Thereasa saw the child’s words register through the wolf’s grief and she ruthlessly pressed on, knowing there was a finite amount of time they had to give her some will to live. “I know it hurts. I know the pain feels insurmountable, Ava. I am in your mind. I can see it, feel it, taste it with every tear you cry. I am astounded that you’ve stayed with us so long. A less strong wolf would have faded away long ago. However, you’re still here, Ava. You’re still fighting. You’re not alone and you have something precious to live for. Live for Tali, Ava. Live for your child. It won’t be easy and the pain won’t miraculously vanish, but let me help you find a way to work through the agony. Let me help you find a way to live for your daughter.”
The she-wolf still wept, but the sobs didn’t sound as harsh. “Tali. For Tali…”
“Come with me, Ava. Come to our special room that will help you heal. I promise I will not leave you. Come, brave wolf.”
An audible sigh of relief sounded from the compound as Ava allowed Thereasa to lead her towards the medical building that contained the pack’s safe rooms, Aaron in close attendance.
Liam cuddled the little girl close, quietening her terrified outburst. “it’s okay now, little one. We will take care of Ava. She will be fine. You have been very brave. Now it is time to let us take over the burden you have had to bear.”
“I promised, Tali,” she hiccupped. “I promised that I wouldn’t let her Mama go to sleep forever like Mama and Papa did.”
Rafe stroked the child’s back, aware that she had recently lost her parents to a vampire attack, and was almost as vulnerable as Ava was. Dara had said the child’s name was Pippa. It was important to establish her identity to her so that she didn’t get caught up in Ava’s grief and begin to believe that she was her daughter. “We will look after Ava, Pippa,” he said with quiet authority. “We will look after you too.”
Liam felt a little hand tangle in his auburn hair, and met his Alpha’s gaze. “Pippa can stay with me until Ava is feeling better.” His gaze told Rafe that he would work inside the child’s mind, helping her to come to terms with her own grief as Thereasa worked with Ava, a bond of trust having been formed there already so it was best that he left the she-wolf to his mate. Rafe nodded his head in silent agreement, and the Varcolac headed to his home with the little girl.
To say Rafe was relieved was an understatement. He had been doubtful about them being able to help Ava when Dara first mooted the idea, but they had to take a chance, as it was the only option open to them at the time. Perhaps everything would work out satisfactorily, only time would really tell.
Joshua followed Pietro to a modest sized home deeper into pack lands. He thought back to their time in Europe, of how convinced he was that the other vampire would die from the terrible poisoning he’d suffered at Thereasa’s hands. It was gratifying to see the other male so obviously healthy and happy, despite the scars than ran down one half of his face. What he couldn’t understand was why Pietro hadn’t killed Thereasa but instead, appeared to be friends with her.
“It’s a long story,” Pietro chuckled, as if he was reading Joshua’s thoughts. “What do you think of the house? We just finished it last week. We split our time between the pack and the club. I wanted something that I had built myself. Rafe appeared to understand that and was happy to donate this patch of pack lands to us.”
It was a great looking place. Not large but with room for expansion should children appear on the horizon. Joshua knew enough to know that now Pietro had mated to a Varcolac he had the potential to become a father. The concept of children was entirely alien to him personally, but the Romanovs and Erikssons appeared to have thrived as parents so there had to be something of worth in it.
“Looks nice,” he commented, casting his vampire gaze around the area and stopping when he saw a chimney stack. “You’re not too isolated from other pack members either.” Security was always something in the forefront of Joshua’s mind.
Pietro followed his gaze, a wry smile crossing his face. “That’s Liam and Reasa’s place. It seems I have my own personal bodyguard in that vampire, or perhaps it’s a Varcolac mated thing where they move out, and need to be close to each other. I could be wrong about the latter though. Lily seems perfectly happy up at the Praetorian Compound.”
Joshua’s deep blue eyes met his friend’s, curiosity shining deep within. “I guess I need to hear this long story.” He followed Pietro into the house, pausing to admire the fresh white hallway before joining him in the cosy living room that had a refreshingly light and airy contemporary feel. He moved to one of the pale cream leather sofas, accepting the glass of red wine Pietro handed to him.
“Well, as you can see I recovered from my near death experience,” the other male said, sitting across from him and sipping at his own glass of wine. “I was surprised to return here and discover that my mate was one of Alexei’s daughters. I was equally as surprised to learn other facts that I believe Caleb has told you already.” He raised an enquiring eyebrow, not willing to go on until he had confirmation.
