by Tara Sampson
Leo took the vial and twisted off the top. He was antsy but more than ready to have this done and over with. He wanted to eliminate any and all threats to both his bride and their child. Tilting his head back, he swallowed the bitter concoction in one gulp.
“Here,” he grimaced and handed the vial back to Alex. “What about Ric and Tatiana? They’re going to be looking for Shelby.”
“At dinner, you will tell them that she’s not feeling well. You can also say something about how taxing the change has been on her, causing terrible migraine headaches. I will mention the fact that we have placed her down in the Lucidio Rooms for her personal comfort. If all goes as planned, that’s where Ric and Isabella will go. Clara has already placed wards on the rooms so that when they enter them and I close the door, they will not be able to escape. Once you’ve dealt with Tatiana to your satisfaction, you can go downstairs and deal with them.”
Leo’s mouth tightened. He no longer thought of Isabella has his mother. He couldn’t—not after this betrayal. He had warned her to back off and she didn’t. Now she would pay the consequences. Out of reverence for the woman that birthed him, he would make her death swift and as painless as possible. That was all the quarter he could grant her.
But Ric, his servant, that was another matter entirely. For years he trusted him with all of his most coveted secrets. He had known about Shelby the moment that he fed her his life essence and bound them together. Ric would pay for his betrayal. He would pay dearly with both his blood and his life.
“And what about Marko?” Leo asked, struggling to keep the hiss out of his voice. “What will happen to him? He can’t be allowed to get away with his part in this either.”
“He won’t,” Alex assured his friend. “He’s a council member and as so, the Council will deal with him accordingly. We need to make an example of him. We cannot let him set a precedent before the war even begins. His death will be a public execution. More than likely the Council will choose sun poisoning so that his suffering is great and everyone will know that the Council has a no tolerance policy against vigilantes.”
“I understand,” Leo grumbled. He did understand but even knowing what was to come for the backstabbing Council member, it still wasn’t enough to calm his beast. “I want five minutes with him. Five minutes alone is all I’m asking for with no questions asked. You can at least afford me that much, Alex.”
Alex frowned and shook his head.
“I’m not going to make any promises but I’ll see what I can do. We may be considered monsters in our own rights but we still have rules to adhere to. It would be wise of you to remember that, Leo.”
Leo closed his eyes and sighed. The empty ache in his head was beginning to wane on him. So quickly he had become accustomed to having Shelby’s presence with him at all times. Now that she was gone, the stillness in his head threatened to consume his sanity.
Opening his eyes he pinned Alex with his glare.
“See that you do,” he said gruffly. “You know what this means to me; to us.”
“That I do,” Alex told him. “Are you ready for this?”
Leo adjusted the cuff on his wrist.
“Is everything set up downstairs?”
“Yes, and I’ve also received word that Marko and your mother have arrived.”
“Good, then I’m ready. The sooner we get this farce of a dinner over with, the sooner that I can exact my revenge.”
Alex dipped his head and stepped to the side to give room for Leo to walk past him.
“You know that I was a good friend of your father’s for a very long time. I may not have always agreed with his ideas of grandeur for our kind but the man that he had been was good. You’re like him in many ways, Leo. The man I knew. I wish you the best of luck in your endeavor tonight.”
Leo stepped by him and stopped just outside the door. He didn’t bother to turn around.
“I won’t need any luck tonight Alex. I have skill on my side as well as another very powerful weapon that those who dare to aspire against me don’t have. I have love. I have felt and experienced a deep love that very few of our kind will ever know. That sound love that I share for my Shelby and our unborn child will be my single driving force. Tonight is a done deal. For your own safety I suggest you stay out my way. Blood will run and mark my words, it won’t be mine.”
Without another word, Leo stalked off towards the dining room. He was tense and battle ready.
Alex watched him leave and let out a deep sigh of his own. History would be made tonight. Clara’s disturbing vision began a little over fifteen years ago and was coming to a head on this night. All these years they had prepared for this—this moment—this time.
And now it had come. He couldn’t help but to worry for what may or may not happen; so much weighed in on the outcome of this night.
Walking out of the bedroom, Alex closed the door behind him and began his trek towards the dining room with so many rampant thoughts weighing heavily on his mind. Most importantly, Clara’s latest vision of what was supposed to happen tonight. They had done everything they possibly could to get ready and now it was in the hands of fate.
Clara, I sure hope you’re right, he thought to himself when he pushed open the door to the dining room where everyone was beginning to take their seats. The gong-like chimes from the grandfather clock in the foyer began to strike on the hour. He noted Marko and Isabella taking their seats as well as Leo and several other notable vampires finding their places. His studious gaze met with Victor’s and Victor gave him an imperceptible nod to let him know that everything was set up as they had discussed.
It was time. If Clara’s vision were to come to pass then tonight would only be the beginning; the beginning of not only the end but the beginning of all the hell that was too soon to come.
