“What was that about?” Samantha asked curiously as Kedar took his seat beside her.
“Don’t worry about it…” Kedar muttered as he took his food from her. Samantha nodded and they finished eating their dinner in silence. Kedar stood, still not uttering a word and he ducked into their tent. Samantha frowned slightly, but she stayed where she was for a long while and she poked at the flames of their dying campfire. She looked up towards Heather and Jessica. She and Heather made eye contact. Samantha scowled at her and put on her best grimace, causing Heather to look away from her first. Samantha smiled a soft smug smile and then she ducked into the tent, letting the flames of the fire burn low. Kedar laid in his sleeping bag with his back facing Samantha. She sighed quietly and proceeded to change into the thermal pajamas that he had packed for her. She watched him breath steadily as she changed and then she sat on her sleeping bag. She watched him for a long moment. She sighed again and got into her sleeping bag as well rolling over so that her back was facing him. She couldn’t help but feel like maybe he still had feelings for Heather and Jessica. Or just Jessica at least. She curled up into a tight ball and tried her best to fall asleep.
She didn’t sleep very long before she was woken by a rustle outside of the tent. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, allowing them to adjust to the dark. She looked around quickly, noticing that Kedar wasn’t in his sleeping bag. She moved closer to the zipper of the tent and she heard voices outside of the tent; Kedar and Jessica.
“C’mon, Kedar. The last time we saw each other I wasn’t exactly very nice…” Jessica said softly.
“Exactly, that’s why I don’t want to talk to you. I’m on watch, just go to your tent.” Kedar seethed.
“Don’t be like that. I just want to talk to you, that’s all…” Jessica pleaded with him. Samantha could hear the desperation in her voice and it made her jealous and angry all at the same time. She wanted to jump out of the tent and tell Jessica off, but she knew that it would upset Kedar. That was the last thing that she wanted to do.
“Really? You want to talk to me? Why didn’t you talk to me while I was in the hospital? After I had been attacked? Heather came to see me. Heather took care of me and I had cheated on her. With you no less. But you didn’t even write me letters. I was told you were at boarding school and I waited almost two years for you. When I finally move on you come back, just for me to I find out you were never gone in the first place? If you want to suddenly talk so bad you tell me why on this God forsaken Earth you did that to me? Why the fuck did you decide to hurt me like that? I thought you fucking loved me, we were going to have a family and you fucking ditched me.” The anger was clear in his voice, but it was accompanied by an undertone of pain. His voice almost waivered as he uttered the word family, and it made Samantha’s stomach drop. She hadn’t realized exactly how much Heather and Jessica had hurt him. She scowled, but continued to listen.
“I didn’t ditch you Kedar, I wasn’t allowed to contact you…”
“That didn’t stop Heather. Knock it off with the excuses. Be fucking honest with me.”
Jessica faltered, “I felt guilty for hurting Heather.” She finally admitted. “When I found out I was pregnant, I panicked. I thought it would be better for you and Heather if I stopped seeing you, and I gave up the baby. Neither of us were ready to be parents. Plus I knew how much it would destroy Heather to watch me have a family with you. I couldn’t bring myself to get in contact with you. And it was better that way.”
“That’s such bullshit. You didn’t give a damn how what we did effected Heather’s feelings while I was fucking your brains out.” He snapped.
“Kedar…”
There was the loud clap of skin hitting skin, “Don’t you fucking touch me. You deserted me. You had my son and took him away from me even though you knew how bad I wanted to have a family with you. Do you understand that? Can you wrap your little self-centered brain around that?”
Jessica didn’t respond.
“I didn’t think so. Get out of here and leave me the fuck alone.”
“Kit…” She whispered.
“It’s too late. I spent two years of my life waiting by my phone for you to call. You had your chance. Get out of here.” Kedar demanded.
