Page 67 of Betrayed in Blood
If Venizi attacked from the west, and Family members required an exit, Venizi could block the east side exits. With security monitors and drones, the opposing force would easily be spotted. In a worst-case scenario, a fleet of off-road vehicles could transfer the humans off the property on the south perimeter. Nothing was foolproof, but it was a lot of territory for an invading army to cover.
He grinned. That’s why they’d added C-4. Decker’s suggestion to include wolves had been an excellent idea, and Devon wasn’t sure why he hadn’t thought of it himself. Soon, having received Remus’s and the local pack Alpha’s approval, they would gain another dozen wolves to rotate through security.
“Is that good, sir?”
The copter was approaching the main gate.
“Yes, you can take us down.”
Simone waited on the far side of the copter pad. Her midnight-blue caftan fluttered in the wind from the chopper’s blades. She smiled as he ran over to her, but her gaze was hard. There was no question something troubled her.
“Simone.” Devon kissed both her cheeks and put an arm around her as they moved away from the noise of the copter’s slowing blades.
On the short walk to the manor, he noticed the increased security patrols loitering at the security building. If he’d driven by car, there was a small road that veered off to the right of the main drive. It led to a grouping of outer cabins and housing units, but not before passing by the security building.
The building was two thousand square feet. There were two spacious rooms with bunks similar to a fire station, a full kitchen and dining area, the command center, and a lounge with an entertainment center for breaks between assignments.
The fact there were so many outside the building could be explained by a shift change or, as he suspected, a build-up of their defenses. The Trelane Family was small compared to Venizi’s but had the advantage of being full-blooded vampires—all trained in various martial arts and military-style combat. They’d also been through black ops and navy SEAL-type training. Every one of them was deadly with a variety of weapons.
Several hundred yards from the security building was the medical facility. Each safe house had small medical facilities, but with Oasis located so far away from the city, the building also included a surgical unit. With vampires, most injuries could be healed with donor blood, but surgery could reduce the amount of blood required for healing.
From what Cressa told him of Shadow Island, Venizi kept his humans in their own apartment building, separate from the manor. Devon didn’t believe in species separation. The blood donors that serviced the Trelane House weren’t there just for their blood. They each had jobs to perform and were paid for their service. They lived among the vampires, which built a seamless structure within the Family. One recent change, similar to what Ginger encouraged at the coastal manor, was that the humans were undergoing defensive training. Those with the right skills and desire were also provided with offensive training.
And it didn’t go without notice that with the addition of the shifters, his dream for Oasis was coming together. A place where all species could co-exist. And to think it required a coming war to make it happen.
“I’m glad you told me you were coming by copter.” Simone stepped into the manor first then led Devon to her office.
For a long time, she’d used his office since he rarely found time to visit Oasis. But when he’d been recovering from his addiction to the Poppy, she’d stopped using his and had hers remodeled to fit her style.
“I had someone drive the perimeter and inform the shifters.” She dropped into her seat behind the desk. Now that they were out of the sun, Devon could see the shadows under her eyes. Another cadre member not getting enough blood.
“That explains their calmness when we flew over.” Devon took a seat across the desk from her. “Thank you for taking the time on such short notice. I see the fencing on the back property is moving faster than planned.”
She chuckled. “Apparently, shifters get bored easily when not on assignment. They asked for more work. I gave them several options, and most wanted to work on the defenses. They offered a few ideas that made their job easier, and the security chief agreed.”
Devon’s focus shifted to the window. Simone’s office faced the front of the property, preferring to see who drove up rather than have a view of the garden in the back. “Can you imagine how our society could have evolved had shifters and vampires worked together through the centuries?”
“Perhaps House Trelane will lead others in the preservation of both our species.”
“Assuming we prevail in our war.”
“Are you having doubts?”
It was Devon’s turn to chuckle. “No. But sometimes, it feels as if the battlefield is a blanket of sand. With each step, the landscape shifts beneath our feet.”
“Everything is connected. We simply have to wait for the pieces to align.”
“I was thinking along the same lines on the flight over. It’s not the pieces I’m worried about but the final image. Did Sergi tell you about our latest wrinkle?”
“About?”
“Cressa received a text after our raid on Venizi’s vampires plaguing the city safe house. The message said Rasmussen was in trouble and needed help.”
Simone’s brows lifted. “Isn’t that Cressa’s father?”
He nodded. “We believe it to be a ruse, possibly created by her sister April, who might or might not be working for Venizi.”
Devon explained the situation with Cressa’s mother and the assignment Sergi and Bella were running to gather more information on April and the estate.
