Hunting His Vampire Princess (Book 6 of the Avec Series)

Chapter Two

    Leah sighed as she looked at her two wards. They were sleeping peacefully in the airplane seats. She didn't have the heart to tell either of them that their parents were gone. How do you tell a child that the world they had just hours before was gone? She just couldn't, not tonight. But maybe tomorrow she would be able to find the words. 

    Tracker opened his eyes as the plane began its descent, the pressure was hurting his ears. "Miss Leah, my ears hurt," he whimpered slightly. He wanted his mom and dad, but something told him that Leah wasn't telling him for a reason. 

    She did her best to comfort the child, she opened her bag and handed him a piece of gum. "Here, buddy, chew on this. It'll help." 

    He opened the wrapper and popped the chewy minty goodness into his mouth. He sighed in relief as the chewing helped relieve the pressure in his ears. Once it was resolved he turned his head up to Leah, "Miss Leah?" 

    She looked down at him, "Yeah, bud?" 

    "They're not coming to us, are they?" he asked quietly. 

    She was struggling to find the words when her phone beeped. She gasped at who the message was from. She smiled, "Yes, you will, honey. Your mother will find us. But, I will keep you safe until then." She assured him. 

    *******

    Atropos couldn't do it, she just couldn't. She knew she should have, but she simply couldn't. It was bad enough that one of them would have to grow up without their parents. She was worried about how it would affect that one. 

    Lachesis dropped the thread unceremoniously onto the ground, she assumed it was cut completely. When these things happen, she just goes into autopilot, there was no rhyme or reason to who dies, and who lives. She couldn't pay attention to all of them to sort out who was 'worth living' and who wasn't. She knew that the trouble makers were gone. So she didn't care about the rest. 

    Clotho grimaced as she wove the story onto its own tapestry. She was weaving the story furiously, attempting to keep up as the events unfolded. As she was putting the battles into hanging, she was looking for the two children. She was hoping that they were spared, if they were, then things could look up. Eventually. As the scene was woven, she smiled sadly. "They made it," she whispered. 

    *********

    Selene sighed, those two packs were ruling so well together, what happened? She was pacing angrily. Not only did they kill the alphas, but the children were also missing. She paced from her window to the watching pool and back again. She was trying to figure this out. She was so worried about how the packs would survive. The betas were okay while the alphas were alive, but now she wasn't so sure. They had begun to act differently, greedily. She not only needed to find a way to protect the packs but keep them safe as well. She snapped her fingers as the idea hit her. 

    She walked over to the watching pool and waved her hand over it, as the image appeared in the shimmering water she smiled. "His pack will be perfect." 

    She appeared in his office, his face registered in surprise, "Luna, to what do I owe the honor?" 

    She smiled sadly at him, "I will need your pack to act as a liaison until the time comes that they will be back under their rightful rule." 

    "Of course, Moon goddess. What pack will we be assisting?"

    "Two packs in the middle east. The Greymoon Pack and the Bloodmoon Pack. Their alphas were brothers that were attacked by rogues tonight. I think the betas had something to do with it, but I can't be sure. " 

    He shook his head sadly, "That is truly a shame," he said. His mind going to his own beta, he couldn't ask for a more loyal man.  "What about the women and children?" 

    It was her turn to shake her head, "The women are safe, and most of the children as well. But the children of the alphas are missing." 

    Troy sighed heavily, "This isn't good." 

    Selene agreed, "The only thing now, is to keep them safe. I will do my best, but please you will be the liaison on the packs. Guide them the best you can." She was shimmering, beginning to disappear. "They will show up again, protect them." 

    Troy nodded, "I will." His mind going to his own child. He didn't know what he would do if anything happened to Kane. 

    The moon goddess disappeared and the Alpha of one of the most peaceful packs in the United States sighed heavily. He was just tasked with assisting not one, but two packs, halfway across the world. How was he going to do this?  

    *****

    Dolion was ecstatic! He fist-pumped the air in jubilation. With his previous alpha gone, he was the new alpha of the Bloodmoon Pack. He called the omega that had given him a pup. His child came in hiding meekly behind his mother's legs. "Greyson, your father is the new alpha! You will eventually be my successor." 

    The omega was doing her best to stifle her smile, that would make her the luna! She felt as if she were in a dream. 

    Dolion looked at the omega, "What are you so happy about?" he asked. 

    "If you're the Alpha, that would make me the luna," she beamed. Her heart was swelling with happiness. 

    Dolion roared with laughter, "You, a Luna?" he held his stomach with laughter. His eyes were watering, the tears streaming down his face as the laughter filled the room. 

