The Veiled Monarch

by Shae Bryant

  "Why?" Isaac raised the gun again.

  Faulkner rolled his eyes, "Because Werewolves know how to be insular and Druids know how to keep quiet. Just make the phone calls. I'm not leaving until you do."

  "Fine. But I want someone else here with me if I choose. And Raina brings who she wants." Isaac set his jaw, glaring at Faulkner.

  "I really don't care." He waved his hand, "Just bring them here."

  I was on my way back to the department when Isaac called. Catherine turned the car towards Hialeah so fast that I was sure she was going to cause an accident. We made it to Isaac's dealership in record time, jumping out of the car and rushing towards the service entrance.

  Isaac was standing in the front with Faulkner, both of them looked like they were trying to force a conversation. Neither of them were happy with the circumstances.

  "What the hell is this!?" I shouted.

  Faulkner smiled, straightening his jacket. "A small disclaimer for Miss Kleyman. I do fully plan on Vincenzo Moretti hearing every word of this conversation. I will not be the one to tell him."

  "I can't believe this guy!" Catherine yelled.

  "Believe me when I say that I am here to gain protection. From all of you."

  Isaac laughed, "What? You're joking!"

  "I knew you'd say that." Faulkner smirked, "Listen to me before you all make a decision. I have a plan in place to dismantle the Iron Oath. In fact, you have all been so kind in helping me move things along."

  "What do you mean we helped?" I demanded.

  "Georgia? Releasing the security footage to the media? Finding Erin Neason?" Faulkner laughed, "Do you think I made that many mistakes? No. No. I handed you that on purpose. The Iron Oath is losing their grip. They are losing trust all over the world. Private security companies are doing a better job of real Non Human law enforcement. People are beginning to see that the Iron Oath doesn't enforce very much. Their usefulness is wearing thin. As is mine."

  Isaac huffed, "Then we let them kill you. I don't see the problem."

  Faulkner appeared in front of Isaac, standing less than an inch from his face. "You don't know what I know, Isaac. You don't know the inner workings of the Iron Oath like I do. If you truly want to get rid of them, then you will protect me and I will give you more information than you ever thought you'd have."

  All of us stayed quiet. Faulkner was right. If anyone understood the Iron Oath, it was him. He had worked with them since the 18th century. He had seen generations of Iron Oath come and go. He saw about every trick they used, every plan they created and every claw they dug into Non Humans.

  "What can I do to convince you?" He asked.

  I uncrossed my arms, tapping my fingers on the desk, "A show of good faith."

  "Raina!" Catherine threw her arms in the air.

  "What? He's dead anyway. Let's get something out of him."

  Faulkner laughed at both of us, "Fine. Fine. Leo Moretti's bike was supposed to be a hit-and-run. I made sure that didn't happen. The officer who killed your friend? His name is James Oldacre. He's staying at the Courtyard in Fort Lauderdale."

  Catherine picked up her phone, dialing the department. "This is Detective Kleyman. Can I have you check on something for me? Is there a James Oldacre staying at a Courtyard in Fort Lauderdale?" she paused while they confirmed this, "He's a suspect...yes. Lauderdale needs to pick him up." Catherine looked at us, "Faulkner, you aren't lying."

  He grinned, "There is so much more where this came from. Just help me."

  "What's in it for you?" Isaac asked.

  "Self preservation. And a multitude of other reasons that may or may not ever be revealed to you. What I want is protection and I need Vincenzo Moretti to agree to it. That is where you all come in."

  So that was what Faulkner really wanted from us. We were going to tell Vince about this conversation, but he wanted us to convince him to let Faulkner stay. His information and understanding of the Iron Oath was being dangled over our heads. It was very tempting bait for any Non Human. If we wanted to end the problems the Iron Oath brought us, we'd have to take it.

  I groaned, banging my head softly on Isaac's desk "... We have to talk to Vince."

  "We're not meeting until tomorrow." Isaac said, "I'm not springing this on him until we're all together. Louis might keep him from killing both of us."

  "Tonight?" Faulkner looked around, "Where do I stay? With Catherine maybe?"

  "No!" Catherine pushed him away from her.

