16 comments/ 26896 views/ 27 favorites Battle for Blood By: Eliya He was out of his body again. Looking down at his true body, he couldn't help but feel divorced from the shell that held his consciousness. He looked so...weak. Starvation drove him from his physical form, trying to find relief in the shedding of the pain and weakness that ate at him every day. Three years he had spent locked in a pit beneath the earth, nothing to sustain him. His wanderings away from his physical form were the beginnings of the madness that would come with time. He tried to fight but each day he thought the hunger could not get worse and each day it did. He would wander about the area where he was held, looking at the dogs that lazed in the sunlight. Guarding him was too easy a job for them. Today, as he floated up through the net above him, the cursed net that let sunlight stream into his cage, leaving him no small dark corner to hide himself, he found no dogs stretched out above the pit, basking in the warm rays of the sun. Strange. He moved silently, unburdened by physical form. The area where he was held was deep into an ancient forest. To anyone else his pit was in an overlooked clearing but he new better, sensing layer after layer of security that held him there. It was unnecessary. He could not have broke out of the first prison once he fell. Far off, at the outer perimeter of the dogs' territory he heard the whisperings of a battle. The howling of the dogs and clanging of metal sounded soft at this distance. He willed his form faster towards it, hope springing in his chest once again. This was the first rescue attempt in years. The mere thought of not having been forgotten was enough to give him energy he had long thought left him. He flew through the defenses, seeking the source of the commotion. When he passed the first body on the ground his hope soared. The man on the ground was the pack leader. He had been shot through his head, the crumpled body lay in a canine position on the ground but the blood was human. Far behind him his physical body felt the hunger pang though he could not truly smell the sweet sticky fragrance. The temptation was worse than hunger. He kept moving. The bodies began to multiply. Men and women lay across the ground, shot, stabbed, sliced in vital places. None were bitten. There were no marks of his kind on them. What was this battle? A dog whimpered on the ground ahead of him. A deep wound bled freely from it's side. He stopped to watch as the dog's eyes went dark, the whimpering and twitching subsided and the heart he heard within it's chest stopped beating. The body slowly lost it's fur, bones shifting and claws retracting. In death it took it's true form, that of a brown haired woman with thick muscles and long raised scars down her back. He curled his lip in disgust. They should not have been allowed to take human form in death. They died like dogs in the dirt. He emerged from the tree line into a great clearing. The battle was ending. The dog had driven his would-be savior into open ground where the pack had the upper hand. Before him a women in leather armor was making her last stand. Her weapons had been tossed, taken or left buried in the bodies of her foes. She stood with what appeared to be a long staff with a sharp blade embedded lengthwise along the end. She must have left in the rear as a last resort. There was no way she had carried it into battle. He understood; she had fallen back to her last position. Though she had managed to kill most of the pack there were still enough left to finish her off as they closed ranks around her. He went closer, wishing she weren't going to die. Her movements were fluid, fast and precise but her breath was slightly ragged, sweat poured down her body and he could hear her heart beat flutter in her chest. She was tiring. She dodged attacks, kicking a beast mid air as it threw itself at her. The circle of wolves drew closer. Two flung themselves at her back. She caught one with her staff, sweeping it against it's skull and sending a man's body flying into the dogs growling at her side. The other tried to grab her arm with it's teeth. It's foaming mouth glanced her arm as her fist made contact with the side of the beast's rib cage, sending the animal flying. The pack snarled. One more attack. If one of them landed a blow, made her stumble, caused a second's opening, the pack would be upon her. She could not hold out much longer. Unseen, he moved through the snarling animals and stood next to her. He wanted to see her living face before they took her. Her leather helmet was tight against her forehead. Light chain mail covered her face. Her wide eyes were the only part exposed. They flashed at her foes. He could see her fear, her calculations and determination. There were eight of them left. They were too close, she was too far out in the open. She had no where to go. He reached out a ghostly hand, wishing he could feel her warm skin but her head fell away from him. She took her staff in both hands and with surprising grace, bent back, further than nature should have allowed, and swept her staff with it's wicked blade in a long arch, striking glancing blows at the legs of the dogs around her. Using the momentum, she continued the attack to the front, sweeping the blade at maximum length from her body. The wolves leapt from the path of the blade as it mad it's deadly circle, but she managed to strike almost every one of them. For a moment the ring of dogs widened, surprised by this new tactic. Then they dove at her. The attack had set her off balance enough for them to see their opening. Though they were all injured they moved with the taste of victory in their pointed mouths. The woman straightened, but instead of positioning herself to fight them she began to run at the wolves. Madness he thought. She could do it. She had come so far. He wanted to reach out, grab her from her suicidal charge. At the last moment, she lowered the end of the staff, too low, he thought, she would miss the dog heading straight at her. She dug the blade end into the ground and soared in a great arch above the heads of the charging animals. She landed in a roll, tucking her head in and somersaulting in the dust. As her feet touched ground again she was off to the tree line, faster than she should have been able to move. The disoriented creatures, turned, tripped and scrambled to follow her. They were slow from battle and injuries, but still deadly. His hope soared again. She was faster, terribly and beautifully fast. She would get to him first. His wandering spirit was pulled, faster than the wolves, back towards his nearly dead body. He passed her as she wove between trees and over the conquered bodies of her enemies. She would get to him first! The wolves cried behind her but they were falling away. She would make it. He stayed with her, encouraging her with every fiber left in his starved consciousness. She was coming for him. She nearly ran over the pit that held him. They had disguised it well but could not cover it completely. They had needed the days of full sun to weaken him faster. The metal net, woven with silver and blood to keep him in, was bolted to the ground with great iron spikes. She set about prying them from the ground with her gloved hands. The task would have been impossible for a full grown human man. She strained, panting with her effort. The spike did not move. Come on, he wanted to scream, this is the last part! Slowly, much to his disbelief, the spike began to move, barely an inch at first, and then faster till she fell back with a thud, spike in hand. She moved to the next one. Far away, a wolf howled. It was not a hunt cry; it was filled with pain. Maybe they would not catch up. She threw the second spike to the ground and pulled back the net. There was just enough space for her to crawl in. She turned back, lowering herself carefully. The net above him was not the only thing holding him in. His entire pit was lined with the same terrible cage. Parts of it stick out from behind the dirt. She used it to climb as far as she could and jumped to the ground. He was there, standing next to her, as she reached out towards his lifeless body. He could feel her closeness on the skin his consciousness was not inhabiting. Her smell was infectious. Had he a ounce of strength he would have devoured her. She was so...alive. She leaned over him, reaching into her leather breast plate. Just take me, he thought. Just get me out of here. Her hand emerged with a large hip flask. She unscrewed the top and propped up him head. The smell of fresh blood against the air pulled him back to his body. He fought it through the starvation. No you fool! She held the dead body in her arms. They had told her he would appear beyond help. With a few drops of blood he would wake up and be able to escape with her. She was grateful for that. Her legs shook after hours of fighting. She would not have been able to carry this man. She tipped the flask towards his mouth, letting the red liquid flow between his parched lips. At first, no sign of life returned. A small drop of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. He couldn't be gone. It took much longer for them to truly starve to death. She shifted her body so that his back rested across the of her bent legs, his head against her chest. Once more she held his head softly and poured the blood into his open lips. She felt his body shudder against her. She tipped in flask further. He began to swallow passively, letting the blood reanimate his limbs. Slowly, his hand reached up, tipping the rest of the blood down his throat. She sighed with relief. Maybe he was strong enough to get them out. She could feel it wearing off. The adrenalin of the battle and the case was slowly leaving her. Her body sagged as the vampire drank the flask dry. They would be okay. She let go of the flask and let him finish. Her heart beat against his head. She felt the life return to him. In a flash, faster than she ever could have moved, she was pressed against the wall, his hand at her neck. Her mind, which had just begun to slow with the end of her mission nearing, screamed at her to fight back. What was going on? She was here to rescue him. She looked into his face. His cheeks were sunken ad the skin hung loosely. His eyes were dark with hunger. She understood in a flash. The blood in the flask was a tease, a sip of water to a man lost in the desert. They had sent her here to die. "No!" His hands ripped the helmet off her head. The tough leather that had withstood so many teeth and claws, crumbled beneath his fingers. The protective plates that had been sown to it to protect her neck and shoulders fell away as if they were made of lace. Her long chestnut hair fell about her shoulders, sticking to her skin with perspiration. It was too much. She had gone too far. She could not just stand there as he drained her. She tensed her arms, preparing to strike him but he was too fast. It had only been a moment since he was lifeless in her arms. He fell upon her neck savagely. As if the world had slowed to a halt she felt every centimeter of his teeth pierce her skin. Her blood, pumping through her veins spilled over into his waiting mouth. Her heart beat fast, faster than it had been in battle. She did not want to die. She struggled, twisting and straining against his grasp. She brought her fist to his chest with no effect. She was growing weaker as he was growing infinitely stronger than she would ever be. Her fingers splayed out across his chest, pushing him away with pathetic weakness. Her head spun around her. The sun dappled pit grew darker. She did not want to die. He growled against her throat, more animal than man. His arms wrapped around her body, holding her up to his mouth as she sagged beneath him. The fight went out of her. Her hand slipped from his chest. She felt the life slipping away from her and simultaneously, his chest, crushed against hers grew and breathed with life once more. Her head slipped back. Her limp body gave way against his strong, immovable one. She closed her eyes. They had lied. * This is my first time posting. Let me know what you think! Suggestions are welcome as I am totally new at this. Thanks! Battle for Blood Ch. 02 Thanks for your comments! I kept going, trying to incorporate some of your suggestions. I'm still open for much more. Let me know what you think, the bad and the good. I have an idea of where I am taking them though I am always up to hear what you think. Thanks for the support! Ch. 2 He felt her heart slow and stop. The blood that had been flowing into him trickled to a stop. Finally he was able to rip himself away from her. Her body dropped like a wooden doll, crumpling in a heap at his feet. He was delirious. Years without food had ripped his mind from his body. Now life rushed to every fiber of his being. His body tingled and roared with strength and feeling. Nothing had ever felt like this. Her blood coursed through him. He was alive. More alive than he had ever felt. He let his head drop back and roared at the sky. His voice tore from his throat, a voice he had not used in so long, his triumphant voice. The wolves, nearing the pit, felt the ground rumble beneath them. They fled. He looked at his hands, squeezing them to fists. He was alive. Blood had never felt like this. He looked down at the girl at his feet. She was young, terribly young. Her sweat matted hair stick to her face and armor. He knelt beside her lifeless form. "You should not have fed me. You silly fool." He placed a hand on her cheek. The wound on her neck oozed slightly. He felt a pang of regret as his reason returned to him. He had not wanted to hurt his rescuer. He had tried to hold back. Whoever sent her into this pit knew she would not come out. He felt for a heartbeat. Maybe he had stopped himself in time. He removed the thick leather plate covering her chest exposing a sweat soaked shirt. His hand rested softly against her body which only moments before had been coursing with deep, delicious life. He held his breath and listened. Nothing. He pressed his hand deeper against her flesh. There. A flutter of life. That would have to be enough. He swung her limp form unto his shoulder. His hands dug into the earth at the side of his prison. The sting of the silver net that had held him for so long could not deter him now. He gazed up to freedom. It had been three days. Following his nose, he found his way to a small ring of cabins. The smell of humans traveled far into the mountains. The forest had not changed since the time he had been lured there but his memory of that day was hazy. He had begun walking as soon as he hit daylight. The old growth forest offered him sweet reprieve from the rays of the sun. It took a full day to catch the scent of humans. The girl on his shoulder grew colder with every step. He had not stopped to consider what he would do when he reached humans, being too concerned that she would die or turn before he got there. He halted outside the clearing. He could leave her here. He had been giving her small drops of blood for days, not enough to turn her, just enough to keep her alive. If he left her here no doubt someone would call the police, see that she got medical attention. She needed a blood transfusion. He couldn't help her now. He didn't need to stay. He had done his part to repay her. He lowered her to the ground. Her skin had turned ashen and gray. Her hair, matted when he had begun this journey, was caked in mud that covered them both. He looked into her quiet face. Even like this she was something to behold. Through the muck that covered her pale skin her face was beautiful. She was not quite human. No one could move like that. No one should still be alive after a complete draining. Who had sent her? They must have known she would die. She had not. He needed answers. Where would he start without any idea of what was going on? No, he would not leave. He picked her up in his arms, cradling her body to his chest. He felt strangely comfortable holding her this way, as if he were meant to. He stumbled into the clearing, purposefully putting on an exhausted limp. "Help!" he cried, his voice coming out in a strangled call. "I need some help here!" He could smell humans in the far cabin. He headed for the door, careful not to move to fast and give up his façade. The door flew open. A man with a large hunting rifle stood at the door, his eyes went wide at the scene before him: A large man, covered in mud and bits of forest, held a girl in his arms. Her limbs hung limply, no life at all. She had old blood caked on her neck and clothing. He did too. The man staggered and fell to his knees. "Help," he called again. "She needs a doctor. Help!" His wife flew to his side of the cabin and gasped at the pair outside their door. "John! What on earth..." "Gretta, call the doctor," the man said, handing her his rifle. "Tell her it's bad." John ran to the man kneeling in the dirt, holding the lifeless girl close to him. "It's alright, we got it. The doctor is a short ways a way but she'll be here soon." He slid his fingers around the girl's cold wrist, feeling for signs of life. He shuddered at the dead feeling of her skin. He looked up to the man's face. "It's alright buddy." He tried to be reassuring. The man looked weak and drawn. They must have been in the woods for days. The man's dark eyes were ringed with shadows and his skin was pale, almost as white as the girl's. John felt the slightest pulse under his fingers. "She's alive!" he said. "Bring her inside. We have to get her warm." John reached over to take the girl from the exhausted man but her hugged her closer. "I can manage," he said as he got up. John noticed his legs shook a little but he stood back and let him carry her into the cabin. He set her down on the couch next to the fire and collapsed next to her on the floor. Greta hung the phone up and raced in from the kitchen. "She's on her way. She'll be here soon." Greta rushed over to the couch. The poor woman looked more dead than alive, as did her companion. "What happened?" she went and took a large quilt from the closet and draped it over the woman's body. The man held one of the woman's pale hands in his. Squeezing it miserably as if seeking her to respond. "We were in the woods, hiking. She fell and I heard the most horrible sound." He stopped, taking a labored breath. "When I got to her the dog was on top of her. He bit her. I managed to chase him off but she wouldn't wake up. She hasn't woken up since." His voice sounded choked, wooden in his exhaustion. "I heard the pack of them and I ran. I was lost. That was three days ago." John came over with a glass of water for the man. He drank it all in a moment. John went to refill it. Greta stroked the girl's hair from her face. "The doctor will put her right. Don't worry. We'll take care of you." John came back with a large bottle of water and gave it to the man. "Now sip this," he said. "You don't want to get sick." The man nodded and complied. "What's your name, buddy?" The man's eyes flashed to John's face. If he didn't know better, John might have thought the man was suspicious of him. "Cole," he said finally. "This is Amy." The doctor arrived an hour later, sprinting in from her car whose door she had left open. After a brief exam she hung fluids from the clothes tree John set up next to the couch and she cleaned the wound on her neck to find it clean and healing nicely. She did not like the amount of blood loss though. She had brought her pack with blood packs. The doctor hated doing emergency blood transfusions but it looked like she was going to half to. She set the girl up and went to speak to John and Greta. Cole had collapsed in the chair next to the couch when the doctor arrived and hadn't moved since. Rain started pouring outside. Thunder rolled in the distance. "She's in bad shape. It looks like the fall was pretty rough. She's got bruises everywhere. I would have guessed she fought the wolf from the looks of things. The blood loss was extensive. I'm hoping the transfusion takes and she recovers enough to take her to the hospital in town. Right now, I don't think we can move her. The best thing to do is get her on a bed and keep the fluids constant." Greta nodded. John put his arm around his wife. It was shocking to see someone in these conditions. She trembled. "Those wolves moved in a few years ago and we've never heard the end of it. Why can't we do something about it? If they get close to here again I'll shoot them myself. Fuck the endangered species list." John squeezed Greta's shoulder. He was angry too. The doctor sighed. "Well, once we report this they may change their tune. This girl shouldn't be alive. If the wolf did that, then people have a right to protect themselves." "What do you mean 'if,' Shelly?" John asked. "Oh, no, nothing," the doctor said as she cast a glance at the two sleeping bodies in the living room. "It's just a real bad case. I've never seen a bite that bad or that much blood gone. I swear, in all my years, I've never seen someone come back from the brink like this. Something is strange. But she is one lucky woman. I can't explain it." An uneasy silence settled over the room. The three humans jumped at the sudden crash of thunder above them. The lights flickered and then went out. "Well, you best not be driving back in this mess. Let me make you some tea." Greta left for the kitchen. John jerked his head at the man. "How's he?" Shelly shrugged. "He didn't want me to take a look at him. He's okay, from the looks of it. He needs rest and food though. You are good people to take them in. I'd say they need a few weeks to get back to normal. We'll play it by ear about bringing her to the hospital." "You staying up here with us?" "Yeah." The three of them had gone to sleep. Cole could hear their hearts beating softly in the upstairs room. He had convinced them to leave them in the living room and head to bed. The doctor took longer than the others. Finally they were asleep. He was practically twitching with hunger. Lying there, unmoving, while bag after sweet bag was dangled right in front of him was too much. The humans were lucky he needed them. He would have fallen on one of them a log time ago. Their hosts were gracious. John and Greta had tried to take care of them the best they could. They ran this cabin retreat far from the closest town, deep in the woods. John had ranted softly the entire time the doctor was tending to the girl, cursing liberals and animal lovers. Business was bad after all the rumors of vicious wolf packs. Apparently, Cole's guards had become quite the terrors in the woods these past few years. Cole had refused the guest room they offered him. He wanted to stay with her. The doctor decided against moving her until the morning. They had left him in their cozy living room with a small fire burning to keep her warm. Their world was quaint and orderly. The two disheveled bodies in their living room were terribly out of place in the tidy wooden house. Silently he slid from under his blankets. He stopped, gazing at the sleeping girl next to him. Her skin was flushed from the fire. He could feel her heart beat, strong and steady in her chest. He doubted she would need a week. He could feel her healing already. His mouth tingled with the memory of her taste. She was the sweetest, more intoxicating thing he had ever tasted. He could feel her blood running over his tongue and he closed his eyes to relish the memory. His eyes snapped open. The initial feeding had been so frenzied, so brutal, he had not noticed how strange she tasted. Human blood never tasted that way, or gave him so much energy. After years of starvation he should have been ravenous for days. There was something else. There had been a familiar bitter taste, small and fading in the overall sensation of her blood but it was there nonetheless, something he couldn't quite place. He looked at her again, the warm light of the fire dancing over her soft cheeks and long interlocked lashes. She still had not moved. He wished she would show outward signs of life. He needed answers. He slipped his shoes off, walking barefoot across the floor, discarding his clothes. He slipped outside, the cold rain washing his pale skin. He heard the breathing of forest animals all around him, beating hearts and warm blood coursing through their veins. Tonight he hunted. In the morning, Shelly awoke sharply, clearing the sleep from her brain as she stumbled downstairs to check on her patient. The man, Cole, sat next to the couch with the woman's hand in his. He looked better, almost healthy. At some point he had rinsed off though his clothes were still filthy. She could see more color in his face as he turned to her. She was glad he was doing better, but something about him made her wary. "How's she doing?" Shelly asked as she moved next to the couch. "Better, I think." She could hear the worry in his voice. He was hopeful. It made her feel a little better. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else in his head when he spoke but he sounded sincere. She checked her vital signs. Her eyebrows went up. "She is doing a lot better. I thought it would take longer but she's improving quickly." Cole let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much. I don't know what would have happened if..." he trailed off. She could almost feel the memory of despair he was reliving. She put her hand on his shoulder. When she drew her hand away it was covered in dirt from his shirt. He noticed her wiping her hand on her pants. "I know. We fell while we were walking, trying to get around a stream. I've never been so disgusting in my life." "I'll find you some clothes. John won't mind. They'll be up by now." Shelly started back to the stairs. "Doctor?" She stopped and turned back. "Could I clean her up? Do you think I can move her to the tub?" Shelly considered his request for a minute. "I think she'll be okay. She's much stronger today. Give me a minute and I'll help you." "No." His voice sounded hard, terrifying. She saw his face close and harden before changing back into the concerned loving look he had just a moment before. "She wouldn't like that. I can manage. I'll be very careful." Shelly nodded. He was just protective of her, she said to herself. She couldn't shake the feeling that something else was going on but she let it go. Though they had been through a lot. "Okay. Keep in mind that though her ribs have been bruised pretty badly. There is a bathroom at the end of the hall to your left. I'll bring you both some new clothes. He carried her like she was made of glass into the bathroom. There was an old-fashioned claw foot bathtub on one wall and a more modern shower on the other. He had laid down towels on the floor where he placed her now. Her thin shirt had bore the brunt of their trek through the woods. It was practically in tatters. He had discarded the leather armor she had worn long ago and she was left with thin silk leggings. They had served her well to keep her agile and comfortable beneath her armor but they were not enough to keep her warm in the woods at night. He'd thought that she would freeze before they got here. He'd left her leather boots by the couch. They were laced up to her mid calf and still in good condition, though also covered in mud. He left his clothes in a dirty heap by the door and began to undress her. Amy, he had called her. The name has just fallen from his mouth, no forethought at all. He'd have to stay by her side till she woke up to avoid confusion. He didn't bother trying to save her shirt and ripped the few remaining tatters from her shoulders. She wore a special designed breast band that was more armor than underwear, specially designed to protect her heart. He undid the laces under both her arms that held it in place. Her breasts pushed against his hands as he worked. He tried to ignore the faint buzzing in his head. He worked the silk leggings over her hips revealing black normal looking cotton underwear. With all of her medieval were-hunting armor he almost smiled to see proof she hadn't just appeared from the 13th century. He hadn't removed the breast band yet and he hesitated. This is silly he thought. He felt strangely protective of this girl, even from his own gaze. Get on with it. He stepped over and turned the bath water on, finding a good temperature and blocking the drain. She was too muddy to put in the tub. She'd turn the water brown and never get clean. He took off what was left of his clothing and turned to her quiet form. "Sorry girl," he said as he removed her breast band and panties. He tried not to look at her curving figure, the full breasts the swelled out from her ribs and the small patch of hair between her legs. He knew, somewhere in his head, that he had seen much more desirable women in his time, but none of them looked as beautiful as she did even while she was bruised, half starved and covered in mud. He picked her up, reveling in the feel of her soft skin against him and stepped into the shower. It had been a long time since he had felt another creature so close. He let the hot water run over their bodies, washing away the grime and dirt from the past few days. He resisted the urge to caress her as the water washed over her body. Her skin was back to a healthy olive color, no longer gray from blood loss. Her face curved from high cheekbones to a soft chin. Her lips were full and pink and whispered of vulnerability. He let her feet go and held her close to his body as he worked his fingers through her matted hair, letting the worse of the mud wash down her back. The feeling of her body against his, so alive and warm was almost too much. He growled softly, fighting his arousal. Finally, he decided the worst of the mud was out and he turned off the water, ignoring the brown sludge that had accumulated on the drain. He scooped her up and carried her to the tub, lowering her body into the water. He rested her head on the side and took the soap from the shower. What was wrong with him? Had all the simpering and acting like a fool for the benefit of the humans gotten to him? Had he gone mad in that pit? Why was such a tiny human making his head spin? She wasn't human. For all his centuries, he did not know what she was. He steadied himself and began to draw the soap over her body. She had been injured more than he'd initially assumed in the battle. She had fought so smoothly, so effortlessly he had not expected the large bruises that covered her body. He took the soap gently past the larges bruise that spread over most of her left side. Her ribs were just barely visible beneath the skin after days of unconsciousness. Her long legs folded to fit in the tub. He tried not to tremble as his hand stroked the lean muscles of her thighs and down to her feet. Her muscles were hard against her soft skin as if they had been tied in knots. She would ache terribly when she woke up. As his hand traveled upwards, he felt the large vein in her upper inner thigh pulse against his fingers. He longed to stay there, between her legs, feeling her warmth and life pulse beneath him. He forced himself to keep moving. He reached her chest. Cole shuddered as her breast filled his hand, soft and delicious. The small pink nipple puckered slightly from his touch. His hand lingered just a bit too long. He snatched it away, splashing water onto his own naked skin and leaving the soap to drift to the bottom of the tub. This is insane. I must have lost my mind in that hole. He turned his attention to her hair. As he detangled and washed away the muck from her chestnut waves he began to think about their situation. The doctor had mentioned reporting the attack. He felt secure that his story had checked out, despite the fact that the doctor seemed suspicious. He knew it wouldn't take as long as they thought for her to get better. They could get out of there before the human authorities got involved. As for him, the feast he had had the night before had certainly helped. He felt more normal, steadier. He could not survive of animals forever but it would do for now. His strength was returning fast, his senses were sharper than they had been in years. He felt the power in his body as he drank life from a full-grown deer the night before. He almost crushed the animal to death before he drained it. He'd have to be careful. His performance was going over well. Soon he'd be able to use his sway over the minds of the humans to be able to drop the act. He just wished the girl would wake up. He could be patient. He had waited this long. Battle for Blood Ch. 02 What then? What would he do when he got the answers from the girl? Would he waltz back into his life? What had happened in the last three years? Where were all of his companions? He had been the oldest among them. Had they scattered when he was taken? Who had sent her? He had not been on the inside for a long time. She was too powerful to have fallen in with his most recent group of baby vamps. She had to have been sent by someone older, someone who cared enough to get him out of his mess with the werewolves. And why the mess? What a strange sneak attack on their part. Why on earth had the weres wanted him deep in that hole? No one had ever answered that for him. And suddenly, years later, a surprise rescue? The council had turned their back on him after his latest rebellious stage. His isolation was complete but for the street vamps who had been drawn by his energy and they had tried their own clumsy rescue efforts. They may all be dead for all he knew. Her hair shone under his fingers as he worked the last bits of leaves from her strands. The water was dusty with flecks of dirt. He reached into the water and unplugged the drain. He filled a bucket in the sink and turned to rinse her soapy body. He felt her stir slightly as the cold air hit her wet skin as the water receded. Her nipples tightened to hard nubs in the air and goose bumps broke out over her skin. He stopped, holding the bucket and his breath. She was so beautiful. Her slim body had luscious curves once freed from her clothing. Her deceptively delicate fingers lay softly across her chest and he longed to replace them with his own. He shook his head. This would not do. He poured the water slowly across her body, letting the last of the soap run to the drain. He slid his hand behind her shoulders and pulled her upper body forward so that her hair hung behind her back into the tub and slowly washed out the shampoo. He felt her body shudder slightly. Her lips parted and a soft moan emanated from deep inside her chest. He lifted her out of the tub, wrapping a dry towel around her. He sat on the ground and held her, waiting to see if she would wake up. Her breath slipped between her lips in soft puffs of air. He longed to kiss her, bring her back. He slid his bottom lip across his sharp incisor until he made a small cut. He leaned over her, pressing his lips softly against hers as a single drop of his blood rolled lazily between her parted lips. He felt her body hum in his arms but he did not want to pull away from her sweet mouth. He ended the soft kiss halfheartedly. He could feel her body waking up. She groaned again, this time slightly louder. He looked intently at her face. Her brow line furrowed slightly, as if she were trying to make her way back. Finally her eyelids fluttered and she slowly opened her eyes. They did not focus on him immediately as she blinked slowly, not fully aware of where she was. He looked down in her large eyes. He was right. She was not human. Her irises were large, not freakish but definitely bigger than the average human's. The pupils were also large but nothing was so unnatural as the deep moss green color of her eyes. This close they almost glowed iridescent. He had not noticed their unusual color until now. He had to know what she was. Her hazy eyes finally began to focus on his face. He saw the recognition in her gaze but she did not scream or seem afraid. She closed her eyes again and swallowed, trying to work up to say something. Her mouth was parched. There would be no talking for her yet. He stroked her cheek softly. "Don't worry," he whispered. Her eyes opened again at the sound of his voice. "You are safe. You are healing." He stopped and looked her in the eyes again. Now his mouth was dry. He swallowed, trying to find the words to say to her. "I'm sorry child." She closed her eyes again, shutting out that flaming green color. Her body relaxed in his arms. He felt the deep rumble of sleep in her chest. He nuzzled her hair, breathing the clean smell of her skin. He suddenly knew he had to get out of there. Her near naked body in his lap was proving to be more difficult to resist than he would have liked to admit. * Thanks for reading! Rate it if you like it! Battle for Blood Ch. 03 Hi everyone! Enjoy this chapter. The romance is coming, I promise. It's taking just a little longer for the characters to come together. Again, please leave comments, suggestions, anything you like. * She felt terribly weak. Her body screamed from the beating she had taken. There was a frightening heaviness as if her body was still dead around her. It was as if every part of her would have to be brought back, kicking and screaming from death. She tried to stretch her sore muscles. They locked under her skin, cramping and causing more pain. She felt like she was going to be sick but there was nothing in her stomach. Finally she felt the hand that was holding hers and the soft touch of fingers against her forehead. "Shh. It's alright. Your safe now." She recognized the deep male voice. Where did she remember it from? It rolled over her in waves. The vampire. He had almost killed her. The bite deep in her neck. Her eyes flew open. She tried to pull her hand away. She wanted to scream but her mouth was dry and her throat didn't seem to work. She looked up into his clear gray eyes. He looked so different now. His face was no longer drawn and dry. His skin was still pale but not sickly, set off by his dark, black hair. His eyes were bright and clear, no longer the hollow eyes of a starved creature, as they looked down at her from his seat perched on her bed. She was on a bed. The pain had been so bad when she first woke up she hadn't realized. The room around her was bright and rustic. She tried to push herself up, to see where she was but her limbs were not responding well. He shushed her again, brushing her hair from forehead soothing her. "Amy," he said to her with a meaningful look. Why was he calling her Amy? Who was Amy? "Amy," he said again as if trying to make a point. "You fell during our hike, tumbling off a steep hill. You were attacked by a wolf and badly injured. I carried you till I found this place and the people here have helped us. I'm going to get the doctor and something for you to drink. Be calm. You are recovering fast and we can leave soon." She tried to focus on what he was telling her. Her brain still felt heavy, like her consciousness was a great weight on her physical strength. She understood and gave him a weak nod. She closed her eyes again. