Tears of the Fallen Ch. 08

"I'm fine, Day. He really didn't hurt me very much. Some part of him remained intact; otherwise, he would have had my head from my body before I knew what was happening. I know you're angry with me, but please trust that I knew what I was doing. I would have defended myself had I felt the need strongly enough. This isn't something you would understand; it is something intrinsic, purely vampiric. To react with aggression would only have escalated the situation further. "

"We'll discuss it later, Freya, believe me, we will more than discuss it! " Her resigned expression almost made him smile, but the image of her blood was still too fresh in his mind. His mate had to learn that sacrificing herself because she felt responsible was not the right course of action to take, even if the threat was to come from someone she loved, like Liam.

Dayton headed over to them slowly, not wanting to make any sudden moves that may concern Liam. "I need to help Reasa onto the bed so Cassia can attend to her." He spoke the words in general but they were for Liam's benefit.

The Vârcolac's head turned in their direction and pained eyes ran over the human woman. "Is that okay with you, Reasa?"

She nodded in response, her gaze wary as she surveyed him back. He appeared to be once more in control, the danger point having passed. The more pressing concern for him now was the aftermath of what had just happened. The overwhelming guilt in his eyes was something he couldn't hide and she couldn't help with. He needed to have that conversation with his pack, but his rebuilt mental defences should be strong enough to cope without any intervention from her.

She allowed the wolf to pick her up gently and place her on the bed. She tried to ignore the fact it was another of the abominations who sat beside her. The blonde woman ran careful hands over her body before turning to search inside the doctor's bag for the components she needed to prepare a solution in a syringe. Reasa closed her eyes and shut out the rest of the room, as misery washed over her. Despite everything, her circumstances remained the same and she was still trapped in the pack.

Cassia prepared the pain medication carefully; afraid she would accidentally overdose the woman lying on the bed. Obeying her Alpha was instinctive, but she'd expected her wolf to put up some kind of fight because they were being asked to help the woman who had damaged their mate. The animal was quiet though, curious as its eyes ran over the other woman.

Why wasn't it protesting? Surely it should have been questioning her actions? Its quietness confused her, making her wonder if Pietro truly was her mate.

"This will only hurt for a moment," she said, keeping her voice quiet and soothing as she injected the liquid medication into Reasa's caramel skin. She swabbed the area with a sterile wipe, keeping a sharp eye on the former vampire's respiration to ensure she didn't exhibit any signs of distress. As she watched her, her thoughts drifted back Pietro.

He must be aware by now that something had happened to his abductor. What was he thinking? Was he tempted to come and see what was going on for himself, or would he stay hidden in her aunt and uncle's home? The need to check on him was strong and Cassia knew she would end up heading in that direction once everything calmed down. She had so many unanswered questions and Pietro was the only one who could help her with them.

Breathing a sigh of relief when the strain ebbed out of Reasa's expression, Cassia turned to look at Liam; all the while her thoughts dominated by a certain vampire with long dark hair and a scar running down the side of his beautiful face.

*****

"Liam, are you in control now?" Rafe asked the question, his expression grave as he moved over to him. Freya was still tense beside them, a hand wrapped around her nephew's wrist as if she could hold him back if he lost it again.

"I don't know what happened, Rafe. I don't understand why I acted as I did or how I did it." Liam swallowed hard, meeting his Alpha's gaze before turning to his aunt. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I'm sorry, Freya." The words came out on a tortured sound, Liam's gaze dropping to the floor as his head bent. He couldn't look his aunt in the eyes, couldn't bear to see the lack of condemnation in them. How could she instantly forgive him? He'd attacked her!

"You have experienced a side of yourself that has never had the opportunity to claim dominance before, Liam." Freya said, keeping her tone neutral. "It's not uncommon for a vampire's feral nature to be more uncontrolled than that of a wolf. However, with your duality and your enhanced abilities, it is doubly so. You lack control because you've never had to deal with it before."

