Naryan was about to reply when:
"We've got activity back here, boss," Tanner said in a low voice. "I think the traitors are trying to make a break for it."
"Stingers only, Tanner," Naryan tightly directed even as she turned and pointed first at Galloway, then pointed towards the entrance into the space. Nodding her understanding, her sergeant quickly redeployed the squad to positions around the entrance.
"We need that sonofabitch alive to stand trial before the Conclave!" Then she herself was moving to join her legionnaires at the entrance.
Just in time; even as she slid into place, there came sounds of a fairly large party moving into the main market space. And as quickly they heard muffled exclamations of dismay to find dead psionics and drained humans close to the hidden entrance to the lilith storage area. Then sundog rounds were ripping through the walls all around them, the radioactive munitions glowing dully as they buzzed past the ducking Force Recon legionnaires.
"We are being fired upon," she whispered to her Kali. "Can your scanners isolate targets via their weapon discharge?"
"Affirmative," the Kali's AI chirped in reply.
"Force Recon, tell your Kali's to use the weapon discharge to locate targets and return fire!" Naryan hissed before doing that very thing.
There was a brief pause while the squad gave instructions to their weapons. Then, with sundogs buzzing all around them, they turned their weapons towards the main space and let their Kali's speak their language of death.
A brief flurry of return fire then silence.
"Targets eliminated," her Kali reported in that tiny voice it had. Just in time:
"FRA, Extraction Team," a new voice came over the comms. "We heard weapons fire on approach. Is the area secure?"
"Affirmative," Naryan said as she slowly stood out of her crouch before looking down at her armor to check for embedded sundogs. Spotting a couple, she drew her combat knife and levered them free to drop to the ground. A look around her told her the squad was doing the same.
"We are holding position in the storage chamber."
"Acknowledged, FRA. We have spotted the downed guards marking the entrance and are moving in. ETA: two minutes."
Nodding in acknowledgement even though she couldn't be seen by the approaching extraction team, Naryan turned her attention to her other sergeant and Second Squad.
"Tanner. Sitrep." And found silence instead of a reply filling her comms. "Tanner, are you reading me? Sitrep!"
There was a rustle of unidentified sound for a moment. Then:
"We got the bastards, boss!" Tanner exclaimed and there was no mistaking the note of triumph in her voice. "Popped 'em with the Stingers one at a time as they came through with their go bags. Romanescu, Sextant, all of them. Fourteen in total. We got 'em, boss, we got 'em! I can't wait to tell Lash that we got the bastards!!"
Lash slowly nodded as he folded his arms, Tanner's excitement putting a smile on his face. Not only had they captured Romanescu and his filthy traitors, but Kassidy's efforts to destroy the base were, in large part, successful, the Silver Legion reporting light casualties and the Valkyries reporting none. And it was all thanks to his former mentor's dying gift.
"Well done on that pathway through the base, Inaya," he said, looking over at the Indian lilith who stood beside him looking determined in black Qos Viran fatigues. "You put Captain Kingsguard exactly where she needed to be!"
Inaya's answering smile was brilliant as she returned his look.
"Thank you, Lash," she said. "Narcist is an excellent teacher!"
"That, she is," he said before his brow lifted in silent question. "Those papers are new."
Inaya's smile brightened, which Lash didn't think was possible with how brilliant her smile currently was, as she looked down at the papers she held perhaps a little too tightly in her hand.
"Yes. These are confirmation papers from Clan Ganges that I have been officially shorn from clan and House." She looked back at him, her eyes wide and luminous.
"I can now be Embraced by House Lash and clan Ventru!"
Lash nodded, his smile warming.
"Then let us not wait a moment longer." He glanced around the command center. "Are you comfortable being Embraced out here? Or would you prefer a little privacy?"
"I ... must admit to being unfamiliar with the ceremony, Lash," Inaya confessed, her cheeks reddening slightly. "If there's intimacy involved, I wouldn't mind a little privacy!"
"There isn't," Lash assured her. "While simple, it can be intensely personal, however. Not every vampire enjoys feeling that vulnerable in the moment they are Embraced as they transition from one set of realities in their life to a completely different set."
