Silver Blood

by Tamara White

  We get closer to the forest area as we fight until we're surrounded by trees. He smirks and leaps away from me, but by the time I follow the movement, he's gone.

  Son of a bitch!

  I move through the forest, trying to track him by scent, but the pine smell of the trees becomes all I can sense. Then it hits me; he's using his special ability to try and cheat! I close my eyes like he taught me, feeling the light breeze moving around me, and I begin to sway with it.

  The wind shifts to my right, and I open my eyes just as Talon appears. I drop to the ground, meeting his attack from behind.

  His eyes are filled with pride as I fight back, and I can't help but smile. "Truce?" I ask playfully.

  His eyes narrow. "Never." He grins, twisting out of my attack.

  He starts pushing me harder, and at one point I trip over a loose branch, having lost my footing during one of his ferocious attacks. He uses one of his swords to disarm me, first of one sword, then the other, until I’m left completely defenseless.

  He raises his sword as if to strike, and I move my arms to shield my face. But then my hands open of their own accord and the twin swords suddenly appear in them, the magic of them coming up to block his downward thrust.

  He looks down at my hands in wonder as I hold his sword away from my face, wondering why he was going to strike me. Then I notice his gaze is locked on the swords. He wasn't just testing me. He knew these swords contained some kind of otherworldly magic and was testing their ability to come to my aid.

  I breathe heavily and meet his eyes.

  "Did the swords just...?"

  "Yeah, they appeared in your hands in the blink of an eye," he breathes out. "I think that's enough training for today."

  Twenty-Five - Lincoln

  Jeremy

  The phone on the table taunts me as I wait for the call. My spy was unable to capture Emerald, but there is still hope the witch Malcolm will come through.

  I slam my hand on the table in front of me, the crack of wood echoing through my small cabin, just before the phone begins to ring shrilly.

  I pick it up on the third ring, trying to sound calm. "Yes?"

  It’s quiet on the other end, but I wait, outwardly showing patience when I really just want to shout into the phone.

  Finally, he speaks. "I met the girl. I will do what you ask, but none of this comes back on me. Understood?"

  The first genuine smile I’ve had in days crosses my face. "Of course. We will trick her into believing it is her witch friend, Brittany. I believe that you’ve been having issues with that particular witch?"

  Malcolm laughs, and I can hear voices in the background as he goes quiet. "See that it's done."

  The line goes quiet, and I close my phone, feeling more optimistic than I have in days. This whole business might be over within a few days. Now time to make sure my spy plants the seeds to divide Emerald from her witch friend. Only then will I be able to make my move.

  ***

  Emerald

  We're out on patrol, and I’m feeling more badass than ever with my new swords attached to my hips. It helped that Britt had brought me a kickass wardrobe. She had included a ton of leather pants, leather jackets and shirts, with phrases that made me believe she had them custom made. Like the tank I'm wearing under this jacket that says 'I'm immortal, you idiot!' When I saw it, I couldn't help but laugh at the obvious reference to the fact I can't actually be killed. There were a few others tops I wanted to read before we went out, but we ran out of time.

  We had been asked to come out on patrol and keep an eye on the local pack lands, seeing as tonight was a full moon and the pack had a scheduled run. It was supposed to be a simple run for a few hours then we could go back home.

  We had only been on patrol for forty minutes when we heard a howl of pain. We all take off at a run to find two vampires trying to attack a wolf who looks to be just a teenager. He whimpers and curls into a ball, letting the vampires continue to attack him. The guys exchange glances before apparently deciding to offer me up as proverbial bait. They quickly disappear before the vamps have a chance to see them.

  I see how it is. If they need me to be bait, they're happy to put me into the line of fire, but if I jump into the fray of my own free will, then I'm just being reckless!

  "Hey! What do you think you're doing? Get the fuck away from him!"

  The vampires whip around, their eyes narrowing on me, and I freeze in shock. One of them looks exactly like Xander, from the brown hair falling in his eyes to the narrowed gaze he’s giving me. The only difference is those blood red eyes that show his vampire is in complete control.

