Artemis Lupine- The Complete Series

by Catherine Banks

  Chapter Five

  I woke up slowly, although I wasn't sure what had woken me up. I tried to roll over, but something held me down around my waist. I started to panic and looked down to see an arm lying over my stomach. An arm? I rolled over and bumped noses with Ares. I jumped out of the bed and snarled. "What are you doing?"

  Ares woke up and smiled at me. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

  "Ares what are you doing in bed with me?"

  He whispered, "I heard you crying and you sounded scared, so I came in here to check on you. You wouldn't stop shaking, and I was worried that you were going to shift for the first time so I laid down next to you to take the transformation from you. When I laid down you stopped shaking and crying and went quiet. I was too worried about you changing, though, so I stayed with you."

  I stared at him in disbelief. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

  He smiled. "If I wanted to sleep with you, I wouldn't sneak in here. You know that I have been behaving myself and letting you decide what happens between us."

  I sighed. "I know that. I'm sorry. You just caught me off-guard. And how can you take my transformation?"

  "Only those with enough power can take someone's transformation. It's one of the ways I became prince. I took my opponent's transformation from him and changed myself when he couldn't to kill him. We are a lot easier to kill in human form."

  I gaped at him. "You killed to get to your spot?"

  He nodded. "I had to. I have to take the throne away from Darius and free my mother. I already told you that."

  I sighed and nodded. "I know."

  He patted the bed. "Come back to bed, it's still too early."

  I shook my head. "No. Get out."

  He groaned. "You were fine just a minute ago."

  I snarled. "I was asleep and didn't know you were there."

  He smiled. "You said my name."

  I gasped. "No, I didn't. You're lying."

  He held up three fingers in a boy scout salute. "I swear on my mother's grave that you did."

  I blushed. "Great." I turned away from him and heard the bed move as he stood up.

  He wrapped his arms around my waist and placed his face next to mine. "It was very sweet to hear you say my name in your sleep."

  I blushed deeper and tried to pull away from him, but he just spun me around to face him. He kissed my lips softly and crept backwards towards the bed. "I promise I will do nothing but cuddle with you while we sleep."

  I blushed a shade darker. "Alright, but if you try anything, you have to leave."

  Ares smiled widely and nodded. "Promise." He lay down and scooted back so there was plenty of room for me to get on. I climbed into the bed, facing away from him. He spooned his body to mine and sighed in contentment. "It's no different than you sleeping in the same bed with Bret."

  I closed my eyes and relaxed against him as our bodies warmed up the covers again. "It is very different than sleeping with Bret," I whispered.

  He kissed the back of my head then wrapped his arm back around my waist, pulling me tighter against him. I tensed for a second, but then relaxed. I felt safe again and fell into a deep sleep.

  Ares shook my arm. "Artemis, get up."

  I groaned and sat up. "What? I'm up."

  He pulled me back off the bed holding me in his arms. "Someone is here."

  I opened my eyes and stared at a dark shadow in one corner of the bedroom. "What is that? Why is that shadow so strange looking?"

  Ares snarled. "Why are you here? And why sneak in?"

  I watched in amazement as a man stepped out of the shadow making it disappear. I gasped. "Holy shit. How did he do that?"

  The man bowed at the waist and smiled at me revealing fangs. "My apologies for sneaking in, Ares. I wanted to see your passt genau while she was not hiding her feelings for you."

  I snarled. "Word travels fast I take it."

  Ares sighed. "Victor, this is Artemis. Artemis, this is Victor. I almost killed you before I smelled you, you know?"

  Victor laughed and it made me shiver, thinking of sexual things.

  Ares snarled. "Knock off the voice powers."

  Victor bowed at the waist again. "My apologies. Your pass...Artemis has an aura I seem drawn to test."

  Ares sighed, setting me down on my feet beside him. "I know what you mean."

  I stared at the two of them and asked, "Why are we suddenly friendly with the weird guy with fangs who appeared out of a shadow?"

  Victor blinked then asked, "She does not know about us yet?"

  Ares shook his head. "I have much to tell you, old friend."

