Page 11 of Master Oradea

I look up to find Catina scowling at Sardinia and exchanging glances with the ladies. He tosses down the white linen napkin. “Alright, we’re going to clear things up right here and now. Not one of the masters is happy about the situation with Embry, including myself. We don’t like the fact that she has to be kept separate from us anymore than you do, but we are responsible for the welfare of the vampires across the globe. If she and Lucas are a team, then we must ensure she does not feed him information, at least until we can be sure.”

Raven’s eyes flash, and the ends of her fingernails begin to crackle. Romano’s eyes go wide, placing a calming hand on Raven’s arm, but she doesn’t acknowledge him a bit. “I would be able to tell if she were a traitor; Willow would be able, maybe even some of the others. The psychics and witches have a lot in common, you know? What I don’t understand is why can’t you tell if she is or isn’t, Lucianna?” she says, looking to our future queen.

Lucianna sits beside Descallia with deep green glowing eyes, not saying a word, until she’s ready to speak, and even then, is thoughtful and quiet in her response. “I’ve asked myself that very question so many times. My powers are not the same as they were. Lucas has pledged allegiance to the other side; is it his doing or by another spell cast by our enemies? How is Embry involved? All questions that I have not been able to answer. But tonight, when the witches’ stones did not work, that told us more than we ever could have learned. What the rumors say is true—the stones did lead the way. They told me what we need to know by not doing what they are intended to do.”

Chapter 10

Natalia

The witches’ eyes light up, and Raven’s temper tamps, and the electricity at the end of her fingernails begins to dissipate as Lucianna speaks. Raven nods. “I know exactly where you’re going with this. The help we seek is in the one who either chooses to give it to us or not, allows us to use its power or not, allows spells to be cast or removes them as we ask.”

Lucianna nods, and Willow and Raven begin rubbing their stones. “Rub your stone too, Madria. You may not think you’re a real witch, but all the signs are there. Whether you think you are or not, Mother Earth thinks you are. She is the authority on these things. Aunt Devora!!!” she calls, watching for signs of her infuriating aunt to show up while Descallia keeps his jaw locked in silence until on the third call for her, the long-haired witch appears.

Her image in all of their stones at the same time is disconcerting, but it does not seem to faze Lucianna at all. “We need your help, Devora. You assured us you were not siding with the rogues, but yet, they know things they can’t possibly know, and have been able to drain my powers of sight, along with the strength of the ladies’ stones. All signs point to you helping us. Destiny would not have coupled our masters with your witches if not the case.”

The angry witch watches us as we listen, absorbing the scene around the table and cackling. “So, you don’t outright accuse me, but that’s what this is nonetheless?” She cackles so loud that the ladies suck in a breath, probably, like me, afraid of what curse or spell she may throw.

One minute looking this way, the other looking that way, all the while electricity flows from her fingertips and light flashes from her eyes, keeping me riveted to my seat. Nothing about my world, even my brothers’ world at the scariest of times could have prepared me for this.

My heart beats fast, so fast I think it’s going to plunge right out of my chest, but Oradea reaches under the table and takes my hand, rubbing circles in my palm with the tip of a finger, focusing all my energy and pent-up anxiety on that little movement, calming me with his touch, as the broom-riding biddy continues her rant.

Chapter 11

Oradea

I keep Natalia calm, watching intently while the cackling hag, Devora, says her piece, because if that screechy witch even turns her wrist slightly to get her wand, I will sear her back to ash. She looks at me, and those keen eyes know not to mess with me, that I’m waiting for her to do one thing to give me a reason. Just one, and Devora will be gone.

She seems to have a good understanding of her predicament and doesn’t want to ruin her position of neutrality with Lucianna and Descallia, because that could be more trouble for her and her witches than she bargained for.

The electricity flowing from her fingertips begins to calm after a few minutes. She sighs and narrows her eyes, looking around the table. “The stones were weakened by someone who has the power to cast great spells. I can’t tell you who, but you are on the right path. That’s all that I can say without discussing it with the leaders of our coven.”

My temper flares. “That’s not enough, witch! We need details to thwart the enemies’ plans, not you to tell us that you need to discuss it at leisure. We find out where they are from you tonight or we do it alone.” The thought of the vendetta between the witches and vampires for the land rights is never far from either of our minds. “I wouldn’t put it past the High Priestess to have done it all on her own. Look at all the horrific things she’s done in the past in the name of witch fun at her Halloween events,” I say.

Devora’s eyes flare purple and then start to spin out of control. “Take it back!” she screeches. “Take it back or I will turn you into a toad.”

