Taurus

Chapter 30

A/N: Another chapter filled with clues! Try to find as much as you can!

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We got out of the prison, carrying Wirat's body. Upon seeing that, Wirat's mother, Cintna, fell to the ground.

"My son!" she cried. She got up and ran towards Rune and Niran, who were carrying Wirat. She touched his face and patted his cheeks. "Wirat!"

Wirat's father, Burut, followed his mate, and his eyes held tears. Wirat had been their parent's only child. But that was not all. He had won the hearts of not just the people of this coven. Covens, packs and tribes, far and near knew him. Thetas were the ones who represented their Omicrons in the public.

Apinya stared at her son as she covered her mouth. Lawan's parents, though they cried for Wirat, their eyes searched for their daughter. Finding her in Cancer's embrace, they inched closer, but the powerful aura the female Warrior gave off made them stand a few feet away.

Aiko stepped forward and rushed towards her brother. She checked his body for severe bruises and when she found the stitches had come out; she took him to a healer.

Omicron Belen gave me a nod, and I followed him. The ranking members of the pack may not be in their best state to talk about anything. Yet, swallowing his sorrow, Sadka walked behind Taurus and I.

Cancer passed Lawan to her parents. "Let me know your decision." With that, she rushed to keep up with Taurus.

Epsilon Charis walked down the office building. "The office is swiped clean. Dave really was clever. Destroyed everything."

"What about Dusit and Boonsri?" I asked. "Dave's parents?"

Charis shook her head. "He hid them too. I have sent a party to search them in the Summer Coven's lands. I believe that we will be able to get an answer soon."

"If you find Boonsri..." I said. "Keep her alive. I have to ask her something."

Charis frowned, but then nodded. "I will send the order right away."

She then led us to another office. It used to be Rune's. Better than Dave's or Lana's office. Inside, Eliana was already waiting for us. She flipped through a few papers and frowned at them.

Sadka closed the door. "The walls are soundproof."

I did not care for that now.

"They are...?" Eliana looked up at us.

Sadka sat on a chair and glanced at the papers Eliana was going through. "Even if you helped us, Omicron Eliana... these are Summer Coven's information and secrets. Don't you feel like you are stepping a boundary?"

Eliana sighed. "I know... but I want to know a few things."

"Know what?" Belen asked. "Stop snooping."

"I want to know where they held Leigh at that time!" Eliana snapped. "Leigh was held captive for experiments, don't you remember? I just want to know where."

"Held captive for experiments?" I asked. "What do you mean?"

Charis answered me. "After... Leigh's mate died, Harper took Leigh somewhere. They used Leigh as a lab rat. There she met Gaelan. That's how they came to be. We just want to know where she was held. That lab is against all the laws. We can't just turn a blind eye to it."

That lab... was it not the lab where Harriet worked?

"The records are here?" Taurus asked, apparently knowing my thoughts.

Eliana shook her head. "No. I came to find that here." Then she looked at Sadka. "I did not mean to pry into any secrets."

Sadka blinked. "This kind of thing happened right in front of me?"

Belen nodded. "Had it not been for Leigh, even we would not know about it."

"Where can we report it?" Charis asked as she sat opposite Eliana. Seeing her, we all took a seat. "The Royal Court is closed. The law courts are tainted by corruption. What can we do even if we find about it?"

Cancer cleared her throat and looked at Taurus. "You can pass the information to us."

Eliana looked lost. "You are?"

Belen's eyes skimmed between Taurus, Cancer and I. After a minute, he gasped and got on his knees. "It was my ignorance to not know you-"

Taurus waved his hand. "I am Taurus and she is Cancer."

Charis' eyes widened looking at them while Eliana stood up with flushed cheeks. Sadka stared at me as if he was staring at a ghost.

"How do you know them, Draco?" Sadka whispered.

Charis whistled lowly. "You are that Draco Lawan was talking about."

I nodded at her. "I am the only Draco she knows." I smiled at Sadka. "Taurus... he is my boyfriend."

Sadka began choking. "You sure know how to choose your partners, Draco."

I shrugged. "I do."

Taurus motioned for Belen to stand up. "Stand up. We can discuss things when you are sitting."

As if he was in a daze, Belen stumbled to a chair next to Charis. Charis glanced at her Omicron and then back at us. Sadka blatantly stared at me.

