by Lucy Lyons
I tried to control my breathing, but my pulse was racing and my chest was crushed by the weight of her magic, just like it had been in the clearing. I gasped and wasn’t able to breathe in again, and my vision started to blur.
“I had a good thing going, you furry piece of trash. I was about to get rid of the old man and switch him up for the younger version, and you and his sister just had to get in the way.”
She made a motion with her hands, and the pressure eased up just enough for me to take a deep breath before she pressed down again. “It was fun killing Amber, but I’ve got to admit, it’s more fun killing you.”
Amber, who Roger and I had promised to protect, was dead. Hopelessness choked me, filled my gut and throat with failure and grief for the girl who had been so brave to break away from her own family.
My vision started to get cloudy again, and I closed them. I had nothing left to fight with. All I had on my side was the moon, and even that wasn’t back to full power.
“I bet you thought something special would happen under the eclipse, didn’t you?” she scoffed. “Well, don’t be sad. You can die knowing that it did. The eclipse is the witches’ moon, dear heart. Maybe you should’ve stayed with those vampire hunters of yours and picked…up…a…book,” she said, pushing down with each word until I felt my ribs cracking.
“Maybe you should’ve quit while you were ahead and not tried to get all fancy,” Ashlynn’s voice came from somewhere outside my limited field of vision. The pressure immediately released, and I gulped in air, choking and heaving as I tried to breathe normally again.
“Ash…” I coughed. “Ash.”
“I know. You’re welcome,” she finished and smiled. Ashlynn helped me sit up and went to check on the other fighters all of which were hurt but not dead. A couple of wererats came to find me and took me down the path, where I saw Petra’s step-daughter, lying across it in a puddle of her own blood. My vision swam in the blood underneath her, and I inhaled a deep breath, trying to control the storm of emotions raging through me. All I got was a nose full of her scent…and her brother’s.
I tore back up the path to the milling shifters and vampires and found Michael muzzled and bound so he couldn’t shift or run away. I knelt in front of him and glowered into his eyes, searching for answers, and I found them the moment I realized I didn’t want to know.
What, Clay? Upset that you didn’t catch me in time? I flinched and swallowed the gorge that rose in my throat. Michael hadn’t just set his sister up as she tried to get away. He had killed her himself. The revelation shocked me because Michael wasn’t being controlled. Henny had given him a clean bill of health in the clinic and let him attend the feast.
“You’re depraved. You let your step-mom do those things to your people. You let her assault and molest and traumatize them, and then you slit your sister’s throat like the animal you are,” I screamed in his face. I was too weak to fight him, but I wanted to rip his head off and feed it to the ravens.
I wavered on my feet as I stood, and I looked around for my gun, but I was still nude from shifting and unarmed. I howled and lunged at him, but Ashlynn held me back. She took me aside and handed me her knife. Her eyes were filled with sadness and understanding. These people had taken so much from her that it must have required all her strength not to rampage through the pack herself to work through the pain they’d caused her.
“The honors of this kill are yours, Alpha,” she said with a shy smile. “Why don’t you go ahead and see how sharp this blade is?”
I ran the blade gently over his skin and watched Michael’s eyes widen as his throat convulsed and he cut himself on the razor-sharp edge.
“Don’t you just hate it when that happens?” I mused, and he panted and tried to scoot back from me. The blade slid through the leather thongs of the makeshift muzzle like it was silk, and it fell away from his face. I put the knife to his throat again, and I pressed harder drawing a line in his blood from ear to ear. “There,” I remarked to Ashlynn as he bled out, staring at me in shock. “Twins again.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Those were the last words I spoke to her until we reached the camp. So many were wounded, the smell of blood clogged my nose and made me sick to my stomach. I found Roger, surrounded by his new packmates as he sat on a cot in the medical room and waited for Henny to change the dressing on his wound. For a man with more holes in him than was appropriate, he looked happy—happier in fact, than I remembered seeing him before.
I searched for Bernie but couldn’t find him anywhere until I went back to the circle. There he was, lying on his back, still as stone in the center of the ring, covered in blood. I raced to his side with Ashlynn right behind me, and checked for a pulse.
“Damnit, Clay, I was just looking at the moon. You crazy son-of-a…” I felt tears on my face, and Ashlynn fell on his chest, crying, and he forgot to finish his insult. “Hey, hey, now guys. I’m not that easy to get rid of. Ashlynn sat up so he could breathe, and he pulled himself up off the dirt to tell us about the battle we’d missed.
“Amber didn’t make it, Bernie. I haven’t seen Goldie, either.” Bernie sighed and nodded. “Michael killed Amber for Petra. She died fighting for the right.”
