Pushing Boundaries Ch. 08

"I... I don't know." Keona was stumped. It sounded like Kendall but she couldn't be sure. Had he picked up something during their trainings together and reported her to Connor?

Connor –shit! Time was running out.

"I think we should focus on the problem at hand. I have less than 24 hours right now."

This time, Draven spoke up, "The blood oath is solid. Any attempt to go against the orders will result in immediate death. I'm sorry Eian." At the Alpha's forlorn face, Draven added slowly. "However, I think he forgot that the other half of Keona isn't really Vampire so the effect gets diluted; in this case halved –which is why she's been able to detract from the mission for some time now."

"Wait... so you're saying that there might be a way to break out of this... problem?"asked Eian hopefully.

Draven's lips twitched slightly. "I wouldn't say it would be easy. Every time she tries to resist the instruction, a part of her brain will bleed –but Alaron will be able to heal her if we try to reverse the blood oath slowly."

"It's worth a try Daddy..."

Eian looked at his daughter then at the two Vampires he'd consider family. "I trust you with her life... but don't make me regret it." Turning to Alex, he continued, "Stay here with her. At the first sign of any problem, do not hesitate to call for me."

Alex nodded. His bond with his Alpha would mean that even the faintest cry for help could reach Eian within seconds.

"But where will you be going?" he responded.

"I'm going to try and find the entrance to the facility. Following Key's direction and the vent's location, we will try to scent it out. Mike might have more information."

"I want to go," said Alaron immediately. "I want to rip out that bastard's throat..."

Eian interjected, "No, you have to stay here and break the blood bond holding Keona back. I promise we won't enter until everything's settled here." Putting one hand on Alaron's shoulder, he whispered, "Don't worry. You'll have the honours of tearing off his head. I promise."

"Deal."

***

When Kendall entered his shoebox of a room, he was immediately greeted by a familiar musky scent –

Riley.

"Where have you been?" demanded the elder Vampire. "Don't bother lying Kendall. I can tell."

Kendall looked up; clear blue eyes staring into the deeper marine of his brother's. "I was trying to keep her safe."

Riley's eyes widened immediately as he grabbed Kendal by the collar of his shirt. "What the hell are you talking about? You know that any attempt to jeopardize her mission will lead to her cousin's death! How dare you!"

Instead of retorting, Kendall blinked and shifted his gaze away. "You like her." At Riley's silence, he smiled. "The other Vampire, I mean. She can run very fast... I've seen her and she's beautiful."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Precisely. And I don't know what you're talking about either."

The hand gripping Kendall's shirt was released suddenly. It was then that Riley realise how cleverly his brother had lured him into a silent standoff.

"Very well Kendall Eos. I will not ask what I do not wish to know. Any consequences are to be faced by you alone."

The younger Vampire nodded in silence as he watched his older brother storm out of his room. He already knew what Riley was going to do. The slight touch of Riley's knuckles on his skin had told him much.

Riley was going to the surface to try and erase any prints that would prove he had been out of the facility. Kendall couldn't help but smile for despite Riley's brute words earlier, his brother was protective and caring.

Kendall couldn't ask for more.

***

When Riley resurfaced from the facility's main entrance, he was in too foul a mood to be on his guard. Kicking at an innocent stone on the ground, he began to mutter curses under his breath.

Even then, he knew what he was there for –to erase Kendall's scent if there was any. The youngling was a prisoner of the facility and if there was an inkling of how he managed to escape undetected... well Riley didn't want to think of the consequences. Useful or not, Connor and Helene wouldn't hesitate to terminate him.

With a sigh, he began to track down the faint traces left behind by his brother; aware that the further away he was from the main entrance, the stronger was the scent, overlapped by another –no, three much stronger, more primal...

He didn't have time to raise his scent shields for he was immediately tackled to the ground.

"Tell us Vampire! Do you work with them?" Riley wasn't given a chance to answer. A paw – sharp claws already out –pinned his cheek to the ground.

Alpha, we are not to kill him.

Eian looked up at Mike who was shaking his head slowly; the onyx eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

He smells like the youngling...

