by Ariel Marie
“Well, she has a meeting here, where it looks like she listens to vampires with issues. It’s marked down as the queen’s hearing. Vampires from all over the country will get a public hearing with her. From what I gather, it’s like a town hall meeting with the queen.”
Bella’s gut tightened as she stared at the computer screen. That would be the day that Rowena would attack. If Bella was the one planning an attack, it would be the day she would choose. The Olaru’s home would be opened to the public and anyone could slide right in and attack.
“What are you thinking?” Viva came over to where they were. “I can tell your brain is running a mile a minute.”
“The Queen’s Hearing,” Bella said, looking around the room. The vampires in the room stopped talking. “How does that work? Do the vampires who come have an appointment?”
Teague frowned for second. “No, it’s a town hall meeting for vampires to come to our mother for issues and forums. Our doors are opened for the public.”
“Can it be cancelled?” she asked, looking around the room. Nicu, Teague, and Adrian were all standing by the window. Nicu broke away, walking towards her.
“No, it can’t be,” he said, shaking his head. “This is a public event that is held quarterly. Vampires from all over the country come to petition their troubles to our mother.”
“There is no way that she would cancel that event,” Adrian agreed, shaking his head.
“You think that’s when Rowena will attack?” Teague asked, joining the group.
“That’s what I would do,” Bella said to the room. “If this event must go on, then we need to secure this building. Lock it down tight. Rowena will come for the queen. She will walk straight through the front door.”
“What do you have in mind?” Katri asked, coming to stand next to Bella.
“We’ll need all the help we can get,” Bella commanded, taking charge. “How many more vampires can you get here to help?” she asked Nicu.
“You’re talking about a potential assassination on the vampire queen,” Nicu said with narrowed eyes. “The vampire nation loves our mother. There will be no problem getting more Shadow warriors from around the world here to protect their queen.”
Bella nodded, feeling all eyes on her. This was what she was trained for. She had no doubt that her death would be an honorable death and would not be in vain.
Chapter Nineteen
~Teague~
The royal house was on lockdown again. Security was on such high alert that Teague would not have been surprised if they would have issued identity cards and badges to wear. The Queen’s Hearing was in less than twenty-four hours and since yesterday, he had barely seen or heard from Bella.
He knew that she was working around the clock to ensure that his mother was protected from the evil witch and he trusted that she would keep his mother safe. Tonight, he had to patrol with the Shadows. With all the activity around trying to hunt down the witch, the necromancers had gone silent again. It was as if they were waiting to see who would prevail, the vampires or the witch. Teague thought that idea to be crazy, since the witch had only made threats, but hadn’t acted on anything yet.
No one took the threats lightly though. The history behind his parents and the witch was enough for everyone to stay on high alert. His parents again refused to go into hiding. He snorted, thinking his father’s reaction when Bella suggested it.
If he would have known she would suggest that, he would have told her to save her breath. Vladimir and Alin Olaru didn’t run from anything. They faced everything head on, together, as mates were supposed to do.
“What’s got you so quiet? That valkyrie leader?” Adrian asked as he drove them into a rough part of downtown. Tonight, they had been assigned together. Toma, who he usually patrolled with, was off tonight, something to do with dinner with his mate’s family.
Teague still had duties of a Dark Shadow warrior that didn’t go away even with the threat on his mother’s life. Killing a rogue vampire or taking out a versi was just what he needed to get his frustrations out.
“No,” he said, before quickly changing his mind. “Yes. Yes and no,” he said sighing, feeling slightly confused. He knew that his brother would listen. Adrian may not have any personal experience with mates, but at least he would lend an ear.
“What’s got you confused? You said that you thought she was your mate,” Adrian started, glancing at Teague.
“I know she’s my mate,” Teague corrected his brother. He had no doubt that she was his. Even now, not having seen her since yesterday, his heart slightly ached. He would have to convince her to mate with him, complete the bond, or he feared he would lose his mind.
There were many legends that spoke of vampires who were unable to complete the full bond with their mates. He didn’t want to even try out the theory to see if it was true. He just knew he needed Bella.
Forever.
“Anyway, she’s your mate. What’s so hard about that?” Adrian asked, turning down a dark street with barely any streetlights working.
The streetlights must have been shot out at some point. In this particular neighborhood, the city or electric company was not coming out to fix a broken streetlight. It was just that dangerous.
“She won’t mate with me,” he said quietly, staring out the tinted window, watching the scenery go by.
“So, she does know that she is your mate?” Adrian asked in disbelief. Teague nodded, unable to speak. “And she won’t complete the bond? I mean — what did she say? Just a plain out no?”
“That’s what I don’t understand. I know she has feelings for me. She’s basically admitted that she does, but she won’t let me in,” Teague leaned his head back against the headrest and stared at the truck’s ceiling — utterly frustrated and confused.
“Has the bond started?” Adrian asked quietly, pulling the truck over to park on the corner of a dark intersection. He turned to Teague. “You know what happens to vampires who are unable to claim their mate. The legends are more than just bedtime stories told to little vampires. It is true.”
