Dark Queen

Chapter 2. What the Hell is a Pendragon

Bree

The castle that had felt so much like home for the past week was too empty now without Anna and Alec. I had never seen Alec look so frantic as he had when he came in from the balcony, clutching his chest like he could feel his heart being torn out.

It wasn't quite the same way I had felt when Diego had gone missing and I thought he was dead, but I could understand it. The thought of my mate in any sort of danger away from me was a sharp tug on my heart, causing me to press myself further into his embrace. I knew Alec must be going through hell, and that whatever had happened to Anna was enough to suppress the urge to be near her mate.

"I'm worried about them," I murmured into Diego's shoulder, curled up into him on the couch. He ran his fingers through my hair, working out the knots slowly and gently. The steady motion of his hands and of his breathing lulled me into relaxing just a bit.

"I know, I am too. But they have three thousand years of experience between the two of them. They will be fine." His assurances only went so far, but nevertheless I was calmed just a bit. Fred for once seemed upset as well, talking rapidly into his phone.

"I know she didn't leave for the fun of it, something is up. Unlike you, the rest of us aren't just dismissing this easily. She is our coven leader and like it or not we deserve to be kept in the loop!" He ranted, pacing in front of the large fireplace.

"I know you are upset but its pissing me off. Stop implying that I had something to do with this or know what's going on. I am just as clueless as the rest of you!" Leah, the shapeshifter, snapped back, her voice loud enough for us to hear across the room.

"I wasn't accusing you of having a hand in whatever happened or knowing more, I was just saying that we as a coven are worried! You didn't see the way Alec looked, how terrified he was for her." He growled back, shoulders tense and jaw so tight I thought he might shatter it if he clenched his teeth any harder. I exchanged a glance with Diego, who made a kissy face then winked.

I stifled a small giggle; it was clear to literally everyone that Fred and Leah had chemistry. Explosive, angry chemistry, but chemistry nonetheless. If Anna were here she would be facepalming at this horrible exchange. Alec would have been sniggering quietly to himself and probably would have said something sassy in a random language that only he and I knew.

I already missed them.

With a sigh I pushed myself up out of Diego's arms. I couldn't sit here anymore, it was making me antsy. Señor Abello would no doubt wish to be informed of the two coven leaders absence, so I sniffed him out, finding him in his office downstairs.

The office itself was of a modest size, equipped with a large desk, several filing cabinets, a sleek computer, and just about every other office supply known to man. This room was the heart of the entire castle and vineyard, where every single action passed through for approval and not a detail slipped by unnoticed. The Mayordomo in question was bent over a stack of papers muttering to himself in Spanish as he marked the document up with red ink.

"Hola Señor Abello," I greeted him, startling him with my sudden movements. He jumped up, dropping his pen and upsetting his paperwork. Quickly gathering the runaway documents and handing them back to him, I smiled apologetically at the older man. His heart was beating rapidly and a small measure of guilt twinged through me. I often forgot how quickly and silently I moved now that I was a vampire. Almost instantly his face and posture were corrected and smoothed into the most polite and proper expression. His heart even slowed dramatically- an impressive feat.

"Perdón por mi intrusión." I intoned quickly, offering him a small nod emulating Anna's greeting. I assumed if the old vampire did it then it was fine and proper.