Wen

by Laurann Dohner

  “I never liked the cold. I froze my ass off but I had warmer coats and owned thick gloves in Alaska. You say sixty-two like it’s normal for summer or something. Brrrr! I'll take eighty degrees any day over this.”

  He smiled but it looked forced. “It won't be too long.”

  Her guts twisted. That was code that they were being followed or he’d picked up a scent. She wanted to ask which, but didn't dare voice it because sound carried. It would alert whoever he must have sensed or smelled that they were aware of them. “Really?”

  “Yes.” He glanced to his left, then right. “We'll take shelter soon.”

  In other words, they'd probably be attacked and he'd have to fight while she tried to stay out of the way. She gripped the small container of mace that she’d packed. It was laced with battery acid, something she'd added after being attacked by that rogue Vamp. It wouldn't kill a Vamp or a Lycan but it would sure blind them for longer than a few minutes, and hurt like hell while they healed. That might give them the time for Wen to share the story he'd made up. If they were really lucky, someone would believe it.

  “Awesome,” she muttered. “I can't wait to get you alone, stud.”

  He squeezed her waist as if to assure her…or maybe give her a heads up that they were about to have company.

  All doubt left when he quickly let her go and snarled, moving in front of her in a protective crouch as two men dropped from a nearby roof to land in the empty alleyway in front of them.

  She withdrew her mace but kept it fisted in her hand to hide it. Forewarning was asking for trouble. Surprise was all she had since she was no match for their strength and speed, whatever they were.

  It took seconds for her to identify each man's species. It was weird seeing a Lycan and a Vampire working together. They usually gave each other a wide berth.

  “What do you want?”

  She couldn't see Wen's face with his back to her but there was no missing his snarled tone, or the fact that his hands on the pavement now sported some wicked-looking claws.

  She forced her attention off him and glanced behind her, spotting two really pale faces near a Dumpster. Vampires. They wore all black and had that floating-head appearance going on that she found creepy as they remained in the deep shadows of the night. She turned all the way around to face them head on, keeping her back to Wen.

  “Two more,” she whispered. “White heads.” He'd get the term, since he'd taught it to her as a kid.

  “I'm aware.”

  Wen really sounded scary when he partially shifted, and she was glad he was on her side. VampLycans could fight. A Lycan and three Vamps wouldn't stand a chance against him. She hoped they knew that too.

  “You drop on her and I'll dust your ass,” Wen warned.

  She jerked her chin up. The Vampire on the balcony above her froze. The damn thing looked ready to pounce, and she hadn't even spotted him. She swallowed hard and inched back closer to Wen.

  “He's really protective of me and means every word.” She reached down, dug her fingers inside her pocket and wiggled out the metal compact she kept in there. She tossed it up at him. “Catch. That's what's left of the last Vamp who tried to bite me.”

  The white head caught the container and opened it. She watched his expression and heard the low hiss of rage. He closed it and glared at her with malevolence in his eyes.

  “Yeah. Those are Vamp ashes,” she taunted. “They belong to the last moron who thought I looked like dinner. My mate has zero tolerance for someone else trying to take my blood. I wouldn't piss him off.”

  “Gerri,” Wen hissed. “I've got this.”

  She winced. She probably should have told him about the souvenir she'd kept, but it made an effective point. That Vampire who'd attacked her in her old apartment had deserved what she'd done to him, but it had been hell cleaning up the mess he’d left behind. There had been a lot of vacuuming involved. UV lamps weren’t easy to come by either. She’d kept some of his ashes, wanted a reminder in case she ever grew lax with her security again. She'd been that pissed.

  The Vamp pocketed her compact. She hadn't really expected to get it back.

  “What are you doing here, half-breed?” The animalistic tone of the stranger assured her it was the Lycan speaking. “You're far from home and not welcome.”

  “I don't give a shit if you like my presence or not,” Wen snarled back, louder, winning the scary-voice pissing contest. “Move out of my way.”

  The silence grew eerie. Gerri was tempted to look back to see how dog face reacted to being told to move, but she didn't dare take her attention off the three white heads. They could move fast and take her to the ground in the blink of an eye if she glanced away.

