by M. K. Dawn
“Ease?” His eyes went round. “They attacked Evie and she nearly died.”
“They wanted her to become a werewolf. If they wanted her dead, they wouldn’t have allowed a wolf to bite her.”
Nikko sat quietly for a moment before responding. “I say you are right. What purpose would antagonizing us serve?”
“They wanted us to go find the witches. Why?” Ethan stood and this time Nikko didn’t stop him. “That’s what I’m going to find out.”
“They wanted to break free of their need for vampire blood to stay immortal. Perhaps, with the Immortal Council dead and the curse not broken, they needed to find another way and believed the witches could help—as we believed. They knew you would seek an alternative so the wolves would spare Samantha’s life.”
The same thought had crossed Ethan’s mind. “Maybe. Still, something’s not adding up. Not that it matters much, considering we’re all standing at death's door.”
Nikko crossed his arms over his chest. “So we surrender and go from there?”
“No,” Ethan faced Nikko, “as pack leaders, we have to be brought before the others before execution.”
Nikko’s face tightened. “I am not sure I want to test the ancient law.”
“You won’t be. I need you to find my pack and yours; let them know what’s going on. Prepare them for the fight ahead. Have you ever heard of the underground club named Blood Lust?”
“Yes.” Nikko nodded.
“Good. We’re meeting Darrien there at daybreak two days from now. We’ll use the club to get into the Immortal Realm. Now that the vampires aren’t protected from the sun, we will travel during the day to where the ball is being held.”
Nikko wrinkled his brow. “Do you really believe Leo will agree and come to your aid?”
“I’m trusting you to make sure they do. We don’t know how many vampires or witches will be at the ball.” Ethan swallowed hard. “Or what will happen when the sun goes down. We’ll need all the help we can get.”
“I will make it happen.” Nikko laid a heavy hand on Ethan’s shoulder. “Be careful. Do not put all your trust in Tito’s word. He looks out for his own. If the cause holds no benefit for him, he will find a way make it so it does.”
“Let’s hope total annihilation of all immortals is enough.”
The distant howl of several wolves caught their attention.
Ethan turned back to tell Nikko to leave, but he was already gone. The only thing left to do was make sure the others didn’t catch Nikko’s scent.
He shifted to his wolf form and headed off in the direction of the howling. It didn’t take long before three wolves caught his trail. Ethan couldn’t detect any others in the surrounding area which he hoped meant Nikko got out undetected.
Slowing his pace, Ethan allowed the wolves to surround him, snarling and snapping their jaws as if they’d bested him.
Back to your human form, the large gray one’s voice filtered through Ethan’s mind.
Expecting as much, Ethan complied. Allowing him to stay a wolf would put the entire compound in danger; he could take down a dozen of their men before any of them even thought about shifting.
“You know who I am?” Ethan asked as the three wolves transformed into men.
The shorter of the three—one he didn’t recognize—nodded. “Tito and the others are expecting you. Come with us.”
Ethan gestured them in the direction of the house. “Lead the way.”
Mason, the man who’d ordered him to transform, stepped in front of Ethan. “What are you playing at, Calaway? This isn’t some kind of trick, is it?”
“I came here to speak with Tito and the other pack leaders.” Ethan smirked. “You didn’t think you caught me because you're better than me, did you?”
Mason scowled. “One step out of line and I will knock you to your knees.”
Sure, the man was a foot and a half taller than Ethan, but his cocky attitude would get the best of him every time.
Which was why Ethan had no problem coming back with a snarky comment that would no doubt enrage the man. “You’d have to catch me first.”
“Son of a bitch.” Mason raised his hand.
“Knock it off.” The older man, who’d kept to the back, rubbed his brow as if warding off a headache. “He’s a pack leader and would have already kicked your ass if he didn’t want us to catch him.”
Mason rolled his neck and dropped his arm. “Fine. You want to trust the deserting bastard, be my guest. He causes any problems and I’ll be sure to let Tito know who vouched for him.”
