by W. J. May
"Ewww … gross." Karis wrinkled her nose and Dru laughed.
"It wasn't gross at all, and that's more concerning than if it had been." Dru sighed loudly, pulling back a large branch and motioning for her sister to move in front of her.
"He's the Alpha. He has the power to make all of us bow down before him. I wouldn't be surprised if that's not where we all end up someday anyway."
"He said that he can't create new feelings, but only increase old ones, so I guess there is still something in me that wants him." She shivered at the thought, disgust settling over her. He was everything physically and intellectually any of them would want, but emotionally he was abusive, demanding and self-serving.
"That's a lie. He can create anything he wants in any of us. He can even go so far as to control our movements if he wanted to."
"How do you know this?" Dru asked, moving toward the sound of running water. They'd only been gone a day from their old campsite and already Dru missed spending time near the large cliffs and huge bodies of water.
"I study a lot. Merilla's mate, Gareth, has a ton of old books in their tent, and if you're nice to him, he'll let you read them." She shrugged and reached down to pick up a small sprig of mint.
"Books about our pack or packs in general?"
"Both."
"And you've seen something that says the Alpha has the power to make us physically feel something that we don't already feel?"
"Not that exactly, but there’s book after book about the power of the Alpha. He alone has the ability to force us into loving submission. It's all fake, but you couldn't tell that if you looked at it from the outside."
"Great," Dru mumbled, her eyes averted toward the dark blue water just beyond the next grouping of oak trees. "Look at that. A lake."
"What's it with you and water?" Karis laughed and motioned for Dru to go. "I'll catch up. I want to see if there are berries around here."
Concern washed over Dru, stopping her from bounding off. "You sure?"
"Yes. I'm not a child. I only look like one."
She gave a goofy grin and Dru laughed before jogging toward the lapping water of the large man-made lake. No one would be able to tell she wasn't human, so the only risk was encountering a Hunter who would quickly know her hidden truth.
The sun hung high in the sky, the warmth of its rays warming her exposed skin as her skirt flapped in the wind. She walked to the edge of the water and sat down on the rocky shore, her feet ankle-deep in the cold water. She leaned back, her upper back pressed to the wet rocks and her knees bent, without a care in the world. Something about the peace offered by the water called to her. She could lay here forever, and yet evening would arrive soon and there were far too many things to do.
The gentleness of the wind caressed her skin, her hair fluttering every few minutes as she drifted off to sleep unknowingly.
Dark clouds hovered just above the scene before her, Caleb face to face with a large white wolf. He stood in human form, his body bruised and torn, the effects of a fight she'd missed. She start toward him, only to be held still by an unseen force, his attention on the animal that stalked him like prey. Dru cried out to him, but he didn't respond.
For a few moments the beast and man simply walked around one another, the aggression thick in the air. One of them would attack soon, and the wolf was assured to win. It was large and beautiful, resembling Caleb's own wolf form, from what Dru could remember. Was the beast family or was the likeness just a coincidence?
Dru didn't have time to think much longer before the large white wolf moved back, as if retreating. She sighed and felt the weight of the situation slip from her shoulders, Caleb's own demeanor shifting slightly as well.
Everything shifted quickly, the wolf turning from his descent and making a full race toward Caleb, the fear in Caleb’s eyes telling of his end. Dru screamed as the two collided, the animal quickly ripping out the throat of the beautiful male that was destined to be hers forever.
"NO!" Dru sat up with a scream on her lips, the water icy and the day having turned into night. She stood quickly, her brow coated in sweat from the horror of the dream.
Her sister was nowhere to be found.
She turned and ran toward the forest, fear riding her hard. "Karis? Karis? Where are you? Karis!"
Silence surrounded her, the absence of noise almost deafening. She yelled for her sister once more before a bloodcurdling scream ripped through the air.
