by Laura Hysell
I stood and tried walking around the door, but it seemed to move with me. The pounding continued, and with a sigh of annoyance, I finally opened the door to see who it was. Henri stood on the other side, glaring at me. He looked as he had in my first dreams, like a golden god. His blond hair blew gently with the breeze, and he was dressed in only a pair of thin, white pants. I took in his bare chest, that seemed to glow with a golden warmth that I knew he didn’t really possess. Desire curled across my stomach, but I stamped it down as I looked up into his face.
“What do you want, Henri?” I asked, crossing my arms. I looked down at myself, irritated to see I was dressed similarly to Henri in a sheer white dress. No, that wouldn’t work. I imagined a pair of shorts and tank top, and my clothing immediately changed.
“You don’t like the clothes I picked for you?” Henri asked, shaking his head.
“What do you want?” I asked again.
“May I come in?” he asked, gesturing at the door.
A smile formed on my lips. “You don’t have control over me anymore, and you can’t get in unless I let you,” I surmised. The flicker of irritation that crossed his face was answer enough. “No, you may not come in. Say what you have to say and get out of my head.”
Henri stumbled backward, as though he had been pushed. It was what I was imagining, so perhaps he had. He righted himself quickly and leaned forward, gripping the frame of the strange door. “I want you to come back with me,” he said seductively. “You are my Queen, after all.”
“I’m with Mark. I’m going to marry Mark. I’m a werewolf, for crying out loud!”
“You think a werewolf and a vampire can’t be together?”
“I think you and I can’t be together,” I retorted. “You sent your wolves to attack our home!”
“What? Oh,” he said, nodding. “I see. Well, it seemed the right move at the time.”
“The right move?”
“I ordered Leon to attack at a predetermined time. I don’t like that many wolves so close to my home.”
“You mean you don’t like that many wolves you can’t control! Now you have no wolves,” I added.
Henri shrugged, and I knew in that moment that he indeed did have many more werewolves under his control. That was something we’d have to change. “Isabella, I’ll ask you again. Reconsider. This will be for the good of us all. Vampires and werewolves together, united under a King and Queen.”
“I will never join you, Henri. You think with Petrivian gone, you are now the big, bad vamp in charge?” I laughed, shaking my head. His eyes flashed in anger, and I got great satisfaction in irritating him.
“I never wanted the things Petrivian did. That wasn’t a lie,” Henri spat. “But the truth is that there are hundreds of very lost vampires right now. They need leadership. Those who survived Petrivian’s death are most vulnerable. We have a choice here, Isabella. I can take them under my wing and teach them to get along with humans and werewolves. I, alone, can do this. Without me, it is like a hundred lions loose in the city.”
“You don’t need me for that.”
“I need them to see that humans can be more than just food. For that, I need you.”
“No, you don’t. I’m done listening to your lies and justifications. You are as much to blame for this entire mess as Petrivian is. You captured werewolves and turned them into your mindless slaves. You torture who you choose, then let loose monsters like Sylvia. Oh, you didn’t think I knew about her?” I added, watching his eyebrows raise. “She came after me. Didn’t get a chance to kill me, though. Bummer for her.”
“She will be dead before the sun rises,” Henri said, his fangs flashing in the artificial dream sunlight. “This I vow to you.”
“One less vamp to deal with,” another voice chimed in suddenly. I turned, looking in surprise as Aidan walked toward me. Behind him, Mark followed, looking wide-eyed and a little confused.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, looking at the two men. “How did you all get in my dream?”
Aidan pulled out his daggers, flipped them in the air, then sheathed them. “We’re connected, remember. So is he,” Aidan added, nodding to Mark. “I felt the blood-sucker here, told Mark, and with a little help from a certain Draoi, here we are.”
“Draoi?” Henri whispered, and I sensed fear in his voice. “Those magicians Petrivian tried to take? They were Draoi?”
“Indeed,” Aidan replied.
