The Lion's Den (20 page)

Warren pulled out his cell phone and called Xander. When his Alpha picked up, he began telling him everything.

“
My God,” Xander said, appalled. “I’ll get back with you, I need to make some telephone calls.”

“
Sure thing, I’ll keep you posted.” Warren closed his flip cell and returned to the others. The detectives waited around for Marshall’s preliminary report. They kept watch as Marshall and his team along with CSI meticulously worked the scene as they continued their own investigation. However, they weren’t the only ones watching.

***

Kiren and Marcus watched and listened to the controlled chaos below, each pleased with the outcome.

“
This is the beauty of it, they don’t know when it’s going to end, they don’t know how to stop it, and they don’t know anything more than what we want them to know. They are completely in the dark … all of them,” Kiren said, smiling.

“
And it’s right where I want them,” Marcus agreed.

“
The wolf called his Alpha, this should be interesting.”

Marcus looked at him. “Why? Why would it be interesting?”

“
Because, the Alpha, this Alexander … he’s going to call the Master vampire and maybe the other leaders and I think we should stick around to see if they come to see for themselves, my artistic contribution,” Kiren replied.

“
Oh, they’ll come … but I’ll be the one waiting for them, not you.”

Kiren was disappointed and angry. “I want to stay. I want to see their fucking faces. Why do I have to leave?”

Marcus took hold of his chin, applying a bit of pressure, silencing the shifter. He tilted his head upward so that their eyes met. “I realize that I allow you to take certain liberties and I’m not as strict with you as perhaps, I should be. But never forget who and what I am. Never forget that I don’t have to answer to you. I don’t have to explain my reasoning or myself to you. Have I made myself perfectly clear?”

“
Yes.” Kiren nodded. “Perfectly. I’m sorry.”

Marcus released him. “Good. In addition, to emphasize my meaning, I’ll refrain from explaining my reasons for why I don’t want you here. As a matter of fact, leave now.”

Kiren was upset, but he dared not argue anymore. Instead, he leaped from the rooftop away from prying eyes and ran away faster than any mortal or shifter in the area could see. As Marcus watched hm retreat, he smiled. The last thing he wanted was for their target to zero in on his shifter, his lover and occasional “pain in the ass”. Cloaking his aura, which helped him contain his scent, he blended into the curious crowd effortlessly. A younger vampire wouldn’t be able to pull such a stunt off as they don’t have the ability. He did and he was intrigued and wanted to see the others when they arrived.

***

Xander ended his final call for the moment. He’d called Darian, Elise, and Richard, alerting them of the newest developments. Darian and Richard were going to go to the scene. Elise decided to drive around with Sergio, patrolling the city. She shared the others feelings of anger, pain and frustration. The coven killed people in various locations throughout the state, but she believed that their main hideout was Chicago and she wanted to see if they would be able to track them down from there instead of running around the entire state as they had done earlier. For some reason, Elise believed the coven felt it would be a greater insult to hide right in the very heart of the city, right under their noses. Xander suspected that they might be in the nearby suburbs of Chicago, simply hovering over the city to keep from being easily detected. Both ideas were acceptable so he decided to send Adrian and Nagesa to one suburb. Tatiana and Justin were sent to another while he investigated one on his own. Elise sent Daniel and Carmen to search the north and south side of Chicago, while Miranda searched the west side. It was worth a shot, of that, they were certain.

C
hapter
T
welve

Darian thought that their plan was practical, as best as any he’d be able to come up with. He traveled to the location of the most current crime scene, noting a shifter was involved. He met up with Richard who was standing nearest the truck in question.

“
Richard,” Darian greeted, cutting past his usual pleasantries.

The other man looked at him. “Darian,” Richard replied in the same fashion.

“
Were you able to gather a distinct scent?” Darian asked.

“
Yes. The shifter is male, and he’s a lion … which means he’s extremely territorial, more so than other male shifters. His scent inside of the truck is hours old, but the scent I smelled when I first arrived was fresh, had to be no more than twenty minutes old. He was just here. I’m suspecting he claims this scene as his territory and most likely wanted to see the commotion he created,” Richard replied.

“
So, it’s just the one scent, then?” Darian noted. He was keeping track of how many were involved. So far, he had four vampires and one shape-shifter … more then he’d like.

Richard nodded. “Just the one … at this scene, that is. This is the ‘Second Phase’ Matthew told me about. I haven’t had a chance to speak with him yet, he’s over there.” He gestured toward his young Pack member standing next to Warren and two other detectives.

The two men stayed silent as they listened to the gossip around them, in hopes of gathering more pertinent information. Apparently, four children had been brutally slain. Their bodies had been partially eaten and mutilated. Body parts dismembered in some grotesque fashion as if it were deliberate. It was. Darian listened to Marshall speaking with the six detectives, giving them his report. The medical examiner said he’d never seen anything quite like what was in the freezer. He told them that the children looked to be between the ages of five and eight, no more than ten based on the size of the bones and skulls. He mentioned how intricate details were left on the remains from what he could see.

It was at that point when Warren stated; “it was left on purpose so that we could find out who the kids were”. Adding to that, Matthew said; “they needed to get in contact with the police throughout the state to see who had filed missing persons reports and in which city”. The detectives decided one team needed to stay to continue the investigation while the others should head back to the precinct in order to make those numerous telephone calls. Warren noticed Darian and Richard among the observers and once again, he excused himself, which seemed to make two of the other detectives curious. They watched as Warren made his way over to the crowd.

