with since I met you.” Malik continued to make noise. “But I’ve got a lot to say and I’m not leaving here until I do.”

I looked at him and thought it strange the way his face was blurring right before me. I blinked a few times and when my sight cleared, I looked at Kaio.

“Get him out.”

He looked surprised, then uncomfortable as he glanced back and forth between us.

“Tony, perhaps if you were to give Mal a chance he cou—”

“I want him out.” I told him again and a strange weariness swept over me.

I could tell he said something then, but I didn’t hear what it was and I didn’t think I wanted to know. I just wanted Malik to leave and I wanted to sleep and I wanted Rien.

“Where’s Rien?” I asked him again because I couldn’t remember what he’d said before and this time he frowned at me; his expression a mixture of concern and something else I couldn’t understand.

“Go get the doctor Mal.” I heard him saying. Then he was by my side, clutching my hand.

“Perhaps you should try to rest now Tony. You have been through a great ordeal.” he continued and by now his blurry face was hardly recognizable. “Lord Riener will be by your side when you next wake.”

When my eyes closed I was too tired to open them again, but that was okay. I would just rest them for a little while. Just for a while until Rien came.

……………………………

“Just let him rest. He’s been through a lot. When he wakes up again let me know.”

“Of course doctor.”

“He’s already been sleeping for over three hours, what more rest could he possibly need?”

“Relax Mal. You have heard what the doctor has had to say. Allow him to rest.”

“What if this isn’t just sleeping? What if he’s knocked out like before?”

“I do not think that is the case.”

“You can’t know that.”

“I do. I can feel the difference in him. Tony is healing. He is doing well and Lord Rien will be pleased when he learns of it.”

A pause.

“Is he still not answering?”

Another pause.

“I’m afraid not. Perhaps the meeting with his father is still underway.”

“This is the man Tony wants in his life? Some emotionless dick who can’t even stay by his side when he needs him the most?”

“Lord Riener does what needs to be done. I assure you he would not have left Tony’s side had he not a good reason for so doing.”

A sigh. “He doesn’t even want to hear what I have to say Kaio.”

“Patience Mal. Tony has never been very trusting, but soon he will come to accept you.”

“I’ve been searching for him for years. Mom and dad searched right up to the time they died. I can’t have come this far to fail.”

“The very fact that you have found him is testament of your success.”

“Yeah…sure.”

“I think a walk would do us some good… come along.”

“No… you go ahead. I think I’m gonna stay here for a little while.”

“Watching him while he sleeps will not make him wake up any faster you know.”

“No but it gives me a chance to talk to him…he could hear us last time…maybe this time I can tell him everything without him shutting me up every half a minute.”

“Very well. I shall be back in but a few short moments.”

The shuffle of feet sounded on the wooden floor, then the opening and closing of a door.

I opened my eyes when I knew Kaio had left and watched Malik pace the floor. He had his hands trapped behind his back and his head bowed as he walked; back and forth from the wall to the foot of my bed.

“I thought you wanted to tell me everything without me shutting you up every half a minute.” I said into the silence and he froze, looking up at me in surprise.

“You’ve been awake this whole time?”

I would have shrugged if I didn’t know the action would hurt like a bitch. “Long enough.”

He took the few steps it would take to get to my bedside and as I watched, he sat.

“How are you feeling?”

I flexed my fingers. “Like I was somebody’s punching bag. What the hell happened?”

He leaned back in the chair and folded his arms before him. “You were shot with a poisoned arrow.”

Ah yes. Noah and Snowflake. How could I forget.

“Where are we?”

“A wolf camp. Rien’s father lost his shit and plans to sacrifice his entire coven in some crazy attempt to conquer the wolves.” He said simply.“ Waste of time if you ask me. I’ve never seen so many wolves in my life.“

“So Rein managed to convince them then.” I surmised and he nodded.

“He told you.”

“Bits and pieces.” I replied.

He shook his head. “Yeah your boy Rien is a real charmer apparently.”

“Always has been.”

“I guess that’s how he sucked you in huh?” he continued. “He used his fancy words and you fell for his bullshit?”

“I think I sucked him in actually. He wanted nothing to do with a little human boy back then.”

“Yeah? So how’d you do it?”

This time I did shrug and as expected it hurt. “I was persistent. Wouldn’t leave him alone and wouldn’t take no for an answer.” I smiled at the memory.

“You’re a pretty stubborn guy.”

“You’re no better.”

He smiled. “Yeah but dad was worse… I’m tame compared to the two of you. I couldn’t get a word in where he was concerned.”

I looked down at the soft cotton blanket that had been thrown over me and picked absently at it. “So it’s true then.” I said  “We’re really brothers?”

“We are.”

I was pretty sure it hadn’t really hit me yet. I couldn’t say what I felt in that moment.

“I researched you like you said back then.” I told him. “So your folks are dead and you have more money than any fool has any right to have. What else?”

This time he leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. “I was just a kid when they took you.” He began. “The abridged version is; mom and dad told me to watch you while we were out in the yard. I had better things to do and next thing we knew, you were gone. They searched for you for years after that but no luck. We moved to the states when I was eighteen but they never stopped looking. Right up until the point of their death they had private investigators scouring Russia for you… but I think they’d lost hope by then anyway.”

“I don’t remember ever being in Russia.”

He shook his head. “You wouldn’t. When they died, I figured it was time for me to take a different approach…an unorthodox approach.”

“That being?”

“Vampires.”

I watched him through narrowed slits. “Go on.”

“I’d had the misfortune of meeting one back in college. A nasty fellow that one, but I quickly found out that even the supernatural could be strapped for cash. So I used that to my advantage.” He took a breath. “I didn’t see him again for two years after I left, but I managed to get a hold of him after mom and dad died. I paid him to find you.”

“And it was as easy as that huh? Pay some bloodsucker and you got yourself your brother back.”

He shook his head. “I thought it would be that easy…especially if he was going off a sense of smell, but he explained that blood is never a sure thing. There are too many similar blood signatures and scouring the earth to find one that matched my own wasn’t easy.” He explained. “Took him three and a half years to track you down.”

“And that’s how you ended up on the frontline.” I surmised and he nodded.

“We just never imagined you’d be in the US army. So with the help of the vamp, I infiltrated their group on that same day you were injured. “They never suspected a thing.”

“And what did you really think you could do out there?”

“Figured that if I found you I could convince you to leave with me… or drag you kicking and screaming if I had to.”

I shook my head. “That’s probably the dumbest plan I’ve ever heard.”

He nodded. “Probably, but I just wanted you out of there. I told myself I couldn’t have been searching for you for so long only to have to die in some pointless war.”

“And of course you didn’t find me…so then what?”

“The vamp found you…spotted you by the smell of your blood and pointed out the vehicle you were travelling in. That’s when I realized I was on the wrong team.

When I only watched him, he cleared his throat and continued.

“So anyway the vamp pointed you out just in time for me to see some guy from our side pointing an RPG at you guys. I didn’t think. One minute I was watching him, the next minute I was tackling him to the ground and the shot missed its chance of a direct hit.”

I processed his words carefully. Thinking on what he’d said and allowing what it meant to fully register.

“If we’d been hit directly I’d have died instantly. You’re saying you saved my life.”

“I’m saying I tried to keep you from getting blown up… You were still hurt pretty bad. Rien saved your life.”

“And the vamp that helped you? Who was he?”

He shrugged. “No one you know.”

“How’d you get injured?”

He chuckled. “About a second after I tackled the one guy to the ground, everything around us went to shit. I literally watched a guy get blown away, then I remember feeling this heat and the next thing I knew I was waking up in a room with Rien and Kaio standing over me.”

Something clicked then. “Rien told me that Kaio mistook you for me out there because of how similar our blood smelled. Didn’t realize what he meant at the time.”

He nodded.

Comprehension dawned. “Rien knew.” I said with certainty. “After he rescued you…he knew you were my brother.”

He nodded again. “I’d had to tell Kaio, but yeah, Rien figured it out somehow.”

“And even after all that time he didn’t think to tell me.” I didn’t know why the things Rien did surprised me anymore.

“I wanted to tell you on my own terms.”

My eyes narrowed. “Yeah and you waited until I was shot with a fucking poisonous arrow to come clean. Great timing.” I continued sarcastically.

“I know…I should have said something earlier. It was stupid of me to keep it to myself.”

“Stupid and a dick… you’re full of surprises aren’t you?”

“Yeah well I can say the same about you. The fact that you’re actually giving that damn vampire a chance after the shit he pulled is pretty damn stupid in itself.”

Rien’s face flashed before my eyes then and I felt a hollowness in my chest.

“Where is he anyway?”

“Back at the coven last I heard.”

“He say when he’d be back?”

He shrugged. “Not a clue and to be honest I couldn’t care less.” His eyes met mine. “You could do a lot better.”

I felt the anger well up inside me. “Don’t think that just because you told me we’re brothers means you get to shove your advice down my throat and lecture me about shit you have no right to talk to me about.”

He held up his hands in surrender. “I’m just being honest man.”

I shifted slightly to ease the throbbing in my side and lifted a hand to my head. “Sometimes he makes shitty choices and maybe I’m still pissed off about the way he handled everything five years ago, but he’s still the only one who’s ever given a shit about me. Despite all the crap I pulled and the hell I put him through, he was always there when it counted.”

“He left you in the army for five years…how was he there when it counted?’

I looked at him then. “Do you know how many men go through a year without even a word from the people they love? You know how many men would give their last breath to get even a letter from somebody… from anybody while they’re out there serving?”

He shrugged.

“More than you’d imagine.” I told him. “Yet I was lucky enough to get my two packages every month like clockwork. I never wanted for a thing while I was in there. Yeah it was damn hard and yeah I missed him like you wouldn’t believe, but he took care of me. He didn’t have to but he did.”

“So what? You think you owe him now?”

“No.  but I’ve had time to think these past few weeks I’ve been in that coven and even though I give him shit for leaving me there, the fact is, I got myself into it. I’m the one who signed up; no one forced me to and it wasn’t his job to get me out of it.”

“Maybe not but—”

“No buts about it. It wasn’t his job, but he damn well made sure I was okay. I doubt I’ll ever get over the fact that he left me for five years and maybe I was too angry to see it before or I just didn’t want to admit it, but it doesn’t change the fact that he loves me.” I told him seriously. “When he looks at me, he’s looking at me and despite the anger and the pain and how much I blamed him, there wasn’t one time I could honestly say I didn’t still love him right back.”

This time he said nothing and I looked away.

“Maybe it’s time I stop being a pussy about it and tell him that.”

“Your language still leaves much to be desired, but I shall accept your confession nonetheless.”

My head shot up at the sound of Rien’s voice and beside me, Malik rose slowly.

“I thought you were back at the coven.” I issued weakly and as he pushed away from the door and approached, a small smile formed on his lips.

“I was.”

I was vaguely aware of Malik exiting the room and when Rien came to sit in the chair he’d vacated, I sat up carefully.

“Hello my love.” He said simply, taking my hand in his.

“Why are you always keeping shit from me?” Was the only thing I could think to say in the moment and he kissed the back of my hand.

“It was not my secret to tell. Malik alone was entitled to that privilege.”

“I don’t trust him.”

“No, but perhaps one day you will.”

“He wants me to believe that the people I’ve missed and loved my whole life kidnapped me from some backyard in a foreign country and tried to raise me as their own?”

“It may sound farfetched but I do believe he speaks the truth.”

“There’s something he’s not telling me. I can feel it.”

He smiled. “Perhaps there is, but I wouldn’t worry too much about it.” He said, then leaned in to plant a kiss on my cheek. “I have missed you desperately Tony.”

I looked down at our joined hands, then back to his face. He was watching me with such intensity that I felt my face heat—like a damn chick.

I looked away.

“You scared me.” He said softly and something in his voice made me look back at him.

“Really now? The big bad Rien of the warrior coven gets scared?”

“For a while I thought that perhaps I would never hear your voice again. I have never seen you so ill.”

“Did you give me your blood?”

“It had no effect.” He said. “Nothing had any effect. You gave us all quiet a scare.”

“Yeah well… I wasn’t about to make a piece of stick get the best of me.” I grinned.

He didn’t return it.

“Do you remember the pain of it? I have never heard you scream so. I have never seen you suffer so.”

I nodded slowly. “I doubt I’ll ever forget it.” I told him honestly. “How long have I been out?”

“Long enough to have me worry, but not too long as to warrant a glance at the calendar.”

I nodded, then asked the question I was dreading to hear the answer for. “What’d you do to Christophe?”

His mouth tightened and so did my chest. “Nothing…which is more than the fool deserves.”

“You didn’t touch him?” I questioned in surprise. “How come?”

“I did not wish to cause you heartache when you recovered.”

I glanced right back down at our hands again and he squeezed gently.

“So I hear you love me.”

I shook my head. “You heard wrong.”

I didn’t have to look at him to know that he was smiling.

“I love you too you know. Always.”

“I know.”

“Look me in the eyes and say the words. I have longed to hear them.”

I made to pull my hand from his but he held on tight and I looked at him. “Stuff like this doesn’t come easy to me.”

“It did once.” He said.

“Yeah well…things change right?”

“Yes, but your heart has remained the same…just as I have always known.”

“Then if you know, why do you need to hear the words?

“Because just minutes ago I believed you were on the verge of death and now I refuse to allow pride to take away from what we have.

I could see something in his eyes as he watched me. It was something I’d seen many times before in others, but never something I thought I’d see mirrored in his own.

This time I did pull away from him and my eyes narrowed. “What’s wrong Rien?”

He frowned. “I do not follow.”

I glanced around the room, then back at him. “Something’s wrong. Tell me what it is.”

He shook his head and tried again to take my hand, but I pulled it out of his reach. “What’s going on?” I was dead serious as I asked and for a while we only stared at each other in silence, until finally, he looked away.

“The pack is now preparing for war. Kandane means to strike against us and I fear for your safety.”

“Kandane? I thought your father was—”

“My father is nothing but a man with tricks. Kandane however, is in a rage and when he does not get his way he cannot be appeased. He means to strike against us…against you and I need to remove you from here and to a place of safety.”

“You’ll stay here and fight I’m guessing.”

He nodded. “Of course. I must.”

“Then I’m staying.”

He was already shaking his head. “Absolutely not. You are barely able to shift without feeling discomfort. I will not keep you here where the risks are greater and you cannot even flee to save yourself.”

“Then give me your blood. Heal me.”

“It will bear no fruit. I have already told you of my attempts.”

“I’m better now, just tired and sore. Your blood will work.”

He was shaking his head again. ’I do not understand why you would wish to remain here and risk your life. You are as reckless as you have always been.“

“I’m not reckless Rien.’ I told him seriously. “Just in love…now give me your damn blood, then help me off this bed.”

For a second he could only stare, then slowly a smile blossomed on his serious face.

“I shall give you my blood, but you will not remain here.”

I smiled just a brightly. “We’ll see about that.”

And he bit into his wrist.

                                                 AUTHOR'S NOTES

EXAMS ARE DONE SO I’M FINALLY BACK!

THANKS FOR BEING PATIENT AND THANKS FOR READING!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Mini bonus Chapter

Bonus

Years Prior

The human child was stalking me again.

I had issued threats, lectured him on the dangers of his actions, insulted him at every turn and finally I had tried ignoring him whenever he approached me. Yet the human would simply not desist. He was a dull-witted imbecile I decided. Only one with a retardation of the mind could continue to act as foolish as he; of that I had no doubt.

I turned the corner and so did he. When I had first begun this journey he had tried his hand at some stealth, but as we walked on he had completely done away with the pretenses and now walked not far behind me, his worn boots crunching the gravel as he went.

I did not speak and neither did he, but there was a point where he had begun humming quietly, as though trailing behind a masterclass blood-drinker in an empty street at midnight was a soothing experience.  I thought that perhaps he had nothing productive to do and though it would not be a plausible reason to follow me, it was at least an explanation.

Weeks this had gone on for and still he showed no signs of disinterest.

A few times a week as I went about my walks around the town, I would simply hear the sound of his heart beating not far behind as he followed me. Months ago I would have simply ripped his little heart right out of his chest for his meddling, but now; ever since he had forced me to learn his name, I could not harbor a violent thought against him. Perhaps he was a sorcerer, for only a wielder of enchantments could have bewitched me so. Only a dabbler in the unknown could turn me from my own nature. Or perhaps I was simply a fool and he was just a stupid human child who knew no better.

I much preferred the sorcerer explanation.

“Can’t you walk at a normal pace?” the human child called out, breaking the silence for the first time since nightfall.

“Why would I do such a thing?” I questioned without a solitary glance back. I did not know why I indulged in any conversation with him; it was neither healthy, nor sensible.

“It’s hard to keep up with you when you’re going so fast.”

“I will not be blamed for the shortness of your legs.”

I heard him release a sigh. “Are you actually going somewhere tonight or are we just going to walk around for no reason like you always do?” he had the audacity to ask.

I paused in the alleyway and turned to face him. “When I invite you to traverse the streets with me, then you may criticize what I do and where I go, but as it stands you are my stalker. I am an unwilling participant in whatever attachment you seem to have with me and as a result any criticism you may have is unwelcome.”

To my surprise he chuckled. “Gimmie a break Rien. Unwilling? Really? If you didn’t want me here I wouldn’t be.” He began with obvious delight, holding up his fingers as he prepared to count them. “You can run faster than I can, which means you could just ditch me. You’re stronger than I am, which means you could just break me in half, and you take the same route every single night; if you took another one I wouldn’t be able to find you, so you might as well admit that you like my company.”

I shook my head and turned to go. “Perhaps I simply like the route.”

For a while he said nothing as I continued down the path but of course the silence would not last with him.

“Seriously though Rien, what—”

“My name is Riener, speak it well or do not speak it at all.”

“I’ll stop calling you Rien when you stop calling me humanchild .”

I took a quiet breath. He was persistent…this stupid human.

I turned left when I reached the end of the alley and continued on my way down the empty street.

“But seriously though, what’s the point of this? You never actually go anywhere, you just walk.”

I heard the rustling of clothes and I could imagine him stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans as he was prone to do.

“Do you believe I walk around aimlessly?”

There was silence for a moment and I wondered if the pause could be taken as hesitation or if he was simply considering my question.

“No I think everyone has a purpose.” He said finally. “You do this for a reason, I’m just trying to figure out what that reason is.”

I smiled despite myself. Oh this beautiful, foolish boy.

“And what is your purpose human child?”

He sighed. “I wish you’d just call me Tony.”

Yes I could see it was something he desired; almost desperately it seemed, but I could not give him the satisfaction. If I indulged him further he would never grow tired of me and soon I would be leaving this town. I did not need to also leave behind someone who might actually miss me in my absence.

When he realized I would not be replying to his question, he cleared his throat and for whatever reason I found myself slowing in my steps to allow him to walk beside me.

“Maybe my purpose was to meet a vampire.”

I glanced at him when he finally reached my side and his eyes met mine. “I doubt that is your purpose.”

“Why can’t it be?”

“Because it’s not a very good one.”

“Who says a person’s purpose has to be good?”

“Hmm.” I took a while to survey him as he watched me. “You are not like the other humans are you?”

He shrugged. “I’m special.”

With not an ounce of modesty. Of course.

                                                  AUTHOR'S NOTES

JUST SOMETHING TO OCCUPY YOUR MINDS UNTIL I FINISH THE NEXT CHAPTER.

THANKS FOR READING .

LOVE YA!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 42: A little bit of your attention

Chapter 42

He had his arms wrapped around me as I sat before him on the hard, concrete floor of the roof. I couldn’t tally the amount of time I’d spent in high up places like this ever since I’d met him; but there had been many and this…this was my favorite by far. Being with him like this; wrapped up and safe in his arms; something I had thought I would never experience again.

I leaned into him, my back resting against his chest and his arms tightened. I felt weak, raw and tired as I sat there, but I didn’t want to be anywhere else.

It was crazy to think that not too long ago I’d told myself it was over between us; that whatever messed up relationship we’d had didn’t matter. Yet here I was; my mind completely changed by something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I only knew that I felt something with him; something that meant more to me than his five year’s absence.

It was crazy how someone could change in no time at all.

I took a deep breath and winced at the sharp pain I felt in my shoulder.

“I should take you back to the medical center.”

I shook my head. “I couldn’t get up now even if I tried.”

He shifted slightly and I felt his lips graze the side of my head. “I can carry you of course. You need rest, you are unwell.”

I snorted. “I know you. The second I close my eyes you’ll have me shipped off to God knows where.”

“I only have your best interest in mind.”

“Maybe you need to stop focusing on trying to protect me and try to figure out a way out of this shit.” I told him. “If your brother’s coming like you said then you need all the help you can get.”

He chuckled; the sound vibrating along my spine and sending tingles down to my toes. “You are unable to stand without aid Tony, how can you be of any help to me?”

I shook my head, looking out over at the wolf camp below. It was different here; the feel of it. Not cold and unfeeling like Rien’s coven, but familial almost; the constant howling of the wolves; as terrifying as it sounded was strangely comforting; reassuring. It was a reminder that you weren’t alone. I could see why the wolves lived in packs. Everyone you loved in close proximity.

“You’re still thinking of me as this scrawny, useless little brat following you around everywhere like some lost little puppy.” I said. “but I’ve had five years to change. I’m not the boy you knew back then Rien.”

He was silent for a long time. The only movement being the slow rise and fall of his chest, then I felt the brush of his hand down my arm and up again, slowly as if he were trying to memorize the feel of my skin.

“You were never useless…only fragile and you still are.”

“Th—”

“It is not an insult Tony.” He interrupted. “I am only stating the facts. You are human and to us— the blood-drinkers and the wolves— you are easily broken.”

“You said Noah is a hunter…he’s human so why is he unbreakable?”

“Noah has been trained to hunt our kind since he was young enough to lift an arrow. He is breakable but he will not be broken.”

I shook my head and when I shifted to move away from him, his arms tightened around me and he pulled me back.

“You only hear insult in my words but you know that is not my intention. I know you are strong; in body and in mind—generally—but at this very moment you are unwell and—”

“Bullshit.” This time when I pushed at his arms he released me and I leaned forward with my elbows on my knees. “If I hadn’t been shot you’d have found some other excuse why I couldn’t help you. It has nothing to do with me being human and you know it. You’re just biased. You don’t want me out there because I’m—”

“Mine, and I need you to be safe.” He finished and after a moment I released a breath.

The stars were particularly bright tonight. They looked different here than they had in the city. Just like the air was fresher and something told me that in the day the sky would be bluer and the trees greener here than anywhere else I’d been.

I knew it wasn’t though. What I was seeing was perspective; my eyes were after all, finally open.

“Funny how it took me almost dying for all the secrets to come spilling out isn’t it?”

“I do not see the humor in it, no.”

“How did Noah’s dad really die? I know the bullshit story he told me; but I want the truth.”

“He was killed on the hunt. He engaged more blood-drinkers than he could sensibly handle and they ripped him apart.”

I nodded slowly. What did it mean when news like this didn’t surprise me? These were the times we were living in and the world didn’t even know it.

“So it’s a family thing then? How does somebody just become a hunter?”

“Perhaps that is a question you should ask Noah when next you meet him.”

“Or you could just tell me yourself.”

“I think he would like to have the opportunity to explain it to you Tony. It is his tale to tell.”

I shook my head. “You’ve got all these secrets you’re keeping from me but they’re just never yours to tell huh?” I questioned bitterly and his response was silence.

“If Noah hunts bloodsuckers then why hasn’t he killed you yet? Why all the buddy buddy with you two?”

“He tried.”

“And lemme guess, you beat him; so why is he still alive?”

“We fought but neither of us was victorious. We were at an impasse you see. For none of us could live with the thought of hurting you.”

“Me?”

“I knew that his death would only bring you pain and he knew that my death would do the same; an impasse.” He explained. “And as time passed we became passing acquaintances and finally friends.”

The hand I ran over my face was shaking. I wouldn’t be able to do this for much longer; I needed to rest.

I don’t know why, but I changed the subject. “I understand why what I went through was so painful, but it’s gone now. It’s out of my system so why isn’t your blood healing me?”

“I do not know.”

“Does this mean your blood will never be able to heal me again?”

Brief hesitation, then; “I do not know.”

I sighed before shuffling around slowly to face him. My eyes locked on his and for a while we only stared. “Then tell me something you do know.” I began. “Is there anything else you’re keeping from me? Anything at all?”

When he looked away I knew the answer.

“Tell me.”

He reached for my hand and I pulled away. “Tony—” he began in that evasive tone I knew so well.

“You’re the one who’s been fighting so hard for this relationship to work Rien. You keep spitting out promises and apologies and trying to impress me and show me what we used to be and what we could be.” I said. “Well you won. It worked; I know what we had and I know what we can have… but I need the truth. I’m sick of all these fucking secrets. Just tell me the truth. Please .”

As the minutes dragged on, I thought he would say anything but just as I was ready to give up and turn away, he spoke softly. “You will not be pleased with me when I tell you.”

“All the better reason to tell me now.”

He turned his eyes away from mine and his gaze travelled to my hands, then to my bare feet.

“I—”

“Ah the lovebirds.” A voice interrupted and I looked around. When my gaze settled on the visitor I frowned. “I see you still have not trained him Riener. He still glares at me like a barbarian.”

“Tony.” Rien began and I looked at him. “You remember Mathis.”

“Blondie.” I greeted grudgingly.

“Human.” was his reply.

Funny how I’d completely forgotten about this asshole.

Blondie shook his head. “I have said it before and I will say it again Riener.” He began. “Mates must know their place. It is already unfortunate that the boy is human. You have only made it worse by failing to teach him with a stern hand.”

Rien stood and I would have too if just the thought of moving didn’t make me feel like I wanted to throw up.

“I am aware of your opinion on all matters relating to my personal life Mathis but I am pleased with the way he is.”

Blondie frowned but said nothing more.

“I invited Mathis here with me to see to your needs Tony. He has proven that he is quite capable in the art of healing and when I invited him to come along with me from the coven I had believed you were about to draw your last breath.”

“I looked from Rien to Blondie and shifted slowly to lean my back against the wall for support.

“He is still quite ill I see. May I?” Blondie asked, gesturing to me. Rien nodded.

I watched warily as the bloodsucker approached, my eyes narrowing when he crouched before me. “I’m not interested in your—”

“Quiet human.” He barked and not a second later, he had my head gripped in his hands. He turned it this way and that, then titled it so he could inspect my neck. His hands trailed down my neck as though he were feeling for something and when they moved lower and he began unbuttoning my shirt, I lifted a weak hand to stop him, only to have him bat it away without pause.

“Rien.” I gritted and he moved to crouch beside me.

“This is necessary Tony. He is trying to understand what ails you.”

“I’m fine.”

When he pulled the shirt off, I shivered against the night air and gritted my teeth as Blondie’s hands trailed over my flesh none too gently. He was thorough and clinical and cold. He touched everywhere; still feeling for something and when he reached my wound, he pulled off the gauze and pressed down on it too.

It was like being shot all over again. I cried out, trying weakly to shove him away from me but he still kept pressing and I felt nauseated as the pain grew.

I felt Rien’s hand grip mine and I squeezed it and panted. It only took a few seconds but it felt longer and by the time he eased up, my fingers were numb and I had to blink away the tears which had formed.

Blondie looked at Rien. “His wound is healing, but the poison has not quite left his system.” He pointed to the wound. “Notice that his blood vessels have risen to the surface around the wound itself.”

Rien nodded. “What does this mean?”

Blondie pulled me away from the wall and leaned over to examine my back. A moment later he released me.

“It means he will take much longer to heal. It is only at the impalement site that any poisoning remains…or so it would see. There is some hardening under the wound. From what I can tell, the flesh there is dead. It is in fact strange that what is left of the poison remains in only one position, but it is not unfamiliar to me.” He said. “I have seen this once before and if he rests and allows his body to heal; he should be fine. It is only a shame that he was scar badly.” By the time Blondie stood, I felt more drained than I was before he came.

“He does not bleed. Do not replace the gauze. Allow his flesh to breathe.” Blondie instructed.

I allowed Rien to pull my shirt back on. Too out of it to offer any help. My chest was throbbing slightly and the wound ached.

“Thank you Mathis. I am grateful for your aid.”

Blondie nodded. “Now I must return to the coven. I have other matters to attend to.”

“Of course.” Rien placed a hand on his shoulder. “Before you depart, I do have one question; do you think my blood will be able to heal him once the poison fades from his body?”

Blondie looked at me briefly. “That I cannot say; it is only once that I have seen this condition and it is a mystery to me.”

Rien nodded. “Thank you.” And with a nod in return, Blondie was gone.

“I apologize. That was necessary.” He turned to me and said. “I believe it is time for you to rest. I shall take you back to the medical center.” He turned and helped me to my feet and I gripped his arm before we could take a step.

“We’re not going anywhere until you tell me what you’re keeping from me.”

He shook his head. “This is not the time. Did you not hear what Mathis had to say? You need to rest so that you may become well again.”

“I won’t rest until you tell me what I need to know.” I said firmly and I thought that he must have seen something in my eyes, because he lowered me back to the ground and stepped away without further argument..

“You must understand Tony.” He began softly. “I am a selfish creature. I only wished to remove all distractions so that I could win your favor once more. What I did was not with ill intent.”

I felt a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

“What did you do?” I whispered with a sense of dread.

“You will not be pleased with me.” He continued. “But whatever I have done… whatever I have lead you to believe—”

“What did you do Rien?” I questioned firmly and this time he met my eyes. I could see the uncertainty in them, but I could also see the cold determination.

“My actions were necessary.”

“Tell me.” I demanded quietly and when he did, I felt the breath whoosh out of my body.

                                                           AUTHOR’S NOTES

HAD TO RE-UPLOAD THIS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO COULDN’T SEE IT.

ENJOY.

Sneak Peek for chapter 43

Sneak Peek

My knees would have buckled if I didn’t have the wall to keep me upright.

My mind was processing his words but it wasn’t processing his words. And when I looked at him, I wasn’t looking at him. Instead I was wrapped up in my mind and in his words, trying to make sense of what he’d said and trying to understand how his words could possibly be true.

I took a breath, but I felt as though it didn’t quiet reach my lungs, so I sucked in more and more until I realized I was hyperventilating and even then, it wasn’t until Rien’s hands came to cup either side of my face that I could get myself under some semblance of control.

The only thoughts running through my mind; over and over again like a never-ending storm was that I couldn’t deal with anything else. I couldn’t take any more hurt. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t take anymore. Just one more whiff of bad news and I knew I would break. I would break and that would be the end of me because I wouldn’t be able to glue myself back together.

So  I watched Rien’s worried face as he held mine and peered into my eyes and I found myself wondering how he could do this to me. Why would he do this to me? How could he be so cruel?

“Why are you lying to me?” I whispered brokenly and when he only looked at me in confusion, I placed my hands on his chest and shoved him away from me.

“I am not lying to you love.” He said simply, but he looked so serious; so honest and I shook my head slowly; not to clear it, but because I didn’t know what else to do.

“You’re saying they’re—” I couldn’t get the rest of the words out. I couldn’t say them because it would hurt too much when…. I shook my head. “Why are you lying to me?’ I asked him again; this time feeling an anguish I’d only felt twice in my lifetime; The first time was when Rien had left me and the second was when I’d learned that my entire unit had died in the bombing.

Now here he stood telling me that they were alive. Here is stood lying to my face; trying to hurt me—as though I hadn’t been hurt enough throughout my life.

Again I asked myself how he could be so cruel.

“I only speak the truth Tony.” He continued and I half turned away from him; barely able to stand the sight of him in that moment. “Your team is alive. It was only your driver who perished.”

“This is your way of trying to get me to leave isn’t it?” I said softly. “You want me away from here so bad that you’re trying to hurt me.”

“No love,” when he stepped closer to me, I held up an unsteady hand in an attempt to ward him off.

“If you want me gone that bad, then I will.” I told him, looking his way. “But don’t you fucking taunt me with them.” I cursed. “Don’t you fucking dangle them in front of me when you know they aren’t coming back!” My voice shook at the end and gritted my teeth to keep all my unwanted emotions at bay.

“I gave you my blood as soon as I found you. Then when I knew you would be okay, I pulled each of them from the wreckage and allowed them to drink from me.” Rien was saying with conviction. “I saved their lives because at the time I had known that they had come to mean so much to you.” His eyes met and held mine. “They do not know that I am the reason they now breathe, but I used my influence to have them each discharged from your army. They now live their lives as civilians; even if they are unaware why or how that came to be.

I watched his face through it all and not once did he falter ; not once did his eyes leave mine.

He was serious. He was serious .

I stared at him in shock and then I stared some more and when the words really and truly sank in, I felt a wave of emotion hit me and once again the air whooshed out of my body.

He was telling the truth.

My men: my beautiful, precious, perfect men. My brothers; my family.

They were alive!

They were alive. As I rode on the wave of relief and disbelief, I felt as though I could just fall to the ground; and I did. Without taking any real notice, my knees buckled and I fell. I heard the thud of my knees on the ground, but I didn’t really feel their impact. I just knew I was there and my men were alive and my men were alive and my men were alive.

I knew that Rien was crouched beside me; speaking words that I couldn’t even process. I felt him touch my cheek in the same moment that another wave of euphoria rocked through my body. I felt like I could just sit there and weep, but my relief was so profound that I couldn’t even manage that.

“You saved them.” I whispered when Rien’s concerned face came into focus.

“I did.”

It was then that it occurred to me. “And you let me mourn them.”

He nodded hesitantly. “You must understand Tony.” He began, then paused briefly. “It was necessary.”

I felt very tired then – like a lifetime of exhaustion had fallen onto my shoulders and I slumped. The fatigue from my injuries and whatever emotional ordeal I’d gone through because of it, had finally caught up with me. I realized that I couldn’t sit through another selfish, misguided explanation of his. I needed to just close my eyes for a while.

“Rien, I’m tired.” I said, interrupting whatever he was about to say.

He watched me first with concern, then finally; understanding.

“Of course my love.” Not a moment later, he scooped me off the ground and lifted me to him like I weighed nothing.

At another time my pride would have launched me out of his arms, but this time everything was turning to fog around me and Rien’s face dimmed and dimmed until I saw only back. Then I saw nothing at all as I drifted off to sleep.

                                                                         AUTHOR’S NOTES

IT’S TAKING ME A BIT LONGER THAN I ANTICIPATED TO COMPLETE CHAPTER 43 SO I THOUGHT I’D GIVE YOU A LITTLE PEEK AT IN WHILE YOU WAIT JUST A BIT LONGER.

THANK YOU

#LOVEWINS

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 43: The blue room and the brothers.

Chapter 43

I woke to the find myself warm and wrapped up in an unfamiliar bed, in an unfamiliar room. The walls were blue like the sky and the windows were curtain-less. The only furniture in the place other than the bed, was a rickety, old rocking chair in the far corner by the door and of course the chair that had been pushed up to the side of the bed—the same chair in which Rein sat. He watched me without a word, his expression was—as usual— unreadable.

I sat up in the unusually large bed and ran a hand over my face to clear the initial fogginess.

“You do a lot of stupid shit, you know that?” I questioned him and when he opened his mouth to speak, I shook my head. “And don’t tell me about my language, I’m not in the mood.”

“I expected you to see it no other way of course, but whatever I do, it has always been for your own good.”

“How is letting me mourn my family for my own good?” I asked incredulously.

“The fact that you now call them your family was reason enough.”

I looked at him, feeling nothing but confusion…and of course annoyance. “What does that even mean?”

“It means that over the years you had allowed yourself to care for these people, but it was time for you to join me and I knew that leaving them would have been a struggle for you. Allowing you to believe they had died seemed the easier route. It was necessary.”

“No. You mean if I knew they were alive it would have been harder for you to keep me with you.” I surmised and he nodded without hesitation.

“I knew of your anger toward me and I was aware of the sense of loyalty you had toward these men. Therefore I knew that you would choose your duty to remain by their sides over what we had in the past.” He explained. “When your anger rises to the surface you are not easily tamed. Therefore keeping this hidden from you made you more pliant”

When he was done, I could only look at him. “You selfish bastard.”

“I never professed to be anything else Tony, however a bastard I am not.”

“I swallowed, then took a deep breath. “You said they’ve been discharged from the army…are you saying that you got me out too? That I’ve been free this whole time and you’ve let me worry that I was AWOL?”

“Yes.”

I shook my head slowly; eyes never leaving his face. I didn’t know why the things he did surprised me anymore. This was Rien . He was a stubborn, selfish bastard who did what he wanted, when he wanted and thought about the consequences later—no…he thought about the consequences in advance, but did shit anyway, just because.

I thought about the weeks I’d gone thinking my brothers were gone forever and how it had eaten me up inside. I thought of how every second without them had hurt like nothing else and how Rien had let me go on hurting just so I could stay with him.

“You always talk about how everything you do is to keep me safe and how you don’t want to hurt me.” I began. “But you knew how I was feeling this whole time and you let it happen anyway,”

“Yes,” he said simply, with no explanation.

“Then I guess all this talk about my protection was just talk huh?”

For the first time, a flicker of emotion crossed his face. “You know that is not the case.”

For a while I said nothing. “So where are they now?”

“I suppose they have reunited with their families. I did not care to watch over their lives.”

“And what do they think happened to me?”

“Perhaps they believe you to be dead, or perhaps they think you have gone to live your life. I would not know.”

I groaned, “Rien—”

Of course there just had to be an interruption right then. I gritted my teeth and turned away from him when the intruder pushed the door open without knocking and entered the room with a smug smile on his perfect little bloodsucking face.

“Ah…the human lives.” Rien’s brother, Jorlon said when he saw me. He offered me the creepiest bloodsucking smile when I only glared at him, then he turned his attention to Rien who was watching him with an expression equal to boredom.

“When I saw that his bed in the medical center was empty I cocluded that he must have died.” The bloodsucker continued with a smile. “I had decided in that moment that I would come here to console you. I did not wish to see your tears again. Not wh—”

“Enough Jorlon.” Rien interrupted him with a growl.

To my surprise, his brother’s smile fell and I thought that maybe Rien had somehow hurt his little bloodsucking feelings…but when his smile grew back just a quickly, I decided that his feelings, if they even existed, were perfectly intact.

“It is good that you have taken him to your private chambers. I read recently that humans need extra care and attention. Keeping him with you will certainly provide that. Very wise Rien.”

My eyes narrowed of their own accord. Was this the same brother who I’d thought was just as evil and emotionless as the rest? He reminded me of Snowflake; clueless and annoyingly innocent.

As I watched him inch closer and closer to Rien as he spoke, I thought that despite this side of his personality, that I hadn’t known existed, he was not a man to be underestimated. I’d seen snowflake in the ring, ripping hearts out of chests and breaking necks; this fool conversing with Rien was a masterclass vamp; which meant he could also be ruthless.

“Father is right of course, you cannot keep him once you have been made leader.” He continued. By now he was beside Rien’s chair, looking at me with mild curiosity. “Perhaps as a pet though. I do not think our people would mind that.”

“I’m sure.” The boredom in Rien’s voice was unmistakable.

Wait a minute.

“What do you mean leader ?”

If it were even possible, Jorlon’s smile widened. “Father has declared him his heir. He has decided to step down and Riener will take his rightful place.” He sounded like a proud, smug brother, but he was grating on my nerves.

When I looked at Rien, he was watching me with what I could only describe as expectation.

“You’re gonna lead the coven?”

“No. I have already decided against it.”

When Jorlon sat at on the bed by my legs, I frowned.

“It has never been your decision Riener. Father wants—”

“When have I ever given a thought to father’s desires?”

“If not you, then who will lead? Surely not Kandane who means to kill us all.”

“No…not Kandane.” He agreed. “Why not you?”

He froze, his mouth opening and closing without so much as I sound.

I sighed and turned to Rien, who gave me an indulgent smile. The smile annoyed me.

“Surely you jest Riener.“Jorlon finally spoke. “I am no leader…nor do I wish to be. I have neither the experience, nor the fortitude. It must be you.”

“Then perhaps Marcan or Peitre will wish to take on the duty.”

“It matters not what they want. Father will not relinquish control to anyone but you and I believe it would be best for the coven if he does in fact pass the duty to someone more suited for it…someone…kinder perhaps.

Rien raised a brow, the amusement clear on his face. “Kinder?”

To my surprise, Jorlon’s face flooded with red. “Of course I mean someone who has a deep love for our people. Father may be a competent ruler, but he cares nothing for those he rules over.”

“You mean someone who has a deep love for you .”

Jorlon stood and paced from one end of the room to the other. “Father refuses to accept suggestions and strategies from anyone but you. You may not believe it, but I too have ideas I wish to impart, and with you in power, I know that I would be free to impart them upon you and you would give them fair consideration.”

“Ah.” Rien said with an uncharacteristic grin. “So all this talk of my leadership is in hopes that it will benefit you.”

Jorlon finally paused in his pacing and turned to us with his head held high. “Of course.”

I shook my head while Rien only laughed. It surprised me to know that it was Rien who was the younger brother here.

“I shall take that under advisement.” Rien said simply, and even though I could tell he wasn’t serious, Jorlon seemed to be appeased.

“This is good.”

“Tell me of the steps you have taken to learn the whereabouts of Kandane.”

Jorlon frowned. “It matters not what steps we have taken. We have searched and he simply cannot be found. Kandane has always been a good strategist. When he wishes to be seen, we will see him.”

“Yes, but he has also always been too quick to a temper. He will strike without delay. Perhaps even in a matter of hours.” Rien continued. “I trust the wolves have readied themselves?”

“Yes. They only await the arrival of their allies.“Jorlon said. “You will also be pleased to know that your hunters have arrived… as has your white-haired nobleman.”

“Christophe’s here?” I questioned and Jorlon looked over at me with interest.

“I do not know his name.”

“Very well…leave us now.” Rien waved him away and once again, I saw the strange flash of hurt across Jorlon’s face; as though he were trying desperately to connect with a brother who wanted nothing to do with him. If I didn’t have more important things on my mind, I would have probably felt sorry for him.

I watched as he crossed the room stiffly and closed the door softly behind him. When I turned my attention back to Rien, he was of course, watching me.

“Why don’t you want to lead?”

“Because you are not happy in my coven, living amongst my people and I do not wish to upset you anymore than I have.”

“So you want to lead.” I concluded.

“I wish to see a better life for my people. I do not wish to lead. I believe they can have that life if my brothers take on the challenge.”

“I’m not asking you to abandon your coven for me.”

“My leaving them will not be abandonment. I would make my presence known from time to time.”

I thought about it. “Thanks for saving my friends’ lives.”

He nodded. “Of course.”

“It still doesn’t change the fact that you’re a selfish dick.”

When he smiled, so did I “Of course not.”

……………………………………………………………………..

Five years Prior

Rien

“Holy fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck!”

“Even when in pain, your tongue remains filthy. Let me see.”

I stepped over the hammer he had dropped to the ground and tried to take his hand from where he held it close to his body.

“Stop!” he shouted, moving away from me quickly as he continued to clutch his injured thumb to his belly.

I watched him with mild impatience. “This is not the time to be stubborn Tony.” I took a step toward him and he backed away.

“Leave me alone, it hurts!” he whined, blinking the moisture from his eyes.

“You are clumsy. I do not understand why you would every think to pick up a hammer.”

He looked at me as though he would not have minded using the hammer on me instead.

“I was trying to fix that damn nail.”

I looked at the nail protruding from the wall and frowned.

“Why?”

“Because every time I come over it’s just there and it was annoying me.”

I shook my head. “My stupid little human.” I said and he glared at me.

I reached over and pulled the offending nail from the wall, only to have his eyes narrow further.

“Why do you always do that?”

“Perhaps you should be more precise.”

He finally pulled his hand away from his body and looked at his swollen thumb. A moment later he looked at me. “This!” he gestured to the wall. “You always think I can’t do shit for myself. I’m not fucking useless Rien!”

I took a slow, calming breath. He would surely be the death of me. So I shoved the nail back into the wall, half in, half out, just as it had been before, then I picked up the hammer and held it out to him.

When he only looked at it, I held it closer. “Go ahead, hammer it into place if you so desire.”

Instead, he cursed under his breath and turned away. I watched him cross the room and enter the bathroom, where he slammed the door.

I deposited the hammer onto the table and sat on the bed to await his return. I could hear him cursing me under his breath as he no doubt soothed his swollen thumb under the running water.

He complained when I chose not to give him aid and he complained when I did. He was a challenge. I wondered if perhaps I should prepare him an icepack for his injury, then I wondered if perhaps that would upset him further.

In the end I gathered the icepack anyway and when he finally emerged from the bathroom, I handed it to him. He took it with a grumble and moved past me to climb into the bed, covering his legs with the covers as he sat nursing his thumb.

Of course I followed, and sat beside him. For a long time we sat in utter silence, until he broke it with a question.

“How’d the meeting with your brothers go?”

“No different than I had expected. They offered their opinion, I offered mine, afterwhich time they left.

“What was the meeting about anyway?”

“Things that do not concern you.”

He sighed, looking up at me with a frown.

“You hardly ever talk about your family. How do you expect me to completely understand you if I don’t know anything about your family?”

“They are hardly an interesting lot.”

“Who cares, just give me something to work with. The only thing I know is that you have four brothers, your mother’s dead and your dad’s a dick…tell me more.”

“Very well, what would you like to know?”

He seemed to consider my question for a moment. “Tell me about your brothers.”

“Very well. Kandane is the eldest. We are not very close…he tends to prefer my father’s company. He thinks very highly of himself and he makes it his duty to try to control my actions. He has a temper when he does not get his way and he is quite cunning; he is not one you would wish to make your enemy.”

“He sounds like a douche. What about the other one? Marcan?”

“He is next in line; the second son. He…he used to be the most loving person I knew. You could never catch him without a smile on his face or laughter in his throat. He was also the happiest person I knew. When I was a fledgling, he took great pleasure he teasing me, but he also took pleasure in caring for me. He was my protector.” I told him.

“Was?”

I nodded. “He changed when our mother…met her end. These days he is quite bitter. I prefer to stay away from him.”

“He was your favorite, wasn’t he?”

“Why would you think I have a favorite among my brothers? I love them equally.”

Tony grinned. “Yeah, but you preferred his company.”

I saw no reason to lie. “Yes. I did.”

“Tell me about the others”

“Peitre is the third son. We have never truly been close, but that is simply because he prefers his own company much of the time. He is what you would call a loner. He has always been more caught up in his own mind than he is with reality.” I explained. “The rest of us have never really known what to make of him.” I paused. “I know that he likes simple things, just as I know he has an appreciation for fine art. It is the only thing we have in common and the only thing we have ever bonded over. You see, he is not gifted in matters of artistry, so he likes to watch me when I paint.”

When next I looked at Tony, he was smiling. “They sound pretty great.”

“Yes well, I suppose they are…in their own way.” I said thoughtfully. “Then of course there is the forth son Jorlon. Like many groups of siblings, there is always that one who can only be termed annoying.” I said with a chuckle.

“Annoying how?”

“Never allowing us our privacy, always choosing to strike up conversation when we are busy. Never respecting personal space and constantly shoving his new discoveries down our throats.” I thought of him fondly. “You see, he likes to read and he likes to learn, so whenever he learns, he thinks it necessary to teach it to us; no matter how uninterested we are in the subject matter.”

“He sounds pretty great to me”

“Yes well…when you have spent a lifetime with him, you will find that at times he gets to be too much. He tends to be quite needy. The way our mother doted on him did not help matters.”

Tony shrugged, lifting the icepack so he could inspect his thumb. “Well at least you’ve got four people to look out for you. That’s still four more than a lot of people have.” He said seriously and I got the distinct impression that he was referring to himself.

                                                         AUTHOR’S NOTES

ENJOY!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 44: The Universe Has Won.

Chapter 44

“I’d think you’d want to go defend your coven now that you know your father’s not a complete asshole.”

He nodded. “Had I a choice I would be in my own territory, watching over my own people, but forcing you to travel so great a distance in your condition would not be wise and I refuse to leave you here while my brother has set his eyes on you with ill intentions.” Rien explained.

“Why not just give him the coven if he wants it? You said it yourself; you’re not interested.”

Rien shook his head. “Kandane would drive my home into the ground. It is true what father says: he is no leader.”

I watched him for a while and in turn, he watched me. “So what happens now?”

“Now we wait for his attack. We are prepared, The wolves are now standing guard, the hunters have already readied their weapons, the blood-drinkers who accompanied me here are in position and as we speak, another wolf pack; friends of this camp’s Alpha, enter these gates.”

I shifted on the bed, trying to dislodge the discomfort I felt in my shoulder. “Shouldn’t you be out there with them?”

“I will be.” He said. “But for now I wish to sit in your presence.”

I shivered when the sound of howls rent the air, so loud and so real that I felt the goosebumps rise on my skin. “What going on down there?”

Rien cocked his head to the side and smiled. “The Alpha is quite the orator. He has completed his speech and it has motivated his pack.”

“Shouldn’t you be doing the same with your own group of bloodsuckers?” I asked with a grin and he nodded.

“Perhaps.”

I shook my head. “What do you think your chances are?”

“Why must we speak of war? Let us speak of other things.”

I frowned. “Maybe because any minute now your crazy big brother might drop a bomb on us.”

