Bad Devotion: The Hellborn Series, #6

By Sammantha Saffell

Eight months after the murder of Hugo, Savannah is beginning to find her way as Queen of the Black Grove Clan until Sergeant Marcus Cain calls, begging for her help with a case.  A young female vampire has shown up at the police station with claims that she has been part of a cult for the last several years and within the last year has been assaulted in more than one way.  As much as Savannah wants to say no to Cain, she can't.  For her clan's safety and the safety of this female, she is pulled into more than she could have imagined.  The further she dives into this case, the more she discovers there are other forces at work who are trying to destroy her and everyone she loves. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sammantha Saffell
• Release date: Aug 27, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201558000

Sammantha Saffell

Sammantha Saffell is the writer of The Hellborn Series.  Most of her days, she spends working with Savannah to create the hellborn world.  When she is not busy talking to her characters, you can find Sammantha with her spending her days having fun with the love of her life and her kids.  

Book preview

Chapter One

There are times in life where eight months can feel like an eternity.  It feels as if time stops moving all together as you wait for things to change or something to happen.  There are other moments in life where eight months seems to fly by. Those are the moments when you have less time to process everything that is happening.  The last eight months of my life have been non-stop movement as if time seemed to be slipping away from us. 

Hugo’s death meant little to what was already set in motion.  Santiago and I took our place as the head of the Black Grove Clan.  That meant I had to learn how to lead.  Being a leader was more than setting a standard for behavior among your clan members.  It was showing that you met those same standards, that they mattered, and if individuals wanted to test your boundaries, you had to show them what the consequences were.  For the first three months, some of Dante’s members tried to spread doubt among the clan.  They tried to challenge high ranking members of the clan for their positions.  To say they failed to win would be an understatement.  They were beaten and removed from our territory.  There was a part of me that wanted to ensure they couldn’t go back to Dante.  The less vampires he had to back him. the better.  The beating and removal from our territory wasn’t enough to discourage  the others.  They tested our authority as well.  Those individuals were met with hostility among the members of our clan who were loyal to us, which was the majority of the vampires.  There were a few on the fence as to who they should back.  Some believed that Dante was the rightful leader because of being mated to Hugo.  The issue with that argument was that Hugo had already released his seat to me and Santiago when he died.  Dante had no legal ground to stand on.  Others were unsure who to believe and sat watching as fights broke out and rumors were spread.  One by one, Dante’s supporters were forced out, making the uncertain individuals make a choice.  Were they going to leave our territory or side with us?  Many chose Santiago and me but there were some that picked Dante.  Within three months, we had weeded out those that were Dante’s followers.  Those months were the most difficult because it felt as if there was instability.  As we forced those who chose Dante over us, we were forced to take a vote.  Our war counsel met at our home and a discussion began.  I voted to kill every one of them but as always Santiago was the voice of reason saying we could not kill them.  It was not the way to handle those who made the decision to believe Dante.  If we killed them, it would send a message to those who were not sure who to side with.  Santiago had a point, even if it pained me to watch them so easily go join their master.  I turned the tables saying we should question each individual as to where Dante was.  Liam agreed with it as did Kabel.  Santiago felt there were too many to question and we didn’t have the time to do so.  I conceded to that and said it would be only the individuals who were trying to destabilize our clan.  The council agreed that it was acceptable. 

The night Dante killed Hugo was the night he also disappeared.  Santiago and I had both made calls to friends in other cities and states looking for the piece of shit but no one had heard or seen him.  I was confident he couldn’t go far on his own.  Dante wouldn’t be on his own.  I knew his past and Ethan’s past.  The two would help one another until Ethan grew tired of his cousin.  When that happened, I was pretty sure Ethan would kill Dante for fun.  For now, the two males needed one another and they would continue to use each other.  The bad news for Dante was Ethan was smarter and a hell of a lot more dangerous than Dante would ever be.  Dante’s ego would be his downfall, which had been what Ethan had predicted three ago in Tommy’s diner. 

