He breathed in the deep night air, letting the scent of the tilled earth calm his unsettled nerves. Night was always his favorite time of day. Now, with the full moon silver and pregnant in the sky, he felt the knots in his shoulders relaxing. The field stretched out like a sea of life as he walked between the rows. Owls called to one another in the forest beyond.
The sound of small rodents scampering under the ground, away from the fields, made him smile. Mandy's blessing would ensure that they would have lots of babies to feed the owls, hawks, foxes, and other predators around the clan's town this summer, which in turn would leave the larger prey animals for the bears to hunt, while the light wizard's spell would keep the rodents away from the crops themselves. Something about making them invisible.
A strange, unfamiliar scent wafted into his nostrils and he stopped. It smelled of rotting flesh and old, musty clothes. A trace of brimstone made him gag. He turned, searching for the source of the smell. He tasted it on his tongue, like old blood and Sulphur.
Something rammed into his back. A blood-curdling shriek pierced the air as claws raked down his back. He howled, stumbling forward, and whirled on his attacker.
The creature threw itself on him again, clawing at his eyes. He threw an arm over his face to protect it, and long, sharp claws pierced through his ribs. Pain burst through his body and he howled again. His bear roared, and he allowed it to surface. Sharp fangs grew in his mouth and he lunged forward blindly. His teeth sunk into his attacker and he threw it off him, then wheeled around to continue his assault. The creature sprang to its feet, and Daniel froze. His heart gave a mighty thump and his eyes widened. It wasn't a creature at all.
It was a woman.
The most beautiful woman he'd ever seen before. The moonlight glowed pearl on her icy skin, a compelling form revealed to him through scraps of rotting cloth hanging off her body. She was tall and willowy, and her face! It was so beautiful it hurt to look at. Dark eyes in that pale face, blood-red lips, ebony hair. She looked like Snow White.
Her lips parted slightly, revealing two long, delicate fangs. A vampire? Somewhere in the back of Daniel's mind, he knew why he was frozen, helpless against her beauty, even though he'd only heard of vampires before. She was enthralling him, but he didn't care. Just being witness to this beauty was more than he could ask for.
The vampire sauntered forward, towering over him. It wasn't until she grasped a handful of his hair and pulled his head to one side that he realized that he had shifted back to his human's form and sunk to his knees before her. Her claws scratched over his scalp and his bear snarled, ramming against his chest, but he refused to let it out. It would hurt this beautiful goddess.
Her fangs sunk into his neck. White-hot pain exploded through him, freezing him to the spot. He gasped for breath, hands reaching out to clutch at the beautiful woman. His hands met air and he collapsed, the vampire no longer beside him.
His face buried into the warmth of the earth. A chill stole over him, making his head spin and stomach churn. He breathed in the scent of dirt and shakily looked up. The vampire stood with her back towards him, tearing off the scraps of cloth that remained on her body. The enthralling was wearing off; even though his heart still clenched at the sight of her white skin and comely form, it no longer held the awe for him that it had moments before. She glanced back down at him, cocked her head to one side, and balled her fist.
It was like a rock connecting to his temple. Everything spun around him, and the pale moonlight disappeared into blackness. By the time his vision cleared, she was gone. Daniel stumbled to his feet, blood pouring from his neck. Where was she?
Halfway across the field, he spotted her headed for the town. Daniel's heart lurched, the last tendrils of enthrallment dissipating. They wouldn't have been able to hear his howls over the music. She could just waltz in, among his people. The clan he was meant to protect and defend. How many of them would recognize a vampire in their midst before she could enthrall them all?
His bear growled in his chest, and Daniel drew it forward. The shift was painful, making him grunt, but as his form changed, the vampire's scent grew stronger. Death and bloodshed. Gathering his strength, he charged after her. Dirt flew around his feet, upsetting the freshly planted seeds. Her being glowed like an angel in the night. She didn't hear him coming, and when he reached her he swiped both paws at her.
