by Pepper Pace
Paul stared at me. “I uh…talked to Karen and Mara on the way over here.”
“How are they?” I concentrated on some point on the floor.
“As well as can be expected.” He stood up also and walked up close behind me. “But they’re hanging in there.” He whispered. “What about you?”
“What do you remember about yesterday?” I said in the way of changing the subject. I looked at him over my shoulder.
“I-I remember after we made love I was going to check the house and the grounds then make something to eat. Monica was sleeping, Tyler and Jason were in the guest room-“
“Jason?! He was there, too?”
Paul nodded slowly. I didn’t say anything else, allowing him to continue.
“I didn’t go down to the lower level because I know the Vampires were already out.” Paul sighed and looked away distantly. “I smelled them. It seemed all at once they just appeared. One second nothing and then the next there were…thirty werewolves swarming around. Some broke through the front window some had leaped up onto the balcony of Monica’s room. They went straight for everyone in the house while three covered me. I fought them off while I headed back to you but one had already began…to eat on you.” He put his head in his hands.
In another time I would have placed my hand on his shoulder…but that time had passed.
“I…just flung them off me and I grabbed that fucker who was eating you and I crushed him in my hands. I broke his back I think. I don’t remember. But I do remember seeing you sit up and open your mouth in a breathless scream. I just fought the best that I could. There were screams in the distance. I knew that they had gotten the others when the screams stopped short.
“When I had killed the ones in the bedroom I just grabbed you and ran. The rest is pretty fuzzy. I remember changing. It seemed that you changed too. We fought together and ate together…I remember a deer.” He shook his head. “It’s just fuzzy. I didn’t hurt you did I?”
“No.” I semi lied. “You protected me.”
“Are you okay?” He asked again.
I looked at him. “What do you think?”
Paul stroked my arm. “I think…you’re not okay. But we’ll make it okay.” He pulled me into his arm and I allowed it briefly. He gave me a curious look when I pulled away. His expression went sad.
“If…if you don’t want me around, I’ll leave. I mean I can do what I can during the battle to make it as right as I can, but afterwards-“
“Stop it.”
He looked at me with those sad eyes.
“You’re mine. I’m not letting you go. Do you understand?”
After a moment he nodded slowly.
“Now, I want to know how to get to those bastards.”
We sat for hours working out a plan. Paul kept staring at me when he thought I wasn’t paying attention. I knew that he was concerned about me and my lack of emotion. I think he thought it was just centered at him. I could have reassured him because I truly didn’t blame him. Paul had just tried to come home to me. There was no crime in that. But what the Weres did to us…was unforgivable and every man, woman and child would be punished for it.
I didn’t want any humans seeing me awake during the day so I stayed in the room while Paul went out to find something for himself to eat. He was ravenous. Being a Were took every bit of his energy and he needed to eat a lot in order to be strong enough to change again.
Tonight was the night. I didn’t care about anything else. We knew that the other Weres would probably not have returned from the states, but that was fine because it meant that the warriors were gone…and when they returned we would get them too.
I dozed. Imagine that, a Vampire dozing. Paul was snuggled against me when I awoke and it was just turning dark. I rolled out of his grip and went to the bathroom. Yes. I actually used it. How many Vampires actually took a dump? Was I even still a Vampire…I did flash yesterday. I touched my teeth and allowed them to drop.
When I re-entered the room I noticed that something smelled good. I looked around. On the dresser was a plate covered by a cloth napkin. Under that cloth was a leg of lamb. Still warm, it was cooked rare and resting in a pool of red tinted meat juices.
My stomach clenched in yearning. I picked up the plate and drank the juice first. Delectable…Then I hungrily ate the meat. I realized I was hunched over it when I glanced up to meet Paul’s inquisitive gaze.
I placed the remainder of the leg of lamb back onto the plate and I licked my fingers clean.
“I took a crap.” I said plainly. “The first one in over a year.”
He sat up and pushed his hair back. It just fell right back into his eyes.
“You smell different, too.”
“Different?”
“Not so neutral--like you might want to shower.” I sniffed my underarms and grimaced. Definite B.O.
I unpacked a change of clothes then took a bath. Paul came in and washed my back. He ran his hands over my bare breast and the succubus rose in interest. I pulled him fully clothed into the water with me and he laughed finally releasing his pent up tension. While I was pleased that he was laughing, I still felt cold inside. It reminded me of the time that I had complained to Alexis that he didn’t seem happy to see me. ‘Happy…’ He had responded. I would never be happy again. Now I understood his reaction…
We kissed long and although I wasn’t the least bit hungry I dropped teeth. Before Paul could see what I was doing I nipped his neck.
I don’t know why I did that. I understood that the Werewolf could attack—but maybe that’s what I wanted. I don’t know.
I felt Paul brace himself surprised, but that was all that happened. He moved back enough to look at me. After a moment he offered me his neck again.
“You trust the Werewolf?” He asked.
“We have an understanding.” I sank my teeth into his neck again and fed from my husband for the first time in over a year.
