The Lion's Den

by D N Simmons

  They looked around the room, marveling at the lavish luxurious decorations. They waited feeling their nervous tension mounting, some of them were more nervous than the others.

  “I hope he helps us,” Devin said.

  “Why wouldn’t he?” Sebastian asked. “Darian’s in trouble.”

  “I don’t know … I just hope he helps us,” Devin repeated.

  “I don’t see why he wouldn’t. Aren’t vampires loyal like that?” Sebastian asked. He was excited to meet Darian’s Master, his Maker, the vampire who brought him over. He’d been impressed with Darian ever since the first day he’d met him. He regretted not being allowed to go to the birthday party Natasha threw for him, which Kysen had attended. He’d heard so much about him when the rest of his Pride returned home, he was just itching with anticipation to see if he was a being who could measure up to the hype.

  “In my experience, I’ve seen some who are loyal and some who aren’t. The blood bond they share doesn’t always instill loyalty, remember both Tony’s and Christopher’s histories with their Makers,” Elise said.

  “Oh, I see,” Sebastian said, nodding.

  Several minutes passed before Kysen entered the den, dressed in a cream button-up shirt, matching flat-front pants and sandals which complemented his dark chocolate complexion. His long braided hair was tied behind his back, revealing his beautiful almond-shaped golden brown eyes. He crossed the room gracefully as if his feet didn’t touch the ground. He made his way toward his favorite chair, settling into the cushions comfortably, crossing one leg over the other, with both hands clasped together resting in his lap. His eyes scanned over the many faces peering back at him, noticing that the face of his child, Darian, was not in the crowd. After scanning all of their minds, he now knew why. He could sense that they were in fact, tired, weary, afraid and in pain. He could smell their fear in the air and it made his mouth water. It was a scent that always awakened the predator within. He welcomed that scent when he hunted, it enhanced the entire experience, made it more intoxicating … primal.

  Letting his eyes scan over them, he spoke. “Very rude of you to enter my territory without my permission.” His voice reverberated throughout the room, sending chills down the others’ spines.

  “We apologize for the intrusion, however, we didn’t have a choice,” Elise said, stepping forward.

  Kysen studied her closely. He remembered her from Darian’s birthday party. She’d been pregnant then and radiated a certain glow that he had found mesmerizing. Now she appeared to be a bit worse for wear. Her hair was uncombed, clothes torn, bloodied. Her eyes were weary, sad. As far as he was concerned, that was no way for a woman of her stature to appear.

  “Go on.” Kysen made a gesture for her to continue.

  “Xavier only knew your address, and little else, so we couldn’t have called to request permission. We need your help,” she said, locking her aqua green eyes to his golden brown. She couldn’t help but stare at his exotic beauty. It never ceased to amaze her just how gorgeous many of the vampires were. She would have to agree with Sergio when he mentioned vanity was their motivation for turning only those who they deemed pretty. She knew that Darian was guilty of this as well, although, she wasn’t sure if Xavier would be interested in making one solely out of beauty.

  “I know why you need my help. Fine mess you’ve gotten yourselves involved in,” Kysen said.

  “Will you help us?” Elise asked, getting to the point.

  “No.” Kysen rose from his seat, approaching them.

  “Why not?!” Devin blurted out, not really meaning to.

  Kysen turned slightly, addressing him. “Because, I have no interest in cleaning up your mess.”

  “But Darian needs your help!” Devin continued.

  “This is his mess as well.”

  “Wrong. This is your mess and others like you,” Adan spoke up.

  Kysen turned sharply, one perfectly shaped eyebrow arched, looking at him. “Come again?” He’d never met this shifter before, and he didn’t appreciate him speaking out of line. But he did have to admire his stunning beauty. His golden amber eyes were truly something to behold. He studied Adan, waiting for him to respond.

  “This vampire who attacked us is ancient, like you. I’m sure you’ve seen all of the carnage he and his coven have caused, yet you sit idly by and watch people suffer when you have the power to put an end to it. This is not our mess,” Adan stated.