Rien seemed to consider this. “He will not use weapons. He has always preferred brute force over any manmade aids.”

“Stop avoiding my question.”

“Then stop asking it.” He countered and this time when my frown deepened, he stood and came to sit beside me in bed, boots, fighting robes and all.

“That bad huh?”

“I have no way of knowing the outcome of the upcoming battle.”

“No, but you must have some idea. You know your brother and you know the resources we have available to us, so let’s just cut the bullshit…please.”

For a long time he said nothing, then; “Kandane is cunning.”

“So are you.”

“Well then I suppose we shall have to wait and see who arises the victor.”

I shifted slightly so I could watch his expression.

“You’re usually more confident than this.”

Once again he smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Many things have occurred lately which have made me rethink my future and my own mortality. You could say I am more careful now.”

“Like what?”

“Such as watching you lay on your deathbed while I could do nothing but stand and watch.” He said. “It has taken its toll.”

“Your brother said you cried.”

“I was grief-stricken” Was all he said and I didn’t push it.

“I heard a lot you know.” I told him. “There were times when the pain became bearable and I could hear your conversations; like the things you said to Malik…the things he said to you.”

He took my hand in his and squeezed gently. “You need not trouble yourself with things that were said in your absence. You are now well and they do not matter.”

“But they do…don’t you get it?” I pulled away. “Nothing you’ve said in these since you took me from the army had as much effect on me as what I heard when I was asleep .”

He frowned.

“I guess it’s just that I’ve never heard you sound so passionate about anything before. It made me realize just how much you care.”

“Is that all it took? Words spoken in the heat of a passionate quarrel? Had I known, you would have been in my arms since the day I plucked you from that battlefield.” He teased, a small smile playing about his lips.

I shook my head, then leaned back against the bed head with a satisfied smile.

“Am I crazy to hope that this will actually work out the second time around?”

“Perhaps.” He said and I nudged him “But I would not dwell on it too much.”

I chuckled. “Is that really your way of convincing me that we’re doing the right thing here?”

When he looked at me he was serious. “I cannot say what is in our future, perhaps this will in fact end in disaster.” He explained. “But it will not be because I did not do everything in my power to sustain us. Each day I will strive to make you happy and each night I shall watch over you and keep you safe, because my love for you will not allow me to do otherwise.”

I reached up with my good arm and ran a finger down the side of his face. His serious expression all but melted and he was left staring at me like a man who had just won a prize.

“Maybe we could start off this new chapter in our lives with a bang then.” I grinned and he nodded slowly in contemplation.

“What do you have in mind?”

“I grinned up at him as I ran a finger along his arm. “Like I said… a bang .”

As soon as the words left my mouth he frowned and his gentle eyes grew serious. “Do not be ridiculous Tony.” He said pulling away and this time it was my turn to frown.

“How is that ridiculous? Since when do you turn down a chance to fuc—”

“You are unwell. Now is not the time.”

I cursed “Don’t start with this bullshit. I’m here, I’m ready and I’m perfectly capable of—”

“Perhaps when you are feeling well once more.”

“I’m feeling fine.” I told him, but this time he only smiled before reaching out to give my cheek a gentle pat.

“Another time.” He said like I was some kind of misbehaving little kid and I slapped his hand away and pushed the covers off me in my attempt to get off the bed.

“Fine, you stay here and be a good little saint. Maybe I can go talk one of those wolf friends of yours into having a little fun.” I told him “Something tells me they would be happy to oblige.” I said, not meaning one word that came out of my mouth in my anger.

I’d always hated how he treated me like I was some pathetic, useless child. I felt his hand wrap around my arm just as my feet touched the ground; “You will do no such thing.”

“Then for once in your life, stop trying to protect me and give me what I want.” I said, tugging at my trapped arm, but his eyes only narrowed.

“Take your proposal to anyone within these walls and I will break his neck myself.” He said in all seriousness.

“Are you sure you’ve changed? Because all I see is that same violent, controlling bloodsucker you’ve always been.”

For a while we only sat glaring at each other; his fingers biting into my arm and my mouth set in a hard line. Neither of us budged or said a word. It was a battle of wills, but the moment he looked away, I knew I had won.

“Why must we constantly quarrel?” he asked; his tone lowered in defeat.

“As long as you keep treating me like I can’t make my own decisions, we’ll never stop.” I told him honestly and it was only then that he released me.

“Then go ahead and find a substitute.” He gestured to the door and I deflated.

“You know that’s not what I want.” I said softly and he reached up and cupped my face.

“I know.” He said as he leaned in and kissed me. It was a gentle touch of lips, but filled with sweetness and passion and I felt it with my entire body. When I pressed closer to him, needing the contact only his body could provide, he pulled away and left me wanting.

“When you are well.” He repeated and I sighed, falling back onto the pillows with a frown, then a wince.

“Would you like a pain reliever?” he asked with a frown and I shook my head.

“I’m fine.” I said, then; “What if this is our last night together? You could go out there and never come back.”

“If I am to perish in battle then it will come to be, but it will not be because I did not fight with my last drop of strength and cunning to arise the victor.” He said seriously, his sharp eyes blazing with passion.

“That still doesn’t answer my question though, does it?” I said. “I lost you for five years, now that we have the chance to start over…” I trailed off.

“If I die, then it will be knowing that I have the love of someone like you and I will be grateful.”

I shook my head. “If you die I’ll be miserable. What if we just took off?” I asked. “You and me, right now. We could run where they couldn’t find us and we’d be free to live the life we started so long ago.”

He brushed at the lock of hair that had fallen over my forehead. “You are no coward Tony. Neither am I.

“If wanting us to live long enough to really be happy makes me a coward then I’ll gladly take the title because I don’t care Rien.” I retorted.

He said nothing.

“Let’s just go. It won’t matter what running makes us. Let’s just be happy.” I said. “After all this time, we deserve that.”

“I will not run.” He said adamantly and I took his hand in mine.

“Rien.” I said, but he refused to budge.

“RiRi.” I tried again softly, and this time he looked at me. His eyes had gentled, but I could see that he’d already made his decision.

We wouldn’t be running, but if he was going to fight, then so would I.

I reached up, latched on to his hair and pulled him down onto me, where I wrapped my arms around him nice and tight, all the while regretting all the time I’d already wasted since he’d come back for me.

I was a damn fool.

………………………………………………..

Years prior

Rien

“What do you mean you killed your mother?” Tony asked, eyes wide with surprise. I looked away from him and out at the tops of the trees in the distance. In my arms, Tony was silent as he awaited my answer, but I could feel the anxiousness in his gaze as he watched me. For a moment I wondered if he would think ill of me once I had told him my tale and I reached up to run my fingers through his soft hair.

“I never professed to being a saint Tony.”

He frowned up at me “But what do you mean killed ? Like ripped her throat out killed? Or figuratively killed?”

I almost smiled. “Is there a way to kill in a figurative sense?” I asked him with ill-contained amusement and he shrugged in frustration.

“I don’t know, I’m just trying to understand what you’re saying.”

I thought of how crazy it was that the birds had been chirping away only moments before, yet as soon as the sordid tale of my ultimate betrayal made its way into the conversation, they had all but quieted their squalling. The universe was against me; I thought up the words of a human I had once come upon in my travels decades ago. At the time I had thought he had a disease of the mind; uttering whatever senselessness that fell upon his tongue, but as I thought of my own circumstance I wondered if perhaps he had been just in his reasoning.

The universe was against me indeed if it had gone as far as to put a muzzle on nature just so that my misdeeds could be heard.

“I adored my mother.” I told him and he nodded quickly; his wide, trusting eyes fixed upon my face. His expression told me I could do no wrong. “As did my brothers; Peitre, Jorlon and of course Marcan. We loved her, we worshipped her. She was our pillar; the paste that held us all together and kept us at our happiest. She would have liked you I think.” I told him and he grinned.

“I think I would have too” he confessed and it was my turn to offer him a small smile.

“I did not realize the great impact she had on our lives until I knelt by her mangled corpse with her blood on my hands.” I recounted. “It had not been until that moment that I was able to understand how true sorrow felt and how I was the soul who had brought it upon my brothers’ lives.”

“What happened?”

“My mother and father had been betrothed since birth.” I explained to him “When I was a fledgling I thought theirs had been a ceremony of love, but once I grew into myself, I came to learn that there was no love lost between them. You see, my mother was happy to bear his children for she loved young ones and he was happy to father a line of heirs, but that was the extent of their union.”

“Sounds kind of depressing.” Tony commented and I nodded. 

“It would seem that way to human beings such as yourself, but in our coven that is the norm. Many mates do not know the love we share.” I told him and his face grew red.

“As the years progressed, my father trained us to be warriors, while our mother showered all her love upon us. She would tell us stories of her youth, dance with us under the stars, shield us from our father’s wrath and comfort us when we were unhappy. She loved us, but as time passed and unknown to us, she met another; a noble lord from a coven not far from my own. They grew close and she fell in love.”

“Then what?” Tony questioned; his eagerness as clear as the day.

“Then my father learned of the news. He had his sources and from them, he came to know her comings and goings. He did not love her himself, but he could not stand the thought of another caring for her and he was filled with rage.”

“What did he do?”

“He ranted and he raved and he grew irritable.” I told him and Tony frowned.

“So he killed her.” He surmised.

“No. You see, as much as my mother doted on and sheltered us, there was one child she had borne who had never cared for her. He found that he could not love her as we did. Instead he loved our father. He shared our father’s beliefs and he looked up to him as only a young fledgling could look up to his hero.”

“You mean her first child? The one you told me about. What’s his name again?”

“Kandane.” I nodded. “Yes. He would have done anything for our father and like my father, he believed our mother was weak and he despised her for it.” I told him. “When he too learned of her indiscretions he grew angered, and fueled by our father’s rage, he lost control.”

“What do you mean he lost control?”

I tore my gaze from his and looked again across the tops of the trees. They were lush and green; ready to bear fruit.

“He tricked her.” I told my love. “One late night he lured her away, deep into the trees surrounding our coven with tales of a new beginning. He told her he wished for them to come to know each other as mother and son, and being the woman she was, she craved it. She would never turn down the opportunity to make amends with her child and so she went with him.”

“I think I have an idea where this is going.”

I nodded, though my mind was far away. “When I came upon them, it was to witness a heated argument. I stood, I watched and I listened and even as I watched my brother attack her, I did nothing.” I said. “I knew she would not fight back, for he was her child and she would never hurt her children and still I did nothing. I think I feared the repercussions of interrupting their quarrel. After all, I looked up to my brother and I did not wish him to hate me.”

“That’s understandable.” Tony sought to comfort me and I pulled him closer; wrapping my arms more securely around his small frame.

“At the time I had not expected him to truly hurt her, so when he ripped her very head from her body, I was horrified. I ran to her fallen carcass and I can remember how her blood has soaked my hands and my robes. That was how my brothers found me that night. Kandane of course had fled the scene, but I remember feeling numb and heartbroken as my brothers accused me of something I could not even conceive at the time.”

“So you didn’t kill her. It was your asshole of a brother, so why are you beating yourself up over it.?” Tony questioned in obvious confusion.

“Very soon the entire coven believed that it was I who had slaughtered her. Father thanked me for it. He called my alleged actions the ultimate act of loyalty. He praised me for murdering a woman I adored and Kandane despised me for receiving father’s attention. “

“That still doesn’t answer my question though Rien.”

“Don’t you see Tony?” I asked “What I did…standing there like a coward while my own mother was cut down like an animal made me no less guilty than he. I may well be called a murderer, for my actions make me nothing less. My inaction made me her killer; as much as Kandane’s actions did and I have accepted that.”

“But…But your brothers think you actually did it, don’t you want to let them know the truth?”

“What I say to them will make no difference. I am guilty, whether I delivered that fatal blow or not.”

He shook his head vehemently. “You’re not the one to blame RiRi. You’re innocent, you’re good and your brothers sh—”

“I was a coward then.” I interrupted him. “But no more…and never again.”

…………………………………………

Present

Tony

The moment Rien stiffened and jerked upright and out of my arms, I knew something was wrong. I watched him as he cocked his head to the side; his attention no longer in the room and a moment later the bedroom door burst open and Kaio bolted in with Malik not far behind.

“My Lord!” he called; his face a mirror of clear distress and I knew without asking what it meant.

Rien was out of bed in an instant and sitting up, I watched as he crossed the room, parted the curtain ever so lightly so he could look out into the yard, before he let it fall again and turned to look at me with regret-filled eyes.

“It’s time isn’t it?” I asked, knowing the answer even as I did, but it was his nod that sent the anxiousness roiling through my body.

I flinched when I heard a chorus of howls rent the air and felt an almost overpowering need to cover my ears to block out the sounds, because these howls were nothing like they had been earlier. These howls were vicious and bloodthirsty.

Rien crossed the room and took hold of my face just as I made to get out of bed and when he kissed me, I felt all the love and desperation on his lips, before he pulled away just as quickly.

He turned to Kaio before I could get a word in and I watched their silent exchange breathlessly.

“Rien.” I called out and he glanced my way again.

“The war has begun my love.” He said. “S’agapo.” And without another word he crossed the room and was out the door.

When I hopped from the bed, intent to go after him, Kaio stepped into my path and from the determined glint in his eyes I knew one thing; I wouldn’t be leaving this room.

                                                                AUTHOR’S NOTES

THANKS FOR READING!

ENJOY.

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 45: Zahir

Chapter 45

The war was upon us. I could smell it in the air as much as I could hear the beginnings of something terrible. Lives would be lost this night. Blood would be spilled and many would mourn. This night would be one of devastation.

I walked along the empty corridor which led to the camp courtyard, and it was the pounding heart of my beloved that settled my mind and renewed my purpose. My brother would not destroy what I had worked diligently to build. There was already a time when I had stood and watched him strike down my heart, but since that night, I had made a vow to the stars that I would discard whatever weakness was left in me and stand tall in the face of adversity.

My brother would not destroy what I had worked diligently to build . I could hear the growling of the wolves in the distance. However, there was no ripping of the flesh or sounds of a busy battlefield, and I found it odd. I tipped my face to the sky and sniffed the air; there was a tension in the atmosphere, but nothing more, and when I turned the corner and entered the courtyard, I understood why.

The war, while certainly on its way, had not yet visited the wolf camp. I observed the wolves; some standing on four legs, others on two. They were tense with anticipation; all around the yard; some on roof tops, some on the concrete below. They growled and gnashed their teeth, while the ones who walked upright poised weapons and watched; watched our visitor. For an intruder had indeed descended on their camp.

I turned my eyes to the beast, for that is what he was; standing tall; his robes fluttering in the wind, his midnight black hair moving in unison and his piercing black eyes surveying the scene. There was a nonchalance about him as he stood there, surrounded by more wolves than any man could handle. His face was as smooth as alabaster, only partially hidden by the faint scruff that had come to grace his face.

He looked formidable standing there a top the building; a top the world. I looked away from him for but a moment and my gaze met the Alpha’s. I shook my head and he ordered his pack to stand down. Their reluctance was obvious. They were craving a fight and this beast standing before them, unafraid and unruffled, was an enemy in their eyes; a foe who would try to disrupt what they had come to know, but I saw something else.

I turned my eyes back onto the intruder and watched as he tilted his head to sniff the air. A small smile crept onto my face. “Zahir.” I spoke his name softly and when the he heard it, his eyes travelled over the group and came to meet my own.

The beast raised a brow and he too smiled. “Rien.” He spoke over the growls and the shouts and the snarls. “I have found you. It has been too long brother.” He said.

I nodded. Indeed.

……………………………………

Five years Prior

“I can only liken him to that of a fledgling.” The man standing by my side commented. We stood, hidden atop a roof overlooking the army’s military base,camp or whatever name the humans associated these training grounds with.

The instructor had lined out their mentees, forcing them to stand tall, maintain their posture and look ahead at nothing in particular. The group was silent as the woman shouted at them; shouted despite the fact that such a raise in tone was unnecessary. Truth be told everything they did seemed unnecessary and completely dissimilar to the training of warriors in my coven, but if this was to help Tony gain some modicum of responsibility, then the unnecessary became a necessity.

I watched him now; my mate, as he stood among the other men and women. His heart was racing, his lips were dry and he was sweating through his clothes, but like the others, he did not move, he did not speak-he did not break the rules.

He was afraid. Perhaps at the thought of being here alone with people he did not know, perhaps because here, a lot more was expected of him, or simply because he was young and the young tended to fear their own shadows. I could not say, but watching him like this, knowing that he was not pleased to be here, left me with the almost overwhelming urge to swoop in like a fool and save him; yet again.

“I suppose in some ways he is a fledgling.” I told my companion and he grunted in response, eyes narrowing as he studied my mate, no doubt trying to understand what it was about him that I found so completely irresistible.

“Is he anything like my Christophe?” he asked suddenly and I turned to him with raised brows.

“ Your Christophe?“

He frowned “Do not tease Riener. You are perfectly aware of my desires as it relates to my mate.”

“Your mate ? Do you not think you have taken this obsession just a bit too far?”

His frown deepened and I smiled and raised a hand in surrender. “I say it not to tease, but simply because I wish to understand you and this hopeless situation you have thrown yourself into.”

“Hopeless? Do you truly believe yours in any more hopeful than my own? Your father will never accept a human. You have said so many a time. It is why you have hidden yourself amongst these damned humans.”

I smiled “Hidden is hardly the word I would use to describe it.” I said good-naturedly and he shook his head.

“Call it what you will. Your love is just as depressing as my own. Though, that has not dampened my hope. One day I shall have Lord Christophe as my mate and ours will be a unity that cannot be trumped.”

I folded my hands behind me and glanced back at the group below. “I admire your determination Zahir, but you have yet to build the courage to utter a word to the young Lord. How will you achieve such a thing if you are afraid to speak a few words in greeting?”

“I have no fear Riener.” He said in as much frustration as he would dare to let show. “I am simply biding my time. I will speak with him when the time is right.”

“Biding your time.” I repeated; practicing the words on my tongue. “What do you think he will do once you have finished biding your time ? Do you believe he will run to you with open arms?” I asked, not to seem cruel or condemnatory, but simply because it was something I truly had an interest in knowing.

Zahir sighed; a wholly uncharacteristic effort on his part, and closed his eyes for but the briefest of time. “You know he will not simply open his arms with acceptance.” He said seriously. “His progenitors have poisoned his mind against the lower classes. He will not suffer a glance in my lowly direction unless I prove myself to be worthy.” He said, not with self-pity, but with determination blazing in his eyes.

“You are the top ranking warrior in my army, you have fought for our coven more times than he has taken breath and you have proven your loyalty to me and our homeland again and again without fail, what more can you possibly prove to him?”

“Whatever I must…whatever it takes.”

“I see.” I watched as my Tony dropped to the ground with the others and did his pushups. He was a determined little thing; the smallest one there and fighting to prove that he was anything but. I smiled.

“They are grooming him to fight in your mating ceremony you know.” Zahir interrupted and I regarded him briefly.

“There will be no mating ceremonies held on my behalf. I have found my mate.”

“Do you believe that will matter to your father? When the time comes, he will call for your hand and the love of my life will fight for a place by your side. His blood relations will see to it. They have planned for that day and he knows this.”

“I will only accept a mate of my choosing and I have already chosen. If father chooses to one day call for my hand then I will turn down his offer.”

“You will not have such a choice.”

I turned to him fully and his eyes found and held mine.“

“Do you have no trust in my word Zahir?”

“Not particularly…not when it involves your father…”

I frowned. “If you were not my compeer I would have you whipped for your insolence.”

He laughed. “ Whipped for my insolence ? Rien, if I were not your best friend, you would be miserable…that, and you have never ordered someone’s whipping in your lifetime.“ His laughter continued and I could not help but smile, before I grew serious.

“You have naught to worry about Zahir. Lord Christophe will never warm my bed. He is yours if you can tame him and I have no doubt that you will succeed.”

He placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently. “You do not understand Rien.” He said then, all the laughter had fled his eyes. “The seed has already been sown in his mind. He has grown with the knowledge that he will one day be yours and that is not easily dislodged. Furthermore, he has been taught that those of lower status cannot walk the same path as he; my determination alone will not help me.”

For a moment I could only watch him. “You seek my help.” I surmised.

“Yes.”

“Lord Christophe can hardly deny your status Zahir, the entire coven is aware of our close ties.”

“That will not matter to him. I am but a familiar. I have no title, only the rank of a warrior and it will not be enough.”

“Then what help can I offer?”

“When your father calls for your mating ceremony-” he began and I frowned. “When he calls for it Rien, because we both know that he will.” he continued. “If it is as you say, and you do not truly want him for yourself, then I wish you to gift him to me.”

“How are you certain he will even arise the victor; it is a fight to the death Zahir.”

“He is a fine warrior. I have no doubt that he will.” He said with complete certainty and I nodded.

“Very well. If the ceremony is called and he should arise the victor, then he will be yours.”

He nodded slowly. “It is my hope that it will not come to that. I hope to woo him before such a thing comes to past, but if I am to fail and you do indeed gift him to me, I will work diligently to make him see that I am worthy.”

“And if he does not?”

“Then he will be free to choose another.”

“And it rip your heart out to watch him go.” I said with certainty- my gaze once again coming to rest on my beloved.

Beside me Zahir nodded “My heart would not survive it.”

………………………………..

Four years Prior

“He has already been with his army for a year, why is this necessary?” Zahir asked me from his perch on the rocks not far above me.

“He is still human Zahir. He is still prone to injury, disease and death. I need him to be kept safe. I need someone I trust to watch over him when I am unable to do so.”

He nodded “And this undertaking is a necessity?”

“It is. Noah has requested my help and I will give it to him.”

He shook his head. “I simply do not understand why you would fight with hunters. They have been nothing but a thorn in our side since the bane of our existence.”

I frowned. “You have fought with hunters on many occasions.”

“I have fought with Noah on many occasions…this goes beyond that.”

“The blood-drinkers we seek deserve no loyalty from me. They have no regard for our livelihood. They only continue to put us at risk.”

“And why must you always put yourself at risk? You need not always be the hero Rien.”

I chuckled. “Do you not see the irony of your words brother?”

He smiled, but it was tinged with worry. “It is not the same. I am expendable, but one day when your father steps down, our people will need a leader and-”

“Kandane will fill that role.” I interrupted, but he was already shaking his head. “And you are no more expendable than I.”

“Kandane is no leader. No matter that he is heir.” He argued, then his concern rose again in full force. “You have always been stubborn Rien.” He paused. “If you believe this cause to be of consequence then I shall go in your stead. You need not put yourself in this position. I will fight with Noah again if it is what you need.”

“What I need is for you to look after my mate while I am gone. Do not worry. I have no doubt that I will return.”

“You always cause me worry… you are reckless.”

“And you always argue…which is pointless.”

“Pointless only because you are stubborn and I would rather appease you than watch you pout.”

I grinned. “Does this mean you will do this for me?”

“Did you ever have a moment’s doubt?” he questioned with a raised brow and I shook my head.

“I suppose not.”

“This could take months…a year at most if you are lucky.”

I nodded and we both looked toward the ocean. The sea was rough this time of year, but the waves rolled and broke against the sand, leaving the rocks upon which we were perched, dry, but for a sprinkle of its salt.

“Keep him alive.”

His eyes met mine. “This is quite possibly the most difficult thing you have tasked me with brother…it is as though your mate is friends with danger…that or he is simply the clumsiest human I have ever encountered.”

I laughed. “Perhaps it is the latter.”

…………………………………………….

Two and a half years prior

We spent the day amongst the ridiculous history books that I had shelved in my library. Ridiculous because they were written by humans who recounted nearly every event incorrectly. I suppose I only kept them to remind myself why nothing could be left in the hands of the mortal. Zahir had made sport of hopping across the tops of the shelves-his hands clasped behind his back, his posture perfect and his midnight-black hair which he had commanded me to saw off only the night before was still damp from his dip in the ocean an hour ago. I watched him as he came to the edge of one shelf and made a show of balancing on the balls of his feet, before he hopped to the next, where he soon grew bored-as expected- and finally sat with his legs dangling over its center.

“I do not know why I did it. It is as if I wish to punish myself for no reason than because I am here for the punishing.” He was saying to me and I nodded in agreement.

“I told you to remain here. You should have listened to me…but alas…” I said the words dramatically for his benefit. “You never listen.”

“I am but a man in love.” He said simply.

“You are but a man obsessed.” I corrected.

“That I could rip out my own heart and fling it at the universe…nothing would bring me greater pleasure.”

My smile grew “Something tells me that to have Lord Christophe wrapped in your arms would be the thing to bring you the greatest…pleasure.”

He shot me a murderous look, but just as quickly his expression faded into misery.

“Do not say such things Rien, you will only add fuel to my fantasies.”

“Had you listened to me, you would not be so crazed with wanting him.”

“I had not seen him for a month. I only wished to glimpse his face.”

“And your glimpse transformed itself into conversation?”

He turned and lowered himself to his back, allowing his legs to dangle over either side of the shelf.

“Once I had seen his face I only wished to hear his voice.”

“I’m sure.”

He turned his head to the side and looked at me. “I swear to you that there was interest in his gaze Rien. Had that damned sibling of his not shown his face, I could have turned that interest into something greater.”

I shook my head. “Twice he has rebuffed you and still you continue to fight for him.”

“Twice only because his blood relations watch him as though he will melt away if not supervised, but twice there was interest and again today.”

“Do you think you will ever give up?”

“Never.” He said with vehemence.

“Then perhaps what you feel really is love…as I feel for my own beloved.”

“Or perhaps it really is obsession…it is not an easy thing to decipher.”

“Then we are both love-obsessed fools and there is nothing to be done for it.”

He ran a hand over his face. “Yes, a love-obsessed fool tormented by the temptation of a life with my white-haired angel.”

I laughed and very soon he too joined in…but though we jested, there was an undercurrent of seriousness that existed in our words. What we felt was not a thing to be taken lightly, for when our kind truly felt emotion…it was a thing that would not soon die.

Our eyes met and understanding passed between us.

……………………………………………………….

Two years prior

“Is it crazy to think that I will miss your mate?”

I smiled. “Not so crazy. Tony tends to grow on a person.”

“Yes, watching over him these few years has changed my perspective of him since my first impression. He has grown. There is strength in him that I did not think I would witness in a human.”

I would have been far more pleased with the news had this been a happier occasion, but as it were, the man standing before me, who had been a constant throughout my years, was to depart on a undertaking sanctioned by my father. There was no telling when he would return.

“Take care of yourself brother.” He said seriously, his eyes piercing mine. “You take too many risks. I wish to see you whole if I am to return.”

“ If ? Have you already forgotten your proclamation to one day woo your beloved?“

He smiled. “ When .“ He corrected and when he reached out a hand with the intention that I shake it, I pulled him to me, wrapping my arms around him.

“Take care brother.” I told him and when he finally pulled away, he nodded.

“Take care of him for me Rien.” He said before turning to go and I had no doubt in my mind that he meant his white-haired angel.

“I will.”

……………………………………………..

Present

“Had I not returned to the coven I would not have learned that you have settled in with wolves Rien.” He was saying as he jumped from the building, landed in a crouch and straightened. “It is always something with you.”

“And had I known you would be back so soon, you would have received a warmer welcome, but as it stands…we are at war.”

He came to a stop not far from me and glanced around at the onlookers. “Yes… I left my company to fight in the upheaval I witnessed at our coven. I hear your brother is the instigator.”

“So our people currently fight for their lives?” I asked him and he nodded.

“I would have thought he would choose to attack in unison. Why did you not stay and fight?”

“Because I have an inkling that you will need all the help you can get. Do you not sense it?”

Yes, I sensed it, I smelled it, I felt it. “Our war is coming.” I said.

He nodded. “And something tells me it will be far greater than that which I experienced when I visited our home.”

I looked around the camp, taking in the faces around us; all watching the exchange as though their lives depended on it. Not far away I could hear the pounding of my mate’s heart; I could sense his anger. Across the way I could hear the steady beating of the Alpha’s; I could sense his determination, and before me, I could hear the natural thrum of my compeer’s. Despite my confidence two years prior, I had found myself wondering if he would ever return.

I stepped toward him and held out a hand in greeting. “Welcome back my friend.”

He grasped it firmly. “It is good to be back brother.”

                                                                   AUTHOR'S NOTES

I’M BACK! THANKS FOR WAITING AND THANKS FOR READING!

ENJOY.

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 46: The calm before the storm

Chapter 46

We stood in the courtyard among the wolves and my own brothers and listened to Zahir’s tale. He described what he had seen at the coven when he had swept through with his company, and the news was indeed devastating.

“It seems he has garnered the aid of the Highland covens, for the battle was as large as it was great.” He spoke. “I saw many of our own fall at their hands.”

A great silence had fallen over the camp as we all listened to him. His words brought with it a sense of foreboding, and for me; a wave of anguish at what Kandane was doing to my homeland.

Father was right; he did not deserve to lead, for no leader would thoughtlessly massacre his own people.

“Did you see him among them?”

Zahir looked at me. “When I learned that the battle was his doing and enquired as to his whereabouts I was told that he had marched on with an even larger party; an army, they said.”

“If that is the case, he should have arrived by now.” I responded. “The fact that you were able to pass through these gates before he did raises the all-important question.”

“Yes.” Zahir nodded. “Where is he and what does this prolonged absence mean?”

I watched as my compeer tilted his head to sniff the air, but there was nothing amiss…not yet. Kandane would arrive the moment he wished to and no later. For now, we could only prepare for the inevitable.

“You look pretty calm for a guy whose brother is plotting to kill him.” Grady, the Beta’s mate spoke from his place by his lover’s side.

“Kandane may be a fool but he would not kill his own brothers. Despite our differences we have always taken care of each other.” Jorlon responded to the human, his voice sounding hurt by the very accusation.

The human snorted. “Well at least I can die knowing I’ve seen a fang-face in denial.”

“Grady.” The Alpha called out in warning, but the human only shrugged, a cocky grin plastered on his face.

He was right of course. Jorlon was in denial. He had not watched as Kandane struck down our mother. He had not seen the murderous intent in his eyes, nor had he witnessed the satisfaction in his smile as he had done it. He did not know Kandane as I did.

He would slay us all if he had a mind to…but not before he made us suffer. Not before he crushed the things we cared about the most.

What then did it say about my own sanity that I loved him despite his actions, and that I did not wish to see him hurt? Marcan would no doubt think it to be a weakness in me.

“They’re bringing their army to tear us down, but an army can’t stand against what we have.” The Alpha spoke up again and I found myself smiling despite myself.

“We stand as the largest pack in the state.” He gestured to his warriors, who stood taller when he said the words. “We have our allies from the Marcana pack who have come to aid us.” He gestured to the foreign wolves who had arrived not long ago, lead by a small female with intelligent eyes, who nodded in acknowledgement.

“We have hunters on our side.” He then gestured to Noah and his crew. “But more importantly, we have the determination of a group who fight to keep the ones we love safe.” His hand moved to rest on the shoulder of the young wolf who stood beside him. “When a man fights for something more than himself he’s ten times more deadly.” He finished with a growl and the deafening howls that followed could no doubt be heard for miles.

“I wish you all the best” I added to the group then. “The next time we gather it will be in battle. I would suggest that you say your goodbyes to your loved ones now, for some of you will surely meet your end tonight.” The silence which followed my words was tinged with an atmosphere I couldn’t quite describe.

When my eyes once again met the Alpha’s he nodded, before he draped an arm across the shoulders of the young wolf beside him—Laken was his name— and they turned to leave. The rest of the wolves melted away soon after his departure; no doubt going to make their final preparations and to do as I’d urged them.

When next I looked at Zahir he was smiling, and when I raised a brow in question his smile transformed itself into a grin. “I had almost forgotten how direct you tend to be.”

“I had imagined you would be away much longer. Your timing seems to be too perfect to be a coincidence.” I told him. “And you know how I feel about coincidences.”

He nodded as we began to walk slowly across the courtyard. “It is true of course that my arrival is not a coincidence. Your father ordered our return two days prior. I had expected an audience with him as to the reason. However upon our visit to the camp today, it was clear that was not to be.”

I nodded. “Father expects your aid in fending off our enemies. He would not be pleased that you are here.”

“What your father does not know will not hurt him.” He smiled. “I learned that Lord Christophe is here and I decided to lend my aid.”

“Ah…I should have known it was the white-haired devil that led you here.”

He laughed; a deep, full sound that I had certainly missed while he had been away.

“What has the young Lord done to warrant such a name?”

“The fool very nearly had my mate killed, not once, but twice!” I spat with displeasure. “Had it not been for the promise I made to you, he would today be without a head, and even now I am still tempted.”

He laughed again. “I am of course sorry to hear that Tony had ever been put in such a position.”

“I’m sure.”

He was grinning when he placed a hand on my shoulder. “Truly Rien. I will even go as far as to apologize to you on his behalf… Lord Christophe can be…a handful.”

“He must truly be the devil, for only Lucifer himself could bring such torment to someone’s soul.”

“I can see that he has indeed upset you, but no matter. I am here now to set your soul aright.” He said happily. “Now tell me, where is the young Lord? I have not seen sight of him in too long. I find that I miss him dreadfully.”

I waved at nothing in particular as we came to a stop by the corridor which housed the pathway to Tony’s room. “Perhaps he is on a frolic around the camp with Noah. It seems they have grown close.”

His brows furrowed and his mouth turned down in a frown. “A frolic?” he said carefully, before he turned to look around the courtyard, searching for the absent Lord.

“Noah seems to be in deep conversation with Lord Marcan. Lord Christophe is nowhere in sight.” He announced with obvious relief and I smiled despite myself.

“Lord Christophe is no good for you. When he breaks your heart you will see that.”

“I thought the same of your human and look at you now.” He grinned. Ever positive, ever pleasant. It was as though he had never left.

“Come.” I turned to face the corridor once more. “I wish my mate to meet the person who has watched over him for many a year.”

Zahir’s gaze traveled over the yard once more, before he did as I requested and we walked silently along the tiles of the corridor. When we came upon the door to Tony’s bed chamber, Zahir’s eyes met mine and a smile as bright as I had ever seen it rose in his face, for we could hear voices from within, one of which belonged to the wretched young Lord.

Once I opened the door he stepped in, working diligently to control his expression in the face of his beloved. The conversation within did not cease however, not until I also entered the room, and Lord Christophe looked at me with wide eyes, before quickly rising from his perch by my mate’s bedside.

“My Lord…” he trailed off, eyes moving from me, to Zahir and back. His discomfort was obvious, as was my rage.

“I had thought that after your last foolish act against my mate, that you would know not to come within an inch of his frame Lord Christophe.” The words fell coolly from my tongue, and my eyes remained trained on his…which soon he lowered; in respect, in fear, I did not care.

“I only wished to apologize to him my Lord. I meant you no disrespect.”

“Your very presence in my sight is disrespect enough—”

“No need to be an ass Riener—”

“Rien stop being an ass—”

Zahir and Tony interrupted in unison and I turned my attention to the blood-drinker standing by my side. “Have you taken leave of your senses in the two years you have been away Zahir? Or have you simply forgotten who I am?”

Zahir all but rolled his eyes. “Of course I have not forgotten. You are he who stands to inherit his father’s throne . You are the merciless prince, the masterclass blooddrinker; he whose name is revered in the farland covens “ he mocked “and you are also an ass.”

Tony chuckled “I think I like this one Rien.”

“Allow the young Lord to offer his apologies. None of which he owes to you, after all it was not your life he had almost ended.” Christophe flinched. “And then you may properly introduce me to the human.” He looked around the room. “Both of them.” He continued with a frown, his gaze resting on Malik, who sat in the other chair by Tony’s side.

I ignored his words and fixed my gaze once more on Lord Christophe. “The war is upon us. Kandane has already taken our coven and our people now fight for their lives. It is only a matter of time before he arrives here with an even greater army. Therefore I wish you to go and prepare yourself for what is to come. “I told him in no uncertain terms. “Nothing in this room will help you to prepare for what my brother has planned, do you understand?”

He bowed slightly. “Yes my Lord.” And I shifted to allow him to pass me.

“And Lord Christophe.” I called when he had reached the door. He turned to look at me, his brows knotted in uncertainty. “During battle you will fight alongside Zahir. I expect that you will protect each other and yourselves. I do not wish to lose another soul from my coven.”

I could feel Zahir’s surprise as well as I could see it on the young Lord’s face, before he once again bowed low. “Of course my Lord.” And then he was gone and the door drifted shut behind him.

Beside me, Zahir could not have been more pleased with the news, and across from us, sitting up in his bed, Tony’s displeasure was obvious.“

“You didn’t need to send him away.” He spoke and I nodded.

“No matter. I wish to introduce you to my compeer; Zahir.”

“Compeer?” Tony questioned with a raised brow.

“Yes.”

“Am I supposed to know what that is?”

“Best friends, brothers—though not in the true sense—close companions, call it what you will.” Zahir supplied, and Tony looked between us, his brows raised in suspicion.

“He’s never mentioned you before.”

“And why would he.” My compeer said simply.

“Zahir has been away for twenty four months on an assignment tasked to him by my father. Before that, he spent a number of years watching over you while you were in the army.” I explained.

My words surprised him. “What do you mean, watching over me ?”

“I have been your protector. I watched you from afar and aided you when you found yourself in situations only you could find yourself in.”

“You say that like you think you know me.” Tony said. Ever suspicious, never trusting.

“I would like to believe that I do. After all. I have spent years observing you.”

A moment of silence passed where neither of them spoke, and I watched as something finally dawned on Tony.

“That time with the grenade…that was you?” he questioned in surprise and Zahir nodded.

I frowned, looking between them. “What grenade?”

A smile slowly rose to Tony’s lips and he stretched out a hand. I watched as Zahir closed the distance between them and greeted him. “Nice to finally meet you then.” Tony offered.

“Likewise.” And they separated once more, where Zahir turned to Malik.

“What about this one?” he questioned, and Malik sat up straighter in his chair.

“I’m his brother.” He said defensively, and Zahir turned to me with a smile.

“I see a lot has happened in my absence.”

……………………………………

An hour later and still Kandane had not descended on the camp. The wolves were strategizing in their courtyard once more, as were Noah and his hunters. The atmosphere was tense at best.

Zahir and I still sat in Tony’s quarters, though since our arrival, others has also joined us. In one corner stood Marcan, his expression unusually pleasant. Beside him stood Peitre who was far more interested in what was taking place outside the window than with any discussion within the room.

Jorlon had of course made himself at home at the very end of Tony’s bed, and though Malik had not uttered a single word to his brother since our arrival, he still sat my his side, with Kaio of course standing close by.

There were two other additions to our number as well; Grady and Laken, the Beta’s and Alpha’s mates, who had joined us of their own accord, though I had no idea why.

“You sure you’re a wolf?” Tony was questioning the Alpha’s mate, who bristled when he said the words.

“Of course I am, what else would I be?” he asked, arms folded defensively over his chest. Beside him, Grady chuckled.

“Then why aren’t you out there strategizing with all the other wolves? Aren’t you going to fight with them?”

The young wolf raised his chin, but refused to answer.

“Laken doesn’t participate in raids…or any kind of battles really.” Grady supplied.

“Why not?”

“Have you seen the size of him? He looks like a rabbit when he shifts.” Grady said seriously, though Laken was clearly insulted.

“That’s no excuse.” Tony was saying, trying to bait the wolf, though I had not an inkling why.

“I’m not giving excuses. I can fight as well as anyone of the others.”

“Then why don’t you?”

Laken looked away and of course it was Grady who supplied the answer. The human never shut up. “Carson doesn’t allow him to fight. I think he’d be too distracted if he knew Laken was out there with him, and distraction during any battle means—”

“Death, yeah I know.” Tony agreed. “It must be hard not being able to fight alongside your mate.” he continued, though this time his eyes drifted to mine, and I could see that he empathized with the young wolf.

“What the Alpha says…goes.” Laken said simply, and finally Tony nodded, as if he understood.

“Kandane’s continued absence only serves to fuel my unease.” Jorlon spoke into the brief silence that had fallen over the room.

“We have fought in many a battle. This will be no different.” Marcan replied, but Jorlon shook his head.

“We have never fought against our brother. I do not wish to see him hurt. I do not wish to see harm come to any of my brothers.”

To that, Marcan had no reply, and neither did I.

“I have served master Riener long enough to observe Lord Kandane and I know as well as any of you that he cannot be reasoned with.“Kaio spoke for the first time. “You will have to strike him down or watch each other fall.”

I looked at the certainty in my servant’s face and I could come to no other conclusion. I had a sickening feeling that I would be the one to deliver the dreadful blow, and the fact that my brothers all looked at me now, told me that they too knew this would come to pass.

“My mom’s an addict.” Grady began and we all turned our attention to him. “Drugs, alcohol, sex, you name it. It got so bad that I had to send her to rehab a few years ago. I haven’t seen her since, because she doesn’t want to see me anymore.” He offered. “She hates me, but that doesn’t stop me from missing her and loving her.

“ Sometimes I feel like the worst person on earth for doing that to her, because now she thinks I abandoned her, but you know what?“ he said. “I’d do it again, because sometimes you have to make tough decisions for the greater good.” The human finished wisely and for the first time since he entered the room, Pietre looked at Grady with interest.

“I wish we could simply be cowards. I wish we could run away from our troubles, then I would not have to watch the tragedy that will soon befall us.” Jorlon said sadly.

“But we are not cowards are we Jorlon?” Marcan asked him and he shook his head.

“We are not.”

“What are we?” Marcan continued, pushing off the wall to stand in the center of the room.

“We are warriors.” Jorlon supplied, looking up to meet his brother’s eyes.

“And what do warriors do?”

Jorlon’s mouth was now set in a hard line. “We fight.”

Marcan nodded. “And we defend what is ours.”

Jorlon nodded.

“What else are we?” this coming from Peitre, who also left the wall to stand by Marcan’s side.

“We are brothers.” I answered this time and Peitre smiled and nodded.

“And what do brothers do?” Jorlon asked me.

“We take care of each other.” I told him and this time when Jorlon nodded, I could see the moisture in his eyes.

“So that’s what we’ll do then.” He said. “We’ll take care of each other.”

A hand fell to my shoulder and squeezed, and I turned to see Zahir standing beside me. His eyes were glinting and his jaw was set. “To the very end.”

                                                                   AUTHOR’S NOTES

THANKS FOR READING!

-Double.A

-unedited.

Chapter 47: Immortality

Chapter 47

Tony

It was an interesting group I had to admit. Werewolves, vampires, a billionaire who claimed to be my brother, a wayward shape shifter named Scottie, who’d barged in minutes later with his werewolf mate who also turned out to be a psychologist and then of course who could forget this Grady character who seemed to have more mouth than sense.

Never had I ever thought I’d find myself in a room with a group like this. Never had I believed it possible. Not even when I’d found out what Rien was, had I known that such a variety of creatures existed. Creatures that thrived almost independently of the human world, yet blended in so well that we couldn’t tell the difference.

It was bizarre and it was crazy and the younger, emotionally unstable me would have thought it was cool. Now my gaze traveled over the people who had come together to fight a common enemy. Who had families and friends who would fight in this war, and who would probably all suffer some loss. Selfishly, I found myself hoping that I wouldn’t share the same fate. I only had one person, despite the friends I’d met overseas and the men I’d fought with who I called my brothers, I still only really had one person and if I lost him tonight it would be for good.

I looked at him now, standing by his own family, supporting those he cared about. Yet planning to go up against his own blood. It couldn’t be as easy as he made it seem. He couldn’t stand there, strong and tall and unwavering and lead me to believe that this did not affect him on some level. It was strange how after all this time I still knew him. Where others looked and saw only strength, I had always been able to see his weaknesses. I had always been able to see his fears and his flaws, and I saw them now.

It was in the slight tightening of his mouth despite his outward smile. It was in the tight clenching if his fist that no one had noticed, and it was in his eyes. He was brave and he would fight, but the thought of how this night could end terrified him. It terrified me too.

“Rien.” I said rising from the bed.

He was beside me before my bare feet touched the cold floors and I looked up into his concerned face. I’d wasted all the time I’d had with him since he’d brought me back. So much time we could have had together, to learn new things about each other and to make every second count and I’d wasted it all out of childish anger.

I nodded in the direction of the door “Walk with me.” I told him and all eyes followed us as we crossed the room and slipped out of their presence.

“You should be resting.” Rien chastised halfheartedly, and when he was walking beside me along the corridor; my bare feet against the tiles and the air frigid and tense with what was to come, I reached over and slipped my hand through his.

He looked down at our joined fingers first, then into my eyes as though he couldn’t believe I was allowing it, and I sighed. I’d wasted so much time.

“There’s one thing I’ve always loved about you Rien.” I began when we came to a stop at the very end of the corridor and our hand stayed locked together even as I climbed up onto the ledge and sat. He came to stand between my legs and I raised my free hand into his hair; long and black and as soft as silk. I’d always loved it.

“I believe you were about to pay me a compliment.” He said, as he titled his head to look at me with a grin.“

“I’ve always loved how you went out of your way to keep a promise to me.” I told him, and he nodded once.

“Of course. I like it when you are happy.”

I thought about this for a few minutes. The sounds of beasts preparing for war could be heard beyond the corridors. I heard the clang of weapons and the growls of wolves. I heard the shouts of men and women and the cries of children who no doubt had to be locked away while their fathers defended their home. The air was frigid, but it was still.

I held a lock of Rien’s hair in my hand and twirled it around my fingers before letting it fall, once again limp onto his wide shoulder. “If I were to ask you to promise me that you’ll come out of this alive, do you think you could do it?” I asked him quietly—seriously.

Rien’s brows furrowed and the smile fell from his face. I suppose I had my answer, but I watched him anyway. He wrapped his hand around my waist and dropped his forehead onto my chest and the silence between us was thick with what he didn’t say. With what he didn’t promise. What he couldn’t promise me.

“I understand.” I assured him, running a hand through his silky hair. “I wish I hadn’t wasted all my time with you. I’m sorry.” I told him sincerely, and it was then that he pulled away and climbed onto the ledge with me. He put his legs over on either side and turned to face me. Then he looked out onto the compound, at those watching and those who were not.

“I was once a confident man.” Rien began with a small, sad smile. “I am immortal, but I am not indestructible. I was once foolish enough to think I was and I led armies into battle with that foolish confidence. I was young and I thought nothing could defeat me, for I was Lord Riener of the warrior coven, the king’s son, trained by my own wit and courage. I believed no one could touch me and that since I led my men, then no one could touch them.”

Rien smiled. “The first time I went to battle, it was with this confidence, and not one of my number died. And the second time was much the same and so was the third and so it went until I found myself being called by a name many have since come to fear; the Merciless Prince.” Rien looked up and I followed suit. The stars were bright tonight.

“The first time I lost a warrior in battle I did not understand it, for my men were as indestructible as I. I watched the life drain from my pupil’s eyes and I could do nothing to stop it. I became enraged and I slaughtered the enemy. No one lived to tell the world that a warrior from the Prince’s army had died.

“My men were humbled by the death of their comrade. You see, they had believed that the Prince had made them indestructible, but in that moment they saw that it was not so. However, I was not so humbled. I convinced myself that he had died because he had not been loyal enough to me and I felt better about his death.” Rien’s gaze left the stars and fell back to the compound.

“As the years passed, other men died and I called them traitors and cared nothing of it, until there was one particular battle that we won, but half my warriors were slaughtered. I was devastated, and when I returned to the coven, I held court with my father, telling him of the number of men who had died because of their disloyalty. I had expected his outrage at their traitorous nature. I had even welcomed his harsh words against them and their family, but do you know what he said to me?”

I shook my head when his eyes met mine, and that same smile was back again. “He said ‘Your men are not disloyal to you Riener. They are but men and men die, but you will live on forever and you will train many more warriors and your army will win many more battles.’ It was then that I understood, and as he had said, I bred more warriors and I have never lost a battle, but in one thing he was wrong.”

Rien paused, staring deep into my eyes as though willing me to read his thoughts. “I will not live on forever. One day I will lose a battle and the earth will rise up to meet me.” I felt a hollowness in my chest at his words, and I felt the fear begin its course through my veins, until that glint of determination rose up in his eyes and his jaw set. “But tonight will not be that night. I will rise up above my brother and leave the victor of this battle. I do not say this with the foolish confidence of my youth, for I understand my own mortality. I say this because I am determined to have a long life with you and my heart cannot stop beating when I have already given it to you for safe keeping.”

…………………………………………

~ More than five year prior ~

“Go away foolish human.” The vampire waved me away and I frowned.

“If you really wanted me gone you wouldn’t come back here every day when we both know that this is my hang out spot.”

He stood from the bench and I stepped back. The size of him had always been slightly frightening. “Then I shall take my leave.” He said as he turned the go, and I walked to catch up with him.

The vampire was probably the most exciting thing that had ever happened to this damn town. Really, who could honestly say they’d met a real live vampire?

I frowned as I walked beside him. “How come you aren’t erasing my memory or something so I forget you’re a vampire? Shouldn’t you be trying to guard your secret?”

He gave me a look that made me feel like a mosquito he was wishing desperately to squash. “I am not a magician.” He said with obvious scorn. “I do not perform tricks.”

I looked him up and down, taking in the long black robes that he wore in the scorching heat and the long black hair and that fell almost to the center of his back and thought that yes…yes he did in fact look like a magician, but what I said was; “Then what can you do?”