"I understand," Inaya said, gazing unwaveringly up at him. "While in your presence, the last thing I feel is vulnerable. I have never felt so protected as I do with you."
Lash inclined his head in silent thanks and respect.
"It has always been the honor and privilege for House Lash to protect, honor, and cherish the queens of our people," he solemnly said. "And it will be an honor and a privilege to have you in my House."
"Thank you," Inaya said softly, her smile fading into something more intense and emotional. "That's the first time in my entire life that somebody has told me it will be a privilege to have me in their House! I, I can't tell you what that means to me."
Lash bowed his head once again.
"No need to, Inaya. As I said, you honor us by wishing to be Embraced by House Lash!"
Inaya let go of a breath she didn't know she was holding.
"On second thought, I would like some privacy with you, if that's alright," she said, her eyes devouring the sight of him.
"Of course." Lash indicated the door to the Lord Commander's office, set directly across from the doors to his apartment. "Please, let us go to my office!"
It took a moment for Inaya to calm down enough to focus on the simple, yet intense ceremony. As soon as she had, Lash smiled at her.
"Ready?"
She nodded without saying anything, her eyes focused on him as she worked on keeping her breathing steady. Seeing that, Lash gave her another smile before reaching into his desk to bring out a plain, but functional dagger, its sheath marked with the crest of the Qos Viran.
"Inaya Patel." He smoothly drew the dagger and put the sheath back onto the top of the desk. "As High Lord of House Lash, I embrace you, and take you into my household, granting you status as a full member of that household, able to draw completely on House Lash's resources, power, and might. Sanguis tuus in sanguine meo. Your blood to my blood. Sanguis meo in sanguine tuo. My blood to your blood."
Reaching out with his blade, he made a small cut on Inaya's slightly trembling left hand. As blood quickly appeared, he leaned down to kiss the cut, putting her blood on his lips, Inaya gasping quietly as he did. Then, as she looked at him with eyes wide as they drank him in, he put a small cut on his hand before extending it to her. Without hesitation Inaya kissed the small wound and put his blood on her lips, which she quickly licked off.
"Now say what I say along with me, Inaya," Lash directed. Nodding in understanding, Inaya then repeated Lash's words along with him as he spoke:
"Sanguis noster pro Domus Lash! Our blood for House Lash!"
As Inaya closed her eyes and heaved a shuddering sigh of relief, Lash smiled.
"It is done. Welcome to House Lash, and Clan Ventru, Inaya." He looked up at the ceiling. "Hunter, make an official notification of the addition to my House and pass it to the European Queens' Conclave."
"Notation made and communication sent to update the Queens' Conclave's database, Lord Commander," the base's AI reported. Then Lash was grunting as Inaya threw her arms around his torso and hugged him tightly.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you, Lash!" she breathed before beginning to cry in emotional release. And in that moment Lash realized just how scared Inaya had been in her native country, hunted by the humans there without mercy, afraid of every shadow, every sound that didn't fit in. A fear that was washed away by the Embrace's simple formula.
"You are safe now and forever, Inaya," he said softly against her hair. "As long as House Lash stands, you will be protected!" And in response she squeezed him more tightly, burying her face against his chest.
It took a few moments for the Indian lilith to compose herself, which Lash was happy to give her. As he had warned her, the Embrace was an intensely personal thing as it bridged one reality with another, a transition from one life to another, and not everybody handled it the same. For Inaya it had brought intense feelings of relief and release as the weight and fear she had carried with her being from a part of the world where life as a vampire was difficult and terrifying, was abruptly taken from her shoulders and she felt truly safe for the first time in her life.
Inaya was still a little worn out from the emotions that had enveloped her following her Embrace when they stepped to the office door a few moments later.
"Are you going to be okay?" Lash asked with concern as she wobbled a bit as they stopped in front of the closed door. But the answering smile was brilliant once again.
"Yes. I just need a moment to sit down, and perhaps some blood," the Indian lilith said.
