Under the Blood Moon~ The Guild Leader Chronicles Book Two (COMPLETE)

Chapter Eighteen

Under the Blood Moon

Eighteen

Cauis

I feel sick to my stomach. Any second now, I'm going to throw up. That's how I've felt for the last three months. I've been trying so hard to keep myself together, for Esmerelda and Valerio's sakes. I know it's wrong, but I can't see either of them hurt. Not after everything Esmerelda has gone through to get back to where she is. She's made so much progress in her recovery. The light in her eyes is back finally, but it's still not the same as before. I don't think she'll ever get back to where she was. But, she's happy now, at least as happy as I think she can be. She smiles more often now, and will even say Achilles' name out loud, but only if we're alone and in the privacy of her office or bedroom. She's come so far. I just don't have it in me to tell her the truth. She'll hate me when she inevitably finds out, but for these last few months, the smile that's been on her face tells me it's not time.

Nearly a year ago, Septimus learned that Rita and her pack had been put under a spell by Achilles. The spell made them do whatever he had said, without question or hesitation. When I ripped his heart out, the spell had broken, leaving Rita and her pack in chaos. They had no memories from their time as his slaves. All the time they spent with Achilles was just erased from their minds.

It took nearly five months to get them all together after they fled from Italy. Then, another three months for Rita to settle everyone. And that isn't even the worst of it. I made it a priority that someone from our group checks in on them every so often. Just to make sure everything was working smoothly. Three months ago, however, when Eric went to check on them, they weren't in the same location. I had ordered that they stay there, and no one can disobey my orders. It's like Rita and her pack had disappeared again.

In my bones, I knew right then and there that Achilles was back. I know he somehow cheated death, again. And that's what I can't bring myself to tell Esmerelda. I haven't even told Miles. He'll tell Hope, and then Hope will tell Esmerelda. Neither of them are fully recovered, and I can't see them go back to shutting everyone out and hiding away for days in Esmerelda's office. I have no proof that he is alive, it's just a constant feeling. I know he's alive, just like I know the sun will rise and fall each day. I check every dark corner three times. I listen more intently for anything suspicious. I've even gone as far to make sure someone always has eyes on Esmerelda and Hope. Their 'walks' are monitored, up until one of them teleports them elsewhere. We've yet to find their hiding spot, and in those times that we can't find them, true panic consumes me.

The thought of Achilles coming after them again alone is enough to make me paranoid about everything. The whole group knows my theory, apart from Esmerelda, Hope and Miles. I hadn't meant to tell them my suspicions, but Luke and Nikiya hear everything, even if I don't want them to. They can't help it being vampires. They had heard me telling Septimus, and took it upon themselves to quietly search for him. Luke told Eric and Abigail, who immediately left to look for him in Italy. We had told Esmerelda, Hope and Miles that they were taking time away to spend time together. When I told Septimus my theory, his reaction was to sit in the chair in my own office completely still for over three hours. Ever since Rita and her pack went missing, I've made the three of them that stayed at home start training even harder. I told them to make it appear as fun and just a game, but we know the truth. That's why Septimus and Nikiya are always going on runs. Why Luke started helping Septimus and I train against someone who was so fast. So that way we could get faster.