The arrival of the vampires has filled the air with a sweet, cloying scent. It clogs our nostrils, seeping into our blood, filling it with a sensual giddiness that is both revolting and beguiling. Everyone looks dazed as if on an aphrodisiac as they watch the vampire king’s leisurely trail to the central podium.
Only the most powerful wolves can resist the hypnotic effect–the alphas, some betas and lunas. The rest of us reel with the effect, some lesser wolves even falling to their knees unable to support their bodies, while others trying to join the procession like puppets on strings.
I clutch on Tammy’s arm, barely able to contain my swirling dizziness. Her skin is a prickly ice under my touch. I squint to find her eyes glazing in pure terror as each emancipated slave follows their master with dazed reverence.
Damien’s eyes flicker to Tammy, his expression unreadable. She stumbles back in shock.
“I don’t think I can do this, Danny!” Her choked whisper cuts through my heart. I grab her hand more firmly. At least we are shielded from the worst of it by Adam and Phyllis, who stand in the front row. I can feel some kind of power emanating from Adam that provides the Silver Shadows wolves behind him with an extra layer of protection.
“I don’t like this, Adam. Why were we not informed Vasili would be here?” Phyllis’s sharp whisper carries to us as we try to keep our senses. Adam lets out an imperceptible growl.
“It’s just the vampires being underhand. I knew something was up when Damien landed for the wolf council meeting. We should never trust a word coming out of their cunning mouths.”
I blink, trying to make sense, when he turns round to me.
“Make sure you and Olivia stay with Gabe and Billy, and you too, Tina and Tammy. Stay together and do not let anyone out of sight, even for a moment.”
I want to question him, but his head snaps around to the podium. Vasili has climbed the few steps up to enter the flat tabletop where a dozen alphas from various regions stand in unison, facing him. Their grim faces mask a hostility, the combined effect of which would have any lesser man scurrying for safety. But the King of Vampires smirks as if they were his toy boys.
“My friends! Glad to see you all after such a long time!”
His expansive greeting meets with a half-hearted murmur. John steps forward.
“Vasili. What an unexpected surprise!”
“Unexpected, John?” Vasili tilts his silver head. “How could you think I’ll miss the marriage of my dear friend?” He wiggles his finger at Damien, who walks closer to his king. Vasili turns to give John as assessing look. “And then, I was also curious about your new guests. Damien gave me quite a charming report. I had to come and see for myself.”
For a moment John stiffens, then forces himself to relax.
“This vain curiosity does not suit you, Vasili. Everyone knows my guests are Rey Armstrong’s granddaughters. That makes them mere quarter wolves, nothing special.”
“It’s not the quarter wolf that interests me, John.” Vasili laughs. “I am more interested in the rest of the three quarters. What say? I hear Rey found his mate just after the princess disappeared?”
The pause that follows is silent as death. Adam’s back stiffens in front of me. I strain my ears to hear clearly. The wolves, with their sharp senses, don’t have any trouble hearing, but for me, some words are escaping.
What exactly did he say? A princess?
“I must say I am worried for you, Vasili. Sitting in the Shadow Mountain, brooding alone for such a long time, has really affected your brain. You should try to come out more often. A little sun may do you good, even though you are a vampire.”
Vasili’s face loses some of its sheen. He steps forward, now nose to nose with John.
“On the contrary, John, the Shadow Mountain has granted me a wisdom few can boast of. And that it tells me there is a secret hiding here in plain sight.”
“Well, as I said, you need to come out more. It will show you some reality. It’s not the first time you have made false claims only for the unfortunate involved to end up in your harem. I’d like to warn you to keep your eyes off my guests.”
“Well…it’s hard when they are such delicacies.” Vasili’s eyes flicker to our group. A hefty man standing next to John moves forward.
“John. Vasili. We are here for the festival. Let’s not disrespect the goddess by fighting among ourselves. We should get on with what we are assembled here for.”
The suggestion meets with approval from the rest of the Alphas, and Vasili admits a gracious defeat. They move down the podium to the lake, where the goddess awaits her devotees to finish their quibbling. The Alphas and the vampires walk to the lake with the rest following close behind. Phyllis turns to Tammy to hold her hand.
“It’s time, my dear. And you too Myra. Come along.”
*****
We walk to the lake. Tammy clutching her mother with one hand and me with the other. One my other side is Myra, followed by Tina and Olly. Olly walks alone, a couple of times she stumbles, but just stops short of falling to the wet grass.
The moon is nowhere in the sky. Instead, a mild drizzle starts making everyone groan. The smell of wet grass mingles with the vampires’ seduction to fill the air with a restlessness. My eyes raise to the sky. Will they go ahead with the ceremony without the goddess being present?
