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Tears of the Fallen Ch. 01

By: JazCullen



 Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, May 2013 bring you much joy and happiness! :)

To new readers...please visit my Lit Bio to find the order list to read these stories in. This is a continuation on previous stories and will be hard to follow otherwise. Tears of the Fallen begins right where Hearts of Warriors ends, so it is best to read the other stories first.

To my established readers...are you back here again???? ;) tehehehehe. Rubbing hands anticipating all the name calling, shrieks of disblief, tales of laughter and also of tears. Welcome aboard for another rollercoaster ride. Please feel free to comment/abuse/threaten bodily harm... etc etc etc. You know I love hearing from you. LOL!!!!

Enjoy! 

*

Caleb stared down at Rhianna, seeing confusion in her eyes but unable to separate the actions of the vampire queen from his mate. What she had done...it would rock their society to its very core and more importantly, it would place them all in danger and played right into the hands of the paranoia surrounding the European vampires. She had stripped a vampire of their immortality! Dear God, the repercussions of that one act would change everything.

The noise had receded within the room until the only sound was Reasa's weeping, but even that had faded to a subdued moan. Caleb tried to gather his thoughts, tried to look past the events and think of how to start trying to repair the damage that had been done. He had to put his personal feelings to the side until he had time to think about it.

"Caleb?" Rhianna whispered his name once more and he couldn't answer her. Inside, everything was locked down and despite the plea in her voice, he couldn't bring himself to reach for her to give her comfort. He knew he was in shock. They all were. He knew his emotions would kick in but for now, he couldn't feel anything. Long, dormant instincts surfaced and the man he had once been pushed for dominance. He refused to give in to Callain, but it was enough to spur him into action.

"Demetri, take Rhianna home and stay with her. Don't let anyone other than myself or Gard into the mansion. Ensure you have adequate backup. If anyone doesn't like it, tell them they can speak to me."

The coldness of Caleb's tone stirred a slow, burning anger deep within Gard. He knew the enormity of Anakatrine's justice would have major repercussions, however, Caleb's reaction to his sister wasn't something he could accept. For too many years she had been his to protect, and though so much had changed since then, his instincts kicked in. 

Gard turned to Rayne, his eyes troubled. "Do you have this?" His kept his voice low as his gaze flickered from his mate to his son, who, for once, didn't have a mocking smile on his face as he stared at Liam and Reasa. 

She followed his gaze, a frown marring her brow. "Go do what you need to. I'll take care of Kothari." She understood his dilemma. Caleb's detachment, and the way he was looking at Annie, was frightening. Her mate had spent his life protecting his sister and the need to do that was ingrained into him. He had to decide who needed his protection the most and, at the moment, that person was Rhianna.

Gard felt his heart swell as he looked into Rayne's deep green eyes and saw complete understanding there. She was perfect for him and that was why life or nature had bonded them together. He stroked her cheek gently, his eyes expressing everything he wanted to say. "I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered, rising on tiptoes to brush her lips against his briefly, before pulling back. "Go protect Annie. Keep her safe. We all need her."

He turned and moved over to his sister, cutting Demetri off as he approached with Mara. It seemed inconceivable that the tension in the room could get any higher but it did as Gard positioned himself between Rhianna and the other vampires. "Annie comes with me, Caleb, and no one else. When reason returns, we'll discuss this more, but until then, you stay away from her. You and all those who follow you." He heard Demetri hiss but he ignored him, his lavender gaze never wavering from the Ancient vampire.

Caleb's eyes remained cold, though inside, he felt his rage ratchet up another few notches at Gard's defiance. Did he really believe he would allow anyone to harm Rhianna, including himself? He may be struggling to come to terms with today's events, but the whole purpose of sending his mate home with the person he trusted most in the world was solely for her protection. His fury escalated. "You dare presume I would allow harm to come to her?"

"I don't know what you're thinking right now, Caleb, and until I do, Annie stays with me. You want to come through me to get to her then go ahead. You want to finish the job Thereasa started and cause civil war among all you love, then be my guest because I am not backing down. This is not open to discussion." His words were resolute and everyone in the room automatically tensed, waiting for the explosion to happen.

"I'm leaving with Gard." Rhianna's quiet words had all eyes turning to her. Her face was pale, her expression so neutral it was surprising. She was usually so animated, so full of smiles and laughter. Now her expression was blank, her eyes devoid of all emotion as she looked first to her mate and then to Demetri and Mara.

Her friend was close to tears, clearly feeling the strain of the events. Mara held a hand out to her. "Annie, we would never hurt you," she whispered, pain in each word. 

Demetri was scowling, fury dancing in his green eyes as he tried to skewer Gard with his gaze. To say he was livid was an understatement. Everything that had happened stunned him, but what stunned him the most was Caleb's reaction to it. Even as he was angry at Gard's implication, he could also understand it because he was concerned about Caleb's state of mind too. "Listen to Mara, Annie. You know you are family. You know I would die for you."

A sad smile crossed the petite redhead's face as she regarded them solemnly. "I know, Demetri. I do not fear for my safety with you and Mara. I never have and I never will. No, I will leave with Gard because it's the right thing to do." Her gaze slid to Liam cradling Reasa and her smile saddened more as she stared at them. "We all need time to come to terms with what has happened and how we are going to move forward. We need more than time. We need space too. I will be safe with Gard."

Her gaze turned back to Caleb who was watching impassively. His expression remained closed, only the slight tightening of his mouth an indication that he didn't agree with what was happening. He had never looked at her so coldly and pain engulfed her as she watched him. Anakatrine had done what was required, and, in doing so, it appeared she had destroyed something that everyone had believed unbreakable. 

"When the time is right, you will know where to find me, Caleb."

His lips tightened further, his golden brown eyes narrowing. "Still you defy me, insult me by implying I would harm you or allow harm to come to you. Your lack of trust is staggering, Rhianna."

Trying hard not to flinch at his tone, she met his gaze levelly. "As is yours, my mate." There really wasn't anything further to say, so she turned to Gard, threading her hand through his proffered arm. Rafe's anxious gaze met hers and she tried to give him a reassuring smile, knowing he was as torn as all the rest of them.

"Annie?" There was a hint of her brother in the word but, mostly, it was the Alpha of the Armand-Hanlon pack who spoke.

"She has three souls to heal, Rafe. Guard her well and find forgiveness in your heart. I know you can do it, I have faith in you. I have always had faith in you."

The big man moved, coming to stand before his sister, concern on his face. "Where will you go? Will you be okay? You can come to the pack any time you need to, Annie. You know that, don't you?" He was afraid for her, his natural protective instincts kicking in even though he feared the repercussions of the day's events.

The smile she gave him was a little stronger than the last one as she moved to give him a hug. His arms pinned her tightly to him in a crushing embrace. "I know, brother mine," she whispered. "Don't worry, I'll be in touch soon. Just guard her, Rafe. Please, do that for me or all of this will have been for nothing and hearts will have been broken needlessly."

There was so much emotion in her words, so much pain leaking through her tough mask. Rafe tightened his hold, feeling every ounce of misery she was experiencing. His Annie was trying so hard to remain strong but underneath she was crying, her heart breaking at Caleb's coldness. "I will, Annie, I promise I will." He couldn't deny her some solace, even as he wondered just how he was going to keep his word to her. So many wanted Thereasa's death for her actions. Keeping her safe within the pack would not be an easy thing.

Rhianna moved away from him, once more turning to Gard for support. He was there in an instant, flanking her small frame, keeping a barrier between her body and the vampires.

"If you do this..."

"Don't, Caleb." Rhianna's quiet words halted the Ancient vampire as he began to speak, though she didn't turn to look at him. "Don't say anything now that can't be unsaid." She held her breath, afraid he would continue and say the words that would surely break them forever.

He was silent for a long moment, his amber eyes boring into her back. Finally, he swallowed hard and his cold eyes met Gard's. "If any harm comes to her I will personally rip you limb from limb and to hell with the consequences."

Cool lavender eyes met his, a sardonic expression crossing the Guardian's face. "Really, Caleb? You feel the need to say that? I failed my sister once when I left her in your care. Remember? I will never fail her again, which is why she comes with me now. You've already killed her once, Callain. You will never have the opportunity to kill her again." He watched the barb hit home and the smile he gave the Ancient held no warmth. Caleb was intent on destroying what Gard loved and his allegiance was firmly with his sister. He would do everything within his power to protect her.

Without another word, Gard ushered Rhianna from the now silent room, ignoring all he passed on the way out. He could tell how distraught she was by the fact she didn't protest, merely let him lead until they were outside. The front yard was full of Praetorians, Karn looking up from a fallen male lying on the grass. His pale blue eyes tracked them as they headed towards one of the waiting Jeeps.

"No, Gard, I need to be outside," Rhianna whispered, pulling away and glancing back towards the house. Large tears welled up in her eyes as she stared forlornly at the place where her heart lay. Her defences were crumbling and she needed to get away quickly. Turning on her heel, she took off running as if all the shades of hell were behind her, racing into the waiting tree line.

Her brother followed her, long auburn hair flying in the wind as he raced beside Rhianna, matching her pace silently as she tried to work through her emotions. Any tears that may have fallen evaporated in an instant, but he could feel her heartbreak through their bond and his own pain reached out to join hers.

She took the most difficult path, weaving into the most densely populated trees. He had to react fast to stop the branches whipping and tearing into her skin. Rhianna appeared oblivious, or maybe she wanted the branches to flail the skin from her bones, as if somehow this was to be her penance for her actions. He couldn't allow that to happen, though, so he shielded her as they ran.

She never faltered, never stopped until she reached the border. Only then did she halt her forward movement, staring across the wide Lake Huron, her frantic eyes darting in all directions.

"Annie, where are we going?" He stood close but not touching her. He was afraid if he touched her again she would hare off in another direction. It took everything in him to stand quietly at her side and wait for her response.

"I don't know, Gard," she finally whispered. "I don't know anything anymore except that I need to get away as far as I can." Tortured eyes turned to his and he felt his heart break that little bit more at the agony he read on her face. He reached out, pulling her tightly into his arms, trying to ease some of the misery he saw.

"My Annie doesn't run away, no matter what," he breathed into her hair. "So, we are going to take a few days out, just to gather your thoughts and then we're going to address this and work out how to fix this. Okay?" He injected as much confidence as he could into his words, knowing they had a mountain to climb to fix things.

"What did I do, Gard? How could I let Anakatrine do that to Thereasa, knowing what it would do to Caleb and me? He warned me. We argued before we got to the compound. He was already showing discontent with Anakatrine's influence, and I still gave over control to her knowing it could be the end of us. How could I hurt him like that?" Rhianna's voice broke, the weight of what she'd done beating down on her. A loud sob escaped, followed by another and then another as her legs buckled and he was all that was holding her up.

Gard held his sister close as her emotions overwhelmed her, the sobs turning into broken cries as if shards of glass were tearing at her. His own tears fell unhindered, his helplessness to do anything to help her frustrating him and breaking his heart. He hated to see her like this, to hear her pain filling the air around them and floating over the calm waters of the lake. If he could have done something, he would have, but all he could do was hold her as she wept brokenly.

They stood together by the water until Rhianna finally quietened, a few hiccups echoing around them as she slowly calmed. When he was sure the worst of this moment of grief was over, he began to speak, telling her of a time long past that he had never shared before.

"You are not the first to perform that spell, Annie. When you were but a babe in arms, our mother was put in a similar position when one of her own broke a law so taboo it could not be left unpunished." He paused, his mind sliding into the past. "The funny thing is, I couldn't tell you what that law was, but I can remember the punishment clearly. I knew what you planned to do at the compound and felt the same sense of foreboding as I did when our mother exacted her justice."

His words captured her attention and Rhianna pulled herself up a bit straighter. Her heart felt as if it was in a million pieces and she missed Caleb's touch so much. Their bond was still closed to her, though it was open on her side. It was he who didn't want to be with her and that was hard to take. She could feel another wave of melancholy threatening and she forced it away to listen to her brother's words. "What happened? Why did I never know of this?"

Gard shot her a rueful smile, moving to find a spot on the grass to sit down and waiting for her to do the same. "Mother forbade me from telling you. She didn't want you practising the spell. The vampire's name was Elijah and he was one of Mother's closest confidants. I think they may have been lovers but I was too young to be certain of that. Elijah did something and the punishment was to strip him of his immortality."

Gard frowned, relieving the memory as he spoke. It had been worse than what had happened at the compound, and most likely, what led later to the newly formed first Vampire Council rising up and murdering Anakatrine and Callain three millennia ago. The display in power that day, the knowledge the vampire queen exhibited, it had been too much for the rest of them to accept.

"It was different to what you did, Annie." His frowned deepened. "I think maybe something went wrong when Mother did it, because he didn't show signs of the same distress Thereasa did. Maybe that was down to gender, I don't know. Something tells me there was a difference though, having seen the spell performed a second time. Elijah did smell human after the event, I remember that. "

Rhianna's curiosity was piqued and she listened avidly. It had been so long since she had heard tales of her Mother. Gard hadn't spoken of her since he'd come back into her life. "How did Mother deal with it?"

A shadow crossed her brother's face and he turned grim. "She was pretty much like you at first, consumed with guilt for her actions. Elijah was led away from our nation, and cast off to fend for himself for however long he had left to live. Whatever happened to him, no one knows, as he was never seen again. Mother, on the other hand, became withdrawn after the event, distrusting most of her previous advisors. It was as if she couldn't get over the fact she had been betrayed by someone she loved so much. "

Rhianna frowned, wrapping her arms around herself as she stared across the water. She knew what came next; he had explained it to her when she was a little girl. "Is that why she did what she did, Gard?"

Her brother reached across, pulling her tightly to his side as his own memories threatened to overwhelm him. "I believe so, Annie. I think she just couldn't accept what happened and that was why she built a pyre in secret and chose to leave the world forever."

She was slightly divorced from the pain of their mother's suicide, Anakatrine feeling the impact that bit more and she wasn't in attendance. However, it didn't stop more tears gathering in her eyes as she mourned a woman she barely had any memories of, but whose death left a scar on her heart. She had been three when her mother died and Gard had taken over her upbringing. It was ironic that in this incarnation, a similar incident had occurred to leave her in Rafe's care, only this time her parents' death had been an accident.

How events mirrored each other, the web of the past crossing millennia to influence the future. Rhianna wept for a mother she never knew, knowing that she hadn't loved her children enough to live. It was the major reason she had never spoken to Caleb about the secret knowledge she now harboured deep within. Keeping secrets from her mate hadn't sat well with her and for the last week she'd been mulling over when she would tell him. It would appear it was a moot point now anyway. Caleb had made it plain he did not want to be with her again.

Scrubbing at her face, Rhianna stood, turning to look down at Gard. He was watching her intently and she gave him a brief smile. "Thank you for telling me. It will make processing this a bit easier. I've decided where I want to go." She pointed to the left.

"Toronto?" Gard quirked an eyebrow at her in surprise.

"Lots of people. It will be easy to get lost in the mix until I've worked out a plan."

He shrugged and nodded his head in agreement. If she wanted to go to Toronto then that was where they were going. "You intend to run there or can we buy a car?"

"A car will be fine." She looked over the lake once more, wondering what had happened to her mother's lover, Elijah. In that time, death was around every corner, which was why so many chose the life as a vampire to survive. At least Thereasa was not alone and had others to protect her. Liam and Rafe would keep her safe. She took comfort in that.

As they turned to head back towards civilisation, Rhianna sighed as another memory crossed her mind, one of Anakatrine's. "Do you think we made the wrong choice coming to the new country, Gard? If we had stayed in Europe centuries ago, do you think events would have been different?"

He echoed her sigh, walking closely at her side. "Northern America is so powerful now. Having an enemy here at our backs may have been a worse position to be in than we are now. Europe is fragmented, therefore easier to deal with. As soon as you've decided what you're going to do and I'm confident in your safety, Rayne and I will go over to Europe and find out what the hell is going on."


Tears of the Fallen Ch. 01



She nodded her agreement though she wasn't thrilled they would be going. It was necessary though, so they knew what they were dealing with. Testing her link with Caleb, she found it still closed. "Do you think Caleb is right, that I've changed so much that Anakatrine will take over for good?"

Gard stopped walking, frowning at the question. He chose his words carefully. Despite being livid with Caleb, he respected him as his King, and loved him as his Sire. "I can never be sorry to see Anakatrine. For so long she was the only thing in my life, mine to protect and love like the very air I breathed. I knew her better than Callain ever did, and I know that while there may be times she's required, she knows this is your life, Annie. 

He reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "She only wants to help you when things become too difficult for your compassionate nature. The problem isn't with Anakatrine, it's with Caleb and Callain. You were right when you accused him of lacking balance. Caleb is such a strong personality he's afraid Callain will become the dominant part and he's projecting that onto you. When he learns to listen to his past self and see that Callain doesn't want to take over, he will find balance and be able to understand the same applies with you."

"How long do you think that will take?" Rhianna's words broke off in a wave of misery.

Gard gathered her to his side, keeping his eyes firmly ahead. "Soon, Annie. I have never seen any two people more suited to be with one other. You've crossed millennia to attain that end. Caleb just needs a little more time." 

*****

Caleb stared at the door as Rhianna and Gard vanished from sight. The rage within burned brightly and he couldn't find a way to dampen it down enough to be concerned that his mate was drifting further and further away. He knew the concern was there, it had surfaced enough that he'd pushed at Gard to keep Rhianna safe, however, the emotion was lacking. Any emotion other than fury was lacking.

Around him, he could hear the pack moving quietly, starting to come out of the shock of what they'd witnessed. Thereasa was silent, Liam's low voice whispering to the human. His antipathy towards the woman was still strong but how could he execute her now? She wasn't a vampire anymore and killing humans was frowned upon. If he continued to try to push for justice, Gard's words would come true, and there would be civil war and she would have won. 

Rafe moved to Liam. "Take her to my Jeep. We'll be there shortly." His gaze turned to Caleb, waiting to see what his reaction would be. He'd promised Annie he would keep the woman safe. He meant to keep that promise. 

Their eyes connected and a long moment passed before the vampire gave a slight nod. The Alpha managed to contain his sigh of relief. It would appear they were not about to go to war with the vampires today. He deemed it prudent to get his people back to the pack as soon as possible. "We're going home."

The Vârcolac appeared to move as one, all coming to flank Liam as he rose gracefully for one of his huge size, Thereasa cradled tenderly in his arms. The woman was limp though conscious, her eyes glazed as if in another place. She put up no struggle being in Liam's arms, lying against his wide chest as if resting against an immovable object.

"If you hear from Annie...?" Rafe let his words trail off.

"I'll let you know." Caleb turned away from him, ignoring the Weres as they left the house. His thoughts were now firmly centred on how to minimise the damage of what had happened. He knew the Weres would remain silent but there were many vampires present today. Demetri and Mara could be trusted, but there were younger Praetorians affected by Liam's loss of control.

Demetri watched his friend with narrowed eyes. He was concerned for Caleb, concerned what this rift with Rhianna would mean for him, not only personally, but also for the rest of their people. If Caleb didn't get a resolution soon, who knew what would happen. "Mara, can you give us a moment?"

It was clear his mate wasn't happy about the prospect but she nodded and brushed her lips against his briefly. "Don't be doing anything stupid now. I like that head firmly where it is."

Her response was enough to bring a smile to his face, and he deepened their kiss, his body naturally reacting to her pull. "Would I be stupid?" he laughed, giving Mara a reassuring hug before releasing her reluctantly. "I won't be long."

Demetri waited until she had left before his glacial gaze rounded on his friend.

Caleb could see the fury in Demetri's eyes, but wasn't willing to hear what he had to say. Holding up a hand, he halted his friend's words before they could leave his mouth. "Don't think about going there." 

The expression of disbelief that crossed the other man's face was almost comical. "You really think that's going to work on me after all these years, Caleb? It might work on others but never me; we've come too far for that. What the fuck is going on here? What's all this crap with Annie? How could you just let her go off with Gard like that? If the Council finds out what happened here today, you know her life will be in danger. "

"Of course, I know that!" Caleb hissed, his eyes glowing amber in his fury. "I have to get this fucking nightmare nailed down tight before they find out about it. Protecting Annie at the same time will only distract me and I can't have that right now. She'll be safer with Gard for the moment."

"And then what?" Demetri persisted, his own fear for Annie making him feel helpless, which in turn, pissed him off. "The way you're treating her is wrong, Caleb. Of all of us, you and Annie are the heart of all that is right with the changes happening to our people. If you break...not just you, but Anakatrine and Callain too, where does that leave the rest of us? Everything that has happened the last quarter of a century, you pushed us into it kicking and screaming for our own good. Are you going to throw all that away?"

Demetri's words broke the fragile control he still possessed. Caleb spun around, picked up a chair and tossed it across the room to crash into the fireplace. He let out a loud roar, his fury finally erupting, as he picked up another and it joined the broken pieces in a pile. How could she do this to him? How could she defy him, and throw everything they had away? Rhianna was the other half of his soul. She made him who he was, tempered the monster within, soothed the beast on the rare moments he surfaced. Now she was gone and the monster ruled because the man couldn't face the fact that he may have just lost the most precious thing in his life. The rage within was everything, blinding hot fury flowing like molten lava in his veins.

Caleb gave vent to his fury, his talons shredding fabric as he systematically took the room apart. He wasn't aware that he was crying as he carved chunks out of the wall with a broken lamp. He wasn't aware of the animal sounds issuing from his throat as he wreaked havoc. All he was aware of was that his Annie was gone and he didn't know where she was. 

He had let her go, left her protection to another. He had let Gard just walk away with his mate and did nothing to stop it! If anything happened to Annie...he couldn't finish the thought. If he tried to, he was afraid of what may happen.

"Temper tantrum over?" Demetri's coldly amused words seeped into his brain and he came to his senses, surveying the carnage in the room. The living room was like a war zone. There wasn't one piece of furniture intact and half of the wall at the fireplace was full of holes. Mac was going to be pissed. Thankfully, none of the Praetorians had ventured in to see what was going on. He may have hurt them if they had. 

Turning, he saw his friend leaning casually against the doorway, well out of harm's way. His body language was nonchalant though he knew Demetri was alert underneath, ready to move if he were to lose it completely and attack him. 

Taking a deep breath, Caleb reined in his feral side. It was difficult but he managed it eventually. It was as if allowing his vampiric side to work out some of the rage had permitted some reason to return. 

As he slowly calmed down, he felt the weight of sorrow he'd been hiding from. He ached inside, wanted Rhianna to be close, and missed her terribly. However, he knew they needed some space; that he needed to work through all the emotions he was suppressing before that could happen. He needed to find some balance and the best way to do that was to work on protecting his mate first from the Council, and to deal with the aftermath of events later when he was calmer. Taking control of situations always helped to balance him.

"We need to keep this quiet, Demetri."

His friend relaxed, standing up straight as relief flowed through him. The coldness was dispelling from Caleb's expression, a hint of normalcy returning. For a while, he'd been concerned that Caleb would cross over completely and he'd have to intervene. However, it appeared his friend had pulled himself back from the brink. "The Praetorians won't talk. I'm fairly certain of that. Mac and Karn will be able to contain any potential issues here. "

He crossed the room to stand before the other Ancient, stepping over the broken furniture. "Annie?"

Caleb sighed, running a hand wearily through his hair. "We'll work through this somehow. She's my world, Demetri. I can't be without her, but I just can't be with her right now. I know you don't understand that. Hell, I can't understand it myself. I long for her and yet when she's here I want to throttle her. Not Annie, but Anakatrine, if that makes any sense?"

His friend rolled his eyes, exasperation written across his face. "No it doesn't, because they're the same person in my eyes. You're the only one who seems intent on making the distinction, my friend. When you can see that...maybe, you'll come to your senses and end this foolishness. I only hope there will be something to salvage by the time you get there."

Content that disaster had been averted for now, Demetri spun on his heels and headed out to find Mara. He was concerned for Caleb but also angry with him. The heart of the vampire nation was missing, and only Caleb could return it to them. Now if he would only stop pissing about and get on with it.

Caleb scrubbed his face tiredly, following Demetri from the ruined room to get started on damage control. He knew his friend was frustrated with him. He could understand it but he couldn't bring himself to go looking for Rhianna yet. He wasn't sure he had enough control to react rationally at the moment, but soon. Being apart from his Annie was not going to be easy, for either of them. The sooner things could be fixed; the better it would be for everyone. He only hoped there was something left to fix when he did finally go looking for her.

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 02



 Thank you for the wonderful welcome back for the first chapter of Tears. You guys #rock!!! As mentioned before, this is the 7th story in a series so please visit my Bio for the list of order to read if you're new to the FTI world.

As always, my grateful thanks to Mikothebaby for her editing assistance :)

Enjoy! 

*

The air was subdued as they arrived back at the Armand-Hanlon Pack. Rafe drove into the main compound first, his mate, Lacey, at his side, with Liam and Reasa in the back seat. As the trees parted to open up into a wide, circular enclosure, the Alpha had a split second to decide where he was going to stop.

His large three-storey house was set a bit higher and off to the right of the compound, but he continued forward until he stopped at the two-storey dwelling that belonged to Nors and Ashleigh. It was Liam's home and from the way the redheaded Vârcolac was holding onto the woman in his arms, it was clear that he wasn't going to be willing to part from her. The man in Rafe could understand that because he would never allow anyone to come between him and his mate. For the Alpha -- he didn't need the additional headache.

Rafe was concerned on so many different levels. He was bringing a woman into his pack who had come here with the intent to murder the Vârcolac. His wolf wanted her gone and the pack protected at all costs. Convincing him that she was no longer a physical threat was easy, it was convincing his wolf that she wasn't an emotional threat that was the problem, because she was on so many levels.

Thereasa was responsible for the damaged vampire currently secluded in Andrei and Loretta's home, just two doors down. She was responsible for his torture, his scars, both physical and emotional, and his life almost being lost. Rafe had granted sanctuary to Pietro de la Rios so he could hopefully one day heal from his nightmares. Now he was bringing the instrument of that ordeal into his compound and that weighed heavy on the Alpha's mind.

The other issue was what she represented to the vampire/were alliance. The harmony they had spent so many years working to foster and improve was now significantly damaged with the events that had occurred up at the Praetorian compound. The pack had sided against the vampires and he was sure that wouldn't be something they would forget in a hurry. Keeping Reasa safe from any possible vampire justice placed the pack in danger of a possible attack. Rafe didn't think it would come to that but he had to consider all options.

Then there were the personal issues that affected the Alpha. He had given his word to his sister and he was determined not to let her down. The urgency in her eyes as she asked for his promise told him that keeping the human woman safe was critical, though he knew not why. Annie had protected his pack for decades, taking each member into her heart and loving them the only way she knew how, wholeheartedly. He couldn't refuse her request. He had to protect her and hiding away the evidence of what she had now become was one way of doing that.

Turning his head, he met Lacey's pale green eyes and saw the unspoken concern in them. His beautiful mate was being so brave, putting the needs of the pack before her own fear and he couldn't love her any more than he did right then. The final personal issue that sent fear running through his soul was wrapped up with his mate and the lives they had created together. 

No one knew that Lacey was pregnant. They had intended to announce to the pack soon but events had overshadowed that. Now his children were inadvertently placed at risk by Liam's emotional outburst at the Praetorian Compound and they had no idea if their fragile minds had been damaged. Liam had affected strong, vampiric minds when he lost control. God only knew what impact that burst of emotional backlash would have on tiny unborn minds. The Alphas would have to speak to Mallen about it, but for the moment, they held their peace.

Liam's empathy had always held him hostage. When things calmed down a bit, the guilt over what had happened would be hard for him to come to terms with. There was no telling how he would react if he discovered he had harmed his Alphas' babies. For the moment, the Vârcolac's mental shields were holding strong. Rafe didn't want the pack put at risk if Liam should lose control again so soon after the last time. 

He leaned over and placed a comforting hand on Lacey's thigh, giving her a gentle squeeze. Her hand covered his and it broke his heart to feel the tremor running through her. "It will be okay, honey. Everything will be okay, I promise." 

Tears welled up in her eyes and she quickly swallowed and blinked them away. Her mental voice was strong as she answered his private communication. "Let's get Liam and the rest of the pack settled. We can consult with Mallen once we've done that."  

Rafe's pride in his mate knew no bounds and he couldn't have stopped himself from kissing her in that moment. He caught her lips with his, showering her with his love, both physically and mentally. He reluctantly pulled back as the door to the house in front of them flew open and Ashleigh Bryant flew out.

Rafe and Lacey climbed out of the Jeep as the small blonde hurried towards them, concern on her face as she watched her son open the back door and step out quickly, turning to scoop Reasa back into his arms and help her from the vehicle.

The other Jeep had parked across from them and Kallum climbed out with Elina, Dara and Cassia at his side. Kothari and the other Weres who'd been protecting the Praetorian compound had opted to make their way back on foot, and wolves were beginning to pour into the compound. Kothari was already there, leaning against the large tree outside the Romanov house where Pietro was safely ensconced inside. There was no mistaking the blatant protective stance the lone Vârcolac held.

All eyes were fixated on Ashleigh though, as she skidded to an abrupt halt close to her son, her expression turning hard and hate filled. "No!" Her cry startled everyone, as did her expression. Usually there was no one more compassionate that Ashleigh but her voice dripped venom as she pointed at Reasa. "She is not welcome in my home!"

"Mom." Liam's quiet voice held a plea in it, his gaze turning troubled as he looked down at her. 

"No!" Ashleigh cried again, her voice rising shrilly. "That woman tried to kill you, Liam. She tried to murder my son! She should have been executed on the spot!"

"Ashleigh!" The tall redheaded vampire appearing behind her managed to put such disapproval into her name that most others would have quelled at being subject to Nors Eriksson's displeasure. His mate rounded on him, fury in her deep brown eyes, as well as disbelief.

"She enters my house and I will leave, Nors. I will not stay under the same roof as that woman."

Nors moved forward, understanding her need to protect their son. He felt the same need but could take a step back to analyse all the variables in play. Yes, the woman in his son's arms had tried to kill him. However, that threat was now nullified and Liam had claimed her as his mate. To take her from him would do more damage than being shot by a poisoned bullet. His mate was reacting emotionally and wasn't able to see that right now.

He pulled Ashleigh's protesting body against his, wrapping her in a bear hug. "Hmmm guess that means I'd have to go on the hunt again," he murmured against her temple, dropping a soft kiss there as he sent soothing love down their mate bond. "We haven't done that for a while...could be fun."

"Let me go!" Ashleigh's tried to free herself, tears running down her face as she wriggled against him. She couldn't believe he was making jokes when their son's would-be murderer was right there in front of them. She couldn't believe he was siding against her, was going to allow that woman into their home.

"Take the woman inside, son," Nors said, stroking his mate's back as she struggled harder and kicked out at him. "Go on. I'll talk to your mother."

Liam stared at his father for a long moment before his feet moved forward and he hurried inside with his precious bundle. His mother's rejection of his mate hurt so much but his need to protect Reasa overrode every other instinct within him. He had to take care of her. His mother had to understand that, didn't she?

Without another word, Nors nodded his head to Rafe and scooped Ashleigh up into his arms, turning to run into the surrounding trees away from the compound.

"I'll stay with Liam until they come back," Elina announced, heading up the steps into the house. She closed the door as Aaron arrived at the waiting group.

"What do I need to know?" the blond Were asked as he surveyed the tense faces.

Rafe turned to him, "We need two perimeters in place. Make sure Pietro has sufficient protection at all times. Be especially alert for large build-ups of vampires in the vicinity. If anyone sees anything out of the ordinary I am to know straight away." 

A frown marred Aaron's face as he regarded his friend intently. "We're expecting trouble from the vampires?"

"I don't think so but there's no harm in being cautious," the Alpha answered, looping an arm around his mate's waist and turning to head towards his house. "Kallum can bring you up to speed on things. There's something I need to take care of right now." He spotted Mallen in the growing crowd and indicated with a slight nod of his head that he wanted to see him.

Aaron watched them leaving, his gut telling him something major was going on with the Alphas but it was his job to take care of the pack when Rafe was busy, so he quirked an enquiring eyebrow at Kallum.

"Probably best to get the perimeters set up first and then we can sit down and have a long talk about what's happened," the Vârcolac said in a quiet tone. He wasn't sure how much Rafe wanted to be known within the pack and there were a number of people now gathered. It was prudent to update Aaron privately and then he and Rafe could decide who else needed to know.

"Okay, let's get moving then." Aaron began calling out names and issuing instructions and the pack began to mobilise, the soldiers heading off out into the forest as the crowd dissipated.

*****

"How could you?" Ashleigh glared at her mate, tears of fury in her eyes as he stood there regarding her with a solemn expression on his face. In all their years together, he had never once gone against her wishes...well there had been once when she'd run from him but that didn't count. She'd been young and foolish then, coming to terms with a grief that had almost sent her rogue. She couldn't really hold that against him but this -- this was completely different.

Their son had almost died and the woman responsible for that was now in their home! How Nors could allow that was beyond her. Her eyes were full of accusation and hurt as she squared up to him. If anything else happened to Liam because of his actions, she would never forgive him for it.

"Ash, you need to calm down and think about this logically," Nors sighed, running a hand through his auburn hair. "I know what happened to Liam was frightening. It scared the living daylights out of me too but he's fine and the situation has been dealt with. He is no longer in any danger."

"She is in our house!" Ashleigh yelled, her angry tears overflowing. "That womanshot our son with poison, Nors! The fact he's immune to it is a moot point. She didn't know that. She wanted to murder him. How can you just accept her being in the pack, let alone our own home?"

"Because this is much bigger than just Liam." Nors moved away, striding over to one of the largest oak trees and sitting down against its base. "This involves the entire pack, our relationship with the vampires, my standing on the Ancient Council, my centuries of friendship with Caleb. This could mean civil war is coming and everyone being ripped apart and placed in unconscionable positions. And yes, this is about our son too, Ashleigh. That woman, as you call her, is his mate. Do you want to throw her out, have her executed? You really want to hurt Liam so badly that he may turn rogue?"

His words echoed in the small clearing, crashing over Ashleigh and giving her pause. Her fear at knowing their son was hurt had almost driven her insane. Rafe's edict that they had to stay with the pack until he investigated what had happened had been more than she could bear. Feeling so helpless, being unable to protect her child...she had to do something, anything to try to keep him safe now. 

That woman couldn't be her son's mate. It had to be a mistake. If she truly was then she didn't know how she was going to be able to reconcile her past actions. If she couldn't accept her, if the would-be assassin in their midst could start a civil war... Words failed her as she tried to ignore what her mate was saying, tried to find some way out of the mess so their lives could go back to normal. There had to be a way...there just had to!

Nors watched the play of emotions crossing his mate's face and it was all he could do to sit there and let her work it out in her own mind. Every instinct within him wanted to gather Ashleigh into his arms and sooth her but he knew she wasn't ready for that yet. When Liam had been hurt, he'd thought his heart would stop beating. His fear for his son had been boundless but his fear for his mate had been even more so. She had been through so much pain in her life, so much grief that had almost been too much for her to stand. Losing Liam would have killed her.

He understood her reaction to Reasa. He wasn't feeling particularly kind-spirited towards the woman either but he was older and had long ago learned that not everything was black and white. It would harm their son more to try to remove Reasa from his life. They had to protect the woman to protect their son. Maybe, over time, he would find some forgiveness in his heart for what she'd done. For now, all he could do was be as civil as possible and try to help Ashleigh come to terms with things so she could too.

"Come here." Nors held out his hand, holding his breath as he saw first rejection on Ashleigh's face and then defeat. He hated to see her in so much pain, pain that he couldn't really alleviate because it was something she had to deal with in her own way. 

He let out a breath as she moved towards him, sinking down to the ground and throwing her arms around him, burying her head in his chest. "This is wrong, Nors. This is just wrong. I don't know how to handle this. I don't think I can ever accept her into our family and if I can't then I'm going to lose Liam."

Ashleigh's quiet weeping tore at his heart and he cradled her closely, soothing her as best he could. "I know it's hard, love. It's not easy for me either, but she is his. There is a long road ahead for all of us but one day she will bring our son the happiness he's lacked for so long in his life. He deserves that chance, Ash. We have to give it to him, support his choice, and stand with him. He's our boy."

"How could she want to hurt him if she's his mate? Mates don't do that, they protect each other."

"Vampires are always slower to acknowledge being a mate to a Were, you know that, love. It took me a long time to admit it and look at what Cedar and Loretta went through trying to get the twins to accept them. Just think how Reasa will feel when she does finally acknowledge the mating. Can you even begin to imagine the depth of her pain when she realises she almost killed her mate?"

"I hope it rips her apart!" Ashleigh's voice dripped venom, her tears still falling, hatred in her heart for the other woman. 

"No you don't." Nors rocked her gently, stroking her back as he kissed the top of her head. "You're upset right now and that's understandable, but you would never wish for anything that would hurt Liam in any way and Reasa's pain would surely do that. It's okay to be angry and afraid, Ash. It's not okay to hold onto the hate for too long though. You've seen what pain and damage that can do. You don't want that for Liam or for us."

Sobbing, Ashleigh held her mate tighter, hate warring with her natural compassionate nature. She could understand the logic in Nors' words but she couldn't rein in her emotions enough to really heed them at the moment. Maybe one day she'd be able to but today wasn't that day. The hatred ruled her as if it was tangible. She wanted to rip Reasa to pieces, luxuriating in her screams. Her wolf demanded it even as her human side fought the instinct. "Help me, Nors," she pleaded, raising wet eyes to her mate. "Help me."

"Always, I will always be here for you. We'll get through this together as a family and we will help Liam and Reasa too. You are strong and compassionate, loving and tender. These more negative emotions will ease and you will find forgiveness in your heart because that is who you are, Ashleigh Bryant. That is why I love you so much. I have faith in you, my mate. Now have some faith in yourself."

Nors kissed her slowly, sending all his love and support down their mate bond as she wept and clung onto him. He knew she had it in her to accept Reasa into their family. It was just going to take a little time but she would prevail, because she was so much stronger than she believed herself to be. She'd come through too much not to be a strong wolf and amazing woman. He would have faith in her until she had recovered hers. 

*****

Mallen regarded his Alphas with a small frown on his face. He could see their concern but he wasn't sure if he could alleviate it. They were dealing with the unknown here. "So, when Liam lost control, he projected out emotions like a weapon?" He asked the question just to formalise it in his mind as it was nothing he'd ever come across before. Rafe nodded, his arms wrapped around Lacey who was watching the doctor anxiously.

Mallen stood up, pacing towards the fireplace in the study, stopping and resting a hand against the tall mantelpiece. "I have to be honest here, I just don't know what kind of effect that could have on foetal minds. The fact that he damaged vampiric minds is frightening. None of the Weres were effected so that could mean the outburst wasn't sustained enough or strong enough to damage Were minds, which are notoriously difficult to manipulate as we all know. Then there's the question posed of whether or not your babies' minds have even begun to develop yet to be placed in danger."

He tried to give Lacey a reassuring smile. "You've just started your second trimester. Though not conclusive in any manner, there is research out there, a hypothesis that babies' minds develop and mature in the third trimester. We don't really know for sure though. My gut instinct is the babies are safe but I don't have the science to back that up. I can do tests; we could try to take EEGs of their brains as the pregnancy progresses, but I'm thinking the way forward here is to ask Annie to see if she can sense them with her skills. She's particularly in tune with sensing new thought patterns."

"Annie isn't here at the moment," Rafe interjected, trying to remain as calm as he could under the circumstances. He was worried for his son and daughter, concerned about the level of anxiety Lacey was exhibiting.

"Gard? Caleb? Maybe one of the Vârcolac?"

"I don't think Caleb wants to see any of us right now," Lacey said with a hint of a quiver in her voice. "Gard is away with Annie and I don't want any of the Vârcolac to be aware of this at the moment. It might feed back to Liam and we don't want that. He needs some time to work through his own issues. We don't want to risk a repeat of the earlier incident."

Rafe nodded his agreement even though he was as anxious as his mate to have some answers. If they needed to wait a few more days then that was what they had to do. "We'll wait until Annie comes back. This is just between us for now, Mallen."




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 02



"I can still do an exam to check the physical health of the babies," the doctor agreed. "I can do that now, Lacey, and then I can check over the woman you brought home with you. I have an appointment with Pietro in an hour so I can fit her in before I attend him."

Rafe and Lacey looked at each other, silently communicating as Mallen waited. The Alphas finally turned to him. "We'll hold off on that, Mallen. " Rafe answered. "The less the pack knows the better right now. Someone would notice us heading over to the medical centre and they'd start to speculate. Give me an update on both Reasa and Pietro when you're finished with them."

The Alphas waited for the doctor to leave and then Rafe gathered Lacey close and kissed her deeply. "Everything is going to be fine, Lacey. As soon as Annie's back, you'll see the babies are just fine."

Lacey held her mate close, silently saying a prayer that his words were true. It would break her heart to lose her babies. Everything had to be okay. It just had to.

*****

"Thereasa, you need to let me in." Liam's quiet words drifted through the hallway as he leaned his forehead against the closed wood panelled door. He'd taken his mate up to his bedroom and left her on the bed as he'd hurried back downstairs to prepare a quick sandwich for her. Now that she was human she would need to eat and he anticipated it wasn't something that would cross her mind. He wanted to have some food ready when she started to focus more on the world around her.

When he'd returned, the door was closed and locked, and though he could easily have forced his way in, he opted to talk to her through the barrier, to try to convince her to let him in. He wanted his mate to feel safe. The only way to do that was to allow her the space and boundaries she needed until she came to him voluntarily. But he ached to be with her, his wolf demanding they check that their mate was healthy despite her ordeal. 

"Please, Thereasa. Your body's been through a traumatic ordeal. You will need to eat to replenish the loss of energy. I mean you no harm, I swear. I just want to make sure you're okay."

There was a long moment of silence and then the key turned in the lock. Liam waited for a slow count of five before he carefully turned the doorknob and eased it open. As it swung wide, he saw his mate in the far corner, her arms hugging her body tightly, her green eyes full of distrust as she watched him.

Even in her bedraggled state, she was the most exotic creature he had ever seen. Her ebony hair tumbled chaotically around her oval face, the lush soft caramel of her skin an invitation to run his fingers softly against it. He was certain she wouldn't thank him for trying that, so he kept his distance and crossed to the bedside table to set down the tray he'd prepared for her. He kept his movements slow so as not to frighten her any further than she already was.

"It's just a sandwich and some milk. I presume it has been many years since you've had to eat. I figured it's best not to give you too much food until your body becomes accustomed to it again. I wasn't sure what you liked so made a couple of different kinds. Please, come sit and eat, Thereasa. I will stand over by the open door."

She watched him suspiciously, as he did as he said, moving away to give her as much room as his wolf could stand to give her. It was so hard to give her what she clearly needed when everything in him wanted to gather her into his arms and tell her everything would be all right, but he had to do this for her. She was like a nervous colt and so very fragile now. He had to make sure she was taken care of both physically and emotionally.

*****

Thereasa watched the abomination closely, recognising that he was managing her and feeling her anger rise at his proprietorial stance. She wasn't so lost in the events that had happened, that she didn't recognise the huge redheaded male thought he was claiming her. The very thought made her stomach churn and she had to fight down the need to empty her stomach.

The strange sensation plus the odd rumbling sound from her body threatened to bring fresh tears to her eyes but she swallowed and held them back as best she could. She wouldn't cry in front of him again. She wouldn't cry in front of anyone ever again. She would somehow come to terms with what had happened and when she did, she would find some way to escape.

She tried to find her other half, and reached deep within her mind. All that she found was a blank space where her vampiric nature once lived. It was as if someone had reached inside and cut out half of her soul. The loss threatened to crush her and she fought to find some inner balance. She was alive. That was more than she'd expected to be once she'd made her decision so long ago in Europe. She should be thankful for that...all the rest she would find some way to come to terms with.

Her empathic abilities were still intact which was another surprise. She'd thought the redheaded witch would have stripped her of her mental abilities but it appeared she hadn't. No, she'd just taken everything else from her, everything that made her who she was. Reasa felt more tears threaten and she forced them down, drawing on the iron will that had kept her alive for so long. Her mental strength was all she had left. She had to remain strong.

She was human now. The thought resounded in her mind and fear rose sharply. Dear God, she was human, which meant she was at the mercy of everything and everyone around her. One wrong step on her part and she would be dead. If the pack considered her a threat, she would be executed. If the vampires got their hands on her, the same. If Louis sent someone after her...there would be nothing that could save her, not even her would-be protector. 

They thought they were so inviolate here but she had proven them wrong. Louis would prove them all wrong too, if he judged her defection worthy of spending time to take care of. He wouldn't rest until she was dead and would send assassin after assassin until they returned with her head.

The irony of the situation was that she wanted to live now. When she was still a vampire hunting the abominations, she was prepared to die in her quest. She had failed that mission, been stripped of her immortality and now she wanted to live. She had to rely on the very person she'd tried to kill to keep her safe. It was so fucking tragic it was laughable. 

"Thereasa, please eat."

Liam's low, deep voice sent a shiver through her and she started with surprise at the sensation. She wouldn't fall under his spell. She wouldn't accept his claim no matter what he tried. If she was lucky and what he thought was true, then maybe her resistance would send his wolf rogue and she would ultimately be responsible for his insanity and the pack would have to put him down. Maybe there was more than one way to achieve her goal.

"It's Reasa," she finally answered, moving around the bed carefully, keeping him in her line of sight. "My father called me Thereasa. I killed him when I became a vampire." Her cold detachment appeared to concern him and it brought a small smile to her face as she sniffed at the sandwiches and bit into one experimentally. It felt strange to eat and yet her body clearly wanted the nourishment. She viewed him objectively as she chewed.

He was one of the hugest males she had ever seen and she'd seen a fair few over the centuries. His auburn hair was thick and wavy with a scruffy, unkempt look commonly attributed to Weres as opposed to vampires. His wolf must be the dominant part of his personality. She wondered if that applied to all of the hybrids or if the vampiric nature ruled some of the others. Possibly, she would find an answer to that question before she escaped.

His shoulders were wide and she remembered being cradled against his muscled chest. He'd held her as if she'd weighed nothing which was a good indicator of his strength. Reasa had to concede that he was an attractive male specimen with all those muscles. He had a light growth on his face and chocolate brown eyes that didn't seem to quite fit with his hair colouring but were compelling none-the-less as he quietly watched her.

If he had been anything other than what he was, if circumstances had been different, she would have considered spending some time with him. That was a moot point now though. It was clear that he was besotted with her so maybe she could use that to her advantage. If she convinced him she was coming around to him, and he came to trust her, then the opportunity to escape could present itself sooner. Maybe she could get away before Louis came looking for her.

The food hit her stomach and Reasa felt the need to gag. What the hell was she thinking? She wouldn't get ten feet without someone being on to her. If she had still been a vampire then maybe there was a chance but she wasn't. Her vision was diminished, her strength and her speed gone. She didn't stand a chance of getting away from the pack, let alone Louis. Her heart sank and she felt tears start to fall, hating the sign of weakness.

Liam didn't ask her why she killed her father. He didn't approach her as misery engulfed her and the sandwich fell to the carpet and she curled up on the bed weeping. His quiet, solid presence remained in the doorway as terror filled her soul and her sobs became louder. Everything that she had been didn't exist anymore. She was alone and helpless, at the mercy of everyone and everything. Hatred for the woman who had stripped her immortality from her rushed out in a loud, agonised scream. She screamed again and again, loud anguished-filled sounds until something stung her arm and she half turned to see a brown haired Were at her side. Her last vision as the sedative took hold was of the redhead in the doorway, his cheeks wet with unashamed tears.

*****

As Reasa's eyes closed, Liam finally approached, crawling onto the bed to gather her into his protective embrace. His tears fell in her hair as he rocked her back and forth to try to soothe his wolf who was howling mournfully at their mate's distress.

"She'll sleep now, Liam," Mallen said, his tone quiet as he packed away the syringe he'd used to knock the human woman out. He'd worried about how much sedative to use on her, being more used to dealing with Weres who required a much larger dose. "Let me listen to her heart just to make sure I didn't give her too much."

Worried brown eyes met his and he smiled reassuringly at the Vârcolac. "I'm pretty sure I gave her the correct amount, I'm just being overly cautious." Testing the woman's heartbeat and finding it strong and healthy, he packed away his stethoscope and rose from the side of the bed.

"Coming to terms with what's happened is going to be very difficult for her, Liam. Do not mistake the masks she will show over time. Use your empathy to get beneath them or I fear for her mental health." 

The Vârcolac nodded without looking at him, continuing to rock the woman in his arms as the doctor left the room. "I will keep you safe, my heart," he whispered into her hair, running trembling fingers gently against her cheek. "No one will ever hurt you as long as I live."

*****

The woman began screaming and every muscle in Pietro's body tightened, the need for flight kicking in as his heart pounded loudly in his chest. He flew from his bed at supernatural speed, reaching the window in less than a second, yanking it open and springing into the tree beside it. A blur of movement beneath him was all that registered before strong arms engulfed him, pinning him to the tree bark. 

He tried to struggle, but whoever held him was a hundred times stronger than he was. His fear was cloying, adding to his strength but even that couldn't break him free. His chaotic thoughts began to calm even as a cold voice whispered in his ear. "Be at ease, Pietro de la Rios, you are safe here."

It had to be one of the Vârcolac. If it had been Caleb or Demetri, Andrei or Alexei, there would have been some give in their hold despite them being stronger than he was. But there was no give in the male arms pinning him and he didn't recognise the voice. Despite having gone to Europe a quarter of a century ago to protect the Vârcolac and suffering as he had, Pietro had never once encountered any of the hybrid children -- until now.

"Release me!" The words hissed out of his mouth and he expected to have to say it again, but the arms immediately retracted and his captor moved away, swinging agilely onto a branch in front of him and a little above. He had to raise his head to look up at the male.

His first impression was one of danger. The young man before him had dark glasses shading his eyes, his black hair cut short at the back, though it was longer at the front, falling over his brow to partially obscure one the lenses. He sat so still, dressed entirely in black, his surprisingly wide lips neither smiling nor grimacing. There was an aura of waiting around the male, as if he could sit there for hours on end without moving. 

There was something disconcerting about being viewed so dispassionately and Pietro sucked in a deep breath, swallowing down the acrid fear that was threatening to overwhelm him again. The woman had stopped screaming and the compound sounded eerily quiet after her shrill cries. Even though it had only been screams he'd heard, Pietro had recognised the voice. It was the vampire from his torture. The woman with soft caramel skin and silky black hair, the one who had invaded his mind and violated him in a way her accomplices never could.

A shiver ran through him and the younger male shifted slightly on his branch, mirrored lenses secured to the vampire's every expression. Pietro detested the weakness within that showed his fear and he swallowed again to try to combat it. He didn't want the Vârcolac witnessing that weakness. Something about him triggered warning bells deep within Pietro. 

"She can't hurt you anymore," the Vârcolac announced in a matter-of-fact tone. There was no judgement in his words, no hint of disgust at witnessing Pietro's fear. He was merely stating a fact. He continued in the same even tone. "Annie stripped her of her immortality. The woman is fully human now. You could snap her neck with one backhand."

Pietro's jaw dropped and he stared at the Vârcolac in disbelief as his words registered. What he was saying couldn't possibly be true...could it? No one was powerful enough to strip a vampire of their immortality and if they were, how could the younger male just sit there serenely announcing it as if he were discussing the weather? His head automatically began shaking in the negative. It couldn't be possible...it just couldn't. He had no idea he was muttering the words until the corners of the Vârcolac's mouth twitched briefly.

"Oh, it is possible and Annie was quite magnificent as she performed the spell." The younger male cocked his head to the side as if considering something before his cold smile grew wider. "I wonder if she could strip both vampiric and Were sides from one of us. That would be interesting to find out though I think civil war would actually break out if she tried that."

"Civil war?" Pietro wondered just what he had missed hidden inside the Romanov house. He stared at the Vârcolac, wondering if he was entirely sane. The lack of emotion in the other male's voice was chilling, the cold detachment sending a shiver down his spine. "Which one of the Vârcolac are you?"

"Kothari, the ill-begotten offspring of Rayne and Gard," Kothi laughed without humour, as he examined the vampire before him, his gaze taking in every nuance of his expression. He dropped down to a lower branch, until he was eye level with the other male. "You look concerned. I see that expression often. Most of the pack wonders if I'm entirely sane. The truth of it is...so do I most of the time." 

The smile dropped from his face, leaving behind an expression so cold that the air around them appeared to drop a few degrees. "We are alike, Pietro de la Rios. We carry much damage within. Whereas I was born with mine, yours is by creation of the woman in the Eriksson home. I find myself intrigued by this; it creates a connection between us, something I lack with most others."

He watched the vampire trying to work him out and he smiled again, this time some warmth creeping into it. "Come let us talk in your room. I will explain what you're missing so you will be armed with the knowledge that you require to make a decision on whether to flee the pack or stay." Kothi swung gracefully from the branch and landed inside the bedroom, turning to watch Pietro hesitate for a moment before he followed him inside.

"The woman arrived at the Praetorian compound and shot Liam with a poisoned bullet," he began, moving to the corner of the room to sit down in the upholstered black chair he found there. His keen gaze took in how Lily's old room had been redone now that she was mated with Mac and living at the other compound. The Romanovs had redecorated in neutral browns, creams and blacks to give it a more masculine look.

Pietro gasped in shock, sinking to the bottom of the bed as what Kothari said filtered into his mind. "Were we able to save him?" He didn't recognise his own voice, it was so devoid of life.

"The Vârcolac appear to be immune." Kothi smiled once more, fascinated by the myriad of expressions crossing the vampire's face. He didn't think he'd ever seen so many emotions in one person all at the same time. "Liam recovered and claimed the woman as his mate. Caleb wanted her executed and Annie chose to strip her of her immortality. Our King and Queen are at odds with one another. My aunt and father have gone away somewhere alone, but not before Annie tasked Rafe with protecting the woman. Apparently, she has three souls to save, whatever that may mean. I don't think even Annie knows for sure, it's more like she has a vague notion of something important to come."

Pietro jumped up, pacing to the other end of the room. Memories of being in the dungeon in Scotland assaulted him, the excruciating agony of the poison eating him alive, his regenerative powers no match for the evil flowing through him. Liam had been shot with the same poison but had survived with no intervention. He had also claimed the woman as his mate.

Hatred, black and acrid, vengeful and unrelenting, rushed through the vampire as he thought of the woman entering the dungeon, of her beauty and soft voice, of the way she'd violated his mind. His fangs elongated, his talons springing from his fingertips. He turned toward the door, intent on finding her and ripping her head off. He took one step before his path was blocked by Kothari.

"You cannot do that, Pietro."

The menace in the younger male's voice stopped him in his tracks, his vampiric side close to crossing over at the danger posed. He didn't want to stop but reason told him he needed to think about his course of action before committing to it. He waited for Kothari to speak again while he weighed up his options.

"No harm will I ever allow to come to my brethren, vampire. If you harm the woman, you harm Liam and I cannot allow that. You do not wish it either, otherwise, all you suffered will have been for nothing. You were damaged protecting us, never forget that. In addition, the Queen has amply punished the would-be assassin and tasked the pack with protecting her. Will you go against your Queen's will, Pietro de la Rios?"

'No!' The anguished word echoed in Pietro's mind repeatedly as he fought with his beast. He ached to taste Thereasa's hot blood flowing down his throat as she screamed in agony. Memories of her screaming earlier excited his vampiric side, dragging a long hiss from his throat as his talons clicked against each other. 

He had been tasked to protect the Vârcolac and he had failed in many ways. His arrogance had been paramount in his capture and torture, until death was all he had longed for. His weakness had allowed the woman to escape and come here to harm Liam. Now, as his vampiric side craved vengeance on her, if he acted upon it, then Liam would be irrevocably harmed and he would suffer the justice of the vampire queen. He may even be stripped of his own mortality.




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 02



Pietro threw his head back and screamed into the air. "God damn that bitch to hell! May each moment she lives as a human cause her never-ending torment, the same torment she has subjected me to! May her nightmares never ease, as mine do not." He turned from the Vârcolac and slammed the bathroom door behind him, the sound of muffled weeping clear to Kothari's enhanced hearing.

The Vârcolac watched the bathroom door, a calculated expression on his face as he considered how hard it must be for Pietro to know that the object of his torture was so close and yet untouchable. He felt a kinship with the vampire, he hadn't lied about that. However, Liam would always come first and he was glad the vampire had seen sense quickly and not provoked a response from him. He would have used force to stop Pietro if he'd tried to harm the woman. It would have been regretful if he'd been placed in that position.

The barest of sounds was enough to alert Kothi to the approach of others, no doubt brought on by Pietro's enraged scream. The bedroom door swung open and Andrei Romanov appeared, eyes black as midnight, talons and fangs elongated as he flew into the room. The vampire paused when he saw the empty bedroom, his gaze turning to the bathroom as he let go of him vampiric side. Brown eyes turned troubled as he stood on the other side of the door to the weeping man within.

"Pietro, do you have need of me?" Silence greeted his words for a long moment and then his friend responded in a subdued tone.

"Kothari told me what happened, and that she is here. I need some time to come to terms with this, Andrei. I'd prefer to do that alone. Please make sure she is never anywhere near me or I may lose control and kill her. Make sure everyone knows this. Should it be a problem for the Weres, let me know and I will find somewhere else to recuperate."

Andrei sighed, his arm extending as his mate slipped into the room beside him and he held her close to his side. Mallen was downstairs but he doubted his friend would want to speak with the doctor. He glanced at Loretta and they shared a concerned look.

"Very well. Mallen is here but I'll inform him to reschedule the appointment. Unless you want me to send him up?"

"What's the point of him even coming, Andrei. There is nothing he can do. He's tried cutting out the scar tissue three times, each time going deeper but it always heals back scarred. Tell him not to come back. I have no need of him."

Loretta and Andrei shared another concerned glance before they turned to leave the room. "Leave him alone, Kothari," Andrei said quietly into the empty room. "Guard his window if you must but stay away from him until he has time to process what has happened."

A soft chuckle greeted him and Andrei and Loretta glanced back as the Vârcolac released his shadowing ability, appearing in the chair in the corner of the room.

"That was pure guess work on your part, Andrei." Kothari knew they hadn't been able to see him, his ability to mask himself from sight and scent was the strongest among the Vârcolac. 

"No, that was knowledge, Kothi," the vampire returned, a faint smile hovering on his lips, a smile that didn't meet his cold brown eyes. "Do not let overconfidence be your downfall, boy. I may not have been able to see you but I know you and know that you'd never pass up a chance to revel in the mischief that you've caused. Your cruelty will never change and therefore, you will always be predictable. You will be wise to heed that."

Kothari growled low as he watched them leave, his monster furious, urging him to track the vampire and rip him to pieces. So soon the rage had returned, hot and cloying, baying for crimson blood to ease its hunger. Pietro still wept quietly, and didn't appear ready to exit the bathroom so he turned and leapt from the window, swinging graceful arcs through the trees. He needed to get away, to appease the monster quickly, before it called out for the blood of those he cared for the most.

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 03



 Chapter three, as if you needed me to tell you that hahahaha. If I time this right, this will post 31 January and mark the 3 year anniversary of the posting of the first chapter of FTI #fingerscrossed.

As always, mikothebaby many thanks for your time with editing :)

Enjoy! 

*

Cassia Romanov brushed back the short blonde curl that refused to stay secured behind the bright green butterfly hair clasp at her temple. There was always one thick strand of hair that refused to do as it was told, a constant source of irritation when she was so intent on her work. The rest of her shoulder length curls were forced into a larger butterfly clasp at the nape of her neck, drawing the eye to the curve of her jaw and her slender neck.

She was completely oblivious to the admiring glances she was receiving from two of her pack mates and the one lone vampire in the hastily arranged lab. If she'd been less absorbed in her microscope, she would have noticed the heated looks from the male Weres and equally speculative glance from female vampire.

Tall and sleekly built, Cassia was the image of her mother Cedar, carrying the same inherent grace in her posture, an aura of class oozing from her without any real effort on her part. The lenses of the microscope hid her pale blue eyes, her white lab coat failing to conceal the curves beneath, or the frustration she was experiencing.

It had taken less than two days for the vampires to obtain all the equipment required to set up a state-of-the-art laboratory at the Armand-Hanlon Compound. They had even worked to tunnel deep into the surrounding mountainside and build a sturdy wooden structure to serve as an entranceway into the lab. Another day and the lab was up and running, makeshift walls sectioning off rooms for storage and work areas.

Cassia had been drawn to the area to watch them, fascinated at the speed they had moved and how committed they could be when there was a threat that directly affected them. Of course, the ones who had designed, and built the lab had been individuals trusted by the Ancient Council. The news of the poison was still a secret to most of the vampire race, but clearly, work had to begin on trying to analyse it as quickly as possible so some had had to be informed.

With vampires never before having a need to become proficient in the healing arts, none of them had any of the skills the Weres possessed so it made sense that finding an antidote would fall to the Pack. Or that was Caleb's take on the situation and pretty much what Caleb wanted, Caleb got, with the exception of executing Thereasa.

So, the lab was built into the mountainside in record time and Cassia's natural leaning towards biological analysis was suddenly discovered to be a talent that was sorely needed. She'd spent the best part of the last few days buried in the lab, with the exception of the trip up to the Praetorian compound, working on the blood that had been provided by Demetri. Pietro de la Rios's poisoned blood from Europe.

Her frustration was growing though as she strove to identify the compounds used in the poison. She could find very little, the toxin breaking down too quickly in the blood and some possible contaminants creeping in. She couldn't be sure what was the toxin and what was a contaminant. 

Lack of sleep, and failing to find anything useful was making her short tempered, and bending over the microscope for so long was making her shoulders ache. Groaning in frustration, she arched her back and brushed at the stray curl again. ""This is like looking for a needle in a haystack! The sample has degraded too much; I can't be sure what is part of the toxin and what isn't any more."

Her abrupt movement caught the two Weres admiring her off guard and Cassia scowled. "Don't you have work to be doing?" It was almost comical the way they quickly turned back to their benches and the experiments they were conducting.

"That was very effective," Freya Eriksson remarked, her green eyes intent on the two males and the rush of colour suffusing their cheeks. Their heads' appeared to dip a little lower and she smiled slightly as she moved across to the other woman. Her curiosity at what was happening in the laboratory had made her a frequent visitor and as she was adept at watching in silence, the Weres tolerated her presence.

She frowned as she looked into the abandoned microscope; not understanding what she was seeing and wishing she could. She had been reading book after book on biology and was starting to get a rudimentary understanding of it but was nowhere as advanced as the Weres. The urge to learn and help in some way was strong. People she loved were at risk from the poison and that wasn't something she could tolerate.

"Is there some other avenue you could investigate?" Her question had Cassia's brow drawing down as she twirled the errand curl, her eyes unfocused as she considered the question. Freya was certain there was no artifice in the girl's action, that she was oblivious to how endearing it made her. She was simply a lovely young lady with a keen intelligence and sassy wit that made most people fall in love with her instantly. 

For a moment, Freya felt an ache that her own daughter Elina didn't have that same ease around others but she quickly brushed it away. Elina was Elina, unique in her own way and maybe too much her mother's daughter. She had her father's deep passion though, a strong sense of duty to those she loved. Her daughter would find her own path to happiness one day, she was sure of that.

"Toxins remain longer in the hair," Cassia said, breaking the short silence. "In humans and Weres that is, I'm not sure if the same would be true for vampires. There would be no harm in checking though." A hint of excitement was creeping into the Vârcolac's voice, blue eyes starting to twinkle. "Freya, you may just be a genius!"

"Hardly," the Ancient vampire drawled, though her smile widened as she inclined her head in the other woman's direction. "Perhaps Mallen could request a sample from Pietro when he next attends him."

Cassia was already shrugging out of her lab jacket and heading towards the door. "We don't have time to wait for that. I'll run across now and get the sample myself."

"Cassia, wait! Pietro is not good around others right now. Perhaps you should ask your father or Andrei to speak with him."

The younger woman halted, surprise on her face as she looked back at the Ancient. "I'm a Vârcolac, someone he feels obligated to protect even though we don't need that protection. Why would he see me as a threat?"

Freya didn't want to have the conversation in front of the wolves so she followed Cassia from the lab until they were out of earshot. "It's not that he would see you as a threat. You have to try to understand the vampire psyche and please, don't start shaking your head at me. I know you're half vampire but your wolf tempers a lot of your other half. "

Cassia tried to contain her impatience and listen to Freya, but now she had a chance of finding an alternative means of unlocking the poison's components, she was itching to get the required sample to see if she could analyse it and produce an antidote. "I get it, Freya, I really do. Pietro needs to come to terms with not being as invincible as he thought he was. I hardly think asking for a few strands of hair is going to psychologically damage him."



The vampire took a deep breath and struggled to contain the irritation that was starting to well up inside her. Cassia was young and excitable, and her need to find the antidote was admirable, but she could hear that the girl was merely saying the words by rote with no real understanding of the meaning behind them.

"Listen to me child. Pietro has lost much of what he used to be. He carries his scars both physically and emotionally and is therefore unpredictable. It is best if he is allowed the space he requires and only those he trusts most come close to him. I say this for your benefit as much as his."

It was the most passionate Cassia had ever heard Freya speak. The Vârcolac processed the words carefully, sensing an underlying concern in the vampire's tone. That Freya cared for both her and Pietro was a sign of the slow changes in the other woman. She had walked a long road to become part of the pack and maybe still had a bit to travel, but she kept trying and that was a sign of the strength the Ancient possessed.

"Freya, I know you can probably relate on some level to Pietro's seclusion but surely you've learned that becoming introverted, hiding from those who can help you is not a good thing? I promise I won't do or say anything to make Pietro feel compromised but maybe it's time someone new came into his world so he can start moving towards healing?"

Freya could see she wasn't going to disabuse Cassia from her course of action. Maybe what she said was true. Maybe Pietro hiding away wasn't a good thing after all. When it came to compassionate thought, Freya knew she wasn't the best person to analyse a situation. She removed the hand she'd placed on Cassia's arm, silently conceding to the Vârcolac. 

Cassia hurried over to her uncle's house, the vampire's words still resounding in her head. She had to admit she was curious about Pietro, they all were. It was hard not to be when the man had left for Europe before some of them had been born. This unknown vampire had risked everything to try to determine what the threat was to the Vârcolac, and he had suffered immensely for that dedication. It was only natural the hybrid children would be curious about the male. 

She found her feet moving faster the closer she got to the house and tried to slow down her pace. She was trying to ignore the faint niggle in the back of her head, something that had been pressing at her since she was first handed the blood sample of the man within the two story building. Her need to protect those she loved was already strong, but from the moment the sample had reached her, that need had been elevated to a higher level. It was only now as she was approaching the front door of Andrei's home that realisation was setting in.

Why was she suddenly feeling so antsy? Why was the need to find a cure suddenly so much more important to her? And why hadn't she noticed it until now? It was as if the knowledge had been buried until she made her decision to collect the hair sample.

Cassia rapped on the door, her head cocking to the side as she scented within. Loretta and Andrei didn't appear to be home so she twisted the doorknob and entered. She was part of their family and they wouldn't mind her intrusion. The pack was pretty relaxed as a whole and it was only the fact Weres were so uninhibited when it came to their sexuality that most people knocked before entering.

The door swung open just as a tall dark-haired vampire was descending the last of the stairs from the upper floor. The first thing Cassia noticed were his eyes, one the most amazing shade of hazel, the other as dark as a moonless night. Her gaze shifted infinitesimally, tracing the scar running from the corner of his right eye, down the curve of his cheek to end at his jaw, marring a strong face full of a male beauty that astounded her. 

As her eyes wandered over his face, she realised that she was holding her breath and that deep within, her wolf was sitting to attention, perusing the male before them as keenly as she was. The black T-shirt he wore tucked into dark blue jeans left some of the scarring on his neck visible and she knew where it disappeared to, beneath the cloth, was a place so sacred to a wolf it was a crime for it to be damaged in any way.

Cassia's wolf threw her head back and gave one long baleful howl, startling her so much that she let out her breath and swallowed back the sudden need to cry for the male in front of her. 

"Enjoying the freak show?"

Pietro's cold words were like ice water flowing over her, allowing Cassia to gather her composure more as she blinked slowly at him. "I need some of your hair."

Cassia would have dragged the words back if she could. Judging from the dark scowl twisting his face, Pietro was none too pleased at the request or her presence in the house. It had been the first thing that had come to mind as she'd tried to settle her wolf who was reacting unpredictably to the vampire. It was as if the animal was both furious for the vampire and furious at the vampire at the same time. Her reaction made no sense and until it did, she was going to be on edge around Pietro de la Rios.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to be abrupt or invade your space. I'm Cassia Alexander and I've been working on your blood trying to find an antidote to the poison. The sample has degraded too much to be useful so I need some strands of hair to test for the toxin." She managed to inject as much authority into her voice so he would see her as just another health professional like Mallen and not a threat.

He stepped from the last stair and turned right, heading into the living room and walking over to the French doors out into the surrounding forest. "So, you're one of Alexei's girls." It was a rhetorical question.

She followed him into the room, her gaze slowly roaming over his wide back, her wolf moving restlessly as she took in every inch of the vampire. There was something very appealing about the male, something that called to both her wolf and the woman. She tried to tell herself that she was interested in him as a scientist. He was, after all, the first vampire ever to be scarred, a unique specimen among his kind. However, she knew she was fooling herself the longer her wolf prowled and paid attention to the male. There was something else about Pietro de la Rios...

"Since coming here I've been poked and prodded, and I've had sample blood taken by the pint. I've had medical staff and my friends trying to get inside my head to find out if I'm 'okay'. I've had my flesh cut out time and again to see if the muscle and tissue will grow back undamaged. All I've wanted is to be left alone, to be given the time to fully heal so I can go back to my normal life and now you show up asking for more samples?" 

The heat in his tone caused Cassia to sit down in one of the overstuffed red armchairs close to the open fire. There was a level of aggression in the vampire's tone, and she was stronger than him, of which she was sure he would be aware. Being as tall as her parents put her at almost the same height as Pietro and she wanted to give the appearance of being less of a threat to him in case the aggression escalated. Freya was right in that he needed handling more delicately than most.

Pietro spun around to pin her with his mismatched gaze, anger burning within. "Today I've woken up to find the woman responsible for my scars is living two doors down from me. I wonder if there is anyone in this compound who could even begin to comprehend how that makes me feel. I've been informed of the circumstances of her arrival and yet I'm supposed to accept that my torturer is here and let it go. How am I supposed to trust the pack, to trust anyone here when they succour my torturer?"

Cassia took a deep breath, meeting his gaze and holding it. She had not been prepared for this and was surprised that he'd come right out and said it. The reason for his anger was clear, how to diffuse it was not so clear. Taking a slow breath, she tried to find some way to orientate him, to help him focus on what was really important.

"Do you regret going to Europe, Pietro?" She held up her hand when he opened his mouth to speak. "No, think about the question before you answer it. Think about it very carefully. Do you regret going there to try to determine the threat to me and the other Vârcolac, or is it you regret some of the circumstances that occurred while you were there?"

She watched him frown, the scar on his face twisting with the movement. It still looked pink and tender and she wanted to press her lips against it, wanted to draw her tongue slowly over the mark to see if her touch would help speed up the healing process. It was a completely errant thought and she was stunned as it flitted through her head. It was so unprofessional, especially as she was here to try to help him. Her wolf was making an odd sound, urging her to get up and do just that. She had to fight with the animal to keep her contained.

*****

Pietro stared at Cassia, frowning as he processed what she'd said. Since he'd been left alone in the house, his earlier tears had turned to anger, a deep bitter rage that Thereasa was being harboured by the pack. He felt betrayed by his friends and wanted to leave but he knew he was still as weak as a Youngling and wouldn't last five minutes among his kind until his body fully healed itself.

Did he regret going to Europe? He certainly regretted the position he'd ended up in and the pain it had caused, but the actual reason to go? No, he didn't regret that in the least. The twins were the closest thing he had to family. He would die a thousand deaths to protect their children, to protect the woman with pale blue eyes who was watching him so intently.



She was the most beautiful woman he could remember seeing; Cassia Alexander with her hair pulled back giving her a haughty look that was spoilt by one lone curl at the side of her right temple. It seemed to defy all attempts to curb its wilfulness and made his fingers itch to try to tame it. 

There was something regal about her, her beauty a mirror image of her mother, her figure curvy in all the right places. He usually preferred his women with more ample breasts but that didn't stop him wanting to feel the weight of Cassia's smaller ones in his hands. Were her nipples a dusky pink or where they a deep brown? He didn't care which, he knew he would love them regardless as he laved his tongue over her tight peaks...

Pietro froze, his expression turning neutral as he realised where his thoughts were going, and that his body was starting to react to Cassia as a woman as opposed to one his best friend's children. It was his job to protect the Vârcolac, not lust after them. That was why he'd gone to Europe in the first place, to protect them! He uttered a curse and turned away from her, staring unseeingly out of the window.

Jamming his hands in his jeans' pockets, he wanted her gone as soon as possible. What had she come for again? Hair, she wanted a hair sample. "My reasons are my own and not something I wish to discuss with a stranger. You wanted hair?" Pietro reached up and ripped out a chunk of his hair, walking as close as he dared and holding it out to her. The scent of blood was heavy on the air and he knew he was bleeding from the torn out roots. He ignored it. It would stop soon, not as soon as it would normally have before the poisoning but it would stop.

*****

Cassia reached out for the sample, being careful not to touch the vampire though her wolf was urging her to brush his hand with hers. Something had upset Pietro, she didn't know what but it was clear from his stance that he couldn't bear being close to her. He'd ripped the hair from his head so violently that there was part of his scalp attached to his offering. It was a strong indicator he was barely in control and she didn't want to push him into a more overtly aggressive stance.

Her wolf was howling, clawing at her insides, trying to push forward to get to the damaged male before them. It cried out, one word over and over, a word she couldn't acknowledge, couldn't believe. Slipping the sample carefully into the sterile bag she'd brought with her, she took a few steps back until she was close to the living room door.

"Thank you, Pietro. I apologise for disturbing you but this sample may help us come up with an antidote for the poison so that no one else has to endure what you've had to go through. You should apply some pressure to your wound. I believe Mallen said your blood clots within a few minutes now so it should stop bleeding soon."




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 03



"Just go away," he answered, turning his back on her, staring into the empty fireplace.

Silently, Cassia left the house as her wolf howled and tried to get her to return.

"No, my wolf, we must leave him." 

Each step was like dragging a dead weight behind her, a sheen of tears entering her eyes. The scent of Pietro de la Rios followed her, her wolf's mournful cries overwhelmed her, but she kept walking, kept putting one foot in front of the other, making her way back to the lab. Now was not the time. Maybe there would come a time, but it was something she couldn't explore right now. Sometimes the wolf had to wait, no matter how much it cried out...

 "Mine!" 

*****

"Cass?"  Dara's mental touch was an instant balm, the lone word sent with so much love that Cassia's wolf automatically responded and her agitation subsided a bit. She rolled her shoulders and stepped back from the microscope she'd been intent on for so long, cocking her head to the side as she was prone to do when Dara contacted her. 

She could tell instantly that it was late, and she blinked in surprise to see she was alone in the lab. When had everyone gone? Pinching the bridge of her nose to try to stave off a headache, she had vague memories of people saying goodnight and waving a hand in acknowledgement. That felt like hours ago.

"Dad's threatening to come over and yank you out of the lab if you don't come home," her sister said, and she sighed loudly, conceding she needed to get home. 

"I'm just leaving now, Dara."  Cassia took the time to ensure any experiments running were secure, and all samples safely locked up before she unclipped the clasp at the nape of her neck and ran weary hands through her tangled curls. 

The consequences of meeting Pietro had been so unexpected that burying herself in work had been the only thing she could do until she worked out how to proceed. Her wolf had no reticence about what they should be doing, however, the woman did. Was the vampire really her mate or was she just reacting to being around his scent so much? Did hybrids know their mates instantly as Weres did? Lily said yes but that didn't mean it worked the same for all of them. Did it?

As she headed out of the lab, she couldn't keep her eyes from wandering to the house he was in. The light was on in his bedroom window and her feet wanted to move in that direction but she forced herself to turn for home. Dara wasn't kidding about their father, he would come looking for her if she didn't show up soon. As Dads went, theirs was pretty reasonable compared to most of the other hybrids, however, he was still prone to the usual over-protectiveness shared by all the alpha males of the pack. It was best to heed him when he did start making noises of displeasure.

Crossing the compound quickly, Cassia let herself into the house she shared with her parents and sister. She was surprised her parents weren't waiting up when she got in. Instead, the house was quiet so she headed into the kitchen to grab something to eat. 

Their kitchen had a homely feel to it, with cedar wood cabinets, complete with a standalone dresser on the wall as they entered the room. The long breakfast bar created a feel of being enclosed within the main cooking area, extending out from the wall for a few feet before tapering in at a forty-five degree angle. It took up most of the length of the room and had six wrought-iron chairs with plush cushioned seats on the outside edge so people could sit and chat with whoever was cooking.

Cassia loved the kitchen and her mother's tales of how her father had cursed the entire time he'd helped their grandfather build it. No one had been allowed in the house when it was being built and Alexei had threatened everyone with pain of death if they mentioned he'd helped. Just imagining their father with a hammer and nails had been enough to make her and Dara laugh until tears ran down their faces.

With a smile playing on her lips, Cassia opened the refrigerator and took out a plate of chicken, biting into a piece before placing it on the bar. It was 1am by the kitchen clock and not an ideal time to be eating but thankfully, her metabolism was so good that eating this late wouldn't be an issue. She began making a pot of tea, hearing her sister coming downstairs.

"Pour me one too, please."  

She was already getting a second cup from the overhead cupboard as Dara walked in. Her sister padded in with bare feet and wearing a dark blue nightshirt. She was clearly ready for bed though she appeared wide awake as if she had something on her mind. That made two of them! 

Cassia wasn't so lost in her own issues that she wasn't aware something had happened that had startled her sister. As Dara hopped up onto a chair, she poured out the tea and walked around to join her. "So, we haven't had any chance to talk with all the stuff going on. What's on your mind?"

Dara frowned and unknowingly imitated her sister's earlier headache appeasing pinch of the nose. She had known Cassia wouldn't forget about catching up, the only thing was, she didn't know if she could break Kothi's confidence. She told her sister everything but what had happened that day with their friend was highly personal and he shared little with anyone as it was. It seemed wrong to talk about it.

"Come on, Dara, it's been bugging you whatever it is. Will it help if I promise not to say anything?"

She met her sister's gaze and knew she would keep any confidence given unless it was detrimental to the pack. The question was, did Kothari's loss of control constitute a detriment to the pack? It was hard to make the right judgement call when her emotions were so conflicted. Maybe she should tell Cassia and let her make the decision, or was that the coward's way out?

Sighing deeply, Dara sipped at her tea and reached for a piece of chicken. "The other day I came across Kothari in the forest, down by the lake. He was more intense than usual, Cass. We talked a little and then he was suddenly furious for no apparent reason." Dara bit into the chicken, staring down into her cup as she chewed thoughtfully.

"Did he hurt you, Dara?" Cassia quiet question had her head shooting back up and they stared at each other for a long moment before she could speak.

"Sort of," she admitted sensing her sister's automatic tensing as she uttered the words. "He didn't mean to, Cass, I know he didn't." She rushed on before her sister could say anything further. "It was as if he lost control for a moment and his vampiric side took over. He was bleeding, large cuts forming on his chest as if they were self-inflicted in some way though he didn't cut himself physically. I shifted to wolf form and tried to balance him that way. It triggered his panther and he shifted too."

She met her sister's gaze again, confusion in her eyes. "Cass, he was so surprised to see his animal. It was almost as if he hadn't seen that part of himself for such a long time."

Dara's words frightened Cassia, as did the plea in her voice. She knew she wanted her to keep this secret but if what her sister said was true – then Kothi was in serious trouble and needed some kind of intervention. How could she not say something to their parents and Alphas? "Dara..."

"Please, Cassia, don't tell anyone. Kothi didn't hurt me really, and he was as shaken by what happened as I was. He loves the pack and us, you know he does. He saved Lily right after that happened. Whatever his issues are, he's been working through them all his life alone. Now that I know, now that he has someone to talk to, maybe I can help him."

"No!" Cassia jumped down from her chair and began pacing the kitchen. Her thoughts were in turmoil, her fear for her sister heightened. Dara always did have a selfless heart but what she was proposing, it was ludicrous. She loved Kothi as much as her sister did but when it came down to it; Dara's safety would always come first. "This is serious, Dara. This isn't like one of our other secrets where no one gets hurt. What if Kothi loses control and does hurt you? We have to tell Rafe about this, Kal too and his parents."

"He won't, Cass, I know he won't!" Dara jumped down from her chair and halted her sister's pacing. "Please, trust that I know what I'm doing. I can help Kothi."

"If he lets you!" Cassia shot back, frowning. "You know how isolated he's always been. What makes you think he'll even listen to you?"

Dara ran a weary hand through her hair and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know why but I just feel it, Cass. My wolf isn't afraid of him, she feels the same way. Let me try, just for a little while. If it isn't going to work I'll know soon enough. We can go to Rafe then. Just let me try first, please!"

It went against her better judgement but her sister appeared so certain that Cassia found herself nodding her agreement. Deep down, she didn't truly believe Kothi would harm anyone in the pack, least of all one of the Vârcolac, but there was that one per cent of uncertainty with him that was hard to shake. The conviction in her sister's voice eased some of her foreboding though. Dara was a good judge of character. She had a level head and she trusted her implicitly. If Dara was sure she wouldn't be in any danger, then she had to trust that assessment. 

Cassia dialled back her concern and allowed herself to relax, albeit reluctantly. "Okay, but if he does anything like that again, you call me instantly. Do not put yourself in harm's way. Are we clear on that?"

For an answer, Dara threw her arms around her, hugging her tightly. "Thanks, Cass. I promise I'll take care of myself."

She was probably making a huge mistake giving into her sister but Cassia's wolf was unconcerned about what she'd heard so she took that as a sign that there was no imminent danger. Maybe Dara would be good for Kothari. Maybe he would finally find some kind of peace and integrate better with them. She would keep an eye on him none-the-less. If he stepped out of line even remotely, she'd kick his ass so hard he'd wonder what hit him. 

Dara was smiling with relief and hopping back into her chair so Cassia followed her, chewing on some more chicken in companionable silence. That was what she treasured most about being with her sister. They didn't have to talk all the time, they were just content to be in each other's company. She wasn't sure if she was ready to talk about what had happened with Pietro earlier but she found her mind constantly going to him and her body positioning itself at an angle so she was half looking towards the front door. 

Dara noticed too and shot her a quizzical look. "Okay, you know what's going on with me, so how about you tell me why you look as if you're about to go running out the front door any second now?"

Cassia swallowed and then finished her tea, taking her time before answering. "I went to visit Pietro today to get a hair sample to work on."

Her sister's eyes widened. "You did? What was he like? Is he really scarred like everyone says?"

For some reason Cassia felt herself prickle at the open curiosity on display. She knew Dara wasn't being mean but the talk of Pietro's scars irritated her. Her wolf began to prowl in agitation at the mere mention of them. How anyone could cause such damage to someone so beautiful was criminal, and the woman responsible was in the pack right now. She had the urge to walk over to the Eriksson's and beat the living daylights out of the other woman.

Her errant thoughts brought her up sharply and she blinked slowly as she pushed down at her wolf. She'd never in her life wanted to do anyone physical harm until that moment and it felt so strange to have such negativity flowing through her. Where the hell had that come from? Was this another indicator that the vampire was her mate for real? Her wolf was clearly acting territorial even if her vampiric side was coldly analysing the situation. 

"Cass?"

Blinking again, she turned to look at her sister to see concern on her face.

"You're growling."

Dear God, she was and she hadn't even noticed it! Her wolf never took dominance to this extent; her dual nature was always finely balanced. "Stop it!"  she remonstrated with the animal, struggling to push it into submissiveness. It fought her for a moment and then finally acquiesced though reluctantly.

"Sorry, Dara. My wolf is anxious right now and acting out of character. She has been since we met Pietro."

Her sister's eyes widened fractionally as she quickly put two and two together. It was a testament to how surprised she was that she instantly switched to their mental bond. "Pietro is your mate???" 

Sighing Cassia ran her hands wearily over her face and propped her chin up with her hands, elbows on the counter top. "I don't know. My wolf keeps yelling 'mine' and working is the only thing that keeps my mind off him. It just seems too quick, Dara. He's been in the pack for a few days now, his scent is all around. If we do find our mates like pack, as Lily says, then why haven't I noticed this before today?" 

Her sister took her time before answering, her expressive face showing her thought process. "He's been close to you in one form or another since you started working on the antidote. Maybe that was enough to soothe your wolf until you met him in the flesh?"

"I was wondering if that was maybe the case, too. I was happy to spend hours on end in the lab and felt antsy being away from it. My frustration levels were creeping up even then. Freya tried to dissuade me from going for the hair sample myself but I just ignored her and went. It was like I was compelled to but haven't realised it until now." Sighing, she scrubbed at her face again. "What am I going to do, Dar?"

Dara could understand her dilemma. Ordinarily, claiming a mate wasn't supposed to be a hard thing, though with Rafe's pack being made up of such interesting personalities, it was proving a bit of a trying time for most of them. Pietro came with a lot of damage, both physical and emotional. Cassia would have to find some way through his barriers to convince him he was a worthy mate. It wasn't going to be easy.

"He's so damaged," Cassia whispered, closing her eyes as she felt moisture begin to gather. Pietro's pain tore at her heart, as did the defeat in his beautifully miss-matched eyes. She knew he would fight any mating pull he experienced. "I'm not sure how to go about reaching him. If today is anything to go by, he's going to fight me every step of the way."

Dara slipped an arm around her sister and rested her head against her shoulder as Cassia automatically hugged her back. "If he belongs to you then you will find a way, Cass. I have faith in you. After all, how could he resist someone as beautiful, smart and funny as you?"

"I hope you're right, Dar. I have to be the strong one until he is ready to believe in himself again. I'll work on the antidote every hour I can spare. Maybe when I find a cure, Pietro will have a bit more confidence."

"I'm sure he will, Cass. I'll do anything I can to help too. You know that, don't you?"

She did, and the wealth of love and determination she felt down her bond with her sister made her smile. She could always count on Dara. Of that one thing, she was sure in her life. But she would have to go very carefully with the wounded vampire a few doors away. It would take all of her logic and cunning to ensnare that gorgeous male while he was oblivious to the fact. Her smile widening, she hugged Dara a little tighter. Pietro de la Rios had better watch out...because she was coming whether he liked it or not.

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 04



 Hopefully I did a better job with this chapter. Sometimes I am so close to this story that fresh eyes are required to spot my mistakes so I've called in some extra help :) 

Thanks Mistress of Shadows and Angel n Disguise #hugs

As always, mikothebaby, you are a treasure!

Enjoy 

*

"She's weeping again."

Liam's softly spoken words had Ashleigh looking up from her book to see her son standing in the living room doorway. His large frame almost filled the entire space as he leaned against the side of the wall with his arms crossed. The anxiety in his eyes hurt her heart but she couldn't bring herself to care about the woman lying in the room above her head.

Nors had said to give it time, but she still felt nothing but hatred for the former vampire who had tried to kill her son. Liam's compassion shone from his eyes. It was simply beyond her comprehension how anyone could look at her baby and see a monster worth killing. Ashleigh had lost so much already in her life that the mere thought of losing her son was the final straw. Her heart had hardened and she didn't know if it would ever thaw, despite the faith her mate had in her.

"I don't know what to do, Mom."

Turning away from Liam, she looked back down at her book though she couldn't read a word through the tears swimming in her eyes. It hurt to turn away from him but she couldn't help it. "You know I'm not the best person to speak to about this, Liam. You should talk to your father if you need advice in this matter." God, even her voice sounded cold and hard; a far cry from what she was usually like.

"Mom, please don't hate her." Liam entered the room, coming to rest on his knees beside her chair at the open fire. He placed his hands against hers, closing the book and gripping her tightly. "I know what she did was wrong and understand why you find it hard to forgive, but she's my mate. Hating her is like hating half of me."

The tears she was struggling to hide fell and splashed on their joined hands. Ashleigh struggled to hold in a sob, hearing herself echo the woman above. "I wish I could do this for you, Liam, I really do, but I can't forgive what she did to you. If you hadn't been immune to that poison I would have lost you. I know you probably think I'm being selfish, son, but I can't help the way I feel. I don't mean to hurt you by rejecting her. I know I stand the chance of losing you by feeling this way and I hate her even more for that because, either way, that woman will have won and taken you from me."

"Never!" Liam whispered, his eyes moist as he gathered his mother close. Surely she didn't really believe that she would lose him? His parents were everything to him and always would be. He could feel his mom shaking as she tried to hold back her tears and it made him want to cry as much as Reasa's weeping did. He had to comfort his mom somehow, so he held her even tighter and stroked a hand down her back. "No matter what happens I will always love you, Mom. You will never lose me. We'll find some way to work through this, I know we will."

Hugging him tightly Ashleigh was ashamed to let her tears flow. She was Liam's mother and it was her job to comfort him and keep him safe, and yet, he was the one who comforted her despite his own pain. What kind of mother did that make her? Why couldn't she be strong enough to work through her ambivalence and try to find something worth liking in her son's mate? 

Just the thought of it made her feel physically sick. How were they ever going to resolve this if she couldn't learn to get over what had happened? "I'm so sorry, Liam. Forgive me."

"I'll take it from here, son." 

Nors entered the room, crossing quickly to retrieve his mate from his son and cradle her close. He had heard Liam's passionate speech and felt so proud of him. He understood the dilemma his son was in, having suffered something similar with Freya and Ashleigh in the past. It was hard to love two people in different ways and have them at odds with each other. Maybe that was why it was easier for him having Reasa in their home. He didn't want his son to lack support as he endured that awful feeling of being caught in the middle.

"Why don't you head over to the community hall and help out?" he said, brushing away Ashleigh's tears with a gentle hand. "I believe Lily is on lunch duty and we all know how interesting that will be." Privately he sent a rush of love down their mate bond. "I'll try and help Liam while you're there, love." 

Pulling herself together, Ashleigh gave them both a weak smile and smoothed her hands down the side of her jeans. "Yes, someone has to save us all from Lily's cooking." She met Liam's gaze and saw no condemnation there and her heart twisted painfully; he didn't hate her for rejecting his mate. It made her feel even more ashamed.

"Stop, Ash. Liam understands and is willing to wait for you to work through this. Don't think about yourself that way. You don't deserve it." 

"I'm failing my son, Nors. Logically I know it, and yet my wolf will not accept that woman. I feel as if I'm being ripped apart inside and I should be strong enough to handle this." 

"Enough, Ashleigh. Go bang some pots and pans around until you work this self-loathing out of your system. It's irritating my vampiric side and I think it's better for Liam to have one of us balanced at the moment."  Nors' tone was curt and it had the desired effect of shaking some sense into his mate. She straightened her spine and shot him a pointed look. He didn't like being harsh with his Ashleigh but at the moment it seemed to be the only thing that helped shake away her melancholy.

"Fine, I'll see you for lunch." 

The two males watched her leave, both frowning with concern. Ashleigh's current behaviour was a worry. Nors was even considering discussing it with Mallen to see if there was some underlying medical diagnosis. If there was, then maybe they could treat it. 

"I'm worried about mom."

Nors sighed and clapped his son reassuringly on the back, his pride evident. "I know, son. I am too. I'm also worried about Reasa. She's been inconsolable for an entire day now. What has Mallen had to say about that?"

Liam turned troubled eyes up to the ceiling. "He left something to put into her drink but I'm loath to do that. While it would knock her out for a while, it feels wrong to me, as if I would be breaking her trust in some way or lying to her. I don't want to start my life with my mate by drugging her."

"As opposed to your mate trying to murder you?" 

His father's dry quip teased a small smile onto Liam's face. While the words were true, it still didn't feel right to sneakily drug Reasa just because it hurt so much to hear her cry. She was going through so much pain that he felt he had to live each moment with her, that maybe if she saw him suffer too she would realise she wasn't alone. "I can't do it, Dad."

"Then tell her," Nors sighed, rubbing at the back of his neck. The constant noise of weeping was starting to give him a sore head and he'd barely been home ten minutes. He was ready to join Ashleigh at the community hall just for some peace and quiet. "Give her the choice of taking the sleeping potion or not. You never know, she may want the respite of oblivion from the emotions she's going through."

Liam hadn't thought of that and he pondered it for a moment before nodding. It made sense. "Thanks, Dad." He headed out of the room and upstairs towards his mate, mentally securing his defences as best he could against the onslaught of emotions coming from the room ahead.

Reasa was lying on the bed curled up in the foetal position. Her body shook with each sob, her voice sounding raw from the constant weeping. It would have been so easy to lie down and weep with her, but Liam knew he had to be the strong one. He had to find some way to help her come to terms with what had happened. For the hundredth time he wanted to curse Annie for what she'd done, even as his head told him that the alternative would have been so much worse.

He wasn't really angry with Annie, not anymore. At the time, his mate's screams and obvious pain had brought forth negative emotions he'd never experienced before. For a moment, he had hated Annie and Anakatrine, and everyone who had wanted to harm his mate. Now, he was as worried about where Annie was and the division between the pack and vampires, as everyone else was. His mate had caused a chasm so wide it may never be repaired; not unless Annie came home and somehow found a way to fix things.

He still had faith in Annie. She had to come back, that thought was a litany in his mind. Annie had to return soon because she may be the only person strong enough to reach Reasa's wounded soul if he couldn't get through to her. He couldn't bear to think what the consequences would be if someone didn't reach his mate soon.

"I have a potion that will help you sleep." Liam spoke the words quietly into the room, the stiffening of Reasa's body an indicator she had heard him. Her head turned slowly to regard him and he had to swallow hard at the wounded eyes that met his. There was pain there, but also an underlying venom that couldn't be hidden.

"I don't want anything from you except to be allowed to leave." She'd said the same thing earlier to him, before the current fit of weeping.

"You know we can't allow that, Reasa. We discussed it earlier." Liam moved over to the window, staring out into the forest as he gathered his emotions in as tightly as he could. "You're human now, so very fragile. You would be hurt out there and I can't allow that to happen. You're safer here with me."

"So be it, abomination. Then you can live with my weeping and my hatred."

He flinched at the disgust dripping from her tone, but tried to remain strong against her barbs. Thereasa's mind wouldn't change overnight, he knew that, but it still hurt to hear her hatred. His wolf ached to be with her. It paced restlessly, unable to understand why their mate rejected them. It was simple to his animal; they were mates and they were meant to be together. Everything else was inconsequential to that end. 

If only it was that easy. Sighing, Liam ran a hand through his hair, turning to look at the woman lying on the bed. Despite her eyes being puffy and red from the prolonged weeping fit, she was still the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen. His fingers itched to stroke her caramel skin, to feel the texture of her jet black hair running through his fingers. His body cried out to be close to her, to feel her naked skin caressing his as he showed her how much she was loved. The hatred looking back at him told him it would be a very long time before he got that close to her.

"Why do you hate us, Thereasa? What have we ever done to you to make you fear us so?"

"If vampires and Weres were supposed to mate, our venom would not be instant death to an animal. That alone is proof enough that these matings are unnatural." The words hissed out, fury dancing in her eyes as she sat up and pointed a finger at him. "What you are...you should never have been created. You are neither vampire nor wolf; a new species being born into a world that already has too many vying for dominance. You threaten everything, abomination. Vampire; Were; Human. You should not exist!"

"How, Reasa? How do we threaten the world? What have we done to suggest to you, to others, that we are a danger? Explain it to me, because I want to be able to understand why you think as you do. I want to be able to prove to you that you have nothing to fear from us – from me."

She turned away, facing the wall and curling up with her arms protectively around body. "There is nothing you could ever do to convince me your creation isn't a threat. "

Sighing again, Liam swallowed hard and tried to sooth his wolf who was becoming agitated at her continued rejection. He wasn't going to win this argument with her at the moment, so it was pointless to keep trying. He would bide his time and wait for a better opportunity. 

Crossing the room, he sat down on the side of the bed. "The offer of the sleeping potion is still there. I know this is difficult for you to come to terms with, this change in your circumstances. Just now, you said 'our venom.' You have no venom, Thereasa. You are human."

Silence greeted his words for a long moment, and then she moved to lie on her back, staring up at the ceiling. "You think I don't know that?!" She spat the words out, furious tears gathering once more. "You think I wasn't there when that redheaded bitch stripped everything from me?! I know what she did! I may not understand how she did it or what she is, but I know."

Haunted eyes turned to his. "I used to be able to hear everything and now I hear nothing but your voice. I used to be able to see everything and now the world is painted in muted colours, so dull and lifeless. I used to run with the wind and now a strong breeze would knock me over. I know that I am nothing now, abomination. The bitch should have allowed the other one to kill me! Death is preferable to this nothingness!"

There was so much pain in the words, lancing through him and shredding his soul. His mate meant every word she said; she did prefer death to being human. He had to find a way to keep her alive long enough for Annie to return; perhaps he could talk to her then, and beg her to reverse whatever she had done.

"Don't say that, Reasa, please," he whispered, fighting to hold onto his emotions. The blocks she had shown him felt weaker and he was afraid he'd lose control again. He'd been so intent on his mate that he hadn't taken any time to fully examine what had happened up at the Praetorian compound. He knew he would need to, but his mind wouldn't focus on it; as if deep down he knew what he discovered would be too much to bear alone.

"Why not? It's true! You think the more you come here and talk with me that I will somehow see the error of my ways and accept what has happened to me? You think that I will fall into your arms and be with you?" As he stiffened, she sat up, bitter laughter coming from her lips. "Oh, yes, I see the way you look at me, the way you try to gain my trust. You think one day I will accept your claim over me as my mate."

She laughed again, wild hysterical sounds mixed in with fresh tears. "Know this, abomination. I will never accept you! I will never be your mate. I will slowly watch your wolf go mad and I will laugh and spit in your face. Now, get out! I don't want to look at you and I don't want to hear you. Get out!"

Liam fled as she screamed the last words out, agony rushing through him as she screamed the words again. He stumbled in the hallway, falling to his knees as his wolf howled. Their mate hated them. She would never accept them. She couldn't have made it any clearer.

"Liam, breathe."  Elina's cool voice echoed inside his head, swiftly joined by Kallum and Lily's, Dara and Cassia's, and finally Kothi.

"We have you, Liam. You are not alone. Talk to your wolf. Calm him." 

Kallum's strong presence pressed through his agony, and he took a shuddering breath, fighting to calm himself. It was so hard, almost impossible to rein in his wolf as it snarled for dominance every step of the way.

"She will accept us. One day she will, my wolf. We cannot give up hope or we will be lost forever. She is stubborn, but so are we. A wolf can be as wily as a cat when required. We must out wait our prey until she least expects it and then we will pounce." 

The words soothed the animal and it slowly backed down. Playing to its ego worked and it stopped pacing; images of how they could outsmart their mate flowing through his mind. Liam breathed out slowly, checking his mental shields and finding them still in place. It had been a close call but he had managed to maintain control. The question was, would he be able to the next time Reasa turned on him?

Loving arms embraced him and he opened his eyes to see his mother kneeling before him. He blinked in surprise at her unexpected appearance. He'd thought she was at the community hall after their earlier conversation.

"I'm not such a bad mother that I would leave my child when he needs me the most." Ashleigh's soft words held a small amount of reproof in them though her voice was filled with the deep, abiding love she had for her son. "Liam, this isn't safe for you."

He opened his mouth to protest but she cut him off. "No, please let me finish before you interrupt me. I don't say this because of my feelings for Thereasa, but because of my love for you. Regardless of my personal feelings, I know that she has a long road ahead of her to adjust to everything that has happened. Your constant presence is not helping her to do that because she's focusing on her hatred of the Vârcolac. Thereasa has to come to terms with her humanity before she can come to terms with anything else. This is only hurting you and hurting her right now. Surely you can see that?

"I have to protect her, Mom." He could hear the pain in his voice, feel it rippling through him. He knew she could hear it too.

"You have to consider what she may need protecting from too, Liam. At the moment, you're focusing on her frailty as a human and the need to protect her physically from harm, but you're not protecting her emotionally. I know it's wrong for her to feel as she does about you, but that's the place she's at right now and that's what you need to be protecting her from. Only you can't do that because you are the problem."

Tears spilled over, flowing silently down his cheeks. He wanted to argue, wanted to deny the truth in his mother's words, but he couldn't. 

"I know this is hard, Liam. Your father had to do the same thing for me when we first met. He had to put aside his needs for a very long time until I was in the right emotional place for us to be together. It hurt him, and yet he did this for me, and I love him dearly for it. You need to be strong like your father and bide your time. You know what I'm saying makes sense."

"I don't know if I can be that strong."

Framing his face in her hands, Ashleigh wiped at his wet cheeks, her heart breaking because of his misery. "Yes, you can because you know it's for the best. Give Reasa a little space and time. Allow the rest of us to protect her for you. Your father and I love you, the pack loves you, and we will do everything we can to help you."

Liam knew what it cost his mother to protect the woman who had tried to kill him. She had been honest about her feelings. He also knew how much she loved him and that she would do this for him because of that love, placing his feelings above her own. That was what real love was about and why he knew that he had to do the same. He had to let Reasa heal. He had to let her go.

"Don't let anyone hurt her, Mom."

"I have always protected your heart, son. I always will."

Hugging her son tightly, Ashleigh reached through her bond with Nors, seeking his strength and love to do what was required. She somehow had to put away her hatred for Thereasa and keep her safe. She had no idea how she was going to do that, when every fibre of her being wanted to rip the other woman to pieces.

"You should have more faith in yourself, love. You are stronger than you think. You always have been." 

Nors' confident words soothed her a little, though she still doubted she could be that strong. "I hope so, Nors. I truly hope so." 

*****

Thereasa heard the bedroom door opening again and sat up, turning to glare at Liam only to find a small blonde woman staring at her. For a moment she was so surprised, she just blinked back at the other woman, wondering who she was. She didn't have her heightened sense of smell any more so she couldn't even work out what species she was.




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 04



"My name is Ashleigh. I am Liam's mother, and a Were. I am mated to Nors, an Ancient vampire. I figured I'd answer all your questions at once so we can move on as quickly as possible. Before we go any further, I feel obligated to tell you that while I will not harm you in any way, I have no empathy towards you. You came here to murder my son and for that, I will always hate you. For his sake, I will keep you safe, but never think that I do this for you."

The words were blunt but honest and Reasa could understand the wolf's position on an intellectual level. She could even respect it. It was refreshing to know exactly where she stood with at least one person in her new environment. "Noted."

Ashleigh entered further into the room, scrutinising the woman her son had chosen as his. She was attractive, there was no denying that, and she had to concede that despite all the weeping, Reasa had a core of steel somewhere deep inside to be able to take her harsh words and accept them without flinching. She didn't want to think anything positive about the former vampire though, so she firmed up her mental barriers.

"Your presence here is harming Liam. I was overruled about having you in my home when you first arrived, but after today, it appears my reluctance has proven to be correct. I will talk with our Alpha to find another place for you to stay. You need to start adjusting to your changed circumstances. Lying and weeping in this room is not adjusting."

Reasa bristled at her tone. Yes, she may have a right to judge her when it came to matters of her son, but what right did this wolf have to judge how she dealt with becoming human? Swinging her legs over the side of the bed she rose and crossed to the window, staring out at the freedom denied her. "I need to start adjusting? Who are you to tell me what I need to be doing? I have had everything ripped away from me, everything that made me who I am. What gives you the right to lecture me on how I should or shouldn't be handling it?"

A long silence ensued, so long that Reasa thought the other woman had left the room. She turned to see the wolf staring down at the carpet, a frown on her pretty face. Ashleigh appeared to come to some decision as her head raised and she met her gaze.

"A long time ago I lost everything dear to me." Ashleigh's voice faltered slightly and she frowned again before swallowing hard. "My entire family was wiped out by vampires who attacked my former pack. I was young, lost and so very alone. Despite the love of my pack, I wanted to give up. Sometimes at night I would lie awake weeping, longing to be dead with my family. I was moments away from turning rogue, so I know what it is like to lose everything, to feel so alone that you long for death. Our circumstances may be different but the essence of the emotions is the same."

Despite herself, Reasa found her interest piqued by the wolf's admission. The emotion in the other woman's voice told her she still, to this day, suffered from the loss of her family; however she had the strength to go on with her life. "How did you survive?" The question was spontaneous and surprising, but she couldn't retract the words now that they were out of her mouth.

Warmth spread across the petite blonde's expression, her brown eyes sparkling with such a wealth of love that Reasa felt her mouth drop open slightly. The transformation from the cold woman who had entered the room was staggering.

"A vampire saved me," Ashleigh answered, her lips curving in small smile. "Through all the blood and death, the tears and grief, Nors pushed everything out of his way and took me under his protection. He supported me, held me as I grieved; he was a rock and a shining light at every turn. He loved me and waited for over a year for me to heal and accept him as mine. Without him, I would have been lost forever."

"You placed your life in the hands of a vampire when they were responsible for the death of all you loved?" Reasa wasn't sure if the woman before her was incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. If a species had taken everything from her, she would never turn to them for comfort. That was why the only saving grace with being in the pack was they were wolves and not vampires. A vampire had stripped her immortality from her. Now that she was vulnerable, she wouldn't trust another vampire as far as she could throw one. 

Ashleigh's lips twitched again. "Yes, I did, and continued to do so despite being kidnapped and tortured by the last vampire council, too. You see, I'm not like you, Thereasa. I don't tar an entire species with the same brush just because of the actions of a few. I don't hate and fear a race just because they're not something I understand."

There was no mistaking the barb being thrown in her direction, and Reasa acknowledged it even as she ignored it. If this woman thought anything she said would change her mind, she was wrong, and she didn't see the point in reiterating what she'd already said to Liam. She was sure his mother was smart enough to know it.

Reasa moved back to the bed, her thoughts confused. Ashleigh's honesty impressed her she had to admit that. If what she said was true, she had endured much pain and suffering at the hands of vampires and yet she didn't condemn everyone for it. In fact, she had mated with a vampire and, from her expression when she talked of her mate, it was clear that she loved him with all her heart. This petite woman had a core of strength that was to be admired. It mattered nothing to Reasa that Ashleigh hated her. She had been hated by many of the vampires in her coven, but respected for her strength and wisdom. That was something she could understand.

"Do you imagine your son will be the one to rescue me?" Her tone dripped with mockery and bitterness.

"I hope with every fibre of my being that he isn't your mate, Reasa. If you never believe a word that comes out of my mouth, believe in that, at least."

"Oh, I do, Ashleigh." Tilting her head to the side, she perused the wolf for a moment before smiling. "You know, you would have made a good vampire. You would have thrived in a European coven with your strength and bluntness. I would possibly even have liked you."

Ashleigh skewered her with her gaze, considering her words before speaking. Her wolf was paying very careful attention to the other woman, though was strangely silent during their conversation. It watched, and for what, she wasn't sure. 

Standing straight, she met Reasa's gaze. "You're not a vampire any more. You're human. You need to learn to deal with that and stop alluding to a past that will never come around again. I will speak to Rafe and let you know of his decision." She turned to leave the room but halted at the door, glancing over her shoulder.

"I would never have liked you, Thereasa, even if I had been a vampire in your coven. I could never like someone who holds such warped hatred in her heart." Ashleigh closed the door quietly behind her, not waiting for a reply.

*****

"And just where do you think she should go?"

Ashleigh and Nors stood silently in Rafe's study, their Alpha pacing up and down the room, having listened to their request to rehouse Thereasa. He appeared resistant to the move even though he hadn't actually sanctioned Liam claiming his mate in the first instance. He hadn't argued when Liam had taken Reasa into his home, so he had sort of given his consent. Rafe knew that his mind had been on other things at the time and he'd welcomed not having to think about the semantics of having Reasa in the pack.

"She's too fragile to be anywhere near Kothari, and Andrei and Loretta's is out just for the fact that Pietro is there," Rafe sighed, halting his pacing and walking around his desk to sit down. He motioned for them to sit as he leaned on his desk and rubbed a hand over his face. He was Alpha and he didn't get to duck decisions. His pack relied on him to do what was in their best interests.

"Cedar and Alexei don't have room for her with the girls there and there's no way in hell she's coming here. We're full up as it is with mine and Aaron's brood here."

A low chuckle came from Nors' lips that quickly developed into a full-blown laugh. "Guess that leaves Freya and Dayton."

Rafe blinked, automatically shaking his head. "You want to leave Thereasa to your sister's tender mercy? Are you really that mean, Nors?"

Ashleigh was looking at her mate too, with a deep frown marring her forehead. Had he lost his mind? Freya would likely rip the other woman apart for what she'd done to Liam. She loved her nephew as if he were her own son. 

"Come on, Freya isn't that bad," Nors sighed, coming to his sister's defence. She'd mellowed somewhat since mating with Dayton. Okay, she wasn't a typical pack member, but she wasn't bad enough to warrant this reaction from his mate and Alpha. 

"Think about it for a moment. Dayton has experience handling challenging females. Elina knows how important Thereasa is to Liam; therefore, she will work hard to protect her for that reason alone. Freya is the only female vampire in the pack so she should be able to relate to the woman on some level. Freya also has had to learn to find her humanity, so, that's another thing they have in common. Most importantly, Reasa will be with family and that will make this a bit easier on Liam. I think it's the perfect solution."

Ashleigh and Rafe swapped gazes. When he put it like that, it wasn't as off the wall as they'd first thought.

"There is a certain kind of logic to it," Rafe conceded, beginning to like the idea more as he mulled it over. However, he wouldn't order a member of his pack to do something they didn't want to; not if it wasn't crucial to protecting the pack. "They have to agree to it though."

He used his Alpha bond to communicate telepathically with them. "Freya, Dayton, can you come over for a moment. I need to run something past you." 

Turning his attention back to Nors and Ashleigh, he searched for signs of how they were holding up. Nors appeared to be doing okay, though Ashleigh was showing signs of strain. He sent a pulse of love down their bond, bathing her with his pride. "I know this isn't easy for you, that it's putting a huge strain on your family. I would lighten the burden if I could, but I can't do anything about Liam claiming her as his mate. I will do what I can, though, to make it as easy as possible. You know you can always come to me if you need to. We will get through this together. It's what the pack does."

"I know, Rafe." Ashleigh smiled a sad smile that was supposed to be reassuring but she couldn't quite pull it off. Since her meeting with Thereasa, her wolf had been so quiet that she was concerned about the strange behaviour. Being dual-natured, she was used to having her wolf interact with whatever was going on in her life. This silent watching was something completely new that she hadn't experienced before. It was unsettling. She was afraid her wolf was waiting to harm her son's mate and she wouldn't be able to control it even if she wanted to.

A knock on the door diverted her musings and Freya and Dayton entered at Rafe's command. The vampire frowned when she sighted her brother and his mate already in the room, though her mate was all smiles.

