Marie sat in Alex’s personal study, casually talking over current events. During the following two weeks after Evonne’s return, Alex’s attention solely settled back onto the group rallying against him. It was a welcoming change for his assistant.
     “You know,” Marie said, resting her chin in her hand, “David hasn’t been truthful with you lately. With Evonne running away, I believe he feels somewhat responsible. He may continue to hide things from you.”
     Alex leaned back in his chair as he carelessly jotted down a passing thought onto paper. “What is there to hide now?” he acknowledged, remarking at the fact that things had died down since her return.
     “Did you ask David if she said anything to him? In some ways, he is like a brother to her. She tells him more than she tells you.”
     He set the pen aside. “I spoke with David already. He now knows better than to hide things from me.”
     “A swift fist to the face will not deter him from being untruthful,” Marie said. She hid the joy she felt when Alex delivered the painful reminder to David’s jaw. To her, he deserved more punishments. But much to Marie’s dissatisfaction, that was the extent of it.
     “I was wrong to hit him,” Alex admitted, showing hints of remorse.
     “He deserved it. He broke your confidence and he needed to be punished.” Marie’s words were sharp and vindictive.
     Alex exhaled. “I could have handled it differently.”
     “It’s in the past.” She stood and headed around to his side of the desk. Alex turned in his chair to face her. “You haven’t taken any time for yourself, recently,” she said, her statement aimed at an underlying fact between them, a fact that never left the secured walls of his bedroom.
      “I don’t think I can,” he said nonchalantly.
     His words were almost a dare to Marie’s ears. She stepped closer and lowered herself to her knees. With delicate hands, she traced her fingers over the top of his thighs and stomach. She grabbed his shirt and eased Alex toward her. Pressing her mouth to his, she began kiss him. Marie moved her lips with his, making sure that this would go beyond an innocent kiss.
     She pulled away and gave the first indication of her intentions. “It will be forty-five minutes before the group from SEVEN arrives.”
     Taking the bait, he replied, “Is the door locked?”
     “My actions are always premeditated,” she advised him with a sly grin.
     Urging him back, Marie pulled his shirt from the waist of his pants and brushed her lips over his abdomen. She allowed her mouth and tongue to tease him as her hands began to unfasten his belt and pants. It had been a while since they spent time to themselves. Marie hated to feel ignored. She would use their time to remind him of that.
     Alex closed his eyes. Any distraction was welcome to him and he knew Marie would seize the first opportunity she could find.
     The phone on the desk rang to life.
     Alex turned a deaf ear to it.
     On the second ring, he lightly pushed Marie away and answered.
     A man began to speak.
     Concern and shock fell over Alex. “I’ll be right there,” he hastily said.

Alex made his way up to the front gate with Marie following close. The darkness of the driveway was shattered by the bright lights at the gate.
     Marie felt peeved at the call. It couldn’t have interrupted a boring meeting or some mindless report from the hunters, but it had to interrupt her time with Alex. Another time will present itself, she reassured.
     Five guards greeted Alex, some nodding respectfully. It was a rare to have him rush out on request. This visitor, however, was special, and Alex couldn’t wait to see if the call were true.
     “Where is he?” Alex asked.
     A voice replied from outside of the gate. “I’m right here.”
     The guards, as well as Alex, turned their attention to the gate.
     Alex’s breath abandoned him.
     “Hello, father,” said Zachary.
     Alex acknowledged him with a nod. “Zachary.”
     Dumbfounded, Marie looked from Alex to the stranger. “Zachary… your son?”
     He didn’t answer; instead, he kept his eyes on the vampire. “What brings you here?”
      “The obvious, of course.”
     Alex crossed his arms over his chest. “I received your message.”
     “Things have changed. The date of the attack, it’s sooner than I previously thought.” He looked at the guards then his father. “I would like to speak with you in private.”
     “No,” Alex said, without giving it a second thought. “Say what you have come here to say.”
