by ZL Morris
Not wanting to be caught staring at them, I look away, but a gasp escapes when I take in what’s in front of me. From my vantage point at the top of the steps, I can see over the heads of everyone below me. A sea of bodies moves until they line up strategically with their backs facing me.
Dread settles in my gut when my eyes move slowly over each of them. More wolves and vampires than I could possibly ever imagine witnessing form up in rows, ready to go to a war I somehow played a part in starting. Something catches my attention, and I squint, only to realise it’s a naked torso. A large wolf head tattoo is on his back, but there’s something above it. With my hand blocking the sun from my eyes, it takes me several seconds to make out the single word between his shoulder blades—Argent.
As everybody moves towards the woods all at once, the noise is deafening. Careful not to trip, I run down the steps to try to keep up as they all start in the direction of the hill. Even though I can’t see the hill from the steps, I know from listening to the guys, Tallulah, and her men that it’s the direction we’re heading in.
Shame washes through me when I realise everyone is forced to slow their pace to wait for me to navigate the woods. There’s no way I could move at the brutal pace they set, never mind in woods I’ve never been in before. The small amount of comfort that keeps my head held high is knowing Idris, Lazarus, and Zadimus wouldn’t leave me behind, even if everyone else is eager to carry on without me.
We make it through the woods, which spit us out at the bottom of a steep incline. This must be the hill they were talking about. How the hell I couldn’t see this from the house is beyond me. Staring up, I bite my tongue to keep my profanities bottled up. A chick like me isn’t made for all this walking and hill climbing. With lungs burning for sweet oxygen, I safely make it to the top of the hill without once falling and landing on my face.
The smell of rain is thick in the air as we stand on the top of the hill. The guys’ eyes have turned onyx, and a horrible bite to the wind blows around us. The weather already took a nasty turn, even though the war hasn’t officially begun yet. How much worse will it become once the fighting starts?
Tobias moves to stand guard next to me. As much as I don’t want him there, I know it’s my only choice. I knew better than to bring up my concerns and worry the guys about something far less important than everything else happening. They’d have either killed him or made me stay at the house while all this went down. Both of which were out of the question. If they expect me to stay with them, to be their mate, then they need to let me be a part of their world, too. And at this moment, their war.
Three huge wolves stand next to Zadimus and his brothers. It’s not until Tallulah runs her fingers along one of the wolves’ backs that I realise they must be her mates. My heart pinches for her. Having gotten to know her over the few short days, she’s quickly become a good friend. In fact, as sad as it is for me to admit, she’s my only friend. I don’t want to see her or the baby hurt.
I managed to keep her secret for three days before Zadimus, not being at all subtle, commented that her smell had changed. I wasn’t sure what he meant, but it immediately raised suspicion with her mates. After a very heated argument in the dining room only this morning, she stomped over to the rest of us and announced she was pregnant, but she’d be damned if she allowed them to stop her from being at Akeldama to fulfil her Luna duties.
My nerves roll through me when cracks of lightning illuminate the sky in front of us. The clouds become impossibly thicker and darker. The heavens look as if they’re about to dump a whole load of rain on us. I can only pray it has the effect Idris wanted and the smell of the rain disguises the scent of all the vampires and wolves. I cross my fingers and send up a silent prayer we get the outcome we’ve planned for.
At first, I was confused why they would allow the human to sit in on a meeting with the Argent pack while they went over their plans. Lazarus must have read my thoughts because he quickly explained that I’m their mate and I have as much right as them to be involved in anything concerning our lives or the lives of the vampires under their watch.
The bite from the wind sends my body into another bout of shivers. Even over the sound of the howling wind, the faint noise of the rain pelting down in the distance reaches my human ears. Glancing at the angry clouds, the storm has arrived and rapidly moves towards us.
A gentle nudge to my shoulder pulls me away from gawking at everything. I know my eyes are likely bugging out of my head from shock.