He sighed in relief and then the sigh grew long.
“That feels good…” Legs over the edge of the tub and body in the water against my nude body, Paul got comfortable.
“Oh Baby….I miss this. I’ve wanted you to put your teeth in me for so long. Don’t stop…don’t stop.” He murmured
I held on to Paul and drank long. Meat-Blood. I didn’t know which was right; which was wrong.
I helped him pull off his shirt and threw it on the floor in a wet heap. He squirmed out of his pants and kicked off his shoes and socks. When we were both nude we readjusted positions until he was on bottom and I was straddling him.
With glazed eyes he stroked my healed, smooth skin.
“You’re going to change again and when you do its going to rip your beautiful skin.”
“But you see how fast I heal. I’m even surprised.”
“Maybe that’s why you’re craving the meat. It has what you need to heal the deep wounds you’ve received.” He ran his fingertips along my ribcage raising goose pimples. Then he gripped my breast and when the nipples jutted out to him he leaned forward to run his tongue over them.
I gasped.
Throbbing between my thighs I gripped him in my hand and lowered myself onto his hardness.
Paul licked his lips and leaned back in the tub, watching me with hooded eyes. I bounced and rocked my pelvis against him. Paul alternated between gripping my hips and helping me ride him, stroking my breast and nipples.
“I want to cum fast! Can I, Baby?” I moaned out my request.
Paul’s response was to rapidly pump into me. We exploded together trying to contain the sounds we made. It was a crowded house and not everyone needed to know what we were doing in here.
This time when he held me I allowed it and rested my head on his chest.
“It’s dark now. The Vampires should be awake. We better get dressed and meet with everyone.”
Paul stopped me from getting up. He stared deeply into my eyes. “I just want you to know…how devastated I am about the dea
th of your family. If I could have, Baby I would have saved them, even if it would have sacrificed my life to do so. But I had to get you to safety. I know you’re hurting right now.” I looked down. “But I’m going to make sure that they pay for what they did.”
“Pay what they owe.” I repeated the words Yosef had used.
There was no meeting room so we just gathered as closely as we could in the dining hall. Due to the limited space the humans were left out of the meeting. They wouldn’t be involved in the actual battle anyway.
The plan went like this: Because Paul knew how to get to the Pack’s Village he’d go by motorcycle. As soon as he was close enough then the rest of us would flash to his location.
Paul drew out a map of the small Village pointing out the sentry points. At least there was no full moon here, where there was one back home…that would mean each werewolf would be out hunting. With luck on our side, maybe we’d be able to surround them the way they had surrounded my home.
Tony watched me and I could sense concern in that look. Kaniji watched Tony watching me and I thought that maybe I needed to watch my back out there. It would be a perfect opportunity for her to “off” me if that was in her head.
Paul watched the both of us and I could tell that he now understood that my coldness wasn’t directed at just him.
I stood and waited until all eyes were on me. Then I addressed the crowd. “You all know this man, Paul. I want you to learn his scent. He is not to be harmed when he’s in the form of a Were.”
Some Vampires sniffed the air curiously, learning his scent.
Ran watched the ground solemnly. I don’t know if he’d even heard a word I’d said. I felt so empty when I looked at him…I almost wanted to hurt…
The need for vengeance was the only thing I could feel. And as wrong as it may sound…I was thankful.
***
I walked Paul out the door. He figured it would take him about two hours to get to the Village by motorcycle. He didn’t need a map or anything. Paul felt the Village within his blood.
“Paul, you feel them so they are out there, they didn’t move their home?”
“They’re still here and the ones that attacked us have returned.”
I felt a jolt. “Do you think they can sense you as well?”
He shook his head. “I don’t think so. They wouldn’t be expecting me and it’s not like with Vampires where you track me with your line because we’ve shared blood. They’ll eventually smell me, that I don’t doubt—but not until I’m much closer.”
“Don’t get too close without us. Be safe…because…” I couldn’t finish the words.
Paul climbed onto the bike and started it. “Come here, Kim.” I went to him feeling my shoulders ache in anxiety with each step.
“If I could have one wish, it would be to live a normal life with you. I watch you at times and try to picture you doing something routine like dancing, or…taking care of our children. That’s never going to happen. The life we have now is all we have. After tonight…it’s all going to change again. If I’m not there with you-”
I swallowed and looked away. Paul took my chin gently and turned me back to face him. I squeezed my hands into fist behind my back and fought the stinging in my eyes.
“…then know that I did everything I could to come back to you, and as important as that is to me, it’s more important for me to make what’s wrong--right.”
The pain slammed back into me and I staggered on my feet. Hot tears suddenly spilled from my eyes. I gulped down a breath. “H-hurts so bad…”
“Let it hurt, Baby. Feel the pain because that’s what makes you different from them in there.”
I swallowed down the hot tears and nodded, trying not to sob openly. The tears that I hadn’t previously shed flowed like rivers down my cheeks and dripped from my chin.
Paul touched my tears with the tip of his finger and showed it to me. It was clear and not blood tinged.