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I will see you heal, I promise." His voice changed suddenly as he left for the door, taking on an eager excited tone. "She's awake! Doctor, come quick!" The girl closed her eyes. She sank back into the soft bed, willing her muscles to relax. She felt a tug at her inner elbow and she realized she was hooked up to an IV. She tried to focus on what the bag contained, searching out the pulse of her arms and sensing the change as the blood flowed past the tiny tube inserted into the vein. Just fluids. She was fine. She tried to recall the last few days. What did she remember? She had been sent to the compound and had been informed correctly at the number of were wolves guarding the pit. The schematics had been accurate and she had found her way to the vampire's prison easily once she got past the guards. She winced as she recalled the battle. Her gun had been useful but ultimately she was forced to fight them, dodging around trees, taking them one or two at a time. She focused on her back, feeling the bones that had bruised against a tree when she was thrown. It was healing. She was healing. Remarkably fast even for her. She raised up her hand, squeezing her fingers into a fist and stretching them out again. Very fast. The door flew open and a middle-aged woman came in with a stethoscope around her neck. The girl looked up at her as she came over smiling. "Welcome back," the woman said to her. "I'm Shelly. I've been taking care of you the last few days. Do you mind?" she asked as she gestured towards the girl's body. The girl shook her head slightly. The doctor pulled back the covers. The girl could see she was wearing someone else's very large pajama shirt. The woman began listening to her heartbeat and her lungs. Then she pulled back the shirt to reveal a sickly yellowing bruise that reached across her entire right side. "You got bumped pretty badly here. Tell me if any of this hurts too much." The woman's soft fingers ran over the bruise and the slight bumps of her ribs. The ache in her side sharpened to a point under the pressure but she could take it. "Not too bad?" the girl nodded. She closed her eyes again against the light. This was all very confusing. The vampire had just apologized. That wasn't right. What she knew of vampires they never apologized for what they did to lesser beings. She didn't even know they had it in them. They had tricked her. They told her to feed a starving vampire and like a fool she had, not even giving herself an escape route. If she had taken a moment to think about their instructions she would have realized the trap. But she was too eager to get out of the dark hole they had put her in. She would have done anything to get out. And what of this vampire? They hadn't told her his name, just that she was to get him out. What made him so special? All things she should have considered before jumping into battle with a pack and a half of werewolves. Idiot. And now? Here she was, in a human bed with a vampire caretaker. What did he care? She would never understand them. He returned with a bottle of water and a glass of orange juice. She tried to sit up to accept the drink but she was still finding it difficult to put weight on her muscles. The doctor reached under her to help prop her up. The girl looked over at the vampire as the doctor settled her to a half seated position. She could have sworn he looked angry, even jealous. He moved stiffly towards the bed, as if willing himself not to hit the doctor over the head with the glass. He sat down next to her, the bed dipping from his weight, and he handed her the juice. The citrus cut through the dry, sticky feeling in her mouth and the sugar hit her blood stream like a drug. She drank the entire thing down. The two of them looked down her expectantly. "Thanks," she croaked. She tried clearing her throat first. "Can I have some more?" Her voice sounded a little closer to normal. The vampire took the glass and walked out again, casting a worried look back at her. She remembered. He didn't have to tell her again. The doctor sat down where he had been and looked down at her. "Amy, can you tell me what happened?" The girl nodded, swallowed again. "We were hiking. We were up on this steep drop off and I got stupid. I wanted a better view so I climbed out on a tree limb. He told me not to. I fell, against everything, rocks, bushes, everything. I landed against a tree." She winced and touched her ribs. "I couldn't move. I could hear him calling out for me so I stayed put till I heard something close by, growling. I tried to crawl away but everything hurt too much. I had a stick but I couldn't do much with it. The wolf came and..." she trailed off. "I don't remember anything after that." The doctor patted her arm. "Don't worry. You are doing marvelously. You've been out for a few days." The vampire came back in with the carton and another glass. She felt his presence more strongly now. She had no right to, but she felt calmer when he was there. She mustered up a smile for the benefit of the doctor. She accepted the glass and drank it down. "You've been out for about 5 days," the doctor continued. "You'll probably want to sleep again soon and when you wake up we'll get you something to eat. Don't push yourself. We are all here to help. John and Greta are here too. Someone will always be around if you need something." The doctor got up and moved to the door. "Anything else you need?" The girl smiled slightly and shook her head and the doctor left the two of them alone. The vampire moved back to his seat next to her. He looked concerned. She was now very confused. No vampire, in her experience, had ever given a second thought to her well being if it didn't suit his or her own purposes. "Are you feeling okay?" he asked. She nodded. "It was a good story." She paused, not sure of she should ask him what was on her mind but too tired to find a good way to put it. "Why...why are you still here?" he looked at her surprised. "I mean, why...all this...why do you care?" Suddenly she didn't want to know the answer. She didn't want him to leave. She had never really spent that much time with humans. She had no idea where to go or what to do now. If he left she'd do what? Her home was destroyed and she never felt at home there. She had no kin, no friends. The only person she had trusted, her Teacher, had sent her to be vampire food. And, the irony did not escape her, now the vampire who almost killed her was the only creature on earth she had any connection to. "I have some questions for you." Information, he had stayed for information. Of course he did. He has places to go. He's so important they had wanted to save him. He has a life to go back to. She clenched her jaw. She would be fine on her own. It's not like she had ever had much company anyway. "I also wanted to see you heal," he continued cautiously. "I did not mean for what happened...I tried to stop myself." If she didn't know better she would have thought he seemed upset. He stopped and pushed whatever image he had in his mind aside and smiled at her. "Lets begin at the top. What is your name?" She looked at him, surprised. That wasn't terribly important information for him. Who cares? She'd tell him everything and he would leave her. She'd find her own way. She swallowed a lump in her throat. The idea of being alone had never been so distasteful to her as it was now. "Shane." "You can call me Cole." "But that is not your real name?" "I've had many names. This will do for now." She shrugged. She felt a tug of sleep deep within her beaten body. It reminded her of the state she was in. Even she couldn't believe she would come back from that. "How am I still alive? I felt my heart stop beating." He looked at her sharply. "What do you mean you felt your heart stop beating?" "Just what I said?" She was confused. Was he simple? "Do you...do you hear the heartbeats in this house?" he asked. She closed her eyes and listened. She had done this a million times with her father. It was harder for her from her weakness but she could make out several people in a limited range. "Two women and a man. There is also a family of sparrows nesting in the attic." The vampire gave her a look she didn't know how to interpret. "So you are not human?" he asked finally. "Mostly human," she yawned. She didn't like talking about her family. "And what else?" he pressed her. He seemed eager, jut like the others had been, to find out what she was. For all she knew she was a freak accident of a terrible experiment. The sooner she told him the sooner he would leave. She bit her lip. He wasn't looking at her like she was some sort of three-headed dragon. She felt an overwhelming desire to trust him, not like she had trusted the Teacher, but something else, something real. He reached out in her silence and tucked a curl behind her ear. The gentleness of his touch ran through her. She hadn't even pulled away. "My father was a vampire, newly made and still mostly human. My mother was all human, she hadn't noticed that he had changed." "But that's impossible. Vampire children will kill the human mother before term." "I heard they tried it before. Without much success." Shane felt her stomach turning at the thought of what had happened to those women and her mother. Guilt she had long since pushed down rushed up through her weakened defenses. She would not cry. She clamped down on the emotions welling in her chest. He watched as her eyes went from bright, threatening tears, to cold and closed off. His heart leapt for her. What on earth had happened to his girl? "My father was a researcher, a scientist, I don't know. He was mad. He fed my mother his own blood throughout her pregnancy. He said he was trying to keep her alive. It didn't work, not all the way through at least." Cole took a breath. For centuries they had been trying to find a way to birth vampires instead of making them. During the transformation there was still a chance at fertility for the new vampires. But the women lost their children as the blood stopped flowing in their veins and the men's bodies stopped producing sperm. They had tried using human women but the effects were terrifying. No woman had ever survived past her second trimester. "Who else knows about this?" He couldn't fathom what would happen if they began trying again. "The people who took me. But they had already tried my father's method. It hadn't worked before me." Cole shook his head. He looked disgusted. She shrank back. He probably found her repulsive. "Who took you?" "I'm not sure. They came to the house. They sort of invaded. My father had..." She stopped, took a breath and started over. Why was he flustering her so much? "After I was born and my mother...died, my father moved to a remote location. He wanted to track my progress without anyone finding out about me. Once I had finished progressing and it seemed I had reached the limits of my particular situation and my abilities plateau-ed, he kind of lost interest. He began traveling again, leaving to find newer experiments. He must have mentioned something to someone along the way. About a year ago a team invaded the house. They must have been vampires because I didn't hear them coming. They killed my father and took me. I've been kept in a building for a year with the Teacher who trained me and fed me something to make me stronger. Then they came to me and told me I had a mission. I was to go and get you and bring you back to them. But...they lied. I guess you know that part." Cole was looking at her with that look again. She had no idea what it was in his face. She squirmed in the bed, feeling her muscles loosen slightly. The ache was subsiding and her head felt clearer. Her throat hurt again and she reached for the water bottle. Her fingers fumbled on the smooth plastic and she knocked the bottle off the stand. Cole caught it with vampire speed and handed it to her. He watched her drink, his brain spinning with questions. She looked so weak right now. His heart went out to her. She couldn't be more than twenty by her looks. Even if she didn't notice it he could feel the intense loneliness in her voice and her story. He felt her loneliness matched in his own centuries-long fight to find where he belonged. She yawned again. "You need to sleep more." He glanced out the window; it was midday. "It's been a long road but you are getting better. We'll be able to leave soon." Her drooping eyelids flickered back open. "You aren't leaving me here?" The question shot through him. He reached over and brushed his fingers along her cheek as she shut her eyes again. "No Shane. I'm not leaving you." He heard her breath deepen and her heart slow down. He reached up and closed the curtains and turned off the lamp. He moved to the other side of the bed and lay down on the covers. He needed his own sleep. He was not completely recovered. His body called out for real blood. He silenced the craving, all in due time. He started to think about the information Shane had just given him. She knew very little but possibly more than she thought. He'd have to get more details from her later. A child of a vampire. Impossible. But here she was. It made sense though. She moved like a vampire, heard like a vampire, but she was living flesh, human at the core. But how can one be separated from the other if given at birth? The doctor had given her human blood and it took. She must be mostly human, but she did taste so different. How is it that her father, a barely made vampire was able to accomplish what centuries of research had not? More importantly, why had they sent her, this miracle of epic proportions for his kind, to die at his hands? He may be powerful and ancient, but he was not unique. What had they given her to make her stronger? He had a dark suspicion about that. He'd have to wait for tomorrow to confirm it. The thoughts swirled in his head but the sunshine made him tired and soon he was sleeping soundly beside her. Shane woke up tucked under his arm, her head resting on his shoulder. He was still above the covers but somehow they had managed to find each other in their sleep. He was still sleeping; the last rays of the day's sun were leaving deep red impressions of the curtains on the far wall. Her first instinct was to pull away, fast. She was unused to physical contact that wasn't in training. But her reactions were slow and before she could act on it she realized how nice it was to be up against his warm body. The lack of heartbeat didn't faze her but she was always surprised that vampires managed to stay warm despite their condition. She lay quietly, listening to the three humans move around the house. Her muscles were still sore but she felt stronger than she had when she first woke up. She wriggled from under his arm, trying not to wake him. Moving to the edge of the bed, she gingerly placed one foot and then the other on the ground. Her arms shook slightly as she pushed herself to her feet. She clutched the bed as she steadied herself, cursing under her breath as long stiff limbs flexed and shook under the stress. Finally she felt stable enough to attempt to make it to the bathroom door off of the bedroom where she had been sleeping. Three steps from the bed her knees gave out. She gave a sharp gasp as she readied herself for the impact of the floor that never came. He was there, in a second, holding her up. "Where you headed?" he asked casually with a smirk. "Going for a run, obviously." She looked up at him. He smiled back. "Actually, I just need to get to the bathroom." "Say no more," Cole said and hoisted her into his arms. "There are many more pleasant ways to go than walking, you know." "I didn't. I should really arrange something more permanent. Walking seems such a nuisance after so many days of being carried." She hoped he'd keep talking. It was terribly embarrassing to be carried to the toilet. "I'll see what I can arrange." He set her down gently in the bathroom and disappeared out of the room in a flash. For that she was grateful. Her chest felt hot and her cheeks burned slightly. She had never craved attention before. She should really stop acting like an idiot. He caught her again as she ran out of things to hold onto on her way out of the bathroom. The heat in her body grew, past the point where she could write it off to embarrassment. He frowned when he touched her skin but he didn't look surprised. "Are you feeling alright?" She gasped as the heat from her chest radiated up causing her face to feel like her cheeks were on fire. "I was, I don't know what this is. I feel like I'm burning up." He set her down on the bed, sitting up. The sheets felt wonderfully cool for a brief second before the heat from her body invaded. She had never felt this before. Her head swam and she thought she might throw up. She heaved though there was nothing in her stomach to come up. "No. Alright doesn't quite describe it." She tried to smile at him. He looked very serious. "Do you know what they were feeding you to make you stronger?" Cole asked. "No, something bitter that was mixed in with other things like fruit and stuff." "Did it taste bitter on the sides of your tongue? Almost tingling?" She looked at him surprised, "Yes! Do you know what it is?" Cole got up and started pacing the room. He looked very angry. "They gave you vampire blood. Any other human would have gotten sick and rejected it. It seems to help you, enhance you or whatever. That may be why your mother was able to drink it. Most humans will change if they are given enough blood while in a dire condition; vampire blood takes over if the body's defenses are down. If they are healthy than the blood wont take." He looked at her very seriously. "For vampires, drinking the blood of another can be intoxicating, like a drug. When two vampires make love, for instance, they have been known to bite each other to heighten the experience. You of course, have a completely unique make up. Your blood is unlike either a human's or a vampire's. The problem is, it can become an addiction. For a vampire who has fed on their own kind for too long they will build up a resistance after many years. The effects are terrible. If you have been being fed vampire blood for a year than you have been forced into a serious addiction. The heat is the withdrawal. I have seen it happen before." Battle for Blood Ch. 03 She looked up at him. The sick feeling in her stomach only had a little to do with the physical withdrawal. Vampire blood. Like her father had done to her mother. Now she really wanted to throw up. "What's going to happen?" she whispered. "If this is anything like a vampire addiction you will experience rapid changes in body temperature, nausea, weakness and muscle spasms." He sat on the bed next to her. His nearness comforted her even through her tortured thoughts. She looked up into his hansom face. He was quite attractive. For a human he wouldn't have been more than 30 years in his appearance. Even with his serious gaze and her burning body she couldn't help but notice his jaw line, his lips even his eyes. But something in his eyes told her he wasn't done. "Some don't make it out." She let out the breath she didn't know she was holding. She was going to die? Again? "Shane, listen to me carefully. I would not propose this if I did not think it was necessary. I would never offer this under different circumstances but we are in a strange place and a difficult situation. We need to leave here, the human's will not understand the symptoms and I cannot explain them away. Once we leave I will take you to some place where I can take care of you through the process. I will make sure you are okay. Shane? Look at me." She had been staring at her hands. She knew what he wanted her to do. He wanted her to take his blood. She couldn't. She wouldn't. Her stomach turned violently. They had drugged her? Turned her into some sort of drug addled steroid freak? All that training? Just so they could pump her full of vampire blood like another sick experiment? She finally looked up at him, her green eyes glowing with tears she would not shed. Was he telling her the truth? Could she really trust another vampire? He had kept his word till now. She couldn't take care of herself on her own. Withdrawal would have to happen sooner or later. Her chest burned and her legs shook. She didn't want to do it here. The humans made her uneasy. Cole was right; they couldn't explain away the symptoms. They didn't really have a choice. They could run now, while she was weak and still recovering and now on top of it going through withdrawal. Or they could wait. She looked up into his grey eyes. She could see how much it hurt him to ask her. She knew he understood what this meant, how deep this betrayal went. She looked away again. Her nod was almost imperceptible. He slipped his fingers beneath her chin and tinted her face towards him. She was surprised to feel him so close all of a sudden. Her breath caught in her throat. He leaned in very slowly as if waiting to see if she would pull away. His lips brushed hers lightly. Shane felt as if someone had sent an electric current through her body. She had never felt someone this close, this intimately. She had been kissed before but it never felt like this. Cole slipped his bottom lip against his descending fang and kissed her again, pressing his lips against her soft ones, letting a small trickle of blood flow towards her mouth. She felt his lips against hers more urgently. The heat in her body seemed to focus in on her chest, where her beating heart threatened to burst. Just the kiss was enough to make her forget the pain of her injuries, the weakness in her body and the added misery of her withdrawal. She felt a heady rush of excitement. But then his blood hit her tongue. No longer diluted, the blood felt like it was burning her mouth, the bitter, painful flavor seemed all too much. She broke away, breathing hard as it hit her system. The heat receded immediately. She felt her muscles soften and her head clear. Her body relaxed, finally getting what it needed. It felt so good; the thought made he sick. "Are you okay?" he asked. She couldn't bear to look up into his eyes. She didn't want to see his face. She nodded miserably. She tried to hold back. She had never cried in front of anyone. It had been years since she had given into the emotions that would let her break down. But with everything that had happened, the world she had known, unmovable in it's loneliness and routine was a distant memory. She felt the horror of an unknown future for the first time. Even after she was taken she knew they would use her as her father had. Now she was alone with a vampire who seemed to care. What was she supposed to do with that? How was she meant to act? To feel? Her tired and beaten body was about to suffer an even worse round of withdrawal. She might not make it like the others. She had come so far, cheated death and yet she was facing it again. She was so tired; the idea of more pain was too much. The weakness in her body kept her from clamping down as all of these questions crashed down on her. She couldn't keep it back. Cole wrapped his arms around the girl as she cried quietly into his chest. He felt heartbroken, dirty, for what he had done. The thought of what others had done to her was overwhelming. He wished he could take it away, all of her pain and her solitude. She had saved him, alone, starving, half mad. If he could only return the favor. But his blood would only harm her. He had so little to offer her in return. When he had first fed from her he had tasted it, that familiar bitter flavor, mixed deep in with her blood. Was that her own blood or was it incorporated from what they had fed her? Without it the two of them may not have made it. He had needed that strength to get them this far. He couldn't tell her that. She didn't need to go looking for any good in this situation. He held her close, running his hands through her chestnut waves. What would become of them? He had a house they would go to after they left here. No one knew about it. He'd left it for just such a time. And this girl? What would happen to her? She had been treated little better than a dog for her entire life. This miracle of a creature had been played with and forgotten, neglected and finally sent to her death with little thought to the person living inside her skin. For now, she would heal. He hated to think of what was to come. He had watched an entire group of vampires consume themselves with their addictions during the Boxer Rebellion. While the world filled with opium they had found their own way to destroy themselves. Cole tried not to think of their burning eyes and twitching bodies as they lost control. They had pleaded for his help and he had nothing to offer them. He would not fail this time. Shane continued to cry softly against him. He was grateful she wasn't recoiling from him. He couldn't help to feel like part of the problem. He kissed the top of her head, holding her close. He felt her tears stop but he kept holding her until she raised her face to look up at him. This close, her eyes were a terrifying blend of human and vampire; the deep green color was oversaturated, almost glowing. After her tears they were so bright it made his breath catch in his chest. He couldn't bring himself to let her go just yet. The electricity between them was interrupted as they heard one of the humans coming to the door. She pulled away from him but he shook his head and smiled. "Let her catch us," he said and leaned in to her. Her lips were the softest things he had ever felt. When he kissed her he felt like his entire being was leaping towards her. He had to remind himself not to hold her too tight. He wanted to, to hold her to him and keep her in his arms forever. The doctor's heartbeat came to the door and he heard it swing open as she knocked. He broke the kiss, much to his dismay and turned to the small woman standing in the door. "Oh, oh my, I'm sorry." The doctor blushed deeply. "I wanted to see if you were hungry. I'll come back. Sorry... so sorry." She grabbed the door and closed it a bit too fast, slamming it loudly. "Sorry!" they heard through the door. Cole turned back towards Shane and smiled at her. She surprised him by giggling and resting her head on his shoulder. Maybe she would be ok. "Let me get you something to eat," he said after a minute. "You haven't eaten anything in almost a week." She nodded against him and he slid to standing. "You are going to be okay Shane. You are stronger than you think you are. You can do this." Cole came upon Greta, John and Shelly in the kitchen. "How is she doing?" Greta asked. She had been worried sick for days. Being helpless was not a usual occurrence for her. Cole understood that but he was beginning to lose his patience with her. "Much, much better. Thank you. I can't thank you enough for all of your help." He nodded at John who inclined his head in response. "I was hoping to bring her something to eat. Nothing too hard though." Greta nearly leapt at the chance to get something done. "Give me 5 minutes. I'll heat up some stew for her." John moved towards Cole and leaned back against the counter, crossing his arms across his chest. "She's really turned around huh? Boy, when you guys first got here I was real scared she wasn't gonna wake up." He reached out and grasped Cole's shoulder. "I sure am glad you found us." "As am I, John. I don't know how to repay you." John shrugged him off. "Don't you go talking like that. You'd do the same for us if the roles were reversed." Cole tried to keep his face earnest. He was hungry. Animal blood would only take him so far. Sooner or later he was going to need to feed. He had tried to find other people but Greta and John's cabin retreat was far away from the closest town. Cole hoped he wouldn't be forced to do something more drastic but every night he was feeding on more and more animals. He glanced over at Shelly who looked away quickly. "Don't worry about that Doc," he said with a broad smile. "I wouldn't mind your professional opinion now that Amy is really awake." Shelly looked back at him. "Now?" "As good a time as any," he said and walked back to Shane's door with her. He walked in first. "Amy," he said as a warning. Shane looked up from her half seated position to him. "The doctor wants to make sure you are doing okay. Is that alright?" Shane looked puzzled but she nodded. Cole knew the doctor would not be satisfied until she checked in on Shane and she hadn't left in 3 days. He didn't like her suspicious looks. If she left he may have a chance to feed. "Sorry to bother you again. I just want to make sure you're in good shape before I leave," Shelly said as she moved towards the bed. "You're going?" Shane asked. Cole smiled inwardly; Shane was as good an actress as he could have hoped for. She picked up on his cues and played the humans well. "Yes missy," Shelly said as she checked Shane's blood pressure, heart and lungs. "I've got other patients to look after and while this has been a pleasant vacation you seem to have gotten better in no time and it looks like I'm not needed." Shelly lifted the covers to look at the bruises on Shane's body. Though they were healing faster than usual they had been deep and her ribs were still several shades of purple and yellow. "Nothing to be done about these though. They look like they are getting better. I'll ask John if he has any cream that might take the edge off. Now listen Amy, eat, sleep and then tomorrow I think you can try walking. Cole, you should help her with this. You are going to tire fast but a few days ago I would have been relieved if you were awake at this point. Don't get discouraged. You are making great progress." The doctor gave Shane a strange look. "Anything else? Do you feel anything different now than before you fell, save the bruises?" Shane shook her head. That was an odd question. "Are you leaving tonight, doctor?" Cole asked. He tried to keep his voice light but something in Shane's look told him she knew something was going on. "Yes I think so. It's time to get back to my own bed." Shelly was avoiding his gaze. He wanted to write it off as her being embarrassed by walking in on them but he knew better. She was suspicious of him, of them. Since the first night they arrived she had been questioning things she should have accepted at face value. "Has anyone reported this to the authorities?" Cole asked, using the same conversational tone. "Not yet," Shelly said with a shrug more to Shane than to Cole. "I have a log of your injuries. I figured when you were back on your feet you could come in to town and we'd go together." Cole could see that Shane had picked up the lie. What was this doctor playing at? Why was she lying? If she had details of Shane's injuries someone might recognize the vampire attack. If anyone was still looking for him they might be able to get information from this doctor. Her lies complicated this situation. There were too many unanswered questions. The doctor glanced up at him, visibly nervous. Maybe his mask was slipping. He smiled sweetly at her. "Well we will be sure to do that. I'd say Amy and I will be in town in a few days and the three of us will go." The doctor nodded, again avoiding eye contact. She opened her mouth to speak but there was a tap at the door. Greta peeked in with a tray in hand. "Hello, I brought some food," she said cautiously. She had yet to meet the girl who had been sleeping in her house for several days now. "Of course, thank you so much," Cole said, opening the door the rest of the way to let her in. "Greta, this is Amy. Amy, this is Greta. She's been kind enough to take us in the last few days." Greta stood by the door looking at Shane. "It's so nice to meet you. You have no idea how worried we were." She moved over towards the bed with the food, still talking. "When you showed up you were white as a sheet of paper. Shelly had to give you a blood transfusion on our couch! Imagine that! Oh it was just terrible. We are so glad you woke up so soon. Really, stay as long as you want. John and I are just thrilled that you are getting better." Shane shot Cole a panicked look. This human may be more than she could deal with. She looked back at Greta. "Thank you," she said in a quiet voice. "You are really too kind." Greta set the tray over Shane's legs. "Oh, forget it. I wish I could do more. This is my mother's recipe. John got this deer himself and I made some stew. It'll do you good. You need to put some meat back on your bones." Shelly started moving towards the door. She was hoping to sneak out with all of Greta and Cole's attention on Shane. Cole wasn't fooled. "You already leaving already doctor?" Cole called out. Shelly halted by the door. Greta came in very useful. "Oh Shelly! You can't leave in just as it's getting dark. It's too far. Stay with us. I'll wake you up bright and early tomorrow. Don't you worry. No one is getting sick tonight in town. Besides you know how treacherous the roads will be." Shelly opened her mouth to argue and closed it. Cole could feel waves of anxiety coming off of her. Her heart started beating faster. He looked over at Shane to see if she'd heard it as well. Shane gave him a look and the tiniest nod. He was going to have to find a moment to speak with this woman, alone. "Alright. I'll be off early though," Shelly said and hurried from the room. Something was very strange. Greta, on the other hand, seemed completely oblivious to any tension. She continued chatting with Shane, rarely taking a breath. For a country woman she certainly had a lot to say. Shane started to relax once it became clear she didn't actually have to say much and got to eat the stew. Cole could almost feel her relax. Thank god. They needed to get out of here. He had suddenly become very aware of the precarious position he was in. He had no idea why, three years ago, he was lured to the woods, impaled with silver and forced to starve slowly for years. He didn't know who was after him, how many were involved, if they were werewolves, vampire or something else. He didn't know what kind of information they had on him. He knew next to nothing about Shane and she knew less than he did. He looked at her again. If he had found her beautiful while she was sleeping it was nothing compared to now. Awake and alive she practically glowed. What kind of monster keeps a girl like this locked up in some distant cabin to live far away from any kind of joy. And what kind of magic was she that through all that she was still open, funny and warm. In her place most people would be cold and angry. She caught him looking at her and smiled. His breath caught in his throat. She was beautiful. Greta chattered away. Cole decided to take this opportunity to find out more about the doctor. He gave Shane a wink and slipped out the door. He walked silently through the house towards the two heartbeats he could hear upstairs. He padded silently down the hall to the door at the far end. He could hear one of the hearts beating faster than the other. Shelly was lying again. "...home. I've been here for two days now. I just need to get back." Cole heard Shelly moving around the room, sounded like packing. "Relax," John's voice carried through the crack in the door. "Take it easy for a minute, doc. You don't need to be on call for every person in town 24 hours a day. What's the rush all of a sudden to go tonight?" Shelly stopped moving. Cole leaned in to hear if she was whispering. She took a breath. "Nothing, it's nothing." Her tone was overly light. "I just need to make a call that's all. I left the number in my office." John laughed, "Well shit Shelly, who is gonna be up in the middle of the night when you get there? I'm getting up with the crows tomorrow so don't you worry. We will have you packed off at first light." Cole slipped away before John immerged, disappearing down the stairs in a blur of movement. There was something going on with the doctor. He would find out. He would also get what he needed from her shortly. Greta continued to talk as Shane ate the stew. Cole had already slipped out and Shane was finding it difficult to focus on what this woman was saying to her as she listened for the events in the house. She knew the doctor was lying, but what about? Were they in danger here? What did Cole know about these people? Her head started to ache from focusing on too many things. She let the two heartbeats upstairs fade away. Cole would take care of it. Greta was telling her about her kids, all grown up and moved out. "...Sam was the first to go to college. Learning welding and getting an engineering degree. Fancy that. He's about your age. How old are you, dear?" "21," Shane said without thinking. She should have made herself older. Cole looked like he was at least 30. They were supposed to be in a relationship for their story no? Would this woman get suspicious? Greta grinned at her. "I was 19 when I met John. Oh he was sweet. So much older though. My parents did not approve. But they came around. Don't you worry about it. Your man seems like a great catch. And such a face. My goodness. If he weren't half my age I'd want to eat him." Shane blushed, remembering his kiss. She felt a great wave of heat settle in her belly. This didn't feel bad, just made her blood rush and her lips tingle with the thought of him there. As if on cue, Cole stepped back into the room, cause her blush to deepen. Greta stood up from the bed, practically beaming at the two of them. "Well I'll just clear this plate real quick. It's getting late. I'll see you in the morning." Cole looked at Shane as Greta moved out of the room. "You two have a good night!" she called over her shoulder. Cole gave Shane a slightly puzzled look. She blushed deeper and looked away. She needed to change the subject, anything to distract her from the tight feeling in her chest and the burning in her cheeks. "What's going on with the doctor?" she whispered, partly so has not to be heard, partly so she could find her voice again. Cole came over to the side of the bed and sat down next to her. It wasn't helping. His nearness made her head buzz. She had been too surprised and distressed before to anticipate his kiss. Now her hands shook as he came closer. Battle for Blood Ch. 03 "I don't know yet. Are you alright? Are you feeling withdrawal again?" He touched her cheek. She jumped a little and he drew back. "Oh no. Not at all. I feel much better. Thanks for asking." Get a hold of yourself! She found she wasn't any closer to catching her breath. "Are you sure?" He slid his fingers under her chin again and raised her face to him. "You seem out of breath." She gasped to see he was teasing her, a wicked smile on his face. She pulled away, her stomach doing things she wished it wouldn't. "I'm just winded from listening to Greta. She could give you whiplash." Shane crossed her arms, holding her trembling hands against her body with the opposite elbow. She hoped he'd leave it alone. She also hoped he'd kiss her again. She was very confused. Was she feeling this way because he was the first person to show real interest in her? The first person to truly take care of her? Why on earth would he be interested in her? He was a very old vampire, she knew that. What did he want? Was it just part of the show for the humans? She sighed and looked up at him. There were too many questions. He looked back at her seriously but with the tiniest glint in his eye. "What are you thinking about?" he asked softly. She was not going to tell him that. "What's going on though? Should we be worried?" We, that was a strange word for her. "There is something going on with the doctor and I can't run yet." "I'm going to have a talk with her. I have to wait till she leaves tomorrow and I'll catch up with her. She knows something she isn't telling me. I feel certain that we are safe here tonight. Tomorrow we will figure out our next step based on any information she gives us." She liked that he was referring to them as a unit also. She squirmed a little in her bed. "Are you tired?" he asked. "No. I'm feeling better. Let's see if I can't take up that pesky task of walking again." She swung her feet to the floor, planting them solidly. He was by her side, helping her, but she shook her head. "Let me try." Cole backed off. She could tell her