Chapter Fourteen - word count 3058 - Download the PDF
14.
      “What took you so long?”  Ross asked as soon as they walked into the VIP room.  
      The fact Ross was asking that question assured Drew that Bastien had not told the others what he had walked in on.  She smiled and nodded a thank you in his direction.  Bastien just grinned and winked at her, causing another blush to creep across her cheeks.  
      Seth frowned at Ross, he was already irritated he didn’t need Ross on his case.  
      “You are starting to whine like a two year old.  I’m here now, lets just get this over with.”  
      Ross rolled his eyes  “Take a seat, you going to want to hear this.  Shit, I think Gabriel should have been here for this meeting.”
      When Drew tried to go sit on another chair Seth pulled her into the one next to his and gave her a look that told her plainly to stay put.  She didn’t mind.  Xander was eyeing her in a way that was making her more than a little edgy.  
      “Okay Xander.  What’s up?”
      Xander steepled his fingers under his chin and produced a faint half smile.  
      “Firstly, allow me to tell you that Sandamar is very unhappy with you and your cats.”
      “No Shit.” Seth laughed humorlessly, “Here we were thinking he’d welcome us back with open arms.”  
      Xander allowed humor to reach his eyes.
      “My point is, he’s put a kill-on-sight order out on all of you. So be on your guard whenever you are in the open. The warning aside, the real reason I called this meeting was to tell you that he is devising a plan to capture the dragon duchess again.  This time he will take her to a place so secret no one has been informed of its location.”  
      “That’s not good.”  Marcus sat forward in his chair.  “There will be no one to get her out this time if he does get her.  Unless you were planning on it Xander?”
      “That would be an impossibility.” Xander frowned “Sandamar is far too dangerous to leave unattended and I’m the only one who can keep him under a watchful eye at this moment in time.”  
      “Its not that big of an issue” Seth frowned.  “We’ll just have to make sure he doesn’t get Namara.”  Seth was sure they could keep her safe at the compound.  
      “What if her brother tries to take her back to Drake Hall?”  Xander asked “How will you keep Sandamar from taking her then?  That is his plan, to take her from her brother when Lord Dragonselen tries to return her to Drake Hall.”  
      “Wait.” Seth realized he nearly missed something important.  “Does Sandamar know where she is?”
      A low laugh escaped Xander’s throat.  
      “But of course, he had her idiotic brother followed.”  
      Seth spat out some choice curses.  
      Jade straightened from her position leaning against the window.  
      “Don’t call him an idiot.  I was with them and I didn’t get any sense of being followed.   Does that mean I’m an idiot too?”
      Xander tilted his head slightly to the side and smiled at her “If the insult fits...”  
      Jade’s eyes went icy.  “Mind what you say vampire, before I pull out your fangs.”  
      “Don’t bother Jade, he’s not worth the effort.”  Darius remarked from the back of the room.  
      Ross leaned forward putting his elbow on his knees and stated calmly.  
      “Sandamar would never attempt to take her from the compound.  That would be suicide.”  
      Xander nodded.  “Correct.  He will wait for Dragonselen to remove her from his enemy’s strong hold – then attack.”  
      “We’ll just have to make sure Dragon doesn’t take her anywhere wont we.”  Jade observed.  
      Ross raised a brow “I’m sorry, are we talking about the same Dragonselen who wanted to toast us for rescuing her?”
      Jade was starting to get very irritated with everyone attacking Dragon.  So her response to Ross’s sarcasm was instant and without thought.  
      “Your mother should have eaten her young.”  Jade spat at him throwing up her hands.  
      Ross’s face closed down as if someone had flipped a switch.  
      “Believe me, the bitch would have if she’s been given half a chance.”  
      Jade palled, realizing that she had gone too far.  
