by Petra Landon
“This is Sienna” the Alpha introduced her.
“Nandini” the other girl said quietly, holding out her hand.
Sienna ignored it to throw her arms around the Ancient. “I’ve been waiting to meet you” she said softly.
Though clearly taken back, Nandini did not discourage the hug.
“Why don’t you introduce everyone to Nandini?” Raoul suggested to Sienna. “She’s met most of the team before.”
Tasia watched as Sienna walked the room to introduce her sister to the rest of the team investigating their mother.
“She reminds me of Caroline” Hawk said softly, from beside her. “Something about the way she carries herself.”
“Yeah” Tasia nodded. “That’s exactly how I described her to Sienna and Sara.”
“You know Roman, of course?” Sienna’s voice floated to them.
Nandini’s face shuttered before their eyes. While never overtly expressive, the sudden blanking of expression on Nandini’s face could not be more evident.
“Roman.” She greeted him politely, her voice carefully neutral. “None the worse for wear, I see.”
“Nandini.” Roman inclined his head stiffly, a frozen expression on his battered face, so unlike his usual suaveness that Sienna almost did a double take.
Hawk exchanged a pregnant glance with Tasia.
Sienna hurried her sister towards Tasia and Hawk, attempting to paper over the awkwardness.
Engrossed in their own conversations, most Shifters had not caught the exchange. But Duncan, who missed nothing with his eagle eyes, arched a silent eyebrow at the Alpha. Raoul shrugged. Whatever was going on between the two Ancients, Nandini had come through for Roman when it counted.
“Faoladh’s investigators have been working on tracing your mother’s whereabouts after India, attempting to find the third family” the Alpha said briefly to Nandini. “Tasia, Sienna and Hawk have been going over the investigators’ records to look for any clues they might’ve missed.”
“You haven’t been able to locate this family yet?” Nandini inquired.
“No.”
“But you’re sure she has one?”
“Absolutely.”
Raoul glanced at the trio beside Nandini, giving up the floor to them, as the others settled down to listen.
“As we’d anticipated, there were multiple visits to Venice” Sienna opened. “In the US, her time was split between Portland, Oregon, and Chicago. These seem to be her two bases in the country.”
“These stays in Venice” Duncan asked the question. “How long were they?”
“The durations varied, Duncan” Hawk answered.
“She travelled nowhere else?” Atsá questioned.
“No.” Sienna shook her head. “These three cities are the only ones the investigators were able to track her to. She didn’t seem to spend more than a few months at a time in any place though.”
“Always on the move” Raoul murmured thoughtfully. “She’s paranoid.”
“She is very paranoid” Nandini concurred quietly. “From what I saw of her, she doesn’t trust anyone, is restless and never stays in one place for long.”
“Even her bodyguards?” Roman asked.
Nandini shot him a look but seemed to reflect on his question just the same. “I don’t think she distrusts her bodyguards per se. It’s more like she thinks of them as these mindless creatures whose job is to protect her person. All brawn and no brain, if you get my meaning.”
“Are they?” Roman persisted. “All brawn, that is.”
“They’re not particularly smart, no” Nandini acknowledged, her eyes on the bruises marring Roman’s handsome face. “They follow her orders slavishly but I doubt there’s any critical thinking going on there.”
“These are the foot soldiers, Roman” Duncan chimed in. “Remember, she also has Bianchi, dangerous and canny as they come.”
“She probably has other lieutenants like Bianchi to do her dirty work” Elisabetta added. “The ones on guard duty are just the heavies.”
“Did you meet Rafaelo Bianchi while you were with your mother?” the Alpha asked Nandini.
“No.” She shook her head. “I wasn’t with her long enough.”
“There’s another tidbit that might be of interest” Sienna said into the silence. “A pattern that Tasia discovered.”
She glanced at Tasia.
“In the early years after India, her visits to Venice were more frequent” Tasia said. “Then, they taper off.”
“How frequent?” Raoul frowned.
“Once a month. Sometimes more.”
While the others mused on it, Tasia added. “Her visits were also longer. She’d stay for ten days at a time.”