wanted to help, that he was nervous about her moving on her own, but she needed this. It was just too embarrassing to be carried around like a child. You also don't know if you could take him holding you, a small voice in her head said. She shushed it and pushed herself to standing. The old-fashioned pajama shirt she was wearing was a large men's size and fell just passed her bottom though it was cut so that the sides sloped dangerously close to her underwear line. Her legs felt weak but viable. She smiled triumphantly at him. "See, nothing too it. Now...to walk." She started moving slowly, gripping the edge of the bed. When she ran out of bed to hold onto she took a slow step out on her own. At the very moment she felt her legs would hold her, her knees buckled and she fell. Cole had her before she could blink, holding her upright against his body. "Maybe we give it another day? You're not planning on running any marathons anytime soon and I think after the first food you've had in a week you should try not jumping around so much." She knew he was trying to be kind but she didn't like this feeling. She hated feeling weak and useless, dependant. She looked up at him. His eyes, while they appeared to be a steely grey from further away were lined with silver making them glint with their own light. They were almost iridescent. Shane's gaze dropped to his lips ad she wondered if he would kiss her again. Would it feel the same without the blood? Was all of that pleasure just from her addiction? There was only one way for her to find out. She held her breath without knowing why. Her stomach was doing cartwheels and the blood was rushing through her veins making her light headed. She could feel her heart beating off his chest. This wouldn't do. He smiled down at her, hesitantly. She wondered briefly what would make a centuries old vampire hesitate. She placed her feet more firmly on the ground and raised her heels. She stopped when she was within a hair's breath of his lips. She felt his arms wrap around her more tightly as their lips met. She felt that same electric feeling through her entire body. Her head swam as he returned the kiss. She was glad he was holding her so tight. She was sure she would melt into a puddle on the floor if it weren't for his arms, his chest, his lips. She raised her hands to his neck and curled her fingers in his black hair. His lips parted gently and she followed his lead, letting his soft tongue slip between her lips. The tenderness of his kiss thrilled her; she pulled him closer and returned his kiss with her tongue. For a moment it felt like the world stopped. All that was left was her lips against his, the sensation of their tongues running against each other, the taste of his mouth and the thrill of his closeness. Her heart was still hammering against his chest as he pulled back. She didn't want him to break the kiss. He didn't seem to want to either but he finally managed to rip himself away from her. He seemed out of breath. She realized she was also breathing heavily. A strange tightening feeling had taken root in her lower belly. He looked more than a little surprised. She had to say something. "Sorry, I just wanted to make sure it felt the same way without the blood," Shane said the first thing that came to her head. "Did it?" he asked, giving her a half smile that made her legs weaker. "Better." He chuckled. Shane decided she liked the sound. Her legs buckled again as he relaxed his hold on her slightly. "I think you need to rest," he said and picked her up, depositing her back on the bed gently. She was about to argue but she could tell he was right. Sleep was already creeping up on her. She silently cursed the weakness that wore her out so quickly. "Don't worry, tomorrow you'll be back on your feet." His fingers traced soft lines down the side of her cheek. She let her eyes close. "If you wake up in the morning and I am not here, do not be alarmed. I've gone to find out what the doctor knows." She nodded, already half asleep. She felt him crawl into bed next to her. His chest, now bare, pressed against her back as he pulled her into his embrace. She snuggled further against him, thrilling at the sensation of the bare skin of their legs pressed against each other. She felt the softest of kisses along the back of her neck and in her contentment, sleep came. Cole stayed awake, listening to the sound of the four heartbeats in the house. It was cruel justice to give vampires the ability to hear so well. With no heartbeat of their own the flowing blood of those around them could be at once enticing and enraging. Even after all his years, he still missed his own. He stayed alert all night. Part of him would have rather been out hunting but a bigger part knew it was best to stay right where he was. He told himself it was to take care of the doctor but he knew better. At 4 am he heard the doctor moving upstairs. So she was making a run for it early. The sun would not rise for at least an hour. It was better than he'd hoped for. He didn't like the idea of going out in the sun. After three years of feeling those pinpricks across his skin growing more and more painful as he grew weaker, he did not relish the idea of stepping outside during daylight. He heard the woman's footsteps as she tried to make her way through the house quietly. Cole listened as she slipped out of the door and ran to her car. He slid from his place beside Shane and put the jeans he had borrowed from John back on. He left off his shirt and shoes. If he had a heartbeat it would be racing now. The hunt was on and his body screamed for real food. The car was rolling slowly out the drive, down the dirt road. He could hear the tires crunching against the ground. He opened the window and climbed out, giving one last glance back at Shane's sleeping body. He smiled as his fangs descended ever so slightly. The hunt was on. Cole caught up with the car about a mile from the house. He needed enough space so that no one would be woken up if they happened to make noise. He wanted to stop her before she hit the paved road. She hadn't seen him yet, hiding as he was with his speed and the darkness that still clung to the forest even as the night sky turned light grey above them. He made his move, stepping out in front of the car, far enough to let her stop in time but close enough to startle her. He heard her heart began to race as she saw him appear out of nowhere in front of her. To his surprise, she did not brake but pressed harder on the gas, sending the car rocketing towards him. He smiled at her horror stricken face as she came within an inch of hitting him. His feet left the ground just as the car rolled over that very spot. He landed with a terrifying thud on her roof. The doctor swerved, panic stricken and desperate. He dug his fingers into the roof and the metal buckled beneath his hands. Cole let her try and toss him off a few more times before reaching over and putting his hand through the driver's side window. The doctor screeched and swerved again violently, sending his legs over the other side of the car. Cole coolly righted himself and, using his speed, brought his hand through the wrecked window and closed it on her throat. The woman tried to scream but he cut her off with a squeeze. Her hands flew to her throat, trying to claw his fingers and still she did not break. The car swung into a deep gully in the road and the vehicle careened into a large pine tree, finally coming to a halt. Cole climbed off the roof, never taking his hand from her neck. He looked into the car at her red face as she gasped for air. "Will you behave?" she nodded vigorously, still trying to throw him off of her. He loosened his grip slightly. "Then please step out of the vehicle." She gingerly reached over to the door handle and opened it slightly. He withdrew his hand to let her get out. He could see her eyes flash to an escape but, finding none, she stepped down onto the road in front of him. The woman's eyes did not meet him as she trembled visibly. He hadn't failed to notice that she was not surprised. It was time for some answers. "Shelly," he began calmly. "I believe you have been holding out on me. Tell me what you know and we don't have to make this too unpleasant." She whimpered, tears dripping down her cheeks. "Please don't kill me. I don't know anything," she sobbed. "That is not true, Shelly. Tell me what you know. Let's start with who you were in such a rush to go call." Her eyes flew to his face in surprise. She stopped crying. "I can't tell you. They will kill me," she whimpered again, looking down. "There are other ways for me to get information out of you and I am quickly losing patience with this conversation. Tell me what you know, now." The woman blubbered. Cole stared at her. He didn't feel bad for this woman. She was hiding something and possibly could have done him or Shane harm. But she had also saved Shane when it seemed that nothing would bring her back. He did not want to kill her if he didn't have to. "Take a breath," he said, still in a distant, cold voice but less menacingly. She gulped. "I will know if you lie. I can hear your heartbeat and I will not think twice to stop it if I have to. Now speak woman! I have no patience for this weeping." Shelly straightened, taking in air. There was no way out. She looked at his feet. "The wolf," she whispered. "Excuse me?" he asked, trying not to snap. "I was going to call the wolf," she said. He waited for her to continue. She swallowed again. "I don't know his name. All I know is a few years ago a pack of wolves moved into the woods and strange things started happening. Next thing I know, one of the local boys gets bitten and I watch him turn into an animal right in front of me as I'm trying to treat him. The wolf came to claim him and told me to keep my mouth shut. They've been using me as a doctor ever since." Cole looked at the woman in front of him. She had not lied. But he was still curious. It seemed like she knew more than she was saying. "Is that why you stayed at the house for three days? To see if Amy would change?" Shelly nodded. "I didn't know what to do. I couldn't leave her with John and Greta. She might have hurt them. So I stayed, for too long obviously. I don't know why I didn't just go back and call him earlier. He told me to report any incidents to him." Cole was sure she was holding out on him. He placed each of his large hands on the car on either side of her head and leaned in closer. "What are you not telling me, Shelly?" The woman shuddered at his closeness. She closed her eyes as if that would help her disappear. Her heart started racing again. He tried to close out the hunger for a few minutes more as he noticed her pulse beating against the thin skin of her neck. "Noth...Nothing. I swear," she stammered. She began to cry again. "That is a lie. I have no more patience for this. We will do this the hard way." With that, Cole fell on her neck, biting deep into her vein. The woman struggled, surprised at the turn of events. She was probably expecting a wolf he thought as her struggles weakened and she quieted beneath his mouth. Sweet life flowed over his tongue and he grew strong again. When Shane awoke it was late afternoon. Cole was sleeping next to her, his arms wrapped securely around her waist. She reveled at his closeness. In her sleep she had dreamt he left her alone at the bottom of a great pit. Her father came to her, bloodied and gaping as she had last seen him. He tried to tell her something but his throat had been ripped out and al he managed was to gurgle bubbles of blood from his mouth. She shrank back, horrified and tried to escape but she began to feel the life flowing away from her and she fell to the ground. She looked up, terrified of her father's hideous approach but instead it was Cole, reaching his hand out and smiling at her. She woke up sighing as he lifted her up and into his arms. She lay still, having no desire to disrupt her current position. She reveled in the warmth of the bed and the feeling of someone holding her so close. Years of isolation with only brief moments of contact with the outside had left her wondering why people sought out each other. Her father had been cold and unloving. On the short trips she took with him into town, half a day's ride away, humans had treated her with suspicion and children her age taunted her. Only as she grew older, taking these trips on her own while her father was away, did she ever receive any sort of kindness from people. She accepted this kindness openly without suspicion. After so many years, solitude was simply the state of her being. Any break was welcome but she never expected it to last. She had not learned to be suspicious. She should have. She would have known that something was wrong with her mission. She would have run away, leaving the vampires to fight their own fights. And here she was, not questioning this vampire. Perhaps she was stupid. Maybe this was just another moment where someone would take something from her and leave her. It didn't feel that way, but she had trusted the Teacher hadn't she? Cole shifted slightly behind her, she could feel his soft breath on the back of her neck. No this felt different. Different than her father or the Teacher or the boy she had kissed in the barn who had also taken what he wanted and left her. She would wait and see. For now she needed him and it was far too comfortable to move. The comfort did not last long. As she snuggled closer to his body dizziness hit her like a ton of bricks. Her head swam and her stomach turned. She gasped, her fingers tightening on his arm. Heat began to radiate off her skin turning the bed into an oven. Cole woke up with a start. She closed her eyes and bit her lip, trying not to cry out as the burning took over her body. She felt him turn her over on her back. His soothing voice came through the pain. "Shhhh, relax. It'll be over in a second." She felt his lips on her mouth, the hot bitter blood stinging her tongue and it was gone. Her head settled and her body temperature returned to normal. But the kiss did not end. She brought her hands to his cheeks, pulling him towards her. His tongue slipped between her parted lips. She could still taste his essence in her mouth. His body, leaning over her as he was, pressed deliciously against her breast. Her hands traveled to the back of his neck and shoulders. One of his hands came to caress her cheek. He kissed her lips again softly, then her eyelids, forehead, the tip of her nose and finally back to her lips. She tried to keep him there but he broke the kiss, leaning on his elbow above her. "Good morning," she sighed. She pushed the dark thoughts that invaded aside, the dread of withdrawal that would come any day now, the fact that she herself had been drinking vampire blood, the mystery of their situation, and tried to lose herself in his soft silver eyes. "How are you feeling?" he asked concerned. "Better now. I can't say I'm looking forward to coming down from this for real." He opened his mouth to say something but she stopped him. "No don't tell me. I'll deal with it when it comes. Don't ruin this, now with talk of that, later." He smiled and nuzzled her neck drawing a soft laugh from her. "I'm afraid I might have to," he said into her hair. "Oh no. You talked to the doctor?" She let her hand fall from his shoulder onto her forehead in a dramatic gesture of resignation. "Yes. She was very resistant. She knew more than she thought she did," he said. "How so?" "I drank from her so I would have the strength to compel her. She has been serving the were-pack in these parts for several years. Around the time that I was taken. She over heard things she didn't understand. Unfortunately, I do understand them." Shane felt his voice harden as he spoke. She shuddered at the anger that flashed in his eyes. "What does it mean?" He looked back at her. She could see his dread to tell her, his desire to fall back into bed and never leave. "It means we are at war." * Thanks for reading! Sorry this chapter got a bit long. Tell me what you think!! Battle for Blood Ch. 04 So no one seemed to mind the length of the last installment so here it goes. Enjoy the story. I'm a total sucker for positive reinforcement so tell me if you like this. Also, as a first time submitter I'd be in your debt for any tips or suggestions. Happy readings. Shane began walking that evening. John and Greta beamed at her as she hobbled, clutching Cole's hand, to the dinner table. Shane was quiet through the meal though friendly. Cole appreciated her keeping up the act. They were in a very precarious position and he needed to make their exit as seamless and quick as possible. The doctor would not remember anything of her last meeting with him and would only be able to recall Cole or Shane vaguely, but there was no telling when John and Greta would speak to her next and when questions would start being asked. At first John and Greta would hear none of it. "The girl is barely on her feet. How can you think about leaving now?" "You should really stay. Shelly will take care of you and you can head out soon." Cole shook his head at them. "You are very kind but we have been gone from our lives for over a week and we must get back. There are plenty of doctors in Boston and Amy will be just fine." He didn't like calling her that. Such a silly name to give her. He didn't know why he'd picked it. "I'm really okay." Shane decided to speak up. "I'm so grateful to both of you for all you've done. I don't know how to thank you. I need to get home though. Thank you for your concern." Greta tried to argue but John gave in. The next day they said their goodbyes as the couple dropped them off in town. Greta gave Shane a great hug, the kind of hug she had never felt before. Something long lost or never felt pulled in her chest. It was a mother's hug. She turned away before they could see her cry. Her body burned. The brief flashes of discomfort she had experienced at John and Greta's cabin were nothing to the prolonged misery of real withdrawal. It had only been one day since she and Cole had arrived at this safe house and already her body felt worse than she ever thought possible. She still wasn't sure why they had left so quickly from the cabin but the pain was the only thing on her mind now. Cole hadn't told her all the details of what he had found out from the doctor but it was clear her rescue mission had been part of something much bigger than she had initially assumed. They borrowed money from John and Greta, who refused to hear of them returning it though she knew Cole had done just that when they had reached his house in Boston. It had taken them a full day's travel to make it back. Cole held her close but refused to talk details until they were alone Shane fairly itched with questions during those long hours on the Greyhound bus but she decided to let it rest. She watched as the woods gave way to rolling fields that seemed to stretch on forever and then, finally, back to great pine and maple forests. She curled her body in her seat, shifting the loose jeans and flannel shirt Greta had leant her. She wondered if she would ever wear her own clothes again. Only when they made their last transfer in Syracuse did Cole relax slightly. He still did not speak much. When she snuck peeks at him she could see his jaw flexing beneath his skin. What was she doing kissing a vampire? She had never sought love or romance. She had watched it on television, read it in books, and when it came down to it all her experience told her that was fiction, plain and simple. Rugged, good-looking men did not appear out of nowhere to solve all the woman's problems. There were no fairy tale princes in her tiny little corner of the world. She had been brutally used by everyone she had ever come across and still that did not pain her, as she had been lead to believe it should have. Life is a funny thing. One could get used to almost anything. And here she was, dependant on a vampire who had all but killed her and brought her back to life, the only one who had ever tried to save her or simply repay her for what she had done. He was the only person who ever said 'Thank you.' She went back to the scene outside, dreading the coming days. The sun dappled clearing where John and Greta had lived seemed like a haven compared to the unknown dangers ahead. They had been kind, strangers out of a movie, generous to a fault and so loving to her. She was relieved that her body was picking up speed in the healing process. The bus ride had given her the time to reach out into her body and feel the hurts she hadn't had the strength to explore before. She focused on her body, reveling in the strength returning to her limbs. She closed her eyes and turned inwards, feeling every part of her, willing the bruises to heal and the damaged bones to rebuild. Her blood coursed through her veins again unimpeded. She pumped her heart faster, flexing her muscles and feeling life reach into every extremity. "Stop that!" Cole whispered in her ear. She opened her eyes. He sounded out of breath. He looked at her with a mix of hunger and fear. "What are you doing?" "Healing," she said quietly, not wanting to disturb the sleeping passengers near them. "I finally feel well enough to focus on it. It's fine. I used to do it all the time. What's wrong?" He was looking at her strangely again. "This is another thing you didn't tell me about." "Can't you do it?" "Heal? Of course, but I don't have control over it. It happens when I get hurt. It certainly doesn't make my heart beat like yours is." She noticed a slight waver in his voice, as if he was holding himself back. She hadn't realized that being so close to her as she replenished her body would strain his control. The burning desire was still there in his eyes. Her flushed skin and pounding heartbeat must have be terribly enticing. "Sorry. I didn't realize," she mumbled, looking back out the window. "Shane," he said. She looked back at him. "Tell me about this. How do you heal?" "My dad figured it out. He said that because I have vampire senses I must be able to know what is going on inside my own body. He taught me just to listen. One time, he broke my arm and talked me through understanding what was going on inside and I realized I could heal the wound by focusing on the process my body was already performing. It's easier once my body begins healing on it's own but I can do some of it instantly. The Teacher taught me how to do it during a fight. It came in handy when I came to get you." Shane shuddered, remembering her father's calm voice as he strapped her arm down. Unconsciously she began rubbing her right forearm. Cole could feel the wave of hurt that radiated from the memory. He leaned over to kiss her cheek but the sound of her pulsing vein in his ears was too much. He jerked back. She looked over at him. About to reach out to touch him, she held herself back. "I'm sorry. I didn't think." He shook his head, gritting his teeth. He hadn't had human blood since the doctor two days before. He had been doing ok but the confined space and the multitude of warm human bodies beating around his head had worn him down over the last few hours. A young man walked by them, on his way back to the bathroom. Cole made a quick decision and got up to follow him. "Cole!" Shane hissed. This was a dangerous game. Cole looked at her, eyes glazed in hunger. She realized he was not going to make it to Boston before he needed to feed. She crawled across his seat to watch as he followed the man. She gripped the armrest as the man opened the door to the bathroom. In a blur, Cole closed the distance between them and pushed the man into the tiny stall. In a second the door was closed tight and no sound emerged. Shane squeezed the armrest as she tried to quiet the panic rising in her throat. The bus stayed quiet, no one had noticed anything. Time seemed to slow down as she waited for some sign from the bathroom. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Cole appeared, closing the door behind him. He returned to their seats looking cheerful. "Do you know what this means?" he whispered conspiratorially. "What?" Shane said, still confused and reeling from what just happened. "You might be able to use this to heal during the withdrawal process." He was excited. The blood had helped. He no longer looked drawn and shifty. "What? Cole! I don't care! What just happened to that man? Is he okay? Are you okay? You can't just run off hunting and come back to the conversation like you just went to get some tea." Cole chuckled. "It's fine. I'm not some baby vamp who can't control himself. The man will be out shortly and he won't remember anything. But we have more important things to deal with. I think this may be a brilliant turn of events." Shane was looking at him strangely. "How old are you?" Cole shrugged. "It's not that important. The point is that this could save you. Can you sense the blood cells that are dependant on the vampire blood?" "You'll tell me eventually, right?" Shane asked. He hadn't been terribly forthcoming since they met. She had told him everything but she still knew very little about him. "Of course, no doubt I'll entertain you for days with stories ripped from the history books. Now focus, can you feel it in your system?" Shane gave him a skeptical look and settled into her chair. She closed her eyes and turned her gaze inwards to the darkness beneath her skin. When she 'looked' into her body she was actually feeling, with perfect precision, each function and process her body went through. She had gone down to the cellular level before, but never for very long, the focus it took to individuate the billions of cells in her veins was beyond her reach at this point. She shifted her focus to her heart and then moved on; the blood was moving too fast for her to capture. She tried the lungs but the oxidation process was too noisy. Finally she settled in her liver, focusing in deep on the blood coursing through the organ. She ignored the hum of the bus, the sweat that broke out across her skin and the headache that threatened to crash over her if she continued. Slowly, her blood cells began to differentiate themselves; she could feel the tiny vessels rush by the point of her concentration. Some of them felt different, she latched on to the stream and flowed with the cells. Some of them felt wrong She tired to focus on the bad ones, feeling the sinister little enemies out to poison her blood. Suddenly her head screamed; her breath caught in her throat making her choke. Her eyes flew open and she coughed hard. She felt a small trickle make its way down her nose onto her lip. Cole pressed a cloth against her upper lip, catching the blood. She started breathing normally and took the rag from him. "I'm not that good yet," she said. Cole swallowed the guilt that built up from watching her strain herself on his request. "Shane, I'm sorry. I didn't realize." She flapped her hand at him, dismissing his concern. "Don't worry about it. Once the healing process starts up I may have more luck. Blood cells are slippery little guys. It's hard to get a hold on them. But yeah, I felt the bad ones." She pulled the saturated rag from her face. The nosebleed had stopped. She recognized the cloth as the cuff of the shirt Cole had borrowed from John. She saw the frayed edge of Cole's right sleeve where he had ripped it off a moment before. She smiled at him. "Thanks. You're probably right. It will help when the time comes." Now the time had come but Shane couldn't focus. Each time she turned inwards the searing heat and nausea over came her. She could barely focus enough to keep breathing much less use huge stores of energy to focus on her blood cells. Cole's safe house was in a large warehouse on the waterfront. The industrial neighborhood boomed during the day with shipping yards and laborers. But at night, the whole place was deadly quiet. The living area was below the main floor, accessible through several entrances, each one hidden and leading to a different escape route. The actual space was a large concrete room with little decoration. In one corner there was a refrigerator, stocked with blood bags and little else, a shelf with glasses and some other odds and ends. There was a standing sink with clean water, a small kitchen table and several mismatched chairs. The bed, on the other side of the room, was huge and set off the floor on a platform. Blackout curtains were folded up against the four posts of the bed frame and the canopy was made of the same dark material. The door to the bathroom was nearby. The bathroom was surprisingly bright; old tiles were clean and colorful. There was a large bathtub with a showerhead, no curtain but a drain in the floor to catch the water that splashed out. The tiles in the far right corner concealed an escape down to the sewer system. Shane gazed alone the old patters of the tiles on the walls. The ice that surrounded her helped slightly as it touched her skin but it melted all too fast. She was dressed in one of Cole's large button down shirts and a pair of his underwear but they were soaked with water and sweat. The ice bath had cooled her for the time and she attempted to focus inwards to no success. The pain was more overwhelming than she could have imagined. Cole appeared in the doorway with a bucket. She could feel him there though she couldn't bring herself to move her aching body. He came over and knelt by the tub. "Any luck?" he sounded so hopeful. She managed the smallest shake of her head. "Don't worry. You are doing great." His voice seemed overly enthusiastic. He began grabbing handfuls of ice from the bucket and placing them on her body. He could feel the heat radiating from her even as he placed more ice over her. The shirt clung to her skin. He could see the outline of her breasts, the small nubs of her nipples and the breath that moved her chest. He smoothed the ice over her, pushing it against her exposed neckline, watching as drips of water slithered down her skin. He brought an ice cube to her lips. She took it in her mouth, which burned with the heat of her body. He repeated the process until she had drunk her fill. She looked up at him as he rubbed ice down her long legs, blowing softly to cool the skin in its wake. "Tell me a story," she whispered, the fiery breath burning her throat as she spoke. He brought another ice cube to her lips, rubbing it against the cracked skin to give her some relief. "What would you like to hear?" Someone with as many years as he did should have been able to come up with something but he found himself at a loss. He couldn't focus on anything but her. Once again he was confronted with her mortality, the cruel way the world imposed itself on her body. He wanted her to be made of steel and diamonds, impossible to break. "Tell me about the world when you were a man." Her eyes were closed but he could sense her alertness, the pain in her body keeping her all too conscious. "I wish I could say life was quieter back then. Alas it was not to be. I was born in the fading years of the Western Empire. Rome had been quite a power. It did not die quietly. I was born in a tiny village cut into the coast of the Italian peninsula." He told her about the smell of the sea and the vast stretches of land without the touch of human hands. He told her of the marvels of indoor taps and bathhouses in the big cities. He explained the religion of old and the gods they prayed to. His voice seemed to sooth her so he continued. "I was born at a time when the word was changing. Rome was becoming Christian and in our little seaside village, sheltered from the outside world by steep cliffs and harsh tides, we remained ignorant of it for a long time. My mother used to say, 'the rule of man changes but the rules of the mother of the earth remains constant. Now get to work.'" Shane smiled and tried to speak. "I know," Cole said to sooth her. "You can't imagine me with a mother. I wasn't always like this you know. Anyway, eventually I became a man, a husband and father, more or less unaware at the tides of history changing at my doorstep. They came for soldiers and took the fishermen, farmers and craftsmen. We sailed across the sea to fight an enemy we did not know. The result was brutal. An emperor slain, the Roman army from both East and West empires defeated, and I lay on the ground, injured from I know not what, waiting to die with the screams of dying men in my ears. "I don't know how long I lay there, unable to walk or move. I know they slaughtered the injured and it became dark, my silence had spared me the quick death of a sword and I wasted there. As the light of morning crept into the sky, my maker came to feed. He, and many other vampires were taking full advantage of the human upheaval. He was alone, drawn by the soft beating of my heart. After he fed I was not dead. I don't know what made me hold on but I felt it fiercely important not to die, to keep going. He looked at me and laughed. For a human, he said, I had a fighting heart. He gave me the choice to join him or die a mortal death. I chose the unknown. In all my years that was the greatest mistake I ever made." Shane shifted in the pool of water, spotted with the last shreds of melting ice cubes. "Please, don't stop. Talk to me about anything." "My maker kept me with him for over a decade, pillaging the outskirts of the Visigoth camps. They would turn to Rome, he said, and it would all be over. He was not so old. He was made only a few decades before, still within the life span of a mortal. But he was bored with his lot and he kept me to be his companion, hunter, whatever he wanted. My human life as a fisherman did not prepare me with suitable skills but I knew, soon after I was turned, that I would be more powerful than my maker. Some people just take to this life. I took to it very quickly." He told her of his first years, hiding from the sun and traveling overland back to Italy. He spoke to her about his maker, the insignificant vampire who had given him this life like someone adopting a puppy. He told her things he had long forgotten, things he hadn't told anyone before. He spoke to her for hours, talking her through the worst of the pain, holding her when her body threatened to shake her consciousness free. Finally her body began to cool. She shuddered with relief and began to nod off in the tub. He lifted her out, ignoring her soaking clothes and wrinkled skin. She woke when he laid her on the foot of the bed. "I have to change," she said quietly. Cole handed her a large t-shirt but she had no strength left. Her fingers slid uselessly around the wet buttons of his shirt. He helped her. She blushed as he helped her sit up and pulled the drenched shirt from her breasts. He tried to be as gentlemanly as possible though he longed to cup her firm breast, rolling her small puckered nipples between his fingers. He slid the dry shirt over her head and pulled the wet boxers from her bottom, yanking the shirt so she was covered. He could feel her embarrassment at having to be dressed. He picked her up and laid her on the bed, covering her with the soft blanket. She murmured something as she nodded off. He smoothed her wet hair from her face. This was only day one. The worst was yet to come. He woke with a start. Shane was awake, her eyes burning with fever. She had bit her lip till it bled to keep from screaming. For a split second he considered giving her his blood again, anything to keep her from this pain, but he held back. "Shane," he whispered, smoothing her hair from her face and stroking her fiery cheek. "Shane, are you with me?" Her eyes seemed far away, glazed with heat and pain. It took a few seconds for her to focus on his face. Tears trickled from the corners of her eyes. He kissed them away as they made their way towards her hair. "It's okay. I'm here. How about an ice bath?" Battle for Blood Ch. 04 The second day went much like the first. She oscillated between being immobilized by pain and nausea and feeling strong enough to limp on her own. He want to pluck her off her feet each time she struggled to take a step but he knew that it was important for her to feel strong, strong enough to make it through. She sat at the kitchen table, shaking only slightly with the effort it had taken to cross the room. He handed her a fruit drink. She wouldn't be able to eat real food for several more days. He had stocked up though, ready whenever she was. Shane smiled at him in gratitude and took a small sip. Her hand shook. "I bought straws," he said helpfully. "Only if it's a twisty one." She managed a small smile. "What the lady wants, the lady shall receive." Over the next several minutes he cut the plastic straws and linked them together creating a figure eight straw for her. She accepted it with the tiniest giggle. It survived two sips before falling apart. "We also have a special on regular straws." Shane rolled her eyes. "Well if I must drink like a plebian I supposed I shall." She plucked the straw from his hand and took another sip. Cole gave her a look. "Did you go to school?" he asked. She made reference to many things he would have assumed her ignorant of considering her upbringing, which he had learned, took place on an isolated island off the coast of Maine with a very small population. Shane snorted. "God no. My father didn't let me out of his sight for about 10 years. He had a lot of books at the house. When I was 16 he brought home a computer but I ordered a lot of books, movies, anything I wanted really. He needed me to be occupied while still in close quarters so he let me get what I wanted." Her voice grew hoarse and she took another sip. "I loved the old Hollywood films and novels. I learned a lot of chemistry just by being in his house. I had to learn the rules of what I could and couldn't touch. I preferred astronomy though. If there is any plus to living in the middle of nowhere, it's the stars." "Do you ever sleep like a human?" He had noticed her sleep patterns were more or less the same as his. "Not in a vampire house, we were nocturnal." Whenever Shane said 'vampire' he could hear a slight edge in her voice, one he wished he couldn't. But he couldn't take away her past. He resolved to make her future better. In that instant Cole felt something click into place. He had thought, many times before, that he had felt this sensation but nothing was ever so solid, so obvious, as this overwhelming feeling he experienced now. Silence filled the room as he considered the ramifications of this realization. He looked over at her as she sipped her drink. It made sense; he had been drawn to her since his spirit had first seen her fight in that meadow. He had saved her, stayed with her, even at his own risk. He had felt sorry for what he had done, an emotion he had not felt in a long time. And all this for this girl, barely two decades old and mortal. "Do you know what an anchor is?" Cole asked. He felt like his still heart would beat out of his chest. He tried to keep his voice steady. "The big hunk of metal you drop off the side of a boat?" Shane offered. "No, in the life of a vampire." She shook her head. "Vampires are strange creatures. No other species will live forever if they are not killed outright. Werewolves can live for much longer than humans but they still age and die eventually. Vampires cease to age but continue to exist, possibly forever. We have to find anchors to keep us going, to keep us grounded. Eternal life is a terrible thing to face without purpose. Vampires that don't find one don't last long. Those who lose their anchors also risk madness and death. Being the same person for hundreds of years is intolerable if there is no reason to remain that way." "What's your anchor?" "I don't have one." "But you are over 1500 years old. How do you manage?" "I had one, at least I thought I did, for the first 500 years of this life. After I lost my anchor I wandered the globe for years before I began to adapt, give up the person I was before and focus on what I could be in the present." Cole gave her a look. Shane struggled not to smile. She started to giggle, then to laugh. He leapt from his chair and knelt by her chair, taking her hands. The laugh quickly turned hysterical and she was gasping for breath. She clutched his hands as her shoulders shook with exhaustion. