The wolves all stood still. They were all curious about their most recent visitor.
By then they were used to Danielle and Fauna's presence so their being there wasn't anything special.
The witch council and the mistress of the Lynch clan, Georgina were what held their attention.

Osei sat on the porch rails watching his guests.
Nicholae was courteous enough to give him a heads up about the Coven's visit. Thankfully Osei made it just in time for the meeting after he stole away to suffer in agony. He didn't need Semi there this time.

Lupé and another three of his brothers flanked the six crones and his grandmother who, Osei noticed stood away from the witches.

'We summon Valentina Alexis before the Coven.'

Osei kept his tongue bridled for Valentina's sake. Although he has something to say to the trespassing cronies.

Valentina stepped out of the cabin and showed herself.
They'd summoned her before the council and yet a few of them still looked surprised to see her still.

'We are here because your husband refused to bring you before the council. And our messengers returned our summons unread.'
The speaker looked directly at Osei who looked right back expressionless.

'They couldn't have known who the Coven is.' She spoke in his defense.
'They wore our emblems. Besides they have Master Cayden in their camp. He knows the Coven.'

'I thought they were posers. People try all sorts of things to get into the Den.' Cayden said.
'You're only here because of Ma G.'

The oldest one and leader of the Coven lifted a wrinkled hand and brought order back to her entourage.

'Valentina, as the sole survivor of the tragedy which occurred at the Guardian border, we have to question you about the events pertaining to that. And only that.'
Valentina raised her brows at that.
Osei wasn't taken aback because again, he'd spoken to Nicholae.
He knew about the exile and his summoning.
He wasn't worried about what that meant about their alliance because according to him, Sonya would honor it since Nicholae had included Niko as their ally as well.
And now everything belonging to the father was no the son's by Tchkovsky law.
But again, Osei wasn't worried about that, it was having to keep Semi and Valentina out of the loop that worried him.

'I don't remember.' Valentina lied with her eyes innocently cast to the ground.
'It all happened so fast.'

'Did you poison your sisters?'
Valentina flinched.

'You would ask me such a question?'

'Yes.' The speaker answered in a deadpan voice.

'Since you cannot remember, I assume you will not be able to recall if you were the one.'

Osei growled. Loki and Malaki were at the ready. Even Liza stepped closer to Valentina.

'If I may.' Fauna stepped up.
She only continued when she received the approval.

'My Lord Nicholae told me about a friend who knew exactly what poison was used. He had me conduct research about it. It's called the kiss of death?'

The Coven now looked at her with renewed interest.
'Might you be the witch who helped the vampire Lord resurrect Valentina?'

'No Mistress. I was not.' Fauna lied easily making Osei very proud at what a natural she was. Nicholae must have spoken to her as well.

'The user and the maker of the poison are both left with a mark. As you are all well aware. Valentina does not have that mark.' She pointed out.

'You are well aware it can be concealed.' One cronie said. But Fauna was not going down without a fight.

'And I'm sure one of you is powerful enough to reveal it.'
Cayden was grinning from ear to ear.

'Come forward and let me inspect your hands child.' The head said to Valentina.

'It looks like our young friend here is correct. It couldn't be her.'

But the Coven wasn't finished with Valentina, not in the slightest.

'You are found guilty of being in possession of the monomer charm.'

'Do you have a witness? Or any evidence?' Fauna asked.

'Our witness just passed away. Very recently, raising a lot of suspicion. You might remember her, Valentina. She was your friend, Tatiana.'
Valentina gasped, Tiana?

'Your husband,'
For some reason they spat that word out with a healthy dose of condescension.
'Was also genuinely surprised. But he did admit to seeing her recently.'

'And what is the point you're making?' Fauna spoke up again. She was obviously irritated by what the witches were trying to imply.

'Were you in possession of the charm?'

'Let me try to understand.' Cayden interrupted.
'Is there some law against that?'

'Answer the question Valentina.'

'I believe she's a Tchkovsky. So that's Lady Valentina. With all due respect.' Fauna spoke.

'No. I was not.' Valentina replied once again.

'Were you always present at your post.'

'Aren't they asking the same question?' Cayden whispered loudly to Osei.

'Yes I was.' She replied .

'Well then, your husband must be lying.'
Every eye sharply fixed on the older women.
'You see he claimed to have summoned you. Albeit against your will, but he did summon you. Do you not recall?'

'I do not.' Valentina answered.

'He did say he tried. And it was right before the incident.' One of the members announced.
Her comrades weren't exactly pleased with her sharing.

'What will happen to him?' Valentina asked despite herself. She claimed to hate him but she couldn't help but worry.
Though there was pain in her heart, she couldn't simply will away the sweet memories she had with Nicholae. That wasn't how her love worked.
Osei understood this perfectly.

The Coven didn't reply.
'We have what we came for. We will take our leave.'

The witch who had spoken up earlier stopped and shared something with Georgina.
Georgina nodded and smiled thanking her for whatever was divulged.
Lupé and his buddies escorted the Coven to their vehicles and were to stay with them until they left their borders.