The sad smile on Tobias’s face confirms I must resemble a deer caught in the headlights. “It’ll be fine. Trust your mates. They know what they’re doing.”
Tobias tries to reassure me, but I don’t feel the conviction in his words. Maybe it’s because of what he said the other night, but something about his attitude recently has me on edge. I want to put it down to my mind playing tricks on me though. We’ve been under a huge amount of stress over the last two days, so that’s likely playing havoc with my paranoia.
“I’m not worried about that. I’m worried about them, all of them,” I bite back, harsher than I meant to.
Before I can open my mouth to apologise though, he speaks up, trying to shout over another boom of thunder. “Just stay by me, and you’ll be fine.”
The wind becomes stronger, which makes it impossible to say anything. I’m glad I tied my hair up before leaving the house. The last thing I need is to have my vision obstructed by my red mane. Now, I understand why Lazarus insisted I wear my coat despite the weather being nice when we left. Even through the thickness of the material, the chill bites at my skin.
Dull vibrations rumble beneath my feet. Confused, I stare at the ground. What the hell is that? The vibrations become stronger, and my answer comes when the first drop of rain lands on my head, rapidly followed by a torrential downpour. I’m no longer able to see the peak of the hill through the thick sheets of rain, and that makes my nerves even worse. I know I’m only human, but visibility must be difficult even for the shifters and vampires. How will they know the enemy is coming if they can’t see them crest the top of the hill?
A faint noise reaches my ears over the roar of the wind and rain, but I’m unable to pinpoint what it is. Everyone around me must hear it clearly though because they instantly move into the formations they discussed in depth yesterday. A light bulb clicks in my head, and I realise what the sound means.
Wiping the rain from my eyes, I watch in horror as what I can only describe as a wall of fur, teeth, and claws barrels down the hill toward the valley at the bottom that joins to the two sides together. Idris holds up his hand, giving the sign for the vampires and Argent pack to be ready.
Nervously, I glance at the younger vamps, their skin still shimmering with sunblock. Only now the rain runs off their body, unable to soak their skin because of the oily substance. They fidget excitedly, ready to begin the bloodbath. My heart aches for them. I never got the chance to know most of them, and I likely never will. They’ll die today for a cause I’m partly involved in. It’s through no fault of my own, but most of them will still die because of something I couldn’t stop.
I know the guys are furious with the way Blood Moon treated me, and I can only assume they’re putting a huge number of vamps in this position because of it. An urge to be involved in the battle even if it gets me killed steels my determination. My foot moves to step forward but stops when Idris drops his hand in a vicious swoop, and everyone charges.
Their war cries can be faintly heard over the roar of the wind and rain. Tobias places a hand on my back and leads me farther up to the crest of the hill away from the enemy, where the guys demanded I stay until it’s over. As soon as we reach the top, I spin to try to pinpoint where Zadimus, his brothers, Tallulah, and her mates are. Instead of being able to find any of them, I’m met with a bloodbath. My stomach violently twists in horror when six baby vampires jump a small group of wolves but can’t get the upper hand. Some die instantly. Others let loose blood-curdl
ing screams while the wolves tear into them.
Tobias chuckles as he watches one of his own get viciously torn in half by a wolf. The dark laugh causes the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up for a whole different reason. The heavy scent of rain is now replaced by the thick, acrid smells of blood and wet earth. It leaves a strong enough stench in the air for even my human nose to pick up easily.
I glance at Tobias out of the corner of my eye and see his fangs are on show with his wicked grin. His face is set into an expression of absolute delight as he watches some of his own get slaughtered. An uneasy feeling flows through me. Lazarus gave Tobias strict instructions to protect me with his life, but I can’t help thinking that maybe this was now an unwise decision on everyone’s part. No sane man, human, or vampire would openly show such happiness while he watches his own kind being slaughtered.
He takes my arm above the elbow and tries to steer me away from the crest of the hill, in the direction of what I can only assume is back to the house. My feet don’t want to move. I desperately want to follow the instructions the guys gave me. I don’t want to go against them and have them never trust me again with a simple instruction.
