The moon had long since achieved victory in its daily battle with the sun, but unlike the birds, squirrels, and wolves, sleep eluded Noah. Since his escape attempt, nightmares no longer plagued his dreams, but insomnia always found new insecurities and worries to latch onto.
A week had passed since the emergency pack meeting, and a disease had been inflicted upon the pack. Stress from the anticipation of an Unseelie attack had stolen tranquility, sleep, and revelry from the wolves. They stayed close to their homes, and any fun or joy was silenced with disapproving glares. Unknowingly, an expectation that every wolf must be on guard every second of every day set in, and as a result, the pack’s health diminished. If the Unseelie didn’t attack soon, fear would win this battle for them.
And yet, on this particular night, threats of the Unseelie didn’t cause Noah to toss and turn in restlessness. Snuggled into the warm woolen blankets of Sylvie’s bed, he studied her naked back only a few feet from him. Gone were the days of sleeping on the hard floor, but the invitation to his mate’s bed didn’t bring the expected intimacy that should have been guaranteed between mates.
At the beginning of their relationship, he didn’t question her lack of physicality, as he was more concerned with his impending escape. Since then, nagging doubts ruined their scorching kisses and doused their lustful touches. Despite her eyes blazing with desire, Sylvie ended their trysts before they could go further than teenage fondling, always citing the same excuse: she didn’t want to risk pregnancy until they extinguished the Unseelie threat.
As he gazed at her back, he reached a hesitant finger toward her bronze skin, hesitating just inches from her flawless body before pulling away. How long could the pack afford to remain in this half-dead state they found themselves in? They still breathed, but the Unseelie had already destroyed what made their lives worth living.
A smile spread across his face as he watched her ears twitch in her sleep. Without warning, she bolted upright, shocking his body into an instinctive retreat, a retreat that threw him off of the bed and onto the floor in a heap. As Sylvie glared at the cabin door, he panted heavily from the floor, grabbing his chest and attempting to slow his heart rate. His fear turned to outrage, and he vowed to himself that this injustice would not be forgotten.
A second later, a soft knock tapped against the door, drawing Noah’s thoughts and eyes toward the unusual occurrence. Other than Wren and the siblings, not a single pack member had visited their little oasis of a cabin. In a daze, he watched Sylvie throw on her leather pants and woolen shirt before his senses returned to him, and he rushed to cover his bare chest with his ruffled shirt. Just as he preserved his modesty by securing the last button, Sylvie flung the door open to reveal a solemn Alder.
“What is it, Alder? This better not be a social call this late at night.” Sylvie asked, crossing her arms in annoyance at the disturbance.
Ignoring Sylvie’s question, Alder studied the rumpled blankets covering the bed. Pain and heartache became visible on his face, spoiling his handsome features. As if doing so would threaten his life, he briefly sniffed the air, profound relief filling him as whatever he smelled or didn’t smell eased his greatest fear. His head cocked toward Sylvie as his relief and excitement transformed into confusion, and he gazed into her eyes, searching for something within his alpha.
With a shake of his head, Alder refocused on the purpose of his midnight disturbance. “Alpha, you need to come to the territory entrance immediately. My father and other warriors are already there waiting for you.”
“Unseelie?” she asked with a growl, emitting a vibration in the air that tingled Noah’s skin.
Alder shook his head with a grimace, prompting a shiver to course through Noah. What could be worse than the Unseelie that had been plaguing the pack?
“Vampires,” Alder whispered with nervousness quivering his voice.
Yep, that was worse. With the Unseelie dominating their thoughts and fears, the even greater threat of the vampires had slipped his mind completely. With their numbers so low, every vampire was precious to a coven, and the coven master would not let the murder of one of their children go without retribution.
Sylvie glanced toward him with a worried but determined look on her face. “How many are there, and why are they not dead already? Our pack doesn’t allow safe passage to Vampires.”
“Only one master vampire has come, but a dozen thralls accompany her. We didn’t know if you would want to slaughter the former humans as well,” Alder said with a pitying glance at Noah.
A mixture of rage and hopelessness threatened to overwhelm Noah. Saving the thralls was possible, but it was easier and more realistic to consider them as dead. What were the odds of finding the specific vampire who created them and then killing the near-invincible monster to grant them their freedom?
“Have they attacked or threatened violence on our pack?” Sylvie asked.
Alder shook his head. “They are carrying the white flag of parlay and claim they are not here for battle.” A silence filled the room as Alder turned toward Noah, looking him up and down in consideration. “They only wish to discuss the murder of a vampire belonging to their coven.”
