Arena Wars Trilogy

by Hoffman, Samantha

  “Not now that he’s missing a hand,” Jax said with a chuckle. “That might have just brought our worst enemy down to our level.”

  “He’s not the oldest,” Violet said, stepping into the kitchen.

  Everyone tensed, and I smiled. “Dad, this is Violet Mays. She gave us a place to stay, and even tried to train Quinten. She helped us escape her apartment building after Eli had some of his goons burn it to the ground.” Thinking about the fire and the children that didn’t make it out brought tears to my eyes, but I wiped them away, and tried to be strong.

  After that, all of us sat down in the living room to listen to what had been going on.

  “Well, I’m sure you saw the news coverage about the brutal slayings of Phillip and Russell. Even their mates weren’t spared. Whoever committed those murders is truly sick,” Ray said. “At first I thought for sure it was Roger, but now I’m not so sure. It could very well have been Eli. He has reason to hate the Council as well.”

  “Yes, but could he have done it? I mean, we don’t know how long Eli was in the city with us. If he was there, watching us from the beginning, it couldn’t have been him, meaning it must have been Roger. I wonder if we’ll ever know.”

  “Um, you guys?” Darren said, looking out the window. “I don’t wanna interrupt your brainstorming, but we’ve got company. A lot of it. And by the looks of their muscle and seriousness, they’re not here to congratulate Alanna on being pregnant.”

  I was on my feet in an instant, rushing to the window. I pulled the curtain back, and frowned. Standing in our driveway were ten large, burly werewolves. I recognized two of them as the guards that had dragged us back and forth from our cell at the Council headquarters, and I got a painful feeling in the pit of my stomach.

  One of them stepped forward, cleared his throat, and began to shout. “Attention! This message is for Alanna Moore and Quinten Taylor. By order of the remaining Council members, the two of you are to leave your home, and surrender yourselves into our custody. If you come calmly and without hassle, it will count in your favor. You have two minutes to leave your home, before we break down the door and forcibly remove you.”

  Ray’s hands clenched into dangerous fists, and he left the window. I followed him over to the front door and he looked at me. “Alanna, I want you to stay back. It’s safer in here.”

  I crossed my arms stubbornly over my chest. “You’ve all already done so much for me; I’m not letting you go out there alone. This is about me, and I intend to speak to these men myself. I want to know what’s going on now. I’m especially interested in how they knew I was back.”

  I pushed past Ray, opened the front door, and stepped onto the front porch. Everyone followed me outside, and took places either on my left, or on my right. Quinten grabbed my hand, and pulled me closer. “You stay by my side,” he whispered in my ear. “Do not let go of my hand. No matter what happens.”

  “What is going on here?” Ray asked, narrowing his eyes at the ten large werewolves in our front yard. It was a brave thing to do, considering there were ten of them, and only seven of us. We were outnumbered, and out-muscled. If it came to a fight, we were at a slight disadvantage.

  One of the remaining Council members stepped forward. “Raymond, your daughter has been found guilty of a pair of very serious crimes, and she must be held accountable for what she’s done.”

  “She’s done nothing wrong!” Ray shouted, taking a step forward. I grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “In fact, if everyone would stop persecuting her, she could live a happy, normal, crime-free life like she deserves.”

  The Council member sighed. “Raymond, I understand a father’s need to protect his daughter, but this is very serious. Even though you may not want to believe it, your daughter is guilty of murder. Simple, pure, cold-blooded murder.”

  Ray laughed. “Is this some kind of sick joke?”

  “Do you see any of us laughing?” he asked tightly. “The council has not overlooked your daughter’s mate’s defiance of the Council’s ruling. He broke his agreement when he chose to feed on her. But even that might have been forgiven. However, the cold-blooded, unprovoked murder of two of our very own Council members cannot be swept under the rug.”

  “You think she killed Russell Hewitt and Phillip?”

  “Not to mention their mates.”

