CHAPTER 27: THE MEETING AT CLOUDS

Cassandra parks her sienna in front of The White Goose. The Chinese man can't wait to get out of the cramped car. The car's air condition does little to reduce the discomfort he feels from walking around a bunch of werewolves with questionable personalities.

Deep down he hopes the end of his story with them is near but time will tell.

He brushes his white jacket as he leads the way into the shop.

Ororo raises her head up as the bell at the top of the door rings, "I was starting to think they turned you," Ororo says.

"Hello to you too. I need some equipment. They want to create a hidden den," Zhen says and the woman looks at him strangely.

The door opens behind Zhen and Cassandra and three others walk into her shop.

A grin slowly appears on Ororo's face as she sees the 6foot woman, "Well, I will be damned. You are actually doing it," she says.

"Of course, was it ever in doubt?" Cassandra says proudly, "Now I hear you want a den for your pack. You do know what happens when you establish your den, don't you?"

"She seems capable, she can handle it" Shedrach says. Zhen walks past the counter and goes to the back of the shop.

"So, this where the little wizard learns his craft" Joseph says as he slowly walks around observing the shop. He sees a strange writing on the top of a wooden pillar.

"What is this?" "Don't touch anything," Ororo snarls at him, "If you are not buying then don't go around touching things that could get you killed," she says and the werewolf begins to growl.

"Stop it," Cassandra orders.

She walks forward and begins to sniff the air, her eyes open wide as she picks up a familiar scent, two of them. She locks eyes with Ororo and the shaman quickly reads the rage in her eyes as they turn into a golden glow.

She walks to the counter, "They were here, weren't they? Samuel and Rachael.

I can perceive their scent," Cassandra says.

"Rachael? Is that her name?" Ororo asks nonchalantly before Cassandra swiftly grabs her by the neck. Ororo can feel the tip of Cassandra's claws scratch against her skin.

"Where are they?" Cassandra's voice deepens as Ororo struggles to breathe.

She grabs Cassandra's hand and struggles to remove it but it does nothing for her.

"I don't think she can answer you with that grip," Joseph says before Cassandra let's go of her.

Ororo coughs, "You want to meet him that badly," she coughs some more before she laughs at the werewolf.

"I heard him say he is going to Clouds," she says.

Cassandra turns, "Let's go," "Ferals may be wild but you won't be able to beat him," Ororo warns them before they exit her shop.

"I'm guessing this Samuel and Rachael are the ones you want dead," Shedrach says.

Her rage is clear for all to see as she opens the door and enters the car.

"Samuel dies today," she says as she starts the car, "Our first job as a pack, lovely," Shedrach taunts.

Samuel walks down the stairs as he adjusts the sleeves of his gray Reiss suit. His hair is neatly arranged and the stubble beards on his face compliments his outfit, giving him a rough and yet gentle touch to his look.

He misses the music and the party atmosphere that used to be his everyday air.

Even the vampires that lurked in dark corners now seemed like an aspect of the club he enjoyed more than he would like to admit.

"I hope you don't mind, I borrowed this from your collection. It seemed to fit better than a leather jacket," an unfamiliar character appears.

"Who are you?" Samuel asks.

Alucard's long hair rests behind his neck and over his shoulders, he wears a white suit and puts his hands inside his pocket, "What are you doing with my suit? That is a Brioni. Do you know how much that cost?" Samuel complains as Alucard admires the suit on his body.

Rachael comes down but pauses half way down the stairs when she sees the blonde man.

That's him. He is the one that killed Gabriel.

Samuel's mind is sharp to read Rachael's thoughts and his eyes glow blue with rage.

He recognizes the blonde hair from Ororo's vision.

"You are the bastard that killed my brother. Thank you for coming to me, so I can kill you" "You want your brother's body back, don't you? So you can bring him back. His body is in Count Dracula's castle," Alucard says.

His eyes begin to emit blue glow briefly as Samuel walks closer to him but this act stops Samuel in his tracks.

"I heard you are Dracula's son," "The one and only," he says with a broad smile.

His eyes are as captivating as the twins if not even more.

Rachael frowns at the sight of his face, his presence alone is disgusting. She reaches for the back of her pants but feels nothing but the threads of her jeans.

Fuck, I didn't bring Nightmare.

"It was here, wasn't it? Where you and Gabriel killed my father," Alucard says, "Yes, it was here we killed the cunt," Samuel says. Alucard claps his hands and laughs at his words, "A cunt he was," he says.

"He smelled of smoke and tears, probably crying after he failed to sacrifice us. The prick wailed like a little girl," he says.

"I assure you, you will scream twice as loud when I bleed you out and destroy your soul," Alucard clenches his fist and holds a stern gaze.

"You are their son, Dracula and Justina's son. I see the resemblance now, you look more like the whore when I squint my eyes" Samuel taunts, doing his best to rile reactions from the him.

Rachael is confused by the conversation between the immortals. All she knows is that Gabriel's killer is standing right here before them.

Why won't Samuel attack him?

"Dracula was a dumb ass. He was looking for sons to sacrifice when the perfect sacrifice was alive all along," Samuel says.

