“Shit!” I ran out the room.
Dom was standing over Mike, who was clearly taken by surprise by the hit.
“Dominic!” I shouted at him as I rushed to Mike's side.
He said nothing, merely looked at the mark on my wrist I hadn't healed completely yet and then I watched as his fist clinched again.
“I'm sorry. I can't help the pull of him... just as I can't help your pull. Although right now I want to punch you!” I snarled at him.
“You could try, Emma DeDominico.” He said my new last name with a deliberateness that stung.
“Go away. Make sure that we don't end up with a fight between us and the wolves now, you idiot!” I snapped.
I heard his steps storm down the hall.
“I had it coming, Em.” Mike tried to sit up.
“You need to wait a second, let me check you first.” I placed my hand on his chest, and I could feel the zing of our contact- I blushed.
“How about you heal your wrist first before we have a cat fight next.” He shook his head gently.
I closed my eyes, searched for the injury in my body, felt it seal and disappear.
“Better?” I held out my wrist.
“Damn, you're good. Not even a mark.” He smiled up at me.
“Your turn.” My eyes shut as I followed our link, tracing each pain and throb in his body. The injuries were minimal. I willed them away. When I opened my eyes, he was watching me.
“What?” My voice was defensive.
“Nothing. You are just so beautiful and when you wield your craft it seems to cause you to glow.” He reached up and touched my cheek.
“As do you when you cast.” I laughed and held out my hand to him.
“Like this.” His hand was sparkling with light as he grasped mine.
“Yes, just like that.” I watched as his entire being shimmered with a golden shine- it slowly faded as he recalled his spell.
“Show-off.” I smiled and pushed him back after he got up.
“I feel perfect. I don't know how you do it, but it's amazing.” He offered his arm.
“Kiss-ass too...” I was snickering now as I took his arm.
We walked back into a heated situation. Dom was clearly trying to keep them in the room and they were concerned for Mike. I tried hard not to laugh.
“What took you so long?” Acacia snapped at him as soon as we walked back in.
“There were things that needed to be discussed.” Mike's smile slipped away and his expression turned blank and cold.
“Things you couldn't discuss in front of your pack or mate?” She sneered- her eyes seemed to glint.
“Acacia, that is enough.” His tone was not something to challenge.
“I'm sorry that it took us so long. I had a personal vampire matter to discuss with Michael, please forgive me for detaining him.” I tried to placate them.
I watched as the two wolves with them accepted the words as true, and I saw Acacia's suspicion- I knew she could smell the vampire blood on him, and my scent- but she couldn't say for certain that Mike had taken my blood. It was obvious she suspected it.
She knows. I sent the words to Mike as guarded as I could.
Doesn't matter. His mood was not improving.
“We know that the wolves are very busy with their own issues at this moment, but we'd like to extend an invitation for you to stay as long as you like. We're very grateful for your assistance in saving my grandfather.” I didn't consult Dominic, I knew he would say “no” on principle, but I knew what needed to be said to help build relations.
“While your offer is most generous, we must return to Ireland. We want to be present should any further attacks occur. However, tonight we would like to stay the evening and hunt with you and your people.” I could see the shock on Acacia's face, but the respect from the other wolves.
“You're most welcome to assist in tonight's task of trying to protect our people from what seems to be plaguing us both.” I smiled.
“ I'll send in Yasmin to show you to a couple of rooms, so you may rest until later.” Dom told them as he called for her.
I waited for Yasmin to lead the wolves away before I turned on him.
“You are a complete idiot, ruled entirely by emotions... do you have any idea what you could have done?” My voice was steely.
“I may be ruled by my emotions, but at least I consider the emotions of others. Do you know what you could've done by sharing blood with him here?” His eyes were like sharp glass.
“Absolutely nothing.” I felt my defense kicking in.
“Not only you could have upset our small alliance with the wolves because of Acacia- pulling at their loyalties- but you could have showed our people that you would rather be with another man than with your own King. How do you think that looks?” He was hurt, but trying to manipulate the pain into something useful.
“I don't give a flying fuck about what Acacia thinks. I do see your point about our own people. I'm sorry I hurt you, Dom. I wish that you could understand for two seconds what I go through. The constant pain I'm in because I'm split down the middle. I've told the words to you before, but I'm two people... two people that love two different men.” I turned and walked out of the room.
“Or you the pain I go through to see the woman I love with everything that is me, struggle for her own emotions and try to be two conflicting people. If you only knew what you cause me...” His words followed me down the hall.
I didn't eat, I needed to feel my body hunger. I needed to feel my blood thirst come in waves. Part of the pain was my punishment for hurting Dominic once again. The other part would help me on my hunt. I had food sent to the wolves, and Dom's favorite sent to him. Two hours before we were to leave, I called everyone into the new War room.
