CHAPTER THREE

I ra made a call, and then he and Riall were taken to meet with Master DuCane. Ira simply told them he could not elaborate and that the Master would have to oversee the situation.

"He will see you now." Ira told them, and the fact that the meeting was arranged so quickly told them much about the status of their mate. They would have asked questions, but it was obvious that Ira was not going to elaborate beyond what he'd already shared, which was nothing.

"Will you tell us his name?" Luke ventured as they made their way back to Master DuCane's office.

"His first name is Liam, but that is all I can say right now." Ira was trying to be considerate within his limits. Luke could feel Riall's patience wearing thin, and he reached over and patted his upper arm.

"We'll get this straightened out, Riall." He told him. "They cannot prevent us from seeing our mate. It is against paranormal law." He said this loud enough for Ira to hear.

"No one will stand in your way." Ira turned and stated clearly. "We only wish to handle this correctly."

"You believe our mate will want to reject us." Riall was blunt. Ira continued to stare at them but did not comment further until they reached the Master's office.

"This is bullshit, Luke," Riall stated, his voice clipped in frustrated anger.

"Agreed."

They entered the office and Master DuCane was there waiting. He obviously was not aware of the situation but had taken the meeting because Ira had asked for it. The awkwardness set in as everyone stood there waiting.

"The raven soldiers have identified their mate among our membership, sir," Ira stated. "They saw him across the dining hall and snapped a picture but were unsure of how to proceed."

Luke stepped forward and showed the picture to Master DuCane. The Master was casual and easy until he looked at the picture, and then he suddenly tensed up, and his brows pinched together. Luke and Riall looked at each other and then back at the two men. The weirdness was getting weirder.

"He is our mate." Riall snapped and stepped back, a move which Luke mirrored. If they denied them the chance to meet their mate, then they were prepared to start fucking things up.

"He is mate to both of you?" He asked for clarification.

"Yes," Riall answered without further explanation.

"I will have him brought here to meet you." He said and although it was what both he and Riall wanted the way he said it made them uneasy. There was more to this than it seemed.

"The man you claim is your mate is my chef. Many refer to him as Chef Reid, and his skills in the kitchen are phenomenal. He is loved and respected by all." Luke felt pride and a little nervousness at the thought of coming face to face with their eternal mate. The Master studied them for a moment and then made a statement that did not surprise them, considering how they were feeling and the tension filling the room.

"If you try anything, it will go badly for you, and you will not succeed." He said the threat was clear, and his tone lethal.

"Maybe not, but we will fuck things up spectacularly before we're finished." Riall was not one to back down from a fight, no matter the odds. Master DuCane flashed a sinister smile and put in the call for Liam Reid to report to his office. He asked Luke and Riall to wait in an adjoining room while he explained the situation to their mate.

Riall was not on board with being isolated while the Master spoke with their mate, but ravens had abilities that few were aware of and which they planned to use in this moment. They possess hyper-acute hearing and being placed in a room so near the Master's office they could, with concentration, pick up the conversation. Ira left them there with instructions to wait. "The Master wishes to prepare Chef Reid." He said in a lame explanation and then left closing the door behind him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Riall was pacing the room.

"They're preparing him to meet us, the raven brothers. I suppose we can take that however we wish." Luke was snide with his retort.

"I'm taking it in the worst way possible," Riall informed.

"As it was meant to be, I'm sure."

"He entered, and I can hear the Master addressing him." Riall brought their attention to the other room. The sound of his voice was stirring and calming all at the same time and the desire to go to him was all powerful.

"He sounds cultured and sophisticated," Riall commented.

"He sounds gorgeous," Luke added, and Riall readily agreed.

Liam was heading out to the vegetable garden when he received the call from Master DuCane. He assumed that he wanted to discuss more of the details of the planned anniversary party scheduled for next month. The Master wanted it to be perfect in every way, and Liam would do everything in his power to make it so. The love he had for his beloved was a beautiful thing to see so honest and open with one another and devoted beyond measure.

That thought brought back his own musing of last evening, but he had been mistaken; his beloved was not nearby. He tried to find the scent again today but had found no evidence of it anywhere. As he made his way to the Master's office, he felt a stirring once again and recognized the aroma in the air from last night.