I laugh. “Do your best, Devora, but remember—paybacks are hell. You’ve been warned about that before. Do you really want to see the wrath of a beast who would sooner send you to a fiery hell than to waste his time? If not, tell me what I want to know!” I demand.

She remains silent, contemplating. I don’t give her long before giving her a nudge. “Do the right thing. The vampires have no beef with you except the land.” Overmaster and Lucianna exchange a glance. Overmaster Descallia clears his throat. “The land, Devora, that can be handled amicably as well. If you know something that can help, now’s the time.”

Devora sucks in a breath. “You push me, Descallia! If destiny wants you to know, you will learn without me telling you. Open your eyes, vampire! Look around! You have a very strong band of witches loyal to your cause. But yet the doubt the vampires bring to the table about the witches diminishes their power to help you at all. You see, the spell is not draining the power; it is you and your masters who are draining the witches’ power by not believing in their loyalty and desire to lead the way. I’ll leave you with this, vampires,” she says, pointing around the table. “There are more witches here than you know!” and with that, her image disappears from the stones, and the amber glow begins to fade.

Lucianna sighs heavily and nods as Elda comes round with a decanter filled with Descallia Red, offering some to each of us, as she makes her way around the table. Sardinia pours Madria a glass of white wine and passes the decanter and wine bottle for those who prefer the taste of it over blood. “This thing between the vampires and the witches. It could have great merit. I recall reading a passage in the Vade Mecum that said when beasts and enchantresses combine, the path of light will blind.”

Willow’s mouth gapes. “I’ve heard that. In one of Devora’s classes. I can’t remember which one, but in one of them she taught that very thing. I don’t recall her saying it was from the vampire guide or the Vade Mecum, though.”

Lucianna nods. “No doubt, she wouldn’t with a younger class. Maybe with the seniors who are getting ready to go out in the world and make their way. They would need more in-depth information.”

I look around the table, and it’s true. “We say we believe in destiny, yet we seem to want to take matters into our own hands, give ourselves the credit when things go well, and blame others when it doesn’t go our way. And, if you stop and think, every step of our journey in finding the rogues has led us to this very thing. Just look around the table. The very people who we in past centuries would have rather killed are now sitting among us, willing and wanting to help, yet have our hearts changed enough?” I gesture to Masters Campania and Romano. “I too have still harbored ill will toward the witches. Not fully believing in their loyalty. I have no doubt other masters may feel the same.”

Sardinia twirls his glass. “We still don’t fully know Madria’s ancestry, or the extent of her witchery and abilities. What I do know is that whether it turns out that she is a witch or not, I love her, and it’s not going to change anything between us. But what of the masters who do not love a witch? There are many. Take Tuscano and the atrocities to Delilah. Devora does not claim being a part of it, but that’s what started the mistrust this time around. She was seen consorting with the enemy.”

Lucianna takes a drink letting the blood calm her veins, and her eyes open wide. “That’s exactly it. We don’t all feel the same way. We must first come together as one, as beasts in order to come together with the witches. We can’t be fighting amongst ourselves and expect others to join forces with us in solidarity. We need the entire group convened. We need to put it all on the table, every single piece of the puzzle, all of the distrust, and all of the things we know and feel.” She takes a breath, laughs and turns to Overmaster Descallia. “We need to call a meeting of the consulate. But how do we trust that if we do that, it’s not a trap to get us all in the same place at the same time.” She sighs. “It’s a dilemma.”

I laugh. “Overmaster Descallia is always telling us to assimilate, try to do things the human way. Yet, when we meet, we transport halfway across to Rome so that we can all sit together in a conference room where any number of people could be plotting to take us out and overthrow us or hear our secrets as the warriors have obviously done. We should set up a virtual conference. Aren’t two of the guys on the special forces teams communications experts? We’ll have them set up a conference and we’ll be face to face, just like we are in the boardrooms of Chicago or Wall Street when we’re making deals with the syndicate. It’s a much safer prospect given what happened the last time we were together.”

Overmaster Descallia laughs. “So true. This has been a good talk. Tomorrow, let’s arrange it. We’ll step our game up in the world of technology. When we put our new group of warriors together, they will be fierce and loyal and competent enough to run the most powerful companies around the globe.

“In the meantime, nothing has changed about Lucas coming to Oradea. His old estate home is here; he’s tied to the base of that mountain. Whether he’s with us or has had another spell placed on him is to be seen, but right now, we take no chances. There is a reason we are all here in Oradea. Remember, we were told, ‘it’s where all the rogues were going to meet when they ended the righteous purebloods for good.’ They aren’t going to be far. Until we find them, we need to make sure that we have everyone scouring the streets.”

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