by Garnet Hart
Lior glared at her. “You won’t?”
She glared back at him, daring him. But when he narrowed his eyes, she surrendered. She didn’t want to find out what this Lycan could do if she angered him more.
She stomped her feet on her way to the barn. She found “Ginny looking at her from the end corner, probably bothered by her loud entrance.
The bastard guest wants some bloody blood.”
Ginny was momentarily stunned. “How’d you know these are blood?”
She came near the Lycan. “I saw it… by accident.”
“D’you know what they’re for?”
“I was not interested to know until that bloody guest of that bloody bastard demanded I bring him some.”
“If you’re talking about that blabbermouth, that’s Bran. He used to be the fiercest warrior in Midgar.”
Asra rolled her eyes. She’d die before she’d believe that blabber was of any use. He was all mouth and nothing else.
“And the other man in gray suit,” Ginny continued, “is the earl of Rochford Park in Essex, England. The Asian woman is his wife, Lady Ceres Rochford. The older man is Gustavo, their butler.”
“I saw the earl once.”
“Really? But this is the first time you’ve met him.”
“No, I saw him when I was little. My father and I paid him a visit.”
“That was also him. He changes his name every century, creating a false family tree. He is the king of the Vampires, an immortal like us. His name now is Lysander Rochford.”
“And how long have Lior lived exactly?”
“Six hundred years, give or take.”
She was stupefied. Although she had seen with her very eyes that Lior was indeed a Lycan, that fact was still difficult to accept.
“Here.”
She was taken aback when Ginny handed her a pouch of red liquid. She almost dropped the damned thing. “He wants it bottled.”
“We’re out of bottles. We just delivered all the stocks yesterday.”
“Delivered to whom?”
“To the Vampire market.”
“You sell blood for money?”
“Yes, but it’s no’ all about the money. Our leader, Lior, is no’ as tyrannical as you think he is. He wants peace in this world. He wants the humans to be safe while we share their land. This land belongs to the humans, and so he has to do his part to keep the Vampires from attacking them for blood. So he supplies them instead.”
“But isn’t that too cruel to the cows?”
“Cows can take occasional suction of blood. As you can see, they are all healthy.”
Asra agreed. All the cows in the ranch were all healthy, so Lior probably knew what he was doing. “I’ll take this back to the blabber mouth. He might complain again.”
She was about to go out when Ginny spoke.
“I need to speak with you for a minute.”
She looked back at Ginny.
“It will no’ take long.”
Without a word, she sat on a stool while Ginny sat on top of the freezer. “We know what happened between you and Lior the other night.”
Deeply embarrassed, Asra could only stare at Ginny. Heat consumed her cheeks.
“We Lycans have very sensitive hearing. We all heard your screams.”
“At such distance?”
“No, but some of us were in the forest looking for you, as well.”
More heat flamed her cheeks.
“For us Lycans, we must earn the right to mate with the leader. You dunna deserve to engage in sex with Lord Lior, no’ until you’ve reached a certain rank.”
“What rank?”
“Our pack is divided into four ranks. The lowest are the servants, followed by the workers, the overseers, and the highest is the lord or leader, a position held only by an Alpha. And the ranks are further subdivided.”
“How do you decide who’s an Alpha?”
“An Alpha is no’ decided. They’re just made that way. They are a lot stronger than ordinary Lycans, and Lord Lior is one among them. Now, going back to what I was saying earlier, if you are a newcomer, you’d have to start from the bottom.”
Asra knew Ginny wanted to make her aware that she was at the bottom of the pack. Such insult!
“If you want to assert yourself to a higher rank, you’ll have to challenge the one holding the rank you aim for. Or work hard and the leader will reward you by promotion. However, if other Lycans feel they deserve the promotion more, they can challenge you to a duel.”
She was incredulous. “I didn’t know that.”
“You’ve disregarded the Lycan tradition and that’s a grave insult to our culture. Because of that, you’ve sparked the hatred of all female Lycans… including mine.”
