I do not own any part of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. All of that greatness is the work of the amazing J R Ward.

As of 5-22-12 the wonderful GothicBelle has beta'ed this for me. Hopefully this is now easier to read.

I hope everyone enjoys.

Chapter Five

Qhuinn had been the first to leave the table after the King. He had reached the top of the stairs in time to see Blay enter the study and shut the door. He had decided to stop and wait for Blay, but the door had remained shut for a while now and most of the Brothers had joined in his wait.

Qhuinn heard the door handle click and his eyes zeroed in. His breath was a sharp intake when he saw Blay's face. The male's eyes were glassy, like he could cry at any moment. 'Shit, what had happened in there?' He moved for Blay but Blay quickly retreated back into the study.

Qhuinn froze. Blay had actually just ran from him. His chest hurt, he just couldn't believe he had hurt Blay that bad. It was all for his own good. It was because he cared. It was hard to breath. He rubbed his chest.

He hadn't realized everyone had passed by and entered the study until John clasped his shoulder.

"We have to go in now. We'll talk when this is over," his friend sign.

"Yeah," was all he could say. He rubbed the center of his chest as he propped his sorry ass on the wall by the door. He eyed Blay across the room, but the male refused to look at him. Shit.

With everyone present King Wrath got down to business. "First off boys, we're going to have to change up rotations. Tohr is going to work up a new schedule tonight."

A chorus of moans circled the room. Qhuinn had no idea what could be changed. They were all already doing all they could.

Wrath raised his hand to quite the males. "We're adding Xhex and Phury into regular rotation. Phury will only be going out a few nights a week. We really appreciate it my, man."

"It is my honor to be able to return to my Brothers. I only wish I could do more." Phury said with a slight bow to the King.

"Not like you ain't got your hands full, Dude." Rhage said popping a tootsie.

"Also Xhex is going to work at the Iron Mask some too." Wrath looked right at her, which always freaked Qhuinn a little.

The male was a freaking phenom in Qhuinn's opinion. A straight up bad ass mother fucker. He totally respected his King.

"You're going to talk to Trez tonight?" the King asked Xhex.

"Yes, your Majesty," her answer was simple and to the point. Just her style.

"Rehv is also going to want you with him from time to time." Wrath stated.

"Yes, sir."

"Report to Tohr went you know what days you can patrol."

"Yes, sir."

"Now the next point of business tonight is a few adjustments to our line up." Wrath stated as he kicked back and put his boots on the desk.

Everyone started talking at once, not happy that the King was changing up their groupings. Most were happy with the way things were. Qhuinn knew his team was safe though. The King had made it pretty clear ever since he, Blay, and John joined in that they were to always be together. Qhuinn couldn't be separated from John and Blay was an awesome insurance card. The King wanted John to have as much protection as possible.

Wrath thumped his desk to hush everyone and started talking again. "First off, we're going to try to have three teams out every night, barring injuries. Second, everyone will have four nights on the streets, two nights R&R, and one night to help with inventory and reports. Third, everyone is to log at an hour in the gym every night, three on your nights in. Ya'll got that."

"We're all going to have to do paperwork?" Rhage said this like it was the worst torture imaginable.

"Yes, Hollywood, it won't kill you. Butch and V have already set up some software to use. Butch is going to train every one on how to fill out incident reports and how to log in anything we collect. This will help us keep tract of things better and V says he'll be able to process things quicker. Also on your night in you'll be responsible for the phones and emails. Xhex and Phury are excluded for obvious reasons and Vishous because he does all the processing of phones and computers. V has also set up a software program so who ever is in house can run phone and address traces."

"License plates, too," V added. "Butch will teach you that too."

Qhuinn thought that sounded about right. V had little to none people skills, but was a tech genius. Seemed Butch was the only person he got along with.

"I know this is a big change, but this war is getting worse. With the attacks last summer our people have lost a lot. Financially our people are not in a good place. The monarchy and council are going to have to cut back on taxes. The Brotherhood is going to have to start thinking long term and operate a little like a real army. We are going to have to start treating the lessers more like they treat us. We are going to take their lives, their jars, and any assets we can. Assets as in info and money." Wrath fell silent like he was caught up in a thought.

"We have got to start being smarter than them." Tohr added.

There were plenty of affirmative sounds filling the air this time. 'They're right we need to catch up with times.' Qhuinn thought. Things were going to be hard for awhile.

Wrath raised his hand again to silence everyone. The room instantly went silent.

"Tohr is going to work on the schedule tonight. We'll have to adjust and work the kinks out as we're going. So here's how the teams are going to work. Rhage and Z are partners. V and Butch are partners. Tohr will be partnered with Phury or Blay."

"What?" Qhuinn couldn't believe what he had just heard. "You can't break the three of us up. We're a team."

Qhuinn thought this must be why Blay was so upset. It was stupid of the King to break up their team. They've had each other's backs since before their transitions. This was totally whacked.

