Chapter 44: They Want Her Alive

SEBASTIAN.

Witnessing so many things that hurt Teresa, I made this decision to sink into a much darker world and although few would have agreed with what I decided, I ignored the opinions and went with my instinct. It had never forsaken me before.

I would have liked, however, not to get here, to have had a quiet life, in which our love would flourish, but it was not possible. Maybe it was time to make this dream possible.

I hadn’t been to Alexei’s fortress in a long time. It always impressed me with its grandeur. I realized how insecure Teresa felt, but for now, there was no other way out of this problem.

Alexei might catch her human scent, but who knew what else he might sniff around her? I didn’t even know what Teresa was.

He instructed the two guards at the entrance to keep those demonic dogs in check, especially since they felt me. They started barking menacingly but a single growl at them, showing my fangs, and they calmed down. But I did not escape Teresa’s ironic remark.

“Wow, are we marking the territory?” she asked, laughing in the corner of her mouth.

It was more of an irony meant to snatch a smile from me. So, she did it! But I didn’t let myself down either.

“You don’t want to know how I mark my own territory, sweet doll face,” I added, convinced that she would blush to the tip of her nose.

I was right. Her rosy cheeks highlighted the emerald in her eyes. God, she was so beautiful! Bash, stop it and focus on what you came for! And then she remained silent until I arrived in front of the one and only Alexei Stepanov.

Next to him was Anya, his fiancée, a voluptuous, beautiful woman with sun-colored hair. I hadn’t known her before. In the past, when I came, Alexei was a single man.

“My good friend Sebastian Gallagher!” he greeted me with that specific Russian accent. “Welcome!” he continued in that same tone, glancing at Teresa.

To my amazement, he wasn’t a bit surprised, no grimace of concern, nothing. Just admiration for her perfection and beauty. “But who is this wonderful creature?”

“Let me introduce you to Teresa Bradley. Teresa, meet Alexei Stepanov, one of the most powerful leaders of the Russian Mafia and maybe even from all over the world!” I flattered him, waiting for his reaction. His modesty was still surprising.

“My friend, you’re exaggerating. Way beyond thrilled to meet you, Miss Bradley!” he continued disinterestedly with the title I gave him in his imaginary but perhaps not impossible vision.

With firm movements, he took Teresa’s hand and kissed it as a sign of courtesy. This man was so respectful that I sometimes wondered how he was part of our race and his blood was so cold that he could kill anyone who would dare to contradict him in the blink of an eye.

“It’s my pleasure, Mr. Stepanov!” Teresa muttered shyly, hiding almost behind me.

She was nervous. And rightly so. She was really in a beast’s nest. Good thing these beasts were our friends…

“Please, Sebastian’s friends are also my friends. You can call me Alexei, alright? I also want to present to you the one who stole my heart and still keeps it on fire, my fiancée, Anya Ivanov. "

Alexei introduced her, letting her take a step forward and approaching me. Anya took Teresa under the pretext of showing her the surroundings. Then Alexei approached me with a face I could say was more intrigued.

“So, neither human nor a supernatural being!” he concluded with a sigh, raising an eyebrow.

“But what do you think she is?” I asked rhetorically, letting him give me his version.

It was more than clear that he detected something in Teresa just like me and probably everyone she had come in contact with. Even she herself believed that something was peculiar.

“First, she is your Luna. But given the mixture of her blood, she can turn into a weapon, Bash. Who are her parents?”

That was a question I didn’t know the answer to. I heard her more and more talking about losing her parents, but I remained helpless in front of her story.

“She doesn’t know Alexei. She told me she is an orphan. Adoptive parents raised her,” I said with regret in my voice, as if we could not solve this mystery.

“See? Something is not connecting here. But anyway, I know for a fact that’s not why you’re here. You seemed very upset on the phone “And it was easy to realize my desperation to find some answers.

“Exactly. My reason is completely different. Aren’t you inviting me in? I would like to talk privately!”

“Of course. Anya, love, takes care of our guest. Bash and I will discuss business!”

“Okay, honey, Teresa is in excellent hands. Come on Teresa, I want to show you my little rose garden!”

As soon as the two disappeared from the landscape, Alexei invited me to his house, to his office, to be exact. He probably was signing all his business here. There were still some files on the table and coffee in his cup. He requested an extra one for me.

“Okay, please tell me, I am all ears!” Alexei took a straight position on the chair immediately after I sat down. In the meantime, the black, steaming coffee came just the way I liked it.

“Alexei, Teresa, is facing a big problem. She is being chased by a beast. I don’t know if it’s one of us or something else. It is much bigger, much sharper fangs, and what caught my attention is that it leaves behind a repulsive sulfur smell. Not only did I feel it, but so did Teresa.”

“Hmmm, interesting, you smell sulfur. That can only mean one thing: fire. Is our little creature playing with fire somehow?” he asked with that characteristic black humor.

“Yes, he has this trait. Fortunately, he didn’t use it against us in the two attacks, but I’m afraid he’ll do it once. “

“Tell me, how did Teresa react? I think for a mortal this must have been a terrifying experience. Especially, maybe your transformation. It is clear that you did it not once and yet this woman stays with you. What’s her secret?” Alexei became suspicious of the reason for the attacks. “It’s clear that someone or something wants Teresa alive!”

This theory of his froze me. I didn’t think of this option. There were two attacks in which if he wanted, he could have killed her and yet he did not. What was behind these alleged failures? Or rather, who?

“If you put it this way, Alexei, then we have a dilemma. And if he hasn’t been able to complete his plan so far, he’ll definitely try again. The question is who and with what interest does all this?”

“And I suppose that’s why you came to me. If we think from this perspective, then I will get in touch with all my contacts. Maybe I will find out something!” he finished, folding his arms and leaning back in his chair.

He then fell into deep thoughts, rubbing his palm against his freshly shaved chin. “There is another person who can help us, the other half of Anya, Mikael Svensson, a Sweden dragon shifter, the head of a wide international arms trafficking network. And before you ask me, yes, we get along with each other perfectly!” Alexei added, probably seeing the amazement on my face.

I was going to ask, but I’d better limit myself too why I was here. What was happening in Alexei’s yard and in his life was strictly his problem.

“It’s none of my business, buddy. My life is not painted in bright colors, anyway. I’m glad you found your balance. I want so much to end this situation and move on. Life was far too unfair to me. Finally, I didn’t come here to complain…”

“Hey, these are not lamentations. They are your shocking feelings and they are part of your life. If you have learned to live with them and even overcome them by uniting with your true partner, then go for it! Don’t let anyone or anything stand in your way, not even the ghost of your ex-wife. Listen to me, I know what I’m saying. Anya and I went through the same situation, except it was her family, her parents. Finally, I will not go into details. We are not talking about me here. "

“You are right! Life has shown me that there is always another way. A little heavy, but there is. With Teresa, I can say that I started with a left foot. She found out about me in a not very pleasant way, but her life was in danger and I had little choice. She has powers she doesn’t even understand and, on top of that, a demon is after her to kill her. What could be more beautiful?”

“I am correcting you, my friend. This demon, as you call it, certainly doesn’t want to kill her. He would have done it a long time ago if so. I think that somewhere, someone is preparing a greater destiny for her, and not exactly pleasing to the eye!”