  “Is that so?” Kysen smirked.

  “You know it’s true, what I say,” Adan replied.

  “Kysen, I think I speak for all of us when I say that we’re all very tired, it goes without saying that tempers will flare,” Elise said, gaining the ancient vampire’s attention. She continued. “The reality is, we need your help, I don’t see why we have to go through this in order to get it. You love Darian, why not help him?”

  “What I do or choose not to do for him is my business,” Kysen said, giving them all a stern glare.

  “One could say that it was a mistake coming here. However, I don’t believe that,” Xander said. Kysen turned, looking at the Pack Alpha. “You’re powerful, I can sense your aura, I’m sure that you want me to. You’re more powerful than Marcus is. He has Darian captive … At least that’s what we believe. If so, my son, her lover and others are with him. He could be doing God knows what to them. Darian is yours, by all rights. At the very least, what Marcus has done is an insult to you. We want to rescue them, but we need you. Will you help us?” He hoped he was appealing to Kysen’s love as well as his overall possessiveness toward Darian.

  Kysen stood silent for several moments, thinking about what they said. He snorted. “Perhaps had you not fled your territory in such a cowardly manner, Darian wouldn’t be in need of my help.”

  “You can tell yourself that, but before us, there were others. Countless others, whom Marcus tortured and murdered. Eventually, he would have found Darian. And my Pride ‘fleeing’ our territory was not done out of cowardice. Unlike you, I protect what’s mine, with no questions asked, no prodding needed. I did what I thought I had to do, to make sure they survived,” Adan shot back.

  Four younger shifters, who had been standing near Adan, began to step back, not wanting to be near him if Kysen were to strike out. They remembered Darian’s apprehension when coming face-to-face with the older vampire, in spite of their strong bond. Many believeKysen would kill Adan, since the two men shared no bond whatsoever. Elise and Xander stood their ground. They were going to continue to persuade Kysen to help them, even if it meant incurring his anger.

  “But you couldn’t protect them on your own,” Kysen continued. “You’ve failed them anyway.”

  “At least I tried, you won’t even do that for Darian.”

  “There are no consolation prizes for failing at being a leader. ‘Trying’ isn’t doing. Why do you care what I do for Darian? Had he stayed with me, he wouldn’t be going through this anyway.”

  “Is that what this is about? You teaching him a lesson?” Elise asked, incredulously.

  “If that’s how you want to see it,” Kysen answered.

  “Why are you being petty? This is childish behav” Adan’s words were cut off by powerful fingers tightening around his throat.

  Kysen’s face was less than an inch from his. “Speak not of what you do not understand! I should kill you for what you say!”

  “You know I’m right!” Adan managed to say between labored gasps.

  The two men stared at each other.

  “Kysen, could you live with yourself if Darian were killed?” Elise asked, hoping he’d let Adan go and bring his attentions back to the matter at hand. He didn’t.

  “Out of my home! All of you!” Kysen growled.

  Devin wasted no time in leaving. Others followed his lead. Nicole gestured for Elise, urging her to follow them.

  Elise told them to go then she turned, stepping toward Kysen until she was standing beside him. “Please let Adan go,” she said.
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br />   “No. He stays,” Kysen said, still holding Adan, but not aggressively. He was no longer choking him; his hand now pressed the younger shifter against the wall. “I have something I want to discuss with him.”

  “It’s all right, Elise. Go with the others,” Adan said.

  Grudgingly, Elise decided to go, leaving the two men alone.

  Kysen released Adan, stepping back, taking in his appearance. He could sense the lion’s aura as well as his pride. He smiled. “You’ve got nerve, I’ll give you that. Perhaps it wasn’t cowardice that sent you to my Darian. Nonetheless, they feel as though you brought this onto them.”

  “I can see why they’d feel that way,” Adan said, rubbing the soreness across his throat.

