Chapter Ten

Vito walked with purpose. He had never conquered the steep hill without a vehicle and it was as taxing as it looked, but he kept his breathing under control and face neutral as he crested the hill.

The gates were open, and the werewolf guards were already standing in their formation on either side of the driveway, undoubtedly having clocked his scent. They were much more agitated than the last time he saw them. Their eyes followed his approach and their noses twitched repeatedly.

Vito assumed that they could smell his anticipation and underlying anger that had grown with each step up the hill. However, he was an invited guest, and so they couldn't act on their impulse, only follow their boss' instructions.

Vito noted the Porsche as he passed it. This time, the double doors didn't swing open as Vito neared, prompting him to push them open with much more force than was neccessary.

He knew exactly why he felt this boiling rage. He still felt stronger and faster than usual, which explained his ability to climb the hill in five minutes and not be out of breath even with his breathing techniques. However, that wasn't the only thing the rapier was enhancing.

Hades had warned him blood consumers like the rapier had a tendecy to augment the user's bloodlust; that explained why Vito felt like he could tear through the ranks of werewolves, and felt like he should as a statement.

The occupants of the room look momentarily startled by his sudden, loud entry. Hades stood, placing his hands behind his back and gave Vito a searching glance. Vito knew he was observing if the weapon had consumed him. "Ah, Sir," he said, "I was beginning to worry that your detour would keep you more occupied than planned."

Vito calmed himself down under Hades' scrutinity. "No problems there, Hades."

"I'm beginning to wonder the contents of this detour, considering I didn't hear a vehicle. There isn't much happening out here, after all." Zliksay looked as calm as ever, though his eyes were grim as he studied Vito.

"Is that so?" Vito replied rather cryptically. Zliksay raised an eyebrow as his eyes reached the sword back in the scabbard on Vito's hip. "Going for a new look," Vito commented, drawing the sword in a smooth motion.

Vito had to give it to him, Zliksay was a seasoned veteran. The man stayed poised even with Vito's rapier held firmly in his hand.

Zliksay glanced at Bekah who sat across from him. "Me and Bekah were just finishing up our discussion of the border. I'm sure you're aware-"

His voice faltered as Vito didn't stop at the sofa chair that an impassive Bekah sat at, but instead went around the back of it as he continued toward Zliksay's seat. Vito had already observed there was a single werewolf guard in the living room with them, and the guard had reacted with suspicion like the rest of the pack the moment Vito walked through the door. Now, he took threatening lumbering steps toward Vito, but Hades hadn't stood up to be idle.

In a lightning-quick motion that the werewolf couldn't react to unless he was prepared, Hades drew a gun and pinned it against the werewolf's temple. Even a normal bullet from that distance could be life threatening for something as durable as a werewolf, but the blessed bullets Vito knew Hades had equipped would leave no doubt.

Zliksay held up a hand and the werewolf visibly relaxed. Vito continued around the sofa chair, eyeing the werewolf as he passed. Finally, he rested the blade of his sword on Zliksay's shoulder.

Zliksay amazingly still remained in control of his emotions. If one were to judge solely off his his facial expression, they would never guess that his life was currently in Vito's hands. "A bit extreme don't you think?" Zliksay asked. After a few beats where Vito didn't respond, he continued. "What did I do that requires such violence?"

Vito ignored his innocence ploy. "Before you think of giving your little wolf pack some mental signal or whatever, you should know that I had a squad travel upwind while I drew the attention of your mutts and they currently have their sights on them." Finally, Vito saw Zliksay's eyes narrow. "I know you're thinking how could a squad of humans go undetected, but these are experienced people, you see. They practically bathed themselves in mud to lose their scent."

Zliksay opened his mouth to comment, but Vito didn't let him. "I invite you to call my bluff. I dare you even. I've heard that when one imprints on a werewolf pack they feel immense pain when one dies. I wouldn't mind seeing the validity of this rumor first-hand."

"What did I do?" Zliksay repeated. It was slight, but Vito could discern the tension in his voice.

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Vito sighed, shifting the blade from Zliksay's shoulder to his neck. "That detour was due to someone I suspect you've been in contact with...Lafon." A slight jaw clench. "Don't think for a second I won't severe your head from your shoulders."

A bead of sweat. "He asked for safe passage through the rogue lands. I didn't know-" he paused, seeming to think better of going the blatant lie route with a sword to his neck. "I named a price and he met it. I was never going to directly assist him, of course, I planned to be neutral. Who knows if that pompous idiot would make it through the forest anyway."

He seemed to be hoping that Vito didn't know about the tunnel. He seemed to think that Vito wasn't truly capable of beheading him. Of doing what needed to be done. The rapier started to shake as potent rage coursed through Vito's very veins.

