Blood Stained Lives (The Blood Stained Saga Book 1)

by Ronald Griffin

  “Oh, screw it.”

  He puts the whole book to his cheek, and strikes all the matches down his cheek, lighting them all, he drops the book of matches on the remains, and they catch fire.

  Kieran fights hand to claw with the last creature, but is starting to tire out.

  “Guys, I could use some help,” He grunts.

  It knocks Kieran to the ground and then jumps on top of him, biting into his shoulder. He screams in pain, and Brice rushes over and grabs it, making it lose its grip. Then he can hear Namon's voice in his head saying, “Toss it my way.” He turns around and sees him running toward them. Brice throws the creature, and Namon leaps, and they collide mid-air. Namon turns with the creature, and then lands on top of it. He ends the fight by ripping out its throat with his teeth.

  The fight over, he looks over at Aluana, and slowly approaches her, phasing as he walks.

  “I'm not going to hurt you, I hope you know.”

  “Yeah, I feel that. You were just protecting me, right?”

  Namon smiles, “Yes. So, um, we still on for Friday?”

  She laughs at him, and nods yes. They hear sirens wailing in the distance.

  “We gotta bounce, guys,” Brice says while running out the front doors.

  Namon looks around, notices all the small fires, and broken furniture, and realizes that it looks like they were trying to trash the place. Kieran has already left, so Namon grabs Aluana by the hand, and they run behind Brice and Kieran. What none of them noticed was Tiffany sitting in the other balcony, watching the whole fight.

  “So that's what he is after. That wolf.”

  Outside everyone is running to their vehicles, and Aluana stops at her car.

  “This one's mine I will see you Friday. I'll put your name on the list.” She smiles.

  He lifts her up in a big, spinning hug and then kisses her on the lips. It was an innocent kiss, but it was enough to set off fireworks on both their lips. They gaze into each other's eyes, not caring what’s going on. Well, that is, until Brice grabs Namon, and in a fireman's carry takes him to the car. Aluana gets into her car as well, and drives off at high speed. Brice follows shortly behind her in their vehicle as they leave just moments before the police and fire department show up.

  “Whew, what about a wild night, eh, buddy?” Brice asks Namon who is sitting in the back seat.

  “Yeah, tell me about it. She's wonderful, isn't she?”

  Brice and Kieran look at one another.

  “Um, we were talking about the fight. What were those things, anyway? What does your little book say?” Kieran asks.

  “I'll look it up when we get home. They are Seekers there is no doubt about that though.”

  He stares out the window, looking at the lights as they pass when they get onto the interstate. The fight may as well not have happened with as much attention as he is paying to it. The only thing on his mind is how it felt dancing with her. Then he reflects on it to himself about how there's no way possible she's a simple human, with that grace and her poise when dealing with the battle of creatures...

  When Aluana gets to the mansion, she parks her car in the garage and goes to her room. Her thoughts are on Namon, and the fact that he is a werewolf. She should be worried about that, since werewolves and vampires aren't supposed to get along. She doesn't care, though. It just felt right, the connection they shared, and that electric spark she felt when he kissed her. If the kiss was that amazing, even as innocent as it was, she wonders how everything else with him would feel. She pulls out her journal and starts to write, suddenly inspired for a new song.

  Tiffany pulls her white BMW X1 into the garage and walks toward the door, but stops when she hears Cyrus's voice.

  “Nothing is more important to me than this, Drake. I will kill anyone to accomplish my goals,” he says.

  “What about Tiffany? I think she is under the impression that she is very important to you, and that once this is over you will be more focused on her.”

  “Tiffany is merely a pawn. I care about her no more than I do for Aluana. She will serve her purpose, and once done, she will be disposed of.”

  Hearing this makes Tiffany's heart break; she was so eager to return and give him all the important information that she discovered tonight because she though he loved her. Now, all she wants to do is die. She walks into the house, and goes into her own room instead of Cyrus's. She needs time to think, and figure out where she is going to go from this point on.

