ould not let his weakness contaminate her, so she had toyed with him, leading him on for years, until he had finally mustered what little self-respect he had left and vanished. Charlotte had never tried to find him.
Downstairs once more, Charlotte pushed open a heavy oak-panelled door and greeted the three vampires who walked into the room.
“Good morning gentlemen,” she sang, and they got to their feet as she took her seat at the head of the table. It was amazing how many of the elders still retained their good manners, despite the years that had passed since society deemed this appropriate. Pushing forward, Charlotte revealed her secret. “Before we begin, there is something I must share with you. There is a wolf residing in my home…” she paused as two of the men rose angrily from their chairs, their fangs extended. “I ask that you tolerate this,” she continued calmly, “because this wolf is the key to ending the Quest. If, after our meeting, you feel otherwise, you are free to deal with him as you see fit.”
The three men deliberated, and Charlotte noticed the dark-haired man on the end give an almost imperceptible nod of his head. She had only met Roman once before – a very old, exceptionally attractive vampire. She made a mental note to seduce him as soon as possible. Satisfied with his response, she turned to Frederick, who stood just inside the door.
“Frederick, please fetch Mister Tane.”
Charlotte cast heavy-lidded eyes at Roman while they waited, but the vampire barely seemed to notice. Sloane, on the other hand, grinned lasciviously at the visible swell of her breasts. Charlotte had already bedded Sloane in return for this meeting and to gain his favour, but she took little pleasure in the necessary act. The councilman was a lazy and insipid lover.
A low hiss ran along the length of the table when Tane entered the room and Charlotte held her breath. The urge to attack in the presence of one of the ten remaining supernaturals was very difficult to resist. The men seated beside her were some of the oldest, most powerful vampires on earth and, if they acted on their impulses, Tane would be dead before she could even get to her feet. Not that she was likely to bother. Showing impressive restraint, however, the men simply eyed Tane with disdain.
The werewolf took a seat on her right, facing the three senior council members on her left.
“You mentioned you had important matters to discuss,” said the thin, raven-haired vampire nearest to her.
“Yes, Dimitri, that is correct. Firstly, I would like to thank you all,” she winked discreetly at Sloane, “for granting me a seat on the council.”
“That is a temporary arrangement,” Dimitri reminded coldly. “When Sebastian Russo returns he will be reinstated.” The other two vampires nodded in agreement, although Sloane did so less enthusiastically than Roman. He very much wished to lie with Charlotte again and she had made it clear she would only comply if he delivered on the promises he had made. As it was, he had spent the better part of a month convincing other council members to accept her proposal and, while they had reluctantly agreed she could be given a seat, they could just as easily renege on the arrangement.
“Gentlemen,” Charlotte simpered sweetly, “Sebastian Russo will not be returning. How many council members disappear without a trace? None that I can recall. I think we can all safely agree that Sebastian has met an untimely end, as tragic as it may be.”
Dimitri gave her an arch look.
“His sister does not believe that. Genevieve is searching for him, even as we speak.”
“Genevieve? I’ve never heard of her.”
“She has always maintained her allegiance to the Quest, but she is not as active a participant as her brother was.”
“If she is so loyal to the cause then why wasn’t she offered her brother’s seat?”
Roman narrowed his eyes at her insolence, which only fueled Charlotte’s determination to take him to bed.
“She is romantically involved with a man who has no interest in the Quest,” Sloane interjected, trying to diffuse the situation. Charlotte was far too forward. “For the time being, Genevieve is content to remain where she is.”
Oblivious of his intention, Charlotte threw back her head and laughed, the tinkling sound making her seem even younger.
“How very sweet. Well, in that case, I do not expect she will be challenging my seat.”
“Should it be discovered that Sebastian is truly gone, and that the Guardians had anything to do with it, I am certain that will change.”
“Well, until then, I am a member of this council. And, as such, I am privy to all of its secrets, am I not?”