  Kysen reached over cupping Adan’s cheek. The shifter stood still, keeping his eyes locked on the vampire, who smiled. “You remind me a great deal of him. Your boldness, even if it’s rather imprudent.”

  “It seems to be the only language you old ones appear to understand.”

  Kysen leaned forward; his lips were inches away from Adan’s, who allowed him to make that approach. “You’re bleeding.”

  “You made me bite my tongue,” Adan explained. His eyes softened as he looked at the ancient vampire. He was beginning to sense Kysen’s attraction to him.

  “I see,” Kysen said. He pressed his silky, full lips to Adan’s, kissing him passionately. He slipped his tongue inside, licking the blood that was spilt. When he pulled away, he licked his own lips, savoring the taste of the young shifter.

  “Vampires,” Adan snorted.

  “I hate to see good blood go to waste.”

  “Then save Darian and the others,” Adan said, forcing Kysen to stay focused on more important matters.

  Kysen tilted his head slightly, admiring Adan. “And you and your Pride?”

  “It’s true. In saving Darian, you’ll be helping me by killing Marcus. Is that why you don’t want to help us?”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “Then, was Elise right when she said you’re trying to teach Darian a lesson? Hoping he’ll come back to you?”

  “You are beautiful,” Kysen said, changing the subject, throwing Adan off guard. “Positively exquisite.”

  Adan huffed, growing frustrated. “Stop changing the subject,” he complained. “Why are you being so nonchalant? These are important matters!”

  “Important to you.”

  “I can see that you don’t care about what happens to us, but don’t you care about what happens to Darian?”

  “You keep mentioning his name to me as if I’m supposed to hop on my white steed and race to his rescue, with my sword raised high,” Kysen chortled.

  “You’d come to his birthday party, but not to his rescue?” Adan questioned sarcastically.

  Kysen laughed outright. “One does seem more trivial than the other, doesn’t it?”

  “You’re wasting time. Will you help us or not?” Adan asked.

  “The sound of your voice is pleasing to me, as well as your accent.” Kysen’s eyes trailed over Adan once more, drinking in his beauty.

  “Don’t look at me that way.”

  “In what way?” Kysen asked, smiling slyly.

  “Need I remind you of your recent outburst, which ended with me shedding blood?”

  “As I recall, it was you who bit your own tongue. Besides, you had that coming. As far as I’m concerned, you were out of line. Being a leader yourself, I’m sure you’ve … disciplined those beneath you before.”

  “Is that what you call it? Is that what you think I am … ‘beneath’ you?”

  “Don’t act so surprised.” Kysen flashed him his most captivating smile. “Besides, I’d rather like the idea of having you beneath me,” he said imploringly.

  A surge of desire rippled through Adan sending chills down his spine. “You’re pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?”

  “Of course.” Kysen could sense the shifter’s arousal growing and was pleased.

  Adan snorted. “I see where Darian gets it now.”

  “Oh, don’t be so sure. My Darian was very arrogant long before I brought him to me. You remind me of him … His passion … His valor. Especially in your comments toward me.”

  “I’ve simply grown weary of playing the games of beings who are old enough to know better.” Adan knew he was pushing it by being so direct. He also knew that it was working. Pleading with Kysen didn’t seem to be the answer. He didn’t blame Elise and the others, they were being respectful, something they would have wanted in return had the situation been reversed. He however, owed this vampire nothing and he was far too exhausted to be respectful. All he knew was that he wanted to save the lives of those who were now in danger as well as his Pride. If insulting this vampire could get a rise out of him, then so be it.

  “I’ll save Darian and the others, not because you unskillfully attempted to goad me.”

  Adan chuckled. “Then why?” Still with the games, he thought. How bored are the old ones when this seems to be their entertainment?

  “Does that matter?”

  “You seemed very adamant to teach him a lesson, I’m just curious as to why you’ve changed your mind?”

  “Because, Darian belongs to me. He always has, he always will.”

  Adan’s eyes narrowed. “You were going to save him all alone, weren’t you?”

  Kysen smirked. “Yes, once I read your minds and knew what had happened to him.”

