Arena Wars Trilogy

by Hoffman, Samantha

  “But I won’t let you die for me,” I said quietly. “You all mean too much to me. I couldn’t live with myself if you got hurt just because Quinten and I weren’t careful.”

  Ray brushed back a strand of my loose hair and he smiled. “Kiddo, you’re the most important part of my life. I know you know that. And it’s not just you I’m fighting for; it’s my grandkids, too. They deserve a chance at life, no matter the cost. Don’t you think so?”

  I wiped a tear from my cheek, suddenly overcome with emotion. I didn’t like the thought of Ray putting myself above so many others, but I knew deep down that he was right. “Yes.”

  He kissed my forehead like he always did when I wasn’t feeling well. “Everything will work out for the best. We just have to believe that.”

  “Alanna,” Quinten began. “You cannot be put in harms way. We’re still not sure how this pregnancy works. If you can’t shift, you won’t stand a chance in a fight, against a vampire or a werewolf. We have to keep you away from the danger, at least until the babies are born. I’m sorry.”

  Violet eyed my stomach with intense interest. “You’ve gotta be damn near ready to have those babies of yours, right? It should happen anytime.”

  “I think it’ll be another two weeks,” Jenna said, smiling tenderly at Ray. “But she could deliver as early as next week. Women carrying twins don’t always go full term; they sometimes get induced early. We might have to consider doing something like that with her.”

  The thought of being a mother in as little as a week terrified me to the point where I couldn’t even speak. Quinten squeezed my hand, trying to comfort me, and I leaned into him again. “Alanna, I promise I’ll be right there with you when these babies are born. I’ll hold your hand trough the entire thing. You won’t be alone.”

  I nodded. “I know.”

  “Well, I hate to break up this touching scene, but we do have an upcoming fight to prepare for,” Jax reminded us. “Roger could be here tomorrow, and I doubt he’ll be bringing flowers, balloons, or a card. Can we get back to planning? At the risk of sounding cliché–again–we are still kind of doomed,” he pointed out with a boyish grin.

  Jenna got up and headed into the kitchen, stopping just long enough to brush her hand across Ray’s shoulder. Nobody else seemed to notice, but I did, and Ray realized it. He grinned sheepishly at me, and I just smiled back.

  If he and Jenna wanna be more than just friends, they shouldn’t put it off. Nobody here would think less of them for starting a relationship. Truth be told, they might not have much time left. If they wanna be together, they should do it now, while they still have each other…

  Ray’s eyes followed Jenna as she walked into the garage to get something from the freezer for breakfast, and I elbowed him gently. “You should go for it, if you haven’t already.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Since when do I need dating advice from my daughter?” The corner of his lips turned up in a slight smile, and he continued. “I’ve been dating since before you were born, I’ll have you know.”

  “Did you really just say I’ll have you know? That’s something old geezers say,” I told him.

  “Well, I am old, even if I don’t look it.”

  “You’re only old compared to a normal human, but to a werewolf or a vampire, you’re still a child.”

  “What does that make you?” he teased. “I think it makes you a baby.”

  “I guess we’ll talk about the impending death and destruction after lunch,” Jax said, getting to his feet with a groan. “I’m too hungry to talk about such depressing things anyway.”

  “You’re always hungry,” I said, waddling with him out to the kitchen. He laughed at my walk, and jumped back when I went to shove him. “You’re lucky it’s too much of a hassle to walk over there or I’d hit you right now.”

  He laughed again and started rearranging the plates on the table. Jenna came back into the kitchen with a bag full of bacon slices, and she set to work frying them over the stove, while I toasted bread and Ray cooked scrambled eggs beside Jenna. Darren pulled fresh fruit out of the fridge and put it in a bowl. He set it on the table, brushing against Jax in the process.

  Jax stiffened and pulled away with an ugly look on his face. “Don’t touch me.”

  I sighed. “Jax–”

  “Its fine, Alanna,” Darren assured me quickly. “Jax isn’t as used to being around good vampires as you are. He’ll get used to it eventually. Until he does, it’s alright if he’s a little cold toward me. I understand. You guys don’t have a ton of good experiences with us vamps. He’ll come around eventually.”

