Page 34 of Master Calabrea

Spells are cast, curses are thrown,

Remove the spell, recall the hex,

Rule over Isala and make her atone.

Until the vampires decide what to do with her next…

“You stupid fucking witch!” Isala screams at the top of her lungs. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You will pay for this. Your leaders will pay for this! The entire underworld will make you pay? Do you understand me, you wretched little witch?”

Raven waves her wand, once again. Isala’s mouth continues to rant, but no worlds come out. I glance at Raven who is putting her wand into her long skirt pocket as Roman reaches her, placing his arm around her.

Overmaster Descallia reaches Lucianna, and his head bends to discuss something with her in private. I turn, wanting to give them the space that they need and turn to find Calabrea walking toward me. I race to him and throw my arms around his neck. “I am so very proud of you, love,” he says into my ear. “I didn’t have any idea you wanted to turn. We didn’t talk about it, but yet your heart is that of us already, and you used the strength and skill that I gave you to help save our queen.”

I look up at him with tear-filled eyes that I try to contain, but emotions and weariness of the day win. “You know that means you’re stuck with me for an eternity, right? No going back from a commitment like that?” I tell him, although my mind is already on something else.

I turn just as a large mangy grey wolf leaps from the ledge behind me. Calabrea smiles widely, putting the sword he had ready to protect my honor away. Landing on my sword wasnot what this wolf expected, I’m sure. A tall and broad vampire walks toward us.

Calabrea extends a hand. “Thanks for all the work you did here,” he says, looking around at all the carnage on the floor. “This is Tansia, the woman I’ve been telling you about,” he says.

The vampire with piercing red eyes nods. “Good to meet you, Tansia. I’ve heard all good things about you. We appreciate what you’ve done here today too. Saving our future queen from an unrighteous death will score you many points with the other masters who will sit on the board to determine if you can participate in the next transition ceremony. You have my vote,” he says, bringing tears to the back of my eyes for the second time today.

Lucianna and Overmaster Descallia are talking in the corner while she secures her sister in chains, now that the witch’s spell has been removed and she can no longer disappear in the air. “It sounds as though Overmaster Descallia wants Isala taken to the warehouse. I’ll work with him to get that taken care of if you want to spend a little time with Tansia.”

Calabrea smirks, holding me tight. “As long as she’ll have me, Master Campania,” he says, as our attention is diverted to the cavern door.

Chapter

Twenty-One

Roman walks into the cavern, dressed in his business suit followed by two other city savvy thugs who wear black glasses pushed onto their heads. Overmaster Descallia walks toward us, joining our group as Roman and his men approach.

“Descallia, Angel,” Roman greets them, not mentioning the rest of us by name, but acknowledging us with his eyes instead. Trentino places his arm around Angel who hasn’t left his side since the fighting stopped.

“What’s the matter, Roman?” Angel asks her brother who looks like a seriously pissed off syndicate don right now.

“We’ve found the men working with Isala and your rogues,” he says, glaring at Isala.

Isala screeches from where she stands, but Lucianna puts the tip to her throat, silencing her rage although piquing my curiosity about what the evil bitch is hiding that Roman can expose.

“We’ve thought for some time that a few of the elders have been working with Isala and the rogues, building out a plan that was intended to drive fear into the hearts of humans again. Wetalked about that, but what we didn’t know was the extent of the betrayal both in my house and yours, my friend.”

Overmaster’s dark eyes watch the syndicate don intently, probably weighing how much we extend our trust. He may have done much for us, but he’s also made decisions that help his own and hurt our kind.

Roman tugs on the sleeve of his shirt. “The rogues have grown bold, partnering with others to do their dirty work.”

Nothing we don’t know…

“The syndicate involvement is nothing more than a monetary move as you’ve probably already guessed. They thought that if the humans feared the vampires, you and your hierarchy would be out. No one would want to do business with you and you would be forced to go back to the way it was years ago.”

Overmaster Descallia growls fierce and low. “And of course, report to the bastard who’s been trying to return us to the dark ages for good?”

Roman nods. “It would seem so. The syndicate elders didn’t anticipate the rogue vampires plan to get foiled by you and your teams. My understanding is they have many on the inside,] and the plan was to have them infiltrate your plans, but you never used them.”

“We learned early on that we had at least one traitor within the warriors, and while I’m saddened by the fact there are more, I’m not surprised,” Descallia says.

Roman clears his throat. “They were also not planning on the return of your mate. My understanding, although I’m not real clear on all the nuances, is that she has had quite an adverse effect on their ability to control Isala. Apparently when Lucianna returned, Isala could not remain focused. She couldn’t stay the course, too consumed with the envy to bide her time any longer under your roof.”

Descallia growls under his breath.

---