“Return to the territory entrance and do not let them leave the border under any circumstances,” Sylvie snapped, her form already beginning to shimmer with turbulent emotions.
“Yes, Alpha!” Alder shifted and took off in a blur, escaping Sylvie’s impending blow-up as fast as his four paws could carry him.
“I won’t let them take you, Noah. If it is a war they want, then the Baleful Fiend Pack will grant their request for bloodshed!” Sylvie shouted with wild eyes, a hair’s breadth away from losing control.
His bare feet thudded against the cold floor as he approached her, wrapping his mate in a soothing hug. “I have no doubt you will protect me, Sylvie. Instead of jumping into an avoidable war, perhaps we should try diplomacy first.”
He felt the anger drain from her body, and she buried her face into his chest. “Noah, they will not allow the murder of one of their own to go unchallenged. Diplomacy is the goal, but we must plan for more inevitable outcomes.”
She pulled away from his arms with concern marring her face. “If negotiations break down, we will have to slaughter the thralls. Prepare yourself for that tragedy, Noah.”
He clenched his fists, a rage deep inside of him fighting to claw its way free. “If you can kill the master vampire who made them, they will return to normal humans. Our problem is that the thralls would never be allowed so close to our border if their maker was among them. The coven master wouldn’t risk losing that many slaves and allow an enemy to scoop up soldiers with a vendetta against their coven.”
Sylvie nodded with profound sadness. “Don’t place their blood on your hands, my mate. Coincidences are beyond your culpability.”
Her words failed to pierce the shroud of guilt wrapped around him. It was a coincidence that he met a vampire during his escape attempt, but the escape attempt itself rested squarely on his shoulders. And now, because of his foolishness, a dozen humans were at risk, and the pack teetered on the brink of another war. Despite so many consequences, he avoided direct punishment for his own actions. Where was the justice in that?
Stepping through the doorway, Sylvie glanced at him with a sigh. “Just to be safe, please seek shelter in the lodge for the night. Whether they fail or succeed, I will return with news of the negotiations.”
“Yes, when we finish, we should drop by the lodge. Our presence will provide the other wolves with moral support,” he responded, already getting dressed in his trench coat and heading towards his cowboy hat and cane.
“You aren’t coming, Noah.”
“Yes, I am coming, Sylvie.”
An arm as strong as iron stretched across the doorway, blocking his path. “You are not going, and that is an order! I will not risk you for no reason, or have you forgotten that you are the killer that they seek?”
He tugged at the obstacle blocking his path but frowned when he noticed the slight trembling of her arm. Despite her harsh words, he could find no anger on Sylvie’s face, only fear. He would do almost anything to soothe her fears, but he could not yield to her on this.
“It is my responsibility, Sylvie. I will not allow others to suffer for my actions,” he whispered, imploring her to understand how important this was to him.
Suddenly, the arm blocking his path disappeared, and thrown off balance, he stumbled out of the cabin and into the forest. A massive black wolf growled menacingly at him, snapping at him and forcing him to retreat toward the door. She rammed his legs with her forehead, nearly causing his leg to buckle and pushing him back step by step.
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As he was shoved back inside the cabin, he slammed a fist into the wall. “Sylvie! If you force me to run from the Vampires, you will cripple me for life.”
The pressure forcing him backward vanished, allowing him to reach forward and stroke her soft fur. Sylvie whined and nuzzled his chest with the side of her face.
“Mates, stand beside one another. You must allow me to face danger just as I allow you to. Otherwise, I am just a mate in a gilded cage,” he whispered, ruffling her fur with his breath.
Her blazing silver eyes studied him for a few moments before she nodded her head. Decision made, she turned around and beckoned towards her back with her paw. As Noah leaped onto his mate, his mind attempted to defend itself against the evil whisperings of a demon.
It wasn’t the time, and she wasn’t in the mood. Do it! No, no, he couldn’t. The alluring voices slithered past his defenses, poisoning his mind with irresistible temptations. Finally, the voices in his head calmed as the war of his generation ended with a victory.
“Yeehaw! Giddy up, girl!” he shouted out, throwing the hand holding his cowboy hat into the air.
***
A journey that would have taken Noah hours to jog was whittled down to less than half an hour. As they blurred between the towering trees, he noticed a layer of dead leaves covering the forest floor. Winter had arrived, and none of the green in the woods could withstand its fury. With the absence of the thick canopy of leaves, the moonlight shined down on the forest floor, bathing their territory in a soothing light. A smile that spread from the recesses of his soul brightened his face when he spotted specific shadows on the wooden walkways between the trees. He couldn’t make them out clearly, but he knew what they were.