The harsh breath of the air conditioner was loud. Rune's office was a bit sombre compared to Dave's. He had the walls in shades of black and white with just an abstract art hanging on the wall. On the table was a white computer and there were two photos on the table. One had Apinya, Sadka, Mali and Buppha and the other photo had Beau, Halle and Leila.

Cancer broke the silence. "Tell me everything you know. I will send my people to look into this."

Taurus nodded. "I will ask Fia and Jarred to check this."

He had truly kicked Niran out of his company.

"Fia.... Fia as in..." Eliana asked, her brown eyes wide.

"Fia Regade," Taurus said. "She is alive."

Eliana gasped. "Fia is alive? How?"

Taurus shrugged. "She is one of my people. How can she die?"

"But the news thirty years ago-"

"Was purposely sent out by me," Taurus admitted. "She was in danger. After she shut down the project Summer Coven was doing, many were after her. Warren Whyte agreed to take over her position and we covered it up for her."

As if she found her hope, Eliana looked at her mate and then she said, "We don't know much. This is what we got from Leigh. She never opened to us, but after years of persisting, she told us what happened there."

Charis said, "Leigh said that after Harper killed Justin, her mate, she took Leigh to a lab. There Dave tried to give her mate bond as if he was Lune. he tried to force mark her many times, but it kept failing. For her to accept his mark, they injected her with many substances. They even electrocuted her and threw her in dark cells. She was half dead. Gaelan who used to wreck that place accidentally found her and he kept her alive. He brought her back."

How did Gaelan even leave that place standing? From his temper and how he treated Leigh if he had not wrecked that place, he was not the Gaelan I knew.

Taurus coughed. "If they had done all that, then don't bother to search for that place."

Belen frowned. "Why not, Second Warrior?"

"Her Soul... partner... mate is Gaelan," Taurus said. "He would have demolished that place if they had done all that you said."

Cancer's eyes narrowed. "Gaelan. The one Aries was talking about?"

Taurus nodded. "The same."

Cancer chuckled. "Then yeah... he loved to destroy stuff. He would have destroyed that. Especially after what happened to Leigh."

Eliana licked her lips. "Are you sure?"

Cancer gave her a wry smile. "If you had seen in back in the days, you would not be asking us this question. Even if I don't believe in that kid for anything, I will believe in his ability to destroy stuff."

"True that," Taurus muttered.

Eliana asked, "So... so it's no use trying to search about that place?"

Taurus sighed. "I will ask that idiot if he had done something - which is highly unlikely. But if he had not done anything, then we can search."

"O-okay," Charis said.

I stood up. "Is there truly nothing?"

Eliana shook her head. "I searched all the papers. It had trading details and accounting, taxes and bills. But nothing about any research or labs."

I pointed to the computer. "Even on the computer?"

Eliana sighed. "I checked this computer. Dave's was destroyed."

I cocked my head. "Let me check it."

She paused for a minute, seeing her mate, but then she stood up woodenly and then moved, giving me the way.

I sat on the chair and scanned the screen. Snapping my knuckles, I started my work. At times, I wanted to punch myself hard in the face. And this was one of those instances.

I had created the firewall myself. I had done all the defences for Rune's computer and after forcing me, I had done for Dave's as well. There would not be a second hacker who could break my defences. How in the Abyss could I break my own firewall?

My face twisted as I processed it again. This was simply my own work. This was ridiculous.

Taurus suppressed a chuckle. I looked up and glared at him. "Shut up."

He started laughing. "This is golden! Priceless!"

Cancer looked at us. "I don't know if I should be laughing or feel pity for Draco."

Charis frowned. "What is going on?"

Sadka showed a simple smile. "Draco was the one who designed the computer defences. He is having trouble breaking it."

"Is he that good?"

"The very best," Taurus said. "Even my own people were not able to do anything when he crashed my website."

Eliana leant on her mate's shoulder. "That explains why I could not extract any details."

Taurus smirked but did not tell anything.

I tried again and again it failed. How long would it take? This might be the reason no one could get details of Summer Coven.

This went on for another hour, after which I successfully broke in. I panted and slumped in the chair. This was exhausting.

"Got in?" Taurus asked.

I nodded and went ahead to files that were once on Dave's system. As Eliana said, they were destroyed; but I had done something to his computer that even he did not know. I had linked it with cloud storage. No matter what information it was, it would be stored in the cloud memory. Reviving it back was a piece of cake.

I grinned. See? I was clever. I was pleased with the actions I had taken. To be honest, this was not intended. But back then Dave had forced me to leave my job and become an assassin. In that frustration, I had done this.

