The Renaissance: Book 4 of The Bloodmoon Wars (A Paranormal Shifter Series Prequel to Luna Rising)

by Sara Snow

  My mother had lost her life, and I was counting the days until I found the hybrid that had killed her.

  When I opened my eyes again, I found Cyrus talking with a human and an elf, both men speaking animatedly while he listened. There were few people out since the bodies were still burning; the stench was foul but one I could endure.

  “Hey,” Cyrus greeted me at the lodge house.

  I scrunched up my nose. “You stink, seriously.”

  He took a deep breath, smelling himself. “Yeah, I know. Are you okay?”

  He reached out to hold me, and I swatted his hand away, making him smile. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing the intricate demon symbols tattooed on his skin.

  “I’m okay,” I answered. “I’m just tired. You don’t look too hot yourself.”

  He turned to the side, his gray eyes darting back and forth as he watched the fire at the edge of the town. “There are places in the Underworld that smell just like this. When this all ends, I'll have to return to that."

  I placed a hand on his elbow, and he turned to me. "You told me there are places in the Underworld that are beautiful and peaceful, too."

  He took my hand from his elbow and kissed the back of it. “You’re right. I’m happy you’ve decided to come with me when I leave. Having you there will make returning to the Underworld bearable.”

  "We have to get through this disaster first, and then there are two years before you have to return and take the Legion from your mother." I puckered my lips. "So, since you'll be becoming the new embodiment of the Sin Lust, will you be getting more power?"

  He nodded. "Yes, but only enough to allow me to command demons and influence other beings sexually. I'll also be able to create other Incubi and Succubi through my bite."

  My lips parted to say ‘like a vampire,' but I clamped them shut. It already upset Cyrus enough just to be related to the Vampire Queen, Amythia. The last thing he wanted was to have anything more in common with her.

  “You know, I’m not excited about meeting your mother.” I laughed nervously. “And I don’t want to meet your father.”

  “You’ll be a royal, Skye. Sooner or later, you'll have to meet them both."

  A royal?

  I hadn’t thought of that, mainly because I’d never seen Cyrus as a Prince of Hell. To me, he was just Cyrus, my best friend and partner, and I definitely didn’t care that he was a demon. It wasn’t a bad thought, though, being a royal. After all, he was living proof that it was nothing but a title. Being royalty didn’t seem to have affected him at all. I was concerned, however, with how I'd occupy my time there. What would I do in the Underworld?

  "There's nothing to worry about,” Cyrus added. "I'll protect you, even from them. You know that, right?"

  "I know, and I love you for it. But that reminds me of something I want to talk to you about."

  A slight wind blew the scent of burning bodies our way, and I covered my mouth and nose. He took my arm and led me toward the lodging house. After a few minutes, I removed my hand.

  “Goddess,” I grumbled.

  "I'll use my blue flames. It'll burn them faster," he said, stepping away. But I stopped him.

  “Wait! Before you go . . .” I took a deep breath and went for it. “I want you to teach me how to fight.”

  His left brow arched and his eyes narrowed. “Let me get this straight. You want me to teach you how to fight?”

  “Yes,” I answered, nodding. “When we get to wherever we’re going, Elinor’s going to be training. And I want to do the same.”

  He scratched his chin, seeming to give the request some thought.

  "I'm a werewolf, and I can defend myself. But I don't have the training you and Elinor do. And I’m tired of being whisked away while everyone else is fighting.”

  “I only want to keep you safe,” he said, seeming a little confused.

  I shook my head. "I appreciate you wanting to protect me . . . but I want to help. I don’t want to be a liability—someone everyone else has to look out for. You can't always be there for me, Cyrus, and you know that. I need to know how to protect myself."

  "I understand what you're saying, but you do know that you are helping, right? Look at what you've done tonight, Skye, the humans and supernaturals you treated."

