by Sarah Elliot
A sudden sting to the side of the face paused the frantic vampire’s thoughts and Mephistopheles felt some of the anger suddenly leave him. Had Raphael really just struck him across the face like that? Why did it hurt so much? He hated this vampire in front of him, wanted nothing more than to see him dead and gone… why did a simple slap to the face genuinely hurt?
“Think straight for once in your useless little life,” Raphael said. “Many have tried to claim Cresta Du Winter’s powers and body since the death of her husband and none have succeeded! You claim that you want to kill her and devour her powers but she is a true elder vampire who will crush you like a pawn.”
“No, I am the one in control at that accursed place.” Mephistopheles finally found some skin on his brother’s arms and tore against it with his claws, Raphael didn’t even flinch, “She will merely start the rituals and that I shall steal all of their power! I am the one who she favours.”
Raphael shook his head. “Mother favours no one but herself.”
With a simple movement, he threw the other vampire back into one of the thickened oak trees. “If you had ever opened your eyes you would have realised that a long time ago. She wants nothing but power and prays on those who want the same, only to manipulate them and bring them to their knees at the opportune moment. The only reason that Siren and Akira aren’t targeted is simply because they hide their true selves well, even the twins managed it. You have signed your own death sentence by agreeing to help her… I wish you could see that.”
“Don’t talk to me as if I am your equal!” Mephistopheles tried to pull himself up but found that his strength was gone for now. “You are dead, nameless and without anything in the world! You are nothing but a ghoul of a vampire, following some petty orders from a bigger monster who you don’t even know!”
For a second, the elder vampire was silent, regarding the younger below him. “I am more than you because I have the strength to let you be your own undoing. You may have attempted to take away my world from me but you failed to realize that there are far greater things in the world than a name and a status.” His eyes held a sort of pity in them. “My name is Raphael Morgue now and unlike you, I hold a love of a beautiful woman and my own children. I am still an elder brother but I am also a husband and a father. You may have stolen away my name and some of my power but you didn’t even touch my life beyond that of a few years making friends with the fish who swam around my watery grave. You are a fool, Angell, a brave one but a fool all the same.”
“So, now what?” Angell snarled. “You going to kill me?”
“No, there would be no point because you still have a part to play.” Raphael stepped forward, pulling out a dagger. “But I am going to wound you so that when the time is right, you’ll have a reminder about our little conversation.” With a sharp movement, the dagger was impaled through Mephistopheles’ shoulder and into the tree behind him before Raphael raised himself up and disappeared into the darkness of the night. He knew already that the other would regain his senses and would be back to cause uttermost mayhem but maybe now he would start to think like a vampire, rather than some demented little brat who was under the complete control of their sire.
Chapter 15
Parting Kiss
It was Ekata who pulled up short first, causing Fiero to barrel into her which in turn made them barrel down towards the small slope on the furthest side of the den. The two wolves were a tangle of black and white for a few seconds before they were able to pull themselves upright. Fiero glanced at his mate and placed a paw on the ground to step forward but was surprised when he received a nip from the younger female. Gently he turned back around to frown at her. “What’s the matter, my love?”
“Don’t you feel the difference?” she replied back, aware that they weren’t talking in the way that humans would do but the female Volf decided that she would ask about it later.
The dark wolf in front of her blinked before turning back to the Den with a curious gaze. On the surface everything looked exactly the same as it always had done, the ramshackle house which was used to keep most humans from venturing too close was still just about standing even though it looked even more dilapidated than it had previously looked. The snowfall, which had reached the logs and intertwining branches, was still present as were the icicles and there was a sense of calm over the whole place.
Gently, he sniffed the air and stepped back. “They’re here, aren’t they?”
“One of them is,” Ekata replied, moving to stand next to her mate. “The other will probably join as soon as Raphael has dealt with him. If, of course, there was not some form of time alteration.”
“Please tell me that neither one of them can do that,” Fiero asked, already feeling the headache that was coming on even through his thick fur.
The white wolf shook her head in response. “Your uncle can.”
That caused a bristle to go through Fiero; surely Disreli would not dare put them in danger like that. Even if he wanted to test them, hadn’t they already been through enough? However, there was a nagging thought in the back of Fiero’s head that this situation wasn’t as complicated as Ekata was making out. “We may have to risk it, if we are to meet with this Alcarde,” he said slowly and sniffed the air deeply. “I do not smell blood or fear, maybe they are resting after that moon?”
“I would think not,” Ekata said, but knew to trust her mate’s instincts. “But I have been tricked before by such peace.”
Licking at the soft velvety ears, Fiero somehow managed to make his wolf-faced features smile towards the other. “I know, but as long as I’m here you have nothing to fear. If this is a trap, I’ll bite the head off everyone who tries to hurt you.”
The white wolf nodded in response, her amber eyes glimmering brightly and they carefully set off towards the Den together, watching for anything that could be possibly out of place or indicate that something was about to leap out. Fiero kept himself in front, though wished that he somehow could have another following them so that there was something protecting them from the rear as well but he couldn’t think of anyone he would trust enough to do such a thing.