"That invisible barrier thing has nothing to do with being a vampire or a Were," Rafe interjected. "If Liam has no idea how he did it, then how can he hope to control it? I fear we may have lost Mallen if Elina hadn't intervened in time. Her Vârcolac ability to strengthen minds barely saved him. How do we counteract that?" Rafe couldn't keep the concern out of his voice. He loved Liam as much as he loved the rest of his pack but if he was a danger to everyone else...

Liam raised his head, meeting his aunt's eyes. "Rafe is right. I can't be trusted anymore. I need to go away so everyone is safe." He couldn't stop himself from reaching out and touching the side of her neck that was still stained red, though the skin was unblemished.

"I didn't say that," Rafe sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We don't have that option available to us. You won't go anywhere without Reasa and she can't leave pack grounds, especially now that she's managed to get a call out to someone." He looked back at the woman on the bed with pensive eyes. "Anyway, its clear Reasa is the only one who can get through to you when you have one of your 'episodes', for lack of a better word. Separating you would not be a wise solution."

"What about the Praetorians?" Dayton asked. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, watching his mate and Liam. He appeared relaxed, but no one in the room was fooled by his casual stance. He was ready to react in an instant if need be.

Rafe was already shaking his head, but the Beta pressed on. "Lily's staying up there with the vampires and Liam relates well to her. Kallum has been spending time up there too and if we send Elina along with them, there will be three Vârcolac whom Liam trusts that can help supplement their defences, should there be any fallout out from Reasa's call."

"Caleb's already asked about this possibility, and I told him no, as well. The Praetorian Compound is off limits for now."

"I am still here," Liam growled, uncharacteristic irritation showing on his face. "Don't I get a say in what happens to me? I don't want to be like this. I don't want to be hurting people I love and placing them in danger. No one will tell me what happened up at the Praetorian Compound. Everyone is taking control of my life, making my decisions for me. Has anyone stopped to think that this complete lack of control may be why I'm struggling to deal with whatever the hell this is that's happening to me right now? If everyone thinks they know what's best for me, telling me what to do and how to act, then how can I ever expect to control this?"

Liam's outburst was so unexpected that everyone just stared at him for a moment, analysing his words. Could he be right? Had they been so intent on protecting him that they were adding to the problem instead of solving it? Rafe weighed up his words, frowning as he stared at Liam.

"We were trying to keep you calm," he finally said. "We didn't want a repeat of what happened up at the compound, but it appears that can happen wherever you are. Your emotional backlash affects vampiric minds faster than it does wolf minds. When you lost control before, six of the Praetorians had their minds wiped in some manner. They live, but the essence of who they are is gone. That was what we were trying to protect you from, Liam."

Liam paled, his breath rushing out on a harsh sound as he shook his head in denial. "No. I couldn't have done that, Rafe. They are my friends. They took me in, protected me, and welcomed me into their home." His head swung around to Elina, meeting her scrutiny and reading the truth in her eyes. "I hurt them?"

Images of Mallen on the floor crying out for him to stop flashed through his troubled mind. Liam shuddered as he recalled how Mallen lay there stricken, his hands pressed to his head as he curled up in pain. "I almost did the same to Mallen?"

Rafe nodded, his heart wrenching at the anguish on Liam's face. "We know you didn't intend to hurt anyone, Liam, but when you lose control you project your emotions outwardly and weaker minds buckle under the power that comes from you."

"Mine didn't."

The emotionless statement issued from the bed was so unexpected that everyone turned to look at Reasa. The former vampire was sitting up against the pillows, her arm wrapped in a sling, and the worst of the pain now cleared from her expression. Cassia was in the process of packing away items into the doctor's bag.

"I'm human now, so my mind should have imploded the instant he lost control," Reasa continued, "but it remained untouched. He should have taken Freya's head in a heartbeat, but he merely wounded her...and not very badly at that."

Freya pursed her lips, her agile mind replaying the scene as she began to grasp what the other woman was implying. "He's learning control." She turned to Rafe. "At the Praetorian Compound there was no control, just lashing out, that's why so many were effected. This time there was thought behind his actions even when it appeared there was none."

"We almost lost Mallen," Rafe growled.

