Roxanne Desired

by Gena D. Lutz

  “Did you guys hear me?” Harper bellowed, her voice sounding closer this time. “Get your asses out of there. Now! Unless you fancy being turned into a fucking zombie!”

  Yeah, Harper’s last statement was enough to convince me. These beasts were zombie-like? First, I learn that werewolves, vampires, nymphs, and even hybrids like me existed. Now there were freaking zombie wolves running around too? My god! I shuddered at the thought of what else might be out there roaming the world.

  Harper stepped in front me. She spread out her arms and legs wide, interrupting the sick wolf’s view of Tegan and me. These beasts evidently weren’t too bright. They were easily distracted from pursuing their prey. The disease they contracted, had probably eaten away at their vital organs first, including their brains, before moving on to their skin and muscles. The wolves fell back, shaking their heads, making drool and spit fly everywhere. Tegan and I wasted no more time in getting out of the steel death trap, shifting back to human form in the process. When I was clear of the cage I swung around to see what was going on with Harper. She was dressed in thick leather pants and matching knee-high boots. There was a sea of leather traveling up her entire body, stopping at her neck, reaching almost to her chin. She even had her hands covered with black gloves. Only her face and a chignon of blond hair were left exposed to the elements. Harper’s already pale skin resembled smoothed cream against the darkness of her tight fitting leather uniform. It was obvious that she had first-hand knowledge about these vile creatures and knew how to protect herself accordingly against them. A crossbow hung horizontally from her back with plenty of arrows attached to the side of it running long ways for easy access. But she didn’t reach for that weapon; instead she pulled a long sword from a scabbard she had tightly secured to a thick belt at her hip. She looked like an avenging angel in black, sent down to earth to rid it of all its contemptible creatures. Or in this case, a couple infected wolves.

  I turned to Tegan and asked, “What is she doing?”

  Tegan looked at me momentarily before her gaze swung back to Harper. “I would imagine that she’s about to lop some heads off.”

  Sure enough, one of the wolves sprung at Harper. The other looked like he was still trying to instruct his sluggish brain to focus on a new victim. He must have had the sickness a bit longer than the other infected wolf, or maybe it was just hitting him harder. The smarter of the two gnashed its teeth as it sailed through the air. Harper dropped her shoulder, ducking and swinging her sword at the same time. The shiny blade bit into the wolf’s neck, slicing straight through bone and tendon like warm butter. The decapitated wolf’s body dropped to the floor with a sickening plop. Its head tumbled to the mat soon after. I was distracted momentarily by the sound of several boots reverberating off the black rubber floors that covered the training room. My head swung in the direction of the noise, silently praying that there weren’t more decaying wolves about to attack us. Thankfully though, I saw several Adelphi warriors and some of my own pack’s security officers storming the room instead. Ember waved frantically at the soldiers to join her. She had already freed Declan’s arms from the punching bag and had him lying on one of the mats. He wasn’t moving at all, but I could sense that he was still very much alive. I blew out a relieved breath and turned back to Harper. She had just jumped over the remaining wolf, avoiding its claws, landing behind it. She brought her sword up once and again swung. With an elegant and deadly arc that glinted against the overhead lights, Harper, with her sharp blade, stripped the last crazed wolf of its head.

  ***

  After Tegan had artfully disposed, more like evaporated, the lifeless bodies of the wolf-zombies by using her witch born magic, we all rallied in the infirmary across the hall. The stark white room was fully stocked to the nines with top of the line machines, several beds, and cabinets full of medical supplies. Ember had put a call in to the main house asking for the Adelphi resident doctor to come and treat Declan’s wounds. The doctor had arrived about an hour later, right before Amos had busted through the swinging doors with two wolves in tow. His men had successfully captured them before they could escape. They both were sporting bruises and cuts to their faces. Ember had taken it upon herself to give Declan’s assailants a not-so-nice welcome.

  “So are you going to arrest us already or keep us tied to this fucking bench like dogs all day?” The taller of the two prisoners complained.

  “Shut your muzzle, Assface. We will keep you tied up as long as we damn well please,” Harper hissed back at him.

  The strange wolf’s eyes gleamed with malice, and his thin lips lifted up into a cringe-worthy smile. Harper wasn’t fazed at all. She just flipped him off, turned, and walked over to the other side of the room. I watched as she yanked a white curtain aside before pulling it closed behind her.

  “She’s checking on Brady.” Ember said, briefly taking her eyes off Declan to look over at the curtained enclosed area Harper had disappeared behind. She held his hand in hers, absently stroking her thumb over it. I didn’t know if it was for her comfort or his; most likely both. She hadn’t left his side since she’d found him and it didn’t look like she was about to anytime soon. The doctor was forced to work around her, and he seemed to have no problem with that. The doctors white coat billowed out behind him as he shuffled from one end of the bed to the other. His hands moved with purpose over each one of Declan’s wounds, pulling out jagged pieces of silver and probing deep into his cuts, checking to see if there were any fragments he might have missed.

  “Is he going to be alright, Jarrod?” Ember asked.