“It’s unlikely.” Billy quips and I realize I was thinking aloud. “Without the moon, it’s like any other day. It’ll not carry the significance attached to the harvest festival.”
We wait. The night gets darker. The wind is picking speed, whipping the cliffs with icy lashes, yet the wolves stay around the lake waiting for the goddess. Neither do they light a fire nor do they take refuge in the forest. It’s considered disrespectful to be weak or impatient. Beyond the lake in the mountains are the infamous caves that Tammy told me about, but no one tries to go that way either.
Well, no one except hungry and horny vampires. They are restless. One of them tugs his slave to sink his teeth into his neck. With each thirsty sip, his throat bobs up and down as blood dribbles the corner of his mouth. He drinks for ages and when he finishes, the poor boy crumples to his feet, yet his face remains ecstatic as if it was the best experience of his life.
Soon he is joined on the muddy ground by another slave whose master, after finishing with him, sinks his teeth into a young girl, one hand fondling her small breast. The girl moans as if it's the best orgasm of her life while blood trickles down her throat onto her silken robes.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
The scene has turned so repulsive my stomach churns with revulsion. It’s like a sleaze party. The vampires do not like waiting. The longer the goddess stays hidden, the more uncontrolled they become. The wolves try to ignore, praying for the goddess to make her appearance.
We stand watching, in our safe corner near a rock. I cannot take my eyes off the horrific display. Tammy next to me is shaking, unable to utter a word.
“Danny! I…I...” Tammy stutters as a hot sweat trickles her skin despite the cold weather. She looks like she wants to run, but has no courage left. Running from here is impossible. There is no way to escape a mountain crawling with vampires and wolves.
This is not a festival. It’s an orgy of the depraved. I turn and rush to a corner to vomit my bile out, only to find Olly there looking glazed and feverish.
“Oh, Danny! I feel so sick!” She mumbles, sliding to the ground in her own vomit. I bend to grab her and pull her up when the clouds part to reveal a shining moon.
It’s mesmerizing. The largest ball of pearly silver floating in the clouds ringed with layers of blue and purple shades. From the cliff it looks so close, like a dome of silver I can touch if I stretch my legs. For a moment, no one speaks, then the entire mountain erupts into jubilant cheers. The air thrums with wild excitement, and John and Phyllis walk forward with Jeff.
It’s time. They stand near the lake, facing each other. Jeff is stiff as John takes his hand. I cannot see Myra’s face, but the way Gerald drags her suggests he is facing some reluctance. We watch as the two hands are joined. Then both the fathers sprinkle some lake water on their children. Even with joined hands, the distance between them does not reduce an inch.
I watch from my place near the rock as I support Olly. The lake water shimmers in the moonlight as the new couple bows to the goddess’s statue.
As the first union is solemnized, other wolf couples come forward to take the goddess’s blessing. Standing on the podium, a wolf howls to the moon, conveying our gratitude. Soon after, Damien steps forward and a cheer of excitement runs through the vampires.
Along with him is his king. Both walk to the lake to stand near the edge. John turns to us, to usher his shaking daughter to her destiny.
“It’s time, Tamara.”
“Father. Please.”
John’s face stays impassive. Or if there are any emotions, we cannot see them in the flickering moonlight. He holds Tammy’s hand and leads her to Damien as the rest of her siblings watch from the sidelines. Damien watches quietly as Tammy finally reaches him. They look no different from any other couples, yet the air goes tense as he steps towards her.
“By the grace of the Goddess and my great King Vasily, I hereby claim you, Tamara John Stevens of the Silver Shadows pack…”
“I reject you!!” Tammy’s voice rings loud above Damien’s suave drone. For a moment, there is silence as every head turns in her direction.
“What did you say?” Damien inclines his head, surprise etched in his smooth face.
“I, Tamara John Stevens of the Silver Shadows pack, reject you Damien the vampire as my mate. By the grace of the moon goddess, let this bond be broken. I reject you and everything that is about you. May the goddess please grant my wish.”
*****
The uproar is unbelievable. The mountain breaks into loud protests that soon turn into howls of pain. Tammy’s rejection…it has violated the Triumvirate treaty. The alliance between the three races is broken, and the vampires are going berserk.
The lake water has gone dull. The moon has hidden behind the clouds again, as if the goddess is unwilling to witness the carnage.
Vasily and his Nightwatchers on a rampage, swiping with a deadly precision at whichever wolf approaches them. Thousands of bats fly out of the forest to surround the mountain. As every vampire lodges on the nearest wolf, the shimmering red threads binding them to their slaves come undone. The slaves run hither and tither as if woken up from a deep slumber. Some flee in wayward directions to the forest beyond the shrine. Some run into other angry vampires only to get their throats ripped. Some unfortunate ones are cornered towards a cliff, only to be tipped over the edge by their pursuers.
