Stavion blinked several times. “You heard?”
Elder Winters just smirked. “There is not much that I miss.” He regarded Stavion seriously for several seconds and dipped his head. “I will speak with the other elders and have an answer for you shortly. I do hope you reconsider, though.”
Stavion dipped his head respectfully. “Thank you, Elder. Anything you can do would be appreciated.”
The elf waved away his gratitude with a genial smile. “Don’t thank me yet. I’m still hoping that you come to your senses. I understand the amount of responsibility that your position affords, but there are also benefits. You can do a lot of good as a leader. More so than you could as merely an Enforcer. Think it over, Stavion. I’ll be in touch.”
Stavion nodded again and hurried out of the meeting hall. Nothing on earth could make him change his mind. Until he was free of the burden, the elder was correct, though. He had responsibilities that needed his attention, and the sooner the better.
Chapter Two
Huddling on the bed, Jory drew his knees up to his chest and pressed as far into the headboard as he could go. No one had tried to hurt him or force him to do anything he didn’t want to do, but they were just so damn big! He’d never seen men so big before.
He was free of his dark, cold, and terrifying prison. He’d been given his own room with a comfortable bed and real food to eat.
They’d even allowed him to bathe and given him clean clothes to wear.
He was still waiting for the other shoe to drop.
While he hadn’t had the greatest life growing up, he’d always thought his parents loved him. And maybe they did. Apparently, they loved money more, though. He hadn’t always been a slave, forced to do the bidding of his “masters” or risk severe punishment. His parents had sold him when he was fourteen— on his birthday. He dared anyone to name a shittier birthday gift.
His bedroom door creaked open, and a big man he hadn’t seen before stepped into his room. Jory’s entire body shook violently, and he tightened his arms around his knees. This was it. This was where they forced him into the basement or chained him up outside like a dog.
“Hello, little one.” The man’s voice was deep, rich, and silky smooth. He spoke softly, gently, and didn’t move any farther into the room. “I’m Stavion, leader here for all intents and purposes.”
Jory couldn’t move. He couldn’t speak. His heart hammered loudly, and the air caught in his constricted airway. Moving his mouth, he tried to force sound through his lips, knowing the consequences for disobedience and rudeness.
Stavion took a step toward the bed, and Jory finally made a sound.
He whimpered. Panic clawed at his insides, but fear paralyzed him.
He didn’t like this. How was he supposed to keep himself out of trouble if they didn’t tell him what they expected from him? Why were they pretending to be so nice to him?
“Do you have a name?” Stavion still spoke quietly, his voice steady and even.
“J–Jory, sir.”
“You can call me Stavion, not sir. You are free now, Jory. You have no master and can do as you like. Do you have family? I could call them for you.”
Stavion took another step forward, slow and deliberate in his movement, but it didn’t scare Jory quite so much this time. “No. My family doesn’t want me.”
A look passed over the big vampire’s face that Jory couldn’t name, and he was terrified that he’d said something wrong. Lifting his head, staring into Stavion’s eyes, he opened his mouth to plead for mercy when the most intoxicating scent hit him like a Mack truck.
His stomach tightened, his cock swelled, and his head swam from the warm, welcoming smell. Sniffing at the air, he leaned toward Stavion slightly without realizing he was doing it.
A deep rumble echoed around the room, emanating from Stavion’s curled lips. “Mine,” he growled, taking another jerky step forward.
The growl, the snarl on his lips broke the trance, and Jory yelped, scrambling backward until he felt nothing but air and somersaulted head over ass off the side of the mattress.
“Jory!” Stavion rushed around the bed, dropping to his knees and reaching out to touch him.
Crying out, Jory rolled away from the descending hand until he was scrunched beneath the high bed. Stavion didn’t yell or try to reach for him like Jory expected him to do. He just sat there, his face hidden from view for a long time. Then, very slowly, he rose to his feet and shuffled across the room.