  “This is ludicrous!” Ray shouted, getting angry again. “You can’t honestly believe that my daughter would murder anyone. She’s a good, thoughtful, wonderful young woman, and she’s incapable of cold-blooded murder. Not to mention you have no proof.”

  The Council member reached into his pocket and tossed something at Ray. He caught it and stared down at my driver’s license. There was a blood smear across the front, but my name and picture were both still clearly visible.

  “It’s not possible,” Ray said, frowning. “She’s being framed.”

  “Let’s just say for one moment that she is being framed, who would do it and why? How did they get their hands on her driver’s license? Who other than her would have access to it? Does she not keep it on her person at all times like a normal person?”

  Ray looked to me for answers, and I shrugged. “Quinten packed in a hurry, and he didn’t grab my wallet, which had my driver’s license in it. It’s been sitting in my bedroom for the last two weeks. Maybe someone broke in while you all slept and took it?” I offered, realizing how ridiculous that sounded. People didn’t just break into a werewolf’s house and not get caught.

  The guards with the Council members began to laugh, and I flinched. Of course they wouldn’t believe me. To them I was just a silly, love struck teenager that was guilty in their eyes. It wouldn’t matter how much proof I offered, or even if I could somehow explain my driver’s license…I was guilty to them, and I would stay that way.

  “I don’t suppose you have a better story than that one?” The Council member asked, trying not to smile. “Perhaps Roger Mason broke into your home to further his blackmailing of you? Or maybe someone else is obsessed with you to the point of committing murder and kidnap?

  It hit me so suddenly it felt like all the air had been knocked from my lungs. Who else had had access to my room other than them? It was the only person in my life other than Ilene that wasn’t standing with us right now.

  “Carmen…” I said, surprised at how hollow and dead my own voice sounded.

  Epilogue

  I couldn’t believe it. Carmen, my own mother, had framed me for murder, knowing it would mean my arrest and execution. Was it because Quinten loved me and not her? If that was the reason, what the hell did she expect? He was my soul mate, not hers! Did she honestly believe he would leave her if she filled his head with enough anger and lies?

  Ray stiffened, and the Council members picked up on it immediately. “Carmen? Carmen Moore? Your late wife and mate?” He sounded confused, and I didn’t blame him.

  Ray stood up straighter, prouder, and looked at them. “My wife faked her death to run away with her vampire lover. She has since spent the last ten years as a vengeful bloodsucking bitch. She was the one that turned Quinten, intending to take him as her next mate, never mind the fact that he was destined for our daughter, and not her. When he chose Alanna, she left, and I haven’t seen or heard from her since. If you want a real suspect, find her.”

  The Council member actually looked surprised for a second, before he managed to get his blank face back. “You say that your wife and mate, who died ten years ago, is miraculously alive and living as a vampire, and that she conspired to steal your daughter’s soul mate? And then he refused her advances, and she now wants to have her own daughter tried and executed? Well, that’s much more original than other stories I’ve heard. I have to give you that.”

  “It’s not a story!” Jax exploded. “Carmen Moore was here, not two fucking weeks ago, and she tried to steal Quinten away from Alanna. When the two of them left, she saw no reason to stick around with a bunch of people that despised her, and she took
off. Why don’t you go look for her?”

  “We don’t feel like wasting our time searching for a woman that doesn’t exist. Our killer is standing right here in front of us, and we’re going to take her into custody. She’ll be executed at dawn tomorrow to make an example of her. After tomorrow morning, everyone will know not to ever mess with the Council again.”

  Ray stepped in front of me. “If you touch my daughter, I will kill you.”

  That wasn’t an idle threat and, for a moment, I was actually in awe of Ray. He was openly defying the Council. Such an honest, loving, and affectionate man had just threatened death on anyone that touched me. For a minute, the Council member looked unsure. Then he shook his head, turned to one of the guards behind him, and said, “Seize her. Kill anyone that defies you.”

  The eight guards stepped forward, and the Council members hung back, refusing to get involved in the fight they knew was about to happen. They knew that Ray wouldn’t let them take me, and they were hoping for a fight. I could see it in their eyes. The moment Ray refused to move, they’d arrest him as a co-conspirator, and he would most likely be executed along with me.