“Come on, Willow. They’ll come home when they’ve finished. You don’t need to stay and watch. It won’t take them long.”
There’s still something in his voice that has me on edge. Maybe it’s just because of the fight, and I’m being paranoid. The guy who worked for the food company knocked my confidence a few days ago, and I haven’t really felt like everything is okay since then. My anxiety got worse when I sat in on the whole battle planning session.
I’m forced to shout over all the noise. “Are you sure? The guys didn’t want me to move until everything was over.”
Keeping his hand on my elbow, Tobias begins to turn me away from the devastation, but he must sense I don’t want to leave. “If you don’t move now, Blood Moon will know you’re here, and you’ll be in worse danger. Your mates won’t win a war if they’re worried about you!”
Considering his words, I ignore what my gut tries to tell me. I know I can’t do anything for any of them. As much as it pains me to admit it, he’s right. I’m only putting them in more danger by being here. Finally, I nod, agreeing for him to escort me back to the house.
Chapter Twenty-One
I feel as though I’ve known the guys a lifetime, but really, it’s been less than a week. Something about the guys, Cassius, and even Lilith, has made me comfortable staying here. Which is surprising, considering I’m sharing a space with more vampires than I can shake a stick at. Two have tried to eat me, and my food is being stored in a blood fridge. Even after all this, something plagues me about following Tobias. I don’t know if it’s because I need to stay and make sure my vampires survive or if it’s because of something more sinister.
The sky turns almost black, making shivers wrack my body for a whole new reason. With only a smidge of daylight left, it’s harder for me to navigate, and I stumble. Pain rockets up my arm from where Tobias digs in his fingers to keep me upright.
A whimper escapes as Tobias’s fingers don’t let up once I find my balance, and his grip only gets more aggressive when I hear him quietly cuss.
“Can you loosen up a little? That hurts.”
His eyes flash dangerously towards me. Even with the poor visibility, they’re pure black. Instantly, I know I should’ve trusted my gut. I’ve made a stupid mistake. Oh, hell.
I try to keep my panic under control as he stands too close to me. A metallic smell of blood comes off his body, and I have to force down my nausea. It takes far longer than it would take the guys for Tobias’s eyes to return to their normal purple.
Once he appears to be in more control, he says, “We need to get moving. If we get caught in this storm when it gets worse, then I doubt we’ll be able to make it back.”
With no way to fight him and with the knowledge that something more is going on than I can comprehend, I nod. “Okay, let’s head home.”
If anything, playing along means I’ll at least know what the bastard is up to, and he might let up on the hold he has on me if he thinks I’m cooperating.
When a loud crack of thunder sounds right above my head, I bite my tongue to stop my startled scream. My feet stumble again from being caught off guard, and Tobias hauls me up at the last second, barely saving me from a face full of mud.
“Stupid girl! Those vampires have done something to you! I promise I’ll make it better!” His voice sounds even more feral as he drags me urgently in the direction I can only assume is the way back to the house.
Another booming crack of thunder sounds above my head, and I fight to keep myself upright when the ground rumbles. I don’t know what’s going through Tobias’s head. I need to figure it out before something happens, and I can’t get out of it.
My brain short-circuits when the heavens open impossibly wider, dumping icy water onto us. The new coat offers me a little protection in the wind, but it’s hopeless against this much rain. My worry becomes worse the longer we walk. My sense of direction has never been any good, but I don’t recognise where we are.
A crack of lightning lights up the sky, and in those few precious seconds, I see the area around us is thick with trees and fallen branches. Heart jumping into my throat, I realise too late that we’re no longer heading in the direction of the house.
The rain continues to get worse. I can’t imagine this was part of the plan the guys had in mind. How the hell are they supposed to fight in this? My feet act like plungers with every step because the ground has turned to mud. I can’t match the pace Tobias has set, and I hope I’m slowing us down enough to buy me a few precious moments to come up with some sort of plan. He’s not directed his anger at me, but I know something steers him away from the war.