Being the new queen of the clan meant I was also no longer a hunter.  Okay, technically I quit before I became queen, but the end result was the same.  I was no longer a hunter, which meant I needed time to adjust to my new role.  When I made the decision to not fight my suspension, it had brought me peace of mind for about two weeks.  Then the reality set in and I panicked.  I had always seen myself as a hunter.  It was who I was.  It was what I had spent most of my adult life doing.  What I had learned over the last eight months was that I was more than my profession.  Hell, I was now responsible for more than just myself or my mate. I was now responsible for everyone in my clan.

As for my business, I was still part owner for now.  I was more of a silent partner or would be once Meri and Watts were back to work.  Meri was learning to live life as just her.  She had spent the last eight months just as any new born would, feeding regularly until she could learn to control it.  It was as if she went through a new transition in some ways.  The difference between the transition from human to vampire is it had been less traumatic than the transition from dying to living again.  Her grief was still there as she learned what it meant to be single once more.  She didn’t talk about Duncan as much.  The pain was slowly lessening and eventually she purchased a bed.  Terry stayed by her side most days and from time to time I would catch her laughing with him or just enjoying some conversation the two of them were having.  There was a subtle shift that was happening with Meri, one that seemed to be erasing the damage that had been done.  The problem was I wasn’t sure if she was really healing or just a tipping point before it turned bad once more.  Meri brought up a few times going back to work but I told her to take her time, that healing would take time.  The truth was I didn’t know if she could handle being a hunter anymore. 

Watts, like Meri, was also on his way to being able to go back to work.  Mind you he still had at least another six months before he would be ready to work.  Kabel being his creator had been a good thing or at least I thought so at the time when his transition happened.  Kabel had better control than most vampires and he didn’t just feed off any human.  He had his picks that he fed from regularly.  He was also a male who wouldn’t feed off what most in the hellborn community called blood whores.  Staying in control of his thirst is something Kabel took very seriously, which was probably the only thing he took seriously in life.  The issue was Watts was to be mated to Ainsley and as a female you never wanted to watch your male taking from a woman.  Ainsley was an understanding female.  She accepted with grace who Watts was.  She accepted how his change happened, but that understanding only went so far.  Within the first week of Watts being a vampire, Ainsley was demanding to take over Watts’ training and wouldn’t allow Kabel to even enter her home.  Santiago had to step in as Ainsley lost her temper and began to scream at Kabel.  He was Watts’ creator and it was his responsibility to show Watts how to be a law abiding vampire.  It took weeks for Santiago to find a compromise between the two vampires while Watts was caught in the middle.  I understood Ainsley’s anger at the situation.  I would lose it if my mate had to feed from human women instead of from me.  Luckily for me, being a hybrid has meant I could feed Santiago and did not require regular feeding unless I was seriously injured.  I also understood Watts needed to feed and that would mean he would have to find a human to do so, just as Ainsley had to.  I guess it was different when it was always in your face.  Watts was learning how to control his hunger and his emotions.  With being a hunter, things happen that cause not only adrenaline but strong emotions.  For a newborn, that could create a blood lust situation, which would create chaos for anyone in the vicinity.  As one of the owners, I couldn’t have Watts losing his shit in front of hellborns and humans alike. 

On top of everything else that was happening, Santiago and I were in the process of picking our second of command.  Truthfully, Santiago had chosen his second.  Cristian had been working with Santiago for the last few years.  He knew the ins and outs of all of the businesses.  He understood what would be required and had proven he could be trusted.  I, on the other hand, was still on the fence of who to choose. 

In my head, I had three options.  The first option would be Meri.  She and I understood how one another worked.  We had been partners for years so I knew I could trust her and she had my back.  The problem I saw with picking Meri was she wasn’t ready for that responsibility and I didn’t know when she would be.  She would never be who she once was.  She had to find her new normal. Being my second would mean she would have to handle serious issues within the clan.  She would have to be able to make judgment calls if I couldn’t because I was dead or injured.  Whether any of us liked to admit it, we had a war coming and that war was going to get bloody.  Hell, it had already started and Duncan was the first casualty.  There was no way she could be ready for that nor was I sure she could make an impartial decision.  I knew in her place I couldn’t.  I would want blood.  I would want to take Dante apart piece by piece.  That desire would lead to poor decisions. 

