Howl And Growl Complete Collection

by Cloe Cullen

  After one final gasp from Remus sending Bronwen’s veins pulsing and mind whirling from intoxicate fantasies forming in her mind, she let go, exhaling once as she held onto his hand with both of hers. Remus breathed hard, his face a mix of excited twitching and fearful gazing.

  “Sorry,” Bronwen felt the urge to utter, letting go of his hand and licking her lower lip. “It’s a...an impulse. I should have stopped myself -”

  “No, no...it’s fine,” Remus retorted, wringing his wrist as his breaths slowed to a steadier pace. He stared at her, his body straining to contain itself. Bronwen saw something in his eyes...was that lust she saw? Desire for her? Had her blood sucking worked out in her favor after all? Just before Bronwen reached out to lead him somewhere more private, Remus turned and looked around, his brows furrowing as he came to some sort of realization. “This can’t be...Orpheus’ manor, right?”

  The question caught Bronwen off guard, and she took a deep breath to steady her mind, suppressing her desire to stomp the floor like a spoiled child for Remus’ sudden change in mood. “No...though it was built on top of Orpheus’ destroyed manor. I wasn’t here for most of the construction, so maybe one of the builders had Orpheus’ manor in mind when building mine.” Eyeing Remus, she saw his features darken. “Does that bother you?”

  “No,” he said after a while, his eyes wandering once again.

  Great job, Bronwen, she thought to herself. You really nailed that one on the head.

  Without warning, a sharp shout came from farther in the manor. Both Bronwen and Remus snapped their heads in the direction the sound came from, each sensing the danger that had sprung up in that one shout. Shortly after the shout came the howling of a beast, a sound both Bronwen and Remus knew very well.

  “Changelings!” Remus said, rushing forward to the hallway.

  Bronwen made to follow him until similar shouts from above broke into the hall. Remus stopped and locked his gaze with hers. “Go after Finn and the others,” Bronwen shouted. “I’ll go for Lowell and Nyx.”

  Nodding, Remus took off. Bronwen’s head thrummed with thoughts of Remus’ safety, but she knew nothing like a simple Changeling could seriously harm him. Right now, she needed to focus on finding the shifters she’d brought to the Blackwood. If anything happened to them, Bronwen knew she’d never forgive herself. The others were her responsibility now, as a friend and as a Lord.

  Vaulting up the side of the staircase, Bronwen landed on her feet and sprinted up and around a corner into a hallway similar to the one below. She followed it, glancing into open doors, listening to the sounds of the scuffle echoing in the halls. She heard howls and objects crashing to the floor, and Nyx’s angered shouting. The hallways were like a maze, but eventually Bronwen made her way through to a small room with its door flung open, and halfway off its hinges. Inside, Lowell’s wolf form flew past the doorway, with Nyx’s voice shouting after him.

  Stepping in, Bronwen immediately glanced at Nyx as she slid on her knees over to Lowell, who growled as he shook his head and rose to his feet. Glancing at the other side of the room, Bronwen wasn’t surprised to spy a black furred cougar, its eyes dark and dead, standing its ground at the other end, hissing and eyeing them all.

  “Bronwen!” Nyx called, snapping Bronwen’s attention back to the bear shifter. “Is that a Changeling? Why the hell is it here?”

  Howling from deeper inside the manor rang out, causing Lowell’s ears to perk. He rose from Nyx’s touch, growling at the Changeling, readying himself to charge the thing once again.

  Whatever this room had been, Bronwen couldn’t have known anymore. Everything was destroyed, with some of the walls breaking in and various pieces of furniture decimated under Lowell’s massive weight. Bronwen could only imagine what the destruction would be like if Nyx had shifted as well, and silently thanked the bear shifter for remaining in her human form. Lowell made to pounce at the Changeling, but Bronwen quickly stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

  “What are you doing?” Nyx asked, her forehead slick with sweat.

  “Stopping this nonsense,” she answered, waving her hands at the Changeling. Its head followed her movements, though its maw remained growling and hissing when Bronwen strode towards it. It dawned on Bronwen as the Changeling’s gaze followed her hands that it wasn’t ordered to attack. Someone had left this Changeling here, though clearly not to get blood; it had been left to scare the shifters, maybe into thinking about leaving the Blackwood. Bronwen listened close to the sounds of the manor, howls and growls reaching her ears, but nothing like intense blood-curdling battles. “Ah, so that’s what this is.”

