Howl And Growl Complete Collection

by Cloe Cullen

  “Sure thing.” With that, Nyx marched away, vanishing down the steps into the maze-like corridors of her manor. Bronwen made a mental note of Nyx as she turned and sauntered to her wardrobe; Nyx appeared to really be taking this whole pretend servant thing seriously, which Bronwen was glad about.

  Bronwen could only guess as to why Magnolia had chosen to appear now of all times. She hoped the female Vampire didn’t have any bad news for her.

  Once she was dressed in a simple violet dress that accentuated her red eyes and pale skin, Bronwen strode from her room, closing the door quietly as Remus rolled over in her bed. She grinned one last time before departing down the stairs. It took but a few moments for Bronwen to reach the entrance hall, where a stoic Nyx stood facing the blonde-haired beauty of a Vampire Bronwen knew as Magnolia. With that same eerie Vampiric smile, Magnolia glanced at Bronwen as she advanced on them. With her arms clasped behind her, Magnolia curtsied to Bronwen.

  “Please, there’s no need for that kind of formality, Magnolia,” Bronwen said upon stopping before her friend.

  “But you’re a Lord now,” Magnolia protested, straightening and deepening her smile. Her glittering red eyes nearly stole away Bronwen’s breath, and her matching deep red dress could almost make Bronwen jealous. “I need to treat you with the kind of respect a Lord deserves. Who knows when you might snap like Lord Cadogan and begin to threaten everything that moves? I want to make sure I’m on your good side.”

  Bronwen burst into laughter, startling Nyx, who stood rigid between the two Vampires. “So, why are you here?”

  Magnolia glanced at Nyx. “Maybe we should go somewhere more...private.”

  Locking eyes with Nyx, Bronwen realized she didn’t want to keep secrets from her subordinates now. No matter how beastly Nyx was as a bear, she was clearly dedicated to this new purpose in her life. Bronwen loved that kind of loyalty. “It’s fine if Nyx overhears, but we can at least go to the parlor to sit down.”

  Sighing, Magnolia nodded, “Lead the way.”

  With a few long strides, and much shorter ones from Nyx, the trio arrived at the parlor, Bronwen gliding in first, followed by the fair Magnolia and then Nyx. Bronwen and Magnolia took seats across from each other, though Magnolia jerked as she sank deeper into the cushion than she expected to. “Well now! These are more comfortable than I ever thought.”

  “Gifts from Lord Silvan,” Bronwen cooed, eyeing Nyx. Still and rigid as the armor in the entrance hall, Nyx stood by the door, unsure of where to go. “Oh, just come sit, Nyx. You’re going to make us nervous if you stay like that.”

  “If you say so…” Coming forward, the bear shifter pulled a chair in between the two Vampires, silently flicking her gaze back and forth as she waited for one to speak.

  “So…” Bronwen began.

  “Lord Cadogan isn’t very happy, you know,” Magnolia said bluntly, crossing her legs and gazing at Nyx. “Bringing a whole bunch of shifters into the Blackwood, especially bear shifters, doesn’t exactly sit right with him.”

  “Lord Cadogan could be consumed by lava tomorrow and I would not care,” Bronwen said. “His opinion of my actions is not favored by the rest of the Lords.”

  “But his voice does carry weight...and it’s very loud, Bronwen,” Magnolia cooed. “No one crosses Cadogan without some sort of backlash. He’s very proud like that.”

  Bronwen clicked her tongue, looking out of a window a dozen feet away. “Lord Cadogan is someone I’m prepared to deal with.”

  “Are you?” Magnolia raised a brow. “If you are, I wish you the best of luck. It won’t be long until he sends some Changelings your way, enough to scare you I’d say.”

  “He already has,” Bronwen sneered. Memories of the first night in her manor sprung forth, rushing through the hallways to find Changelings lying in wait to scare off the rest of her group. She remembered the fear etched into Nyx’s and Lowell’s features, and remembering that scene angered her. “He left Changelings in my manor for my friends to find. Meant to scare them off, though it didn’t work.”

  “Strange,” Magnolia observed. “He didn’t seem like he knew about you bringing shifters when the ceremony began.”

  “You were there?” Bronwen hadn’t noticed Magnolia, though it was understandable as her attention was drawn elsewhere.