My next choice was Kabel.  Kabel had been working with me for the last two years.  He was trustworthy and could make decisions when necessary.  He understood how I worked and could even anticipate my moves.  It made us good partners.  The issue I had with picking Kabel was his personality.  Yes, he could be serious, but most of the time he wasn’t.  Most saw the male who knew how to charm humans and hellborns.  Could anyone take him seriously?  The better question was would anyone take him seriously?  I didn’t know if they would.  It would make things more difficult for Santiago and me.  There was also the fact that Kabel rarely made the decisions. He would give his opinion but only when he felt he was backed into a corner.  He tended to look to others to lead.  I loved the male and I knew he had my back and always would but I needed someone who was levelheaded and willing to fight with me if needed.  I needed someone who could make a decision without second guessing anything. 

The last option was Liam.  I loved Liam and knew I could trust him.  He was a good male to have on your side.  He knew how to make decisions in difficult situations and many respected him.  My concern was what would happen with him after Rose came back.  A few months ago Liam’s past walked into our lives.  Rose was the love of Liam’s life and a female that brought more than her damaged self into our lives.  She also brought her ex, Thomas, who was hired to kill us for Dante and wanted her dead as well.  Santiago and I had ensured we found a place where she could hide until Thomas was dead.  There was a part of me that feared what would happen once the male was dead.  Would Liam leave with Rose?  Would Rose even want to come back to Sweetclover?  I wouldn’t force Liam to choose between Rose and our clan. 

In my head there were no other options to choose from.  Ainsley could be but she and I had never worked together.  I wanted someone who knew me.  There was also Francisca but she didn’t feel like the right choice either.  Tony could do it but as much as I loved Tony he was more of a follower than an actual leader.  What was a female to do?

I had a decision to make and at this point was unsure I knew what the right choice was..  All I could do was hope I decided sooner rather than later.  I needed to ensure my clan was safe if Dante got lucky enough and killed both Santiago and I.  The only way to protect everyone was to pick a second.

You would think being queen would be more glamorous but it isn’t.  Not only did I have to worry about assaination attempts, who would be my second in command, and the war we were facing, but I also had to deal with meetings day in and day out about bullshit that most days I didn’t care about. 

Today, Santiago and I were in the process of looking for a new location for the clan to set up at.  Obsidian was a great business investment but it was not what I wanted as our headquarters.  It was too large of a target for Dante to hit and there was the issue that he knew every inch of the place.  If he attacked the club, it would mean loss of life and income.  We had other businesses but Obsidian was our biggest money maker.  We needed to move away from the club and make it just one of our businesses.  I had been in many of these meetings with Cristian and my mate over the last several weeks and all I could say were they were more mind numbing than anything else I had ever experienced in my life.  The first several meetings were about buildings we had the option of buying.  We looked at several within The Gallery and outside of The Gallery.  We talked about the pros and cons of all the locations, settling on two buildings that sat side by side within The Gallery.  They were both stores that had gone out of business within the last year and they were small but the plan was to create one large space.  The next meeting was about what business to open in the space.  I felt it was better just to open the space as an office.  We could work out of the place like any other business owners but Cristian was wanting the space to turn a profit.  We had been having the same discussion for weeks and when I say discussions what I actually mean is arguing.

Today’s meeting was just as the others had been.  I was sitting on the sofa as Cristian went over a business plan for a small restaurant that would serve breakfast and lunch.  I had already said no to this because of Tommy.  I would not build a business that would be his competition.  Cristian felt I was being ridiculous about it and I felt he was not listening to anything I had to say.  I liked Cristian. He was a loyal male who always had Santiago’s back.  He had a good head for business, which made Santiago’s and my life easier.  The issue I had was that he had a tendency to default to Santiago, ignoring what I said.  I was listening to his pitch only because my mate asked me to before I said no.  I thought it was cruel to waste Cristian's time when I was going to say no to the idea anyway but I went along with it. 

