Maeve was the only female Lycan working as a sentry. The rest preferred to live inside the village proper, running various shops and businesses. They were all trained and willing to fight, but tended to prefer life in the village.
A few years older than twenty-year-old Lizette, she was energetic and quick-witted, but Lizette knew the woman was suspicious of her. Brought to Maeve’s cabin along the village wall under the guise of keeping her safe while Sterling and Conrad were away, it didn’t take Lizette long to figure out that the rest of the Lycans did not trust her.
Maeve had spent more than an hour asking Lizette question after question before she finally went to bed. Leaving the room, she let Lizette know that she had a bell in her room that rang when the door was opened, and she would know if Lizette tried to run away.
“I’ll be pretty angry if I have to chase you down in the middle of the night on my one night off-duty.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I have no intention of putting myself at risk of becoming a vampire slave.” Or worse, she thought.
Maeve hadn’t been happy with her answer, but she didn’t have much of a choice.
In truth, Lizette was too exhausted to run away anyway. The day before, when Sterling and Conrad had first captured her, had been a blur. She’d been running on pure adrenaline.
After a long day running for her life, followed by a night of passion with two men she’d just met, Lizette was feeling every scratch and every pulled muscle in her entire body. Each and every step was painful, though she hadn’t let on how much pain she was in before Conrad and Sterling had left for the evening. Nothing besides rest would heal her pain, so whining about it wouldn’t help anyone.
So she’d kept her mouth shut and suffered in silence.
Back chilled and face hot from the fire, Lizette gingerly turned over onto her other side. The thick fabric of the clothing that Maeve had loaned her had no give, making turning over difficult without injury. Her skin slid against the fabric, causing her to itch all over.
She snuggled as far into the rug as she could, wishing that Maeve had saw fit to loan her a blanket, or at least a thin towel with which to cover herself. Eyes closed, she focused on trying to sleep so she could get the night over with.
A loud knock jarred her out of her thoughts. Someone on the other side of the door pounded rapidly, shaking the heavy door on its hinges. Lizette sat up and pulled her knees to her chest, watching the door with dread as the pounding continued.
Maeve strode to the door, her face broadcasting her annoyance as clearly as if she’d spoken aloud.
“You’re going to just open the door? You don’t know who’s out there.”
“Enemies don’t knock.”
“Oh.” Lizette had to admit, it made sense.
Maeve unlocked the door and it swung inward. Conrad walked in, and a limping, bleeding Sterling hobbling along beside him.
“What happened?” said Maeve. Lizette rushed to Sterling as Conrad and Maeve helped him to the chair by the door.
“Vampires,” Conrad answered.
“Within the protected forest?” Maeve’s face was angry. She didn’t even wait to hear his answer before she started gathering up her cross-bow and arrows made of carved wooden stakes.
“Yes, in our forest. I killed one, but the other fled.”
“What were they doing here?”
“They were hunting for her.”
“What in the world is so important about her?” Maeve turned and looked her over, her once thinly-veiled dislike for Lizette no longer hidden.
“He wanted her for breeding. Dallin can’t afford to turn people into vampires when food is so scarce, so he’s doing the next best thing.”
“Isn’t breeding them the same thing though?”
“Not really. Vampire offspring gestate three times faster than humans. Each human woman could give birth to four vampires a year. I’ve never seen one first-hand, but my grandfather used to tell us stories about them. They’re like baby rattlesnakes; more deadly, more aggressive, and more vicious than adults. They mature within days of being born. With enough women, he could grow his army exponentially in a year.”
“So what’s so important about her? Why doesn’t he just get another breeder?”
Conrad looked at Lizette, “I can’t figure it out either. Maybe it’s just the fact that she escaped. That had to be a huge blow to his ego. That’s really the only thing I could think of.”
“Well, whatever it is, we need to tell the Captain immediately and warn the others. If Dallin is hell-bent on having this specific woman, tonight is just the beginning.”
Conrad nodded his agreement. Now that Dallin knew without a doubt she’d come this way and been picked up by Lycans, he wouldn’t stop until he had her.
***
Owen Wrigley sat in the wooden chair, growing impatient with Beth as she worked on him. After putting a final dressing on his healing wounds, she began the tedious process of changing his looks.
Beth was already slow, and her recent wounds were slowing her down even further. A large cut slashed across her face, still healing and an angry red color. She was missing one eye and the corner of her mouth, where the scar ended, turned down slightly when she spoke.
Beth took a paint brush, dipping it in foul-smelling liquid that looked like tar.
“What is that?”
“We can’t have you showing up to the village in that bright red hair of yours. They’ll spot you a mile away.”
Owen didn’t like it, but he knew she was right. Already, his thick beard had been shaved completely. He hadn’t even recognized his own face in the mirror, which was good. If he was going to sneak back into Bradenton to retrieve Dallin’s girl, he was going to have to appear to be a stranger selling his wares.
Beth moved closer, her sagging bosom shoved into his face as she leaned over him and parted his hair. She was careful, turning the brush over several times over the bowl so it didn’t drip on his skin or the floor. The stench was appalling and Owen wondered how long he had to leave the dye in his hair for it to set.
