“What’s the history?” Alyssa asks having arrived with Angel after Lucianna’s original disclosure.
I inhale a deep breath. “Apparently, my great, great, great gramma loved the vampires. I mean she was obsessed with a passion no one really ever understood. She wasn’t a witch, but people thought she may have been due to her powers. She was a true psychic, kind of like Lucianna, and you and your gramma, and Angel’s, too. Those powers could transcend communication between the vampires, the witches and through the portals of death and beyond. Her powers were unsurpassed, but they weren’t enough to bring the witches and vampires together.”
Lucianna nods. “Years ago, the humans thought she was a witch. They tried to burn her at the stake, and of course, the witches wanted nothing to do with her. They thought she was an evil spirit sent to take away their powers. The vampires, until she proved her loyalty to them in a bloody battle, thought she was just another witch too.”
Angel looks intrigued. “My gramma always said that I was meant to help the vampires in the future. I thought maybe it was to help them find the rogue shifters, but maybe this is what she was really talking about.”
Alyssa nods, her body shifting on the couch as she takes another drink. “That’s exactly what I was just thinking. My gramma told me pretty much the same thing. What if all of us were always intended to bring our special set of skills together for the good of the vampires’ future?”
Lucianna’s eyes glow bright green. “Ladies, I do know that with our powers we should be able to do anything. We just need to find the clues and see where they lead. According to my vision, Embry’s great, great, great grandmother was given powers to bring everyone together, witches and vampires alike, but forsome reason she wasn’t quite powerful enough to do that. Maybe something in history prevented it? We don’t know, but I had a vision that makes me believe Embry was lured into the Mystic Forest for a reason. And she has very strong powers. They just have to be harnessed.”
I intervene, the alcohol hitting my system and making me mad all over again. “Right, Devora and the witches at the academy know something, they actually made me think my gramma was alive. Rotten bitches!”
Angel’s mouth opens wide. “Holy hell!”
“I know! I was so mad when Lucianna told me. If that’s true it means the witches from the academy literally meddled with my mind, even conjured up my gramma and knew the conversations that we’ve had in the past. It was like a total invasion of my most intimate thoughts.”
Another sip of alcohol and my temper heats right up again, bound and determined to find the truth, no matter the cost. Those witches are messing with the wrong person if they think I’m going to put up with this.
Raven’s eyes swirl with heat. “We’re going to get to the bottom of this. You all have to believe I knew nothing about that. There’s no way that I would allow them to meddle with your mind. I would have told Romano, you, or the vampires! You believe me?” she asks, looking at each of us in turn. As if any of us could think she wasn’t completely dedicated to us, well, at least now.
The lump in my throat is hard to swallow past. “With all my heart, Raven. You are such a true friend. But we need your help to figure this out. If Lucianna’s vision was true…”
Angel and Alyssa look at us expectantly, but it was Lucianna’s vision, and her story to tell. Her eyes glow green before she speaks. Lucianna nods. “I believe Isala’s intervention is what kept Embry’s great grandmother and every generation beforethat from being successful in bringing us together. And the vision I had . . . unfortunately, I believe that Isala is back and helping the witches. And I’m not sure yet, but it may mean that Lucas is back, as well.”
Chapter 2
Corvinus
The clock ticks slowly as we get through one agenda item after another on the very long list. Each item is discussed and voted on. I listen patiently, waiting until the matter of the warriors is up. Descallia gives me a nod of acknowledgment as he begins to address the topic of most importance to me. My whole fucking life and future, although not one of the masters knows it at all. They know nothing of the time and effort Overmaster Descallia and I have put into the strategy behind the newly revised group to protect the vampire community.
And none of them are in danger of losing their positions…
Because none of them are sleeping with the woman they’re supposed to be protecting, have been trusted as the sexy little vampire’s charge. The best friend of our new queen of all people. Destiny got it right when she gave me Embry, but with a fucked up little twist of being absolutely forbidden for someone in my position, which now hangs darkly over my head.
Descallia clears his throat, and I tune back in. “I was just asking if you want to tell them your plan for the warriors. We need that group up and running fast, Corvinus.”
I’m not about to let a little pressure stand in the way of getting the job done. Job or no job in the end, I’ll get it done. The vampires need this, but I’m keeping the girl no matter what the fuck they say.
I clear my throat. “Now that I’m back from Romania and Embry is safe here in Chicago, I’ll be putting all my efforts into bringing the warriors back together. That means interviews, and quick time frames. While my assistant will be respectful of your time, we need to clear the way so we can get interviews, trial sessions, and the like done quickly and efficiently. We have very little time.”
A rustle among the masters not happy at all with the potential of having to move things around in their own regions causes Descallia’s gavel to come down hard. “Enough! We need this. You heard Corvinus. When you get the call, clear your calendars or I’ll clear them for you.”
Eyes go wide, because while Overmaster Descallia is not known for his patience he’s usually not half this brisk. He looks to each of us. “Lastly, I’ve asked that the recruitment efforts we started before Corvinus left be doubled. You’re going to be seeing some of the most elite lords and vampires in your regions get invitations to apply.” He looks pointedly from one master to another. “Do not interfere with this work. I won’t say it twice. It’s for the good of the vampires around the globe that we have the right people on that team. If that means you lose a valuable team member regionally, consider it a sign that your person is highly skilled.”
A few exhales of breath can be heard, and it’s not hard to realize it’s coming from the masters who know they have some of the best fighting soldiers around tucked away in their regions. But knowing how to fight isn’t the biggest asset we need.
That’s where we went wrong the last time. We let brawn and skill with the steel come before testing loyalty. We thoughtthe vampires in our communities were all loyal to us and were determined to make a better way for the entire community, vampires and humans alike.
Instead, some did our bidding, but took their place on the warriors only to serve a group of rogue vampires who want to send us back to the dark ages where vampires kill innocent humans for their blood and leave their ravaged bodies lying in the street. Well fuck that. We’ve fought against it for a long time and we’re going to be ready the next time rogue vampires, the bastard shifters, or anyone else wants to take our place.
We’re not going back to the dark ages. We’re moving forward, and this time, we’re going to have the most loyal and fearless group of vampires around. I tune back in as the gavel comes down. Overmaster Descallia’s eyes meet mine, and a hand gesture of his tells me to stay behind after the other masters shake hands with me and then take their leave.
The buzzing phone in my pocket catches my attention. I quickly read message after message from Embry. Across the room, Descallia doesn’t have to tell me he’s getting the same messages as me. That look on his face says it all.
I’m already moving to meet him as he stands. He nods toward my phone. “Did Embry tell you Devora and the witches were at your estate? We should probably transport. The ladies are drinking, trying to decipher the shadow books and Embry is fit to be tied.”
She found out Devora was messing with her mind, and now she wants to wring the witch’s bloody neck. Can’t say that I blame her but we’re going to need to calm her down and decide how to put those fucking witches in their place. I’ll let the masters know.”