My heart jumps in my throat again when he releases my arm to push his sopping wet hair out of his face. Run! screams my mind, but I know I’ll never make it. The air is charged with something that makes my lungs feel uncomfortably heavy. I push away the persistent thought of escape. It’s futile. Tobias has strength, speed, and enough adrenaline for the both of us pumping through him. I wouldn’t make it more than ten feet before he caught me.
Sorrow washes through me, and my heart breaks for Cassius and Lilith. Whatever Tobias is doing won’t end well for him. The guys trusted him to keep me safe, and he was under strict instructions to keep me at the top of that hill. They wanted me there. If—no, not if—once they get their hands on him, Cassius and Lilith will no longer have a son. The guys will do to him what they did to the vampires who tried to attack me on the first morning I was there.
I hesitate but decide to try to reason with him. Carefully, I think over my words. The last thing I need to do is to piss him off further by mentioning the guys. He already has something against them.
I raise my voice so he can hear me. “It’s not too late to go back. Whatever your plan is, it’s not too late to undo.”
Lightning crackles through the air. Tobias curses, grabs me harshly, and drags me through the mud. I’m caught off balance and crash to the ground, which breaks his hold. Mud splatters up my front and hits me under the chin. Fallen branches on the forest floor bite at my knees, and I know I’ll likely have holes in my trousers and scrapes on my skin.
He doesn’t let me go after that, even when trees and loss of balance call for it. He pulls me along with more strength than he needs. The guys haven’t once used their strength against me, so for someone to do it now catches me off guard.
We step into a clearing, and I use my free hand to wipe rain from my face. I push my raggedy hair out of my eyes and gulp when I see who stands in front of us. My body automatically goes into reverse, wanting desperately to be anywhere but here.
“Hello, pet. It’s been a while,” the familiar voice calls.
I freeze in fright. He’s supposed to be at Akeldama, not here! My eyes turn accusingly on Tobias, and without thought, I spit out words with venom.
“You’ll die for this. They’ll see you pulled to shreds if you hand me over! Think of your parents, asshole! They didn’t raise you to do this!”
His eyes shoot daggers at me, but just as swiftly, they soften as he smiles. “I’m coming with you. I want to be with you, and I can’t have you while you have the three of them sniffing around you like mutts!”
Desperation goes through me. He can’t be serious. They’ll never allow it!
“I want them! Not you! Jesus, Tobias. Take me home, please. If you hand me over to Blood Moon, you’ll put us both in a grave.”
He grabs my arms and cruelly shakes me. His voice rises to a pitch I didn’t think was possible. “You’re lying! You love me. You don’t want them! And now we can be together. They can’t interfere anymore. They won’t be able to take you away from me! I saw you with them. You didn’t enjoy the things they were doing to you!”
The blood drains from my face. Unable to hide my horror, my voice comes out shrill. “You watched us?”
Tobias opens his mouth, but he’s cut off by the one voice I thought I’d never hear again.
The Alpha steps forward. “I hate to break up this little party, but there’s been a change in plans. The pet comes with me. You stay.”
My eyes don’t know which threat to settle on or who would be the more dangerous one: Tobias, the double-crossing vampire, or the sadistic Alpha who is high off his face. Before I can come up with a plan to escape, Tobias’s death grip tightens on my arms.
With gritted teeth, Tobias’s voice comes out deadly calm. “I’m coming with you, or you don’t have her. No one will.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end at the sound of danger in his voice. I don’t have a chance to pull away from him before he spins me around, presses my back up against his chest, and his mouth comes to rest over my pulse point on my neck. Tobias makes a show of taking a deep breath against my neck, even though the fucker can’t breathe, and it almost makes me pull away in revulsion. But I force myself to stand still, to not fight, in case he decides to do something stupid.