by Claire Marta
When she takes it I pull her close to me.
“Are you okay? I’ll ask Damien for time off if need be.”
“No, we have a coven to take from Lucius. We have a princess to get under control, and we have people to kill. We don’t have time for a vacation.”
And there is the woman I mated with.
Damien
“Is Sheila going to cooperate?” I ask when Phillip walks into my office hours later.
“She will. But you need to make it worth her while.”
“From what we were able to gather from Kylie when you left the leader of the coven is Ava’s grandfather. It’s safe to say he’s the same vamp that killed her lover. I’m willing to let her have him, so long as she leaves some members of Ava’s immediate family alive.”
“How generous of you.”
“I am a man of my word. I told her we will help her find her family. I didn’t say anything else. It should be obvious by now that I will do anything for my own. If that means letting my sister have revenge after sixty years then so be it.” I pause and take in the state of duress my brother is in.
This is why I never want to find a mate. Why I never want to fall in the dreaded ‘L’ word. It’s too messy, too complicated.
I rather fuck my whores and be done with it.
“How are you doing?”
“Well, my wife still obviously cares for another, even after all these years, can’t say that I’m too happy. But I’m not an idiot. She was after all, fifty-eight when we met. I’d have to be an naïve asshole not to understand there was someone before me.”
“Understood. You have the meet set?”
“Yes. It is all ready to go, they are very interested in hearing what we have to say.”
“Well then, let’s not keep them waiting any longer. Call Jamal.”
“Is he going with us? I thought it was only you, me, Oscar, and Michael.”
“I’m leaving Michael and Jamal here. I need people I can trust to watch over the princess and her bitch.”
“Michael is going to pitch a fit.”
“He can suck a dick for all I care. Abigail went to see me in my room earlier. She tried to warn me off. I’m not leaving them here unprotected.”
“Very well.”
“Cheer up, brother,” I say, standing and buttoning my suit jacket. “If all goes well we could have two new allies before dawn.
Ava
“Jamal better not walk in while we’re doing this or I am never going to fucking live it down.” Michael complains from where he’s sitting beside the bed.
Leaning closer, his fingers entwine with my free hand.
“It’s just enough contact so I’m more grounded. Believe me, I’d rather not have you fucking touch me either.” I snap back.
Laying on the mattress my other wrist still bound and secured with silver wire above my head I try to relax.
I am stronger than I have been in days thanks to the extra blood I have been allowed. It’s going a long way to healing my injuries. The constraints around my wrists has left heavy scarring. The flesh will never be the same, but right now that’s the least of my worries.
Closing my eyes I try to ignore Michael. He’s irritating and that’s not what I need if I am going to get this done. All he’s done is bitch about being left behind, while the others go of to some kind of meeting.
Releasing a breath through my mouth, I concentrate on what I need. It takes a little longer than usual, with the awareness of being watched.
A sense of peace washes over me as I feel myself become free of everything weighing me down. Hovering over the mattress I stare down at the scene.
My breathing is slow and even, eyes rolled back in my head. Long black hair spread over the cream pillows, I look ethereal and pale.
Noticing the change Michael prods my nose. When I don’t respond he checks my breathing.
Gliding out the door I make my way through the mansion unseen. Guards are dotted here and there. Their nervousness is palpable. It takes a while to find my objective. Lucius and one of his whores are deep in conversation in an office.
“How did you find out about it?” The blonde asks as she pours her lover a drink.
“Damien is misguided if he believes he has the loyalty of everyone in his inner circle. I know more than he does.” Lucius chuckles deviously. Stretching out his legs he makes himself more comfortable in his leather chair.
“By dawn then everything you’ve planned for should fall into place.” Swinging her hips seductively, Damien’s mother moves to hand him the scotch.
“And I won’t have to even lift a finger. Carr will rid me of my troublesome bastard son and remove all those who dare to even think to oppose me all in one swoop.”
Floating closer I can’t escape the feeling that something is very wrong. If they know Damien’s plans, then it means wherever he is he could be walking into a trap. For some reason the thought of not seeing him again disturbs me.
Yes, I hate him for everything he’s done, but I can understand he did it for his family. It makes me wish I had someone who would fight just as fiercely for me.
“That just leaves the Carr whore and her little friend.” Standing between his open legs she sinks slowly to her knees.
“Oh she won’t last the night either. I know he’s been fucking her and I won’t have some slut influencing my sons. She’s had a target on her head since he was stupid enough to bring her here.”
The whore’s hands caress up his thighs towards his crotch. The fabric is already taunt and straining as his cock grows hard. “I don’t see why Helen gets that pleasure.” She pouts as she cups him roughly.
“Because she’s owed a life for a life.” Swirling his drink the ice clinks together with the motion. “The Carr bastard took our first born and now she’ll snuff out his.”
Pressure out of nowhere filters through my connection with my body. It’s a foreign feeling. Something is out of place. With it comes the alertness of no longer being able to feel Michael’s touch.
Gasping for air as I awake I find a pair of hands wrapped around my throat. Sitting on my chest is Lucius dark haired whore. Gaze burning with venom and hate as she chokes me.