Ethan thought it was strange to see such animosity between the wolves. They usually saved their anger for outsiders.
No one else spoke as they led Ethan down a hill, past the open field of Tito’s backyard and into the house, stopping at the closed door of the meeting room.
Mason knocked and from the other side, Tito yelled, “Enter!”
The shorter man opened the door and Ethan didn’t hesitate to stroll inside. With Ethan and Nikko gone, only four pack leaders remained. Each usually had their second in command by their side, but they were alone today—except for one man Ethan had never seen before who sat to the right of Tito.
There was something familiar about the startling blue eyes that stood out against the man’s rich brown skin. “Do I know you?”
Tito stood and pointed Ethan to a seat at the head of the table. “You are in no position to ask questions, Calaway. Sit. I would like to get this over with.”
Ethan sat, eyes unable to leave the unknown man until it hit him. “You were in the cabin when I transformed. I’m sure of it.”
Tito opened his mouth, but the man lifted his hand. “I don’t see the harm. My name is Lucius.”
Ethan caught the familiar scent of power he’d only ever smelled in Brazil. “You’re a witch from Guinevere’s coven.”
Lucius bowed his head. “Impressive.”
“Why were you in the cabin during my transformation?” Ethan let out a sarcastic laugh as the answer came to him a second later. “You’re the one who put the curse on me. And Evie. Samantha said she saw you outside the apartment as we sped away.”
“Do you expect me to deny my involvement?” Lucius clasped his hands on the table in front of him. “I was told to cast a curse on you and your sister that would tear you away from the vampires. Seems we underestimated the connection the four of you share.”
Ethan’s eyes met Tito’s. The reason they were cursed wasn’t the issue he’d come here to discuss. “You’re working with Guinevere. I want to know why.”
Tito leaned back in his chair, the curious expression reflecting his decision to speak on the matter. “Lucius arrived after we brought down the Immortal Council and offered to help us break the curse.”
“I thought you had a plan.” Ethan cocked his head. “Kill the Council’s heirs starting with Samantha.”
Tito grinned. “Guinevere needed Samantha. I knew if we threatened her life you would do anything to save her, including seeking help from the Immortal Council’s coven.”
A sudden coldness hit Ethan’s core. “You know the vampire and werewolf origin story?”
“Know?” Tito slammed his fist on the table. “The four of us were there.”
Ethan’s muscles went rigid. “You’re the Primordial Werewolves?”
“Yes, your father and Nikko’s father were two.” Tito paced the room as the others bowed their heads in silent reflection. “I can still remember the smell of the blood from my slaughtered family as they dragged me from my home. The screams of my people as the witches held them hostage, killing any who tried to come to my rescue. The coldness of the blade as it pierced my heart. The horror when I rose from the dead.”
Ethan pushed all thoughts of his father aside. “If the witches did this to you, why are you helping them?”
“Guinevere has promised to make things right. Break the connection between vampire and werewolf. Killing the Primordial Vampires was the first step.”
/> “Let me guess,” anger rose in Ethan, “next is to cast a spell to rid the world of the immortal curse.”
Tito paused. “The vampire curse. Once all vampires die, the werewolves will no longer be dependent on vampire blood for immortality. We will be free.”
“You’ll be dead,” Ethan spat, eyes boring into Lucius. “Would you care to tell them the truth, or shall I?”
Lucius didn’t react. “What truth would that be? One that comes from a trusted ally, or a deserter who turned his back on his own kind to save their enemy?”
Ethan ran his tongue along his teeth. “Werewolves were born from the blood of vampires. The magic that created vampires is the same magic that runs through our veins. It all stems from the Primordial Vampires.”
Thad, one of the pack leaders who had stayed quiet this entire time, stared at Ethan. “What are you getting at, Calaway?”
“When Guinevere removes the original magic—magic passed to the Primordials heirs after their deaths—it will not only affect vampires but werewolves. We will all revert to our last moment as a human. The moment in which we died.”