  I wasn’t so sure, but I figured that Darren was capable of handling himself. I watched him out of the corner of my eye while I helped with breakfast, and when everyone sat down or leaned against the wall to eat together, he sat as far away from Jax as possible. The two didn’t so much as look at one another the entire meal, and we all ate in a slightly uncomfortable silence.

  *****

  Later that night, as I was lying in bed with Quinten, I tossed and turned, trying to find a more comfortable position. It was so hot out that I felt smothered just lying on top of the blankets, and I was in dire need of some fresh, cool air. Lying in bed next to Quinten was like lying next to a heater, and I wasn’t sure how much more of it I could take.

  The muscles in my leg started to randomly spasm, and sharp jolts of pain stabbed their way up my entire body, causing me to pant silently to myself. I was so hot, and my body ached so badly I just wanted to dunk my entire body in a tub of ice water. What’s wrong with me? I wondered as another round of muscle spasms hit me.

  Fire began to spread its way through my entire body, but I wasn’t entirely afraid. It was a warm heat, and one that I was extremely familiar with. It was the heat that flooded my body just before I shifted into my magnificent other half, but it did kind of scare me now. I wasn’t sure if I could shift right now, and the urge to do it hadn’t been this strong ever, not even when I was first bitten and exposed to this kind of lifestyle.

  I tried to fight it with every ounce of my willpower, but it was a fight I was losing. The urge to shift became overwhelming, and I rolled out of bed, careful not to disturb Quinten, and I crawled out the window. The blast of cool, night air hit me like a slap to the face, and the second my feet hit the ground, I dove into the darkness.

  My body began the quick and smooth process of shifting, and I didn’t even have time to worry about the babies I was carrying. I wasn’t in control of my body at this moment; I could only stand by and watch as my limbs shifted and elongated, and fur spouted from my entire body. A long tail grew from my back, and I landed on four soft, padded feet. Then I was trotting off into the darkness, racing through the silent forest, with no idea where I was actually going.

  As I weaved in and out of the thick trees, fear rose in my chest, nearly smothering me. I didn’t know why I was running or why I couldn’t control myself, and I didn’t know where I was running to. All I knew was that I had to get there, and I had to get there soon. It was a basic instinct buried somewhere deep inside of me, and even though I didn’t understand it, I trusted it, and that calmed my runaway nerves.

  A massive tree appeared in the middle of the woods. It was only about a half a mile from my home, and there was nothing special looking about it, but my feet inexplicably slowed as I got closer and closer. When I reached the front of the tree, I noticed that the roots bunched up near the base, standing above the soil line, and I began to dig just beneath them.

  The hole beneath the tree’s roots got larger and larger as the next hour passed by, and by the time I was done, I could fit my entire body well into the small cavern I’d just dug. It wasn’t done yet–I didn’t know how I knew that; I just did–but it was a start, and it erased some of my fears and unease at the sight of it. As I stared at this small hole I’d just dug, I realized exactly what it was.

  A pregnant wolf would pick a dig site and build a den that was easily accessibl
e only to them. She would give birth to her pups in the den, and the mate wouldn’t be allowed inside until she was done giving birth. Is that what I just did? Did I just dig out a “birthing den” for my babies? Why have I become so instinctual and animalistic?

  Now that the den was hollowed out, I was back in control of my body, and I began the short journey back home. I didn’t plan on using the den, but it was nice to know that I had a somewhat safe, secluded, and impenetrable den to give birth in if Roger tried to hurt me while I was vulnerable. I hoped it wouldn’t be necessary, but it felt nice to have a backup plan, just in case.

  My path home took me through a small clump of trees, and then into a dimly lit clearing. I stopped short when I heard a slightly familiar sound, and it took me a few seconds to come to terms with what I was seeing. It was so shocking and so confusing that I just couldn’t even begin to rationalize it.

