by Kiana
I followed his instructions. My breathing returned to normal, and I was able to focus. This voice wasn’t just familiar. I’d heard it recently.
“Good, you are in the safest place on earth.” I wanted to drop my phone. I was speaking with O.
“This is what’s best for you and all mankind. “
“Excuse me?” I said, realizing I definitely was not speaking to an emergency line.
“We need to be sure that you were not contaminated during last night’s attack.”
“Contaminated? Contaminated by what?”
“We would rather not say. If you remain cooperative, this experience will be swift and accommodating. However, if you keep beating on my door like a wild animal, shit can get real, real fast, Cara.”
“Where is Lystra?”
“She is being checked for contaminants as well.”
This was some bullshit. Of course, Lystra would get us caught up some crazy mess. They probably were checking us for STDs, and then were going to put us in a sex trade group. I had to make them feel threatened. I wasn’t going down without a fight.
“People will come looking for us.” I kept my voice calm. I wanted to show them I wasn’t scared, but in reality, I was terrified.
“We are sure of this. In the meantime, enjoy your breakfast.” He laughed before ending the call.
On cue, a panel on the wall opened and out of an air pressure tube my breakfast slid forward. The panel snapped shut before I could examine it. It smelled heavenly. My breakfast was steak, cheesy eggs, and biscuits. I didn’t want to touch it, but I was starving. I could only pray it wasn't poisoned. I took the tray to my bed and looked at my phone. It seemed pointless now. Wherever I was, my calls were being intercepted. I began to pray for Lystra. The last time I saw her, she was bloody and unconscious. I wonder if it was the man or the dog that contaminated us. I had so many questions and didn’t even know where to begin to find answers.
I discovered one of the side tables was a tiny fridge with bottles of water, juice, and vodka. Stuck in my private annex, I did the only thing I could do. I watched TV until they came to kill me.
3
O
I watched Cara make herself comfortable in her room from the security cameras.
“She shows no sign of turning yet,” my beta Anton informed me.
“It’s only been 24 hours, give her time.”
I could understand his apprehension. We long ago discovered that the blood on Cara's dress was Lystra's. Lystra had tested positive for Poryphia, which is common for cypids. However, the travesty of it was so low that Lystra could be saved. Unlike her friend, her accommodations were much more hospital-like. She was due for a blood transfusion in a few hours. Anton wanted us to maintain our focus on Lystra, not Cara. He didn't hate Cara. His concern was just with his soon to be mate. He had planned to reveal himself soon so that they could start the mating ritual. He needed to turn Lystra, but it could only be of her own free will.
As wolves, we tend to mate differently than humans. It doesn’t take us years to decide a woman is our significant other. Anton had sniffed Lystra out at a concert full of people. I think he called it Coachella. He hasn’t been the same sense. Honestly, he won’t be the same until he bites Lystra. Then and only then will my beta be the friend I’ve grown to love.
Shit, I think I skipped some things. My name is Ozni. I don’t have a last name. Yes, that is an indicator of how old I am. I am a wolf. Correction, I am the Alpha wolf of this particular territory in North America. My reach is far and wide, but I reside here at Arnoux Manor. It’s a compound I own and provide for my intermediate pack.
I’ve seen this world change over and over again. Things like racism, hatred, murder, and violence never change. So, I felt compelled to find a place for my people to be who they truly are safe. Here at the manor, we educate one another on survival amongst the humans as well as the other creatures of this world. Some have stayed, and some have left, but they’ll always be family to me. I have helped in the mating ceremonies of all of my pack brothers. I gave them my blessings but never have I chosen a mate. I have never needed a mate. This is how it’s been for a very long time. I don’t feel as though I’m missing out on much. I am glad to see the growth of my people, even if I’m not apart of it in that way.
Though in all of my time on this planet, I have never had anyone affect me the way Cara did. A human female has aroused me a time or two. Occasionally, I have a decent conversation with one. Albeit none of them knew what I was.
I needed to know why and how Cara gave me that vision. The vision itself was a mystery. Even though the blood was Lystra’s, why did I see her turning into something? She shook me before I could see whatever it was, which brings me back to my point. How did she send me a vision? Not even shamans can do that. Clearly, this girl had something going on, and you could bet I was going to get to the bottom of it.
We as wolves have made a pack to use our enhanced abilities to protect not only our own but those who can’t protect themselves. There is an entire world of beasts, monsters, gods, and higher beings. Humans know nothing of this. It’s best that it stays that way. They can barely help one another. So, we together from all nations, try to keep some sort of order in the chaos that unfolds in the shadows.
“Are you sure this is just about contamination?” I forgot he was even in the room.
“Of course, it is.”
I didn’t like Anton’s accusation. I have taken an interest in Cara for the sake of our kind. It was nothing personal. She was a beautiful young woman, but the life I lead was too much for me to handle on top of guarding a mate and pups. I made the decision a long time ago that I was a better Alpha without that factor.
“It’s ok if it is man. Cara is—” Anton continued. I cut him off mid-sentence. I knew where this was going, and I needed to stop his train of thought.
“Cara is a patient. Thus she will be treated like one. Love is making you lose your senses.”
