Chapter Seventy Seven

Alec

I was annoyed by Megan's attitude. I had expected her to prove far more docile knowing I had her precious Darius in my hand but I was sure that the sight of her precious one mutilated and my gift to her would shock her back into compliance. I wasn't going to be made a fool of twice and by the weekend I wanted her happy and smiling face at my side as I announced our engagement.

This bloody trip that Sulpicia had insisted I take was a complete waste of time and an inconvenience but I was powerless to protest.

Feeling aggrieved I went back to my suite only to find my dear sister waiting there for me.

"What? I'm busy."

She smiled and I realized just how mean she could look when she wanted to.

"Really? I thought you'd finished torturing your little princess for tonight. Tell me, why do you insist on pursuing her? You could do so much better."

"Just shut up. It's got nothing to do with you who I choose for my mate. You're just jealous because your own love life is such a disaster."

She scowled and I could see I had hurt her with that dig about the disaster her own love life was right now. I could have told her it would never work, she was so much better than a mere lowly member of the guard.

"At least I have someone worthy of my station."

She laughed bitterly, "Oh yes, and we can see how well that's turning out for you. It's pathetic trying desperately to hang onto a child who's quite obviously not interested in you."

I turned on her raising my hand instinctively and she stepped backwards, blinking. I rarely raised my hand to my sister but she knew when I did that she had gone too far.

"I'm sorry, Alec. I just think you're dreaming if you think Megan Whitlock will ever truly make you happy. You said yourself that she was infatuated with that Darius creature and I was sure you were right. I just don't understand why he disappeared like he did."

I glanced away. I didn't dare tell Jane what I had done. I knew she would have exploded. She cared about me and she would have been scared on my behalf.

That single action was enough to give my guilt away and she pounced on it.

"What's going on Alec? What aren't you telling me?"

I shook my head and tried to brush off the question.

"Nothing, there's nothing. Now please, I have to prepare for my trip."

She eyed me narrowly, "Do you want me to ask my friends to keep an eye on her while you're gone? After all, we wouldn't want her trying to run out on you."

"She won't. Besides, everyone is going to be busy over the next couple of days and Felix is quite capable of watching over one girl."

She made a strange noise and I frowned, "What?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just… Well, haven't you noticed a change in him since Aro went? Everything has changed and I'm not sure whose loyalties lay where any longer."

I snorted, "Are you saying you think Felix is less than loyal to the council? That's ridiculous."

She raised an eyebrow inquiringly.

"Is it? We'll see. He's been acting very secretively recently. Afton says he saw Felix up in the tower earlier today. Now, what business would he have up there? He had no reason, he wasn't' on guard duty or anything."

"In the tower? That is odd."

Jane shrugged as if she had lost interest in the conversation and picked up a book I had discarded on the table. It was one of those Megan had picked out for me when we used to browse the bookshops of Volterra together in happier times.

As I watched her it occurred to me that it was strange for Felix to be up in the business did he have up there? Megan was our only prisoner at present and she didn't need watching.

"When did Afton see him?"

She looked up, startled by the sharpness of my voice.

"What? Oh, about two I guess. Which was strange because he had already taken her lunch up to her earlier and he hadn't picked up the tray."

This news made me feel very uneasy although I couldn't say why and I walked over to the window staring out over the countryside towards the east. I had no reason to mistrust Felix but then Jane had told me that he had seemed very friendly towards Megan when he went with Corin to pick her up. Besides, I knew he had never been one of my greatest fans. Would he try to ruin my happiness? Surely he wasn't jealous because I had found myself a suitable wife and he was still alone after all these centuries?

I wasn't an imaginative person but I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something going on that I was unaware of and it was something that concerned me.

I had a sudden urge to check on Megan again although what she could possibly be getting up to with Felix I couldn't imagine.

As I strode to the door Jane threw the book down on the table and joined me.

"Where are you going in such a hurry little brother?"

"Never mind."

She followed me and I knew from the set of her jaw that she wasn't going to be shrugged off so I tried to ignore her as I made my way hurriedly to the tower and Megan's suite.

I didn't bother knocking, just tried the door which was locked.

"I take it your girlfriend doesn't wish to be disturbed."

I listened to the silence from beyond the door.

"She's not here."

Jane frowned and then nodded her understanding.

"Unless she's dropped dead that is. So, where has she gone? She knows she's not allowed out of her suite and we should have passed her if she was out on the stairs."

"I don't know but I intend to find out."

I put my shoulder to the door and broke it open to find the suite empty as I expected.

There was no sign of Megan and I wrenched open the closet rifling through the hanging clothes only to discover her jacket and boots were gone along with the small rucksack she had used all the time during her last visit. Had she run away from Volterra? No, she wouldn't risk me killing her precious Darius so where the fuck was she? Where would she go that necessitated outdoor clothing?

"Well, well. It seems the little mouse has sneaked out to play. Now where do you think she has gone and who is she going to meet since she obviously didn't run straight to you?"

I turned snarling at her but Jane knew me too well. She just narrowed her eyes and stepped close, jabbing me in the chest with a hard finger.

"Tell me, dear brother, where would your intended go if not to you? What's going on? I think you're up to something and if you don't share then I'm going straight to Marcus to tell him that Megan is on the loose."

I grabbed her arm to stop her. If she did that and Marcus found Megan first she might just decide she had nothing to lose and tell him everything. I didn't know how he would react to hearing that I had committed the same crime twice but I could guess.

