Chapter 24

Vasile's POV

"I love you too, soricel. Get some sleep. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” I forced a smile on my face as she blew me a kiss and hung up.

I hung my phone, my eyes closing as I leaned my head back against the chair I sat in.

A chuckle sounded from behind me, sparking a flame of anger. The sound of a fist hitting a skin sounded behind me before I could turn around.

“Ow, what was that for?” Cristian voice dripped with anger.

“I assume it was for laughing at your creator’s expense.” I growled, my fist tightening around the phone in my hand until the sound of cracking glass sounded. “Shit.” I mumbled as I looked down at the cracked screen.

How was something so expensive and complicated so fragile?

“Cristian, retrieve the broken phone, then get a back up phone from my office and set up for Vasile.” Marius commanded.

Cristian approached me cautiously, his hands up trying to show me he meant no harm. He was lucky he was loyal. He was still so young, I hated that even grown adults seemed to regress back to teenagers when they were turned.

Even at a century, Cristian still showed the mentality of a sixteen year old some days. Usually I enjoyed his humor and sarcasm. But today, I didn’t have the time or energy for him.

Today had started bad, and only got worse with Cadella’s call.

Glaring at him I handed him my phone. His expression fell a little more and his shoulders drooped as he retreated back. At least he had the smarts to know when he messed up. Most new vampires were oblivious.

“Try to remember to act your age on the way back.” Marius scolded as Cristian walked by him.

“Of course, Marius. My apologies, sire.” Cristian said as he bowed before leaving as I dismissed him with a wave.

The door closed, leaving me with Adrian and Marius.

“I don’t get it. Why are the exorcists and werewolves playing human?” I growled, pushing myself up from the chair.

Adrian shifted on the arm of the chair he was seated on, casting a wary glance at Marius.

“It’s been this way for decades now. It started when the human hunters started learning too much. They have more weaknesses, humans learned them and how to wield them. Next thing you know, humans are hiding the devil’s trap pentagon under carpets or ceilings. Many were getting tattoos on them to keep them safe from possession and being used by demons.

“They weaponized wolfsbane, making into bombs they could drop in a room and weaken the werewolves for capture or to kill them. They even mixed wolfsbane with blackthorn in some to stop us. Last week we found a new changeling who had been paralyzed with nightshade. He was able to kill the hunter before it took hold, and we were able to get to him before it killed him. But humans are smarter than they used to be.” Marius explained.

“Exorcists and werewolves have always been the weaker ones, why do they think they worked together with So-“ Before Adrian could finish his sentence, I had him pinned to the wall by his throat.

“Don’t ever say her name.” I hissed under my breath.

“Vas-” Marius voice held a warning.

“Her name is to never be mentioned again. She betrayed me, betrayed you, all of us. Her name isn’t worthy of being spoken.” I snarled.

“Vasile.” Marius snapped.

“Do you understand?” I asked.

Adrian nodded.

I released and watched as he fell to the ground. Mentally I cursed at myself as I realized my shadows had started to rise around our legs. Of course she would make me lose control. Something I haven’t done since I was a changeling.

“Don’t start.” I snarled at Marius as I passed him.

Storming to the bar set up in the corner of my chambers, I poured myself a glass of brandy. Grabbing the glass without putting the bottle down, I drained it and refilled it. Setting the bottle down and placing the cork back in it, I stared at the amber liquid.

Adrian was right, they were weak. Only the weak would hide like sheep. I would die before I let the blood clan try to blend in for survival. Despite their hiding being a sign of their weakness, it was a complication.

The exorcists and werewolves had teamed up together, trying to bring down the blood clan, and they found my weakness. A weakness that allowed herself to be turned against me and be used to trap me with a curse. If they thought the same trick would work again, they were wrong.

Any good historian would admit that the past is littered with patterns of demise. Someone strong takes charge, their weakness is exposed and then they are taken out. Even I had been caught up in the pattern. Now, despite my best efforts to break the pattern and get revenge, I was starting to see the pattern forming.

