Emil listened to Reeves as he reviewed his encounter with the supposed hybrid. He smiled deviously as he pressed his fingers together and rested them on his lips. Emil couldn’t believe this young girl had bested so many and had only known what she was for a short time. Her magic must be strong if she’s been able to do so much in only a short time.

“She’s beautiful and strong. Her strength caught me off guard when she threw me across the room. I could smell her wolf, but I knew she had to be the hybrid when she used magic,” Reece admitted.

“Do you think they know what you were looking for?” Emil asked.

Reece shook his head. “No, they were there for other reasons, and I think that Lycan tipped them off that someone had been there.”

“Yes, well, we must be careful with that, Lycan. I knew him and his family well when they lived in Europe. He’s not one to mess with,” Emil warned. “He’s going to expect answers and blood from the vampire that broke into his house.”

“Yes, well, I already took care of Antwan. He won’t be able to tell him anything,” Reece confirmed.

Emil sighed. He didn’t like that he had to kill one of his own to keep the truth known about why they were in the Lycan’s home. Emil sneered when he learned the house they were searching in, belonged to his childhood nemesis; it killed him to know that someone he loved so much could be connected to Deak. Bile rose in his mouth just thinking of that Lycan’s name. He still couldn’t get over that Deak was the new Lycan King. It was something that Emil was hoping to change in very soon. “At least we have a name to give him and let him know that the matter has already been dealt with,” Emil told Reece. “What did Antwan tell you what he found before he was discovered?”

Reece walked over to the drink cart to make himself a drink, “He hadn’t been there long before the witch appeared.”

“Did he mention anything about the witch?”

Reece finally picked a dark liquor to fill his glass with. “Only that he wished he could taste her. He said there was something familiar about her that he couldn’t put his finger on.”

Emil lifted his brow in question. He, too, felt that way when he met Deak’s mate, Vita. Ahh, the lovely Vita; she reminded him of a love Emil lost so many years ago. Emil smirked as he thought of tormenting Deak using his mate, Vita, as bait.

“So, what now?” Reece asked before he sat in a chair with his drink in hand.

Emil got up and started picking up the fallen pages from when he'd flipped his desk. “Put eyes on the house; we need to know what they are looking for before we make our move. In the meantime, keep talking with the other and see what you can find out about the omens.”

Reece looked at Emil quizzically. “You believe Merga is returning? Weren’t you a part of the council that had her bound and banished?”

Emil stood straight as he continued looking through the pages he had picked up. “I was, but that was over a century ago, and before she was banished to her prison, she swore that she’d return and her powers would be stronger than before.”

Reece looked at his king suspiciously; he had a feeling there was something the king was leaving out. Reece never trusted Emil or how he was named Vampire King for their quarter. It occurred to him that he would have to do some digging of his own to find out the truth about his king. Reece quickly finished his drink.

“Who should I send to be our eyes, back at the house?” Reece asked as he got up from his seat.

“The pixies owe me a favor; tell them to send Pemberly to watch the house,” Emil ordered.

Reece bowed toward his king and said, “ As you wish, your grace,” then turned and left.

***

Deak tossed and turned as he tried to sleep.

“You are not the man I had hoped you to be,” he heard his father growl at him. “You are weak; I should never have let your mother fool me with her lies.”

Deak’s heart raced; he tossed his head back and forth, trying to force the horrible thoughts out of his head.

“It’s your fault that your mother is dead,” his father’s voice sneered.

Deak’s chest tightened, he shook his head, “It’s not true,” he told the shadow of his father.

The dark shadow swirled around a younger Deak. “Your mother would still be alive if it weren’t for you,” it taunted.

“No, I know that’s not true,” Deak yelled. He closed his eyes and brought his hands up to his ears to cover them. Deak didn’t want to hear any more lies. He kept repeating to himself. “It’s not my fault, it’s not my fault.”

In the distance, he heard his mother’s voice call out to him, “My sweet son, remember what I taught you; remember how to keep the darkness locked away.” she reminded him.

The dark shadow whirled around Deak again. “What about your mate? Everything you love ends up dying. Are you really going to let her die because of you,” the voice threatened.

“NO!” Deak screamed as he bolted upright in bed. His body was drenched in sweat as he rubbed his face and took deep breaths to calm himself. He turned and looked over at Vita, still sleeping peacefully. It was a nightmare, nothing more. Deak got up from the bed and went into the bathroom. He leaned against the counter and stared at himself in the mirror.

Don’t give in to the voices, his wolf Malakai warned.

“But what if they’re right?” Deak whispered.

Don’t let them win, Malakai growled.

Deak turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on his face. He pulled the towel down from the rack and dried his face. Deak looked at himself in the mirror. An apparition appeared from behind him that took on the appearance of his father.

“You’ll kill her, just like you killed your mother,” the spirit sneered.

Deak shook his head. “No, I didn’t do it.”

“She died because she loved you, and Vita will have the same fate as your mother,” it hissed.

Deak punched the mirror in front of him, causing it to shatter into tiny pieces. He was breathing heavily, and his chest was heaving as he glared at the shattered mirror. The apparition was staring back at him smirking.

“It’s only a matter of time,” it threatened before it disappeared.

Deak’s eyes popped open, and he turned to see that he was still in bed with Vita, who was lying next to him, sleeping peacefully.

Deak laid his arm over his eyes and took deep breaths to slow down his heart. It was just a dream. But Deak asked himself, how long would it be before these dreams became his reality?