5. Slobozia

Chapter 5

Slobozia

T aylen falls into line with the witches. I'm glad to see that she's had a change of heart and has positioned herself with the witches without me having to intervene again, but it's clear I'll have to keep an eye on the situation with that one. If only to make sure she's doing as she's told.

No matter how pretty that little ass is, I refuse to let her distract me any more than she already has. I can't be this attracted to her. But yet, somehow, I am. Maybe I should have just picked her up and taken her to one of the VIP rooms in Club Descallia, pulled her panties down and spanked her little ass until she squirmed in my lap and told me she was sorry, and then taken her hard and rough, and gotten her out of my system.

I watch the back of her heart-shaped ass, tightly held in those snug fitting jeans, her strong thighs and physical stamina having no trouble at all making it up the side of this range, no matter that many a male would not be able to make the trip without effort. Yes, that's probably exactly what I should have done. My blood thrums hard with the thought but there is work to be done, important and critical work to the vampires. We have an enemy to hunt.

My cock shifts against the seam of my jeans as I walk behind the ladies, cussing the powers who put the she-devil in my path. Destiny knows better than to mess in my life. I'm perfectly happy with the one I've built. Master of my own region and destiny, master of the beauty of my choosing on any given night, and free to walk away and do as I please the next. No entanglements that lead to heartbreak and devastation the way some of my brothers have seen. No, just brief encounters to satisfy a need, sometimes a nice meal, and then move on.

But yet, destiny dares to toss a beautiful, strong-willed female into my life who calls to my dominance like she was put on earth just for me and into my mind at the most inopportune of times. The image of Taylen beckoning me floats through my mind, nude with the exception of heels and that gorgeous long, dark, lush hair. I shake her from my thoughts once again.

Destiny does not make the rules for me. I am king of my own destiny, and don't need nor want a mate. She will learn that the hard way from me because I'm not planning to settle down anytime soon. Destiny can take that to the bank, no matter what little matchmaking scheme or magical spells she has up her sleeves. She is no match for me, the vampire master of Slobozia.

My keen ears listen for any noise, any sounds that will alert us that we're not the only ones climbing this range, but everything is still and uneventful until we reach the crevice. Taylen's voice floats through my mind. The witches' stones are glowing bright green . Oddity, lore, coincidence, or omen that the minute we reach the crevice that has been around for centuries and provides entry to the caverns deep within the range, their stones light up.

We're getting close, at least according to the lore of the witches and vampires that tells us the witches will light the path to our enemies. Reaching Lucas can't be soon enough for me. The traitorous bastard has seen his last night of causing terror among the underworld. Now he's in Slobozian territory and will have to deal with me.

The sudden shift in Taylen's thoughts pulls me from my reverie, and I concentrate on her, letting everything else fall from my mind. Her heart beats fast as she watches intently in front of her, stepping softly as though someone will jump out from the dense foliage of the forest floor at any moment. But the witches, they aren't as cautious, moving forward as though nothing is amiss. Taylen's heartbeat keeps me focused on nothing but her, causing me to close the distance between us at a quicker pace than intended, feeling the draw and scent of her heat as I get close to the dark-haired beauty.

She glances up, her eyes red with emotion and her breathing labored as I reach her side. We're close. But no one is warning us.

I give her one nod. I wanted to be wrong about the witches, but their stones burn bright green with a purple hue, and they lead us toward the cavern while every one of my senses knows that it's a trap. My keen eyes bore into the witches. "Stop," I tell everyone, turning to their mates who are conversing together behind us. "Romano, Campania, and Sardinia and mates… I mean no disrespect, but do you not feel the impending danger, sense it?"

Romano looks to Raven, Willow, and Madria and something passes between them before he turns his attention to me. "The witches were asked to lead us to our enemies, into territory that they've never been invited to before. They do this selflessly, with bravery and with loyalty to the vampires in their hearts, yet at every turn you find a reason to disbelieve their dedication to us?" he asks scathingly.

Taylen's heart is still beating harder than it should, and every sense she has is on high alert and aware of her surroundings, as is mine. Both of us can't be wrong, the intensity of the impending danger so acute that even my own heart beats strong.

