by Terri Lane
“Alexis, please give us a moment, but don’t go far,” he told her. She inclined her head, then silently left the room. “Where have you been Sophia?” he asked.
“Downtown…with my thoughts,” I told him. He studied me for the length of a breath.
“Are you keeping something from me?” he asked. My heart was incapable of beating faster than ninety beats, but my chest did constrict a bit with brief panic.
“What would make you think so?” I asked.
“Alexis behaved strangely when I spoke to her. As though perhaps there is something about you I do not know and she is too loyal to tell me herself,” he said.
“It isn’t that she’s too loyal to me, it is because what she’s keeping is only my business to share with you when I am ready,” I said. He squinted at me briefly then gave a curt nod.
“Fine, I figure it can’t be treasonous, or else she would have said something,” he said.
“Of course, father,” I said. “So, what brings you back so soon?” I asked.
“The conference. I managed to pull all the covens of this region together early. The Hunter infestation has touched all the Northwestern covens and all feel the great importance of handling them swiftly,” he said. “I’ve even managed to draw a few powerful coven leaders spanning the south. They’ve heard of the decimation in the Northeast and know that if the Hunters aren’t dealt with now, they will only continue to advance throughout the continent,” he said.
I quickly hid my surprise. I planned on being a few days into my new life in Canada before the conference took place, so I would not be included in any fighting obligations. I couldn’t accept any responsibility in the war when I’d be leaving soon, very soon. Not only that, but it would be an even greater dishonor to my father to abandon and embarrass him by neglecting fighting orders.
“When does the conference convene?” I asked.
“In three hours. I need both you and Alexis present,” he said. “It wouldn’t hurt to have one of your higher-ranking fighters come along as well,” he added.
“I’ll have Alexis fetch Case,” I said.
“Good, we leave in a half hour. Please, be quick about things,” he said while picking up his book.
I left to find Alexis. She was in the library, pacing.
“So, what is it he needs?” she asked.
“The conference I told you about, it’s happening today. My father needs us both to be there, Case too. Can you both be ready to leave within the hour?” I said.
“Of course,” she said. I followed her out and changed my clothes to something more befitting the occasion. I wasn’t one for formal dresses, but it was often a requirement for a large conference of coven leaders. The black floor-length dress was slim and form fitting with elbow length lace sleeves and a tasteful slit up the side. I paired it with black heels and blood colored jewelry. I left my hair as it was, tousled and loose around my shoulders. I emerged from my room just in time to meet my father, Alexis, and Case in the foyer.
“Does Porter know he’s in charge?” I asked Alexis, she nodded.
“He and Nathaniel can handle things for the time being,” she said.
“Good, now that we’re all ready, let us go,” Wraith said. He’d brought four escorts with him. They ushered us to the vehicles outside and we were off.
*
Kai
The faraway howl sounded about two miles away from where I was running, searching for Hunters. Searching for Hunters seemed like all we did. The vampires weren’t around. They’d retreated, perhaps. But the Hunters were becoming a real threat. More of the forest parks and preserves around Portland were being infested by them.
I tore through the woods, cutting dangerously across two hiking trails before I reached Erickson. He was cornered by two Hunters, taunting him. They weren’t all dressed up in military gear like the ones Sophia and I had encountered. These Hunters were in hiking gear with what looked like Glock 9s at their hips. Good thing I tore in right behind the Hunters. With my teeth, I grabbed one by the collar and thrashed him to the ground. Erickson quickly sank his teeth into the other one’s shoulder and threw him to the ground as well. I tore at my prey’s waist, dislodging the gun holster and gouging a good chunk of flesh from his hip. The Hunter screamed and I was quick to swipe him across the temple, knocking him out and giving him a long scar with my claws.
Erickson was even fiercer than I was. He practically bit the other Hunter’s throat out. We both shifted back at the same time.
“Let’s torch ‘em,” he said.