  I sighed as I nodded. I knew I had done well tonight, and my tired legs were proof of that. But I lacked the raw skills for battle that Cyrus and the others had, and we didn’t have enough time to bring me up to their level. Still, I would have to face the hybrid who killed my mother someday, and I intended to be ready. I wanted to make sure I could kill that bastard—without any help or interference from the others.

  "I know my role here, Cyrus. And I love being a pack doctor. But when the time comes, I will take absolute pleasure in killing the yellow-eyed hybrid who killed Mother.”

  The confusion on his face vanished.

  "And when our forces and the Queen's army clash, you won't be able to keep one eye on me while fighting alongside Elinor.”

  “Okay.” He scratched at his brow and nodded slowly. “You’re right.”

  I grinned, tipping on my toes a little. “Then you’ll train me? Thanks.” I moved to hug him, then stopped and held out my hand instead.

  Laughing, he shook my hand. “I won’t go easy on you. If you want to learn to fight, you’ll have to endure the pain that goes along with it. And I didn’t mean to make you feel weak by taking you away from the fighting, you know. I just can’t ever again go through the pain I felt when you were taken.”

  "I know. And I don't plan to go through something like that again, either." I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around him, placing my forehead on his chest. His heartbeat was so strong, so calm.

  “You’re hugging me. I thought I smelled bad.”

  I looked up at him, grinning. "You do. I'm holding my breath."

  He bent a little and pressed his lips to mine. I realized that a part of me was eager to leave Earth. Too much here reminded me of my mother, and I wanted nothing more than to be with Cyrus forever.

  “Do you two think it’s a good idea to trust the vampire?”

  Cyrus and I pulled apart slowly, a sigh leaving my lips as we turned to Darian. His arms were folded across his chest, a look of irritation on his face. I understood his concern for Elinor because Cyrus and I had felt the same way when we’d first found out about Will.

  I was sure Cyrus was still skeptical of Will, but he accepted him because Will’s relationship with Elinor was like ours—forbidden. It would be hypocritical for Cyrus to interfere.

  "Darian, we can't control who Elinor trusts—and she trusts Will," Cyrus answered. One glance at Darian’s mutinous expression told us that hadn’t been the answer he’d been looking for. Cyrus took a deep breath and unfolded his arms. "You might not trust him, but you can't deny that with his venom, he'll be useful."

  "I'm not denying that, Cyrus. The question is, will he use that venom on Elinor or us? He's been with the Vampire Queen for centuries, and now, all of a sudden, he wants her gone? Why? Will he take her place after we kill her?"

  I looked at Cyrus, and he returned my gaze. I hadn't thought of that possibility, but with the way Elinor spoke of Will, I doubted that would be such a bad thing. But from what Elinor had told me, he’d already been offered the role of Vampire King, and he didn’t want it. So it made no sense that he’d be doing this to get the throne.

  "He doesn't want the throne, so if you're implying that's what he's after, you're way off.”

  Darian glared at me.

  I shrugged. "It is what it is, Darian."

  Darian combed his loose locs backward with his finger as he shook his head.

  “I understood you’re trying to look out for Elinor," Cyrus added. "But if you push her, she's going to snap. She hates being told what to do and how to think. You know that better than most."

  “She’s not a child,” I added.

  "I never said she was," Darian growled.
/>
  Cyrus growled in response—the sound more distorted than the animalistic one from Darian.

  I held Cyrus's hand as they glared at each other. "No matter what anyone says, Will is the man Elinor cares for. Yes, he kept a major secret, but they’ve worked through things like this before. It's strange, but each time they've argued like this, their bond seems to grow."

  Darian pointed a finger at me. "I'm twenty-seven years old, and never have I met a vampire who wasn't a soulless, murderous creature. Never. I've seen the cruelty that they're capable of, Skye."

  "I believe you—a Bleeder attacked me when I was a child." I looked up at Cyrus. "But that same night, another dark creature showed us that not all dark creatures are the same." I glanced back at Darian. "Take a look around. Everyone is experiencing the same cruelty at the hands of the vampires right now. There is nothing for Will to gain by playing Elinor or us."

