Deadly Beasts (The Curse of the Rose Book 1)

by T. M. Watkins

  William sighed and took my hand, lacing our fingers together as he turned to face me.

  “Those two like to play dumb, to make people think that they are just my lowly followers, servants almost. But do not be fooled, Nick and Marty are far too intelligent for their own good and they are not my lowly followers and they are most definitely not my servants. Nick, the vampire that is quiet on his feet, had been reading my books on a regular basis. Sneaking in and out without me knowing, not that I'd care mind you but it was how he did things. That day he found a book from the section about witches, found himself a nice little chant to recite, stormed into the room and read straight from the book. Eliandra dropped to the floor in a trance, Nick found another chant and broke the pliancy spell she had over me. I could see things before the spell broke, I could hear what she was saying but I couldn't do a thing about it. All I could do was sit there with a dumb grin on my face. This is why I can never part from those two, no matter what happens I know that they will be there for me and will do everything they can to save me if I need it.”

  I grinned and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him to my body.

  “See? I told you that you could be the menacing vampire and still have a good heart.”

  He snorted with a small laugh. “Just don't tell anyone.”

  “So what happened after that?”

  William sat up and settled back against the headboard, keeping close to me. His fingers trailed down my arm to my hand, lacing with my fingers again. “She was hauled before the court again, stripped of her major powers for one hundred years, her minor powers for fifty years. They reinstated the order for her keeping her distance from me, my followers and my house to the one mile mark for one hundred years. That expired just before you arrived and I had applied to have it continued but yet again I was refused. She has them fooled, she misbehaves, she is punished, she leads the perfect life as a good citizen for that time and when it comes to the end of it they think she's changed. After she attacked you I applied again and surprise, surprise, I won the right to have the order reinstated. Another one hundred years of Eliandra being a good girl. We're moving in ninety-nine years by the way.” He grumbled.

  I laughed, watching the deep smile cross his face.

  “You're wrong about these.” He whispered with a wicked glint in his eyes as the pads of his fingers caressed me. “I think you have more than sufficient for this man and he thinks that you are perfectly proportioned. He wouldn't have you any other way.”

  I could feel the heat rise in my cheeks as he nuzzled against my neck still toying with me. His kiss burned against my skin, pulling me to his body. As I settled onto his lap, I quietly hoped that he would forget about my part of the conversation, hoping he was more interested in being tempted into my arms. I was trying, I really was. My only problem was, he wasn't fooled. His arms were wrapped around me as he kissed his way down my chest, looking up at me with the dirtiest grin I had ever seen.

  “More when you've changed your opinion.”

  “Fine.” I huffed feeling bereft already. “I don't believe that I was a naughty child.”

  He shook his head with a chuckle, lifting me off his body and back to my place leaning on the headboard.

  “Nice try. Time for that discussion.”

  The smiles and the laughs were gone, now I was faced with serious William.

  “Yeah, okay. I get it. I didn't deserve it, I wasn't a bad child. He was the bad guy. I don't really want to discuss this.”

  “Well either we do or we find a therapist, which would you prefer?”

  “Neither.” I grumbled.

  William looked at me, his plain face was conveying a simple message. Don't bother with the antics, just deal with it.

  “I don't know what you are expecting from this, I know that I didn't deserve to be raped or beaten, that I didn't deserve to…”

  I looked at him and instantly my stop in the sentence had made him perk up.

  “Be treated that way.” I whispered.

  “Nuh-uh, what were you really going to say?”

  “Nothing.” I muttered as I tried to get away.

  He sighed, a long pained sigh that seemed to be a constant in these conversations. “You aren't going anywhere and I don't know why you seem to think that you can get away with avoiding this.”

  I wiped the tears as I sat on the edge of the bed, remembering the pain of every brutal kick.

  “He got me pregnant, kicked me until I finally miscarried. Wouldn't take me to a doctor for any of it, he knew he'd get caught if he did that.”

  William's arms wrapped around me, pulling me hard to his body. I could feel the pain, not just my own but his too.

  “He managed to get hold of tablets, making me take one after every time he… you know. When I was free of him I went to see a doctor. She said I'd be lucky if I could have children again, the damage he's done is quite horrific. That's why those visions meant so much to me, it gave me hope that she might be wrong.”

  “She is wrong.” He whispered a little hoarse. “She based her diagnosis on a human woman, you are not human. Your body regenerates itself with time. Four years of torture would equate to a few years of regeneration but it will happen. Be patient and one day you will find out that you are pregnant.”

  He pulled me back onto the bed, wrapping us up in the sheets as we laid facing each other.

  “I am glad that you had your revenge before I found out about that, I think that anger would have taken over me and all thoughts of your empowerment would have been forgotten.”

  “Thank you.” I kissed him softly. “I feel better knowing that all hope is not lost.”

