Chapter 12

His desperation to get back into my good graces was obvious but his betrayal, however unintentional, was still thick in the air and seeing him so soon after his dismissal had my anger bubbling to the surface.

As I descended the stairs I watched as the drudges allowed him entry into my dwelling place and when they left the room he stood in its centre gazing up at me, hands fidgeting before him as he awaited my descent.

“I take it you have forgotten my recent warning.” I said when I came to stand only a few feet away from him.

He took a breath, then another, before speaking. “I apologize Riener and I understand you have no interest in seeing me, but I have news that I believe would suit you to be made aware of.”

“Is that so?” I glanced around the room and in a few short strides I was seated quite comfortably on one of the many love seats that the place contained.

He did not follow.

“Yes, it regards your father, I have heard that he means to lead a team into the far lands. He wants to raid their coven and take their acreage by force.”

“I am aware of my father’s plans, it seems you have wasted both our time coming here to speak your leader’s business.”

He seemed crest fallen and for an instant I felt a strange guilt burn through my chest, but it was gone just as suddenly as it had come.

“You are aware of what he means to do and you do not wish to retaliate?”

My eyes narrowed.

“You wish me to lead a rebellion against my father?”

“Of course not I merely-“

“You wish me to throw our coven into war and chaos Thames?”

“No my Lord…Riener, I am simply concerned for the well-being of our flock…should there be response from the far covens, we stand to suffer. We are not large enough, neither are we well equipped to take on even a few angry covens. Your father needs to be stopped!”

“It is that tongue of yours that will lead to your demise. You use it without thought and the implications are always great. Have you relayed this to another?”

He swallowed, then shook his head.

I nodded. “Very well…I would advise that you keep it that way.” Then I indicated the door. Leave me.”

“Riener, you do not seem to understand the urgency that is warranted here. Your father means to set out in but a few hours to wreak havoc on our brother coven, why does it not t-“

I sat up straighter. “Hours? He intends to go tonight?”

A quick nod.

This was exactly what I had feared, though I hadn’t expected my father to move so quickly, especially given his commitment to my mating ceremony. I pushed up from the love seat.

“You may leave.” I instructed before turning on my heels, taking the stairs two at a time.

When I arrived at the door of Tony’s bedchamber I knocked softly before entering, catching him in the act of pulling on his shoes. He glanced up at me in briefly before turning back to his task with obvious disinterest.

“Ready?” he asked, trying the final knot and straightening so I could see his face.

I already regretted the thought of disappointing him especially at such a crucial point in time.

“Unfortunately I won’t be able to join you in the gardens today. My father is…I have matters that need my attention.”

He was shaking his head before I finished the sentence, then waved his hand as if to command my leave.

“I have no choice in the matter, the-“

He cut me short, “Who’s stopping you? If it’s important then you should go.” He said then dismissed me with another wave of his hand.

Surprisingly he didn’t seem particularly upset, he didn’t seem affected in the least really and I watched, disappointed as he dropped himself onto the bed cushion, his back flat on the soft surface and his eyes drifting close.

“Another time then?” I offered.

“Mhmm.”

I wanted to say more, possibly relay to him the importance of my mission, maybe even further apology and it was those thoughts that reminded me how much I had changed since meeting him all those years ago. I had once been as cold as my brothers, uncaring of the human disposition, thinking them all weak little things that existed for my own pleasure.

If I had known back then that I would one day fall helpless at the feet of this man I would still not have believed it.

“The drudges are at your disposal, feel free to tour the surroundings no one will dare lay a hand on you.”  I explained but still he offered nothing in the way of a polite response so I took my leave, calling for Kaio who appeared by my side in an instant. Together, with obvious urgency we departed for my father’s court. It was only my hope that I could stop him from making one would prove to be a grave mistake.

………………………………….

~Tony’s POV

~Five and a half Years earlier~

Lower and lower he trailed, his lips moving slowly over my heated flesh. When I felt his teeth scrape against my skin I tensed, waiting for what I knew he would never give me.

“You know it’s yours if you want it.” I gasped out when felt another scrape...lower this time before he let up completely and moved to lay beside me, his bare chest to the ceiling.

