Death in the Shadows - 33. Chapter 33: Final Face-off

Numb, Vincent absent-mindedly followed Raul into Yakob's chambers. The leader of the monastery laid on the bed, and Vincent could see and feel his condition. His shadow's a little smaller, and he has more wrinkles. What the hell happened? "Yakob?"

The frail man slowly craned his neck and smiled when he looked at him. "Vincent. It's good to s—"

Yakob coughed violently. Rushing, Raul grabbed a tray on the end table and brought it. "Master, please don't use your voice."

As his teacher sipped on a steamy mug, Vincent struggled to understand what happened in the day-long span. He was just fine yesterday. "Raul?"

The big man sighed. "When you left, he retired to his chambers. I checked on him an hour later, a-and I felt his magic dwindle. It's…"

Raul choked. He sobbed when Yakob gingerly laid a hand on his. There was a brief moment when the two looked at each other. "Yes, Master. I'll be back shortly with medicine."

When the bulky monk left the room, Yakob's weak voice whispered in Vincent's mind, Come.

His legs moved on autopilot. Taking Raul's seat, Vincent felt it. Your magic! It's—

Almost gone. I am using what I have left to speak to you, my pupil.

Gripping the sheet, Vincent teared up. His wolf was watching, but from a corner in his subconscious. "What… Why's your magic going away?"

Yakob breathed heavily, a wheeze coming from his throat. When one uses their magic, it takes its toll. I have used mine for decades, training those with an affinity deemed to be evil. When I first met you, I knew you shared my ideals. Wheezing again, the monk's cold hand held Vincent's. Just like your mother.

Time halted. Vincent's heart plummeted. "Wha…"

Yakob grimaced as he clenched Vincent's palm. When we met, I asked for your name.

The silo. Remembering the awkward and uneasy introduction, he recalled the memory. You recognized my name. Y‐you knew my mom?

She was my pupil.

His tears fell freely. My m-mom? She was a shadow mage?

And a fine one. She controlled her magic with such grace and elegance. I never felt an ounce of anger inside her.

Yakob coughed. A drop of blood coated part of his lip. As much as he wanted to hear more, Vincent scooted closer and returned Yakob's hand to the man's side. "Stay still. Just rest, okay? Focus on building up your energy."

I've tried, Vincent.

I can't accept that. Vincent hastily removed his shoe and rolled his bracelet off. Slipping it on Yakob's thin wrist, he ordered, "Take from it. I'll keep filling it if I have—"

"Vincent," Yakob croaked.

He saw his teacher remove the jewelry. I have lived my life, and I don't think your mother would approve.

Hearing the crackling voice, Vincent guessed there wasn't much time left. Gritting his teeth, he cried. N-no. I don't think so.

You remind me of her, Yakob whispered. I taught her when she was your age. You have her innocence. Remember that.

The monk took a few short breaths. In the darkness behind him, he felt several bodies appearing. Glancing, it was all of mages living in the monastery. Yakob looked at the small group. "Raul," he muttered, "carry on. Don't make a mess of my room."

Hearing a successor, Vincent turned to look at Raul. The man weakly nodded.

Returning to Yakob, the mentor's eyes were closed. Vincent watched his chest. It was dormant.

All of the monks' heads bowed, and a few sniffles could be heard. Vincent did his best to cry quietly. It's… Why? Why now? Why leave me now? Standing on wobbly legs, he scooted past the bodies. He stopped for a moment to touch Raul's shoulder, making the big guy sob harder. Unable to hold back much longer, Vincent fell in the shadows and ran home.

He found Mason in his office. Reappearing in the doorway, Vincent leaned on the frame.

"Vinnie!" Mason called out as he fumbled around the desk.

In his mate's arms, he cried.

***

The following day, Vincent, Mason, and Tierney met up in suits. "Are we ready?" asked Mason.

Vincent barely nodded. "Yeah." One after the other, he carried the alphas to the halfway-point on the mountain, waited for them to acclimate, then brought them to the monastery.

His mind was still reeling. Mom was a shadow mage. Yakob's gone. My mom was a freaking shadow mage! His hand was grabbed and held tightly. "Sorry."

"It'll be okay, Pup."

Mason had been his rock while he poured his emotions out. When the box of tissues ran dry, he got a roll of toilet paper. He even ordered pizza. Said 'pizza makes everything better.' It helped a bit. Tierney heard from Cyrus and asked to come along. He's known Yakob longer than any of us.

Raul came around the corner. "Vincent. Mr. Scott, you made it. Thank you."