  I couldn’t let that happen. Unfortunately, before I could move to shield him, the first guard reached the porch. He barely had time to reach out for me before Jax was on him, dragging him down to the ground. Another guard brought his foot back to kick Jax in the face, and Ray launched himself off the porch.

  The rest of the guards converged on us, and I threw myself into the fight, though my every instinct was telling me to lock myself in my room to protect my baby. I couldn’t just let my family and friends do all the fighting for me. If any of them got hurt because of me, I would never be able to forgive myself.

  I tackled the nearest guard, sending him to the dirt, and I swiftly broke his nose. It started gushing blood, and he quickly brought his hand back and backhanded me across the face, sending me rolling into the dirt. Blood filled my mouth, and I spat it up into the dirt beneath me.

  He was on me before I could even move, and he rolled me over so I was facing him. His first hit was right to my stomach, and I instantly began to panic for my baby, not to mention the pain that blossomed from Eli’s earlier wound. It hadn’t healed, and it had probably just been split open again.

  He raised his fist and, as it started to descend a second time, Quinten latched onto it, digging his fingers into the guard’s wrist. “That’s my mate,” he hissed, snapping the wrist in his hands. The guard howled in pain, and Quinten dragged him to his feet, before sinking his teeth into his neck.

  The guard made a choked gurgling sound, before Quinten released him. He slumped to the dirt and didn’t move. I could see the rise and fall of his chest and knew he wasn’t dead; he was healing, but he’d be out for the rest of the fight. One less person to worry about…

  Quinten pulled me up to my feet and, without a word, threw himself at the nearest guard. He was hassling Darren, who was clutching what looked like a broken arm. I turned away from the two of them, and focused on someone else that needed my help. Ray and Violet were holding off one of the guards that was trying in vain to protect the Council members. Even though they were fighting two against three, it seemed that with Violet’s help, Ray had the upper hand.

  Jenna was in trouble though. She was trying unsuccessfully to hold off the two remaining standing guards, and I rushed over to her side. I slammed my elbow into one’s ribcage, and he wheezed in pain. I didn’t give him a chance to recover before sweeping his legs out from under him. I hated to kick a man when he was down but, considering what these men wanted to do to me, I’d make an exception.

  I kicked him in the side of the head hard enough to snap his head to the side. He moaned once, and his eyes fluttered closed. “Alanna!” Jenna shouted. I looked up too late, and ended up with a vice-like grip around my throat. The guard was easily six and a half feet tall, and he lifted me completely off the ground.

  I flailed and kicked. One wild kick landed in the center of his gut, but all he did was grunt in pain. He didn’t loosen his hold on me enough for me to wiggle free, and I couldn’t reach any part of him other than his stomach or lower. Somehow, I didn’t think even a kick in the groin would make him drop me.

  Jenna rushed forward, intent on helping me, but it quickly became apparent that Jenna was not a fighter. She slapped and bit and pulled his hair, but still he refused to release me. When he tightened his grip on my throat, blackness began creeping up in my vision, and I began to feel dizzy and light-headed in his hands.

  Darren pounced on his back, threw his arms around the guard’s neck, and sunk his fangs into the flesh at the base of his throat. The guard’s eyes went wide, and he dropped me in an attempt to dislodge Darren from his back. I fell, and Quinten caught me in his arms before pulling me protectively against his chest.

  He set me down on the ground and, when Darren released the guard and he slumped to the ground, I noticed that only one werewolf was still standing. The Council member that did all of the speaking was cowering in the dirt at Ray’s feet. His nose was busted, and two of his front teeth were lying in the dirt beside him.

  The fight wasn’t as disastrous as I thought it would be, and I walked over to Ray’s side. I had one hand massaging my throat, which was already bruising, and the other placed gently over my stomach. I was bleeding through my shirt, but I didn’t have any cramps or bleeding from elsewhere, and I just hoped that the baby was alright.