"You can do so here, if you wish. Or you can lay down in my apartment for a moment to gather yourself. I have fresh blood flown in by drone this morning from Oslo in my hemo-cooler."
"Mm, your apartment, please. I will take comfort and strength from taking my rest in the center of your power. Not to mention, smelling you on the sheets will be like knowing you were just there and are close by."
Lash chuckled softly.
"Fair enough." He palmed the door open and, with a careful hand in the small of Inaya's back, supported her across the corridor to his apartment door.
After making sure Inaya was comfortable, Lash returned to the bullpen, thoughtful. How many more liliths would he have to Embrace into his House? Two? Three? He had overheard Sofia asking how to be shorn after his confrontation with Vulcrum the other day, so that was at least one. Although, with her clan's High Lord sitting in the holding cells below, he very much doubted he'd grant her that shearing willingly, wanting her dead instead. Perhaps the Queens' Conclave in Salzburg would grant it from their end, considering Giovanni's fallen state and his actions against not just Sofia, but hundreds of liliths across the world.
Which, of course, led him to consider Isabella. With Narvaez falling as far as Giovanni and further, going to great lengths to weaponize two of his clan's own liliths, the Conclave would likely grant her a shearing from House Garcia and Clan Toreador if she asked for it. Would he Embrace Sofia or Isabella? It wasn't even a matter that needed questioning. Of course he would. They had but to ask.
Then his thoughts were being interrupted by familiar hands slipping around his torso from behind even as a delightfully familiar scent filled his nostrils.
"You look deep in thought, my lord," Dru quietly noted even as she molded herself to his back, her hands and arms holding him snuggly.
"The Silver Legion has just taken another of Romanescu's slave markets, freeing nearly forty liliths that were imprisoned there," he said, sliding his hands over hers. "And Romanescu himself was captured by Sergeant Tanner and Second Squad as he tried to flee the assault."
"Good," Dru said, her tone abruptly hard. "I'd stake that filthy bastard out myself, if I had half the chance. He sullies the very name 'Nosferatu'!"
"At least now he'll face the Conclave's justice," Lash indicated, earning himself another squeeze.
"As you did promise us," Dru noted, her voice softening once again. "Truly you are well named, my Lord Protector. The Queens' Conclave is in your debt!"
"Ho, easy there with the praise, Dru." He looked over his shoulder at her. "I just provided overwatch on Kassidy's operation. I didn't actually capture that piece of filth."
"What you mean to say, my Lash, is that you provided everything Kassidy needed to act as your agent in capturing Romanescu and destroying the slave market he was using as a base!" Dru primly corrected him, letting go of him enough to slide around and face him. "The intelligence, the equipment, Witch's Pyre, even the ashing opportunity! And Kassidy had to take a full legion of Silver Legionnaires to accomplish it when you would've done it with two platoons as you did in Esbjerg."
"I don't think you give your premier M'tada the credit they're due," Lash said with a raised brow as Dru put her arms around his neck and once again molded herself to him.
"And I think you give them too much credit, when compared to your own prowess, my delicious vampire god," the Romanian lilith replied with her own raised brow. She then gasped softly in pleasure as Lash put his hands on her hips and turned her away from the bullpen before putting his hand on her firm buttock and giving it a squeeze all in one smooth, quick motion.
"Are you trying to win this argument by distraction, my lord?" she asked huskily, as she lifted a leg to run her inner thigh against the thick muscle of his upper leg.
"Is it working?" he asked with a mischievous grin.
"Yes, damn you. Now kiss me!" she breathed and groaned in her throat when Lash gathered her up and kissed her passionately, their mouths quickly filling with lovers' blood.
The big vampire was fairly convinced that, if there wasn't already a lilith in his bed resting, Dru would've dragged him in there for a bit more of an intimate exchange after that kiss. As it was, however, they stretched the kiss out as far as was decent before finally parting, Dru leaning in to lick the blood from his lips that escaped his mouth in the midst of their passion.
"You, good sir, know how to kiss a girl," she said hoarsely.
"Only when that girl is worth kissing," he countered and Dru smiled brightly, eyes wide as they drank him in.