3. Bistrita

Chapter 3

Bistrita

I look to Lucianna to calm the witches after her announcement because they are nothing if not loyal, and whether those loyalties are misplaced or not, they are not about to think the worst of Embry until it's proven to them that she's the traitor everyone believes her to be.

Lucianna's eyes glow green, as the witches' eyes swirl with purple and a myriad of colors, and their fingernails crackle with blue sparking electricity. Willow steps out of Romano's arms toward Lucianna. "Embry is not with Lucas. She doesn't have it in her to betray us this way."

Our future queen closes her eyes for a second as though weighing her words carefully. "Embry is my closest friend. She was the one who took me under her wing when I first went to Club Descallia looking to help with the disappearance of women. She showed me the ropes, and we've been friends ever since. If she is not a traitor, she will show us this. Of this, I have no doubt."

Willow steps forward. "Then why is everyone assuming she's sided with Lucas?"

"You have become as fond of Embry as I, and rest assured, she will not be written off unless we are certain she has betrayed the vampires. But only she can prove this to us and prove it to us she must. There is no way we can allow anyone, no matter how close we've become to them, the chance to take our power. There is far more at stake."

Raven nods. "The rogues want to take all the power from the purebloods, the witches, and the shifters. Aunt Devora said they have been trying for centuries. That it's a vendetta with Overmaster Descallia."

Lucianna looks to each one of them, solemn and serious. "Partly, but mostly it's their desire to return things back to the way it used to be. Before blood could be sourced through other means. Back to a time when the vampires would attack humans, any red-blooded soul for that matter, to feast on their blood. We can't allow them that kind of power."

Overmaster Descallia watches his mate with admiration in his eyes. Lucianna will make a future queen the vampires will all be proud of and respect. The witches may have calmed after listening to Lucianna, but still they are not convinced their friend has turned enemy. It will take Embry herself to change their mind. Actions speak louder than words. They have to see what the little traitor is capable of for themselves.

I do not envy the masters trying to placate their mates tonight. Females, nothing but trouble, as far as I'm concerned. Although the masters do look happy with the mates by their sides, even with all the contention of late.

Destiny will probably never find someone to pair me with, and that's just the way I like it. Too used to doing things my way, my particular sexual preferences, and set ways. No, single with no one to account to or take responsibility for is the way I like to roll.

"Alright, everyone"—I point to the map—"this is where we go in. We split half and half with our troops, so we can flank both sides. Then, we meet here, at the heart of the cavern. All exits will have been sealed off, so when we go in, it will be a fight to the death, of that you can be sure."

I turn to the males in the room. "Everyone have their stakes and know when and how to use them? There can be no hesitation. We'll get one chance to catch them off guard, otherwise, they'll be gone like a shadow in the night. If you wound them with your weapons, be sure to stake them right away."

Natalia pulls out a stake. "I've never used one before, but if one of the rogues, Lucas in particular, takes a run at me, I'll be ready this time." Master Oradea's arm settles around his mate's shoulders, drawing her close. The thought of almost losing her is still probably fresh on his mind after Lucas attacked her, and he had to turn her to keep her for eternity instead of losing her to a brutal human death.

Raised voices in the hall pull our attention to the doorway. A red-haired beauty in a long black sweater, which does nothing to disguise the state of undress underneath it, races into the room atop high sexy heels. The minute Natalia sees her, she meets her halfway and pulls the woman into her arms, closing her eyes as they hug each other tight. "Chara, what are you doing here? It's not safe for you to be running around in the night," Natalia exclaims.

Chara's green eyes swim with emotion. "I came to warn you. I have it on good authority that Lucas is on the hunt tonight. He isn't going to let his vendetta with you and your brother go. You're not safe, no matter where you are tonight."

Natalia takes her arm. "It's okay, Chara. We already know he's coming, but we're not going to let him get to us first, we're going to…"

I clear my throat. "Enough! Our plans are not to be divulged to the world, and it's hardly any concern of yours," I tell the redhead, who has commanded the attention of the entire room.

Chara flips her green eyes to me in a flash of defiance. "No disrespect, but I wasn't speaking with you. I was talking to Natalia who is the one in need of protecting, not you."

I walk toward the sexy little human who even in heels barely reaches my chest, looking down at her with curiosity as my blood races. To my surprise, she stands her ground, placing her hands on her hips while glaring up at me. "I don't want any trouble. I just came to warn my friend. For some reason, I thought you and the others would appreciate it and not act like such an ass."

There's no way I can avoid looking at the perfect swell of her breasts spilling from the black and red lingerie looking outfit and fishnet stockings she wears beneath that sweater. "We are capable of taking care of Natalia and ourselves quite fine, young lady, and I don't appreciate your tone or disrespect."

The sexy woman with a creamy expanse of neck on display as her hair falls to the side raises her eyebrows in question, causing my heart to pump and blood to race. "If you were able to take care of her, you wouldn't have let them turn her into a vampire."

A deep rumble settles in my chest. I fight hard to keep it under wraps while my chest pounds with indignation and my nose fills with her scent. There is something about this woman, but I do not believe in your one and only, and all that romantic crap. Sexual attraction? Animal magnetism, primal need. Sure, nature at its finest as far as I'm concerned, but me, desire a human? No, even destiny would not go that far or cross that line with me.

Natalia steps between us and puts her arm protectively around her friend as she guides Chara away from me. "If I had stayed with the vampires, like Oradea wanted, none of this would have happened. Lucas wouldn't have caught me at my brother's house without any of the vampires to protect me. As it was, they got there in time to save my life, Chara. It's not fair to blame them, you know this. What's going on?" she asks her friend softly.

Chara's eyes fill with moisture. "I just have this feeling that I can't shake. Lucas is not going to let things go. Your brothers screwed him over royally when they sided with the vampire masters. I just don't want him to take your life as the price. Security is crazy at the club. Something is in the air. The vampires at the club know it, and I can feel it, Natalia. You're not safe."

Master Oradea has allowed them time, but he walks toward them. "She's safe with me. Trust that I'm not about to let anything happen to her again. We appreciate you coming, but…"

I clear my throat. "What he's trying to say is we don't have time for this. We have things to do, and you're wasting valuable time." I wait for her to leave, but she stays standing in place, glaring up at me as though I'm the one wasting her time.

I scowl. "That was a dismissal. Thanks for the warning, but there is work to be done."

Her eyes narrow. "Keep my friend safe this time, or you'll answer to me, vampire."

My jaw shifts with irritation. "Leave."

Natalia scowls at me and takes her little snip of a friend by the arm, walking her past me and to the front entrance. I don't miss the sideways look of warning coming from Oradea, but whether he likes it or not, there is no time to deal with the young woman's fears tonight. We've wasted too much precious time already, and he surely can't argue with that. It is time to hunt our enemies before we lose the element of surprise and they come for us.

I have no time to contemplate the effects of the red-haired and creamy skinned beauty who makes my blood boil with rage one moment and sets it on fire with red hot desire in the next, as she leaves and the scent of her settles under my nostrils. I inhale deeply, rolling her name silently on my tongue. Thoughts of baring the pale-skinned creature, peeling every layer under that long sweater to see if she's as beautiful as I envision come vividly to mind.

I suck in a breath. "There's work to be done, everyone. Let's get to it," I growl, as much for me as for them.