Shapes of Autumn (Boxed set, books 1 - 5)

by Veronica Blade

  ***

  As we slogged through our morning chores, I wondered why we were bothering with anything other than preparing for war. If we all died, we wouldn’t need clean floors. The extra time could be spent training.

  When Autumn and I arrived for breakfast, Dathan was already seated at the table buttering a biscuit.

  “Hey, what happened to your blood diet?” I asked, taking a seat next to him. “Haven’t seen you drink much blood lately.”

  “Blood heals and keeps us strong, but we can eat regular food. It doesn’t do much for me though.” He paused a moment. “Except make my taste buds dance. Bacon and eggs have always been a favorite.”

  Renzo chewed a piece of toast and swallowed. “My understanding is that vampires generally don’t eat human food because it weighs them down, makes them weaker. Now probably isn’t the time to lose strength, is it? Not when Ulric could attack at any moment.”

  Dathan chuckled. “You must have me confused with a newborn. But if it makes you feel better, I asked Ivan to bring me a glass of blood for dessert.” And as if reading Dathan’s mind, Ivan set a tall glass in front of him.

  My mouth watered at the sight of the red liquid and I flinched. What the—? Why the hell was blood looking so good to me?

  He studied me. “Want the rest?”

  Yep, absolutely. Though I had no idea why. Human blood should have been thoroughly nauseating to me. Yet my attention riveted to the glass and I twitched with the urge to gulp it down. I scowled to cover up the disgust at myself. “No. Why the hell would I want to drink human blood? I’m not a vampire.”

  Dathan’s eyes sparkled. “You’ve had enough vampire blood at just the right times to make things interesting.”

  My mom went through the procedure to become a vampire, not me. But judging by Dathan’s mischievous smile, I was missing something. Sure, I’d consumed vampire blood, but so had Autumn and she didn’t seem interested at all in the blood.

  Without taking his eyes off me, Dathan picked up a strip of bacon and bit into it. Haven’t you ever wondered why your mother survived so many years past the time her doctors gave her?

  Of course I had. But how would Dathan know about that? And why couldn’t I stop thinking of that glass of blood sitting within snatching distance?

  I swiveled to see my dad. “Mom said that Magnus turned her?” He nodded and I continued. “How long have you known Magnus? I’m wondering why he couldn’t change her until the very last minute.”

  Renzo discarded the last piece of his roll and let the fork clank to the plate. “I couldn’t get permission to change her until then.”

  “But why did it take so long to get permission?” Autumn asked. “I thought you and Cedric were good friends.”

  Renzo lifted a shoulder and then let if fall. “If I were a vampire and under his rule, getting his blessing would’ve been easy. But I’m a werewolf, a longtime enemy of his people. Granted, we have a long history of exchanging favors over the last century, even before I met your mother—mostly me needing his help for someone on behalf of SWAAST. Cedric had already long since reached his limit when he gave me the vampire blood to keep Favianne going.”

  Swallowing the last tasteless bite of my eggs—what I really wanted was that blood—I laid my fork on the plate and pushed it away. “So you had to wait until enough time had passed to ask for another favor?”

  “Precisely,” Dathan answered before Renzo had a chance. “Further, you mustn’t just get the king’s permission but also the human’s willingness. Giving your mother a choice would require revealing our kind’s secrets as well as yours. If she refused our help and decided to remain human, we couldn’t allow her to live.”

  “That’s brutal.” Autumn said. “But she wasn’t conscious at the hospital. How did you get her to agree to be changed?”

  “We didn’t,” Renzo answered. “Cedric gave me his blessing and we did it anyway. And I prayed she’d say yes after the fact and Magnus wouldn’t have to destroy her.”

  “But,” Dathan continued and I wondered why he was explaining it instead of my dad. “Cedric allowed Renzo to give your mother microscopic amounts of vampire blood in secret. Enough to keep her from dying—with the cooperation of a nurse in the hospital who slipped it into her IVs without being aware of what she was doing.” He reclined in his chair, gauging my reaction. “Even when Favianne was pregnant.”

