Page 30 of Master Bistrita

I carry Chara to the door and give a nod to Master Slobozia, grateful he has arrived, as he picks Taylen up from the floor. He draws her into his arms and carries her to safety while I carry Chara. “She saved my life and Taylen’s too. They would have staked us if she hadn’t drawn their attention to herself,” I tell Master Slobozia, Romano, Campania, and the others on our way to the ladies’ suite.

Silver joins us in the hall and introduces two other vampires. “This is Clay and Terrance. They’ve fought alongside me and the masters throughout our search for the rogues. Overmaster Descallia has asked that we watch over the ladies while you attend a meeting with him and Lucianna.”

I eye the two strangers with sneaky suspicion after what just happened to us all. Silver reads my mind, though. They are with me. They were handpicked by Overmaster and have fought hard to keep us safe many times. They can be trusted.

I don’t respond but give him a nod of appreciation for at least trying to put my mind at ease.

Romano nods. “Raven said that Lucianna told her Chara was meant to lead us to another piece of the puzzle. Master Descallia wants us all gathered for a special consulate meeting but doesn’t want us together in one place. He’s having the masters who aren’t present join by video. I think they may still be in Trentino’s lower-level communications room.”

I nod as we slowly make our way to the ladies’ suite, knowing that nowhere is safe now, at least without additional help, because Gregor had the key to every panic room in this club.

Chapter 24

Chara

Each passing flight of the green-eyed ghouls zipping through the night, ready to jab me with the steel of their sword pushes me forward. I should be afraid, weary, and fraught with worry, but destiny has made me brave.

Perhaps too brave… I step into the center of the puffy cloud, leaving them only to veer around me or run me down. Their intent is clear: take me out, no matter the way, so they keep coming, heading directly toward me the very way I knew they would.

I count in my mind, letting my courage build, waiting for the exact timing and when they get closer, I jump over the top of them, and let my instincts and destiny’s hand pave the way. The first row of ghouls turn, looking for me behind them, while I grasp the sword of the ghoul whose back I’m on to drive it deep into the leader’s chest.

The gasp is audible, and then the screeches from the green-eyed monsters who did not anticipate losing their leader in a fight tonight. I use the point of the sword and slide it in front of the ghoul’s throat. Keep going, fast, faster,” I yell, as he flies like a madman wanting to keep his head connected to his frame.

When we reach a safe distance, I leap right over the top of the tall gates that are intended to keep me out until I have proven myself worthy of crossing over into the underworld. A small upturn of the guard’s lip is all I have to go on, all I have to confirm that I’ve made it until the banshee cry of the ghouls fills the night as they turn, leaving a trail of green light in their wake as they dissipate in the night.

A gentle shake pulls me from my hard-fought transition. I look into the face of Taylen as she places a cool cloth on my forehead. “You fought hard and fast. It’s only been a day.”

“Master Bistrita?”

Taylen gives me a gentle smile. “He is absolutely fine. He’s going to drive me to drink if he doesn’t quit hitting up my phone. Every half hour. ‘How’s Chara?’”

I remove the cloth from my head and try to sit up, but my head sways with the effort. She puts a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Easy there. You may have transitioned faster than most, but it’s still going to take your body time to acclimate. And if you dare hurt yourself on my watch, Master Bistrita will never forgive me.”

My wish has come true. It’s only supposed to happen in fairy tales, yet destiny shined her grace on me and granted me an eternity in the dark with Bistrita.

I half grin, but even that feels different and off. “I want a mirror. Do I look different?”

Taylen rolls her eyes. “No, you look like you. Minus a little weight, the oversized fangs, the long dark hair, and bloodstained lips.”

My mouth gapes.

“I’m kidding. You look the same, but you probably feel very different. The blood running through your body is pureblood now. I don’t know how or why, but you were chosen to save both Master Bistrita and me. Seriously, if you had not come out of that bedroom when you did, we would both be dead, and I mean staked dead, as in not returning. The rogues would have made damn sure of that to get their revenge.”

I slowly maneuver my weak body into an upright sitting position. “Where are they? Bistrita?”

Taylen sits next to me. “They’re hunting down the last of the rogues. All the intel they had says most of them have been staked, but they believe a small pocket, sounds like maybe just two, stayed behind and are guarding Lucas and Embry. They won’t rest until they find and kill them for good.”

I inhale one deep breath after another, but somewhere from deep inside angst grows deep in my heart. A fear creeps in, turning me cold and focused on only one thing. “Master Bistrita and the others are in trouble. I feel it. We need to go to them.”

Taylen’s eyes grow wide. “You are in no condition to go anywhere, little-miss-I-think-I’m-invincible-now. If they catch you, they will stake you, and everything you just went through will be for naught. You’ll be turned into a pile of ashes and won’t be able to rise for at least a few centuries, if that.”

I push my covers back and put my feet on the floor, tentatively at first, until sitting upright doesn’t make me queasy as hell. “I need meat or blood. Both, get me meat and blood,” I tell Taylen.

She sighs deeply. “You are going to land us both in trouble. The masters ordered us to stay put. There is a chain of command around here, and now that you’re Bistrita’s mate, you’re going to need to understand it and start conforming a little more like the rest of us.”

I narrow my eyes at my well-intentioned friend. “Do you seriously mean one thing that’s coming out of that mouth? Seriously, you of all people, telling me I need to conform? Meat, blood, now. I don’t know how to explain it, but we need to find them and warn them.”

Taylen still doesn’t look convinced, but she’s not going to deny what I said either. I know her far too well for that, but when she returns with a quart of blood and a small tray filled with meat and cheese, I know she’s about ready to make me put my money where my mouth is.

---