“I should slit your throat.” Helen hisses, fangs bared. “But this way I get to see the life die from your eyes right before I stake you.”
Clawing at her face with my free hand I try to buck her off.
All it succeeds in doing is tightening her hold as she tries to asphyxiate me.
Panic is blinding.
With one hand still tied I can’t fight her off properly and she knows it. Fighting to breathe my lungs screaming out for air.
Some sense of self-preservation kicks in as I throat punch her, hard. Not stopping I break her nose with a swift jab. Not taking time to enjoy the crack I take advantage of her stunned state. Breaking Helen’s hold around my neck I twist her wrist up and around.
Shrieking her rage she reaches for a knife I hadn’t noticed beside us on the bed with her free hand.
I have no way to block it with my other wrist bound. As the blade meets my shoulder I screaming with the pain.
Rotating it in my flesh she tears through skin and nerves.
Agony overwhelming me, I still manage to pummel her over and over in her already broken nose. Pain shoots up my closed fist as blood coats my knuckles.
As Helen slips off me, clutching at her face,I scoot back up the mattress.
The whore may be down but I know she won’t give up. I only have a few seconds reprieve.
Curling fingers around the slick bloody handle of the knife I yank it free with a guttural sound. Clumsily I slice through the wire that still confines me.
“No you don’t, bitch.” Recovering from the damage I’ve done she’s on me again like a rabid dog. She goes straight for the weapon.
Struggling on the bed we roll off onto the floor in a tangle of limbs as we battle.
Her strength is more than a match for mine. She�
�s healthier and older.
Snaking a hold into my hair she bashes my skull back against the ground. As we tumble over and over the dagger skitters free.
Pushing off me Helen’s up on her feet after it.
Breathing heavily I find myself next to Michael on the carpet. Eyes closed I have no idea if he’s dead or alive, though I see no sign of blood.
His jacket is open.
Not thinking I dive for the gun in his holster.
As I swivel back around just in time to see Helen lunging at me with the blade, our gazes connect for one split second.
My bullet rips through the base of her neck. Another one explodes through her eye socket, obliterating everything in its path.
Shaking, I watch as her corpse crumples at my feet.
I have no regrets in killing her. The bitch wanted me dead, after all. But I am also not stupid enough to believe this won’t have repercussions. Ones that will just add to the threat to my life.
Sticky and wet blood is still seeping from my wound, but it’s healing faster than it would have before the extra blood.
Reaching for Michael I check for a pulse. To my relief he’s alive, just unconscious.
“Wake the fuck up.” Slapping his face I try to bring him round.
He needs to warn Damien. I need to get somewhere safe and I want Kylie with me when I do. Sitting next to Michael’s prone form I keep the gun in my hand, I have a feeling I am going to need it.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Damien
MY FATHER THINKS WE’RE STUPID. We’ve been plotting this overthrowing for far too long. At least five different bogus meeting places are floating amongst the men.
The warehouse we’re actually having this meeting in is as secure as it can be.
Phillip and I sit at an old card table, waiting for Oscar and a few other men to escort in our guests.
Javier Rodriguez from a fairly large coven set in Seattle and Cooper Vega from Chicago walk hesitantly into the large space.
Vega speaks up first. “Have to say, I wasn’t all the surprised to receive your call.”
“Nor I,” Rodriguez says.
“Have we been so obvious?” I murmur.
“No. However, we all know what type of a bastard Lucius is.” Vega says.
“This coming from you?” Phillip shoots back. “I seem to remember a time where your reputation was feared throughout the midwest.”
“Yes, well that hasn’t changed much.” He muses.
“So, what can we do with you boys?” Rodriguez asks.
“Thought you knew what we wanted?” Oscar replies.
“Oh we do, but we need to hear it from you. This is a dangerous game you’re playing.”
“Then it’s a good thing we’re not playing a game. Isn’t it?” Folding my arms on the table I lean forward.
“Listen, this isn’t difficult to figure out. We need allies. Powerful ones. Once Lucius is gone we’re going to be torn apart from the inside out. You know we have the bitch of a coven right in the middle of our state. We need it gone. We can’t fight two wars at the same time. At least not alone. That’s how extinction happens.” I pause.
“We have leverage on the Carr bastard. We have a way to defeat him. We just need the manpower to help execute it.”
“And what makes you think we’ll help you?” Vega asks.
“Far as I see it, you’re a nobody.” Rodriguez remarks.
“I know that bastard has been ruining your business as well. You can’t tell me we’re the only ones losing shit to him.
Lazy English asshole can’t go out and get his own merchandise. He has to steal from us hardworking covens.”
“If we help you it’s not a one sided deal.” Vega says, slowly.
“I know that. We’ll be there for you should you need it.”
“Say we help you not only terminate your leech problem but your Lucius one as well. What are you going to do with the families that rely on the bastard for protection?”
“That’s none of your concern. I won’t kill innocents. Anyone who openly opposes us and causes issues? Yes. I’m sure Carr has some men who can be swayed, the rest of them can go die in a hole for all I care.”