“I can kill you.” He said drily and I rolled my eyes.

“So you’ve said about a million times now.”

The vampire glanced at me with narrowed eyes. “Do you think I will not do it?”

I shrugged. “Anyone can kill.”

He paused, and looked at me for a moment as though trying to solve a math problem, then he turned abruptly and continued his walk. I knew he could leave whenever he wanted. He could just run and I wouldn’t have a chance of catching up. I’d seen him do it. If he really wanted me gone it could be done so easily, but the fact that I was still here told me something.

Maybe he was lonely. Vampire’s needed friends too I guessed, and I was certainly available.

“Are you going to hunt tonight?”

He didn’t answer.

“I could help.” I continued, completely accustomed to his attitude by now. “I know an asshole who needs to learn his lesson. You can take his blood.”

Still no answer.

“Come on Rien. Stop ignoring me.”

“My name is Lord Riener as I have told you many a time.”

“I prefer Rien.”

“That name is reserved for only my closest comrades.” He said, then glanced at me briefly. “You do not fall into that category.”

I grinned, then because I knew it would annoy him, I said; “Then I’ll call you RiRi and that name will be reserved just for me.”

Rien sighed, and my grin widened. Baiting him was fun. “Yeah.” I continued, “I like that. RiRi . You’ll just be my RiRi.”

“I will not be your anything and if you are wise, you will run away and find another soul to pester.” He said. “Perhaps someone who enjoys constant chatter at all hours of the day and night.”

He turned down a narrow path and I followed behind him. “Can you turn into a bat like the vampires on TV?” I asked, because there had to be some truth to these Hollywood movies.

“You are the most dimwitted human I have ever had the misfortune of meeting.” He said and I laughed.

“Just you wait RiRi, soon you’re gonna love me.” I teased, watching his emotionless face as we walked.

“I doubt that.” He said, his expression one of the utmost disgust.

………………………………………………………..

Present

I wrapped my hands around my head in an attempt to protect myself from the explosion that rocked the room. I rolled, hoping the get a safe distance away and felt the ground disappear from beneath me momentarily, before I hit something hard with a loud thud.

“Is he alright?” a voice questioned, more from curiosity than any real concern, and I opened my eyes and blinked a few times to clear my vision. I slowly unwrapped my hands from around myself and sat up.

Grady, who had been the one to speak, was sitting at the very end of the bed playing a card game with himself, only pausing it seemed, to watch me with raised brows. Across the room, Laken stood by the window, looking out into the courtyard with his arms crossed over his chest. There also stood Kaio who watched me with an expression of concern, mirrored only by the look on Malik’s face.

There was no explosion, I surmised. At least not in this room. I stood slowly, taking care not to overexert my already stiff muscles. There was no sign of Rien and his brothers, or the others who’d been in here before I’d apparently fallen asleep.

They’re at war.“ Laken supplied as though he knew my thoughts and I crossed to his side where I pulled back the curtain further to look out into the compound. What I saw was chaos. I stood back in horror.

“How long since it started?”

“An hour, hour and a half, who’s counting.” Grady shrugged as he focused his attention back on his cards. I’d sat down for a few minutes at most and I’d managed to not only fall asleep, but to miss over an hour’s worth of confusion. I ran a hand over my face and glanced back out the window. Before I’d fallen asleep, the others were here discussing strategy. It was hard to believe that now they were out there fighting for their lives.

No , I thought. It wasn’t really hard to believe. After all, chaos in war could be as sudden as it could be slow to form. I didn’t see Rien out there. It wasn’t easy to make out any particular person really, with only the moon as a source of illumination.

The growls were bone chilling. It was like the sounds of a hundred rabid dogs and of course there were the shouts and the clanging of metal and screams…there were always screams on a battlefield. I swallowed hard. “Have you heard from any of them?” I asked, and Laken shook his head.

I glanced at him, taking in the stiff set of his shoulders and the strain in his expression. He, unlike Grady, was tense with worry. I thought back to what Rien had said to be earlier in the corridors and my stomach had felt like it was being weighed down by hot lead.

“How can we just sit here and do nothing?” I asked in disbelief. “How can we just sit here?”

It was Malik he answered. “What do you expect us to do Tony? You’re still healing, Kaio and Laken have their orders and Grady and I are human. We wouldn’t stand a chance out there.”

I shook my head, “Have you seen Kandane yet?” I asked Kaio, because he was the only one who likely knew how the eldest brother looked, and he shook his head.

“I do not think he has arrived. I would have known if he had.”

I heard the distant smashing of glass as though something hard and heavy had been thrown through a window. Grady sighed. “They always go for the windows.”

My eyes narrowed. “You have a mate out there. Why are you so calm?”

He looked up at me, a slow, insolent and arrogant look that made me frown. “Does this look like the face of a person who is calm to you?” he said, and I thought that yes , it did look like the face of someone who was calm. I watched as Grady looked away from me and very deliberately, continued his solo card game.

I took a deep breath. I’d never been good at sitting and waiting around for the world to close in on me. I was a man of action and Rien was out there. I cursed myself for not being able to stay awake long enough to watch him go, then I moved to sit on the edge of the bed beside the silent Grady.

Malik was right of course. I was a soldier, I could fight, I could handle a war, but this wasn’t a battleground for a man like me. If I lifted a fist out there I’d be ripped to shreds. Besides that, I didn’t have the strength to be of much help to anyone, and much like the worried Laken, I would only be a distraction to Rien out there.

I closed my eyes and rubbed my forehead, where a dull ache had started to build. An hour and a half had already passed, but from what I’d seen, that war wouldn’t end anytime soon. I looked around the room at the others. Could I really do it? Could I really sit here and wait and hope and make myself sick with worry?

Did I have a choice?

So much time I’d wasted that I could have spent with Rien. I thought it, not for the first time since I’d awoken from my pain-filled haze. So much time lost. If this had been the kind of war I was accustomed to, I’d just….

It was then that it occurred to me, and I looked at Grady. “Do you have weapons here at the camp?”

He looked up with arched brows. “Yeah we have an armory on the ground floor. Why?”

I slow smile spread across my face. We wouldn’t be waiting here like a bunch of useless wives. “We’re going need to take a trip down there.” I said, and held up a hand when Kaio began to raise his usual objections. He fell silent, but watched me with narrowed eyes.

Grady lowered his cards. “Ah…we might have a little problem with that actually.”

“Why’s that?” I asked, bending to pull on a boot.

“I’ve sorta been banned from the armory.”

I glanced up at him as I pulled on the other. “What do you mean?”

He shrugged nonchalantly, but his face went red. “I might have sorta accidentally shot someone once.”

When I only looked at him, he shrugged again. “It’s complicated.”

“Not really.” Came Laken’s quick reply, and Grady frowned.

“It’s not like anyone died.” he snapped and I sighed.

Jesus.

                                                                AUTHOR’S NOTES

SHORT  I KNOW. THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE LONGER. THANKS FOR READING!

-KEEP SWEET!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 48: In the throes of war

Chapter 48

“I have disappointed my master many a time since your return from war. I have betrayed the trust I have worked very hard to build. Yet, he has forgiven me without a thought.” Kaio’s mouth tightened. “Now he has tasked me with the responsibility of watching over you while he battles in your name, and I will not fail him.” He folded his thick arms across his chest and stood before the only exit. His expression was grim.

“Kaio, I’m not asking you to turn a blind eye while I go do something reckless. I’m asking you to step aside and allow me to help protect the man we both care about.”

He shook his head, and I ran a hand through my hair; frustrated now.

Grady watched us in silence; his expression for once; unreadable. While Laken stood at the window—his gaze trained on the chaos below.

I took a breath. “You once said you considered me a friend.”

His brows rose quizzically. “I do.”

“Well friendship means more than just companionship. It means having faith in the other person.” I explained. “It means going against instinct and trusting the other just because he asks you to.”

He glanced at Malik, who offered no response, then back at me. “You are but skin and bones Tony. You will not make a difference in this war.” He hissed. “In fact, had I not been tasked with the duty of watching over you, my master would have locked me away in a safe place because I am but a drudge. I will not make a difference, because I am no warrior and neither are you.”

“Bullshit! Anyone can make a difference, warrior or not. Rien is strong, but even the strongest people need help sometimes, and I CAN make a fucking difference out there.”

“I think.” Malik, who up until now had been silent, began; “You’re very impulsive and you’re still weak after what happened to you. So thinking you can go out there and do more than flutter around in the wind is crazy.”

My eyes narrowed. This asshole

“But,” he interrupted my musings “I know you’re the most determined person I’ve ever met and if anyone can go out there and kick some ass, it’s you.” He looked me right in the eyes as he said it, and the pride I saw there sent a strange stirring in my chest. I cleared my throat as he turned to Kaio, who watched him with narrowed eyes.

“Let him go Kaio.” He told his mate. “He’s a grown man. He shouldn’t have to deal with the shit you and Rien keep putting him through.”

Kaio’s face shuttered. “Mal—”

“He deserves a chance to make his own decisions, whether or not they turn out to be mistakes, and whether or not we agree with them.”

“This is out of my hands.” He replied stubbornly. We all—with the exception of Laken—watched as he placed his hands behind his back and raised his chin in defiance. “My master has spoken.”

“I wonder.” Malik continued; a sort of reverence in his voice now as he looked at his mate. Kaio glanced at him, but the adamant set of his expression remained. “Is this how you’ll allow Rien to come between us in the future?” he asked softly. “Is this what life with you will be like? What Rien says is law and to hell with what I think?”

I scratched my head awkwardly as the tension immediately settled around the room. From his perch on the bed, Grady let out a low whistle, before turning his eyes down to his cards.

When Kaio’s face fell, I almost felt bad for him…almost. “I told you it would not. Lord Riener would never place me in such a position as to compromise what we have.” His eyes were almost pleading.

“Then stop coming between Tony and Rien. Let their relationship flourish or fail without your input.”

“I—I” he stuttered; eyes wide, expression dumbfounded. “It is not as though I choose to do this. I am simply going about my master’s bidding.”

“And if your master is as fair as you seem to think he is, he’ll understand.”

“Kaio’s  eyes were fixed on Malik, whose expression was as firm as Laken’s backside.” Grady whispered into the ensuing silence.

I shook my head. There was something very wrong with the guy. I tore my eyes away from him just as his twinkling eyes shifted to mine and set it on the two lovers.

“You do not understand Mal.” Kaio’s voice was almost a whisper. “I have let him down too many times.”

It was then that Malik’s expression softened, and he smiled. “That’s the great thing about family Kaio.” He said. “You can let them down a hundred times and they’ll still love you even when you do it a hundred more.”

It was a while later, but it was interesting to see the moment the expression on Kiao’s face changed, and I knew Malik had won even before Kaio spoke.

“Very well. Do what you must.” He told me grudgingly, as he stepped aside and opened the door. We all watched as he spoke briefly to the two guards (werewolf and vampire) standing watch, and they too stepped aside.

When Kaio raised a hand and gestured to the empty corridors, I breathed a sigh of relief.

“This is worse that an episode of The Young and the Restless .” Grady mumbled with a shake of his head. Then finally, he threw down his cards and stepped toward the door. Pausing only to glance at Laken.

“You coming or what?” he asked the boy, and finally a sigh of surrender escaped the young wolf as he turned to follow—looking more miserable than anyone had any right to be.

………………………………………………………….

It was a quiet trek down the poorly lit corridor. Other than the sounds of war on the other side of the stone walls, the only sounds that could be heard from our small group, were the clip-clop of shoes against the paved floors. The massive guards that flanked us were as silent and vigilant as two very well-trained watch dogs, and if they didn’t make a man feel less than capable in their company, then the expression on Kaio’s face certainly did.

He was a vamp on a mission. His eyes were narrowed and steady. His mouth set in a hard line and his gait as purposeful as a soldier in the middle of battle. Beside him, Malik was certainly looking anything but worthy. He was as nervous as a school girl at her first prom.

What did a pampered Billionaire know about adversity anyway? I shook my head.

This Grady character though; he was something else. He walked with a sort of spring in his step. As though he were on vacation rather than about to go in search of guns. He was nonchalant and comfortable and this more than anything, made me feel a jarring sense of unease.

He’s too…happy . I thought, when he reached into his pocket and pulled out a half-eaten packet of peanuts and dipped his hand inside. I was almost convinced there was something seriously wrong with him, when I noticed the infinitesimal shaking of his hand as he pulled a few nuts free.

Ah, so not so nonchalant after all .

Maybe just a little bit better at hiding it. Unlike his little friend Laken, who wrung his hands in front of him over and over again, like a wet rag that just wouldn’t stop dripping. He was biting his lip so hard, I wondered when the blood would flow.

“He always gets like this during a raid.” Grady interrupted, sucking the salt from his fingers as he watched me. “He’s afraid Carson won’t make it.”

When I frowned, he grinned. “Carson’s his mate, remember?”

“Oh right. The Alpha.” I glanced back at Laken, but either he didn’t hear us, or he just didn’t give a shit what was being said. Either way, the kid looked like he needed a hug, and no sooner had I thought the words, Grady dropped his arm around the kid’s shoulders and took a few more bites of his snack.

We took a left turn down a narrow hallway, then turned right down a winding wooden staircase that creaked with every step. Below us, I could hear the pounding of boots against concrete floors.

“Do you think Carson’s down there?” Laken questioned, suddenly more alert as we got closer to the bottom.

“Since when does Carson fight with weapons?” came Grady’s simple reply, and Laken’s shoulders sagged.

“How many exits does the armory have?”

“Three, if you count the one the elders boarded up last Christmas during the storm.” Grady replied. I nodded, packing that bit of knowledge away for later use.

I could already smell the mustiness of the place the closer we got. I could also smell…what was that? Gunpowder? It was an acrid, sour odor that seemed to have been tattooed in the air.

“Been awhile since I’ve been back down here.” I could hear the excitement in the guy’s voice “You’re an army man, right?” he glanced back at me. “I think you’ll appreciate the view.”

When we finally descended, it was into a very small, dimly lit space. Like a closet…or a matchbox; whichever felt more oppressive.

I stepped aside when one of the guards—the vampire or the werewolf, really I couldn’t tell which—stepped forward and braced himself against a sort of wooden paneling and shoved. The surface broke away evenly and easily enough and he stepped through.

The werewolf then.

The room we entered was probably twice as big as our little matchbox. The only thing that stood in the space was a large oak table. Clearly no expense had been spared on the flooring, which was rough concrete. A complete contrast to the opulence of the large chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

The only other thing of much significance in the space, was the floor-to-ceiling double doors that stood in the center of the bare wall, opposite the spot we now stood. But it was what was behind those doors that caught our attention: the pounding of boots that we’d heard as we’d descended the staircase. Now that we were closer though, I could hear shouts and cursing and the clanging of metal against wood and concrete.

The wolf-guard turned the knob and pulled one side of the door open without effort. What I saw when I looked in though, was beyond my greatest expectations—not that I’d had much to begin with, but damn.

I took in the rows (and there were many) of ceiling high shelves that went back so far, all I could see at the opposite end was darkness. We stepped though into chaos. There were men and women running through aisles and gathering weaponry. Others were already armed to the teeth and making their way through the manned exit at the far end of the room. I saw men reloading guns, a muscular, pudgy-faced woman crouching by a shelf, digging through a small box of bullets. One of her hands was wrapped with a blood-soaked bandage and the other was scratched raw.

Orders were being shouted across the room and curses rent the air. There was a long table in the center of the room, stacked with military-grade guns and other weapons I was pretty sure I’d only ever seen in the most unrealistic of TV shows. I shook my head in awe.

“Just go ahead and help yourself.” Gray was saying. “We’ve got weapons dating back to wars I learned about in history class back in the day…those are locked away in a room the elders won’t let me go in though…but one day.” He rubbed his hands together in glee.

“The further back you go, the later the models, so if you don’t wanna get your face blown off, I’d personally suggest you stick with whatever’s in the first twelve rows.” He led us pass two tables which had been shoved up together. That one was covered in an assortment of bows and arrows, that reminded me of the ones I’d seen at Noah’s place.

“I personally like the RPGs, but considering the fact that my mate’s out there and I’d rather get his ass back in one piece, then I’m gonna politely suggest that you stay clear of any and all explosives.” The hard glint in his eyes when he looked at me, told me it was anything but a mere suggestion .

“These man-made toothpicks will nothing to stop even the most unschooled blood-drinker.” Kaio commented in distaste, as he ran his hand over an old Winchester rifle that looked like it had seen better years.

“I need something more long range…high precision. That type a thing.” When they all stared at me blankly, I took a breath. “You got any sniper rifles?”

Grady, the ring leader, shrugged. “Probably, pretty sure I’ve seen Lucas use something like that once, but that was years ago…you know, when pack raiding was still in.”

If fought back the annoyance. “Is this Lucas guy out there fighting with the others?”

I heard the shattering of the windows somewhere close by, and some guy I could only describe as a battering ram shoved me aside as he made his way down the aisle.

“He’s in London…Him and Adrian have a kid to look after you know.”

No, I didn’t know.

“If I can get my hands on one of those bow and arrows I think I could be of some use.” Malik interrupted. “I was captain of my archery team back in high school.”

I shook my head, and fought the urge to roll my eyes. Of course he had been .

“As I have told you Mal.” Kaio began. “These weapons will be of no assistance to you. In fact, now that you have all surely seen the pointlessness of this journey, I would advise that we all traipse back up stairs and secure ourselves, as my Lord had requested, in our room.”

“Killing them isn’t important, though that would be pretty damn great.” I explained. “What’s important, is that we slow as many of them down as possible. Whatever way we can lend a hand is good enough.”

I walked along the shelving, searching quickly through what they had. They seemed to be relatively well-stocked, if a bit disorganized. My head snapped ’round when I heard the agonized cry of a man a few feet away from where we stood.

The cry in question, had come from a guy who sat against a wall. His was face wet with sweat and blood. His cotton shirt was torn half off his boy, exposing what looked like a badly damaged bullet-proof vest. His right arm was laying limp by his side, and his breaths came in quick, short puffs.

He was in bad condition, but I probably wouldn’t have spared him a second glance if it wasn’t for the fact that Noah was kneeling before him.

He was decked out in strange leather clothes, well-worn boots, with a bow and arrow strapped to his back. He had his hand on the guys bleeding chest—trying to staunch the flow I guessed— while he spoke to him in low tones.

“I have brought you another one and by God this had better be the last!” my head snapped up yet again at the sound of the familiar voice.

Fucking Snow White . I grinned, despite the situation, and without a word, I was making my way over to him; my intention to help unburden him of his unconscious load.

“Tony.” He greeted when he saw me. “It was my understanding that you were still ill and resting in your room. Why are you here?” I reached over to help him with the guy he was holding, but he gently pushed me out of his way and set the man down beside the one Noah—who glanced up at me from his patient for a second—was tending to.

“I’m fine. I’m here to help. What’s wrong with him?” I gestured to the man Laken was now squatting over. His small hands moved gently over the guy’s head.

“I am a warrior, not a doctor. He received a mere pat to the head from the enemy and crumpled to the ground.” He turned to Noah, who had passed off his own patient to another helping hand. “Your hunter friends are as weak as any human.” He said dismissively, and Noah stood.

“Probably because we’re all human. How’s it looking out there?”

Christophe’s eyes roamed the room, before they settled again on him. “The sick bay is filled with injured…most of them your own men… a few wolves. No blood-drinkers of course. After all, we fight to the death. Two of our number have died.” He grinned. “I would say it is going quite well.”

I glanced around the room again. Which meant, the men and women running around in here, reloading and searching for weapons were all hunters . Whatever the fuck that meant.

“How’s Rien handling it.” I had to ask.

He shook his head. “When last I saw Lord Riener, he had been commanding me to work with that insufferable buffoon Zahir. I have not seen him since.”

“And Kandane?”

“Nor he I’m afraid. I do not understand why he has not yet shown himself.” He inspected his blood-caked finger nails. “He may be master-class, but he is nothing but a coward. He has brought this war, yet he hides while his army fights.” He spat the words; his mouth turned down in disgust.

“What about Thomas or Carson. The Alpha and Beta I mean, have you seen them”? Grady chipped in, and Christophe’s eyes narrowed.

“Do you think I am drenched with the blood of my enemy because I am wasting away my time searching for your loved ones?”

I shook my head. “Relax Snow White, we’re all just concerned.” I told him.

“Yes well, while you are sitting here wallowing in your concern, I am being forced to fight alongside Lord Riener’s barbarian of a compeer; Zahir.” His hands clenched. “The great brute thinks we are in competition. The moment I find myself faced with the enemy, he snatches him away and slaughters him himself. He is like a ravenous demon spawn or some such vile creat—.”

“Grady, help me with him.” Laken, who was still crouched before the fallen hunter, interrupted Christophe’s tirade and Grady went where he was bid.

“How are you feeling?” Noah turned to me.

“I’m fine. I’m here to help.”

He nodded. “Good, because we need all the help we can get. You good with guns right?”

I grinned. “Just find me something I can use from a high vantage point and we’ll be in business.” I told him, then gestured to Malik. “He says he’s good with arrows.”

“Follow me.”

“While you do that I shall return to the demon before he kills himself.” Christophe called, and a moment later, he was crossing the room.

Noah led us back to the tables in the center of the room where the arrows lay. “Take your pick.” He told Malik, who gaped stupidly at him.

“I—these aren’t exactly the standard arrows I used in my childhood.” He picked up one of the metal arrows and weighed it in his palm. “I mean…this is—”

“It’s what we’ve got and it’s no different from a regular bow and arrow…in some ways.” He qualified and handed the bow to Malik.

As he stood there looking like he’d bitten off more than he could chew, Noah led me to another table. It was one I’d missed when we’d first come in, but one that certainly held a thing of beauty.

I ran my hand reverently along the …what was it? 22/23 inch barrel, and inspected the strange looking bullets that were scattered around it.

“They’re special bullets.” He explained. “One well-placed hit with one of these and your vampire won’t be getting back up.”

I turned it around in my hand before returning my attention back to the bolt action rifle. “Range?”

“About 875 yards. Weighs about twelve pounds empty and without the scope. It’s the best we’ve got with us right now, considering the short notice.”

“Sounds damn good to me.”

He grabbed a sack lying on the floor not too far away and filled it with the bullets. When he handed it to me, he clapped me on the shoulder and gestured with his head to the main exit. “I’ve got a job to do. Good luck.”

……………………………

Kaio had insisted on carrying it for me, because in his mind he was a doctor, and I wasn’t fully healed yet. Which, to be fair to him, I really wasn’t.

When I’d set it all up, checked over my weapon and secured my perch on the roof above the armory, I settled in.

Beside me, the nervous Malik was getting a feel for his own weapon, and much to my own surprise and delight, Kaio had also opted for one of his own. A spear gun, he’d said it was called as he dangled the poison-tipped spears in my face.

“Will you be careful with that?” Malik hissed, and the dangerous item was removed from my sight.

Malik’s arms shook slightly as he pulled back on the thick bow string.

“Just don’t kill the good guys.” I warned him, before lowering my eyes to the rifle’s scope and placing my finger over the trigger.

Time to blow some brains out.

                                                                         AUTHOR’S NOTES

THANKS FOR READING!

HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE CHAPTER AND KEEP SWEET!

-DoUble.A

-unedited

Chapter 49: Target Practice

Chapter 49

Five years prior

The little fool.

I could not understand how he had managed to survive for so long before we found each other. He was so prone to disaster, that I often wondered if I were tempting fate every time I chose to rescue him.

I turned to him now and fought to stifle a sigh. “Why are you doing that Tony?”

He continued to watch me, eyes narrowed in concentration as he trained his weapon on my head.

“I had believed that human children were taught not to play with guns.” A small black cat passed between us in the quiet alleyway, and he broke his concentration only to watch it pass. When he glanced my way again, he frowned.

“Come on Rien, aren’t you just a little bit scared?”

I raised a brow. “Scared for you or scared for me? Be specific Tony.”

Finally, with a great sigh of frustration, he lowered the weapon and placed it carefully into his pocket. As he did so, he mumbled to himself, and I looked to the moon.

My meeting with Zahir was fast approaching.

“Stop your mumbling Tony. You know how it vexes me.”

He sighed. “If you’d show even an ounce of fear just once I’d feel just a little bit better about the world.”

I frowned at his nonsense and spared the moon another glance.

“Why can’t I come with you to your meeting?”

“It is a sensitive matter. I cannot have you interfere tonight.”

When I looked back at him, he was leaning against the wall, with his meagre arms crossed before him. “I won’t interfere. You won’t even know I’m there, I swear.”

“Ah, but I would know you were there my love, for you would no doubt make yourself known in some clumsy way.”

He rolled his eyes and I ventured to continue our pointless conversation. “Where did you procure that weapon? Perhaps you should return it before you do something that will no doubt cause you a great deal of pain and me, a great deal of annoyance.”

Tony shrugged. “Lifted it off some gang idiot. He probably doesn’t even know it’s gone.” He shook his head, then smirked. “Amateur.”

“Hmm.”

“Next time Sunny and them mess with me, I got my little insurance policy right here.” He patted his bulging pocket and grinned.

“Is that so?” We both looked toward the entrance of the alleyway to see the said Sunny and his gang of ruffians approaching us. It was evident from the fact that I had not been aware of their approach, that my mind was indeed elsewhere this night.

I looked to the moon once more. Zahir would be delivering the package in but a few short minutes. He was competent and I had no doubt that he would arrive without cause for worry, but this was a delicate matter and I would rest easier if the package were in my hands.

Beside me, Tony withdrew his weapon for all the see. “Don’t even think about it Sunny.” He trained the weapon on them, though his hands were shaking badly. “You come even one step closer and I’ll put one right between your eyes.”

The others were not impressed. Sunny snorted and stepped more than a few steps closer. “You won’t do it wimp. You’ve always been nothing but a little pussy.”

“Your language leaves much to be desired.” I told the ruffian and he shrugged. “Why don’t you beat it pretty boy? Me and your friend Tony here got some beef to settle.”

“Is that’s so?” I asked absently.

“Wouldn’t want to mess up that pretty face of yours, now would we boys?”

The ‘boys’ jeered and I could already sense Tony’s anger rising to the surface. This, I did not have the time for tonight.

“I must go.” I told him and his mouth practically fell open as he looked at me.

“But…you can’t go, what about them?” he pointed to the offending group, who now watched us with mere interest.

“There is a meeting I must attend. I have told you this.”

“But I need your help. You can’t expect me to take them on by myself!” he hissed as I stepped away from him.

“Tony I have a meeting and you have a weapon; use it.”

“But—”

“Or flee. Whichever course of action suits you best.” A moment later I was off. I turned the corner and was down the block in an instant. I could already hear my Tony’s boots battering against the pavement in the opposite direction.

He had of course chosen the second option as I had expected. He could never harm a fly, though he liked to think that he could. I felt the sweet chill of the night air against my cool skin and tried to remember if I had seen Tony in a jacket earlier, but I could not. So far away was my mind, that I had missed the simple details I had long been accustomed to cataloging.

I would rest easy when the package was safely delivered to me. Having such a thing fall into the hands of the enemy would lead to more problems than I had the patience to deal with. Now was not the time for me to hunt prospective thieves. I needed to stay close to my Tony. Therefore, nothing could go wrong this night.

I took a breath, and I could taste my compeer’s anxiety in the night air. He had finally arrived.

I moved quickly through the sodden streets of the small town. We were to meet at the woodland’s edge and I was already tardy. I hopped across a small canal and landed on the muddy banking beyond. It took me but a few moments to get there and when I did, I spotted him before he did me. He stood as still as a sculpture, eyes closed, head bowed, as he no doubt listened to the earth around him.

When he did become aware of my presence, he raised his head and smiled as calmly. His eyes alone betrayed his relief.

“Brother.” He breathed as he stepped closer. “I was beginning to fear you would not come.”

We embraced and his arms around me were tight. “I would not have missed this meeting. When you have a mate, tardiness soon becomes an expected trait.” I explained, and he pulled back smiling.

“Of course.”

“Did you meet with any misfortune on your journey here?”

His expression grew serious. “None, much to my surprise. Perhaps our stealth has been well thought out on this occasion.” I watched as he slowly extracted the package from his robe, and I took it without a sound.

It was far smaller than I had anticipated. I uncovered the wooden box from its velvet casing and lifted the lid. There they stood; three clear vials. It was hard to believe that such small objects would be such a great cause for concern.

“I still do not approve of this venture.” Zahir interrupted my musings. I closed the lid and replaced the box into the casing, before slipping it into my robes. “To hand such a thing to hunters feels like suicide.”

“They will not use it against us.” I assured him. “The hunters have never been senseless killers and we have done nothing to incur their disapproval. Only our enemies will suffer at their hands.”

Zahir shook his head, looking away from me and out over the canal. “You put too much trust in them. Our people would see this as an act of treason.”

I placed a hand on his shoulder. “Sometimes risks must be taken to ensure the survival of a specie. If our trust is broken by them, I will take action. Have no fear my friend.”

“You have not led me astray yet.” Zahir smiled.

I felt the load that had weighted me down this past week, lift from my shoulders at the thought of the safe delivery of the package, and finally, I allowed myself to return his smile.

“I have missed your presence Zahir. The world of humans is a lonesome place.”

“Then come home. Your people grow weary of your absence, and I am in need a proper sparring companion. I have defeated the lot of them many a time and I grow bored.”

I laughed. “For now I must remain here where I am needed.”

“Ah yes, with your human mate.” He grinned. “Dare I hope that he appreciates your generosity? Not many would make such sacrifices as you.”

“He is an ungrateful little thing, so I would not venture so far as to describe what he feels as appreciation, but he acknowledges it and I am content with that.” He nodded, and I continued. “How is the young lord Christophe? It has been a time since I have laid eyes on him”

“He is as foul-mouthed and arrogant as ever, but he is well. “Zahir laughed. “Just last morrow he flayed Augustus with his tongue for stepping on the tail end of his robes.”

“He has always had a brutal mouth on him. Even as a fledgling.” I commented.

Zahir smiled fondly, then pulled me in for a quick embrace. “I must not tarry Rien. Your father is not yet aware of my absence and I do not wish to alert him of such.”

“Very well brother. When next we meet.”

And so he was gone, and already I missed his companionship.

It was a slow trek back through the city. So quickly the stress of the night had drained away and in its place an ancient sadness was brewing. It was a strange feeling to miss ones family. Being away from my people for such an extended period of time was something I had become accustomed to during war, but during such times, I had my men with me and my compeer. Now here in this human world I was alone, and even after all this time it was a strange feeling.

I suddenly had a craving for my Tony; to see him, to bask in his company, and to watch him catalog his bruises, which he would undoubtedly have after his encounter with his ruffian friends, but first I would get the package to safety.

………………………………………………

My eyes drifted to the clock above the mantelpiece.

He should have arrived by now. Surely those damned delinquents had not taken their sport too far. They played their games; perhaps a bit too roughly for my liking where Tony was concerned, but surely they would not taken it too far.

I pushed the main door open and stepped out onto the balcony, where I closed my eyes and listened. I heard the noise from the busy town and I drowned it out along with everything else, focusing my mind on that one solitary heartbeat that had come to mean so much to me. It was faint, but I could hear it in the distance, and I knew in an instant just where he was.

I frowned.

He himself had told me he wished to stay with me tonight. Why then was he at home?

I descended the stairs and crossed the vast yard. Once I was beyond my gate, I ran through the thick brush, taking the quickest routes until I arrived on the dirt road that would lead me up the path toward his home. The closer I got, the more distinct the beat of his heart became.

I crossed his yard. I could hear his foster parents having their usual spat in the kitchen. I gripped one thick column and pulled myself up and unto the low roof. From there I climbed unto a higher roofing that would lead me his bedroom window.

I could hear the spray of the shower in the next room, and I knew he was there. It took me but a moment to slide his window open and slip into his bedroom. The lamps on either side of his bed were on and the room took on a warm and welcoming atmosphere. I took a seat on his bed and picked up the open book on his side table.

A novel.

He only read when he was upset. He said it took his mind elsewhere; allowed him a brief moment of escape from his troubles. I wondered what he could possibly be upset about. I heard the squeaking of the pipes as he turned off the water and the sound of the soft towel brushing against his skin. Then the opening and shitting of the bathroom door; his damp feet padding against the wood floors and finally, he was pushing open his bedroom door.

I replaced the book as he entered the room. His towel was slung low on his hips and speckles of water dripped from his hair onto his naked torso. When he looked up and saw me, he frowned; beautiful eyes narrowing as he watched me.

“What are you doing here?”

Certainly not the welcome I had expected. “What is the matter with you Tony?”

He crossed the room and grabbed his novel from the side table before crawling into bed and turning completely away from me; dampening his hair on the pillow on which his head rested.

When his towel began to slip, he reached down to pull the blankets to cover his nakedness.

“I waited for you.” I told him, and he snorted.

“Sure you did.”

I reached across and touched his arm, only to have him move further away from me.

“Would you like to explain this odd behavior?”

Finally, he turned and sat up; eyes glinting. “You think I didn’t see you tonight?”

I frowned. “I do not understand the question.”

He shook his head. “With your pretty boy, across the canal.” He accused. “Yeah I followed you, and I saw you with him.”

“And what? You thought I was sneaking off to meet my lover?” I smiled in amusement, and his eyes narrowed further.

“Why’s everything always a joke to you?”

“I am simply amused. I do not understand why you continuously jump to conclusions.”

“I’m not jumping to conclusions. I saw you two and that wasn’t a meeting between friends or whatever it is that you said you two are. It was intimate. I could feel it.”

“You could feel it.” I could not help but smile.

For a moment he only looked at me, then he shook his head and looked away.

I allowed the silence between us to grow. Sometimes he simply needed time to sift through his thoughts so that he could displace his anger.

“Look around you Rien.” He began quietly. I did as he bid. “I’m living with people who don’t give a damn about me. They’re never going to adopt me because I’m just a meal ticket to them. I don’t have parents. I don’t own a damn thing in this room; not this bed, not these clothes, nothing.”

I chose to listen rather than to interrupt, and he continued.

“I grew up having to share every damn thing I have, which means you’re the first thing I’ve ever had in my whole life that I can say is just mine. I don’t have to share you. I don’t have to give you back, because you’re all mine. So if this isn’t enough for you, then you better tell me now because I can’t deal with this shit. You’re either mine or you’re someone else’s, but I can’t share. I won’t.”

He had said all this while he picked the lint from his sheets; refusing, even now, to meet my eyes.

“You needn’t share me my love. I have always been faithful to you and I will never waver.” I assured him. He looked up and met my eyes. “What you saw was merely the neighborly intimacy between close friends. You have nothing to fear.”

“You sure?”

I smiled as I reached over to pull on a lock of his damp hair. “I am.”

The grin that graced his face immediately following my declaration was so bright that I laughed. He was just one big bundle of emotions my Tony.

“You had me scared for a minute there Rien.” He confessed, and placed a hand dramatically over his heart. Though to be fair to him, it had been beating erratically ever since we had begun this particular conversation.

“Well now we can both forget about this nonsense. Tell me of your encounter with Sunny.”

He rolled his eyes. “Gimmie a break. They didn’t stand a chance. I gave them the slip within minutes. Bunch of stupid headless chickens.”

“And what became of the weapon?”

He slid closer to me. “I got rid of it. The idea of it was more fun than the actual thing.”

“Ah. My coven would have dubbed you weak for such an act.”

He snorted. “When I become king, they won’t even dare to think it.”

“King you say?” He nodded. “What has led you to believe that you will ever become king?”

He shrugged. “When you turn me into a vampire and take me back to your coven as your mate. Obviously I’ll rule alongside you…after your old man kicks the bucket I mean.”

“I am the youngest son. I am not heir to my father’s throne.”

“One day though.” He chirped happily. “Sunny and them are gonna be sorry the day they messed with me when I show up on their doorstep with our army.” He continued with obvious delight.

“Do you truly believe it would take an entire army to massacre your friends?”

“No, but it’ll scare the shit outta them…and they’re not my friends Rien. How many times do I have to tell you that?”

“Of course.” I played along. “And as I have told you many a time, I will not aid you in your quest to become a blood-drinker.”

His frown was instant. “How do you expect me to protect you if I’m not like you?”

I scoffed at his nonsense. “It is my duty to protect you my love. Not the reverse.”

“That’s such bullshit.”

Your language—“

“Leaves much to be desired. I know.” He interrupted. “But anything can happen and one day you might need my help and I want to be there to give it to you.”

“Let us pretend for a moment that the reason you wish to be turned is such a noble one.” I began. “What could you possibly do to help? You would still be an untrained and untried blood-drinker and of no use to me. Though I do admire your ambition.”

He seemed to consider my words. “I don’t know. I could use my awesome new strength to—”

“You will be weak for months after the transition, and once you have recovered you will not have the strength of a full-blood blood-drinker.”

His eyes narrowed. “I’ve got skills.”

“I’m sure you do.”

Finally, when he no doubt realized he was losing the battle, he sighed. “So you’ll never turn me then. Is that it?”

“Perhaps when you are wiser.”

“You’re not turning me when I’m some shriveled up old man.”

“Old age is not synonymous with wisdom Tony.”

He only shrugged.

“Like with your weapon, you are simply in love with the idea of becoming like me. If I turn you, it will be when you understand the implications of such a change to the fullest degree, and not a moment sooner.”

“I do understand.”

I pulled him close and pressed my lips to his forehead. “You do not.”

“One day you’re going to need help and I won’t be able to do a damn thing because I’m just a useless human.”

I smiled. “You are brave and sharp and undoubtedly, you possess a determination that borders on insanity. If I am ever in need of such help, you will find a way to give it.”

………………………………………………..

Present

The vamp went down like a ton of bricks and I focused my attention on my next target. This one was smaller and he moved so quickly, he was practically a blur in my scope. I followed his movements across the courtyard, waiting for the moment he slowed. Just a second; that was all I needed to take the fucker down.

He was slinking across the courtyard like a demon on a mission. I needed to take him out before he reached his target. I readied my weapon and took aim. My finger hovered patiently over the trigger. Almost…almost….almost…Now!

The bastard went down and I released a breath.

Beside me Malik was shaking so hard it was a wonder his skin hadn’t vibrated right off his bones. “You need to relax.” I told him, and he lowered his weapon before looking at me. His expression was miserable.

“This is crazy. No matter how many you take down, they just get right back up eventually. What’s the point?”

“The point is, we’re slowing them down. It’s better than nothing.”

“We need poison tipped bullets and arrows; like the one that took you down. These things are useless.”

I looked that the box of bullets by my side. I had about five of those, but I’d decided I’d only use them when I absolutely had to. On Rien’s brother for instance.

“You don’t need a poisoned anything . With the way you’ve been aiming, you’re likely to take out everyone on our side before the night is over. I thought you said you were good at this.”

When he glanced my way again, it was in clear exasperation. “That was in high school and this this completely different. These aren’t targets, they’re people. I can’t just….”

“They are targets and they want us dead.”

He looked across the courtyard and shook his head. When he brought his hand up to wipe his brow it was shaking. The guy was losing it.

“You need to relax.” I told him again.

“I’m not you. I can’t just—“he gestured to the battle below. “I can’t do this. My hands keep shaking. I can’t take aim. I haven’t hit one vampire since we started. I—”

I stepped away from my weapon and moved to stand behind him. “What’re yo—”

I placed my hands roughly on his shoulders; forcing him to face the chaos. “Those things down there are monsters. They have one goal, and that’s to kill us all. You got that?”

“I know that, I—”

“Shut up and listen.” I ordered, and he fell silent. “They’re not going to stop until they kill you, me, Kaio and very single person in this damn camp. That means we need to step up and do whatever the hell we can to help.”

He swallowed. “I understand.” His voice came out in a whisper.

He was terrified; plain and simple. The man was completely out of his element and he knew it. I didn’t have time to babysit.

“Close your eyes—don’t say a word, just do it.” I waited a moment. “I need you to take a deep breath, and I need you to relax alright?”

He nodded.

“No one’s after you. Those bloodsuckers have absolutely no idea that we’re up here, so you can take your time and do this right. You don’t need to feel pressured, and you don’t need to rush, got that?”

Another nod.

“Think of them as moving targets. They’re not people, they’re just targets and you need to hit your target.” I slowly kneaded his shoulders as I said the words. “You said we’re brothers right?”

This time his eyes flew open and he tried to turn to look at me. “We are, we’re brothers.”

“Good. Now just turn around and close your eyes.” I commanded. “I’m sure you want us to get to know each other right?”

He nodded.

“Well, we can’t do that if either one of us are dead. So if you want any chance of a relationship with me like you said, then I need you to focus and I need you to relax.”

He nodded quickly. “Now open your eyes and raise your weapon. I need you to find a target and aim.”

Malik did as requested, and though his hands were still shaking slightly, he had managed to get it relatively under control.

“Have you found your target?”

“I have.” He said, and in an instant he prepared himself to fire.

“Stop. I said aim not fire. You need to take your time. Focus on your target, and then release the arrow. There’s no need to rush.”

“Alright.”

“Try to aim for the head.”

I released his shoulders then, and just watched him. On the opposite end of the roof, Kaio also watched with bated breath. Malik took aim, he observed his target carefully and finally, he released the arrow, which buried itself in the vamp’s leg. Not exactly the head-shot I had been hoping for, but it was a good effort and I told him so.

I returned to my own weapon and searched the courtyard below for Rien. I had caught a glimpse of him earlier, but he tended to disappear as quickly as he appeared. My eyes traveled over the faces, and I squinted to make out each one of them in the poor lighting. Below me was complete chaos. They’d taken the fighting deep under the cover of the trees, far beyond the camp itself.

Everywhere I looked there was blood and carnage— broken bodies, terrifying growls and a lot of senseless fighting. It took me a little over ten minutes to spot him. He had a vamp by the neck and had raised the monster off the ground. I looked through the scope. The look in Rien’s eyes was murderous. I took my aim and pulled the trigger. The vamp he held slumped, and Rien’s head snapped around. I watched as his gaze traveled up and up until finally, it handed on my own.

I had expected anger, or at the very least…disapproval, but his mouth lifted ever so slightly at the corners and he nodded. I watched then as his hand shot through the chest of the unconscious vamp, and he pulled out the beast’s heart, before discarding his prey altogether.

“Holy shit.” Malik breathed, and I realized that he had also been watching the scene. When next I looked back however, Rien was gone.

I didn’t waste any more time searching for him. I settled behind my weapon and got the job done. There was no way in hell any of us were dying tonight.

                                                  AUTHOR’S NOTES

YES YOU HEARD IT! EXAMS ARE OVER AND NOW I’M ALL YOURS! 

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Check out my book Dominance and Submission over on my profile  while you wait for the next one.

Keep sweet!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited

Chapter 50: Heir to the Throne

Chapter 50

The moment one went down, another rose up and took his place. It was chaos.

There was a vampire for every wolf and many more waiting in the wings. I took out as many as I could; aiming for the head every time, but the beasts were getting smart. They dodged as many as they could and had even gone as far as to return some of Malik’s wayward arrows.The last one missed him by an inch and that was only because Kaio had been vigilant and had acted quickly enough in pulling him out of the way.

 I had no doubt in my mind that it was only a matter of time before they decided to make their way up to our perch. I was already almost out of ammunition by the time the pain in my shoulder started up again. It had first began as an ever-present ache and had gradually graduated to something that could no longer be ignored.

I pressed my hand lightly against my skin and tried to massage around the area. My fingers came away bloody. With obvious effort, I pulled off my shirt and tore down the center, before tying it around the wound. Blondie was a damn fool for deciding that I go without a bandage anyway.

“You alright?”

I looked at him. “Fine.”

He didn’t look convinced, but he also didn’t push it and I was grateful. I didn’t need a mother hen worrying over me right then. “I’m out of arrows.” He explained as he lowered himself onto the ground beside me. “They just keep coming.”

“We have the advantage with the wolves on our side. That, and they’re in unfamiliar territory, but you’re right. Kandane really thought this one through.”

“It’s you he wants you know.” he said ominously. “He wants Rien to suffer and the easiest way to do that is to get his hands on you.”

My eyes narrowed. “I’m aware of that. Sounds like this is your subtle way of telling me to give myself up.”

His eyes flashed to mine. “Don’t be ridiculous Tony.”

I chuckled despite myself. “You sound just like him, you know that?”

He frowned. “Like who?”

“Rien.”

He frowned. “Don’t insult me.”

I laughed. “Giving myself up wouldn’t solve anything. Kandane would get what he wants and there’s no telling how the rest of this war will play out.”

“What if we were to run?”

“Run.” I tested out the word.

“It won’t make you a coward. It’s a smart move.”

I shook my head. “Even if it is, I wouldn’t get very far anyway.” I placed a careful hand over my wound.

Malik’s expression transformed into what I could only describe as unease.

I watched him for a moment. “Why are you here Malik?”

“I told you why.” His voice betrayed his frustration. “You’re my brother. I’m here because of you.”

“Why do I get the feeling you’re lying to me?”

“Why would I lie? What reason could I possibly have? Think about it Tony.”

“Alright. You say we’re related and that could very well be true, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re hiding something and I want to know what it is.”

He regarded me with a cool expression. “You know what your problem is?”

I fought hard not to roll my eyes. “No, but I’m sure you do.”

“You’ve had such a fucked up life, that even the simple act of trusting someone is impossible for you.” He stood then and turned his back to me.

“Trust has to be earned friend .”

He glanced at me briefly. “Yeah and look where I am—risking my life in a war that has nothing to do with me, just so I can be with my brother. Hell, if that doesn’t illicit some sense of trust from you then nothing will.” With that he walked over to Kaio and I was finally left to my own machinations.

My shoulder ached, my chest ached. Every part of my body ached, and after that conversation with Malik, even my head had started to throb. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths.

“He has suffered much on his journey to find you.” I opened them again to see Kaio standing beside me. Malik was perched atop the ledge as far away from me as he could get as he surveyed the bloodshed below.

“Something just doesn’t add up Kaio.”

“You have shouldered much responsibility in you short life Tony, and with that burden you have learned to harden your heart against the world. You have taught yourself to distrust others and that is the only reason you sense deceit in Mal’s actions.

“He is good, but I may very well be biased as a result of my affiliation with him so do not take my words to heart.” He said. “but do not forget that Lord Riener has put his trust in him and he would not do so if he were not certain that Mal could be trusted.”

“My instincts have never been wrong.”

“They were wrong about me. You did not trust me when we first met and now we are friends.”

I looked at him with raised brows. “And I was right not to trust you. You snapped my leg remember?”

“And you murdered me, yet here we are… friends . I only ask that you give him the opportunity to at least prove that he is worth your attention.”

“I’m not stopping him. He can prove whatever he wants.”

Kaio looked at me then, as though he were talking to an insolent child and I sighed. “Your attitude makes it impossible for anyone to feel comfortable in your presence, much less prove anything to you. Stop being a stubborn buffoon and give him the chance he deserves.”

“Very well your majesty.” I mocked. He chuckled and finally took a seat beside me.

“You are a difficult man Tony.”

“Yeah well, the world isn’t an easy place.”

“Yes.” He paused for a few minutes and we sat and listened to the chaos around us. “We are low on ammunition. We need to gather more from the armory, though at this point I wonder if this is all for naught.”

“We have to do what we can.”

“Yes, but you are injured, Malik is more afraid than I have ever seen him and it seems Lord Kandane has instilled the aid of a great many covens. It is true that he has had the opportunity to liaison with many coven leaders in the years he has spent by his father’s side, so it is unsurprising that he has gained many supporters in that time, but I did not think so great a number would be brave enough to stand against us.The warrior coven has always been feared my all.”

“About how many covens would you say we’re dealing with here?”

“Three by my estimation, perhaps four. It is a large number. We are truly fortunate that this wolf pack is so great in number or I fear we would have been decimated long ago.”

I nodded, looking over the ledge at the scene below. “I’ve seen a lot of bloodshed in my lifetime Kaio, but this…this is on a whole other level.”

Kaio shrugged. “You are accustomed to butchery through the use of your manmade weaponry, while we believe that a warrior’s true strength can only be exemplified through the use of his flesh.” He explained. “Why use weapons when we can tear a man’s heart out with hands we have? It is this demonstration that I believe truly troubles you and not merely the lives being lost.”

The truth was; all of it sickened me. It was senseless and barbaric what Rien’s brother was doing, but then every war was senseless.

“We are not barbarians.” Kaio spoke again and I raised a brow in question.

“Did I say you were?”

He smiled.

“Tell me a little about him.”

“What would you like to know?”

“I’ve never spoken to him before. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever been within an arm’s reach of the guy. The only thing I know about him is that he hates humans with a passion and now he’s hell-bent on destroying his own family.”

Kyle’s reply was a long time coming, but when he did speak, his words surprised me. “He is not as bad as many believe him to be.”

I laughed.

“I speak only the truth Tony. Many see him as a cold, uncaring being with his sights set only on the throne, but that is not the case. In moments when he is not being corrupted by his father’s influence, he is kind. Even to the drudges. Of course he is ever serious; never one to show weakness, but I have seen the weakness in him and its unlikely source.”

“The source of his weakness.” I played with the words. “What do you mean? If you know his weakness then why aren’t you using it to end this…“I gestured to the carnage. “…this disaster?”

