17. Bistrita

Chapter 17

Bistrita

I shouldn't have let my red-haired beauty get away with half the things I did, but there's something so different about Chara, something wild and impulsive and so real that some of my rules may need to be refreshed to ensure no piece of her personality is not allowed to come shining through.

I lock my beauty into the safe room and head into the masters' VIP lounge where the others have gathered until the sun goes down. Overmaster Descallia looks to me. "The same plan?"

My jaw hardens with determination. We are going to run that play, dangle the bait of the key to all of the masters' jewels, treasures, and gold until they are salivating to come and take it from us, no matter the risk or complexity of the trap. "Yes, we meet at the cavern just after dusk. Trentino and the others on the special ops team have been plotting their sightings, keeping the intel obtained from Roman and Michael's soldiers on the ground, along with our lords and the vampires in the regions loyal to us. They have quite a bit of information, and it all confirms what we already knew."

Overmaster looks at the dedicated group of masters. Their mates and others have already left, planning to meet us in an effort to rid ourselves of Lucas and the rogues. The minute we land by the mountain range, we can tell we're close to our foe.

The teams have all the areas where they could set up more water spills covered; the rogues won't get within a mile of those spots without being seen. The shifters are gone, maybe one or two or a scattering left, but no more than that. Now they need to decide if it's worth putting more of their lives on the line after the ones they lost last night, or admitting defeat, which nobody, including me, believes they will do."

Raven looks up at Romano, and he urges her with his eyes. She turns to me. "There's something that's been bothering me and the others." Her eyes connect with Willow's, and Willow gives her an encouraging nod.

My brow furrows. "Tell me."

She sucks in a breath. Whatever it is, the witch is nervous. Not upset, excited or any of the emotions we've come to learn bring along a coursing of electricity, but just plain nervous. I look to Romano, telling him aloud what he clearly already knows. "I won't hurt your mate."

He nods, hugging Raven to him. "Tell him, Raven."

"I keep dreaming of Lucas. I feel him, here, even now. It's like he's watching us or something. It's so hard to explain; it's like something is just out of my reach. It's an aura of evil lurking in the dark, but within earshot of us all. Witches and psychics are tuned in to those things."

I scowl. Enough that we have lots of work to do to get the message about the key out so that it can filter into the ears of the lower-level soldiers and then onto anyone who might still be loyal to the rogues. A complex weave of deception meant to keep them trailing us, until it is far too late for them all. Now we need to placate witches. Psychic witches though, who just might know a hell of a lot more than we give them credit for and if Lucas is near, it's critical that we know.

Lucianna's eyes glow, as she senses my views. She gestures for Silver to come to her side. "I want you to work with Raven. See if she can help convey to you what it is she is seeing, feeling, and if you can get anything that belongs to Lucas to help lead us to him. Maybe what Raven is sensing is that he's just not that far away. I wish I could get a better read on him too."

Our future queen looks to me. "If that is agreeable to you, Master Bistrita. You're leading point right now. I just think it may be another avenue we want to explore."

I give her a nod. "Of course. It's a solid plan given their skill sets and the witches' insights." I get a quick nod of thanks from Overmaster Descallia for keeping the peace. His mannerisms have all managed to change over the course of time. Sure, he is still fierce and loyal and rules with an iron fist, but the care, love, and devotion he shows his mate has softened his style of ruling with the masters. It is plain to see in everything he does. Destiny's work is never done, pairing the imperfect with their other half.

I can't help thinking that's what destiny has done with me. Given me a mate that will sooth me when it's time because she already does that very thing. But at what cost to my love?

Will I pull my innocent beauty into the dark and ruin her with the evil that lurks in the night, trying to hunt us, and her, so Lucas can get his sick little revenge? I push the thoughts aside. She's safe for tonight, and the rest, I'll have to deal with another day, because tonight, the rogues must be stopped once and for all.

I draw my sword and point the tip at the center of the cavern laid out on the map in front of us, not far from the cavern we're in now, just as Roman and Michael and his brothers walk in. We're going to need the syndicate boys because we're going to want their soldiers to be our eyes and ears on the ground, since all of us can't be in the same place at the same time if we're going to win this war. "This is where they will expect us to go in this time." I look at the syndicate boys. "If you'll have all of your men cover the perimeter, tight, tight, this time."

Roman looks dubious. "Our men are at the ready, but we're not going to be able to go up against the rogues with the weapons we have, you and I both know that. It would be certain death for my men. What's the alternative?"

"We need a blazing fucking wall of solidarity. We'll arm you with some of our loyals who will be able to battle and destroy them. We want them to know that wherever they turn, they will be met with resistance and your loyalty to the purebloods and not to them. The Benetti and Benzini families may not be able to hurt them with weapons, but they need your support in order to gain power amongst the humans and in the communities to rebuild an infrastructure. Without it and the money they seek from us, they have nothing. That's what they need to see."

Michael nods, going to stand by his sister, as Master Oradea puts his arm around Natalia. "We'll be where you need us to be," he says, as his brothers nod in agreement.

I look to him and his brother. "We will not let any harm come to your sister. She is in the best hands possible. Every master here would lay down their life before we would allow any of them to take one of our mates. Just cover the perimeter, let them know in no uncertain terms that you've chosen a side. That's all we ask. In exchange, you'll have a very lucrative business arrangement with us going forward."

His brother sneers. "Yeah, just like one big happy family. We get to divide what belongs to us with even more of you."

Michael glares at his brother, Marcus, but Natalia says what he doesn't. "No one is forcing you into an arrangement you don't want. It seems to me that it's good business. You don't have near the infrastructure that the vampires can provide in terms of purchasing power, distribution, and all the other components that have been damaged by the other families. Our territory has been left wide open for the taking. If you don't align with Roman and the purebloods, you're as good as gone, and you know it. If the purebloods don't win this war, the rogues won't partner with you, they will take it all."

His face turns beet red, and he doesn't say a word for a long minute. "Let's do this if we're going to go through with it. Where do you need our men, and what else do we need to do?" Marcus asks.