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A vampires forbidden love: the lies that bind us ch.6
Minako POV
Usagi and I may not have gotten off on the greatest of feat but that didn't mean that I didn't come to respect the coven leader. She was insightful, honest, and held her own. She was a large reason why Yamamoro was dead and why the Lycan hordes had since gone underground to try to regroup once more. Though it would take decades to replenish what they had had. We lost many yes but not nearly as many as they did.
If their wounded did survive it was few and far between compared to ours. Usagi and the other trained fighters had been trained for hundreds of years incredibly well. She lead this incredible resistance that even Damon had faltered on. He fought well yes but true to Usagi's own words on occasion he let his selfish desires control his fate. From one leader to another I didn't approve of his actions.
However his decisions as leader weren't mine to make judgement calls on. That was for the elders to decide upon which was why they were now here…only instead of Damon being under the gun it was Usagi. All thanks in part to Eldon. I knew it in my bones the way she did that he was the one behind this political nonsense. So when she asked me to keep an eye on this Eldon character I didn't hesitate.
Something felt off and fishy about him the moment I met him. His actions and mannerisms especially the way he looked at me as if I were her sometimes bothered me. He almost looked familiar even. I wracked my brain for a clue but nothing came to mine. I simply couldn't place him so I instead chalked it up to having seen one vampire to many in my lifetime and followed him. He did seem like a man on a mission though.
I made sure to stay out of sight and out of range for scent to as he did what was asked of him but only to a degree. He defied her in these little ways that were petty and stupid. Nothing so far though to deem him the culprit. I watched as he had a talk with that grand elder. I despised that elder beyond words. I had had the 'honor' of being present during some of the meetings with him and was always drinking my blood constantly.
He irritated me that badly. There was no shortage of snide remarks or even sexist ones that came from him. He merely tolerated the female vampires on the counsel but he was wise and even older than them and had earned his right on the counsel seat nearly a hundred years after the head elder did. He was an older one by far but also one of the most narrow minded ones to. His elder status only granted after he lead a battle that helped ensure the Lycan's were forced into hiding for several lifetimes.
He was greatly appreciated for it and let it get to his head frequently by acting like a sexist asshole. His personal views made him hard to stomach o be around. I had beena vampire for longer and been a part of the counsel meetings for longer than her to so I knew more of his views than she did. He was stuck in the old ways and had a streak to him that border lined sociopath but not so much so that he let it ruin himself or his reputation.
I had no doubt that he made Usagi feel like gum on the bottom of his shoe. He would always look at me like my presence was stealing his air unless I had something to contribute. He refused to see woman as anything more than tools to be used. Honestly in some part of my mind's eye I could see Mamoru as being a better elder than him. Someone who would listen, take different perspectives into account, yet I knew that would never happen.
He was far too young to even be considered to become one. It was an unwritten law that an elder must be at least five hundred years old. You could be trained in the positioning for a couple hundred years a as Usagi was being put through it as a leader of a coven but not from where he stood with it. It's why Usagi I bet never brought it up to him in any form. So I saw Eldon have a conversation with him.
They spoke in whispers of how to gain the approval of the other counsel members to remove her from her position here but I couldn't gain much more as Eldon left out. Unfortunately I didn't know this estate as well as usagi did so I wound up losing him shortly afterwards. I followed the scent of him once he was out of range as I didn't want to get to close. I still had his scent thanks to having dealt with him around a bit.
I followed the scent once more and followed it outside. It got harder to track but not impossibly so. Honing in on it I kept tracking and keeping out of sight myself. I found myself going beyond the sewer systems area where they lost the Lycan and into a wooded area. We hadn't covered this area before on the maps. In fact this area on our satellites were showing as nothing even here. It had to be another trail part.
I kept following it making sure it didn't get to strong. The strong it got the closer I got so I made sure to keep a near out to ensure I couldn't hear anything to loudly either. I had to avoid detection as well to avoid him from knowing he was being followed. Neither by scent, nor by sound. I found myself over a cliffs edge nearly two hours away from the estate. I looked up to see the sun would be come up in roughly eight hours.