Something had her sister. Without hesitation, she raced toward the smell of fear and arrived on the scene in time to see a dark-skinned man moving across the night sky with Karis held tightly in his arms, the dark glow of his inhuman eyes focused on Dru.
CHAPTER NINE
"No … No! No. Bring her back. Take me instead!" Dru screamed at the sky as she ran toward the man.
He rose up to join a group of flying men and women, their laughter filling the air. She screamed again for them to come back for her. She needed to go wherever they were going if she had any chance of getting her sister back. They ignored her completely. Dark gray clouds hung heavy over the moon in a dark omen.
A yelp left Dru’s lips as strong hands grabbed her shoulders from behind. She spun and sunk down into a fighting stance, her heart racing and fear gripping her. Caleb held up his hands and backed up a little as she came to herself, a whole other level of panic setting in.
"Oh my God. They took my sister." She spun on her heel and looked toward the sky, but all signs of Karis and the dark-skinned man were gone, as if they had never been there in the first place.
"Vampires. Their coven isn't far from here, but you and I cannot go alone." He stepped up beside her, reaching over and rubbing the back of her arm. "We'll get her back."
Dru ground her teeth to hold in the scream that beat against the cavity of her chest. She was supposed to protect Karis, and once again, in her desire to have a moment to herself, she'd lost the last precious thing in her life. She swallowed the lump in her throat and turned to Caleb.
"You're right, but we have to go now. I have no idea what they will do to her." She closed her eyes and took a shaky breath. The warmth of Caleb's arms did little to deter her depraved thoughts. The vampires were monsters from the pits of hell, and their only desires were for blood and dominance. They would use Karis in ways that would scare the bravest of wolves. She had to get her sister back.
Dru pulled away from Caleb and slipped her hands under his green cotton t-shirt, feeling that the tear in his skin was healed and the bandage gone. "You’re well."
He nodded and moved back, transforming into his large white wolf. She stood there for a minute, the memory of her dream washing away the situation with Karis and sweeping over her with the horror of what was to come.
A savior had arrived to help them, but who was it that was coming to take him out?
He growled and nodded. Dru released herself to her transformation and reached over to take her dress in her teeth before bounding after him. They made it back to camp within a few minutes, and Dru transformed and slipped her dress over her head in front of a gathering group, the sounds of concern filling the air.
"I know I saw something flying around at the edge of the forest, Derik." One of the older boys was tugging at their leader while several other large wolves stood around him.
"There are many things that fly, Jon. Go find something to do." He pushed the kid away and turned back to the men as Dru approached, Caleb at her back.
"Derik, I need to talk with you." She pulled at his arm to turn him, the look on his face annoyance until he spotted Caleb, and then it grew to aggravation.
"What, and why is it that when I see you, I see him beside you?" he asked and then growled at Caleb.
Caleb returned the favor and stepped up beside Dru, which did nothing but throw fuel on the fire. Derik reached out and pushed Dru gently to the side until he and Caleb were face to face once again.
"I don't have time for this shit. Vampires have taken Karis and
I need help. I'm going to their lair—now." She turned and moved to her tent to grab a few weapons. She would fight them in human form until the right time to transform presented itself. If she died, so be it. She couldn't leave her sister there, and the politics of her current Alpha didn't allow for any of them to quickly mobilize.
The sound of voices and footsteps approaching didn't deter her. She slipped into her tent and pulled off her dress, changing into a t-shirt and jeans. She pulled on shoes, which she hated, and worked to attach her weapons to her body. Both Derik and Caleb walked through the opening of the tent, each looking like they shared the same sentiment.
"You're being irrational. You cannot burst into the vampire lair and take Karis back. They will strip the skin from your body and lick you dry. You have no clue of what you're dealing with," Derik barked out.
Dru growled at him and looked toward Caleb, who shook his head. "He's right. They’re vicious bastards, and this will not end well."
"So I’m supposed to just sit here while they do that same thing to my little sister? My mother and father are dead, and I'm not letting Karis follow them." She moved toward them and Caleb stepped in front of her.