  Faulkner looked at Isaac, "You then?"

  "I got a date." Isaac answered.

  My cheeks burned when I saw everyone looking at me. I waved my hands in front of me, "No! Hell no. Absolutely not. No!"

  "I said I have a date. You never go on dates." Isaac grinned at me like a sibling who had gotten out of a scrape while the other was knee-deep in it.

  Faulkner clasped his hands together, "Fantastic. I know just where you live. I'll be there soon."

  "If I have to tell Vince this..." Faulkner disappeared before I was able to threaten his life. Maybe I'd threaten Isaac's instead.

  Catherine shrugged, "Oh, I think you are."

  "I hate both of you."

  That night, I went home in order to collect Brutus and I left. I should have driven a stake through Faulkner's heart after seeing his smug smile while he sat comfortably on my couch. Brutus and I walked along the beach for a little while, then I sat down on a bench and just listened to the ocean while he slept. My poor dog was not happy to stay gone all night, but I felt we were safer sitting on the beach than at home with Faulkner.

  My couch was uncomfortable, I spent most of my time tossing and turning rather than sleeping. Faulkner got my only bedroom since it was the one place that could hide from the sun well enough. I could not wait to get to Vince's that evening and hopefully push Faulkner out of my house.

  I met Isaac at Vince's front door. Both of us walked in like two people going to their execution. Vince was going to be very angry once we told him what happened. He wasn't just angry, he was getting close to a blood craze.

  He stomped through his living room, stopping every so often to shout. Then, he would shut his mouth and continue to pace. Louis, Isaac and I said nothing while he roamed his house like a caged animal.

  "Have you gone mad!?" He shook his fist, "Am I being betrayed? I thought we were friends!"

  I buried my face in my hands with a groan, "I knew this would happen! Kill the messenger! Thanks a lot, Isaac!"

  "Oh no. I am not in this." Isaac wagged his finger back and forth.

  "You were with us! You decided on this too!"

  Vince flew at both of us, leaning on Isaac's chair, "Both of you? You spoke to him? You both entertained this!?"

  Louis tried to suggest an alternative, "He's at Raina's home. Why not kill him? Three of us could do that easily."

  "We can't and he knows it." Vince rubbed his forehead, "I can't believe it's come to this. He knows I'm forced to take his side. He planned this from the start."

  "So...you aren't mad at us?" At least, I hoped Vince wasn't.

  He frowned at me, "Yes...well, a little."

  "Let's get what we want from him and make him ash." Isaac said.

  "By the time he gives us what we want, he'll be long gone. You don't live as long as Faulkner does without knowing every possible outcome. We're trapped and he knows we are." Vince dropped into the next to me with a huff, letting his arms hang off of the chair.

  "Trapped? He's staying with me! I'm the one trapped!" I argued.

  Isaac snickered, "Well, that's the first time a guy has stayed with you in forever."

  "You're dead." I started to climb over my chair, placing a solid punch on Isaac's arm. He leaned away from me, giggling like a little boy.

  By this time, both Isaac and I were snickering and batting at each other like young siblings. Even Louis chuckled at our friendly spat. Vince did not find it amusing one bit. A hand grabbed me by my jacket and pulled me firmly into my chair.

>   "This isn't funny! None of this is funny!" Vince held me in place, "Do you all realize what is happening here? The Vampire who has been the guard dog of the Iron Oath for centuries has betrayed them, and he is now in our backyard. We are bringing hellfire down on every Non Human group in Florida if we harbor him!"

  "And if we don't?" Louis asked.

  Vince spoke in a low voice, "Then we will bring the same hellfire on us with no bargaining chip. History repeats itself, Louis. What do I do?"

  "You fight them." Louis answered, "Like you did before."

  I had never seen Vince so distressed. He shrank down into the chair with a deep furrow in his brow. The darkness and grief from over two centuries ago flooded his mind. It was tormenting him to think of what may happen to all of us.

  I leaned over, patting his arm, "You ran them away once, Vince. We can do it again."

  "At the cost of my wife and child!" Vince exclaimed, "My entire family died because of me! How many of my own here do I want to see turned to ash? How many of you will be murdered before it's over? I have enough blood on my hands, Raina! I do not need anymore!"