  With one hand, Bronwen pointed at the Changeling, capturing its full attention, and beckoned it to follow her. “Come,” Bronwen said, letting her Vampiric, seductive edge seep into her voice, “We’re leaving.”

  “But -” Nyx began.

  “Silence,” Bronwen retorted. “Just stay still and watch.”

  Slowly but surely, the Changeling moved from its spot as Bronwen led it into the hallway, where it just barely managed to slip through the doorway. Both Nyx and Lowell watched hesitantly as the Changeling was led out, Nyx’s hands clinging to tufts of Lowell’s hair. It wasn’t long before Bronwen led the creature out to the entrance hall, down the stairs and towards the front door. Once by the door, Bronwen stepped up to the Changeling, grabbing hold of its neck and tossing it through the front door.

  “Leave! Run back to your master,” she shouted at the cougar as it scrambled to its feet and raced away into the encroaching darkness of the evening.

  “Bronwen!”

  Bronwen spun around seeing Remus run towards her, wearing only a pair of hide pants, blood wiped across his torso and his body smelling of sweat. Finn, Lenna, and Keanu appeared behind him, shuffling along, their eyes wide and faces hard, each panting as if they had just run laps around the first-floor hallways.

  Stopping just before her, Remus reached for her shoulder. “Are you okay? Did you find a Changeling too?”

  “I can’t believe it…” Finn muttered behind him. “We were just exploring the manor...peeking into rooms, when Keanu spotted that Changeling.”

  “That sure was a shock,” Lenna said, wiping her brow.

  Just as Bronwen looked past Remus to answer them, Nyx and Lowell snuck down the stairs, making sure to stand next to Finn.

  “This is what we call Vampire humor,” Bronwen announced, pushing Remus to the side. Every pair of eyes snapped to her at the last word she spoke. “It’s how another Lord has chosen to welcome us all to the Blackwood. Or, maybe they were trying to scare you all off. I can’t be sure, but none of them attacked, right?”

  “Not the one by us,” Remus said when the other’s failed to speak. “It just stood there, howling at us.”

  Nodding, Bronwen motioned to Nyx and Lowell, “It was the same with us. I’m assuming you killed yours...but everyone, be aware there could be more in the manor. This is our life now. Changelings will be everywhere. Gray Creek, Red Rock, the Northern Mountains...they’re far away now. We’re on our own, I trust you all understand that. I suggest you all try to find a room to sleep in for the night, and we’ll start everything tomorrow. Okay?” Bronwen got a slow round of nods, with each and every shifter, save for Remus, glancing between each other. “Stick together for now, as well. I’d rather none of you be alone for the time being.”

  Watching them all shuffle off like a sleep-deprived pack of animals, Bronwen sighed, pinching her nose.

  “This isn’t going to be easy, is it?” Remus asked, his eyes locked on her.

  Smiling, Bronwen shook her head. “Not in the slightest.”

  Chapter Seven: Remus

  Remus was shocked when he woke up from a deep sleep the next morning. He hadn’t been sure anyone would sleep last night after having run-ins with Changelings left behind in the manor by one of the Vampire Lords.

  Bronwen had called it Vampire humor, a twisted way to welcome them all to the Blackwood. I
f that was supposed to be funny, he wondered if the Lord who had left the Changelings would find it funny when Remus showed up at his door in full wolf mode.

  To be perfectly honest though, Remus had found it a nice change of pace. Everything had felt so off the last few weeks that it had felt great to let loose and shift forms. To get down and dirty, even if he didn’t actually get dirty, or fight all that much. When Remus had found Finn and the others staring down the Changeling in one of the first floor rooms, he had instinctively shifted forms and pounced on the Changeling. It didn’t fight back that much, especially since Remus’ presence must have been a debilitating surprise, and yet waves of pleasure still rippled through his body afterward, as he stood over its lifeless body. He wasn’t fond of killing, but when it came to mindless beasts, he had no qualms.

  If anything, it had been a reflex after the marvelous sensation of Bronwen’s lips upon his finger, sucking on the tip to wipe up the blood seeping from the cut. He’d stopped himself from diving right into the craving for Bronwen that was beginning to form in his mind and heart, but then as he raced to find the others, she kept reappearing in his mind.