Having left the estate around nine pm after following him around the estate for a few hours. It was plenty to wait him out for a few and see what he was doing. As it was he seemed to be waiting for someone. Standing down on a hill with the vantage point towards himself that way no could get the jump on him. Well no one but me. Once I realized I had the time I made sure to cover my scent with mud from a nearby creek to be able to get closer.
I needed to get a better visual on who he was meeting as just sitting here for hours seemed useless compared to how he spent the rest of his time regarding things. I was able to get further down the cliff's side as I used the old stone work that was in need of repair as cover. It was disintegrating pretty badly but from a surveyors perspective it would look beautiful and haunted in its appearance.
His scent grew stronger as I closed in on him but my scent remained nonexistent and hidden from his senses. Granted I HATED to get dirty. One of the reasons why I wanted be a leader at the end of the day, but Usagi trusted me with something she couldn't do. He knew her scent as they had worked together before, he and I barely spoke so there was no need to get to know my scent. So if Eldon had any idea that she was following him it would ruin the element of surprise and it could prevent her from winning this case.
I made sure I couldn't smell me nor my own perfume that I usually put on myself. I did enjoy a feminine touch of floral fragrances but I needed that to remain gone for the time being. With my hair partially caked in mud, my face and any extra exposed skin covered I knew he wouldn't be able to smell me. It would only work for a few hours but it was all I needed. I looked at this guy trying to figure him out and just couldn't.
From one leader to another I supported her, and from female to female working to prevent such malicious assholes from winning I would be there for her as she would for me. That's when I saw it and nearly gasped in shock before my eyes narrowed in accusation. A Lycan approached him. A powerful looking one to. Having been around longer you could tell these things especially when it sniffed the area. Obviously trying to make sure they were alone. The Lycan not fully trusting him.
I leaned further back down into the clutch of tall grass I was hiding in. My spot perfect view to see both without compromising myself. I was still up a bit on the hill so that I could have access to see without craning my neck too much. I focused myself solely on the scene in front of me while ensuring I could hear anything from behind me as well. No scents nor sounds. We were all alone out here.
I didn't get to my leadership position without becoming good as what I did. Usagi was an excellent fighter and a great hunter, I was an excellent fighter and great spy. It was a complementary balance that worked well for our neighboring covens. I listened on as intently as I could. Both still far away to be clearly heard on every work. I decided I needed visual proof of the encounter cause as it was I didn't believe it and I was seeing it.
They acted as if this wasn't their first meeting which also told me that this had been an ongoing set up. And it was beginning to sound like Usagi was being set up. I bet Mamoru was being used against her and Eldon was behind all of this. She was right…again. Question was why? Why would Eldon do this? That's the one part of this that didn't make any sense. Now we just needed the proof on all sides where the elders could see her as being the target of this. Pulling out my phone I took a few snap shots, zooming in where I could.
The conversation was choppy at best thanks to the pick-up of wind in the area. I strained to hear them but still heard bits of the conversation, "The young one didn't die." The Lycan muttered. I thought on it…Mamoru has to be the young one their referring to. This had to be him the Lycan that Mamoru faced off against. He was definitely older. At least by a few hundred years. I had to give Mamoru props for taking on such an older Lycan by himself and not getting killed.
He had to be at least…I took a deep inhale of air to try and get a reading. My sense of smell that more attuned due to my own abilities and age compared to that of Mamoru able to pick up on how much older lycan's were and other vampires more so than himself. More like several hundred years old…I mused. "No matter you just stick to your part…" the rest got garbled on a high wind that had me wanting to curse it as I glared at the moving trees nearby. The branches letting me know seconds before a gust of wind would come.
When it died down a few agonizing moments later I heard, "And what of Usagi?" the Lycan asked. He knew her by name! My eyes widened in shock before they narrowed at that but also knew I'd have to back up here soon. The high gusty winds were drying the mud to my skin making the scent more easily able to come through soon. "She won't last long…I have an old friend helping me…" the sound was once again garbled.