“Yes,” Dimitri conceded. “Until such time as Sebastian returns, or Genevieve lays claim to his seat, your position is secure so long as we deem it so. However, we cannot tell you anything with this person,” he sneered, “present.”
Charlotte smiled smugly.
“Tane is far more valuable than you think. He and his brother pledged their allegiance to me decades ago and both have proven themselves worthy of serving me. In fact,” she examined her nails, pausing for dramatic effect, “at this very moment his brother, Caleb, is within Summerfeld’s walls.”
Their response to this proclamation was nothing less than expected. Dimitri’s eyes widened in shock and Sloane actually leapt off his chair. Of the three, only Roman remained impassive, his blue eyes giving nothing away. Dimitri might be the spokesperson for the three, but Charlotte was not fooled. Roman was the one she needed to convince.
“You never mentioned…” Sloane muttered, forgetting himself for a moment before quickly changing tack, “that is not possible!”
“I hear that phrase so often,” Charlotte mused thoughtfully, “and yet, it almost always is. You see, gentlemen, I have not been idle in the years since I learned of the Quest. My knowledge and resources are far-reaching, beyond anything you could possibly imagine. I alone have managed to infiltrate the City…” she let the words hang in the air for a moment, so that they could appreciate the gravity of her feat before continuing. “You denied me a seat on the council once before. I suggest you do not make the same mistake again.”
“You have your seat.” Roman spoke for the first time. His voice was raw and melodious at the same time. “What is it that you want?”
“I want my seat secured,” she answered immediately. “Whether or not Sebastian Russo returns, I stay. I want access to all the information that the council possesses. And I want to meet Aleksei… in person.” This time, it was impossible to miss. Both Sloane and Dimitri turned to Roman for his reaction. Roman lifted a long finger to his chin, eyeing Charlotte thoughtfully. Everyone in the room seemed frozen, waiting for him to speak.
“We will need a moment to consider,” he announced finally, and, nodding graciously, Charlotte swept from the room, Tane following in her wake.
“Do you think they’ll go for it?” Tane was pacing the hall. They had moved away from the door so that they would not be overheard. Charlotte, in comparison, stood perfectly still, although a tiny frown creased her otherwise smooth forehead.
“Of course they will.”
“I still don’t understand why you are so eager to stay on the council. We have already infiltrated the City, what do we need them for?”
“Let me worry about that…” the words were barely out of her mouth when he seized her by the throat.
“In case you have forgotten, my brother is inside that City risking his life for you. I think you owe me an explanation.”
“Do you really think I would allow any harm to come to Caleb. He is part of our family,” she crooned. “Your brother is safe... probably safer than either of us. His very blood protects him. The Guardians will defend him to the death.” Tane loosened his grip, but kept his hands around her soft, white neck.
“How will we get him out?”
“The same way we got him in,” she smiled, “through the Guardian who has betrayed them all. And, as to an explanation, the reason I am so determined to remain on the council is because we need him. King Ale
ksei. Even with the vast number of vampires at my disposal, do you really think we could stand against him? Against the might of the council? No,” she answered her own question, “The City is a means to an end. Once the wards have been destroyed and the Guardians have fallen, there will be nothing stopping us from taking control of this world. I am tired of living in fear, and as long as the Hunters exist, we will never be truly safe.”
“And when they are destroyed? You say the City is a means to an end… what end?”
“When it is safe, Aleksei will once again be free to emerge from the shadows and rule us,” she replied confidently. “And I plan to be right beside him when he does.”
Power, Tane thought. It all came back to her insatiable need for power. Not content with the position she had just secured, Charlotte wanted to be queen. When she had taken him and his younger brother as lovers all those years ago, they could never have imagined the path they would travel. Tane and Caleb had been defending themselves against vampires their whole lives, and when Charlotte’s men had cornered them in that dark alley, they had believed their long lives were finally over. Instead, Charlotte herself had emerged from the shadows – small and fragile, with the face of an angel. She had spared their lives and told them of her plan, offering them her protection in exchange for their loyalty.