Descallia and Lucianna reach us. I don't have to tell him a thing. He senses the controversy, as does his mate. Silver joins our future queen's side. "Perhaps I can help see if I sense any danger," he says, turning to Lucianna who's taken the young vampire hand selected by Descallia for the special ops team under her wing to mentor his psychic powers.

Lucianna hands him a piece of jewelry. "Yes, hopefully this can tell us something that will calm the mistrust and point us in the right direction. This is one of Embry's earrings. Give me your hand, and let's focus on finding her. When we find Embry, we'll find Lucas. She is not going to let him out of her sight until we arrive if she has that choice. I have no doubt about that," she says, circumventing the controversy that swirls amongst the group.

I'd prefer to find out exactly why they haven't said a word in their defense or told us that they were glowing. Only for our future queen will I let my worries wait, but only for a short while longer. Taylen's eyebrow arches, feeling the same as me about the impending danger and not being warned by the witches. For all we know the enemy could be lying in wait.

Silver takes hold of Lucianna's hand though, both of them touching the silver of Embry's jewelry, closing their eyes, as the witches' stones continue to glow brighter, beckoning us forward on a path that feels ripe with betrayal and a trap that we may never come back from if we follow.

I leave Taylen's side to walk with Descallia a short way while the other masters console the witches, who eye me with glaring insolence. Silver and Lucianna are too focused on finding Embry and looking for any danger to notice their ire. Overmaster Descallia's keen eyes don't miss the exchange, but he's more focused on finding the traitor who he has trusted as his second in command for centuries, a betrayal that Descallia will never allow to go without deathly consequence to the bastard. Still, I try to warn him, as any commanding vampire should do.

I lower my voice. "I thought the witches' stones were supposed to light a path to help us get Lucas and find the key? Lucas and the witches are playing with us. They didn't say a word when those stones lit up. I only found out through Taylen's watchful eye."

A low growl barrels from his chest while his voice remains low. "We let it play out, Slobozia. Devora doesn't want the land in this area. She has her eye focused on the Romanian territory by the academy. If the witches learn about our cavern, it's one of many, a few sacrificed to bring an end to the war with the rogues and Lucas is a small price to pay."

I inhale a deep breath of frustration, but he is the boss, and I respect how he leads our group if I don't quite understand his intentions with letting the witches get this close to our secrets.

He senses my emotion and softens for a moment. "I feel the danger all around us, Slobozia, but it's not the witches doing. Let it play out. The Vade Mecum has guided us for centuries."

"Then who?" I ask, keeping my voice so low that even the keen ears of vampires won't be able to hear unless of course they have a connection to you like that damned female who watches me with curiosity from afar.

Descallia doesn't answer as Silver and Lucianna join us. The feel of Taylen's eyes heats my skin, her curiosity and thoughts racing through my mind as well as hers. Damn destiny and her interfering, matchmaking ways. I have no time for her games, but yet, I already know it's gone way too far to deny. My heart beats in time with Taylen's, every neuron ignites when she is near, and wants to protect her from fear. My eyes connect with her silvered ones, and she doesn't look away, instead meets my gaze bravely, without an ounce of fear.

The minute Silver starts to speak, the spell between Taylen and I is broken. I turn to the young vampire whose psychic skills are becoming well known in our inner circles. "Come again?" I ask, unsure if I heard the young vampire correctly as he spoke.

Silver points to the piece of delicate jewelry in Lucianna's hand where we can see an image of Lucas holding a female hostage. It has to be Embry, but the aura is a murky shadow at best. "She's alive but could be hurting, you should hurry. I'm going to go and see if I can get any additional images or vibes the closer I get to the range," Silver says before transporting away.

Lucianna's crystalline eyes flash bright green at the sight of her friend. "He's going to try to bargain her life for the key. He wants the treasure that will give him financial security to rule the vampires in the future. It's written in the Vade Mecum , but the outcome is not clearly written. Perhaps because the history is not yet known."

A low growl barrels from my chest. The damn vampire bible is both a help and yet a curse. Giving us clues to follow, yet not always written in a clear and at first decipherable way. It is the only one we have though, and while sometimes confusing, has never led us astray. Lucas wanting the key to the treasure makes sense though if he wants to rule vampires one day.

