Again we lie 2

Apollo woke up to the sound of a know on the door the next evening “apollo I have come to ex’s fort you both back “said landon through the door “the prince also wishes to speak to you”

Apollo hid Cassandra from view as he sat up to say, "I will have to prepare her for the trip. She is already uneasy with me alone with her, never mind the prince, his sister, his second and third, Maddox, and a whole host of warriors who would understand a tortured mind. Her children will want to be there as well to protect and comfort her. Such a large crowd will cause her to shut herself off."

“Maybe that is for the best that she does” he said through the door “but we must move now”

Apollo sighed and dressed them both. He didn't want that fear for her. He woke her and said, "We are summoned. There will be many eyes on you. I am sorry about this. But I will stand next to you the whole time. Turn to my strength when you feel overwhelmed. No one will harm you."

He saw by her expression she was not there at the moment but in her head, she followed him like a zombie. It took no time for them to get to the warriors rooms . When they walked in there was a chair in the middle of the room and surrounding it was a crescent moon table where the all sat, the prince in the middle “sit her there please and get her to open her mind “ said the prince

Apollo had her sit and said, "She doesn't know of our ways or abilities. She was taken as a human. I request to be used as a bridge to her memories instead, to keep my lifemate from farther fear and unnecessary stress."

"If the bridge collapse we do it my way" he said in a serious yet understanding tone

"I will not fail her again," Apollo stated as he took her hand. A chair materialized next to her for him to sit. "That is a promise."

Without further ado, he entered her mind easily. He had her look at him and not the images he projected for the others. But he also lived them. It took great disciple to stay calm. She had been taken as a human and forcibly turned by the Sange rau. He saw many women come into the monster's lair, victims that would never live long enough to be rescued. He wanted to keep the rapes from the others but he knew the fiend revealed much to a broken mind.

But the worse was the tortures. Broken bones, burnings, every form of bodily harm one could inflict upon an immortal. How she managed to fight him time after time for years when many of the hunters around him had lost brothers to less only humbled him more, and shamed him for his actions.

"Butterfly," the voice said from the memory, "I want you to understand that I saved you. You were being raised by cattle when you are the wolf. But moments later. "Listen now, succubus. You will drain this animal dry or your filthy spawn will be tossed to my wolves." She began to sweat and fear lept in her eyes, her mind coming out of its protective stupor. "'Mate,'" the memory played, causing her to whimper and Apollo to keep her eyes on him, "I grow tired of this. You run from me, always the same pattern every hunt. First the gate, then the river. I have had enough to deal with from those damned hunters. You are the only one to live, Number I, and I will not lose you. By allies will see to it the hunters fall when the next blood moon rises. You will be needed for that. The Prince falls when the blood moon rises and it will be your power that makes me king."

"Enough!" Apollo said, pulling Cassandra into his arms. "This tortures her. We have what we need."

"The things he did," said one warrior, his manor hostile and his brow drenched in sweat, "The way the talon cut her skin... like a banana..." He touched his arm in remembrance. "Just like..."

"Would you let our wounded warriors relive this?!" Apollo asked. "One warrior for every kind of torture our kind has suffered, and they each suffered them. My woman survived them all, hundreds of them!"

The men and woman in the room were struggling to compose them selves, just as the prince was about to speak cassandra pushed apollo away from him with a hard shove and a growl she bared her fangs at his and looked like she was about to attack him when the doors busted open and a voice yelled "number one stop" said a dark tone as Adam walked in and she dropped to her knees "retract those fangs now" he said and she put her forehead to the floor taking a submissive position

Apollo went to Cassandra and looked at Adam. Tell me what to do for her, he demanded.

"She is dangerous," said Landon, standing between her and Xavier. "She has no control of any kind."

"She was tortured!" said a woman. "Hearing that monster's voice, dead or alive, will cause her to act as he demanded! You can't hold that against her, you brute!"