Eian didn't wait for Mike to finish. He growled; baring his teeth directly over Riley's face. He could scent nothing now –not even the scent he had picked up earlier. No fear was registered on the Vampire's face. He was trained for this.

Disgusted, he flung the Vampire to the side and shifted immediately –just a second before he held Riley by the throat; a vice of a grip around his neck.

"What is your name Vampire?" he asked coldly; embers burning in his eyes.

Riley simply looked defiantly into the Alpha's eyes, wanting to ignore the question but the two feral growls beside him changed his mind.

"There are no known wolf packs in this region. This is not your land. You have no right to demand any answers from me."

The beast within the Alpha was raging at the Vampire's insolence but the human part of Eian kept calm as he repeated his question once more –gently, with a hint of ice in his voice. "What is your name, Vampire?"

Riley kept quiet, focusing instead on trying to free himself from the Were's hold. He could scent the Alpha status of the man and knew that just one bite could potentially kill him. Riley didn't want to die yet.

He did the only thing that a Were would react to: he lengthened his fangs.

As expected, the Were released his grip to avoid the venomous fangs piercing his skin. However, what he didn't expect was the agility in which the Alpha moved –barely a millisecond passed and he was already in wolf form; a swift strike across Riley's chest drawing blood.

Staggering backwards slightly, Riley raised his scent shields even higher –to mask even the blood scent –and worked at healing the minor wound. He was a trained Vanguard and these were just three wolves...

Even then, he knew they had better extrasensory perceptions and to give himself a better advantage, he slipped into the darkness of the night and jumped up to the nearest branch. It bought him a few minutes grace for the three wolves were already circling beneath the tree like vultures over carrion.

Turning his gaze away from them, Riley sharpened his senses; allowing his eyes to take in more light so he could see in the dark. Riley had no intention of fighting the three of them for it would be suicidal so he needed an escape plan.

Down below, Eian was getting impatient as he circled the tree, simply waiting for the Vampire to make his move. He was smart enough to hide his scent but Eian could feel every single vibration he made; his body's warmth tingling the air surrounding them.

There was really no way to outrun a predator.

Dominic, I'm going to wait him out... I want the two of you to check out that location where he materialized. It could be an elevator shaft or something. I can scent lots of metal beneath the earth.

Eian waited until his two Betas had left before he stopped pacing and sat on his hind legs with his eyes staring up intently at the Vampire on the branch.

***

Riley knew that he had only a small window of opportunity to make his escape the moment two of the Weres left the area. But it was the remaining Were in his gigantic wolf form that caused fear and panic to ride down his spine. This was the Alpha and he made no attempt to hide his status or strength.

Worst of all, Riley could clearly scent the blood bonds that linked this Were to Keona. He wasn't just the Alpha of her pack – there was no mistake –this was the Werewolf who sired Keona and gave her all the abilities that made her valuable to the facility.

Cross-matings were supposed to be a myth and Riley had been sure that Keona had been an anomaly that Vampire Councils refused to acknowledge. However, being face to face with the Werewolf that successfully mated with a Vampire made him curious enough to lower his guard for a second.

It was a mistake.

If he thought wolves could not climb trees, Riley was obviously mistaken. The grey wolf clawed its way up to the lowest branch; its green eyes shining like moonbeams in the dark. Instinct made him jump off from his hiding position with the intention of running.

Riley might have been younger and faster but Eian was much more experienced and adapt at taking down his prey. The Vampire barely made it past a few feet when he was pinned down once again; his head slammed against the cold, hard, earth.

He tried to struggle but immediately felt sharp jaws clamping down the base of his neck and then a hard slash down his back... before everything turned black.

***

Back in Alaron's home, the two Culzeans were working simultaneously to try and reverse Connor's hold on Keona's mind.

The youngling was unconscious, her head rested on Alex's lap.

"How much longer will this take?" he asked; worry etched on his face. Alex wasn't one to feel incompetent but at the moment, there was nothing he could do but just sit and wait while the two older Vampires worked on his mate. They weren't even saying anything –possibly communicating mentally and he hated that he wasn't kept in the loop.

Thankfully, Erika kept vigil beside him, smiling now and then to soothe the wolf's impatience.