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Finally she calmed down, still chuckling quietly. "Sorry," she gasped. "I had a vision of vampire greeting cards saying congratulations! You're a vampire, live for the moment." "Very funny." Her hands began to heat up and he saw her eyes roll back and close. "Oh man, every time I keep hoping it's the last time." She withdrew her hands from his so they could cradle her head. "It just hurts so much." Cole tucked her hair behind her ear and kissed her head. Yes, this was right. Being with her was just right. "Back to the bath?" She nodded miserably. He scooped her up and carried her back to the bathroom. She threw her arms around his neck and buried her burning face in his neck. He whispered encouraging words to her as she cried silently. It would get better. He sat with her all day, refilling the ice as it melted, feeding her when she could eat. She asked her to tell her more stories. His voice helped to sooth her, calm her when the pain threatened to take over. "Anchors keep us grounded. Of course, ironically, they have been called many things over the years. Each vampire is different really. For many it is another person, vampire or mortal, of course the issue of a mortal anchor is obvious. But for many it is a different purpose. It could be a place, a family, an occupation, almost anything. I know of one vampire who has served as a midwife for over four centuries. Another has guarded the decedents of his mortal life for 600 years. It's important to define your place in this world. Those who don't tend towards madness or don't make it long. "Eternal life is a curse as much as we might view it as a blessing. With the loss of my anchor I became rootless. Can you imagine being the same person for centuries? I changed; I have been many people in many places. The world is small when you live forever. I have had too many years on this earth." Shane looked at him. "What was your anchor?" Cole opened his mouth to tell her and closed it. "That is a story for a different time I think. I promise I will tell you though, when the time comes." She nodded, too weak to protest. "Tell me a different story then. Tell me more about who you were." Cole laughed. "I should pick and choose wisely no doubt. Not all of them are flattering." Shane rolled her eyes. "Cause I would hate to taint the perfect picture I have of you." "Sick people should have no time for sarcasm." "Next time I see one I'll let them know." "Very well. I don't know where to begin." "Were you in Italy for the Renaissance? I love the paintings from that time." "Paintings!" Cole exclaimed. "That was nothing. The sculptures were the kings of the day. And no picture can capture that. You should see them in person." "Alright. Pack my bags." "In time I will." He smiled at her. She squeezed his hand. "Tell me." And he did. He told her stories of great painters and lowly servants. He had been a gondolier in Venice during the height of its decadence. He had sailed the spice route and lived in Japan when the Samurai ran the country. He told her of discovering islands in the Pacific and mutinies in the high seas. He had been everything from a captain to a cook on the big ships that ruled the oceans. He had lived in so many places, seen so many wars waged, art created, people living and dying. Once he began it all flowed naturally. She was a wonderful audience, gasping in the right places, exclaiming in others. She let him go on and on when he got dreamy and far away. He had never lost his love of the sea and it had brought him to this continent eventually, the inevitable tug of history pulling him with it towards the new world. He told her of sailing into New Orleans during the 1820s and taking a lover. "At that point, of course it was still very taboo, but then again so is being a vampire." Shane grabbed his arm. "You were gay?" "Several times. I've also lived with polygamous communities though that can be complicated, too social for a vampire. The world is your oyster and staying the same is so tedious after a century or so. I've also been Muslim, Jewish even Bahai. Exploring religion became something of a hobby. It seemed so easy for humans to find purpose in it I thought maybe I could. Not luck though. I tried India as a Hindu but there is too much sun there, and too many gods. Also, being generally European looking I stood out too much in the Far East to blend in. When a westerner arrives and people start dying you can bet I'm the first one they look too. Not that they were ever wrong. Except once in Burma..." The look on her face made him stop. He'd meant to leave out his more violent phases. He didn't want to scare her. "I've also been very violent. I have gone through stages of subsisting entirely off of animal blood, which is a terrible state for a vampire, but I have also taken out the pain of my immortality on humans around me. I am not proud of it and those were dark times for me. Luckily they were few and far between. The worst curse of our kind is that once you have witnessed generations of death, it can lose its significance. No longer though. For over 600 years I have not caused the death of a human." He considered this statement. "That I know of." He added. She seemed to consider this. It would take time for her to sort out. Getting to know someone who has lived hundreds of lifetimes is no simple task. "Who were you before the wolves caught you?" "A nihilist." He smiled. "I had been working for the council for many years, looking for a purpose. I grew tired of them quickly; my employment lasted only several decades. It is a curse to be an ancient vampire with no anchor in this world. You have younglings looking down on you as if you are something to pity." "What is the council?" "The vampire governing body I suppose. They don't do much in the day to day really. Many vamps rarely know it exists until something big happens. Vampires are a solitary type. We don't band together like wolves do." Shane gasped and turned in the tub. Cole continued pouring ice over her. Her thin, muscular body twisted in pain. Her eyes rolled back and she convulsed. Cole longed to pick her up, to hold her close until the pain passed. Instead he watched helplessly as her body contorted. He lay his cool hands against her burning face. "Come on Shane. You can do this. Just breathe and focus. Imagine the pain receding. Think of your blood giving up its dependence. Don't focus on the cells. Focus on your entire body healing. Focus Shane. Break through it." For a heart wrenching moment, he back arched and her entire body went stiff. He saw her eyes roll back till her gaze was a blind white. Then she relaxed, her eyes closed and her muscles loosened. She slumped against the ice in the tub and breathed normally. She opened her eyes and looked at him. "Thank you. That helped." Cole stroked her forehead. "How did it help?" "I don't know. It was just easier to focus on your voice and make my way out by what you said." Cole sat quietly for a moment, considering this. "Could I talk you through the healing process? Perhaps we were focused on the wrong thing. It's not about the cells; it's about the overall health of your body. The process of expelling the vampire blood is already taking place. We just need to make it happened faster." Shane gave him a weak smile. "Anything. I'll try anything." A few hours later Shane was sleeping again in his bed. Her body temperature was hovering just above normal. The entire night had been spent trying to speed up the withdrawal process. It had, to some extent, worked. She was completely spent now and would sleep for hours. Though it had happened faster than it usually would have, the withdrawal process had been just as painful. Cole needed to hit something. He left her in the hidden living quarters beneath the warehouse and made his way to the second floor. He had, several years ago, created something of a gym, somewhere to get the energy out. He had used this place to hide after escaping the council, suspecting that they would not look right beneath their own noses for him. Hiding was not his style but he was a master of adaptation. He took out the rage and frustration he felt at his helplessness with Shane on several punching bags, which ended up torn, mangled or punched through a concrete wall. He went outside and ran, so fast he skimmed the water of the harbor, running out along the surface in great arcs. He ran back to the warehouse to return to Shane as the sun began to peak up over the horizon. The sky was a magnificent red with long wispy clouds soaking up the color of the coming day. Cole contemplated this day briefly, the human realm of sunshine and brightly colored clouds. He had once belonged here. Perhaps Shane had as well. But here they were, creatures of the night, hiding below the earth till life passed. "But you never told me who they are really. Why do you have to go? Didn't you hide from them? Why would you go back? How do you know they didn't put you in that pit?" Shane was sitting up in bed, her rumples hair fell enticingly around her face. He longed to crawl into bed with her, show her how much pleasure her body was capable of. It had been three days since they worked on her body's responses and she was greatly improved though not back at full strength. Cole had told her yesterday that he had to leave, to go speak to the council. He had tired to explain why they needed answers, to know what was happening. Shane disagreed. She insisted that the best way was avoidance. Why couldn't he just hide from them? "They got me, whoever 'they' are. It takes a lot of planning to capture an ancient vampire and hold him for three years. They were very well prepared for me. If the council did that then I won't be able to hide from them forever. But I suspect that it was not the council to blame for my situation. I'm fairly certain, though, that they were the ones who extricated you from your father's house and ultimately sent you to rescue me." Shane recoiled at this. "The Teacher worked for the council?" Cole nodded. "I wouldn't be surprised. Can you describe him?" "Her," Shane said. "She was older, mid forties maybe. Black hair with silver streaks. Cold eyes. Big fangs. I don't think she ever retracted hers. She had the tiniest scar on her cheek. It looked like a star right in the hollow of her cheek." Cole nodded. "Adriana. She would be that conceited to call herself a teacher." Cole considered this a second, something clicked into place. He would deal with her later. "You know her?" Shane gaped. She had never felt so little and stupid. She was so ignorant of the world around her, so unclear about politics and bodies of government. Cole explained them to her with the tired resignation of someone who had fought to many battles, both in war and politics. Shane was still so wide-eyed. She snapped her mouth closed and looked away, her cheeks flushed. Cole closed the distance between them and cupped her cheek in his hand. His touch sent shivers of excitement through her body. Even at the height of her pain she had taken great pleasure from his touch. Now that her body was mostly healed it was overwhelming the way his kisses had been back at the cabin. "You are amazing Shane. Don't forget that. People have used you and treated you badly. You have been kept away from the world. That is nothing to be ashamed of. It's possible that it is a great gift. You will see that in time." She raised her eyes to his. They locked on each other. She saw the streaks of silver in his irises glow with desire. Her own eyes deepened to a dark green that burned with their own internal light. Time stopped with that look and she trembled at his closeness. So slowly she might have missed it, he began leaning in towards her, or maybe she was leaning towards him? She wasn't sure. His lips grazed over hers and her eyes flickered shut. She slipped her hand against his chest, so much bigger than her own body. She felt small as his arms snaked around her body, pulling her close. Their lips met again, this time more urgently. Heat shot through her and settled in her lower belly, coiling up inside her. Her arms went around his neck and her knees trembled. He pulled her body into his, holding her up against the solid wall of his chest. She gasped as his hands wandered across her back, pulling on her hair ever so slightly. His tongue slipped into her mouth, tangling with her own. She felt a rumble between them and wondered if it was she who made the sound. Their bodies were so close she couldn't tell. She kissed him harder, pulling him further into her. There was a desire in her, one she could not fully understand but it wanted him closer, harder, anything more, she wanted more. She wanted to touch him everywhere, combine their bodies in ways she couldn't articulate. He broke away. She was breathless, sure that her body could not stand an instant without his against it. She tried to kiss him again. "Wait," he gasped. He rested his forehead against hers. She could feel heat rolling off him. She made a small sound in the back of her throat, calling for him to continue. She felt his teeth clench and his jaw twitch. He didn't want to hold back. "Oh hell." He said and kissed her again. She hugged him close, kissing him urgently, their tongues dancing softly against each other. He bent her over and picked her up. She wrapped her legs around him, feeling his hardness against her. Part of her was scared. She was mostly inexperienced with men. She had only had sex with one boy who had cared little for how she felt as she lay beneath him, unsure of what to do. But a bigger part of her wanted nothing else beside him, his skin, his body pressed against her and inside her with a need she had never experienced. "We should stop," he said against her mouth. "Why?" she gasped as she pulled away from his lips. She was confused; did he not feel what she was feeling? How could he possibly want to stop? But he didn't stop. He held her closer, kissed her again. For a moment she thought he would pull away but it never came. Her fingers ran through his hair against his scalp. Her chest crushed against his, her body clinging to his. She felt the world tilt and the bed hit her back. He was above her now, but she did not release him, keeping her legs firmly twined around his body, her hands holding him to her as they kissed. His hands slipped down the sides of her body. She gasped as his fingers found the skin between the shirt she wore and the elastic of the boxers she'd stolen from him. He'd bought her real clothes but she had more enjoyed the smell of his. His fingers brushed her bare side ever so softly, pulling goose bumps across her skin in their wake. His hands traveled slowly, lazily even, across her body. She let her feet slide from his back and he arched above her, no longer pressed against her body. She smiled at him, slipping one of her feet into his t-shirt and winding her bare leg around his torso, letting the wonderful friction of their skin roll over them. He kissed her again as she sat up with him kneeing above her. She slipped her hands underneath his shirt, feeling his warm flesh against her palms. She felt him shudder with her touch, his hands balled into fists. Battle for Blood Ch. 04 "What's wrong?" she whispered as she slid his shirt over his head. She kissed his chest, nuzzling it with her nose softly. His breath was slightly ragged. "Nothing. Nothing is wrong. I'm just trying to stay calm." "What's the fun in that?" She smiled mischievously at him and continued kissing his chest. "Not fun, necessary," Cole moaned slightly as her kissed traveled towards the top of his jeans. "You are not back to strength and I cannot loose control with you." "Yet," she said as she unbuttoned his pants. She could feel his cock straining against the fabric, begging to be released. She wondered, somewhere far in the back of her brain, where all of this was coming from. She had never really thought she was a sexual creature like woman in the movies but the idea of Cole inside of her made the tightening feeling in her abdomen send shivers of excitement through her body. Cole groaned as she unbuttoned his pants. He pushed her back on the bed, pushing her shirt up over her head, revealing her tight torso and round breasts. He kissed her neck, cupping her breast in his hand. His mouth moved to her pert nipple. She hisses softly as his teeth gently closed around the hard nub. The heat in her belly seemed to rise up as his hand pushed down the elastic of the boxers around her waist. Cole moved off the bed, stepping between her legs as he pulled off the garment and threw it aside. Shane leaned up on her elbows and watched him pull off his own pants, leaving him beautifully naked before her. He climbed back on the bed, kissing her legs, running his hands up her body. His finger found its way to her waiting sex and she gasped as her thumb brushed her clit. He continued to rub it gently as he kissed the inside of her knees, peppering small kissed up her inner thigh until his mouth came to join his hand. Shane squirmed beneath him. Her body felt on fire. She thought she might explode from feeling so much at one time. She wanted to scream and pull him away, end the torment of the lightness of his touch. But she couldn't bring herself to stop him. "Your body has caused you so much pain, my darling," Cole said as his hands continued their soft caresses. She felt moisture building between her legs. His fingers traveled into her while his thumb continued its gentle assault. "I'm going to show you how much pleasure it is capable of." Shane bit her lip, whimpering at his touch, his words, all of him. She felt wound up so tight she might snap. Cole lowered his tongue to her clit and began massaging it, flicking it across the surface, sending shocks through her body. His fingers slid easily inside her, exciting her with the prospect of being filled by him. She felt the tension rise in her throat, her skin felt tight across the back of her neck and she was suddenly afraid of all the energy building in her body. His soft mouth continued, his tongue working faster against her most sensitive spot. Suddenly the world stopped as the tension inside of her snapped. Pleasure like some sort of poison poured through her veins, her entire body tensing against the unstoppable onslaught of this feeling. Her eyes closed as heady excitement filled her brain. She called out as it came, again and again, rushing through her, her skin burning with sensation and she felt like every nerve in her body was overloaded with ecstasy. Cole leaned away from her core, his fingers still inside her. She felt them slide against her with slick wetness. He settled next to her, kissing her neck. She breathed hard, feeling the world come back into focus. She put her hands on his cheeks bringing his lips to hers again, tasting herself in his mouth. "I've forgotten all pain," she said softly. He kissed her again. She pulled him on top of her, throwing her legs around him again. "Please," she begged, feeling empty as his fingers left her. Cole looked at her, his eyes on fire. He grit his teeth, lowering himself towards her until she felt the tip of his cock against her wet opening. She felt him trying to get himself under control, the muscles in his back rippled with the effort. She pulled him forward with her feet, pushing him into her. She gasped as she felt his thick member enter her. The size of it was terrifying. She needed more. "Shhh," he growled in her ear. "Give me a moment." He began to rock back and forth inside her, easing his way in. She whimpered with impatience and excitement, trying to pull him in deeper with her legs. He pushed forward once more and she nearly screamed. The fullness inside of her was unbearable and she never wanted him to leave. She felt her entire body focus on the sensation. Her nerves hummed and she moaned against his chest. Her fingers tangled in his chest hair, pushing against his hard muscle. She kissed him again, pushing her tongue into his mouth, feeling his fangs against her lips. He began rocking again, going deeper than she ever thought possible. She moaned against his mouth pulling him in harder against her. Her lips caught on the tip of his elongated incisor and the tiniest bead of blood rolled into his mouth. Cole growled against her. His arm wrapped around her body, pulling her towards him as he began pounding into her with earnest. His cock slid up inside of her over and over as the pressure inside her built up once more. His body moving against hers was all too much. She clung to his shoulders as his cock thrust into her again and again sending ripples of pleasure through her body. She felt like their kiss would never end, that the sensations inside of her would keep building forever and ever until she would go mad with pleasure. Her body screamed to have more of him as his hand cupped her bottom and pulled her harder against him. At once the pressure built too much. She tore her mouth away from his and screamed as heat flooded between her legs, her muscles rippling around his buried cock. Cole threw his head back, thrusting into her faster as his own climax came. The sensation sent her further into the wave of electricity that was running through her body. Her fingers tingled as the blood rushed from them; she felt light headed and giddy with pleasure. He stilled above her, catching his breath. She pulled him back to her, kissing him deeply, reveling in his closeness and the feeling of his skin against her hyper sensitive fingers. "This is only the beginning, love," he whispered to her. He moved next to her, pulling the blankets over them. She moaned softly as he pulled out of her, not wanting to feel empty again. He pulled her towards him and she buried her face in his chest again, throwing her arm over him. Soon they both slept. As evening came he slid out of bed, away from her sleeping form. He moved silently towards the dresser at the wall and dressed. When he turned around she was standing behind him, long hair tumbling down her back. She held the bed sheet around her. Cole swore he had never seen anything as beautiful as she was now. "Don't go," she whispered. He pulled her towards him, holding her close to him. He hated to disappoint her. Her hands crept up around his neck. "I must," he growled. His voice emanated from his chest like thunder across her body. Her legs shook. He buried his face in her hair, nuzzling her neck. "Believe me, Shane, there is nothing I would rather do than stay here, in bed with you forever. But we are in danger and I have no idea how much or from whom. I will not let what happened to you, or me, happen again. I have to go." Her arms slipped off his neck as he spoke and she curled around them against his chest. He held her close as she let her turbulent emotions die down. He was right, of course. She had no instincts for this kind of battle. She had no useful knowledge of the situation at hand. She had to trust him. Did she believe him that he wanted to stay? He would not just leave her here would he? No, she shook the thought from her head. No he wouldn't. His hand smoothed her hair. She didn't want him to go. The thought of being alone again after these few weeks of having him by her side constantly seemed unbearable. "Can't I come?" she asked again. She knew the answer. "I would bring you," he said, resting his chin on the crown of her head. "You know I would. But they do not know you are alive. It's better if it stays that way. You are much safer being dead to them. They are terribly meddlesome." She nodded into his shirt. "Stay inside?" he asked, hopefully. "I'll try. I might go insane down here." "If you need it there is a room on the second floor if you have the energy. Only go at night though." "How long will you be gone?" "A few days at most. I'm still not strong enough to travel in direct daylight. The council is not too far but I cannot raise suspicion by hurrying back. I want them to think I am truly alone in this world." "But you're not," she said more to herself than to him. "No, not anymore." Cole pulled up to the gigantic mansion tucked deep within the backwoods of New York State. The council had retired here from the city, building this massive monstrosity sometime in the late 1800s, when the city grew too large for their tastes. His lip curled slightly at the ostentatious house he had once called home. So many vampires with decades and centuries to develop taste and instead they came up with this mash of styles that spread over an impressive lot. Cole took a moment after he had stopped his car to gather himself. It had been hours since he left Shane, asleep, in Boston. He still burned for her. It had taken terrible control to force himself from the safe house. Part of him screamed with every step he took away from her. The sensation had not passed. The spring evening still had a chill to it. The air smelled clean and fresh. Cole longed for the hot smells of the city. The feel of the forest reminded him too much of his condition not three weeks ago. "You're how old and you still drive that piece of shit?" a silky voice emerged from the shadows of the porch. Cole ignored it, walking up the steps to the front door. A small white hand slid onto his shoulder, bringing him to a halt. "What? No kiss hello?" Adriana pulled herself against his back, whispering in his ear. Cole grit his teeth. Her body was cold against his. "What do you want Adriana?" His voice was hard. She slid around him, her body coiling around his, till they were face to face. "You a council pet now?" "I go where I'm needed," she purred. Cole scoffed. "Yes, you were always the helpful one." "Don't pout lover. I know you've been in a hole for 3 years but don't take it out on me. I did my best to get you out of there as soon as I could." "So it was you who sent me that delicious little morsel?" Cole tried to keep the rage from his voice. It was as he suspected. She had sent Shane to die. "Fixed her up myself." Adriana leaned into him. "Did you like it?" Cole gave her a cruel smile, wrenching her hands from where she had clasped them around his neck. "I've had better." He kept holding her wrists as he backed her away. "Now if you'll excuse me." He stepped around her into the house. "Don't be coy lover. I saved your life. You owe me." He let the door close behind him. The council room was packed. Instead of the usual eleven members and some aids it seemed the entire staff of the house had found a reason to be there. It was eerily quiet despite their numbers save the beat of several human hearts. The black onyx floor reflected the high mahogany desks about him. He stood on the star inlayed in the center of the room while the balcony rose up behind him, seating more onlookers. The chief council sat before Cole, the same vampire he had faced for over eight hundred years. His face and body were those of a teenage boy, but his eyes bore witness to his years and his voice was embittered with centuries of life. The other members sat in a wide half circle above the floor where Cole stood, the silent crowd at his back. "It is good to see you alive ancient one." Landsman said. His large brown eyes twinkled in his dark face. He had not lost the sun of his birthplace in southern Spain. His face still shone as if he had just returned from a sun-filled day. Cole nodded at the chief council "It is good to be seen Chief Landsman." "We have a fair number of questions for you. We were beginning to worry after not seeing you for so many weeks since your rescue. We are glad you've returned home." Cole grimaced mentally. This was no longer his home. He was still unsure if he owed them anything more than a thank you. He would wait and see. "I will do my best to answer them." "We shall begin now." "Now?" Cole smiled inwardly. He would not be the impatient one here. He had to remain calm so he could leave here sooner without suspicion. "Yes, now." Landsman snapped. "Where have you been? We sent a rescue mission almost a month ago. We have little time." Cole was confused but did not show it. Since when were vampires short on time? "I had to recover. It takes longer to return to full strength after three years of starvation." He felt a shudder go through every vampire there. The thought of starvation is terrifying to vampires. None would want to dwell on the thought for too long. Medea, another ancient vampire, whose looks better fit her age, stood up in her chair, leaning over her desk and staring at him. "How did they capture you? You are the oldest among us. How could they have captured you so successfully for so long?" Cole shrugged; she was worried for her own skin. After a thousand years of life it is difficult to imagine that something could harm her yet he had been taken. There were only a few ancients left now. Cole had been the second for centuries. With the suicide of the former head council, he was now officially the oldest among them. He had been unwilling to accept any of the responsibility that historically went along with that position and it had lead to some friction with the council. "Hubris, my lady councilwoman. I'm afraid I walked into a trap without fully considering what I was doing. I was impaled with a silver spike, spelled with the blood of three species and covered in a net of the same material. I awoke in a hole beneath the ground. It took three months to get the spike out of my chest. By the time I had managed it I was too weak to break through the barriers. They left the top open to the sun, allowing it to burn my strength as well. They were shockingly prepared for me. More so than usual with wolves." "Perhaps this is why ancient ones do not usually go gallivanting around the city with baby vamps seeking the next big thrill," René spoke out from his seat to the left of Medea. "Mais bien sûr, councilman. Thank you for that thoughtful remark as to my lifestyle. I'll be sure to take it under advisement." "Pas un problème, mon ami, I'd hate to see you fall into a pit again." "Enough." Landsman rose from his chair. "We have a problem that you may or may not be aware of." "Dare I guess it has something to do with the wolves?" "Do you recall the year, ancient one?" Landsman arched his eyebrow. Cole longed to slap the cocky teenager out of him. Then he stopped. It was this year. "The millennium?" He could not hide his shock. "The very one. You may remember, as only a handful of you were around at the last one, that it is a time of great upheaval? Something like 16,000 vampires died during that time? Tell me, ancient one, wasn't that half of the population?" "More," Cole said, his mouth suddenly very dry. It was this year! What a fool he had been. Or in denial more likely. He had dreaded this for a thousand years. "If I am not mistaken that is when you lost your anchor and became an insufferable turncoat with a different personality every hundred years," Medea spoke again. Cole did not look at her but hot rage shot through his body. She had been a fledgling at that time. He could still snap her neck with a thought. He held back the sneer at her arrogance. "What are the wolves doing?" Cole looked up at Landsman in his seat. The crowd was murmuring behind him, no doubt tickled with this new piece of information about his past. Landsman considered him a moment, his eyes flicking over the crowd. "There is time for that yet. The council is dismissed until tomorrow night. We will deal with this without an audience." Landsman stood up and swept out of the room before anyone could say a word. Cole bit his tongue. He would not press this but he longed to be far away from here. The crowd had filed out as he turned towards the door. Adriana was waiting for him there. Cole ignored her and walked out into the large marble hallway. Vampires and humans alike cast furtive glances his way as they disappeared into the many hallways of the house. "You should be thanking me, you know." Adriana appeared at his side again. "They were going to leave you to rot. They were in talks with Olrun to come overseas and serve on the council. Terrible. Imagine having a Viking in the new world." She wrinkled her nose. "Disgusting." Cole gave her a withering look. "Adriana, I want nothing to do with you. Whatever part you had in my rescue is small in comparison to the debt you owe me. Go waste your charms, if you can call them that, on someone else." She tossed her jet-black hair over her shoulder and pouted slightly with her full red mouth. "Don't be like that. You have no idea how hard I worked to get you back. Aren't you curious in the least about how I did it?" She looked up at him with excited eyes "Did you eat her before she told you what she was? Don't you want to know?" Cole shut the rage up inside his head and looked back at her impassively. "The lives of mortals and baby vampires are nothing to me. You, oh thorn in my side, are nothing to me. If not for the unfortunate circumstances behind your turning I would have killed you long ago. But that premium is running out." He grabbed her neck and pulled her close to him. His thumb slid over the pressure point on her neck, closing off her windpipe. While vampires did not need to breathe it was a terribly unpleasant sensation. "No go before I change my mind about keeping the peace in the place." He released her and she stumbled back. Her hand went to her neck. Her eyes were wide with surprise but her mouth still pouted. "You've changed m'lord. The Cole I knew had no ties, nothing holding him down, no desire to remember yesterday or the coming of tomorrow. Now you talk of debts of two lifetimes ago as if you care." She gave him another seductive gaze. "Does this mean you will not warm my bed tonight?" Cole gave her another look. The smugness flew from her face. She backed away. "We all have to grow up sometime. Now go!" he growled, putting his force into the last word, shoving her further down the hallway. She turned and ran. The tiniest whisper of footsteps sounded behind him and he whirled around to face the person sneaking up on him. He slammed the unfortunate messenger into a marble column, his hands around his neck. "Ch-chief Landsman has sent for you," the man squeaked in terror. His eyes turned up towards the ceiling and Cole felt his fear roll off of him. Cole fought the anger down with a low growl. "Pl-please ancient one," the man said again holding out a folded message to him. Cole dropped the man and he scurried away. Cole opened the thick paper and read Landsman's elegant hand. He sighed. This place was always such a disaster. Landsman's office had not changed since Cole's last days with the council. Cole suspected every council room Landsman had ever occupied had resembled this one. The high wooden ceilings were etched in swirling designs and long, decorative beams arched across the indoor space. Rich tapestries lined the walls, cutting out sounds but adding a lot of noise to the room. Though Landsman had been born human in Spain, his heart lay in the Bavarian style. Unsurprisingly, with his dark skin and black hair, he was the only thing that did not seem to match the rest of the room. Battle for Blood Ch. 04 Cole sat in a high back chair next to the vampire by the fireplace. Cole couldn't help feel like they were on set for some ridiculous play as the fire threw harsh light out onto their faces. Everything was just so here. The unchanging faces of the occupants lent the rooms the same sort of immobile permanence. Cole had never liked it. "We are in trouble," Landsman said simply. "The weres are taking this one very seriously. This is not just some cult out in the middle of Norway. This is a global network of werewolves. Come midsummer they will attack. They believe their time has finally come to rid themselves of the vampire menace and become kings." Cole snorted. "You can't be serious. They have tried this a million times. How is this any different?" Landsman regarded him sadly. "It's all of them Cole and they are building numbers. We have reason to believe they created an army just to watch you. How many dogs lay outside your pit on any given day? Fifty? They were mostly new. They come into their strength faster than baby vampires and the wolves have been working on this for a long time." Cole began to think seriously. A fair number had guarded him. The doctor had told him of at least five local boys in her one small town who had been turned. They could not all have been accidents. "Why has the council not responded? What are we waiting for?" Landsman shrugged. "The old world vamps do not have the same problems we do. This land is perfect for wolves, lots of land, forest, unmarked territories for them to piss on. It's a misery for us, too much sun, too much technology. We are limited to the northern reaches of this country. The wolves have taken over the southwest, the Midwest, every cursed national park forest or reservation. We have been trying to negotiate, first for peace, then for you, then for anything. They are incorrigible. Our people are leaving back to Europe and Asia. The European council has suggested we do the same. They will send us only nominal reinforcements and the war is lost before it's begun." Cole let this sink in. The silence stretched out between them. Wolves had been living under vampires for centuries, since the first ones had appeared in the freezing woods of northern Siberia. Because they died eventually they were never able to establish the same kind of infrastructure that vampires had. Vampires, in turn, had treated the wolves like inferiors; some even took them as pets, slaves or guards. Wolves were not organized on a large scale by nature; they were too territorial, too trapped by their own instincts to rise above the pack mentality. If there was a global movement, all the wolves headed the same way, it was unprecedented. "We need you, ancient one. You have been our champion before in every war we have ever fought. We thought we had found something else, something incredible, but it proved to be disappointing." Cole realized he was talking about Shane. "What?" "You met her, actually. I assume because you are here alone she did not survive your rescue, but we sent the only known offspring of a vampire to rescue you." Cole widened his eyes. "She was what?" Landsman nodded. "Unfortunately during her extraction her father was killed so we may never know how he did it but she is made both human and vampire." "What happened? Why was she disappointing?" "She only possessed a fraction of the power we had hoped she would show. Adriana found her and trained her and even she agreed that the girl would not win this war for us. She suggested we use her to retrieve you. All of our efforts had come up short. They fortified you against vampire attacks rather well. We suspect there is at least one vampire working with the wolves." Cole's brows snapped together. "Impossible. Why would any vampire work with them?" Landsman shrugged again, looking younger than even his human years. "Perhaps it is the end. We have no army, nor have we ever. We cannot build one, our people are too independent. We have thirty-five vampires living under this roof, 60 more in the compound and that is