Initially Tane had baulked at the idea of planting Caleb within the City. He had been protecting his younger brother ever since they were children, and the thought of being separated from him filled Tane with unease. Charlotte, however, had convinced him that Caleb would be safe, protected by the Guardians, and embraced by the werewolf pack. Tane had relented, although he doubted that his aggressive, arrogant brother would be embraced. He had had no contact with Caleb since they had placed him in the path of the Guardians, certain to be discovered, but he was sure that his brother would be wreaking havoc in the City, and he took comfort in the fact that it would not be long before they would be reunited.
It also meant nothing to the brothers that Charlotte’s plan entailed destroying the last of their people. Those very people had lived safely within Summerfeld all these years while Tane and Caleb had spent an eternity in hiding. They knew nothing of their parents, having been abandoned at a very early age, and they had known nothing of Summerfeld until Charlotte enlightened them. Charlotte’s twisted version of the truth had done nothing to invoke any loyalty to the City, which she claimed had abandoned them, just as their parents had. The brothers were strong and powerful, but what Charlotte was offering was a life without fear, one where they could hunt and live under her protection. They had been only too happy to give up their miserable existence for the opulent extravagance of Charlotte’s home. And now she had exposed them to the vampire council, and still, they were safe. Lowering his hands, Tane resumed his pacing.
When they re-entered the dining hall, Charlotte smiled politely before resuming her seat.
“We have considered your proposal.” Dimitri was once again speaking for the group. Charlotte waited, determined not to let on how important this was to her. “The seat is yours,” Dimitri continued. “We will also answer any questions you may have.”
“And Aleksei?” she pressed.
“Unfortunately, we cannot grant your request. Aleksei communicates only through messengers, all of whom are compelled to forget him. No-one knows his true whereabouts.”
“Somebody must know. If this is a trick...”
“It is no trick,” Roman thundered, showing emotion for the first time. “And you would do well to hold your tongue. Aleksei is our king; it is not our place to question his methods.” Charlotte gazed long and hard at the handsome vampire. He knew, she realised. Roman knew where Aleksei was.
“Of course,” she nodded obediently. “I apologise.”
The conversation immediately returned to common ground. Now that Charlotte was one of them, the councilmen reluctantly answered all of her questions, and they had questions of their own, too.
“You say you have a man inside the City?” Sloane asked.
“A wolf, as I mentioned,” Charlotte corrected him. “We planted Caleb where we knew the Guardians would find him, and, as expected, they took him in.” Charlotte was not prepared to reveal her trump card yet. The real reason the Guardians had found Caleb was because one of their own had known exactly where to look.
“Do you have contact with this wolf?”
“No,” she shook her head.
“Do you have the City’s location?”
“Yes, but we cannot attack Summerfeld before securing the crystals,” she said quickly. “If the City falls, the Guardians will open the Rose Gate, releasing Wintyr from the Temple.”
“And all of the Fae magic along with him,” Roman murmured, looking suitably impressed.
“Which would bring us back to square one,” Dimitri mused.
“You will tell us where the City is,” Roman commanded, “but as you have done what no other has been able to, you have earned the council’s respect. We will take no action without informing you.” He regarded her thoughtfully. “I assume you have devised a plan of your own? I would be interested to hear it.”
Charlotte took a deep breath.
“We forget the City, for now. We focus on the Guardians and obtaining their crystals. Without them, the Rose Gate cannot be opened.”
“In a thousand years we have only ever found two of those crystals. Both were retrieved within days. Even if we could find the Guardians and secure their crystals, the Slayer would come for them.”
Charlotte forced the human memories of that night from her mind; the same night Drake had turned her. She remembered the screaming, and the blood, and the terrifying might of the Slayer who had come to retrieve the stolen crystal. Keeping her fear in check, she met Roman’s gaze levelly.
“Then we will deal with him,” she hissed.