  "If you wish, Darian, you can keep an eye on him, but he's coming with us,” Cyrus said. “That won't change even if we stand here discussing this for hours.” Cyrus stepped forward until he was directly in front of Darian. “If he betrays Elinor, I’ll drag him to Hell myself, but until that day, I suggest you try to be less of an ass and avoid pissing off the girl who can control lightning.”

  Cyrus walked around Darian, and we both watched him leave. I sighed. All of us traveling together had turned this into a long and mentally exhausting trip. Considering our lives were in danger, things wouldn't have been enjoyable to begin with, but a comfortable atmosphere among each other would have made things so much better.

  I looked at Darian closely, at the way the muscles in his jaw clenched beneath his skin. I understood his apprehension about Will, but I felt like there was more to his attitude than just Elinor breaking tradition. Especially since he was complaining to Cyrus and me, who were guilty of the same thing.

  He'd grown to trust Cyrus like everyone else, but he seemed to hold a different hatred for Will.

  Alpha Grayson knew of Will, and after witnessing Will protecting his son, he hadn't been as hard on Elinor as everyone had expected. That said a lot, even though he didn't know the full extent of Will and Elinor’s relationship.

  He hadn’t opposed accepting Will’s help against the Queen, either.

  “Why do you hate Will so much?”

  Without looking my way, Darian answered, "I hate all vampires."

  “No, there is something else here that you’re not telling us.” My eyes widened. “You have feelings for her.” The words slipped from my lips the moment the thought came to my mind. “That’s it, right? That’s why you hate Will.”

  Darian turned to face me slowly, his eyes changing to black. "Stay out of things that have nothing to do with you, Skye." Then he turned and walked away, but his response was answer enough.

  I was right.

  9

  Elinor

  After saying goodbye to Sybil and some of the other townspeople, we were on our way again, our destination unknown except by Darian.

  He still refused to tell us where we were going. When we had left the town, I made the mistake of asking him, and he’d snapped, saying I'd know when I got there.

  Such a charming man.

  We'd been walking for hours without a break, and now twilight was descending. As expected, the journey was a quiet one, with only Cyrus and Skye speaking from time to time, but the tension within the group felt stifling.

  Darian walked ahead and at a reasonable distance from the rest of us while Will walked with me at the back. Since he hadn’t fed yet, his heart was beating, but he still wore a cloak, his face hidden in the darkness created by the cloak’s hood. Not that it helped much. At 6'6, the sight of him would strike fear into anyone if they saw us.

  We'd hardly spoken to each other since leaving the town, but it wasn't because of any tension between us. I was locked away in my own world, lost in thought and hoping we wouldn't run into any Resurrected, and I couldn't tell what he was thinking or feeling. He wasn’t an easy person to read sometimes, even for me.

  Now and then, Skye would look back at us with an awkward smile. Like her, I hated the uneasiness we were all feeling right now, but it couldn't be helped. It was better for everyone if Darian and Will had space.

  “We’ll stop here for the night,” Darian announced. “We should make a fire now and eat. A fire at night will draw attention to us.”

  Cyrus volunteered to gather wood while Skye and I prepared what the townspeople had given us—bread, cheese, and meat we could roast. It had been a lovely gesture, but if we had to travel for another full day and into the night, we'd have to source our own food.

  We ate in silence, and as night fell, the men agreed to take turns keeping watch.

  After eating, I fell asleep with Will sitting by my side. I had slept only briefly before getting up to leave town, and then we had walked the entire day, so I felt drained. Once my stomach was full, it didn't take long before I fell asleep.

  When I woke, I stayed where I was, just lying there and listening to the sound of the insects in the forest. It reminded me of the nights I’d sat by my bedroom window listening to the sounds of owls hooting in the distance and of the times when I’d sat by the cliff overlooking the sea. It reminded me of home.

  Faelen hadn't mind-linked with me as she said she would, and I tried not to think the worst, that something might have happened to her and my family. I’d thought she would have contacted me, considering how our connection had abruptly ended when the town had been attacked. She would have told my father, and knowing him, he wouldn't have stopped until he knew what had happened.