A few minutes later, the glowing eyes of the territory symbol spotlighted the dangerous situation ahead of them. Over forty wolves had gathered, and unlike the confrontation with the human caravan, tensions were already bordering on violence by the time he and Sylvie arrived. The wolves’ fur bristled on their backs, and growls rumbled overt threats to the emotionless enemies standing before them.
Even at this distance, Noah could see the thralls dressed in black cloaks, with hoods covering their faces. Standing in an encapsulating circle, they protected the master vampire that controlled their every thought and action.
Before the warrior wolves sensed their alpha’s approach, the vampire and thralls shifted their stances to face the new arrivals. Once they reached the standoff, Noah leaped off of Sylvie’s back, allowing her to shapeshift and greet the camouflaged monster.
The circle of thralls parted, allowing him to study the appearance of the creature from his nightmares. It took on the appearance of a young human woman, save for the radiating red eyes. A black bonnet adorned with a red rose covered its brown ringlets, which bounced down to its neck. Rouge allowed its cheeks to blush, giving its skin a healthy appearance that wasn’t possible for the living dead. A black Victorian cocktail dress with red lace gave it the distinct appearance of a sweet and innocent lady who had accidentally wandered into a den of wolves. Protecting her from the harsh rays of the non-existent sun, she twirled a parasol umbrella above her head, ensuring her alabaster skin wouldn’t darken.
“Aw, the young alpha makes her appearance. The pressure to dominate a pack into submission must be absolutely dreadful at such a young age. How is that going, by the way?” the vampire drawled with a mocking giggle and a twirl of its umbrella.
“Name your business, vampire, or this will end in bloodshed,” Sylvie said, snorting at the attempted provocation.
The vampire doubled over with laughter, causing its ringlets to bounce against its shoulders. “Oh, will it now? I may not be able to fight this many wolves, but I am faster. You would never stop me from escaping, and I doubt you wish to declare war by slaughtering easily replaceable thralls.”
“State your business, vampire!” Sylvie shouted, falling victim to the vampire’s goading.
The vampire’s eyes twinkled, immense pleasure brightening its face as the creature basked in such an amusing situation. “Well, I am here to inquire about my dear brother, of course. Alas, someone stole his life not far from your territory.”
Sylvie didn’t flinch, not displaying an ounce of emotion on her face. “Many have lost their lives in the surrounding areas recently. Who was this fallen brother?”
The vampire smiled as if it knew Sylvie was playing dumb. “My brother, Master Vampire Julius. If you don’t recognize his name, perhaps you will recognize mine. When my father granted me a second life, he named me Laelia.”
Sylvie pursed her lips but gave no sign she recognized the name. “And which coven did this Master Julius belong to? I haven’t heard of a Julius territory.”
Laelia cackled, its haunting laughter reverberating through the wolves. “Julius, a coven master?” it asked, wiping tears of blood from its red eyes. “Julius was the youngest of us, barely older than a fledgling. He was quite weak, truth be told.”
“What coven are you from, vampire?” Sylvie demanded, a growl rumbling from her throat as her anger rose at the flippant creature.
“Why, I am from the territory ruled by my progenitor, Master Augustus, of course.”
As Noah froze under the onslaught of tormenting memories, he couldn’t silence the gasp that escaped from his lips. It was barely audible to himself, but the vampire’s delicate ears had no trouble picking up the noise from forty feet away.
Laelia’s head snapped toward him, pinning him with predatory eyes. “Goodness gracious, who do we have here? How curious it is to find a human amongst a pack of wolves?”
Laelia sniffed in his direction, examining him with a nose no less sensitive than a shifter. “Tell me, human, have you heard of the great Master Augustus?”
A roaring filled his ears, and his vision swam. If this vampire was from the caverns, then it was one of the monsters who had hidden within the darkness and feasted upon his blood. A vengeance that he imprisoned deep inside broke free from its shackles, demanding that he kill the creature before him.
In a daze, he took a small step forward, raising his cane with trembling arms. Fire burned within his veins as adrenaline flooded his blood, granting him access to overpowering strength. The vampire’s death beckoned him, enticing his rage with an indulgent target.
Firm fingers grasped his arm, breaking the spell of hatred that had ensnared him. He glanced at his mate and felt the wrath drain from his mind. Sylvie’s fear-filled silver eyes pleaded with him, entreating him not to take this path.
His logic returned to him as he took a deep, shuddering breath. With the Unseelie threat hanging above their necks, the pack’s survival depended on avoiding a war with this coven. He had things to lose now, and he wouldn’t sacrifice them for personal gratification. As the adrenaline left him, his weakened arms quivered, and he slowly lowered his cane to the ground.