"You can't actually see it but Draven's walking with Keona in her mind to put in layers of pseudo memories and facts to try and trick Connor into thinking she's done her task," said Erika gently.

Alex could only stare at her in disbelief. Was Keona really that powerful to be able to do whatever Erika had just said?

"Keona is able to mimic the expressed abilities of other Vampires," said Alaron, as though he heard Alex's thoughts. Lifting his eyes slowly, he held Alex's gaze; brows knitted in a frown. "She's scared Alex. Hold her hand and do whatever it is you wolf mates do to calm each other down."

At last, Alex felt like he was useful for something. Taking her knuckles, he pressed them against his lips, feeling her heartbeat soft and steady at the pulse on her wrist. Alex knew that they hadn't completed the mating bond fully yet but she already carried traces of his scent. It pleased his wolf to know that she had accepted him and he was going to do his best to make sure it stayed that way.

Closing his eyes, he tried to synchronize his heartbeat with hers, hoping that he could slip into that similar state where he could access into her mind. He hadn't known mates who have experienced what they had but with Keona, everything seemed possible.

It made him treasure her even more.

Key, if you can hear me, I want you to know I'm here.

Silence.

Then he heard it –

The soft growls that sounded nonhuman... almost like a wolf's vocal chords ringing low at the back of its throat.

Keona, it's Alex. Let me in Sweetheart...

Another growl. Only this time, Alex felt his body lunging forward until his chin slammed hard to the tile.

"Alex!" exclaimed Erika, helping the youngling to a sitting position. She was about to ask him if he was alright when she saw his eyes. It was all she could do but gasp and let him go.

The black irises in Alex's eyes were gone; only white orbs stared back at her in the most eerie manner.

***

Alex wasn't sure what just happened. One moment he heard a wolf growling and the next moment he was in this dark and cold place. Then he heard voices:

"But Uncle Draven! You can't block that memory from him!"

"The less connections you have to anyone or anything, the better. I didn't hear you complaining when I gave you another name."

"That's not the same as saying I am a lone wolf." Keona's voice was defiant and Alex could almost see the stubborn tilt of her chin as she'd argue with her uncle. It was a strange feeling to be able to hear their conversation and yet not see them physically or join them verbally. Alex wasn't even sure where he was for it hadn't a solid plane to it –like he was floating mid air without the ability to see, smell, speak or even feel anything.

But he could hear his mate very clearly as though she was walking right beside him.

"Keona, Connor has the same ability as I do. He can read minds and look through your memory like it's an open book. You need to make sure that he sees what he needs to see."

"Then why must I be mateless?"

Silence.

Alex wanted to argue the same thing too. How could Draven suggest such a thing! Mates can die if the bond is denied by one party! Surely he would know? He is mated to a MacFarlane wolf!

"Keona... Alex is your target. You need to show Connor that you've killed him. And if you refuse to build this memory of you as an unmated lone wolf... then he's not going to believe that you've done your job. Surely you cannot survive this long if you've killed your mate."

Draven's voice sounded calm but Alex could sense the tensed undertones. If the Pureblood could growl, he would sound just like Eian when he was reprimanding Keona.

Maybe it was a paternal thing.

However, Alex understood Draven's rationale. It irked his wolf but the human part of his mind accepted the logic.

It'll be fine Keona. A bond need not be physical or mental to be real.

He thought she hadn't heard him but then...

Alex?

Yes Key.

But... how?

I don't know. I think you pulled me into this... space or whatever it is.

You're here?

I'm here. And I won't fault you if you need to do this.

But...

Keona... you're my mate and always will be.

There was no reply this time but the darkness surrounding him started to fade away, revealing a lone grey wolf standing a distance away.

Alex didn't need to ask who it was. The green eyes staring at him told him all he needed to know.

With a nod, the wolf turned and walked away, leaving Alex engulfed in darkness once more.

***

Eian threw Riley's body on the floor as soon as the three wolves got back to Alaron's house. He didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that the Vampire was bleeding from his neck down to his chest or that the wolf bite on his calves were slowly poisoning him.

The first thing he did was to bark. "Draven, read his goddamn mind."

