Her Brother, Her Mate

I can feel her power before I even see her. Lady Delilah is one of the few pure-blooded vampires left, at least in this part of the world. She is the only one here in Miami, making her the most powerful vampire here. I don’t even think Parker would be a match for her if he was to ever get on her bad side.

He wouldn’t. He should thank his moon goddess that his mother-in-law is best friends with her. She was not a fan of the previous alpha, but kept the peace because of Elena and Luna Grace.

Her glossy black hair falls far past her waist on a normal day, but she has it braided in intricate piles on her head today. Her pale skin is so pure it looks like porcelain, and her red eyes glow from the power she holds within. She scares me. I’m not going to lie.

All vampires have a healthy fear of her. She could end any of us with a mere flick of her wrist.

Elena is walking with her, both of them with a forlorn expression on their faces, making all of us remain silent until she speaks to us. Even Parker has his head slightly bowed, showing his respect.

She is ancient. Older than this country and all the people in it. Her presence demands respect, and she gets it.

“Is she ready to be transferred to the courts, Vincent Antonio Solace?” she addressed me, ignoring the werewolves in the room. She has command over me, not them, and this is her respecting the order of the pack, not commanding anything of Parker or his men.

“I believe we got all the information we can from her in relation to the missing fairy knight apprentice. I will prepare her to depart, if you wish,” I answered her.

“I brought my sires. They will retrieve her and….deal with her misconduct,” she flicks her wrist, and I resist the urge to flinch. Her sires appeared from the shadows behind her.

Sires are humans she has kept as feeding pets, feeding them her b***d in return and giving them eternal life with her. Her b***d gives them abnormal strength and commands them to obey her. Her sires have been with her for centuries, and because of the centuries of being fed Lady Delilah’s b***d, they are far stronger than most vampires.

The two burly men move past her. Casey comes forward to direct them to the room Suzie is being held in.

“Her brother?” Lady Delilah asked me.

“Knew nothing. He is being held in the room next to hers in case you wish to interrogate him further, but he was honest with us from the start. He knew nothing.”© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“I trust you,” she nodded her head slightly, “You would not have left him living if he did anything to bring harm to your love.”

“No, I wouldn’t have,” I confirmed. She nods, a slight smile on her lips. I know she loves the fact I am mated with Simone, the best friend of the Luna. This gives our coven pull with the pack, something she always wanted.

“My Lady,” Mitch surprised us by stepping forward, “It may not be my place, but I wish to make a request of you, if I may?”

“What are you doing?” Matt whispered loudly, trying to pull Mitch back to stand next to him.

Lady Delilah turned her head curiously in Mitch’s direction.

“Who might you be?”

“Mitch Meyers, my lady.”

“Vivian Meyers son? The youngest?” Lady Deliah asks, and I can tell by her tone that her curiosity has peeked, and I know why. Vivian Meyers, though she is a gossip and loves to talk, has been keeping a secret for a very very long time. A secret I only know because of my mother, and Lady Delilah knows because she is, well, her. She is ancient and has seen far more than all the other supernatural beings in this city put together.

Mitch nods, “You know my mom?”

Lady Delilah lifts her fingers, resting her chin in her hand as she studies the guy, “I know her quite well. So, what is this favor you have to ask me?”

Mitch fidgets on his feet, feeling overwhelmed by the power eliminated from her now that he has stepped further into her presence. I know she can retract the overwhelming aura, but she won’t in the presence of an alpha wolf. She is just petty enough to remind him that she is the strongest one in this room.

“She was used. Her addiction clouded her judgment and that fairy used her, then dumped her when he couldn’t use her anymore. I,” Mitch takes a deep breath, sorrow passing over his features, “I don’t want her to die because of something like that. If there is another punishment, I ask that she receive that instead and not be put to death because a man used her to get what he wants. She is a victim too.”

My mouth drops in surprise.

“She housed a criminal, Mitch. She put Simone, Vincent, my mate, your Luna, and the entire pack in jeopardy,” Parker tells him harshly.