Streaks of blood smeared her skin from where his claws should have been. The force of his blow spun her around. Enraged black eyes met his and she punched him again, her stony fists driving into his chest and face over and over again. He tried to fight back, to grab her in his paws and subdue her with his teeth, but she slipped through his grasp like water. Her hands dug into his fur, and she heaved his massive body into the air and threw him towards the trees. The impact split the trunk in half and it collapsed over him.
The world threatened to go black again. Daniel lay still, his body spiraling between pain and numbness, consciousness and unconsciousness. He couldn't pull any coherent thought from his mind. Images of the vampire's face flashed before his eyes. Each time it did, the pain would increase to the point where it was nearly overwhelming. He struggled to his feet only to collapse again.
A growl rose up his throat as his bear retreated, drawing most of the pain with it. His head cleared and he stumbled to his feet. His legs were stiff, his back cramped, but he was able to make himself walk. His only thought was getting back to the town. The music cut out suddenly, and he knew she was there. The party lights blurred, but he could see them all standing, staring up at her. Utterly still. Her form could be seen clearly on the stage where the speakers were placed.
"My dear people," her clear melodious voice floated through the air. If it wasn't for the pain in his body, he might have fallen under her enthrallment just hearing her voice. "How good it is to be among the living again."
Pain exploded in his chest where she had stabbed him, and he collapsed to his knees, vomiting blood. His head spun once more.
He couldn’t defeat her like this. She had already bested him more than once–she had taken him by surprise the first time, but that hardly mattered now. He was badly injured and needed a full night's sleep to even start to heal from his injuries. He couldn’t defeat the vampire–at least not head-on.
Wiping his mouth, Daniel got to his feet again. This time he headed into the trees and moved around the town. His healing was starting to kick in, and though he still felt weak and his breathing was hitched with pain, he was able to form a clear plan. He quickly made his way into one of the nearest houses and dressed in new clothing, and pulled a heavy coat on over top to hide his bleeding the best he could. He found an iPod and stuffed the buds into his ears so he couldn't hear the vampire's voice before he headed for the party.
Adam and the light wizard stood at the back of the group. Daniel slowly inched his way to them and grasped their elbows. They resisted a little as he tugged them away from the group, but once he managed to break their gaze from the vampire, they stumbled after him like confused children. Both turned a shade of green and blinked rapidly.
"Daniel, what's going on?" Adam asked, shaking his head.
The alpha shushed his brother. "Stay quiet. Get into the trees and wait for more."
Adam opened his mouth, but at Daniel's glare closed it and he nodded. The alpha turned back, gritting his teeth, and headed back to the group. Mandy and the lion were next. But just as he reached them, Mandy jumped forward, throwing her hands into the air.
"Me," she cried, drawing the vampire's attention. "Take me!"
Chapter Three
Mandy
Her name was Eleanor.
Mandy's heart jumped all over her chest, her cheeks flushed and eyes bright as her gaze roamed over the figure of the gorgeous woman standing before the crowd. Mandy had never felt attracted to another woman before, but then she'd never seen a woman like Eleanor.
Her pale skin was streaked with dirt and her dark hair hung in a m
atted mess around her frame, but there was no mistaking the beauty before them. Curves just like her own, only Eleanor was tall enough that they didn't make her overweight, just voluptuous. An hourglass figure with perky breasts that put gravity to shame, paired with long limbs and slim shoulders.
Her perfect figure. Mandy felt something inside her tighten at just the sound of it. She wanted to push her way through the crowd, to get closer to the goddess, but why would someone so beautiful even look at her?
"And so you see," Eleanor said, "I am in desperate need of a volunteer."
Mandy's hands shot straight up before her mind could even process that she didn't know what she was volunteering for.
"Me!" she shouted, jumping up and down while hands shot up all throughout the crowd. "Take me!"
She froze when Eleanor's gaze landed on her. Blood rushed to her cheeks, and she knew even before Eleanor spoke that she wasn't right for whatever this was. She glanced over the crowd quickly. Only a handful of the women had raised their hands. The rest were all men. Mandy's hands dropped, stomach churning. Eleanor must have asked for men… and now the earth-witch had humiliated herself again.