It was like this little dip cove around us was meant to silence people within it as I couldn't hear barely anything afterwards. Perhaps its why Eldon picked the location. Just to be safe. Though part of me swore I heard the word truce being used but I wasn't sure. One thing for sure however was that Eldon was in league with the lycan's. It was unheard of for either species to tolerate the same space for long yet they seemed to be conducting near business like meetings.
Yet I had only speculative reasons for this and my guess was that this was the Lycan we were looking for and if that was the same one maybe there was more than meets the eye on this case and it was clear as day now that Eldon had a lot to hide. After all this was big news. The eternal war was there for a reason and it wasn't by choice. It was made for us and while we worked hard to keep it from the human world they messed up more often than vampires ever did.
I needed more information before I began to speculate too much. I didn't get to where I am by speculating information and going with that. That was how you made errors and lost. I knew my mission was to follow Eldon but this could be the ticket to finding where the Lycan pack was, if that is in-deed where he was going. I struggled with myself on whom to follow till I saw Eldon heading back…towards me. Decision made I shot like a dart back to the edge of the cliff side to avoid being spotted.
My speed faster than any vampire I knew as I darted further away from him till my skin was giving off a sheen of sweat from the exertion. Not having had to run that fast in a few decades actually gave me a nice work out but I was more interested in making sure I hadn't been spotted or seen in any form. Just to be safe I found some dark torn clothing in the woods near me. I briefly looked around and saw that it was mostly likely a spot where teenagers hung out to smoke in privacy away from the law.
The beer bottles were a tell-tale sign to along with spray paint on the trees. The dark clothing was a thick scarf thrown over a branch up high. Figuring they probably couldn't get it back down being that there was no lower branches to get to it they gave up and went home. It would now be a useful tool to me. I leapt up and grabbed it, before wrapping and securing it around my face and neck to prevent my scent from being noticed. The humans scent on it was chilled a bit from the cooler night airs since the sun was no longer out.
That coupled with the mud on me and I knew I'd pass as part of the woods at this distance away which is what I wanted and needed. I saw him walk off before blurring using his own vampire speed to dart off quicker than I would have thought. The speed he used made my eyes narrow as I lost sight of him again. He was quicker than any vampire who was only a few years old which was honestly impossible.
The older you got the more powerful and faster to you got. He wasn't old enough to have that speed just yet. At least not from the forms we had on him. "Who the hell are you?" I asked myself as I saw the Lycan running back to presumably his pack. It didn't matter at the moment. I had documented proof that he was consorting with the enemy now. Usagi needed this pronto. It was then that a strong scent invaded my nostrils.
It was on me so fast I couldn't comprehend how I didn't smell it sooner. Just those few seconds for me to look at the Lycan was all it took for Eldon to be back behind me. Completely vamped out. Had I NOT been a vampire that would have scared the living shit out of me but being that I was one I was merely stunned. How the fuck did he get the drop on me?! It made no sense. A vampire of his age SHOULDN'T be able to!
I saw him aiming to attack and automatically lowered my hands down to deflect the attack. The problem was he was faster than me. that wasn't possible if he was younger. His fist connected painfully with my gut sending me flying back into a tree. I fell to the ground, branches falling with me. For a normal human I would be bleeding internally that's how intense that was. Out of reflex though I looked up and felt him grab my neck before I out of reflex kicked him in the face though not as hard as I could have.
I wanted to see if he thought I was a vampire or a human. I didn't want to give that away just yet if he didn't know. I was trying to keep a low profile here. The kick was just enough to cause him to release me. I landed back on the ground before he backhanded me with enough force to send me against another tree. This time had I been human I would be dead from the sheer force of the hit against my neck and spine.
I have noticed the few times in my life where I'm utterly grateful for my vampirism and this is definitely one of them. No fucking way was he a vampire of only a few years old. By his hits alone he was even older than me. I forced my head to loll to the side, feigning dead as he walked up to me to confirm it. He bent over to check my head to while I avoided reacting wanting him to think I was dead. He then walked away muttering, "Pitiful humans…"
I waited till the sounds and scent of him were gone before getting up, "Yeah you better run…" he may have been older but that didn't mean he was better than me. I now wanted to hand him his ass for those hits I took. I brushed some of the branches off of me and began racing back to the estate. My concealing clothes had worked well as did the mud and the scarf as I discarded the scarf within the woods.
