Chapter 11


    Oldman had given us a quick briefing about Svaltana’s n. Some of Oldman’s people believed they


    were behind the girl’s kidnapping. I kept wondering if this mission was going to be as straightforward as


    Oldman had imed. I’d never been anywhere apart from Kiev and Lviv, and now I was going to be


    crossing the border in the space of a few days.


    That day I went through the briefing quickly, learning that the girl hadst been seen in the centre of


    Moscow. It was interesting to know that she was a student of the Elite Academy. Her father was not


    only on the admission board, but he was also a member of the High Council.


    Half an hourter, we were dismissed and carried on with our day.


    “She’s the weakest link, and she’s going to screw this up for everyone,” Ramona said the next day,


    unaware that I was on the other side of the same section in the library, trying to read a book in peace


    for a change. L was with her, and it seemed that they’d had a simr idea.


    They were hidden behind the historical section, and for a long moment, I heard them making out. I was


    instantly put off, no longer wanting to read in here and needed to disappear.


    L was still inside my head, and I kept telling myself that I wasn’t jealous.


    “Oldman chose her, and I trust her judgement,” he replied. “The girl knows what she’s doing.”


    I was shocked to hear those wordsing out of his mouth. Maybe I’d misjudged him.


    “Whatever, I disagree,” Ramona snarked.


    I got up and left, I didn’t need to hear anymore. That bitch simply didn’t like me. She had no idea


    exactly what I was capable of.


    I headed to the second floor to use the Inte for my research. I’d normally done that in the past when


    Tristan had sent me a name of the convict he wanted me to track down. It would take me days to


    prepare and locate them, but once that was done, everything else had gone smoothly—well, most of


    the time.


    Karina was excited about the new opportunity to work on an exclusive assignment. She told me that


    she preferred missions to studying in the ssroom. We had a full schedule, but we would be getting


    extensions for our exams. During lunch, L sat with Ramona. I’d avoided them since overhearing


    them in the library, so I joined Judas and Marco at the table.


    Karina was going to eatter. She’d gone to the gym and I admired her for it. She was trying to keep


    herself in good shape. I was finally getting used to the fact that I didn’t have to go hungry anymore. On


    the first day, I’d filled my tray with three different meals and had eaten every bite.


    “Svaltana’s n must be keeping the girl in their headquarters somewhere by the Kremlin,” I said, after


    I’d chosen my food. It was one of the possible locations I’d found during my research. “Oldman didn’t


    give us a reason why they would have taken her. We need to find out if anyone asked for a ransom in


    exchange for her life.”


    “Back in London, I met a few vampires from that n. They offered me a job and I took it. No offence,


    bro, but that’s one of thest times I ever worked with a vamp,” Marco said with his thick Italian ent.


    “The girl is probably dead by now. This mission is going to be over before it’s even started.”


    “No, they’ll keep her alive, she’s extremely valuable,” Karina said all of a sudden, appearing next to our


    table out of nowhere. “There’s something going on within the High Council, rumours that some of the


    elders are refusing to step down. My old pack leader talked about it. The High Council prefers to do


    everything quietly, and that’s why they hired Moonlight.”


    Her cheeks were red, but she gave us all a big smile. She must have just returned from the gym.


    “I get it, the n wants to bargain with council, but what exactly are they going to get out of it?” I asked,


    remembering my first encounter with L. He was somehow valuable, too; otherwise that mage


    wouldn’t have called him into the club. I had yet to ask him about it. I was carrying a little secret of my


    own. It was too soon to figure out the dynamic of Moonlight or figure out L’s secrets. I suspected


    he had many.


    “This is what we need to find out, but first, I need some O-Negative, or I might go for a hunt tonight,”


    Judas growled, taking my te of pancakes away from me.


    I still hadn’t had a chance to speak to him, he was very mysterious. Apparently, he’d been a chef before


    he was turned. Karina told me he was still a rtively new vampire, and before his transformation, he’d


    been on the other side of thew. I knew that, at some point, he would have to talk about it. Judas was


    quiet, and he barely spoke, so Ramona didn’t need to torment him.


    Momentster, he stood from the table and left. The scent of his blood was strong, and, afterwards my


    craving for the liquid gold intensified. Memories of L’s made me uneasy, but he tasted so damn


    good. Ramona could kiss my arse; she wasn’t going to jeopardise my time at the academy. I wasn’t


    nning to leave Moonlight or get kicked out. I’d only been here for three days, but I felt like this was


    where I belonged—it was the home I never had.


    There was also the aspect of learning what I was, and why I was turned. The tiny voice in my head kept


    reminding me that L was the one vampire who might have the answers I was seeking.


    “Right, it was lovely to chat with both of youdies, but I have just seen a very lovely fae leaving the


    cafeteria and I must get her number before we set out for Russia,” Marco said, then finished his drink


    and smoothed his hair.


    “I’ve tracked convicts, but we have to find this poor girl before the n decides to kill her,” I said to


    Karina who instantly nodded, eyeing my Bolognese. I didn’t even realise that the pretty boy was


    standing behind me. Luckily, he was without Ramona this time around. He gave me a long, silent look


    filled with zing fire, before he turned around and left. I had no idea what that look was about, but he


    was still in my thoughts when Karina started talking about our mission.


    * * *


    We set off to travel to Russia early in the morning as the sun was just about to rise. Time had passed


    quickly. I didn’t want to leave the academy. I liked my new schedule and routine, but I had to admit, I


    also missed the thrill of being out in the field.


    The academy supplied everything we needed. Apparently, it was standard procedure for any groups of


    students who were sent toplete a job for the High Council.