“Tonight we hunt what has been hunting us. This will require stealth. I've arranged for vampires to be stationed throughout the city- protecting our people. I couldn't reach any of the other vampire heads yet, so this will have to do for now. After our acceptance tomorrow, I can have protection arranged for all the cities. But tonight we go out in two groups- one will circle the outside of the city, the other the inside.” I had a layout in front of me.
“For now, the vampires will be on the inside. Our people are currently trying to adjust to having wolves as friends not foes.” Dom's voice was honest.
“I'll run with the wolves on the outside of the city, we will have backup vampires circling the outer roads.” I told Mike's people.
“I doubt that all of this is necessary.” Acacia chirped in.
“Acacia, we're fighting this same fight in our own land. We'll see if this approach works and learn from our alliance with the vampires.” Mike's voice was short again.
“I'm sorry, you're right.” I could see the role of the alpha at work.
“We have some final members of our team have to get ready, you're free to stay in the room or walk the grounds. We'll leave in about an hour and a half.” I said to the wolves, trying not to make them feel dismissed.
“Thank you, Emma. We'll go outside and get a feel for the world around us.” Mike took his people and left.
“Mia bella, I'm worried. Acacia doesn't like you. I want you to take more vampires with you.” Dom's face creased with concern.
“Mon amour, you worry too much. Mike would never let anything happen to me. Derrick will be in the van that I'm in constant communication with, and you and I have our link. I'll be fine.” I kissed his cheek.
“I love how you're using the French you learned for Kelly.” He laughed.
“It's good for something.” I winked at him.
“Okay, so you're going with the wolves and Derrick will be our go-between. I'm taking three small elite teams into the city. We'll have a man stationed within an inner circle for each of the three teams. These men will communicate with each other and Derrick. I'm hoping that by overlapping our circles we will not miss anything.” He sighed in exasperation.
“Don't f
ret. We'll stop this before more are hurt. If we don't get them tonight, we'll get them soon.” I hugged him.
I thought that the night would be welcoming to our venture- I was terribly wrong. In the short time that we had rested, the sky turned dark and unwelcoming. I knew rain was coming. The moon was hidden behind the thick, ominous clouds. The air seemed charged with static and electricity.
“Emma, there's going to be one hella storm tonight.” Mike's voice was raised over the winds.
“We'll face them head on. We won't be stopped in our mission just because the weather doesn't want to cooperate. It might just be a created storm anyways.” I sniffed the air trying to get a feel for what was ahead of us.
I knew I could look ahead at the future of those around me for moments that didn't involve me, but even that could be fleeting. This was a monster that needed to be met without fear- even if it was unknown.
“As you wish. Perhaps you should shift now.” Dom's words circled from behind me.
“Yes, of course. Could you take my clothes to Derrick after it happens?” I asked him, I felt suddenly very self-conscious.
“Of course, mia bella. Here, change in the back of the car.” He held open the back of one of the vans.
“Thank you, Dom. I love you, je t'aime.” I climbed in and felt him shut the door firmly behind me.
I tried to keep the pain of the shift under control. I soon found out that the weather around me affected how the change felt inside me. Violent pain swept my body. I fell to the floor of the van panting, trying to keep from making sounds.
Mia bella? Dom's voice danced in my mind like stars.
It... is... the... weather... was all I could manage through my mental pants.
What do you mean? He was trying to keep his calm, I could feel him move toward the back of the van.
No. Don't open it. The pain wracked my body and I cried out in pain.
“Emma!” Dom's and Mike's voice blended together as I grasped the doors to ensure I could complete the change in private.
They pulled but couldn't move them.
Let me change. I directed the thought at both of them, this change was longer than most and felt more draining.
“Leland! What is happening to her?” Dom's voice boomed with anger.
“I think that because Emma is so sensitive to her surroundings, the weather is making her change more difficult, and from the sounds of things- painful, mate.” The Australian told Dom, his voice was calm and cool.
“Will she be okay?” Mike snapped.
“If she's not we'll heal her. She has all of us healers here- whether she knows it or not.” He laughed.
A blind rage filled my link to Mike.
Michael O'Shanold! You calm down. My mind blanked suddenly and the world went black.
When the world came back, I was a wolf. I let out a brief howl, and scratched on the door.
“Holy hell, Em, you scared the hell out of me.” Dom said as he hugged my furry self to him.
It wasn't intentional. A light drizzle was starting.
“Okay, we're ready then.” Dom made a signal I recognized as the one that said I was a wolf now and only mental communication was available.
I let out a low howl, my sign to the wolves to shift.
The crackling of bones settled around us as we waited for the four wolves to shift. I could only imagine what it would be like to be around an entire pack changing at once. I shuddered.
It's time to move out. Check in every hour. If you find anything use the proper chain of communication. No one confronts this alone, we go together. My voice filled the minds of those around me.
The wolf collective shared their affirmation as I received the ones from the vamps.
Tonight will be one for the books. I thought as I took off at a light run next to my werewolves.