  “I was there, I watched the entire ordeal. The way he reacted to Remus was odd for a Vampire who would have already known about them being here.” Magnolia shrugged, “But who am I to say? It’s not as if I can pick Lord Cadogan’s mind.”

  It was odd, to be sure, Bronwen thought. But Vampires were always odd, so it wasn’t a farfetched idea that Lord Cadogan had simply pretended not to know. In fact, it made perfect sense, even Lord Cadogan wouldn’t reveal his entire hand to the rest of the Lords during the ceremony to induct Bronwen into their ranks. Yes, that had to be it.

  “Look, I know full well the danger Lord Cadogan poses whether or not he was the one who left behind the Changelings,” Bronwen said, shifting in her seat. “Point is, I’m ready to deal with him whenever he pushes me too far.” Magnolia stared at her blankly. “Besides, the Blackwood isn’t ours, not truly. The Bear Clan was here first.” Nyx hardened her stare at Bronwen. “We kicked them out, but for only fifty years. We’re foreigners in this land.”

  “Not anymore,” Magnolia said. “Fifty years is a long time, even for Vampires. Just look outside, the Blackwood is nothing like the lush green forest we landed in. We destroyed it, made the land true to its name. The Bear Clan has no claim here any longer…” Glancing at Nyx, Magnolia shrugged, “No offense.”

  “So, why are you really here Magnolia? Surely you wouldn’t think I’d be under some delusion that Lord Cadogan approved of my actions, especially after that burst of anger.”

  “Sharp as ever, Bronwen,” Magnolia said, cocking her head and pointing at Bronwen. “The real reason why I’m here...is to become your servant.” Now Bronwen was amused. She let a chuckle go, one that caused Magnolia to laugh as well. When the two finished their laughs, Magnolia spoke again. “I’m serious.”

  “As much as I would love that, Magnolia, you can’t possibly want to serve under me. I couldn’t make you,” Bronwen said, twirling part of her hair.

  “You wouldn’t be making me do anything,” Magnolia insisted. “I was given leave by my Lord to come into your service. It’s not something forced upon me, it’s something I want. So, I formally request to serve under you.”

  Bronwen thought for a moment, letting Magnolia’s request hang in the air for a while. Tapping her fingers along the armrest of her chair. Bronwen took one long glance at Nyx, who simply shrugged in response. Sighing, Bronwen looked back to Magnolia, letting a smile find her lips once again. “Alright, fine. But don’t come complaining to me if you suddenly don’t find yourself liking your new lifestyle. We’re still the odd ones out in the Blackwood, after all.”

  Magnolia grinned, leaning forward as she rose to her feet. “Great! I’ll go find a room to hole up for the time being.”

  Bronwen watched Magnolia leave the parlor, her red eyes following her fellow Vampire as she left. Things were beginning to get interesting.

  Chapter Twelve: Remus

  Remus couldn’t remember the last time he slept so soundly. Or slept without worrying about something. Or slept in a bed as comfortable as Bronwen’s. Or slept with a woman he could now call his mate. Or the last time he had a dream so vivid.

  He stood among the trees of the Oldwood, peering out from a ridge over the western part of the forest. With his hand brushing up against the tattered bark of one pine, the smell of misty air wafting around him. The excited chirps of bluebirds filling the air as they danced in the air around him, landing on branches to shake off leaves that swirled down to the earth. As he watched the treeline far below, he smiled as familiar faces came into view. As if in slow motion, the gray-haired Darius, green-eyed Amara, and their bubbly daughter Flora came into view, each of them grinning from ear to ear, laugh
ing and running forward into an open grove. Others followed right behind them; Nyssa appeared, hand-in-hand with her mate, Jorah, the big guy picking Nyssa up in his arms and racing forward, hollering in glee. Torian and his hefty tawny mane appeared with his mate as well, speaking to each other in excited whispers. Other wolves and cougars ringed the group, guarding them from whatever creatures could be stalking the forest floor.

  Changelings, he thought. If all goes well in the Blackwood, Changelings would never travel north again.

  He found himself staring at Flora, who was snug in Amara’s delicate arms. She giggled and burped and drew the attention of every pair of eyes as the rest of the group made silly faces to make her laugh. A sharp pain shot through Remus’ chest, and he clutched at his ash-covered jerkin as he continued to watch. The urge to head down the ridge and join in the merriment overwhelmed him, his senses trying to move him forward...but he found his feet rooted to the ground. He tried to yell down, but his voice was gone as well.