      “Gods I’m sorry Ross, that just slipped out.  I didn’t mean …”  
      “Forget it.”  He dismissed her apology but Jade felt like a shit.  She knew his history with Rogue, hell, she’d wanted to slap that pretentious angel more than a few times herself.  What she’d said had been completely out of line.  Ross was her family, all these cats were.  She enjoyed her verbal battles with him, Ross was one of the few people who could keep up with her slicing wit, but she’d never wanted to say something that hurtful to him. She resolved to make it up to him.  His mother was just too much of a touchy subject with him.  She should have guarded her mouth a little better.   
      “Do you think we’ll be able to convince Lord Dragonselen of the danger to Namara so that he will leave her with us, or even stay there with her instead of taking her back?” Seth asked Jade.  
      “I’m not too sure, he’s arrogant beyond all help.  But maybe if we tried to explain to him…” she shook her head.  “I don’t know we can give it a try.  We could always contact Namara’s father, but honestly, he’s even more hard headed than his son.”  
      Darius sighed “Now why doesn’t that surprise me.”  
      “Do you know anything about this ritual that Sandamar’s planning?” Seth asked Xander.
      “Not too much, little hints that he has let slip.  I do know he believes it will give him ultimate power.”  
      Xander rose to his feet.  
      “But that is all I can say right now, I must return to the stronghold before they become suspicious of my absence.  I will contact you in the usual manner should I learn anything of importance.”  He didn’t wait for an answer, he just dematerialized into a fine mist and vanished.  
      “What now?” Ross looked at Seth
      “Now we go back to the compound and tell Gabriel what’s happening.”  
      “No, not yet Seth, common, I want to dance a couple of songs before we go, please.”  
      Selphie had that determined glint in her eyes.  
      “Don’t even bother arguing with her Seth, let her have some time on the dance floor, then we bounce.”  Ross advised.  
      Marcus grinned “I’m sure there are more than a few ladies who would love to spend a little time with me.  So I’d like to stay for a while as well.”  
      “Yeah, fine what-ever.  We won’t be able to talk to Dragon till morning and Gabe will wait up for us, it’s not like that angel ever sleeps anyway.”  
      As if on queue the song that had been playing ended and the D.J. spoke over the sound system.  
      “Hey everybody, are you having fun!”  
      The crowd roared an affirmative response.  
      “Well I’ve got a little bad news.  Apparently we still don’t have a release date on Requiem’s new album…”
      The crowd booed and hissed.  
      “But just to make up for it I’ve got a triple play of old favorites by the band.  Get ready for … REQUIEM.”  
      The crowed went mad screaming in appreciation.  
      Selphie squealed in delight and grabbed Darius’s hand dragging him down to the dance floor.  
      “Oh to be so worshiped.” Jade said dryly  then grinned at Ross.  The rest of them laughed and Drew wondered what she was missing, it was obviously an inside joke.  
      “I don’t know,” Ross twisted his mouth. “I think they suck.”  
      “Ross!”  Drew was outraged.  “Requiem is my favorite band.  How can you say something like that?”  
      Every person in the room burst out laughing make Drew wish she’d kept her mouth shut.  She must have said something very stupid.
      “What?” she looked at Seth “What’s so funny?”  
      “I’ll tell you later.”  He couldn’t stop laughing, so he got up grabbed her hand and dragged her down the stairs to the dance floor.  
      
      Drew didn’t remember the last time she’d enjoyed dancing so much. They were all in a loose group at the edge of the dance floor and the music was great, she hadn’t been exaggerating when she’d said that Requiem was her favorite band.  Their music was masterful no one could deny their talent as musicians, but part of their allure was the mystery.  Very little was known about Requiem’s members and even less about its front man.  Requiem would not pose for publicity photos, cell phone and camera’s were band from their concerts.  They didn’t give interviews and very few people actually knew anything about the band.  Drew knew that was part of their success.  People loved a good mystery and Requiem was that by definition.  
      The other reason she was enjoying herself so much was her dance partner.  Drew had known Seth was graceful, but she’d never assumed that meant he knew how to dance - he did, the man could move.  She was getting hot and it wasn’t from dancing.  After the frustration of being interrupted earlier, just watching him move was making her wish they’d had the chance to finish what they’d started.