There was no condemnation in Eleanor's eyes when she looked at her, though. Instead, a smile lit her face. It was so bright that Mandy lost her breath looking at her. Her face burned, but she couldn’t help but grin back.
"No. Not you," Eleanor purred. "You are the one who brought me back, aren't you? I can smell the life on you from here. I have something very special planned for you, my dear."
Mandy beamed. Just the acknowledgment was enough to make her knees go weak, but to be told that the goddess had something special for her? It was beyond her wildest dreams.
Eleanor picked somebody else from the crowd. A bunch of the people pushed forward, begging to be chosen instead, but fell silent when she raised her hand. Mandy, for her part, was jealous of the man who strutted up to the front and leaped onto the stage, but it was manageable. Beside her, Zack moved a little forward and scowled. She couldn't help but grin triumphantly at him.
This would show him. For all his talk about wanting her back and asking who else could love her like he could, she had found someone far, far better than him. Eleanor has something special for her. She was never special to Zack, no matter what he claimed now.
Mandy pressed into the crowd, sighing as she imagined what Eleanor might have planned for her. The man on the stage ripped his shirt off and Eleanor pushed him to his knees and grasped a handful of his hair, jerking his head to one side. She opened her mouth wide, two pearly fangs glinting in the colored lights. A vampire? Was she going to drink from him?
Mandy fought down another surge of jealousy.
A hand closed around her elbow. She shrieked, pulling herself away from the grasp. She whirled around to confront the person–certain it was Zack, and he was trying to keep her from Eleanor's side–and her breath caught in her chest when she saw it was Daniel. Mandy blinked, surprised. Why was he grabbing her?
Eleanor's voice drifted over the heads of the crowd to them. "Well, it appears you're stronger than I expected."
Mandy's shriek had drawn the vampire's attention, and now she stood straight, staring at Daniel. Her hand was still on the man at her side, but otherwise she ignored him. Fire burned in Daniel's eyes as he dragged Mandy away from the crowd. She heard a heavy bass pumping from the buds in his ears, and rose her brows. He was also covered in blood, and Mandy felt a little faint.
"What are you doing?" Eleanor snarled. "Come here at once."
Daniel glanced up at Eleanor. He froze, shuddered, and his grip on Mandy tightened. She tried to pull away as his fingers dug into her arm. Her movement must have snapped something in him, because he suddenly seized her around the waist. She screamed as he hoisted her up. Part of her was surprised that he could actually pick her up given how wounded he was, but for the most part, she was just afraid of being parted from Eleanor.
"No," she cried. "I'm special!"
Her stomach landed on his shoulder, sending the air shooting from her body. He turned and ran. Mandy, in shock, didn't fight. The crowd stared blankly at her and Daniel. Even Zack didn't move to help her. It was the sight of his blank, stupid face that woke Mandy from her shock. She kicked and screamed, reaching for Eleanor.
"Help me!" she cried, hating every foot that separated them. "Help!"
"Let her go!" Eleanor screamed. She screamed, fury and hatred sounding in her voice. "Come back here at once!"
Why wasn't Daniel obeying her? Mandy kicked him in the stomach. He let out a strangled noise and stumbled a little, but didn't stop. The bass kept blaring from his earbuds. Mandy yanked one of them out, so he could hear Eleanor just as the goddess began screaming again.
Daniel stumbled again. His chest heaved and sweat beaded along the back of his neck. Mandy winced, forgetting for an instant about Eleanor and everything happening around her. She was an earth witch, and she had always wanted to be able to help others. Magic flowed from her fingertips into his body, healing the injuries there.
"After them!" Eleanor shouted. "Bring them back to me! I will feast on his blood."
Daniel stopped. Finally, he was seeing reason. His body trembled, and he turned as he set Mandy on her feet.
"She's a vampire!" he shouted. "She's enthralling you."
"Silence him!" Eleanor screeched. "Now!"
The crowd surged forward, blood in their eyes. Zack led them, his lips pulled back in a snarl. Mandy turned, pulling magic to her fingertips to use against Daniel. But the fire burning in his eyes stopped her. He drew himself up, huge, intimidating, strong. The clan charged, silently, like zombies. Mandy shuddered. What was happening?