the largest concentration of our kind anywhere. We never thought we would need to fight on this scale." Landsman paused, letting the silence fill with the sounds of the fire. "Rest assured, ancient one, if the wolves win, we will become the hunted and no vampire will be safe." * Tell me what you think! Tips and suggestions welcome and needed! Battle for Blood Ch. 05 Hey everyone. Here is the next chapter. Enjoy and tell me what you think. I love hearing from you. A couple people have mentioned the idea of Cole and Shane being "mates." I guess I should clarify that I'm attempting my own mythology here, as you will see in the chapter with the were-wolves. There aren't necessarily 'mates' who are irrevocably connected to each other and can tell the moment they see each other in this world I'm writing. But that, by no means, doesn't mean they can't be meant to be together—it's just not as cut and dry as mates or not. I'd appreciate any feedback on the new material I introduce here also. I know it's similar but not totally the same as what you may be used to in vampire/were-wolf stories and I'd like to hear what you think. Disclaimer: I am not a poet. If you make it to the end of the chapter you will see what I mean. It was necessary but that doesn't mean it's good. Sorry. ***** Cole paced his rooms. Daylight was coming but he had no intention of sleeping. He wanted more information. He wanted to know what they knew about Shane. It seemed he might have to speak with Adriana again. He shuddered at the thought. That woman brought out his rage. There was a light tapping at the door. "Come," he boomed from where he stood by the large window. He heard a soft heartbeat behind him. A fast heartbeat. "My lord," a small female voice said behind him. "I was told to bring you something to eat." "Leave it and go." He heard her heart speed up. "Um, I'm sorry my lord, I am what to eat." Cole turned and surveyed the young woman at his door. She was dressed simply, as most of the humans here were, in a black shift dress which contrasted sharply with the whiteness of her skin. Her straight black hair and almond shaped eyes spoke to her Eastern heritage. She was small and pale with deep circles under her eyes. She had been kept for some time here. He knew some of these humans were willing participants but it never failed to turn on them. No one could handle constant draining. "Close the door." he said and she complied. Her heart was racing in his ears. Cole considered his options. He was meant to keep up the façade that he did not care for mortals and he did not want to drink from this girl who looked like she was feeding too many vampires as it was. He didn't want her to report that to whomever she was inevitably working for in the house. There was no free dinner in this place. It crawled with spies. He knew all the humans here had charms against vampires altering their memories. But he wanted to know what she knew. He sat on the couch, gesturing to the seat across from him and she rushed to obey. "How long have you been here?" "Three years, my lord." "Stop calling me that. How old are you?" "Twenty, my lor—twenty." "How did you come to be in this place?" He looked into her eyes, her pupils were dilated with fear. The questions made her nervous. She was hiding something. He felt for the charm on her person. A small itching feeling in his mind told him her necklace was spelled against him. He focused on her mind but he couldn't grab a hold. "Um, I was, I guess, taken? They came to my parents and told them I had been chosen for a scholarship and they let me go to this boarding school but it wasn't and they brought me here and I've been here for a long time." False. A sob story to open him up. She wasn't spelled against bad lying. "How unusual," Cole said as he tried again, focusing on her mind. He was stronger than these charms made by younger vampires. His power was mostly untapped in his many lifetimes. He had never grown into his full potential as a vampire because he had never wanted to. The last few weeks had seen many changes for him. With his newly found purpose and Shane, he felt a huge surge of power. He pushed through the slippery barrier between him and her mind. She cried out and fell back into the couch. "Slippery, little human. Very slippery." He moved over to sit next to her, using his physical proximity to reach further into her mind. He stared down into her eyes, through them really. Her face was white with effort and fear. She was one of Adriana's. Elise was her given name, a runaway who had signed up to get off the street. She was weak and miserable here. There was an old vampire who had taken a liking to her and was fucking and drinking her dry. She had been working when Shane was here, bringing her meals and talking with her sometimes. She knew about her origins, she also knew that Adriana was putting something in her food to make her stronger. But Elise had found out that after a while it was stunting Shane's progression as Shane seemed to get more dependant on it. Cole felt his anger flare at this. Elise had wanted to tell Shane but she hadn't, fearing Adriana. She had a vast knowledge of the goings on in the house, gossip and politic alike. Recently, Adriana had begun using Elise for her own pleasures. Images of Elise bound and beaten with leather crops and pressed between Adriana's legs played through Cole's head as he leafed through her mind like a book. The older vampire had taken her to his bed with Adriana's permission, drinking her till she had no energy to fight back and taking his time with her. The girl panted beneath him; her nose began to bleed slightly. He felt a pang of pity for this girl, so close to Shane's age and so different. She had been introduced to the cruelties of men from an appallingly early age. Not even running away had saved her. He felt her hatred for Adriana and her desperation as she felt her life flowing away from her. He released her mind. The girl collapsed into the cushions, blood blooming on the silk pillows. "Interesting, Elise. You have an interesting mind to peek into." The girl did not respond, but she sat up slowly, clutching her head. Cole got up and resumed his pacing. Elise glared at him from her seat, trying to stem the flow of blood from her nose. He paused long enough to hand her a handkerchief. "I cannot free you from her yet. But I can try in the future if you will help me." Elise considered him for a moment. Now, unguarded, he felt her true feelings. She did not trust him or any other vampire. But, she needed to get out of here. "I will get you out of here in return for your help." Elise sat quietly, waiting for him to continue. He could not give her any more than that though, a spy is still a spy and a damaged girl looking for a way out would turn on him if it suited her. "What do you want me to do?" Her voice was unmasked and she was hard, cold and bitter. "I want you to talk to her, give her some information and let me in to see how she reacts. I will be here for several days. After each day you will come to me and I will look to see what she has done. You must stay close to her at all times. By the time I leave she will have let you go." "Not if the other one has anything to say about it." It took Cole a minute to realize she was talking about the other vampire that had been using her. "I will deal with him." Cole looked at her, deep inside he saw the young girl, the happy child who had known innocence. This woman, barely old enough to be called that, was not beyond hope. She stood up. "You have a deal. But I want a guarantee. If I have to hang around her for a few days I'm going to be seeing a lot more of her than I would normally, if you know what I mean. I want a promise that she will let me go. You are supposed to be ancient and powerful, you make her give me up." Cole considered her. He nodded. "Now do you still want to eat?" she said as she flipped her thick black hair over her shoulder, baring her neck. He shook his head. Elise headed for the door. She reached for the door knob and stopped. She turned back to look at Cole. "You killed her didn't you? Shane?" "Are you referring to the girl who came to my rescue?" He kept his face calm though he wished he could tell this girl that Shane was safe. "That girl was the only decent person in this place. She's dead isn't she?" Cole gave her a short nod. "I shouldn't be angry at you. Adriana put her up to it. But that doesn't change the fact that you killed her. I hope it was worth it." Before he could say another word, the girl disappeared through the door. Cole went back to the window, daylight was creeping up over the horizon. Elise would be useful as long as he managed to keep his promise. How on earth was he going to do that? **** Ashlyn burst into the room, throwing the heavy vault door against the wall with a resounding bang. The occupants looked up at her, unsurprised by her antics. Ashlyn gave the group seated at the large metal table a look of disgust. She hated them and this place and everything they ever touched in their despicable lives. She grabbed the closest thing to her, an empty glass bottle as it turns out, and launched it across the room at the large man standing over the rest of the gathered group. He tilted his head to the side, letting the bottle sail by him and shatter on the far wall. "What the fuck is wrong with you people?" She screamed at them. The other occupants of the room kept looking at her while the big man continued to go through the papers in front of him. The old crone sitting at the table pursed her wrinkled lips and didn't say anything. A younger woman sitting next to her made the same gesture, unmistakably an inherited trait. The older gentlemen with a shock of pure white hair against his younger looking face stood to greet her. "Ashyln, what a pleasant surprise," he said, his voice smooth as butter. "We were just discussing our current condition. Would you like to join us?" Ashlyn glared at his perfectly chiseled face and deep blue eyes. He was too good looking for his age. Ashlyn bared her teeth at him. "Save it, Duke. I don't want any of your honey. I just dragged myself down to the middle of fucking nowhere to find out why you sons of bitches are withholding information from me." Her eyes drifted around the underground room; dust clung to every corner and there was nothing but bare concrete and junk as far as the eye could see. Lights set in the wall, uniform with the rest of what she had seen, lit the room in a deep yellow color. "What is the revolting place anyway?" Duke sighed. "Some sort of observation point for testing weapons. It's the most secure location we have right now. It's a bit of a fixer-upper." Ashlyn looked around, snorting. "That's an understatement. From what I've seen of this place it's not fit for humans." She thought back to the wide expanse of empty desert outside and shivered. It was secure though. Miles of sun with no cover was better security than anything she could come up with. The large man cleared his throat, bringing Ashlyn's eyes back to him. He smelled of earth and sweat. Wiry hair covered his browned skin which clung to his bulging muscles. His face was scarred and weathered with abuse that even his short beard could not cover. But his face was still attractive, possibly even more so. The sight of him never failed to illicit a dangerous excitement inside of her. He placed his enormous hand on the table, clenching them into club-like fists. "If the children are done throwing tantrums we still have business to attend to." His voice sent shivers down her spine. It rolled out of his chest in deep waves. She wanted to eat him when he spoke. But not this time. She would not be deterred from her anger. "Tantrums, Raoul? This is nothing you piece of shit. And what business could you smug, simpering puppies have in mind? The fact that you lost the entire Huron pack or that you let the ancient one slip through our fingers after we had him in a pit for three years?" She stalked over to the table, placing her small white fists directly across from his huge ones. "Or that you failed to tell me any of this for weeks while I waited for news back east?" Raoul glared back at her, his dark brown eyes against her snapping green ones. His fingers fairly itched to wrap themselves around her delicate little neck and squeeze. He wanted to feel her skin pressed beneath his fingers. He kept his eyes on her face and suppressed a growl. The woman was lucky he didn't bend her over the table right here and make her scream. She would get her's. He would see to that. He looked past her, through the thick brown curls that tumbled around her face, refusing to make eye contact. "We are dealing with it," he said casually, betraying none of the fierce anger he was feeling. "Oh are you?" Her mocking red mouth curved at the corners. He wanted to slap the look off her face. "And how, pray tell, are you planning on ending this thing in a few weeks without a sacrifice? Have you somehow figured out how to pull this off without it? Are you going to take on the vamps alone, mano a mano till every one of you whimpering dogs are dead in a pool of your own blood? Your wild ones are barely smart enough to form a line and all the made dogs are just learning their new skins. It's no wonder you are the downtrodden of the earth. You're pathetic." Silence filled the space between them as neither of them moved. The Duke stood back by the door with no plans of interrupting. The old crone watched the exchange with a glint in her eye. Her weathered skin was creased a thousand times over with her many years. These younglings were so hot headed all the time. The young woman beside her shook out her dark straight hair and cleared her throat. "Nan has told us..." "Oh, hang your Nan," Ashlyn growled at her, not taking her eyes off Raoul. "This parade of idiots is beginning to tire me. If dogs are incapable of helping me reach my goal then I will find some other way. I should have known better to consort with you wretched smelly creatures. It turns my stomach." Raoul tensed visibly in front of her; his knuckles went white against the table as he listened to her taunts. He bared his teeth at her, the hair across his body rippled and changed to soft fur, running in ridges up his arms and along his back. His beard softened and grew longer, lining his jaw line and growing up his cheeks. His eyes glowed yellow at her. Ashlyn bared her teeth and hissed. Her incisors grew out of her gums as she flashed them at him dangerously. She was no real match for him but she wasn't going to back down now. The old woman made a soft noise that sounded like wind on dry bark. It was such a strange, inhuman sound that the two of them stopped and looked at her. Raoul pushed his wolf back and Ashlyn let her fangs recede, though only slightly. The old bat was laughing. "They've tried that before," the old woman said, wheezing out her tight, dry laugh again. "Hanging me," she added when Ashlyn didn't catch on. The ancient woman looked up at her from below her wild white hair which seemed to float above her head in a mess of braids and frizz. "It doesn't work." "Well, oh wise one, tell us how you expect to get out of this mess." Even Ashlyn wasn't convinced by the sarcasm in her own voice. This woman creeped her out. She had a lot of power, the kind Ashlyn would have happily avoided in any other situation. The old woman's voice crackled with age. "I have already told you, several times that the ancient vampire was not a suitable sacrifice. He may be old but he is not what we need." The crone's eyes flicked over to Raoul. "If someone hadn't been so eager to teach the vampire warrior a lesson then we wouldn't have wasted our time in the first place. And we wouldn't have lost the Huron pack." The woman took a breath. Her age made her slow but the coming end made her restless and full of energy she thought had long left her. She rose to her feet carefully, her granddaughter hovering by her side. "However, if the Huron pack had not been lost, we would not have new information that could mean we could succeed where we would not have before. Now, I'm going. This vampire's presence makes me nauseated." With that the old woman made for the door, faster than anyone would have guessed she could move, with her granddaughter in tow. The three of them watched her leave. Ashlyn waited till her footsteps disappeared down the hallway and turned back to Raoul. "What is the old bat talking about?" Raoul, for his part, just sat down and stared up at the little vampire. She smelled of cold nighttime air, it wasn't entirely unpleasant. He waved his hand at Duke who came forward for the first time since he moved to greet Ashlyn. "Duke, fill in the dead one here," Raoul said as he turned back to the papers in front of him. Ashlyn glanced at them, noting they seemed to be field reports from far flung packs. So the dogs were typing now. Duke settled himself in one of the old Naugahyde chairs. Ashlyn hesitated and then did the same, not before surveying the chair the crone had just vacated with a look of disgust and choosing a different one. "Well, my dear, as you obviously heard, the ancient one has escaped." Duke examined his perfectly clean nails as he spoke to her, flicking away imaginary pieces of dust. "The Huron pack was almost completely destroyed. What you probably haven't heard, as we have chosen to keep it quiet, is that they fell to a single opponent at midday." Duke paused for dramatic effect. Ashlyn kept her face straight. "So? Another ancient vampire managed to get in?" There were only a handful of them powerful enough to manage that feat in full daylight alone. "It appears not. The survivors describe a human female with super human strength and vampire weapons." Ashlyn couldn't keep the look off her face. "Impossible," was all she could manage. "We thought so too, but it appears that we are all wrong. No one is quiet sure who or what she is. The wolves at the scene said she smelled both human and vampire though that could have been from her equipment. Follow up has shown us that she is, in fact, at least mostly human, and much younger than we thought." "What follow up?" Ashlyn snapped. The gravity of this information made her anger break through the surprise. How dare they keep this from her. "There were only a few of ours left after the attack and escape. Two of them set out after the pair of them. They missed them though they found where they had stayed. It appears the Huron pack's own doctor had been treating them though she could not recall anything but the slightest details about the pair. We suspect the vampire manipulated her memories. The couple they took shelter with told us only their names and some cover story they had given them, though they did mention the two of them were headed towards Boston. The pair of Huron wolves are on their way now." "And what does the crone think this girl is?" Ashlyn asked. "She believes that this girl is what the ceremony calls for. She has not said more than that. We are working on extracting the girl. We are hoping to find her soon as she was injured in the rescue and will not be at full strength." "Are these wolves made or wild?" "Made," Duke said with a sigh, "Most of the Huron pack was. We are sending wild reinforcements to Boston for the actual extraction once she is found." "And why did you not tell me this?" Ashlyn snapped at Duke though her eyes were on Raoul. Duke shrugged. "Because I didn't feel the need to fill you in on every little detail, dead one." Raoul gave Ashlyn a strange smile. She curled her lip at him. Disgusting creature. "Also, because as delightful as your company is, I'm losing patience with your demands." Ashlyn leaned over the table towards Raoul with a strange glint in her eye. "If it were not for me you would still be the alpha of a pack of savages with nothing to show for your centuries except a face like a scratching post and a few mangy little puppies to call your own." As the last word fell from her lips she saw his hand snake out towards her and his fingers wrap themselves around her neck. A fraction of a second later he had swung her over the table and smashed her body against the wall, cracking the concrete with the impact. Battle for Blood Ch. 05 Ashlyn barely felt the pain as her body repaired itself almost immediately. Her hands flew to his arm, trying to wrench it from her neck. She bared her fangs at him, hissing as the fur began to ripple across his body. "Leave us," Raoul growled. Duke rose hastily, though he made a show of acting unfazed. "Play nice," he said over his shoulder as he closed the door on his way out. Raoul's eyes never left Ashlyn's as he squeezed her throat tighter and released, watching the read and purple bruises spread across her skin before disappearing as if they had never been. "Are you sure you don't have wolf in you? You can be such a bitch to deal with," Raoul said, his mocking tone almost playful. Ashlyn wasn't fooled. "You're too cocky for the king of the miserable race you claim as your own. Go fuck one of your bitches. Create more of the glorious downtrodden mongrels that you rule over." Raoul laughed at her. "You'd miss me, dead woman. You can't stand the touch of your own kind so you come crawling to me, satisfied when your vampire curses at my touch. You're hotter than a bitch in heat." He shoved his hand between her legs, pushing his hand hard against her heated core. She couldn't hide her arousal; he could probably smell it. "That's what I thought. Even your dead pussy begs me for it." Ashlyn brushed her fingers across her throat, trying to ignore the swell of excitement that radiated from his touch. "You're a pig." She glared up at him. His huge body loomed over her. The top of her curly hair barely reached his shoulders. He was the strongest of his kind, in the peek of his long life. She was nothing, a two decade old vampire who could barely cross a ray of sunlight without burning. He continued to stare down at her, hate and hunger gleaming in his yellow eyes. She launched herself at him, bringing her small hands to his throat and using her strength to throw him back against the table. He landed hard, sending papers flying about. If the thing hadn't been metal and bolted to the floor it would have snapped below his weight. His huge fingers wrapped themselves in her hair, jerking her head towards him. She pushed harder on his windpipe, knowing she had only gotten him here because he had let her, as he brought their mouths together in a bruising kiss. He tasted wild and warm. His tongue pushed into her mouth aggressively, claiming it again. She moaned into his mouth, tangling her tongue with his. She tasted his blood, tangy and sweet in her mouth. She had sliced his lip open with her fangs. She took a deep drink as his hand gripped her small waist, pulling her against his straining cock. The feel of his huge erection sent shivers down her spine. Their kiss grew deeper; she opened her mouth to accommodate his tongue and her sharp teeth. He released her hair and his other hand traveled down her body, feeling her curves possessively. His rough touch drove her arousal higher, she wanted him now. Ashlyn sat up, straddling him on the table, grinding against his bulge. Raoul reached up and tore her shirt open revealing her large firm breasts in their lace bra. She let him slide the fabric form her shoulders before she pushed him back down. He growled deep in his throat as he began writhing over him, pushing herself against his cock through their jeans. She reached behind her with one hand, unhooking her bra and letting her breasts tumble free, flinging the garment into some forgotten corner of the room. Raoul sat up, wrapping a huge arm around her tiny body he pulled her into him, arching her back and bringing one of her nipples to his mouth. Her breast was full and firm, larger than they should have been, a trick of timing from her human life. Ashlyn moaned as he nipped at her breast, the sharp pain of his teeth against her soft flesh made her insides burn to be filled. His other hand cupped her other breast; his fingers found her nipple and pinched it hard, making her gasp. She twined her fingers in his hair and let her head fall back as he bent her over further, moving to her other breast and giving it the same attention. His bruising hold and the scraping of his teeth against her sensitive nipples had her thrashing against him, the friction of her bucking hips proving to be too much for wither of them. In an instant Ashlyn found herself bent over the table, Raoul behind her, holding her down with one huge hand splayed across her back. She moaned and twisted, trying to get out from under him. She wanted to touch him, bite him, anything. The table dug into her as he pushed her down harder. She felt his hands swiftly undo her pants and pull them down. She managed to step out of one leg before they were forgotten at her ankle. She spread her legs without realizing what she was doing. His hand slid up, gripping her neck and shoulders as he pressed his naked cock into her. She arched her back, raising her hips enticingly to him. She felt him slide the head of his cock up and down over her wet lips, nudging her clit. Ashlyn struggled harder to gain access, control, anything. She wanted to sink her teeth into him. Raoul snarled behind her; he gave her no warning as he shoved his impressive length into her soaking pussy. His grip tightened on her neck as he pushed himself further into her, so far she felt like he would split her in two. Her hips bucked on their own accord, trying to set the rhythm but Raoul would not be persuaded. He slid slowly out of her, letting her feel his thick cock in her tight channel. She moaned deeply, trying to sink back with it to keep him from exiting her. She bit her lower lip, piercing it twice with her teeth. Just as he was about to pull all the way out he slammed back into her ferociously. Ashlyn cried out as his cock hammered her from behind, two small trickles of blood flowed over her chin from her lip before the cuts could heal. "You like being fucked like a bitch don't you, vampire?" Raoul growled into her ear as he set his pace, crushing her beneath him. One hand gripped her hip as the other squeezed her throat making her lightheaded and tipsy with lust. "Only as much as you love fucking me, dog." she gasped. With that, he doubled his pace, pulling her back against him with brutal force. She struggled again, trying to match his energy to no avail. He held her fast, pushing and pulling her body as he wished to despite her best efforts. She felt the twisting heat inside her growing, knowing she would not hold out much longer. She tried to fight it, make him come first but he knew her game. He wrapped his hand over her tiny neck, his palm pressing into her windpipe. He knew what she needed; the dangerous feeling of her throat closing spiked the excitement boiling inside her, bring her closer to the edge. Ashlyn raised her hand to pry his fingers from her but all she could manage was a pathetic scratch across his forearm. The pounding never stopped, his thick cock working her into a frenzy. All at once she felt the pressure build too high. Her face felt numb and dizziness hit her hard. Her entire body convulsed with brutal pleasure, spiraling outwards from her core. Her pussy clamped down on his cock as she let out a shriek that echoed off the concrete walls of the chamber. She felt herself almost slip into blackness as her body shook around her. Raoul wasn't done with her yet. He stopped, willing himself to hold out against the grip of her convulsing muscles. She panted with breath she did not need as he released her neck. Without pulling out he flipped her tiny body over, feeling her twist around him like a top. When she lay on her back he leaned over, his large hands crushing her breasts, pinching her large pink nipples. Her eyes were closed. He started moving inside her again, slowly now. She whimpered beneath him as he mauled her. He loved watching the damage he wrought on her body disappear, hearing her gasps of pain and pleasure all at once. He knew why she kept coming back to him. He was the only one who could get her off. "Look at me," he growled. Her eyes opened, unfocused and glazed with her release. He began to pound her with renewed vigor. The look of pain, lust and hatred in her face drove him higher. Her eyes, light green lined with silver, glowed as her fangs descended further. She loved it, and the fact that he knew it to drove her mad. He smiled and brought his hand between them, rubbing her clit as he continued thrusting into her. "Come again for your wolf. Show me again how much you love this cock in your dead pussy." Ashlyn twisted beneath him, trying to shove off the growing pleasure inside her to no avail. Her legs wrapped around his thick waist, pulling him into her harder. Her back arched off the table as his hand worked her over and his cock drove her to another shocking release. Raoul grabbed her hips with both hands, pulling her onto him harder as his body tensed with his own climax. The tight grip of her muscles was too much for him and he came hard within her, spilling his seed against her silent womb. The room filled with their heavy breathing. Ashlyn lay across the table, her pants still hanging from one ankle. Raoul let his cock slide out of her as their combined fluids dripped out of her. He pulled his pants up, surveying her prone body. "Your dripping on my reports," he said dispassionately. Ashlyn jerked up, anger blazing in her eyes again. She opened her mouth to say something but closed it again. She struggled with her pants, which had gotten tangled during their activities. She found her shirt on the table and held it against her chest, casting a look around from her bra. Raoul picked it up from the dusty floor, dangling it from his finger. "Give it to me," she snapped and swiped at it. "Come and get it," he responded. Ashlyn hopped off the table and approached him warily. She reached out her hand towards her undergarment, unsure of his game. His other hand caught hers and he pulled her into his chest. She yelped and struggled against him. His other hand came below her chin and his thumb wiped the blood from her lips. He didn't release her as he licked the red smear from his finger. "Raoul, get off—" she began before he lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her solidly. In her surprise she didn't struggle but let him deepen the kiss, his tongue exploring her mouth slowly. Her naked breasts pressed against his hard chest, the wiry hair tickling her soft skin. His lips felt velvety against hers and his tongue danced against hers softly. She returned the kiss hesitantly, not understanding his gentle perusal. His knuckles stroked the side of her cheek so lightly she almost missed it. She could taste her own blood in his mouth as well as his own. When he broke the kiss she looked up at him, confused. She saw something she didn't quite understand in his eyes. He released her, sighing. He passed her bra to her. "Get dressed and I'll show you around." With that, he turned his back to her and began to set the papers on the desk back in order. She stood their a moment, still caught off guard by his kiss. Her fingers touched her lips lightly, still feeling his mouth, warm and comforting against hers. What was that? When he glanced over his shoulder she glared at him and quickly dressed herself, buttoning up her shirt as best she could though some of the buttons had gone missing. "Let's go." Raoul showed her around the compound. It seems that there was an entire network of underground bunkers from when this had been a weapons testing outpost in the 50s. They had converted much of it into living quarters for the large number of wolves who had gathered there. There were several training rooms and the pack ran drills outside. Raoul believed in being prepared. There was a strange mix of made and wild-wolves. The coming war had brought the two together, though it disrupted the pack dynamics. It seemed that most of them were cooperating with each other. Werewolves were an odd mix. Unlike vampires, they could breed more of their own kind. While mating took place in human form, women spent the pregnancy as wolves. The offspring emerged as wolf pups, to change later on in life when they were capable. These wolves were called wild because of their tendency to remain more like animals than men or women. They learned to speak with human mouths at a very late stage, if at all. They did not use their human minds as much as their animal ones and they adhered strictly to the pack hierarchy. Made wolves were those born human who were changed at some point during their lives. These wolves tended to remain in human form, liked to be clothed and shifted with greater difficulty. Wild wolves were stronger and faster and many could maintain a half way shift giving them the benefits of both their forms with few of their weaknesses. Made wolves were more intelligent in a human sense, able to use reason, language and logic as apposed to the instinct of the wild wolves. Few wild wolves managed to develop the human side of themselves. Raoul was one of them, as were the crone and her granddaughter. They were something of the royalty amongst their kind, strong, fast, comfortable in both skins and very intelligent. Duke was a made wolf; even though he was powerful he would never be able to reach the level that Raoul had attained. Though werewolves lived for centuries, wild wolves hardly noticed the passing of the days unless they were taught to. The less they embraced their dual nature the shorter their lives. Made wolves who refused to shift lived little longer than regular humans. Many times, made wolves lived out their lives as humans, shifting only when the hunger grew too strong. Wild wolves shifted even less often, usually only to mate. Raoul had introduced a rather radical routine in the compound. Made wolves were trained in wolf form for hours, taken out on runs and put through vigorous battle scenarios. Wild wolves, looking terribly uncomfortable, were taught to speak, read and think rationally in human form. Their ability to learn and adhere to battle plans as well as communicate with others would be indispensable in the coming war. Ashlyn was impressed despite herself. When she had first come to Raoul twenty years before there had been none of this. His pack was big, drawn by his power, but it was primitive. He had gathered some of the strongest of his kind but had failed to raise up those who still struggled with their duality. Now it seems they would all be rising to the occasion. He led her down yet another cramped dusty hallway to another training room. Ashlyn realized that she had no idea how to get back the way they came. With so many twists and turns, each hallway looking the same, she had no idea where they were. Raoul opened the heavy door and ushered her inside. They stood on a walkway that wrapped around the periphery of a large room. The large pit under their feet had once been a science lab, though all the equipment had been unceremoniously dumped against the far wall. Below them a group of made wolves were getting worked over by their instructor. The wolves would attack only to be thrown back by the man's lightening fast staff. "They are learning," Raoul said, bracing his hands on the railing. Ashlyn stepped to the edge of the balcony, curling her fingers around the metal rail. They were impressive these wolves. They were faster and stronger than she would have expected. A few years ago they were nothing but cranky humans, unhappy that they would be forced to turn. She let her eyes wander over the room, taking in the new recruits. Someone shifted in the corner and she flinched at the grinding sound the bones made. The teacher called the class to and end and the wolves began to move out of the room. Something caught her attention on the wall and she walked around the balcony, which bent with the curve of the room, to get a better look. She stopped when she could make out what someone had scrawled in big letters across the better part of the wall. Raoul had followed her. He stopped right behind her, not close enough to touch but she felt every inch of him. "The Third Will Rise," she whispered under her breath. "Thanks to you," Raoul whispered back. Ashlyn felt a chill go up her spine. She should have been happy, at least some grim satisfaction, instead she felt empty. Raoul placed his hands next to hers on the railing, closing his arms around her and pressing his chest against her back. The chill did not go away. Ashlyn wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hide the tremor that ran through her. "You aren't having second thoughts are you?" he asked her below his breath next to her ear. Ashlyn stared at the words on the wall. No, she would not. She had come this far and she would see them all dead. She straightened, turning around to face him. "I think it's time to show me the rest of the prophecy." **** Cole was sick of meetings. The last three days had been nothing but conversations, arguments, piecemeal attempts at organization and squabbling. Today he sat at a round table with most of the council members as well as several members of the European delegation that was there to...well they were there. Landsman was trying to get the conversation back on track after an hour of insults, terrible suggestions, and more insults. They had locked themselves up in an opulent meeting hall complete with an enormous oak table which stood directly in the center of the room. The edges were rounded so as to allow everyone involved to look the person they were insulting in the eye. Large leather seats were scattered along the edge of the room, presumably for onlookers or exhausted participants who could no longer take the high-back chairs that lined the table. The ceiling was just high enough so that if one spoke loud enough the sound would fill the room. Luckily the heavy curtains were absorbing at least some of the sounds of bickering. Only some of the members of the council were still sitting at the table, some stood over it, René was pacing in a corner. Cole had taken his place away from the table, standing next to the window and considering throwing himself through the glass to get away from them all. He wanted to get back to Shane; he was tired of shoving down his anxious desire to return to her so that no one would guess she was alive. "If you would just listen," Medea was complaining again. "We need to think logically. Evacuation is the only way." "What part of 'global movement' is not penetrating your incredibly thick skull?" Janus snapped from his seat. He was also of Roman origin, though turned centuries after Cole. He had taken the name of the god of chaos to appear older than he actually was. Arrogant prick, his voice dripped with his self-perceived worth. "We have to deal with these creatures once and for all. We should have annihilated them centuries ago." Cole looked at the small, dark vampire and scoffed. Everyone stopped and looked at him. He had been silent for most of the night's meetings and no one quite knew what to make of him. The last few days the oldest, and most unpredictable member of their kind, had exceeded all expectations and begun to take an active role in the current conflict. The older vampires who had so looked down on him for his immature antics in the past had begun deferring to him, sensing the power that he had within him. Cole had been as surprised as anyone with his decision to grow up, almost 1700 years after being turned. That did not stop him from quickly realizing he was surrounded by very old idiots. He gave them all a look. "Oh no, don't mind me. Carry on. I'm sure you are