Chapter 33
Isabella carefully lifted the crystal glass to her lips and took a cool sip of the exquisite vintage wine she had been served. From the bittersweet taste and the way that it bubbled on the tip of her tongue, she could sense that it was a special blend of grapes from the old country mixed with a hint of sweet virgin blood.
She couldn’t help but to smile. At least one thing in the Council hadn’t changed since her husband passed over into the next realm; only the best would do for their guests. The elders had a certain façade of elegance to uphold and they certainly didn’t disappoint.
Over the rim of her glass, her eyes connected with Marko’s and he gave her an imperceptible nod. His gaze flitted over to the empty chair beside Leo. Before they had all been seated at the grand table, he had explained that his precious pet had not been feeling well enough to attend the Council’s dinner tonight. He had gone on to say that she was resting in the Lucidio room.
At first, Isabella had been irate. How dare the maggot not show her pasty face? It was a blatant sign of disrespect to refuse a dinner invitation from the Vampiric Council. Marko and she had made plans; all of them dependent on her being at this dinner tonight.
After Leo ingested the bloodroot, he would be too dazed and out of it to sit and listen to the idle chit-chat that typically went on after these dinners. At the first sign of drowsiness she had planned to approach the woman and offer to show her around in the gardens while suggesting Leo return to his room where Tatiana awaited him. Once she was positive that Leo was out of the way, she would take Shelby to Ric where he was waiting at the back of the gardens to finally rid them of her measly existence.
In the meantime, Marko would keep the Council busy in the meeting room with useless conversation until Shelby was gone and Tatiana had bonded herself permanently to Leo.
The plan was so simple it had been perfect.
Except that now, the woman she hated with a passion hadn’t bothered to make her presence known. How was she supposed to lead her to Ric if she wasn’t even there?
Clenching her jaw tightly, she bit back the snarl that threatened to spill from her lips. She reminded herself that she had an image to m
aintain and as dignified as she could possibly make herself, she sat the glass back down on the table, wondering what in the hell they were going to do now.
It wasn’t until she heard Marko speak that she realized she hadn’t been paying attention to what was going on at the table. She cursed herself for letting her mind wander off like that. She had a job to do tonight and one way or the other, she would get it done. She just needed to come up with an alternate plan.
“Leo, you mentioned that your life mate isn’t feeling well. I hope it’s not too serious,” he feigned concern. “Your mother was explaining to me earlier just how recently she had been turned. You don’t think she’s rejecting the change, do you?”
Leo arched his brow and shook his head at the same time.
“No Marko, it’s nothing that serious. She is…let’s just say, in a delicate condition.” Leo picked up his glass and took another hefty swallow. He was more than aware of the bloodroot that had been placed in it. He tilted his head and nodded in his mother’s direction. “In about eight months’ time, it looks like you’re going to be a Nonna.”
Isabella hid her own disgust at the idea of her being a grandmother to anything that half-breed brought into this world. It would be over her dead body.
She forced a smile on her face and fisted her hand in her lap. “That’s…wonderful news,” she finally managed before picking up her flute again and downing half the contents in two gulps.
“That it is,” Leo confirmed. “Dr. Tonio confirmed the conception this morning and with everything that has been going on, my bride has been riddled with migraines from the morning sickness. Dr. Tonio assured me that it all should pass in a few weeks.”
“Then I believe a celebration is called for,” Marko spoke again. He lifted his glass and tipped it in Leo’s direction. “To the first Risso heir in this century; I offer to you and your bride my most sincere congratulations.”
Leo picked his glass up again and finished off the contents just as the servers started to file into the room.
“Thank you,” he replied, setting his glass back on the table. In seconds, a server was at his side, refilling his glass. “When Shelby is feeling better, I will be sure to pass along your kind words. It will make her happy to know that the Council supports our union.”
Isabella averted her gaze to the plate that was set down in front of her. Bloodied beef tips nestled on a cushion of fluffy rice filled her plate.
She picked up her fork and let her mind start to work as she picked at her food. Eating was one of her few guilty pleasures in life. As a true blood vampire, she didn’t require sustenance of this variety to survive but that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy it. Hollywood only got half of it right when they depicted their kind in the movies. They could eat human food without getting sick. They just couldn’t survive without ingesting a healthy dose of red blood into their system.
She didn’t have to think long. An idea formed almost instantly. She took another small bite of her food and chewed slowly. The more she thought about her idea, the better she felt.
Shelby being in a different room actually worked in her favor. The Lucidio room was located on the opposite side of the house, far away from the suite that she had earlier learned Leo and that pet of his were staying in. Once dinner was over, Leo would sleepily head back to his own room where Tatiana would be waiting for him. She would collect Ric from the gardens and head down to the Lucidio room to dispense of Shelby while Marko kept the Council busy.
Raising her head from her plate, she glanced over in Marko’s direction. His calculating lips met her eyes with a smile. She had no doubt that he had come to the same conclusion she had. The fates were looking down on them tonight. He subtly lifted his glass to her and then took a sip. She returned his smile and repeated the gesture.
