Darkness Chapter 14: Meeting

**Vincent**

I wrapped my arm around her waist as we strode towards the grand hall where our crucial meeting was to take place. As we approached, I caught sight of Alec and Tara waiting anxiously. "Are we prepared for this?" I inquired, my voice filled with determination.

Alec nodded, his eyes reflecting unwavering loyalty. "Yes, boss," he replied, his tone resolute.

"Ladies, I understand that being submissive may not be your usual role, but it is imperative in this situation," I implore. They nod in agreement.

As we enter the room with our women latched onto our arms, we are met by a group of council members. Nelly, playing her part flawlessly, greets them with poise and grace. She behaves more maturely than some vampires who are hundreds of years old. I am impressed by her. However, I notice her fist clenching as one of the men touches her, but she maintains her composure by moving closer to me. Her determination to stay calm in the face of adversity brings a smile to my face. "Shall we sit? I'm sure we all have better things to do. I know I certainly do," I say with a smirk as I pull Nely closer to me.

As we take our seats, Nelly follows my instructions and sits on my lap, resting her head against my chest. The meeting drags on for two hours before we finally get to the reason it was called. Peter, one of the lesser horde leaders, pipes up, "We've received word that the rebels have amassed an army and are preparing to attack in about a week."

I can't help but be skeptical, especially when it comes to anything Peter says. "And where, pray tell, did you get this 'info' from?" Oh, fantastic! Because dealing with rebel attacks is just what I needed to spice up my week. It's not like I have anything better to do than constantly worry about dodging bullets and explosions. And great, now we have top-notch intelligence that suggests we're in for another round of fun – but hey, it's probably all just a big misunderstanding, right? It's not like our lives are at stake or anything. So let's just cross our fingers and hope for the best while our enemies make themselves right at home in our backyard. Because who needs peace and security when you can have chaos and danger instead? Thanks, rebels, you know how to make my day complete.

On the plus side, having some of the rebels' best as pets gives me a clear advantage over the Resistance. These assassins are loyal to me at li hope. They possess skills and abilities that can be used to further my goals of ending this fucking war. With these people by my side, it's clear that the Resistance stands no chance against me. Their power, intelligence, and loyalty make them invaluable assets in my fight against those who dare to oppose me. So rather than wasting their time and resources trying to defy me, the Resistance should simply give up now before they face the full force of my might and lose everything they hold dear. Because if they come after Nelly, they will all burn. Fuck! What the hell am I thinking!

I focus back on Peter. “One of my men came across the intel while hunting,” he says.

“Do we know who's leading the group?” I ask.

Peter sighs, “That's the thing we can't pinpoint, the leader. He's stayed well hidden.”.

“How many are we talking?” I need numbers if I am going to plan a counterattack. 

"One thousand," Peter replies confidently. Nelly's head pops up, but she quickly puts it back down, hoping no one noticed. Peter booms, "You, Pet. You seemed intrigued by that last piece of information. Where are you from?"

Nelly stammers, "I... I...was surprised by the large number... I'm no one, sir."

"She's new to my service," I interject.

Peter growls, "Maybe she needs more training."

"She does, don't worry about that," I say dismissively. I can't let him take an interest in my Nelly. I place my hand on her hip. She immediately turns her neck to me, allowing me access to that beautiful neck. I lick down it and find the spot I want and sink my teeth in and suck. God her blood is so damn sweet. She grips the arms of the chair. When I finish, I lick the spot to soothe it and pull her back into me. “Good girl.”

Nelly purrs, “Thank you, Master.” I smile at her. The room goes back to our conversation about this supposed army. Another hour and she taps my wrist. She is careful as she gets off my lap and keeps her head down as she leaves the room. Brandon is waiting outside to escort her.

Peter asks, “Your pet? Where did you find her?”

“One of the towns. Why?” I can't stand the fact that he's snooping around. If he finds out who she is, I'm worried he'll want her six feet under. I've started to appreciate her presence lately.

As I hear the door creak open, she plops back down on my lap and slyly murmurs, "His intel is garbage." I nod. Okay. How does she know this? I know she hasn't been in contact with any rebels since she has been my pet, unless I have a rat.

“Okay, are we done yet?  I need to be buried inside my pet here. This has been a lot of info to process and we need time to think,” I say. I feel her tense in my arms. I rub her legs and she relaxes.

Peter nods, “Yes, I'm done. So what do we do about this army?”

“I say we send scouts out and see how quickly they are advancing,” I suggest. Everyone agrees, and we decide to reconvene in two days. We rise from our seats, and I casually drape my arm around Nelly. I catch her stealing a glance at Tara, and they exchange a knowing look. Oh, they're definitely up to something. They better talk when we're back in our rooms.

Peter smirks, "She's a real looker, Vincent." He playfully lifts her chin with his finger, coaxing her to meet his gaze. She keeps her eyes lowered, but he demands, "Look at me." I give her a subtle nod of encouragement. She finally raises her eyes to meet his, and I can practically see the flames burning in her gaze as she silently challenges him. It takes all my willpower not to snatch his finger away from her.

"She looks familiar. Where are you from?" Peter inquires.

"Fulton, sir," Nelly quickly responds.

Peter scratches his head, "Hmm..."

"If you will excuse us, I want to go play with my pet. Are you ready, pet?" I ask.

Nelly nods, "Yes, Master."

We stroll out and make our way to the bedrooms. Alec and I intercept the girls. "Ok, spill," Alec demands.

"You two are hiding something," I accuse.

"Uhhh....." Nelly stalls.

Tara confesses, "Listen, we can confirm there is an army."

Nelly nods, "But not the number."

"You do realize we will extract the information from you," I warn.

Alec chimes in, "So you can tell us, or we'll torture you to get it. The choice is yours."

"They don't know, but I do," Brandon interjects.

I shoot them a glare as my patience wears thin. "Well?"

"You do realize we are rebels, right?" Brandon retorts.

Alec nods, "Yes, but you aren't exactly in a position to fight."

Nelly lets out an exasperated sigh. "Ugh. Fine! There is one guy no one knows who he is, not even those of us close in the Resistance. The army is closer to 500. Peter's guy can't count."