The Kiss of a Vampire, the Heart of a Wolf (The Silver Series)

by Samantha Bates

  "Why thank you very much kind lady" he took the bowl from her and went to spoon some into his mouth, stopping just in time "cornflakes and blood?"

  He looked at Lewis who burst out laughing, the laughter reached all the way to his eyes "look at your face, that was so so funny," he turned to Sylvia who shrugged her shoulders.

  "What? They might be vampires but they still need a balanced diet," everyone turned as Darius came into the kitchen.

  "Mmm a balanced diet at 10am, don’t tell me, cornflakes and blood"

  Liza looked at Sylvia and then Darius "how did you know?"

  It was Darius' turn to laugh "who do you think she tested it on?"

  Sylvia swatted Darius on the arm "it did you no harm" and she headed out into the garden, Darius bent to the twins whispering as she went "I’m not a born vampire so I can tolerate a lot less food than you two can."

  The booming voice from the doorway startled them all "he threw up every morning for a month, but did he say anything, no, he was too chicken to tell Sylvia" Leyton was smiling at the scene in front of him.

  "I was not scared, I respected her too much to upset her" Lewis was laughing so hard, he actually looked like a child for the first time since Theo had met him, Theo made a vow that when this was over he would see that side of Lewis a lot more.

  He felt Leyland watching him and when he looked at him, Leyland winked, he had always been the closest Theo had to a father "now what’s caused all this happiness, I am not sure I like it."

  Leyland sat at the table and Liza came to sit on his knee "well Theo has been gone all night and I mean all night, me and Lewis fell asleep in his bed waiting for him...what?" He watched Lewis poke her for telling and he was choked, they waited for him, no-one had ever done that before "thank you."

  "That’s cool, Liza was the one that wanted to, you know what she’s like so I thought I had better make sure she didn’t get into bother" as he watched Liza open her mouth to retaliate he winked at her.

  "Well I am pleased someone was there, I am sorry I didn’t say I wasn’t coming back."

  "That’s okay, it was actually quite nice, your pillow smelled like you so I have borrowed it, Lewis was a little nosey though and was looking through that trunk thing with weapons."

  "Liza SHUT UP" she stuck her tongue out at him, Leyland started laughing a proper belly laugh, Theo bent to Lewis, "don’t worry it’s okay, but there are some really dangerous things in there, you could have got hurt."

  "I know but they were like so cool, some of them looked a bit weird though, one day can you show me how to use them? Please, please?"

  The excitement and longing on Lewis' face was so infectious "I will as long as you promise not to go in there again unless you I am with you."

  He nodded and Liza interrupted "anyway Leyton so Theo was gone all night and then he came in like all happy and smiling, he kissed us and hugged us, then hugged and kissed Sylvia, before he started wanting to eat us, so I gave him Lewis" breakfast, I think it’s about a woman, that Imogen lady, is it, is it?"

  Darius sat at the table next to Leyland and Liza, he mimicked Liza "tell us Theo, is it, is it?" Theo threw the tea towel at him.

  "If you must know I did see Imogen."

  Leyland’s face took on a serious look "and how is she?"

  "She’s good, really good" Leyland relaxed.

  He saw Lewis sit down, he looked a little worried "did you tell her about us?"

  He nodded, he saw Lewis gulp "and? Can we still come live with you?"

  Liza had stopped and was watching him, Theo sat at the table.

  "Well she was really surprised but she said that as you get older you would be so lucky to have a pack to back you, a big brother to protect you and her to guide you, she was really happy and can’t wait to meet you."

  Liza jumped up and down "oh yeah, oh yeah" then she stopped "what does she look like? Is she pretty like you?"

  "I don’t think I have ever been called pretty, but Imogen is beautiful, stunning really, she has long white hair with a black streak at the front, her smile is so lovely and…I don’t really know how to describe her." Then suddenly there on the table materialised an envelope, he opened it and out flew a picture of him and Imogen from just before he left to come here, they were stood on the porch of her house, he was stood behind her, she was dressed in white pants and a blue tank top, he was in just a pair of jeans, the wind made her hair flow outward, and next to them was Celia, leaning her head on Theo’s shoulder "thank you Nina."

  He showed the picture to Liza and Lewis "ah she’s so pretty, she looks kind" although it was Liza talking, Lewis was nodding enthusiastically.

  "She looks strong" both held different perceptions of Imogen but both were right.

  "She is both."

  "Who is that?"

