Bella Vita (47 page)

A pain coursed through her body as something
was shot into her. Gravity was suddenly pulling her down and she
couldn't fight it. Shadows appeared out of nowhere and stood over
her. Words were spoken but they made no sense.

Her world turned black just as the knife
glinted in the air.

My world spun and I fell to the floor
retching.

“
Emma!” Dominic tried to
catch me but I hit the ground before he knew it.

“
Darl?” Leland was trying
to get a hold of my hair and Dom held me upright.

“
I...” Stars danced before
my eyes and I vomited again.

“
Hey, take your time, pet.”
Leland cooed at me.

“
Let's get you back to the
car.” Dominic lifted me up and carried me to the backseat of our
car.

“
You okay, Em?” Charlie's
voice floated to me from the front seat.

“
Yeah. It was just really
intense and horrible.” I lowered my head and took a deep
breath.

“
I totally know what you
mean.” Charlie's voice was pained.

“
Hey, are you okay? What
did you see?” I really hoped that he had been spared.

“
The images are pencil
sketches and I don't really ever wanna talk about it, is that
alright?” He looked back at me from the rearview mirror.

“
Oh, Charlie.” Just seeing
the haunted look in his eyes, and I knew that it had all been
revealed to him as well.

“
Dom, can you have
Charlie's sketches brought back to the War room?” I looked out the
window as I asked, something felt suddenly off.

“
Yeah, sure, Em.” His stare
was intense as he tried to figure out what was wrong.

A wave of trepidation swept through me. I
shut my eyes and followed the feeling. I couldn't grasp all that
was happening, but fear overtook me. My eyes popped open.

“
I have to get back
now
!” I leapt from the
car, throwing clothes as I went.

“Emma?!” Dom squeaked
behind me.

“Head back to the house,
I'll meet you there... this is faster for me to get there, Grandpa
is in trouble.” The shift overtook me and I was a wolf.

The world flew by in bleak bleeding colors.
My heart raced with a new-found fear.

Grandpa?
Panic began to filter through my system as my
message seemed to bounce around in an endless loop. I pushed myself
faster.

I could feel Dom further behind me, the cars
had to stay on the road here- the local people couldn't see a small
group of blurs racing across the city.

Dom?
I sent another message to him.

What's wrong, Emma?
He was confused.

The smell hit me a few
miles off the estate-
fire!

FIRE!!
I dropped the link and rushed faster. I hit the front door
with such a great force that is splintered into a shower of
toothpicks. By smell alone I could tell that the fire started near
the patios.

A thick cloud of fear and
panic filled my lungs as I took a long drag of the air- the sharp
bitterness of death lingered.
Someone has
died today.
I gulped down the panic that
was trying to take control of me.

My nails clicked in a high
staccato. I rushed past shocked vampires as they were rushing from
more of the flames. Our fire system clearly had been tampered
with.
Someone will pay for this.
It didn't matter who left this world for the
next- it was merely the fact that someone under our rule had
perished- there would be
serious
repercussions.

The world was blocked out by thick smoke. My
senses were blinded, all I could guide myself with was my hearing
and knowledge of the layout.

Grandpa!
I needed to hear him.

Emma...
I could feel him as I crept closer to the War
room.

I knew I couldn't get in without going
through one of the other doors, that room was planned for defense-
but obviously not survival. I raced through the room I had spent
earlier staring out the window and through the small passageway-
heat and flames danced around me.

I leapt into the room and sensed that there
were more people than just my grandfather trapped in this room. I
had to get them to follow me.

This is your Queen. You
will follow the howl you hear, if you're in need of assistance call
out to those closest to you.
I could feel
their acknowledgment.

The howl cracked the glass in the room, but
I continued until I was sure people were moving toward me. I walked
slowly out of the room.

Make a chain of mental
connections, feel those around you- no one is left behind.
I growled at them mentally.

Grandpa?
I had to know if he was well enough to
move.

I think I'm the last one.
One of the damn war boards has me trapped...
His words were weak.

Keep walking
forward...
I ran and kicked out the patio
doors, some of the smoke billowed out with the outlet, it would
provide a direction for them to go to.

I slipped back into the room. I let my
senses search him out as I rounded the room. He was the only one
left and trapped in the far back corner.

I nuzzled him to let him know I was here. I
could feel the smoke and flames beginning to threaten us. I tried
to pull him out, but he was too trapped. I decided on the only
thing I could do. I wedged myself between the wall and board
holding him down. As I pushed the heavy glass wall off of him, I
forced him forward a little bit.

This close to him, I could smell the blood.
There were deep gashes in each of his legs. He won't be standing on
those for a long while. I kept inching him out, trying not to think
about the flames getting closer and closer.

With one last shove, I pushed him out and
then squashed out to grab him by his collar.

Grandpa, I need you to grab
hold of my neck.
It didn't want to shift
back into my vampire form because I would be higher in the smoke
and more endangered by the fire.

He weakly wrapped his arms around me and I
started stepping out of the War room- dragging him behind me.

Emma!
Dominic's voice vibrated with worry.

Dom, upstairs in the War
room, trying to get Grandpa out... help.
I
was losing my strength. It was slipping away with each
tug.

I kept tugging regardless- even when I knew
we weren't moving anymore. Just as the world began to tilt, I felt
his presence and knew we were saved.

“
Emma...
mia bella
, stay with
me...” I don't know if he said more because the world shifted into
utter blackness.

Chapter
eleven

The first thing I realized when I came to was
that I was completely and utterly nude. But my embarrassment was
shoved violently aside by my anger.