The mud came off little by little as I kept running back towards the estate. I made it a hundred yards towards the edge of the woods before hearing something in the clearing. I stopped wondering if it was Eldon. If it was I needed to hide. I had pulled off my concealment, so he could scent me now. I saw the creature pear out from between some trees. It was another Lycan, this one older yes but not the same as the other one.
I narrowed my eyes as it came barreling at me. I made the estimation that this guy was meant to keep watch over the two as they talked. I hadn't noticed him before so my only conclusion was perhaps the older Lycan had him even further back than even I was on the other side and sent him to see where Eldon was going. Perhaps he didn't trust him and this one was meant to check Eldon's story.
Smirking I knew the perfect way to start creating animosity between that jackass vampire and these Lycan's. I knew whatever they had planned was no good. The Lycan was fast I would give it that and to the average human would look scary and terrifying when running at you but to me…it was all in a day's work. I rushed the Lycan as he came at me. Roaring as he realized I was a vampire.
"That's right bitch!" I lipped as I grabbed a knife from my side and jumping up right as it went to swipe at me. I flipped over it as I plunged the knife into its neck and ripping it across the throat as I landed back on the ground behind it. The Lycan dead didn't stand a chance as it skidded to a deadly halt on the grassy forest floor. I walked up to it and wiped the blade on its fur. "I wish I could say I was sorry but…I'm not." I retorted.
Usagi may have felt a sense of guilt regarding these things but I didn't. My own past with these creatures erased that from my conscious. Besides in this war it was kill or be killed. I choose life for myself. Making sure I could scent no more in the area or hear any more I took off at full speed again. I noticed the greyish dirt now coming nearly completely off. If anything now I'd have smoother skin than usual from my mud bath. Thankfully I knew of the back woods way of getting back inside.
Slipping inside I nodded to those who knew me and texted Usagi…your right…we have a serious problem. She'd know to come see me after all it wasn't every day that we came to these agreements as a whole. Your office now. I didn't need to tell her anything else. She'd get Mamoru, Rei and the elder. This was an all hands on deck situation. I had a feeling this was all intertwined somehow.
Usagi POV
This had to be good for Minako look like she escaped a mud pit. She wasn't exactly known for willing getting dirty…literally. "This your new look or do you have something for me?" I quipped. She looked irritated, "Cutie…" she tossed me her phone, "Taken a few hours ago." She stated, no joking in her voice. I grabbed her phone and opened it up to reveal the pictures she had on it as everyone I called for came in. Seeing the Lycan again had me stunned.
"That's the Lycan." Mamoru gasped as he leaned over my shoulder to look at the pictures, "What the hell is Eldon doing with a Lycan?" Rei gripped, clearly as upset as we were. "I had to maintain a good distance so I didn't heard lot BUT I heard bits and pieces." Minako started as the door was locked once our elder was inside. "The Lycan knows your name Usagi." that I was a little shocked by.
"The Lycan was disappointed he didn't kill you." She gestured to Mamoru, "But from the looks and scent of it he was much older than you to." To which Mamoru responded, "Sounds about right. The one in this picture looks just like it. Something with the way it looked at me." he muttered, "Looked at you?" Minako asked curious, "Yeah it had a few seconds to kill me but didn't take the opportunity. We're trying to figure out why." He told her as she looked to be thinking on something big.
"There was something mentioned about there being a matter of time before you were no longer a leader. That he had an old friend for help." She told me. "That's the second person to have said that. First that asshole elder and now Eldon. Plus we did suspect they were working together since that elder has it out for me." I noted. I couldn't believe what was happening. Whomever this Eldon was he was trying to get me removed from leadership and that elder was helping him due to his own personal grudges against me.
