Anger boiled up inside Valerian at that suggestion. He was now the leader and would never yield to anyone. Ifeither of his friends had any doubts about his capability, all they had to do was look at the sea dragon upstairs whose eggs would soon give them their very own thieves. Glaring at Zeidan, he growled, “If you’re unhappy with my decisions, you can leave.” After his friend lowered his head in deference to his authority, Valerian turned to stare at the one he would keep as a trophy.
Chapter 40
Standing next to Zane, Dakota whispered, “They want David.”
“I figured as much, the way they’ve been staring at him.” Moving slightly in front of his mate, Zane reached back for David’s hand, giving him instructions through their mind link. After hearing his mate say ‘okay’, Zane said, “We’re ready.”
“Valerian Lestat,” called Logan. “We don’t want any trouble, so if you hand over the sea dragon, we’ll be on our way.”
Snorting, Valerian replied, “I don’t think so. Interrupting our meal wasn’t a very nice thing to do, so hand over the one connected to the gods and we’ll spare the rest of you.”
“Sorry, can’t do that.” Logan scanned the woods surrounding the house then, giving a short nod, watched as a pack of Scottish wolves, led by Angus, emerged, encircling the vampires.
Chuckling at the show of power, Valerian used his blinding speed to run between the snarling wolves, bent on seizing David. Before he could get close, he found himself flying backward, landing in a heap near the other vampires.
“The next time you try that,” said Zane, “I’ll kill you. Now, hand over the sea dragon.”
“Fuck you!” yelled Valerian, getting up from the ground, furious at being made a fool of in front of his coven. “The sea dragon still owes me something and until I get it, he stays.” Valerian glanced at Zeidan and Xavier who were nervously looking at the huge wolves moving in to blocktheir escape. “What the fuck are you two afraid of? They can’t defeat us.”
“Yeah? Then why don’t you have the wolf with the gods’ markings,” asked Zeidan, taking a step back, closer to Xavier.
“A slight miscalculation,” Valerian replied arrogantly.
“Sure it was,” Zeidan scoffed. “I don’t know about you, Xavier, but I don’t like these odds anymore.”
Xavier turned to Valerian. “He has a point,” he said, edging back from the menacing wolves. “What I see is that we’re outnumbered and you, our leader, have failed us.”
Valerian’s black eyes glowed in anger at Xavier’s accusation. When he first saw David’s laurel leaf markings, he knew they were gods-given and the force he felt radiating from the wolf shifter protecting him confirmed it. Without another thought he whirled and took off in the opposite direction, planning to circle around and snatch David from behind.
As soon as the vampire disappeared, Zane poofed David onto the roof of the castle, hiding him behind the high, stone battlements. Then, returning to face a bewildered Valerian, still searching for his prey, he said, “I gave you fair warning about my mate.” Raising his hands, he aimed waves of solid energy at Valerian, killing him instantly, after which, he ripped the vampire’s head off, holding it high in the air while giving a howl of victory.
Hearing Zane’s howl, Logan raised his hand, giving Angus and his men the signal to attack the other two vampires. With snarling and growling filling the air as Angus and his men ripped Zeidan and Xavier to pieces, Logan led the rest of his team toward the castle door.
“Kota, are you still in his mind?” asked Zane, guarding their rear from any surprise attacks.
“Yes, but we need to hurry.”
Entering the castle, they found themselves in a giant entrance hall with doorways leading off in five different directions and a marble staircase leading upstairs. “Dakota, which way?” asked Logan.
“I don’t know. Reif was unconscious when he was brought here.”
“Brian, can you sense where Reif is?” Logan asked.
Kieran placed a hand on the sea serpent’s arm when he saw the panic on Nessie’s face. “Brian, close your eyes…good…now find your bond.”
“I will try but ah dinna know if I can,” Brian said, fearing it might be too late. But after about a minute, he exclaimed, “I have my mate!”
“Okay, now follow it,” Kieran said.
Walking to the staircase, Brian began to climb it, feeling the bond grow stronger with every step he took.
~/~/~/~/~
Looking out from his room on the second floor, the man watched the scene unfold below him, shocked when the wolves surrounded his employers. It was then that Valerian summoned him to join them, but he decided to ignore him. There was no way he was going to fight to capture a wolf shifter the gods had marked. That decision was proven correct when he saw Valerian make his move only to be tossed on his ass like a ragdoll.
“Stupid fucker,” he muttered to himself when his boss tried again. Startled when Valerian was killed, he decided it was time to go when he saw the wolves attacking theother two vampires. Slipping into the hallway, he heard voices and realized they were here to rescue the sea dragon. Quietly moving to Reif’s room he unlocked the door and then vanished.
~/~/~/~/~