“Who you telling?” Anton laughed, and I laughed with him.
“Go see about your mate.”
“What if she doesn’t make it?”
“You cannot think like that, Anton. She is a fighter. Before we ran down that alley, she and Cara had a good hold on the vampire. I was impressed, considering they are both humans.”
“She is an amazing woman.” His gaze was both admirable and dazed. My beta was stuck in a love fog.
“Again, she’s going to be fine. Now go.” I shooed him off towards the hospital wing of my estate.
The best way I can look after my pack is if we all lived on the same land. Twenty acres of land are provided by myself, for my brethren, and my family. So far, I am responsible for 80 wolves, pups and all. I take my position seriously. Our pups are exposed to the best education and resources. When they come of age and begin to turn, they are trained so that they can control their powers to the best of their abilities. Over time human had all but eradicated us. Those who were born slaves to the full moon are rare. Our kind has blended with society in hopes to continue to thrive. It was our last means to keep familiar bloodlines from crossing. Still, we are not vicious. No one can be turned without choosing so. It is a choice of free will. If I find any wolf that turned a human involuntarily, he will pay with his life.
I left from the security room of the hospital and headed home. At the base of the estate is my home. Spacious and wide, one could call it a mansion. Five bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a spacious finished attic and basement were what I called home. Only one bedroom was furnished. I didn’t allow guests in my home overnight. Homes were built as new wolves arrived so there would be no need for anyone to stay with me. I rather enjoy my privacy. It keeps my mind clear. My home is my peace.
I wanted to question her before we started any blood tests. Maybe gaining her trust would help her stay cooperative. Through the tiny window, I could see she was completely engrossed in the movie that she was watching. When the door to her room unlocked, she
stirred from her TV stupor. She looked at me in shock, which quickly shifted to anger.
“You!!” she screamed and then began to look for something to throw. She located a pillow and raised it above her head.
“Calm yourself. I came here to talk.”
“Oh yeah, let’s talk about why you kidnapped me!” She threw the pillow at me frustrated.
“Or maybe we could go right into whatever disease you clearly contaminated me with! Where are my clothes? Where the hell am I?” she yelled again. She spoke a mile a minute.
“Are you going to let me answer the questions or keep yelling at me?”
“I haven’t decided yet!”
I blushed. It wasn’t something I was used to doing, but she made me smile. Her hair was a messy halo of curls, and a light sheen of sweat was attached to her forehead. Her mouth pressed her full lips into a smaller line. She was outraged. She was beautiful.
“If you have a seat we can speak. Your dinner should be on its way momentarily,” I said, picking up the pillows that she tossed my way. She sat down on the room’s small sofa, and I sat on its connected chaise.
“Let’s get one thing clear. I am not kidnapping you. I don’t want to see you in harm or deprive you of your basic rights. I am simply protecting the rights of the other humans on this planet. The ones who were given a divine right to live. Once we are sure you are not going to turn, we can let you go.”
“Turn into what?”
“We want to make sure that you don’t turn into a vampire.” She opened and closed her mouth several times trying to respond to my statement. All of which I could hear. She had question after question, which just led to more questions. In the end, she just stayed silent and signaled with her hand for me to continue.
“We will need a blood sample from you. The test is instant. If the results are negative, you may leave, after the NDA, of course.”
“Really? An NDA. Really?”
“Yes. It’s for the best interest of all involved.”
“Where is my friend? Is she alive?”
“Of course she is! We are not savages! Her injuries were worse than yours were. She will need weeks of treatment before she can be released.”
“You done lost your damn mind if you think I’m leaving here without her. I’ll go when she does,” she scoffed.
“Your friend will be fine. Anton would see it no other way.”
“Of course, his ass is a part of this too. The point is, I ain’t leaving without her. You’re gone have to drag me out of here.”
“Not necessary. After treatment, I will see to it that you are put in a better room.”
Her serving panel was opened. Today's dinner was roast turkey, stuffing, and greens. The smell slightly nauseated me. I prefer my meat raw. She ran to the panel to get her meat. Her appetite was slightly ravenous.
“I let you eat in peace.”
“Wait!” she said between bites.
“I have questions.” After retrieving a water bottle from her fridge, I handed it to her. She had a lot of food in her mouth. She swallowed it, as I sat down.
“I’m sorry. I’m a nervous eater. What if Lystra tests are positive? Can we help her?”
“You cannot help her, but depending on the level of contamination, we may be able to keep her from turning. There are two options. We can clear her blood of all the vampire venom, and the other option is to try to turn her into one of us.”
“My follow up question and quite frankly the one that brings me the most dread is what are you?” She was definitely nervous. Her whole bodied vibrated. She realized she could no longer control the hand holding the fork, so she dropped it.
I debated telling her the absolute truth. Most people freak out when they realize the nightmares they had from childhood were more than likely real things. Still knowing the behaviors and traditions of my own kind, time has assured me that some of the most terrifying things in this world were purely human. If finding out her friend could potentially become a vampire didn’t freak her out, finding out I was a wolf couldn’t be worse. Still, I would be courteous about it.