"So, what are we cooking up today?" Dayton Alexander raised an enquiring eyebrow as he pulled up a chair beside the sofa Nors and Ashleigh were already seated on. He waited for Freya to sit down before perching on the arm of the chair, his arm casually across the back so he could play with a multi-coloured lock of his mate's hair. Essentially he looked relaxed but everyone knew he was unconsciously soothing Freya, as was his habit.

Rafe automatically took command. There wasn't any point in beating around the bush when it came to his most difficult pack member. He fixed his gaze firmly on Freya as he spoke. "Thereasa's rejection of Liam is causing him harm. She is struggling to come to terms with being human because she's too fixated on him being a hybrid and her potential mate. It's apparent she needs to be housed somewhere else for the time being. You two are the logical choice to take her in."

Freya hissed, leaning forward in her chair, her eyes narrowing as she stared at the Alpha. "Is this an attempt at humour?" Her words were emotionless, her expression anything but.

"No, this is a genuine request for you to protect your nephew's mate for a time, until they can work out their differences and find a way to come together."

"No!"

"Freya." Dayton rubbed a hand down his mate's back, his voice low and soothing. He could feel her fury through their mate bond and instantly worked to counteract it before she exploded. She was very close to Liam and the fact she had managed not to get involved with Thereasa so far had been to her credit. Now she was being asked to shelter the woman and that might be too much to ask from her. He held her gaze as she turned to stare at him, disbelief in her eyes. 

Dayton agreed with Rafe? He wanted to allow Liam's would-be assassin in their home, a woman who hated all Vârcolac and that included their own daughter? Surely she had to be reading him wrong, but as she searched his face, she couldn't see any sign of revulsion at the prospect of accepting the woman into their home. "You are not considering this." It came out sounding more like an order than a question.

"Yes, what Thereasa did was wrong, but she's been punished for it and has been given sanctuary within the pack. I know you're angry on Liam's behalf and frightened for Elina." Dayton framed her face in his hands sending all his love down their bond. "She is no danger to those we love, Freya. She is broken and fragile, and she is Liam's heart despite what she has done in the past. You have seen first-hand what losing a mate can do if the wolf doesn't go rogue. Before you, I survived, but didn't live. Would you wish that for Liam, my love?"

Furious tears welled up in her eyes as she glared at him, trying to ignore his words. "You know I don't, but this is too much, Dayton. For Liam, for my Alpha, I have left her untouched until now because I would hurt them by giving in to what I want to do to that woman. This is a step too far though. You can't ask this of me."

Rafe frowned as he listened, wondering where else they could turn. He had expected Freya's opposition but her vehemence surprised him. Her hatred for Thereasa ran almost as deeply as Ashleigh's did. If they couldn't place their unwelcomed guest with Freya and Dayton, then he wasn't sure what to do with her. He didn't want her with one of the less senior pack members.

"Freya, I know how hard this is," Ashleigh said quietly, breaking the silence that had descended in the room. She did not hide her inner conflict from her expression as the vampire turned to look at her. Instead, she held Freya's gaze, knowing that this was most probably the one moment they were most in tune with each other since they'd met. 

"I don't want that woman in Liam's life any more than you do," she continued, "but what I want isn't the point here. Thereasa is Liam's mate. I may not like it, but it's a fact that can't be changed. If circumstances had been different, and Liam not affected so badly by her rejection, then I would allow her to remain in my home and find some way to come to terms with it. But that's not possible, so I must find another safe haven for her until he can make his claim. Dayton is right, Freya, she is Liam's heart. I know this isn't fair; however, I must ask you to protect my son's heart when I cannot. Please, Freya."

The burning fury inside Freya flashed brightly for a moment, and then it slowly began to diminish as she stared into Ashleigh's gaze. Over the years, she had come to love the wolf as much as her brother, welcoming her into her heart with Liam as a central part of her family. She had come to admire and respect the quiet strength of her sister, and at times had wished she had her fortitude. There was so much courage in the softly spoken words Ashleigh had just issued that Freya felt pride coming to replace the fury she'd been feeling a moment before.

"Very well, the woman can live with us and I will not harm her," she finally agreed, reaching across to squeeze Ashleigh's hand gently. "You are a remarkable woman, Ashleigh. You make me proud to have you a part of my family. I know you would protect Elina with your last breath and I will do the same for Liam. I will protect his mate and place his needs before my own. "

The tension level in the room dropped and Rafe contained his sigh of relief. His thoughts turned to his sister and he wondered where she was, and if she had any inkling of what she'd been asking of the pack when she'd tasked him with keeping Reasa safe. So far, it had only been upheaval and heavy hearts. He had a feeling there was a lot more of that to come before events played out as they were destined.

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 05



 I have to say it isn't often that I write a chapter and fall completely in love with it. For some reason this one has made a huge impact on me and I can't help but feel it is my best chapter ever. I hope you all enjoy it too :)

Many thanks to Mistress of Shadows and Angel n Disguise for casting their eyes over this chapter for me :)

Enjoy 

*

The room was shrouded in darkness, the figure on the bed uttering a low groan and turning over. Strong arms reached out, blindly seeking something in the space beside him. Whatever he searched for couldn't be found, and he settled down for a moment, before the process started once more; the lone male tossing and turning in the huge bed.

Caleb dreamed. Usually his dreams were filled with erotic moments with his Annie, fragments of their life together replaying repeatedly while he slept. Tonight was different though. Tonight the bed beside him was empty, as it had been the night before. For the first time in over a quarter of a century Caleb slept alone, and his nights were filled with restless turnings as he searched for the other half of his soul.

Last night he'd woken at 2 am, having gone to bed only an hour before. He'd remained awake, lying on his back staring at the ceiling and wondering how everything could have gone to shit so quickly and with such disastrous results. Tonight he was so tired from lack of sleep that his nocturnal restlessness didn't wake him; instead he was sucked under to another time and place, looking through the eyes of a man he'd never met...

*****

"Anakatrine, what are you doing?"

The petite woman with her back to him turned around sharply, lavender eyes pinning his own with a vacant stare for a moment before they cleared and a sad smile crossed her face. "Preparing, my love, as you know we must." She turned away, closing the leather bound spell book in her hands and placing it into an ornate wooden chest.

"It is almost time, Callain. The trial of the mated panther and vampire is less than a week away. We must ensure we protect what we can, while we can." The vampire queen turned to her brother who was leaning against a tall bookcase and waved a small hand towards the tower of chests in the library. "Take these somewhere safe, Gard. Only you must know their location. I fear if the Council finds out where they've been hidden, they will seek to destroy the knowledge they hold."

Angry lavender eyes met hers, and for a moment, Callain was mesmerised as he watched his mate and her brother. One was so huge, the other so small, and yet there was no mistaking their parentage. The Guardian secured his long auburn locks at the nape of his neck while his sister piled her curls in an ornate bronze clasp at the top of her head. But it was their eyes that mesmerised him the most, the same deep lavender hue that was a mark of their royal birth. The power that shone from those eyes was staggering to witness, and vampires of a lesser birth sometimes couldn't bring themselves to meet their gaze. It didn't faze Callain though, for he was the third part of the power of the triumvirate; the third side of a triangle of power so strong that they had ruled the vampire nation for almost three millennia.

He could see the rage in Gard's eyes, and it was instinctive for him to step between them; however, he knew he would earn the rough side of his mate's tongue if he tried to intervene. Some days he was sure she thrived on the heated debates she had with her brother. Callain held his place and watched the brewing argument.

"This is an outrage! Why are you running, Ana? You are our Queen, our ruler, not this pathetic Council. Abolish it and be done with it, sister. I fail to comprehend why you ever allowed it in the first place." It was an old argument between them, one they had nearly every other week. The result was always the same, but still the Guardian pushed for an alternate course.

"How many times must we discuss this? I've told you before, Gard, our people are stagnating. We are becoming so xenophobic that one day in the future we will set ourselves too far above others; we will look down on them with such distain, that we will forget what it is to love, what it is to live. We must evolve. This is the first step in that evolution." Tired patience accompanied her words as her gaze travelled the bookcases, looking for anything of worth she may have missed.

"They are that way already. This Council you have created already believes they are above all others, including you, our Queen. There is still time to stop this, Ana. You are so powerful, more powerful than any Queen before. With Callain and I at your side, we can retake our people and teach them what is right."

"Gard, my beautiful warrior, most beloved of brothers; there is a finite time for everything, and that includes a matriarchal monarchy. Democracy, learning to think for oneself is the way forward. I have ruled so very long. It is time to place the mantle into our peoples' hands and pray that they are wise enough to rise to the challenge and become so much more." 

Anakatrine took his hands in hers, smiling her sad smile. "Yes, I can see that the rot is already there, brother. It has been there for a long time, only it remained hidden from our eyes as most corruption does. By the time I realised it, the damage had been done and the only thing left was to let it run its course. There will be no instant miracle. Our people will fall into a path of decadence and cruelty, but one day they will rise up again and remember the beauty of the old ways. One day we will thrive and we will be glorious once more."

"Have you seen this vision, my Queen?" Callain voiced the question he frequently asked, silence usually being the standard answer. Today his beautiful mate turned her gaze on him, some unknown emotion shadowing her eyes.

"I have seen it." 

*****

Caleb groaned, kicking off the covers as he rolled over and buried his face in his pillow. Moonlight shone in the window, bathing his sweat-slickened body in its light as he was sucked down once more into a time long past. 

*****

Dark tunnels, slick with dampness and mildew were no challenge for the cloaked figures silently marching through them. It mattered not that there were no lights shining. A vampire could see in the dark, and these three better than most.

The trio halted at the barred cell, its steel so thick it would have taken a dozen Elder vampires using all their supernatural strength to break though. Inside the rancid room, a panther in human form cowered in the corner, her arms wrapped protectively around her babe as her vampire mate growled at the intruders.

"Hush, Gaston. It is I."

Tears gathered in the bedraggled male's eyes as he immediately knelt, his filthy blond hair falling forward as he bowed low. "Forgive me, my Queen. I feared you were more of the same we have endured for the last half day. They come and taunt us. They abuse my mate and torture us with how our precious Sarayne will be rendered limb from limb at tomorrow's execution."

Callain bristled at his words, outrage firing his blood lust. Was the rot already so ingrained in the hearts of his people that they took pleasure from thoughts of murdering an innocent child? He could feel his mate's rage just as strongly through their mate bond.

"Forgive me, Gaston. I tried to temper their judgement but I fear my voice holds no sway anymore. Now there is so little time, and even less I can do." Anakatrine touched the thick steel bars and incanted under her breath. For a moment, there was no discernible difference and then the bars parted as if they were made of the softest metal.

The Were gasped, venturing closer from her hiding place as freedom beckoned. Gaston's eyes lit up as he shuffled forward to bow even lower at his Queen's feet.

A muffled sob escaped Anakatrine's lips as she bent down and pulled him upright. "Please, old friend, do not abase yourself before me. I do not deserve it. I cannot free you this night. This is not the reason we are here."

He met her gaze before looking past her at Callain and Gard, the two most fearsome warriors of their people. If his Queen could not free them, then why were they here? His confused eyes turned back to Anakatrine. As he noticed the tears tracing down her face at her inability to save them, denial of her pain rushed through him. Even knowing he was facing his death, and that of the two women he loved, he hastened to reassure her. "Do not weep for us, my Queen. If death is the payment for the love we have shared, Sara and I will accept that. If we had known the outcome of being together beforehand, we would have still chosen the same path."

"Your courage shames our people, Gaston. Your mate's love shames our people. You are the essence of all we have lost, dear friend; it is my honour to mourn you and your panther mate, though I know her not." Anakatrine swallowed hard as she beckoned the woman closer. She had been sheltered her entire life from the animal shifters, but she could see the love in Sara's eyes for her mate and her child.

"I cannot save you fore they would hunt you to the ends of the world to find you. You would never be safe; we all know that to be true. There is one thing I can do, however, if you will trust in me."

"My Queen?"

"I can save your babe, but we have little time. I have used powerful spells to keep us hidden from everyone. More of my strength was used to soften these bars and I will need to solidify them. I fear I have used up almost all my reserves, Gaston. What remains can conjure up one illusion and it can only be a small one. My magic can create an image of your child that looks and feels so real they will truly believe they are executing her by your side. Gard will take her and hide her until it is over; then, as your child grows, we will keep her safe and tell her of how strong and courageous her parents were."

"Please, my lady, take her," the panther cried, rushing forward so quickly, Callain and Gard moved forward to block her.

"Stand aside," Anakatrine sighed in a vexed tone. This was no time for their over-protectiveness.

"Please!" Sara held her babe up, the tattered blanket surrounding the youngling so dirty it was hard to see the hidden child. "Save my Sarayne. She is innocent, lady, just a helpless babe. I know we are not of your kind, but my mate has told me of your compassion. Protect her. Please."

The vampire Queen reached out, carefully taking the silent child in her arms. She had to bend forward, her gaze settling on Gaston's mate. The wealth of love was evident in the panther's eyes, as was the willingness to sacrifice herself for her child. How could her people fail to see the beauty of the being before them? How could they fail to see their future?

"Your child will live, Sara, mate of Gaston. You have my word as the vampire Queen, and you have my word as a woman who has been proud to have you grace her family for this briefest of moments. Sometimes the brightest lights shine for the shortest of times, but their warmth lives on forever."

She turned from the couple, placing the child in Gard's arms. "Run my brother, run faster than you have ever run before. Take this child and keep her safe. No matter what you hear, no matter what you feel, do not falter. She is yours to protect until such time another can take up that burden. Give me your word, Kothari, Guardian of the Queen, Defender of the Weak."

Callain could see Gard longed to refuse his Queen. It was written in his eyes as well as in the stiffness of his body, but she had invoked his birth name and he knew there was no way the Guardian could disobey her. 

"You have my word, Anakatrine, but know I resent this task."

Tears glistened in her eyes as she pulled his head down and brushed her lips against his mouth. She kissed his closed eyes as he held still to her touch. Her mouth brushed across both cheeks until her breath grazed his ear. "There are so few I can save, beloved brother. Save this one child for me." As she slowly pulled away, she incanted silently, her lips unmoving as she brushed his once more.

"As my Queen commands." Without another word, Gard turned away, disappearing along the tunnels with the child.

"Stand back while I close the bars." 

Gaston pulled Sara into his arms, holding her as they silently wept tears. He knew they would die on the morrow, but their Sarayne was safe and that was all that mattered.

Anakatrine incanted again, solidifying the steel once more, before taking a weary step back. Callain moved, placing his arms around her from behind, sending his strength down their mate bond as she recovered some of her flagging energy. 

"Remember, you must act as if you would if you truly held Sarayne in your embrace. Do not give them cause to doubt, or all of this will have been for naught." With no further words, Anakatrine began casting; she called up a spell so old it had been long forgotten by most, as had many of the other spells used this day.

The couple in the cell were suddenly joined by a third; a blanket covered a small babe, so real in appearance that if Callain hadn't been privy to what had happened, he would have sworn it was Sarayne.

"It is done," Anakatrine sighed softly, shifting in his embrace to face him. "We have no time left, my love." 

She reached up as she had with her brother, brushing his lips first, then his eyes, his cheeks and finally his ear. Her lips trembled infinitesimally and for a moment, he thought he heard the words of a spell; but then she was kissing him once more, hard and passionately as if it would be the last time their lips would ever touch.

"We must buy Gard time, Callain. He must be far away before he feels the first blow."

"Ana?" Fear flowed through him at her words and at the tears that slowly dripped down her cheeks. 

"I used the last of my magic creating the illusion, my mate. There was never going to be enough to do everything that needed to be done. Forgive me, my love. I saved the few that I could, and I knew you would never leave me."

The fear grew, turning into a deep dread. All around them were voices and the sounds of booted feet coming ever closer. In that moment he understood; his love for his Queen blazed so brightly, his amber eyes shone. His knuckles caressed her soft cheek as the sounds came ever closer. "No, I would never leave you, my heart. I love you, Anakatrine, heart of my heart, breath of my breath, forever and always."

Another tear fell, her smile shining radiantly as they turned together to face the first vampires flying down the long tunnel. "I will hold you to that, my most glorious mate. Death will never keep us apart." 

Callain spared one last moment to glance quizzically at her, but she was already moving forward, fangs bared, talons clicking loudly as she cut a swathe through the first unfortunate wave of vampires to encounter her wrath. He was beside her in an instant, protecting her as he cut down vampire after vampire. No one would harm a hair on her head, not as long as he lived...

*****

Caleb cried out, twisting on the bed. His fist crashed out as he rolled over, his body drenched in sweat. The wood headboard split as he thumped it hard. He was neither aware of the noise nor the brief pain in his hand; instead, he was swirling under, drowning in the memories of the man he used to be...

***** Pain lanced down Callain's side and his talons lashed out, decapitating the Elder vampire who was trying to rip out his lung. He back-handed the corpse, ignoring the gaping hole in his side as he turned to face his next attacker, ensuring Anakatrine was always in sight. 

His Queen was a remarkable sight, her auburn curls spilling wildly around her, her lavender eyes glowing with power as she despatched two vampires then spun out of the way of a third who was trying to take her head. She feinted left, and then swiftly reversed her movement, catching the third vampire off-guard as she seemed to vanish, and then reappear where she wasn't expected. A casual flick of her hand and she was free to seek her next target, her opponent falling dead at her feet. 

Anakatrine was unrivalled in her beauty and wisdom, but also deadly when it came to defending those she loved. Callain knew they were up against overwhelming odds; that the only reason they hadn't been overrun by sheer numbers was due to the cramped tunnel they were in. Though they had kept themselves mostly unharmed, it would be only a matter of time before their strength gave out, and then... The thought of what would happen sparked his fury and his next attack on their assailants was more violent, bloodier. He was drenched in thick red fluid by the time he'd finished dismembering another four vampires. 

Despite his ferocity, he was tiring and had taken a few vicious wounds. They had healed almost immediately, but he had lost blood and that added to his fatigue. Vampires were starting to slip past them and he spun around to protect his mate but he realised they were not attacking from behind; instead, they continued on down the tunnel.

For a moment he paused, confused by their behaviour. Then he had to move swiftly to take out a vampire that was sneaking up behind Anakatrine as she was occupied with two others. It was only when he heard the screams coming from behind them that he realised what was happening. By then it was already too late.

Sara's shrill screams filled the tunnel, her voice hysterical. "Not my baby! Please not my baby! Leave her alone! Give her back to me!"

The illusion of a child crying filled the air for the briefest of moments and then Sara's scream shattered around them. Gaston was screaming too, pain and fury mixed together as the sounds of frantic fighting erupted. They should have been safe from the vampires but it was clear those that had slipped past had been furnished with the key to the cell.

The doomed couple didn't stand a chance against their assailants and the sounds of fighting didn't last long. Callain had one moment to acknowledge their passing, pride flowing through him at the convincing display they had put up. Their child would be safe. No one would doubt the vampires had murdered a living being instead of an illusion. Callain shuddered as he acknowledged the fact that they now had enemies at their back.

"Ana, behind us!"

His mate took two running steps and sailed gracefully through the air, coming to land with her back to his. Callain slashed out at the oncoming onslaught of vampires, ripping off limbs and ripping out throats as his mate took care of the ones behind him. He could feel his fatigue increasing, his movements beginning to slow as he lost yet more blood from the penetrating blows. He wasn't replenishing the lost blood and it was only a matter of time before he was finally overrun.

"Ana." He used their telepathic link, calling to his heart.

"I know, love, I know. There was never an alternative for us, we both knew that."

Her sad words crushed his heart as three Ancients reached him and he couldn't react fast enough to keep them at bay. He roared in pain as his arm was ripped from his shoulder, talons driving hard into his chest. He heard Anakatrine screaming as he fell first to his knees and then onto his side.

Callain watched Anakatrine being surrounded, blood pooling fast as she lost her balance and fell close to him. Her cries of agony were all he could hear. Her lavender eyes, dulled with pain, were all he could see as their people clawed into her body. "Ana!" 

"I love you, Callain." The weak mental words resounded in his head as he wept unashamedly. For a second he heard more words but they weren't directed at him and were so weak in nature that he used the last of his strength to aid his Queen. 

"Run, Gard! Run!"

Talons rasped at Callain's throat, his vision beginning to blur as pain throbbed through his neck, and he knew they had run out of time. "Ana, I love y..." *****




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 05



Caleb screamed, flying from the bed with talons slashing out, his fangs elongated, his eyes pools of darkness. His body drenched in sweat, his eyes wild, he roared and slashed out, shredding the bed with his talons, flowing around the room, searching for any sign of threat. He quartered the bedroom, leaving no dark crevice unchecked until he was certain there was no danger in his vicinity. Only once he was fully convinced he wasn't under attack did the impact of his nightmares begin to sink in.

Caleb groaned, falling to his knees and shielding his eyes as a shiver wracked his body. It had been as if he'd been there, not Callain but him, Caleb! History had replayed itself in graphic detail, and watching it had been a torture he'd never believed imaginable. He'd been helpless to intervene, helpless to stop the carnage he'd witnessed. Callain's emotions had flown through him...the fury, the sheer depth of the vampire king's rage was more powerful than anything he'd ever personally experienced. Anakatrine! It had been Callain's only thought; trying to protect her even though he knew it was futile. 

Caleb felt the same the same urgent need to save her but he couldn't influence what had happened no matter how much he'd wanted to. It wasn't even that the visions had shown too many vampires attacking. What he had witnessed was the past; it had already happened and couldn't be undone. 

He'd never dreamed about it before; not once since Gard had turned the key in his mind that had awakened Callain. Probably because he had locked down that side of himself so tightly, the other man had never had the opportunity to influence any part of his life. Until now.

He rose to his feet, his feral side calmer, his amber eyes taking in the destruction of the bedroom. He was under no illusion that Callain had managed to take dominance as he'd slept. Caleb's normally tight control had slipped as a result of everything that had happened recently. The events at the Praetorian compound, his exhaustion, and Annie being gone had granted the vampire King the perfect opportunity to act. He was too drained to even consider being mad about it, the images in his mind refusing to leave.

Running a shaky hand through his damp hair, Caleb picked his way through the broken furniture as he headed into the bathroom. He stopped at the sink, staring at his reflection in the mirror. The face staring back at him looked worn and tired, two thousand years of living stamped all over it. He'd never seen the extent of all he was, of everything he'd ever done, reflect in his expression before. It was unsettling to see it now.

Caleb sighed, running some cold water into the sink and splashing it on his face. He couldn't give up now, not when there was so much at stake. Seeing Anakatrine dying had shaken him to the core and rekindled his need to protect Annie. He couldn't fail as Callain had. The consequences of that were unbearable. 

Raising his head, he gazed into the mirror again and froze on the spot. Callain looked back at him, his face different but the colouring the same. He gaped at the stranger looking back at him, before blinking to shake away the image. When he glanced back, it was his own reflection he saw and he swallowed hard, relief coursing through him. First the nightmares, and now this. It was clear that his former self was determined to be heard.

Fuck it; maybe it was time to start listening to what the vampire King had to say. After all, he was screwing things up royally doing them his way. Maybe Callain had something to contribute that could prove useful? Closing his eyes he took a deep breath and then turned his mind inward, searching for the metaphorical door he'd locked Callain's persona behind for so long.

"You're determined to get my attention, so speak, Callain. Did you enjoy putting me through a blow by blow account of your failure?" 

There was a long pause and for a moment Caleb wondered if he had just lost his mind, talking to himself. Then he felt another presence begin to emerge and he gripped onto the sink hard as he waited for a response.

"Enjoy is hardly the word I would have applied, Caleb, but you needed to see what you risk losing if you continue on your current path. You needed to understand what Anakatrine gave her life to protect. I only wonder if you actually saw what you needed to see, or if you are too wrapped up in your own arrogance that you missed the point completely."  

The vampire King's tone was thick with condemnation, immediately irritating Caleb, but he dampened it down. It was pointless getting mad at him; he'd only be fighting with himself. It crossed his mind that he'd expected the other man's speech to be markedly different to his, but maybe having spent a quarter of a century in Caleb's head had made it more modern. "So, what lesson did you think I needed to learn? Enlighten me, vampire King."

"If you need to ask then it's clear I've failed." 

This wasn't going well and was clearly going to be counterproductive until Caleb started trying to work with Callain as opposed to challenging him for dominance. The aura within was very powerful, so powerful that he wondered at the ease he'd managed to subdue it for so long. Had Callain let him retain control? If he had, then why?

Caleb sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose as he tried to think rationally as opposed to emotionally. The vampire King wanted him to see something in the nightmares, so maybe he should look at them again in a more objective manner? The dreams had come in three segments. In the first one, Anakatrine was packing up ancient tomes and instructing Gard to take them somewhere for safekeeping. The second dream centred on Gard being forced to leave with Rayne with orders to protect her. The third and final image was, perhaps, the most disturbing of all; the end of the monarchy ruling the vampire nation and the vivid death of the King and Queen.

His mind whirled as he replayed sections of each dream, searching for what he may have missed the first time. "The books,"  he finally said, staring at his reflection. "With everything happening why did Anakatrine feel the need to save books, unless there was something of great importance within?" 

"Exactly!"  Callain answered. Caleb could have sworn there was a hint of pride in that one word. "Why indeed? What do they contain and where are they now? Does Gard still have them? Can Annie use them now in this time?" 

The thought rocked Caleb and the sink broke under his hands as he unconsciously applied pressure.

"You're going to have to fix this place up before she comes home." 

Cursing, Caleb stepped back, his face thunderous. "Thanks for pointing out the obvious."  Turning on the shower, he threw himself under the scalding spray and ignored Callain as he worked through more of the dream. As he towelled off and retrieved jeans and a T-shirt from the wrecked closet in the bedroom, he pursed his lips as something else occurred to him.

"Anakatrine wasn't just saving the child. She was saving Gard too. He would never have left her if he'd known the danger was imminent." 

Callain chuckled at Caleb's tone. "I see you have the same reluctance in allowing the Guardian to perform his duties as I did. It's hard conceding the protection of our mate to another. And yes, your perception is exemplary. She was saving her brother as much as she was the child." 

"Then she knew what was about to happen,"  Caleb whispered, his mind whirling at the implication. "She knew everything, didn't she, Callain? Annie, she gets feelings sometimes, a sort of knowing without realising why she knows. We jokingly call her a Seer, but Anakatrine was the true Seer." 

"Yes, she was."  Callain's mental voice held a wealth of pride and sadness. "Ana not only lived in the present, but also the future. That Annie only has brief feelings about things tells me that my Queen is most likely dampening that part of her abilities to protect her. While our souls are here with you and Annie, you ARE separate people, Caleb, with your own personalities. Your Annie is a beautiful soul with much kindness and compassion. My Ana could deal with seeing the future but that doesn't necessarily mean your Annie could." 

He was half listening, half trying to put the pieces together. If Anakatrine had known what the future held...just how far into the future could she see?

"Her vision was limitless."  Callain chuckled again at Caleb's surprise at his response. "You don't have to think something directly at me when you allow me into your head. Our thoughts become joined." 

"Then she knew when she set up the first Council they would turn against her. She knew vampires and Weres could mate and have children. She knew our people were corrupting themselves and setting themselves up for eventual extinction unless they could be saved." 

"Yes, Caleb! And she knew that we had to fall so far down, that we had to be at such a point where civil war threatened to destroy us completely, before we would ever be ready to rise up again and save ourselves." 

Caleb gasped out aloud, realisation dawning. "The threat from Europe." 

Callain echoed his words. "Yes, the threat from Europe. Now is the time Anakatrine has worked towards: you and Annie, the wolves, the Vârcolac...everything has been set in place to save our people, Caleb, but that can only be achieved if we are united." 

The magnitude of Callain's revelation was staggering. Caleb rushed from the bedroom, flying downstairs at supernatural speed as he tried to run from what he was learning. More images were replaying in his mind: Anakatrine kissing Gard farewell, and then performing the same ritual with Callain before the attack. Had he heard something else as he'd relived those moments? His mind tried to listen again, tried to see what he'd been shown but had barely noticed.

Dear God, she'd planned it all! Knowing her time was short and she couldn't impact anything in the past, she'd found a way to be in the future! His mind revisiting the dream again, he could see Anakatrine's lips moving imperceptively as she kissed her brother and then her mate...

"Now you see, Caleb. Now you see her greatness as well as her dedication to saving our people. She knew she had only moments left, that if she died, all hope for our people would die with her. She looked to the future and she found the tools needed to save everything she loved. She found you, a throwback to a time when we once were great, when we knew love and compassion. You love our people, Caleb, as much as she loved them. Ana saw your greatness and gave you what you needed to remember who you were, so you could rise to your full potential and be what you needed to be."

"And just what was that?"  There was a hint of bitterness in Caleb's tone that he couldn't mask. There was just too much new information being thrown at him and some of it he didn't like.

"You were Sired by Gard, the only one she could trust to mentor you through the change, to teach you the right path. Have you never wondered at why he chose you? I can assure you he has often wondered many times himself, as you are the only human he has ever Sired to this life. Gard did so because he was compelled to; just as you were compelled to seek him out when the time was right so he could unlock your memories of me." 

Caleb felt fury begin to build inside as a small tendril of dread gripped him. Was Gard the only variable the vampire Queen had manipulated in his life? He tried to fight his growing rage as another thought came to him and it escalated even higher. "Annie? Was anything left to chance, Callain? Do I love Annie because that's what Anakatrine wants me to feel? Are we all just puppets dancing to her tune?" 

A blast of fury rocked through him from Callain and then a long, weary sigh sounded in his mind. "And you were doing so well for a moment. Of course, your feelings for Annie are real. No one can interfere with the mating instinct, not even Anakatrine. You were always destined to meet Annie; Ana saw that when she looked to the future. That's how she knew this was the time and place we needed to be. All she did was ensure that you would both have what you needed to see through this moment in time. Stop searching for ways to blame Ana for your poor decisions of late and start looking at the bigger picture. This is the pinnacle moment, Caleb. This is when we either succeed or fail." 

"You said Anakatrine's vision was limitless,"  Caleb snarled, striding into the living room and throwing himself down onto a leather sofa. It was the same room he had taken his Annie to the first night they'd met and his eyes immediately went to the rug before the fire, his heart clenching tightly that she wasn't with him right now.

"We're talking thousands of years here, Caleb. To us back then, seeing to this point in time was limitless. Ana couldn't see anything past her moment of rebirth. She is nothing but spirit now and it's possible that is what limited her reach. I wouldn't know...I haven't been able to ask her these past twenty-five years because you've kept her from me all this time."  

There was bitterness and pain in Callain's final words that shocked Caleb and he ran his hands through his hair as he digested the vampire King's words. Callain was right. Caleb had spoken to Anakatrine as well as Annie, but he'd never allowed his alter ego to come out in all that time. Anakatrine and Callain were present in this timeline but kept completely apart!

Caleb groaned, holding his head in his hands. He would go mad if someone kept him apart from his mate, if he couldn't speak to his Annie, touch her and hold her for a quarter of a century. He had done this to Callain and Anakatrine, and just the thought of what that must have been like for them made him groan again. It didn't help that he hadn't been aware of what he was doing. The fact that he'd done so was enough to fill him with self-loathing. What the fuck was he doing?

It was all too much; he needed some space and time to think everything through. He'd reached the limit of what he could endure while talking to the vampire King. "Callain, I need to be me for a while. I need to think."

"I understand, Caleb, but understand this too: I need to talk to my Ana. You've had her for twenty-five years. I need her too. Don't make me wait too long." 

There was a plea in his words in addition to an implied threat. It made Caleb bristle; it also made him wonder just whether or not Callain was capable of more than he'd originally thought.

"You think you have me contained behind that door in your mind? I stay there because I know Ana would be upset with me if I caused you harm. Believe me, Caleb, I could take control of you any time I wanted, as could Ana with your Annie. Keep me apart from my mate much longer and I may risk her wrath by proving it to you." 

There was a hot burst of power deep within, as Callain's power blazed brightly, backing up the words he'd just spoken. "Know this, Caleb. I have tolerated your disrespect of my mate because of your ignorance of events. I suggest you tread carefully going forward. Anakatrine has sacrificed much and deserves to be respected. She is your Queen." 

His parting words disturbed Caleb even as his guilt escalated. Could he really blame his alter ego for protecting his mate? It was what he would do if someone disrespected Annie. How was he going to work this mess out? He didn't know where to begin, how to start coming to terms with what he'd learned. For the first time in his life, he felt truly alone and reached out to the one person who would always be there for him...

"Annie?" 

He felt a surge of warmth, and the tentativeness of her touch with so much distance between them. He was surprised at how instantly she responded, even though he knew he shouldn't have been.

"What's wrong, Caleb?" 

He swallowed hard, hearing her love, feeling it flowing down their mate bond as he opened up fully to her. He'd pushed her away and yet she was there in a heartbeat with no condemnation in her voice, just love and concern. "I've had bad dreams. They shook me up a bit. Are you safe, Annie? Is Gard protecting you?" 

"He's being his usual insufferable self,"  she laughed, her love for her brother evident in her tone. "I'm fine, Caleb. There is nothing to worry about." 

"Are you ready to come home?"  A soft sigh whispered through his mind, full of such longing that he wanted to reach out and hold her tightly.

"Soon, love, but I have something I must do first. Are you ready for me to come home?" 

His instinctive answer was yes, but he held his tongue. God, he wanted her home so badly that he wanted to demand she return straight away, but he knew he needed time to work out how to ensure her protection once she was home. He had many plans to make and he needed to wrap his head around everything he'd learned.

"Let me make sure it's safe for you first. I have a lot of thinking to do and while I want you here with me so badly, I know we both need this time to do what must be done. I do miss you, Annie, so very much. I feel as if half of my soul is missing."  

"As do I, Caleb. I know we need to talk, to find some way to work through this issue we have, but I have faith in us. A few more days apart won't kill us." 

"Speak for yourself,"  he grumbled but there was humour in his tone, his chaotic thoughts calming as she bathed him in her love. "I love you, Annie. I know I'm being an ass and don't deserve you but never doubt that you're the only reason I wake each day, that you're the reason my heart beats. When I get my act together I intend to prove that to you, every day for the rest of our existence." 

"I love you too, Caleb, so much that it hurts to be away from you. I'm just glad you're at the point where you want to speak to me again. Please don't close our bond, Caleb. Even if you're mad at me or Anakatrine, never cut me from you in that way. It hurts too much." 

The muffled sob at the end of her words was enough to break his heart. He hated himself for putting her through this anguish. "I won't, love, I promise. I'll be here anytime you need me. I'll never leave you like that again." 

He sent his love down their bond, mentally holding her close to soothe some of the hurt he'd caused. "I'm sorry, Annie, so very sorry." 

"I know,"  she whispered back. "It'll be okay, Caleb. We'll be okay. I have to go now. You know where I'll be when you're ready." 

He felt her leave and wanted to call her back, but knew that she was right to go. He still had to address his feelings for Anakatrine and he had so much new information to digest before he could settle that in his mind. Just knowing that Annie would come if he needed her was enough. Just knowing she still loved him and didn't hate him for the way he'd treated her would keep him going until he could hold her in his arms again.

The time for procrastination was over. It was time he got around to doing what he had to do so his Annie could come home to him. Caleb rose from the sofa and headed out of the house. It was still dark, dawn over an hour away, but he didn't care about that. He needed to speak to Demetri; he needed to start repairing the damage he'd done.

*****

Rhianna rose from the drenched bed, pushing back her tangled damp curls. The dreams had been excruciating, no doubt brought on by Anakatrine and most likely what Caleb had just experienced. Though shattered by reliving the past, Caleb's touch, his reaching out to her had given her hope.




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 05



He still loved her; he was still intent on protecting her. He wanted her to come home. The tears from her nightmares dried on her face; fresh tears falling as she hugged herself tightly. Caleb loved her. They would be together again soon and they'd find some way to work through their problems.

Rhianna headed into the en-suite bathroom to run a shower. They were staying in a small apartment Gard owned in the city; one of many properties it appeared her brother owned. As she showered, she replayed the dreams in her mind, frowning as the hot water flowed over her body. It appeared there was something Gard hadn't told her, something Anakatrine had kept quiet about too. She would be having words with him about that.

She was dressed and knocking on his door in less than fifteen minutes, her damp hair pulled up in a high ponytail. When the door pulled back, she stifled a gasp at his haggard expression. It would appear none of them had escaped the nightmares. "You neglected to tell me something, Gard."

He snorted, rolling his eyes as he stepped back to let her into the room. "I guess Anakatrine didn't want you to know until now."

Rhianna turned around from looking at the rumpled bed, arching an eyebrow. "Do you still have them?"

Gard looked at her expression and sighed. "Of course I do. It was one of the last things she ever asked me to do for her. Let me take a quick shower and I'll take you to them."

"They're here?" She couldn't keep the surprise out of her voice. For some reason, she hadn't expected that.

Gard smiled, glancing over his shoulder as he headed towards the bathroom. "Well, you didn't think I was going to bury them somewhere inaccessible for three millennia? I've always kept them close to where I've put down my roots. When I felt Anakatrine's presence awaken, I retrieved them as soon as it became apparent that you would be staying here. Meeting Rayne ensured I would always remain here too."

He closed the bathroom door and Rhianna headed back to her room. Excitement was starting to well up inside her. Gard had the ancient tomes of the vampire Queen and soon she would be able to read them. Maybe there was something within them that could help with the European problem? Maybe there was something within them that could bring her closer to Caleb? There had to be a reason Anakatrine had saved them and she was determined to find out what that reason was.

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 06



 I so didn't want such a long gap between chapters this time however March turned into such a hectic month and we're now into April. Thank you so much for the wonderful, positive response to chapter 5. I'm glad you loved it as much as I did :)

Many thanks to Mistress of Shadows and Angel n Disguise for their awesome time and help with the chapter #hugs

Enjoy! 

*

Demetri growled, coming instantly awake as the sound of the front door opening roused him from his sleep. Mara stirred at his side, sitting up abruptly as she too heard the intruder downstairs. She turned to look at her husband, but he was already flowing from the bed in one sinuous movement, morphing into his feral state before his feet touched the floor. He was halfway towards the bedroom door before the scent of their nocturnal visitor reached him, and he halted his movement, muttering a loud curse.

"Caleb?" Mara's head swivelled to her bedside table to glance at the alarm clock. "It's not even five a.m." 

Demetri cursed again as he hunted in the dresser for some boxer shorts. He was irritated at his friend for showing up so early but beneath his irritation was an underlying trace of concern. Caleb must have had a good reason for turning up at this hour. Something had to be wrong. He was vaguely aware of Mara climbing out of bed as he headed out of the room to greet their visitor.

"Do you know what time it is?" Demetri growled out the words, raking talons through his rumpled hair as he glared at his best friend standing in his open doorway. He pushed down his vampiric side, scowling darkly as Mara appeared beside him, a hastily thrown on dressing gown wrapped around her. 

She was still blinking sleepily, snuggling against Demetri's bare chest now that she knew there was no imminent danger. "Do you need me, Caleb?" It seemed prudent to ask; she was part of the vampire council, even though she was still a Youngling. The Ancient vampire staring up at them had appointed her to that position and he may have come on council business. 

"Yes, I do, Mara. Sorry for the early hour, but I have to get up to the Praetorian Compound and then over to the Armand-Hanlon pack. If you wouldn't mind..."

"Come on, lover, let's get dressed." Mara tugged at her scowling husband, smiling up at his expression. Even petulant, Demetri was gorgeous. If it weren't for Caleb's unexpected presence, she would be so tempted to drag all six feet plus of muscled flesh and hard body that she craved right back to bed. Her man had "built for sin" written all over him and boy did he know how to be sinful; beneath the sheets, and over a table, and in the shower, and...

Mara stifled a groan and headed back to the bedroom, fighting down her sexual urges. Being a vampire had its disadvantages at times, like an inappropriately heightened libido when least required. If she couldn't keep herself under control, Caleb would have to wait a lot longer than his expression indicated he was willing to.

"What could he possibly want at this time of the morning?" Demetri grumbled, pulling on a pair of black jeans and T-shirt as Mara dropped her dressing gown. 

"I guess we'll find out shortly," she sighed, heading to the closet to pull out some clothes. She had taken less than two steps before she shrieked as her husband picked her up and pinned her against the door, sucking her breast into his mouth. The touch of his warm mouth and tongue elicited a deep moan, even as she pushed him away. "Demetri! Caleb's here."

"Hungry," he growled, sinking his fangs into her soft flesh and suckling hard, her hot blood filling his mouth and making his head swim.

Mara stifled down another moan, threading her hands in his hair to pull him away. However, his strong suckling was igniting her previous erotic thoughts and she couldn't resist holding his head against her breast for a moment, liquid heat flowing to her core as he pulled roughly. It felt wonderful, but a part of her still focused on why Caleb was there, so with some reluctance she tugged at Demetri's hair to get his attention.

"Demetri, stop it. You're not hungry, and even if you were, you wouldn't get any real sustenance from my blood. You're just being difficult. Behave yourself!" He couldn't really argue with her; they'd fed from their private stock of human blood only last week. 

Although it was highly erotic to feed from each other, they required human blood to be fully nourished; Mara more so than Demetri, as he was an Ancient and could go months without requiring food. He didn't though, preferring to join her with her more frequent feedings. 

He was ignoring her words and she tugged at his hair again until he released her breast with a deep growl. Demetri watched her for a moment, licking his lips and then kissed her, long and slow, sliding his tongue deep into her mouth. His kiss branded her his, in every way imaginable, and held a hint of promise as well as danger. When he finally raised his head, Mara was struggling for breath and the heat in his gaze had her heart beating a wild tattoo.

"Fine, beautiful, we'll do things your way for now, but as soon as Caleb's gone, we'll discuss this further."

Big brown eyes met his, which were only a heartbeat away from being feral, and Mara's heart skipped at the promise she read in his expression. She was going to pay for being the sensible one...again, and she couldn't wait. 

Mara laughed, anticipation heating her blood and threatening to undo all the progress she'd just achieved, which was focusing her husband on the situation at hand. "Bring it on, Demetri, I'm not afraid of you. Now let me down. I need to get dressed, or would you prefer if I went to this meeting with Caleb naked?"

Her jibe had the desired effect and he released her with a loud curse. "Try it and see how far you'd get, woman!"

She was still laughing as she hastily dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, feeling his eyes on her back the entire time. Her man had woken up in one of his dangerous moods, the kind of mood that scared the shit out of just about everyone who knew him. It didn't faze her though; she'd just have to work on keeping him tempered until it passed. It would make the day interesting to say the least.

*****

Caleb glanced up from the book he was leafing through as he waited for Demetri and Mara to come downstairs. A handful of seconds later they walked into their sitting room and one glance at his friend's face told him Demetri was going to be difficult to handle. He dampened down a sigh and mentally ran through what he could do to help Mara. From her sideways glances at her husband, he could see that she was aware of the situation and watching it.

"This had better be urgent, Caleb," Demetri snapped, making no attempt to hide his irritation.

His friend quirked an eyebrow, a hint of hardness entering his eyes. "Are we going to have a pissing contest before we can get down to business? Because I really don't have time for this, so either get your bitching out of the way quickly or shut up and sit down." Caleb turned his gaze to Mara and gave her one of his more endearing smiles. "We have time for some coffee, though."

She snorted and gave him a pointed look, before turning to go to the kitchen. "Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I have to make the coffee all of the time. I'm a Councillor, remember." There was no barb in her tone despite her words. She knew Caleb was getting her out of the room so he could have a talk with Demetri to try to centre him a bit. If she were present during it, then her husband would be less receptive, as his ego would feel the need to prove how dominant he was. Males could be so stupid at times.

Caleb waited until Mara was out of the room before focusing on his friend. "You need to hunt. I thought when you went to Europe that would help, but clearly, you're still on edge."

"What gives you that impression?" 

Demetri's quiet tone was more concerning than his earlier open aggression. When he went quiet... Caleb tensed but kept his expression neutral. "Ratchet it down a notch, Demetri. I need you here."

There was long moment of silence, Caleb tensing more as his gaze pinned his friend, until some of the tension eased from Demetri and he ran a hand through his hair again. "You're right; I need something to occupy my time. All the shit going on right now is irritating me." 

He moved over to sit down on a large sofa, frowning as he did. "How many times do we have to do this, Caleb? Why can't these idiots get it into their heads that they can't win, so they may as well just live with it? This feels like Richard Graves all over again, except on a larger scale. Someone has to be driving this European shit. They're too fragmented, from what I saw when I was over there. The covens remain smallish and independent."

Caleb frowned, mulling over his friend's assessment. He'd been thinking something similar but hadn't vocalised it yet. From his talks with Joshua, they'd almost reached the same conclusion. Joshua was trying to uncover as much as he could, but he had his own coven to protect. He couldn't be seen to be too obvious in his investigations or they'd be at risk if there was someone manipulating events.

Sighing, Caleb rubbed at his face. There was too much going on and he was feeling as frustrated as his friend. He needed to get a handle on things before they blew up further in his face. "If that's true, then we don't know how far this unknown's influence may already have reached, and we still need to ensure there isn't any fallout from what happened up at the Praetorian Compound. We also need to deal with the damage to our relationship with the wolves."

"We do? Don't you mean you do? It wasn't the rest of us who flipped out and almost caused a war with the wolves, Caleb. You lost perspective as you did the night you discovered Rafe was still alive. Remember that? How you nearly started a war over Annie? Well look around you, my friend. You've almost done it again."

Caleb could feel his temper igniting and fought to contain it. Demetri was itching for a fight and giving in to his aggression wasn't going to solve anything. He couldn't really argue with what his friend said anyway. It was old ground and didn't need rehashing. "That is why I'll be dealing with the pack."

"And Annie?"

A long sigh escaped him and he closed his eyes for a moment before looking back at his friend. "Annie is fine; we spoke before I came over. She'll be coming home soon, so I need you and Mara to do damage control with the Council. Find out what, if anything has slipped out and come up with some plan to contain it if necessary. Can you do this for me?"

Another dark scowl shot in his direction. Demetri wasn't in a very forgiving mood. "For Annie, I will. When you fix your mess, I'll think about helping you out."

"Fine, for Annie," Caleb sighed again. "Just make sure she's protected, Demetri. Be pissed at me if you want, just make sure there isn't the faintest hint of any knowledge of what happened up at the Praetorian Compound." Entering the room with a tray in her hands, Mara's reappearance cut short anything else he may have said.

Demetri immediately took the tray from her, setting it down on the coffee table and pulling her down beside him so he could ground himself in her scent. He was mad at Caleb and had been so before, but the level of his aggression was surprising even himself. Usually he worked with his friend, but today he was so off-centre he wanted to pummel his face. To hell with the consequences! He knew Caleb was one of the few people alive who could kick his ass, but wiping that smug look off his face might just be worth it. The chance to get a few good shots in would suit his mood just fine. His aggression levels were off the scale, the need to strike out overwhelming.

His mate wrapped a hand in his hair, tugging it until he looked at her. He could see the concern in her eyes and he knew he was the cause. He needed to get some control; he didn't want to ever see that expression on her face. He struggled to push down his feral side, finally managing to calm his fury down to a simmering rage. When he felt he had a modicum of control, he turned back to his friend.

"So, anything in particular you want us to do or are your requests just broad strokes?"

Caleb took his coffee, sipping at it as he sat down on the sofa facing his friends. "Annie and I never did get a chance to talk to the Council about the poison. They need to be updated on that. Mara how's the current split in Council?"

She sipped her coffee as she thought. "Well, you have me, the twins, Stefan and Emily. Most likely Cristoph too as he's still favouring Andrei at the moment. That's six of the twelve. Of the rest, William tends to side with us, though I don't know him that well. I think Corinne has the hots for him because she's always in agreement with him. The others tend to be more traditional in their way of thinking."

Caleb was silently counting, working out their position. He didn't know this William or Corinne and maybe that was a mistake on his part. Once he'd set up the Council, he'd stepped back and let them manage themselves. Maybe he should have paid a bit more attention, given past history...but he'd trusted the core members to let him know if anything was wrong. "So five definite votes and three maybes. Can you sway those three around to our way of thinking?"

"They will be or they'll have me to deal with," Demetri growled.

Mara refrained from rolling her eyes, but barely. Ignoring her husband, she nodded at Caleb. "I don't see that as being too hard a task. We should be able to swing a Council vote our way and even if we hit a deadlock, the Ancient Council has the deciding vote."

Caleb sat back, relaxing for the first time. "Good. We're going to have to inform them about the poison only we need to keep Reasa's identity out of it. Just tell them the vampire was taken care of on the spot. No need to elaborate on how that was done. Let them know we're working on a cure for the poison with the Weres' help as they're more knowledgeable about science and the healing arts. If you can put forward the idea of Gard and Rayne going over to Europe on a covert mission that will help. Try to make it seem like it's their idea. That should generate fewer objections."

"What about the vampires that were injured during Liam's outburst?" Demetri asked, his tone less aggressive and his body language loosening up at bit.

"I'll find out from Mac what the extent of the damage is. We will have to make a decision once we know more. Right now, I don't know how bad it is." Caleb eyed his friend intently, a frown marring his face. "We may have to do damage control there too."

Demetri didn't need to ask what he meant, his expression said it all. If the injured Praetorians were beyond help and they posed any risk to Rhianna's safety, they would need to be disposed of, no matter how untenable the prospect appeared to some. He could tell from the way Mara stiffened that she'd worked it out too and wasn't happy.

"You know it makes sense, Mara," he said, turning to gather her close. "If their minds are damaged beyond repair then they aren't really living anyway. Add to that, if anything gets out about what happened up there, it's not just Annie's safety that's at risk. It will be Liam's too, and the rest of the Vârcolac. This abomination madness could spread from Europe and all of the Vârcolac be perceived as some kind of threat. We need to be prepared to do what is necessary to protect our own."

Mara shuddered, knowing what he said was true, but her heart ached for the unfortunate vampires who had been caught up in the mess. They had trained to protect the Vârcolac and would ultimately pay with their lives.

"Yes, beautiful, they trained and were willing to risk their lives. They did their duty and would want to be granted the respect of a decent end, rather than live as vegetables forever."  Demetri's words whispered in her mind and she realise she'd mumbled some of her thoughts out aloud.

"Mara, none of us would take any pleasure from ending their existence even if there is no hope for them," Caleb followed up, rising to come to stand before them. "They are casualties of a war we didn't start and find ourselves having to try to end without knowing who or what we're really fighting."

Sighing, she nodded, though she still didn't like it. She could understand what they were saying though. Sometimes the toughest decisions had to be made, regardless of the price.

"I'm heading up there now," Caleb continued, making his way to the front door. "I'll keep you posted on any news. Let me know what's happening with the Council, and call in Freya and Nors for more muscle if you need it. Do what you need to do to keep this buttoned down tight with the exception of starting an outright civil war."

Demetri snorted a laugh without humour. "Isn't that your party trick these days, Caleb?"

His friend paused with his hand on the doorknob, turning his head to look back over his shoulder. When he spoke, his voice was a cold as ice. "Demetri, it's only out of respect for the fact that you're trying to protect Annie that I haven't kicked your ass yet. You've had your opportunity to say your piece. The topic is now closed." Without waiting for a response, Caleb walked out the door, closing it gently behind him.

Mara looked at her husband and tightened her arms around him. "Let it go, love. I know you're angry with Caleb, but don't you think this division is playing right into the hands of our enemies?" 

His surprised expression was almost comical. "Think about it, Demetri. For so many centuries now it's been a well-known fact that if anyone went up against one of you, they took on both. You are strong as individuals, but formidable together. What would be the most perfect way to weaken you? You're mad at him for creating division with the pack and yet your anger is weakening you as a team. I heard you refuse to help him, only doing it for Annie. I don't think you even understood the impact of what you were saying, but I'm sure Caleb did."

Demetri blinked slowly, staring at Mara as he tried to digest what she was saying. Clearly, she'd misinterpreted what was going on, because he hadn't done anything to cause any divisions. Caleb was the one acting like an ass, hurting Rhianna, causing friction with everyone. He was just calling him on his behaviour as he'd done before in the past, when required. 

The expression on Caleb's face when he'd mentioned helping Annie but not him suddenly came to his mind, and he frowned. His friend's face had remained neutral but there had been a brief flicker of emotion in his eyes before he'd covered it up. Did Caleb believe he wouldn't have his back anymore? He was helping him with the Council shit, so he had to know he would do anything in his power to help. Didn't he?

"Fuck!" Demetri groaned running a hand through his hair. "Caleb knows I'm with him one hundred percent. I always have been and I always will be. I may have been a bit pissed at him but I'd never let him down; I never have."

"I know that, love, but things are so erratic at the moment that I think we're all feeling as if we're on shaky ground right now. We need to be working together, Demetri. We need to know without a doubt that we are one strong unit, all doing our part. That way we are invincible."

Demetri buried his head in her neck, holding his woman tightly as he uttered another groan. He'd talk to Caleb later and make sure he knew that he hadn't deserted him. Mara's words made so much sense and he was thankful to have her by his side, helping to keep him reined in. "Thank you, beautiful."

"You're welcome, love," she whispered, running her hands through his hair. "Council business won't convene for a couple of hours. Didn't you have something you wanted to discuss with me?"




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 06



For a second, Demetri stiffened and then he threw back his head and started to laugh. His woman was insatiable and the blood was already rushing to his groin at the thought of what he was going to do to her. "So I do, wife," he laughed, his deep green eyes sparkling with lust. "I believe you were telling me how you weren't afraid of me...?"

Mara shrieked as he stood up, throwing her over his shoulder as he did. He gave her backside a hard swat, making her shriek again with laughter. "Let's go test out that premise, woman."

*****

Caleb parked his car in front of the huge house that made up the training and living areas of the Praetorians. He waited briefly inside the car, his eyes taking in the couple standing on the top step to the main entrance, arms wrapped around each other, lips joined in a kiss so passionate it would have made most humans blush to witness. Mac and Lily made an impressive couple. Even melded together in a heated embrace, they gave off a sense of power, always alert to everything around them. 

Lily was clearly feeling in a feminine mood, dressed in a pretty blue summer dress with her chestnut hair cascading over her shoulder. There was a glow about her that was more than just being newly mated. It was an inner radiance that he'd seen many times over the years from female Weres in the early stages of pregnancy. Lily had that same look about her and he couldn't help but smile that he'd soon get to enjoy another generation of the pack entering the world.

Mac was her complete counterpoint, taller, with wide shoulders. His black hair fell in a single braid down his back. He was dressed for combat in black jeans and T-shirt, bathed in an aura of fluidity even though he was standing still. There was no mistaking his love for his mate; the way he held her spoke to a level of protectiveness she didn't need. But like all vampires, Mac wasn't about to leave anything to chance that may cause harm to come to his woman, especially now that she carried his child.

It would likely be a long time before the Praetorian Leader would ease up on his overprotectiveness towards his mate. The past was what shaped everyone, no matter what species they were. And Mac's past was tinged red with the loss of his wife and daughter when he was still human. Finding love again with Lily and learning to adapt to becoming a father again would take some time, but Caleb was sure his friend would overcome any issues he still needed to work through.

Mac pulled away from Lily, glancing over at the car. Caleb climbed out and headed over to the couple as Lily turned serious eyes on him and leaned her back against Mac's chest. Her mate's arms automatically surrounded her, holding her tightly against him. 

"Kitchen," she said in a loud stage whisper, her lips quirking as the serious expression melted away.

Mac chuckled, rubbing his chin against her hair as Caleb raised an enquiring eyebrow. "Lily has a theory that the only way she'll get to remodel the house is if the rooms are demolished by irate vampires. So far she's got a pretty study and we now have a girlie living room."

There was a bit of an edge to Mac's tone but it held more amusement than anything else. It was enough to tug Caleb's lips up further in a smile and he nodded his head to Lily. "I'll be sure to concentrate on the kitchen if I lose it again." He winked at her as he spoke, bringing a peel of laughter from the Vârcolac.

She pulled out of her mate's arms and gave the Ancient a spontaneous hug. "It's okay, we forgive you, Caleb. And Mac really can't complain because he was the one who destroyed the study." She gave her mate a saucy wink as she hurried down the steps. "Sorry, but I need to run. I have to get over to the pack. Kitchen duties await me."

Caleb gave her a quizzical look. "But it's breakfast time." He'd heard that Rafe had tailored her chastisement to fit her new living arrangements and mating so she was excused breakfast detail.

"Rafe may have given me a reprieve, but that doesn't mean I'm going to take it," she laughed as she walked towards one of the waiting Jeeps and pulled open the door. "See you later!"

Mac waved, smiling as he watched his mate drive away. It was hard letting her go every day when all he really wanted to do was wrap her up in cotton wool. He knew there was no way in hell his Lily would let him get away with that shit though. He also understood the importance of chain of command, and how much Rafe's approval meant to his mate. She needed to feel she'd earned back his respect, and Mac would do whatever he could to help her achieve that.

"She's a remarkable young woman," Caleb smiled, nodding his approval as he turned to face the Praetorian leader.

"More so than most people realise," Mac agreed, pride in his voice. "She's been up half the night visiting with the injured in the infirmary. She'll do the same tonight too, after a full day at the pack. I have to fight to get her to come to bed, but she weeps at the thought of Brandon being on his own, and I can't stand to see her tears." His expression was troubled as he continued to gaze into the distance where his mate had disappeared.

"Brandon? Infirmary?" Caleb was confused. The Praetorians didn't have an infirmary or at least they hadn't had one couple of days ago.

"We needed a way to accommodate the injured so as we were fixing up the living room, we restructured some of the first floor into one big room and put them in there. Come in and see for yourself." Mac headed inside and Caleb followed, sparing a quick glance into the newly decorated living room.

Lily's hand was evident in the soft creams on the walls, and the large comfortable looking sofas and chairs in red with cream accents. The wooden floor now had rugs to give it a splash of colour and luxuriance. He had to concede the room looked good as he followed Mackenzie upstairs.

There wasn't any hint that the room he followed his friend into had once been at least three large bedrooms. It was now one larger room with half a dozen hospital beds along one wall, complete with some impressive looking hospital equipment. Caleb noted that a couple vampires in the room were following some Weres on their rounds. The vampiric shadows were watching and noting everything the Weres did as they completed their checks on machines and made notes on charts.

"Weres training vampires? Mac, how the hell did you manage to pull this all together in two days?"

"Necessity," Mac answered, his expression now serious. "We fucked up and disaster hit us. When the shit went down, everyone bailed on us, intent on their own personal dramas. None of the Ancients were available so we've had to sort things out for ourselves. Thankfully, Lily prevailed on Rafe for some medical assistance, as we vampires know shit about that kind of thing. Both he and Jared have kindly allowed some of their medical personnel to show us how to take care of our own. We're adapting but it's a slow process. I've had to assign some of my people to learn how to be caregivers."

He walked over to the bed nearest to them, staring down at the male lying so still on his back. His dark hair spilled over the white pillow and he looked as if he were asleep, not a mark on his handsome face. There was a book beside the bedside table and an overstuffed armchair with a light blanket draped over the arm. Mac reached out and straightened the cover over the vampire, a frown marring his face.

"Brandon," he finally said, not looking at Caleb. "Lily sits beside his bed at night, reading to him, refusing to believe that he's gone. When she first came to the compound and there was trouble afoot, he was at her side every single time. The two of them were inseparable. He's her best friend, Caleb."

His gaze finally swung to the Ancient and his eyes were bleak. "I know why you're here, what you're probably already thinking. Don't ask me to break her heart because I won't do it. She has to keep believing there is some hope because she can't face the alternative. "

Caleb took a deep breath, his gaze running over Brandon's face before looking at the other five occupied beds. Everything Mac and the Weres had achieved was staggering, hell, the Praetorian had done a better job than he would have had he been present. Mac hadn't so much been blaming him for being absent, more pointing out a fact. His gaze came back to Brandon, his youth apparent as he lay there. "What do the Weres say? Is there any hope? Have we tried delving their minds?"

Mac sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "Their machines show no visible brainwave activity and a few of us have tried to get inside their heads. Their minds work on some level as they are breathing on their own but that's about it. Lily tries with Brandon all the time, but senses nothing. She thinks if maybe Liam came up here, there would be something he could do, but Rafe doesn't want him to know the extent of his mental backlash. He feels it would be too much for him to cope with, given his already volatile control."

Caleb was nodding, his thoughts in turmoil. He had to think about practicalities, but there were so many people affected by what had happened. Lily would be hurt if she lost her friend. Liam would be hurt if he discovered just what he'd triggered. Ultimately, it all came to rest on his doorstep, though. If he'd listened to Annie then there was a high probability none of this would have transpired. What the fuck had he been thinking? No wonder Annie had left with Gard. No wonder Demetri was so pissed at him. How in hell was he going to fix this mess?

"You seem to have a handle on this at the moment, Mac. I came to see if I was needed here and clearly, I'm not. Keep doing what you can to keep them comfortable. We won't make any decisions until we've exhausted all possibilities. I know I don't need to ask that this is being kept under wraps."

His friend's indignant expression said it all and Caleb sighed and reached out to squeeze his shoulder. "If there is any way to fix this I'll do it, Mackenzie, I promise. I'll do my level best to see that Lily isn't hurt. She's been through enough and I know she would cope just fine if the worst happened but we'll find some way to make sure it doesn't come to that." 

He was giving reassurances that he had no idea if he'd be able to follow through with. If Rafe was intent on keeping Liam safe then there could be no hope for the injured vampires. Maybe Annie could do something, or Anakatrine? He'd ask when his mate finally came home. For now, all they could do was wait, and he had to get to the pack.

Leaving Mackenzie to take care of things, he climbed back into his car and headed over to the pack compound. Apart from Demetri, things were going a lot smoother with his people than he'd anticipated. The pack, on the other hand, was another matter. They were fiercely protective of their own and despite the mixed species element of the Armand-Hanlon pack, there was still a chance Rafe would close ranks with Jared to protect the Weres. He hoped that wasn't the case, that the damage caused wasn't irreversible. 

His appearance in the large circular meeting area of the compound didn't appear to raise too many eyebrows though, so that was hopeful. A few of the lesser Weres he didn't know personally glanced in his direction a little longer than normal but they carried on their business as he parked his car outside Rafe's house. Lacey was on her way out as he opened the car door. She hesitated for a moment before coming forward to greet him.

"Caleb." It was a testament to her compassionate nature that she didn't think twice about flowing into his arms to give him a welcoming hug. He could feel some tension in her body, though it didn't appear directed towards him.

"Wasn't sure if I would be welcome," he admitted ruefully, giving her a gentle squeeze before letting go.

Her smile turned her already beautiful face into something spellbinding. Rafe really had chosen a mate whose beauty shone with a radiance that made most men stop for a second. "You know overprotective males better than most, Caleb," she laughed softly. "They like to huff and puff a lot, and run multiple perimeters to make sure everyone is safe, even when it's not required. It gives them something to do."

Though her tone was light, he could see some anxiety in her pale green eyes. He frowned down at her wondering if she was trying to be reassuring and there was more to be worried about than she was letting on. "What's wrong, Lacey?"

She appeared to think about it, as if she was choosing her words carefully. "Have you heard from Annie? Do you know if she'll be home soon?"

Her question wasn't what he was expecting and it made him more concerned. "Lace, how bad are things here? I know I fucked up. That's why I'm here, but I need to know just how much work I have to do to start making things right."

She bit her bottom lip, appearing to come to some decision as she took his hand and pulled him up the steps into the house. "Rafe will be fine once he knows Annie's okay. This is a...personal matter. We were hoping Annie could help, but maybe you could too."

Lacey didn't know if Caleb was as adept at delving as Annie was or if Rafe would throw a fit, but worrying was driving her insane. She had to know. Pulling Caleb into the study, she didn't knock, and Rafe and Aaron's heads shot up in surprise at their abrupt entrance.

There was a long moment of silence as tension began to fill the room and then Aaron rose from his seat in front of the Alpha's desk, smiling at the Ancient. "I guess this is my cue to get lost for a while," he grinned. "I'll head over to the lab to see if there's been any progress overnight and give you an update before Caleb leaves." He nodded to his alpha and headed out.

"If you've come to cause trouble, Caleb, you can just turn around and fuck off," Rafe growled, his expression hard. He wasn't pleased to see the vampire and even less pleased that his mate was still holding the other male's hand and his second-in-command was giving deference to the Ancient vampire. 

"Rafe," Lacey sighed, crossing the room to stand beside his chair, where he was purposely lounging. His silent message was making it very clear, in pack terms, he was the alpha here and their friend was beneath him. She was relieved to see Caleb wasn't rising to the bait or looking amused. If there had been even a hint of laughter from the vampire, her mate would probably do something regrettable.

"You wanted to know if I'd heard from Annie," Caleb responded in a neutral tone, moving to sit in the chair Aaron had vacated. "We spoke earlier and she's fine. Gard is taking good care of her and she hopes to be home soon."

Some of the tension eased from the Alpha, and Lacey's soothing hand on his back helped to release some more. Rafe wrapped an arm around her back, pulling her closer. "Glad to hear it. Is that all?" He could feel Lacey stiffen and he had to fight down a sigh. He didn't want to do anything to upset her, but he was pissed at their friend and didn't know how far they could trust him anymore. His recent behaviour was a major cause for concern.

The Ancient sighed at his aggressive tone, irritation flashing in his eyes for a moment before he slowly relaxed. He leaned forward, bracing his arms on the edge of the desk, his tone neutral. "I've already done this shit with Demetri this morning, Rafe, so I'm in no mood to go through it again. What's done is done, and can't be changed. What we need to be concentrating on now is working to find a way to fix things. You want to be pissed at me, join the queue. You want to know what's going on and if your pack is safe, then let's talk about it with less of the attitude. Choice is yours, my friend." 

He leaned back again and glanced at Lacey before looking back at the Alpha. "Besides, Lacey said she had something personal she wanted to discuss."

Rafe stiffened further, shooting a quick glance at his mate as he considered Caleb's words. The vampire sitting in front of him was the one he'd come to know well, not the stranger they saw at the Praetorian Compound. Even as he was slapping him down in his usual arrogant manner, he was according him the respect of an equal, talking with him as he would one of his own whose opinion he valued. There was a subtle art to instilling respect and a slap down at the same time, and Caleb was good at it. 

The most important thing was Annie was safe and coming home soon. If his sister was talking with her mate, that was a good sign. He was aware of what was happening up at the Praetorian Compound; Mallen's team had been keeping him updated. Caleb's intention for handling the situation was something he did need to know, as ultimately, no matter what Mac was doing, the Ancient would have the final say in it. Rafe could be pissed at his friend all he wanted to, but he needed to remember he was an Alpha first to ensure his pack was protected to the best of his ability. There were too many outside influences that could cause them harm, and to do his job he needed to work with the vampires.

"Lace?" Rafe needed to know what was going through his mate's mind, what she wanted to discuss with Caleb. The pressure on his back increased as her soft hands rubbed over his muscles, but he could feel the slightest quiver in her touch.

"Maybe Caleb could help? Annie isn't going to be back for a few days more and I was wondering if there was a possibility..."

She didn't need to continue; he knew where her thoughts were going and he could feel her concern through their bond. It was hard on Lacey to wait, not knowing if their babies were safe. It was hard on him too, but he had to be strong for his mate, had to give her the reassurance that everything was going to be just fine. 

Holding onto his anger wasn't going to achieve anything and he'd hurt Lacey if he did. There really wasn't any other decision for him to make so he lowered his aggressiveness, meeting Caleb's gaze with a half-smile on his lips. "You have a knack for rolling in and acting like a pack belongs to you, Caleb. I remember how it used to piss Jared off. I can understand how he felt now."

"You know fine well I'm not interested in having a pissing contest with you, Rafe. This is your pack and you run it your way," the Ancient sighed. "You know I'd do anything in my power to protect it too. You're my family and I protect my own. "

"Didn't sound that way up at the Praetorian Compound," the Were retorted.

"That was my issue and one I'm handling. Leave it at that and tell me what's gotten you and Lacey so worried? I can see it in your eyes. Is it the woman? Is her presence too much of a challenge? I can find somewhere else for her if it is."

Rafe shook his head, giving Lacey another tight squeeze. "No, the Reasa situation is being dealt with as best as we can. It's problematic, but we're trying another option to help Liam maintain enough control of his... power. I'll let you know if it becomes too difficult to handle. Work is still being done on finding an antidote to the poison, as you heard, and we've managed to set up a high-end laboratory with the help of carefully selected vampires, trusted by the twins and Freya and Nors. So, we're managing as well as possible, given the circumstances; that includes helping to keep the injured vampires comfortable up at the Praetorian Compound."

Caleb nodded, relaxing further as Rafe's tone evened out and became a bit friendlier. "I've just been up to see Mac and get an update." He was still waiting to hear what the personal issue was and Lacey's body language was showing more signs of distress the longer they avoided it.

"I'm pregnant," she suddenly blurted out.

For a moment, Caleb couldn't understand what the problem was, his lips widening in a large smile. "Congratulations. Does Annie know?"




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 06



"Not yet, which is surprising as Lacey's in her second trimester," Rafe answered, his eyes shadowed with concern.

It took another couple of seconds for the importance of what he was saying to sink in and then Caleb stiffened too, their concern finally conveyed to him. "You were present when Liam had his outburst."

Large tears filled Lacey's eyes as she bit her bottom lip and nodded. "Mallen can't tell if there will be any permanent damage to the babies, Caleb. We've been keeping this quiet to try to prevent Liam from finding out. We were going to ask Annie to delve to see if she could feel anything but..."

"...she's not going to be back for a few more days." Caleb finished the sentence as she broke off and silent tears spilled down her cheeks. He stared at her; dread filling his soul as yet another nightmare was laid at his door. If anything had happened to the babies, then he would ultimately be the one responsible. He couldn't deny it and the magnitude of his mistakes was starting to reach epic proportions. How the fuck could one moment have caused such fallout? How the fuck could he be responsible for all this damage, when all he'd ever tried to do was protect those he loved?

Swallowing down his self-loathing, he held out a hand to Lacey. "Come here, sweetheart." His tone was gentle and encouraging. He could see her need to know, he could see Rafe's need to know, but he could see a hint of reluctance too at what they might discover. They were good people; they were his family, and they didn't deserve this.

As he took Lacey's hand and pulled her close enough so she stood before him, he raised haunted eyes to her. "I'm so sorry, Lacey."

She tried to give him a smile through her tears and that made him feel worse because she was trying to reassure him and forgive him when he may have unwittingly been responsible for the loss of her children. If that was the case, he would never be able to accept forgiveness from them because it would be something he would never deserve.

Their need to know was paramount and he needed to know too. Placing a gentle hand on her abdomen as Rafe came to stand behind his mate to hold her close, Caleb reached out with his mind, aiming his thoughts towards the life growing within. He had never done this before, had never needed to. Annie was always a hundred steps ahead of him and the one to do these things.

At first, he could detect nothing, but as he tried to narrow his thoughts further, he sensed a tiny thump, closely followed by another. It was the babies' heartbeats, strong and fast, echoing through his mind. The emotions flowing through him as he quietly listened was indescribable, the miracle of birth being something always denied him. He could hear two heartbeats and it was beautiful.

"Their hearts beat so fast," he whispered in awe, smiling up at them as he was caught up in the moment.

"Caleb?"

He knew what Lacey was asking and he tried to give her a reassuring smile as he concentrated harder, tried to pick up anything other than biological signs.

Warmth. Contentment. Sleepiness.  It wasn't thoughts he was hearing because they were too young for that. It was more like abstract emotions drifting towards him and he felt tears slide down his face as his smile widened at the amazing connection. "They're very happy where they are right now," he whispered again. "So content, Lacey."

He looked up at the two Alphas, his expression euphoric. "Your babies are fine, and now I know why Annie is so addicted to doing this. It's the most amazing experience in the world."

Lacey burst into noisy sobs, turning to throw her arms around Rafe as they wept and laughed at the same time. Their babies were safe and for the moment that was all that mattered. Rafe was kissing her so tenderly, his cheeks unashamedly wet as relief at the news overwhelmed them.

"I told you it would be okay, honey," he whispered, brushing away her tears and hugging her close again. His babies were safe, and his mate was crying tears of joy. Just to know they had some good news as opposed to everything else that had happened was enough to give him a new sense of hope they'd be able to work through everything. It was hard to stop his own tears flowing but he made an effort so he could concentrate on his mate.

"I was so scared, Rafe," Lacey whispered, trying to pull herself together and hiccupping as she swallowed back a sob. She turned to look at Caleb, her eyes shining with gratitude. "Thank you, Caleb." 

There was so much emotion in her words that the Ancient's expression clouded, even as he nodded his head in acknowledgement. Lacey was thanking him for not being responsible for damaging her children. He didn't deserve her gratitude.

Rafe, too, turned to his friend, reading his expression, his lips tightening. "The babies are okay, Caleb. That's the most important thing. Even if the outcome had been different, we would have found a way to work through it." He could see the self-loathing in his friend's eyes, and though it would have been hard if they'd lost the children, he knew they would have overcome it together because they were family. It was pointless for Caleb to blame himself for something that hadn't happened.

Releasing his mate, he held out his hand, clasping Caleb's arm in a firm grip. His brother instinctively did the same although his expression remained tense.

"Thank you for easing our minds, Caleb, for helping Lacey. This has been hurting her so much and you've taken that from her. I can't adequately thank you for that, my friend. I know you feel responsible, and maybe there would have been some merit in that if the worst had happened, but it's foolish to feel guilt when everything is okay. Let's not focus on what hasn't happened and instead work together as a family on what we can effect positive change to. We have a hidden war to fight and our people to protect. You've always been there for us, let us be there for you. Just tell us what you need."

It was more than he deserved and he instinctually wanted to refuse their forgiveness, but then he thought of his Annie coming home to a chasm deep within her family and he knew it would hurt her. Hadn't he'd done enough of that already? What Rafe said made sense. He would concentrate on what they could fix and worry about everything else at another time. He applied pressure to Rafe's arm, silently acknowledging his words.

"So, what is the situation with Liam and the woman?" He kept his tone business-like, sitting back down as the Alphas shared another kiss. 

"We've moved her to Day and Freya's place," Rafe answered as he too sat back down and watched as Lacey made her way out of the study to prepare some drinks. "Her rejection of Liam and inability to come to terms with her humanity was felt to be too dangerous for her to remain in the Eriksson home. Ashleigh's having a hard time accepting her too, so it seemed wise to try and take some of the tension out of the air."

"You call placing her under Freya's care taking some of the tension out?" Caleb's tone held more than a hint of disbelief.

"Whatever Reasa's actions, the damage she's feeling is on a level so deep it's unlikely any of us can even begin to relate to it, with perhaps the exception of Pietro. He's more likely to kill her on the spot, so that's not a good idea. Out of everyone, maybe Freya is the one person who will be able to relate to her, given her own past? She'll contain her own feelings because she's close to Liam and won't do anything to hurt him. If she takes it into her head to help him...it could be a win-win situation."

His logic appeared sound when put that way, so Caleb put aside any foreboding he had on that topic. Rafe knew what he was doing so it was best to let him get on with it. That brought up the matter of Liam and the injured vampires. He had a feeling he was going to hit a brick wall with that one. "Is Liam strong enough to visit the injured vamps and try delving?"

The Alpha was shaking his head before he'd finished the question, his expression resolute. "No way, Caleb. Don't get me wrong, I really feel for them...especially since Lily's friend is involved. Until Liam resolves his issue with his mate, he's much too volatile to trust around compromised minds. He needs to be where we can support him. I can't let him out of the pack and he won't leave anyway, not without Reasa going with him."

It was as he expected but Caleb was still disappointed with the response. He wanted to do something for his people, anything. It left a bitter taste in his mouth knowing that the more time passed, the stronger the likelihood became that they would need to be dealt with permanently. "I could try doing it myself, but I'm pretty sure it will have no effect. Whatever Liam did that day, his mental abilities are so much stronger than mine and probably everyone else's". 

Rafe frowned, pursing his lips. "I'm sorry, Caleb, I really am, but I can't change my mind on this. Liam has to come first. I have to do what is right by my pack."

The Ancient gave him a brief smile. "I respect that, Rafe, and understand. I don't want to jeopardise Liam any more than you do. Let me know if you feel the time is right and we can revisit this discussion then. I had to ask though."

There was a knock on the door and Aaron entered before Rafe could respond, his expression a little less happy than earlier. "I have an update from the lab. We're working as hard as we can and Cassia is trying a new avenue using some of Pietro's hair, but so far we haven't been able to isolate all the components of the toxin."

"Cassia? She's driving the research?" Caleb couldn't keep the surprised note from his voice. Another thing he hadn't known.

Rafe smiled widely, pride in his expression. "Yeah, it turns out Cass has a natural flare for the healing arts as well a strong grasp on all things scientific. I think it surprised her as much as the rest of us. If anyone can find an antidote, I have faith she will. We just don't know how long it will take."

Caleb digested the information, taking a cup of coffee from Lacey when she came back in, smiling as she dropped a quick kiss on the top of his head. Maybe things had gone tits up for a while, but his visits to both compounds showed him that everything that could be done was being done. Demetri and Mara would keep the Council in check, which left him with tracking down his mate and fixing the mess he'd made there.

He had a lot to answer for, but so did the European vampires, and whoever was pulling their strings. Now that he was getting back on an even keel and could see things were in hand, he would have more time to concentrate on Europe. 

As he sipped at his coffee, listening to the Weres chat among themselves about pack matters, Caleb's eyes hardened, his gaze fixed on the wall. He felt a stirring of power deep within; the restlessness of a vampire king too long denied his mate, too long an observer of his people being under threat. "Our time is coming, Callain. Whoever is responsible for this madness will be brought to justice and you have my word that you will be present on that day." 

The power flared brightly and then dimmed until it was barely noticeable. "I will hold you to that." 

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 07



 A little later than anticipated but hope it's worth the wait :)

My thanks to Mistress of Shadows and Angel n Disguise for editing for me #hugs

Enjoy!

*

Freya sat at her kitchen table trying to ignore the noise that was grating on her nerves. It had been going on for the last hour and her irritation levels were spiking in response. Why had she agreed to this? When it had been presented to her, the idea had appeared logical but now she was reconsidering her decision. Seriously, how could anyone weep that long without reprieve? Why couldn't the woman in the guest bedroom just be quiet? 

After leaving the Alphas, Dayton had hypothesised that there was a strong possibility that Reasa would be able to relate more to Freya than anyone else in the pack. After all, she had once been a strong female vampire. His logic was sound, so they'd agreed it would be wise for him to take Elina over to the Hanlon Pack to visit with his family while Freya settled Reasa into their home. 

Freya had gone over to her brother's home to collect the woman, spending some time reassuring her nephew that she would care for her as if she were family. Technically, she was not; however, from the adoration in Liam's eyes it was clear that one day they would all have to accept the former vampire into their family unit. For that reason alone, Freya had concluded Rafe had made the correct decision in asking her and Dayton to look after the human.

Now she was regretting it, wishing she had put up more of an argument as she rose from her chair and glared at the closed door that separated the back of the house from the main living areas. Unlike all the other family dwellings in the compound, Freya had chosen a home on a single level. She preferred to mirror the hidden retreat high in the mountains that she had once shared with her brother Nors. The secluded hideaway was now her sanctuary, the place Dayton whisked her off too when pack life became too overwhelming. The house wasn't quite the same design as the retreat, but there were enough similarities to make her feel comfortable. 

Crossing the great room that covered the entire front part of the house, she made her way to the closed door, grimacing as the noise became louder the moment she opened it. This had to stop soon or, regardless of her best intentions, she may be forced to break the oath she'd made to her nephew. She couldn't put up with the appalling wailing for another minute, much less the duration of Reasa's stay.

"Enough." The word growled from her lips before she'd fully swung the bedroom door wide. The figure on the bed stiffened instantly in surprise and Freya was glad she didn't turn her head to look at her. She was just as surprised at the amount of venom in her quiet word and wondered at what her expression may have revealed. 

Hadn't she gotten past the darkness within? Surely after all this time with Dayton, she had changed enough that her vampiric nature wasn't as dominant as it had once been? Yet, the woman who'd just spoken was the one she remembered well, the pre-Dayton Freya who wouldn't think twice about meting out punishments to anyone who got in her way. Taking a deep breath, she entered the room and moved over to the bed, her movements careful.

Stopping beside the bed, Freya stared down at the woman curled on her side. Reasa's ebony hair partially hid her expression so she couldn't discern much from that; however the stillness of the other woman's body was a clear indication she was alert to the danger surrounding her. At least she was exhibiting some signs of intelligence. 

"How did you ever survive the European covens?" Again, Freya's tone was cold and threatening, and she had to fight with the rising disgust filling her soul. The emotion was largely directed at Reasa but some of it was self-reflective. She didn't want to disappoint her mate by regressing into old habits, but she found it difficult to quell her vampiric instincts. "Answer my question. How did you survive the European Covens?"

"I was stronger than most," Reasa finally responded, her voice low but the vampire had no issues hearing her. "I had my abilities to influence minds weaker than mine and the coven I eventually ended up in was one that suited my needs perfectly. Louis saw my strengths and raised me into a position of power."

Freya nodded her understanding even though the other woman wasn't looking directly at her. "Sounds logical. What is illogical is why you're lying there irritating the hell out of me with your incessant weeping. Would you have shown this level of weakness in your coven?"

Reasa moved, rolling over and sitting up in one fluid motion. There was an inherent grace to her movements and Freya could see that, had she retained her former speed, she would have been an impressive vampire. Not as impressive as she was, but clearly strong enough to hold her own against most lesser males. 

"I am not in a coven and I am no longer a vampire," the other woman hissed out, eyes flashing with fury. "How would you feel if someone came along and took away everything that made you who you are?" 

Freya paused for a long moment, considering the question very carefully before speaking. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose her vampiric abilities, but she was truthful enough about who she was as a person, and knew that her nature would not allow her to just accept what had happened. 

"I would be plotting how to punish them; how to take from them what they had taken from me." It was in her nature to be honest and therefore she didn't consider answering untruthfully. She would find a way to punish whoever had hurt her, even if it meant using someone else to do it. Her answer appeared to surprise Reasa, who sat up a little straighter and regarded her with a bit less suspicion.

*****

Reasa hadn't paid much interest to where she was being moved to earlier. The only thought in her mind at the time was she would be away from Liam and his mother. Now, she scrutinised the vampire before her, surprised to find that she could still estimate her age at a rough guess. 

The woman was an Ancient, the first female Ancient she had ever come across before. Given that the lifespan of a European vampire was a lot shorter than a Northern American one, Reasa wasn't very surprised. The simple fact that the Covens erupted into violence on a regular basis denied them the longevity to reach the two thousand year mark. 

She mulled over the female's name Freya. She felt her pulse quicken as it sparked memories of her youth. As a Youngling she'd heard that name before, mentioned in stories of a wild vampire who had visited Europe. They were tales of terror and pain, of a female vampire with such fearlessness she'd taken on stronger males and overcome them. The stories had ceased after a while and Reasa had assumed the vampire had finally met her match. Maybe she had been in error... "Have you ever been to Europe?"

There was a slight tilt of Freya's lips, her multi-coloured hair shimmering in the waning sunlight coming through the window. She inclined her head in admission, moving to the vanity table beneath the glass. Her movements were unhurried as she picked up the vanity chair, placing it beside the bed so she could sit down. Intent green eyes met Reasa's as the vampire's lips twitched once more. 

"I have been everywhere and nowhere, Thereasa. I have walked in the darkness and I have lived in the light. Sometimes I was visible for all to see and others I was but a ghost. Yes, for a time I travelled Europe, one of the many dark periods in my life. The violence of the area appealed to me. I was quite at home there."

Reasa was spellbound by her expression, catching her breath at the wistfulness in the vampire's tone. There was such longing there, as if Freya wished for a life she'd left behind. This female was the story of legends, told to younger females in the covens so they might know that they too could grow to greatness. Watching Freya and seeing the raw power in her gaze made Reasa's back stiffen further, more of her inner strength fighting to make its way forward. 

Earlier she had thought that she would never trust a vampire again, but this woman called to a part of her soul she thought had been lost. "The Freya I heard tales of was one to be feared above all others. Why did you leave Europe? You could have ruled covens."

Soft laughter chimed on the air, a hint of derision within. "Why would I have wanted to do that? You Europeans have never had any concept of who you are or what you were capable of achieving. The covens were killing grounds and only fit for sport. Lead a bunch of animal fodder? I hardly think so."

It was hard not to jump to her coven's defence, even if she was no longer a vampire. Reasa's eyes flashed with fury at the mockery in Freya's tone. "Animal fodder? Really? It must stick in your gut that we animals have the means to wipe out your exulted asses then."

The laughter grew louder as Freya shook her head, the trace of pity in her eyes only serving to infuriate Reasa further. "If I a ran a talon over your throat, girl, your foolish mouth would cease uttering words and I would finally have some much needed peace and quiet. If not for Liam, I would do so, and to hell with Annie's annoyance at me."

The stark truth of the vampire's words, in addition to the cold menace in her gaze, was enough to have Reasa hold her tongue and consider her options. She was mortal now and could die at anyone's whim. She supposed she could push Freya to the point of no return. That would end her suffering and hurt Liam, thereby hurting the witch who'd taken everything from her. It seemed such a good idea, and yet, part of her wanted to live, and it was beginning to grow stronger. 

She met the vampire's gaze once more. "You claim kinship to Liam?" Freya's mentioning of the Vârcolac had incited her curiosity. 

Freya rose from the chair, moving back towards the door as if she didn't trust herself. "He is my nephew, the child of my brother Nors. He is...special to me; therefore anyone who would harm him does so under the threat of death."

The answer stunned Reasa so much her mouth dropped open in surprise, and she had to clamp it shut quickly as the vampire turned around to regard her with another piercing look. "That makes no sense to me. Why have you allowed me in your home when I came here to kill him and others of his kind?" She watched the other woman's expression harden and cold darkness seep into her eyes in response to her question.

"Yes, the logic escapes me also, especially as you were also intent on killing my daughter. I believe your talons were tipped in poison when you gouged into her wolf form while she was trying to protect her cousin."

Ice flowed through Reasa's veins as she stared in mute shock, remembering the female Vârcolac she had fought against. She could see the resemblance was there, looking at the vampire before her. Freya was the mother to a Vârcolac? How could this have come about? The woman had been a legend for centuries, cold and ruthless, with a body count so high most European vampires had stopped keeping track. How could she mate with a Were? How could she allow herself to be tainted that way? Why hadn't she killed Reasa on the spot when she'd harmed her offspring?

"Why am I still alive, Freya?"

"You breathe because my Alpha asks it of me. My mate and my daughter expect it of me. My nephew's heart demands it of me." Freya's dark gaze bore right through her for a long moment before she stood up and turned away. "You also live because Annie saw something worthy of redemption in you. She believes in you, so much so that she risked her heart, her mate, and her happiness when she made the choice to spare your life."

Heading towards the doorway, the vampire looked over her shoulder, her expression thoughtful. "Why she bothered is beyond me. You are clearly ungrateful for that sacrifice, choosing only to concentrate on what was stolen and blindly ignoring the gift that was given in return. Now, enough of this nonsense. Get up and come eat. You're lucky you're meeting the new Freya, girl. In any other situation, your death would have been long, slow, and as painful as I could have managed it. I suggest you make the most of this reprieve and celebrate the fact that you are alive."

*****

Freya smiled as she walked back to the front of the house. The woman brought out a side of herself she'd missed for the last quarter of a century. She took comfort in knowing that it still existed beneath the more mellow part of her personality. She wasn't unhappy with the way her life had changed; how could she be when it had brought her Dayton and Elina? Sometimes though, she did wonder if being in the pack made her soft. That a day would come when she was needed, and she would hesitate and someone she loved would pay for that hesitation. It was good to know that she remained fundamentally the same strong vampire she had always been.

She was surprised by her lack of animosity towards Reasa. Sure, the human was no longer a threat towards her loved ones; but that wasn't what had her at ease, even though she had just rattled off a long list of reasons why Reasa was safe in her home. The predominant reason she lacked animosity towards the girl was the fact that she understood her.

It wasn't so long ago that she had been like Reasa. Her motivations may have been different, but the drive had been the same. If Freya had believed in anything so whole-heartedly, she would have moved heaven and earth to achieve her goal, much like Reasa had, despite the basic error of her thinking. She could relate to that drive as she could relate to the rank Reasa had attained within the covens in Europe. It spoke of her strength and power as a vampire. Louis had never been known to be a fool or a misogynist. Reasa had lucked out joining his coven.

That was an interesting turn of events, unearthing Louis' involvement. It was gratifying knowing that he still lived, too. His coven had been one of the younger ones when she had visited Europe. It was for that reason she had aligned herself with him; it was easier to be accepted, as he needed every powerful ally he could find. She would need to talk with Gard before he headed over there. She could probably give him a few pointers on how to deal with the Frenchman. 

Pulling ingredients out of the refrigerator, Freya mused over what it all meant. Louis had never been one to set himself up on the losing side. Why was he getting involved in matters that weren't his concern? Had he set Reasa on her task? That didn't fit the Louis she remembered. He'd had much more intelligence than that back then.

Reasa entering the great room interrupted her line of thought. The human hesitated for a second before she headed over to the kitchen area. She'd washed her face and changed her clothes. There was a sense of determination radiating from her, as if their conversation had worked to give her a bit of backbone. Freya approved.

Tossing a recipe book onto the workstation, she inclined her head. "You need to learn to cook as you now require food. I'm not going to wait on you and neither are any of my family, just because they eat too. Ingredients and instructions, you may begin. I will assist if you have any problems."

It was gratifying to see the former vampire didn't argue with her, merely started to leaf through the book with an air of concentration on her face. There was hope for Reasa and that in turn meant there was hope for Liam. They just needed to work on her errant thinking and convince Ashleigh to accept her into their family. That thought was enough to make her groan, but she held it in. Nors and Liam could work on Ashleigh; she would do her best to work on Reasa.

*****

Liam watched his aunt and mate from his perch up in the tree. From what he could see, things appeared to be going well; however, he reached out with his mind to connect with his aunt, just to test the level of her emotions. Reading her had always been easy for him, even when he was a small child. For someone who thought she locked down her emotions tightly, she overwhelmed his senses much more easily than most people could when her iron control slipped.

He would never tell her that though and thankfully, those times were rare. His aunt had always been one of his most favourite people; his devotion to her transferring instinctually to Elina when she was born and forming a strong bond between the cousins. He loved them both fiercely, adoring their beauty and their dedication. Most of all he loved the way they could calm their minds, until only a hairsbreadth of emotion escaped and he felt safe beside them.

His aunt's emotions radiated contentment. She was her usual cool self, and he could perceive no hint of threat directed at Reasa. That soothed Liam immensely and he relaxed against the branch watching the glorious caramel-skinned woman peering into what appeared to be a cookbook. He was stunned to realise his aunt was teaching his mate to fend for herself. That simple task helped to soothe his soul. She would keep her word to him. His mate would be safe.

"Of all of us, you were the one I least expected to cause the most trouble."

Liam didn't react to the mockery in Kothari's tone, nor did he display any surprise as his fellow Vârcolac appeared at his side in the tree. He had known his dark haired companion was close but resisted the urge to tell him so. Kothi liked to sneak up on people. If he knew that the empath could sense him anywhere in the compound it would irritate him and he was volatile enough as it was.

"No, you want that title, Kothi," he remarked dryly, fondness in his tone as he turned to look at his friend. Liam was feeling more composed than he had in a long time and it was reflected in his body language. His mother had been right. Moving Reasa for the moment had been the best course of action. It would give him time to regroup and find some inner peace.

Liam's gaze reflected back at him from Kothi's mirrored shades. "How's Pietro holding up?" He'd heard his parents talking earlier about the vampire being aware Reasa was at the compound.

"I'd keep your mate away from him. He has a rage simmering inside that could blow at any given moment. He may not be able to stop himself from trying to eliminate the source of his torment."

One part of Liam understood the vampire's need to strike out; the other wanted to beat the crap out of Pietro for even thinking it. The negative emotions he was experiencing lately were so alien that Liam was unsure if he'd be able to balance them out in his mind. He had to find a way to come to terms with them; otherwise, he didn't know what would happen.

"He mustn't try to hurt her, Kothari." His friend's lips quirked in a half smile at the determined note in his voice.

Looking down on the two women in the house, Kothari's lips once more assumed their standard flat line. "That message has been reiterated to him; nothing will happen to your mate."

The conviction in Kothari's tone brought a frown to Liam's face and he shifted his position to watch his friend with an intent expression. "Pietro has reason for his animosity. While I can't allow him to hurt Reasa, his feelings are justified, Kothi. He has suffered much at the hands of my mate and her cohorts."

Kothi's mirrored gaze met his own as the other Vârcolac inclined his head. "I wouldn't hurt him, Liam. I would stop him though, because his actions would ultimately cause him as much pain as they did you. Pietro has the soul of a Praetorian. In his heart, he must protect the Vârcolac. It would kill him to do anything that would harm you."

What he said made sense and Liam frowned as he pondered the implications of his mate being in the pack. Kothari's mention of the Praetorians also brought up something he knew he shouldn't be avoiding. No one had talked about what had happened when Reasa was stripped of her immortality. Truth be told, he had been more focused on his mate and his own issues than what was going on within the pack and their protectors.




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 07



Memories of that day started to surface, and his eyes narrowed as he began to remember the sense of panic in the room. Reasa had been shouting a warning, terror in her voice. Something awful was happening, something that threatened everyone in the compound. He heard, again, Annie's calm words as she ordered Reasa to help him. The next thing he remembered was the euphoria of having his mate's mind linked with his, as she showed him how to weave a defence so strong he'd been more whole than he could ever remember being.

"The Praetorians..." He couldn't stop the words from tumbling out. He had to know...

Kothi leapt agilely from the tree, catching a neighbouring branch to find himself another perch. "Are your defences really that strong, Liam? Think before you speak. Take it from someone who knows the necessity of strong defences. If you are not one hundred percent sure of that answer, then don't ask questions you shouldn't right now. You nearly lost it when she rejected you." He jerked his head in the direction of Reasa. "Deal with one thing at a time."

It was hard to argue with him, but the unanswered question remained at the back of his mind. Someone would have to tell him one day soon. Maybe he would just head up to the Praetorian compound and find out himself. Kothi may doubt his mental shields, but testing the weave Reasa had taught him, they felt stronger than they had in a long time.

All his life everyone had protected him. How could he protect his mate if he couldn't do the most basic things for himself? Turning his gaze back to Reasa, he watched her sit at the dining table, her movements hesitant as she took her first bite of food prepared by her own hand. If she could start to adapt to the changes in her life, then it was time he did too.

"Don't even think about it, Liam. I swear I will shadow you everywhere, and at the first hint of you leaving the pack, I will either stop you myself or make sure Rafe does."

"When did you turn into a babysitter, Kothi?" Liam's tone was cooler than he'd ever used on one of his pack mates before. "First Pietro and now me? Better watch that, people will think you're going soft."

His jibe didn't instil the response he'd expected from the most unpredictable of them all. Instead of reacting aggressively, Kothari actually laughed, though it was devoid of humour. "There are things more dangerous than your mind games, Liam. Take care that your prodding doesn't awaken something which should be left undisturbed."

Liam regarded him calmly, his moment of pique over. He smiled at his friend before glancing back at Reasa, his eyes warm as they travelled over her face. "Such grandiose words. You enjoy your reputation don't you, Kothi? You cultivate it to the point that no one can see what's real and what's a façade. Sometimes I think you underestimate me more than everyone else does. You forget that I'm an empath, that I know everyone's emotional makeup in this compound."

His gaze once more fell on his friend, his eyes piercing the hidden darkness behind the glasses. For a moment, Liam's brown eyes blazed with a deep burnt-orange glow that brought a scowl to Kothari's face, before they softened back to their usual deep brown. "Despite your ways, and your isolation, there isn't a person in this pack who would do more to protect it than you, Kothari. You would harm yourself before you would let harm come to our pack. I know it and you know it. You can't hide from me."

Kothi dropped down a few branches, his breath coming out on a loud hiss. "Don't let overconfidence be your downfall, Liam. Don't believe you know even a tenth of what goes on in my mind. If you knew the truth of it, you wouldn't be spewing the current bullshit coming out of your mouth."

He reached the ground, his head tilting up to survey his friend. "Stay out of my head, Liam. You don't ever want to be in there. Mark my words on that." Spinning on his heel, he headed away from the compound in a blur of supernatural speed.

Liam watched him leave, his expression thoughtful. There was no doubt in his mind that Kothari was damaged. They were all damaged in their own way, some more so than others. It was an affliction brought on by having too much power, of being so different that no one could really understand them, not unless they too, were Vârcolac. Rayne had tried her best, but she hadn't been able to divide herself equally among all the children who were born so closely together. Then along came Kothari, and her attention had been diverted. 

Something had happened during his birth that they weren't privy to. Rafe probably knew, and most likely Annie and Caleb too. He'd been too young to really remember what had happened, but he remembered enough that Rayne and Gard had been absent from the pack for a few weeks and the emotional mood from the adults had been sombre and full of concern. It hadn't been apparent to most people, but he had known, and kept his silence. When Rayne and Gard had returned with their son, everyone had been all smiles and the concern had dampened down to a manageable level.

Whatever had happened must have been serious, but there was no mistaking the love Kothi's parents had for him. His friend thought he hid his issues so well, and maybe he did for the most part by his isolationism, but he was never truly as alone as he thought he was. Liam always kept a loose track on him when he disappeared. He couldn't focus too tightly because Kothi's emotions went off the scale at times and caused too much pain, but he tried his best to monitor his friend in case he needed help. 

For the moment, Kothi was doing okay, so despite his cryptic statements, Liam wasn't concerned. His gaze was fixated on his mate and his aunt as they sat together at the dining table, his senses being teased by the sound of approaching footsteps. Sighing, he reluctantly dragged his gaze away from Reasa, turning his head to watch Dayton and Elina walking home. Dayton's arm was thrown casually across his daughter's shoulders and he was laughing as he murmured something to her.

Liam smiled as he always did when his beautiful cousin was near. It was a smile tinged with sadness as he watched her expressionless face. All of her life Elina had given everything to him until she was so closed down emotionally that even her father, whom she adored, couldn't raise a smile to her lips. Whatever he was saying did amuse her though, because her body language was relaxed against his side. While her facial expressions remained unchanged, someone who knew Elina well could tell her responses by how she reacted on an instinctual level.

Her attention suddenly shifted as she glanced up at him and raised an eyebrow. Sighing again, Liam dropped down from the tree to greet them, a rueful smile on his face.

"There's a word for that, Liam. Voyeurism I believe it is. Are you spying on my mate?" Dayton's tone was full of mischief; his eyes twinkling with laughter, letting him know that he wasn't serious. 

Liam had such love and respect for the Beta who'd loved and lost, and found love once more with his aunt. He had given Freya a reason to live her life again, after years of being so wounded even her brother had begun to give up hope. How could he not love the Were who had brought happiness to his aunt's life? His smile was wide as he hugged him. "I think she'd have a few things to say if she thought I was, Day."

He turned to his cousin, giving a warm smile at her sardonic expression. "How was the visit to the grandparents?" Elina was always unsettled when surrounded by such open warmth from the Alexanders. They were very tactile and that was something she tried to avoid.

"Grandmother thinks it would be a good idea if I stayed with them for a while. I politely declined, explaining I am needed here with the pack at the moment." 

"Ma's right, honey," Dayton smiled. "Now that we know there is no threat to you from the poison, some time at the Hanlon pack would be a good thing. It would do you good to get away from all the shenanigans going on here."

"I'm not leaving Liam or the pack right now, Dad. We've already spoken about it. My place is here."

It was obvious Dayton wanted to press the point, but he held his peace and inclined his head in in acknowledgement. He smiled again at his nephew. "So, are you coming in or were you just enjoying the view?"

His words had the desired effect, making Liam laugh. God, how he wanted to go inside their home, every fibre of his being wanted to... but for the first time in days, Reasa wasn't weeping. She was interacting with others and doing small basic things. If he went inside, she would close right back down again, turn inward and be in pain. He couldn't do that to her. "No, I'm going to take a walk, clear my head a little."

"I'll come with you," Elina said, giving her father a quick hug. "It would be better if Reasa becomes accustomed to others in stages. As I am Vârcolac, I should be the last stage of this family meeting."

Nodding, Dayton carried on into the house leaving the cousins alone. Elina's cool green eyes travelled over Liam's face quickly, before a faint smile touched her lips. "The weaving technique she showed you appears to be working well. I was concerned about you, being away for so long today."

Liam unconsciously adopted Dayton's previous gesture, looping a big arm across her shoulders as he forced his feet to walk away from his mate. "You don't have to take care of me anymore, Elle. Despite earlier, I'm doing fine. I just wasn't listening to wiser heads, and now I am. I am content for the moment. I can give Reasa the space she needs to adapt."

"She has a long road to travel, Liam. The shock to her system of what's been done to her...that will be a hard thing to come to terms with. On top of that, she's predisposed to hate us and that includes you. This isn't going to be easy and you will need all the help you can find."

"And you need to be living your own life and not using all of your energy trying to save mine." Liam dropped a kiss on the top of her head and pulled her through the trees towards the lake. For the first time in so long, he felt balanced enough to be able to concentrate on someone else rather than trying to keep everyone out of his head. It was time Elina had a moment to herself, to remember what it was like to laugh and enjoy life.

"Do you miss her, Elle, that little girl who once lived inside you and laughed all the time?"

Her reluctance was plain as she tugged back on his hand. "Liam..."

Grinning at her, he moved at supernatural speed, picking her up and throwing her high into the air. His move was so unexpected she didn't have time to counter it, merely let out a startled cry as she sailed through the air and landed in the middle of the lake, sinking swiftly to the bottom. As she was swimming back up to the surface she was sucked back under by Liam's large body splashing beside her.

Spluttering, Elina broke the surface, pushing her wet hair out of her face as she turned cold eyes on her cousin. "Have you lost your mind?" Loud laughter filled the air, a rich deep baritone that sounded so free, so full of joy that for a moment she was mesmerised by the sheer beauty of it. 

"No, this is called having fun." He continued to chuckle, splashing water in her face. "You remember what fun is, don't you, Elle? And smacking Karn clear across the room doesn't count." He splashed her again causing her to splutter once more.

"Stop it, Liam." There was the hint of a threat in her voice but he ignored her.

"Or what? You're going to beat my ass? You think you could, Elle? Just because you can take on a vamp doesn't mean you can take on me." The next wave of water he sent over his cousin was fast and unrelenting. He dived under the water and grabbed her legs, pulling her under while she was still shaking the water from her face.

Elina snapped. It was the only word she could apply to the sharp pull in her head, as she sucked in water and sank to the bottom of the lake again. Striking out, she caught Liam in the stomach, her blow hard as she pushed him away. Scrambling to the surface, she kicked out when he grabbed her leg to suck her back down. Was he trying to kill her?

The sound of his mirth filled the air and he was on her again, capturing her in his strong arms and rolling her over under the water. She wrestled hard with him, getting free and dunking his head under the water as he struggled against her tight hold. "See how you like it, idiot." She muttered the words through lips that threatened to tilt upwards as she watched him squirm. 

Her cousin broke her hold and came at her fast, rising up out of the water with her balanced in his arms. "Nice try, Elle, but I'm always going to be stronger than you physically." 

She was sailing through the air again, laughter bubbling out of her mouth, as she struck the water hard and began to sink. She had to close her mouth quickly, but was coming back up and searching for her cousin the instant she broke the surface. He was a few feet away from her, swimming away. "Don't even think about it." Elina dived under the water, using her speed to catch him quickly and tug him down. See how he liked it!

She smirked in delight as he sank, making her own bid for escape knowing he would come after her in a heartbeat. He may have superior strength because of his physique, but she had the superior speed and was more agile. She dodged her cousin's attempts to reach her and climbed soaking wet out of the lake, bending over to catch her breath as she giggled at his bedraggled state.

Liam's hair was a tangled, dripping mess, looking almost black as opposed to the rich deep auburn it normally was. His jeans and T-shirt were drenched and weighed him down as he waded out of the lake. She knew she probably didn't look much better and tried to wring some of the excess water out of her hair as she laughed at him. "You look like a drowned rat."

"So do you," he chuckled, pouncing on her and taking her down to the grass where they rolled a couple of times before coming to lie on their backs in the waning sunlight, laughing. "That's the most beautiful sound I've heard in a very long time, Elle."

She turned her head to look at him, puzzlement in her eyes. "What is?"

"Your laughter." Liam turned on his side, leaning up on an elbow to smile down at her. "There's no harm in letting go and having a little fun every now and then, Elle. You deserve it and it's your right. You don't have to look after me anymore."

A frown marred her face and her gaze slid from his to look up at the darkening sky. "I do enjoy life, Liam. I may not be as spontaneous or demonstrative as most people, but I am not unhappy with my life. We are all different, cousin."

"But I know there is so much more within you, Elle. It was there once, a long time ago. It hasn't disappeared, it's merely been suppressed."

Rising, Elina reached deep within herself and called on her abilities to quickly dry her clothes and hair. In less than five seconds, there was no indication she'd just been playing in the lake, her expression once more calm and collected. She turned to face her cousin, warmth flickering across her features. "You have the gentlest of hearts, Liam, and you have much to endure while you try to claim your mate. Apply your gifts where they are needed, cousin. I am fine as I am."

She turned and headed back to the compound, leaving Liam feeling frustrated. For just a second there he'd had her laughing, hoping to have started her off on her own journey of discovery. An image of Karn came to his mind as he rose and dried off too. Maybe it wasn't his job to awaken Elina's emotions; maybe that role belonged to another? He'd love to be a fly on the wall as THAT situation unfolded. Smiling again, Liam turned and followed his cousin. 

*****

Dayton smiled as his eyes lovingly traced his mate's features. He could detect a slight hint of strain in the set of her lips, but overall she appeared to be handling Reasa's presence in their home quite well. As always, she was the most beautiful woman in the world to him, and his pulse sped up as he strode across the room to pluck her from her chair and kiss her hard.

He ignored Reasa's presence, instead luxuriating in the exotic taste of his woman, delighting in how she instantly moulded her body against his and didn't hesitate to kiss him back with as much fervour. "Hmmm, I missed you this afternoon. Ma wants to know when her daughter is going to grace them with her presence. She said to remind you it's been three months since your last visit." There was no rebuke in his tone, just a light teasing. Despite her protestations, he knew Freya enjoyed her visits to the Alexander household.

Sighing, she pulled her head back and gave him a pointed look. "I have Ancient duties to perform as well as pack duties. I am expected to perform familial duties too? I visit as often as I can." Her lips quirked in a small smile. "Anyway, your parents prefer to see Elina, rather than me. Where is our daughter? Did you leave her there?"

Dayton dropped another quick kiss on her mouth and reluctantly released her before his body reacted as it predictably did. One kiss from his woman was all it took to have him wanting to ravish every delicious inch of her body. "We found Liam lurking outside so Elina's gone for a walk with him." His gaze slid to the other woman in the room and he watched her stiffen at her mate's name. It made him sad to see her instinctive reaction. Liam was certainly going to have a hard time wooing the attractive creature sitting at his table.

"He was told to stay away," Freya growled, a frown marring her brow. "What is it with you males that you're incapable of listening to the simplest of wisdom? He was really spying on us? I am going to have some serious words with that young man."

Her irritation immediately had Dayton reaching for her again and brushing her lips gently with his. "Yes, it's amazing how the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, honey. I know someone else who was incapable of resisting the urge to spy on her mate when she met him."

His teasing struck home and she had the good grace to look slightly sheepish, but being Freya she wasn't about to back down easily. "I did not know you were my mate," she countered in a prim tone. "You were merely someone who was irritating me and required to be put in your place."

"I had to seek protection in the pack, woman. You were a nightmare," he continued to tease, laughing as her expression turned outraged. "You know it's the truth, Freya Eriksson, so don't try to deny it."

Her mutinous expression softened and she laughed with him. "Very well, I may have been a nightmare, but I turned into the best daydream you've ever had."

Her answer had him laughing, as did the smugness of her tone. "That you did, my love, and we can't forget that you're also my biggest fant..."

"Dayton! We have a guest."

He chuckled louder at her outrage and gave a gentle squeeze so she knew he was just teasing her. He liked seeing his mate off balance and it would do Reasa no harm to see the open, affectionate love there was in a mixed mating. Maybe it would help her to come around to a healthier way of thinking. "Okay, I'll behave. Just cut Liam a little slack, Freya. He's doing the best he can under the circumstances."

Turning from his mate, he smiled at the former vampire. It wasn't hard to see what enthralled his nephew so much. She had her own brand of exotic beauty; her skin having a glorious dark sheen to it, which made him think of warm caramel. Her green eyes were a surprise, given her colouring, but they suited the woman frowning back at him. "Welcome to our home, Reasa."

She inclined her head, rising from the table and walking a wide circle around them. "I will return to my room now, Freya. I will try not to intrude on your personal space." 




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 07



She was clearly embarrassed by the affection on display, so Dayton didn't try to halt her bid for freedom. It was evident it would take time for Reasa to feel relaxed in their family environment. "Everything went okay?" he asked Freya when the other woman disappeared into the back of the house.

"It was challenging but I was able to contain the bulk of my irritation," Freya sighed, leaning against his hard body, basking in the soothing comfort that only her mate could give to her. "I felt myself reverting back to form, Day." It was hard to admit that to him, she didn't want him to be disappointed in her. His hand ran lightly down her back, tickling her spine and sending heat flooding through her body.

"You didn't revert, honey, you used the tools required to deal with the situation." Dayton tilted her chin up so he could see her expression, his lips tugging in a smile. "Your problem is you think the old Freya has no redeeming qualities, love. You view her as someone to fear, someone to loathe and distrust. She's part of you, Freya, a very important part of you. She's as necessary to you as my wolf is to me." 

His fingers trailed over her cheek, his thumb brushing her bottom lip with tenderness. "Don't be afraid of her, honey. Don't cut off a part of yourself that is as necessary to you as the air you breathe. She is a part of you and I love her with all my heart. So much so, that as soon as we have this problem with Reasa and Liam taken care of, I think we should take a little vacation up to the cabin." He gave her a saucy wink. "Maybe the old Freya would like to come out and play for a little while?"

She threw her head back laughing loudly. "You are incorrigible, Dayton Alexander. First you cry foul when I take what I want from you and now you invite it. Be careful what you wish for, mate of mine. I may hold you to that one day soon." 

It was fun to tease with him like this, and her soul felt more settled as it always did when her beautiful man loved her so unconditionally. Freya hugged him tightly, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she glanced absent-mindedly at the dining table. Her body stiffened instantly, a loud growl issuing from her lips.

"The Bitch!" 

She was vaguely aware of Dayton's concerned expression as she was spinning around and flying towards the back of the house.

*****

Reasa knew she didn't have much time. The wolf and vampire were wrapped up in themselves, but it surely wouldn't last. Quickly punching the coven's number into Freya's stolen cell phone, her heart raced as she waited for Louis to answer. It felt as if it was an eternity before someone picked up at the other end. 

"Who is this?"

"Michael?" Reasa whispered the word as loud as she could. "I need to speak to Louis and I don't have much time. Get him for me."

"Louis has declared you banished from the coven, Thereasa. I don't have to do anything you ask of me anymore."

