Storm of Shadows Ch. 03

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Into the Lion's Den.
  • September 2015 monthly contest
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Part 3 of the 12 part series

Updated 06/07/2023
Created 05/26/2015
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JazCullen
JazCullen
6,489 Followers

Dara placed her backpack beside the front door and turned towards the living room where she knew her family were waiting for her appearance. To say she was apprehensive about the upcoming trip was an understatement but she ensured her expression was confident as she braced herself to enter the room. She was deceptively calm, particularly after the fraught emotions in their Alpha's study

She put that down to Cassia coming to sit with her for a while when she had started packing. Her sister's presence had been a silent comfort that had soothed the racing of her heart as the enormity of what she had agreed to began to truly seep into her mind. She had to be all kinds of stupid to do this thing, and yet, she couldn't not do it. That simply wasn't an option.

Cassia had asked only one question, her blue eyes intent as she'd examined her sister's face. "Are you certain, Dar?"

"Do I want to be Kothi's only hope? Hell no, Cass, but it appears that is the case." Throwing another t-shirt into her backpack, she had turned to look at her sister. "I can't leave him out there alone, Cassia. I just can't do it. I know this mission is dangerous, and I won't have the backup of the pack like I'm accustomed to. I guess I am just going to have to be everything that you, mom and dad, and our Alphas believe me to be - a strong soldier."

Her sister's expression had changed then, turning thoughtful and a bit distant. Then she had risen from her seat on Dara's bed, engulfing her in a tight hug that contained all her love and the concern she couldn't quite hide. "Remember the vampires over there are quick to attack wolf shifters. It might be wise to avoid shifting as much as possible. Concentrate on your vampiric side and try to convince them you're one of them. If you do come into contact with any wolves over there...tell them you know Fox, that should help gain their trust."

"Fox?" Dara hadn't even attempted to hide her confusion from her sister. Cassia would have sensed it down their link anyway. "Who's Fox?"

"A European wolf I bumped into a couple of times in the city recently. He tried to protect me from Pietro of all things."

Cassia's rolled eyes had brought a smile to Dara's face. "Why would he think you would need protecting from your mate?" Just the thought of that misunderstanding was funny. She wished she'd been there to see it.

Her sister had shrugged, a smile gracing her lips. "Most likely because of his distrust of vampires which is understandable considering he's from Europe. There was just something about him that struck me as honourable...that he was possibly a Beta in his pack. He was most certainly a soldier. He carried himself as one who was used to having to be on guard all the time. He seemed like a good man to have at your back."

It had been a strange conversation but something Dara filed to the back of her mind to remember just in case she needed it. There were likely few people over in Europe she could count on and having at least one additional ally couldn't be a bad thing.

Now she squared her shoulders and entered the living room, walking across to her mother who immediately rose from the sofa with her arms open wide. It was hard to hide her nervousness, and not to cry as her mother held her tightly. She knew how hard this was for her, how hard it was for all of her family.

"I'll be okay, Mom. You and Dad have trained me well, not to mention the pack and Vârcolac training I've had. I won't place myself in any unnecessary risk."

"I'm sure that's what Gard and Rayne thought too," her father muttered, a frown darkening his handsome face as he took his opportunity to hug his youngest daughter.

"We've been through all this." Dara couldn't hold back the sigh that was threatening to escape. "Now we know there is someone out there that is strong enough to best Gard and Rayne, I will be especially vigilant."

"That's all well and good, Dara, but who the hell is going to protect you from Kothari if he has gone rogue?" he argued, his frown only deepening.

"Kothi won't hurt me, Dad, no matter what his state of mind is. I am certain of that, so please try not to worry about things that aren't likely to happen." It was important to get that point across to her family because it was something she truly believed. It was the only reason she was willing to go to Europe.

Her parents' resigned expressions were enough to tell her that they were reluctantly agreeing to her mission. Her father handed her a piece of paper with a name and address on it. "This is the vampire Kothari most likely went to see to get ID. Your Uncle Andrei says he's the best on the black market, and he isn't slow at knocking people around if they get too uppity with him. Try to be respectful in your dealings with him. You might find it easier to get what you need with honey rather than with a stick. If you want, I could come with you?"