He stepped forward and tipped his hat with a beaming smile. “Good day, my fair lady Laelia. I am afraid I am not acquainted with the honorable Master Augustus.”
Laelia tilted its head in confusion, taking long, deep sniffs in his direction before shuddering in pleasure. “Hmm. It’s nearly imperceptible, but my nose refuses to dismiss such a pungent aroma. Its bouquet of alluring seduction entices me with its bewitching fragrance.”
The vampire’s red eyes shot open, and its gaze snapped to the bottom of his trench coat. Following its gaze, he cursed when he saw a speck of dried blood that had dripped onto his coat when he punched the window. He had cleaned his coat for hours after that night and could have sworn he had removed every ounce of blood. Apparently, he had missed a drop.
“Ab Negative! What a rare and delicious vintage you are, human,” Laelia said, clapping in excitement at finding such an uncommon treat.
Sylvie shifted on the spot and blocked Noah from the vampire’s sight. As soon as their Alpha shifted, the warrior wolves coiled their muscles, preparing to lunge forward in a devastating attack. The situation was about to turn sour, but he could still salvage this.
With a booming laugh, he stepped around Sylvie, scratching her ear as he passed. “That I am, my lady, that I am. However, I’m afraid you can’t taste my sweet blood. You see…” He raised his hand, his mating mark gleaming in the light of the fae globes. “You are too late, as someone has already claimed me.”
Laelia hissed at the mark from Sylvie’s bite with its fangs on full display. “Spoiled by the dogs!”
The vampire’s glowing red eyes narrowed at the wolves, who snarled and snapped in its direction. “You ruined a livestock that would have been delicious for decades, you mongrels.”
A hand grabbed Noah’s shoulder, pulling him back and allowing a recently shifted Sylvie to step in front of him. “I suggest you leave, vampire, while we still allow you to. Tell your progenitor, Master Augustus, that we have not seen or heard from this Julius and bid him good luck in his search for the killer.”
With its fangs jutting over its bottom lip and its predatory red eyes blazing, the human camouflage fell from the monster’s face. “Are you certain, Alpha? One culprit to save your pack? That seems like a worthy sacrifice to me.”
“There is no culprit here. Return to your caves and hide from the splendor of the sun like the leech you are,” Sylvie said, a mocking chuckle following her words. A wheezing laughter from the surrounding wolves added to the vampire’s humiliation.
Laelia nodded morosely. “As you wish, Alpha. I will bring Master Augustus your answer, and he will be the one to decide your pack’s fate.”
With a snap of its fingers, the group of thralls turned as one, surrounding the master vampire in a protective circle. Just as the wolves began to relax, Laelia paused its retreat and looked back at Noah with a taunting glee in its eyes.
“Damn you, human. You have tempted my appetite, and now I will have to derive my pleasure from another source. Master Augustus will not be pleased with me.”
In an instant, it blurred to one of the thralls, throwing back the hood and sinking its fangs into the thrall’s neck. Sickening suction sounds filled the air, churning Noah’s stomach. Like a coward, he averted his eyes so he wouldn’t have to witness the feeding. But after a few moments, his eyes flickered over for just a peek, not able to ignore the atrocity being committed.
The thrall turned out to be a young woman, and Noah felt a pang of sadness as he stared at her back. Like all vampire slaves, her hay-colored hair was shaved down to a stubble, and scars covered her neck. Laelia finally pulled its fangs free, and the young woman swayed on her feet, but it appeared her life had been spared.
“Ahhh, so delicious! AB Negative truly is the nectar of the gods,” Laelia declared, patting the corners of her mouth with a dainty black handkerchief.
Time froze, and the rest of the world disappeared from his sight as his squinted eyes honed in on the young woman. Pouring over her neck, his eyes widened, and he gripped his chest as if a sword had pierced his heart. Displayed on the young woman’s neck for all to see was a name from his memories — Master Augustus 2324 AB Negative 3. Strength abandoned his legs, and he fell to his knees. Hyperventilating, black spots filled his vision as he attempted to peer through the darkness at the young girl he had abandoned.
Years of feeding had heavily scarred her neck, etching her torment into her skin. She was, for all intents and purposes, dead unless he killed the vampire who made her. And he would find it. And he would kill. No matter what it took.
Tears filled his eyes, and he reached out a shaky hand toward Negative 3’s retreating back. Freedom or death, and now, he was looking at what his freedom had cost. He hadn’t paid the price, though. The young girl he thought of as a younger sister had been forced to pay it in his stead. A numbness filled him as he watched the vampire and thralls disappear into the darkness, burning an image into his psyche that would haunt his nightmares.