But thanks to her healing his wings, he could provide the life that she deserved. To be treated like a queen, away from vampires and the other creatures she'd hunted. She could be safe and loved. He smiled as sleep started to take him. Safe and loved was exactly what he would give her.... as soon as he killed the queen.
Three nights later, Markus walked into the ballroom of the mansion where the Father waited for him. Sticking his hands in the pockets of his slacks, he tried to remain calm. The amount of power that the oldest vampire gave off always made Markus wary even though they were on the same side. The fact that the Father could kill him without even batting an eye was disturbing and served to always keep him alert.
"You wanted to see me?" Markus asked. "The others should be here soon to meet you. They are all doubting that I managed to raise you."
"As they should be. It is a feat that no one thought would be possible, yet you managed it. I was right in my choice to make you one of my successors. I called on you because I need you to enlighten me on a few things." The Father crossed his arms behind his back, holding one wrist with the other hand.
Markus inclined his head. "Of course, I will tell you whatever it is that you need to know."
"Have you returned the girl to her master yet?"
"No, my work with her is done and I planned on having the demon general drop her off in daylight hours. If humans find her it will make it harder for Lucius to assess the damages and know what exactly has happened to her. I do not want to make things easy on her.” Markus smirked. "Lucius deserves every bit of trouble we can give him."
The Father nodded. "And what have you done in my absence? Everything is different now and I am unsure of how things have changed."
"I did what I could to go behind the Originals' backs when they were alive, but much of your work was destroyed, much of your plan for the human race demolished when they took over. However, since they've been sleeping, the Circle has tried to bring back many of your practices." Markus paced a few steps. "I can show you one, if you'd like."
The Father remained silent for a few moments before letting his arms drop to his side. "I would like to see what progress you have made. What is it you are able to show me?"
"We have started up a human trade again. The central location is here at my mansion, but we have gathered humans from all over the world." Markus led him out of the ballroom and down a hall to a hidden door. He shouldered the bookcase until it turned and led to a basement. This was one of his pride and joys. He'd started it up with the backing of several Circle members not long after the Originals went into hiding. A small step towards turning humans into cattle.
Going down the stairs and into a large room made of bleak cold concrete, Markus spun around. "This is the main showroom, we chain the humans to the walls and let the buyers inspect them there. Taste them even, to make sure they are suited to what they need."
"This is an impressive space and is more than what we had when I was breeding humans." The Father walked around, his footsteps echoing on the ground. He walked straight across the room and to the steel door with a small barred window.
Markus could hear the hushed whispers behind the door, the humans warning each other that the vampire had returned. Some humans were new while other bloodlines bred over the centuries, hundreds here, thousands before them, and many in other places. Vampires all over the world were holding auctions and had breeding places like this, all under the watchful eyes of the Circle.
"And if the Hunters ever find out about this?" The Father asked as he motioned to the door.
"Simple. We are all over the world; they cannot end this by taking just one location out. Besides, they will soon have enough problems to deal with. We have plans to take them out from the inside. We have contacts and allies to help with that." Like Cody, the ex-Hunter he picked up a few months back. After a little training, Cody now knew the politics and was a well-trained killer.
Markus produced a key and opened the door so the Father could see the humans. Rows of cells filed down the room. Similar to a prison cell, each was large enough for a makeshift bed, room to walk, and a toilet. Cleanliness kept diseases away and kept the humans alive. They were attended to like well-kept pets, as long as they behaved.
Most of them shied away as they passed, cowering in the corner as if it could keep them safe from the vampires. Markus watched for any sign of approval as the Father examined the area.
"And the Originals?" The Father asked as he eyed a computer at the end of the rows.
Markus pursed his lips. "They will be killed as soon as we locate the graves and their keepers. If luck is on our side, then they will be dead without a problem and before any of them wake."
"For your sake I hope you are correct in your assumptions." The Father smiled and tapped on a door. "I want this one for my meal, before the others arrive. I will not have my hunger disrupt the meeting."
Markus bowed his head. "As you wish."
Lucius woke, but the moment his consciousness returned to him, he realized that it was still daylight. Though it was possible, it was rare that he woke at this time. The only times he'd done such was when he felt Tegan in distress. Pain laced through his body as her mind called out to him, begging him for...something. The thoughts that were coming through made him panic and weren't clear enough to make sense. He knew that she was unconscious, but she was back in the human world. Back and alive.
He tried to pinpoint her location, but it moved. Growling, he raked an angry hand through his hair, trying to decide what to do. With the daylight he would burn to a crisp if he went to her. Kaden...once the name came to him, he reached for the cellular device that he hated so much, but found it ringing and the demon's name on the screen.
"What, Kaden? What is going on?" Lucius snapped.
"You're not going to believe this, but Tegan's back."
He froze, it couldn't be. "Bring her here."
"I can't, a human ambulance picked her up. I'm following them now to the hospital. She was found at The Disappearing Act, lying outside the door. Someone walking by called it in."
Background noises surrounded the demon's voice as Lucius' mind spun, trying to figure out how to get his human back. "Did you see her?"