     He tried to read his father. “You believe I’m with them.”
     “I have seen nothing to think otherwise.”
     “You aren’t prepared for this!” he shot back. “Did you not listen to what Gabriel said? There is a spy among your hunters. You are out numbered three to one, even with the reinforcements heading here from SEVEN.”
     “How do you know about that? The order was sent out to SEVEN yesterday.”
     “I keep my ear to the ground.” He smiled. “They have their spies and I believe you should have yours.”
     “And they haven’t found out about you?” Alex asked, skeptical about the entire conversation.
     Zachary sighed in aggravation. “Most of the vampires who have volunteered are too young to know who I am. The werewolves are just as oblivious.”
     “Then why not tell me their location?”
     “Bringing the fight to them? You are better equipped to fight them here. Even if you wanted to fight them on their own turf, you will not find them. They constantly change their location.”
     “And how is it that you can keep communications with them?”
     “The werewolves are the driving force behind the group,” Zachary explained, glancing at the guards who were listening in. “They are using vampires as extra muscle. We are kept in the loop only with the night on which to strike.”
     Alex’s skepticism remained. “And when is that?”
     “Within the next two nights. I wish to help you, father. Will you allow me to stay?”
     “I can’t. You know that.”
      “You need all of the help you can get,” Zachary argued, trying hard not to sound too forceful, “and I am equal to five of your hunters.”
     Marie agreed, “He has a point.”
     Alex looked at her, his eyes questioning the side she chose.
     She continued, “We can keep hunters with him at all times in case he tries something.”
     He didn’t like the idea. Seeing Zachary for the first time in over two-hundred left him feeling sick. He had spent the two-hundred years accepting the death of his son. Having his eyes looking upon him brought back the pain from that night. He wanted to walk away from the gate and continue to believe the lie he conditioned within himself.
     With a sigh, Alex looked at a guard and ordered, “Call Pax. Give him his orders when he arrives.”
     “Only one hunter?” Zachary asked. “I’m insulted.”
     “Pax will be enough.” Both he and Marie left the gate and walked back to the manor.

Pax. Based on appearance alone, he was the most intimidating hunter under Alex’s command. He was a special case when he came to work for SEVEN. All skills required for the job came natural to him. When asked about his prior training, he would brush off the question with a laugh and reply, “You try growing up on the streets of LA and see how fast you learn to protect yourself.”
     At the age of thirty-one, Pax was the same height as David and carried himself like a college-grad who majored in partying. And his appearance shown the same. His dirty-blond hair was long enough to be pulled back but he chose to keep it loose. It reflected his personality: uncontrolled and carefree. He had a known habit to run his fingers through his hair when he bluffed at cards, a tell that was easy to figure out.
     Underneath the hazel eyes and youthful face rested the scarred core of a cheated soul. He was considered uncouth by some but a perfect gentleman toward the ladies. Never one to go back on his word, he would be the first to question authority. But there was a method to his madness, even if he was the only one who saw it that way.
     Pax strolled up to the gate with a presence that demanded to be noticed. “So, you have something for me to kill?” he asked the guards.
     One guard stepped forward. “Your orders are to accompany the vampire during his stay.”
     “Aw,” Pax joked, “and I didn’t get Alex anything. Oh well, let him in.”
     The gate opened slowly.
     “Well, follow me,” Pax said to the vampire.
     Alex’s own methods were confusing, as well. But if he requested only for Pax to attend to this one vampire, then he wasn’t much of a threat. He remembered when the vampire Gabriel made his surprise visit. He and Jonathan were two of the many who were called to escort him in. This vampire had less than half of Gabriel’s strength. At least that was Pax’s assumption. And his assumptions were always on target. He called it his “gift.”
     Pax began the long walk back to the manor. “You have a name?” he asked the vampire.
     “Zachary.”
     Pax mulled over the name. “Uh, that’s like… Oh.” His mind clicked. Alex’s son. This is becoming interesting.