“When do the visits start to taper off?”
“Three years on. At first, it’s once every three months. Then, it’s even less as she spends more time in the States, alternating between Portland and Chicago. In the last few years, it’s been once a year to Venice, usually for just a few days at a time.”
“Does she always travel with the bodyguards?” Roman asked.
“No, she travels alone.”
Roman glanced at the Alpha, by the mantel, and Duncan, seated in his favorite chair beside him. “This is strange.”
“I know I don’t have the whole story yet” Nandini said slowly, her eyes following the silent communication. “But I’m a little confused. All roads seem to lead to Venice. And yet, you don’t believe she stashed her family there?”
“The Vampires that guard your mother are from the Venetian Nest” Jason explained to her. “Their Master is her main ally. They’ve been allied since the beginning and we believe her trips were to meet with him.”
“But couldn’t it be both?” Nandini inquired. “If she’s only travelled to three cities …” she paused abruptly. “Unless, the family’s in this country?”
“No.” Raoul shook his head. “Faoladh’s investigators have combed through both Portland and Chicago thoroughly. There’s no hint of a family anywhere.”
“Unless she’s hiding the daughter until she’s ready to unveil her” Sienna countered.
There was another silence.
“What I said before about my mother’s guards” Nandini reiterated. “They don’t seem to require any instructions for what she has them do — guard her. So, why go to Venice to meet their Master?”
“And the likes of Bianchi are already here in the country, not in Venice” Duncan murmured.
“Also, these trips were at a time she needed to lie low.” Luis jumped into the fray unexpectedly.
“Yes, the trips to Venice were fraught with danger for her.” Jason was thoughtful. “Every time she flew, she ran the risk of being recognized. Yet, she believed the Venice trips justified the risk.”
“ElDarZin” Roman murmured aloud, as it suddenly hit him.
The Alpha, following the conversation that Nandini’s comment had spurred, turned to Roman. “What about him?”
“Your Clan source confirmed that ElDarZin went to work for the Lombardis?”
“Yes.”
Roman’s eyes glittered with suppressed excitement. “And we’re pretty sure she used his artifact to walk away unscathed in Chicago.”
The Ancient’s excitement was now palpable.
“Powerful, with the right pedigree.” Roman held the Alpha’s gaze. “He’d also have been the right age. Think about it, Merceau. Everything falls into place.”
“For what?” Sienna looked puzzled just as Nandini exclaimed “Lombardi!”
Roman glanced at Nandini with a frown, before answering Sienna. “To be the third sperm donor” he said bluntly, almost absent-mindedly, before seeming to realize what he had said. He looked apologetic.
“No offense.” His glance encompassed both half-sisters.
“None taken.” Sienna’s answer was prompt, even mechanical, as she processed what Roman was hinting at.
“You think ElDarZin fathered the third daughter?”
Jason put it together.
“It fits.” Roman shrugged, his eyes on a silent Nandini.
“It does” Raoul agreed thoughtfully. “The timelines certainly match up, and she’s picked powerful Chosen for their bloodlines before.”
He turned to Nandini, who still looked a tad confused. “What puzzles you about the Lombardi leeches?”
“They’re the Venetian allies you talked about?”
The Alpha nodded.
“I heard something while I was with SivoTar” she said slowly. “I don’t mingle much with Chosen, so normally, I wouldn’t be privy to any gossip like this.”
“What gossip?” Roman demanded, a note of impatience in his voice.
Nandini seared him with a look. “Patience is a virtue, Roman” she reminded him pointedly. “You’d be better served to inculcate it.”
Roman looked taken aback. For a moment, the two Ancients stared at each other, the subtext of her words lost on neither. Sienna tried to hide her smile.
Then, Nandini turned her attention back to the mantel where the Alpha waited, no sign of impatience about him.
“I heard rumors of something strange at The Games” she said.
Raoul, never interested in Chosen gossip, turned promptly to his source of all whispers about Chosen: Duncan.
“I did hear about an explosion” Duncan offered.
“An explosion?” Jason looked astonished.