"And something else about a truce but it was getting to windy and too garbled to hear the rest before the meeting was done with." She finished off. "We have evidence that Eldon is meeting with Lycan's now." Minako expressed. This was definitely helpful for us all. Something was going on and we needed to resolve it and fast. "And lastly, he had another Lycan there that was supposed to follow Eldon back but I took care of him."
I looked at Minako, "You took him out?" I asked her. "Hai." She responded. I sighed, "Look there was no way he'd come back willingly. I didn't have time to call in support to retrieve him and to be honest this way when his pack finds him they'll think Eldon killed him themselves." I saw what she had aimed to do. "While I appreciate the gesture we ant let him be found by humans. His blood alone would link them to figuring things out." I commented as she sighed herself on the matter.
"Thank you but there's no guarantee his pack would find him. Have Soren go out there to retrieve and clean it up. perhaps IF they come out there to find him they'll see the team and figure Eldon is not on their side." She nodded in acceptance of it but not of how it went about, "I still think they would have no longer trusted Eldon." She responded. I told her, "Possibly and now we can have more definitive proof." She nodded accepting it. "We should take this to the counsel. They can focus on Eldon then."
Rei suggested eagerly regarding the pictures. I looked to her, "While I do agree that we need to do that, we need the why to and plus remember he has an elder on his side. With only a picture he can manipulate the others inside. Plus I'm pretty confident that there was another presence in there the last time. It smelled of wolfs bane." I explained, "I thought I smelled that to but was wrapped up in that discussion." Our elder expressed.
"I have no proof of that yet but I know he was there. He's feeding these counsel members especially that asshole one, false details and manipulating the truth to his benefit…but why?" I mused, "What does he get out of all of this?" I asked, "Maybe he wants to lead instead?" Mamoru guessed, "He wouldn't be able to." Rei interjected, "He's too young to even be considered for that." Her words rejected the very idea which was the truth.
If Eldon was much older, like my age he might have a chance but at his age he was not nearly well adept enough to lead a coven on his own. Rei was right. There wasn't any way he could be trying to go for leadership when he'd never get approval from the counsel. It was out of the question and they wouldn't ever consider it. Hell even Damon wasn't considered for the longest time till he aged.
"He may not be as young as we thought he was." Minako came back in making me look to her in curiosity, "What do you mean?" I asked pulling up his file from my desk. "It's right here he's only been a vampire for a few years at best. She pulled the papers from my hands and set them down before leaning over just a little bit and saying, "He was able to do damage to me that only a vampire of greater strength than even myself can do. He's NOT a few years old." That changed this up dramatically.
"So he's pretending – wait how is that possible? Why would he pretend to be younger than what he is? If he wanted to aim for my leadership he'd have had much better luck coming in as his own age and then doing this stuff." I asked. "Besides we have a digital data base of every vampire of the last hundred years. Hell I was one of the ones who helped fill it up so how is that possible?" I explained and asked.
"Trust me…" she pulled away at the clothing she had on to show the bruising damage he'd done to her stomach. "He's older." She pulled her clothing back into place. "I'm going to make a few calls see what I can dig up." I nodded as her demonstration effectively silenced me for the moment. There were so many new things to be explained now, "Question still remains though…" I turned around and looked at everyone as Minako prepared to leave and stood by the door way.
"Why make a truce with our mortal enemies?" silence all around, "We've tried it before throughout the centuries on multiple occasions, but their lust for blood and power always exceeds them preventing a truce from being made." I asked only this time no one really had a reason. "Damn!" Rei muttered. I looked to her, "This gave us more questions than answers." She snipped, biting her lip.
"Yeah but at least it's a better lead in a direction we can actually navigate through. Plus if we can prove that their 'source' is working in league with the Lycan's to try and do whatever it is their trying to do the counsel won't stand for it. It's one thing to investigate a case but another to try to begin a truce when NO other vampire knows the terms set forth. If Eldon is trying to accomplish something like that the elders will not be pleased." I remark.