  “So…” I blinked, wondering why Dathan was repeating facts already known. I could feel myself falling into his trap—there had to be one. “What’s your point?”

  “I’m glad you asked.” Dathan grinned. “When a human is given vampire blood, it has a temporary side effect of making the human healthier and stronger. You can’t change a human that way, because that’s not how it’s done.”

  Right, a human had to be nearly drained first, then fed enough vampire blood so that the body could absorb it, transforming it into the new species. “But I’m a werewolf. Would the vampire blood have affected me differently as a baby?”

  “When given to a young werewolf, same thing happens as with Ulric and his group—you develop temporary vampire traits. But given in utero, while the cells are multiplying and dividing, while the fetus is still taking form, you get…” Dathan scanned the faces of the room, his eyes taking on a mischievous glint when finally landing on me. “A hybrid.”

  My glass toppled and juice splashed over the table. “What? You’re saying I’m a hybrid? Part vampire?”

  Dathan’s eyeteeth descended. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

  “What the hell, Dathan?” Renzo shot up from his chair. “He’s not a vampire.”

  Dathan’s mouth crinkled at the corners. “I didn’t say he was a vampire.”

  “Hold on. Relax, everyone.” I sliced my hands through the air, in an effort to cut the tension. Dathan liked to stir up trouble, but he didn’t lie. And I wanted the truth. “If I was a hybrid, wouldn’t we already know?”

  “If you were looking for it and paying attention, maybe.” Dathan snickered. “Renzo, you’re married to a vampire. Isn’t it fitting that your child be both vampire and werewolf?”

  Silence invaded the room. Renzo stared at me, his lips parted.

  I scoffed. “C’mon, Dathan. Seriously?”

  “I’ve seen you eat steak. The bloodier, the better?” Dathan shrugged. “Why don’t you take a nip off Autumn? You might enjoy it.”

  “Zack doesn’t have vampire fangs,” she said. “His fangs don’t show until he’s morphed into a wolf.”

  “Because he hasn’t tried.” Dathan’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “Go ahead, Zack. Work those special muscles in your gums. Those fangs will come out, I promise.”

  I had wanted the truth but was now regretting it. I tensed in my chair, ready to bolt when Dathan appeared at my side and gripped my shoulder. “Blood, Zack. That’s all you need. The vampire in you has been dormant for years, but now it’s time to wake it up.”

  I glared at Dathan, then vaulted from my chair, causing it to spring up and land several feet away. As I stormed out, I heard Autumn say, “I’ll follow him and make sure he’s okay.”

  Since the rest of them were still in the dining area, I headed to the bedrooms where I was sure to be alone. As I took the flight of stairs in one leap, footfall sounded behind me. I twisted around to see who it was and Autumn flew into my arms.

  I released her, gently nudging her away. Let’s get inside the suite. I’m assuming Natasha wouldn’t want her security people monitoring her and doesn’t allow cameras there.

  Once we’d gained access to our room, I ushered Autumn inside and locked the door behind me. I had questions for Dathan but he hadn’t followed and I wanted Autumn part of the conversation. I reached for her hand. “Dathan, why do you believe I’m a hybrid?” I asked both silently and aloud.

  Not believe. Know.

  “How do you know?” My jaw tightened. “And now is not the time for semantics.”

  Remember when I gave you my bloo
d so you’d heal faster? Then, of course, I required the cure for werewolf bite. When I drank from you, well, let’s just say I can tell the difference between werewolf blood and vampire blood. Your blood tastes like both. So before we left the vampire palace, I asked a lot of questions.

  I dragged in a deep, controlled breath. “Is this a good thing or bad?”

  Depends if being as strong as Ulric would be desirable to you. We should spend our remaining time before battle seeing how strong your vampire half is.

  Both Renzo and his niece Alura had told me I was stronger than the average newbie. I hadn’t paid any attention at the time because I’d been more concerned with why Autumn didn’t fit the shape-shifter profile. Since she was freakishly strong—although I still had no idea why, I was betting Dathan did—I hadn’t noticed my own strength.

  “Do you think it’s true?” Autumn asked.