“
Where the fuck are those that would
threaten our people?” I snarled as I lurched forward, only to be
caught by Dom and pushed back down.

“
My little Emma bird, you must calm
yourself.” Dom's words swirled in the red the haze that was
coursing through me.

It took all my strength not to send currents
at him for stopping me from my quest for vengeance.

“
Is Grandpa okay?” I stared up at him-
daring him to tell me something that would fuel this rage
further.

“
Yes. He will be fine. He'll be weak
for the next few weeks... but he is fine. I believe he was more
concerned for you.
What
were you
thinking
, Emma?” His shock was
clear.

“
That I had to save my
grandfather and the people that were trapped inside...
our
people.” My eyes
turned to slits, I couldn't control this anger much
longer.

“
You know when you're this
enraged, you glow... not just tattoolike the rest of us. You know
this, right?” He shook his head as he stepped back.

“
Does it matter? I've
always been odd.” I snorted at him.

“
Well, before you go
supernova on me... your skin is glowing like you were dipped in
radioactive goo, and your beautiful eyes could be glowing street
lights. I suggest you calm yourself before you have the media in
here to hear our reaction and our plan.” He turned with his
shoulders slumped as he walked out.

My fuse blew out and I felt alone and empty.
A tear streaked down my cheek.

Em?
Mike's voice fluttered through my thoughts.

Yeah?
I knew even my mental thoughts would sound empty.

I heard about the fire, and
Grandpa... and... well, everything that's been going through you.
I'm sorry, sweetheart. I promise any assistance the wolves can
offer.
I could feel his calmness slide
through me.

Thank you, Mike. I don't
know if I should allow that information out or keep it under wraps
for now. What do you think?
My worry was
chasing itself like a dog chasing its tail in my head.

Do what you feel is right.
I've already talked to the wolves, we stand firm on this. They will
not play us against each other- instead we'll unite against
whatever it is and take it the fuck down.
He didn't have my rage behind his words, instead it was
stated as a simple fact.

Thank you, again... for
everything.
I pulled myself away from our
connection.

I sat up slowly. I felt fine- a little
lightheaded, but otherwise fine. I stood up and slipped the robe
on. It was time for me to stop being all hellfire to those that
wanted the same as I did and to start planning the next step.

Dom, I'm sorry. Can we talk
now?
I sent the message as I walked out of
the room I was in to find Yasmin.

“
Yasmin, I need to know
where we will be having our temporary War room while repairs are
being done to the damaged areas.” I found her directly outside the
room.

“
We have several decoy
rooms set up this time, Emma. The room you're looking for is at the
center of everything- very hard to attack, however, seriously
lacking on the view. And, may I suggest putting on a little more
than a robe- there are several smaller meetings happening in there.
I believe that in your current state you won't be making the
statement you want to make.” She smiled at me kindly.

“
Um, right. Thank you,
Yasmin. Please inform the smaller groups and my husband to be ready
to meet with me in about twenty minutes.” I turned and went back to
my rooms.

Choosing the outfit was really hard. I knew
it had to be powerful, confident, sure, but not overwhelmingly so.
It had to be perfect.

When the devil did choosing
a damn outfit become so stressful?!
I
shouted at myself.

I slipped on my looseish black suede pants,
if they would expect pantsuits and pressed shirts they had another
thing coming. I pulled on my soft leather hunting boots with the
special knife and gun pockets hidden in the backs. My red thermal
was more for the power of the color than the warmth of the
material. The final piece of clothing I shrugged into was my thick
leather utility vest- complete with weapons, ammo, and anything
else I might need in battle. I left my hair down. Around each of my
eyes I drew black liner with red eye shadow. My final touch was to
put on deep red lip gloss. My fangs slid back down as I smiled at
my reflection.

In that second I finally realized where all
the images of the scary vampire came from- because I looked badass!
The hunter was present more than the tough act. I decided that it
worked best for this situation.

I slinked into the room and stood along the
wall. I was covered by a shadow and no one noticed my entrance. I
didn't know if I should be worried at their lack of notice or be
impressed by my stealth. I decided worried.

I silently slid my knife from the back of my
boot, and readied myself for what I was about to do. A point needed
to be made and I was about to scare the shit out of everyone in the
room- but so be it. I could feel my inner wolf beginning to be
released again, to truly frighten them, but I knew that wouldn't
help me push the idea that the wolves were behind this away.

While they bickered away at each other- so
loud that they couldn't notice their surroundings, it became time
to act. I silently climbed up the wall- my nails making small dents
with each thrust. I was well above them and stuck to the wall- the
knife still in my hand- I launched myself and executed a perfect
flip in the air- landing with a gentle thud in the middle of the
table. My knife was inches from Dominic's throat.

“
Holy Hell! Emma!” Dom
gulped for air.

“
While you're all busy
henpecking each other over small nothings- you leave yourselves
open to attack. I could've killed you Dominic- you who can sense my
very presence, didn't even notice my entrance into the room. Why?
Because you don't understand the enemy nor how they will slowly
pick us off if they deem so. You choose to argue about starting a
war, building an army, who's to blame, how they will pay...
etcetera, etcetera. Let me explain this to you as simply as I can.
There is a war. The wolves are our only allies right now. We don't
need an army- we need the trackers and the elite fighters. We could
ask for help from the witches, but I haven't ruled them out yet.
They will pay, period... and it'll be a decision made by Dominic
and I.” My words bounced around the room.