  Even now she was there in his mind, as he lay awake on the floor, using one arm as a pillow and staring up at the ceiling, listening to quiet chattering of Finn and Nyx while the others huddled together. Finn had chosen their room before the commotion, choosing one on the first floor, not too far from the entrance hall. Everyone, save Bronwen, slept in this room; and he wondered where Bronwen had gone for the night. Maybe it was good that she had gotten some alone time, though he had to keep himself restrained from trying to rush off to find her.

  In the morning, the door to the room opened suddenly, causing everyone to jerk in surprise. Instead of being greeted by a frothing Changeling, Bronwen appeared in front of their eyes, searching their faces until she landed on Remus.

  “Come,” she said. “Today is the day I officially become one of the Thirteen Vampire Lords. And you, Remus, will be accompanying me.”

  “Just me?” he asked as he rolled to his feet.

  “Just you,” she said, smiling her wickedly charming smile. Remus could only imagine how his father would react to his relationship with Bronwen. He’d have chastised Remus for sure, but at this point, he was too sucked in. He couldn’t deny how rousing her smile had become for him. “The rest of you can do whatever you want while we’re gone. Just be warned not to stray too far from the manor if you go outside...and if you find any more Changelings hiding somewhere inside, do me a favor and slaughter them. We can’t let them remain inside. They’ll only grow more dangerous.”

  “So, you command us now?” Lenna said, sitting with her back to the wall and her knees pulled into her chest.

  “I will, once I become a Lord,” Bronwen said, flashing her red eyes. Her smile never broke while she spoke. “It’ll mean that you all have my official protection while staying here, and that means I’ll be responsible for whatever happens to all of you. If you’re going to stay here, then you’ll have to live under me.” Lenna scrunched up her nose. “But don’t worry, I won’t make you do anything weird or dangerous if that’s what you’re thinking.”

  “Come on,” Remus said, feeling his nerves already begin to tingle under his skin. “We can’t keep these Lords of yours waiting all day, can we?”

  “No, it’d probably be best not to,” Bronwen responded, turning to saunter out of the room.

  “If you don’t come back...can I have your jerkin?” Finn asked, raising his hand. “It looks pretty comfortable…” One swat from Lenna and Finn turned his attention away from Remus. “Ow! What was that for?”

  Sighing, Remus left, swinging the door shut and jogging to catch up to Bronwen’s swift strides.

  “So, what should I expect from these Lords?” Remus asked as they came into the entrance hall.

  “Well, most of them will probably just remain quiet during the whole ceremony. Very few truly care much about the world outside of their own homes, but there are a couple that will be vocal, and maybe even try to get a few jabs in at us,” she said as she climbed one of the staircases.

  “Like Lord Silvan?” Remus growled.

  Bronwen glanced over her shoulder. “Lord Silvan is mild compared to some of the others. Take Lord Cadogan, for example. He’s much more aggressive and open about his feelings of contempt towards the Oldwood Clans. Think of him like Orpheus, except bulkier, angrier, and much more powerful. He’s one of the few that can actually create Changelings and freely control them.”

  Like Orpheus? If that were true, Remus was about to be led into a viper’s den. One false move and he could very well end up as a Vampire’s dinner...did Vampires eat shifters? “What’s to prevent Cadogan from just hopping up into the Oldwood, like Orpheus did?”

  “Our laws,” Bronwen said. “He’s a staunch follower of them, meaning he won’t attack unless there’s a unanimous decision among the Lords.”

  “Which now includes you.”

  “Precisely.” Bronwen led Remus down the twisting hallways, past an endless number of doors, any of which could be hiding a dangerous Changeling. Remus’ muscles were so tense that he rubbed his shoulders as they climbed a third set of stairs, coming out onto a landing that overlooked the entrance hall below. A single door was set into the wall the landing jutted out from, and Bronwen turned the knob with a click, beckoning Remus inside. “Come on, we can’t exactly have you show up at the Commune half naked. We need to both be strutting finer clothes.”

  “Finer...clothes?” Remus said as he hesitantly walked inside. Glancing around, he noticed this room was fully furnished, with a large vaulted ceiling, and windows that stretched up to let more sunlight stream into the wide room. On one wall to Remus’ right was a bed, with strange drapes overhanging each side. Countless different tables littered the room, with a few wardrobes lining the left wall. “You mean I’m going to have to wear something like Lord Silvan had on yesterday?”

