The New World

I tapped my nails on my desk, the invite in my hand. I had texted Grayson, Dylan and Elric, letting them know they needed to come to my office. And now here it was, early afternoon and most of my items on my list were done and this damn invite was screaming at me. I wasn’t sure why, but this felt like some kind of trap. Not that Mariana was working against us, but since no one had heard from her that was worrisome.

I sighed and dropped the invite, turning my attention outside and over looked the city. No one discussed what would, or could, happen if we lost this war. Not that it was an option for us because our way of life was at stake and many of us would fight for that. But if we did fail, what would happen to these humans? Would Demonio figure out how to take over them? Would he then rule this world? And what would that mean for the other Gods?

There were way too many unanswered questions and I didn’t like it. I hated having so many unknown variables in this and I could admit I was struggling. I knew I was special and unique but it was sure as hell a shock to learn I had a purpose, one that had been kept for far too long. And even though I did have a reason, and was even given the right tools to fight and should win, that wasn’t a for sure deal.

I blinked a couple of times before I felt him, my mind settling some. He walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around me, his chin resting on my shoulder.

“Dylan should be a few minutes late; he said he got a message from Tessa and was stopping by to talk to her before coming here.” He stopped and looked at me. “Are you okay? I can feel the anxiety within you.”

“What if we fail?” Grayson let out a breath, not needing to ask anything more.

“We won’t,” he paused but held me a little tighter, “we can’t.”

“Believe me, I know we can’t, but can’t isn’t answering my question. What if we can’t find the answers? What if we really fail? What if we aren’t ready?” Grayson turned me around and caught my cheeks in his hands, his eyes holding mine.

“I get you have age on me Fire, that you have seen things I only learned in books and that you know way more than I ever could. But I have faith; faith in the Gods, faith in our team, and faith in us.

“You and I weren’t in the mind space to find each other, we didn’t want someone permanent in our life, but the Gods felt otherwise. And we defied the odds everyone placed on us because they didn’t know what we were. You and I love each other, beyond what was placed upon us. And because of that, because you and I go beyond the normal, I have complete faith that you and I can excel in this.

“But Fire, it’s you and I; hell it’s you, me and our babies, not one of us alone, and you have to remember that. Believe in us, like I do.” I just stared at him, slowly smiling. Sure, I had age on him, but I felt that out of the two of us, maybe Grayson was smarter, if nothing else, he was way more fucking astute than I was.

“You will be a great king.”

“Yeah, why do think that?”

“You understand, you listen and then you reason and decide; you would think you would be the force to this party, but you aren’t.”

“No, that comes from you. You, my dear in your age, have become too cynical. You see the bad and not the good.” I smiled, cupping his cheeks and pulled him in for a kiss.

“Maybe the Gods did know what they were doing when they paired us together.” I gave him another kiss barely hearing the door open.

“Sorry I’m late but….eww, can you two please stop doing that?” I broke away from Grayson as Dylan walked in and waved to the chair.

“You aren’t late, Elric isn’t here yet. What did Tessa have to say?”

“A lot actually, they have been able to figure a couple things out. She didn’t tell me everything but some bits and pieces, so I think we need to have a meeting, maybe tomorrow?” I looked over my calendar and nodded.

“Tomorrow I should be done by three and can send everyone home early so that the conference area is ours alone.”

“Damn, it’s nice that you have a place we can do this at Fire.” I smirked as I looked at Grayson as he took my seat and I perched on the edge of my desk.

“I’m glad someone does, seems others hated the idea of me going back to work.” I shot a mock glare at Grayson just as Elric walked in.

“My apologies, I got a strange phone call and it took a bit longer than I thought it would be.”

“Who form Elric?” He waved his hand at my question.

“I’ll tell you after Fire, for it might catch your interest. Anyway, what’s up?” I crossed my legs and looked at the three men.

“Since we left Russia and everything has happened, I’m going to assume no one has heard from Mariana?”

“About her, but not from her,” Grayson said and I wrinkled my brow. “When I first called Anna she told me that it was Mariana sharing that I had found my mate and was off the market.”

“Somehow, I’m not surprised; still think it was a bitter pill for her to swallow.” Grayson just shrugged and I had to smile at that. “Okay, but outside of that, no one has spoken to her?”

“None of us has Fire, why are you asking?” I looked at Dylan before I held up the invite.

“It seems that she sent this to my office rather than the pack house or my…um, Elric’s coven. What’s funny is that it’s for me and me alone.”

“Why you? And why just you?” Grayson said as he shot up off the seat.

“That’s what I like to know. It’s not as if that bitch and I became dear friends so I do not trust that piece of paper.” Dylan got up and looked it over before handing it to Elric.

“Mariana does throw parties like this, usually ever year.”

“A masquerade ball?” Grayson asked, looking at Dylan. “How would you know about that?”

“Rumors.” Grayson narrowed his eyes and Dylan just shrugged. “Sorry Grayson, you weren’t the only wolf she fooled around with. She had a couple others, not me though. Anyways, I had overheard a couple talking a while back about her parties.”

“And you didn’t tell me, why?”

“I never thought it was important, and it’s still not.”

“He’s right Grayson, it’s not. It just lets us know the party is legit and the only question is why just me?”

“You don’t think she would go back to being with The General do you? Not knowing all she knew?” Elric asked and I crossed my arms. I had my own thoughts but I refused to voice them, thinking they might be too biased.

“Mariana is only ever good at watching out for Mariana and what is good for her. I’m not sure she would go back to being a play thing for that vampire, but I would bet she’s not someone we can trust anymore,” Grayson said, looking at me. His head nodded to the invite, “and I would bet everything I owned that night there is a trap laid out for you. When is it?”

“After the coronation, if the date is right,” I told him.

“It’s a trap, and I’m thinking we all need to be there to pull the string on it to set it off before she does,” Grayson muttered.