all about to astonish us with some brilliant plan any moment now," Cole said, casting his gaze back out the window. "Well, ancient one," Janus said with some distain. "What do you suggest?" Cole caught the flash of headlights across the trees outside. Several cars had just pulled up. "I'm waiting for our guests to arrive, Janus," Cole said, exaggerating his name slightly. He felt the vampire flinch behind him. Cole bet his real name was Steve. Battle for Blood Ch. 05 René looked up from his pacing. "What guests?" "I guess we will have to wait and see," Cole said, casting a glance at Landsman. Landsman raised his hands in mock surrender. "I didn't know if they were going to come. I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up." "Who?" Medea asked, affronted. She never did like to be left out of anything. As she spoke that sound of several heavy footsteps sounded in the hallway. A young vampire whom Cole recognized as one of the house staff scurried into the room. "They..." he began breathlessly. "Um..." he said again, casting a glance around the very intimidating room. "I'd like to announce..." he was cut off. The door opened sharply. In the doorway stood a very large man, flanked by several other men and women. Each one of them wore a deep blue armor, uniform in its make up. Cole blinked for a moment, remembering how he had first seen Shane. She had worn something very similar: were-hunting armor. Hers had been light tan, stitched together with leather thongs. These vampires wore thicker, heavier armor clasped with curling metal. Landsman rose as they marched into the room. "Olrun, thank you for coming," Landsman said. Olrun stood a full half a head taller than Cole and nearly twice as wide. The midnight blue vest stretched across his enormous torso as if it were second skin, weighing nothing at all. The room was silent as the huge blond vampire looked over them all. His pale eyes rested on Cole. The Viking inclined his head slightly; Cole returned the gesture. Olrun turned back to Landsman, inclining his head further. "Was nothing, council chief Landsman. I'm glad you called." The man's voice was as big as his body. The room quieted further. Cole was impressed. Moments before it had seemed like nothing would get these morons to shut up. He remembered the Viking humans; they had had this effect before as he recalled. The troop behind Olrun was no less impressive. All the vampires in his wake were old, strong and dangerous looking. They were the Night Guards, an ancient vampire warrior group whose service had waxed and waned over many centuries. The last time they had been called up was nearly 500 years ago to handle some incidents involving the Spanish Inquisition. Since then vampires had mostly stayed out of state affairs. The fellowship had faded, it's members going their own way. It appeared they had answered the call to regroup once again. "We are discussing the current situation with the wolves. I believe you have been informed about the rising armies. Please, gentlemen, take your seats." Olrun and two of his captains took seats at the table. The others found seats further away. One perched himself high up on a chest of drawers in the corner, moving with such liquid grace as to catch Cole's attention. Cole was startled by the smiling face that shown back at him; he had not seen this vampire in many years. Einar winked at him. Cole couldn't help but smile back. Things were going to get interesting. "Perhaps you should tell us precisely what you know about the werewolves whereabouts and movements," Olrun gestured at the table. No one volunteered. René sat down with a thud, his smooth demeanor had suffered greatly in the past few days. He seemed to be more anxious than most about the lack of direction they had. Cole couldn't really blame him. Many vampires never considered death as an actual inevitability of existence. Cole had embraced the knowledge that he would die some day over a millennium ago. Funny how that had kept him going for so long. "We know their headquarters are located in the Nevada desert in an old military instillation," Landsman began. His tired voice sounded much like a bored teenager reciting declensions to his teacher. "We've had reports that there is an organized effort to train and unify the packs of the northern continent, along with the consolidation of some of the south American wolves who have been coming over the border in fairly large numbers. Many of the new wolves are being trained and some of the wild ones are being educated. We know there is also a hub of activity in New York city. We suspect this base is being used by a vampire who is colluding with the wolves as no wolf would confine him or herself to an urban area. The identity of this vampire has yet to be uncovered. We are monitoring transmissions and have informants within peripheral packs. However, it appears that wolves once loyal to vampires have begun turning on them or disappearing." Olrun gave Landsman a scrutinizing look. Even though his age was evident in his eyes, Landsman still had many mannerisms of a teenage boy. It could take an ancient vampire like Olrun some time to get used to speaking to him. "Excuse me for asking, but is there really much cause to concern ourselves with this war? Any 50 year old vampire could take on his fair share of wolves, especially if so many of them are made. What is so different about this threat?" Landsman didn't answer immediately, giving the other council members an opportunity to start talking again. Medea glared at Janus, "Apparently it is a global movement that needs to be annihilated," she spat. "Better to fight than to run with our tail between our legs," Janus snapped back. "Did you learn that trick from your pet wolf?" Medea gave him an evil smirk. She had a terrible habit of bringing someone's private life out in public. Janus looked like he was going to rip off her head. "Keep your mouth shut, crone! I'd trade you for a wolf any day you useless bag of bones." Janus jumped form his seat, eyes blazing. "If I may be so bold as to suggest that we simply speak with the wolves, we may be able to reach some sort of accord," René spoke up, brightening as if he had just had some brilliant idea. "We've tried that," Landsman said patiently. "Medea and Janus please sit down. This will not do." "Why not hire a plane and drop a bomb on their location?" René said helpfully, sounding slightly dazed. "Did I just hear you suggest we bomb them or did I misunderstand because of your ridiculous accent?" Luke, a junior council member, joined the fray. "Weren't you just talking peace? What the hell is the matter with you?" screamed another councilman, whose name Cole hadn't bothered learning. There was suddenly an outburst of shouts. Each of the council members, jumping from their seats to curse and shout at the ones across from them. The noise was deafening as it echoed off the ceiling and walls. Olrun and his fellow Night Guards looked slightly surprised at the ensuing chaos. Landsman tried briefly to get everyone to quite down but ended up slumping back in his chair defeated. Cole watched them shout. Part of him wanted to laugh at the ridiculous spectacle that these ancient beings were able to make of themselves. His mouth twisted in a half smile as he listened to the chorus of noises in the room. He let himself enjoy a moment more of the scene before him before sighing internally. This is what you get for caring, he said to himself. He shoved his weight off the wall and stood with both feet planted, crossing his arms over his chest. He was not as big as Olrun but he still made an intimidating figure when he wanted to. "Enough," he said. He did not raise his voice above a normal speaking level but he put his power into the word. The effect was instantaneous. The words literally died in their throats as they all turned to him, staring at him with uniform expressions of shock. Even Landsman looked surprised. Cole did not realize it, but the air around him rippled with his power, his eyes glowed in the darkness of the corner where he stood and his voice had literally shot through the mind of every vampire in the room. Beyond the meeting room vampires paused, feeling a powerful presence in their minds. "I think it is time for the council to retire," Cole continued. His voice remained steady, cutting across in the silent room. Not even the sound of breathing interrupted the quiet. "When you return you will be treated as adults only if you can act like one. There will be no more of this." No one moved. They continued staring at him, wide-eyed and open-mouthed. "Go," he said again. There was a brief scramble as members of the council started for the door. Cole kept the smirk off his face. He quite liked to see them scurrying around because of him. "René," Cole said as the vampire passed close to him. "Go eat something. You look like hell." The Frenchman nodded without offering a response and fled the room. Cole looked after him, had he really been that scary? Landsman had stayed in his seat, relief clear in his face as he looked at Cole. "Oh thank god," he muttered as the door closed behind the last one of them. The members of the Night Guard were also looking at Cole strangely. He gave them a small frown. Why was everyone looking at him like he had grown another head? Cole moved to sit at the table with Landsman and Olrun. Cole took notice of Olrun's captains for the first time. One was a tall woman with mouse brown hair and a soft, beautiful face. If her weapons and place at Olrun's right hand were any indication her looks were very deceiving. The other was a small man, Japanese by origin if Cole guessed correctly. Olrun noticed his gaze. "These are my captains, Innis Alasdear and Haru of Oshima." Cole nodded at them. "My name is Cole." He felt, rather than saw Einar's smile. Cole had never stayed with a name for long. No doubt some of these vampires knew him as something different, but he decided to go with his current name, the one Shane knew him by. He took a moment to gauge the significance of the Night Guard's presence. "How many of you are there left?" "We sent out the call. 60 or so have responded. We expect we will have at least a hundred by the end of the week. They are gathering now at headquarters in Denmark." Innis spoke with a sing-song accent, one too thick to be gotten rid of easily. "Then I propose this," Cole said, glancing over at Landsman. "The wolves are not organized by nature. There must be some sort of organizing body. If we destroy this individual or group, we will effectively end the war before it begins. We have only a few weeks till midsummer when we believe they will attack. I believe it is time to take out their headquarters. Now that we actually have a fighting force it might be possible." Olrun nodded. "I agree. How much information do you have about these headquarters?" Both men turned to Landsman who refused to meet their eyes. "I have the blueprints of the entire compound," he said quietly. Cole raised an eyebrow. There was something he was not saying. "Wonderful. Then lets pool the intelligence we have and start planning," Olrun said, clearly not picking up on Landsman's strange mood. "What else is there Council Chief?" Cole said softly. The same silence fell on the room as he spoke. Landsman looked up at him for the first time since he had cleared the council from the room. Landsman looked confused. This was not the same vampire he had known for almost as long as he had been made. Cole looked at him now with and intuition and instinct that only came with time. It seemed the most ancient of them all was finally gathering his years behind him and becoming a vampire as powerful as his age. There would be no hiding things from him anymore. Landsman sighed. He went over and picked up a phone against the wall. He pressed a button and waited. "Bring me the contents of the safe," was all he said before hanging up. He then turned back to the rest of the group, his eyes flicking over the gathered fellowship. Several of the members had taken the vacated council member's seats. "Things have not been easy here since Council Chief Ze'ev resigned. The upset at his sudden departure was not easily settled and I spent several decades dealing with it until he killed himself and I had to begin the process all over again." Landman nodded at Cole. "You remember the state of the council and our population here. It was enough to bring you out of whatever it is you were doing with yourself in the seventies." Cole let the barb go. Landsman had never looked so drawn, so old, as he did now. "Ze'ev was in possession of something that had been passed to him by his maker," Landsman continued. The assembly shifted nervously. Ze'ev had been well known in the vampire world not only as the oldest amongst them, but the last vampire made of an original. There was not a vampire left today who had any direct knowledge of the originals. Ze'ev had been made to continue the work of his maker, he always said. No one was quite sure what that meant. At that moment the human steward, who Cole had almost killed on the first night of his visit, arrived with a small bundle in his hands along with a normal looking folder. The man practically threw the things at Landsman before fleeing out the door. Landsman carefully unwrapped the package revealing a small, ordinary looking wooden box with ivory inlays. Cole raised his eyebrows. It was an ancient Egyptian design. "This was delivered to me by one of the vampires in Ze'ev's household after the ancient one's death. At first we did not know what to make of it. As you see, it contains nothing." Landsman showed them the inside of the empty box. "When the vampire who brought it was questioned he indicated that something had been stolen out of it though he was not sure what it had held. We had Iris look at it," Landsman mentioned the council's head historian, a 500 year old vampire who had spent most of those years reading every book ever written. "She analyzed it and told us that it had once held a piece of papyrus, from a very, very long time ago. "We did some more digging, consulting anyone we could find on the matter. Long story short, Iris found that the owner of the box, not fully trusting the longevity of the parchment, had carved the contents of the parchment on a false bottom of the box." Landsman stopped. The dramatic pause was unnecessary. If an inscription had survived from the originals it was of incredible importance. Without realizing it, all of the vampires in the room were leaning forward, waiting for him to continue. "What we found was...troubling to say the least. It seems it was a prophecy about the three bloodlines. By the time we had it translated the wolves had already organized beyond our wildest expectations. In fact, it was the day after we had learned what the text said that you were taken by the wolves." Landsman looked at Cole again. "We are far, far behind in this conflict and our time is almost out." "What does it say?" Cole asked. "Iris has translated it," Landsman said, drawing out a page from the folder and passing it to Cole. "We aren't sure entirely what to make of it, but we expect that they were planning on using you for this." Cole gave Landsman a brief look of confusion before turning to the page in front of him. He read the text several times before it began to sink in. "Well, don't keep us all waiting," Einar's melodious voice called out from the far end of the room. Cole looked up at them and then read the words before him aloud. Battle for Blood Ch. 06 I'm back. I know you thought I was done, but another year of med school is behind me and I finally have time to come back to this story. I'm still excited about where it's going and I hope those of you who are still with me will enjoy it also. This installment is a bit longer since I wanted to bring Shane and Cole back together after so long apart. I hope it doesn't feel rushed. I had intended to keep them apart a bit longer but sometimes your story surprises even you with where it's going. To everyone who sent emails the last few years: thank you. I appreciated each and every one of them. A big part of why I came back to this was the motivation I got from your encouragement. As always, please do tell me what you think of how I did. I haven't sat on this segment for as long as the others so I hope there aren't too many mistakes. Particularly I'm interested if I kept the continuity of the action scenes working even with the discontinuous timeline. Thanks! Eliya ****** She felt his fingertips on her calf, pulling the sheet away from her half-sleeping form. She shifted her body, trying to feel his against hers. His lips found the outside of her thigh and pressed feather light kisses up towards her waist. She willed her eyes to open so she could see him but they stayed closed. She felt his hand smooth across her stomach, inching maddeningly towards her breasts. His mouth continued up her body, kissing up her side. She wanted to move against him, feel his body against hers. She wanted him inside her again. Shane rolled over in the empty bed. She reached out her hand, hoping to catch the last bits of the dream as she came back to full consciousness. "Shit," she muttered to herself. It had been three days since he left and each day the dreams got more intense. Every moment, just before she woke up she could swear Cole was in the room with her. Shane lay in the tangled sheets a moment more. She was going to lose it down here. She got up and paced the room, again. She itched to go outside. It was too much. She had tried to do as he said, stay below. She'd hate to admit to him later how she crept out at night, running along the abandoned warehouses, climbing gutters and swinging off of fire escapes. He'd understand, she thought, he must. She was back to strength. She needed room to run, a challenge or two. She winced a little, her fingers going to her side where the remnants of a bruise still lingered. Maybe she was taking too many challenges on. But she had felt so sure of herself. She had never jumped that far before but she saw the other rooftop like a beckoning challenge. She could make it, couldn't she? Shane winced again. She had repaired more than a few broken bones in the last day. And yet...with all that energy expended she still felt restless. Even exhausting herself in every possible way wasn't enough to keep the dreams from coming, to keep her sleeping through the day. Summer was the worst. The sun never set. Her father had always been so content to close the doors and stay inside. She couldn't. Not now, not now that she felt free for the first time, even with all the cravings. She shook her head as that nagging thought, the one that said she'd feel better if she could have just a taste again, just another drop of Cole's blood. She looked down at her hands and sighed into a chair. He told her the initial withdrawal would be bad but he'd forgotten that an addiction is more than just the physical need. She was edgy. She knew she didn't want it...she did. She put her face in her hands. She wanted him back here so badly she could feel the frustration in the back of her throat and deep in her gut with a kind of physical discomfort that was unyielding. She told herself for the thousandth time that it was fine and he would be back. She reminded herself again that he had started it; he had kissed her, which must mean something. She knew, she told herself, that he cared for her and wanted to be with her too. He had only left because he had to. She knew that. She got up again. The swell of uncertainty built in her chest. She couldn't beat it down again. That voice inside her told her she was a fool to expect anything different from anyone. But he had left; he had left her here, just like so many others had. He promised, but others had made promises. She wished he hadn't left so soon. She wanted him back, next to her, above her, inside her. She blushed at the thought. She was pacing again without even realizing she had gotten up. She needed to get outside. She grabbed the clothing Cole had brought while she was in withdrawal, shoving her bare feet into the canvas sneaker while she pulled a white t-shirt over her plain sports bra. She ran her hands over the jeans he bought for her and smiled. He seemed to have guess anything she wore would need to have a lot of stretch to keep up with her. Shane reached up with her mind to the outdoors. The sun wasn't up yet. She could still get an hour's worth of time before it got too bright and forced her underground. It was now or never. She didn't even need to think about it. The restlessness of her body pushed her from the room. Cole's workout room on the second floor had seen a little too much attention she decided immediately upon arriving in the large room. The punching bag was nice but she didn't feel like running drills right now. She told herself she'd just go out for an hour, just a quick run around, back before the sky got light. When the sun came up she would come back inside, she thought, eyeing the walls skeptically. Moments later the wind was flying around her too fast for her to care. The world was open in front of her. She charged down another alley between warehouses, leapt up against the wall, using the force of her body to propel her onto the lid of a dumpster. With a dizzying move she pushed off, up the wall once more, grabbing the security bars that sloped out from a window on the second story. She swung her feet over her head in a wide arc before releasing, sailing through the air and hitting the ground as lightly as she could manage. She sprung from her spot again, throwing an uncaring laugh at the brightening sky. When she ran she was free of that horrible sensation, that feeling of anxious anticipation and overthinking herself sick. She continued her flight, up and down, in and out of warehouses, up walls and over obstacles. She paused once or twice, hearing the rumble of cars on the highway across the water begin to pick up as the sky turned ever brighter. People would begin to appear in the stockyard for work. As it was she had to avoid the active night ports. She kept pushing it, a little further in towards the city, a little further towards the sounds of others. She sprang up to the windowsill, perching on the ledge and looking along the length of the building inside. Endless crates stretched out along the length of the building. Above, fixed to the ceiling, was a complicated crisscross of pulleys and cranes that would carry these huge containers to and fro. She gauged the jump and flung herself at a low-lying hook hanging from the rafters from 4 iron cables. Her left hand closed around the metal. She smiled and began making her way up the wavering cables into the rafters of the huge room. Some balancing practice, that's what she needed. She was just about to make the final few feet of narrow metal beams towards the great doors at the far side of the warehouse when, with a huge groan of metal, the doors began to slide open. Shane cursed and crouched down on that rafter. Panic welled up inside her. What an idiot! The whole stockyard was at work. What time was it? She felt around outside. The sun was up, not too far but there were precious few minutes of shade left and she'd have to go over ground—which was now a huge problem because there were at least 25 people right outside. What had she been thinking? Couldn't she hear them? Wasn't she supposed to be paying attention? So much for heightened senses if you aren't paying attention to them. She stayed low, cursing herself in her head. The men were talking beneath her; machinery was rolling into the warehouse. Their day was beginning. Shit, shit, shit, shit. Where to go? Can't stay here. Can't go back. They are outside on the left with a truck and arriving from the west corner. Up. Up is the only way. Maybe there is a roof close by, some way to make it over to an empty building. Shane cast around for someway up to the roof. All she could see was a supervisor's office on her right. It was up a flight of stairs against the wall, overlooking the floor. There must be a window in there. She hoped at least. Following the rafters, she made her way swiftly but silently towards the office. The men were still at the entrance to the storehouse. If she did this quickly she might still make it back before the sun hit her. She dropped quietly onto the stairs outside the office, crouching on all fours so as to stay as far out of sight as possible, she reached up for the doorknob. Of course it's locked you idiot. She sighed, stood up and put her weight on top of the handle. The lock crumbled in the gear and the door opened. The noise echoed off the roof. She had to move fast. Above the desk was a small window, just big enough. She'd been heard, now she could feel them coming closer. She ran over, breaking the latch without even noticing it was locked. She pushed the lower edge of the window that slid outward from the wall while the upper edge moved into the room. Damn it. She could just wriggle through. The men were at the bottom of the stairs now. She pulled her upper body through the window, ignoring the pain in her abdomen as she squeezed through the tight space. They were moving up the stairs now, shouting that the door was open. Move! She forced her hips through the tight space, thanking her lucky stars the jeans Cole had procured were well fitted. She cast around for something to grab onto and came up blank. The wall outside was a blank sheet of concrete. No windowsills, no drain pipes, nothing. The men were getting closer. Desperately she looked up and saw a floodlight fixture just above her to the left. The huge square lamp was fixed to the wall with a strong looking bar she prayed would support her weight. It would have to. She swung her legs down, holding onto the sill with her fingers. Her left foot found a bit of purchase in a chip in the wall. She took a deep breath and launched herself at the light with all of her might. The door to the office slammed open as her fingers closed on the lamp's support pole. She heard the voices of the men inside, nearing the window. Oh god, don't look here, she thought. She hung their, holding the bar above her head, her arms screaming with effort to stay there. "—anything taken! Holy shit not another break-in. Fuckin' boss is gonna kill me." The voice receded farther into the room. He hadn't seen her. She was okay. She was not okay. There was nowhere to go. Down would surely cause at least multiple fractures that would take too long to heal. Up would only work if she suddenly learned to fly. Brilliant plan Shane, get outside so they don't see you and just hang here like a monkey for the rest of the day. The day! The morning was well on its way. All of her focus had been on the men behind her and she had forgotten about the sun coming down on her head. There it was, just touching the top of the wall above her. Of course she had gone out the only window facing east. She twisted, pulling herself up onto the lamp. She could only give her arms temporary respite, tucking the bar beneath them and hanging there from her chest, the bar digging into her underarm as if she was holding on to the edge of a pool. Panic filled her. Safe indoors, she could always sense the sun's presence by a small tingling feeling along the back of her neck. Now the sensation ran up and down her spine like an electrical current making it difficult to hold on as she was. She looked across to the warehouse opposite. Don't even thinking about it Shane. Didn't you just try something that stupid not two days ago? You'll never make it. But there was a fire escape, right there, just across the alley. She could pull herself up, balance and leap, maybe catching the railing with outstretched hands. She remembered the sensation of falling after her last leap, just short of the other rooftop. She had been much further closer to the ground, and there weren't human running about the place looking for a thief to fall out of the sky. The sun, there it was beating down, moving fast, so fast. She had to do something. Despite all her instincts she hauled herself up towards the daylight, positioning herself so she was sitting on the bar sideways. She steadied herself with her hand against the wall, the other clutching her only support. She had to try. She had nowhere to go. The dizzying fall beneath her didn't seem to trouble her as much as the heat she felt rolling off the wall above her. She looked up again. The sunlight continued it's impossible path towards her. In another moment it would rise over the roof of the building shielding her and she would have no protection. Her skin was exposed. She couldn't remember ever being in direct sunlight without some kind of vampire protection. She knew she was more resistant to the sun than they were. It didn't make her tired during the day or take her strength but neither she, nor anyone in charge of her, had ever had the desire to see what the full effects of the sun would be on her. Direct sun would burn a vampire and within moments they would be beyond hope. What would happen to her? Get up idiot! She shouted at herself, but her hand would not loosen its grip on the lamp. Her legs felt deadened with fear. She had been injured before. She could survive the fall. But the humans would find her. And they would take her away, and Cole would never find her. That fear held her still. She looked over at the building across the alley, her salvation and her undoing. The sun peaked over the roof, blinding her. She had hesitated too long. *** Cole looked at Elise on the couch across from him. She had given him a lot to think about. Adriana was proving to be more underhanded than he thought possible. It seems that after his—outburst—in the meeting yesterday she had set herself to sowing seeds of discord. It wasn't hard. He was not popular with the council. She would have to be dealt with at some point, he decided. Elise stayed quiet for another moment. She wanted to ask him how, and when, he was going to free her. She was getting desperate and if Adriana's scheming continued then he was going to want her to stay and keep tabs on her. Elise quivered. She didn't know how long she was going to last. "Not long at this rate." His voice surprised her. Of course he could hear her. She had taken off Adriana's charm and now she was unfiltered in front of the most ancient vampire in the world. "When are you scheduled to be with...that vampire...again?" Cole asked, still gazing at the morning sun reaching it's tendrils up over the treetops. He needed some sleep. Elise shuddered. She knew he was talking about the drainer. Adriana had loaned her out once a month to the horrible creature for nearly half a year now. He was going to kill her. "Most likely," Cole said again. He seemed unaware he was not responding to her words. "Tonight," she said quietly. She crossed her arms defensively over her chest. A chill ran through her. "Then tonight I suppose." Cole turned and looked at her for the first time since she walked in the room. Silver glinted in his eyes. She felt the presence of his mind in his gaze. She felt suddenly reassured, feeling the intention behind his promise. Maybe this will work out for her in the end. She bit down on the hope growing inside her chest. Now was not the time to get overly optimistic. "What's the plan?" she asked in a small voice. "I am still working on it. Adriana is proving herself to be a nuisance. I am trying to figure out how I can link her abuse of you to something greater, something that will cause her to be punished and thus out of my way." This place is hellish. She thought before she could stop herself. The conniving, the back stabbing, it rotted the wood in the walls. To her shock Cole smiled, breaking the tension in the room somewhat. "You are not wrong Elise. I couldn't have said it better myself." She let the corners of her mouth slide upwards, just for a second. It was hard not to smile back at him. Even with his imposing presence she couldn't help but feel a bit weak in the knees. He was too good looking for a killer. "Tell me more about the vampire. Why did Adriana loan you out? Most vampires are quite territorial here. Your arrangement suggests a motive." "Aren't you worried she will find out what you are planning from me? She can still press me to tell her things." Cole sighed. "When you leave this room you will remember only that I fed from you." Elise bit the inside of her cheek. She nodded. So close, she thought. Maybe she would make it out alive. "I will leave some of your hope too," Cole said, smiling slightly. **** Shane took deep breaths. The tingling feeling in her back had shot through her entire body when the sun hit her. Her skin felt like it was sizzling under the direct glare. Her fear had frozen her, her anticipation of pain much worse than the actual pain she felt. She opened her eyes. The sensation was not entirely unpleasant. She blinked, feeling oddly unfamiliar with having to shield her eyes from the sun. She lifted her hand off the pole to bring to her face. The movement, coupled with her focus on the sun, off set her balance and she felt herself sliding forward, off the pole. Her hand flew back to the metal but not before her body started its descent. She gasped, bracing herself, but no fall came. She was hanging off the pole by one arm and finding it strangely easy. She looked up at her skin, newly illuminated by the sun. Could it be? Shane pulled herself back to the bar, climbing onto it again and finding the motion infinitely easier than several minutes before. She put both feet on the bar, holding it with her hands as she crouched, finding her balance quickly. She released and stood. Amazing. She felt surer suddenly. She held her arms out, swaying slightly as she kept her balance on the narrow bar. Much surer. The sounds of men's voices called her back to reality. She had to move. Shane looked up at the warehouse across the way. Did she dare? She supposed she had no choice. She could make it, maybe. She steadied herself against the wall like a swimmer before a race. With daring she didn't know she possessed she pushed off, running the two steps along the light fixture, pushing off of the large square light with all her might, and she dove towards the other building, arms outstretched. To her great surprise she sailed across the alley almost too easily. She had to slow down. She grabbed the lower edge of one level of the fire escape, letting the metal tear her hands viciously. But she was moving too fast. She released, falling down and forward to the level below, landing in a roll which ended with her back hitting the wall with a thud, taking her breath away. She lay still for a moment, breathing hard. The sounds from the warehouse across hadn't changed. Maybe they weren't looking for the thief any longer. She righted herself, looking down at her hands. The skin rebuilt itself without any prompting. Had she even felt any pain? The skin was still shiny with blood but everything beneath it had healed. Battle for Blood Ch. 06 Could it be? The sun? Shane practically flew up the fire escape to the roof. Once more she bounded into the glare of the sun, this time unafraid. The warmth and energy radiated through her. She felt every molecule of her body reach out to it. Shane turned her gaze inwards, marveling at the strength coursing through her. Nothing had felt like this. The sounds, smells, everything was sharper. She could not only hear the men who were at work beneath her perch but she could feel their heartbeats and smell their scents. Is this what Cole feels? She wondered. There was a sudden pang in her chest. He wasn't here. Beyond that, even if he were, he could not be there with her, in the sun, bathing in the energy now flowing through her body. Shane tore herself away from the thought. Did she always have to find the worst part of everything to obsess over? She opened her eyes into the morning light. Her face broke into a smile. There could be no bad in this. She laughed and started running, launching herself from one rooftop to the next, barreling around and over obstacles. She would paint the day with the sound of her footfalls. Evening found her on the rooftop of Cole's building. She sprawled out on her belly, having discarded her shirt and pants, reveling in the feeling of the sun on her skin. Below her the workday was ending, the faded sounds of men working far away were lessening. Shane sighed at the red clouds of the sunset. The stars had always captivated her but she had never known what the sky was capable of in the light. She started to doze, letting the warmth flow through her. Had she felt this way when she went on her rescue mission? She had been terrified of attacking in broad daylight but she was reassured that the forest could protect her from the worst of the sun's rays. She had checked her armor over so many times, making sure no unnecessary sliver of skin was exposed. She had never, now that she thought of it, remember how the sun felt on her skin before today. Such a creature of her environment, she had never questioned sleeping during the day, fearing the light, closing out the day whenever she could. The sun had been the least of her concerns that day. They had instructed her how to get where she was going. She had crept through the woods, repeating her teacher's mantra over and over "take your time, lure them out, one by one." The wolves were humans though. Did she have to kill them? "They will rip you to ribbons if you hesitate longer than a breath. They have started a war and we need you to win it for us." Shane had agreed, drawing herself into the role Adriana had laid out for her. There had been so many wolves. How was she to take them all on herself? She remembered coming across the first group, prowling through the underbrush. They lay in a clearing, lazing in the day's warmth. Their smell was powerful, almost human but then so much more. Shane's eyes snapped open. That was not the memory of a smell. She leapt up, looking around wildly. She was alone on the roof. She reached out with her new stronger senses, willing her mind to map the world around with smells and sounds. There were five wolves. Here, in Boston, looking for Cole. Shane followed their movements as they darted between buildings; they were so close, just coming around the neighboring warehouse. They could smell her too no doubt. No time to make it downstairs, no time to escape. Shane yanked on her clothes and started to consider her options. There were five of them, and she was unarmed. She had taken out dozens in the woods but she had been armed; she had been the attacker. Now she was the prey. They had found her building, coming in through one of the side doors. They were all over the downstairs, probably struggling to follow her sent now that they were in a building she had been all over. She cast around for something, anything. She found a pipe, about the length of a baseball bat by the door down to the second floor. She lifted it. It was heavy, so heavy that yesterday she would not have considered it a weapon. But yesterday she had not met the sun. She took one look at the sunset. Now was her time. She had to stop letting people take that from her. *** Cole let Elise finish, though she was taking her sweet time about it. How long does it take to write a letter to yourself? She continued, drawing her loopy handwriting across yet another page. He supposed he was being unfair. He had just told her she might not remember anything for some indiscriminant amount of time. He would allow her this one letter, which she would sign and seal, which he would return to her when, and if, the coast cleared. The pair was sitting in his rooms again. Cole let his