It wouldn’t be long now. In a few hours’ time, she would finally be rid of that maggot her son had obsessed over and Tatiana would take her rightful place as her daughter-in-law. With Shelby being taken care of, then the prophetic half-breed child won’t have the chance to exist. The Prophecy that had caused such uproar in their society will have proved false and they would be free to initiate the imprisonment of all humans, finally putting them in their proper place.
She reminiscently grinned to herself, thinking of how happy her dear sweet Alberto would be if he were there now, seeing that she was actually making his dream come true.
Soon, they would no longer have to hide their true natures.
Soon, they would rule the world.
Leo glanced down at his watch. It was 9:30 and he’d endured about as much as he could take for one evening. This farce of a so-called dinner was beginning to grate on his last nerve. He was beyond ready to get the show on the road so he could hold his Shelby in his arms again.
Faking a wide-mouthed yawn, he started to stand and turned so that he was staring directly at his mother.
“It’s getting late,” he told her stiffly. It took every fiber of his being to stare at the woman that gave him his very life in the eye and remain cordial when the beast inside of him was demanding her blood for the threat she posed to his new family.
He stepped back from the table and a servant scurried to his side with his coat, ready to push his chair in.
“I’m feeling a little on the exhausted side myself. I think I’m going to call it a night.”
Isabella forced a smile and gave him a slight nod of the head.
“You look tired, son. Taking on a new bride of that human’s likes has obviously done quite a number on you. Why don’t you leave her in the Lucidio room for the night and head to your own room for a good night’s rest? I’ll stop by and check in on her before I go to my own room for the night.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to bar her from going anywhere near his Shelby, but he knew that he had to bide his time until it was right. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Alexander standing up, murmuring to Marko what he assumed was an excuse for him to leave the dinner table as well. According to their plan, Victor would be next to leave the table.
Little did his mother know, that instead of his newly turned sleeping bride that it would be Alex and Victor waiting in the Lucidio room for both her and Ric’s arrival. When they walked into that room, they would undoubtedly be in for quite a surprise to see that Shelby was in fact not there. Since they were part of Leo’s family, Alex was under instruction to hold them there until he had finished dealing with Tatiana. It was his responsibility to deliver justice and Leo was determined to do just that.
The Council guards had already been instructed to take custody of Marko the moment that Isabella left the room. He would be held in a confinement cell so that they could make an example of him, showing the night world that the Council would act swiftly in its punishment to any rebel that decided to stand against them.
Alex had been careful to assure him that the vampire would die and it wouldn’t be an easy death by any means. For now, that would be enough. It had to be.
Knowing that Marko was being competently handled, it only left Tatiana, his mother and Ric. Leo had already decided that he would be the one to end his mother’s traitorous life in the Lucidio room. He couldn’t leave it to chance that she would go after his bride or his son again. He would make her death swift out of respect of which the woman was; the same person that had given him his very life but quick and swift was all he could afford her. Anything less was left to chance and chance wasn’t something that he wanted to deal with when it came to the two people that mattered most to him.
Now Ric on the other hand, that was a different story entirely. He had been tenured as a servant to his family for years. Leo had grown up with him, thinking of the vampire as more of a friend than a servant. Ric knew how much Shelby meant to him and had known for years. He was there every time Leo watched Shelby, making sure that she stayed safe until that fateful day.
It was his betrayal that hurt most because he alone knew exactly how deep Leo’s feelings ran
for the blond-haired beauty that carried his blood in her veins.
He will pay dearly, he told himself. He would make damn sure that he paid for ever even thinking about harming a single hair on his precious Shelby’s head.
Leo would have his vengeance tonight. One way or another, this threat would end here and it would end now. There was no other viable option.
Shrugging his coat over his shoulders, Leo quickly exited the dining hall. His strides were long as he made his way down the narrow hallway that led him back to the room he was supposed to be staying in. The draft that blew across the small space felt cool against his heated skin. The path he took was ironically enough dimly lit by ancient sconces giving off candlelight. The Council got a real kick out of designing this house according to Hollywood’s ideals.
As a kid, Leo loved running through these halls, pretending to be the renowned Count Dracula. Tonight, those easy times was the last thing on his mind. He had no compunction to pretend tonight. Tonight he would be the cold-hearted ruthless killer that the humans branded his kind to be. Tonight he would kill and he would enjoy every minute of it.
Leo stopped in front of his door. Tatiana was supposed to be on the other side of this door; the same Tatiana that his mother had wanted him to wed. There was no way in hell that was happening. The woman didn’t hold a candle to his Shelby. Hell, she didn’t even hold a lit match.
He thought about opening the door and decided that wasn’t his style. He just wanted this night over and done with. Taking to the form of mist, he evaporated and quickly reappeared inside of the entrance to the alcove that housed his bed. He assumed that was where Tatiana would be waiting for him.
Leo remembered the plan that Alex had explained to him in such detail. The same plan concocted by members of his own family and people that he had once considered dear friends. They wanted to take away everything that he held dear. They wanted to take away his heart—his soul.