“Are you sure you want to know? I mean once you see it, you can’t un-see it. The world you knew will be gone.”
She thought about it. I have to know. Shit, after seeing that wolf last night, my life has already changed. I heard her thoughts.
“I have to know, or it will drive me crazy.” I nodded.
“We need to move the table.” She didn’t hesitate. We picked up the small coffee table, moving it out the way. When more space was provided, I took off my shirt and then my pants.
“Oh!” she covered her eyes.
“Is that really necessary?” she asked, keeping her hand over her eyes.
“Those are Gucci slacks. I’m not ripping those.” She dropped her hand and rolled her eyes at my statement.
I took a deep breath and felt the heat grow from the core of my body into the tips of my fingers and toes. It isn’t as painful as it used to be, but it isn’t comfortable either. My spine spread and cracked as my new form took place. Fur slipped through the pores of my skin. My face elongated and my teeth grew longer. Cara stood in her corner watching in amazement.
When I was all said and done, I was a six feet tall wolf with silky, black fur. In the middle of my forehead was a golden patch, a spot given to me by my ancestors. It let other packs know that I was Alpha.
“Huh, well look at that.”
She inched her way out of the corner. She bit her lip. I turned away to sit on my haunches. That’s when she touched me right behind the ear. I felt a warm feeling spread through my body. She came around to face me with her small hands still lost in my black fur. I was taken aback. She wasn’t scared of me.
She rubbed the spot just under my neck. I found myself nuzzling her neck. Her scent was alluring and made me hungry. She smelled like pecan pie, warm and inviting. I felt a strong whoosh of wind. She made my tail wag. I felt embarrassed but not enough to make her stop touching me.
When we finally made eye contact, it happened again. I was having another vision of her. She was writing and twisting on a dirty floor. She threw her body on to all fours. She ducked her head down in pain. She threw her head back, and her eyes were golden like mine.
She let go of my fur, and the vision disappeared. I was vexed. Not just because of the vision she forced on me but because she’d stopped touching me.
“How are you doing that?” I yelled in her head.
“How are you doing this?!” she yelled out loud, holding her head.
“It’s how I communicate when I’m in wolf form. Don’t change the subject. How do you keep giving me these visions?”
“I’m not doing it!”
“Liar!” I growled in her direction. I don’t like being lied to. It’s beyond a pet peeve issue. It brings out the beast in me.
If I didn’t calm down, it would take me forever to change back. I had to keep from looking at her in order to shift. I heard an audible gasp when I was back in human form. Yes, I was naked, but I didn’t have the patience to address the issue. I quickly dressed before going to her door.
“We will need the blood test, but may keep you longer. I don’t know what magic it is that you master, but I will find out, and the punishment will fit your crimes.”
4
Lystra
I cannot move. My limbs do not respond to my desperate cries for help. My yells of pain do not escape my lips. I can feel the venom slowly cursing humanity from my body. Why me?
I only wanted to help him. I never knew what he really was.
I cannot move. I can hear. I can hear Anton’s voice. He begs me to hold on. He promises he will not let become a monster.
A monster? Is that why my body burns the way it does? Is that why the only thing that’s louder than his voice is his heart? It beats so loudly. The pulse of blood rushing through his system, and it makes my throat burn the most. What is happening to me?
I have only known this man for
two weeks, but every day has been incredible. He treats me like a queen, and we haven’t had sex yet. Here I am in a hospital, and I have no idea how he knew where to find me, but he did, and he hasn’t left my side. Is it weird that I know this because I can smell him every day?
I hear the door open. The shift in the wind lets me know that Anton has moved around in the room.
“Anton, it’s not good. The transmission was barely successful. There are still traces of the vampire venom in her blood.” My heart monitor sped up a bit. Vampire blood? I got bit by a vampire! I don’t want to be a vampire! I hate nighttime!
“No, we have to do it again,” he insisted.
“It won’t help. It’s time we consider other options.”
“I wanted her to make the choice on her own.”
“I know. It’s a choice we want all of our mates to have. If we don’t do this soon, you may lose her forever. When she turns, she will have few memories of her previous life. She will become a blood-sucking parasite until you have to drive a stake through her heart.”
“No pressure, right?”
“I know you will make a decision that’s best for her.” The doctor left the room, and an eerie silence follows.
“I know you can hear me, Lystra. I know this isn’t fair. I need you to help me. Help me make the right choice. I will be damned if I let you become a demon, but I wanted you to be my mate by choice. If I bite, you will not become a vampire, but you will be half of me— forever. There is no going back. Please, Lystra, give me a sign,” I heard him beg before the weight of body pressed bed down.
So, this is what it comes down to. I can be a vampire or I can be a werewolf. I cannot move. I cannot see. I can cry.
5
Cara
The punishment will fit the crime.
The words replayed in my head. This had all gone so wrong so fast. I needed to make moves and fast. I had no idea what O was talking about. I had no magical powers. I had those visions whenever I touched him. So, this should be all his fault. I did know this though. I wasn’t going down without a fight. When they took me to give my blood sample, I’d have to try to escape. I really didn’t want to leave without Lystra.