Storm of Shadows Ch. 05

"My name's Pippa," the child finally answered, her tears drying and her breathing calming now that she knew she wasn't about to be removed from her current location.

Natalia took a moment to lean her face into the gentle hand her mother placed on her cheek, closing her eyes briefly as her Mama accepted her decision. Then she rose and took the little girl's hand. "Let's go start packing, Pippa."

She gave her mother a brief smile, knowing that her actions freed her up to organise the evacuation of the children. Natalia knew her mother was terrified for her and wished she would leave too, but they were also pack, and that meant the good of the whole must often be placed before the good of the individual. Whatever was going to happen would happen, and she only hoped that if it turned out to be the worst, then she could be as strong and brave as the little girl blindly following her into the tent.

*****

Agony entered the clearing, his head almost swimming with the heady scent of his parents still lingering in the air. They had been here, walked this same path, and just maybe, he might find the answers he was seeking to their disappearance. He was shadowed and silent in his movements, passing by the handful of vampires outside of the main entrance to the coven.

While he ignored them for the most part, he mentally catalogued their number, sex and age, dismissing them as any kind of threat. He could easily take them if required. Hell, he wouldn't even break a sweat taking their heads. They were nothing, no obstacle to one such as he. Even Dara wouldn't break a sweat taking them out, though she would be less likely to do so.

Her intoxicating scent was coming closer, her mind seeking a way to connect with his as she did, but it was easy to keep her out. She was trying to reach Kothari, and as long as she remained unaware or emotionally detached enough from Agony, she was no threat to getting inside his head. However, a little part of him admired her determination. He could understand why Kothari had become so infatuated with her.

Stifling a sigh, Agony gave himself a mental shake, filing Dara's impending company to the recesses of his mind. He didn't have a whole lot of time to do what he'd come to do before she got in his way, so he had to step up a gear and get further ahead of her again. Striding into the house that was the coven's base, he almost laughed out aloud when he saw the ornate throne dominating the hallway that covered the entire ground level. So, this coven leader thought he was some kind of King, did he? There was only one vampire King and that was Callain. It was going to be so much fun educating the upstart who thought he ruled here.

There were close to thirty vampires within the building, two of them standing atop the dais that housed the throne. They could have been mistaken for brothers by some their colouring was so similar, but Agony doubted they were closely related despite their comparable age. There were very few vampiric siblings in existence, despite the fact that two such pairs were part of the Armand-Hanlon pack. In truth, there were likely only a couple more sibling groups out there from the old days.

No, these two were not brothers but there was a level of trust between them that was stronger than most he'd witnessed since arriving on European soil. He filed that away under the label 'important' and considered what he wanted his next course of action to be. He could unshadow and scare the crap out of everyone, but that would likely be met with instant violence and he needed answers more than an invigorating workout right now.

Now that he was here, Agony was considering the possibility that announcing his presence in stages might have been the better course of action for what he wanted to achieve, and he wasn't happy that his thinking might have been so off base. That would only make his goal that little more difficult to accomplish.

One of the men on the dais turned his head to survey the room as Agony watched them and considered his options. He caught the slight tensing of the male's tall frame and the way his gaze lingered a fraction of a second longer than necessary on his hidden location before it swept on. Could he see him? That should be impossible. No one other than the other Vârcolac, the Triumvirate or their Alphas or parents could see the hybrids when they were shadowed. If this male could, then he would need to be taken out. He was too much of a threat, not only to himself, but to Dara too.

The male was talking quietly with the other now, his words so low Agony doubted any in the room would have been able to make them out. The other male stiffened and shook his head, and then listened some more. Agony remained motionless, deciding to watch what would happen, his curiosity piqued by what was turning out to be a heated disagreement between the two men. Finally, the other male moved, sitting down upon the throne and barking out two harsh words. "Everyone out!"

*****

Dante knew he was there, the Justice Seeker. He couldn't see him exactly, not in the true definition of sight, but he was certain that Kothari was in the coven. When he'd run his eyes over the hallway a few moments earlier, he had detected a faint, shimmering red haze squarely in the middle of the room. His mind's eye had registered it, not fully understanding what it was, but knowing it was something out of place.

As he'd forced his gaze to move on, his agile mind had worked to catalogue what that haze could possibly be, and the only thing he could come up with was it had to be the Vârcolac. Kothari must have had a way to bend light around himself, to become invisible to most. It was the only explanation that made any sense, and explained why Dante wasn't completely immune to whatever it was the boy could do. Only Mila knew that he could detect coloured auras around everyone he met. Not even Joshua was aware that he had that ability. He couldn't physically see Kothari, but he could detect his aura which was a deep, dark red whirling around chaotically.

As Dante considered the likely implications of what would happen when the Vârcolac revealed himself in their midst, he came up with only one possible outcome, a complete bloodbath. They would lose one of the strongest covens that could help defeat whatever or whoever was out there trying to decimate the vampire nation.