  “Why are you here?” The creepy voice with a slight hiss to it had to be the Vampire. “Who are you looking for?”

  Wen's tone changed slightly, a little less threatening. “I’m here because I want to be. We don’t want any trouble but I’ll kill you if you attack us. We’re just passing through, if you’re pissed we’re in your territory.”

  “Why are you traveling with a human?” Dog face spat the words.

  “She's mine,” Wen growled. “You got a problem with that?”

  “Stop,” the Vampire ordered. “Let me handle this. What do you mean, you’re just passing through?”

  “Do you want me to speak slower for you?” Wen snarled. “We’ve been traveling for a while. Let us pass and leave us alone.”

  “Are you mated to the human or are you addicted to human blood?”

  “She's mine,” Wen repeated. “Every part of her. I chose her over my clan since they refused to accept her.”

  “She's human,” the Lycan said, continuing to state the obvious. “Why would you choose her?”

  “Instincts won't be denied.” Wen bumped against Gerri’s backpack as he straightened to his full height to let her know he was right there.

  “He's mostly Werewolf.” The Lycan sounded disgusted. “It's one of our flaws. We fall for someone we’re screwing and have to claim her. He must have been really desperate to fuck something, if she was his choice. Any decent Werewolf wouldn’t touch a weak, spineless bitch.”

  “Don’t call her that,” Wen threatened.

  “I'm not a bitch,” Gerri muttered. “But I can act like one if you insult me again.”

  “You told her about us,” the Vampire hissed. “You know the rules. You broke them.”

  “She worked for my clan. Decker forbid me from touching her but I was her guard. He sent a few bastards to kill her so we left—after I dumped their bodies on his porch.”

  “Why would he allow a human there at all?” The Vampire sounded suspicious.

  “It’s none of your business. Get out of our way,” Wen snarled.

  “You want passage through my city.” The Vamp paused. “I demand answers.”

  “You’re in no position to ask me shit. I’ll kill you all if you try to stop us.”

  “Baby,” Gerri crooned, purposely trying to sound needy. “I’m cold and hungry. Just answer them so we can find a cheap motel or something.”

  “Fine,” Wen huffed. “Decker has used a few of them with mind control to spy on the towns around our territory. They give us a heads up if there's any hint that the other humans are catching on to what we are. Now will you leave us the hell alone?”

  Gerri kept silent but was impressed with how easily Wen could lie. It sounded plausible. A VampLycan like Decker would never trust a human to work for him, but they might guess that. That clan leader had been the most feared and loathed of the four clans. Even Gerri had heard horror stories about him. Some of the meaner kids had threatened to send letters asking Decker to kill her in her sleep. Humans had Santa to send their wishes to. VampLycan bullies had Decker. He had become the boogie man of her childhood. She shivered just thinking about him.

  Wen reached back and gripped her hip. It wasn’t easy to do since their backpacks kept them apart by a few feet. She took a deep breath
and forced her mind away from the past. The future looked grim enough, as she made sure the Vamps hadn't advanced while she'd been distracted. They remained in their same positions, almost resembling horrific statues.

  “We could give you shelter and food for your human.” The Vampire paused. “For a price, of course.”

  “Forget it.” Wen pressed against her again. “You'd sell our location to my clan. No thanks. Let us pass or I'll fight you to the death.”

  “We're not associated with your clans.”

  “You'd be motivated by the price on our heads.” Wen deepened his voice. “Move or die. We're out of here.”

  “They are hunting you?”

  “As if you don't know that. Were you looking for us?” Wen snarled. “Did you already alert them? Are they on their way to kill us?”

  “How long have you been on the run?”

  “A while.” Wen paused. “We're still alive despite their best efforts. Take my advice and forget the bounty. You aren't the first group of morons who’ve tried to collect. I'd tell you to ask them how that worked out, but I had to kill every last one of them. Decker won’t pay it anyway. He’ll send an assassin rather than money. He’s a lowlife bastard who looks down on anyone not VampLycan. Move out of our way and allow us to pass.”

