by Zoe Parker
Benjamin huffed in amusement. He glanced down at the man’s arm, then chuckled. “Only if you offer a generous donation in return for allowing you to continue breathing?”
“Huh?” The man squinted even more as if he couldn’t comprehend what Benjamin had said. “Empty your pockets, now!”
Benjamin peered intensely into the man’s eyes. “You want to put that knife away now.”
The watchman was still for a couple breaths, then slowly lowered his arm and tucked his knife away, still looking at Benjamin.
“Skip along now, please, and sing us something jaunty.”
The man literally turned to skip away like a schoolgirl, his head tipping left and right with each bounce. Benjamin flicked a hand at the man, sending a thin jagged lightning bolt to zap the man’s feet. He yelped and skipped higher, belting out another tavern song at the top of his voice.
Edgar clucked his tongue. “You shouldn’t play with your food, my boy.”
“But you haven’t given me any playthings in days,” Benjamin playfully whined. Giving us a wink, he sped off after the watchman, and they both vanished from sight.
“My fledgling has an… unusual sense of humor.” The corner of Edgar’s mouth curled up as he gazed into the night.
“Will you go too?” I tried to ignore the thought of them drinking blood and how I might someday have to do the same.
“No.” He shook his head, smiling softly at me. “I will wait until we are safely aboard the train. I prefer my meal to be fresh and without the pollution of spirits in the blood.”
“You can taste the difference?” I couldn’t help but be fascinated. Julius had always teased me for my curiosity, which would have been fitting if I’d been the one cursed to live as a cat.
“Absolutely. When you’re a young fledgling, you’re less discerning, but I have the benefit of age to allow me to pick and choose where my meal will come from.”
Movement caught my eye and I nearly jumped out of my skin when Benjamin appeared next to the fire beside Edgar, wearing a very satisfied grin and wiping away a red smudge from his chin. I swear he practically glowed, his cheeks pink with life.
A twig snapped and we all turned to the woods behind us.
Framed by the murky darkness between two trees, a gray wolf stood staring at us, teeth bared and eyes glowing yellow. A low snarl spilled from its mouth as it began to morph into unnatural shapes, bones snapping and crunching, rearranging themselves until a naked man crouched on hands and feet.
Shifty eyes glared at us, taking us all in one by one. His long, scruffy brown hair had leaves and sticks tangled in it. I averted my gaze when he rose to full height, giving us a full view of his bare, muscular body. Julius stared with a cocked eyebrow and a frown. Benjamin smirked and Edgar appeared bemused.
“You are trespassing on pack territory.” The wolfman took a step forward, and I scooted closer to Julius who put his arm around me as best he could from where he lay in the cart. “We tolerated your passing through, but you cannot stay without permission from the pack, and hunting is not allowed. Ever.”
“My sincerest apologies.” Edgar moved to stand between us and the man. “We are waiting for the first morning train, then we will be on our way. There will be no more hunting. I promise.”
“Too late.” The man grunted, his shoulders curving forward menacingly as if he were readying to attack. “You must stand trial for your crimes against the pack.”
“I beg your pardon, but as I said, we will be departing shortly. No time for a trial, however ridiculous it may be.”
The man’s eyes narrowed, and he took another step towards us, a second brown wolf sliding out of the shadows behind him. “You have no choice. You’ve broken our laws by hunting here. You must answer for your crimes.”
“That is just not possible, my boy. We must board the train before the sun fully rises.”
“No time to dally with the puppies, I’m afraid.” Benjamin stepped up beside Edgar, cocking his head suggestively. I couldn’t figure him out. One minute he was all quiet stoicism, and the next, he was flippant and playful.
“I am not your boy, vampire. I’m the pack leader, and you will answer to me.” The wolf in the shadows stalked forward as the man began shifting into a wolf again. When he finished less than a minute later, both wolves stood growling at us.