Every single transaction and every single conversation was right there in front of me. I looked up, feeling smug.

Taurus chuckled and came behind me and laid a kiss on my forehead. "Stop being cute," he said.

I gave him a blank look. Who was being cute? I was just feeling happy.

I clicked the file named Tahareh. There were so many files. Too many even for me to read. I skimmed through the files. Many names caught my eyes.

Lyra Throne

Nira Link

Mali Bidaya

Leigh Caskor

Draco Stykes

Azlan

Jeong Se-Hun

Irene Russo

Fabian Moulin

Andromeda Haylin

Wen Ruxin

I frowned at the names. The names went on. Some were familiar, and some were not.

Azlan was the Alpha of Autumn pack. Jeong Se-Hun was the mate of Vela. And Wen Ruxin, she was my friend from the Winter tribe. She had been to my university, and she was from the physics department. A genius in her own rights. We both had a common mathematics class, and many times we challenged each other.

Why was her name here? Why was any name here? Why was my name here?

Taurus frowned, seeing them. "Something's not right."

At his words, Cancer came up and saw the names. "Fabian Moulin? He is the beta of the Spring Pack. He is newly appointed."

I touched the screen and the display suddenly scrolled down. Why did Rune have a touch screen?

"Why is any name here?" I asked.

I turned the desktop and showed what was in it to the others.

Charis yelped and rushed towards the desktop and zoomed in as if she was searching for something. "Eulaila Minga? What is my sister's name doing here?"

"Eulaila?" Eliana murmured. "Her name's here?"

Charis nodded at her Omicron. "True."

I turned the screen again and before I could click on my name, Taurus pressed on Leigh Caskor's name.

Inside that, there were too many files. How much space did this Tahareh file take?

I clicked the first file on that. And it was a report. For a moment, my fingers just hover over the report. Why I was scared, I did not know.

I pressed the report and saw what was written.

Subject ID: VWCAJ11

Gender: female

Age: 23 years

Race: Vampire

Mating status: deceased

Obstetric history: irregular Haze for 6 months two years ago. No history of childbirth, abortions or miscarriage.

Identification marks: 1. An old scar on the left forearm

2. A mole on the right knee.

Leigh Caskor, the eldest daughter of Lionnel Sanna and Lesya Caskor of West Coven, had been brought by Dave Chaiwong, Omicron of Summer Coven to Tahareh Research Institute of Biology. After careful examination, she is unconscious due to the death of her mate and is otherwise in normal condition.

Vitals: normal.

Endocrine levels: normal

I am of the opinion that the subject numbered VWCAJ11 is perfectly healthy to be subjected to a trial of potential mates and that it can be started as soon as she wakes up.

Attached behind are the laboratory reports of blood and urine examination and ultrasound abdomen.

Senior Researcher

Harriet Grin

What was 'a trial of potential mates'? Why would they need the ultrasound of the abdomen?

What had they done to Leigh?

And I could not move my eyes off the name that signed the report. Harriet Grin. She was aware of what had happened to Leigh the whole time? How could she stay her friend? Or did she stay as her friend to get close to me?

It sicked me to a point where I wanted to throw up.

Cancer coughed and then turned her head. "What the hell were they doing?"

Taurus clutched the armrest of the chair. "Definitely not something good."

"That's light," I said. I closed that document and opened the next one.

This time, it was a video. The video of Dave force marking her and she passed out. The entire table was pooled with her blood and yet, they stood around her and noting down the values. After half a minute, one doctor nodded at Dave and told him something.

Without a care for her neck that was bleeding, he marked the other side of the neck too. This time, her face was pale and her hands were clenched, but she could do nothing. She was strapped to the bed.

This time, the mark stayed on her neck for about a minute before it disappeared again. A doctor shook her head and said something to the other doctors.

From the lip reading I knew, she said something along the lines that this subject was going through a lot of blood loss and that they can continue with this subject only after four days. Her face was regretful.

I closed the video before it was over and stared at the other videos. They were lined according to the dates. Did I really have the heart to watch them?

I looked at Taurus whose lips were pursed in a thin line and at Cancer who just blinked.

"Here I thought stars were cruel," Cancer whispered. "It is obviously because we never saw the darkness in these creature's heart."

"Everything was governed by Harper," I supplied.

Cancer frowned. "That is?"

"Rionach's daughter," Taurus said. "Her father is a pulsar."

"Hybrid?" she exclaimed.

Taurus shook his head. "I don't know. But I think so."

