Page 47 of Becoming One
CHAPTER 16
As they made their way across the arena with the others, Nelson felt a sense of dread wash over him. Something wasn’t right. He looked left, then right, studying his surroundings as he looked at all the people in attendance, but he couldn’t find what was making him and his fox so anxious, yet he knew something was about to happen.
All the winners of the morning’s battles, as well as the ones from yesterday’s matches, gathered in the center of the ring as Ezra, Jewel, and their guards made their way to the Re’s box and the podium that was set up for Ezra to address everyone.
Nelson watched as Ezra took his place and Jewel moved in beside him, then the crowd went wild clapping and cheering for their leader and his mate. Ezra smiled brightly as he raised his arms gesturing for all to calm and become silent.
As the large domed room stilled and not a sound could be heard, that sense of foreboding returned ten-fold and Nelson felt like his fox was about to explode from within.
Orion squeezed his hand and Nelson looked up at his gorgeous mate, giving him a tight smile. He wanted to tell Orion what he was feeling, but he had no idea what it meant so what was the point? Until Orion leaned down and whispered in his ear, “I feel it too, mate, Cuddle bunny. And I can feel both of your stress. Something is amiss. Stay on guard.”
Ezra cleared his throat, drawing their attention and Nelson looked to Jewel. He could see his best friend’s lips were tight and his gaze darted around the arena. Did Jewel feel it too?
“Friends, family, and visitors, I would like to thank you all for coming to bear witness as these strong competitors fought with honor to gain their new positions within our kind. And to all who competed, we thank you for your determination to do your best and show us the skills you have all worked so hard to perfect, as you have trained your whole lives for, and to do it with grace and honor. You do us all proud and make our kind safer every day.
“It was my great honor to watch over all of the competitions and to see for myself how strongly you have been trained by your leaders. I applaud them and you, on your dedication to serve your kind, as well as all paranormal kind, to the best of your ability. So, let us start with the pinning of our winners. Each of you will be called upon and given a new rank pin by your leader. When your name is called, please step out of line and reconfirm your oath to our people, your coven, and your Re.”
Tears of pride burned the backs of Nelson’s eyes as he watched Ezra call out each winner one by one and they moved forward to meet their leader, so he could place their new rank pins to their chests. Then they each would drop to one knee, put their right fist over their heart, and bow their head as they said their oath and declared their loyalty and service to the vampire race and their Re. It was a very touching moment, and even though Nelson was not a vampire, he was mated to one, and it made him truly feel like he was a part of their world now, as well as a part of this coven.
As the last man stood then turned to Ezra and bowed before he stepped back in line, Orion gave his hand another squeeze. Suddenly all the happiness he had felt during the new rankings was gone and that sense of foreboding returned. Nelson could feel the stress rolling off his mate, and he looked up to gaze at Orion, expecting him to be looking back, but he wasn’t. Orion stared straight ahead, his eyes hard and cold as his jaw clenched and the tiny vein in his temple bulged and throbbed.
He knew from his earlier talk with Orion that his mate didn’t feel like he deserve the promotion he had fought for. He didn’t know how he could convince Orion that he deserved the job long before he even stepped foot in the arena, and how only because of vampire law about holding the Ceremonies, did he have to compete for the title. If not for that law, Ezra would have just given him the promotion already, because he truly was deserving of it.
Nelson returned the hand squeeze, trying to gain his mate’s attention, when he heard Ezra announce Orion’s name, and in that moment his mate tensed even more. He raised his hand to touch Orion’s cheek in comfort, but before he could a loud gasp rang through the air.
Orion’s gaze flicked around the arena, then stopped and Nelson watched as those pretty blue orbs filled with disgust, hatred, and rage like he had never seen in his big-hearted mate before. Turning his head, he followed Orion’s line of sight, then gasped himself when his gaze landed on Nicu standing just inside the ring, staring at Orion with so much hatred, Nelson could almost taste it. And in that exact moment he could also hear Jewel curse, telling him that his friend had also spotted their intruder.
“This is it, Nelson. This is what I… we… have been feeling. He’s dangerous and has come for revenge. We must stop him before someone gets hurt,”his fox said in his mind.
“I know, but if we interfere, will we be harming our mate? Will we be emasculating him? I can’t do that, and I know you can’t either,”Nelson replied in his head.
“But we can’t let him be harmed or killed either, Nelson,”the fox argued.
“Then have faith in me, my mates,”Orion said inside Nelson’s mind.
Well shit. Talk about taking the sails out of someone’s fight. There was no way he wanted to risk losing Orion, but at the same time, there was no way they could interfere and risk hurting Orion’s feelings, which he knew would change their relationship—and not for the better. It would put distance between them all. He and his fox needed to stand back and let Orion do what he felt he had to do.
“Forgetting someone, Ezra?” Nicu sneered, as he slowly walked toward their group in the center.
From the corner of his eyes, Nelson could see everyone in line with them had all tensed and were ready to strike with just one word from their Re. Crazy ass Nicu was stupid to show up here and think he had a snowball’s chance in hell at walking away alive. He may have been part of the Imperial Guard, but he was the worst soldier in the lot.
“You have no right here, Nicu. You have been banished from this coven. From all covens. And are being hunted to be put to death for crimes against your kind, your Re, and your Re’s mate. You are a disgrace to us all and have no honor,” Ezra said with conviction and authority as he walked down into the arena.
“What do you know of honor, Ezra? You mated a non-vampire for hell’s sake. And a male one at that. You are the disgrace to our people and should be cast out.”
Orion released Nelson’s hand and gently pushed him back as Orion stepped forward, half blocking Nelson from Nicu’s sight. “You’re a coward,” Orion sneered.
Nicu turned his attention to Orion and gave him a smile so evil, Nelson felt his blood run cold. “Well, there he is. The man who should have died all those years ago when I started that fire, but no, you were too damn stubborn to even die. It’s all your fault that despicable man is our Re now. If you hadn’t saved Ezra then, we would be led by someone who knows how the vampires should be led. Not making nice with our food. Those shifters, pixies, elves, and fairies are supposed to be part of our food chain, not our friends, let alone mates to any of our kind,” Nicu sneered as he walked closer.
He threw his arms out in Ezra’s direction, pointing as he hissed, “He and his father before him, are trying to destroy our kind. They are both too weak to lead us and you are a fool for allowing him to live.”
“Wait a minute,” Ezra said, as he too moved closer. “You were the one who started that fire that burned Orion and left him with lifelong scars? You were the one trying to kill me? Why? I thought we were friends? At least back then we were.”
Nicu gave Ezra an evil smirk. “See, you are too dumb to be leading our people. This has been going on longer than you have even been alive, yet you had no idea. How can you even look at yourself in the mirror and honestly think you deserve to be Re? I challenge you Ezra Cyprian for Re to the vampire race,” Nicu announced.
“And you are a fucking pathetic moron who doesn’t have a damn working brain cell in your fool head, you piece of scum,” Jewel yelled out as he tried to fight his way through the wall of guards who were holding him back, trying to keep him safe.
Nicu turned his gaze on Jewel and his eyes filled with hatred and disgust. “Once I defeat Ezra, I’ll be coming for you, you worthless, pathetic, snail. And when I finally get my hands on you, I will make you suffer greatly.”