Benjamin turned to Edgar and shrugged, then dashed to meet the pack leader mid-leap, clashing in a snarling, biting jumble. The second wolf charged Edgar, and he thrust out his arms to use his powers but there wasn’t enough time. Before he could do anything, the wolf jumped up to snap at his face and he blocked with his forearm, shoving it hard into the wolf’s neck, sending it flying backward.
Julius climbed out of the cart, falling to the ground beside me, still weak from all the shape-changing. I pushed off from where I’d been sitting, and grabbed Julius’s arm to help him up, but a snarl stopped me mid-motion. A third white wolf appeared on the other side of the fire, lips curled back from razor-sharp teeth, eyes glowing green.
“Edgar?” I shook with fear, my heart in my throat. Julius was unable to fight, and I hadn’t rested enough to replenish my magical energy. Using what little I had, I coaxed the trees to raise their roots in hopes of tripping up the wolves.
Edgar spun around to help me, but his wolf opponent rushed him, throwing its body into his legs and knocking him down. He struggled with the wolf straddling him, his hands wrapped around its neck, choking it.
The white wolf nimbly avoided the roots jutting out of the ground and bounded over the fire. Before I knew it, I was flat on my back with the wolf snapping at my face, hot drool dripping on my cheek. Julius bellowed, throwing himself at the wolf, who turned and growled at him, teeth clacking together as they just missed sinking into Julius’s hand.
“No!” I batted at the wolf, trying to push it off me, emitting an aura of calm, which I definitely didn’t feel, hoping to influence the wolf before it bit my face off.
The wolf edged back a couple inches, his eyes softening in confusion. Julius reached for me, and I grabbed his hand, tears pouring down my cheeks. Edgar knocked his wolf away, moving as if to grab the white wolf. Benjamin sent an arching bolt at the white wolf, pulling it from its dazed confusion and the heat of rage filled its eyes once again.
In the space of a breath, the pack leader attacked Benjamin, sending him flying into a tree. The brown wolf clamped onto Edgar’s leg, pulling him back into a fight with it. And, before I could even scream, the white wolf jumped onto me, knocked my head hard to the icy ground, and closed its mouth around my neck, sharp teeth digging into my skin.
Blackness edged my vision from the hit I took to my head and the pain of a wolf’s jaw strangling me.
“Let her go!” Julius rose on shaky legs and threw himself at the wolf. With a throaty growl, the wolf spun its head around to snap at Julius, its teeth slicing through the delicate skin covering my throat and shredding it.
Hot, flashing pain swept through me, and I began to choke on blood, unable to take a full breath. I writhed in agony even as the wolf’s paws held me down. My fingers dug into the frozen ground, splintering my nails. I’d lost control of myself, panic riding me as hard as the white wolf.
Distantly, I heard Julius yelling for Edgar and Benjamin to help. The air around crackled with lightning and the other two wolves yelped and whined. I tried to focus and saw the wolf on top of me go flying as a bolt of blue lightning wrapped around it like a snake and sent it soaring through the air.
Salty tears flowed down my cheeks into my hair. The world around me spun sickeningly, and I closed my eyes in hopes of shutting out the world and the agony. Pain enveloped my neck and throat, each breath like razors and searing-hot pokers.
“Danielle, my love.” Julius whispered in my ear, one hand brushing hair away from my bloody cheek, the other squeezing my hand. “Hold on. Please, hold on. Don’t you die on me now. We’ve come too far.” He pressed his forehead to my temple and cried. I
wanted to comfort him and promise him everything, to tell him I would be all right, but I couldn’t manage to do anything besides take small, gasping breaths.
I was terrified. So much had happened because we dared love each other. How could we go through all of this, get this far, just for me to die?
Chapter Eight
“Danielle,” Edgar said into my other ear, “you are dying. The damage is too extensive. You must decide now if you wish to die a natural death or be changed into a vampire. You should have had time to make this decision, to weigh the pros and cons, but Benjamin can only hold off the wolves for so long, and we must leave this place soon. Can you hear me? Can you make this decision, my dear?”
