~ Marx followed Roan away from the rest of the group. The noise of the festivities grew distant as they moved to the western edge of the village. The initial wariness of the people shifted to curiosity as they followed the example of their leader and gave the vampires and the werewolves the benefit of a doubt. War and death marred their past, but their future, though on the verge of another war, would see them standing as allies, come what may.
“Where are we going?”
“To our Shaman,” Roan answered.
“For what purpose?”
Roan stopped to face him. “Do you know how werewolves and vampires came to be?”
Marx shook his head. Celeste had imparted much knowledge about her world, but mostly she pretended that side of her life n
~Marx felt slightly foolish sitting in the tent, legs folded underneath him. He wanted to ask what this all should achieve, but each time he spoke out of turn, the Shaman chastised him. Now he sat there in silence, eyes closed, talking to himself. The room was now a haze of incense that tickles his nose, and he was sitting closer to the suspended fire than he would have liked. "You are the man, the alpha, and the wolf," the Shaman said. "Open your eyes." Marx did, and before he could ask a question, he saw figures in the cloud of incense. One was a man and bounding over to him was a wolf. He accepted the wolf, and the two became one. Another figure formed. This third figure was a werewolf. Instead of accepting it as the man had the wolf, they remained divided. "Roan said I feared the wolf."
~Garrick changed back to human form, the process painful. He had never felt pain while turning before. Since his mother turned him, changing was as simple and as natural as breathing. Now, as his body mass adjusted, his skeletal structure snapping back in place, he was in agony. Ava was the one who heard him and came running. When she knelt beside him, he held onto her for support. They were both shocked at their ability to make physical contact, but at that moment, with Garrick writhing in pain, it did not matter. She stayed with him until the change ended and the pain ebbed away. Sweat had his clothes clinging to his skin. “You changed.” Ava helped him to sit up. “Never thought I would say this, but I’d prefer not to do that again.” As the pain cleared from his mind, Garrick looked at Ava. “How am I
~Shea sat uncomfortably in the middle of the four pairs of eyes that regarded her. She could hear running feet and men shouting orders outside. That was where she wanted to be. Out there with the pack. Preparing for the danger that was coming for them. The four leaders before her were cool and collected, considering that an unknown threat was heading their way. “Do we need to do this now? I should be out there.” “Living on the verge of war is now our reality. We need to know the enemies we are up against, and you have information that could assist in our efforts,” Vescovi said. “You are helping just as much in this room as you would outside these walls—maybe even more,” Roan added, his voice to Vescovi’s reasoning. “And Marx?” she knew they had a point, but she
~Shea held her side as her wound healed. She stood between her past and her present, confused about how it could be possible. Barabbas was supposed to be dead. She had watched him die. His life had drained from his eyes, leaving them lifeless glass windows to a vacant soul. She knew it was him by scent, tainted by the smell of death. Though he fought the others, his primary focus was on her and Ichiro. Shea bit back a sound of distress. The foolish man had come to her aid. Barabbas scored his pound of flesh. Zigor was with Ichiro trying to stop the bleeding. There was so much blood. Barabbas was proving to be too much for the inexperienced members of her pack and the natives that came to join them. She threw her head back, howling, calling for Daniel and Helick. Bryan came running in with Yuri. “Get t
~“You need to take it slow.” “Don’t tell me to take it slow!” Sven roared. He had woken to find out that days—weeks had passed since Penny dispatched him at the portal. Sven could not remember how long it took him the first time to come back, but it had not felt like an eternity had passed. Then again, the first time had been unexpected, and he was not in the middle of his plot for Lansguard. Upon realizing that his most trusted lieutenant—Barabbas—was dead, Sven went over the edge. “It makes no sense pushing yourself like this when you are not at your full strength.” Sven, in anger, lifted the bed he woke up on, flipping it over onto its side. It was the only thing between him and Passerini who was trying to pacify him. Sven grabbed the vampire by the neck, slamming him into the nearest wall and pinning hi
~Penny had to be smart about moving through the city. She stuck to roofs, staying out of sight in the morning, picking up her hunt at night, sticking to the shadows. In her pursuit for Sven, Penny followed the tiny residues of shadow magic to the source. Though faint, the trace was the newest lead she had in finding Sven. She followed it to the heart of the city. To the heart of Pentorium. Whomever Penny found would have had contact with the man recently. She stayed in the shadows and waited. A man came out of the building, rushing down the steps to the sidewalk as he spoke on his phone. He wore a sensible black business suit and carried a silver briefcase in his free hand. There was a town car parked at the curb and waiting by the open passenger door was the driver. Penny turned her head to the side, her ear in the man’s direction as she listened. “Tes
~ From her talk with Barabbas, Shea knew some changes took longer than others did. Ichiro was back in the house now after Penny pumped his system with her venom. They had no idea how long it would take for the change to start or for it to end. Everything was watching and seeing how it all turned out. If Ichiro turned at all. Martha had the cure for the poison on standby, but the added factors of the situation had her chewing her nails to the quick. “His body is undergoing so much stress,” she told Ava. They were standing out in the hallway. “His heart could give out before the change even finishes.” Ava shushed her. “Shea needs this. Whatever happens, just do what you can.” Martha nodded and went back into the room. Ava ran a hand over her face.
~Marx remained trapped. He knew the things he saw weren’t real, but they felt real. The acrid smell of blood and death seemed as real as anything else in his life. The dry, hot air against his skin, the sounds of battle that had his heart racing. It was hard for his mind not to succumb.Before him, a war raged.Vampires.Werewolves.Humans.Shadows. Not like the ones Sven conjured, but the real deal. There were so many of them. Their wispy forms merged, weaving around the vampires, werewolves, and humans who fought them. It seemed like a never-ending battle. All sides were denying defeat as they fought, many to their last breaths.Among the warring factions was his fam