  My beast rattles in her cage, and I can't fight it when she takes control. My feet move of my own accord and I run at the vampire, rage fuelling me as my beast demands retribution for everything Xander has done to us. He turned our own brother against us!

  The vampire's eyes go wide as I leap on him, my fists swinging. I hear my name being called, sounding strange as though coming through a tunnel, but nothing matters anymore. I will make him pay for all the hurt he's caused me.

  Arms wrap around me as I continue to deliver punch after punch, and they pull me off him with no effort. Dev and Nik are there looking over the Xander look-alike, and I turn my head to see Talon restraining the second vampire who had been attacking the wolf. The wolf in question has disappeared in the middle of all the chaos, which leaves me to wonder who the hell is holding me and why my beast isn't going psycho killer on his ass?

  I tilt my head up to see a handsome man grinning down at me with vaguely familiar sky blue eyes.

  "Easy, girl. The pup is safe with my pack now, and I think the young idiot has suffered enough already. Wouldn’t you agree?"

  It’s debatable, but I relax in his arms anyway, which leads to him loosening his hold enough for me to drop to my feet, just as half a dozen vampires appear from nowhere. Four of them restrain the vampire in Talon's arms before carrying him off. The other two move over to the one whose face has been reduced to nothing but a bloody pulp. It’s already starting to heal, but I still look away as they pick him up and take him away.

  When my gaze swings back to the guys, it’s to see Talon, Nik, and Dev looking at me like they've never seen me before, and I fight not to fidget under their gazes.

  The newcomer, however, smiles warmly at me and bows formally. "Well, seeing as you're here now, I would say this is the perfect time to invite you all to my house for tea."

  I watch him carefully, trying to assess if he's a threat, but I’m having trouble being rational when my beast feels so drawn to him. "Uh, sure," I agree, watching as each of my guys frown at me like I'm nuts. I shrug, wondering what the big deal is, but don't get a chance to ask before the wolf in question throws an arm over my shoulder possessively. "Excellent!" He starts guiding me through the trees, and I let him lead me along, all the while feeling a huge mixture of emotions coming off of the guys behind me.

  What is their problem? He just saved me in the middle of a semi-breakdown. Shouldn’t they be happy?!

  As we walk, the wolf at my side continues to talk. "I'm so excited to see you again, Emerald." Again? When have we met before?

  "Ever since I heard you were in my city, I have been waiting for the chance to see you again. Do you remember when we first met?"

  "Uh, no..." I don't think I've ever seen this man before, but I could be wrong. We used to have wolves from other packs come to the pack all the time, so it’s possible he visited at some point, and I just don't remember.

  He smiles down at me. "I remember it as clearly as if it happened yesterday. I visited your pack about six years ago. You would have been fourteen or fifteen then. You were out in a field by yourself, training with a punching bag speared through a pole with a picture on the front of it so it would resemble a human. I watched as a girl appeared from nowhere and attacked you. Even though she obviously meant you harm, I could see that you pulled your punches, so as to not hurt her. Then when you f
inally knocked her out, you did so quickly and to minimize any pain.”

  I blush, remembering the day he's talking about. My father had told me of a visiting Alpha and his son. The Alpha was there in the hopes of finding a mate for his son, because while men don't need mates to rule, it is preferred.

  The girl he saw me fighting was none other than Sophie, one of my frequent tormentors. She had come out of nowhere, like he said, attacking me while screaming obscenities at me. We fought, and I remember having sensed someone watching us, but at the time I just assumed it was my father.

  No matter how much I tried to reason with Sophie, nothing got through to her. She was convinced Joel and I were in some kind of secret relationship, which we weren't, but no matter how much I denied such preposterous accusations, she still came at me.

  Instead of sticking around to deal with the consequences of my actions after I knocked her out, I had run off. I didn't stop until I reached just outside my house where I sank to my ass and leaned against the house, letting the tears fall. That's when a stranger happened upon me and just sat with me while I cried. He didn't say anything, instead just offering me comfort. While I had no idea who he was, I really appreciated his kind gesture.