  The doctor nodded. Several strands of his long blonde hair fell loosely across his face. “He should be, Alpha. I was able to retrieve all the silver shards from his body. As a result, his vital readings are improving by the second and he has already begun to heal.”

  The young looking doctor seemed confident with his diagnosis and it showed. The atmosphere in the room went from being thick with panic to a more subtle air of relief.

  “Rox!”

  The unexpected sound of my name being said in such a frantic way jolted me. Before I knew it, a set of strong, trembling arms spun me around. I found myself pressed up against Nathan’s chest. He was breathing heavily and only after he kissed every inch of my face was I able to look up into the worried eyes of my wolf. He was pale with a countenance that seemed to be crashing down, resulting in the gloomiest frown I had ever seen. I held in a gasp trying not to drown myself in his apparent sorrow. Whatever was wrong or bothering him I needed to fix it, and fast. It killed me to see him like this. My hands flew to his face. The texture of his skin was clammy and a bit damp, as if he had been crying. I ran the balls of my thumbs under both eyes, trying to wipe away the evidence of his grief.

  “What’s wrong, my love?” I whispered.

  He shook his head and leaned forward, very gently resting his forehead on mine. It took him a moment to find his voice.

  “When I heard that you were being attacked by those vile creatures? I...I…” he pulled me tighter to him. “I feared the worst.”

  “I’m okay,” I said, squeezing back. “There’s not even a scratch on me. Harper was a life saver. She got us out of there in plenty of time.”

  He nodded and hesitantly pulled away from me. He didn’t let go though, just held me at arm length, inspecting my body from head to toe.

  “Are you sure those bastards didn’t get ahold of you? No bites, scratches, or anything you might have missed?”

  “Positive,” I assured him.

  “Why don’t you both go and grab some food or something, take a break from all this crap. I will call your cell when Harper and I figure out a new time for our first training session.” Tegan said, practically pushing us out of the room.

  I almost forgot that Tegan was still here. She had been hanging back, in the far corner of the room, talking to her fellow Adelphi soldiers. A few of Ember’s security guards were over with them too, minus Amos. He left to resume his guard over
Dane. The security detail had stayed behind to keep an eye on the prisoners. From the look on Ember’s face as she looked over at the two cuffed wolves, it was a good thing they had; she was out for blood and vengeance.

  Ember set Declan’s hand down beside him atop the sheet that covered his still body. The white fabric held traces of his blood, the only reminder of his suffering, since his wounds had healed themselves. It still amazed me how quickly we immortals could heal. After nodding at the doctor, no doubt to make it clear she would be back momentarily, she crossed the several feet between us. She stopped, and at first I thought she was going to say something, but she just let out a heavy breath. After trying to rub the exhaustion from her eyes, she took me by the hand. Still without uttering a word, she led me out into the hallway; Nathan followed.

  “Where’s Colin?” Ember finally asked. Not of me, but of Nathan.

  “He had to stay behind. The wolves at Haven are in a complete frenzy. Collin was the only one able to calm most of them down. It’s bad over there, Ember.”

  “I assume this has something to do with the two wolves Tegan and I faced down earlier today?” I asked, deciding to add my own two cents.

  Nathan’s worried eyes landed on me. I hadn’t meant to remind him of his recent pain, the torture of not knowing if I was okay.

  “It has everything to do with it. Those infected wolves are two of many that have been infected. The packs are in a panic.”

  “What are we going to do? What can we do?” I asked.

  This wolf disease had the potential to spread like a plague; the impact on the world itself would be devastating. Humans and supernaturals alike could be wiped out within a matter of a few years. Heck…even months if it wasn’t contained.

  “Let me worry about this problem for now. Tegan’s right. It will do you two a world of good to get away from here for a little bit. I will call Collin and get the scoop on this new wolf strain,” Ember said, brooking no argument.

  She leaned over and gave me a peck on the cheek and squeezed Nathan’s arm before walking back into the infirmary.

  Nathan tugged on my hand and started leading me down the hall. I was reluctant to leave while things were still so turbulent within my pack. But there really wasn’t anything for me to do.

  “You heard the orders of our Alpha. Let’s get out of here,” Nathan insisted.

  I went along with him and allowed myself to relax. I had a feeling that the training Harper and Tegan had in store for me and everyone else was going to be extremely brutal. I was going to need to be well rested, on my A-game. I didn’t know what worried me the most, actually battling the Darkin or the training that went into getting ready to fight them. The thought of the original vampires was scary, no doubt. Then again, I have seen Harper and Tegan in action, and they could be pretty frightening themselves.

  “I hope you have something to eat in there,” I complained, my stomach grumbling.

  We were standing outside on Nathan’s porch while he unlocked the door to a modest ranch style home. The house was yellow; I thought the color that Nathan chose to paint his house was unusual and strangely comforting all at the same time. It had been a full day since I had eaten last, and that included not being able to quench my ever mounting thirst for blood as well. The hunger had been steadily building ever since the painful attack I had suffered back at the motel room. My wolf wanted a big slab of meat to sink her teeth into and my vampire side was thirsting for blood.