  Once Brice pulls into the trailer park, they find Eric and the girls sitting around a bonfire, apparently waiting up on them to find out how the night went. The three of them get out, walk over, and have a seat.

  “So how did it go? Did you get any numbers, Namon?” Eric asks.

  “No.”

  Kieran smiles, and opens his hand to Brice, who rolls his eyes and reaches into his pocket, and pulls out a ten dollar bill, and puts it in his hand.

  “I still say you cheated at pool,” Brice says.

  “I did dance with someone, though,” Namon says.

  Sierras heart sinks at hearing that. Oh well, she thinks. She knew that it had to happen eventually.

  “Yeah, and poor guy got interrupted. There were creatures there that attacked him in the middle of the club.”

  Eric appears concerned, “What were they?”

  “I'm not sure. I don't remember ever reading up on them before. Let me go get my book.”

  He gets up, and walks down to get his Beastiary.

  “How did he do?” Eric asked Brice.

  “He fought very well. I think he is ready, man. I think the woman gave him what he needed.”

  “What do you mean?” Eric asked.

  “Well, she gave him something to fight for. I mean, when he fights with us he gives us everything, but when it came to her, it unleashed something in him I haven't seen before.”

  Namon comes back with the book, and flips through the pages until he finds the creature he saw.

  “It's a seeker demon. They are summoned to look for people, items, or other monsters. Why did they pick me out though?”

  Eric points at Namon's chest, and he looks down to see that the amulet is in view. That’s when he realized that they saw the amulet, and that's why they attacked him.

  “You got to be more careful with that; if they get their hands on it, its game over.”

  Eric looks over at Brice.

  “He's ready, hmmm? I think you should lay low for a while, son. Who knows what else was in that club, and they may be looking for you to return.”

  “I am, though. I have to see her again Friday night.”

  “No, you're not. That’s what they want,” Eric says with authority to his voice.

  “You’re not my father. You can't tell me what to do, Eric,” Namon says defiantly.

  Eric is hurt by his words, and surprised by them. Namon has never gone against his command.

  “If you want to remain in this pack and receive its protection, you will do as I say, and that is that,” Eric says as he stands, and walks up the hill.

  Everyone else looks at Namon in surprise.

  “What's gotten into you? It's just a girl,” Kaya says.

  He lowers his eyes to the ground.

  “She's not just a girl. For the first time, I didn't feel burdened by my destiny and my past. Why is it so wrong for me to want that? I need a break from being this “great holy warrior” that I am supposed to be. I have lost everything to this destiny, and you know what? I don't want it. I want to be happy. Is that so wrong?” he pleads.

  “I want you to be happy more than anything, Namon. Unfortunately, when you have so much at stake, you have to make sacrifices.”

  His face turns red with anger.

  “I am tired of making sacrifices. If my only reason for existing is to make sacrifices, then why am I even here? I may as well make the biggest sacrifice of all. I may as well march right up to Cyrus's mansion gates, and say. 'Hi, I am the boy you have been
searching for during the past three years. Why don't you come out so I can shove this amulet right up your ass? Then I'm going to kill you because you killed everyone that's ever loved me!'”

  “We all love you, Namon,” Kaya says in a hushed tone.

  Namon stands snarling at her, “You don't love me. You love what I am.”

  He turns, walks down to his trailer, and slams the door.

  Brice stands up, and starts walking down to his trailer, but Kaya stops him.

  “Let him go, Brice.”

  “I can't just let him talk to you and Eric like that. Let me talk some sense into him,” he says while punching his open palm.

  “No. I think he is right. Well, not completely, but we praise him for everything that he is capable of, but we don't pay enough attention to him as a person. The only one that has is Sierra. Let him sleep it off, and Sierra can talk to him in the morning.”

  “Alright, but if he does it again, I'll beat him to a pulp,” Brice says as he marches up to his own trailer, and slams his door so hard it falls off the hinges.

  Kaya walks up the hill to check on Eric, leaving Kieran and Sierra.