As Vito pressed the sword on Zliksay's neck, a trickle of blood drifted down toward the blade and Vito swore he saw it disapper as it hit the blade's surface.

Zliksay jumped up, all pretense of his calm expression gone and replaced by a look of pure fury. "How dare you let that filthy thing have my blood!" he bellowed at a volume impressive for an old man.

Vito staggered back and Zliksay's guard saw his chance. As a matured gargoyle, Hades had considerable speed to go along with his incredible durability, but at close range and with his attention momentarily elsewhere, he never saw the werewolf's elbow coming until it was too late.

As Hades reeled from the attack, the werewolf took aim. Vito heard Bekah scream no moments before the bullet slammed into his chest, sending him flying back across the living room. With the sound of a gun firing inside, chaos appeared to erupt outside as the Crimson Tides and Kaida's group opened fire on the werewolves.

It took a total of thirty seconds for Vito to regain his breath. In those painful seconds, it felt like his chest was aflame and had perhaps caved in. He even considered if the bullet had somehow penetrated his Aegis armor and penetrated his skin.

Thankfully, death wasn't knocking on his door yet.

He woke up to a worried Bekah bending over him. "Dammit, Vito," she said, looking down at where a bullet wound should be. "Are you okay?"

"I wouldn't be if I didn't listen to a wise woman about aegis armor."

A shadow of a smile appeared on Bekah's face, but Vito was already looking past her. "What's the situation?" he asked. He attempted to get up and his body practically screamed in protest. Bekah lent him a hand and shoulder, which was solid despite her small stature.

He only realized that his ears were ringing loudly when they stopped, reintroducing him to the sound of automatic gunfire outside. A quick glance around the room showed that things had been handled. The werewolf lay on the ground as a mangled corpse with his body painted red. Vito wasn't surprised; Hades didn't need much probing to show a werewolf no mercy.

As for Zliksay, he was down to his knees, holding his head tightly as he screamed in agony. He seemed to be in much pain that he didn't notice his nails were digging into his forehead, drawing blood.

This confirmed that when a werewolf he imprinted on died, he felt an immense pain. Despite his earlier comment, Vito was not enjoying this particular show. It felt much like watching a person be tortured, and though Vito had stooped to killing in the last few days, he suspected watching a drawn-out murder would never sit well with him.

However, Hades didn't seem to share Vito's reservations. He stared at the man impassively, his suit ruined with specks of blood and his skin now bearing a greyish hue, which happened when he tapped into his full strength. An involuntary shudder ran down Vito's spine before he jumped into action.

He forced his body to move and grabbed Zliksay by his collar, dragging him toward the door. The movement shook Hades out of his daze. "Sir?"

"No need for unnecessary casualties," Vito explained. He dragged the groaning man down the steps and into the driveway, which was now spattered with blood and some dead werewolves. The other werewolves seemed to have pinpointed the source of the gunshots and were rushing in, likely to annihilate their attackers, but stopped upon catching sight of their master held by Vito. Vito placed his sword near the man's neck now. "Let's all calm down."

The werewolves had no choice but to listen, and the gunfire from the surrounding trees stopped. Moments later, Vito was joined by Hades, Bekah and his ambush squad emerged from the trees. Jekio walked straight up to Vito. He had a crazed look in his eye, which paired with his mud caked face made him look similar to a wild animal. "Is he guilty?" he asked, gesturing to the kneeling Zliksay.

"Appears so."

"Then what is he still doing alive?" Jekio growled. "The Crimson Tides disposes of lying traitors."

Zliksay still seemed to be in substantial pain, but upon hearing his fate on the line, he managed to raise his head to Vito. He momentarily glanced at the sword inches away and revulsion filled his face. "Fine!" he exclaimed. "I told them about the tunnel. I instructed them on where to dig, and they would have exited inside my castle. That was to be my only participation, I swear it."

"And your reward if Lafon succeeded in his invasion?" Vito asked evenly.

Zliksay hesitated, then sighed. "Immunity. A promise that I would not be done harm and allowed to reside peacefully."

"And you believed him?" Vito asked incredulously. From what he gathered of this man's character, having someone running the rogue lands next to his territory would not be on the agenda.

"I was hopeful."

"And look where that got you," Jekio commented with a sneer.

Zliksay shrugged. "I have to do what's right for my pack." He looked across the driveway then, his shoulders drooping as he saw his numerous fallen wolves littering his driveway. As far as Vito knew, the man was a full human, but the genuine sadness in his eyes indicated he considered his pack family. "I tried to be left alone, no matter which side wins this battle, but it seems playing both sides was unwise."

Jekio still looked at the man as if he were starving for his death, but Vito no longer felt the fiery rage in his stomach. He regarded Zliksay thoughtfully now. "Could you get in contact with Lafon?"

Zliksay met his eyes with a defeated resignation. "Yes."