The wolves put up a fight but are vastly outnumbered. For each wolf, there are at least three or more vampires. What was supposed to be a festival of celebration, has suddenly turned into a war zone.
Plastering myself to the rock, I try to gather my wits when I feel a tug at my hand. Olly has left me and is lurching towards the forest. Her gait is weird, as if she is trying to either hold something in or let something loose. I prepare to go after her when Gabe tugs my other arm.
“Danny. Let’s not waste any more time. Let’s do our ritual before this place turns into a rampage.”
“Gabe! Now is not the time! How can you even think of…” before I complete my sentence, a howl pierces the air. It’s the loudest, most painful, yet the most exhilarating howl. In the commotion of all screaming, screeching, and deathly growls, this one stands out as if calling to me.
A shiver runs down my spine, from the core of my gut to the end of my nerves. A pain rips my heart and I realize how hard it’s been thudding all this time. Cold sweat covers my body as a queer sensation takes hold. My body feels so hot as if it's melting into the dark night.
“Gabe… " I pinch myself to keep my head. "I must go find Olly. She is not well.”
I glance at Tammy, who is turned into her wolf and is ripping a vampire’s throat apart. Next to her is Adam, partially turned into his savage wolf form. With one clawed hand, he impales a vampire to death while the other holds other two by the neck. Tina stands shuddering behind him while Billy covers her from the other side.
Yes, they are all safe. Well, as safe as they can be. I cannot see John and Phyllis, but they can take care of themselves. I turn and sprint towards the dark jungle, from where low husky growls call me. For some reason, I feel I know who it is.
“Danny! Wait. You can’t break your promise like this!” Gabe’s angry voice follows me as I rush to the edge of the forest when Olly comes out back again.
This time, she does not look like herself. Or rather, she looks like herself, yet very different.
She is grown larger. Much larger than even some of the largest wolves here. She is scrambling on her fours, silver white fur coating her skin like soft shiny silk. Her face is elongating, turning itself into a most exquisite canine shape I have ever seen. Her eyes are delicate and elongated, the jade in them sparkling like crystals.
“What the…” Gabe’s surprised voice dies behind me. I stand astonished as another pain rips through my body.
The moon is out again, shining in its full glory. In front of me, Olly slowly turns, completing her transformation. It’s the most magnificent wolf I have ever seen. I can’t take my eyes off her.
The commotion around us has gone quiet. Even the vampires stop to take a look. People come closer, gathering around us to form a semi-circle.
“That’s simply magnificent!” someone crows from the crowd.
My heart fills with pride. Olly. My Olly. She has achieved her dream. She has turned into a wolf grandpa would be proud of. She has proved we are indeed the blood of the First Wolves.
“Yeah. Look, one sister is a grand wolf. And the other…”
A peal of laughter goes in the air as I turn around sharply. Are they talking about me?
I squint my eyes. They all look so big. Large like mountains. I have to angle my head to look at them. But what I do not understand it why they are staring at me like that. Tina looks in shock. John and Phyllis look strained. Billy and Tammy stare speechless and Gabe…is he disgusted? At me?
“Gabe…what happened? Why are you all…” I try to say, but no words come out of my mouth. Instead, I hear small squeaks. Little whimpers that come out of my aching throat.
In the shining light of the harvest moon, on the mountaintop full of wolves and vampires near the goddess’s shrine…have I also turned?
I glance down at my feet. Small tufts of red fur are sprouting off my toes. They are not glossy like Olly’s. They have a dirty, sickly shade of orange. They don’t even cover my entire legs. In many places, the raw skin is exposed as if suffering from some disease.
“Look…what is it? It can’t be a wolf!”
“That thing…it’s a mongrel. Such a shame!”
"Oh my God!"
"So weird!"
Voices come from all directions as I stumble backwards. I feel weak, small, ill. This body…it’s worse than the one I had before. It’s barely there. All I feel is pain.
Tears prickle my eyes as my heart twists. I do not know what this is. What has happened? Why am I not like Olly? Am I cursed?
“Gabe!” My eyes shine with a last hope as I see him stepping forward. He walks to me as if in a daze, his eyes trained on me. My heart leaps with hope. I know he’s the only one I can turn to. He will claim me as his mate and set everything right.
“Gabe! I…” I am yet to finish my silly whimper when he walks straight past without even looking at me. He strides further away, to where Olly stands, basking in her glory.
“That’s…that’s my mate.” Gabe says as he comes to a halt in front of her. My heart stops as I hear his words.
“Olivia. Olly. You are my fated mate, and in the presence of the moon goddess, I claim you as such.”
***** *****