“I would never hurt you, Jory,” Stavion said softly. “The sun is almost up, but I will come see you tonight. Please try to eat something and get some rest.”
Jory watched Stavion’s boots travel the rest of the way toward the door and disappear out of it before he finally released the breath he’d been holding. Curling up on his side, he closed his eyes and furrowed his brow as he thought over what had just happened.
One thing was for certain. Stavion was his mate. Jory just didn’t know how he felt about that. The big vampire was certainly gorgeous with his pale skin and inky black hair. He hadn’t tried to hurt Jory and had even seemed concerned for Jory’s safety.
He was freaking massive, though! And Jory had been told one too many lies in his life for him to just fall into the man’s arms because they were mates. Though, if Stavion decided to claim him, there wasn’t much he could do about it. Naturally small, the starvation he’d endured had only left him weaker. In top shape, he wouldn’t be able to fight off Stavion. In his current condition, he wouldn’t even be able to run away.
There was a lot to think about. He wished he could see his friends.
Even if they didn’t know what to do to help him, at least he wouldn’t be alone. If Stavion had truly meant what he said and Jory was free now, then maybe he could ask.
It had been a long time since he’d been allowed to ask for anything, and the mere thought made his stomach churn painfully.
Damn it! He hated being weak. He detested being afraid of everything and everyone. Still, he couldn’t stop the trembling of his muscles as he cowered beneath the bed.
Sucking his bottom lip between his teeth to stop it from wobbling as well, he hugged his arms around his midsection and let his head rest on the carpeted floor. He had a lot to think about, but he was so damn tired. While part of him feared what would happen if he drifted off to sleep, his mind and body could no longer handle the strain of constant fear, and he was out within seconds.
* * * *
Stavion was up and pacing around his room before the sun had even set for the day. Not that he could see the ball of fire since the steel plates that protected them from the harmful rays were still in place over the windows. He hated the house, but the window coverings were a nice touch. Better still, they were set to automatic timers, so even if he forgot, the computer system wouldn’t. They even had not one but two backup generators in the basement in case of a power failure.
His entire life was a fucking mess. He had a coven he didn’t want.
Malakai could barely function through his depression. Thirty-five starved, beaten, and terrified men now looked to him for help and answers. Then, to put a nice juicy cherry on top of everything, he’d found his mate. And hadn’t that gone well.
He couldn’t blame Jory for being frightened, but it hurt when his mate shrank away from him or whimpered in fear when Stavion came too close. The protruding bones, the sunken eyes, and the hollow cheeks broke his heart. Cyrus Redway didn’t deserve the quick death he’d received. No, they should have tortured him slowly before killing him.
The effects of the life Jory had been forced to lead were obvious.
His hair was dull and limp, his eyes held no kind of light, and his skin seemed almost gray in his pallor. Not a bit of it detracted from his beauty.
The sweetest smell he’d ever scented had drawn him to Jory’s room the previous evening. As if in a trance, he’d walked right into that room and had nearly fallen to his knees when he saw the angel sitting on t
he bed, trembling from the top of his blond head to the tips of his tiny feet. Jory was stunning. Once he was back in good health, Stavion imagined he’d be so beautiful it would almost hurt to look at him.
“Health.” Stavion snapped his fingers, and a wide grin stretched across his face. They needed to get a doctor. Not only did he want Jory examined from top to bottom, he should probably have the doc see to the other men as well.
He felt a little better now that he had a plan, however vague it was. Then another thought occurred to him, and he paused in his pacing and frowned. Would they need a different doctor for different preternaturals? Would one doctor be able to treat all of them? And what kind of doctor would he need for Jory? Ah, hell, he didn’t even know if his new mate was vampire, shifter, hybrid, or human. Surely Jory wasn’t human, but Stavion was beginning to realize that he shouldn’t rule out anything when it came to the entire clusterfuck of a situation.