Hours later, Charlotte walked the men to the front door. She had dispatched Tane to his room earlier.
“I couldn’t help but notice the portrait in the hall as we passed it earlier,” Sloane remarked casually as the others fetched their coats. “Might you show it to me?” Charlotte grimaced inwardly but flashed him a polite smile.
“Of course.”
“I’ve missed you,” he murmured, the second they were alone.
“Me too,” Charlotte sighed, as he pawed at her. Charlotte had chosen Sloane for a number of reasons, not least because he was not of the highest intelligence and was easy to seduce.
“Perhaps I could come by tomorrow?” he asked hopefully, pressing himself against her. Charlotte fought the urge to step away.
“I wish,” she squirmed dutifully, and he smirked. “But I fear we need to be careful, my love. If the others were to suspect…”
“They suspect nothing.” Sloane’s ego was yet another of his shortcomings. Thankfully she was saved from having to commit by Dimitri’s voice, closer than expected. Sloane whipped his hand from her shirt as though it was a hornet’s nest and Charlotte hid a smile.
“It is lovely,” he announced loudly, stepping away from her. “Thank you for showing it to me.”
Roman did not bid her goodbye, but, as they departed, Sloane turned to Dimitri.
“We will need to send a message to Genevieve. To tell her that her brother’s seat has been filled.”
“She won’t be happy,” Dimitri focused on Charlotte. She appeared unconcerned.
“I’m sure her weak boyfriend will keep her mind off of things,” she taunted. To her surprise, Dimitri smiled.
“Drake may be a lot of things, but weak isn’t one of them,” his tone issued a clear warning. Charlotte raised her brow in astonishment.
“Did you say Drake?” she asked, a slow smile spreading across her own face.
Chapter 25
“I’ll need to convene the council,” Isaiah said. He and Quinn stood in the woods, allowing Channon and Rafe the chance to talk things through. Rafe’s raised voice reached them and Quinn winced.
> “He should be more grateful,” she muttered.
“It’s shock. A she-wolf taking the role of Alpha is unheard of.” He was saved from Quinn’s undoubtedly scathing retort about sexism by the rustle of bushes nearby. Rayna emerged from the thicket, dried twigs and leaves in her hair and a blazing smile on her face.
“Where are they?” she asked. She was followed by Dominic, also naked, who had dried blood smeared across his torso. A large flap of skin gaped horrifically from his chest and a chunk of his blond hair was missing, leaving an unsightly crimson wound above his left temple.
“Are you all right?” Quinn gasped, but Rayna brushed aside her concern.
“He’s fine, the idiot. He didn’t know what was going on and he challenged Channon.”
“How was I supposed to know she was fighting for Alpha?” Dominic retorted defensively. “I spent the whole of yesterday psyching myself up to fight. I barely knew who I was when she came busting in there like some demon hell-bent on revenge.”
Seeing Quinn and Isaiah’s confusion, Rayna tried to explain.
“Dom was going to challenge Caleb. When you guys… well, when you killed him, we didn’t really know what to do. A few of the younger wolves tried to take up the mantle in the confusion and Dom went ahead with the plan. To be fair, he didn’t realise it was Channon at first, and he certainly didn’t get my message… even though it was loud and clear.” She narrowed her eyes at him, and Dominic held up his hands.
“I was a little busy, and you weren’t exactly thinking clearly.”
Rayna shook her head again.
“When I realised what Channon was doing I told him to stop. Luckily he finally got the picture, or he’d be a lot worse off than he is now.”
“She took me by surprise,” Dominic insisted.
“You got your ass handed to you by a girl,” Rayna corrected.
“Wait a minute!” Quinn interrupted, before they could continue arguing. “Are you telling me that you two were trying to oust Caleb?” After being so vocal, they suddenly decided to remain silent. “What were you thinking?” Quinn snapped. “You could have gotten yourselves killed!”
Guardians of Summerfeld: Full Series: Books 1-4 Page 44