He couldn't allow that to happen. They hadn't worked so hard to piece everything together and become prepared, to have it all go to hell because a boy was having a tantrum because he couldn't find his parents. No matter how powerful that boy was. Dante had to find a way to defuse the situation before it even ignited, and the only way to do that was to get Louis to agree to letting him take the lead, which wasn't going to be easy.

"Don't react to anything I say, don't even turn around," he whispered, keeping his voice low so his words would remain inaudible. "Just listen to me, Louis, and trust me when I say that you need to do what I say with no questions asked. Gard and Rayne's son is in our midst right now, and he has crossed over. No one here can see him, but trust me when I tell you he is here and he will decimate this coven if you react with anything that even comes close to being threatening towards him."

"What the fuck?" Louis growled out, though he kept his tone low, and didn't turn around which showed that he'd picked up the urgency in Dante's voice and hadn't ruled his words out of hand. "How could anyone get in here undetected, and what is one vampire against an entire coven anyway? He's no threat to us."

"He's not a vampire, Louis. He's Vârcolac...and he's feral. In his sane state he could wipe out half of this coven...I don't even want to begin to imagine what he'll do in his feral state. If you have ever trusted me, let me deal with this my way. I can reason with him, convince him that we know nothing of his parents' disappearance. We can all come out of this alive if you allow me to take the lead." Dante could see the rage and denial begin to cross the coven leader's face, and he felt the first tendrils of real fear that he'd experienced in countless centuries. If he couldn't get Louis to see sense, there was a good chance he would die this day, and there would be no one to take care of Mila.

"This ismy coven!"

"And you made me second in command for a reason, Louis! Do not let arrogance and fury lead you into losing everything you've built up your entire life, and quite possibly your very life too. Listen to me this once, I beg of you. Please listen to me, and send everyone away right now." For a long moment, Dante was certain his friend was going to ignore him, and then he moved to his throne and barked out the order to send everyone away.

Dante wanted to sigh with relief but they weren't out of the woods yet. He still had to find a way to connect with the Vârcolac and convince him that they were not the enemy, and he wasn't entirely certain how he was going to do that. Taking a deep breath, he moved to the side of the throne as the hallway quickly cleared and there was only himself, Louis and Kothari remaining in the room.

"You can reveal yourself, Kothari, son of Gard and Rayne," he announced, looking directly at the red aura. "We know you are there." He wasn't sure what he expected when the boy revealed himself, but it wasn't what he anticipated.

The air appeared to shimmer and then the red aura turned into a tall, young man with black hair and dark sunglasses shading his eyes. He appeared relaxed but his aura was swirling wildly, a sure fire sign that the Vârcolac was barely in control. His hand rose up and he took off his glasses, revealing eyes that were molten fire surrounded by a faint silver circle around the irises. "Then you know nothing, vampire," he answered coldly. "Kothari isn't here; he hasn't been for a while. You are in Agony's presence now, and you will know my wrath if you do not tell me what you did to our parents. Speak if you wish to live. Where are they?"

Dante swallowed hard, but worked on keeping his expression as neutral as possible. He could sense Louis tensing beside him and prayed he would keep his mouth shut and let him do the talking. "We are more than aware that you have crossed over," he conceded. "And we do not deny that your parents were here not too long ago. They came seeking knowledge of who or what was behind the European incursion stateside. We didn't have anything concrete to tell them, as we did not know. They left and we have not seen or heard from them again. That is the truth."

"You lie!" Agony hissed, taken five steps closer and then stopping, his hands clenched at his side. "You are behind their disappearance. You sent them into harm's way. Confess your part in this and I will allow you to live."

It was hard not to take five steps backwards to put as much distance between himself and the Vârcolac but Dante stood his ground, working to keep his escalating fear in check at the insanity he was witnessing in the boy's eyes. "I do not lie, Agony. We shared what we knew with your parents. I told them the earliest indication of the covens working together was in Romania. They listened and then they said they were going home."

Agony's talons burst into life, cutting into his palms though he didn't flinch at the pain. The coppery scent of blood pervaded the room as he bled onto the floor. "You still lie!" he screamed, a ragged cut appearing across his forehead, more blood filling the room, flowing from the open wound down the younger male's face. "They did not return home!"

Louis jumped up from the throne, unease crossing his features as he truly began to understand the threat that was before them. "Dante tells it true, boy. Why your parents didn't return we do not know. Freya urged that I provide them with my assistance, and I did that. I would never cross Freya Eriksson. You know her; you know the loyalty she can instil in those she deems worthy. Only a fool crosses that woman, and a fool is something I am not."