  The Vampire lifted his hands. “We have no alliances with the VampLycan clans. They are hunting me as well.”

  “Sorry, but I'm not buying it. You'd have to do something seriously shitty to get on their radar, and you're just a few Vampires hanging out with a Lycan. I admit that's weird, but nothing to bring them down from Alaska. Unless you knocked up a bitch to breed one of my kind?”

  “I created a soldier and left it in a town near them.” The Vamp smiled. “That got their attention.”

  “Soldier?” Wen didn't sound convinced. “What the hell does that mean?”

  “It's our version of strong Vampires with expiration dates. They’re mean, tough, but completely unstable unless they’re fed blood by us.” The Vampire paused. “Notice how I'm here and not there? They go rabid. It's a beautiful thing to behold. A soldier will kill anything that moves or has a heartbeat they can hear.”

  Gerri hated the Vampire already. He sounded really proud of leaving a hyped-out zombie to murder innocent people. But it didn't surprise her. Humans were cattle to most Vamps. There were supposedly some who were different, but she'd never come across one. She'd done her best to avoid anything nonhuman though.

  “Then that means we really want to get the hell away from you, if you're being hunted too.” Wen shook his head. “I've kept us alive by being smart. I doubt you can outwit any of the enforcers they'll send after you for long. You’ll lead them right to us. No thanks.”

  “Nest, back away and go,” the Vampire ordered.

  The Vamp on the balcony turned and jumped, disappearing onto the roof. The two by the Dumpster slipped away into the darkness. Gerri wasn't certain if that was a bad or good thing. Had they really left or were they going to hide out of sight and launch a sneak attack?

  “VampLycan, we offer you shelter for tonight,” the master continued. “At least accept that. We could help each other.”

  “I don't see how.”

  “You're a long way from home and we’re in the same situation. VampLycans will send enforcers after me. We could join forces.”

  Gerri masked her features. They were falling for it, or at least seemed to be. But she wasn’t trusting him at all. It could be a trap. She just hoped Wen’s low opinion of their intelligence wouldn’t get them killed.

  “No.” Wen lowered his voice. “I have no reason to trust you.”

  “We have common enemies.”

  “You could be my enemy as well.” Wen hesitated. “Get out of the way or I’ll kill you.”

  “Don’t be so hasty. I’m a hundred and eighty-two years old. I have age and experience. This is my world, more so than yours. You VampLycans tend to stick to your own territory. Think about it. Your chances to avoid capture are better if you have help. We could work together.”

  “Capture, hell. They’ll kill her, make me watch, and then I’ll die next. I suppose you want me to believe you’re offering to help out of the goodness of your heart?” Wen snorted. “Give me a break. That bounty on us must be huge. I didn’t think Decker would care that much about the other guards I had to kill. They weren’t important to him; no one is. But I must have been wrong.”

  “I have more money than I could ever spend. I’m not interested in a bounty. Call me Horton. What’s your name?”

  Wen didn’t give it. “What do you want then, Vamp?”

  Horton sighed. “So stubborn. Fine. I need information. I have to know the number of VampLycans in each clan. I want a detailed account of how they work and any weaknesses they may have. Who do they fear? Why? How can I get their enemies on my side so we can work together?” His voice rose. “I want to take those bastards out. Those sons of bitches killed my master and my nest. I’m going to make certain they pay for that.”

  Gerri fought to mask her features. Wen seemed to be right about the master wanting to wage a war with VampLycans. He held a major grudge.

  “I don’t believe you,” Wen said. “You’re lying. If what you’ve said is true, there’s no way you would have escaped them if they’d killed your master and wiped out your nest.”

  “I wasn’t there. I’d been sent to go get more feeders. I returned the next night to find them all ashed.”

  Feeders? Gerri shivered. He meant victims. The bastard was admitting that he’d kidnapped humans to feed to his nest.

  “Why were you in Alaska?” Wen sounded angry. “You must have been if you left one those soldier things near their territory. Are you working for the VampLycans? Are you some kind of bounty hunter for them? I knew it! You’re tracking us, aren’t you?”