Another smile, but this one was a sad one. “His brother’s know of it and so do I, but it is not a weakness any of us would choose to exploit, for it is the only thing that keeps him grounded. The only thing that separates him from the barbarian he could become under his father’s watchful gaze.”

I frowned. “Are you going to tell me what this ‘weakness’ is or are we going to continue to talk in riddles?”

“You have never been patient.”

And so I remained silent and ‘patiently’ waited for his answer.

“Is it not obvious what it is?” he asked, then sighed. “Perhaps it is not where Lord Kandane is concerned, for he is always so calm, so collected. No one would be able to see it. He is in love Tony and that is his weakness.”

It took me a moment to process his words, but the Kandane I had seen from afar and all I’d heard about him could not be reconciled with a man in love. “In love…as in, with a person?”

“Not just any person. Lord Kandane has done the unthinkable. He has done the very thing he has been preaching against for as long as I have known him. He has fallen in love with a human.”

I had him repeat it just so I could be sure I’d heard him right. “Wow.” I laughed. “The bastard went and fell for some human. What a hypocrite. How do you even know all this?”

“It was Lord Riener who learned of it first only two years prior. He kept it to himself of course, as he tends to do with important news such as this. His brothers learned not long after seemingly by accident. He still has no idea that anyone knows his secret. Love tends to make one careless…even one such as Lord Kandane.” Kaio glanced at Malik, who was busy in his corner, picking at his bow and looking as miserable as ever.

“Well clearly love didn’t do enough for the bastard. Look where we are now.”

“What he is doing is cruel I will admit, but I cannot cast blame. What his father did was far crueler than anything he could. For centuries he has dangled the throne in Lord Kandane’s face. In fact, it was our leader who first infected him with the knowledge that he might one day rule. He did not always pine for the throne you see, but his father convinced him of its importance and has prepared him to take over for many a year…or so it had seemed.

“Lord Kandane has done much for his father simply because he asked it. He has gone above and beyond for him and has borne his wrath so that his brothers did not have to. He had an idea of power that he had not wanted, thrust upon him and when he finally began to accept it and grow to see himself in the position of leader, his father pulled it right out from under him.

“Everything he has done, all the time he has lost in pursuit of his father’s will, all he has had to give up and now to learn it had been for nothing. It would make any man crazed.” Kaio explained. “Lord Riener and his brothers have not truly grasped his pain, and I do not know if ever they will, but I can see it and I understand it…even if I do not agree with his actions.”

“How could they? The guy makes it impossible. Look what he’s doing Kaio. He’s trying to kill his own brothers. That’s a line you don’t cross, no matter how pissed off you are.”

“That is where you are wrong.” He said. “As a drudge you tend to see a lot and hear a lot. In my position observation is just about all I have the time for, and I have seen much Tony. I have learned much and the most important thing I have come to understand is that Lord Kandane would never truly harm his brothers. 

“He has protected them in more ways than they will ever know and he has cared for them and sacrificed more for them than they will ever do in their own lifetimes. If they only knew the things I have seen, then they would have tried to understand him more. They would respect him more and they would cherish him above all others, for he has suffered much to keep them as they are.”

“Then why don’t you tell them what you know?”

“It is not my place.” He said simply.

“Rien doesn’t think he’s fit to lead. None of them do. What do you think? Do you think he’d make a good leader if he ever got the chance?”

Kaio looked up and smiled at the stars. “They are his blood, but they do not know him; misguided as they are. If Lord Kandane were to take the throne, he would be a magnificent leader. It is only unfortunate that now that will never come to pass.”

I shook my head. It was strange to think of the guy that way. It was even stranger to feel the tinge of sympathy that I did for him and I said same to Kaio.

“Yes well, I believe that it is Lord Kandane’s human that has suffered the most in all this. Having to live as a secret and love in secret. Having a lover who was taught to hate all that humans stand for. Having been kept at an arm’s length for all these years because of his lover’s obligations to his father.”

“I guess that would be a shitty way to live. Who is this guy anyway?”

Kaio looked at me in amusement. “Why Tony, don’t you know?” he said. “Have you not yet figured it out?”

I frowned as he stood and he smiled; one that went all the way to his eyes this time, and I wondered how he could even muster a pleasant expression at a time like this. “I believe we have tarried long enough. I shall visit upon the armory and gather the ammunition we need.”

I shook my head as he crossed the space. The cryptic bastard.

He paused by the door that would lead him off the roof and turned to look at me. “Mend the fence.” He said gesturing to Malik and then he was gone; leaving me with the silent guards and Malik for company.

………………………………………

I watched as he picked at his bow, drummed his fingers along the shaft and looked out over the courtyard; flinching only when something particularly gruesome had been done in his line of sight. The silence on the roof was thick with tension and the guards who watched us without a word didn’t help the situation much.

I shook my head. Only Kaio could make a grown man feel like the biggest dick in the dirt. I stood—fully aware of my growing aches and pains— and closed the distance between us. He looked up at my approach, but looked away again without even registering my presence when I stood not too far away from him. We watched the scene below in silence. Silence that I would have allowed to stretch on if Kaio’s voice hadn’t still been reverberating in my mind.

“I’m a dick.” I said into the silence and I could feel his stare, though I refused to look at him; instead focusing my attention on the scene below. “Rien would tell you I was born this way and I’d say he’s probably right.”

“No you certainly weren’t born that way…I would know.” He said after a moment and I shrugged.

“Kaio wants me to make amends.” I continued, and this time I did look at him. His eyes met mine.

“That’s no reason to do something you don’t want to do.”

I nodded. “I’ve never been into birthdays.” I began. “Never cared for them. It’s always been just another day for me, but Rien has always wanted me to enjoy my human experiences to the fullest. So on this one birthday, he made me get all dressed up in this fancy suit that itched every time I moved and shoes that were so polished I swear I could almost see my reflection in them, and he took me out to this fancy restaurant that he liked.” I smiled at the memory.

“Anyway so as expected, I hated it. People were staring and the music was boring and everything was so expensive that I felt like I couldn’t touch anything without accidentally breaking it. Looking back, I guess it was supposed to be a perfect night. Especially since at the time we were also celebrating the anniversary of our first meeting, but I couldn’t care less and he knew it.

“Like I said, I’ve always been a dick. So anyway, on this perfect night, he wanted me to make a wish. He said I could wish for anything I wanted. Anything in the world, no matter how ridiculous it sounded.” I glanced at him again. “Do you know what I wished for?”

He shook his head.

“I wished for a brother. Even though I knew it would never happen and I understood that no one could make it come true, I’d wanted a brother who I could teach all my tricks and I’d make him join my crew and teach him the way of the world.” I said. “Back then I’d been wishing for one since I was old enough to understand what a brother was.

“So you can imagine my disbelief when some guy shows up out of the blue, claiming to be my long lost sibling.

“Tony—” he interrupted, but I shook my head.

“I had one good thing growing up Malik. Just one thing that I could look at that made me feel that maybe I wasn’t that useless piece of shit my foster parents seemed to think I was. I had just one flimsy little picture of my parents. In the picture they were pushing me on a swing. So I used to imagine that we’d been at a park that day, or in our back yard or some other happy place. And I figured that if they could smile that much, it must have meant that they loved me and if they loved me…if someone could love me then it meant I wasn’t so useless after all.

That was the one thing I had, and now some guy is coming to tell me that not only is he my long lost brother, but claiming that I’d been kidnapped from my home in some foreign country and sold… sold to those happy people in the one picture I had that made me feel like I was worth something.

“Now you understand that by coming here and saying all these things, you’re hacking away the one good thing I had growing up. The one happy memory that I’ve held on to while being passed through foster home after foster home, but what do I know, there’s every possibility that what you’re saying is true and you’re here for my sake.

“There’s also every possibility that what you say is true, but you’re here with bad intentions. And of course there’s the possibility that everything you’ve told me is a lie and you’re here because you want something.” His watched me without a word. “Now with all these possibilities, you should at least realize that ‘you sticking around in a war that has nothing to do with you, just so you can be with your brother’ is no reason for me to trust you.

“Trust isn’t something that you hand to every beggar, thief and saint you come across. So when I say you need to earn it, I’m not being a jackass. I’m not being my usual dick self and I’m not being an asshole. I’m being real with you. Do you understand?”

It took him a moment to reply as he watched me; his brows furrowed as he considered my words, and finally, he nodded and I returned the gesture.

“I suppose a blood test would be the place to start in earning your trust then.”

I nodded. “It would definitely be a start.”

“Then I’m— Holy shit, is that…is that him?”

I followed Malik’s gaze and froze when I saw him. He was like a perfectly carved statue cemented to the ledge of the building across from our perch. He stood with his feet slightly apart, his midnight black robes draped around him and his dark hair framing his perfectly sculpted face.

A face that was as emotionless as a rock, but far far more brutal. The glimpses I had seen of him over the weeks that I’d been held prisoner behind the coven walls didn’t coincide with what I saw now. I had always seen him as this silent and serious presence, with a calculating and disapproving gaze.

However, the creature I was looking at now had developed another dimension in all the time I’d been absent. The creature I saw now had the eyes of the night; focused and watchful as he targeted his prey. There was something about him; standing there as still as a sculpture and exuding a presence I couldn’t even begin to describe.

I was vaguely aware of Malik shouting something at me and then of a weapon being forced into my hand.

I tore my gaze away from the enemy and glanced down at it.

“What are you waiting for? Shoot him!” Malik hissed. I saw the urgency in his expression, but the weapon that held my last deadly bullet felt heavy in my hand. The creature standing not too far from us wouldn’t go down with this bullet. The realization hit me the moment my gaze travelled back to his still form.

This was death on a mission and I had a feeling nothing would stop him, but I raised the weapon anyway and I aimed it at his head. I could pull the trigger and watch him bleed, or I could pull the trigger and watch him tear us apart. I knew without a doubt that it would be the latter.

I lowered the gun, and beside me Malik let out a string of curses.

Why had I not seen it in him before? I’d watched him standing by his father’s side. I’d watched him sitting in the vampire’s Court. I had studied him just as I had studied all the brothers in the brief time I had seen them, but somehow I’d missed this. This important element to him that I couldn’t describe; that I couldn’t explain.

He had hid it well.

I followed his gaze; needing to know just what he was watching with such intensity in the courtyard below. I needed to understand just which aspect of his war had captured so much of his attention, and when I spotted the source, comprehension dawned.

Noah. Noah was his weakness.

It was then that the creature moved for the first time. As though he had heard the name in my mind and he wanted retribution for the offence. In a heartbeat, he turned and his eyes met mine. I couldn’t explain what I saw in them. This time when I raised the weapon, my hand shook.

I blinked and he was gone.

“Holy Fuck.” Malik breathed. “ That’s what we’re up against?“

Before I could do so much as nod, I heard something hard hit the ground. I spun around and came face to face with him. Kandane. The two guards lay unconscious at his feet. Malik took a step back, but I remained grounded, watching his approach; eyes locked on his.

He moved slowly; as if he had all the time in the world, and I held my ground still as he neared me. When he finally came to a stop directly before me, his hand shot out and he gripped my chin. I clawed at his hand; trying desperately to get him to release me, but his grip was firm as he tilted my head up so that I could look nowhere but in his dead eyes.

I glared.

“You are bold and spirited.” He said simply. His voice was deeper than I’d expected and as smooth as velvet. “I can see now why he is so fond of you.” He finished, and I got the distinct impression that he wasn’t talking about Rien.

His gaze travelled to my bandaged shoulder and settled there. I imagined all the torturous things he could do then and mentally prepared myself for it, but his next words surprised me. 

“You should be resting, not running around playing the hero. Humans are such foolish creatures.” Then he released me and as he did, I felt the gentle scraping of his nails across my cheek. A strange tingling sensation erupted along my cheek and down my neck. I felt it settle in the pit of my stomach and in the tips of my fingers and toes and suddenly, I felt a strange numbness settle over me and I couldn’t move.

I stared at him in shock and then panic as I realized I was paralyzed. Then I felt myself falling. Somewhere close by, Malik shouted my name. I could only watch Kandane as I went down. I couldn’t brace myself and I couldn’t put a hand out to break my fall. I fought to close my eyes; to say something; anything, but it was like my own body was against me. I felt it when he grabbed me and lowered me slowly and carefully to the ground. Then he stood crouched over me and watching with those deadly eyes.

I tried to swing away from him; anything at all to prove I wasn’t at his mercy, but whatever he’d done to me was still in force and there was nothing I could do. My panic grew and intensified and I watched in horror as he placed a hand over my heart. I was sure he’d been about to rip the organ out of my chest, but instead, he said; “Relax. This will soon pass.”

I watched him as he stood and faced the courtyard again. His eyes were glued somewhere down below. He placed his hands on the ledge in front of him and the concrete crumbled partially under them.

I heard Malik beside me and a moment later I felt him grip my hand, but I couldn’t even move my head to see him. The only sight I was allowed was the demon standing not far away. He was calm, but I could practically feel his anger bubbling below the surface. The way Rien had described him had been inaccurate. This wasn’t a spoiled child pissed off because his father had denied him power. No. This was a man who already had power. It was in the way he held himself. It was in his every step. It was in his dead eyes. This was a man who knew what it took to break a person and how to do it right.

They had underestimated him. I could see it now. Next to him, the man I loved didn’t have half the experience and wisdom that I had seen in Kandane’s eyes. He had been alive for centuries before Rien’s conception had even been a thought in his parents’ mind, and I could see now that he hadn’t wasted all those years.

I heard another sound somewhere off to the side; like the scraping of a door against the floor and I knew someone had arrived. Kandane turned around; his gaze set on something I couldn’t see.

“I have been waiting for you.” He said, and I heard Malik’s breath hitch.

                                                                                   AUTHOR’S NOTES

THANKS FOR READING!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 51: Clandestine Lover

Chapter 51

It was an even battle, none had the upper hand. Deaths were inevitable, but slow. Weapons flew through the air and immobilized their targets. The hunters were outnumbered and although I acknowledged their skill, weapons had no place in battle. True warriors fought with cunning and brute strength.

Marcan seemed to be enjoying himself as he ripped the heart from our enemy’s chest and grinned; his own chest puffed with pride. I could not catch sight of Peitre, but I could hear the steady flow of his blood and the rhythmic beating of his heart somewhere beyond the edge of the forestry; no doubt engaged with his own opponent. Jorlon was perched in a tree not far from the battle grounds, watching the catastrophe in the courtyard. He was the only blood-drinker I knew of who did not appreciate bloodshed.

He caught my eye as I passed. “Do you feel it?” he mouthed and I nodded. Of course I felt it. It was all around us, like the cloying scent of perfume on unwashed skin. It was in the air. It was in my veins. I could taste it. His presence was like a soothing balm over burning flesh. It calmed me when I should be enraged.

Kandane had arrived.

I tipped my nose to the air and drew breath. He masked his heartbeat well, but there was no doubt that he was here. I felt drawn to him. I glanced at Jorlon, whose gaze roamed the courtyard. We were always drawn to him—even as fledglings. It was something I had never understood. “Where is he?” Jorlon jumped from his perch and came to stand by my side.

“Somewhere biding his time I assume.”

Jorlon frowned; eyes still scanning the area. “I do not like this war. It is senseless. I do not wish to fight my brother.”

“Nor I, but he has left us no choice. The wolves have given us safe harbor and as such, we have a duty to defend them.”

“But—”

“This war is our doing Jorlon. Fight if you wish or remain hidden. It is your decision.”

He said no more as he walked with me deeper into the yard. All around us the fighting continued. Blood was spilled, bodies quickly healed and growls rent the air. I spotted Zahir and Christophe fighting side by side in the square. It seemed at least one good thing was to come of this war. None approached us as we navigated our way through the carnage. In fact, the enemy melted away whenever we drew near and the sight disgusted me. Warriors should never be spineless. If you had the audacity to invade another’s territory and massacre its people, you should do so with valor and perhaps even a pinch of pride.

“Riener.” came Jorlon’s reverent whisper. I glanced at him. He stood transfixed; his face tilted and his eyes planted on something behind me. I turned and followed his gaze, and for a time, I too stood transfixed, for Kandane had indeed arrived and he stood atop the world like a God watching over his people.

“It has been some time since I have seen him dressed for battle.” Jorlon commented in a hushed tone. I had long ago grown accustomed to his robes. It was indeed odd to see him now; dressed as he was in full gear. It was testament to the seriousness of his state of mind. This was a masterclass blood drinker who had come prepared to play his part in the war he had orchestrated.

He stood with the confidence of a man who was already victorious in his efforts. There was a calmness about him too. Gone was the obvious rage he had displayed in our father’s court. There was a calculating air to him now. Only a fool would underestimate him.

“I do not wish to see any of my brothers harmed.” Jorlon continued.

“Nor I, but it is as inevitable as the day.” I took note of Kandane’s eyes. There was a strange longing in them as he gazed upon the courtyard. I saw in them his need and something else; regret. I followed his gaze and understanding dawned. He only had eyes for the hunter—Noah.

I almost smiled at the thought of my brother enamored with a human. How hard he had tried to hide his clandestine meetings with his lover. How hard he had tried to deny his heart. How he would rant and rave if he knew he had been discovered. I watched him. To fall in love with the very creature he claimed to despise.

The poor foolish hypocrite.

I glanced at Noah. It was true that he could not be likened to the average human. He had the heart of any noble blood-drinker. He fought now with the vigor of ten men and rose to his feet more times than he was knocked down. It was clear what Kandane saw in him. I watched as he threw a spear clear through the air and staked his intended target. A strength like his was hard to ignore.

When I glanced back at the roof, Kandane was gone. I surveyed the rooftops and the ground below, but he was nowhere to be seen. A strange sensation crept along my spine as I felt the unease rise up in me. I looked for Tony, whom I had spotted perched on another rooftop with his weapon drawn only an hour earlier, but neither was he to be seen. My breath, when I released it, was shaky.

I did not need to glance behind me to know that Jorlon followed me across the paved courtyard, through the busy armory and up the stairs that would take me to my mate. I felt the clenching and unclenching of the muscle in my chest as I climbed.

If Kandane has laid a finger on him…

I burst through the door leading to the rooftop and startled Malik, who was crouched next to Tony. The relief I felt at the sight of him was almost crippling. When Jorlon burst in behind me, Malik gave another start.

“He took him.” Malik whispered brokenly as I went to crouch by Tony’ side. My mate watched me with wide panic-filled eyes, but he uttered not a word.

I glanced at Malik. “Took who?” Tony still had not moved and the reason for his stillness became clear to me when I saw the faint scratches along his cheek. I ran the pads of my fingers along them.

I did not have to hazard a guess as to who had made them, for I could smell the paralytic on Tony’s flesh. It was Kandane’s signature play; he would dip his fingers into the drug before a hunt. Once it came into contact with human flesh they were at his mercy, but although he claimed to abhor them, he hated to see them in pain. They would feel nothing as he drank his fill, and later, if he chose to spare them, they would recover and carry on as they were.

“He took him.” Malik murmured again as I inspected Tony for injury.

I glanced at Jorlon. “He is paralyzed but he will be well in a matter of minutes. Kandane spared him the brunt of the drug.”

Jorlon nodded, then turned his eyes on Malik. “Who did he take? Was it the Alpha’s mate?”

Malik shook his head. “Kaio.” He took a deep breath. “He took Kaio.” I did not think my brother could surprise me tonight. I had prepared myself for all eventualities, but this I had not been expected.

“We must take them inside. It will be safer there.” Jorlon suggested and I nodded my agreement.

“Do not fret my love. Soon this will pass.” I assured Tony, before I lifted him into my arms. Malik followed, subdued. I could smell his fear and his worry as we stepped over the unconscious Lycan guards and descended the stairs.

……………………………..

I set Tony down against a wall in a far corner of the Amory. It was the safest place for him now and until he regained control of his limbs, he would remain there amidst the ancient weaponry and dusty shelves.

He was irritated; I could see it in his eyes. To have lost control when he was already such a strong-willed individual was clearly upsetting, but irritation was better than fear, because it meant he was not panicking and that alone was testament of his strength.

Jorlon crouched before Tony and snapped his fingers; once, twice, three times before he grinned. The expression in Tony’s eyes turned to anger.

I glanced toward to front of the Armory when an explosion sounded. Bringing man-made weapons to a war between naturals was disgraceful. “I cannot understand why he would take Kaio. He is but a drudge, what could he possibly need from him?”

Jorlon stood. “I do not understand it myself. Perhaps he wishes to harm the drudge. He has always found your relationship with him to be inappropriate. Perhaps he wishes to teach you a lesson or to hurt you knowing you care for him.”

“No, had he wished to achieve that end he would have taken Tony. There must be another reason he has taken him.” I turned to Malik who looked frail and worried as he stood against the wall biting his lip. “What did he say when he captured him?”

He shook his head. “Nothing…just that he’d been waiting for him.

Jorlon’s eyes narrowed. “Did he go willingly?”

“What kind of fucked up question is that? Of course he didn’t go willingly!”

“Perhaps Kandane and the drudge have formed an alliance. Who is to say that is not the case.”

Malik’s eyes flashed in anger. “Kaio’s not a traitor asshole. Your brother took him and we need to get him back before….”

I watched the exchange between them with mild interest. Of course Kaio would not betray me. He was one of my most trusted allies and that was perhaps the reason he was taken. Kandane sought to break him. Perhaps he believed there were secrets to discover from my drudge. I took a deep breath. I still could not taste him in the air. Even Kaio’s scent had disappeared. My brother was once again up to his usual trickery.

The earth shook with another explosion. They could not have gotten very far. I could only assume they were still on the compound. The only question was where?

“Did you see the direction he took him?”

Malik looked at me in surprise. “No I… I wasn’t sure what he’d done to Tony and I didn’t want to risk leaving him.” He glared at me, daring me to judge his actions. He had been forced to decide between his brother and his mate. I could only imagine his guilt and how it ate at him.

I noted the worry in his eyes, the tightening of his lips and the clenching and unclenching of his fists as he stood there; telltale signs of stress, but it was the pounding of his heart that absorbed me. He had heard tales of my brother’s unforgiving nature and he knew that Kaio’s life was in the balance. It would not surprise me if my drudge had already met his end.

The realization sickened me. I thought about the state of my coven now that Kanade had swept through. I thought about the pointless bloodshed that had followed him to the wolves and how many of their own they had lost simply because they had chosen to grant us safe harbor. All this because my brother had been denied the throne.

I felt the anger rise up inside me. This pointless war was exactly that. My brother could not be allowed to take this further.

“Retrieve Peitre and Marcan.” I told Jorlon. “It is time to end this nonsense.”

My hands clenched into fists. Tonight my brother’s life was forfeit.

……………………..

Kaio

He placed a chair in front of me and sat. I lowered my head in a show of respect, waiting for something—anything to happen. Lord Kandane simply crossed his legs, and when I hazarded a glanced up past his waist, I noted that his arms were also crossed before his wide chest. He was dressed for battle. It had been many a year since I had seen him in such a state and it troubled me.

I could not understand why he had taken me here. The room was large and empty but for a few blue mats on the floors. It looked to be a training arena of some kind. No doubt the wolves used it as such.

“Look at me Kaio.”

I raised my head and looked at him; not in the eyes, for that would be unthinkable, but I watched his face and I waited. I was surprised that he knew my name. I did not think anyone from the master class except my master knew of it. I did not think they cared enough to learn it, but of course Lord Kandane did not care. There was some other dreadful reason why he knew it.

I clasped my hands firmly in my lap. I could already feel the panic rising inside me, but it would be foolish give him that satisfaction. The warrior coven was in itself a symbol of strength. To show weakness in this circumstance would be an act of suicide.

“Lives have been lost here and at home.” He began. His voice was as deep and as clear as it always was. “It is my doing. I am aware.” I did not know if he wished to hear a response and I did not like the uncertainty.

“I have been hasty in my actions. I have allowed my rage to lead me here and now many will suffer…Many have suffered.” My eyes met his for but a moment when I heard the regretful note in his voice, and I was able to judge his sincerity by what I saw there. “You are free to speak. I understand Riener has sought your counsel many a time over the years.”

I swallowed. “I do not know what you wish to hear my Lord.” My voice sounded weak to my own ears.

He did something then that was wholly uncharacteristic of him; he smiled. It was a sad, yet kind smile that I had not known he could accomplish. It was strange to see him as he was. He was usually emotionless and cut off from the world. Now he seemed almost…normal. I did not understand it.

I watched him as he stood and walked toward the windows. He clasped his hands behind his back and watched the chaos for a while, before he turned to look at me once more. “A good leader is not controlled by his temper or the changes in his mood. What I have done has only cemented one thought in my father’s mind; that I am not fit to rule.” He shook his head. “I have had much time to contemplate my actions. I know now that I am not ready to lead, but I disagree that I am undeserving of the position.”

I looked away when his eyes sought mine. “What are your thoughts on the matter?” he said. “I would like your honesty.”

I slowly unclasped my hands and clasped them again before I took a deep breath. “I do not wish to offend my Lord.”

“If you are honest I will take no offence.”

It took me a moment, but eventually I nodded. “I believe you have worked diligently for the position of heir. I believe you have all the makings of a great leader, but…but a leader must not only exude strength, he must also show compassion.” I told him. “He must act with the best interest of his people in mind and… you have failed in this regard. The people of the coven will find it impossible to trust you now. You have waged war against your own people and that is hardly something one can be expected to forgive.

When I glanced at his face, he was watching me. “I— I believe you would have been a great leader, for I have seen behind your carefully crafted façade many a time throughout the decades and there is good. Though I cannot understand why you have hidden that part of yourself from the world.” I shook my head “It matters not, for you have forfeited whatever right you once had. Now I do not think you deserve to rule. Some things cannot be absolved.”

I waited for the chastisement that would no doubt find me, but he said nothing for a long time as he watched me, then finally, he nodded, as though I had said as much as he had expected.

He turned back toward the window. “All my life my father has dangled that dream in front of me. I had long ago come to respect his natural talent for leadership. He is stronger than us all and I have wished to become even a fraction of the man he is. I have observed him. I have learned from him and I have emulated him in hopes that I might one day see pride reflected in his eyes.

“But there were times I did not agree with his decisions and I sought to remedy them without his knowledge. I have protected many covens from his siege and it is how I came to harbor such strong allies. It is some of these very covens that fight here tonight. Now I see that father appreciates dissent and what I had done in the shadows should have been done in the light. For only then would he have come to accept me.

Lord Kandane shook his head. “It is why he has chosen Riener. He wishes to be challenged, but I am not my brother. Nor do I wish to be. I do not regret the way I have handled myself over the years, for it has gained me lifelong allies and I have been able to prove to myself that I am a better man than my father. Though my actions tonight have proved that in some ways we are no different. The thought sickens me.”

Lord Kandane glanced at me and the smile returned. “I wonder if Riener understands the burden he will have to bear when he takes the throne. I do not believe either of us are ready for the task. Riener is young. He still wishes to enjoy the life of humans and run about with his mate. He has never been interested in making the tough decisions. He is a keen warrior and he would make a great leader it is true, but he cannot be great if it is not in his heart to be.”

I agreed wholeheartedly with this point but I did not tell him so.

Lord Kandane chuckled. “I am too impulsive and Riener is too nonchalant. What a fine pair we are.”

“Master has no wish to lead.” I told him. “He has always told you. He is free-spirited. To tie him down would be to break that spirit. That is what our leader does not understand.”

Lord Kandane nodded. “There are many things he does not understand. He may be a strong ruler but as a father he has failed. What kind of a man taunts his son with a dream he knows he will never let him enjoy.” His hands curled into fists as he said this, but he took a breath and relaxed. “It does not matter now. Only one of our number would truly be ideal for the role and that is Peitre.”

His words surprised me. “I did not think you had noticed that he had the ability.”

“He is my brother. I understand him better than he does himself. I understand them all, though I disagree with many of their beliefs.” He said. “Peitre has always been a strategic thinker. He does not allow emotion to cloud his judgement and he is compassionate. Our people would revere him.” He paused for a moment and seemed to consider something. “But he is young. They all are. Perhaps when they are older they will come to understand my way of thinking. When they have lived as long as I, they will come to many realizations and they will know why I have done many of the things that I have.”

“You speak as though you will not be there to see it come to pass my Lord.”

He offered no reply to that, but his silence was all the answer I needed.

“My Lord…may I ask why you have brought me here?”

He took his time with the answer, but when he finally explained it to me, I was once again surprised by his words. “I would like to think that I brought you here because Riener cares for you and taking you from him would hurt him, but I suppose that would be a lie and you have been honest with me.”

“I assure you my Lord, my absence would not harm him.”

“You are wrong, but in answer to your question, you are here because I had always thought it strange that a masterclass blood-drinker would invest so much time in a simple drudge and I wished to understand this final aspect of my brother’s life before…” he trailed off, leaving me to wonder what he might have said. “In any event, I still do not understand, but I have come to learn that some relationships simply cannot be explained. The world can be strange.

“In my rage I had planned to do harm to his human. He has always been so arrogant, and for once I wished him to understand what it meant to hurt.” He frowned. “Alas, he is my kin and to take his mate from him would be to crush him. I have done many things, but I would never hurt my brothers.”

“But—but you have hurt them my Lord. What of your mother? What you did was—”

His lips curled in a snarl and his hands fisted at his sides. “What I did was necessary. She was poison and she would have been their ruin. She was a charmer and she had blinded them. Had they known what she had planned… had they known that she had…” he shook his head. “No matter, she is gone and I will never regret my actions.”

“Perhaps if you explained to them why you thought it was necessary to—”

“No.” he interrupted. “Learning of her true nature would hurt them far more than her death has. They will go on thinking as they do. Though I have never understood why Riener allowed them to believe that he had been the one to end her life.”

“Perhaps he wished to spare you their hatred.”

“Or perhaps it was for another reason.”

He seemed to consider it for a while as he stood in silence, then a look of ancient sadness overtook his face and he turned away from me.

“It is time I ended this war.” He said “I have already caused enough pain.” I watched his back straighten and his stride become purposeful as he opened the glass doors and strode out onto the balcony.

………………………………………………….

Rien

“I cannot.” Jorlon shook his head and took one step back.

“We will do what we must.” Marcan seized his arm and pulled him forward. “Kandane is beyond our control. He is far too unpredictable and he will stop at nothing to see us suffer.”

“He is our blood. He is—”

“You had no such qualms when we discussed our father’s murder.”

Jorlon sneered. “Kandane is not our father. He is hurt that he has been denied the throne and furious that father would betray him. We all know of his temper. He will soon come to his senses.”

“Hurt?” Marcan laughed. “We are speaking of the same brother are we not? Kandane has no emotion. He does not feel .”

His words sparked an idea and brought a smile to my lips. “Oh but he does feel.” I said and they looked at me, Jorlon with relief and Marcan with a raised brow. “Noah.” I said simply.

Marcan frowned. “The human? Blood-drinkers have been known to wile away their time on humans. You brother, are a prime example.”

“Ah but Kandane despises humans, that is no secret.” I said “The hunter is the only one who has ever caught his interest and he has yielded to temptation. He cares for him.”

“You wish to use his lover against him?” Peitre interrupted. “That will only serve to anger him and we have already seen the repercussions of our brother’s fury.”

“He need not know of our involvement. Noah can appeal to him. He can end this.”

Marcan shook his head. “You wish for us to play matchmakers in a time of strife? Are you mad?”

“Would you rather our brother dies? “Jorlon questioned, eyes flashing. “Do you not see that this is our final option. If there is even the slightest chance that we might succeed in this then we must take it. Everything depends on our success.”

“And if this fails?” Marcan questioned.

“Then our brother’s life is forfeit as we have already explained. If we fail in this, the only way this war ends is with Kandane’s head on a spit.” Pietre supplied grim-faced.

Jorlon was already shaking his head in descent. “I refuse to watch you all betray our brother.”

“Betray him?” Marcan laughed.

“This is not the time.” I warned.

“Is there ever a proper time to discuss slaughtering our brother?”

“No need for dramatics Jorlon. Do you think we wish for his death? We are doing all we can to save as many lives as possible. Including his.” Peitre supplied.

“When have the lot of you ever cared about saving lives?“Jorlon erupted. “We kill for sport. We watch our people sacrifice themselves during mating ceremonies. Why should this be any different?”

“Because, dear brother” Marcan said. “No good will come from this suffering. All who die this night die for no greater purpose than simply because our brother is upset. That must not be allowed to stand.”

“If he leaves us no choice then we will dust off our grieving robes and wear them in his honor.” Peitre continued. “We will break bread in his name and drench his coffin in blood as is custom.”

Jorlon watched Peitre in clear disgust. “His temper prevailed on this occasion but once his anger clears he will—”

Marcan’s lips tightened. “We are being massacred. We cannot wait for him to come to his senses. We act now!”

“Riener, what say you?” Jorlon turned to me. His eyes were wide with hope and fear.

“We must speak with the hunter. If that fails we will do all we can to contain Kandane.” I paused. “But if that too shall fail…” There was no need to say the words. We all knew the price of our failure.

………………………….

We watched as Noah was pulled from the battlefield. As expected, he fought all the while. The blood-drinker who held him locked a firm arm around his chest and dragged him forward, away from the confusion. He was taken into a small room located at the rear of the armory. By the time he was placed in the rusted metal chair that had been mounted against the dirty wall, he had acquired far more bruises than he had acquired on the battlefield.

“Be still Noah.”

He looked at each of us in turn; eyes narrowed, much like my Tony’s in anger. “What the fuck Rien?”

“Humans “ Marcan spat in disgust.

“We require your aid.”

Naoh chuckled bitterly. “And this is how you ask for it? Having your pet manhandle me and drag me away from—”

“This is not the time for anger.” I told him. “I would not ask this of you if I believed I had another option.”

He folded his arms before him. “Ask what of me?”

“Your lover, we need you to speak with him. Convince him that this war must end.”

Noah grew still at my words. The corners of his eyes tightened and his lips turned down in an uncompromising frown. “What lover?”

“Let us not play this game. I know of your clandestine meetings with my brother. I know of all your exploits and I wish you to use what influence you have over him to help us end this nonsense.”

He laughed. It was loud and obnoxious as only Noah could make it. There was genuine mirth to be heard in it and I could see that it was already upsetting Marcan. My brother shifted and I put out a hand to stop his movements.

Noah’s eyes shifted from me to Marcan and back, and when he finally quieted down he shook his head, though a grin remained on his face. “I don’t know what you think you know about what’s going on between me and Kandane Rien, but if you actually think I have any influence over that jackass, you’re not as omniscient as you like to think you are.”

“He cares for you—”

“Kandane won’t listen to me. Find another way.”

“He has taken my drudge prisoner. I believe he means to harm him, if he has not done so already. Had there been another way I would have found it. I cannot find his scent anywhere in his camp or beyond. His heartbeat is masked and as you know, if Kandane does not wish to be found then no one will find him.”

“And you think I know where he is?” he growled. “I’m fighting against him just like everyone else. You think I have the bastard stashed away somewhere?”

“We are wasting time with this buffoon.” Marcan grumbled.

“I am sure you have no inkling of where he could be, but if you wished to find him, I have no doubt that you could.”

He was silent for a time and he took a breath. “And when you find him then what? What’s the plan?”

“If you fail to convince him to put an end to this then we will do what we must.”

Noah’s expression shuttered as I said the words and a strange glint entered his eyes. I knew then that he was lost to us.

“Look, I want to help you… I really do. That’s why I’m here, but Dane doesn’t listen to anyone…least of all to me so you’re wasting your—”

This time when Marcan moved, I did nothing to stop him. I turned from the room and Jorlon followed, closing the door in our wake.

“Love can sometimes be a selfish thing I suppose.” Jorlon commented as we walked between the rows of weaponry.

I glanced back at him only once. “Love is always selfish brother.”

……………………………..

The paralytic had run its course. As I approached, Tony, who had been flexing his fingers and rotating his wrists, looked up. He took a hasty step forward and lost his balance, but Malik caught him and held him steady. “He did something to me Rien.” He announced when I was closer.

I nodded. “As I have explained, Kandane—”

“No, I mean look.” He pulled his shirt aside. “He healed me.” Tony said in awe. “I don’t feel a thing.”

I looked at the smooth bare skin where the wound once lay and frowned. “I thought our blood had no effect.”

“He didn’t give me his blood. I don’t know how, but something happened when he scratched me.”

I ran my fingers over his bare flesh. There was no scar. “That is not possible. Kandane has no healing abilities. Perhaps somehow the paralytic reacted with your—”

“I think…I think he meant to heal me.” Tony interrupted. “There was something about him Rien. I don’t think he’s as bad as you think he is.”

“I have lived with him for centuries and the only time he has ever shown a change in character was when he met the hunter, but one does not change overnight Tony. There is evil in him.”

“Or maybe he hasn’t changed at all. It’s like Kaio said; he’s always been good, you guys have just never taken the time to see it.”

“Speaking of Kaio.” Malik interrupted. “Have you heard anything.” He watched me anxiously.

“I had hoped to convince the hunter to aid us in this but he has refused and that is understandable. He would not wish to see his lover come to harm, but we have other means of finding him…far less pleasant means, but we are out of options.”

Noah nodded. “Do whatever you have to. Is there anyway I can help?”

I looked at his weak human frame and wondered what he thought he could possibly do. “No. There is nothing.”

Tony shook his head. “Where’s Noah now? Maybe I can convince him.” He said, then frowned. “I still can’t believe he and your brother…”

“They met in the year you left for the army.”

His expression became pinched. “Where is he?

I gestured to far end of the room. “With Marcan.”

He looked at me and then at Jorlon, who looked away without meeting his eyes.

“Is there a reason you he’s with your crazy brother?”

I clasped my hands behind my back. “Of course.”

Tony’s eyes narrowed, then he gestured down the darkened aisle. “Lead the way.”

When Malik pushed open the door, our first glimpse into the room showed Noah standing before Marcan with a bloodied nose and an expression that spoke of rage. Tony glanced my way with a glare of his own and I raised a hand to halt my brother’s further actions. “That will do.”

When Marcan lunged despite my words, I grabbed him around the torso and slammed him into the nearby wall which cracked under pressure. “What is the meaning of this? I will soon break him.”

I shook my head. “The hunter cannot be broken Marcan.”

He shoved at my hold and I released him. “Then why did you have me attack him?”

“His blood of course.” I gestured to Noah’s face. “It will draw Kandane to us.”

“You cannot be serious! We are at war, Kandane expects him to shed blood. He will not come for so simple an injury.”

“Had you not noticed how the enemy danced around him?” I asked. “It is obvious that our brother instructed his warriors to bring him no harm. It is why the hunter bears no more than a few bruises while his cohorts lay wounded in the courtyard.”

“Bullshit!” Noah exclaimed as he dabbed at his face with the sleeve of his filthy shirt.

“Think what you may Noah, but Kandane will come and soon this disaster will be at an end” I glanced at Marcan. “Take him to the Courtyard.”

“You do not give the orders Riener.” Marcan growled even as he took hold of Noah’s arm, twisted it and pulled him toward the door.

“This is why you should never trust a bloodsucker Tony.” Noah gritted as he was forced past us. “Because in the end they’ll stab you in the back.”

Noah looked at me then. “After everything I’ve done for you and your kind.”

The door slammed shut behind them as they left and I turned to my mate who was, as expected, watching me with contempt. “Why didn’t you give me a chance to convince him? Noah will listen to me—”

“No.” I interrupted. “He will not see Kandane come to harm even if the world falls apart around him.”

Tony shook his head. “You don’t know that.”

“Oh but I do my love. It was written in his eyes.”

……………………………….

Kaio

I watched Lord Kandane with a renewed sense of hope. This war would finally end and if good fortune was on my side, the masterclass brothers would one day heal the wound that had caused them to drift apart.

I pictured the life I would have with Mal. We would live within the coven walls and he would be with his brother at last. I pictured our happiness and Lord Riener’s happiness at finally being reunited with his mate.

I thought of my newfound friendship with Tony and its genuineness. I smiled. I could almost taste the peace that would soon befall us. It made me glad. The kitchen drudges would finally have their time with their beloved Tony and my master would rule and all would be well.

I watched from my chair as Lord Kandane stood on the balcony. His intelligent gaze roamed over the courtyard below and he finally opened his mouth to end it all, but then he froze and an odd sense of trepidation flowed through me. I stood.

Something had happened, I could feel it in the air just as well as I could see it in the stiff set of Lord Kandane’s back. Then I smelled it. The blood. The hunter’s blood.

No .

I moved on stiff legs and came to a halt beside Lord Kandane. I followed his gaze into the yard below and I saw it. Lord Marcan dragging the hunter with him into the yard. The hunter fought but of course a human could not stand against a blood-drinker and expect to prosper.

“Where are you brother!” Lord Marcan bellowed into the yard. “I hold your human at my mercy. Show yourself!”

I was almost afraid to glance at Lord Kandane. This would not bode well for anyone. I heard the gritting of his teeth and the cracking of his knuckles, but he did not move.

In the courtyard Lord Marcan’s eyes darted around and I searched and hoped for Lord Riener’s arrival, but he was nowhere to be seen. When Lord Kandane was not forthcoming, I saw the change in Lord Marcan. I watched him grow angrier and I saw the creatures around him melt away. The hunter continued to fight him and other hunters who chose to intervene were held at bay by those of our kind.

Then something spectacular happened. Spectacular only in its wrongness. Lord Marcan gripped the hunter’s hair and wrenched his head back. His face was smattered with blood from his obviously broken nose. His teeth clenched in pain. It happened very quickly.

Lord Marcan plunged his fingers into the hunter’s chest and I watched in shock as he went limp. The blood flowed freely from him; soaking his filthy shirt and dripping grotesquely into the dirt below.

Beside me, Lord Kandane drew in an involuntary breath and his heartbeat, which he had been so careful to mask finally came into focus. It was loud and quick. Evidence of how much the scene below had affected him. I knew the exact moment when Lord Marcan heard it, for his eyes flew to our perch and he bellowed once more:

“Surrender yourself or I will rip his heart from his chest!”

The concrete banister cracked under Lord Kandane’s fists and a moment , his hand shot out and curled around my arm. He pulled me with him from the balcony and we fell several flights before landing in the courtyard below. Lord Kandane straightened before I did. The warm sincerity that I had witnessed in his eyes only moments before had been replaced by cold, calculating fury.

He released me, but I knew better than to move an inch. The air was rich with the scent of the hunter’s blood. He was dying. We could all sense it. Beside me, Lord Kandane twitched, but made no other move toward his lover. I glanced toward the armory when I caught Lord Riener’s scent. He had arrived with Tony and Malik, who let out a breath of great relief when he spotted me.

Lord Riener’s eyes were cold and hard as he gazed upon Lord Marcan. The fighting in the courtyard had long since halted and silence descended as all watched the brothers.

“Do you think that bringing harm to a human will cause me to surrender to you?” Lord Kandane’s laugh was cold and harsh in the silence. “Do not insult me Marcan.”

Lord Marcan twisted the fingers that were lodged into the hunter’s chest and the human whimpered. When Lord Kandane took an involuntary step forward at the sound, Lord Marcan smiled.

                                                                           AUTHOR’S NOTES

THIS CHAPTER IS WAAAY OVERDUE. I KNOW. LONG STORY SHORT: I GRADUATED FROM LAW SCHOOL AND GOT A JOB THAT NOW SUCKS UP A LOT OF MY TIME, BUT I LOVE WRITING AND I LOVE HEARING FROM YOU GUYS SO I’M GOING TO MAKE THIS WORK.

THANKS FOR READING AND I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER.

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KEEP SWEET!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 52: First Son.

Chapter 52

Centuries Prior

My attention never wavered as I watched him. He had felled fifteen blood-drinkers in the time it would have taken an ordinary warrior to fell three. His movements were not of our world, he was simply far too strong, too fast and far too cunning on the battlefield. It was as though he knew every move an opponent would make long before they themselves formed the thought. It was a beautiful thing to watch.

I dropped my chin onto my arm and shifted to the edge of my seat. He was so graceful in his movements, while his opponents relied on brute strength and common tactics in their attempt to gain the upper hand.

“He is a formidable opponent.”

I glanced at my mother. She was proud of him; it was obvious in the way her mouth would turn up ever so slightly every time he outwitted an opponent. It was in the way she watched his every move; as though trying to memorize each moment. I knew because I too was proud. He was truly like no other and I idolized him for this greatness.

I wondered what it would take to develop that kind of skillfulness in battle. I wondered what sacrifices had to be made and what lessons he had been taught over the years to make him into such an excellent warrior. If only I were allowed to watch him train. If only father were not so adamant that I stay away.

I wondered how it would feel to have the respect of the entire coven. I wondered how it would feel to have the respect of our father; which was a difficult thing to achieve. I stood when his last opponent fell and hopped onto the ledge. When mother grabbed my arm, I glanced back at her with a frown.

“Do not venture outside the coven walls again Riener. Your father forbids it.”

“Very well.” I appeased her worries and finally, when she released me, I jumped from my perch and landed with a thud in the arena below.

Kandane glanced up when I straightened and beckoned for me to come forward. I grinned and ran to stand by his side. I imagined the jealousy the other coven fledglings would feel seeing me in the arena with him and knowing they could not follow.

My grin grew. Kanadane slung an arm across my shoulders and we walked together, away from our fallen comrades.

“You were impressive brother.” I told him. “The best you have ever been. I am certain of it.”

Kandane laughed. “You say the same thing after every competition Rien.”

“I speak only the truth.”

He acknowledged our mother with a raised arm and she nodded in return.

“Will you train tonight? May I watch you? I will not make a sound Kandane I swear it.”

I walked with him into the dwelling house and up the stairs. “No training tonight.”

He opened the door to his bedchamber and allowed me to enter before him. “Then what will you do? Will you help me to practice my archery” I asked, excited by the prospect. “Or we could take a stroll in the gardens; you promised you would tell me the story of the garden snake that bit father. Or you could show me your secret path to the river; you promised me that you would.” I tripped over the boots he had discarded by his wardrobe and he caught me before I could fall.

“Sit down Rien.” He instructed and I perched on the very edge of his bed.

“Perhaps we could go for a swim in the lake. We have not been there in a while.” I continued my suggestions as he searched his wardrobe.

“Tonight I will hunt.” He pulled out his black hunting gear and my excitement grew.

“Who will you take with you? Lord Francois I suppose.”

“No one. I will go alone.”

I stood too quickly and almost lost my balance. Kandane pointed to the bed and I once again sat. “Please take me with you.” I begged. “I have never been hunting before. Just this once I wish to know what it is like.”

He shook his head. “You are far too young.”

“It has been almost twelve years since my birthing. I am old enough and I wish to go with you.” I folded my arms before me and glared at him when he chuckled.

“It has been ten years exactly since your birthing and a blood drinker is not allowed to join the hunting party until his one hundredth year. You know the rules.”

“But they are foolish rules; you have said so many a time and I cannot wait so long.”

He shed his tunic and reached up to tie his hair in a knot at the very top of his head. When he looked at me he was smiling. “Of course you can wait. Why are you always in such a rush?”

“Because we never spend time together. You are always doing something or the other and I am never invited. Whenever I see you, you are rushing out. What if father were to die before my hundredth year? Then you will become leader and you will be far busier than you are now.”

He shook his head. “Do not be absurd Rien. Father is in perfect health and it would do you well not to say such things.”

He pulled on his hunting gear, then bent to secure his boots.

“Please Kandane. Just this once.”

“You are not permitted to leave the coven Rien. Father—”

“—will never know.” I assured him, then knelt on the floor beside him. “Just this once.”

His answer was a long time coming, but finally he acquiesced and I felt the excitement build inside me. I rubbed my hands together. “Do you think they will run from us? Marcan says humans are slow. Do you think I will be fast enough? Marcan says human blood tastes much better when it pours directly from the vein, is that true? Is human flesh hard? Marcan says only experienced blood-drinkers can pierce human flesh. Do you think it will be difficult for me since my fangs have not yet come in?” I was starting to worry now.

“You will not come into contact with any humans tonight.” He said and I frowned.

“But—”

“You will observe from a distance and if you have any plans to do otherwise then I will not take you with me.”

I fell silent and nodded, then I watched as he pulled a black robe from his wardrobe and ripped it in half.

“Stand.”

I did as he instructed and he fastened the material over my head. It trailed down to the center of my back. It was a makeshift hood. I turned and looked at myself in the metal-plated glass mirror. If you did not look too closely you would not know it was just a large strip of cloth.

I grinned at him when he pulled his own hood over his head. Now I looked the part of a true warrior. I could hardly believe I was going hunting with him.

“Now listen Rien. This is not a game.” He began his lecture as he exited his bedchamber. “You will do what I say when I say it and I wish to hear no arguments, do you understand?”

I nodded. “I understand.”

“You must promise me.” He came to a halt and I too paused to look up at him. When he held out a hand I took it hesitantly; not quite understanding its significance.

“This is a contract between brothers. You will not disobey me while we are beyond the coven walls.” His expression was of the utmost seriousness as he said the words and I nodded.

He did not release my hand as we descended the steps and exited the dwelling house. He led me across the courtyard and even further past the armory and the great hall where father met with the Court.