  I slumped against the wall. “Dathan hasn’t been wrong yet, has he?”

  “That’s not good news,” she mumbled. “Okay, well, show me those fangs.”

  Irritation consumed me. “Don’t you think if I could work my fangs, I would’ve already discovered them by now?”

  She rolled her eyes. “No, not if you didn’t know you could. Remember how long it took me to morph? I didn’t try until I understood I was supposed to.”

  Letting my tongue wander along the surface of my teeth, I tried to move some imaginary muscle. It felt imaginary anyway.

  “Those muscles are dormant, probably atrophied.” She tilted her head to the side and flipped her hair away, exposing the vein in her neck. “Maybe if you think about biting me.”

  I snickered. “Autumn, I think about biting you all the time.”

  “Mm.” Her eyes smoldered as her mouth curved up. “I like it when you talk dirty to me.”

  I laughed. “As much as I appreciate you lightening things up, you’re distracting me. I don’t have a lot of time to work this out. We need to get back to practice.”

  “Maybe we need stronger inspiration.” Autumn tapped her lip a moment before spinning around and heading for Natasha’s small kitchen. “Maybe some of Dathan’s blood supply will tempt you,” she called out and a moment later, she returned with a bag.

  I already knew she was right—I wanted that blood. But seeing Dathan drink it in the cafeteria hadn’t brought out my fangs.

  That was before I became aware of them.

  After figuring out how to open the bag, she waved it under my nose. It smelled amazing. Cravings stirred, similar to my hunger for meat but more intense. I’d consumed vampire blood at the palace, and I longed for blood now, but could I drink human blood? If someone had asked me a month ago, I may have been grossed out.

  But now?

  My gums tingled. I willed my muscles to relax, first my toes then my legs and I worked my way up. I imagined myself with fangs, letting them extend far beyond my gums, and an odd tugging sensation wrapped itself around my eyeteeth.

  “Holy crap, Zack.”

  I rearranged my lips to cover my new-to-me teeth. Super weird against the inside of my mouth. My tongue immediately found what was different, sliding around the extended teeth.

  “Damn. That is so hot.” Autumn yanked me close and fastened her mouth over mine.

  I retracted my fangs instantly, taking pains not to cut her up, then carefully set the blood bag on the table by the door so it wouldn’t spill. Gripping her hips, I hefted her up and shoved her against the wall. She wound her legs around my hips, her fingers threading through my hair.

  Someone coughed and it sounded like my dad. “Came up to make sure you were okay. But, apparently, you’ve adapted quickly.”

  I released Autumn and she tugged her T-shirt down. “Hi, Renzo,” she said. “We were about to go back upstairs.”

  “Obviously,” he said, dragging out the syllables. “Why don’t we do that now? We have much to accomplish.”

  The smell of blood from the bag wafted up my nose and my fangs lengthened again. My mouth felt way too full and, naturally, my tongue sought out the new teeth. I tried to make my fangs go back into my gums, but they wouldn’t budge.

  Renzo tipped his head to the side. “That was interesting. I guess you learned how to work those things.” He turned toward the door, then circled back. “I know you two aren’t getting much time together and I hope that’s remedied soon. Be thankful you’re not an entire state apart from the one you love.”

  “Yeah. Hang on while I try to get these guys under control.” I held my breath so I couldn’t smell the blood and focused on Autumn since thinking of her had worked last time. My teeth slid up and I could finally release the air in my lungs.

  My dad started toward the door again. I reached over and snagged the blood bag on our way out, drinking it as we took the stairs up. My fangs slipped out again, but by the time we hit the landing, I’d downed all the blood and got my teeth stowed away again.

  When I returned to the training area, everyone froze as their gaze went straight to the crumpled blood bag in my fist. Haji squinted, like he wasn’t sure what I’d do next. Natasha stared at me, her head tilted with curiosity.

  Great. I was freak show now.

  I cared less by the second as I became riveted to the glass of blood Dathan had just set on the table. My fangs extended again and I cursed, zooming across the floor until I reached the glass.