“Goldie’s in Henny’s cabin. I hid her there the moment I had a chance,” he replied. “She’s going to be OK.”
Ashlynn laughed and clapped her hands, and I flexed my muscles and breathed in the clean mountain air as the witches’ moon ended and I could gaze up at the familiar, loving, silver orb in the sky.
“Alpha, you need to howl for the wild hunt. The moon has been returned to us. We defeated our enemies and must celebrate as two packs come together in friendship.” I looked at Ashlynn in askance and she nodded. “Go ahead. It’s your time.” I shifted, right there in the circle, releasing my beast with a short bark of joy, before howling for my pack to join me.
They came running, all the wolves who had been my friends and those who had distrusted me. I was the alpha, and Ashlynn was accepting my rule and my place in her bed, and the power of the earth was calling to my feet. I raced through the forest until I flushed a deer from her thicket. We split into our packs, and Roger’s new wolves went the long way around while my pack stayed on the animal and chased it across the state park.
I glanced to my left, and a cinnamon wolf pulled up next to me and chuffed a derisive laugh in my direction before pulling away and leaping ahead of the others. I kicked hard and kept the plume of that cinnamon tail at the dead center of my vision. When the deer stumbled, I knew we’d won, and I pushed with that last ounce of energy to catch Ashlynn before the others caught up.
When I awoke, I was in the California king bed, naked and sore from the myriad of bumps and bruises and cuts on my body. I rolled over and got a face full of auburn hair as Ashlynn adjusted her position in her sleep.
It’s better than a nest of needles and ferns, I thought to myself as I rose and snuck off to the bathroom. On the way, I stopped and peered out the still broken door. Downstairs there was only a pile of happy wolves and people, tangled so their limbs couldn’t be identified with the right bodies. Near them, on the floor, I saw the mutilated, half-eaten carcass of the deer I’d scared out of her thicket.
My people, I thought and heard a chuckle and a reply. Good for you, son.
I jumped a little at the sound of her voice in my head then sent her a deliberate hello. After all, whether I had wanted to admit it or not, there was witch in me, and the witches’ moon had released, or strengthened, the gift that I’d avoided for so long. Maria seemed pleased with what I’d accomplished, and I wondered how much of my life as the alpha I would be accountable to her for.
I showered, dressed, and snuck out of the longhouse to find and thank the friends who had come to my aid, showing the pack that they didn’t have to fear the rest of the preternatural community. I stopped at the club first and waited for Nicholas and Caroline in their sitting room. It was the most I’d ever visited them, a
nd all in the same week. I tried not to feel stupid for intruding on them again, justifying it by saying I was there early so Nick could get to sleep after I left.
No one who had fought was awake yet, or anymore, I supposed, but Nick and Caroline were both looking well and happy. They congratulated me on my position and the expansion of my gift. Caroline promised to train me up on shielding and protection spells, if I didn’t find someone I liked better.
“You’re just saying that because I couldn’t find anyone better, so you look humble but still get to boss me around,” I teased, and she cleared her throat and looked up at the door behind me.
When Dominique walked into the room, I wasn’t surprised. She’d always had a particular gift for timing, and walking in after the fight was over was kind of her calling card. I stood for her and she waved me off, curling her lip at me.
“Oh stop, Clay. I know you don’t think I’m a lady anyways,” she’d quipped and had sat down next to me. “I’m glad you’re the alpha, Clay,” she added. “My mistress’ offer still stands.”
“I’ve only just ensured our freedom as a pack, Dominique. I’ll talk to my people once we’re settled in, but I can’t give you an answer right away.” I was instantly grateful that of all the people I’d had come to my aid, the Night Mother wasn’t one of them. I could feel her talons closing in around me even without owing her anything. One could only imagine where we’d be if she had been the one to confront our enemies for us.
I took my leave of them and texted Fin to say thank you, promising all the wererats beer later once they were awake and functional. Then I went to the dojo, where I knew Maria would be waiting for me; after all, I had promised, and she had all but summoned me when I awoke. The dojo was full of bodies there for early morning classes, but the moment I walked in, serenity cleared my mind of the confusion of the night before.
“So, you’re getting better at that telepathy stuff,” she said as I sat in the empty room she’d taken me to before. I shifted, uncomfortable under her scrutiny.
“Well, there was really nowhere to go but up, and I want to learn things that make me a better alpha. I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like to be the only one responsible when something goes wrong,” I quipped. It fell flat because it was true. I was terrified of what would happen once I returned to camp and the wolves.
“That’s just the way it is, Clay. Seldom does the responsibility perfectly fit the person. But in your case, I rather think it will.” She pointed at my nose, and I jerked back. “You start tomorrow, 8 a.m.” I nodded and stood to shake her hand. “Oh, stop it,” she snorted. “You can shake my hand after we’ve sparred a few more rounds.”