  I gasped. "Friend? This freak...no offense...is your friend?"

  Ares snarled. "Be nice, Artemis. He is not a freak, just a jerk. And yes, he is my friend."

  "Great. Well, I need breakfast," I said. I had no idea why I was able to accept this all so quickly, but not really having an option seemed a likely reason.

  Ares nodded, "I'm hungry, too."

  Victor smiled flashing his fangs again. "I could eat."

  Ares snarled. "You be nice, too, Victor. She knows nothing of you, so stop."

  Victor sighed. "Very well, but I really could use something to eat."

  I walked from the bedroom with them following me. Koda, Matt and Gregory stood at the end of the hallway ready to attack. I smiled. "Sorry boys, but it's a friend of Ares apparently."

  Koda and Matt smiled at Victor as he walked out. Victor shook their hands. "Hey, Matt and Koda. How are my favorite twins doing?"

  I stopped walking and turned back. "Twins? You guys never told me that."

  Matt shrugged. "You were a little preoccupied with Ares to notice, Love."

  I stared at Matt's face and his blue Mohawk then turned to Koda and gasped. "Holy shit! You guys are identical twins minus the different colored Mohawks!"

  Koda smiled shaking his green Mohawk. "I was the first one to do the Mohawk, but he had to copy me."

  Matt rolled his eyes. "I didn't even know you had one. I was in London while you were in Germany with Ares. There's no way for me to have known."

  I shook my head at the siblings and walked to the kitchen where Gregory had started taking out food. I saw a bag filled with red liquid and asked, "What is that?"

  Gregory smiled. "Food for Victor."

  I frowned. "What the hell is it?"

  Gregory shook his head smiling. "I'm not spilling the beans on this one."

  Ares and Victor walked in whispering, but when they saw me, they stopped.

  I scoffed. "Real subtle, I have no idea you were talking about me just now."

  Ares smiled and walked towards me. "What else should we talk about?"

  I shrugged and stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "Whatever you want, great Prince."

  Ares laughed. "You're a smart ass? Great."

  "I was raised by a man," I reminded him with a smile.

  Victor frowned and asked, "How long have you been together?"

  Ares kissed my cheek then went and grabbed food from Gregory. "Two days."

  Victor's eyes opened in surprise. "Then she really is your passt genau."

  Ares took a bite out of the piece of raw steak he was holding and nodded. "I wouldn't lie about that. She answered my call from a state away."

  Victor turned to me, and for the first time I noticed his eyes, solid black like the pupil had taken over. Victor asked, "Is it true that you haven't changed yet?"

  I nodded and licked my lips. "Can I ask you something?"

  He nodded.

  I cleared my throat, "Why are your eyes black?"

  He laughed, making me moan in pleasure.

  Ares growled loudly and rushed to stand between me and Victor. "Knock it off! You are my friend, but don't push me too far."

  Victor bowed at the neck. "I apologize to you both."

  I grabbed Ares' arm and pulled him back to me. "I'm sorry to cause drama between you two."

  Victor smiled. "It's not your fault.
And I'll let Ares explain my eyes later."

  I groaned. "Why is it that everyone makes Ares tell me things? I'm not going to freak out and run away if one of you tells me."

  Ares frowned. "What else are you waiting for me to tell you?"

  I pointed to the bag of red liquid. "What that is?"

  Ares' eyes widen, and he turned to stare at Gregory. "You didn't tell her?"

  He shook his head. "Nope, I thought you should be the one to explain about Victor. She obviously has no clue."

  I snarled. "I'm not stupid."

  Gregory shook his head. "I didn't say that. I just meant that you have no idea what Victor is."

  Victor frowned. "Why doesn't she know what I am?"

  Ares answered before I could. "Her idiot father decided he wasn't going to tell her about being a werewolf until she changed for the first time. Problem is that she has been fighting her change since elementary school and he stopped her change when she answered my call. She was never taught about us or you or any of the others."

  My eyes widened and I asked Ares, "Others? What do you mean others? Oh, wait like the witches?"

  Victor shook his head with a sneer. "What a fool. We don't have very much time to teach her, though."

