“Well then. I guess once my package is delivered, all that is needed is a time and place for our reunion. Of course, a treaty in hand and maybe some prettier surroundings. I am partial to a fine dining room with rich cuisine. Somewhere clean…. with less dust. I’m not allergic to a little light either.”
“Seriously?” Colton snorts again, showing his severe dislike of Varro, hating his every word, and I eyeroll. It will take time for a born and bred vampire slaying warrior to warm to what was ingrained as an enemy, but he needs to chill a little.
“That can be done at the homestead if you leave your hybrids behind. You and Darrius come alone.” Stern and to the point, I know the only way to deal with these two is to take charge.
“No way, Lory. Imagine the uproar if two vampires walk into the homestead. The pack will go crazy.”
“Colton, things have to change, and he’s my biological father. The agreement was that he would have a relationship with me and bring peace. The sooner the pack gets used to seeing them, the better.” I reach out and lay my palm on Colton’s forearm, feeling his tension bristling under the surface as he turns and paces. A sign he’s itching inside for action instead of words. He hasn’t come down from his battle-fueled adrenalin high yet.
“She has a point. You better condition your mutts to be more accepting, especially if you bring more hybrid vampires into their home. Who knows how your children will turn out? It’s not always a given that the wolf gene reigns supreme. One of them might look a lot like me.” Varro winks at me, and all I can do is elicit another heavy sigh. This isn’t what Colton needs to hear tonight.
“Doubtful. Or else Alora would have more than a set of red eyes.”
“You can never tell. My DNA is strong, and this is the first tribrid mix I have ever heard of in my lifetime. Maybe Alora was just unlucky to pop out as a Lycan.”
I open my mouth to answer, but the sudden blink, blink, and then blinding brightness of instant illumination makes me flinch instead as electricity is restored and all lamps come on. Covering my eyes as I adjust to new light and then look around in dismay at how badly run down this place is, now we can see it fully. It’s so much worse when it can be seen clearly.
“You have your work cut out here if you wish to bring this place back to what I assume was its former glory” Varro points out and I frown at him in stupefaction for a moment.
“What?” I never even thought of the fact that Colton might want us to come back here, but it’s the only solution if Juan is out of the picture. The fractured pack need to be brought back together and the homestead just isn’t big enough for all of us. It hits me so suddenly with a simple word from him, that this is where our future lies. I’m not sure how I feel about coming back here after everything that’s happened.
“Wolves are good at rebuilding. We know how to start over and thrive. I’m not worried about it.” Colton can’t seem to drop his defensive attitude, but I don’t blame him, even distracted by my own thoughts.
“The main breakers were pulled, and the fuses ripped out. An easy fix once we found them.” Meadow appears, seemingly jovial at their accomplishments and Cesar is hot on her heels. Neither fazed at all and at least they don’t seem as hostile and combative towards Varro as my mate is.
“The others are outside, turning on floodlights and restoring power to nearby buildings. Everyone is waiting to find out what’s next.” Cesar drops a hint, meaning they too want to know what’s going on now we’re all in here and the fighting has stopped. It feels surreal and not like a bloody battle was raging outside not so long ago.
“Allow me… I suppose being clear on one thing will help your pack disperse back to their homes for now. Juan can only hide if there are crowds outside.” Varro rubs his temple for a second, his blood-red eyes seeming to glow a bit brighter, and then he gives me a crooked smile when he catches me staring at him. “Send them off. No need for them anymore; Darrius informs me that they have Juan and are heading our way. Sadly, his minions didn’t survive. So, it’s a solo prisoner I have to take.”
My heart sinks knowing that with the fall of his loyal, their mates too have perished. Even though they were completely innocent in this. More lives were lost because of that man, yet it was unavoidable no matter the outcome. Those wolves had to pay for their crimes, and their family was seen as collateral damage. It breaks my heart knowing we just lost more souls on this night, and it was no fault of theirs. At least now I know Sierra will be spared if Juan disappears for good. None of the mates would suffer from their bonds if prisoners stayed alive to be tortured.
“Disperse the wolves once the hybrids go. Send the valley pack back to their homes, and most of ours back to the stead. We must find out who we lost and decide on plans for the dead. Keep only our best sub packs here to carry out the orders tonight.” Colton is commanding Meadow, pacing towards them and setting things in motion as I adjust to my overly bright surroundings. I’m lightheaded and exhausted and don’t know how long I can hold on. I need rest.
“What about his dead? Are we left to clean that crap up too?” Cesar snarls at Varro and joins Colton in that fierce wolf glare he has going on. My heart sinks at the sight of it, knowing it was too good to be true to have Cesar seemingly fine with our guest. I know the entire pack will be worse than this in the new light of day.
“If you want me to have mine drag away the remains, then so be it. It makes no difference to me. They can work to clean up if that’s what you want, Alora.” Varro shrugs as if I am merely asking him to pick up his used dinnerware after a meal.