The sense of calm continued deep within the Den and it was clear that all of his family were resting after their ordeal. Having been too young to recall the effects of the blood moon, both wolves carefully made their way through the pleasant darkness watching for anything that could expose a trap or another form of danger to them. Ekata stuck close to Fiero, taking comfort in his presence and also finding that she longed to remain closer now than she had ever done. How the male was even still able to walk was a complete mystery to her and she could still smell the ever-so tempting scent of his blood but she knew that she didn’t crave it.
Aware that he was growing concerned, she lightly nuzzled against his side and tried to calm her raging heart a little so as to no longer worry him. Though she also got the impression that he would worry about her even when there was nothing for him to worry about.
Before she could muse on this any further however, a new scent caught her attention and for a second a stab of fear went through her heart as she thought of nothing but darkness and a bleak world where no one ever came to seek her and her twin brother. However, the next second, Ekata felt an elation the likes of which she had not felt in such a long time. The scent was suddenly bright and cheerful, bringing forth childish instincts and delight that just wanted to run away with her and for the first time in a long while, Ekata allowed herself to follow them. She bounded past Fiero with a happy-sounding howl, probably freaking her mate out beyond anything else and hurried to where the scent was.
“Ekata!” Fiero called, feeling his heart beat raise as he raced after the small white female, wondering what had suddenly grabbed her. He too had picked up the scent but had been more confused by it. He felt as though he should recognise it from somewhere but could not place it and after everything that they had gone through he didn’t really feel like taking too many risks right now.
However, since his mate had gone bounding off towards it, he had no choice but to follow her and hope that whatever was waiting meant no ill harm to the Volf.
So it was a bit of a shock when he rounded a corner to find himself almost snout-to-snout with possibly the largest wolf that he had ever seen in his life. This creature was almost double the size of any that had come before him, he looked even bigger than what he could remember his father looking and his fur was a midnight-black but laced with a shimmering red colour that reminded Fiero of the moon that had been present not an hour ago in the sky. Stunning white eyes glistened out of the fur, almost appearing unreal and blind but Fiero got the distinct impression that the wolf before him was staring directly at him, judging and appraising him even though he really had no right as far as Fiero was concerned.
The younger wolf held the elder’s gaze determinedly, still somewhat surprised that the white wolf was snuggling up against this huge monster almost as if it were a long-lost parent but Fiero also knew that the girl was in no immediate danger. “Who are you?” Fiero asked, politely but with just enough warning in his voice to suggest that he was not to be messed with right now, “and what do you want?”
A deep rumbling chuckle that almost made him think back to his cub days came to his ears and the reddish-black wolf visibly relaxed. “So you’re her mate and guardian. I knew you were special the first time I clasped eyes on you but I wouldn’t have ever figured that we would meet in this way again, Fiero.”
Blinking in shock, the werewolf stared down at the other and tilted his head in question. “How do you know my name?”
The elder wolf smiled. “I know a lot about you, Fiero Numéire, from the day you were born to the day that led you to this very meeting with me. I suspected that you would play a grand part in this adventure but I did not guess that you would be so important.” He sighed gently. “If I had realised I would have demanded that Rosario bring you to the Hunters Guild to be raised as a Guardian but maybe this way was better for the pair of you. You certainly have captured her heart far greater than I would have suspected.”
Fiero frowned. “Wait… you know the Hunters Guild?”
“I made the Hunters Guild boy.” The wolf smiled. “I was the first of our kind to try and impose the rules on how everything should be governed with contact with humans.”
“Oh.” Fiero blinked lazily and then clicked. “Wait, you’re Neph—”
There was a snort. “No. That may have been a name once associated with me but it is not mine. My name is Alcarde and I’ve come to be an aid to you, Fiero.”
“An aid to me?” Fiero frowned, looking highly uncomfortable. “Unless you plan on helping me to get my mate out of here I don’t see how you can aid me any further tonight.”
Slowly the large wolf’s head turned to the white wolf that was still happily snuggled against his fur and gently he reached out, licking the top of the creature’s head. It was a gentle movement, very much like that of a parent and Fiero found himself only wanting to get closer to share in some of the peace which his mate was currently feeling. Normally other males were regarded as a potential threat unless they were of close relative status but strangely, Fiero felt nothing to make him wary of the big black wolf next to him.
Ekata looked up as he approached, gently licking at his muzzle with a smile and a hum. “He always talks in strange ways like that. Do not fear my love; he is here to help one way or another.”
There came another deeper chuckle from the creature, up this close Fiero could smell that he was not entirely wolf but his scent was hard to pinpoint. He smelt of vampire, werewolf, demon, changeling and other creatures the likes of which the young werewolf had never really come into contact with before. “Yes, I am here to help but for now you must rest, young one. Your body and mind will need it and I cannot guarantee how long it will last once the red from the moon fades as that is all which is keeping you standing right now. Rest, the pair of you. I shall keep an eye out for any trouble and will wake you when the time is right.”