Mark moved up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. Power flowed through me at the connection, and the door surrounding Henri flickered. The vampire looked around, bewilderment on his face, before narrowing his eyes at me. “You truly choose the werewolf over me?”
“I’ve always chosen him over you, Henri.”
“I think you’ve overstayed your welcome,” Mark said conversationally. “Do not attempt to intrude on us again, in dreams or in person, or the consequences will be deadly. That I vow. You have wronged us too many times. Go back to your home and stay there. If I so much as hear a whisper of you, I will seek you out and destroy you.”
Henri stared at Mark, then looked over at Aidan, before settling back on me. “Well,” he said, drawing himself up to full height. “I suppose our tentative alliance is at an end.”
“It died the moment you attacked our home,” Mark growled, his fingers pressing into my sides.
“Get out of my head, Henri,” I said. I imagined the door slamming on his face, but he held tight, using his power to prevent himself from being kicked out.
“She said to get out,” Aidan said, drawing his blades. With a flick of his wrist, the two blades flew through the air, seeking out the vampire. He moved in a blur of speed, dodging the first blade, but the second hit him in the shoulder. He screamed in pain then vanished in a flash, the dagger dropping to the sand.
The door disappeared, and Aidan walked forward to retrieve his daggers. He turned back to me and shrugged. “Not sure how effective that is in here,” he commented, running a finger along the blade.
Mark laughed and pulled me tight against him. “Henri is a bottom-dweller. He’ll resurface,” he added.
“And when he does…” I said, looking over my shoulder.
“Oh, when he does, we’ll be ready for him.”
I grinned and turned around, pressing my lips to Mark in a kiss. Aidan groaned and tapped me on the shoulder. “I think I’ll leave you two alone now. Don’t be long, though.” With that, Aidan disappeared.
“I don’t understand how you’re here,” I said.
“Declan,” Mark replied, shrugging his shoulders. “When Aidan felt Henri trying to get at you, he grabbed the magician. From what he said, you and I are bound together by a magic stronger than anything he has alone. He only had to bind us further, or something like that.”
“Bind us further? Is this a permanent thing?”
He laughed, shaking his head. “No, but it is something we can do in the future if we need to. A little defense against Henri.”
“How long do we have?” I asked.
“Until we choose to leave. Why?”
I pictured my clothes disappearing, then did the same to Mark’s clothes, his eyes widening. “This is my dream,” I said, smiling wickedly as I pushed Mark to the soft sand. We kissed, rolling in the sand that was miraculously soft. The waves of the ocean lapped at the shore, tickling our toes. We kissed again, losing ourselves in each other, inside the dream.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Our return trip home the following morning felt rushed, as though we all couldn’t get away from the grounds of death fast enough. The humans who had joined us decided to stay with us as we traveled. We were all apprehensive about the future of the world with Petrivian gone. Most of us figured things couldn’t get worse, but the unknown was always a cause for concern. The eastern and southern wolves separated from us, heading back to their homes as soon as we were back out of the mountains. With most of us traveling in wolf form, we didn’t know what the stat
e of the country was, now that the vampire controlling most of the human population was dead. We moved quickly, not stopping until we were back at Alpha Nosh’s homestead once more.
I was in the first group of wolves to arrive, quickly shifting form back to human, and immediately putting clothes on. Running around naked was an annoyance of werewolf life I was still adjusting too, but the Alpha’s family brought us simple, yet soft, clothes to wear. They didn’t ask us questions, and they didn’t give us any information, as they brought us food and let us relax as we waited for the others to arrive. They simply fed us, then retreated back to their home. This didn’t bother me, since I was too tired to bother carrying on a conversation.