Dara smiled at her father, resisting the urge to let out another sigh. He couldn't help himself with his overprotectiveness and she really didn't want him to ever change. "I will be fine, Dad. Now, I need to get going because Kothi has God knows how many hours' head start on me. Try not to worry too much, I will check in regularly."

Now that the moment to leave was finally there, she was hesitant to leave the sanctity of her family and pack, but she knew she had no other choice. She had agreed to this assignment and she would do her best to bring Kothari back safe and sound. If they were lucky, they may even return with Gard and Rayne.

With final hugs to her parents and sister, Dara headed out of her home and raised a hand in Rafe and Lacey's direction. Her Alphas were standing outside their home, their gaze intent on her.

"Be safe, Dara, and bring our boy home," Lacey whispered, a tremor in her voice as she hugged her and then stepped back to allow her mate to embrace her.

"In the event that the risk is too great, you are to protect yourself first, Dara Romanov, even if that means returning to us alone. I mean it...don't you dare put your life at risk for Kothari or anyone else, if it becomes clear that he doesn't want to be helped." There was so much Command in Rafe's voice that it would have been impossible to disobey him even if she'd wanted to.

"I understand, Rafe. Let's hope it doesn't come to that." With a final wave to them, she climbed into the waiting Jeep that had her Uncle Aaron, their pack's second in command, behind the wheel.

"I'll drop you off close to the district you need," her uncle told her. His blue eyes stared intently for a long moment and then he nodded his head as if coming to some internal decision she wasn't privy to. "I am proud of you, Dara. You are an Alexander through and through even if your DNA is messed up with those Romanovs." He winked as he spoke, drawing a loud peel of laughter from his niece.

""You're outrageous, Aaron, but thank you for the back handed compliment. I know you adore Dad and Uncle Andrei, despite your grumbling."

He laughed with her, and her nervousness eased a bit and her smile widened. Her uncle had deliberately said what he had to lighten her pensiveness. That was what made him such an excellent number two...he always knew what every pack member needed at any given time. Settling back in her seat...she closed her eyes as the Jeep surged forward, away from the pack, and her mission truly began in earnest.

It seemed like no time had passed before she was getting out of the Jeep, after submitting to a huge bear hug from her uncle. Now she watched the car drive away and realised that she was now truly on her own for the first time in her life.

Squaring her shoulders, Dara checked her surroundings quickly before she shadowed her presence and headed towards the address she'd been given. This part of the city was particularly seedy, and it made sense not to advertise a lone female wandering around. She didn't want to have to kick ass just to get to her destination.

She found it easily enough, scented the area carefully to see if she could pick up any trace of Kothari. She thought she detected a faint scent but couldn't be sure it wasn't just wishful thinking on her part. Making her way down the alleyway, she unknowingly echoed her friend's movements, slipping passed the vampire guard who was staring perplexedly at the steel door that had appeared to open all by itself twice now.

As she entered the door at the very end on the hallway, the dark-haired vampire looked up with a shrewd expression but didn't rise from his seat behind the desk. Dara unshadowed herself as the door closed, keeping a respectful distance from the elder male.

"It's customary to knock when you wish admission," the male growled, displeasure crossing his face as he glared at her.

"I didn't want give you the opportunity to refuse," she countered, moving further into the room and sitting down in a chair across the vampire. "I seek one who is like me."

"I don't know any blondes. My taste runs to brunettes."

She supposed he thought he was being witty but she wasn't very amused by his response. Fighting not to allow her temper to rise, Dara took a deep breath and tried again. "The person I seek is around six foot, with short dark hair and an unnatural predilection for sunglasses and the colour black."

The male sat back, steepling his fingers as he watched her intently. "What makes you think that I would know anything about this individual?"

Dara smiled, mimicking his position. "Because you weren't the least bit surprised when your door opened all by itself and I revealed myself to you. In addition, you had the sense not to instantly attack me. That tells me that the person I am looking for has been here ahead of me, and you, being an Elder of some age, learn quickly. Hence why you didn't attack me. You've already had one lesson today."