But it wasn't the Pureblood who replied him but Keona.

"Daddy! Oh my god!" Despite Alex's murderous look, she shook herself out of his hold and knelt down to try and stop Riley from essentially bleeding to death. Her fingers began to hastily work on his wounds, trying to stitch up the cuts but she wasn't fast enough. He was losing too much blood and she could smell the metallic hint meshed with the lethal combination of wolf venom.

"Keona..." warned Alex. This was the Vampire who got her into trouble in the first place and yet she was trying to save his life. Take your goddamn hands off him.

He's going to die!

In fact, Riley's shields were already down so the room stank of an unfamiliar Vampire's scent –one that immediately drew Alaron and Erika from the kitchen.

"You've brought me a gift, Werewolf?" The drawl in his voice was almost as playful as the hunger in his eyes –a look of a predator about to pounce on his prey.

Eian knitted his brows; understanding registering in his eyes. As per their agreement, he stepped back, allowing the Vampire all the room to... do whatever he wanted with his unwanted guest.

But Keona wouldn't allow it.

She remained in her place; her body shielding Riley protectively even as Alaron came charging toward them both.

"Get out of the way!" he growled but she paid no heed.

"Eian for godsake! Take your child away!" said Draven impatiently. He had read Riley's mind the moment the three Weres had returned and knew everything there was to know about the Vanguard.

If no one could make Keona move, he'd have to take her down himself.

Keona, we've already broken the oath. He doesn't need to live!

No! The mental scream was directed at all the Vampires in the room. He's Marine's mate.

Alaron immediately stopped and stared at her. "What? Why that son of a bitch!" All chance of reasoning with him were gone for he launched himself directly towards Riley; pushing Keona to the side.

"No!" Her scream rang sharp across the room, stopping everyone in their tracks. "I said no!" This time, she punctuated her words with a strong force-field enclosing Riley and herself inside. Keona tried not to look at the wounded expression of her family members; the sense of betrayal in their eyes at her actions. But this was necessary.

Confident that no one could break past the barrier, she turned her attention to the mortally wounded Vampire and began to synchronize his breathing with hers; her mind dipping into his slowly, trying to stabilize his heart rate.

I'm only doing this because I want Marine back alive.

Despite his deathly state, Riley heard her and responded. I know.

Is she safe?

I have to get back. They cannot know that I've left.

Keona didn't reply him. At his current vulnerable state, Riley had dropped all his physical and mental shields, opening his mind for her taking. She didn't need to ask anymore questions to know the reason why he had done what he had –it was something any of her pack members might have done and yet she didn't want to feel any sympathy for him.

To feel sorry for someone was a weakness at times.

"Get up," she said instead; the ice in her voice unmistakable. "Take me to Kendall. I want to know how to get in and out of that facility undetected."

Fear and worry flashed across Riley's face the instant she said that. "No! You have to leave him out of this. You know you cannot detract from the mission!"

Ignoring him, Keona grabbed his collar and snarled, "I just saved your life and I can take it away in a blink of an eye if I want to."

You'll die Keona if you go against Connor.

"Then you'll die with me." With that she pulled him to his feet and brought down the barrier around them. Everyone was still staring at her and she knew that they were waiting for her to say something.

"Meet me in an hour at the place where you found him earlier," she instructed; jerking her thumb in Riley's direction.

"No Keona. We go in together." It was a clear command from Eian, both in his capacity as her father and the Alpha. He didn't need his daughter to verbalize her intentions for he had already seen it in her eyes and read it in her body language.

"She needs to do this Alpha," said Alex, his reaction startling Keona. She thought that he too would oppose to her decision. However knowing that her mate sided with her gave Keona a little more confidence to begin her seemingly impossible task.

Looking at her mate, she smiled and heard his gentle voice in her mind.

I love you. Be safe.

Blinking slightly, Keona tried not to look embarrassed. Alex had never said he loved her before and to know that he did –especially at this crucial moment –made her all the more adamant to return everyone home safely.

"I'll be safe. Trust me everyone." With a nod, she opened the front door; Riley by her side. "One hour," she reminded them all... and she was gone.