Several vehicles in our group contained humans, who were not allowed on the Pack’s land. These continued on, with a small group of healthier wolves guarding them led by Mark. The rest, however, met us much later back in the clearing around the Alpha’s home. Jed, who refused to leave Beth’s side, jumped out of the first truck to pull in. He walked quickly over to Nosh, speaking quietly and leading the old man away. I watched his reaction, as Jed told him what had happened. They had lost many of their Pack, including the young man Vanessa had almost married. Sorrow gripped the old Alpha, but he nodded as he listened to Jed’s words. He already knew, I realized, looking around at the sad faces of the women and children who had stayed behind. Of course, he knew. He had likely felt their injuries and deaths, but he didn’t know the whole story. Jed was able to recount their bravery, and bring a small bit of peace with it.
After everyone had eaten and changed, Jed and Nosh returned to the group. We clustered ourselves around the fire pits, leaning on each other for warmth and comfort. Aidan, one of the only humans allowed, sat beside me joking with Lucas in an attempt to keep his spirits up. Jared, fully healed, sat on my other side quietly staring into the fire. I wished Mark was there, but I could feel him. They had taken a more direct drive home and had stopped to rest. For the time being, they were still avoiding civilization as much as possible.
“It is a sad time today, brothers and sisters,” Nosh began, holding his hands out wide before him. Silence descended, as all eyes turned toward him. “Our hearts break for our many losses, and it will be time before we are healed. But it is also a time for rejoicing, because we have done what we set out to do. Together, we have fought off the vampires and been victorious. I know you are weary, but already there are signs of hope.”
He paused, lowering his arms and looking at each person in turn. “Today, a few of us ventured into town. We were anxious to see if there was any change, not knowing what had happened other than feeling the deaths and injuries of our fellow Pack. It was obvious, within minutes, of the notable difference. People were talking. Some had lost days, weeks, even years of time. Others remembered things they had done, not of their own choice. People were crying in the streets. Some were angry. Others, though, knew what this was. They knew it was a change for the better. And others still knew the truth.”
“What do you mean, the truth?” someone asked.
“They spoke of creatures of the night, who drained their blood. They spoke of vampires, in hushed whispers and loud yells. And this was just in town. As the day wore on, the news brought us further reports. It is a world in chaos and confusion, but when things die down, the humans will begin seeking answers to the tough questions.”
“What will that mean for us?” Jared asked suddenly. “If they start asking about vampires, it’s only logical they’ll start wondering about other creatures. Plus, there are the humans who know about us already.”
“That is something we must decide, together. We may not have a choice but to come forward. Currently, we have men and women placed in various agencies, ready for something such as this. I believe it is only a matter of time, but we must tread carefully. The vaccine will help. It only solidifies our position as protectors of life. The world is about to change, my friends.”
“So it didn’t matter what we did,” Lucas muttered, tossing a stick into the fire. “No matter what happened, our world has gone to shit. My brother died for nothing!”
“Not nothing,” Jed said suddenly, harshly. “Our world is ever-changing, but it is up to us to decide how it changes. Do you honestly think a world with a vampire controlling the human population was a good thing?”
“No,” Lucas muttered, “but things are still shit.”
“An interesting assessment, but I suppose only time will tell. As Alpha Nosh said, it is up to us now to create the change we want. The humans know about vampires, and soon they’ll probably know about werewolves too. Our time in hiding is over, but this isn’t the end. No, this is the beginning. The true beginning of a new world. Now, more than ever before, we must band together with one voice. We will change this world, for the better!” Jed finished, his eyes flashing green. Several yells and cheers greeted his words, and I felt an overwhelming power coming from the Alpha. I linked with Mark, sharing the news along with Jed’s words. Despite the apprehension and fear the filtered through the Pack, there was still a sense of hope. Together, we were stronger than anything else. Humans couldn’t hold a candle to us. The vampires had been decimated by us banding together. The next day dawned bright, and hopeful. We continued home; our numbers smaller, but more together than ever before.