The vampire's expression changed, turning guarded as he leaned forward onto his desk. "Let's say...just hypothetically...that such an individual did come to see me. And let's say that the said individual promised to take my head should I divulge his visit, and that I might only do so to one other person and only if said blonde was to say one word only...what would you have to say to that?"

Dara felt elation well up inside and fought to keep her expression as neutral as possible. Kothari had been here, she was certain of that, and he had known that she would come looking for him. He did want her to find him just as she suspected. Only now, she had to try to come up with the password he had left in place for the forger. She had to think carefully because the wrong answer would lead to her having to kick the vampire's ass to get the information she needed and that would take too much time.

What word would Kothi have chosen? What did he believe she would be able to come up with when asked? Dara's thoughts went to the journal nestled in her pack, the journal that was an insight into Kothi's mind and a map to where he was headed. Taking a chance, she met the vampire's unwavering gaze, and took a deep breath before she answered...

"Angel."

For a long moment the vampire just looked at her, then she heard the whirring of the printer beside him, and he pulled off an A4 sheet and handed it to her.

Glancing down, Dara stared at the image of Kothari, now called Simon Ducat. He had been here as they had expected. Clearly she must have given the correct password for the forger to give her the information. Looking back at him, she gave him a brief smile. "How long ago was he here?"

"Close to five hours now. He's had sufficient time to leave the country with the travel documents I gave him."

It was enough to make her heart sink, but Dara tried not to be too disheartened. At least they had a name now and she could call it in and have one of their contacts at the airport let them know when Kothi had travelled. "Thank you for your assistance. I won't bother you any longer." She didn't need travel documents, her mother had arranged those with their own contact while she was packing.

"Just who the hell is he? And you?" Faraday asked as she turned around to leave.

Giving him another smile over her shoulder, Dara stored the printed page in her pack beside Kothi's journal. "Let's just say my father and his twin brother are extremely grateful for your assistance today."

The vampire watched the pretty blonde leave, swallowing hard as he did. He didn't need to ask just who her father or his brother were, there was only one vampire family that consisted of a set of twin brothers. However, that wasn't why he swallowed hard, even though the Romanov twins were something to be feared by anyone with any intelligence.

No, the reason he felt fear clog his throat was he finally understood that he had been in the presence of not one, but two, hybrid offspring that day...and they scared the complete shit out of him.

*****

The darkness was oppressive, holding him sucked downed in a maelstrom of bonds so tight that no matter how hard he fought, he couldn't free himself. Something nagged at his sluggish mind, something so urgent that he fought against the darkness with renewed vigour, desperate to overcome it.

Sarayne...Sarayne...Sarayne...

He had to find her, had to save her. Where was she? Why couldn't he think clearly? Gard tried to call to his mate, tried to find her down their mate bond but there was nothing there, just more darkness...Dear God if she was...he couldn't continue down that line a thought.

Suddenly there was a faint light, so minute that for a moment he thought he'd imagined it, but it began to blossom a little brighter, and his sluggish mind travelled towards the beacon. It was like staring through a keyhole, locked out of the room that was bathed in light and offered freedom. A flash of red beside the illumination, the colours beginning to mute as soon as they had arrived...

"Anakatrine! Ana, hear me!"

There was no answer...there was only the darkness once more. The light faded away and the fragile lucidity that had gripped him faded within as he swirled once more into the void.

No! No! He had to reach her...he had to reach someone! It was to no avail though, as shadowy figures in the real word injected a serum into his arm as he lay helpless. Gard was once more entombed in a world of utter blackness, where he silently screamed knowing no one could hear him.

*****

"Annie?" Rafe's voice cut through the babble of noise surrounding Rhianna as they sat in the Alpha's study being updated on everything that had happened since they'd left the night before.

Caleb had woken her early, knowing that she would have wanted to find out what had happened to Gard and Rayne as soon as possible. He'd informed her of Demetri's visit in the early hours of the morning, and the more recent news of the discovery of Michael's body by Freya and Nors. Once they had reached the Armand-Hanlon Pack, they had learned of Kothari and Dara's absence, and the magnitude of what had happened was only now sinking in.

Her brother's voice startled her out of her reverie, and she blinked slowly, trying to clear the fog that was whirling through her mind. Caleb was staring at her with a concerned expression, and it was only then that she realised that some time had passed since she'd last spoken. Something else had teased at her subconscious mind; something so urgent she had completed zoned everything else out.