Her heart lurched, terrified, but she wouldn’t show it, even if this Lycan had almost cut her neck. “So what do you want me to do?”
Ginny cleared her throat. “You’ll have to leave this place, or the female Lycans will challenge you to a duel, and you canna decline a challenge while you’re in the Lycan territory. You’ll have to accept it or you die.”
Asra swallowed hard. “I’m not a Lycan.”
“You live with us, so that makes you one of us.”
“And where will I go?”
“That’s your problem,” Ginny said and walked back to the corner to continue clearing the boxes.
Asra stared at Ginny. For the first time, she saw something that she’d never noticed before. “You love Lior, don’t you?”
Ginny froze. It took a while before she answered without turning to look at her. “What if I do? I’ve lost a duel with another female Lycan whom he was engaged to before. I believed I was more worthy of him, but I was wrong. That’s why I became a servant. That’s the price of losing a challenge. You’ll get demoted to the lowest rank in hierarchy. But I got promoted years ago. At least I’m serving him now.”
Lior was engaged before? Did that mean he was now married? “S-so, where is his wife?” Her voice stuttered, fearing the answer.
“He dinna marry her.”
That was quite a relief, but she tried to hide any emotion from the Lycan. Why?”
“I’m not sure why, but I’m guessing it’s because he dinna want to hurt me more than I already was.”
Asra suddenly pitied the she-monster. This Lycan had spent most of her life servicing Lior, probably hoping that someday, Lior would learn to love her in return. That explained why this Lycan never liked her from the very start.
Slowly, she turned around and walked out of the door. As she turned at the corner of the warehouse, she saw someone coming. Hell, it was one of the women who bullied her in the market.
“Good evening, whore,” the woman leered at her. “You screamed like a pig the other night.”
Blood rushed to her head in anger but she managed to restrain her ears from protruding. “What did you say?” she asked calmly.
“Oh, is it no’ true? You were screaming for Lord Lior to fuck you harder. We all heard it. So, how big was Lior’s cock that you were raving like crazy? Did it feel good to be fucked by his gigantic cock?”
“Damn you!” She saw red. She grabbed a big stone and hurled it at the bitch’s face.
When her vision cleared, she realized the woman had caught the stone with her long sharp claws that had quickly grown out of her fingertips.
She was frozen, fully aware that if this woman retaliated, she’d be a goner. But to her relief, the woman dropped the stone and smirked.
“You’re lucky we’re near lord Lior’s house, or I would’ve killed you,” the woman said and left.
Shaking in fear, Asra ran back into the house.
Lior heard Asra’s voice somewhere outside the house. It looked like she was arguing with another woman. That Elf could not seem to endure a single hour without having to argue with someone else.
Bitches.
But he knew the female Lycans will not dare harm her. He had put out the word that Asra was not to be ha
rmed in any way or they would face his wrath. He knew his people were resentful of Asra’s presence, especially the females but they didn’t know Asra’s purpose and he didn’t want to tell them. But he had to bring her to Alfheim soon or she would cause discord among his clan. A Lycan preferring a human mate than his kind, especially that he was their leader was a big insult to the pack and many might see him in a bad light, including his officials.
“I’m thirsty,” Bran complained. “What’s taking that lassie too long?”
“Didn’t you hear her?” Lysander said. “She has a name.”
“What’s her name?”
Lior had mentioned Asra’s name a few minutes ago, but it looked like Bran was not paying attention as he was busy pressing the buttons of his brand new iPhone.
He was amazed at how fast Gustavo was able to educate Bran of the modern technologies. Now, Bran would not use anything else but the latest of the most expensive gadgets.
“Asra,” Lysander replied.
“Asra what?”
“So you know about surnames already, huh?” Lysander teased.
“As you can see, I’ve transformed to a brand new me.”
“That’s the first thing I taught him,” Gustavo joined.
