When Worlds Collide Ch. 03

Jared stood up and began to pace around the table. "How will your Council react to this, Caleb?"

The vampire pursed his lips thoughtfully. "They will most probably view it as a personal matter and not get involved unless there's any danger of our existence becoming known to the humans. Graves will wish to avoid that so the Council should keep out of it."

"I suppose that's something," Jared answered after a long pause. "What about the local vamps? Whose side are they going to come down on, yours or Graves?"

"It's hard to tell," Caleb said truthfully. "Some of them won't want to be involved in it. Demetri may get involved because of Annie but then again he may not. He has Mara to think about now. She'll most likely be his first priority. He also has a history with Graves. A few decades ago he ran with Graves' crowd before he faded away from him. I don't know how he feels about his old friend."

"Can't you talk to Graves, Caleb?" Millie asked quietly, her expression full of worry. "Maybe he would listen to you?"

"If I thought for one minute he would listen to me I'd be right over there, Millie," Caleb answered quietly. "Graves and I are not friends by any definition of the word. He detests me with a vengeance because he views me as one of his biggest rivals. He's power mad and fiercely jealous of the fact I hold such sway in this region. He wants it all for himself but has never been able to act against me because of my standing with the Council. My siding with the Weres is going to give him the opportunity to act and he's going to attack me with as much relish as he's going to attack you."

Lacey listened to everything being said and the more she heard, the wider her eyes got. Richard was a vampire and an extremely nasty one from what Caleb was saying. He wanted her and he was going to kill as many people as he could to get to her. Her heart thumped painfully in her chest as she looked around the people in the room and then finally at Jen. They were all going to die if she didn't do something to stop it. The hope she had felt only minutes before died quickly inside her.

"I'm going back to Richard," she said so quietly at first she didn't think anyone had heard her until a loud hush fell over the room. Rafe reacted first, his brown eyes spearing hers as he leaned down to bring his face level with hers.

"No you are not," he ground out harshly, his big body coiling tensely as he all but loomed over her.

"I don't want anyone to die because of me," she whispered hoarsely. "If I go back to Richard willingly I can convince him to leave Jen and everyone else alone. It has to be this way, Rafe. I can't live with the knowledge anyone has been hurt because of me."

Rafe's fierce expression smoothed out a little and he reached out and brushed her silky blonde hair back from her face. "You don't understand, Lacey," he sighed softly. "I can't let you go now I've found you. You're my mate, sweetheart. You're the one woman put on this planet just for me and I can't be without you. There can only be one ending to this and it will be someone's death, either Graves or mine. I will not give you up to him, not now and not ever."

Rhianna bit her lip hard and drew blood as she listened to her brother. She couldn't remember a time when she had felt more frightened than she did right now. She trembled slightly and Caleb's arms tightened their hold on her.

Jared too watched the couple for a long moment and then stopped pacing and headed over to Millie and wrapped his arms around her. "We need to talk to the pack," he said quietly. "We need to evacuate the children and the others who don't want to be dragged into this. Caleb, if you could talk with your friends and sound them out as soon as possible it would be appreciated."

His tone was brusque and authoritative and didn't betray one hint of the deep fear he felt for the woman in his arms. He knew it would be pointless trying to convince Millie to go with the children. She would fight him tooth and nail to remain at his side. It wouldn't matter that it made sense for the Alpha Bitch to protect the more vulnerable members of the pack while the warriors banded with him. He knew his woman would refuse to leave his side and he didn't think he could bear to watch her die along with him.

He understood perfectly where Caleb was coming from in his reaction to keeping Annie safe. He understood perfectly why Rafe couldn't let Lacey go back to Richard. Understanding didn't make it any easier. Caleb's cold certainty that Richard Graves would tear the pack apart was enough to send a chill down his spine. Nothing frightened the large vampire except the well being of the tiny woman in his arms. If Caleb was so pessimistic about their chances then they were in deep shit.

Caleb nodded and slipped Rhianna from his lap and stood up. "I'll do it now," he answered. "You stay here with the pack, love. It's probably the safest place for you right now or in the short term. Graves likes to plan his strategy so it will take him a few days to make his move." He leaned down and gave her a long hard kiss before he straightened. "Walk me to the door," he said softly.

