Love Was Not an Option

by Edward Kendrick

  “I’m sure they’ll love them. I didn’t hire you for your looks alone.”

  Greg laughed. “I hope not. Okay. Laters.” With that, he headed down the street, walking into the lot where he’d parked his car.

  Nick watched him until he disappeared from view. I may be in trouble. I like him, as a person. As a man. Finding someone who appealed to him the way Greg did hadn’t happened in more years than Nick liked to think about—for a good, if sometimes frustrating, reason. Privacy was hard to maintain when two people got into a serious relationship. His other life required strict secrecy. Taking a chance that a lover might find out about it, and about the Niko half of him, would result in consequences he didn’t even want to think about. So Friday night I’ll tell him in no uncertain terms that we will never be more than friends. He smiled sourly. Ones without benefits.

  Chapter 5

  Nick didn’t get a chance to go to dinner with Greg Friday night because he’d received an email from Kasper a few minutes before quitting time. Groaning, although glad he could put off his talk with Greg, he let Kasper know when he’d arrive at his house. Then he went in search of Greg. He found him leaving a client meeting, looked quite proud of himself.

  “They loved my designs,” he said. “Now Mark has to work up the copy to go with them and get their approval.”

  “That’s great. I wish we could celebrate tonight, since I promised we’d go to dinner, but something’s come up. I’m sorry.”

  “Hey. No biggie,” Greg replied, although he didn’t look as if he meant it. “We’ll do it another night.”

  “That we will.”

  Nick started down the hallway, glancing back at Greg a moment later. Greg was watching him, his expression puzzled. When he realized Nick was looking at him, he gave a wave before walking away in the other direction. Nick wondered what was going through his mind, but had more important things to worry about at the moment. Half an hour later, after stopping at home to change clothes, Nick walked into Kasper’s study.

  * * * *

  “What’s the problem this time?” Niko asked Kasper. “Or more to the point, who is?”

  “You’re not going to like this,” Kasper replied, waving Niko to the sofa. “We have a rogue.”

  “Fuck. Who?”

  “His name is Emmerich Kemph, although he goes by the name of Emery Kemp the rare times he interacts with humans.”

  “Never heard of him,” Niko said.

  “Not terribly surprising. As far as most people are concerned, he and his family are recluses who lived, I believe the term is ‘off the grid’. Or they were, until his wife and son were shot by hunters. Now he’s on a rampage to kill every hunter he can find.”

  “I haven’t seen anything on the news about this,” Niko said.

  “With good reason. He’s only started. The deaths of the two he’s attacked so far were put down to feral dog packs.”

  “He must have done a hell of a lot of damage to them.”

  Kasper nodded. “His family’s deaths drove him over the edge, because they were obviously killed for sport, not for their pelts. Not that poaching them for their skins would have made their murders any more acceptable.”

  “I’d say that’s a given. Okay, where do I start looking for him, or do you know?”

  “Yes. In the Rainbow Lake Wilderness area of upstate Wisconsin.”

  Niko frowned. “Isn’t that Forest Service land? How could they be living there?”

  “It is, but there’s a small town there. Drummond, I believe.” Kasper brought up the information he had stored on his computer. “Yes, Drummond. They lived in a cabin few miles outside of town, when they were in their human forms. Otherwise, they roamed the forest as protected wolves.”

  “Not that anyone put two-and-two together.”

  “Of course not.”

  “How the hell am I going to find a lone, rogue wolf…Is he a wolf, not a werewolf?” When Kasper nodded, Niko continued. “How will I find him in what I’m presuming is a huge amount of acreage?”

  “That, my friend, is your problem. I would suggest you go in as a werewolf, not a vampire.”

  Niko snorted. “Gee, really?”

  Kasper had said that for a reason. Niko was a vampire-werewolf hybrid. A species so rare that, as far as either of them knew, he was one of a kind. Rumors had surfaced of two others. Rumors neither of them had been able to verify.

