CHAPTER SIX

F ollowing the meeting Liam took his beloveds back to his quarters and ordered lunch delivered. There were many congratulations on finding his beloved everyone was happy for him and many like Easton were shocked by the fact he had two and they were raven soldiers. It was a match he could not have foreseen but has turned out to be the best thing for him. He only hoped that he could serve his men in their time of need as well as they have been serving him.

"I contacted our research specialist Zachariah, and he just sent me a dossier on Francis Doncaster Montagu-Scott." Luke gave his phone to Riall, who quickly scanned the information and then handed it to Liam. "He is a threat to you, Liam."

"I agree." Liam read over the information in the report. "Your specialist is very good. Not many people could ferret out information from centuries ago and in such detail." Liam was honestly impressed. He believed that Zacariah could probably give Easton a run for his money.

He noticed another file with his name on it and clicked in out of curiosity. What he found was surprising, to say the least, and brought his regard for these men, his beloveds, to an even higher level. "You did a background check on me, and you knew my real name and a rough idea of what I'd done, but you said nothing. This report was received yesterday." He stated that he was taken aback by their trust in him.

"You're our mate, and we've known you for just a short while, but we know your character, and we know you would never do anything that you did not feel was right. I'll admit that Riall and I are not as good as you. We don't always do what is right, but we always do what is necessary." Luke casually explained as he finished his lunch.

"You knew I was Sir Liam Percy, but you never questioned me about it," Liam stated.

"You would tell us when you were ready," Riall responded.

"Thank you." That was all he said.

"How about we take a walk in that beautiful garden we can see from your window?" Luke suggested. He and Riall stood and walked over to Liam, who also stood and took them both into his arms. "We have things to tell you as well."

"Let's go, shall we." Liam led them downstairs and out the back door to the rose garden. It was a lovely day, and there was a slight breeze that carried the sweet smell of the flowers, wafting them around. They walked for quite some time, just enjoying the time together and silently building their bond.

Luke brought them over to a stone bench and the three of them sat down. Liam did not speak feeling the pressure and weight of what his lovers were holding. It was Riall who began, and Liam knew that there was nothing that they could say that would diminish his love and regard for them.

Riall and Luke had decided to share their past and give him a picture of their lives at the flock under the leadership of Lord Fenrah. They wanted him to know that he was not alone in dealing with what he described as a troubling past.

"Luke and I are not just soldiers in Lord Fenrah's army. We are specialized, trained assassins. We were taken in by Lord Fenrah shortly after we were abandoned by our family. We were very young, and he put us into a training program that prepared us to become his personal bodyguards and his special emissaries, to put it nicely. We did things in the dark, in secret, in service to our flock." Riall reached for Liam's hand and held it as Luke did. Liam was listening and nodding and seemed to be taking it all in stride.

"It was unusual that we would be chosen for a mission like this where a simple messenger would have sufficed, but having met you, we now understand that Fate had stepped in, and it was she who sent us here," Luke added.

"I assumed that you were more than simple soldiers," Liam told them. "Your manners and conduct speak to a structured military upbringing and specialized training."

"We are none of us innocent in life, but we have done what was ordered or deemed necessary. You and your brother were betrayed, and you acted in a way that was befitting to the crime the Earl committed. You did nothing wrong, and we will defend you against all enemies." Riall was clearly making plans. "Luke and I have spoken, and we will find this man, this Earl, who threatens you, and we will dispatch him."

"No, you can't do that." Liam jumped to intervene. "I have to handle this myself I can't have you fighting my battles especially not this one." They understood but they were neither of them pleased.

"You are not battle ready my love and we will not take the risk of losing you." Riall turned to him and got deadly serious. "Our skills are sharp, and we are trained for this. If this goes badly, you could die please do not face this guy alone."

"I understand your concern, and I don't wish to worry either of you, but I must handle this myself. I can't have you killing all my enemies." Liam smiled, but there was sadness there. He wished that he could just spend the next few days getting to know his beloveds and letting them get to know him, but instead, the Earl of Doncaster managed to insert himself into his life once again after nearly four hundred years.