“Can’t say I’ll be sad to see either asshole go.” Rodriguez says. “But how can we trust that you’d be a beneficial ally to have?”
“You can’t.” Phillip says. “All we have is our word. And all we have is yours. But you don’t need to worry.
We always keep our word. It’s the only thing we have.”
The two men look at each other and then back at us. “Tell us your endgame.” Vega says.
“It’s simple. You help us you with our problem, we take over the Northeast and we all live to fight another battle.”
“It’s not the worst proposal I’ve heard.” Vega says.
“Not the smartest either,” Rodriguez tells his friend.
“You’re right. But what do you have to lose? A handful of men? They’re replaceable. Your territory isn’t in jeopardy here, nor are your families.”
“No, just our family, and the territory that is rightfully ours.” Phillip cuts in.
“Are we to believe you’ll split the power?” Vega says.
“I don’t believe they’re capable of it.” Rodriguez remarks.
“My brother and I can do a lot of things when we really want it.” Is my reply.
“Very well.” They say at the same time. “The worst that could happen is you two kill each other.” Vega continues.
A sadistic smile crosses my lips. Just as I’m about to reply my phone rings in my pocket. Pulling it out and seeing Michael’s name on the screen I don’t hesitate to answer it. His distressed voice has me jumping up, almost knocking the table over in the process.
“Bitch number one tried to kill the princess. Get your asses here now!” He barks and then hangs up before I can utter a word.
“Fuck.” I growl.
“Something wrong?” Vega raises an eyebrow.
My eyes shoot to his cool green ones. “Don’t plan on leaving the state anytime soon. Seems we’ll need your services sooner rather than later.”
With that my brothers and I are racing out of the downtown warehouse and heading back to the manor.
What’s Sheila’s status? I ask, after Phillip hangs up with his wife. Michael is no longer answering his phone.
She was with Kylie when this happened. She’s with them now. And she’s not pleased. You know how badly she’s wanted to go after Helen.
Bastard. And you questioned why I left Jamal home?
Sneaky bastard. Not sneaky enough. Are we going to kill him?
We’re halfway to the manor now. We decided to fuck the car and run back to the manor. It will cost us if we have any resistance but oh well. I don’t have time to waste.
No. We’re going to play with our food first.
I can hear the smile in his thoughts.
The three of us head straight up to Ava’s room.
There, lying in a pool of blood is Helen. Her youthful face is calm for the first time in years. She’s almost attractive in death.
Sheila stands sneering over the body. Ava is no longer tied to the bed. She’s beat up, but looks fine. Michael has a good sized knot on his head. Other than that he looks line.
“She attacked you?” Phillip growls. Kicking his dead mother between her legs. “Stupid bitch put her fucking hands on you.”
“Easy, darling, easy. She’s dead.” Sheila grabs Phillip’s arm, pulling him away from Helen.
That’s always been a trigger for my brother. Through all the shit we’ve been dealt over the years, anytime Helen or God forbid Abigail, raised a hand to any of us, he lost his control.
“What the fuck happened?” I ask.
I make it a point not to look at the traitor. Won’t do us any good if he knows we know.
As Ava recalls what happened I find myself getting more and more pissed. “We need to move then.” I say. “It’s no longer sa
fe here and until I can kill that bastard we’re all targets.
Luckily for us all I happen to have a house far away from here. We’d have to fly but I’m sure one of our new allies will be more than generous with that.”
Get the important shit. We’re leaving in twenty. Jamal,” I motion him to follow me and he does. Stupid man.
We’ve barely crossed the threshold when Sheila’s paralyzing him. He drops and I stare into his unblinking eyes. “You stupid fuck.” Is all I say as I stomp on his face.
____________
Lucius wasn’t home when we got there. How convenient. We deposited Helen’s body on his large bed, grabbed the shit we couldn’t allow him to get his hands on, and got the fuck out of dodge.
The sun is rising as the plane touches down at the Greater Rochester International Airport. Yes, we just happen to share the same surname as a city in the state we live in.
Vega proved his word of alliance to be true and lent us his private jet. Now we load Jamal and Kylie into one SUV with Sheila and Oscar as guards. We tied Jamal up with thick industrial silver chains. We used the same chains on Ava and Kylie as well.
I almost hated tying Ava up again, but I’m not taking any chances.
“Why the fuck are we in Rochester?” Michael asks.
“I always had a backup plan in case things went to shit and I needed to get us out before Lucius was dead.” Is all I say as we pile into the SUV.
“And you couldn’t ever share this with us?”
“No. Too many spies around. Obviously.”
“It’s brilliant really. They won’t expect us to go so far out of the boroughs.” Phillip muses.
“Exactly.”
When the driver stops in front of the mansion I purchased years ago my brother’s gape.
From the outside it doesn’t look like much, and that is the point.
One of my men opens the door and I step out of the car, my brother’s following.
“I have a whole wing to myself, just like at Lucius’s. Take whichever bedrooms you want that aren’t in that section. Put the princess and Kylie in separate rooms but close to each other. Make sure they’re far away from me.