Tito turned to Lucius. “What do you have to say about all of this?”
“Lies spun by a desperate man,” Lucius inspected his fingernails as if bored by the conversation, “who wants to save the vampire he loves.”
Ethan laughed. “Maybe he’s right. Maybe I risked my life to return here, tell you some outlandish story, beg for your help just to save Samantha’s life. Or maybe everything I’ve told you is true, and if your packs don’t help stop Guinevere and her witches, all immortal beings will be dead in two days.”
“Why should we trust you?” Thad asked.
“I could ask the same of you. Still, here I am.” Ethan's eyes bore into Tito. “Is your pride worth the risk of every immortal life? Of every werewolf life?”
“Tito,” Lucius reached out to the livid werewolf, “you must not listen to the lies of this traitor.”
Ethan continued to press. “The witches hate all immortals. They believe we are an abomination—a plague on this world. They used you to kill the Primordials because they did not have the magic to defeat them. But the heirs are not as powerful; we have to—”
“Enough!” Tito rounded the table. “Ethan, you’re dismissed. You’ve given us much to talk about. We’ll have a decision shortly.”
Ethan left the room and sank down to the floor, resting his head against the wall. He’d done all he could do. At least they hadn’t sentenced him to death—not that it wasn’t still on the list of possibilities, but letting him leave on his own seemed like a good sign.
There was nothing left to do but wait for a decision that could save their mission or doom it before it even started.
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
Darrien drummed his fingers against the steering wheel of the old beat up truck the Forsaken had given to him, staring out into the darkness for any sign of Ethan.
“He’ll be here.” Evie shifted in the passenger seat with a slight moan. “You agreed to meet at dawn, which is not for another thirty minutes.”
“It still hurts, doesn’t it?” Even though the doctor assured them he had gotten every fragment of wood, there were times he’d watch her shift a certain way and wince. Between the craziness prepping for the attack and Evie’s recovering, they hadn’t really talked about how she was feeling.
She averted her eyes. “Not much.”
Darrien reached across the seats and cupped her chin. “Evie, you can tell me.”
“I don’t…” she blinked away a lone tear that Darrien wiped away with his thumb, “I don’t want you to worry.”
“Hate to break it to you, honey, but that comes with the territory.” He lifted the center console, converting the single seats to a bench. “Come here. Let me check out the wound.”
She didn’t move. “We have bigger things to worry about.”
“Nothing at this moment,” he wrapped an arm around her waist and lugged her closer, “is more important than you.”
Her cheeks flushed. “Such a charmer.”
“I have my moments. Do you mind?” He ran his fingers along the hem of her shirt.
Evie sat up on her knees, her torso parallel with Darrien’s face. “Go ahead.”
He inched up her black shirt to just underneath her breast and ran a finger over the closed wound. “It’s still red. Does it hurt when I touch it?”
“A little. Though that’s not surprising since an arrow made from a magical tree harpooned me.”
“Harpooned?” Darrien lifted an eyebrow. “Dramatic much?”
She swatted at his hand. “Be nice. I almost died.”
Although he knew Evie was trying to make light of the situation, Darrien’s heart sank all the same. “I know. Scared the shit out of me.”
“Me too.”
Darrien grasped Evie’s bare sides and pulled her close, planting a light kiss on the red skin. “Don’t ever do that again.”
Evie’s body quivered and her breathing quickened. “I’ll try not to.”
“Do you want me to stop?” He kissed her again, rougher and closer to her breast.
“No,” she breathed out, “but I think someone’s coming.”
Darrien dropped his forehead to Evie stomach. “Of course he’d be on time today.”
“To be continued.” Evie grabbed Darrien’s face and kissed him.
Headlights flashed through the windshield as Evie righted her shirt. The car parked in front of them, but the light made it impossible to see the driver.
“Is it Ethan?”
“Only one way to find out.” Darrien threw open the door and made his way towards the car.
