Hunting the Rogues (Shadow Claw Book 8)

by Sarah J. Stone

  She wanted to keep Agatha busy somehow, but she knew there would be no point. She knew she had to follow the woman and gather whatever information she could. This was Viria’s job but she’d fallen sick and no one had the heart to make her move.

  Nina felt something settle over her heart. A burden of sorts. Something like guilt and regret. She wasn’t sure why, but it was a burden nevertheless. She knew how careless they had all been and how much trouble it cost Ivanna and Viria. The sacrifices they’d made were immense and she wasn’t sure if her efforts would be enough to pay them back.

  She had to do this and make sure she didn’t get caught by the enemies first.

  Chapter 4

  It seemed that Viria was getting better. Or maybe she wasn’t used to lying around so much when conscious. She hated feeling lazy, no matter how nice it was.

  She shuffled about sluggishly. She’d slept the medicines off but the drowsiness still clung onto her like a sloth. Making her feel like a sloth in turn. Deciding coffee might help, she floated down the stairs and into the kitchen where Cassie was pouring herself a glass of water. She had Dahlia in her arms and a little Violet holding onto her shirt and tugging for attention.

  “I heard you had a fever,” Cassie said. “Are you doing better?”

  She squinted at Dahlia. “Not sure about that.” She replied dismissively, “Is she really that quiet? Babies are usually a mess to deal with, aren’t they?”

  “Well, it does get really hard to handle them sometimes,” she admitted. “I remember when I had Violet, I’d break down crying sometimes in the middle of taking care of her. Dahlia is a lot calmer. Aren’t all witch babies?”

  “I wouldn’t say so.” She shook her head. “Did you know it would be hard?”

  “Nope.” She laughed. “I wish I’d known. But I love kids and can dedicate myself to them.”

  “What about Luke, though?”

  Cassie smiled at her weakly. “He has his own troubles, but he’s a good father.”

  Viria looked at her carefully, but shrugged and went on to make her coffee.

  “But you wanted kids, right?” she asked on. “Wasn’t there something you wanted to do that this holds you back from?”

  “Not really, no,” Cassie said. “There’s hardly anything to do. Maybe if I was a working woman of sorts then I would’ve thought it through, but even they can manage if their environment is family-friendly enough. Pregnancy and children don’t stop women from doing anything. It’s just the world that treats it that way. I mean, back at Shadow Claw we have nurseries and all, so our women go back there every hour or two to check on them, head back to work, then pick them up to go home.”

  “That’s convenient.”Viria nodded as the water started to boil in the kettle. She spooned in some granules.

  “Also we make sure the men are sent home at the same time to spend it with their families. Women aren’t the only parent kids have.”

  “Most people don’t really get that, though,” Viria said.

  “In some places, no,” she said. “Kids tend to go rogue if not looked after well at home. I guess it’s why so many packs and communities are holding back now. We’re not reproducing as much.”

  Viria gave it a thoughtful analysis but was interrupted by the beeping. Her coffee was ready.

  “By the way,” Cassie said, “I got a call from Luke asking me if Diana and I could go and help with negotiations.”

  “That would be helpful. When do you leave?”

  “As soon as the cubs are shifted into the sanctuaries from our packs,” she explained. “Ivanna gave the okay.”

  “Well, at least you’ll have something to do now.” She sighed, “I’ll just have to lie around and wait for updates.”

  “You deserve some rest, Viria,” Cassie said gently. “You’ve been up on your feet for too long. We’re here to help now. Tell us what to do and we’ll do it right.”

  Viria cocked her head after a bitter sip. “I guess it’s not all that bad to have people to work with.”

  ****

  Ammara and Kalen were confused. They hadn’t expected the Council of Elders to change so drastically. But they really weren’t the ones to complain seeing how they’d been away from the quarters for so long.

  “And you are?” Kalen inquired skeptically.