"I can do as I please. I am King." Wrath said in a firm voice. "Blay will pair with Tohr on nights that Xhex is available to John and you. When Xhex is out of pocket Blay will fill her place. This will allow more teams in the field. Are we clear?"

Everyone answered yes, but Qhuinn. He just stood there frozen in place. Blay couldn't go out without him. He didn't trust anyone else to have the male's back. He had to protect him.

The King singled him out, "Qhuinn are we clear?"

Qhuinn just stood there.

"Everyone out, but Qhuinn. Now." Wrath ordered.

The Brothers quickly left the room keeping their eyes off him. John squeezed Qhuinn shoulder again before leaving the study. Blay was the last to pass him, but kept his head down so Qhuinn couldn't see his face.

Qhuinn just stared at the King as the doors closed behind him. He hadn't been this worried since the night he was appointed John Matthew's ahstrux nohtrum.

"Sit down, Qhuinn," Wrath said, sitting up straighter in his throne.

Qhuinn moved forward and dropped hard and loud into the chair. His knees had given out on him, but that didn't bother him as much as the pain in his chest. Blay hadn't even glanced at him as he'd left, things were suppose to be normal again, not get worse. He started rubbing at the center of his chest again.

"You got a problem there, son? We need to call Doc Jane up here?" Wrath point toward Qhuinn's chest, making him even more uneasy.

"Oh, no Sir," he jerk his hand away from his chest and gripped the arm of the chair to keep it from doing it again.

"You have a problem with the way I'm running things?"

"It's not that, I totally respect you, but. . . you just can't split me and Blay up." 'Fuck that sounded beyond desperate,' he thought.

"I can do anything I want. I'm not doing this for shits and giggles, boy." Wrath brought his clenched fist up onto the desk top.

"But…"

"No buts. I need as many fighters out there as possible every night. The momentum of this war is picking up. Attacks are still increasing, vampires are still fleeing Caldwell, and we have to do everything we can. So if that means your boy has to pair up with some one else, you're just going to have to deal." Wrath's voice had increased in volume as he spoke.

"But…" Qhuinn stopped speaking as the King shot to his feet. 'Shit I must have a death wish,' he thought.

"What did I say?" the king asked, jerking Qhuinn to his feet by the front of his shirt. The King's instincts were amazing.

Wrath got right in his face, "I call the shots. Are. We. Clear."

"Y-yes, your Majesty." Qhuinn bowed his head in utter defeat.

"Good, now leave," the King said as he opened the door.

Qhuinn whispered to himself as he left the room, "How can I protect him if he's not with me?"

…

"Fuck me." Wrath said as he settled back at his desk and scratched George's head.

"What's wrong now?" Beth asked as she entered.

"Blay and Qhuinn," he grunted.

"I thought Blay and Saxton were together now." She looked a bit puzzled.

"I thought so too, but now I'm not so sure. I know they spent the day together, but just a few days ago we were smelling Qhuinn all over the boy."

"Do we know what happened?" "Have any of the doggen said anything?" Beth and Wrath spoke at the same time and then smiled at each other as Beth settled onto his lap.

"I haven't heard them mention anything tonight," Beth answered.

"Well, I didn't get a chance to tell you, but before First Meal Saxton came to me wanting a private meeting tonight. We owe him so much that I couldn't deny him."

"Of course not, but why would you even want too?"

"He seemed off his game. I could smell the shame and guilt radiating off of him."

"Oh," was all she said as she draped one arm behind his back and settle her head on his shoulder to think.

"And you saw what happened at First Meal. Saxton was on one side of the table while Blay and Qhuinn where seated side by side on the other." Wrath didn't want to find himself in the middle of his warrior's personal lives.

"You're right, but I didn't think anything was wrong until Qhuinn's little outburst."

"I know. Then when I got up here Blay was waiting on me." Wrath pinched the bridge of his nose, something he always seemed to do when he was stressed.

"Why?" Beth said with concern in her voice.

"He wants space, time away from Qhuinn."

"Really?" Beth was shocked to say the least.

"Blay wants time to rein in his feelings for Qhuinn. I think he's giving up. From what V's said has been going on, maybe he's been rejected one too many times."

"That's a shame. I've been watching them lately and Blay really loves that male. He looks at Qhuinn like Mary looks at Rhage or Marissa looks at Butch," Beth sighed.

"Problem seems to be Qhuinn can't make up his mind."

There was a knock at the door.

"Enter," Wrath said as Beth stood up by his side. He inhaled deeply. "Tohr, just the Brother I wanted to see."

"Is there something I can do for you?" Wrath was very happy to have his close friend back on his feet and ready to help out again.

"When your working on that new schedule try to keep Blay and Qhuinn apart as much as possible."

"Done."

"Good."

"I hope we're doing the right thing." Beth said as the group moved on to other business.