Suffocate In Spirit - Shadows of the Night 4

Chapter 12

Hi!

The comments keep coming and I love you all for that. The weekend's as good as over and god, how I wish I could press the repeat button. Anyway, here's chapter 12! I hope you like it.

Lara

_______________________________________________________________

Chapter 12

I sighed. "It's nothing you don't know anyway. When the Raven blackmailed me, he said he would know my every move. That he'd know if I told anyone in the Circle about it." I looked up at him, meeting his eyes. What I saw in there was a knowledge that went deeper and way beyond a human lifetime. "That means he has someone in the Circle, on the inside. No matter if there's more than one, it would have to be someone with access to every part of the Circle headquarters."

Alexander's fingers, still wrapped around my arms, loosened. The lines and maps on his face were unreadable, nothing that could hint at what he was thinking. Oh, but his mind was working. He was giving me the carefully neutral stare again, the one he reserved for political enemies and allies all the same.

"You believe that it was someone that is part of the security apparatus," Alexander said. "Apparently you came to the conclusion that it would have to be a shape shifter."

I nodded. "Yeah. I wanted to find out if there was a connection between the Inri Brotherhood and the shape shifters. In a nutshell, that's why I was meeting with Marrok. Not that I went here of my own free will, I-"

"And so you came here all by yourself?" He stepped away from me. "Yes, it would be something you would do," he said in a low voice. For a fleeting moment, there something - a component, a line - changed on his face. A new expression I hadn't seen yet. Not void, not motion either. I wasn't even sure I had seen right, couldn't begin to discern its meaning.

"If there is one thing I can assure you of, little witch, it is that there is and never will be something coming close to the term 'cooperation' between the shape shifters and rogue witches."

I stared at him for a long moment. "How can you be so sure about that?"

He slanted his head to the side, watching me closely. "Marrok has spent too many years in wolf form to neglect his instincts for survival. He is not in favor of the Circle, but he is loyal to his pack. The Inri Brotherhood's goal reeks too much of anarchy and a complete reorganization of society. Marrok already has enough power within his pack, which is all he cares for."

I shook my head. Back in the keep Marrok said he was making sure that his back survived in this city, no matter what. Was he willing to work together with Raphael Medici to ensure the safety of his pack? His wolves had been negotiating with the half-witches. But was that proof enough?

"Think about it, Alexander. Marrok is the Alpha, he's already sure of his power within the pack. The way I see it, the safety of the pack is his main concern at this point in time. If the Inri Brotherhood could guarantee that, wouldn't he at least consider it?"

"You forget, little witch, that they have a common history. Marrok almost delivered the Raven to the Circle's doorstep once. Marrok was one of the shape shifters that hunted Medici and the Inri Brotherhood. They are what one would call sworn enemies."

I crossed my arms in front of me. "Fine. But I think there's one more thing you should know."

"And what would that be?"

"I think the Raven's still alive."

I was watching him with the eyes of an attention-starved observer, eager to see if he could maintain his stone-faced and calm exterior. See what he had to say to the bombshell I was dropping on him. What I got was exactly no reaction at all. In fact the head vamp simply turned and started walking towards the mouth of the alley.