Kandane slowed only when we passed Lady Adalaide and they smiled at each other. The smiling between them had become a regular occurrence since late and I could not understand it. Whenever I asked him about it he would ignore me and whenever I asked Marcan he would only laugh. Jorlon said he would tell me when I was old enough and Peitre always tried to change the subject whenever I brought the matter to his attention.

When I was older I would know everything there was to know about everything. Many times I found myself wishing I would suddenly grow to a sensible age. Marcan said that if I wished upon the stars it would come true, but I had a feeling he was only jesting.

My excitement grew as we approached the gates. I had only been on the other side a handful of times. On the last occasion I had snuck past the guards when the hunting party had been about to leave, but I had been caught far too quickly and brought back. Mother had not been pleased about it. Now the guards allowed us to pass. Of course they would not dare to stop my brother. I titled my face up to smile at him and Kandane returned it.

The atmosphere beyond the gates was much different from that inside the coven. The air somehow felt fresher and I felt freer than I could ever remember feeling. I tried to pull my hand from Kadane’s, but his fingers only tightened around mine.

“I will stay close.” I promised him and only then did he release me.

I followed at a sedate pace behind him. I wanted to experience it all while I had the chance and so I trailed my hands against the barks of the many trees we passed and sniffed the air as often as I could; trying to pick up the many different scents that were carried by the wind.

We walked for a long time before the scent of human blood alerted me to another’s presence and by then it was past evening; almost close to nightfall. I knew that had I not been there this would have all been done sooner. I knew that I slowed him down. I had not yet developed the kind of speed blood-drinkers had and my mother seemed to think I could not walk a straight line without toppling over, but I refused to be blamed for the obstacles in my path.

Kandane pulled me into a crouch and pointed to the East; there was a lady there. She looked to be gathering berries in a large leaf. She was bare from the waist up and the sight made me blush.

“Is she human?” I whispered to Kandane and he nodded.

“Can you not smell her?”

I nodded. “She smells of blood…and flowers.” I told him and he nodded once more.

She looked very similar to us but at the same time I could sense her difference. There was a softness about her and a warmth that I could not liken to that of another blood-drinker. I liked the smell of her blood; it was rich. It made my mouth water.

She seemed so alive, yet so fragile. She was certainly nothing like the ladies of our coven; she did not seem capable of anything really. She was just soft and flowery. I wished I could touch her—just to see if she was as soft as she looked.

When I looked away I realized Kandane was watching me. I raised a brow and he smiled.

“Will you hunt her now?” I asked, though I wasn’t entirely sure it was something I wanted to see after all. Kandane ruffled my hair.

“No. I only wished for you to see what they looked like. There are not so different from us you know.”

I nodded and titled my nose to the air. “She smells delicious. Do you think she will share her blood with us if we ask politely?”

Kandane’s smile grew as he looked at her. “No.”

We crouched there for a while as we watched the human move about. Kandane explained to me that she was gathering food for her people. Humans ate fruit and meat just as we did, but they did not partake in the consumption of blood and I could not understand why. They had so much of it and it smelled so good, why waste it?

We waited until she left and by then, night had finally fallen. “Will we go back to the coven now?”

He shook his head. “No. There is one more thing I must do.”

I watched him quizzically as he crouched. “Climb onto my back. We have a long distance to cover.”

I did as he asked and wrapped my arms around his neck. A moment later, the forestry around me was just a blurry mess of black. I could only feel the wind whipping at my tunic as Kandane ran. I closed my eyes. I had not yet grown comfortable with this form of travel. It always brought forth an unsettling feeling in my stomach.

It was about an hour before we came to a stop and I slid gratefully to the ground. After taking a few deep breaths I looked around us. We were still deep in the forestry, but ahead of us, there was a triangular structure made of brown cloth. There was a flame flickering within and I could sense the presence of another being; not human, not blood-drinker, but something else.

“Come.” Kandane instructed and I followed close behind him. He parted the cloth for me and we entered the structure.

It was a small space and it was warm. There was a small fire burning in the center of the room and there was strange carpeting on the ground. On the other side of the fire sat a man; his feet were crossed before him and his eyes watched us carefully as we entered.

Kandane greeted him with a short bow and after a moment’s hesitation I did the same. The man gestured to the fire and Kandane sat before it; only a moment later did he pull me down beside him as well.

I did not like the feeling the man carried with him. There was a strangeness about him that I did not understand and it made me uncomfortable. I reached for Kandane’s hand and he took it in his, knotting our fingers together.

“You needn’t fear me young blood-drinker. I merely provide the answers you seek.” His voice was raspy and bizarre. I found that I did not like it. I did not like this place. I wished to leave, but Kandane had already began to speak with him.

“There is one thing I wish to know.” He said and the strange man smiled. “Lady Adalaide…I wish to know…. I wish to know what will become of us. I wish to know if she is my future.”

The man held out a hand and the fire decreased before his it could pass through the flame. Kandane leaned forward and took it. He looked nervous. I had never seen him in such a state before. I frowned at the man across the flame who had dared to make my brother feel thus.

“You must release the fledgling or I will be forced to tell you his future as well.”

Kandane looked at me, but I tightened my fingers around his. “That is fine. Tell me”

“Very well. You wish to know your true mate. Matters of the heart are always trying.” He said. “I will give provide what you seek but that is the only answer you will receive from me so do not ask anymore.” He warned and Kandane nodded.

“Tell me.”

The strange man closed his eyes for a moment, his brows knitting and his lips parting but he uttered no words. It did not take very long before he reopened his eyes and finally released my brother’s hand.

Kandane watched him expectantly.

“Your future lies with a human.” He said simply and Kandane’s eyes widened in shock.

“I—do not understand.”

“You will find love with a human and the human with you. That is your destiny.”

“But…No. You must be mistaken. I—”

“So will the young blood-drinker.”

The strange man had turned his eyes on me and my brother looked between us in horror.

“You are saying we will both be mated to humans.” Kandane said slowly. “I do not see how this can be. Perhaps if you were to try again.” He held out his hand and the fire blazed up suddenly causing him to snatch it back.

“I have answered what you have asked. Now you will go.”

It took Kandane a moment before he honored the strange man’s wishes and I was glad to leave the small space and the eyes that followed me out of it.

Kandane said nothing as he ran with me through the forestry. It took us many hours to get back to the coven and through it all he remained silent. When the guards opened the gates and allowed us passage, he was deep in thought and I watched him, worried about what everything could mean.

The strange man seemed to be a prophet of some sort. Mother had once told me about his kind but I did not think they truly existed. I was not allowed to go to my own bed chamber once we returned to the dwelling house, though I was quite tired.

Instead, Kandane lead me to his own chambers and sat me on the bed as he paced; quickly at first, then gradually his pacing slowed, until he finally came to a stop and turned to look at me.

His expression was resigned. He had apparently made up his mind about something, but I knew not what.

“You must not tell anyone about the events of the day. Especially not of what the sorcerer told us.”

I nodded. “Was he being truthful? Will we really be mated to humans Kandane?”

He took a long time to answer me and when he did, it was with a slow nod. “I fear he must have been. What reason would he have to lie?”

“How did you come to know of him?”

He shook his head. “It matters not.” Then he sat beside me with a sigh.

“You know what this means of course.”

I shook my head.

“We will never have father’s blessing in this. He will never accept a human in the coven.” Then he chuckled; a cold sound. “He will never allow us a human mate. It is forbidden.”

“But mother said we cannot choose our own mates. Mother said it is the choice of the universe.”

Kandane shook his head. “It will not matter to father. He will continue the mating ceremonies despite that. He refuses to believe there is a power higher than himself.

“Will my human be a lady or a man?”

Kandane shook his head, but when he looked at me he was smiling. “That I cannot answer. Which would you prefer?”

I shrugged. “I do not know. And you?”

“It matters not. I had thought it would be Lady Adalaide but…” He did not continue. He looked conflicted.

“I liked the human from today. I liked her smell” .I told him “Do you think she will be my mate?”

Kandane chuckled. “I doubt it. It may be many years before you find your mate. You are still quite young Rien.”

“What will father do once he learns of this?” I asked him.

“Nothing good I fear.”

We were silent for a long time afterwards, I in my own thoughts and he in his. I did not know what I would even do with a mate. I wondered if my human would wish to fight with me. Perhaps we could practice our archery together. The thought cheered me, but then something else occurred to me and I glanced at Kandane with a frown.

“Brother?”

He raised a brow. “They are so fragile. What if I accidentally break mine?”

Kandane smiled. “You will have to be gentle of course.” He seemed to think about it for a moment. “Humans are very unlucky creatures. They have to be protected from…everything I suppose.”

The thought terrified me. I did not want such responsibilities. I did not wish for a mate and especially not one so fragile and what if my human did not like the things I liked? What if my human did not like fighting or archery or sword play? What if my human did not like to play the games I liked and what would happen if my human did not like to swim. I loved to swim. I could not imagine what it would be like to have to be friends with a mate who did not.

I decided then that I would not meet any humans. If I did not meet one then one could not become my mate. It was simple really and then I would not need to worry.

I bit my lip.

“How will I know how to protect anyone? No one will teach me how to fight. Mother forbids it and father says I am not allowed to watch you train.”

“Then I shall train you.”

My eyes widened. “You will?”

Kandane nodded. “It cannot hurt to learn. You are young so of course we will take our time, but if you are truly serious about it, I will train you every evening until father calls me to Court to learn the ways of the coven.

I was grinning. I had wanted this for so long. “When do you think he will call you?”

Kandane gave it serious thought. “Perhaps in a century’s time. We should be able to cover much in such a short time frame, but only if you are focused.”

I nodded. “Do you think I will become as good a warrior as you?”

Kandane smiled. “Perhaps you will become a far greater warrior than I can ever be. I will teach you all I know.”

………………………………..

I woke to the sound of raised voices. I sat up and looked around. I was still in Kandane’s bedchamber but I was alone.

I glanced toward the door where the voices could be heard beyond. I heard Kandane and mother. They seemed to be arguing.

“You should not have taken him with you. Now you have put him in danger. He is too young he cannot handle what your father will do to him.”

Mother was sobbing. I felt my heart lodge in my throat as I climbed from the bed and made my way over to the door. When I threw it open, it was to see mother with her face in her hands. She tried and failed to muffle her sobs. Kandane was no longer there.

“Mother what has happened?”

She looked up at me in surprise, then very quickly wiped at her tear-stained face with the tail-end of her dress. She ushered me back into Kandane’s bedchamber and into bed. I watched as she tucked the corners of the sheets around me and when I reached up to touch her face, she held my hand tightly and kissed it.

“Everything Kandane has done has been to protect you all.” She said. “You are his brothers and this is his duty.” She told me and left before I could question her further.

I could not go back to sleep following the events of the night.

I remained awake and waited for Kandane’s return, but it was some hours before I heard the thud of his boots against the floor and the soft whining of the door as he pushed it open. I sat up and he smiled when he saw me, but it did not quite reach his eyes.

I also noticed how carefully he moved; as though moving any faster would cause him great pain.

“Why are you awake Rien?” he asked quietly.

“I heard you and mother. What has happened? Is it because we ventured outside the coven? Is father upset with me?” I could feel the thudding in my chest as the thought of father’s anger swirled around my mind.

“What will he do to me?” I whispered and finally, Kandane came to sit by my side.

“You need not worry yourself about father. Rest now. I have taken care of it.” he said confidently and I released a breath as I wrapped my arms around him, only to release him quickly when he hissed in pain.

I watched him in shock. “What? What has happened?”

He shook his head and made to stand but I latched onto his arm and noticed that my hands, where they had brushed the back of his tunic, were sticky with blood. I gasped and this time he stood and made his way to the wardrobe.

He very carefully pulled the tunic from his skin, but he was facing me; preventing me from seeing what he wished to hide. I hopped from the bed and ran around him before he could prevent it and what I saw horrified me.

He had been flayed. He turned away from me with a curse, but I had already seen the damage to his back. He had been beaten; his back was rubbed raw from it and oozing blood.

“Why…” my breath was shaky as I began. “Why will you not heal?”

He shook his head. “Do not concern yourself with that Rien. Go back to bed. Please.”

I refused. “You…you have scars all across your body. I have always asked you about them and you have never told me why. Why would a blood-drinker have scars when he can heal as quickly as we do? It never made sense to me.”

“Rien—”

“Father did this to you. He is responsible for the scars too.” I whispered. “He did this because of me.”

“No. He did this because I refuse to watch him hurt you; any of you. It is my duty to protect my brothers and I have done so.”

He did not replace his tunic as he made his way around to his side of the bed and very carefully climbed in. He stretched out on his stomach and released a breath.

“All those scars from all these years. Father hurt you because you tried to protect us.”

“Do not concern yourself Rien.” He said tiredly, then he pushed up slightly, wincing as he did. “Please, come and rest.”

I did as he asked and climbed into the bed beside him, but I could not rest. “What did he use? I do not understand why you will not heal.”

He sighed. “Father has his ways. Sleep now.” He commanded and finally, I slid beneath the covers.

“I will never forgive him for this” I whispered as the tears gathered and rolled down my cheeks. “I am sorry Kandane.”

Kandane reached across and pulled me closer. “Warriors do not cry.” He told me. “As long as my brothers are safe, I will endure whatever father has to offer. As long as it will keep you all from harm I will do whatever father wishes.” He said, but it only made me cry harder.

“Everything I have done…whatever I will do, it is for you Rien.It is for all of you. One day you will all see that and you will understand.”

He rubbed my back as I sobbed against him. “Warriors do not cry.” He repeated.

Why then did it sound as if he were on the verge of tears.

                                                                AUTHOR’S NOTES

THANKS FOR READING!

Enjoy!!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited

Chapter 53: Kandane

Chapter

53

Kandane (The past)

“Remove that offending garment at once.”

Marcan folded his arms before him and raised his chin in defiance; as expected. “

“Absolutely not.”

“You know father abhors that color.”

“It is because be abhors it that I have chosen to wear it.” He grinned. “Is that not obvious?”

I picked up his plain black robes from the bed and thew it his way. He watched it fall to the floor.  “Why must you continue to provoke him? Is there even a remote possibility that you can go a single day without creating mischief?”

“No.” He said after much thought and I frowned. Somewhere from his place in the corner, Peitre chuckled.

“Tonight we will dine with our father and you will give him no reason to frown. Now remove those awful pink robes. I cannot even fathom where you got them.” When he did nothing,  I folded my arms before me and with a sigh, he acquiesced.

“Once you are finished, help Jorlon with his necktie. He has been struggling with it for near an hour and I fear he has only made a mess of things.” I turned to contemplate Jorlon and shook my head. “I do not understand this new fashion. I hardly see why a piece of cloth wrapped around ones neck is suitable formal wear.”

Jorlon paused. “ I am trying to develop my own unique sense of self. One day everyone will come to appreciate my genius.“ He continued to struggle with his cloth for a moment longer, before he finally heaved a sigh and gave up.  I turned to my most pressing problem; Riener.

He had only just awoken from his nap and his hair was sticking out at all angles, his blue robes were badly crushed and stained red in the strangest of places; testament of the fact that he had visited the kitchens against my explicit instruction and stolen the freshly picked berries the drudges  stored there.

I sighed. “What must I do with you Rien?”

He shrugged and I gestured to a drudge standing in the doorway. “Fetch him something to wear.” I then turned to his hair and tried as best I could to tame his unruly strands.

“You know it upsets father when you are not well groomed. I told you to sit quietly while the rest of us prepared for dinner and you took it upon yourself to go to bed instead, now look at yourself.”

Again he shrugged and my eyes narrowed. “Why will you not speak?”

He looked guiltily away and shrugged once more, but the berry juices sliding down his chin gave me the answer I sought. “You might as well swallow the things Rien, you are only making more of a mess.” I told him, and as Rien-like as ever, he quickly began to chew the berries he had stuffed into his mouth. I withdrew my pocket cloth and handed it to him, then watched as the white cloth became stained beyond further use.

I straightened and looked around my bedchamber; there were robes and footwear scattered about the floors, the bed was unmade with its satin sheets spilling ungraciously onto the floors. By the fireplace, Jorlon stood frowning down at his new fashionable invention as Marcan fidgeted with it.

Peitre sat half naked in the armchair by the door; his head buried in the scroll he had no doubt stolen from father’s study, the drudges ran about trying and failing to clear away the mess my brothers had made and when I felt a wetness in my hand, I looked down to see the crushed berries Riener had placed there.

“I had forgotten I had placed them in the pocket of my robes for safekeeping.” He told me with a frown. “And now they are ruined.” He then proceeded to wipe his hands in the robes; staining them further despite the fact that I had only just handed him a pocket cloth. When he was sure his hands were as clean as they could get, he removed the robes from his body and dropped them onto the floor at his feet.

He pointed to the berries he had placed in my hand. “I want nothing to do with them.” then trudged over to Peitre, where he asked to see the scroll. When Peitre glanced up at him, his brows furrowed in confusion. “Why are you undressed?”

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. This night would not end well; I could sense it.

………………………………..

The dining table was set thus; father at the head, mother at the foot, Marcan and I at father’s left and right side respectively, while Riener and Peitre sat on either side of our mother with Jorlon between myself and Peitre. The drudges of course, stood far enough away that their presence was known but not not unwelcome, yet close enough to be at father’s continuous beck and call.

Dinner in the masterclass household was not as festive as one might imagine, for only father and Riener enjoyed the unfortunate affair; father, because it was the one time of day where he could gather us all to express his many disappointments and air his unusual number of complaints and Riener, because the drudges took turns sneaking him sweet treats when they thought no one was watching.

Tonight was no different; father began his discussion before the meal was served and we listened with one ear, while waiting with bated breath for the moment he would require a response for either one of us.

It was a wholly unpleasant occasion, though the boys tended to take whatever pleasure they could from the experience, taking turns to find novel and creative ways to provoke our father; not realizing that the consequences of each provocation often later fell upon my own back; the scars etched into the skin were proof of this.

The first misstep of the night, when it finally came, involved Riener. For whatever ill-fated reason, father wished to change the seating arrangements. “ I wish to sit with my boy for a change.“ He announced, and Marcan was forced to remove himself from father’s left side and stand idly by as Riener threw his tantrum.

“I do not want to change seating. I want to sit by mother.” I would have been quite proud of the slight upturn of his chin and the fire in his eyes,  if I were not more concerned with the thought of father reaching across the table to wring his little neck.

“It was not a request.” Father boomed, and Riener deflated.

“But mother loves my company. Is that not so mother?”

“Of course I do my darling, but I see no harm in your switching seats just this once.”

“But– “

“Rien.” I interrupted him, and when he turned his eyes upon me, I gestured to Marcan’s empty seat. “ Do as you are told.“

His frown had deepened but he stood nonetheless— reluctance evident in his posture— and took up new residence beside father.

I should have realized the change that overcame our father then. I should have known that I had made a grave error when his eyes settled on me, but too concerned was I with keeping the peace, that I overlooked my own folly.

It was not long before discussions resumed and fifteen minutes into our meal, father ended his discussion with Peitre and shifted his attention to Marcan. “Tell me what has happened with the archers. It has been almost a fortnight and I have heard no word from them.”

Marcan took a sip of his blood and returned the glass to the table. “I can only assume they have met with trouble in the woodland covens. I will send out a party on the morrow in search of them.”

“Why have you waited so long to do so? Is it not your duty to— Father paused when the loud scraping sounded and we all turned our eyes to the culprit; Riener. He had vacated his seat and now stood by father’s side, scraping the vegetables from his own plate into our father’s. I shook my head as he scraped the fork loudly against the china; unaware that he was interrupting an important discussion.

Once all the vegetables had reached their intended destination, he began to pluck the fruits off father’s plate one by one and deposit them into his own. As the contents of his plate grew, so did its weight and father held it steady when it began to shake in his hand. “Why do you rid yourself of the very thing that is needed to build you up?” Father questioned him. “You are a fledgling, you need your strength.”

Riener frowned. “I am not meant to eat shrubs. I am not a cow.” he said by way of explanation, then gathered his plate with both hands and returned it to the table, where he sat.

Father watched him with a raised brow, though I imagined he would have rolled his eyes were he prone to such things.

When there was silence once more, father returned his attention to Marcan. “Riener is the only fledgling in this room and as such, he is the only one deserving of my patience. You have been given the duty to manage but a small army of archers; something any fool could do with ease, yet you have failed even in that.” Father said. “It cannot be that I must hold your hand every step of the way when I have other important matters to attend to—”

“Father I— “

“Do not interrupt.” He commanded, and Marcan fell silent. “Your army was sent on an expedition that should have taken four days at most. They have been absent for thirteen and you have done nothing about it. It is only now that I have brought the matter to your attention that you have given it any thought and now you have the audacity to tell me that you will send a search party on the morrow?” His voice had risen; he was understandably upset.

“Rather than wasting away your time frolicking about the coven like a common fool with your common whores, take responsibility for those over whom you have been charged and carry out your duties as is expected of you.” Father’s voice took on a dangerous tone. “Get out of my sight and do what you must to bring your men home.”

Marcan looked to me for guidance and it was only when I nodded, that he did as our father had commanded. That was the second misstep of the night.

“Jorlon.”

Jorlon glanced up from his plate. “Yes father?”

“Have you completed your experiments on the hunters’ latest drug?”

He nodded. “I have father. My team and I are now in the process of procuring an antidote. However, it is not as simple as we had hoped. The hunters have found a way to perfect the drug since the last battle. It no longer takes hours to fell us, but a matter of minutes. It is far more potent than anything I  have ever seen and finding an antidote to overcome its effects has proven far more difficult than we had imagined.” He paused, but when father offered no reply, he continued. “ We have since determined that our best chance at combating this serious problem is through prevention.“

Father nodded. “You wish to create a vaccine.”

“Yes. I will however continue to search for a way to reverse the effects of the drug until the vaccine is perfected, but as you know these things take time.”

“Very well. Do what you must, while keeping in mind that everyday that we have not found a solution, is another day that our people die in battle.”

“Yes father.” Jorlon was crestfallen. Father did not understand how diligently he worked to find a solution. He did not see how it affected him that our people’s lives were in his hands. He did not need reminding.

“And what of you Riener?” Father turned to his youngest son with a smile. “What update have you to give me?”

Riener’s brows furrowed as he seemed to think on father’s words. “I carved a sword from the bark of an old tree today.” He reached into the folds of his robes and pulled out the mangled piece of stick I had watched him hack for more than an hour, and handed it to father. “It does not resemble a sword but the end is sharp enough that if I stick myself with it, it will hurt.” He tapped his chin. “It would have been longer but it would not have fit it inside my robes had I not snapped it in two. I suppose it resembles a blade rather than a sword.”

Father laughed as he turned it around in his hands. “It is a fine wooden blade. You must be proud of your creation, already you are thinking like a warrior.”

Riener nodded. “Would you give me a real sword? Kandane says I am far too young to wield one, but I have watched the warriors train. I know what to do.”

“You would hack yourself to death were you given a sword.” Peitre commented. “ You are far too clumsy. I have seen you trip over your own two feet while walking along a flat surface.“

Riener glared at him, but turned to father with wide eyes. “He lies father…I do not trip as often as I once did and when I do, it is because I am not focusing on my path.”

“When you are older.”

He was not to be deterred. “I will be older tomorrow, may I have one then?”

I could not help but smile as I listened to him. He was far too intelligent for his years. I looked forward to seeing what he would become in but a few decades.

“Perhaps when you have attained your fiftieth year.”

Riener frowned. “The days are moving too slowly, it will take far too long to get there.”

“No matter.” Father said in obvious amusement. “You must exercise patience.”

Jorlon stood suddenly, knocking his chair to the ground in his haste. “I wish to be excused for the night.” He announced as I knew he would.

He had a tendency to take father’s words to heart. I suspected he would spend the night mulling over what had been said throughout dinner and I had no doubt that I would find him slaving away the day in his study on the morrow.

Father, who was clearly pleased that his words had had their desired effect, waved him away with a slight smile, before returning his full attention to Riener’s stick. I wished to speak with him in that moment; to reassure him that he was doing the best he could, but I had a sense that too many missteps had already been made throughout the night and I did not wish to add more.

Jorlon left without another word and Peitre and I shared a look.

“Which tree did you scale to gather this wood?” Father questioned Riener, who was ever so pleased to recount his  most adventurous tale to date.

“The tree that stands in the courtyard father. It was not an easy task.”

Father propped his chin in his hand and watched Riener in quiet amusement. “I imagine not. It is a mighty tree.”

I had to stop myself from smiling, for the tree was far from mighty; being the smallest in the coven. If I were to stretch to my full length I could touch the very top of it.

Riener nodded. “I did not make it all the way to the top of course, for it was far too high, but I was able to snap this branch before I fell.” He explained. “Kandane helped just a bit for it was a stubborn branch but in the end I was victorious. “ He then rolled the sleeves of his robes up and past his elbow to show us all a small red mark; the only remnant of his fall. Within a few short hours it would be completely healed.

“I heard my bone snap when I fell.” He was smiling proudly. “It took only five short hours to heal.”

“And did you cry?” Peitre queried, though we all surely knew the answer. He was still but a child; he did not heal as quickly as we did and he had not had many opportunities to grow tolerant to even the slightest pain.

Riener hesitated, looking from Peitre to father; eyes wide and uncertain.

“I remember quite well when I first broke my own arm as a fledgling.” Father began. “ I was much older than you are now and when I cried the entire coven no doubt heard my wails.“

Riener’s eyes widened. “Truly father?”

“Indeed.” he lied and Riener smiled.

“I cried.” He confessed, “but not many heard me; perhaps only three blood-drinkers and I did not cry for very long for I am able to heal more quickly now.”

“Yes and as you grow older, you will heal in but an instant.”

He nodded. “Yes. I look forward to that.” then he fell silent and seemed to slip deep into his thoughts as he was prone to do on occasion.

……………………….

The night continued on and conversation soon turned to other things, until even that dissipated and Riener was taken away to his bedchamber by one of the drudges; an hour later mother too left and then there were three.

Peitre shed his outer robes and propped his feet onto the table. I loosened the buttons on my sleeves and beckoned to a nearby drudge to bring out the wine. There had been a tension brewing in the air throughout dinner and soon I would learn the reason for it. When the drudge filled out glasses, father retrieved his own and twirled it around in his hand.

“Leave us.” I ordered the drudges the moment father’s gaze settled upon me.

Peitre released a sigh. “At least allow me to finish a bottle before I must endure whatever  depressing conversation is sure to follow.”

“Once again you have tried to undermine my authority Kandane.” Father began.

“Alas, it is not meant to be.” Petire commented softly.

“Why are you still here Petire?” father questioned with malice. “I wish to speak with Kandane uninterrupted. Leave us.”

Peitre rolled his eyes. “I am a glutton for punishment. I choose to stay.”

“What, pray tell have I done to offend your sensibilities on this occasion father?” I questioned.

Father’s eyes turned scornful as he watched me. “You once held such promise.” he began. “Now when I look at you I see only a shadow of what you once were.”

“What I once was?” I laughed. “And what might that have been?”

“A leader our people could one day look up to.”

“And I am no longer that leader?”

Father shook his head. “You are my heir Kandane, which means you are held at a higher standard than everyone else, do you not see that?”

I regarded him in confusion. “What does one thing have to do with the other?”

“You are expected to be a good example for all to follow. You are expected to support me in my pronouncements and urge others to do the same, yet at every turn you seem to lead each rebellion. How are those the actions of a good leader?”

“Ah.” realization dawned. “You speak of my brothers, not of our people.”

“I am the leader of this coven and the head of this household, yet my own children seek your approval before following my orders. Why have you instigated rebellion against me? Why have you  influenced them to pledge loyalty to you when it is not your right?” I felt the change in the atmosphere in an instant and with the uncomfortable way in which Peitre shifted in his own seat, I had no doubt that he could also sense it. A calmness had settled over our father; it was a facade we had come to know well; one that held the danger that was to come at bay.

I must tread lightly.

“I have merely been a brother to them.” I told him. “ At no time did I ask for loyalty, nor do I seek it. I have no reason to undermine your authority father.“

“Truly?” He asked with a smile that did not reach his eyes. “Are you saying you have not noticed how they disrespect me? Are you saying you have not seen with your own eyes how they hesitate to follow my orders?”

“They are young. They do not –.”

“Do not take me for a fool Kandane. “

“Kandane has not incited rebellion against you. It is you who have brought this upon yourself.” Peitre announced. “Respect us and we will respect you in turn.”

“Respect you?” father’s laugh was as loud as it was arrogant. It fueled my own rising anger.

“Yes.” I began.“Rather than insulting them at every turn and turning your nose up at their many achievements, show them your appreciation for the fine men they have become. Praise them when they have earned it and treat them as though they are your children and not mats on which to wipe your feet.”

“I am not a common familiar, I will not seek out the respect of any man, for it is already my right. It was not so long ago that you pleaded with me to spare them my wrath . It was not so long ago that I watched you kneel before me and beg me to punish you in their stead, and I have done as you have asked, knowing all the while that it is a weakness in you that would make you disgrace yourself in such a way.” He began. “You will agree with me that I have been merciful in the face of their transgressions— “

“The skin of my back would disagree with you.” I interrupted and he sneered.

“I have given you only what you have asked for. Perhaps it is time to cease fighting their battles for them. Perhaps it is time they learn what it means to disrespect me.”

“We had an agreement. They are only boys, they do not yet appreciate the severity of their actions and they do not deserve to be punished for mere ignorance.”

“They are warriors and they must learn!’

“If only you would show them even a fraction of the compassion you often show Riener, then perhaps—”

“Riener is a child, his needs differ a great deal.”

“Why do you find it so hard to be the father they need?”

“When they begin to act deserving of my favor then I will act in kind.”

“Then nothing will change, for everyday that you spurn them their hatred of you will grow, and the more you continue along this path, the further away they will stray until you are nothing to them but a man to be despised and provoked.”

As quick as a whip, he raised his hand and slapped me. I felt the bones in my face shatter and  the hot blood seep into the corner of my left eye and drip down my face. I gritted my teeth against the pain and waited for the bones to reform and my face to heal, then I looked at him. “You are a coward.” I said softly. “and one day because of your pride and your cowardice you will find yourself surrounded by your family, yet completely alone and it will be your own doing.”

“Then perhaps it is time you join me on this path.” He issued just as softly. He stood and walked slowly around my chair, where he came to stand next to Peitre; who watched him warily. “After tonight you will sever all ties with them.” He continued. “You will not be a friend to them, you will not be a brother, you will be like a stranger living amongst them.”

I frowned. “I would never— “

“You will.” he interrupted. “No longer will they be loyal to you, nor will they seek out your company, for you will cast them aside, and if I learn that you have gone against my wishes in any way, one by one I will remove them from your life myself.”

“There is nothing you can do or say that will cause me to abandon those I care for.”

Father’s smile, when it grew, made me uneasy. “ That is where you are wrong my son.“ He said. “I have allowed you free reign for far too long. Now you will obey my every word and become the son I wish you to be.”

I laughed, but he ignored me and continued. “No longer will you question my word, no longer will you lead my offspring down the wrong path. It is time they were led by good example.”

“Then perhaps you should become the good example you wish them to follow.”

He shook his head, and before I could blink, he had latched his hands around Peitre’s neck and snapped it. I stood and the chair on which I had been seated toppled over. Father held up a hand when I took a step in my brother’s direction, but I pushed past him and fell to my knees before Peitre, who lay limp and broken on the floor at his feet.

“Why have you done this?” I glanced up at him in anger.

“Be grateful this is but a temporary affliction but the moment you choose to defy me, I will make it a permanent solution.”

I watched him with furrowed brows, my heart pounding and my head throbbing. It took me a moment to realize just what he meant and I felt a deep fear rise up inside me. “You would slaughter your own children to spite me?”

“I need only one heir.”

I shook my head; horrified. No. No father would bring harm to his sons. Surely he would not…

“You will sever all ties with them Kandane. There has never been a time I have failed to carry out my word, do not think that time has come, for you will surely regret it.”

I glanced down at my fallen brother. It would be awhile before he awakened.

“You would threaten the lives of your children simply because you are upset?”

“Perhaps when you stand alone without their support you will understand the meaning of the sacrifice ever leader is expected to make.” He glanced briefly at my fallen brother. “ One day you will understand.“

“I have done nothing to deserve this.” I whispered. “I have only loved them as a brother should father, why will you punish me only for loving them?”

Father’s eyes glinted dangerously. “Because they make you weak and you make them disobedient.” He said. “You will put them from your mind and focus only on your duties as heir. They will accept the consequences of their actions as warriors should and you will no longer interfere.”

I shook my head. “Do not do this.”

“There will no longer be rebellion in my Court. You will follow my orders and you will not question my word and one day you will understand what it means to become a good leader.” He turned from me and crossed the room, only pausing when I next spoke.

“A good leader is compassionate.” I said. “A good leader cares for his people, he is not cruel and vengeful.”

He turned to look at me. “A good leader must be respected by his people and I will have your respect Kandane.” I glimpse the coldness in his eyes before he turned and left the hall; the main doors slammed shut behind him.

……………………………………………………..

It was a night I would remember until the day the earth rose to meet me, for it was the night I truly lost any ounce of feeling I had left for my father. There was no good in him, no compassion, no love for those he had spawned and I had not come to the realization until I had seen the truth in his eyes. He would slaughter his children for my obedience and it would not burden him to do so.

I watched as the color slowly began to rise in Peitre’s cheeks and imagined  a life where he lay frozen for eternity; never waking, never again to laugh or smile. I imagined a life without the others; Marcan and Jorlon, for he would not truly harm Riener. The thought alone was a burden that threatened to subdue me. I stood and stumbled as I did.

“I will kill him.” I whispered the words, and it echoed off the walls in the dining hall, then I closed my eyes and allowed the tears that had built to trickle down my face, for I could not kill him; it would be treason and the coven would revolt against me, but of greater importance was the thought of how his death would affect Riener. He was young. Young enough to still harbor love in his heart for our father, Young enough that he would not understand why he had to live without him. Young enough that he would hate me for it.

I pushed open the main entrance doors and stepped out into the night, then took a deep breath of the night air and turned my face up to the sky. The stars were bright and beautiful against the black vault. I found it unfair that they should remain unaffected by what had transpired between father and son only moments before. I found it unfair that the world should continue to turn when my entire reason for living was now in a state of upheaval.

It was not often that I allowed myself to cry, for the act alone was a weakness no warrior should harness, but there was a deep sorrow rising within me and not even the flesh of my body could keep at bay and certainly no will power that I possessed was strong enough to prevent it from breaking through.

I heard the telltale signs of shuffling in the dining hall and I knew at once that Pierre had finally risen. It was a difficult task putting one foot before the other as I descended the stairs into the courtyard and continued beyond the gates of my father’s Court.  My mind raced with thoughts of what had only just transpired and I tried to find a way in which I could escape father’s orders but no light was shed.

He was not a man of idle chatter. He had decided his mind and made his pronouncement. There was nothing I could do but obey, lest he slaughtered my brothers one at a time. I paused for a brief moment  to take a deep breath. My hands were shaking badly and suddenly even breathing was becoming a difficult task.

If I were to obey him, if I were to sever all ties with the only people I truly cared for it would break me. Who would prepare them for each family dinner, who would comfort them when father threw his insults? How would they cope with knowing that they could no longer come to me with their troubles?

In whom would Marcan entrust his many secrets? Who would Jorlan converse with about his new inventions and his wild ideas? Where would Peitre go when he found himself in need of a compassionate ear and who would tend to Riener’s scrapes and bruises? Who would read him his books at night and tell him stories of past adventures? Who would listen to him babble endlessly about his days, his dreams and his night terrors?

I put a hand to my chest, wishing I could still my pounding heart, wishing the ache that had settled there would dissipate and I would feel whole once more. I pressed my forehead against the rough bark of an old tree and prayed to the gods to help me with my troubles, but of course there was no reply and no help came.

“What can I do?” I whispered, then trembled at the realization that there might be no solution to this.

“He is a coward.” I whispered into the night, then straightened and took a determined step forward. There was only one who could change this.

My quick footfalls echoed loudly as I made my way across the stone flooring of the coven grounds. I ran with a renewed sense of purpose, across the gardens, around the pond and past the archery range. I did not pause to consider what the drudges would think when I burst through the main doors of my family home and ran up the winding staircase that would lead me to my mother’s bedchamber.

I pounded on her doors when I stood before them and waited impatiently for her to open them.

When she appeared, her brows were furrowed in confusion. “What has happened?” She questioned, then paused to look at me; her expression changed to one of concern.

“Why do you cry? “ She glanced beyond me into the empty hallway. I had not even realized that I was sobbing until she said so and I could not catch my breath to explain, so I took a step forward and pulled her into my arms, clinging to her as if for dear life.

I felt a hand in my hair, patting my head gently and for once, I allowed myself to take comfort from another. I allowed myself the opportunity to be weak without guilt, and listened to her softly spoken words as she tried to ease my pain.

I did not know how long we stood there, but when I finally had the energy to pull away, she  held my face between her palms and looked into my eyes. “You are not yourself.” She said. “Tell me what has happened my son.”

“Father.” I told her and she frowned.

“What has he done?”

“He is angry with me. He thinks I have turned the boys against him.”

“What has he done Kandane?”

My eyes met hers “He says I am to sever all ties with them.”

Her frown deepened. “What does that mean?”

“He says I am to become a stranger to them mother.”

She scoffed. “He is a fool. Ignore him. There is nothing he can do to take you from their lives. Do not fret.”

I shook my head. “You do not understand. He has made a threat I cannot ignore.”

Mother’s laugh, when it came, was a cold sound. “He is simply a fool. What more does he think he can possibly do to you?”

“He says he needs only one heir.” I told her. “He will slaughter them all if I disobey him and I have seen it in his eyes mother. He will do it.”

Her hands fell from my face and she gazed upon me in horror.

“What do I do mother?” I begged her “Tell me what I can do to stop this.”

She took a step back and pressed the back of her hand to her mouth. “I…”

“What can I do?” I begged.

She looked terrified as she gazed upon me.  “ I do not…Perhaps he is simply upset.“

“He wrung Peitre’s neck in anger. He promised to end their lives if I do not obey him. He does not break his promises mother. You and I are well aware of that.”

She was quiet for a few moments and When she looked down at her hands her shoulders began to shake. For a moment I thought she was in tears, but when she looked up at me, her eyes were dry. “Then you have no choice… you must obey him.  If he means to harm them there is nothing you can do.”

Her words were like a slap to the face. “You can speak with him. You can make him see reason.” I told her, but she was already shaking her head.

“You know he will not listen to me.”

“But perhaps. If you were to try. Perhaps if—”

“No.” He shook her head. “ If he says he will hurt them then there is nothing I can do to stop him. You must do as he says.“

“They are my brothers. I cannot—”

“You will!” Gone was the concern and the compassion and in its place a coldness had settled. “My sons will not be harmed simply because you are afraid. You have a duty to protect them and you must.”

“ Am I too not your son? What of your duty?  Why will you not even try?“

Her eyes narrowed and her lips curled in anger. “You would wish me to put myself in harm’s way when it is you who have brought this disaster upon our heads?”

“ I cannot lose them mother. I only wish for you to try to help me. Please, you need only try.“ I pleaded, but her eyes had already gone cold and she regarded me as though I was a bug to be crushed.

“Do not be selfish.” She snapped. “Protect your brothers as is your duty and do not look to others to clean up your messes.”

I stumbled back when she reentered her bedchamber and slammed the doors behind her.

I stood there for a long time afterward, unable to comprehend just how alone I was in this, unable to understand why she would leave me to suffer with such a cruel fate entirely alone.

When I finally turned away from her chambers it was with a single thought; escape.

…………………………..

I spent twenty-four days away from the coven; the night I had left, it had been with the robes on my back and nothing else. It was the longest time I had spent away from my home; my family and without even an ounce of contact to ease my heart, I had missed them terribly, but it was time away that I would never regret, for it was that time of solitude that had helped me to cope with what I had to do.

The first night away was perhaps the most difficult experience I had ever had; half that night was spent running through the trees; as far away from my life as I could think to go. I had stopped only when my thoughts began to cripple me, and I’d had no choice in the matter, then I had curled up on the forest floor and shed all the tears I could manufacture. I had ranted and raved, I had cursed my mother and my father and allowed my own weakness to control me. That was the night that I had thought I was broken beyond repair, but when the day came so did my strength and I plotted and planned.

In the days that followed, I had discarded plans to murder my father, plans to turn the coven against him, plans to take my brothers and run, plans to seek out the assistance of a sorcerer and force him to aid me and plans to end my own life if only to end the pain and the fear that had settled deep within my heart.

I used my time away to think; endless thinking and for a while I mostly saw the faces of my brothers; those visions alone threatened to break me. It was during that time away that I realized just how shackled I was to them and how that imprisonment was a vulnerability no warrior, and certainly no leader should have, but I also found that I cared not whether my love for them was a curse and when my father stepped down and I took his place on the throne, no one would dare threaten their lives again.

The only contact I had while away was with animals. Oftentimes I found myself watching them about their lives; many of them roamed the forests alone and they seemed not to mind the solitude, but I was not meant for a life of solitude and I knew that very soon, I would have to go back. I also knew that going back meant doing as my father had ordered; it meant sacrificing my own heart for that of my brothers’ lives and I learned that it was selfish of me to have put my own feelings above their needs.

When I walked through the coven gates on the twenty-fourth day it was with the knowledge that I would be entirely alone for a very long time; it was with the knowledge that I would have to make them hate me in order to keep them safe, for they would not let me go without a fight, and it was with the hope that one day, when father stepped down and no longer had power over me, that I would make them understand my actions and we would become a family once more.

It was very late into the night when I arrived and I made my way silently up the stairs of my dwelling home. I visited each of my brothers in turn and watched over them for a while as they slept. I sat with Riener for much longer. He would be hurt by my actions and he more than the others would have a harder time letting go.

I ran a hand through his hair; it had grown longer since I last saw him. I smiled at the thought of the tantrum he would throw when it was time to cut it.

“Kandane.” He whispered as he came awake and I pulled away from him.

“Hello Rien.”

He rubbed his eyes but did not sit up; I could see that he was tired. “ Where did you go? I have missed you dreadfully.“

I smiled. “I needed time away to think.”

“Will you play with me tomorrow?” He questioned; eyes beginning to droop.

“ I am afraid I cannot.“

“Then we will play another day.” He said. “I am so glad you have returned Kandane. I had missed you dreadfully.” He whispered and a moment later he was once again asleep.

As I watched him slumber, I wondered how a man could live with the knowledge that he had torn his family apart. I also wondered if the day would truly come when we would play together again.

It did not.

………………………………

Time flew quickly by; as the months turned into decades, my brothers and I grew apart and soon they came to despise me. We lived together, yet apart and I was forced to watch them grow from afar. The persona of cold cynicism which I had adopted only to keep them at bay, soon became part and parcel of my personality and as the decades turned into centuries, I began to lose myself and the person I had once been.

I played no part in their upbringing, I no longer tried to shield them from father’s wrath and before my very eyes, Riener, who had once been a source of light and life, grew cold and uncaring.

I spent a great deal of my free time alone; most times far away from the coven and the unbearable life I had grown accustomed to living there. I grew to appreciate the call of nature, for things were much simpler among the trees, but I also grew to care less and less for my own wellbeing, and soon I would find myself seeking out danger, uncaring whether I lived or died from each encounter.

It was on one such day that my life changed forever; a day that I would not soon forget. I had come upon a camp of hunters and for a time, I watched them from my perch in the trees. They were a clever bunch, though dreadfully boring. They trained and ate and not much else. It seemed this particular expedition was not an official hunt and so I was able to witness just how ordinary  the life of a hunter was.

I harbored brief thoughts of attacking them, but in even that I had lot my drive, so I kept my place in the trees, watching and learning and allowing my mind to drift. I remained there for hours watching them as they tried to adapt to life in the wilderness. They had brought comforts from their lives in their human cities; out among the trees they were washing their plates and cleaning their shoes when they would be better off learning how to navigate through the trees and hunt for their food.

They were far too accustomed to modern living; their ancestors were no doubt turning in their graves, for the hunters of long ago had been a force to be reckoned with. They had been relentless in their pursuits, unyielding, unbreakable and cunning. They adapted well to every environment and they knew what it meant to have a purpose. These modern creatures were a disappointment in comparison. As my eyes passed lazily over their camp, I watched as a small figure broke away from them, completely unnoticed and on very unsteady legs. I picked lazily at the lint on my robes and watched him for a long time as he moved further and further away from them.

He was an infant; he could not have been older than one year. The humans were careless with him. I swung from tree to tree, following his progress further into the thick forestry and further still, until he came to a stop by the lake.

No doubt the infant would drown himself and the humans would have no one to blame but themselves. I watched the child step unsteadily into the water. He was chasing a dragonfly and no doubt he would chase it to his death. I wondered briefly what it would be like to watch an infant drown; would he flail about as an older human would or would he simply sink and die in silence?

With a sigh, I hopped down from my perch and reached up to pull the necklace from my neck. I held it up to the sky and twisted it until the sun hit it at just the right angle, then I whistled and the infant glanced around. He paused for a moment and simply watched me, but when he spotted the pendant of the necklace sparkling in the sunlight, he lost interest in the dragon fly and stepped unsteadily toward me.

When he stumbled and fell, he began to crawl and I crouched before him when he had finally come to a stop by my feet. Hunters , thought, they tended to be quite a bit more adventurous; even at such a useless age.

The child stood and his tiny fists closed around the pendant. When I released it, he sat and I watched him turn it around and around in his hands. He was fascinated; anyone would be.

“It was given to me by my father.” I told him, though I had an inking he could not understand the words, but it had been so long since I’d had ordinary conversation, that I continued anyway, even if it was to be a one sided interaction. “It is given only to the heir of a masterclass blood-drinker. My grandfather gave it to my father and my father to me. When the time comes I will hand it down to my first born and the cycle will continue.”

The boy continued to ignore me, though he glanced at me once as I spoke and I was struck by the vibrant blue of his eyes. “Were I another blood-drinker I would have already drained you.” I told him and as he inspected my property, I tried to remember at what age Riener had begun to speak but it was too long ago to remember and the thought brought with it a wave of unwelcome emotion.

I reached over to retrieve the necklace from the infant’s hands and when our fingers brushed, I gasped as white hot pain shot through my arm and traveled  throughout my body, then dissipated just as quickly. The infant began to cry and I sat there stunned beyond words.

I looked down at my shaking hands and stumbled away from the child; trying all the while to catch my breath. This could not be; not in this random strip of forestry, on this ordinary day with the child of hunters.

I stood on unsteady legs and stepped further away. This could not be; not now, not when I had taken great pains to avoid the human world, not when I had dismissed the old sorcerer’s words as false, not when I had vowed never to fall prey to such an affliction.

As the child’s cries grew I stood and watched him in shocked silence. It must have been a sick joke, brought down upon my head by the gods, for fate could not have found me when I had tried so desperately to evade it.

I heard rustling  and caught the scent of three male hunters. I climbed into the tree just as they broke through the thick foliage and watched as one of them; a young man, issued a sigh of relief.

“Noah.” The man said when he bent to pick up the child, who quietened instantly.

“Is he alright?” Another male asked and the man who held the child nodded.

“Whatcha got there?” He asked, pulling my necklace from the child’s hands and inspecting it. He frowned, then glanced around him briefly. A long moment passed as his eyes roamed the forest suspiciously, then he shook his head as if to clear it. “ Let’s head back.“ He told the others and with another glance around, he turned and lead the others back the way they had come.

I followed close behind them from the trees and all the while, the infant watched my progress over the man’s shoulder, then just before they reentered the camp grounds, the infant reached both hands into the air and began to cry; vibrant blue eyes caught and held mine, then filled with tears as he was taken further and further away.

He had been reaching for me, I realized, and my eyes remained on the group until the disappeared from my sight. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes; leaning against the sturdy limb of the tree as my mind raced.

When I opened them again, I glanced down at my hands, they were no longer shaking, but I could still feel the energy that had passed through them. I frowned.

In a random strip of forestry, on the most ordinary day of the year I had met the infant who would one day grow to become my mate.

“Noah.” I tested the name on my lips.

And so my fascination with him began.

                                                           AUTHOR’S NOTES

Thanks for reading! Keep your eyes peeled for Kandane and Noah’s story which will be posted on my profile at a later date!

-DoUbLe.A -unedited.

Chapter 54: The S.S. Christoah

Chapter 54

Kaio

“Release him Marcan,” Lord Riener commanded, “he has lost far too much blood.”

“Take a solitary step in this direction Riener, and the human will meet his end far more quickly than scheduled.” Lord Marcan’s gaze never wavered from Lord Kandane as he spoke.

He was taking far more pleasure than he should have from the sight of Lord Kandane’s slight crack in composure. His eyes, which merely a moment before had been filled with anger, were now tinged with mirth. This did not bode well for any party involved in the current transaction.

I tore my eyes away from his face and settled my gaze on the bloodied human, whose knees had long ago buckled from the trauma inflicted on his weakened frame. The rich scent of his blood permeated the courtyard and I felt a deep shame inside myself when I felt the saliva pool in my mouth. I, like, undoubtedly, so many others of our kind, craved a taste of the red vital fluid that flowed from his deep wound and decorated his ripped clothing.