Vincent nodded. "Of course. Raul, this is my mate, Mason."

The two exchanged greetings before Raul took them to the dining area. Feeling the shadows ahead, Vincent smiled meagerly. "Cy and Kap are here."

"He must've left early," said Tierney. They joined the panda and wolf as Cyrus sipped soup. "Bolted up here?"

Cyrus, uncharacteristically wearing a black suit, grumbled, but Vincent saw right through him. He's exhausted. "And you didn't take your time."

"Told you," Kaplan whispered to his mate.

"I said I'm fine, my pup. Just a bit of food and I'll be good as new."

Vincent slipped his shoe off and handed the bracelet to Cyrus. "Take as much as you need."

The bear hummed, and two of the beads changed from white to black. "Oh, that's better! Much better. Thank you, Vincent."

Rolling his jewelry back on, he started sending energy its way. "No problem. How're things with you guys?"

Kaplan shrugged. "Nothing much, honestly. Pack's being quiet. We have all of Snyder's displaced tenants into homes, and the VPN put him in a cozy cell."

Tierney scoffed. "Cell or dungeon?"

Cyrus raised an eyebrow, causing Tierney to laugh. "Archaic bastards."

There was a lull, so Cyrus turned to Vincent. "And how are things with the EC? Plenty of interesting trips?"

He and Kaplan shared a glance. When the beta nodded, Vincent sighed. "I'm guessing you had a hand in sending me to OLCP?"

Kaplan snapped and stared at the bear, to which Cyrus shook his head. "I had no paw in it. Where do you think I learned to be me?"

"Marlo?"

"A test, I wager. He knows how to push a button or two. Regardless, Kaplan and I will be going to Oglala in a few weeks."

Tierney crossed his arms. "You're trusting Alex to be by himself already?"

"He's my enforcer," retorted Cyrus with a smile. Kaplan was pulled closer to the bigger man. "I trust him with my life and everything in it. Besides, he's an eager beaver. Maybe an overabundance of responsibility will force him to slow down."

Mason snickered. "I should take notes."

Giggling, Cyrus leaned forward. "You could come and shadow me for a day, Mason. See what it's like to handle nearly ninety-thousand shifters."

When Mason blanched, Vincent pinched him. "C'mon, it'll be fun. What if Remis and the gang need to take a trip? You think Ty or Dad are going to do it?"

With raised eyebrows and a smirk, Tierney briefly shook his head. "Morr would throw a cast iron skillet."

As Mason begrudgingly agreed, Raul came to them. "It's time."

The world and its nuances became reality again. Getting up from the table, Vincent straightened his tie and jacket. Mason walked by his side as they went outside. When they were gusted by the frigid winds, a warmth surrounded them as Tierney stood in the middle. "Thanks, Ty," Vincent whispered.

They went to the side as the monks grouped in front of the pyre in two lines. Raul passed between them. At the bed, he slowly faced his peers. "My brothers and sisters. We gather to cherish the life of our leader. He has taught us and others how to use our gifts for the better. He has taught us and others to control ourselves for the sake of life around us. He has taught us and others to value what we are given every day.

"As a courtesy to our guests, please allow them to pay their respects."

The new leader stepped down, and Tierney led the way. Vincent stood behind Cyrus and Kaplan, but he rested a hand on the kindling as he listened to his friends. He understood their relationships with Yakob were more business, considering their position as Pack Alpha. But that changed, didn't it? Cyrus came to visit you, and I'm sure Ty made the trek a time or two at some point.

When it came time, Vincent stood at Yakob's hip. The monk was vastly different from the day they met. He took the wrinkled hand and held it. "Th—"

He stopped himself. No, you always preferred it this way. Thank you, for everything. You've taught me. You shared my ideals. I didn't know it until recently, but you helped my mom too.

When you said you had no fears, I doubted you. Everyone's afraid of something. I'm scared of losing Mace, and I'll do anything to prevent that. But then I watched you yesterday. You didn't fear death. It's inevitable, and you accepted it freely.

And I think that's where you lacked as a teacher. Placing Yakob's hand atop the other, Vincent bit back his tears. You need to have some humanity. Sure, death's coming for all of us, but you can't just ignore it altogether. If you serve a purpose, then death's your enemy. You fight it.

Vincent closed his eyes. He realized what he said. You're cheeky. You wanted me to figure that out, huh?

Watching the monk, he knew Yakob would give him a smile. Patting the twigs, he departed with Mason's hand on his back. Thanks, Yakob. A few seconds passed, and when there was no response in his mind, Vincent choked up.