Except, this time Cadella wasn’t a weakness. She was a dispensable piece of the game. But a piece of the game that was needed for a specific role. A role that she needed to trust me for. I couldn’t allow them to turn her against me.

“I did some research after Cadella told me she joined that club about spirits and supernaturals. It’s run by a human and his wife. I wasn’t able to discover too much about the other two people in it, but there’s a Lycian in the group. The alpha’s son-Mark.” I sighed, and moved in front of the fire place.

“That could be a problem.” Marius hummed from behind me.

“Yes. I was aware that the campus had several werewolves that attended, but I didn’t think a supernatural research group would be a place we’d find one.” I sighed and leaned against the mantel.

“Perhaps, they placed him there to see what they knew.”Adrian suggested, his voice still hoarse from my grip.

I had considered the same idea. It would be convenient. See how much the group knew. If they were just finding local lore and legends that were filled with false information-most planted by the different races to throw the humans off our trails, then there was concern. But as Marius pointed out, humans were quickly learning how to hunt and hunt well.

I scoffed as I took a deep pull from my glass. Even after a century of being locked away, I was shocked to learn how little humans had picked up and evolved. For creatures with such a sophisticated brain, they never used it.

“Either way, I don’t want any wolves around Cadella. If the wolves are infiltrating the university then I’m sure exorcists are pulling strings somewhere. As close as the two groups have gotten, they probably report to each other. I don’t need them messing with her mind. Mark has already tried to warn her off from me.” I frown at my almost empty glass.

“It was a vague warning. He can’t reveal his identity without his father’s permission. Something I doubt he has.” Adrian shrugged.

“But it sounds like he got your scent, or at least the smell of vampire. They know that we’re around her, it won’t be long until the rest of the pieces fall into place for them.” Marius confirmed my own fears.

“Then we get rid of the werewolves around her. Keep her away. At least until there’s no doubt she won’t turn. Hopefully the rest of the plan will be in place by then.” I said.

“What do you want us to do, Vas?” Marius asked.

“I want you to make space between the alpha’s son and Cadella. Arrange an accident to create that space. Leave no signs of us though. Not a trace of evidence.” I turned and faced Marius.

“You are right, it’s only a matter of time before they connect the dots and realize how important she is to us. They probably already have a vague idea. But we need as much time as we can get without their interference.” I left my empty glass on the mantel and walked to the window by the fire place.

“Of course. What will we do if they make those connection before we’re ready?” Marius asked as he stood from his chair.

“I’m sure we’ll figure something out. Hopefully it doesn’t come to that.” I unbuttoned the top button of my shirt and looked to my second in command.

Marius nodded at my words and moved to follow Adrian out the door. I turned back to the window, looking out over the courtyard.

“Vasile?” I turned to find him facing me with the door closed, a pained expression on his face.

“What is it?” I stepped toward him.

“Are you being careful?” He asked, his gaze meeting mine.

“What do you mean?”

“Cadella, she seems like she holds some part of Sophia. I don’t know if she’s a blood relative, or what the connection is yet, but she feels similar. I-“

“I’m being careful, Marius. There is no love between the two of us. Not on my part. I will never have a weakness again.” I shake my head.

Marius opens his mouth and closes it as he looks to the floor. His jaw clenches and relaxes before he meets my stare.

“We’ll take care of the werewolf. Give Cadella some space, and you some time.” Marius confirms his orders and leaves the room.

I turn and face the window again. My words were true to Marius, but I also knew Cadella wasn’t my weakness. But if the exorcists and wolves thought I was falling in love again, it may buy me some more time. It kept the appearance up that I’d learned my lesson, but not well enough to not fall in love again.

They were blending in with humans, a race they both had a weakness for. They wouldn’t be able to resist trying to save her and use her. Keeping Cadella away from them bought us time, and made her look more like my weakness. My gaze rose to meet the full moon.

“After all, ‘dogs’ are humans best friends.”