Chapter 18: Unraveling the Threads

UNKNOWN

Lyric and Kaiser, with Oliva and Ridge’s assistance, are busy settling in the visitors as the day progresses. Meanwhile, Willow and Boris are engrossed in their maps, trying to decipher patterns and clues. They know that the Fae king and his entourage have arrived, and the witches have set up camp by the river.

Roman, his mate, Jonah, Tyler, and Steve, along with their mates, are being accommodated in the castle rooms. Lyric has arranged a computer room where she meets with Tyler and Steve. She shows them her attempts to scour the dark web for any information about the attacks.

They immediately take their places at the computers, eager to gather as much information as they can.

***

Willow receives news that Eros has returned with a witch who might have some insights about the dragon’s blood tree and its effects on vampires. The witch has come willingly, ready to offer any help he can. They are waiting in the office, as Willow and Boris have relocated their mapping system to the conference room with a larger table.

Without wasting any time, Willow heads to the office. Eros, Lira, and Lyric are waiting.

“Willow, meet Demitri, a witch from the Red Coven. He’s agreed to help us understand the effects of the dragon’s blood tree,” Eros announces in his soft, booming voice.

Willow greets Demitri with a handshake and a smile. He is tall and thin, with an angular jaw and gray eyes that seem to hold the world within them. His aura radiates strength and power. He is no ordinary witch; he is an ancient.

Demitri bows his head slightly in greeting.

“Eros tells me you have a vampire infected with a sliver of the dragon’s blood tree?”

“Yes,” Lira confirms. “We can’t remove it because it would mean certain death for him.”

“Is it lodged in his heart?” Demitri asks.

Willow nods. “It is.”

Demitri shakes his head sadly. “Only the vampire’s mate can safely remove it. And even then…the location is…”

“Why? I don’t understand.” Willow interjects, frustration creeping into her voice.

“The sliver would send any vampire into stasis, regardless of where it was lodged. Only the beloved of the vampire could remove it. Anyone else attempting to do so would only drive the sliver deeper into the body. The fact that it’s in the heart ensures either the vampire dies when it’s attempted to be removed, or he returns to human form when his mate removes it,” Demitri explains, looking into Willow’s saddened eyes.

“I take it this vampire is dear to you?”

“He is my mate,” Willow admits. “But turning him back into a human isn’t an option. We don’t know if the aging process will catch up to him slowly or immediately.”

“I wish I could offer more hope. The only way would be to cut open the heart and extract it. Then your blood would heal the heart and bring him back. There is no other way. Unless the sliver could be called out.” Demitri touches her folded hands. “You seem to be a strong wolf. I know this is hard. But even a witch as powerful as Lira or myself can’t call the sliver forward. It will only come to the beloved. It’s designed to kill the vampire.”

“Called out?” Willow asks, puzzled. “What does that mean?”

Lira steps closer. “Some witches have a gift. Telekinesis. The ability to move objects with their mind. I can’t do this, but I’ve seen it done. In some ways, you do it when you shift the earth and move the water. You have a slight ability to do those things, but you’re an elemental. It’s the gifts the Goddess gave you. If you, as his mate, could call the sliver forward without having to cut into his heart, it would heal him in his current state. A vampire. Without causing a disruption to his state.”

“I see,” Willow murmurs. “I won’t cut into his heart. I won’t turn him back into a human. There must be some way I can learn this telekinesis.”

“You can’t just learn it, my dear,” Demitri replies. “It must be a gift from the gods.”

A tear trickles down her cheek. She looks at Demitri and Lira. “Then pray the Goddess makes this my next gift because I will not lose my mate.” With that, she turns and goes back to the conference room to continue her work.

By dinner time, Willow has used a string to trace the path of the vampires on the map. She uses a different colored thread to mark the bloodier locations she believes are related to Mihai.

After tying off the last bit of string, she steps back to examine her work. A pattern is slowly emerging. The attacks seem to be following a zigzag pattern, but the bloodier ones are in a straight line, all on the left side of the map.

They start near the northern Scotland border and infiltrate down into the highlands, moving toward England. Some are days apart, some weeks. The bloodier ones are about a month apart. She places pictures beside the bloodier sites. They are gruesome, with more blood spilled than necessary and the victims brutalized.

They start more sporadically, but as they draw closer to England, the timeline of the bloodier attacks becomes shorter. Not quite a month. Shorter. Three weeks, three and a half weeks as she moves up toward Scotland. So, it seems that Mihai is holed up in England. Because as they draw closer, his time with his victims grows shorter in travel time. Looking at the map, she is able to determine that he is about down to two and a half weeks now.