  "That’s Celia, Imogen’s sister; she will also live with us."

  "She looks kind too, oh I will have sister’s, how cool is that, I have always wanted sister's no offence you two. Can I keep this?" He hesitated, it was a lovely picture and one he would like to keep but he knew Liza needed it more. He ought to have known better, two more envelopes landed on the table, "now we all have one."

  Vadoma and Connor came rushing into the kitchen "two men on the east side, heading this way, we have about 20 minutes, I have sent guards to each of the vulnerable points, by now they will be waiting in the trees, out of sight. All of vulnerable are heading into the village hall."

  Darius had moved to tool up, Mitch arrived already tooled up, Leyland stood "where's Sylvia?"

  ‘I am here, I heard the commotion and thought we might need cookies for after’ Leyland kissed her head; Theo saw the look of panic that crossed the twins faces.

  ‘Don't worry we are prepared for this. Now stay here with Sylvia and lock the doors. I am going to go out and meet the visitors."

  Connor stood in front of the door "we talked about this last night and decided that you stay hidden."

  "Excuse me."

  Leyland carried on for Conner "she doesn’t know you survived Theo, you are the secret weapon, if she finds out about you now she has time to prepare. This way all she will know is that there are some wolves here. Think about it, it makes sense."

  He didn’t like it but they were right "okay but I’ll go out and patrol" he shifted into his wolf and headed out of the door, stopping to lick the twins on his way out, when they giggled he left.

  He had roamed this land for hours, getting to know the places to hide, he knew Connor and Vadoma would meet the visitors from this side, they had already planned the best places to intercept the people and he slid into the bush giving him an unobstructed view of the visitors.

  Now he knew where he would watch from, he moved backwards and ran down the hill, taking a longer route but doubling back so that he was in line with them, but not so they could see him, without them realising it he was stalking them. Theo’s stealth and planning skills, as well as his ability to see people’s energy signatures were just some of the things that marked him out from others. If he didn’t want to be seen or heard he wouldn’t be, it was that simple, from their scent he knew they were humans, two men who were confident in their victory, listening to their conversation Theo was beomcing pretty angry.

  "Remember do not touch anyone today, give the message and get out, when we take the village, the women are ours."

  "Yeah, yeah I heard you, in fact how about I say nothing, just look mean, how hard can it be, they are gypsy’s."

  Theo followed, when they neared the clearing, he loped back and went to his spot, he watched the men stop. Connor and Vadoma just happened to wander by; he had to admit Vadoma played her part well

  "Hello, wow you look hot, have you been walking long, the Spanish sun can be hard?" Connor smiled at her sweetly.

  "My friend is correct, I am still getting used to it myself. What brings you two this way?"

  The more sensible of the two who was also the tallest stepped forward "we bring a messag
e."

  "You do, who for? I have lived in this village all my life maybe I can help."

  Vadoma continued smiling and to those that did not know him Connor looked like a happy go lucky type of guy.

  "We are looking for the Seer in the village."

  It was Connor’s turn "can I ask why?"

  The one who was meant to stay silent didn't "no you fucking can’t, point us in the right direction and we will find her ourselves."

  "Well gentlemen you are in luck, Vadoma here is the Seer so she’s saved you a trip. Now how can we help?"

  Theo watched the excited look on the smaller one’s face, he was the biggest thereat out of the two and he thought he could best Connor, he saw Connor tilt slightly.

  "I noticed him, don’t worry" as wolves they were used to the telepathic link so Connor never even blinked.

  "Well if you would give us a moment with the lady we can give her the message and leave" he watched Vadoma smile at both of the men.

  Connor stepped a little closer to Vadoma "I am afraid I can’t do that, I have sworn an oath to the lovely lady so I will stay put, I am sure you understand."

  In his shorts and t-shirt, with his untidy mass of blond curly locks, Connor looked in no way threatening which was normally a person’s first mistake and was this man’s mistake, Theo watched him move his shirt up exposing the gun "I would change your mind if I were you."

  Connor smiled "thanks for the warning but I will pass."

  The smaller one had stepped to the side, Connor grabbed out at him and head butted him, Vadoma moved back out of reach of both men, trusting in Connor. Partially changing a hand into a claw as the man reached for his gun, he ripped through the man’s neck and stepped back as he bled to death, the taller man was astounded.

  "What the hell are you?"

  Connor leered at him "your message, what is it?"

  "It doesn’t matter."

  Connor stepped forward "clearly it does, your friend is dying for that message."