"NO we wouldn't…" our elder spoke up, "Its forbade by law to make a deal or a pack with a Lycan pack for any type of truce or anything else as the vampire making the deal or truce CANNOT make false promises nor promises they cannot guarantee nor keep. Blood has been spilt before over such deals being made where the vampire thought he or she was doing the right thing but promised things that the counsel declined or forbid which is why its forbade to begin with." He expressed.
"It's why deals and truces can only be done with the leader of a coven through the counsel with the leader of a pack. Both sides meet and congress together and the stipulations are handled through the counsel. The only true truce we have is that everyone stays away from the other and no one does anything that can get the other exposed or themselves exposed. Lycan's want to exist to so that particular truce holds well for the most part. We just take out the stragglers that decide to go rogue." He noted.
"And that's IF he's planning a truce, which I somehow doubt that on a permanent level, what is he even promising them that the elder he's working with is granting? Knowing this might even help with that grand elder especially if he sees he's been made a fool of in front of the whole counsel. If he's not aware of it that is, it could help us." I noted. "I hope your right." Was all Rei said as she left out next after Minako.
"Spoken like a true leader." Our elder remarked as he touched my shoulder, "I will be with you every step of the way." He promised. "Arigato…I think right now I just need some rest. The suns risen and I'm tired." Mamoru directed me out as he nodded to the elder himself as we both headed on up to our quarters. "Let's take a nap…see what happens in a few hours." He suggested as we entered our shared room. "Yeah…okay." I agreed as he shut the door behind us. I laid on the bed as he curled in next to me.
Mamoru POV
I woke up next to my sleeping beauty, blonde hair all about as it blanketed us both in its soft texture. I could never imagine waking up without her next to me or within my vicinity. To do so would be emotionally painful. It made me think once more on the question I hadn't been able to ask as of yet. I wanted to marry her. In the ways of vampirism that would make this between us so bound together…that we'd be as close as possible.
I went to grab the ring, feeling that now was the only bit of free time we'd get to have and pulled it from its hidden bed side drawer in our room. The diamond was so beautiful. I smiled as I went to wake her up in a pleasing way when a knock sounded at the door making me shove it back into its hiding spot. Damn it all to hell! I wanted to gripe as I opened the door to reveal a messenger, "You, Usagi and the elder are being summoned by the counsel." He said. Even he looked perturbed by the chain of events.
I nodded as she woke up having heard the door probably. "To the gallows it is." She sighed. I thought back on what we conversed on only hours ago, rubbing the bit of sleep from my eyes as even vampires needed to rest. I had even taken a break from my lab work to give myself some head space but made sure everything was locked up. I didn't trust Eldon to not go snooping through my research.
"Perhaps Rei has a point. Tell them what we think so far and show them the pictures." I tried, trying my best to help. She touched my face after she got up, not having changed when we laid down, sleeping in our clothes, "She could but I know that the counsel works differently than how we wish it would." It sounded almost hollow. Like she was getting tired but still knew there were pieces in the game to play here.
"It's why Minako got what she did. She knows that we need not only photographic proof but good reason before accusing someone. It's why a lawyer never goes into a court room without proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Eldon has that elder in his pocket. We need to tread carefully here cause even though our elder is great it's still the counsel as a collective to one." She stated, her words sounding resolute.
"If we go in there with only a few pictures and no proof of anything else it'll get throw out. It'll be seen as a desperate attempt to reclaim my position here rather than the truth and prove Eldon's the reason behind everything. Its circumstantial evidence at this point. We need more." She conveyed. I nodded, "I guess so…I just…I hate seeing what this is doing. I you don't deserve this after everything you've sacrificed and done for everyone here. They love and respect you…" I kissed her.
"I know…but we have to…I have to." She kissed me back. "No matter what happens I'm here for you. It's gonna take a lot more than this to get rid of me." I joked. She held my face in her hands as she remarked, "I don't think I could ever live without you." She confessed, her eyes beginning to water. "You never will." I promised before saying, "Ready?" she blinked her tears away, "No…now, let's go." We left the room.
