Chapter 29: Reaffirming

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I released several chapters at once, so make sure you started at chapter 27 :)

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Eogan quietly slipped into the forest where he knew he'd find his great great grandson, and the one who'd been concealing him and his sisters. He walked silently, not disturbing a single twig or leaf, but he made no real effort to conceal his presence. He rather suspected he knew both the who and the why, and if he was right, a simple conversation would likely solve the problem. If he was wrong, then there was a whole team of vampires, not to mention Rhiannon, ready to put on a rescue operation.

He smiled to himself as he stepped through the trees, feeling the pull of his blood grow stronger, not to mention the presence of his watcher. "You may as well show yourself, Brigid. I believe we have a number of things to discuss."

"That we do, Eogan," the feminine voice rang from the trees in acknowledgement just before a slender woman with hair as silver as his own appeared between the trees.

"Time has been very kind to you, Brigid," he said with a smile as he took her in. While her face had acquired lines that hadn't been there the last time he'd spoken with her, each one reflected contentment and happiness.

"Always the flatterer, Eogan, though I'll admit, time smiles on you as well," she said, smiling at him. "I expect you're here about your blood kin?"

"You would be right, though I won't say it isn't good to see you again."

She simply laughed, turning to lead the way through her forest.

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Lucienne stood steadfast in front of the gathered Alphas while Michael finally gave the death blow to Keane's man. It had taken him no more than twenty minutes to reduce the wolf to a screaming, blubbering mess, and for more than one of the gathered Alphas to excuse themselves. Even Rippa had looked a little pale at one point, and she'd wanted blood more than anyone else for the murder of Frye.

Through it all she'd stood in front of them, keeping her face cold and expressionless even in the face of her nausea, showing everyone her full understanding and acceptance of the darker side of the supernatural world she'd now entered. Damn good thing I did, too, she thought to herself. Tate's been watching me the whole time, though he's trying to look disinterested. I think he's disappointed that I didn't raise a fuss or distract Michael by running out or getting sick or whatever. Not that I didn't want to, but I refuse to show any weakness in front of Tate.

Keane was trembling and white, a look of fear and defeat on his face even though his jaw seemed locked tight. Jason and Harriet were now keeping careful hold of him after two failed escape attempts, ignoring the proceedings and keeping their full focus on the wolf.

Michael placed the bloody knife on the small table with the bowl and turned his back to the bloody mess that used to be Keane's second in command. Keeping his gaze fixed on Keane, Michael slowly removed the bloody items that had protected his clothes, dropped them onto the plastic for his people to clean. By the time he stepped off the protective sheet, he looked pristine, as if he hadn't just reduced a man to a hundred tiny parts.

With the same efficiency that marked everything Michael touched, the remains were rolled up in the plastic and removed. What little blood escaped the plastic was cleaned and the room returned to its original state within minutes. That actually seemed to be more concerning to several of the shifters in the room than the actual death had been, but Michael wasn't done yet.

"Keane," he said quietly, his liquid voice cold and hard. "You are either very fortunate or very unfortunate," Michael began his eyes now going solid gold, though again he kept most of his power under wraps. "You will also die more quickly than most do at my hand, but you will not feel any less pain than those who have come before you," Michael promised, his voice taking on a cold menacing edge that had more than one Alpha fidgeting with the desire to shift.

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