  “I think I will talk to him now,” Sierra says.

  “You heard Kaya. Just leave it alone. Besides, do you think he will listen to you since he made such a big deal about seeing another woman? He doesn't want to be with you, Sierra. Why don't you open your eyes?”

  “Because if he doesn't ever want to be with me, who will?”

  Her words cut him like a knife through butter.

  “If you would open your eyes to something besides him, you would see that there is someone who would give anything to be with you.”

  He gets up and walks away to his trailer. She sits there staring into the fire stunned at first, and bursts into tears, realizing now what she has been blind to for so long: Kieran had feelings for her, and she has been throwing Namon in his face for years. She feels lower than dirt. The night is now over, and everyone in the pack is mad at one another - Order has been disrupted.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Namon wakes up in the morning feeling horrible, and it is not because of the alcohol, either. He realizes that last night's behavior towards the pack was uncalled for. I really acted like a spoiled brat toward everyone, especially Eric and he does not deserve that. He gets out of bed and looks around for Oz, but doesn't see him anywhere not even the small bed he has at the end of his own bed. He rushes out of the house, concerned that something may have happened to him, and calls out his name. Brice, Kieran, and Sierra come out of their trailers to see what the commotion is all about. When they realize that Namon cannot find Oz, they join in on the search, since he is every bit as much a family member as any of them.

  After half an hour of searching, they find him curled up underneath Namon's trailer. His little body is cold, and shivering from being exposed to the night air for several hours. Looks like with all the excitement that happened last night, someone had forgotten to make sure he was inside somewhere. They got lucky that nothing more had happened to him; there are many creatures out there that would love to be able to get their hands on him if they knew that he existed. Namon picks him up and holds him closely to warm him up. Guilt starts to eat at Namon as he realizes that he let his wants and desires to get in the way of those who are important to him. Brice, Kieran, and Sierra surround them, and they feel just as guilty as Namon does because they all stormed off in their own directions last night as well.

  “I am so sorry, buddy. I should have paid more attention,” Namon says sorrowfully.

  Oz reaches his tiny hand to cover Namon's and offers a weak smile showing that he accepts his apology. Namon looks up at everyone else around the two of them.

  “I'm sorry to you guys also. I lost sight of things and I let my temper get the best of me. It's no excuse for the way I behaved, and I wish I could take it back.”

  Brice pats him on the back, which causes Namon to slip a little, but he regains his balance and stands up.

  “We all make mistakes, man. We may be part of this completely crazy, supernatural world, but guess what? We're also still very human, and it is our humanity that molds us into the people that we are meant to be. So what you blew off some steam. I was going to beat you within an inch of your life, but that doesn't mean that we don't understand,” Brice said.

  Namon gulps, and realizes that Brice was making a lot of sense. Not only that, but he sounded very deep and intelligent. Brice looks back and forth between Namon, Sierra, and Kieran as they all look at him like he just sprouted a second head.

  “What? If someone passed gas, you know it wasn't me. None of y'all would be standing if it were me,” Brice responds to them staring at him.

  Just like that, the Brice they all know, and love...well, let's just stick with 'know' is back.

  “We do care about you, Namon, and you are a big part of this family whether you want to be or not. Now that you know, though, there is something you need to do. You need to talk to Eric and Kaya. You really hurt the both of them last night,” Sierra says.

  Namon stares down at Oz.

  “Yeah, I know. You're right,” he says, and then looks up at Sierra. “Can you take care of Oz while I go talk to them?”

  “Of course I will. You never have to ask that,” She responds.

  Namon hands Oz to her, and gently brushes her hand over the little guy's head. Then he walks up the hill to Eric and Kaya's trailer, and knocks on the door. Kaya opens the door, and Namon can still see the hurt in her eyes. That hits him hard, making the guilt even worse. He grabs her and hugs her tightly, hoping that will make the apology easier.