  “Cole Grace, Your Majesty.” He approached the two with a bow. “I’ve taken Gael’s place as the Elder of Vampires.”

  “I was aware we were in need of one,” Ammara said, “but we weren’t informed.”

  “I’m well-acquainted with Samuel, Abigail, and Heather,” he explained. “I’m sure they’ll offer the explanation you need. For now, if I may be allowed to request, would you fill in some things in the documents I give you?”

  “Documents?” Kalen raised his brow.

  “It’s best to keep records of all that has happened in the past few months to go back to and connect the dots when the right time arrives,” he explained. “Nothing lengthy, I promise.”

  “Ah, Kalen,” Abigail said, coming up beside Cole. “I see you’ve met our new Elder.”

  “We didn’t get a written approval from Gael and neither did we sign an acknowledgment,” Ammara said. “I didn’t know we could overlook protocols.”

  “In a case of emergency, we are allowed to do so,” Abigail explained. “Any sign of incompetence and he’s out.”

  “Has he been bestowed?”

  “As of yet, no,” he said, “Nina’s presence is needed. Only after that will I become an official member.”

  “You’re still working as one,” Kalen pointed out.

  “I’m just filling in until Nina does the work or someone more capable comes along,” he explained. “But I am making changes to the system to bring about more efficiency.”

  “He’s doing a really good job,” Abigail said with a hand on his arm. “We’ve updated a lot here and work has gotten much easier.”

  Kalen eyed him. He knew this day would come. That a new generation would have to take over eventually. But he felt threatened by him. Giving up a position of power was not easy. Handing it over to him would not be easy.

  Cole seemed to catch onto Kalen’s vibe and nodded to him, “I shall take my leave. There are things I must look after.”

  “Yeah, you should go.” Abigail nudged him away gently. He turned around and walked off.

  “Abigail are you sure?” Ammara asked.

  “Look, he’s enough a miracle,” Abigail responded with a slight laugh. “I mean, things aren’t really going well, so we’re desperate and we’re lucky enough to have him on the team. We’re in need of more replacements but he’s doing the work of three people easily.”

  “What’s he doing exactly?”

  “Reforming the Council systems and protocol for efficiency,” she listed, “tracking down rogues from his communities, and holding off the Morbus.”

  Kalen and Ammara were taken back and looked at each other. “Sounds like Viria, doesn’t he?” Ammaraasked and he nodded.

  “Is it just me or is there some new gene going around making these kids more efficient than they need to be?” he said.

  “Whatever it is,” Abigail said, “it’s a previous obvious sign it’s time for the new generation to take over.”

  “We’re not even that old!” Kalen said and the women gave him deadpanned looks. “Well, I mean, we’re immortal and all but—”

  “The world is changing fast and so are these kids,” Abigail said. “We can’t catch up in all honesty.”

  Kalen grumbled under his breath while Ammara took over, “How old is he, anyway?”

  “He stopped aging at eighteen,” she explained, “It’s been almosta year now since then.”

  “Doesn’t look all that young,” she said, recalling his chiseled features and Kalen nudged her with a frown. “What? It’s not like I’ll go after him, goodness!”

  Abigail chuckled. “Anyway, it’s good to have you guys back.”

  “What’s be
en happening while we were gone?”

  “In all honesty…” she sighed, “nothing but reformations. Our help has been rejected by our own people and they’re trying to take everything into their own hands. There’s some bitterness in the air against us.”

  “Can’t blame them,” Ammara breathed. “Let’s keep an eye on them at least?”

  “Yeah,” she said. “Anyway, we’re waiting for the rest of the Elders to make it here so that we can havemeeting regarding Cole. His work needs to be in the records and it cannot go without a signed acknowledgement or we’ll have more to be blamed for.”

  Ammara agreed, but she gave it a thought. Were they really doing all this for the people anymore, or just for themselves to stay in the clear? Over the years, it felt like they’d become less and less sincere to their people, and it was understandable how boring things could get when they’re being done in a routine for over centuries.