“This one is still alive,” I said. I studied the Hunter I took down…his chest wasn’t moving. “At least I thought he was,” I mumbled. Erickson was already lugging one of the bodies to a small clearing in the trees a few feet away from us. Once the bodies were in a relatively safe place to be burned, we got some dead leaves and branches piled up over them. I helped him get a decent mound over the bodies before he flipped open his Zippo and lit the makeshift pyres. We stood back to make sure the fire behaved.
“We can’t keep going like this,” Erickson murmured.
“Yeah…I hate to think it but, soon we might have to put a curfew on roaming hours. Hell, we might have to find new running grounds altogether,” I said.
“That’s exactly what they’re trying to do, Kai. Either kill us, or bar us from our running grounds. These Hunters are getting out of control and bold,” he said angrily. “Just the other day Lacey almost lost her life to one of them,” he added. Lacey was Erickson’s mate. Nearly losing her really messed with him. I hate to imagine what it would be like if anything happened to Sophia and our baby.
“We’ll figure out a way to manage it until the alphas meet under Ephraim,” I said.
“You’ve been sounding real vague on the Hunter trouble ever since you got out of Gifford Pinchot,” he said.
“What are you, my shrink?” I asked.
“All I’m saying, is we need to start taking them seriously. You of all people should be on board with that Kai, with all due respect,” he said.
We both glanced to the left at the sound of sirens approaching fast. The park rangers were on point. We both shifted back to wolf form and absconded the scene. Usually we’d leave a fallen hunter or vampire where they lay. But Erickson was always the kind to send a message to his enemies. Hopefully it’d be a truck full of Hunters about to find their own. They’d know that wolves aren’t easy pushovers.
I felt each of my pack-mates while in wolf form. I knew that out of the thirty of them, twelve were shifted. Fifteen had come out to the woods for a run. Thankfully everyone was still alive. When we got a few miles away I howled long, letting the pack know to head out of the woods. We met up at the end of the longest hiking trail and shifted back. It was rarely used by humans because it was far from the other trails and was joked to be meant for loners or writers.
“That was the shortest run ever Kai, what’s up?” Kevin asked. The other wolves were annoyed as well. The animal nature of a werewolf needed to be wild every once in a while, or we got cabin fever in the worst way. It made us irrational and violent. It’s why wolves have a history of mauling humans, why some folklore said we eat people.
“The Hunters are on alert in these woods. I don’t want to chance any of your lives,” I said. There was a collective groan and angry curses. But we left the woods anyway.
“What are we going to do about these Hunters?” Kevin asked me. We were walking back to the hiking trail’s parking lot. I’d ridden with him from my apartment.
I said, “Taking out a few Hunters here and there every time we go out for a run won’t cut it. Something definitive has to happen…we’ll see what new strategies come up at the meeting Ephraim called.” I hated being so vague, but soon I’d have nothing to do with the brewing Hunter war.
“Things are going to get really ugly in Washington and Oregon. I mean Armageddon. If the Hunters mess with the vamps, they’ll go back to drinking from people in the streets, and if they
keep us out of the woods then we’ll go to attacking people in the streets,” he said. I almost laughed.
“Don’t be dramatic,” I said.
“It’s kind of true though,” he said.
“The vamps may be planning something against the Hunters,” I said.
“Yeah…it’s weird not attacking them on sight anymore. They aren’t the main target. Hell they look right over us. They talk to us. It’s like the end of the world or something,” he scoffed.
“You’ve talked to a vampire?” I asked.
“Nah, just the one who was looking for you. How’d that go anyway?” he asked.
“Inconclusive. It didn’t lead to anything real, I don’t think. Otherwise she would’ve followed up with me,” I said. Kevin nodded. He wasn’t the type to look too deeply into things. That and he trusted me entirely. I was Alpha after all. I wondered what he’d think when I would disappear. He’d be the pack’s new head and he’d have to step into full responsibility as soon as people figured out I was gone. They’d most likely assume I was dead rather than having run off with a vampire to be with and raise our hybrid baby.
