Bloody Endings

by Laura Hysell

  “When are they wanting us to have this mating ceremony?”

  “Tomorrow at sunset,” Mark replied quickly.

  “That’s why we’re staying three days?”

  “Basically.”

  “Well,” I murmured, crossing my arms. “I wasn’t exactly ready for this.”

  “I thought,” Mark began, but he stopped and cleared his throat, staring at the ground once more with his arms crossed.

  I stepped toward Mark until I was pressed against his body and he finally lowered his arms and circled them around me. “I don’t like being ordered to do things,” I said flatly. “We just got engaged, and suddenly we’re expected to do some sort of magical Pack wedding.”

  “We don’t have to do this. Just forget it.”

  “Don’t do that,” I said angrily, and Mark jerked up his head to look at me, anger flashing in his eyes as well. “I know you’re acting Alpha right now, but that doesn’t mean we change our plans or our life.”

  “This isn’t changing plans, Izzy, it’s just moving them up.”

  “I want a real wedding, Mark, with my brother in attendance. He’s my only family.”

  “We can still have a real wedding later.”

  “Mark, we only get one shot at this. I know everyone is on edge. I understand that this is an ancient Pack and they have all sorts of traditions, but that doesn’t mean we change things. Damn it, you just proposed! We haven’t even spoken about wedding plans, or a honeymoon, or anything. Now you’re wanting me to rush into some sort of Pack wedding ceremony because Alpha Nosh wants it! Are you for real right now?” I yelled the last, pushing away from Mark as tears glistened in my eyes.

  “Marcus,” a man said, and I whipped around to see both Nosh and Jed standing a few feet away.

  “It’s just Mark,” Mark replied, bowing slightly to the older man.

  Shit. I took a couple deep breaths, looking from Jed to Nosh and wondering how pissed off the old man was going to be. He didn’t look mad. In fact, he was smiling.

  “When you told me about this couple, I didn’t realize how much of a real couple they were,” Nosh said slowly, the smile on his face widening further. “I definitely wish to preside over their ceremony, when the time comes,” he added.

  “I think it will be a ceremony for the ages,” Jed replied, grinning widely. “When were you two planning on getting hitched?”

  I stared at Jed for a heartbeat before glancing over at Mark and shrugging. “We haven’t had a chance to talk about it yet,” I replied.

  “Well, when you decide, I want an invite,” Nosh said sincerely. He turned toward Jed and said, “Is there anyone else we can marry before you all rush off to battle?”

  Jed grinned, then blushed, and shook his head. “Let’s not rush things.”

  “Oh, well, it was worth a shot.”

  I nudged Mark, sharing a smile with him as we watched Jed’s suddenly red face. “What was that?” I whispered.

  The two Alphas turned and began walking back. Jed stopped once to wave at us, indicating we should follow him. Mark grabbed my hand and we followed after them at a slower pace. “Sorry,” Mark whispered, squeezing my hand gently.

  “Me too,” I said. “I didn’t mean to freak out back there, I just…”

  “You deserve a real wedding. We deserve some sort of normalcy.”

  “Even if the world is ending?”

  “Especially if it’s ending,” he replied, stopping.

  I pulled away just enough to look up into Mark’s rich, chocolate eyes. “I don’t know what is going to happen, and it scares me. We think we’re going to fix things; to change the world. Maybe we are, but then again, we may just destroy the world in the process.”

  “Well, if we destroy the world, I’d rather do it with you by my side.”

  “But how will we plan a wedding if we destroy the world? Where will I order my flowers from?”

  “We’ll pick them from a field,” he replied softly, pulling me against him.

  “What about a cake?”

  “We’ll make one ourselves.”

  “What about a wedding dress?” I asked, running my hand across his chest.

  Mark grasped my hand and kissed the fingertips gently. “Who needs clothes?”

  I laughed, shaking my head. “Well, that could be an awkward wedding.”

  “We just make sure we’re married in the summer, so we’re warm.”

  I laughed and shook my head as Mark continued to kiss my fingers before trailing his way down my arm. “I would like to get married in the summer,” I added.