  He grinned, his fingers moving across my body under the sheets. They had circled around my stomach for a brief moment and then moved onto my hips, settling on the curve.

  “No, hope is not lost. I'm sure it is right where it needs to be. Now, I do believe I offered more when you had changed your opinion.”

  I shrieked with laughter as he pushed me onto my back. His eyes were wild with excitement as a playful smirk crossed his lips. He pulled the sheet over his head and kissed my sternum, making his way lower. I howled with laughter, his hair was tickling me.

  “Stop laughing woman.” He grumbled from under the sheet.

  When William stopped tickling me we dressed for the masters meeting. I would have preferred to stay in bed for the rest of the night but William was insistent on advising the others of the new developments. He held my hand tight as we sat in the masters meeting room, four men stared at me blankly. I had just told them of the red eyes and slowly it was seeping into their minds as they comprehended the revelation.

  “Well that narrows it down substantially.” Hezekiah stated happily.

  They all nodded in agreement.

  “But do we assume they are all lycan?” Elias queried.

  “It is unlikely that they would associate outside of their own kind but I would not be so quick to dismiss it either. If anything I think that they might associate with another from our world. The fae and the elves will not have anything to do with their kind, avoiding them at all cost.”

  “Even the corrupt ones?”

  Hezekiah turned to me and smiled.

  “Yes my dear, even the corrupt ones. I think that if any association was to be found, it would be with a human. It would benefit them greatly to have at least one around that can help them assimilate into the human world.”

  “Wouldn't that be dangerous for the human?”

  He chuckled, my question obviously a little humorous to him. “Why, yes it would be but do you think they care?”

  I shook my head, his devilish delight at the thought was a little unnerving.

  “So we can all assume that a search of the known lycans in this area would be ideal.” Augustus chipped in. “If nothing is found then we must extend into the outer lying areas until we find results. We need to find the mastermind behind this plot, I dare not think what our much feared fae warrior wou
ld do if her beloved daughter was terminated due to our negligence.”

  His eyes were cold as he grinned at me, I knew why he wanted this to be sorted out so quickly, he didn't want to incur my mother's wrath. This wasn't about me at all, this was about saving his own neck.

  They continued the discussion about the tactics for finding these men, starting with the car accident. The paramedics were called, the men were unconscious in the van. Surely they would have been taken to hospital, hopefully there would be records or some sort. With the contacts they had, these men before me were going to find out if the lycans had been taken to hospital. They would search the police records for any report of an accident, hoping that the vehicle wasn't rented and that it might just be owned by someone they could search for. My gaze would look between each of the elders as they discussed their thoughts on the subject, each of them had their own mannerisms and appealing qualities. But there was one that I could not get past, one that I just could not identify with. His icy eyes would catch mine from time to time, penetrating me with a dark smile that gave me the creeps. I don't think that I am ever going to get along with Augustus and I'd say he probably didn't care either. There was something about him that I just couldn't shake, something that I didn't like.

  Chapter Fifty-two

  Marty looked over the markings on my arm and smiled at me, I could tell there was something about it that she knew and it was likely that she wasn't going to tell me. Discreetly she handed the leather cuffs back to me, not that she needed to be discreet, William was in the study. He was grumbling at Nick who was trying to show him how to operate a computer, stating that as a man of this new age and the fact that he has a girlfriend who is only nineteen, it would be wise to get with the times. It sounded completely perverted, a man of five hundred and eight had a nineteen year old girlfriend. Anyone would think it was something lurid but to look at him, you would think he was no more than somewhere in his mid-twenties. I wasn't going to over think it, I didn't care and William didn't either, in fact it wasn't as if anyone cared. But I couldn't help but giggle listening to them, their arguing about technology made them sound old. William would state that something was broken and Nick would accusing him of trying to destroy his laptop. Marty and I looked at each other, she was biting her bottom lip to stop from laughing.

  “Distraction is the key.” She whispered, taking one of the cuffs back. “Here, there is a proper way to do it otherwise it won't be overly effective. Place the main piece to the dragon, tie it on the top of your arm, not the underside.”

  She showed me the difference, because they were small the lacing would expose the dragon if it was tied on the underside of my arm.

  “When you put the entire piece over him, he won't see a thing. He will go to sleep and William won't know what's going on. If you want to know what he's doing but you don't want him to know what you are doing, leave yours on and take his off. His will awaken and yours will remain dormant. Simple.”

  “But not if he finds out.” I whispered back.

  She pursed her lips with a smile, raising her eyebrows. “It's the price you pay really. Either you trust him or you don't. He's testing the waters Mary.” She paused and cringed. “Jeepers this is going to be difficult. Eliria.”

  I shrugged as I tucked the leather cuffs into my pocket. “I don't mind either way, don't stress if you forget.”