“Yes,” Teague said, looking at his second oldest brother. “The bond is nearly completed.”
Adrian cursed under his breath. “Then you’ll have to make her see—”
“I can’t force her. I won’t force her,” Teague bit out, interrupting Adrian. Sadness filled his heart at the thought of not being able to complete the bond with Bella. “I would take a stake to my own heart before I force myself onto a woman, but no matter what, I will always love her. There is no one else for me. I’ll take my chances with whatever should happen to me.”
Adrian stared at him for a moment before speaking again. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call on me. You know any of us would stand by you with whatever decision you make.”
Teague bit off a short laugh. “At least my option wasn’t going rogue,” he said, thinking of the state of mind Toma had been in when the necros had held him hostage, then starved him of blood while playing mind games. The necros had made Toma think that he had harmed his mate. Teague remembered how scared he had been, not knowing whether or not they would have to kill their own brother.
“You ready?” Adrian asked, removing his seatbelt.
“Hunting rogues? I was born ready for this,” Teague said, getting out of the truck. “This will be a walk in the park. Now if only falling in love was this easy.”
* * *
~Bella~
“Now I need you to tell me where you will sit and show me how this will work,” Bella asked the queen as they walked into the Olaru’s throne room.
It wasn’t too different than her mother’s. Two oversized thrones sat next to each other at the end of a large red rug that ran from the entryway and stopped about twenty feet from the thrones. Viva and Ulrika split up to assess the large room and investigated all of the doors to find where they led.
“Well usually, I will sit in my chair. There are a decent amount of Royal Guards around while
I hold the hearing,” the queen said, sitting down in her chair. A few workers bustled around, continuing to ready the room for the hearing.
“How many are allowed in the room at a time?” Bella asked as she walked around the queen’s chair to assess it. She didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.
“We usually don’t limit guests. It’s pretty crowded during the hearings. Mostly standing room only. Not everyone who comes wants to speak. Some vampires may come to hear the latest complaints or suggestions and requests and then chime in.”
“Has it ever gotten violent?” Bella asked, standing at the edge of the rug.
She wanted to see exactly how far away a person would stand from the queen. The distance from where the subject would stand and the queen wasn’t that far. With vampiric speed, it would take the attacker mere seconds to be within striking distance of the queen.
“Of course,” the queen said, rolling her eyes. “It is the nature of vampires. We are very passionate about our beliefs. But we’ve never had any fatalities, thanks to the Royal Guards. They are able to handle the crowd.”
“This is different, Your Grace,” Bella said as she stopped in front of the queen. “Rowena is a whole other breed of witch. We are not taking any chances. I will stand next to you during the hearing.”
“Do you think you need to be that close?” the queen gasped. “The vampires when they come here for this hearing are not to feel threatened. That is why I established this. So that my people will be heard, so I can know what my people need from Vlad and me.”
“I promise not to growl or scowl at anyone,” Bella said, nodding her head. “My mother holds sort of the same thing back home in Aphadore. If it pleases you, I will not be in my warrior garb. I will dress in traditional Aphadore gowns with my weapons hidden.”
The queen nodded her head. “That will be fine. Rowena has been planning my death for centuries and I know if I want to be around longer for my family and my kingdom, I will have to abide by your rules, valkyrie.”
Chapter Twenty
~Teague~
The tension in the Olaru mansion was almost palpable. Every guest that entered the front doors was escorted to the throne room. No one was allowed to roam the halls alone. Today’s quarterly hearing with the queen seemed to be a little more packed than usual.
Teague walked into the room finding it almost filled to the brim with their vampire guests. The chatter amongst the vampires all seemed to settle around rogues, versi, and the necromancers from what Teague could hear as he walked alongside the back of the room. The valkyries were spread out around the room along with the royal guard and Shadow members. Phaelyn and Gadiel were posted in the back; both nodded to him as he passed. His mother had yet to enter the room.
Security was tight throughout the house as well. Bella’s valkyries were able to pinpoint weak spots in their property’s defenses and offered tips to basically make getting onto their property practically impossible.
He paused to lean against the far wall so he could take in the full room. He could feel the effects of the blood that he had warmed up and drank before coming. He had not been able to face his slujitor de sânge after the last fiasco. She had called him a few times but he had just ignored her calls. Until he could bind himself with Bella, bagged blood it would be.
The hairs on the back of his neck rose. Something was off. He knew that Bella was right. If there was ever a time to attempt an attack on the queen, it would be today. With the amount of people in the room, there was no telling if Rowena was already here, hidden somewhere amongst the crowd.
He was dressed in full tactical Shadows gear including weapons, as was every Shadows member. Nicu had even arranged for a few Shadows members from other regions to come and dress in street clothes to blend in with the commoners. As he looked around the room, one last time, no one stood out as a threat, but for some strange reason, the hairs on the back of his neck would not go down.