"No we didn't," Elina interjected as she, too, understood the implications. "I've never tried to shield a non-Vârcolac mind before. Given the amount of power Liam was generating while he erected the invisible barrier, I shouldn't have been able to get through with my thoughts like I did. I was not only able to get through, but there was no resistance when I tried to shield Mallen. Liam let me through."

"Exactly," Freya continued. "Liam could have killed me at any point he wanted to. Instead, he knocked me down a couple of times and inflicted some shallow wounds that were healing as instantly as he made them. His aggression was controlled. Even though he was angry at my failure and needed to act on that, he didn't want to truly hurt me."

"The reason my mind wasn't wiped when it should have been, is due to Liam's need to protect me at all costs," Reasa added. "There is some control being displayed; he appears to maintain an awareness of external events at a subliminal level when he enters his fugue state. Over time, that control should increase, but he is still in need of a support network to help him reach the end goal. Once he can maintain his shields without even thinking about it, you will have one of the most powerful weapons known to exist."

The former vampire turned her head away from them, closing her eyes. "And you wonder why we fear and distrust these abominations."

Liam stared at her, his thoughts in turmoil as the room fell silent. He couldn't recall having any control over his actions and he was still reeling from what he'd learned about his previous episode. The pain and guilt he felt over hurting six of his friends had already begun to consume him. How could he have caused so much damage to those who only had his well-being at heart? How could he fix this? A part of him could understand Reasa's antipathy and hatred. Maybe she was right after all? Maybe they shouldn't exist if this was what they were capable of?

"I want to go to the Praetorian Compound." He uttered the words in a low voice but there was steel behind the words. "I need to witness the consequences of my actions, Rafe. If what everyone says here is true and I am subconsciously learning control, then what better way to hammer that need home than to see what happens when I don't learn it?"

Rafe frowned as denial rippled through him, knowing that it was going to be hard to argue with Liam's point. It would mean permitting Reasa to go with him, and though he wasn't happy about that, he knew it would be a necessity in case the Vârcolac struggled to deal with what he found there. "I'll talk to Mac. For now it is best if you go home, Liam. Spend some time with your parents."

Refusal blossomed on the young male's face, his expression turning mutinous.

"I am in no position to cause any additional problems," Reasa remarked, her tone sounding dry as she moved her wrapped-up arm slightly. "Freya will have no further need to chastise me today, and even if she has, I prefer to remain where I am. I understand the rules here."

The vampire regarded her coolly, surprised by her statement. She'd expected Reasa to want to leave after what had happened. Perhaps she was still conditioned enough to being a vampire that she truly did feel more comfortable being in their home. Freya looked at Dayton, who gave her a smile and a shrug of his shoulders. He was leaving the decision up to her. "Very well. If Reasa chooses to remain here, then I will not argue with her decision. I have learned from my error, nephew. No more harm will come to her from my hands."

"Fine, that's settled then," Rafe replied as he turned to leave. "Liam, I'll be over as soon as I have set something up. If you feel your control slipping at any time I want your word you'll come here instantly and stay with Reasa until it passes."

The Vârcolac managed a half smile, his eyes running over each feature on his mate's face. "That's one order I have no problem following."

*****

Cassia slipped out of the house and automatically turned to the left. She couldn't have helped herself if she'd tried; she had to know what Pietro's reaction was to Reasa being hurt, and she had to test her wolf's response to him again. Her animal's instincts meant everything to her and were what she had come to rely on for her entire life. This current confusion was throwing her off balance. She needed to figure out what the hell was going on.

Clutching Mallen's medical bag in her hand, she headed over to Andrei and Loretta's. She wasn't surprised to sense Pietro close to the front door as she climbed the two steps upwards. The door swung open and he was standing there, mismatched eyes inscrutable as he stepped aside to let her in.

"Is she dead?"

"Dislocated shoulder and some bumps and bruises. She'll live." Cassia scented the air even though she could tell that they were alone in the house from the quietness surrounding them.

The scar on the side of Pietro's face twisted as he grimaced. He turned and walked into the kitchen, leaving her to follow behind him. "Drink?"

