by Tigertalez
Evernight Publishing ®
www.evernightpublishing.com
Copyright© 2015 Tigertalez
ISBN: 978-1-77233-353-4
Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs
Editor: Karyn White
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
DEDICATION
To my sister-in-law, Elizabeth Jacobson. You’ve helped me so much with my career, supporting me by setting up my FB page for the Kaska pack, promoting it, and offering your invaluable help in medicine. You’re a knowledge bank I truly rely on and am grateful for.
And she wants me to tell her ‘bestie’ “I love you” for her.
THE VAMPIRE’S BAT
Kaska Pack, 4
Tigertalez
Copyright © 2015
Chapter One
Doctor Seamus Rossi leaned over and peered into the lenses of the microscope in front of him. Usually he had his alpha’s youngest brother, Reese, next to him eagerly learning whatever Seamus was willing to teach, but today Reese was using his near boundless energies helping to set up for the pack’s first get-together being held tomorrow. Not even Seamus’s nurse, Katie, was here to help.
Seamus rolled the knob to bring the sample under the scope into clearer focus. He was trying to find the compounds used in the drug that had knocked out the alpha’s sister, Havana. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of flapping wings. Looking up, he saw Nix, in his falcon form, landing on the perch he’d set up next to the window. Seamus put on a smile. “How was the flight?”
The bones and ligaments popped and snapped while he was watching the falcon’s feathers recede as Nix took on his human form. Nix grabbed the sweats that were sitting nearby. “Rough,” he answered. “The muscles are still sore. The wound burned when I exerted myself, and I had to take frequent stops. Luckily we have plenty of trees.”
“I’m not surprised. Avian shifters use their muscles differently than land based breeds. It’s easier to limp than it is to stay airborne.”
Nix grunted. “That brings me to something else I think I might have figured out.” Now donning a shirt to go with his sweats, Nix leaned a hip against the counter Seamus was working at. “I think I know why no one can follow that scent you’ve been so obsessed about. I can’t make out what breed, but I believe she’s avian. Her scent reaches up higher than the trees most of the time. But because of wind currents and thermals…”
“…it makes her trail inconsistent,” Seamus finished. “And it would also explain why we were able to get spotted hints of her scent closer to the ground.”
“Well, at least you can shoot Kace’s warping alien theory down.” Nix faced lighted into a smiled as he chuckled a little before he got serious again. “I tried to follow it, but my avian breed’s strong suit is sight, not smell.”
“Huh, I know.” Seamus rubbed the ache in his neck. He hadn’t gotten much sleep since he first got a whiff of the honeydew and jasmine scent that sporadically drifted around the clearing.
Nix crossed his arms and looked out the windows from across the room. “She seems to only come around at night, which could mean owl or bat. I couldn’t track any specific place she could be staying. The only consistency is her visits here. I think she can scent you are her mate. ”
“But why not show herself? If I am her beloved, the pull should entice her to approach me.”
“Maybe she’s scared.”
“She should also know that, as her beloved, I would never let any harm come to her.”
“Maybe she doesn’t know or understand it. After my family’s murder, I would have stayed in my shifted form and lived off hunting, if it weren’t for Enzo’s family taking me in. Maybe something has happened and for some reason she doesn’t know about mates.”
Seamus shrugged one shoulder. “Plausible. That only reaffirms the importance of capturing her. So if she’s a flyer, and only comes around at night…” Seamus drifted off into his thoughts. He had to think of a way to communicate with this shifter and find out once and for all if she was in fact his beloved, or if she was one of those rare cases of just strong allure. And more importantly, how could he help her?
“Hey, Sea?”
Feeling Nix’s hand on his shoulder, he looked up at his avian friend.
“You’re not alone. We’ll figure it out,” said Nix.
Seamus nodded, but his shoulders slouched. A sick worry churned in his gut. What could possibly have happened to make his possible beloved so afraid to approach him? He couldn’t think of any answer that wasn’t heartbreaking. If this was his beloved, or even if she wasn’t, she needed help and a healing of the heart.
“With your permission, I’d like to run this info by Alphy and ask if we can get a flying group together to try and spot her tonight. Tyler might even help,” Nix suggested.
Seamus contemplated his friend’s request. He hated revealing personal difficulties because they made him feel weak, and embarrassed. But the myth that vampires could turn into bats were only just that, a myth. He had no way of tracking this shifter in flight. Seamus sighed and nodded his head. “All right. I’d better go with you. Let me put these samples away first.” As he gathered the samples and stored them, he decided to change the subject. “How is it going with Bronya? She’s out with her dad in the field taking measurements, is that right?”
Nix brightened at the subject of his mate. A twinge of envy pulled at Seamus’s chest, but he kept it buried. He was happy for his friends who had recently found and mated their destined mates.
“Actually her father is doing all the airfield measurements while she and her mother are determining which group of trees to put the treehouse in. Mate or not, that kind of cackle is something I was happy to steer clear of. They want to make sure everything is ready for that specialist who’s arriving Sunday.”