"I'll alert the pack to the meeting," Millie said disentangling herself from Jared's arms and following the other couple from the room.

Rafe stood and pulled Lacey up and gave her a quick hug. "Why don't you and Jen take a moment to try and get your heads around all this? I need to do some things, then as promised I'll take you over to see Aaron."

Lacey nodded numbly and the two women headed back upstairs into Jen's bedroom. Her friend was looking pretty shell-shocked. She didn't feel much better herself but she was more accustomed with having to deal with shocks after being with Richard for two years. "This is all pretty weird," she said quietly.

"Weird?" Jen snorted shaking her head as she sat down on the bed. "Your ex is a vampire, Lace. How could you not know that?" Her tone was incredulous. Surely her friend must have known Graves was a vampire? She didn't mean the accusatory note to creep into her tone but it did.

Lacey sat down beside her and dropped her head into her hands. "Well he didn't exactly flash his fangs at me like Annie did," she answered shortly. "He never did anything strange or unusual, apart from beating me and I don't think he was using his true strength when he did that otherwise I would be dead by now."

Jen frowned slightly and reached over to stroke Lacey's back soothingly. "I'm sorry, Lace. I didn't mean that to come out the way it did. It's just.....everything has just gone to hell and I don't know how to deal with it. I'm a bloody lawyer. I'm used to rules and everything making sense. It's going to take a bit of getting used to all this werewolf and vampire stuff."

Lacey sat up, her expression rueful as she looked at her. "For me too," she answered quietly. "Did you hear what Rafe said downstairs, about me being his mate? I've got to work out what that hell that means on top of everything else. From the sounds of things it would appear I've swapped my vampire boyfriend for a werewolf boyfriend and I barely know the man. He's talking about mating for life."

Jen's frown deepened. She had been a bit perturbed at the way Rafe was reacting towards her friend. It had seemed reasonably harmless enough this morning but now everything was out in the open the suddenness and intensity of it all was concerning. "You know you don't have to start seeing Rafe," she said quietly. "Just because he thinks you're this lifelong mate thing doesn't mean you have to agree to it. You have a choice, Lace."

Lacey was touched by her friend's concern. She knew Jen blamed herself for not being around when she met Richard and got sucked under his spell. She smiled reassuringly at her. "That's the strange thing, Jen," she told her. "I am unaccountably drawn towards Rafe. It's so hard to explain it. Last night when I met him I felt this connection and it scared me because it was similar to what I felt when I met Richard. But Rafe isn't Richard. It should have felt wrong waking this morning with him lying beside me but it didn't. Something about Rafe just feels so very right and I can't explain why."

Jen was about to say something else when there was a knock on the door and Rafe's sister popped her head in. "Is it okay if I join you?" Rhianna asked. "Everyone is running around like chickens with their heads cut off downstairs and I feel at a loose end without Caleb around."

Lacey motioned her into the room and the little redhead joined them on the huge bed. "So, how are you both coping with all of this?" Rhianna said. "It's a lot to take in. I know I found it hard when I first found out humans weren't the only dominant species, for want of a better phrase."

"We were just discussing Rafe's intentions towards Lacey," Jen said, her eyes shrewd as she looked at the vampire sitting beside her friend. "What can you tell us about this mating thing?"

Rhianna's lavender eyes met Lacey's and she gave her a big smile. "It's not really my place to explain things but if it's what you need to know right now then I'll do my best. Effectively, Weres have one true mate. They're rather promiscuous until they meet that mate but once they do, there is no other person for them. The moment Jared saw Millie he knew she was his mate. Millie tried to fight it, but the pull is strong for both parties, so she ended up giving in and she hasn't regretted it. You are Rafe's mate, Lacey. You're probably already feeling drawn towards him ."

Lacey nodded thoughtfully. "I do feel comforted when he's around," she admitted. "Safe even. I was just saying to Jen that he just feels so right somehow."

The little redhead smiled. "That's your subconscious recognising him as your mate. Obviously with all things considered, the timing is bad but once all this is over you and Rafe can decide what you want to do about it."

"You seem fairly confident that everything's going to work out, Annie," Jen remarked dryly. "You were in the same room with us. You did see the looks on everyone's faces? How can you be so sure?