  He had been born in the early seventeen-hundreds, the result of the mating between his mother, who was a vampire, and his father, a full-blooded werewolf. The couple had fallen in love, despite the inherent animosity between the two species. As Niko’s father had laughingly said after they’d sat Niko down on his sixteenth birthday to explain what he was, and why, “We were a true Romeo and Juliet, and believe me both our families were dead set against our union. But love conquers all, or at least it did in our case.”

  “We never expected to have a child. We believed it was impossible,” his mother had said. “After all, our bloods are toxic to each other, which should have precluded it happening as your blood would be a mix of both. Obviously, it didn’t, although it was touch-and-go for a while whether I’d be able to carry you to term. It’s very rare for a female vampire to get pregnant, and by a werewolf…” She’d smiled at Niko’s father. “As you said, my dear one, love does conquer all.”

  “Unfortunately,” Niko’s grandmother had muttered, as she was there as well. The smile on her face when she looked at her grandson had belied her words.

  “We have no idea what powers you’ll have,” Niko’s father had told him, once Niko had gotten over the shock of finding out what he was—and what his parents were. He’d had no idea until that day that none of them were human, including his grandmother.

  As it turned out, he had several powers, gained from his mixed heritage. He was adept at ferreting out lies, a werewolf trait, and could read minds if he so chose. That was something he avoided unless it was absolutely necessary. He had his own secrets, which made him realize how intrusive it was to pry into other’s minds to find out what they were hiding, be they human or supernatural.

  Sunlight had no effect on him, due to his werewolf half. He could transform at will into the several forms, thanks to his mother, and was not forced to shape-shift into his werewolf form on the night of the full moon, the way his father had to. He could also control human minds, and as the child of two species who were known for their super-human speed, he had that power in spades. He could teleport, like his father, and mist like his mother, abilities which made it easy to enter anywhere he needed to be—without having to be invited in, which would have been necessary if he’d been a pure vampire.

  “At least I’ll have the weekend to do this, and hope it won’t take longer,” Niko said, continuing his conversation with Kasper. “Do you know the locations of the two kills he’s done do far?”

  “I do.” Kasper brought up a map of the area. “Here, and here,” he said, tapping the screen.

  “Good thing we’re not talking a hundred miles apart. When was the most recent one?”

  “Two days ago, although I didn’t find out about it until this afternoon. The first one was a week ago.

  “Okay. The timing says he’s staying in the area he’s familiar with. That could help, if he hasn’t moved on by now to God only knows where. All right, bring up a visual of the town, so I know where I’m going.”

  “I can do one better than that, if you want. His second kill made the local news, including a photograph shot by the man who found the body.” Kasper shook his head in disgust. “Leave it to a human to try to make money off someone else’s misery.”

  “It happens all the time. Just watch the news on any given night.”

  “I prefer not to, if I can help it,” Kasper replied sourly. He brought up the photo he’d mentioned.

  Niko looked for a landmark to home in on. Half an hour later, after stopping once to recharge his energy, he was where he needed to be. He shifted to his we
rewolf then sniffed the air, searching for the scent of a real wolf. The aroma of dried blood assailed his senses instead—the result of his inner-vampire as much as his werewolf side. His vampire didn’t need blood to survive, but it would always react to it with a brief flare of hunger. He ignored it as he expanded his senses and realized the blood of the victim hadn’t only soaked into the ground where he’d died. It had been on the paws of the shifter as well, as he discovered when he put his nose to the ground and picked up on it, along with the killer’s scent.

  It should be this easy. Niko doubted it would be, as he began to follow the trail Emmerich had left behind. It led deep into the forest, the blood smell slowly diminishing. But Emmerich’s personal scent remained, as faint as it was. For hours Niko followed it as it led north and the terrain went from flat to hilly. Sometimes he lost is, but by going around the area where that had happened in ever-widening circles, he managed to pick it up again.

  Where have you gone to ground, because you must have? You need a lair. Somewhere safe to sleep. Niko was certain that was the case. It was finding it that was stymieing him.