Cursing under her breath, she fought back tears at the thought of being excommunicated. If she could talk to Louis, maybe she could convince him otherwise, maybe he would help her. "I need to speak to him, Michael. It's urgent."

Silence greeted her words and her frustration and fear grew. How long would it take Freya to notice her phone was missing? "Michael, please. I don't have time. They can come in any moment now."

"They, who? What did you do, Reasa? Louis isn't here right now. Tell me and I'll pass your message on."

Fighting back a sob, she took a deep breath. She would have to trust that Michael would do as he said. He had behaved okay when they'd been in Scotland, he had even taken care of the Bruce problem. "I followed Pietro home, and tried to take out one of the hybrids. I've been caught and am now held captive by one of the wolf packs the local vampires affiliate themselves with. You can get the GPS coordinates from this call. I need an extraction. Tell Louis to come get me. I'll accept whatever punishment he deems fit, just don't leave me here." 

For some reason, she found herself hesitate to explain her diminished status. If Louis knew she was now human, he may decide she wasn't worth the effort. Also, she could use the witch's power as an enticement. "Tell him I've learned something that is so terrible it places all of our kind at threat, and it has nothing to do with the poison. His coven is in danger if he doesn't rescue me, and he won't see it coming."

She had Michael's attention now, she could tell from his increased breathing. "Tell me and I'll pass it on."

"No! The coven has to come and get me. Louis will have to come himself, if need be, to breach this pack's defences. I will tell no one other than him, Michael, and he'd better get here quickly."

The bedroom door crashed open and Reasa was thrown from the bed landing in a crumpled heap on the floor. She screamed in pain as her now fragile body connected with the hardwood flooring, her shoulder dislocating, sending red-hot agony pulsing through her body.

"I gave you my trust." Venom dripped from Freya's lips as she picked the discarded cell phone off the floor, pulverising it into dust with her hand. Fury suffused her, her feral side dominating. She loomed over the fallen woman, talons out, fangs bared, black pitiless eyes boring into her curled up body. 

"As Liam gave you his." Dayton's quiet words held more than a hint of command in them, his emotions backing them up as he pressed hard down his mate bond with Freya, working to rein in the fury holding her tightly in its grasp. "She's hurt, Freya. Back away from her... now."

She was hurt? The words seeped into the vampire's enraged mind and she took two steps backwards, trying to loosen the hold of her vampiric side by shaking her head. Dayton was in her mind, his cold ruthless determination assaulting her senses and making her want to weep. He was never like that with her. He always supported her. 

Freya's eyes turned back to their normal shade as his disappointment continued to wash over her. She stared down at Reasa, seeing the mask of pain on her face, the tears soaking her cheeks as whimpers came from her lips. She'd hurt the human. She'd given Liam her word and she'd hurt his mate. Her stricken gaze met Dayton's. "I didn't mean to. She took my phone. I was just trying to stop her."

Dayton held in his sigh of relief when he saw his mate revert to normal. He hadn't liked being so hard on her, but he'd had to get through to her as quickly as possible to ensure she didn't do any further damage to Reasa. Placing a human in the midst of the mixed pack had been a recipe for disaster from the beginning. It had only been a matter of time before some injury occurred to Reasa, be it deliberate or an accident.

He moved past Freya, wanting to reassure her but also needing to check that the other woman wasn't hurt too badly. He automatically slipped into Beta mode, adopting the role he had held for most of his life. He could see her shoulder was dislocated but at a cursory glance, the rest of her looked okay. "We need Mallen. Her shoulder injury needs to be attended to immediately. We need Rafe too. He needs to know what's happened and that Reasa managed to get a call out. I'll stay with her. Let's try to make sure Liam doesn't get wind of this. He'll overreact."

"Dayton..."

"Go, Freya. We'll talk later. Right now we need to prioritise Reasa's needs." His words sounded harsh and he sent a wave of love through their mate bond to reassure her.

"Everything will be okay, honey, I promise. Just hurry now and do what's required so we can relieve the girl's pain."  He had to soothe his mate with his mental caress. He could feel the self-doubt filling her soul and knew she would hold onto it and it would fester until she could verbalise her feelings of failure. He would have to nip that in the bud as quickly as possible. 

He sensed her leave the room, his gaze watching the human avidly for any signs of further distress that may indicate an internal injury he couldn't see. He had thought this would be easy, taking Reasa into their home at their Alpha's request. Maybe he should have put his foot down and refused. Freya's actions had been unintentional, but the fallout from them would haunt her more than anyone else would ever know. He couldn't allow his precious vampire to be hurt. If having his nephew's mate in their home was going to do that then Rafe would have to come up with another solution.

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 08



 My heartfelt thanks to Mistress of Shadows and Angel N Disguise for editing for me.

Enjoy! 

*

"Try not to move, Reasa. I know it hurts but Mallen will be here soon. Once he puts your shoulder back in place the pain will subside. I won't lie to you; that's going to be more painful than the original injury, and then you'll have to face Rafe over your actions. You've just made life a whole lot harder for yourself." 

Reasa opened her eyes long enough to look at Dayton, trying to ignore the agony shooting through her body. Every nerve felt like it was on fire and she wasn't used to suffering like this. Injuries had always healed instantly when she was still a vampire. Now her vision was blurred and it was hard to concentrate. "And for your mate."

He gave her a rueful smile, stroking a hand through her hair because he didn't like seeing anyone in pain. "That's par for the course with Freya. Believe me; she'll give herself a harder time for this than Rafe will. He's Alpha, so he'll factor in that the safety of the pack was in jeopardy, and that will be the priority with him. As for Freya, she'll see it as a personal failure regardless of the circumstances and react accordingly. It will make my life a little bit more difficult, but we'll work through it."

He paused, sitting back on his heels and tilting his head towards the door. He could hear Mallen approaching and let out a slow breath before turning back to the human. "The main danger is Liam finding out. We have to avoid that happening at all costs. We don't want a repeat of what happened up at the Praetorian Compound."

Personally, she didn't care at the moment. All that was registering was the agony flowing through her body and the fact that it wouldn't stop. It wouldn't be her problem, anyway, even if he did find out and lose control. She was human now and wouldn't be aware of anything. Her fragile mind would implode instantly.

"Let me get near her, Day." Mallen knelt down beside Reasa, his gaze intent as he quickly catalogued her outward injuries with a practiced eye. Since she was human, he realized he would have to be more careful with her than his usual patients, but he was confident in his ability to do so. His hands gently ran over her body and he was relieved to determine her shoulder dislocation was the worst wound. She would have some bruising, aches and pains; once he set the shoulder, she should be fine.

"How bad is it?" Rafe growled out the question, entering the room with Freya in tow. 

"Not too bad," Mallen answered, glancing quickly at his Alpha. "She has a dislocated shoulder and some bumps and bruises, but apart from that she's fine."

The Alpha nodded, turning his gaze on Freya and Dayton. He wasn't surprised to see his beta had automatically come to stand beside his mate when she'd entered the room. He would have done the same had it been Lacey who'd made a mistake. "Do we know who she got the call out to?"

It was Freya who met his gaze and answered him, her tone emotionless, and her expression neutral in the face of his displeasure. "I destroyed the phone, but if I were to hazard a guess, I believe it was to her former coven." 

Her answer brought a frown to Rafe's face. "Why would she do that? She's human now. They wouldn't be the least interested in her."

"You're right; unless she didn't tell them she was human," Dayton mused, running a hand down Freya's stiff back. He could read her body language so well and knew she was working hard on maintaining her control. "If they think she has gathered intelligence of events which directly endanger the Covens...there's a strong possibility they'd show a great deal of interest." He was relieved the Alpha was concentrating first on the pack security issue. If he was assigning more importance to that, then maybe he'd cut Freya some slack.

"I overreacted and forgot both my strength and Reasa's vulnerability. I failed in my duty, causing harm to her instead of keeping her safe. You must remove the human from my care, Rafe. I am clearly incapable of performing this task or keeping my word to Liam." Freya moved away from them to stare out the window, her posture rigid.

Rafe shared a glance with Dayton, raising an eyebrow. His Beta was always the best barometer when it came to dealing with the volatile vampire. The fact that his expression displayed concern wasn't a good sign. Once more, he found himself in the position of having to deal with an issue that wasn't as simple as it appeared. Yes, Freya should have thought before she reacted. Realistically though, with Reasa being so much weaker as a human, the same thing might have happened regardless of whose care she was in.

"There's nowhere else to place her, Freya, not which will appease Liam anyway. The only reason he's content to have her here is because she's with you. There's no denying this situation shouldn't have happened. Reasa shouldn't have had the opportunity to get access to a cell phone and allowances should have been given to her frailty before corrective action was taken. However, it's happened and we have to learn from today so it doesn't happen again."

She spun around to look at him, fury in her eyes. "The best way to ensure it does not happen again is to remove her. I am incapable of ensuring no harm comes to her. I allowed her access to my phone and I broke my word to Liam."

"Then I am just as culpable here too," Dayton interjected, his tone pragmatic. He raised a hand to halt Freya's automatic denial. "No, if you're intent on applying blame, Freya, then let's look at the big picture. How did Reasa get access to the phone? What diverted your attention enough that she could take it in the first instance?"

Her angry gaze bore into his, her expression turning hard. "Don't try to manipulate me, Dayton. The error occurred because I didn't stop to consider that she would even try to get access to a phone. It has nothing to do with you arriving home and distracting me. You didn't leave your phone out and you didn't overreact to the situation."

"When you guys have finished beating yourselves up over who is responsible, do you think one of you could give me a hand here?" Mallen asked dryly, interrupting the volatile situation. "I need someone to brace Reasa so I can pop her shoulder back in." Three heads turned to survey him, but it was the vampire who moved first.

"I am the strongest." Freya swept past her mate and Alpha, moving into position as Mallen relayed his needs. She supported the other woman against her body, listening intently to the doctor's instructions.

As they worked together, Rafe turned to Dayton. "Do we know where Liam is?"

His Beta let out a sigh, his gaze never leaving his mate's rigid face. "He went for a walk with Elina earlier. I think they took off into the forest. With any luck, he'll be out of hearing distance and none the wiser." A loud popping sound filled the room as he finished speaking, followed a split second later by a harsh scream. Reasa's body went rigid with pain, her eyes rolling back in her head, the colour draining from her face.

*****

Liam increased his pace to enable him to catch up with his cousin. His wolf was unsettled, urging him to return to the compound quickly. There was no real reason for it, so he was perplexed by his animal's behaviour. It appeared he would be struggling with his wolf the entire time it would take him to claim his mate. He wasn't used to that, having always been in harmony with his wolf from a very early age.

"What?" Elina's voice broke the silence as they entered the compound, her eyes alert as they ran over his face.

"Something doesn't feel right."

A loud scream rent the air and Liam stiffened in shock for a moment, every muscle in his body going rigid. Then a loud snarl erupted from his chest and he took off at supernatural speed towards his aunt's house.

"Liam!" Elina flew after him, catching the front door as it tried to whip shut in her face. "Kallum, help!"

Liam was barely aware of his cousin at his back, though he heard her call to Kallum. His wolf was howling in fury, his mate's screams echoing in his mind as he raced down the hallway and into the room where Reasa was. Images assaulted him in a microsecond, Reasa lying on the ground with Mallen and Freya beside her. Rafe was in the room as was Dayton, but all he could see was his mate, her body twisted in agony.

"Liam, calm down." Rafe's tone was full of Command, pressing at his wolf to obey him as Alpha. 

It worked for a moment, the beast calming a bit, but then his vampiric side rose up to counter it. If he hadn't been so focused on getting to his mate, the savageness of his feral side would have brought him to his knees. As it was, all he could think about was getting to Reasa, to keep her safe from those hurting her.

Liam knocked aside Mallen with one hard swipe of his arm. Glowing amber eyes turned to his aunt, molten lava running through his veins. "What did you do?" The rage within was at crisis point, his mind chaotic as his emotions peaked. A wave of solid air exploded from him, radiating out like a shockwave, knocking everyone from their feet. 

"What...did...you...DO?!"

Freya rose slowly, her gaze never leaving her nephew, her body poised for attack. She could see no sign of the boy she loved, but she recognised the monster that lurked in his eyes. She had seen it many times before when looking at her own reflection. It was something she'd never dreamed she would have witnessed from the gentle soul of her nephew.

Raising her hand, she motioned for everyone else to stay back. They couldn't have reached them anyway. Whatever Liam had done had placed a barrier between the three of them, and the rest of the room. While her eyes were riveted to Liam's face, the logical side of her mind catalogued the effect and recognized its similarity to what Annie had done at the Praetorian Compound.

"She stole my phone and made a call to someone outside the compound. I had to stop her, Liam." 

"You hurt her." The hard edge in Liam's voice was chilling.

"It was an accident, nephew. I didn't consider her fragility when I intercepted her call. I erred and I am sorry for her injury, but it is not life threatening. She will heal." Freya kept her tone cool and rational, knowing it was the vampire who was listening as opposed to the wolf. To calm her nephew down she had to appeal to his logical side.

"You hurt her." Another blast of rage knocked her back down to her knees as the same cold tone resonated from his lips.

Mallen cried out, his hands coming to his head as he curled up in agony. "Liam, stop!"

The room erupted in a sea of sound with all of the Vârcolac crying out in one mental voice, trying to break through Liam's barriers as they ran towards the house. Elina was already in the room, casting out her mental shields in Mallen's direction, attempting to connect with his mind in a way she'd never tried with a non-hybrid before. She managed to slide a block in place, countering the worst excess of Liam's emotional backlash, but she knew it wouldn't hold for long. He was too strong, too out of control.

Elina sank to her knees outside the barrier. As she watched her cousin turn his full attention on her mother, she realized there was only one person who could derail his need for destruction. "Thereasa, stop him! You're the only one who can reach him right now. Talk to him!"

Her words brought no reaction from the other woman who remained curled up in a ball, her eyes staring vacantly ahead. "REASA! Hear me now! If he does this, he will implode and destroy everything. If we can't contain him, everyone will die, men, woman...our children! You have to stop him, Reasa. You have to let him know you're okay."

*****

Reasa heard a voice calling to her but it seemed so far away. All around her there was nothing but agony; a pain so intense she wanted to pass out to make it would go away. The voice persisted though, calling her name, imploring her to pay attention when she didn't want to. 

"No." The word whispered out so quietly she wasn't sure the voice would hear her, but it did.

"Reasa!"

"No!" she cried out the word, rolling over to stare up at the ceiling. Her vision was blurry and she realised it was from the tears streaming from her eyes. There were many new people in the room but they appeared to be far away, as if they were down a distant tunnel.

"You have to! Move! Now!"

It was the female hybrid, the one she'd fought with. She was commanding her to do something but she didn't know what. The air felt thick around her and her head hurt from a pressure so intense it made her eyes water more. Struggling to her hands and knees, Reasa heard a shrill scream and focused on the sound.

Freya was on her knees before her, a large hulking shape looming over the Ancient. To the side, the doctor was immobile, curled up in the foetal position. Down the tunnel, she could hear voices shouting in terror, two louder than the others.

"Freya!"

"Mother!"

He was there in the room, the abomination. He was the looming figure, his voice a shard of ice as he towered over the vampire. "You hurt her."

Reasa moaned, breathing through the pain, her thoughts beginning to clear as the situation registered. Dear God, he'd lost control again and everyone was helpless in his wake. She had no idea why her mind hadn't exploded, but she understood the threat level surrounding them. If he crossed the line and killed his aunt...there would be nothing anyone could do so stop the destruction that would follow.

"Liam, hear me." Reasa forced out the words both verbally and mentally. "I'm safe." There was no response from the huge male and a muffled sob escaped her as the pressure in the room escalated higher mirroring his rage. "Liam! I need you! Listen to me, please!"

Crawling forward, Reasa pushed her way in between Freya and Liam, collapsing against the other woman as her strength gave out. The other woman automatically supported her, whispering in her ear, "Move aside."

"No! He won't listen to you, Freya, but he will listen to me. Stay quiet." Her lips barely moved as she whispered the words out but she knew the vampire heard her. Gazing up into blazing amber eyes, her breath caught at the sheer beauty of the male above her, so vicious, so uncontained, so volatile. 

"Did you forget everything I showed you before, hybrid? You're leaking emotions everywhere and damaging your pack. Attend to me now! " Appealing to his wolf hadn't achieved any results. Maybe appealing to the vampire would.

"Take up that loose strand, Liam, and weave it into the one beside it. Do it before you destroy everything you love. Do it for me, hybrid. If you truly believe I am your mate and you go insane and have to be put down...what will happen to me? "

*****

The fury was everything, a living breathing thing flowing like lava through his veins. It was heady and exciting, a power so strong he felt invincible. Everything else was inconsequential; the people around him nothing but vermin to be eradicated. He knew he was saying the same thing repeatedly to the female vampire, but he had no concept of why because the words were meaningless.

All he wanted to do was to kill; he wanted to reach out and rip the head from the vampire's body, to feel her hot blood flowing over his hands and know that she had been fittingly punished for her failure. Everyone present in the room would see that punishment and none would ever defy him again.

A soft whisper tickled in his mind and he paused to listen as it echoed along his synapses. It was a glorious sound, so hard and unyielding, insistent that it be heard. As soon as he acknowledged it, the floral scent of wildflowers and a chocolate caramel fragrance washed over him, an intriguing contrast to the hard words.

"You're not doing it correctly. Why are males so stubborn? You've lost your shields, Liam. Fix them now as I showed you before. Feel the strands; see how nimble you can be. Thread them together one at a time, ensuring they are flexible enough to withstand the pressure. That's it...keep going. If you want to call them clouds then do so, just keep weaving. "

The beautiful voice was so bossy, so fascinating. Liam wanted her to keep talking, wanted her to stay in his mind so he did as she ordered, pulling at the soft strands within his mind and proudly displaying his prowess as he weaved the shields she wanted. His mate shadowed him closely, inspecting his movements, instructing him when he messed up so he could repair his error. 

She was so perfect, her presence in his thoughts a soothing balm as the monster retreated and his wolf moved forward, helping to balance him. Soft hands were running down his arms, stroking his skin and sending shivers through his body. "Reasa..."

Liam focused on her face, his eyes tracing every feature with adoration shining from them. "I did it." He smiled at her, wondering at her frightened expression. It seeped into his happiness, causing him to frown as he muttered, "What's wrong?" 

Memories were starting to return and his gaze shot to the woman behind his mate, his aunt's cautious expression suddenly registering in his conscience. His eyes widened as dread slammed into him so hard he let out a pained gasp. There was blood on his aunt's clothes, though she had no visible wounds. However, memories of his fingers digging into her skin and ripping at her flesh flooded through his mind...

Freya carefully extracted Reasa from her nephew as she moved to stand before him. She placed her hands on his cheeks as he stared at her in horror. "Stay here with us, Liam. Do not sink back into the place you have just visited. Look at me, and hear my words. I have been in that same dark place, more times than you will ever know. You cannot change what has happened, you can only learn from it and strive to ensure it doesn't reoccur. I am well and suffer no lasting harm. Reasa is well and suffers no lasting harm." 

His gaze slid to Reasa's and then Mallen. Elina was at his side, helping the doctor sit up as he shook his head to clear it. "What did I do?" The words were a tortured whisper as he swung back to look at his aunt. "Freya?"

"Anyone who doesn't need to be here, please leave." Rafe's voice echoed over the room as he took control, jerking his head to the doorway. "Kallum, take Mallen over to the medical centre so he can be checked out." He was striding over to help the doctor up as he spoke, concern in his eyes as he inspected his pack member. 

"I'm okay, Rafe. Whatever Elina did, kept me protected from the worst of it." He shook his head again as he tried to pull off a weak smile, despite his disorientation. "Guess that proved I had the weakest mind in the room today."

"Rafe, maybe we should stay..." Kallum motioned to the other Vârcolac hovering in the doorway with concerned expressions.

The Alpha shook his head. "Your presence here didn't help earlier. Only Reasa was able to get through to Liam, so let's clear out as many people as we can. Cassia, are you able to administer pain relief to the woman in Mallen's absence, or do we need to request someone to come over from the medical centre?"

The eldest Romanov sister appeared startled at the request, but her expression cleared and she nodded her assent. Everyone else filed out leaving Liam, Cassia and Rafe in the Alexander home with the family.

"Freya, are you okay? " It was taking all of Dayton's strength not to cross the room to his mate and shake the living daylights out of her. To be trapped behind Liam's barrier had been an agony he couldn't express in words. To watch his mate stand there and do practically nothing to defend herself against her nephew's attack...that was something they were going to discuss later. Liam needed her right now so he held himself rigid, letting his eyes reassure him she was safe, but he wasn't happy with the situation and his mate would know all about it.




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 08



"I'm fine, Day. He really didn't hurt me very much. Some part of him remained intact; otherwise, he would have had my head from my body before I knew what was happening. I know you're angry with me, but please trust that I knew what I was doing. I would have defended myself had I felt the need strongly enough. This isn't something you would understand; it is something intrinsic, purely vampiric. To react with aggression would only have escalated the situation further. "

"We'll discuss it later, Freya, believe me, we will more than discuss it! " Her resigned expression almost made him smile, but the image of her blood was still too fresh in his mind. His mate had to learn that sacrificing herself because she felt responsible was not the right course of action to take, even if the threat was to come from someone she loved, like Liam.

Dayton headed over to them slowly, not wanting to make any sudden moves that may concern Liam. "I need to help Reasa onto the bed so Cassia can attend to her." He spoke the words in general but they were for Liam's benefit.

The Vârcolac's head turned in their direction and pained eyes ran over the human woman. "Is that okay with you, Reasa?"

She nodded in response, her gaze wary as she surveyed him back. He appeared to be once more in control, the danger point having passed. The more pressing concern for him now was the aftermath of what had just happened. The overwhelming guilt in his eyes was something he couldn't hide and she couldn't help with. He needed to have that conversation with his pack, but his rebuilt mental defences should be strong enough to cope without any intervention from her.

She allowed the wolf to pick her up gently and place her on the bed. She tried to ignore the fact it was another of the abominations who sat beside her. The blonde woman ran careful hands over her body before turning to search inside the doctor's bag for the components she needed to prepare a solution in a syringe. Reasa closed her eyes and shut out the rest of the room, as misery washed over her. Despite everything, her circumstances remained the same and she was still trapped in the pack.

Cassia prepared the pain medication carefully; afraid she would accidentally overdose the woman lying on the bed. Obeying her Alpha was instinctive, but she'd expected her wolf to put up some kind of fight because they were being asked to help the woman who had damaged their mate. The animal was quiet though, curious as its eyes ran over the other woman.

Why wasn't it protesting? Surely it should have been questioning her actions? Its quietness confused her, making her wonder if Pietro truly was her mate.

"This will only hurt for a moment," she said, keeping her voice quiet and soothing as she injected the liquid medication into Reasa's caramel skin. She swabbed the area with a sterile wipe, keeping a sharp eye on the former vampire's respiration to ensure she didn't exhibit any signs of distress. As she watched her, her thoughts drifted back Pietro.

He must be aware by now that something had happened to his abductor. What was he thinking? Was he tempted to come and see what was going on for himself, or would he stay hidden in her aunt and uncle's home? The need to check on him was strong and Cassia knew she would end up heading in that direction once everything calmed down. She had so many unanswered questions and Pietro was the only one who could help her with them.

Breathing a sigh of relief when the strain ebbed out of Reasa's expression, Cassia turned to look at Liam; all the while her thoughts dominated by a certain vampire with long dark hair and a scar running down the side of his beautiful face.

*****

"Liam, are you in control now?" Rafe asked the question, his expression grave as he moved over to him. Freya was still tense beside them, a hand wrapped around her nephew's wrist as if she could hold him back if he lost it again.

"I don't know what happened, Rafe. I don't understand why I acted as I did or how I did it." Liam swallowed hard, meeting his Alpha's gaze before turning to his aunt. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I'm sorry, Freya." The words came out on a tortured sound, Liam's gaze dropping to the floor as his head bent. He couldn't look his aunt in the eyes, couldn't bear to see the lack of condemnation in them. How could she instantly forgive him? He'd attacked her!

"You have experienced a side of yourself that has never had the opportunity to claim dominance before, Liam." Freya said, keeping her tone neutral. "It's not uncommon for a vampire's feral nature to be more uncontrolled than that of a wolf. However, with your duality and your enhanced abilities, it is doubly so. You lack control because you've never had to deal with it before."

"That invisible barrier thing has nothing to do with being a vampire or a Were," Rafe interjected. "If Liam has no idea how he did it, then how can he hope to control it? I fear we may have lost Mallen if Elina hadn't intervened in time. Her Vârcolac ability to strengthen minds barely saved him. How do we counteract that?" Rafe couldn't keep the concern out of his voice. He loved Liam as much as he loved the rest of his pack but if he was a danger to everyone else...

Liam raised his head, meeting his aunt's eyes. "Rafe is right. I can't be trusted anymore. I need to go away so everyone is safe." He couldn't stop himself from reaching out and touching the side of her neck that was still stained red, though the skin was unblemished.

"I didn't say that," Rafe sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We don't have that option available to us. You won't go anywhere without Reasa and she can't leave pack grounds, especially now that she's managed to get a call out to someone." He looked back at the woman on the bed with pensive eyes. "Anyway, its clear Reasa is the only one who can get through to you when you have one of your 'episodes', for lack of a better word. Separating you would not be a wise solution."

"What about the Praetorians?" Dayton asked. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, watching his mate and Liam. He appeared relaxed, but no one in the room was fooled by his casual stance. He was ready to react in an instant if need be. 

Rafe was already shaking his head, but the Beta pressed on. "Lily's staying up there with the vampires and Liam relates well to her. Kallum has been spending time up there too and if we send Elina along with them, there will be three Vârcolac whom Liam trusts that can help supplement their defences, should there be any fallout out from Reasa's call."

"Caleb's already asked about this possibility, and I told him no, as well. The Praetorian Compound is off limits for now."

"I am still here," Liam growled, uncharacteristic irritation showing on his face. "Don't I get a say in what happens to me? I don't want to be like this. I don't want to be hurting people I love and placing them in danger. No one will tell me what happened up at the Praetorian Compound. Everyone is taking control of my life, making my decisions for me. Has anyone stopped to think that this complete lack of control may be why I'm struggling to deal with whatever the hell this is that's happening to me right now? If everyone thinks they know what's best for me, telling me what to do and how to act, then how can I ever expect to control this?"

Liam's outburst was so unexpected that everyone just stared at him for a moment, analysing his words. Could he be right? Had they been so intent on protecting him that they were adding to the problem instead of solving it? Rafe weighed up his words, frowning as he stared at Liam.

"We were trying to keep you calm," he finally said. "We didn't want a repeat of what happened up at the compound, but it appears that can happen wherever you are. Your emotional backlash affects vampiric minds faster than it does wolf minds. When you lost control before, six of the Praetorians had their minds wiped in some manner. They live, but the essence of who they are is gone. That was what we were trying to protect you from, Liam."

Liam paled, his breath rushing out on a harsh sound as he shook his head in denial. "No. I couldn't have done that, Rafe. They are my friends. They took me in, protected me, and welcomed me into their home." His head swung around to Elina, meeting her scrutiny and reading the truth in her eyes. "I hurt them?"

Images of Mallen on the floor crying out for him to stop flashed through his troubled mind. Liam shuddered as he recalled how Mallen lay there stricken, his hands pressed to his head as he curled up in pain. "I almost did the same to Mallen?"

Rafe nodded, his heart wrenching at the anguish on Liam's face. "We know you didn't intend to hurt anyone, Liam, but when you lose control you project your emotions outwardly and weaker minds buckle under the power that comes from you."

"Mine didn't."

The emotionless statement issued from the bed was so unexpected that everyone turned to look at Reasa. The former vampire was sitting up against the pillows, her arm wrapped in a sling, and the worst of the pain now cleared from her expression. Cassia was in the process of packing away items into the doctor's bag.

"I'm human now, so my mind should have imploded the instant he lost control," Reasa continued, "but it remained untouched. He should have taken Freya's head in a heartbeat, but he merely wounded her...and not very badly at that."

Freya pursed her lips, her agile mind replaying the scene as she began to grasp what the other woman was implying. "He's learning control." She turned to Rafe. "At the Praetorian Compound there was no control, just lashing out, that's why so many were effected. This time there was thought behind his actions even when it appeared there was none."

"We almost lost Mallen," Rafe growled.

"No we didn't," Elina interjected as she, too, understood the implications. "I've never tried to shield a non-Vârcolac mind before. Given the amount of power Liam was generating while he erected the invisible barrier, I shouldn't have been able to get through with my thoughts like I did. I was not only able to get through, but there was no resistance when I tried to shield Mallen. Liam let me through."

"Exactly," Freya continued. "Liam could have killed me at any point he wanted to. Instead, he knocked me down a couple of times and inflicted some shallow wounds that were healing as instantly as he made them. His aggression was controlled. Even though he was angry at my failure and needed to act on that, he didn't want to truly hurt me."

"The reason my mind wasn't wiped when it should have been, is due to Liam's need to protect me at all costs," Reasa added. "There is some control being displayed; he appears to maintain an awareness of external events at a subliminal level when he enters his fugue state. Over time, that control should increase, but he is still in need of a support network to help him reach the end goal. Once he can maintain his shields without even thinking about it, you will have one of the most powerful weapons known to exist."

The former vampire turned her head away from them, closing her eyes. "And you wonder why we fear and distrust these abominations."

Liam stared at her, his thoughts in turmoil as the room fell silent. He couldn't recall having any control over his actions and he was still reeling from what he'd learned about his previous episode. The pain and guilt he felt over hurting six of his friends had already begun to consume him. How could he have caused so much damage to those who only had his well-being at heart? How could he fix this? A part of him could understand Reasa's antipathy and hatred. Maybe she was right after all? Maybe they shouldn't exist if this was what they were capable of?

"I want to go to the Praetorian Compound." He uttered the words in a low voice but there was steel behind the words. "I need to witness the consequences of my actions, Rafe. If what everyone says here is true and I am subconsciously learning control, then what better way to hammer that need home than to see what happens when I don't learn it?"

Rafe frowned as denial rippled through him, knowing that it was going to be hard to argue with Liam's point. It would mean permitting Reasa to go with him, and though he wasn't happy about that, he knew it would be a necessity in case the Vârcolac struggled to deal with what he found there. "I'll talk to Mac. For now it is best if you go home, Liam. Spend some time with your parents."

Refusal blossomed on the young male's face, his expression turning mutinous.

"I am in no position to cause any additional problems," Reasa remarked, her tone sounding dry as she moved her wrapped-up arm slightly. "Freya will have no further need to chastise me today, and even if she has, I prefer to remain where I am. I understand the rules here."

The vampire regarded her coolly, surprised by her statement. She'd expected Reasa to want to leave after what had happened. Perhaps she was still conditioned enough to being a vampire that she truly did feel more comfortable being in their home. Freya looked at Dayton, who gave her a smile and a shrug of his shoulders. He was leaving the decision up to her. "Very well. If Reasa chooses to remain here, then I will not argue with her decision. I have learned from my error, nephew. No more harm will come to her from my hands."

"Fine, that's settled then," Rafe replied as he turned to leave. "Liam, I'll be over as soon as I have set something up. If you feel your control slipping at any time I want your word you'll come here instantly and stay with Reasa until it passes."

The Vârcolac managed a half smile, his eyes running over each feature on his mate's face. "That's one order I have no problem following."

*****

Cassia slipped out of the house and automatically turned to the left. She couldn't have helped herself if she'd tried; she had to know what Pietro's reaction was to Reasa being hurt, and she had to test her wolf's response to him again. Her animal's instincts meant everything to her and were what she had come to rely on for her entire life. This current confusion was throwing her off balance. She needed to figure out what the hell was going on.

Clutching Mallen's medical bag in her hand, she headed over to Andrei and Loretta's. She wasn't surprised to sense Pietro close to the front door as she climbed the two steps upwards. The door swung open and he was standing there, mismatched eyes inscrutable as he stepped aside to let her in.

"Is she dead?"

"Dislocated shoulder and some bumps and bruises. She'll live." Cassia scented the air even though she could tell that they were alone in the house from the quietness surrounding them.

The scar on the side of Pietro's face twisted as he grimaced. He turned and walked into the kitchen, leaving her to follow behind him. "Drink?"

Cassia watched him from under the cover of her long lashes as she sat down at the kitchen table, placing the medical bag on the floor beside her. "Tea, please, black." He was being remarkably hospitable considering he had only met her once, and hadn't appeared to like her very much at the time. Her wolf was watching him, a feeling of intense interest radiating from it, though she couldn't glean what was on the animal's mind. It was a curious sensation and one that confused her even more.

"You helped her?" There was a hint of accusation in Pietro's voice as he made two mugs of tea and placed one in front of her, before sitting at the opposite end of the table with his own.

"She was in pain and Mallen was incapacitated. Someone had to."

His expression spoke volumes, clearly showing he disagreed with her. Her wolf settled down a bit, stretching out to lie down with its head on its paws, eyes intent on the male before them.

Cassia sipped at her tea, analysing the wolf's posture, which appeared contradictory. It was relaxed, but alert at the same time. Again, she had the feeling her animal was both sympathetic and angry with the vampire. Maybe that was why she wasn't getting a clearer reading from it after the initial claiming from their first meeting. Was her wolf undecided? Was that even possible?

Setting her mug down on the table, she chose her next words carefully. Not wanting to antagonise him unnecessarily, she worked to keep her tone soft and soothing. "Your reaction to Reasa is perfectly understandable, Pietro. It's natural that you would want retribution for the wrongs she has done to you. Unfortunately, life is never black and white; there are always shades of grey, some darker than others."

His eyes narrowed and one of his fists clenched on top of the table. His other arm tensed around the cup he appeared to be guarding. "Spoken like a true healer." The words came out with more than a hint of derision in them. "I thought you were a scientist, a researcher."

"Recently, my primary duty has been working in the science lab. However, from what Mallen tells me, I'm exhibiting all the signs of being a pack healer as well. Apparently, with wolves it's an instinctual thing, as opposed to knowledge that is learned through academics. He has begun instructing me in the healing arts, though I try to limit the amount of time I spend away from the lab. Finding the antidote to the poison is a top priority."

"Why didn't you just ask your new best friend? As you seem so intent upon helping her, she should have been more than happy to provide you with the ingredients that make up the poison." 

Pietro's continued accusatory tone was starting to needle her. Her wolf shared her irritation, baring its teeth though it remained supine for the moment. Cassia had to fight her exasperation and remind herself of just how damaged the vampire was, and by whose hand. "Yes, I relieved her pain but you have to remember it was a pack member who caused it in the first instance. There is no bond of trust between Reasa and the rest of us; maybe there never will be. It's highly unlikely she will ever divulge any information, at least not for a very long time to come."

When he didn't answer, merely watched her with his compelling eyes, Cassia sighed and brushed at the curl at her temple. "You have been brought here to heal so you can return to your normal life. Healing is not just a physical act, but an emotional one too. Retaining this anger isn't doing you any good, Pietro. You need to find some way to come to terms with what's happened and move on."

*****

Pietro watched the delicate hand brushing at the errant curl and stopped listening to the words coming out of Cassia Romanov's mouth. He couldn't recall seeing anyone move with such innate grace before; the movements were so lacking in artifice, they were mesmerising. He had no idea why he'd allowed her into the house. His initial instinct had been to send her packing when he saw her approaching, but there was something about Cassia that had him doing the complete opposite of what his head told him to do. 

She was a fascinating woman, this strange blend of Alexei and Cedar. Her grace came from her mother, that was obvious, but there was also that spark of her father in her eyes. She appeared to weigh up her words and project utter calm, when he knew that deep down she was experiencing emotions that were contradictory to her outward expression. Alexei had that knack, as did Andrei. Maybe that was why he was unable to send her away when she called at the house. It was possible that she reminded him of his friends and that led to him feeling more comfortable around her.

When they had first met, she had coolly appraised his scars with barely a hint of emotion creeping across her face. The only time he had glimpsed a slight reaction was when her eyes had traced the scar running down to his collarbone; then her lips had tightened for the briefest of moments. He had tried to get a response out of her, being as rude as he could, but she had let it wash over her and hadn't risen to the bait. That had sparked his interest; an interest he shouldn't be having for a child of one of his best friends. He found himself liking her.




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 08



Pietro picked up his tea and leaned back in his chair, allowing the silence to stretch out. He waited for it to become uncomfortable, for Cassia to start fidgeting or try to strike up more conversation, but she merely sipped at her tea, a half smile on her face. His eyes tracked each perfect feature, her beauty making his heartbeat start to accelerate, his body unwillingly stirring to life. He held onto his self-control though, refusing to acknowledge his baser needs.

He was testing her. He hadn't set out to do it, but it was happening subconsciously. He was trying to find something to dislike about the woman in front of him, and was failing miserably. The longer she was in his presence, the more she appealed to him. It was disconcerting. Why her? Why was Cassia Romanov able to get under his skin?

"Did the hair sample help?" It was he who finally broke the silence.

"A bit," she answered, rising to rinse out her cup, holding her hand out to take his too. 

Their fingers touched as he held it out to her, and suddenly blue eyes became locked with his, their intensity stunning. Pietro held his breath as shimmers of silver sparked around the edge of her irises, her wolf clearly close to the surface. A shiver travelled down his spine and the blood rushed to his groin as they both froze the moment their skin touched.

He wanted her so badly that it was all he could do to stay seated. In his head, he was wrapping her in his arms, their tongues duelling as he pressed his hungry erection into her tightly, rubbing up and down her lithe body. He could hear her breathy moans, feel his large hand enclosing her breast and squeezing the soft flesh firmly. He was kicking her legs apart, bending her over the table so he could cup that hot, needy part of her that ached to be touched. He was...

"Pietro, the mug?"

Cassia's cool words had him whistling out a harsh breath, pulling his hand back abruptly to try and shake the images from his head. What the fuck had he been thinking? Dear God, he had been two seconds away from acting out those images, from taking Cassia on the kitchen table. She was not the kind of woman a man took casually and even worse, she was Alexei's daughter and one of the Vârcolac. He had been assigned to protect her and the other hybrids, not imagining himself bedding one of them.

The sudden, intense need he felt coursing through his system shook up and he rose from the table, his movements abrupt as he strode towards the kitchen door. "I will take your words under advisement," he threw over his shoulder, referring back to what she'd been talking about. He paused in the doorway, turning to look back at the woman who was stirring feelings he didn't want to acknowledge. "The next time you want to come over, make an appointment, or at least call ahead to see if it's convenient."

Cassia watched him leave, soothing her wolf down who was prowling in agitation, urging her to follow the male and throw him to the ground. The instinctive urge was primal, hot need flowing through her, firing every nerve ending into life. When their fingers had touched...her wolf had made her decision. He was theirs: their male, their mate, their everything. 

She had seen the answering awareness in Pietro's eyes. He'd been unable to hide the intense heat that had sprung up between them, the scent of his instant arousal plain to her enhanced senses. He had wanted her and for a fraction of a second, he had been tempted to take her there and then. That thought sent a shiver of delight through her body, and she knew if he'd stopped to check he would have scented her own arousal as well.

He was so beautiful, so inherently male, and so perfect for her. He would be hers, no matter how hard he fought against it. His parting words were his attempt to push her away. She wouldn't allow it though; Pietro de la Rios was her mate and it was only a matter of time before he succumbed to that fact. 

Smiling, Cassia retrieved her bag and left the house, feeling unseen eyes on her the entire time. He could try to run but he was fighting a losing battle. However, it would be a glorious one, full of untold pleasure. She could wait a little longer; give him a little more time to heal.

"Is Pietro okay?" Liam's question startled her and she almost tripped as her head swung around to see him walking towards her with Elina at his side. Damn, she'd been so wrapped up thinking about the vampire in the house she hadn't even scented them close by.

"He's very angry with Reasa." She answered honestly, because she could no more lie to one of her fellow Vârcolac than she could to her parents. Yes, it would no doubt concern her friend to know his mate was so widely hated, but he deserved to know the truth. 

Liam glanced towards the house, his expression pensive. "That's understandable."

There was resigned acceptance in his voice that tugged at her heart. He had been through so much and what should have been the most amazing moment of his life, finding his mate, was turning out to be one of the hardest things he'd had to face so far. Why was it always the most loved of them that had the hardest roads to travel? She wondered if that was why her wolf didn't want to rip out Reasa's throat for what she'd done to Pietro.

Cassia couldn't have stopped herself from hugging him if she'd tried; no one could withstand a sad Liam. "It will work itself out somehow. I'm not sure how, but I know it will. You have us; you have the pack. Together we will find a way."

Liam held her tightly, burying his face in her shoulder, taking the comfort she offered so freely. "Thank you for helping her, Cass, for relieving her pain," he whispered, his voice full of emotion, his arms bands of steel around her.

"I couldn't leave another soul in pain when there was something I could do to help and I will always do what is best for you, Liam." She felt some of the tension leave his big body as she tightened her embrace. She was glad she'd been able to reassure him that he had someone in his corner, supporting him.

It struck Cassia that despite all the support shown towards him, Liam didn't truly believe that he wasn't alone. It was something she would need to discuss with the other Vârcolac, and maybe try to speak with Nors and Ashleigh too. 

As if thinking about his mother caused her to materialise, Ashleigh's soft words echoed on the evening air. "Liam, come inside." 

Cassia released him, giving him a reassuring smile as the cousins turned away and headed into the Eriksson home. Ashleigh stood in the doorway, patiently waiting to take over the task of bringing some peace to her son's misery. 

Cassia had no idea how they would work out the enigma that was Thereasa and her mating to Liam, but she knew they had to find a way somehow, or his gentle soul may be lost to them forever. Sighing sadly, she resumed her way to the lab, continuing to feel unseen eyes tracking her movements. She could only hope that witnessing Liam's unhappiness would be a catalyst to Pietro coming to terms with things...maybe.

*****

"Dayton..."

Freya laced her tone with a mild warning, but could see instantly that her mate wasn't going to listen to her. The steely edge in his dark blue eyes told her his wolf was close to the surface and neither of them was pleased with her. Rolling her eyes, she let out a long sigh, preparing for the impending lecture her mate was about to give her. Sometimes, it was best to let him have his own way.

"How many times have we had this conversation about you putting yourself in harm's way?" Dayton's tone was deceptively mild as he stalked her around their bedroom until her back was up against the far wall, and she had nowhere else to go. 

His overt dominance sent a shiver of desire through her body, liquid heat instantly pooling between her thighs. Her mate was so sexy when he got pissed at her. He was just as sexy when he was loving and sweet too, but his unbridled aggression ignited her vampiric side and they usually ended up with some delightfully tempestuous love-making at the end of it. Thank goodness Mallen had returned to keep an eye on Reasa, making sure she didn't have a reaction against the painkiller. They would have to be very quiet, which would be difficult, but she was sure she could manage it.

Her mate's eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared as he scented her arousal. With an irritated snort, he swung away from her, crossing to the other end of the room and causing her to issue a little moan of disappointed. "Dayton..." She was aware that she was repeating herself, but his name slipped out unbidden.

"You think you should be rewarded for your behaviour?" Cool eyes regarded her with intent, and she could see the rage he was battling to suppress. He truly was furious with her and in no mood to indulge in sex. It wasn't often that he allowed himself to get that angry, so his unforgiving stance sobered her mood a bit. "I wasn't in any danger, Day. You heard what was said, Liam was exhibiting control even in his feral state."

"You didn't know that at the time," he roared, surprising her with the ferocity of his tone. He never yelled at her, not even when he was mad. Furious eyes glared at her. "And I certainly didn't know it either. You're so intent on thinking you're indestructible, Freya. You have no concept of what it does to me to see you in danger, or what it must have done to Elina, too. You are not on your own anymore, where your actions don't have consequences. You're part of this family and everything you do impacts us."

She hadn't considered it from that angle and began to understand why he was so upset. She didn't want to cause him or Elina any pain, but he had to understand too, just who she was and what she was capable of. For so long all had been peaceful in the pack, with no real threats from the outside. In those years she had adapted to pack life, mellowed even to a certain point. However, she was still an Ancient vampire, still one of the most powerful beings to walk the planet. It was who she was and who Dayton had fallen in love with.

"I understand it was upsetting for both of you..."

"Upsetting? My fucking heart almost stopped, Freya. I thought I was going to lose you like I lost..."

"I am not Faith!" Freya exploded, fury and sorrow warring for dominance. She knew the consequences of his losing his first mate, of how he had barely survived that loss. Its aftermath had almost been their undoing; it had almost cost her life. Stalking across the room, Freya met his condemning glare with one of her own. "I am not Faith," she reiterated in a calmer tone, her heart aching as she confronted the fear in his eyes.

"I am me, Dayton. I am Freya, an Ancient vampire who's lived over two thousand years. I've walked this world for millennia, leaving a trail of defeated enemies in my wake. I have fought immeasurable odds and have always been the last one standing at the end. When we were attacked all those years ago, they tried to kill me with their bullets and I took them out because they were threatening what was mine to protect. They were trying to take you from me, and they paid with their lives. I am more than capable of judging a threat and dealing with it accordingly. You appear to have forgotten that, my mate. You appear to have cast me in a role of requiring protection and lacking the wisdom to preserve my own life."

She didn't like being so direct with him but he had to be made to see her, to see Freya and not Faith. If he continued to question her judgement and view her as a fragile female requiring protection, then they would have issues they may struggle to work through.

"See me, Dayton. Remember who I am. You fell in love with me, not a carbon copy of Faith."

Freya watched his face, saw denial cross it and then he blinked and lowered his head. "I do see you, Freya. I see how much you mean to me. I know that should anything ever happen to you, Elina would lose both parents because I would never survive losing you. I know you're not Faith. She is a pale memory now, a happy one I will always cherish but what I feel for you far surpasses what I felt for her." He raised his eyes to meet hers once more, his lingering fear replacing some of the rage. "It doesn't make it any easier knowing how strong you are, how deadly you are. My wolf retains the emotions of having lost a mate in the past. Seeing you in danger will always make it react with aggression. Can't you understand that?"

"Yes." Freya reached up to frame his face in her hands, feeling a slight tremble run through him at her touch. His eyes still contained too much of his wolf so she soothed it with her touch, knowing the animal needed to feel the comfort of its mate to know she was safe. "I do understand, Dayton, and I don't ever want to minimalize what you've suffered, but your wolf has to remember who I am too. It has been so long since its had to acknowledge me, the vampire, that's it's settled me into the role of a Were mate. You have to see how dangerous that is. What happens if your wolf stops seeing Freya? I know the man still does but what if the wolf doesn't?"

Freya's words stunned him. When the others had left, Dayton couldn't wait to get his mate alone to have their little talk about her foolhardiness. He had been so certain he was in the right and she would have to concede to his points. Now he could only stare at her in stunned silence, her words sending a shiver of fear through him. 

There was an element of truth in her words, something he couldn't deny. His wolf was viewing her as being weaker than it, of requiring complete protection. He hadn't even noticed it happening because things had been so quiet for such a long time. There was nothing weak about his beautiful mate, and it was dangerous for his wolf to fall into that way of thinking. There had never been an instance of a mated couple having issues with a wolf's respect in the partnership; at least none that he was aware of, anyway. Something like that could only spell trouble and he did not intend to allow anything to come between him and Freya, not even his wolf.

Leaning forward, Dayton wrapped his arms around his mate, sighing with relief when she came instantly into his embrace without hesitation. He kissed her; a long, slow drugging kiss full of the love he felt for her. "We need to remedy this," he whispered into the side of her neck, his lips brushing the gentle slope of her shoulder where he'd claimed her with his bite a quarter of a century ago.

"How?"

Pulling back, a slow smile crossed his face as he played with one long strand of multi-coloured hair. "You need to kick its ass, honey." He winked at her, the anger melting away to be replaced by the playful side of him, which made him one of the most loved and respected Betas in the pack. "Come on."

Tugging at her hand, he pulled her from the room, ducking his head into Reasa's room. "You okay to stay for a while longer, Mallen?"

Seated at the side of the bed where Reasa lay sleeping, the doctor looked up from the journal he was writing in and nodded in agreement. "Have fun."

"Dayton?"

He was stripping off his clothes in the kitchen, all six feet plus of glorious muscles and sinew as he opened the door leading out to the back yard, and into the forest beyond. He threw his head back and laughed at the lustful expression on Freya's face as her eyes tracked downwards to linger where he was already standing proud for her eager scrutiny.

"Want some?" he teased, his long dark hair falling forward as he took his cock in his hands and stroked it slowly. "Patience is a virtue, honey. You're faster than I am, so I need a slow count to one hundred. If you can track me and find me, then this cock is yours to do with as you please."

Feral eyes met his, pulsing a deep green as lust and need washed over her. "You had better start running then, wolf." 

His mate's tone was cool and deadly, the predator within clearly close to the surface. His wolf perked up, perused the vampire looking back at them, and remembered another time when she had taken them on a rock beside the riverbed, glorious in her beauty, rampant in her strength and dominance. She had matched skills with it and been found worthy.

Dayton shifted to wolf form, long shaggy black fur covering his powerful body, a lone streak of silver falling over one eye. A loud howl filled the room and then the wolf turned and sprinted out into the forest.

"One..."

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 09



 Yes, I know this chapter is very tardy. My heartfelt apologies. Real life threw me a bit of a curve ball with bad health during the summer and I was also getting Scent of Fear edited for self-publishing soon.

For updates, please check my Bio here or come follow me on FB. The link is in the Bio. I try to get on there as often as possible.

My thanks to Mistress of Shadows and Angel n Disguise for their amazing editing and all the time they give to me #hugs

I hope this chapter is worth the wait!

Enjoy! 

*

"We're late."

"Come on, this was the first time we could get all the Council members together," Demetri countered, reaching for Mara's hand and twining their fingers together as they walked up the steps into the huge glass building that hid the real purpose of its existence. 

To the humans surrounding it, it looked like any other huge conglomerate building, full of glass and steel. Beneath the huge monolithic structure was the heart of the Northern American vampire nation, the Council chambers where decisions were made that impacted the entire vampire race. Their European counterparts didn't think any of these decisions related to them, but they would soon find out that, now they had the attention of the Council; change was coming whether they wanted it or not.

"Anyway, it wasn't my fault you bent over to pick up your shoes," Demetri laughed, holding the glass door open for his wife. "You know what happens when you bend over, woman."

Mara tossed her long brown hair over her shoulder, looking back to smile at him with a saucy wink. "Well, of course I do, lover. Why do you think I bent over?"

He threw his head back and bellowed out a laugh, before throwing an arm over her shoulder. His glance roamed over the reception area, and he discreetly nodded to the front desk staff, acknowledging the female vampire receptionist and four security guards close by.

"So, you're the reason why we're later than planned," he continued as they moved over to a door on the left hand wall and he waited for Mara to peer into the retinal scanner first, and then place her thumb on the print scanner. When she received two green lights, she tapped in a long code on the key panel and the door opened, permitting her entry.

Demetri waited for the door to close behind her; the enhanced security that was now in place only allowed one person to enter at a time. In the past, Caleb had circumvented the security surrounding the Council chamber to allow the Weres access, but it had proven so easy, that afterwards, newer, stricter measures had been implemented.

Even though Demetri was authorised to enter unchallenged, if he'd attempted to walk through the door after Mara, his body would have been impaled by over a hundred blades fitted sideways in the wall. They were placed strategically to ensure that no matter what height anyone was, a blade would pierce their neck and hold them immobile until released. Any attempt to continue forward or backwards would just about decapitate the intruder on the spot. Demetri liked his head just where it was. 

Caleb had also ensured that no one person knew how to disable the security system. The password to shut it down was split into four segments; each part passed to an anonymous vampire, with Caleb and Annie being the only two who knew the hidden identities of the password keepers. As if that wasn't paranoid enough, Caleb had also tasked one of the subsidiary companies he owned with Demetri to develop a battery that outlasted anything the humans could manufacture. He had over a dozen backups in place, just in case someone managed to circumvent the security around the electricity supply and cut it off. No one could access the Council Chambers unless they passed through all of the security protocols in place.

Demetri quickly scanned his iris and thumbprint before typing in his personal code and stepping through the doorway. It was always a difficult choice for him when they entered the building. Either he allowed Mara to precede him and risk her safety from what may be waiting behind the door, or he went first and chanced that nothing dangerous followed them in from the street. He had a little more faith that his own people would be less inclined to harm his mate. They knew what the consequences of such an action would be.

He'd been apart from Mara for less than ten seconds, but he was still tense as he surveyed the corridor before them. They were alone though, and his wife's patient expression made his lips twitch. She didn't need to roll her eyes to show her exasperation with his over-protectiveness, she was quite capable of indicating it in spite of her neutral expression.

"Indulge me," he growled, gathering her to his side as they began the journey down the marble steps leading to the Council chambers.

"Oh, I do, husband," Mara responded dryly, her tone laced with amusement as she let him escort her. He was never going to change, and she didn't want him to. She'd have no one to pit her wits against if he suddenly rolled over and became a teddy bear. She did so enjoy having to stay one step ahead of her man.

The large, floor to ceiling double doors to the Council chambers stood open at the end of the wide corridor, waiting for the final member of the Council to arrive. As they walked down the passageway, Mara tried to anticipate who would be the one to object the loudest to Demetri's presence. She was sure one of the members would, but it would be to no avail. If her husband chose to be there, no one could stop him.

As they entered the huge room, the eleven members who stood around the dais at the far end all turned to look at them as the doors closed automatically behind them. Alexei and Andrei appeared unsurprised to see Demetri, but then, they were aware of what was to come at the meeting. Strangely, it was Stephan whose lips straightened in a line of displeasure as they approached. This was a closed meeting of the Council, and therefore the rows of dark wood benches shaped around the room in a wide semi-circle were devoid of any audience. Mara and Demetri's shoes echoed on the black and grey streaked white marble floor as they reached the dais.

"Demetri, this meeting is for Council members only," Stephan announced, his tone cool, his hazel eyes narrowed with his displeasure. His wavy black hair was slicked back for once, aptly styled with some gel to keep it from falling across his face.

"I am here to represent the Ancient Council by Caleb's command."

"Andrei and Alexei are Ancients too. They could perform that function if the remainder of the Council granted them leave in that capacity." Stephan's counterpoint was accurate, but Demetri's expression remained unchanged.

"I'm staying." His tone brooked no argument and caused a murmur of sound from most of the other council members.

"Demetri, no one will harm your wife here." Stephan tried once more to be the voice of reason, but to no avail.

"I'm staying." This time there was a hint of threat in Demetri's voice, enough that Mara raised an eyebrow at him.

"Fine, sit over there and try not to interfere," she laughed softly, deliberately couching her tone into that of a long-suffering female that often indulged her overprotective husband. The few who knew her well also knew that wasn't the case, but those vampires who still embraced the old ways would see a Youngling having to deal with her Ancient mate. They could relate to that, and would therefore be less inclined to object too strenuously.

Giving her a pointed look, Demetri strode over to the special seating area reserved for the Ancients, his gaze meeting Alexei and Andrei's briefly. They knew with that simple glance that he was placing Mara's safety firmly in their hands. He was a fraction of a second away from his wife, but they were closer and would be her first line of defence, if required. There were few he would cede that kind of control to; the twins ranked as two of those chosen few. Not that he expected any harm to come to Mara, but what was about to be revealed could ignite a spark no one might anticipate.

Mara stepped up to the dais and shook her head as Alexei and Andrei seated her between them. Alexei sat closest to Demetri with Andrei on her other side. Beside Andrei, Emily sat down, her brown hair pulled up into a ponytail. She shot Mara a quick smile, her green eyes laced with humour because she could relate to her frustration at being overprotected. Stephan sat down beside Emily, as was his usual place during Council meetings. She was as boxed in as Mara was by the males. It bordered on the ridiculous, yet both of them found it comforting, none-the less.

Cristoph took his seat next to Stephan and then there was a notable pause, as those still standing appeared unsure about how they wished to proceed. The more traditional Council members still clung to the old ways, where seating arrangements always set precedence and was a show of importance. Those who sat closely to the pack-aligned vampires could be viewed as declaring their allegiance to the Were treaty and Caleb. 

Not all of them agreed with the treaty, but abided by it simply because it was now law. Demetri's stubborn refusal to leave insinuated that the current topic of discussion would likely, once again, centre around one of the packs. Those who adamantly opposed the treaty didn't wish to be close to the other side of the table. 

As the pause lengthened, one of the males snorted loudly, casting a dirty look at the others. "Just sit down." 

William snorted again, his muddy green eyes hard as he sat down beside Cristoph. Mara tried to keep her lips from twitching. She liked William, even though he didn't go out of his way to be particularly nice to her in any fashion. He was one of the younger Council members, though not the youngest. That honour fell to her, with Emily running a close second. 

William was an Elder, around the two hundred years old mark. He was a bit of an enigma, with dark hair cut short in an approximation of a human Marine's style. He wasn't tall like the other males either, standing around about five foot ten; however, his lack of height did nothing to diminish the aura of danger that surrounded him. The only males Mara had seen with wider shoulders and thicker arms were Nors and Liam. William was built for power, pure and simple, and yet, there was an overt sexiness about him that most females noticed instantly.

As if on cue, Corinne sat beside William as Mara had expected. One couldn't help but notice her curves; her body was exquisitely rounded and womanly, as opposed to the slenderness of the other females sitting at the table. The buxom brunette was another mystery on the Council; she was clearly older than William, but chose always to follow his lead. It wasn't that she was weak or easily malleable, because she could be vicious when riled, but there was something about William that appeared to attract the other woman. Where he went, she followed and, he didn't seem to mind her presence. What man wouldn't love to have such a beautiful woman, small in height, with luxurious reddish-brown hair and light blue eyes as a companion? 

That left only the final four more conventional vampires to take their places. Sasha sat next, her prematurely white hair a stark contrast against the bronze of her skin. It was plaited down her back, though loose strands had managed to escape and frame her face; a face that was austere in its beauty, with dark blue eyes that appeared almost black in some lights. Mara wasn't sure how old Sasha was, but she suspected the other woman had to be past her fifth century at least.

Piers moved to take his place beside Sasha, his tall frame making him seem even larger beside the smaller woman. His blond hair was just shy of being called light brown; his grey eyes were sharp as they scanned the room taking everything in. He was another Elder who was over the five century mark; rumour had it he was closer to seven hundred years old.

Lenore took her seat next, disapproval etched on her exquisite face as she tossed her blue-black hair over her shoulder with a flick of her wrist. She was another of the younger members of the Council, similar in age to William; however, it was surprising, given her age, that she chose to adopt such an orthodox stance. Cold blue eyes stared straight ahead, her body rigid with displeasure.

Finally, Claude completed the Council, sliding in beside Lenore with more grace than some of the females present. Mara liked Claude, despite the fact he was often on the opposing end of any issue requiring a vote. He was beautiful and elegant, harking back to days of old when males wanted their good looks to rival the beauty of females. His reddish-blond hair was always immaculate, his green eyes clear and sparkling, with perfect long thick lashes that a woman would die to have. Away from the Council chambers, Claude was fun and full of laughter; he was an outrageous flirt with both men and women. In chambers, he was one of the most dogmatic members, fierce in his opinions that any deviation from their time-honoured traditions was wrong and should be avoided

"Half an hour to sit down? It's a wonder the Council ever gets around to making any decisions." Demetri grumbled from the sidelines. 

"Demetri..." Mara's tone was threaded with rebuke, but also held the tiniest of pleas, which only her husband and the twins would pick up.

"I'm just saying we don't have all day here."

"As you're not supposed to be here at all, please feel free to leave at any time you wish," Stephan countered in a neutral tone, drawing a pointed look from the Ancient. When Demetri held his peace, the Elder turned to Mara. "You called the meeting, Mara. Can you please enlighten the rest of us as to why we needed an emergency meeting? I presume the twins are already aware?" There was more than a hint at a dig in his tone, and a soft warning growl escaped Andrei's lips.

Feigning innocence, Stephan gave a small shrug of his shoulders. "Am I incorrect, Andrei?"

"No, Stephan, you are not, but there is no need to be an ass about it. This matter was initially pack related, however as it affects vampires too, it is being brought to the Council. I am more than certain that should important information come to certain members of the Council's attention, they would not be in a hurry to inform the pack unless they had no other option."

The other man conceded the point, knowing he couldn't deny the truth of his friend's words. "Mara, please continue."

"Is it Stephan's turn to be chairperson? He's sure doing all the leading here." Demetri grumbled, as Mara rose from her seat and moved over to him. 

"Actually yes, we do alternate which vampire directs the meetings in an attempt retain some semblance of order, and you're not helping things with your little asides. Be quiet or I'll have you removed. The Council is in session, Demetri." She winked at him as she berated him, her stance preventing the others from seeing. 

Demetri had agreed beforehand to help strengthen her personal position on the Council. Too many of them saw her only as the Youngling wife of a very powerful Ancient. A quarter of century hadn't changed that perception much, so they had agreed upon a strategy to amend that. Allowing the Council to witness Mara put Demetri in his place was the option they had chosen and now seemed as good a time as any.

Her husband played his part well, growling at her words, appearing as if to argue back before subsiding with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. Trying not to laugh at his petulant expression, Mara schooled her features into a neutral expression and turned to face the Council.

"We are on the brink of a Civil War."

For a moment, there was stunned silence; then everyone started talking at once, with the exception of the twins who remained quiet, carefully monitoring everyone's reactions with their keen senses.

"Nonsense," Claude responded, frowning darkly at her.

"Preposterous," Sasha agreed, waving a hand in distain. "The new Council has done away with any attempt at civil war. We have the Ancient Council now to assist, should we become deadlocked. You are in error, Youngling."

There were more words of disagreement, upset voices tumbling over one another until Stephan held up a hand for silence. It took a moment for everyone to become quiet but eventually the room calmed down. "Explain, Mara."

She nodded her head to him in thanks and looked slowly at each Council member in turn, before speaking again. "Yes, Caleb set in place the tools to keep peace here in Northern America, but at the time we were so busy looking inward, we did not consider what was out there." She waved her hand in the air, indicating a distant horizon.

"The threat is not from our side of the pond, my colleagues. The threat is from Europe."

Again, the room erupted, William standing up and leaning on the table. "The Europeans are less than animals. What threat can they hold against us? We could march in there and take them out without even blinking." Thick muscles bulged in his upper arms, a slow build-up of rage in the depths of his eyes. His harsh words quieted the remaining vampires, as they waited for her response.

Mara wanted to reach out and shake them all. In their arrogance, they believed nothing could touch them. They really thought all they needed to do was march over to Europe in force, and everyone would capitulate to their superiority. She fervently hoped she never turned into them. "Those animals have a toxin, William, something so deadly that it breaks down the regenerative properties in our D.N.A. This poison can not only be ingested, it can be placed in projectiles such as bullets. It's fast acting and nothing short of a full bloodletting and transfusion will save the infected vampire's life."

"Impossible," Lenore breathed out into the stunned silence following Mara's words. 

"No," Demetri said quietly, rising to come and stand beside his wife. "You all wanted to know why I insisted on being present. Well, this is the reason why; I have witnessed this toxin at work."

It was a testament to just how shocked the Council were that they remained silent, their pensive expressions locked with the Ancient.

"We will hear your witness," Stephan said formally and Mara moved back to her place at the dais.

"A quarter of a century ago there was an attack on the Armand-Hanlon pack by a handful of European vampires who, apparently, disagreed with the matings between vampires and Weres. It was averted; however, Caleb was concerned by the amount of open aggression on display so he sent one of our own vampires over to see what intelligence could be gathered about the attack and who might be behind it." Demetri paused and let his gaze slowly roam over each Council member to ensure he had their complete attention.

"We sent Pietro de la Rios, one we trusted above others, and he spent the last twenty-five years trying to determine the threat. He succeeded, but in doing so, he placed himself in direct danger, and his cover was blown. By the time I arrived, he had already been poisoned and tortured. I found him dying in a putrid mess of blackened, rotten skin. The only way to save his life was to remove all his blood and use humans to replenish him, along with Elder and my own Ancient blood. If I had been but a few minutes later..."

"Outrageous," Corrine whispered, fury dancing in her eyes.

"Yes, it is outrageous, Corrine," Demetri agreed, his eyes glacial. "It's outrageous that our European brethren would develop a poison that can kill us. It's outrageous that they have such little fear of us that they would try to murder one of our own. It's outrageous that they seek to harm those under our protection."

William's head swung to the left to look at the twins and Mara. The Romanovs expressions were hard and unyielding; Mara's expression echoed theirs. His keen mind rapidly filled in the blanks even as his head swung back to the Ancient. "They are targeting the offspring of the mixed matings?"




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 09



"They can fucking try," Andrei ground out. Fury blazed from his eyes as he rose and stalked around the dais. "Pietro is currently recovering in my home on pack lands. His skin is scarred, his regenerative abilities so compromised, they need additional time to strengthen. Even when saved from this powerful toxin, we are still vulnerable for a time afterwards. Any of our enemies could take us out easily."

"There has already been a further attempt on the Vârcolac," Mara added in a quiet voice. "A European vampire slipped through our defences and shot one of them with a bullet laced with the toxin. That's how we know it can be used in a projectile. The Vârcolac appear to be immune to the poison, as are the Weres."

Stephan rose slowly, glaring at Andrei and Demetri in front of him. "Let me get this straight. There has been an attack on one of our own, and an attack on the pack and this is the first we are hearing about it? This poison is directly targeted to vampire D.N.A and you have kept this from us until now?" His voice was cold and deadly, his body rigid with fury. The other Council members had a similar posture, though it was clear they were leaving it up to their elected chairperson to voice their thoughts.

Demetri sighed loudly, his eyes narrowing in displeasure. "All this has happened in the last week, Stephan. We were not deliberately keeping the Council in the dark. Caleb intended to brief the Council after we got Pietro safely home; however, we hadn't anticipated the attack on Liam and having to deal with the fallout from that. This is the first opportunity we've had to brief the Council. If you recall correctly, it's taken us all day just to get this emergency meeting set up, because the rest of you had more important things to do than attend. If we could have briefed you earlier, we would have."

"Squabbling over timing doesn't help us," Mara interjected, seeing the signs of her husband's impending explosion and knowing it wouldn't help matters if he did lost his temper. "The point is the Council now knows of the threat and we need to come up with a strategy on how to combat it."

"Take them all out," William growled.

"How do we do that? Are you thinking of going over there to do it personally, William? You must be forgetting you're a vampire and this toxin will kill you." Corinne's tone dripped derision and he turned to glare at her.

"And you may be forgetting who you're speaking to," he countered in an icy tone.

"Hardly, but sometimes you react first and think later. If the poison is deadly to us, then it's ridiculous to even consider sending vampires over to Europe, least of all one or more of the Council. If the Weres are immune, then perhaps consideration should be given to sending them over to deal with the problem." Corrine wasn't as biased against the wolves as some of the other Council members.

"Seriously?" Alexei drawled the word out in a deceptively mild tone. "You think the wolves are going to descend on Europe en mass to take care of our problem because we ask them nicely?" He stood up, frowning at the rest of the seated vampires. "Most of you have been trying to wiggle out of our alliance with the wolves for decades, but now, when we're under threat, you want to use them as cannon fodder against the European vamps? Our venom is still toxic to any Were not mated to a vampire. They'd be massacred."

"Fine, Alexei's point is noted," Stephan sighed, holding up a hand to ward off any further discussion to do with the wolves. It would only end up in an argument they didn't have time to get into. "I presume you have some kind of solution in mind?" His question was directed at Demetri.

"Send the hybrids," Cristoph suggested which immediately drew another hiss from Alexei and a slow smile from Andrei.

Mara stifled a groan, as did Demetri. The shit was about to hit the fan as it always did when Andrei smiled one of his smiles.

"Your solution is to send one of my children into danger, Cristoph? One of Alexei's girls? How do you think that suggestion is going to work out?" Andrei's voice was so cold, his tone belying the smile still gracing his lips.

"No, that wasn't what I meant, Andrei. I was merely pointing out that a hybrid would be the better choice..." Cristoph trailed off and gave an audible gulp as the more volatile Romanov twin continued to stare him down.

"What about Rayne and Gard?" There was a long hush in the room as Emily spoke for the first time. All eyes swivelled to look at her and she blinked in surprise, before stiffening her back and wiping her expression clear.

When there had been doubts raised after the children were born, Rayne had decided it was time to let the Council know that she was the first Vârcolac. The Council had expressed concerns about the hybrids and had wanted them to be taken into vampire custody. For the first time, there had been a landslide vote against the pack-aligned Council members, pushing the Council to invoke the constitutional guidelines the Vampire Nation was governed by. If Caleb had vetoed it, there would have been a chance of civil war again and if he had agreed to it, the packs would have gone to war.

The plausible solution at the time was for Rayne to disclose her Vârcolac heritage to the Council. Gard also chose to reveal his presence, and to offer up the tiniest hint of his background. Until then, the most the Council knew about him was that he was another Ancient, albeit a very old one. The knowledge that Rayne was Vârcolac and was a well-balanced individual made it all the more difficult to find issue with the hybrids. The fact that there was a mature adult who could offer assistance to the little ones was another benefit. After that, it had become easier to turn the Council back from the path it had been headed down. 

Now, they were once more focused on Gard and Rayne, but this time as a tool, which would directly benefit the vampires. When no one spoke up immediately following Emily's suggestion, Stephan raised an eyebrow in Demetri's direction. "Would they be willing to go to Europe?"

Andrei snorted and walked back to his chair, sharing a glance with his brother who also retook his seat. "So, now you're asking instead of telling us what you want."

"Clearly Cristoph's choice of wording wasn't ideal, Andrei, but the Council is fully aware that none of the children will be permitted to go to Europe," Mara interjected in a reasonable tone. "Gard and Rayne are another matter though. I'm sure if we approach them with our concerns they will consider being our eyes and ears over there. They have Kothari's safety, along with everyone else's to think about."

"So, you will ask them, and update us on their decision?" Stephan pressed, trying not to show his relief that some of the tension was easing in the room.

Mara nodded her assent as Claude leaned forward and directed his gaze towards Demetri. "What of the assassin?"

"Neutralised," the Ancient responded brusquely, making it plain he had nothing further to say on the topic. "The Weres are working on trying to determine an antidote to the poison, but so far we are unsure of all the components used in it."

"We're really leaving it up to the wolves to find an antidote?" Lenore queried, with an incredulous note in her voice. "What's to say they will do their utmost to succeed? They are not of our kind."

"How many scientists do we have?" Alexei countered. "Perhaps we should give samples to the human scientists and let them work on it?"

"Don't be absurd, Alexei, you know that isn't what I meant." Venom dripped from Lenore's voice as she glared at the Ancient at the end of the table. "If the hybrids are immune, then what incentive is there for them to find the cure? Their loved ones are safe."

"You forget that Annie is Rafe's sister and Caleb his brother," Mara sighed, feeling exhausted. Keeping her wits sharp around the other Council members took a lot of energy. The current session had just about wiped out her reserves with the constant bickering. 

Demetri crossed behind the dais to place his hands on her shoulders, rubbing her shoulder blades to ease a little of the tension. He didn't give a fuck what the other Council members thought of his actions; his Mara needed some of his strength and her needs were his priority. "The wolves hold many pureblood vampires as their friends and family and that is why they are working around the clock to try to find the antidote," he growled.

"Yes, if only we all shared that same loyalty," Mara muttered under her breath, aware that everyone could hear her.

"Okay, I think we have discussed the other points enough," Stephan sighed, rising to his feet. "To sum it up: Rayne and Gard will be asked to travel to Europe and report back their findings; the wolves will continue working on an antidote to the poison and update us when they are successful. I guess the main question left is do we tell our people of this present danger?"

No one answered; each vampire looked from one to another, trying to gauge his or her thoughts on Stephan's summation.

"A vote sounds good." Demetri finally broke the silence. "I vote no. Most of them won't believe it and probably hare off to Europe and get themselves killed. Even if they don't, the more people who know, the higher the likelihood it would end up alerting whomever is responsible with what we have learned thus far. That, in itself, could end up escalating whatever timetable they have established. From the intelligence we have gathered, it would seem only one assassin has managed to cross over and attempt to infiltrate our territory. No point in making them react prematurely. We have more time this way."

Stephan laughed and it was the first humorous sound of the evening. It appeared to startle a couple of the other Council members. "Your logic is sound, Demetri, but your vote is moot. You're not a member of the Council."

He turned to survey the others, and took note that they had digested the Ancient's words. "Do we need a formal vote? What Demetri says makes sense. If there is anyone who wishes to alert our people now, please speak." He didn't expect any dissent to the Ancient's logic and received none.

"I declare this meeting adjourned then. Mara, how soon will we know if Rayne and Gard are in agreement to our request?"

"I'll email everyone later tonight. The sooner we get someone over there the better. We intend to stop off to update the pack on our way home."

The Council members began to file out of the chambers slowly. Stephan held back to ask after Alexei and Andrei's families. There was nothing unusual about his action, as he had been their friend for centuries. 

When the others had finally gone, Demetri scowled at him. "Did you have to give me such a hard time?"

Stephan's smile was innocent. "Of course, it would have appeared remiss of me not to."

"Not to mention the enjoyment you took out of making him squirm!" Andrei laughed, this time his smile actually reaching his eyes.

"There is that," his friend laughed back, his eyes twinkling. Stephan's expression deepened as he motioned Emily to his side. "You performed excellently, Emily. Your timing was impeccable. Thank you."

The Youngling blushed and bowed her head to hide her pleased smile. "Thank you, Stephan."

"Do you think they bought it?" Mara asked. She had taken on more of a major role in the evening's events, and that made it difficult for her to take stock of the other Council members' positions.

"They bought it," Alexei answered. "I spent most of the meeting watching their reactions. They truly think it was their decision to send Gard and Rayne to Europe. I would bet a small fortune that not one of them realised they were being herded in that direction, especially not after Andrei's little display."

His twin snorted. "I didn't do anything. If I could have pounded on Cristoph's face a little, then maybe you could have said I did something."

"The objective was to get them around to our way of thinking not alienate them, Andrei," Demetri admonished, his tone dry. "And anyway, just a little of that creepy smile of yours is enough to make most people run a mile. You don't need to bash skulls to get your point across."

"The next idiot who thinks he or she can send my children into a warzone is going to get their skulls caved in and I don't care who they are," his friend muttered, clearly unhappy with that part of the meeting.

Demetri sighed and bit his lip, pulling Mara close to his side. "Our work here is done, so let's get the hell out of here for tonight. I need to let Caleb know how it went and we need to get things in motion for the trip to Europe. Thank you, Stephan, Emily, for your help tonight."

"Your goals served our goals," Stephan replied, nodding to the Ancient. "But let Caleb know that may not always be the case and never to think he has our vote guaranteed. As long as it serves the best interests of our people, we will consider all requests for assistance. We retain the freedom to say no at any time."

"Acknowledged." Demetri turned from them, leading Mara from the room, the twins following with Stephan and Emily bringing up the rear. With this first phase completed, now they had to go set in motion the next part of their plan...to find out who was responsible for the attack on Pietro and the Vârcolac and how best to neutralise them.

*****

"You hid them here?" Rhianna shot her brother a surprised glance as he pulled the car to a stop about a mile from the back boundary of her home with Caleb.

"Where else would I hide them? They had to be somewhere close for when you needed them."

"There's nothing here though, Gard. This area is just trees, and more trees, for miles on end."

Gard chuckled, his eyes glowing lavender in the darkness as he helped Rhianna out of the car. "You always had a habit of never seeing what was right in front of your nose, sister of mine. I took the chance that things wouldn't be that much different this time around. Reach out with your senses."

Shooting him another pointed glance, Rhianna did as he asked, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes before sampling their surroundings. She found it almost immediately, the faintest hint of a spell off to the right. Turning in that direction, she walked towards two large oak trees close to a modest rock formation that couldn't have been more than eight feet in height.

She stopped, her cessation of movement so abrupt Gard had to rest his hands on her shoulders to prevent himself barrelling into her back. "How can those trees be so close to that rock face?" Either their roots should whither from the lack of soil to spread out in, or the rock should crumble if there is enough soil for the roots to burrow beneath."

Gard muttered something under his breath and she felt the air stir as he incanted a counter spell. The oaks slowly faded away and in the rock face the outline of a doorway appeared. The magic that had been used was so subtle; she would never have noticed it without being made aware it was there. Her brother rarely used his gifts, but when he did, he had the most delicate of touches.

"When? How?" Quizzical lavender eyes met his and he grinned at her, pure male smugness lighting up his face at having outwitted her.

"You and Caleb kept globetrotting when you were first together. You left me to my own devices for five years before you let my presence be known. I worked on it every time you went away, until I was satisfied it was safe enough for the chests to be transported."

Rhianna's answering smile was full of affection, as well as pride. "Sneaky, sneaky male," she teased walking up to the rock and lightly tracing the right side of the crack. She stopped halfway down, feeling a stirring of air and pressed against it with her own magic, shaping an invisible key to turn in the invisible lock. There was a rumble of sound as the door slid sideways, melting into the rock.

"Nice work," she praised, as the door revealed a deceptively large cave set into the rock. "You and your caves. I'm starting to think you have some strange fetish for them."

"Don't knock what you haven't tried," he countered, nudging her gently inside with a hand on her lower back. "You forget, I had to live through countless centuries when caves were the main choice of protection from the elements. "

Rhianna's mouth dropped open as she entered further, stunned surprise crossing her face as she took in the bookcases filled with the books she had seen in her dream. Somehow, Gard had managed to construct a freestanding room within the cave, and had recreated a portion of the old library. There were overstuffed chairs, a couple of reading tables, and multi-coloured rugs on the floor. There was even another of his intricate fire pits in the centre of the room, the flames crackling heat without any sign of smoke.

"Oh my god, how did you manage all this? Why haven't the books decayed in these conditions?"

"Did you forget the preservation spells Anakatrine placed on each book?" Her brother's tone was sombre, as if reliving that memory. He walked over to one of the bookcases, touching a few books almost reverently. "Maybe if she hadn't used so much of her magic to protect them...things may have been different."

Rhianna felt her heart tug at the sorrow that laced his words and crossed to his side. His arm automatically surrounded her petite frame as she leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I don't know how much of the dream sequences you were able to see last night, but from what I witnessed there was never an alternative, Gard. Things played out as they were meant to and there was nothing you could have done to prevent it."

"I saw it all. I saw Anakatrine and Callain's last moments. It was even more horrific than what I imagined it to be when I fled with the child." He whispered the words, closing his eyes as if he could shut out the memories. "Knowing what I know now, having Rayne in my life...reliving those moments took on a completely different meaning."

He opened his eyes, staring down at her for a moment before he disentangled her arms and moved to sit in one of the chairs. Gard leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "I was angry with Ana for such a long time. I could never understand why she made me leave; how she could take everything I was and turn it into nothing. I was the Guardian. I had lived my whole life protecting her and it had all been for nothing. Millennia, Annie; I was still so angry with her, even as I came to seek you out at her moment of rebirth."

He rubbed his face in his hands, taking a deep breath as he admitted to emotions he'd hidden for so long. "All that time I blamed her, then I came to find out she had done it all for me. Her intentions were always to save me, and to save Rayne, so that one day we would find each other and I would know the deep love that she shared with Callain."

Rhianna wept silent tears as she listened. She could now understand why he had appeared so haggard looking when she'd knocked on his bedroom door. He needed to speak, needed to unburden himself of the guilt she could hear in his voice. This wasn't something Annie could help with, so she searched inside her mind for the soul her brother cried out to. "Help him."

It was the vampire Queen who knelt in front of him, who framed her Guardian's face with her hands as she raised his head to meet her gaze. "You have nothing to be regretful for, my beloved brother. Had I told you of my plans, you would have given everything up—your Sarayne, your happiness, your life—and I couldn't allow that. I needed you here in this time and place. Perhaps you will consider that selfish of me, but I had to save someone. You know Callain would never have left me. You were the only one who remained and when I looked to the future and saw your mate was the child doomed to perish with her parents, I had to prevent that from happening."




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 09



Tears fell down her face, mirroring the tears that slipped down Gard's cheeks. "You had a right to your anger, Gard. I caused you untold pain and grief as you walked this world for so long alone, hidden in the shadows as you waited for us to return. You weren't even aware of that because of the spells I placed on you. Until Caleb sought you out in Europe, you had no idea what you were waiting for, all those lonely years. I have wronged you, brother, and for that I ask your forgiveness."

"Don't you ever ask that of me, Ana, not now and not ever again," he rumbled, his eyes blazing with a fierce light as he stroked her tumbled curls with the gentlest of hands. "It is I who should ask for your forgiveness for ever doubting you." 

For a moment he couldn't speak, his emotions too chaotic, and then he found the strength. "You died for me," he whispered, his voice tortured. "Your own people ripped you to pieces even as you fought to save them from the fallacy of their actions. You gave me my Rayne. You are the reason my heart beats in tandem with my mate, and the reason I am blessed with my son. You did what was right for all concerned, as you always have. For all of those reasons you need never ask for my forgiveness, my Queen." He gathered her into his arms, holding her in a crushing embrace as they both wept silent tears. 

"I'm sorry I had to keep this from you for so long, Gard. Many of the decisions I've made have caused much pain for those I love. If there had been any other path, I would have taken it. If I could have lessened your burden earlier, I would have."

"I know, Ana, I know. Sometimes the hardest decisions have to be made for the greater good. I have watched you make them and weep for doing so when you didn't think anyone was watching. So many times I have watched over you and guarded you when you were at your most vulnerable. I know the price you had to pay, sister. It is that which has always made you the strongest, most bravest of Queens. When our people murdered you, they had no concept they were cutting out their own hearts. We have all paid for that over the millennia, but we are on the ascent again, rising back up to our full potential. We are together again."

Gard held her close, soothing his Queen, feeling the infinitesimal change in posture that told him Anakatrine had conceded control back to Annie. He smiled down at her, wiping her wet cheeks and dropping a kiss on her forehead. "Thank you, Annie."

"No, Gard, it is you we should all thank. Without you, we would not have the tools we now have to aid us in preventing a civil war. Without your integrity, your loyalty to Ana, and your incredible capacity to love our people—even when they wounded you so badly—we would not have the chance to turn this tide against us." 

Rhianna smiled through shimmering eyes, love flowing down the bond she shared with her brother from another time. "It is my honour to know you, Kothari, Guardian of the Queen, Protector of the Weak. It is my honour to call you brother."

His answering smile was full of love as he ruffled her curls, unconsciously mimicking Rafe's affectionate gesture. "I would do it all again, Annie. I would walk alone another three thousand years if I had what was waiting for me at the end of my journey. I don't just mean Rayne and Kothi, or having the chance to speak with Anakatrine once more. I know I don't usually say it often, but I would walk those endless centuries just so that I could call you, Rhianna Armand, my sister. I mean that, Annie, with every breath inside me. Ana may have brought you to me, but you are truly my sister in my heart."

She swallowed hard as she stared into his eyes. He was telling her that no matter what happened in the future, he would always consider her his sister. She felt the same, but it brought the question to mind of why he felt the need to tell her that. He said he didn't tell her it often, but in truth, he had never mentioned it before. He had to have a reason. There was only one she could think of. 

"You think she'll leave us, don't you?"

Gard rested his forehead against her's, taking a few deep breaths to try to gather his emotions. "The vampire Queen has always done things with foreknowledge and reasons behind them. Right here, right now, everything feels as if it's reaching a crescendo. I have no doubt that Ana knows what is to come and is allowing it to play out. She will only release the knowledge we need slowly, so that our choices and decisions will be the right ones."

"That wasn't what I asked you, Gard." Rhianna's words came out on a whisper, trepidation in her tone.

"I don't know the answer to your question, Annie. I don't know if it would be possible for Ana and Callain to leave, even if they wanted to. That level of magic far surpasses anything I could ever master. What I do know is the here and now. You have these tomes to read through. You need to let Caleb know you're back too, and I really want to spend some time with Rayne and our son before we have to head over to Europe."

His words helped focus her and she shot him a regretful look. "I'm sorry I've kept you away from your family. Go, spend time with them. I'm safe enough here. I'll let Caleb know I'm back and we can both go through these books together." At his hesitant expression, she rose to her feet, pulling at his hand. "Go and see your family, Gard. I'll replace the spells here."

He still looked doubtful but she could see him wavering. With another mental as well as physical nudge, she shooed him from the cave, standing in the doorway to watch him leave. After a moment, she turned to review the hidden library, excitement beginning to thrum deep within her. She wanted to start reading the books—but she knew there was something more important she had to do first.

"Caleb." 

"Annie." 

Her mate's instant response and the note of longing in his voice took away some of the nerves that were suddenly rumbling in her tummy. She placed her hand there, as if she could physically settle them. "Meet me in half an hour?"  She didn't say where because she knew it wasn't needed.

"I'll be there, my love." 

She didn't say anything further, and neither did Caleb. The discussion they needed to have needed to be face-to-face. As she left the cave, Rhianna wove a spell in the air and the rock doorway slid back into place. Another incantation and the stone became seamless and the illusionary oak trees appeared as landmarks to the hidden structure.

Turning her gaze to the right, towards home, her feet itched to head in that direction, but she knew she wouldn't find her heart there. Instead, she took off in the opposite direction, running at supernatural speed to the place where her reason for being would be waiting for her.

*****

Caleb was late by two minutes and he wanted to kick himself. He'd been apart from his Annie for far too long as it was and to keep her waiting was unforgivable. What if she thought it was deliberate? What if she thought he didn't want to be with her or wasn't coming? What if...? 

His mental remonstrations ground to a halt as his breath rushed out of his body At the edge of the pond, staring into the midnight blue water, stood the very reason for his existence. The full moon cast its silvery rays onto the small figure, creating an ethereal halo around her riot of red curls. The sweet scent of lavender and jasmine instantly eased some of his anxiety, as it always did.

How many days had it been since he'd last seen her? How many long hours since her scent, her love, and her laughter had soothed the beast that lived within? How could he have risked losing her? How could he have been such an idiot?

Rhianna turned slowly and he thought his heart would stop as his eyes traced every perfect feature on her face. He remembered the first time he'd seen her, all those years ago in Karpathia's. Her beauty had stunned him then and still amazed him to this day. He had believed it was just a physical attraction, had mistakenly thought that he could lay with her once and just walk away. He thought back to the first time he'd seen her standing beside this very same pond. He thought of her passion as she'd convinced him to sire her to the life of a vampire, even in the face of his reluctance. He had been as blind then as he had been up at the Praetorian compound.

Caleb had been lost the instant he'd laid eyes on that fragile human girl. One look and she had embedded herself in his heart before he'd even realised he still had the capacity to love with that depth of emotion. She had brought laughter and joy into his world, had reminded him of all the beauty that surrounded him. She had loved him unconditionally and he'd repaid her with distrust because he couldn't cope with the thought that his actions were not his own. 

"I failed you." The words tumbled out on a pained breath and there was nothing he could do to stop them. He saw denial on Rhianna's face as she watched him, her gaze unwavering. She didn't come to him, but he knew she would speak and he had so much he needed to say before she did. He wanted to go to her, ached to feel her in his arms, but he was afraid she would turn away from him if he didn't get the words right. 

"Don't you think that's a touch harsh, Caleb?"

His pulse raced as her sweet voice filled the air. It had been too long...way too long and though he wanted to listen, he needed to speak first, otherwise he risked never being able to fix his mess. "Don't speak. Let me say what I need to say first, Annie." 

Swallowing hard, his intent gaze roamed her face trying to find the proof of the tears he knew he'd caused her. The same tears he would threaten murder over, should anyone else hurt her like that. They had long since dried but he knew he was the cause of them, and that cut him to the quick as much as it did being without her.

"I was so afraid I was losing you, Annie, I think I lost sight of reason for a while. I don't even know when it started or how it built up into something so destructive: it was suddenly just there. Everything was spiralling out of control and I needed to have that control back, but you weren't hearing me when I talked. It was as if Anakatrine was taking over and my Annie was slowly disappearing."

"Caleb..."

"Please, let me finish, love. I need to say this." Caleb walked forward hesitantly, walking his beautiful mate, the best part of him and the sole reason his heartbeat. "It was my role to protect you and suddenly you didn't need that protection anymore. You made decisions without considering my opinion. You publicly went against me when you have always supported me. I didn't know how to handle all the changes and I reacted out of fear."

He swallowed again, the words trying to come out but feeling as if they were lodged in his throat. "I remember when I awoke Anakatrine. I was afraid she would overwhelm you and you'd struggle with the duality of your new nature. I was as much of a fool then as I am now, because she was never an issue for you. The issue was always mine, my fear of ceding control to Callain. I know that now, Annie; I've talked with him and, more importantly, I listened to him. I know how wrong I was."

He halted a few feet from her, reluctant to invade her space, but needing to be closer to his mate. Her gaze never wavered, her lavender eyes moist with unshed tears. "Since the day I first met you, my predominant need has been to protect you from any harm. I never dreamed I would need to protect you from myself. For too long I have always thought I know what is best and it's been hard to come to terms with the fact that I don't. I hurt you when I promised you I never would. I wasn't there for you when you needed to do something so untenable it would break your heart. That's why I failed you, Rhianna. I wasn't there when you truly needed me."

*****

Staring into his eyes was one of the hardest things Rhianna had ever had to do. Caleb's words were passionate and full of pain, but they were nothing compared to the anguish she saw on his face and the raw emotions running through their bond. There was no denying that what happened up at the Praetorian compound had been wrong on so many levels. There was no denying that they had both hurt each other with their actions that day, but from the dreams Anakatrine had sent her, she knew that sometimes that's the way life played out. Sometimes it was a necessary evil to achieve a greater good.

"We both made mistakes, Caleb," she finally said, when he remained silent, his gaze intent. "I should have listened more. I should have realised how hard you were struggling with the changes in our lives. I was used to you being so confident and sure of everything, that it didn't cross my mind you may be struggling with Callain. Oh, I knew you kept denying you were Callain, but I took that as you just being your normal, arrogant sel. Clearly, that is where I erred; if I had been listening closer, I would have seen the issue."

He opened his mouth to speak and she held up her hand. "It's my turn now."

Rhianna moved to sit on the bench beside the pond, holding her hand out to her mate. For a moment, he stared at it and then his fingers wrapped around her hand and she felt complete once more. She was never truly whole unless she was with him, touching him. Silently, Caleb sat down beside her; the only part of them touching their joined hands.

"I've had a lot of time to think about what happened, Caleb. While there has been a certain element of you struggling not to lose control, you've never been this intractable before. You were so intent on executing Thereasa, even though you knew doing that would irrevocably harm Liam. That's what I really couldn't understand and why I had to fight so hard against you. Why would you want to hurt one of the children? That doesn't make any sense."

"She broke my edict."

"Caleb, you stopped thinking in such black and white terms decades ago. Everything we've been doing for so long now has been built around protecting the Were/Vampire alliance, protecting the children. We set up the Praetorians for that very reason. Pietro went to Europe and came back badly damaged for that very reason. And yet, it was you who was almost the cause of harm to one of our family. Does that make sense to you?"

His stunned expression clearly showed that her words were getting through. "What are you trying to say?"

"I don't know yet. I just know that I didn't recognise the Caleb up at the Praetorian compound. Judging from Demetri's expression, I don't think he recognised that man either and he's known you the longest. This is something we will need to look into and be especially vigilant of, going forward. The main thing we need to do right now is ensure that all our ties are strong."

Rhianna turned to look at him, seeing the deep longing in his eyes, and the fear he was struggling so hard to hide. "You will never lose me, Caleb." She said the words softly, putting every ounce of her love for him into the quiet words.

"You left me," he ground out, pain in his voice. "I know I put you in an impossible position, so much so that you didn't feel safe with me anymore. I was supposed to be the one who always protected you, no matter what." It hurt that she had left, but he knew he'd given her no choice and that was how he had really failed her. 

A sob escaped her, and she moved to sit astride him, framing his face in her hands as his arms wrapped around her slender frame. "Oh Caleb, I didn't leave you, not like that, and I certainly didn't feel unsafe around you. I will never feel afraid when I'm with you. I never could. Even when things were going wrong at the compound, I was always certain of your love and that you would never hurt me. We just needed a little space to let things calm down a bit, so you could work things out in your own mind."

"But if what you just..."

"Shhh, not here and not now. That's a conversation for another time and place." Rhianna pressed her lips against his, feeling his mouth tremble at her touch, before he devoured her like a starving man, his arms tight as he tried to mould her body to his. When he finally released her, she was breathless from his kiss.

Threading her fingers through his hair, she stroked its silky texture before she traced his brow and let her fingers wander over his cheekbones. To touch him so freely felt like heaven, after being apart for so long. "I love you, Caleb. That love I give unconditionally, and will never take back, no matter what the future has in store for us. We will have fights, honey. Sometimes they will be silly ones and others will be more serious, but we will always come back together, stronger...because that is what true mates do."

He could put up more of a fight. He could keep arguing who was wrong and who was right, but he knew his mate wouldn't stand for anymore. The love shining from her eyes was incandescent. Only a fool wouldn't accept that love and bask in its glory. "I'm sorry, my Annie, so sorry that I made you cry and pushed you away. I don't deserve you, but I can't be without you. I will do my utmost never to be such an ass again and ask your forgiveness in advance, because I'm probably going to fuck up, aren't I?" Laughter filled the air and it was the sweetest sound Caleb had ever heard; the one sound that made his heart beat with joy.

"I dare say you will, my love, as will I from time to time. We are all imperfect...but then, perfection is overrated." Rhianna kissed him again, loving the way his mouth knew every inch of hers, how his tongue stroked her in just the right way to send shivers running through her body. She wanted him badly and could feel how much he wanted her too, but this moment was about reconnecting on an emotional level as opposed to a physical one.

She made no protest when Caleb re-settled her on his lap so she was resting against his chest. She closed her eyes as his voice rumbled over her, the familiar sound soothing her as she listened to the updates of what had happened since she'd been away. They sat together beside the lake, their souls luxuriating in being together again as deep within her, the vampire Queen silently mulled over what she was hearing, piecing together little things to weave together a bigger picture. 

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 10



 My thanks to Mistress of Shadows and Angel N Disguise for editing for me #hugs

I receive a number of requests asking for what order to read the FTI series, so if you're wondering, please visit my Lit Bio where the order to read is listed; as is My Blog and FB Pages where you can get access to other pieces of work not submitted here.

Enjoy!

*

"Cass!" 

Loretta's voice wafted across the compound, shaking the Vârcolac out of her thoughts as she headed towards the lab. It was early morning and most of the pack was still asleep; it was surprising to see her aunt up and around, especially since she was infamous for not being a morning person. Immediately, Cassia's thoughts turned to Pietro. Was something wrong?

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, honey. It's just hard to get some time alone without Andrei being underfoot or you being buried nose-deep in a microscope. I wanted to have a private word with you about Pietro." 

The older woman's gaze was intent, watching every nuance that crossed her face. There wasn't much that slipped past Loretta Simpson, and that was what made her such a good beta. Still, Cassia wasn't about to give anything away if she could avoid it. If Loretta knew, then she would tell Andrei; and that, of course, meant her father would find out and she wasn't quite ready for that. "I'm working as hard as I can on the antidote. So far, we're still missing the vital element that makes it so toxic to vampires." The narrowed eyes and raised eyebrow she got in response to her words wasn't very comforting.

"You know that's not what I want to discuss, Cass."

"Loretta..." The beta may have been a few inches shorter than her, but she was a number of years older, and held a higher rank in the pack hierarchy. The fact that she was mated to her uncle made it near impossible to refuse the woman; she was used to ferretting out answers when she posed a question. Cassia knew she wasn't going to be able to avoid the conversation, no matter how hard she tried.

"He talks about you," the other woman said in a quiet tone, her shrewd eyes merciless. "He never talks about anyone outside of those he's known for years, and yet after only two meetings, your name has cropped up a few times. He's connected with you and I find that very significant, Cassia."

"I'm working on the antidote. That's important to Pietro, so it stands to reason he may mention me."

There was a long pause and then Loretta let out a deep sigh. "Come with me." She headed into the trees, leaving the Vârcolac no option but to follow her. 

There was no point in procrastinating, so Cassia did as was expected, wishing she could avoid the impending conversation. She found her aunt in a small clearing that was far enough away from the compound to offer some privacy, but not within hearing range of the boundary protection detail that still circled pack lands.

"Cass, I know what it's like to be attracted to someone you think may not cause a favourable response from those you love." It was the Vârcolac's turn to raise an eyebrow and Loretta smiled. "Okay, in my case I may have been putting that a bit mildly. The essence is the same though, honey. Both your mother and I had hurdles to overcome when we found our mates. I know you've heard the stories a hundred times, so I can understand why you don't want to talk about whatever this thing is between you and Pietro."

There was such sincerity in Loretta's voice, her eyes full of such understanding, that Cassia felt ashamed of her hesitancy. Everything her aunt said rang true. Deep down inside, she knew that both Loretta and her mother would understand and support her decision unconditionally, but her wolf's indecisiveness was confusing the hell out of her. When she was with Pietro, the animal claimed him. When they were apart, it ignored him as if he didn't exist. She couldn't work out what was going on and she couldn't claim him publicly until she knew for certain.

"I appreciate your concern, Loretta, I really do; but at the moment, there is nothing to discuss. If the situation were to change, I realise I have you and Mom I can turn to for advice. I know I have your love and support. Frankly, I'm happy that Pietro is starting to make more connections. He needs that to help him heal. I'm not so sure I am his saviour, though, not in the way you hope."

Loretta frowned, as she appeared to weigh up what wasn't being said. For a moment, it seemed she would press further and then she changed tactics. "We've been trying to convince Pietro to leave the house and get some exercise. Up until now, he has resisted all of our efforts. Perhaps, in your medical capacity, you could persuade him?"

Cassia almost laughed at the blatant redirect. Her aunt surely must have known she could see right through her thinly veiled attempt at subterfuge. The idea of spending some time in the forest alone with Pietro was very appealing to her wolf that was suddenly very attentive to the conversation. She considered it for a moment and then smiled. "Perhaps I could."

Her job apparently done, Loretta beamed a smile back at her and gave her a quick hug. "Remember we're here for you, honey. Anytime you need us. We've had years of dealing with the Romanov twins. We can help diffuse any hot tempers if required."

"I know." Cassia hugged her aunt tightly. There had always been a close bond between the two families and that would never change. Most likely, that was down to the close sibling link between the Romanov twins. She was lucky to have such an amazing extended family, even if she did wish Elina was more inclined to join in with some of their family gatherings. Although she was part of that extended family, she had always gravitated towards Liam's side as opposed to the Alexanders.

Shaking off the unexpected thought, she filed it away for a later date when she had more time to consider it and smiled again at her aunt. "Let's wait to see if there is anything that needs dealing with first." It was the closest she was going to come to admitting there might be a possibility of some kind of relationship with Pietro. For the moment, she was only willing to share her true feelings with Dara, until she knew for sure what was going on with her wolf.

It appeared to be enough for Loretta and they chatted about family matters as they headed back to the compound. Cassia said goodbye and turned towards the community hall instead of the lab, as was her original intention. There were a few pack members around beginning the daily task of preparing breakfast, but it was the tall brunette setting tables that she headed towards.

"Don't you ever sleep?"

Liliana Romanov looked up with a wide smile. It lit up her face, turning her beauty into something quite breath taking. "Mac doesn't know the meaning of the word," her cousin laughed, delight dancing in her eyes.

"And you don't look like you have any complaints," Cassia laughed back, giving her a quick hug. "How are you feeling?"

"Is that the would-be healer or my cousin asking?"

Cassia laughed louder. "Probably a bit of both."

Lily scooped up some more silverware and headed to the next table. "I feel great now the sickness is over with. That was a bit of a nightmare, but a small price to pay." Chocolate brown eyes turned to her cousin. "It's a bit frightening, knowing that in only a few months I'm going to be a mother; I won't deny that—but I can't wait either. Does that make me sound silly?

"It makes perfect sense, Lily, and I know you're going to be an amazing mom. Mac, well, he's going to be one freaking nightmare of an overprotective father."

Her cousin rolled her eyes but her smile was beatific. "Oh, I know, but I'll find ways to counter that somehow." She finished setting the table and then turned to peruse Cassia intently. "So, what can I do for you? I presume you didn't come in here just to ask how impending motherhood was affecting me?"

"You know me too well," Cassia admitted with another grin. "I was looking for a breakfast basket." The speculative glance Lily gave her made her want to groan, but she managed to keep her features neutral. 

"Oh? Is there a special occasion?"

"None that I want to share right now," she countered, her gentle tone alleviating any possible sting from her words. Cassia was grateful that her cousin was so understanding; always treading lightly when it was clear she was a bit reluctant to share.

Although brimming with curiosity, Lily headed over to the main cooking area and began to make up a thermos of tea, placing it with two mugs into a wicker picnic basket. She added in a sampling of croissants and pastries, and took care to include all the necessary condiments, serving utensils, and some napkins. There was enough food for two, and Cassia didn't bother to correct the assumption that she wouldn't be alone to enjoy the picnic breakfast.

"Thanks, Lily." Cassia knew her cousin would know that she was equally thanking her for her discretion.

"You're welcome, Cass. You know I'm here if you need to talk about anything."

A brief smile flashed across her face as Cassia took the basket and gave Lily another hug. "You're a great cousin, and an even better friend," she whispered as she turned and headed out of the community hall.

Her gaze immediately turned to the house that currently contained the subject of her chaotic thoughts. Predictably, her pulse began to speed up, and she had to take a few deep breaths to contain it. Pietro would be able to hear her accelerated heartbeat, and she didn't want him to question why she was so nervous. 

The curtains were open to Pietro's room, and her breath caught as she realized he was standing behind the glass looking down at her. Their eyes locked for a moment, and then she walked slowly past the house and set the basket down beside the tree that led to his window. He made her wait for an entire half hour, but eventually the window opened and she heard him slip down the tree.

"I told you to make an appointment the next time you wanted to see me." 

It wasn't a promising start, but Cassia wasn't about to let his gruffness chase her away. "I waited thirty minutes, so I consider that making one." 

He greeted her words with silence, so she turned to catch a glimpse of his expression. God, his eyes seemed to bore right into her with their intensity and it took all her self-control to keep her pulse steady. "I've decided to have my breakfast alongside the lake this morning. Seeing as it is technically outside of the compound's boundaries, I shall require an escort."

He growled low, as a trace of emotion crept across his face before his features smoothed out. "Ask one of the wolves."

"Most of them are asleep and those that aren't have tasks to perform. I'm hungry." Not giving him a chance to respond, Cassia headed into the trees with her basket in hand. It took him a fraction of a second to make up his mind, and then he fell into step beside her. She had known he would. Although he knew she didn't really need his protection, it was a moot point; he was a protector through and through, and therefore would always need to ensure her safety.

Appealing to his baser side had been a risk, but one she judged worth the risk. It could have reinforced his sense of failure over what had happened in Europe but Cassia had counted on him having an inner strength that he wasn't currently capable of recognising. His easy capitulation pleased her wolf too, who appeared happy to have him by their side.

"Do you consider me to be foolish, Cassia?"

"Hardly, Pietro," she laughed, the melodic tone carefree and light-hearted. "You are very much like my father and my uncle Andrei, and I don't mean that in a bad way. It just makes it a bit easier for me to know how to get the desired reaction from you. Trust me, it certainly isn't indicative of your level of intelligence; you came with me because you wanted to, not because I manipulated you into it."

They walked in companionable silence for a while, Pietro appearing to be deep in thought. Cassia wondered what was running through his head. She could see his alert gaze sweeping the area. She knew he was listening to all the sounds around them as keenly as she was. What she didn't know was what was going through that complicated mind of his.

"Was it Loretta or Andrei?"

His question was so unexpected that she nearly jumped out of her skin when he broke the silence. There was no need to ask what he meant. "Loretta. She's concerned about your seclusion within the house. It isn't healthy, Pietro, and you know it too; otherwise you wouldn't have indulged me with your company."

Again, he chose not to reply and the silence lengthened until they reached the lake. Cassia had taken one of the less frequently used trails, knowing that the lake was a favourite haunt of quite a few of the Vârcolac when they had something on their mind. She didn't want choose a location where one of her friends might show up uninvited.

The stone pathway she'd chosen led them to a flattened outcropping that suspended over the water's edge. The rocky ledge could seat four people rather comfortably and was one of her favourite places to relax. The large willow trees that were scattered around the bank's edge were so old that their sinewy limbs rose nearly eighty feet into the air. Their magnificent foliage created a peaceful canopy over the stony shelf. In the pale morning light, the play of shadows over the different textures, and the sound of the slight breeze rustling the leaves made it feel as if she were stepping into paradise.

"Beautiful," Pietro murmured. She glanced to the side to see him staring at her and not the breath-taking surroundings. Her heart fluttered and she felt her cheeks begin to redden and quickly looked away again to hide her reaction. It would be embarrassing if he thought she presumed he meant her, when it was really the surrounding area he was admiring.

*****

Pietro's lips twitched up into the barest of smiles as he turned his gaze from the woman at his side to the panorama before him. It really was a beautiful spot, but the word that had just been dragged from his lips had nothing to do with the landscape and everything to do with Cassia Romanov. 

He had known instantly that he would climb down that stupid tree to be with her. The moment he realised that she was intent on waiting for him, it had simply been a matter of when he would finally give in to her compelling allure, as opposed to if. She had been on his mind since her last visit, when their hands had touched for that split second and every nerve ending in his body had come alive.

He had tried to work out what it was about her that penetrated the emotional barriers he'd constructed so carefully over the years. He'd known many beautiful women in his life and yet none of them had even remotely caught his interest the way Alexei's daughter had. She was cloaked in an aura of serenity; an understated intelligence draped in graceful elegance that made his soul feel as if he had been cleansed with a soothing balm. Although he typically chose to avoid others, being with Cassia didn't stir that need for solitude. She was, quite simply, refreshing; he found himself craving her company, if only to alleviate some of his more negative emotions.

Cassia set the picnic basket off to the side, and sighed heavily as she realised she had forgotten to bring a blanket.

"Here..." Pietro unbuttoned his shirt and shrugged it from his body in one sinuous movement without a second thought.

It was only after seeing Cassia's mouth drop open and her blue eyes flash with intense emotion that he realised what he had done. He noted the flecks of amber that danced around the edges of her irises, and knew that her wolf was close to the surface. Pietro stiffened as he felt her eyes settle on his body and waited to see them fill with disgust as her haunting gaze traced the scar that ran down his collarbone, and then slowly drifted to the scars that framed his left nipple.

The repulsion never materialised though her wolf remained alert, its silent presence apparent, as she moved around behind him. He knew what she seeing having viewed his own back in the mirror. He stood rigid as he felt the heat of her gaze travel over the three diagonal scars down his right shoulder blade, an uncontrolled flinch rippling across his skin as tentative fingertips lightly caressed the wounds. Her fingers moved to his lower back where the horizontal scar slashed across in a jagged line, her touch soft and gentle.

She murmured something so quiet he had to strain to hear it, and her words made his heart bang painfully in his chest. "Beautiful imperfections." 

For a moment longer she remained behind him, and then she accepted the shirt still clutched in his hand and spread it out on the rock face before retrieving the picnic basket. "Thank you, Pietro."

Even though her words were as restrained as her touch had been, there was a wealth of emotion in them. He knew she wasn't just thanking him for the loan of his shirt, but for the trust he had inexplicably given her by allowing her to witness his greatest shame.

"You don't know a whole lot about us Vârcolac, do you?" she asked as she laid out her food and poured two mugs of tea from the thermos. 

He sat beside her, leaving enough distance between them that they didn't touch, but still close enough to feel her body heat. "I've been away a long time, Cassia." He kept his gaze frozen ahead, staring into the trees as he accepted a mug of tea.

"Each of us has magical talents deep within. It's what allows us to generate clothes when we shift back from our animal form. I probably could have conjured up a blanket so there would have been no need for you to remove your shirt. I still could..."

Cassia was offering him a tactful opportunity to cover his scars without losing face if having them on display made him uncomfortable. That simple kindness was so thoughtful that he felt tears threaten his eyes, but he held them back by sheer strength of will. Her soothing touch against his skin had been unexpected and he found he didn't mind the scars so much in her presence.

"It will do me good to have sunlight and fresh air against my skin. It will help with my healing." 

They lapsed back into silence as Cassia ate a pastry, her eyes closing with enjoyment as she savoured the sweetness in her mouth. Pietro watched her, fascinated, his eyes riveted to her lips as she slowly chewed her food. His body stirred and he stiffened in shock. Sexual hunger suddenly overwhelmed him, as did the burning need to taste blood! One moment he was fine and in the next, he was overcome with dual gnawing pains flooding his body. 

He simply couldn't be hungry so soon after having a full transfusion of blood, which even included Ancient blood from Demetri! It should have been weeks before he needed to feed, and yet, he was suddenly ravenous. Vicious hunger clawed at him as if it had been over a month since he'd last eaten, and he was stunned by the ferocity of his need. What the fuck was wrong with him? Was this some kind of residual side effect from the poisoning?

Pietro rose in an abrupt movement, panic setting in as his need escalated. He had to get back to the compound, had to find out if any of the vampires there had a private stock of blood he could use. He had to get away from Cassia right now, before he did the unforgivable...

*****

"What is it, Pietro?" Cassia was startled by his sudden move, her heart kicking up a beat. Everything had been going so well until this moment, and she has no idea what had changed. He'd allowed her to look at him and touch him, and he'd appeared so comfortable in her presence that the long silences had been companionable ones. What the hell had gone wrong?

Her eyes met his own as she stood, and she gasped in shock. The black iris remained unchanged, but his hazel eye was glowing deep scarlet—a sign that a vampire was close to going rogue from lack of food. The man before her was fighting to keep his beast leashed; he needed to indulge, and he needed to do so immediately. She didn't even consider her actions, as she stepped towards the large male and bared the left side of her neck.




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 10



"Feed, Pietro."

"No!" Hard fingers dug into her shoulders, trying to push her away, but she was stronger than him and could hold her ground.

"You won't harm me; I'm part vampire too, remember. I'm immune to both your toxin and the poison you ingested. You need to eat now, Pietro! Please take what I offer freely."

"Cassia, I can't...not from you." The words were ground out, longing and disgust evident in his voice. The urgency in his body and hands were reaching fever pitch; he was alternating between attempting to push her away and trying to pull her closer.

"There is no one else here you trust enough, Pietro, no one that could withstand your toxin. Let me do this for you. Let me help sustain you until you're healed enough to take care of yourself." Never in her entire life had Cassia wanted anything the way she wanted to feel his fangs break her skin. She wanted, no, needed to know that it was her life essence which nourished this wounded warrior—who, even now—was so proud that he was trying to remain her protector, to fulfil the role he'd been assigned.

Her wolf wanted it too, clawing at her insides until it created a physical ache. It howled and snapped, snarling as it tried to assert dominance and force the male to do as he was told. "Please, Pietro."

Cassia cried out as his fangs sliced through the fragile skin of her neck, sinking deep inside her. Pietro pulled deeply as if he was ravenous, his strong suckling sending a frisson of molten lava flooding straight through her body to pool between her thighs. Her breasts swelled painfully, her nipples hardening and aching for his touch. Her arousal was instant—and unmistakable, eliciting a deep rumble from the vampire as he swallowed down her blood, his large hand moving to cup one of her breasts.

