“That’s what I think as well, and should she prove to be a traitor, Ristan will deliver what he sees as justice to her,” Ryder said, backing me.
“I’d like to believe she wasn’t guilty,” Alden said softly with his eyes on the children again. “Some of these kids don’t have parents to protect them,” he said offhandedly.
“Then keep those ones here, and they can be taught your ways at the new Guild. No child should be alone and I can think of no one else who will protect them better than you,” I said softly as I smiled. “Or kick their asses into shape and make fierce warriors of them.”
“Agreed,” Adam said as he smiled, remembering the crap we’d gone through together in training with Alden.
“Back to the task at hand,” I said, pulling us back to the here and now. “Are we ready?” I asked and watched as he started moving the children into groups. He was dedicated, and those children were terrified of us. Of me. It was weird to know that once upon a time, I’d been one of those scared kids.
“These ones have no parents,” he said, pulling seven from the group. “They were found on the steps of the Guild. Like Adam was,” he said calmly, in a tone that would soothe the fears of the scared little things. “I’ve raised them for the most part. From what you all told me, a lot more of these kids lost their parents when the Guild fell.” He nodded grimly at the other larger group of children. “We’re going to have to find out which ones still have parents that can take them back.”
I nodded, acknowledging the sad truth to Alden’s words and knelt down to eye level with one of the small girls. “What’s your name?” I asked, and watched as she recoiled from me. “You don’t have to be scared of me. I am a lot like you. I was raised by Alden after I lost my parents. I lived at the Guild, too.”
She glared at me.
“My name is Synthia, and you have nothing to fear from us. We plan on helping you.”
I watched as she turned what I had said over in her mind and processed it. Her eyes studied me, and sized me up. I smiled softly and shook my head. “We’re a lot alike. You’re wondering if you can run from me, or if you can escape. You don’t have to, because I’m not your enemy. I am your friend and I will never lie to you, no matter how ugly the truth is.”
*~*~*
We met at Vlad’s club, and I was shocked that we all fit, including a small group of men who walked in after we’d arrived with over one hundred and fifty of the Elite Guard and Shadow Warriors. I watched them as they worked their way through the crowd easily. I was sitting with Ryder at the bar when one of the newcomers leaned over and spoke quietly to Vlad. They looked cold and lethal.
“Lucian,” Vlad said as he watched the newcomer.
“You called, we came. Consider this payment for what you did for me. My debt is repaid, Vampire,” Lucian said as I sized him up silently.
He was almost as tall as Vlad, with dark black hair that matched Ryder’s in his Horde King form. He turned his head and looked right at me, and then narrowed his eyes, which were a cyan blue that, in the shadows, almost looked black. He wore a crisp white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a black tie that looked out of place in this bar. Lucian’s arms were covered in tattoos, which were markings I couldn’t place or recognize. He was beautiful, and yet I felt his power as it leaked from his pores. He reminded me of the first time I’d laid eyes on Ryder. I knew I should run away, and yet all I could do was openly stare, uncaring that he returned the favor.