The elevator doors opened and Brian walked casually into the office room. His green eyes were alight with humor as he reported, "some of the wolves have reached the second floor already. They managed to sneak up on, and take out, one of the machine gun teams that were setting up down there."

Kenneth, looked sideways at his lieutenant, "And the team didn't get out a radio call for help, or even a few shots to warn anyone around them?"

"The wolves must have used one of the maintenance stairways, it's the only thing I can think of," Brian replied.

"Didn't I tell you to ensure we had coverage on those access points?" Kenneth asked, his face suddenly darkening, even with the harsh white light from overhead.

Brian took a step backwards, "The team that was killed was supposed to be the one covering that stairwell, they must have taken their sweet time, not really taking the wolves seriously. I did what I was supposed to do, Head of House Dukart." Brian knew that he walked a razor's edge when Kenneth was disappointed. He might end up dead or in a fight for his life. Choosing the honorific may have been a little bit of a boost by showing respect to Kenneth, or Kenneth would take it as him mocking him and he was as good as dead. Kenneth took a step towards Brian and Brian braced himself, his hands tightening into fists, when the elevator door opened and Nova strode out with a dark serious look in her eyes.

Nova walked forward on high heels that clicked firmly on the ground as she walked, she was wearing a three-piece business suit that hugged her hips and formed along her body. The clothes she wore only accented her natural beauty and the dark colors of the suit accented her skin and black hair that hang in loose waves down her back.

Any other time, seeing his mate would have made Kenneth smile, but today was not an ordinary day, "What?" He snapped, maybe a little harsher than he intended.

Nova reacted to the tone. She turned her head to the side, gazing at her mate out of the corner of her eye, "I have never allowed anyone to speak to me like that, not even you Kenneth."

Brian was mercifully forgotten with the exchange, and took the opportunity to take a few steps away from his Head of House. And then Kenneth did something that Brian would have never thought he would see. Kenneth's glare was dropped and he dropped his head, "Forgive me, my mate, my frustration was not directed at you."

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If Brian hadn't been so sure he had been about to die a few moments ago he would have gaped open mouthed at what he had just witnessed. This newly created vampire, this woman who he had been brought to the tower all those months ago to be food for the leaders of House Dukart, held such sway over Kenneth that he actually apologized for his actions. He had known Kenneth a long time, almost twenty years, and he had seen Kenneth do a lot of things, but he had never seen the man apologize for anything. He looked over at the woman who stood facing both of them and suddenly he was more afraid of her than he had ever been of Kenneth, and he wondered just what curse he had brought onto House Dukart through the front door.

With a soft nod of her head she said, "I accept and I do." She walked over to her mate and not touching him, nodded towards the large screen, "The wolves are now on the third and second floors. They seem to be working their way up floor by floor. And they are doing a good job of clearing the way as they go. Our people have either barely escaped to a higher floor, or been killed."

Kenneth smiled, "They must think they are doing quite well."

"Our people are no match for their kind or an attack of this scale, and the hyena people are just as deadly as the wolves, if not more so. I did not expect this," Nova stated.

Kenneth steepled his fingers in front of him as he watched the screen which had been switched to a third floor set of cameras. The wolves were moving swiftly and even though they had taken some casualties their numbers were still much greater than they should have been.

"Do not worry, my mate. I know how to defend our home. And I've been fighting the wolves a long time. I want them to gain some confidence. I do have a few special things planned for them. And them splitting off into smaller groups, that only plays into our hands."

Brian knew a little of what Kenneth was talking about, but he wasn't sure Kenneth would trust even him with everything he had planned. Brian only hoped that when the time for these surprises to be unveiled came, Kenneth and any other vampire was far outside of the danger zone. He didn't think Kenneth would give two shits if one, or two hundred vampires got in his way. If he had to kill the two hundred vampires to kill one or two werewolves, he knew Kenneth wouldn't hesitate.

"Kenneth, do you have any instructions for me?" Brian asked cautiously.

Kenneth faced him and nodded, "I want you to go check on the party favors one more time. I need those to be ready to be unveiled at a moment's notice. The wolves cannot be aware they are there before I'm ready for them to know," Kenneth paused as he moved very close to Brian and leaned in to his lieutenant's ear, "I trust you won't fail me in this task, Brian. So, you'll take care of it yourself, and if my surprise is spoiled, by anything that you did or failed to do, I will kill you myself." Kenneth stepped back smiling, but the smile never reached his eyes.

Brain locked eyes with Kenneth and nodded, "Of course, my head of House, it will be done."

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