CHAPTER ONE

"H e has been located, my lord." The man stepped into the room and handed the Earl an envelope.

"After all these years, he's finally surfaced."

"Yes, sir."

"Finally, I will make him pay. My father will be avenged, and our name will be saved."

"He changed his name and is living in America."

The Earl dismissed the man and tore open the envelope. He'd been searching for Sir Percy for centuries, and finally, the moment of retribution was at hand. He would rip his heart out with his bare hands and place his severed head on a pike. Death would not come fast or easy.

"I need the Cerulean scroll, also known as the Midnight Blue," Louis announced.

"I've never heard of it," Ismael responded.

"I've heard of it," Silas stated. "It's like a generator for other mystical objects. It doesn't have any powers itself, but it enhances the power of anything it sets next to."

"So where do we find this Cerulean scroll? Ismael asked.

"It is in the custody of the Raven Lord." Silas and Ismael glanced at one another, skeptical of any aid coming from the Raven Lord.

"Just the fact that we want it will be reason enough for the Raven Lord to tell us to go fuck ourselves." Ismael delivered the hard truth. "He's an unpleasant bastard who sees no value in any species except his own."

"He's proud and aloof but so are we Ismael." Louis commented. "Batiste tells me that Fenrah, the Raven Lord has the scroll so I will deal with him." Louis put the emphasis on will, making his desire and his intent in this matter clear.

"The threats to us are building with the rot taking hold in the east. We must prepare and be ready to defend and protect to the best of our ability. The Cerulean scroll will give us the edge that could very well make the difference. When the time comes, and I believe that it will, I want every advantage available." Louis explained himself, which was not something he did often. Ismael and Silas nodded and agreed.

"Besides," Louis added, "he owes me."

Chef Liam Reid put the finishing touches on dinner and had it delivered to the dining room. He then took the special order of Master DuCane and had it delivered to the Master's floor, where it was presented and served by two of his meticulously trained footmen. His day was nearly finished, and the prep cooks and floor staff would take over until nine, at which time the kitchen was closed.

The dining room stayed open around the clock, and he was thankful for his talented and competent staff. The kitchen was so well organized that it nearly ran by itself. He'd been with Coven DuCane for several years now, and he'd settled in nicely. It was a very old world aesthetic and that suited him just right. Having spent most of his professional life in the noble kitchens of Georgian England he ,found serving Master DuCane to be very similar. It was a life he knew and loved.

"What are your plans for your days off, sir?" Matty, one of the newer servers, asked as he sorted and stored some specialty glassware.

"Thought I'd go to town and try out that new restaurant that I heard some of the guards speaking of the other day. It's called Le Bouchon, and it's boasting fine French cuisine."

"This is Mt. Pleasant in mid-Michigan." Matty smiled. "What are the chances you will get fine French cuisine anywhere around here? I think you'll find that the only thing French about that restaurant is the name."

"You're probably right, but I have to give it a try. I like to keep an eye on my competition." He teased.

"You have no competition, sir. Your skills are without comparison. You were the best thing to happen to this Coven in a long time." Matty's compliments went right to Liam's heart.

"Thank you, Matty." He moved on to let Matty complete his work and headed for the dining room to make sure everything was in order before he called it a night and headed to his quarters. Once in the dining room, he was called over to Ismael's table. He was having dinner with his beloved Easton. Both he and Easton were former members of the Hadden Coven in Pittsburgh, so they have maintained a friendship and a special bond.

Everyone at Coven DuCane refers to him as Chef Reid, except for Easton and Ismael. Easton has always called him Liam even when they lived in Pittsburgh and Ismael picked it up as well. He enjoyed the personal nature of the address and wished more would call him by his first name. But there was a formality about Coven DuCane and his position garnered a certain level of respect and therefore he was addressed as Chef Reid.

"The beef is excellent, Liam," Easton commented. "Do you have time to sit for a minute?"

"Of course." He sat and they discussed a variety of things such as the vegetable garden, the fruit garden and various scheduled dinners and parties including a very special ball the Master was planning for his and Ezra's anniversary.

"The Master has been very specific in regard to what he expects, and we will not let him down." Liam was already gathering items and sourcing products for the grand occasion.

"Louis would do anything for his beloved. Ezra is the one who makes his heartbeat and his blood pump. He is the center of his world." Ismael stated with just a hint of wonderment in his voice. He then reached over and took Easton's hand.