"Pietro!" Cassia moaned out his name as she pressed against his hand, trying to mould her body to his intense heat and strength. He pushed his hand up under her shirt and as his fingers enveloped her bare breast, he squeezed it firmly. "Dear God..."

Long fingers tugged at her hard peak, deftly rolling and pinching the nipple as he growled and drank more of her essence, his touch becoming bolder the deeper he drank. A kaleidoscope of colours danced in front of Cassia's eyes as she rubbed against his thigh, frantic to feel some relief from the deep hunger that was assaulting her body. Pietro accommodated her, thrusting his thigh roughly against her apex, pressing his hand tightly against her lower back to help her ride out her passion.

She was mindless, nothing but a bundle of sensations. She wasn't even aware that Pietro had stopped feeding, that his lips were moving downwards as he bent his head to her breast and sucked her taut peak into his mouth. Cassia exploded instantly, crying out her release as she climaxed harder than she could ever remember before. Her body danced with pleasure, each nerve ending alive as her vampire continued to suckle at her breast, continued to use his jean clad thigh to bring her release.

It was over much too soon, her body trembling from the intensity of her climax. Pietro's strong arms were only thing keeping her on her feet as she came down slowly from her high. Slowly, reason began to exert itself, and the enormity of what had just happened started to seep in. Cassia couldn't look at him. She was too embarrassed by her wanton reaction to his bite and didn't want to see the expression on his face. He refused to be deterred, though, placing a finger beneath her chin to tilt her face up.

"First time with a vampire?" There was no condemnation in his eyes; in fact, they sparkled with what looked like pained amusement. 

She nodded because her mouth refused to cooperate and form the words she wanted to say.

"That's why I was so reluctant, Cassia. Not because I didn't appreciate your generous offer, but because I didn't think you were aware of the consequences. A vampire bite brings such euphoria that the female often comes just from the bite itself. If my hunger hadn't descended so rapidly, I would have warned you in advance. I'm sorry, Niña. You shouldn't feel embarrassed. I should ask your forgiveness for placing you in this awkward position." 

His words offered a small level of comfort. It was nice to know that she hadn't reverted back into a sex-starved teenager, unable to control her baser instincts. There was also a tenderness to his expression that astounded her, because it was the first glimpse of his softer side. The woman was drawn to that part of his personality, as was the wolf, which was ready to roll over and have its tummy tickled. What had he just called her? Niña? She would have to look that up because she had no idea of its significance.

"I'll discuss feeding options with Andrei when I get back to the compound. I won't impose on you again."

Everything within her rebelled at the idea and she couldn't have cleared her expression if she'd tried. "My offer is still open to you, Pietro. I haven't retracted it." He was frowning before she'd even finished talking.

"Are you trying to get me killed? Have you any concept of what Alexei would do to me if he knew I'd laid hands on his daughter? This isn't a game, Cassia. Your father is one of my oldest friends. You are his little girl and always will be, no matter how grown up you are."

Cassia smiled at his choice of words, a surge of happiness bubbling up inside. He hadn't said an outright 'no' to her and didn't appear to realise that. Oh, he was concerned about how her father would react if he found out, but there was no scent of fear as he'd spoken. There was a hint of defiance in his eyes that belied what he'd said, and she took courage from that, stepping back into his embrace.

"Leave my father to me, Pietro. If Andrei can let go of Lily so she can be with Mac, then my father can adapt to whomever I choose to be with. I'm no novice in matters of the heart. He is well aware of that fact, and so far he's managed not to kill off any of my previous lovers. I enjoyed what happened today. I want to experience it again."

Her vampire drew in a deep breath, and she could see the fire in his eyes as he leaned down until their foreheads touched. "This is not a wise move, Niña. There may only be heartache to come from this. I can offer you this moment, but that is all it would be: a moment. I have nothing else to give."

It was more than Cassia could have hoped for so early into her seduction of her vampire. "All I'm offering is to replenish your strength when you need it, Pietro. In return, I will know a pleasure I have never experienced before and I will have access to you to aid me in finding the antidote to the poison. This benefits us both, doesn't it?"

His intent gaze bored into her for a long moment and then his hand cupped the nape of her neck as he sealed their bargain with a kiss so gentle that she barely felt him graze her lips. "I hope we both know what we're getting ourselves into."

*****

"Where are we going?" Caleb shot a quizzical glance at his mate as she veered away from their mansion and continued to the rear of the property. His blood was heated and his thoughts consumed by matters of a more carnal nature than continuing their discussions from the pond. They'd been apart far too long. He wanted to be with her, to reconnect with her on the sweet intimate level they so readily shared.

"I told you I had things I needed to do before I could come home. As it turned out they were closer to home than I imagined." Stopping, she grinned at him before turning to stare at some trees. 

Caleb's jaw dropped as he watched the trees vanished after a series of whispered words and Rhianna stepped up to the rock face and incanted once more. The doorway retracted before he'd managed to close his mouth and suddenly they were walking into a room, or portion of one, that he had seen so recently in his dreams. "How?"

Rhianna laughed, tossing her curls over her shoulder with a flick of her wrist. "That's what I said when Gard revealed it. This is what he worked on when he first arrived and we were away so much. He transported Anakatrine's books here so that we'd have easy access when we were ready to go through them."

"It looks just like the images from my dream." Caleb's voice was hushed as he walked over to the closest bookcase and ran his fingertips over the books. He had no idea he was unconsciously echoing the other male's gesture and that was the reason for the fond smile on his mate's face as she watched him.

"Have you looked through them?"

Rhianna shook her head. "Gard showed it to me, but I didn't want to tackle them without you. I know the Queen selected each one for a reason. I was afraid I would miss something important if I reviewed them on my own."

Caleb saw a flash of uncertainty on her face and stifled down a curse. Before the incident up at the Praetorian compound, his Annie had been full of confidence. She had never doubted herself; it was clear that she now did. He should have let Demetri kick the shit out of him. His beautiful mate's uncertain expression weighed heavily on his heart. Had he irrevocably harmed her self-belief?

"You wouldn't miss a thing, love. Don't ever second guess yourself, especially not because I was an ass. You've guided us this far. After what happened up at the Praetorian compound...well that just proves how much faith everyone has in you. I may have been blind for a little while, but my eyes are fully open now and I have that same faith in you. It will never waver again."

The doubt cleared a little and she smiled at him, that beautiful smile that always managed to make his heart flutter. He would find some way to make this up to her, if it was the last thing he ever did.

"I don't know where to start," she admitted, turning away to run her gaze over the books. "There are so many of them. How do we know which ones to choose, which ones are the most important?"

"How about starting at the beginning?"

Her quizzical glance made him grin as he crossed to her side and took her in his arms. Staying away from her now that she was home was quite impossible. He couldn't stop touching her, breathing in her fragrant scent. He wanted her with an ache that was so fierce it was a physical pain, but he wanted her to come to him, to feel comfortable about allowing him back into her arms.

"Callain pointed out something that I hadn't considered. I've been repressing him for so long he's never had the opportunity to be with his mate."

Rhianna's eyes widened and her expression turned sad. "Oh, Caleb, that must be so awful for him. It didn't cross my mind either; Anakatrine never once mentioned anything about it. Being apart from you these past few days has been an unbearable. What must it be like for them, both knowing the other half of their soul is so close, and yet never being able to speak to each other?"

He hugged her tightly, running a hand down her back as he brushed his cheek against her curls. "I've been busy trying to amend all of my mistakes and short comings. I want to fix this one too, Annie... I need to fix this. I made Callain a promise and who better to know which book to look at first than the people who were there at the time?"

His mate smiled at him, a smile so beatific that he had to kiss her; he had to taste the sweetness of lips too long denied him. It was hard to maintain control, to just sip from her mouth when he wanted to plunder it and ravish her until she was breathless from her cries of pleasure. When he raised his head, lavender eyes glowed with a love so bright he knew he would never lose sight of what was truly important in his life ever again.

"Let's not keep them apart any longer, Caleb. They've crossed millennia to be together yet spent the last quarter century apart. They deserve this time."

Although the idea had been his, he would have agreed to anything to see that expression on his Annie's face again; the one so full of love and compassion it was the open reflection of just who she was. Moving to one of the chairs, he sat down, gathering her onto his lap and cradling her close. "See you soon, love." 

There was a hint of trepidation in his voice, but he fought it down. He'd seen Annie cede control to Anakatrine before. She did it effortlessly and always came back to him. "I'm keeping my word, Callain. You can have your time with Ana. Just help me give my Annie what she needs. Help us find the way forward." 

"Thank you, Caleb. You have nothing to fear from me." 

Caleb remained silent as he closed his eyes and strove not to fight the other presence as it rose up within, gaining in strength with each passing second. He felt the exact moment their auras were equal and then the feelings ebbed, as if he were falling asleep, sinking down into that moment of sweet oblivion.

"Ana...?"

"Callain."

Opening his eyes, Callain stared down at the face that belonged to another woman. His heart was beating a tattoo in his chest as golden brown eyes connected with lavender. The soul glancing back at him was one he instantly recognised, and he had to swallow hard to fight down the tears that threatened to come.

"Ana." He whispered her name again, a trembling hand coming to her cheek to frame it in the softest of caresses. "My Ana."

For a long moment they sat perfectly still, the beat of their hearts in perfect rhythm. The crackle of flames from the fire pit was the only other sound in the cave as they drank each other in, luxuriating in their first moment of reconnection after so many years. Then his Queen moved slowly, sitting up straight, her eyes never leaving his as she echoed his gesture. His heart thudded wildly as Anakatrine stroked the side of his face in a caress he knew so well but hadn't experience for millennia. 

"So many long years have slipped by, my beloved; I didn't know if I would ever see this moment. I must confess a bit of doubt had crept into my mind that the magic I was counting on that day would even work. The spells were ancient, even in comparison to us. I had to believe it would work, though a small part of me feared it wouldn't."

"You've learned a little humility since we last talked?" His tone was full of teasing; his smile so wide he thought his cheeks would crack from the strain.

His teasing softened her expression as he watched her lips tilt into a mischievous grin. "Very droll," she laughed, as she leaned forward to rest her forehead against his, savouring the moment. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you, Callain. I wanted to but..."

Strong hands tightened on her upper arms, halting her words. "Don't you ever apologise for doing what had to be done, Anakatrine. Not now. Not ever." His hands softened and he framed her face once more, staring deeply into her eyes. "Events played out as they were destined. I know it and so does Gard. Our time together is far too precious to waste on useless recriminations, my love. This solitary moment to be with you again, to hear your sweet voice, to look in to those beautiful lavender eyes is worth every single sacrifice we've had to endure."

He wanted to kiss her, to love her as they'd loved so passionately in the past...but they were ethereal now, spirits within other vessels. It felt wrong to desecrate Caleb's trust, even as every part of his soul yearned to spend one more physical moment with his mate. "I've missed you, Ana, so very much."

"As have I you, my beautiful warrior." Anakatrine smiled, a shadow of sadness clouded her sparkling eyes. "You have been so very patient, Callain. Thank you for allowing Caleb enough time to find some balance to overcome his trust issues. I know it hasn't been easy. He is rather fierce in his thinking, isn't he?"

Her mate snorted and rolled his eyes. "He's frustrating and pig-headed...but his love for our people is unparalleled." He reached to pull her close and growled when she slipped agilely from his lap, turning in a circle as she surveyed the echo of her library.

"Sounds like someone else I know. He needed time, my love, and you gave him that. It would have been disastrous if you'd become impatient and pushed too early." Her eyes were darting from book cover to book cover as she spoke, her expression changing as her thoughts drifted.

Callain's smile was fond as he watched his mate. She had always been such an enigma. She could focus intently on one task for hours, then the next moment she would flit from subject to subject like a butterfly. All those memories began to surge up within and he found himself unable to bear being separated from her. It didn't matter that the bodies they lived in weren't the same as the past. The essence within was the same, and he had to hold his mate. Rising, he moved behind her, pulling his Ana back against his chest and wrapping strong arms around her slender frame. 

There had been one question he'd waited twenty-five years to ask her, an answer to which he had to have before he would be content to relinquish control back to Caleb. "How many times, Ana?" In low, hushed tones, the query passed his lips; he knew there was no need to elaborate.

Her response was as quiet, her body stiffening as he commanded her full attention. "Too many, my heart," she whispered back, sorrow clouding her tone. "The first time I saw you die was in the moment that we met. Do you remember that moment, when you marched into my audience chamber, so filthy and bedraggled? You looked as if you'd trekked through a thousand mud baths to reach me."

His hold tightened, a hand brushing soothingly against her hip to ease her sorrow. "I do, my love. I had just encountered a dozen or more younglings that had been toying with some wolf cubs for pleasure. I was angered by their inhumanity and put them all down for their detestable actions. That didn't sit well with some of the others in the royal guard; they thought it prudent to stop me from reporting to my Queen. I would not be disabused." He felt a loosening of her tension and rested a cheek against the top of her head.

"I saw this beautiful creature kneeling before me with a spirit shining so brightly that my eyes were nearly blinded," Ana whispered, her voice full of love. "I knew instantly you were mine, the other half of my soul. In that very moment that I acknowledged you, I saw your death for the first time as it would take place in that tunnel beneath the home we would build together." 

Callain's heart ached for her, ached with the knowledge that she had spent their entire existence reliving his death. It made him feel helpless as he held her. "Why didn't you spare yourself, Ana? You didn't have to claim me."

She turned in his arms, her gaze full of love and sadness, with not one hint of regret. "I knew loving you would both set me free and shatter my heart into a million pieces; however, there was never an alternative. You were mine, Callain. I couldn't give you up, not even knowing that I would watch you die a thousand times over, or knowing I would cry a river of tears each time."

Embracing him tightly, she leaned into him, resting her head against his wide chest. "I knew many things that day, my heart, but I also knew we would have centuries together, and that I would never be complete without you. Our people would have been doomed if we hadn't walked the path that was meant for us. I have no regrets, Callain, not a single tear I shed nor any of the choices I felt compelled to make. So many others made sacrifices; some, like us, made the ultimate one and paid with their lives. It was only right that I should weep with them and for them."

Tears welled up in his eyes and Callain let them fall. He wasn't ashamed to weep for his exquisite mate. If he could have held her any tighter, he would have. "We didn't deserve you, my Ana. We were given the most beautiful gift; it was placed right in front of our faces and yet we chose to abuse it. You were our heart, ripped from the chests of our people by our selfish actions and ignorance. We were all so blind in our arrogance. Sometimes, when I am weak, I wish you'd let us fall, my love. Any race that could be so cruel never deserved a second chance."




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 10



"Being human isn't being weak, Callain. That was what our people had to learn and what they are still learning. Everyone deserves a second chance. Look at the beauty we now have walking among us, my heart. We are evolving into something so amazing. Without the sacrifices we made, the hybrid children would never have been able to enhance our existence."

Callain released her, stepping back to scrutinise her expression, looking for the signs of what she was trying to tell him. "The children are flawed, Ana. They have such power and yet, despite the nurturing of their families and pack, despite everything Sarayne has done to help them, they each have their own demons to slay."

Anakatrine gave him a poignant smile. "I know, and some have more than others. Relearning what it is to have humanity is not an easy thing, Callain. It was never going to be achieved simply by vampires mating with Weres. Yes, there was some progress made, but look at the mated vampires. They still retain too much of the old ways within their souls, despite the joy they've discovered through having mates and children. Look at how our people view those vampires. There is still too much distrust and hate. In addition to that, there is the common misconception that the mated vampires are tainted in some way. It's this generation who will have the hardest road to travel, and that is why we are here in this time, to help them complete that journey. It is the children who will lead us forward, Callain, and they must be protected at all costs."

Turning, the vampire Queen walked over to the books, and selected two from opposite ends of the bookshelves as if she knew exactly where they were the entire time. "This is what they need for now, the rest they can discover on their own." She placed the large tomes on the closest chair, smiling as she felt her mate engulf her from behind again in his arms.

"What do you need me to do, my love?" Callain gave into the need to brush his lips against the fragile skin of her neck.

"Guide him. Don't try to take over. Caleb will fight you every step of the way if you try, and he has much to contribute. Annie can't complete this task without him."

He nodded, nuzzling her neck once more before standing straight and staring into the fire. "And what of us...?"

"Some things are not meant to be known at this time, my heart."

Callain threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing around the cave. "Yes, my Queen," he chuckled, trying to dampen down his amusement. His beautiful mate would never change; regardless of what time they found themselves in. It didn't matter to him anyway; he would follow wherever she led. "I love you, Ana." He was still smiling as he ceded control back to Caleb, hearing his sweet mate words echoing on the air.

"I love you, Callain."

*****

Caleb was smiling and holding his mate tightly as he once more took dominance over his body. He heard the echoes of Callain and Ana as he surfaced, and knew he'd made the right decision in finally listening to the other male. If only he hadn't been so pig-headed and done it earlier.

"I didn't think anyone could love as strongly as I love you, Caleb," Rhianna whispered with awe in her voice. She turned to look up at him, tears of joy shimmering in her eyes. "Did you feel it too, the beauty between them?"

He was grinning down at her, the same wonderment engulfing his soul as he leaned down and kissed her gently. "I did, Annie. It was amazing." He was surprised to discover he retained the memories of the conversation between the vampire King and Queen. From the expression in Rhianna's eyes, it was clear she did too. Caleb felt her break away from him as she moved towards the books on the chair.

"This is where we start, Caleb."

He walked over to her, reading the titles over her shoulder. "Soul Searching? Masking Lavender?These are the books Anakatrine selected?" Caleb couldn't keep the doubt from his voice. The titles appeared to be so random, he couldn't figure out what their significance may be.

"She must have had a reason and we won't know what that reason is until we take them home and read them. Will you take them while I secure the cave?" 

Caleb picked up the books, following Rhianna from the cave and waiting for her to hide it from sight once again. He had no idea what help the books would be, but the excitement in his mate's eyes was infectious. Something within the heavy tomes could potentially help them counter whatever the European covens had in store for them. Whatever knowledge they could glean from them had to be worth the effort.

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 11



A little later than planned...but here is chapter 11. My heartfelt thanks to Mistress of Shadows and Angel in Disguise for editing for me. You ladies polish my work so well #hugs

A quick reminder, the reading order of the FTI series is listed on my Lit Bio, as is the various links to Facebook and my Blog where you can join in with competitions and find new stories that are not listed here on Lit.

Enjoy!

*

"Annie! You're back. For a moment there I thought someone had broken into the bookstore." 

Ashleigh's voice shattered Rhianna's concentration, and she glanced up from her book, startled by the other woman's arrival. It was still early, just past six thirty. She hadn't expected Ashleigh to arrive for at least another hour and a half.

"And you're here very early. Did Nors kick you out of bed?" There was a teasing note to her voice as she set the book beside her on sofa and stretched to get some of the kinks out of her neck. She'd arrived at the bookstore a couple of hours ago, unable to sleep and not wanting to disturb Caleb. He appeared to be getting the first decent night's sleep since they'd been apart; it had seemed a shame to disturb him with her restlessness. The bookstore had offered the perfect place for some uninterrupted solitude as she began reading the two books Anakatrine had selected. She just hadn't figured on Ashleigh coming in so early. 

Truth be told, she had missed the comfort she'd always found in the bookstore. As a vampire, her appearance no longer aged so being there daily had no longer been an option. It had been almost 15 years since her last visit. The running of the shop had been handed over to the pack, with different members rotating every few years to keep suspicion to a minimum. Ashleigh had taken the first five, and had just recently resumed that role again. Her youthful appearance meant she could pass as a younger relative if need be, but so far none of the patrons had appeared to notice anything unusual. 

Rhianna knew that they would have to sell the place soon. The mere thought of it broke her heart, but keeping their secret was more important. She knew it would break Ashleigh's too, and that was the reason the younger woman had asked to be the final manager. The blonde wolf had come to find the same inner peace in the bookstore as she did. It had helped her cope with the loss of her family, and it appeared to be a safe haven for her as she struggled with her current dilemma.

Rhianna hadn't realised just how much she'd missed her sanctuary until she'd seen Anakatrine's library. It was only then she'd realised that she shared the same love of books as the vampire Queen. Anakatrine had owned an extensive library. Rhianna had chosen to open a bookstore when she'd first lost Rafe. The synchronicity wasn't lost on her, nor was the feeling that a sense of closure hung in the air. She didn't want to think of that at the moment though, and was glad when her friend spoke.

"I couldn't sleep," Ashleigh sighed, running a hand through her wispy, blond hair. Dark, black circles shadowed her eyes and her face was etched with a deep frown. It was clear that she was struggling with the torrent of recent events. 

"Same here." Rhianna picked up an empty coffee cup from the table in front of her as she rose from her seat. "Coffee?"

Ashleigh nodded, her expression softening as she sat down on the sofa. Her eyes unconsciously scanned over the snug area of the bookstore where patrons could sip coffee while sitting on comfortable seats to read. It was her favourite part of the shop. Floor to ceiling bookcases separated it from the main part of the store, offering a semblance of privacy. She sat here often when she had things on her mind. "Have you seen Rafe yet?"

"I called him last night and let him know I was home. I had some things to do before I headed over, some research that may help us." Rhianna returned with the coffees and set them down on the table. She took a seat next to her friend, her expression sympathetic. "Rafe told me you're having a hard time with what's been happening. Do you want to talk about it? I imagine you may have some things you would like to say to me personally, as I played such a large part in what occurred up at the Praetorian Compound." Her tone was soft and encouraging; she realized that the emotions her friend was experiencing were in stark contrast to her normally sunny disposition, and therefore, part of her struggle.

There was a long silence as Ashleigh appeared to try to verbalise what was running through her mind before she sighed and ran a hand through her hair again. "I've often wondered how you do what you do and make it seem so easy, Annie. I don't think any of us have ever realised how hard it is for you...not until now. I think I can understand a little, because I am so torn with everything that's happened."

She turned haunted brown eyes to the vampire. "Part of me was so angry that you didn't allow Caleb to kill Thereasa, though I knew you must have had a reason for it and it would have hurt Liam to his very core. I know  that's wrong, but I still had those feelings. I've been working on understanding—or trying to—but it's been hard having that woman in my home with Liam claiming her as his mate. I want Liam to be happy, but not with her ."

Ashleigh swallowed hard and reached for her coffee, needing something to occupy her hands. "Annie, to have such hatred for that woman in my heart, knowing that I'm hurting my son, is ripping me apart. I don't know how to reconcile all these conflicting emotions. I want to be there for Liam, yet I find myself pushing him further away. I can't bear the thought of losing him, but I can't find it in my heart to forgive Reasa either."

The self-loathing evident in Ashleigh's voice weighed heavily on Rhianna. She stood up and took a few steps away, before pacing back towards the sofa, her heart filled with empathy for her friend. "I don't always understand why Anakatrine chooses to do what she does. I just know she has a reason for it and I have to have faith in her. There is no denying that Thereasa has made mistakes, some truly appalling ones, but there is  good within her."

Kneeling before Ashleigh, Rhianna gently removed the cup from her hands so she could hold them tightly. "You know it's natural to have these feelings, Ash. You almost lost your son and there is nothing stronger than a mother's love for her child. You should spend less time beating yourself up for feeling this way and accept that it's okay to be human."

"I've tried, Annie. I've tried so hard, but I can't see anything beyond the fact that she came here to murder my son." 

Ashleigh's confession was full of misery. It was heart-rending to hear the conflict, the raw pain in her voice. "Stop and think of who you are...what you are, honey. You are pack and you are wolf. The mating instinct is a part of you; it shapes you personally and it shapes every Were in existence. The Vârcolac follow that same mating instinct. For Liam's wolf to choose Thereasa means there is something worth choosing. She completes him, Ash. He needs her to help him with his empathic abilities and she needs him, too."

Rhianna reached up to cup her cheek soothingly. "You found it in your heart to accept Freya—and Thereasa isn't all that different from her. You welcomed Freya into your life for Nors' sake and you saw how his love, and Dayton's, was able to free her goodness. Your capacity to love and feel compassion is what makes you so unique, Ashleigh Bryant. You passed down that same love and compassion to your son. Trust in Liam. He knows what is right for him, just as much as Day did when he finally stopped resisting Freya. Thereasa will save three souls; Liam will save so many more with her at his side."

Her cryptic words were intended to create curiosity and they succeeded. Ashleigh's troubled expression turned quizzical, her head tilting to the side. "What do you mean?"

Rhianna smiled, quickly mulling over the pros and cons before she spoke again. "Honestly, I shouldn't really say anything, because this hasn't been discussed with anyone yet. Caleb and Gard know bits and pieces, but maybe this is something you need to know more than everyone else does right now. Perhaps this information will help you as much as it will Liam and Reasa."

Sitting beside her, she leaned over to retrieve the book she'd set aside earlier. It was old and leather bound, and she stroked it gently as she considered her next words. "Liam's abilities, his empathy, are like nothing we've encountered before. Oh, I know Anakatrine's magical power seems limitless, but it appears her role is one of guidance for now. She is content to step in, but only when she feels there is no other option. While I was away I dreamed, Ash, and in those dreams I discovered that the vampire Queen had hidden away some of her library, hoping to transport those irreplaceable books to the future, to our time."

The other woman regarded her with a confused expression. "Why would she do that?"

"Ana was always looking toward the future; she realised, so long ago, that there would come a time when we would need to unlock the knowledge bound between their pages." Rhianna sighed softly, still stroking the book on her knee. "Gard has been the custodian of the books since the deaths of the King and Queen. He has recreated a portion of the library to store them, and he took me there recently. This book, Ash...I've been reading it for a couple of hours now. I can just feel that it will help Liam and so many others."

Ashleigh was peering down at the book, her full attention riveted to what her friend was saying. If something could help her son, she wanted to know about it. "I can't read the title. What language is that?"

Rhianna smiled, staring off into the distance for a moment, as if reliving a memory. "It didn't occur to me that no one would be able to read them. Caleb and I can read them easily, but I assume that was most likely due to Anakatrine and Callain's memories. The books were translated into the modern tongue of each era, as the ages passed. I believe this text is a version of Hattic and the title translates to Soul Searching."

"Soul Searching?"

"I couldn't understand why Ana picked this book out when I left the selection to her, but I'm beginning to now." Rhianna's expression held more than a hint of excitement; she was unable to keep it from her voice. "Ashleigh, the vampire race has changed so much over the millennia. From what I can understand—long before Anakatrine was born—they were more of a cerebral race. They had a range of mental powers that have long since been forgotten."

"But they still have some of those powers," her friend countered. "I know nobody really uses them for anything specific, but can't Alexei mask his scent? Andrei...he can conceal when he is lying. There are other vampires who can spot deception, aren't there? There must be other skills available too?"

Rhianna nodded, conceding the point. "There are still those who have managed to retain some of their enhanced mental abilities, but they pale in comparison to what the books tell us we once were capable of mastering. It's as if we've regressed to the point that those powers seem...useless."

She turned to face her friend, her lavender eyes aglow with excitement. "Don't you see, Ash? Liam's gift isn't a new one; it's an old one that has been given back to us." She let that thought sink in as she watched the small blonde's eyes widen in shock.

"His particular skill was a rarity, even back then, but it was one of the most powerful ones in existence. Empathy was predominately used as a counselling tool to help others, but there were those who viewed it as a very dangerous weapon. An elite group of Elders and Ancients existed who had the talent to Dream Walk...well according to the book there were."

"What's that?" Ashleigh queried in a hushed tone. The tiniest spark of hope ignited inside her as she continued. "If this book could somehow help Liam...maybe he won't have to suffer anymore."

"From what I've read so far, a dream walker can enter a mind and travel within another person's sub consciousness, their dreams, on the psychic plane. I hadn't read much beyond that point before you arrived, but the applications could be limitless. We know Reasa has strong empathic powers. There has to be others out there who share this ability. Maybe this method could be used to help the injured vampires at the Praetorian compound?"

Ashleigh's mind whirled as a burst of chaotic thoughts rushed through her head. Her heart picked up a beat and there was hope in her eyes as she looked at Rhianna. "Reasa's the only one who can calm Liam and help him shield when he has an episode. If she can teach him her skills, it will help to calm his mind. Together, you're thinking they will able to do this dream walking thing?"

Rhianna smiled widely, nodding as her friend grasped the importance of the situation. "Maybe they could, Ashleigh. They may have the potential to wake up the Praetorians—or at least allow us to know if there is any hope for them."

Ashleigh rose and paced over to the window to look out into the street. She was both excited and confused by what she'd learned. If what Rhianna said was true, it would be difficult to deny that Liam may actually need Reasa's help. Also, she couldn't ignore that Freya had done some reprehensible things in her past; in spite of that fact, she had come to love her sister with all her heart. Forgiveness wasn't an easy concept for her to consider, but she'd already lost so many that were dear to her heart.

Liam needed Ashleigh as well as Reasa, more now than he'd ever needed her before. Was it such a leap of faith to step back and consider that maybe Reasa had to use her empathy adversely just to survive over in Europe? What did she really know about Thereasa's life and what she had endured till now? She'd made no attempt to find out what motivated the former vampire. Annie was right, it was time to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.

Turning slowly, she stared at the petite redhead sitting on the sofa watching her in silence. Annie had risked everything for what was right. She was the bravest person Ashleigh had ever met, and that had nothing to do with the soul of the vampire Queen that lived within her. It was time for Ashleigh to be just as brave, and just as determined to do the right thing.

A soft smile crossed her face and she nodded her head. "What can I do to help, Annie?"

*****

Rhianna and Ashleigh headed over to the pack compound once Rowan showed up at the bookstore. Aaron and Jen's daughter liked helping out on a part-time basis while she was finishing off another degree at the university. The latest venture was in teaching; the first one had been in computer science. Though she enjoyed all things computer related, she'd realised that wasn't the type of career she wanted. She appeared much happier since she switched paths, and enjoyed helping out with the children's story time session at the bookstore.

As Rhianna pulled up outside her brother's house, she wasn't surprised to see him waiting in the doorway. It was as if he had known she was on her way over, and it made her lips quirk in a small smile to see him standing there. 

He strode to the car and had the door open even before she'd managed to take off her seatbelt. "Are you okay?"

"Rafe, I told you last night I was fine." She laughed as she was scooped up in a big bear hug, and returned his embrace with as much fervour. It never seemed to matter to him that she was a vampire and technically stronger than he was. She would always be his baby sister to protect. "You worry too much."

"That's my job," he answered with a lop-sided grin, turning to greet Ashleigh as she joined them. "I thought you were working at the bookstore today."

"I was, but Annie had some important things to discuss that affect Liam. Rowan is taking care of the shop for the time being."

Rafe turned a quizzical gaze on his sister who gave him one of her enigmatic smiles. "All in good time," she grinned. "Caleb's on his way over, so I want to wait for him. However, you can tell me how you managed to get your mate pregnant again without me knowing about it." There was laughter in her voice which prompted a wide grin to spread over her brother's face.

"I really need to tell you the facts of life? Thought you and Caleb had that one nailed down already, but if you need some pointers..."

"He's been insufferable since we found out the babies are okay," Lacey laughed, as she proceeded out of the house to give her sister a big hug. There was more than a hint of amusement in her voice as she looked at her smug mate. "He's been strutting around like a proud peacock."

Her teasing had the Alpha grinning as he gathered her to his side and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "Don't let her fool you, Annie. She's been lapping up all the attention the pack's been giving her, too."

The happiness exuding from the couple was warm and soothing. Rhianna's answering smile was full of love as she gave each of them another quick hug. This was her family; when they were happy, she was happy. Things could have gone so much differently, and she was relieved that everything was okay.

"I need to head over to lessons, so I'll catch up with you later." Lacey disentangled herself from them and disappeared into the community hall, leaving the others to head into the Alpha's study.

"Nors is over at the new warehouse preparing it for Monday's opening," Rafe said as he ordered coffee and breakfast to be brought to his study and sat down in the armchair beside the fireplace. "Do we need him here?"

A lot of the older businesses were being shut down or changing hands. The pack and the vampires were consolidating their finances and redistributing them into new ventures. Immortality and longevity were all well and good, but living longer required them to reinvest and reinvent themselves every so often.

"Ashleigh can fill him in later or if we need him, we can give him a call to come home." 

Rhianna was interrupted briefly when Lily knocked on the door and entered the study. She was carrying a laden tray and the Alpha immediately rose to take it from her. "You shouldn't be carrying this in your condition." There was disapproval in his tone, but also a trace of pride. He knew his errant pack member wasn't required to do breakfast duties, but she was there every morning, usually before the other pack members' were awake.

"I'm pregnant, Rafe, not sick." The Vârcolac laughed, though her pleased smile let everyone know that his concern for her well-being was appreciated. 

"You're wasting your breath there," Annie chuckled as she rose to give the younger woman a hug. Her eyes travelled over her face with intent before she smiled again, clearly pleased with what she saw. "Impending motherhood suits you."

"We'll revisit that in another month or so when I suddenly balloon out to the size of a house," Lily quipped as she turned and left the room, passing Caleb on his way in.

"Are you trying to irritate me?" the vampire grumbled as he headed straight for his mate and wrapped her up in his arms. "You're not even home for twenty-four hours and I wake up to find myself alone in our bed."

Rhianna laughed at his peeved tone and cuddled closer to ease his separation anxiety. It was going to take her a while to alleviate her mate's distress when she wasn't at his side. She would have to put up with it until he was once again convinced he wasn't about to lose her. "You needed the rest and I couldn't sleep because of what we've discovered. I was only at the bookstore, Caleb. Not that far away."





Tears of the Fallen Ch. 11



"Does someone want to tell me what you've discovered, and why we're gathered here?" Rafe's droll tone had everyone turning to look at him and it was Caleb who replied.

"I think your guess is as good as mine. When I went to bed, very little had really been discovered; however from Annie's expression, it appears she knows something more?" Caleb phrased it as a question, moving to sit down and help himself to some coffee. He poured a cup for his mate.

As Rafe and Ashleigh grabbed some food, Rhianna quickly apprised her brother of Anakatrine's rediscovered library and the books they hoped would help them deal with the European threat. The alpha's expression turned incredulous the more information she imparted.

"Dream Walking?" Caleb echoed, when his mate got to that part of her discovery. He felt a bubble of hope well up inside at the mere possibility of help for the injured vampires.

"I think Liam and Reasa should have this." Rhianna patted the leather-bound book on the coffee table where she'd placed it when she'd arrived. "I'll have to use a spell to translate the text into English so they can read it, but that shouldn't be hard. They are the ones who know most about their abilities. It makes sense that they would be the logical choices to read it through and determine what they can or cannot do."

"You're forgetting one little thing, Annie. Reasa is our prisoner, whether she is Liam's mate or not. No one knows what kind of harm she could cause with this new knowledge. From what I understand, you didn't strip her empathic abilities when you took her immortality." There was a healthy dose of caution in Rafe's tone as he frowned at the thought. He didn't even blink at the fact she was going to employ magic to perform the translation.

His sister frowned too, pursing her lips as she regarded him. "Yes, she needs to be watched. I'm not disputing that fact; but how is she ever supposed to integrate with the pack if she continues to feel like an outsider, Rafe? Reasa has a strong affinity for vampires even though she's no longer one. Providing her with the opportunity to help the casualties at the Praetorian Compound will give her a purpose. That's something she is clearly lacking right now. It will also give her the chance to work with Liam and get to know him as a person. It's a calculated risk in my opinion."

"She's already contacted someone outside the pack," Ashleigh countered. "We don't know the consequences of that yet. If Reasa can move around more freely, won't that grant her the potential to place Liam in harm's way? What if someone comes to rescue her?"

"I think we can all agree that Liam doesn't need any protecting," Caleb sighed, giving the younger woman a rueful smile. "On the contrary it's the rest of us who need protection from him. I'm in agreement with Annie. We always use the tools that fit the job, and this empathy thing is what Liam and Reasa do best."

Rafe nodded. Since the issue at Freya's, he had been reassessing what was best for the pack; it was clear to him that separating Liam and Reasa would only lead to another episode. He in no way trusted the former vampire, but it was hard to dispute Annie's reasoning. They would have to ensure that Reasa was closely monitored. That would mean putting their stronger-willed personnel on the task, and relying on Liam to retain enough pack loyalty to back them up if she proved stronger than anticipated. He'd already considered allowing them to go up to the Praetorian Compound.

"Fine, it's agreed then. Liam and Reasa will research the book. They'll also be permitted to go up to the Praetorian compound to see if they can be of any assistance. I want a Vârcolac presence around them though, just to ensure Reasa can't manipulate any vulnerable minds to attempt escape."

"Lily could be excused from kitchen duties," Rhianna suggested. "She will want to be there for Brandon in case he wakes. Kallum will also want to be present, as he's partial to the Praetorians. We could send Elina and Kothari too?"

"I'm agreeable to that," Rafe confirmed with another nod of his head. "I doubt any of the Vârcolac will have an issue with helping out."

They talked a little longer, finishing breakfast as they discussed the best timing for the trip to the Praetorian compound. Despite some concerns, there was an air of excitement in the room. Things appeared to be moving, swinging in favour of the pack-vampire alliance. Whoever it was in Europe that had orchestrated the current conflict had no idea the consequences those actions were about to unleash.

*****

The sound of shattered glass startled Cassia. Her head shot up, an annoyed scowl on her face as the sound dragged her away from the lab results she was perusing. One of the teenagers helping out in the lab was staring at the door, and whatever she'd been carrying was lying broken at her feet. The Vârcolac hoped it wasn't anything important that would set them back in their testing. She was about to speak when her wolf growled. Turning her head, it was all she could do to keep her face expressionless as she caught sight and scent of what had startled the youngster.

"Pietro, can I help you?" Mallen was already crossing the room towards the doorway where the vampire stood, looking around the laboratory with open curiosity on his face.

There was barely an inch of exposed skin in view, which was probably what had startled the girl when she'd turned around. Dressed entirely in black—a long coat, fedora hat, and matching sunglasses—Pietro looked like something out of a bad vampire movie. For a moment, all Cassia could do was stare as the urge to laugh bubbled up inside her. She dampened it down though, and chose instead to analyse what it meant for the reclusive vampire to have left his sanctuary. 

"I would like a word with Cassia," Pietro answered, the dark glasses turning in her direction. 

She could feel the heat in his gaze, and a slow shiver ran down her spine at the sound of his voice. How could something so simple sound so decadent? Was this how all mates felt towards each other? Her reaction to Pietro since that moment at the lake had intensified, to say the least. It mildly disconcerted her, even as she found herself incredibly excited by it.

Cassia smoothed a wayward curl as she rose from her seat and nodded to the pack doctor. "I'll be back soon." While she didn't really have the time to spare from her work, she couldn't refuse Pietro if he'd come looking for her.

Following him from the lab, she could hear Mallen talking to the girl about the failed experiment she'd dropped, his tone kind though instructive. She easily tuned him out, her attention fully on the vampire in front of her.

Stepping into the morning sunshine, Cassia freed her hair from the clasp at the nape of her neck and gave her head a shake. She was aware of Pietro watching her, a half smile curving his bottom lip.

"You look like a puppy when you do that."

"And you look like something out of a bad horror movie." The words came out with a hint of amusement, laced with a little annoyance. His alluding to her youth rankled a bit, but not enough to dent the excitement that he'd come looking for her. Cassia waited patiently for his reaction, wondering if she'd said the wrong thing and if he'd retreat again. When his lips curled more, she knew she would have seen humour in his eyes if he wasn't wearing glasses. 

Pietro's gaze drifted down to look at himself. His smile turned into a lopsided grin so unexpected and endearing, that for a moment she forgot how to breathe. "I guess I do at that," he agreed, taking off the glasses and hat, and letting his hands drop to his sides. "I've never seen you in wolf form."

His response was not what she'd expected and she blinked at him in puzzlement. Where the hell had that come from, and what had he meant by it? She couldn't read anything from his expression and was starting to feel so off balance that she needed to get some kind of control over the situation. 

Cassia opted to be practical and ignore his last comment. "Pietro, why did you want to talk to me?" Her tone held more confusion than anything, until a thought suddenly struck her and her voice turned to a whisper. "Are you hungry?" 

He stiffened slightly; it was his turn to be surprised. For the space of a few heartbeats, they stared at each other and it was clear they were both reliving the moment by the lake. "No, I fed earlier before I came out," Pietro finally replied, a flicker of something mysterious that she couldn't quite decipher in his eyes. 

His lips quirked again and he shrugged. "I have cabin fever. I wanted to go for a run and thought you might like to accompany me in case I get into any trouble. I haven't exerted myself since Europe. I have no idea what I am or am not capable of right now."

She could appreciate how difficult it must be for a vampire of his age to acknowledge being doubtful of his own strength. His admission surprised her; his decision to come to her for support made her wolf sit up and pay close attention.

Perhaps some time with Pietro is exactly what her wolf needed. It might help settle the animal down, one way or another. Cassia couldn't really afford the time away from her experiments, but she couldn't refuse him either; especially not after he sought her out on his own volition. She wanted to run with him...she couldn't deny that.

Making up her mind, she gave him a quick smile. "Catch me if you can." She shifted to wolf form a split second after she had spoken, her glossy golden fur rippling with brown accents as it shimmered under the morning sunshine. She chuffed at the vampire before sprinting off into the forest. 

Cassia ran. The feel of the early morning breeze ruffling her fur, the morning dew dampening her paws was...heavenly. It had been a while since she'd taken some time out to be in wolf form and she had forgotten how much she missed it. The wolf could hear Pietro's pursuit and she howled in delight, completely determined to outwit the male chasing her.

She gracefully sailed over a fallen log as she wove deeper into the forest, searching for dense thickets to slow his advance. The vampire was very agile, almost soundless in his movements. To his credit, he was nearly undetectable as he stalked through the trees. Unfortunately for him, she was not a normal vampire or Were; her ultra-enhanced hearing easily tracked his movements.

The wolf halted, puzzled. Its hybrid mind clearly registered the vampire heading in the opposite direction. Where the hell was he going? Cassia was sure he knew exactly which way she'd gone, and yet he'd veered away from her. It didn't make sense. She turned to follow him when suddenly all sound and scent of him vanished.

Panic welled up inside the Vârcolac as Pietro disappeared off of her radar. She burst out of the copse running full speed towards his last known position. Had he fallen and hurt himself? Had his weakened body betrayed him and caused him to pass out somewhere? She had to find him, had to make sure he was okay...

The wolf howled in outrage as the vampire dropped from above them and landed square on its back. Pietro took her down to the ground in one swift move, his unyielding arms of steel covering her completely. One large hand had an iron grip on the scruff of her neck, pinning her head to the forest floor. In wolf terms, he held her steadfast in the submissive position. She had no option but to yield defeat.

"Sneaky bastard."

It was considered rude to speak telepathically with someone who couldn't respond back in kind, but the mental words exploded from her wolf form unbidden. She'd meant to think it not project it, but the slow rumble of laughter which erupted from the vampire told her she'd done just that.

"Yes, I am, Cassia, though a more polite term would have been adaptable." He didn't release his hold or shift his position, even though the wolf's body language made it clear that his dominance had been established. "It's always good to know both your opponent's strengths and your own weaknesses. That way, you can make plans to beat them accordingly. We both knew there was no hope in hell of me ever catching your wolf in a straight contest. I adapted the circumstances to fit my needs." 

His hand softened on the nape of her neck and long fingers burrowed into her fur, slowly stroking through the golden mane. "Your wolf is beautiful; its fur is so sleek and soft, its muscles strong and powerful. Stay where you are, Cassia: let me know your wolf."

She couldn't have shifted if she wanted to. Her wolf liked the feel of his hands on its body, so much so, it was trying to purr! She lay there, allowing his hands to flow down her back, a slow heat building in both woman and wolf. 

"Pietro..."

She'd projected again, her hind legs tensing as he trailed lower. It was too much for Cassia and she shifted form, gasping aloud as his hands flowed over her jean-clad bottom and down the back of her thighs.

Pietro moved back over her, covering her body once more, pressing his rock hard erection against her bottom as he raised her hands out straight above her head. His breath whispered against her ear as his tongue snaked out and took a leisurely swipe against her lobe. "Stay where you are, Cassia."

There was no mistaking the blatant demand in his tone, but she was feeling so weak limbed from his gentle stroking that it never crossed her mind to object to it. She was eager to see what he would do next.

Pietro stroked his fingers lightly down her side, before bunching up the material of her shirt in order to touch her skin. Cassia shuddered at the first touch of his fingers, as an electrifying tremor coursed through her body. How could something so delicate cause such an instant reaction? Her arousal was almost at fever pitch already, and he'd barely touched her.

"I lied when I said I wasn't hungry, Cassia. I'm ravenous—not only to taste your blood once more—but to taste all of you. I yearn for the touch of your skin, for the taste of you in my mouth and the feel of you wrapped around my cock. If you don't want this, then say so now; it will be too late if you allow me to proceed further."

Was he really asking her if she wanted this? Every nerve ending in her body was on fire from a simple touch. He had to be able to scent her instant arousal and know what he was doing to her. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out; her answer, instead, was to wriggle her bottom against his erection. The movement dragged a harsh hiss from his lips and a nip of his teeth against her earlobe.

"So be it, Niña," he growled, as his tongue snaked down her neck. His teeth snapped the fragile strap which held her top to her shoulder. Hot lips travelled to the end of her shoulder and then back again, until he was at the sweet juncture of her neck. Pietro licked the spot roughly, eliciting a deep moan. His hand slid under her body to yank at the button on her jeans.

The zip rasped down and his large hand burrowed under her panties to cup her mound at the same moment his fangs sliced the delicate skin of her neck. Cassia cried out, her body arching helplessly into his hand. He was pulling deeply at her life's essence, the incessant tugging sensation causing an answering spasm between her thighs. Three thick fingers found her opening and plunged deep into her body, the heel of his hand massaging the tiny bundle of nerves, intensifying her pleasure.

Pietro stoked into her in time to his suckling at her neck, rubbing against her relentlessly as he savoured the sweetness of her blood as well as her sexual hunger. Sensations overwhelmed Cassia, her need so hot and heavy she was crying out incoherently, her hips grinding as she tried to force the pace of his movements.

Her abandonment made his cock pulse with a heady desire, as his fingers demanded access, demanded the wanton response she seemed unable to control. Pietro took his time, refusing to give in to her muttered pleas for more, teasing her with slow, hard thrusts, taking a moment to graze her sweet spot and make her cry out. 

It was the sexiest sound he'd ever heard and the sexist sight he had ever seen. A sense of male pride flushed through him as his beautiful blonde wolf gave her body to him to do with as he pleased. Cassia shuddered wildly as she pulsed with pure pleasure, liquid fire running through her veins. It was enough to fracture Pietro's tenuous control. He pressed into her hard, sending her tumbling over into her climax, continuing to suckle at her neck as she shuddered in his arms.

Reluctantly, Pietro eased his fangs from Cassia's flesh and lapped at the stray rivulets of blood that covered her sweet skin. His fingers remained buried inside her body, her scalding heat embracing his hand. He didn't ever want to move his hand from her. She felt so perfect gripping him. 

As had happened when he'd lain with women in the past, a sense of possessiveness welled up within him. Only this time, it was stronger than anything he had ever experienced before. This time he wanted to beat his chest and scream MINE so everyone knew that this exquisite creature belonged to him. She was his—to touch, tease and make love to—whenever he so desired.

His body ached to be inside her, to be buried in the wet heat that bathed his fingers. He had sated a hunger he hadn't even known he was feeling. Now he wanted to satisfy the hunger that had compelled him to leave Andrei's home and seek out the stunning blonde wolf lying beneath him.

He knew he shouldn't touch her. He'd tried to resist her charms, but that fateful moment by the lake had rendered his defeat inevitable. Since the moment he'd first tasted her sweet essence, when she'd shattered so beautifully for him, his cock had been rock hard. He wanted—no, needed—to be sheathed as deeply as possible within her. His lust dominated everything. He would take her here and now, riding her beautiful body hard as he tasted her sweetness. He would worry about the consequences of their actions later. For the moment, all that mattered was claiming Cassia, and loving her so thoroughly that any other man would pale in comparison to what he could give her.

"Stay there," he growled, taking his time to slide his fingers from her body, giving in to the need to suck on them and flood his mouth with the flavour of her passion. She tasted so good, sweet and musky at the same time. Licking his fingers clean, Pietro stood up, a half smile on his lips as Cassia obeyed his command. He had no doubt this was a strange experience for her, but one she seemed willing to try.

There was too much spark to the wolf to be a true submissive. While compassion and maternal emotions ran deep in Cassia, there was a soldier within too; a warrior who would go toe to toe with any threat to her pack. No, she wasn't submissive, but she acquiesced because she knew it would bring him pleasure. 

That realization made his heart thump hard in his chest and his body pulse with a deep need, something he couldn't ever remember experiencing before. He had to have her and it had to be now. Stripping off his clothes quickly, he knelt back down and lengthened his talons so he could cut the denim from her body. Salvaging her clothing was irrelevant; his impatience wouldn't allow for it, and he knew she could summon new clothes if needed.

Pietro ached to touch every inch of her perfect skin and he did just that, slowly tracing the back of her calves all the way up to her inner thighs. His mouth followed his fingers, licking and tasting each savoury inch. A low rumble resonated from his chest as his ministrations encouraged the sexist of sounds from Cassia's lips. He glanced up to see her fingers buried in the grass beneath them, as if she was holding on for dear life. Despite having come once already, there was no mistaking her body's responses; she was ready for more. 




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 11



He was ready, as well: ready to sheathe himself deep within her, to stroke her to another mind-numbing orgasm, and to join her in her ecstasy. Yet, he wanted so much more than just a quick fuck; she was worth so much more. Sitting back on his heels, Pietro pulled at Cassia's hips until she was on her hands and knees. A long, black tendril of his hair tickled her skin as he leaned forward and ran his tongue slowly up her spine.

She shivered and moaned, making his cock flex at the sound. He licked up her spine again and again, taking a moment to nip with his teeth, which sent her into a frenzy of movement. Her skin looked so delicate, but he knew her heritage made her a thousand times stronger than he was, even when he was in full health. Cassia was Vârcolac: both vampire and wolf. She had a feisty lust that made her the most alluring woman he had ever lain with.

"Stand up, Niña, I want to see you."

Cassia rose to his bidding, turning around slowly to give him a complete view of her naked form. Pietro gulped through the pain in his chest, a pain that was there because he quite literally couldn't breathe for a moment. She was truly exquisite, standing before him in all of her nakedness. Her swollen breasts and dusky pink nipples, now hardened with desire, begged for his touch. She had beautiful curves in all the right places, her hips rounding into sleek, muscled thighs that rippled with strength—the power of her wolf clearly evident.

His gaze travelled to the juncture of her thighs, to that hot, tight place where his fingers had been buried only a short while ago. She trimmed her sex until there was but a whisper of downy blonde curls covering her secrets, curls that were damp and glistening from her earlier climax.

Glancing up, he met her gaze and saw the smokiness of desire in her light blue eyes. Her unruly locks were a tumbling mass of disarray framing her face, and her lips were so pouty, as if he'd kissed her senseless. He didn't know which turned him on the most; the sight of her naked form or the passion still lingering on her beautiful face. All he knew was he had to taste her, had to feel her gripping his cock as he rode them both to completion. 

Pietro push her back a few steps until she was pinned against a large Ash tree. Moving on his knees, he slid his hands slowly up her legs until his thumbs rested a bare inch from her sex. He inhaled deeply, breathing in her heady scent; it was a perfect blend of raw desire and that unique scent that was Cassia Romanov. Silently, he eased apart her legs, baring her most vulnerable area to his gaze.

She was simply stunning; her body hot and wet, so eager for his touch. He couldn't deny himself any longer. He buried his head between her thighs and laved his tongue roughly against her sex to drink in the sweet nectar she offered. Her juices were even sweeter when he drank directly from her body than when he'd licked them from his fingers. As he lapped against her, her shrill cries stoked his own need, and his touch grew increasingly wild.

Pietro feasted on her body like a starving man, as he fought to keep his fangs from elongating. He wanted to taste her blood again, to nip at her delicate skin, to feed from the very heart of what made her a woman. He struggled for control, and concentrated all of his energy on giving her the pleasure she deserved. Her hands fisted tightly in his hair and she held him to her aching core, grinding herself against his mouth and tongue.

"Please, Pietro..."

He had no idea what she was asking for but the sound of her voice and the feel of her hands shattered the last ounce of his self-control. His fangs dropped and he pierced her most vulnerable place, pulling and licking ravenously as her blood and juices flowed into his eager mouth. Cassia screamed as tremors of another climax coursed through her, flooding his mouth with her pleasure. He suckled even harder as she shuddered wildly, his mind consumed by a burning haze. It took all of his control to remove his fangs from her body, his tongue refusing to stop its broad sweeps against her succulent flesh as he drank in everything she had to give him.

His vampiric nature wrested control from him as he rose up sharply; his human half was forgotten as he hooked his arms beneath Cassia's thighs and lifted her from the forest floor. With a loud roar, Pietro buried his cock deep into her waiting body. Pressing her against the tree trunk, he allowed his own beast to answer the blonde wolf's challenge and stamp his dominance upon her.

Her hot, tight sheathe gripped him like a glove, squeezing him painfully hard despite the juices he had tempted from her body on two occasions already. He was impressively endowed; his cock long and thick, and sometimes, a bit much for human women to withstand. Cassia accepted all of him, crying out as he rolled his hips to thrust back inside her again.

She was perfection, her body made for his, her lust matching his as no other woman ever had. Pietro took her hard and fast, watching the pleasure ripple across her exquisite features, his gaze drawn to her beautiful breasts bouncing as he rocked into her. He had to claim that flesh too, had to know every delicious inch of his woman and her wolf. He thrust in deeply and held himself rigid inside her as he sucked a hardened peak into his eager mouth.

He suckled, his touch rough and demanding. There was no gentleness in this coming together; there was only wild passion and deep need. He was ruthless as his teeth scraped her nipple, and she cried out loudly. "More!"

He bit gently and then a little harder, laving her nipple with his tongue to soothe the ache he'd caused. She whimpered and begged him for more, her cries breathy as she bathed his cock with her juices. Pietro kissed across her chest, rolling his hips into her as he did, catching the other nipple and biting and suckling it as he had the first. Each time he thrust deep and used his teeth on her, his wolf raked her nails down his back, inciting him for more.

No woman had ever called out his beast the way Cassia did. Usually he had to rein in that part of himself with most of his female partners; with Cassia he knew he could let go—give in to the searing passion within—and he did. Pietro was relentless as he slammed into her repeatedly, his hands hard against her back, his mouth rough against her skin. He was out of control, and he knew it. He also knew he couldn't hurt her, that her passion, her desires mirrored his one hundred percent.

"Oh God, Pietro. I'm going to come again." Cassia cried out the words in a hoarse voice and it was enough to snap the last of his self-control. Thrusting hard and fast, he ground his lips against hers, their tongues duelling as he pushed her that last distance. She was crying out into his mouth, her body rippling around his rock hard cock, pushing him over the edge too.

Pietro threw his head back and bellowed into the morning air as every nerve ending in his body danced with fire and he emptied his seed into Cassia's hot body. She was still crying out, still shuddering and bathing his cock with her come as another rope of his seed pulsed within her, and another and another. He thought it would never end, the wonderful euphoria of being in her arms, his body shaking with each powerful eruption. His knees trembled and gave way, and he sank to the forest floor with Cassia still firmly embedded on his cock, her arms thrown around his neck.

"Fuck!" The word panted out on a shaky breath, his chest heaving as he held his wolf close. He could feel her heart hammering against his body as he held her tight, her head buried against the crook of his neck. "Niña, are you okay?"

Cassia giggled and drew in a deep breath before she giggled again, almost choking on her laughter. "I don't think I'll ever be okay again. That was...that was...there are just no words for it."

Her words brought a deep rumble from his chest, his ego basking in the sound of her breathy voice as much as her words. Weres were very sexual by nature, and to leave her this shaken was a testament to his prowess. The ecstasy he'd just experienced surpassed anything he'd ever known, and he was glad to know it was mutual. She deserved nothing but the best...and if that meant he had to make love to her himself, then so be it.

"It certainly was earth-shattering, Niña," he chuckled, his hands lightly tracing her back for any damage from the bark of the tree. It was smooth and silky soft, and he knew he was foolish to check for injury; she would have healed instantly from any scrapes she may have taken. Still, it was in his nature to be a protector, and he couldn't stop himself from checking.

"Are you okay, Pietro? We exerted ourselves a lot, the run before uhm...before..."

"...our lovemaking?" His mismatched eyes shone with humour as he tilted her chin up to read her expression. "Are you shy, Cassia?" His tone echoed the surprise on his face.

She blushed and tried to lower her eyes but he wouldn't let her. "There is nothing to be shy about, Niña. The passion we've shared is perfectly natural and I love that you were so uninhibited and took your pleasure as you gave it so generously. Never be embarrassed about enjoying your sexual needs, pretty wolf. You have a body made for sin...and I took great pleasure in bathing in your wickedness."

"Pietro!" Cassia's laugh was a choked sound as she flushed scarlet and shook her head. "I'm not embarrassed...oh okay, maybe a little bit," she conceded when he raised an eyebrow at her fib. "I'm not normally that...uhm...wild, so it threw me a little."

"I like wild," he growled softly, a wicked smile crossing his face. "I don't just like it, I love it. I can't wait to be wild with you again."

"Pietro!" Cassia laughed harder, burying her head against his shoulder as she tried to catch her breath. The man had the cheek to call her wicked; as if what he'd just done to her wasn't downright outrageous! And she had loved every second of it. She had never felt as alive as when he had ravaged her so sensually. Ravaged was the right word for it, was the only word that truly described the encounter. If her wolf had had any lingering doubt that the vampire was their mate, it was silenced now. Her animal was luxuriating in the strong arms holding them, in the still hard cock pinning them to his body. It had made up its mind and now there were no questions left to be answered. Pietro de la Rios was their mate and they were never letting him go.

"God, I'm still hard, woman. I'm ready to sample wild once more."

She leaned around to kiss him; a long, sensual meeting of their lips as she raised herself up and slid slowly back down his rock hard body. "Your wish is my command..."

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 12



 Tears chapter...Christmas edition :) I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for their support this year and for reading, voting and commenting on my stories. You guys #rock!!

My thanks to Mistress of Shadows and Angel N Disguise for giving up their time to edit for me #hugs

Enjoy! 

*

"You did well, Michael. I am very pleased with this turn of events. Do as the woman has bidden you." 

The voice inside his head was filled with pride, a soothing warmth that made the vampire sit a little straighter in the hard backed chair as the emotions washed over him. It meant everything to him to please his master. His pleasure washed away all other abuses he may have suffered or would come to suffer in his life.

"Should I tell Louis about the call, Master? He is very angry with Thereasa. He will likely send a team over there to assassinate her." 

"Yes, he may just do that."  There was indulgence in the tone, that bordered on amusement. "It is no matter if he does. I think it highly unlikely he will succeed and it will be good opportunity to test their defences. Ensure that you are in any party he may send over, Michael. I will need your eyes and ears." 

More pride flowed down the mental link, causing euphoria to envelop the weaker mind. Michael's mental voice oozed zeal; an obedience so complete the other persona had to dial back the emotions it projected to avoid rendering the vampire useless.

The results were instantaneous, disappointment cutting through some of the euphoria. "Master, have I disappointed you in some way?" 

"On the contrary, Michael, I am particularly pleased with everything that you have achieved. You have endured much in my name. Continue as you are, and I may allow you another taste of that which you crave." 

"Yes, my Master. I will ensure I am your eyes and ears over there. Might I taste before I leave? 

There was so much hope in the words, so much yearning, the stronger mind felt a moment's disgust. He quickly dampened it to avoid detection. "We will discuss it when you return, Michael. Now, do as I bade." 

The other presence vanished, leaving the vampire alone with his thoughts. Michael took a deep breath and turned his head to the side, stretching out with his enhanced senses. He was still alone in the office gym, and the enshrouding silence from the other rooms told him no one from the coven was near. 

It was early morning and the others had yet to surface. He had chosen the time specifically to contact him, relieved to be afforded some time to discuss Thereasa's call before Louis returned from his trip. His leader was due back this morning and Michael was sure he would be able to justify his lack of contact with the volatile French vampire. He could blame it on security concerns...at least, he hoped so.

Louis was a law unto himself most of the time, unpredictable in the extremes. His fury at Reasa's betrayal was a cold burning rage that had everyone treading on eggshells. He had punished Michael on his return, even though he'd carried out the orders he'd been given by both Reasa and his coven leader. Still, it hadn't been enough to dampen Louis' wrath at the fiasco in Edinburgh.

Memories of excruciating agony clouded Michael's thoughts, and he had to bite his lip not to issue a hiss as his most painful lesson sifted through his mind. He pictured red-hot coals, stoked in the furnace until they glowed white; a deep incision slashed down his torso, into which the coals were placed before he was allowed to heal. Oh, how he had screamed as his internal organs burned from the coals; he had healed, regardless, and the process had been repeated so many times that his babbling became incoherent.

All the while Louis had sat on his makeshift throne atop the dais in his audience chamber. The rest of the coven were seated on opposite benches, eagerly watching the punishment being meted out. Michael saw the cold hazel eyes of his leader, felt them boring into him as he lay spread-eagled, naked on the cold tiled floor. He had been bound as uncontrolled screams had been ripped from him, his wrists a bloodied mess as the inquisitor had plied his trade.

"Where is she?"

It had been the only question asked, and it was the one question he had no answer to. His inability to offer up an acceptable response didn't stop it being repeated as his insides melted down from the flames within.

An intense hatred for Thereasa burned in Michael's soul as the memories continued to play out like a broken records. It was her fault he'd been tortured, her fault he had been punished for the fiasco that had happened. He was glad he might be chosen for the mission Louis would most certainly order. He would hunt the traitor down; when he got his hands on her, she would scream...longer, and far louder than he had ever screamed. By the time he was finished with Thereasa, she would yearn for death!

"Now that is an interesting expression, Michael. Pray tell me...just who is it that engenders such hatred in you?"

The colour leeched from the younger male's face at the sound of the voice behind him.

"Louis! I did not hear you arrive home." Michael's voice shook slightly and he had to swallow hard before he turned around. His coven leader was leaning casually against the wall beside the French doors that led out into the garden. 

Louis was one of the closest things the European covens had to an Ancient. No one still living knew his real age. They just knew that if anyone stood a chance of reaching the illustrious two thousand year mark, it would be the barely tame vampire that was waiting for his question to be answered.

His hazel eyes displayed a weary patience; his black, wavy hair brushed the collar of his leather jacket in its inimitable, haphazard style. He looked to be in his late twenties, but his eyes told another story. The hard angles of his face held an austere beauty, the slash of his lips a harbinger to the cruelty that could be summoned at the drop of a hat. Everything about Louis St. Geraint spoke of power, a power that he did nothing to conceal.

His expression hardened further as he struggled to hide his escalating irritation. "I asked you a question, vampire."

His cold tone had Michael swallowing hard again. "Please forgive me, Louis," he stammered. "I was startled at your arrival. I received a telephone call yesterday...from Thereasa. I was thinking of her when you arrived."

The other vampire moved so quickly Michael had no chance to protect himself. Not that he would have been foolish enough to try to, he would never have dreamt of attacking Louis. Michael may have been prepared enough that he could have mitigated some of the damage. As it was, both arms snapped painfully and his spine shattered as Louis pounded him into the opposite wall.

"You didn't think this was something I needed to know immediately?"

*****

Louis's icy tone appeared incongruous with the venom in his expression as his talons dug into Michael's throat and left him gurgling. 

"Answer me!" 

"Uh, Louis, it might be easier for him to answer if you weren't choking the life out of him."

For a second there was only silence and then the coven leader slowly turned to survey the new arrival. "I thought I told you never to come here again." The words were issued in the same cold tone, their warning explicit.

The other male merely smiled, as he ran a hand through his short dark, wavy hair; almost a mirror image of the irate vampire before him. "Maybe you should be thanking me for passing through. That is, if you wish to glean any information from that vampire you're about to decapitate."

His words sank in and Louis swung back around to look at Michael. With an annoyed growl, he let go of him and watched him sink down to the floor in a boneless heap. "What do you want, Dante?"

"Like I said, I was just passing through the area and heard there had been a little excitement recently. I was intrigued when I heard it was your coven, Louis. It's not like you to have problems." 

Dante entered the room fully, ignoring the recovering vampire as he kept his gaze firmly on the Frenchman. It was never wise to take one's eyes off the deadliest predator in the room, and he was certainly no fool. Louis was barely in control, and appeared more volatile than usual. Something was amiss, something he had been sensing for a long time though unable to determine the cause. 

So far, he hadn't been successful in ferreting out anything useful, despite his endless travels. He knew there was a danger out there, something that could bring harm to all of the covens in Europe. As soon as he'd heard talk of trouble in Louis' coven, he'd come back immediately. This was the most stable coven in the area and if it was being affected...the instrument of that disaffection had to be nearby.

"My coven is none of your business. I suggest it remains so; otherwise I may have to reconsider our non-aggression pact, Castillo. You did me a service once in the past. Do not presume that gives you carte blanche to become involved in matters that are none of your concern."

Sitting down behind the desk, Dante levered the chair backwards until it rested against the wall. "Perhaps I can assist you once more? Has that not occurred to you, Louis? I hear you have recently lost one you valued highly. Perhaps I can fill that role for a short time until you find a more permanent replacement?"

At his words, the other vampire stilled completely. There wasn't even an indication he was drawing breath as his eyes darkened to the point of turning feral. "Just what have you heard? "

Righting the chair, Dante turned serious, and allowed his true thoughts to show. "Be calm, my friend. The rumours are not common knowledge...yet. You know that I have a discreet network covering most of Europe. I picked up small snippets here and there and managed to weave them together to form a more complete picture. For the moment, none of the other covens are aware of the dissent within yours, and I came here in an effort to keep it that way."

The Frenchman regarded him intently for a long moment, searching his open expression for any sign of deceit, and then he slowly relaxed and pulled up a chair to sit down. Behind him, the younger male was moving to make himself more comfortable against the wall as his body slowly healed from the damage inflicted.

"You ask for trust, when in the same breath you admit to having spies everywhere. Who are you, Dante, and why do you have such an interest in my coven?"

A low chuckle escaped from Dante's lips unbidden, though his expression clouded. "You know who and what I am, Louis. You have always known that. You just can't understand me, and therefore you search for something that is not there."

Distrust remained in the coven leader's eyes. "You expect me to believe that all you are is a reluctant vampire living his life in constant penance? That your sole intent is to move from coven to coven and help where you deem it necessary?" 

Louis barked out a laugh, devoid of any humour. "Vampires are not altruistic, Castillo. Even those across the water who believe themselves better than us still do what they do for their own benefit. They may try to convince themselves otherwise, but they are lying to themselves. There is no we in vampire. Everything we do is ultimately for our own selfish needs."

"I know you believe that, my friend, which is why I said you do not understand me," Dante sighed, and leaned on the desk, his expression still clouded. "I do not lie to you, Louis. I am who I am; a reluctant vampire."  

He smiled as a glint of humour suddenly danced in his pale brown eyes. "I quite like that. It sounds suitably tragic. However, we digress from the point of my being here. Your coven has lost a high-ranking member, and when I arrived, you were interrogating your subordinate. How may I assist you?"

He waited for his friend to weigh up his options. Louis wasn't a fool and hadn't lived so long by being weak. All through his coven's history he had aligned himself with the strongest of vampires, choosing his allegiances wisely to build up his powerbase The Frenchman was now in the enviable position of having the strongest of covens and had no further need to seek alliances with some of his past cohorts. Maybe he would decide he didn't need Dante's help after all.

The silence stretched out longer and then finally Louis snapped his fingers at the young male. "Come here, Michael."

The blond vampire rose on unsteady feet and painfully made his way closer. "This is Dante Castillo. He takes Thereasa's position until I say otherwise. You will obey him as my second." He didn't wait for any sign of agreement. His entire coven knew better than to question one of his edicts. 

His intent gaze turned back to the new arrival. "So, tell me what you think you know."

A small smile settled across Dante's lips as relief coursed through him. The odds had been fifty/fifty that Louis would accept his help. It was gratifying that he had. He ran an experienced eye over Michael and noted his healing was almost complete, though there was a shadow of fear still lingering in his eyes. 

His gaze swung back to Louis. "It would appear you have drawn the eyes of the Northern American vampires to us. You've garnered the attention of none other than Demetri Bozic, himself, from what I've managed to learn. I'm intrigued as to why you have suddenly decided you want to tangle with Ancients, my friend. It's not like you to be so reckless."

"It was a simple information-gathering exercise which turned sour," Louis growled, his eyes flashing with fury. "I presumed Thereasa could handle the imbeciles I sent with her, but she failed and it got out of hand. There was never any intention to tangle with the Ancients. The coven leaders merely wanted to know what was happening with the mixed matings and their offspring. Michael here, and the recently departed Bruce, became overly zealous in their task. Reasa was supposed to clean up the mess, but it appears she found her own fervour unexpectedly and decided to take matters into her own hands."

He snapped his fingers at the younger male. "Speak."

Michael swallowed hard in fear and also to test that his throat had healed enough to work. His voice shook as he began to talk. "Thereasa telephoned yesterday. She said she was being held captive in one of the wolf packs that are aligned with the vampires over there. She demanded to be rescued, said she had something to tell you that was a threat to all the covens. The call was interrupted. I heard her scream before the line went dead."

Dante remained quiet, as he mentally added the extra information to what he'd already gleaned. The covens had suddenly decided to work together to determine the threat level from across the pond? Never, in all of European history, had the covens ever worked together for anything. Louis meant it when he said there was no we in Vampire. The fact that the coven leader had unwittingly offered the information—without appearing to understand the implications of it—definitely set off warning bells.

Thereasa had always been passionate, from what he remembered of her. One of the reasons he had liked her so much had been her unwavering loyalty to not only her coven, but also her leader. Now she was recklessly endangering her family? That was what the coven signified to her: the family that she had lost all those centuries ago, something she would have gladly sacrificed herself for. Had she discovered something so frightening that it was enough to cause her to abandon everything she held dear?

The more he heard, the more unanswered questions there were, and the more his unease grew. Something was very wrong and it appeared he was the only one who could see it. Perhaps he should go and visit the Ancients? Maybe they would have the answers he was seeking and he was wasting his time in Europe? It was definitely something he would consider; but for the moment, the threat level still felt too close to home.

"Are you intending to rescue the girl?" 

Louis growled loudly and stood up, his chair crashing to the floor. "Betrayal does not warrant a rescue, but she can't be left there. She knows too much about my coven, she knows all our safe houses and where I would most likely settle if they were compromised." 

Hazel eyes turned to Michael and bored into him mercilessly. "You deserve no reward for having failed me, vampire; however, I believe your hatred for Thereasa is second only to mine. Assemble a team. When you have, Dante will approve your selection and you will find Thereasa and kill her. Do not return until you have her head to show me."

Michael stood up straighter, his eyes glowing with an emotion that was hard to define. His lips curled into the semblance of a smile as he nodded his head in agreement. "As you command." Without another word, he turned and hurried from the office.

"Is that wise, Louis? You've just said he failed you before and this mess is largely his doing. Can you trust him to do as you want?" Dante was curious to why his friend had chosen the younger male. He had been expecting to be sent himself.

"All the more reason to send him," the Frenchman answered, the first hint of a smile crossing his face. "He knows death awaits him if he fails me again, and I am fairly certain Reasa will die at his hands if he's able to reach her. And if he does fail...well the Ancients will take care of him and I won't have to deal with him any further."

"Won't that leave Thereasa alive if he fails? Won't your coven still be at risk?"

Louis turned to walk out of the office, and Dante followed him into the main gym area, which was beginning to fill up with coven members arriving to train. 

"If she intended to betray the coven, we would all be dead already, Dante. Whatever her reasons were for doing what she did, there is one thing I am willing to bet my life on and that's Reasa would never betray this coven."

"Then why kill her? You told Michael she had to die to keep the coven safe."

The expression on the Frenchman's face was chilling as he turned to look back at the one male he would have called friend, if he could ever trust anyone that much. "Because she betrayed me, and the penalty for that will always be death."

*****

Rhianna smiled at Freya as the vampire held the door open to admit them. Rafe had opted to trust the conference with Reasa and Liam to his sister and her mate. He'd made it clear that there wasn't much he could contribute, and it would give him the time to arrange a security escort for their trip to the Praetorian Compound. When they'd left his study, he was already in the process of summoning Lily back to speak to her.

Freya wore a slightly disgruntled expression as she let them in, and it was plain to see the extra visitors to her home were starting to wear a little on the normally reclusive vampire. "I have already apologised to Rafe for my actions," she said coolly.

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself," Rhianna sighed, as she placed a comforting hand on the other woman's arm to lend support to her words. "It was an accident, Freya, and that is not the reason we are here."

"It isn't?" Freya couldn't hide the surprise in her voice. She had been expecting a lecture when she'd seen Caleb and Rhianna on her doorstep.

"If we were called on to lecture you every time you broke the law we may as well move in with you," Caleb remarked dryly, earning him a glare from his mate. "What? Do I lie?"

"Ignore him, Freya. He's in a surly mood because he woke up alone again. His displeasure is with me, not you."

In response, Caleb wrapped an arm around the redhead, dropping a kiss on the top of her head, before nodding in Freya's direction. "Far be it for me to be surly because my mate prefers to spend her time reading old books as opposed to sleeping with me." 




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 12



His quip earned him another glare and he grinned. "You do know you look scrumptious when you're annoyed and that gives me an overwhelming urge to eat you all up?"

"Caleb!"

Laughing, he swooped down for a lingering kiss. "Okay, I'll behave." 

Waking up to find Rhianna gone had left him believing everything had been a dream. For a moment, he had panicked until he'd reached down their mate bond and discovered his woman was nearby, but clearly busy with something that was taking up all of her concentration. It had taken him a while to let the last of his pique wash away, but his tension was finally beginning to ease.

Dayton strolled out of the bedroom area, a towel wrapped around his waist and another briskly rubbing at his hair. 

"We have guests, Dayton. Put some clothes on." Freya's neutral tone belied the expression on her face.

"Last I looked this was my home," he retorted as he shot her a grin, his tone unrepentant. "If people want to come calling at silly o'clock in the morning, then they can take me as I am."

The two women shared a look, one that was universal to all women with unruly males in their lives.

Rhianna laughed and rolled her eyes, unperturbed by the barely clad male, though Caleb's arm tightening around her shoulders told her he wasn't happy with the scenario. She leaned into him and sent a shaft of love down their mate bond, sprinkling in a healthy dose of lust to reassure him that he was all the man she would ever need.

"We're sorry for the early hour, but we need to speak to Reasa and Liam. I believe Rafe is sending Liam over; for now, could I have a private moment with Reasa?"

"I will take you to her," Freya replied, sending another disapproving glance at her mate before she preceded Rhianna into the back of the house.

"I'd better get dressed or there will be hell to pay," Dayton laughed in Caleb's direction, his laughter turning louder at the expression on the vampire's face.

"Indeed," Caleb answered, his tone neutral, but his expression indicating the other male would be wise to do just that. He knew he had nothing to worry about from the wolf, but it was hard to dampen down his possessiveness sometimes. Making an effort, he gave Dayton a smile and headed towards the kitchen. "Can I help myself to coffee?"

"Knock yourself out." The wolf grinned as he too vanished, leaving the vampire alone.

Freya knocked on the bedroom door and wasn't surprised to see the former vampire sitting in the armchair before the fire, already dressed. She'd heard her stirring earlier and had kept her enhanced hearing attuned to her movements, but hadn't intruded.

She now clicked her tongue in vexation. "You should have called me to assist you when you showered. Mallen instructed you to keep your arm in the sling at all times." Her tone held reproof as well as chagrin. If she had checked earlier, Reasa wouldn't have had to struggle through the pain of showering and then dressing herself.

"I am not an invalid," Reasa answered, keeping her gaze averted. "The medication supplied has dulled the pain. I am managing just fine on my own."

"Very well; if you wish to make life more difficult for yourself, then so be it. You have a visitor."

The former vampire turned her head, and her eyes flashed with hatred when she saw who her visitor was. "I do not wish to speak to her." Her words were directed at Freya, though her eyes never left the petite redhead once she'd entered the room.

"That's unfortunate but unavoidable," Freya replied, her words calm although her tone brooked no argument. "I will be outside if you require my assistance, Annie."

Rhianna smiled and waited for the door to close before she walked over to the bed and perched on the bottom. "I was sorry to hear about your accident, Reasa. May I call you Reasa, or would you prefer a more formal address?"

"You appear to do as you please, so why bother asking me?" the other woman growled, her eyes never leaving the vampire. "I have nothing to say to you and yet you remain here in my room. There is nothing I can do to forcibly eject you, you made sure of that."

Rhianna sighed, though her expression was compassionate. She had known this meeting would not be easy, but hadn't anticipated just how difficult it would be. Anakatrine had stripped Reasa of her immortality and it was now left up to her to find some way to connect with the human woman. 

"I know you're angry at your fate, Reasa. It's perfectly understandable that you feel that way. Everything you were has been taken from you and all you see in front of you is that you are being held captive here, too weak to take control of your destiny. You feel a great injustice has been done to you, and yet you choose to remain here with Freya after she injured you. Why is that?"

The former vampire remained silent, refusing to be drawn by her question and it took everything within Rhianna not to sigh out aloud once more. She had deliberately phrased her words to try to encourage dialogue, but it was clear it wasn't going to be that easy.

"Okay. I believe you stay because you can relate to Freya. She is a strong vampire, something you used to be, and therefore can understand. While you stay, it may give you some comfort; however, it also causes you much pain, for she is a living reminder of everything that you have lost."

"I didn't lose anything!" Reasa cried out, rising from the chair to glare at the redhead. "You took it from me! You ripped out everything I was and left this pale shadow in its place. Why didn't you just kill me? Why didn't you let the other one kill me, as he wanted to? Does it make you happy to see my suffering? Is this the punishment for shooting Liam?"

Reasa's breaths rasped loudly in the room, her chest heaving with the force of emotion behind her words. Rhianna fought down the overwhelming pity that rose up within her, remaining silent to allow the girl to have her moment. Reasa needed this closure; she deserved the right to confront the woman she viewed as her tormentor. She had to vent, to release the venom within her so she could start to move forward.

"Nothing to say, vampire?" 

The words were spat out, but Rhianna remained quiet in the face of the other woman's fury. Reasa seemed oblivious to the tears that coursed down her face, despite her harsh words. Her pretty features were etched with agony, and announced to the entire world that she was dying inside. She was human now, and could no longer control what others witnessed. It would take some time for her to learn how to overcome her vampiric pride.

"Why don't you take a seat, Thereasa?" Rhianna finally said, keeping her tone light and soothing. "I know this is hard for you. I realise you hold me accountable for your misfortunes. I also know once you come to terms with this grieving process you are going through, you will understand that your actions required the direst of consequences. What would you have done had someone come into your coven and attempted to harm those you hold dear?"

Reasa sucked in a deep breath and scrubbed a hand across her face. She wanted to continue screaming at the redhead; but suddenly, the urge to crawl back into bed nearly overwhelmed her. She couldn't do that, so she sat back down in the chair and stared into the empty fireplace.

"What would your punishment be in those circumstances, Reasa?" Rhianna left the question hanging in the air, and resisted the urge to keep talking. Sometimes things had to move at the other's pace, and this was one of those times.

"Death," the human woman finally answered, her voice sounding hollow. "I would kill anyone who tried to harm my coven. There would be no mercy."

"That is why you are struggling so hard with this," Rhianna said quietly. "Not because you are no longer a vampire, though, that is contributing to your emotional turmoil. You are struggling with this because mercy has been shown to you, Thereasa. You expected to die for your actions and yet you still live."

"Why?" The word strangled out, anguish and a plea in her voice. Reasa turned haunted eyes on the vampire, confusion warring with her rage. "Why?" She asked again, only this time there was an underlying strength in her tone.

Rhianna moved to kneel at Reasa's feet, deliberately placing herself below the other woman to promote a feeling that she had some control over the situation. "I didn't understand Anakatrine's actions that day; I just knew I had to trust in her. You want to know why? The answer is because we need you, Thereasa. Your people need you. There were plans set in motion over six thousand years ago that are about to reach fruition, and you are instrumental to that process. Will you trust in us, Reasa? Will you help your people?"

"What people?" Reasa whispered, her cheeks wet with fallen tears. "Do you want me to help the humans because that is what I am now? Why do you speak of this Anakatrine as if she is somehow a separate being? It was you in that room with me. It was you chanting those words and ripping out my soul. It was you who did this to me, Anakatrine."

Despite the sharpness of her words, there was a chink in the strong defences that protected the former vampire. Rhianna reached for the opening, physically and psychically. Gripping Reasa's hands, she kept their gazes connected as she slipped a light touch into her mind; it was just enough to keep the barriers open so Reasa would hear the truth in her words.

It didn't cross Rhianna's mind to wonder how she knew to do what was needed. Anakatrine always provided the knowledge to achieve her goals. With a reassuring smile, she gently squeezed Reasa's hands, her expression earnest as she began to speak. "My name is Rhianna, though most people call me Annie. I am what you see before you, a Youngling vampire mated to an Ancient. However, deep within me resides the soul of one so ancient, her powers appear to be boundless. Within me, lives the soul of the last vampire queen, Anakatrine..."

*****

"How long has Annie been in there now?" 

Liam's question brought a deep sigh from both Caleb and Freya, though his cousin's lips quirked slightly as she played another card in their game and answered him. "Ten minutes longer than when you asked the last time, Liam. Now, will you please concentrate on this game? There is no challenge whatsoever in matching wits with you today!"

He had the grace to look sheepish as he concentrated on the cards in his hand before throwing them down. "You win again, Elle." Standing up, Liam rolled his shoulders to loosen some of the tension he was feeling and walked towards the back of the house. 

"Let Annie do what she needs to. No harm will come to the girl." 

Caleb's amused tone rankled and the Vârcolac had to work at keeping his expression neutral. He knew Reasa was fine because he could feel the emotions of everyone in the house. While it was a fascinating experience—being able to feel everything without his mind being overloaded—he still wanted to see his mate, just to be certain that what he was feeling was right.

He had turned his back on the door that closed off the bedrooms from the rest of the house, when it suddenly opened, and Rhianna appeared followed closely by Reasa. Liam's hungry eyes travelled his mate's face, and he noticed evidence of tears that had long dried. His gaze turned to the redhead, who gave him an encouraging smile.

"Everything is fine. Thereasa and I just had a little chat, and she is no worse the wear for it."

The former vampire regarded him with a neutral expression and then she nodded her agreement, though her eyes told him that she didn't see why she needed to appease him. It was enough to settle his anxiety though, and he was able to walk back to his seat at the dining table where Elina was gathering up cards.

"You haven't been formally introduced to my daughter yet, Reasa. This is Elina." Freya motioned in Elina's direction. "I don't believe you've had a formal introduction to Caleb either," she added, before raising an inquiring eyebrow at Rhianna.

"I've explained everything to Thereasa and she has agreed to hear us out regarding what is to come next."

Caleb made a choking sound and she shot him a pleading look. "Please, love. It's taken me a lot of talking to encourage her to have some willingness to see past her own agenda. I know this doesn't sit well with you, but please can you just go along with me for now?"  Rhianna used their telepathic link to speak privately with her mate. Reasa's curiosity was motivating her at the moment and she knew one scathing sentence from Caleb could undo all the progress she'd made.

"Fine, whatever you need, Annie. I will do my best to help as much as I can. I've learned my lesson from the last time." 

His reward was a beatific smile, the kind of smile that always melted the bones in his body and made him want to promise his Annie the moon. He lived to see that smile on her beautiful face, and it helped to ease down some of his antipathy for the former vampire.

He finally took notice of the other woman and saw the signs of strain she strove so hard to hide. As he surveyed her without the constraints of his more volatile emotions, he detected a core of strength beneath the fear she couldn't quite hide. He didn't know if he would have been as together as she was if he'd suffered the same kind of loss. Perhaps there was more to the woman than he had given credence to.

"Caleb, the book..." 

Rhianna was holding out her arms to him, and he picked up the book on dream walking and joined everyone at the table.

"Reasa, you've had extensive experience with your empathic abilities. This book contains the ancient lore I told you about," Rhianna began, setting the open book down on one end of the table. She motioned for Liam and Reasa to join her as she sat down.

Caleb took the seat directly across from his mate, while Freya and Elina down beside him. Dayton had been called away earlier by Rafe, but he'd sent Elina home to ensure there was someone who may be able to temper his mate's exuberance, should anything untoward happen. Not that he had been expecting it, but he had felt better being away knowing their daughter was on hand.

"I have to first perform a spell on the book so you can read it," Rhianna announced, more for Reasa's benefit than anyone else's. She didn't want the girl to become concerned at the use of magic after the last time. Reasa tensed beside her, but remained silent.

Incanting quietly, there appeared a faint breeze on the air; the foreign words in the book shimmered for a brief moment and then cleared just as quickly. The script remained ornate, but the language was now clearly legible. All in the room were silent, until Rhianna began to speak once more...

"Herein these chronicles lies a knowledge so powerful it is for Royal eyes only, or one who carries the mark of the order of The Dream Walkers. Any being found in possession of this book, without Royal consent, will be summarily executed with no recourse to trial by his or her peers."  

"Suitably chilling," Freya remarked drolly, amusement on her face. "I presume all here present have Royal consent?"

"I wouldn't have translated the book otherwise," Rhianna remarked dryly, though her tone was equally as amused. The tension level in the room was high, and it reduced a bit with the light banter between them.

"I'm not going to read the whole thing out aloud. The main points will suffice as a general overview." Rhianna reached for her coffee and took a sip before continuing, ensuring she had everyone's attention.

"Liam's ability, the one he shares with Reasa and possibly others to a lesser degree, was once a dedicated power used under Royal decree. Apparently, when Anakatrine ruled, vampires used their minds to consolidate their powerbases, as opposed to sheer brawn. I don't need to point out to anyone that we've clearly stopped using any inherent mental abilities we once had. I did want to read out another passage from the book, as it's pertinent to the reason why we're here."

Rhianna didn't wait for any questions. She found the passage she was looking for and began to read...

"Dream Walker elect, you read these words now as you have mastered the art of shielding your mind from all extraneous emotions. You can pick out individual minds and focus solely on any individual you so choose. You are now attuned enough to be able to use your gift to either heal or destroy as commanded. This gift should never been taken lightly, Dream Walker elect. Great thought must always be undertaken before the decision to Dream Walk is taken, for you may do more harm than any good you intend. You have the power to irrevocably destroy a mind unintentionally and this book is designed to show you how best to avoid this." 

Raising her head, her eyes met her mate's and she gave him a small smile. "I believe you used this ability without realising it when Demetri asked you to alter his memories all those years ago, Caleb."

Her smile widened as his mouth dropped open and he stared at her in shock. "That never crossed my mind, Annie, not even when we found the book. Now that you come to mention it, you may have a point. Do you think that means Callain was one of these Dream Walkers?"

"Most probably. You can ask him the next time you talk to him." Rhianna's gaze turned to the two empaths, her expression serious. "You should always heed this warning. Reasa, I know you have more experience and we need that experience to temper Liam's substantial strength. You have already helped him immeasurably by showing him stronger shields, but for what we now need, Liam has to be able to safely focus his full."

The Vârcolac frowned at her before he raked a hand through his auburn hair. Uncertainty crossed his face, followed by a flicker of fear. "I don't understand, Annie. You want me to use my powers? You've seen what happens when I lose control. I know about what happened up at the Praetorian Compound. I know the damage I've caused. You can't seriously want to unleash my power?"

Rhianna's heart twisted at the pain in his voice and she automatically reached out a comforting hand to soothe him. "We didn't know what we were dealing with then, Liam. If I had known, then maybe things would have played out differently. They didn't and we are left with trying to find a way to repair the damage. You can feel how much better control you have already. With Reasa's tuition and studying this book, I believe we have that chance now. You just need to have some faith in yourself."

She turned her attention back to the former vampire, who was watching them both with an intent expression. "We all bear a responsibility for what happened up at the Praetorian Compound. I know you grieve for the minds that were damaged that day, adopting their pain in addition to your own. I can't return your immortality to you, Reasa. I don't know if I would, even if I could. What I can give you is something to work towards, though. Teach Liam the control he needs, and together learn to dream walk. Maybe, just maybe, you will be able to heal the minds lost to us, the minds of your former people." 

Reasa stared at her mutely for a long moment before turning to look at the male who was watching her with a pensive expression. She could see fear lurking in his deep brown eyes, as well as a longing so intense, she could almost feel his hands stroking her skin.

What Rhianna had told her at the time seemed so outlandish, but everything before her eyes was adding weight to it being true. Was it really a reincarnated vampire queen who had stripped her of her immortality? Was there some way she could earn it back if she did what they wanted? Could she teach Liam what he needed to know and if she did, what danger would it put her in?




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 12



She had so many questions and not enough answers. One thing she did know was that they needed her, and she had the power to refuse them. There was nothing else they could do to her that would be worse than what had already been done. It felt good to have that power over them. Yet, if she refused them, she would ultimately be consigning six of her prior kin to certain death. 

She didn't know the vampires involved. She shouldn't care in the least...but just knowing that there was a chance she could save them had her hesitating to refuse. Reasa had always been alone with her gift, had never had the chance to share it with anyone. She was not only being handed that chance, but also being granted the opportunity to learn more and become stronger.

Should her circumstances change and she eventually become immortal again, she would be one of the strongest European vampires. Even Louis wouldn't be able to touch her. The thought of her former coven leader sent a shiver down her spine, and her eyes clouded over as she realised what she had done.

Reasa opened her mouth to speak...faltered and swallowed hard. "I called Louis, my coven leader in Europe," she said quietly, her voice devoid of all emotion. "I spoke with Michael who was the other vampire with me when we captured Pietro. He told me Louis had excommunicated me. I tried to lure them here by saying I have knowledge of a threat against the covens. Someone will come, possibly even Louis himself."

Shocked silence greeted her words, broken by Freya who rose up from her chair. "Louis won't come, though he may well send people to eliminate Reasa. He never was one to tolerate betrayal."

"You know this Louis?" Caleb asked as he joined her and reached for his phone to dial Demetri's number.

"I resided in his coven for a while, a long time ago. I doubt he has changed much, though. I'll alert Rafe." Freya was already heading out of the house.

"What about the poison, Reasa?" Liam asked in a quiet tone, his expression serious.

She met his gaze, a myriad of emotions flickering across her face before she took a deep breath and looked down at the table. "It degrades quickly which is why you're having trouble synthesising it. It has to be stored below freezing, otherwise it is useless. We call it Amort: Death. I fashioned two bullets that I dipped in the poison and used to shoot you. I had to work quickly because I knew it would become ineffective in a short period of time."

"So there isn't any left?" Caleb barked out the question after he asked Demetri to hold on.

Reasa blanched at his abrupt tone, unable to stifle a shiver of fear. She didn't know what had prompted her to volunteer the information. It was one thing to agree to try to help heal the injured vampires, but another to suddenly start revealing all her secrets. She was truly betraying Louis now, as well as placing her coven in danger.

"They are not your coven anymore, Thereasa. You belong here, with us now. It is okay to speak. We will protect you." 

Horrified green eyes turned to stare into Rhianna's glowing lavender gaze. Realisation dawned, and Reasa uttered a startled gasp. "You...you...you're a Dream Walker!"

Rhianna nodded slowly. She placed a hand on Reasa's arm and ignored the fact that she flinched and pulled away. "Yes, I am, Thereasa, though nowhere near as powerful as Liam will be. I'm sorry I had to loosen a few of your inhibitions, but we had to know what it was we were facing. I haven't lied to you. I mean what I said. You belong here with us now and we will protect you, no matter what the cost. All you have to do is let us. Take that leap of faith."

"You invade my mind and ask me to have faith in you?" Reasa scurried away from the table, trying to put as much distance between herself and the others.

"Isn't that what you did to Pietro, and the countless others you have over the centuries?" Elina asked with a curious expression.

How could she argue with that? She had done precisely that on numerous occasions, all the while telling herself it was for the protection of the coven. How could she berate Annie when she was only doing the same thing? As her eyes flitted wildly from one to the other, Reasa knew that whatever she chose to do next, there would be no turning back.

Her gaze finally settled on Liam's face and the concern she saw there made her heart stutter. No one had ever looked at her that way before. No one had ever placed her needs before their own, but twice now the Vârcolac had done just that. Twice, he had proven that he would defend her, against even those he loved the most.

Louis was coming to kill her. She was as certain of that as Freya was. They both knew him very well and he hadn't changed since the Ancient had known him. If she left, she was dead. If she stayed, she had a chance at becoming immortal again. Being able to dream walk would help ensure her survival, and she might be able to help the injured vampires at the Praetorian Compound. Everything was pointing in the one direction and yet she still hesitated, afraid to commit.

"Are you in my mind, Annie?" The words were whispered out, but everyone heard her.

"No, Thereasa, your thoughts are your own," the petite redhead answered, her voice soft and somehow reassuring. "Our need to know what was coming our way was paramount, but your choice of what you want to do with your life is your own."

Reasa slammed up every mental defence she had built up over the years. She closed her eyes and turned her thoughts inwards, searching for any sign of deceit, anything that would prove Rhianna was lying to her and was still inside her mind. She found nothing, could detect no trail of any thoughts other than her own. Rhianna was telling the truth.

Opening her eyes once more, she turned to Caleb, reaching her decision before she could second-guess herself. "There is an abandoned building about an hour's drive from here, heading due south. It's hidden in the forest and looks rundown. I have no idea how it has electricity but it does. Inside you will find a small portable refrigerator that has the last vial of Amort."

On the other end of the phone, Demetri cursed loudly, startling Caleb. "You heard that?"

"Yes, I heard it and I know the place. It's where I took Mara when we first met. I'm the one responsible for the fucking electricity supply that she used to keep the poison viable." Demetri cursed some more, so incensed everyone else could hear him.

"You weren't to know," Caleb interjected as he dampened down the impatience that had begun to build. "Just get over there and get the vial back here as quickly as possible. This should hopefully help us formulate a cure, unless Reasa can tell us anything else?"

"I was simply told how to mix the ingredients, Caleb. I don't even know what the plant is; I was merely given it in powder form. I believe it's some exotic plant found somewhere in Romania, but that's all I know."

"Fine; get to it, Demetri, and return here as soon as you can." Caleb disconnected his cell and tucked it back into his pocket.

"You've made the right decision, Reasa," Rhianna smiled, her expression glowing with approval.

"We'll see when Louis sends his assassins after me," the other woman snorted. Uncertainty still darkened her expression, but she seemed a little more convinced that she had made the right decision. "I want to learn to dream walk. I want to try to save the vampires up at the Praetorian Compound. Perhaps if I do that, I will be granted back my immortality. What I'm not doing is agreeing to mate with anyone."

Her glare was for Liam, who grinned back at her, completely undaunted by her words. "I mean it, Liam. I am not doing this for you. I am doing this for me."

"Okay," he shrugged, a goofy grin still splitting his face. "I can wait until you're ready."

When she opened her mouth to say something further, he turned and picked up the book from the table. "Should we get started?"

Snapping her mouth shut, Reasa nodded and motioned towards her bedroom. "We will need privacy and quiet for me to teach you how to focus on individual minds. Distance from other thoughts will help too in the beginning. Come on." Without a backward glance she stomped out of the room, Liam smiling as he followed her.

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 13



Where does time go to? I can't believe that this is the first chapter I am posting this year! I have reached new heights in tardiness and I do apologise for that. I will try to do better.

Once again, my thanks goes to Mistress of Shadows and Angel n Disguise for editing for me #hugs.

If you want to catch up with me online please visit my Bio for links to my Facebook page and Blog.

Enjoy! 

*

Thereasa wanted to groan at her choice of room to teach Liam, but her options had been limited due to her current status. The pack was hardly likely to let her leave or go to a less secure house, so she had to make do with what she had.

She quickly ran her eyes around the interior of the bedroom; it was patently obvious that though it contained a large King-sized bed, it was clearly furnished for one occupant. There was a single, large upholstered chair beside the empty fireplace, and a smaller chair beside the vanity table. Liam's huge size ruled out the smaller chair and brought the larger one into doubt as well. That only left the bed.

There was nothing else for it, so she squared her shoulders and turned around to look at the Vârcolac. "Do not get any ideas. After choosing a position at the head of the bed, she faced him as she crossed her legs and got comfortable. She motioned for him to join her, and the mattress dipped under his weight as he mirrored her position at the foot of the bed. Liam placed the book between them.

"Before we start, will you please stop that?"

Liam blinked slowly, unable to hide the confusion that crossed his face. "Stop what?"

"Looking at me like you're about to eat me up," she snapped, as she added glare for good measure. "You are extraordinarily powerful, and you will need your full concentration for what I am going to teach you. We don't have the luxury of time here, Liam. Who knows how much longer those people up at the Praetorian Compound have? It's been days since the incident."

Her words appeared to sober him, and he nodded in agreement as guilt flashed across his face. 

"We don't have time for that either," Reasa remarked, though her tone was slightly less acerbic. "It happened. Deal with it. The important task now is to see if we can fix it. Put all your energy into that and just maybe we have a chance of doing the impossible. "

"It's that easy for you, Reasa? You do something wrong and you just deal with it?" 

There was curiosity in Liam's tone as well as a hint of reproof. It was clear they wouldn't be able to begin the tutoring straight away as she'd hoped. The large male before her had too much empathy, too strong a belief in right and wrong. Everything was black and white to him; he had to learn that there were shades of grey too.

Taking a deep breath, Reasa closed her eyes while searching for the words that might help him understand. "Everything moves at a fast pace when you live in the covens. It's a completely different world to the one you live in, Liam. Here, you have the luxury of being protected by those who love you. From what I have seen during the short time I've been here, you are vastly overprotected—to your detriment—and that's why the incident occurred up at the other compound. In the covens, you have to prove your worth daily. You have to be stronger, faster, and have a unique talent that sets you above everyone else. Only then would you attain the protection of your coven leader. It has to be earned."

His eagerness to absorb every word was dampened by the thoughtful frown that settled across his face. Reasa took another deep breath and continued. "If you make a mistake you have to deal with it swiftly. You can't afford to wallow in self-pity and 'if onlys'. If you do that, you're dead. So, yes, Liam, it is that easy for me. It's how I've stayed alive for as long as I have. I learn from my mistakes and I move on." She let her words sink in, and fought to keep a smile from tilting her lips upwards. She could see almost see the wheels turning in his head as he processed what she had said. 

He finally nodded, his gaze intent. "You have had to struggle all of your life, Reasa, I can see that. You don't have to struggle any more. The pack will protect you. I will protect you."

It was on the tip of her tongue to snap out that she didn't need his protection, but she did. She was human now, frail and easily hurt as had so recently been demonstrated. Until she was immortal once more, she would need their protection and that was something she was just going to have to accept—for now. 

Reasa rolled her shoulders and focused back on the task at hand. "The shields you wove earlier are very good. You learn quickly, so that should speed things along. Did you sample the emotions in the house when we were all together?"

A wide smile split his face and she had to stop herself from sucking in another deep breath. He lit up when he smiled—a different kind of beauty from the savage, feral animal he had been when she was hurt—but beautiful none the less. It concerned her that she was noticing how attractive he was. She had meant what she said; she was not his mate and never would be. Still, she was so enthralled it took her a moment to realise he was talking again.

"The emotions were there but so muted. They didn't overwhelm me at all; in fact, they felt sort of comforting."

"Good, that is the way it should be. I will teach you how to separate the emotions and apply them to each individual, but first you need to understand how a mind works, how to use the deftest of touches. I have years of experience but lack your strength. If someone has a very strong mind, they can keep me out without realising it. For this exercise, you will need to allow me into your mind."

"My mind is always open to you, Reasa. You need never ask to join with me."

His voice was filled with so much honesty and trust that, for a moment, all she could do was stare at him with her mouth open. Then she pulled herself together and gave herself a mental shake. If what he said was true, she could enter his mind and wipe it completely. He would put up no resistance, would allow her to do as she willed. If she really wanted to, she could finish what she started up at the Praetorian Compound, but she found herself oddly loathe to do so. 

She told herself it was because the others would kill her on the spot if she harmed him, that she would never learn to Dream Walk or help the injured vampires. She would lose any chance of ever becoming immortal again. It had nothing to do with the fact that the male before her had defended her not once, but twice. No, it was about what she could gain from the situation, what she could learn to protect herself.

"You might find it easier if you close your eyes and just relax. I will keep my delving slow so you can follow what I'm doing within your mind. I will continue to talk out aloud as opposed to telepathic communication. It will help keep you grounded in reality. It is very important to remember that, when you delve, you are in the physical world as well as in the mind."

When he obeyed her without question, she swallowed hard. She let her gaze trace his strong features, and for some reason her heart twisted at the trust he exhibited. He was probably at his most defenceless right now, and yet, he was completely relaxed. Oh, how she wished she could trust as easily as he did.

Reasa reached out with her mind, and slipped into Liam's, passing his outer defences with agile precision as he laid himself bare to her. "You should view the mind as an infinite corridor with doors running down either side. Behind each door is a memory of the past or the present." She breathed softly, smiling as he quickly grasped her meaning, and suddenly the long corridor was before her psychic self. The doors were brightly hued in a perfect rendition of a colour chart, from light to darker shades. He'd even placed numbers on the doors, though they were out of sequence numerically.

"Excellent, Liam. You have a wonderfully structured mind for one who is so strong in empathy. Usually empaths have a more random structure, the corridor twisting and turning haphazardly, flowing downwards and then rising sharply. It is a testament to your increasing control that you can formulate a more logical arrangement."

"It feels easy to do this, Reasa. Should it be harder? Do you like the colours? I was initially thinking of white, but figured that would be too harsh on your eyes."

She could feel his happiness and pride. Being in his mind amplified the emotions and she couldn't help but smile at the almost childlike glow coming from him. He was happy because he had done something she approved of. While she smiled, a shiver of concern washed over her, which quickly began to escalate. He was projecting without realising it!

"Liam, dial back your emotions a bit. I know you're pleased with your easy grasp of the concept, but you're projecting that happiness onto me. I know I said you needed to let me in, but you do still need to maintain shields around your emotions. Projecting is dangerous as you've learned to your cost." 

Immediately, the building euphoria died down and Reasa felt more able to function under her own emotions. She took a moment to calm her racing heart, then she met Liam's gaze and saw concern in his deep brown eyes. "It's okay," she quickly reassured him. "I'm fine, though I'm sure the others out in the main room will be wondering why they were suddenly walking around with silly grins on their faces for a moment."

As if on cue, there was a knock on the door and Elina's concerned head peeked in. "Is everything okay? Liam?"

"Sorry, Elle, I projected outwards without thinking. Everything is fine. I won't do it again."

His cousin looked doubtful though she disappeared again, closing the door quietly.

"Oops," Liam smiled with a chagrined expression, and a soft giggle escaped Reasa unbidden, as amusement danced in her eyes.

"Oops, indeed. Now concentrate. We need to get back to the task at hand." She was surprised to find that instead of being annoyed at his mistake, she was actually enjoying the experience. She attributed it to the fact she'd never had the opportunity to explore her talent with anyone before. Truth be told, she was equally fascinated by Liam's mental strength and what she could learn from him as he learned to control his powers. Anything that could benefit her was a good thing, at least, that was what she kept telling herself.

"As I was saying, behind each door is a memory, but some of them will actually contain a part of you. Those are usually grouped closely together, as they need to be close to make you into a whole individual. Someone fully in tune with themselves can gather all the fragments into one room, for want of a better word. The Dalai Lama has an amazing mind. He is one of those individuals. For the most part, everyone else has to make do with having their essence as closely packed together as possible. People with mental health issues generally are more scattered within their minds."

"You've met the Dalai Lama and been inside his mind?"

"With his permission," she sighed. "And that's a story for another time. Will you please focus now?"

"Sorry, Reasa. This is all just so fascinating that I keep getting side-tracked."

Reasa sighed again, her expression grave as she nudged at his knee until he opened his eyes to look at her. "You can't get side-tracked when you're in someone's mind, Liam. You could damage them that way. You have to focus. If you won't, then I cannot teach you. In fact, I will refuse to teach you if there is any hint you might endanger someone."

It was hard not to soften a bit as she looked at his crestfallen expression, but she really needed to hammer home the point otherwise he could potentially cause devastation if let loose on his own.

"I want to learn," he answered, his expression turning serious. "I don't want to hurt anyone. The newness of all this just overwhelmed me for a moment. I promise I will do everything you ask of me, exactly as you say. Please teach me, Reasa. Please help me ensure I never again inadvertently hurt someone else." 

"Close your eyes," she answered, her tone business-like, as she once more slipped back into his thoughts. She gave him a moment to regain his inner balance, and then she was staring down the endless corridor again, with its pretty coloured doors that looked just a tad muter in colour than they had before.

"The duality of your nature is a precursor to your essence being split. You are wolf and you are vampire; however, there is also a part of you that is human. Vampires and Weres try so very hard to ignore that fact. Never the less it is true, even if the human portion is so minute it is barely detectable. We need to find your different personas behind these doors, Liam. Only you know where they are, so you will need to guide me. With what has happened twice already, I believe that your essence is too fragmented. We must find you and bring you more into harmony with yourself. Only then will we be able to begin your training in earnest. Will you help me?"

*****

Liam heard the words and felt a tremor run through his body. His mate was asking for his help, but what she was asking for terrified him. Up until this moment, everything had been fun and exciting. His agile mind grasped the concepts she explained easily, even if he had made a bit of a mess a little earlier. However, what Reasa was asking of him now...he didn't know if he could do it.

He knew precisely where his wolf was, that was a given. He had been in tune with his animal all his life and didn't even need to think twice about what door that part of his persona lived behind. He could also detect the miniscule part of himself that was human, now that its existence had been brought to his attention.

But his vampiric side...that was the part that terrified him the most. That side of him had hurt his aunt! It was full of rage and consumed by the need to destroy. Although his wolf also shared some of those basic urges when threatened, the intensity of them paled in comparison to what his inner monster was capable of.

"I'm afraid," he whispered, still feeling Reasa in his mind, and reaching out to her psychic presence with his own. "What if I can't control it? What if I hurt you?"

"You didn't the last time, Liam You may have not been aware of it, but you were able to exert some control over your vampire. Your speed at learning is exceptional. Twice the vampire has arisen, and twice you have learned from the experience. It's time to face it again with the new knowledge you have to guide you. It doesn't have to be right this very moment. We can start with the easier doors until you're more confident in your abilities. In fact, let's start with a few memories first."

Reasa's reassuring words helped and he grasped at the chance to put off the inevitable. Liam strode towards a pale yellow door and threw it wide open without hesitation...

*****

Girlish giggles echoed through the forest, and the wolf pup's head rose sharply from the damp earth, tilting to the side to listen. It gave an excited bark and raced off into the trees towards the sound, the breeze caressing its deep auburn pelt. 

"Elle! Elle! Elle!" the wolf projected telepathically as it barked again and scampered ahead at full speed.

"You're not supposed to let me know you're coming, Liam," his cousin giggled, as she hung upside down from a low branch. Multi-coloured hair brushed the moss beneath the tree as she swung, her legs hooked around the branch the only thing that prevented her from falling.

The pup burst into the clearing, yapping excitedly and jumping up to lick the little girl's face, which sent her into another flood of giggling. 

"Ugh, that's wet! Stop it, Liam."

Elina's laughter caused her to lose concentration when the wolf jumped at her again, her body swaying with the impact. She forgot to maintain her grip with her legs and shrieked loudly when she fell from the branch.

In a flash, the wolf pup vanished, to be replaced by a little boy a couple of years older. Elina landed on top of him, her face showing concern when his breath whooshed out and he made a funny noise.

"Are you okay? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you."

Liam grinned and rubbed his stomach before giving her a hug. "I'm fine. You're too teeny to really hurt me, and it was my fault you fell anyway." He had meant to reassure his cousin but from the expression on her face, his words had clearly had the opposite effect as she rose to her feet and planted her hands on her hips.

"I am not too teeny! Mother says I am as strong and fast as everyone else in this pack, and I'm not to let anyone tell me any different. That includes you, Liam Eriksson. You're family and family are supposed to stick together."

"Jeez Louise, Elle! I didn't mean anything by it. I know you're super-fast and super-strong. You're better than all the other kids in the pack. You've got Eriksson blood and we're the best!"

Her expression lightened instantly and she smiled happily. "Yes we are! We're going to grow up and be Alphas like Rafe and Lacey."

Liam laughed at her determined expression, happy his cousin was smiling again. He loved seeing her smile. He would do anything to hear her laughter and often goofed around so he could. "I'm not so sure about being Alphas. Maybe we might make betas."

"Mother says I can be anything I want to be if I set my mind to it. I'll be Alpha if I want to be," Elina said grandly, her little nose tilting up in the air. "And who is Louise?"

Liam laughed, as he jumped up and grabbed her hand. "It's just an expression, like when I call you Elina the ballerina. Aaron Junior said it the other day and it made everyone laugh. I wanted to make you laugh."

"You do make me laugh, Liam. You always make me laugh. You're the best cousin ever."

"Good, my job is done then." Liam pulled her hand and they began to jog out of the clearing. "Just so you know...if we're both Alphas we would have to be in different packs..."

"Okay...betas it is, then." 

*****

The memory faded as Liam closed the door, a hint of moisture in his eyes as he relived that day playing with his cousin. She had been so happy as a child, with her infectious laughter, and her fierce determination to be the best in everything she did. It hurt him to experience the moment, knowing that his beautiful cousin was so different now.

"I was an only child and we lived in a secluded region. I never had anyone to play with when I was little. Thank you for sharing that memory with me." 

Reasa's quiet words twisted his heart painfully. He wanted to reach out and soothe her, but knew it was much too soon and she wouldn't accept any solace from him just yet. He felt hopeful that she had chosen to share something of her own past with him. It was a beginning.

He moved to another door, another memory from his past. He took a deep breath and opened the dark blue door.

*****

The room was dark, the compound silent in the early hours of the morning. Someone was crying; someone was hurting so badly inside that it felt as if shards of glass were scraping along his chest, gouging deeply. The weeping continued, anguish so intense it was overwhelming, and all he could do was weep with her.

He tried to reach out with his mind, tried to find a way inside—but he was too little and her mind was strong. "Don't cry," he sobbed softly. "Please don't cry. It will be okay. Everything will be okay, I promise."

Had she heard him? He didn't know but the sounds vanished swiftly and he was left alone in his own mind as if she'd never been there. Liam scrubbed at the tears on his face, rolled over in his bed, and gently rocked himself back asleep.

It was light when he opened his eyes again and he could hear Mommy making breakfast. He headed into the kitchen quietly, so quietly she didn't hear him. Looking at his mother, he saw she had a strange look on her face and the moment he saw her, he was flooded by unfamiliar emotions again. 




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 13



His heart hurt, so much so, he started to cry.

"Liam, what's wrong, sweetie?"

Mommy picked him up but it didn't stop the pain. It didn't stop the weeping that started again inside his head, a dull muted sound that wouldn't go away.

