Page 57 of The Vampire and the Tattooist (The Vampire and Series Book 4)

Gabriel walked out of the lifts on the second floor, Mathis, Sean, and Kayden with him.

Directly in front of the lifts was another reception desk.

The woman behind it watched them walk forward, her face blank of all emotions.

“Good morning, gentlemen. How may I help you?” She looked at Mathis. “The Vampire offices are two floors up.”

Mathis nodded. “I know, thank you. This is Gabriel Augusta, head of the Southern Witches and his seconds.”

The woman showed surprise for a moment. “Welcome to the witches” council offices, my lord,” she replied, looking at Gabriel. “I would contact Councilman Cameron-Webb for you, but he and his assistant Oswald have been arrested by the council guards.”

Gabriel nodded. “I know. I need to speak to the rest of the witch council as soon as possible. Can you please make that happen? I also need directions to both Cameron-Webb and Oswald’s offices.”

“Certainly, my lord. I will send an emergency meeting announcement out and have everyone meet in an hour in our boardroom. Councilman Cameron-Webb’s office is literally at the end of the hall. You can’t miss it. It’s the biggest office. Oswald’s office is next door.”

“Thank you. How many witches are in today?” Kayden asked.

“All eighteen, sir,” the receptionist told him.

“We need twenty-two council guards up here now, please,” Mathis told her.

She looked at Gabe in shock. “Twenty-two?”

Gabriel nodded. “Now, please.”

The receptionist picked up her phone and dialled a number, requesting the guards immediately. When she hung up, she said, “They will be here in a few minutes. Do you want to wait here for them?”

“We will do, thank you,” Gabe replied.

“Do you have an out-of-office recording for your phone?” Sean asked her.

She nodded.

“You’d better put it on,” Sean suggested.

“But—” she started to protest.

Gabriel cut her off. “The message goes on, and please put your out-of-office on your emails and the council website. After that, unless one of us contacts you, you are not to touch the computer or phone system again.”

“I don’t understand.”

Before anyone could answer, a side door opened and council guards appeared, all wearing the council guard uniforms of black and grey.

A man walks forward. “I am General Goldbury. You requested guards?

Gabriel stepped forward. “I am Gabriel Augusta, head of the Southern witches. I need guards inside every witch member’s offices. Whatever they are doing, they have to stop. I also want a guard here in the reception area. No one in, no one out without my say-so unless they were asked to come here by the Vampire King or the Wolf Alpha King.”

General Goldbury nodded. “Is this to do with Cameron-Webb and his assistant?”

Gabriel nodded. “It is.”

“Then it shall be done.” He turned to his guards. “You heard Lord Augusta. Denton, stay here. Everyone else, pick a room and do whatever is needed.”

The guards all left the reception area.

Gabriel looked at the General.

“I’m staying with you.”

“Come on, then,” Gabe said before looking at the receptionist. “Don’t forget the meeting in one hour, the out-of-office notices, and then no using anything.”

“I remember, and the meeting announcement has been sent.”

“Thank you.” And with that, Gabriel and the others left the reception area, heading for Quintus Cameron-Webb’s office.

* * *

Bertrum,Drake, and Icarus got off on their floor.

Again a reception area was in front of the lifts, a design all floors had.

“Your majesty, Drake, Icarus,” the receptionist said, smiling at them.

“Pepe,” Bert said.

“Have you come to look for Caulder Drinkwater and Willy Ford? It’s strange that they suddenly vanished. Well, they didn’t vanish. They ran out of here as fast as they could and then vanished. They both looked panicked and angry as they rushed out. I thought at first, they had been fired as they were both carrying boxes with them, but there was no announcement of that happening. It’s all very mysterious,” Pepe said.

Pepe was a gossip and knew everything that was happening in the council building, not just with the wolves, but everywhere.

“Mind you, if you ask me, I think they were tied up with Quintus Cameron-Webb. It was only after he and his assistant were arrested that they did their vanishing act, so whatever they were into couldn’t have been on the up and up. Rumour has it that Cameron-Webb let his son go on a murdering spree.” He stopped talking and looked around before leaning closer and lowering his voice. “Rumour also has it that Cameron-Webb was the head of some big underground organisation. I’m not sure if I believe that, but I’ve heard rumblings for a few months now.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Drake asked him.

“I had no real proof, but I’ve kept a document of everything I heard.”

“Can you send it to me, please? How many council members are in today?” Bert asked.

“Seventeen. Humphry Thornton is still away on his world cruise.”

“I want twenty-one guards up here now, please,” Bert said.

Pepe nodded and placed the call. Once he hung up, he looked at Bert. “They’re on their way. Apparently, there are also guards on the way to the witches and vampires.”

“Looks like you all had the same thought,” Icarus said.

Bert nodded. “It just makes sense.”

“It does. Better to be safe than sorry,” Drake said.