"I'm coming with you."
Derik broke in, "Like hell you are. I'm going with her. She is part of my pack and soon to be my mate. I'll be going with her, but we aren't bursting in there to fight the demons. We will do this my way, or we won't do it at all." Derik moved to stand beside Caleb, his body stiff with the anger that sat heavy on his features.
Dru sighed, suddenly so tired from the unending drama. She touched her fingers to her forehead and moved back to sit on the edge of her bed. "I don't care how we do this, but we have to go now, Derik. If it were Seth, you and I would both barge in there without concern."
She ignored his comment about her technically being his on multiple levels, but by the pensive stare on Caleb's face, he'd taken it directly to heart. She concentrated on Derik, because working with him to get Karis back was the only hope she had. He wasn't going to allow her to leave on her own, and she needed to go now.
"I agree. Let me gather my thoughts and a few weapons and I’ll come back to get you shortly." Derik moved to the opening of the tent. "He stays here. I'm not interested in confusing the vampires on who is the Alpha of this pack."
"I'm going." Caleb turned from Dru and leaned menacingly toward Derik.
"Then none of us are going." Derik stepped forward and nipped at Caleb's face.
"Stop it," Dru yelled as tears filled her eyes. "Stop it, both of you. Derik and I will go, and Caleb, you stay here. He's right. The last thing we need is to appear weak or confused in front of our enemy."
Derik nipped again and walked from the room. Caleb turned toward her with a look of disappointment on his features. His brow was pulled tight and his face flushed crimson as he moved to her. He reached down and pulled her up by her arms, pressing his forehead to hers as he spoke between clenched teeth.
"I'm not letting you go without me. I don't give a damn if he thinks you are to be his mate. I've been searching for you for far too long, and now that I've found you I'm not letting go, Dru. You can fight me or push me away, but I am an Alpha, and you have always been mine. Do you understand?”
She wanted to defy him, simply because the principal of belonging to anyone was abhorrent, and yet it was the way of her species. Alphas owned the pack, and the pack was grateful for that leadership and protection. His words weren't menacing and degrading as Derik's always were, but demanding and filled with promise.
She nodded, unsure of what she was agreeing to, but with him hovering over her, the truth of wanting to be his blossomed within her. She leaned up and brushed her lips over his, her arms moving to wrap around his waist. He didn't hesitate for a moment. His hands captured the side of her head, his fingers slipping into the long strands of her hair as he groaned and kissed her again, deepening the kiss and nudging her lips open with his tongue.
She whimpered softly as he became more aggressive, the age old dance of love and lust pulling and tugging at the fabric of her being. Her fingers dug into his back, and he pressed demanding passion into the kiss, his soft sounds of satisfaction warming her to the core. She needed him, needed affection and passion in her life. It had been far too long ago that she had simply settled by pairing with Seth in hopes of batting Derik away. The plan had been brilliant, and yet it left her cold and lonely, needy and in search of danger to replace sensuality.
Caleb moved his hands to grab her hips, pulling hard and rocking himself against her. She put her hands on his strong chest and pulled back a little, his eyes wild with desire, lips wet and full from their kiss.
"I can't do this right now. I need to find my sister, and I need you to help me make that happen." She tried to catch her breath as she looked up at him, fate forever sealing the future between them.
He would have to fight and kill Derik or they would have to leave the pack forever. Neither seemed a viable option, but now wasn't the time.
He nodded, leaning down to kiss her softly one more time before breathing in deeply. "I will stay at the edge of the forest and cloak myself with magic. I won't come out unless you are in danger, and then all bets are off."
"Deal." Dru moved away, her body screaming for more of him as she put distance between them. She pulled her long hair into a high ponytail and walked from the tent, holding the door open for him. "You and I will finish what you've started soon enough."