  She nodded and tucked her legs up behind her, sitting closer on the lounge beside me. “Like I said, he's testing you. See how far he can push you so that he finds out his true worth to you. I'd say you past the test, you weren't prepared to share him which is exactly what he wanted to know.”

  Marty held her hand up stopping my interruption. “Words mean squat, your actions showed him how much worth he holds in your life. You showed him in that one little gesture that you would hurt if not kill those that touched what is yours and that says so much to him. And it sets you apart from her, which in my opinion is a must have distinction. Anything you can do to show him you are different, you do it. If it had been her here instead of you, she would have had all of them in the bedroom, his presence would be merely to stop any accusations of her cheating and nothing more.”

  A knock at the main door interrupted her little speech, she frowned and got up to answer it.

  “Master Valerii, welcome.”

  I watched with sudden distaste as she pushed the door open and let Augustus enter, followed by someone I hadn't seen in a while. The master of the afterlife.

  “And Master Dremain, welcome.”

  He grinned with a nod walking into the room behind Augustus. Marty flustered as she closed the door, scurrying across the room.

  “I uh… I'll get my master for you. Please make yourselves comfortable.”

  “Thank you Martine.” Augustus grinned darkly. “Eliria, do you remember Master Dremain?”

  I stood to my feet, I don't know why but I did.

  “Uh yes, though he probably remembers me as Mary.”

  He nodded with a chuckle, sitting down into the tub chair. “How things have changed since then.”

  William entered the room as Marty closed the door to the study, one eye peering at me with a certain unease.

  “Gentlemen, what do I owe the pleasure of your unannounced visit?”

  “Forgive us William but Anton advised me of the concerns he was having and asked that he speak with you at once.”

  William settled onto the lounge beside me, I could feel a horrid sensation gripping me through my body. Why was the master of the afterlife here? What was this concern that he had?

  “Alright, speak quickly.”

  “The crows are reporting of a presence lingering in limbo that death is ignoring, almost like it cannot see her.”

  He said it with worry, the pain in that one little word said so much. Her. “I do not believe it to be true William, I have ensured her soul is bound and locked. I have checked it in the times that she has been reportedly walking the land yet the crows do not lie. They speak of her as if she is truly there. I have walked the land looking for her but I have never seen her, it's almost like she avoids me. But that is the least of my concerns. In my searching for her, I have been finding dead crows everywhere. Who or whatever is down there, is killing my crows. If they are wiped out then death will cease to exist.”

  It sent a shiver up my spine, William was rigid with a deep frown on his face. Yet he had not spoken a word since the mention of his dead wife.

  “A world without death, what a terrible thought.” Augustus mumbled. “Imagine all of those vampires out there feeding from humans that aren't feeders. They survive because there is no death and then all these humans go running off to the police, telling them of these things that hunt them and feed from them. Soon we've got a world filled with vampire hunters. Terrifying.”

  “So what do we do?” I interrupted.

  Augustus raised an eyebrow at me, his grin curling deep into one side. “Well as the one that is the target of lycans, I would suggest you sit tight and stay safe.”

  “But you expect William to do something, do you not?”

  “I never said that.”

  His eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at me, slits icy cold of colour watched me.

  “Then why are you here if you do not expect something of him?”

  “Please Eliria, you mistake my intention.” Anton interrupted. “I came to seek any thoughts William might have as to who this might be or if in fact he thinks it might be Carmella.”

  William huffed, his body sagged slightly as he looked to me. It was sad as he offered a pained smile.

  “I will search for her.”

  “What?” I squinted at him. “Are you crazy?”

  He turned on the seat taking my hands, pleading me with his eyes. Don't make a scene, accept my words, we can discuss this when they are gone.“If there is a chance that it is her, I will be able to find her. Even when the bond is broken, there is still the ability that the master can find the claim. If
it is her, then it won't take me long, I promise.”

  “I fear there is an ulterior motive here William, I worry that you are walking into a trap.”

  “I will be with him, please do not fret for him.”

  I looked at Anton, he seemed trustworthy even though I hardly knew him. My eyes darted to Augustus who was being rather quiet on the subject which was odd, usually he has something to say. He always had to say something, always thinking that we wanted his input. But not now, now he was quiet and I had to say, it was rather disconcerting.

  “Gentlemen, if you would give us a moment.”

  William pulled me to my feet and dragged me into the study where he managed to bang the door on Marty's head. He frowned at her as she rubbed the spot, pretending she wasn't listening. Quietly William closed the door and held me by the edge of my shoulders.

  “Please trust me, you have my love and my faith. I am not going back to her, I promise.”

  “It's not that William!” I snapped lowly. “I am just getting this weird vibe that I…” I sighed “Look, I just don't trust Augustus, okay? He seems far too quiet on the subject.”

  “That's because he has never liked Carmella and has always been forward in saying so. He doesn't want to sway my thoughts on this. I can assure you he would rather I not go down there.”