  “Why all of the games, then?”

  “Because I could.” Kysen walked away, sitting in his chair. “And I wanted to see what you’d all say.” He called for his servant, who entered the room.

  “Yes, Master?” the servant said, bowing.

  “Tell the others they may park their trucks in the garage and come inside,” Kysen said, still watching Adan from across the room.

  “ont size="3">Yes. Master.” The servant left, following Kysen’s orders.

  Adan approached Kysen. “When you go to save him, I want to come.”

  “Think you, that I need your help? Honestly, you will only hinder me. Look at what your assistance did for Darian.”

  “That’s not fair.”

  Kysen studied the shifter for a few seconds then he spoke. “Why do you want to come? What help could you possibly be against them?”

  “I owe Darian my life.”

  “As he once owed you his?” Kysen asked, making reference to Adan’s past.

  “It’s true. I did help Darian a hundred and forty-eight years ago.”

  “Hunters.”

  “They attacked him and his coven right before dawn. Like me with my Pride, he was trying to protect his coven. One of his members had made the mistake of being caught feeding, led them right to his home which the hunters had set fire to, leaving them without shelter from the sun.

  “Darian did manage to kill the hunters?” Kysen asked.

  “He’s your child isn’t he? He did. But that wasn’t his problem as you know.”

  “You gave him shelter.”

  Adan nodded. “Even though we hadn’t met before, I felt he could be trusted.”

  “A man of integrity, indeed,” Kysen remarked.

  “I’ll have you know, I never reminded Darian of the debt he owed to me when I came to him for help.”

  “You never had to. Darian remembered. He’s honorable that way.”

  “I still feel as though you’ll need help if you’re going for them. Marcus is ancient, like yourself and those within his coven are powerful as well. They may make it difficult for you to attack him,” Adan said, trying for reason.

  Kysen pursed his lips, contemplating. He raised one eyebrow. “Perhaps, you’re right.”

  Kysen’s servant entered the room again. “Master, our guests are inside now, where should I send them?”

  Exhaling a long sigh, Kysen relaxed in his chair. “You may send them in here.”

  The servant bowed and left the room, returning with the others trailing
along behind him.

  Elise entered the room, looking at Adan, she then returned her gaze toward Kysen. “Is everything all right?”

  Adan nodded. “Yes.”

  Kysen watched all of the supernaturals and humans pour into his den. He looked at their torn, dirty, and bloodied clothing and frowned. “Although, you are guests in my home, I do not want you siting or touching anything here. Not until you’ve bathed properly. You are all offensive to my senses and this just won’t do.”

  A few of the others looked down at their attire, no one said anything, many agreed, and wanted to clean up and change clothes, but just hadn’t had the opportunity. Others however, didn’t take too kindly to Kysen’s insult, but still remained silent.

  Elise decided to question Kysen, to see where he stood. “We need to know if you’re going to help us. If not, we need time to come up with another plan.”

  Kysen arched an eyebrow. “Fiery, aren’t we? I admire that trait in a woman.” He crossed one leg over the other. “I will help Darian, and the others.”

  “Now?” Elise asked, stepping forward.

  “As soon as I am able to contact him,” Kysen answered.

  “I thought your connection to him was strong, why can you not reach him?” Xander asked. He was worried for his son as well as the others. He had no idea what Marcus had planned, and he certainly didn’t want the others to suffer any longer than they had.

  “This vampire is powerful … he has Darian’s mind blocked along with the others. However, I can sense his general location,” Kysen informed. “I could break his hold on Darian, but I don’t want to alert this, Marcus to my presence. I want this insolent vampire to believe he’s still in control.”

  “What is their general location?” Xander asked.

  “Europe … quite possibly near the Mediterranean.”

  “Italy? Greece?” Xander suggested.

  Kysen nodded. “Most likely, Italy. I won’t know for sure until I get closer to that area. Unfortunately, I’m sure some of you will want to join me, which will slow me down significantly.”