He moved behind her, pressing himself against her back and digging his fingers into her hip as he pulled her flush against him. He leaned down and kissed the side of her exposed neck, his tongue touching her ear before he whispered. "You have no idea the things I'm going to do to bring you pleasure, but you will soon."
She shivered and inhaled sharply as she walked into the cold evening air in search of Derik. He’d had long enough to think. They needed to act at this point. She wasn't sure what he had up his sleeve, but one thing was for sure, her current Alpha was as much demon as he was wolf, and if anyone could fight or deceive the beasts that took her sister, it was Derik.
CHAPTER TEN
"You're not going to like this, but your opinion is moot." Derik turned to look at her as they walked quickly through the forest, Dru's mind running a mile a minute toward what they were going to find when they arrived at the vampire’s lair. She'd only heard horror stories of the dark creatures and their thirst for pain and death.
"Then why even tell me what you're going to do? I could just stand like a mute dumbass next to you, like you expect me to," she muttered, her mind far from him and his domineering remarks.
"Stop being sensitive. You're going to see things you've never imagined possible tonight, and I only warn you to keep quiet because these creatures are fickle," he growled back, walking faster.
Dru forced herself to keep up with him, though her legs and back burned with the effort. She ignored the dark feelings of hate that swam in the pit of her stomach and tried to be diplomatic for Karis's sake, if nothing else. The dense forest around them echoed silence, as if all of the small animals that usually moved about the night recognized that a clash between two violent species was on the horizon.
"What is your plan?"
"We're not fighting them, if that's what you're asking me. Neither of us have the strength to take out more than a few of them, and their queen will be there tonight." Derik glanced over at Dru as chill-bumps covered her skin.
"How do you know so much about them? Wasn't it you that tried to convince me that they didn't exist or weren't really a threat to us? Why did we move here if they sit as hungry neighbors waiting to pick us off?" Dru's voice rose and Derik hushed her. She bit back a remark and focused on her sister.
"If we can get them to come to the table, then we will be stronger because of them."
"Come to the table? What table?"
"We are meeting with Lilith and several of her people. They will bring Karis, unharmed, but I have to make an ac
cord with them in order for us to get her back." Derik's voice softened suddenly, almost like he cared enough about Dru and her sister to sign over something for their safety. Dru knew Derik quite well, and there was much more to the story than he was letting on.
"I'm honestly in shock at how you know the queen's name and how you've arranged this meeting when I just told you about Karis being taken an hour ago." She stopped, pulling him to a stop with her. "Did you plan for her to get taken?"
He growled and pulled his arm free. "No. Don't be stupid, Drucilia. I had a visitor come and offer me a truce while you were calming down your new pet."
"I don't have a new pet," she barked back and moved to follow after him as he took off again.
"You do, but you won't for long. I'm not quite sure what you were thinking, bringing another Alpha into the camp with you. Did you think that I would be fine with having him as part of the family?" He laughed and the sound fell flat.
Fear grabbed her. "I didn't bring him into the camp, and he's not a pet. He's lost his pack, thanks to the vampires, and he wanted to help. Stop being so controlling and defensive," she barked back.
She yelped as he rushed her. His strong hand wrapped around her throat, and he lifted her a little into the air, her feet dangling below her. He pressed his nose to hers, the dark emotion swirling in his eyes evil and vile. "I will always be controlling. It is my very nature. Caleb will be leaving when we return. I smell him all over you and for that … you will suffer. You knew I'd marked you as my mate, and yet you decided to fornicate with another." He dropped her. "Tonight we get your sister back. Tomorrow I teach you a lesson on multiple levels. Bitch."
She picked herself up as anger scorched her. She was racing to save the last member of her family, and the one person who was supposed to protect her found it appropriate to threaten her yet again. She followed him in silence, not at all interested in understanding his plan or talking with him about the vampires. He was a monster, much like they were. He would speak their language, and hopefully it would result in Karis coming home with her. That was all she cared about.