Cristian was just getting to how quickly we would turn a profit when my phone rang.  I looked at the screen seeing Cain’s name pop up.  Cain and I were still friends and in contact with one another despite what Ryan wanted.  The fact that Cain was calling me in the middle of the day was strange.  I answered the call, interrupting Cristian’s pitch. 

De los Rios.

You have no idea how good it is to hear that, I could hear the tightness in Cain’s voice. 

What’s going on, Cain?

I need you for a case.

I paused before I said anything else.  The part of me that missed the thrill of the chase was calling for me to go.  The queen I was becoming said don’t do it. 

As you recall Cain, I’m not in that business anymore.

I need you on this one.  Please.

Cain said please as often as I did.

Ryan has asked for a review of my license, Cain.  If I do this, it could cause more problems than I’m worth to you.

There was a pause.

Ryan has been put on administrative leave so his case against you has been dropped.  Your license is still good and I need you.

Cain, I... was as far as I got.

I have a victim who just walked into the station wanting file a claim against a group for rape and a slew of other charges.  She says the group is a vampire cult made up of humans and vampires

You mean a vampire clan?

No.  I mean a cult.  She sounds like something you would hear on 20/20.  I need you on this one.

I looked at my mate.

"I’ll be there in about forty minutes. 

Thank you De los Ríos.

Yeah, no problem..

I hung up and looked at my mate. 

I have to go help Cain on a case.

What about the Lieutenant? Santiago asked calmly but I could feel his nervousness as he sat at his desk. 

Ryan’s case against me has been dismissed because he has been placed on administrative leave.  Cain has a victim who claims she was assaulted sexually and physically by a vampire cult.

He must have meant a clan, Mi Amor, Santiago tried to reason with me.

No, he meant a cult.  The victim was branded by this cult.  I’m still an active hunter according to the police department which means I can do this legally.

I looked at Santiago, who nodded his head.  He understood if this was a vampire cult working in our city that meant it was not just law enforcements’ problem but ours as well.  We needed to know all we could about what was happening.  I stood up as Santiago crossed the room.  He kissed me on the lips quickly. 

Be safe Mi Amor.

Always, my love.

"Savannah, you can’t do this,’ Cristian chimed in.

I looked at the male for a brief moment and snickered. 

Yes I can. I said as I moved towards the door. 

As a leader of this clan, it would look very bad if you did this.  Hellborns would question where your loyalty stands, not to mention our clan would question if you would use the law against them, Cristian argued. 

There is a possible vampire cult harming individuals within our city.  As a member of the hellborn community and a leader of this clan, it would look bad if I said no, I walked towards the door and stopped as I opened it.  Also, I have heard all of those excuses and accusations before and I don’t really give a shit about them.  Oh, and it's still a no on this business idea.

I left before Cristian could tell me all the reasons this was a bad idea.  I had work to do.

Chapter Two

The drive to the station felt as it always did.  It felt good to be doing something that made a difference in the world.  Being queen of the Black Grove Clan was important.  I had the responsibility of not only ensuring my clan was safe but my city as well from other clans and hellborns who would want to take control of it from us.  In some ways, being Queen wasn’t much different than being a hunter. 

The issue was, most of what we were doing at this point was political or business related. Business deals were dull to me and served little purpose in my life until now.  I understood we needed to grow our business portfolio and we needed to find a new business that would work as our headquarters but it didn’t need to be a fight or a string of constant meetings.  The wheeling and dealing to ensure you had strong relationships with other hellborns within our city and clans outside of our city seemed ridiculous.  We were in talks with multiple groups to create treaties.  We had meetings with business owners to reassure them that we had their best interest at heart.  For some hellborns, they wanted our help to ensure that they would be protected if Dante made a move to take the city.  Others wanted us to prove we had their best interest in mind and wanted to know how we were going to help them grow their business.  I understood it was how things were done, but it didn’t mean I had to enjoy it.  There were niceties and meetings with hellborns and humans you would never want to spend time with.  There was smiling and laughing at ridiculous jokes in order to make nice with assholes, which was exhausting.  It was also a bit on the dirty side of the world we lived in or at least that was how it felt to me. 