"Enough!" Apollo said, picking her up and glaring at the crowd. "I was not able to prepare her for this, nor does she understand it. She had her memories, the darkest of days, played for strangers she doesn't know. She sees only enemies around her, even her own children are her enemies at times." He looked at Xavier. "She needs training the right way, healing of mind and body. Any more exposure to his voice and even the lifemate bond will not be enough to keep her with us."

This earned a gasp from the crowd. Some questioned Apollo, saying he over-exaggerated while others feared for his woman and the prince. Apollo started to leave, but Maddox blocked his path.

"This is not done," said Landon. "Who is orchestrating the attack? Where..."

"The society, vampires, and sange rau," he answered. "Several camps around the world, the largest in Hungary. Two years' time. Incindearies will be used to confuse us. Women tortured as my woman, if not worse, will be used to distract us with their distress. Children sent among our ranks as we attack to make us hesitate. Now, let us go."

Cassandra looked at adam and everyone could see blood tears drip from her eyes "stop crying" adam said and she stopped "apollo sit her done and let them get what they can from her mind, she will not break she has been through worse then what you have seen, I will keep her calm and later I will talk with you" he said and looked at the prince "you will not like what you are about to see" he said and then looked at landon "you of all people in this room will judge me"

Apollo looked at Adam a moment before sitting her in the center of the room. "Look at me," he told her. "Pay no attention to them. I want your eyes on me at all times. I am your shield."

Adam came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulder, the room filled with dark magic " what's your name...." He said in a dark voice that seemed to echo making the hunters growl "number one" she said still staring at apollo "where are you" apollo saw her eyes gloss over "in my cage...where I belong" she said in a low tone "what do you hear and smell?" Adam asked and she took a breath "blood...dirt.... Feces and burning flesh....water dripping...dogs growling in the distance and screams" she said "who's screams?" Adam asked "mine..." She said in a low tone "I'm in pain...I failed to make it to the river...my throat burns with his blood...my arm...is broken" she said in a low tone "where is your master ?" He asked "in front of me....eating" she said in a low tone "what's he eating? " Adam asked and she jerked slightly "my baby.....I didn't make it to the river..."

"Stop!" Apollo growled, not wanting her to relive such horror and not wanting to hear it. "They only need to know of any attacks on our people and enemy locations. Do not torture your own mother this way."

"She feels nothing" adam said "and this is relevant" adam said in a emotionless tone nd looked back down at cassandra "why is he eating her ?" He asked and there was a pause " because I didn't make it too the river and because...." She wiggled slightly. Her forehead started to sweat " because it was not his" she said and Adam leaned down to her ear "and who's was it? " Asked and she gripped the chair so hard it started to crack "it's.." she shook her head violently and ripped the arms of the chairs and growled and Adam gripped her shoulders hard, his nails cutting into her skin "whose is it!" He yelled in a booming voice and cassandra tried to break his grip "stop! I can't! " She cried out and the room filled with a dark magic that was so strong all the hunters stood up ready to fight and she went still "you will answer number one or you will be punished " he said in a voice that was not his own and the look of terror on her face told them who's voice he was mimicking

"Release her now!" Apollo said.

This boy is more dangerous than any other except the Dark Mages of old, Maddox said. Landon, if anyone, including the woman before us, had used this magic, you would have had their heart out by now. Why do you hesitate?

Landon could not answer his brother, nor did not look at him. He had promised them passage to Italy. He was a man of his word. But even he was ready to attack. He was torn between two types of honor and for the first time since he was a fledgling, he didn't know what to do.

"It's his twin brothers! " She cried out "and who did they kill that not?" Adam asked "his brother" she said in a low tone "is your master still alive?" He asked and she turned and went to grab him but adam moved and grabbed the back of her neck and slammed her to the ground answer!" He said "yes!" She cried out

Apollo went to tackle the boy, but Landon stopped him, saying, "We need to know where he is so we can hunt him. It is Apollo's right to avenge his lifemate."