  Jax was lying naked on the forest floor. His powerful body was covered in a thin sheen of sweat, his arms were crossed behind his head, and he was panting silently to himself. Lying on the forest floor next to him, equally naked, was Darren. His arm was draped nonchalantly over Jax’s waist, and he was curled up beside him, resting his head on Jax’s broad chest. The two of them looked blissfully happy, and I just stared in shock.

  I took another step forward, and a small twig snapped under my massive paws. Jax was alert and on his feet in an instant, crouching protectively in front of Darren. He looked ready to kill anything that threatened the dhampir, and I tried to keep my eyes above his naked waist.

  When he recognized me, he slowly calmed down, and relaxed his entire body. He sat back down on the forest floor, and I padded forward slowly, unsurely, afraid of what the two of them might say. Darren leaned around Jax’s shoulders and smiled lazily at me. “Hey, Alanna. What are you doing out here?” His eyes widened in surprise. “Why are you in your wolf form? Aren’t you worried about hurting the babies?”

  I shifted back, unworried about hurting the two children I was carrying, since my instinct had forced me to do it earlier. I covered my body with my arms as best as I could, while sitting down on the forest floor with my gay werewolf cousin and his dhampir lover. Even though I didn’t have to be too embarrassed, I still kind of was, since my body wasn’t exactly in top shape at the moment.

  “I didn’t shift of my own accord. My instincts took over, forced me to shift, and I just ran through the woods and dug out a birthing den for when I have the babies. So since my instincts forced me to do it, I’m guessing it won’t be that harmful to the babies. I’m sure they’re fine. Now, what are you two doing out here in the middle of the night?” I asked as if I didn’t already know the answer.

  Darren’s cheeks turned red, and he buried his face in Jax’s back. Jax just laughed, and he waggled his eyebrows suggestively at me. “What? Wasn’t it obvious? We are basking in the glorious afterglow of a hot, steamy, lovemaking session together. It’s not like it’s any different than what you and Quinten do.”

  “I don’t have a problem with it; I was just curious how long this has been going on. Just this morning I heard you snap at him, and I figured you two didn’t like each other. Of course, that was all probably just to keep us off your scent, right?” Jax grinned impishly, looking much more like the Jax I’d known my entire life rather than the hardening warrior I’d come to notice recently. “So, how long has this been going on?”

  “Not as long as you’re probably thinking,” Jax said. Darren was getting dressed behind him, and he chuckled.

  “It’s kind of a more recent thing,” he said, buttoning his pants. Now that I was in the clearing with them, I could smell the scent a wolf got after mating, and it hadn’t been there earlier. Recent was right.

  Jax took his jeans that were lying nearby and covered his naked body with them, trying to get back a bit of modesty. “Before Quinten and I left, you got all touchy when I asked if you’d seen Darren. Was that before or after you two started, uh, dating?”

  “After. Much after,” Darren said, taking a place in front of Jax so he could dress in peace. It was strange to see Darren, who was only about five foot seven, try to shield a six foot beast like Jax from view. Jax was easily sixty pounds heavier, and his body was comprised almost entirely of muscle. Darren wasn’t exactly thin, but his muscle was thinner and more ropey than powerful.

  “How much later was it?”

  “This was actually our first time,” Darren said shyly, as if the thought of talking about the experience was uncomfortable. “But we’ve been kind of dating for about a week, I think. Jax was so nasty about me before because he figured out that I was supposed to be his mate. I was the one he was having stirrings about, and he didn’t wanna admit–even to himself–that his soul mate was a vampire. It took him a while to warm to the idea, but when he did, the two of us really hit it off. We talked for hours at night after everyone went to bed, and we found out that we actually have a lot in common with one another, which isn’t surprising, seeing as we’re soul mates. Then it graduated from there…” He blushed and looked away, but I just smiled.

  “Darren, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. People are made to have sex with one another; it’s what we do. Werewolves are programmed to find someone to spend the rest of their life with.” I looked at Jax, who was finished dressing and was watching the two of us interact with interest. “Although I was always surprised when I found out you were gay.”

