On Alert

Vishous
I had just finished showering and dressing when my phone went off. I was already restless and Butch was taking too fucking long to return so when I read the message from my Brother I was a live wire. In no time I had the screens lit up and my fingers were flying over the keyboard. I watched in muted anger the feed from Darius’s place. The human had bailed, worked the wiring on the window and deactivated the detectors and jumped from the bitch like a pro. Swiftly I pulled up the nearest street cam and took the video back to the correct time. There in black and white he was getting into a Cadillac SUV with someone in the driver seat and with the angle of the camera and direction of the car there was no way to see inside or the rear of it for tags. I slammed my hand down on the desk, sending anything close off to roll and scatter where it may. I knew that bastard wouldn’t listen, I tried…for Butch I tried to take it easy on the human. This was my fuck up, not Phury’s or Butch’s, this shit laid at my feet. I knew that night, knew he would run before I could get shit together. I raked my fingers through my hair and stood up. There weren’t enough nighttime hours left to go tracking him down and by the time I could get out there the cagey fucker would be long gone. I grabbed my lighter and a handrolled from my pocket and lit up. Might as well get shit done and over with. There was a human that knew about us and at least one of our locations and he was out on the loose. I was out of the Pit with my smoke in one hand and my phone in the other sending Phury a txt. “All good Brother, I’ll take it from here and get back with you, stay there till I fill Wrath in and see what our next move is.” I shoved my phone in my pocket and walked into Wrath’s open office door.
Wrath
[The rich smell of Turkish tobacco gave Vishous away long before he even came close to my office. There was an urgency to his steps that spoke of something I probably didn’t want to hear. As soon as he got through the doors, I had them close behind him.] I have a feeling I’m going to want a drink. [I sighed and set aside what I was working on.] Lay it on me.
Vishous
I dropped my ass down heavily in one of the chairs in front of Wrath’s desk. I was never one for putting off the inevitable so there was no reason to start now. I dived right into the clusterfuck we was now in. “The human bailed, he deactivated the motion detectors on his bedroom room and did a nice jump scene before running down the road and getting into a Cadillac SUV. There was no way to see who the driver was or the tags. I’ve told Phury to hold his place there until I talk to you." I took a deep breath end and gave up the smoke by butting it out on the bottom of my boot. "I want to shut Darius’s place down and amp up the security along with daily and nightly watches. Have some of the Doggens doing the watch until we know the location is safe. Right now as far as I’m concerned we are fully compromised and need to respond in kind but of course the call is on you.”
Wrath
Just when I thought I got rid of my headaches. [I shook my head and thought about what V had just told me. Of course his advice was solid, it always was and there was a good reason that V was the head of security in the first place.] Was it too much to hope that you were just going to give me a report on this human? [I eased back in my chair and breathed out a heavy breath.]Exactly how much like Butch was he? Do you think that he will start telling tales? [I still hated the fact that Z hadn’t wiped him that first night and now we were in this sticky mess up to our eyeballs.] We shut Darius’s down and will with have to bring in the female. I’m still not sure what to think about her. [I drummed my fingers on the arm of my chair.] We can’t afford to spare much of our time to look for this human. We are spread thin as is. 
Vishous
My brows drew down low over flashing diamond eyes and a slow simmer of power radiated through me. “He has his looks, but not the build of course since he his only human. My only thing with the guy is he doesn’t think, he just responds and acts." I shrugged my shoulders and pulled my phone back out of my pocket." I’ll fire a txt back to Phury and fill him in on what to do next.” Quickly I sent a short and simple message to Phury “Bring the female into the Manse…ASAP and lock down the residence.” I dropped my phone on my leg and looked back up to Wrath. “Yeah Z and Cop should have taken of care of this shit but I should have stuck with my gut instinct about the human and stuck with his ass. That alone is on me." My hands clench up and my nostrils flare as I replay the camera feed back in my head and watch him flee as pretty as you fucking please away from us. "Tomorrow night I’ll go over and really lock the place down." 