"My heart hurts, Mommy," he whispered into her neck. "It hurts so badly and it won't stop."

He could feel his mommy's fear as she felt his head and ran her hands over his body. He knew she wouldn't find anything because it wasn't his pain he was feeling.

"Liam, tell me where it hurts, honey," she asked, as she took him into the sitting room and sat on the sofa to cuddle him.

The sound of the front door made Mommy sigh with relief. Daddy was instantly at her side, his already weary expression turning to one of concern.

"What's wrong with him?" he asked urgently, touching his son's forehead but unable to find a fever.

Mommy bit her lip and shook her head. "I don't know. He just keeps saying it hurts and pointing at his chest. I can't find anything wrong with him though."

"Liam, tell Daddy what's wrong," his father coaxed, cradling his face in his hands gently.

"Hurts here, Daddy," Liam sniffed, his hand over his heart. "Always hurts here, but not this bad. Help her, Daddy. You have to help her."

Mommy and Daddy shared puzzled looks as he tried to tell them what was wrong, his crying becoming stronger as the cutting feeling grew worse and worse.

"Help who, Liam?" Mommy asked gently. "Who does Daddy need to help?"

Big tears rolled down his face, his eyes pleading with them as he looked up at his parents. "Aunt Freya," he sobbed. "She hurts so bad, Mommy." 

*****

The memory was a hard one to re-live. Liam wasn't surprised to find his cheeks wet as he closed the dark door. He had chosen that moment because he knew that Reasa related to his aunt on a level he couldn't understand. He wanted her to see how important Freya was to him and just how overwhelmed he could become by others emotions.

"You were just a toddler at the time." Reasa's voice was barely audible and if he didn't have enhanced hearing, he might have missed the words.

"My abilities were closely attuned to my family when I was younger. I always had a special affinity with my aunt, in particular, and that was why I sensed her pain so keenly at the time. It was as I grew older that everyone else's emotions began to overwhelm me and it became unbearable."

His hand touched another doorknob; this gateway a darker blue it was almost black. "My deepest shame," he whispered, before throwing it wide open.

*****

He screamed over and over, as his young body thrashed wildly in the hospital bed. "Make them stop! Make them stop! Make them stop! Make them stop! Make them stop...!"

"Mallen, do something!" His mother screamed, as she held him down on the bed, nearly blinded by the tears running down her face. "Liam, I'm here, darling. Mommy's here!"

"I gave him enough sedative to knock out a full grown Were," the doctor said, his tone frantic. "Rafe, I don't want to give him any more. It could put him into cardiac arrest!"

"Annie?" The deep baritone of his Alpha filled the room, followed by the musical lilt of his sister's voice.

"I can't reach him. His shields are too strong, but there's also something wrong with them. He's keeping me from psychically entering his mind and yet, he appears unable to construct a defence against pure emotion. I believe he's feeling every emotion within the pack and most certainly the full impact of all of our emotions in this room. We need to get everyone out and as far away from him as we can."

"I'm not leaving my son!"

Mommy was crying and her heart was hurting as badly as Aunt Freya's had once hurt. He could feel his Aunt in the room and he reached out for her because she was the only one who felt cool, where everyone else was burning hot.

"Liam?"

"Make them stop, Aunt Freya. Make them stop!"

"Everyone leave the room...now!" His aunt bodily picked up his mother up from the bed as she fought against her. "Ashleigh, your terror is leaking all over him, you have to leave now. I will protect him, but you have to go!"

He curled up, and covered his ears with his hands in an attempt to make everything go away. The feelings subsided a little and he could think a bit more coherently. He could hear his aunt talking to the doctor, could distinguish their conversation.

"The safe room may be a better place to put Liam."

"You think he's going rogue?"

"No, Mallen, I was thinking there may be some benefit to the padded room being some kind of external buffer to the emotions he's being subjected to. No nephew of mine will ever go rogue. Not as long as I live."

"That may work. I'll talk to Rafe."

The emotions muted a bit more, and then lethargy overcame him. Now that he wasn't being overloaded with emotions, the sedative the doctor gave him was finally able to take effect. Liam sank down into a deep oblivion.

When his eyes opened again, he was in the safe room. They'd all seen it before, their Alpha showed them every aspect of pack life, including the fact that sometimes Weres turned rogue and had to be locked away for both their own safety, and that of innocent people. Had he turned rogue? Was that why they'd moved his hospital bed into the safe room?

Liam rose slowly and surveyed his fifteen-year-old reflection in the two-way mirror. There was a wildness to his gaze that frightened him, but apart from that he felt as if he was sane enough. In the back of his mind, he could still feel the pack's emotions but it wasn't nearly as bad as it had been before, when he felt as if his head would burst.

The door to the room opened and Elina stepped inside. She was on the cusp of turning from child into a young woman, but the expression in her eyes made her appear much older. Her customary smile was missing, and in her eyes was a bleakness that he could see but couldn't sense.

"Elle? What's wrong?"

"You almost died, Liam," she answered in a voice that was devoid of all emotion. "You were able to reach out to Mother and it was enough that the doctor was able to get you sedated and bring you here. It helped for a little while, but then you went wild again."

He frowned at her, fear coursing through his body. "I don't remember anything after the hospital room. What did I do?"

"It doesn't matter. You didn't hurt anyone apart from yourself and you have healed." Elina moved to sit down on the side of the bed and he followed her. He reached out to sample her emotions as he sat down beside her. He knew it probably wasn't a wise thing to do, but her lack of inflection was starting to concern him. He didn't like seeing his cousin so serious.

"I'm shielded too tightly for you to feel anything," she said quietly, turning her intent gaze on his. "Whatever help Mother was at the beginning quickly wore off, Liam. Everyone was certain we were losing you. I snuck down one night to see you because I couldn't bear to be apart from you any longer." Her voice faltered and for a moment he thought she wouldn't continue, then she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "You were hurting yourself. You were in wolf form and you were biting at your own paws...you were trying to chew them off."

Her voice had dropped to a whisper, and for a glimmer of a moment, he felt a strong surge of pain and then it vanished as quickly as it had come.

"I couldn't let you do that. I couldn't let you hurt yourself. I opened the door and came in, even though I'd been warned to stay outside and call an adult if you needed help. I did the only thing I could think of: I just threw my arms around you. I could feel you in my head, screaming relentlessly. It hurt my head, so I tried to push you out and something snapped into place. The adults think it may have been something to do with the fact that we connected before I was born. The shield I used protected me, but it also strengthened your own shield. When we are connected like this, I can help keep the overload at bay."

Shock rippled through him, his astonishment so profound that for a moment he couldn't quite grasp what she was telling him. Now that she'd mentioned the connection, he could feel her nestled quietly inside his head. Her presence wasn't intrusive in any way; she wasn't reading his thoughts or anything. She was just there, right where he imagined his mental barriers to be.

What he did notice was the utter calm she projected. He felt something similar around his aunt when she contained her emotions, but nothing nearly as strong as what he felt around his cousin. As his astonishment subsided, it was replaced by a dawning realisation....

"Elle, if you're protecting me all of the time, then what about you?"

Big eyes met his and for another moment, the barriers she held wavered; he felt a shaft of pure love radiating outwards before it was cruelly extinguished in the next heartbeat. 

"Aside from my parents, there is no one I love more than you, Liam. You are my family, my cousin, the brother I've never had. You have always protected me, always welcomed me into your life. You've never once chased me away because I'm younger than you or a girl, even now when you've started thinking about girls and what you can get up to with them. Now, I can finally do something for you, to repay everything you've ever done for me."

"No! Elle! Not this!" Despite trying to hold them back, his eyes filled with tears as the full impact of what his beautiful cousin was willing to do crashed over him in a wave of despair. "You can't sacrifice yourself for me, Elina. You just can't."

"It is only a sacrifice if I achieve nothing from it," she smiled, but there was no warmth in the tilting of her lips. "I can't lose you, Liam, I just couldn't stand it if you were no longer in my life. This way I get to keep you and you get a chance at living a normal life."

Liam was shaking his head, oblivious to his tears, and determined that she wouldn't do this thing. "Your parents will never allow it. Rafe won't allow it. When they find out what you're doing..."

"They already know, Liam. There have been endless meetings about the subject. They've covered every possible angle and this is the only one that works. Mother said I am old enough to make my own decisions and Father has reluctantly agreed to it. I think they have realised my shields are too strong for them anyway, and they know there is nothing they can do to prevent it."

"Elle...Elle, your beautiful smile...your laughter I love so much. You can't give that up for me, not for anyone." There was desperation in his voice as he gripped her hands hard, trying to get her to see sense.

"Then work on your shields, Liam. Work as hard as you can and one day you will hear my laughter again. For this moment though, keeping you sane is the most important thing and my mind will not be swayed from this course of action."

He could see the truth in her eyes and knew there was nothing he could say that would dissuade her. Gathering his beautiful cousin in a bear-like hug, Liam wept...for both of them...

*****

"I should have argued more," Liam sobbed, as he bowed his head to hide his shame. "I should have refused her, but the peace she brought to my soul was a balm I never thought I would ever experience. She gave up too much for me. I wasn't worth that kind of sacrifice, not when I have gone on to do such terrible things."

"A person's worth is not how they perceive themselves but how others do. Elina clearly loves you, as do your parents and your pack." There was a healthy dose of respect in Reasa quiet words, as well as a slight catch.

Liam turned his tear-stained face to look at her, but she was staring straight ahead, her eyes dry. 

"I don't want to do this anymore," he ground out, leaving the psychic plane and opening his eyes. He was shocked to see his hands resting on top of the book, Reasa's smaller hands wrapped around his.

She removed them, meeting his gaze with a neutral expression. "We need to continue what we've started. We need to heal the fragments of your soul before we can move on."

"I can't!" The words came out harshly, anguish on his face as he shook his head to reinforce them.

"You must. Too many people's lives depend on you, Liam. I will be with you."

Liam met Reasa's gaze again, searching her face avidly. There was something in her voice, something softer than anything she had given him before. Had travelling through his memories helped to begin their bonding? He couldn't see the same hostility in her expression. She wasn't showing any love for him, but then he hadn't expected that so soon. There appeared to be a softening towards him though and that have him some hope.

She was offering to be at his side when he confronted the vampire Twice before, his vampiric side had surfaced, and both times she had been the only one that part of his psyche would listen to. There was no fear or concern on her exquisite face. She believed that no harm would come from doing this. It was up to him, and whether or not he had the same faith in himself that his mate was displaying.

Taking a deep breath, Liam closed his eyes, and joined her once more in his mind. "Okay, let's do this." 

In the past moving towards a door had been an instantaneous thing. He thought of where he wanted to be and he was immediately facing that door. Now his heart thumped hard in his chest as he concentrated on his wolf, since he judged that to be that the best starting point. Surprisingly, he didn't appear where his wolf was; they remained standing at the beginning of the corridor. He summoned his animal again, and once more, they didn't move.

"You're blocking yourself," she murmured at his side, her voice calm and soothing. "You know the vampire will be somewhere close to your wolf and you're afraid to face it."

"What if it gets loose again?"

"Then you will deal with it as you have before. You must learn to control it, Liam. You will need it later on the paths we will take."

Reasa sounded so certain and he wanted to ask her how she could be, and then he remembered that she had been a vampire. She had lived with her own monster for over a millennia. 

Reaching deeper within himself, Liam summoned his wolf once more and found himself standing beside a deep magenta door. He could feel his wolf as he touched the handle, a slow smile curving his lips as he removed the barrier between them. Within a replica of his forest home, a large russet wolf lay close to a tree, its head on its paws as it stared back at him with glowing amber eyes.

"It is quite an impressive animal," Reasa remarked at his side. "I only caught a small glimpse of your wolf up at the compound."

The wolf's gaze turned to her, its head cocking to the side before it rose up and padded forward. It stopped before it crossed the threshold into the corridor, its amber eyes never leaving the former vampire. For a long time it merely watched her, and then it chuffed in Liam's direction and once more resumed its position.

"My wolf likes you," Liam smiled, happy his animal approved of their mate. He hadn't considered that it would be otherwise, but it was still a relief to know they were in tune with each other.

He closed the door when she didn't say anything, and searched for the miniscule human part of himself. He found it close by, as he expected it would be, the door a slightly lighter shade than the last one. "I don't think I need to open this one," he said quietly. "It would most likely be just like looking in a mirror."

When she didn't contradict him he knew that time had run out and he couldn't put off the last step in the process. He had to confront his vampiric side. His heartbeat began to race at just the thought of it, but he searched for the monster anyway, closing his eyes and willing himself to find that last hidden part of himself.

When he slowly opened them, he found himself standing in front of a door of the deepest black, a door with no numeral on its face. It was as if his subconscious mind had deliberately excluded it from the pattern he had conjured up. A trickle of sweat beaded his forehead and he felt a shiver run down his spine.

"Open it. Have faith in yourself."

Reasa's whispered words had him reaching out with a shaking hand, his palm sweaty as he slowly turned the doorknob. There was a loud creaking sound as the door opened inward, into a darkness so absolute it seemed to swallow up all of the light surrounding them.

"All the other doors opened outwards," Liam murmured, trepidation lacing his words. A hand touched his arm lightly, and he was surprised not only by Reasa's gesture, but also the fact he could feel her touch on the psychic plane.

"You feel you have control of everything else except this part of yourself. The door opens inwards because you're afraid of what will come out if it were any different."

There was a certain logic to her statement and he was amazed at the complexity of his own his mind. Always before he had been a slave to hiding from everyone's emotions; it was only now that he felt he was really coming to understand himself.

A noise from within the darkness startled him, and Liam tensed as a portion of the blackness lightened into a muted grey and a mirror image of himself appeared, standing motionless with his eyes closed. This Liam was clad entirely in black, his dark auburn hair loose with a wild, unkempt look to it.

"He cannot cross the boundary unless you allow him to," Reasa said quietly. "When you change to your wolf form, you do so because you allow it out of the forest room we just viewed. You can contain the vampire within...and study him so you can come to know him. You are strong enough to do this, Liam. Have faith."

The moment she finished speaking, the vampire opened his eyes, dark pools of the deepest black glaring out at them. A loud hiss escaped him, lethal fangs and talons elongated as he strode towards the doorway, with no apparent indication of stopping.

"No!" Liam yelled, holding out his hands as if to ward the vampire off.

"Use your mind, Liam. Use your enhanced shielding capabilities."

It felt as if he was being freed to act, freed to protect Reasa and everyone he loved. Liam slammed up a mental barrier, almost gasping aloud as thick glass appeared from nowhere. The transparent cage effectively barricaded the vampire in, and a strategically placed rectangular opening allowed him to interact with them safely.

"Release me," the monster growled, pushing his fingers through the opening, talons scraping the glass as he pulled hard, trying to remove the barrier.

"No!" Liam cried out again, trying not to slam the door closed to hide the horror within. "I will not allow you to hurt anyone else ever again."

The vampire paused, a cruel smile crossing his face as he flicked his talons over the glass. "You allow others to hurt you, to take that which belongs to us. The female is ours, our mate, and yet you allowed harm to come to her. Release me and no one will ever dare touch her again. You know you are not up to the task. You and the wolf are too weak. Free me and we will have everything our hearts desire."

There was honey in the words, thick and cloying, and yet tempting beyond all measure. His vampire's strength had been proven and his appeal to the side of Liam that wanted so badly to mate with Reasa was a cleverly calculated move. He was tempted...oh so very tempted to remove his defences, to claim the woman at his side. The glass shimmered for a moment and he struggled to maintain it. Then Reasa stepped forward and there was no further struggle; the barrier solidified as he sought to protect her.

"You are indeed a worthy specimen," she said to the vampire, her green eyes running over the sheer beauty before her. This is what she knew, what she understood. This was what she had seen when she had been hurt and what had drawn her to look at the Vârcolac as a man for the first time.




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 13



She could imagine what it would be like to lay with him, to bask in the glorious feral lust he would reign over her body. The thought made her breasts ache and her nipples hard, a thrill of anticipation spreading down to the very heart of what made her a woman.

"You are beautiful, Liam. You are strong and I know you would protect me with your life if I allowed you to claim me as yours. Nevertheless, I can't do that, because you would cause me harm. Yes, you appeal to the former vampire in me, but you forget that I am now human. I cannot accept you because you are too dangerous to me. You fight for dominance and seek to take away your softer side. If you were to be the dominant part of your soul then we would never be together."

His head tilted to the right and Liam unconsciously copied the pose as he listened avidly to Reasa.

"You have already rejected the wolf and the man," the vampire argued, pointing one long talon in her direction. "You will not reject me because you know me. I am all you have ever known."

"I am learning something new," she countered, though her tongue did snake out to moisten her lips. Her resolve strengthened, and she squared her shoulders, tossing back her midnight black hair. 

"No one owns me, vampire – not him, not the wolf, and not you. I have not endured what I have to suddenly be eclipsed by a male. You seek dominance, submission, to take everything and rule. This body may now be weak, but my mind is still strong, and I will continue to strengthen, continue to learn. No male will stand in my way. I reject you, vampire, as I have rejected the man and wolf. You are fragmented - incomplete. You fall short of my needs."

Liam roared in fury, both within the room and outside. In the distance, a wolf howled mournfully and the glass shimmered again, becoming opaque. The vampire surged forward, pushing at the glass. The material bowed outward, stretching out in the shape of his hands as he pushed with all his might, snarling.

"Stop!" Liam roared, and the vampire was repelled backwards as if struck by an invisible force. Once more, the glass hardened, though the handprints remained etched into it as a reminder of how close the vampire had come to being freed.

"You do not listen," he whispered, his chest heaving from the force of the power he had used. He knew it was his mind that conjured up the image. He knew that in reality, he was still sitting on the bed with Reasa, but it was hard not to imagine the physical exertions on his body.

Taking a deep breath, Liam walked up to the glass and placed his hands where the handprints remained. "Hear Reasa's words. Listen to what she says. Fragmented, we are weak. Fragmented, we are found lacking. Only as one will our mate find us worthy. The human knows it. The wolf knows it. Now you must know it...or we are all lost."

Hearing Reasa talk to the vampire had helped to slot everything into place. She needed the vampiric side of him. She understood it and she respected it. Without it, she would never accept him; therefore he had to find a way of accepting his vampire too. Brown eyes clashed with black, as the vampire rose to his feet and approached the glass in a blur of speed.

"You are weak!"

"Learn a new definition of the word! Blind rage is more of a weakness than compassion and understanding could ever be."

Liam waited to see what else he would come back at him with, but the vampire remained silent, watching him with his black gaze. "It is not weak to care...to have empathy with all around you," Liam continued. "My mind is not weak because I can contain you as I just have. Stop fighting me and join with me. I have learned and I am ready. Have you learned? Are you ready? We have work to do and I can't do it without you by my side."

The vampire's hands touched the glass, framing Liam's in a perfect reflection. The wolf howled again in the distance and then the sound was right beside them. Liam blinked slowly, as he turned to look to his left. Beside him was the magenta door; the one he stood in front of was now a deeper magenta, the glass now removed and the vampire standing within. 

"Finally!" his alter-ego growled, a hint of a smile on his face. "It took you long enough. Go. Do what must be done. I will be here when you need me." The vampire waved his talons in a dismissive gesture as he turned his black gaze on Reasa. 

"Gotcha," he whispered, throwing his head back and laughing loudly when the colour drained from her face.

*****

Reasa snatched her hands away from Liam, and sprang from the bed with an almost vampiric agility. She could feel his eyes tracking her but the only thing she could hear was that one whispered word, "Gotcha." It sent a shiver of fear down her spine, as well as a tremor of excitement.

"Nothing's changed, Reasa," Liam said in a soothing tone. "I can wait, despite my vampire's flare for the dramatic. You have no need to fear me."

She could detect a subtle difference in Liam's posture when she turned to look at him—a hint of confidence in his eyes that hadn't been there previously. The outward change was infinitesimal, but she could see it and it made her heart kick up a beat. He suddenly looked a bit larger, just a little bit more gorgeous than he had before. Looking at him started a slow burn inside her, an effect she definitely didn't want to experience.

"I think that's enough for now," she managed to get out. She detected a breathiness in her voice that she was sure he could hear too. "I suggest a short break and then we can begin with your tuition. Why don't you take the book with you and read up on the dreaming walking process. When we meet again, I can show you how to focus on individuals and then we should be ready to head up to the Praetorian Compound. I will be following your lead in the dream walking, so it makes sense that you read the book first."

He watched her silently for a long moment and then he gave her a lopsided grin as he rose from the bed. "I will return after lunch then. That should give me enough time to read through the book and you enough to stabilise your equilibrium."

"There's nothing wrong with my equilibrium," she shot back, but her snappy response called her a liar. Reasa waited for him to laugh or call her on it, but he merely nodded and headed out of the bedroom, book in hand.

Reasa closed the door, and pressed her back against it as if she could bar him from entering again. She had to get control of herself, and fast. She only had a few hours respite before she would once more have to spend time inside his mind, and heaven forbid, he inside hers.

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 14



I am painfully conscious that this story has taken a long time to post up, and you have all been very patient with me, thank you #hugs. As I have now completed Tears of the Fallen, I am going to post up the chapters much faster so you can all find out what happens.

Please note that this means the chapters will be going up, hopefully weekly, but possibly every second week. I will proof them to within an inch of their lives but they will be unedited by my usual team so please bear with me for any little faux pas that slip through. 

I must add that this in no way reflects my editors Mistress of Shadows or Angel n Disguise who do an outstanding job for me. This is me merely being impatient to put this part of the story to bed quickly so I can concentrate on other projects.

Enjoy!

*****

Demetri strode into the laboratory at the pack compound, easily carrying a small refrigerator in his hands. A young female wolf gaped at him with an open mouth, a flicker of fear on her face as he walked through the door. She was the only person in the lab and she looked like she was ready to run screaming out the room. He had to fight down the urge to growl in irritation.

"Where is Cassia or Mallen?"

The girl gaped at him, a shiver of fear running through her that was so strong, he could actually see her quake. Demetri took a deep breath and tried again. "This refrigerator has been without power for over an hour. The contents will spoil soon if they haven't already. It's imperative I get it to Cassia or Mallen as soon as possible."

"Plug it in over there, Demetri," Cassia said from behind him, and he turned his head to see her just arriving, pointing to a clear workspace at the back of the room. She gave his a wide smile, not the least intimidated by him, but then she was used to seeing him around her house when he visited with Alexei.

"Trish, why don't you take a break for a little while, go and get yourself some lunch. I can help Demetri." The young girl almost ran from the room, relief etched on her face as Cassia freed her from having to have any further dealings with the vampire.

The Vârcolac waited for her to leave before she quirked an eyebrow at her adopted uncle. "You could make a little more of an effort. You scared the poor girl witless and she's one of Mallen's more promising students. We really can't afford to lose her skills if she becomes too afraid to come to the lab. She has a strong maternal streak and needs a lot of support right now."

The vampire had deposited the refrigerator where he was told and looked back at her as he plugged it in. "What? All I did was ask where either you or Mallen where." 

"Demetri, you know fine well you scare the crap out of most people just by walking into a room," Cassia laughed, fondness in her tone. "What are you, six foot two? Factor in the whole big scary vampire thing you've got going on and you're likely to have half the teenagers running scared with one glance in their direction. It doesn't help that Pietro was here earlier looking like something out of a Dracula movie. He almost scared poor Trish to death."

Her droll tone had Demetri smiling and he crossed the room to give her a quick hug. "Speaking of Pietro, I'd have another shower before you head home, Cass. Unless you actually want Alexei to go ballistic?"

She flushed a deep shade of red, hugging him back for a moment before stepping away. "Thanks for the heads up." It was disconcerting to know the vampire was aware of her tryst with his friend so she quickly changed the subject before he could comment further. "Rafe said this is a viable sample of the toxin."

"I checked and it appears to still be good but what would I know for sure, I'm not a scientist. The door hasn't been opened since I unplugged it, so with luck, the temperature will have remained cold enough to keep it safe. I'd give it an hour or so to chill down again before having a look."

"I agree. Do you want to come over to the house for some lunch?" Cassia was taping a sign to the small unit warning against it being opened in case anyone came in while she was gone.

"Vampire here. I don't eat." The Ancient's laugh was a warm rich sound that only a very few ever got to hear. "However, I do want to know how Pietro is getting on so I'll accompany you while you eat. Will Cedar and Alexei be there?"

Cassia shook her head, preceding him out of the lab. "Mom's over at the Hanlon pack today keeping Jared abreast of everything that's been happening and taking a little time to catch up with family. Dad's out on some Council business. I think he was supposed to be meeting with Andrei and Mara." There was a questioning inflection in her voice as she spoke.

The vampire at her side smiled, and it was one of his more natural smiles, which usually graced his handsome face whenever his wife was around or mentioned. "Yeah, they're meeting with Stefan to keep an eye on how things are with the Council. At the last meeting everything appeared to be moving in the direction we want, however, it's not unknown for one or two of them to suddenly change their mind."

He followed her into her kitchen and watched as she began making coffee for him as well as a sandwich and some tea for herself. "So, what's going on with you and Pietro?"

"It's private, Demetri," Cassia choked out, startled by his bluntness.

"He's been through a lot, Cass. Playing around with a wolf might not be the best thing for him right now. I know for a fact Alexei going ape-shit at him sure as hell isn't a good thing."

She turned around to regard him, her expression surprised for a moment before a wide smile crossed her face. "And here was me thinking you were lecturing me about it for my protection. It's a pleasant surprise to find it the other way around."

Demetri's own serious expression lightened a bit, his lips twitching in a smile. "Yeah, it must be a bit of shock finding someone who has actually realised the Vârcolac are more than capable of taking care of themselves," he conceded, taking the proffered cup of coffee she handed him.

Cassia sat down at the table with her lunch, chewing thoughtfully before she spoke. "I'm not playing, Demetri. Pietro is safe with me. He may not know it yet, and apart from Dara, you're the only other person who does know, but he's mine."

She didn't know what she expected his reaction to be but the smile that crossed the Ancient vampire's face made Cassia suck in a deep breath and feel slightly envious of Mara that she got to witness that expression all the time. Not that she would trade Pietro in for anyone else but she was woman enough to acknowledge a handsome male when she saw one.

"He's your mate?" he asked, though they both knew it was a moot question so he didn't wait for her to answer. "If anything can help Pietro heal, it will be finally finding his mate after all these centuries. I couldn't have chosen a better match for him either. You are perfect for him."

For some reason Demetri's warm approval brought a lump to Cassia's throat and she had to swallow hard to clear it and return his smile with one that held a hint of sadness. "He's so angry, Demetri. Yes, he's going through the motions of moving on but the rage he's bottling up inside is destructive. I'm afraid of what he may do to Thereasa if he ever comes into contact with her."

The vampire's eyes darkened and a frown creased his forehead. "Do you think he'll hurt her?" While he had no love for the former vampire, he was astute enough to know the potential damage it could cause to the pack, not to mention the personal harm it could cause to both Liam and now Cassia, if his friend was to act out any thoughts of vengeance. It was a disaster waiting to happen.

"I think there is a very strong probability that he may," she whispered, fear in her eyes as she met his. "As long as he doesn't actually see her, he's able to keep in his mind that she's Liam's mate and as such, to protect Liam he has to leave her alone. If he were to see her though, I'm not so sure that he'd be able to hold onto that rationale."

Demetri sat back in his chair, imagining the chaos that would ensue if Pietro lost it and hurt the woman. The chances of something similar to what happened up at the Praetorian compound occurring would be a high probability. Maybe it would be wiser to move Pietro from the Armand-Hanlon pack. He was sure Mara wouldn't mind if he suggested the vampire move in with them for a while.

"Have you talked to Rafe about it?" he eventually asked, all the while thinking about possible solutions to the problem.

Cassia shook her head. "Not specifically, but I know he's more than aware anyway. I've noticed Sam and Harlan are always around the compound since Pietro's been here. They're two of Rafe's strongest Betas. Also, Aaron's been close to home too. With all the work required to transfer ownership of the pack's businesses and start up new ones, he should be coordinating that but he's here most of the time. Rafe is keeping his best people close and it can only be for that reason."

Demetri nodded his agreement. The Alpha was smarter than most wolves he knew which was expected of anyone he accepted into his family. Rafe had earned his respect years ago when they had fought with Richard Graves after his attack on the Hanlon pack. While their relationship wasn't the standard kind of family one, he was Rhianna's brother and that meant he was Demetri's family by default and under his protection.

"I'll speak to Mara and Caleb. It might be wise to remove Pietro from the pack and place him somewhere else."

"He's not ready for that," Cassia disagreed, denial rippling through her at the thought of her mate going anywhere away from her. "He's only just venturing out of the house and only in my company. Reasa and Liam will be heading up to the Praetorian compound soon anyway, from what I hear. Let me work with him, Demetri. As long as I stay close everything should be okay."

He looked doubtful but he finally conceded, though he wasn't entirely happy about it. "He can't be allowed to do anything that may hurt the pack; no matter how justified some may feel he is. If he kills Thereasa and Liam goes rogue, hundreds of people could die."

"It won't come to that. I know it won't. I won't let it."

The determination in Cassia's voice matched her expression and it was enough to ease some of his concern. Demetri sipped at his coffee as she ate, wondering if perhaps it would be wise for him to pop in and have a word with Pietro before he headed home.

*****

"I thought the purpose was for me to recuperate here undisturbed?" There was no mistaking the irritation on Pietro's face as he opened the door.

Demetri merely gave him a level stare before brushing past him into the house. "Cassia reeks of you."

His friend smiled, a genuine, warm smile that reached his miss-matched eyes. "She should," was all the other vampire said turning to head into the empty living room. 

"What are you doing, Pietro? You know Alexei will hand you your ass on a plate when he finds out your having sex with his daughter. Do you have a death wish? Wasn't Europe a step too close for you?" Demetri watched his friend closely, seeing the slight stiffening of his shoulders that indicated his temper was on the rise. He didn't care, he had to find out if Pietro had any concept of what was happening. Perhaps then, he'd be able to have a word with Alexei when the shit hit the fan.

"Remind me again what business my personal life is of yours, Demetri? Should I start commenting on your relationship with Mara and Alexei's with Cedar?" There was more than a hint of coolness in Pietro's voice as he sat down on the sofa and met his friend's stare.

"Alexei and I are mated to our partners. What are you implying here? Is Cassia your mate?"

Pietro's expression turned neutral, not a hint of what he was feeling crossing his face. "Don't be ridiculous. We're just enjoying each other. The last time I looked Cassia was a grown woman who is more than capable of making her own decisions. I don't see why this is anyone else's business but our own."

Demetri sat down on the sofa across from him, an eyebrow quirking at his choice of words. "Why ridiculous? Mac found his mate in Lily when he least expected it. Why is the possibility of Cassia being your mate ridiculous?"

"Look at me, Demetri. Look at the scars on my face. You've seen the ones on my body in Europe. What woman would want...this?" Pietro hissed out the words, waving a hand at the visible scars on his face and neck. His eyes blazed with repulsion, his one remaining hazel eye turning almost as black as the damaged one.

If he'd thought his outburst would garner some form of sympathy from his friend he was rudely mistaken. Demetri's expression remained the same, thoughtful but unsympathetic. "Clearly Cassia doesn't mind your imperfections." He pointed out the obvious. His response only appeared to irritate his friend more.

"I'm an anomaly to her. I'm the first vampire to be scarred for life. Of course, she's going to be interested in me. My body may hold the clue to an antidote for this poison. That calls to the scientist in her. As soon as she's found a cure she'll have no further need for me anymore. So I will enjoy the time I have with her for however long I have it, but that is all there is to this thing between us. It is all there can be. I've told her that so she'd aware."

Demetri stared at him, using all of his self-control to stop his mouth from dropping open. It was obvious Pietro was clueless to what was happening. He truly believed what he was saying. Did his friend really know Cassia so little that he believed she was only interested in him for scientific reasons and would leave him when that was no longer the case? 

He felt a pang of sympathy but it was for Cassia not Pietro. She was an amazing young woman with a bright future ahead of her. She was happy at finding her mate in Pietro however, she had no idea that her mate didn't want her. Was she strong enough to ride out his friend's demons with him? It could prove one hell of an upward battle to convince Pietro that he was worthy of her.

"I'm astounded to hear you think Cassia is that fickle," he finally said, standing up to leave. Coming here hadn't been a good idea after all because Demetri was sorely tempted to kick the shit out of his friend for being so narrow-minded. "It would serve you right if she did kick you into touch. While I'm here, there are also some concerns about your antipathy towards Reasa. I just wanted to remind you to stay away from the girl."

"I don't need you to tell me that," Pietro snapped back, more than a little anger in his voice as he rose too. "I've stayed away from her for days now. You have no need to concern yourself over that. You really came here just to push my buttons, Demetri?" 

The two vampires stared each other out and then Demetri's lips quirked in a smile. "Actually I did want to see how you were doing too," he grinned. "It's good to see you with some fire in your belly, my friend. Hold onto that and you will heal just fine." He turned and walked to the front door.

As he pulled it opened, Pietro followed him, a scowl on his face. "What did you mean about Cassia not being so fickle? Demetri! Demetri!"

Climbing into his car, Demetri's grin widened at the sound of the front door slamming shut when he didn't answer. He may suck at the more tender emotions but he sure as hell still had it in him to piss people off. Hopefully, Pietro would be so off-balance trying to figure out his relationship with Cassia that there wouldn't be any chance for him to accidentally bump into Thereasa. 

The Vârcolac had her work cut out with his friend, there was no doubt about that, but there was more than enough spark still within Pietro. He had faith that she would be able to make him see sense. The only question was...would she be able to do it before Alexei found out about them. 

*****

Reasa had just finished lunch when the knock came on the front door. Freya looked up from the pile of paperwork she was nose deep in and smiled. "I wonder if he was clock watching," she commented before calling out, "Come in, Liam."

Taking a deep breath, Reasa deposited her plate and cutlery into the dishwasher and then turned to greet the Vârcolac. "You had sufficient time to read the entire book?

"Eidetic memory," he grinned, the book on dream walking tucked under his arm at his side. "I brought it back so you could read it later. It really is fascinating."

There was a new confidence about him. It was subtle and not the least cocky, but she could see the slight change in him as he waited patiently for her to decide what they were going to do. She had to admit the confidence made him much more appealing and it was hard to keep her gaze fixed firmly on his face and not travelling down his body to admire the view.

Giving herself a mental shake, she turned to Freya who was openly watching them without the least attempt to conceal it. "May we use you for the next lesson, Freya?" She noted Liam frown at the words. He was clearly not happy at the prospect of his aunt being with them.

"What am I required to do?"

Reasa ignored Liam, keeping her gaze on the vampire. "If you could possibly choose an appropriate emotion and maintain it for a while? Liam and I will be in the other room. I want to show him how to seek out individual emotions. As he already had a strong connection with you, it should be easier for him to detect your emotions."

Freya frowned, looking back at her paperwork. "Wouldn't Elina be a better choice for this? Liam has the same affinity with her as he does with me. I am very busy right now."

Reasa shook her head. "Elina is too used to using her abilities to shield Liam. That habit will most likely provide an obstacle to any progress."

"Irritation is an emotion too, Freya," Liam grinned at his aunt. "I'm used to sensing that in you so I should be able to find you easily."

Giving her nephew a pointed look, the vampire finally sighed. "Very well, but try to make this quick. Learn fast, Liam, I have work to finish this afternoon."

Laughing at the pique in Freya's tone, Liam followed Reasa into the back of the house. He was excited to learn new tools that could help him control his empathy, but he was more excited about spending more time with his mate. The morning lesson had been challenging, especially when he'd had to confront his vampiric side, but having Reasa in his mind had been amazing. He couldn't wait to experience it again and have their positions reversed so he could be in her mind this time. He wondered what he would learn about the exotic creature that was destined to be his mate. 

He was also excited to tell her what he'd learned from Annie's book. Since he'd discovered what he'd inadvertently done up at the Praetorian Compound, it had only been his stronger shields that had prevented his sorrow and guilt from being projected onto the pack. After reading the book, he now had some hope that they may be able to save the stricken vampires.

Reasa took her position on her bed as before and he took his at the bottom facing her, the book on dreaming walking once more placed between them. It appeared symbolic, as if it gave her some form of protection against him. It was enough to make Liam smile. If he were determined to have her no book would get in his way, however he knew she needed more time so he was content to wait until she came to him. She would come to him, of that he had no doubt. No one could withstand the mating instinct, not matter how hard they wished they could.

"Stop grinning. This is serious and you need to concentrate." Reasa's tone was waspish and it reminded him of his aunt and sometimes Elina too. It suddenly struck Liam how he automatically formed bonds with women who were usually cool and reserved. He was drawn to personalities that soothed his soul even as he strove to try to bring laughter into their lives because he wanted to see them happy.




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 14



Composing himself, he tried to look less pleased with being in Reasa's company. He really did want to learn what she had to teach him and didn't want to risk having her decide to withdraw her offer to help. Relaxing his arms on his crossed legs, he waited for her to begin.

"This time we're going to be entering my mind so I can show you how to locate someone's emotions. I am strong enough to make small enhancements to emotions without damaging the host mind, which is very easy to do. You MUST concentrate fully, Liam. You have the power to turn me into a drooling mess and I'm not so sure you wouldn't be able to do the same to Freya despite her having one of the strongest minds I've come across. I cannot stress just how dangerous this is. One slipup and you could wipe both of our minds."

Some of Liam's eagerness waned as he saw the seriousness of her expression. Reasa wasn't being overly-theatrical, she meant every word. If he deviated even the slightest from her commands, he could possibly harm two of the women he cared most for in the world. A tremor of fear gripped him and something must have shown in his eyes because Reasa's expression softened slightly.

"I believe your natural protective instincts will not allow you to do any harm," she said in a less acerbic tone. "I'm willing to take the risk so try not to be overly concerned about it. Be careful, yes, but have some faith in yourself."

"What about my aunt? Is she aware of how dangerous this is?"

Reasa nodded. "Of course. All vampires are aware of the risks of another entering their minds. The fact Freya suggested Elina for the task proves her faith in you, Liam. She would not risk her daughter if she thought for one moment you may harm her."

That settled him a little, and he loosened his shoulders to relax himself. "Okay, what do I do?"

"I'm lowering my mental shields a fraction to allow you to come in. Very gently reach out with your mind and try to find the way in. Most people imagine different things when it comes to their defences. They often don't even realise they're doing it. The first step is always to try to determine what they are. Try to work out what my defences are and then the path I'm allowing you to take to enter into my mind."

Closing his eyes because it was better not to have the distraction of looking at his mate, Liam carefully pushed out his mental awareness towards Reasa until he came across a lattice of thick strands of rubber. He tested the thickest part of it, giving a weak mental push and watching the rubber give a little but rebound back into place the instant he stopped pushing. It was fascinating so he did it again and smiled. 

Reasa's shields were very strong and he couldn't stop the swelling of pride that rushed through him. When they joined together they would be so strong. Her experience and his strength as a booster would make them a formidable team.

"Liam..."

There was exasperation in her tone so he moved on, following the rubber strands as they began to taper down in thickness until he was at the barest of openings. It was so minute if he hadn't been concentrating so hard he would have missed it. She was very skilled at this and he couldn't stop another smile crossing his face as he accepted her invitation and entered her mind slowly.

It was strange to be within someone else's most private place. It wasn't the same as the mental communication they'd shared. He was more fully inside Reasa's mind, sensing her emotions and being close to her thoughts too. If he really wanted to he could push just a little and he would be able to read her thoughts but he chose not to do that. Instead he concentrated on an area in her mind that closely resembled an overgrown well and sent his physic persona to that place.

"Your touch is very light," Reasa said out aloud, approval in her tone that widened his grin. "Continue with this level of touch and calmness and I may come out of this intact. You've found where my emotions are hidden. Can you determine the different ones?"

Liam didn't speak, he used his mind to conjure the image of a feather which he dipped into the well carefully. She had said to keep his touch light and a feather was the lightest item he could think of. He didn't want to inadvertently hurt her. 

Reasa giggled as he stroked the feather over a moss-hewn brick and he laughed at the sound. "This is where your sense of humour lies," he chuckled, dragging the feather over it again so he could hear the wonderful sound she emitted. He could have stayed there all day making her laugh but knew she would tell him off if he tried it. 

Moving on, he brushed another brick and felt the first stirrings of irritation within his mate as her breath hissed out. Anger. He tried again and felt a hot blast of desire exude from the woman before him, and he quickly backed away before she could become angrier. "Sorry," he whispered.

"It is fine, just move on," Reasa answered, a breathless quality to her voice.

Liam didn't brush anymore bricks with the feather; he let it melt away and just viewed the bricks. He was quickly recognising each emotion and he didn't want to touch the ones that would cause her pain or induce her to cry. He spent a few more moments staring into the well before he backed away. "I feel confident I know what I'm looking for now, Reasa."

His mate let out a slow breath and he opened his eyes to see her watching him intently. "You learn so fast." There was an accusation to her tone.

He shot her a rueful smile. "The book has a section solely on this," he admitted.

Her green eyes bore into him as her lips tighten a bit in disapproval, but she didn't call him on the fact he'd kept that to himself. "Fine. Let us see if you can narrow in on individual emotions now you know what you're looking for. Lower your defences until you can feel both Freya's emotions and mine. Don't open too wide to the entire pack or you may be overloaded. Start small."

He did as she asked, keeping a light presence in her mind in the region where her emotions were and then reached out psychically to the other room to sense his aunt. Freya was concentrating on her paperwork task, irritation wafting from her in spades. He stayed still, sensing the difference in wavelengths and noting that each had a distinctive pattern, an individual signature. 

It was something akin to what he did with the Vârcolac. Before today, he had only been able to do this with the Vârcolac because they were more prone to speak telepathically. In hindsight, he could see that he'd automatically learned their signatures at an early age. This was the first time he'd ever noticed it with anyone else in the pack and it was a heady feeling.

It was enough to make Liam smile again and he couldn't resist testing his aunt's mental defences to see if he could easily enter her mind. He was immediately brought up short by a hedge so dense it was a solid wall. As if that wasn't bad enough, it appeared to be encased in a mesh of barbed wire. Stunned, he could only gape at it in stunned shock. Surely she had to have the most impressive defences of anyone he knew, and if she did, he could only imagine the depth of emotions she kept hidden from the world. 

He began to test each section, keeping his touch light as he sought a way in. Liam knew he was probably powerful enough to force his way into Freya's mind but that wasn't the object of the lesson. He just wanted to test if he could slip inside. He didn't want to do anything while he was there, he was just overcome with the need to know...

"Liam!" Reasa's scolding tone startled him and he hastily backed away, his expression sheepish when he opened his eyes to look at her.

"Freya did not give you permission to trespass in her thoughts."

"Sorry, I got a little carried away there." His tone was meek and he gave a small smile that turned into a large grin when she rolled her eyes.

"Somebody save me from foolish males who think a cute smile will get them out of trouble," she grumbled under her breath, but he could see a smile threatening to tilt her lips upward. 

He beamed at her until she rose from the bed and began pacing the room. As the silence stretched, he watched her move with a rapt expression. She had no idea how graceful she was, how the sunlight shining in the window bathed her caramel skin with a soft glow that made his mouth go dry. He ached to brush his lips against that skin, to run his tongue over her softness to see if she tasted as good as she looked. He wondered what she'd do if he tried. 

Liam knew she wasn't anywhere close to being ready to mate with him, but she inspired such emotions within him, keeping his distance was difficult. Would she let him have just one kiss? Having her in his mind and sharing hers was such an intimate thing. Surely that was more intimate than a simple kiss? If she trusted him enough on a psychic level then perhaps she would trust him a little further? Rising slowly from the bed, he moved into her path so when she next turned to resume her pacing he was blocking her way. 

Reasa uttered a startled squeak as she unexpectedly came up against the brick wall of his chest. "What are you doing?" She stepped back quickly, scowling up at him.

"You are the most exquisite woman I have ever seen." His words appeared to catch her even more off-guard and she stared at him mutely for a moment before she backed away further.

"We are here to work on a way to treat the injured vampires. If you are unable to maintain that task then you should leave." 

Her words were as frosty as the glare on her face but it didn't faze him. Liam stepped closer, inhaling Reasa's heavenly scent, his heart beginning to kick up a beat. She smelled so good, so tantalising that his mouth was starting to water at the thought of tasting her. Reasa's tongue snaked out nervously, brushing her bottom lip as she came up against the immovable object of the wall and her fierceness turned to uncertainty.

"Liam..."

Placing both hands on the wall either side of her head, he had the presence of mind not to press his body against hers even though he dearly wanted to. One kiss. That was all he wanted and all he would tease from his beautiful mate...this time. 

"Liam..." This time his name sounded breathless, a slight tremor in her voice as Reasa's hands came up and she mistakenly touch him on the chest.

Heat flared through him the instant she touched him. It wasn't a slow burn but instead an inferno of need racing through his veins until he thought he would surely turn to ash from the intensity. Liam didn't recognise the harsh growl that uttered from his lips as he swooped down and took her mouth in a blistering kiss, stroking her lips with his, running his tongue along her bottom lip as she had done only moments before. 

Colours exploded behind his closed eyes, hot reds, flickering yellows and a blinding white so intense it threatened to consume him. She tasted divine, like hot caramel layering through molten chocolate with a hint of spicy cinnamon. She was heat and passion, soft and yet strong, her lips moulding to his desperately as she kissed him back with a fervour that bordered on wildness. 

Reasa's fingers curled into his chest, resting against his racing heart as he fought to keep some distance between them when all he wanted to do was press his aching body against her softness. He had to maintain some control though, because she was so very fragile now and he could easily hurt her with his passion. He contented himself with the kiss, with stealing her breath away when he dipped his tongue inside her mouth to taste her more fully. 

Liam couldn't ever remember feeling this alive, this intensity of emotions without there being pain. Before Thereasa, he would have been projecting everything to the pack but not this...not these emotions. These were solely for him and for his mate. These were the most intimate and private of emotions that he would never share with anyone other than her. She was his, his exotic mate, his fierce little bundle of conflicted feelings and messed up thinking. Thereasa was his enigma to solve as she worked to save his soul without truly knowing that was what she was doing.

Liam finally dragged his mouth away, his breathing harsh as he stared down into dazed green eyes that for once weren't flashing at him in irritation. He gave into temptation to run his fingers over her warm brown skin, trailing them across one cheek slowly until he rubbed a thumb against her swollen bottom lip. "I guess the lesson is over now," he sighed softly, a rueful smile tugging at his lips as he watched awareness creep back into her gaze and her hands pushed at his chest.

"Get out! 

He knew she needed time and space, so he backed away, moving to the closed bedroom door. "I'll leave the book for you to read. I think tomorrow we can go up to the Praetorian Compound and see if there is anything we can do to help the injured. Rafe should have had enough time to arrange an escort by now."

Reasa stared dumbly at him as he left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. The instant he did, she moved back to the bed, hugging her knees as her heart beat a wild tattoo in her chest. Dear God, the heat in his kiss had been electric. He had sucked her down and turned her inside out with that one meeting of lips. There was an ache in her stomach so intense it was almost physical. What the hell had he done to her? He had to have projected his emotions onto her for her to respond the way she had. He had to! 

Reasa stared at the door, her thoughts in chaos as she tried to convince herself of that and reluctantly had to be truthful with herself. Liam had maintained his shields during the kiss. Her reaction had purely been her own, she couldn't deny that. She had wanted him, had needed him with a passion so intense she'd been disappointed when he'd stopped kissing her. She was attracted to Liam Eriksson despite of what he was. She had come here to kill him and his kind and now she wanted to lay with him, to feel his hands stroking her body, to feel his lips...

Burying her head against her knees, she fought not to think any further down those lines as the ache in the pit of her stomach grew worse. She had to stop thinking like that. She had to put Liam back in the box she'd constructed for him. He was an abomination. He shouldn't have been born. 

But she found the strength of her convictions was weaker than it had ever been before. The box wouldn't close within her mind, instead it remained cracked open and twinkling brown eyes peeked out at her. Reasa swallowed back a strangled sob as wicked lips grinned at her...playful, teasing and so full of heat they were ready to burn her up. She was in trouble and she didn't know how to get herself out of this one.

*****

"Cassia, I need to head into the city to pick up some supplies for the lab that Mallen's ordered in. I'm supposed to have an escort."

The Vârcolac halted in her tracks on her way over to see Pietro, mild annoyance overcoming her at the interruption. She turned around to look at Trish and the annoyance melted away in an instant. At seventeen, the youngster already looked older than she was, but lacked the usual confidence of most of her peers. It was why the tall dark-haired girl had been scheduled to help at the lab, to boost that confidence among some of the more empathic pack members. 

Despite her desire to see her mate, Cassia wasn't able to ignore the needs of one of her more vulnerable pack mates. "You and me both," she commented, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Really?" Trish's eyes were huge, her surprise evident.

"Yes...unless Rafe has rescinded the order." Cassia spotted Aaron leaving the Alpha's house and waved to the pack's second-in-command. "Aaron, we need to go into town to pick up some supplies. I was thinking about asking Pietro to accompany us. Will that be sufficient?"

Her uncle wandered over, a thoughtful expression on his face as he regarded them. "I don't think that will be a problem, honey," he said, giving his niece a hug before ruffling Trish's hair. "It will do you all some good to get away from the pack for a bit. I'm sure you'll be able to keep everyone in one piece, Cass."

For a moment she blinked at him in surprise and then a wide smile crossed her face. Aaron was putting her in charge of the outing, not coddling her, as was the norm. Her expression must have been something to see because her uncle laughed loudly and shook his head.

"We learn from our mistakes," he winked, his sunny smile automatically making them both smile back at him. Aaron's easy-going personality hid a core of steel but it made him the first person most of the pack went to when they had a problem. "You will see more of our pack and the Hanlon pack in the city than normal but that's only because we're stepping up a presence there to see if we can locate any strangers to the area. If you see anything out of the ordinary let me know. Jared's informed us he's detected some unknown wolves in his neck of the woods recently. They've come close but so far haven't trespassed on pack lands. It's unusual behaviour though and with the current threat level from the European vampires we'd be foolish not to pay close attention to these random wolves."

Cassia's surprise instantly turned to wariness and she couldn't help the feeling of pleasure that also washed over her. Her uncle was treating her like one of the pack soldiers, and that pleased her wolf no end. This was the first she'd heard of these unknown wolves and she knew it was probably on a need to know basis. The fact she was entrusted with the knowledge was a huge source of pride for her but she tried not to show it too openly.

"If we see anything we'll let you know," she answered. 

As Aaron nodded and walked away, she became aware of the scent of fear from Trish and turned her gaze back to the girl. "It will be okay. I'm sure we won't see anything untoward while we're picking up the supplies."

Wary blue eyes met hers as Trish shifted nervously from one foot to the other. "It's not that, Cassia," she murmured, her gaze flitting towards Andrei's home. "Do we really need to take the vampire along with us?"

It took a few seconds to realise that the younger woman truly was terrified of Pietro, not that he had done anything outwardly aggressive towards the girl. It would appear this trip to the city was going to be educational for all involved. Trish had to overcome her lack of confidence, and overcoming her fear of Pietro would be a good start in that direction. Pietro needed to interact with others more, and she hoped Trish's vulnerability would spark his protective instincts. 

"Come on," she smiled, linking her arm with Trish and marching her over to Andrei's house. "Pietro isn't half as scary as he looks and he's really a very nice vampire. We're also doing some healing here too, Trish. We're helping him to become accustomed to being in the presence of others." Her final words appeared to encourage the healer inside Trish as the girl straightened a bit and her steps held a little more confidence. Smiling, Cassia knocked on the door.

"What?!" Pietro barked swinging open the door, his mood still black from Demetri's visit. He hadn't even paid any attention to who was calling, his mood was that bad. The young girl from the lab earlier uttered a frightened cry and stumbled backwards while Cassia's expression turned from cheerful to scowling in less than a second.

"Who pissed on your parade?" Her tone was icy as it washed over him but that didn't stop his hungry gaze roaming over her exquisite face as if he hadn't seen her for days.

The blackness lifted in an instant and he felt his lips tugging up in a half smile. "Demetri."

Cassia nodded, her own expression clearing a bit. "Ah yes...he can do that to most people." She turned to her companion and held out a hand for the girl to come closer. "Trish, this is Pietro. You'll have to excuse his lack of manners just now. He's male," she said the last in a stage whisper and winked at her.




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 14



Looking at the other woman, Pietro could see she was younger than he'd first thought and a bit on the nervous side. He felt old instincts starting to well up inside and was surprised to note that the protectiveness he'd previously felt mainly towards the Vârcolac was being extended to the girl he'd just scared the life out of. Perhaps it was because Cassia appeared to be taking the youngster under her wing. If she was important to the Vârcolac then maybe he should take more of an interest in her.

He found himself smiling and knew it must be tugging at the scar on his face. Trish looked at him hesitantly but he didn't see any sign of repulsion in her expression. He dialled back his previous bad mood a bit more. "My apologies, Trish, I didn't mean to frighten you." 

His gaze turned back to Cassia. "You have a reason for being here?" He couldn't think what they possibly wanted. The Vârcolac was hardly going to bring along a teenager if she wanted to spent intimate time with him. He had to admit that his interest was piqued.

"We need an escort into the city. Everyone else is busy so I thought you might like to accompany us."

It took every ounce of his self-control not to let his mouth gape open in stunned surprise. She wanted him to leave the pack? His instinctive reaction was to refuse on the spot, an icy shiver running down his spine at the thought of leaving the sanctity of the pack. He was aware that was due to his feelings of failure for what had happened in Europe. He knew he had to begin the healing process and he was trying to do that with Cassia. If she was asking for this then she must feel that he was ready.

He liked Cassia. He liked her very much, almost to the point of craving her company and it wasn't just about the sex. She was intelligent, and so interesting that simply being in her company was a soothing balm. If he refused, she wouldn't like it, and he didn't want to see disappointment in her eyes because he appeared weak. Swallowing, his brows drew down in a small scowl as he felt the acrid taste of fear in his mouth. He wasn't sure if he was afraid she would be disappointed in him or afraid of leaving the confines of the pack.

"You know you don't need me to accompany you. You're more than capable of taking care of yourself and your little pup, Cassia."

"Oh I know that," she grinned at him. "Unfortunately, Rafe doesn't appear to have fully rescinded the escort rules for us Vârcolac, though he has relaxed them considerably. Aaron is happy for us to go into town as long as we have an escort of some kind. I would prefer if it were you. We do need the supplies but we're also to keep our eyes and ears open too. There are some strange wolves around, possibly from Europe. With you having been over there for so long, you may be the best person to be looking. There's a possibility you may recognise some faces if you've come across them before." 

She was so plausible that he had to smile. How could he argue with her logic when it was so sound? She had wrapped him up neatly and tied the bow. He was unable to refuse now because his protective instincts were rearing up loud and clear. Strange wolves in the area meant potential risks for both the packs and also for his own kind.

"How's the experiments coming along?" Of course, they had to factor in that the poison was still a huge risk to all vampires out there.

Cassia's expression turned hopeful. "They're ongoing and will take a few hours to complete. This is the perfect time for a little side trip because watching experiments is a very frustrating activity."

Making up his mind, Pietro let out a long sigh. There really was no way out of it and if he was honest about it, he did want to test himself away from the pack. It would give him an indication on where he was at in the healing process. In addition...he wanted to spend time with Cassia, even if it meant they had an escort in the young wolf with them. "Fine, let me grab a jacket." 

The sunny smile he received was worth any trepidation he was feeling. As he grabbed his leather jacket and returned outside, he couldn't help analyse his reactions to the exquisite golden-haired woman waiting for him. Everything about her called to him. When they were apart, she was all he could think about. Cassia appeared to feel the same because she was always seeking him out. 

Demetri's words came back to him and he felt a shiver of shock run through his body. Was Cassia his mate? Could that be possible or where they just two friends enjoying a mutual pleasure that was quite literally breath taking? Deciding it wasn't something he wanted to examine too closely right now, Pietro climbed into the front passenger seat of the Jeep as Trish scurried into the back and Cassia started the engine. No, he'd think about it at another time.

Cassia tried to keep the wide grin from her face as they drove off pack lands and headed towards the city. She had expected Pietro to put up a fight about leaving the pack but he'd agreed with practically no real persuasion needed. That pleased her wolf immensely, and the female part of her. He was willing to try...that was all they could ask for at this point in his healing process. The fact he wasn't decked out in his stupid hat was a good sign as well. True, he was still using his hair to try to hide the worst of his scars but it was a start.

It didn't take them long to arrive into the city. Cassia parked the Jeep in a long stay car park close to area where they would be picking up their supplies. She decided to try to make a day of it, or at least a few hours, it would depend on how her companions coped being away from the pack. Trish was probably more skittish than Pietro was so there was a good chance they would have to return early. 

It appeared Pietro was aware of that too because his wary demeanour was loosening up a bit and he was engaging the younger wolf in conversation. Cassia used a hand to hide the smile that was lighting up her face as she kept to the background and just listened.

"So, are female wolves like all other females when it comes to shopping?" he asked Trish with a wry smile gracing his handsome face. "How many shops am I about to get dragged into?"

The younger wolf appeared startled for a moment and then she gave him a hesitant smile as he moved to place himself to her side, closest to the road, with Cassia on her other side. It appeared instinctive that he did that, automatically placing the girl between them so it would ease some of her anxiety levels.

"We have a list." Trish pulled out the list from the back pocket of her jeans and shyly handed it to him. 

Pietro accepted it and began reading, his eyes glazing slightly the more he read. He reached across and handed the piece of paper to Cassia. "Maybe you should have this, it's way over my head. I don't understand any of the items on it."

Trish giggled at the bemusement in his tone. "We could go shopping for clothes instead," she laughed, her expression turning surprised as she realised she'd just teased a vampire.

"Clothes I understand," he smiled back at her, keeping his tone light and friendly. "However, I also know just how long women spend clothes shopping so maybe we should stick to the list for now?"

Cassia laughed too, rolling her eyes. "Let's stick to what we're here for and if we have time we can do some personal shopping later." She perused the list and then pointed down the block. "We can get quite a few things down here."

They managed to secure most of what they needed in a relatively short period of time. As the items weren't perishable, Cassia steered them towards one of the many cafés in the area. "Why don't we have a coffee before we head for the final few things?"

"Sounds good," Pietro answered, and they chose a table outside in the warm afternoon sunshine.

Sipping at a cool drink, Cassia let her gaze wander over the people passing them by as she listened to Pietro chatting with Trish. He was asking her about her studies and pack schedule, subtly giving praise and reinforcing the younger woman's self-esteem, as she recounted her daily schedule. The more she listened, the more content Cassia felt. It was almost as if they were a family. She could just see Pietro being this patient as he taught a child of theirs how to grow into an amazing, confident adult. It set a deep yearning inside her soul to know this sense of family, to make a child with this wonderful vampire who was her soul mate.

A scent teased her nostrils and her head turned in the direction of a group of five males who had just turned into the street. Barely a second after she moved her head, Pietro and Trish both turned as well.

"Do you know them, Cass?" There was a tremor in Trish's voice as she stared at the wolves walking towards them and the Vârcolac touched her hand lightly to soothe her. Pietro repositioned his chair at an angle to safely cover the girl as they drew nearer. 

"No, but it's okay, Trish. We're in the centre of the city with thousands of humans surrounding us. Nothing's going to happen." Cassia spared a moment to glance at Pietro. "Do you recognise any of them?"

His expression was neutral, his eyes never leaving the wolves. "I'm sure I've seen one of them before," he answered; quietly enough they could hear him but not loud enough any nearby humans could. His gaze was fixated on the tallest of the five males. 

Close-cropped dark-blond hair left the male's face wide open to perusal. It was a strong face, from the high sweep of his chiselled cheekbones to the hard line of his granite-like jaw. His skin was tanned a deep bronze, his aristocratic nose slightly crooked as if he'd been in a fight and the bone hadn't set quite properly. His jawline was peppered with a light stubble that, surprisingly, was a few shades darker than his natural hair colour. 

Glacial pale green eyes swept over the milling people as he walked, intelligence blazing from deep within. As his gaze travelled over Cassia, the male paused for a moment, clearly recognising the group at the table for what they were. His companions appeared to sense his scrutiny and all eyes turned to the table. Their body language tensed as they recognised the vampire in the group, immediately turning defensive.

"Stay here," Cassia said, rising slowly.

"Where the fuck do you think you're going?" The words hissed out of Pietro's lips as he rose too and the strange wolves tense further.

"Sit down!" There was no mistaking the order in Cassia's voice, though her gaze never left the men who were now only a few feet away. "Keep close to Trish and be prepared to get her out of here if needed." Without waiting for his answer, she took the handful of steps to reach the strangers.

"Can we help you with anything?" Cassia addressed her question to the blond male. His bearing placed him as the leader of the group.

He regarded her silently for a long moment before shaking his head. "Not that I'm aware know of."

His voice was deep and husky, and made her wolf sit up and pay attention. She was startled at the wolf's response, confusion roiling through her in an instant. Yes, the male was most definitely a dominant, and sexy as sin, but she had chosen her mate in Pietro. She shouldn't be having this kind of interested reaction to another male.

"You're far from home," she managed to respond coolly, acknowledging his clipped, British accent. "Are you visiting friends in the area?" Her words were couched in such a way that he would be aware she was letting him know that she knew they had no pack affiliations locally. 

He acknowledged her point with a slight incrimination of his head, which showed off the tightly corded muscles in his neck. His T-shirt pulled at the movement, and she caught a glimpse of a tattoo that appeared to depict wolf fur flowing over his shoulders. His muscles and physique screamed soldier, and ratcheted up her defensive instincts.

"We're just passing through," he drawled, his gaze flickering to Pietro. "Is there a problem with that? I would have thought a city this size would be counted as neutral territory."

"Ordinarily it would be, however it is proper etiquette for visitors to check in with the locals," Cassia countered, unconsciously moving to place herself between her mate and the wolves. The strangers weren't immune to the vampire's venom however Pietro was still recovering his strength from Europe, and she had no idea if these males carried the Amort poison on them.

"We don't like the company the locals keep," the soldier answered, his gaze narrowed on Pietro.

She bristled further at his tone. "Then you'd better get used to it or go home," Cassia bit back, her blue eyes turning wintry as her stance turned more aggressive. "Things are done differently here. You know the old saying...when in Rome..."

"Cassia." Pietro moved a step forward and she held up her hand as the men took fighting stances.

"I strongly suggest you speak to your friends before things get out of hand here," she said in a low tone. She inclined her head in Pietro's direction. "His friends have an elite agency to deal with anything that may threaten the status quo. If that isn't concerning enough for you, I will add that my friends are just as capable of dealing with any exuberance too."

There was no mistaking the implied threat. The five of them were there with no backup or pack support. If they were to do anything foolish, they would have not only the local packs but also the vampires to deal with.

"Fox?" For the first time one of the other wolves spoke, a shorter, squatter man with peppered brown hair. He was clearly older than the one named Fox and as much of a soldier, however his scent was less dominant. He was rewarded with a low growl and murderous stare from his leader.

Cassia quirked an eyebrow, a slow smile crossing her face. "Kind of makes my point for me, doesn't it...Fox."

"If you say so, Cassia."

She laughed then, she couldn't help it. There was just something about the wolf that made hers respond on a personal level. Yes, he was a stranger and as such, a potential threat to her pack, and yet, something told her that he wasn't a genuine threat. She couldn't say the same for the others with him, but as he was in charge, that nullified some of that concern.

"I'm not trying to hide who or what I am," she smiled, raising a hand in greeting as she caught sight of Jared Hanlon heading in their direction with her uncle and aunt, Brody and Willow Alexander at his side. 

Fox glanced in that direction before snapping his fingers and motioning for his men to move on. He nodded in Cassia's direction. "Might see you around, Cassia." There was a hint of a promise in his words, which caused Pietro to hiss out an angry breath. He ignored the vampire, a half smile quirking his lips as he walked away. 

"If you're going to stay in town, touch base with the locals, Fox, or they will come looking for you," she called after his retreating back. Without a backward glance, he melted into the crowd with his men, before Jared reached them.

"Everything okay?" The Hanlon Alpha asked, staring into the crowd.

Cassia gave her aunt and uncle a hug, smiling. "I think so. The one leading them appears to have his head screwed on right," she informed the Alpha. "They're uncertain because of who we ally ourselves with. I have told them to check in with either you or Rafe if they intend to stay in town for any length of time."

Whatever Jared was thinking, he didn't appear to want to share it with them. His cobalt eyes scanned the crowd for a moment longer before he turned back to them. "If you've finished with your shopping, I'd suggest you head back to the pack, Cass. Can you let Rafe know I'll be in touch a bit later?"

Frowning at the open concern she could see on her family's faces, she nodded her agreement. The Hanlon pack had been around for more years than most people could remember, much longer than her own pack. For the three elder wolves to look so concerned made her feel suddenly antsy to get Trish and Pietro back to the safety of the pack.

"I can get someone else to pick up the last of our supplies. We'll head back now."

Saying their goodbyes, they grabbed their shopping bags and headed back towards the car park. Neither Trish nor Pietro spoke, and Cassia had to work to hold in a sigh. It was understandable for Trish, as the strange wolves would have frightened her. Pietro, on the other hand, was brimming with barely concealed rage that he was clearly trying to hide from the younger woman. 

The incensed looks he kept shooting in Cassia's direction let her know that he wasn't pleased with her actions and would be having a word with her about it when they were alone. He was used to being the most dominant person and being the one to call all the shots. That hadn't been the case today and that must have been hard for him to take. She could understand his position if his anger was because of that, but it appeared to be directed personally against her.

She had no what she'd done to make him so angry with her but she was sure she would find out soon enough. Sighing, she climbed into the Jeep after stowing their purchases on the back seat. Starting the engine, she began the journey back to pack. Was she about to have her first fight with her mate? Strangely enough, her wolf was quite looking forward to the impending confrontation. It was still energised from the meeting with Fox and was looking forward to whatever her vampire was about to rein down on them...

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 15



 I have only one thing to say this week...I would check each day because you never know what you may find ;) 

Enjoy! 

*****

"Cassia..."

She knew it was too good to be true when she made it five steps away from the Jeep before Pietro called her name. For the fleetest of moments she thought she'd get away without having to talk to him until later, but he quickly put a dampener on that idea. Sighing, Cassia smiled at Trish and passed her bags to the girl.

"Take them over to the lab. Tell Mallen I'll be there shortly." She watched the younger woman walk away before turning to face her mate. His expression wasn't very promising.

"Pietro, I need to report in to Rafe or Aaron and then I need to get back to the lab. Some of my experiments will be completing soon. Can our talk wait until later?"

His scowl deepened and she sucked in a deep breath. How was it possible a male could looks so sexy when he was in such a foul mood? Her wolf was practically prowling in anticipation watching the glorious vampire before them. It wanted to throw him down and bite him all over. It was also hoping he would do the same to them. It was downright criminal that her intelligence went flying out the window whenever Pietro was close.

"You want to leave me festering until later? That's your call, Niña." 

The words were practically a growl and they sent a shiver down her spine. "Pietro, I'm not deliberately avoiding you. I have to report to my Alpha. Pack safety has to be the utmost priority to me. Surely you can understand that? I have to protect Trish and all the other vulnerable members of my pack."

For a long moment he regarded her with an intent stare, and then there was a slight loosening of the tension in his shoulders and he gave the barest of nods. "How long do you need?"

"Two hours maximum. I'll meet you at the lake."

When he nodded once more, she took that as a sign to leave and turned to resume her way over to Rafe's house. She really did have to report what she'd seen in town and pass on Jared's message. She'd made a couple of attempts to tease some conversation out of Pietro on the way home but he wouldn't be drawn. In the end she'd given up and decided waiting until they were alone was better. Trish was already shook up by the strange Weres in town as it was.

Heading inside the large house that was home to the Alpha and his family, as well as Aaron and his, she paused at Rafe's study door. She could scent that he wasn't alone and debated whether to interrupt him or not. Her experiments were due to complete though, so she didn't have time to hang around. Taking a deep breath she knocked on the door.

"Come in, Cassia," her Alpha called out loud enough so she could hear.

Turning the doorknob she entered to find Gard and Rayne sitting on the large sofa beneath the window with Rafe standing at the fireplace. 

"How was the trip into town?" Rafe asked, giving her a smile. "Aaron said you took Trish and Pietro with you. Did it go okay?" It was clear he had no objections to her discussing events in front of the other senior pack members.

"We encountered a group of five strange wolves," she answered, moving to take a seat when her Alpha waved in the direction of one of the office chairs in front of his large desk. "They were clearly fighting men from the way they carried themselves. They spotted us practically straight away so I decided to approach them to try to find out why they hadn't checked in with the local packs."

"Was that wise?" Gard asked, a small frown crossing his face.

"I was stronger than any of them and I had Pietro with me to take care of Trish. They were highly unlikely to start anything with so many humans around." The Ancient's question gave her an inkling as to why Pietro was being so surly and she filed that away for later.

Turning her gaze to Rafe she saw some concern in his eyes too but he didn't vocalise it. He wasn't one to repeat a question that one of his senior pack members had already highlighted. "Did you find out anything?" he asked, his tone authoritative as it always was when dealing with pack matters.

Cassia shook her head. "Not really. The one who did the main talking is called Fox. They're clearly European by their accents and the level of distrust they have towards vampires. He intimated that they hadn't checked in with the packs because of who are friends are."

"What are European wolves doing over here?" Rayne asked, her expression concerned. "Could this be something to do with the threat from the European vampires or are they checking us out to see if we can be of some assistance to them? From what we know, the animosity between the two groups over there is pretty extreme."

"Extreme sounds such a tame word compared to what we've heard about the way the vampires react to all Weres over there," her mate commented. "It's downright genocide."

"Whatever is going on, maybe you can gather some intelligence about it while you're over there?" Rafe asked, his brow drawing down into a deep scowl. "I don't like having so many strange wolves in our neck of the woods. Proper etiquette is they should check in with the local packs, regardless if they're comfortable with our allies or not. Until I hear otherwise, I'm considering them potentially hostile."

"They disappeared when Jared showed up with Brody and Willow," Cassia informed the Alpha. "Jared said he'd be in contact with you later on to share any intelligence he's uncovered."

Rafe nodded his thanks, turning his attention back to Gard and Rayne. "We can't put off your trip to Europe any longer. How soon can you leave?"

"We'll arrange a flight for later today, if possible," Gard answered, glancing at Rayne to see if she was agreeable. His mate looked a tad hesitant.

"What about Kothi? He shouldn't be left on his own for a prolonged period. Maybe we should take him with us?"

Rafe was shaking his head in the negative before Rayne had finished speaking. "Under no circumstances do I want any of the Vârcolac over in Europe until we know what's going on. I appreciate your concern, Rayne, but the pack can look after your son until you return."

She clearly didn't like it but she didn't argue with the exception of muttering under her breath, "Technically, I'm a Vârcolac..."

Gard laughed softly, gathering her against his side and dropping a light kiss on her lips. "We know you are, darling, but you're aware of what Rafe meant. Kothari will be fine. He's a grown man."

"I'll ask Dara to keep a close eye on him," Cassia volunteered. "Of everyone, he has an affinity with her and is more likely to open up to her if he needs a bit of support."

"Good, that's settled then," Rafe said, drawing the debate to an end. "Let Caleb have your travel plans," he added to Gard and Rayne. "He should be able to set you up with some locals that can help."

Cassia had given her report and knew she wasn't required any further. Wishing Gard and Rayne a safe journey, she headed out of the study and made her way over to the lab. That was one task down and one to go before she had to meet Pietro. She fervently hoped she would be able to find the antidote to the poison soon so she could set her mate's mind to rest. She longed to tell him that he would never have to worry about being subjected to the pain and suffering he'd already been through. Her incentive to find the cure had always been strong, but it was doubly so now her mate was involved.

Entering the lab, she was surprised to find Trish there on her own. The younger woman was sitting on a high stool at one of the benches, peering over a printed report. "Where is everyone?"

Trish looked up, giving a dramatic eye roll. "There was a minor skirmish on one of the pack borders. We were told there were some strange wolves in the area testing our alertness. It didn't erupt into fighting but some of the younger males were patrolling the area and got a little exuberant, from what I understand. Two of them managed to fall into our own pit traps!" For a wolf still so young herself, Trish's exasperated tone made Cassia smile.

"Aaron came over a little while ago and asked Mallen and the others to help out in the medical centre," she added.

Cassia could only imagine the injuries her pack mates would have sustained. Whoever had been supervising them needed a kick up the ass for allowing the youngsters to get out of hand. There wasn't much chance that Mallen or the others would be back soon so that meant she'd have to analyse all the test results herself. "Do they need me over there?"

"No, Mallen said to stay here and check on the experiments though he did want me to come over as soon as you arrived." Trish gave her an apologetic smile as she slipped from the stool and handed Cassia the report she was reading. "It's not looking too encouraging, Cass."

Her words made Cassia's heart sink but she tried to keep a neutral expression. "Maybe some of the others are more encouraging." She gave Trish her most confident smile. "You'd better get over to the medical centre. I'll finish up here and lock up."

As the younger woman left, Cassia's experienced eye ran over the report in her hand and her heart sank lower. Trish was right...the first report didn't tell her anything she hadn't already known. Sighing with frustration, she headed over to the next experiment that was just concluding and tapped out the instruction to print the report.

There were two more scheduled experiments to finish in the next hour after this one. Perhaps there would be something concrete in one of them if this one didn't bear any fruit either. Snatching up the sheets from the printer, Cassia sat down and began to read the test summation.

Nothing? Really? She skimmed the rest of the report, a feeling of dejection washing over her. How could there be no concise results? They had an active sample of the poison! Could it be because of the time it had taken to get the sample to the lab? Demetri had gotten it to them as swiftly as he could. She didn't think it was that but they couldn't rule it out.

What the hell was the last component of Amort? Thereasa had been high level in her coven and even she didn't know what the plant extract was...or did she? Was the former vampire keeping it from them as a bargaining tool for later? Cassia didn't think so but she had to consider all possibilities. It would be negligent of her not to.

Running a weary hand over her face, the Vârcolac checked her watch and noted she'd already used up an hour of her allotted time she'd given Pietro. At this rate, she was going to be late meeting him. She hoped he would understand and wait for her. Should she hurry over and let him know? The beeping on the next experiment put paid to that thought and she walked back to the printer to grab the report printing out.

Cassia couldn't halt the small exclamation that escaped her as she read the summation. Again, there was nothing of worth in the results. She wouldn't have any positive news to tell Pietro when they met. She would have to admit to him that she'd failed and he was still at risk of being hurt again. Swallowing back tears, she stared at the damning piece of paper in her hand, helplessness overwhelming her.

She had been so sure she'd find the cure this time. She had needed to find it, as she'd never needed anything before in her life. Why couldn't she do it? Why couldn't she protect her mate and the countless others at risk from this abhorrent weapon? If there was just one thing she had been born to do in this life, why couldn't it be this one? Cassia lowered her head to the workbench and tried hard not to weep.

*****

Pietro paced restlessly beside the lake, making a conscious effort not to look at his watch. He didn't really need one, his innate ability to tell the time at any given moment was something he had always been able to do. He didn't need to look to know that she was late. Cassia had said two hours maximum and it was already closer to two and a half since they'd last spoken.

His annoyance was barely contained. While a part of him knew there had been no real danger in the meeting in the city, the part of him that was so used to being the dominant male couldn't reconcile the fact someone he cared about had deliberately put herself in danger...and he did care about Cassia...too much than was probably good for him. His heart had almost stopped when she'd walked over to the other males and calmly started telling them off without it appearing she was doing so.

He had been aware he still hadn't recovered enough to be of any real help to her if she'd needed it. All he had been good for was babysitting the younger wolf. Not that he had any real objections to protecting Trish, he would have done that anyway but that wasn't the point. Cassia ordering him to do it had rankled. She'd been letting him know that she considered him too weak to be of any real use and that sparked his temper like nothing else could. If he was so ineffective then why was she with him? Did she see him as some charity case...toss the poor wounded vampire a bone because he almost died?

That thought was the one that had his irritation at boiling point. He had no idea what was going on between them...but he did know he wasn't the kind of man who could ever accept being helpless and inferior to the woman in his life. If that was what Cassia Romanov thought then it would be better to end their dalliance right here and now and he would tell her that when she eventually arrived.

He was so busy scowling and pacing she was almost upon him before he realised she was there. Whirling around furiously, whatever he was about to say fell silent on his lips as his eyes hungrily searched her tired face. Cassia's curls had almost completely escaped the clip she'd tied them back with, and there were signs of fatigue in her pale blue eyes. There was apprehension in her gaze as she watched him warily and that just seemed wrong. He didn't like seeing that expression on her beautiful face. Was he really the cause of it?

Fighting down some of his irritation, Pietro held out a hand, pulling Cassia into a tight embrace when she accepted it with no hesitation. For a long moment he just held her, delighting in how she came to him so easily as if he were the one person in the world she wanted to be with. "You're late," he finally said, his tone rough but not too irritated.

"The experiments took longer than anticipated and then I had to analyse the results. I'm sorry I made you wait."

"Any luck?" He asked the question, hoping for some positive response. If they could find the antidote then the danger would be moot and no one else would have to endure what he had. He didn't wish that on his worst enemy...or maybe he would on his very worst enemy. He wasn't that good a man; the beast did live within him as it did all of his kind. Sometimes its need for justice would result in the cruellest of punishments. It was something he had lived with all his life and couldn't be changed.

Cassia made a strange sound in the back of her throat, which had him leaning back so he could look down into her face. The misery he saw there was like a kick in his gut. Her eyes were moist and he could see she was close to crying.

"I'm so sorry, Pietro. I really thought having some of the poison in liquid form would make detecting the missing ingredient so much easier but every test we've run has come up negative. Until we know what the plant extract is, we can't synthesise an antidote." 

A tear escaped, rolling down one perfect cheek and he growled deeply, crushing her against him so tightly he was afraid he might hurt her. She was crying because she couldn't find a cure? When she looked so tired it was a wonder she could stand on her own two feet? It was criminal to hear the recriminations in her voice, as if she'd somehow let everyone down with her inability to make an antidote.

"Don't you dare," he hissed through clenched teeth, feeling her shake against him. His hand stroked down her back in long slow movements, soothing her as best he could. "Don't you ever apologise for working yourself to the point of exhaustion trying to help everyone, Cassia Romanov. No one could work any harder, try any harder than you are. You have nothing to apologise for."

"I want you to feel safe," she whispered in a shaky voice. "Oh Pietro, I need you to feel safe! Every part of me is pushing relentlessly to find this antidote so you'll never be hurt like that again. I forget to eat or sleep I'm trying so hard and nothing I do works. I keep failing!"

Despite the note of anguish in her voice, there was something about her words that tugged at his heart. He didn't want her to feel a failure on his behalf, but hearing that he was the reason she tried so hard, made his heart kick up a beat and his stomach tighten in a hard knot. She was doing this for him, because she cared about him. It was an exhilarating thought but also a concerning one. Only moments before he'd been wondering just what it was they had between them. The strength of her determination told him she felt as strongly about him as he was discovering he was feeling about her.

"You are not a failure, Niña," he sighed against her neck, giving in to the temptation to brush his lips against her delicate skin. Having her so close made him hungry for her. Having her mould herself against him and hold onto to him for comfort brought out his protective instincts. "You are the strongest, most beautiful woman I know. You will succeed in all you do, Cass. It will just take a little longer than you would like."

His words appeared to ground her or perhaps it was the way his lips were flowing against her skin or the way they were sliding sensually down to her collarbone nipping roughly at her fragile flesh. The urge to sink his fangs into her to taste her sweet essence was overpowering, but she was so tired he restrained himself. Pietro tried to remember what it was he'd felt the need to speak to her about earlier but whatever it was had flown right out of his head.

"That feels so good," Cassia sighed, rubbing against his taut muscles. "It feels so good to have someone I can come to, to tell my fears to. I know you're cross with me for earlier. I didn't mean to make you feel concern over my safety. I didn't mean to make you feel powerless, I swear I didn't."

He went to cut her off, realising he didn't want to have this conversation any more but she took a step back, sliding out of his arms to stare at him intently.

"What you perceived as a slight was in fact me placing my trust in you, Pietro. I knew the wolves weren't going to fight. You were aware of that deep in your own heart too. However, even though I knew it, I still erred on the side of caution. I don't think you truly understand what a pack is, what my pack means to me. That's through no fault of yours, this is your first time being closely associated with one. By giving Trish into your protection, that was me placing my trust in you to keep her safe. That was me acknowledging you as a protector of my pack."

When she phrased it like that, it all made perfect sense to him. No, he didn't fully understand the pack structure he was living in. He'd been so angry for so long that his friends, people he valued so highly, could harbour the woman who'd been one of the architects of his torture within the same pack. As he gazed into Cassia's eyes, he could see the appeal there for him to understand just how important each and every pack member was to this beautiful woman; to all of the pack.

Reasa was Liam's mate and therefore his very existence depended on the pack accepting her, protecting her. To do otherwise had the potential to devastate the pack as a whole. Now he could start to understand, maybe he would be able to resolve some of the fury that lived within his soul every time he thought of the former vampire. It wouldn't be easy, but he could try, for Cassia.




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 15



Where he had seen a slight, she had been giving him the highest gift she could as a Were, the protection of one of her pack. Instead of being angry with her about it, he should have been thanking her for the honour. Living with the wolves, his attraction to the woman before him, it was all so new on top of everything he'd been through. He wasn't sure if he could trust his own judgement any more. Perhaps it was time to accept what Cassia was offering him...someone to lean on and learn from, as he navigated his slow healing process.

"Thank you." He said the words quietly, but the emotion in his voice was heartfelt. This exquisite woman before him accepted him despite his scars, despite his erratic moods. She looked at him as a man and saw something of worth in him. Yes, she was a Vârcolac and as such, so much stronger than he was. But she didn't use that strength against him, as he'd imagined she was doing earlier. 

Instead, she came to him, soft and vulnerable, leaning on him as she wept at her inability to find the solution to the danger that not only affected him, but every other vampire she cared for. She was strong and resilient and yet, with him, she was soft and passionate. She bared her soul to him and he couldn't believe that barely moments before he was thinking of walking away from her. He had to be all kinds of a fool.

Pietro's heart twisted inside him, stunned realisation roiling through him in a cascade of emotion. He was in love with Cassia Romanov! How it had happened...when it had happened...he didn't know but it was there as he drew his thumbs tenderly against her cheekbones, wiping away the last stray remnants of her tears. He had fallen in love...with a wolf of all things. 

He remembered back to first meeting Loretta, when she had entered the Dive all sass and swaying hips and demanded to see Andrei. The natural enmity between their races had reared its ugly head and yet, he'd found himself oddly impressed with Loretta's bravery and the reaction she had on his volatile friend. He had wondered then if maybe one day he would find his own mate in a wolf but it had been a passing thought rather than any real expectation that he would.

Did Cassia see him as her mate? Her anguished words at failing to find the antidote to protect him did sound heartfelt. Should he ask her? What would he do if she said yes? Could he mate with her, join her pack, the one that Thereasa would join when she mated with Liam? He didn't think he could right now. Perhaps one day he could find some resolution to his hatred of the former vampire but at this moment in time it was still too raw, a festering wound that threatened to erupt into violence at any given moment. 

No, he wouldn't ask the question of Cassia, not until he knew he could commit to her the way she needed him to. But he could still love her with all his heart. He could still be with her, holding her, stroking her soft skin with his hands and lips. He could be content with that for the moment.

*****

Pietro had gone so still, a myriad of emotions crossing his face before he wiped his expression clear, his miss-matched eyes turning inscrutable. Cassia stared into those arresting eyes, wondering what it was that had caused him to shut away all evidence of what he was thinking. She found she couldn't look away from him, her mouth turning dry as she drank in his beauty.

His eyes fascinated her, both on a professional level as well as personally. She knew the medical term for his different coloured pupils was heterochromia. The condition was often caused by an extreme injury. She supposed there wasn't anything more extreme than having someone gouge an eye out. If the Amort hadn't been in his system, his normal coloured iris would have grown back. Instead, he was left with one dark obsidian iris that appeared to suck the entire surrounding light deep within.

Was it wrong that she loved that uniqueness about him? While she ached for the pain he had endured getting the injury, she was enthralled by the dark intensity she saw every time their eyes met. She loved every chiselled bone that shaped his face into a work of art. While he used his hair to hide the worst of the scarring on his face, she wanted to tie it back so she could drink in each jagged line, so she could trace each wound with her eyes and her hands and marvel at the courage those marks reflected.

Pietro saw his scars as a sign of failure. She saw them as a sign of strength. He had endured so much and he was still standing. He continued to show how fiercely overprotective he was. He retained that arrogance that only came from a male who was used to being at the top of the heap, someone whom others feared to cross. Cassia lived for the day that he would finally come to understand that the marks he'd earned in battle were a badge of honour as opposed to a sign of weakness. She would do everything in her power to help him come to know that.

For now though, she was tired, both physically and emotionally. She hated crying. It was always such a wearying activity. She also hated showing that sign of weakness and yet, Pietro's earlier annoyance had waned in the face of her needing him. It was easy to show her softer side to him because she respected him, as did her wolf. He was their mate, and it was part of his role to stand strong for them when they had a moment of weakness and needed that strength. It was what mates did. 

And that was why she felt like crying again. He had shut her out. "What?" The word sounded accusing, and she didn't mean it to. She just wasn't able to add any more disappointment to the existing feelings of failure she had.

"Nothing." He smiled and it was a soft smile, tenderness crossing his face as he reached up and unclasped her hair. "You look exhausted. I should let you go home and rest but I don't want to be alone right now.

Cassia remained silent, lost in his eyes. His hands were gentle as they slowly pull her t-shirt over her head and unbuttoned her jeans. She placed a hand on his shoulder to brace herself, stepping out of the denim as he knelt before her. He rose silently, peeling his shirt off quickly, and then stripping his jeans from his body after kicking off his boots and socks.

Pietro stood before her in all his naked glory, his hungry eyes devouring her body. Her own gaze flickered over his beauty, her hands moving to unclip the front fastening of her bra.

"No."

It was one word but it was filled with so much dominance that she let her hands fall back to her sides and waited to see what he would do. The way his voice deepened to a raspy tone when he was aroused sent a shiver down her spine and she could feel a tightness begin in the pit of her stomach.

Pietro moved, so quickly she let out a startle squeak. He swooped her up in his arms and walked into the cooling lake while she was still in her lingerie.

"Pietro! I'll get wet," she protested as he removed one arm and lowered her into the water. The smoky look he gave her had her heart starting to thud in her chest.

"I know..."

Before she could say anything else, he was kissing her hard, crushing her body to his chest as the cool water lapped around them. It was a kiss full of lust, making her think of all the sinful things they could do together. Suddenly, she didn't feel half as tired any more, as she stroked her tongue against his, loving the taste of him in her mouth.

The kiss seemed to last an eternity, until she felt lightheaded and had to pull back so she could suck in some much needed air. When she did, Pietro's large hand travelled leisurely between her covered breasts until it gentle applied pressure, pushing her backwards. Cassia didn't fight the pressure, allowing herself to be bowed over the arm still supporting her lower back. Her curls brushed the water, her wet lace bra leaving no secrets uncovered as she was arched up to his heated gaze.

"So beautiful," he growled, one long finger teasing her hardened nipples through the lace, his touch so light it gave no surcease to the building tension in her body. He flicked gently, first one nipple and then the other, all the while keeping her bowed backwards and at his mercy. It was sweet torture but she didn't want it to end. Opening her eyes and seeing the naked lust in his as he worshiped her body was enough to keep her in whatever position he so desired.

He was making a point, as he had when they had first made love. He was letting her no that no matter what, he was the one in control when they were like this. It was a novel experience, to trust a male so implicitly that she could allow that level of dominance over her. Oh, she had no doubt she would rebel against it sometimes, but for the most part, it was the most deliciously wicked feeling in the world.

"Pietro..."

"Yes, Niña?" His sexy rasp, the way he called her that pet name...it turned her blood to molten lava and filled her with a need that could never be quenched.

Cassia couldn't complete whatever she'd been about to say. She was so caught up in his spell that she could only lay back and allow him whatever liberties he wanted to take.

"Do you trust me?"

He had to ask when she was baring everything to him, when she had wept in his arms not so long ago? She could only allow herself to be that vulnerable with someone she trusted implicitly. 

"Do you?"

Lost in a haze of passion, she forced her eyes open as his maddening fingers continued to tease at her nipples, slowly rotating around the peaks before lightly grazing them. "Yes." She almost sobbed the word out, trying to press her upper body more firmly into his grasp, but he withdrew his hand when she did, and she was forced to accede to his demands.

"Close your eyes, Niña. Lie back and relax."

She did as he ordered, feeling him move until she was floating on the water with Pietro bracing her body with one hand on her lower back. Cassia let herself go limp, feeling the water caress her skin, feeling the stress of the day slowly ebbing away to be replaced by a quiet, languid feeling. The sun had set and only the moonlight and the odd stars pierced the darkness. All around her was the gentle sound of the water lapping over her skin, the quiet exhalation of breath from Pietro, and the rustle of the nocturnal animals coming out to play. It was the most peaceful moment of her life.

This was what trusting her mate was all about. It was laying herself vulnerable to all external influences and knowing that he would always be there, guarding her back from any harm that may come her way. Cassia felt a lump in her throat, a feeling so intense that tears leaked from the corner of her eyes. This moment with him was the most beautiful moment she could ever remember experiencing. He had seen her fatigue, recognised her need for comfort, and he was soothing her soul in the most wonderful of ways. 

"No tears," he whispered, bending down so his breath brushed her cheek. "Just connect with everything around you. Forget about today or yesterday, don't anticipate what tomorrow will bring. Simply live in this moment, feeling the textures, hearing the sounds. Feel your heart beat with each breath you take, Niña. Feel the life that flows all around you."

His voice blended in with night, the cadence low and sultry, and his words so perfect she knew she would remember this night for the rest of her life. Whatever challenges life may throw at her, Cassia knew she would always find solace in this memory, that she would always find peace with her wonderful vampire. Surrendering completely, she drifted on the water, safe in the protection of her mate.

She didn't know how much time passed before she felt Pietro move once more, gently rocking her through the water until they were close to the shore, the large overhanging rock they'd first made love on, balanced above their heads. Every bone in her body felt as if it were as soft as butter, every brush of his skin against hers lit a tiny spark of electricity within.

"Now we can begin," Pietro growled, lifting her clear from the water and laying her back against a large boulder halfway out of the water. 

Her lingerie clung to her body, transparent from the water. The air felt damp and humid, still warm from the day's heat but beginning to cool as night took hold. 

"Exquisite," he breathed, bending down towards her body, raising her hips up so he could drag his tongue against her wet panties. 

It was so erotic she moaned at the touch, raising her hands to his head to pull him closer.

"Hands on the rock, Niña."

She didn't want to, she wanted to touch him, to run her finger through his hair but one look at his face told her he wasn't to be denied. "Don't tease me, Pietro," she countered, even as she did as he asked and placed both hands flat on either side of her.

"Behave...and you shall receive everything you dream of," he laughed softly, clearly amused at her petulant tone. He didn't wait for her answer, instead, he buried his head between her thighs once more and began to taste her through the lace barrier that separated him from her intoxicating sex.

Stroke after stroke, he licked against her, sending her into a frenzy of need, her hands remaining at her side. Desperation invaded her body, her sexual hunger rising so swiftly she was ready to scream at him to make love to her, to send them both into that wonderful sexual high that left them both breathless.

"Pietro, please," she whimpered, needing so much more.

His response was a deep growl and then his teeth ripped at the lace obstructing him and the panties disintegrated. Cassia cried out as his tongue finally connected with her flesh, stroking in rough, fast strokes all over her most intimate place. There was no more teasing, now he was a man possessed, demanding everything she had to give him, and then requesting more.

Pietro kissed and licked, teased and suckled, until she was a mass of raw nerves, her climax only a hairsbreadth away. And then he stopped and she cried out in disbelief, trying to urge him to continue but he moved away a fraction and just stared down at her.

"Patience is a virtue, sweet Cassia." He laughed loudly, a deep laugh as she called him a rude name, then he flipped her over until she was on her stomach, and gave her backside a light swat. "Such language from a lady."

"Bastard..." she muttered under her breath, flushing instantly as she realised what she'd said. She wasn't usually one for swearing but then, she didn't usually have idiotic males playing dominance games with her.

"I believe my parents were married when they had me," Pietro chuckled, pressing her legs apart and sliding between them. "Such a naughty word to use...do you know any more?"

As she spluttered at his words, he thrust forward hard and fast, joining them together in the most intimate caress of all. Her breath whooshed out and she groaned her pleasure into the night air, clinging onto the rock as he withdrew and surged back in hard. This was what she wanted, what she needed. Pushing herself up, she ground back on his thick shaft, using her body to urge him on.

Pietro slipped a hand around her front, removing her bra and tweaking one nipple hard as he rocked into her again. Cassia's wolf howled its glee, baring its teeth as their mate took them roughly. This was what it wanted, this was what she wanted, Pietro to be fierce and unrelenting, proving to them how much he desired them that he lost control.

A hand fisted her curls pulling her further up as he rocked into her, his mouth coming to kiss her neck...to lave his tongue against that special place she longed for him to claim her as his mate. He wasn't ready yet...she had to wait to claim him, but she could live with him just feeding from her for now. When the time was ready...when she bit into the scar that marred the place all wolves mated, then his bite would seal them together forever.

The tension in her body was unbearable. Her breath was panting out, her stomach clenching with the deep need to come. Pietro was thrusting so hard, so fast it was difficult to catch her breath but she didn't want him to stop. She wanted him to stop playing with her, to stop nibbling at her neck and to bite her. Why was he waiting so long?

"Pietro...!"

"Soon."

"Now...please...now!"

Sharp fangs sank into her neck, his venom lighting up her soul from within. Growling, Pietro thrust hard and fast, pulling at her neck, drinking her life giving blood as they soared towards completion.

Cassia cried out, stiffening as colours exploded behind her eyes, wave after wave of pure bliss flooding her body. She heard her mate's roar, felt him stiffen against her as he followed her into the abyss, his seed flooding her body as he shuddered against her.

When she opened her eyes, she was no longer in the water, instead she was lying on the overhanging rock, Pietro curled behind her. She couldn't remember moving, didn't know how they had gotten into this position but they were there and the night was cooking rapidly. Yawning loudly, she turned her mind inwards, searching for that magical place that set her, and the rest of the Vârcolac apart from normal wolves. She'd only ever conjured up personal clothes before but she didn't think it would be much different creating the blanket she'd told Pietro she could do.

"Does that come with pillows?" Pietro's sleepy question had her rolling over to face him. She cuddled into his embrace as he tucked the blanket around her, wrapping her securely in his arms.

"Too tired to try," she yawned again. "You make an excellent pillow anyway."

His light chuckle made her smile and she glanced up when he didn't answer her. "Pietro?"

He was already asleep, his face peaceful in repose. Snuggling closer, Cassia closed her eyes and let sleep claim her.

*****

Are you all set?" Dante ignored the glower in the eyes of the elder vampire, instead letting his gaze sweep over the assembled coven members in front of him. Michael had chosen well from first glance, the group were older than most and appeared up to the task.

"I don't need you watching my every move," the blond vampire growled, bristling at his question.

"Really? That wasn't the impression Louis gave me," Dante remarked, his tone dry. "Weren't you fundamental in bringing an Ancient down on our heads not so very long ago?"

Michael ignored him, signalling to two of his men to start loading up the waiting cars with their packs. As they worked, he turned back to the interloper in his coven, suspicion blazing from the depths of his eyes. "I don't know why Louis trusts you, Dante. My gut tells me you're trouble and it's never wrong. I always knew Louis was misplaced when he gave his trust to Thereasa, and look where we are now."

"Yes, we have someone in the heart of a Were pack closely linked to the vampire Council. Imagine what kind of intel she could have that would aid us in remaining safe. It would be tragic if we lost that valuable information because you're too caught up in your blood-lust." Dante couched his words carefully, knowing what he said could be taken as treasonous.

Michael's body stiffened, and his expression darkened, signalling that he wouldn't be slow in taking the words just so. "Louis has marked her for death."

Dante sighed, rolling his shoulders to release a little of the tension suffusing his body. He would have to play this one very carefully. Michael was not as stupid as he first looked. "Louis is reacting in anger and not thinking clearly at the moment. Wouldn't it make more sense to find out what Thereasa knows? If she does have something that is a threat to all the European covens as she intimated, doesn't it make more sense to find out what that is, instead of blithely wading in and assassinating her? Think, Michael. Use your head for once."

Dante's words continued to border on betrayal, but there was a certain ring of truth to them. Michael hesitated, mulling them over though his eyes still contained a healthy dose of suspicion. Thereasa had said she had important information. If he could get that information out of her before he killed her then perhaps Louis would reward him? He might even be elevated within the coven ranks. 




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 15



Michael still didn't trust Dante one iota, but the more he thought about it, the more the other vampire's words sounded logical. Backing down a bit, he nodded his head acknowledging he would consider what he'd said. "I'll think about it," he answered, the words coming out reluctantly. 

"You do that," Dante sighed, feeling fairly certain he'd bought a little time or at least put some doubt into the elder vampire's mind. There was something about Michael that set warning bells ringing. He'd seen insanity many times over the long centuries he'd roamed the planet, and Michael was showing signs of being close to stepping over that edge. 

If he returned from this mission, Dante would need to look a little closer at Michael and decide whether or not he needed to be removed permanently. Things were far too unstable already without insanity being thrown into the mix.

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 16



 Oh, the last chapter posted quicker than I thought it would... let's keep up the momentum; here's another one ;)

Enjoy! 

*****

Liam hovered impatiently outside his cousin's house, waiting for Elina and Reasa to pack some clothes. He'd deliberately chosen not to go in. He didn't want to give Reasa an opportunity to call him to task for kissing her. The memory of their first kiss blew his mind. It had been so much more than he had ever dreamed imaginable. It was the single most perfect moment of his life and he didn't want anything to take that away, especially not his mate glowering furiously at him. No, Liam was happy to put of the inevitable for as long as possible so he could savour that magical moment. If that was a tad cowardly, he could live with it.

The sound of booted feet on the hard packed earth had him turning his head towards the pack's large meeting circle. The wolves defending the outer boundaries were changing shift, the morning detail already out among the trees. Tired men trundled into the compound, some of them waving in his direction as they scurried home to get some much-needed sleep after a long night.

Liam waved back, feeling excitement as well as some trepidation about what they were about to attempt. They were going into uncharted territory with the wounded vampires at the Praetorian Compound. They had no idea if dream walking in their minds would be a help or a hindrance, but they had to at least try. If nothing was done there really was only one outcome for the vampires, and Liam just couldn't bear to think about that consequence. 

"We're ready," Elina said behind him, and he turned back around to smile at his cousin and set eyes on his mate for the first time since they'd kissed.

How did she manage to look more beautiful with each passing day? The sun caressed Reasa's bronzed skin, making him feel jealous that it wasn't his fingers tracing each perfect feature, that it wasn't his lips tasting the satin smoothness of her cheeks. She'd tied her raven hair back in a short ponytail, the hairstyle not only making her cheekbones more pronounced, but also highlighting the gentle curve of her jawline. 

She was glorious, and she belonged to him. He ached for the day that her shuttered green eyes finally looked at him, and she realised that he belonged to her as much as she did to him. It would happen. It had to happen. He just needed to be patient until she was ready to accept him. For now, her expression was neutral as she regarded him, her only acknowledgement a slight inclination of her head. At least she wasn't spitting at him as he'd expected.

"Is everything set?" Rafe joined them, his sons Ben and AJ at his side. 

Both men had their father's tall frame, though Aaron junior's build was more athletic and his colouring favoured his mother. His wavy, platinum blond hair was shorter than most of the male pack members, but it retained the unkempt look that was common among wolf shifters. He also sported a few days growth that further emphasised his wildness. His smile though was dazzling and took some of the edge off his appearance.

Ben was his father's double in just about all ways. He was as big and wide as the Alpha, and had the exact same colouring of dark brown unruly hair and deep brown eyes. The only thing he appeared to have taken from his mother's side was his nose. It was unusually long and elegant for so brawny a male. He, too, had a killer smile, and like his brother, was quick to display it. Both men smiled at them but didn't speak.

"We're all packed and ready to go," Liam answered, turning as Dayton followed the girls outside.

"Don't you need this?" The Beta held the book on dream walking in his hands, a half smile gracing his face when Reasa tutted under her breath.

"My apologies, I forgot to pick it up." She held out her arms for the book.

"I'll ride up with them," Dayton said to Rafe, his Alpha nodding his agreement.

"Ben and AJ are going too," Rafe informed the group, his tone firm. Not that any of them would have disagreed with their Alpha. 

"Lily and Kal are already up at the other compound and the boys will be staying for the duration too. I think three extra Vârcolac and a couple of strong wolves should be enough for security. The Praetorian Compound is being patrolled by the pack as standard anyway, so there will always be additional wolves to call on if needed. Let's just all make sure it isn't needed." His final words were directed at Reasa, who met his gaze without flinching. 

"I have no intention of causing any further distress to your pack," the former vampire answered.

"Glad to hear it," Rafe replied, treating her to a warm smile. "If you and Liam can do what Annie thinks you can, well let's just say that will go some way to making amends for past actions. It's not going to absolve you completely, Reasa, but it will be a start."

She nodded her head, accepting what he said. The Alpha's honesty was something she could understand and therefore respect. She hadn't detected one lie from him and that was something she found surprising given the relationship between wolves and vampires in Europe. She had always believed they were liars and couldn't be trusted. It would appear she was learning many new things with her time spent in the Armand-Hanlon compound.

"Okay, everyone load up and get yourselves up to the Praetorian Compound."

They turned and headed towards the two waiting Jeeps at Rafe's command. Reasa had barely taken two steps when the air suddenly became tense and her head whipped around to see Pietro standing in the doorway of one of the other dwellings close by. For an instant she was frozen on the spot, her gaze locked with eyes blazing with hatred, and then she was pulled behind Liam's large frame, hidden from the vampire's view.

"Pietro... " Rafe growled... an unmistakable warning in his tone.

A loud hiss filled the air... a sharp clacking noise following quickly. Reasa didn't need to be able to see to know that the vampire had gone feral. Was today going to be the day that she died? She fervently hoped not. She wanted to try to heal the wounded vampires' minds. If she died after that... well at least she would have done something to try to repair the damage she'd caused.

*****

She was there right in front of him. So close he could taste the warmth of her blood in his mouth, could feel her soft flesh parting in jagged tears as his talons shredded her body. So close, and yet, denied to him by the assembled group of wolves who protected her. Pietro hissed out in fury, his eyes darting quickly from one face to the next, cataloguing each position, as he worked out what sequence he would take to circumnavigate everyone to get to his target. 

Liam he would leave until last. He would take down Rafe first, he was Alpha and the others would go to his aid without thinking about it. Elina would hang back to protect her cousin, so she would be next, leaving Liam in a moment's confusion over who to protect first. If he went to Elina's aid then good, Thereasa would be his for the taking. If not... he would have to deal with the huge Vârcolac before he could satisfy his bloodlust. 

The thoughts took barely a moment to careen through his mind before he was moving, ignoring the warning voices, his eyes black pools of rage as he flowed towards the Alpha. Sounds clamoured on the air, growls and voices, his name being yelled repeatedly, but he was blind and deaf to all. Instinct drove him, fury and vengeance blazing through his feral mind. She had to die and she had to die now!

Pietro swiped out a hand, batting away the two males who dived in front of their father. They crashed to the ground, instantly forgotten as he focused on the now dark brown wolf as the Alpha shifted to animal form. 

"No! Pietro, no!"

The voice screamed at him, fought to be heard through the feral snarls growling from his lips. He knew that voice, had heard it whisper husky words of need and passion, but he ruthlessly pushed it aside. He would not be denied his kill.

The Alpha charged and Pietro lashed out, catching the huge beast in his arms and tossing it backwards. It was on its feet in a fraction of a second, coiling to spring again as he readied his talons to cut into flesh. The venom dripped from his fangs and he had the briefest moment of lucidity. He mustn't bite... he mustn't bite... 

The wolf jumped, surrounded by a cacophony of sound, and Pietro struck out with his talons.

Pale blonde hair filled his vision, exquisite blue eyes filled with such fear. The wolf was behind her, shoved out of the way as she flowed into his vision, her stance defensive. His talons passed by her cheekbone by the barest of fractions, one nicking ever so lightly, causing the smallest of marks that instantly healed.

Cassia threw herself into his arms, holding him in a crushing embrace, so strong that he couldn't push her away. She wasn't fighting him, she was merely holding onto him, her words whispering in his ears. "Don't do this, Pietro. Please, please don't do this."

The urge to rid himself of the thing preventing his kill ran so deep it took everything in him not to plunge his talons into the soft, warm body embracing him. He wanted to... he needed to... but she was Cassia, and he could never do anything to physically hurt her.

"Pietro, be calm. Please be calm. Think about what you're trying to do."

As suddenly as the rage had overwhelmed him it died in the face of her words. Reason began to surface, and with that reason, he felt something else inside him die. He had been promised sanctuary with the pack. He had been promised so much, but when it came down to what he truly needed, he was very much on his own. 

The one person he had come to rely on to understand him, was the very person who had stood in his way, using his attachment to her to thwart him. Cassia had to have known he could never hurt her. She had to have known that of everyone in the pack she was the only one he would have listened to in his feral state. She had known and she had used that knowledge against him!

"Release me, Cassia. I am once again in control of my actions." The words sounded dull to his ears and from the way she stiffened against him, he knew they did to her too. She held on a moment longer, long enough to whisper for his ears only.

"I'm so sorry... "

It didn't matter. No words she said could ever remove the feeling of betrayal he felt inside at knowing she had deliberately used his feelings for her against him. It was a hot knife in his gut, a pain so intense it eclipsed even the worst pain he could remember from Europe. Cassia had sided with the pack against him. She had betrayed him.

Pietro stepped back when she released him, avoiding looking at her beautiful face. He didn't want to look at her. He didn't want to see the remorse he knew would be there because that was who she was, someone who cared so much she would bleed inside at ever hurting someone she cared about. He didn't have anything left in him at that moment to forgive her. All he had was the knowledge that he was alone, as he had always been alone.

His gaze swept over the surrounding pack. The centre of the compound was now full of wolves, all looking at him, waiting for him to go feral again. Rafe was checking over his sons, reassuring himself they weren't harmed. Pietro hadn't meant to hurt them, just remove them from the fight. He knew they would recover quickly from any bumps and scrapes they may have taken.

There was no sign of Thereasa. From the ring surrounding one of the jeeps, he could take a guess that she was safely ensconced inside the vehicle. Nors was there as was Alexei, arms folded with disapproving frowns on their faces. They left him in no doubt that he would have to go through both of them to get to woman, and he had no illusions that they would hurt him badly if he tried. 

Even Andrei was glaring at him from his left side, fury dancing in his friend's eyes. They were all condemning him, his friends of hundreds of years turning against him as Cassia had. With a long, loud hiss, Pietro spun on his heel, walking back into the home he had shared with his friends. He knew what he had to do.

"Pietro, wait... "

"Go away, Cassia. I have nothing to say to you."

"You have to understand... we couldn't allow you to hurt Reasa. We just couldn't. I know she hurt you, Pietro. I understand your need for vengeance but it would kill Liam for anything to happen to her, and she's changing. She truly is changing, Pietro."

He wanted to shut out her voice. He wanted to ignore the plea that rang from every word she spoke. He wanted her to just be gone but this was her pack so that wasn't likely to happen. Spinning around, he impaled her with a look that contained all of his rage, all of his feelings of betrayal.

"I understand, Cassia. The pack will always come first with you, as it is what defines you. I am not pack though. I will never be pack or understand that group mentality. Thereasa ruined my life. She turned me into this thing I am now. I will never be happy until she is dead. Today you chose, Cassia. You chose pack over me and while I can understand that on a rational level, I can't on an emotional one. You betrayed me."

Pietro wanted to reach for her even as he said the words that he knew would cut her to the quick. Seeing the tears in her eyes filled him with so much misery that for a moment it almost overcame his feelings of betrayal. But those feelings were too ingrained in his heart and mind. He had trusted in her, he had let down his defences and let her close, and in that moment when he needed her to understand; she had turned against him.

"Tell Rafe I will be off pack lands within the hour. I don't want to spend another second longer here than I have to." Pietro turned away, hardening his heart to the pained whimper that came from the beautiful blonde wolf that had begun to mean so much to him.

"Please don't do this. Please, Pietro. Give yourself time to calm down. We can talk again once you've had a little time... "

"I don't want to see you ever again, Cassia. What we had is over." Misery overwhelmed him at his words and at the tortured sound that escaped her lips, but Pietro forced himself to keep walking up the stairs away from her. Though it hurt him to say it, he knew he wouldn't change his mind. What they had was truly over, whether he wept at the thought or not.

*****

Pietro was leaving her! 

Her mate was refusing her, denying her the only chance she had at happiness. Cassia tried to speak, tried to make him listen, but her tears were flowing too fast, the ball of pain inside so intense it felt as if it was choking her.

He had to understand... he couldn't mean what he was saying. She'd had to stop him from hurting her Alpha, from hurting Thereasa and in doing so, her pack. Why couldn't he understand? Why couldn't he just stay and listen to her?

"Pietro... " the word strangled out on a sob, her voice pleading for him to listen but he continued to walk away, never once looking back.

"Cassia, come on, honey. Come home." Dara was at her side, her sister feeling her pain and reaching out to enclose her in an embrace, to soothe her with her wolf's touch.

"Dara... Dara... oh God Dara... "

Cassia's wolf howled its grief inside her mind and she gave herself over to the animal, unable to bear talking any further. She shifted to wolf form, spinning around and racing through the open door out into the forest.

The wolf howled; the woman screamed internally. They raced through the trees, mindless of where they were going, heedless of any who followed. She crashed into trees, tumbling head over heels and then picking herself up to race off in another direction. All the while she howled her anguish, cried out against the torture that was her mate's rejection.

Cassia ran and ran and ran until she fell to the forest floor exhausted, panting and heaving as she whimpered out her distress. Soft hands stroked over her fur, a loving touch holding her shaking wolf form, whispering words tripping over themselves as they rushed out.

"It will be okay, Cass. I know it will. Pietro just needs some time. It will all work out, you'll see. Please don't weep so, honey. Please. You are strong and I am with you. I will always be with you." 

Dara was crying with her, holding her wolf and rocking her back and forth. She could feel her sister's pain echoing down their familial bond, knew she ached for her grief as much as she did. Dara, who had always been there for her, always been that second part of her from the moment she had been born and they'd first touched minds.

"It hurts so badly, Dara. It hurts so badly." 

"I know, sweetheart, but you're strong enough to cope. Lean on me, honey. I've got you and I'll never let go."

Cassia surrendered to the grief of losing her mate, throwing her head back and letting out one long, anguish-filled mournful howl as her sister kept her word, holding her and never letting her go.