Pepe looked at them all. “I’m guessing that there might be truth to that underground operation rumour.”

“I need your complete silence on this Pepe. I mean it. I want no hint of a whisper coming from you or the consequences will be dire,” Bert warned.

Pepe nodded and looked down. “It seems the witches” council has been put on lockdown. There are out-of-offices on the email and phone system and the main council website. Do you want me to do the same?”

Bert nodded. “Please.”

The side door opened and again guards streamed in.

Orders were given and the guards went off.

“Let’s get this started,” Bert said, walking towards the offices.

* * *

Stefan,David, Mowbin, Cairo, and Troy walked into the vampire board room where all the vampire council members had gathered.

Like the others, guards had arrived and were guarding the council member’s rooms.

Stefan stood at the foot of the table, David on one side, and Mowbin on the other.

Cairo and Troy were standing at the back of the room.

“I demand to know the meaning of this insult,” one of the female council members said.

“Is it true you are taking over the whole council?” asked another, “and the Alpha King is coming to challenge you?”

Muttering was heard around the table. Stefan held his hand up for silence.

“No, that is not true. Indeed, I arrived today with the Alpha King. As of this moment, all vampire council members are under investigation,” Stefan said.

Shocked gasps were heard from around the room.

“This is an outrage,” the woman shouted, standing up and leaning on the table, her eyes swirling red. “As I said before, I demand to know the meaning of this insult.”

“You will calm down right now, Jessica Balding; otherwise, I will ask the guard to stun you,” Stefan said calmly.

She sucked in a breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they were back to normal.

“Sit down,” he ordered.

She sat and glared at him.

“As you may have heard, Quintus Cameron-Webb and his assistant Oswald have been arrested. They are being charged with letting Kay Cameron-Webb go on a murder spree in the Augusta coven,” Stefan explained.

“But that’s the witches’ problem. What does that have to do with us?” another asked.

“I have formed an alliance with Gabriel Augusta, the head of the Southern witches. Indeed, one of our vampires is mated to Gabriel. It was while we, along with the local wolf pack, were helping Gabriel that we discovered what was happening here.”

Jessica Balding jumped up again. “You can’t prove anything,” she shouted and ran for Stefan.

Stefan rushed her and had her up against the wall, his hand around her neck before she even rounded the table. His fangs had dropped, and his nails had grown longer. He pushed them into her neck. “Your office and all your homes will be searched. All your assets will be seized. You will be held in prison until you are brought up on charges.”

“You can’t stop us,” Jessica spat out, clawing at his hands.

“We can. We have already started.” Stefan looked at the guard. “I need her put in prison.”

The guard nodded. “Certainly, your Majesty,” he said and walked over to them.

Stefan dropped her, stepping backwards.

The guard picked her up, and using paranormal cuffs, handcuffed her hands behind her back.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” the guard said.

“Can you ask one of your colleagues to step in while you’re gone,” David asked.

“Yes, Your Highness.” And with that, the guard left the room, dragging Jessica behind him.

A moment later, a new guard entered the meeting room.

“Thank you,” Stefan said, looking at the new guard while walking back to the front of the table.

“Sire, can you explain what’s going on as I’m very confused,” a council member asked.

Murmurs of agreement were heard from the others.

Stefan nodded. “Certainly. While helping the witches, we discovered the previous coven leader Roberto Augusta, Kay Cameron-Webb, and a few others were involved in a big illegal underground network. It was also discovered that other paranormal groups were involved.”

“What were they into?” another asked, sounding aghast.

“Amongst the standard drugs, they were also involved in child slavery trafficking and child sex trafficking.”

Outrageous gasps were heard.

“And Jessica was involved?”

“By her own admission, it looks like she was, but we haven’t as yet come across her name in any of the information we found,” David replied.

“What can we do to help?” someone asked.

“You will all be investigated. Your computers, your offices, your phones, your homes. If you tell us now you were involved, we will be lenient with you. If not and we discover you were, the consequences will be much worse,” Stefan said. “David, Mobwin, Cairo, Troy, and I will be searching the offices. Members of David’s security firm will be searching your homes, as will members of the Mellors wolf pack.”

“I have nothing to hide. You can search for whatever you need to of mine. It might be worth looking at the Garcia brothers. They seem to have vanished,” a council member said.

The other members agree.

“I already have guards out looking for them. For the moment, I need all of your phones and any other communication devices that you have on you handed to David. They will be checked quickly and handed back to you. You will all stay in this room for the moment, and I will arrange refreshments for you all,” Stefan said.

There were a few grumbles, but all electronics were handed over to David.

“Can I ask that my phone be checked first? I know this is important, but my wife is due to give birth any day now, and I need my phone handy,” one of the councilmen asked as he handed his device over.

“Congratulations and yes, we will check it straight away,” David replied.