      The second Requiem song faded out and the opening bars of one of their ballads started.  Seth pulled Drew against his body.  
      “That’s better.” He murmured in her ear.  “I’ve been waiting for a chance to get close to you.”
      He moved one hand down from her waist across the rounded cheek of her ass and pulled her tightly against him.  Drew gasped when she felt the hard length of him pressing against her stomach.  
      He spoke again, that warm buzz in her ear. “Do you see what watching you dance has done to me?”  
      Drew slipped her arms up around his neck and pulled him even closer nestling her face into the hard muscle of his chest.  Right about now she would happily give her right arm for the ability to teleport Seth and herself to her room.  She almost giggled at her wantonness.  When had she become such a hussy?
      She felt Seth stop moving and stiffen.  Frowning she stepped back from him to see a tall incredibly beautiful blond woman behind him.  The woman had plastered her self to his back and her long nailed fingers had moved to the front, she was running her hands up and down his chest.  
      Drew felt the urge to murder for the first time in her life. Instant jealousy wracked through her body.  
      In his defense Seth didn’t seem to be enjoying the attention, his face was a mask of fury.  
      “Take your hands off me Veronica!” he spat.  
      Oh my god, this was Veronica?  If Drew had thought she wanted to commit murder before it was nothing compared to the pure hate she felt now.  
      His words got the whole groups attention and they moved around him in a loose circle, everyone was clenched waiting for something to happen.  
      “Oh but Seth,” Veronica whined nuzzling her mouth into his neck “Baby, I’ve missed you.”  
      Drew felt pain in her palms and realized that she had curled her hands into fists so tight that her fingernails were gouging her palms.  
      “Back of bitch before I hurt you.” Selphie spat.  
      Veronica threw back her head and laughed.  “Come on! You hurt me? You’re tiny, there is no way you could hurt me.”  
      Ross grabbed Selphie’s arm as she tried to surge forward.  “Wait.”  He cautioned.  
      “I’m not going to tell you again, get away from me.”  Seth’s voice was deep, a low growl more animal than human and Drew felt a shiver climb her spine.  His eyes were downcast watching Veronica’s hands moved across his chest.  When he looked up his eyes had transformed they glowed a deep green.  If someone didn’t intervene soon, he was going to shift, you didn’t have to be a genius to figure that out.  
      Drew took a breath to tell Veronica to back off but didn’t get to say anything because Bastien stormed into the circle.
      “What the hell are you doing in my club?” he asked pure venom in his voice.  “I promised to kill you last time you came here, did you think I wouldn’t keep my promise.”  
      Bastien was so angry his eyes burned with a deep amber color.  
      That got Veronica’s attention, she stepped back from Seth.  
      “You can’t keep me out here.”  
      “Oh really?  I’m not Gabriel, I will kill you, and if that doesn’t scare you enough, please remember that one word to my brother and you will be without pack.  Solo, do you get it bitch.  Anyone’s meat. Du’call or not.”  
      She palled at the implications of his words.  
      “You would never take something this silly to Cole.”  She tried for some bravado.  
      “Do you really believe that?” he shook his head. “I can’t understand how you’d be that stupid.”
      He reached into the pocked of the leather pants to pull out his cell phone and flip it open.  
      “No wait.” She held out a hand to stop him.  “Don’t call Cole – I’ll leave, you’ll never see me in here again.”  She turned and walked away as quickly as possible.  
      Drew seethed.  Hell No, Veronica was not going to get off that easy.  If no one else would do something she sure as hell would.  
      Everyone had moved around Seth so she slipped off and followed Veronica.  
      Drew waited until she was out of sight of the group then moved forward quickly and tapped the fleeing woman on the shoulder.  
      Veronica turned then looked down and sneered at Drew
      “If it isn’t the little slut Seth was dancing with.”  