Overmaster Descallia growls. "Lucas has betrayed me and the vampires for the last time. The fool gets ahead of himself if he thinks he has outsmarted me. I vowed to ensure the vampires have the autonomy to live without killing humans and I will not allow us to be dragged back into the dark ages," he roars.

All eyes turn to our fearless master, and not one of us disagree with his sentiment, or feel the passion and dedication that he's had for this cause for so very long. It's only under his leadership that the vampires have finally been able to live among the humans without fear.

His eyes soften as he looks at his mate knowing that she's struggling with her friend being gone. Descallia touches her check with a gentle stroke of a finger. "I promised you as you died in my arms, staked by the traitors that it would not be in vain, that I would develop a structure, a life for the vampires, and assure our power in the future. I would never entrust the core of that success to anyone no matter the relationship. Not after the betrayal that caused your death in the first place. We'll find Embry, protect her, and find the key, believe me."

Lucianna takes his hand into hers, squeezing it, as he places his arm protectively around his mate who's still unsettled by the image she saw.

"A betrayal by a long-term employee who had been with us for centuries, ate with us, and we trusted like family. Look where it led. No, on that day, I vowed that only destiny and I would know where to find the treasure. Lucas thinks because he got in good with Magnus, and Magnus was my closest friend, that he knows where the gold and other jewels are hidden, but the only thing he'll find in the cavern ahead is destruction of his own making. Remember, we're talking about Embry here. She is as resourceful as the moon is full."

My eyebrows raise in confusion though. "The treasure is not in the caverns then?"

Descallia sucks in a deep breath. "Lucas will find what we've left for anyone who got this close to find. A clue, nothing more, but no one to give him the next one and the next. No, in order to find the key, he would need to know far more than any one vampire knows. I made sure of that."

The witches' stones glow a bright green and purple kaleidoscopic path from us toward the tunnel in front of us, catching the light of Lucianna's eyes which add brilliance to the path that leads us to the mouth of the crevice we will enter.

My eyes crinkle in confusion, realizing just how masterful our fearless leader is navigating betrayal after betrayal from our own kind, Isala, along with the rogues, shifters, and witches alike. Somehow, through all that, he has managed to secure our destiny, and keep our sacred key safe knowing that ultimately our enemies would always seek it out.

But still, the danger is real if Lucas doesn't know. He is determined and will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. I still can't help watching the witches, wondering how the lights of their stones play into our sacred secrets. Silver's jaw tightens with impatience. "We go now. If Embry is in danger, there is no time to waste. Everyone thinks she can take care of herself, and maybe she can, but Lucas is beyond desperate now. Anything is possible. We should find him."

I nod in solemn agreement, gesturing the rest of the vampires forward, to gather around, drawing them in from our flank and the forest floor and treetops above for Descallia.

The growl in my chest stays subdued with effort as I update the men. "If Lucas is using Embry as a bargaining chip, we'll need to let him think we're giving him what he wants." I lower my voice and give them the plan, knowing that tonight will be the finish to this war. The end of the fight, the end of Lucas or the beginning of the end of our future if he puts the pieces of the clues he may find together with the information he's learned about the key's whereabouts.

Taylen watches me with silvered eyes, her heart beating fast with the thought of the upcoming battle. I can feel her excitement as though it's my veins it races through. If anything has become clear in all of this, it's that I'm not letting the vampiress out of my sight. Destiny has put her in my path, and now, there is no escaping the blood that pumps faster and faster through my veins at even the thought of not having her near.

Fated mates was never an option for me, until her.

I reach her side as the vampires split up and prepare for the battle ahead. "You'll stay by my side for the remainder of the night. Lucianna and Descallia will lead the way to the cavern. The witches' stones aren't alerting them to danger, they're pointing them in the direction of a clue to our secrets, not to wherever Lucas is hiding out. Although, they are probably one and the same. I just can't be sure."

Taylen lays a hand on each of the two daggers embedded in the sheath at her breast. "Lucas is near. I feel it, Slobozia. I've been up close and personal with the beast. I can smell his stench."

I nod. "I feel it, too. I don't want a repeat of what happened yesterday in the woods with Lucas. We listen with all of our senses, just in case he decides to swoop in again. Do not leave my side for any reason. Am I clear this time?"