“She’s a MacLeod, isn’t she?” Lysander asked.
Before Lior could say a word, Asra entered the dining room and slapped the bag of blood on the table in front of Bran. “There’s your bloody blood,” she said.
Bran was momentarily shocked. “Hey, what do you think of me? A barbarian? Go get me a glass.”
“Get it yourself, piss pot!”
“That’s an ancient swear word, lassie. It’s out of trend now.”
“Pillock!”Asra spat, using another swear word she knew and stormed out of the dining room.
Bran looked at everyone around the table. “What did I do? Why’s she pissed?”
“You’re very insensitive, Bran,” Ceres scolded.
“I was just teaching her how to swear properly.”
“Miss Asra MacLeod, the daughter of Norman
MacLeod, the twenty-fourth Chief of MacLeod Clan, who went missing at the age of twenty one, “Gustavo narrated, reading the information from his smart phone.
“Really?” Bran asked. “So that lassie is a runaway princess? No wonder she acts so high and mighty.”
“Norman MacLeod died in 1837, Bran,” Lysander said. “I know him. One time, he came to me begging that I’d make him one of us so he could live with his half-Elf daughter forever. Sadly, I refused to grant his wish for I already had a descendant. He came to me again when his then twenty one year- old daughter was taken from him by the gods. He asked if I could help him get her back. Again, I was not able to help him.”
Lior was speechless. So Lysander had known about Asra a long time ago?
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Bran asked. “We could have helped that poor man.”
“You were still sleeping then,” Lysander answered.
“So the half-Elf is Asra?” Ceres asked. “Why is she here now if the gods had taken her?”
“Ask Lior,” Lysander answered.
Everyone looked at Lior.
Lior sighed. It was time to enlighten them about his new mission and he didn’t think anyone on this table would leak out a secret like this.
“I was tasked to kill her, but I kept her somewhere instead.”
“Kill her?!” Bran exclaimed. “How could you kill that lassie? She’s just a cute little blondie.”
“It was an order from Lord Odin. I was no’ in a position to question his order.”
“I knew it!” Bran said. “Odin is a murderer.”
Lysander nodded at Lior, hinting that they’d go talk somewhere else.
He stood up and followed Lysander out of the dining room.
“Hey!” Bran complained. “What about us?”
Lior closed the door. They entered another parlor.
“Does Odin know you didn’t kill her?” Lysander asked.
“Yes. He asked me to take her to Alfheim this time.”
“Why did he change his mind?”
“Because his seers found out she could be a songstress if she learned how to sing. That’s why I need to bring her to the land of the Elves, because only the Elves know the chant of a songstress.”
“So Odin wants to use her for his battles?”
Lior nodded. “He wants to conquer Jotun and end his long time rift with Surt.”
“If Odin uses the half-Elf to disturb the balance and peace here in Midgar, I’d kill her myself.”
That was exactly the reason why he could not tell this Vampire about Asra, but he could not handle the responsibility of guarding the Elf alone, especially that the monster Grunt was on the loose. He needed someone he could trust. “Odin has no plan to hurt the humans.”
“But what about the Vampires?”
“That, I’m no’ sure.”
Lysander shot him a hard look. “Then you know very well that she must not live. Odin has taken away your world. Why do you help him strengthen his army by bringing that Elf to Alfheim so he could conquer more worlds?”
“He promised to give me Vanar if I could help him defeat Surt. It had always been my goal to liberate my people. That Elf is the key to Odin’s victory.”
“I hate Surt as well, but the Jotuns are not imposing any threat to Midgar.”
“So is Asgard.”
“I don’t know. I don’t trust your beloved Odin.”
“The rebel Lycans, who now call themselves the Invictus, have escaped here in Midgar and the Demons are on alert. They know the songstress is here, and they’re guarding all the portals to Alfheim to make sure that the Elf does no’ make it there. And if these two form an alliance, I’m afraid they’d come attack this island and I’m no’ sure if my forces are enough to protect her.”
