by M. K. Dawn
A deafening roar ripped from his lips. How could he remember so much and still so little?
“Shouldn't we close the window?” a familiar voice—one he couldn’t place—broke through the madness.
“Not if you plan on joining him in his cell,” a second, more gruff man replied.
Darrien lifted his head in the direction of the steel door, the sun's reflection blinding.
“He won't hurt me.” The familiar voice was confident in his assessment of Darrien's mental state.
“Whatever.” The door whined and Darrien could make out the outline of a large figure. “But I'm keeping the blinds up. That way if he attacks, his skin will fry and then maybe he'll think twice about doing it again.”
Darrien watched the hidden figure take a seat on the bed.
“Close the door and lower the blinds enough so I can at least have a conversation with him. He can't even look in my direction.”
The door slammed and the lock clicked, leaving in its wake more of the silence and scattered memories.
His visitor didn't speak until the metal blinds groaned and descended, covering half of the small window.
“Is that better?”
Darrien lowered his eyes to the man who sat on the edge of the bed, still cloaked in sunlight.
“I…” The words stuck to his sandpaper tongue as if he hadn't spoken in years.
“Take a minute. Allow your eyes to adjust.”
Darrien blinked away the blurriness, the sun’s light burned his sensitive eyes. “You.”
“Do I look familiar?” He brushed his shoulder-length hair back from his copper skin. “I should.”
A memory flashed before him—one Darrien had seen a thousand times but couldn't place. Her long black hair flowed well beyond her waist and her scarred face—kind and beautiful and... “A woman.”
“My sister.” The man paused. “Your wife.”
“Kasa.” The name left his lips, though he wasn’t sure where it came from.
“The memories will return. A hundred years is a long time to have them concealed.”
“Who,” Darrien sank to the ground, giving his voice a second to rest, “are you?”
“Nikko.”
The name sparked a multitude of feelings; happiness mixed with pain. “I don't…there are too many memories. I can't pinpoint any of them.”
“Kasa,” Nikko started, “was the love of your life even though our kinds are forbidden to intermarry.”
Darrien laid his head against the wall. “Kinds?”
“Vampires and werewolves.”
Darrien had thought that was a dream—a nightmare—but now, hearing it out loud, he knew it was true.
“You’re not surprised? That's a good sign.”
“Is it?” Darrien croaked.
“You have near three hundred years of memories that are all trying to resurface at once. It will take time.”
He ran his tongue along his parched lips as a deep rumble of hunger plagued his stomach. “I need to eat.”
“I can get you some food.” Nikko rubbed his arm. “Solid food.”
The corner of Darrien’s eye twitched. He didn’t understand why the thought of solid food turned his stomach sour. “No. I need…”
Nikko straightened. “I know exactly what you need—human blood—but it is not an option.”
“Am I a prisoner?” Darrien dropped his head between his knees. He had hoped they held in this room to protect others until he regained control. “What crime did I commit?”
“It’s not that simple, Darrien.”
Flashes of the slaughter at the Immortal Institute came into focus. “I’m not the one who killed hundreds of Sanguines—”
“Vampires.”
Darrien snapped his head in Nikko’s direction. “What?”
“Sanguine is a name made up by the Council to calm the fears of humans when your kind made themselves known. The wolves attacked the synthetic blood center and the Council because for hundreds of years they have been slaughtering our kind to protect their secret.”
“Wouldn’t exposing vampires mean exposing themselves as well?” All this talk allowed Darrien the chance to grasp onto little pieces of information at a time, clearing his brain of the chaos.
“We never intended to expose them—that was just the Council’s paranoia. Wolves need vampire blood to be immortal. Not often and not much, but without it, we succumb to age and disease and die. It’s why they established clubs such as Blood Lust.”
Somewhere, buried in the back of Darrien’s mind, he knew that was true. “Once a year, or if afflicted with sickness, every few months.” The beautiful woman with the scars. Kasa; his wife and her family. He shared his blood with them from time to time.
“You are remembering.” Nikko knelt before Darrien. “That is good, but I must go. There will be things from your past that will cause you great pain and anguish. As much as I trust you, brother, the struggles you will face the next few days will put any around you in danger.”
“That’s it? They’re going to lock me inhere indefinitely? With no blood? That will only cause me to spiral out of control.”
Nikko stood and rapped on the door. “I’m done.” He turned back to Darrien. “I know, but it is not my decision. I will speak with the pack leaders once again; see what I can do. We are on Tito’s land, so it is his call.”
“What about The Bloodmoon Pack? Your pack, Nikko?” Darrien shifted, but didn’t make any attempt to move. “What do they have to say about all this?”
He lowered his head. “Ask me that question again when your full memory returns.”
The door opened and Nikko exited.
Darrien jumped to his feet and rushed to the door, peering through the bars of the small window. “Wait!”
Nikko turned. “What is it?”
He realized he had forgotten to ask about his friends. “The other three I was with at the Immortal Institute. Are they all right?”
“They took Ethan to a small cabin in the woods for the transformation. Evie, I have seen walking around.”