Silence followed. Samantha was unsure of what she should do. She felt as though she should just get back in her sleeping bag and forget that she heard a part of their argument, but part of her wanted to go out and talk to Kedar. She knew that he was very upset, however, and she didn’t want to argue with him. She sighed softly and rubbed her temple. She crawled back over to her sleeping bag and got back inside with her back to the tent’s zipper. After another long stretch of silence she heard someone stepping into the tent.
“I didn’t wake you, did I babe?” Kedar whispered.
Samantha sat up sluggishly, pretending that she was sleeping. She had decided that she didn’t want to tell him she had overheard his conversation with Jessica. He would talk to her about what happened between them more in depth when he was ready. She shook her head, “No…why?” She responded. It wasn’t a lie either, she had woken up before they began to argue.
Kedar smiled sheepishly, “Don’t worry about it, just go back to sleep.” He replied softly, reaching out and touching her head. She smiled a bit then laid back down, and wrapped her extra blankets around herself.
Kedar kicked off his boots and climbed into her sleeping bag with her. He draped his arm over her waist and smoothed her hair with his other hand. He linked their fingers together and kissed her shoulder lightly, letting his lips linger on her skin. He was still tense, but he was as gentle with her as he could be.
“I love you. You know that, right?” He finally whispered after minutes of silence. Samantha had though he had drifted off to sleep. She rolled over to face him.
“I do know that. And I love you…” She whispered in response.
“Good, I’m very glad that you do…” Kedar whispered as he moved so that he was on top of Samantha. He rolled her onto her back and pressed his lips against hers softly.
***
The morning was incredibly cold. Normally the cold didn’t bother Samantha, but she was sure to put on an extra layer anyway. It took a couple hours to dissemble the make-shift camp but soon enough they were back on the trail, leading them to the brood’s lair. The group was getting antsy and the anxiety could be felt throughout the two packs. Samantha stayed close to Kedar once again, but it was him this time who looked around incessantly. Samantha knew he kept looking towards Heather and Jessica and it made her uneasy. She linked her arm with his and he looked at her, his face becoming soft. She smiled in relief and she continued to follow the group to the lair with what felt like a burden off of her shoulders.
The terrain became steeper and rougher. The group was forced to climb over rocks and up steep hills. Kedar helped Samantha over the rocks that were more difficult to maneuver over, pulling her up and holding her as they climbed. After a few hundred feet the terrain began to get even once again. Not long after that they started to come up upon another steep hill, which eventually led up into a towering mountain. Samantha looked at Kedar and he nodded slowly, confirming that they were quickly encroaching upon the brood’s lair.
“A mountain?” Samantha asked under her breath.
Kedar chuckled heartily and took ahold of Samantha’s hand, “Actually, a cave.” He corrected her.
Samantha rose her eyebrows, “Isn’t that a bit cliché?” She laughed lightly.
“I guess it is befitting of them. Dark, cold, isolated. It’s a cliché because it works.” Kedar replied simply. He helped Samantha step over a large tree root even though she didn’t quite need any help.
“How are we going to lure them out of the cave?” Samantha asked as they grew even closer to their destination.
“We’re not, we’re bringing the fight right to them. If we lure them out we lose the element of surprise.”
Finally, they stood fifty feet away from
the mouth of the cave. Samantha swallowed hard. Colin and Darien made their way to the front of the group and they stared at their pack members for what felt like an eternity. Colin finally spoke.
“We will be useless in a fight carrying all of our bags with us. Many of us did not pack lightly. We will be assigning two sentries, for the lack of a better word, from this group and another two will be selected from the other group to watch over our belongings. We will set up a small camp here, which the sentries will guard. Along with the sentries a pre-selected group will be staying behind at the mouth of the cave to catch any vampires we may chase out. They will not be expecting to meet any wolves on the outside. I have selected one sentry from my pack, and Darien has selected another from his. Charlotte 2Lévesque you are my selected sentry.” He looked at Darien.
Darien cleared his throat, “Kevin Armstrong is the selected sentry from my pack.” He declared.
