The Half-Breed Vampire

by Theresa Meyers

  Be on alert, here she comes now, Achilles warned.

  Slade’s body tensed, straining under the pressure of maintaining his flux and the pain building in his stomach from the encroaching moon sickness. Raina, naked but for the wolf skin wrapped around her cave-woman style, walked in shuffling steps toward the fire. Her hands were bound before her.

  Slade tamped down the combo of rage and relief surging through him.

  She was alive.

  A man, his hand fisted in the back of her hair, pushed her from behind toward the center of the circle and the fire.

  He scanned her creamy, bare shoulders. No discernible marks. Not on her face, shoulders or exposed skin. Clearly scared, she still had her head held high.

  She was in once piece and, for the moment, still in her human form. The fire threw flickering light over her features, which were drawn and tight. Rage boiled up inside him at the thought they had hurt her, and then at himself for not being here to prevent it.

  A massive silver wolf walked around the circle on all fours. Based on the deference the other wolves exhibited, it had to be Bracken. The scent of wet dog tempered with cedar tweaked Slade’s nose. He remembered that smell. Long ago and far away, but it was elusively familiar. The unique smell, like a fingerprint, skirted the edge of his memory like a child playing hide-and-seek who didn’t want to be found.

  “Tonight our Whisperer returns to us, to become one of us once again,” the older wolf said, loud enough for all to hear.

  “Not by choice,” Raina said defiantly, struggling against the man who held her by the hair. Several of the wolves threw her quelling glares. Two more shifted into their human forms. They grabbed her hands, binding them over her head to a wooden frame.

  “You won’t get away with this!” Raina twisted against the restraints, trying to kick out at them. They grabbed her flailing feet and tied her ankles to the frame, as well, leaving her spread-eagled. “Your goddess isn’t who you think she is. I’m warning you. Following her orders is going to get you all killed. I’m your Whisperer. This I know. Stop this before it’s too late!”

  Slade heard the panic and fear in her voice, but she was still trying to reason with the blinded Weres.

  The silver wolf flicked a dismissive gaze in her direction. “Quiet, woman! We await the moon and the goddess.”

  They’re waiting on moonrise, Slade muttered to Achilles. It makes sense. They need it for the transition to stick. We have to move now!

  No. Wait. She’s coming.

  Who?

  Eris.

  Slade did a quick scan all around them as he heard Bracken’s declaration. “By my bite and as my mate, she will become alpha female of this pack.”

  Like hell she would. Slade pulled together his strength to maintain his flux just a little longer. I’m going in, he told Achilles.

  Wait! Achilles ordered.

  The silver wolf slunk up next to Raina, his mouth opening as he inhaled her scent. A string of saliva dripped from the edge of his black lip. He slid his large nose from her knee up along her bare thigh.

  “You will be very sweet,” he said.

  There’s no time.

  Slade transported as close as he could to Raina without landing on top the old wolf. Invisible, he had the element of surprise and, swinging back his leg, he kicked out hard. He hit the wolf square in the jaw. The Were’s head snapped to the side.

  “Surprise, asshole.” Slade jumped out of the way as the Were snapped his massive maw. Being invisible had its advantages, but being unscented wasn’t one of them. The massive wolf knew exactly where he stood.

  “Vampire…” Bracken growled, spreading his front feet wide, the ridge of hair along his back and the silvered ruff around his neck bristling. His eyes slowly scanned the space, trying to detect a hint of movement as he stood between Slade and Raina.

  Slade knew he couldn’t hold on to his invisibility much longer. He had only one, maybe two, transports left in him before he was too drained to use his powers. If he could get close enough to touch Raina, he could transport them both to safety.

  Remember your mission, Achilles said fiercely. We have to get Eris out of the picture.

  She’s not even in it yet.

  That’s what you think. The clouds overhead began to break apart, letting shifting beams of pale light through. Slade felt his flux begin to fade as the pressure and pain building inside of him increased. The Weres’ ears pricked toward him as he reappeared. He phased away the bonds that held Raina captive, but she was immediately surrounded by the other wolves.