*****

Pietro's head shot up and his gaze turned to the forest through his window, the awful howl ringing on the air for all to hear. He knew it was Cassia who was hurting so badly and he wanted to go to her but his feet wouldn't move. Instead, he turned back to his packing, throwing the last of his clothes haphazardly into his case.

"Are you proud of yourself?" Andrei growled from the doorway. 

Pietro turned to look at his friend, seeing the signs in his body language that Andrei was barely in control of himself. "I take no pleasure from hurting Cassia." He snapped the suitcase closed.

"What the fuck were you thinking, Pietro?" His friend stepped into the room, fist clenched in an effort to hold back his feral side. "The pack took you in, gave you a sanctuary and this is how you repay them?"

"Some sanctuary," Pietro snarled back, his aggression levels escalating to match Andrei's. "You let the instrument of my torture live and breathe, Andrei. I can remember a day when you of all people would have ripped someone to pieces for much less but now you roll over and do whatever the wolves ask of you. And you ask me what the fuck I was thinking? What the fuck where you and Alexei thinking?"

The other male paused, taking a deep breath before relaxing his clenched fists. "It's not that cut and dried and you know it, Pietro." Andrei sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair. "The pack is our family now and we have to consider the bigger picture. Believe me, I understand your need for vengeance. We all do, my friend. You have to meet us half way though; you have to understand that we're doing the best we can here."

"I can't!" Pietro hissed, turning away to grab his case. When he turned back, he'd wiped all expression from his face. "All I see is the people who always had my back are now protecting someone who is the cause of my disfigurement. All I see is those I call friend have aligned themselves against me."

"That's fucking bullshit and you know it! Where the fuck are you, Pietro? The man I know wouldn't wallow in self-pity and pitch a hissy-fit because things aren't going his way. And what the fuck did you do to my niece? Why are you breaking her heart? I should be kicking the shit out of you for that reason alone."

His reference to Cassia was too much, and Pietro dropped the case, hissing at his friend. "Then why the fuck aren't you? Go ahead... kick the shit out of me! Do it!"

Andrei's expression turned cold, the warmth dying from his eyes. "If I touched you right now, I would most likely take your head, Pietro. It's for that reason alone I'm ensuring that I retain a modicum of control. You're too weak to fend me off. It would be like slaughtering a Youngling."

Pietro glared at him a moment longer, before he reached for the case once more and stepped past his friend. "Thanks for the reminder of why we're all in this fucked up position in the first place. I never meant to hurt Cassia, Andrei, I truly didn't. She hurt me first though, but I guess that will always be a moot point with you and Alexei when it comes to one of your own. That I can understand."




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 16



"Pietro... "

He halted on his way out of the room, not turning to look back as Andrei called his name.

"I expect you back behind the bar at The Dive tonight. I suggest you use the apartment over the bar for a while until you're feeling more like yourself."

It was Andrei's way of telling him that no matter what had happened this day, he still counted him as his friend and would have his back to the best of his ability. Pietro was aware it was more than he probably deserved but he accepted it as gracefully as he could.

"I'll see you later then."

*****

"Dara, let me, honey." Alexei's calm words belied the expression on his face as he ushered one daughter aside to reach the other.

She looked up through tear-filled eyes to see her parents beside them, her mother clearly having shifted into her wolf form at some point, as she now stood naked before them. "She won't stop weeping. I can't do anything to help her."

Her mother held out her arms, enfolding her in a tight embrace. "That's our job, sweetheart, not yours, though you are a credit to all of us that you have tried so hard." Gentle hands soothed down her back, trying to take the ache from her heart at her sister's distress. "Can you rustle me up something to wear, honey? There's a bit of a nip in the air."

Smothering down another sob, Dara fought for some composure and the concentration she would need to accede to her mother's request. She knew it was a deliberate attempt to redirect her, and she was grateful to her mother for it. She was no help to Cassia being an emotional wreck. She needed to be Cassia's strength right now.

Taking a deep breath and doing her best to tune everything out around her, Dara tapped into the well of power she had inside, conjuring up a sarong in deep forest green. It was easier to create single bolts of cloth as opposed to specific clothing, and it appeared her mother was content with her offering as Cedar wrapped the sarong around her body.

Turning back to Cassia, Dara watched her father kneel beside her, his hands gentle as they stroked through the wolf's tangle fur.

"Cass, honey, you can't hide within your wolf. I know it's hard right now but you need to come back to us. You need to let us take care of you." Alexei kept his words soft and low, all the while his hands continued to stroke the wolf as he talked.

"Come, daughter. Show me that wonderful strength I know that lives within your heart. Return to your family. Come home to us."

For a long moment it appeared as if she would refuse him, and then the wolf shifted into the woman, curled up on the forest floor. The second she shifted, Alexei scooped her up into his arms and she burrowed her face into the side of his neck, loud sobs wracking her body.

"He doesn't want me, Daddy. My mate doesn't want me."

Alexei's footsteps faltered as he started walking towards his mate and youngest daughter, a flash of fury in his eyes. His gaze fell on Dara after Cedar gave a quick shake of her head.

"Explain." The word ground out in a low voice almost over-shadowed by Cassia's crying.

Dara swallowed hard, trying not to shrink back against her mother, who continued to run a hand down her back.

"Alexei, please moderate your tone," Cedar remarked, a hint of censure in her tone. "Whatever is going on is not of Dara's making, and she deserves better than that from her father."

The rebuke in her tone was enough to get through her mate's initial fury, and he conceded her point, giving Dara an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Dara. I'm just concerned for your sister. Please tell us what you know."

Relieved to see a more normal expression on her father's face, Dara straightened up, giving him a tentative smile back. "I don't know much, Dad. Cassia told me that Pietro was her mate but that her wolf was acting a bit strange about it... as if it couldn't quite make up its mind one way or the other."

"That's impossible," Cedar interjected, a frown marring her face as she reached out to Cassia and stroked a hand through her weeping daughter's hair. "Our wolves always know - instantly."

"Cassia says otherwise," her daughter answered, shrugging her shoulders. "I wouldn't know personally as I haven't met my mate yet."

"One at a time... " Alexei muttered under his breath, his tone rueful as he cradled Cassia tenderly in his arms as they headed back towards the compound. She had finally stopped weeping, though it was apparent she was lost somewhere within herself. "Is Pietro aware of this?" 

There was no mistaking the hard edge to his voice and Dara was glad the vampire would be gone by the time they got back. There was no telling what her father might do giving his current mood. "As far as I know, Cassia was taking things slowly with him, giving him time to heal from Europe before making her claim. I don't think he's aware of it despite the fact they've been spending a lot of time together."

"Lucky for him." Again the words were muttered, a dangerous edge to each one.

"Alexei," Cedar sighed, placing a hand on his arm to try to sooth the rage she could feel flowing through their mate bond.

"Look at her, Cedar. Look at our girl. Don't expect me to be rational about this when Cassia is hurting this badly. I just can't do it." 

"Don't you think I'm every bit as concerned as you are, Alexei?" she answered quietly, unable to hide her disappointment. "Don't you think my heart is breaking seeing our daughter so distressed? One of us has to keep a level head about this, and of course, that person is going to have to be me, as it always it. I don't get the luxury of exploding into a temper and protecting my daughter because I'm too busy ensuring you don't do something stupid that will make things worse."

It was so unusual to hear the trace of bitterness in her voice that for a moment Alexei stopped walking, surprise crossing his face. Dara was equally surprised and uncomfortable witnessing one her parents' rare fights. She wasn't sure whether she should keep walking or stay with them.

Her father remained silent for a long moment, and then his expression softened and he leaned down to kiss his mate, brushing his cheek against the top of her head. "I'm sorry, I know you're just as concerned, honey. I'll promise to behave." 

As quickly as Cedar had become irritated, her expression mellowed and she rolled her eyes in disbelief. "You don't even know the meaning of the word, Alexei Romanov, but I'm holding you to that promise." 

With the disagreement over with as soon as it had begun; they broke through the trees and entered the pack compound. It was clear of most of the people from earlier, however Rafe was sitting on the steps to his house, his eyes pinned to them as they walked out of the forest. He rose and met them half way, his trouble gaze on Cassia.

"Is she okay? Do you need to use the safe room?"

Alexei looked to Cedar for the answer, relieved when she shook her head. "I don't think so, Rafe. Let us spend some time with her as a family. If we need you, we'll let you know."

The Alpha placed a hand on Cassia's head, leaning down to brush his lips against her cheek. "If you need us we are here for you." He said the words aloud and sent them down the Alpha link he shared with each pack member. There was no response from Cassia but he was certain she'd heard him. Straightening up, his concerned gaze met Alexei's and Cedar's. "Lacey will want to check in on her later."

"Lacey is welcome to visit anytime, as are you, Rafe. However, can we keep it to a minimum just now?" Cedar asked. "We don't want to overload Cassia with too many people around; not until she's had a chance to recover from today's events."

"Agreed. I'll have Aaron spread the word not to disturb you." Rafe nodded his head to Alexei, silently communicating that he wanted to speak with Cedar out of Cassia's earshot. The vampire continued on his way with his daughters, leaving his mate to discuss whatever their Alpha wanted to impart.

"Pietro left the pack a quarter of an hour ago," Rafe announced as soon as they disappeared into their family home. "I don't know if that's going to be a good thing or not for Cassia, but I thought it would be best if either you or Alexei broke the news to her."

Cedar's already concerned expression darkened further, her worried eyes turning towards her home. "Do you know where he went? If we can at least tell her that it may take some of the sting from knowing he's left."

"Andrei said Pietro will be staying at the Dive and taking over his responsibilities there from tonight, so he'll still be afforded some level of protection from the vampires that Andrei trusts while he recovers. Hopefully some time apart will show Pietro how much he misses Cassia. He is her mate, I take it?"

Cedar sighed and rubbed her hands across her face wearily. "It's certainly looking that way, though she did tell Dara that her wolf appeared to be undecided on the matter. I'm still reeling over that one, Rafe. I didn't think it was possible for a wolf to be confused."

"Neither did I," the Alpha frowned raking a hand through his hair, before giving his beta a reassuring hug. "I'll talk to Rayne before she leaves and have a word with Annie and Caleb too. Maybe there's something in their books that can explain it. We have to remember that the Vârcolac are not like purebred Weres or Vampires. What applies to the rest of us may not necessarily apply to them."

With another quick squeeze, Rafe released Cedar so she could go to her daughter. As she disappeared from view, he pulled out his cell and dialled Rayne's number. He needed to have a last word with Gard and Rayne before they headed to Europe anyway. They had to decide whether it was wise to leave Kothari on his own with just Dara checking in with him. Given the turn of events with Cassia, Dara may be otherwise distracted.

*****

The Jeep made its way up the mountain, Elina behind the wheel with Liam and Reasa in the back. The second Jeep shadowed them closely, Dayton, Ben and AJ bringing up the rear. Rafe's sons were unaffected by their tussle with the vampire. Pietro hadn't hurt them much and they'd insisted they were fine to continue with the task their father had set them. It had been a proud Alpha who had clapped each son on his shoulder and sent him on his way.

Liam's emotions were mixed, his heart going out to Cassia as he felt her pain as they all did. He was strangely detached when he thought of Pietro and his actions. He felt some level of anger towards the vampire for trying to harm his mate and hurting his friends, but he could also understand what had driven Pietro to act as he had, and that took some of the edge from his anger. 

They could all understand and that was probably why, despite what had happened, there wasn't an overabundance of hostility towards the vampire. Liam had heard some mutterings from the younger pack members as they were heading off, but wiser, calmer heads in the pack would work to subdue any antipathy towards Pietro and the vampires in general. Aaron would probably assign some intensive border patrols so the more hot-headed youngsters could blunt their anger. By the time they returned to the pack, the incident would have become just another story to tell on a balmy night sitting around a fire.

That left Liam with only one real emotion to ponder; his fear that his mate would have been hurt, and what he would have been prepared to do to prevent that ever happening. He was ashamed of the thoughts that had flooded his mind as Pietro struck out. All the gentleness that made him who he was evaporated on the spot, and the feral vampiric side of himself had taken dominance. 

He had considered killing Pietro to protect Thereasa. The thought had actually crossed his mind, his vampire urging him to reach out and take the other male's head. How could he even think such a thing? He was aware that Cassia was attached to the vampire, knew now that Pietro was her mate given her reaction to his rejection. His friend had placed his needs and the pack's before her own, and he had considered doing the worst thing a wolf could ever do to another pack member. 

What kind of monster did that make him? How could his family, his friends, every single pack member protect him, protect Reasa for him, when he wasn't worth their efforts? This couldn't continue... things couldn't go on as they were. Cassia deserved her happiness with her mate and that would never happen as long as he and Reasa remained at the pack. There really wasn't any other option. They would have to leave the pack once they'd done all they could at the Praetorian Compound. There would never be a place for them there. Recent events proved that.

"We won't allow it." Elina's cool words broke the oppressive silence in the car.

"You won't have a choice." Liam wasn't surprised that his cousin could guess at what he was thinking. She always seemed to know what was going on inside his head; she'd lived in it for long enough.

"What?" Reasa didn't look at him, her gaze remaining fixed ahead.

"Liam is coming to the conclusion that you will both be leaving the pack. I am just disabusing him of it."

Reasa's gaze turned to the man at her side and for a second she almost smiled at the stubborn expression she saw on his face. Once more she was struck by the strong familial bond between the cousins, and even if she hadn't been aware of their history from walking through Liam's memory, she would still have sensed their strong attachment.

"You need your pack," she said, turning away to look out the window. "You are not a solitary creature and would not thrive well without them."

"Pietro is Cassia's mate, Reasa. Today has proven that to all of us. She will never be happy without him, and he will never come to accept you. His inability to forgive you will continue his rejection of my friend. I cannot cause her pain so I can be happy." Liam's quiet words hung heavy on the air, a faint quiver in his voice.

Reasa didn't answer him. It was hard to refute his words. Pietro's need for vengeance was too ingrained. He was the kind of male others in her coven had aspired to be and could never attain that level of strength. She understood males like Pietro; she not only understood them, she respected them. Louis was one who held the same strength, the same determination as the wounded vampire back at the compound. He would mete out the same type of justice Pietro yearned for, and she would deserve it for her actions.

The situation was currently at a stalemate though. For one couple to be happy the other couple must suffer. From that point of view, Liam's logic made sense and while she couldn't argue with it, she was as determined as Elina not to allow it to pass. She would have to find some way to resolve the situation once they had helped the patients at the Praetorian Compound. She was aware of what she had to do, and she knew that Liam would do his utmost to prevent it. However, it wasn't his decision to make. When the time came, she would stand before Pietro alone and accept his judgement. 

Elina also knew the truth of it, though she continued to deny it because she didn't want to lose her cousin. While she argued with Liam about his proposed course of action, her eyes met Reasa's in the rear-view mirror, and the former vampire could see that the other woman had an inkling of what she was thinking.

"The pack is strong, Liam. We have that strength because we stick together no matter what. Don't lose faith in us. We will find a way to resolve this." Even though spoken in a cold tone, there was passion in Elina's voice as she appealed to her cousin. Reasa heard the underlying words being spoken to her too, and her admiration for the other woman rose. If they had met under any other circumstances, Reasa was sure she would have called the other woman a friend.

Liam's expression remained stubborn, though he leaned back and rested his head, closing his eyes as he did. He was completely clueless about the unspoken communication between his mate and his cousin. "Let's just concentrate on what needs to be done for now. The rest is a while away. This is more important."

Reasa mirrored his position, closing her eyes and once more seeing Pietro standing in the compound, naked hatred oozing from every pore in his body, all projected towards her. She felt the same thrill of terror as she had then, followed by a feeling of disappointment as Liam had shielded her. Had she wanted to die in that moment? That thought had followed her around ever since she'd had her vampiric nature stripped from her. There had been times when she'd truly believed it was what she wanted and others when she'd wanted to cling to life.

The only thing she really knew was that it wasn't her decision or Liam's about what would happen in the future. There was only one person who had the right to decide her fate, and she only hoped she would be courageous enough to stand tall before him when he made it. 

The Jeep pulling into the Praetorian Compound shook her from her musings, and she opened her eyes to view the large house that was home to the Praetorians. Elina pulled up close to the steps and pulled on the handbrake. It was strange being back. Exciting and yet terrifying. The last time Reasa had been here, she'd lost everything that had made her who she was. She wasn't able to contain the shiver that ran through her body.

"No one will hurt you here," Liam rumbled, his voice low, for her ears only.

"There is nothing further that anyone could do to hurt me than what has already been done," she answered, stiffening her back as the door opened and a large vampire with flowing black hair came out to greet them.

Mac greeted the arrivals with a touch of caution laced with optimism. He was relieved they were here and willing to try to help his injured people, but he was wary too, given his mate's involvement. Lily was happy and bright, so certain that Liam and Reasa were going to save the day with this new skill they'd discovered, but he was concerned about what would happen if they failed.

His mate's eyes held a hint of sadness every time he looked into them. Though she smiled and went about her life with the wonderful strength and resilience he'd fallen in love with, he could always detect that small hint of melancholy that lived within her because of Brandon. She missed her friend keenly, cared for him devotedly, and if this didn't work... if they lost him... he knew his beautiful mate would die a little inside. 

"How sure are you about this?" He asked the question of Liam and Reasa, as they were the ones who would be performing the dream walking.

"There is no certainty, Mac, just the hope that we can affect a positive change." It was Liam who answered, his tone grave. "We know what's at stake. If it can be done... we will do it. That's the best we can give you."

"Fair enough." Mac wasn't feeling as comforted as he'd hoped he would. He nodded to the Weres who had escorted Reasa to the compound and motioned for them to precede him into the large house that was the heart of the Praetorians.

"We'll stay outside," Dayton announced. "There's nothing we can do inside and we're muscle rather than brains up here. We'll check in with the other wolves and do a sweep around the compound." He headed off into the trees, followed by Ben and AJ.

"I will attend inside," Elina said, walking up the steps into the house, patently ignoring the brawny blond vampire who was standing in the hallway as she entered.

"Good to see you too, Missy," Karn chuckled, blue eyes flashing with mischief as she sailed passed him and started upstairs.

"Idiot." Wafted back down the stairs and only made him chuckle harder.

"Behave," Mac growled, giving his friend a glare.

Karn's made a half-hearted attempt at looking sheepish but his attention was already diverted from the frosty woman intent on ignoring him, a speculative gleam in his eyes as he looked at Liam and Reasa. "I think I can do a little of what you can. Would I be in the way if I tagged along and tried to pick up some tips?"




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 16



Mac's head whipped around in surprise as Liam gave his friend a nod. "You're empathic? You never told me that."

"You never asked," Karn countered with a grin. "And why would I? We all keep our skills to ourselves. Perhaps that's why they're so diluted now. We're all so busy trying to be the biggest badass around that sharing unique talents has never been in our best interests. How the hell do you think I've managed to keep this motley crew in line for so long, Mac?" 

It was a rhetorical question but the leader of the Praetorian's answered anyway. "You've had an inkling of what they were thinking or feeling."

"Feeling," his friend confirmed. "When you can sense emotions it's easier to divert the ones you don't want to be predominant in any given situation." Mac looked stunned and a bit put out at only now learning what his second in command could do, but Karn was unrepentant. If this new knowledge of shadow walking hadn't materialised, he would have kept his mouth shut about his abilities.

"I have no objections to you observing, Karn," Liam said, his lips curling in a small smile. "The more people who can hone their skills the better." He glanced at the woman at his side before turning back to the waiting vampires. "Should we make a start?" 

With a concerned expression Mac nodded and motioned for them to head upstairs to the infirmary. 

"You doubt we will be successful," Reasa commented as she passed him, feeling oddly comfortable in his presence. He reminded her of Louis a little, with perhaps a tad less of a cruel streak in his eyes. She didn't doubt for a moment that the Praetorian leader wasn't capable of cruelty, just that he was less inclined to veer in that direction.

"Brandon is close to Lily's heart. If you try this and fail, her heart will break. In saying that, this is the lesser of two evils so I am willing to give it a try."

She could understand his position, and hoped they could affect a positive change on the vampires. There was a lot at stake, not only the hopes of all those who cared for the injured, but also the mental well-being of the Vârcolac at her side. There was no accounting for what Liam would do if they failed. It didn't bear thinking about. 

Reasa tried to convince herself that it was the emotional backlash of Liam's powers that concerned her, but she knew she was lying to herself. Though it was a strong factor to be considered, the kiss she had shared with Liam was still very firmly emblazoned in her memory. She should have been furious about the liberty he'd taken, and a part of her was, but mostly she longed for another taste of his lips, to see if his kiss had truly been as amazing as her memory told her it was. Shaking the memory from her mind as best she could, Reasa entered the door to the large infirmary, her gaze quickly sweeping the area.

Beside the very first bed that came into view stood Elina gazing down at the dark-haired male lying there. For all intents and purposes he gave off the appearance of being dead. Her expression was neutral, no sign of her inner thoughts as she watched the male for a moment longer and then walked gracefully over to the nearby window to rest against the window seat facing into the room.

Sitting in a comfy armchair beside the bed was Lily, a book in hand that she was reading out loud to the sleeping male. At their entrance, the Vârcolac finished the paragraph she was reading and then turned grave eyes to them. "I hate this book but it's one of Brandon's favourites. Please wake him up so he can finish the damned thing himself."

Lily rose from the chair, smiling a sad smile as she dropped a kiss on Brandon's forehead. "See you soon, Bran."

She walked across to them, slipping effortlessly into Liam's waiting arms. For a moment they just hugged quietly and then Lily straightened and stepped back, acceptance in her expression. "I know you will do your very best, Liam. Don't do anything that endangers you though, not for Brandon, and not for the others. They were your protectors and they wouldn't want you to do anything that caused you harm. Keep that firmly in mind." She was silently granting forgiveness in advance... should they fail at their task.

Liam nodded solemnly, guilt threatening to overwhelm him again. He was the reason six souls lay trapped or destroyed within their host bodies, and his beautiful friend was granting him absolution if he couldn't rectify his grievous error. He didn't deserve it and he wouldn't fail. He would stay there for however long it took to bring each and every one of the injured vampires back.

"I think you should go be somewhere else, Lily," he answered, his gaze dropping to her abdomen. "I have no idea how much, if any, emotional leakage will seep into the room as we try this. It would probably be best if you weren't present as a precaution."

"I don't want to leave Brandon... " Lily started to say, her gaze sweeping back to her friend as she spoke. Her mate was already moving though to gather her up against his chest and pull her towards the doorway.

"You heard Liam, this has never been done before and we don't know what may happen. I will not countenance any harm coming to you or our daughter, Liliana."

She knew she couldn't argue with Mac. She didn't have any intention of it. It was right that she shouldn't be around so much empathy right now and she would never do anything to risk their child. As if she would even consider causing her mate to, once more, lose the most precious thing in his world. "You never let me finish," she smiled up at Mac, sending soothing love down their mate bond. "I had been about to say I didn't want to leave Brandon but it would be best if I wasn't around such charged emotions. I'm not completely stupid, my love."

His frown lightened and then his expression turned sheepish. "Overreacting again, uh?"

Though his words were conciliatory, his tone was implacable and brought a loving smile to her face as she gave him a reassuring hug. "It's understandable. Let me know if there is any improvement."

Mac kissed his mate, long and slow, giving her as much love and reassurance as he could. He was aware that her heart was breaking and she was afraid to hope for a good outcome. He wanted to tell her it would all be okay but he truly didn't know if it would. He finally raised his head and cupped her cheek tenderly. "You'll be the first to know, my Lily Rose."

Satisfied, the pregnant Vârcolac headed from the room, leaving everyone staring quietly at Brandon for a long moment.

"I think it's best if we try this on Brandon first," Liam finally broke the silence. It appeared the expectation was there from the Praetorians that his friend was to be the first attempt anyway, so he was merely formalising the thought. "We need another comfortable chair. I don't know how long this may take."

Karn left the room and Elina came forward to look up at her cousin. "I can shield the room as you work. It won't be the best of shields as I'll need to cast it across everyone present, but it should help if there is some emotional leakage."

Liam considered it for a moment and then shook his head. "That kind of shield would be mostly ineffective and not a good use of your talents." He glanced at Reasa and then back to his cousin. "Reasa's control is exceptional. I'm not concerned about any issues there. I think it would be best if you buffered my defences instead. You're used to my mind so it will be second nature to you."

"And you will feel more confident in yourself knowing I am doing so,"  Elina said telepathically for his ears only.

"Yes I would, Elle. I am so much stronger with the new shielding techniques I've learned but this... this will just make me feel a bit better." 

Karn's return into the room with a second plush armchair halted their conversation and Elina once more returned to her spot at the window. As Karn set it down beside its matching companion, she let her gaze run over the vampire that had managed to break through the cold defences she'd honed to perfection. She was still perturbed that she'd lashed out at him with such violence. Her loss of control had been unforgivable, no matter what the circumstances had been. It was unfortunate he would be present during this exercise, when she needed all of her control, but she would find a way to ignore him.

As if realising he was under scrutiny, Karn turned his head to look at her, his lips curling in another insufferable smile as his pale blue eyes twinkled and seem to convey that he knew just what she was thinking. Looking away, Elina turned inward, feeling the link that connected her to her cousin and concentrating solely on that as she slipped into Liam's mind and wove a delicate net of spidery tendrils around his impressive defences. Her web looked flimsy but it was as strong as she could make it. If Liam's control broke, well there would be at least a small fraction of time for the others to run before total catastrophe occurred.

Turning back to her cousin, she watched him and Reasa sit down beside Brandon's bed, the ancient tome open in Liam's lap as he quickly ran his gaze over a couple of pages. She stiffened when Karn moved to her side, resting his back against the wall beside her.

"Can I shadow you?"

Every single part of her being screamed NO but she ignored her instincts to push him away and relaxed as best she could. "I am only an additional shield for Liam. You will not learn anything from that."

"Guess, I will be the judge of that?" he countered swiftly, and she knew he would cause a scene if she continued to thwart him and that was counter-productive to why they were all here.

"Fine." Elina allowed entry into her mind, trying not to lash out instinctively when she felt the pure male dominance of the vampire by her side slip easily inside and nestle close to her own defences. She ignored him as best she could, relaxing further when he didn't push at her inner defences but instead examined her link with Liam and followed that path to her cousin's mind.

"Impressive." There was such respect and awe in Karn's tone that the last of Elina's misgivings eased and she concentrated on what was happening before them as opposed to fixating on the male at her side. She was relying on Karn not to violate the trust she was giving him. She only hoped that she wasn't wrong to do so.

Liam glanced at the woman at his side, meeting her apprehensive gaze. "Do you need more time?"

Reasa shook her head, rolling her shoulders to relax some of the tension suffusing her body. "No, we should begin."

At her acceptance, the large Vârcolac closed the book and set it down on the floor. "Mac, it might be best to clear the house of anyone who doesn't need to be here."

"That's already been done, Liam. Everyone who is here needs to be here," the Praetorian leader answered calmly, signalling the Weres and vampires who were tending to the others. "We can't afford to leave the others uncared for while this is happening. Everyone present has volunteered to be here."

Again, it was as if he was being absolved of any responsibility in advance, and Liam felt another moment's doubt that he could, not only, bring the vampires back, but deserved any forgiveness.

"We should begin, Liam."

Reasa's practical tone helped to balance him and he nodded his head slowly, turning to look at Brandon lying so peacefully in the bed. "Time to come back to us, Brandon," he muttered under his breath, feeling Reasa slipped effortlessly into his mind beside Elina.

Dear God it was hopeless!

That was the first thought that came to Liam's mind as he slipped into Brandon's and viewed the carnage that was there. Unlike everything he'd previously experienced, there was no long passageway with doors leading from it, straight or curving haphazardly as Reasa had described. He stood at the beginning of what appeared to be a maze, a ten-foot barrier of steel mesh in front of him.

"Reasa?" He couldn't keep the hopelessness from his voice and knew she picked up on it instantly.

"I've never seen anything like it before," she whispered, her tone horrified as she stood beside him. "Liam, this mind is gone. There is nothing we can do."

They were speaking aloud as they had done before, and he knew the others would be listening to every word they said. Despite concentrating solely on Brandon's mind, he could detect Mac's sharp, indrawn breath at Reasa's announcement. Liam refused to be defeated, refused to give up hope when they hadn't even tried yet.

"I don't accept that, Reasa. I can't accept that. We have to be able to do something."

"What? I have no experience of this. I don't know where to begin and that book didn't give us any answers for something as damaged as this. What can we do?"

Squaring his shoulders, Liam reached down and took her hand, to lend her strength and also to find some himself. "We can try, Reasa. We can try." Taking a step forward he pulled her through the opening in the steel mesh and deeper into the fractured mind before them.

The conversation between Liam and Reasa made Mac's heart sink. He had no idea what they were seeing inside Brandon's mind but it sounded hopeless. He looked away from the bed, towards the window where Elina and Karn stood.

"Are you seeing what they're seeing?"

Elina shook her head, for once her serene expression clouded by a deep frown. "I can only feel their emotions, Mac. Whatever they're experiencing has stunned them. Reasa is convinced there is nothing they can do. Despite the fact she has more experience than Liam, he isn't willing to concede that point yet. Liam is determined they can prevail, but I'm not sure how much of that is wishful thinking on his part."

The Vârcolac turned her gaze from the couple at the bed to the Praetorian leader. "Are you sure you can't clear out more people from the house? I'm unsure if I'll be able to contain Liam if this goes badly, Mac. Perhaps you should join Lily? We can't afford to lose you as Praetorian leader, let alone as Lily's mate."

A low growl from the male at her side had her head inclining in his direction.

"You should have more faith in your cousin... and yourself. Liam's shields are strong and the buffer you have in place buys us all a little time should something go wrong. Doubting Liam while you're in his mind isn't going to be of help," Karn remarked.

Mac considered their words when Elina didn't respond to his second in command, taking his time to digest the ramifications if things went wrong. Karn was right, they had an advanced warning system in place, and they could use the precious few seconds that Elina could grant them. For now, his place was here with his fallen, until such times it became too dangerous to remain. In addition, if Elina was right about Liam being unrealistic about their chances of success, someone had to be there to ensure neither he nor Reasa came to any harm. That was his job.

"I'm staying," he finally answered, his tone brooking no argument.

The Vârcolac opened her mouth as if to say more but a hand on her arm diverted her attention and her frosty glare turned on Karn. "Do not touch me."

"Don't get excited, Missy. It wasn't that kind of touch."

Karn removed his hand, delighting in the irritated snort that escaped Elina's lips. He couldn't help baiting her at every possible turn, regardless of how dire the current situation was. There was something about the woman that brought out the devilment in him. It had been a long time since any woman had interested him on the level that Elina did. Mac's disapproving glare settled him down somewhat, and he settled back to let events unfold.

*****

More steel mesh greeted Liam and Reasa as they moved forward into Brandon's mind. It bent and twisted, seeming to branch off into different paths. It was indeed a maze, one so twisted that they hit a dead end almost immediately and had to backtrack. Liam chose to go right, weaving through spaces so narrow he could feel steel barbs snagging at his arms. He ignored it, keeping his forward momentum until he hit another dead end. 

"Back," he sighed, returning to the beginning and choosing the forward path this time. Liam refused to give up. The fact they were in a maze indicated some kind of order within Brandon's mind even if it was complicated. If the vampire's mind was truly destroyed then shouldn't there just be blackness or an absence of everything? 

They continued forward, eyes flicking over every conceivable surface they could see. Liam had no idea what they were looking for and he doubted Reasa did too. He only hoped that they would recognise it when they did see it. The maze hit a dead end going forward halting them in their tracks again. They had the option of turning left or right, and Liam pondered which route to take first. Settling on the left, he turned to start off in that direction but Reasa resisted his movement.

"Wait! Stop!" she cried out, pulling him back, her gaze fixed on something on the ground at her feet. 

Liam frowned, puzzled by why she had stopped him. He couldn't see anything other than grey stone and more steel mesh, but she was bending down low, peering at something just out of his line of sight. His gut instinct was to keep moving forward, however he had to concede that Reasa had been doing this a lot longer than he had. It was pointless bringing her with him if he was going to disregard her expertise.

Shifting his position to get a better vantage point, he saw what appeared to be a small dull glass bead. He had no idea what it was or why his mate considered it significant. It was clear she did as her brow was furrowed in a deep frown as she stared at it. 

"Liam... " When she looked up at him there was a flicker of something in her eyes he couldn't quite make out.

"What is it?" He held his breath as he waited for her answer, hoping against hope it would be something positive. It just had to be something positive to ease the growing hopeless he was feeling.

"I think this is part of Brandon's psyche. Reach out with your emotions, as you did at the pack. You have to concentrate hard but you should be able to sense it stronger than I can. There's barely a flicker nudging at my senses."

It was difficult to bend down in the tight space beside her but Liam dropped to his knees uncaring that a steel barb scored down his back drawing blood. He reached out with his stronger senses, concentrating on the glass bead that looked so innocuous. At first he could detect nothing, and then, for the briefest of moments he sensed something, felt some kind of connection.

"I think you may be right," he whispered, the first tendrils of hope beginning to form within him. He called out to Brandon but there was no response, and yet, Reasa's hopeful expression helped to sooth his initial disappointment. If this was part of Brandon's psyche... if they could find more small pieces scattered throughout the maze... 

"Can we fashion a receptacle? If there are more pieces splintered throughout the maze, we can gather them all together and maybe that will be enough for Brandon's mind to do the rest?"

As soon as he'd asked the question, a clear glass urn appeared before them, and Reasa reverently placed the glass bead into it. It looked so lost and alone within the huge jar, and yet, a little of the dullness appeared to have receded. Liam wasn't sure if it truly had, or if it was just wishful thinking on his part. 

"We could be here for days looking for other parts of his psyche," Reasa said quietly, as they took a moment to pause and consider their options. "Perhaps we should split up? We can place a marker on each passage we've tried so the other doesn't waste time repeating steps already taken. If we find more of these beads we can add them to the urn by a simple thought command. The book said we could do that as long as we can hold onto the image we're transporting an object to."




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 16



Hope flared brighter within the Vârcolac, his beautiful mate's idea brilliant in its simplicity. He had to dampen it down, had to try to put things in perspective. They were only surmising that they had found a piece of Brandon's psyche. It could be just what it appeared to be, a lone glass bead. However, Liam was sure they were on the right track despite his caution to himself. There had been that briefest flicker of consciousness. He was certain of that.

"I'll take the left and you take the right," he announced, standing up. He imagined a red ribbon tied into a bow against the steel mesh. "If you see this sign, I've been there already."

Reasa quickly imitated him, using a blue bow to mark her passage. They left the glass urn where they'd found the first bead so they would have a clear point of reference to project to if they found others. "Good luck," she said, turning and moving off into Brandon's mind.

*****

"What the fuck?" Karn hissed out the words, drawing Mac's eyes to him.

"What?"

"There's blood on Liam's T-shirt!"

Elina flowed gracefully from her spot before the others could move, reaching to pull up the back of her cousin's t-shirt as gently as she could. Her alert gaze travelled the unbroken skin, a smear of blood being the only indicator that there had been an injury there. As they watched, Liam's skin tore open for a brief moment, and then instantly healed.

Karn's gaze was on Reasa, another hiss escaping as a long jagged cut appear down her left arm. Unlike Liam, she didn't heal instantly. She no longer had vampiric healing abilities.

"Get them out!" Mac ordered, his voice terse as another cut appeared on Reasa's face, scoring down her right cheek.

"No!" Elina blocked him as he moved to shake Reasa, her steely gaze daring him to try to go through her. "Whatever is happening in there isn't life threatening. These cuts are shallow. Liam can heal himself. I will take care of Reasa. If there is any hope of them bringing Brandon back then they must be allowed to continue."

"How?" Mac demanded, fury dancing in his eyes as another shallow cut appeared on the former vampire's forehead.

Elina was unsure if she would be able to help Reasa but she was going to try. They had no idea what Anakatrine has done to her on a D.N.A. level when she stripped Reasa of her immortality. The pack had used traditional healing methods when Reasa had been injured earlier. Elina wanted to try something else.

Leaning forward, she pressed her lips against Reasa's forehead, feeling the other woman stiffen at her touch before she relaxed once more, an absent-minded acknowledgement brushing Elina's inner thoughts. Reasa was focused on what she was doing within Brandon's mind, but she was conscious of what Elina was attempting. Allowing her lips to part, the Vârcolac ran her tongue over the scratch, sealing it in one pass.

"Fuck!" The word ground out of Karn, as if he couldn't contain it.

Elina ignored him, moving to the wound on Reasa's cheek and pressing her lips against it as she had before. She tried to ignore how good the blood tasted... tried to ensure that she was in full control as she healed the other woman's injuries.

Mac moved around them, leaning down to Reasa's left side. He reached for her arm but Elina moved so fast, he was knocked flat on his ass before he could touch her. "Fool!" The Vârcolac hissed, cold eyes flashing with an emotion so feral, Karn took a step back. 

"How do you think Liam will react to your scent on his unclaimed mate? How do you think he will react knowing you have tasted her blood?" 

Neither of the two males had even remotely considered what a major fuck up that would be. They were both dominant, territorial males, who wouldn't think twice about overreacting should another male touch what belonged to them. Mac had reacted as the protector he was, so intent on helping Reasa he hadn't considered the fallout of his actions.

"Do not touch Thereasa while he is unaware," Elina continued in a more even tone, her feral expression easing as she moved to tend to the arm wound. She ignored Mac as he relocated back to his previous spot, intent on her task. When the wound was healed, she licked her lips with closed eyes, willing her inner demon to retreat to the cage she kept it in. 

Seeing no further wounds on Reasa, she returned to her position at the window, aware that both Mac and Karn were staring at her as if she'd just grown horns. An exasperated sigh escaped her lips as she shook her head in cool exasperation. "Liam trusts me and therefore my scent on Reasa will not aggravate him, and neither will my taking of her blood. He knows there is nothing sexual in the act, that it is merely a healing gesture."

She shook her head once more, fighting the urge to roll her eyes at the disbelief on their faces. Stupid males! "Why is everything about sex with vampires? I mean, really, do you ever think above your waistline?"

"Perhaps because the taking of blood is always performed during some kind of sexual activity," Karn snorted, mockery lacing his tone.

"Idiot." Was the only answer he received, before Elina turned her attention back to the couple by the bed. When it became apparent things had settled down with them, the vampires returned to their watching brief, allowing the Vârcolac to call the shots... for now.

*****

Liam turned to his route, scouring everywhere as he walked at a snail's pace. He didn't want to miss anything and the beads were small and easily masked by the steel mesh. Despite his vigilance, he almost missed the next bead; some inner sense halting his footsteps as he walked past the area it was hidden. Turning back, his searched the area to his right more closely until the glass bead appeared within the mesh. It was as dull and lifeless as the first one, but he didn't allow that to dampen his hope.

"Go join the other part of yourself, Brandon." Liam called up his memory of the urn, emitting a small sound of surprise when he saw it already contained an additional two beads. It appeared Reasa had had more success than he'd had so far. With a proud smile, his bead joined the other three in the urn, and Liam turned once more to continue on his journey.

He had no idea that the work would have been so painstaking, so exhausting. Liam felt as if he'd been walking for hours on end when he finally started treading ground Reasa had already been over. Her pretty blue bows showed up sporadically for a while and then it appeared every passage he walked into contained her mark.

"Liam? I think we've completed the maze," he heard in his mind. His hand being squeezed in the real world accompanied the words. "I'm tracking routes you've already travelled." Reasa's mental voice sounded weary and he wondered if his did too as he answered.

"Same here. Let's head back to the urn."

It felt like it took forever to reach the beginning of the maze and the glass urn that was two thirds full of beads that were now glowing brightly. Reasa was already there, staring at the light her expression rapt. "Can you feel him, Liam?" The words whispered out, awe suffusing her voice.

It was only when she spoke that he felt the third presence with them, a distinctly male persona emanating from the urn. There was no conscious thought, nothing that indicated intelligence but there was something there, and it was getting stronger with each passing second.

Dropping to his knees beside his mate, Liam gripped her hand as they stared at the light, watching it pulse to a slow rhythm they weren't party to. It was as if the light was undulating to a beat they couldn't hear... a beat that was slowly picking up pace.

"Brandon?"

The light flared for a fraction of a second, and then it returned to its slow pulsing once more, a feeling of serenity washing over Liam. He could see that same serenity flowing over Reasa, the illumination from the urn bathing her exquisite features in an ethereal glow.

"We found him, Liam! We found him!"

Reasa threw herself into his arms, laughing and crying at the same time, completely overcome with the emotion of the moment. Liam held her close, tears mingling with his own laughter, the emotions mixing with a sense of disbelief that they had been successful at their task. True, Brandon wasn't fully with them just yet, but there was enough of his psyche gathered that, perhaps, with a bit more time, he'd be able to find his own way back.

Exhausted beyond belief, Liam felt his mate's own mental fatigue, and the way her body sagged against his. With a tired groan, he rose back to his feet, pulling Reasa up beside him. "We've done all we can for today. We can come back tomorrow if required. We need to rest, Reasa."

It was a testament to how exhausted she was that she didn't object to him ordering her about. When Liam slipped from Brandon's mind and turned to look at her, Reasa's head was resting on Brandon's bed, her body slumped over with tiredness.

He was instantly concerned for his mate, so much so that it took him a moment to realise that the room was practically empty, Elina and Karn being the only two remaining that weren't monitoring the patients. The room was darker, a handful of lamps casting a pale light around it.

"You're back." Elina's cool words didn't mask her concern. "You've been gone for hours, Liam. We didn't know if we should try to force you to leave or let you be."

"What time is it?"

"Almost midnight," Karn answered, a frown marring his face. "I was all set to make you leave but your cousin here wouldn't let me. Just like she wouldn't let us remove you when you both started bleeding all over the place." 

His scowl was for Elina who merely shrugged and turned her gaze to Reasa. She could see Liam was exhausted but he had the strength of being Vârcolac keeping him going; his mate didn't. "Reasa looks wiped out, Liam."

"Wait, what do you mean bleeding all over the place?" Her cousin's concerned gaze turned to Reasa, gently raising her from her prone position and searching her face intently. Her eyes fluttered open briefly, and then closed again as if she was too tired to keep them open. "There isn't a mark on her," Liam breathed, suspicious eyes alighting on Karn.

"Don't look at me," the vampire growled, giving Elina a pointed look. "She ran the whole show today. You want to know why the girl's healed, ask your cousin."

For a moment, Elina really wanted to smack the smug look from Karn's face but she fought down the errant thought, keeping her gaze firmly on Liam in case he reacted unfavourably. She was relieved to see that his initial suspicion was waning, and it was more curiosity than anything else on his face. "We can talk more about it tomorrow," she answered neutrally, giving him the briefest of smiles. 

Liam shot her another quizzical glance before his need to take care of his mate overcome his curiosity and he rose, sweeping Reasa into his arms and cradling her against his wide chest. "Where can we rest?"

Karn headed for the door. "You can use the room at the top of the stairs on the second floor. You can have the one to the right of it, Elina." He paused as they passed him, his Praetorian instincts coming to the fore. "Brandon?"

"We did what we could, Karn. The rest is up to him." Liam headed up the second flight of stairs and opened the door to the room they'd been assigned. The last of his strength was waning and all he wanted to do was crawl into bed.

Kicking the door shut, he clutched Reasa tightly and managed to pull down the cover on the bed. He sank down onto the mattress with her, laying his mate gently against the pillows. Fast asleep she was so vulnerable, and his protective instincts surged up within him. He found enough strength to pull off her boots and his own before he wrapped Reasa in his arms and pulled the cover over them. 

He didn't care how pissed off she would be when she woke. She was his to protect, and nothing would make him leave her side until she was rested enough to take care of herself. Liam's eyes drifted closed, his heart slowing to beat in tandem with the woman's in his arms. 

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 17



 I would like to thank everyone who has patiently waited for more chapters to be posted. As I have been stressed with work and ill health recently, along with family ill health issues too, your patience has been greatly appreciated. In an ideal world I would have loved to have the chapters submitted more quickly, however real life often doesn't turn out to be ideal as we all know.

For the readers who have lacked any patience or basic human compassion, I have a full time job as well as write. I have put 4.5 years of my spare time into giving you free stories after I've finished my day job. So far this year I've had my father in hospital twice severely ill and only by the grace of God has he come home to us. So perhaps you will forgive me if I say I have had more important things that have taken priority.

I have never left a story unfinished and I have no intention of leaving this one either. Chapters 17-20 will post up quickly for anyone who still wants to read my work. Once again, I want to thank the majority of readers who have been amazing and supportive. Your kindness is very much appreciated.

Jaz 

*****

"Kothi, are you sure you'll be fine here on your own? Wouldn't you rather stay with someone for some company?"

Kothari searched his mother's face, seeing the tell-tail signs of concern that was never far when she looked at him. She tried to hide it from him, but he was adept at seeing through most subterfuge. That expression infuriated the monster that lived within him, but it also broke the heart of the little boy who craved his mother's love. 

This morning it was the boy who held dominance, and the much softer side of his personality came forth, a side that only his parents ever witnessed. Giving his mother a tight hug, he pushed down his inner demon so he could savour the blissful moment. It wouldn't last, it never did, but he would take each precious moment when he could. "I'll be fine, Mother. You don't need to worry about me. Don't go to Europe looking back and worrying. You need all your attention on your task there."

In truth, he was livid that Rafe was sending his parents away. He knew if he asked them not to go, they would stay. However, he also knew he couldn't ask that of them. Somebody had to go to Europe, it was the only way to protect the pack. Logically he understood that but emotionally he wasn't ready for his parents to be thrust into the heart of the enemy. If anything happened to them...he was afraid of what his monster would do.

"We'll be fine, son," Gard said, entering the living room and setting down the packed cases he was carrying. "We haven't reached this age without knowing how to take care of ourselves. The most important thing is you listen to Rafe at all times and do what he says. If my memory serves me correctly, weren't you supposed to be up at the Praetorian Compound as an extra guard?"

Kothari tried not to bristle at the subtle rebuke in his father's voice. He was supposed to be up at the other compound. He hadn't wanted to leave until he'd had a chance to say goodbye to his parents though. Surely his father understood that? "I'm heading up there shortly. I just wanted to say goodbye." His tone was rebellious and only served to have his mother tightening her hold on him.

"We understand that," Gard answered, a resigned sigh in his words. His son always bristled against any kind of authority, even that of his parents. It was concerning and something they hadn't managed to correct no matter what parenting techniques they'd used over the years. "It would be best if you got yourself up there now. We'll be on our way soon." He took the sting from his words by giving his son a warm hug.

After a long pause, Kothari nodded his head and turned to leave the room. "Be safe."

"I'm worried about leaving him," Rayne said, stepping into Gard's embrace as their son disappeared. It would be the first time Kothari would be alone without his support system and it was hard for her as a mother to leave him.

"He's a grown man, Sarayne. There has to come a day when he needs to discover who he is and fend for himself. He isn't completely alone anyway. He has the pack." Gard's words made sense but she could hear his own concern. Only time would tell just how well Kothari fared left to his own devices.

Shaking off the sensation of doom that threatened to overwhelm her, Rayne smiled up at her mate, leaning in for a long slow kiss to settle her foreboding. "Did Rafe get you?" she asked when Gard let her up for breath. When Rafe had visited earlier to ask about any abnormalities in the Vârcolac mating instincts, her mate had been visiting Rhianna and Caleb to get any last minute instructions they might have had.

"He did though I probably couldn't tell him anymore than you could."

Rayne had been quite flummoxed by the question of whether the animal part of a Vârcolac could be indecisive over the mating pull. She had known that Gard was her mate quite soon into their relationship though it had frightened and confused her a bit at the start. However, that had been the woman's dilemma...not her panther. She could give no clear reason of why Cassia was experiencing indecision from her wolf, though from the girl's reaction to Pietro's rejection, it appeared the wolf had made up its mind. 

"It is an interesting development," Gard continued, releasing her from his arms, though looping one around her shoulders. "But not one that we can influence in any way. Caleb had arranged for his friend Joshua to meet us in Scotland. He thought it would be best if we start where Pietro was found and see if we can track backwards to the source of the poison. He has also set another friend travelling to Romania to see if they can turn up any folklore about plants with unusual properties. He didn't say much about that friend but did say they would know how to contact us should they unearth something."

Rayne cuddled closer to his warmth for another moment before she straightened and moved to pick up her case. "I guess we should get this show on the road then."

Gard followed her, retrieving his case and casting one final glance around their home. He was worried for Kothi and equally worried about what they might find when they reached Europe. One thing he was certain of though, nothing would happen to Rayne while he was alive. He'd let her down once before, many centuries ago, and he would never allow that to happen again. Looping his arm around his mate once more, they set off for their car and the trip to the airport.

*****

"Cassia?" The sound of her father's voice seeped through her sleepy mind, pulling her from the endless nightmare of Pietro's harsh words. She didn't want to wake up, and yet, staying asleep wasn't doing her any good either so she forced her swollen eyes to open. Her father was sitting on the edge of her bed, his brown eyes so full of concern that for a moment she thought she'd start weeping again.

She could remember bits and pieces of the preceding day after Pietro had gone, enough to know that she hadn't been alone all through the night. If Dara hadn't been lying beside her, then her mother had, and laterally her father. They had held her as she wept, surrounding her with so much love both physically and mentally that she'd finally fallen into a sleep full of nightmares.

Cassia was exhausted but she hadn't gone rogue. Perhaps the Alexander family had a deep layer of strength that protected them when they lost their mates? Her Uncle Dayton had survived the loss of his first mate. Perhaps Cassia would be able to endure her loss too, because Pietro had been certain in his convictions. He wouldn't forgive what he saw as her betrayal. 

More tears came unbidden and she felt her father's arms wrap around her as he rocked her gently. "Let it out, sweetheart. I know it hurts but let it out so it doesn't fester inside you. We are here and always will be. We will love and protect you, my beautiful daughter."

The deep love in his words, the hidden tenderness that lived within her father's hard exterior, was so overwhelming her sobs became louder as she clung on for dear life. She was floundering, drowning; she didn't know how to stop of the tears. Her heart ached so badly she was sure it was going to burst and there was nothing she could do to prevent it.

"Daddy..."Cassia couldn't get any more words out, just that one word so full of anguish she could feel his tears against her neck as he continued to rock her.

"I know, sweetheart. I know."

Cassia cried herself into another restless slumber, waking once more to find her father still beside her bed only this time he was sitting in a chair, his head resting on the cover as he slept. He looked so exhausted that for the first time since Pietro had left she felt an emotion other than misery. She felt ashamed. 

Her entire family were suffering because of her weakness. They were probably terrified that they would lose her and she was doing nothing to dissuade them of that. Self-loathing rose up deep inside her and her shame escalated as she imagined what they must be feeling. How could she subject them to that fear? How could she be so weak?

"I'm sorry," she whispered, reaching out to touch her father's golden hair with a shaky hand. His eyes opened instantly, and he blinked sleepily for a moment before his vision cleared and he took her hand in his.

"Never be sorry for needing us, Cass. We are family and we will always be here," he whispered back, gently squeezing her hand to reassure her of that. 

She didn't deserve them, not after what she must have put them through in the last twenty four hours. She would show them how strong she was. She would take that awful expression of fear from her father's eyes. "I guess I needed a timeout there," she managed with a shaky half-smile.

"I guess you did," he smiled back stroking a hand tenderly against her tangled curls. His expression turned grave and a dark scowl crossed his face. "Do I need to be having a chat with Pietro?"

Instant fear suffused her at his words. She could imagine just what kind of chat her father was talking about and that was something she didn't want to see happen. Pietro had his reasons for how he was feeling. He had suffered enough without being punished for being justifiably angry about things. "No, please don't, Dad. This is between us. We need to work things out ourselves."

Cassia expected him to argue more but instead his expression cleared and he shot her a rueful smile. "Your mother's been telling me the same thing for hours. Only she hasn't been as polite about it." The open amusement in his eyes was a good indicator of just how vocal her mother had been on the topic. Her father always got that expression of love and admiration when his mate put her foot down about things.

"She's right, Dad. Pietro has no idea that my wolf is claiming him. I didn't tell him because at first my wolf was undecided and also I wanted to give him some time to heal. It's not his fault my stupid animal has decided to overreact to his leaving." Cassia was beginning to feel stronger the more she rationalised things in her mind. Saying the words out aloud appeared to settle her wolf down a lot, its anxiety levels decreasing sharply. 

Alexei pondered her words for a moment and then acquiesced. He had to concede that his daughter was the best person to know what was happening and how best to resolve things. It didn't stop him wishing he could take some of her burden as his own, but he knew he had to leave it up to Cassia. "So, you're wolf is certain that he's your mate now? Dara told us that it was undecided before."

Forcing herself into a sitting position, Cassia nodded. "I think this little episode has hammered the point home," she sighed, scrubbing a hand tiredly over her face. She could do with some restful sleep but that didn't appear an option at the moment.

"What are you going to do? You did hear your mother when she explained last night that Pietro has left the pack?"

Cassia nodded again, muffling the half sob that threatened to escape. "Yes, he's gone to The Dive for now," she sighed, working to build her defences as she thought through the issue. "For now, I'm going to get up and have a shower and some breakfast. I'll decide what I'm going to do after that. Maybe all he needs is a little time to feel the effects of the mating pull. I'm not really sure, Dad. I just know that I need to get out of this bed and stop feeling sorry for myself."

Alexei couldn't have felt any prouder of his beautiful child. He was proud of all his girls; they were each amazing in their own ways. He loved Cedar so deeply only death would ever separate their link. His daughters...he cherished them as an extension of his and Cedar's souls. Balancing his own feral nature when one of them was hurting wasn't easy but he tried his damnedest to be the kind of man they could love and respect. 

It was frightening to realise his girls had grown up so quickly. Oh, he was aware they followed their mother and the demands of their animal halves. He wasn't that naive that he wasn't aware of their dalliances within the pack. Still, mating was something so very different...and mating to one of his oldest friends? It took him a moment to process that thought before he burst out laughing, startling Cassia.

"What?" Her quizzical expression made him laugh louder.

"I was just remembering the hard time I gave your Uncle Andrei over his reaction to Lily mating with one of our oldest friends. I'm only now realising the boot is on the other foot. He's going to have a field day getting payback."

The subtle way her father gave his approval of her choice of mate wasn't lost on Cassia. Her eyes sparkled as she giggled at his words and she couldn't resist the urge to throw herself into his arms in a tight embrace. "Thank you, Dad." She didn't need to tell him what she was thanking him for.

"You're welcome, sweetheart. Just be happy. That's all I've ever wanted for my girls."

Alexei stayed a little longer with Cassia before he headed back to his own room. It was still early and Cedar was sleeping, having only gone to bed a few hours before. Now that he was sure his daughter would be okay, he gave into the need for a few hours' rest himself, quickly throwing off his clothes and climbing into bed with his mate. Cedar muttered under her breath, rolling over to instinctively wrap her limbs around his tall frame. He hardened in an instant, as he always did when he lay beside his woman.

"Is it Dara's turn?" Cedar murmured, stroking her hand down his back as she sleepily brushed her lips against his chest.

Her touch had his breath catching and he couldn't have stopped himself from tangling his fingers in her curls if he tried. Tilting her head back, he silenced her with a passionate kiss, moaning quietly as her lips parted to his touch and her tongue battled lazily against his. 

"Alexei...?"

"Cass is fine, sweetness." His words were muffled as he trailed his mouth down the graceful arch of her neck, laving his tongue greedily against her soft skin. His teeth nipped hard and she moaned and brushed her body against his.

"Really?" 

There was still very much the mother in her tone and he sank his teeth a little harder. "Yes, she is. She's showering and making breakfast so that gives us a little time to..."

Cedar arched as his fangs elongated and sank into her neck, pressing her aching breasts against his torso, muffling a cry as one large hand engulfed her flesh and squeezed hard. "Alexei!"

He drank deeply, savouring the hot blood flowing down his throat, his talented fingers moving lower to his other favourite spot on her body. Sinking his fingers deep within her body, he raised his head again to capture Cedar's lips to muffle the sound of her climax. His heart thundered in his chest as her body shuddered in his arms. She was so beautiful when she came apart for him. It was a view he would never tire of watching.

Barely giving her a moment to catch her breath, Alexei rolled on top of his mate, moaning against her mouth as he joined them together. "Hmmm yes, we have enough time to enjoy this and have a little nap afterwards," he laughed, stroking languidly into her hotness, savouring the feel of her body sheathing his in the most intimate of caresses.

Cedar's arms wrapped around his neck, her teeth nipping at the spot when it joined his shoulder. "Then let's dance, lover," she all but purred, rocking her hips up to meets his as she bit down hard.

*****

Cassia heard Dara before she felt her sister cuddle into her from behind. She held still to allow her that moment, knowing she had scared Dara badly. Putting the teapot down carefully, she turned around to hug her sister tightly.

"I was so scared, Cass." Dara whispered the words, and Cassia felt dampness against her neck where her face was burrowed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you like that," she answered running a soothing hand down her sister's back. "My wolf just got a little overwhelmed by things and needed some time to come to terms with what had happened. I'm fine now, Dara. I promise."

Her sister clung to her a moment longer and then she pulled back and wiped at her wet cheeks. "Are you sure?"

Cassia shot her a rueful smile, a trace of melancholy in her eyes. "I'm still hurting, that hasn't changed, but I'm not wallowing in it any more. I've been racking my brain trying to think of how best to confront Pietro but haven't come up with anything concrete yet." She motioned to Dara to sit and then plated up a cooked breakfast for both of them. Sitting beside her, she ate some of her cheese omelette and sipped at her tea.

"What are you options?" Dara asked between forkfuls of egg and bacon.

Her sister shrugged, staring pensively ahead as she considered her answer. "I suppose I can give him some time and see if the mating pull kicks in. Or, I could pack a bag and move in with him whether he likes it or not."

Dara's eyes widened with shock. "Would you really do that?"

Cassia shrugged. It was something she was considering given the circumstances with Thereasa. "I can't discount it, Dara. I know I would have to discuss it with Mom and Dad, as well as get approval from Rafe, but with the hostility between Pietro and Reasa I may have no choice but to leave the pack."

Her sister's dismay increased. "But...what about researching the antidote and your healer's training? What about the pack? Cass, you're so pack orientated I don't think you could ever be happy being apart from us." Dara was aware that she sounded selfish but nobody knew her sister better than she did. She had no doubt that Cassia wouldn't be happy on her own, even if she was with Pietro.

"What's the other option, Dara? Should Liam and Reasa leave the pack so Pietro and I can stay? What makes my needs more important than theirs? Liam has always needed the pack more than I ever have. Now that Reasa is human she is too fragile to be out there alone even with Liam. We have to consider everything before a decision is reached. You know that in your heart, honey."

Dara did but that didn't make hearing the words any easier. Yesterday she had been afraid she would lose Cassia to turning rogue. Today her relief at finding that wasn't the case wasn't eased any. She didn't know how she would handle her sister not being a part of the pack. They had always been together, always looked out for each other. However, Cassia's happiness had to come first. If things couldn't be resolved between Pietro and Reasa then one of the Vârcolac would have to leave. There was no escaping that fact.

"Maybe once Pietro accepts you as his mate it may help him find some forgiveness in his heart."

Cassia sipped at her tea before giving her sister what she hoped was an encouraging smile. She wasn't so sure of that but it was a hopeful possibility. "Let's wait and see what happens, Dar. For now, let's finish breakfast and then I'm going to head over to the lab for a little while and do some work while I think things through."




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 17



They sat together in silence, each locked in their own private thoughts. Cassia knew that whatever happened Dara would be fine. Yes, it would be a change for her but her sister was just as strong as she was. Hell, she managed to keep Kothi in line when most others failed. It took a very strong woman to do that so she knew with certainty that Dara could cope with anything life threw at her. Dara just needed to believe that in her own heart.

*****

Reasa woke slowly, feeling the warmth of Liam's body heat beside her long before she opened her eyes. It was hard to miss as she found herself wrapped protectively in his arms with one hard thigh flung over her hip, and her head resting on his wide chest. She should have been outraged at him taking liberties, but it felt so good that she just lay there savouring the sensations his touch inspired.

She felt safe for the first time since her circumstances had changed. It was hard admitting it but she couldn't deny it. Everything that Liam did revolved around keeping her safe. Every decision he made was done so with careful consideration on how it would affect her. The Vârcolac was claiming her as his mate and he made no bones about it. As far as he was concerned, it was inevitable and she would just have to get used to that fact. 

Liam frightened her as nothing or no one had for a long time. He frightened her because his strong determination was winning. Whereas before she had been strong in her convictions that she would never mate with him, since their kiss that conviction was wavering. It felt good sleeping with him like this. It felt right and that was terrifying. There was trouble coming their way in the shape of Louis and Pietro. All directed at her and something Liam would do his utmost to counter. The fallout from that was unimaginable.

How could she allow this to happen? She had set her feet on a path that ultimately led to destruction and now it wasn't just her life that was at stake but possible hundreds of others, including Liam. Her decision at the time had made sense to her. Now, in the face of knowing a few of the Vârcolac and the pack, it suddenly felt so wrong. Why had she chosen to do this? It was only when Liam spoke that she realised she'd uttered the last words aloud.

"Tell me."

Reasa swallowed hard, denial rocking through her. She had never told anyone of her past, never allowed anyone to have that hold over her. Yet, Liam had allowed her into his memories, into the most shameful parts of his past. He had given her his total trust and she didn't deserve that.

"Tell me, Reasa," he whispered against her temple, his hand stroking down her back slowly. "Who hurt you so badly. Who shaped your views to such extremes?"

Swallowing again, she felt hot tears begin to flow at the gentleness of Liam's tone. There was no condemnation there, only a need to understand. He had never condemned her, this beautiful, strong man, even when she had deserved it.

"My father," she finally answered, the words catching on a breathless sob. As soon as she said them, an image of the man whose seed helped create her entered her mind and she shuddered at the thought, trying hard to push it away. Her body stiffened in Liam's embrace though he kept running a soothing hand down her back.

"Show me, Reasa. Let me in."

She couldn't have kept him out if she'd wanted to. Saying the words breached her strongest barriers, crumbled the wall that she'd placed to bury those memories she never wanted to revisit. She could feel Liam's gentle strength at her side; feel his arms keeping her safe. Surrendering to the inevitable, she allowed the walls to crumble completely...

*****

She was young, carefree, a pretty girl living in a secluded wooden cabin in the woods. It was a difficult time with wars and disease prevalent, but her family had found a refuge from it all and she could laugh and dance beneath the canopied trees with no fear. 

Their family was wrong in the eyes of society. Her father was from the African continent, her mother a pale white farmer's daughter. They had fallen in love, a love so deep they couldn't be apart. They were soul mates so they ran away together, to share their love and make their beloved daughter Thereasa. They lived off the land and life was good, until the day he came.

Thereasa couldn't remember his face, the man who had found her washing by the lake. She remembered he was very beautiful and had a magical voice. She remembered his bite and her terror. She remembered waking to find herself many miles away from her home. For the first year of her new life she remembered the blood and the screams, the human lives ended so she could thrive.

She missed mama and papa so much that she had to return. She found them where she left them, their sadness obvious in their eyes. Thereasa couldn't bear to be apart from her parents so she did the only thing she could think of...she made them in her own image...she turned them to the life of the vampire.

It should have been perfect. They were together again as a family. However, it wasn't to be as Thereasa's knowledge of the supernatural was lacking. She didn't know that just because people were human soul mates that didn't mean they would be the same in their new life. She didn't know...she didn't know...

"Thereasa, where is your mother?" Her father's angry tone frightened her.

"She said she was going for a walk, Papa." Her father was always angry now. He had been that way ever since he had become a vampire.

"Find her!"

Thereasa was too afraid to say no. Her father was much stronger than she was despite the fact she had lived this life longer. He wasn't afraid to use that strength either, lashing out at herself or her mother when his ire rose too sharply. Gone was the quiet, protective man he had once been. In its place was now an abusive tyrant who frightened them. 

Thereasa ran through the trees at supernatural speed, anxious to find her mother to appease his anger. She hadn't run far when she scented a wolf, her feet skidding to a halt as she scented the air. Creeping quietly to the clearing, she clamped a hand over her mouth to prevent a wordless cry escaping. Her mother was wrapped naked in the arms of a man but he was no ordinary man...he was a wolf shifter.

No...it couldn't be true! Her mother couldn't be having an affair with a wolf. They were a family! She belonged with her father!

"No!" The word shrieked out, her mother and the wolf springing to their feet in shock.

"Thereasa! Wait! Let me explain!"

"You belong with Papa," she screamed, tears running down her face. She didn't want to hear explanations. She just wanted everything to go back to the way they had been before the man had found her by the lake.

"We're soul mates," her mama wept, a hand reaching out to her daughter. "We can't fight the mating pull, Thereasa. We belong together."

She shook her head in denial, hurt, anger, betrayal infusing her soul. "He's not one of us! He's a Were! You can't be soul mates. You're Papa's soul mate! This is wrong!"

"It's no more wrong than when your Papa and I had you, Thereasa," her mother argued, tears running down her face as she tried to reach her child. "Society told us that was wrong too but it wasn't. Victor is my true mate, my daughter. We must be together. We can't escape it."

"Whore!"

Thereasa screamed as her father appeared at her side. He must have heard her yelling and come to investigate. He looked ten feet tall in his fury and she shrank away from him.

"Francis...I can explain. We couldn't help it. We are soul mates."

"He's a dog!" her father roared, his eyes black, his talons extended. "It's wrong! What you are doing is an abomination!"

"No, Francis...please listen..."

Her mother's pleas cut off as her father sped forward knocking her out of the way as the other man shifted into wolf form and sprang snarling at the enraged vampire. Her father's talons pierced the wolf's sides, his fangs sinking deep into its neck.

Her mother was screaming, loud anguished sobs as the wolf gave one mournful howl before going limp in her father's arms. He tossed the dead carcass aside, its bones snapping as it hit a large tree trunk.

"Whore! You betrayed me and now you must be punished!" her father bellowed again, advancing on her distraught mother. "Go home, Thereasa."

"No, Papa! Please! Don't hurt Mama!"

"Go home!"

But Thereasa couldn't move, couldn't hide her eyes from the horrifying scene unfolding around her. Her father picked her mother's unresisting body from the forest floor by the neck and he ripped his talons down her exposed torso. The pain made her shriek but she did nothing to protect herself. Staring into her mother's eyes, Thereasa could see the light die within, and knew that her soul was lost in the moment the wolf had died.

"Papa, please!" she cried, finally finding her body able to move as she threw herself onto his back, trying to remove his grip from her mother's neck. "Don't, Papa! Don't!"

It was as if she wasn't even there. 

"Whore!" he hissed once more before he twisted his hand and his talons sliced her mother's head from her shoulders.

"NO!" Thereasa screamed, agony rocking through her as her mother's body collapsed to the ground, her head still firmly clasped in her father's hand. "NO! Mama! Mama!"

Rage like nothing she had ever experience before rose up deep within. Heart shattering into a million pieces, Thereasa's fangs elongated and her talons punched through her father's back. She shredded his heart in an instant, watching as he dropped her mother's head and sank to the forest floor on his knees.

"I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" Thereasa shrieked the words repeatedly, blood splattering wildly as she hacked furiously. When reason finally returned she stared down at the mangled remains of her father's body, his head lying beside her mother's.

"Mama? Papa?" Sinking to her knees beside them, Thereasa began rocking as she stared at the carnage. "Please wake up. Please. I don't want to be alone. I'm frightened."

They didn't wake up. She stayed there for three days alternating between pleading to crying to angry words, but her parents never woke up no matter what she did. Finally, she had to accept that they were never coming back. Finally, she had to accept that her father had killed her mother and she, in turn, had killed him.

It was all the wolf's fault. That filthy, disgusting animal had seduced her mother and broken her family. Rising from her cramped position, Thereasa ran at the broken carcass, shrieking as she kicked and hacked at it. "It's all your fault! You're to blame! You murdered my mother the very first time you laid hands on her! It was wrong! You are wrong! I hate you!"

Thereasa fell to the ground sobbing, replaying everything that had happened over in her mind. She screamed as her mother died again, screamed as she took her father's life again, hated as she destroyed the wolf's carcass again.

When she finally rose to dispose of the remains as her Sire had taught her, it was with ice in her soul and a deep hatred in her heart. Never again would she allow anyone to matter to her. Never again would she be weak. While she hated all wolves, she wouldn't go out of her way to hunt them down as that would only get it her way of becoming the strongest, most dangerous vampire on the continent. However, should the day ever come when wolves crossed her path as had just happened, she would hunt them down and destroy the abominations, each and every last one of them. 

*****

Liam's heart broke for her as she sobbed uncontrollably in his arms. He had known that there had to be some severe catalyst to inspire Reasa's level of hatred in the Vârcolac, but he had no idea it could be anything as tragic as what he'd just witnessed. She felt responsible for her mother's death. She had taken her father's life to avenge her mother's murder. The worst thing was she knew deep within her soul that if she had never turned them to the life of a vampire that they would most likely have lived out their lives together in happiness. 

No wonder she hated the mixed matings and the Vârcolac. They were evidence that what her mother had shared even briefly with her wolf was real and couldn't have been fought. They lent truth to her mother's words and that would only increase Reasa's feelings of guilt that her reaction had brought her father down on the lovers. Thereasa hated and blamed the wolves, because it was the only way she could live with her overwhelming guilt without going insane.

"You were only young girl, Reasa," he whispered against her temple, holding her as tightly as he could without hurting her. "You didn't ask to become a vampire and it is understandable that you would feel alone and afraid, and want your parents with you." 

He kissed her temple as she sobbed without speaking. "What happened is tragic and I can't tell you to forget it as it will always be a part of you, but you have to forgive yourself, Thereasa. You didn't intend for any of that to happen. You had no control over the events that unfolded. You were just a young girl who was happy with her parents and didn't want to lose that love and security."

"I killed my papa," she wept clinging onto Liam tightly. "He was a good man before...before I made him a vampire. If I hadn't done that..."

"Forgive yourself. Remember who your father was before he changed. What would he wish for you, Thereasa? What would your mother wish for you?"

A loud hiccup escaped her as she took a shuddering breath. "They only ever wanted me to be happy and safe," she answered, her voice sounding like that of the young carefree girl she had once been.

"Then be happy, my heart. Be safe here with me. You cannot change the past but you can change your future. You just need to start by letting go of what was and concentrate on what can be. The Vârcolac are not abominations, Reasa. The mixed matings are not abominations. You have nothing to hate us for."

Reasa suddenly felt claustrophobic. She was being overwhelmed by emotions she'd kept buried so long and her flight instincts were kicking in. Struggling in Liam's embrace, she wriggled until he let her go. Leaping from the bed, she headed towards the door, stopping before she reached it. Where could she go? There was nowhere to run to, no way of escaping the memories crashing over her.

"Thereasa, it's okay, you're safe here."

Ignoring him, she grabbed her bag from where it rested against the wall, one of the vampires must have placed it there yesterday when they were working within Brandon's mind. "I need to shower," she mumbled, refusing to look at him. She didn't want to see the same pity she heard in his voice reflected in his eyes. She didn't deserve it and she didn't want it.

Liam sighed deeply as she closed the bathroom door with what could only be termed as finality. His mate was shutting him out after having let him into her darkest secrets. He understood that she was overwhelmed but that didn't stop him wishing she would see that she had nothing to fear from him. He wanted to help, he needed to help. Why couldn't she see that?

Sighing again, he got up and grabbed his pack, heading out of the room in search of another available bathroom. He knew when he returned he would find Reasa's barriers back up but that was okay. He would just break them down again and keep breaking them down until she realised that no matter what her past was, he wasn't going anywhere.

*****

Brandon yawned, uttering a groan as every muscle in his body protested the long stretch he was giving it. What the hell was wrong with him? He felt as if he'd been in bed for a week. He'd also been having some pretty weird dreams too. Lily had been talking at him for what felt like hours. He couldn't make out what she was saying but he could hear her voice as if from a far off distance.

Liam had been in them, too, and the assassin who had infiltrated the Praetorian Compound. They had kept calling him, playing what felt like a game of hide and seek with him. Every time he'd thought he'd tracked them down they vanished and he had to start again. It truly had been the weirdest of dreams and one he was glad to be waking up from.

"Brandon? Open your eyes, Bran...please!"

"Lily?" He struggled to open his eyes, groaning again as they felt as if they had been stuck together with glue. 

"I'm here! I'm right here, Brandon."

Why did Lily sound like she was crying? His determination to find out was the deciding factor in forcing his eyes open. Squinting against the morning sunlight coming from the nearby window, he looked up to see his friend hovering over him, tears flowing freely down her face.

"Oh Brandon, you're back! I knew they could do it! I just knew it!"

"Back?" he croaked out, realising his mouth was dry and he was famished. His hunger was so strong it made his stomach cramp. "I haven't been anywhere." His confusion continued as his stomach churned again. "I'm starving. Does anyone have a cute human nearby?"

Lily started to laugh as a Were tried to make her move aside.

"Lily, let us check him out. Maybe you could find him something to eat so he doesn't try to bite us?" the female Were said, and his friend gasped and disappeared from view.

Brandon wouldn't have minded biting the woman now looming over him. She was very attractive and the need for blood wasn't the only hunger that was surfacing. Not that he would. He was aware his bite would kill the Were if he did.

"How are you feeling?" she was asking him as she shone an annoying light in his eyes before running professional feeling hands over his body.

"Hungry, horny and confused," he answered truthfully, delighting in the slight rounding of the Were's eyes at his bluntness. The doctor, because that's what she appeared to be, didn't respond to his words, she merely continued her examination.

"How do your limbs feel...sluggish, hard?"

"I can tell you what is hard..."

"Brandon, stop playing with the doctor," Lily admonished, appearing back at the bed with a bottle in one hand and the heavenly aroma of chilled blood wafting from the filled glass in her other hand. 

His attention was immediately diverted, a sharp pain gnawing at his gut. Grabbing the glass, he slugged the contents quickly, reaching for the bottle to replenish it. He drained the bottle before the nagging pains decreased enough for him to focus once more on his surroundings.

"What's going on, Lily? Why am I in what appears to be a hospital room?" His gaze shifted to the other beds, his brow drawing down as he saw his fellow Praetorians lying there. "What's wrong with them?"

Lily sat down on the chair beside the bed, moving a book from there to the bedside table. Brandon glanced at it briefly, reading the title. "Moby Dick? " Lily hated that book though it was one of his favourites. They'd had countless debates over whether Captain Ahab was brave or a self-absorbed monomaniac. Lily voted for the latter every time.

"I was reading it to you," she answered, a mock-grimace on her face. "Thankfully you woke up so I won't have to torture myself any further."

"Woke up?"

Lily turned to the doctor who gave her a reassuring smile. "He appears to be none the worse for his ordeal. I'll leave you two to catch up."

As she walked away, his friend turned back to him. "What's the last thing you remember, Bran?"

He frowned at the question but cast his mind back to before the strange dreams. Everything felt a bit blurry though his cognitive skills were sharpening as the blood he'd consumed surged through his body. "Everyone was in the living room. The assassin was being brought to justice and there was some kind of strange magic going on. Things were pretty fraught and I wasn't sure what side of the line we were on. I can remember Liam shouting, screaming at Annie for some reason. Then there was this blinding pain in my head and it felt as if Liam was physically inside me, screaming in anguish. I don't remember what happened after that."




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 17



Lily nodded giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. "That was days ago, Brandon. Liam was inside your head, and the heads of the others in this room. He didn't know what he was doing but in his distress over what was happening to Thereasa he projected his emotions outwards and some of the Praetorians were injured in the backlash. You were one of them. You've been trapped within your mind ever since."

He gaped at her, trying to understand what she was saying. "You mean he damaged our minds somehow?"

Lily nodded. "It wasn't intentional, Brandon, and he is so overcome with guilt by what happened. He's learned to shield his empathy better and he and Reasa are the reason you're awake right now. They spent all day yesterday in your mind, searching for your shattered psyche so they could help bring you back."

Brandon's thoughts were in turmoil at the news. His mind had been shattered and days had passed? He was staggered by what he was hearing but the more he thought about it, the easier it was to put two and two together. The dream of Lily talking at him was clearly when she was reading to him. The hide and seek game with Liam and Reasa was them luring him back to reality. That had to make Liam one of the most dangerous people he had ever come across, and now he appeared to be working in conjunction with the would-be assassin.

"Please don't hate him, Brandon. Liam worked himself to the point of exhaustion last night trying to fix his mistake." 

Blinking slowly, he regarded his friend, only half listening to what she was saying as he processed what had happened. It took a moment for her words to seep through but when they did, he shook his head in denial. "Of course I don't hate Liam. He is Vârcolac, as are you, Lily."

He squeezed her hand, wanting to relieve the distress he saw on her face. "I signed up to lay down my life for the Vârcolac no matter what the circumstances. I could never hate any of you and most certainly not Liam. It's my job to protect him."

"And we are so lucky to have you," Lily smiled, leaning over to give her friend a warm hug. She had been afraid that the Praetorians would fear Liam after what had happened. It was a relief to know that Brandon, at least, didn't harbour any ill will because of what happened.

"Okay, that's enough of the hugging," Mac growled with a glint of humour in his eyes as he entered the room. "Just because you've been in a coma for days doesn't mean you can take liberties with my mate, Brandon."

It was obvious he was only teasing so Brandon did a little of his own, ensuring his grip tightened around his friend so she couldn't pull away. "Lily gives great hugs," he winked, drawing a bark of laughter from Karn who appeared at Mac's side.

"Do you want to go back into another coma, boy? Keep that up and you may well just do that."

"How are you feeling, Brandon?" Mac asked, extracting his mate from the other male's arms and sitting down in her chair. He pulled her onto his lap, grinning widely at her exuberant expression. He shared her relief, not just because he liked the younger male, but also because it made his Lily happy to have her friend back.

"A little sluggish and disorientated," Brandon answered, turning serious as he reported to his leader. "I have a strong thirst for food still even though I've had a full bottle already. Might be wise to have a large stock for when the others wake up as they're going to be famished."

The Praetorian leader nodded trying not to be overly hopeful. Just because Liam and Reasa were able to bring Brandon back, it didn't mean they would automatically be able to save the others. It was possible that Brandon's connection with Lily and Liam was a deciding factor in the younger male wanting to return.

The sound of the door opening once more had everyone turning to the newcomers. Reasa appeared first, followed closely by Liam. The Vârcolac's eyes widened as he saw Brandon sitting up in bed. "It worked," he whispered, relief glowing in his eyes.

"Intriguing," the human woman said, curiosity on her face. "I did not think we would be able to do it. It would appear I am wrong once again." She hung back as Liam crossed over to his friend.

"I am so sorry, Brandon. I never meant to cause you or anyone else any harm." Liam's relief had changed to guilt, his expression sombre as he regarded his friend. He couldn't put into words how happy he was to see Brandon sitting up and talking to everyone. He hoped that his successive actions had gone some way to mitigating the damage he'd caused.

"You're forgiven," the vampire grinned, running a hand through his long dark hair. "I needed the rest anyway. You do know what a slave driver Karn is." He deliberately kept his tone light and teasing to ease some of Liam's guilt. Shit happened and sometimes people got hurt along the way. It wasn't in Brandon's nature to hold a grudge...not unless someone tried to hurt someone he cared about.

"It was an accident, Liam. Nothing for you to beat yourself up about. I'm fine, and I'm sure the others will be too once you've had a chance to annoy the hell out of them by playing hide and go seek in their minds."

Liam's smiled, a slow smile full of gratitude to his friend. His curiosity was piqued too by his words. "You were aware of us in your mind?"

"Sort of," Brandon answered with an answering smile. "It was like a hazy dream. You and Reasa were calling to me but every time I thought I'd found one of you, I would have to start all over again going in a different direction. I can remember feeling exhausted by the time you stopped calling me. I was glad you both went away so I could sit down a rest."

The doctor arrived back at the bed. "Okay, now you've all satisfied yourselves that he's fine, Brandon needs some more food and then some rest."

"I'll get you something more to eat," Lily said wriggling out of Mac's tight embrace.

Her mate rose too. "I'll ensure we have an adequate stock of chilled blood." He gathered his mate close and shepherded her out of the room.

"Are you up to trying with the next patient or do you need more rest?" Karn asked.

Liam glanced at Reasa who nodded her head. "I'm fine to try again."

"Good. I'll round up Elina while you get yourselves comfortable. Just move the chairs beside Brandon's bed to the next one." Karn left the room leaving Liam and Reasa to get themselves set up for the next dream walking.

"Reasa...?" Liam wanted to see beneath the cool mask that was back in place. He wanted to know that his mate was okay after her emotional outpouring earlier. He knew this wasn't really the time and place, but he needed some kind of reassurance.

"Let's just concentrate on what we came here to do, Liam. That's our highest priority and we need all our energy for that."

Conceding defeat for now, Liam sat down beside the next bed, relaxing his body and trying to clear his mind of all external stimuli. It was hard with his mate so close, but it was necessary to bring back the remaining Praetorians.

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 18



 As promised, here is the next chapter. Hope you enjoy 

*****

Gard shot Rayne a questioning look as he sighted a banner emblazoned with Sarayne. A tall athletic male held it up, his shoulder length blond hair partially obscured by a black fedora hat. His mate met his gaze and shrugged, a frown creasing her forehead. "I've never seen him before."

Gard's protective instincts automatically kicked in, as no one out of their inner circle knew Rayne's birth name. "Stay here." He strode towards the other male without waiting to see if his mate would obey. He knew she wouldn't so he was determined to get to the male before she did. He could scent the vampire as he neared; the blond was a healthy age for one of the European covens.

The other male smiled a lopsided grin as the Ancient approached him. His demeanour appeared relaxed though Gard could detect the subtle alertness in his stance. The vampire was no fool; he was prepared for trouble though he was probably reasonably certain there wouldn't be any. They were in the middle of an airport surrounded by thousands of humans.

"You don't look much like a Sarayne," he grinned. "Before you're tempted to forget where we are, Caleb gave me the name. He said if that didn't settle you down then to tell you Callain and Anakatrine would be most displeased if you felt inclined to detach my head." He spoke low enough that only Gard and Rayne, who had caught up with her mate, could hear.

"I'm Sarayne, though most people just call me Rayne. And you are?"

"Joshua. I am at your service and kind of relieved to see you didn't bring Demetri with you...not that this impressive gentleman isn't enough to send a shiver down most vampires' spines." 

His acknowledgement of Gard's dominance level was enough to soothe some of the Ancient's suspicion. His mentioning of Callain and Anakatrine did the rest of the trick. Gard relaxed, running quickly through his mind what Caleb had told him of his friend. Though not commonly known in Europe, Joshua was in fact a coven leader and one of Caleb's oldest friends. The Ancient trusted him implicitly and had urged Gard to do the same. Joshua had also helped save Pietro's life so that was another mark in his favour. The crowning point was Demetri had vouched for the vampire...that was nothing short of a miracle.

"Can you take us to where Pietro was found?" he asked with little preamble. The sooner they found out what they could, the sooner they could get home to their son.

Rayne rolled her eyes though there was a smile on her face. "This is Gard, my mate. You'll have to excuse his manners, travelling makes him a tad surly."

"Spoken by the woman who slept the entire flight," Gard chuckled, dropping a quick kiss on the top of her head. "You do know you won't sleep tonight with the time difference." 

"Then I guess you'll just have to entertain me then," she retorted, turning her gaze back to their escort. "Would it be better if we found accommodation first, Joshua?"

"I figured you would want to be under the radar as much as possible so I've cleared out one of my safe houses for your use. Whoever you're looking for appears to be employing some younglings as lookouts. We spotted three newly created vampires hanging around the terminals here. I sent some of my people off to lead them a merry dance. I presume there will be more hanging around the main hotel district and various bed and breakfast establishments."

"We came in on a private jet. If someone is keeping watch, it won't be hard for them to get the flight list," Gard growled, unsettled by the news.

Joshua nodded his agreement. "This is why we need to hustle and get you stashed into the safe house before that happens. By the time they access the flight list you'll be ghosts and it will make it harder for them to pick up your trail." He turned and headed out of the airport, crossing a road to lead them into the parking garage. When he stopped at a beat-up van with peeling paintwork and plenty of rust on display, Gard quirked an eyebrow at him in question.

"If you think vamps on your side of the pond are arrogant, you haven't seen anything yet," Joshua chuckled. "It is beyond their comprehension that Ancients would lower themselves to travel in a rust bucket like this. Believe me; any other potential eyes we haven't spotted won't look twice at this vehicle."

"And if they do?" Gard was already stowing their cases in the back and ushering his mate into the back seat.

"There's a McLaren engine under the bonnet, though I suppose you call it a hood." Joshua walked to the driver's side, pointing to the left hand side of the vehicle. It had been awhile since Gard had been in Europe so he'd automatically presumed the front passenger seat was on the right.

"If we end up in a road race, we'll most likely come out the winner," Joshua continued as they put on their seatbelts. "If we are rolled, the inside has been retrofitted with a steel roll cage, to minimise any injuries. I fully expect you two are more than capable of healing faster than I am and will be able to neutralise anyone stupid enough to mess with you."

It satisfied Gard who relaxed in his seat, turning his head to look back at Rayne. "I guess we're all set then. Let's get to the safe house and then to the location Pietro was found."

"We sanitised the area, Gard. I don't know what you expect to find there." Joshua was concentrating on the road as he pulled out the parking garage, his eyes darting in all directions.

"We'll know it when we find it," the Ancient answered, satisfied that their escort was up to the task. "Keep him on of trouble, Rayne. I'm going to take a nap."

When Gard opened his eyes again, they were pulling up to the charred remains of a stone cottage. He'd been aware when they'd arrived at a similar styled cottage earlier, but had remained in the van while Joshua and Rayne transported their belongings inside. His mate was more than capable of checking the place over without his interference. While he did chafe at allowing her out of his sight, he knew he'd get no end of grief if he tried wrapping his panther up in cotton wool. Now they were at the location of Pietro's imprisonment and his eyes were lazily tracking their surroundings.

"Do you want to check the right hand side and I'll do the left?" he asked his mate, opening the door to get out of the vehicle.

"Demetri and I swept the area before we entered the building," Joshua supplied, not making any effort to get out. It was more than obvious that Gard viewed him as little more than a glorified chauffeur. It rankled considering they were on his patch but Caleb had asked him to give them what they wanted so he would overlook the slight.

"Knowing Demetri I'm sure you did an excellent job taking into consideration the time constraints you had," Rayne answered, giving him a brief smile before narrowing her eyes at her mate. "With Pietro's life no longer hanging in the balance we'll be able to perform a longer, more leisurely sweep."

Gard returned her gaze, unconcerned, though she could see in his eyes that he'd detected the subtle rebuke she was giving him. It was just like her mate to ignore the pleasantries when he was in full Guardian mode. In his mind, he wasn't here to make friends. He was here to find out who was a threat to his family and friends. Still, a little bit of common courtesy wouldn't go amiss. 

Joshua, for the most part, didn't appear to be offended by Gard's abruptness so that was a mark in his favour. Rayne found herself liking the vampire the more time they spent in his company. She gave him another smile as she climbed out of the van. "If you see anything untoward, let us know immediately. Even if you think it's something innocuous. We have no idea of whom or what we're dealing with here so it's better to err on the side of caution."

"I had planned to," Joshua grinned back, his laconic demeanour filling Rayne with confidence. There was something infinitely trustworthy about him and it took her a moment to realise what it was. Her eyes widened a fraction as she nodded her head at him. "Nicely played, Joshua."

Gard was immediately alert, crossing back to her side and shooting a hard look at the vampire. "What?"

"He shares Liam and Reasa's talent. He's an empath."

It was Joshua's turn to look startled, his body language shifting imperceptibly. His shrewd gaze met Rayne's for a slow heartbeat and then he relaxed once more, a rueful smile crossing his handsome face. "How did you know?"

"I'm not that trusting, for one," she answered, still smiling. "And Demetri would spit you out faster than trust an outsider. I always did wonder how he worked so easily with you when he was here. Now I know."

Gard's eyes were still hard as he stared the other man down. "Whatever you're doing, stop now." His glare turned to his mate. "And just how was he able to breach your defences? You know what's at stake here, Sarayne. You can't be this complacent."

It was her turn to be rebuked and she took her chastisement in the spirit it was given, her mate being concerned for her welfare. "You're right, Gard. I wasn't shielding as strongly because I was relying on Caleb's judgement of his friend. In my defence, he is very strong, probably on a par with Thereasa. I do find it curious that our European counterparts appear to have retained stronger mental skills than we have." 

"Self-preservation can be very focusing," Joshua replied with a small shrug. "If I had known Reasa shared my gift, she wouldn't have gotten past me so easily." He shrugged again. "But then, I had donated a substantial amount of blood to Pietro at the time so my reserves were weakened."

He smiled again and then rested back against his seat. "Trust no one here...not even me. No one is quite what they seem and believe me, I have come across a few others who have some skill level in empathy. Let's just consider this as a lesson well learned."

For a moment it appeared Gard was about to press the issue but Rayne placed a hand on his arm. "Joshua is right. Now we have fair warning we will know what to expect. Let's see if we can find anything that could help track down our adversary." She shifted into her panther form, pressing her inky black body against his legs and emitting a low purr when he automatically reached down to stroke a hand down her back.

"I've placed a safeguard at the front of my mental defences," Rayne communication telepathically. "I suggest you do the same, something only we would know. That way we will be able to detect if anyone tries to tamper with our minds." 

"Hmmm I knew there was a reason I chose you for my mate," Gard's voice rumbled through her mind, approval lacing every word as he continued to stroke her. He searched and found her safeguard instantly, a smile crossing his face as he did. It was a tall tree standing innocuously in front of a barred wooden door; the very same tree they had played in all those years ago. He mirrored her safeguard in his own mind and then stood up straight.

"Remember, Joshua. No mind games, and alert us if you see anything out of the ordinary." He turned and began a slow walk to the left of the burnt-out building, leaving his panther to begin her sweep of the right.

*****

Dante pulled out his phone and checked his messages. It had vibrated in his pocket while he'd been talking with another other vampire in Louis coven, signalling he had a text. it had taken him a moment to extricate himself and slip outside but now he was reading the message, his lips tightening...'They're here.'

'Update when you can,' he tapped, and then shoved the phone back into his pocket. The pieces were all beginning to fall into place. There was still too much he was in the dark about, however the things he did know were enfolding just as he expected. With a quick glance at his watch he knew he had a little time in hand to make a quick side trip before Louis noticed his absence.

Dante took off at supernatural speed, running the relatively short distance to the hidden cave tucked away behind a thick copse of brambles. He ignored the scrapes he received as he made his way inside. The cave burrowed into the hillside with a narrow entrance that branched into a more cavernous area. Rock walls neatly divided it into three separate chambers. 

The main chamber had a hot rock pool for bathing in and a rug on the floor, with cushions thrown down for seating. It was currently empty though the sound of his arrival brought its inhabitant from the left hand chamber.

"Hey, beautiful," Dante smiled, moving forward to engulf the petite woman in a tight bear hug. Long ebony waves tumbled down her back as she returned his embrace, her silver eyes unfocused as she rested her head against his chest.

"You shouldn't be here," Mila sighed, though it was evident from her tone that she was glad he was.

"I know, but I wanted to check in to make sure you were okay." Dante had been irrevocably drawn to the woman in his arms since the first moment he had met her. His friend Abraham had introduced them, a bare month before he had met his death at the hands of a rival coven. It was as if providence had conspired to place a new protector in her path before she lost the old one. It was a calling Dante had never chafed at being assigned.

"I'm more than capable of taking care of myself, Dante." Mila pulled away, walking unwaveringly towards the cushioned area to sink gracefully onto them.

It always amazed him to watch her interact with her surroundings. No one on the outside looking in would ever know that this frail, beautiful woman was blind in the conventional sense. Abraham had saved her from certain death, when disease had ravished her weakened body, turning her to the life of a vampire after her father had begged for her life. Mila had survived, however, her normal sight hadn't returned after the change. Instead, she had developed a new way of seeing, an ability to sense her surroundings by sound and vibrations. 

If she encountered a moving object, that object transmitted itself to her mind in the form of a picture, her vision as clear in that 'snapped' moment as if she still had her sight. Her blindness had also morphed into something else, the ability to See future moments, though they had to be quite catastrophic before a Vision came to her. 

Of all the people he had come across in his long life, Mila's abilities were the most unique and fascinating of them. They had spent many long hours discussing what she could do, trying to decipher how her talents had come about, but had never been able to come up with any kind of answers. Mila was simply Mila, the one person he treasured most in his world.

Dante loved her though he had never spoken of his feelings. He had no right to love or happy-ever-afters, not after the life he had led before being turned to a vampire. His history was strewn with blood and carnage, his self-righteous piousness being the cause of untold deaths. No, he didn't deserve forgiveness or happiness, but he would bask in the beauty of his love for however long she allowed him to accompany her.

Smiling sadly, he followed Mila down to the cushions, bracing an arm behind her so she could rest her head on his shoulders. "I know you don't need my protection," he belatedly answered her. "But I give it none the less."

"I know, and I am grateful for that, more than I can ever say." Mila sighed, closing her eyes to enjoy the companionable silence that often surrounded them. It was so soothing to sit quietly, savouring each other's company as they mulled over their own thoughts.

For a long moment, the only sound in the cave was their shared breathing, and then Mila shivered and sat up straight, concern shadowing her exquisite features. "Something bad is coming," she whispered, her voice shaking as the words breathed out. "Something terrible is on the horizon, blinded by the sunlight so I can't see what it is."

Dante shivered at the words, wrapping his arms around Mila protectively. His hand stroked soothing down her arm. "Can you see anything else?" He couldn't keep the concern out of his voice.

"It's so dark, so cold. Death...head to tail in black." A sob escaped Mila as her shivering increased. "The world will swim in blood as the Justice Seeker wreaks havoc. There will be nowhere to hide, nowhere to run."

"Who is it, Mila? Try to see their face."

"Burning orbs...fire in their depths. Madness...depravity...a soul lost to grief. One so young, so lost, so full of unimaginable pain." Mila swallowed another loud sob, her shivering beginning to lessen as her sightless eyes stared off into the distance. "There is hope though; there is one who can reach the Justice Seeker. We must find her, Dante, and quickly, before everything we know is coated in blood."

As quickly as the Vision happened, it vanished and Mila sagged against him. Dante held her secure in his arms, kissing the top of her head as she took a few moments to come back to herself. "It's over, sweetness. You're safe here with me."

"Such rage, Dante," she whispered. "So much pain. I don't know if we'll be able to withstand his fury when he comes. If we can find the girl in time, we may have a chance."

Her words filled him with dread but he tried to hide his disquiet. This was the strongest Vision Mila had ever had, the most detailed one he could remember. It meant that whatever was coming their way was something they had never encountered before. Something so dangerous it could be the end of all of them. 

"Who is the girl? Did you see her clearly?" It was important to get as much detail as possible after a Vision.

Mila nodded though her expression turned puzzled. "She is a waif, a human stray, young...just turned to womanhood. She is pretty, but hides behind thick glasses. Oh, she has such beautiful hair, long to her waist, the deepest brown with flecks of blonde highlights. The girl is graceless despite her beauty, awkward. She obscures her body in jeans and a T-shirt, using one of those hoodie things to hide her face.

Mila stiffened again, her eyes going wide with surprise. "She lives with wolves, Dante, though she is not of their pack."

"Shit!" he groaned at the news, his concern increasing. "We can't get close to any of the wolf packs here, Mila. How are we supposed to get to the girl if she's protected by Weres?"

"We can't," she answered after a long moment. "However, we can guide him to her once we discover where she is. I will start tracking the local packs to see if I can pick up any sign of her. We still have a little time."

Dante turned her around to face him, his eyes searching her features. He could see the stubborn set of her mouth and knew she had made up her mind already. That didn't stop him from speaking. "You know I don't like it when you go out on your own. I will do the investigating."

"We don't have time for you to divide your efforts...or to be so overprotective," Mila smiled reaching up to stroke his cheek. "You need to be focused on what's going on in the covens, Dante. Let me take care of the wolves."

He wanted to argue more, but knew it would be useless. When his Mila got that set look on her face...well that was one of the reasons he loved her so much. She refused to be a victim; she refused to accept that her lack of conventional vision limited her in any way. She was frail in appearance but so strong in will. She was his beautiful lady and always would be.

"Very well," he sighed, resting his forehead against hers. "Just don't do anything foolhardy, okay?"

"You're the risk taker out of us, dear Dante; I am but the trusted sidekick." She winked as she laughed, the soft tinkling sound making him yearn to taste that laughter in his mouth. 

The urge to yield to temptation was strong but he held himself in check, maintaining his role of friend and guardian. Mila deserved so much better than him, and he knew one day that someone would come along and take her from his life. He knew his heart would break on that day but he would let his love go with no hesitation. Her happiness was paramount to him, it usurped all else and always would. 




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 18



"I'd better get back before I'm missed," he said with a resigned sigh, standing and drawing Mila up with him. "I've heard some news. The Council have sent their investigators and they've arrived already. I need to be close to Louis to try to steer him in the right direction when he learns of this."

"I'll let you know what, if anything, I find out," she answered, leaning against him as he wrapped her in his arms. "Be safe, dear Dante."

"I promise," he whispered into her hair. "No foolhardiness...remember."

"Be gone with you," Mila laughed, shaking her head at his protectiveness, though her tone was warm with affection.

Dante memorised that image of her standing there, before he turned and made his way out of the cave. Things were about to get busy and that image would have to last him for a while, until he could sneak away and come back to her.

*****

"Ugh, he smells so wrong!"

"I'll be right there!" Gard moved at supernatural speed through the woodland, using his mate bond to track Rayne's location. It didn't take him long to find her though he was surprised how far she had travelled from the cottage.

"What made you look this far out?" His puzzlement was clear as he waited for his mate to shift back to her human form.

"I was wondering what Andrei or Alexei would do in the same circumstance," Rayne answered, rising to her feet and brushing her long hair over her shoulder. "I figured they would have used the trees initially, vampires are very sneaky that way." She shot him a smile, letting him know she classed him in that statement.

It brought an answering smile to his lips. "I had the same idea but scented nothing where I was."

"Michael travelled in this direction, using the trees for quite a while before he finally dropped down to the ground. He probably went on foot from here because he was nearing that road a mile or so that way." Rayne pointed off to the north and Gard heard the quiet hum of passing vehicles in that direction.

His attention turned back to his mate and he frowned, remembering her words. "What do you mean he smells wrong?"

Her expression changed, a distasteful pout crossing her face. "It's hard to explain it. My panther just didn't like his scent at all. The only way she could communicate it to me was wrong." 

Gard had no choice but to accept what she said. He could pick up a mild vampiric scent but he had to concede that her Were ability when it came to scent was that bit more enhanced. Was this wrongness Rayne picked up insanity? He had heard before of some Weres being able to detect madness as a distinct scent. Opting to mull it over he pulled his mate into his arms and kissed her soundly. Whatever it was, they had picked up Michael's scent and now they needed to let Joshua know that they would be parting company with him to follow that scent.

"You wait here," he finally said when he'd finished ravishing her lips. "I'll let Joshua know we're heading off on our own."

*****

Pietro sighed and squared his shoulders before pulling open the apartment door. It had taken him a while to work up the courage to head downstairs to the bar, longer than he had expected it to. He tried to convince himself it was because he wanted to put off being in public as long as possible but he had to admit that his conflicted emotions to do with Cassia were the main problem. 

Despite Andrei's insistence that he work the previous night, Pietro had taken the time to settle into the upstairs apartment and try to deal with his anger at the blonde wolf who refused to get out of his head. Everywhere he looked he expected to see her, every sound he heard made him think of Cassia. He could scent her on his skin. He could still here the mournful wolf howl that had shattered his heart.

Was she okay? His concern wouldn't abate no matter how hard he tried to put her out of his mind. He had asked Andrei and been told to fuck off in no uncertain terms. His friend's expression had been so cold that for a moment Pietro had thought Andrei might possibly lash out, however he had merely turned away and disappeared into his basement office without a further word. Pietro couldn't really blame him, Cassia was his niece after all. Still, his friend could have at least let him know she was okay. 

Sighing again, Pietro headed downstairs. There was little point in putting off the inevitable. He was about to be the main attraction in a freak show and nothing was going to prevent that. Striding into the bar area, he felt a sense of homecoming as he watched the wait staff finishing off the last minute cleaning projects before the doors opened for the night's revelry. He hadn't held court at the Dive in over twenty-five years and yet, this was his domain, this was what he knew.

One of the Youngling vampires stopped to stare at the scars on his face and he growled low in his throat. "Something I can help you with?"

She scurried off without a word and for a moment he felt some satisfaction but that quickly waned. He might still be able to scare Younglings but he was sure once word got out, he'd be subject to the scrutiny of every Elder vampire who wanted to view the freak show. He guessed he would have to deal with that as and when it happened.

Moving over to the bar, he settled himself behind it as the doors opened. It was time to see if he could still cut it among his peers.

Pietro blinked in surprise as his first customer of the night arrived at the bar and sat herself down on one of the barstools. He looked around for her companion but he was nowhere in sight.

"Annie?"

"Pietro?" 

She smiled at him and it was obvious that she wasn't going to answer his unasked question. Her exquisite features were a carefully constructed mask of innocence though he had to look away from the intensity of her questioning stare. He didn't even know if it was Annie sitting there or the vampire queen. He had yet to meet Anakatrine though he had heard plenty about her.

Deciding that it was most probably Annie given their surroundings, Pietro opted not to push for answers. No one ever knew what the beautiful redhead was truly up to, he doubted even Caleb did some times. "What can I get you?" he finally asked, shooting her a quick smile.

"Red wine please." Rhianna brushed her red curls over her shoulder and turned to survey the early patrons already beginning to fill up the bar. "Looks like there's going to be a large crowd tonight. I wonder why that is. I didn't think this place pulled in crowds like Karpathia's."

"Word has probably spread that there's a freak show in town," Pietro answered setting her drink down in front of her. He couldn't hide the bitterness from his tone.

She sighed, turning back to him. "You're probably right. Sometimes I despair of our kind."

He had expected a lecture and was surprised not to receive one. He didn't know Rhianna as well as most of their inner circle did but he was aware of her high empathy level. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask but then he realised that she was setting him up to do just that. That sparked his irritation and he held his tongue out of pure stubbornness.

"So, where's Caleb? I didn't expect he would let you out of his sight any time soon."

It was Rhianna's turn to watch him speculatively for a moment before she smiled and sipped at her wine. "Ancient Council business, he will be along later."

Pietro wanted to laugh at her feigned innocence. He was well aware that anything Rhianna Armand did...well there usually was some reason behind it. He decided to call her bluff. "Exactly what is it I can do for you, Annie?"

Her smile turned enigmatic and there was a twinkle in her lavender eyes as she beamed at him. "Perhaps the question should be what can I do for you, Pietro?"

It was hard not to smile back and he conceded defeat with a rueful shake of his head. "Okay, what can you do for me?" 

"Well I can let you know that Cassia is going to be okay, for one, and I can sit here with you while you become accustomed to the inevitable scrutiny you're about to be subjected to."

The relief at her words was palpable. He didn't give a rat's ass about being stared at, but having some positive confirmation that Cassia would recover from his absence felt like a burden being lifted from his shoulders. Pietro couldn't put a finger on why he was so concerned about the wolf, after all, it wasn't as if he was her mate. No, they had just scratched an itch, and while the sex between them had been nothing more than that...it had been amazing. It was natural to be concerned about her; he had always been considerate to the women who'd graced his bed. Add in the fact she was Alexei's daughter, and his concern was totally justified.

"I'm glad to hear that, Annie, about Cassia. I don't need my hand being held though."

Rhianna laughed, causing a few heads to turn in their direction. "Oh, Pietro, you are so very male. As if you would have the first inkling of what you truly need." She sipped at her wine again and when her gaze connected with his there was something very old hidden in their lavender depths. "I believe I will wait for Caleb here, none the less."

A vampire sidled up to the bar before Pietro could answer, the male sitting on a stool beside Rhianna. He was an elder; beautiful as most of their kind was, but clearly so new to the area that he couldn't detect danger when it was staring him in the face. 

"Whatever this little beauty is having and mine will be a beer." He slid money onto the counter, dismissing the bartender and focusing on the petite redhead. "I knew I made the right decision coming to this godforsaken place. If I'd known the scenery was so exquisite I would have come sooner."

Rhianna let her gaze roam lazily over him, acknowledging that some women would find him quite a catch. Silvery blond hair and clear crystal blue eyes painted a pretty picture but he couldn't hold a candle to Caleb. "That seat is taken, my friend."

"Really? I don't see anyone but old scarface here." The vampire's lip curled in distaste as he spoke, though he didn't spare a glance at Pietro. "Surely you don't find those blemishes attractive?"

A chill seemed to fill the air as Rhianna's eyes narrowed and the smile that had been on her face melted away. "On the contrary there is nothing more beautiful than the mark of true courage. Every line that speaks of pain and suffering, every tear that tells the world one has suffered but conquered despite that...to me that is something to be revered and respected above all else." Her gaze turned from the man at her side and she smiled at Pietro. "This seat is still taken."

"You know, you're very snooty for a Youngling. I think someone needs to teach you some manners." The amorous note had vanished from the vampire's voice to be replaced by a hard edge.

If he thought his words would concern her, he was sadly mistaken. Instead of cowing Rhianna, she laughed softly. "And you truly think you are the one to do so? Believe me, friend, many much better than you have tried. I suggest you go enjoy your evening elsewhere before you regret your decision to sit here."

"Who's going to make me, Youngling? You? I hardly think so."

Pietro moved without thinking. The entire time he had listened to Rhianna's conversation with the other male his protective instincts had kicked into gear, his ire rising with each passing word. This fuckwit thought it was acceptable to hit on Caleb's mate? He thought it was safe to ignore Pietro's presence because he had some visible scars on show? 

Pietro vaulted over the bar at supernatural speed, slashing his talons across the other vampire's face as he did. In less time it took a heart to beat, he was squarely between Rhianna and the vampire now lying on his back on the floor. "Get out!"

The vampire was too stupid to pay any heed. He sprang to his feet, throwing a punch and kicking out at the same time. Pietro deftly avoided both, landing his own punch in the vampire's face, the force of his blow propelling the other male across the room to land in the midst of a crowed table.

People scattered in all directions as the bartender stalked to the stunned vampire and lifted him from the floor by his neck. "If you want to keep your head I strongly suggest you get the fuck out of here now and don't ever come back," he hissed through clenched teeth, giving the vampire a rough shake for good measure.

Pietro tossed him towards the door and glared at the rest of the room as the wounded vampire beat a hasty exit. "And that goes for anyone else who thinks to challenge  scarface. Spread the word. Pietro de la Rios is back and this bar is his. Anyone who thinks differently will answer to me!"

Stunned silence filled the room for a long moment and then everyone went back to what they were doing. The wait staff hurried over to clear up the mess, Pietro's gaze cataloguing the entire room until he was satisfied that he'd made his point. With a shake of his head, he turned back to Rhianna to find her smiling as she watched him.

"Can I have another glass of wine, please? On the house I think...seeing as you spilled my first glass when you vaulted over the bar."

It took a moment for her words to sink in, for his brain to catch up with what had just happened. Pietro kept his expression as neutral as possible though he knew he wasn't fooling the redhead. He had vaulted over the bar and taken down the vampire as if he were a Youngling and not an elder. Technically, the other male should have kicked his ass however Pietro felt stronger than he'd ever felt before.

How was this possible? He should still be recovering from Europe but if it hadn't been for the scars he bore, he could almost believe Europe had never happened. Something had healed him faster than should have been possible and he was starting to have an inkling to what that might be. There was only one thing he'd done since he'd returned that could account for the faster healing. He had taken Cassia's blood as nourishment...

*****

The six vampires filed silently into the imposing redbrick mansion nestled behind a twelve-foot high wall in one of the exclusive residential areas at the edge of the city. The female who opened the door waited for the last one to pass and then closed it quietly behind them. Her eyes alighted on Michael and acknowledged him as the leader of the group.

"Organise your men and then meet me in the library. It's the mahogany door just there." She pointed to a door to the left of the ornate staircase in the main hallway, turning in that direction without waiting for a response.

Michael felt the urge to break her neck because of the way she ordered him about. Not that it would have killed her as she was a vampire like them, but it would have hurt and shown her who was boss. However, he wasn't allowed to do that despite how much he would have liked to. He had ordered him to obey the female, telling him that she was his eyes and ears on this continent. 

With a flick of his hand, he motioned the others to head upstairs and find rooms to make themselves comfortable. He headed towards the back of the house to where the female waited. Opening the door, his gaze focused first on the female and then the room. It was a library like any other he had seen, full of towering bookcases filled with books, and the customary desk and seating areas. The female was sitting behind the desk, watching him with a neutral expression.

She looked young but something told him that appearance was deceptive. Everything about the woman was deceptive. There was no way in hell her hair was short and blonde. He could just make out where the wig began and he could see the barest hint of a ring around her irises that told him the pale blue of her eyes was a lie too. Whoever she was, she had gone out of her way to alter her appearance.

"What do I call you?"

"Candrea will suffice, and you are Michael," she answered coolly, motioning him to sit down. "How many of your team work for The Master?"

He hissed as he was lowering himself into his seat, fire in his eyes as he glared at her. "Do not mention Him out aloud!"

She was undaunted by his response, a half-smile gracing her beautiful face. "Yes, he did say you were a bit of zealot, but I hadn't expected you to be this far gone. There is nothing wrong with speaking of him. Naturally, he should only be mentioned to those who perform his tasks, and as we are both his willing disciples, I will continue to speak however I like in your presence. If you have an issue with that I suggest you raise it with him and he will educate you accordingly."

Michael gritted his teeth, forcing himself to remain in the chair facing her as the urge to take her head built at a steady rate. He wouldn't like it if he hurt the female. Michael kept that mantra running through his mind as he continued to glare at Candrea.

"What are your orders?"

"Answer my question!" The words grated out, raw command in Candrea's tone as her hand slapped the desk hard.

Michael jumped at the unexpected sound, his eyes narrowing in fury. What question did she want answered? He couldn't remember her asking one.

"How many in your team work for The Master?"

It was only as she repeated it that he realised he had spoken the words out aloud. "None. Only me."

His answer appeared to set her thinking for a moment because she didn't respond immediately. Finally, she nodded and leaned on the desk. "Any that are not killed during the assault on the pack will need to be taken care of then. Are you up to that task?"

Killing brought him the most happiness, not including speaking with his Master. Nothing transcended that. The smile he gave her was nothing short of chilling. "It will be my pleasure."

"Good." Candrea rose, smoothing down her figure hugging skirt as she did. "I will leave this phase in your capable hands then. You will not contact me or attempt to discover who or where I am. If you have need of me for any reason leave the library curtains open at night with that table lamp on." She pointed to a small lamp near the window. "I will be informed and come as soon as I can."

Michael stayed rooted to his chair as she left, his homicidal impulses still driving him. He felt out of control and that wasn't a good thing with the task ahead of him. "Master..."

"You arrived safely, Michael?"