  "The blood isn't on your hands. It's on Faulkner's."

  I knew part of the story about Vince's family in Virginia. I did not know everything that happened. The version we knew was a Non Human friendly version where our communities saved the day. The only ones who knew the true heartache from that time were the ones who were there.

  The Iron Oath didn't just lose a fight and leave. It was months of chasing each other back and forth. The Iron Oath would get the upper hand and people were murdered. Their bodies or ashes were delivered to the Non Humans with messages to leave things be. They didn't only kill our own, they killed innocent Humans and family members to try to scare the others away.

  Faulkner was the one who killed Vince's wife and son while Vince watched. He had been weakened after a long fight with the Iron Oath. That is when Faulkner swooped in. Vince was helpless and tied to a pole. He screamed their names while they died.

  When Faulkner burned the house, Vince almost opted to stay inside and let himself turn to ash with them. As the fire started to blaze, so did his anger. He left the house determined to wipe the Iron Oath out of the colonies for good. He managed to do just that, but at the cost of many lives on both sides.

  "I can't watch this happen again." Vince sunk down into his chair, and no one spoke for a minute.

  Isaac broke the silence, "I guess Faulkner is staying with us for a while. As a bargaining chip. Is he staying here?"

  "Absolutely not!" Vince shook his head.

  I opened my eyes wide, "Oh no. He is not staying with me!"

  "Stay here." Vince motioned to the living room, "Let Faulkner be alone."

  "What about Brutus?"

  "Is he house-trained?"

  I rolled my eyes, "Obviously."

  "Bring him along, then. I'll have a room made up for both of you." Vince stood up, abruptly ending the meeting.

  Settling into Vince's house was very easy. This place was huge. I could spend days in there by myself and not see another soul. I don't know how Vince and Leo spent any time together. My guest room could easily be an apartment. An oversize king bed sat against the wall in the center of the room, made up with a plush comforter and covered with down pillows. A seating area had been created beside the large picture window where a small fountain invoked relaxation.

  Vince was kind enough to buy a dog bed for Brutus, but Brutus did not sleep in a dog bed. He slept on my bed. Poor Vince would have to deal with some dog hair on the sheets for a little while.

  That evening, I finally saw the first person in the house. Leo was busy packing a basket in the kitchen. He planned to surprise Chloe with a picnic in the front yard. I helped Leo choose some fruit and cheeses, and then I left the house. I decided to make myself scarce and let those two enjoy an evening together.

  Chloe was surprised at the lovely spread Leo had created for her. They both sat against a palm tree, watching the sunset while they enjoyed the picnic. Leo was entertaining Chloe with a few stories of his encounters with some of Vince's friends.

  "...and he said, 'Well that's fine Leo, but what about the Vampires?'" Leo burst into laughter after finishing the tale.

  Chloe giggled, "That is so funny!"

  Leo waved his hands, "Oh, and get this. After that he was like..."

  Quiet footsteps shuffled behind the two of them. A silencer went off, causing Leo and Chloe both to jerk their heads in the direction of the noise. Chloe jumped to her feet and turned to go for help. Leo slumped over onto the blanket.

  "VINCE!" Chloe screamed, "VINCE!"

  Chloe ran towards the house, still shouting for Vince and praying he was awake. A second silencer popped behind Chloe. She reared back when it sank into her shoulder blade. Seconds later, she had fallen on the ground.

  Vince's eyes snapped open when Chloe's screams reached his ears. He ran downstairs in a flash. The door flew open to an empty front yard. Leo's picnic spread had been half-eaten; he and Chloe had left their bikes in the driveway.

  Vince tilted his head to the side. Someone was in the yard to his right. He moved towards them in a blur. The silencer went off again and Vince tried to dodge it. Two darts embedded themselves in Vince's leg. He slowed down to a run and then a walk. Finally, Vince stumbled and fell.

  Footsteps crunched in the mulch behind the topiaries, and Jacob Stuart walked to the unconscious Vampire. "Your son is your weakness, Moretti. I do my homework." He chuckled, waving to the darkness, "Load them up!"