For a few seconds, Fiero felt like backing away and continuing to find his own safe place for Ekata but a gentle pressure on his mind made him give in and snuggle down next to his mate in the thick warm fur of the larger creature. Within seconds the pair were soundly asleep, Ekata reverting to her human form and subconsciously Fiero shifting back to his own as well. Alcarde watched as the pair automatically gravitated towards one another into a protective embrace and he barely nodded at Rosario when the old-looking wolf came and covered them both together with a blanket.
“It’s not fair to do this to them, Alcarde,” Rosario whispered to him, his eyes still a little lost from what had gone on before. “Surely you can twist the fates or something?”
The large black wolf shook his head. “No. This time I cannot. Though I dearly wish that I could. They are strong though, stronger than I could have hoped for them to be. This has to happen; else all may be lost.”
~~~
The night gave way to day and the day gave way to night. The moon was full in the sky once again but this time it remained its usual reflective white colour though just faintly there were occasional swirls of silver and gold just visible as they intertwined together. Amber eyes snapped open, whether waking from a dream or else some other inner instinct it was hard to say but Ekata gently rose to a sitting position and glanced around the Den. Everything was covered in silence, clearly the pack recovering from the effects of the blood moon. But there was another scent, a warning sign that made her shiver and want nothing more than to disappear.
However though, her life was different now and she couldn’t just up and run whenever she felt their presence. Though she paused, realising that the silence was too deep, the sounds of unnatural slumber replacing those which over the last week she had come to identify with the large pack. Turning to her slumbering mate, Ekata shook him desperately, hoping that he would not be affected by it in the slightest. “Fiero,” she whispered, trying not to raise her voice too much as panic gripped at her. “Fiero, wake up. We have to go.”
The young werewolf grumbled and twisted over onto his other side with a groan that sounded something akin to, “Just a few more minutes.” Then his nose twitched with scents and Fiero sat bolt upright, silver eyes gleaming as clearly he too realised the unnaturalness of the whole situation.
Turning quickly to his mate, he nodded silently at her before raising and helping her up to her feet. There were already packs waiting for them, presumably left by Stefina from the smell and quickly the male pulled a worn but still rather pretty cream dress over his mate’s head. “We head south,” he whispered, hurriedly and slightly cursing as he struggled to pull on his own clothes. “Head for the township and go from there. They would be crazy to even attempt to follow us that far.”
Ekata nodded, finishing tugging the shirt loosely over the broad chest that she knew only too well. They both stopped dead when a low whistle caught their attention; clearly the vampire siblings were close and had worked out where they were. A shiver went through the female Volf and quickly she pulled Fiero’s face close to hers, their lips brushing together as they so frequently did but this time it was to give her just a little more courage. “The town to the south of here?”
“Yes,” he whispered and grabbed her hand, heading quickly out of the room and only sparing a glance back to the slumbering Alcarde. “There’s a small church with an unusual shrine out of the front, if we get separated for any reason make straight for it.”
No more words were spoken and the pair made their way quickly out into the snowy weather which seemed to be blowing up a blizzard unlike anything that had been seen in years. Fiero pulled Ekata close, knowing that wolf forms would be far easier but somehow he was reluctant to change. They barely got three hundred yards into the snow before there was a twang of a crossbow bolt and Fiero let out a wail of pain. He tumbled down to the snow below, red blood splattering the frozen ice crystals.
“Ekata, run!” he
yelled immediately, shoving the girl forward and away from him. “Don’t look back, baby, just run! Run… get to the town. I’ll be there; I’ll be waiting for you! Run!”
Terror pushed her into the swirling snow, despite every last instinct screaming at her to remain where she was, to stay with her mate but his voice just kept echoing inside her head.
Fiero hissed and ripped the bolt out of his side, cursing at the pain which ran through his body. “Run, Ekata, don’t stop running. I will find you again, I promise.”
Another pain-filled yell escaped him with a hand latched onto his injury, causing a burning sensation to go through his torso. “You’ll never see her again, wolf,” Mephistopheles growled dangerously to him. “No matter how connected to her you are.”
The grey eyes flared a dangerous blood-red and the next thing Fiero knew, he was tumbling down a dark hill and crashing into a series of fallen branches next to a river which had a fine sheet of ice over the surface. The once brilliant white flowers were now wilting and passing back into the ground below. “Run, Ekata, keep running. Don’t stop, run… run.” The mantra repeated constantly past his frozen lips, fighting off a wave of sleep which wanted to claim him.
Chapter 16
Full Moon
Mephistopheles easily kept pace with Siren, the girl having recovered from her ordeal and was hell-bent on revenge. It had been easy to get her to be fully back under his control, and Mephistopheles felt a renewed sense of energy fueling his movements.
The blizzard raged angrily around them, nature riling itself up against her will purely for the purpose of separating the mated pair. Whilst the vampire had been stung viciously by a brother he thought long dead to the world, he had come out of the ordeal with fresh ideas and a dangerous temper which needed to be fully sated. He knew that if the werewolf remained by the girl’s side then they would stand next to no chance against him.