No Regard by Carolyn Barber (e ink epub reader .TXT) 📕

Adam had tucked Silvia in, read her a story and kissed her good-night, she was sound asleep. In his chambers he shapeshifted into an older man with dark hair and graying side-burns. His face rounder, his brows slightly bushier, his eyes still a dark brown as this was the one thing that never changed when shapeshifting. His physique more heavy set, with a bit of a round belly. He wore black slacks and suspenders, a white shirt with a bow-tie and shinny black shoes. He looked nothing like himself except for his eyes. "Incognito" he said out loud to himself remembering Miranda's advice. It had been weeks since he left the castle, dedicating his time to Silvia and her training. It was a demanding task that he was happy to manage. Their time together had been extremely productive and fulfilling. He knew the time was drawing near for her and her pursuit to free herself. It was time he did some intel at Hell's Pit. Know your enemy, their habits, their lifestyle and those who they keep company with. His plan was to find out any information he could, and hopefully encounter him personally, without him being aware that it was Adam he was encountering. He was prepared and had two hours before the sun rose. Without hesitation his destination, Hell's Pit.

He walked into the nightclub that was just as lively as the last time he was there. Same crowd as always, and ofcourse new additions as word gets out of the clubs' quality and Nitro-infused blood exclusivity. Adam looked around as he walked up to the bar, no sight of Ty anywhere. He ordered a loaded "O" Positive, to check on the quality, since he was there anyways. Downing the concoction, he was satisfied as always. Good to know the production was carrying on well without him as per instructed. Miranda had several proteges that she offered as his assistants, who had proven their worth and earned his trust.

He struck up a conversation with a couple vamps sitting at the bar next to him. "Damn good stuff!" he said out loud, so as to get their attention. A male vamp sitting next to him overheard his enthusiasm, "No shit! The guy that invented that is a fucking genius!" he said in response. Adam held out his hand, "Horrice Whitmore, good to meet a fellow Nitro lover" the two shook hands, "Vance Cook, pleasure, this is Gilda my lovely wife" he replied introducing him to the woman next to him. Adam reached over and shook her hand. "So maybe you guys can fill me in on the who's who in here since I'm new" Adam inquired. They knew everyone and Adam knew it, he had seen them every time he had come in there. They were well liked by other vamps and known to be gossips. They pointed out various vamps and told a little bit about each one. Gilda began talking about a new love interest for an unlikely vampire named Red. "I mean the poor guy is a mess, but still he finally found love, good for her to see past his appearance ya know?" she told Adam, though it wasn't the kind of information he was looking for he pretended to be interested. Vance spoke up, "I got to give it to him, he stood up for himself against a vamp bigger than him" he said. Adam looked over at Red who was being dramatically animated while telling a story, everyone around him was laughing. "No kidding?" Adam commented. Gilda leaned over to Adam, "Yeah, he was trying to help this guy get his mate back, she was taken about a month ago in this very bar. Well, turns out the guy's a real piece of shit. A couple days after she was abducted, Red catch's him with his wick in some honey off the dance floor, I guess the next time Red see's him, he's in here getting rubbed down by some whores, Red called him on it, he grabbed the little guy by the throat and threatened him, Red stood his ground, said something to him that backed him down. Delilah saw and heard it all, I think she fell in love with Red then and there. Quite the story huh?" Guilda smiled in delight. "So what happened with this guy?" he asked. Vance spoke up, "He hasn't been seen in weeks, word has it he fled to The Ruins. After the incident with Red we all shunned him, it didn't take long for everyone to figure this guy out, he wasn't very discrete" he said. "What about his mate or the vamp that stole her? Have you heard anything about them?" Adam inquired. "No one's heard a word, they haven't surfaced. But if you ask me he did her a favor, no one really knows much about the vamp that took her other than he comes from wealth and he's kind of snobby. Some vamps are pretty guarded, it takes them a while to warm-up to other vamps, usually it's because they have something to hide. All I know is, I hope he's treating her right, ya know?" Vance said sincerly. "Yeah, I hear that one bud, I wonder why he would take her to begin with?" Adam asked trying to get as much information as possible. "When the confrontation took place here that night, Adam seemed to know both of them, apparently they had a past together. Ty and his mate, I believe her name was Silvia, they were recent additions, I know Adam has been around a couple years, I spoke with him briefly a couple times, but he was usually in and out so fast, no one ever got to know him" Vance finished.
Adam looked at his watch, "Well my friends, it looks like the night is nearly over, I thank you for the good company, I'm heading out before I turn to a pile of dust!" he said as he shook both of their hands. He was satisfied with the information he had gathered, he left Hell's Pit and returned to his dwelling. Within minutes he was back to his normal appearance and in bed, he drifted off to sleep thinking of Silvia until his thoughts turned into dreams of her as always. 

Ty had exhausted himself in training trying to impress the father he never knew he had. Alexander's training didn't include pats on the back for doing a good job, or words of encouragement. Instead it was a barrage of constant belittling and insults. Alexander pushed hard, he was relentless and when Ty failed he was punished with pain induced by mental torture. It was a ruthless display of training through negative re-enforcement. Ty was beginning to wonder if he had made a mistake by accepting his fathers offer to train him. He found himself hating the man with a passion. 

He had been given a room in his father's dwelling located in The Ruins. He was allowed to hunt in civilization, but was forbid to go anywhere into the province other than The Ruins. His training was nightly, between ten pm and four am Weeks had gone by and he felt that he had achieved enough training to go his own way. Bottom line was he didn't want to be subjected to his father's scrutiny any longer. He wanted to go back to his liar, he wanted to work his way back into Hell's Pit, but most of all he wanted to destroy Adam and get Silvia back in his bed. He was certain Adam had made an appearance by now at Hell's Pit. He was anxiously needing resolution. Even though Alexander told him he wasn't ready to take Adam on, he thought differently. The training he received gave him confidence in himself that he had never experienced before. He decided he would tell his father tonight he would be leaving.

Ten o'clock pm Ty met with his father as scheduled. Ty nervously spoke up, "I wanted to let you know that I appreciate your teaching and training, but it's time for me to get back to my home" he said trying not to shake. "If you leave here you're a damn fool, all the time I put into you will have been a waste. You have no idea what you're doing. You're still as weak and pathetic as the day you came here. You may as well thrust a stake into your own heart and get it over with, at least you wouldn't be humiliated on the way out by Adams hands. Do what you will, other than my time you wasted, I don't really care" he coldly replied. 

Ty's blood was boiling, he didn't know who he hated more Adam or his father. He turned to walk away and vanished, suddenly he materialized behind his father, he instantly placed him in a choke hold and stabbed him in the back piercing his heart with a stake in one swift motion. Catching Alexander off-guard. Falling to his knees, he reached around and felt the stake as Ty slid around to face him. "Burn in hell you son of a bitch, I fucking hate you!" Ty yelled, tears rolling down his face. Alexander grabbed hold of Ty's shirt with one hand and ripped the stake out of his back with his other, healing instantly. He held the bloody stake up between Ty and himself. He looked into his father's eyes, waiting for his father to thrust it into his