Claws and code

Blood-high on oats

I felt better after having seen Jack, or more to the point, after having seen his beast. Part of me was upset that he made it better while he was the problem in the first place. Louis and Mark looked at me funny the next morning but said nothing, so I pulled Sasha aside to ask why. "You think the man wants to reject you. And I get where you're coming from, it's just, you're wrong. He doesn't. They feel sorry for him because you won't let the man near you. It is unbalanced to have the beast in charge of both bodies. You can resist the bond because you are human. A Lycan would have either accepted or rejected him."

I realised that Cameron and my other brother weren't with us and before I could ask she told me. "The boys have taken him to breakfast. There's a café around the corner from here. They wanted to have a chat."

Peter distracted me for the rest of the morning. I met more vampires who were part of his coven and he explained more about his culture and how they sustained their lifestyle. It was interesting and so very different from the Lycan society that I had gotten used to.

Then he threw a bomb at me. "I want you to meet a few of my friends. They are people you and David saved. Their systems people are already working with yours. According to our customs they owe you a blood oath. If I had been attacked that day, my coven would have been wiped out but with the information you found, their covens managed to move before they were attacked."

I looked closely at his face and said. "It sounds like you are trying to sell it to me."

A new voice piped up from a doorway down the hall. "He is. Just like he sold it to us."

I turned to see a male model smiling wickedly at me. "You're a cute little human. I thought you'd be some pale, greasy haired, ugly nerd."

"Don't know why a vampire would stereo type a human in such a way. You're blond, not wearing a cape and speak without a Romanian accent."

Laughter rang from the room behind him but he answered, as if it wasn't happening, with his head cocked to the side like a curious animal. "Well, Peter likes the finer things in life, always has. I would have expected him to lay more of a claim on a pretty little girl like you. He could give you immortality."

Putting a hand on my hip with attitude I replied. "He actually couldn't. Because immortality means you can't die. Vamps can die too. In numerous ways. So feel free to take your superior attitude and shove it up your left nostril." 

Peter chuckled and led me towards the man, shoving him aside to admit us to the room that the man had been in. He made sure to have an arm around me as he led me to the head of a large conference table in the middle of the room. Others sat when we did. Some smiling, some stoic and a few looking like they would have me for breakfast.

"Cloe, these are the heads of all the covens you saved on the main land. The vampire council has decided that all covens swear allegiance to you." At my surprised look he added. "You have already shown your allegiance to all covens by sharing the information you keep finding in the hunter systems world wide. We have been able to isolate several feeders who held files after we wiped them at the end of their contracts. There have also been several cases of active feeders who are working with the hunters. We all owe you and the Alpha pup a blood vow."

He was looking at the frowning people at the table and they reluctantly nodded. One woman smiled kindly. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Cloe. Your face is very expressive and I think Peter might have forgotten to explain a few things to you."

"I didn't forget, Margarita. I didn't feel the need to bother her with unnecessary information."

"Oooh, story time." One of the others teased with a wink.