  “Kill him!” Bracken barked the order.

  “No!” Slade stood tall, rolling his shoulders back. He pointed at the alpha. “This is a fight of equals. Just you and me. One on one.”

  “You are not my equal, vampire,” Bracken snapped.

  “Then you’ve got nothing to lose,” Slade taunted. “I’ll make this easy. I win, you release Raina, tell the moon goddess to take a hike and you Weres stick to your side of the mountain. I lose, you can go through with your little plan to rule the world and hope it doesn’t bite you in the ass.”

  What are you doing? Achilles yelled loud and clear, in his skull.

  Taking a calculated risk. I’m his son, right?

  Doesn’t mean you can win this on your own, Achilles countered.

  I don’t have to win it. I just have to hurt him. Besides, I think I can take him. You just watch after Raina.

  Bracken huffed, his eyes taking in the curious stares of his followers. Slade knew if he didn’t accept the challenge he ran the risk of looking weak in front of the other shifters, something an alpha didn’t dare allow.

  “Follow me, vampire, if you dare.” Bracken turned on his hind quarters and slowly sauntered down the edge of the rock bluff.

  Slade cautiously followed. Where the hell are you, Achilles?

  Guarding your back.

  I told you to stay with Raina!

  You don’t give the orders, Donovan. Your woman is safe as long as Bracken is with you.

  The pounding rush in his ichor eased back a bit with the security of knowing Achilles was still there. Achilles had way more experience as an ancient vampire holding the flux for long periods of time, but Slade knew he was there. He could sense his comforting presence and smell the rosemary scent that rolled off him, different and distinctive even in a crowded forest of green things.

  Bracken bounded from one boulder down to another into a box canyon created by nature from the red rocks that formed the base of the bluff. Slade leaped from rock to rock, following the old wolf.

  The wolves came out from crevices and hidden lairs in the rocks, sweeping down to rim the top of a small canyon. A few came down farther and two blocked the one exit. It was like being in the center of some prehistoric cage fight, with the shifters—and Raina—as the spectators.

  “Prepare to die, vampire,” Bracken rumbled.

  Slade laughed, but it came out brittle and edgy. “I’m undead, dog. Not going to happen twice.” Flick. His fangs, already throbbing with anger, slid easily from the soft gum tissue above his teeth. They circled one another, Slade watching for any tick of movement that might hint at Bracken’s first move. Being on the streets had taught him some valuable lessons about fighting. You got hot, you got hurt. Being observant was just as important as knowing how to throw a good solid punch. Bracken’s body coiled, sinking lower on his haunches. Slade prepared himself for the Were alpha’s leap. The second he saw the power in his opponent’s muscle begin to release, he did a deft tuck and roll, bounding up on the balls of his feet. He jumped, landing solidly on the Were’s back.

  Vampires were fast, but Weres matched them for strength and speed. Slade wrapped his arm around Bracken’s throat but was unable to clasp his hands together to complete the chokehold before the alpha violently shook his massive body, throwing him off.

  Bracken twisted, biting down hard on Slade’s leg. Slade arched back against the pain, then drove his elbow back int
o the alpha’s eye socket. The Were released his hold, howling and shaking his head.

  “Had enough yet?” Slade taunted.

  Bracken growled at him, then unleashed his power in a full-out dash, razor-sharp teeth at the ready.

  Slade caught him in a bear hug, tucking his head beneath Bracken’s chin and flipping him onto his back. There was the crack of breaking bone, but Slade didn’t let up. He sank his fangs deep into the alpha’s neck, letting the venom flow. He didn’t know if it would impact the Were the same way it did humans, but it was worth a shot. Slade rolled away from the Were and wiped his blood away from his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt.

  Already a patch of Bracken’s fur began to sink in as the flesh and muscle beneath it began to dissolve into liquid. The alpha’s sides heaved in and out, while Slade had yet to break into a full sweat. Pain turned Bracken’s eyes glassy and unfocused. His head lowered, his ears flattening to the smooth line of his skull.

  “What have you done to me, vampire?”

