Chapter 53: Nikolai

**AUTHOR NOTE:** ***I know I promised that the next time I updated the VKSM that the book would be finished, but I am struggling with the ending of this book. So instead of making you wait while I write, delete, and rewrite chapter I decided to post an update today. I hope you enjoy. XOXO Marriah***

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**NIKOLAI**

Walking through your own mind can take a toll on a person, both mentally and physically. It can either strengthen you or weaken you, putting you in an almost vegetation type state. I don’t know how long I had been trapped in my mind, but I felt like i was no closer to uncovering my truth, than I was when I first started.

My vampire stayed hidden in the shadows, lurking in the inner most part of my mind, waiting for a chance to pounce, killing my soul and taking over my body. I could feel his anger, his hatred, rolling in waves, throughout the vast expanse of my inner thoughts. His need and want to kill every wolf for kidnapping his mate, outweighed all his other desires. He wanted to take Mary back and drain her blood, before completing the transition and turning her into a vampire. He wanted to take away her choice in the decision, if she was a vampire, no one would be able to hurt her again. It was the only answer. No other answers mattered. Except for me, the only opinion that mattered was Mary’s. I didn’t want to take the last of her humanity and make her a blood thirsty monster, unless that was something she wanted. When Mary first came to me she despised all supernaturals, which after learning her history is completely understandable. Anyone would hate those who’d slaughtered their family for no reason at all, except for the fact that they could.

The thought of my vampire taking control and forcing the transformation on Mary, is what gave me the strength to fight my inner beast. I screamed at the top of my lungs, forcing him to come out from the shadows. I reminded him that I was the one in control here and that without me there would be no him, but without him, I would still be me. My inner demon coward in fear when he realized that he had no power over me anymore. He bared his neck to me, the ultimate sign of submission. I dove onto him, sinking my teeth into his flesh, draining his blood, until his soul was once again completely connected into me, he and I we were one once more. I closed my eyes finally letting my body rest; hoping that when I opened them I would be out of the dream world, and be one step closer into finding my mate.

I woke to a sharp burning pain on my collar bone. It felt like someone had clamped down on clavicle and tried to feed from me. I brought my hand up neck and felt around, there was no open wound, and when I touched my neck it didn’t feel tender. It was a phantom wound, which only meant one thing. This pain I was experiencing wasn’t mine, It was Mary’s; and the bite I felt was very real. It was the bite of a wolf. A wolf had marked my mate as his. I felt my blood boil over with rage, when I found where they were hiding her, Alpha Asher would die by my hands.

‘Kade,’ I holler mindlinking my second-in-command, ‘get the war room ready. Dispatch a messenger to everyone of our supporters. I want at least one person to represent their community here by Sunday. And then I want everyone to be prepared for the war that was bound to happen. Asher took one to many steps in the wrong direction this time.’

‘Nik.’ Kade responded in a calm soothing voice, ‘Let’s think rationally about this for a second, are you sure a war is what we need right?’

‘Kade, imagine if it was Nevaeh, wouldn’t you move Heavens and Earth just to get to her.’

‘You know I would brother, but it would be in a more strategic matter. I wouldn’t be sending an army off to the unknown hoping I’m pointing the compass in the right direction.’

I growled in irritation, the roar from my chest sending vibrations throughout the room, I could feel my vampire walking around inside my mind, eager to come out and play, but it was a different feeling this time. I felt more powerful than normal, especially when before any signs of my vampire poking through meant that I myself was becoming powerless.

‘I am your King Kade, you will do as I command.’ I replied, pulling the card that I thought I would never pull on my best friend. I let my Alpha command roll through the link, making it an order that Kade couldn’t ignore.

I could feel Kade’s hurt through the link, but I pushed it aside. My only thoughts were on Mary and getting to her quickly. She would die if Asher’s mate mark completely healed on her neck, and I wasn’t willing to lose my mate; even if it meant putting her before my country.

*************************************TWENTY-FOUR HOURS LATER***************************************************************

The war meeting was soon to begin and I was on my way to the meeting room, when I heard a conversation just up the hall that pricked my interest.

“Kade, Nikolai must know this war is foolish. If we go walking onto the werewolf territory with no knowledge on what is actually happening there we will be sitting ducks. More supernaturals will be lost from this nonsensical war, than the Great Phoenix war.” Ambrose hissed in a low voice just outside the board room.

“I’ve tried talking to him Ambrose, he refuses to listen. He commanded me to gather everyone hear today. He’s lost his mind. I don’t know if it’s from losing Mary, or from the journey he took to find himself in his minds eye, but he is not thinking clearly.” Kade responded, his annoyance and irritation with me clear in his tone.

“Maybe we should meet with the council. Only they combined have enough power to stop this foolishness.” Ambrose replied.

“We can stop the war, but that’ll never stop Nikolai from searching for his mate. He will abdicate the throne and go in search of Mary on his own; right now Nikolai cannot be trusted with even his own life.” Kade replied sorrowfully.

“So, what do you suggest we do?” Ambrose questioned. I could just barely make out his facial features and I could see the stress and worry on his face, his wings had taken on blue hue, also indicating that he was stressed out.

“We can try to buy sometime. Maybe convince Nikolai to see reason that we at least need a few days of reckon before we make our move.”

I’d heard enough. My body was shivering uncontrollably with the amount of rage I felt with my two friends conspiring against me. Ambrose had a mate, surely he should know the intense amount of pain and heartache I was feeling being separated from Mary for so long; and Kade had almost lost Nevaeh, while they were a fated pair, he still cared for her deeply and the thought of losing her had nearly killed him with grief. If it wasn’t for my assistance she would have died; couldn’t he grant me this one favor.

“ I don’t have time to wait!” I yelled, my voice booming off the walls. “Asher has marked Mary. She will die within the week if I don’t tend to her wound immediately.” I could feel the hot streams of tears running down my face. Tears of worry for Mary, tears of anger at the betrayal of my friends, and tears at my own foolishness for thinking I could take a mate and live happily.