  “I'm very sorry for last night? I know I said a few things that I shouldn't have, and I disrespected you and Eric. I know you both want the best for me, and to keep me safe. I just...” he stammers, “I just haven't been able to live my life in forever, and this was something that I wanted very badly, my chance at a bit of normalcy.”

  He lets go of her, and she wipes tears away.

  “It's all right. You're young, and I know this life is not easy for you. The weight of the world is on your shoulders, and I get that, but Eric is the one you really should apologize to.”

  She looks over her shoulder, and see’s that he is still asleep on the couch. Then she walks outside and closes the door behind herself so he won't wake up.

  “I think what hurt him the most was when you threw it in his face that he wasn't your father. You see, he doesn't have any children and as you know, as long as he chooses to live his life with me, he never will. The day he made you officially part of the pack was one of the proudest days of his life. None of the others knows this, but the reason he is so taken with you is because your lives aren't so different. He was born into the pack life and the responsibility that comes with it. To find members, bring them in, and make them feel like family, there are a lot of alphas out there that do not care about love or compassion; they just command loyalty, and respect. That is another reason why Eric has been such a good leader, and why he is never challenged for his position.”

  “I am sorry. I had no idea,” Namon says.

  “Just keep that secret between us, all right? Don't even tell Eric that you know he is very proud. The proudest day of his life, even though he wouldn't ever admit it, was when he announced you will take his place. He has never chosen anyone before. Brice...well, we all know why he never would have chosen Brice. Kieran, though, is level minded as they come and a great warrior, but he chose you. He's sleeping right now he didn't get much rest last night, so please come back later and talk to him. Think about everything I said, all right?”

  “Oh, I am, I promise I will make things right. There is something that I have to do first, though. I have to see her just once more, just so I can say goodbye, and so she won't be looking for me.”

  She looks at him with concern.

  “You know what happens if they get the amulet,” she reminds him.

  “I know, and that is wh
y I'm not going to have it with me. I promise I will be careful.”

  Namon takes the amulet off, places it in her hands, and closes them over it carefully before hugging her.

  “I will be back. That is a promise.”

  Kaya places the amulet around her neck for safe-keeping.

  “Wait right here.”

  He waits while she goes inside until she comes back out. When she returns, she hands him a pair of keys.

  “What are these to?” he asks.

  She points over to a tarp in the yard.

  “That's your other birthday present from all of us. We wanted to make sure you were sober when you got it, just in case.”

  He walks over and pulls back the tarp to reveal a Yamaha V-Max motorcycle. It's shiny and black, highlighted with chrome accents. On the handle bars hang two black helmets with silver tribal designs on them and a jacket with similar tribal designs, but they form a wolf head on the back of the jacket. Namon looks at it in awe, and is not feeling very deserving of such a gift.

  “I don't deserve this,” he says.

  “Nonsense boy, you go and enjoy it. Just make sure you handle whatever business it is you need to take care of, and make sure you come back.”

  He nods, and walks down the hill to check on Oz. Sierra has him wrapped up in a blanket like a little baby, and is carrying him around, but he is fast asleep now.

  “Do you think he is going to be all right?” he asks.

  “Yeah, he should be fine. Magical creatures are pretty resilient.”

  “Thank you for taking care of him for me. I need to leave for a little while. I have something to take care of, but I will be back in a little bit,” he says.

  “Be careful. I know you just got your license, and you passed all the motorcycle courses, and all, but...”

  “I'll be fine, and I will be careful. Thank you so much for everything.”

  He heads back up the hill and puts on his jacket. It's a perfect fit, almost as if it were made just for him. He puts his helmet on, starts the motorcycle up, and heads on his way to Whiskey River in hopes of being able to find a means of contacting Aluana. Once he gets there, though, there is police tape all over the place. It's apparent that no one is going to be there tonight. Then he notices a poster for Aluana's band. “We also perform at parties,” the sign says, and there is a contact number. He takes off his helmet, pulls out his phone and dials the number listed on the sign. A few rings later, and she answers the phone.