The night passed as painlessly as possible. We ran our circuits and checked. It wasn't until right before dawn, as the storm hit its full force, that things started to get strange. The weather shifted in key locations. It was done to throw us off. The wolves and I were running through hail. Lightning cracked and we forced our progress forward through hurricane winds.
This is a distraction. I passed to our link.
We know. It's working. We're missing something. We should check in with the others. I received back.
Derrick? I sent my head of security, trusting the wolves.
Emma... something strange is happening. His voice was mentally distorted- this was not something that normally happened.
Derrick, what's your position? I knew instinctively that I needed to be where he was.
About three miles southeast of our last location. The other main contacts are having... we can't keep our lines of communication together... I felt the physical break of the communication.
We need to head southeast, now! I shouted to them and took off at full-throttle.
By the time we reached the van, it was flipped over. I knew they were still alive- just barely. I shifted back to my vampire form and ran naked to the van. It was crushed, I could smell the blood. Panic seized my heart. I pushed the van. I had the strength to flip it back over but it was so large it was making it difficult to maneuver.
Mike's hands were next to mine as soon as I started to push the van back over. I watch as Acacia and the others followed suit. The crunch sounds of the van as we rocked it back over caused me a temporary moment of relapse as I was lost to the memory of my death and accident on the bridge.
Mia bella... Dom's voice was there but faint.
Dom?! I couldn't feel any of the emotions behind the words, my world was in chaos.
We are under attack. Find Derrick, something is wrong. He pushed his concern for his friend forward.
I found him, are you okay? I didn't want to think that I had led my people into ambush.
We'll be fine until you get here, I called for help. He let the link go.
“We need to get them out, now.” I shouted as I ripped the back door off its hinges.
Blood was splashed everywhere. Derrick was stabbed through with some random metal from the wreck. The other vampires looked like they suffered minor injuries in comparison.
“Will it run?” I needed to get these people to a safe location, and now.
Acacia got in the front seat, and the engine turned over.
“Thank God.” I heard Mike say as he climbed up next to me, “You two I need you to run ahead and make sure our path is clear. These people need help now.”
“Thank you, Mike.” The thought that something else might be there waiting for us hadn't even crossed my mind.
I directed us to a nearby safe house, one with an underground safe room. Mike helped me carry Derrick and the other vampires down into the room.
“I need to get this wound cleaned and healed. Let me check them for major injuries.” I stepped over to the other two vampires- one had a broken arm, which I set, and the other only had a concussion.
“Emma, let me help you.” Acacia inched closer to me.
“Do you know anything about medical stuff?” I didn't sneer, I was only thankful.
“I've been trained as a medic.” She knelt down next to Derrick and instructed Mike and the other wolves to hold Derrick down, “We can remove the metal now. Can you guide me?”
“Yes.” We spent the next hour removing various pieces of metal from him.
“Let me give him some blood, he'll heal faster.” Mike stood.
“Acacia, are you okay with this?” I didn't need any more fights.
“Yes, please go ahead. He needs to be healed in case they are discovered.” That was all I needed.
I bit Mike's forearm until his blood was flowing freely- it was terribly hard to pull free to do the task at hand- I pried open Derrick's mouth and helped the blood down his throat until he was able to swallow by himself. I could feel the blood begin to heal his wounds.
“Let me heal you.” I said to Mike as I took his arm and closed my eyes.
/> The wound shut and I had a hard time looking at Acacia.
“You're a very strong woman, Emma Hutchinson DeDominico.” She smiled at me as she wiped some of Mike's blood from the side of my mouth.
“Thank you. I've sent for my people to come and get Derrick and the others. We need to aid the others now.” I walked out of the room and back into the chaotic weather.
No one knew what we were walking into. I could feel the distress coming from Dominic. I couldn't reach him through our connection, or anyone else directly in the battle zone. There was an invisible barrier that could be felt and crossed, but influenced how our abilities acted inside it. I watched the wolves around me raise their hackles whenever we inched closer to the shield.
I have to help my people. I will not force you to help or have any hard feelings should you choose not get involved here. But I can't sit outside and not know what's going on. I shifted back into a human and pulled on the shirt and pants I had carried with me in my mouth- I was going into a war zone barefoot.
“You never have to face a monster alone. You know that.” Michael's eyes gleamed bright as he grasped my hand and kissed the knuckles.
“As much as our little foursome bothers me, it's times like this that remind me that I could never walk away from it either, you have the support of the wolves to our fullest abilities- although we don't know what this field will do to us.” Acacia stepped forward and took my other hand.
“Thank you.” A tear streaked down my dirty face, leaving its path etched in my skin.
We walked through the wall that seemed to block out the world itself. We stood on the other side and the chaos settled. There was static in the air, but sounds seemed muted. I knew that we were stuck inside this bubble until this was over.
“We need to find them.” I tried to reach Dom or Leland- all I got was more static.
“It won't work, not in here, Em.” Mike's voice was so certain that I had to look at him.
Bella Vita Page 33