The instant his voice filled his mind, the vampire felt the first tendrils of peace begin to wash over him. His voice was so beautiful...it wrap around him, enveloped him, lifted him to a level of serenity so blissful he could live in the moment forever.  "Yes, Master. I have met with the woman as you instructed. I am finding her...challenging. She speaks of you out aloud, Master!" He couldn't keep his loathing from his tone.

"You must do as she says, Michael. I have already instructed you on her importance to me. She is my voice there and you must heed her words." 

The Master's voice was cold and hard, menace creeping into it as he spoke that sent a shiver of fear down the vampire's spine. "I obey, Master. Please don't be angry with me. Please!"

"As long as you heed my words there will be no need to incite my wrath. Carry out the task Louis has assigned to you, however, perform your main task too. Find the weakness I seek and return with that knowledge as soon as possible. Do not fail me, Michael."

The Master withdrew from his thoughts, but not before he sent a shaft of reassurance down their bond. It was enough to make Michael sit up straighter, his mind clearing a little of its zeal so he could perform the duties assigned to him.

Rising, he headed out of the library and upstairs to find a room where he could rest. Candrea was lucky she'd put the idea into his head to contact him, otherwise she may not have seen many more days. He must treat her as he would the Master...until such times he allowed him to kill her. Smiling, Michael lay on the bed fully clothed, closing his eyes to rest after their long journey.




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 18



To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 19



 Here is the next chapter. Thank you for the wonderful supportive comments #hugs

Enjoy 

*

"Well that was unexpected." Rhianna grinned up at Caleb, who returned her rapt gaze though there was a hint of thoughtfulness in his golden brown eyes.

They were gathered downstairs in Andrei's office at the Dive, the Romanov twins lounging on the sofa with speculative expressions on their faces. Rhianna had told Caleb of the earlier altercation when he'd arrived to pick her up. He had immediately summoned the twins to the club and ordered Pietro to have someone tend the bar and meet them downstairs.

Pietro wasn't looking too happy at being scrutinised so closely, his body language tense and a deep scowl pulling at the scar on his cheek. 

"Yes, it is a very interesting development," Caleb agreed, his gaze peering off into the distance for a moment as he considered the implications of what had happened.

"If you're going to discuss me don't you think you should clue me in," Pietro grumbled, his irritation ratcheting up a notch. He didn't want to be the centre of attention and he especially didn't like some of the glances Alexei was shooting in his direction. His friend was clearly unhappy with what had happened between him and his daughter. Pietro was sure Alexei would have something to say about that very soon.

It came sooner than he anticipated though, as it was the blond vampire who answered him. "You've taken my daughter's blood," Alexei growled, an undefined emotion in his eyes. "There has been some speculation that Vârcolac blood could heal your scars, however that doesn't appear to be the case."

"Alexei..." Pietro wasn't quite sure what he was going to say to his friend, he just knew he would have to come up with something good. He was surprised when he was cut off.

"That conversation is for another place and time." Alexei's tone held a note of finality that his friend was wise enough not to challenge. He was right anyway. They would have that conversation at a later date.

Pietro turned back to Rhianna and Caleb, raising an eyebrow in query.

"It would appear that while Vârcolac blood can't heal your scars, it has significantly boosted your recovery time from the aftereffects of your ordeal," Rhianna explained. "From that little display, I would hazard a guess that you're back to full strength."

As her words sank in, Pietro replayed the fight, remembering the table where the vampire had landed. He'd thrown the other male clear across the room and with such force it had shattered the thick wood into splinters! No wonder the room had responded instantly when he had warned them. Before Europe, he had been strong but now...he was stronger than he had once been.

He had wondered at why he had felt so strong...if it could have had something to do with Cassia's blood, but the realisation still stunned him. He could feel the raw power of his increased strength flowing through his veins. It made his heart pound hard and a feeling of dizziness assault him, but he dampened the weakness down, his beast preening at the enhanced abilities he now had. 

Cassia's blood had not only nourished him, it had made him stronger. He was staggered at the knowledge and didn't know what it could mean for him. He just knew that right now, he didn't feel half the failure he once had. He would analyse what else he was feeling later.

"I'm stronger." It didn't cross his mind to withhold the information. These were his oldest friends; this was his Queen and King. They had a right to know because it could help combat the threat from Europe.

"Did Cassia bite you?"

"Caleb!" Alexei's growl was fierce.

"I'm sorry, Alexei, we're not trying to make this more difficult for you than it already is, but we need to know." Annie's expression was sympathetic as she reached across and placed a hand gently on the Ancient's arm. "Caleb's question is a good one though possibly could have been broached with a little more tact."

Her mate grinned, his expression unrepentant, and it was hard not to laugh at his smugness. He was enjoying watching Alexei's discomfort, as was Andrei.

"Karma's a bitch, isn't it?" Andrei laughed, mischief dancing in his eyes as he teased his twin.

"Keep it up," his brother answered, cold, hard menace in each word.

"No she didn't," Pietro interjected, before the Romanov twins could devolve into one of their rare, but vicious fights. It was bad enough dealing with Andrei after his dalliance with Cassia, but Alexei too? He could understand his friend's need to protect his daughter. Alexei didn't need his nose rubbed in the fact his best friend had slept with her.

"So the infected vampire just needs to drink Vârcolac blood to enhance healing," Caleb said, tapping a long finger against his lips. "Do you think there would be some merit in testing their blood against the live sample of the toxin? Possibly we could discover the antidote or an inoculation that would protect vampires from being infected?"

Andrei and Alexei both bristled, disbelief crossing their faces. "You want to experiment with our children's blood?" Andrei drawled softly, the small smile playing at his lips a blatant warning sign.

Rhianna placed a hand on her mate's arm when he went to speak, her gaze firmly fixed on Andrei. It halted whatever response he was about to give, his eyes searching her expression for a moment before he inclined his head.

She gave him a warm smile, glancing quickly at him before turning back to the others. "Andrei, you know in your heart that the Vârcolac, Rayne included, would be the first to offer samples of their blood to try to protect those they love. It would be no imposition to them and they would come to no harm from it. We would never allow any harm to come to them."

"It still doesn't mean we have to be happy about our children being used as guinea pigs, Annie," Alexei retorted, making it clear he shared his brother's views. "Pietro's recovery occurred naturally. Cassia chose to nourish him with her blood. This...this...experimentation isn't natural."

Lavender eyes flared brightly, the air around them burning hot for the briefest of moments before it cooled down again. The male vampires mopped at their brows with the exception of Caleb, who stood behind his mate with his hands resting on her shoulders. 

"We use the tools that fit the job," Anakatrine, Queen of Vampires, announced, leaning into the strong body behind her. "We have not suffered for countless millennia to get to this point just to have petty egos and overprotective fathers get in the way. Your love for your families do you credit, however our people are in danger. Your children are our future. No harm will come to them from any actions we may take this day."

"I hate it when she does that," Alexei grumbled, his anger waning as he watched Rhianna blink slowly once, and then turn her head to look up at Caleb.

"It is rather disconcerting when you're not expecting it," she smiled ruefully.

"This is something we need to talk to Rafe and Mallen about, possibly Cassia too," Caleb announced, his hard stare focusing on the Romanov twins ensuring they weren't going to continue to be stupid. When he saw they were thinking with their heads as opposed to their hearts, he relaxed his tense stance, gathering Rhianna close. "We'll head over there right now. Rayne and Gard are due to check in soon too if they haven't already. It might be best if you two stay here."

"Fuck that, it's my daughter that's involved. Andrei can keep an eye on things here. I'm heading back to the pack with you." Alexei didn't wait for approval from them, he spun on his heel and headed out the office, using the back entrance to leave the club.

"Can I watch when you and my brother have your chat?" Andrei laughed, merriment dancing in his eyes as Pietro watched his friend depart.

"Bite me!" the bartender growled, nodding to Caleb and Annie, and heading back upstairs to his bar. He'd had enough of talk about healing and Cassia. He was roiling inside, a fury so dark that he hoped that no one decided to test him again until he had it firmly under control. 

Something about the thought of Cassia's blood being given to others infuriated him. It made no sense, seeing as he'd cut off all ties with the wolf. It didn't stop his loathing though or dampen the need to rip something or someone apart with his bare hands...

*****

Caleb pulled up outside their home and turned off the car engine. For a moment he just sat there, listening to the silence, and then he turned his head to look at the woman at his side.

Rhianna's eyes were closed, her face relaxed in sleep. It had been a particularly long day for both of them though he oddly felt wide-awake. Staring at his beautiful mate, he was loath to wake her up, so he slid soundlessly from the car, moving around to the passenger side. She stirred a little when he scooped her out of the car, and then she settled against his wide chest.

He was often staggered by the trust she had in him. She always had, even when there had been times he'd given her reason to doubt him. He had always thought he had appreciated just what she brought to his life, but it had only been when they were apart that he had realised just how lost he would be without her. 

His Annie was all that was good about him. She was the lighter side of his soul that often tempered the darkness. He couldn't love her any more than he did. She was the reason his heart beat, the single most important thing in his life.

"You think too much," she murmured sleepily, rubbing her cheek against his chest as he carried her into the house.

"Have you taken up mind reading, oh wise one," he chuckled, kicking the door closed behind them and heading up the ornate staircase to their room.

"Don't need to. Your heart picks up a beat when you're thinking deeply about something. I can hear it thudding in my ear."

Caleb dropped a kiss on top of her head, gently laying her down on their bed. "I can't keep any secrets from you, can I?" he laughed, his golden brown eyes glowing with love as he stared down at her.

"Would you want to?" Her lavender eyes fluttered open sleepily, a hint of curiousness shining in their depths.

His hand reached out to brush her tangled curls from her cheek, lingering there to touch the softness of her skin. "No, I do not wish to have any secrets from you, my love."

For a long moment she peered up at him and then she smiled, tangling her fingers in his hair. "Right answer," she laughed, pulling his head down until their lips were mere inches apart. "That deserves some kind of reward. What do you think would be a suitable one?"

"You are such a wench at times, my heart. There is only ever one reward that I ever want from you." It was hard not to laugh at the smug expression on her exquisite face, and he settled on kissing her soundly to forestall any further conversation.

Kissing his woman was always like the very first time. It didn't matter how many times he sipped at the sweetness of her lips, he drank as if he were starved. Love, lust, and passion, collided in an instant spark between them, need clawing at his gut to be satisfied.

Everything about his Annie filled him with an unquenchable thirst and he knew he would never tire of laying with her like this. "I love you," he breathed into her mouth, kissing her answering words as they escaped her lips. "You are my reason for being, my sweet Annie. You are the very air that I breathe. Tell me it will always be this way. Being apart from you almost crushed me. I was so afraid you wouldn't come home."

She moved quickly, pushing him back as she sat up, climbing astride him, and wrapping her arms around his neck. Resting her forehead against his, her serious lavender eyes demanded his full attention. "There is nowhere else I would rather be, Caleb. Home is wherever you are and I will always come home to you. Please don't ever doubt that. Nothing will ever take my love from you."

"Annie..." The wealth of love that travelled their mate bond enhanced her words; filling his heart with so much affection that the very last of his concern that he would lose her melted away in an instant. Capturing her mouth once more, he kissed her hard and bore her back against the bed, his hands peeling her clothes adeptly from her body.

He wanted to be gentle, he wanted to take his time, but his need to join with his beautiful mate was more than he could stand. Sliding deep inside her velvet warmth, Caleb rocked his hips slowly, sliding in and out of her body to the slow thudding of their heartbeats.

"Loving you like this is a moment of perfection, Annie. Nothing transcends being with you, nothing is more perfect than making love to you."

A soft moan escaped her, her hips rising to meet his downward thrusts. "I don't ever want you to stop loving me like this, Caleb. I want to spend eternity with you; joined together, feeling our hearts beat in tandem. I love you, my beautiful vampire, now and forever."

They danced together in the ancient rhythm of love, Caleb's lips travelled every inch of her soft skin with a feather light touch. He tempted and teased his love with long, slow caresses, inciting her passion, slowly building her up to that perfect moment of union that was just outside her reach.

How he loved every moment with her. He teased her mercilessly until she demanded more, and then he picked up the tempo, taking her with long, hard, deep strokes until her body arched up and she cried out her pleasure. Her body rippled around his, and it was enough to shatter his self-control and send him tumbling over the edge. 

"Annie!" Her name was ripped from his throat as his own pleasure peaked, and he was soaring on a wave of ecstasy so intense his entire body shook with the effort it took to hold himself up. 

His Annie was trembling when he finally came down from the heady heights they had soared, and he soothed her brow with tiny kisses. With a final tasting of her trembling lips, Caleb lay on his side behind her, spooning her body against his, stroking a hand over the curve of her hip as their breathing began to calm down.

"I love you, Annie." Snuggling his face into the side of her neck, Caleb closed his eyes and allowed sleep to claim him.

Rhianna lay in the protection of her mate's embrace, listening to the gentle rhythm of his heartbeat that told her he had fallen asleep. She was sleepy too, but something was keeping her awake; something that teased at her subconscious mind.

Being careful not to wake Caleb, she raised herself up on one elbow, letting her eyes wander around the bedroom slowly; trying to find what it was that was nagging at her brain. Her gaze flitted over her dressing table, alighting on the old leather-bound book that was resting where she had left it.

Masking Lavender, the second book Anakatrine had selected from her library, a book that hadn't been examined as thoroughly as the other because it hadn't appeared to be as crucial. She had read some of it, and been stunned at what it contained. The knowledge within belonged only to those of royal blood, and Rhianna hadn't translated it to English just in case it fell into the wrong hands. 

Caleb hadn't asked to read the book, he appeared to have completely forgotten about it. The only other person who could have read the text was Gard and she had no idea if he had even seen it let alone read it. Was she the only one to know what it contained? Should she mention it to her mate?

Caleb had said he would never keep a secret from her. If she didn't tell him what she'd learned would that mean she was keeping a secret from him? The knowledge within the book couldn't truly relate to them, could it? They weren't really Anakatrine and Callain, they were but vessels for their spirits.

No, now was not the time to be diverted by things that would likely never come to pass. There was so much else at stake at the moment, and they needed all their attention to be focused squarely on Europe where the real danger lay. 

Lying back down, Rhianna snuggled into Caleb's chest, sighing with pleasure as he gathered her close in his sleep. "I love you, Caleb," she whispered, closing her eyes and allowing her tired mind to finally drift off to sleep.

*****

"Mallen...oh my goodness...it works." The words whispered out of Cassia's mouth but everyone in the lab heard her, all heads turning to look at the blond wolf who was staring down a microscope.

"Let me see." Mallen strode across the lab, his expression hopeful as she stepped aside to let him view the results. "Your lymphocytes are working." The words breathed out quietly, hushed awe filling the room. "Your B-cells are creating antibodies to the toxin."

Mallen looked up again, a wide grin crossing his face as excitement filled him. "I don't know why you thought of using a sample of your bone marrow as opposed to just your blood, Cassia, but it's worked."

Relief like nothing she'd ever experienced before flooded through Cassia. The first attempt at just using her blood hadn't achieved the desired results and they'd all been bitterly disappointed. She'd had Mallen extract a little bone marrow and retested. That was where antibodies were made, and it seemed the logical choice. To find it had worked...Cassia was so overcome that tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

She couldn't account for how Pietro had become stronger though. He had only taken blood from her, not any bone marrow. Was it a mate thing? Would she ever know the answer to that? For the moment, she didn't care. They had finally found something that could counteract the toxin in Amort. It would take a while to harvest enough bone marrow from the Vârcolac to make sufficient antidote, but they would soon be able to inoculate every vampire against the poison. 

"We have to tell Rafe," Cassia announced, laughing through the tears still streaming down her face.

The doctor smiled at her, his grin as big as Cassia's. "You do it, honey. It was your idea and you've worked your butt off to get here. We'll start working on a suspension to deliver the antidote."

Giving him a quick hug, Cassia ran out of the lab, slamming through the front door of the Alpha's home and nearly knocking Lacey over as she was coming downstairs.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Lacey!" Cassia was immediately contrite, placing steadying arms out to ensure her Alpha didn't crash to floor. "Is Rafe awake? I need to speak to him urgently."

"He's eating breakfast, I believe." Lacey laughed at the exuberant expression on the younger woman's face. She didn't ask any questions, merely escorted her into the dining room where her mate was tucking into bacon and eggs.

Rafe glanced up with a raised eyebrow as they entered, quietly placing his fork and knife down beside his plate.

"We did it," Cassia announced with the biggest smile. "We have an antidote, Rafe!"

"You're certain?" Rafe rose from his seat to stride over to them. 

Cassia nodded, trying to regain her composure and not giggle like a schoolgirl. "The Vârcolac have antibodies in their bone marrow. We harvested a little of mine and tested it against the toxin. My B-cells immediately began multiplying to attack the poison. The process was still ongoing when I left, but Mallen agrees that it is a viable antidote. If any other vampires become infected as badly as Pietro, we can use our antibodies directly to cure them."

"Cassia, that's fantastic news!" Rafe gathered her up in a warm hug, grinning at Lacey who had started to cry. "Come here," he growled softly, pulling his mate into a group hug.

"Oh Rafe...Annie and Caleb will be so happy." Lacey fought to stop crying, relief in every word. 

"Mallen is currently synthesising a suspension we can use to create a vaccination too, so that we can effectively inoculate the entire vampire race here," Cassia continued, stepping back and smiling as she looked at her Alphas. "In theory...that will mean that even if they are infected by Amort, their own bodies should be able to fight the poison."




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 19



"You have made us so proud, Cassia," Rafe said, a burst of love and pride flowing down his Alpha bond with the blond wolf, bringing happy tears to her eyes.

"It was a group effort," she answered and felt another burst of deep pride, this time from both the Alphas.

Lacey extricated herself from Rafe's arms, gathering the younger woman close. "You are an amazing young woman, Cassia Romanov, and we are so blessed to have you in our pack. You have given up much to help, not only the vampires, but also to protect your pack. It is time you now did something for yourself. Go and claim your mate, honey. Don't take No for an answer either. It's  your time now. We can handle everything else."

"I agree." Rafe smiled down at her, reaching out a hand to ruffle her curls affectionately. "If you need any pointers, I suggest you ask your Aunt Loretta. She had the most difficult time convincing your Uncle Andrei that he was her mate."

Now that she had finally done what she'd set out to do, Cassia could now look to her own future. Getting through to Pietro probably wasn't going to be that easy, but she had the blessing of her Alphas as well as her parents.

"That might be a good idea," she answered with a half-smile tugging at her lips. 

Heading back out into the compound, Cassia turned in the direction of her own house first. She wanted to pack a light travelling bag before she had a chat with Loretta. Her aunt had said she could talk to her if she needed to, and this seemed like as good a time as ever. Pietro de la Rios was about to be in for a big shock if he thought he could get rid of her that easily. Cassia wasn't coming back to the pack until she had her vampire in tow.

Her parents were out when she got home and there was no sign of her sister. Cassia threw some clothes into a backpack, as she waited for her call to her mother to connect.

"Hi, sweetheart, is everything okay?"

She smiled at the distracted quality in her mother's voice. Whatever she was doing, it had most of her attention.

"We found an antidote, Mom. We can cure any more vampires who are infected as long as we get to them in time."

"Cassia, that's fantastic! Oh honey, your father and I are so proud of you. I presume Rafe knows?" 

There was so much love and pride in her mother's voice that it brought happy tears to her eyes. "Yes, I'm just back from speaking to him and Lacey. I wanted to let you know not to worry when you came home and find me out. I'm going to go see Pietro and I may stay with him for a little while."

There was a long pause before her mother exhaled softly. "I'll let your father know and I will make sure he stays out of your hair until you and Pietro have had time to sort things out. Cass...there won't be a repeat of the last time, will there?"

Although she tried to hide her worry, Cassia could hear it in every word her mother said. She wished she were with her mom so she could give her a reassuring hug. "Mom, I will be fine, really I will. I was just caught off-guard the last time. Now I know how difficult it will be to convince Pietro he's my mate, I'm prepared for him to put up a bit of a fight." 

"If you need us, you know where we are, honey. We will always be here for you, no matter what. Now, go get that mate of yours and shake some sense into him. You should stop by your Aunt Loretta's before you head over there. She could give you some helpful tips on how to get through Pietro's thick skull."

Cassia burst out laughing, shaking her head. "You're the second person to suggest that. I was intending to anyway. Okay, I'd better get going so I'll give you a call later tonight, Mom."

"Take care, honey."

She was still smiling as she threw her backpack over her shoulder and headed downstairs, locking up behind her, and heading over to her aunt's house...

*****

"Are you sure?" Cassia stared at Loretta with a doubtful expression, trying not to smile at the pure devilment shining in her aunt's eyes.

"Believe me, honey, Pietro was way too helpful back then when I had the same problem with your uncle. Oh, he feigned innocence and stuck to it, but I have no doubt whatsoever that he was completely aware of what he was doing at the time. The phrase poetic justice comes to mind."

"What mischief are you getting up to now, woman?" Andrei entered the kitchen and swooped down for a quick kiss from his mate before turning to his bemused-looking niece.

"I was just giving Cass some advice on how to get Pietro's attention." 

He turned to look back at Loretta before throwing his head back and laughing. "Yes, that would be poetic justice," he echoed his mate's statement that he'd walked in on. "You have my wholehearted approval, niece."

Cassia wasn't so sure she liked how eager her aunt and uncle were for her to publicly humiliate her mate. One part of her could see the humorous side of possibly doing so, but the other part was concerned that Pietro had been through more than enough already. His ego may not be able to withstand any more humiliation.

"I'll bear it in mind," she sighed giving them a quick hug. "I'm going to head over to the Dive just now to try to speak to him."

"Do you want me to go with you?" Andrei asked, his earlier amusement vanishing in an instant, and his expression turning serious.

"No offence, Andrei, but that would be like taking my dad with me. Actually, now I come to think about it, it would probably be worse." Cassia hugged him again to take any perceived insult from her comment. Not that her uncle was the least insulted. Instead, he gave her one of his warm smiles that he reserved for those family members that he treasured.

"You have a point, sweetheart," he conceded.

"You shouldn't look so damned proud of that fact," his mate interjected, though she was laughing as she said it.

"Thanks for the advice," Cassia called over her shoulder as she headed out of the house. Now that she had made up her mind that she was going to beard the lion in his den, she wanted to get over to the Dive before her courage failed her. Her wolf was anxious to be with their mate and so was the woman. Climbing into one of the pack Jeeps, Cassia fired up the engine and headed into town.

*****

Fox hit the disconnect button on his phone and slid it into his back pocket. His Alpha wanted him home on the next flight available, and he wasn't best pleased about that. His wolf had been antsy for days now, ever since he had bumped into the blonde wolf and her vampire companion. 

Cassia; yes that was her name. Cassia what? Who was she and why had his wolf sat up and been so interested in the woman? He didn't think it was the mating instinct kicking in though he could be wrong. What he'd learned about the wolves here was that their mating instinct was an instantaneous thing as opposed to a more gradual thing among his kind in Europe. Surely if it was the mating pull Cassia would have known instantly and tried to claim him?

It was disconcerting how he couldn't get her off his mind though, and he didn't like it. He had been sent over here by his Alpha to track down the non-aligned Weres that had been crossing the Atlantic Ocean. His mission was to try to determine what they were up to, and what, if anything, their actions may mean for the European packs. 

There was far too much uncertainty among the supernatural races in Europe at the moment. The vampires were up to something. This was evident in the way their attention had turned away from trying to exterminate the Were population there. Something was focusing them stateside, and there were rumours of Ancient vampires being on European soil for the first time in centuries. Add in the strange behaviour of the lone wolves crossing the Ocean, and there was enough strangeness happening to concern most of the covens as well as the few integrated packs that still managed to reside as a unit.

He didn't have time to be diverted by a wolf, no matter how beautiful she was. He didn't have any of the answers that he'd hoped to find either, so he wasn't happy about being summoned home. He couldn't refuse his Alpha though. If she said they had to come home then they had to. Muttering a curse, he spun on his heel and threaded his way back towards the motel they taken up residence at.

He'd barely taken a handful of steps when a scent wafted towards him on the breeze and he froze on the spot. He had only scented it once before, but his wolf new instantly who it was. His head turned to the left, catching a glimpse of blonde curls vanishing into one of the nearby nightclubs - Cassia. His feet were moving before he could register what he was doing, moving towards a place called The Dive and the woman that he couldn't get out of his head...

*****

"We're closed!" Pietro barked out, as the front door opened, not deigning to turn from stocking the shelves with bottles of alcohol.

"I said we're closed!" He roared again, spinning around when it became apparent whoever it was wasn't leaving. His mouth dropped open, and he blinked in surprise when he saw who his visitor was. How the hell could he not have scented her? It was only as he thought it that he realised that she must have masked her scent as she entered.

Closing his mouth and swallowing hard, he greedy gaze roamed over Cassia's exquisite face, drinking in each feature like a starving man. Had it really only been a day or so since he had last seen her? It felt like a lifetime, and he didn't like the way his hands felt so clammy and his heart raced just at the sight of her. She looked good...better than good. She looked perfect. There were some tell-tale signs of strain around her mouth, but apart from that she looked well.

"What are you doing here, Cassia?" The words barked out more aggressively than he intended, and he had to force himself not to cross over to her when she flinched noticeably. He truly didn't want to hurt her, not even when he couldn't shake the feelings of betrayal seeing her brought back to the surface.

"We found an antidote to the poison. I wanted to let you know that, so you wouldn't be worried about being infected again."

Pietro inhaled deeply, a shiver of relief coursing through his body. She had done it? His beautiful wolf had finally found a cure to Amort? Pride as well as relief threatened to overwhelm him, and it was all he could do to remain standing where he was. He wanted to hold her close, to tell her how proud he was of her, and yet, he couldn't bring himself to take that first step.

"Congratulations, Cassia. I know how hard you worked to find the cure. I didn't lose faith that you would succeed eventually." He swallowed again, turning away because he couldn't bear to see the uncertainty in her eyes. "You didn't have to come all the way out here to tell me. Andrei or Alexei could have let me know."

"I wanted to see you." Cassia hesitated, took a deep breath and continued." I needed to see you, Pietro...I know you're angry with me. I understand why you feel betrayed that I sided with the pack against you. It wasn't like that, not the way you think it was."

"It doesn't matter..."

"It does and you know it." The vehemence in her voice was surprising considering she had barely been speaking above a loud whisper before. 

He could feel Cassia moving towards him, and he kept his back to her, continuing to restock the bar. He didn't want her to be here. He didn't want to see the evidence of what his rejection was doing to her. Why couldn't she just leave? Then she wouldn't hurt so much and neither would he.

Pietro held himself tense, afraid she would touch him, and he would lose all control. To do so now would only hurt them both all the more later. He couldn't forgive Thereasa. He couldn't return to the pack, and Cassia couldn't be apart from her people. That day had proven that more than anything else ever could.

"Hurting Thereasa...knowing that you had hurt Liam and all those you love in the pack, that would have killed you, Pietro. You say you don't understand what a pack is and yet you run with your own. Alexei, Andrei, Demetri, Caleb, Mac...Annie, Mara, Loretta, Cedar...the list goes on and on. They are your pack. You may not be a wolf, but what you feel for them is just as intense as what I feel for my pack. Can't you see that?"

Spinning around, he pinned her with his mismatched gaze, denial blazing from their depths. "It's different and you know it. Cassia...don't do this. I cannot be part of your world any longer. I have only hatred in my heart and the desire for revenge. That won't change, not until Thereasa is dead. This is who I am. This is what I am. You have to see that and understand that there is nothing but heartache for you if you continue down this path."

His words brought tears to Cassia's eyes, which poured down her cheeks. Inhaling sharply Pietro wanted to scream at the universe. It wasn't fair that he'd been placed in such a position. He should never have touched Cassia. He had known at the time that it was wrong, and yet, he had taken what he wanted. Now he was hurting the one person who had done the most to help him since the fiasco of Europe. 

"I'm sorry, Niña. I never meant for you to be hurt by our time together. One day you will find your mate and what we shared will be but a distant memory...hold onto that fact."

Was he listening to what he was saying? Trying to hold back sobs, Cassia stared at her vampire as if he'd just grown two heads. The idiot had no idea! He had no inkling that the reason she was fighting so hard for him was because he was her mate. Of all the stubborn, idiotic males she could have fallen for she had to pick the one with a skull as thick as a brick wall. She opened her mouth to tell him when a new scent suddenly appeared, causing both their heads to turn in the direction of the doorway.

Fox's wolf growled the instant Cassia turned around to face them. Her cheeks were wet with tears, her expression so full of anguish his beast reared up, glaring at the vampire behind her. What had he done to her? Why was she crying?

"Fox?"

"Who the fuck are you?"

They both spoke at the same time, Cassia clearly remembering him from before, the vampire adopting an aggressive stance.

"What did you do to her?" His response came out directed at the vampire, his body automatically adopting a fighting stance. Where he was from vampires had only one use for wolves, and that was to see them dead on the spot. They were only two wolves and this vampire was older than most he'd come across, but that didn't mean they couldn't go down fighting. It didn't cross his mind to wonder at why he was willing to die to defend Cassia. It was purely instinctual. It was his job to protect his people and he would do so against this vampire no matter what the cost.

Cassia saw the other wolf about to spring a split second before he did. Her shocked brain couldn't understand what was happening, but she moved as Fox did, placing herself in front of Pietro. 

"Stop!"

"Get out of the way, Cassia!" She was suddenly spinning away in the opposite direction, picked up and thrown over the bar by Pietro as his talons came out and he surged forward towards the threat.

"No! Stop! What are you doing?!"

Fox shifted, a huge black wolf replacing his human body as he barrelled into the feral vampire. They crashed backwards, spinning into tables with a resounding thud. 

Pietro kicked out as he rolled, his feet tossing the wolf clear across the room as he sprang agilely upwards, flowing like a black shadow towards his prey. 

"Pietro! Fox! Stop it this instant!" Cassia had no idea what the hell was happening. She just knew that the two males were fighting for no good reason. She had to stop it before it escalated any further, and she didn't know how to. What they hell was wrong with them? They didn't even know each other. Why the hell were they fighting? 

They couldn't be fighting over her...could they? The instant the thought materialised she knew it was the truth. Fox must have seen her come inside and come to investigate. She could only guess at what he had envisioned was happening when he entered. He was a wolf and a European one at that. To him, all vampires were the enemy. He must have thought Pietro was hurting her in some way, and he was trying to protect her.

Oh, for the love of all that was holy! How could she be surrounded by such idiotic males? Fox's wolf was circling Pietro, trying to find a weak area to attack. Her vampire was matching his movements, seeking his own best point of attack. There was so much hate and pain in Pietro's soul, Cassia wasn't sure if he would be able to see that this was just a misunderstanding. If he bit Fox...he would kill the wolf instantly.

Fox sprang; his wide jaw sinking into Pietro's left shoulder as they crashed to the ground. He howled and released the other male as sharp talons sliced into his sides. He knew he had made a fatal mistake the instant he did. His throat was now bared to the dripping incisors of the vampire. All it would take was one bite...the bite the vampire was moving forward to inflict...

Ice! Freezing cold sugared water and ice...it drenched them both, shocking them out of the feral grip they were caught up in. Fox shifted back to human form, groaning and spluttering as he rolled away from the vampire, clutching at his injured side. His infuriated gaze swung upwards to see the blonde wolf standing above them, an ice bucket in hand.

Pietro coughed and pulled himself upright, wiping the sticky substance from his face. His eyes met Cassia's and for a moment he could only stare at her in surprise. Oh no...she did not just pull Loretta's shit on him! Did she really think she would get away with her aunt's antics? His name wasn't Andrei, and this fight wasn't about a wolf claiming her mate. If she thought he was going to put up with this kind of humiliation, especially in front of a strange wolf...

"Now that I have both of your attention would one of you kindly like to explain to me why you're in the process of not only trying to wreck this bar but also kill each other?"

"Cassia..." Pietro growled, and she held up a hand to halt him.

"On second thoughts, I don't want to hear what you have to say right at this moment, Pietro de la Rios. You've caused enough trouble today." Cassia knelt down beside Fox to check his injured side.

The wolf batted at her hands, his gaze still fixated on Pietro. "I am fine."

"You're bleeding onto the floor and I'm a medic. So be quiet and let me look at your injury." She waved towards her pack, which she had left close to the door when she'd arrived earlier. "Pietro, bring me my pack. I have a medicine case in it."

The vampire opened his mouth to say something, and then closed it again, stomping over to the pack and placing it gently beside her. He was clearly still incensed, but made an effort not to break any of the delicate things tucked inside.

"Hold still...this may hurt." Cassia cleaned out Fox's wound, relieved to see that it wasn't too bad. His enhanced healing abilities would have it mending within a couple of days. She could have given him some of her blood to speed up the healing time, but she wanted him to have a reminder of what an idiot he was.

"I thought he was hurting you," Fox said through gritted teeth, as he allowed her to minister to him.

"Pietro would never hurt me," she answered intent on cleaning him up. "My dad and uncle are his two best friends. He may have a bit of a thick skull and say stupid things, but I don't hold that against him."

"I am still here," Pietro growled.

"Oh, I know. I can feel you breathing down my neck," she replied with a weary sigh. "Why don't you start clearing up some of the mess you made? I don't need your assistance here."

"He's the wolf from before, isn't he? What's he doing here? Why the fuck did he come into my place and attack me? What the fuck is there between you two?" Pietro knew he sounded petulant, but he couldn't stand to see Cassia's hands touching the other male. Now that the cloud of rage was lifting, he was as perplexed as she was about what the hell had just happened, and why the European wolf had felt the need to protect Cassia.




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 19



"Is he your mate?" The words whispered out, a dull ache filling him as he watched her hands still and her body stiffen. Dear God, was he right? Had he almost just killed Cassia's mate? The thought of another's hand touching her sent a black rage throughout his soul, and yet, he was the one pushing her away, telling her to find her mate.

"You are the stupidest, most obstinate, mule-headed male I have ever come across, Pietro de la Rios," Cassia spluttered, rising so quickly he stepped back in surprise. With her hands planted on her hips, she looked utterly adorable as her eyes spit fire at him. 

"No, Fox is not my mate, you silly vampire! YOU are!"

His chest hurt and his head spun. Had she just said...? Surely he had misheard her. It couldn't be true...she couldn't have just said that he was her mate. Could she? The pain in his chest was like being on fire, and it took him a moment to realise why. He couldn't breathe! Cassia was glaring at him, totally convinced that they were mates, and the thought took all the breath from his body.

"Breathe, Pietro."

"No," he hissed out, shaking his head in denial. "I'm not your mate. I can't be." Pain flickered across her face but he was caught up in the memory of the last day in the pack compound, of how he had rejected her, of the mournful howl of the wolf..."No!" Spinning on his heels, Pietro fled, running as far and as fast as he could from the truth.

"Well...that wasn't quite the reaction I was hoping for," Cassia sighed, trying to swallow down the deep misery that overwhelmed her as Pietro rejected her once again.

Rising to his feet, Fox stared after the departed vampire, his thoughts in chaos. The wolf was the mate of a vampire? He'd heard all about the mixed matings and Vârcolac, but seeing it up close and personal was mind-blowing.

"You don't seem very surprised despite your words," he remarked, turning to look back at her.

"Oh, I'm not. This is the second time that he's run from me, but I'm nothing if not dogmatic. He'll have to come back sooner or later, and I will be waiting for him when he does." Cassia busied her shaking hands by cleaning as much of the mess Fox had made bleeding onto the floor. "I don't need your protection, Fox, though I do understand that it's in your genes, and you couldn't help yourself trying to rescue me." 

He watched her for a long moment, and then turned towards the door once more. "I can see that now," he said with a rueful smile. "There is something about you Cassia...I can't quite put my finger on it, but from my wolf's interest, I thought for a moment that possibly you might have been my mate. I can see now that I was wrong."

His bemused tone earned him a small smile as she straightened up wiping her hands with a sterile cloth. Cassia ran her eyes slowly up and down him before her smile widened. "Well, you are a fine specimen, Fox. I'm sure you must have a bevy of beauties eager to share your bed, even more so now."

His head tilted to the left, confusion dancing across his handsome face. "How so?"

"When you get home you can tell them all about how you fought with one of the most deadly vampires, and lived to tell the tale...because you did. Only the Ancients and Mac are more deadly than Pietro. You're lucky to survive the encounter."

Her words sent a shiver down his spine, as he realised just how close he'd come to dying. He couldn't afford to place himself in jeopardy when his Alpha needed him so badly. He had to get out of there before the vampire came back to finish the job. He was needed back home.

"Best of luck to you, Cassia. I hope you win your mate."

Her smile was both hopeful and sad. "Me too." She watched him head towards the door before she called out, "Uhm...Fox!" When he turned to give her a quizzical glance, she nodded her head downwards. "You might draw a few stares if you leave like that."

He looked down and groaned out aloud. "Fuck!" He'd shifted to wolf form and now he was buck naked. That Cassia wasn't bothered told him that she must be used to it with her pack.

"Wait there, I'll see if something of Pietro's will fit you. You look about the same size." She disappeared upstairs, returning quickly with a black pair of jogging bottoms and T-shirt.

"Won't the vampire mind?"

"He can live with it," she snorted, humour dancing in her eyes as she watched him pull the clothes on. "Serves him right for being an idiot."

Walking to the door with him, she paused at the entrance as he walked outside. ""What are you really doing here, Fox? What brings wolves like you to our shores?"

He stiffened, turning his head to look back at her. "Wolves like what?" Her arched eyebrow told him she wasn't fooled by his mock-innocence, and he made a mental note to never underestimate this feisty wolf should their paths ever cross again.

"You know what I mean. I can tell a soldier when I see one; I've trained in that position myself to protect my pack."

He was struck by the urge to tell her everything, but knew that he couldn't do that. He would be betraying his Alpha if he said too much, and he would die before he ever did that. "It's not me you should be watching out for, Cassia. It's the wolves you don't see."

"Fox! What do you mean by that?"

He kept walking, resisting the urge to look back at the woman who so intrigued him even though he wasn't her mate. Something told him that he would meet Cassia again one day, and that when he did, his life would never be the same.

Cassia watched Fox leave, wondering at his cryptic comment. She would have to tell Rafe about it. The secretive wolf had clearly wanted to alert her to something, but for whatever reason, couldn't tell her outright what it was. The wolves she didn't see...intriguing.

Heading back inside she stared at the wrecked bar and then grabbed her backpack. She would wait for Pietro in his apartment upstairs. If he thought she would just give up on her mate he was in for a very rude shock. Smiling, she headed upstairs into her vampire's lair to await his return.

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 20



 Here's another chapter. Hope you enjoy! 

*****

Chapter Twenty

Reasa stared into the open fridge, frustration threatening to spark her temper. She was tired and cranky from the long hours spent in the injured vampires' minds, and to top everything off, her stomach was making the most ridiculous of sounds.

"Hungry much?"

The unexpected male voice startled her in the darkened kitchen, and she shrieked and spun around, the light from the refrigerator revealing Karn, the second in command at the Praetorian Compound.

"Didn't mean to scare you," the blond vampire continued, reaching inside to grab a quart of milk. "Do you still have enhanced sight?" He gestured to the lack of light in the kitchen. "Only with your hearing now muted I would have thought your eyesight would be too.

"It is," she answered looking away from his all-seeing eyes. "I didn't want to disturb anyone by turning on a light."

He watched her for a second and then crossed the room and turned on the light. "We can't be having you bumping into things and doing yourself an injury. We don't want Liam to put everyone back into a coma again, do we?"

She hadn't really thought about it, but then, she tried her hardest to concentrate on the task at hand and not think about the redheaded Vârcolac who was starting to be able to read her every thought and emotion the more time they spent inside each other's heads.

"Why don't you have a seat at the table?" Karn commented when she didn't speak. "I suggest you snack on something light like cereal as it's the middle of the night. It should blunt your hunger enough to get back to sleep but not be too heavy to keep you awake. I'll have a word with Mac in the morning to ensure both you and Liam get enough rest and food breaks. Both of you look exhausted all the time."

She watched him pour out some cereal into a bowl and add some milk. Then he placed it in front of her with a spoon and sat down at the table beside her. She couldn't fathom out why he was being so nice to her. He had nothing to gain from it. 

When she just sat there looking at him he smiled and waved a hand at the plate. "It won't eat itself, girlie."

She recognised that tone. It was the one she heard him use regularly around the others; it conveyed both admonishment and humour. She had particularly noticed it became especially noticeable around Elina. He appeared to delight in pushing at Liam's cousin to try to get a reaction. Most of the time the other woman treated him with haughty distain, but every so often there would be a flash of irritation in her eyes that only served to make the blond vampire grin from ear to ear. She could tell it was the reaction he was hoping for. It was also apparent that Elina was clueless to the fact that she was rising to his bait.

Swirling her spoon around the bowl a couple of times, Reasa finally gave into her hunger pangs and took a spoonful of cereal. As she ate she watched Karn, and his gaze never left her face. "Why are you being so nice to me? Everyone else pretty much pretends I'm not here, with the exception of Liam, Elina, Mac, Lily and Brandon."

He appeared to consider her question before he gave her a small smile. "You frighten the others."

Reasa spluttered over her next spoonful of cereal, almost choking as it went down the wrong way. "I frighten them?!" She wiped at her mouth with the napkin Karn hastily produced. "How can I possibly frighten them? I'm human. It's not as if I can do them any harm."

"You forget that a handful of weeks ago you were them, Reasa. That is what frightens them. The fact that there is a possibility that they could have their immortality removed and become as human as you now are. I didn't say there was any merit to the way they feel, just that they do feel that way."

When he put it like that she could see why the other vampires could fear her. She was an object lesson to all of them. If they screwed up there was a chance they could become just like her. It must be a very sobering thought for all of them. "So, because they pretend I don't exist this makes you want to be friendly towards me?"

Karn chuckled though he kept his voice low so as not to disturb the sleeping house. "No, girlie, I want to be friendly towards you because I see how exhausted you are and yet every morning at dawn you get up and spend hours at a time inside fractured minds to help those lost souls find a way home. I see your skin tear from whatever it is that is happening mentally to you and yet you keep going in. Oh, I know Elina heals you as it happens but that doesn't mean you don't feel the pain. I didn't know you as a vampire, Reasa, but what I see of you as a human woman is pretty awe-inspiring."

Staring into his eyes she was stunned to see that he actually meant every word he said. He truly did like her for who she was now and it had nothing to do with who she had once been. For some reason ,that made her feel even more ashamed of her past than anything had before. "You place your faith in the wrong person, Karn," she said bitterly. "This woman before you is not the woman I used to be. I have done countless terrible things in my past, things that would shock you."

To her chagrin he merely chuckled again, shaking his head in amusement. "Oh Thereasa, every single vampire in this compound can say the exact same thing, especially the older ones. We are all a product of our time, and where we come from. It's only been the last century or so that we have started coming even close to being civilised. I dare say I could tell you tales that would make your hair curl."

"I know that but..."

"No buts, girlie. You know I speak the truth." Karn appeared to be thinking of something before he spoke again. He let out a low sigh and rested his elbows on the table. 

"When Mac found me over a thousand years ago I was nothing more than a wild animal. I had been on my own for so long I was almost feral. I had taken to hiding up in the Carpathian Mountains in Romania, only coming down when the need to feed drove me out in agony. I tried to sustain myself on animal blood so I could stop myself killing humans but it was to no avail."

His expression drifted off as he spoke, as if he were lost within a memory that was replaying itself. "Mac crossed my path on one of my trips down to the villages. I was almost insane with hunger at the time, so much so, that when I scented him in the area I was ready to fight to the death to protect my hunting ground. He knocked me on my ass so hard I swear I was seeing stars. Then I realised that I really was as I lay on my back looking into the night sky with Mac's talons around my neck."

"What happened then?" Reasa couldn't stop herself from asking when he stopped talking and didn't appear as if he would continue.

"He could have killed me. I was too weak from hunger to defend myself but instead I heard him talking softly to someone else and then I could taste the sweet hot blood of a human dripping into my open mouth. I tried to fight him to get to the blood but he was too strong for me. In the end I just had to lay there and accept the small hand-outs he gave to me. By the time I was sated enough, he let me up and I was astounded to see four villagers sitting beside the trees, all still alive."

The expression in Karn's eyes sent a chill down Reasa's spine when he looked at her. There was so much self-loathing on his face it was painful to witness. "You see, until that very moment I had always killed to satisfy my hunger. I didn't know there was any other way. In one night Mac taught me how to feed without the need for unnecessary loss of life. He taught me to feed often and in small amounts to ensure I would never lose control and reach that feral state again."

"He saved you," she whispered and he nodded his head. "This is why you follow him now, because he believed in you and gave you a future."

"Yes he did and I will follow wherever he chooses to lead me. However, that isn't the point to this story, Reasa. The point is we have all done unspeakable things in the past that we are ashamed to admit to. It's what we do now that matters though. We can be enslaved by our pasts or we can learn from our mistakes and work to make not only ourselves, but those around us into better people. I don't care what the old Thereasa did. I can only look to the woman I know now and am impressed by her strength of will and unfailing dedication to helping those lost souls upstairs."

Reasa looked down at her bowl, the now soggy cereal appearing to swim before her eyes. A lone tear splashed into the milk, followed by a second and then another. Karn liked her. He was the first person that wasn't protecting her for Liam's sake or grateful for being brought out of a coma. He actually saw her as a person and found something to like about her.

Scrubbing at her face and fighting down the strong emotions that threatened to overwhelm her, she stood up keeping her gaze averted from the blond vampire. "Thank you."

"You have a hard road to walk, Thereasa. Yes, there will be those who may only ever see the old Reasa, but there are countless others who will see the new one. You don't have to walk that road alone. You have friends who are willing to give you a chance and share your burden with you. All you have to do is let them in." 

Karn placed a hand underneath her chin to tilt her head up to meet her eyes. "I am one of those friends. If anyone gives you a hard time here, you let me know and I will have words with them. And if you ever need to talk...about anything...you can come to me, okay?"

"Okay," she whispered, giving him a watery smile. She couldn't believe it but she actually had a friend. For the first time in a long time there was something good in her life and she was afraid she would do something to ruin it as she had everything else. Something told her Karn didn't offer his friendship lightly. She prayed that she didn't do anything to let him down.

"Good, now off to bed with you, girlie, before Liam comes looking for you and decides to kick my ass for having you up at stupid o'clock in the morning."

With a gentle prod he sent her heading back upstairs and she went feeling dazed by what had just happened.

"Reasa?"

Liam's sleepy voice muttered in the darkness as she closed the bedroom door behind her. She stumbled in the dark making her way towards the bed and let out a small gasp when strong arms circled her body and she was lifted onto the bed.

"Where were you?" There was nothing but curiosity in his voice and for the first time she stopped to really listen to what Liam wasn't saying in so many words. There was no concern that she had run off. There was no accusation that she might have been doing something underhand. He completely trusted in her and that fact was only now starting to sink in.

"I was hungry. Karn sat with me while I ate some cereal. He was keeping me company."

"You should have woken me. I would have made you something to eat." Again there was no judgement in his tone, only a desire to look after her.

"Freya is right. I do need to learn how to cook. Perhaps this is something we can do when we have finished with our task here? That's if you can cook."

Liam went so still that for a moment she wondered if she had done something wrong, then he lay down, pulling her into his embrace as he had done every night since they had been at the Praetorian Compound. "I would like that very much, Reasa," he said quietly, his voice thick with emotion.

It was so easy to relax into his embrace, to feel his breath against her neck as she closed her eyes to go back to sleep. She had become accustomed to his gentle touch, to the feel of his strength surrounding her. He didn't press for anything else. He was content to have her close. She had to concede that she had never felt more protected than she did by his side. "I would too, Liam," she answered with a sleepy yawn, snuggling down and allowing sleep to claim her.

*****

"They need a break, Mac. They've been at this constantly for days now. They need to work their physical muscles as well as their mental ones. I found Reasa exhausted in the kitchen last night so hungry it was a wonder her stomach rumbling didn't wake up the entire house. She was too tired to prepare herself anything but her body was demanding it. This isn't a request...I'm telling you they need a day off."

Mackenzie stared hard at Karn as he mulled over his words. The dream walkers had been spending days at a time inside the wounded vampires mind, slowly bringing them back to the here and now. So far, four of them were awake, Brandon included. It was hard not to push for the final two to come back. There was a sense of urgency, like they were running out of time. The longer the vampires were in their coma-like state the harder it appeared to be to bring them back.

"We could lose the last two, Karn. You know that."

"We could lose Liam and Reasa, Mac. Those men lying up there pledged their lives to keeping the Vârcolac safe. If they had a choice in the matter they would tell you to put Liam first, and you know that."

When Karn was so vociferous about something he wasn't about to back down on it. He clearly was concerned for Liam and Reasa's health. Mac sighed and rubbed a hand over his face, finally nodding his agreement. "Fine...but you tell Liam. You know he's not going to like it."

A smile crossed his number two's face and it was all Mac could do not to burst out laughing. There was a saying that an expression said a thousand words, and there was no mistaking the expression on Karn's face. If Liam kicked up a fuss about this decision, he would be butting heads with one of the most intractable men Mac had ever come across.

"Liam will just need to do as he's told," Karn said, turning on his heel to head out of the study.

Lily uncurled herself from the large armchair she was sitting in and crossed the room to slide into her mate's open arms. "I might like to be a fly on the wall for that conversation."

Mac chuckled and kissed the top of her head, inhaling in her wonderful scent. "You'll forgive me if I prefer that you stay away from that one. Anyway, I wanted your help with something else."

She glanced up at him, curiosity shining in the depth of her eyes. "Oh?"

Mackenzie's lips tightened in a disapproving line. "Kothari."

"Ohhhhh." Lily sighed and rested her head back against his chest. "What has he been up to now?"

"He's deliberately freaking out some of the Praetorians. He keeps telling them things they have done or said in the past. How the hell he knows these things is beyond me, but it's starting to make some of my people go out of their way to avoid him. He's deliberately taunting them, Lily, and if he doesn't stop it's going to cause problems."

"That doesn't sound like our Kothi," she laughed, but there was a weary sigh contained in the words. "Have you spoken to Kal about it? He can usually get through to Kothi when he's being particularly difficult."

Mac sighed too, brushing his cheek against her hair to soothe some of his growing irritation. "Kal's out with the wolves most of the time. He appears to be fixated on keeping the compound safe after Reasa's attack."

That made sense when it came to her brother. He always felt so responsible for everything, even when it was something outwith his control. Lily fought down another sigh and then a thought popped into her head that had her pulling out of his arms. 

"I know what we can do to solve both Liam's and Kothi's problems. Come on." Grabbing his hand, she pulled her mate from the study, heading towards the kitchen where there was the sound of a disagreement taking place.

"Kothi, be quiet. This has nothing to do with you," she announced as they entered to see a red-faced Liam squaring up to Karn who appeared just as irritated. "Liam, calm down and sit down." It was so unlike her to be that bossy that both her fellow Vârcolac closed their mouths, and Liam actually sat down.

The room was full of Praetorians who had come to watch Karn lay down the law. It was always gratifying to see him lay into someone other than themselves. Reasa was standing quietly to one side, resting her back against one of the countertops.

Lily let her gaze travel over the vampires present and then she smiled. "Guys, just so you know, Kothari isn't able to read minds. He spotted the Praetorians protecting us long before I ever did. He has been shadowing you since he was a child, listening to everything you've ever said and done. None of the Vârcolac can read minds no matter what they try to have you believe. You will stop teasing them, Kothi, right now."

"Spoilsport," Kothi muttered under his breath as he saw his targets looking at him with less than pleased expressions. He had been enjoying playing with them, fascinated by the increasing level of panic that had been starting to escalate in some of the vampires' eyes. Now Lily had spoilt everything and he would have to find some other way to entertain himself.

"And as for you..." Lily flowed so quickly towards Liam that it took a moment for anyone to react. By the time they did, the large male was lying flat on his back, a dazed expression in his eyes. "You're so slow these days even a girl can put you on your ass. Mental muscle is great, Liam, but it's pointless if you forget to take care of your physical muscle."

"That was just what I was saying," Karn growled, coming to stand beside her. "This dream walking stuff is cannibalising your bodies, Liam. It appears to need a large amount of fuel and what you and Reasa are eating isn't enough for the amount of time you're in other peoples' heads."

Liam's stunned gaze swung towards his mate, shock rippling through him as he noticed for the first time just how exhausted she was. They had slept later than usual today. She should have looked more rested. "I didn't realise..."

"No, because you're too pig-headed trying to save the world to the detriment of yourself and Reasa," Lily berated, her hands on her hips. "If Mac and Karn say no more dream walking today you will damned well listen to them, Liam Eriksson, or I'm phoning your mother and you can explain to her why you're trying to kill yourself. Am I completely clear on both matters?" 

Silence filled the kitchen as her gaze swept from Kothari to Liam and back again. Finally the dark-haired Vârcolac smiled one of his rare smiles, amusement lacing his tone when he nodded his head in her direction. "Yes, Mother."

"Yes, Lily," Liam said, his gaze still fixated on his mate, contrition in every word.

"That's settled then," she smiled, turning her exultant gaze up to her mate who was wearing a smile that contained all of the pride he felt for her.

"You're going to make a wonderful mom," he laughed, gathering her close for a hug.

"If our children turn out anywhere near as difficult as these two, you can sort them out," she teased back.

"Okay, sparring time everyone," Karn announced heading to the backdoor. "We'll start with you two troublemakers. Front and centre!"

"Have you ever seen the Vârcolac spar?" Brandon asked, slipping into step with Reasa as she followed everyone outside. 

She turned her head enough to look at the vampire, taking a careful catalogue of his features. He was handsome as vampires were wont to be, but she wasn't looking for that. Her keen gaze took in the continuing signs of recovery. In a few days' time no one would ever know that he had once been so lost, there had been little hope of him ever waking up.

Following on from her conversation with Karn, she could now detect the vampire's open offer of friendship. She hadn't noticed it before because she had put his attentive behaviour down to gratitude. Now it appeared Brandon genuinely liked her and wanted to spend time in her company. His relaxed demeanour and incorrigible personality was endearing, and she found herself more receptive to the idea of being friends with him that she would have expected.




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 20



"Elina did kick my ass when I first arrived here," she answered drolly. "I am aware of their prowess."

The goofy grin he shot her way almost made her laugh aloud. "Oh, that was nothing. Wait until you see them spar. That's something completely different. Lily sparred with Mac when she first came here and she was magnificent. Then she sparred with Kal and it was so clear how much she had been holding back with Mac. They are so amazing they're mind-blowing. I can't wait to see what Kothari is capable of."

His enthusiasm and interest in Kothari made her feel uneasy. She hadn't seen much of the younger Vârcolac since he had arrived, but she could sense just how dangerous the boy was. One look at him and she knew that there was something very wrong with Kothari. The fact that he made Louis appear like a choirboy was a good indicator of that...and he was about to spar with Liam.

She was unaccountably afraid, so much so that she called out, "Liam!"

His expression was quizzical when he turned to face her, but he halted his progress into the main sparring circle to allow her to hurry over to him. "What is it?"

"Remember what you learned when we dream walked in your mind. You are a multifaceted being, Liam. Do not favour one aspect of your personality over the other."

His brown eyes became more confused, and he reached out a hand to gently place it again her cheek. His expression lightened a little when she didn't automatically pull away. "What are you trying to tell me, Reasa?"

"Do not trust him," she hissed out, her eyes never leaving his. "He is dangerous, Liam. Do not let your guard down."

"Kothari is my friend. He would never deliberately hurt me," Liam countered, totally confused by the fear on her face.

"Listen to me, Liam and hear what I am saying. That boy is the most dangerous being I have ever come across and I have come across many scary things in Europe. He may be your friend, and he may not mean to hurt you, but he is walking a very fine line, I can see it in his eyes. Bring your vampire forward, and don't rely on your wolf. Now is the time to meet fire with fire. Now is the time that you must be whole." 

There was so much foreboding in her voice that for a moment Liam considered cancelling the sparring match. She was truly afraid that something bad was going to happen and the only way to dissuade that fear would be not to fight with Kothi. He couldn't understand why she was so worried though. He couldn't understand what it was she was seeing when she was looking at his friend. The only way to prove to her that there was nothing to worry about was to show her.

"Okay, I will do as you ask, but there really isn't anything to be concerned about, Reasa. It's just a friendly sparring match."

'Just a friendly sparring match,' he'd told her barely five minutes ago and now he was lying panting on his back as Kothari circled in a slow, wide movement. What the hell was wrong with him? His friend had come at him like a demon possessed, kicking, talons slashing, fangs biting every which way he turned. Liam had been so unprepared for the ferocity of Kothi's attack that he'd taken blow after blow until he was knocked down and fighting for breath.

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall," Kothi laughed, but there was no humour in his words, instead, there was a trace of malice.

Liam groaned and pulled himself up to his knees, his eyes narrowing as he glared at his friend. "I thought this was supposed to be a mock fight," he growled.

"I am fighting, and I am also mocking you, so I would say it was," was the sarcastic reply he received, and it only served to send a spike of anger flooding through him.

"He's a cocky little shit," his vampire whispered in his mind. "I think you need me, Liam my boy."

There was something very disconcerting about having his other half address him as if it was a separate being. Liam wondered if this was what insane people experienced as the norm. Shaking his head, he rose to his feet and took a deep breath. "If you want a fight then I guess it's time to give you one, Kothari."

As soon as he'd finished speaking, he quickly coaxed his wolf into a more submissive stance, ignoring the frustrated growl he received from it. Strength surged through his muscles as his vampiric side rose up sharply, and his fingernails turned to wickedly, sharp talons.

"Oh, Liam has a vamp does he?" Kothari laughed again, moving at supernatural speed before he had stopped speaking. He cursed loudly, spinning away as quickly as he'd attacked, holding his side as blood seeped through his fingers.

"Yes, he does, Kothi, and he very much wants to play with you." Holding up two fingers, Liam made a come-hither gesture, his grin turning to one of pure malice. "Let's dance, little boy." 

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." Lily swallowed hard as Liam and Kothari crashed into each other, talons flashing wildly as they barrelled into the treeline. Reasa was sitting forward, her gaze intent on the two sparring males.

"Glorious," she muttered under her breath, causing Lily to turn her gaze from her friends to watch her expressive face.

Thereasa was riveted to the ongoing contest, her expression rapt as she tried to follow the speed at which Kothi and Liam were moving. For a moment, Lily thought she was watching them both, but after a few seconds she could see that Reasa was tracking Liam more than Kothi.

Realisation dawned, and Lily felt a sense of hope building up inside. This was what Reasa knew, what she was most comfortable with. Liam's display of his more vampiric side had caught the former vampire's attention and she was liking what she saw very much. Her friends may come out of the sparring match feeling like they'd been run over by a truck, but Liam was giving his mate the one thing that she needed to finally connect with him; his vampire.

Reasa cried out when Liam swiped his talons across Kothari's face, forcing the younger man to stumble backwards and run a hand across his eyes to clear them of blood. Their wounds healed instantly but their blood got in the way at times. Liam followed up his swipe with a kick to the midriff, catching Kothari off-guard and sending him crashing to the ground.

"Yes!" Reasa jumped up, throwing her fist up high. "Go, Liam!"

Her cry distracted him and Kothi was back on his feet, cutting the legs from the larger man as his head turned to look at his mate. Liam rolled agilely and leapt back up, managing to avoid the fist that was aimed at his neck.

Kothari was wild, attacking him in a flurry of movements so fast it was hard to avoid them. Liam managed to, but it took all of his concentration so he tuned out all external sounds around them. He was panting heavily; feeling the effects of the long days spent sitting by the hospital beds. Kothari didn't have that level of fatigue to slow him down, and he appeared intent on taking Liam's head.

"Kothari!" Liam called to his friend, but he didn't appear to hear him. Talons found purchase in his body and he groaned as they sank into his side. "Kothi! Stop!" He tried again, as he felt his knees buckle under another attack. This time his friend had snapped his left leg and there was nothing to hold him up.

*****

Annoying sounds...buzzing around his head and fuelling his rage. 

"Go away!" 

His prey was weakened...he was almost there. Another moment longer, a quick slice to the femoral artery, and his prey would bleed out so quickly it would be enough to divert his attention. Then his head would be his. Then he would be victorious! 

Kothari's talons whipped downward, scythed through flesh to find the artery he required. The sounds were buzzing louder, the noise unbearable as he closed in for the kill. All breath left his body, as he was suddenly catapulted backward, landing hard in the dirt, the largest deep brown wolf he could remember seeing landing squarely on his chest.

A huge jaw wrapped around his neck in an instant, and he froze where he was, waiting for the inevitable moment to come.

"Kothari!"

The name resounded in his head and he tried to shake it away.

"Kothari, you better fucking answer me because I don't want to have to explain to your parents why I had to take your head. Speak to me! NOW!"

"Kallum...?"

The cold haze of fury that had enveloped him began to clear, and he realised that it was his friend with his powerful jaws around his neck. What the fuck had happened? One minute he'd been teasing Liam and the next he was a hairsbreadth away from death. It was only as the fog continued to clear from his mind that he noticed he was pinned down on all sides by wolves, and Karn and Mac were crushing his legs.

"Kallum?" This time the words croaked out of dry lips, and the large wolf moved away, shifting form back into his friend.

"He's back," Kallum announced, his expression grave as he rose up to tower over Kothari. 

It took another moment for the others to release their hold and move away, their expressions distrustful as they watched him keenly.

"What happened?" Kothi asked, though inside he was quivering with fear. Deep down he was only too aware of what had happened. He had lost control. "Liam..." Panic filled him, fear clawing at his gut as he sat up to find his friend.

Liam was sitting up gently disentangling Lily and Reasa from his large body. "I'm fine. No harm done," he grinned, though his clothes were drenched in blood that could only indicate that he'd had a severe arterial bleed.

"You almost killed him," Kallum ground out, fury dancing across his face as well as concern. "What the hell were you thinking? Does anyone matter to you at all? Is there even one person here that you give a shit about? You've crossed the line this time, Kothari. Rafe is going to have to be informed about this."

"I didn't...I didn't mean to hurt Liam. Kallum, you know how I feel about everyone, about the pack. You're my family." Always before he could count on the Vârcolac to keep him in check. They always had his back no matter what. Now Kallum and his other pack members were looking at him with such distrust. If he lost them...if he didn't have them as his anchor...

"I remember a time not too long ago when we once sparred together, Kal. It got a little out of hand that time too." Lily's quiet words were the only sound for what felt like forever and then her brother let out a long sigh.

"Touché," he muttered, though he still didn't look very pleased.

"There is no harm done," Liam repeated, coming over and reaching a hand out to Kothari. "We're good."

Kothi hesitated for a moment and then tentatively accepted Liam's hand, allowing him to pull him up. "Kal is right. Rafe needs to be informed of what happened. I think it's best if I head back to the pack."

Lily gave him a reassuring smile, laying a hand gently on his arm. "That sounds like a good idea. Why don't you catch up with Dara while you're there. Have her keep you company for a little while. Don't spend too much time on your own, Kothi."

The thought of possibly losing control again and in front of Dara wasn't one he was willing to risk. No, he would speak with Rafe and see what advice his Alpha had to offer. Then he would go home, lock the doors, and stay there until his parents came home. When they did...he would tell them everything. Maybe they would be able to help him. Maybe he didn't have to fight this thing alone...

Turning away, he took off running, flying as fast as he could away from the tragedy that had only barely been averted. He wasn't safe around his friends any longer. He wasn't safe around anyone any more.

*****

"I told you not to trust him."

Liam blinked slowly, watching Reasa pace up and down their room. He couldn't deny that it had been a close call with Kothi but that wasn't what had his full attention. Reasa was concerned about him. Oh, she was berating him and telling him what a fool he was but he didn't mind in the least, because with every word that escaped her lips it was clear that she cared.

"He didn't mean it, Reasa. Things just got a little out of hand."

"A little out of hand?" She stopped pacing to glare at him, her voice deceptively soft. "Just when I was starting to think that maybe, just maybe, my fear of the Vârcolac was unjustified I see that boy almost rip your stupid head off. And all you can do is sit there and say things got a little out of hand?"

"Reasa, I'm fine. You can stop worrying now," Liam sighed, rising and crossing the room. "I'm not concerned about Kothari in the least. Yes, he walks a very fine line and nobody knows that more than I. I have been shadowing his mood swings all our lives. Kothi teeters on the edge but the one thing that always pulls him back is his love for the pack. The fact that Kal got through to him so easily is a testament to that."

She still looked doubtful but that didn't stop a wide grin crossing his face. "You're very vociferous in my favour," he commented, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Startled eyes met his and her tongue snaked out to wet her lips. It was the wrong thing she could have done as it fixated him on her mouth and recalled the memory of kissing her. Liam had relived that moment so many times in his dreams but had been careful about keeping his distance. Oh, he hadn't given any quarter when it had come to sleeping with him. No, he had been quite determined that they would not be separated after spending all day helping the Praetorians.

He had wanted Reasa to be comfortable in his presence, to know and come to expect his touch without fear that it would come to mean some form of sexual advance from him. He had wanted her to get to know him, to see him as a person first and come to trust him. From her reaction to his fight with Kothi, it would appear it had worked. She was concerned about his well-being. She cared.

"Don't try to change the subject, Liam Eriksson. We are discussing your lapse in judgement here." 

She looked totally adorable as she tried to remain stern when all the while she was slowly backing away from him, her hands twisting nervously together. His wolf growled softly and he could have sworn he heard his vampire laughing with glee. They were both enjoying their prey backing herself into a corner.

"Were we?" he asked, a smile teasing at his lips. "I'm more interested in why you feel the need to tell me off. Were you worried about me, Thereasa? Were you really that concerned that Kothi might genuinely hurt me?"

"In case you haven't noticed it does take both of us to help bring back the Praetorians," she countered, emitting a gasp when her back hit the wall. They had been here once before in her room at Freya's home, and that hadn't gone too well in her favour.

"If I recall correctly, weren't you shouting 'Go, Liam.' when I was fighting? Did you like seeing my more vampiric side? I remember he liked you very much when we were talking to him." 

"Liam..." She swallowed hard, her eyes darting away from his.

"Yes, Reasa?"

"Liam..."

He couldn't have stopped himself from kissing her if he tried. She was so beautiful, so intoxicating. Liam claimed her lips in a soft kiss, lightly running his tongue along her bottom lip. Her mouth quivered under his and then she sighed and her lips parted, allowing him entry into the sweetness within.

She tasted heavenly, all hot and spicy, and sweet, sweet Reasa. His hand came up to the nape of her neck, holding her in place so he could plunder her mouth in a kiss so full of passion it felt as if an inferno had ignited between them. His heart kicked up a beat, and his body hardened in an instant as he lost himself in the heady intoxication of his mate.

Reasa tried not to respond to him but it was impossible not to wind her arms around his thick neck and pull his mouth onto hers. Her emotions had been chaotic ever since she had watched Liam fight with Kothi. She had gone from exultation to abject fear in a fraction of a second and her head was still spinning from it.

That had nothing to do with the way Liam's lips teased against hers, the way his tongue flicked inside her mouth and she felt she was being devoured from the inside out. No, her spinning head was from fatigue and too many extreme emotions in such a short period of time...it was.

"Liam." Oh Lord, had she just moaned his name like a besotted woman lost in the throes of passion? Surely that hadn't been her. Surely she wasn't luxuriating in the feel of his hard, well-muscled physique pressing her back against the wall. It was her and she couldn't deny it any longer. She was attracted to Liam; she was more than attracted to him. He had somehow managed to creep past all her defences until there was nowhere she could hide from him.

He knew secrets about her she hadn't shared with anyone else. He was aware of the ugly truth that haunted her days and he still cared, he still treated her with respect and what she now had to concede was the inescapable truth...love. 

Liam, in return, had revealed his own secrets. He had trusted her with what he considered his deepest shame. He was so unlike anyone she had ever known, so free with his thoughts and feelings, hiding nothing behind defensive walls. He stood before her, a gentle giant with so much empathy he had lived his entire pack's pain and joy his entire life. Still that hadn't dissuaded him from opening up to her, from revealing everything and trusting she wouldn't hurt him.

Why was she still fighting him? Why wasn't she just letting him in? She had thrown her lot in with his pack and the vampires here. She had to rely on them for protection as she was human now. It was just the tiniest of steps to accepting Liam's claim on her, and the way he made her feel was proof that it wouldn't be such a bad thing. So, why couldn't she just take that final step...

"Liam." This time his name came out completely different and he responded instantly to the feel of her withdrawal.

Raising his head up, he captured her gaze in his, a query shining in his deep brown eyes. "I know you feel what's between us, Thereasa. Why do you fight it so much?" There was no condemnation in his tone, only open curiosity.

"You know why...you just don't want to deal with it," she replied, pressing her hands against his wide chest, feeling the drumming of his heart against her fingertips. The temptation to curl her fingers against his flesh, to feel his skin against her palms was strong...instead she pushed gently and sighed with relief when he backed away, giving her the space she needed.

"I can't deny that I am attracted to you, Liam. If nothing else, I will always tell you the truth from this point forward. I can't deny that the Vârcolac are not what I first imagined them to be...Kothari notwithstanding. But we cannot forget Pietro in all of this, no matter how much you may wish to believe that it will all work out in the end. Things will come to a head with him and when it does...one of us will most likely die."

"I will not let him hurt you." Liam hissed out the words, fury replacing the sleepy passion that he'd still be lingering under.

"You cannot hurt him, Liam," she countered, walking over to the bed, and sitting down, waiting for him to take a seat beside her. "If you do you will most probably send Cassia rogue and you can't live with that. You will never be able to bear the burden of hurting her, of possibly being the cause of her death by your actions. You know that. You just don't want to face it."

"Then we'll go to Europe and live there. It is your home, what you know."

She wanted to shake him and hug him at the same time. He was so obstinate and clearly not thinking straight. "I'm human, Liam. I would be dead within a week of setting foot on European soil. I have made too many enemies there and you're completely ignoring the fact that Louis will be sending someone here to kill me, if they're not already here."




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 20



He was silent for a long time, staring down at the hardwood floor with unseeing eyes. "Then what do we do, Reasa, because I can't be without you?" he finally asked, turning haunted eyes to her. "You are my mate, the only woman on this planet that owns the other half of my soul."

He was so convinced of that, and the longer she was with him the more she was coming to believe it too. Liam had been so gentle with her, so caring and loving that she had slowly been falling under his spell even as she had fought him with every fibre of her being. 

"I don't know," she whispered, sorrow filling her soul as she gazed back at him. "I don't think there is anything we can do, Liam. All I know is that if we take things any further, the fallout of that will be a thousand times worse than it will be if we don't."

Reasa reached out and took his hand, staring as their fingers tangled together. "You are a good man, one of the best I have ever known. I don't want to be the instrument of your destruction anymore, Liam. Not as I was once convinced that I had to be." It was a huge admission for her and she knew he would be aware of that.

"We'll talk to Rafe and maybe Annie and Caleb," he answered, his tone subdued. "Perhaps they will have better answers for us. Just know this, Reasa...I will not give up on you. I will not give up on us. We are mates and we will find a way to be together." 

His stubbornness was endearing but Reasa knew in her heart that there were no easy answers to their dilemma. She had told him she would tell him the truth, and she would do her best to keep that promise...but her thoughts were already turning to ways to leave the pack, to ways to leave Liam Eriksson before a deeper tragedy could befall the Armand-Hanlon Pack, one that was worse than her arrival.

*****

"Can I help you with something?" Dante eyed the couple who were just crossing over the border to Louis territory, his pale eyes intent as they swept quickly over them. In a fraction of a second he could tell that they were both Ancient, the male being the older of the two.

The female was very beautiful, her long black hair secured in a high ponytail. Her scent told him that she was a were shifter but not of the wolf variety...she was a cat. He'd come across very few cat-shifters in his time, so he was intrigued to see one, especially one that old. The male was pure vampire, his deep auburn hair loose about his shoulder, his surprising lavender eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"We want Michael." It was the vampire who answered, expectation in each word. It was clear he was used to instant obedience, and his companion glanced at him with a small half smile playing across her lips before she turned back to Dante.

"What my mate is trying to say is we're looking for a vampire called Michael. We believe he can be found in this area. This is Louis' territory?"

Dante nodded, there was little point in denying it as they clearly were aware of just where they were. "I think you should most likely speak to Louis personally," he answered, "though I would advise a little more of a cordial tone. He tends to get a little waspish if he isn't accorded the respect he feels he deserves."

"Louis had better have the answers I want otherwise feeling disrespected will be the least of his problems," the vampire retorted, his expression remaining bland despite the open threat in his words.

"Gard," the cat sighed, weary amusement lacing her tone. "You do know that you catch more flies with honey, don't you?" Shaking her head, she smiled at Dante. "He doesn't like being away from his sister for too long. He gets a little tetchy. I'm Rayne, and this is Gard...and you are...?"

"Dante, I am acting as Louis' second in command at the moment. We have been expecting you ever since the troubles in Edinburgh."

Both of them stilled for a moment, their expressions turning carefully neutral. "Best not to mention that," Rayne finally said quietly. "That's a very sore point with us so the least said about it the better. Can you please take us to Louis?"

He hesitated, wondering if it would be wise for them to see Louis and then he turned and headed towards the coven hideout. "Follow me..." Events had to play out as they were destined. Dante had learnt that the hard way.

They were at the smallholding deep within the forest in under half an hour. Dante had taken them the long route to ensure that Louis' spies would have enough time to alert the coven leader to their presence. By the time they arrived inside the large house that was currently the coven's main base, the seats around the makeshift throne were lined with coven members and Louis sat atop the dais, one leg thrown casually over the ornate arm of the throne.

"What have you brought me, Dante...trespassers?"

"This is Gard and Rayne. They have come looking for Michael."

"And what would you have with my coven member?" Louis' casual body language was a carefully constructed artifice. None of his coven were fooled by his stance and neither were his visitors.

"We would have his head for almost killing one of ours," Gard answered, "and we want to know what he has told you about a certain individual who is now in our care."

There was hushed muttering around the room as Louis sat forward, fire dancing in his eyes. "How I punish my coven members is of no concern of those from across the ocean. You have my regrets about what happened to your vampire, but you also have the cause of that issue within your ranks. Neutralise her and I will resolve the Michael problem for you."

Lavender eyes glowed with displeasure, a low growl coming from Gard's lips. "You appear to be under the misapprehension that we are having a dialogue, Louis. This is not up for discussion or bargaining. Give us Michael and we will leave your coven alive." 

"There are upwards of thirty-five vampires here, old one, and only two of you. Do not think your age evens the score. My coven hasn't survived this long and become this strong because we like each other. We are the most feared coven in Europe and you would be best to heed that fact." Venom dripped from each word, Louis' eyes darkening to almost feral as he spoke.

"I only need one to take down this coven though my mate gets a bit cross with me when I have all the fun," Gard countered, his voice so cold that some of the younger vampires present shifted nervously as the tension thickened in the room.

"Well yes I do, honey, but we're not getting very far with this train of discussion. Can I try?" Rayne gave him a sunny smile and that appeared to worry the younger vampires more than her mate's fury. It was clear that they were used to some truly dominant females in their coven.

When he nodded, she turned to Louis, her smile appearing innocent. "We have a message for you, Louis, from Freya Eriksson. She asked us to make you aware that Thereasa is her nephew's mate and therefore now a part of her family. Her exact words were, 'Tell Louis St Geraint, that if so much as one hair on Thereasa's head is harmed because of his actions, or inactions, that I will take a personal trip to Europe to have a little chat with him.' I believe that was verbatim, wasn't it, Gard?"

The silence in the room was deafening. For a long time no one moved or spoke, and then Louis let out a long, deep growl and his face darkened with fury. 

"EVERYBODY OUT!"

The vampires scattered at his roar, panic and fear filling the room as they filed out of every exit possible leaving only Dante remaining. Louis' enraged gaze connected with Dante and he pointed one long taloned finger at him. "Call Michael. Find out where he is and then give them his location." 

Gard shot Rayne a puzzled expression, raising an eyebrow in query. "I definitely need to spend more time with Freya to find out just what all the fuss is about. I don't like knowing that she's scarier than I am."

Louis walked down the steps of the dais, coming to stand before them, his eyes never leaving Gard's face. "I fear no one, old one, but I do respect those who have helped build this coven into what it now is. Freya Eriksson has earned my trust and the right to ask me for a boon. You haven't."

"Then what do we need to do to earn that right, Louis?" Rayne asked, drawing his attention from her mate. "Freya is part of our pack. Your packs may be different over here but where we come from pack is family. Doesn't that count for something?"

Again, silence reigned and then Louis smiled, the first genuine glimmer of humour crossing his face. "Oh, I like you," he laughed, some of the tension leaving his big frame. He thumbed a gesture at Gard, appearing unable to stop taunting the Ancient. "He's lucky to have a mate such as you." 

"Can I kill him?"

Rayne laughed, relieved at the more relaxed tone from her mate. "No, dear, we still have some questions that need answered. It would go some way towards better relations if Louis were to agree to answer them with no direct threat of impending death. Try to play nice."

"What questions?" Louis' interest appeared piqued, or perhaps he really did react better to females than males. Some people did relate better to the opposite sex and there was enough age in the coven leader that he could be one of them.

"I'm particularly interested in why there is so much interest in what's going on Stateside. The European covens haven't been the least interested in us before. Why now?"

"That's something I've been pondering for a long time," Dante commented, entering the conversation for the first time. His gaze was fixed on Louis as if waiting for permission to continue. 

The coven leader finally relaxed more, nodding his head at his second in command. "Dante isn't a permanent member of my coven. If you're looking for answers he is likely the best person to speak to." The coven leader walked over to one of the tables that had chairs in a grouping of four. The others followed him and sat, Gard and Rayne's gaze now on Dante.

Dante was a little concerned about the level of scrutiny he was under and unclear on how much he should divulge in front of Louis. So far, the coven leader appeared receptive to at least Rayne's charms. The message from this Freya woman had wrought an interesting change in his friend's demeanour towards their visitors too.

He took a deep breath and decided to play it by ear. "As Louis has mentioned, I am not aligned with any one coven here. As such, I have been free to travel all over Europe for the last quarter of a century. As I've travelled, I noticed a strange anomaly among the covens, something so unusual that it piqued my interest. The covens were suddenly speaking with a common tongue. They were all turning their gaze across the ocean; they were all muttering about the mixed matings, and how dangerous the hybrid births were."

He paused for effect, letting the words sink in. "Now, that may not appear strange to you but believe me, for us, it's a loud warning bell being rung. I searched everywhere, listened intently to what was being said, but could detect no sign of where this interest originated. The only thing I could determine was the covens were starting to work together."

"You believe there is a central point to this change in behaviour?" It was Louis who asked the question, his gaze intent as he stared at his second in command.

"Louis, you know our people as well as I do. If there is a central or originating point..."

"Then whoever is at that centre is stronger than all of the covens here put together," Louis completed the sentence.

Gard and Rayne shared a glance as Louis growled in displeasure. "Why didn't you tell me this earlier, Dante?"

The nomadic vampire met his angry gaze without flinching. "Until now I wasn't certain that you weren't that central point. You said it yourself, Louis. Yours is the strongest coven in Europe. You were the one who sent Thereasa after de la Rios in Edinburgh. You were the one who was heavy handed with the Amort toxin."

The coven leader jumped up, his chair crashing to the ground as he leaned on the table, fury dancing across his face. "It was supposed to be a simple information gathering exercise. The vampire wasn't supposed to be nearly killed. I didn't anticipate that members of my coven that I had trained personally would suddenly start acting so recklessly and out of character." 

"Then why give them the poison, St Geraint?" Gard thundered, rising to tower over the irate vampire. "Why did you even formulate a toxin that could kill your own kind if not to gain dominance stateside as well as here?"

For a moment Rayne thought the coven leader was going to be foolish enough to attack her mate, but whatever murderous thoughts were crossing his mind, Louis held himself in check, the muscle jumping in the side of his jaw the only outward indication of the strength of will that took.

He ignored Gard's questions, turning to look back at Dante. "Where did you start hearing the first whispers of commonality, Dante? Wherever that was, that is likely going to be closest to the nest of whatever viper we have among us."

"Romania."

Gard stiffened, his expression turning thoughtful as he gazed off into the distance. "You're sure?" he finally asked.

"Yes," Dante answered, watching the redheaded vampire extend a hand towards his mate. 

Rayne took it without question, allowing him to pull her up to her feet. "You suspect something?" she queried, her expression expectant.

"I think it's time we went home," her mate replied, giving her a pensive smile.

"But...we haven't learnt anything, Gard." Rayne's confusion was clear for everyone to see.

"Not that home, Sarayne..." He left the rest of the words unsaid, knowing she would work out what he meant

Realisation slowly dawned across her face and a shiver ran through her slender frame as her gaze locked with his. "I haven't been there since I was still a child. Are you sure about this?"

"I'm sure. It's the only logical place to look. If the first whispers came from Romania, then we have to go there and find out just who is behind all this."

"Do you want to clue the rest of us in on this?" Dante asked, a feeling of foreboding beginning to build as the couple continued to have eyes only for each other.

"There are some things it is best not to know," Gard answered, though he was staring at Louis as he spoke. There was more than distrust in his eyes. He was making it abundantly clear that he didn't want to divulge any more information to the coven leader. 

"You look at me as if I am somehow the cause of all of this. I am just as much a pawn in this game that is being orchestrated by whoever is in charge."

"Tell that to Pietro de la Rios," Gard growled, his eyes narrowing with displeasure. "Tell that to all the other vampires who may have fallen victim to your poison." Looping an arm over Rayne's shoulder, Gard turned away, heading out of the coven's headquarters.

"How enlightening to see that with age comes narrow-mindedness," Louis spat out, fury lacing every word. "Amort isn't my poison, Gard. It isn't even the making of vampires. It was invented by our Were population here. They made it to exterminate our race..."

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 21



 Apologies for the long delay. Hope everyone has a wonderful festive period and keep your eyes peeled...for the remaining chapters :)

Jaz

*****

Pietro closed and locked the main doors to the Dive, knowing he couldn't put off the inevitable any longer. Cassia was upstairs in his apartment, where she had been all night since he'd returned to the nightclub.

He'd stayed away for as long as he could, finally returning when he received a particularly blunt voicemail message from Andrei telling him to get his ass back to work. Now he had to go upstairs and talk to his wolf, even though he had no idea what he was going to say.

What could he say? She had announced that he was her mate and for Cassia, that was the end of any discussion. She was more wolf than vampire, and she followed her animal genealogy. That was what made her so pack orientated. That was why she'd had no choice but to protect Reasa that day. He was finally beginning to understand that a wolf pack wasn't that different from a vampire coven, and his wolf had claimed him as hers.

Sighing, he headed upstairs, still stunned by Cassia's revelation but he supposed that explained many things. Like why he had been ready to rip Fox apart for daring to think he had any kind of claim over Cassia; why he had been so unaccountably drawn to the blonde wolf from the moment he had first laid eyes on her. He had been willing to risk Alexei's wrath to be with her, not to mention Andrei's, and that wasn't something he did lightly.

Cassia was his mate.

He ran the words through his mind, testing them out, examining the emotional appeal to them. They brought forth such strong feelings of belonging, and of ownership, only that wasn't the correct word. No, he didn't own Cassia; he belonged to her, as she belonged to him.

She belonged to him. 

Pietro let himself into his apartment, his gaze travelling over the living area and finding it empty. He knew she was still there...he could scent her in the apartment. A quick check inside the small kitchenette showed it was empty too though there were clean dishes on the draining board.

Crossing to the refrigerator, he opened it, not really surprised to see the food inside it. Cassia must have gone out at some point. She must have taken the back stairs down to the basement exit, which meant Andrei had given her the code to let herself back in. For a moment he wanted to throttle his friend. Andrei was having too much fun at his expense with this one, but then, he had enjoyed himself when Loretta claimed his friend so he supposed he couldn't really complain.

That only left one place she could be and he inhaled deeply before he silently opened the bedroom door. Cassia was curled up on top of the bed, the bedspread half covering her lower body. She was still dressed though it appeared that she'd been asleep for a while. Her curls were tumbled across her face, one arm supporting her head as she slept. She looked so adorable he wanted to cross the room and climb in beside her. He wanted to lose himself in her arms and pretend that they didn't have to deal with all the issues complicating everything.

He couldn't though, he knew that. They had to talk and that meant waking her. Crossing the room quietly, he sat down on the side of the bed, unable to resist the urge to brush her silky curls away from her face. Cassia murmured in her sleep, rolling onto her back as her eyes fluttered opened. "Pietro."

"You shouldn't be here, Cassia. You should be home safe at the compound." He watched the sleepiness leave her face, a small frown marring her forehead.

"I should be wherever you are," she answered, moving to sit up until they were bare inches apart. "I meant what I said earlier, Pietro. You are my mate."

He hadn't expected anything less than the total conviction in her expression. If only it were that simple, though. Pietro couldn't deny the way his heart sped up at the thought of being mated with her, at how much he longed to know that sense of belonging that only true mates experienced. Yet, how could he make her understand just how difficult this was for him? Yes, she was empathic enough to understand, but she didn't appear to see that the issues they faced weren't that easy to overcome.

"Cass...even if that's true; you have to know how impossible this situation is."

"I know there are issues we need to overcome, Pietro, believe me, I completely understand that. What I don't understand is why you're not willing to try. You are so convinced that you will fail at any attempt to compromise that you just don't appear to want to even contemplate it. Don't you feel the mating pull? Am I not worth the attempt?"

If ever there was a woman who was worth just that and so much more, it was definitely Cassia Romanov, but still he hesitated, still he wasn't sure he could be the man that she believed him to be. 

"This isn't about you," he argued, rising from the bed to pace in agitation. "This is about me, Niña. I am not the forgiving kind. I have spent centuries alone, dealing out justice as and when required. Even before Europe I was this man and I don't know how to be anything else." He stopped to look at her, his expression haunted. "I am flawed, Cassia and it has nothing to do with these scars I wear now. I can't forgive, Reasa, not even for you."

Cassia stared at him, hearing the subtle plea in his words. He truly believed everything he said and it was hurting him as much as the feelings of continued rejection were hurting her. She wasn't willing to give up trying, though. She wasn't willing to concede that he couldn't learn to compromise for the good of the pack. He wanted her as much as she wanted him, of that she was certain. Well, she would fight for him; she would be his strength even as he doubted himself.

"I'm not willing to accept that," she finally replied, rising slowly from the bed, her hands placed on her hips. An idea was slowly forming in her mind, something so outside the box it would probably call to the vampire within him.

"I challenge you..."

Pietro frowned, confusion dancing across his face at her sudden change in tactics. "To what?"

"A sparring match, the best of three. If you win, we mate and I live here with you outside the pack. If I win, we mate and you live with me at the compound."

His expression turned incredulous. "I'm not fighting you."

Cassia's head cocked to the side, a small smile teasing her lips. "Scared I will beat you?"

"You're Vârcolac...of course you'll beat me."

She hadn't considered that and her brow puckered as she thought it through. "Okay, that's a valid point. I will promise only to use one part of me, the vampiric side. That way we will be evenly matched; vampire to vampire."

This had his expression turning thoughtful, and she could see that him wavering. He had never seen her vampiric side. That surely had to tempt his own vampire...the urge to see just what she was when she embraced the other half of her nature. 

"Your wolf is your stronger side," he pointed out.

"Exactly, this way it will be fairer to you and I give you my word not to use any magical abilities as well. We will be an even match, Pietro."

His eyes flashed with excitement and for a moment she thought she had him, and then he shook his head. "I'm still not fighting you. I can't, Cassia. It goes against everything I believe in. I'm supposed to protect you whether or not you actually need my protection."

Lord, he was stubborn and utterly frustrating at times. It was all she could do not to let her irritation show. "You're not fighting me. We're sparring. I spar all the time when we're training at the pack. You'll be honing my self-preservation skills."

Cassia could see he was going to continue being stubborn so she opted to take the decision out of his hands. Without waiting for his response, she coaxed her wolf down within herself and slowly gave over more control to her vampire. It was an odd sensation given she didn't typically interact with that half of her psyche on a conscious level. She was surprised to find that doing so was actually quite exciting.

"Cassia, I..." Whatever Pietro was going to say cut off when she leapt towards his, talons extended. He reacted instinctually, spinning out of her way by dropping low and pivoting to the right. 

Wow, he was so fast, faster than she had anticipated he would be. This sparring match may not be as simple as she had first imagined. Still, she would keep to her word. If he won...she would leave the pack, however she didn't have any intention of losing so she would have to beat him fair and square.

"Fine," Pietro growled, anticipation crossing his face, as he watched her closely. "If you're intent on playing, then let's play, Niña." He was countering her attack even before he finished speaking, landing a glancing blow to her arm that she didn't have time to fully deflect. It hurt a bit but didn't inflict any real damage.

She countered with a kick to his side, dancing out of reach before he could counter-strike. He was moving so fast he blurred out of her line of sight before she realised what he intended, and she uttered a shriek of dismay as her legs were kicked from under her and she landed with a dull thud on the carpet.

Pietro landed on her chest, one hand encompassing her throat, pinning her in a submissive position. "One - nil," he laughed, delight shining in his eyes.

He looked so gorgeous as he held her immobile she was almost ready to give up and concede defeat, but her pride wouldn't let her. It wasn't even just about her pride either. Pietro needed the pack more than he knew. He would never completely heal until he had confronted and defeated all his demons from his time in Europe. That meant finding some way to come to terms with Reasa. That meant she couldn't afford to lose to him.

"Best of three remember," she answered, trying to ignore the feel of his hard body pressing so intimately with hers. She wanted to wrap her arms and legs around him until there wasn't even a fraction of an inch between them.

"Yes you did say that," he grinned, jumping up and holding out his hand to help her to her feet. 

He looked so confident, so completely sure of himself that she was tempted to smack his hand away but she didn't. Instead, she accepted his hand and made sure to accidentally rub her body against his. The way his eyes dilated and the sharp intake of breath was all that she needed to tell her he was sufficiently distracted.

Cassia spun to the left, twisting Pietro's arm up his back as she kicked him behind his right knee causing it to buckle from the hard blow. As he gasped and sank to his knees, she brought her right hand around his neck. "One all," she whispered, laughing at his outraged snort.

"I was helping you up! We hadn't started the second round..."

"An enemy does not wait for you to be prepared for his or her attack. They strike in a moment of weakness."

For a moment she thought he would continue to protest and then a wicked smile crossed his face as she stepped back to allow him up. His expression sent a chill down her spine when he turned to face her. "Touché, Niña. I will not make that mistake again."

Oh Lord, she was in for a world of hurt. His eyes told her that she pricked his male ego and any reluctance he'd had about fighting her was a thing of the past. Whoever won the next fight decided their fate. Pietro was determined that he was going to win this one, as determined as she was.

Pietro came straight towards her, so fast that she barely had time to move out of the way. The slight tensing of his right leg was all she needed to tell her he was going to leap, so she dropped low, diving forward into a roll as she did. He jumped and she rolled under through his legs, coming back to her feet facing him at the same time he turned.

Only he didn't pause as he turned, he was flowing back at her in the same movement, and the only thing that saved her was the small armchair to her left that she hit him with.

"Fuck!" Pietro yelled as he took the chair full on to his face, but she didn't stop to see what his reaction was. Cassia sailed over the bed in one leap, grabbing the bedside cabinet and cracking him again as he followed her movement. 

"Oh, Niña, you are so going to pay for that." This time Pietro took a moment to pause, scrubbing blood from his forehead to clear his vision. 

The healer in Cassia noted that the cut on his brow had healed instantly but she didn't let her sigh of relief come out. If he noted that she was even slightly concerned about any damage she may inflict, he would use that weakness against her. He was crafty like that, and she had been around her father and uncle way too long to underestimate a vampire of his cunning. 

"You would have to actually lay hands on me to make me pay, Pietro. You appear to be having a little trouble in that department. Would you like me to tie one hand behind my back? I mean, I did think I had hampered myself enough with the 'no wolf, no magic' offer but it appears my vamp is a little too much for you too." 

Oh, that bit him deep, so much so, he hissed at her, his hazel eye darkening to almost black. It probably wasn't wise to taunt him but she was feeling particularly reckless...or to be more exact her vampiric side was. Cassia had no idea her vampire was so wild. She filed that thought away for later perusal; she needed to be totally focused on the male before her.

"I would have thought Alexei and Andrei would have taught you not to poke a sleeping tiger, Niña. Apparently, they were very remiss in your upbringing. Allow me to educate you..."

"Shit!" Cassia feinted left and then left again as Pietro came at her in a flurry of movements that were so fast she was acting more on instinct than any real evasion skills. She ignored the pain in her side where his talons bit deep, and scrambled backwards as they veered towards her face.

He was cornering her...backing her towards the farthest wall where there was nothing she could use in her defence. If she didn't stop reacting and start acting, he was going to have her boxed in with nowhere to go.

"Dad! No! Wait!"

Pietro spun around at her shriek, cursing as she jumped onto his back, wrapping her legs around his waist and an arm around his neck.

"You little..." He pitched forward, digging talons into her thighs and yanking hard.

Cassia shrieked again but this time it was because she was sailing over his head, heading straight towards the large mirrored wardrobe face first. Oh, crap that was going to hurt. Pietro snaked an arm around her waist and spun her backwards before she hit the glass, the move driving the wind from her body.

He was following her down onto the bed as her back hit the mattress hard, and she knew that if he completed the move, he would win their contest. So she did the one thing that her father had drilled into her since the moment she hit puberty. Cassia brought up her knee and gasped as pain shot through her leg.

The pain was nothing compared to the roar that issued from her vampire as his groin area connected with her knee, his full body weight behind the blow. She didn't hesitate though. She rolled at supernatural speed, her talons wrapped around Pietro's throat, pinning him to the bed as his eyes watered.

"Two - one."

Still sucking air into her sore lungs, Cassia slid from his body and lay panting on her back beside him. For a long time there was only the sound of their laboured breathing, and then Pietro turned his head to look at her. "Alexei or Andrei?"

"Both."

"That figures." 

When he didn't say anything further, she glanced in his direction to find him staring up at the ceiling, his expression giving nothing away.

"I'm sorry. That was a bit of a low blow."

His lips twitched a little, and then his head turned and she could see amusement dancing in his eyes. "No pun intended?"

Now the match was over, she was starting to feel guilty at the underhand tactics she'd used, even if he did appear to find it funny. Dear Lord, she'd broken furniture across his body, not to mention...

"I didn't mean to hurt you." 

"No, you meant to win and you used everything in your arsenal to achieve that. Don't ever apologise for doing what is necessary, Niña. You do what you must to win. No holds barred. Though I must confess being bested by what is technically a Youngling is quite ego bruising, but your vampire...she is spectacular." 

Cassia laughed, her heart still thudding in her chest. "She scared the crap out of me," she admitted. "I didn't know I could be that sneaky."

Pietro half sat up, his head supported by his hand as he looked down at her. "Yes, the Alexei distraction worked excellently. I can't believe I fell for one of the oldest tricks in the book. I almost had you up until that point." Her sheepish grin teased another laugh from him. 

"I didn't know if that would work but it was the only thing I could think of in the spur of the moment."

Pietro's expression turned serious, his finger lightly brushing her cheek before twirling around a golden curl, his gaze intent on the way it clung to his skin. "You're completely certain?"

Cassia knew what he was asking her. "At first I wasn't," she admitted, because he deserved nothing but the truth from her. "My wolf appeared undecided and that confused me for a while but now she has claimed you. You are my mate." 

Her wolf didn't know. He didn't think that was possible, not from what he'd learned about Weres over the centuries. Cassia's honesty was refreshing, but there was something she was holding back.

"When did you know for sure?" He asked the question but deep in his heart he already knew the answer. He could still hear the mournful howl of the wolf that day, when he had rejected the woman lying beside him...when he had accused her of betraying him.

"Does that really matter, Pietro? We belong to each other. That's the only thing that matters."

She was letting him off the hook, granting him forgiveness for the harsh words he'd said that day. It would have been so easy to accept her generosity but he had never been one to take the easy route. "It matters, Cass...to me. That last day at the compound, I was so consumed with the need for revenge. I was more than aware of what the pack meant to you, and yet, I still said those things to you, accused you of betrayal."

Sitting up, Cassia pushed him backwards, until their positions were reversed and she was the one leaning over him. "I understood. It just took my wolf a little longer to and as you know I tend to follow my animal as opposed to my vampiric side. For a short time I needed to allow my wolf to come to terms with your rejection but I was never in any danger of going rogue. I don't think the Vârcolac can go rogue, not in the same sense that a Were can. I was hurt but I was never in any danger, Pietro. I need you to believe that."

His beautiful wolf was reassuring him when he was the one who had caused her so much anguish. Everything she had ever done since the first moment they'd met was to think of his needs, to put him first and he had selfishly lashed out and hurt her. She deserved someone so much better than him, someone with far less emotional scars. 

"You did not just say that," Cassia laughed, her curls tumbling around her face as she shook her head. "My dad and uncle are two of your best friends."

He hadn't realised he'd said the words out aloud until she started laughing. Yeah right, who was he trying to kid? She'd grown up surrounded by two of the most emotionally challenged vampires he'd ever known and she'd still turned out pretty amazing. Taking him on would be a piece of cake after that.

"You're not going to be dissuaded, are you?" The fierceness that blazed from her eyes was the only answer he needed, her possessiveness making his heart stutter. She was claiming him, and he couldn't deny that he wanted that as much as she did. Cassia had such faith in him, such belief that they could conquer anything as long as they were together. He'd be a fool to walk away from the love she was offering him, and though he may have acted foolish in Europe, he had no intention of continuing that streak.




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 21



"I love you, Cassia Romanov." Just saying the words out aloud felt surreal, but he knew they were true, and had been for a long time. When had she crept into his heart? He didn't know. He was just aware that she was firmly embedded there and always would be. Cassia was his heart and soul. She completed him in every way possible, and he would do whatever it took to have a future with her. He would even try to forgive Reasa, because if he couldn't at least try, he may lose his feisty wolf, and he couldn't imagine not having her in his life.

Cassia's breath caught as he uttered the words she'd longed to hear, his mismatched eyes glowing with such fierceness it took her breath away. Her beautiful vampire was surrendering; he was willing to compromise for her. It brought tears to her eyes that he could lay himself vulnerable to her after all he'd been through. She knew it wasn't easy for him and that he was willing to try to be with her.

"I love you, Pietro de la Rios," she whispered back leaning down until their lips almost touched, and she could feel his breath teasing her mouth. It set her heart fluttering in a way nothing else ever could. The emotions threatening to overwhelm her in that moment were reserved exclusively for the glorious male lying beneath her. As she exhaled slowly, he sucked her breath into his mouth. When he did the same, she breathed him into her soul.

"One breath...one heartbeat. My soul is yours for eternity. Will you mate with me, Pietro? Will you complete me?" Her voice hitched as she asked and she held her breath as she waited, her wolf peering from the depths of her questing eyes.

"What is it you wolves say when you claim your mates?" The deep rumble of his voice didn't hide the possessiveness of his gaze.

"Mine..."

Pietro snaked a hand around the nape of her neck, stealing that last agonising inch that separated them. His touch was gentle, teasing...a slow rubbing of lips in a kiss so tender, her tears overflowed.

"Mine," Pietro growled into her mouth, licking the salty wetness on her lips. "You were always mine, Niña, from the very first moment I laid eyes on you."

Her wolf howled its glee, rejoicing in their mate's acceptance. He was finally theirs. He was finally hers. It was as if she had lived only for this moment, and she was going to remember every single second of it. She had her mate. She had her beautiful vampire.

"I don't know what to do," he whispered against her lips, his vulnerability so endearing her heart felt as if it would burst with love for him. 

"Then let me lead," she answered, pulling back so she could read every emotion flickering across his face. "I promise you will enjoy it."

Pietro started to laugh, excitement shining from his eyes, mixed in with love, and healthy dose of lust. "Oh, I have no doubt that I would, Cassia, though I am not so sure how good I will be in the submissive position. It doesn't come naturally." 

The sultry expression that crossed her face sent his blood pressure sky high, the wicked smile curving her lips made his body pulse with the need to be buried inside her. "That's okay, lover. I can hold you down if required. I am Vârcolac after all."

Ordinarily the thought of not being the one in control was total anathema to him, however the way his wolf was looking at him right now...hell yes she could do whatever she wanted if it meant she'd pour her luscious body all over his. "I'm all yours, Niña." Was that really his voice? The words practically purred out of his mouth and from the dilation of Cassia pupils, he could tell she liked them.

"Of course." 

Cassia's smile turned even more wicked if that were at all possible. He was about to comment on it when his T-shirt ripped down the centre and the cooling air of the bedroom whispered across his bare chest. His heart thudded loudly, his cock flexing in the confines of his jeans. His wolf looked like she wanted to eat him all up, and he wasn't one to deny her base instincts.

Gentle fingers touched his brow, tracing the scar down his face, lingering on his neck where his second scar met with his shoulder. Cassia frowned as she touched the ridged flesh, golden highlights reflecting in her eyes signalling her wolf was very much present. 

"Sacrilege," she growled quietly, a hint of fury lacing the word. "This belongs to us. This is where we make our mark. It sends my wolf insane with rage that someone laid hands on you, that someone desecrated what is ours."

"Then claim it back," he commanded, surprised at the wealth of emotion in each word as he raised one hand to place it over her trembling fingers. Until this moment, he had never wanted anything so badly in his life. He wanted to sooth her wolf's fury. He wanted to feel her mark him so that it would eradicate the memories attached to that scar and replace it with something so beautiful, that those memories would never haunt him again. "I am yours, my wolf, now and for eternity."

"Mine!" Cassia slithered down his body, her lips tracing butterfly kisses against the scar on his cheek, down the hard curve of his jaw, along scarred flesh of his collarbone. Her touch was light, teasing and it made his hips flex upwards, his body seeking the ultimate blending of their souls.

"Greedy boy," she laughed against his skin, kissing her way over his chest, her tongue snaking out to lick and taste him. 

Each touch was an exquisite torture, each caress a pleasure like none other. It was difficult to lay there and allow her to do as she wanted, but he was determined to let his sultry wolf have her way with him. This was her moment; this was what her wolf needed. When they mated together, he wanted it to be the most magical experience of her life.

Her lips grazed his stomach, forcing him to suck in a deep breath. The evidence of his need was outlined brazenly against the fabric of his jeans, and he jumped when he felt a lone talon measure his length in the slowest of motions he could imagine. "Cassia..."

"Yes, Pietro?"

How the fuck could she sound so sexy and innocent at the same time? The witch was playing with him and loving every moment of it, and he had to admit to himself that it was excruciatingly erotic to be on the opposite side of this kind of foreplay. Perhaps he would allow her to do this again sometime...but not too often.

"You're playing with fire, Niña."

Sensual laughter greeted his words, and his patience and blood pressure reached fever pitch.

"Then I guess you should burn me, my beautiful vampire..."

His jeans shredded under her talons and he uttered a low curse. Before he could move he felt her hot breath tease his flesh and then her tongue licked slowly up his throbbing cock.

"I think I need to kiss you better. I did hurt you here." Her muffled laughter cut off as she swallowed him down, his hips rocking up to meet the glorious heat of her mouth.

"Cassia!" He roared her name out, clutching at the bedspread to stop his hands fisting in her curls and pull her mouth more fully onto him. This was her moment and he had to give it to her. He had to let her see just how much he loved her, what he was willing to do for her.

It was sweet torture though, pleasure, and pain all mingled into one. She kept her touch teasing, always promising more, but never fully delivering. Every nerve ending felt alive, his desire stoking higher and higher with each flick of her tongue, each slow stroke of her mouth over his straining flesh. Was this what it felt like when he loved her, when his hands and mouth danced over her soft skin drawing every nuance of pleasure he could? If it was she was getting payback in the bucket load, and he had to concede that it was highly erotic to experience her brand of vengeance. 

Her wicked mouth worshipped every inch of his throbbing cock, sliding smoothly up and down in a slow rhythm that had his heart pounding so wildly he could hear the echo in his ears. Soft hands travelled up his thighs, coming to cup his heavy sacs, squeezing them in tandem with her suckling. 

Dear Lord, he was ready to blow, helpless against her dual assault. She took him completely into her mouth, pressing her wet heat down until he slid down her throat and she massaged his balls firmly. Pietro roared loudly, the sinewy muscles in his neck straining as he threw his head back and exploded. She sucked and squeezed, swallowing down his essence greedily, humming with pleasure as he emptied himself into her willing mouth.

It was the most amazing thing he had ever experienced. He had heard tales before of how being in love totally changed lovemaking, how that emotional bond heightened the pleasure, made each orgasm so much more intense. He'd never believed it, always having been satisfied with his previous sexual experiences. Now he knew the truth of it. Now his climax was both a physical and emotional release, and he had eternity to lay with his wolf like this.

Cassia crawled back up his body, one small hand stroking his semi-hard cock back to full hardness as she kissed him deeply. He could taste himself on her lips but he didn't care. It was so erotic to know that the mouth he was devouring had loved him so intimately, that allowing her to pleasure him that way had brought her as much pleasure as it had him. "You're so wicked," he chuckled against her lips.

"I'm about to get a whole load wickeder," she laughed, sitting up and pulling her shirt off in one move, freeing her breasts to his greedy gaze. 

His hands rose to cup them and she slapped them away playfully. "You don't get to touch unless I give you permission. Now be a good boy and put those hands behind your head." She was rising as she spoke, snapping the button of her jeans, and slowly lowering the zipper as he obeyed her.

Lust and laughter danced in her eyes as she wiggled the denim down her hips, taking her panties with it. The bed shook precariously but she managed to keep her balance as she undressed. When she was finished, she stood above him, her heart beating a wild tattoo as she watched the naked lust in his eyes roaming over her body.

"Come here," he growled and she wagged her finger at him as she laughed again.

"This is my party, remember. We play my way or not at all."

"Seriously?" Pietro let out a pained groan, frustration building up inside. "You're killing me here, Cassia. Let me love you."

Slowly sinking to her knees, she straddled his body, pressing her wet heat against his hard length. They groaned in unison, Cassia's hands coming to rest on his chest as she teased him with her body, slow languid strokes against his cock imitating what was to come.

"I can't stand much more of this," he warned, his nostrils flaring at the heavenly aroma of her arousal. He meant it too. If she didn't slide herself onto his cock right now he would roll her over and take her hard and fast as he craved to do.

Cassia delighted in teasing him, thrilled at seeing the hint of desperation beginning to shine in his eyes. This is what he did to her, how he made her feel when he loved her so dominantly. She knew the torturous build up only heightened the sexual experience, so she continued to grind herself against his cock with deliberate movements.

A scant second before he lost all patience with her, she rose above him that tiny bit higher and slowly slid his cock into her hot core. Oh god, he felt so hard, so thick and strong within her body. It was as if this was the first time they had lain together. The feel of him filling her so completely was the most erotic thing in the world.

Pietro kept his hands behind his head though she could tell from the corded muscles in his neck that she probably didn't have too much time left to enjoy her position of dominance. It didn't matter if he failed her demands. What mattered was that he was willing to give her this moment. That he was willing to acknowledge that though he may control their sexual play, he still respected her as his equal.

Rising slowly up and down, she enjoyed her moment, riding his body in a dance older than time, and more beautiful than the most exotic work of art. Cassia made love to her vampire with her heart, body, and soul, showing him what he meant to her, what would always be his for eternity.

He couldn't take it anymore, he just couldn't. Cassia was sheathing his cock so erotically, her breast swaying with each movement that it was inciting his blood lust to rise. He needed to taste her. He had to touch her soft skin and lick her all over before suckling her life's essence into his eager mouth. 

Pietro raised his upper body up, his arms snaking around her back as his lips zeroed in on one hard nipple and he sucked it deep into his mouth, flexing his hips at the same time to drive himself in deep. He couldn't get a good angle in this position so he lifted her off him, moving to rest on his knees.

"This is your seat I believe, my lady." The roguish grin he shot her turned into a muffled groan as he pulled her back astride him, sliding her back onto his throbbing cock. 

Cassia's breath gasped out as she wrapped her arms around his neck and accepted him eagerly. "Oh! I believe you are right," she giggled breathily, pressing down to meet his upward movement. "That feels...perfect."

"Hold tight, Niña."

It was all the warning she got before he took full control of their joining, bucking into her body with hard, fast strokes, sending liquid fire racing through her veins. She was soaring through the heavens, pleasure crashing over her with each deep thrust he gave her.

"I can't wait..." he gasped, his fangs already lowered, desperation in his eyes.

She understood what he meant. Her wolf was baying for her to claim him, urging her to mark him as theirs. Cassia licked at his collarbone, licked against his shoulder. She nibbled at the scar that desecrated their territory, a low growl escaping her.

"Be mine forever, Pietro." 

"Always."

Cassia felt the heat of her climax building, her body moving faster and harder as she rode her beautiful vampire. She was almost there, almost ready to soar as her passion exploded over her. With another growl she whispered, "Mine." Her teeth sank into his skin, as he slammed into her hard and she shattered, her vision obscured by a kaleidoscope of colours dancing behind her eyes.

Pietro's fangs sank into her neck, his body pulsing thickly as he emptied himself into her. She climax again, shuddering wildly as he clamped her body to his and drank from her neck, completing the mating ritual and nourishing his still healing body.

Pietro continued to rock into her, mindless to anything but the feel of her wet heat fluttering around his cock and her hot blood flowing down his throat. It had always been good between them but this moment transcended everything they had ever experienced and he didn't want it to end.

"Cassia...oh God, Cassia."

"I know," she gasped out between panting breaths, holding him against her as he kissed the side of her neck, their bodies still joined. Her wolf was ecstatic, preening itself now that they had claimed their mate. She wanted to laugh at its antics but didn't think Pietro would see the humorous side if she did.

Pietro knocked away the remnants of the broken chair that was on his pillows and gently laid her down on the bed, lying on his side so they were facing each other. "Is it done?" He wasn't sure if he was supposed to feel a wolf inside him or something now she had bitten him. He didn't feel any different so he was worried that maybe it hadn't worked.

"Oh yes," Cassia smiled, her gaze dropping to the spot where she had bitten him. Her smile faltered and a frown furrowed her brow, her hand reaching out to touch his skin. "That's odd."

Her concern made him uneasy. "What is?"

"My mark...it hasn't healed." When he shot her a blank look she sat up and he followed her. "Usually the physical mark disappears though the psychic bond remains. Yours should have too but it's still there."

Rising to look in the mirror, he saw what she meant. Where she had bitten him across his scar, there was a clear impression of her bite mark. When she said it hadn't healed she hadn't been entirely accurate. The bite mark looked as if it had been there for years. It had technically healed...it just hasn't vanished. It had to have something to do with the scarred area of his body. Something about the Amort toxin had altered those areas of his body so that they would never truly heal.

Seeing Cassia's uncertain expression in the mirror tore at his heart. She was probably afraid that he'd view this as he viewed his other imperfections. She couldn't be further from the truth though. Crossing back to the bed, he pulled her into his embrace, capturing her gaze with his and refusing to allow her to look away.

"I'm glad," he said gruffly, emotion making his voice sound huskier than usual. "I want to wear your mark, Cassia Romanov. I am proud to wear it and don't you ever think otherwise."