  Back then, I assumed the boy who sat beside me was just a quiet pack member who preferred their privacy, so I had never really gone out of my way to find him.

  "You sat with me while I cried," I murmur quietly, but it still draws the others’ attention. My gaze remains fixed on the stranger beside me, and I wonder why he did that back then. I was just a stranger to him.

  "Do you mind me asking your name? I never learned it," I explain when he raises an eyebrow in question.

  "My name's Lincoln, though you can call me Linc.” He winks with a cheeky smile, and I can't help the giggle that escapes me. What the hell is wrong with me? Am I really flirting with him?

  We arrive at a small row of cottages, the area lined with narrow lamp posts and filled with silence, giving off the feeling of being abandoned. Where is everybody?

  As if hearing my unasked question, Lincoln breaks the silence. "Everyone is still out enjoying the shift. They'll start to slowly trickle back once the sun begins to rise."

  He grins over his shoulder at the guys, who are following silently. "Don't worry, guys, it won't be for a while yet. You've got plenty of time before sunrise."

  He leads me over to a pretty unassuming cottage before letting go over my shoulder. He walks up the steps ahead of me and opens the door, flicking on light switches inside. I follow after him, with Talon, Nik, and Dev trailing after me warily.

  With all the guys in one room, there's a tension that has me worried. Surely, they wouldn't attack the Alpha’s son? If he was a threat, why would they have let him lead me here?

  I choose the only single seat available, leaving Nik and Dev to share a loveseat. Talon remains standing close to me, while Lincoln sits directly opposite me in the other two-seater in the room.

  "Forgive me, Emerald, but I'm going to be completely blunt with you because I imagine your soul-ties are feeling a little uncomfortable right now." He pauses and I glance at each of my guys to see them all with their eyes narrowed.

  I return my gaze to Linc, who rolls his eyes. Then his expression turns to one of interest as he asks, "Do you have a mate?"

  "Well yeah, that's what the guys are," I respond automatically.

  He shakes his head with an amused smile. "No, hun, you have soul-ties. I know what you are, and I know that your wolf side won't be truly happy unless you take a wolf as a mate. I propose myself," he says, puffing out his chest with pride. “I’m financially stable, respected among my pack, and a great defender. Any pups we had would be cared for by the pack and you would be treated like the gem you are.”

  My mouth opens and closes as I try to comprehend the meaning of his words. That's when it comes clear that this isn’t the Alpha’s son, he is the Alpha, the very one who told the guys he wanted to meet me. I look for help from one of the guys, but they stay quiet. How the hell do I turn down the Alpha of a pack without causing some kind of diplomatic faux pas? I beg Talon with my eyes for some kind of clue, and he sighs in annoyance. "Emerald, we can't make this choice for you. It’s your wolf, your body, your life."

  I tear up at Talon's blatant dismissal, and I look back at Linc, replaying his words in my mind.

  While my beast is practically purring inside me at his offer, my heart is torn. Do I turn him down and risk my beast being alone for the rest of our lives? I have to, though, because I'm already tied to three men. I won't add in any more complications.

  "Look, Lincoln. I have already three soul-ties. My beast is more than happy with them," I lie, hoping no one sees through it. "I don't need a mate right now. But, thank you for the offer."

  He smiles softly at me. "It’s okay, I understand completely." With that, he gets up and walks to the front door before opening it for us. "You must leave now. The sun will be rising soon, and my pack is starting to come back from their shift."

  I frown as the guys make their exit, and I follow after them, feeling like we've been kicked out because I turned Linc down. Where was the tea he offered?

  I start to walk down the stairs, and Talon pulls me close when Linc calls out my name. "Emerald!"

  I whip back around, starting to get annoyed by this guy’s attitude.

  "What?" I ask, cocking a hip in irritation. Talon, Dev, and Nik press closer, crowding my personal space.

  Linc smirks as he looks down at my soul-ties gathered around me. "I'm certain I'm your mate. I knew it when I met you all those years ago, but your father insisted I was wrong. But I felt the same thing the moment I saw you protecting the pup out there. You are definitely my mate. My wolf felt it. Don't lie and tell me yours didn't."