The shifters regrouped. One by one, the monks passed by the pyre until the last one, Raul, stayed by his mentor's side. He grabbed a torch nearby. "With all respects given, we release you from this life's burdens and responsibilities. May the Seven deem you worthy of a peaceful and benefiting afterlife."

Lowering the flame, Raul lit the base and backed away. The flames burned slowly, but Vincent watched intently. Other than the crackling embers, all was silent. No one left until the body was engulfed.

Going inside, he reflected on his time with the teacher. Three of the monks offered to transport Cyrus, Kaplan, and Tierney home, leaving Vincent to carry Mason. Once home, the men headed straight for the bedroom.

Mason sat and unfastened his tie. "That was rough."

Vincent agreed but remained quiet. He only had one thing on his mind. Opening his sock drawer, he stared at the flip phone.

"Vincent," Mason whispered. The alpha was immediately at his side.

Swallowing hard, the mage picked it up. "It's time."

"We can wait."

Hearing the trepidation in his mate's voice, he wanted to listen and set it down. "No, I don't think so. I have no way of knowing for sure but I think I'm out of time."

Mason ushered him to the bed, never taking the phone from him. "What makes you say that?"

"I have nothing left to learn. Aliz said I can't wait my destiny out. If I stall, something might happen. Stefan… he could do something."

"I—" Mason stopped, only to hold Vincent tight. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Mace, I have to. I don't need someone else ending up like Terry."

The taller alpha glared at him. "I won't lose you."

"You're my destined. Nothing's gonna—"

"Dirk."

The mention of the bear shook Vincent. It was a valid point. The future was uncertain, but he remained positive. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise you." Unbuttoning his mate's shirt, Vincent kissed Mason.

They parted. Mason stared at him, and after blinking a few times, he sighed. "Okay, but I'm going with you. No chance in hell you're fighting him by yourself."

Vincent silently agreed. Palming the phone, he hesitated before opening it. Unlike before, Mason wasn't going to snatch it away. This is it, bud.

Call. We kill.

Following the menu, he found a singular contact. SG. He pressed the green call button, then turned on the speaker. No turning back.

The dial tone stopped and the click froze Vincent where he stood. His heart rate slowed to a crawl as Stefan's voice came over the line. "Little Vinnie."

Mason growled, "You do not call him that."

"Ah, how interesting. The alpha… I didn't expect a conversation with you. Is Vincent there?"

"Yeah," Vincent spoke up. "I'm ready."

"Already?" The snideness in Stefan's voice irritated him, but Vincent brushed it aside. "I'm assuming your boyfriend will watch?"

"I'll kill you myself if I have to," barked Mason.

Stefan's tongue clicked over the line. "Afraid that won't be happening. I just want Vincent. Now, a time and place."

Vincent saw the scowl on Mason, and after a deep breath, he answered, "Noon tomorrow. The plains west of Fort Smith, Montana."

"Isolated. I like it. Have you thought about this long?"

"For a few days."

The Italian chuckled. "I'll see you tomorrow… Little Vinnie."

Mason snarled as the line went dead. "What a fucking asshole!"

Rubbing the man's back, Vincent needed him calm. "Easy, big guy. He's doing that to rile you up."

"You're not fighting him alone."

"Mace, that's what he wants. To him, he's banking on you doing something that'll distract me."

The lycan huffed.

Vincent leaned on him. "The destiny was clear; I have to fight him, and having you fight with me might disturb the outcome. I'd…" Gritting his teeth, he clutched Mason's arm. "I wouldn't forgive myself if you got hurt."

The pair held each other. Mason broke the silence and whispered, "I see your point, but I'm going to be there for you, Pup. I… I don't think we should tell Mom and Dad though."

Looking at him, Vincent understood. "Yeah, Lei might not be able to stop himself."

The couple decided to go out for dinner at Biacci's. As luck would have it, the sun room was available and the two were escorted up the stairs. Walking through the ornate doors, Vincent smiled as he saw the circular table. Just like our first date.

Enamored by his mate's charm, Vincent felt like he was falling in love again with Mason. Seeing his warm smile… It's perfect. It gave him a subtle encouragement to give Stefan his all. No holding back. I'm going to win.

I have to.