His brow was beaded with perspiration, and though his eyelids were slightly parted, I wondered if he was still aware of what was transpiring; I harbored my doubts. The human was dying, and in but a matter of minutes, the small amount of life force that remained within him would drain from his body; leaving him nothing more than a cooling corpse to be buried under six feet of brown soil.

I glanced once more at Lord Kandane, whose face was set in stone; betraying no feeling. His fists, which were clenched at his sides, were the only evidence of his displeasure. I watched in surprise as blood began to seep through his fingers; his nails having clearly pierced his own flesh. I followed the trail of his ichor as it dripped to the ground at his feet, then staggered backwards in horror as the ground began to shudder. In an instant, it fractured beneath him and the cracks quickly fanned out into a million tiny splinters, which grew in size until they came to an abrupt stop at Marcan’s feet.

The silence, which had long ago descended the courtyard, broke and a cacophony of voices rose up in awe and ill-contained fear. Some, who stood too close to either brother, withdrew into the shadows, while others simply looked on; transfixed. The wolves turned their large matted heads to the ground; whimpering nervously and I pressed a hand to my chest in hopes of quieting my pounding heart.

“So it is true.” The words were uttered by my Lord Riener, who observed Lord Kandane as though he were a fascinating scientific experiment. There was no fear in his gaze and there was no surprise. His expression was that of a creature who had made a thrilling discovery, which he had no intention of sharing with the world.  My unease grew as I glanced between them.

“What’s happening?” came Malik’s quiet question and my Keeper smiled; a slow, mirthless tilt of his lips that usually warned me that something was brewing beneath the surface.

“It seems my brother has mastered the art of secret keeping.” Was all he said and though Mal’s brows furrowed in his confusion, he said nothing more.

“We have underestimated you dear brother,” Lord Marcan spat; the angry glint reappearing in his eyes. “but then how could we have guessed that the rumor was more than myth?”

“Is this what all your years spent in the warrior coven has taught you? How to terrorize humans?” Lord Kandane’s voice was cold and unforgiving.

Lord Marcan laughed. “And you, brother? Who was it who taught you to harbor greed in your heart? and was it that the same teacher who taught you to massacre you own people?” I could feel the tension between them mounting. It was as though a thick wall of unease had descended the camp and all who were trapped inside were slowly by surely suffocating from its potency.

“Withdraw your warriors and surrender yourself or the human dies.”

“He was a fool to have come here.” Lord Kandane replied.

Lord Marcan shifted Noah in his arms and the human let out a soft cry, before his limbs slackened and he fell unconscious. Lord Kandane’s eyes darted to the dying creature and I was dumbstruck by the raw and unhindered energy emanating from his body. It was more power than I had ever imagined could be contain in a single living entity and I could not understand it.

I stepped further away from him, watching the fury blaze in his eyes and the working of his jaw as he gritted his teeth. Lord Marcan laughed, and the air around us stilled as the earth once again began to shudder. It occurred to me then, that if these unnatural occurrences were simply as a result of Lord Kandane’s fury, then the power he did control was not something to be trifled with.

He had always had an otherworldly presence about him; one that could be matched by no other blood-drinker—master class or otherwise—but this…this was incomprehensible.

“Let us play a game shall we?”

“Jesus Christ he’s dying! Please, just let him go!” Tony, who was being held back by Lord Riener, yelled at Lord Marcan.

“Marcan this has gone on long enough—” Lord Riener began, but fell silent when he held up a hand. If we wished to see the human live, we were expected to play by this rules; it was as clear as the day. Lord Marcan’s fingers were wrapped around the human’s heart, therefore there was nothing anyone could do but obey.

He returned his attention to Lord Kandane. “I will count to three, and if you think you will be able to slaughter me with…whatever this is,” he gestured to the quaking Earth, “before I puncture his heart then you will have won.”

To my surprise, the earth stilled and Lord Kandane’s fists unclenched as he watched his brother.

“One.” Lord Marcan began and his smile grew when Lord Kandane spoke.

“Retreat.” He said, and in an instant, his warriors began to melt out of the courtyard. “I surrender.” He said simply; his eyes focused completely on Noah, whose heart was quickly failing him.

“Two.” Lord Marcan continued and Lord Kandane lifted his eyes to him.

“I have done as you have asked. Stop this.” He gritted.

“On your knees.” He said and Lord Kandane obeyed without further prodding. Lord Marcan nodded to two blood-drinkers standing not far away and they approached our traitor warily, but with purpose.

When I saw the etchings in the shackles they each held, I knew that the transaction was finally coming to an end. We all watched as they fastened one around his neck, then pulled his arms behind him and locked the final piece into place. It was over, for no blood-drinker could break free of them; forged as they were from the blood of a shaman with its sole purpose to enslave.

Finally, Lord Marcan withdrew his bloodied fingers from the chest of his victim and the human fell to the ground; unmoving. He took a solitary step toward his bound brother and I heard the ripping of flesh, followed in quick succession by the crunching of bone as the two blood-drinkers who once stood by Lord Kandane’s side fell to their death.

Before I could blink, Lord Kandane was standing before the shocked Lord Marcan. Not a sound was uttered between them as Lord Kandane, in a blur or movement, reached up and wrung his brother’s neck. He fell to the ground with a thud. There was dead silence in the courtyard as he stepped past his brother’s broken body and knelt next to the dying human.

I watched in awe as he turned him carefully onto his back and pressed a hand to Noah’s injured chest. Lord Kandane’s eyes fell shut and his lips began to move quickly, but without sound. I felt chills run up my spine as I watched him, and felt the disturbing sensation of a powerful unseen presence in the courtyard with us. I glanced around, searching for this new entity and noticed that others who stood there were equally affected.

Time passed slowly as he knelt there tending to the human and still no one moved a muscle, until finally, when I was sure my legs would turn to heavy cement on the concrete flooring of the courtyard, Lord Kandane stood with the human in his arms.

When he straightened to full height, he turned toward Lord Riener; eyes cold and unforgiving and said; “Make the mistake of using him in such a manner again and your own mate’s life becomes forfeit.”

His voice was like ice trailing down warm skin and I shivered at the sound. Lord Riener remained silent in the face of his brother’s threat and we all watched as Lord Kandane turned and walked three steps away before he vanished before our very eyes.

The courtyard erupted in a discordant mixture of voices and I glanced to the ground where the shackles lay broken and useless in the dust.

………………………………………

Rien

When I had been a fledgling, my brother had been my everything. Everyday that I had awoken from my slumber, it had been with him on my mind, and every night before I fell into another bout of sleep, I would harbor fantasies of what it would be like to become as powerful as he. When I was a fledgling, Kandane could do no wrong; he was the greatest warrior my young eyes had ever had the great fortune to witness do battle. He was the strongest leader, second only to my father and he was kind.

He had been my hero, that man, and I had worshipped the very ground on which he walked. When he had finally grown tired and forsaken us all; his family, it had broken me and it had been no surprise to anyone that I had been so affected. After all, I had loved him.

Centuries had passed since he had erased me from his thoughts and since I had banished him from my heart, yet still, whenever he was near, I was drawn to him like a moth to a flame. Still, I found myself harboring thoughts of him before I made crucial decisions. Still, my fighting style mirrored his own despite my many attempts to alter it. Still, he continued to impress me despite his impulsive and harmful decisions. Still, I loved him.

What a fool I was. For I must be a fool to have felt relief the moment he had broken free from his shackles. Despite all my words to the contrary, it had riled me to see him on his knees in the dust at Marcan’s mercy. Despite his betrayal and his unforgivable sins, I had been relieved to see him freed and in control.

I listened as he issued his threat with that cold tone that I had long ago grown accustomed to, then I watched him blur from my vision like a ghost in the night. “You have become far greater than I had ever thought possible brother.” I whispered to myself as I walked the short distance and bent to retrieve the object which had fallen from Noah’s neck.

I inspected it; turning it around and around in my hand. It had been years since I had seen it. I remembered clearly that day centuries ago when my father had given it to Kandane. It had been passed down from father to son for many generations; presented only to the heir of a master-class blood-drinker.

“That’s Noah’s.” Tony commented when he saw what I held and I regarded him with a raised brow. “He’s had it since we were kids.” He continued and I once again turned my attention to the piece. I had wrongly believed Kandane had met Noah for the first time after Tony had enlisted in the Army, but it would seem he had known him for far longer. It seemed that even in this, I was clueless when it came to my brother.

“I see.” I said simply, before tucking it safely away in the slit in my robes.

I straightened when the Beta approached us. “Our men are scouting the forests in search of your brother’s army. Once they’ve reported that they’ve really retreated, the Alpha and I would like to meet with you.”

I nodded. “Of course. In the interim I shall meet with my brothers as I am sure they have much they would like to discuss. Send for me once you are ready.”

He simply nodded and turned to go. It was one of the things I liked about the young Beta; he did not waste time with words. Just as I myself turned to depart, I was approached by Noah’s second in command. Two other hunters stood not far behind him, waiting for their orders.

“We need your help.” He said. “You know that bloodsucker better than we do. Help us find him.”

“You will not find Kandane if he does not wish to be found.” I said simply, and once again turned to go, only to be prevented from doing so when his hand gripped my arm. I looked down at the offending digits and the hunter, realizing his error, released me. “He has Noah, we need to find him and take him down before—”

“Rest assured, Noah is safe, but if by some twist of fate, you manage to find my brother and you make the mistake of interrupting him while he brings comfort to his mate, he will slaughter you all.” This time when I turned to go, I was not apprehended, but they were human and to make matters far worse, they were hunters. Therefore, I knew my words would have no effect.

I slipped my hand into Tony’s and he followed me without question. “Kaio.” I called and the drudge pulled out of his lover’s embrace. “Come with me.” I instructed and together, the four of us entered the armory and ascended the staircase beyond.

My brothers, with the exception of Marcan, whose body we had left alone and broken in the courtyard, were waiting for us when we entered Tony’s former sickbay.

“I cannot liken it to anything I have ever experienced in all my years. Yet you do not seem surprised in the least brother.” Jorlon was telling Peitre.

“Yes well, even without these unusual abilities, Kandane has always been a force to be reckoned with. After all, he was once the greatest warrior in our coven.” Peitre replied.

“Perhaps he still is.” I commented. “He may have ceased his training on coven grounds centuries prior but that does not mean his skill has not grown since then.”

Jorlon stood, relinquishing his chair to me while Tony took a seat on the edge of the bed beside Peitre.

“Even still, I find it difficult to believe that the rumors are indeed true.  Had I not seen it with my own eyes I would have long ago deemed this entire discussion nonsensical and been on my way,” Jorlon continued, “and did you see the way he shattered the unbreakable shackles? That in itself was impressive.”

“What rumors?” Tony inquired.

“It is said that decades ago he befriended an ancient shaman who gifted him his spiritual energies upon his death.” Peitre supplied.

“Or was it a sorcerer?” Jorlon contemplated. “In any event, I find it difficult to believe that any blood-drinker could find favor with a shaman or sorcerer. They have always disapproved of our ways.

“Leave it to Kandane to charm a magical deity,” Peitre murmured. “but now we must ask ourselves the all important question.”

“What will he do next?” I supplied it and the others nodded.

Jorlon tapped a finger to his brow. “It would be foolish to believe this is the end. After all, he went to such great lengths to orchestrate this battle. This will not end here.”

“No, I do not imagine it will.” I said. “He has never been one to surrender and I do not think he will start now. Certainly not until the moment he acquires what he set out to achieve.”

“No matter how many wars he engineers, he must know that he will not ascend the throne even if he is victorious. Who would accept his reign when done in such a manner?” Peitre asked.

“Kandane is not a fool, he knows this.” I murmured more to myself that to the occupants of the room. “What end then, does he seek to achieve?”

“Why did he heal me?” Tony asked and no one had an answer.

“When last we saw him in father’s presence he vowed to bring harm to your mate Riener,” Peitre began, “I cannot fathom why he would heal him.”

“Unless it only looks like I’m healing to mask the fact that he actually poisoned me.” Tony issued with a shrug and everyone’s eyes flashed to him. He held up his hands and grinned. “I’m kidding. He didn’t seem like he meant me any harm. He was…surprisingly…gentle.” He finished with a shake of his head, and though Tony’s lightheartedness at the situation bothered me a great deal, I knew Kandane had done him no ill. His parting words in the courtyard were proof if nothing else.

“He is an enigma, that blood-drinker.” Jorlon said. “He wages not one, but two wars, heals your mate, surrenders and then slaughters our brother. I am not looking forward to Marcan’s temper when he wakes.”

“What if he got exactly what he wanted?” Tony continued.

“As weak and adorable as you no doubt are human, I do not believe my brother orchestrated all this simply to heal you.” Jorlon replied, and Tony shook his head.

“Not me asshole, Kaio.” He explained, “The first thing he said when Kaio walked onto the balcony was ‘I’ve been waiting for you,’ then he takes off with Kaio to God knows where.”

We all turned to the blood-drinker in question. Jorlon was the first to speak. “You look unharmed drudge. If his intention had been to murder you, you certainly would not now be standing upright. What transpired between you and Kandane?”

“He…” he cleared his throat. “Lord Kandane wished to know my thoughts.”

“Your thoughts?” Peitre hedged.

“Yes my Lord. He seemed conflicted by his actions. He said Lord Riener had often times sought my counsel and he wished to know my thoughts on whether he deserved to rule.”

I frowned, but bid him to continue.

“He came to the conclusion that neither you nor he was ideal for the position. He confessed that Lord Peitre would make the perfect candidate.” He trailed off and I glanced at Peitre who continued to watch Kaio with mild interest.

“Is that everything?”

“He wished to end the war. He would have done so if not for Lord Marcan’s preemptive strike.”

“No.” Peitre announced. “The war had only just begun. He would not have waged it simply to bring an end to it a short while later. None of his actions are easily explained, but had we not involved his human  perhaps we would now have our answer.”

“It is all strange, I admit.” I said. “No matter his motives, it is vital that we remain alert. I do not believe this is the last we will hear from our brother.”

The others agreed and our discussions continued well into the night.

………………………………………….

The meeting room was rustic, in keeping with the general theme of the camp; not particularly my taste, as I tended to prefer a far more modern approach to decorating, but it was practical and suited our current needs perfectly. The table around which we sat could seat fifteen men with ease and three of the four walls were decorated with various assortments of ancient weaponry.

Tony sat beside me looking quite at ease as he glanced at each piece with interest. Across from us sat the Alpha and his Beta, while Grady, the Beta’s mate, true to his busybody nature, was perched atop another small table at the end of the room. In his hand he held a large packet of some cheese flavored snack which he had no qualms about munching at noisily in his small corner.

Unlike him, the Alpha’s mate sat with his head resting on his arms, deep in sleep after having secured his seat at the head of the table.

“Is he well?” I inquired of the Alpha, who glanced at the sleeping wolf with a small smile.

“He is and I see Tony is doing pretty well himself.”

“Yes it seems Kandane has healed him; another act that has left the rest of us dumfounded.”

“Yeah, it’s weird. I didn’t know you guys had magic.” Grady interrupted, wiggling his fingers in the air as if to demonstrate Kandane’s talent. “What else are you hiding?”

“I fear those abilities are not something the rest of us share. In fact, my brothers and I were quite surprised when we learned of them.” I returned my attention to the men seated before me. “Tell me, have you lost many of your warriors?”

“Many have been injured but so far no deaths have been reported. Kandane’s warriors retreated and we have no plans to send our people after them, so unless there’s another attack on our camp, this is as far as our aid goes.” The Alpha said, and I nodded in understanding.

“Of course and I thank you for your assistance. You have sacrificed much for mere strangers. We are in your debt. I only ask that you will remain vigilant until my brother is apprehended.”

“So you’re planning to go after him then.” The Beta surmised and I nodded.

“He must answer for his crimes against our people and in any event, it would be irresponsible to allow him to roam free when we are uncertain of his next course of action.”

The Beta nodded. “Well you and your people are free to stay here for as long as you need to, provided that whatever wars you plan to involve yourselves in in the future take place outside of our territories.”

“Understandable and I thank you for your hospitality.”

“What about those blood-sucking traitors you promised us?” Grady questioned with insolence in his gaze, and the pack leaders watched me expectantly.

“If they step a foot outside of our territory they are yours to do with as you please. However, as it stands, I cannot forcibly remove them from our coven while they remain under my father’s protection.”

Grady heaved a sigh, and beside me Tony chuckled. I was not so amused.

“My brothers intend to return to the coven in two days’ time. If your hospitality has not expired since the time you granted it moments ago, I wish to remain here with my drudge, our mates and a few of my trusted warriors for at least a fortnight to ensure that all is truly settled.”

“That won’t be a problem. I’ll arrange to have additional rooms prepared for you,” said the Alpha, who then glanced at his second in command. “Unless there’s something else you wish to discuss, we’ll call it a night.”

The Beta shook his head and they stood. I followed suit, and as was customary among them, we shook hands. “There’s just one thing I’d like to know.” Grady interrupted our goodbyes and we all paused to listen.

“Do you guys actually have fangs and if you do, how exactly does that work when you’re making out? Do they just retract into your skull or are they just always—”

“Shut up Grady.” The Beta interrupted him, and gestured to the doorway as an invitation for us to leave.

“Just where did they find this guy?” Tony chuckled beside me as we stepped out of the room.

“Why can’t you at least try to be a normal human being?” the Beta questioned his protesting mate.

“That was a perfectly reasonable question and you know it!” Was the last thing we heard as we navigated the length of the well-lit hall way.

……………………………………………….

“Let me see.” I said as I pulled the hem of this shirt up and over his head. I pressed a hand to his bare skin where his wound once settled. It was as smooth as it had been before the weapon had impaled him, with not even the faint signs of a scar in sight.

“I told you. I’m perfectly fine.”

I pulled away and he pulled on his shirt to cover his bare chest. “Even so, I wish for you to utilize the camp’s physician while you are here. I have also called for Mathis who will examine you in the morning.”

“And they’ll tell you exactly what I’m telling you now; I’m fine.”

“When you have received the training in matters of health then I shall heed your medical opinions.” I told him seriously and he laughed. I basked in the sound of it.

“Let’s go outside,” he said then. “I’m tired of being cooped up in here.”

We walked hand in hand out the door and along the corridors. The cool night air was a soothing balm over my heated flesh and I tilted my head, wallowing in the pleasant feel of it.

“Let’s stop here.” Tony said, gesturing to a nearby ledge. I frowned down at him when I noticed the perspiration along his forehead.

“You are unwell.” I said and he shook his head.

“I’m tired, it’s been a long day.”

“Then perhaps we should—”

“Let’s just sit here for awhile.” He led me over to the ledge and as agile as a monkey, he hopped onto it and sat. “I still can’t believe Noah and Kandane are mated. You know, I secretly shipped him and Christophe.” He laughed. “The S.S. Christoah has sunk.”  He sighed dramatically.

I chuckled, then moved to stand in my favorite position; between his legs with my arms wrapped around him. His hands automatically went to my hair; some things never changed.

“I think I missed this the most while you were away at war.” I told him. “There were nights when I would lay awake and picture our moments like this.”

“Yeah?” I could hear the smile in his voice, and the vibration in his chest as I pressed my ear to his heart.

“Yes. Those were the moments when I had a far more difficult time convincing myself not to pluck you from your new life. I am grateful to have you here with me again.”

“You haven’t changed much after all these years; you’re still exactly the same as I remembered.”

“When you have lived as long as I have change is takes a longer time to manifest itself.”

I felt him nod. “I’ve changed a lot though. I’m definitely not the same Tony I was then, but you probably already know that.”

I smiled. “I may have noticed. You certainly aren’t as small and scrawny as you once were.”

He laughed. “I’ve changed in other ways too; where it matters I think.”

I lifted my head so I could watch his expression, and I noted the seriousness in his gaze. “Tell me about you.” I asked. “I wish to know this new Tony just as well as I knew you before.”

For a moment he turned his gaze skyward in contemplation, then finally, those eyes that would never change, no matter how much time had passed, met my own.  He pulled back slightly and held out a hand in invitation. When I grasped it, he smiled. “Hi my name is Tony, but my friends call me ‘Marine’ because I’m a badass.” He began. “I used to be a fuckup; so much so that I enlisted in the army on a dare.

“I spent five years there where I learned, among other things, about a million different ways to kill.” Though he still smiled, his eyes took on a tinge of sadness. “I have killed…and if possible I’d like to never do it again.”

“That can be arranged.” I told him sincerely and he leaned in to place a quick kiss on my lips. When he pulled apart, he appeared happier.

“I’m very sentimental.’ He continued his introduction. “I’ve kept every single material thing that my boyfriend ever sent me over the years and sometimes when I was lonely I’d take them out just to remind myself that he existed.”

“I am truly sorry for—” he placed a hand over my lips to prevent further chatter.

“This is my story. Shh.” He grinned when I nodded and removed his hand. I let my head once again fall to his chest and closed my eyes when his fingers began to massage my scalp. “I’m not as angry as I used to be, but sometimes I can’t help it. I’m not as reckless as I was but sometimes I can’t help that either.” He laughed and I smiled even though he could not see it.

“I have this persistent dream to open a restaurant one day even though I can’t cook for shit. I can’t seem to get it out of my head though, so I guess I’ll just have to make it happen.” I nodded. I would make all his dreams come true if he allowed it. “I smoke now, but I’ll try to quit; mostly because I know my boyfriend doesn’t like it and little because I want to.”

“I love you.” I told him and he pulled gently on the strands of my hair.

“No talking.” He admonished, so I pressed a kiss against the fabric of his shirt. He chuckled, then fell silent and there was a long pause before he continued. “You’re not the only lover I’ve ever had,” came his whispered words, and though I felt my heart clench and my arms involuntarily tightened around him, I said nothing.

“I met him in the Army. I hadn’t seen you for three and a half years at that point. He was a good friend to me and we cared about each other.” He said reverently. “He died a long time ago. This is the first and last time I’ll talk about him, but I just thought you should know.” His voice shook as he spoke, and I nodded.

Another long pause came and went. “I don’t like cake anymore. I don’t know what it is.” He laughed, “but I can’t stand any type of cake these days.” He placed a hand on either side of my head and forced me to look at him.

“I spent a lot of time during those years shifting between loving you and hating you, but no matter what I was feeling at the time, I never stopped missing you.” His eyes were as sincere as his smile.

“Am I allowed to speak now?” I asked him.

He shrugged. “That’s all I can think to tell you about this new Tony tonight. I guess you’ll have to figure out the rest on your own.”

I leaned in to kiss him. “and I shall have a grand time uncovering it all. I love you, you know.”

He nodded. “And I love you too. I’m sorry I’ve been nothing but a dick recently. I’ll work on it.”

“And I am sorry I’ve…” I trailed off. “No, now that I think about it I have been nothing but the perfect lover; doting, protective, warm-hearted, thoughtful, patient—”

“You’re such an ass.” He laughed and I joined; happy that he was happy.

“I truly am sorry for all the pain that I have caused you my love.” I said after a while. “I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you.”

He opened his mouth to reply, but the sound of pounding feet along the corridor gave us both pause. We watched as three blood-drinkers from my coven approached. They bowed when they stood before me. “My apologies for the interruption my Lord.” one said.

“What news do you carry?”

“We spotted Lord Christophe in the woodlands while we were scouting my Lord, and he was not alone.”

I frowned. “Go on.”

“He walked with Lord Kandane. They were headed toward the highland covens and he did not look to be a captive.”

Tony shifted beside me and my eyes narrowed. “Are you certain he was not held against his will?”

All three warriors nodded. “They walked together as though they have been longtime friends my Lord. We followed them for a great many distance but lost them when the terrain grew rough.”

“Where is Zahir?”

“He left in search of him minutes prior to our report to you my Lord.”

I nodded. “Very well. Is that all?” I asked and when they responded in the affirmative, I dismissed them.

I stood for a moment in contemplation, only turning to glance upon my mate when he placed a hand on my shoulder. “What are you thinking?” he asked.

“That somehow you seem to be at the center of all this.” I told him.

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Kandane healed you after you were injured by his friend Christophe while you visited his mate’s home.”

“What do you think it means and do you think Christophe could really be a traitor?”

“I don’t know.” I answered honestly. “But I have never believed in coincidences.”

Tony nodded and I pulled him gently from his perch. “Come, let us retire for the night.” I said, grateful that he came willingly. As we walked, my eyes examined the shadows around us; alert and wary.

                                                                   AUTHOR'S NOTES

Wow. It’s been awhile.This has been a long and lonely year without Wattpad in my life. During the time that I have been away, I have had the opportunity to read many of your comments, emails and messages. You are all truly amazing. I’ve missed you.My love for writing and interacting with you has pushed me to make the huge decision to take a six (6) month leave of absence from my hectic job to pursue my first passion: WRITING.Now that I have no distractions and nothing holding me back, I am happy to announce that I will be continuing my journey on Wattpad FULL-TIME!!! I am so excited to share new chapters with you.Thank you for your patience! ⭐️ For updates, sneak peeks and more, check out my Instagram : doublezone_books   ⭐️

Chapter 55: Primary Objective

Chapter 55

Tony

They were werewolves; living breathing supernatural beasts that could shift their forms with a single thought. Like vampires, they were the things of nightmares; savage and unnatural. Yet, I felt oddly at ease around them. It was been merely a week since Kandane’s depature and I had already grown accustomed to living in the wolf camp. There was just a familiarity here; like home, and I dreaded the day Rien and I would leave to return to his coven.

I made my way along the corridor and down the staircase, which would take me to the courtyard. I took a deep breath the moment I stepped onto the concrete, and felt the warmth build in my chest and travel all the way down to my toes. Everything smelled so fresh and clean; nature at it’s finest. Out in the courtyard, wolves in human form stood in small groups talking, some sparring, and some simply sitting on the ground relaxing.

Everything in the wolf camp screamed comfort and serenity. Everything felt easy. I stepped between two wolves who were discussing weapons, and took the quickest path to the mess hall. It was around 7:00a.m and I was starving. I wondered briefly where Rien had disappeared to, but all thoughts of him vanished when I caught the first whiff of sizzling bacon and pancakes drizzled in maple syrup.

The mess hall had to be my favorite place in the camp. No matter what time of day I visited, there was always food and there was always a small crowd. Everyone knew each other and this was the place they came together to commune and it was crazy just how much the camaraderie in the camp reminded me of army life. I felt a wave of nostalgia at the thought.

I grabbed a large tray, along with a couple of plates and made my way up to the buffet, where I promptly began to fill my plates. I loaded on a stack of pancakes, far too many strips of crispy bacon, ham, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, gravy and just a little bit of everything that caught my eye. By the time we returned to the coven, I would probably need to invest in bigger pants.

When my plates could hold no more, I filled a tall glass of orange juice and a small mug of coffee and glanced around the room for an empty table. I spotted one just as Grady and Laken stepped into the hall, and said a silent prayer that they wouldn’t spot me. No such luck.

Grady, who looked as though he had been searching for me in the crowd, grinned from ear to ear when he spotted me walking toward the table and, true to his nature, began to shout my name across the hall; arms waving about him like the madman that he was.

I sighed, setting my plate down before me and taking a seat. As I took a sip of the hot coffee, I watched him and Laken as they quickly made their way over to where I sat. Laken smiled shyly, and I nodded to him in welcome. I liked Laken; no drama.

It was Grady who was the menace. In fact, just about every time he struck up conversation with me, I felt the almost overwhelming urge to reach over and strangle him. This time was no exception, but with Laken standing there watching me expectantly, I had no other option but to invite the two to join me.

“Thanks.” Laken said as he sat, while Grady dropped himself down noisily and of course dramatically onto the bench across from me.

He glanced around the room. “Where’s your bloodsucker?”

“Around. Where’s Thomas?”

Grady seemed to think on this for a moment, his brows furrowing in genuine confusion. “Hmmm. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen the guy since yesterday. Where is he Laken?”

Laken shrugged. “How should I know? He’s your mate.”

Grady shrugged. “I’m sure he’ll pop up at some point. He’s probably hunting or something.” He told me, then leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially, “He’s got a thing for deer meat. I personally don’t get the appeal, but to each his own, you know?”

I blinked. “Are you some kind of court jester or something?” The guy just didn’t have a serious bone in his body.

“There he is.” Laken nodded in the direction of the buffet, and sure enough, there stood Thomas and Carson, lost in deep conversation as they filled their own trays with enough food to fill two small armies.

I took a bite out of the pancakes and nearly groaned in satisfaction. Why was everything here so perfect?

“You remind me of Grady when he first moved here.” Laken commented with a grin. “He practically lived in the mess hall.”

Grady shrugged. “It’s because all the food is either grown or raised here so everything tastes better when you’re new, but when you get used to it, it’s whatever.”

“Yeah? Is that why you still come down here for every meal even though you have a perfectly functional kitchen at home?”

We all looked up when Thomas approached; Laken with a grin and Grady with a frown. “I wouldn’t have to eat out if you could cook.”

Thomas snorted. “Scoot over.” He told his mate, and Grady slid across the bench to make room, while Carson grabbed the seat next to Laken.

I watched in fascination as the Alpha and the Beta, slid the extra plates they had filled over to their mates, who took them as though they had expected nothing less.

“You didn’t get me any honey wheat toast?” Grady was asking Thomas, as he popped a stick of bacon into his mouth.

“Carson got the last one.”

“Don’t even think about it.” Carson slid his plate out of Grady’s reach, then broke the toast in two and handed a piece to Laken. No words were exchanged between the Alpha and his mate.

I watched them for a moment. For whatever reason, the ease which they interacted fascinated me; literally everything about them was so zen, that half the time I found myself wondering if they were real.

I liked the fact that they obviously knew each other, to the point where words were sometimes unnecessary when conveying their thoughts, intentions and emotions. I liked that they respected each other and how, despite the Alpha’s position, he allowed his mate to learn in his own way, or rise to he occasion.

I couldn’t help but to think how very different their relationship was from mine and Rien’s. Even before I’d gone to the Army, we’d spent half our time arguing. I wonderered if that would ever change.

I watched as Laken reached across and helped himself to a thick slice of ham from Carson’s plate at the exact moment that Carson reached across to remove a pancake from his. They were like two sides of a coin, moving in unison, perfectly complimenting each other. More importantly, the valued each other’s opinions. The moment Laken opened his mouth, he had the Alpha’s undivided attention, no matter what the situation they found themselves in and vice versa.

In the week since I’d been fully awake and aware in the wolf camp, I had been to so many pack meetings and informal gatherings that I had learned more about them than I would have thought possible.

If I was in a shitty mood, all I had to do was sit for a few minutes in their presence and I automatically felt better. The two wolves just had such a calming effect and it was no wonder that people continuously gravitated to them when they were together. It was certainly an interesting dynamic, because when they were apart, they were completely different.

Carson was harder, very blunt and intimidating, while Laken was shy and quiet. Together however, they were just two happy people, and that happiness completely transformed their personalities; everyone could see it. I hadn’t really believed in soul mates until I’d met them.

“I’m going into town for a few hours later, do you want to come?” Laken was asking the Alpha, who shook his head.

“I have an all-day strategy meeting with the elders in an hour. Where are you going?”

Laken shrugged. “I don’t know yet. I just wanna get a break from camp for a little while.” He said, then frowned, before glancing at his mate. “And I don’t want Ezra to be apart of my guard this time.”

Carson raised a brow. “Because of what happened yesterday?”

Ah yes, Ezra . I remembered him well; only because his interaction with Laken the day before had completely altered my view of the little wolf. I had had the distinct pleasure of watching as Laken had cut the asshole down to size with but a few choice words, and I had been impressed. Who would have thought that the little bunny had some bite.

But what had intrigued me even more, was the fact that not once did the Alpha step in to shelter his mate from the abuse. He, like everyone else, had simply stood aside and watched as it played out, and the only sign he had given that he had been even mildly interested in the whole affair, was the fact that he had tried to conceal a grin when Ezra the asshole, had stood there in shocked silence after the ordeal.

My respect for Laken had grown tenfold that day, and so had my respect for the Alpha, who clearly knew when to step in and when to stay out of it. I couldn’t help but compare the situation to Rien, who no doubt, would have broken Ezra in two, had his words been aimed at me. I thought that one important thing Rien needed to learn, was when to allow me the opportunity to fight my own battles.

Laken nodded at his mate. “I just want a relaxing day without his attitude for once.” He said, then his eyes narrowed and he poked the Alpha’s arm. “This is your fault you know.”

Carson chuckled. “How is it my fault.”

“You know how he gets, so of course he’d be insulted to be assigned to be one of my guards out of the blue.”

The Alpha was still grinning. “There’s no reason for him to be insulted. It should be considered an honor to guard you. I’ve done it a million times and I like it well enough.”

Laken shook his head. “Of course you like it, you’re my mate. For everybody else, it’s just a hassle.”

“Then who are you going to replace him with?”

“Nelson, I think.”

The Alpha wrinkled his nose. “I’m not really a big fan of Nelson.”

Laken shrugged. “He’s alright.”

Carson took a sip of his coffee. “Do you want to tell them or should I?”

“I’ll do it. I have to run down to the training hall anyway before I leave.”

“Hey if you’re going to pass my Suzy’s I’ll go with you.” Grady spoke up, and the Beta glanced at him.

“You’re leading the strategy meeting today. You can’t go.”

Grady shrugged. “I led it last time. Fill in for me, I haven’t been off camp grounds in a while and I’m practically suffocating in here.”

“The elders called this meeting because they want your views, not mine.” Thomas responded, and Grady rolled his eyes.

“Missing one meeting won’t hurt. It’s not as if it’s urgent anyway. Tell them I’m on my death bed if that helps.”

I glanced between the Beta and his mate and shook my head. They were the polar opposites of Carson and Laken in all ways but one, yet still, I couldn’t help but to respect them just the same. As a couple, they were a force to be reckoned with, and by now I was sure that the entire camp knew to thread lightly when it came to them.

When it came to matters of importance, they thought with one mind and if Grady gave an order, the wolves treated it as though it had come from the Beta and it was clear they all respected him.

I had to admit though, that the Beta was generally an angry son of a bitch, and there was rarely a time his expression wasn’t set in an emotionless mask, but I had learned that despite his demeanor, he was fair, and like his Alpha, he led with an iron fist.

Then there was Grady, and as much as he spent his days buried in a cloud of mirth, I had to admit that he was intelligent to boot. I remembered the first time I had gotten a peek of what really went on in that brain of his, and to this day, I was still in a state of disbelief. He was smart; disturbingly so, and while he was the camp jokester, everyone listened when it came time to be serious, because when it mattered, he was one of the people they depended on to get them out of any tricky situation.

The only strategy meeting I had had the chance to sit in on, had left me in a daze. Grady had led it with ease. He strategized like a commander and lectured like a well-seasoned college professor, with the brain of genius. He had impressed me, and sometimes I found it impossible to reconcile the genius with the jester.

I watched them now as the bickered like children; always bickering, those two, but not even a fool couldn’t miss the fact that they loved each other. Furthermore, no one could miss just how protective the Beta was of his mate. As long as they were in the same space, Thomas’ eyes were on Grady; as though the moment he let his mate out of his sight, was the moment he would lose him. Though to be fair, that would probably be the outcome, considering just how easily Grady got himself into trouble.

When it came to political matters though, both couples were the epitome of strength and dependability. They understood their duties to the camp and carried out their various roles as though they had been born to do them. Whenever I watched them all together, I saw one solid wall of support, unwavering friendship and a deep sense of loyalty. These were four people who would die for each other, and as strange and ill-matched as they might seem on the surface, they somehow all fitted together like the perfect puzzle pieces.

The wolf pack was in good hands. I felt a strange sense of longing, knowing that I would never be apart of something so profound. Soon we would return to the coven, which lacked any true sense of community or warmth and where the only thing that mattered was deceit and social status.

When I glanced up again, Grady was rolling his eyes at Thomas. “Where have you been anyway? Last time I saw you was yesterday afternoon when we were setting up for the bonfire.”

“I had some things to take care of across the territory lines.”

“What kind of things?” he interrogated his mate, who glanced at me and then back at Grady. I got the message loud and clear; I was an outsider and their secrets weren’t mine to hear.

Luckily for the Beta, his mate also got the hint and fell silent. I dug into my meal with far more gusto than necessary, and was grateful when I looked up and spotted Rien standing by the door; his eyes on me. His expression, which was usually closed off and difficult to decipher, was an open book, and in it I read confusion, and for the first time since I’d known him, I also saw worry.

I took one last sip of the orange juice and excused myself from the table, before navigating through the rows of tables and finally making my way over to him.

“Rien?” He offered me a small insincere smile, and my concern grew. “What’s going on?”

He glanced past me, and I followed his gaze to the table I had just vacated. Both the Alpha and the Beta watched us; their own expressions indecipherable. I frowned.

“Walk with me.” Rien said and when he turned to go, I followed; keeping pace beside him.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

“Not here.” Was all he said, and we walked in silence across the camp grounds. When we came upon the large camp gates, the guards standing on either side of them, pushed them open without a word and we made our exit.

We walked for a long time after that, in complete silence. The only sounds that could be heard were the movement of the forest’s inhabitants and the sounds of the wind blowing through the trees. I watched him carefully as we went; noting his stuff posture and as time went on, his breathing became strained.

I grabbed his arm and was surprised that he allowed me to spin his around without protest. As I watched him I noticed for the first time what I had somehow failed to see before; there was blood running down the fingers of his left hand, which hung limply by his side. I took hold of the arm, which was hidden by the long sleeves of his black tunic and realized it was soaked through. I released him and stared down at my own hand in horror; blood.

“Rien?” I called, dragging my gaze from my hand to his face, where I noted that his brow was dotted with sweat, and his eyes were slightly unfocused at he looked at me. He took a step forward and I pressed my hands to his chest to stop him, then gaped in horror when my hands once again came away wet with blood.

“We must continue.” He said, clenching his jaw as he pushed forward.

“You’re hurt. How is this possible, what happened? I don’t understand.” The words fell from my lips as I followed him, glancing around us now with a sense of urgency and growing disquiet.

“Stay close to me.” Was his only reply and the weak, breathy sound of his voice sent my heart galloping faster in my chest.

“We need to stop. I need to look you over.” I said, but he grabbed my arm in a punishing grip and I bit back the grunt of pain.

“Tony,” he gritted out, and a moment later, his knees buckled. I caught him before he hit the ground and lowered him carefully onto the forest floor. Afterwards, I dragged him a short distance and leaned him against the bark of an old oak tree.

His eyes were closed and his breathing was ragged. I glanced around briefly once more to ensure we were alone, before I began to peel the tunic from his body. I discarded the bloodied shirt and my hands shook as I cataloged his injuries.

I clenched my fists and squeezed my eyes shut before taking a deep breath. “Relax Tony, just pretend he’s nobody.” I whispered to myself in between breaths. “Just pretend he’s nobody.” I reopened my eyes and unclenched my fists.

He had been shot several times in the chest, and once in the arm, but for whatever reason, his wounds weren’t healing. I eased him gently off the bark to check for exit wounds, but there were none. I also took note of the fact that there had been no holes in his tunic, which meant, he’d changed before he had come looking for me.

I didn’t have a knife to dig out the bullets, which meant I would have to use my fingers. I was worried about things like infection and blood loss and whether they would affect a vampire. I pulled my shirt over my head and pressed it against his more grievous injuries, and shook out my right hand, hoping desperately to steady the shaking.

It was a damn shame that Kaio and all the others had left for the coven the day before. “Fuck!” I cursed at my shaking hands, before taking yet another deep breath. “Just pretend he’s someone else.” I whispered again to myself as I tried to still my shaking hands.

I realized then that when it came down to it, I was useless. “Get your head on straight soldier.” I commanded, but despite everything; despite my training, it just wasn’t as simple a task trying to save the life of someone you loved.

“It’s okay.” I glanced up at the sound of Rien’s weak voice. “These are no ordinary bullets. My condition will not improve simply by removing them.” I didn’t realize that my face was wet with tears until he reached up to press a hand to my cheek.

“Run.” He said, eyes meeting mine. “Run as far away from here as you can and do not look back.”

I placed a hand over his. “This can’t be happening.”

“The wolves cannot be trusted. I need you to run my love.”

“Just—” I looked around the forest floor, searching for something; anything that I could use to help him. “Tell me how to help you.”

He opened his mouth but no words came, then his eyes drifted shut and his hand went limp under mine. I took his face in my hands and tapped his cheek. “Rien!” I shouted, but there was no response. “Rien!”

“You cannot help him.”

I froze when I heard the voice behind me, then released Rien and turned around slowly.

“Christophe.” He stood watching us with his white robes billowing in the wind behind him. His expression was indecipherable. “Christophe, what do I do?” I looked quickly between him and Rien in desperation, when two other figures melted from between the trees not far from behind him.

Kandane and Noah. I stood quickly, trying to block Rien from their view, while knowing full well that they had already seen him. I realized then, that there could only be one reason they were all there; to finish the job.

“We trusted you.” I said to Christophe and he glanced toward his companions. Kandane took a step forward. His eyes were just as cold and hard as I remembered them in the courtyard only days before, and his presence just as distressing.

“You touch him and I’ll kill you. I swear to God.” I warned Kandane when he took yet another step forward.

“Step aside human.” He said, and I felt goose bumps rise along my skin. There was no way I could take him on and come out alive. I glanced back at Rien; terrified that it had all come to this.

Everything was happening too fast. Just yesterday we had been roaming the wolf camp together; making promises that we had both expected to keep. This couldn’t be happening; not now when things had changed for the better, but here was no way I could protect him from two vampires and a hunter and we all knew it.

I glanced at my best friend, whose eyes were trained on my injured mate. “Noah.” I began, and his eyes met mine. In them, I saw his compassion but there was also anger. He glanced at Kandane.

“He’ll fight you.” Noah told his mate. “try not to hurt him.” he said, and my only hope turned away from us to rest his back against a tree; arms folded in front of him.

I crouched down in front of Rien and shook him as gently as I could. “Rien, open your eyes.” I begged him. If this was going to be it for us, then I needed to see those eyes one more time. If this was the end, I wanted to at least hear his voice first.

As I pleaded with him to wake up, I thought of how much time I had wasted. All the time that we could have spent happily together, I had thrown away, and for what?

The arms that suddenly encircled me were as firm as unrelenting as stone. Christophe dragged me away from him, and held me against him in a grip that I couldn’t hope to break. and When I began to fight and curse him, he covered my mouth with a firm hand.

I was forced to watch in horror, thrashing like a madman, as Kandane approached him. I bit down on the hand that covered my mouth, kicked viciously at the legs behind me, and clawed at the hands that held me, until Christophe’s skin was raw and bloody. Unfortunately, he healed quickly and the madness continued.

My vision was blurred enough by my own tears that I could hardly see what was happening, yet still I fought; desperate to run to him; desperate to save him from whatever evil was about to befall him.

“Take him with you. I wish to be alone with my brother.” I heard the devil say, and my world went black.

……………………….

When I came to, I pressed the heel of my palm to my aching temple and groaned. I felt as though I had recently gone two rounds with a Mack Truck. My entire body was throbbing and when I opened my eyes, I remembered why.

I was being held in a small, poorly lit bedroom by the two people I had made the mistake of putting my trust in. I shifted on the bed they had dumped me in upon arrival, and noticed that my right foot had been chained to the post.

“Kandane won’t hurt Rien.”

I glanced up at Noah when he spoke from his perch on the windowsill, and massaged my sore temple with the pads of my fingers.

“Where is he?”

“Lord Kandane wishes to have but a few moments with him. He will be returned to you in due course, healed and in good health.” Christophe, who stood by the door with his arms locked behind his back, spoke.

My eyes narrowed. “Why should I trust the word of a traitor?” I asked through clenched teeth, and he looked away.

“Then you can believe your best friend.” Noah spoke up. “I’ve done everything for that asshole and his fucked up family and the only thing it got me was a fucking fist in my chest, but we’re still going to help the bastard.” Our eyes met for a moment before I looked away, but in them, I saw the truth. I knew when he was lying, and released a breath of relief that he wasn’t.

“What happened to him? Who did this?”

He shook his head. “That I don’t know. There’s a lot going on that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to be honest.”

“So you, snowflake and Kandane huh? The dream team.” I clenched my fists. “You fought with us. You were on our side”

He simply shrugged. “I don’t really get why there has to be sides, but if you ask me to choose between Rien and Kandane, there’s no question where I’m going to end up.”

“Yeah? And what if you had to choose between your best friend and your blood sucking boyfriend. What then?”

He shook his head. “We’re on the same team Tony. We just have different objectives.”

I laughed without mirth and it sounded harsh even to my own ears. “Do you hear yourself right now?”

“Do you? Dane’s going out of his way to save Rien as we speak, and I know he healed you, so shouldn’t that tell you something? He’s not the bad guy. None of us are.”

“Yeah well, as far as I’ve learned, he’s a manipulative asshole, so forgive me if I don’t exactly trust his reasons for helping us. What are you guys planning?”

“In all the years we’ve known each other, I’ve never given you a reason to doubt me.”

“Until now.” I snapped, and though he glared at me, he fell silent.

I pressed a hand to my head again and closed my eyes as the throbbing intensified, then froze in shock when I heard it; the earth shattering sounds of Rien’s agonized screams. That didn’t sound like healing, it sounded like torture.

My heart pounding wildly in my chest, I grabbed hold of the chains that locked my foot in place and pulled with everything I had. Noah sighed when he heard the creaking of the wood that the chains were attached to, and though I tried to dodge Christophe when he approached me, his hand shot out as quick as lightning, and gripped my neck. I knew nothing after that, as the darkness swallowed me whole.

……………………………………….

Kandane

I trailed my fingers over the raised veins on his chest and frowned. This was not the work of any hunter that I was familiar with, and Noah had reported the same thing upon his own earlier inspection. The poison used, carried with it the faint whiff of charcoal; a strange ingredient to use in these types of matters, and the other scents that I could not even begin to decipher.

Whoever had done this, had done so with the intention to murder, not incapacitate, and when I found them, they would rue the day they had lain a finger on him. I pressed down gently on the center of his chest and he gasped; a shallow rasping sound that provided further evidence of his rapidly deteriorating health. Not much could truly harm a master class blood-drinker, yet here my brother lay, close to death in this dusty old log cabin.

I followed the trail of the enlarged veins which were transporting the poison across his body.

“Where is Tony?” came the soft rasping question, and I glanced up, surprised that he had fought his way back to consciousness.

“Perhaps you should focus on your own health.”

Rien blink slowly, and even that small act looked painful. “Do not hurt him.”

I shook my head. “Will there ever come a day when you no longer think so ill of me?”

“Do not hurt him.” He repeated, and I frowned.

“I have no quarrel with your mate. He is safe.” I promised him. “Why is your flesh riddled with holes? Who has done this to you?”

“As if you do not know.” He whispered, and I took hold of one of his hands and squeezed gently.

“I am not responsible for this Riener. Why would I cause you harm?”

His smile, when it appeared, was weak and it did not reach his eyes. “It is in your nature.” He sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. “What is it that I had done so long ago to cause you to forsake us? I have always wondered.”

There was so much I wished to tell him then; so much I wished for him to understand, but I simply said, “You are not to blame.”

Rien closed his eyes briefly, and when he reopened them, they were filled with moisture.

“I have missed you dreadfully.” He whispered, and I tore my gaze from his, choosing instead to focus my attention on his injuries. I pressed down gently on the center of his chest, and the tainted blood continued to ooze from his wounds.

“Are you going to kill me brother?” he asked softly. “Is this the end?”

I reached over and brushed the sweat from his forehead with the pads of my fingers. “Even as a fledging you tended to ask foolish questions. Will you never change?”

I shifted his hand in mine, so that our fingers were locked together. “This will be far more excruciating than any pain you have ever felt. Brace yourself.” I told him, and without giving him a chance to respond, I dug the knife into his wound in search of the first bullet. As I worked, the screams tore from his throat even as he fought to hold them back.

Moments later, I deposited yet another bullet into the tray beside me. When I poised the blade over another wound, he shook his head.

“Wait.”

I paused. “The heightened pain is the poison’s doing. You needn’t fear that I will think you weak.” I reassured him because I knew him like the back of my hand, and I knew exactly what he was thinking. “That you are still conscious is testament of your strength.”

I set aside the blade and reached down the pry his fingers from mine. I looked down at my mangled hand and proceeded to reset the bones he had broken during his torment. They healed instantly, and he reached for my hand again, locking our fingers together.

“Where is Tony? I do not wish for him to hear me.” He rasped.

“Why? Do you believe he will think less of you for this?”

His silence confirmed my words. “You must have faith in your mate brother. You are both bound together for a reason.”

I picked up the blade once more, and he looked away when he saw it. The instant his hand tightened in mine, I began. His ensuing screams would likely haunt me forever.

Minutes later, when all the bullets had been pulled out and he lay on the narrow bed, spent and unresponsive, I lay both my hands upon his chest and began the arduous process of healing him.

I closed my eyes against the world around me, focused my energies and my mind on his weak flesh and chanted the ancient words taught to me by the elder shaman. Not once did Rien shift while I gave his body aid, and I blocked all emotion I held for him from my heart, so that I could heal his aching flesh without hindrance.