"Briefly, as they loaded her onto a gurney and put her in the ambulance." Kaden swallowed. "Lucius, she looked awful...and I don't think you'll be getting the emergency call, she had nothing with her...she was dressed...in...I don't even know how to describe it."
"White fabric that managed to cling only to private areas?" Lucius guessed, pulling out an image from the past.
"Something like that, yeah. Look, I'll do what I can at the hospital, but you know what happens in cases like this."
"They call in the Hunters. I might be able to work this to my advantage. Call Orion, tell him what is going on." Lucius snapped. "We need her back with me. If she goes to the Hunters or wakes up in a human hospital she will panic. There is no telling what will happen."
Kaden was silent for a moment. "We don't even know what has happened to her. If she panics and goes on a rampage...she's stronger than any human. The Hunters will know right away and the human hospital..."
"Exactly. Call Orion now, come dark I will come to the hospital." He couldn't let Tegan wake up alone, but she was found. He just needed to think through this and find the best course of action. He hung up his phone and paced his room. Tegan's pain was just on the edge of his own emotions, but something was off. Something he couldn't put his finger on.
She was back. Holy shit. Orion hung up the phone with Kaden and leaned back in his seat. Tegan was on her way to a human hospital. Unconscious, but back. He took a deep breath. He didn't want to call Danielle on business matters, but it was important. The Hunters would be called in, if they hadn't already and she was on their side...at least she had been. Before he went to kill for Lucius. He growled and punched in her number. When she didn't pick up he shot her a text.
"Tegan's in a human hospital. Hunters w
ill be called. Need help please." He debated on adding to it, but hit send. Focus needed to be on Tegan first and then he'd worry about his personal life.
"Meet me at Memorial South." Was her response and he gave a relieved sigh and headed towards the hospital. Speeding through the traffic, he pulled up to the hospital and found a spot in the parking garage. Running into the emergency room exit, he found Kaden pacing along a row of chairs.
"Any news on her yet?" Orion asked. His heart pounded, but he didn't feel the ache he expected to feel. He knew Tegan couldn't die, but he cared for her...even then Danielle was in the back of his mind as he wondered how he could fix that situation.
Kaden shook his head. "Nothing really. I got an update saying they are trying to stabilize her vitals. Her heartbeat seems to be fading, but she hasn't flat-lined, her breathing is shallow, wounds cover her body. She's been tortured. They aren't sure if she'll pull through."
So Kaden didn't know what Tegan was. Interesting, but the demon was connected to her somehow. Orion had gathered that by how the demon was always around. "She'll pull through, I have faith.” He said simply and looked up when Danielle joined them. Dressed in Hunter black, with her badge on her belt and her gun on her hip she looked deadly.
"You're lucky I was able to get the call. Joey's a friend of mine and he's the Elder Master assigned to the case." She looked at Orion. "You've already met him. Kaden, what brings you here?"
Kaden shrugged. "I'm the one that Lucius has assigned to Tegan for the time being."
"I thought Orion was her body guard."
"He was, but until he finishes off the Queen, he's been relieved of duty." Kaden shook her hand and then looked up when Joey walked in.
Orion tensed at the news. Lucius hadn't mentioned it to him, but of course he screwed up the hunt and Lucius thought he was punishing Orion by taking that right away...little did the vampire know. "I just want to see her before I go."
"Another kill for Lucius?" Dani asked, her voice blank.
"No, back to trying to figure out how to show up with the dagger to a duel with the queen." He said easily.
Joey raised a brow, but then went up to the counter to talk to the attendee behind it. He flashed his badge, exchanged some words and then came back to the group. "They'll allow us in. I told them you two were family, but you must follow my lead."
Orion nodded and Kaden muttered. "Okay."
Orion expected to be led to one of the temporary holding rooms, but instead they were guided further into the hospital and into a private room. There on the bed lay Tegan, bandages over her eyes, her red lips parted and her face deathly pale. Her normally white hair had been matted and tinted by dirt and what he assumed was blood. A blanket covered her while her arms lay perfectly still on top of the fabric. He glanced at Joey who nodded, and Orion went to her. He touched her hand gently, but there was no reaction. No flinch, no smile, nothing.
The doctor walked in with a clipboard, his gray eyebrows drawn together. "The only reason I'm letting you all back here is because you came with Hunters. They do not count as visitors, but I expect you to let the patient rest and do not try to wake her. We've addressed all the wounds and now all that's left is to see if she wakes."
Joey shook his head. "She needs to be transferred to our hospital."
"What?" Kaden and Orion snapped at the same time.
Danielle raised a brow and crossed her arms. "We were informed that there are over a dozen bite marks on her. She is our patient now and if she is with us we can figure out what happened. She'll be safe with us."
Kaden clenched his fists. "Joey, I need to speak to you. Alone." The two of them walked out and Orion turned to Danielle.
"If you take her there, she'll freak out the moment she wakes up." Orion whispered and then turned back to Tegan. "Doctor, why are her eyes covered?"
"Her eyes were sewn shut when she came to us. Judging by the marks, it happened more than once." He flipped through his pages. "From what we found, it's a miracle that she's alive. I'll call the Hunter's hospital and arrange for a transfer." He walked out.
