Chapter 76 - The first son

**Ambrogio’s pov**

I’m sitting in Duncans room. It has been cleaned and aired out and all signs that my son lay old, sick and died here are gone. All his belongings is still there, I’m not ready to bury him completely yet..this way it feels a bit like he’s still around. I wonder if she remembers him..Zandra..he was from her village. His story was not unlike my own. An unrequited love, his people who turned their backs on him because he was wired differently..On his dresser is an old photograph, it is faded by time but I can still make out the two men and the emotions in their eyes. I travel back to the memories of when I first got to know him.

I had just slaughtered most of Zandra’s village. I stood drenched in blood in a small square and gave my speech where I offered the survivors a choice. Follow me or die with your people.. A young man, unfazed by the carnage around him was the first to emerge. Without saying a word, he kneeled before me. I was confused at first, this was not what I had expected. When he gets up again, he stands by my side, like a faithful soldier next to his general. One by one the rest of the survivors followed him but none with the same devotion or determination he had in his eyes.
The next night, after I felt the spell kick in and the stone form around my heart, I was in my tent, I felt cold and hard inside..the emotional turmoil I had felt the last few days was blown away. I imagine Zandra..bound and bloody, crying, begging me to stop. I no longer feel regret..I feel nothing except the physical aspect of my cock getting rock hard at the memory. A commotion around the fire in our camp got my attention. I left my tent curious to see what was going on.
*“You traitor! You disgusting freak! Not only are you offending the Great Heaven with your unnatural ways..what man wants to sleep with another man? A boy? And what man willingly follows a monster? You should have died with your mother when you were born! No wonder your father gave you away! He probably saw what a crime against nature you were.”* Several men is standing in a ring, kicking, spitting and shouting insults at the bloody mess on the ground. At first I found it interesting..Their village was slaughtered and they had gone with its butcher to survive..yet they can’t help themselves to draw blood from one of their own..when i see it’s Duncan and hear what they scream at him the anger takes over me. I grab one of the men’s collar, the one kicking and spitting on the bloody man on the ground and in one swift movement I break his neck..I’m not even interested in drinking the pig’s blood. The rest of the group stepped back from Duncan and looked down at the ground, probably afraid of becoming the next dead body at my feet. I take Duncans arm and drag him with me back to the tent. He coughs and spits blood..but he doesn’t cry..he doesn’t whine. It takes a few minutes but eventually he gets up from the floor. My tent is not much more than a large piece of cloth over some sticks, since I was traveling alone I have kept my possessions to the bare essentials..but that would change now..it would all change and the bloody young man in front of me was the first step. I cup his face in my hands and my thumbs wipe away the blood pouring from the open wounds caused by hard boots.
*“You will be my first..my strongest,,none of them will ever be able to do anything to you again, they will be yours to command”* I felt him nod weakly in my hands, he didn’t look scared but rather expectant. I turned him that night, my first son..the first of many..After he stepped out of the tent the next evening, no one ever dared to mess with him again. Many years after that he met Simon and they fell in love..I gave him my blessing to turn him in to one of my children and they shared a life together before Simon was killed by hunters..Hunters using the blood of Aaylas successor.

I rise from the chair and walk up to the window..its made of the same glass as every window in the mansion so I can look out on the bright day outside. I haven’t been able to relax since Zara got the link..We were at her place when it happened, I was balls deep inside her, pounding her from behind, her round buttocks having my full attention. Tony was right, a wolf is nowhere near as fragile as a human. I reached around, finding her wet folds with my hand and I started to rub her clit..I feel her getting close and so am I..It’s so fucking good to fuck her..the only thing that would make it better is the taste of her honey-sweet blood..I feel my teeth grow, but I don’t bite..I haven’t tasted her since the first time she offered her blood to me at Maribelle’s..that time I could taste what she was..I wonder if she taste different now..As her orgasm ripped through her she fell to the mattress screaming, holding her head. At first I just stood there on my knees, my cock glistering wet and unsatisfied..was it a wolf thing? A witch thing?..I had no idea, this was all so new to me..It didn’t sound like a scream of pleasure..she normally screams my name..Fuck..did I hurt her?..But then I came to my senses and took her in my arms, rocked her until she calmed down. It was the first link she’d ever received, she didn’t belong to a pack, even though she has a bond to Great Falls she’s never been sworn in, and in her own words, it felt like her brain was melting. Hope’s link was full of fear and panic and contained only one word..Hunters..it was the only word.. and for Hope and Luna to send such powerful link..one that found every wolf for miles and miles..it could only mean one thing. They have her..and if they do they have only one agenda..use her blood to hunt me and my children down. When I was sure Zara was okay, I left her..I had to get back here, to my own kind, to my children. She wanted to come with me..but this is not the time..I need to focus and being around her make that difficult..
I look around the room and the grief for Duncan is greater than ever..has it to do with my heart? That the stone around it is almost gone?
“ I miss you son..I belive a war is coming..a war I know you would want to be a part of..but I will avenge him for you, I will kill all hunters that come at us in the memory of Simon..that I promise.”

I leave Duncans room and walk down the long corridor, I don’t take the right turn that will lead me to my quarters, I take the left that leads me to the stairs going down to the basement. Basement is probably the wrong word. Beneath my mansion are catacombs that are three or four times the size of the house itself. Parts of them are unrenovated and would certainly give the vibes of the old vampire..the one who lived in dungeons and slept in coffins. A small smile find my lips as I remember the origin of that story. However, the largest area has been renovated. Down here are our storerooms, cold rooms where tapped blood is stored, weapons rooms, shelters, prison cells, and last but not least the punishment rooms and right now that’s where I direct my steps. Two guards sits at a table outside the room and light up when they see me coming. I motion to them not to get up but to keep doing what they are doing..crosswords? Really?..I give them a nod and press in the code to unlock the door before I step inside and close it behind me. Dehydration is one of our worst punishments..many would rather choose death. Dehydration by bloodletting is even worse, more painful..the lack of blood prevents the wounds from healing. Infections and bacteria feast on the meat. I look at my four sons..normally so strong and beautiful but right now just shadows of what they used to be. Their blank stares follow me as I go to each of them..I look at Fredrick and I can tell that Tony ordered his wounds to be extra deep. This is not something I enjoy, seeing my children like this and knowing the pain they are in leaves a bad taste in my mouth..but it is a punishment for a crime they will not dare commit again.
“Guard!” It only takes a second before the two guards are standing behind me in the room.
“Clean them up make sure they eat. I want them in the conference room in an hour.”

On my way I take up my phone and text Tony, I need him there with me.
“ Ambrogio..this is Zandra..can you please find a mirror..”