    She was confused, "But, I have mated you." She pointed to her son, "I gave you a pup." Her eyes were filling with tears, "That makes me the luna." She was doing her best to not give in to the sadness filling her mind. 

    "Lunas make you weak! You are weak!" His face was red with anger, "Look at you, you're crying!" He sneered mockingly at her. "You are only worth being an omega! All you will do is giving me pups and keeping this place in order." 

    She swallowed and took her son by the hand, leading him silently out of the room. She had been foolish enough to hope he would change his mind and realize he needed a luna as well. 

    "Momma," the child looked up at his mother seeing her tears. He didn't understand why she was so sad, just that his father had yelled at her. 

    The omega looked down at him, "Yes, Greyson?" 

    "Why are you so sad?" 

    She sighed heavily, "Because momma, is just an omega." 

    He looked up at her and smiled, "But I love you anyway." 

    She smiled sadly as her child, she hoped she could raise her son to be the change that needed to happen for this pack to survive. 

    "I love you too, baby." 

    ********

    Paxton was shivering in fear, he had watched the rogues attack that momma and that wolf warrior. He was scared that the bear would come back. That black bear hurt the wolves badly, killing them. He also knew that his father would ask him what he saw. 

    He hugged himself tightly, the two kids that were with her, gone. His eyes filled with tears at the thought. The ca*rnage was too much for such a young child, he wasn't going to sleep well for a long time. 

    Volkan was waiting for his son to come back, the omega that had given him the pup was already weeping in the corner. Her own heart was broken at the thought of her son becoming like the man she had hoped to be mated to. He had promised her so much and now it was all gone. The words that were spoken and the promises made in the bedroom, as useless as if they had never been spoken. Her cheek still stung from the slap Volkan landed on her face. 

    She got up to comfort her visibly shaken son when Volkan stepped between them. "He's fine." 

    She looked up at him, "What do mean, he's fine? Look at him, he's so pale he could be ill! He's shaking like a leaf!" 

    "This is good for him. He needs to get used to this," he turned to Paxton. "Tell me, son, is everyone dealt with?" 

    Paxton looked up at his father, he was numb. All he could see in his mind's eye was the blood and flesh that had been torn and shed in front of him. He could hear the screams of the people in his ears. "Yes, sir." He nodded dully. "No one is left." 

    Volkan was barely containing his excitement over this turn of events. "Splendid! Now there is no chance that I will be overthrown by those heirs!" 

    ************

    Leah looked at the hotel room in the tiny oceanside village. It seemed so quaint and out of the way. She felt as she would be safe here. She hoped she would be able to leave a trail so that the messenger would be able to find them while keeping the children safe enough that they wouldn't be found by the pack members. 

    The little girl was sobbing on the bed, Leah felt terrible. She hoped she could break it to them in the morning. 

    "Hey, Jade," she said trying to keep a cheerful facade. 

    The little girl looked up, her face tear-stained from crying, "Yes, Miss Leah?" 

    "Would you like me to take you two to the beach tomorrow?" She tried to make it sound exciting. She wasn't sure how well she portrayed it. 

    Jade smiled and nodded, "Yes ma'am." Even though they lived in the middle east her whole life and she had seen sand. She had never really the water. 

    Leah smiled. "Then that is what we will do." 

    Jade's voice wobbled slightly as she formed her next question, "Can we call my daddy?" 

    Leah's heart broke into a million pieces at Jade's innocent question. "We will see." It was common knowledge that Jade's mother passed shortly after she was born. To lose her father too, just broke Leah's heart. 

    *********

    The black bear lifted its head weakly. She had to get back to her son. She felt it the minute her mate's heart stopped beating. She just hoped beyond hope that Leah was protecting her son. The only thing left in her life was her child. 

    "Protect your cousin," she whispered. They would be the only thing to save these packs. She looked to the moon, as it shone brightly over her head. "Keep them safe, and guide them to their destinies." Her head fell back to the ground and her eyes closed gently. 

    The large man rubbed his eyes in surprise. There were no black bears in the desert! His jaw fell to the floor as the magnificent black fur slowly disappeared and the massive shape slowly changed into a beautiful woman with long, dark hair. She had so many wounds, he was sure she would bleed out. He looked around anxiously, making sure that danger was gone before he stepped out of his hiding spot. He strode over the woman quickly and lifted her gently. 

    She opened her eyes at the unfamiliar touch, she saw the kindest hazel eyes. "Save my son," she pleaded as she let her mind succumb to the blackness. 

    He looked down at her, she was stunning! But his heart cracked a little, she was taken. She had a son, which meant she had a husband. He shook his head, she was injured! He would nurse her back to health and then help her find her son.