  “Like next summer?” he asked, continuing his kisses across my neck.

  “I’m thinking this summer. It doesn’t give us much time to plan, but if we make it through this battle with the vampires, I don’t want to wait any longer.”

  Mark stopped kissing me and said, “You’re serious?”

  I nodded, “Yes, I am. What do you think?”

  He kissed me, his tongue pressing against my lips urgently. I opened my mouth, responding to him. “Yes,” he murmured against my mouth between his kisses. “Whatever you want.”

  “All I want is you.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Vanessa’s old Pack was old fashioned indeed. After the first day, I started to see why Vanessa had left them. She was too much of a free spirit. The women, I learned quickly, had very unique roles within the Pack. They all wore dresses all the time and they frowned upon anything outside of the natural order. Women from this Pack never fought and were relegated to tending the overall needs of the Pack. The women may not have been fighters, but they were still as fierce as the men, and they were the true rulers of the Pack. The Alpha’s wife had died many years before, but his eldest daughter firmly organized the Pack on a daily basis.

  Vanessa was subdued as she visited with her family. Her hair was kept plain, and she wore no makeup, but the lack of vibrancy wasn’t what made her seem subdued. It was more the worried look on her face. I had hoped to spend time with Vanessa in the few days we were there, but she kept to herself when she wasn’t with her family. Mark was busy organizing the next leg of the trip. Aidan had decided to speak more in depth with the magicians, so he sat apart with them. Jared was kept so busy I never saw him. I found myself wandering amongst the other wolves, chatting here and there but feeling more and more lonely with each passing moment. It was a long three days we spent with the northern and Canadian Packs.

  Our last day there, I sat alone watching Vanessa argue heatedly with one of the Alpha’s sons. The man was tall and handsome, and extremely polite. He spoke about the greatness of the Pack, its long history, and the state of the finances, which were extremely impressive. In the two days we had been there, the young man had cornered Vanessa every moment she was alone. Today was even worse, and I suspected it was due to our impending departure.

  “Strange Pack,” a voice said. I turned and smiled as Killian sat down beside me.

  “Still want to become a werewolf?” I asked.

  He chuckled and rubbed his crooked nose. “If I get gravely wounded, absolutely. Someone, please, bite me. Otherwise,” he shrugged, as though it didn’t matter one way or another. Perhaps it didn’t.

  “I was surprised Jed let you come along instead of sending you off with my brother,” I said.

  “Jed knew what an asset he had bringing me along,” he replied, flexing his muscled arms.

  I laughed, but there was some truth to his words. “You were with Henri quite a long time. Do you think he’ll bring humans along with him?”

  “Of course. They’ll need snacks for the road.”

  “Eww,” I said, wrinkling my nose even though he was probably correct.

  “Leave me be, Peter,” Vanessa said as she strode past me, glaring back at the Alpha’s son who still dogged her heels.

  “I thought you were happy to be home,” Peter said as he grabbed Vanessa’s arm, pulling her back. “You know what our parents want.”

  Ki
llian jumped to his feet and stalked toward them, the muscles in his shoulders flexing as he readied himself. “Ah, crap,” I muttered as I hurried after him.

  He tapped Peter on the shoulder. “Let go of the lady,” he said softly.

  Peter’s blue eyes widened, startled, as he looked Killian up and down. I wondered what he saw on his face because he carefully let go of Vanessa’s arm. As soon as he did, Killian straightened and stepped back, nodding. Peter’s fist connected with Killian’s face, sending the fighter tumbling backward. He didn’t stay down though, as he rolled to his feet, wiping at the blood that now poured from his nose. Vanessa shouted, but Killian ran at the werewolf, hitting him in the stomach and lifting him up into the air before tossing him down to the ground. He quickly bounced backward as Peter got to his feet and swung out at him. Killian was ready this time, ducking and darting around the much faster werewolf.