“A minor one, Jason. No injuries.”
The Games were an annual tournament open to all Chosen, a venue to showcase their extraordinary abilities against other worthy opponents. One of the few avenues where Chosen of all stripes could come together to pit themselves against each other. Once, success at The Games had been a badge a Chosen could wear with honor. Since it was an event open to all, even a low-level Wizard could showcase her skills against a powerful First One or a Were-Alpha, should she choose to. For the last century though, its popularity had been on the wane. Now, it was primarily a tournament where Vampires showed up to match their skills against those from other nests.
“Durovic?” Raoul turned to the Ancient. Roman’s job entailed keeping his ear to the ground. He would know of any rumors.
“Someone went missing from The Games” Roman confirmed. “All very vague. But I haven’t been paying attention to it.” He’d been preoccupied with the investigation and being tortured by a sadistic Wizard’s pets.
“These rumors about The Games — what do they have to do with the Lombardis?” Raoul asked Nandini.
“The Master of the Lombardi Family is the one known as Monseigneur?”
“Yes” the Alpha confirmed. The Master was powerful, one of a handful to lead Pure Blood Families. He’d lived in France centuries ago, before rising to head the Lombardis. Some said Monseigneur had been born a French aristocrat.
“The gossip is that the girl who went missing from The Games was with the Lombardis, and that Monseigneur is enraged about it. SivoTar’s First Ones were rather gleeful about Monseigneur’s misfortune” Nandini added, as everyone stared at her.
“Monseigneur has never been popular amongst the First Ones” Roman admitted.
Nandini looked curious at the cryptic words. For a moment, she seemed on the verge of asking Roman the reason for the bad blood, but then the moment passed. As she turned away from him, Roman’s lips tightened imperceptibly.
“You believe she left her daughter with the Lombardi Vampires?” Sienna looked disbelieving, despite what she knew about her mother. She wouldn’t trust her worst enemy with the Clan. Her mother had already proved that she wouldn’t hesitate to use her daughters if it aided her plans. Yet, the very idea horrified Sienna.
“That seems the likely conclusion, unless …” Raoul glanced at Roman.
“ElDarZin hasn’t been heard from for a long time now.” Roman looked somber. “If he’s still alive, he doesn’t want to be found.”
“We’d better find out what happened at The Games” Raoul said.
Roman nodded. “I’ll reach out to my sources.”
“I’ll ask Faoladh to dig deeper into Venice” the Alpha added. “Check for any whispers about a non-Clan girl living with the Lombardis.”
“Roman.” Sienna turned to him impulsively. “Could you ask your sources what the missing girl looks like?”
“Sure, I’ll ask” he said agreeably.
No one said anything, but Sienna glanced at the Alpha just the same. “A hunch” she muttered. “I’ll explain if it turns out to be true.”
He asked no further questions. Jason, who knew that she had seen her siblings in her vision, said nothing.
“If we’re on the right track, she’s been under our noses the whole time” Duncan remarked.
“I hope we are, because this is the only lead we have.” Sienna looked conflicted. “But the idea of being thrown to the Vampires …”
“She has a father too, Sienna” Nandini chimed in unexpectedly. “And a powerful one, as I understand it. He won’t have left his daughter to the mercies of a Blutsauger nest.”
The words seemed to stop Sienna in her tracks. “You’re right, Nandini” was all she said. But Sienna looked relieved by the timely reminder.
“This is good work” the Alpha said. “Without Nandini’s perspective, we’d have gone around in circles, like before. Now, we have a new and promising lead to follow.”
“We’ve always ignored Venice before, because of her relationship with the Lombardis” Atsá said thoughtfully. “But if you think about it, it is very much in character to entrust a daughter crucial to her plans to her most trusted ally.”
“Frankly, I’m surprised she allowed Sienna and Nandini to keep their distance for this long” Jason said bluntly. This part had always mystified him. He was glad her mother had left Sienna alone, but still puzzled by Lady Bethesda’s strategy on this.
Before anyone could respond, the steel door rattled in warning and a young Shifter peered in to glance at the mantel. “There’s a guest for Sienna, Alpha.”
