“Does someone want to tell me what you’ve discovered, and why we’re gathered here?” Rafe’s droll tone had everyone turning to look at him and it was Caleb who replied.
“I think your guess is as good as mine. When I went to bed, very little had really been discovered; however from Annie’s expression, it appears she knows something more?” Caleb phrased it as a question, moving to sit down and help himself to some coffee. He poured a cup for his mate.
As Rafe and Ashleigh grabbed some food, Rhianna quickly apprised her brother of Anakatrine’s rediscovered library and the books they hoped would help them deal with the European threat. The alpha’s expression turned incredulous the more information she imparted.
“Dream Walking?” Caleb echoed, when his mate got to that part of her discovery. He felt a bubble of hope well up inside at the mere possibility of help for the injured vampires.
“I think Liam and Reasa should have this.” Rhianna patted the leather-bound book on the coffee table where she’d placed it when she’d arrived. “I’ll have to use a spell to translate the text into English so they can read it, but that shouldn’t be hard. They are the ones who know most about their abilities. It makes sense that they would be the logical choices to read it through and determine what they can or cannot do.”
“You’re forgetting one little thing, Annie. Reasa is our prisoner, whether she is Liam’s mate or not. No one knows what kind of harm she could cause with this new knowledge. From what I understand, you didn’t strip her empathic abilities when you took her immortality.” There was a healthy dose of caution in Rafe’s tone as he frowned at the thought. He didn’t even blink at the fact she was going to employ magic to perform the translation.
His sister frowned too, pursing her lips as she regarded him. “Yes, she needs to be watched. I’m not disputing that fact; but how is she ever supposed to integrate with the pack if she continues to feel like an outsider, Rafe? Reasa has a strong affinity for vampires even though she’s no longer one. Providing her with the opportunity to help the casualties at the Praetorian Compound will give her a purpose. That’s something she is clearly lacking right now. It will also give her the chance to work with Liam and get to know him as a person. It’s a calculated risk in my opinion.”
“She’s already contacted someone outside the pack,” Ashleigh countered. “We don’t know the consequences of that yet. If Reasa can move around more freely, won’t that grant her the potential to place Liam in harm’s way? What if someone comes to rescue her?”
“I think we can all agree that Liam doesn’t need any protecting,” Caleb sighed, giving the younger woman a rueful smile. “On the contrary it’s the rest of us who need protection from him. I’m in agreement with Annie. We always use the tools that fit the job, and this empathy thing is what Liam and Reasa do best.”
Rafe nodded. Since the issue at Freya’s, he had been reassessing what was best for the pack; it was clear to him that separating Liam and Reasa would only lead to another episode. He in no way trusted the former vampire, but it was hard to dispute Annie’s reasoning. They would have to ensure that Reasa was closely monitored. That would mean putting their stronger-willed personnel on the task, and relying on Liam to retain enough pack loyalty to back them up if she proved stronger than anticipated. He’d already considered allowing them to go up to the Praetorian Compound.
“Fine, it’s agreed then. Liam and Reasa will research the book. They’ll also be permitted to go up to the Praetorian compound to see if they can be of any assistance. I want a Varcolac presence around them though, just to ensure Reasa can’t manipulate any vulnerable minds to attempt escape.”
“Lily could be excused from kitchen duties,” Rhianna suggested. “She will want to be there for Brandon in case he wakes. Kallum will also want to be present, as he’s partial to the Praetorians. We could send Elina and Kothari too?”
“I’m agreeable to that,” Rafe confirmed with another nod of his head. “I doubt any of the Varcolac will have an issue with helping out.”
They talked a little longer, finishing breakfast as they discussed the best timing for the trip to the Praetorian compound. Despite some concerns, there was an air of excitement in the room. Things appeared to be moving, swinging in favour of the pack-vampire alliance. Whoever it was in Europe that had orchestrated the current conflict had no idea the consequences those actions were about to unleash.
*****
The sound of shattered glass startled Cassia. Her head shot up, an annoyed scowl on her face as the sound dragged her away from the lab results she was perusing. One of the teenagers helping out in the lab was staring at the door, and whatever she’d been carrying was lying broken at her feet. The Varcolac hoped it wasn’t anything important that would set them back in their testing. She was about to speak when her wolf growled. Turning her head, it was all she could do to keep her face expressionless as she caught sight and scent of what had startled the youngster.
“Pietro, can I help you?” Mallen was already crossing the room towards the doorway where the vampire stood, looking around the laboratory with open curiosity on his face.
There was barely an inch of exposed skin in view, which was probably what had startled the girl when she’d turned around. Dressed entirely in black-a long coat, fedora hat, and matching sunglasses-Pietro looked like something out of a bad vampire movie. For a moment, all Cassia could do was stare as the urge to laugh bubbled up inside her. She dampened it down though, and chose instead to analyse what it meant for the reclusive vampire to have left his sanctuary.
“I would like a word with Cassia,” Pietro answered, the dark glasses turning in her direction.
She could feel the heat in his gaze, and a slow shiver ran down her spine at the sound of his voice. How could something so simple sound so decadent? Was this how all mates felt towards each other? Her reaction to Pietro since that moment at the lake had intensified, to say the least. It mildly disconcerted her, even as she found herself incredibly excited by it.
Cassia smoothed a wayward curl as she rose from her seat and nodded to the pack doctor. “I’ll be back soon.” While she didn’t really have the time to spare from her work, she couldn’t refuse Pietro if he’d come looking for her.
Following him from the lab, she could hear Mallen talking to the girl about the failed experiment she’d dropped, his tone kind though instructive. She easily tuned him out, her attention fully on the vampire in front of her.
Stepping into the morning sunshine, Cassia freed her hair from the clasp at the nape of her neck and gave her head a shake. She was aware of Pietro watching her, a half smile curving his bottom lip.
“You look like a puppy when you do that.”
“And you look like something out of a bad horror movie.” The words came out with a hint of amusement, laced with a little annoyance. His alluding to her youth rankled a bit, but not enough to dent the excitement that he’d come looking for her. Cassia waited patiently for his reaction, wondering if she’d said the wrong thing and if he’d retreat again. When his lips curled more, she knew she would have seen humour in his eyes if he wasn’t wearing glasses.
Pietro’s gaze drifted down to look at himself. His smile turned into a lopsided grin so unexpected and endearing, that for a moment she forgot how to breathe. “I guess I do at that,” he agreed, taking off the glasses and hat, and letting his hands drop to his sides. “I’ve never seen you in wolf form.”