“You’ll bring flowers and everything?” Nicola sounded like her spirits were rebounding.
“You bet,” he answered with a small smile. That sweet spot for the girl would make him go through with it with no regrets either.
Chapter 15- A Clear Sky
The moon shone nearly full in a clear sky. A few stars shone brilliantly enough to resist the city’s lights and be seen from the figures dressed in black to blend in with the shadows. The specks of light were ignored, however, as they intently studied the house only a few doors away.
“Are you sure about this, Nicholas?” Marek asked and not for the first time. “There are a lot of them in there.”
Nodding as he stared at the goal so close to them, Nick replied, “There will likely be even more if we wait until they go on a hunt for the full moon. I know they have at least two houses they use. If all the werewolves join for the hunt, we could be looking at twice as many. I wish I knew how they will react that night, but guessing that they’ll be more distracted could be wrong if their senses are looking for a fight instead.”
“Is this girl worth it though? This is a lot of risk for just one person. If you get killed, we have no other choice but to feed as we will need. I also don’t like risking the clan in a fight with so many werewolves. They have the home field advantage and numbers. This doesn’t look too good,” Marek noted shifting his stance uncomfortably.
The situation wasn’t to Nick’s liking either, but it didn’t look likely to ever get any better for them. The girl was trapped with werewolves and they weren’t letting her out of their sight. Maybe they had discovered how unique she was and hoped to keep her for themselves, though he had no idea what value she could be to them.
Nick noted the vampires beside him. Despite his attempts at keeping his distance over the many decades he had known them, the man knew these were now his friends and more akin to family. There was Marek and Nicola, the second of which he worried over more than he probably should. He had definitely developed feelings for her, over the past decade after leaving Vivian and especially of late.
Edgar and Marcus had joined up with the last two of Marek’s clan, Sophia and Derek. The last two were among their best fighters despite neither being particularly intimidating from their size. The girl was less than five and half feet tall and would be lucky to hit one hundred twenty pounds soaking wet. Most of the vampires were thin because of their condition anyway, but they were supernaturally strong and fast as well. Creatures like these with training similar to Nick’s own made them deadly.
Jake had wanted to come as well, but Marek had told his second that he must lead the night patrol with the rest. Their newest enemy had yet to be located and the numbers in his clan were also unknown. With just four others in the clan to patrol, Marek couldn’t risk leaving them any shorter. It was times like this that made the leader consider bringing in more, but their blood supply from Nick limited their number.
Nick considered telling Marek what the girl really was, but he still hadn’t actually met the girl to confirm it. He also didn’t want to commit saving the girl from werewolves just to be used by vampires, even if it was his pet clan.
“It probably won’t be long before one of them discovers vampires so close to the house anyway. After the attack last night, they probably are on edge and ready to fight. When they come after you, give ground and try and take them down the way we talked. We don’t need to kill them and I certainly don’t want to see any of you hurt or killed either,” Nick said giving the final instruction. The speech was as much for him as for them. He truly hoped there would be no casualties on either side.
The fact that the two races were blood enemies made that a dangerous game to play, but he felt it was worth it to ask. The girl didn’t belong in their hands and the fear she must still be feeling had to end.
“Are you ready?” Nicola asked him nervously. Nick planned on going in while the others set the diversion. The girl’s worry was plain in her voice without even needing to see it etched in her face.
“As I’ll ever be,” was his answer.
The group moved out and advanced on the werewolves leaping onto the roof of the house nearest them. Vampires’ abilities to leap and hold the air was the biggest advantage they could take to the wolves that guarded their own lair. Nick stayed on the ground and moved through the yard of a house still three doors away. He would try to get to her from the alleyway as the others drew the wolves out to the front.
It didn’t take long before a large number of the werewolves moved out to meet the perceived attack. The vampires had weapons much as the creatures from last night so it was easy enough for the wolves to believe their intent was foul.
Moving out quietly to avoid notice by the humans on the block, the werewolves were in their partial changes for weapons. Their own strength and speed adapted to that of the wolves inside of them making for a dangerous predator. Seven in number left three to guard the house lessening the number for Nick to avoid.
The voran could feel the werewolves and vampires with his sixth sense as well as the girl. She was being moved. He wanted to curse aloud. They were going to put her in the basement again.
Moving as fast as he could, Nick made for the window of the room the girl had slept in only hours before and hoped to get in from there. He hoped the fact that he wasn’t a vampire would mask his coming. His speed was the other way to elude their senses long enough to break inside.
It didn’t work as Nick had hoped, however, as two of the werewolves launched out the back door heading straight for him. They didn’t wait for him to get inside as they had with the vampires the previous night. The vampire that had made it inside had been difficult to kill working through hallways and rooms that made it too tight to maneuver. Letting him inside meant limiting the numbers they could put on him at one time and they wanted the advantage here. This was their home. Wolves guarded their territory fiercely even if he did smell like a human to them. He was still a threat.
Nick recognized the big Asian from the mall instantly as well as the tall brunette who had let him in the house for the candy drive.
“You?” the big werewolf snarled angrily.