"Where is he?" Adam asked "I don't know" she said with a growl and Adam tightened his grip "number one your lying..." He said in her masters voice once again and she froze and she shook her head "please...."she begged "don't..." She began and he growled "are you telling me what to do" he said "no!" She said in a scared tone "but you compelled me...I can't say.." she said in a frightening tone and Adam released her and she whimpered and rushed away from him until she was across the room against the wall

A nearby woman went to go comfort Cassandra, but her lifemate held her back. Apollo fought harder so that Landon had to pin him to the ground. Landon looked at Adam.

"The one named Bullock at the ruins we found her in," he said, "that was a clan name. The Bullock Twins were the last of their line. Gerald was the one we found with her. His own brother killed his lifemate and forced him to turn vampire rather than do the honorable thing and follow her. Dillon is the only one left and he never liked Xavier. Gerald was the honorable one between them and even he was corrupted by the darkness in Dillon." He looked around the room. "Leave the woman be. She needs to calm down, as does her mate. Any who have a blood tie to Dillon Bullock, form a hunting party and hunt him down like the beast he is."

Adam looked over at cassandra"you have the one person who can find him, treat her like the blood hound he made her to be, cruel or not she won't heal until he is dead, her mind will never be her own he made sure of it with unatural ways"

"She is not a dog!" Apollo growled.

"You will have to be the one leading her," said Landon. "Her true lifemate is unable to perform such a duty."

"At this moment she is but that's his conditioning, I'm not saying it's who she really is but right now does anyone have any more ideas?" Adam said

"Other than having her take us to him, we could follow her," said Landon when no one spoke up. "The conditioning should force her to go look for Dillon."

" He compelled her not to, I can break the compulsion but it would hurt her and there are risk" adam said

"There always are," said Landon as murmers started around them.

Adam looked at Apollo "I will leave the choice up to you" he said in a serious tone

"She is not a dog," said Apollo, "and she will not be treated like one. I will take on as much of the pain as I can. Remove the compulsion."

"Are you sure?" Landon asked with suspicion. "This is no time to try and ease your guilt. The pain she will feel will be on par with the conversion by vampire blood, and she suffered that once already."

"I will always be able to find her," Apollo said. "She will know I tried to rid her of the pain, if nothing else. I will not leave her to be a puppet for him another moment longer. She can run to him and I will be the one who leads the hunters."

"It will be far easier to have her lead us to him," said Landon.

"She will not be on anyone's leash," Apollo growled.

Adam sighed in annoyance "the moment I remove the compulsion he will know, are you ok with that?"

"The prince and any others should leave," Landon instructed. "I want only the best. Maddox, you will take over my duties until I return. No more than five other men. We will take her far from the school and then remove the compulsion, for the safety of the students."

"I can only do it here.." adam said in a tired tone "and I only need landon his darkness is enough for me to feed off" he said making everyone look at him

The whole room shook with the noise everyone made. Landon looked at Adam. They both knew why. He had begun to follow in his ancestor's footsteps. Though his eyes had yet to turn silver, he had dabbled in the forbidden, hoping to find the answers the Great Gregori Daratrazanoff had found to aid their people when women were fewer and hope nearly lost.

"Agreed," Landon said, his voice booming though he never raised it, "but Apollo must come as well. Not for the darkness, but for the woman. She will need him."

"What's left of her will anyways" adam said with a shrug and turned bit cassandra suddenly grabbed his leg without looking up at him "speak" he said and she flinched "can I......can I please have my baby back....please he is so small I need to feed him " she said and landon saw adams hands ball into a fist "no...he is dead" he said and shook her off and walked out of the room. Every woman and male there could feel her lost as she cry silently, her pain to great for her to even make a sound. And she started to slam her head down on the floor repeatedly

Apollo had to be restrained again as they waited. She had to go to Dillon or she would be forever lost to them. Every mother had to have her lifemate take them from the room, begging for someone to ease her pain. Maddox and Sara led Xavier away. Then, it was only Apollo, Landon, and Cassandra.

