The private room at The Sanson Grand Salon was once again filled with good food, but for the Carmichaels, it wasn’t just the same without Alex to join them for dinner.
Carrying a steaming tray of carefully prepared dishes, their maître d' burst from the door. The other servers wasted no time and ran forward to help. Alicia Carmichael gave them a warm smile as they each took a handful of plates and set them on the family’s table. A benevolent woman, Alex and Collette’s mother had always been warm and kind towards the people working for her family.
"So, any news on Alex?" Collette asked, crossing her arms. "Or has The Council gone completely insane and took Draven’s appeal to banish my brother?" Turning her head slightly, she glared at her husband, hoping to coax him into rallying with her.
But Kent just looked down at the piece of meat on his plate and didn’t even bother to glance at her.
"The Lords have not cast their final votes yet. Your father and I are confident we still hold influence to sway them not to banish your brother," Alicia said, sharing a meaningful glance with her daughter.
Ràmon raised his chin at his wife and then at his daughter. “And I’m sure this is not the right place to talk about this matter.”
“I thought this is why we have this private room to ourselves so that we could discuss important and very pressing matters, like my brother's disappearance and the petition against him.” Collette shook her head as if in disgust. “Why are you so calm?”
“Darling, I think your father’s right,” Kent spoke at last, although it wasn’t precisely what Collette had wanted to hear from him.
She barely looked at him to acknowledge what he was trying to do―another fruitless attempt to get into her father’s good side.
“Your brother committed a crime, Collette,” Ràmon said firmly, slicing the meat on his table with unnecessary effort.
“I don’t think wanting to be with your mate is a crime, dad,” Collette argued.
“It is when that mate is not your own kind. You very well know how forbidden it is for Lycans and Vampires to copulate! It was forbidden then; it is forbidden now!”
"Dad, didn’t you ever notice or consider how bias The Treaty is towards those bloodsuckers?" She looked up at her father’s face, and she could see the emptiness in his eyes.
“If I should answer your foolish question, then no. The Treaty was created by Count Aleksei, Queen Sofia, Prince Thrain, and Princess Helga. Two Lycans and two vampires. Every law that went into The Treaty was agreed upon by all four of them. And as you can see, my dear daughter, we’re not slaves to those bloodsuckers, as you so much call them. Your mother and I have a place in The Council. Unlike the Lycans before us, we are being treated equally,” Ràmon gnarled. “And isn’t Francine one of your close friends? Do you call her a bloodsucker too?”
“Honey, stop it.” Alicia gave her husband a warning look before looking at her daughter and softly said, “Darling, Collette, your father and I are just as worried as you about your brother. We have no idea where he is, and his future is pretty much undecided. But, one thing is for sure, we will not allow any harm to come upon him. He is our only son. He is my boy, and there is nothing I wouldn’t do for him.”
“I know you would do anything for Alex, mom,” Collette replied gently.
“The longer Lucas denies his knowledge of Alex’s location, the harder it gets for your mother and me to make our plea to spare him from being banished,” Ràmon spoke again, slightly softer this time.
“Well, the last time I heard, he and Francine have escaped, and Draven’s pinning it on Alex. I mean, how stupid that man could be? Why would he even think that it was Alex who helped Francine and Lucas escape? My brother is a philanderer, not stupid.”
Ràmon chewed on his piece of meat then took a swig of his wine before opening his mouth to respond to Collette, but then the maître d' approached their table, and they all grew quiet.
“Someone’s here to speak to…” the maître d' paused, swallowed an imaginary lump in his throat, then continued, “…your family, my lord.”
Ràmon’s eyes snapped sharply at the closed door. “What are you standing there for? Send that person away. We’re not expecting any guests at this table.”
“My lord, she said *she* has news about Master Alex.”
Collette gasped. “Who is that? Let her in!”
“What are you waiting for? Hurry!” Alicia urged.
“Perhaps after we have our meals?” Ràmon asked disapprovingly.
But his wife shot him a glare. “No! I want to hear what news she has about my son!” She turned to the maître d'. “Bring her in.”
Everyone at the table stared at the closed door with their curiosity increasing, their eyes following the maître d' closely behind as he pulled the door open, the wait encouraging their keenness to see who it could be and what news this person had about Alex.
"I bet it's one of those people who tries to offer fake information for some cash," Kent whispered.
"Don’t be ridiculous," Collette hushed, shooting her husband a sideways glance.
"Or maybe a hunter offering some news that we’ve already heard before?" Kent tried again, but no matter how much he guessed, nothing could have prepared anyone of them for the moment Mira herself walked through the door.
“Good evening, everyone,” she greeted, looking at them, one by one, at the table as she walked into the room. “Mind if I join your private dinner?”
Collette’s eyebrow arched. “Do we have a choice?”
Mira flashed a sly smile, somewhat pleased with everyone’s increasing confusion and discomfort. “No. I don’t think so.” She pulled a chair and sat on it. “Not if you want to hear what I have about your dear brother.” She smiled at Ràmon and Alicia. “Your dear son.”
“Where is he? Please, tell us everything you know,” Alicia pleaded, slightly leaning forward so that her hands were outstretched on the table as if trying to reach out to Mira for a quick answer.