The girl’s reaction was more of surprise and indecision. She held back thinking him just a human. Surely the werewolf with his size and strength could take out a mere human. Despite the trio from the mall saying a human had caused their beating, the girl was among those who hadn’t truly believed it.
Nick knew the creature wouldn’t make the same mistake of underestimating him twice. His companion would catch on fairly soon as well.
Moving in near blurs of speed, Nick dodged the werewolf’s attack and tried to score blows of his own. Ray knew better than to over commit and slipped out of range to change angles attacking once more. The two slid in and out of their deadly dance. Charlotte backed towards the stairs warily realizing her mistake now. The pretty girl let her arms and legs change as her eyes turned to red.
Claws caught at his jacket tearing the cloth away. A little blood from a scratch caused the werewolf to smile. He knew a mark like that would change a man to a wolf. If he could beat the man, he might even let this one live to turn into a werewolf on the full moon. Nick knew the look on the creature’s face, but instead of fearing a change, the voran called on his own claws.
Glowing silver, the three blades extended from above his wrist and hand. They weren’t pieces of bone from within. These blades were extensions of his aura. Like magical weapons called from within, they appeared bonded to his hand. Three blades like daggers slashed at the werewolf driving him back in shock. Charlotte took another step back feeling the fear of a werewolf staring at a silver blade.
“What are you?” the guttural growling voice of the werewolf male demanded. “You’re not one of them, though I smell their stench on you. Those blades aren’t something they can do, so what the hell are you?”
Unsure of what should be made known to the creatures, Nick chose silence. He c
ould feel the battle raging in front of the house and beyond. No deaths or injuries for either side so far. The voran didn’t wish to make that fact change with these two either.
The werewolf dared his weapons and took his shot at the man before him. Again they slashed at one another, each dodging and slipping free of an attack to try for another attempt. Nick finally clipped the wolf with one of the claws. The big man hissed in pain as a smoking welt appeared from the wound. The blade didn’t make the creature bleed, but the pain was real and deep. The tip had gone into the muscle in a burning sensation that nearly stopped his arm’s ability to move from the shoulder down.
Nick had figured as much. The blade could kill a vampire, but would require a direct hit to a point that would cause death. A shoulder wouldn’t kill one of them either, but the pain the wolf felt was different than for the undead also.
Having earned a bit of fear and perhaps respect from the werewolves, Nick finally said, “Free the girl that you’ve kidnapped. I know she is here and not a werewolf yet. Let her go and we’ll leave you alone.”
Ray looked even angrier if that was possible in his half metamorphosis. “You sent those creatures last night to kill us and now you say you’ll just walk away? I don’t believe you.”
“They weren’t ours. I didn’t kill you at the mall either, did I? You know I could have, if I had wanted. Now I am giving you a perfectly reasonable request. I suggest you comply.”
Snarling, Ray refused by saying, “Comply? Who do you think you are? You talk like you’re from another country almost and you act all condescending. Your claws don’t hurt that much, buddy. My arm’s feeling better already. When my claws hit you, I bet you won’t be able to say the same.”
“You want the kid gloves to come off, mutt?” the voran mocked as his eyes narrowed slightly. Anger started to egg him on now. He needed to get this wolf to see he meant business and also to free the girl. How he could do both, without killing him was the problem here and it was eating at him.
The wolf merely snarled trying to trap him with his outspread claws. The move was sloppy and Nick took advantage. Use of power without technique was just stupid. Slashing at the monster’s legs in a wide swing then moving to slip aside to catch his left arm above the elbow, the voran’s attacks left three welts and the aura blades had completely passed through the three limbs. Arms and legs were still there as well as the beast’s clothing, but the damage severed his control of the limbs completely.
A scream of pain came from the creature’s throat even as he toppled onto his face. Only his right arm was left working to try and catch his fall. The pain feeding back from the blades put the wolf into shock so severe that claws and fur began to fade almost immediately, but Nick wasn’t looking at the fallen man any longer.
Charlotte saw her pack member fall with wide red eyes and fear could be seen there for Nick to plainly read. She was a fairly tall girl but both shorter and lighter than Nick, who had been smaller than the Asian. The claws drew her eyes and they drove a panic into her heart.
Moving into a sprint for the house, Nick met no resistance as Charlotte wilted and ran from him. The fear of the unknown and what she had already witnessed let the girl know that she had no chance against him.
It played to Nick’s advantage and the man took the porch stairs in a bound. Throwing open the door, he tried to get his bearings with the layout of the house to where he could feel the remaining two. His senses felt the battle in the front yard and street. It had broken into two smaller battles as the vampires mixed attacks with feints that let them withdraw to use their long distance weapons.
Quickly throwing open the door he suspected led to the basement, Nick found his first choice was wrong. With a growl of frustration, the voran pushed onward. The second door opened revealing stairs heading down, however the victory was short lived as claws and red eyes sprang upwards at the man forcing him to roll aside or be gored.
