CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

C raig sat down at his desk and tapped a pen against the antique wood.

Tap, tap, tap.

The teams were getting ready to head out after a thorough briefing even the king had sat in on. Quietly.

It often impressed him how Vincent allowed Brayden to lead. It must be hard when you were the king. Still, the brothers had their own groove worn over hundreds and hundreds of years. The only exception was when his queen was in harm’s way. It had happened a few times since Craig had taken on the role of commander of the Royal Army. The last only recently.

Seeing Kate with a sword held to her throat had seen the king completely lose the plot, and rightly so. Females were precious. Mates even more so. She was also their queen.

He had been determined to overpower the Russo brothers and the other rebel vampires who had gotten into the castle, and they had.

Craig had entered through the side door of the throne room where she had been held, and ghosted, disarming several of the rebels. Ghosting was a dying skill in the vampire race. Few could do it, but in doing so, he was able to move faster than the vampire eye could trace.

The queen had been released, but by then, Stefano had Willow at knifepoint. The idiot had touched Brayden’s mate, not just on the arm but taken one of her breasts in his hand. The prince’s usual powerful control had snapped.

What had transpired next would always be a sore point for Craig. He’d basically made the wrong call, and Stefano Russo, the leader of the rebellion, had escaped. And now he was free, leading and driving the rebels, killing innocent vampires, destroying the Moretti castles.

“Stop your damn tapping.”

He gave Brayden the bird. “I want that fucker. I should be out there with the team.”

Brayden drank the last of his plasma and dropped the glass on his desk.

“For the seven millionth time, stop blaming yourself. We’ll get him. He can’t hide forever.”

Lance sat in the chair opposite him, lacing up his shoes. He was heading up the black team as they went into what they hoped was the real rebellion headquarters.

“Doubtful he’ll be there, even if this is the center of their operations. He could be hiding anywhere, in any part of the world. That’s the problem with technology,” Lance said.

Hell, the guy was right.

“So he’s basically the Bin Laden of the vamps. Awesome.”

Vincent walked in.

“No way Stefano Russo is hiding in a cave. He likes the finer things in life far too much. And the attention. He has an ego the size of Montana, so he’ll play his hand eventually.”

Another good point.

The Russo’s were a prominent Italian family who had been respected in the vampire race. Even when they had made their views known on the structure of the monarchy, the Moretti’s had allowed them the freedom of speech. Both Vincent and King Frances had said it was healthy to have a society with different beliefs.

Craig respected that about the two kings.

Then Roberto Russo had foolishly made his challenge for the throne and lost. The king had taken his head and warned the three brothers to go home and live respectful lives. But they hadn’t. Stefano had wanted revenge for what had been a legal and fair fight.

Craig didn’t really believe he wanted revenge. The guy was a narcissist. He wanted power.

“I’m surprised we didn’t hear from him after the first bombing, now two. It doesn’t make sense.”

Brayden stood and paced in front of their working board.

“That’s what I’ve been thinking. It doesn’t make any damn sense. What is there to be gained by blowing up castles? What’s the damn point apart from being an asshole.”

Vincent crossed his arms.

“I don’t give a fuck about the castles. Those buildings are as strong as mountains. Sure, there’s been some damage, but they’re not destroyed. It’s the lives lost which has my blood boiling.”

Craig shook his head. “Stefano is smarter than this. We’re missing something.”

A shiver ran down Craig’s spine. He glanced at the clock, and Lance spotted him.

“We’re off,” the guy said, pushing his comms into his ear and giving him a grin. “Wish me luck.”

He rolled his eyes. “Get out of here, Cinderella.”

Ignoring the laugh as the guy teleported, he turned to Brayden as the guy’s phone beeped.

Beep beep.

It was probably Willow.

He wanted to message Brianna now that she had her phone back, but was trying to give her some space to have fun with her friend. Plus, to stay focused on the job at hand. The bust could be another flop, but he had a feeling they were getting close.

More and more of the rebels were talking as news of the bombings spread throughout the vampire world. Even anti-royalists didn’t like to see their fellow vamps being killed for no reason. After a short attempt at blaming humans which they had squished, lips had started flapping.

Now they had information. Tonight, they were acting on it.

“Come on, bro. Teach Willow to telepath, for God’s sake,” the king teased.

They all knew the two had been trying, but Willow hadn’t quite gotten the hang of it, and far be it from any of them not to taunt the prince.

As vampires, they grew into the skill in their teenage years. When a human was turned, it usually took them several weeks. Brayden and Willow were impatient, as were both their natures, and everyone had noticed their narrowed eyes and long sighs.

Craig felt for them, but not enough to miss the opportunity to take the piss out of him. “You can’t telepath a dick pic, my lord.”

They all laughed, but it suddenly died when Brayden stood and froze, staring down at his screen. Craig knew every move and nuance of his friend. He leaped to his feet and ghosted across to him.

“What is it?”

“Motherfucker.” Brayden let out a roar.

Craig grabbed the phone out of his hand before the guy threw it and stared at a photo of their three females in a restaurant seated with Stefano Russo.

He let out his own loud roar.

The guy had his arm across the back of Kate’s chair, and all three of the women looked furious and scared. All three of them, including Brianna.

“Trace the number!” he ordered Kurt as Brayden updated the king.

Craig punched in Timmy’s number as Kurt took Brayden’s phone and began the trace.

“Do you have eyes on them?” Craig demanded as soon as the male answered.

A moment of silence greeted him, and he had to use all his control not to scream at the guy.