After finishing up, Seamus took some sterile wipes and wiped down the microscope and then the counter before throwing the wipes away. Grabbing his bag, he motioned for Nix to lead the way.
“You’re taking a medical bag?” Nix gave him a dubious look.
“We seem to have a medical emergency on average every other day. My calculations say we are overdue, and I’m just keeping ready.”
Nix laughed, and Seamus allowed himself to chuckle along with him. “Seriously though,” Nix said, “I think you’re right. And Kace complains that you are overdoing it.”
He scoffed at the mention of their friend. “Yes, well, one day he will be glad I was ready, because I’m sure he’ll need it someday.”
“Yeah, probably when he finds his mate and she kicks his ass.”
They both shared a good laugh as they walked out into the warm sun. The day was warm with white, fluffy clouds slowly sailing along in the slight winds. The air was sweet with fresh mowed grass as it was being cut for the big event. Other pack members were weeding and setting up tables, and the barbeque pit was being washed down.
The duo stepped inside the main house. The cooler air washed over them as they made their way to the office. Alphy stood over a desk with Enzo discussing a route to take on the run tomorrow night. The two waited patiently, watching the alpha and beta make the careful planning. They were putting a lot of thought into it since there were going to be several different animals on the run, and they were including the human mates and vampires. Alphy turned and
greeted them cheerfully. “Seamus, Nix, glad you two are here. We were thinking of a hayride for the non-shifting members, which includes the kids. That way we all can go on the run. What do you think?”
Seamus raised his eyebrows and gave a thoughtful look. “I think that sounds like a great idea. Are you going to use a tractor, or go the old fashioned way and use horses?”
“We don’t have time to purchase horses and train them to be calm around our shifted forms,” Alphy answered. “And I don’t think anyone would lend us their horses without accompanying them. So we found this great tractor and trailer setup for sale and purchased it.”
“Sounds like fun. Who’s going to be driving it?” Nix said.
“Well actually,” said Alphy, “Tyler said he could get one of his guards to drive. And since we plan on everyone being on the run, while one of them is driving the tractor, the other will be staying at the house to ensure it is safe to return to.”
Enzo added, “I told Alphy I thought it would be a great way to let the kids feel like they were a part of the pack, and it will allow the parents to join. Especially the human ones who have never been, and otherwise will never be, on a pack run.”
“Sounds like a great plan. It keeps the cubs in one place, easy to watch, and for the shifters with non-shifter mates, it allows them to keep their mate close and enjoy the experience with us,” Nix added.
Seamus saw the look of excitement on Nix’s face that mirrored Alphy’s. They both had human mates, and it sounded like a great plan to involve them. Seamus smiled at the group. “This is a great way to get everyone on some equal level so there’s no feeling of more or less. I like it.”
“That is the plan,” Alphy said as he rubbed his chin. “I’ve had to deal with a couple of squabbles already, due to breed differences. Most things, in any pack or coven or whatever, are run basically the same, but sometimes there are small or even subtle differences that they have grown accustomed to that they expect to be the same here. I didn’t want any pack member to feel segregated.”
“And running together will bond them,” Enzo added.
“Are you going to serve hot apple cider or hot chocolate on the ride?” Nix asked.
Alphy and Enzo straightened up and looked at each other. “That’s a really good idea,” Enzo said.
“Yeah, it is.” Alphy looked at Seamus and Nix as if just realizing there might be some other reason why they were there. “So did you two need something?”
Seamus motioned for Nix to do the talking. Nix didn’t argue. He turned to the alpha and beta. “I stretched out my wings today, and I believe I figured out some of the mystery of the elusive scent. I believe she’s a flyer, possibly an owl or bat shifter. She comes out only at night. The scent is more solid up in the air, but I couldn’t follow it anywhere specific because the day had already broken it up too much. She seems to visit frequently around Seamus’s place. We think she may sense Seamus is her mate, but for some reason or other is too afraid to come near. We wanted to ask permission for help to set something up tonight to spot her, maybe even to try and make contact.”
“Wow. That makes sense about her fickle scent trail. No wonder we couldn’t seem to get a good lock on it.” Alphy huffed out an amused snort. “That’ll be fun to tell Kace that his morphing alien idea was wrong.”
Nix snickered. “That’s what I told Sea.”
Alphy chuckled then looked thoughtful. “What did you two have in mind?”
Again, Seamus indicated that Nix ask. He seemed to be the one who had the idea, and Seamus really didn’t know what to do about it.
“I wanted to ask Tyler and the gargoyles to help since they are all flyers. I was hoping to set up something tonight, around the clearing.”
Alphy took a while to think it out. “Something has her scared enough not to come forward. You’ll need to be careful that you don’t spook her. It could be more harmful to her if she felt she was threatened. Seamus, I leave it up to you, but I would say you should try to communicate with her. Try to find a way to convince her to come to you on her own. If it is your beloved, I know you’ll want to rush the process, but you’ll want to do it right. I’ll let you talk to the gargoyles when they wake from roost. We can at least get eyes on her.”