"You're sure?"

For an answer he kissed her, long and slow, and with so much love that she would never doubt how much she meant to him. When he let her up for air they were both breathless. "I'm sure."

Pulling Cassia down beside him, he covered them with the bedspread and held his mate close. She was his now...for eternity. They were joined together and no one and nothing would ever come between them.

"Sleep, Niña, while you can because I know I'm going to want to sample your sweet body again in the very near future."

"Greedy, vampire," she laughed, cuddling close and wrapping her arms and legs around his hard length. "Let's see who wakes who first."

Pietro burst out laughing, kissing the side of her neck before closing his arms and inhaling her sweet fragrance. "You're on..."

*****

"Thank you, Liam, Reasa. What you've done for the Praetorians will be remembered." Mac's expression was earnest as he shook first Liam and then Reasa's hands. 

Lily was standing beside him, beaming with happiness. As usual, she threw formality to the wind and smothered them in affectionate hugs. "I am so jealous I can't dream walk," she laughed, ignoring Reasa's stiffness as she hugged her tightly.

The former vampire appeared uncomfortable with the open affection but she didn't pull away.

"I'm still trying to come to terms with the fact I clearly have a weak mind to be affected in the first place," Brandon grumbled from below them where he waited at the Jeep. Despite his words there was open amusement on his face as the couple walked down the steps towards him.

"I'm sorry." Liam apologised for what had to be about the one hundredth time, earning him a glare of reproof from the vampire.

"How many times do we need to tell you to can that shit, Liam? We signed up for this duty and not one of us regrets it. Hell, we got at least a week off from that torture Karn calls training. You did us a favour." Brandon grinned at the blond vampire as he spoke, his irreverence drawing a dark scowl in his direction.

"Glad you enjoyed it, boy, because you've got a week to make up for. I'll see you all around back in half an hour." Karn flashed his own grin at the younger vampire, more than a hint of malice in it.

Brandon groaned and rolled his eyes as the others laughed, Liam included. Karn was going to work their asses off, but to see the last shards of guilt fade from his friend's expression was enough of a reward for what they'd be subjected to. He couldn't leave it at that though...he wouldn't be Brandon if he did.

"So, just to assuage my curiosity...can you explain to us why we even need the Praetorians anymore? I mean, it's not as if the Vârcolac need any protection. They could take us out with probably only one or two of them breaking any kind of sweat."

It was a valid question despite the fact it was asked in jest. Karn didn't answer, though he did look to Mac. The Praetorian leader's expression was relaxed, his arm wrapped around his mate.




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 21



"We were originally tasked to protect the Vârcolac, that is true," he answered. "However, the Vârcolac call the pack their home, and as such, that makes the pack ours to protect by default. Until the Triumvirate give us a new task, we continue as we are. We will be vigilant and on call to either the Armand-Hanlon Pack or the Hanlon Pack. We will help to guard them from all intrusions be they local or from Europe. Our job is not done here; it has merely morphed into a new one. So I suggest you get your ass out back and get training, Brandon."

He laughed as he said the last bit, genuinely fond of the young male his mate had chosen to be her closest friend. It was hard for anyone not to like Brandon, and anyone who made his Lily smile was a friend of his.

Brandon mocked saluted, and winked at Lily before he jogged around the house to do as he was bid.

"That boy is nothing but trouble," Karn groused, though he was smiling as he said it.

"That's funny, because he reminds me of you when we first met," Mac countered, drawing an irritated snort from his second in command.

Liam smiled at the banter, a feeling of sadness coming over him that they were leaving the tight knit community. He'd enjoyed his time there and he could see the good effect it had had on Reasa too. She had loosened up a lot, her walls starting to come down as the Praetorians had welcomed her into their home. Perhaps he would talk to Rafe about allowing them to return to the compound when the threat from Europe has been dealt with. He wouldn't mind living with the Praetorians.

"Time for us to head back," he announced, opening the Jeep door so Reasa could climb in. "If you need us for anything, let Rafe know and we'll come back."

"You both have our thanks, Liam," Mac answered, a large smile on his face. "You're welcome here anytime."

Starting the engine, Liam headed back towards the pack compound. Reasa was quiet beside him, the silence deepening the closer they came to pack lands. He could see her shutting down as each mile passed and he wanted to curse out aloud. He couldn't face taking a backward step, not after the way she'd allowed him closer up at the Praetorian Compound.

"Do you want to return to Freya's home when we get back?" He asked the question even though he didn't want to hear the answer. If she retreated from him, he didn't know how he was going to reach her again. When she didn't answer straight away he glanced sideways to see her staring out the side window at the passing trees.

"Thereasa?" Her head turned and he couldn't make out what she was thinking. It set his heart plummeting into his stomach. She had retreated.

"Would your mother be agreeable to me residing in her home once more?"

It was the last thing he'd expected her to say, her response surprising him so much he stepped on the brakes to bring the car to a halt. Unclipping his seatbelt, he turned to face her. "Is that what you want? Think about it before you answer, Reasa. I only want you to say yes if it's what you truly want."

"It is what I want," she answered, her expression remaining neutral. "I find I have become accustomed to spending my days and nights with you, Liam. I do not want that to end."

She wasn't declaring she was ready to mate with him, but it was the most hopeful news he could have expected at this point. Liam would have let her go if she'd asked it of him. He was just glad that he didn't have to. He smiled slowly, his heart feeling suddenly lighter. "I am sure my mother will be agreeable to you staying with us again. I know she hasn't been exactly welcoming, but you have to understand that she's only concerned about me. She's very protective."

"Ashleigh's reaction is one of the things I do understand," she sighed, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. "You have an incredibly amazing mother, Liam Eriksson. She would walk through fire for you, and lay down her life for you. Being truthful, I am in awe of her. If only my mother had been the same then perhaps my life would have turned out differently."

When she didn't say anything further, Liam restarted the engine and continued on, a huge smile on his face. Things would get better, he just knew it. His mom was an amazing woman and it filled him with joy that his mate could see that too. Now, he just needed to convince his mother to see how amazing his mate was. He was convinced he could do that, even if it might take a little time.

Reasa remained silent with her eyes closed until they pulled up in front of his home. Her gaze turned apprehensive for a moment, her body stiffening when the door opened and his parents came outside.

"Liam, you're home." Ashleigh gathered her son close, laughing as he picked her up and gave her a huge bear hug. "You did it. You brought them back. I'm so proud of you, honey."

"Yes, you both did." Nors smiled as he held the car door open for Reasa to step out. "You've done an amazing thing, Thereasa. Thank you."

She appeared startled by his warmth, a blush crossing her cheeks as she looked away. "Liam did all the hard work. I merely helped him to finesse his phenomenal strength."

"Nonsense, you worked just as tirelessly as I did," Liam countered, moving to her side. "And you didn't have the luxury of healing from the physical wounds our bodies took while we were dream walking. Not once did you complain about it. In fact, you never mentioned it once to me. Elina had to tell me that she was healing you while we were working to bring the Praetorians back."

"Your bodies took physical damage?" Ashleigh gasped, concern spreading across her face. She was aware that Liam wouldn't have been in danger but Thereasa was human now. "Are you okay? Should we call Mallen over?" Her concerned gaze was directed at the former vampire who appeared to shrink even further into herself.

"I am unharmed," she muttered, looking everywhere but at the woman in front of her.

"Come on, let's get you inside before the rest of the pack come out to be nosey. They're still talking about your departure last week, and some of the younger heads still need to cool off a bit. Nors, grab their packs. Have you eaten yet? I can put on some breakfast." Ashleigh ushered the couple inside as her mate did as she bade.

Reasa turned perplexed eyes to Liam, unsure of how to react to suddenly being mothered by the woman who would have quite happily have seen her rot the week before. He shrugged but grinned happily. 

"Just go with the flow, Reasa. There's no stopping her when she gets in one of her 'mothering' moods."

"I heard that, Liam Eriksson!"

He laughed loudly. "You were meant to, Mom."

Liam retrieved their packs from his father. "I'm going to head up to my room with our stuff. I take it there's no problem with Reasa staying with us again?" He threw the question out light-heartedly though his gaze was fixated on his mother's reaction.

His parent shared a brief look and then his father smiled. "I'll give you a hand, son." 

There was no mistaking the fact that he meant for them to leave the women alone for a while to have a 'talk'. Liam wasn't so sure if Reasa was up for that but his father's expression told him that he didn't really have a say in it. With a resigned sigh, he followed him out of the kitchen.

Reasa didn't know what to do when Liam left her alone with Ashleigh. For want of anything better to do she sat down at the breakfast table, tensing a bit when Ashleigh sat down across from her. The blonde Were eyed her speculatively for a moment before she gave her a half smile.

"There's no need to look so concerned, Thereasa. Wiser heads than mine have prevailed." Ashleigh paused, looking down at her joined hands resting on the tabletop before she looked back at the former vampire.

"I love Liam with all my heart," she began, that love blazing from her eyes. "His happiness is the most important thing to me and for a time, I wasn't able to see that too clearly. I was too busy being a mother reacting to her child being in harm's way that I didn't want to see in you what he saw. The only thing that registered with me was that you tried to kill him."

She paused, letting the words sink in. "I'm not going to lie to you, Thereasa. I am still working on that and it may take me a while to fully forgive you for hurting my son. However, I am willing to try to see past it."

Reasa knew it had to be hard for her to say that, and it was probably more than she deserved. She nodded her acceptance of Ashleigh's position. "If it is of any assistance, I do regret that action now, Ashleigh."

Brown eyes searched her face for a long moment, and then there was a softening to Were's expression. "I can see that," she conceded. "I think I even believed it before you headed to the Praetorian compound. I just wasn't ready to have this conversation with you. I needed some more time to work through the emotions I was going through."

"You were a mother protecting your child," Reasa answered, her body still tense indicating how uncomfortable she was with the situation. "I respect and understand your position. If our circumstances were reversed, I would have reacted exactly as you did. You are a good mother to Liam."

Ashleigh laughed, but there was no humour in it. "No, I was a selfish mother, afraid of losing her son. The relief at knowing the Vârcolac were immune to your poison was quickly tempered by Liam claiming you as his mate. In my mind, you had failed to take my son away from me in one way, but were instead going to take him from me in another. No one knows the mating call of a Were better than I do. There is no stronger pull in the universe and Liam follows his wolf. That I rejected his claim and made your time living here untenable is not the act of a loving mother."

Reasa had expected her time at the Eriksson house to be more of the same when it came to Liam's mother, but this unexpected admission left her in confusion. There was a bitterness to Ashleigh's tone but it wasn't directed at her. Instead, it was directed inward and that wasn't what she'd expected to encounter at all.

Hesitantly, she reached out, placing her hand over Ashleigh's. She had done so instinctively and was further confused when the Were didn't pull away but instead turned her hands around to capture her's in a tight grasp.

"I do not find you at fault for your treatment of me, Ashleigh. I am aware of how much importance you hold in Liam's heart. It is hard not to as I have walked in his memories and seen the love his family have given him throughout his life."

Reasa blinked slowly, trying to find the words she was looking for. "I am not good at this kind of thing," she admitted, "but what I do know is Liam has a huge heart, full of so much love and forgiveness. I believe he receives that from you, his mother. Do not hold onto a past action that is but a mere fraction of a second in comparison to the wealth of moments where you have excelled yourself. You do yourself a disservice if you do."

She had never known she had such eloquence or such inclination towards forgiveness. Clearly, Liam was rubbing off on her because she was astounded to find that she meant everything that she said and that she truly did want to assuage the self-loathing she was seeing in the other woman's expression.

"I am ashamed, Thereasa," Ashleigh whispered, a lone tear falling as her grasp tightened. "Yes, you came here with ill intent but I allowed myself to be blinded by that fact and I failed to see how much you have grown in your time with us. I let hate dominate my heart and I have hurt my family by doing so. It has taken me a while but I am starting to accept that Liam can never be happy without you in his life."

Something twisted in Ashleigh's heart as she said the words; the knowledge that she was part way to forgiving and that it didn't make her a bad mother if she did. Liam had chosen this woman to be his life's mate, and now she was really seeing her for the first time, perhaps that wasn't as bad a choice as she'd once believed. "You are welcome in my home, Thereasa. For however long you wish to remain here."

Did miracles happen? Reasa had never believed in them before but sitting here with Liam's mother was a revelation that astounded her. Ashleigh was willing to welcome her into her home and into her family. Though she hadn't said the latter words, the implication was there. She swallowed hard to dislodge the lump that was suddenly clogging her throat. "I am grateful for your generosity, Ashleigh." She couldn't think of anything else to say.

The blonde Were scrubbed at her wet cheeks, rising from her seat as she did. "How about we start again and see how we get on? Make a fresh start for both of us? We both love Liam so we have a strong foundation of commonality."

Reasa nodded her agreement a split second before what Ashleigh had said fully penetrated her brain. Her heart sank, shock rocking through her body as the full import of what she'd just done registered. She had just admitted to Ashleigh that she was in love with Liam! Now that the thought was out there, she wasn't able to take it back and deny it. She couldn't avoid it, couldn't pretend it wasn't there. Somehow she had fallen in love with Liam Eriksson and she didn't know what to do about it.

How could she leave him now? Leaving was the only solution to the problem she had been able to come up with and she'd had to go and make it so much worse by falling in love with Liam? She had done nothing but bring irrevocable harm to the pack and their vampire friends. Louis was out to kill her, of that she had no doubt, which meant she would continue to bring harm to the very people who were now welcoming her into their lives.

She couldn't be responsible for that, she just couldn't. Liam would have to understand. He had to let her go and not come looking for her. It was the only way the pack would ever be truly safe. 

The sound of Liam and his father coming downstairs shook her out of her reverie and she absent-mindedly answered a question about food that Ashleigh had just asked her. By the time the two males entered the kitchen, Reasa's expression was carefully neutral, no indication of that had just occurred visible to see.

She remained quiet as the family interacted, accepting the food placed in front of her and playing with it rather than eating. She felt sick to her stomach and nothing could have convinced her to eat anything. For the most part, they didn't appear to notice, and she almost let out a sigh of relief when the plates were cleared and Liam and his parents rose from the table.

"Just how bad are things with the younger pack members?" Liam was asking his father as they stood.

"Aaron has them out patrolling the south side of the compound. He's been tiring them out so they don't have too much time on their hands to think. The signs are that it's working already. Quite a few of them have calmed down." Nors held his son's gaze. "Cassia has mated though. She's returning to the pack later today with Pietro."

Liam frowned, concerned brown eyes turning to Reasa. The last time they had all been in the pack together Pietro had tried to kill her. Hopefully now the vampire has mated, some of Cassia's pack orientation may have transferred to Pietro.

"I have to go meet with Rafe now to let him know how we got on at the Praetorian compound," he finally said with a half-smile gracing his lips. "As it's pretty quiet right now around here, why don't you stretch your legs a little and go for a walk around the compound, Reasa? It would probably be best not to head south though."

Thereasa couldn't believe what she was hearing. Not only was Liam giving her permission to wander around alone but also his parents weren't objecting. Could she really walk around unescorted? Would this be her opportunity to slip away unseen while their guard was lowered? Just the thought of disappearing made her want to weep but knowing the harm coming their way made her heart break even more. She couldn't allow Louis to hurt any member of this pack because of her. 

"If that would be permissible, I would like to see more of the pack," she answered, keeping her voice carefully modulated not to show any sign of her tumultuous emotions.

"Just don't go too far," Liam answered, his smile widening. "There are patrols around all the boundary lines so if you see any wolves out there, do what they indicate they want you to do."

His caution made sense, though she was going to do her best to avoid any wolves she came across. If luck was on her side she could slip passed them. Thanking Ashleigh for breakfast, Reasa kept her emotions locked down tight and headed outside with Liam, walking with him to the Alpha's house.

"I may be a while," he told her. "Despite the few hotheads around, my pack mates are pretty decent people. Enjoy your walk, and if you feel uncomfortable at all just head back to our place. You'll be fine there."

Now the moment was on her Reasa didn't want to leave. Staring up into Liam's smiling face her hand itched to reach up and touch him, to pull his head down and taste his lips once more. There was total trust in his eyes and she was about to break that trust. Even though she knew it was for the best, it didn't hurt any less. "I will not go far," she lied, holding her breath while she waited for him to acknowledge her words.

Liam nodded, heading into the Alpha's house, as Reasa turned towards the tree line. Her feet felt leaden but she took the first step, forcing herself to keep moving. There would likely be no better opportunity than this one and she had to keep going. She brushed a hand over her wet face, lowering her head and disappearing into the trees.

How far had she travelled already? Had she passed the boundary line? She'd been walking for close to half an hour, being careful to hide her tracks as best as she could. If the wolves came looking for her they would probably find her in the forest, but if she could make it to a road and hitch a lift into the city, then there was a good chance she could evade them. 

A sound to the left startled Reasa, and she froze in her tracks. Something or someone was close by, and she hadn't seen any sign of them approaching. Could she outrun them? Had they even seen her? Perhaps if she stayed silent long enough they would leave? Any hope of that happening was dispelled when a male voice whispered close to her ear.

"You've made my job so much easier, Thereasa."

She screamed, but a hand clamped over her mouth, a thick arm snaking around her body to hold her pinned to a wide chest. The arm was naked, and as she struggled against him she realised he was completely naked which meant he was most likely a wolf as opposed to a vampire. It still made his next whisper so much more confusing...

"Michael sends his regards..."

Astonishment stilled her movements, dread washing over her. Michael? What was he doing aligning himself with wolves of all things? He detested all Weres as did the majority of European vampires. This man was certainly a Were. There was no reason for a vampire to run around a forest unclothed.

The moment of surprise passed, and her fear escalated. Michael excelled at being a vampire. His penchant for cruelty was almost as legendary as Louis', and he had no love for her. If her former coven leader had sent him then that was to be part of her punishment. He wanted her to die in the most excruciating manner possible.

Reasa started struggling again, kicking behind her to try to catch her captor off-guard. Her blows were ineffectual though. She was human now and so very weak.

The Were threw her to the ground, slapping her face as she tried to rise. His blow was hard but controlled. It was enough to cause her head to snap back against the bark of a tree, pain blossoming at the base of her skull. Crying out, she slumped to the ground in a wave of dizziness. 




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 21



So, this was what her end would finally be? All it took was one slap to subdue her? Hysterical laughter bubbled up inside even as tears began to flow. They said pride came before a fall, and Reasa was honest enough with herself to admit that the ease of her defeat rankled as much as being caught. When she had been a vampire she could have killed the wolf with one bite, now she was watching him through hazy vision pulling on a pair of sweatpants and reaching for what looked like a phone.

"The bitch came to me..." he was saying into the device and she knew he was talking to Michael. He appeared certain she'd be of no further trouble to him and that fuelled her inner rage. 

Reasa wouldn't go down without a fight. She wouldn't be delivered into Michael's hands. Grasping at a nearby rock, she rose unsteadily and threw herself at the half-clad male.

"Stay down!" he growled, backhanding her again.

Blood welled up in her mouth as she crumpled in a heap at his feet.

"No...it's nothing. Stupid bitch tried to attack me. I thought you said she was a vampire? She smells human..."

Reasa's ears were ringing from the second blow, so much so that it took a moment to realise that something was very wrong. Struggling to fight off her disorientation, she opened her eyes, trying to raise her head up from the ground. Red...all she could see was red. It took another moment to realise what her brain was trying to grasp, and when she did, she rolled forward and vomited up her recently eaten breakfast.

*****

Fucking Alpha! Reading him the riot act. Glaring at him with eyes full of condemnation. He could have snipped those eyes out with a flick of one talon. He could have made Rafe Armand-Hanlon weep for death. He hadn't though, he had been a good boy. He had obeyed his parents as they'd asked of him, even though Rafe was the reason they weren't with him. 

He was still furious, still itching to take apart something or someone. So he had headed into the forest away from the compound, where he could destroy something without causing any harm to the pack. Dara had tried to stop him, his beautiful angel. She had tempted him and he'd almost given in but he was too close to the edge, too afraid he would do something to hurt her. 

He could still see the confusion in her eyes, still see the hurt on her face as the words had spewed from his mouth.  "Stop following me around like a bitch on heat. Don't you have enough wolves to whore yourself with? I'm not interested in sloppy seconds, Dara...or in your case that would be sloppy hundreds, wouldn't it?" 

So much pain crossing her beautiful face, and then the expected shadow as the light died in her eyes and any compassion she'd ever harboured towards him extinguished. His own pain was like razors scraping down his skin, and he knew he would cut himself a thousand times to try to alleviate that feeling. He deserved it too, for hurting his angel as he had.

"Fuck you, Kothari."  Her voice had been winter frost.  "As if I'd ever look at you in that way. It will be a cold day in hell before I ever stoop that low. I'm done with putting up with your shit. I don't care what you do anymore; just stay the fuck away from me from now on." 

He'd given her his best smile, the one that told a person that they were visiting at the insane asylum and if they were very lucky...they may get out of it alive.  "You're the one following me with your tongue hanging out, wolf. I can't shake you off no matter how blunt I am. Are you really that desperate? You should have some pride in yourself, Dara." 

She had turned around and walked away without another word and she'd taken his heart with her. Only she would never know that now. He had destroyed any chance he may ever have had with her. That fuelled his rage as much as his dressing down by Rafe had. That he'd deserved both was a moot point. Everything was spiralling and he was losing all control. He had no anchor to keep him in check and he was so very, very afraid...

He heard the voices in the distance and he shadowed himself from view in an instant. No one was supposed to be out this way...it was why he always headed in this direction when his beast rose. The sound of skin on skin assaulted his acute hearing, and a woman's cry was heard. Kothari took off silently in the direction of the disturbance the last of his control ebbing as he moved.

The girl was lying on the ground when he entered the clearing, her caramel skin bathed in blood. The left side of her cheek was scraped raw, her bottom lip split and oozing blood into her mouth. He knew her from the pack compound. She was Liam's mate...the one who had come to kill them. There was no sign of the other Vârcolac, there was only a strange wolf talking on a cell phone. 

"No...it's nothing. Stupid bitch tried to attack me. I thought you said she was a vampire? She smells human..." 

Kothari's control snapped in that moment and he flowed into the clearing...

He took the male's arm first, slicing it off at the shoulder. The phone was still clutched in the dismembered limb's grasp as it fell to the forest floor, the wolf's blood splashing all over his face. Kothari licked at the hot nectar, vaguely aware of the other male screaming and spinning away from him. The girl was moaning in shock, vomiting onto the dry dirt but he ignored her and concentrated on his prey.

Moving at supernatural speed, he sliced through a kneecap, glee rising up inside as the wolf howled and dropped to the floor beside the girl. Had the stranger been thinking of raping Liam's mate? Kothari wasn't sure but he took care of that issue with his next cut. The stranger was screaming mindlessly now and it was the sweetest symphony Kothari had ever heard. He would leave his neck until last...so he could enjoy the music. 

Another leg...and then the other arm, he was coated in blood by the time the male was just a head attached to a bleeding torso. The stranger wasn't screaming anymore which was mildly disappointing. Instead, he was uttering a pathetic mewling noise as his chest heaved for air. 

Straddling the prone form, Kothi leaned forward, his breath caressing an ear that was still attached to the body. He giggled softly, rapture running through him as the male stilled completely and the acrid scent of terror filled his nostrils. "If you go down to the woods today, you're in for a big surprise..."

He giggled again as he let the ditty trail off, running his tongue over one blood splattered cheek. "This is my forest, wolf, and that is my pack mate you decided to play with. You should have stayed at home today, stupid boy, but then, I suppose if you had I wouldn't have had so much fun or dined so well..."

Kothari slit the wolf's throat with a talon, opening his mouth over the wound and swallowing down the last of the dying male's blood. 

*****

Thereasa gagged again, and again, until all she could do was dry heave. She had seen many horrifying things in her time but nothing compared to watching her captor being dismembered by a ghost. Her brain tried to tell her that it had to be one of the Vârcolac that was doing the damage she'd witnessed, however the sheer brutality on show overwhelmed any reason and all she could do was pray she wouldn't be next.

When she heard the giggling and sing-song voice, all breath left her body and her blood froze in terror. She was afraid to look up, afraid to see the madman turn in her direction. Instead, she curled up in the foetal position and prayed that her end would come quickly.

"Are you seriously hurt or is it just cuts and bruises?" The seemingly normal tone of voice was at odds with what she'd just witnessed.

"Liam's mate, do you require serious healing?"

There was impatience in his tone now but still a hint of sanity. Taking a deep breath Reasa opened her eyes slowly, pushing her sore body up into a sitting position. Hunkered down beside her was Kothari, his clothes and skin drenched in blood. She had warned Liam about this male only a handful of hours ago. She had been correct in her warning and she feared what he may yet do.

"It's just cuts," she finally answered, her voice sounding weak and small. Her throat was also sore from all the vomiting she'd done, which didn't help her sound confident either.

Kothari was silent for a long moment and then he reached out to touch her sore cheek, running his thumb against her bottom lip. "Drink."

She was too afraid to disobey him, surprised to realise that he had nicked a cut on his thumb and it was his blood she was swallowing. He was healing her.

"You shouldn't be so far from the pack, Thereasa. You have no inkling of the dangers that are out here." His said the words conversationally, though there was weight behind them.

He was warning her against himself but that was at odds with his current actions. "Why did you help me?" Now that he didn't appear to be ready to kill her too, her curiosity was breaking through her fear.

Kothi cocked his head to the side, as if he too, was trying to figure that one out. "I owed Liam," he finally answered, nodding his head as he spoke. "I hurt him when we sparred. I needed to atone for that." 

When she didn't respond, he reached up and took off his glasses, and speared her with a gaze that was a kaleidoscope of red and silver swirls. "Tell no one what you witnessed here today, and I will tell no one that you tried to run. You won't make that mistake again...will you, Thereasa?"

There was no escaping the implied threat in his voice and it sent a shiver down her spine. She tried to answer him but no words would come out so she settled with nodding her head. Her compliance appeared to please him because he rose and the air shimmered around him. When it cleared he was impeccably dressed in black T-shirt and jeans, no trace of blood to be seen. He placed a fresh pair of sunglasses over his eyes and then motioned to her right.

"I guessed your size but those should fit. Stay away from the corpse and get changed. I will be in those trees while you do."

He strode away as her gaze turned where he pointed, shock rocking through her as she saw a complete duplicate set of her clothes folded neatly in the dirt to her right. How the hell...? Reasa shivered and swung her gaze back to where Kothari had vanished. Someone had to warn the pack about him but she couldn't say anything without giving herself away. Perhaps she could tell Liam. Perhaps he would understand why she'd done what she had.

Stripping off quickly, she wiped away a couple of small specks of blood from her shoulder and dressed in the clothes the Vârcolac had provided. They were a perfect fit and for some reason she found that even creepier than anything else she'd just witnessed. She didn't want Kothari to know her that well.

A sound intruded as she went to rise after slipping on her sneakers. For a moment she couldn't work out what it was and then she realised it was coming from the severed hand still clutching the cell phone...

*****

Michael had listened to everything that had happened. Each scream had sent a shiver down his spine and he'd known he would have to tell the Master about it. The hybrids were more dangerous than they had first thought, but with enough warning, his Master would be able to neutralise them.

He whispered into the phone when it became apparent the hybrid had moved some distance away, trying to attract Thereasa's attention. He repeated the words endlessly until it got his desired result.

"Do not say anything, Thereasa, merely breathe twice into the mouthpiece..."

After whispering for almost five minutes, he heard two breaths ring in his ear. Hatred washed through him, but Dante's words were still rattling around in his brain. It was now apparent that his former coven member was too well protected at the pack compound so he would have to get to her another way. If it had just been a case of killing her, he would have risked a pack attack, however maybe Dante was right and there was intelligence to be learned from her? 

The wolf had said she scented as human...that would be something his Master would be interested in and he'd only be able to learn what had happened if he talked to Thereasa before she died. "Do not speak, just breath once for no and twice for yes. If you alert your companion that anything untoward is happening, I swear to you a thousand vampires will die. Do you understand, Thereasa?"

Two breaths resounded once more, and a smile slowly spread over his face. He had the bitch now, and one way or another she would pay for her betrayal. "I have Louis' best soldiers with me and they're spread out all over this city. Some are even scattered throughout other cities where vampires make their home. Each one of them has enough Amort to kill hundreds of our kind. One word from me and the killing starts, and I know how much you wouldn't want that to happen, Thereasa. Would you?"

One breath, as he had expected. Sentimentality towards other vampires had always been her weak spot, though she had counted it as a strength. He had known that one day it would play into his hands..."Then listen very carefully...this is what you need to do to prevent that from happening..."

*****

Kothari returned to the clearing, his bloodlust abated by the slaughter of the wolf. He found Reasa standing beside one of the tall oak trees, her expression wan despite her bronzed complexion. For a moment he felt a tinge of pity for the girl. How she remained sane after all she had been through was beyond him. Then the moment passed, and he slipped back into the coldness of his soul.

Checking that there was no visible signs of what she'd endured he stepped back and let his gaze run over the clearing. He would fix the mess when she had gone. No one would ever know what had transpired here this day.

"Go back to the pack, Thereasa, and stay there. You are Liam's mate and as such, you belong at his side. If you ever do anything to hurt him again, I will make you regret it. Are we clear on this?"

Dumbly she nodded, and he gestured her away. He didn't watch her leave, instead he waited ten minutes and scented the air. She was far from the area when he took off his glasses and narrowed his gaze on the wolf's corpse. White fire bled from his eyes, incinerating the body and all the other evidence in the clearing...

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 22



Rayne let out a slow release of breath as the train rocked to a halt in Braşov station. For too many centuries she had avoided returning to where her life had first begun. Now she was a step closer to her beginnings, and she couldn't deny the feeling of homecoming that assaulted her. 

She hadn't expected to have this reaction to being back in Romania and she wondered if Gard felt the same. Turning to look at him, she saw his gaze peering out to the station interior as they waited for the other travellers to alight. "When were you last here?"

He turned to smile at her, a soft glow in his eyes. "Not that very long ago," he admitted. This is where I tracked down Caleb and released Callain back into this world. He had left Annie briefly in Bucharest while he was meeting with Joshua here about his first stirrings of unease over Europe. I didn't know who Caleb was with at the time but I know now since our trip to Scotland. They were playing at being tourists. It was quite fun to watch them thinking they were being so clever when all the while I was following them."

"Caleb was aware something wasn't right that far back?" She was surprised to learn that.

Her mate shrugged. "I don't think it was anything definite at that point, just a faint tendril of speculation on his part from something a friend of Joshua's had imparted. Nothing tangible came of their meeting, and Caleb returned to Annie none the wiser that he had met me. I have a little skill in dream walking myself though it exhausts me so much I prefer not to do it. It took me three days to recover from our meeting and awakening Callain. I had to hide my identity from Caleb's mind until the time was right."

Rayne arched an eyebrow at him, mock-resignation crossing her face. "And I am only just learning this now? I think I may have to teach you the true definition of what being mates is supposed to mean." She was teasing him, enjoying seeing a flash of concern twinkle in his eyes before he realised that was her intention and he wagged a finger at her.

Her thoughts were already wandering though, and a speculative gleam entered her green eyes. "Do you think Joshua was alerted by Dante?"

Her question earned her a light chuckle. "You noticed that too then? Dante didn't appear the least surprised to see us show up at Louis' place. Given we managed to slip passed all the other vampires looking out for someone arriving in Europe, that could only have meant that he had been given a head's up by Joshua."

"And here was I thinking you were just a pretty face," Rayne laughed, winking at his mock-outrage. "Yes, I would say Dante and Joshua are known to each other, though I don't think Louis is in on that secret."

The passengers had all left the train, so they rose and exited onto the outdoor platform. Rayne admired the curving rooftop, the organic shape appealing to her ascetically. Inhaling deeply, she closed her eyes and let out a long slow breath. "You can smell it in the air," she sighed, a beatific smile gracing her lips. "The sweet scent of home."

"We're not quite there yet," he countered, reaching for her hand to pull her into the main building. "We still have a fair few miles to go yet, but I know what you mean. The air smells so much sweeter here. I suppose it always will."

Rayne smiled at the excitement in his tone, turning back to the earlier conversation as they headed out of the station. "Do you think Caleb knows Dante? Joshua is someone he trusts so there could be precedence that he may."

Gard pondered the question for a moment and then shook his head. "He would have mentioned him at some point. I think Dante is acting for reasons that only he truly understands. They just happen to coincide with our goals at the moment."

"I liked him, and Joshua." Rayne grinned at the narrowed glance her mate shot her way.

"Yes...I noticed. Perhaps you are the one who needs some further instruction on what a true mate should be."

"Why, Kothari senior...I do believe you are jealous." She burst out laughing at the dark glare he gave her, her amusement cutting off as he dragged her into a nearby alleyway and pinned her against the wall.

"Keep it up woman and I swear I'll take you right here and now and to hell if anyone might walk past. Oh, and call me that again, and I will not only take my sweet time about it, I'll make you beg for everyone to hear." He sealed his threat with a hot, wet kiss that stole her breath away.

"Hmmm, yes dear," she whispered into his mouth, giggling as he palmed her breast and gave it a gentle squeeze.

He kissed her again and then they pulled apart, sharing a glance that told the whole world just how they felt about each other. Gard looped an arm over her shoulder and they headed back onto the street.

"Do you think he's okay?" Rayne asked after they'd walked a mile or so. Her gaze was flittering from face to face and then the surrounding buildings, but her mate knew exactly who she was referring to.

"He has to fly the nest at some point, Sarayne. Now is as good a time as any." Though he tried to sound convincing, he knew she could hear underlying concern in his voice.

"I keep wondering what we did wrong," she admitted, her voice low. "Did we try hard enough? Was there something we could have done differently?"

Stopping, Gard ignored an angry mutter from a passer-by who almost barrelled into him. He gathered his mate close, kissing the top of her head, as he ran a soothing hand down her back. "We have loved our son with everything that we are, Rayne. We have protected him as best we could and been there whenever he has needed us. There isn't anything else we could have done differently than to love him as we have. He will find his way, my heart. His journey may just be a bit rockier than most others."

He had told her the same thing countless times and she could only hope that it was the truth. It was so hard not to wonder, not to worry about the beautiful son she had brought into this world though. She ached for him to be happy, for him to one day find that other half of his soul and never be alone again. 

"Come on, the sooner we get this mission over with the sooner we will be back home with Kothari." Gard released her but retained hold of her hand, pulling her along the busy streets towards their goal.

After a while, Rayne came out of whatever thoughts had been dominating her mind, a perplexed look crossing her face. Ahead of them were scores of people all dressed in black gothic attire, all heading in the same direction. "Is there a convention or something on in the city?"

Gard laughed, genuine amusement shining in his eyes. "Ahh those are the vampire groupies," he chuckled. He pointed to a building up high, thick trees and bushes at its base, its red brick rooftops and steepled tower glistening in the sunlight. "They're headed to Bran Castle to see where Vlad the Impaler was purported to live."

His amusement rubbed off on her, shaking away her gloomy thoughts. "Seriously? They genuinely believe that Dracula lived there out in the open among humans?" No self-respecting vampire would ever have allowed humans to know of their existence, even in centuries gone past. Although, she supposed maybe back then there hadn't been a whole lot of options available to Gard's people.

"No vampire ever lived in that Castle," her mate answered, a smile still playing across his lips. "Doesn't hurt tourism though to let people think that he was real and foster the myth Bram Stoker created with his book. The Council had a long talk with the vampire who revealed our existence to the author back then. They decided to let him off with it after the way the myths and legends grew and covered our tracks."

Rayne laughed, shaking her head. "If only they knew what they were seeking was actually walking beside them right now," she whispered, as they skirted around particularly large group of tourists.

"They'd wet their pants," Gard growled, causing her to laugh louder.

A few people turned to look at them, quickly turning away again and hurrying forward towards the fabled Castle. Gard and Rayne turned in the opposite direction, heading further away from the seat of civilisation.

"There are no trails where we're going anymore," Gard said, his eyes drawn to the Southern Carpathians that were looming ahead of them. "The trees and vegetation have overgrown everything so we'll have to take to the skyline to get there."

"If it's so difficult to reach now then is it the place we're looking for?" Rayne asked, a frown marring her brow.

"It's difficult for humans to reach, even possibly Weres, but not to vampires. We're lucky you're a cat and like climbing trees. I think a wolf would have a devil of a time trying to get through the underbrush."

The smugness of his tone had her laughing. "Yes, you were very smart to pick a panther for your mate," she agreed.

He shot her a grin, picking up his step as anticipation washed over them. Now they were so close to home, it was impossible not to rush forward. "Come on, let's go. I'm suddenly very antsy to see what's left of the Palace."

A few hours later, and far off the beaten track, a sleek black panther sailed from one treetop across to another, closely followed by a redheaded vampire. The cat expertly dug claws into a branch, drawing its hind legs up to balance on the thick limb. Gard hadn't been kidding when he said the trail was overgrown. It was nigh on impossible to continue by foot as they wound their way higher and higher up the Carpathians.

Rayne uttered a small purring sound as her mate ran his hands down her back, inwardly smiling at the sheer joy on his face. The closer they came to their goal, the more charged he became, his excitement rippling down their mate bond.

"We're close," he breathed out, his lavender eyes almost glowing with anticipation. "Only a few more miles now, but we need to head east. Can you make that tree over there or do you want me to carry you?"

The tree in question was quite far even for her panther to leap, but she was reasonably confident she could make it. She'd only had to shift back to human form twice so far when the distance had been too great for her panther, and that had only been because Gard had refused to take a minor detour.

"You just like rubbing your body against mine and being the knight in shining armour,"  she answered telepathically, injecting humour into her words.  "I can make the jump but you go first just in case I need any assistance."  There was no harm in being pragmatic.

"You'd better not," Gard growled, eyeing the waiting tree to their right. He dropped down a few branches beneath her, and then sprang forward. 

Rayne watched her mate glide effortlessly through the air. She could tell he'd used all of his supernatural reflexes for his push off the lower branch to counter the loss of momentum he had from stopping. That didn't bode that well for her if he'd had to use all his resources. Though, he did almost overshoot the Oak tree so perhaps it wouldn't be as bad as she first thought.

Gard had deliberately placed himself lower down on the waiting tree. If she failed to make the jump then she would start to fall downwards and he would want to be lower to enable him to react in time if needed. He was a smart male and she couldn't help grinning with pride.

"Panthers are so not supposed to smile, Sarayne," he called across the expanse. "It's downright creepy."

Shaking her head, she judged the distance to the branches above him, her hind legs coiling ready to spring. Rayne pushed off with all her strength, arching her back to increase her forward motion. She knew instantly that she wasn't going to make it but she didn't panic. Instead, she made her body as aerodynamic as possible, giving herself as much of a chance as possible.

"Sarayne!"

Gard's furious yell echoed through the trees as she began to plummet downward. Her stomach lurched and her front paws began to scramble in the air for purchase that she knew wasn't there. She shifted in mid-air, knowing her panther's body was much heavier than her human form. At least this way she would fall at the slightly slower pace, and it would be easier for Gard to catch her.

If she hit the ground it was going to hurt and there was a good chance it could kill her. There were far too many branches out there that could take her head at the velocity she was falling. For the first time ever, Rayne considered the possibility that she might actually die. Gard would murder her if she let that happen though...the fact that she would already be dead being a bit of a moot point.

Pain rattled through her side as a moving object crashed into her halting her fall. The pain increased as she was suddenly propelled sideways at such speed she caught a thick branch to her midriff, her breath cutting off at the hard impact. It hurt to breathe; it hurt to move, but she was alive and draped rather inelegantly face forward over a branch. 

"Ouch!" She shrieked as a hand connected with her upturned backside. "I'm injured here!"

"You're damned lucky to be alive, woman," Gard retorted, fury lacing his tone. "I've a good mind to spank your bottom harder and for at least a week. I swear you just took a thousand years off my life."

Despite his ire, she could hear the concern and relief in his voice. She could only imagine what he must have gone through seeing her fall like that. "You're immortal," she snorted, pulling herself up so she could straddle the branch facing him. She needed a few moments to allow her body to heal, and from the look on her mate's face, he needed a few to calm his racing heart.

Looking up, she realised just how far she'd fallen. It was a miracle Gard had managed to get to her in time. Turning her gaze back to his ashen face, she reached out to place a hand on his chest. His heart was racing so fast it was a wonder he wasn't hyperventilating. "I'm fine, Gard."

"Only because I caught you in time," he growled, a faint trace of panic still shining in his eyes. He pulled her into his arms, his hold so tight she thought he would crack a couple of her ribs. "Don't you ever do that to me again, Sarayne. I swear I will make you regret it for at least a millennia if you do."

She hid her smile in the crook of his neck, sending love and reassurance down their mate bond and allowing him to threaten her with whatever dire retribution he needed. If it helped to calm him anxiety levels down she could put up with it. "I'm fine," she reiterated, rubbing her lips against his neck. "I'm safe."

She kissed up his jaw, sighing when he turned his head and plundered her mouth in a kiss so desperate it brought tears to her eyes. She returned his kiss, allowing him to ground himself in her touch until his heart finally began to slow its erratic beat and his touch gentled.

"I love you more than life itself, Sarayne," Gard whispered against her lips. "I am nothing without you, my heart. Please don't ever scare me that way again."

"I promise I will do my very best, my darling, but we are living in dangerous times. Please don't hold it against me if I can't keep to that." She would never lie to him or give him empty reassurances. He wouldn't want them from her anyway.

Gard lowered his forehead against hers, a rueful smile crossing his handsome face. "I guess that is the best I can ever hope for," he sighed, his hands slowly trailing down her back, his fingers tracing her spine. "Are you healed?"

"Good as new," she answered, smiling to lend weight to her words. He would be giving himself a hard time that he'd hurt her while rescuing her and she needed to divert him before he went down that path. "Though you and I are going to be having a discussion about you hitting me, Mister..."

It had the desired effect, his lavender gaze turning resolute. "You deserved that spanking."

"Remember those words when I turn them back around on you one day," she countered, moving away to look at the next grouping of trees. "I think you forget that I am Vârcolac sometimes, Gard, and so very much stronger than you when I want to be." She gave him a saucy wink.

Throwing his head back, he laughed loudly. The sound startled some nearby birds and sent them fluttering into the evening sky. "Bring it on, woman. I'm not afraid of you." He rose beside her and examined their route. The distance between trees appeared fairly uniform. 

Glancing to the side, he captured her gaze. "We should get a good run at this last section, our forward momentum making the jumps easy. Is there anything that concerns you?"

She shook her head, in full agreement with him. Her panther shouldn't have any issues, but she didn't want him to be second guessing her abilities. "Just for the sake of your piece of mind, why don't you go first and I'll follow at five second intervals? I'm sure my panther can make each jump but there is no harm in being cautious."

His answer was to smile and nod his head. "That was just what I was going to suggest."

It was Rayne's turn to laugh now and she rolled her eyes. "Men..." she muttered under her breath, but her vampire was already leaping into the next treetop and it was time for her to shift back to panther form and follow his lead.

It wasn't long before she could detect a break in the treeline up ahead, a sign that they were closing in on their location. A handful more leaps and then Gard was waiting for her as she reached the last tree.

"We're here," he breathed softly, reverence in his tone. "We can continue on foot from here."

It was easier for her to make her way down the tree in panther form, so she waited until they touched down on the mossy ground before she shifted back to human. The trees and foliage were still relatively thick where they'd come down so she made sure her clothing was sufficient for the terrain so her skin didn't get too nicked. Her long black hair she quickly plaited down her back, so it wouldn't get in the way.

Gard was retying his dark auburn locks at his nape with a leather thong, his gaze alert as he surveyed the area. "I don't see any obvious signs of disturbance," he mused. "Might not be a bad idea to check a little further afield before we head deeper in towards the Palace."

Rayne didn't recognise this part of her former homeland. She had been found on the western side of the Palace and had lived most of her younger life in two of the villages leading away from the vampire court. From what she could remember, most of the Romany settlers had moved as far away from the court as if they could sense the danger that was brewing at that time. Any folklore that they may have had about this area, had been carefully wiped out of existence within two generations. She was probably the only person outwith the Triumvirate who still remembered any of the history of this place.

"I'll take the left," she answered crossing to his other side.

"You were already on the right side," he grumbled with no real heat in his tone.

"I know; I just felt like taking the left side. Sue me."

"Some days I think you just like teasing me, woman."

"Of course," she laughed, "Isn't that my job?"

He grinned back at her, rolling his eyes in mock exasperation, before his expression turned serious. "If you see anything even remotely suspicious don't investigate it on your own. Come and find me."

"Ditto," she shot back, giving him a broad smile. "Meet back here in half an hour?"

Gard nodded, stealing a quick kiss. "Don't do anything foolish," he breathed against her lips, causing her to laugh once more.

"Like I said...ditto," she quipped back, turning to head into the closest treeline.

Gard watched her go before he turned to his path and vanished into the waiting trees.

Rayne alternated between both her forms to traverse her section of the mountain forest. Sometimes it was simply easier to be a panther to get through a particularly densely packed area. She completed her sweep, her innate ability to tell time alerting her to the fact she had to head back. She didn't encounter anything out of the ordinary so she was relaxed as she returned back to her mate.




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 22



"All clear my end," she announced as she exited the trees to where he was waiting for her.

"Same here," he answered, his gaze already sliding from hers as if irresistibly drawn to the hidden structure waiting for them. "Time to go home," he murmured, and she followed him forward towards where the Vampire Queen had once held her court.

The decay of thousands of years couldn't diminish the beauty of his former home. Everywhere Gard's gaze fell, he remembered another time and the magnificence that was his Queen's Palace. As he and Rayne threaded their way passed thick foliage into the clearing that had once been the Palace's great courtyard, he slipped back in time to see the breath-taking vision it had once been.

They halted by a crumbling wall that was now at mere ankle height, however his mind's eye saw the gracefully curving crescent moon construction that had been three feet high and made of the palest limestone. In a hushed voice he spoke, bringing to life an era long passed to his silent mate. "The crescent moon was our family's crest. All who saw it knew it signified the Royal House of Ardweni, our great grandmother, and the first of the Vampire Queens. It was the symbol of all that was right in our world, of all that was good about our people."

He breathed deeply, closing his eyes as he let it out slowly. "This wall here used to stand three feet high. It curved towards the main door to the palace and was flanked by urns full of the most beautiful flowers to scent the air. Many a night Anakatrine and I sat on that very wall, mapping out the stars above, as night bled into early dawn."

His lips quirked in an affectionate smile, reliving memories long passed but still greatly treasured. "Ana was fascinated with the sky above us, she couldn't get enough of it. She used to lament often that she couldn't soar through the skies like a birds above, and I had to often remind her that it would be considered unseemly for a Queen to frolic in the air."

Rayne laughed quietly, threading her arm through his and resting her head on his shoulder. "How old was she at the time?"

"She was six." He sighed as he said it, a trace of sadness in his voice. "It was after our mother had passed and Ana had ascended to the throne. I was barely a man at the time, and yet I had more freedom then than she would ever have again. I tried to give her as many moments where she could be just a child, but often my role was always to remind her she was a Queen. She did not have much of a childhood."

"I'm sure whatever childhood she had with you was treasured, my love. She would not have turned out to be one of the greatest living Queens if that had not been the case. I am sure that even at that young age she was aware that she was speaking flights of fancy. That you would sit with her and listen shows that you were the perfect Guardian for your young Queen."

"I loved to hear her laugh," he admitted, smiling down at her. "If only you could have known her, Rayne, and heard her laughter. That one day when you did meet, Ana was so full of sorrow at what was to come. You would have loved her and she you, I am certain of that."

When she merely smiled, his gaze turned back to the courtyard. "You can just about make out the grid pattern the mosaic tiles were set in leading up to the main door." He pointed to the ground and she could almost make out what he meant though time had done too much damage to get a clear picture.

"The tiles were blues and greens with accents of silver and golds," he continued. "Each tile was a mini image in itself but grouped together they created an underwater vista of what life must have looked like beneath the waves of the sea. In those days our people were very artistic."

"It sounds amazing." For some unknown reason Rayne found she couldn't speak in anything above a near whisper. The expression on her mate's face was so full of awe it touched her heart that he was sharing this part of his life with her. It seemed out of place to talk normally and she didn't want to break the spell he was weaving all around them.

"There were two great pillars beside the entrance into the hallway. The Roman's adopted the same style later on, but I'm sure there was a vampire at the heart of that architecture." Gard was standing by a crumbled wall so decayed it was hard to see there had ever been a doorway there. He walked forward, onto a large expense of moss that was growing unevenly.

"Beneath our feet were more limestone tiles in fractal patterns. They were shades of reds, pinks and purples. Visitors often stood in the hallway for hours at time just admiring the many different hues. Our mother eventually placed seating in the hallways for those guests who took their time appreciating the beauty that surrounded them."

His hand swept to the left, to the largest shell of wall that still remained standing. "The staircase ran up the left wall, to the Royal suits. It was always guarded fore none could ascend without express Royal permission. Each tread was of the shiniest white marble, a lavender runner lining the middle so no one would accidentally fall down them. Ana loved to sit at the very top peering down at Mother's guests as they arrived. She was impossible to keep in bed when she was a child."

Rayne could see the vista in her mind's eye, a mental image of a little redheaded girl so full of excitement as exotic guests arrived at her home. The wealth of love in Gard's voice was unmistakable, and she was now beginning to understand why he had searched so long for his beloved Anakatrine to be reborn.

He appeared to shake himself out of his reverie for a moment, turning to smile at her and gather her close to his side. "Come, the throne room was this way." Gard led them forward into another overgrown moss area, only this time the walls on either side of them appeared to be more stable.

"Have those walls been pointed?"

Her mate's smile broadened, happiness exuding from his big frame. "When I first awakened Callain I came here," he breathed softly. "I knew Anakatrine would return soon and I longed for our old life together. I started rebuilding the throne room one brick at a time. I wanted her to have her home back once more."

Silence hung around the open room as he stopped talking and Rayne let her eyes sweep across the huge area. "You didn't finish your task though. Why did you stop?"

For the first time since they'd arrived a shadow crossed Gard's face. "I realised that though Ana had returned, she was but an echo of a time long past, and I was holding onto memories that would never come again. Annie isn't Ana, they just share a body and mind. She doesn't want to live up here in the ruins of a Palace long buried, and why should she? Annie's life is with Caleb and the pack. It was wrong of me to presume that she would ever want to stay here."

"I'm sure one day Annie would love to come here, Gard. She would come for Anakatrine so the vampire Queen might one day relive her life here with you."

He shook his head, his smile turning resigned. "No, that life has passed now. I am content with the life that I now live. How could I not be? I have the best of both worlds."

The kiss he gave told her how much he loved her and that he meant everything that he said. When they broke apart, they shared a smile and then her gaze turned back to the room before them. "Tell me of the throne room. Is that a tapestry I see over there?" Rayne truly did want to hear more of the world her mate had loved so much before they had come to know each other.

Gard's smile was once more that of excitement, lighting up his face and making him more beautiful if that was humanly possible. "All the great vampire houses had their own banners. This one is all that remains and it's of the Royal house of Ardweni. I was astounded to find it still in existence after all this time. Ana must have placed a preservation spell on it though it appears to have faded."

Leaning down they stared at the faded cloth. "Can you see the crescent moon shape at the top?" he asked, his fingers hovering a bare inch above the fabric. "Behind the two thrones was a wall of clear glass. Above them was a skylight shaped in the crescent moon. To either side of the audience chamber, the seating also curved in that same crescent moon shape. It was the emblem of the Royal house and just about every area within the throne room echoed with that design."

Rayne gasped, startled eyes flowing to meet his. "The Council chambers...its seating is in the same design..."

Gard laughed, a soft sound echoing through the crumbling walls. "You see what thousands of vampires have never seen despite looking at it each day." His voice was warm with approval and more than a hint of pride. "Yes, my heart, they are unaware but they still hold to traditions of long passed. The vampire nation still bows to the Royal House of Ardweni though they are unaware."

Rayne laughed with him...it was hard not to as she imagined some of the more traditional, hidebound vampires sitting there with all their pomp and arrogance. In their ignorance, they were completely unaware that they had retained a symbol of the most precious thing they had ever lost, their Queen. "Do you think they will ever learn the truth, Gard?"

He was silent for a long moment and then he shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea what Anakatrine's plans are, though I am fairly certain she has one. She always did know far too much than any one person ever should have. It was what made her the greatest ever vampire Queen and why our people never deserved to have her grace our world."

Rising, Gard let his gaze swing around the room once more and then held out his hand. "While reminiscing is fun, it's not getting the job done we came here to do. Come on, let's check out the area behind the Palace."

"It doesn't look as dense out there," Rayne mused, scanning the area quickly. "Is that normal?" If Gard had been visiting from the main entrance, which would be the norm for him as that would be the route he was used to entering the site; possibly he may not have approached from the rear.

It appeared her train of thought was echoing in his mind because he tensed a little, a frown on his face. "On the contrary, it should be more overgrown," he muttered, starting to walk forward. "Stay close, Rayne."

She wanted to roll her eyes and make a smart quip about being overprotected, however his tense demeanour dampened down any words she may have uttered. There was a silence about the mountain that didn't feel natural, as if the animals knew something was out there that shouldn't be. Following his lead, she stepped back out into the forest, moving to the left as he signalled his movement to the right.

 "Keep in touch at all times. Alert me the instant you see anything that doesn't feel right." 

 "Maybe we should stay together? If you're so concerned."  She didn't asked the question because she was afraid, but more because she knew his focus would be split if he was worrying about her safety.

 We'll cover more ground this way,"  he answered telepathically.

It made sense so she concentrated on her surroundings, looking for any signs of tracks that would indicate anyone had visited the site recently. Rayne had made her way a circuitous route of about a mile from the Palace when she noticed the first indication of trees having been chopped down. The trees had been removed a good fifty or so years ago but given the remoteness of the spot, it was still highly suspicious.

 "Gard, I have evidence of someone being here."  She expected an instant response and held her breath when all she received was silence.  "Gard?" 

Again, there was nothing but silence and shiver of unease trickled down her spine. Gard would never leave her alone, especially when what they were tracking was a direct threat to everything they held dear. Had something happened to him and that was why he didn't answer? He'd given her no warning that anything was amiss. 

More unease overwhelmed her as she was struck by a sudden thought. Their failsafe! She had to check it was still in place. Turning her thoughts inward, she searched for the great tree she'd placed at the very forefront of her mental defences, and what she found brought her feet to a dead halt. It was gone! In its place was barely a mark that it had ever existed. 

Someone had been inside her mind and tampered with her defences. He or she had to be powerful to breach them, and also very close by. Had they gotten to her mate yet, or was he still safe? If Gard tried to reach her and couldn't find her he'd come looking and then they'd be in serious trouble. Spinning on her heels Rayne took off back the way she'd come only she didn't make it two steps before something bit her on the neck and her feet stumbled over a tree root.

She fell forward as her legs gave out, barely able to stop her forehead smashing off the ground as she landed in a heap. Her vision began swimming in an instant, and the strength in her arms gave out as she tried to pull herself up from the ground. "Gard, run!" she screamed in her mind, because her voice wouldn't work despite how hard she tried to make it. 

"Trap!"  She tried again, knowing that she was close to losing consciousness and he most likely couldn't hear her. Blackness descended though she fought it every step of the way, her heart hammering wildly as she tried to reach her mate.  "Run, Gard...run..." 

Something wasn't right, he could feel it with every step he took. The area he was traversing was too pristine, too devoid of all tracks. There should have been animal droppings, some indication that something had travelled over the ground and yet there were none and their lack was every bit of a warning sign than if he'd detected footprints.

Gard was certain no one had actually stepped foot on the Palace site but the further he walked towards the rear the more sure he was that someone had visited the area in the last century. He wanted to kick himself for not checking this far back the last time he'd been there but then he supposed he'd had no call to at the time. Now, all he could think about was getting back to the Palace and his mate. They were far too vulnerable up here on their own when they knew nothing of what may be waiting for them.

"Sarayne, head back to the Palace." 

He took a couple of steps backwards and then he froze on the spot.  "Sarayne!" 

Gard spun to his left and took off at supernatural speed. It was the fastest route to her last known location. Dread filled his soul, fear clogging his throat as he ran. There was no way in hell she wouldn't answer him when he called. Something had to have happened to her.

"Sarayne! Answer me!" 

Total silence greeted him, and he realised that he could barely feel their mate bond. It was as if someone or something was muting the bond but he knew that was an impossibility. Only they could do that, or Rafe, and their Alpha was thousands of miles away.  "Sarayne, where are you?" 

All contact with his mate cut off a split second after something stung him in the neck. The huge vampire fell forward with a loud crash, a branch spearing him in the shoulder as he fell. Gard roared out in fury as he toppled forward, fear for Rayne the only thing he could think of. They had been ambushed, of that he was now certain, lulled into a false sense of security at finding the Palace site and front entrance completely undisturbed. 

Darkness was descending and he shook his head to try to clear it. He couldn't pass out, not here and now, not when Rayne needed him. "Rayne...Rayne..." Gard lost his fight to stay conscious, inky blackness claiming his last thought of his missing mate.

*****

A cloaked figure entered the cave, his tall frame concealed by the charcoal grey garment. Outside were close to a hundred elder vampires. Inside, were two prone figures bound in chains so thick it would have taken all the assembled vampires to break them. The figure stood peering down at their prey, his lips stretching in the rictus of a smile. It was the only part of the male that could be seen, his hood concealing the majority of his face.

"You have done well," he said telepathically to the lone vampire in the cave with him.

"The formula you provided made the task easy, Master," the bald-headed male replied, bowing low.

"It certainly did work to subdue them; however I will test to ensure that it dulls their magical abilities too. All this will be pointless if the toxin is ineffectual against that." Hunching down beside the bound couple, the Master danced inside their sleeping minds, his psyche flowing down the pristine corridors within until he found the area he was looking for.

The girl's abilities were of the lesser in offensive terms, but he still placed a block around her ability to shadow and shapeshift. As long as she remained dosed with enough of the toxin he'd formulated, she wouldn't be able to break through his block.

Next, he turned his attention to the male, reaching out a gloved hand to brush away a lock of auburn hair that partly obscured his face. He had seen this one around over the centuries and knew that he was a force to be reckoned with. "Well met, Guardian," he whispered tracing a long finger over a chiselled cheekbone. "Long have I yearned for this moment, though I did not expect it to be so soon. I am not yet ready to play my final hand, old one, though I will enjoy watching the chaos your disappearance engenders."

It was the first time the vampire beside him had heard his Master's true voice, and it caused tears of adoration to flow down his face at the sheer beauty of its tone.

With no further words, he entered the Guardian's mind, finding his place of magic and bolting the door firmly shut. It would be disastrous should the male be able to unlock the door while in captivity. His wrath would be like none other and should he escape his bonds...the Master would lose many of his followers should that occur.

He would have to ensure that didn't happen, and made a mental note to stay close until he could determine how long the toxin would keep the couple unconscious. 

"No one enters the cave," he instructed the vampire at his side. "No one speaks to them, no one interacts with them. And most definitely no one who has a key to their bonds comes within a hundred feet of this cave. I will remain for another few hours but then I must leave this place. After that, you are in charge of the prisoners, Heathen. Should they escape, your life will be forfeit. Are we clear on that?" 

The vampire fell to his knees, fierce determination shining from his mind. "Yes, Master. It will be as you instruct. No one will enter the cave except to administer the toxin." 

The cloaked figure stifled down a grimace of disgust at the zeal in the vampire's mental tone. Weaker minds were much easier to subdue but they burnt out faster than he would have liked. He would have to cultivate another to take Heathen's place if the vampire continued down his current rate of decay.

Sweeping passed the kneeling male, the Master strode out of cave and into the early evening air. A hundred vampires all knelt as one, his love, and approval bathing them where they knelt. This was as it should be. This was as it always should have been. Soon now, it would be his time, and the world would quake in fear at his very name.

*****

Thousands of miles away a deep male voice cried out, frantic brown eyes opening in a gasp of pain.

"Rafe?! What's wrong?" Lacey sat up beside her mate, her hands automatically coming around to clutch at her abdomen.

"Gard...Rayne...I can't sense them anymore, Lace. I can't feel them down my Alpha bond!"

"No!" The word choked out, tears filling Lacey's eyes as she stared at her mate. "Are they...?" She couldn't say the word that filled her soul with dread.




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 22



The huge Alpha turned anguished eyes to meet hers, unshed tears brimming in their depths. "I don't know," he whispered. "I just know I can't feel them anymore. Something has gone wrong in Europe, something terrible has happened there."

Throwing her arms around him, she wept against his shoulder, her tears coming out in loud sobs. The impact this would have on the pack was devastating. The impact it would have on Annie was catastrophic. "What can we do, Rafe?"

He was already gentling prising her arms from him, climbing naked from their bed. "We need to let Caleb and Annie know, and someone needs to check in on Kothari. I don't know if it's just my Alpha bond that's been cut or if it's his familial bond too. If he senses they're gone...I have no idea what he'll do, Lacey. He was barely in check earlier when I had to come down on him over his fight with Liam."

She was getting up too, hastily pulling on jeans and a sweater while he dressed. "Kallum's still up at the Praetorian compound. Kothi's close to Dara, maybe it would be best to have her check in with him?"

Now that the initial panic was starting to wear off, Rafe tested his Alpha bond with the Vârcolac, his big frame relaxing a tad. "Kothari is sleeping and his bond feels calm," he told her, sighing with relief as he spoke. "He doesn't appear to be aware of anything at the moment so it looks like we have some time in hand. Let's contact Annie and Caleb first before we disturb anyone else's sleep. Maybe they'll have an idea on how best to support Kothi through this crisis."

It made sense if the danger point wasn't with them at the moment, and yet, Lacey felt uneasy about not being more proactive. There was no telling when Kothari might become aware that something had happened to his parents. They should have a contingency plan in place for that moment. "Are you sure, Rafe?"

It wasn't often that she questioned her mate on pack decisions so he took a moment to think through the issue. "We need to try to have answers for him when he becomes aware, Lace. If he suspects we have no idea what to do, he's more likely to go off half-cocked and we will have no way of countering his reaction. Let's take the time that we have to be as prepared as we can be."

Lacey nodded her agreement, following Rafe from their bedroom. They had a few hours in hand. With luck, they would have a plan of action that would satisfy the erratic Vârcolac and all hell wouldn't break loose, as she feared it would. 

Rafe was hitting the speed dial on his phone as he entered his study and Lacey headed to the kitchen to get some coffee brewing. "You know...?" she heard him saying before his voice was cut off, and her heart went out to his sister on the other end of the phone. Losing Gard would crush Rhianna, and most probably bring out Anakatrine in all her fury. While they had been discussing Kothi's reaction to what had happened, neither of them had considered what reaction the vampire Queen would have to the news...

To be continued...



Tears of the Fallen Ch. 23



Reasa had hurried back to the compound hours earlier, her thoughts in complete chaos. She hadn't been sure what had frightened her more, Kothari's obvious insanity or the words Michael had spoken to her on the phone. There had been no mistaking what she had to do, and yet, now the time had come she didn't want to do it.

She was in love with Liam Eriksson, and she couldn't deny that any longer. She also couldn't be with him, that simply wasn't an option. If she chose to ignore Michael's message then thousands of vampires would die. She'd caused enough damage as it was. She just couldn't be responsible for more deaths.

It had seemed a cruel twist of fate that Liam had been leaving his Alpha's house as she'd re-entered the compound. His expression had lit up at seeing her, and any last lingering thoughts of denial had melted away as she watched him. He was quite simply the most magnificent male she had ever seen. The compassionate, humble side to him, a true balance to the wonderful vampire she had glimpsed in his mind. He was a male worthy of loving, and now she had found him, she had to leave him.

If he'd found it odd in the least that she had wanted to spend so much time with him, he had never mentioned it. Instead, he had basked in her presence, showing her around the compound as he welcomed her to his home. Even the brief moment when Cassia and Pietro had pulled into the compound late afternoon hadn't dampened the bubbling happiness emanating from Liam.

No words had been spoken that she was aware of, though the vampire had studiously ignored her. Pietro had nodded in Liam's direction, her redheaded male inclining his head in acknowledgement. No doubt Liam had been thinking that this was a good sign, and that with time, they would be able to live in harmony within the pack. His thoughts couldn't have been further from the truth, though Reasa couldn't tell him that. He would never let her out of his sight if she did.

Now she was lying beside him, listening to his deep breathing and knowing that a handful of hours from now he would wake to find her gone. A lone tear escaped and trickled down her cheek, her heart feeling as if it was about to split in two.

"Reasa?" Liam murmured her name, and she couldn't resist twisting her body into his. Thick arms wrapped her securely to his chest, a thigh hooking around hers. "Why aren't you sleeping?" he asked sleepily, his eyes opening as he pulled her close.

"You snore," she answered, though it was a lie, but it brought a wry chuckle from the man beside her.

"Do not," he laughed, "though if we're on that topic of nocturnal noises, you have this habit of making a little mewling sound every now and then."

She doubted that very much, but she smiled at his quick comeback. "You're not very good at telling fibs, Liam. You wouldn't last long in Europe."

In answer, he rolled over until she was beneath him, supporting his weight on bent elbows. He was more fully awake now, and the gleam she could see in his eyes from the crescent moon's light told her he had other nocturnal activities in mind. She should stop this right now, and yet, he felt so good covering her body. She had an hour before she needed to make her move. That should be plenty of time.

"Just as well I have no plans to go to Europe," he quipped back, his body moving helplessly against hers as he let out a low groan. "Tell me to stop now, Reasa, otherwise I have other plans that you may not approve of."

It would be that easy, of that she had no doubt. All she had to do was tell him to leave her alone and they would once more be lying platonically beside each other. She didn't want to though, so she wound her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to hers. "I don't want you to stop, Liam."

His big frame tensed in surprise, and she could feel his eyes burning into hers. "Reasa? Are you sure, because I can wait for however long you want. There is no rush to be together. I am willing to wait."

She uttered a resigned sigh, amusement lacing her voice. "First you want to kiss me when I don't want you to and now when I tell you that I do, you decide to question me? Just kiss me, Liam Eriksson. I have a need that only you can assuage."

It was all he needed to hear, his head lowering the last few inches to hers. His lips brushed hers tentatively at first, a slow, lingering, gentle kiss so full of love it made the ache in her heart flare brighter. This beautiful male loved her with a passion so fierce it was staggering, and she was planning to leave him as soon as she could slip away.

It was wrong of her for wanting this moment with him, when she knew she couldn't give him what he so richly deserved. It was weak and selfish, but if she was going to die this night then she wanted to know what it was like to love with the man who had been fated to be hers since the moment they had both been born. 

Reasa opened her mouth to him, feeling the ache of having denied them both for so long. Every night they had lain together she had fought her own desire, listening to him sleep until she was too exhausted to keep her eyes open. If only she hadn't been so foolish. They could have had nights like this so many times if she'd only let down her defences and allowed Liam into her heart where he belonged.

Her kiss tasted of that knowledge, desperation creeping into her response as she arched her body into his. She asked him for more without words, but he kept his touch gentle, soothing her desperation with tenderness until she wanted to weep.

Liam pulled his mouth from hers; tracing tiny kisses along her jaw and down her neck. "Your skin feels like satin, so smooth and soft. I've dreamt of this for what feels like forever, Reasa, and your taste surpasses everything I've ever imagined."

They were the sweetest, most heartfelt words she had ever heard. They made tears gather in her eyes, which she swallowed back. No one had ever loved her with such conviction before. She didn't deserve to have Liam's love but she would take this moment and treasure it for however long she might still walk this world.

"Love me, Liam," she whispered, threading her hands in his auburn hair as he suckled at her neck sending liquid fire racing through her veins.

"I do, Thereasa," he groaned, his lips moving back to her mouth, the heat of passion in his next kiss. "I love you with every fibre of my being," he breathed into her mouth. "You are my heartbeat and my every breath. You are my soul mate."

How could any woman not love a male who was so tender and compassionate in one breath, and yet, who was darkness and danger hidden beneath his soul? This glorious male would take on the world to protect her even as his fingers trailed down her arm in a touch so tender it was a light as a feather. 

He made her burn with a desire so hot she felt as if she would explode. He teased her with tenderness so sweet it tugged at the softer part of her soul that had only ever craved to be loved. She ached to feel him inside her, to know what it was like to be adored by her beautiful Liam Eriksson. He was intent on taking his time with her. She was intent on disabusing himself of that notion.

Winding her legs around him, she pressed the very heart of her body against the hard, thick shaft that moved restlessly against her. She gasped out aloud and arched again, dragging a tortured groan from her lover.

"Reasa...stop that. I want this to be...Reasa!"

"I want you, Liam, all of you. I will not break. You will not hurt me. You will love me as a woman and not as a china doll you're afraid to break."

He stilled and looked down at her, moving to the right so he could reach out and turn on the bedside lamp. He didn't need the additional light to see her, but was aware that she did. Chocolate brown eyes traced every feature on her face, desire brimming in their smoky depths. "I want this to be perfect," he said softly, trembling fingers brushing down one cheek.

She smiled at him, grinding her lower body against his and thrilling at the way his jaw clenched and his nostrils flared. "How could it not be?" she asked, her need echoing in her voice. "I want you, Liam. I need you. Please love me."

His answering smile was so lascivious she shivered with anticipation. Had she just tempted that delicious vampiric side to him or was she about to get his lusty wolf. Whichever it was she was sure she was about to be loved within an inch of her life.

"So be it, beautiful," he breathed out, a split second before she felt her nightgown tear and he tossed the remnants aside. Sitting up astride her body, he let his greedy gaze wander over her nakedness, his hands coming to cup her tight breasts. "So beautiful," he murmured, leaning down to capture one hard peak in his mouth.

Reasa gasped as wet heat closed over her breast and Liam suckled hard. He tugged at her swollen peak sending tiny sparks of pure electricity shooting down her body to pool in the juncture of her thighs. She had never known her breasts to be this sensitive before, but then she hadn't had Liam laving them with such intent before. Each lick was pure heaven. Each suckle was another jolt of pure pleasure.

She moaned and writhed beneath him, her thighs aching to open to admit him, but they were clamped shut by his thick thighs sitting astride her. Liam teased her mercilessly, until she was sure she was making that mewling noise he'd mentioned earlier. His soft laughter told her he was thinking the same thing, and she would have given him a smack if he wasn't holding her wrists bound above her head with one hand.

"Tease," she groaned out, her heart thumping wildly as the ache between her legs grew unbearably.

"I can be," he breathed softly, releasing her breasts to slide lower. He trailed wet kisses over her quivering abdomen, continuing lower until he was kissing her mound and her inner thighs, deliberately staying away from where she wanted him most.

"Liam!"

"So impatient," he laughed, hooking one of her thighs over his shoulder. One large hand pressed her other thigh apart, pinning her in place so she was open to his greedy gaze. "Dear God, you're stunning," he whispered, his breath tickling against her flesh.

Reasa tried to press herself towards his mouth but he held her still, blowing gently against her heated flesh.

"So wet," he whispered. "So perfect. All mine." His tongue rasped over her before he had fully finished speaking and it was so unexpected she cried out.

Oh crap, she was getting the wolf. There was no denying that; not from the way he nuzzled at her body, or the long, slow licks he subjected her to. He was taking his sweet time, tasting her essence, scything his tongue over every inch of her sex until she shuddered in a hot mess.

He flicked at her apex, teased the tiny bundle of nerves that set her blood on fire. She was panting, writhing, aching to feel him buried deep inside her. "Liam...Liam...please."

His throaty growl was all the warning she got before he suckled against her clit, pushing her that last short distance to her climax. Reasa shattered in a million pieces, bliss making her body tremble as her heart tried to climb out of her chest. She cried out, moving against his wicked mouth, climaxing in mindless pleasure as he lapped against her body.

It was the most spellbindingly erotic climax she'd ever had and it took her a few long moments to come down from the heady bliss he'd engendered. When she opened her eyes, Liam was naked above her and she swallowed hard as she let her eyes travel down to the thick shaft standing proudly between his legs.

"Uhm...everything about you is oversized, I see," she managed to get out, a faint feeling of concern colouring her words. She was human now and he was huge with a capital H. Perhaps she should have let him take his time.

"The human body is an amazing thing," Liam sighed, his fingers moving to rub against her sex. "It's very adaptable once you play it perfectly." Two thick fingers slid inside her, and she arched towards their wonderful intrusion. "That's it, beautiful girl, enjoy my fingers. Just like that..."

Liam pressed his fingers in and out slowly, building up the pace as she closed her eyes and allowed her body to be guided by his. It felt so good feeling him inside her, preparing her for his cock, widening her so she would be ready to take all of him. 

Three fingers speared her and she gasped loudly. His thumb rubbed against her clit as his fingers picked up speed. She was mindless, helpless against him, moaning and writhing, as he loved her with his hands. Her breath caught as he pinched her clit hard, another climax rolling over her with such ferocity she was fighting to breathe. 

"Reasa, sweet Reasa...look at me..."

Her eyes fluttered open to meet his, her breath trapped in her chest at the open adoration she saw in his gaze. "I love you, Thereasa." His cock pressed against her opening, an inch sliding slowly inside.

"I love you, Liam," she gasped, arching up as he pressed down.

He eased deep within her body, sheathing himself in her wet heat and stilling his movements when they were joined. His hands ran up her arms to gather her wrists together above her head, his free hand gently stroking down her cheek to her collarbone. "Mine," he growled softly, flecks of amber shining in his eyes.

She knew that he wanted to mate with her, and it hurt that she would have to deny him this. "Too soon," she whispered, seeing the slight hint of hurt that he couldn't conceal fast enough. "Liam..."

"It's okay," he reassured her, a soft smile crossing his face as he leaned down for a slow kiss. "One step at a time, my love. I can wait." He withdrew and slid back inside her, his thickness stretching her in delicious ways.

"Oh God," she moaned bucking her hips to meet him. "It's so good..."

He laughed and it was so full of male satisfaction she had to laugh too. Males were universal the world over, and couldn't help being smug when they loved their women to perfection. "Don't let it go to your head," she teased stifling down another moan.

"No...I'm about to go to your head," he quipped back, flexing his hips and driving himself hard into her waiting body.

Reasa's toes curled, her breath caught and she was certain stars danced before her eyes. Before she had time to recover he was thrusting deep again and she was helpless against his assault. Her body moved in time to his. He teased her in a dance that alternated between hard and forceful, to soft and gentle. Each time she thought she had detected his rhythm he switched it up again until she was a mindless, quivering wreck beneath him.

"Liam...I need...I need..."

"What do you need, dear heart? Tell me what you want and it's yours."

The deep huskiness of his voice told her that he wasn't unaffected by the sweet torture he was subjecting them to. His own desire was at fever pitch and he needed his release as much as she did.

"I need to come," she gasped, rolling her hips in such a way that his next thrust into her teased him and made him growl loudly. She did it again, and again until he lost control and was taking her hard and fast, pushing her towards that perfect moment of union that was theirs and theirs alone.

Reasa climaxed hard, crying out and shuddering beneath Liam as he growled his own pleasure into the night air, his neck straining as he pulsed deep inside her and bathed her with his pleasure. She couldn't think, couldn't breathe, all she could do was soar on a wave of ecstasy that felt as if it would never end.

When reason finally returned she was cradled on her side in Liam's embrace, their hearts beating loudly and their skin slickened with sweat. His breathing was as erratic as hers was, and for a long time she just lay there listening to his heart slow down, a feeling of complete safety overcoming her as she lay in his arms. It was without a doubt the most beautiful, staggering lovemaking she had ever had, and she was glad she had taken this moment with him, no matter what the future may hold. 

"You're incredible," Liam murmured against her hair, cuddling closer as their skin cooled down on the early morning air.

"You're not so bad yourself," she quipped back, giggling when he gave her a soft pat on her backside.

"Not so bad? Talk like that will get you into trouble, wench." 

His laughter was low and happy, and it wrenched at her heart. She managed to keep her tone light, hiding her sadness from this beautiful male who wanted nothing more out of life but to love her. "Yes, I tend to excel at that," she answered, faking a wide yawn.

It had the desired effect, Liam reaching for the rumpled coverlet to pull over them. "You're exhausted. You need to sleep."

"It's so hot too," she groaned, and he placed a few inches between their bodies, as she suspected he would. He always put her needs before his, and her eyes filled with tears as he ran a hand down her back as she faced away from him towards the window.

"Sleep, love," he whispered, a yawn escaping him. "I want you rested for tomorrow so we can do that again, it was so totally amazing."

"It was," she whispered back, fighting the tears that threatened to fall. She wouldn't be here when he woke and that would truly break his heart. She deserved every single bit of what was heading her way. Maybe then she would have atoned for all the wrong she had done to this wonderful male and his pack...

Reasa evened out her breathing, simulating falling asleep as best she could. It must have worked because he fell asleep within a few minutes, but she lay there an additional ten before she climbed out of the bed as soundlessly as she could. While she may not be a vampire any longer she still retained a lot of her previous skill set, like how to move silently.

Liam muttered in his sleep and rolled over, but he didn't wake. Breathing out a sigh of relief, she gathered her jeans and T-shirt, collecting her jacket as she headed into the adjoining bathroom.

Dressing in there served a dual purpose; if Liam woke, it wouldn't be unusual that she be in the bathroom, and there was also a door out to the hallway from this particular room. It was kept locked for the most part, though Liam had told her that when family was visiting from the Hanlon pack, it was open to the rest of the house if required.

Now she carefully turned the key in the lock and cracked the door open. The house was silent but she maintained her stealth as she crept down the stairs and made her way to the back door. It was a testament to the trust the house's occupants had placed in her that no one stirred as she let herself out. That was another black mark on her soul, but then, she had so many now what would one more really matter? Ashleigh's talk with her came to mind and she swallowed hard. Perhaps that black mark did matter just as much as the rest of them.

Taking a shaky breath, Reasa slipped into the trees behind the Eriksson house. There was no turning back from this, thousands of lives depended on her. She had no doubt that Michael would do exactly what he said he would. If she didn't hand herself over to him, a full assault would break out on the North American vampires and countless of them would die from Amort poisoning before the pack and Council could mobilise fast enough to give them the newfound cure. She couldn't be responsible for that, she just couldn't. She hoped Liam would understand...he had to.

She moved east slowly, making sure to stop and listen as she went. There would be wolves out there patrolling and she had to make it to the rendezvous point unseen. A sound echoed off to her left and she froze in her tracks, holding her breath. She waited a full five minutes before she moved again, certain it must have been an animal she'd heard. If it had been a pack member then they would have dragged her kicking and screaming back to the pack.




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 23



She was almost at the road when she heard another noise. This time it didn't fade when she stopped, and her heart sank as she spun around to see who was pursuing her.

"There is some satisfaction in being proven right though I admit in this instance I wish I had been proven wrong for Liam's sake," Pietro hissed, fury dancing in his mismatched eyes.

Reasa's heart leapt in her chest, dismay overwhelming her as she gazed at the scarred vampire. "No! You can't be here. Go back, Pietro. Now!"

His face twisted into a grimace, his scar stretching as his eyes bled black. "And let you get away?" he sneered, loathing dripping from every word. "It's a shame Liam has to learn what a treacherous bitch you are, Thereasa. He deserves so much better than you. Fate has truly fucked with his life."

She had to make him leave but she didn't know how. If he was here when Michael arrived, there was no telling what would happen. "Please, Pietro. Please. For Cassia, for Liam and the rest of the pack. You must go back. You must let me go."

"The only place you're going is back to the pack, so get used to that. Now move, Thereasa."

"No...you don't understand!" She tried again, urgency making her words tumble over each other. "You're in danger, Pietro. You have to leave here right now. Please...before it's too late."

"How touching..." 

Michael's cold words echoed around them, and Pietro spun around, talons at the ready. They were completely encircled by close to two dozen elder vampires, the blond vampire lounging against a large tree trunk.

Reasa moaned in fear, her gaze flickering frantically around them for some avenue of escape. There was none, and no matter how good Pietro was, there was no way in hell he could take on all of the vampires and win.

"I didn't tell you to bring a friend, Thereasa."

She moved to Pietro's side, her gaze locking with her former coven member. "He followed me. He isn't supposed to be here. Forget about him, Michael. I'm the one you want."

The blond vampire moved forward, amusement shining from his eyes. "You still try to protect this vampire? I never understood why you were so intent on protecting him in Europe and here you are doing the very same thing. Are you fucking him?"

Pietro hissed revulsion crossing his face. "I am mated," he growled, appearing more incensed at being linked with Reasa than being surrounded by so many enemies.

"Our mission wasn't to kill him," Reasa spat out, ignoring Pietro's outburst. "It was information gathering only. You broke Louis' command. You should have been punished as Bruce was. I was weak to leave you alive."

"No, you were too busy following your own agenda and betraying your coven," Michael hissed back, venom in every word. "You've gone from hero to zero, Thereasa. Louis has sanctioned your death." He laughed at her expression, glee blazing from his eyes. "Yes, you no longer have his protection. You're mine to do with as I please."

Reasa swallowed down her fear, keeping Michael focused on her and away from Pietro. "So be it," she answered, her voice calm despite the fear threatening to overwhelm her. "You know how Louis feels about his coven members taking the law into their own hands. My own situation is testament to that. If you harm this vampire beside me and bring his friends to Louis' door, your death will be a certainty."

She could see that had him thinking so she pressed on. "Think about it, Michael. You know what I say is true. Let Pietro go and you can do whatever you want with me." She could feel a subtle tensing of the vampire beside her, and knew without looking that he had glanced down at her. She had to keep Michael engaged though, so she stared straight ahead.

She thought she had him for a moment and then his expression hardened. "Do you think me stupid, Thereasa? Do you think I am gullible enough to allow him to leave and bring the rest of his pack down on my head? No, he chose to follow you so he will meet your fate. He should have died in Europe anyway. It's obscene to know one scarred such as he sullies our people."

"Michael...Michael, please don't do this. I'm begging you. You don't want to do this." Reasa knew it would appeal to him to have her beg. It would buy her a little time...time enough to try to save Pietro. As she spoke she pulled on her newly learned dream walking skills. She slid into the mind of the vampire standing at her side, whispering a mental apology that she was once more invading his soul.

"Pietro...we have little time. Forgive me for doing this..." 

"NO!" he roared, pushing at her psychic form, trying to dislodge her from his mind.

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry but you must call to Cassia. I am too far from Liam to reach him but you have the mate link now with Cassia. Call to her, Pietro. Warn her of this danger, and then try to fight your way through them. I will do my best to keep Michael occupied." She slipped from his mind before he could answer, praying he would do as she asked.

Michael was laughing loudly, his confidence so high he didn't consider that possibly there could be wolves close by to hear. "Oh, you beg so sweetly. I find I like hearing you beg, Thereasa. Are you sure you're not fucking Pietro because you plead for his life as if you were." His laughter cut off, cruelty replacing his amusement. "I think we shall kill him first...seeing as you're so partial to him."

He signalled to his men, and a handful of them raised their arms. Reasa stared mutely at them for a second, her terrified mind trying to register what they held in their hands.

"I came prepared with Amort." Michael's smile was nothing short of insane. "I really liked watching the flesh putrefy on Pietro's body. I want to see it again."

Pietro moved then, a bellow of utter rage dragged from the depths of his soul. At supernatural speed he incapacitated two vampires, throwing hacked off arms at a third and decapitating the fourth. 

Michael sprang out of his reach, roaring at his men. "Kill him!"

Three vampires flew at Pietro, knocking him to the ground. Reasa jumped on one of their backs, holding on as he tried to shake her off. He shook her so hard her teeth rattled but she held on like grim death, trying to buy Pietro some time to defend himself. Sharp talons sliced her thigh and she screamed in pain, releasing her hold and rolling to the forest floor. 

The pain was excruciating but it wasn't half as terrifying as seeing blood spurt all over her and chunks of flesh being ripped from Pietro's body. He was outnumbered and outmatched. There was no way he could fight them all off though he was able to inflict some damage. She prayed he had listened and got a call out to Cassia, because it was only a matter of seconds before they were both done for.

"Enough!" Michael roared, and the vampires peeled away to leave them lying bleeding on the ground.

Reasa spared a glance at Pietro, tears falling as she saw the damage to his body. His arms and legs were mangled, and it looked like his spine had been crushed. He would never heal in time; the damage was far too great. She had tried to protect him, tried to atone for her past sins and now she was taking him to her grave. 

"I'm so sorry," she wept, dizziness threatening as the blood pumped too quickly from her leg wound. Her human body was letting her down, and if her last words were to be to this wounded warrior, then she wanted him to know that she was sorry for all the harm she had ever done to him.

Puzzled, pain filled eyes met hers, confusion warring with his hatred. Pietro stared up at her, willing his body to heal, frowning as he saw her vision blur as tears fell down her cheeks. "Thereasa?"

"Oh, how touching." Michael's tone was bored as well as amused his expression a twisted, ugly mask of sincerity. "Let's end this, shall we?" He picked up one of the fallen guns, smiling as he pointed it at them. "Stay with me a little longer, Thereasa. There is enough Amort on these bullets to eat Pietro alive in a matter of minutes. It will be such fun to witness."

The gun cocked, and time seemed to stand still. There was no question in her mind, no second-guessing of what she must do. It felt as if she had waited for this moment to come, so that she might buy him some extra time and she might find some peace in the afterlife. "Forgive me," Thereasa whispered, throwing her body forward as the bullet fired.

"NO!" Pietro screamed, his arms coming up to catch her as she fell forward onto his chest, the bullet striking her squarely in the back. Hot, wet, sticky blood coated his hands, Reasa's breath rushing out as her head fell against his neck. Pietro screamed again, and then again, his voice joining with the screams surrounding him.

Breath brushed his neck weakly; a heart beat against his chest slowly. He could hear his name being called. He could hear frantic cries for Reasa, but all he could do was lay there, as a heart slowed with each beat and a breath caught with each gasp. "No," he whispered, tears blurring his vision. "Stay with me, Reasa, please stay with me. I forgive you. I forgive you..."

*****

Cassia flew out of bed, terror filling her soul. "Pietro! Where are you?" 

"East quadrant, beside the road. Two dozen vampires...Reasa is here. Am hurt. Hurry!" 

"Mom! Dad!" Cassia ran from her room tears running down her face. "Pietro and Reasa are being attacked!"

Her parents were already grabbing clothes as she ran from the house hurrying to Rafe's. She was so distraught she didn't even noticed there were lights on or question why Caleb and Annie were there. "Pietro...Reasa...the east quadrant. Vampire attack!" She gasped the words out, stumbling as she swung around and fled back outside.

"Aaron, lock down the pack now!" Rafe roared, flying from the house with his sister and her mate beside him. He shifted to wolf form as he leapt down the stairs running at full speed towards the attack. He didn't stop to see what the rest of the pack was up to. They were well trained and knew what to do in the face of an attack. Instead, he ran, fury filling his soul that someone would dare harm his pack.

The scene was carnage when he arrived, body pieces everywhere, Andrei and Alexei reigning death down on all they could reach. Wolves were hacking at fallen vampires, working in concert to take heads while avoiding being bitten. Off to the right he could hear more vampires arriving, the Vârcolac and Praetorians were on their way.

"Reasa! Reasa!" Liam's anguished scream cut through the night and his head swung to the right so see figures lying on the ground. 

The pack appeared to have the vampires under control, so he shifted back to his human form, kneeling down beside Liam. "Oh God, no," he breathed out, sorrow filling his soul as he stared at the woman cradled in Liam's arms. "Liam...Liam...she's gone, son. She's gone."

"NO!" Liam screamed, holding her close, rocking her body against his as tears rolled down his face. His anguish was transmitting to everyone present, his grief causing tears to fall down everyone's faces. "She's not gone, Rafe. She's not gone. She can't be. She can't be!"

Frantic eyes searched wildly, finding the one person he sought. "Help her, Annie. Help her. Make her wake up again...please."

The redhead knelt beside him, gently pushing the Alpha to the side. "Oh, Liam...I wish I could, sweetheart. I truly do..."

"She's there, Annie, I can feel her still there," he wept, his eyes pleading with her. "I can feel her in there, she isn't gone."

"Let me through," Mallen ordered, the doctor pulling open his bag as he joined the group. "If Liam says she's there then I'm not going to argue with him, not after he just brought six seemingly dead vampires back to life. So, I'll work on the physical side and you can do your mental shit. Come on, people, we don't have a lot of time here." His stoic pragmatism seemed to shake off some of the stunned grief they were experiencing and the group parted to give them room.

"Clear up this mess and then do a sweep to make sure we got them all."

Pietro gently disentangled himself from the bear hug Cassia had wrapped him in since she'd found him among the melee of body parts. Keeping a hold of her hand as he sat up gingerly, his body protested the movement but he had to see the bodies. "There's no sign of Michael," he hissed out, fury invading him that the main instigator had gotten away.

"Fan out, do a full search of the area," Rafe ordered. His gaze fell on Mac who was staring down at Reasa's body. "Mac, can the Praetorians run a sweep of the city? I don't want any of the pack away from our borders until we're certain the coast is clear."

"We're on it," the Praetorian leader answered, glancing down at his mate.

"I want to stay with Liam," Lily said quietly, scrubbing at her wet cheeks.

"Is that wise?"

"He just made us cry a little," she sighed, leaning in to give him a hug. "Liam's in control, Mac. Nothing bad will happen."

Her mate wasn't so sure of that but he had to go with what she wanted. Her pack needed her right now, so this was her place to be. "Stay here until I come get you." He kissed her lightly and then turned to gather his people. If this Michael was anywhere in the city to find, then they would find him.

*****

The pain was gone and it felt so amazing. Reasa slowly opened her eyes, blinking against the harsh whiteness that surrounded her. Where was she? Glancing around in confusion, she tried to clear her head but it felt kind of fuzzy, as if what she was looking at wasn't real. The last thing she remembered was being in the forest and the next she was here. Was this what the afterlife looked like? 

Michael had shot her at point blank range. There was no way her fragile human body could have survived that kind of trauma. She only hoped that her sacrifice had given Pietro the precious seconds he'd needed to heal enough to protect himself. Maybe it had been enough time for the pack to get there and help him...if he had called to Cassia as she'd told him.

"Was it a hard choice?"

Reasa spun around, her mouth opening in surprise as she stared at the beautiful woman standing watching her. Her thick red hair was pulled up in an intricate design, and she wore a flowing deep purple gown cinched at the waist by an ornate silver belt with a crescent moon clasp. Reasa was certain she'd never seen the other woman before and yet, she appeared familiar somehow.

"Annie?" Even as she breathed the name, she knew it wasn't Rhianna standing there. They shared the same colouring but their faces were different.

"Was it a hard choice?" the woman asked again and this time Reasa listened to her words, understanding what she wanted to know.

"No," she answered quietly, reliving that moment in the forest once more and knowing if she had to do it over again she would make the same choice.

"Do you know who I am, Thereasa?"

Knowledge came to her in an instant, awe overwhelming her. "You are Anakatrine, last of the great Vampire Queens." Tears came unbidden and the need to subjugate herself to the woman who had taken everything from her and yet, in the process, had given her back her most precious possession. Reasa knelt down on both knees, bowing her head. "Thank you, my Queen, for the gift of my soul. I didn't deserve it but I am grateful for your generosity."

The Vampire Queen let out an inelegant snort, so surprising Reasa's head shot up to see open amusement on the other woman's face. "Oh, stand up, child," Anakatrine laughed, holding out a hand. "Do you want to know a secret that only Callain and Gard know? I used to bespell my audience chamber to turn the tiles into cushioned pillows. It still looked like it was tiled but it was soft when my subjects knelt. It used to confuse the hell out of them but I always worried that their knees would get sore with all that kneeling. I never could abide all that kneeling malarkey."

When Reasa only gaped at her open-mouthed, she laughed again, pulling her to her feet. "What? I'm not what you expect of a Queen? I can be many things dependant on the circumstances. Sometimes I am benevolent, others I am a warrior. There are times when I must make the most painful of decisions and then there are times like these, when I can just be one woman talking to another."

"I don't understand what's happening here," Reasa whispered, her confusion absolute. "Am I dead like you are, living in someone else's mind?"

Anakatrine's gaze turned serious, her hands squeezing Reasa's tightly. "You are between worlds...in a place only Callain or I can walk. Unfortunately, we cannot walk in the same moment here, but I can feel an echo of him behind me sometimes." 

She waved her hand at nowhere in particular, a graceful arching of a limb that was so beautiful it made Reasa catch her breath. "Out there, Mallen is working to stabilise your body with the Vârcolac donating their blood to help repair the damage. In your mind, Liam is wading through your shattered hallway, searching desperately for the pieces of your psyche to hold your mind together as they work. In here, it is just you and I, two women having a pleasant talk. Why don't we sit for a while? You've had a busy night and must be weary."

Bright red, high-backed armchairs appeared out of nowhere, and Reasa allowed herself to sink into one as the vampire Queen settled into the other. "Why am I here, Anakatrine? Why are we here?" It seemed like the most important question in the world, one that she had to have answered.

"Why do you think, Thereasa?" Was the cryptic response, confusing her further and yet, opening up her thoughts too.

"I am being judged."

Anakatrine snorted once more, laughter dancing across her face. "I am not judging you, child, I am merely spending some time with you while you make your decision."

What was she talking about? What decision was she required to make? "Please...I don't understand...can't you talk without riddles."

The smile the vampire queen gave her was one of fondness though there was more than a hint of ruefulness about it. "I have spent eons talking in riddles, child. Sometimes it is hard to break the habit. When I stripped you of your immortality, I told you that you had three souls to save, Thereasa. Name those souls and our time here is done."

Everything Rhianna had told her was true, it had been the vampire queen who had taken her immortality. She had known it at the time, known it when she knelt before this woman, and she now knew the answer to the question just posed to her. "Liam," she breathed seeing his beautiful face as if he was standing before her.

"I forgive you..." a voice echoed in her mind, the last sound she could remember hearing. "Pietro..." Tears fell down her cheeks, the emotions within demanding an outlet.

"Was it a hard choice...?" The question from the vampire queen, the one she had answered without needing to think..."No..."

Anakatrine was watching her closely, glowing lavender eyes brimming with a love that was so fierce it was incandescent.

"Thank you for my soul..." Reasa's voice, her words uttered only a few breaths before as she knelt before this wondrous being...

"My soul..."

Heat radiated throughout her body, a soft warm glow that wrapped her up and embraced her in a safe cocoon. She wasn't afraid of it, she didn't understand it, she just knew that it would do her no harm.

"Thank you for Liam's soul, sweet child. Thank you for Pietro's soul, fierce vampire. While I grieved that I had to take such dire steps to lead you home, I had faith that you would one day find your own soul once more. Never forget who you are, Thereasa. Never let mistakes of the past define you. This is who you are now, a woman who has saved countless innocent lives. A woman who was willing to give her life to save another. Welcome home, child."




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 23



The heat intensified until it was all around her. "Anakatrine...I'm afraid." She couldn't see the Queen anymore, she couldn't drag her eyes open or stop the dizziness from enveloping her.

"Anakatrine..."

"Reasa...Oh god, Reasa!" Liam's tears were covering her face, her body protesting as he rocked her against him ignoring the irate bellows from the doctor at her side.

"Liam, let her go..."

"No..." she murmured, forcing her eyes to open, to see her mate's beautiful face above her, tears of joy streaming down his cheeks. She didn't want him to let her go, she wanted to be in his arms forever. "I dreamed of the vampire queen," she whispered, tears falling from her eyes. "She was so beautiful, Liam. So kind and loving. She helped me find my soul...she helped me..." Her words trailed off, her body needing the rest, her mind so tired all she wanted to do was sleep.

"Oh my god...do you see that?" Mallen's stammer had everyone turning to look at him in surprise. He was pointing at Reasa, at the gaping wound on her leg. "She's healing herself..."

Caleb turned to Rhianna, shooting her a puzzled glance. She was pale and looked exhausted, but she was smiling so widely he knew she'd been up to something. He'd known something was happening when she'd told him to hold her and not to let go no matter what happened. Nothing had appeared to be happening so he'd been a but perplexed by her request but he'd done as she asked. "Annie?"

She yawned, snuggling against his chest as Liam dragged his gaze from his mate to look at them. "Thereasa saved her three souls. Her penance is over." Her lavender gaze connected with the Vârcolac, a happy smile gracing her face. "Anakatrine returned Reasa's immortality, Liam. She will heal herself in good time now, though it would probably be more comfortable if she wasn't left lying on the forest floor while she did."

A hush fell over the clearing, all eyes staring at them. "Do you mean it, Annie?" Liam whispered, hope in his voice. "Reasa is a vampire once more?"

Her smile widened if that was possible and she rose to her feet with Caleb at her side. "She is a vampire once more," she agreed placing a hand on his shoulder. "Take her home now, Liam. Cassia, take Pietro home too. There has been enough drama this night. Let's care for those we can and find a way to help those we can't."

Caleb gathered her to his side, knowing her thoughts were travelling back to Europe and to what could have happened to her brother and his mate. The rest of the pack wasn't aware of that turn of events as yet, and it appeared they would try to limit that knowledge to those who needed to know for the time being.

"Back to Rafe's?" he asked, and she shook her head as she looked at her brother. The Alpha's attention was on his pack at the moment, and the ones he could do something to help.

"Tomorrow," she answered, her heart heavy as her eyes turned to stare off into the distance. "Be safe," she whispered for only Caleb to hear. "Be safe, brother of my heart. Your work here is not yet done."

*****

"Will you mate with me, Reasa?" 

How could she deny her fierce male when he looked at her with such adoration on his face? As soon as her body had healed he had loved her with no holds barred, and it had been even more exquisite than their first time together. He hadn't needed to be gentle because she was human. He had been lustful and strong, demanding and tender at the same time. Now they lay together joined, welcoming the dawn's first rays through their open window, her glorious male was asking to join with her forever.

Reaching up a hand, she brushed aside his long, auburn locks, drinking in his beauty and wondering how she had ever deserved to know such happiness. Anakatrine's words whispered through her mind and she pushed away the last lingering self-doubt that she had. She deserved this because she had earned it, with every tear that had been wrung from her soul.

"I have walked through fire to be with you, Liam Eriksson. I have known my greatest weaknesses and shame, and I have known my greatest strengths and compassion. I am honoured to be yours for eternity. Yes, I will mate with you."

The joy on his face brought tears to her eyes, and she let them flow as he moved inside her body, his lips plundering hers, his body worshiping her with his love. Now that she was free from the past, there was hope for this future with her redheaded Vârcolac, and she was taking it while it was on offer. Nothing and no one would deny her.

"Liam...my beautiful Liam...I love you so much." The words were ripped from her soul as her body soared in ecstasy, and her fangs sank into the side of his neck to nourish her second lust.

She could feel his life essence filling her body... both his blood and his seed claiming her. It made her heart thud wildly, it beating racing as his teeth sank into her collarbone and he claimed her as his mate. Nothing had felt so good, and she doubted anything ever would. Nothing could ever compare to this perfect moment of being claimed by her magnificent mate, and now she was a vampire once more, it would be a memory that would never pale.

They danced together in their rhythm of love, true mates joining in a perfect moment of bliss. he gave her his strength and she gave him hers. They were one heart beating, one breath echoing in the early morning air.

"I love you, my sweet, sweet Thereasa. Now and forever," Liam whispered the words with tears of joy in his eyes, complete for the very first time in his life. It hadn't been an easy journey, but he would have walked through endless trials to win his mate's love. She was worth every single tear he'd shed, every single missed heart beat when he thought he had lost her. He was probably going to be a tad overprotective for a little while until the terror of seeing her lying in the forest so lifeless diminished, but he expected she would understand that.

"Thank you for not giving up on me, Liam. For believing in me when I doubted myself. Fate blessed me when it chose you for my mate. I will do my utmost to be everything you ever dreamed of."

"Silly," he chuckled, kissing the side of her neck as he gathered her close. "You already are and always were, Thereasa. With you I am complete and I can't wait to spend the rest of my existence with you. Thank you for trying to kill me."

"Liam!" She groaned as he brought that up, shame running through her at the mere mention of it. She tried to hide her face but he wouldn't allow her to, tilted her chin up so their eyes could meet.

"Do not hide from the past, love. It is what brought you into my life and what helped us learn that the Vârcolac were immune to the toxin. In a roundabout way, it was also what pointed towards the antidote for Amort too. It happened and it's unescapable, but we can look to the good that came of it and not to the misguided thoughts that created the situation."

"You have a novel way of looking at things, my mate," she sighed, a half-smile curving her lips. "I will try to see things from your perspective. I guess old habits die hard sometimes."

He rolled over on top of her once more, his body hardening as he rubbed against her. "I could always think of novel ways to re-educate you when you have a lapse..." He gave her his best leer and she burst out laughing.

"I'd hold that thought if I were you. If my newly reacquired senses are correct, I think we may have some early morning visitors."

"What the hell? Who would be calling at this time of the morning? It's barely dawn..." Liam's grumble came to a halt as he scented their visitors, his gaze swinging away from the bedroom door and back to his mate. "Are you okay with this?"

Reasa sat up reaching for a dressing gown and sliding it on. "I think I need this, Liam. We need to know if this is going to work."

The soft tap on the door interrupted them, and Liam shrugged into a pair of silk PJ bottoms as it swung open.

"Hope you two are decent," Cassia called out a bare second before her head peeked around the door. She was smiling and looked slightly tousled, but her body language was completely relaxed. "Sorry for the early hour but Pietro was being a complete pain. He insisted we come over to see how Reasa was."

It was all the woman in question could do not to gasp in astonishment as the door opened wider and the other couple entered. Pietro's mismatched gaze went immediately to hers, and she wondered what he was thinking behind the carefully neutral expression on his face.

"Liam...would you and Cassia mind?"

Her mate shot her a perturbed glance, but she smiled at him to reassure him. With a pointed look at Pietro who smiled innocently, Liam allowed himself to be escorted from the room by Cassia.

"He won't harm her..." she heard the blonde Vârcolac say as the door closed behind them and she was left alone with Pietro, who remained where he had stopped in the room.

"Are you well?" he asked, when the silence lengthened.

Reasa nodded, unsure what to say to the vampire who had almost died twice because of her actions. In her mind she could still hear his voice in the forest, but she didn't dare hope that he had come to repeat those words.

"You were human. You knew that shot would have been fatal. Why did you do it, Thereasa?" There was honest confusion in his voice, a need for understanding in his eyes.

"I couldn't allow you to die because of my actions," she answered, fighting to keep her voice from shaking from the wealth of emotions that were suddenly building up within her. "I erred in Europe and you suffered something so horrific that no one should ever have had to suffer. Whether or not it was I who administered the Amort was a moot point. I was in charge of that mission and you almost lost your life because of my mistake. I could not allow that to happen a second time."

His eyes pinned her so she couldn't look away, his expression one she couldn't quite make out. "You weren't running to Michael for rescue last night, were you? You were trying to save the lives of your people even though your own immortality had been stripped from you." He paused, taking a few steps closer to the bed. "You knew Michael was here to kill you, didn't you?"

"What is one life when a thousand could possibly be saved?" she asked, her hand touching the cover, inviting him closer. "Would you not have done the same thing, Pietro de la Rios?"

Yes, he would have, if that had been the only option open to him. Staring down at Reasa, he could see that she had honestly believed that had been her only choice, and he felt a kinship with her that he'd never felt before. She was what he knew, a fierce vampire willing to lay down her life for her people. Yes, she had made mistakes and he had paid for some of them, but deep in her heart, she was of his heart and mind. She would die for those under her protection, or those she classed as being hers to protect.

He took the two final steps to the bed, sitting down on the edge, as he kept their gazes locked. "I hated you so much," he ground out, his voice rough with emotion. "You knew that and yet you still threw yourself in front of a bullet meant for me. Do you have any idea how raw it scrapes the inside of your soul to know the person you have hated most in this world would die for you?"

"I will answer that should Michael ever choose to die for me," she replied, a poignant smile on her face because she knew that day would never come. Michael's soul was lost forever and she would rip his head off before she ever allowed him to try to redeem himself in her eyes. She wondered if that was how the vampire watching her felt...if he wished she hadn't acted as she had.

"My soul has been crying out since that day we met in Europe, Thereasa," Pietro whispered. "It has shrieked and raged. It has demanded vengeance and retribution. That agony almost lost me Cassia, and despite mating with her, it still cried out. I didn't think it would ever stop, not as long as you walked this planet. But...last night as I held you, as your blood coated my hands and I listened to your heart slow and felt your breath stutter against my neck...my soul shrieked once more and it had everything to do with you. It cried out No. It wept for the fragile human woman who would give her life for me knowing I hated her. You have no debt left to repay me, Reasa. I forgive you."

The entire time he spoke her tears fell and she didn't try to hide them. Though he cried his own tears and his voice was raw with his emotions, there was such peace on his face. "I'm sorry, Pietro, so very sorry for the hurt I have brought to you." She reached out tentatively, touching the scar on his cheek when he didn't pull away.

He gave a shaky laugh, clearly trying to lighten the moment. "Cassia is very partial to my scars," he admitted with a small smile. "And they freak the vamps out at the Dive which is also a lot of fun." 

His expression turned serious once more and he placed his hand over hers and held it to his cheek. "We have both walked different roads, Thereasa. Each of us has been damaged in our own different ways, but we have found something amazing along the way. We have found Cassia and Liam, and we have found a new home where we are welcomed and loved. We have both fallen, but we have risen back up. It's time to put the past behind us and concentrate on the glorious futures we have ahead of us. I am willing to do this. Are you?"

"Yes, oh yes, Pietro, I am so ready for that." On impulse she threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly when he enveloped her in his embrace and held her close. "To new beginnings, Reasa."

"To new beginnings, Pietro."

*****

"Do you think I should go up there?" Liam's gaze slid to the kitchen door earning him a snort from his friend.

"I told you, they're fine...for now." Cassia laughed as his head spun around, his expression startled.

"Well there's no telling what Rafe is going to have to say to them both about why they managed to land themselves into their predicament in the first place," she pointed out, though something told her their Alpha was preoccupied elsewhere at the moment. "Seriously, Liam...what Reasa did for Pietro last night, it changed everything."

As if on cue, the dark-haired vampire appeared in the kitchen, smiling as he crossed to Cassia and gave her a resounding kiss. All the tension had left his body and even Liam could see that he was at peace with his soul. If he hadn't seen it he had felt it the instant the other male had entered the kitchen.

Reasa followed him in a few seconds later, sliding into Liam's embrace as if it was the most natural thing in the world. The smile she gave him was beatific and he kissed her, holding her tightly as she laughed at his anxiety.

"Do males ever grow up?" She asked Cassia who was also smiling.

"I'll let you know if mine ever does," the blond wolf quipped back, earning her a harrumph from her mate.

"Did anyone see Kothari last night?" Liam suddenly asked, his brow drawing down in a frown. In all the chaos that had happened, he didn't recall seeing the reticent Vârcolac, and for some reason that made him feel uneasy.

"I don't think so, but then I was more interested in the fact my mate was lying in pieces and you were with Reasa. He had to have been there though; a full pack alert had gone out." Even as Cassia spoke, whatever unease had been trickling down Liam's spine was transmitting to her.

"He feels so calm," Liam whispered, his frown deepening. "Too calm..." 

"Dara's agitated," Cassia exclaimed, her gaze turning to Pietro. "Something's very wrong...we need to find Dara right now..."

*****

Dara was pissed with a capital P. She couldn't believe she had allowed Kothari to manipulate her as he had the day before. He had deliberately pushed her buttons, being a complete pig and calling her names to get rid of her. She'd fallen for it too, and that was why she was so mad. She was angry at herself and furious at Kothi. He hadn't shown up for the pack alert and when she got her hands on him she was going to give him a piece of her mind.

Stomping up to his house, she was pissed that she'd had to walk half a mile too. Why the hell couldn't he live closer to the main compound? That was something else she would give him a piece of her mind about and to hell if it wasn't really his fault. He was a grown man for God's sake. He didn't have to live with his parents. The fact that she still lived with hers was a moot point.

"Kothari, get your ass out here now!" she yelled, standing with her hands on her hips outside his front door. All the lights were on in the house so she knew he was awake. "Kothari, I mean it! If I have to come in there!"

Silence greeted her, an eerie silence that sent a shiver down her spine. Why were all the lights on? That didn't make sense. Neither, did Kothi ignoring a pack alert. Had something happened to him? What if some of the vampires had doubled back and attacked him while the rest of them were concentrated elsewhere?

"Kothi?" Dara walked up the three steps to the door, her breath catching when she saw it was open a fraction. With a hesitant hand she let it swing open, fear clogging her throat as the main living area came into view. Everything was in complete disarray, every piece of furniture smashed into pieces. The curtains were ripped from the windows, jagged holes in the glass on the back wall.

"Kothi? Answer me!" Panic laced her voice as she entered the wrecked room. There was no sign of any blood or body parts, the house just appeared as if a cyclone had taken place inside it.

Dara ran into the kitchen to find it wrecked, fear clogging her throat at the destruction. She didn't stop there, she turned and took the stairs two at a time, the same chaos echoed in every room she checked. There was only one exception, and it appeared odd that it remained so pristine. Gard and Rayne's bedroom remained untouched, the only evidence that someone had been there, a leather bound journal resting on the middle of the bed.

"What did you do, Kothi? What did you do?" Dara whispered the words, as she reached for the journal, opening it up to the first page...

July 8th

Dear Journal,

Mommy told me to write what's wrong with me. That letting it out in some way was better then not at all. Something is wrong with me. I hear mommy & daddy whispering at night when they think I'm sleeping, even with Antie Annie and Uncle Kaleb.

What's wrong with me? 

Dara's heart clenched as she read the first entry, the lost cry of a little boy who knew that he was different even when he was so young. It was hard not to feel empathy for that little boy despite the wanton destruction in the house. Something had happened to push Kothi over the edge. Maybe there was some clue to what it was in his journal. She turned more pages trying to find some evidence of what had set him off. Her breath caught as she read, her heart pounding as she stopped at an entry...

DEAR AGONY

YOUR HURT HER, YOU HURT OUR ANGEL!! HOW COULD YOU HURT HER.

YOU HURT HER

YOU HURT HER

WE HURT HER

WE HURT HER... 

Dear God, he was talking of himself as two separate entities! He'd even named the other part of himself...Agony. Who had Agony hurt? Why had it distressed Kothari so much? There were no reports about any pack member being hurt. In fact, the only thing that came to mind was when she'd been with Kothi and he'd lost control. Was he talking about her? She leafed back a couple of pages, re-reading some entries about Kothi's Angel. Did he mean her? It appeared to tie together but maybe she was imagining it.

She paged forward to the end of the journal, and promptly ran out of the room and threw up in the hallway. The last two entries...oh sweet Jesus...if he wrote them after destroying the house...




Tears of the Fallen Ch. 23



GONE!!

THEY ARE GONE!! 

Deep scores lined the page, the words carved into the paper. But it wasn't that which made her throw up...no that was bad enough, but it wasn't that which had turned her blood to ice. It was the very last entry, written so neatly and precisely...

Dear Kothari...

I'm here

A

*****

The End...for now

To be continued in Storm of Shadows