    Oldman assured everyone we were going to be generouslypensated if the mission turned out to


    be a sess. We were all motivated, and I was excited about the days ahead.


    Our flight to Moscow was scheduled for eight a.m. Once we arrived at the airport, I was a bit nervous,


    because I’d never been on a ne before. Apparently, our informant was going to meet us at the


    airport upon arrival. We were given cell phones to stay in touch with each other, and I thought about


    calling Melody. She was the only person I considered family, and I regretted that I hadn’t even said


    goodbye to her.


    “I bet you’ve never even seen a ne, Donovan,” Ramona said as we were heading to our gate. “Are


    you going to pee yourself from excitement, or maybe fear?”


    “I might stab you before we even get there,” I snapped, trying to gather my racing thoughts. I’d always


    been a loner and worked on my schedule. People like her made me realise why … This time I had to


    follow orders, which meant, getting out of myfort zone. Hunting ouws was my speciality, well,


    and I had a feeling that this mission would also give me a confidence boost. I knew what to do, now I


    just needed to learn how to work in a team setting.


    “Stop this cat fight,dies, it’s turning me on. We’re here as a team, and we’re going to work together—


    vampire or fae. It doesn’t matter,” Marco reminded us as we arrived at the gate.


    Ramona rolled her eyes and pulled L to her, then gave him a passionate kiss. My stomach


    churned again, and I looked away.


    “I don’t even know what he sees in her. She’s a total bitch, although she does have a nice arse,” Karina


    told me, wearing an eye-catching pink dress. She insisted that I wear it, but I tantly refused. I was


    too self-conscious to wear such a provocative dress.


    I couldn’t take my sword on the ne, and I hoped someone would be able to supply me with one in


    Russia. I bought it on the ck market from a Japanese warlock, so it felt a little odd travelling without


    it. Going through security and then the gate was pretty stressful. I wasn’t used to being around so many


    humans.


    Once the ne started moving, I grabbed Karina’s hand, feeling even more nervous than before. I still


    wasn’t sure what to expect. My heart and stomach flip-flopped during take-off. Ramona wasughing,


    staring at me and joking with her boyfriend, who seemed bored. The cabin pressure was making me a


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    little light-headed. Karina was telling me a story about when she’d shifted into a bird and was caught by


    a human family. She was attempting to distract me from the turbulence that had begun after the captain


    switched off the seatbelt sign. The flight to Moscow wasn’t long. Karina had some Ukrainian Hryvna, so


    she got me a drink. She told me that vodka would help me rx a bit. I felt slightly less anxious


    afterwards, but I made a mental note that flying in general wasn’t for me.


    “You just have to get used to it,” L said once we were getting off the ne. “This trip is rtively


    short but there will be others. Moonlight has missions and special assignments all over the world.” That


    didn’t sound great at all, so it was yet another obstacle I needed to ovee. L most likely saw


    me looking unwell. Ramona gave him a look that said, “Why the hell are you talking to her?” but I just


    ignored her.


    Maybe there was a magical spell or a pill I could take that would allow me to forget about being on the


    ne. The airport in Moscow was huge and it was at peak time, so we were in a long queue for about


    an hour. Sweat was dripping down my face as I pushed my suitcase that had been supplied by the


    school, thinking that this was much worse than sleeping in the rain. At least there I wasn’t a nervous


    wreck.


    I kept on breathing and thinking about blood. For some reason my craving for it returned. My earlier


    encounter with L, and the fact that he was walking in front of me, wasn’t helping, either. Karina


    was talking the whole time, telling me about the trips she used to go on with her pack of shifters. It


    seemed that she led a colourful life before everything had gone tits up—her words.


    “Keep up, Donovan, no one is going to wait for you if you get lost,” Ramona barked at me, and I gave


    her the middle finger. She’d taken the leading role within the group, but she needed to be reminded that


    we were all equal. I didn’t give a fuck that she was a pure vampire.


    Once we passed passport control and all the extra security, my anxiety diminished. Marco had


    managed to secure three phone numbers of some human chicks on the ne, and now he was


    bragging about it. Judas was silent as usual. Ten minutester, we were approached by a huge bald


    Russian who was wearing a leather biker jacket. He was holding a sign that said, “Moonlight” on the


    front.


    He was a werewolf with massive broad shoulders, and an even broader chest. His energy was sharp


    and intense, his grey eyes swept each of us quickly. L shook hands with him, then the two


    supernaturals embraced. It seemed like they knew each other well.


    “It looks like there’s a lot of newbies here, and I hope they are much better prepared than thest lot,”


    he said with a thick Russian ent.


    “Oldman picked the team, and their skills and experience vary,” L quickly said. “It’s too busy


    here, too many people are listening in. We should leave.”


    Pretty Boy, seeing as he’dpleted this kind of mission before, appeared confident. I sensed several


    supernaturals around, walking amongst humans. Once we were outside, a ck van was waiting for


    us. This was another journey, and it had me thinking that this whole thing was happening very fast.


    “My name is Dimitry, and I will be your point of contact here in Moscow. Here is the briefing: The


    Svaltana’s n has been quite activetely, but it’s a race against time. Dorothy was taken three days


    ago. Her father is bing inpatient, and he’s willing to negotiate a ransom,” he exined, handing


    everyone a file on the missing girl. The driver was hidden behind dark ss, and we couldn’t see him.


    I started flipping through the pages, seeing the faces of the vampires, and, somehow, I started


    remembering. This was odd, but I was getting a sense of déjà vu, like I’d been in this situation before. I


    tried to shake off the strange sensation, as that insane feelingpletely overwhelmed me.