“What about Samantha? The other Sangu—vampire with us?” Darrien feared they might have locked her up in a cell too.
“She is fine as far as I know.”
Darrien inhaled an uneven breath. “How long are we—Samantha and I—going to be held here? What are they going to do with us?”
Nikko glanced at the large man to his right. “I do not know, but I will see if I can speak with Tito on your behalf. The blinds will be closed during daylight hours.”
The burly man crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t take orders from you.”
“Tito put me in charge of the vampires when we brought them here.” Even though Nikko was the shorter of the two, he still managed to get in the other man’s face. “You want to defy a direct order from a pack leader—your pack leader—go right ahead. See what happens.”
The man mumbled a slew of curses, but dropped the blinds.
“Thank you.”
Darrien breathed a sigh of relief.
Nikko nodded. “I’ll be back later with food to see how you are doing.”
Mentally and physically exhausted, Darrien collapsed on the bed. Without the distraction Nikko had created, memories bombarded his mind once again. This time, he didn’t fight them. He closed his eyes and allowed them to flow; allowed himself to feel every emotion they brought forth.
CHAPTER FOUR
The smell of cedar and oak assaulted Ethan’s senses. He opened his eyes, confused how he found himself surrounded by trees. Last thing he remembered was the cabin and the endless pain. Now he was free; free of the agony of his bones shattering and stitching themselves back together countless times.
He took a cautious step, and the sensation of walking on four feet instead of two threw him off balance. It didn’t take long for him to gather his footing and charge forward, crashing through branches and bushes.
This was who he was always meant to be; there
was no question about it. Something inside him came to life the moment he transitioned into the beast he was now. Strength like he’d never known pulsated through his veins. He could see everything, hear everything. The world was no longer a frightening place full of monsters. All the fear vanished as he let out a ferocious growl.
He was strong, powerful, and would never again be a victim to the blood-sucking demons that hid in the shadows.
If he could, Ethan would stay in this body forever. Wild and free, the world seeing him as nothing more than an animal on the prowl—all of his problems gone; his future wide open.
A distant howl caught his attention. It was strange, understanding the words the wolf cries conveyed. They were calling him back to the compound of the Bloodhollow Pack.
Ethan ignored the command for a minute longer and savored the solitude of the forest. The rush of the stream cleared his mind and soothed his soul in a way he never thought possible.
Another howl and Ethan hung his head before heading off in its direction. He didn’t hurry—didn’t feel the need—and just trotted along, enjoying the unfamiliar surroundings and allowing his heightened senses to lead the way.
It was well past dark when he arrived at the lodge-style mansion. It was a massive structure, stunning in design with its rock and log exterior.
Ethan jogged around back to a covered porch where Tito and a half a dozen others waited.
Tito wore a pinched expression as he glowered down at Ethan. “You planning on staying like that all night? Going to make it hard for us chat.”
Without hesitation, Ethan shed his wolf form and stood before him, fully clothed.
Tito laughed. “I’m impressed. Few pups can return to their human form so quickly. I’ve seen some who remain stuck as a wolf for days.”
“I must be a natural.”
“How did you handle your first transformation?” Tito asked, leading them inside.
The interior was even more impressive than the outside with its high wood ceiling accented by crossbeams.
“The pain was ridiculous. I wasn’t sure I would survive.” Ethan strolled alongside Tito, aware of how little the man intimidated him now. When Ethan had worked for him and asked for his help in locating the underground club, Blood Lust, where Evie had frequented, it took an insane amount of courage just to look the man in the eyes. Now, walking side by side, Ethan felt like his equal.
“The initial change is the worst by far.” Tito paused in front of a pair of double doors. “But the challenges you must face have just begun.”
“Bring it on.” It wasn’t like Ethan to be so arrogant, but for the first time in his life, he didn’t feel inferior.
Tito snorted and opened the door to an enormous study. “The others will join us shortly, but first there are a few things you need to know.”
Ethan followed inside and sat down on the brown leather sofa while Tito mixed them a drink.
There was something that had been bothering Ethan since he first saw Tito at the Immortal Institute. “How are you so healthy now? I mean, the last time I saw you at your…”
“Place of business.” Tito handed him a Jack on the rocks.
That wasn’t exactly the description Ethan would have used for the old hardware store Tito’s crew used as their headquarters, but he kept his mouth shut. “You looked sick, even a bit jaundiced. But not now.”
Tito took a long swallow of the stiff drink. “My liver has been on the fritz for decades.”
“Maybe you should lay off the whiskey.” Ethan shot the amber liquor down.
A hardy laugh escaped Tito’s lips. “Ha! No need. That’s what vampire blood is for.”
Ethan snatched Tito’s glass and poured them both another. “What do you mean?”
Tito waited for Ethan to return. “We—werewolves—are only immortal if we consume vampire blood. It’s a curse we’re trying to eradicate.”
“Curse?” As much knowledge as Ethan gained when he became a wolf, this was something he didn’t know.
Tito cocked his ear towards the door. “A story for another time. We have company.”
Ethan heard it too: a multitude of boots striking the tile floor. His senses were as acute as they had been after drinking vampire blood.