I looked at Julius through watery eyes and imagined him living without me. The pain of losing him was almost worse than having my throat shredded. I had no idea what awaited me in the afterlife, whether it was beautiful meadows of the Mother’s summerlands or nothing at all, but I knew Julius wouldn’t be there with me and I just couldn’t bear it.
Wincing at the searing pain, I turned just enough to look Edgar in the eye and give him a tiny, agonizing nod. Edgar turned and nodded to Benjamin. I was unable to see what he did, but I heard an earsplitting zap, the wolves yelping, then the soft patter of paws running through the snow.
“I’m sorry, my boy, but you’ll need to give us some room.” Edgar gently lifted my head to slide his arm under me and lift me up onto his lap. “You may not like what you see, but it must be done to save your beloved.”
“I understand.” Julius clung to my hand, and I gave him a weak squeeze of gratitude. “Do whatever you must to save her, please.”
“This could’ve been avoided if you’d just been reasonable, wolf.” Benjamin talked down to the pack leader, his words clipped. “We could have settled our differences in a more pleasurable manner.”
A human snarl turned into a wolf growl as the pack leader shifted in response to whatever Benjamin had done to taunt him.
“Benjamin, this is not the time for your teasing and innuendos. Please control yourself before you incite another attack.” Edgar’s deep voice rolled through his chest where my head rested. “Are you ready, Danielle?”
I tried to nod my head, but winced at the pain instead, a small cry escaping my lips.
With great care, Edgar cradled my head in his large hand, tilting it until he had access to the side of my neck. Julius held my hand in both his against his chest, his eyes gazing into mine. My vision narrowed down to only him, my focus only on him, even as Edgar’s teeth slid into my flesh.
As he drained my life’s essence from my body, he entered my mind like soothing balm, dampening the pain that throbbed through my entire being. The world around me narrowed down until all I could see were Julius’s eyes.
Something pressed against my lips, pushing until I relaxed my jaw, and the coppery taste of blood filled my mouth. Julius vanished from my sight and hissed, his hand dropping mine. I jerked to see where he went, but Edgar held me still.
Soft fur rubbed against my limp hand and I knew Julius had changed, probably from the stress of the situation. A wet nose touched my fingers, then a rough tongue scraped across my palm. I sighed as darkness closed flooded my vision.
Chapter Nine
The soft, cushioned ground under me bounced gently, and I had the strange sensation of moving even though I remained still. Quiet voices talked around me, engaged in polite conversation that just did not fit the situation I recalled before I fainted.
“She’s coming to.”
I had to search my memory to place the voice and gasped as everything that had happened came rushing back. My eyes shot open and Edgar smiled at me. I knew he was pleased. I knew it with all of me as if we shared our thoughts and emotions. How could that be?
“You and I are now connected, my dear. We will always be able to sense one another and how we are feeling, but it will fade somewhat over time. You will adapt, I assure you.”
Blinking away the fog, I sat up in my seat to find myself in a small, lavish compartment, all mahogany and velvets. Julius smiled timidly at me. My head had been resting in his lap. I scooched closer to him, grabbing his hand, squinting my eyes at how bright the light above was.
Everything sensation was amplified. I could even hear Julius’s heartbeat, and listening harder, I realized I heard Edgar’s as well.
“Careful, my dear.” Edgar tilted his head, his face tight with concentration. “You are broadcasting your emotions. I imagine our neighbors are frightened out of their wits and confused as to why. I hadn’t thought to ask about your powers before, but it seems your innate abilities as a witch are now much stronger than before the change.”
“The change?” My voice was scratchy, and I looked around for something to drink. I noticed Benjamin was not in the train compartment with us. “So, I’m a vampire now?”
“Yes, you are.” Julius nodded, his face strained.