  I remain silent, not sure what to say. My beast does enjoy being around him, but I don't know whether that is the mate bond, or just curiosity.

  He smirks as if he's won. "That's what I thought. Your vampire side and the soul-ties that come with it must be muffling our connection. That's why you don't feel it as strongly as I do."

  I turn away, refusing to listen anymore, but he calls out to me one last time. "I'll be here, Emerald. When you're ready to accept me and what I am to you, I'll be here."

  Twenty-Six – It’s All Over

  Emerald

  We drive back to the coven in uneasy silence, the guys having not said a word since we left the pack. I try not to let it bother me, but it does. What did I do wrong? Why are they treating me like the bad guy?

  By the time we get back to our room, my anxiety has turned to anger. I step through the doorway first and wait for the others to follow after me. When I hear the distinct sound of the door clicking shut, I turn my anger on them. "What the hell is wrong with you three? Why are you treating me like some kind of criminal? The whole ride back I was a nervous wreck because of the way you've been acting!”

  Talons advances, reaching me in two quick steps, making me back up.

  "What do you want us to say, Emerald?! You fucking attacked a newbie! A goddamn newly turned vampire! He could have ripped you to shreds before you even knew what hit you.”

  I open my mouth to speak, but he holds up a hand to silence me. "No, that's not the worst part. No matter how much we tried to call you off, you ignored us. It took the Alpha of the local pack tearing you off him before you finally stopped. What the fuck was going through your mind?!"

  Dev comes up behind him and gives his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Tal, calm down, man," he murmurs, but Talon shakes off his touch.

  "Don't, Devin. We all know she's been acting more and more reckless the past few days, and we're all sick of it. I won't let her walk all over us as if our concerns mean nothing."

  Tears well in my eyes and I turn my gaze towards Dev and Nik, but their eyes hold only disappointment, and I can't help but feel I've screwed everything up.

  How did we go from love, to this?

  "I don't k
now what happened. I saw him, and he looked so much like Xander in that moment that I snapped! Okay? You happy now, Talon? A man I thought I once loved tried to kill me, and I lost it when I saw someone who looked like him!" I laugh harshly as he glares at me and then turn away, trying to fight the anger that's rising within me.

  How dare he? I had a fucking breakdown out there, and he's judging me for it! I didn't get hurt, and the vampire will heal. Yes, my beast and I kind of blacked out and turned into a rage monster for a bit, but we're in control again now. Whatever Lincoln did to me back there calmed us both down.

  "You hesitated."

  I spin around at his whispered words. "What was that?"

  He meets my eyes defiantly. "You didn't say no! When the Alpha asked you to be his mate, you looked at us like you needed us to make the decision for you! You should have just said no!" His tone, while angry, also has an underlying note of sadness, which gives me pause. No, I won't let them make me feel guilty for trusting them to help me in a political situation, because at the end of the day, it’s a major move for the Alpha to proposition me, the Princess of the vampire coven.

  I throw my hands up in frustration. "Well fuck, Talon, what the hell did you expect?! I was taken off guard. Hell, I'd been wondering about my wolf side having a mate for a few days, so of course when I was faced with someone who might have answers, I was curious." I glare down at the ground in frustration, knowing this isn't how I want to live. We take one step forward, but then five steps back. It’s just not worth this much pain.

  I narrow my gaze and straighten my back, feeling resolved. "I'm done."

  Nik's eyes go wide, and Dev takes a step towards me, but Talon remains impassive.

  I look to each of them, the tears falling silently as I speak. "I'm tired of being treated like some child to be told what to do and when to do it. Either you trust me to make my own choices, or you don't." I shake my head sadly when Dev opens his mouth to speak. I know if he says anything right now, I'll lose my resolve. "At first, I was ecstatic with our soul-ties, knowing they meant I could love you all, not having to choose between you, but I can't do this. What if another wolf propositions me like Linc did? Then what? Are you going to react the same way?" I look down at the ground, unable to meet their eyes. "No, I can't do that." I keep my head down as I walk past them, unsure where I intend to go, only knowing that I need to be away from them.