The doors slung open and a handful of men sauntered in. One man lingered in the doorway with his sister.
“Evie?” Ethan straightened in his seat surprised to see his sister.
She gave the man a quick hug then smiled at Ethan before shutting the door behind her.
“Ethan,” Tito stood and waved over the man who’d been speaking with Evie, “this is Leo Ricci. I believe you knew his brother, Tony.”
“Yes.” Ethan shook hands with the brother of the man who’d lost his life trying to rescue Evie from the Immortal Realm. “Your brother was fearless.”
Leo held his bald, tattooed head high. “That he was. And a fearless leader.”
It made sense now, why when he and Tony had gone to ask Tito about the location of Blood Lust, Tito and his men trusted Tony without question. He had also been a werewolf, and the bond between wolves was unbreakable. “He was a pack leader, wasn’t he?”
Leo glared at Tito. “You haven’t told him yet?”
Tito slapped Leo on the back. “Relax, young wolf. I was getting there.” He turned his attention to the rest of the room. “If you would all please take a seat.”
With everyone settled, Tito stood before them. “As you know, Ethan comes from a long line of pack leaders. His father led the Bloodrose Pack for years before his demise during the Blood War. And since both his elder sons were also killed, Tony took over as pack leader. When Tony died, that honor transferred to his brother, Leo.”
The room erupted in howls.
“Settle down,” Tito ordered. “When the six pack leaders met to devise a plan to rid the world of the Immortal Council, we decided that Leo would keep this responsibility, as we didn’t believe there would be another descendant from the Calaway bloodline. Your father’s dying wish was to keep you out of this world.”
Ethan glanced at Leo, who wore a scowl.
Tito didn’t seem to notice. “However, since you were bitten and survived, things have changed.”
Leo stood and pointed a finger to Ethan. “Because of this pup who has not even seen his first full moon? I won’t allow it.” He turned to the others. “We will not allow it.”
The men howled again.
“Enough,” Tito roared, silencing the crowd. “I will not tolerate this disrespectful behavior. We will honor the way of our ancestors. There are measures in place for this sort of thing.”
The person Ethan was before the transformation would have given up the title without hesitation, but not now. “What sort of measures?”
“Wolf on wolf combat.” A sly smirk stretched across Leo’s face. “Pack leader against the one who opposes him.”
Ethan didn’t think he was anywhere near ready for combat, but the challenge enticed him all the same. “When?”
Leo plopped back in his chair and threw his feet up on the coffee table. “Oh, little pup, so eager to get your ass kicked already? You’ve only just turned.”
Rage penetrated Ethan, but he kept it in check. “I just want to take my rightful place in this world.”
Tito stepped in front of Leo before he charged. “This is an honorable battle—one that will take time to prepare for. Two weeks. And then we will put this matter to rest.”
Ethan threw back his shoulders. “Bring it on.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Eager for the sun to set, Samantha peered out the window of the small kitchen. The wolves—Ethan in particular—had been sparring for near a week now; their howls, snarls, and claws slicing through flesh resonated deep within her soul. It was instinctual, her mistrust of the wolves—a notion buried away all these years that had suddenly resurfaced.
She dropped the curtain and grabbed a bottle of blood from the warmer. Twisting off the lid, Samantha took a dr
ink before returning to the loveseat nearest to the door.
There wasn’t much to the mother-in-law suite: a cramped bedroom that barely had enough room for the queen bed and dresser and a tiny bathroom and a kitchen-dining-room-living-room-combo.
The small space combined with little to do—a few books, a deck of cards, a stack of thousand-piece puzzles—was enough to drive even the sanest person mad. And since no one visited, there was nothing to keep Samantha from thinking about all she had lost.
A week was a long time to go without company. It wasn’t like she expected any of the wolves to show. They had stocked the pantry and refrigerator with enough food and blood to last her a couple of weeks, if not longer.
Darrien, she understood. They probably had him locked away someplace. A worse place than this, she suspected, since he lived before the Great Reveal. She doubted he could control the bloodlust as well as she managed after living off of pure human blood for so many years. It was bad enough blood was always on her mind, but the need wasn’t anything Samantha couldn’t handle, as she had only taken blood from the vein a few times. But Darrien had lived over a hundred years feeding that way. She couldn’t imagine what those sorts of memories where doing to him.
A knock at the door drew her away from the road of self-pity she was heading down. As surprised as she was, she didn’t hesitate to answer. Good or bad, at least she wouldn’t be alone.
“Evie?” Samantha took a step back as a wave of unprocessed blood bombarded her nose. “What are you doing here? How did you get in?”
“The incantation around this place is strictly for vampires. Humans and wolves can come and go as they please. Thought you might want to hang out. Should we sit outside?” Evie’s voice was calm, but her lack of eye contact told Samantha she was nervous. “I brought wine.”
“You should go.” Samantha attempted to close the door, but Evie wouldn’t allow it.
“No. I’m not going anywhere. It took a week to convince Tito to let me see you—for him to believe you wouldn’t hurt me.” A bright smile touched her lips. “Please don’t prove him right.”