The Alpha gestured towards Sienna.
“He’s in the new Pack Room downstairs” the Shifter said to Sienna.
“Thank you, Ian” Sienna responded. “I’ll be right down.”
The young Shifter left discreetly, closing the door behind him.
“Are we done here?” Sienna glanced at the Alpha.
“We’ll continue this later. Give it your best shot, Sienna.”
“I will.” Sienna looked determined.
“You want to join me, Jason?” she asked.
Jason shook his head. “Trev will be more amenable if you make the request, Sienna. I bring Guardian baggage that might place him in an uncomfortable position.”
Sienna nodded.
“Good luck, Sienna” he said with a smile.
She turned to have a quick word with Nandini just as Luis, ever the gentleman, strode to the heavy door to hold it open for Sienna.
Since it was clear that they were done for now, Tasia made a beeline for Luis once Sienna had exited the room.
“Could I have a word with you, Luis?” She drew his attention.
“Of course, Tasia” he answered readily, despite his surprise.
“In private” she added self-consciously, catching Stefan Simeonov’s eyes on her.
Luis cast a glance around the crowded Pack Room. “How about downstairs after Sienna is done?” he offered.
“That works, thank you.”
“I’ll find you when the room is free” he assured her.
Jason and Hawk, with Roman listening intently, were busy filling Nandini in on the investigation and everything they had uncovered so far. Atsá and Duncan were engaged in a discussion with the Alpha. Luis strode up to join them. That left two Shifters. Tasia, never keen to have a tete-a-tete with either Elisabetta or Simeonov, made for the group around Nandini.
While Nandini soaked up the details of the investigation, Tasia observed the others. Jason and Hawk played off one another, their ease with ea
ch other evident. After weeks spent cooped up together, their shared goal and a sense of camaraderie bound everyone together. Roman, in particular, had made himself a part of the team in a short time, blending in seamlessly with Duncan, Jason and Atsá while establishing an easy-going relationship with Sienna and the younger members. He had an easy relationship with the Alpha, one of mutual respect. Yet, Tasia had always suspected that Roman put on a façade around them. Outwardly gregarious and sociable, he was a hard man to get to know. One who always seemed to hold his cards close to his chest.
Now, he was quieter than unusual, his gaze on the Ancient girl when he thought she wasn’t looking, his expression carefully blank. Nandini seemed to mostly ignore him. It was clear that these two had history. Tasia wondered what had led to this awkwardness between the suave man of the world and the self-assured woman. Whatever it was had affected them both.
When Sienna joined them an hour later, every eye in the room turned to her in anticipation. Breaking into a spontaneous smile, she raised her hands triumphantly over her head, like a victorious athlete.
Hawk, as usual, was the first one to whoop with joy. “You did it, Sienna.”
“Yes, I did, Hawk.” She tossed him a wink.
“Job well done, Sienna” Duncan called out, clearly pleased by her success. Even the Alpha looked pleased.
Sienna sauntered over to join the crowd around Jason and Nandini. Jason looked relieved.
“Bought you a little time with the Guardians, Jason” she said to him, her affection for him evident.
“Yes, you did, Sienna” he admitted. “Is Trev still downstairs?”
“No.” Sienna shook her head. “He has a meeting at the Registry. That’s his excuse for the trip. He said to tell you that he’ll catch up with you when he’s back in town.”
“When does he plan to be back with the records?” Roman inquired.
“A few days.”
“Tasia.” Luis beckoned to her. “Shall we?”
As she exited the Pack Room in Luis’ company, Hawk, hyper watchful of Tasia, shot them a narrow-eyed look. Stefan Simeonov, another Shifter with an interest in Tasia, pursed his lips, his blue eyes on the two. Beside him and more attuned to the undercurrents than her current ally of convenience, Elisabetta glanced towards the Alpha to see what he made of the unusual twosome. Seemingly engrossed in conversation with Duncan, he ignored the pair’s exit, until Hawk sprang up from his seat with a purposeful air to make after them.