     “You must favor a lot of respect from my father,” Zachary pointed out.
     Pax smiled. “I’m not sure about that.”
     “So your name is Pax. That’s easy to remember.” He kept his words and voice on the polar opposite of the hunter. Compare to Zachary, the hunter was eccentric.
     “Actually,” Pax corrected, “it’s Douglas Paxton. Just don’t call me ‘Dougie.’ ”
     They entered the house through the front door.
     “I take it that this is your first time here,” he said to the vampire. He caught a glimpse of Zachary looking around the main room as they entered.
     The vampire didn’t reply.
     Pax continued speaking. “Well, I don’t know where I should take you. Let’s just try Alex’s office first.”
     “You talk a lot,” Zachary finally said.
     “Really?” he asked, faking a thoughtful look. “Huh, I’ve never noticed that. So, you knew Alex back in the day. Has he always been wound this tight?”
     Zachary said nothing.
     “I guess so.”
     One of the double doors to Alex’s office was open. Pax led Zachary inside. Alex stood in the middle of the room and appeared to be having an argument with Marie. They stopped talking as they noticed Pax enter with their guest.
     “Close the door,” Alex ordered.
     Pax did as he said.
     Keeping his eyes on his son, Alex spoke. “Do you have anything else you wish to tell me?”
     “What would you like to know?” asked Zachary.
     “How will they attack? The perimeter walls?”
     “The walls, the gate, and the hunters’ passageway. All are vulnerable.” It was Zachary’s hope to place fear in his father. He needed to be afraid, he needed to know that he wasn’t in control. He had to see truth of the situation, and not view it as a futile attempt by weak rogues.
     “Then they underestimate me,” Alex replied.
     “No, you underestimate them.”
     His father’s patience was beginning to wear thin. “Do you have any other names?”
     “Marcus Reynolds is their leader. He is aided by Dylan Kimbell and Richard Korrigan.” Names weren’t going to help. Zachary knew this better than anyone in the room.
     Marie moved to the desk and began to write down the names.
     “Gabriel gave you Marcus’ name,” continued Zachary. “Did you find anything on him?”
     Alex shook his head. “Nothing. He may not have a pack.”
     “He did. Dauzuk was the name, I believe.”
     “The Dauzuk Pack was destroyed. There were no survivors,” he informed him.
     “There were ten survivors from Dauzuk and six from Wallace. They have since gathered others to help.”
     Alex changed the subject. “Do you know of the spy who you believe is here?”
     Pax spoke up. “Wait a second, there’s a spy here? How come I wasn’t informed?”
     “Rumor, that’s all,” Alex assured him.
     Zachary kept his eyes on his father. “I don’t know who he is.”
     “Typical,” Marie said to Alex. “You could have saved yourself the troubled and had him tell us at the gate.”
     Zachary shot a cold look at the woman. “What is your name?”
     She returned the hateful stare. “Marie.”
     “Marie…” he said, trying to remember. “Ah, Marie Beth Codwell, daughter of James and Martha Codwell. You attended Stafford University until your third year. While out with friends one night, you were attacked and left to die. SEVEN intervened with the case and you ended up here. You are seen most of the time in the hunter’s levels, barking orders.”
     He continued with another name. “Douglas Jude Paxton, mother and father unknown. He was a young freelance hunter who bounced around from one job to the next, until he was picked up by SEVEN. From there, he was summoned to work for Alexander, instructing new hunters.
     “David Scott Lucas, son of Heather Lucas, father unknown. He came to stay at Eden when he was eleven. From there, he has taken the role as son and possible heir to Alexander. Target status, kill on sight.
     “Evonne Abigail Ingram, daughter of Alexander and Sharon Ingram. Possible heir to Alexander. Target status, kill on sight.
     “Alexander Ingram… ” Zachary tilted his head. “Shall I continue?”
     Alex grew distant.
     “The information is far deeper than this,” his son explained. “They know the layout of the estate and the weaknesses in your security. Father, you will fail.”