If they are to follow the erratic pattern, there are three isolated packs near the English border to choose from. One of which has a multitude of humans in it as they are in the habit of finding their mates in the human world. Not frowned upon, but still the human element puts them in more danger because they are not as strong as their counterpart.

She calls Boris and her father to look at what she has discovered and discuss her theories.

BORIS

I listen to my sister as she explains her findings. It’s true. The pattern is haphazard at best, but it’s more than what we had before. The three isolated packs that she feels could potentially be the next in a long line of packs being attacked are small at best, but it’s exactly what the vampires are looking for.

As we discuss the packs, she points out that one of the packs has a higher human element to it as they are in the habit of finding human mates more than the other two.

“Vampires aren’t exactly fans of our blood,” I say, “which makes me think this pack might be next on their hit list.”

“I want to take my team to this pack,” Willow tells our father and me. “We can warn them, and if necessary, fight. I think we should also send teams to the other two packs, just to be safe.”

Dad’s eyes are glued to the maps, deep in thought.

“I agree,” he finally says. “I’ll talk to the Fae king about sending some of his fighters. They’re skilled and have the earth’s elemental strength on their side. I’ll ask Eros to lead a team too. If we’re lucky, we can catch Mihai off guard in his bloodlust and end his reign.”

He turns to Willow. “If they stick to this pattern, we only have a few days before the next attack. Will your team be ready?”

“You’re only asking because of Andrei’s condition,” Willow retorts. “I trust my team, Dad. They’re always ready. I won’t lie, my heart is heavy. But for Andrei, I have to do this. We have to stop his brother before he destroys everything. Then I’ll find a way to help Andrei.”

Dad nods, pulling Willow into a hug.

“You’re as strong as your mother. So, we’re all in agreement?” He looks at us both.

We nod, and he tells me to arrange a meeting with the dragon king and the Fae king.

Willow excuses herself with a smile. I know she’s off to brief her team and prepare supplies for the three teams. Then she’ll probably go check on Andrei.

WILLOW

I punch in the code to the crypt’s lock and gently shut the door behind me.

I make my way to the table where Andrei lies. I take his hand to let him know I’m here. I open his eyes and lean over him, meeting his vacant gaze. But I know he senses me.

I sit beside him, reaching out to his mind through our mate-link.

~“Our guests have arrived. My uncles from America are already working with Mom on the dark web, looking for any chatter about the vampire king’s future plans. Tobias and the Fae are settled by the river. The witches are here too, trying to locate Mihai. ~

~“I took your advice about his love for playing in his victims’ blood and made a map. It’s not perfect, but a pattern is emerging. The bloodier sites started a month apart, then three and a half weeks, then three, and so on. ~

~“Now we’re down to about two weeks’ travel time, so I think three packs might be next. We’re sending out three teams tonight to offer protection. I’m leading one of them. I’m taking the pack with more humans because vampires prefer human blood. ~

~“I know it hasn’t stopped them, but it’s their first choice. I’m taking the same team I had when we rescued you. I trust them with my life.”~

I rest my head on his chest.

~“Please be careful. They’re in a state of bloodlust. There’s no reasoning with a vampire like that. All they see is death and blood. My brother wants to take us back to the dark ages.”~ Andrei’s voice echoes in my mind.

I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

~“Eros managed to bring back a witch from the Red Coven, Demitri. He’s ancient, judging by his power. But he didn’t offer much hope for removing the sliver from your heart. I have to be the one to do it, but it comes with a price. One I’m not ready to pay. I’ll do my duty as a shadow wolf and bring your brother down. Then I’m coming back for you. You’re my future, Andrei. Even if it’s just for this. I won’t leave you. You’re my mate, and I’m yours. We’ll find a way. Goddesses willing.”~

I press a soft kiss to his lips. They’re cold and unresponsive. A tear slips down my cheek, but I quickly wipe it away.

~“I wish I could hold you, my love. I wish I could respond to your kiss, your warmth. I too will pray to the Goddesses for a way to free me from this prison. I’ve been keeping my life force to a minimum, hoping they’ll think I’m dead. Then, when we come for them, I’ll be stronger. As promised.”~ His words resonate with power, filling my heart.

I close his eyes and move to the cot for a nap.

My team is getting things ready. Dad and Boris are talking with Eros and Tobias.

I need to rest. Even if I can’t sleep, my body needs a break.