There was a soft beeping then a metallic grinding as the steel plates slid away from the windows. The moonlight filtered into the room, ghosting over Stavion’s pale skin, giving it an almost glowing quality.
Excited to have a course of action, he dressed quickly and hurried out of his room in search of his Enforcers. Every part of him wanted to sprint down the corridors and straight to Jory’s room, but there were matters that he needed to attend to before he could go to his mate.
Finding his way easily to Raven’s room, Stavion smiled. He was getting better at this. Lifting his hand, he rapped on the door, unconcerned if he was waking the big vampire. To his relief, and a little surprise, the door opened almost immediately, and Raven stepped out into the hallway. He looked like he hadn’t slept all day, and Stavion wondered what burdened the Enforcer’s mind.
“You okay, man?”
Raven nodded curtly. “Yeah. I’m good. I hope to hell you have a plan, because I don’t know what to do about this.” The largest of the Enforcers, a smart-ass, and just as often a troublemaker, Raven secretly held a tender heart. Stavion knew it had to be bleeding after finding those men beneath the cabin. Part of him regretted that it was Raven to find them. The rest of him was just glad that he could count on the man. No one was better suited for the task at hand.
“We need to get a doctor in here to look them over and treat them if necessary. We also need some instruction. I don’t know what to feed them or how to take care of them. Hell, I don’t even know if one doctor can treat all of them.” Stavion paused in his frustrated ramble and shoved a hand through his thick, black hair. “Fuck! I’m not even sure what most of them are.”
Raven didn’t look quite as concerned. “Well, if they won’t tell us, we can call Cole. He’s got all the information on his computer. Willow’s friends were the only ones not classified.”
“That’s another thing.” Stavion sighed, debating how much to tell his friend. In the end, he decided to just spill it all. He could trust Raven, even if he might have to take some playful ribbing for a while.
“Jory is my mate.”
Raven nodded somberly. “I’m happy for you.”
“Yeah, well, he’s scared to death of me. I tried to talk to him last night, and he ended up under the bed, crying like I was going to whip him bloody or something.”
Raven winced and shook his head. “They’re scared of their own shadows, man. What Cyrus did was beyond cruel. I can’t imagine ever having to live like that.”
Forcing away the unpleasant thoughts, Stavion tried to get them back on task. “Okay, I’m going to call Blaise. Hopefully, he’ll have some insight, and I can get that list from Cole.”
“Ask if they’ll bring Willow.”
Stavion cocked an eyebrow in question. “What does Willow have to do with this?”
“He’s friends with Jory, right? I’m sure Jory would like to see a familiar face.” Raven shrugged. “Willow likes you. Hell, he likes everyone,” he added around a chuckle. “Maybe he can put in a good word for you.”
Stavion hadn’t thought of that, but he liked the idea. “Okay, I can do that.” He went silent, staring down at the floor and fisting his hands on his hips as he continued to think. “Maybe we can move Jory’s friends to the adjoining rooms. That way they have their own space but are close to each other.”
Raven slapped him on the shoulder as they started down the hallway. “Now, you’re thinking. We’ll figure this out, Stavion.”
“I hate being in charge.”
A deep chuckle echoed around the hall. “Stavion, you have led us for years. Being a coven leader isn’t really much different. It’s just on a slightly larger scale.”
Stavion didn’t say anything, but his friend had certainly given him something to think about. Maybe he’d been looking at the situation all wrong. It was true that he’d been in charge of the Enforcers for longer than he could remember. They were more of a team, though. While he had final say, he looked to them for advice and valued their opinions.
“Stop it,” came a soft voice from ahead of them.
Stavion looked up to find Malakai glaring at him. He was so relieved to see a look other than desolation that he didn’t even mind that Malakai was angry with him. “Stop what?”
“I overheard part of it, and I know you well enough to see where your head is at right now. You’re a good leader, and you can do this. These people have all been hurt. I’m not just talking about the captives you found yesterday. Cyrus Redway has destroyed this clan. It needs a special kind of leader to bring it back. I don’t know of anyone more perfect for the job.”