“No need to sound desperate, my lady,” Mira said. “Your son is the reason why I came here, after all.”
“For a price, that’s for sure.” Ràmon pushed his plate away from him and started to sip his wine. “Everything has a price. And with the gravity of the matter, I doubt you will settle for anything less than a million,” he added, more to himself than to Mira herself.
"On the contrary, my lord. Money is not what I am after," Mira immediately told him upfront.
“What do you want then?” Collette asked.
“Let me tell you first what you need from me.”
“What?”
“You need two things from me. You need me to look for Alex, and you need me to keep him safe.”
“No,” Collette disagreed. “We need you to tell us where he is. That’s all. We are very much capable of keeping him safe after we find him.”
Mira scoffed. “If that’s what you really think, then perhaps you have no idea what words have been spoken and circulated within The Council.”
The Carmichaels, including Kent, was silent.
“Quite interestingly, Draven’s influence has grown much stronger and deeper. And let me tell this straight to you that he’s been pushing for a death sentence for Alex. Not banishment, but death.” No matter the weight of what she just spoke, Mira’s voice was relaxed and casual. And it was clear that she was enjoying the reaction she was getting from Alex’s family.
“That asshole!” Collette hissed. “Fucking bloodsucker.”
“What do you say then that we need from you?” Alicia asked. Her face was filled with fear and longing for her son.
Mira smiled. “You need me to find your son, and you need me to keep him alive.”
“And do you really think you’re more capable of keeping him safe than us, his own family?” Collette asked, still not convinced.
“She’s a mage,” it was Kent who supported the answer this time.
Mira’s smiled widened.
“And if I’m not mistaken, her power lets her create a gateway to different realms or dimensions. Or whatever you call it,” he continued.
Collette looked at him, surprised. “Do you know her?”
“Not personally. But I’ve seen her with Aleister before. Aleister told me what she is,” Kent answered.
“Good! Now you all know what I can do that none of you can.”
“What is is it your proposing?” For some reason, Collette wasn’t feeling Mira’s vibe and wanted to end the conversation as quickly as she could.
“Draven is driven by his anger and jealousy towards your son for taking Francine from him, and all he wants more than anything in the world is Alex’s head on a platter. So what I am offering is Alex's life.”
“So you’re offering to send Alex to another realm? Away from Draven’s reach or The Council?” Collette asked, eyes narrowing at the mage.
“Not really. But to make sure he’s always protected, Alex and I would have to wed.”
“Are you out of your mind?!” Alicia exclaimed.
Collette mockingly laughed at Mira. “Good luck with that. He disobeyed a fucking law, violated a treaty, to be with Francine. Why would you think he’d marry you? If you knew my brother, he’d rather die than be tied to anyone but his mate.”
“Then you don’t really have any idea what has happened to your brother.”
“What do you mean?”
“You will all soon find out when I bring him back.”
“So you know where he is?” Ràmon asked after taking a long sip of his wine.
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t,” Mira quipped. She sat upright and looked at Alicia and Ràmon. “Now, I just need you to promise me a beautiful wedding ceremony with your son. Or he will die. It’s that simple, really.”
“No. Wait. That’s not right.” Collette interrupted. Her brow furrowed with suspicion for a second. “He wouldn’t still be free; in fact, he’ll be your prisoner. What you’re offering isn’t protection but life imprisonment. You are obsessed with him, aren’t you? And you’re using this opportunity to get my brother.”
“It is only by my side where Alex wouldn’t have to look over his shoulder every minute; where he doesn’t have to sleep with one eye open.”
“And marrying you would change Draven’s mind about my brother?”
Mira smiled. “He would. Just trust me when I say it is only by my side that Alex could still live. Don’t worry, I’ll let you visit him.”
Collette shook her head then her gaze moved from her father to her mother. “Ask this woman to leave now, please.”
But neither Ràmon nor Alicia spoke or moved in their seats.
“Mom? Dad?”
“Honey, I think she may be the only one we have left, so your brother stays alive,” Kent gently said, somewhat preparing himself for an inevitable reaction from his wife.
“Are you mad?” Collette roared. “Dad? Mom? Tell me you’re not considering what this witch is offering us!”
Alicia gasped and then sank in her seat. “With Draven’s anger towards your brother and The Council obviously leaning towards siding with him…I think...”
“Nah-uh.” Collette suddenly stood upright. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
“What about Francine? As long as that woman’s alive, I know my son wouldn’t marry you,” Ràmon said.
“Well, consider her already being taken care of.”
“This is enough. I’m out of here. Mom, Dad, I know Alex. He’d rather die than marry this witch.” Collette glared at her husband. “Are you coming?”
Kent quickly stood up.
“Let’s go.”
Alicia looked up to her daughter. “Collette, darling―”
“No, mom! I can’t be part of any of this. I know that I have been nothing but a pesky sister to Alex, but I love him. I can’t do this to him.” And with that, she stomped out of their dinner with her husband following closely behind her.
Mira turned her attention back to Alex’s parent with a winning smile as soon as the door closed. “So? Do we have a deal?”