“ Yes, sir. They’re still seated, eating, drinking. ” He cleared his throat. “ Ah, they have a gentleman who has joined them. ”

Clearly, the guy didn’t recognize the leader of the rebellion, and in his role as a guard in the castle, he wouldn’t. Not from that distance.

“Fuck. Okay, listen up. The male is Stefano Russo.” He ignored the curse. “If they move, if they leave, if they port anywhere, I want you to follow them at a safe distance. Do you understand me?”

“ Yes, sir. ”

“Anywhere in the world. Where they go, you go.”

“ Understood. ”

Craig scrubbed his face with his hand and looked at Brayden. He likely mirrored the guy’s expression.

Lethal.

“What’s your location?”

Timmy answered. Craig repeated the words, and Kurt nodded in confirmation.

“Matches the trace on the number. Unlisted. No surprise.”

“Call me immediately if anything happens,” Craig ordered before ending the call. The four males stood, legs spread, staring at each another for a short moment. The air was thick, and he could barely breathe.

The urge to teleport to the restaurant was on all their minds. But they were better trained than that. He was better trained, and so was Brayden. Both were lethal, smart, and powerful.

Stefano being one step ahead of them was uncomfortable and frustrating.

“What’s our move?”

“We still don’t know what he wants.”

“I’m going in and killing the cunt.”

They ignored the king, knowing he was as frustrated as they were.

“Text him back?” Kurt offered.

Craig held his gaze for a moment, then nodded. Just as Brayden started typing, another message beeped.

Lovely evening with your females, but it’s about to go boom in here. Return my brothers, and I’ll make sure they find their way home.

Boom? The fuckers had the place rigged.

The room filled with their roars. Walls were punched. A chair was thrown.

“How could they have known they were going to be there?” the king asked. Loudly.

Craig wasn’t an explosives expert, but he knew it took little to blow up a restaurant, and in doing so, kill three females. Anyone, especially a fast vampire, could get in and slap a few sticks of dynamite around the place in a matter of minutes.

“We’ve been watched. Are being watched,” Brayden replied. “I knew we were, but I didn’t expect this.”

Yeah, Craig knew that too. They were all watching each other, which is why they should never have let the two Moretti royals and Brianna leave the fucking castle. He let out a growl and ran his hand over his head.

“Fuck.”

It wasn’t as if they never left the castle. The queen regularly went out to the shops, and so had Willow, albeit with the prince in tow.

“Get the Russo brothers on a plane now,” the king ordered.

“Just wait a minute, Vincent. We can’t bow down every time these assholes threaten us.”

“They have the queen. A-fucking-gain!” he roared.

Craig glanced at his watch. Tapping his earpiece, he held up a finger in the air to quiet the Moretti brothers.

“Go ahead.”

A slight crackle came through. “ We’re casing the outside, and so far, it looks like the intel is hot. ”

Brayden had his own earpiece and heard the same. They looked at each other—their usual MO of not talking but reading each other’s minds. He didn’t quite know how it worked, but it did.

“Craig and I are flashing to the restaurant. You”—Brayden pointed to Kurt—“protect the king.”

“Your Highness, we need you to get into the safe room.” The king was wild with fury right now, but Craig was a big guy, and it was his job to protect the royals.

“Do it, Vince. You can communicate with us from there. Need I remind you, you are the king.”

The king glared at them, but nodded.

He knew. They all knew.

He had to live.

He was the most important vampire on the planet, but his patience and loyalty to the throne had been tested a lot these past few weeks whenever he’d to choose between risking his own life and saving his queen.

“Jesus fucking Christ.”

“Fuck, I know, Vince. But you’re the goddamn king. I promise we will bring Kate back.”

Kurt called Marcus and three of their most senior lieutenants to escort the king to the safe room. It all happened in seconds.

Brayden nodded his satisfaction.

“Let me know if he changes his mind. Immediately.” Meaning if the guy left the room.

“Yes, sir.” Kurt nodded to the prince.

Craig pointed to the screens. “Get them on, and I want you and Marcus monitoring our teams when their cams go live. Stream them to the app, and I’ll pick up from outside the restaurant.”

Yeah, they had all the fancy technology too.

“Roger.”

“Let’s go.”

In moments, he stood beside the prince on a street in Rome directly opposite the restaurant. The air was dark and cold but alive with people enjoying their evening around them. Streetlights flickered and cars moved slowly in the traffic.

Craig pulled his jacket up around his ears and tugged up the zip. He was good at compartmentalizing, but right now, he felt tested more than ever. While the Moretti brothers had been screaming bloody murder about their mates, he’d had to keep a clear head.

However, he was furious.

He loved his queen. The tall blonde bombshell was loved by all vampires. She had a huge heart and an outspoken yet pragmatic nature he respected.

And Willow—he didn’t know her well yet, but he liked her. She was also their princess, a Moretti, and his best friend’s true mate. If she died, so would the prince. He had no doubt about that.

So that wasn’t fucking happening.

But it was Brianna, his petite and vulnerable human inside the restaurant standing right in front of him, who was tearing his brain apart.

He had always been clearheaded. Always. Yet as he stood in the dark with his hands clenching, he didn’t know how much longer he had before he lost control.

“You think you can ghost in there?”

Craig shook his head.

The prince nodded. He knew the level of calm required to ghost. Hell, the guy could do it himself occasionally.

Until Craig had more visibility of the situation and control over his emotions, he would not attempt it.

“I’m going to scope out the outside of the building and pull in more vamps,” he said, and Bray nodded.

“No brave moves.”

Craig gave a sharp nod. On that, they were both in agreement.