***

Waking up the next morning, he wondered where Mason was. Sniffing, he found the answer. Padding barefoot into the kitchen, there was a plate with two enormous omelets. Judging from the scent, they were bound to be stuffed with cheese and sausage crumbles. Wiping the sand from his eyes, he hugged his husband. "You didn't have to—"

"Yes, I did," Mason answered with a kiss on Vincent's head. "Biscuits are done too. Jelly?"

"I'm grabbing apple. Want your usual?"

"You know it."

Retrieving the apple and strawberry from the fridge, he nabbed two biscuits for himself on the return trip to the island. Vincent felt determined, both him and his wolf. You ready, bud?

Yes. Born ready.

Remember the plan?

Yes. Not like, but see reason.

Once their food was finished off, Mason took Vincent's hand. "I've been thinking about this all night, Pup. You're gonna win. There's no doubt in my mind."

"Same here." The consequences of losing weighed on his mind. "There's too much riding on this."

Mason smiled. "Let's forget about all that for a minute." Rising, he led Vincent towards the bedroom. "Right now, I need my mate."

Melding into the strong arms, Vincent closed his eyes as Mason kissed him. Their tongues danced with a fiery passion. Backing up to the bed, Vincent slipped his underwear off as Mason took off his t-shirt. Once they were naked, they climbed on the bed, writhing against one another.

When Mason sucked on his mark, Vincent moaned. He clawed the alpha's back, causing harder suction. "Fuck me," he whimpered.

Mason gripped the tender skin between his teeth and growled. He waddled backward and pushed Vincent's knees into the mattress, then dove at his puckered hole. Being lashed and prodded by the slippery organ, Vincent begged and pleaded for more. His wishes were granted as Mason leaned to the side and grabbed the lube. "Love it when you beg, Pup."

A slick finger entered him, but Vincent couldn't stand it any longer. "Stick it in. Need you."

Mason smirked as he stroked himself. "Tell me you want it."

Biting his lip seductively, he sent power to his eyes. "I want you."

Responding with his golden irises, Mason rumbled. "Who's your alpha?"

"You're my alpha."

The slow burn as Mason entered him was electrifying. Their hips met, and Vincent slapped Mason's ass. "Take me."

Every pump echoed in the room as skin slapped skin. The love coursing through their bond fueled the men. Pecs were grabbed, nipples were tweaked, and earlobes were nibbled. The couple changed their positions every few minutes. With his face buried in a pillow, Vincent's moans were muffled as Mason relentlessly pounded him. After their first climax, Mason growled, claiming he wasn't done. Picking up the smaller man, he carried Vincent to a wall. As his shoulder blades were pressed against the drywall, Vincent cherished every impaling. He knew he was leaking onto the carpet as his first load was drying on his stomach, and had no cares.

"C-close!" Vincent cried out.

Set on the bed's edge, Mason gripped the mage's thighs. "That's it," he huffed. "Take my load, Vinnie."

One of Mason's hands landed next to Vincent's head as he ground into his hole. Both men shot as they kissed and breathed into each other's mouths. Feeling spent, Vincent grazed his mate's furry chest. Underneath the hair, Mason was glistening with sweat. Sh-shit! That's… "Mace," he squeaked, "that was some good fuckin'."

Mason dipped his head and chuckled. "That was some good fuckin', and it'll be good fuckin' when we come home."

Feeling the cock slide out, Vincent doubted he could put any pressure on his legs. Rolling over, he nestled himself in Mason's arms. "I feel like a leaky volcano."

Hearing his mate laugh warmed him. Yeah. When we get home…

***

Glancing at the full bracelet, Vincent sighed. It's time.

Mason kneaded the mage's shoulder. Signing with a nod, Vincent took him into the shadows and headed northwest. Landing in a clearing, he released his magic. He checked his watch. A few minutes early. Guess we'll—

An incoming shadow alerted him. Turning, he saw Stefan. Garbed in a black trench coat, the man's smile felt sinister. "I thought it would be just us, Vincent."

Holding Mason's hand, Vincent's grip tightened. "Moral support."

The Italian shrugged. "Very well. Such a beautiful day, wouldn't you say?"

It was true. The sun was high above their heads, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. There's even a small breeze. "Yeah, I guess so."

Stefan pocketed his hands. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry it has come to this. I was misled a long time ago, and it led to where we are."

Vincent could smell the honesty. "I believe you, but there's some things I can't forgive. Regardless if they were my parents, killing's wrong."

"Understandable. Well, shall we get started?"

Licking his lips, Vincent took a deep breath. His parents' murderer stood a few yards away from him. Every second passed like a year. Standing his ground, the alpha crossed his arms. "No, I'm nowhere near ready."