  It didn’t take long for everyone to arrive and assemble in the Great Hall. A large circular table took over most of the space at the center. Kalen noticed the a large area at the center of the circle was no longer wood, but replaced with glass that had colorful writing and images sliding about, some rising above the table in a hologram. While everyone was still taking their places, Cole was busy with the books on the far end of the room, eyes carefully drinking in the texts. Ammara remembered how much she herself loved to read books, even write them. If Viria and Cole turned out to be good people and leaders, maybe she’d give them access to it. They seemed like genuinely intelligent beings who could make good use of it to make the realm a better place. An odd sense of hope settled over her heart, along with a sad realization that the current Council’s end was near after so many years. She could see it. She had seen it.

  Remembering all those hazy visions from the coma all so suddenly made her head hurt, but she realized she’d seen people like Viria, Mitch, and Cole elsewhere before meeting them. Somewhere in the books and dreams, in the prophecies. It all confirmed everything. And she knew it would be met with resistance on their side.

  Unease settled over her. She could feel it. The moment Viria came into the whole equationwas the turning point of history. The Morbus would not be the only ones the new generation would have to deal with. Maybe they’d have to deal with someone from their own seniors. Jealousy and hunger for power would rage. Friends turning into foes.

  Right now, it was the humans trying to end them. In the future, it would be their own selves drawing them into extinction.

  Cole looked up from his book and met Ammara’s eyes rather accidentally. A sense of understanding passed through them and he shut the book and turned to place it back where he picked it from, making his way to the table and taking a seat right by Ammara.

  “Let the meeting commence,” Samuel said at the other end. Kalen’s eyes scanned the room and landed on a camera that had just started to blink.

  “Why is there a camera here?”

  “To record the meetings to place in the records.”

  “What for?”

  “That’s how things work now,” Heather said. “If we’d had this back when Morrigan was here then we could have caught onto a lot.”

  “Great, now you’re bitter, too?”

  “Kalen,” Ammarasaid gently with a hand on his arm.

  “It’s about time for Gael’s stand-in to introduce and his objectives,” Samuel said. “Cole Grace? You have the floor.”

  “Thank you, Samuel,” he said and gracefully rose. “I trained under Gael privately for ten years and returned just a few months ago to visit him. It was disheartening to see him in the state he was in but to see the notion of me taking his positionbring him such happiness was enough to make me accept his request. Before coming back, I was traveling the world and befriending the Heads of the other vampire communities. I have taken part in many wars and battles and have worked as an agent for most of them, forming alliances and ensuring their protection.”

  “Wow,” Ammara whispered with a shudder. “He truly is like Viria.”

  “I’m concerned about the fact that there is already a second youngster to have gone through such an ordeal,” Kalen muttered. “How old were we? In our thirties?”

  “I hope there aren’t too many.”

  “There are many like me,” he announced.

  “Well, goddammit,” Kale sighed.

  “I have a large connection full of such people willing to serve and protect our kind.”

  “Now this just sounds like a spread-out cult,” Kalen whispered. Ammara jammed an elbow into his rib.

  “Anyway, one my main objectives have already taken effect,” he claimed. “A reformation of the system for the sake of efficiency. My second aim is to start recruiting suitable members for the council. Bright, fresh minds like my friends and I who can propel the realm toward progress.”

  “Do you have any candidates?” the Elder of Swans asked.

  “I have one at the moment who is present in the area,” he said, “She’s currently very busy and I haven’t established contact with her yet.”

  “Who?”

  “ViriaSchovsky.”

  Chapter 5

  A mutter passed through the room.

  “How do you know her?” Abigail asked uncomfortably.

  “Everyone knows her, Abigail,” the Elder of the Crocodiles said. “She’s helped out a lot of our packs and communities. She’d been working undercover the whole year against Asther’s antics.”

  “But that’s not how most of you know her,” Heather stated.