  “No!” Horton hissed. “We were there for another reason.”

  “I still don’t believe you.” Wen’s voice deepened into a snarl.

  “They slaughtered our nest for no damn reason other than we were in Alaska. Fuck the VampLycans! They believe they have the right to kill anyone they want. I’m going to make them pay.”

  Wen was silent for long seconds. “They forbid me from claiming my mate. That’s against our nature. Someone needs to take them down.”

  She knew those words must have been tough for Wen to get out. Memories flashed through her mind of the years she’d watched him train to fight, and the pride that showed in his eyes when he spoke of what it stood for, being a VampLycan. They were the defenders of the weak. They righted wrongs. Mostly it was Lycans they defended, but still, it was honorable.

  He’d shared all the stories with her that he’d been told by his older brother. He’d adored and worshipped Gerbin. He’d been Wen’s superhero for going out into the world and killing evil bastards who needed to be wiped off the face of the Earth. Now Wen was the one doing it.

  She really hoped they wouldn’t die too.

  Wen seethed, but he hid it. The bastard Vampire was so close but he could pick up the heavy scent of Lycans. They were lurking between the buildings on both sides of them, probably ready to attack on command. He breathed through his nose, picking out the scents. The intel had been off. There was more than a dozen of them, closer to two.

  It had been a mistake bringing Gerri with him. At this point, he just wanted to kill Horton. The rogue Lycans would probably scatter without the Vamp keeping them together. He might have been able to dust the ghoul maker and escape before the Lycans could attack, but not with her. She’d slow him down too much, even if he grabbed her and carried her over his shoulder. It would also be stupid. He wasn’t there only to kill Horton. He needed to figure out who else was working with him, whether or not the council was ordering nests to target VampLycans, and if any Lycan packs were buying his bullshit.

  He pushed his rage down. A depraved asshole like Horton had killed Gerbin and changed Wen’s life forever. He regulated his breathing, cl
eared his mind, and thought things through.

  “Fine. I’ll give you information in exchange for you telling me some locations where only humans exist. That way I don’t have to worry about anything coming after my mate or selling our location to your council, any packs, or to the VampLycans.” He paused. “I need money too. I had to leave all mine behind when we ran. I’m sick of stopping random humans and making them hand over the cash in their wallets. None of them seem to carry much of that anymore. I can’t risk making them go into banks with all the fucking cameras they have.”

  The master grinned, his expression smug. “I can give you that.”

  “You try anything, one of your people even looks at my mate, and I’ll rip off your fucking head,” Wen warned. “Am I clear? She may only be human, but she’s mine.” He snarled. “Got it, Horton?”

  “You really should learn to trust, VampLycan.”

  “The name is Wen. And I’d never be that stupid. I like breathing.”

  “We now have an alliance. Follow us.”

  Wen snagged Gerri’s hand and began to walk, keeping a good fifteen feet between them and the Vampire and his Lycan pal. She didn’t try to grip him back. She was smart. He could release her in an instant and attack if the need arose. She even trailed him by a foot so he was in front, able to defend her if necessary.

  It reminded him of a memory from the past. Trayis had gone to the clan child caretaker at the start of one summer with Gerri in tow. Everyone had seen the human child from afar but her parents had kept her close to home, away from the other kids until that day. Their clan leader had explained she had fragile bones, couldn’t heal as fast as they could, and would never grow claws or fangs. He’d warned all the other kids to be gentle with her in their play, and that there was no honor in harming someone so much weaker. Trayis had also made it clear she was part of the clan and harsh punishment would come down on anyone who hurt her.

  It hadn’t stopped some from saying mean words to her. They pointed out she was smaller than she should be, compared to other kids her age. Some enjoyed making her gasp and smell of fear by unleashing their claws and jumping at her in mock attacks. Wen had felt sorry for her. Her hair had also fascinated him. She had so much of it. It was blonde, almost white, and ran in ringlets down her back. Her mother would always tie it in a ponytail but after a while it would come loose, spilling around her face.