"He's alive," she whispered, feeling the elation of the long dead vampire queen within her mind. Anakatrine had gone deep, to a place Rhianna didn't know how to go to. Wherever she had gone, she had returned with those two words.

"Gard is alive," she said more firmly, just the words helping to shake some of the overwhelming grief from her soul. Anakatrine wouldn't have told her if it wasn't true. She had to hold onto that hope.

"Are you sure?" It was Caleb who asked the question, his concern still apparent. "I can't feel anything down the Triumvirate bond, Annie." It was clear that he was afraid she was getting her hopes up.

"Neither can I, Caleb, but Anakatrine is certain. She must have had some kind of contact with him. Gard is alive. That's all I know. There is no news on Rayne, but we have to believe that she is too, for Gard's sake."

Just the mention of the vampire queen's certainty was enough to bring some relief to Rafe and Lacey. Anakatrine hadn't been proven wrong yet, so if she had been able to sense Gard somehow, there could still be hope that things would turn out okay.

"I hope you're right, Annie, because I fear for Kothari if he doesn't find them safe," Rafe answered, running a hand through his rumpled hair. His eyes felt as if someone was stabbing hot pokers through them, his large shoulders were uncharacteristically hunched over with tension. When had he last slept? He couldn't remember, and he couldn't afford to sleep at the moment with all that had happened.

"That's it, time for you to go sleep." Aaron Alexander gave his Alpha a pointed look from his position at the window. Rafe had asked him to attend when Caleb and Annie had arrived, to ensure his number two was completely up to date on the situation.

"Aaron."

Rafe's warning growl would have intimidated some of the more maternal pack members, but it just brought a cocky grin from the blond wolf. Aaron had been instrumental in Rafe's recovery when he had been the victim of a forced turning many years before. He had been his best friend ever since, and often his partner in crime before they had met their mates.

"There is nothing you need to be doing that is urgent, Rafe. Should we get any news from Dara or Europe, we can wake you up and let you know. The pack is secure and the Praetorians appear to have taken it upon themselves to adopt the pack as a whole rather than just the Vârcolac." Aaron moved over to stand in front of his friend.

"In addition, Lacey doesn't look like she's willing to go rest without you, and she needs as much rest as possible in her condition," he added. "I can take care of things for a few hours."

Rafe looked at his pregnant mate, seeing the lines of fatigue under her eyes. He felt a pang of guilt at not having noticed it earlier. She hadn't uttered one word of complaint, and she had been there at his side to help lend him strength. He knew it was pointless to try to make her get some rest without him, so he gave in to his friend's common sense. Truth be told, there was nothing he wanted more right now than to lie in his beautiful mate's embrace. "Fine."

He gave his sister a tight hug, understanding the strain she was under with her brother from another time missing. His Annie felt things so intensely, he knew it was killing her. However, she had Caleb to be her strength, so he had no qualms about leaving his sister in the vampire's capable hands. "If Anakatrine has any more news..."

"You'll be the first to know. Aaron's right, Rafe. Both you and Lacey need some rest. I will stay here with the pack until you wake."

He could maybe have argued with them but he couldn't argue with his deep-rooted need to take care of Lacey. It was ingrained into his soul, and he needed to ensure Lacey and his children were safe and well. Looping an arm around his mate's shoulders, Rafe headed out of his study and upstairs for some much needed sleep.

As the Alphas left, Caleb pulled Rhianna into a warm hug, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. "I need to check in with Demetri," he sighed. "He and Mara are arranging an emergency session of the Council. I should probably attend given the difficulties they'll likely face. I'll be back in a few hours. Will you be okay on your own?"

Rhianna could understand his concern, but the foolishness of his words couldn't be ignored. "Caleb, I'm in the heart of one of the strongest packs on the Northern Continent. We're surrounded by Praetorians as well. I am hardly alone, my love. Go and do what you need to be doing. I want to catch up with Mac anyway, to discuss Aaron's interesting observation with him. It's been a while since I checked in on what the Praetorians are up to."

JazCullen
JazCullen
6,489 Followers