  “Why?” Jax asked, snorting. “Not every gay man on the planet acts the same. Sometimes you can’t tell about a person’s sexual preferences unless you ask them.”

  “That’s true. I didn’t know that Darren was gay,” I said, looking at him. “I just meant that the whole soul mate thing is useful for helping us identify our best chances at passing on our genes. If you like men, you can’t pass on your genes, so having a soul mate doesn’t really have an actual purpose. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I didn’t think there could be such a thing as gay werewolves.”

  Jax shrugged, as if he’d heard that question many times before. “I’m not the only one, you know. There are plenty of others. I’ve dated a couple of them over the years; it was always a casual thing. They find their male soul mates eventually, but nobody ever really questions it. They just accept that we’re made happy by our soul mates, even if we can’t ever procreate with them.”

  “Hmm.” I said, thinking. “How come you guys didn’t tell anyone? How come you’re sneaking out at night to be together? Did you think nobody would understand? I mean, if anyone understood your relationship, it would be me. I am mated to a vampire. You could have said something.”

  “Our relationship is just so new we kind of wanted to keep it to ourselves,” Darren said shyly. “We would have told people eventually; we’re just still getting used to the idea of being together. You’re not angry, are you?”

  I shook my head. “Why would I be? You two are my friends, and family,” I said, looking at Jax. “I understand the need to keep quiet. Aside from being new to your relationship, now might not be the best time to come out about mating with a vampire.”

  Jax frowned. “Actually, it might be the perfect time. Alanna, everyone thinks that you and Quinten are just a fluke, a freak of nature, but Darren and I can help prove you’re not. If more than one werewolf has a vampire soul mate, it can’t be a coincidence like everyone is saying. They’ll have to believe that you and Quinten are meant to be. They’ll have no grounds to bar you from being together. We might get the Council and Roger to let up on us for a while.”

  “What are we supposed to do?” I asked. “March up to the Council building and just announce that your lover is a dhampir? I don’t actually see that helping. In fact, they’ll probably spin this as meaning there’s a problem with our family, not with the laws that govern us. Our soul mates aren’t vampires because we’re destined to be together, our soul mates are vampires because we’re genetic freaks and our family is messed up.”

  Darren snorted. “Know
ing that horrible Council, they’d probably try and have you two fixed so you can’t have…” He looked at me and took a deep breath. “Half-breed monster babies. Unfortunately, you’re already pregnant, so going to the Council anytime in the near future is definitely not a good idea. They might try and do what Eli did–rip the babies from your womb.”

  I shuddered at the memory of Eli’s fingers digging around my stomach, reaching for my unborn children, and I looked over at Jax. “We should probably get back. It’s not safe out here in the woods for us anymore.”

  “No, it’s not,” Roger said, stepping from the trees.

  I jumped to my feet, and Jax threw his shirt at me. I used it to cover as much of my body as I could while I stared Roger down. When Ilene stepped out from behind him, my eyes widened a bit, and my heart gave a painful squeeze. The thought of fighting my baby sister, especially while I was pregnant, was not a happy one.

  I couldn’t hurt her, but I couldn’t let her hurt me either. I had two more people to protect than I normally did during a fight, and I wouldn’t let anything happen to them. If that meant that I had to hurt my sister to protect them, I’d have to do it, no matter how much I really didn’t want to. Nothing was more important than my children; even though I wasn’t technically a mother yet, those urges were beginning to shine through everything else.

  Roger stepped forward, and Jax tensed beside me. “You know, when Ilene told me, I didn’t believe her. For centuries, we’ve simply known that the two species aren’t compatible, but here you are, proving everyone wrong. First you take a vampire as a mate, then you bond with him, and now you’re carrying his children. They are his children, aren’t they?”

  I bristled at his words. “Yes, they are,” I said tightly. “These babies are half-vampire, and half-werewolf. When they’re born, the fighting will stop. Everyone will see that the two sides don’t have to hate one another. There will finally be peace between the two species.”