  “Seems only fair. Years ago you bit me. I was just returning the favor.”

  The hole began to gape, as the fur fell away, exposing muscle and bone as an increasing red trickle of liquefied flesh ran from the wound. Bracken staggered but kept his brown eyes, intense and full of agony, focused on Slade.

  “Call it off, Bracken, before any other members of your pack or my clan suffer needlessly.”

  Slade felt the tug on his arm as Raina wound her hands around his bicep, clinging to him. “Do as he says, Bracken. This battle will not help any of us. We need to join together to fight a bigger common enemy.”

  Overhead the clouds shifted, and the moon came out in all its luminous brilliance, turning on like a spotlight behind the old Were. In the pale shafts of moonlight shimmers began to gather and pool into the form of a beautiful woman with a flawless peaches-and-cream complexion and brilliant blue eyes. Her flaxen hair lifted and writhed about her head like snakes, while a breeze rippled the edges of her pale gray gown that gathered up over one of her shoulders and fell in graceful swirling folds about her legs. Even before she spoke, Slade knew exactly who she was.

  “Eris,” Achilles hissed as he came out of flux right beside him. Slade stiffened, every cell put on edge.

  The goddess’s eyes widened with pleasure. “So good of you to join us, Achilles. I wouldn’t want you to miss out on the downfall of your little clan,” she said as she walked gracefully toward them.

  She grazed her hand over Bracken’s fur, a stroke that made him wince. Eris’s icy blue gaze turned toward Bracken. “If you won’t finish the vampire, I will.” Dark particles began to swirl around her as she disappeared like a small ill-tempered tornado. The twister headed straight for Bracken.

  The older wolf crouched against the onslaught that stirred up the debris from the canyon floor, whipping him with small braches and pelting him with leaf litter and small stones. The whirling storm darkened so that Slade could barely see the wolf at all in the center of it. A howl of pain and anguish rent the air. Beside him, Raina shook.

  And as suddenly as the miniature tornado had appeared it was gone again. Bracken stood, his four paws spread out, head down, panting, his side matted with blood.

  “What happened? Is she gone?” Raina asked, her voice a strained, harsh whisper.

  “I don’t know.”

  For a moment, the air, even the very trees, seemed to stand still. Bracken raised his head and stared straight at Raina and Slade. His brown eyes were now a chilling, malevolent and vivid blue.

  Chapter 20

  The walls of the box canyon, lit up by the moonlight like a spotlit stage, echoed with the malicious laughter of the possessed alpha wolf. Slade grasped Raina about the shoulders and pushed her toward Achilles. “Get her out of here now.”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” Raina argued. She reached out of habit for her gun belt and came up empty-handed. The stale sweat smell of her frustration filled the air.

  Slade stared at her for an instant, trying with all his might to communicate in that look everything he felt but didn’t have time to say. “You want to protect your people?”

  “Of course.” Her gaze was intense.

  “Then get the hell out of here and I’ll do everything I can to make sure this ends as cleanly as possible.” Slade looked back at Eris in Bracken’s form.

  Raina stood beside him, her bare arm brushing his sleeve. “We’re a team,” she said, low and stubborn.

  Eris/Bracken gave a laughing pant and sat on her haunches, watching the start of chaos begin to build just a few feet away.

  Damn. He hated to do it, really hated to, but Slade could see no other way of convincing Raina to go. He needed her safe so he could get his head in the game. “It’s been fun, nature girl,” he said dismissively, keeping his tone cold. He never took his eyes off the silver wolf watching their every move. “It was fun while it lasted. But we were never a team. You’ve got your world, I’ve got mine. Now get the hell out of here before they both implode.”

  The instant Eris had taken over Bracken’s body, every Were in the circle had rolled on their back in submission, baring their throats willingly. None of them moved as the drama unfolded right before them.

  Achilles’s voice cut through his mental gymnastics. We can’t leave you here alone and you know it. That’s not Bracken anymore. That’s Eris in a damn fur coat.

  Yeah. I know. Got any bright ideas?