Wrath
[I didn’t need to see to be able to read the emotions that V was throwing off but it was a bit of a touchy subject. I led with the first thing that I thought he needed to know.] It was not your fault. Even you need rest. And it was Phury’s watch. [I tried to hide a small smile at V’s description of the human.] Sounds to me like he’s more like Butch than you might care to admit. [I nodded along to what V said about closing down Darius’s.] Will the female be a problem? I haven’t heard any reports about her trying to contact outside sources the entire time she’s been there but as head of security I need you to tell me what sort of a risk she poses to us. The human thing is easily handled since he hasn’t seen the manse but we bring her in here and we have yet another unknown floating around.
Vishous
Snorts out a grunt at Wrath’s comment about Butch and the human.”I had no inclination to go near the man, that alone says he’s no where close to anything to Butch. Unless the many fucking times I wanted to choke the air from his throat." Shaking my head, I played with the phone on my leg, looking at the screen every now and then for any missed messages from Butch. I looked again to Wrath. "The female in all rights is harmless and Phury I am sure will still be keeping a close eye on her. But I will say she is only harmless in our hands, in the hands of our enemies, she could be lethal. Feel me?”
Wrath
[I didn’t bother holding back the laugh this time.] That is exactly what my first impression of Butch was. [I went quiet suddenly at the thought of another of my line wandering around out there. Relatives left alive when I was so certain that there were none.] What else could I be wrong about… [It was a mumbled statement spoken mostly to myself and I shook my head to brush it off.] It is good that we are on the same page about the female. I hate to think what would happen if someone like Xcor got hold of her. I’ll have Fritz prepare a room for her. [I didn’t need to tell V to keep up a vigilant eye on anything that involved the human. I already knew that he was kicking himself about that and anything that cropped up would be taken care of.] I trust that everything else is well. Not that you would be the type to cry on my shoulder if it wasn’t but… sometimes I feel the need to ask.
Vishous
I relaxed back in the chair a little, trying to let the tension seep out of me. My fingers unclenched from the tight hold I had them in against my palms. ” Yes, we’re on the same page where the female is concerned. I will tell you this, even though the human doesn’t know the Manse’s location, I’m still going to streamline it and tighten the fuck out of it." I actually grinned at Wrath last question. "Is this King to brother counseling?" Chuckles "No probs on my front, and so you hear it from me, I hijacked a church, priest and a marriage licence and made my male an honest man." 
Wrath
Brother counseling… [laughing along with V] It has cropped up recently. Not exactly like I can be out there with you anymore. The very least I can do is ask if you are okay. [I stopped and my eyebrow shot up over the top of my shades.] A church… and you didn’t burst into flame? [The corner of my mouth turned upward.] How very… human of you. [I wasn’t sure if I should broach the subject of my own upcoming mating but V deserved to hear it from me.] And you should know that your moth… The Scribe Virgin will be here to oversee my ceremony. [It was no mystery how V felt about his mother.] I won’t take it as an offense if you do not show up for it. 
Vishous
I crossed one foot over the other with my legs stretched out in front of me and grinned wide enough to show more than just a hint of fangs. “Yeah it blew me away that I made it inside the church in one piece. But even had I caught fire I would have stayed. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Cop so fucking happy before, it would have been worth any flames. True." A black tatted brow arched slightly and I just nodded at what all Wrath said. "I figured you would tell the Brothers you were making it official or that you decided to lock the female away in your suites and forgo the tradition." My eyes flashed with the wicked thoughts."I’m sure that would piss her lighted bitchness off so if you change your mind and choose to go that route, I will gladly be your messenger and tell the Scribe bitch.” The tension pretty much gone as I sit here and chatted it up with Wrath.”You are my brother, my King and my family, I would be no where else then with you when you take that plunge, Wrath.”