The closer he got to the Master's office, the stronger the scent became, and his heart began to beat faster. The anticipation was building, and he prayed that it was real that Fate had chosen him this time. He knocked on the door, and the minute the door opened, he was enveloped with a sense of hope and destiny.

"Where is he?" Liam asked as soon as he entered the room. He knew his beloved was close by, and his need to see them was paramount. Nothing mattered but finding this man.

"They are in an adjoining room." Master DuCane emphasized the word, they.

"They?" Liam wasn't sure what he meant.

"There are two of them, Liam, brothers, and they claim that you are their mate." The Master clarified.

"They're shifters?" he asked, and Master DuCane nodded. His excitement was rising. "They are mine, no doubt." Liam smiled and felt his hands shaking as he waited to meet them.

"Show them in Ira." Ira left the room and Liam thought he'd explode in anticipation with so many things running through his mind. Two beloveds, shifters, brothers it was overwhelming. The moment the two young men entered the room Liam thought he'd pass out.

They were nothing like he had assumed and everything he never could have imagined. They were tall and lean with long black hair that shined in the light. Their eyes were as black as their hair and their complexion pale against their darkness. They were dressed in black leather from head to toe and it fit them like a perfect glove. He felt his entire body heating up at the vision standing before him.

One was taller than the other, but they looked very much alike. The shorter one had an intensity about him that the other did not. He was excited to be introduced but also concerned as to what they would see in him. Why would Fate saddle such vital young men with someone like him? The moment went on for what seemed to be forever before Master DuCane offered introductions.

The air was buzzing with heat and interest but also a tense curiosity that bordered on distrust. These men were outsiders and going by the way they presented themselves they were soldiers or something akin.

"I present to you the Raven brothers, Luke and Riall Lightfoot, special envoys of Lord Fenrah." He then turned to the brothers and introduced Liam. He emphasized Liam's position as one of the most beloved members of the Coven, which Liam appreciated but didn't know if such were true.

It seemed as if he were warning the brothers off in some obscure manner. Liam couldn't help but get the feeling that Master DuCane was having an issue with the Raven brothers.

Liam had never thought about whether or not his beloved would be a vampire. It really doesn't matter because when Fate makes a match, it is accepted as perfect. But Master DuCane was obviously having misgivings.

Liam wanted to be alone with his two beloveds and to get a sense of who and what they were and what they were expecting. His heart was reaching out to them, and his vampire instincts were pushing him to do things completely out of character.

"May we be alone sir?" He asked and Master DuCane still looked unsure of leaving him on his own with the brothers. What did he know that Liam did not? In the end he agreed but not without assuring Liam that he would not be far away, if needed.

Once the door was closed and they were alone Liam took the opportunity to move closer as did the brothers. They stood a few feet apart each weighing and measuring the other party. He still could not get his head around the fact that these two amazing young men were his beloveds and the fact that Fate had given him not one but two forever lovers. How was he deemed worthy of such an incredible gift?

"Do you have a problem with shifters?" Riall asked, his tone sharp but also pained.

"No, I do not." Liam was fast and clear with his answer.

"Do you despise raven shifters?" Luke asked, and Liam saw that their demeanor was becoming defensive.

"I hold no ill will for any species apart from jackals. Where is this coming from? I don't understand." The hurt they were expressing was clear, yet they stood back with a defiant stare, and it broke Liam's heart.

"Your Master doesn't believe that we are good enough for you and that a raven is not good enough for his prized chef," Riall stated, describing what he was feeling. Although it was harsh, Liam appreciated the honesty. He could work with honesty; futures could be built with honesty.

"He is not a factor in this relationship and his opinions are not mine." Liam shot back and captured them both with a steely stare making his intensions crystal clear. "I don't know what I did to deserve the two of you, but I am so glad that Fate found me worthy to be you mate." That had the effect he hoped it would and the brothers relaxed their features and their eyes warmed as the wall they erected came down.

Liam reached out, beckoning them forward, and they did not hesitate to take his hands. Liam pulled them close and wrapped them in his arms, pulling them flush to his chest, one under each arm. Like most vampires, Liam was tall and stood several inches taller than his two stunning lovers.

They fit beautifully in his arms as if they were made for him. The feel of their bodies pressed to his was something he hadn't prepared for, and it took his breath away. Their scent concentrated, and flooding his mind was rousing many long dormant thoughts and feelings.

