Falcon

It had been two days since we picked up the Holdens. They haven’t given us much trouble, but I refused to let Nora go down to see them. She was too kind and would probably trust them to walk the grounds. After telling her about them, she had been torn about holding them captive. On one hand, it was for their safety and on the other, it wasn’t cool to trap anyone like that.

Sitting in my office with my little one while Nora worked in the lab on the new slides she took from Charlotte, William, and Mary. My cell phone rang, so I lifted my little one just enough to pull it out of my pocket. At three weeks old, she had gained a few pounds but was still a little delicate flower. I spent any free time with her. Even while she slept.

I hit the button before it hung up.

“What’s up, Kane?” I asked, hoping that they weren’t in danger again. The Lamian soldiers kept coming in full force, but we had been there to double down and destroy them fast.

“Hey, Falcon, I need you to come here. There’s one of the Lamian soldiers here, looking for you. He has information that you want. I can’t read his mind, but he’s a human no longer under the notion of an eternal life.” The confidence in his voice let me know that he hadn’t been forced to talk to me.

“I’ll be there right now,” I replied. Questioning any of Stavros men could be extremely beneficial. He could be a trap, but then again, it didn’t matter because the wolves could rip his head off in one motion. He risked a lot to get a hold of me.  

“Oh and he said your mate is going to want to know about it. It’s about your scientist.” Fuck, I hoped Vigo was still alive. Seeing Leonora cry killed me inside.

“Is he secured?” I questioned. I didn’t trust Nora’s safety with anyone even a weak human.

“Yes, he came unarmed and alone. I have Hunter, Erik, and Gage with us,” he answered. “He’s not going anywhere.”

“Good, I’m on my way in ten minutes.” I teleported just outside the door to the lab with Esperanza in my arms, so Leonora didn’t freak out, again. After a knock, I said, “I’m coming in.” I walked into the lab to see her smiling up at me.

“What’s going on? Is she hungry?”

“No, but I just got a call from Kane. He’s got some information about Vigo, but he needs us to go there to talk to the informant,” I explained.

“What are we waiting for? Let’s leave the baby with Charlotte and Draco.” She rubbed her hands on her coat before taking it off and hanging it up on the usual rack nearest the door.

“Okay,” I answered. We teleported outside their room, knocking because we knew better than to walk in on the happy couple.

“Come in,” Draco called out.  We stepped in to see Draco in their bed with Marco on his chest. Charlotte came out of the bathroom with a towel on her head.

“What’s going on?” Draco asked.

“We need you to watch, Speranza. The shifters need to speak with Nora and me. It’s a matter of urgency,” I told them.

“Okay, we’ll take her,” she squealed. Her love for my little girl helped ease the tension between us and the stress with her visions skewed. Esperanza seemed to bring her some peace.

“I’m going to the castle in a little over an hour. I have to meet with the men and check on training. Do you want me to wait since we have the prisoners below?” Draco asked.

“No, if we’re not back, go ahead. Just let Gideon and William know to stand guard. But I’m sure we’ll be back before that.” Draco nodded. He feared that the prisoners would escape.

“Thanks,” I said, grasping Nora around the waist and teleported outside of the hotel.

Gage came out to meet us, nodding he said, “Hello, Falcon, Leonora. We’re in Hunter’s office.” We shook hands and walked into the hotel.

“What do you know?” I asked him, looking around the hotel lobby to see if there was any damn spy lurking for Stavros. I’d love to confront them. After learning of Norton’s death, I had to wonder if they would be looking for me.

He shook his head. “Nothing really, he’s kind of spooked that Stavros will find him, but promised he had something important to tell you.”

“Well, that’s a good thing,” I said as I entered the room with Nora tight to my side. The guy before me wasn’t at all what I expected. He had to be barely eighteen and not that large of a man. He nodded, trying to stand, but Hunter shoved him down. Damn, I really liked Hunter. His name suited him perfectly.

“Who are you?” I asked him, remaining calm and in control.

“I’m Jack Sutton,” he stammered. His apprehensiveness didn’t do him any favors. I needed to read his thoughts.

My stance strong and tall, I inquired, “Why would you come here?”

“I promised Mrs. Johannsen that I would sneak away and give you the information you need to find the cure.” Shit, I hope they don’t kill me. I have to be strong. I’m not weak.

His thoughts seemed to be legit and full of fear. That explained his reason for the apprehensiveness. “What? Start from the beginning.”

“I was assigned to watch her for the past month. She’s locked up with her sons at Stavros’s request. She got to talking to me and told me that we would never get to be vampires. I didn’t care because well, I wasn’t there because I wanted eternity, but I was forced to serve. My brother died last week at the hands of one of their vampires, so I don’t have anything left worth losing. I was going to hide as soon as I could get away. During one of our first talks after his death, she said that if I got away, that I contact you. Her husband said that she must be strong and pass the information on.”

