With the Waning Moon [VAMPIRE KNIGHT]

Ready to Strike

-A

"I am going to try very hard to pretend I did not just hear you say that you drank my daughters blood," Kadae said calmly, not even looking at me. I knew it was kind of a significant risk in telling him, but it was something that could have been useful. If Mika could find out anything about where she was or keep us in the loop via my mind, then that was useful, yes?

"Okay...sir," I said carefully. "So, I really don't know much. I woke up after Vane shot-"

"Vane?" Kadae interrupted.

"Yes," I said on a sigh. "Mika's Sire. I think, anyway. That's what she said...well what she thought just a little while ago."

"She spoke to you?" Asena asked, her voice coming out higher than normal.

"Well, sort of. She sounded...really far away and fuzzy and she kept cutting out so I really only got bits and pieces of what she was saying. But hey, that gives me a hell of a lot of hope. It means she's alive for one thing and it means that she can communicate to us through me. Unfortunately, as of right now I think the connection is a one-way street so I can't answer her or give her any sign that I am alive for her to continue speaking to me. She did see me get shot."

"Very good," Kadae said, rubbing his chin. "Asena, will you allow the vampire to set up base here in your office?"

"Yes, of course, sir," Asena said, bowing her head slightly.

"Hold up," Kain said, raising his hand slightly. "What do you mean, set up base? We aren't staying anywhere. We are going out there and looking for Mika."

"You are mere children," Kadae said simply. "And this is not a task for children. You I have no concern for, boy. And the only reason I care about that one," he said, gesturing towards me, "is because he can hear my daughters' thoughts and that might be able to help us find her. Us – the adults."

"So, you're going to shove Aido in a corner and leave him here while you run off to save Mika when you weren't even here when she needed you to be? Aido was there for her. He tried to help her and is still trying to help her. He got shot for your daughter and you think he's going to just sit here and twiddle his thumbs, taking down notes of what Mika happens to think?"

Well, I thought. There's Akatsuki's rebellious side coming out.

Kadae rose up to his full height and glowered down at Kain. "Yes," he said darkly. "That's exactly what I think is going to happen. Because he is a boy – a child ­– and I do not believe for one second that there is anything he can do for my daughter better than I can. I am an Alpha and you dare use that tone with me in my house?"

"Actually," I said softly. "This school is Mika's house, sir. These students that are out on the lawn worried sick about her, they are her Pack. And, furthermore, Mika asked me to be her Beta which puts me as part of her Pack and gives me the responsibility of going after her. And, as if that were not enough evidence against you, Kadae, I love your daughter. So, in my humble vampire opinion, there is nothing you can do to stop me."

Kadae and I stared at one another for an agonizingly long moment, no words being exchanged, just a ton of testosterone and aggression. I distinctly got the feeling that he wanted to rip my head right off my shoulders and I couldn't believe my idiot self just admitted that I loved Mika to her father shortly after admitting to drinking her blood. I must have had some sort of death wish.

The moment ended abruptly when Asena cleared her throat. "I don't mean to interrupt...whatever this is and, correct me if I'm wrong, but there is a young woman missing who both of you care about deeply. Don't you think it wise to tough it out and suck it up and go find her?"

There was a beat of silence. "Where do we start?" Kadae asked me.

"Dirt." I blurted the word without even thinking. "There was dirt. And she said something about a hole? Being underground? I didn't get much description."

"It's a start. You do what you want, but I am going to assemble my best trackers and head out to find her, see if I can follow her trail." Kadae looked at Asena. "You stay here and keep the students calm."

Without another word, Kadae stalked from the room, the door slamming behind him. We all stood there a moment, looking at one another.

"So," Asena finally said. "You love her?"

I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly. "Yeah..."

"Good. Then I know you'll do whatever needs to be done to find her and bring her back safely. So, my question to you is this – what do you need me to do? I can't leave the school. I've been given a direct order from the Alpha. To ignore his words would be a death sentence. But I can supply you with whatever I can and give you any help that I can."

"I'm going on a trip," I said simply. "I'm going to need some supplies. I'll need some clothes for Mika – provided he hasn't...done anything...Mika would still be wearing her dress and she wasn't wearing any shoes. I'll need something for her change into when I do find her. And there is no telling if he will feed her or not, so I'll need some food and water."

"You know where Mika's room is. Can you find it from in here or do you need to climb in through the window?" Asena quirked an eyebrow at me.

"I can manage," I said dryly. "I get the feeling she isn't far. It seems difficult to carry dead weight a great distance, even for people like us. And if she were conscious, I know Mika. She would have made it difficult. He would have needed to stop somewhere and get her restrained until he could confidently keep moving. I highly doubt I will have a difficult time finding her. I think the problem will lie with getting her out of his clutches. He's got an advantage over me – I can't get bitten."

"If you find her, there is no shame in letting Kadae bring his team in, Aido. He's got many strong fighters on his side." Asena reached out and placed her hand on my shoulder.

"I know that," I said, looking away. "But this is personal. I have to be there. I need to see that she is safe and I want to rip that fucking psycho's head off his shoulders." My words came out tasting like venom. I was furious and she knew it.

"Then all I can say to you is good luck and be careful. Don't be reckless in this, Aido. This is too important. Now go on, we've both got work to do." She brushed imaginary lint from her skirt and glided out the door.

I turned to Kain. "Come on. Let's get what we need and go. I'm done wasting time."