  Sighing, Remus leaned against the tree, hidden in the shadows, watching his friends and family live on without him. It wasn’t until his neck prickled and he turned to spy none other than Bronwen that his attention was drawn away. Despite the blackened trees surrounding her, Bronwen was clean from head to toe. Red eyes pierced the misty veil that hung between him and her, and after she reached a lanky arm forward she motioned for him to follow her. Before he could respond, she swiveled on her heel and sauntered away.

  Taking one last look at his loved ones in the Oldwood, observing Darius’ glistening smile as he wiggled his finger in front of Flora, Remus turned and ran off after Bronwen. Catching up to her, he placed his hand in hers, and together they walked away, the Oldwood fading behind them.

  It was then Remus opened his eyes to the nearly blinding light of the morning sun streaming in from the open balcony. At first, he simply raised a hand to block the sunlight, but quickly realized that something else had moved to block it for him. Blinking and rubbing his eyelids, Remus peered up into the tender smile of Bronwen, her red eyes locking with his. She sat on a chair she had pulled up, her body leaning forward over him. Her long hair fell down over his hand, tickling his palm. “Hey.”

  “Hey,” Bronwen replied softly. “It’s time to wake up, Remus. Keanu was right, you really are a deep sleeper.”

  Groaning as he sat up, the bed sheets sliding down to reveal his naked torso, Remus scratched his head and absentmindedly glanced to his left, blinking as a blonde Vampire smiled back at him. Unsure of how to react, Remus looked from the Vampire to Bronwen, and back again, more to make sure he wasn’t seeing double.

  “It’s been a little while,” the other Vampire spoke, her voice lighter than Bronwen’s, but much more direct.

  The Vampire did look familiar, but he couldn’t quite place her in his memories, maybe because his mind was still clouded with sleep. “Sorry, but your name is slipping my memory.”

  Giggling, the Vampire crossed her legs. “We met briefly in the Oldwood. I’m Magnolia, Bronwen’s friend and senior...and now servant.”

  Magnolia! At the mention of her name, images of the blonde Vampire roaming the Oldwood alongside him and Bronwen sprang back into his mind. It was odd that anyone could forget a beauty like her, especially since she was a Vampire, but maybe that was just a sign of Remus’ growing familiarity with the Vampires of the Blackwood. “Yeah, that rings a bell.”

  “I sure hope so,” she said, glancing at Remus’ abs. “I’d rather think I’m not easily forgettable to handsome men.”

  Shaking his head, Remus made to pull off the covers and jump out of bed, but then realized he wasn’t in the Oldwood anymore. Walking around naked wasn’t commonplace here, and so he gripped the sheets in his hand while he nervously flicked his eyes between the two Vampires. How the hell did Remus’ life go from lazily waking up in the dense Oldwood forest in peace, to suddenly being surrounding by two beautiful Vampires in the Blackwood? Remus could only ever guess as to how his life turned out to be so oddly exciting.

  While he sat, the two Vampires watched him, with Magnolia’s eyes observing him closely. “So, um, why are you both here?”

  “Today’s the day we’re all heading to the Commune to have the others begin negotiations with the rest of the Lords for peace and trade,” Bronwen swiftly addressed him, rising to her feet. “The others are waiting downstairs for us all. And Magnolia is here because she now serves under me as she mentioned a few minutes ago, much like the rest of you do.”

  “Oh,” Remus said, his mind finally clearing from the heavy dregs of sleep. “So then, maybe I should get dressed, since I’m representing the Pack…” He shot a look at Magnolia, who sighed and also rose to her feet, walking away.

  “I’ll be downstairs then. Don’t linger too long up here, either of you,” she said. “If your ceremony was any indication of how this next meeting could go, I’d say the less we make the other Lords wait, the better.” With that, she disappeared out the door, shutting it quietly.