"No. There's no need to tell anyone. I'll find her."

"Then I'll help. Where do you suggest we look first?"

I hesitated and she rolled her eyes.

"Oh dear, so my sweet brother does have a secret after all. You need my help Alec I can tell. You always get the same look in your eye when you're in it up to your neck. What did you do? I thought Megan's turnaround was a little too fortuitous."

Trapped and desperate to discover where Megan had gone I quickly told Jane of my actions watching as her eyes widened with shock.

"You did what? Do you have any idea what Marcus will do if he discovers what you've done? You only just got away with it the last time because Aro bailed you out. For God's sake Alec. She really isn't worth it and why would you want to get tied up with a girl who hates you?"

I turned on her, angry now, "She doesn't hate me or at least she won't in time. We were good together. She made me happy for the first time in my life, really happy, and I want to feel that again. I know she'll remember how she felt given time. She'll forget about him and then I can kill him and we can move on."

Jane took my arm more gently than I expected and pulled me around to stare into my face as she spoke quietly.

"Alec, you are my brother and I love you but this is madness. You've allowed your imagination to rule over your sense. Megan will never love you, she's in love with Darius or she would never have sacrificed herself in exchange for his life. Give this foolish idea up before it gets you killed. We have to find Megan and you have to tell her that you're going to release Darius and let then both go."

I shook my head, was she mad? I had worked far too hard to let Megan go now.

"I have to go. If Megan has left or gone looking for Darius then I have to act quickly."

"Yes, you do. Because if Marcus finds out you tried to get between two mates you are a dead man, Alec. You know it's against the law. What were you thinking?"

I turned on her frustrated because she didn't understand.

"I was thinking about me, about my happiness."

"No, you weren't or you would have known this was likely to end in death, your death."

"If you are so worried about the council discovering you are involved then I suggest you leave, now."

She sighed and I could see she was contemplating doing just that but then she turned to me.

"What are we going to do?"

I pulled out my cell phone and sent a text then waited impatiently for a reply. I had no idea where Megan had gone and time was short so I had decided that I had to go after Darius. If she was looking for him then I couldn't let her get there first or all was lost to me. If she had just panicked and run then I would still have my ace in the hole and this time close enough for me to destroy him if necessary.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Shouldn't we be looking for her instead of just standing there?"

My phone buzzed and I read the text telling me exactly where Darius was situated in the labyrinth of tunnels.

I set off at a run and Jane slipped in beside me, "So? Where are we going? Talk to me, dammit."

I ignored her as I ran down into the catacombs and then further down still until we were in the dark and oppressive subterranean tunnels that lay beneath.

"You think she's down here? Oh, this is where you've been holding Darius. Well, I give you ten out of ten for sheer balls. Why would you risk him being found by having him this close?"

"Because I needed him close enough to keep my influence over him. Besides, who the hell comes down here these days? Most people either don't know about these tunnels or have forgotten. No more questions now. Either shut the fuck up and come with me or fuck off."

I felt her fall in at my back as I ran on, the feeling of urgency that had prompted me earlier growing more powerful with every passing moment. I would never admit it to her, but I was glad to have my sister here with me. If I did run into trouble she would hopefully be a great help.

It wasn't easy to find the way in these twisting passages even when I had been down here before. I had spent some time exploring the tunnels when I first arrived in Volterra before I realized just how important and powerful my gift was. Then I found more interesting things to do but my memory served me well.

"Do you have any idea where we're going, Alec? Or are we just wandering around down here like headless chickens?"

I stopped waving a hand to silence her and listened. We were getting close and I wanted to be sure we hadn't been beaten to our goal. I didn't hear anything and satisfied motioned Jane to join me.

"I need you to watch my back. Keep an eye out for anyone coming. I won't be long."

She shook her head, "No way. Where you go I go. You're not leaving me alone down here. Besides, who could overpower the two of us? You're getting to be a real scaredy-cat little brother."

I didn't have time to argue with her and what she said made sense. Who could overcome the two of us? Jane could stop them dead in their tracks and give me time to gather and use my gift to subdue them permanently.

Two more turns of the passage and we arrived at Darius' prison, one of only three chambers that had a door, a hangover from its long-ago days as a prison. I listened again and then pushed the door open. It swung silently on oiled hinges and we walked inside to see the stone sarcophagus that housed my prisoner resting on the floor in the center of the room.

Jane, who had spotted the oil lamp sitting beside it, picked it up and struck a match to light it. A yellow glow illuminated the area around the sarcophagus and its occupant and she peered down smiling.

"So, this is the mighty warrior? He doesn't look so intimidating now, does he? But I guess that's what a period without your senses or any blood will do to a vampire."

She picked up his mutilated hand and shook her head.

"Your handiwork I take it? Did you give it to Megan or keep it as a trophy?"

"Why don't you ask me?"

We both whirled around to see Megan standing in the doorway watching us. How was it possible? Why hadn't we heard her heartbeat? How had she hidden from our vampire senses?

Jane stared in openmouthed shock while I recovered more quickly and concentrated on building my gift. I had no idea if Megan was alone but I was sure others would be looking for her and I could not afford to be found here like this. I would have to put her to sleep too and then find a way to explain her absence from Volterra. It would be far too dangerous to allow her to be seen by Marcus or Sulpicia now. Damn her! She had ruined everything by her actions and now I would have to clean up the mess.