  And then Dathan was next to me, his voice soft and soothing. “Relax, Zack.” He took the glass from me and set it down on the floor where I couldn’t see it. “Jesus, you’re such a newbie. Can’t have you attacking some unsuspecting human. Natasha, you’re free since I’ll be working with Zack the rest of the day.”

  “I’m sure I can find a way to amuse myself.” Natasha switched to Haji. “With Zack occupied, we can train together since I’m partnerless now too.”

  Natasha probably didn’t want me anywhere near him in case I got the urge to bite. She probably called it correctly and I shouldn’t spar with anyone except Dathan.

  Now I knew how my mom had felt and why she couldn’t be let out among the humans until she had her urges under control. I glared at Dathan. “Your timing stinks. Now is not a good time to want to eat my sparring partner. We could be under attack at any moment and I might screw up, simply because my parts aren’t working right. You couldn’t wait, huh?”

  “Actually, I wanted to put it off until we dealt with Ulric. But then I realized we’d need your special abilities for battle.” Dathan glanced at his watch.

  “You suck, Dathan,” I muttered.

  “Yes. And now, so do you.” Dathan chuckled. “But I recommend holding out for human blood. No one in this place will taste very good.”

  Not only did I have to manage new abilities, but I’d also have to control the urge to eat my friends. This day was getting worse and worse.

  Chapter TEN

  Autumn

  Poor Zack. Things were probably going to be strange with him for a while.

  As soon as we arrived back at the training area from our little excursion to our room to deal with his fangs, everyone’s attention had riveted to us—except my parents who had vanished.

  Probably for the best. I didn’t want to deal with their feelings about Zack’s new “condition” when I hadn’t sorted out my own. I wondered if the mixing species law applied to us since he was half vampire. Or a third if you counted his human side. Still, he was part werewolf, so maybe it still did.

  Whatever. It wasn’t like Zack and I had time to venture into unexplored territory. We rarely had any alone time and when we did, it was for only minutes at a time. And if we didn’t survive this battle, we’d never have a chance to mix species.

  I shouldn’t have been thinking about sleeping with Zack when he’d never told me he loved me. Yes, I could say it to him first, but what if he didn’t say it back? After being with Zack for months and all we’d been through, I knew he cared deeply. But real lasting love?

  And now he had the vampire hybrid t
hing to deal with. He didn’t need some girl falling all over him and being clingy.

  Renzo slapped him on the back. “Well, son, maybe it’ll work in our favor.”

  Dathan bent toward Zack and sniffed him. “The blood brought out the vampire in you, but be careful. Don’t drink anymore, not a drop, or you’ll leave this place smelling like me. I think sometime soon, you’ll want to pass yourself off as a werewolf.”

  Zack “pretending” to be a werewolf was a new concept apparently none of us had considered. Silence enveloped the room for several moments until Natasha cleared her throat. “Autumn, your parents decided to go to the park and have a quick run. They’ll return shortly.” She studied Zack a beat before saying, “Interesting. I’ve never heard of a vampire-werewolf hybrid. I had no idea it was possible.”

  Yeah, shape-shifters and werewolves weren’t supposed to be able to mix species, yet I was a product of mixing. Is that why Zack and I were inexplicably drawn to each other, because we were both freaks?

  If we stayed together long enough to have children, they’d be what? Half werewolf and the rest human and vampire? Would their bite be venomous to other vampires? Could other werewolf bites harm them? Could I even have children with someone who was part vampire?

  “You’re overthinking it, aren’t you?” Dathan asked, his shoulder bumping mine.

  “Probably.” I grunted. “All I know is that Zack and I need to train harder.”

  “Let’s roll, Autumn.” Egon motioned me toward him as he backed up.

  Egon the werewolf… normally I’d assume he was stronger but since I’d come from ancient parents and I was a hybrid with the best of both species—and I’d had ancient vampire blood—maybe I’d been underestimating myself all this time. And if I was stronger, maybe I was faster too.

  Neither Zack nor I had believed we could do more and therefore hadn’t taken advantage of our abilities. I needed to expect more from myself now.