“Kill her and the threat is gone. Why do you fear your god? She’s better dead than her landing in the hands of the Demons. Does Raith know?”
“No. I’ve never seen Raith for a while now. He must no’ know about it either.”
“Good. Because I’m not sure where Raith’s loyalty lies. So far, he’d been a trustworthy member of the Ancient Forces, but he has this obsession of taking back his honor that was stripped off of him by his Demon father.”
“If I kill her, Odin will declare me a traitor and might annihilate the rest of my people in Vanar as a punishment for my insubordination. And the rebels here will hate me. Even my people here will hate me.”
Lysander was quiet, and then sighed. It seemed that he finally understood the real situation. “Isn’t it easier if you just kill her and send her soul to Asgard? That way you won’t have to trouble yourself protecting her from those Demons?”
Lior shook his head. “Elves dunna have souls, and so her soul is purely human. Only elves can learn the chant of the songstress.”
“And after she learns the chant, she has to die so she can go to Asgard?”
Lior could not say a word. Cruel as it was, but that was the bitter truth. The thought of Asra dead left him cold and weak and a lot of other things he didn’t want to feel again. He was in the same situation all over again, but this time around, he would not suffer the same downfall as he did before. His loyalty must be to his race. It was his duty. Nothing could come above Vanar and the survival of the Lycans.
Lysander sighed and rubbed his forehead. “If I help you, it’s like I’m helping bring a threat to Midgar.”
“Odin will no’ attack anyone in Midgar. I’ll make sure of that. Because if he does, I will fight alongside you to protect this world, and I will make it my duty to kill the songstress myself.”
Lysander seemed surprised. “You’ll turn your back from the god you have been serving all your life for me? To protect this world?”
“Yes.”
The vampire smiled, and Lior knew he could persuade the Grand Commander of the Ancient Forces now. “I trust you, Lior, but it’s your god that I
don’t trust. However, I must consult the council on this matter.”
“Fair enough.”
Chapter 12
Asra watched them in seething resentment as they walked down the hill. It was Lior. The woman with him was Olivia. According to Lior, Olivia was a daughter of a Senator in the Philippines.
“Senator, huh!” she sneered and turned her back from them. “I’m a Chief’s daughter, you bitch.”
She returned in her room to take a bath. Unlike the first time she came here, she now knew how to operate the shower. Ginny had taught her well.
She opened the bathroom door and heard the sound of water coming from the shower. She did not remember turning that on.
Puzzled, she pushed aside the shower curtain and was shocked to see a man soaking in the half-filled tub.
She froze. She wanted to scream but couldn’t.
“The hell!” the man roared and stood up.
She gasped. It was the Vampire Bran!
“You perverted lass! ‘A dare ya come peekin’ at me?!”
Her eyes widened. This piss pot had the guts to accuse her of peeking! She could yell back at him, but while he was standing naked right in front of her, she couldn’t say a word.
She quickly turned around and stepped out of the bathroom. She was still dumbfounded, while Bran kept on yelling.
“Can’t ya see I’m takin’ a bath?! Don’t ya kna ‘a to knock?! Or ya just wanna see me naked? ‘uh!”
“You shameless popinjay!” she yelled back. She had trouble trying to understand most of his words that sounded like the natives of East London, but she understood enough. “You think I want to see you naked?!”
Ceres, who was probably distracted by the ruckus, came inside the room. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
Before she could speak, Bran stepped out of the bathroom. “That woman! She was peekin’ at me.”
“Holy Odin!” Ceres exclaimed without turning away. “Can’t you cover your dick before you come yelling out here?”
Asra could have turned away, but when Ceres didn’t, she also refused to budge, making sure her eyes didn’t stray down Bran’s...dick. She almost giggled at how Lady Ceres called Bran’s thing.
“What for?” Bran said. Finally, he was talking properly. “She’d seen it all anyway.”