"I am your alpha," he shouted, his voice deep, booming, with the unmistakable ring of authority to it. "Stop!"
They all stopped dead. On the stage, Eleanor's jaw dropped. Mandy blinked as she looked at the goddess–except she didn't look so much like a goddess now. Blood that Mandy hadn't seen before dribbled from her mouth, her fangs flashing. The wild mat of her hair, the tense coiled muscles, it all spoke to a predator waiting to pounce.
She shuddered. What was going on? She squirmed, torn between the desire to run back to Eleanor and feel that sense of being special and the need to run for her life.
"Don't listen to him," Eleanor screamed. "Bring them to me."
Daniel roared, a loud, wordless cry that drowned out Eleanor's voice. What was left of the sway the woman had over the crowd broke. A few of them screamed and ran, others turned and charged her. Zack rushed past them and grabbed Mandy, carrying her away into the forest.
At some point, two more men joined them, and Mandy cried out when she saw one of them was Martin. The light-wizard tripped Zack, and the man with them–the bear that looked like Daniel, his brother–caught her as the lion went sprawling. He jumped to his feet again, snarling, but at that moment Daniel came through the trees again. Blood was splashed all over his body, clothes torn. His eyes burned still.
"She has them again," he grunted and reached for Mandy.
She shied back from him, her mind swirling in confusion. Nausea swept through her like she was coming off of some sort of drug. From the pale faces around her, the others were feeling the same. Martin's body heaved, which set off something in Mandy. She kicked, trying to make Daniel release her, but it wasn't fast enough. She vomited all over him.
The alpha froze a moment, glancing down at himself. Mandy gasped in horror–and vomited again. This time he spun her around so she didn't hit him. Her knees felt weak, her head swimming.
"What was that?" Martin gasped. "Who is she?"
"A vampire," Daniel said.
Daniel's brother leaned against a tree. "Vampire? There haven't been vampires for hundreds of years. How could—"
"I don't know what happened, Adam," the alpha snapped. "She attacked me in the fields, and she's a vampire. She's got the clan enthralled, and none of us are in a position to fight her. I couldn't even make a
scratch on her, and that was without the whole clan defending her."
Zack, who had stumbled away, came back. His eyes were locked on Mandy, though he spoke to Daniel. "You managed to break her thrall or whatever it was. Can't you do it again?"
"No. Whatever I did, it wasn't enough and it won't be enough if I tried it again." His shoulders slumped as he glanced back.
Mandy reached for his arm before pulling herself back. How painful must that be for him to admit, that he couldn’t help his clan right now? He was an alpha, it was ingrained in their DNA to help and protect their clans and those who were weaker than them. The blood still poured from his body, and she pressed her hands to his chest. His eyes met hers as she let her magic pour into his body, healing his wounds.
He caught her when she swayed from the effort, and Martin quickly stepped in and picked her up. Mandy frowned, but he was the only one she knew, and her legs felt too weak to support her. He glared at the shifters around them.
"We have to get help if we're going to stop the vampire. But first, we need to have a safe place to rest. She said she had something special planned for Mandy, she'll be sending them after us soon enough."
Daniel nodded. "Follow me."
Mandy shivered as Martin carried her. Though she was grateful not to have to walk while her head spun this way, she couldn't help but wish he had left her in Daniel's arms.
Chapter Four
Daniel
A light rain misted in the forest, but inside the little rustic cabin, it was dry. Daniel stood at a glass window, looking out among the trees. Though few people knew about this place, it would be easy enough for the others to track their scents here. He would have preferred to keep going, but with the state his companions were in, it was lucky they got this far.
The dirt-floor cabin was good enough to keep the weather out, but just barely. The weathered logs and gray planks were in awful condition, even worse than when Daniel had scavenged them from old, falling-down buildings when he was a young teen. He'd built this place to get away from it all whenever things got too overwhelming, but he'd stopped coming years ago. He had had to learn how to push through and deal with the problems head-on. As an alpha, he didn't have time to take breaks to sort out his personal issues.
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