Onyx struck a gavel hard on the dais, as the robed Council members all stood and exited.
Alec called out to them. “Wait. I have questions. Don’t turn your backs on me!”
He felt a tap on his shoulder, as the two warriors stepped up next to him, and physically led him from chambers and to the exterior entrance of the Council compound. In a matter of seconds, Alec found himself standing outside alone.
105
Returning to Georgetown, Alec teleported directly inside his house into the foyer. Since the announcement about his campaign, he’d had a number of reporters hanging around near the house, trying to get a statement, and the last thing he wanted to deal with was the press. The house was deathly quiet, and he called out for Santos to bring him a Midnight.
He was sliding off his jacket, as he called out and noticed the hollow echo of his voice. Looking around, the antique low boy that sat by the front entrance was gone, as was the priceless Persian rug. "Santos!"
He hurried into the family room, to find that room was empty of all its furnishings. "Santos!"
In a panic now, he ran back into the hallway, quickly running from room to room, finding them all empty. The rugs removed, the art on the wall was gone. He ran up the stairs, opening the door to the bedroom suite, but he already knew he’d find nothing. Even his butler was gone. Santos had served him for centuries, and Council had even taken him away.
"Alto!" Alec called out to his driver and body guard, but he got no response. He stood in the empty room, the room where he’d slept with Rissa. He could still smell her perfume. His closet was empty, but when he opened her closet, her clothes, her shoes, everything was still there. He stepped into the large walk-in closet, surrounded by her things, and her scent, and dropped to his knees. The blood tears poured down his face, and he clinched his fists. He’d lost everything, but the only thing that mattered was her, and he had only himself to blame. He curled up in a ball on the floor of her closet. From his vantage point on the floor, he saw a silk robe that had slipped from its hanger and lay in a soft pool on the floor. Reaching out, he pulled the robe toward him, holding it to his nose as he inhaled. "Rissa."
His cries went unanswered, and unheard, and he fell into a sleep, exhausted by the long teleport, and overcome with the realization of the impact of being exiled. When he woke several hours later, the room was dark, and he sat up, momentarily confused. As he got his bearings, he started to pull himself together. He knew he wouldn’t be allowed to stay in the house, but he had no idea where to go. He called out to the only vampire he knew would respond, “Shade!”
***
Shade sat in his office, reviewing the deeds and land maps sent to him by Council, organizing what was now his newest territories, Connecticut, and the District of Columbia. The news from Council wasn’t a surprise. He’d seen masters exiled before. He had yet to hear from Alec, but he knew Alec had resources and could be anywhere by now.
As the evening progressed into night, the house was beginning to come to life, and so was the camp outside. The terrace door hung open, allowing the early spring breeze into the room. It was an exceptionally warm night for this time of year, and he could hear the sounds from the camp, carried on the night breeze, metal against metal as the swords clashed, and the orders were shouted out by his warriors. Above his head was the sound of small feet, rushing from room to room. Shade had already sent some warriors to Connecticut to establish a base of operations there and was just about to check on Theo at the Dead House when Alec's voice wailed loud and clear in his head. He wasn’t used to hearing such desperation in his old ally’s voice. “Bro! What the fuck is going on?”
Alec heard the response in his head. The first voice he’d heard since the doors of the Council compound closed behind him. “I need your help, brother. I have no place to go.”
Shade closed his eyes, he knew this was coming, it was inevitable. “Come out to Bel Rosso. Let’s have some Midnight, talk, we can figure it out.”
Shade had tried, many times, to warn him of the consequences of pretending to be mortal and ignoring Council. Alec had always squashed those warnings, along with everything and everyone in his way as he climbed his way to the top. And now, it had all backfired, and he had a long way to fall.
Alec sighed with relief. He knew that many of his species had already turned their backs on him, even before he was exiled. Shade had everything now, and Alec had nothing to offer in exchange for the favor he was about to ask for. Shade could easily have walked away from him too. “I'm on my way, brother.”
Hearing Alec’s respond, Shade let Kate know what was going on. ”Mi amore, Alec is on his way to the house. This is the big turn I was expecting. Please keep things under control with the kids, if possible. I hate to ask this of you my red headed vixen, but right now, Alec needs our help.”
Kate heard his message, as she juggled Sophia on her shoulder, and Lorenzo was clinging to her leg, begging for attention. Keep things under control? She almost laughed out loud. She’d lost control of this situation about four years ago when Lorenzo was born, and now, with Sophia, their life was chaos. ”Yeah, okay. No problem. I'll just lock them in a closet.”
He smiled from ear to ear. He couldn’t imagine his life with anyone else. She was born to bear his bambinos. “Bel, I love you. Right now, I have my hands full as well. We just gained more territory, so it is vital I get Alec in hand.”
As he finished his thought, Gi walked in with several bottles of Midnight to replenish the office supply for the upcoming visit. "Good man, Gi. Master Canton should be arriving any moment, if his ass doesn’t get lost." Gi nodded and exited, and within minutes, Shade heard voices, knowing Alec had arrived.
Wishing to avoid any encounter with Kate's wolf warriors, Alec teleported directly inside the house, breaking yet another carved in stone rule from the Council. Entering another vampire's home this way without explicit permission was strictly forbidden, and a violation could result in a death sentence if the offended master chose to press charges with the Council. Under his current circumstances, Alec thought he could get away with it. The ancient butler was there to greet him immediately and led him to Shade's office.
“Brother, thanks for seeing me."
Shade stood as Alec entered the room, and the effects of the last few days were obvious on Alec's face. He didn’t stand as tall, his shoulders slumped, and his suit looked like he’d slept in it. He looked pale and removed of his pride. His eyes were empty, void of any emotion. "Sit down, brother, before you fall down."
Shade poured two tall tumblers full of Midnight, sitting one in front of Alec before taking a seat in the leather chair behind his desk. He sat the opened bottle of Midnight on his desk, knowing this wouldn’t be the last drink they took. "You look like shit."
Alec accepted the glass and downed it quickly, needing the boost of blood and alcohol. "Yeah, well, I feel like shit. They took everything, brother. They told me they were giving you my territories, but when I got home, the house was empty. Santos and Alto, they’re both gone. I'm supposed to go underground, but I don't even know where to go. I know some vamps live their whole life underground, but that was never my style. Besides, there’s not a master out there who’ll even give me the time of day, except you. Help me out here, brother."