Usagi POV
We both walked to the chambers the counsel was residing in for the meetings taking place. We met our elder there and were granted access by the guards stationed there. We were granted entry by the grand elder, Chikao, in the center before the doors were shut behind us. That's when I scented that wolfs bane again. It crackled at my every nerve ending that that little snake in the grass was in here again sabotaging me.
It occurred to me that he was listening in on everything being said and was only getting away with it because they couldn't smell him. I looked around as I wondered if the rest knew he was in here or if was only his elder friend, Naoyuki, that knew of his presence. That's when I noticed the wolfs bane itself in two small vases. I narrowed my eyes at them just slightly so that no one would notice.
Perhaps Naoyuki put them there himself or had them put there to allow Eldon to be in here longer and go unnoticed. More of it would ensure all the others smelled was the floral scent and covered Eldon's. it was becoming clear Naoyuki was in deep reaches with that Eldon to allow him to sneak in here multiple times when these were supposed to be closed sessions regarding the case.
Question is why was Eldon going after me though? What specifically did I do to him to make him want me out of the leadership spot when he barely knew me? The elder may have wanted me gone but it wouldn't make sense for him to use Eldon to do it. Unless he knew something about him that we didn't. we needed to know more about their friendship to. There were more questions than answers but I would only get them when I played this right. So right now I had to remain stoic and in control no matter then verdict.
"We've analyzed the information we have so far and have reached a conclusive decision for the time being." He remarked. I swallowed and resisted the urge to feel for Mamoru's hand next to mine. We were too far apart and they would see it. I didn't want any actions done to be taken as a sign of weakness. Or rather for Naoyuki to use an opportunity no matter how small it was to me to exploit it.
I stood tall as possible and at attention making them well aware that I was here for business and fully understood what the details meant here. "Until we've resolved the matter further regarding your continued leadership of this coven…" he began. "And by that meaning that until that Lycan is found and the matter taken care of you will be under probation effective IMMEDIATELY." I gulped as I knew that Naoyuki to my left was grinned from ear to ear at the news. I could practically hear it in his jaw.
I don't know how I knew but I did. "Furthermore any further actions taken regarding the Lycan case will come directly to us. We feel that you need to direct your sole focus on the case at hand as we cannot have a pack uproot and leave with no reason at all. Especially with the recent Yamamoro issue that was dealt with." he stated. Though I did notice a hint of gratitude on his face. Something an elder rarely gave from the counsel.
"Hai…I agree." I spoke. "I have only ever wished to find and execute the Lycan pack to ensure it doesn't pose a threat to our way of life or that of the humans." I said with conviction as I looked to him. He saw the truth of it in my eyes. And I knew that once I found out what the hell was going on with Eldon that I would find that Lycan and be done with this mess. He was all that was standing in my way.
"I believe you will do everything in your power to do so." It was a double-sided sword he was playing here. Chikao was giving the impression to his fellow counsel members that he believed I would give it my all but that he didn't truly believe I would win, yet his eyes, spoke of something else. They spoke the same way our elder's eyes spoke. He had faith in me that I would make this happen.
It granted me hope in them as a collective. He was their primary leader after all. "As it is regardless of the fact that your mate is your second in command and had been incredibly helpful towards you and the rest of us in his efforts and contribution's we cannot dismiss what has happened, but we also feel that things can be resolved." It was in their own way them giving me a chance to fix things that have been cracked in this case.
I nodded. Granted I hated that my leadership and my loyalty was being tested like this. That Eldon and Naoyuki had put such a brown thunder storm over my head that if I so much as breathed wrong it could get me removed from my position here. I may not have wanted it in the beginning but this place, this estate was my home. Mamoru was my family now along with the other vampires here and I would fight for it.
I was upset yes but I still held my tongue in check and nodded my wordless acceptance of this. I was going to figure this out, we all were. I had faith in those I cared for just as they had faith in me to lead them. I had faith in my fellow coven leader Minako its why I sent her out to watch Eldon. Only she could pull something like that off. I felt Mamoru shifting restlessly beside me as I could sense his growing frustration for me.