  “Kill the alpha,” Achilles said flatly, confirming Slade’s worst fears. Slade had seen the goddess of chaos in action before. Achilles was right. Only by killing her in Bracken’s form was he going to put a stop to her diabolical plan to use the Weres to stir up a war between the shifters, the vampires and the mortals.

  There was just one problem.

  He didn’t want to kill Bracken. If he killed Bracken, by default, he’d become leader of the Wenatchee pack—a fate he wanted to avoid at all costs. He was a vampire, damn it. And he intended to stay one.

  Eris blinked blue wolf eyes, as if she could hear his inner conflict. Had she known that he’d be conflicted killing his own father? Is that why she’d switched places with Bracken?

  The question was whether Bracken was still alive, or had Eris killed him before possessing his body?

  If Bracken was already dead, then Slade’s issues would be null and void. Killing Eris in his body would be a no-brainer.

  What if I wound him bad enough?

  Might work, Achilles replied. Could dispel her long enough for us to chain her up. Taking her to clan HQ to deal with in a confined space would be to our advantage.

  But then again, Slade thought, this was Eris, goddess of chaos. The agitation of the vampires, the impatience and anger of the Weres, Raina’s fear, his own insecurity, it was all feeding her like a twenty-four-hour Las Vegas buffet. She was gaining power every second that passed.

  The wolves slowly, one by one, rolled to their feet. Their hackles were raised, and their eyes glittered with malicious intent in the moonlight.

  They were screwed.

  “You can’t kill the wolves,” Raina said hotly.

  “What?” Slade demanded. Was Raina nuts? Didn’t she see the situation? He didn’t take his eyes off Bracken/Eris.

  “The wolves,” Raina said in a low, urgent voice. “They’re my family. Literally, my family. My aunt, my mom and daddy. That big black one over there is Robbie.”

  Shit. “Fine, I won’t kill any wolves I don’t have to.” Slade did a mental SOS to Achilles. Now will you get her out? Time for plan B.

  Slade knew if Raina stayed to witness the next few minutes, she’d never see him the same way again.

  “What are you going to do?” Raina asked.

  “You don’t want to know.”

  Achilles pulled Raina away from Slade and toward the rocks.

  The pack gave a low, warning growl that made the hair on the back of Slade’s neck lift in warning.

  Out of the corner of his eyes he obs
erved Achilles putting himself between Raina and the lineup of threatening Weres.

  “Come on, vampire. What’s it to be? Will you surrender or fight?” Bracken taunted, his wolf voice shimmering with chords of the goddess overlaid on his gravelly voice.

  Slade centered himself, closing his eyes and giving in to the pressure building beneath in his skin. Before, when the Were transition had tried to take him it had always felt like his skin was threatening to split apart from the intensity of the pressure within.

  But now that he wasn’t fighting it, he could feel the tug and pull as one form shifted naturally into the other without the extreme pain. The sucking, pulling pop and snap as his ligaments, bones, muscles and hair rearranged themselves still sounded disgusting. But in just seconds he could feel himself growing stronger again, all four of his limbs standing firm on the ground. His new fur coat felt like a warm jacket and his clothes lay in shreds on the ground around him.

  He heard Raina gasp. If he hadn’t been a monster to her before, he certainly was one now.

  He raised his head. Larger at the shoulder than Bracken by several inches. He looked the Eris-possessed blue-eyed Bracken straight in the face. Slade’s growl rumbled low and deep in his chest, and he bared his canines that lay side by side with his fangs—a surprise to him and everyone else, judging by the nervous sidestepping and frightened glances the other Weres cast at Bracken.

  “Interesting choice, Blackwolf, but stupid.” Eris, in her Bracken suit, tipped the Were’s head back and howled, and to Slade it sounded almost like a grating laugh. Dark red liquid continued to dribble from the open dinner-plate-size gory hole in the Were’s neck.

  “It’s Donovan,” he answered back in a bark.

  The old Were began to circle. “The leeches will never help you now. You’ve just proved you aren’t one of them.”

  Slade’s muscles bunched, ready to move wherever he needed them to. “I’m not one of you, either.”