After what seemed like forever she stopped like someone was speaking to here. She went still it's time.....let her feel your dark magic adams voice said to Landon

Landon let if pore off of him in large waves. Apollo felt as if he were drowning in the dark aura. Is this the hidden secret of the Dark One? he thought. But he saw Cassandra respond to it. By all that was holy, Apollo wanted to get her far from this monster, far from Landon's darkness, far from everything so that they could be true lifemates. This terrified him and he found he didn't like the feeling even more than he thought.

She crawled over to landon and put her head at his feet apollo needs to not touch her, connect your mind with hers, done force it, he will be there, hold her mind and I'll start

Landon was new to taking orders from someone other than Xavier, but he listened. He froze Apollo and touched Cassandra's mind. As expected, he felt a great deal of darkness there in her mind. Not a natural darkness, but an inky, oily kind of evil that screamed vampire. He did not try to get past any barriers, but to have a light connection that would go unnoticed in the unprotected areas.

worthless whore and oily dark voice said in her head you think to disobey me, he was in the room, I told you what to do the voice said and cassandra began to shake I'm.....I'm not a killer cassandra said in a scared tone oh? Have you forgotten about your own children that you have killed....what about that woman? landon felt pain radiate from cassandra I...was trying to help them she said and the voice laughed if you weren't such a weak thing then maybe you could have but your weakness left you know choice but to kill them and kill them you did, but I can bring them back all I need is the princes blood you know this, so stop being defiant she flinched at how he said the last word I.......it's wrong......even if you can no one should have to die but me...im the one that killed... a growl echoed her head and she froze you disappoint me she said and cries out as she felt claws go down her back painfully and landon saw the claw marks appear and bleed. A image flashed through her mind and she saw a young female, hurt and curled up in the corner, her hair matched cassandra shall I punish her for your defiance and weakness? he asked in a dark tone no! Please! I'll do it! she yelled in panic now the voice commanded and cassandra shifted into her wolf form and with inhuman speed broke from the room

Apollo growled wanting to go after her, but unable to. Landon still had him paralyzed. Landon continued to watch. He knew she couldn't find the prince but he could see through her eyes to where the vampire's lair was. They had to find it. The prince was in grave danger and she was the key. Landon sudden saw the prince in her view do not worry it is a illusion adams voice said to Landon right as he was about to panic. He could feel Cassandra's heart breaking, landon knew she didn't want to hurt anyone I'm so sorry I'll make it quick she thought to herself but at the last second she stopped and tackled him instead and shifted out of her form "please......please help me....I don't want to kill you please just..... I need your blood.." she said in a pain filled tone "this is how you ask for help?" The fake prince said in a upset tone "please....."

The prince is understanding, Landon informed. It will break her heart to hear it, but he is not without mercy.

unfortunately we need her to think she got what he wanted so she will go to him adam said and the fake prince glared "I will not give you even a drop of my blood if you don't get off me I will kill you" he said with a growl and cassandra whimpered "I'm...sorry"she said with tears in her eyes and shifted once more bring him to me the dark voice said in her head. Her jaws came down around the princes neck, she ignores his punches and her and with a sickening sound his neck cracked and he went limp I'm so sorry..... she said over and over again in her head as she started to drag his body away

I have warned the hunters that they should stay away from the area, but if it is unavoidable, to act as if in shock so she can get past. They are aware it is an illusion.

well I am currently in my mother's mouth so all you need to do is track me, there is a cup of my blood in your office adam said

It must be taken from the vein to work, Landon said. Do you have a connection with Apollo? Or... Your sister. Maddox and she have a very close and trusting relationship. He healed her meticulously as if she were his own daughter in danger of death. He can use that connection to track you.

the blood is not for drinking, I left you instructions next to the cup, all you will need is a map and leave my sister out of this

Okay, no need to get testy, Landon said. As a hunter and the prince's second-in-command, I must utilize every avenue available to me. Even I feel uncomfortable at the thought of my lifemate in the same place as your mother or even your sister. But to finally free all of you from him, we must keep our minds open. So, as a final result, if it is necessary...