Danielle walked up to the bed. "It's Lucius' bond keeping her alive, isn't it?"
"Yes. She's very weak." He didn’t want to go into the fact that it wasn’t just Lucius’ bond, but that Tegan was a Blood Human and that fact kept her alive with this amount of damage. Orion swallowed. "I don't know how long she'll be unconscious for. Last time, it was a week before her body healed enough and she woke. That was before modern medicine."
"She make a habit of being tortured?"
"The Circle did it to punish her. It was a long time ago, when the old rules still applied." Orion shrugged. "This time it was demons as far as we know. No idea what she'll tell us when she wakes up." Though bite marks were telltale signs of vampires being involved.
"You care so much for her Orion, you have to let her go. She's not yours." Danielle gasped and then put a hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry— I didn't mean—"
Orion shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I've thought the same thing many times. You're right. Which is why, after Tegan is settled in at the Hunter's hospital, you and I need to talk. Please."
"Work comes first." Danielle stated and then nodded. "But yes, we need to talk."
Tegan groaned and her back arched before she settled again. Orion swallowed. "I'm glad she's back, but Lucius isn't going to be happy with the shape she's in."
"Pretty sure he's lucky she's alive. I know that I can't take much damage and live." She snorted and then turned around when Joey and Kaden came back in.
"Kaden will be staying with her, we've arranged for her to have her own room at the Hunter's Society until she wakes up. As soon as she wakes, she goes back to Lucius, but it is agreed that the Society grounds are safest for her right now." Joey crossed his arms.
Kaden sighed. "We don't know if she was planted there as a trap. They left her in front of her own bar, they knew that much about her."
"So what now?" Orion sighed.
"She'll be transported to headquarters via ambulance because her vitals are so low." Joey shrugged. "They are worried she won't pull through and honestly, I've never heard of someone surviving a dozen feeding sessions so close together."
Orion turned to Danielle. "Kaden's her guardian. I have to take care of the queen, and I don't feel like waiting until the duel."
"Don't do anything stupid." Kaden called as Orion walked out.
Orion shook his head. He couldn't do anything about Tegan, but he could do something about the queen. Footsteps followed him and he glanced over his shoulder. "I thought we agreed to focus on our jobs first."
"I'm worried about you." She continued to follow him. "Orion, what is going on?"
He stopped and wondered how he could explain it. He shook his head. "I'll tell you when this is done." He spun and kissed her, his tongue forcing her lips apart. "I'll come back to you, promise." Without worrying about all the eyes on him he just disappeared.
Chapter Eleven
Danielle just stood there when Orion disappeared. How could he just kiss her and leave like that? What made him think everything was okay? She rubbed her hands over her eyes and then yanked them through her hair. The man was pissing her off. The clearing of a throat made her turn and face Joey.
"I've got this handled, if you think you need to help him out."
She shook her head. "There is nothing else I can do to help him. Everything else he has to do on his own at this point." Like kill the queen and then crawl back to Lucius' feet. She snorted. "How's Tegan?"
"She'll live. Shocking, I know." Joey shrugged. "I can pick up all kinds of things from her mind, but nothing is making sense."
"She's been through a lot from what I can see. I can only imagine what her master's reaction is going to be. Probably going to call for him the moment she wakes up. I’m surprised Lucius is okay with her being with us." She shoved her hands in her pockets, brushing her thumb over her badge in a comforting movement. This is what she k
new, her job, her passion. "Is there any way we can keep her from him?"
Joey raised a brow. "From what I understood from the heated conversation Kaden and Lucius had, Lucius understands why Kaden wants to keep her with us. However, do not think that means Kaden is protecting her from Lucius. I can promise you that Tegan does not want to be away from her vampire and it would not be wise to take her from him."
Danielle shuffled her feet, not being able to imagine wanting to be with a vampire.
"Not every partnership with a bonded human is forced, Dani. You have to understand that and I think as Tegan heals, if you're around for it, you'll start to understand what advantages there are. Not that I'm saying you should work with the bastard who bonded you."
"I’d rather kill him than work with him." Although recently something had been off about the vampire. He hadn't called out to her or taunted her in a while. It made her nervous and almost made her want to check on the grave. She tried to push it away as paranoia. She muttered. "And what do you mean if I'm around?"
"Let's just say that you misunderstand Orion's intentions."
"You talk in riddles." She shook her head. "Can't you just tell me something straight on?" She wanted to call Orion back to her now and figure out what Joey meant. She couldn't stop that little pit of worry in her stomach that told her he was in danger. As a Hunter she was nothing against a Fae. She wished she could help him, but all she could do was wait around for him, like some type of damsel in distress.
"It's not my job to direct your love life. It’s also not my fault you got mated to a Fae. I think it's a good match." Joey mused and then walked back into the room.
Danielle glared over her shoulder and went to meet with the ambulance that would be transferring Tegan.
Orion placed the dagger at his waist, securing it to his belt by the hilt. It'd been a long time since he'd been in the court and though it wasn't time for the official duel, he was done. It was time to kill Liara and take his rightful place with his mate by his side. Assuming Danielle would have him.
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