Georgina opened her arms and tearfully smiled at Valentina.
'You know I don't like to wait.'
Valentina ran into he arms and both women began crying. Semi teared up in her corner because she understood what the reunion meant unlike Osei who just looked on with a mild envy.
Cayden went to the smaller ladies and hugged them as well.

'I didn't ask for a hug from you Cayden!'
Georgina mumbled but she didn't push him aside either.

'You don't know how happy I am to see you alive and well.'
And then she smacked her.
'You didn't invite me to your wedding!'
And then she hit Cayden who was busy laughing at Valentina's pain.

'You shut up trouble maker. You and your cousin over there enjoy giving everyone else headaches.'
Osei jumped down the rails and walked inside. He signaled to Fauna to follow him.
Georgina longingly looked at her distant grandson who had no affection towards her.
'I've missed you child. There's so much catching up we need to do.'
She pointed to Semi.
'You come along. I've always wanted to talk to you as well. No Cayden, you aren't coming along.'
Liza snickered past him following the ladies along.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'She knows.' Fauna said.
'She was there when Lord Nicholae came by.'

'Well no one else can know.' Osei said.

'Who am I going to tell?' Danielle joked but it hit a little too close to home.
She cleared her throat and let them finish.

'He'll come by to interrogate Jeffery Logan about everything he knows.' Osei looked for a reaction from Danielle.
'He wants to talk to you.'

'You kept him alive?' She asked. She grimaced when she caught the shock in her voice.

'I don't kill for the fun of it.'

Her reply caught him off guard.
'I know.'

Where had this come from. It was easier when she thought of him as a monster.

'I also understand why you chose Semi.'

'We aren't talking about us right now.' Osei gruffly mentioned.

'Fauna, I want you to check on Nicholae. I think he's not well?'
Osei has noticed the Vampire was paler than usual and always dazed, zoned out or basically a different person.

'I noticed too.'
She sighed her eyes looking out towards the door as of Nicholae was there. It was obvious she missed her lord and wanted to be at his side.
'I'll talk to him when he comes. He'll settle in no man's land where he can easily cross into your border.'

Osei nodded.
'Apparently he doesn't have a ride. So we'll go and get him.'
And then even buy him a car to get back and forth. Osei also admired the vampire for going before the Council alone and defending both him and his wife. Like he said over the phone, he managed to have the council drop the charges against Fauna and Valentina as accomplices in the forbidden arts of necromancy and resurrection. Although he was still under investigation. Another secret Osei has to keep.

'Sonya now has custody of Niko.' Fauna added.
That was harsh punishment. And Sonya definitely wouldn't let the boy come here knowing full well the father could meet the son.
Osei knew full well how he'd react to such a sentence if he were ever put in such a situation: he'd end up annihilating the whole clan.

'I found something. It's a working theory. About your condition.' Fauna clarified.
Osei spotted her reason for the change of subject.
Cayden signaled to them that the women were within hearing distance with their enhanced senses. It was both an advantage and disadvantage.
They'd discuss Nicholae another time.

Danielle fiddled with her fingers.
Osei understood that he wasn't going to like the theory at all.

'From what I understand, it was your Danielle's blood which condemned you...'
'I swear I thought it was a cure.' Danielle interrupted Fauna with her apology.
'Whether or not I believed you were a monster, I need you to know I never wanted you dead.'

'We can discuss this later Dani.' Truthfully, he didn't think he wanted to talk later. What if that lead to another kiss or made him more confused than he already was.
Dammit! Feelings were from the devil.

'hence her blood which can save you.' Fauna finished.

Osei carefully nodded eyeing both women.
'I know this.'

'What we all glossed over is this. Then, when her blood was used, she was your mate. She had the power to kill you. And from what I understand..'
She meant from what Semi and Danielle told her.
'You rejected her as your mate. But the blood used already had that power to end you.'
Osei was losing his patience.
He knew where Fauna was leading and he wasn't liking it one bit. Not in the very least. Not at friggin' all.

'And now she doesn't have that power.'

'Cut the crap Fauna. What are you trying to say?'
Fauna held his gaze.
'Danielle has to be your mate for our tests to be successful.'
Osei understood but Fauna still went on, hammering in the nail till she drove it all the way home.

'You have to reject Semi and make Dani your mate once more. To save your life.'

They all hoped Semi heard Fauna because God knew that neither one of them wanted to repeat these words to Semi and watch her heartbreak all over again.

Fauna didn't know what to say next. Neither did Danielle, but she had mixed feelings about Fauna's reveal. Here was her second chance but at what cost? The better question was should she even feel sorry for Semi if fate wanted things to play out like this?
She looked at Osei but his face showed no traces of emotion, no hint as to what he was thinking.

A/N

I know! I know!
But it had to happen.
At least now Valentina is off the hook. Who knows what Nicholae said to the council but at least he went and clarified everything.
Now!
Danielle and Osei have a whole lot of thinking to do! Does she even want to be come his mate? And does he want her back? Does he still love her?
And poor Semi, what would she do?
'Find out next time on 'Walking with a vampire' Updates every Saturday on Wattpad.
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Aaaaaaannnnnd!!!
UNTO THE NEXT CHAPTER!!!