Alucard frowns at his brother's insult, "You disrespect his name. My father was only trying to bring the love of his life back. He was trying to resurrect my mother," Alucard clenches his fist as anger walks behind his voice.

"Boohoo. You grew up with a mother, she was killed and that wasn't my fault or any of the other bastards our father killed for her.

Well it doesn't matter. Let me reunite you with your father,".

The two are about to charge when the door burst open and an angry woman accompanied by four people enter the club, "Samuel, I am here to kill you and Gabriel. You will pay for John's death" Cassandra screams.

"It looks like you are going to be busy. Meet me in our father's castle. See you in the otherworld," Alucard's eyes glow and he disappears into a flash of blue light.

Rachael feels her heart beats fast as she fumes with anger.

Why didn't he kill the bastard?

Rachael's attention is drawn when chairs are thrown into the air as Cassandra and her companions charge at Samuel.

They rush and growl as they run towards the sphinx who is not prepared for what comes next.

Cassandra mounts Samuel and pins him against the floor. She roars into his face and her eyes turn gold.

Samuel grabs her hands before she can do anything, "I did not kill John," he says, "Lies," she head butts him and receives his groan as rebuttal from her attack as she frowns at it. She slams his head against the floor.

Samuel pushes her off and rolls away until he is far enough to get to his feet.

"Fuck," he grunts. "Today is not my day," he laments.

"Stop, Cassandra. He didn't kill John. Dracula did," Rachael tries to intercede.

Cassandra growls at her, "Dracula or no Dracula they led John to his death. Because of them I was banished from my pack. Someone must pay, I must have blood" she throws away a table in front of her.

Claws come out of her hand and fur grows around her hands and face. The rest of the werewolves surround Samuel, stalking him, waiting for any sudden moves and their alpha's order.

Samuel removes his coat and throws it on one of the sofas. He begins to fold his sleeves, "I'm tired of all this nonsense. If it's a fight you want, you will have one" he says, "There is no need for that," Rachael says.

"Why do you defend them? Because you love them? I lost the person I loved," Cassandra's heart is racing with anger as blood pumps through her veins and every breath she takes carries a toxic dose of rage.

"What the fuck are you complaining about? John was our stooge long before you met him. He died helping us and that was his decision to make; not yours, not mine" he says.

"I will never accept that," Cassandra snarls, "Come then, do your worst" Samuel spreads his hands, welcoming the battle that seems inescapable.

"Please stop. John would never want this," Rachael says but Cassandra ignores her, "Kill him," she orders.

Maya, Joseph, Shedrach and Axel charge at Samuel who sends the first flying backwards with his hard fist.

Samuel charges at them viciously. He gives little room for an attack as he turns from enemy to enemy without rest.

"Cassandra, you have to stop this" Rachael says.

Cassandra jerks Rachael by the neck and raises her above the floor, "You have nothing to do with this Rachael. Step aside or die," she throws Rachael against a table.

Samuel roars in anger as he sees Rachael crash into the glass table.

He bites a piece of flesh from Maya's shoulder and throws her at Axel.

Shedrach uses his claws to tear Samuel's back and Joseph lifts him above the floor.

Samuel forces his weight on the werewolf and lands on his feet. He pushes Joseph backwards and delivers a Spartan kick to his chest.

Axel gets up and charges at the sphinx from behind, digging his fangs into his neck and his claws into his shoulder.

Samuel roars in pain, he head-butts him with the back of his head and forces the werewolf off his body.

"You dare," Samuel growls. Axel swings at him but the sphinx dodges and swiftly snaps his neck.

Cassandra doesn't waste time to attack him, spearing him to the ground.

The two compete for dominance on the floor but ultimately the sphinx takes charge. He begins to punch Cassandra.

He punches her face and her chest in an angry frenzy. He loses himself in a whirlpool of rage as she coughs out blood.

Maya and Joseph try to hold him down but they are no match for him. Black wings burst through the back of his shirt and throws them off.

"Samuel, please stop" Rachael walks close to him with steady pace, his wings retract but he keeps at it.

"Please stop," her eyes water and she hugs him.

Samuel stops as he feels the softness of her body against his back. Her heart beats fast and he feels her aura doused in fear. He looks at the blood in his hands and the disfigured face of the alpha.

Samuel stands up and faces Rachael. His blue eyes seep into their dark colors as he holds her tearful gaze.

He hugs her.

Rachael doesn't want Samuel to kill Cassandra, after all she understands the werewolf.

Wouldn't you hurt the person that killed the one you love?

She would if she had the chance. She sympathizes with the sphinx and the werewolf.

They have both lost people that they love and she understands their pain more than they know.

"It will be alright, Sammy, I promise it will" she says.

Samuel chuckles and kisses her head, "I'm supposed to be the one making that promise," he says.

He felt he was the strong one but maybe he is not.

Maybe she is.

Samuel moves his eyes to the rest of Cassandra's pack and he roars deeply. They not only hear it but they feel it echo in their bones, they realize that they are standing before a beast.

"Take your alpha and your dead. The next time you see these eyes, they will be your last,".