Boris and the Vampire (Legends of Pinewood 2)

The Council Revisits You

The vampires talked amongst themselves on the way to the meeting. Thanks to the wind carrying their words, I heard every single word they said, despite the distance.

The vampires wanted to act like they had caught me in the act of beating Etienne up, and Etienne was supposed to tell the others that he was scared of me. That the other wolves had been intimidating him since day one with me as the ringleader, and he only refused to call for help because he didn't want to miss his chance to meet the people of Pinewood.

The vampires spoke so freely, I was pretty sure this wasn't yet another trick. My hearing was more sensitive than the vampires gave me credit for, it seemed. They were so used to not being spotted that they forgot their voices weren't as silent as their movements and heartbeat.

Etienne had to know I could hear them from his experiences with werewolf hearing the past few days, but he didn't rat me out.

I had to remember Etienne wasn't on my side either, however. He just seemed frozen right now. Not choosing anything, only anxiously walking along with the people from his castle.

The vampires entered the meeting place, our community centre as always, first. As promised, I kept my distance and entered the building a few moments later with my stomach in knots.

There would be no time to warn Ivana about what was going on. I was last to arrive—everyone else was already seated or on the big screen at the front of the room. Most supernaturals didn't physically attend these kinds of meetings. If we had to travel the globe for every incident, we'd never get anything done, after all.

Aside from Ivana, Nathan, and the vampires, only our neighbours the Fey had sent someone in person. Not their leader as I'd expected, but a stoic winter fey with snow white hair, a perpetual frown etched in his handsome features, and dark eyes that stood in sharp contrast with his hair. I took it he was here on his leader's behalf.

Since I was last to arrive, I took the only free spot that was left next to Ivana. She and Nathan seemed relieved I was here, while the vampires, sans Etienne and the Fey man just stared at me.

While I sat down, Ivana quickly walked to the front of the room.

"Welcome everyone," she spoke. "It's good to see you all, even if the circumstances could have been better. We have a... delicate matter on our hands."

"Indeed, we do. Our ambassador was viciously attacked not once, but twice!" Clarence interrupted. "And he tells me it was done by werewolves!"

Ivana's eyebrow twitched. She kept her face neutral, but since I knew my sister well enough and I could see her annoyance. "Twice?" she asked tersely.

"Just now, we caught your steward, your so-called protector of Pinewood, viciously drag our ambassador to the old factory to attack him again! We stopped him and I'm frankly shocked he's bold enough to show his face here in this meeting."

Most supernaturals on the big screen looked surprised. Several of them instantly went on mute. Their mouths kept moving as they talked amongst each other. The winter fey only raised a brow. I tried to catch Etienne's eye, but he averted his gaze quickly when he saw me looking at him.

Ivana looked at me. "Did you attack him, Boris?" she asked.

"No," I replied.

"Lies!" Clarence cried, pointing at me. "He did attack you. Didn't he, Etienne?"

Etienne's eyes darted around the room, not unlike a wild, cornered animal. But then he nodded.

"See? You put him at the mercy of a wolf twice his size," Clarence went on, facing the big screen with the other supernaturals. "And from the beginning, it was clear the werewolves didn't want him in Pinewood. They wanted to keep the humans only to themselves and did everything they could to sabotage our ambassador. Including faking an accident to tempt him with blood. And it ended with an attempt on his life."