A male vampire burst into the room, long wavy brown hair flowing behind him. His boot heels clicked loudly on the stone floor.
“Where is Dallin?” he said. The man regarded Owen and Beth, his nostrils flaring as he stopped more than ten feet away to await their response. He looked right at Owen, licking his lips slowly before turning away.
“I’m right here.”
Owen nearly jumped out of his skin. Dallin had appeared out of nowhere, coming into the room silently. His bright blue eyes were stunning, and Owen found that he couldn’t look away from them, even though he tried. Dallin was a handsome man, with blond hair and a cherub’s face. He didn’t look like a monster, but Owen had seen enough over the last few days to know that he was the most vicious vampire that he’d ever heard of.
Dallin saw Owen looking his way and smiled at him. The effect was eerie, but Owen found that he suddenly had the urge to walk over to Dallin and offer up his own throat to please him.
“Did you find my woman, Simon?” Dallin asked the brown-haired vampire.
“Yes, Sir. And no.”
“I don’t understand.”
“She’s been captured by the Lycans. The filthy wolf-men killed Thomas, but I was able to get away.”
“How did you manage that?”
“Thomas threw his opponent, a light-colored wolf, at a tree and was about to kill him when his companion came to his aid. While they were distracted, I ran. But not before I found out where she is.”
Dallin sat regally on a large throne against the wall, crossing his legs unhurriedly as he waited for Simon to continue.
“The two Lycans, the ones that we fought, they found her in the woods. They didn’t say it, but we could smell their scent all over her trail. Before the first wolf let me go to help his friend, I smelled human all over him.”
Simon glanced at Owen and Beth again, the need for human blood evident on his face.
He was hungry, but he restrained himself.
“Did you get their names?” said Dallin. His voice was calm, but Simon fidgeted.
“I know who the light-colored werewolf is,” said Owen. “He’s the one that took me to the woods.” Owen couldn’t hide the smile in his voice when he spoke. He’d been planning on retrieving the girl for Dallin, but he also had a score to settle with the two Lycans who’d left him in the woods to die.
Dallin’s smile widened. He dismissed Simon with a sweep of his arm, releasing the man from the torture of standing so close to the humans when he was starving for blood.
“It looks like saving you turned out to be a good investment. You’ll leave at sunrise, and you’ll take Beth and her husband with you. The villagers will be suspicious of a man travelling alone. But an elderly couple won’t get a second glance. Eat your fill tonight and get some rest. I expect to have my prize returned to me by tomorrow night.”
Dallin stood, walking towards the hall that led to the outer door. He hesitated, turning back to address Owen.
“Once you have the girl tied and handed over to Beth, you’re free to seek your revenge against the filthy wolves. If you survive, you’re welcome here. I can always use more.”
Without another word, Dallin left to feed for the night.
Beth finished spreading the dye throughout his hair, and then left to fetch him dinner. Owen took his meal at the massive table alone, enjoying the silence and trying to ignore the smell of dye that hovered over his head.
***
Lizette awoke early the next morning, finding herself alone in bed. She rolled out of bed and pulled on the clothes that Maeve had loaned her, trying to ignore the constant itching of the rough fabric against her skin.
She made the bed before heading to the door, but stopped in her tracks when she heard Sterling and Conrad arguing in the common area.
“Conrad, there’s more to her story. There had to be. Why else would Dallin be so interested in one specific human?”
“Does it matter? We’re bound to protect humans at all costs. What makes her less worthy?”
“She’s not, but I worry that having her here is putting the village in danger.”
“So what do you propose, just turning her loose in the forest and hoping that Dallin stops sending his minions once he has her?”
Lizette’s hand flew to her mouth. She couldn’t go back, and there was no way she could survive on her own. Even if she ran past the village and into the surrounding forest until she came across another town, she would never be able to stop running. Dallin would move heaven and earth to find her.
“No. I’m not saying that,” said Sterling.
“Then what are you saying?” said Conrad.
“I don’t know. I just think we should look at this with an unbiased eye. Having her here is no good, but we can’t protect her if she’s not here. We can’t put her in the village; that would be a disaster.”
“So you don’t have a plan, you just have a problem with Lizette,” said Conrad.
“It’s not her, the problem is Dallin. But you cannot deny that as long as she’s here, no one is safe.”
The shouting ceased, and from her place in the bedroom, she could no longer make out their words. She left the door and sat on the bed, trying to figure out what she should do. They were right. As long as she, Lizette, was in their home, no one was safe. By saving her life, they’d brought danger onto themselves and the entire village they were sworn to protect.
Lizette was lost in thought when Conrad rapped softly on the bedroom door. She pulled the covers around her quickly, pretending to yawn wide as she muttered for him to come in.
Conrad came through the door and sat on the bed. He smiled at Lizette and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand.
“I need to go into town. Sterling will be here with you. Is there anything particular that you would like me to bring back?”
Lizette shook her head no, not trusting herself to speak. Conrad leaned towards her, kissing her softly on the cheek before standing.