  Since Sybil promised to speak to Circe herself, Faelen’s mission to get the High Priestess to join our side was a done deal. And if stories of me, a white wolf, had reached the ears of people living deep in the forests, then hopefully, gaining additional allies wouldn’t be as hard as everyone had first thought.

  "Are you awake?" Skye whispered beside me, and I turned onto my side to face her.

  “No, I’m answering you in my sleep.”

  She chuckled. “Are you nervous about what’s going to happen after this all ends?”

  "What do you mean?" I asked her, and she turned onto her stomach with Cyrus's cloak under her head.

  “I mean, once Cyrus and I leave for the Demon Realm and you do, you know . . . what you have planned. Are you nervous about everything changing?”

  Everything has already changed.

  I assumed she didn’t want to be more specific in case Darian overheard and lost it again. The last thing I wanted was for him to find out I intended to leave the pack once we'd defeated the Queen.

  “Things have already changed,” I told her. “I’m eager for it to change again, but for the better, this time. I know things won’t be going back to normal, though.”

  "Yeah," she drawled. "It definitely won't. A part of me wishes it would, though. I wish it was still just you, me, and Cyrus, but that's selfish. You wouldn't have met Will.”

  “Yes, but I know what you mean,” I agreed as I closed my eyes, my voice low. "It feels like years have passed, hasn't it?”

  She sighed. “It does.”

  A part of me missed the past, too. Then, all I had to worry about was my father trying a little too hard to find me a mate. Compared to what was going on now, that had been nothing. Before, I had no idea what the world was really like. Now I knew, and it was a little heartbreaking.

  “After this, I’m hoping that we’ll rebuild the world in a way that makes it better. People like Levi have been in charge for too long.”

  "That man gives me the creeps. Why are his eyes yellow?" Skye yawned, and her eyes slowly closed. "No werewolf has yellow eyes,” she said quietly, falling asleep again.

  If only she knew the answer to that. It disgusted me that Levi was experimenting on Enchanteds with the full permission of the rest of the Council. That one experiment that had gone so wrong—and had caused his new eye color—should have done more d
amage to him. Instead, all it did was give him a physical attribute that made him stand out.

  Of course, the rest of the Council allowed him to run tests on Enchanteds—and endanger their lives in the process—because they, too, sought divinity. Enchanteds should have been our leaders, considering they were the ones connected to our Goddess by blood. But I knew that there were many, many werewolves, especially males, who would fight against that. The jealous, discriminating bastards wouldn’t stand by and allow females to lead them—Enchanteds or not.

  When I’d first met Levi at the Werewolf Guard’s examination, I’d heard people talking about his yellow eyes. I wasn’t the only one unnerved by them. Unfortunately, nothing was ever denied or confirmed about how he got them, leaving us all to wonder.

  None of the speculations had come close to the truth. Now that I knew the reason for those weird eyes, it sickened me.

  A soft snore escaped Skye's slightly parted lips, and I sat up. Beside her, Cyrus was asleep, and I looked around, noticing that Will was nowhere in sight. Darian, on watch, sat on the other side of the fire we had made.

  His hazel eyes were on me, and I got up to join him.

  "Where’s Will?" I asked. I stood beside him, and despite the darkness, my enhanced sight allowed me to see the way his jaws clenched.

  "Your boyfriend left. And before you ask, I didn't ask him where he was going."

  When I growled low and turned away, he called, "Wait!" He looked down at the ground. “Sorry.”

  I turned around, surprised Darian even knew that word. He was a proud man, along with many other things, and apologizing wasn't something I'd ever heard him do.

  I sat down beside him, the silence around us only interrupted by the intermittent sounds of nocturnal animals in the forest. “This reminds you of the pack, doesn’t it? This spot right here.”

  He nodded. “It does. That’s why I wanted to stop here.”

  “How much longer before we get where we’re going . . . wherever it is?”