  Peter punched out at him repeatedly, while Killian shuffled backward, just managing to stay out of arm’s reach. He bounced on the balls of his feet, waiting and watching. Then, he moved, not with his fists but with his feet, kicking out at Peter’s head. The werewolf stumbled backward and pressed a hand to his nose, which now bled as well. His eyes began to glow yellow as he went back on the offensive, punching at the smaller man in rapid succession.

  Killian was a trained fighter, and fast for a human, but eventually Peter’s fists connected, and Killian was knocked to the ground once more. Peter stalked over him, but once again he underestimated his human opponent. Killian waited for him to close in, then kicked out with his legs, trapping Peter’s legs and knocking him to the ground once more. He didn’t stop there, as he kicked out at the werewolf again and again, knocking the wind from him before finally bouncing to his feet. He darted in and out as Peter rolled to his feet once more. This time, Killian went on the full offensive as I had seen him do before. Peter backed away as Killian attacked with arms and legs, landing punch after punch and kick after kick.

  “Yield!” Peter yelled finally, throwing his hands up in front of his face. “I yield.”

  Killian stopped suddenly, his breath coming out in deep, rasping breaths. He stepped away from Peter before placing his hands on his knees and bending over to catch his breath. Their short brawl had caught the attention of a rather large crowd of werewolves, including Jed and Nosh. Jed looked irate, while Nosh looked strangely amused. I felt Mark before I saw him come up beside me. He leaned next to my ear and spoke quietly. “Vanessa’s mom looks mad,” he said.

  I looked around, finally spotting Vanessa’s mom standing with a cluster of women. Her hair was in a severe bun, and her lips were pursed tightly together. Her cheeks were bright red and her eyes were glowing golden. Saying she was mad was a severe understatement, but I still nodded my head in agreement.

  “What’s going on here?” Nosh finally asked, stepping forward with Jed supporting his arm. “Son?”

  Peter looked at his father and his skin visibly paled. He darted a glance at Killian, who was still sucking in deep breaths, then looked over at Vanessa. A knowing look entered his eyes as he put two and two together. “Vanessa, it seems, has been consorting with humans.”

  There was a great intake of breath from the direction of the women surrounding Vanessa’s mother. “Vanessa!” her mother roared, startling me. “Is this true? Have you been dallying with a human male?”

  I frowned and looked at Vanessa. The look on her face spoke volumes. I watched the range of emotions flit across her face in quick succession. Fear. Anger. Defiance. Laughter. She smiled suddenly, her eyes turning toward Killian who seemed to have finally caught his breath. Blood trailed down his face and chest, and his shirt was soaked with sweat. “Mother,” Vanessa began as she stepped over to Killian and took his hand. “I’d like you to meet Killian, my boyfriend.”

  “Boyfriend?” her mother gasped.

  “Uh, yes, I suppose. I mean, we’re together. I’m not sure what else you’d call him.”

  “I’d call him a human,” her mother retorted.

  “Lover,” Killian said as he pulled off his shirt and used it to wipe at the blood still streaming from his nose. “You could call me your lover, if you like. Boyfriend works too. I don’t care what you call it. I’m yours, and you’re mine.”

  Vanessa smiled, her eyes twinkling brightly as she gazed at Killian. “Lover,” she responded softly. “I like the sound of that.”

  “I think I’m going to faint,” her mother cried.

  “I think I’m going to vomit,” Peter muttered.

  Nosh laughed suddenly, and loudly, as he leaned against Jed’s arm. “Oh, Vanessa! I think if you were to choose a human, you definitely chose wisely. Good show, young man.”

  “Thank you,” Killian replied, frowning.

  “As for you, Peter, come along. Leave Vanessa and this young man alone, unless you wish to take another beating by a human.”

  Peter scowled, but went to the Alpha’s side and led him back toward the house. The rest of the wolves dispersed since the show was over. Vanessa’s mother had to be led away, but Vanessa wore a smile I hadn’t seen on her face since we’d arrived. I looked at Killian’s tattooed back as he wrapped his arms around Vanessa. I had suspected he was the human Vanessa had been seeing.

  “Did you know about them?” Mark asked as he pulled me away.

