The Four Protectors

Fifty

3rd Person POV

Cassius was working with Catherine, trying to make a meal with the dismal amount of ingredients in Rafia's kitchen, when Azriel and Desmond wandered into the room. They took a seat at the counter while Cassius chopped a few tomatoes they'd found. Azriel was uncharacteristically somber and Cassius could tell that it had something to do with his conversation with Rafia from earlier, rather than the numerous other problems at hand.

"I've never seen her look so lost," Azriel muttered.

"You said it's happened to your dad before too right," Desmond asked.

There was something about the way Desmond's voice softened when he spoke to Azriel. It was something he seemed to reserve just for him. He exchanged a glance with Catherine, who'd caught onto the same thing.

"It has. It's just more intimidating seeing her defenses fall like that," Azriel explained.

"Intimidating," Desmond questioned.

"It'll be us a few centuries down the line," Azriel commented.

Desmond's eyes widened a bit in surprise and the air suddenly felt too heavy. Cassius turned away from them to step up next to Catherine. She seemed resolutely focused on her pasta but both their attentions remained on Azriel and Desmond.

"I'm sorry. I know immortality isn't something you're comfortable discussing," Azriel quickly said.

"Don't apologize. Just because the idea of immortality scares me at times, it doesn't mean you can't share your fears of it with me," Desmond said firmly.

Cassius couldn't help but smile at that, recalling his discussion with Azriel in the woods.

"Right," Azriel said shortly.

Desmond reached over and planted a light kiss against the warlock's lips. It wiped away a bit of Azriel's discomfort. Cassius also recalled how the warlock had asked for time to open up and he realized that the time hadn't come just yet. Someday, Azriel would share his fears and insecurities with them, and Cassius would wait.

"So what are we going to do about the Countess' demands," he interjected.

Azriel shot him a grateful look. Catherine turned to participate in the discussion as well, the tension returning to her small form. Her face scrunched up like it always did when she was thinking and Cassius realized he'd come to find that face quite endearing.

"We need to protect them," Desmond stated.

"How do we do that between six of us when there are over a hundred of them," Azriel asked grimly.

"Not to mention we would be up against one of the oldest vampires in existence and all of her lackeys," Desmond added.

There was a moment of silence and as hard as Cassius thought, he couldn't figure out a way out of this that didn't involve bloodshed, perhaps even mass slaughter.

"We have to do what she asked us to do," Catherine whispered.

"What," Desmond asked in shock.

"The entire point of this was to inspire retaliation, to find out who was behind the operation. It was never about finding a cure. We know she's behind this now," Catherine explained.

"The entire point of this was to ultimately bring down the operation. We can't do that if we back down now," Desmond responded.

"We can't risk anyone else getting hurt. We'll give this to her and trying thinking of something else," Catherine retaliated.