  Finally relaxing, Remus massaged his shoulders as he threw off the sheets and swung his legs over the side of the bed to propel himself to his feet. Bronwen looked him up and down with a grin as he did, seemingly unable to rip her gaze from him. It wasn’t until he waved a hand in front of her that she snapped to attention, her eyes widening as she stepped away to a table nearby. On the table lay a variety of garments, clothes Remus was sure Bronwen had picked out for him. He knew the Lords wouldn’t be happy unless everyone played by their rules, so despite Remus’ grumbling for his hide skin tunic, he allowed Bronwen to hold up frilled tops and pants as he slipped on his undergarments. Eventually, she settled on a pine-green colored tunic and tawny pants to match, helping Remus as he pulled his head through.

  “Have you ever wanted children?” Remus found himself asking as Bronwen messed with his cuffs.

  Bronwen jerked, glancing up at Remus with big eyes while her fingers continued to fumble with his sleeves. “What brought that question on?”

  Remus shrugged, his dream from the previous night echoing in his mind. Memories of Bronwen’s touch during their lovemaking was coming back to him as well, his body tingling at the thought. “I was just dreaming, is all.”

  Bronwen’s sexy smile returned, her hands becoming more frantic as they adjusted laces close to his collarbone. “Dreaming about having children? For two years you would barely look my way, but now you’re moving even faster than I could ever imagine you would.”

  “I dreamt,” Remus continued, “of Darius and his child.” Staring into Bronwen’s deep red eyes, he didn’t waver in his words. “I watched him and Amara, Nyssa, Jorah, Torian and Amara’s mother, as well as others, all having some sort of outing into the Oldwood. They were so happy...all focused around Flora. It just...got me thinking. Could I have children? Could we?”

  Bronwen’s smiled faded as her gaze dropped, tightening his collar and stepping around him as she walked to the door. “Missing home, are you? I don’t blame you...they are all very far away.”

  “Maybe I am,” Remus said, following her, moving fast enough to stop her before she walked out the bedroom door. Impulse forced him to grab her wrist, spinning her around so she would face him. To his surprise, Bronwen’s brows were furrowed. Was she mad that he brought it up? Did mentioning his dream of the Oldwood make her jealous? “But remember what you told me? My life is completely different now. My mate is a Vampire, a nearly immortal being, and a creature my entire clan thought was pure evil until we met you two years ago.” By now, Bronwen’s stoic frown had softened. “And now I want to spend my life with you. This is only the beginning, and I want to experience so many things with you.”

  “Don’t you also remember when I told you that no Vampire is ever born? We’re infertile, Remus. If you want a child…”

  “Not just one,” Remus said, grinning, stepping closer to Bronwen. “I want a whole litter.”

  Now Bronwen’s hardened gaze appraised him. “And how exactly do you i
ntend to have children with me?”

  Remus shrugged. “I know of some orphaned shifters in the Oldwood. Maybe there’s more, like Jorah, on the Northern Mountains as well. We can adopt some.”

  “That’s a big decision,” Bronwen said, her smile small, though thankfully returning. “Would those orphans want to be raised by a Vampire mother? Would they have good lives in the Blackwood, in this barren wasteland?”

  “I suppose we won’t really know until we try,” Remus said smoothly, leaning forward to kiss Bronwen. Her lips created a buzz in Remus’ head, and as they broke away the buzz remained. Bronwen licked her twitching lips.

  “We’ll talk about this later,” she said, swiftly turning and opening her bedroom door. “There are many things we need to do first. There is the peace treaty we need to secure, as well as trade agreements between the Clans and the Vampires. And we need to make sure no other Lords will continue to threaten us. Children come later, understand?”

  Nodding, Remus followed her through the door. First the duo walked out to the wooden railing, looking out over the entrance hall two stories below. Remus spied everyone gathered in the middle of the room, the female shifters trying to flatten out ruffles in their dresses, while all the males tugged and spun trying to loosen their collars and pants. Almost everyone’s outfit was skin tight, save for Lenna’s, whose figure was small enough for her clothes to not chafe her skin. Magnolia stood off to the side with Keanu, speaking energetically as Keanu simply nodded, his massive fingers fumbling with his sleeves; Nyx strode over to Lowell, the two sharing a smile and helping each other adjust their tunics; and Finn spun around like a fox chasing its own tail while Lenna watched on, rolling her eyes, but grinning all the same.

  Remus couldn’t help but chuckle at the scene. These were the representatives of the Clans? Well, Remus couldn’t exactly blame them. He’d reacted the same way just yesterday.