The council sat across from us, droning on and on. I’m sure they all liked the sound of their own voices. They were all dressed in flamboyant ostentatious gowns. A group of ten men and women stood behind the two sitting, their gowns were jet black with thin strips of jade or red running through. The other two sat at the huge wooden table. One wore a red and silver gown, the other yellow and white. Both had a confidence as if they had every right to be there. They had caused trouble the minute they had walked through the door.
Then that bitch Aria had arrived and sat herself next to Lucien. As if she was his fucking Queen. Aria sat there, sending daggers our way. At least she was keeping her mouth shut. If she put her hand on his arm one more time, I was going to break every single bone in her fucking sticky fingers and Lucien the bastard just sat there letting her touch him. If he hadn’t put a barrier on our link, I would be telling him what I thought of him. Did he think I was going to let him put even one finger on me after this? He thought wrong.
As well as the council members, a total of forty-five Naturals and Humans sat either around the table or stood behind their leaders. I had no doubt to watch their backs. Though we had been getting some suspicious looks, so far, the concealment spell seemed to be working. There had been questions fired at Lucien, demanding to know who the hell we were. Lucien had told them half-truths. That Megan was our sister and we had turned to him for help and that his Intel had found out that a Soul Keeper and Eater were involved. They could accuse him of lying, but I didn’t see many of them doing so. On hearing about the Soul Keeper and Soul Eater all hell had broken lose. It had taken a good half hour for everybody to calm down.
When the Sovereign of the Shifters had entered the room, we had felt the change in Melissa. The sadness, anxiety and nervousness were radiating off of her. I wanted to put my arms around her, but that wasn’t something she wouldn’t be happy with, not in public. She sat there with her face void of any emotion. The Sovereign of the Shifters sat with an irate look on his face, never taking his jade eyes off of Melissa. It was obvious that they knew each other. The dark-haired woman who sat beside him, had been announced as his mate. She was constantly giving the evil eye to Mellissa.
I sat there watching as Abigail and Damien eye fucked each other. It was obvious to all in the room that they did not know if to kill each other or fuck. That’s all we needed. They were acting like two angry but horny teenagers.
The Fae had arrived in all their fanfare. Shockingly the Fae King’s Guards turned out to be women, and they were all stunningly beautiful. I’d heard the whispering from the others when they had entered. It was rumoured that they were not only his guards, but his lovers as well. He came across as arrogant, and I hadn’t missed the looks he been throwing towards Mia. I did not like the way he was eyeing her, as if she was his next tasty meal. Thank heavens she hadn’t seemed to notice. I didn’t like to think what her reaction would be. It would not be anything good.
The members of the council had arrived first. Two, one Human the other a Natural were speaking for their separate Councils and both had demanded that they should be in charge and control the meeting. They hadn’t been happy when Lucien cut them dead. They now sat there like stone, their faces like thunder. The vampires sat at the other end of the table. Keeping as far away from everyone else as possible. The Head of their Coven wasn’t attending. Instead his second in command Jax was taking his place. We had yet to find out why Nathan had sent someone else in his place. I had sensed the dislike radiating from Jaden and the looks the other Vampire Jax was throwing his way, daring him to do something so he’d have a reason to retaliate. Jaden sat there not backing down with suspicion in his eyes.
Then there was Reid who was the Elder of Gargoyles and was also their Headman and sat to Lucien’s right. If you thought they were made of stone, you thought wrong. They were huge in stature, and once seeing them you would just have to take a second look. I had seen a few of the other females take second and third glances their way. They looked human but looks were deceiving. The Angels, a mixture of males and females had been the last to arrive. They didn’t have any wings on show so I’m guessing that they had some sort of concealment spell in place or they could call them forth when necessary. They were very much like the Fae, arrogant. The males were striking. The women beautiful. There were various leaders that ruled over smaller Regions who were a mixture of Humans and Naturals. Who from what we had gathered, answer to Lucien, Gil-Galad the King of the Fae, Jacob who is the Sovereign to all shifters, King of the Vampires Nathan, Reid the Headman of the Gargoyles. The ones who seemed not to own any sort of territory were the Angels. The one who answering on their behalf was Archer.
I watched as Lucien’s eyes flicker around the room, until his gaze finally settles on Jax. ‘’Jax, where’s Nathan?’’ he pauses, his gaze solely focused on Jax ‘’and don’t give me any bullshit. He’s never missed one of these bloody meetings,’’ he yells banging his fist onto the table, ‘’I know that the so-called message I received wasn’t from him!! So Jax,’’ Lucien says, his eyes flashing red and continuing with his questioning, ‘‘tell me what the hell are you hiding?’’
I could hear the muttering drifting around the room at Lucien’s outburst. Jaden tensing beside him. I watched as Jax looked around the table, before turning to his own men. They seemed to make a decision, clearing his throat Jax turned his attention to Lucien.
‘’Nathan’s missing,’’ he announced. Finally admitting what everybody had feared.
As if everyone had gone into shock the whole room went quiet. The two speaking on behalf of the council seemed to wake up from a long slumber and started throwing questions left, right and centre, not giving Jax a chance to reply. Demanding to know why they hadn’t been the first to be informed. Lucien nor the others seemed shocked at the news. They held their emotions close to their chest. I noticed the look between Lucien, Damien and Jaden. A silent message went between the three of them.
I could see the rage building within Jaden.
‘’How long?’’ Jacob snarled, baring his teeth.
‘’A month. We been looking for him every single night and there’s been no trace. It’s like he’s …… vanished,’’ Jax replied not quite meeting Jaden’s eyes. You could have heard a pin drop.
◆◆◆
A growl of displeasure fell from Jaden’s lips, eyes flashing yellow,
‘’why has this been kept from me?’’ I demand.
‘’No offence Jaden, but you are not part of our Coven anymore,’’ Jax told me with a smirk. Bloody fool he was pushing my boundaries and he knew it. If he wasn’t careful, he’d be sitting there minus his head.
A growl launched from my throat, my breast raising within me, causing lights to flicker around us, and as I stood trembling with rage. ‘’whether I am with the Coven or not I should have been informed. After all Nathan is my blood and pray tell why isn’t one of Nathans blood sitting in that chair instead of you?’’ I challenged.
I sensed the shock ripple through the room at the news that I was related to the King of all Vampires. I heard the muttering going around the table. The men standing around Jax shifted uneasily. Not liking were this line of questioning was taking them, they all knew Jaden and knew the laws of their Coven. Laws that had been broken. Jax had no lawful right to oversee the Coven, but he had gotten the winning vote and there hadn’t been anything anyone could have done.