The perks of being a spirit, there were some good ones. Like no one had the ability to see them when the spirits doesn't want them to. Another example, a spirit didn't  need a door. Why would they when they could walk through objects? This made its difficult to keep secrets from them because you can't see them and doors or walls don't work. However in the den of wolves, things were a little different since the wolves had the gift to see spirits regardless of whether they wanted to be seen or not. But they didn't care about what she did making it easy for her to know a lot about what was happening around camp, which really was nothing much. Today was not such a day however. Valentina had been gone for about an hour and a lot already happened.
They had a visitor who was a vampire and Osei and Semi had been ambushed by a demonic army; so much happened in so little time!
'I leave for two minutes and all hell breaks loose.' Valentina complained to Semi.

'You've been gone for more than that Val.' Semi nicely pointed out quietly mixing the pot of witch's brew.
'What have you been up to?' Semi asked her.

Valentina hid behind a smile. She waved away Semiramis' concerns because she didn't want to reveal what she'd been up to these couple of months. Some secrets, before they were told, required a great amount of courage and a stable mind. Both of which Valentina didn't quite possess at the moment.

'Darling, I haven't been up to anything. I'm just bored.'

Semi fully understood her to some extent yet if she had said it was impossible to be bored here she'd be right. There was so much going on with spies and rogue vampires.
But also, Semi also had Osei and the wolves to keep her entertained and preoccupied. Luckily she understood the wolves and could get into whatever subject intrigued the pack or whatever drama was cooking. Also, with her pregnancy Semi's plate was full.
Valentina handed her the picture she was tethered to. The picture of her childhood friend Aaron Lynch has been the anchor that brought Valentina from limbo and back into the human realm.

'We could practice spells, the spells you taught me came in handy today.'
Ah training. This was the best way Valentina spent most of her days at the camp. Practicing with Semi. That was fun, especially when Semi managed to make a fool of herself. Explains why she was cooking up her Gemma's famous brew.

'Of course. Whenever you can get away from Osei.'
Semi slyly smiled at Valentina. The two ladies knew how much Osei hated Semi practicing the spells. His primary argument? She could get hurt.
Maybe 'hated' was a strong word, disliked was a better substitute. But Semi sometimes had her way with him. The two of them have come to trust, depend and love each other so much it was beautiful. They'd become inseparable it was really cute. If only Osei had met her before he'd met Danielle the murderous heartbreaker.
Thankfully he'd been able to open himself to Semi and trusted her entirely.
That's when a small frown crossed Valentina's beautiful features.

'So what's the meeting about? And why are you out here and not in there.'
Semi was Osei's confidant and advisor along with Malaki, Loki and Athene. It was weird that she wasn't in there with him.
They didn't get a lot of visitors in the cabin but when they did Semi was always by Osei's side.
The cabin was two storey, the upper floor containing the master bedroom Semi shared with Osei. The lower floor must be where the meeting was taking place.

She smiled ruefully before replying.
Valentina didn't have all her attention; she could tell that from Semi's eyes.
'The visitor wants Osei to help him protect the humans from potential evil. And Osei said the humans don't need saving because they too are evil; they could coexist.'
Valentina shook her head. Typical Osei, she'd expect nothing less from him.

'Osei didn't want me in there because he doesn't like the way the silver-eyed bloodsucker looks at me.'

Val stopped listening to Semi after that.
A silver-eyed vampire? The description was one that Valentina associated to a never-forgotten face from her past.

'Semi, I've got to see to something. I won't be long. We'll leave for training when I get back.'

She didn't lag behind for a reply.
She slipped into the cabin and hid. At that instant she wondered what her reason was for hiding. Osei would sense her presence either way.
She would have stepped out of her hideout but she was paralyzed by the voice that spoke next.
'I'm not here to demand that you act or fight for a something you don't believe in. Hell, I wouldn't treat anyone ordering me around kindly either. However, if the cause was a noble one, I would sacrifice my personal desire for the greater good.'

Spirits didn't need to breathe, therefore they didn't really need hearts or lungs. Yet still, Valentina's heart missed a couple of beats, twisted and then stopped- all in under a minute. She was holding her breath and stood silently.
Tentatively, she stepped closer to get a good look at the speaker's face.
The visible side of his head was shaved and his glossy dark hair shimmered with every motion like a cascading waterfall and his beard was tastefully and neatly trimmed.
Then she saw a glimpse of his face.

'Nicholae.' The unintentional whisper escaped her lips.
Nicholae stopped in his speech and looked around the room, searching for something. And then he looked right in her direction causing Valentina to quickly stumble out in a fierce panic.
Impossible, he couldn't have heard that. She thought to herself. And he couldn't have seen her, she was invisible. Well she had to be to vampires too.

Valentina had to tell Semi that Osei couldn't trust that Vampire.