Jed remained as he had, an Alpha of Alphas, keeping us joined together. We grew, adding to our numbers as the Packs joined together across the country. We returned to Jed’s land, heartbroken over the damage and deaths, but with one eye toward the future as we rebuilt our Pack and our home. Together, we mourned our losses, adding too many graves to our small cemetery. The vampires didn’t attack us again. Henri still lived, but had retreated to his home in Canada. It wouldn’t last, I was sure, but as word about vampires spread through the humans, the vampires themselves withdrew. The mobsters, I was sure, had a lot to do with this. Thomas still visited us as an emissary, keeping the peace between at least one group of vampires and the werewolves. It was an unsteady alliance, but as long as no vampire tried to raise up like Petrivian had, we had something to work with. No war; it was the best we could do.
Mark and I were married a few short weeks after we had defeated Petrivian. Neither of us wanted to wait, and everyone seemed to need something to celebrate. It was a small ceremony, with my brother walking me down the aisle and Nosh presiding over us. Wedding fever had been in the air, and the older Alpha presided over Jed and Beth’s wedding the following day. We married on a beach, with the sun shining down on us, and no chance of vampires. After what seemed like eternity, I was finally home. Sure, the world was changing, but I had Mark by my side. I knew we could tackle anything together, and we had years ahead of us. Together.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Five years later…
“Staff meeting in ten minutes, okay?” Stephanie said as she rushed down the hallway past me.
“I know, I know,” I said, stopping to catch my breath as I leaned against the door frame of the nearest classroom. It was only May, but already the temperature was creeping up into the 80s. At this rate, the summer was going to be a scorcher. I fanned myself and looked at my watch, counting the seconds. Would they really miss me at this meeting? Stephanie had just gone past, though, and would tell the others where I was.
Hands wrapped around me from behind, and I jumped in spite of myself. “Staff meeting,” Mark whispered as he kissed my neck.
“Do we have to?” I asked, groaning as I turned around in Mark’s arms. “I’m exhausted.”
“It’s the last meeting. Yes, you have to,” he replied, pressing me back against the wall.
I ran my hands across his chest as he kissed me tenderly. I hoped no students came by and saw us, I thought, as his hands slid down my backside. A door opened somewhere in the distance, and we quickly parted, listening to the sounds of footsteps drawing nearer. Mark grinned as he adjusted himself inside his shorts.
“Mark, Izzy, come on,” Stephanie said as she hur
ried back toward us. “Really, you two. Okay?”
I rolled my eyes but turned to follow Stephanie to the staff meeting. Her hair bobbed in her ponytail, swinging back and forth as she walked briskly ahead of us. I told myself I was letting her go ahead of me, but the reality was I just couldn’t keep up. Mark’s arm draped around my shoulders and we continued our slow pace together. Sounds drifted to me from the staff meeting, and I frowned as I caught Stephanie’s words.
“Okay, everyone! Shh, they’re coming. Okay, everyone down,” Stephanie whispered, rather loudly to my werewolf hearing.
“What?” I asked, but Mark put his hands over my ears.
I could still hear what was being said, but I chose to tune it out as Mark led me to the door. “Try to act surprised,” he said as he dropped his hands from my ears and opened the door.
“Surprise!” came the chorus of my fellow teachers as we stepped into the staff room which was bedecked in streamers and balloons in every pastel shade possible.
I raised a hand to my chest to still my pounding heart. Acting surprised wasn’t hard to do, since I was genuinely shocked. Mark laughed and pulled me tight to him, his hands wrapping tenderly around my overly large belly. “What?” I managed to squeak out.
“It’s your baby shower, silly,” said Carol, another fellow English teacher. She stepped forward and gave me a gentle hug, which opened up the flood gates for everyone else to hug me as well.
Tears welled in my eyes, but I refused to let my hormones or emotions get to me. I was led forward to a table bursting with presents when the contraction hit me. They’d been happening all day, and I tried to act normal even as I looked at my watch, carefully timing it. Were they getting stronger? I bent over the table, pretending to examine the cake that was covered in thick, white frosting as I breathed in through my nose. In, out, in, out. I looked up and smiled as the contraction passed.