As a hunter, I dealt with politics in limited amounts.  When I was a hunter, most days felt like I was making a difference.  I was protecting others from being harmed by shitheads who thought they could do what they wanted.  Being queen felt that way but only to a point.

Driving to the police station I could feel the adrenaline as it began to course through my veins.  It was something I had been missing for months. 

Kabel and I walked into the station side by side, passing the front desk as if we hadn’t been away for the last eight months.  The front desk clerk eyed us but said nothing.  The smell of donuts, coffee, and criminals filled my senses.  There were cops and civilians working on computers, phones ringing, even some yelling.  Gods above I missed the hell out of this.  Cain was at his desk on the phone as he read something in front of him. 

Yes sir.  There was a pause in the conversation.  I know what the Lieutenant believed but I don’t agree with him.  I believe we need her experience on this one.  There was another pause.  I understand her new position within the clan but De los Rios has never been anything but professional with how she handles cases for us.  There is no reason to believe she would now.  Cain looked at me as he waited another almost full minute.  Thank you, sir.

I take it the upper brass were questioning if I was still needed around here?

Ryan was campaigning against you for months.  They really weren’t questioning how you do the job, more playing politics than anything.

It didn’t really surprise me that Ryan had been campaigning to have my contract ended with the police department.  Our last encounter had been after we saved Cissy from gypsies while we killed everyone of them with the pack as our backup.  We had been on pack land at the time and I was working as part of my clan not as a hunter.  The fact that I had acted as part of my clan seemed to not faze Ryan.  He knew about Cissy being taken because she had called 9-1-1. Two officers had been bespelled by Cissy as she tried to get help.  I helped the officers but it came at a price that I had to tell Ryan what was happening.  Cissy had opened the door when she called for help.  I threw it the fuck open out of necessity.  When we acted against the gypsies, Ryan felt we should be prosecuted.  Unfortunately, the law did not agree with him and neither did the powers that be. 

That’s not what it sounded like, Kabel chimed in. 

I just had to give the reasons.  They already knew why you guys are the right choice.  That way, they’re protected if you fuck up.  So don’t fuck up.

Wow Cain, the confidence you’re showing in us is touching, I replied sarcastically.

I know how good you are and how full of shit right Ryan is right now.  He doesn’t remember all the times you saved his ass.

Speaking of the good lieutenant, why is he suspended? I inquired. 

That’s a discussion for another time.  I looked at Cain, wanting to know what was going on.  I could smell anger but also sadness as he met my stare. 

Let’s interview this witness and then you can tell us what happened with Ryan when we’re finished, I said as Cain stood up and began to collect a few things from his desk. 

Cain stood up and started walking to the interview room. 

I need to know if this female is legit in her claims or if she’s making it up.

Have you already interviewed her? I asked. 

I had McMurray do an initial interview.  It was enough to get information from her before I called you.  I will say her claims seem out there.

McMurray is working with HCU now? Kabel asked.

Benjamin McMurray had been one of the officers that had been bespelled by Cissy when she had been taken.  She had been desperate to get away from her kidnappers and had used a spell that she had hoped would help us find her.  The problem was it did more harm than help.  McMurray had tried to help Cissy but his partner Houston had made it clear he didn’t care about her because of what she was.  It led to a mess for the department.  Houston was forced to retire when the hellborn community demanded that he be held responsible for his failure to help a hellborn victim.  McMurray was forced to testify in front of a police and community panel.

It was part of the fallout from the Houston situation.  Some officers felt he didn’t walk the blue line for his brother, Cain answered.  To say there has been a lack of trust in this building is an understatement.

