22

n the conference room on the lowest level of the haven, Charles sat off to the side while more than two dozen vampires, mostly male, pooled all the guns they could find. Though he knew older vampires preferred to use their hands and fangs in a fight, these young ones were spoiled by modern weaponry. And in this case, taking on The Brotherhood needed instruments that yielded quick kills. Then again, fangs wouldn’t be needed in the upcoming battle. The newest tactic employed by The Brotherhood had each of the workers’ blood tainted. The result wasn’t toxic to vampires, but it skewed the taste enough to stop one from feeding.
Charles continued to watch the bustling scene, amazed at how fast the little operation blossomed into a force now thirty strong. Most joined in with the promise of unbridled fun, something rarely allowed in the modern age. And all through word of mouth. Seeing how much could be accomplished within a week’s worth of planning, Charles became more impressed with inner workings of haven society.
At the head of the long, conference table, Lori stood with Arden while she spoke with a few vampires she appointed as the leaders of the mission. The lap dog, Arden, seemed uninterested in the conversation as he stared through the crowd, eyes on Charles standing alone by the wall. There was no way to earn this vampire’s trust. But that was the nature of all guardians he had to remind himself. Be wary of everyone, even if you have no reason to do so.
Charles broke eye contact with Arden and looked around the room once more, taking in the eclectic group. His eyes returned to the head of the table as Lori pulled herself to stand on the chair. She didn’t call out for their attention; instead, she waited until each one slowly began to notice her. Once the room fell into complete silence, Lori spoke.
“Some of you know why you are here. Others have heard only rumors. But all have one fact; you will get your hands bloody.”
The room erupted in whispers of excitement, then died down once more.
Lori waited until the room grew quiet again before continuing. “The place we will be hitting is a facility called Crifton. It is a part of a larger network going by the title of The Brotherhood of Osiris.”
A male vampire called out from the crowd. “The fuck, it’s real?”
“Started during the World War II, The Brotherhood was, at first, a secret research group that was funded by the government. It is said that The Brotherhood began in ancient Egypt by a group of necromancers. But now, with the government fueling them, they took their practices into the world of science. You’ve heard the ghost stories of vampires disappearing and werewolves blatantly attacking crowds of humans. And these attacks never see a the news or a mention by officials.”
Another vampire spoke up. “Sounds more like SEVEN to me.”
Lori replied before thinking. “I fear this group more than SEVEN.”
“Why would a human fear them?”
Freezing for a moment, she looked upon the many eyes staring back at her. With calming breath, words she least wanted to say found themselves on her tongue. “I am not human, and it is that reason The Brotherhood captured me and imprisoned me for five years. I have others I can ask to do this job for me, but I believe that something more visually impressive would send a stronger message. And I also believe in sharing the fun, something my father would not allow. I am tired of running and hiding in the shadows. I have spent many years trying to live a life for myself. And until this threat is burned from this world, I will place my life on hold.” Lori motioned to the vampire standing beside her chair. “This here is Erikson. He has been heading up the design for this campaign. He is your leader, not me. Listen well to his orders and you will have a night to remember for centuries to come.”
Erikson, always the gentlemen, helped Lori from the chair, then turned to address the group for himself. Lori walked around the edge of the crowd, gaining a few curious glances as she passed. Arden followed her, scouring for any possible threat. As they neared the door, Charles moved in, voice hushed. “Stirring speech, though a little redundant in places. You really didn’t need to hint at what you are. Some folks don’t like those who come from both sides, if you know what I mean.”
“I know,” she whispered back. She began to walk toward the door.
“You’re not going to stay?” Charles questioned.
Lori glanced around the room, her eyes lingering on Erikson as he outlined their course of action. “My work here is done. The fires are lit. Time to sit back and wait.” Continuing for the door, she found a tattooed arm reaching for the handle. Lori looked up and saw a grinning Mikolas.
“A half-breed,” he said, amused. “Nice to finally know they exist.”
“Can you do me a favor and walk me to my room?”
“I’d love to, but I don’t want to miss the briefing.”
“You’ll be on my team when we get there. I’ll tell you all you need to know then.”
Stunned, Mikolas’ eyes shot to the guardian always at her side. “You already have an escort. I don’t want to step on any toes.”
Lori nodded at Arden who obeyed the silent command and stepped away. She then motioned for the door. Mikolas, still stunned, opened the door and allowed Lori to exit first.
In the hall and away from prying ears, Lori waited a few strides before speaking.
“Tell me about the job you did for Eden,” she asked.
He gave a small shrug and replied, “Like I said before, we just had to breach security long enough to go in and get the girl.”
“Who hired you?”
“A vampire named Gabriel.”
Lori stopped walked. “Gabriel? Tall, blond, hunts werewolves for fun?”
Mikolas stopped walking as well. “Yeah, that’s him.”
“Why would he go after Ingram’s daughter?”
He shrugged again. “I don’t know the full story, but it was Keelan’s plan in beginning. He got her out of Eden the first time, during the big attack. Then she was captured and sent back. That was when Gabriel took charge and went in there to get her out.”
“So she is Keelan’s?”
“No. She’s Gabriel’s. Gabriel became her sire.”
“What?” Lori exclaimed. The news was the last thing she expected to hear.
“Yup,” Mikolas said, once entertained by the events himself. “I can only imagine daddy-Ingram’s face when he found out.”
“Wait… where are they now?”
“Last I heard, they went into hiding. I think over in Europe… or was it Canada? Anyway, no one has heard from them in months. She was also the one responsible for the recent haven anarchy.”
Lori shook her head at the overload of information. “Haven anarchy?”
“When daddy’s lil’ girl left Eden the second time, she smuggled out a copy of the database used by SEVEN to keep track of havens, werewolf packs, and even individual vampires and werewolves. Vampires began abandoning the havens, including some of the elders. It was a real mess there for a while. But things are starting to settle down.”
“Wow. I’m out of the loop for five years and this is what I miss.”
“This all happened five months ago. Up until now, it’s been pretty boring. But something big is going to happen. I can sense it. You can’t poke a beehive like Eden without seeing some reaction.”
“Oh, Gabriel,” Lori sighed, “what have you gotten yourself into this time?”
“I wouldn’t worry too much about him.” Seeing her eyes resting on his once more, Mikolas broke under the small look of worry on her face. “Though I’ve only met Gabriel once, he seems like a resilient guy—balls of steel and takes shit from no one—you have nothing to worry about.”
“That’s why I worry,” she said, walking faster to her room.
Mikolas hurried after her. “You mentioned your father, and that had me wondering… Any hints at a name?”
Lori reached the door to her room and was stopped by Mikolas, his hand reaching the handle before hers once again.
“Just a small hint, please.”
With her patience beginning to wear thin from everything, she turned to face him, all facades and games melting away. “No hints,” she said. “My father’s name is Jharell.” She took the handle from him, adding, “Goodnight, Mikolas. Thank you for walking me to my room.”
Mikolas found himself staring at the door after it closed. He blinked a few times as his mind registered the name and the image it created once the puzzle pieces slammed into place. As truth crashed into him, a small sound left his mouth.
“Oh.”