Samantha rolled her eyes, Of course he would pick his own child to stay out of the line of danger. She thought to herself.
“Alright, you two will be in charge of watching the camp, and protecting it if need be. We will begin making the camp to stay in overnight and once the other group gets here will discuss our plan of action.” Colin ordered.
The makeshift camp was almost completely assembled when the larger group of wolves approached. Samantha noted that the Goldenborough and Fernridge packs were comprised of mainly older werewolves. Her stomach tangled itself in knots. She hoped that the elders in the group would not slow them down. The other group simply set up their tents in a hurried manner, and then they all communed with the four alphas and Malcolm leading the group.
Malcolm was the first to speak, “I am not aware of how much all of you know about the full extent of this situation, but these vampires are extremely violent and dangerous. All four packs should have selected sentries and the sentries will be kept here, at the campsite. The four packs should have also pre-selected five to eight pack members to stay outside of the mouth of the cave to catch any vampires that may run out after the confrontation begins. These vampires will be fierce and they will not give up, but they are not fighting for their families or their land. They are fighting for selfish reasons and as long as we are united, we can overpower them. Unless anybody has questions we will split up now and head into the cave. Ready yourselves with your weapons and let’s be off.”
The group split up. The sentries stayed behind, finishing the setup of tents and fire-pits. Once at the mouth of the cave they split into smaller groups again. Samantha guessed that about twenty bet moun stayed at the mouth of the cave, and that most of them were at least forty-years old. She frowned, but followed the rest of the group into the cave.
It was dark, and moist and it smelled strongly of death. The ground of the cave was damp and slippery, covered in what appeared to be moss. Samantha scrunched her nose and moved closer to Kedar as they made their way down the slope that descended deeper into the cave. It grew harder to see the deeper they went, and eventually Colin and Malcolm took flashlights out to lighten their paths. They got about another fifty feet in when they came across torches lining the walls, though they were few and far between. Samantha began to get anxious, she knew they were closing in on where the brood was hiding. There was no turning back now, and everybody knew that. They pressed on, tension thick in the air. Samantha glanced at Kedar as she pulled the wooden stake out of the leg harness she had fashioned for it. He smiled at her softly and detached his crossbow from its sling, holding it high. Everyone moved slower, some of them crouching to the ground, preparing to change.
They came across their first vampire sooner than what they were prepared for. Two wolves in the front of the group, who Samantha did not recognize, phased quickly. They took out the vampire before it could raise the alarm to alert the others. Colin waved the group forward, and they continued on. It wasn’t long before the narrow tunnel they had been following opened into a large cavernous space. A large group of vampires awaited them. This time the group was not quick enough to silence them before they could call out for help. A swarm of vampires flooded in, almost over powering the group.
There were angry yells filling the air, mixing with screams of agony. Samantha didn’t notice much else that was going on around her. She charged at a vampire that had begun to advance towards her. She didn’t think. She just acted. She buried the stake into his chest before he could grab hold of her and he stumbled back. A wolf from another pack who had phased then tackled him to the ground. She didn’t even look to see what happened next. Another vampire grabbed her by her hair and pulled her back. It wrapped its arm around her chest and held her arms against her so she was restrained. She called out in pain. Another vampire quickly ran at her, but Kedar shot it down with his crossbow. He turned and aimed towards the vampire restraining Samantha and reloaded his cross bow in one swift movement. He pulled the trigger. The bolt pierced the vampire between the eyes. It dropped Samantha and she crawled a little ways away as it fell to the ground. She then drove the stake through its chest with ease. Many of the vampires were easy kills. Almost too easy. Kedar helped Samantha up, and bolted off to assist another pack member. Samantha turned around to take down yet another vampire.