We reached Kevin’s Jeep and got in to head back to my ‘on the books’ apartment.
“Do you think your dad will want to get the entire North Pacific back together? Organize us, get us some weapons to fight those bastards?” Kev asked.
“That’s honestly the only option I see for us. Use firepower against firepower. There’s only so much we can do in wolf form. We’ve gotta get smart. Those Hunters are sophisticated,” I said.
“I have yet to run into any of the ones like you described. Were they sporting real military gear?” he asked.
“Yeah. I think they might keep the real elite Hunters to the bigger preserves,” I mumbled.
“That’s gonna be some epic fight then,” Kevin said. I snorted. It seemed almost inevitable that a big confrontation would happen in that godforsaken forest. But I didn’t want to go back to that hell. I’d much rather my own slice of heaven with Sophia, safe from the Hunter drama.
We were just around the corner from my place when my father called me. I answered on the second ring. “What’s up old man?”
“Respect your father,” he said. His tone was always gruff, happy or sad, the guy was like the Great Wall of China. I knew he had a sense of humor; some jokes and jabs of mine he let slide.
“Yes sir,” I said.
“All fifteen alphas are attending the meeting,” he said. My eyes widened a bit. Ever since Ephraim split up the original North Pacific pack to run the increasing wolf population, not all had ever come together at one meeting before.
“So, the old pack’s coming together again?” I asked. I couldn’t help the little bit of excitement I felt. It’d be like the old days, when I was about fifty years younger. All the wolves I saw as aunts and uncles under one roof.
“Yes, so don’t bail out on this meeting. I’ve expressed how imperative it is that all alphas be present. Each pack has suffered losses from the Hunters by now. We have to do something, on a united front,” he said. I hesitated for a second. I couldn’t get too excited about going to the meeting, I wouldn’t be able to really pledge my cooperation with whatever was planned. I glanced at Kevin. I’d bring him with me to the meeting. He’d guide our pack to work with the others after I was gone.
“I’ll be there pop,” I said.
“Good. We’re meeting at the Gresham Den tomorrow night. Nine o’clock,” he said. After that he hung up. I wondered if he was so curt due to old age.
“So?” Kev asked.
“You’re coming with me tomorrow,” I said. He grinned, excited to be included.
“Nice!”
*
Sophia
“Sophia, I haven’t seen you this dressed up since you ascended to lead this coven,” Wraith said. We’d gotten into a car together, Alexis and Case rode in the other. Each had one driver. The other two escorts drove in the third sedan behind our small procession.
“You know I don’t like unnecessary fuss,” I murmured.
“You look so much like your mother it’s almost disturbing,” he answered. I couldn’t help my chuckle.
“Seeing as she used to be called ‘Stunning Seraya’, I’ll take that as a compliment,” I said.
“It will be ‘Stunning Sophia’ now,” he said. Wraith spoke in a rare fond tone. His expression was as unguarded as I’d seen it in a full century. “Tell me, will you be thinking about being mated soon? I should like my bloodline to continue through you,” he said. It was an honor and compliment to have him say that, but I didn’t know how to respond. My relationship with my father was amicable usually, but not very deep. All I knew of his heart was that he once loved my mother, then hated her after she had me. Her betrayal of affection for the leading vampire of the Western European region changed him. But he at least saved some softness for me. He never projected his hatred for her onto me. He had always been distant though…as if he were expecting one day for me to turn away from him as well. If that was his instinct it would certainly be an uncanny one.
“I…I haven’t given it much thought. You know how bland it can be when you know nearly all the pureblood vampires in North America,” I said vaguely.
“You should start giving it some thought. You may as well get the courting process over with now before you take over Prime Coven,” he said.
“I will think on it,” I said.