Before I could stop him he verbalized his anger that I knew had to come from sensing my own repressed emotions. That's in tune and how connected it felt like we were. "Don't you think this is a bit muc - " I shot him a look that read 'don't' as our elder came up from behind him and placed a gentle but firm grip to quite him down, "While I appreciate your loving dedication towards your mate this is not the time nor the place for it." Chikao remarked. In all honestly he could have become much harsh with Mamoru but wasn't.
It spoke to the level of understanding he held. After all our elder wasn't the only one who was mated. He was to. He knew how hard it would be to keep quiet and to hold ones tongue during such a time frame. I looked over and saw Mamoru how he looked upset for me and it helped to soften my own features, "We will deliver to you what you require as promised." I assured them all as I shot a look of 'keep it up' to the other elder before exiting the room.
We exited in silence as I only exhaled when we were out and out of ear shot. "That was tense." Mamoru commented. "Gomen, I…" I shut him up with a kiss, "I appreciate you for having my back in there as he did but…" I warned as I caressed his face, "When the elders say something definitive like that…its law. We've had these rules in place for a centuries before either of us were even a thought and for a good reason…right?" I asked our elder.
He smiled, "Hai, my child although I must say…" I turned to face him along with Mamoru as we stopped half way down the hall, "I'm proud of you for keeping your anger under control, I feel that they may be being manipulated and I believe I was smelling that's wolfs bane in there." I nodded, "You were…I did. Its Eldon. It's the only explanation. He's trying to manipulate the whole thing." I stated. I made sure to speak low enough to avoid being heard by anyone close by but no one that we knew the scent of to avoid was around.
"I just wish we knew why. So many things could be solved if we just knew why." I sighed. "Just use this opportunity wisely. Chikao is not the type to give chances so freely. He must believe you on a deeper level and is giving you a chance to redeem yourself in his eyes." Our elder told me. I nodded. "Perhaps trying to narrow down the search field even more would be an idea." He suggested for us.
"I agree. I'll spend a few hours on the computer regarding it before turning in later on. at least we've covered a lot already. Who knew that there was so much land still to go." I muttered as we walked off. Mamoru put his arm around me as we walked back to the office and began to pour through more mountains of locations where it was big enough to house that many Lycan's in a pack which gave it some limitations.
I sat down in my chair as I leaned back to get some amount of comfort from knocking a knot out of my shoulder. "Here let me." Mamoru stated as he quickly rose to the challenge of kneading my shoulder. "Arigato…" I muttered back as I let myself go slack. I groaned a bit from the pain of it as he stated, "You have a few knots in here." He pressured his knuckles into it as I winced, "Apparently I carry my stress in my shoulders." I chuckled.
"Usa…I've been meaning to ask you…" he seemed to be trying to get something out when the door was knocked on. I swiveled back around as Rei came back in with blood bags. "Figured you'd both need some food to keep up your strength." I smiled grateful for the snack as Mamoru seemed disheartened but smiled gratefully to. "So more digging on where the pack is at?" she asked. I nodded.
She grabbed some files herself and said, "Let me help. I could knock some of this work load down for you." She offered. More than happy with the aid I smiled, "Arigato…" I made to continue to work when she said, "No Usagi I mean go and get some more rest." I went to protest when she cut me off. "No! You've barely even eaten, you only take cat naps and you look weak." That caught my attention.
"Sorry to say this but you can't afford to look weak. Not now." She reprimanded in a sisterly way that I barely ever heard form her, and I knew if she was saying it that way then it must be true. I did in fact feel weak to. I ripped in to the blood bag and didn't realize how hungry I was till I scarfed half of it down in several minutes. I licked my lips as she said, "Now get out. I've got this." I nodded my head trusting her.
The blood helping already but my body craved a full resting period and not just a napping period so I had to relent for once. "Let's go back to sleep." Mamoru urged as he gulped down his blood to. I blinked my eyes wearily at him as I started to truly feel how tired I was. The blood doing a good job in replenishing me but it couldn't give me natural rest that my body needed. The last thing I felt was Mamoru's arms around me as we laid on the bed.