  Ares sighed. "I know. I was hoping you would help."

  Victor smiled. "I would be honored to."

  I walked to Gregory and asked, "Do you have any real food?"

  Gregory frowned. "You really should eat one of these steaks. Especially if you are going to continue to fight your change."

  I sighed and nodded. "All right, fine. But can you at least warm it up?"

  Gregory smiled and nodded. "Sure."

  I walked back over to Ares and put my hand on the inside of his arm. I suddenly felt scared and pressed my body to his arm. He stopped talking to Victor and looked down at me. "What's wrong?"

  I shrugged. "I'm not sure, I just suddenly got really scared."

  Ares sniffed the air then picked me up in his arms holding me tight against him. "Someone is here. Victor, did you bring anyone with you?"

  Victor shook his head sniffing the air. "No, but I know who it is." Victor walked quickly towards the front door, throwing it open. I stared at the tall man standing on the porch looking in. He looked like Victor's twin, but without the black eyes. Victor hissed. "What are you doing here?"

  The man frowned. "Is that any way to treat your father and your king?"

  I stiffened in Ares' arms and wrapped my arms around his neck so that I was pressed tighter to him. Ares rubbed my leg with the hands that were holding them and whispered, "It's alright, you don't have to be scared of him while I'm here."

  I nodded and pressed my forehead to his cheek, inhaling his smell and calming my nerves.

  Victor's father walked into the house and bowed at the waist to Ares and me. "Greetings Ares, Prince of the Werewolves."

  Ares set me down beside him and bowed at the waist to him. "Greetings Maurice, King of the Vampires. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?"

  I gasped as he said the word, “vampires” and moved a step closer to him so that I was touching my entire left side to his entire right side. How come I didn’t guess that? Fangs equals vampire. Duh. Maurice stared at me in confusion then looked up at Ares. "Did I do something wrong?"

  Ares laughed and shook his head. "No, King Maurice..."

  Maurice shook his head. "Just Maurice, Ares."

  Ares smiled. "Of course. No, Maurice. She is, well...I would like to speak with you and Victor about this in private if you wouldn't mind."

  Maurice stared at me second before inhaling. "She's a werewolf, but that other smell and those eyes. I know them, but can't think of where. Let's go talk before I figure it out and give something away you did not want her to know."

  Ares started to walk to the living room with Maurice and Victor and I grabbed his arm, pulling him back to me. I whispered, "Don't leave me alone."

  He sensed the worry in my voice and smiled. "It's alright, Koda and Matt will protect you." He looked up at Koda and Matt and smiled, "Right?" Koda and Matt nodded in unison with serious faces on. Ares snarled. "And you both know that if anything happens to her that I will have to punish you."

  Koda smiled. "I would have it no other way."

  Matt snarled. "Death may be a good punishment for that much of a failure."

  I frowned at them. "Why are you so willing to be punished if something happens to me? It makes no sense. You don't even know me."

  Ares sighed and shook his head. "I have to go. Keep her safe." I watched with growing nervousness as Ares walked from the kitchen to the living room. Once he was out of my sight, I started to shift from foot-to-foot.

  Matt sighed. "Artemis, it's okay. Victor and Ares have been friends since they were born and Maurice will not do anything to any of them because of that."

  I sighed and walked towards Koda. Koda stood perfectly still as I leaned my head against his chest. I exhaled a shaky breath and said, "I know you don't know me and I don't have any right to ask, but could you just hold me for a second? I would ask Bret, but he is not allowed to be alone with me, and I don't fully trust him."

  Koda exhaled the breath he was holding and said, "I'm sorry about Bret. And I will do whatever you ask me to do."

  I wrapped my arms around his waist as he wrapped his arms around my shoulders. I whispered, "I'm sorry for causing so much drama here. I really am not a drama queen, by any means."

  Matt snorted. "You apologize too much, Artemis. We know you aren't a drama queen, and the drama that has been happening is not your fault."

  I turned to him and could see the jealousy in his eyes. I pulled away from Koda and walked towards him. "Why are you jealous? I did not pick Koda over you, I just assumed Ares would feel less threatened if he found Koda hugging me then you."