"It's similar, I'm sure, to what I feel for Easton, although sometimes I can't imagine anyone feeling as deeply or loving someone the way I love my Easton." Easton smiled and accepted the kiss gently bestowed on his lips.

It was lovely to watch seeing two people so in love and so devoted to one another. Liam soon excused himself, allowing them the semi-privacy of their back table, and continued onto the kitchen and staging area connected to the dining hall.

Once he was satisfied, he left it in the hands of his capable staff and headed up to his quarters. It was a warm evening with just a hint of a breeze, so he took his glass of wine and retired to the balcony. His balcony had a pleasant view of the rose gardens, and the evening fragrance was lovely.

He sat back and relaxed, clearing his mind of the day's efforts and of tomorrow's demands. His thoughts drifted to Easton and Ismael and then to all the unions he had witnessed over the years, and he wondered when Fate would cast her gaze onto him. He was not a young vampire, having lived many centuries, and he was yearning for the day he could share his existence with another.

Master DuCane was well over nine-hundred years old when he found Ezra, so he figured there was still hope for him. He smiled and breathed in the heady scent of roses. His day would come, he had not lost hope.

Luke and Riall Lightfoot brothers, raven shifters, agents of Lord Fenrah arrived in the town of Mt. Pleasant enroute to Coven DuCane. They drove a classic 1950s Cadillac Eldorado in midnight black. The dark sleekness of the car complimented their own dark looks which some found dangerously attractive, and others found simply dangerous.

Luke was older by two years and slightly taller than his brother, although their builds were similar, slim but solid. Riall tended to keep to himself and let his brother lead in social situations, but he missed nothing and could read a room in seconds. They were a perfect team of fighters raised and trained by Lord Fenrah himself.

Now, they had been tasked with delivering an enchanted object to a Coven in Mt. Pleasant and putting it into the hands of Master Louis DuCane. They weren't usually given delivery assignments unless there was a high expectation of violence or trouble. Coven DuCane had a reputation for being ruthless and severe but also fair, so Lord Fenrah must have been expecting the worst.

"What are we looking at, do you think?" Riall threw out the question he always asked before engagement. They were only a few miles from coven territory.

"I'm shocked Lord Fenrah is dealing with vampires, so honestly, I don't know what to expect." Luke glanced over at his brother sitting in the passenger seat. "We got some looks going through town, especially that cop standing on the corner. They will be expecting us just as we planned. If they intend to try to betray us, we will know when we arrive."

"Things have been so slow lately I'd like for them to try something. I could use the practice. I like to keep my skills sharp." Riall did not smile. He was deadly serious.

"We can only hope," Luke responded with a wink.

They drove through the first gate and a mile later at the second gate were pulled over and two guards began to question them. This was not part of the arrangement. One guard stood at Luke's window and the other stood at Riall's. Riall lowered his window in hopes of trouble brewing he was a quiet man but could stir people up with a look.

"What's your business?" The vampire at Luke's window barked at him. Luke rolled his eyes up to him with a look of restrained contempt and did not answer.

"Answer me or leave; we don't have time for your games." The vampire stepped back and spat on the ground. The one standing by Riall was about to reach in through the window to grab him and Riall, with an excited glint in his eye, was preparing to do things to that arm from which the man would never recover. But unfortunately for Riall another man dressed similarly but with more clout yelled for the men to step back and let them pass.

They raised their windows and drove onward toward the large palace-like structure they called their Coven house. It was ostentatious but also beautiful in its own over-the-top way. "That place is massive," Luke commented as they pulled up to a parking area they were directed to.

The man directing them came over to the car and asked them to follow him. He was not demanding or condescending, so they exited the vehicle and followed him at a distance.

"Finally, someone with a few manners." Luke stated loud enough for the man to hear. He knew that vampires of this breed valued manners and protocol and he wanted to give him a subtle dig.

They followed the vampire inside through a side door that brought them to a large entryway, and there he handed them off to a more intimidating vampire in a suit that was cut a little sharper.

"I will take you to Ismael Patronne, the Master's second in command and he will take custody of the package." At that point both Luke and Riall stopped, and the vampire turned to regard them. "What's wrong?" He asked both pleasant and commanding.

"We put it in Master DuCane's hands and only his hands, or we leave . . . now," Luke stated very clearly as he started to turn around.

"Wait." The man called as he pulled out his phone and, after a few seconds, added. "Okay, he will see you."

"If it's too much trouble, we can take ourselves back home." Luke shot back, not liking the insinuation that he was doing them a favor by seeing them.

"It's not too much trouble." The vampire insisted. "Please come with me."