Wrath
[Just hearing how happy V and Butch were to be together brought a huge smile to my face.] You two deserve happiness. I am not even bullshitting you here. We’ve known each other for a long time and I have never witnessed you this happy. [I knew enough of V’s past to know that ‘happy’ was never a term used when referring to the Brother.] I had actually thought about eloping with Kisa. But the ring feels right on her finger. She will make an excellent Queen.[I stopped once more as a thought occurred to me and I sat forward in the chair to lean closer to V over the desk.] The Scribe Virgin cursed me for my decision. [I stumbled over the next words because I knew that I should have told V sooner.] She cursed my whole line.
Vishous
I unhooked my ankles and stood up. “Elope? You thinking about going the human route also Brother?" Chuckling I walked over to the stocked bar and filled two glasses up. Bringing one back over and sitting it in front of Wrath on his desk. "And I’ll be honest with you, I’m glad as fuck I’m not you. To really make the maiden your Queen, you have hoops and jumps to go through. I feel you man, I do. Not going to lie, I never wanted the bonding shit, now that I have, I’m damn happy that Cop and I could do things our way, I have his name over my back and he has my ring on his finger." I came around and sit down in the chair again, taking a nice slow drink before going on again."I mean that shit when I say I feel for you Wrath. This being King stuff is loaded with baggage that most males couldn’t hang with, but you were made for it and I know no one else could or can do the job the way you do it." I saluted Wrath with my glass and was ready to take another drink when Wrath’s next words had me snarling. "Who hasn’t she cursed, and thanks for the heads up, sadly Butch was cursed the second he acknowledged his feelings for me and that isn’t going to change because he has your blood flowing in his veins.”
Wrath
[I heard the glass get set down in front of me and I slid my hand over the desk carefully until I found it. I wasn’t a huge drinker but the occasional was fine.]Actually I would say the hardest part of being the King is not being a Warrior but that’s neither here nor there. [I picked up the glass and tipped it back. I guessed what V’s reaction would be to the curse but I hadn’t expected it to roll off of his back so quickly.] I don’t like the idea of others being cursed for a choice I made. I also don’t like how vague it was. She’s already done enough to you two. Something makes me doubt that she will take that into account when she decided to fuck someone over. [I finished the drink and set the glass down again] Be careful out there is all. The scales are weighted against us.
Vishous
I finished off my drink and set out down on a side table. “You want the facts how I see it Brother, it doesn’t matter what you did or didn’t do. She is and will always be perpetually pissed and get some sick thrill at fucking with peeps. Now she just has something to use as an excuse for why she does whatever she will choose to do to any of us." I grunted out a thick chuckle. "Another fact in my head is this, no matter who our mates are, they will be fucked because of us. Butch will always be paying for being with me, I am his curse just as you are your females. But call me a selfish fucker because I’m not letting go of him, even if I tried and at one time I did try, he would hunt me down and I can’t deny him what he wants." My shoulders came up in a shrug and I stepped closer to Wrath desk. "Our existence is fucked and cursed all we can do now is carve out and hold onto what happiness we can find. So in others words, let the bitch bring it.”
Wrath
[I had to admit that I was thoroughly enjoying V’s take on the whole situation. My head followed him when he moved in closer and I ‘looked’ up to where I knew his face was.] Isn’t it interesting? We hear all our lives how bonded males are but you never really understand it until you live it. You’re right though, she would have found some reason to punish. [My eyes narrowed even though it didn’t do a thing to improve my vision, just a reflex of a facial expression.] It strikes me as very odd that you are such a rebel by nature and yet I have never once questioned your loyalty. It says something about you that I’ve always valued greatly. You should know that. You’ve always seen yourself very differently but I know better. It’s an honor to call you Brother.
Vishous
Grinning easily I let out a gut shaking chuckle. “I guess this is where we hug it out and claim this session of Brother counseling a success." I clapped Wrath on the back of the shoulder and then walked over to the door. "I have a night off and a security system and a male to take care of and not in the fucking order either so Brother tonight, stay safe so I’m not interrupted.”