“I do not need your blood Tony.” And just like that the spell was broken, I shifted onto my side, my upper body supported by my propped elbow and opened my mouth to offer the usual retort.

“I won’t fight with you tonight.” He said with finality and I sighed, dropping down onto the bed once again in silence. I wasn’t much in the mood to fight either.

I allowed the silence to settle while I lay staring at him, staring at the ceiling, then I pushed up and swung my feet over the edge of the bed.

He glanced my way.

“Are you leaving?”

I bent to pull on my worn boots. “Got some errands to run, I’ll be back in a few hours.”

He sat up then, eyes narrowed.

“And by errands you mean you’ll be looking for trouble.”

I shrugged. He called it trouble I called it business.

“This is not wise Tony.”

Another shrug, “You coming?”

I knew the answer without having to ask and as expected it came without fail. “You know I am.”

I grinned. Sometimes I wondered if it was wrong of me to expect so much of him. I’d come to rely on his presence so much that I couldn’t even remember what it was like not having him there, but that was the thing about RiRi…he was dependable, the only constant in my life. The only person who would never let me down…

………………………………………..

~Present Day~

My eyes snapped open and I shook my head to clear it of the unwanted memory. Thinking about the past only made the present harder to bear. I rolled across the bed and hopped to my feet. Sitting here rehashing old memories would get me nowhere. In passing I glanced out the window in time to see Rien and Kaio quickly crossing the yard and I briefly wondered what all the haste was for.

It hadn’t surprised me when Rien had put off our walk through the maze, I’d come to expect no less from him after all, but the worry was new. He was usually so calm, collected…a few moments ago he had seemed…on edge. It was strange.

“My Lord has summoned me to do your bidding sir, how may I honor my duty to you?” a drudge issued from the doorway and I looked toward him. He didn’t meet my eyes.

“I’m fine, go…take the day off or something.” I waved him off and after only a brief look of surprise and a moment’s hesitation, he bowed low and a second later he was gone.

It didn’t take me much longer after he had left to decide on my main course of action, so with another glance out the window and a quick stop at the drawer beside my bed. I was off. I tucked the pocket knife into the waistband of my jeans and straightened out my shirt, looking into every room as I went in search of Kaio’s little friend. It was time we had a chat.

…………………………………….

~Kaio’s POV~

My Lord was agitated, something I rarely saw and in turn it left me worried as I wondered what could have upset him so. At first I had thought it was Tony, but I ruled that out the closer we got the court.

Lord Rien was walking with purpose, eyes fixed on the edifice, determination flashing in his eyes as he went. With the mood he was in I did not dear to question him and so we went in silence, only the sound of our feet could be heard tapping loudly against the stone path.

Travelling with Lord Rien to the court never failed to heighten my stress levels and this time was no different. It was the way they looked at me that did it; His brothers, his father, as if I did not belong in the same space with them, as if my very presence in their meetings was an insult to them all and I knew it was only my Lord’s insistence that I be there that kept them from possibly ripping me apart.

They were a feral bunch; my lord’s family. Even more so than the many other blood drinkers I had known throughout my lifespan. The moment we were safely out of the coven could not come quick enough, I always looked forward to leaving, though this time it seemed we were to leave with my Lord’s mate and I found myself wondering how much our lives would change with the new addition. I wondered if his mate would look at me the way My Lord’s father looked at me; a fly to be swatted, a mat to be stepped on.

I shook my head. It was not an easy life; the life of a drudge.

“Quickly Kaio.”

I glanced up at his voice, surprised to see how far I had fallen back and I lengthened my stride to catch up with him. When we pushed through the outer door of the court I took a breath, letting it out slowly and lowering my head as we walked, careful not the meet the eyes of any vengeful master class vamp.

“Clear the way, I need to speak with my father.” Lord Rien ordered a guard who blocked the door to our leader’s chamber. He was quick to step aside and we entered without any fanfare.

In the large room which I had only managed to see a handful of times, stood the coven leader, his sons and a small group of blood drinkers I had only seen walking about the coven. They all looked up when I entered and most of them frowned when they saw me.