  “Sort of,” I replied, shrugging. “It seems more serious than I suspected.”

  Mark made a noise, almost a grunt, then shrugged his broad shoulders. “He sure held his own though. He’d make a great werewolf,” Mark added.

  “Well, if the opportunity arises, he’ll be on board.”

  “You mean if he gets injured,” Mark said, and I nodded in agreement. Considering what was coming for us, that wasn’t outside the realm of possibility.

  Our remaining time on Pack land was relaxing. Vanessa had reconciled somewhat with her family and her old Pack, but she vowed she wasn’t coming back. Her home was with Jed’s Pack, and for that I was thankful. I think everyone was feeling the stress of the coming battle, and we did our best to pretend it wasn’t coming even as we loaded up more trucks with supplies. As Nosh had stated, many more Packs joined us over the three days. By the time we were ready to leave, over 400 wolves had gathered under Jed’s command, with more still traveling to meet us. Each werewolf also sported a faint shimmer around them indicating they were included under the spell. The magic included Nosh and the wolves remaining behind, to protect them in case of more backstabbing by the vampires.

  It took hours to get all the vehicles back onto the main road, even with most everyone traveling cross country as wolves. Avoiding human detection was even more vital now, especially considering most of the population was mind-controlled by Petrivian. This meant that most of the wolves traveled through the mountains and forests where they could. The vehicles drew notice as well, so we had to space out traffic, so no more than five trucks were traveling together. We took a variety of routes where we could, adding days to our journey we wouldn’t have needed to under normal circumstances.

  We had a small window of time in which to meet, gear up, and enter Petrivian’s lair. All communication was done through one delegate from each Pack telepathically. Too many voices made things complicated. I wasn’t much use when it came to telepathy, and I couldn’t shift quickly, so I was just along for the ride while John spoke to the others and maneuvered us to our meeting location.

  Our small group of vehicles avoided cities, veering instead toward the mountains. We went off road, following paths that seemed to curve and turn in every direction. When we finally arrived at our destination, which looked like nothing more than a patch of trees in a forest, we parked the vehicles and got out. Several wolves were already there to meet us, where most of them changed back to human form. Every few hours, another group of trucks arrived, along with more wolves. We spent two days in the same area, slowly gathering everyone together, before Jed finally sent word that the mob vampires were coming to
meet us.

  Since I was on good terms with Thomas, I was one of the few asked to join Jed in meeting with the vampires. The southern and eastern wolves were staged in other locations nearby, ready to attack in synchronization. Jed had already met with them, and assured us that they were protected by the contract now as well. This meeting with the vampires was the final stage before we all attacked. It all came down to this.

  I fidgeted with my jacket as we waited for the vampires to arrive. Mark was organizing the rest of the Pack, in case we were double-crossed by vamps, while Jed, the twins, and a select handful of delegates from other Packs met with the Thomas and his cohorts. Aidan, who had been making friends with anyone who would have him, insisted on being by my side to meet the vampires. Jared was also there beside me, but he was surprisingly quiet. Whether this was due to meeting the vamps or something else, I wasn’t sure. Either way, the silence bothered me.

  The dagger pulsed a warning, and I said, “They’re coming.”

  “I felt it too,” Aidan said, his hand on the hilt of his blade in the holster across his chest. Unlike my blade, Aidan’s were visible. The magicians hadn’t figured out that bit of magic yet, but it wasn’t much of a problem for Aidan where he wore them. With a jacket on, the hilts weren’t visible where they rested under his arm. Despite the chill in the air, Aidan had opted for no jacket this evening. I think he wanted easy access to his blades, and I couldn’t blame him. He wore only a black t-shirt and his holster, while his tattoos stood out darkly against his pale skin.

  “How many?” Jared asked as he pulled the shotgun off his back and held it casually in his hands.

  “Three,” Aidan said softly.

  “Huh? How can you tell?” I asked.

  “The blade. Feel through it. Use the magic inside the blade to reach out. Each vamp feels different, and once you recognize that you can distinguish numbers,” Aidan replied, his accent so thick I had a hard time understanding his words.