  Dawn was coming when he finally got lucky. He found some scat the shifter had left behind. Lifting his head, Niko took deep breaths of the slight breeze which had come up. If he’d been in his human form, he would have smiled when he caught a much stronger scent of his prey, coming from a ridge high above him.

  He moved carefully, silently, through the trees. Even so, he managed to spook two deer that fled in panic. He hoped it didn’t alert Emmerich to his presence.

  When he reached the top of the ridge, he saw the face of a low mountain, and a few cave entrances. Standing in one of them was a lone wolf—or shifter in point of fact. Emmerich.

  It was obvious that Emmerich had picked up on the fact that Niko wasn’t just another wolf because he asked, in mind-speak, ::Who are you and why are you here?::

  ::My name is Niko. We have to talk about what you’re doing. If we don’t come to some sort of resolution, I’m afraid I’ll have to kill you::

  Emmerich snarled. ::The only resolution is the deaths of the hunters who prey on wolves for sport::

  ::I understand your pain:: Niko replied. ::But what you’re doing is wrong. It could ultimately reveal the existence of our kind. Do you understand what would happen then? The massacre of anyone the humans even thought might be unnatural, for lack of a better word::

  ::That is not my concern. Avenging the deaths of my family is, and I will not stop until every hunter is as dead as they are. Innocent or guilty, they all will die::

  ::So be it::

  Niko swiftly closed the distance between them. He didn’t want to kill Emmerich, but it was obvious the shifter would not be moved by words. Kasper was right, he is insane.

  The battle was short and bloody. In the end Niko prevailed. As he stood over his fallen prey, he cursed the humans who thought they had the right to kill for pleasure, not out of need for the meat or pelts they obtained from the animals they slew.

  He dragged Emmerich’s body back into the cave where he’d been hiding. Then, exhausted, Niko went into another cave, glad to find it was unoccupied. He needed to heal, which required sleeping in his werewolf form. His vampire side would help speed up his healing, but as he discovered when he licked his wounds, some of them were very deep. If he were to shift to his human form, he would probably die before the morning was over from blood loss alone.

  When Niko awoke it was Saturday evening. The sun was lowering, lighting the entrance of the cave, and his wounds were healed. He wanted to give Emmerich a proper burial so, still in his werewolf form, he found some soft ground and dug a grave. Shifting, he carried Emmerich’s body, lowering it into the hole. After covering it with dirt, he bowed his head, sending up a prayer to whatever gods there might be to give the shifter the peace he deserved in the afterlife.

  Then he teleported home. After taking a long, hot shower, he dressed before leaving to visit Kasper and let him know what had transpired.

  “It’s unfortunate it had to end like that,” Kasper said when Niko finished.

  “I agree. He was probably a good man, and a good wolf, before the bastard murdered his family. I can only hope that one of the hunters he killed was the one who did it.”

  “Something we’ll never know, I’m afraid. For now, however, there’s a restaurant I think you’ll like, if you’re hungry for something substantial.”

  “Hungry? I’m starving, so lead me to it.”

  The restaurant was exactly as Kasper had advertised. Because the food was excellent and the conversation stimulating, it was well past ten when they left. Niko returned home, feeling replete and yet, deep down, very unhappy.

  “None of that should have happened,” he murmured as he got ready for bed. “Emmerich and his family should still be alive, leading the life they were meant to. Instead…” He shook his head. “Too many lives lost, human and otherwise, to keep our secret safe.” He wished, as he often had over his long lifetime, that things were different, although he knew it would never happen.

  That thought brought Greg to mind. As much as I might wish otherwise, we’ll never happen either. Not the way he wants—the way I want if I’m going to be honest with myself. If we tried, and he found out what I am, it could, would end badly for both of us. With that thought, he fell into a restless sleep where he dreamed of Greg. Very erotic dreams which left him hard and wanting when he awoke Sunday morning.

  Chapter 6

  “You’re late,” Nick said when Greg came into the conference room ten minutes after the staff meeting had begun Monday morning.