The chatter decreased and applause filled the air as his mother walked through the door behind her throne. She smiled and waved to everyone as she made her way to the front of the room. She walked along the front row and shook the hands of the attendees before she took her place on her throne.
This was something that Bella must have changed. Usually, the queen would walk through the main entryway and into the throne room so that she may greet her subjects that lined the runway. Tonight, they weren’t taking any chances.
His eyes widened as he took in Bella who walked in behind his mother. She was not dressed in her usual valkyrie warrior black leathers like she was the day he first met her. Her long silky hair was drawn into one long braid that rested on her shoulder. Her dress reminded him of a Greek Goddess. The long flowing pale gray dress hugged every curve that she possessed and the small belt accented her small waist. She may appear innocent to a regular bystander but Teague knew from experience that even dressed as a Greek Goddess, Bella was still one dangerous female.
“Thank you for coming. I’m sure you have traveled far and long to discuss your concerns with me,” his mother said, smiling from her chair.
His mother didn’t look a day over forty-five. Her hair, the same as his and Nadira’s, mahogany brown with flecks of blonde streaks, was put up in a sophisticated bun showcasing her royal crown. Her crisp blue eyes looked around the room, pride practically beamed at the number of subjects here to speak with her.
“Your Majesty,” Belfour, his mother’s royal assistant stood at the tall microphone placed at the end of the runner. His mother had requested it so that everyone in the room would hear the guest speaking. “Our first vampire has traveled from the deserts of Nevada to speak with you.”
“Welcome, vampire,” the queen waved the vampire forward, smiling. His mother loved interacting with their people and it showed. That’s why the vampire nation loved her so much. “Please state your name.”
“Thank you for having me, Your Grace,” the vampire said, standing before the microphone. “My name is Mason Irwin and I hail from the deserts of Nevada. I come with an issue that I feel that the royal family should hear.”
The next hour, vampires from near and far got up to speak with the queen. His mother’s smile hadn’t faded once in the past hour, while she listened to all of the complaints. She loved being able to help her people.
Complaints regarding increased rogues activity in their territories, the queen vowed to increase patrols in their area; issues with shifters, the queen vowed to set up a meeting with a shifter ambassador to discuss the issue. His mother was very involved in the vampire nation.
His eyes moved to Bella, who stood next to his mother unwavering with her small smile. He knew that she may be smiling on the outside, and mimicking his mother as if she was truly concerned about what the subject were talking about. But her keen eye roamed the room with the precision of a deadly seasoned warrior.
A small vampire female made her way from the back of the room to stop at the microphone. Teague glanced around noticing that everyone seemed to still be on high alert. The nagging feeling in the back of his mind just wouldn’t go away. He turned his attention back to the vampire as she began to speak.
“Greetings, Your Grace,” she started, looking at the floor. She looked up at his mother and something about her had him standing at attention. He motioned to Gadiel and Phaelyn who were the closest to him. They looked up and stared at the tiny female.
“Greetings,” his mother said, nodding with a smile. “State your name, where you hail, and how we can help.”
“I hail from a place far from here. A place that I’m sure you have never been,” the vampire said. The queen’s smile faltered a little. Bella’s eyes narrowed on the suspicious female as she stared at the woman.
Teague slowly walked toward the aisle. He glanced around and saw that all of the valkyrie and Shadow members were moving a little closer to the main part of the room, also on alert by the vampire.
“I’m not sure I completely understand,” the quee
n said, the smile now wiped from her face. “Please state your name,” she said, her voice hardening.
“Come now, Alin, let’s not play games anymore.” The air around the female began to shimmer and blurred as she transformed into the very witch they hunted.
Chapter Twenty One
~Teague~
“Rowena, how nice of you to bring your complaints to me,” the queen snarled, sitting back in her throne. “Do you honestly think that I’m afraid of you?”
Rowena let loose a laugh as she waved her hand in the air, causing people in the audience to shimmer and blur just as she did. Shouts could be heard from all parts of the room as other spectators transformed, revealing witches, warlocks, and even wolves.
Shit! They had literally walked through the front door, just as Bella predicted.
All hell broke loose in the throne room as the imposters attacked vampires in the audience. The Shadows, valkyries, and the Royal Guard jumped into the melee to protect the innocent and the queen.
A large warlock with black stringy hair blocked Teague’s path, as he rushed toward his mother and Bella. Teague whipped out his short dagger without hesitation. He had to get to his mother and Bella.
He made quick work of the warlock, who he could tell was not a seasoned warrior as himself. He stepped over the dead warlock, as he stalked toward the front of the room. His eyes were trained on Bella, who fought a female witch and seemed to have the upper hand.
He picked up his pace but saw a figure flying through the air at him. A wolf. He caught it midair; it snapped its sharp fangs, twisting, trying to get free, and go for his neck. Teague stumbled under the wolf’s weight, but was able to twist the wolf’s body around and snapped its neck without a second thought, tossing the body to the floor. He glanced around, but there were no signs of Rowena.
