Page 3 of The Wentworth Vampire (Pittsburgh Vampires #29)

B oth Thayer and Marek traveled immediately to the derelict building and brought Pascal Lacrosse with them at Master Hadden’s request. Pascal was part of the new recruits, having joined the Hadden Coven during the battle with blood magics and the curse.

Several hundred new members were accepted at that fateful time in their history, and all had the strength, courage, and skills necessary to help defeat the darkness that had overtaken them.

The new members had settled in well, some had already risen through the leadership, and some had even found their mates and their beloveds. Master Hadden was pleased with the new reinforcements and valued their honor and loyalty.

It was rumored that even Master DuCane of Michigan, an extremely isolated, old-world vampire, was considering opening up his membership with an eye on expansion based on what he saw happening in Pittsburgh.

Pascal was a special addition to the Coven, bringing a combination of skills and strengths that set him apart from the average vampire guard.

He presented as a vampire, tall, dark, and mysterious, with the usual traits when in his shift.

But he also was blessed with additional attributes due to his mother having been part Mage and part Dark Fae.

This combination gave Pascal sharp intuition, vision, and an array of alternative skills in witchcraft, voodoo, alchemy, sorcery, and the list went on and on. There wasn’t a persuasion out there that he hadn’t touched in some way.

The Master and Josef were hesitant at first, but once the Master Hadden held Pascal's hand and read his thoughts and his life, he knew he belonged at the Hadden Coven.

His ability was an amazing resource for the Hadden Coven.

Pascal was a deep river; no one knew him well apart from Master Hadden, but everyone accepted and respected him.

Pascal was already at the site when Thayer and Marek arrived. “Did you find anything?” Thayer asked abruptly.

Pascal was crouched down by the cage and had his left hand covering the scratch marks on the floor that spelled out Mateo. “The man who placed these marks here was overwhelmed by magics. Arcane basic manipulation with a focus on mind control.”

“Psychic magic," Thayer questioned, but seemed to already know the answer. Pascal nodded and looked up at him.

“It’s a bad combination in this room.” Pascal realized that the Cyprian Knights knew full well what they were dealing with because it was apparent in their expressions.

“It’s evil and I don’t use that word often," Pascal explained further.

"This man," he pointed at the scratched name, “along with the others,” he waved his arms indicating the other cages in the room, “have been exposed to awful and destructive powers with the purpose of breaking them down and hollowing them out.” He stood and took a step back from the cage.

“It’s Mateo Wentworth," Marek stated, and the others nodded. Pascal knew the name. His birth coven was not far from the Wentworth Coven of Baltimore. He didn’t know anyone from there, but he knew of Mateo Wentworth, the second in line to leadership, and heard that he was to take over as Master after his older brother was killed, and then suddenly he too disappeared.

The Wentworth Coven has been in flux ever since, with several people under Master Hadden jointly leading. It was a large and very profitable coven and seemed to be holding its own so far, but the lack of a stable leader had shaken it a bit.

"This is terrible, and yet I'm so glad we finally have a lead. Teo worries so much for his brother. I want to bring him home." Thayer wanted to give his inamorato peace.

“They covered the magic's trail with an enchantment, and I believe they did not use magic exclusively when moving him. They may have simply transported him by vehicle.” Pascal hit a dead end at the door, not feeling anything more regarding the man.

“These people are using spells that hide and dissipate. They weren’t professional; their magic felt like a student or even a hack.

They caused undo suffering unless, of course, suffering was the point.

” Pascal said, and then added. "But there is something else here as well, something in the air perverted and vague.” He couldn't get any kind of read on it, so he left it there. "It might be nothing."

“We’ll check the area and try to pick up his direction.

We have Mateo's scent, and we'll put our focus there.” The Cyprians looked at one another and then disappeared.

They were powerful and touched by the light, so it was likely they would find him.

Pascal wondered in what shape they would locate this man, Mateo Wentworth.

The human subjects had been nearly destroyed, and only three remained alive, just barely. Vampires were strong and could withstand considerable abuse, but they were not immortal. Everyone had their limits, including Mateo Wentworth.