  Ray glared at the man sniveling on the ground. “You should recheck your facts before you come back, because if you come after my innocent daughter one more time, I guarantee you will not live long enough to regret that decision,” he threatened.

  The Council member wiped his running nose and got to his feet. Before tonight, I would have said that all werewolves were strong, independent, and fearless in the face of danger, but I would have been wrong. The man that had been kneeling in the dirt at our feet was spineless, and he was without a doubt the most pathetic werewolf I had ever seen. How he managed to get a spot on the Council was beyond me, but I figured it probably had to do with threats, bribery, and owed favors rather than actual skill and ability to lead.

  Two of the guards slowly got to their feet, looking broken and shaky, and the Council member snapped his fingers. He hid his fear and uncertainty under a mask of authority, and the guards quickly fell into place at his sides. “We’re leaving for now, but mark my words, Raymond, you and your family will regret this decision eventually.”

  Ray took a step forward. “Is that a threat against my daughter?”

  The Council member paled, and I expected him to shrivel under Ray’s intense glare. But he held his ground, turned, and beckoned to the guards to follow him. They disappeared into the trees surrounding our home, leaving their wounded comrades behind in the dirt, and I felt a rush of disgust for the leaders of our secret community.

  Ray looked down at them, scattered around in the dirt, and frowned. “Let’s get back inside. If they’re stupid enough to attack us a second time, I feel bad for them. If they’re smart enough to leave, more power to them.”

  We all followed Ray back into the house, and I paused just long enough to look over my shoulder. The guards were on their feet, and they wisely took off into the trees after their Council leaders. But we all knew they’d be back eventually. There was no way this could end so easily, with my family and friends all still together and in one piece. Something else had to happen.

  Ray plopped down on the couch and put his head in his hands. “I can’t believe Carmen could stoop so low that she would frame her own daughter for murder, knowing she would be tried and executed. It’s just…unbelievable.”

  I sat down beside him. “Dad, everything’s gonna be alright. We’re here, and we’re together, and we’re all in one piece. All we have to do is stick together, and everything will work out for the best.”

  He nodded, but he didn’t exactly look like he had as much confidence as I did. “I hope you’
re right, Alanna.”

  End of Book Two.

  Consumed by War

  Published by Samantha Hoffman

  © 2013 by Samantha Hoffman.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior permissions of the author.

  Chapter One

  The sky was clearer than it had been all fall, and a million stars twinkled brightly. The combined light from the stars and the nearly full moon was enough for me to make out my surroundings, and it only took me a minute to recognize the woods near my home. As a child, the woods had been one of my favorite places to play and just relax. Now that childhood safe haven was gone, to be replaced by a dark, mysterious place that was filled with unseen dangers and threats.

  I walked beneath a low-lying branch, clutching my enormous stomach to keep from toppling over. My center of gravity had been off for a while now, and it always amazed me when I couldn’t regain my balance as quickly as I used to. Before everything that had happened to us took place, I would never have said that pregnancy was a weakness, but now I had to disagree with my older, less experienced self.

  Now that I was pregnant, I knew that I couldn’t have been more vulnerable if I tried. I wasn’t sure if I could shift without hurting the baby, and I wasn’t sure how much of a fight I could put up in my human and very, very pregnant form. Normally pregnant women didn’t have to worry about being attacked by ruthless, bloodthirsty monsters, but that wasn’t the case for me. I had not one, but two immortal enemies that wanted me dead, and I suspected that the only reason I was still alive had something to do with their mutual hatred of each other.

  Weeks ago, Roger Mason had saved me from being slaughtered by Elias, and I hadn’t seen either of them since then. I wasn’t sure why Roger hated Eli more than he hated me and my family, but right now I didn’t care. My family had gotten a couple weeks of uninterrupted rest, and we were using that to our full advantage. Ray was busy day in and day out trying to find some more allies for our upcoming fight, and Jax was trying to teach Quinten, Darren, and Jenna how to fight.