Rhianna answered with a little laugh. "Because I know Caleb, Rafe and Jared very well. They will move heaven and earth to protect what is theirs. The odds may be stacked against them at the moment but they will even out those odds. I have faith in them."

The two women stared at the little redhead. It was hard not to feel reassured. After all, Rhianna knew the people involved and what they were capable of. If she was really as unconcerned as she appeared, then maybe the situation wasn't as dire as it had sounded downstairs.

A quiet knock on the door drew them to it and a very tall dark haired man popped his head in. "Thought I scented you in here, Red," Demetri said with a wide grin on his beautiful face.

"There goes the peace and quiet," Rhianna laughed rolling her eyes even as she slipped from the bed to give him a big hug. "How did you get here so fast, Demetri? Is Mara with you?

He smiled crookedly. "Caleb told me he'd rip me a new one if I didn't get here immediately," he laughed. "Apparently a pack of dogs isn't enough to keep his woman safe as far as he's concerned. Mara's off on a buying trip for the club at the moment. She's not due back for another couple of days so it's just me you have to put up with."

Rhianna shot him a dirty look at his dog reference but didn't say anything when he grinned unrepentantly. He was only trying to irritate her and she had no intention of giving him the satisfaction. She hated to admit it but she felt a little bit safer with Demetri around.

"Lacey, Jen, this is Demetri, Caleb's best friend and all round asshole. You're best ignoring him. He likes to try and wind humans up."

Demetri put on a mock wounded expression. "Try!" he laughed. "I succeed admirably." His green eyes sparkled with laughter as Rhianna elbowed him in the gut.

"I take it you're a vampire?" Lacey asked. He had the same impossibly beautiful look about him as Caleb and Richard. It was funny how she could see the resemblance between them now she knew what they were.

Demetri quirked an eyebrow. "Guilty as charged," he grinned. He turned back to Rhianna. "I've instructions not to leave your side until Caleb gets back. Does that mean I have to sit and have a girly gossip session?" His expression was pained at the very thought of it.

Rhianna stared up at him pursing her lips. "You're awfully cheerful about all this, Demetri," she said quietly. "Caleb just about flew me from the country when Graves' name was mentioned. Why aren't you as worried?"

He smiled down at her. "Because I ran with Graves a while back, sweet Annie. I know him a lot better than Caleb does. I know how he thinks and I know how he reacts too. I stand a good chance of being able to outmanoeuvre him." He sounded very confident.

"Aren't you scared for Mara? Caleb said Graves wouldn't think twice about using me to neutralise him," she pressed trying not to allow too much hope to well up inside her. She had done her best to reassurance Lacey and Jen but she was just as worried as Caleb was deep down inside.

The look on Demetri's face chilled her blood. "He won't come anywhere near Mara, Annie," he said in a deadly tone. "He knows me as well as I know him. He knows exactly what I'm capable of. I have no fear he will harm a hair on Mara's head or yours."

His expression smoothed as suddenly as it had changed and he grinned at her again. "I intend to let Graves know exactly what I'll do if he comes anywhere near you, Red. By the time I've finished my conversation with him, even Caleb will accept your safety is guaranteed. You're family, Annie, and nobody touches my family and lives to tell the tale." He gave her a quick hug.

"I don't suppose you can convince him to let Lacey go and stay away from the Weres?" she asked with not a lot of hope in her voice.

"Wish I could, Red, but there are some limits even I reach, " he sighed. "But don't be so downhearted. My visit will give Graves some pause before he acts plus I know a few guys you would most definitely disapprove of. They owe me a few favours and have no love of Graves. The situation isn't as dire as everyone is making out downstairs."

Rhianna swallowed hard and wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning her head against his chest. "I never thought I'd ever say this, Demetri, but I am so glad you used to be a really nasty piece of work. I don't care how much I may disapprove of your friends. As long as they're on our side that's all I care about."

Demetri laughed and kissed the top of her head. He could feel her trembling slightly against him and he fought down the dark scowl which threatened to cross his face. Graves may be complete bastard but Demetri could be an even bigger bastard.

The difference between them now was Demetri had learned to give a fuck about some people and was able to channel his aggression into protecting them. Graves would probably think that made him weak but it was the exact opposite. It made him more ruthless, more deadly, and more willing to kill anyone who threatened those he cared about.

To be continued...