He walked back over to the cage that had held Mateo and stared down at it.

The scent of anguish hung thick. Beneath the pain and the suffering, Pascal detected another scent.

It was light and possessed a level of attractiveness.

He couldn’t name what it was, but it filled him with a feeling of urgency.

Mateo was in grave danger, which made the feelings understandable, but Pascal had never experienced this type of heavy emotional draw before. He’d investigated many magical corruptions and offences, but not until now with this man did he detect such a tie of familiarity.

He didn’t know Mateo personally, never met the man, and yet there was something there calling to him to stay alert and to find Mateo Wentworth. It might be due to his familiarity with the Wentworth Coven in general, but the draw seemed more specific than that.

“I noticed the Cyprians taking off.” Det. Dalhousie came up to stand with Pascal.

"Yeah, they have a lead, and hopefully it will take them to Mateo.”

"I saw the men who were taken out of here.

" Det. Dalhousie began. "They were tortured mentally and physically; it was awful.

Those who live are unable to communicate, stuck in a prison of their own minds.

No telling if they will ever recover." Pascal was touched by the Detective's concern for these strangers.

“There are methods to unlock the magics keeping them stuck, but it would have to be done in conjunction with a glamour to clear and remove memories that could prove to threaten our kind.” Pascal pondered the techniques for such procedures.

“It would be best to remove all the memories of their capture and abuse. I can’t imagine what they went through, and I can’t imagine living with such memories.” The Detective shuffled his feet and stuck his hands in the pockets of his coat, clearly uncomfortable with what had taken place.

“Say the word and I can take care of it for you.” Pascal offered.

“Thanks, I'll get back with you on that." He smiled, and Pascal nodded. He thought about the humans and their suffering, but his mind would not leave the vampire and what he endured.

"Perhaps Mateo fared better than the humans. As a vampire, he could withstand much more without breaking.” That thought caused a tightening in his gut and an unease that coursed through his system. “Do you know where the Cyprians went?”

“Marek mentioned the South Hills, but that takes in a large area.”

“If you hear anything more about him or the people who did this to him, would you share it with me?”

“Sure, no problem.”

“Thanks.”

Pascal sent his report to Josef and then decided to take a walk around the lowlands.

He'd never patrolled the area, having been primarily assigned to the Hadden Center security force.

He was sent on special assignments a few times because of his particular sensitivity to some obscure forms of the dark arts.

That sensitive awareness, coupled with his assassin skills, made him a force to be reckoned with, according to Master Hadden. The Cyprians could manage most magic issues, but there were obscure factions that could be overlooked.

The Dark Fae, or Unseelie, as they were referred, lived and flourished among some of the darkest codes and conditions. His mother was half Mage and half Dark Fae and had a difficult life being both light and dark, but she managed, and she passed that skill to her son.

Master Hadden had witnessed all of his past and his struggles when he’d touched him after Pascal had lowered his resistance and allowed him in.

Pascal wanted Master Hadden to see him for who he was, and Master Hadden saw it all and readily accepted him.

It was the start of a new life for Pascal.

He was still the same man he always was, but now he wasn't expected or required to stand back and disappear.

The lowlands were aptly titled in Pascal’s opinion. The people were dire and hopeless, and the atmosphere reflected the same. The magics still lingering in some spaces were low-level and common, unlike the strange scent of magic that had been briefly present back at the abandoned building.

That magic was sour and dark. Whoever used it also set a dispersion spell that made it nearly impossible to follow, as it quickly disappeared. They were well-versed in transmutation and psychic alchemy. It was apparent that the practitioners were apprentices and not the Master.

The spells were complex but basic, and the outcomes were elementary. The complexity, if handled with skill, could have brought forth functional zombies rather quickly. Torture was not necessary, and there would have been no death. This had been amateur and sloppy.

He thought about what Marek had said before disappearing.

He said that they had Mateo’s scent, and they would keep their focus there.

Pascal had that scent as well; he was carrying it with him.

He had a compulsion deep in his heart to look for this man, and fighting it was not making the feeling go away.