Chapter XVI
Final Arrangements
"And exactly how long have you had this planned cousin?" hissed Lucian as Kraven mapped out his plan.
"What does it matter?" began Kraven, as he appealed to Lucian "you know it's the best way to get things done."
"The best way to get things done?" repeated Lucian "So you want me to send my best people to kill Amelia and her heir, even though most of them will probably die in the process?" Lucian rolled his eyes and leant back into the back seat of Kraven's limousine, he half wished Raze and Soren weren't there, so that no one would be able to separate them while he throttled Kraven. "Why should I Kraven?" he demanded.
"Because Lucian…" Kraven began in an impatient tone "I am taking care of Viktor and Markus, I am also going to be the one to divide the Vampire Empire between us. So I don't think it's too much to ask for you to take out Amelia and her court, do you?"
"It's not the job itself Kraven" Lucian began through gritted teeth "It's the fact you've left it this late to tell me. I've been here for twenty years, its 2002 now Kraven, Amelia gets here in a matter of weeks, and you want me to plan her assassination in that time?"
"What's there to plan?" demanded Kraven "I've told you all you need to know, she's coming by train, her only security is Malachi and two Death Dealers. The Dealers are of no concern to you, Malachi and Amelia will cause you losses, but the rewards are far greater." Kraven rolled his eyes "Did you really expect me to do everything?"
"Of course not cousin" Lucian smiled insincerely "I'll assign a team to take care of everything."
"I though you would" grinned Kraven
Lucian grabbed Kraven by the throat and pinned him against the back seat of his own limousine "Just make sure there are only two Death Dealers… Cousin" Spat Lucian.
Kraven managed a smile through the pain and grabbed Lucian's throat with his own vice like grip "Don't test me cousin" he mocked "Everything will be as planned" he then forced Lucian out of the limousine with a single thrust, as Raze picked up his master he opened the car door and attempted to grab Kraven, however his aggression was met with the sharp kiss of a silver whip to the face, courtesy of Soren, Raze was driven back. Soren jumped up onto the bonnet and continued to flail the whips until the Lycan had retreated to their own car. "That's enough" Kraven barked at his loyal bodyguard. Soren nodded gracefully and got into the drivers seat of the car.
"Will everything be okay My Lord" he asked "Will they live up to their end of the bargain?"
"Of course they will" smiled Kraven "They need us more they we need them."
Raze and Lucian watched as Kraven's limousine sped off into the rainy Hungarian night "Damn it" Boomed Raze as he wiped some blood from his face "We are to do as they wish?" he asked his master
"For now Raze" Lucian began kindly "Perhaps there are certain benefits of eliminating Amelia ourselves."
"Such as?" asked Raze
"Her blood" was Lucian's simple reply
"I do not understand" he said in his granite like voice
"You will my friend" smiled Lucian "You will"
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Kraven walked through the corridors of the mansion with a confident stride and a happy smile. He had Lucian exactly where wanted him. And he knew it was only a matter of weeks before everything was his. His stride was interrupted by a voice filled with venom; however despite the hatred the voice carried it was still the most welcome voice in the world to him.
"What are you so happy about?" the voice spoke coldly
"I am always happy when I see you Selene" he smiled sincerely
"Oh Please" she sighed, rolling her eyes "Tell me something new"
Kraven looked at her for a moment, taking in her perfect features "Let's go hunting" he grinned.
"You must be joking" spat Selene in disbelief
"Not at all" he reassured her "No joke, Lets go hunting, just me and you, no Death Dealers, No Soren, none of my men. We'll make a game of it, who ever bags the biggest Lycan wins."
"Why would you do this?" asked Selene
"For fun." Grinned Kraven
"Fun?" repeated Selene "I don't get it, what's in it for you?"
Kraven shrugged his shoulders "If I win you have to have dinner with me."
Selene looked at him as if she had seen his demand a mile off "And if I win?" she asked
"You can have whatever you want." Smiled Kraven
"No Soren? None of your men?" asked Selene
"That's the deal" he assured her
"You're on" she grinned
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Selene and Kraven stood perched on a rooftop in lower Budapest. The rain seemed to envelop Selene in a gentle cocoon, making her even more beautiful then normal. "This is my hunting ground." Selene told him coldly.
Kraven looked down at the street and nodded, taking out his gun he turned his attention back to beautiful Vampire standing with him "So how do you want to do this?" he asked.
"We split up, meet back here in an hour, and whoever bags the biggest Lycan is the winner." Selene told him with a confident smile on her face.
"Sounds good" Kraven nodded
"And if I hear that Soren or any of your men have left the mansion, you forfeit." She said sternly
"Not to worry" Kraven reassured her "Let's do this." Selene gave him an unconvinced look as she effortlessly descended to the ground. Kraven watched as she surveyed the streets in search of a Lycan, he smiled widely as he took out his cell phone. "Lucian its me" he began smugly "I need a Lycan, actually I need a dead Lycan, preferably a big one… That's great… half an hour will be fine." Kraven had sat back and relaxed as Pierce and Taylor delivered a huge Lycan carcass to him, he sat back just imagining Selene's reaction, however soon enough an hour had passed and there was still no sign of her. He began to leap from rooftop to rooftop in search of the object of his desires, he finally saw her cornered in an alleyway, her Lycan aggressor had managed to disarm her and beat her to the ground, without a thought for his own safety or his deal with Lucian he descended into the alley way and unloaded his hand gun into the creature, then summoning all of his strength he pulled apart the creatures jaws, sending it to the floor in a heap. Selene, who had been backed into a corner, looked up at her rescuer "Kraven" she said half in disbelief.
"It's okay" he said as he gently touched her face "It cant hurt you now."
"You killed it" she whispered, her eyes open wide looking into Kraven's
"Of course I did" he reassured her "I'd never let anything happen to you." He stopped stroking Selene's face and moved his hand to the back of her head, and as gentle as a summers breeze pulled her towards him, after a moments hesitation Selene had allowed herself to remember, to a time six hundred years ago when Kraven had made her feel this way, she allowed her head to rest against his chest, and wrapped a single arm round his torso. "Let's go home" he whispered
"Did you get anything?" Selene asked him
"It doesn't matter anymore" Kraven said gently as he ran a hand through her hair.
"Yes it does" said Selene as she looked into his cobalt blue eyes, "I want to see."
Kraven had showed Selene the Lycan carcass that had been delivered to him earlier on, she looked at the fallen beast and turned her attention to Kraven, "Maybe you're not all talk" she smiled. Although he had initially felt guilty about cheating, Selene's statement had just made everything seem okay, not saying anything he offered Selene his arm, and after a moments hesitation she took it. "Take me home." She told him simply
"Anything you want" smiled Kraven, as he led her back down to the street towards his waiting car, he opened the door for her and made sure she was comfortable before starting his journey, "Thank you" Selene spoke warmly. As Kraven drove carefully back to the mansion he could not help but smile, he had his coven, he had Viktor and Markus where he wanted them, the Lycan's knew there place and would eliminate Amelia everything would be his soon enough; and now, he had his queen as well "You are so beautiful" he whispered softly as he drove through the mansion gates.
"Thank you" she whispered back, resting a hand on his arm.