“Why do you always insist on taking your help to our meetings?” Lord Kandane was the first to speak and I kept my eyes respectfully lowered.

“Why do you always insist on having something to say whenever I enter a room?” my master shot back and his brother scoffed.

“This is precisely the reason you were not invited here today, your abhorrent disregard for the rules-”

“Save the speech brother, I am entitled to be here just as you are.”

“Boys, this bantering will get you nowhere.” Our leader finally spoke. “I am heartened you have joined us my son.” His gaze warmed as it usually did in the presence on Lord Rien and my master offered him a short nod.

“I am being told it is your intention to invade our brother coven. Does this prove to be true?”

To say I was shocked was much of an understatement but I held my reaction well.

Our leader on the other hand; smiled, his gaze filled with wisdom and cunning. “It is and I would love for you to join us. To fight alongside my sons. It would bring me pleasure.”

“Am I to assume I cannot change your mind as it regards your plans?”

The leader’s smile faltered. “Are you here to make trouble Rien? Because if it is so, I will not stand for it.”

I cringed at his harsh tone.

My Lord moved deeper into the room and I followed slowly behind him. “You tend to learn quite a bit when you have lived amongst humans for as long as I have and there is a saying they tend to repeat; If you can’t beat em, join em.” My master said and my brows furrowed in confusion. “I am here to join you father.”

This time I could not conceal my shock and my head snapped up to look at him. He would raid an innocent coven willingly? It had to be a ploy.

The moment was punctuated by a strange silence then all too quickly our leader spoke. “There is hope for you yet my son.”

I do not think I had ever seen our leader smile quite so much in all the time I had known him.

…………………………………

Two hours later, after all the plans had been discussed and set in motion we were once again crossing the courtyard. The shock roiling through me had long ago died as I had come to the conclusion that this had to be a ploy. My Lord would never be party to such a crime. It was simply impossible.

“I can practically hear the wheels turning in his head Kaio. What are your thoughts?”

I cleared my throat “I have surmised that is could not have been more than trickery on your part my Lord. I find it hard to believe that you would willingly join your father on such a…troublesome expedition.”

My Lord smiled “You know me too well Kaio. I mean to put an end to this madness. There was nothing I could have done to alter his decision in that moment, I could see his determination the moment I entered the chamber.” He spoke.

“May I ask how you plan to thwart his efforts my Lord?”

We took a turn along a cobblestone path, down a shaky stair way and through a thriving garden.

“I shall travel with them tonight, I can only hope to form a plan before they massacre our far land brothers.” He explained and I nodded, silently wishing him well on what would only prove to be a dangerous undertaking.

“Nathaniel is on my side and so it Thames it seems. Perhaps we can put our heads together and find a solution.”

“Thames my Lord?”

“In times such as this, petty quarrels need to be set aside for the greater good.” he explained simply.

“Betrayal is hardly a petty quarrel my Lord.” I interjected and he nodded but offered nothing more in the way of conversation.

When we approached Lord Nathaniel’s dwelling place we were invited in without pause.

“They intend to carry out a raid tonight.” Lord Rien began as soon as we were led into the study.

“So soon? I had hoped we would have had time to plan.”

Lord Rien lowered himself into the offered seat and I stood beside him.

“Yes well I told him I would join, we leave at sunset.”

“Very well I’m at your disposal. What do you propose we do?”

And so it began… additional plans were put in place, ideas quashed and new ones formed. It was hours before either of them took a break and even then we were still at a loss as to how it would be dealt with. This did not bode well for our coven.

………………………………….

~Tony’s POV~

I pushed open the last door at the end of the hall and finally there he was, looking weak and breakable in the center of the large bed and I stepped into the room, pulling my weapon from my waist.

He glanced my way in surprise but an instant later a small smiled spread across his face.

“I wondered when you’d show up.” Malik said and I took another step into the room.

                                         AUTHOR'S NOTES

SORRY I TOOK SO LONG TO UPDATE GUYS I'VE BEEN BUSY WITH EXAMS. STARTING NEXT WEEK, A VAMIPRE'S MARINE WILL BE UPDATED EVERY WEDNESDAY!

ENJOY. Also check out my new book called skittles out on my profile

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.