Cassia watched him from under the cover of her long lashes as she sat down at the kitchen table, placing the medical bag on the floor beside her. "Tea, please, black." He was being remarkably hospitable considering he had only met her once, and hadn't appeared to like her very much at the time. Her wolf was watching him, a feeling of intense interest radiating from it, though she couldn't glean what was on the animal's mind. It was a curious sensation and one that confused her even more.

"You helped her?" There was a hint of accusation in Pietro's voice as he made two mugs of tea and placed one in front of her, before sitting at the opposite end of the table with his own.

"She was in pain and Mallen was incapacitated. Someone had to."

His expression spoke volumes, clearly showing he disagreed with her. Her wolf settled down a bit, stretching out to lie down with its head on its paws, eyes intent on the male before them.

Cassia sipped at her tea, analysing the wolf's posture, which appeared contradictory. It was relaxed, but alert at the same time. Again, she had the feeling her animal was both sympathetic and angry with the vampire. Maybe that was why she wasn't getting a clearer reading from it after the initial claiming from their first meeting. Was her wolf undecided? Was that even possible?

Setting her mug down on the table, she chose her next words carefully. Not wanting to antagonise him unnecessarily, she worked to keep her tone soft and soothing. "Your reaction to Reasa is perfectly understandable, Pietro. It's natural that you would want retribution for the wrongs she has done to you. Unfortunately, life is never black and white; there are always shades of grey, some darker than others."

His eyes narrowed and one of his fists clenched on top of the table. His other arm tensed around the cup he appeared to be guarding. "Spoken like a true healer." The words came out with more than a hint of derision in them. "I thought you were a scientist, a researcher."

"Recently, my primary duty has been working in the science lab. However, from what Mallen tells me, I'm exhibiting all the signs of being a pack healer as well. Apparently, with wolves it's an instinctual thing, as opposed to knowledge that is learned through academics. He has begun instructing me in the healing arts, though I try to limit the amount of time I spend away from the lab. Finding the antidote to the poison is a top priority."

"Why didn't you just ask your new best friend? As you seem so intent upon helping her, she should have been more than happy to provide you with the ingredients that make up the poison."

Pietro's continued accusatory tone was starting to needle her. Her wolf shared her irritation, baring its teeth though it remained supine for the moment. Cassia had to fight her exasperation and remind herself of just how damaged the vampire was, and by whose hand. "Yes, I relieved her pain but you have to remember it was a pack member who caused it in the first instance. There is no bond of trust between Reasa and the rest of us; maybe there never will be. It's highly unlikely she will ever divulge any information, at least not for a very long time to come."

When he didn't answer, merely watched her with his compelling eyes, Cassia sighed and brushed at the curl at her temple. "You have been brought here to heal so you can return to your normal life. Healing is not just a physical act, but an emotional one too. Retaining this anger isn't doing you any good, Pietro. You need to find some way to come to terms with what's happened and move on."

*****

Pietro watched the delicate hand brushing at the errant curl and stopped listening to the words coming out of Cassia Romanov's mouth. He couldn't recall seeing anyone move with such innate grace before; the movements were so lacking in artifice, they were mesmerising. He had no idea why he'd allowed her into the house. His initial instinct had been to send her packing when he saw her approaching, but there was something about Cassia that had him doing the complete opposite of what his head told him to do.

She was a fascinating woman, this strange blend of Alexei and Cedar. Her grace came from her mother, that was obvious, but there was also that spark of her father in her eyes. She appeared to weigh up her words and project utter calm, when he knew that deep down she was experiencing emotions that were contradictory to her outward expression. Alexei had that knack, as did Andrei. Maybe that was why he was unable to send her away when she called at the house. It was possible that she reminded him of his friends and that led to him feeling more comfortable around her.

When they had first met, she had coolly appraised his scars with barely a hint of emotion creeping across her face. The only time he had glimpsed a slight reaction was when her eyes had traced the scar running down to his collarbone; then her lips had tightened for the briefest of moments. He had tried to get a response out of her, being as rude as he could, but she had let it wash over her and hadn't risen to the bait. That had sparked his interest; an interest he shouldn't be having for a child of one of his best friends. He found himself liking her.