The similarities between the girl outside the mall and this she-devil were lost on Nick’s eyes. Only his sixth sense told him that he knew this werewolf as well. Defense of the pack and home forced her past indecision that had overwhelmed her in the mall parking lot nearly a week before. This was a weapon prepared to kill him.
Ferocious attacks forced Nick into the living room. Furniture was shattered in her frenzy even as the voran nimbly dodged flying shrapnel or leapt over the couch to put it between them. He was getting frustrated. His goal was so close, but he was being driven back.
His extra sense told him more problems were on their way. One of the werewolves in the fight out front was moving towards the house quickly. Worse, he could feel eight more werewolves coming from the direction of their second home. Back up was on the way and Nick realized time was running out for this mission. He was going to fail or there would be deaths in their future.
The window in the front room broke in a crash as the werewolf from the front dove through to try and take Nick unaware. The creature had completely misjudged his enemy, however, as the voran used his sense to time his own leap. Knowing the beast would have to close his eyes for fear of the glass flying around his body, the man dove through the cloud of shards a split second later. The thump of the wolf’s landing was behind him before either of them realized he was gone.
Staring back out into the darkness the werewolf leader exchanged a look with the voran, who landed and stood back up to glance over his shoulder. The two had only a moment before the man was headed off towards the vampires and their battle.
A whistle came into hand to be blown just once. Marek and his team heard the sound and used ropes with metal balls attached to each end. The bolas had been used merely to keep any werewolves that closed from attacking directly, now they were used to wrap up their enemies. Whipping the bolas at legs or to wrap around arms and chests, the werewolves quickly found themselves unable to chase the suddenly fleeing vampires.
Darkness swallowed their enemies leaving even the werewolves, with their excellent senses, unable to find their quarry by the time they removed the ropes.
Eric took stock of his troops. Those fighting the vampires had amazingly been virtually unharmed nor had any of them been able to close with the vampires to hurt them. They had been a diversion the leader realized angrily.
Chan was another matter. The man looked unharmed to look at him, but the wolf had retreated inside of himself due to the pain of his injuries. He couldn’t move his arm or legs no matter how he appeared. What kind of weapon had the human used? He had no idea.
The fact that it was the man from the mall that had taken out both Lex and Ray single handedly was disconcerting to say the least.
Another worry was Charlotte. The terror in her eyes hadn’t faded by the time he found her. She shivered in his arms uncontrollably for several minutes before his words could calm her enough to speak. Her eyes, once glazed with fear, began to see her leader and then shame filled them instead.
“What happened, Charlotte?” he asked her as she calmed down. Ray had finally lapsed into unconsciousness from his injuries and could tell him nothing for the moment.
“He had claws. They looked like they were made of silver, but they didn’t cut like it. The demon cut Ray down like he was nothing after he ordered him to give up the girl. He had demanded that we give her up twice and then those claws appeared and sliced him up in a blink. It was so quick.” Shaking once more, Charlotte bowed her head and confessed, “I couldn’t fight him. All I could feel was fear of those blades.”
Eric frowned, not at her failing, but it wasn’t the first time one of his had been unable to act against the man. This time, with the magical knives that had felled Ray with such ease and yet left him alive, he could understand after seeing that she might freeze up. He wondered if there was something to this man that summoned fear into a werewolf. Was he some sort of werewolf hunter with powers to subdue his kind? Marek had never heard of such a being, but he supposed with the other supernatural creatures out there perhaps there was
something like that.
Whatever the man’s abilities, they hadn’t worked on Aubrey this time. The woman had little to add to his information. She had surprised him and drove him back. With Eric’s return, the woman had barely had a chance to close with him. If the claws could scare her, she hadn’t noticed it. In fact, Aubrey had been so intent on attacking him she had actually missed them.
Thinking back on his moment’s view, Eric had missed seeing these silver blades himself. How had the man timed his exit so perfectly? There was no way he could have seen his return. It should have been a perfect blind attack from behind no less, but there it was. Eric had actually made a path for his escape and never even had a chance at fighting him in the assault. He had been made a fool of by a human of all things. This was certainly no ordinary man.
Eric went to the basement and tried to put on a sympathetic smile for the girl. At least Aubrey had prevented him from any contact with the girl. “Are you all right, Lena?” he asked trying to sound genuine. He knew no physical harm had befallen the girl. Her protectors had prevented that and amazingly no one had died.
“I’m fine,” she said looking timid. Lena knew who led the werewolves. She had been told that she would be turning into one at the full moon thanks to Ramon. The werewolf who had first kidnapped and bit her was dead. Where did that leave her with these creatures? Lena was fearful every minute and Eric knew that. It was his fault to a large extent in the way they had handled her, but it was damage control time.
“Have you run into vampires ever before, Lena?” he asked trying to be gentle. The strange human’s concern for her and his ties to the vampires had Eric questioning what this girl was as well.
“Just the one that you threw in the cage, Cairvall was his name. Until Ramon kidnapped me, my life had been very normal. I never would have believed in werewolves until he brought me here,” he could almost hear anger in her words, but surely she was too afraid to try that with him.
Vorans and Vampires (Book 1): Voran the Night Guardian Page 12