  "Um, the lady, vampire that is, wants the Seer to return what she took, that’s it I swear" he was shaking profusely and Theo could smell his fear from here.

  "I suggest you tell the lady, vampire that is, that she can’t have what doesn’t want to return" he stood there looking dumb until Connor moved forward and he jumped.

  "Don’t forget your friend, take him with you as a gift from us to her."

  Theo watched the man heave his already dead friend onto his back, sagging under the weight, when the man was out of sight Vadoma sagged and Connor grabbed her.

  "Make sure the twins are safe, I will be back soon."

  "Where are you going Theo?"

  "To see where her camp is?" Theo had already started after the man, he didn’t need to see the man he just followed his energy signature and the stench of fear.

  "Be careful Theo, you have a whole lot of people waiting for you" as he heard Leyland's voice in his head, his wolf stopped the hunt and howled in agreement.

  "Don’t worry I already know that, even before now I knew that I was loved and cared for, I just didn’t dare to believe it."

  "It’s about time you realised boy, we consider you one of own children and would mourn the loss as if it were Ben or Nicky, so don’t make me come to the after-life and kick your ass."

  Theo cut the connection as the man dropped his friend, took a breath before lifting him again. At the bottom of the hill, he was met by another man who was clearly unimpressed with their return; he listed to them both cursing before they chucked the dead man in the back of the truck and left, so much for honouring the dead. Theo followed them in the cover of the trees, about 15 miles down from the village; they came to a stop at a huge RV and a series of tents and camper vans.

  Hunkered down in the cover of the trees, he sat and watched still in wolf form, he heard her shriek when the men returned, but didn’t see her, she was in the RV. Theo watched the commotion as word travelled round her group, he was able to identify witches, shifters, one of which he was pretty certain was a tiger, which was going to be problematic. Tigers were notoriously strong, they were also solitary creatures so his presence was odd. As he watched the group he noted their deep unhappiness, he crawled to another area where he saw a group of humans not moving, when he got close he realised why, they were all tied together like in a chain gang. It was then that he saw why the tiger was there, there was a teenage child in the group and Theo was pretty certain it was another tiger, one which hadn’t gone through the first shift.

  As the sky darkened, he watched her and some others leave the RV, she was still a beautiful woman but that disappeared when he thought of the woman behind the mask, just looking at her sent his heart into overdrive, the fear, the pain rushed him and he struggled to control his breathing. It was thinking of the twin’s that calmed him, he couldn’t lose his nerve, she would find them if he did. He watched another 3 men leave the RV, these were all vampires and clearly under her control.

  Even from here he could hear her tirade, "they think a wolf is going to get rid of us, well more fool them, you three go back and give them a present of their own, take the tiger, he can kill the wolf. I want people dead and I want it now."

  Theo tested the strength of the telepathy "Connor, can you hear me?"

  "Only just, where are you?"

  "Watching the camp, she has a tiger shifter here controlled by his child who is being held prisoner. The tiger will be hard to take down, but she has about 30 prisoners here."

  "I know that tone Theo don’t do it, come back and we will return together to release the prisoners."

  Then another voice joined them, an unfamiliar one, it was the tiger "who are you?"

  "Why?"

  "You talk of my child, you must be close if I can hear you" Theo knew the tiger could make their fight a damn sight harder, so he made a swift decision.

  "If I free the prisoner’s including your child what then?"

  "I kill the bitch, but unless you move the band from our necks she can kill us both."

  Theo looked again and saw bands around most of the child’s neck "how do they work?"

  "Each is set with a charge; if I remove mine it will send an electric shock through Johns, strong enough to kill him."

  "What of yours?"

  "It doesn’t matter, if you save John I would willingly die killing her."

  "Try not to, go with the vampires to the village, I will send a signal when John is safe and the hostages are free."

  Theo looked around again; there was a small gap in between cars which may give him some cover "any tips tiger?"

  "In 30 minutes the guard will change to a leprechaun, don’t be fooled he wields some strong magic, but he has also been drinking all day and is likely to fall asleep just after arriving."

  "Thank you." So the wolf got comfortable and sat back watching and waiting. The tiger had been correct; the leprechaun did take over the guard. He felt a movement behind him.

  "Theo stay where you are, it’s me and Mitch behind you" He didn’t take his eyes from the camp even when Mitch and Leyland joined him.

  "What’s the plan?" Mitch was very quiet and Theo was thankful for his years of training as a warrior.

  "Sneak in get everyone out, bingo."