  “A warlord,” the Elder of Rabbits admitted. “An agent. Nothing different from all Cole Grace has described himself to be.”

  “We already have Nina, though,” Ammara stated. “There isn’t a need for another witch in the Council.”

  “Nina doesn’t really fit the criteria for the role, despite her records,” Samuel said carefully. Ammara couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

  “Samuel,” she breathed, “You saw everything they’d been through.”

  “I see results in Viria’s case, Ammara,” he said. “I see dedication and selflessness. She has the time and energy Nina does not have.”

  “But Nina is more powerful than any other witch at this moment!”

  “Strength of power is not what we are concerned about,” Cole said gently. “It’s about leadership qualities, intelligence, and experience with war and gathering information. Nina didn’t exactly follow any protocol herself either by joining the Elders. She hasn’t even been in the quarters yet. It will be all too much for her to take especially since she’s Luna of a wolf pack.”

  “Dividing her attention would be too strenuous,” someone agreed. “Viria has no other goal or work besides being dedicated to all of the realm and keeping her people in check. Nina didn’t do anything of that sort.”

  “Viria never had any personal troubles.”

  “She had Morrigan to deal with,” Cole stated, “along with many internal wars she had to indulge in due to the debts and incomplete deals. From my knowledge, she spent many months tirelessly taking care of not just internal conflicts, but external, as well. Morrigan and Asther are no easy people to work around.”

  “We were the ones to kill them,” Kalen declared.

  “And Viria was the one to take the brunt of everything, Your Majesty,” he said firmly. He had such a calm composure with such afirm tone, it was intimidating Ammara. All she could see in him was Viria.

  “No disrespect,” he continued, “but she filled in the holes where all of you as the members of the Council lacked majorly.”

  The Council members were silent. The air turned sour.

  “There is no harm in admitting it.” Samuel sighed. “Should there be an initiation to determine fit candidates?”

  Cole nodded. “Yes, even I would gladly go through it. Now is the time to start and train them before they come into the office. We have bigger troubles to face in the future and we’ll need people like Viria.” />
  The Council contemplated in silence. Kalen, though, wasn’t contemplating anything. He only plotted.

  This was all a few days ago, though. And Kalen had yet to try being reasonable. He’s gone through everything he could to find out anything suspicious about Cole. But the vampire was clean and so the only thing left to do was to go to Gael and gain some reassurance from him. If he was lucky, he’d find something to use against Cole.

  ****

  Viria was with Mitch. She meditated while he practiced with the corpses. It was disturbing to see them standing, decomposed and sluggish. But the more they moved, the more they healed. They became more alive. Mitch was making them jog around to get their joints to loosen up.

  Viria was reading the books she’d received from the Head Ghouls. She’d already practiced enough and had nothing left to do. Her familiars had finally come around to see her and sat by her. She’d put them on patrol while she was away. The moment they had reached the former site of Mitch’s cemetery, she’d sent them away. It was still difficult to still properly accept help from them. She wanted to protect them more than she wanted them to help. If they’d ever helped, it was only during war because Yin and Yang could be brutal and they were her strongest assets for it.

  A scream ripped her away from her meditative state and threw her into reality. She gripped her head as she looked around for the source. The sight to see was absolutely disorienting and she wasn’t sure if it was even real.

  Mitch was running with all the ghouls after his tails. That seemed normal because it wasn’t the first time she’d seen his powers lose control and focus, but these corpses were shooting bolts of light and blue energy and she couldn’t seem to comprehend it.

  “These guys can still use their powers!” Mitch screamed to her.

  That’s ridiculous! That wasn’t what she read in the books. Once a being dies, they lose their powers. Shifters remain in the form they died in, even after being raised. Witches cannot use their powers. Vampires can’t, either.

  But it was happening in front of her right now. The dead witches were after him and throwing spells and hexes at him that he tried to dodge. Their aim was off but the fact that they could do magic was enough.