I shook my head.

McMurray does the right thing and his career is now stalled forever, I said with disgust.

You know how this goes, De los Rios. The blue line is supposed to be a brotherhood.  Once someone steps up and speaks against another brother; it makes both of them dirty.

And it’s not right that Houston’s fat ass gets to ruin McMurray’s career.

I agree, but it’s the way of the world.  Cain began to walk towards the interview room.  Now, can we get started with our witness? Her story is pretty bad.

What do you mean? I asked. 

We all have heard the horror stories about people falling for cults, but in every case the authorities had already started looking into these groups.  This supposed cult this female is part of, or was, could not have functioned without someone knowing about it.

Are you sure about that? Kabel asked.

I looked at the male as he looked at the human.  There was something dark in his stare as he spoke up. 

Supposedly, this is a cult made up of vampires and humans.  It started in Bear and has moved to other cities.  They started moving here about a year or so ago.  Have you guys heard of anything? Cain questioned. 

What’s the name of the cult? Kabel asked. 

Síoraí, Cain answered. 

Interesting name.  Did she say what it means? I added. 

It means eternal life, Kabel answered darkly. 

I looked at the male I considered my brother and could see pain in his face.

Have you heard of them? I questioned the male.

I’ve heard of a group that went by the same name almost two hundred years ago but it died out shortly after it started.

Kabel’s eyes were usually bright with laughter.  As he spoke, I could see the light fading slowly out of those eyes.  The smell of sorrow ate away his scent.  I wanted to ask him what he knew about the group, but something held me from asking Kabel anything else.  I turned my attention to Cain. 

Let’s go talk to her and see what she can tell us.

She’s inside interview room one.  I don’t think all of us should go in right away, I...

I’ll watch from the observation room, Kabel offered.

Okay..  I turned back to Cain who was looking at the bigger male, concern etched on his face.  Let’s go, Cain.

Kabel pushed past us and turned into the observation room.  Cain and I watched as Kabel walked away.  His hands in his pockets, head low. 

Is he okay? Cain asked me. 

I don’t know, I answered honestly. 

We looked at one another for a brief moment before we headed down the hall.  Cain opened the door to the interview room.  The room was as it had been the last time I had been in here.  It was a gray room with two cameras set up on each side of the room.  A metal table was set up with three chairs, two on one side and one on the other.  The table was bolted to the floor.  There was a small steel ring in the middle of the table for suspects to be cuffed to.  Sitting on one side of the table was a female who had a long, thin frame.  From her small breast to her waist, there was no true curve to her body.  She had dark brown hair almost black in color.  Her eyes were almost an aqua color making her hair almost seem darker on her pale skin. 

I walked into the room, taking a seat across from her. 

I’m Savannah...

I know who you are, she said as she looked at me.  I could see the pain the female was in. 

I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions.?

First let me ask you, are you here as a hunter or a Queen?  The female asked.

As a hunter.  Why?

Because what I am about to tell you could be seen as an aggressive move against your clan.  I don’t wish to challenge your clan nor lose my life due to a misunderstanding on my part.

The female’s statement made my stomach tightened at her words.

I’m here as a hunter.  I can assure you I will not harm you in any way no matter what you say to me today.

The female smiled sadly at me before she looked down at the table.  Shame was clear in her behavior. 

I want to believe you but I’m not sure I can.  You don’t know what’s been done so you really can’t make that assurance.  I also don’t see any other way of stopping Timothy.

How about we start with your name, I suggested. 

Sepheria Steel.

Sepheria, I understand you are filing a complaint against a cult that has come to Sweetclover.

Yes.

According to Sergeant Cain, the name of the cult is Síoraí.

That’s correct.

Tell me about Síoraí, I prompted Sepheria.

Sepheria took a deep breath. 

I don’t know where to start.

Let’s start with the basis of the cult.

Síoraí was created to bring humans and vampires together as a community.  Our goal was to find common ground and build a community based on living and loving one another, Sepheria explained. 