  Nathan gestured for me to precede him into the house and followed me through the door. It took a moment to fully digest what I had walked into. His house was immaculate. I inhaled the thick aroma of lemon cleaner, bleach, and hazelnut as I scanned the living room. The furnishings were sparse; just a couch, coffee table, one chair and a television perched on a stand. What caught me off guard were his decorations. Nestled in a large built-in shelf, there were all sorts of little trinkets and figurines. My eyes focused in on a set of miniature warriors. They were positioned in a way that reflected conflict against each other. They held their swords out before them ready for battle. The figurines resembled Norse Vikings with helmets that molded around the tops of their heads, the protective metal traveling between their eyes and down their nose.

  An eye catching glint from a set of crystal eggs stole my attention from the fierce warriors. Nathan walked up behind me and my heart rate instantly quickened when he leaned down to look over my shoulder. He smelled so good. Like clean laundry and hazelnut coffee. All I had to do was turn my head, just a couple inches or so, and my nose and lips would find themselves in a caress against the side of his neck. My fangs ached, throbbing against my gums, wanting to slide out and take a taste of him. Instead, I focused all my attention on the eggs. The crystal spheres were the size of a football, taking up a good portion of the shelf they sat upon.

  “Do you like them?” Nathan asked. He pulled me closer and wrapped his arms around my waist.

  I managed to answer him, even though an insistent hunger gnawed at my gut, making me focus more on the blood that flowed through his veins, tempting me to take a sip from him instead.

  “I do. What kind of eggs are they?” I questioned. “I’ve never seen anything like them before. They’re so unique, so beautiful.” I said in admiration.

  Nathan reached over and ran his fingers gently over the black and blue one. The colors swirled together at his touch, almost becoming one with each other, but somehow the hues managed to remain separate. The second egg was similar to the first; a bit smaller in size, but it was a deep shade of purple that mixed in with black instead of the blue.

  “I was told by an elder witch that these were a pair of very old, extinct dragon eggs. She said they weren’t viable, but this set is rumored to hold magical properties for healing and good luck,” Nathan explained.

  He shrugged his shoulders then gazed into my eyes. “There must be something to the luck part. I met you soon after I bought these from the wise old gal. Come to think of it, I should hunt her down and thank her.”

  “How come every time I see you two nymphos, you are about ten seconds away from screwing each other?”

  Nathan and I both turned at the sound of Ariel’s voice. I was getting used to people popping up on me so she hadn’t taken me by surprise this time. I was just irritated by the interruption. I wanted to bitch and moan to her about it, kick her out of Nathan’s house even. However, I was brought up differently than that. My mom had taught me, or more like trained me, to always be gracious to guests. Even if it was a guest that lacked manners of her own.

  “Damn it, Nymph. Haven’t you ever heard of knocking?” Nathan grumbled.

  I could feel the evidence of his desire for me pushing up against my back. It was also the reason why he wasn’t being as hospitable to our uninvited guest as I was. The poor wolf, all he wanted was to get me alone. I wanted that as well, plus a moment to satiate my hunger.

  “I do apologize for my awkward timing, wolf. But I carry news about the vampire Tyson.” She coolly stated.

  Ariel walked over to the shelf and picked up one of the crystal eggs. She had chosen the blue one.

  “He has been experimenting with vampires and werewolves alike, trying to duplicate the strengths of your alpha by trying to create some Hybrids of his own. He has failed, of course.” She said with a shrug. “Only very strong magic can produce the likes of your alpha she-wolf, and fortunately for us, he doesn’t have access to such a power source.”

  Ariel smoothed her pale hands over the crystal egg. She rubbed the top portion of it while she cradled the bottom half in her other hand. Her fingers spread out, moving in small circles slowly, over and over again.

  “Where did you get this?” She asked, looking curiously at the egg in her hand. “It’s giving off a strange sensation. It’s almost like the thing is trying to sing to me. I can hear strange notes and vibrations coming off of it.”

  Nathan pointed at the blue egg, shaking his head. “It’s just an old dragon egg; I purc
hased the two of them from a small shop in Woodburn while visiting my grandmother. I was told that they hold magical juju. That’s probably what you’re tuning into.”

  Ariel shrugged and set the egg back down next to the smaller one on the shelf.

  “You’re most likely right.” she said, wiping her hands together like she was trying to rid them of dust. “The noise has dulled since I set it down. I wouldn’t worry about it too much.”

  That was an odd thing to say. Why would we worry? I pondered that for a second, even thought about tossing the eggs out the door. Before I could resort to such drastic measures, I realized we had gotten off the subject of Tyson. I took a few steps away from the eggs, creating a more comfortable distance between me and the blue and purple mystery spheres just in case I did have something to worry about. I was a ‘better safe than sorry’ kind of girl.

  It was almost like Nathan was reading my mind when he asked, “So what has come of Tyson’s experiments? How many causalities have there been, or do you even know?”

  “Oh, I know exactly how many hybrids he has attempted to create. There were a total of twelve experiments. I know this because he has a mid-level witch working for him who has been foolishly tapping into my element for a power boost. The witch was even ignorant enough to use Ash Lake, my main power source, so I have felt every attempt she has made.”