"We will agree to disagree for now." Luke stated as it was clear neither he nor Riall were satisfied but recognized Liam's need to handle it himself. "Perhaps we have heard the last of the Earl." Even as he said it, Liam did not believe it to be true. He felt the rising tide of retribution coming his way.

The Earl received Louis DuCane's response, and he was livid. "How dare he deny me the retribution owed. Sir Percy will feel the tip of my sword and he will die knowing that the Doncasters never forget." He slammed around the room kicking furniture and tossing things against the walls until he turned on his assistant and began beating the man with a fireplace poker.

He only stopped when one of his staff rushed into the room and gave him an idea. "You live by the old ways, so why not fight by the old ways." He suggested. "DuCane cannot deny you if you call Bellam. He cannot protect the murderer of your father, and he cannot allow him to escape. The law demands follow-through for both parties. It will have to be you and Sir Percy in the Bellam Chamber and a fight to the death." The Earl's eyes lit up with the promise of blood and death.

He kicked his assistant away, leaving him writhing on the floor, and walked over to his desk to find the proper way to send a Bellam challenge. "Do you want someone to assist you, my Lord?"

"No, get out, leave me alone, and take that useless boy with you." The man bent down and scooped the young man up in his arms and carried him from the room. The Earl was deep in thought and salivating at the thought of finally killing Sir Liam Percy.

Liam left his beloveds for a couple of hours in order to visit the kitchen and make sure everything was on schedule and orders were made. He had been given time off, but the kitchen was his responsibility, and he did not want to let anyone down not his staff, the membership or his suppliers. Luke and Riall remained in the garden but told Liam they would meet him back in his quarters.

Everyone was kind and supportive, wishing him well and pushing him to leave the work to them and enjoy his time with his beloveds. Once the kitchen was secured, he told them he would be able to relax. He finished with the kitchen and went to do a walk-through of the dining room, where he met Easton, having a coffee and a donut. "Liam, over here." He called to him. Liam came over and took a seat across from him, and one of the servers brought Liam a cup of coffee with cream, just as he liked it.

"Thank you, Jena." He said and she congratulated him on finding his beloveds before she returned to her work.

"Two, Liam!" Easton exclaimed and smiled broadly with a teasing glint in his eyes. "Can you handle two young ravens? I hear they are gorgeous and a little bit deadly."

"You hear correctly, but they are only deadly to those who deserve it." Liam defended his two loves.

"So, what are your plans." He asked curiously. "Are you going to petition to have them join Coven DuCane, or are you going to move in with the flock?

"We haven't discussed living arrangements yet."

"I did a background check on them for the Master. If you're interested, I'll send it to you." Easton knew the answer already, but he asked anyway.

"They've shared most things with me already, and I'd prefer to learn at their pace, but thank you for the offer."

"They're okay hard and thorough and soldiers to the bone but they're okay and that's all I'll say." He smiled and drank his coffee. "They will be good for you Liam."

"I know, I am blessed." They talked for a while longer and then Liam excused himself and headed for the back kitchen. Before he reached the back room he received a summons from Master DuCane to come to his office as soon as possible. This was it whatever Francis was planning this was the beginning.

He put in a call to Luke and Riall and asked them to meet him at the Master's office. He didn't go into detail. They would understand and know what it was about. He wanted to put this behind him and get on with his life.

Riall was silent and brooding, missing his mate. He was irritated at the bastards that were making Liam stressed. He wanted to take care of the problem the way they always took care of problems like this, but Liam said no and Luke said no so here he was waiting to do nothing.

"I could be to Doncaster and back before Liam ever knew I was gone," Riall suggested once they made their way back to Liam's quarters. They sat in the living room enjoying the sunshine and a glass of wine as they waited for their mate to join them.