I thought about what Edgar had said about my abilities and closed my eyes to focus on pulling my aura into my body, a technique I had learned young, although this time it felt as if I were reining in a wild horse.
When I opened my eyes again, Julius had relaxed and smiled gratefully at me. I wondered how the change would affect my affinity with nature.
“When we reach my home, we will have the luxury of testing your abilities without endangering innocent bystanders.” Edgar gave me a crooked smile. “First things first though. You must learn to control the hunger.”
“Why don’t I feel it now?” I touched my neck, remembering how terrible the pain had been, and found smooth skin. “How am I healed already? Wait. How long was I asleep?”
“You now have accelerated healing, and you’ve been asleep two days. I’m afraid I had to keep you under during the process. With all of the trauma you endured, I felt it best to let you heal and change without any added suffering.”
I glanced down at my dress and gasped. Blood and other things had stained and crusted on my blouse and skirt. My cloak covered my lap and it too was covered in blood and dirt.
“How on Earth did you get me on the train looking like a murder victim?” Which was pretty much exactly what I was.
“Another gift you will learn is coercion. No one we encountered will remember seeing you.”
“Dani.” Julius lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed it. “I’m so happy you’re alive. I was so worried for you. I’m so so sorry that you had to do this. If I had left you alone, you wouldn’t have fallen in love with me and been forced to leave your home. This is all my fault. Can you ever forgive me?”
My heart ached at the sound of misery in his voice. “There’s nothing to forgive, my love. My life was awful. I just didn’t know any better until I met you. You are the love of my life, my soul mate. I do not regret the choice I made. You and I will get to spend eternity together, and I couldn’t be happier.”
“You swear?”
Those golden eyes warmed me to my toes.
“I swear, Julius. I swear with all that I am.”
The compartment door slid open, and Benjamin paraded inside, smiling brightly with a young male train attendant on his heel. “Dinner time!”
Edgar rose to close the door as Benjamin moved the young man around like a living doll, pushing him to sit beside me. I edged closer to Julius, wishing the bench seat were longer.
“As your sire, I have been holding your hunger at bay.” Edgar took his seat again while Benjamin settled in beside him with a wide grin and a quirk of his eyebrow. “You are ravenous, but you just aren’t aware of it, so you must feed now before it becomes more than I can control and ruins our lovely train ride.”
I glanced at Benjamin, then Edgar, then Julius, who gave me an encouraging smile and squeezed my hand before setting it back in my own lap. Sucking in a deep breath, I turned to the man beside me and shuddered.
He stared at me with a far-off look in his eyes and a dreamy smile as if he were lovesick.
“Y
ou won’t let me do anything I might regret, right?”
“We’ll be here the entire time, my dear. I assure you, this young man will be safe.”
I looked at Julius one more time, and he nodded. I would hold them to their promise. I might’ve changed into a creature that feeds off humans, but I would never allow myself to take a life.
I reached for the young man and pulled his head down to me. “I’m a vampire,” I whispered to myself, “but I am not a monster.”
The End
Copyright © 2019 by Rinna Ford
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Created with Vellum
In Inuit mythology, the Keelut is a beast out of the nightmares of those who believe. It stalks, kills, and curses its victims without ever leaving a trace. Not even a single footprint in the snow. But, what if the Keelut was not the evil spirit that others believed it to be? What if it only hunted those who deserved to be hunted?
Gray Kee movies herself and her two sons to central Alaska after the death of her husband, Anik. They needed a change, and the cold wilderness of Anik’s homeland provided that.
After almost three years since their move, Gray has finally began to come back to herself, only to catch the eye of the ultimate hunter.
The Keelut has found his most valuable prey, and he’s not ever going to let her go.
The following story is a Paranormal Romance
Chapter One
Oki
"She is beautiful, my friend," I hear a familiar voice say. I don't move from my spot, not one inch, as Angunta approaches from the East. "Is she the reason that you've been returning here these last several months?" He lowers himself onto one knee beside me.