The engine shut off and the headlights cut out. Darrien could hear the whine of the rusty door as it opened. “Might want to try announcing yourself in the future.”
“Why? You worried?” Ethan rounded the car and slapped Darrien on the shoulder.
“For your safety.” Relief washed over Darrien. He didn’t want to admit it, but he’d been concerned about Ethan going back to Tito’s compound.
The passenger truck door slammed behind them.
Ethan perked up at the sight of his sister, pulling her into a tight hug when she approached. “Are you okay?”
Evie broke their embrace and smiled. “I’m fine. Really. The Forsaken took good care of me.”
“When I saw that arrow and all the blood...” Ethan hugged Evie again. “Thank God Nikko reminded me I could use the werewolf connection to check in on you or I would have been out of my mind.”
“I felt your presence, your strength.”
Darrien watched their little reunion and couldn’t help but think of C.J. It wasn’t just Samantha’s life at stake. If their plan didn’t work, his brother and the other Forsaken members would be executed tonight.
“I hate to break things up,” Darrien crossed his arms, “but you seem to be a little light on werewolves.”
Ethan cocked an eyebrow. “I could say the same for you.”
“The Forsaken will meet us at the banquet hall. You know, due to their inability to go in the sun. What’s the werewolves’ excuse?”
“Nikko and I split up. He went to seek my pack and will meet us here.” Ethan glanced at the horizon. “I expect them to be here any minute.”
“Okay.” Darrien cocked his head. “What about Tito and the other packs? Will they be joining us on our little adventure?”
“They said they were.”
Darrien studied Ethan’s face. “What did you tell Tito? Does he know the spell will not work because of Silvaria?”
Ethan shook his head. “No.”
“What’s he going to do if he finds out this is just a glorified rescue mission for a vampire?”
“He won’t find out.” Ethan kicked at a rock. “Besides, we don’t know for sure the spell won’t work. There are so many variables. What if Guinevere knows about Euphenia and they bring her to the banquet hall? We know they caught Silvar
ia after she sent us back; she was so weak—there is no way she could have gotten away. They could have read her mind, forced her to tell them the truth. We don’t know.”
“True.” Darrien ran his fingers through his hair.
“And this is not just about rescuing Samantha. The witches have to be stopped. If the spell doesn’t work today, they will know Euphenia is alive and when they find her, we’ll be in the same damn mess we are now.”
Darrien leaned against the hood of the truck. “Who appointed us the saviors of the immortal race?”
“Hell if I know. But considering we’re a part of said immortal race, don’t think we can turn down the job.”
“Hey, I love playing hero.” Darrien winked at Evie. “Chicks love that shit.”
Evie rolled her eyes. “We only love it if the hero lives.”
“Speaking of living,” Darrien crossed his arms, “where’s back up?”
“Uh—” The roar of an engine silenced Ethan as they all turned to investigate the noise. “Here they come.”
“You seemed surprised.”
Ethan released a weighted breath. “Tito said they would help, but I left before them. They stayed back to pack supplies and promised they’d meet us here.”
“But you didn’t know for sure.”
“No.” Ethan rotated his shoulders. “Tito is not exactly what you would call trustworthy. Plus, they’d been working with Guinevere. Even had one of her witches staying with them. He’s the one who cast the curses on me and Evie.”
“Lovely.” Darrien took a step closer to Evie. “But you think you can trust them now?”
Half a dozen army transport trucks skidded to a stop before them, the beds full of people. Tito jumped out of the passenger seat of the lead truck. “This is the army you were telling me about? The three of you?”
Up the road, another caravan of approached. Darrien could only hope the decrepit-looking vehicles held more passengers.
“Nikko and my pack are pulling up now.”
Tito turned to Darrien, his nose scrunched. “What about you, bloodsucker? Couldn’t find any of your kind to pitch in?”
Darrien ignored the jab. “They’re meeting us there. Is this all the wolves you could muster up between the four packs? How many are there? A hundred?”
