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Aubrey watched as Tyler used the keys that William had taken from Tom's lifeless body to unlock the cell that Sabine was confined in. As soon as the door was opened he opened his arms to allow Sabine to run into them, both embracing each other tightly. "Tell me they didn't hurt you again," he whispered as he showered his lover's face with kisses before capturing his mouth with his own.

Sabine returned the kiss, drinking in the taste of his lover's mouth until he broke the kiss and shook his head. "I'm fine, they didn't hurt me," he answered. "The only pain I suffered was when I made the mistake of trying to break the bars. They're made of, and coated with, mercury, but other than that I'm fine."

Aubrey pulled his lover closer and nuzzled his neck, closing his eyes tightly as he fought to control his emotions to some degree. Finding out that Sabine was in deed alive and well was a big shock to him, but an even bigger relief. He didn't know what he would do if he had lost the love of his life. Once he could compose himself, he slowly broke away and smiled at him. "I love you," he whispered.

Sabine smiled as he stared up into Aubrey's crystal blue eyes. "I love you too, Aubrey," he whispered before he broke their eye contact to lay his head into Aubrey's shoulder.

"Ahem," Pete growled, gaining the attention of both Aubrey and Sabine, who turned their gazes in the direction of the cells the others were being held in. "Would you let us out of here already?" He demanded. "So, you can prove to us, and to Sabine, that you're not the one who fucked us over?"

"I will let you out, but you must understand that sacrifices had to be made," Aubrey replied as he moved to the first cell that housed mainly vampires.

"What do you mean...sacrifices?" Sabine questioned as he watched Aubrey unlock the cell and move on to the next.

"Sabine," Aubrey sighed his name as he unlocked the second cell and moved on to the third cell, "when you were captured, you were taken by vampires that were working with William Beckett. As you should know by now, he's very much alive..."

"Yes, I know this," Sabine answered as a frown tugged at his lips. "He was down here earlier, talking to Pete and his crew... Tell me they're wrong Aubrey," he whispered, staring in disbelief at his mate who had shaken his head and then looked at him after unlocking the third and final cell. "Tell me you didn't make another deal with Beckett for my safe keeping..."

"Sabine, you mean the world to me, and all I had to do to get you back was help William get the hunters and Deacon, and-"

"He's my brother," he said, cutting off Aubrey's words. "He is my little brother, and you know how much he meant to me. How could you do this? The last time he tried anything like this you let him believe he had you in the palm of his hand, why was this time different?"

"First of all, your brother and his friends mean nothing me, compared to what you mean. And, last time he was working alone, and this time he had the help of Tom Conrad," Aubrey snapped, frowning at his pet. "He actually had a legitimate army, he was a real threat. But soon, that will be over, and he'll be properly disposed of."

"So...You did help him," he whispered. "You risked my brother's life, cost them two friends, all for me?" He shook his head. "I'm so disappointed in you... Two good people died because you didn't think to call in your own reinforcements."

"Your brother is alive and well now, so get over it," Aubrey replied. "I love you, but I will not tolerate this insolence, not from you. The threat of William Beckett will soon be gone for good and we can all move past this."

"But Andy and Brendon won't get their lives back!" Deacon growled out, his body trembling slightly. "We trusted you and you betrayed us, why should we believe a word you're saying now?"

"Come with me upstairs and I'll show you my proof," Aubrey answered, his voice calm and smooth even though his eyes burned brightly at the fact of someone speaking to someone as high up as he was, in the way Deacon was. "If you would rather leave and spend the rest of your days cowering away, without knowing for certain he is dealt with, then be my guest."

Sabine stepped away from Aubrey and moved to his brother's side, hugging him close. "I'm so sorry Deac," he whispered as Deacon returned the hug and buried his face in his brother's neck. "I hate that you have to have gone through all that you have. I wish there was something I could do to help, or take back any of it..."

"I'm not mad at you Sabe," he replied as his older brother ran a soothing hand over his mohawk. "I never have been, but your mate is another story right now, I'm sure you understand."

"Fully," Sabine replied, glaring at his mate over his little brother's head. "I fully understand what you mean. Come on, let's go see what in the Hell Aubrey is talking about."

- - - - -

"I was told to kill you, William," Valencia explained once she had calmed her previous pet, "but I don't wish to do so. There is only one other option, besides your death... It's to take you back into my home, and yes as a pet, but I wouldn't treat you as one. You would have free reign within my home, and you would only have to answer if you wronged another being."

"I will not go back to being a slave, Valencia," William growled in her mind. "Try to kill me and my boys will kill in my defense."

"William don't damn those who are loyal to you so that you can live," she reprimanded. "I don't want you as a slave, you are of no use to me, but I do not want to have to kill you. Why is that not getting through to you? You wouldn't have to call me Mistress, or obey any commands, you would merely be living at my home under the ruse of being a pet of mine. If you don't allow for this option, I will have to kill you, and that is the last thing I want to do to you."

Frank, who had been listening to the exchange of words, frowned as he looked at William. "Master William, if you won't be a slave, maybe you should take her advice?" He suggested, and then flinched under the disappointed glare William gave him.

"No coven leader is willing to help old pets," William snapped in his pet's mind. "You have no idea of the trap she is trying to lure me into, so that she can take me out. Don't be so blind."

Frank lowered his head. "I'm sorry Master..."

William shifted his eyes to Valencia, who was watching with curiosity since he had blocked from her the conversation between Frank and himself. "Why do you try to insult my intelligence Valencia?" He questioned as he titled his head at her with slightly narrowed eyes. "How stupid do you really think I am, to believe this is an offer of safety?"

"William, you really are leaving me with no choice," she said as she gave a soft sigh of defeat. "I wanted to speak with you as you are, without taking away your sense of power, but I see it's pointless to try this route."

"You can't take away my sense of power," William scoffed in her mind, a smirk on his lips. "Just what powers do you think you possess?"

"The powers of being the one who turned you, and then set my pet free," she answered as she pushed her way past all mental blocks that he had and took away the sense of power that came with the freedom she had granted him. "Truthfully, once I have your mind back under the impression that you're my slave, you won't feel any power."

At the sound of the small gasp from his Master, Frank quickly lifted his gaze to his love's face, frowning in confusion as tears began to kill the liquid brown eyes he adored. "M-Master?"

[Author's Note: Oh yeah, Sabe's pissed, but can you really blame him? He finally gets his brother back and here is his mate trying to pull them apart out of selfishness. I'd kick a man's ass myself. And, Valencia's taken away William's sense of freedom, time to read the last update and see where this goes! BTW, I wanted to do an art trade with someone, so if any of my readers are interested, hit me up. Especially since I have ways of posting now lol.]