“I’ll be back soon. You get some rest. There’s food in the kitchen and Sterling will be just outside, cutting firewood.”
He strode to the door, leaving almost as quickly as he’d come in. Lizette sat under the blankets for a moment, making sure he was gone. She gathered her things and stuffed them into a satchel before walking out of the room and into the hall.
Already, the rhythmic sound of someone cutting wood outside echoed through the house. Lizette peeked through a window, dismayed to see that Sterling was turned to face the cabin, obviously keeping an eye out in case Lizette tried to run again. Because the house was built into the high wall of the town, it had only one exit. She would have to wait until Sterling was distracted, or until he came inside to use the facilities. Disappointed, she decided the raid the kitchen for food to take, and to eat breakfast while she waited. It wouldn’t do her any good to run on an empty stomach, and the next town was at least a day’s run east. With the sun well up and the morning half gone, she’d have to push herself non-stop to make it to safety in time.
Sterling walked into the house, sweat dripping down his brow. He eyed her satchel and her clothes before heading into the kitchen for some water.
He returned to the common room, cup in hand, wiping his brow with a damp rag.
“You can leave if you’re wanting to. I won’t stand in your way.”
Lizette blushed, opening her mouth to deny his accusation. Thinking better of it, she kept quiet.
“Conrad will miss you, as will I, but you’re more trouble than any woman is worth bringing you here.”
He took a long swallow of the water, watching her as he did.
“If you leave, it won’t make a difference. The vamps are already venturing into the forest against the treaty. They have big plans, with or without you. The only person you leaving is going to affect is you.”
“I didn’t know. I just ran as fast as I could away from him. I’m so sorry Sterling. If I had known—”
“You would have run anyway. No one blames you for wanting to save your own skin.” He motioned towards the door. “The door is open. Leave if you must, but it won’t change anything.”
When Lizette didn’t move, Sterling continued. “If you choose to stay, I need you to be certain. Commit to leaving or commit to staying, but I can’t defend the village from vampires if I’m busy worrying about you running away. The biggest help you can give us is to stay put when we tell you, and quit trying to run away. Once we’ve defeated Dallin and his clan, you will be free to go.”
Lizette’s eyes welled up with tears. She didn’t know what to say. In her short life, no one had ever been kind to her. Hands sitting clasped together in her lap, she hung her head, trying not to cry.
Sterling stood up, grumbling to himself and walking briskly out the door. A quick check out the window revealed that he was now facing away from the cabin as he finished cutting wood for the growing woodpile against the house. It would be winter soon.
Lizette didn’t have the heart to leave; at least not today. Sterling was right; the more energy they had to waste on making sure she didn’t leave, the harder it would be to defeat the vampires when they descended on the village. She knew as well as anyone that Dallin wouldn’t stop once he had Lizette in his clutches. To save herself, she was going to have to do her part to protect the people of Bradenton.
***
It was early afternoon when Conrad returned from the town, carrying a heavy brown package over his shoulder. Lizette was in the bedroom drying her long hair and she heard the door open.
“Where’s Lizette?”
“She’s in the bedroom. What’s that?”
Heavy paper crinkled, but neither of the Lycans said anything. Lizette was curious, but she wanted to finish her hair before she went to investigate. Her curly hair was wild enough; if she didn’t comb it before it dried, she’d end up looking like an Angora rabbit.
“I need to
hunt, we’re low on meat. I’ll be back before sundown.”
Without another word, Sterling left.
Footsteps echoed down the empty hallway as Conrad came towards the room. Lizette finished quickly, pulling her shirt back over her head an instant before Conrad knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
Conrad walked in, heavy brown paper slung over his shoulder. He flopped the package onto the bed.”
“Go on. Open it.”
Lizette grabbed the ends of the tiny bow between her fingers, pulling the twine until it opened and let the paper fall to the side. Before her was several dresses, all finely made and brightly colored.
Lizette ran her finger along the edge of one collar, admiring the ornate stitching that had obviously taken a great deal of time and skill to fashion. She looked up at Conrad.
“Are these mine?”
“Yes. Do you like them?”
Lizette stared at the garments before her. He’d brought her four dresses. The top one was dark-green, the same color as her eyes. She gingerly laid the first dress to the side, gasping at the delicate blue sleeping gown below it. Like the first, the attention to detail on the stitching was superb. She picked up the blue dress, holding it against her face and relishing in the soft texture of the fine fabric.
She set the blue dress on top of the green one, picking up the next one. This one was pale lavender, with dark purple stitching and embroidery.
“Oh Conrad. This is too much. I can’t take these.”
“You haven’t seen the last one yet.”
Lizette set aside the lavender dress, picking the final one up from the bed. It was a house dress, meant for everyday use. But even this dress was finally made and more beautiful anything that Lizette had even worn.
Dark chocolate in color, the stitching and embroidery were done in a soft pink thread. The effect was very feminine and Lizette struggled not to cry.
“This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. I don’t deserve these.”
With a heavy heart, she packed the dresses back into the wrapping and wound the twine around them.
Conrad placed his hands on hers, stopping her.
“What’s wrong?”
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