Xacier walked to the garden, his hands placed in his pockets as he recalled the moments before they arrived at the mansion.
**Flashback**
He was crouched on his toes and he held the hair of a rogue in his hand, tilting his battered and bruised face up to his.
He listened to what the rogue had to say in his struggling voice. The rogue's body was covered in its blood and his body trembled in pain with every word he spoke.
All this was caused by Xacier who listened to every word it said. After he was satisfied with his answer, he dropped the rogue's head and stood to his feet.
"He said it's further down the road then a left turn into the forest," he said to Mael who was staring at the full moon.
Its bright shine cast a glow on his face revealing the indifferent yet trobled look he held.
"Mael?" Xacier called, "Is something the matter?"
Mael took a minute before he answered. "Contrasting feelings, Xacier. Anger, grief, pain, fear, anxiety. So many emotions at once, it makes me wonder what she is going through.
What in the world is happening to her, to make her feel so much at once." Mael's expressionless eyes stared at the moon. He wondered how far she was from him. Was her life in danger? Was he close enough to help her? Was his help needed? Would he be too late?
A lot of questions ran through his mind. This was the first time Mael felt this many emotions that all contrasted with his usual indifferent mood. It troubled his mind.
It took Xacier a second to understand his words. Mael must have formed a link with his mate, explaining why he was able to feel her emotions.
"Let's go, Xacier," Mael walked away from there with Xacier behind him to the car parked not too far from them.
Just as the two men sat in the car, the car seat replaced itself with air and their feet left the car floor and dropped on grass.
It was sudden but they regained their balance with grace.
"Oh?" Xacier looked around. They were in the garden of a grand mansion. One most likely belonging to a member of the elite society. He stared at the tall building not too far from where they stood and when a gust of wind blew he kicked some dry leaves off his shoe.
He turned to Mael and asked, "Did you bring us here, Mael?" and he answered with,
"She's calling out to me,"
Xacier noticed that he was staring intensely at a part of the mansion and he understood. This was the work of his Luna.
"You know what to do, Xacier," said Mael before he disappeared in thin air.
**End of flashback**
"I hope she's unhurt," Xacier exhaled. His words drifted along with the night breeze.
He arrived at the garden where Mael was already waiting for him. Their eyes met and a chill ran through his spine. Mael was furious.
His eyes were darkened and the gleam they once held was long gone.
Xacier's eyes moved to the sleeping woman in his arms and his gray eyes blazed. His fury burst out as darkness which flowed from his feet. The plants around him withered and dried as the darkness spread.
He recognized the white dress she was in. It was the type used by the slave market back when it was legalized, but slave trade was now banned and those engaging in it must have done hellish things to capture their victims.
The red marks around her wrists and ankles told him that she hadn't gotten the best treatment too.
"Permission to kill, My Lord?" He asked as the darkness around him rose above him and spread, withering a considerable area of plants around him and when it flowed to the roots of a tree, it dried and withered instantly.
"Do not kill," Mael ordered and the darkness returned to his owner in less than a second. Now wasn't the time as he was in a delicate situation with the upper echelon and any action taken by him could be used against him. Moreover, the man was part of the elite society, he could see the members of the upper echelon protesting his reinstatement.
All of this Xacier understood so when Mael said to leave, he nodded before they both disappeared, erasing all proof of their presence there.
°°°
**At the slave market**
"We have item seven," was announced as one of the workers brought Athena up to the stage.
"The bidding starts at four million,"
"4.5 million," a bid came from booth seven.
"4.7," came another bid.
The announcer smiled, they already made so much, and they were just halfway through the items. Today had to be the most profitable of all the markets he had overseen, he smirked. But like a jinx, Theo, the vampire in charge of delivering the slaves to the market ran onto the stage.
He pulled the announcer to the side and he quickly excused himself so he wouldn't upset his buyers. "What is the meaning of this, Theo?" he demanded.
"The...c-council," the vampire said in between breaths, "Members of the council are on their way here!"
"What?!" the announcer's eyes widened. He froze and despair wrapped around his heart but he quickly got a hold of himself. Now was the time to act fast,
"Have you gotten the other items out?" he asked which Theo nodded. "Good, take that item and get out of here. I'll secure the payments,"
"Alright," Theo nodded and he walked to the little girl about to be sold. He exchanged looks with the man holding her before he lifted her and carried her off the stage.
"I'm sorry but it seems we have run into an unexpected problem. Unfortunately, the market will have to be suspended for today," he explained but he received negative responses from the audience.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"Do you take us as a joke?"
Information transmitted into his earbud asking him to explain himself and he lowered the mic to answer, "The council is on their way, Sir,"
He received further information from his boss and he nodded before raising the microphone, "It is a code red. Our esteemed guests should please make their way out of the building now,"
°°°
Theo got outside the building and threw the little girl into the van, not caring how she would land. The women in the van flinched and some of them complained as their mouth-covers had been removed.
"Quiet!" he shouted making them freeze. It was too risky to leave them be, but they had no time.
"A sound from any of you and I'll have your heads on display," he threatened and his eyes glowed red to back up his threat. After that, he slammed the doors shut and rushed to the shotgun.
"Drive now!" he ordered and the driver stepped on the accelerator, driving full speed away from there.
**Meanwhile on the roof of the building**
Sebastian and Nicholas watched the black van drive away. The cool night breeze blew past them, ruffling their hair and clothes but they never lost their balance.
"That's interesting," Nicholas commented as he watched the van move further and further away. To think that slave trade had been happening right under their noses.
He stared at the nobles and elites leaving the building in a frenzy and the workers running out of the building, the commotion he had caused a few minutes ago.
His eyes fell on a particular man who left the building last with two vampires with him, a small smile graced his lips. Even the Upper Echelon, huh?
Meanwhile, Sebastian's eyes searched the crowd, skimming through the nobles and elites, some with their newly purchased slaves. He recognized most of their faces but he didn't find the one he was looking for.
He frowned, the chain resonated so he was sure that she would be here but he was too late.
Nicholas turned to Sebastian and asked, "What's our course of action?"
Sebastian's eyes moved to the van that was almost disappearing, "Can you run, Your Majesty?"
"Run? Of course, though my old age might make me a bit slow,"
"In that case, try to keep up, Your Majesty," Sebastian said before jumping to the next roof.
"But what about them?" Nicholas asked. The wind ruffled his hair and blew through his clothes as he jumped from roof to roof. His steps light and not making a sound.
"They aren't my priority at the moment," he replied. Of course, they would all be receiving a note from the council by tomorrow but that was least important.
"Don't fall back, Nicholas," he said as he jumped down the last building.