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 waswrong."

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. Hehad 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 washis 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 withhim 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 instanthis 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 contacthim, otherwise she may not have seen many more days. He must treat her as he would the Master...until such timeshe allowed him to kill her. Smiling, Michael lay on the bed fully clothed, closing his eyes to rest after their long journey.