How do you do that?

It starts with understanding how one another lives and the challenges they face.  Each new member is required to complete classes in order to continue in the organization and throughout your journey to a better life.

What type of classes? I asked.

Sepheria shook her head.  There are classes at different levels depending on your journey."

I thought for a moment how to proceed. 

"Okay let’s start where all members start.

Level one, when you join Síorai, is called Prospect.  You have ten classes that you must complete.  The classes range from dealing with your bias towards the hellborn or humans, looking at your shortcomings, and what holds you back.  For most of us, our fear holds us back, which is when you know to keep going.  Fear moves individuals forward.  The classes talk about not getting too comfortable in life, otherwise you become complacent, which means you are not growing, learning, or making life better for others, Sepheria stopped speaking.  I watched as she looked down at her hands in her lap once more. 

Do prospects pay to take these classes?

They pay twenty-five hundred dollars in order to join and take our classes.

Once they have paid for them and completed the classes, then what happens? I asked. 

They become an Apprentice.

What does the apprentice do?

You have more classes with other members.  You go to meet and greets, many of them are meeting higher ranking members.  The main goal is to learn how to recruit and serve a greater purpose than yourself.

From the sound of the first two levels, they were laying the groundwork for brainwashing, which was typical for cults. 

Do apprentices pay for these classes as well? Cain asked.

Yes. It is required that we invest in our education.  It shows we want to be different than we have been, Sepheria explained.

How much does it cost? I asked.

"The apprentice classes are three thousand dollars.  There are a total of fifteen classes that you attend with high ranking members teaching them. 

What are the meet and greets for? I questioned her.

"They are for you to bring in potential prospects and for us to network with one another.  It is also used for apprentices to learn what they can do within the organization. 

What do you mean? I asked.

"For some who move up in the ranks, they can start community centers, or establish a new chapter for the group.  There is also the option of working in different chapters as well. 

How many levels are there in Síoraí? Cain inquired. 

Seven all of them under Timothy.

Seven?  I was going to have to do research on Síorai on my own.  I was not going to make her go through each level with me or we would be here all damn day. 

You’ve mentioned Timothy a few times now.  Who is Timothy? I asked.

Timothy is the founder of the group.  He is a vampire who has lived for three hundred years all across the U.S.  He has multiple degrees from psychology to business and the one who has made the group into what it is, Sepheria answered.  I could hear the defiance in her voice. 

Is he the only leader?

There is usually a group of leadership that helps Timothy lead our group.  It was a panel of ten vampires and humans but no one has seen them in the past year or more.  There are two males now under him who help run things.  From what we have been told, the males were his first vampires who helped him create the organization.  I could hear the uncertainty in her voice.  The scent that rolled off Sepheria was one of pain. 

What are their names? I asked

Daniel and Killian.  Both males help create policies for members and are in charge of the subgroup within the organization.

What subgroup? Cain asked.

The group is made up of females who are picked by the two males.  It’s called Deabhóid.  Timothy and his new mate Lisa are the leaders of the group.  The females and women are those that have reached a certain level within the organization but have stalled in growth.  The males are mentors to these women and females or that was what we were told.

It sounds as if you don’t believe that.  I said nothing else and waited for Sepheria to say something.  The female looked down as she began to cry.  The pain she was in was almost unbearable.  The taste of winter rain was surrounding us.  I could feel as the muscles in my chest began to constrict with the pain she was in.  Do you want to take a break? I offered Sepheria.

No.  I’m okay, she wiped away her tears. 

Are you sure?

Yeah. Sepheria cleared her throat before she spoke.  "The real purpose of the women is for them to have someone to feed on.  For the females, we are slaves to them.  It starts out with all of us having meetings with either Daniel or Killian.  The meetings are only three or four of us at a time.  We meet a few times a week to figure out how we push for more growth.  Eventually, we start feeding them and that turns into sex, or at least that’s what I think happens.  I don’t remember a lot from most of the