  Matt rolled his eyes. "I think Ares would be mad to find any of us hugging you, but if you are in need of consoling he would get over it. And I am jealous, but I'm trying to get over it."

  I stood one foot from him and looked up at his handsome face. "I swear I did not pick Koda because I favor him."

  Matt smiled. "Love, it's alright. I am just jealous when it comes to my brothers."

  I frowned. "Brothers? Who is your other brother?"

  Matt frowned and looked over my head at Koda. "Shit."

  Koda sighed. "Yes, shit is right."

  I sighed. "Just let Ares tell me. I'm used to it by now."

  Matt smiled and placed his hand against my face. "Thanks, Love."

  I frowned at him. "Why do you call me Love?"

  He shrugged. "I call most girls Darlin or something like that, but you are definitely Love. Mine or not, that is who you are."

  I blushed and looked down at my hands.

  Matt laughed and whispered, "I love that you blush."

  I pulled away from him and walked towards my bedroom. I heard them following me and sighed. "Can we go outside?"

  They both answered, "No," in unison.

  I groaned. "Fine, then can we sit at the dining table and play a game?" I turned around and looked up at their matching faces.

  Koda shrugged. "Sure."

  I smiled and walked back to the table and sat down at the head. Koda and Matt sat across from each other, staring at me. I smiled. "We're going to play one hundred questions."

  Matt groaned. "You tricked us."

  I smiled and nodded. "Sort of. So, I'll go first. Why am I so attached to Ares already?"

  Koda smiled. "You are his passt genau, his perfect match. Only the strongest of our kind get one. You are born with a sort of mental and physical connection to him. Almost like you were literally made for him."

  I asked, "How many before have had a match?"

  Matt tapped his chin in thought for a moment. "Just one set that I know of, the Mother and Father."

  "Who are they?" I asked.

  Matt sighed and put his hand against his forehead. "I can't believe your father never told you
any of this. The Mother is Asena..."

  I interrupted him. "Oh, yeah, the she-wolf that saved the baby then ended up mating with him to create werewolves."

  Matt nodded. "Yes, and the boy she saved is who we refer to as the Father."

  I nodded. "I understand that part, but how do you know that they were born for each other? What if it was just a coincidence?"

  Matt shook his head. "It was not a coincidence. The boy sent out a call like the one Ares did and Asena answered."

  I shook my head. "But he was human, not a werewolf."

  Matt shrugged. "I don't make the stories; I just tell them. That's what happened according to Asena."

  I shrugged. "If you say so. Okay, your turn."

  Matt and Koda looked at each other for a moment then Matt asked, "Have you ever slept with Bret?"

  I felt my eyes widen and shook my head. "No, never. I'm a virgin."

  Koda smiled. "Have you ever kissed Bret?"

  I shrugged. "Not like a boyfriend type of kiss, but a friend kiss. He did kiss me the night Ares called to me, but I didn't kiss him back."

  Koda and Matt exchanged a look then Matt asked, "Have you ever done anything with Bret or any other boy?"

  I shook my head. "I haven't even touched another boy besides Bret, well, and Billy, but I didn’t do anything then either."

  Koda asked, "Why not?"

  I stared at him for a second then sighed. "I've always been the outcast in my town. Bret was the only one who would be my friend, let alone touch me. And Billy was only talking to me and stuff towards the end. I think he was just trying to…well you know."

  Matt frowned, "Your dad never explained why to you?"

  I frowned and asked, "He knew why?"

  Matt and Koda nodded in unison.

  Koda said, "It's because you're a werewolf. Humans can sense that we are predators and fear us. Bret must have just ignored the feeling because of your physical appearance."

  I felt the first tear fall down my face and asked, "What's life like when you are raised with others of our kind?"

  Matt shrugged. "Like the humans except that we are much closer, like a family. I firmly believe that your childhood would have been a lot easier if you had been around your own kind."

  I felt the tears falling and asked, "How close is the nearest group?"

  Koda whispered, "This one and it's about one hundred miles."