She found Semi fixing a meal for their prisoner and Osei's temporary life source, Jeffery Logan. Three square meals a day to keep the scoundrel who'd plotted to kill Osei alive and healthy and death away. His diet consisted of meat, berries and vegetables.

In order to remain alive, Osei had to tether his lifeline to that of Jeffery's enchanted one. So Semi personally saw to his meals, they couldn't afford any mistakes.
'What's wrong Valentina?'
She didn't beat about the bush with this one. The situation was to dire for such useless games.
'Osei's talking to a murderer. He may have been my killer.'

The spoon Semi held left her hands in a clutter as her eyes went to the tent Osei shared with Nicholae.

'He knows now.'
Suddenly, Valentina's stomach housed a nagging ache in her belly and her chest. But for who?

'The vamp isn't denying that he's a killer.' Semi told her.

'What is Osei going to do to him?'
Valentina had to know what Osei planned on doing with the killer. Well if her memories weren't all there but she remembered that he was a killer, then he must be really dangerous.
Then again, her memories weren't all present and accounted for and certain important ones were missing as well.
Now she worried if she had made the right choice or a rash one. And yet how could she deny the burning anger she felt in her heart when she saw him. Her death was the first thing that came to her mind when she saw him, it was simply a rational conclusion to be made.

Osei stepped out with Nicholae and everyone was intensely watching for Osei's reaction.
Valentina hid again.

'I hope you'll reconsider helping me.' Nicholae implored once more.
From his stance, Valentina could see he was being hopeful.
'From what I understand, your family and mine don't even believe your cause is worthy of their time.' Osei's words reminded Nicholae of how lost his cause was. She expected his confidence to shrivel up upon hearing Osei's mocking lilt in his voice, Nicholae wasn't anyone. And how Valentina knew this? It was by the responsive smile he flashed.
'Our families need a little more persuading. And I need your help to persuade them.'
Osei looked skeptical.
'I've found a descendant of Ximena.'
Valentina gasped. To Osei that meant nothing, but Cayden and Valentina understood full well the weight of his revelation.
That was why Nicholae wasn't backing down. He had an ace up his sleeve. An ace which would convince his the three clans of the valley of he told them.
Cayden whispered something to Osei.
'And I think I've found the second one.' Nicholae continued.

'Who are they ?' Cayden inquired impatiently.
'Where are they?'

Nicholae shook his head at Cayden.
'Calm down wolf pup. In due time.'

'He's lying.' Valentina whispered to Semi. 'He's always been a liar.'

Semi spoke up, painfully sympathetic to Valentina's distress.
'How do we know we aren't lying. How do we know what you say is the truth? After all you are a killer.'

Nicholae smiled remorsefully at Semi. His gaze didn't linger on her for fear of angering Osei.
'That is for God to judge. Were you quick to judge your mate although he is such a person?'

Osei didn't react to Nicholae's subtle name calling. Truthfully, he wasn't lying. Osei was no angel. He'd taken his fair share of lives, some he regretted and others he relished.

'In a vote of confidence, I'll tell you who the second descendant of Ximena is,'

Osei nodded his go ahead.
'Semiramis Blankson.'

The rage in Osei steadily built up until it exploded.
'You're saying you want me to help you turn my pregnant mate into a tree!!!'
Before Nicholae could reply, Osei had his pack on high alert, all eyes were on him and all teeth were bared at him.

'Because you're royalty, I'll give you a head start. Then my wolves and I will send your body to your corner of the valley to be buried or burned, one piece at a time.'
Nicholae showed no sign of fear. It was as if the terrifying threat had been uttered to someone else. He wasn't afraid of death. Not anymore.
'Each piece for each year' Semi whispered Osei's thought to Valentina.

'You are just like your father and more so , your grandfather.'

'You have three seconds.' Osei growled.

'Papa.'
Every head snapped to the child in the DC comics T-shirt, running into the den with an entourage of three wolf pups and Rex.
The young boy attached himself to Nicholae's hip and held on for dear life.
Valentina's heart felt strangled by veins and arteries.
For the strangest reason, she felt even more betrayed at the sight of the child with thick dark curls and silver eyes like his father.

Did Nicholae bring his son into the den of wolves?
But by his expression he was more surprised. He could be acting, Valentina suspected.

'Niko. What in blazing hell are you...'
He immediately pushed his son behind him, protecting him from Osei.
But the wrathful look in Osei's eyes had soften somewhat.

'He means no harm. He's only a boy.'
Nicholae's bravado had shattered upon the arrival of his son. He wasn't quivering in his boots per se, but there was a spark of fear in his eyes for his son.

Valentina stared at the child who stared defiantly at Osei with his large silver eyes.
Judging by his age, Nicholae must have had him about seven years ago.
So he'd moved on after he'd killed her and lived happily without so much as a thought for her.

Valentina's heart broke at the thought that the vampire who'd been an ally and a friend, killed her and then went on to live a life she'd always wanted with another woman.

She wanted him dead.

A/N
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