      “I’ve decided that group of mythos have too much in the honor department.”  Drew stated matter of factly.  
      “What is that supposed to mean?”  Veronica asked derisively.  
      “It means someone should have beat the shit out of you a long time ago.”
      Veronica started laughing.  
      “Oh, and you want to give it a try?  Your no bigger than that other little thing.”  
      “I may be short...” Drew pulled back her arm, balancing carefully she threw a fist forward putting all her weight behind it she connected with Veronica’s solar plexus.  The other woman doubled over with a whoosh loosing her ability to breath.  
      “But I can still beat the shit out of you.”  Drew slammed her head forward as Veronica looked up, head-butting the werewolf.  The other woman’s nose crunched  audibly and started bleeding profusely.  
      Drew straightened and dusted her hands off.  “Come near any of my friends again and I do way more than just break your nose.”  
      Drew turned and walked away.  
      
      “Where is Drew?” She heard Seth ask a bit frantically when she slipped back into the group.
      “I’m right here Seth.”  She answered hoping that no one had noticed she was gone.  
      Ross gave her a knowing look then casually touched above his right eyebrow with a finger.  Drew hastily whipped at her brow with a hand and noticed a small smear of Veronica’s blood.  Ross was grinning at her when she looked up again.
      “Let’s get out of here.  Give me the keys Seth, I’m driving, Drew you can ride shotgun.”  
      Bastien walked them out the club to the van.  
      “I’m sorry, again.”  
      “Bas, it wasn’t your fault.”  Seth told him.  “She has a death wish.  She must have or she would stay the hell away from me. Thanks again for your help.”  Seth clasped Bastien’s forearm before climbing into the very back seat of the van and lying down with his eyes closed.  
      It had taken every ounce of will not to shift and rip her to pieces in that club.  He’d been so close.  He smelled her first, a wave of memories hitting him with her sent.  When he’d felt her hands on him he thought he was going to lose it.  He could hear Kyle screaming at him, calling him a sick bastard.  Denying that they could share the same genes.  Cursing the day that Seth had been born.  The fractured memories had torn through him like molten steel.
      He could feel Kyle’s lifeblood gushing over his hand as Seth had buried the silver dagger hilt deep in his brother’s chest.  Veronica had laughed like a maniac behind him.  Saying that Kyle’s death was his punishment for rejecting her.  
      Seth groaned as it all went through him again.  He rolled on the seat of the van and curled into a ball.  Breathing deeply trying to rid himself of the memories.  This is what came from letting a woman near you.  Kyle had loved Veronica, it had cost him his life.  Seth had trusted her and she had drugged him and used him like a bullet to kill his only brother.  All to punish him because he hadn’t wanted to get between his brother and the woman Kyle loved.  He shook his head, he had to block the memories they were going to drive him insane.  He tried to concentrate on the conversation Selphie and the others were having.  They were being excessively cheerful and he blessed them for the inanity of their chatter.  It made things a little easier on him.  
      In the drivers seat of the van Ross looked over at Drew.  
      “You know about what she did?”
      He didn’t say who, but Drew knew he meant Veronica.  
      “Yeah, Selphie told me the whole story earlier this evening.”  
      “What exactly did you do to her?” He asked Drew quietly.  
      She shrugged her shoulders then grinned sheepishly.  “I broke her nose.”
      Drew squeezed on eye shut waiting for Ross to start screaming at her.  
      Instead he threw back his head and roared with laughter.  
      “What’s so funny?”  Darius leaned into the front of the van.  
      Ross tried to control his mirth as he answered Darius. “Nothing much, just a joke Drew told me.”  
      “Oh okay.” Darius got the idea that Ross didn’t want to share the joke so he sat back in his seat.  
      Ross was still grinning when Drew looked at him again.  
      “Thank you.” Was all he said.  
      “No big, it needed to be done.”  
      “It is big,” he took his eyes of the road to look at her. “I’m glad to see Seth means that much to you.”