They held him fast, locked in their embrace, and Lian had never felt more at home in his life. "Come, let's go to my quarters." He released them and turned to the door.

"Are you going to deny us?" Riall asked bluntly. He was the angrier of the two but also the most vulnerable. Luke was wary and cautious, but his need to believe was obvious. Liam would care for his lovers and would try to be everything they needed him to be. The shock of it all still had not worn off, and the life changes that were looming had not yet hit him.

He stopped and turned back to regard them. It was Riall who questioned his commitment, but Luke was not convinced either. "We didn't get the best start, and for that, I am sorry." He paused and let them feel the desire and the drive he was feeling.

"I am not a young man." He said. "I have waited centuries for my beloved and nothing and no one will get in my way. I don't have all the answers and I don't know how this union will work but I want it, I want you and everything else is mere details."

He paused again, gauging their reactions and sensing their relief, but they were still cautious, and Liam did not blame them. "How do you feel about having an aged vampire chef as your mate. I assume it was not what either of you had expected."

"You're not that old." Luke countered kindly.

"I hit the five-hundred year mark a few years ago. I've lived a very long life and I never stopped dreaming of the day I would meet my beloved or beloveds as it were." He smiled suddenly feeling the intensity of the moment. His lovers were gorgeous and accomplished and from what he could see, they were fine men.

"You say that you're a chef, but I see in you something much deeper and broader in your past life. You're more than meets the eye, Liam Reid." Riall was quite intuitive with that statement and very close to the truth. He wasn't always a chef, but cooking and being of service gave him peace at a time when he had very little.

"Come." He motioned for them to follow. "We have a lot to learn about one another." Riall came up to his right and placed his hand on the small part of his back in a protective move. Luke came up on his left side and took his hand. It was a possessive move, and Liam loved every minute of it.

"He's taking them to his quarters," Ira informed Master DuCane. "They seem comfortable and communicating." He added.

"They are his beloveds they will not cause him harm, Louis." Ismael assured him with an indulgent smile. "I know you worry about him, but Liam is not helpless he is well able to handle himself and his two sexy lovers. The man has hit the jackpot and I'm sure he knows it."

"They are lead enforcers and killers, and they work directly for Lord Fenrah. They are vicious and unpredictable, and I have no idea what Fate was thinking when she decided they'd be the perfect match for our dear Chef Reid." Louis feared for Chef Reid's welfare but was helpless to interfere with a Fated bond.

"Similar was said about you and your beloved Ezra." Ismael reminded him. "Master Hadden worried because your reputation was well known, and Ezra was a small human with minimal magics. What makes the difference is that, like your and Ezra's relationship, Liam is their mate, and he is fast becoming the center of their worlds." Louis was nodding his understanding, but it was apparent that he still harbored some misgivings where the Ravens were concerned.

"In other news." Ismael changed the subject. "The Cerulean scroll is authentic and has been placed with the relics and talismans. In the worst-case scenario, if the darkness bleeds out of Pittsburgh, we have an added layer of protection."

"Nik has a viable lead on a charmer, which is good news, but until it becomes a reality, and they are actively battling the curse, we all remain under a cloud. Having the Raven brothers here under my roof does nothing to ease my concerns. Ravens are considered to be darkness personified." Louis circled back to the raven issue, which was still clearly on his mind.

"I dealt with a flock of ravens once back in the old country. I found them to be lying, deceiving, self-serving louts, and before you say it, I know not all groups are the same. That is my only experience with the species apart from limited contact with Lord Fenrah."

"And how did you find Lord Fenrah? Was he a lying, deceiving, self-serving piece of shit?" Ismael countered, and Ira fought hard to suppress the smile that was threatened.

"He was distant and suspicious but in the end he kept his word." Louis stated and then added. "He was a decent man." He was still in a mood so wasn't giving much but admitted not all ravens were the same.

"Luke and Riall will honor, love, and protect him just as we do for the ones we love above all others. Liam is in good hands, and damn, those men are sexy. As I said before, Liam is a lucky man." Ismael chuckled.

"I will reserve judgment," Louis stated.

"Of course you will." Ismael kidded. Apart from Ezra, he was the only man who could speak to the Master so irreverently. They'd been together for centuries, living, fighting, and building; closer friends did not exist.