  Giggling, Bronwen nodded, grabbing Remus’ hand as she led him over to one of the wardrobes. “Lord Silvan even let me borrow a few outfits for you, since I don’t have anything specifically for men to wear at the moment. Don’t worry, it might feel kind of...stuffy, but you’ll get used to it.”

  Remus sighed heavily as Bronwen began to open her wardrobe, rummaging around inside. Gods, he could only hope whatever he was to wear wouldn’t last long.

  ***

  “Are you sure I can’t take this off, even for a moment?” Remus asked for the dozenth time as he followed Bronwen across the decayed plains of the Blackwood.

  Bronwen, stuffed into her own frilly sparkling emerald dress that clung to her curves, which Remus rather enjoyed, turned to smile beautifully at him. “No, you need to keep it on. I know it chafes, but you’ll just need to deal with it for the time being.”

  Groaning, Remus tugged at the blue tunic that seemed a size too small for him. The material was rough, yet stretchable enough to pull over his torso and clearly define every muscle in his midsection and arms. Frills lined his cuffs and collarbone, which made him itch like crazy. Worst of all, the seams around his shoulders were so stiff that if he moved too fast or lifted his arms too high the material would tear...it hadn’t happened yet, but he knew it would eventually. And the pants! Gah, Remus could barely even walk with how tight his matching trousers clung to his legs. He swore all the blood was being squeezed up from his legs to his hips, and other parts he tried not to focus on.

  At least they hadn’t been walking in the dense forests of the Oldwood, where each and every plant would brush against him and cause his itches to go out of control. He could imagine how trying to navigate the forest without tearing these flimsy clothes would keep him from leaving Gray Creek. Just squatting would rip open a hole on his bottom. The bleak world of the Blackwood was much easier to walk through, it’s forests decimated and charred to the point where wide paths were left in its wake. The lack of vibrant life still unnerved Remus, as if death were boring i
nto him from every angle, causing cold sweats to break out on his skin.

  “We’re nearly there,” Bronwen announced as Remus glanced over to a building rising from the ruins of yet another forest. “Behave yourself when we enter, alright?”

  “Yeah, yeah, I know,” Remus said, gulping down the chill that swept through his body.

  In no time the duo approached the round shaped building, it’s walls curving around in either direction. The outside was rather plain, with only strange engravings etched into the sides to make it stand out. Two guards stood outside of the Commune, each holding up what Remus could only assume were long metallic weapons.

  “Spears,” Bronwen whispered into his ear as they stopped before the guards. “Weapons from our land.”

  Remus nodded as the guards moved to the side to let them pass into the open entrance. Each of the guards’ red eyes seemed to pierce to his very soul as Remus passed them by. Grunting as he entered, Remus couldn’t help but feel all his hairs stand on edge.

  Inside, the Commune was just as decorative as on the outside. It’s walls were sparse, save for etchings and sconces. Dark hallways spun off either side of the long corridor they walked, with Vampires here and there stalking the halls, stopping to get a good view of both him and Bronwen. Bronwen never seemed to notice, though Remus’ eyes swiveled in every direction as they walked.

  “Hey…” Remus muttered to Bronwen as they escaped the hallway and stepped into the main sanctum. Bronwen eyed him as they stopped, waiting for him to continue, but Remus’ breath was taken away as soon as the first word escaped his lips.

  Maybe a dozen feet in front of them sat a semicircle of raised chairs, each and every one elaborately carved from stone, each containing dazzling jewels that sparkled in the sunlight drifting in from the skylight above them. In each seat sat a Vampire, dressed in ornately colored robes, shawls and tunics like he and Bronwen wore. Some sat straight as an arrow and watched as Bronwen tugged them both forward, while others yawned and rested their chins upon their fists as they closed their eyes. One snored, another scratched the stubble on his chin, a third played with her hair, throwing it this way and that. They all looked so childish and bored, and yet there was an aura of power being emitted from each and every one of them. Twelve in all, their aura’s mixing together to create a pit of pure fear that reached out and clawed at Remus, trying to drag him further into its vortex. His whole body shook violently until Bronwen stopped them just short of a raised dais.