In my mind’s eye, I saw images of the wound he had suffered and I traced the enlarged veins from memory; slowly and carefully urging the poison from within their depths. I felt the steady stream of energy flow through me, and whispered my thanks to the spirits of the ancient ones who stood around us, waiting and watching the slow rejuvenation of my brother’s broken frame.

Three times already in such a short space of time, I had called upon the charms gifted to me by the ancient ones, and I knew that soon it would begin to take its toll. I could already feel the weakening of my own being as I pulled Rien back from the brink of his own demise. Still, I continued long into the daylight hours, until every last drop of toxicant was removed and his wounds finally closed.

By the time I was finished, six hours had passed, and I knelt by his bedside and gripped his face in my hands. Rien watched me, still disoriented from his ordeal, and I chose that moment to speak with him.

“Listen to me Riener.” I commanded, and his unfocused eyes met mine briefly, before drifting away again. “Do not for one moment believe that I was responsible for the butchering that took place within our coven. I take responsibility only for the war I brought upon the wolves, but no more.

“This means that there are others out there who wish our people harm, and you must remain vigilant at all times.” I patted his cheek, and his eyes once again met my own. “It may be a long time before I see you next, so I will leave you with one final warning; be careful who you trust because things are not always as they seem.”

I watched him for a moment, memorizing every detail of his face, though I already knew it so well. I then placed a kiss upon his forehead, and as quickly as I could so that he would feel no pain, I wrung his neck.

I released him, stood and turned to go. I could not take the risk of him following me, and this would give me a head start. The moment I stepped out of the room, Christophe released the human, and I stepped aside to allow him to run to my brother. I watched as he crouched by my Rien’s bedside, inspecting him for injuries.

“He will awaken in a few short hours.” I reassured Rien’s mate, and turned to go. Behind me, Noah and Christophe followed, and Tony’s angry glare remained pasted on my back right up until we exited the cabin.

From there, we began our journey to the wolf camp, where the Alpha and Beta awaited my arrival. We made quick work of the distance, reaching the pack’s territory under two hours, and the camp gates opened to allow us swift entry.

I left Christophe and Noah to their own devices, and made my way up to the roof above the Alpha’s quarters. “Kandane.” They both greeted when I arrived, and I nodded in response.

“How’s Rien?” The Alpha inquired.

“If not for you, he would have perished hours ago. Thank you for informing me about his condition.”

“Did he tell you what happened?” The Beta asked, and I shook my head.

“He was not very coherent. Have you learned anything since?”

“No. Last night we received a report of hostile humans along the border. We went with a group of our men, but we lost them. We think they were hunters and somehow Rien must have stumbled upon their scouts or their camp. We found out this morning that he followed us without our knowledge last night.” The Beta said.

“And when he stopped by the mess hall this morning and we smelled his blood, we knew something was up.”

I nodded. “Which means he suspects you. Do you think he knows that we are cohorts?”

The Alpha shook his head. “I think he suspects something’s up, but I doubt he knows we’ve been working together. Any news from the others?”

“No, nothing yet. Did you lose any men during our incursion?”

“No, everything went as planned on our end. What about you?”

“Those who went up against my brothers lost their lives. It is tragic, but they knew the risks when they joined.”

Carson nodded, and dropped a hand to my shoulder. “Regardless, we’re sorry for your loss.”

“What’s the next plan of action?” the Beta spoke up then, folding his arms before him.

“I will continue to visit with the leaders of the distant covens. You must continue your talks with the other packs.”

“What about the hunters? They’re in as much danger as the rest of us.”

“No. The hunters cannot be trusted with this knowledge. They are but human and will betray us if given the chance”

“Then we’ll do what we can to protect their kind as well. Your brother earned my respect the day he first busted through our gates, are you sure you don’t want to bring him into the loop?” asked Carson, as I knew he would have.

“Our father has conspired to commit the genocide of hunters, lycanthropes and all blood-drinkers who stand against him. As much as I would like to trust my brother with this information, he can be naïve and I fear he will put his faith in those who cannot be trusted. If my father learns that we are amassing an army to stand against him, he may act sooner than expected, and we cannot allow that.”

“Fair enough.” The Beta said. “Do you think he bought our fake war act?”

“I think he will once he hears of it. As you know, the entire raid was carried out to fool my father into thinking that I am standing against him because he has made Rien heir. This will remove suspicion from our true objectives.” I said, “And if that did not convince him, then Marcan’s foolish actions in the courtyard certainly will.”

“You sure this was the best way? They’re going to hunt you down for this.”

“They will, but it had to be done. Had I not created some kind of believable rebellion against him, I would have been expected to remain in the coven, and it would have proven far more difficult to carry out our plans. This attack was serious enough that he will believe I have broken away from him, and he will not suspect our true motives.

“What about your coven. Have you found out who orchestrated the attacks?”

“Not yet, but the timing was suspicious. I believe it was planned in such a way as to force the blame in my direction, while the true culprit carried out their own objective, but I know not what those objectives could be, and that in itself is cause for concern.”

“Well you know we’ll lend aid in any way we can.”

“Thank you, but I wish for you to keep your attention focused on our plans. This has been years in the making, but the sooner we nip this in the bud, the safer it will be for us all.”

They both nodded in agreement. “Then the only thing we have left to discuss is how your little talk with Kaio went.”

“I have planted the seed of doubt, and I am confident that it will grow.” I told them with a smile.

………………………………………..

My eyes followed him as he paced the room; back and forth he went, with his head bowed and his hands clasped behind his head. Occasionally, he would glance my way and mumble indecipherable words to himself. I had ignored his behavior for the better part of the day, but as time progressed, it was getting more and more distracting.

“Why are you pacing Noah?” I finally broke the silence, and he paused to glare at me.

“Would you look at that. The great Lord Kandane speaks after all!”

I shook my head. “We have much to do today. Speak your mind or remain silent, it is entirely up to you, but your incessant pacing must stop.”

Somehow, his eyes managed to narrow further, and he stepped forward until he was but a foot away from my desk. “Can we discuss this like adults and not high school children please?”

I acknowledged his obvious anger and gestured for him to continue. “If I hadn’t gone when Rien asked, it would have been suspicious.” He argued. “It was the right decision and I don’t regret my actions.”

I frowned. “Plans are put in place for a reason foolish human. I understand that meeting Christophe when you did was inescapable, but you should not have been present during the incursion.” I said, my voice low and contained. “My brothers are ruthless. How could you not have realized that they would not hesitate to use you against me? Everything that we worked for could have been lost because you wished to make foolish decisions.”

“I’ve put my life on the line a million times for those assholes, so no, I didn’t expect them to turn on me, but guess what? what’s done is done, so why can’t we move past this?”

“The fact that you fail to grasp the seriousness of your actions makes it clear to me that this is likely to happen again, and if it does—”

“I made a calculated decision when put in a tough spot. I understand that it could have ended badly, but if you were thinking rationally right now, you’d realize that it was the right call.” He interrupted me.

“Tomorrow I wish for you to return to your hunting party.” I said with a ring of finality. He deflated before my very eyes, and I watched as he pulled up a chair and sat directly across from me.

“Don’t do this Kandane.” He said; all the fight gone from his eyes.

“I am not being vindictive Noah. Do not forget our agreement; you either go far away from all this where it is safe, or you continue your duties with the hunters, but you cannot stay by my side during this time of strife.”

He leaned forward, bracing his arms on the surface of the table. “There’s no way they’ll trust me after what happened. They know I’m your mate.”

“I am confident that you will find a way.” I told him.

“Dane—” his pleadings were interrupted when Christophe burst through the doors of my study.

“My Lord, Zahir’s scent was spotted along the trail.” He reported, and I gestured for him to come further into the room.

“I should have expected this.” I murmured to myself. “How far along is he?”

“I expect he shall find us within the hour my Lord. Shall we make arrangements to depart?”

“No.” I told him. “Let him come. This should prove to be interesting.”

And so we waited, and he did not disappoint. Exactly forty-five minutes later, Zahir burst through the doors of the study, fuming with rage and looking ready to maim.

“I had wondered if you would appear.” I stood and made my way around the desk to stand before him. I respected the fact that he did not shrink back, but stood his ground like the fearless warrior that he had long ago proven himself to be.

He glanced around the room, first spotting my mate, who watched the exchange with an expression of abject boredom and then on Christophe, before finally, he returned his gaze to me.

“Release him.” He commanded through clenched teeth, and I smiled.

“Perhaps you should be more specific.”

He gritted his teeth. “Lord Christophe. Release him.”

“I do not hold him captive. He is here of his own accord.”

“I refuse to believe that.” His insolent gaze ran up and down my body, and his lip curled in scorn.

“Why have you come here with my name on your lips?” Christophe asked in clear confusion.

“Members of the guard spotted you in his company. Our people are of the impression that you have turned traitor, and I have come here to take you home so that we may prove them wrong.”

Lord Christophe frowned. “I am here of my own volition. I will not return with you.”

“I refuse to believe that.” He said, stepping toward Lord Christophe with purpose. The young Lord folded his arms before him, and took a step back.

Zahir paused. “I do not understand you. You are not a renegade Christophe.”

“He has pledged his allegiance to me and my cause. I am not holding him against his will.” I explained as Zahir turned his horror-filled eyes upon me.

“And what is your cause tyrant? Will you continue to oppress and massacre your own people? Families have been left broken because of the war you brought against us.” He turned back to Christophe; his eyes pleading. “It is not too late. This is not the impression you should leave. Think of your family and think of your people.”

“I am thinking of my family, and I have made my decision.”

“They will hunt you down like a cur and they will have your head for your actions. Do you not understand that?” he pleaded with the young Lord. “Our leader will have me lead the hunting party, and I will have no choice but to follow his orders. Do not put me in such a position.”

“I fail to understand why my decisions should matter to you. Why have you come here to plead with me?”

Zahir looked back and forth between us; torn and helpless. I took the opportunity to offer my own thoughts.

“After today we will disappear without a trace. It may be many a year before you see any one of us again.” I told him. The glint which appeared in his eyes told me he planned to fight.

“You and I both know that you will not emerge the victor if we are to battle. Do not make a grave mistake Zahir. My brother is fond of you and I do not wish to see him suffer.”

The young warrior’s jaw clenched.

“Did you truly travel such a great distance simply to end your life?” Christophe interrupted Zahir’s thoughts. “Our cause is a noble one, so if you have no will to continue, then perhaps you should join us. You will find that the long term goal is worth the temporary strain.”

He shook his head, taking a step back as though he had been slapped. The expression on his face was one of ultimate betrayal. “You ask me to turn from my people? You ask me to follow in the footsteps of this madman? Have you lost your sanity?”

“As far as I see it, there are but two choices here young warrior.” I began. “You barged in here with not a care for your own life, so that you could recuse who you perceived to be a damsel in distress. You have since learned that that is not the case.

“We have each made the decision to follow a path worthy of our energies, and as touching as your worry and your words might be, they have no effect.” I continued. “The choices are thus; leave this place and return to the coven where my father will undoubtedly command you to hunt and slaughter the one you love, or join us and lend your aid in keeping him safe if you must.”

“The one he loves…” Christophe trailed off; his eyes darting between me and Zahir in shock.

“Christophe.” I said, and his wide eyes turned to me.

“My Lord?”

“Return to your post.” I told him, and after but a brief moment of hesitation, he bowed low and left the room. I waited until the sound of his feet against the forest floors beyond became faint, before I spoke again.

“Christophe is to be your mate.” I surmised. “I can see that you have felt the pull of it, but the young Lord has yet to recognize what it is. I will make it easy for you so that you do not one day blame me for making you a traitor amongst your people.

“Return to the coven, as is your duty; hunt us if you must or turn a blind eye. It is entirely up to you, but know that the more you continue to plead with him to return, is the more he will come to resent you. What we are doing is far greater than you or I Zahir, and one day you will come to understand that, no matter which territory you stand in at the time.”

Silence descended for quite some time, during which his angry gaze remained fixed on me.

“You have always been the expert manipulator Kandane.” His tone was cold, and his eyes murderous.

“Call it manipulation or call it matchmaking.” I said. “but we both know that you are not easily swayed by persuasion or manipulation, so no matter which path you choose to take, it will be entirely your decision.”

Noah and I watched as he ripped the warrior’s compass from his neck and threw it to the ground. It smashed to pieces at his feet, then within the same breath, he knelt to the ground on one knee and placed his right hand over his heart.

For a moment he glared at the ground, until finally, and with great effort, he raised his head and met my eyes. The vicious anger in his gaze was as clear as the day, just as it was clear in the very set of his mouth and the clenching and unclenching of his left fist which hung by his side.

“I pledge allegiance to you…my Lord.” His words were dripping with hostility.

                                                             AUTHOR’S NOTES

Thanks for reading!

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If you wish to one day read Kandane’s story entitled ’A Vampire’s Huntsman ’ go check it out on my wattpad profile and add it to your reading lists! The first chapter will be posted when A Vampire’s Marine officially comes to an end.

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited

Chapter 56: Damascus and Demetrius

Chapter 56

Rien

“Tell me what happened.”

It was as though I were looking at a different person. Gone was the stoicism, the self confidence bordering on cockiness, his indifference and ever-present traces of anger. Now, he knelt by my bedside like a doting nurse, with his eyes filled with concern, his mouth tight with worry and his hands slightly shaking, as he pressed it against my forehead. It was a new and welcome change to see him concerned for my wellbeing, and perhaps I was enjoying it a tad bit too much.

“Will you stop the smiling and tell me what the hell is going on?” he asked. As predicted, the angry Tony had returned.

“I suppose I should not be surprised at the length of time that change was able to last.”

His eyes narrowed, as I knew it would. “What change?”

I sat up in the narrowed bed, feeling a soreness in my body that was as alien to me as the exhaustion I felt in my bones.

“Never mind that. I trust you came to no harm at the hands of my brother and his companions?”

His frown deepened. “They chained me to a bed and talked my ear off. I think I have the right to classify that as harm.” He mumbled in obvious anger, and I chuckled at his adorable expression, before reaching up to pat his cheek.

“My little ball of fire.” I murmured. He pulled my hand from his cheek and glared at me in exasperation, but I took note of the fact that he did not release my hand, but held it tightly in his.

“Can you please tell me what happened?” he asked earnestly; his tormented gaze meeting mine. “I think you almost died Rien.” His voice, though a whisper, shook as he said the words.

“The wolves cannot be trusted.” I told him. “I am unable to offer proof, but I believe they may be working in tandem with Kandane.”

Tony’s brows furrowed. “What makes you say that?”

“The battle lacked authenticity.”

“You mean because no lives were lost on their end?” he asked. “I’ve thought about it too but it’s still possible. I mean, the whole thing didn’t last very long anyway. Maybe they just got lucky.”

He unfurled from his crouch and climbed over me to sit my my side in the small bed.

“No. This was no pathetic human war my love. A battle between beings such as us will always yield fatality. Moreover, it was too well orchestrated; as though each parry and blow between the moon children and the night children was planned in advance.” I continued. “Furthermore, the wolves are well trained and well accustomed to raids, yet they were ill-prepared when the blood-drinkers came; it was as though the gates had been opened to allow them entry.”

“Hmmm.” Tony contemplated. “I guess now that I’m thinking about it, I’m starting to see what you mean.”

I nodded. “Did you notice how quickly all fighting ceased when Marcan dragged Kandane’s mate into the courtyard?” I asked, and he nodded. “In what true battle would such a thing take place? Wolves and blood-drinkers standing together to watch it all transpire? No.” I shook my head.

“ We stood and watched.“ He pointed out.

“We had a direct involvement in the event. What business would the others have had? They were merely warriors who should have been focused on tearing their enemies apart, rather than watching drama unfold in the courtyard.”

“But if its true that they’re working together, then what was the point of all that? Does a fake war even make sense? And wouldn’t they know that people would see right through it.”

“Ah, but no one seems to have seen through it. It is simply due to circumstance that I am now thinking of the events which had transpired.  Had we not attended the after-battle meeting with the Alpha and his Beta, the thought might not have crossed my mind.” I confessed. “After all, I was far too focused on seemingly far more important matters.”

“I think the best question to ask is what’s Kandane’s end game. What does he want that would prompt him to go this far?”  he asked. I used a finger to smooth the furrow between his brows, and he offered me a tentative smile.

“That I do not know.” I admitted. “At first, I thought he was upset that he had lost his place as heir to my father’s throne. However, the more I think on the matter, the more I have come to realize that after my father’s announcement, his protestations regarding father’s rejection was lacking.

“Which means there’s a possibility he doesn’t care that he lost the right to the throne, but for whatever reason he was making it seem as if he does?”

“Indeed.”

Tony shifted, pushing his feet under the bed linens, as he settled into a comfortable position on the bed. When his eyes met mine, the were filled with curiosity.

“He’s been promised the throne all his life, and according to you, he’s followed in your father’s footsteps all these years for the sole purpose of taking his place one day right?”

“That is correct.”

“Well I don’t know about you, but if I spent centuries preparing for something, only to have it taken away from me by my snot-nosed little brother—no offence—I’d be pretty damn pissed off.” he said. “Pissed off enough to get rid of the person standing in my way. Maybe even pissed off enough to take it by force.”

I nodded. “In other words, he would have been pissed off enough to pledge war against me and my allies, as well as against my father.”

“Yeah.”

“But the rules are clear; he cannot take the throne if he murders my father. It would have to come naturally. Therefore, going that route would prove futile.”

“Yeah. Which is why I’m thinking that maybe he was telling the truth about not being the one to attack the coven.” he surmised. “That’s one hell of a coincidence though.”

“Hmmm, and on the matter of the war with the wolves, we must remember that he saved your life, and later today he also saved mine. Those are hardly the actions of a blood-drinker enraged at the thought of having lost his throne.”

“Unless he had a change of heart like Kaio said.”

I thought on this for a moment. “No. I am convinced that he is allied to the wolves, and that the war was planned between them. I am disregarding his conversation with my drudge.”

Tony shrugged. “Well the way I see it, the only reason for instigating a fake war, would be to use it as a distraction. Any idea what he’d want to distract you guys from?”

“No.”

Tony sighed. “I just don’t get it. He gets turned down as heir, threatens to make you pay, he makes good on his threat by bringing a war against you and the wolves, heals me, has a heart to heart with Kaio, withdraws, comes back to heal you and disappears again with Noah and Christophe.” He reflected. “What are we missing here?”

“I cannot say. My brother has always been an enigma.”

He watched me for a moment with a deep frown.

“What else troubles you?”

“What happened to you? You disappeared last night and came back this morning half dead.”

“I could not rest with the thought of the wolves’ deceit so fresh in my mind, and so I left our bedchamber merely for a breath of fresh air.” I explained to him. “Whilst making my way across the courtyard, I spotted the Alpha, his Beta and a small number of their party leaving the camp grounds; I followed.”

“Naturally.” He said drily, and I leaned over to place a kiss upon his recently moistened lips.

“It was highly suspicious that the Alpha and his Beta were leaving camp under the cover of darkness. Therefore, I felt it would have been irresponsible for me to remain behind.”

“If I had done that back in the day, you’d have called me reckless.”

I grinned. “I do not deny that my actions were reckless. I simply chose to ignore common sense for but a night.”

“Uh huh. What happened when you followed them?”

“Nothing for a while. They shifted forms and ran for hours. When the morning came, they returned home. It was then that I began to wonder if the wolves are able to communicate while shifted.”

Tony laughed. “Why? You think you missed all their deep dark secrets while they were running around as animals?”

The wide smile on his handsome face raised my spirits considerably.  “Well, one thing I am certain of, is that they did not travel throughout the night simply to prance around.”

“You’re certain or you’re guessing?”

“I am utilizing my instincts.” I said, and he nodded. When he turned his eyes toward the ceiling in contemplation, I paused in my story telling and allowed him his time with his thoughts.

I flexed my fingers in wonder. The soreness of my joints was a strange sensation indeed, and I pitied the humans who were forced to live with such discomfort. I looked at my Tony, and he glanced at me in turn when he felt my eyes upon him.

“Are you sure they ran back to the camp?”

“No, for when they left, I sensed something strange in the woodlands, and I went to investigate. It was then that I was attacked by a group of unfamiliar hunters.” I said. “I fear my pride may never recover.”

“So hunters shot you? About how many of them were there?”

“I counted fifteen. I massacred nine and injured three. The rest escaped.”

“Jesus.”

“Do you think the wolves planned it? Like maybe they knew you were following them?”

“I do not know.”

Tony shook his head. “All you supernatural people seem to know is deceit and betrayal.” He leaned over me to pick up the tray on the side table beside me. I watched him as he placed it on his lap, and picked up one of the bullets that my brother had deposited there.

“Humans are no better.” I told him. “Our negative attributes are simply displayed on a wider and more sophisticated scale.”

He smiled upon hearing my words, but kept his eyes trained on the bullet in his hand. He turned it around, paying careful attention to every detail.

“This isn’t like any bullet I’ve ever seen.” He commented moments later, and I nodded in agreement.

“Perhaps they are a new breed of hunters. I had never once imagined that I would be felled by mere bullets.”

Tony deposited it into the tray once more, and set the tray aside entirely.

“I’m sorry about what happened out there.”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

He looked away from me. “I froze. That’s never happened to me before. I’ve dealt with those kinds of situations plenty of times, but because it was you , I froze.” He confessed. “I kept thinking that you were going to die, and suddenly I couldn’t do anything.”

“There was nothing you could have done regardless.” I assured him, and he shook his head.

“That’s not the point.” He said. “When it mattered, I couldn’t separate my emotions from the task at hand. That’s not acceptable, and it can’t happen again.”

I smiled, hoping to lighten his mood. “Then I promise you that I shall ensure to dodge any and all bullets in my path going forward.”

Tony sighed, and his expressive eyes narrowed into a glare. “Can you please take this seriously?”

“Why?” I asked him. “If the events of the day were to be repeated and you failed to save my life, I would still not blame you. In fact, I find it endearing that you were worried to the point of being incapable. Hearing this confession has raised my spirits considerably.”

He did not look pleased with my response. “There were no holes in your clothes. Did you change them?” he continued.

I nodded. “Of course.”

“But why?”

“I was drenched in blood and I did not want you to worry.” 

Tony shook his head in clear disbelief. “You’re crazy, you know that?”

I grinned, but my happiness turned sour at his next words.

“When I heard you screaming I thought for sure Kandane was in here torturing you. It must have been painful.”

Though I tried, my shame prevented me from looking him in the eyes when I spoke. “I lost my head for but a moment. It will not happen again. I assure you.”

Tony took hold of my hand and squeezed gently. “It went on for hours.” He said.

“Yes well, as I said, I was not in my right mind.” I explained, pulling my hand from his.

His silence forced me to glance at his face, and when I realized that he was frowning, I attempted a better persuasive route. “In all the centuries that I have lived, I have never—”

“What are you doing Rien?” he asked, and when I finally met his gaze, for once, I could not understand what I saw there. “Since when do you explain yourself?”

“I simply wish to make it clear that I am in no way incapable of keeping you safe.”

“I never doubted that you could keep me safe, but in any event, it’s not your job to protect me. We’re together because of how we feel about each other right?” He asked. “You’ve seen me at my lowest, so what’s so wrong if I see you at yours?”

“Perhaps we should find a more suitable topic.” I suggested, as my mood continued to sour, but being as stubborn as he was, he adamantly continued.

“You make it seem as if nothing fazes you; even back then.” he said. “Do you think I didn’t know it every time you fought with your brothers, or when you were in a shitty mood, or when you were unhappy?

“Do you think I don’t know how you felt the day I left for the Army, or how stressed out you were the night Kandane visited you on my birthday all those years ago?” he asked. “I know you like the back of my hand Rien, I always have. Which is why I know that you’re afraid of showing any kind of ’ weakness, ’ and that’s why I’ve never said anything, but I would like it if you’d feel comfortable enough to share everything with me; good or bad.

“Very well.” I said, meeting his gaze very briefly, before I turned my attention to the tray he had set down on the bed.

He released a sigh, leaned over me to replace the tray on the side table, and slid further under the covers. As I watched him, he folded an arm behind his head and turned his eyes to the ceiling.

“So what happens now? Are you going to hunt the hunters, go after the wolves or go after your brother?”

“None of the above.” I said. “Tomorrow we shall return to the coven, where I shall hold court with my father. After which time, I shall aid my people in whatever way I can. Beyond that I have nothing planned.”

“And here I thought you were dead set on going after Kandane.”

I released a breath. “I am in a state of confusion where my brother is concerned. If he is innocent and I interfere, then I have a feeling the repercussions may be great.

“What if he’s not innocent? What if he’s planning something terrible?”

“Then Zahir will find a way to stop him, or find a way to alert me of same.” I said, and Tony’s brows furrowed.

“Last I heard, Zahir was out searching for Christophe.”

“Yes, and soon he will find him, if he has not yet done so.” I said.

“I’m confused.”

“Christophe is now allied with Kandane. I have not a doubt in my mind that Zahir will find him, and when he does, he will attempt to persuade him to leave Kandane’s side. However, Christophe’s stubbornness knows no bounds, and my brother’s hold on him will certainly be firm.” I explained, “Zahir will not leave his mate in my brother’s hands, and Kandane knows this; we all do, which is perhaps the reason Kandane recruited Christophe in the first place.”

“Are you saying he recruited him knowing that he’d get Zahir as a result?”

“I have no doubt. Having two exceptional warriors on his side will give him a great advantage.”

“Zahir’s been your best friend all your life, do you think he’d really betray you like that?”

I smiled. “It is not a betrayal. He believes his mate is in danger, and if the only way he can protect him is to join Kandane, then he will do so. It is what I would do if backed into such a corner.” I said. “If Kandane intends to carry out any grave misdeeds Zahir will find a way to prevent it.”

“Don’t you think Kandane knows that?”

“Yes. Which is why I now find myself conflicted on the issue of his guilt or innocence. Zahir’s presence by his side could mean that his objectives are good.”

“I feel like you guys make everything more complicated than it needs to be. As far as I see it, the sensible thing for Kandane to do, is to tell you and your brothers what his plan is. The more people he has on his side, the better right?” Tony inquired. “Instead of going around saying he’s good, why not tell us exactly what he’s doing so we’ll believe and possibly help?”

“My brother will never trust me with his plans; no matter how noble those plans may be.”

“Why not?”

“Because he trusted me once long ago and it did not end well.”

Tony turned toward me; his head propped in his hand. “What happened?”

I cleared my throat. “Years ago, my he requested my aid in a matter of great urgency…”

……………………………………..

Decades Prior

They no longer challenged me. I came to that realization after the seventeenth warrior fell at my feet. There was truly no glory in being the best when the excitement had already worn off.  I looked around the training arena in disappointment, then shook my head. As I walked, I peeled away the gloves from my hands, and stuffed them into the pockets of my training apparel.

The moment I looked up, I spotted Zahir in the stands, and I could not help but grin when I saw the mischievous glint in his eyes. I walked the distance, and he met me along the path.

“Why are you still here? Did my brother not send you to the Far Lands with the others?”

“He did. I will simply arrive a day late.”

“If he learns of this he will have your head.” I said with a chuckle.

“I know.”

“Then why take such a risk?” I asked him. “Please tell me this has nothing to do with the young Lord.”

“Not in the least. In fact, Lord Christophe was also asked to join.”

I frowned. “Then why are you here wasting your ideal opportunity?”

“Because I have amazing news for you.” His smile, when it appeared, was wide and bright. “Lord Kandane has asked for you personally.”

I paused, staring at him in surprise. “He wishes for me to take part in his mission?” I asked, and when he nodded, I frowned. “You are mistaken. My brother has had no use for me since I was a fledgling. There is no chance that he would request that I join his incursion.”

“How could I misunderstand an order that traveled directly from his mouth to my own ears?”

“I do not understand.”

“What is there to understand? For centuries you have waited for your brother’s acknowledgment and now you have it. Why do you hesitate?”

“Because…” I shook my head. “What is the mission?”

“We shall travel to the Far Lands where we will break bread with their council. After which time, we will travel to the North and take possession of Camella’s lands.”

I frowned. “We have no quarrel with Camella’s people. Why must we take her lands?”

“Your father has always been ambitious. We do this at his command.”

“When they are displaced, where does he expect them to go?” I asked. “They have far more fledglings than we do.”

“There are many covens that will take them in Riener. You have never objected before, so why now?”

“Because we will make an enemy out of a clan that has done us no wrong.”

“You can attempt to sway your father from this course, but you and I know that it will prove futile. Will you travel with us, or will you remain here ranting and raving to yourself?” he asked with a knowing smirk, and with a chuckle I shoved him away from me. Moments later, we set off.

It was nightfall by the time we arrived in the Far Lands, and as was custom, we waited at the gate for an escort. Zahir, in keeping with his personality, chattered consistently up the cobblestone path, around the large tree than had stood in the same spot for decades, and finally into the well-lit gardens, where the feast would take place.

Heads turned upon our arrival, and we greeted those who approached us, then, as expected, upon seeing the young Lord, Zahir disappeared from my side, and appeared in close proximity to Christophe.

For a moment, I watched him and laughed, for he lingered around Christophe like a stray petal, but not once did he approach him.

“The poor love-struck sap.” I murmured to myself, before finally deciding to spare him his agony. I covered the distance between us in four quick strides, and Christophe looked up in surprise when he saw me.

I did not fail to notice the way his eyes lit up at the sight of me, nor how his pale cheeks became tinged with pink. I thought it unfortunate that the young Lord spent his days pining over me , when the beast who longed for him, trailed after his coattails like a sad little puppy.

In all the time that I had lived, I had not once experienced the foolish bubbling of the heart that turned sane blood-drinkers, like Zahir, into mindless fools, and I doubted I ever would. After all, matters of the heart took time that I did not wish to waste.

“My Lord.” Christophe bowed low. “I did not know you would be joining us.”

“I had no plans to. However, Zahir came to collect me, so I had no choice in the matter.” I gestured to my compeer, and Christophe looked to the side, noticing him for the first time since his appearance.

“I see.” Christophe said. “I look forward to fighting alongside you my Lord. I have always wondered how it would feel to battle alongside the coven’s best warrior, after all.”

“Then you must remain by Zahir’s side throughout the upcoming incursion, for he is my very best warrior as you know, and I trust him with my own life.”

Once again Christophe glanced at Zahir; this time with some interest, and though the interest was miniscule, it was there nonetheless. So, having played my part in moving their strange love story along, I bid them farewell, and made my way across the well-manicured lawn.

“Riener.” 

I glanced to my left at the sound on my name, and came to a halt when I saw that it was my brother who had called. One gesture from him to come hither, and I was making my way over to his side. On my face I wore no expression, but in my insides were tight with nerves.

“I was told that you wished me to join your mission.”

Kandane’s eyes searched mine, and I wondered what it was that he saw there. His expression was as cold and calculating as it always was, and his posture was of course, impeccable.

“Follow me.” He said, and like a fool, I did. Being the heir to my father’s throne, meant that he was forestalled many times by members of the Far Land council before we arrived at our destination minutes later, but I waited each time in silence, and partook in the many greetings, where appropriate.

He led me into a large room in the quarters he had been granted access to for the night, and he locked the doors behind us; as if any other blood-drinker would dare to enter his living space without his express assent.

“I sent Zahir with the request, but I did not think you would actually come.”

“You asked for me and I am here.” I said simply.

He gestured to the sofa by the wall. “Have a seat.” He said, then made his way over to the large mahogany desk in the center of the room, and sat in the leather chair that stood behind it.

In turn, I took the seat that had been offered, then waited for whatever pronouncement he would make.

“I called you here because there is a matter of great urgency, and I need your help.”

I frowned. “The last time we spoke as brothers I was a young fledgling of ten years. You have managed for centuries without any aid from me, so why now do you request my help?”

“Let us not think of this as a meeting between brothers, but rather as a circumstance borne out of desperation.”

“Desperation.” I tested the word on my lips. “Very well. What is it that you require?”

“There are one hundred and thirty-seven fledglings residing in Camella’s coven.”

“I am aware.”

“Father has given the order to take their lands. However, I have heard from a trusted source, that the leader of the Far Land coven has given his warriors orders to massacre Camella’s people.”

“Damascus has always been a bloodthirsty fool.”

“Indeed. Therefore, I plan to thwart his actions. I have called upon the army from the West Lands to lend aid and they have agreed.”

I frowned. “We are set to leave on the morrow, their army will not arrive in time.”

“They will. There is a clandestine route leading from the heart of the West Land covens, to the border of Camella’s territory. They will arrive long before us.”

I laughed. “Are you mad brother? I have scouted these lands many times over the course of a few centuries, and I have seen no such secret routes. It is simply not possible.”

“I am telling you that it is Riener. I have seen it with my own eyes and they have assured me that it is there.”

I shook my head in abject disbelief at his foolish words. “Why have you brought me here?”

“I need you to lead your own men against Damascus when the time comes. Tonight would be the perfect opportunity to strike against them, but our group is far too small to take on the warriors of the Far Lands without aid from the West Lands.”

“Then I will lead my men against Damascus as you have asked. Does this mean that you will use your men to seize Camella’s territory?”

“No. I care nothing of Camella’s lands. My men will lead her people to safer ground, for they are weak and ill-equipped to handle any form of outside attack.”

“You would go against father’s wishes?” I asked him.

The dangerous glint in his eyes gave me my answer, and I nodded. “I did not think you had it in you.”

He shook his head. “There is much you do not know about me Riener.”

I continued to hold his gaze. “Will there ever come a time when you allow some transparency, or do you plan to always be cold and uncaring?”

He smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. “Help me to save the lives of these people, and I swear to tell you the reason for my distance all these years.”

I searched his gaze, wondering if I could trust his promises, but after all this time, I still could not read him. “Very well.” I said, and he leaned forward in his seat.

“We leave at first light. I trust that you will guide your men accordingly.”

“Of course. I will also inform Demetrius of our plans. I am certain he will lend us his aid since he is here.”

Kandane froze. “No. Demetrius and his people are visiting for a reason I have yet to learn and I do not believe in coincidences. He may be working alongside Damascus. Therefore, he cannot learn of our plan.”

I chuckled.  “Demetrius would never give an order to slaughter innocent blood-drinkers. You have nothing to fear. I shall approach him myself and request his aid.”

Kandane stood. “He is a good friend to you and that is why you would think so, but lives are on the line and I do not trust him. Therefore, he must not be told.”

“I have known him since my birthing, and I trust him with my life. He will not harm the innocent.”

“And now I am asking you to trust me . Do not do anything foolish.”

“We may be connected by blood, but I trust him far more than I trust you.”

Kandane’s fury was quick and unyielding. “I may have been distant all these years, but I have never given you a reason not to trust me.” He said. “It matters not how long you have known him, for my instincts tell me to steer clear, and my instincts have not been wrong yet.”

“You are making a mistake.”

“I do not make mistakes Riener.” He said with a ring of finality. “I called you here because I trust you to give the very best aid. Now I need you to carry out that task well without leaking a word of this to Demetrius.”

“Very well.” I said, and stood to leave.

“The lives of one hundred and thirty-seven fledglings and a great many more blood-drinkers rests on our shoulders Riener. Do not let them down.” He said, and with his warning ringing in my ears, I left.

I had known Demetrius since birth. We had trained together, laughed together, exchange secrets with each other, and spoken often of our many dreams and fascinations. He was a being whom I knew inside and out; so much so, that I trusted him with my own life. Therefore, while Kandane had his doubts, I stood firm in my convictions. Demetrius could be trusted, and it would be foolish not to get the aid of his army when so many lives depended on us.

I first sought the counsel of my compeer Zahir, who listened carefully to all I had to say without judgment or interruption.

“We have known Demetrious all our lives. I too do not believe that he would harm the innocent.”

“I wish to request his aid. Do you think I should heed my brother or trust my friend?”

“I believe you should do whatever you can to ensure that no innocent lives are lost. The more help we can get, the better it will be for Camella’s people. I trust Demetrius. Therefore, I see nothing wrong with requesting his aid.”

“Kandane will be furious.”

“As long as lives are saved, then how he may feel does not matter.” He said. “You know that no matter what you decide, I will support you.”

I thought long and hard on the matter for hours after my meeting with Kandane. I weighed our odds and wracked my brain for even the tiniest memory of Demetrius doing any wrong, but found none. It was not a decision that I came to lightly. In fact, it was one so thought out, that by the time that it was made, I was left with no doubts.

There was no guarantee that the West Land covens would arrive in time, for I knew nothing of a secret route, and I knew not whether these allies of Kandane’s could be trusted. Therefore, I was confident in my belief when Zahir and I made our way to Demetrious’ chambers to plead our case.

As expected, he was willing to give us any aid possible against Damascus, and we were grateful for his kindness. Hence the reason, that it came as such a shock to us to learn many hours later, that Damascus and Demetrius, knowing of our plans, had left the Far Lands under the cover of night, to bring ruin to Camella’s people before we could stop them.

By the time we arrived, the devastation had already been brought. The blood of Camella’s people washed the terrain; males, females and their fledglings, littered the landscape; beaten, broken and dying.

With my heart in my throat and deep regret buried in my soul, I glanced across the field at Kandane, who arrived but a few minutes later with his army. I watched as he looked upon the disaster before us, and dropped to his knees on the cold, hard earth. The heart wrenching cry that escaped from deep within him, would be tattooed in my mind for centuries to come, but it was the look of utter betrayal in his eyes when he glanced at me minutes later, that would haunt me forever.

………………………………………

Present

“Jesus.” Tony breathed when my story came to an end.

“I will regret my actions for the rest of my life.” I said. “And now you understand why Kandane will never trust me again. At the time, I did not think it possible, but after that day, he grew colder and more distant. Today is the first time since then, that he has looked upon me with any sort of compassion.”

“You couldn’t have known that Demetrius would have sided with Damascus.”

“No, but my brother had put his trust in me when he asked me to remain silent, and that is all that matters.”

Tony nodded. “So maybe it’s time you put your trust in him, and hope that whatever he’s doing is for the best.”

“I pray I will not come to regret even this.”

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-unedited.

Chapter 57: Our Future Together

Chapter 56

Many hours had passed since my brother had painstakingly healed my injuries, and the aches and pains that plagued my body were slowly dissipating.

I lay on the narrow bed with my mate, watching him as he lay on his back with his arms trapped behind his head. He was staring at the ceiling above us, lost in thought, as he had been for some time. Every so often, his brows would furrow or his mouth would turn down in a frown. I fought hard not to interrupt his musings, because it was only fair that he be allowed his opportunity to process all the events that had transpired in recent times.

I wanted to reached over to smooth the crease in his brows, and banish the unpleasant thoughts that plagued him. But as I watched him, a foreign feeling rose up inside me. It took me but a moment to uncover what it was; guilt.

It was strange, this new feeling. I could only liken it to an uncomfortable and persistent throb somewhere in the very center of my sternum and between my eyes. I found that I did not like it, and so I frowned as I watched him.

I thought back on what grave act I could have possibly committed to warrant such an unwanted throb. Leaving him in the army was certainly not the reason, for it had been done in his best interest. Neither was plucking him from said army, for he did not belong there. He belonged by my side.

I could admit that I felt a minuscule twinge for having omitted to inform him that his fellow army-goers had survived, for thoughts of their deaths had stressed him a great deal, and I hated the very thought of him in any form of turmoil.

However, he had since learned the truth, so that guilt could be nothing more than miniscule. As I watched him, I thought of the many hours he had lain upon his sick bed, writhing in pain as I looked helplessly on.

Ah, and there it was; the reason.

It was my presence in his life that had almost brought death knocking on his door, and though many a time I had sworn to him that I would be his protector, in this, I had failed him. Visions of him lying weak and close to broken would forever haunt my waking hours.

“I hope one day you will reconsider your decision to remain human.” I broke the silence.

He looked at me with a frown. “That was random.”

I smiled. “I have recently found that attempting to keep a human alive is a far more arduous task than I had first imagined.”

Tony rolled onto his side and propped his head up with his hand.

“Stop worrying so much about me and let’s just enjoy our time together.”

I found that I did not like his response. “If I were to change you, there would be no limit on our time together. Do you not see the that?”

He sat up, and his narrowed eyes told me that he was ready to have a serious discussion.

“I’m not turning into a vampire Rien.” He said adamantly.

“And if you find yourself on the verge of death and turning you is the only way to save your life, would you have me watch you die?”

“Are we really about to start an argument?” he asked with a frown. “After everything we’ve been through, can’t we just be happy now?”

I kept my eyes fixed on his, for it was there that held the majority of his self expression. In them I saw his frustration, but I also saw his fatigue.

“I just want things to go smoothly for a little while. Can we do that?” he questioned, and I conceded.

“Very well.”

He released a breath and returned to his previous position on his back. I allowed a moment of silence to pass between us, before I interrupted his musings once more.

“What have you been thinking of all this time?”

He glanced at me only for but a brief moment before he returned his gaze to the ceiling.

“Noah mostly.” Came his quiet reply. “I’ve been thinking about all the times we used to hang out when we were younger and how I would brag on and on about you, and he never once told me he was dating your brother.”

“Dating.” I tested the human word on my lips.

“You know what I mean. It’s just strange to me. I mean, I couldn’t go a sentence without mentioning your name and he never slipped up about Kandane even once. Makes me wonder, you know?”

“Wonder about what?”

“About his reasons for keeping it all to himself.”

“Perhaps my brother asked him to remain silent on the matter.” I replied, but he was shaking his head even before I could even complete my sentence.

“Noah’s the stubbornness, most rebellious person I know. He wouldn’t keep quiet just because someone told him to. Hell, especially not if someone told him to.”

“I disagree.” I said. “Love can make us do things we never imagined.”

“Hmm.” was his only reply, but he seemed to be thinking on my words. Suddenly, he looked at me. “What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done for love?”

“Begin a relationship with a human.”

He snorted. “What’s the hardest?”

“Watching said human from afar for five years whilst he learned what it meant to be responsible.” I told him. “And yourself?”

He took a moment to consider either my words or his answer. “Back then the craziest and hardest thing I probably ever did was work actual jobs so I could earn money to buy you a necklace.” He chuckled, and I was warmed by the sound of it as well as by his words.

“And now?”

He bit his lip, then released it just as quickly.

“Now…Now I would say that the craziest thing I’ve ever done is contemplate adding my blood signature to that damn scroll. And the hardest, I don’t know.” he said, then looked at me with a grin. “Maybe you make it too easy.”

“You must make an effort to smile more often.” I told him. “You have a beautiful smile.”

As expected, he blushed scarlet at my words, and looked away. I loved that sweet little things such as this had not changed.

“It warms my heart that you would even think to add your blood signature to my parchment, but when we return to the coven, please refrain from doing so.”

“Don’t worry. I know they’d tear me apart.”

“I am grateful that you have reached a point in your life where you finally have a sense of self preservation.”

He only looked at me; a question in his eyes.

“What is it?”

“What’ll happen when we go back to the coven?”

“I will meet with my father and aid my people in whatever way I can, after their recent turmoil.”

“No. I mean with the mating ceremony. What happens now?” He asked, refusing to meet my eyes as he did.

“You mean, now that you have forgiven me and we are on track with our relationship?”

He only looked at me.

“If I were to cancel it, there would be an uprising.” I began. “Many families have lost their sons and daughters to the ceremony and their deaths would have been in vain.”

“Which means what exactly? For us I mean.”

I plucked a piece of lint from his hair. “Do not worry your head. I will find a way to settle this in a way that is agreeable to all parties involved.”

“How?” he questioned with furrowed brows.

“When I know the answer to that, so will you. Simply trust that I will find it.”

So serious was his expression, that I leaned over and placed a kiss upon his lips. Almost immediately, the tension in him evaporated and his body relaxed. Yet another thing about him that had not changed.

I smiled against his lips and his arms came up to wrap around my neck, pulling me closer, though I could go no further.

“I should have told your father the truth when he asked me if I loved you. Then we wouldn’t be in this mess.” He pulled away slightly to whisper.

“True.” I replied, and he chuckled. The short dusting of stubble on his face brushed against my chin. I ran the back of my fingers over it, loving its softness against my skin.

Before the army, his face had been as smooth as his bottom as a consequence of his youth. Since then, he had grown into a man, and I found that I liked the changes in his physique. The faint scars that were evidence of his former profession, the muscles on his hard, lean frame, the thin trail of hair that ran from below his navel, to his most intimate regions, and the size of his manhood, now that he had finally grown into himself.

My fingers dipped into his trousers and when I encircled him, he grew in my hand. He released a breath as his eyes drifted shut.

“No. Look at me.” I commanded softly.

His lids lifted and his dilated eyes met mine. In them, I could see his desire. When I began to pull gently on his turgid member, his eyes closed again and my shoulders shook as I laughed quietly. I lowered my head to his neck and breathed in the scent of him, then pressed my lips to his skin and suckled until the blood rose up to just below the surface of his skin.

I ran my tongue along the red blemish that appeared there and Tony shivered. I loved marking him. I loved that he was mine. I shifted my body closer to his. His hips slowly gyrated to the movement of my hand up and down his hardness, and his once controlled breathing sounded harsh in the otherwise quiet room.

I ran a finger over the slit in the head of his penis and he jerked in my hand.

“I missed this.” I whispered in his ear, but he was far too caught up in the sensations pooling through his body to acknowledge my words. I trailed light kisses along his flesh, from his neck to to his chest, then paused to suck one hard nipple into my mouth. His hands moved to cup the back of my head.

When I bit down gently on the hardened pebble, his back arched off the bed, and the whispered sound of my name on his lips sent a bolt of pleasurable sensation to my groin. I moved to the next nipple, giving it equal attention until he was like jelly beneath me; pliant and ready to be filled.

I loved these moments; when he was docile and responsive, with not an ounce of his usual tenacity. Between the sheets, I was in full control and he followed my every lead like a thirsty man desperate for a drink.

I rolled his nipple between my teeth once more, before releasing it entirely. He lay panting, his hips moving with fervor as I pumped his flesh to the beat of his own heart. Then without warning I released him.

He groaned, and finally, his eyes drifted halfway open. “Why?” he asked breathlessly. His unfocused gaze held a hint of confusion. I pulled away from him and sat up.

“Remove your clothing.” I told him simply, and he immediately moved to obey.

I discarded what remained of my own garments as I watched him. When I sat naked, I reached across and wrapped my hand around the top half of the small kerosene lamp that sat on the table by my bedside. I twisted the glass beneath my fingers and it broke away easily. After depositing it onto the surface of the small side table, I dipped my fingers into the oil, which had settled into the bottom piece.

I glanced around at Tony, who had already returned to the bed, and was watching me with heavy-lidding eyes. My gaze shifted to his hard flesh, which lay heavy against his belly; the tip oozing clear liquid.

I lathered the oil onto my shaft, then moved between his parted legs, where I touched my fingers to his entrance. He let his head fall back onto the pillow as he moaned in pleasure. Slowly, I ease a finger inside him, twisting and turning it, as his body granted me entrance, then I added another, and as I worked them in and out of him, at a slow and agonizing pace, he panting beneath me. I stretched the two fingers apart, and his hands closed into fists at his side.

And so I continued, stretching him and relaxing his tight muscles. Once I was certain that he was ready for me, my own throbbing member, replaced my fingers. He bit back a cry as I entered him swiftly; driving into his body and stopping only when I was covered right up to the hilt.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” He panted as I waited for him to adjust to my size. I leaned forward, pressing his body into the bed, and took his lips. Our tongues warred in his mouth as I rolled my lips against his. Then finally, I pulled away from him, forced his legs wider apart and began to move within him.

He was incoherent as my hips smacked against the back of his thighs again and again. He was hot and tight around me, bringing me absolute pleasure the more I drove into his heat. My head fell back and I closed my eyes; allowing myself to feel all he had to offer.

His loud panting, his constant moans and the slapping together of our flesh filled the silence of the room. When I opened my eyes and looked down at his body, both his hands were clenched above his head.

Not once did he attempt to reach down and touch himself, and I was glad that he remembered that in these moments of fiery intimacy, I alone was responsible for his pleasure. He met my every thrust, jerking his hips in tandem with my own.

He was a beautiful sight to behold; lying on his back, legs spread, a sheen of sweat covering his tan flesh as he took all I gave to him. Minutes passed, and my flesh continued to glide in and out of his, and I lost track of the number of times my name sounded on his lips.

When I positioned myself so that I brushed against his prostate with every slide, he bit his lips and bucked his hips in answer. The pleasure built and built, and soon he could no longer hold himself back. He reached down to take hold of himself, but I pulled his hand away before he could get the chance, and entwined our fingers together.

“Please.” He panted, and so I stretched out atop him, so that whenever I moved, his aching hardness would rub against my abdomen.

I released his hands and held fast to his shoulders and his arms came up around me. I felt his nails sink into the flesh of my back; breaking skin. I lowered my head to his neck and sank my teeth in without drawing blood, and he came with a shout; his body shuddering wildly beneath me. A moment later, my own pleasure, which had already built as high as it could go, crested, and with a spasm, I spilled my seed into his welcoming heat. I clutched him close to me as we both panted, and with a final push and pull, I fell still.

We remain joined for a long time afterward, until our flesh cooled and our breathing evened out. I listened to the sound of his steadily beating heart, then finally, I pulled away, and out of him. Tony watched me with his heavy-lidded eyes, as I cleaned away the remnants of our lovemaking with the edge of the bed sheet.