“Yes, I know about the attack on the Varcolac and the punishment meted out. That was the last that I heard on that subject though. I had expected Thereasa to have taken her own life once she realised she was human. I can’t begin to imagine the trauma to a vampire’s soul to go from being everything to being nothing.”
Pietro nodded, his near death experience and mating with Cassia giving him an even stronger zest for an immortal life. He had always secretly admired Thereasa’s will to live even when he had hated her. He hadn’t been so sure he would have been that strong had their roles been reversed.
“It turned out that Reasa was Liam’s mate, and the only one here that could save his sanity. He was quietly going insane with his high-level empathy. Elina held it at bay as best she could, but he needed someone with the skills of Reasa, someone who could teach him how to protect himself. She not only taught him how to protect himself, but together they managed to rebuild a dozen shattered vampire minds that Liam had inadvertently damaged when Reasa was stripped of her immortality.”
Joshua couldn’t contain his shock. It had been astounding to learn that the Vampire Queen could strip a vampire’s immortality. It was even more astonishing to learn that Liam and Reasa were strong enough to repair destroyed vampire minds. Perhaps there was some hope for Gard and Rayne, and the others in Europe after all. If the Varcolac were that strong… hell, he had experienced Dara’s strength himself in Europe and Liam sounded like he far exceeded her skills, they actually may stand a chance at defeating whoever was out there.
“Yes, I know,” Pietro continued, a smile crossing his face. “I think we were all as shocked as you are at the time. They did it though, and then we were all left with the sticky problem of two Varcolac mating with two people who hated each other. Well, I hated Thereasa. She was learning the hard way that her actions had drastic consequences.”
Pietro sat forward, twirling the glass stem in his hand, the shadow of a frown marring his brow. “I was so full of hate, Joshua. I have never hated anyone more than I did Reasa. I was scarred, damaged, broken by her actions. I knew that my hate hurt Cassia and Liam. I tried so hard to learn forgiveness, but I just wanted to ram my talons in her now human neck, to bathe in her blood as the life leeched from her eyes. I didn’t know then what we know now. We had no idea of the power that was out there.” His voice trailed off, his gaze riveted to the blood red wine in the glass.
“Your reaction is understandable,” Joshua finally said. He could understand Pietro’s base urges completely, and the dilemma that placed him in now that he was mated and part of the pack. To be honest, Joshua didn’t know if he would have held back the way his friend had.
“Cassia wouldn’t let me give into the self-pity,” Pietro continued. “She saw the scars and she loved me despite them. I tried to fight the mating pull, but I knew it was impossible. I still hated Reasa, still waited for her to betray the pack, as I knew she would. And she did… I was elated, vindicated. I knew that I had the proof of her deceit. I followed her into the forest expecting the worst. What I discovered was that she was sacrificing herself to save the pack. Michael, the one who had directly poisoned me had blackmailed her out of the pack’s safety. He was here to kill her and she was a fragile human. Still, she went to what she believed was her death. My instincts kicked in, I fought the vampires even as I called for Cassia to come. One of them had bullets laced in the Amort poison. He fired at me, and Reasa threw herself into my arms, taking the poisoned bullet meant for me even as she knew she wasn’t immortal anymore.”
Joshua could envision the scene playing out, surprise etched across his face, surprise and also a touch of admiration for the woman who would sacrifice everything to make things right. “Sweet Jesus,” he whispered.
“I know,” his friend agreed. “It was a sobering thought to me too. Reasa was dying in my arms. In that moment, the hatred evaporated, and I found myself begging her to stay alive long enough for the pack doctor to save her life. She was dying and I was alive because of her. It was just wrong. Anyway, things became chaotic after that, the vampire queen got involved, and gave Reasa her immortality back. She healed, and we talked. By then there was the first inkling of something bigger being involved in what was happening, but nothing had really been discovered. I had found it in my heart to forgive Reasa, and in doing so the last of my own anguish melted away. I was finally able to fully appreciate this wonderful new life I have with Cassia and the pack.”
“I didn’t realise it had become so bad here stateside. I thought everything was still contained in Europe.”
After laughing inanely and tossing the remainder of his wine back, Pietro laid the glass down. “Yes, I believe we did as well. My friend, we are a very haughty species. My pride caused me to be captured and poisoned. We assumed that the threat wouldn’t pursue us after we got back here, but it did. I now think that whatever our enemy is purposely poisoned me. They were interested in how we would respond and behave in that situation. It wasn’t Michael’s own mind, though. When Reasa explained that their primary objective had been to learn why I was there, she was telling the truth. The master of Michael had different plans.