“Perhaps while on one of your late afternoon walks?” he quipped. I smirked and turned my head to look out of the window. The ride to Olympia usually took two hours. Our speedy drive was cut down to an hour and a half. Prime Coven’s house was more of a discreet mansion. It was well hidden within Watershed Park. So much so, that no trails revealed it and it wasn’t documented on any maps of the area.
The main house was a five-story villa that went two stories underground. It resembled one of the grand coven houses of Italy. Nearly two centuries old, it was built with white stone and marble on the outside and had decadent designs within. I never found the house to be gaudy. Its value was around one hundred million dollars, according to modern standards.
When all three cars had pulled into the front courtyard safely, the main gates were shut and our escorts got out to open the car doors for us. My father walked beside me as our small group entered the house. The grand foyer was buzzing with Prime Coven vampires. They were all pure blood and of original European lineage.
“How many coven leaders are gathered in all, father?” I asked.
“Thirteen, including our southern guests,” he said. That explained the buzz. Usually the long-lived purebloods weren’t as interested in visits from regional coven leaders. We went directly to the main meeting room. It was on the second level of the house’s library. There was a large room enclosed by glass doors that held a modern round table for conferences. At the center of the table was a map of the Northwest with markers on all ten coven locations, known wolf territories, and assumed Hunter positions. The pawn like markers were clearly labeled.
“Ah, it seems we can begin.” Thayne’s rumbling voice was recognizable anywhere. He headed the Salem coven and was quite the boisterous vampire.
“Yes, we’ve all arrived. Everyone may take their seats,” Wraith said. The thirteen coven leaders sat around the table, while any coven heirs or high ranked fighters stood in spectating positions along the perimeter of the room. I sat to the right of my father. Paelin, leader of the Vancouver coven sat on my right as his coven was geographically closest to mine. The order followed that pattern around the table. I was one of two females there. The other I did not recognize. She must have been a coven leader from the south.
Wraith stood and addressed the conference.
“Look at this map everyone,” he said. “For every wolf pack and vampire coven marker, there is one known Hunter force of at least fifty. Many of us have observed that more pour in weekly to replace any dwindled forces. We must strike back and make a statement.�
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“I say we create coalitions with our fighting teams. Storm these Hunter strongholds and try to track them to their source. They are sophisticated, so surely they’re being trained in no more than a few central locations,” Thayne offered.
“I think pouring fighters into known Hunter patrolled forests is suicide. I speak from experience,” I said.
“Yes, we’ve heard of the tragedy and peculiar situation you found yourself in recently Sophia. Do share what you’ve learned from this,” Thayne replied.
“I took a team of ten seasoned fighters into Gifford Pinchot Forest. My intention was to validate the rumors of the Hunter influx. I underestimated them entirely. There were some Hunters of the usual sort. The woodsy type, then there were…elite Hunters. They had uniform armor and capable weapons, advanced ammunition. They were well-trained indeed. Even using my father’s patented forest fighting strategy we could not defeat them, due to their numbers. We were driven deeper into their patrol territory and came back to back with a pack of wolves. We ended up fighting alongside with them...” I paused at the sounds of distaste echoing through the room. “We had no choice, the wolves had no choice. We fought the Hunters and ignored our differences. I directed my remaining fighters to a nearby safe house and out of self-preservation, the wolves followed us and we let them in,” I said.
“My goodness, what was that like?” asked the other female vampire. I’d have to ask for her name later.
“It was…tense to say the least,” I said. “We did not stay in the safe house for more than twenty-four hours. And in escaping, combined there were seven of us, we lost everyone. Only I and the wolf pack’s leader survived.”
My eyes drifted down to the map and I curled my lip at a Hunter marker, remembering that bloody battle before we made it out of the forest.
“That forest, I believe has the most concentration of Hunters. There aren’t merely fifty patrolling its hiking trails,” I added.
“Possibly it could be a training and recruiting location?” Thayne offered.
“I would say it’s likely,” I said.