“I understand.” Seamus hid his uncertainty, but Alphy was right. If this was his beloved, he couldn’t afford to make a mistake with her. Seamus excused himself and made his way outside. Sitting on the porch, he tried to think of ways to communicate with his reclusive beloved.
Nix slowly stepped out onto the porch and sat next to him. “You don’t have to do this alone. Whatever you need, just ask.”
“I know that. Thanks, Nix.” Seamus didn’t want to turn friends away. He suspected that maybe the falcon wanted to make sure the elusive shifter had a home just like he had needed when he was younger. How much of his past was driving Nix to help him? Seamus wasn’t going to ask. Does it really matter? Perhaps not. The girl needs us no matter what. And if she really is a flyer, I would need someone else who could fly to help.
“So do you have a plan?” Nix asked.
“Maybe. If you really want to help, go grab the keys and you can head into town with me.”
Nix’s brows rose up. “Uh, okay, so I should leave a message for Bronya, too. Be right back.” Nix hopped up and scurried inside. While he did that, Seamus put his bag away and grabbed his wallet. He had some shopping to do.
Chapter Two
Maysa Sutter leaned down and pressed her small mouth to the surface of the little creek and drank in some of the clear and cold water. Her thirst quenched, she used her wings to scoop up water and dumped it over her furry form. It was the only way she could stand bathing in cold water, and both she and her animal were insistent on being clean. She took her time to groom herself before heading out to find something to eat. Finding food was difficult, and she could feel her stomach groan in protest. She wouldn’t be able to fly much longer if she couldn’t find anything more suitable. Raspberries and apples weren’t as plentiful in these parts, and blackberries weren’t quite ripe enough yet.
Shaking herself lightly, she looked to the darkening sky. A few of the brighter stars were already dotting the darkening sky. There wasn’t much left of the moon as the new moon was only three more days away, so the darkness of the forest felt heavier. She lifted off into flight to get away from it.
The wind ran through her now clean reddish fur. She flew around for a few hours trying to find something to eat. She would wait a little while longer before risking one last stop at the farm she had been visiting for about a week. A week of that kiwi, mango, and ginger scent that she just couldn’t get enough of. Oh how she wished she could stay longer and give into her desire to meet the man who it belonged to, but she couldn’t stay here much longer. She had already stayed longer than she should have, fighting her bat’s determination on staying, because of the scent. She could admit to herself that she hated fighting herself on the matter, but if he was her mate, wouldn’t she have had that eureka moment already?
But the experiments could have altered your senses, she thought to herself, but quickly shook that off. Nonsense. I can smell him just fine. In any case, if I stay around here any longer, the psycho hunter will find me, and then I will be dead.
Finally, she felt it was late enough to fly by the farm. Maysa chirped then adjusted her direction. She was wary of the giant flying creatures she guessed were gargoyles that flew over the farm. Staying close to the tops of the trees, she glided along and darted for the metal workshop. Looking around, she could see light coming from a window in the room above the garage. Is he up? Will I get a chance to see him? She let out another twitter sound and was satisfied there wasn’t any danger. Dropping from the eave, she swooped towards the garage where the scent was always the strongest. Her little nose twitched when she caught a whiff of it before she landed.
Maysa dangled under the eaves of the garage building. She closed her eyes and took in the scent that smel
led so good to her. Her nose flared at the added scent of fresh fruits and veggies. Her stomach overrode her senses, and she dropped down to the windowsill. She hadn’t noticed, until now, that it had been left open. She could see a perch that stood right beside the window. Right next to it, with a ring of candles set in the middle lighting it, was a neatly set table with several plates of food on it and a bright yellow card that caught her eye. She couldn’t explain why, but her animal receded for the first time in months, leaving her standing naked on the windowsill. She saw the plate filled table of food more clearly, and then she could see the card that read: “To my nightly visitor”.
Was this meant for her?
There were fruit trays, veggie trays, meat trays, and a bread basket with crescent rolls and buns. There were two plates set with silverware, with real cloth napkins folded neatly on them. Three glasses sat around the top of one plate, one water, one milk, and one orange juice.
She reached for the card and read it.
To my nightly visitor,
My name is Dr. Seamus Rossi. I have been enamored by your scent for several days now. I am a vampire, and I believe you may be my beloved. I would appreciate the chance to get to know you better. Whether you are or not, I would feel grateful if you would trust me to help you.
First, I must tell you our pack is a mix of paranormals. Our alpha wants this place to be a safe haven for any paranormal with the need to be safe and accepted. His mate is human, and we have a large mix of shifters. There are a few vampires, like myself, and even three gargoyles.
Please think about coming to us for whatever assistance you need. I am unsure how well you have been eating so I have taken the liberty of presenting you with a variety of foods to nourish good health in you.