  “Sorry. Car trouble.”

  Mark leaned close enough to him to whisper, none too softly, “Or woman trouble?” The earned him a couple of chuckles, and a “No way,” from Greg.

  Apparently he hasn’t told anyone but me that he’s gay. Interesting. Not that it matters. “All right. Now that everyone’s here shall we continue?” Nick said. “Susan, how is it going with the Wellington account?”

  The meeting went as they generally did, breaking up two hours later. Nick was almost to his office when Greg stopped him to say, “Sorry I was late. It won’t happen again. Did you have a good weekend?”

  Nick accepted his apology with a nod. “I did. Did you?”

  Greg lifted a shoulder. “It was okay. Did chores, grocery shopping, went running. I kind of hoped I’d see you at the park on Sunday.”

  “I’ve found a better place,” Nick replied.

  “Oh? Where? Maybe you can show me next weekend?”

  Oh, boy. Nick thought quickly, then said, “There’s a trail I discovered in the foothills a couple of years ago. It’s pretty grueling, and not practical when the weather’s bad.” The truth, as far as it went. He used it very late at night when the urge hit to run as his werewolf.

  “Would you be willing to show me next Sunday?”

  Do I say ‘no’ and nip this in the bud, or ‘yes’ and see what happens? I may be reading things into his asking that aren’t there. Hedging his bets, Nick replied, “Let’s wait until Friday and see what kind of weather they’re predicting for the weekend. I wasn’t kidding when I said the trail can be impassable when it rains or snows.”

  “I think it’s way too early for snow,” Greg said with a grin. “Rain?” He shrugged. “Okay, I’ll bug you on Friday.” He turned away, heading down the hallway.

  Nick watched him, torn between hoping Greg was lonely and looking for someone to do things with, and wishing that he was interested in him. Heaven help me if he is. Still…I like him. I shouldn’t, but I do. How can that happen in such a short time? He walked pensively into his office suite.

  “What’s got you deep in thought?” Brenda asked while handing him messages and mail he had to deal with.

  “Believe me, you don’t want to know,” he told her.

  “Meaning man trouble.”

  “As if. And stop prying. Anything here—” he waved the sheaf of papers, “—that’s
an emergency?”

  “Nope, so sit and tell Mama all.”

  He found that amusing, since she was only a couple of years older than his apparent age. “Maybe later,” he replied, continuing into his office.

  How bad would it be if we did try a casual relationship? No commitments. Just spending time together when we’re both free and sleeping together when the spirit moves? Would he be willing to try, knowing that’s all it would be? Settling at his desk, he leaned back, staring off into space. Am I willing, and what happens if one of us wants more? “I guess I won’t know until it happens, if it happens,” he said under his breath as he got to work.

  * * * *

  It was a beautiful Sunday morning for a run—bright and sunny with enough of breeze to keep the temperature bearable.

  Greg met Nick at the bottom of the trail. They were both in shorts and lightweight, breathable T-shirts, with running belts for their water bottles.

  “Ready to test your stamina?” Nick asked.

  Greg looked at the trail, which rose at a gentle slope as it entered the trees and smiled in apparent relief. “You bet.”

  Nick didn’t have the heart to tell him it would get steeper and rougher a few yards in. He didn’t think Greg would chicken out, but he wasn’t willing to take the chance.

  “Beat you to the top,” Greg called out as he took off.

  Nick raced after him, catching up and keeping pace with him as the trail wound through the trees and became increasingly more rugged. To his surprise, Greg showed no signs of slowing down until they were more than half way up. At that point, he began to flag, his breath coming out in short pants—but he didn’t quit running.

  Nick was still moving easily and could have continued without any problem. However, he didn’t want Greg to feel as if he was trying to show off—which he wasn’t—so he slowed his pace, feigning that he was beginning to feel the strain as well. He didn’t let Greg win, but he was only a few paces ahead of him when they reached the clearing at the end of the trail. He collapsed against the closest tree, taking deep breaths, while Greg dropped to his knees, gasping.