"Fuck," she softly swore. "How cruel can she be?"

While they were at this, I turned the desktop to the other side and said, "See what you want to."

They touched the fifth document and a video started playing. I had no mood to watch another one. I was not able to get over the death of Wirat and I could not put myself to watch one of this.

I stood up and went towards the window and contacted Lyra. I have news.

She took a while to respond. What is it?

But then I realised and touched their mind to bring them into the conversation. Lyra had said both were gaining their memories back.

When they realised it was me, there was a yelp. Draco! How are you?

You fine? A lazy voice asked.

I am fine, Riga, I said. What's up, Vela?

Perfectly fine, Riga said. Doing good, Vela?

Yeah, she said. Now tell me why you connected me now?

Lyra coughed. Did we interrupt you, Vela?

Yes, she snapped. Happy, Lyra?

I did not know what to tell. I... I am sorry, Vela. But I really have something important to tell you.

Tell fast, Vela said.

Then I showed them everything. What I saw, right from the papers and the names and the most recent video.

What do you think now? I asked.

Lyra was the first to reply. My name... why is it there?

Why is your name there? Riga asked.

Why is Jeong Se-Hun's name there? Vela asked.

How do I know? I retorted. I showed you what I know. I wanted to discuss it with you guys.

You all can include Cepheus too, Vela said. He is aware of this all.

Cepheus? Lyra asked. He knows?

Yeah, Vela said. I was speaking with him the other day and he spoke weirdly. Now that I recollect, I can tell you, that bastard knows.

Riga snorted. Why does this sound like Gemini? That idiot is the same.

Guys! I snapped. What to do now?

Lyra sighed. Connect Cepheus too then, Vela.

It took a while before I heard that familiar voice. What's up, my life-suckers?

Glad to hear your voice too, Lyra said.

Glad to know that you are alive too, Riga said.

I can feel the love, Riga, he said. Why did you dumbasses call me?

Vela said you know too, I said. I need you to check on something.

What? He drawled lazily.

I showed him again what I saw.

Fabian? he asked after a while. He is my friend. What is in there? Why is Lyra's name there? Your name? Why is Andy's name there? What the fuck is going on?

I don't know! I snapped. If I knew what was going on, would I just show you guys what was going on?

You do have a point here, Vela said.

It's like... Lyra drawled. All the people's mate bonds have been played with... their names are here. My bet is that these people have been tampered with.

Shit, Riga swore softly. What happened to Leigh... how could a person be that cruel?

I don't know, Vela choked. Ly... Lyra? What you are saying is true?

I don't know too, Lyra said. But I had been played with. So was Draco. And our names were there. Even Nira's name was there, but Harper did not experiment mate bonds on her. Nira was used as a vessel to carry four genetically modified children. That's why I am not sure.

What if... Cepheus said. All these people are the ones who have been experimented on? I mean... What Draco showed, it was a research institute on biology. Not just mate bonds or anything. It could be about anything, right?

Makes sense, I said.

Fine... open the file about Fabian and send me all the information about him, Cepheus said.

I will do that, I said. Let me know if you know about anything else.

About Azlan... Lyra said. He was Alpha Violet's brother. Why is he involved in this?

Is he still alive? Vela asked. The last time I checked, he was paralysed and his son was the one who was taking care of the Pack.

I had sent Rhaze and Kaina to check on things on Autumn Pack, Lyra said. I will ask them.

Okay, I said. I will check on Fabian and send you. I took a while to ask her. Should I check on Jeong Se-Hun, Vela?

No, her response was fast. I think I know why his name would be there. Don't bother, Draco.

If she did not want to know, I would not see it. After all, it was her life.

Later, guys, Riga said.

It's... it's good to talk to you, Cepheus, I said.

Good, yeah, poison boy, he said. I knew he was having that lazy smile he always gave. Check on and tell me.

We cut our connection and I entered the room again to see Charis' grip breaking the chair and tears streaming down her face. Eliana was whimpering in Belen's embrace and Sadka was staring at the screen with no life. Taurus and Cancer were talking in their mind and their eyes flashed with silver. With each passing second, their eyes grew sharper and an aura of death enshrouded them.

The screen had Leigh strapped on a chair and they were passing electricity through her. They had paused it.

"How did she survive this?" Charis asked softly, but nothing could hide the fury in her voice. "How?"

Eliana's eyes were bloodshot. "If not for that fucker... Leigh would have been mated to Justin and... they would be happy. Fucking bastard."