Mitch shrugs, “Her addiction clouded her judgment, Alpha. He used her. I’m not saying she shouldn’t be punished, but I think killing her when she is a victim as well is too much.”

The sires and Casey have now rejoined us. Suzie is clutched between the sires. Her tear-filled eyes are trained on Mitch, looking at him like he is her savior. He just might be. Lady Delilah is not forgiving to those that jeopardize our coven’s safety.

Lady Delilah drums her fingernails, coated in shiny, b***d-red polish, against her cheek, deep in thought as she stares back at the youngest Meyers brother.

She knows the value he holds, and how valuable a favor from him could be in the future.

“I would like for you to accompany us back to my court, Mitch Meyers. I believe we can come to some sort of agreement if you are willing to become young Suzie’s sponsor.”

A broken sob escapes Suzie, I’m sure of relief. She was likely facing death. I am wary of her facing anything else. She put my future at risk and helped the man I wanted to kill. The man who is after the love of my life.

It is not my choice, though. If Lady Delilah grants him this favor, if she is even considering it, it is because of Mitch Meyers and his family, and nothing I say will change her decision.

Mitch nods hesitantly. Matt goes to object, but I hold my hand up, cutting off his protest. She will not take kindly to a werewolf she is unfamiliar with, protesting a decision she is making.

“Lady Delilah, Mitch is an important member of this pack. I don’t-” Parker tried to say.

“I won’t eat him. Do not worry. Not in any sense of the word,” her eyes turned back and roamed Mitch’s body, a smirk spreading on her face. “He is pretty, but I am happy with my sires. I just wish to talk. I may have a job for him that will benefit both of our packs.”

Mitch looks surprised, then his and Parker’s eyes glaze while their minds link. Mitch nods slightly, then follows the sires and Suzie out of the building.

Lady Delilah drops her aura, her power receding back inside her. “Elena, my friend, would you mind following them and coming too? I think his brother would feel more comfortable if he had a friendly face accompanying him. We can get back to our original plans afterward.”

Matt looks like he is ready to run after his brother and force him to stay there, but he relaxes when he hears that Elena will be with them. Elena nods then pats Parker on the cheek lovingly before she turns to join Mitch in the back of Lady Delilah’s limo. Suzie is being loaded into the back of an SUV, seated between the sires.

“Vincent, walk with me,” she commanded.

We leave the wolves to walk in the direction of her limo but stop halfway.

“You, my dear, are pleasing me greatly as of late. To think so many favorable occurrences would come from you being a mate to a wolf,” she spits the word ‘mate’ out awkwardly. It is still a foreign concept to vampires. “This is such a turnaround from your father’s disastrous behavior.”

I nodded, knowing that because of my father, Lady Delilah was apprehensive about me. He angered her a lot, but never openly broke our laws. Not to the point he was caught, anyway. She agreed to put me on the counsel because I betrayed my family to save the wolves and my mother’s namesake, but she was still wary. Me being Simone’s mate pleased her in many ways, and I know this thing with one of the Meyers boys will cinch me in her favor.

I am still wary for Mitch though. His parent’s secret is not something that should be known to the public, and not knowing what she wants from him makes me feel uneasy.

“Relax, young one. I have a lot of respect for Vivian and Micah. I will not be doing anything to put their well-being to any harm. I think our b***d bank could use a good, compassionate nose to weed out Suzies in the future before they become a problem like we are facing now.”

“You’re going to use him at the b***d bank?” I asked her, “That’s it?”

She shrugs with an air of arrogance, not liking that I am questioning her, “For now. I want to keep that broken boy under my protection more than anything though. As I said, I respect Vivian and Micah. I never want to be on Micah’s bad side. You should know why.”

I nod. I do know.

“Tell that alpha pup I will have his pack member delivered to his parent’s resort after we are done speaking, and Elena is coming with me. We will be shopping for her granddaughter’s birthday after this ordeal is over.”

I nodded, bowing slightly, since I knew she was finished with me. “I’ll let him know.”