“See. You’re not like them.” He touched his lips to mine lightly then he faced forward with a stern look. “I’ll see you in a bit.”
There was so much to say…if this was going to be our last conversation. I guess he’d said it all, though.
I sat on the front stoop and gave in to my tears. It hurt to cry and it hurt not to. When I pictured Monica with her long blond hair up in a hasty pontytail pouring over legal documents; fine tuning even the smallest errors my tears burned even hotter. The memory of Tyler’s easy laughter and her intricate tattoos brought sobs ripping from my throat.
Julie with her little hands and serious expressions; I was dizzy at the loss of her.
But my Tige…my Tige that I had burned for, risked my life for. My Tige had been taken away so easily…
I covered my mouth and tried to press my tears back inside. I was rocking and dizzy with my grief when I felt someone beside me.
Somehow I thought it would be Tony.
It was Ran.
His eyes were hollow and dark. He pulled me into his arms without a word. I collapsed into him and didn’t try to hold back my sorrow. I cried and wailed and gripped Ran to me. He just absorbed everything I had to give him.
“Julie….” I whispered. “Julie…” I must have said her name a hundred times while Ran held on to me.
A long time later when Ran was soaked and I was soaked, I looked up at him through red eyes.
“Do you hate me?”
He seemed surprised. “No. You gave Julie…redemption. She hated the Neratomay in her. The way we were raised was…you know…” I nodded. Religious. He couldn’t say it.
“You made her feel good about herself again.”
I closed my eyes.
“I want to fight by your side, Kim.”
I looked at him.
“Julie told me about you and the sun—before the blood oath. Don’t be mad. We shared everything.” He touched one of my tears and examined it silently noting the lack of red there. “She said that you were going through some very un-Neratomay changes. So I want your back.”
I nodded. “Okay. And you can fight?” Because I couldn’t risk Ran…not even if he asked me to.
He tasted my tear. “Julie was very capable…but it was me that collected the most Rogues.”
My mouth dropped. Julie had won the job as my first Lieutenant because she had collected the most Rogues then anyone else…then it was Ran that should have been my First.
His eyes were clear when he looked at me; almost relieved. “Because of her size Julie was easily overlooked. That’s why I wanted her as your First.”
“You’re sure it wasn’t because I was doomed to failure and she could slide in as Master?”
“No.” He said sternly. “You are forward thinking. Julie would never have had a place in the Neratomay world.” I believed him. He wasn’t lying. And unfortunately, his words were the truth.
“I’d be honored for you to fight by my side, Ran.”
He wiped my face quickly with the tail of his shirt. It was the same type of thing he’d do for Julie…if she were here. “I don’t think this is a good time to tip everyone off about your changes.”
I wondered why no one had come out. The way I had been wailing everyone should have heard me.
Ran stood and went back inside. After I felt better I followed.
The Vampires watched me. They seemed curious about my outburst, but not surprised.
Tony examined me and I could tell (because of our bond) that he was relieved. Kaniji surprised me by hiding red-rimmed eyes. She’d cried with me?
“Paul is on his way. In case you don’t know…” I thought about how to proceed. “I’ve recently discovered that when I get angry…I transform into something-” There was much murmuring. Some that knew explained to others that didn’t.
“Transform?” A Vampire I didn’t know spoke. “We all transform-”
“No…” I said longingly. “Not at all like what you all do…just be forewarned.”
While we waited
some Vampires fed from their donors or found privates areas to have sex. The impending battle created an air of excitement. Vampires were normally an emotionless bunch. An organized battle was something that many of them looked forward to, especially since it wouldn’t be followed by punishment from the Elder Board.
Karen and Mara were holding hands when they inched into the room. They were the only non Vampires present. It was brave of them to enter uninvited. I took credit for encouraging them to not be bullied by the Neratomay.
I stood up and walked to them. I couldn’t speak. I looked from one to the other. I’d been avoiding them because of just this very moment.
Karen’s eyes were beet red. Mara seemed the one in more control. Somehow, I thought it would the other way around. Karen was always the Queen B of my ladies in waiting. She had started off from the beginning as the groups spoke person.
This time it was Mara that squared her shoulders. “We heard you…from upstairs…grieving.”
I looked into the distance. “We’ll grieve together…as soon as I settle the score.”
Mara reached out and took my hand.
“Shall I bite you?” I asked without meeting their eyes.
They both nodded quickly.
My face almost broke. “Calm, relax, happy thoughts. No more tears…please, be happy.”
I’d had much to eat but the feeding I took from them was satisfying in its familiarity.
Afterwards they watched me more relaxed. “Be safe.” Mara said. And still gripping hands they left the room.
They were worried about me. They pretended to need the relaxation suggestion. They really just wanted to make sure I had nourishment. They were worried about me. I sighed, my head aching from the tears and the barrage of conflicting emotions.
I decided to reach out to Paul to find out where he was. Tracing the links to my donors and those I was bound to always reminded me of holding a bunch of helium balloons. Each string could be followed to the individual balloon binding it.
