Page 7 of The Wentworth Vampire

The further he got from his beloved, the more he felt the loss. It was like a pulling sensation around his heart and his lungs that felt almost like panic. It would probably continue to build the further he got and the longer he was away.

It was still hitting him like a wonderful surprise, and the reality of it wavered in his head from time to time. How could he be so lucky to receive a beloved the caliber of Mateo Wentworth?

Pascal was feeling the effects of the pull washing over him. His skin prickled with sensations, beautiful sensations ofwant and need. His beloved was tired and worn, but he was strong, and he was healing.

He remembered that Mateo Wentworth had long blonde hair that fell in waves around his face and shoulders. It was gorgeous, and it was a crime that those monsters had shaved him. But it would grow out soon enough, and with Pascal's help, Mateo would put this horrific betrayal and torture behind him.

Together, they would build a love and a bond that would last the ages. True matches were eternal, and true bonds were the strongest and deepest of all paranormal connections. He and Mateo had so much life ahead of them, and Pascal was eager and anxious to get it all started.

Pascal met with the Master's assistant, Andrew, first, and then was led into the main office where Master Hadden and Josef McQueen waited for him. The Master sat behind his large, impressive desk, and Josef sat on the white leather sofa off to his left. They both stood and shook his hand, and then he was directed to a chair positioned in front of the Master's desk. The meeting was friendly but formal.

"I'd like to start by congratulating you on finding your beloved. Mateo is very lucky to have someone like you, Pascal. Your strength and devotion will serve him well in his recovery.” The Master was very generous with his wishes and his praise.

"Thank you, sir.”

“Now, start at the beginning and take me through everything that happened last night and this morning.” The Master got down to business.

Pascal told him of the strange magic that was strong and powerful, but faded as soon as it was detected, whichmade it difficult to track. He was sure that Marek and Thayer had already explained the situation, but the Master wanted everyone’s point of view. “I followed Mateo's scent, which was weak, but our connection gave me the ability to follow him.”

“We were fortunate in that regard.” The Master commented.

“The Cyprians tracked him to Upper St. Clair, but he left there almost immediately upon arrival. I felt him drawing me to the Strip District and to an empty mansion within a large, gated property. The Cyprians met me there after contacting Det. Dalhousie and getting my location.” Pascal paused in case they had anything to ask or add.

“A battle ensued.” Josef prompted.

"The guards came at us as soon as we entered; they numbered roughly twenty or more. They were both shifters and humans, all seemed soulless, simple fighting machines."

“The Cyprians cloaked the area so as not to alarm the neighborhood, but when my cleanup team arrived, there was nothing there." Master Hadden informed him while leaning over his desk towards him.

"That doesn't surprise me," Pascal admitted. "The guards were enough to scare away the average intruder, but they weren't up to actual battle and definitely not capable of facing down the Cyprians.” Master Hadden nodded his head.

Pascal described where he found Mateo and his recognition. He sensed no other captives, only Mateo, and the magic that held him was thin and transparent; it dissolved as soon as I entered the room. "The people who held him in the lowlands were slavers, basic spells and controls, but the man who bought him is something else completely."

"Yes, we're figuring that out, but even the Cyprians are unfamiliar with the practice or sect that’s involved here.” The Master sounded stressed and irritated by the sudden rise of another magic threat. "We can fight it if we can trap it, but the way it keeps running makes its destruction difficult."

“I used the Black Wand," Pascal stated, knowing that its use needed to be reported. "The door that held Mateo in the basement was steel and solidly secure. I needed to get to him fast, so I eliminated it with the black wand.” Its negativity, although natural and not evil, would leave a dark trace that would remain for a while. Master Hadden understood the Black Wand and its power. He also understood that it was a part of Pascal, it was a part of who he was, and it was connected to his soul. The Black Wand was not magic; it was power.

The Master paused for a moment, his eyes holding Pascal's. "You did what you had to do, and I trust your control.” He left it there. Pascal finished and was released to return to his beloved with the promise that he would bring Mateo to meet the Master tomorrow once he had rested and healed.

Pascal could feel his beloved reaching out to him as he made his way to the elevator. Their bond, although new, was expanding, and the vibrations he felt when Mateo needed him were something he treasured. The connection was wonderful and left him with a sense of belonging that he’d never known. There were miles still to go in this relationship, but they seemed to be hitting the ground running.

The minute he stepped onto the elevator, he felt a shift in the air. It was soft and subtle, just a change in pressure, but it was strange. He glanced around but saw nothing. It was just a prickling feeling. He got off the elevator and stepped out into the lobby, and felt it again. It was a pulsing pressure, a testingperhaps, he searched, but there was nothing to support what he was sensing.

Was he overreacting? Maybe it was in response to the fear that something might be stalking his beloved. Mateo could be at risk of that slaver coming after him again. That thought had plagued Pascal ever since the Master and Josef had discussed the possibility and urged him to be diligent in his attention and protection. Pascal didn’t have to be reminded to keep a close watch on his beautiful man; he would make sure nothing bothered him again.

Pascal had the skills, and he would use whatever was necessary to make sure Mateo was kept safe. He gave the ground floor another quick once over before getting back on the elevator and heading to the basement level.

Mateo listened while Teo told him of the horrors perpetrated by their father and Claud. "I'm sorry I didn't find you sooner." He apologized, but it was not necessary.

“You kept looking, and that's what matters," Mateo told him. "Did father kill Michell?” Their eldest brother and the heir to the Coven died in a conflict that should not have happened.

"It was orchestrated by Claud. He wanted Michell, then you and me, out of the way so he could take over from father."

"Was he going to kill Father, too?"

“Yes, that was his plan.”

"I'm glad you got away, and I'm glad your beloved saved you." Mateo pulled him in for a hug, and they held each other for several minutes.

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