Darian and Richard stepped closer to the tape as Warren drew nearer. They had heard everything that was said and believed the officers were on the right track, but now both men wanted to know exactly what was on his mind that he couldn’t say to the others he was with, with the exception of Matthew. They also acknowledged that one of the other detectives was also a shape-shifter, a wolf. Both Darian and Richard found that interesting.

Once Warren was standing face to face, he began to speak. “Okay, I’m sure Xander told you about the mother and son and how she somehow felt compelled to buy ice cream, then when she noticed the empty truck, how she called the company to report it. The owner said that the driver never did check back in to report locations, and he had begun to worry. When she called him, he called the police because it was the end of the driver’s shift and he hadn’t returned the truck or signed out. That’s when Officer Brown came out here. Now I think there was some vampire manipulation going on here. I just want to know something, can you guys hypnotize people in your resting state?” Warren asked, performing an analysis of checks, balances and elimination.

Darian shook his head. “No, when we’re under a full resting state, we are not respondent. However, more powerful, ancient vampires no longer have to succumb to the resting state unless they want to. They can rest to regain energy, strength, but they are never completely under.”

Warren nodded. “How do you defeat a vampire that old?”

Darian held his hand up, silencing Warren. “This isn’t the place to discuss such things.”

“
I agree. We may not be alone and we should be careful about what we say from now on,” Richard agreed.

Warren kind of understood what they were saying, but he was still slightly confused. “I get that you’re concerned that someone may be eavesdropping, but wouldn’t you be able to sense or smell them?” he asked.

Darian gave Warren a look that meant more than any words could have expressed. Basically, he wanted Warren to remain quiet.

“
Never mind,” Warren said, getting the hint. He suspected that Darian didn’t want their enemy to know how much he knew about them. “Listen, I’m heading back to the precinct. You’ve got my number.” He walked away, rejoining the others and a few minutes later, four detectives drove away in two cars, leaving Gabriel and Barry to complete the investigation.

Darian looked at Richard. “We’ll keep in touch.” He walked away, taking flight once he was away from curious onlookers.

Richard decided to stay, just in case the lion came back to his “territory.”

***

Darian flew toward downtown Chicago, landing on top of the highest skyscraper the city possessed. He scanned the minds of all of the vampires he could sense in the area, seeing if any of them knew anything or happened to be a part of the coven he was tracking. After several minutes, his cell phone rang. He answered it.

“
Mr. Alexander, this is Lisa from
Desires Unleashed
. A man called for you earlier today and left this message.” Lisa gave him the message Adan had left with her.

Darian memorized the message and thanked her for relaying it. He ended the call, before he could dial the number Adan had given him, he felt the aura of another. He looked up in time to see a beautiful man at least six-two, with cobalt blue eyes and long blond hair flowing past his shoulders, standing only twenty feet away from him. Then the man vanished instantly. Darian turned around, looking in all directions for the vampire. The appearance of the vampire was so instantaneous, one second he was there and the next, he wasn’t. He did note that the man was wearing a white shirt and black pants and shoes. He scanned his memory and realized that he remembered the man. He was at the crime scene amidst the crowd. At that time, he was simply another face amongst many, granted, it was an exceptionally handsome face, which may be the reason why Darian remembered him so well, but a random face none the less. Now, he was no longer just another person in the world. Now he was a recognized member of this coven, possibly the Master himself.

Darian suspected the vampire didn’t try to attack him because it’s all a part of some form of entertainment for him. He already knew the vampire Master was stronger than he was by the time of death of one of their victims. Now he knew what he looked like and figured that was just another game the ancient vampire was playing: revealing himself to prove that he wasn’t afraid of him. Darian was deep in thought when he remembered about Adan’s message. He dialed the number, still looking around carefully. He knew now that he couldn’t sense this vampire unless the vampire wanted him to; which disturbed him greatly.

Adan answered his cell. “Hello?” he asked, tentatively.

“
Hello Adan,” Darian responded, recognizing the shifter’s voice instantly, “You wanted to speak with me.”

Adan exhaled, relieved to have finally made contact with him “Yes, Darian … I need your help, desperately. I wouldn’t have contacted you otherwise.”

“
Does this have anything to do with the vampire coven terrorizing my domain?” Darian asked, slightly annoyed.

“
I’m afraid so. I’m sorry for bringing this threat to your territory. I swear, it was not my intention, but as I said, I was desperate. Trust me, Darian, it wasn’t the least bit easy for me to come to you, but I have to ask, will you help me?” Adan asked, then he waited for a response.

Darian didn’t think he’d have much of a choice either way. “Yes, I’ll help you. Come to my home.” He gave him the address. “I’ll be there after I’m done here, but someone will let you in just in case you make it there before I do.”

“
Thank you, Darian.” Adan said, “I won’t forget this.”

“
Don’t thank me yet, just meet me there,” Darian said, before ending the call. He contacted Elise and Xander, using his nifty three-way dialing technology. He told them only that he needed to see them and their entire communities at his mansion as soon as possible and left it at that. He wanted to wait until they were all there so that all cards could be placed on the table. He then contacted Richard and told him he wanted him and his Pack to be there as well.