CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

W hy the hell had they partnered him with Craig? Ben had been starting to respect the prince as a smart and talented warrior, but this decision seemed as stupid as any he’d seen recently.

“Stop growling,” Craig muttered.

“I’m not growling,” Ben said, giving the guy a look.

“Is it because you want me or because you are missing your girl?” Craig smirked.

Fuck you.

“She’s not my girl. Just drop it,” Ben growled. “And your thighs are far too thick for my liking.”

Craig snorted quietly.

“You know, I’ve never liked a male I’ve also wanted to pummel into the earth,” Craig said.

Ben smirked. “I’m lovable like that. All the ladies say so.”

He watched the big guy roll his eyes and mutter something along the lines of I’m surrounded by idiots.

“Look, no offense, you have pretty green eyes and all, Commander, but why the fuck did the prince put us together?”

Craig gave him a more serious look now. “Because I’m the guy who is going to get you inside to kill this asshole. And when I do, you are not going to ask any questions about how I did it or what you see. Capisce? ”

Ben narrowed his eyes. He did want to know.

“You don’t want questions, and neither do I.”

Ben turned away and looked over at the property they were scoping out. He had questions—damn big questions. Like who the hell was this vampire? He was big, sure. But big didn’t always mean strong. Though in this case, it did. Stronger than anyone he’d ever come across. And now the guy was all but adhering to the fact he had some special abilities they couldn’t talk about.

What was he? Super-fucking-man?

“I mean, that’s rather vague. You gotta give me something.”

Craig shrugged. “Answer for an answer.”

Ben stared at him.

“Alright.”

Craig turned, surprised. “Who do you work for?”

“Not that one,” he replied, and Craig shook his head, disgusted.

He would never divulge that.

Never.

Even if his life was on the line. Any true warrior would understand that. Anna’s face flashed before him, and Ben wondered if he could watch someone hurt her while he withheld that knowledge.

Well, fuck.

Where were these thoughts coming from?

“Then tell me if you have worked out Anna is your fucking mate yet?”

Ben let out a long, deep growl. “Would you fucking drop it. She’s not.”

“See. Idiot.”

“Oh, well, I heard you were a fucking idiot when it came to Brianna,” he spat out.

Craig smirked.

“What?”

“She was a damn sexy hellcat,” he said almost reminiscently. “Still is. You’re missing out, bro. Mate with Anna and start fucking enjoying her. There is nothing on earth like it.”

Ben shook his head. “Just do me a favor and look out for her when I’m gone. She’s...special.”

Craig turned to him and nodded. “She is. But my money’s on you figuring your shit out eventually. I know what I saw at the execution. The way you were with your sister and Anna. You love big, man. I respect that shit.”

Ben stared out into the night.

“I can’t. I have to leave.”

“Who are you protecting, Ben?” Craig asked, angling toward him. “If this is something we can help with...”

He shook his head.

“No, it’s...it’s fucking complicated,” he replied. “Listen, you guys are a bunch of cool fucking knuckleheads. I never expected to be here doing this with any of you. I shouldn’t be. Just know, I’m glad to have met you.”

Craig looked away and nodded, letting out a sigh.

“Okay. Then let’s get this show on the road and kill this fucking moron.”

Ben smiled, and he followed Craig as they both teleported across the way. In his earpiece, which they all had despite most of them being able to telepath, Ben heard Brayden talking to Craig, getting updates on their movements.

“This way,” Craig said, and they made their way around the fence line of the property. “Kurt and Bray are taking care of the security out front and will meet us inside after they’ve disabled the security system.”

It was as they had planned.

“When we get the signal, we move.”

Ben knew this, so he was confused as to why Craig was repeating it. Especially given most of the plan had been his. He nodded anyway, as less chatter was ideal in these situations.

Because they had no visibility of the security inside Diego’s property, Craig and Ben were entering from the back and working their way in while Kurt and Brayden did their part.

“Head to the door and wait for me.”

What?

“What are you talking about?” Ben whisper yelled. “We are going in together!”

“Settle down, princess. I told you I would get you in and out. Just wait for me.”

Ben grimaced. What the hell was the commander up to?

“ Security system down. You’re clear to go! ” Brayden said via the comms.

Craig winked at him, and Ben narrowed his eyes. Simultaneously, they jumped the fence and headed toward the house. Except Craig left him for dust.

What the actual fuck?

Ben was not a slow vampire; quite the damn opposite. If he’d been anywhere else, he would have frozen on the spot from shock. Instead, he slammed against the wall of the house and slid toward the door.

How had he moved so damn fast?

He heard a click.

Ben stared at the door handle, then slowly reached for it. It opened.

“ You’re clear to enter. Head up the stairs to your right. Fifty feet on the left, there’s a door. Come on in ,” Craig instructed in his ear.

Ben opened the door and took in three bodies on the floor. Still breathing. Out cold.

Another one at the top of the stairs.

He saw Kurt, who saluted him from down the hallway. He raised a brow and got a smirk back. Finding the door, Ben tapped it with the toe of his boot and, gun raised, he stepped in.

