Abyss - Book Five of the Alpha Series - MxM

Chapter 19

Their footsteps echo off the dark, damp stone as they make their way down the hall with Tonic sticking close to Verando's side. "Didn't we knock last time?" He questions, nearly running into the man in his haste not to be left behind.

The older man shrugs, shaking him off with a look of irritation that makes Tonic offer a nervous laugh of apology. "They shouldn't leave their doors unlocked." 

The younger man hesitates, his hair on end, his heart pounding so loudly it nearly drowned out the voices surrounding them, "It's fine, Tonic, by the gods, when did you become so easily spooked? Are you insisting I allow you to go off to war? Listen-" 

Gentle murmurs were echoing all around, bouncing off the walls and coming from the great room at the end of the hall. 

"They know we're here. Strigoi are just as capable as lycans when it comes to their senses, and frankly, if they wanted us dead, we would be." 

Tonic responds with a look of reluctance, rolling his shoulders, "I'm not spooked, I just don't like the idea of arriving unannounced to a murderous horde of hungry strigoi. It just seems like we're trying to annoy them. Aren't strigoi insistent on respect?"

"Lighten up. You're a naked man in the house of the living dead, smelling of dog and lacking mortal blood, might as well look confident doing it. They're as unimpressed with eating us as we are with being eaten. Well-" Verando cocks his head, observing the younger man who shakes his head in disbelief. "Some of us are unimpressed with Strigoi at least." 

Self-consciousness is not something that was allowed in lycan culture, considering a good portion of their lives was lived naked or as an animal, and yet here he was, on display and dreading every moment of it. 

"I'm here to speak to Mother," Verando tells him simply. 

"Of course you are. I see you've come in a much more presentable state." The disembodied voice resonates around them, yet she doesn't appear. "I must say, you are in better shape in this life than you were as your former self, though I could do without the battle scars. What can I do for you, Alpha?" 

"Two things."

"Greedy." Natassa hums. "I believe I only promised you one thing, and I know you're not here for that." He waits patiently so as not to entertain her game, and finally, she walks around the corner of the large, decaying grand piano. 

Her fingers casually skirt over the keys, "Good to see you are alive, Verando. I was getting concerned when I hadn't seen you, but since Stefan had not come back to us, I assumed you had managed. You weren't so sure when we last spoke. What is it, I'm rather busy as I'm about to enjoy my breakfast."

"Your services will be required for this upcoming war we're about to engage in. I wanted to ensure you intended to hold up your end of the bargain." He begins, she crosses her arms lightly under her chest, bored with the trivial battles of humans. 

"I do not know why you involve yourself with mortals. It's a waste." She practically hisses but motions for him to continue. 

Tonic does his best not to falter. Verando couldn't blame him for his nerves; the stirgoi was the common enemy of the werewolf. They were designed to hate each other, to be deep in a stirgoi coven was against every fiber of their nature. Gaining a grin from Natassa, who sees through the facade. She adjusts her weight to her other hip, unshamed as she drinks them in.

 "Stefan does have good taste, I will say. If I recall, this is your son?"

"He is, and I need to transfer our wager over to Tonic once I complete my half of the debt. Tonic will be taking over my role as Alpha, and I will be stepping down."