She took a deep breath. Vampire after vampire she pushed her way through the crowd, searching for the brood mistress, as it had seemed the whole brood had appeared. She knew Kedar was doing the same. All around her was a blur of vampires and wolves. Her heart pounded in her chest. The sound of her blood rushing through her ears drowned out the noises of battle. Her instincts took over. She knew without even looking if it was friend or foe within her reach. If it was a vampire she did what she had to. One vampire grabbed hold of her wrist and she struggled against it. She broke free and they fought. He was not as easy for her to get close to, unlike the others. He swiped at her face, his sharp, razor like nails cutting her cheek open. She felt the wetness of her own blood on her skin. She did not falter. More vampires were turning her way at the scent of her blood. Riley came up behind the vampire and Samantha kept him distracted long enough for Riley to lodge a hatchet in the back of his head. As the vampire stumbled forward Samantha drove the stake into his chest and moved aside so the lifeless corpse could fall to the ground. Before they parted ways Riley pulled a small hatchet from his belt and tossed it to Samantha. She caught it and nodded, before returning her stake to its leg harness. The blessed hatchet would make for a much better weapon.
The battle raged on for what felt like hours around her as she made her way through the fighting. More vampires turned to her, frenzied by the scent of her fresh blood. She fended off the vampires that flocked towards her with the assistance of her fellow wolves. She was breathing hard and could not take an assessment of her surroundings. She was unsure of which side was winning and which was losing. Something in her stomach told her that her pack mates would not walk out of this victorious.
She quickly looked around, her senses heightening. A cry of distress filled the air. It penetrated the sounds of her blood rushing through her ears and her heart pounding. Everything around her seemed to move in slow motion as she scanned her surroundings. Finally her eyes landed upon a beautiful female vampire dragging someone out of the crowd. She saw who it was. She froze. Another anguished cry filled the air. It was Constance, Malcolm’s young daughter. She was crying. She must have blended in with the large group of wolves, sneaking into the hunting party unnoticed by her father. Surely he wouldn’t let a twelve year old come on such a dangerous mission.
The vampire, who Samantha instantly knew was Anastasia, pulled Constance to her feet. She restrained her, just as Samantha had previously been with one arm and she roughly held the child’s face with the other. Fire burned deep within Samantha’s stomach. Anger welled up inside of her. She did not know Constance well, but it did not matter. She was only a child. Anastasia dug her sharp nails into the crying girl’s face, causing it to bleed.
“Enough!” She bellowed.
/> The fighting stopped almost instantaneously. Everyone turned towards Anastasia; the vampires in respect and awe the wolves in anger and fear. Samantha took a couple more steps forward, but someone grabbed her arm. She half turned to see that it was Riley. She snarled, but he didn’t let her go, he only held onto her tighter. The fire still filled her stomach and she clenched her fists, almost unable to stop her instincts from taking over and phasing right there.
“I want to know who killed my daughter. I know it was one of you filthy mutts,” Anastasia’s voice was full of anger and hatred, “One of you will take responsibility for it, or this poor girl dies.” Anastasia ordered, her words dripping with false sympathy. Constance cried out again, tears pouring down her cheeks as she pleaded for her life.
Samantha pulled her arm away from Riley, formulating a plan in her mind. She saw Kedar move towards her but she ignored him. She had confronted Bianca. If she hadn’t Kedar wouldn’t have beheaded her. She wasn’t going to let a child die because of a decision she had made. She stepped forward and opened her mouth to speak.
“It was me!” Kedar called out, feigning fear in his voice.
Don’t you fuckin do this Kit… She thought to herself.
Anastasia glowered and stepped forward, dragging the still crying child with her, “It was you who killed my daughter?” She snarled, baring her fangs.
Kedar nodded slowly, “I did, and I would do it again if I could.” He responded, the confidence oozing into his voice. He took a step forward.
Anastasia tossed Constance aside, towards another vampire. He caught her and held onto her tightly as she wriggled against him, attempting to break free. Anastasia stared down Kedar, looking him up and down. She scowled, continuing forward. Kedar stripped himself of his quiver and crossbow, passing them off to Jaden who stood nearby.
Blood Moon (Moons of the Wolf Series Book 1) Page 24
