Page 43 of Shapeshifter's Vengeance

I leave Alexei's house, the anger and frustration boiling inside me. This is just getting started, if Cassandra wants to play games, then I am ready to play with her.

Chapter 19: The Perfect Plan

ALEXEI

The clock ticks loudly in the living room, each second amplifying the tense silence. I glance at Evelyn, sitting on the edge of the couch, her fingers nervously tapping her knee. Ana stands by the fireplace, her face stern and thoughtful.

"We're running in circles," Evelyn says, breaking the silence. "We won't find anything incriminating on Cassandra. She's too careful."

I nod, knowing she's right. "She's been off the radar for too long. Any history she had is probably gone."

Ana sighs. "So, what do we do? We can’t keep letting her play all of us like this, she’s getting off knowing she has us where she wants us."

Evelyn steps forward, her eyes intense. "We set a trap. Lure her out and get a confession. It probably sounds wild, but that’s our best shot. Make her a pawn in her own game."

Ana looks skeptical. "How do we do that? We all know Cassandra is brilliant, way too smart for any bait we might want to put out."

"We use me as bait," I say, the idea forming clearly in my mind. "I’ll draw her out, get her to talk. She has stated how much she wants me to suffer for whatever it is I must have done, why not use that to our advantage?"

Evelyn's eyes widen. "That's dangerous, Alexei. You know what this woman is capable of!"

"Everything about this situation is dangerous," Ana interjects. "But it might be our best shot. I'm with Alexei on this."

Evelyn bites her lip, still uncertain. I can see the worry in her eyes and feel her reluctance. She's worried about me, and that makes my inside warm.

"We'll make sure everything is prepared," Ana continues. "Wiring, surveillance. We'll catch her. Why didn’t we think of this before?"

Evelyn stands and walks to the window, staring out into the night. I follow her, sensing her unease. We can’t keep running from that woman though; we must make a move against her, while we still can.

"Eve," I say softly, touching her shoulder. "I know you’re worried about me, but I can handle this."

She turns to me, her eyes troubled. "I don't like sending you out there, Alexei. Cassandra is very powerful and extremely dangerous. She’s wielding very dark magic, and we don’t know the source. What if something goes wrong?"

I pull her close, feeling her warmth against me. "You keep forgetting," I whisper. “I'm a pureblood vampire—one of the oldest. I can handle Cassandra. She can’t beat me in a fair fight."

"But what if she uses dark magic on you? Cassandra will never play fair, you know that too." she adds, her voice low. "What if we can’t get to you in time?"

I hug her tightly, reassuring her with my presence. "I'll be fine. I promise. I’ll come back alive, for you."

She looks up at me, her eyes softening. I lower my head before capturing her lips in a sensual kiss, hoping she feels how grateful I am that she’s looking out for me. She kisses me back briefly before breaking away. She rests her head on my chest, and I hold her, trying to ease her fears.

Ana clears her throat, bringing us back to the reality of our situation. "We should start preparing. The sooner, the better."

We pull away, and I nod at Ana. "Let's get to work."

"We have some wiring equipment back at the station, I will ask Teresa to bring it. Then we will find a spot to hunker down not too far from whatever meeting point you agree on with Cassandra so we can intervene if things get out of hand."

Everyone gets to work, and I watch Evelyn bring out her phone to dial the department. My baby is back. The previous fear is nowhere to be found on her face, and all that’s left is a relentless woman who will do anything to make Cassandra pay for her crimes.

After hours of preparation, everything is set. The room is filled with tense anticipation.

"We're ready," Ana announces, surveying the setup.

Evelyn crosses her arms, still staring at the equipment. "I don't like this," she mutters.

I walk over to her, lifting her chin so she looks at me. "Trust me," I say softly. "We'll get through this."

She nods reluctantly. "Just be careful. She is already blocking your memory."

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