I went ahead and took the desktop in my hand. After all, everything here was wireless. I sat in a corner and clicked back. I searched for the file names Fabian Moulin.

I clicked on it and skimmed through the document. He was not subjected to mate bonds, but it was along the lines of his memory being erased and that he was not a creature of this earth. I clicked the other file.

What I saw made my blood run cold. Thankfully Cepheus had his memory. Thankfully Fabian had escaped Harper. Thankfully, Cepheus had met Fabian.

"What happened, Draco?" Taurus asked.

I just pointed my finger at the screen and clenched my shaking hand.

"... the subject numbered URFKY02 had escaped and no news was known," he read in a soft voice. Then he asked, "What about it? This subject escaped successfully."

I closed my eyes and said, "Read above."

He scrolled above and scanned. When he came to that sentence, he started coughing. "Is this true?"

I shrugged. "How would I know?"

Cancer frowned. "What is happening there?"

Taurus motioned her to come. "See it yourself."

I connected to Cepheus. Dude... you need to be careful.

What's wrong? He asked immediately.

Fabian Moulin, I said. Is not who you think it is.

Who is he then? he asked. I felt familiar vibes from him. That's why I asked you to check on him.

He is familiar, alright. Harper took his memories away.

If he is familiar... from your tone, he is not a creature of Earth. How could she take his memories away?

I don't know! Technology?

Is it that stronger than our energies?

I am like you! I fired. I don't know!

Fine, he submitted. Who is he?

A pure-blooded Yarin, I said. He is a pure-blooded Yarin.

Fuck, he swore. A pure-blooded? How did she manage to kidnap him?

I don't know! I said.

You told me, he said. Otherwise, I would not even know why he was so moody all the time.

That's your concern? I asked.

What else? he asked. Afraid that Harper will kidnap him again? No way. If she wanted, she could have kidnapped him. There were so many chances. And he is powerful enough to snap her. And now you said, I know what to do.

We cut the connection and I saw Cancer's face blanch.

I rose my eyebrows. "Now you understand?"

"Are all like this?" Cancer asked.

"Like what?" I asked.

"Everyone unique?" Cancer asked. "Like we don't know what else she had done."

Taurus shook his head. "I will send these files to Fia and Jarred. Let them read through this and send me the information."

Cancer nodded. "I will send it to my people too. They can help."

Nodding, I forwarded the files to Lyra, Vela, Fia and someone named Nicole.

I sent a message to Lyra asking her to forward the files to Riga and Cepheus, for I did not know what email handle they were using.

Wrapping the things in Rune's office, Taurus, Cancer, and I left the building. Upon coming out, everyone was in mourning clothes and many were crying. Seemed like many loved Wirat.

Allen and Aiko came towards us. "Thank you," Aiko said.

I shook my head. "It's nothing."

Allen then looked me in the eye, not fearing my golden iris. "Take me with you."

Aiko gave him a puzzled look. "Where?"

"Kelp Confusion," Allen said. "Or wherever Dave is hiding. I have to kill him."

Taurus said, "You keep talking, I will connect with Nox to see how is the situation there."

"That place might kill you, Allen," I said. "Why are you insisting on coming?"

His eyes grew sharp. "I have blood debt with him."

"So does many," I said. "I will kill him for you."

He shook his head. "That will not work, Draco. I will find someone to come there and if I come with someone else, what can you do?"

"Who will bring you there, Allen?" I asked, folding my arms. "Who will dare to?"

He smirked. "Riley Garcia?"

"The hell he will," I snapped. "No one else!"

"I saw Dave use that portal," he fired. "I will use it too."

"Where is that portal?" I asked.

"Why should I tell you?"

I frowned. "I can enter your mind and find out where it is."

"Will you?"

"Want me to?"

Taurus stopped before I could do it. "Draco... Nox is not doing good."

"What?"

"Something's not right in the Kelp Confusion," he said. "Nox was not sounding good."

"What do you mean?"

"I think..." Taurus drawled. "What Cancer said was true. Elta... something's wrong with her."

A/N: What do you think about the conversation that Draco had with Lyra and others? 

What do you think about the list of names? 

And... I have been facing some problems in my life and if I don't update even for a month, please don't take it to the heart. My updates may be erratic for a few months and I am trying to get my life back together. I really want to finish Taurus this year and let's hope that I will be able to accomplish that. 

We have about 6-8 chapters to finish the story. Let's do it.

Until next update,

~Quill