  That same night, Isaac woke up smelling something strange. He didn't know the scent in his house. It wasn't one of his own, that was for sure. He grabbed the gun hidden in his nightstand, slowly moving out of the bed.

  Isaac walked through the dark hallway, looking one way and then another. The smell was starting to split now. There was more than one person here! Before Isaac could turn around, he felt a throbbing pain in the back of his head and then his vision went black.

  An Iron Oath officer stood behind Isaac, speaking into his phone, "Carillo is secure. We'll grab the Druid in a moment."

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Biker Wave

  I knew nothing of what had happened the previous night. I stayed with another Druid near the department, leaving Brutus with them while I went to work. He was better off there than with Faulkner. I forced myself to go home that evening.

  Faulkner had taken over the house in my absence. The living room was rearranged to suit his needs, bringing the couch closer to the TV so he could toy with the technology. My kitchen counters had been cleared of the produce baskets and replaced with junk food that he bought. All I wanted to do was leave again. Not only was Faulkner arrogant, he was an annoying house guest.

  Brutus sniffed towards the door, "Someone is here! I know the smells!"

  "Yeah?" I moved him out of the way, opening the door to see Brian and Erin getting off of their bikes.

  Brutus ran out to greet them, but he was ignored by Brian, who was sauntering towards the house, "Where is he!?"

  I jerked my thumb towards the living room, "Watching TV."

  Both of them stood over Faulkner, who ignored them and leaned towards the TV. He clasped his hands together with a cackle, "Netflix! This is a genius invention, isn't it? It still boggles my mind. Movies and everything right at your fingertips. Technology is amazing. To think how far we've come since the electric light."

  "You're an idiot." Erin rolled her eyes.

  "Hey." Faulkner leaned back on the couch, "I'm old. I appreciate things more than you young people do."

  Erin grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to look at her, "Where is Isaac!?"

  "What?" I was just as surprised as Faulkner.

  "He's missing!" Brian growled, "His place is trashed, and he's gone! Where is he?"

  "I've been right here." Faulkner pointed to the couch, "That does concern me considering we have yet to trap Jacob. Our plan hasn't even been put into act
ion yet."

  "You aren't listening to us! Isaac is missing!" Erin gave Faulkner a shake before letting him fall back into the cushions.

  Faulkner pushed Erin away from him with a dismissive wave, "I am aware of what you said. I had nothing to do with it."

  Both of them looked to me for confirmation. I shrugged my shoulders in response. He had been alone in the house for days.

  "I'm calling Catherine."

  Faulkner looked at me, "See if she's spoken to Vincenzo."

  Catherine answered, "Raina?"

  "Hey." I started, "Have you talked to Vince today?"

  "Uhh no? Should I have?"

  I sighed, "No. Isaac is missing. His house is trashed."

  Catherine went quiet, "Oh God. I'll call Louis right now."

  "Thanks." I hung up, addressing the other three in the room, "She hasn't talked to Vince."

  Faulkner propped his feet up on the coffee table, "Looks like you need to find out if he's at home."

  Normally, I couldn't keep up with bikes. This time, I drove like a bat out of hell, weaving through traffic along with Brian and Erin. We rushed towards Miami Beach, peeling into Vince's driveway. Brian stopped near two abandoned bikes lying in the front yard.

  "That's Chloe's bike." Brian said.

  Erin sighed with relief, "Oh thank God they're..." Her eyes went wide, "Brian!"

  "Their tires are slashed." He snarled.

  Brian was right. Both of the front tires had been slashed in multiple places. Leo and Vince's cars were both in the driveway. All four of the cars were sitting on deflated tires.

  The front door was slightly ajar. Catherine went in first, checking the house for any sign of them. After a quick look around, she came out shaking her head, "They're gone."

  Erin shouted at me, "Where were you Raina? I thought you were staying here! How did you not notice this!?"

  She wasn't angry at me. She was angry over the situation. Her daughter was missing along with one of her close friends. Erin's stress level had boiled over, and I was the target.

  "I was at work, Erin." I said calmly, "I stayed with someone else near the department. Brutus isn't even here."

  She looked around for a minute, confirming that my dog wasn't anywhere to be seen. "I'm sorry. But, Chloe..."