“Hey, squirt!” Raven ignored Malakai’s monologue and rushed over to lift him off his feet and swing him around in the air. “You finally decide to join the land of the living?”
Malakai laughed, the first joyful sound Stavion had heard from him in weeks. “Put me down, you big idiot!”
Raven swung him a few more times before depositing Malakai on his feet and ruffling his hair. “Don’t be such a stick-in-the-mud. You’re the only one Stavion listens to, and he’s starting to get on my nerves.”
Looking over at Stavion, Malakai crossed his arms over his chest and arched his eyebrow. “Well, we can’t have that, can we?” Stavion grinned like a fool, happy to see his best friend in good spirits for a change. It was great, but they had things to do. He quickly gave Malakai a rundown of his plan, hoping the little vampire would have some insight.
“Any preter doctor should be able to treat them all. If I remember correctly, there are seven vampires, twelve shifters, three weres, and an elf. I think Blaise said eight hybrids, and of course, the four unknowns.”
Stavion beamed with pride. He wanted to snatch Malakai up and kiss him silly. “I knew there was a reason we kept you around.”
Malakai snorted and rolled his eyes. “Don’t kid yourself, Stavion. We only let you pretend you’re in charge.”
“Hey!” Stavion crossed his arms in indignation. “I thought you just said I was a good leader.”
“I did.” Malakai smirked at him. “You’re an excellent leader…because you have me to tell you what to do.”
They continued down the corridor, Stavion chuckling under his breath and filled with relief. Malakai had a point. While Stavion might have the qualities of a good leader, he knew he would be nothing without his friends at his side. A leader was only as good as the council he kept, and he had a damn fine group of advisors.
As they strolled along, Malakai kept up a constant flow of conversation, outlining exactly what they should do and how they should go about it.
It didn’t escape Stavion’s notice that Raven hung on Malakai’s every word. He’d seen the flicker of interest in the Enforcer’s eyes for years, but he just couldn’t imagine the two as a pair. Besides, Malakai had a mate now. It didn’t matter that Boston was too stubborn to claim the vampire—the mating bond was sacred.
Malakai would never want another.
“Have you ever met the Enforcer that Blaise assigned to the pack in Georgia?” Malakai asked, seemi
ngly out of the blue.
Stavion thought it over for a minute and shook his head. “I’ve heard of him. Flynn Murphy is one of the best.” He assumed Malakai was concerned for Boston’s safety. “Your mate will be protected.” Malakai nodded slowly, his eyes taking on a glazed appearance.
“He’s Boston’s mate.”
There was a sharp intake of breath, and Stavion whipped his head to the side to see Raven staring at Malakai as though he’d grown a second head. “I thought Boston was your mate?”
Malakai shrugged. “Cole has two.” Stavion was pleased that Malakai and Cole had become good friends over the past months. “I don’t see why Boston can’t.”
“You know that means—”
Stavion elbowed Raven in the ribs and shook his head fractionally. Yeah, he knew that meant Malakai also had two mates, but he didn’t think his friend would want to hear that just then. If Flynn refused their mating as well, Malakai would be crushed.
Stavion didn’t know if the little vampire would bounce back the next time.
“Call the doc, and get Aslan, Kendall, and Galen moved to the rooms around Jory’s.” Stavion spoke briskly, hoping to distract Malakai from Raven’s half-spoken sentence. “I’ll get Blaise on the phone and see about having them bring Willow here.”
Raven nodded, hurrying away as he dug his cell phone from his pocket. Malakai nodded as well, turning back the way they came. “I’ll wake the others and get them moving. Everything will be fine, Stavion. We’ll figure this out.”
With a heavy sigh, Stavion pulled his own phone from his pocket and dialed. It was answered on the second ring, and before Blaise could even say anything, Stavion spoke. “I need your help.”
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