Dante held his breath as Louis spoke, watching Agony intently as his head cocked to the side and the wound to his face began to heal. Perhaps urging the coven leader to remain quiet had been the wrong course of action. The mention of Freya Eriksson appeared to halt the Vârcolac in his tracks as he considered what he heard. A slow smile crossed the boy's face and Dante swallowed hard again at the sight of it. The smile was even more chilling than the overt insanity on display.

"Yes...Freya is the ultimate vampire." Agony almost purred as he spoke. "Crossing her is akin to committing suicide and you are far too narcissistic to do that, coven leader. If my parents said they were returning home but they did not, then that can only mean one thing...they were talking about a different home."

The surprise that crossed their faces had the Vârcolac bark out a loud laugh that was devoid of any humour. "You think you are so smart, the top of your food chain, and yet you don't have the wits about you to reach that simple conclusion on your own. You arenothing. You areinferior. You and your coven are not worthy of my time. I know where I must go now." His talons retreated and he put his glasses back on, turning his back on them.

"Oh, another will arrive here very soon," he called over his shoulder. "She is under my protection. If one hair on her head is harmed, I will return and you will scream for days until I take pity on you and end your worthless lives. Keep her safe or know my wrath."

Dante knew instantly that he meant Dara but Louis' expression contained only confusion.

"Take her with you," the coven leader growled, anger in his voice. "I have had enough of you stateside mongrels coming into my territory giving me orders. I don't give a fuck if you all kill yourselves or have your little war with whomever is out there. Just stay the fuck away from me and mine."

His belligerence had the Vârcolac turning back towards them, and Dante could have smacked his friend in the face. They had almost made it unscathed from this meeting. Now he had no idea what the boy was likely to do just because he felt disrespected by Louis. It was at that exact moment that Dante felt his phone vibrate in his jean's pocket and he stiffened, and paled. Not now... oh, dear Lord, not now.

Agony's attention was instantly diverted from Louis, his dark gaze firmly fixed on Dante. "Oh please, do answer your phone, vampire. I find myself intrigued to know who would be the cause of your sudden unease."

Dante couldn't speak, his mouth so dry the words wouldn't come out. He couldn't do it...he couldn't answer the call even if it meant his own death. There was no way in hell he was allowing the madman before him to know his Mila existed. He would die first. "Fuck you!"

No one could possibly move that fast...it was a physical impossibility, however the Vârcolac did, speeding across the room and backhanding Louis who hadn't had an opportunity to react clear across the room. The coven leader was already slumping to the floor to the sound of bones breaking, as Agony's talons pierced Dante's neck, holding him immobile long enough to retrieve the phone from his pocket.

"Greet your caller..." the Vârcolac hissed, connecting the call and placing it on speaker phone.

"Mila..."

"Dante...Dante I found her! I found our salvation." His love interrupted him, her voice so full of excitement, her words tumbling from her lips in quick succession. "I saw the Justice Seeker too...he was so close to her but then he left. I think he helped a wolf pup in some way, so that speaks volumes to there being some humanity left within him. He took the child to a wolf pack and that's where the girl is. Now we just need to ensure he finds her."

At the mention of the child, the talons in the side of Dante's neck bit deeper.

"Pray continue, woman," Agony whispered, his voice deceptively soft. "Tell me that the wolf pup was succoured by the pack I sent her to. Be careful of your words though as my talons are deep within your friend's neck at the moment. Should I not like anything you say, I will detach his head from his body."

Mila gasped loudly, her voice shaking as she answered. "Don't hurt him...please. We are not your enemies, Kothari. We want the same thing as you, the safe return of your parents and the answers to who is behind this invisible war. Please, you have to believe me. The child is safe, I swear it. The pack has taken her in, she is being well cared for."

The pressure lessened on his neck and Dante held his breath. Maybe, just maybe, there might be positive outcome to this moment.

"She is very impassioned in her plea for your life. Is she your mate?"

Agony once more appeared more curious than murderous, and that gave Dante a little more hope. "No, though I consider her my family. She is mine to protect...as is Dara's yours." He could have kicked himself the instant the words left his lips. The talons cut deep at the mention of the other Vârcolac's name.

"How do you know her name? What deception are you pulling here? Answer me, vampire...or die!"

"Dante! Dante!" Mila cried over the open phone..."Oh dear God...no!"

The sheer terror in her tone fuelled the vampire into action. He hit out at Agony, trying to free himself from his hold. "Mila! What's happening? What's wrong? Mila, answer me!" he screamed, uncaring that he was a moment away from death. He had to get to her...he had to protect her.

"They're under attack... the pack. A coven's attacking them. They're going to be massacred! I have to help them...I have to, Dante."

"Mila, no!" he screamed again, dropping to the floor as the Vârcolac hissed in fury and released him. He was barely aware of Agony vanishing, of Louis coming to his side to help stem the blood from the wound on his neck as he healed. All he could hear was Mila's final words to him before the call terminated. Throwing his head back, Dante screamed into the air..."Mila!"

To be continued...