I left the dojo with a sense of surreal accomplishment and trepidation. I was the alpha for my pack, but I was more confident and excited to teach people how to hit each other better. According to the text I received from Roger, the Beaver Lake pack would be gone before I could get back to them. He thanked me for helping him bring his kids to a safer place and promised to return the favor if ever I needed him to fight at my side.
I drove back to the mountains the same way I always did, but somehow, the road looked brand new to me. It wasn’t just the way to the “cabin I was staying in”—it was the road home. I’d fought for it, earned it with my own blood, and now it was mine.
“Clayton?” a small voice stopped me as I got out of the car with Starbucks for Ashlynn and me. It was Goldie, looking almost completely healed from the beating she’d taken, and without the bruises or the makeup, I was reminded of just how young she was—young enough that if we were the Venatores, I’d be setting her up for specialized training, not considering giving her my chai latte to make her go away.
“What are you doing here, Goldie? I thought Roger said y’all were leaving before I got back.” She nodded and chewed on her bottom lip.
“I couldn’t leave without apologizing properly,” she explained, and I motioned for her to continue. “I didn’t want to hurt you. I really didn’t, but Roger said if I did, they were less likely to kill you. He said if you were capable of fighting them, they’d never let you have a fair fight. You were so nice to me, and you could’ve…not been,” she finished and looked at the ground.
“No problem, Goldie. It’s fine, really.”
“Is it fine enough for me to stay with you? I would really like to be part of your pack.”
I picked up my jaw and thought for a moment. It was my first real act as an alpha in my mind, and after the violence and the death of the night before, it felt healing to tell her to stay. Her healing would come as she learned to adapt to life in a healthy pack and figured out her own boundaries.
“Goldie, I think I can safely say we’d all be honored if you would please stay with us and contribute to our pack family. I think you deserve the chance to do better things, and we can help you heal from the wrongs of your former pack…” I paused before adding, “but I think Roger will miss you.”
She giggled. “I don’t know, he’s going to have his hands full without me.” I laughed along with her. “Thank you, Alpha. I’d better get back to Henny now, but I’ll see you later.” She jogged off toward Henny’s cabin, and I leaned on the car while my heart slowed. Ten minutes in and you’ve already added a soul to your responsibility, genius, I chided myself mentally. Of course, that also meant a vote from the pack considering her for adoption. Messy beautiful democracy at its finest, I mused as I climbed the stairs to the bedroom.
Ashlynn was still asleep in the bed when I rejoined her, so I put her coffee on the nightstand and laid down with her pressed against my body. I waited impatiently for a few minutes for her to wake on her own then started to pester her to give me her attention.
“What do you want, Clay?” she finally complained. From the tone of her voice, I was afraid the truce was over and she hated me again.
“I still don’t remember last night again,” I sniffed, and she laughed.
“You will, once you get used to it all. Especially as the alpha. Don’t be surprised if you have other gifts that show up or see an increase in what you have.” She snuggled into my side and stared at the ceiling. “Are you happy with the outcome?” she almost whispered the words, and I thought of poor Amber and her brother, who were casualties I’d wanted to avoid.
“I’m not sure how I feel about my kills, but I’ll come to terms with them. They simply aren’t Venatores kills, and I’m going to have to adjust.” I made her look at me and meet my eyes. “Are you going to be able to adjust to me being the alpha?” The satisfied look fled her face, and she sighed and pulled away from me.
“I hated you right up until the moment when Gregor had his hand on my arm and was telling me all the ways they were going to torture me and everyone else they felt like hurting.” She sniffled and kicked her foot under the covers. “Then you appeared and challenged him in front of God and everyone and I just couldn’t hate you anymore. When Petra had me, and you were chasing us through the forest, well, by then you were completely forgiven.”
She kissed me then, and on her tongue, I tasted the blood of a fresh kill. My beast rubbed against her, and I felt a rush of power as hers did the same. We were one now, the alpha pair of the pack. I searched for the love I hoped to find, disappointed when it wasn’t there. What I found was desire and respect and hope that we could grow together.
Downstairs I heard the hum of activity as the pack woke up and found their ways to their own rooms or to the kitchen to make themselves normal, human food. It wasn’t easy to be a werewolf and have a normal life. But with Ashlynn in my arms and my friends safe once again, it finally looked like I was going to have a normal life, in a backwoods, hunt-your-own-food, howl-at-the-moon sort of way.
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The Vampire’s Embrace
The Gift of Blood:
Book 1
Lucy Lyons
© 2017
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© Copyright 2017 by Persia Publishing - All rights reserved.
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