“You’re kidding, right? They will turn to ash by sunup and no longer dirty our valley. Make the living ones leave and give my pack some piece of mind. The last thing we need is your vermin crawling all over our fallen brothers and sisters.” Colton snorts, his eyes staying amber as the thought of how many we lost lingers in his heart. His whole aura changed to that of regret and heartbreak.
“Cole, Radar is incoming with….” Cesar cuts in, obviously linked to his buddy on a one-to-one, and Colton stiffens all over. His mood nosediving, and I sense the instant hesitation in him. Despite everything that’s happened, I always knew this would be his hardest moment. They are bringing his father to us to be handed over to the person who will oversee his death. Whether now or in ten years, this will be the last time Colton ever lays eyes on him.
“Tell him to bring him here.” Colton’s voice deflates, and his tone is huskier than normal. The emotion hits him hard as he, too, knows this will be a goodbye, no matter what will happen to Juan. I suddenly feel sick and hurt for him. Knowing how confused he must feel inside.
“Oh, the fun begins. I hope you don’t mind my bringing in my right-hand man. Darrius will take charge of our hostage once he’s handed over. Don’t want an escapee I might have to chase down again in these newly peaceful lands.” Varro’s chipper tone and almost joking dialogue sit heavy on me and gets only glares in response from my sub mates.
“What are you going to do with him?” Meadow pipes up, cutting the tension with her sharp question. Hand on her hip and throwing Varro some serious shade. I can feel the distrust and subtle contempt among all of them. The vampire in our midst isn’t being welcomed at all, but they know better than to show open disrespect given the circumstances. They are behaving for the sake of peace, but not one has anything but hatred in their hearts for this species.
“Death eventually, but who knows. I have a lot of pent-up aggression over losing my love and child… I have two decades worth of anger directed his way.” Varro is completely uninterested in their obvious dislike and goes back to admiring his nails.
“Not here. If you kill him, then do it far away from us. We don’t need any more blood of our kind here. I don’t want to tarnish these walls more than they are already.” Colton turns away, hiding the conflict in his facial expressions, and I sense his intense pain.
“I thought some of you would happily stand and watch an execution? No?” Varro smirks, knowing fine well this is cutting my mate deep, and Colton turns and walks off, holding himself in check as his emotions start to unravel. I know he’s conflicted. It’s only natural, given that he once loved and idolized his father. I can’t even begin to understand what he feels, even though I am getting a small amount of it.
“Some of us would, but as he was our alpha, it’s not right.” Meadow comes to my side and links her hand in mine, pulling me to her side and throwing a wary glance Colton’s way.
“Here!” The main doors are thrown open, disrupting us, as a heavy figure is tossed into the center of our haphazard group. It’s so fast it catches me off guard, and we all stare as Juan’s bound figure dramatically slides across the floor. Skidding to an abrupt halt, he stops in a center stage area of our clearing.
Bound and gagged, wriggling for his freedom, the only emotions coming from that tragic figure are rage and disgust. I can taste it even from here. He has not a single ounce of remorse or regret. There’s no fear in what’s to be done to him but rather outrage that we would treat him this way. Juan is insane. I can’t believe he hid it so well for so long while we all lived under his reign.
Darrius walks casually toward Varro and gives him a low bow. Bending and staying put as a sign of respect, and I get the chills from his presence in a way Varro has never caused. Darrius is the kind of vampire you know the horror stories originated from.
“The witch held up her end of the bargain. She said she would come to Ladrikmorra for payment in a few days. She isn’t needed here anymore.” He straightens up, keeping his eyes on the floor as our pack does to Colton and me.
I blink at Darrius in surprise and then glance at Meadow in confusion. It would be nice if the witch told us goodbye at least or some sort of debriefing after helping us these past days. She can’t have left without so much as a ‘see ya.’ It angers and hurts me to know she finished her task and left without a word, as though we meant nothing to her.
“Leyanne never changes. Swoops in to do the bare minimum when she feels others are being blatantly thick, then leaves without a word, off to another adventure. Don’t expect sweet farewells or tears, Alora. That witch is three thousand years of a bad mood and loner attitude. Be glad she did anything to help or was pleasant in any way. She is notorious for not giving any kind of a rat’s ass.” Varro casts me a smile that doesn’t meet his eyes and waves away my frown as though I am being too sensitive to this.
I’m a little gutted because I thought we meant more than this. This isn’t even truly over yet officially, and she just swoops off into the darkness before daybreak.
“To the problem at hand. Now, what will we do with you, Mr. Santo?” Varro turns his full attention to Juan, eyes locking on his prey as they glow to an almost unreal red that finally sends the shivers through my soul. A change in his features as he scans his prey properly, and the whole room around us turns deathly silent.