“When I kissed you, I had only meant to ease your troubles.” I told him with a wide grin.

His smile, when it came, was smug and satisfied.

“It’s been a while.” He trailed a finger down my chest. “I don’t think I’ll be able to walk out of here tomorrow.”

He turned onto his side., watching me with eyes that betrayed his tiredness.

“You will starve if we remain here another day.” I told him. “The trees in this region do not bear much fruit.”

He shrugged. “That still sounds a lot better than going back to the coven.”

“We will not remain there for too long.” I told him. “I promise to return you to your own homeland, where we shall live out our days amongst humans.”

He nodded, stretched, then curled in on himself as he tended to do just before sleep.

“Sleep now, my love. I shall wake you before dawn.”

Tony nodded, and in but a few short moments, he drifted off. I trailed my fingers down the side of his face, thinking of another time, when we had spoken enthusiastically about our future together. When we had no troubles to speak of and we were happier.

……………………………..

Five Years prior

“What do you think about Archery?” Tony asked one morning while we lay sated in bed after a bout of passionate lovemaking. “Or knife throwing. I think I could do pretty well at both.”

“Why are you suddenly interested in either?”

Tony rolled onto his back, placing his hands behind his head as his eyes traveled to the high ceilings.

“Well your coven’s the warrior coven right?” he asked, and I nodded. “When you turn me into a vampire and we go there to live, I’ll need some kind of job or something. I think maybe I could be good at Archery or knife throwing.”

I smiled indulgently at him. “And where will you utilize such skills?”

Tony shrugged. “In your army, I guess. Who knows.”

“There will be no need for you to toil when you go there. You are the mate of a master class blood-drinker, not a drudge.” I informed him. “And in any event, we rely on our bodies during wartime. Not manmade weapons.”

He looked at me with a Tony-like frown. “So what, you expect me to become some kind of housewife of something? Take care of the kids and cook dinner and all that crap? Because I’m telling you from now, that’s not happening.”

I raised a brow, and my smile widened. “The kids? Is there something you wish to tell me?” I looked pointedly at his flat abdomen.

He rolled his eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous Rien. We’re going to adopt.”

“Is that so?” my amusement knew no ends.

“Of course. Then when they’re older, we’ll turn them into vampires too.” He said, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“Oh? And how many of these human children were you thinking we should adopt?”

Another shrug. “I don’t know yet. Maybe three or four.” He pursed his lips and his brows furrowed. “How big is your house at the coven? Is it anything like this one?”

I propped my chin on the back of my hand and watched him. “A great deal larger.”

“Hmm… Then maybe five…six tops.”

I laughed. “Not only do you wish for us to raise children, but you desire six?”

“There are plenty of kids in the foster care system who could use our help. You know better than anyone the things I’ve been through, so yes. We’re adopting as many as we can, and besides, it’ll be nice to have a big family. That’s something I’ve always wanted.”

I took note of the determination in his eyes, and thought of my immature Tony, who still threw temper tantrums, teaching children the importance of responsibility. It amused me to no end, but I schooled my expression, and nodded.

Suddenly, a smile erupted on his face, lighting up his eyes. “I can’t wait ’till you turn me and we get to live together. We’re gonna be so happy Rien. Can you picture it?”

I leaned over and kissed his lips. “Of course I can.”

“I figure if you change me in like two or three years, we could enjoy ourselves for another five, then we can start adopting. I’m thinking three girls, three boys, to kinda even it out. The boys first though, so they can take care of their sisters. And maybe we can get a cat and a dog. I’ve always wanted pets. Maybe even a goldfish or two.”

“You certainly have it all planned out.” I said with a chuckle. He nodded, his expression serious. “What else have you planned for this glamorous life we shall lead?”

When he rolled onto his side, resting his weight on his elbow, his eyes were alight with excitement.

“Maybe we could have a pool in our backyard. I’ve always wanted a pool, and enough grass so we can camp out whenever we want. That would be nice.” He sighed, then his eyes took on a dream-like quality.

“What about you? What do you have planned?”

“I have no plans beyond ensuring that we are both together and happy.” I told him honestly.

“Yeah well, I’ve got big plans Rien. I have such big plans, and we’re gonna have the best life. You’ll see.”

“I have no doubt.”

His eyes met mine, and for a long time we stayed that way, reading all we could in each other’s gaze, until he looked away with a sigh.

“I wish you’d turn me now.” He said.

“You are not—”

“Yeah, yeah. You’ve told me a million times. I get it.” He mumbled, then spun around until he was resting on his belly. He fluffed the pillow and folded his arms atop it, before finally placing his head atop his arms.

“Wanna go to the beach later?” he asked around a yawn.

“If you wish.”

He nodded, and glanced up at the clock that hung above the mantelpiece.

“Wake me up in three hours. Okay?”

“Very well.” I brushed the hair from his face. “Sleep now, my love.” I told him, and he did.

………………………….

Present

We arrived outside the coven walls late the next evening. The coven guards, having spotted us a a great distance away, had already lined themselves on either side of the gates and greeted us with a bow as we passed them. Beside me, Tony was quiet and pensive. He had stuffed his hands into the pockets of his tunic, and walked with his eyes straightforward.

“It’s not going to be the same now that Snowflake’s gone.” He commented once we were safely inside the walls.

I took careful note of his expression. He did not appear to be particularly upset, but of course I knew he was not happy to be back. I glanced around my homeland as we walked. I had had many a happy memory here within the coven walls, and I had hoped that he too would have one day come to love it as I did.

The circumstances upon which was had been first brought here, and my decision five years prior certainly had not left a good impression on him. Perhaps one day we would return and his thoughts of the place would change.

“We will be here for but a few months and then we shall depart.” I assured him.

He glanced at me with a small smile. “When we met, you gave up your home to be with me. I don’t have a problem staying here for as long as you need me to.”

His eyes held a sincerity in them that drew a smile to my lips.

As we walked, I took in the state of the place. Despite the war that had broken out within the walls, the physical damage was minimal. The further in we went, however, I noticed the strips of black fabric hanging from the doors, windows and banisters of some of the homes we passed.

“What do they mean?” Tony questioned.

“Those households lost one of their own to the war. They are in mourning.”

Tony frown. “A long time ago you told me that your people celebrated the lives of those lost in war because it meant an honorable death.”

“Yes.” I said. “But the people believe that these deaths were caused by an act of betrayal from one of our own. This is not a time for celebration.”

“Kandane.” He surmised, and I nodded.

“I have chosen to give him the benefit of the doubt, but our people have no reason to. I imagine they are quite angry.”

To this he offered no reply, and we continued our walk in silence. When we arrived at my dwelling house, the doors were pulled open by one of the female drudges in residence. She bowed respectfully, as did the others who stood in wait.

Kaio, who stood by Malik’s side, smiled wide and I nodded in greeting. Malik of course, had eyes only for his brother, and though he did not approach, he watched him with a longing that would have been obvious to anyone but Tony.

“Kaio.” Tony greeted with a quick hug, then held out a hesitant hand to Malik, who shook it with seeming uncertainty.

“Prepare him a feast. He has not eaten well in quite some time.” I said, and with the exception of Kaio, the drudges dispersed to do my bidding.

“You have returned earlier than expected my Lord.” Kaio commented as he followed us across the room. “I hope your time with the wolves was fruitful.”

“It was not, but we shall speak more on the matter at another time.” I said. “I expect word of my arrival has reached my father. No doubt he will send a messenger to summon me to his chambers.” I continued with certainty. “Inform said messenger, upon his arrival, that I will meet with my father on the morrow. I have only just returned and I wish to rest.”

“Of course my lord.”

“Fetch me once the evening meal has been prepared.”

“Yes my Lord.”

“I’m going to hang with Kaio for a little while.” Tony announced when Kaio turned to leave. I nodded.

Malik and I watched as they crossed the room and disappeared through the main doors. I stepped toward the large windows that provided a full view of the courtyard below.

“Your face has certainly rounded in the very few days since we last saw each other.” Kaio said to him as they walked. “Did you leave enough food for the wolves when you left or will they now die of starvation?”

Tony laughed; a hearty sound that came from deep within his gut, and put a smile on my face when I heard it. I watched as he pushed Kaio gently and he too laughed.

“They seem close.” Malik commented beside me. He watched the two with an indecipherable expression.

“Ah.”

“You don’t mind that your mate’s good friends with a drudge?” he asked.

“Why would I mind?”

He shrugged. “Your brothers don’t even treat them like people, so I’m just curious.”

“I am not my brothers.” I replied simply, and he nodded.

For a few minutes we watched the interaction between the two; their easy smiles, their obvious closeness, the easy way in which they jokingly criticized one another.

“I shall be absent all day tomorrow.” I said to Malik. “Perhaps you should use that time to get to know your brother.”

Malik eyed me warily. “Since when do you care about whether I know him or not?”

I smiled again when Tony laughed. “A brother could be good for him.” I said. “The coven can be a lonely place for a human.”

Malik was silent for a moment before he spoke once more.

“It won’t be easy getting him to trust me.”

“That is true, and Tony is stubborn.” I said. “Continue to be honest with him. Show him the man you really are and eventually he will come to trust you. After all, he has always wanted a brother.”

Malik nodded, then cleared his throat. “Thanks.”

I tore my gaze away from my mate and set it upon the human who stood beside me.

“As long as he is happy, I will remain civil with you.” I said. “Hurt him in anyway, and my professionalism regarding the matter will slip.”

“Same.” He shot back with a flash of temper that reminded so much of my Tony, that I laughed.

I turned away from the window, leaving him to watch them to his heart’s content.

                                          AUTHOR’S NOTES

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Chapter 58: Sweet Mary

Chapter 58

The morrow came quickly, and brought with it bright sunlight that streamed through the small crack in the window shades. My body and mind came awake slowly, and for but a minuscule fraction of a moment, I forgot that I had arrived home. A home which had been ravaged by an unknown enemy. A home that was now in mourning over the dead. A home that I was now expected to comfort.

“You literally just woke up. What’s there to frown about?”

I turned my head to the side and spotted my mate sitting in the newly installed sofa by the window. In his hand, he held a large ceramic mug that smelled strongly of freshly brewed coffee.

“We do not store coffee beans inside the coven walls.” I commented.

“And that’s a damn shame.” He took a sip “Is that another rule here or something? What’s coffee ever done to you?”

“Not a rule.” I began. “Blood-drinkers have a heightened sense of smell, and the scent of coffee beans is already pungent in its own right.”

He raised a brow. “And?”

“Therefore, the scent alone feels similar to a sensory overload. It is not pleasant.” I finished; wrinkling my nose in distaste.

He glanced at his mug for a moment, then his eyes settled on me once more. “I mentioned coffee in passing to Kaio at dinner last night and one of your other drudges made it for me a few minutes ago.”

The corner of my mouth raised in a half smile of its own accord. “It seems someone has taken a liking to you.”

He shrugged. “The drudge with the cute freckles.”

“Ah. Mary.” I told him. “She is the youngest on staff, though a great many years older than you I should add.

“So are you.” He replied with a chuckle. “Is there a reason you’re telling me this?”

I turned my eyes to the ceiling. “Informational purposes of course.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “Of course.”

“Since we will be here for a while, perhaps it is time you formed bonds with others here. Kaio will not always be there to entertain you.”

“Why? Where’s he going?” he asked with a frown.

“I simply meant that as my personal drudge, he has many duties to attend to. He will not be present as often as you would like.”

“I’m a big boy Rien. I think I’ll manage.” He replied, before taking yet another sip of the offending beverage.

There came a knock on the door, and Tony set down his now empty mug. I could hear the drudge Mary taking unnecessarily deep breaths outside the door.

“Why did you lock it?” I asked him as he stood.

“Because not everybody needs to see what goes on in here. You should start locking it from now on.”

“Nonsense.” I waved away his words. “What is there to conceal? Intercourse is hardly an offensive act.”

“I like my privacy.” He said simply, but with a frown. As I lay there, I watched as made his way toward me in three quick strides and pulled the covers up and over my nakedness.

I laughed at his antics, and he ignored me as he made his way across the room and flung open the chamber door.

Mary’s face flushed the moment she lay eyes on him; much to my surprise. “Y—Your meal, as requested Master T—Tony.” She held the food tray towards him.

“Thanks Freckles.” Tony pulled it from her hands and Mary’s eyes went wide in surprise.

“Interesting.” I murmured to myself.

“Enter drudge.” I said before she could slip away. She followed quickly behind my mate and bowed low when she saw me.

“My Lord.” Came her quiet greeting, and as was custom, she did not meet my eyes.

“You are excused from your duties today.” I said. “You will accompany us on our tour around the coven grounds at noon.”

Another bow. “Very well my Lord.”

I waved a hand. “That will be all.”

“Yes my Lord.”

Tony waited until she had closed the door behind her before he spoke.

“I thought you had an all-day meeting with your dad today.”

I sat up against the headboard. “Another day will surely cause him no great inconvenience.”

Tony took a bite out of his rather large sandwich.

“Why’d you ask her to come along?”

“She fancies you and now I am intrigued.”

Tony shook his head. “No she doesn’t. She’s a vampire.”

“So am I.”

“That’s…different.”

“How so?”

He seemed to think on the matter for a moment before he offered his reply.

“It took me weeks to get you to even look at me, and when you finally did, it was only because I annoyed the shit out of you.” He explained. “Today’s the first time me and Freckles have even exchanged a word.”

“You do not see yourself clearly my love.” I told him. “I was enthralled by you since the first day you approached me and insulted my robes.”

He snorted. “Sure.”

“The night we met I was merely passing through your town. Do you really think it so fascinating in that dirty little village that I would choose to remain there for any length of time?” I asked. “I stayed because you caught my interest. There were days when I would follow the scent of your blood through the streets without a thought.”

Tony chewed in slowly. “So, you’re saying you pretended to hate me in the beginning?”

I laughed. “Oh no. Make no mistake; I hated you. I hated the very sight of you. I hated your constant chatter, the smell of your blood, the way you would drag your feet as you followed me through the streets. I wanted to strangle you every day that you appeared before me.”

He raised a brow. “But?”

“But that was only because you had ensnared me so thoroughly that I could not go even a moment without thoughts of you flitting around in my mind. I hated that you, a mere human child, held such power over me.”

“And you’re saying your little drudge is feeling the same way?” he asked in disbelief.

“I am simply saying she fancies you. No need to get ahead of yourself.” I said, and he laughed.

“Well if that’s true then isn’t inviting her to come with us a little cruel?” he questioned. “Maybe it’s better I kept my distance.”

I drew up a leg and rested my arm upon my knee. “I prefer to think that I am doing her a favor.”

Tony rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Go to your meeting and stop trying to take your boredom out on your staff.”

“My father can wait.”

“I’ve already seen the entire coven by now. What’s the point of a tour?”

“Then we shall walk until we come upon a place you have never seen.”

He smiled, then turned his complete attention to his breakfast. I took note of the small glass vase that sat atop his tray as decoration. In it, stood a single simple sunflower; broken down from its original height so that it could fit comfortably in its new home.

Young Mary was sweet, but my Tony did not care for flowers and useless baubles. Give him an intricate dagger or a complex puzzle and he would smile for days.

“I’ve been thinking about my time in the army.” He broke the silence after finishing his meal minutes later.

“What of it?”

“There were days when we got ourselves into situations we should have never walked out of. We thought we had some kinda guardian angel out there. I never imagined it would be you and Zahir.”

“We gave aid only when strictly necessary. After your one hundred and eighty-second day there, you became quiet adept at the job. Though there was one human who caused us to wonder how he had managed to grow to adulthood. The clumsy fool indeed had some divine power watching over him.

Tony laughed. “Why does that sound so much like Rusty to me?”

“Does he have a lopsided ear?”

“Yeah he does actually.”

“Then your Rusty was our clumsy fool. On the tedius days, watching his antics provided us with much entertainment.”

He chuckled, then he sighed. “God I miss those guys.”

“You will see them again.”

“Did they all get out?”

“There were some who chose to remain in service to their country, but they were all given the option.

“How’d you pull it off anyway?”

“That is an unpleasant story for another time.”

His eyes narrowed and I smiled. I had wondered when I would see that glare again.

“Tell me you didn’t murder anyone.”

“I am no villain Tony. There are many ways to persuade humans. And no, torture was also not involved.” I said before he could ask. “Let us speak of other things.”

The knock which sounded at the door this time was not timid, but confident and sure. We both glanced toward it, and a moment later Kaio entered.

“I apologize for the disturbance my lord” he said in way of greeting. “Your father has sent his drudge to invite you to his work chambers.”

“Tell him our meeting is to be delayed for yet another day.”

“The drudge was told not to return without you in tow my Lord.”

“Then it seems he must remain here until the morrow. Tell Mary we will depart far earlier than planned. Perhaps within the hour.”

“Mary, my Lord?”

“Yes.”

“The drudge?” Kaio asked with furrowed brows.

“Do you know of another Mary?”

“No my Lord. I shall relay your message.” He bowed low, nodded briefly to my mate, and left the way he had come.

……………………………….

This was not the home I knew; the war-ravaged buildings, the sullen faces, the strips of black cloth hanging above door posts and the tight feeling of grief that hung in the air around us. This was not the place where I had grown from a fledgling to a warrior. There was a weakness here now. I could no longer sense the people’s confidence. I no longer felt their pride. Now there was heartbreak and despair.

The three of us walked along the stone pathways, observing what was left of my home. We would have to rebuild of course; not our homes, but our spirit. The ones responsible would certainly face me in the end, for this I could not let go.

“If I’d known you’d be frowning the whole time, I wouldn’t have come.” Tony’s voice broke through my dark thoughts. I took note of his easy smile, and returned it.

“My home is broken.” I told him.

“Then fix it.” He patted my abdomen and descended the stone steps leading to the garden. Behind me, Mary was silent. She had yet to utter a solitary word since we had set out two hours prior.

“You are free to speak as you wish.” I offered.

“Thank you my Lord.” She walked two steps behind me at all times, with her hands clasped in front of her and her head lowered.

Rather than follow Tony on his descent, I paused atop the steps, as did she.

“I have never truly understood why some beings were able to stand passively by rather than fight tooth and nail for what they want.” I said. “Come here.” I urged her, and she came to stand beside me.

“I am curious.” I told her. “What is it that first drew you to him? For me, it was his way of thinking. He does not play games and he does not think in twists and turns. It is as he said; if something is broken then I must fix it. If one is happy then one must smile. When the moon rises we sleep. When it is the day we awake.

“His mind has always been like a breath of fresh air; unlike those of our brethren, who connive and manipulate. I like that my Tony is uncomplicated.” I said. “So, I invite you to answer; what is it that first drew you to him?”

Mary’s eyes flickered to mine, before escaping once more to the stones beneath her feet.

“I do not understand my Lord.”

“I just now told you of my preference for simplicity. Let us not play these games.”

Mary twisted her hands before her, and as I watched, beads of sweat began to form along her forehead. She was like a grapefruit; completely uninteresting, uninspiring and easily overlooked.

“I have known it for quite some time.” I continued. “Do not think I have not seen the way you watch him; even from the very first day he entered my dwelling place. Where he went, your eyes have always been sure to follow. When he smiles you smile, when he frowns you do the same.”

Mary’s heart thundered riotously in her chest. It was a wonder how her ribs remained intact.

“At first I had thought it nothing but a passing fancy, but there was something that I saw in your eyes this morning, that made me realize that what you feel for him runs deeper.”

“My Lord, I…” She trailed off; eyes filled with unshed tears.

I turned to watch as Tony paused by the pond not far away. He crouched to retrieve a small rock, which he threw in such a way that it skipped along the surface of the water.

“He has that effect on people; my Tony. He held my interest even before he had uttered a single word. So do not think I resent you for this.”

“Please forgive me my Lord. I never meant any harm—” she began, but I held up a hand to silence her.

“You never answered my question.” I reminded her.

It took her a few moments to gather he courage, and when she did, she began with a distinct stutter.

“H—H—His face my Lord.”

“His face?” I question in amusement.

“T—The way his face shows all his emotions. I—I have never seen it before. He cannot hide what he feels, as every emotion passes easily across his face. It m—made him seem honest…my Lord.”

This time I smiled. “What else?” I asked. She turned her head to look at him, and I watched the way her eyes softened just at the very sight of him.

“He is kind. He feeds the kittens when he thinks no one watches him. It is why they now flock the back doors. And when he smiles…” she pressed her hands to her heart as she watched him, and a small smile rose to her lips.

“When he smiles it as as though he has stolen the very light from the sun.” I finished, and she nodded, then blushed scarlet and turned away again.

We watched him in silence as he skipped his stones across the pond.

“This may be selfish, but I am glad that you care for him. “I said. “For it means that whenever I am away he has yet another person to watch over him and keep him from harm.”

Mary watched me with wide eyes that were filled with surprise.

“This is not a safe place for humans, but for the time being he must remain here and I wish for him to have as many allies as possible.”

“Of course, my Lord.”

I would not admit it, but it had been a nice feeling having someone to speak to about him; however brief the moment. The fact that she too shared a fraction of these feelings meant that she also at least understood just how precious he was to me.

“For you, loving him means a broken heart Mary. For he is mine.” I told her moments later, and she bowed her head in shame.

“Of course, I have always known that my lord. Watching him from afar has always been enough.”

“Rien what’re you doing? Come on!” Tony called out. I took a step down, then turned to look at her.

“He, more than anyone is deserving of your love, but I do hope that in time that feeling will pass. I said. “Though, I have no doubt that it will be a difficult transition.”

“Thank you my Lord.”

“That will be all.”

Mary bowed low, and turned quietly to go. It seemed this particular grapefruit was rather sweet. I descended the steps, and Tony came to meet me at the bottom.

“What was that about?” he asked. I reached up to brush a stray leaf from his hair.

“We spoke of the sun, smiles and stray kittens. Nothing too entertaining.”

His brows furrowed but he did not comment on it.

“Riener. Why must you continue to be so predictable?” We both turned at the sound of Marcan’s voice, and watched as he descended the steps.

“Your home has been ravaged, yet here you are, frolicking in the gardens with the human.”

I gestured to the open land. “You are welcome to join us.” I said, and he pursed his lips in obvious disdain.

“Twice now you have disregarded father’s invitation. This is not the time to anger him.”

I grinned. “You disappoint me brother. How quickly you have slipped back into your cowardice. Were you not the one who conspired with me to end our father’s life? Now you have once again reverted to the role of his lapdog.”

I grabbed his hand when it was merely a hairsbreadth away from my face, and he howled in agony when I snapped his wrist.

“Do not test my patience Marcan.”

“Must you two always fight?” Came Peitre’s voice from atop the staircase. Jorlon appeared by his side not a moment later.

“Must you three always travel in a pack?” I asked, sidestepping Marcan, who was clutching the broken wrist so as to prevent it from setting badly.

Jorlon sighed. “Why do we still continue to bicker? I had believed we had formed a close bond during our recent travels.

“You speak as though we had gone on holiday.” Marcan gritted out. “You do what is necessary during war.”

“Riener’s blatant disregard of father’s invitation has made him furious. War or no war, we should band together.” Jorlon urged.

“Banding together certainly did not prevent Marcan from nearly murdering Noah. I have my doubts about whether it will make much of a difference going forward.” I said.

“I wish for peace.” Jorlon said. “I grow wary of these constant battles among us.”

“I agree. This is hardly the time for pointless banter. Riener, let us attend the meeting so that we may decide on a cause of action to help our people.”

“You are a fool if you believe that father intends to discuss our people at this meeting.” I said. “Do you not know him by now?”

“What is more important than the attack on our home?” Jorlon questioned in clear confusion.

“He believes that Kandane has betrayed us. His pride is no doubt bruised and that is the only thing he will have on his mind. Any efforts to help our people must be done on our own until he is in the frame of mind to see reason.” I said. “I am in no mood to discuss revenge today. I shall visit upon him on the morrow.”

“You are wrong.” Marcan countered. “This is a time of strive. He may be impulsive, but he is no fool.”

I chuckled because I could not help myself. “Go back to the dwelling Tony.” I told my mate. “I shall meet you there in a few short hours.”

Tony looked at each of us in turn and finally nodding. I met his eyes briefly, before he turned and left. When he was half way down the path, I turned back to the others.

“Lead the way.” I said, and though Marcan sneered, he turned to go, followed my Peitre. Jorlon, however, chose to walk alongside me. Every now and then he would glance at my face with a small frown.

“What is it Jorlon?” I questioned.

“You look strangely ill.”

“I am recovering.” I said simply and his frown deepened.

“Recovering from what?”

“Death apparently.” I replied, and walked ahead of him, thereby leaving him to stare on after me as though I were missing a fragment of my mind.

………………………………….

Father was already seated in the court with the special council when we arrived. He glanced up briefly when we entered and frowned when his eyes met mine. I smiled in greeting, and his eyes narrowed dangerously.

“Clear my right.” He commanded, and the blood-drinker seated to his right vacated his chair. Father gestured toward it, and I sat without a word.

“Your brothers have already given their reports on what occurred in the wolf camp. It is now time for a new plan of action.” He began.

“Would it be too bold of me to hope that this new plan of action involves settling the minds of our people who have lost their loved ones during the attack?” I asked, already knowing his answer.

“Nonsense. Kandane has made us fools before our own people and all those of our kind. I want him found and brought before me.”

“Then send your trusted warriors after him and let us discuss the more important issues.”

Father turned his full attention upon me and I met his gaze unflinching. “Death is no stranger to the warrior coven. The people will move past this as they do all things.”

“Had you walked through the streets and seen the looks on their faces, or felt the solemnity in the air, you would know that this is no simple grieving. We must make preparations for the families that have—”

“If you are set on continuing down this road, then you have no authority to speak here this day.” Father’s tone rung with finality.

I glanced at my brothers; each in turn, and none of them could meet my eyes.

“Your reaction is of course of no surprise to me father. Your pride will be your undoing.” I said.

When the bone-jarring slap came, I expected it, so as the bones in my my left cheek shattered and began to quickly heal, I turned my attention to my brothers. “Now do you understand?” I asked them, and no one offered a single reply.

                                                          AUTHOR’S NOTES

THANKS FOR READING!

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-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.

Chapter 59: Brother Dearest

Chapter 59

Tony

I left Rien to his family drama. I had no interest in getting involved in their politics, and frankly, it was too good a day to waste watching them argue. I made my way across the garden and batted away the yellow butterfly that came swirling around my head like I was in some fucking Disney movie.

Okay, I could admit that I was a little annoyed by his brothers’ sudden appearance. After all, ever since he’d plucked me from the Army I hadn’t exactly given him a chance, and on our one good day we still couldn’t find the time to get to know each other again.

I had no doubt that I had changed a great deal over the five years we’d spent apart, but this Rien wasn’t much different from the Rien I’d known before (as far as I could tell). His was a comforting presence. I liked that he was familiar. I liked that he was consistent and unchanging. I liked that he was the same man that I’d met so long ago on the dirty streets of my home town; the same man I’d spent days stalking because I’d looked into his eyes and had immediately fallen for what I had seen in them.

“Your smile looks very sinister.”

I glanced up when I saw Kaio coming down the path, and I pressed a hand to my cheek and rubbed. I hadn’t even realized that I was smiling.

“I’m contemplating all the ways I can conquer the world.” I told him with a chuckle, but of course, being Kaio, he took it seriously.

“Lord Riener shall be far too busy with the goings on of the coven to keep an eye on you while you attempt such an improbable feat.” Then he looked me up and down slowly. “In any event, I cannot imagine you getting very far with such plans. Many blood-drinkers, who are far less delicate than you, have tried and failed.”

I rolled my eyes. “I was kidding Kaio.”

He placed his hands behind his back when he reached my side, and turned to walk with me back the way he had come. “How was your traipse through gardens with my Master?”

“We didn’t get very far. “I told him. “So, pretty uneventful.”

“Yes, I have been made aware of the fact that he was summoned to a court meeting. There are busy days ahead.”

“Hmm.” Was my only reply.

“How come you’re not in that meeting? I thought your job was to stick to his side during all life altering events.” Yes, I was still annoyed…and a little bit snarky.

“Drudges are not welcome to court meetings.” He said simply, and I frowned.

“I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure you once told me weeks ago that you were headed to a court meeting.”

When I looked at him, he nodded. “Once in a while Lord Riener summons me to such meetings when he finds himself is in the mood to test his father’s patience.”

“Doesn’t that put you in the crosshairs?” I asked, and Kaio smiled, looking particularly pleased with himself.

“No lasting harm will come to me here, for our leader knows that once he takes such action against me, he will lose his hold over my Master.” I raised a brow and he continued. “It is what Lord Riener has threatened many a time in the past.”

I chuckled. “Is that why you walk around here acting so self important?”

“No. I think my confidence may have much to do with my mate.” He said.

“What do you mean?” We paused when we reached the end of the path, just behind Rien’s place.

“He grounds me. He makes me feel as though I am more than just a lowly drudge.”

“Ah.” I walked to the ledge that separated the back yard from another massive garden below, and Kaio followed. When I sat, swinging my legs over the ledge to face the garden, so did he.

“We are friends, are we not?”

I glanced at him and nodded. “Of course.”

“And friends do on occasion, grant each other favors, yes?”

Again I nodded. “Yeah.”

“Then will you do me the honor of granting me one small favor?”

“Anything.” I said, and when his small smile turned wide, I modified the statement “Within reason.”

Very well. Since your plans with Lord Riener has been interruption, and your day is now a blank slate, I wish for you to spend what time is left with Malik.“

“No.”

“You have already granted me this favor, and I am very certain that I have satisfied your one condition. Therefore, it must be done.”

I snorted. “I didn’t sign a damn contract Kaio.”

He frowned. “Have you no honor? An agreement between friends, binding or not, should be upheld for the sanctity of the friendship.”

“I’m the only friend you’ve ever had, how would you know how friendships work?”

“I do have a large helping of common sense.”

“I don’t trust your mate. I’m not about to spend the day with him.”

“You are my very best friend therefore you must grant me this request.”

I raised a brow in surprise. “Since when are we best friends?”

“I have decided that this is what you are to me. I have come to care for you as though you are family. Therefore, the title ‘friend’ will not suffice.” Kaio’s face turned tomato red as he cleared his throat and looked away.

“You’re a child. Do you know that?” I asked as I shook my head,

“Does this mean you will not do me this favor?” When he looked back at me, I couldn’t read his expression.

“My instincts are telling me to stay away from the guy.”

“No, you have simply set your mind against him since the very start and you are far too stubborn to change your thinking.”

I pressed two fingers to my temple and closed my eyes for a moment.

“Alright, I’ll do it.” I announced and Kaio beamed at me like a little kid at Christmas.

“He is still asleep. For whatever reason he has decided to wile away the day in bed today. So you must wake him and tell him of your plans. I shall of course accompany you both if you choose to walk about the coven… for protection.”

He stood. “Where are you going?” I asked him.

“I must inform the drudges that I may be indisposed for the day.” He said, but when he turned again to leave, my next words gave him pause.

“The last best friend I had betrayed me then ran off with his lover.”

Kaio turned back to me; his expression serious. “I am not Noah, but in any event, you should not begrudge him this, for he is merely in love, and when one is in love, he should be allowed to follow his heart.”

I watched him cross the yard and disappear through the back door of Rien’s place. I sighed.

It took me another thirty minutes before I finally got up to go in search of the man who called himself my brother. When I pushed open the door to Kaio’s room, I found him just as Kaio said; fast asleep in bed.

……………………….

I sat in the only chair by the window and watched him with a frown. There were no similarities between us that I could identify. Shouldn’t you instinctively know if someone should mean something to you? If he was really my brother, shouldn’t I feel something other than dislike and distrust when I look at him?

“Hey asshole.” I called loud enough to jostle him from his dream world. His eyes opened slowly, and he blinked once, twice, three times before he finally noticed me sitting in the chair across from him, and his head shot up from the pillow.

“Tony? He questioned in clear confusion, and I sighed.

“I’m leaving with or without you in ten minutes.” I said, and when his brows knitted deeper in confusion, I stood and left the room.

Exactly seven minutes later, when I was downstairs in the kitchen plucking grapes from the woven basket on the counter, he stepped in; face washed, and body clothed; though he looked like he’d done it in a hurry; if his rumbled clothes were anything to go by.

“What’s going on?” he asked as he stood watching me from his spot by the door.

I popped two grapes into my mouth and chewed carefully before responding.

“I’m doing Kaio a favor.”

He frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“Looks like we’re spending the day together brother .” I mocked, then brushed past him when he only stood there blinking at me.

When I stepped outside Kaio was already there. “What’s there to do around here?” I asked him, though I already knew the answer; nothing.

“You once wished to visit the arcade. Perhaps we can stop by.”

“Last time I wanted to go to there everyone was against it. Why now?”

“The coven is in mourning. It will be empty.”

I gestured ahead of us. “Then lead the way.” I said, and as Kaio took the lead, Malik fell instep beside me. he didn’t say a word, but every now and again, I’d spot him looking at me from the corner of my eye.

“I’m not about to start growing wings, if that’s what you’re waiting for.” I said the next time I caught him staring.

“I’m just surprised you’re doing this.” He said.

“Yeah well, you can thank your boyfriend for this, but I’m not about to make a habit out of it.”

Malik nodded. “Well I appreciate it anyway.”

I remained silent, and we made our way through the coven without a word. I chose to take in everything around me. I’d seen a great deal of the place already, but no matter how many times I walked through, it still had the power to fascinate me.

The coven was like a whole other world so it was hard to believe that such a large, uninterrupted place was somehow able to coexist alongside my world. The stone buildings that had aged well throughout the decades, the well-manicured grass and trees; even though I’d yet to see a single lawnmower, and the general cleanliness of the streets even though there was not a trash can in sight.

It was crazy to think that such a beautiful place was home to bloodthirsty monsters. Just as it had been earlier today, there weren’t many blood-suckers roaming about. In fact, since we’d set out, I’d glimpsed exactly one vampire robed in all black. The place was just dead and quiet; a far cry from how it had been just weeks before we’d left.

“How long will they officially be in mourning for?” I asked Kaio as we walked.

“Many more months to come.” He said. “Though in a matter of weeks we should see some change in this somber atmosphere.

“Do you think they’re going to retaliate?”

Kaio glanced back with a smile. “This is the warrior coven Tony. Retaliation is inevitable.”

“I thought the plan was to stay with the wolves a little bit longer. Why did you guys come back early?” this from Malik.

“Rien was attacked.” I said, and though I saw the surprise in Kaio’s eyes when he glanced back, he didn’t ask questions. Beside me, Malik frowned.

“By the wolves?” he asked in clear surprise.

“We don’t know.”

“He was attacked at the camp and you don’t know if it was the wolves?” he asked. I could hear the skepticism in his voice.

“It happened in the woods. We have our guesses but we can’t be sure. It was safer to come back here.”

Malik shook his head. “And here I thought human life was complicated. Everyday it’s something else with these people.”

“Regret searching for me already?” I said with a mocking grin, and he frowned.

“If I did I wouldn’t still be here.”

“If you say so.” I said, then a thought occurred to me, and I blurted it out just for the heck of it. “If you were trapped in a burning building and Kaio and I were hurt and you could only save one of us, which one would it be?”

“Tony.” Kaio warned with narrowed eyes, and I shrugged.

“You wanted us to bond Kaio, I’m just giving you what you want.” I feigned innocence.

“I’m not playing this game.” Malik said, and I took special note of his frown and grinned.

“He’d leave us both there to die Kaio.” I said with a chuckle. They sighed and shook their heads in unison. The sight of it was so strange that I couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m messing with you. I really couldn’t care less.” I told him, and it was the truth.

“Have you always been like this?” Malik questioned.

“Like what?”

“Cruel and cynical.” He shot back.

I genuinely thought about it for a while. “Yeah I think so.”

“So what, if it’s not Rien or Kaio, the rest of the world means nothing to you?”

I smiled and shook my head, but refused to answer.

“I’m right aren’t I? he asked. “You don’t even look at the rest of us. but Rien and Kaio can do no wrong.”

“Did you miss the part where Rien and I were at each other’s throats for weeks after I got here?”

“Pushing people away in a place like this is a bad idea.” He said, and something about his tone grated on my nerves.

“I’m pushing you away Malik. Just you, because something about you is off and I don’t trust a word that comes out of your mouth.”

“Why? because I didn’t tell you right away that we’re brothers or because in my search for you I ended up in the wrong army? Or is it something else?”

“Is there an option for all of the above and more ?”

“We have arrived.” Kaio announced, and I glanced up and realized for the first time that we were standing before two massive brown doors. Kaio pushed them open, and gestured for us to enter. As I passed him, he frowned down at me like a mother on the verge of scolding her child. I patted his shoulder and entered.

“Well shit.” Malik said when we were over the threshold. I could only agree with him.

“This doesn’t look anything like the other one.” I murmured to myself.

“What other one?” Malik’s question went unanswered as my eyes roamed the place.

“I’ve only seen weapons like these in history books.” I said as my eyes traveled along the stone walls which were lined off with ancient weapons.

I identified a few from World War I, but it was the ones from earlier times that held my interest; the primitive ones that were made of wood and stone.

“I thought vampires didn’t use weapons in war.”

“These were not used for war. These were merely for sport.”

I gestured to one weapon in particular that looked like the grim reaper’s scythe.

“You hacked each other’s heads off for sport?” I said mostly as a joke, but my smile slipped when Kaio nodded.

There were tables and chairs stacked against the walls and a large sand pit in the center of the room. I assumed it was where all the fighting happened. I took note of the large bar counter that stretched from one end of the room to the next, lined off with about fifteen stools in front of it. It wasn’t alcohol in those bottles behind the counter, of that I had no doubt.

“So you guys just fight each other here all day?” Malik asked. “And that’s fun for you guys?” he continued. Kaio nodded on both counts.

“I’m down for a good fight.” I announced. “I’ll choose the scythe as my weapon of choice.” I said with a wide grin. Malik rolled his eyes and picked up something from the table closest to him.

“How about a game of darts?” he asked and held up a dart for me to see. It took me awhile to find the dartboard hanging on the wall between a row of weapons.

“Alright.” I inspected the first one he handed to me. If was heavier than I was used to, and there was nothing modern about it. It looked like something that had come up from the berry gathering and loin cloth days, but it would have to do.

I gathered all the darts that were tied with blue strips of cloth and set them down on a table two feet away from Malik.

Kaio stood off to the side watching in silence, and Malik volunteered to go first. I’m sure it wasn’t exactly the bonding experience Kaio had been hoping for, since the game was played in complete silence, and neither of us was exactly interested in the outcome. For me, it was just a way to past the time.

Though I could admit, that by the end of it, I was starting to wonder if what Kaio had said earlier had been true. Was it really my instincts that were telling me to stay away or had I simply convinced myself that he was no good. I sighed.

Wasn’t this what I had always wanted? A brother for my very own. I glanced at him. He threw the dart and hit the bull’s-eye with ease, but it was clear he didn’t care one way or another.

“What are the odd’s that two brothers are gay?” I asked out of the blue. He looked at me as though he was surprised I’d said a word to him, then his brows furrowed, and he seemed to think about the question.

“I don’t know. The same as as when two sisters turn out to be straight I guess. Being gay isn’t exactly an anomaly.

I shrugged. “I guess.” When I threw the dart, it missed my intended target. “Could have used a gay big brother growing up though.” I said. “You wouldn’t imagine the hate I got for something I had no control over.”

“Malik shook his head. “Your mood changes are giving me a whiplash. Just five seconds ago you hated my guts.”

I shrugged. “I was just stating a fact.” I said. “And I don’t know you well enough to hate you. I just don’t trust you.”

“I’m not lying to you Tony. We are brothers. You were kidnapped from our backyard and I did search for you for years.”

“I believe that part.” I said.

His eyes widened. “You do?”

“Yeah. If you were lying about that Rien or Kaio would have figured it out easily enough. The heart’s a dead giveaway.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“I think there’s something you’re not telling us.”

“I think you’ve grown up always expecting the worst, so when someone you don’t know tells you the truth plain and simple, it’s hard for you to take it for what it is.” He responded.

“If it turns out I’m wrong I’ll be the first to admit it.”

“Then how do I convince you? You don’t seem particularly interested or open-minded.”

When it was my turn again, it hit the bulls-eye with a loud thud.

“Family don’t lie to each other, at least not when it counts.”

I laughed at the absurdity in his statement. “Have you met Rien’s family?”

The corners of his lips rose slightly, but his smile didn’t reach his eyes; if anything they looked somber.

“Our family wasn’t like that. Our parents weren’t like that.” He said so softly that I had to strain to hear him. This time when he threw, it missed altogether and fell to the floor.

I thought about the only parents I had ever known. I remembered their warmth. I remembered only good things about them; like huge hugs and wide smiles; kind eyes. I couldn’t even begin to reconcile who they were to who Malik was making them out to be. I’d been young when they had died, maybe too young to have decent judgment, but I found it hard to believe that those people who I’d held in my heart all my life had kidnapped me and raised me, for the most part, as their own.

I pulled out a stool and sat; giving up on the game entirely. Malik watched me; his eyes wary. The pictures I’d seen of him online in his expensive power suits had shown a confident, if not cocky, man; a man who knew exactly what he wanted and exactly how to get it. The man standing in my presence didn’t look the part.

He looked tired actually; tired and unsure. Why would a man of the world search me out and choose to stay in a place like this, Kaio or no Kaio, if he had a hidden agenda? If he really was hiding something, what could it possibly be?

“What do you hope to get out of this?” I asked then. He glanced at Kaio, and when Kaio gave no assistance, he looked back at me.

“I don’t follow.”

“Now that we’re ‘reunited.’ What is it that you expect?” I asked. He set down his dart on the scratched surface of the wooden table.

“I don’t know that I expect anything, but I was hoping I could gain a brother from all this. I was hoping that eventually…we’d get to know each other and become a family.”

I looked for all the cues that pointed to a lie and found none. I frowned.

“Let’s go for a walk. I want to show you something.” I said, stepping off the stool. Kaio’s eyes narrowed at my tone of voice, no doubt suspicious, but Malik was non the wiser.

I glanced at him when Malik turned and mouthed the words ‘play along’, before I followed his mate out the door.

The pond where Kaio had very nearly succeeded in giving me a heart attack so many weeks ago, was close by. It took us a short fifteen-minute walk to get there, and when we stood close to the edge, Kaio nodded at me in understanding.

It wasn’t fool-proof but if I had any hope of getting some answers from him this was it.

“Do not walk too close to the edge Mal.” Kaio called out, and Malik chuckled at his words.

“Yes mom.” He mocked.

“He’s serious.” I said. “This isn’t just some ordinary pond. It’s poisonous.”

This time he frowned, moving a step closer to the water and peering in. It was as clear as crystal, just as it has been the day Kaio had played this very trick on me.

“Rien told me that the poison is the reason it’s so clear.” I said. “Not to vampires , but to humans.”

Malik looked at me. “Then why is it here.” He practically recited the words I’d asked Kaio all those weeks ago.

“Look around.” I said. “Other than us, there aren’t any humans here, so of course they don’t care if it’s dangerous to humans.”

“What’s it poisoned with?”

I shrugged. “All I know is that it’s fast acting, so if it touches your skin, it quickly absorbs into the bloodstream and you’re dead almost instantly.”

This time Malik took a step back. “I almost made the mistake of stepping foot in there once. If Rien hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t be here right now. Apparently not even the blood of a vampire can compete with the poison. You’ll be dead in seconds.”

Malik glanced at Kaio who was standing several feet away; giving us space to talk , he’d said.

“He speaks the truth. Perhaps you should step away, love.” Kaio played along with the ruse, but before Malik could move a muscle, I grabbed the collar of his shirt and shoved him onto the concrete rim of the pond. He fell to the ground; landing awkwardly on his arm, but received no injuries. I braced a knee in his abdomen and clamped a hand over his throat.

“Stay right where you are Kaio.” I shouted. “We both know that I can dunk him into this water faster than it would take you to save him!”

“Tony do not do this.” Kaio said, and when all this was done I would praise him on his acting skills. He somehow managed to sound the way a worried lover should.

“Tony what are you doing?” Malik coughed out. He clutched at my wrist with his one free hand, but I didn’t break my hold. He would bruise, but at least he could breathe.

At the angle I held him, his head was poised over the water. His eyes bulged when he realized his predicament, and he sunk his nails into my wrist, trying to break my hold. I didn’t budge.

“You think I give a shit about what happens to you?” I began. “If it touches your skin, you’re a dead man, so stop fighting me.” I gritted out when his sharp nails began to draw blood.

“Don’t.” he gasped when I pushed his head even closer to the water. The back of his head was now only inches away.

“Tony Please!” Kaio shouted. He was sitting on the grass now, legs stretched out before him as he watched it play out. He was nowhere near Malik’s line of site.

“Answer me honestly and you’re free.” I said simply. By now Malik’s brow was dotted with sweat. I could feel his pulse racing under my hands. “What are you hiding?”

“Nothing I swear.” He gasped out. I frowned.

“I don’t care if you’re Kaio’s mate.” I said in that steely voice I only reserved for my subordinates in the army. “I’ll be doing him a fucking favor as far as I’m concerned.”

“Tony think about what you are doing. Mal is here under no negative pretenses.” Kaio shouted over again.

“You move a muscle and you’ll fall.” I told him quietly. Just tell me what I need to know.“

There was no real pressure on his neck, I merely held him down, but his fear had him frozen beneath me.

“You’re my brother. That’s why I came. I swear to God.”

“I was in the army for five years. You’d be amazed by the things I’ve learned to do in that time.” I continued. There was no hiding the real fear in his eyes as they darted toward the water and back. “Don’t think anything changed because you claimed to be my brother. You’re a stranger to me and I don’t trust you.”

“I swear I’m not lying.” His voice shook as he tried to convince me. “I searched for you, I found you, I fell in love with Kaio. All of it’s true Tony. I would never—”

“Last chance asshole.” I said, shoving him closer to the water. This time he shouted and his hand shot out to latch onto my shoulder. I reached a hand up and pried it off. He gasped and as his body began slipping, his legs kicked out, searching desperately for something to hold.

“Tell me the truth.” My eyes met his, and I saw the genuine terror in them, but when he spoke his next words I saw no deceit in them.

“I swear. I swear. I swear. Please.” I sighed, and released him. He went over the edge with a shout. I watched him flail in the shallow pond for about a second before he righted himself and ran like a man on fire and pulled himself over the ledge, and onto the grass below.

I stepped aside when Kaio reached out a hand to pull him from the ground. It took him about thirty seconds of jumping around like a madman, trying flash the water off his body before he realized he hadn’t actually been poisoned.

I saw the moment his fear turned to rage and he was in front of me in a flash. His fist smashed into my mouth without warning, and I did nothing to stop it because the truth was, I deserved it.

I was an asshole, and apparently he’d been telling the truth. That, or he had balls of steal and could lie even in the face of certain death.

I fell to the ground, and I had expected him to come at me again, but he didn’t. Instead, he dropped himself next to me in the grass; face to the sky, hand over his heart and panted.

“You’re a fucking asshole, you know that?” he panted. I nodded, reaching up a hand to touch my bloodied split lip. Luckily I still had all my teeth.

“I had to be sure.” I said, rolling onto my back as well.

“Are you fucking sure now?” he glanced over at me with a glare.

“Like…ninety percent.” I said with a grin, then groaned because grinning did nothing to help my current condition.

“I love the smell of fresh blood in the evening.”

Jorlon’s face appeared over me, blocking out half the sky, and we both scrambled up from the ground in surprise.

“Is this how you spend your free time?” Another voice boomed, and this time when I glanced up, it was to see Rien sitting on a bench watching us with a frown; though his eyes gave away his amusement.

Jorlon looked us up and down. “You realize that a pond is not made for swimming. Do you not?”

We ignored him, and Malik shot Kaio a dirty look when his mate moved to stand next to him.

“You were in on it.” He accused, and Kaio nodded.

“I very quickly caught on to his plans. I decided to allow him his chance so than we could prove to him that you are hiding nothing.” He explained. “And now he believes.”

“Ninety percent.” I called back.

“I will never understand the ways of humans.” Jorlon commented. I watched as he made his way over to the bench and sat beside Rien. A stray leaf from a tree high above him, fell into his lap the moment he sat, and he crushed in his fist.

“How long have you guys been sitting there?” I asked, dabbing my lip with the tail end of my shirt.

“It was quite a spectacular performance, I must say.” Jorlon continued. “I particularly enjoyed the scene when you told him about the skills you had honed in your Army. Quite entertaining.”

I rolled my eyes, and Rien stood. It took him four quick strides to reach my side, and then he was tipping my head back to inspect my lip.

“I’m fine.” I batted his hand away, but he latched onto my chin anyway, and I stood waiting in annoyance as he finished his inspection.

Satisfied I wasn’t about to die from one weak punch to the face, he released me.

“Is the meeting over?” I asked.

“In a manner of speaking.” He replied.

“True to form, Riener insulted our father, and in a fit of anger, we were all banish from his sight.” Jorlon finished his report with a dramatic sigh

“So what happens now?” I asked him.

“My father is a fool. I will simply do what I can for my people.”

“We should have slaughtered him when we had the chance.” Jorlon mumbled to himself.

Malik and I both groaned.

                                                          AUTHOR’S NOTES

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