"We can't go against his wishes like that. I want to deal with that piece of shit too, but we can't disregard what Liam has asked." Luke was frustrated, but he wasn't ready to act . . . yet. "Let's see how this plays out, and then we will make a decision."

"I'm not making any promises," Riall admitted. "If danger presents itself, I will snuff it out regardless of permission." Luke nodded. "I am not losing my mate, and I don't care how many people I have to kill."

"We will do what we have to." Luke agreed. "We will work in the best interests of our mate, and the rest of the world be damned."

"Now you're talking." Riall was glad his brother was seeing things his way. Luke then received a message from Liam asking them to meet him at Master DuCane's office.

"It's going down whatever it is," Riall predicted as they rushed out the door.

"I can feel Liam's tension and upset and I don't like it." Luke shared and Riall was feeling the same emotions from their mate.

"It's not too late for me to make a quick trip to Doncaster."

Liam was approaching when they arrived, and they couldn't resist going to him and taking him into their arms. The need for touch was never anything they desired but with Liam it was as necessary as breathing. He was worried and that made them worry.

"Do you know what it is about?" Luke asked.

"He said it was regarding the Earl of Doncaster, so it probably isn't anything good." Riall hated seeing his mate upset, and he equally hated not being able to do anything about it. Luke cut a glance over at Riall, and they thought the same thing. They would do whatever they had to in order to protect their mate.

Liam knocked on the door and they were summoned inside. He and Riall followed and stood beside him but one step back. Master DuCane stood in the middle of the room with two men standing with him one was his second, Ismael and the other was introduced as Lead security commander and Ismael's son, Silas. The situation was serious.

"Francis Doncaster Montagu-Scott has invoked the right of Bellam." It was a vampire ritual, but the ravens had heard of it. Dread filled them at the thought of their sweet, handsome mate being involved in such a brutal, ancient form of settling a grievance. Plans for the death of Doncaster instantly filled their minds, and they stepped up to shield their mate on either side. The threat was not present, but the air of danger was there, and they would not leave his side. It was Silas who first spoke, and his shock was evident.

"No fucking way are we sending Chef Reid into the Bellam Chamber with a bloodthirsty killer." He knew what he was talking about since Silas was the first in two hundred years to fight in the chamber defending his beloved. "No, you can't allow this. Let me take his place." He offered, but Liam was shaking his head.

"This is my fight," Liam stated.

"Every man in my service has offered themselves in your place, Liam." Master DuCane told him. "If it were allowed, I would do it myself."

"Thank you . . . all, but I have to do this. I knew this day would come." Liam was emotionless, standing tall, and stoic focused on what needed to be. As a soldier himself, Riall could sense the man shifting to battle ready. Their mate was becoming Sir Liam Percy.

"When is this to be completed and what does it entail?" Riall asked the questions that everyone already knew but he and Luke needed answers. The Bellam challenge was legendary, but he had never attended one or heard anything about it apart from it being a massive fight to the death.

"The Earl will arrive tonight, and the challenge will take place tomorrow afternoon in the Bellam Chamber in the sub-basement. One weapon is allowed in the chamber, which is either a knife or a sword. Each participant will be dressed in chamber garb, which consists of leather breeches and nothing else. Liam is allowed one person as his second to stand outside the chamber, attend to his needs, and observe that the rules are followed. The Earl has listed his lead enforcer as he second." Master DuCane was clear and concise, making sure they understood.

"I offer myself as your second Liam. I am quite familiar with the ritual challenge and will provide you support and backup." Ismael made the offer, and Liam accepted. Neither Luke nor Riall took offense, understanding that familiarity with the challenge was necessary.

"May we be present?" Riall continued his questions.

"Yes." In that instance, they began formulating their plan to finish this guy before he had a chance to lay a hand on their mate. Riall made the mistake of glancing over at Master DuCane, and his expression made it clear he was aware of the direction of their thoughts. It didn't matter; they would do what they had to do to keep Liam safe.