     Alex returned his eyes to Zachary and said nothing.
     “So much for optimism,” Marie said out loud.
     “Well,” began Pax, sounding antsy, “how long will you need me up here?”
     “Take him below,” Alex ordered, “and place him in one of the holding cells.”
     “You have a prison now?” Zachary mocked.
     He kept his eyes on his son. “We will speak more, later.”
     “That’s my cue,” Pax said as he opened the door. “Follow me.”
     Zachary paused before he left the room. He tried to sense his father’s thoughts but the man had learned to keep them well hidden. It wouldn’t be easy convincing Alex that he was on his side.
     As Zachary followed the hunter across the larger foyer, he caught a familiar scent.
     Evonne.
     He stopped and looked beyond the staircase and toward the bedrooms on the second floor. She was here. He moved away from the hunter and began to climb the stairs.
     Pax noticed the vampire leave his side. He rushed after him and placed a hand to Zachary’s chest, stopping him. “The holding cells are downstairs.”
     “I’m going to speak with Evonne,” Zachary informed the hunter.
     “Uh,” Pax squirmed, “I can’t let you do that. Alex is a wee bit overprotective of her. She only allows a certain two people entrance into her room. And I don’t believe you are on the list. So let’s go set you up with that cozy cell, all right?”
     Zachary ignored the hunter and continued up the stairs.
     Pax grabbed the vampire’s arm and stopped him once more. “See, I take it that you’re testing me. If you really want to talk to her then ask Alex first.”
     Zachary pulled his arm free, still continuing up the stairs. Within a second of his first step, he felt the cool end of a gun’s barrel pressed against his temple. He stopped.
     The once lightheartedness within Pax turned on a dime. This “new” self was, in fact, the true Pax.
     “Take another step,” he dared the vampire. His words were unwavering.
     “That gun will not stop me,” Zachary advised him.
     “No, it won’t,” Pax agreed, “but it will buy me enough time to use one of these.” He slowly opened his jacket to reveal five slender spikes, each one sliver and had the universal use as arrows to a crossbow.
     “I could have stopped you before you reached your gun… if you were a normal human.” Zachary moved his eyes to the side, glancing at the hunter.
     In response to the statement, Pax pressed the gun harder into the vampire’s temple. His jaw tightened.
     “But you’re no half-breed,” Zachary continued, “you’re something different, something ancient.”
     “Keep talking, leech,” Pax threatened. “I haven’t had blood on my hands in over a month, and I believe they itch for yours.”
     Zachary tried to read the hunter. “My father doesn’t know about you, does he?”
     “You know,” Pax coldly replied, “there are so many things one can do to a vampire to make their eternal existence much more amusing to me. My favorite is to remove their tongue.” He waited for his words to sink in. “Now, follow me.” Removing the gun, he stepped away.
     Reluctantly, Zachary left the stairs. He wasn’t going to test the hunter’s skills. He had seen something within Pax that pulled at his curiosity. If only Alex knew the truth of this one hunter, how things would be different for Pax and Eden. But there was a cruel fact to the hunter’s life within the estate—he was cohering with the enemy. Anyone outside Pax’s lineage was considered unworthy to hunt these beasts. Alexander’s fight was their fight. It had been for generations before the birth of the New World.
     The walk within the hunters’ levels were filled with stares and curious looks. Pax didn’t return any of the questions he received. His personality flip hadn’t fully recovered.
     The cells were placed down one long hallway, well away from the main life of the lower levels.
     Pax opened the steel door to the hallway and allowed the vampire to enter. Inside, he leaned over a control panel and punched in a few commands. A mental clank rang out, echoing over the cold walls, followed by a rhythmic rattling. The noises died away. Pax then marched down the length of the corridor and stopped at an open cell.
     Zachary freely stepped inside.
     With a tremendous bang, Pax slid the door shut. He stared at the vampire through the bars. “If you have any complaints about our service, then see the management. Enjoy your stay.”