Craig and Brayden were already inside with Diego, who they’d planted on a chair, in a pair of pajamas. Who the hell wore pajamas past the age of eight?

Ben shook his head.

“I know who you are,” Diego snarled at them.

“Good, then it’s about now you should piss your fucking pants, asshole,” Craig replied.

“I’m not scared of you, and I’m not telling you a damn thing.”

Brayden stepped into his line of sight and let his fangs show. The vampire oozed power and fury. Quiet, slow fury, and Ben wanted to smile.

“Do you know who I am, Lombardo?” When he just stared at Brayden, he continued. “Those are my vampires you took and tortured.”

“Ah,” Diego snarled. “Vincent’s little brother.”

Brayden ignored the comment and leaned in closer. “How foolish of you to fuck with a race of predators. Humans; you think you’re an intelligent species, but you do stupid things over and over, never learning from the past.”

“You won’t be the only powerful species on the planet anymore,” Diego hissed. “You shouldn’t even exist.”

Brayden stood and laughed. “And yet we do. You, however, have minutes left.”

The prince turned to Ben and gave him a small nod.

Ben stepped in front of Diego and placed his hands on his hips.

“Tonight, you die,” Ben declared. “Hurting one vampire is enough for me to kill you. Hurting someone I love guarantees it.”

Love?

Well, fuck.

Ben pulled a well-hidden blade from his black cargo pants and twisted and flipped it in front of the man’s eyes. Light coming through the window bounced off the sharp edge, giving the moment a dramatic feel.

He nearly laughed.

“Don’t even think about it, you stupid fucker,” Craig said, pushing down on Diego’s shoulders.

“You think you can run from us? Three of the most powerful vampires on the planet?” Ben asked, twisting the knife and swirling it in his fingers some more. “I could spend hours torturing you for hurting her...for laying a damn finger on her.”

Diego tried to move, but Craig’s strong hold kept him in place.

“Fine, I’ll tell you the information you want. Tell me what you want to know and get the fuck out of my house.”

When the three of them just stared at him, the remaining blood drained from his face. Reality had finally sunk in. He was not going to see another sunrise in this life.

Ben took a step closer and laid a hand on his left shoulder. Craig stepped away.

“Men like you don’t deserve an honorable death,” Ben said as he slammed his blade into the man’s heart.

Diego cried out and tried to bend over. Ben held him upright and watched the pain on his face as he twisted the blade.

“You chose power, money, and ego over kindness. So tonight, you die without kindness.” Ben pulled the blade up, slicing the man’s heart in two before pulling it free.

Blood dripped from the knife as Ben stared at one of the monsters responsible for harming Anna. He knew it wasn’t just about her, and that this was just the beginning of ending this existential threat to the vampire race, but it was a start.

He dropped the knife—there would be no trace of his fingerprints, as he didn’t technically exist—and the king got his crime scene.

Ben turned and walked out of the room.

BEN SAT ON THE STEPS of the Moretti castle after teleporting back. He’d washed up in the fountain out front and decided to wait for the others before going to see the king.

He had promised Vincent he’d return before he departed, so, here he was. But he wasn’t ready to go in yet. He just needed a few minutes to himself to think.

Ben’s brain was whirling out of control after the conversations that had taken place tonight. And then, there was his little slipup just before he was about to stab the man.

Smooth, Ben. Really smooth.

“Oh, hey, Anna. By the way, I love you, and sorry you aren’t the first to know. I told a man just before I sliced his heart open,” he muttered to himself, shaking his head. “To be fair, he found out at the same time I did.”

God, what a romantic he was.

Kurt, Brayden, and Craig teleported onto the driveway and began walking toward him, all three looking deadly as fuck in their black Moretti uniforms and boots. It was probably why he felt at home here.

“You good?” Kurt asked, stopping in front of him.

“Yeah, man.” They fist-bumped, and then the vampire headed inside the castle.

Ben stood and faced the other two.

“Thank you for teaming up. It was good working together.” He smirked at Craig. “I’d love to know your secrets, but I know you won’t share.”

Craig shrugged and returned the smirk. “I wish you’d stay. Though I can’t help but think you will after that comment back there.”

Ben was about to reply when a large, black SUV pulled into the driveway. As it crunched along the path, Craig and Brayden turned to watch, their bodies on full alert.

Ben picked up on the tension and found himself feeling protective of the royal family and the castle’s inhabitants. He had to remind himself he didn’t actually work here.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“Whoever is in that vehicle just used mind control so slip past the security at the gates,” Craig said. Behind and all around him, dozens of Moretti soldiers appeared. Kurt, Lance, Tom, and Marcus were all suddenly there.

A chill ran through his body.

He knew exactly who was in that vehicle, as unbelievable as it was.

Fuck.

How the hell had he not foreseen this?

The door to the SUV opened. A large, tall, and muscular male stepped out dressed in a black Tom Ford suit, his favorite Audemars Piguet watch hanging on his wrist.

Ari Moretti straightened his shirt cuffs and stared up at the castle, power oozing off him.

Ben watched as Ari took in all the faces around him and landed on the prince.

“Hello, Brayden.”