CURSE OF THE MOON REBORN

Dido walked into the throne room with her arms raised, “Stephan, I’m glad you are here.”

“Take another step close to me and you will lose those arms.” His voice was low and menacing, his glare fixed on the vampire.

Mathias’s men tossed in the bewildered vampires into the throne room one by one.

“You all seem to be in attendance. I hope I didn’t disrupt your evening. Not that I give a shit.”

“What have we done to deserve this hostility?” Dido took a step backdropping her arms to her side.

“That depends on how you answer this question. Where is Marquis?” Stephan stood at the center of the room. one by one he watched the Counsel members’ reactions. Watching for a tell-tale sign.

“We do not know where she is.”

“But she was here, right?”

“Yes. But we sent her on her way. She is not to set foot in this fortress or its compound.

“Uh-huh. Am I to believe that you banished one of the most powerful vampires?”

“Yes, that is exactly what you should believe. Power is nothing without intelligence and Marquis has a death wish. We do not need that kind of power amongst us.”

“Stephan you could have just asked me instead of storming in here.” Leo stepped forward.

“Why should I believe you? You cheated me once what keeps you from doing it again.”

“I’m not that stupid.”

Stephan turned away from Leo and to Dido. She seemed to be the one in charge. “This chair is very comfortable. No wonder everyone wants to be commander in chief. Dido, I’m I to assume that you call the shots now?”

“You could say that I liaise the Counsel decisions.”

“Marquis has taken my child and I need to find her.”

“We knew she was planning something against you and when she asked for our help, we turned her down,” Dido said.

“Is that so?” Stephan was skeptical, not everyone had the power to refuse Marquis. Especially since she had the talent of persuasion.

“It is so.” Dido’s voice was firm. She was trying to convince Stephan of the only truth she knew.

“Ok, but the thing is, if I find out that you went back on your word, I will bring all these stones crumbling around your heads.” Stephan grinned at her.

“I am sorry about the passing of your wife.”

“Excuse me.” Stephan rose from the chair and with three long strides, she was standing under his nose.

“Your wife she-,”

“She? Who is she?” Stephan lowered his face to hers. “WHO. IS. SHE.” He said through clenched teeth.

“Marquis. You just missed her. She came to me and said she had killed your wife, but didn’t mention your daughter.” Dido defended herself.

“But you said-,”

“I know what I said. I said that she wasn’t here I didn’t specify how many times or when she was here.”

“No, you did not. So do you mind specifying and please do not leave anything out?” Stephan’s phone buzzed.

He pulled it out of his pocket and saw Scarlet’s caller ID. Usually, he would pick it up on the first ring, but this time he didn’t. He was sure that she was only going to ask about Christina and he didn’t have any answers, not yet anyway. So he canceled the call.

Ten seconds later the phone rang again and as much as he tried to ignore it, it wouldn’t let up.

“What we are discussing can wait. Whoever is on that other end of the line must need to talk to you.” Dido was pleased with the thought of having some breathing room.

“No, this is more important. Solara could you answer this.”

Stephan didn’t tell him who was calling, he was going to find out anyway. Besides he didn’t want any member of the Counsel to know Scarlet was alive, she was safer that way and he didn’t want to risk Marquis finding out. According to her knowledge, she had killed Scarlet in the forest the day she took the baby from her.

“So tell me, what else Marquis told you.” Stephan continued questioning Dido as Solara excused himself to answer the call.

“Hallo, Scar?”

“Where is Stephan and why the hell isn’t he answering his phone?” Scarlet barked from the other end.

“He’s questioning one of the Council members. She may know the whereabouts of Marquis.”

“Well if he had just picked up the phone I could have told him where she is.”

“What?” Solara signaled Xavier to join him in the hallway. They moved further then put her on speaker.

“Xavier is here with me. Tell us what happened.”

“Marquis sent some vampires to the house with a message. He said that Stephan should meet her where he found his first love.”

“Sotera?” Solara wondered how his dead sister was involved in this. “Ok, we will tell him.”

“Before you hang up there is one more thing...”

“What?”

“They wanted to take SJ with them.”

“What! Did they take him?”

“Of course not. They wanted to but we didn’t let them.”

“So where are they?”

“If I’m not wrong SJ is starting a borne fire outback. We killed them. Kayla and SJ did more of the killing.”

“Good girl.” Solara felt a pinch of pride.

“Yep, your girl is a real killer. We are all fine.”

“Ok, I’ll talk to Stephan. Kiss my girls for me and keep safe.”

As soon as the line went dead, Xavier and Solara were in the Counsel room.