Ties To The Blood Moon

by Robin P. Waldrop

  Chapter 36

  Joseph wouldn’t even look at me after we got off the plane. To make matters worse, he was actually nice to William, and thanked him for the ride. Luna hugged me for the forty seventh time, and then disappeared inside her grandfather’s truck.

  William’s dad had a car waiting for us. The window tint was so dark, it appeared to be dark outside even though it was actually daytime. It wouldn’t grow completely dark for a couple more months.

  The ride home was eerily quiet. I saw William in a whole new light and wondered why he would want to be with someone who was a natural enemy to “his kind.”

  We turned toward each other and we both started to speak at the same time, and laughed.

  “Sorry, go ahead.” I smiled, already feeling a bit better.

  “I haven’t been totally honest with you,” he said, then dropped his eyes to his fidgeting hands.

  I had no idea what he was about to say, which really made me nervous. “Oh?”

  His eyes sparkled against the darkness of the car. “I haven’t been dishonest, I just haven’t told you everything.”

  “Well? What are you waiting for?” I smiled nervously, and he scooted a little closer. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be any worse than the bomb I had dropped on him. “I’m listening.”

  “Uh...I’m sort of like you.” After he said that, he glanced at me with that sideways grin that always made my heart flutter.

  “My father brought me to Haven for a reason. You see, you’re not the only one with an agenda. I was sent here by the Amalric to stop Zane.”

  “What are you talking about, William?”

  “The Amalric is like the president of all the vampires. Just like humans, we have laws we have to abide by, and Zane has broken all of them.”

  “But… I’ve seen Zane transform. He’s a werewolf.” I said with trepidation. At first, I thought William must have been confused, but what he said next told me there was so much more about this new part of my life that I had yet to learn.

  “He is and he isn’t.” William paused for a brief moment. “Actually…he’s both,” he said gravely, and grew quiet, like maybe he thought by telling me would somehow put me in more danger.

  I swallowed hard. “Is that even possible?” There was definitely something in his tone that frightened the hell out of me.

  “Yeah. It’s rare, but it does happen. They are known as hybrids. There are only a few in existence, and Zane is one of them. The others aren’t like him though. They stay hidden, because if they were to reveal what they are to the wrong person it would only be a matter of time before something happened. They would be blamed and the Amalric would be forced to have them hunted down and destroyed. I’ve seen it happen before.”

  “So…,” I trailed off, my mind raced in a million different directions and was unable to form the questions I so desperately wanted to ask.

  William felt my hand shaking when he took it in his. “I shouldn’t have said anything yet. It’s all still too much for you-”

  “No.” I cut him off. “I want to know everything. Please. Keep going.”

  William smiled warmly, and pushed a piece of loose hair behind my ear, before continuing. “Zane has been hiding out here for several years, building an army of lycan. If he takes the throne, then he will rule over all the werewolves, and even the Adlet warriors will have to obey him. Together with his army, he’ll order the werewolves, the Adlet, and some rebel vampires he’s convinced to take his side, to overthrow the Amalric. Genevieve, if Zane does that it will bring chaos to the world. Humans will become slaves the world a dark place full of torture and death.”

  “Oh my God!” I shook violently. “I’ve got to get my mom away from him before he does something to her.”

  “We will, but you can’t tell anyone what I’ve told you, or why I’m really here.”

  “Not even my aunt?”

  “No,” he snapped, but didn’t mean to. “No one can know. Someone here is a trader, and until I can find out who, you can’t tell a soul. If Zane finds out, he’ll kill your mom.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “You’re not going to be able to take Zane back.”

  “Why not?” He asked earnestly.

  “Because…I’m going to kill that bastard! He’ll regret the day he messed with me and kidnapped my mom.”

  “You can’t kill him,” William said severely.

  I folded my arms tightly across my chest. “Why not? I won’t let you take him alive, William. He has to die. It’s the only way we can all be free.” I quickly wiped at a tear that spilled from my eye.

  “You’re not strong enough, or fast enough to kill him...not yet, anyway.”

  Before I could ask him what he meant, the car came to a stop in front of my aunt’s house.

  “Go on inside. We’ll finish this conversation later. I promise.” He squeezed my hand.

  My heart felt like it flip-flopped when he leaned in close and placed a tender kiss on my lips. I think he knew it, too, because we both laughed at the same time.