“What information?” I pressed, my hands clenched in anticipation.

“That you are the key to the cure. It’s in your blood,” he said, looking at Nora. We all gasped while focusing our gaze on Nora. She shook her head. “From their conversations, all I know is that Vigo is stalling,” he paused, I could see the hesitation in his eyes.

“What else are you holding back?” I snarled, towering over him.

“They plan to kill them all even if they get the cure. It’s why I had to make sure you knew first.”

“Where are they?”

“You have to be careful because they’ll kill one if you get to the other first. Trust me when I say Mrs. Johannsen is heavily guarded.”

“Where are they?” I asked again.

“In the Rannoch Moors in Scotland,” he stammered out, looking up at me completely fearful of me. I understood that he didn’t feel safe around any of us, but as long as he had been on the up and up we wouldn’t hurt him. I’d never attacked the innocent. Those who came after me got what they deserved. If he did the right thing, I’d reward him in the end. Until then, he’d have to stay with Kane and Hunter.

“Do you know the exact coordinates?” Fuck if I was supposed to guess the actual location. I got that he worried about his safety.

He gave them to us before adding, “There are located on the same bunker on opposite ends of the complex.”

“Thank you, Mr. Sutton. If you want to live, I suggest you keep your mouth shut and don’t speak to anyone about this.”

“Yes, sir. I promise. I just want to go back to my normal life in England.”

“You will once this is over. I’m sorry, but for the time being, you’ll need to be here until I can at least get Vigo and his wife.”

“Thank you, sir. I don’t know much about Stavros, but he’s a coward from what I can see.”

“Yes, he is, or he would have faced me centuries ago. I will deal with him.” I pulled Nora to my side. “We’ll call you before we make any moves. I’m sure my mate can’t wait to get back to the lab and test Vigo’s theory.”

“Thank you, Mr. Sutton,” Nora said, pulling away from me and giving the young man a hug. He was completely taken aback by it but accepts her embrace. I tug her back to my side. “She’s mine,” I warned him. His eyes widen as if I’m going to kill him.

She chuckled as we teleported back to the island. We go straight to Draco and Charlotte’s room where they are playing with the babies.

“Wow, that was really fast. What happened?” Charlotte asked. Her demeanor seems to have changed. I wonder how much she knows.

“According to the informant. Leonora is the key. Her blood will cure them all. Or that’s what Vigo believes.”

“So why aren’t you in the lab?” Draco asked Nora.

“We wanted to tell you before I go. Besides I have to feed her first.”

“Oh yeah. She’s starting to fuss.” I take her from Charlotte, needing to hold my baby. “We’ll be in the lab in about twenty minutes to test the theory. See you there.”

We teleported back to our room. Nora sat down in the rocking chair to feed my sweet, little girl. “What are you thinking?”

“I don’t know. Maybe that he means I’ll find the cure. After all my names mean light and I’m a scientist.”

“Yes, you’re a scientist because fate made it so. Who else better to understand the workings of DNA. The worst that happens is that he’s wrong and we keep looking.”

“I suppose you’re right. I just feel like it’s been months with no results and yet I never thought to test my blood.”

“Why would you? It’s not like you were born a vampire and it’s our curse.”

“I suppose that’s true too.”

“Remember this, Nora, my queen. I’ve been at this for centuries, studying and failing to find the answer. You are doing just fine, all things considered, you and Vigo got farther than all of us before. I have faith that you’ll find a cure.”

“Thank you,” she said, feeding and slowly rocking Speranza. I paced and thought about how we could get them out without anyone on our side being killed.

“Are you planning in that brilliant head of yours?”

“Yes, we have too many variables to weigh in. I don’t know how many soldiers are there and what security measures he has set up.”

“Well, maybe that’s something you could ask Mr. Sutton. I’m sure he’ll answer all of your questions. He seems eager to survive.”

“I can’t blame him. They only get one short life. I actually feel bad that some of these kids could be snuffed out by my men if they get in the way.”

“Well, all we can do is carry on. For every life ended another is saved. The Lamia and Stavros aren’t going to give up. This is going to be a battle to the end isn’t it?”

“Yes, my queen, but we will be victorious.”

“I know, but I fear at what cost.”

“What are you thinking?”

“It says that we will rule, but what of those we love. I can’t even consider losing Charlotte, Mary, Draco, or any of them. They’re all the family I never had.”

“I can’t promise anything other than I will do all I can to make you happy.” I bent down and kissed her sad mouth. “Cheer up, my love. We may have an answer to the curse.”

“She’s asleep.”

“Give her to me and I’ll carry her down.”

“Yes, sir,” she teased.

“Later, you can call me sir. For now, we have some work to do, my mad scientist,” I whispered in her ear, nipping it gently.

“I look forward to it—with pleasure. Let’s be off.” I took her hand and we teleported into the lab.