eyes wander around his living quarters. The council had given him the finest guest suits they had, which meant they were opulent and garish. He sighed at the ornate furniture and heavy wall hangings. He much preferred his bare bones safe house. The company this time had made it seem infinitely more welcoming. He recalled a time when he had gone for this type of thing though, the Victorian period had seem him be rather enamored with his own possessions. His mind wandered over to Shane, though he tried his best to hold them at bay. He needed to stay focused, stay present. He didn't want any suspicion that he had something else anywhere in the world. He had successfully blocked out thinking of her, her laugh, her lips, the way she always sat with her long limbs folded into her chest. He couldn't help it now. Somewhere he felt uneasy and it was letting her back into his head. Elise paused for a moment, hovering near the end of the page. Her mind was too open; her anxiety made it seem like she was speaking to him. Does one sign a letter to themself? "Sign it. If by signing it you would know that you had written it, uncompelled and within your right mind." Cole spoke from his spot in the couch across from her. Elise, used to his intrusions into her thoughts, finished the letter with a quick scribble and looked up. "All done," she said with a small smile. And it was about time. The sun was setting outside and the manor was beginning to wake up. Within an hour the council would begin a meeting and in six hours time Elise would be sent to Ricardo, the vampire who would die at her hands. "You're ready?" Cole asked, trying to keep the impatience out of his voice. She must be desperate to get out if she was willing to agree to as insane and dangerous a plan as he had presented. But it was the only way he could think of now and their time was precious. She had agreed, but she was certainly not ready. "Yeah," the girl said, pulling her arms around her tiny body. She drew a deep breath. Cole watched her eyes and saw her determination. He hoped he hadn't overestimated his power. What he was going to do could cause permanent damage if done incorrectly. He rose from his seat and went to sit next to her. Her eyes were still down cast. She chewed her lip nervously. "Sorry, kiddo, it only works if you look at me." He tried to be reassuring. Did I just say kiddo? Elise flicked her eyes up to him. He didn't need to read her mind to see the panic and fear. But he also didn't need to hear her reassure him of her readiness. She set her jaw and held his gaze. Cole reached out to her with his mind. His power seeped into her eyes, into the darkness of her head. At first it was overwhelming to have access to her whole mind. Smells, sights and sounds were all jumbled at first. He would have to put them in order. He began sifting through memories, recent ones of him, if her daily routine, her interactions with people. He began to impose his will on those memories, crushing them beneath the force of his mind until they faded to white. He continued moving through her memories as though they were so many photographs, few of which held interest. He had to be careful, leave holes where there shouldn't be, alter things that didn't matter. She would be heavily interrogated after the events of the evening. He had to make sure there was only enough left to point things in one direction. The entire process probably took less than a minute but Cole still felt uneasy and he withdrew from the deepest recesses of her mind. Elise, He spoke inside her conscious mind, you will leave this room and continue your evening as planned. You will not feel anything more than the normal trepidation you have before visiting Ricardo. You will not notice the syringe in your pocket until it is time to use it. When you enter Ricardo's room you will take off your dress but keep the syringe in your hand. He will approach you and begin to feed. Do not act immediately. You must wait for your moment, allow him to absorb himself in the feeding, and then plunge it into his arm or back. You will wait until he is lying on the floor and dying before realizing what is happening, at which time you will become frightened and you will scream until someone arrives. After that you will remember nothing more about this day or the last. Cole released her mind slowly, letting her consciousness slip out of his grip the way one might place a delicate object on a hard surface. He felt her mind try to grapple with all of the missing pockets of memory, trying to sort itself out at first. Then, after a moment of struggle, it slipped rather easily into what remained of her recent memories. Maybe he had done better than he thought capable. Elise got up, not looking at Cole or even the room around her, and she silently made her way out of the room, closing the door with a small click behind her. The uneasiness Cole felt did not dissipate in her absence. He got up and paced the room. Shane, there she was again, in his head laughing at something. He could almost feel her arms around his neck, her head nestled into his shoulder, the smell of her hair tumbling out of her curls. He sighed. This would not do. He couldn't walk around the house like a lovelorn puppy. Cole set his own jaw, forcing his thoughts away from the girl he had left in Boston. All in due time. She was safe now. Don't do anything to mess that up. But the unease stayed, rooted somewhere in the back of his mind. He watched the last rays of sun fade from the sky. Tonight would be an interesting night. *** Shane stood in the bathroom of Cole's safe house. The tile beneath her feet was stained with the same blood that covered her body. Her blood, their blood, she didn't know. The woman in the mirror was in bad shape. Her right ear was mangled, one side of her face covered in thick, deep scratches across her cheek. A swelling in her jaw was developing. Her hair was matted with blood and debris. But her eyes were alive, that's all that mattered. Shane mustered her strength, bracing her red hands on the side of the porcelain sink, leaving bloody handprints underneath her fingers. She forced her mind inwards to her beaten body. Her head bowed slighting at the effort. There was so much damage she was at once overwhelmed by the different parts of her body calling out for healing. She had to be smart, work systematically. First she silenced the nerve in her right hand as the pain of her weight on her arms sharpened to a point at the base of her thumb. Broken, twin fractures in the small bones in her wrist. She would deal with it in a minute. First things first, close the open wounds, burn out any infections that were taking root, then bones, then muscle, if she had any strength she would work on the superficial tissues more at the end. Shane felt her lower ribs where a deep gash still wept blood from her left side. She had stopped most of the bleeding during the fight but the tissue remained open and raw. The beast had come at her so fast, even after so many charges, she had gotten complacent, thinking she knew what to expect from him. Somewhere in her head she found the strength to scold herself for stupid, lazy fighting. She set herself to healing the wound, her mind drifting back to the fight. The wolves had been sniffing around the ground floor when she stepped out on the exposed staircase that ran along the back wall. She crouched down on the top step, watching them from between the iron railings. From her perch she watched as they drew closer, waiting for them to see her finally. One of them caught her sent and turned up his eyes to hers. She could see the person behind his eyes but when he bared his teeth, she knew this was no time for compassion. "You'd best go back," she said down the stairs. The wolves gathered, bristling and baring their teeth, in a loose ring around the staircase. "This won't end well. I can take you and you know it." Shane hoped she sounded as confident as her words. One of the wolves began to shift, rising up on two legs, the fur receding from his upper body; his face became human enough to communicate before he stopped the shift, a grotesque combination of man and wolf. "Come with us now and you will not be harmed." His words were hard to make out from his twisted mouth but Shane got the idea. She gave the creature a half smile, "We both know that is not going to happen. We also both know that one of us will die here and I have a strong suspicion it won't be me." "Brave words for an unarmed human," the werewolf barked at her. "I am neither unarmed nor human, so maybe not so brave. But I am right." Shane could see the wolves positioning themselves around the stairwell, in case she decided to launch herself over the side and hit the floor. There was no avoiding this fight. But she was not stupid; she could not take on five wolves at once. She looked once more at the man, if you could call him that, at the bottom of the stairs. "You will have to come and get me." With that, she turned on her heels and disappeared back up to the second floor. The only shot she had was to lead them on a merry chase and circle back to pick them off one by one. The blood pounded in her ears; she was strong enough. Back in the bathroom, Shane coaxed the skin to close over the gash, fusing the last layer of skin closed so that all remained of the wound was a red, angry looking scar. It would do for now. She turned her attention to her neck. The bite mark was deep, penetrating the thick muscles of her upper back on one side, and exposing white flashes of her collarbone in front. She shuttered at the memory of the wolf behind her, hitting her back and forcing her to the floor under its weight, it's massive jaws around her shoulder, tearing at her. Her teacher had warned her about wild wolves. She knew that they were more animal than human but she hadn't accounted for the fact that they were much more powerful than the majority of wolves she had come up against. One of the wolves had grown massive as it pursued her, muscles rippling along its back. It stood on two legs, at least seven feet high. It was just the two of them at that point. Up until then she had managed to stay out of direct contact with her pursuers. At least one had met its end when it tried to follow her across to a neighboring rooftop, falling three stories to the alley below. Shane had tried not to hear the sound of the body hitting the ground but it echoed up between the metal and concrete. The other wolves would start to get more serious now. They didn't take death of their compatriots well. She had managed to confuse them by leading them into a warehouse and then fading upwards, into the rafters, and watching them as they moved between the endless rows of packed boxes waiting to be shipped. One had wandered too close to a perfectly sized metal crate—perfect because it was large enough to cause damage, but just light enough that Shane could force it off its resting spot, down onto the wolf below. She had disappeared up into the ceiling again as the other wolves came to respond to their mate's cries of pain. Three left, but three of the strongest, Shane reminded herself. The wolves had let out a hunt call, chilling her as it echoed off the walls and ceiling. They split up again, rushing around to the periphery of the warehouse. Shane considered her options: they could run farther and faster than she could. Leading them too far would tire her more than it would them. She would have to confront one of them now before taking off again. She chose her target, letting the animal pace up and down the row of shipments beneath her until it had worked it's way into a good ambush spot. She dropped silently to the floor behind the wolf, waiting till he caught her scent as she approached from behind. In a flash he turned, snarling at her. He lunged, she dodged easily striking him on the side of his torso with the pipe she still carried with her. The animal howled in pain and anger but he kept coming, again and again. She kept out maneuvering him, waiting for his offensive, using his strength, his power to do most of the work for her. He handed only glancing blows as she moved away from him. She landed another decisive blow the fourth time he charged her. His howls had alerted the other two. They were coming. She had to move fast. Expecting his movements, she waited for him to leap, readying herself to smash the pipe into his head as he flew towards her. But she misjudged his movement. This time he didn't leap at her but slipped underneath her attack, going for her body instead of her head. She didn't have time to react before he'd opened that gash along her side. She had righted herself faster than she had ever moved, so as he turned back on her in triumph she was ready for him. Before the look of victory faded from his eyes, she lodged the pipe in his skull. The other two were fast approaching. As she fled upwards once more she encouraged the flesh in her side to heal faster, hoping it would be enough. Now the wolves would follow her scent much more easily. The last stand was going to happen on the roof it seemed. Night had fallen but floodlights on neighboring buildings sent strange shadows across the roof. Shane chose her position wisely-she would only get one shot at getting one of them off the side. She crouched next to a mess of pipes, close enough to the edge to serve her purpose, but not so close she couldn't maneuver. In an instant the two wolves had burst through the door of the stairs, growling and furious. They sniffed the air, sensing her blood hanging in the thick evening humidity. The one that caught her sent first got cocky, or maybe just so enraged he couldn't see her trap. He launched himself at her hiding spot. Shane gritted her teeth, watching the enormous animal come barreling at her. She waited until the last possible moment as the creature's two front paws left the ground, almost reaching out to her, she dropped both hands to the ground, her body twisting from underneath her, and in one smooth motion brought both her legs up and under the wolf as he sailed through the empty air above her. Her feet hit home, directly in his chest, knocking the wind out of him. It gave him the extra push so that when he landed on the edge of the roof, there was no way to pull himself back. With a final yelp the wolf plummeted. One left. But he had her already, crushing her beneath him as his teeth sunk into her flesh, his claws raking her back. Shane panicked, feeling the intense weight above her, the deep shuddering pain of his mouth. She tried to struggle out from under him but it was useless against his size. She landed blows on its huge body but nothing could make the creature move as it forced her down towards the tar roof. One massive paw found her back and pressed hard, she felt her ribs creak with the weight above her. She'd let him get too close. Shane reached inside herself, into the energy she knew she had somewhere. She had felt it today, she had felt the sun, and she would not die under this dog. Battle for Blood Ch. 06 She relaxed, allowing the wolf to feel her give underneath his huge body. The creature loosened its grip on her throat oh so slightly. With strength she had never tapped before, Shane jerked violently in the animal's grip, its jaws raking more damage as she pulled her flesh away from its clutches. The creature tried to stun her with a heavy blow to her torso, but she twisted, moving to face the creature. In the same motion she brought her elbow against the thing's throat sending it choking and sputtering back. Shane scrambled out from beneath her attacker. There was no time. She couldn't allow the creature another chance. It would have to be close quarters. She flung herself with deadly intent at the hybrid wolf in front of her. Ignoring the creature clawed hands raking her face and the side of her head, she smashed both fists into the same spot, crushing the creature's windpipe. The stunned wolf backed away a few paces, a horrific gurgling sound coming from its throat. Shane watched in horror as the creature began to shrink, stumbling backwards. The fur seemed to roll off its body; its face shortened, human features reappeared. A girl emerged from the fearsome form, grasping her throat. Her eyes were wide as she stared at Shane, still sputtering blood from her ruined throat. And then the sound stopped; her body hit the floor with a thud. Shane had gathered herself enough not to leave a trail back to the safe house, but coming down from this fight was dragging her strength. What she wouldn't give to just close her eyes and forget trying to diminish the pain, just let oblivion come and deal with the mess if she ever woke up. But she set her teeth again. Just a bit more. The puncture wounds in her neck began to close and she pushed the filth from them with shear will, unable to focus on a more delicate process. She went to her face, patching her ear and cheek back together. The welts would wait till she woke up. For now just enough to make sure she stayed healed instead of letting the damage wreak havoc on her body while she slept. She felt her blood turn thicker as more of it clotted in her wounds. She had to move faster. Her skin was mostly closed now save some scrapes on her hands and arms she couldn't bring herself to care about. She stripped off her mangled clothing, dropping it in a bloody pile on the floor. She turned on the water and let the heat from the shower sooth her muscles. Two cracked ribs, a broken wrist and a bone bruise on her clavicle slowly began mending themselves as she stood under the water, letting the blood and muck run from her skin. The floor ran red and black, her blood twisting its way towards the drain. She stumbled from the shower as the water ran clear. Her shoulder was torn; the big muscle in her thigh was also. She barely managed to push them towards healing, choosing instead to dampen the nerves as she made her way into the kitchen, achingly wrapping a towel around her beaten body. She had to get something in her before she passed out. All this healing was going to mean depleting her energy stores. As weary as she was she forced down a protein drink Cole had bought during her withdrawal. The sugar helped her make it to the bed; the protein would help rebuild her muscles. With what seemed like monumental effort, Shane dragged one of Coles t-shirts over her head. She climbed onto the bed, collapsing as she neared the pillows. And then it was all black. *** Cole was fidgeting mentally through the meeting. Something had been nagging at him all evening. It couldn't be Elise, he was not terribly concerned with the outcome of Adriana's downfall. It was convenient for sure, and sweet revenge for what that woman had done to Shane but all in all, there wasn't much she could do to him. There were, as they say, bigger fish to fry. Landsman and the intelligence officers of the council had finished a full briefing to the Night's Guards and Cole on the situation with the wolves. The leaders were holed up in a former military weapons testing outpost in the middle of the sun scorched desert. They were planning not only an all out war come midsummer, but also some sort of ritual sacrifice that had to do with the prophecy. The council had no answers as to why the wolves had the prophecy that should have been in the box retrieved from Ze'ev's home nor did they know who the vampire was who was helping the wolves, though they were sure there was one. There was a mystical aspect to this war that everyone seemed to be ignoring. There was more intelligence on where the wolves were than what their plans were so everyone stayed focused on that. Olrun his captains were talking tactics for infiltrating the messy looking floor plans spread out on the table. Innis and some of the others were speaking about wolf hunting techniques and other such useful things for a war. Cole could not, or would not, care enough at this moment to try and add anything to these conversations. He was no tactical mastermind and he found that shooting wolves was the best way to get rid of them. Why was he so on edge? Something inside him was troubled. He stared out the window, letting the sounds behind him fade into a low buzz of voices. "Penny for your thoughts." Einar's silky voice came up next to Cole. So much for him being able to keep things under wraps. "If I knew I'd consider it." Cole tried to smile at his friend. "Something's not right, that's all." Einar nodded. The man was smaller than Cole but he moved with a kind of grace that spoke of deadly possibilities. When he and Cole had first met, Einar was an assassin for hire, the best there was, until someone sent him after the wrong target and he returned a vampire. Cole looked at the man's pale face. Einar was also Norse origin but he was smaller and darker than Olrun, his dangerous look offset only by the mischievous smirk on his face and the tiniest glint in his light eyes. "Silver net got your tongue?" Einar quipped. Cole flinched mentally, careful not to let Einar know the thought still pained him. "So you heard," Cole said, still not looking at the small smile he knew was curled in the edge of Einar's mouth. "Everyone has heard, oh most ancient one. No one puts a vampire your age in a hole for that long without it making it into the headlines." "How lovely for everyone," Cole continued looking out the window, hoping Einar might get the idea. He had no desire to hear what idle gossip had been spread while he rotted, starving and alone in a hole for three years. Einar moved next to Cole, mimicking his folded arms and gazing out the window as well. "You shouldn't let it hurt your pride though. No one knows how they found the spells for those nets or how they managed to pull them off. Created quite a tizzy in the archives." "I'm sure some young vampire will get a dissertation out of it someday," Cole said, still unable to find the humor in it. He wanted to smile and self deprecate but he couldn't focus on what Einar was saying really. His mind kept slipping back to Shane. Now, instead of her smile he saw her pain. The image of her convulsing from withdrawal kept sticking in his head. Pull yourself together, he ordered. With that, he shoved the thoughts of her from his mind and turning back to Einar who had just started to speak again. "Doubtful. In attempts to figure out how to recover you we came up with nearly nothing on the type of weapons they were using. A few mentions here or there but nothing substantial. It seemed unlikely, even if we were to reach you, that a vampire would have been able to set you free." Cole finally smiled at the smaller man, clapping him on the shoulder. The topic was getting dangerously close to Shane and Cole needed to keep it far away. "Let's not worry too much about what has been done. I appreciate the sentiment but I know how deep the divide runs between the new world and the old. I can't believe you are here even now." Einar smiled back. "Olrun didn't take the council's advice. It seems he's itching for a fight after a few centuries on his farm." Cole looked at the gigantic man bent over the never-ending floor plans. He had heard the old Viking had a sheep farm but he had always found it hard to believe. "He may have told them, in so many words, that they were a rotten lot with no loyalty or purpose and it would be best if they saved him the trouble and staked themselves before he returned." Cole arched an eyebrow. Einar nodded, becoming more serious. "He's taking this threat seriously. His maker survived the last one. I think it left an impression." Cole nodded, the council in Europe probably had it coming, but for Olrun to call the Night Guards without sanction was unprecedented to say the least. "It has made this a different fight," he said finally. Einar smirked again. "I think we're all looking forward to it." Just then an aid came through the door. Cole heard the sound of scurrying feet and looked over to see the man whispering hurriedly to Landsman. The head of the council looked a bit pale at the news he was receiving. Cole checked the time. It was almost certainly Ricardo. Elise had been due in his rooms only 20 minutes before. Landsman excused himself from the room and followed to man out. There was an accord, an understanding, that vampires should not harm each other where the council gathered. It had never really held. You couldn't stop a duel or a good scheme every time. Cole grimaced mentally, making sure his face didn't betray his thoughts; he now had the dubious honor of being one of those schemers who undercut the integrity of the supposedly sacred council. For the greater good, he supposed. It didn't hurt that it would give Elise the revenge she desperately wanted without compromising her situation. Cole knew with all of the mess of war that the council would not want to tarry on a seemingly straightforward assassination. The process would be over and done with quickly and everyone could move on. Well, everyone but Adriana. Cole turned back to the window. Something else was still troubling him, something more personal than this, frankly well deserved, murder. "Sometimes it's best to let your mind go where it may in these situations." Einar spoke again, having noticed Cole's face frown once more. "Pushing things away doesn't always work. You can't run from everything. Though you know that better than most now." Apparently Einar could still read his old friend rather well. Cole sighed. Maybe Einar was right. He closed his eyes, letting the sounds of the room fade out. His mind opened, moving across the space between him and those nearest. Older vampires' minds would be closed to him by and large but he could still feel Einar's excitement at the prospect of a good fight. Olrun's focus was piercing in the room. Beyond the walls, people scurried around. Elise, it seemed, had cause quite the commotion. Cole followed the anxious waves coming from those present in the room. He slipped into the head of one of the human aids, who was standing at the door to Ricardo's room. The place was a mess. Elise was hysterical in the corner, two people were holding her down and a third was administering a sedative. Her reaction would help solidify her innocence as a pawn in this game. Ricardo's body was stretched out on the floor, twisted and still. Blood pooled underneath him as the poison had opened his orifices. Cole had given Elise one of the most powerful vampire poisons, laced with silver, in order to assure that even if she couldn't completely inject it there would be enough to kill him anyway. It seems Cole shouldn't have been worried. The girl had done everything perfectly. Several security personnel were standing over the body, gesturing to the scene in front of them. The human Cole was inhabiting couldn't hear them clearly. Landsman shoved past the aid's body, blowing into the room. He moved to speak with the others over Ricardo. Something was still pulling him away. He would have liked to stay, hear what was taking place and what the expected motive theories were, but this was not the root of his anxiety. Something called to him from far away. He slipped out of the aid and continued to let his mind flow freely over the surrounding complex. Cole felt at once very large, being able to see so much and feel so many at once. But there was a terrifying loss of self. As his consciousness reached outwards, the boundaries of his own body seemed less well defined. He had to focus, move towards that pit in his chest somehow; to see what it was in the outside world that mirrored the feelings inside him so he could match the two up. He let himself leave the house, past the other buildings that made up the larger complex. He felt himself pulled back to the road, retracing the path he had followed only a few days before. He reached the edge of where he could push his mind. He could feel the road ahead but he couldn't follow it down. What was it? What was back there? Cole's eye snapped open. Shane. Of course. What an idiot. She wasn't popping into his head because he was some lovesick teenager. Something had happened. His anxiety was her anxiety. Some strange connection between them was pulling him back towards her. He had been shutting it out all night. He cursed himself under his breath. "I take it you found it?" Einar said, trying to sound disinterested. He was leaning against the window frame in front of Cole, watching the older vampire's face very carefully. "I did," Cole said. He had to leave. He had maybe three hours till dawn. The drive was at least 5. He'd have to get creative. "I have to leave." Cole turned to Einar. "I need to leave now." Einar nodded "I'll tell them. Don't be long though." "I'll be back tomorrow." *** The sky was brightening over Boston when Cole's car screeched to a halt at the edge of the stockyard he had once called home. Lights flashed against the rooftops of several buildings. Police were everywhere. His heart caught in his chest. This close he could feel Shane, but there was something blocking him from her mind. Something wasn't right. Cole looked up at the sky. He'd have to make this fast. Cole slid from the car, using his speed so that he would appear as only a blur to anyone looking in his direction, he made off towards his safe house. He slowed as he approached, realizing he could hear two human heartbeats inside. They were on the second floor—the police had found the evidence of his stay. In a flash, Cole was up the stairs and standing at the doorway, looking in at two uniformed officers who were inspecting the room with flashlights. "Good evening, officers," Cole said, reaching with his power into their minds, stilling the hands that had instinctually gone for their guns. He took their fear and excitement at the intrusion and formed it into a calm, pleasant feeling with his will. Their bodies relaxed, they both turned towards him, lowering the flashlights. "May I ask what you are doing here?" "Four bodies found a few buildings over. Checking the scene to see if the killer left any traces. Came across this room. About to call it in," the older one spoke in a brassy accent. The younger one nodded, his face smooth and smiling. "That won't be necessary," Cole said, imposing his will on the command. He began shifting through the men's memories of the room, blotting them out. "Whose bodies did they find?" "No IDs, they were all naked. The pattern of disposal seems very strange. At least one of them fell to their death. One was crushed under a storage container, another with a pipe in his head. Looks like each one might be the result of a fight. No idea if they fought each other or someone else. Still canvassing the area." The officer continued, "The last girl's windpipe was crushed, she choked in her own blood. Pretty rough fight if you ask me." Cole rushed into the man's mind, forcing himself into the memory, desperate to see the face of the girl he was speaking about. It wasn't Shane, it couldn't be. In the officer's mind he could see the vaguest outline of a young girl's body crumpled on the rooftop. Not close enough. Cole felt panicked. It couldn't be Shane. He could still feel her. He threw open his mind, trying once again to feel for Shane's presence. There she was, underneath his feet. But she was still closed to him. "Gentlemen, return to your work, you thoroughly canvassed this area and found nothing of interest. Should anyone else discover this room you will inform them it is a room used by some of the dockworkers as a gym of sorts. There is nothing else to find here." With that Cole released their minds and watched as the filed past him, down the stairs and out of the building. He rushed down the stairs and over to the far wall, practically throwing the shelves that stood in front of the entrance to the safe house across the room. He barely managed to cover the entrance again so no other prying eyes would find them. He followed the small stairwell down into the hidden basement, opening the door into the room. There she was. His breath caught in his throat. She was lying on the bed, sleeping in one of his t-shirts. Her hair was spread out across the pillows in tumbling chestnut curls. She was all right. He could hear her breathing, her heartbeat; she was alive. Her heartbeat though, it was slow—too slow, too weak. Cole rushed to the bed. As he neared the injuries on her body became clearer. Bruised spread over her arms and legs. He could see hastily repaired gouges in her cheek. Her ear looked like it had been chewed on. He sat next to her on the bed. "Shane!" He called out, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her slightly. He needed a sign of life. "Shane, are you there?" Her body remained impassive. He picked her limp body up and hugged it to his chest. Any moment she would respond, he'd feel her fingers in his hair again, a kiss against his neck. But she remained dead weight, her head falling back and away from him. He lowered her to the bed again. Fucking wolves! They had found his safe house and attacked her. She looked like she had been through a blender. And he had left her here, all to go back and politic and connive at the council. What an idiot he was. How could he have thought she was safe? How could he have forced her to stay here? Hadn't the wolves already shown they knew enough about him? He couldn't figure out that they would find this place too. He cursed himself in every language he knew. Pull it together. Help her now you idiot. Don't sit there feeling bad about yourself. Cole drew in a breath. He took his hands, cupping her cheeks and trying to steady himself. He opened his mind to hers, trying to feel some sign of her. The slowness of her body scared him. She didn't seem to be inhabiting her own thoughts. His consciousness seemed to fill the places she should have been. He couldn't find her. Panic welled inside him. Shane! He screamed into the darkness. So softly he might have missed it he felt a tiny stirring somewhere deep in the recesses of her mind. He ran after it, tracking it to the farthest corner he could reach. There she was, curled up, silent and impassive. Shane? He called to her again. In his mind he could feel her consciousness stir ever so slightly. To him it felt as though she was shaking off some deep dreamless sleep. Her mind sighed ever so quietly, turning away from him again. Shane! Say something. Come back, Cole called to her again. All that came back to him was a thick feeling of exhaustion, like an undertow, pulling him after her. Her thoughts reached out to him, present but weak. Sleep, she whispered back at him. Cole pulled himself from her mind then, struggling slightly as their connection seemed to draw him into her slumber. His body was filled with bone aching weariness what she had somehow conveyed to him. He understood; she needed time to heal. The depth of her unconsciousness was frightening but she would recover. He found his way back to his body, still leaning over her. He struggled to keep his eyes open. Battle for Blood Ch. 06 Morning had come above them and Cole pulled off his jacket and shoes. He cursed himself continuously as he settled onto the bed next to her. Even through the pull of sleep he could feel his anger rising up inside himself. She should not have been left here. And he should not be here again, lying next to her bruised and beaten body. His inability to help her, yet again, gnawed at him. He pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her and tucking her head under his chin, her back pressed against his chest. He wouldn't let her go again. He couldn't keep her safe if he kept leaving her behind. The physical contact was too much for him though, as he nuzzled her hair he felt another wave of fatigue overcome him and he slept. Night had long since fallen when Cole finally woke up. They hadn't moved, their two bodies still resting against each other. He shook his head to clear the cobwebs and reached out to her with his power. She was back; her mind was filled with her consciousness once more and he could feel her breaking through the last bits of sleep herself. He shifted onto his elbow, shifting his support away from her body, until her back lay against the mattress. He slid his hand into her hair at the base of her head, his thumb caressing her cheek softly. "Shane?" he said softly. He desperately wanted her to open her eyes. "Shane, can you hear me?" He felt her move beneath him, the outer sign of life made his breath catch. Cole was so intent on her face he didn't see her hands move until he felt them against his chest. Her hands came up to his cheeks, pulling him towards her. He kissed her softly, still trying to get her eyes to open. She pulled him closer, deepening their kiss. Her hands slid into his hair, her fingers tangling in his black waves. She kissed him slowly, as if in a dream. Her tongue slid against his in light, soft caresses. Her mouth was sweet to him, welcoming and warm. He felt this wholeness again; the uneasiness that had plagued him righted itself as she pulled him into her. She ended the kiss, sighing, her eyes still closed. "Shane?" he left a trail of light kisses across her forehead, down to her ear, finally her neck, delighting in the soft noises coming from her throat. "Shane, it's time to wake up." She whimpered a bit "But then you'll be gone," she sighed. Hearing her voice again made his heart leap. He hadn't fully realized how concerned he was until relief washed over him. He kissed her neck again, rubbing the tip of his nose against the soft skin behind her ear. "Have you been dreaming of me, love?" He kissed her again; she responded more urgently, her fingers twining in his hair. "Every moment," she said, trying to pull his body back to hers. "I won't leave again, Shane," he said, meaning it with every fragment of his being. "I promise." He continued to stroke his thumb across her cheek, noticing for the first time that the thick scratches he had seen before falling asleep had faded to barely visible strips of slightly shiny skin. Her ear was also completely intact; he ran his fingers along the hard shell, feeling for scars and finding none. Slowly, almost hesitantly, Shane opened her eyes. They locked on his face and a smile stretched across her lips. "You came back," she breathed, sounding almost surprised. "Of course I came back—" he didn't get to finish the sentence. She pulled him back to her, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her kisses were hungry and desperate. Cole began to feel his own desire rise as her hands traveled down his back, pulling his shirt up to reveal his bare skin. He became acutely aware that she was wearing only a large t-shirt as her legs wrapped around him, allowing the garment to slide up. He shifted above her, pulling her body against his more firmly, kissing her more deeply. He let her hands roam over his body. She still seemed still a bit incredulous that he was a tangible presence above her. He slipped his own hand across one of her thighs, wandering slowly towards her naked bottom. She moaned as he cupped her ass, pulling her hips closer to his. His hands continued drifting upwards along her back, reveling in the movements of her muscles as she arched towards his hand. His fingers brushed a warm, raised welt on her side. Shane flinched, drawing in a painful gasp. Her body pulled away from his hand. Cole felt guilt squirm in his chest again. He lifted her shirt to reveal a large gash that was still raw and healing. The bruises along her ribs and legs were healing fast but he could still see the evidence of a vicious fight. He leaned away from her, sitting up. "What happened?" he asked, trying to keep the anger out of his voice. Rage welled up in him again. He wanted to kill those that had done this. Shane wound her leg around him, trying to pull him towards her. "Wolves came looking for you. I'm fine. I took care of it." She smiled at him, trying to get him to come back, to finish what they had started. The feeling of her smooth leg against his bare skin almost distracted him. "How many?" "Five." Her hands reached under the lower edge of his shirt, running across his stomach and chest. "You took on five wolves, unarmed?" he wasn't mad at her but her nonchalant tone bothered him. This was serious. She could have been killed. "I had a pipe." She said, trying to capture him in a kiss again. Cole pulled away, moving off the bed. He stood, feeling his anger rise again as he saw new injuries he hadn't noticed. He took a few steps back and crossed his arms. "You took on five wolves, unarmed except for a pipe." He repeated, slowly, fighting to keep his tone controlled. Shane propped herself up on her elbows. "I'm okay. Really." She said, still in a light tone that made Cole want to rip his hair out. "You weren't okay when I got here yesterday. I thought you were, at best, comatose. You were completely unresponsive. You look like you'd been beaten with a club." He said, a bit louder than he had intended, gesturing at her body. Shane turned her eyes back to her body. She sat up, pulling the t-shirt down over her hips again. She then brought her hands to her face, feeling her cheek and ear as Cole had just done moments before. A smile crept across her lips. She seemed as surprised as he had been that her injuries were fading. She closed her eyes, he felt her gaze turn internally as she checked herself for lingering damage. As he watched, bruises faded from her skin, scratches closed without so much as a mark. Her knuckles, which moments before were still red with new skin and scabs, were completely intact after only a moment. She opened her eyes and gave him a dazzling smile. "All better," she said with a laugh that ran through him. "Really, I checked, I'm fine. I healed while I was sleeping, I swear." The lightness in her voice still bothered him but her smile melted his frustration just a bit. "Shane, you were not fine." "But I'm fine now." "That's not the point." "What is the point?" She said, teasing him. Didn't she get that he had been frantic? That he had thought she was lost to him, again? Didn't she know how serious her situation had been? He wanted to shake her, to get her to understand that she had to take this seriously. "Shane, this is serious. You shouldn't have taken them on. You could have been killed." She arched an eyebrow at him. "Firstly, I didn't have a choice to take them on. They were between the safe house and me. I couldn't very well run with nowhere to go, not to mention they are faster. And, finally, I managed to take them all out, so don't patronize me." Her voice was clipped. He could feel her hurt pride. He could not, would not accept her as a viable fighter. Couldn't she see how vulnerable she was? How mortal she was? Cole shook his head, more at himself than at her. It was his fault for leaving her. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm just impressed with how often you seem to get hurt." Shane gave him a sly smile. "If I remember, your personal brand of pain relief was very effective." She climbed off the bed, moving towards him with easy graceful movements that sent a thrill of excitement through him. She was such a mix of dichotomies—so sweet and soft but strong and dangerous all the same. Shane wound her arms around his waist, pulling him against her. She raised herself up, standing on the balls of her feet so she could kiss him again. "I could really use another dose." She whispered against his neck as she nuzzled the underside of his jaw. He felt his anger melt away. All that mattered was the feeling of her hands pulling his shirt from his body, her lips against the skin of his neck, the feeling of her warm body so close to his again. Cole bent down, capturing her lips again and kissing her hungrily. Shane smiled in the kiss, letting his tongue slip into her mouth. She paused just long enough to pull his shirt over his head and throw it on the ground before returning to his lips. She had missed them so much; they had always been just out of reach in her dreams. Here he was, finally back with her. She couldn't take the time to talk now. She wanted to tell him everything that had happened while he was gone, but that all seemed less important than feeling him against her. Their tongues danced against each other. She thrilled at the taste of him again. She pulled herself against his chest, but it seemed to her like no contact would suffice. His hands slid tentatively at first and then more assuredly over her skin, sending chills down her spine. The pain of the fight had long since left her. All she wanted was to feel his touch. He broke the kiss, bending her ever so slightly backwards so he could capture her neck, leaving a trail of hot kisses along her skin, over her collar bone to the opposite ear. She moaned softly, running her fingers against the back of his neck and reveling in the feeling if his arms holding her up. "Did you miss me too?" she asked as he nipped her ear. His hand cupped the back of her neck, pulling her back to his mouth in a desperate kiss that was all the answer she needed. She felt dizzy suddenly, realizing that she was lying on the bed. He had moved them with his speed to the bed, so fast she hadn't even felt her feet leave the floor. His hands continued to roam over her body, finding the bottom edge of the t-shirt she wore and pushing it over her hips again. Shane reached between them to undo his belt. His hands seem to dwarf her ribcage as he slid his hands up her side, his thumb just brushing the underside of her breast. She undid his pants, reaching in to free his aching cock. He moaned into her mouth as her hand wrapped around him, stroking the soft skin from tip to base. His thumb slid softly against her breast, a maddeningly light touch across her nipple. She arched her back, pushing her breast into his hand harder, as she quickened her pace. He continued his lazy meanderings across her tight nipple, twisting around the erect bud with his finger. She whimpered, desperate for more. The pressure she remembered from the last time had started to build in her chest. Cole continued his feather light touch across her breast, enjoying the feeling of her skin puckering beneath his fingers. He was still wary under his passion, aware that she had been in a fight not long ago. He desperately wanted to take his time with her but her insistence was trying his control. She was still too clothed. Cole pulled the t-shirt off her body, removing her hands from his cock in the process. He took a moment to admire her form stretched out on the bed before him. Her chest rose and fell with her breath, tiny droplets of perspiration lingered on her skin, and her eyes glowed in the low light of the room. She slid her hands up his stomach and across his chest, smoothing over his shoulders and pulling him back to her. She was impatient and hungry. Cole chuckled into her kiss. "Did you want something?" He said as he reached between her legs, sliding his finger gently against her wet folds. Her gasp made his heart jump. He felt her hands clutch his shoulders a bit harder. He continued to stroke her softly, barely touching her most sensitive place. She writhed beneath him, her skin flushed, her eyes clouded with desire. "Please," she gasped, grabbing his wrist. "Please what?" he said, placing just the tiniest amount of pressure on her clit, enjoying how her body arched towards his hand, how her eyes gazed up at him. He lowered his head to her breast again, taking her nipple in his mouth and mirroring the soft touch of his hand with his tongue. She whimpered again. "Please Cole," she breathed, her voice husky. "I need more." "More what?" Cole asked, continuing his gentle torture. Maybe he was enjoying teasing her a bit too much. He began kissing her stomach, her sides, down her hips to where her thighs met. Her breath was coming faster now; he felt her hands slip into his hair, holding his head, trying to get some semblance of control. None of that, he thought. With his other hand he grabbed her wrists, pinning them above her head, his face smiling down at hers now. His hand stayed, ever present, between her legs, stroking her glistening flesh. He nipped at her ear again. "What do you need, love?" "You," she gasped again, her body hummed with energy. "Please Cole, please. I need you." "And so you shall have me," he grinned wickedly at her, "as soon as I'm done with you." He moved again between her legs, lowering his mouth to her sex. She smelled amazing. She tasted better. He began in earnest, giving up the gentle caresses and giving her the friction and contact she wanted. Shane thought she was going to go crazy if he kept taking his time with her. She had missed him. She wanted to feel him completely again, to be tangled up in one quivering mess together. But he kept this barrier up, constantly in control. She registered this feeling in the back of her mind. Her present was too focused on whatever he was doing between her legs. Electricity ran up her spine, making her arch again, thrusting her hips towards him. He grabbed her bottom for leverage and continued licking her folds, massaging her clit with his tongue. She felt the tension coil inside her. A small part of her wanted to clamp down on the feeling, to regain some of the upper hand, but he was too good. He sensed how close she was, upping his pace and pressure just enough to keep her focused on him and only him. He slipped two fingers inside her. She called out, unable to hold back, the pressure inside her reached a peak and came pouring through her veins. To him she was an open book, wanton and hungry. He pushed her now, watching as the waves of pleasure came crashing through her body. The muscles in her walls clamped down on his fingers, her legs tensed around him. The sweet taste of her climax was on his tongue. She was his again. Cole moved up her body again, kissing her soft stomach and her breasts, reveling in the sounds of her heartbeat and her breath. She brought her hands to his face, pulling him towards her for another breathless kiss. Her hands found their way down his body, pushing his pants off his hips. He moved out of them, finally as naked as she was. He lay down on top of her, pressing their bodies together. He kissed her again, this time solidly, no longer teasing. He eased his cock against her wet opening, feeling the heat of her desire as she wrapped her legs around him. He moved slowly, not to tease, but to savor. His eyes remained locked on hers as he entered her. She held his gaze, her face open to him—she held nothing back. He slid into her till their hips pressed against each other and he could move no deeper. "I won't leave you again, Shane." He said, rocking against her. She lifted her head of the bed, coming to meet him for a kiss instead of pulling him towards her. The softness of her lips, the genuine affection behind her kiss stoked his desire. He began to move faster, feeling her walls clench around him. She made small, tempting sounds in her throat, calling him to continue. Her arms wrapped around him. He could feel her satisfaction radiating into his thoughts. He could feel his own sense of belonging to her mirrored back from her mind. She was his, as much as he was hers. The connection of their minds and bodies pushed him further. He began moving inside her in earnest, his passion rising. She moaned; her fingers dug into his back, her legs pulling him in as her hips moved to meet his. The fullness she felt when he was inside her echoed the wholeness she felt when he wrapped his arms around her. It was all too much, she felt a current of ecstasy move through her again, heat pooling where their bodies met. He pushed her further, faster and she gasped, trying to hold onto the power building up inside her. Cole felt the edge of his own climax as she neared hers. He thrust into her harder, pulling her body towards his so he was buried inside of her each time he pushed forward. She clutched his shoulders, pulling away from their kiss with a gasp. Her orgasm shuddered through her body, his following hard on its heels. They lay there, breathless and tangled up in each other. Cole settled above her, smoothing her matted hair away from her face. He kissed her eyelids, the tip of her nose, her chin until she giggled at his assault. He'd never tire of that sound. He buried his nose in the crook of her neck. The smell of her hair, her skin filled his mind. The beating of her heart, the pulsing of blood in her neck made his mouth water and his fangs descend. He pulled back on his hunger, caging the beast before he could ruin the moment. Cole pulled out of Shane, moving to her side and bringing her with him so they lay facing each other. "I missed you." She said, burying her nose in his chest hair and drawing a chuckle from him. She had wanted to say something else, something more, but she held back. She didn't know why. "I missed you too." He wrapped his arms around her, feeling whole again with her in his arms. They lay there, intertwined and euphoric, their breathing finding a common rhythm. Shane wanted to stay that way forever, to forget all the bruises and politics of the outside world, the wolves who would surely return, and the vampires that had thrown her into this fight. If she could stay there with Cole, just the two of them, it felt like things would be all right, nothing to come and tear them apart. The events of the day before drifted back to her, reminding her of all that had changed since he had gone. "I felt the sun yesterday." ** I can only hope it was worth the wait. I'll keep writing if you keep reading.. Battle for Blood Ch. 07 So this section started to get really long. I decided to cut it in half while I finish it up because it was just taking too long to get to a more natural break in the story. I've thought for some time I need an editor. One of the biggest time sucks with this story is endless re-readings looking for typos and grammatical errors and every time I find a new one. It's driving me nuts. So if anyone out there is interested, let me know. As always I welcome comments, requests, criticisms, really any and all types of feedback. I know a lot of people have read this story but I'm eager to hear if I can make it better. I can't workshop this with other med students after all. Thanks for reading! ***** "I felt the sun yesterday" Cole's hand, which had been drifting lazily over her back stopped at her words. Shane suddenly saw the world from the bottom of the pit where he had been held captive. She saw the small beams of sunlight making their way down towards her, terror in her throat as the burn of a new day came. Cole shook his head, jerking the memory away. Her heart caught when she realized that was his memory, not hers. She had somehow shared in it, if only for a moment. "Are you alright?" Cole's voice was tight with concern. He shifted back, so they lay on their sides facing each other once more. She felt guilty, realizing he assumed, as she had, that she would suffer as he did under the glare of the sun. Somehow she now had to tell him that what brought him terror actually filled her with life. She pushed away the feeling. "I'm fine." She found herself saying that too often. "It was strange. I thought it would hurt, I thought it might kill me. But it didn't. It felt like nothing I had ever experienced." She tried not to make eye contact as she poured out her story, her terror at being trapped and the amazement at finding that she was not only unhurt but actually enhanced. She described the feeling of sensing more, being able to hear farther and better. "I think it might be closer to what you feel like all the time," she finished with a rush of breath. She hadn't realized how fast she had been talking. Cole rolled onto his back, gazing up with an unreadable expression on his face. He was quiet for a long moment. Shane tried not to squirm as the silence stretched out. "Is that why you fought the wolves?" Cole asked finally, "Because you felt stronger?" "I fought them because I had no choice. I survived because I was stronger." Was she really going to have to explain him that she didn't just leap into battle because she was looking for a thrill? "Because you were outside and they got between you and the safe house." He wasn't trying to scold her but he needed to hear her admit she had had some hand in the danger she found herself in. She had to understand so he could keep her safe. "I was outside because I was going insane down here." Shane snapped. She felt her frustration was rising in her throat. She was hurt. This was not how she imagined he would spin this news. Was he going to keep treating her like a child? She sat up in bed, pulling her knees up to her chest with the tangled sheet so she could cover herself. Her back was to him now, long waves of her hair falling down her bare skin. Cole itched to run his fingers through it but something held him back. He watched her back rise and fall as she took a deep breath. "You didn't tell me the withdrawal was more than just the physical pain. I had to leave to keep myself from thinking about how much I wanted more." The hurt grew, radiating towards him. "And I didn't know if—when—you were coming back. For all I knew you weren't." "Shane—" Cole began. He slid his hand against the skin of her back, finally running his fingers against the silky strands of her hair. He moved to sit up next to her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her towards him. "Of course I was coming back." Her eyes were bright as she continued to stare at the far wall. "You wouldn't be the first person who said that to me." Cole had nothing to say in response. He had left her, still weak and recovering. He had done it for her safety, but he had left her behind nonetheless. He stupidly hadn't considered the possibility of his safe house being compromised. He had also underestimated the complex nature of the situation back at the council. How was he going to do this now? He couldn't bring her there. It was too dangerous. He could never leave her again. Could he abandon the council to its war? They had the Night's guard now. Did they really need him? Perhaps he should just disappear again, take Shane away from all the fighting—keep her safe. "I know that's not fair," Shane said quietly. "I know you came back for me so my doubts were unwarranted, but it doesn't change the fact that it was a valid fear yesterday." She frowned. "Was it yesterday?" Cole hugged her closer. "Nearly two days ago." Shane blinked. "How long did I sleep?" "You fought the wolves Wednesday evening. I arrived Thursday morning. It's Friday early morning now." Shane shuddered. "I guess I was more banged up than I thought." She paused, considering something. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have acted like it was no big deal." Cole felt a sudden relief; he pulled her into his lap, holding her tightly against him. He would never tire of the feeling of her warm body against his. Shane wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in further. He buried her face in the crook of her neck, breathing in her scent, making sure she was real yet again. He felt the life pulsing in her neck, the smell of her blood still so human, and yet there was some undertone, some dangerous edge that spoke to her true nature, her unique duality. Cole realized something. He pulled out of their embrace. Still holding her loosely around her middle, he moved to look into her eyes again. They were as he remembered them, large green irises laced with iridescent threads—a mix of her human and vampire side. "I think I understand the sun," he said quietly. He placed a light kiss on her lips, unable to resist this close before he continued. He struggled to figure out where to start. "How much do you know about werewolves?" She looked surprised. "What does that have to do with it? I'm not a werewolf." "Bear with me," Cole said. Shane nodded, sliding off his lap to sit facing him. She gathered the sheets around her again, assuming her seat with her knees at her chest. "Vampires and humans don't have a dual nature. We are first human, then vampire. There is no going back. Wolves do, they can be both human and wolf. While made wolves and wild wolves have different tendencies, they all shift forms at some point. Those who embrace both sides of their existence live longer, becoming more powerful. Some have lived for centuries, maybe longer. "You also have two sides. While you eat as a human you have been living like a vampire, assuming you have the same weaknesses we do. But in fact, by entering the sunlight, you have begun embracing your human side. In doing so you may be tapping into the same type of phenomenon as the wolves." Shane's eyes dropped, her face blank as she considered his theory. He could see her considering past memories, checking to see if everything fit. Her eyes grew wide suddenly. "Did the doctor give me human blood at Greta's?" Cole frowned, nodding. He hadn't considered it, but it was possible that she could also feed from humans, or at least benefit from the effects of their blood. She had recovered after the blood transfusion but it didn't have any obvious, dramatic effect on her. Shane shuddered. "Does this mean I should be drinking blood?" Cole felt his chest tighten at her obvious despair at the thought. "I wouldn't go that far," Cole reassured her. "Vampires drink blood because we need it to function, the same way food works for humans. I didn't see any dramatic difference, certainly nothing similar to what you describe with the sun." The relief in her face was obvious but something was still bothering her. "Shane? Are you alright?" He tucked her hair behind her ear. She tried to smile. "I guess I just can't help but feel like a freak sometimes." Cole leaned over, kissing her softly but solidly. "You are not a freak," he said. "Maybe a little mad sometimes, but definitely not a freak." Shane laughed at that. "I'm starving," she said getting off the bed. "I guess I underestimated that too." She grabbed the discarded t-shirt off the floor. Cole watched with a twinge of disappointment as her naked body disappeared under the large garment, her long legs still tantalizingly bare. She took another shake from the fridge and leaned against the sink, taking long gulps. Cole sighed and got out of bed, pulling his pants back on. He also went to the fridge, removing one of the blood bags and took a post next to her, draining the bag with hungry efficiency. "So what now?" Shane asked. Cole slumped a little. He also had a lot to tell her. This was going to take a while, and he said so. Shane started making herself something more substantial to eat while he began telling her about the council. At several points he thought to hold back information, or at least try and lessen the impact of the news that Adriana had pointedly betrayed her. Not that it was news, but confirmation is always difficult. In the end he told her everything. It was easier than feeling like he was hiding something. "How did you know something was wrong?" Shane asked when he had finished explaining why he had come back to Boston. Cole shook his head. They were sitting across from each other at the table now. Shane having finished her food sat with her dish in front of her. Three empty blood bags rested on his side of the table. "I'm not sure. I felt something was wrong all night. I wrote it off to the business with Elise and Adriana but it wasn't sitting right. I tried to feel for it, to figure out why I had this uneasiness, and I came back to you. Somehow I could feel it." Shane looked at him "It seems the connection goes both ways. I felt your memory of the sun before." Cole looked at her surprised. They both considered this for a moment. Shane smiled at him. "Well this should be fun." She got up and went to the shelves where their clothes lay and began to get dressed. "What should be fun?" Cole asked, already knowing the answer but dreading the reality all the same. "Going back to the council with you." Shane said, still not facing him as she pulled on her jeans. "I wonder how they will take the news that I didn't meet the untimely end they had planned for me." She regretted saying it as she felt a wave of his guilt settle over her. She turned back to him. "It's not your fault." Cole looked back at her. "That doesn't change anything." He rose and joined her, reaching for a shirt. "But I guess now we've confirmed the connection between us does exists." He stepped back, pulling on the shirt and taking a seat at the edge of the bed. "Any way I can convince you not to go back?" he knew the answer to this as well but he had to at least try. Shane pulled off Cole's large t-shirt and reached for her last remaining sports bra, yanking it over her head. "No," she said, not facing him. Suddenly she turned back to him, anger radiating from her. "Of course we have to go back. Elise is about to get called up in front of the entire vampire council and she's facing Adriana. You don't think she's terrified? You promised her you would get her out and I happen to be the only person who can fill in the missing piece for the council. How else are they going to figure out what Ricardo knew? You can't tell them without them figuring out your hand in the matter. Without me this plan of yours doesn't work. Elise will at best be trapped in the council, in limbo, until someone decides it's just easier to kill her." "They might be able to work it out. I left a trail for them to follow," Cole offered weakly. "In her brain," Shane said flatly. Cole sighed and put his head in his hands. The knowledge that he had responsibilities that he now, for the first time ever, had to live up to, was not an easy pill to swallow—especially since it meant putting Shane front and center of the council's attention again. He knew he had to go back, to fight again next to the Night's Guard, to free Elise as he had promised. He also knew he couldn't part from Shane again and that their fates were intertwined as much as they were. He would have to bring her back but he swore under his breath he would keep her from harm. "You're right," he said finally. "But there will be ground rules." "Don't start patronizing me again," Shane sighed, frustrated at his protectiveness again. "It's not like that. We need a strategy. This is not going to be easy." Cole got up, putting his shoes back on. "We've got to start moving. We only have a few hours till dawn." He gave Shane's attire a sideway glance. "Pack your stuff and pray my car makes it back to New York State." He noticed she shoved her surviving clothes into the bag, leaving behind most of the under garments he had bought for her. He also moved to pack a few more things, taking a black lace bra from the shelf and holding it out to Shane. "Ever worn one of these?" She scrunched her nose at the bra before taking it front him. "No, they just looked so silly." She considered the hooks in the back, "and itchy." Cole laughed at that. "You might be surprised. And I have to disagree. They most certainly don't look silly." Shane caught his tone and looked up into his face. She could see the hungry look in his eye. Could she be so desired? She looked back at the bra in her hands. It had wires in it. Shane's lips twitched to the side and she gave Cole a mischievous look. "Guess it can't hurt." She turned her back, pulling her sports bra over her head. She could feel his eyes on her back as she moved to put on the lace. For a moment she paused, hoping he might step towards her but then she continued, interlocking the hooks and pulling the straps over her shoulders. It felt strange. Instead of being crushed towards her chest, her breasts were held up and off of her torso. The fabric only covered half of her breasts, which were pushed slightly towards her midline giving her the unfamiliar sensation of the two almost touching. "I don't think it fits right." She said, turning back towards him while still looking down at her newly prominent bust. "Is this what—" the words died on her lips as she looked up at his face. She suddenly found it hard to breathe. He stepped towards her until they were barely a breath apart from each other. His fingertips ran across the tops of her breasts. He gazed down at her with a lustful look in his eyes. "I think it fits fine," he said, his voice low and promising. Shane bit her lip as his fingers continued their slow path along her skin, over the thin lace to where her nipples stood, puckered and sensitive from his touch. His fingers skimmed the edge of the lace with deliberate slowness. Her breath hitched in her throat. She leaned up to kiss him but suddenly he was gone, stepping back from her. Cole tried to reign himself in. Watching her change, the innocent act of trying lingerie for the first time, had peaked his interest but he hadn't been prepared for her to turn back to him, more of a woman than he could have imagined. He had to stop. Now was not the time. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have started that. We don't have time now." Shane stood there, her heart beating out of her chest, an unspoken need gnawing at her. Cole swore and closed the distance again, pulling her into him and kissing her hard. Cole plundered her mouth, dancing across her tongue, tasting her sweetness. Shane threw her arms around his shoulders followed by her legs around his waist as he lifted her up. She deepened the kiss, moaning as her tongue ran past his teeth, scraping the sharp edge. When Cole tasted her blood on his tongue, a shock ran through him. Something inside him wanted out, wanted to feed on her till it was satisfied. Cole tore his mouth away from hers. He looked into her eyes, wondering if she had felt that. Shane slid back to her feet. "You're right. We've got less than two hours before sunrise," she said with no small amount of disappointment. Cole gave her a smile, shaking off the hunger he had felt before. "Maybe you should pack the rest." "Yes sir," Shane said, stepping out of his arms. He felt her happiness bubble up inside him pushing back his anxieties of the coming days. As she turned away from him he couldn't resist reaching out and smacking her butt as she walked away. "Don't forget the underwear." ***** Ashlyn lay face down in Raoul's bed. He held her still again, forcing her to take him the way he wanted. Right now that meant a relentless pace that didn't seem to end. She shuddered again, feeling panic as her struggles failed to overcome his resistance. The fear drove her higher; she pushed her hips back at him, eager and disgusted with herself all the same. Her arousal was tied to his punishment of her body. She needed more. She tried to move again, pushing herself up on her arms to gain leverage. Raoul was not having it. He grabbed her wrists, pulling her hands behind her back and pushing her into the bed again harder. One of his massive hands remained against her back, firmly around her wrists, holding her body into the mattress with punishing weight. His pace never faltered. Ashlyn could feel her body tighten, the helplessness of her position stirring her onwards. Suddenly, over the creaking of the bed, their combined groans and grunts, and the sound of flesh on flesh, came the piercing sound of Raoul's phone on the side table. Ashlyn cursed as she lost focus. It rang again. She felt him slow his pace above her. "Don't you dare," she snarled at him. He didn't even bother acknowledging her much less giving her a response. In one smooth motion her grabbed her around her middle and rolled over onto his back, taking her with him, her back pressed against his chest, his cock firmly lodged in place. Her legs were spread lewdly wide, hooked over his knees, exposing her to the room. "Raoul—" she started before his hand clamped down on her mouth, cutting her off. He picked up the phone. "What?" he said. He began to move again, pistoning into her. She could see his enormous flesh disappearing inside of her. She tried to struggle out of his grasp. Even this was too far for her. She wouldn't be treated like some second thought. He tightened his grip on her mouth, forcing her head against the solid wall of his chest. Her hands flew to his in a pathetic attempt to remove it. His hand covered both her nose and mouth and soon she found herself desperate for air. Raoul, for his part, kept up his pace and his phone call. Humiliation at her position built in her stomach like some sort of drug. It was at once horrible and intoxicating. She started riding him at he continued to impale her. She vaguely heard him saying he'd be right there before hanging up. He didn't release her mouth though. "Looks like we have to finish up here," he growled into her ear. "Come for me again, vampire." Ashlyn tried and failed to shake her head under his punishing grip on her face but he felt her resistance as she tensed above him. His other hand traveled down her body and between her widely spread legs. He found her clit and pinched it sharply, causing her hips to buck against his unyielding cock. She struggled through the sensations he was intent on drawing out of her but she knew she was losing the battle for control. He began circling her clit with his fingers, changing the pressure as he went, driving her higher. "You don't have a choice, Ashlyn, though your resistance is impressive considering you've been panting like a dog the entire time this one has been in you." Battle for Blood Ch. 07 Ashlyn arched her back, her hands clawed at the hand over her mouth. She wanted out of there. She wanted at least to say something. To fight back with words but even that was denied to her. In an instant the heat in her sex became overwhelming. She had no control, her body was completely his to do with as he pleased. The moment she this thought entered her mind, her pussy clamped down on his cock, her body went rigid with pleasure as she shattered above him. "That's it." His voice was strained with his own approaching climax, his voice sending shivers of humiliation down her back. Ashlyn came again as he rode her harder, splitting her in two. He let out a long groan and she felt him finish inside her. For the briefest moment he held them there against each other. Ashlyn's head still swam. She hadn't breathed in minutes and her sex was still contracting against his softening member. Then, unceremoniously, Raoul pushed her off of him and got up from bed, grabbing the discarded clothing on the floor as he went. Ashlyn took a moment to catch her breath before glaring at him. She didn't even have the words to express how much she hated him. Raoul looked over his shoulder as he pulled on his pants. "Don't be mad pet. You love being used. I'm just giving you what you want." He moved back towards the bed, now fully clothed and leaned over her. She wanted to pull further into the mattress but there was nowhere to go. He came very close to her, taking a deep breath through his nose at the crook of her neck. His mouth latched on to the skin, warm and sensual. Ashlyn found herself responding to his gentleness before she snapped her head away. Raoul stood up again with a sigh. "Get up, you'll want to hear this." Ashlyn moved off the bed, collecting her clothing as she went. Morning was fast approaching and she could feel herself growing weary but she wasn't going to wait to hear it from him in another month or two, or whenever he got around to filling her in. When she had finished she nodded at him and moved towards the door. He opened it and stepped back allowing her to move out first. He took her by the waist from behind, leading her down the dark tunnels back to the room she had first found him in when she arrived earlier in the evening. The others were already there, listening intently to a speakerphone in the middle of the desk. Duke paced behind the table, the crone and her granddaughter sat in their seats, leaning towards the desk. Ashlyn recognized Jasper's voice on the other end. There was news from back east. "He's here," Duke said as his eyes fell on Raoul's enormous form following Ashlyn into the room. "And the vampire?" Jasper's voice crackled through the phone. "I'm here," Ashlyn said, still hating being called that. "What's happened?" She could feel Jasper sigh at her tone. He dealt with her fury as a parent would a child's tantrum. She hated him for it but she also needed him. He was the only one who fully understood what had happened to her. After all, he had been the one to find her after she was turned. "As you all know we sent scouts to Boston to try and find this mystery creature who freed the ancient, two from the remaining Huron group and three from the base in the Adirondacks. They tracked her to a stock yard." He paused. "Only one of them came back. We may be dealing with something greater than we thought. He's in bad shape. It seems she threw him off a building and he got lucky and landed on something before the ground. He managed to find help without being detected but he's not doing great." Silence filled the room for a moment as the dust settled in the corners. "Where is he now?" Duke asked, still pacing. "He's in New York with us now. We've set him up in the house, hired a doctor and all that. Josh was made so he's healing as a human." "Did he say anything else about the girl?" The crone rasped. "He didn't say much. He also hasn't woken up since he got here. The doctor doesn't know if he will." Jasper paused. "Those that found him said he kept saying 'she isn't human' over and over. He managed to get out the briefest account of what happened before he passed out and hasn't opened his eyes since. We have the police report from Boston. She killed three made wolves and Josh's mate without so much as firing a shot. This girl, or whatever she is, is a lot more powerful than we thought." Raoul looked at the crone. "Is this it? Is she what we need?" The crone pursed her lips in that infuriating expression that Ashlyn hated. She nodded slowly. "How can you possibly know that?" Ashlyn burst in. There was an uncomfortable feeling settling inside of her. The addition to their world of some previously unknown supernatural being made her feel off balance. This was supposed to be a simple revenge, help the wolves destroy the vampires for what they had done to her and end this miserable existence she had woken up in. Now there was some human-like girl they were going to sacrifice? The crone's eyes snapped to hers. "I have seen the prophecy in its entirety. I have understood the origins of our people and how are fates are tied to the vampires. I believe I know a great deal more than you can possibly imagine." The power of her words began to sink into Ashlyn like a cold trickle in her mind. She gaped at the woman. "You know what we are?" No one knew. Or at least no one was supposed to know. Hadn't the ancient vampire she had met, told her even he didn't know? "I have a good idea," the woman admitted. "But I know that our prophecy is not the only one that exists. The vampires lost theirs when we killed the original's progeny. Ours is tied to theirs and the language there is not as ambiguous: 'One of both bloods' not two beings of each blood, but one being of two bloods. This girl is alive and yet vampire. She is of both bloods. She is our sacrifice." "We don't know where she is now," Jasper's voice sounded tight. He was still in pain at the memory of his betrayal. Ze'ev had died at his hands and Ashlyn knew he would never forgive himself. "Then we will find her," Raoul's voice came from behind Ashlyn. "Looks like it is time for us to head back east." He nodded at everyone in the room. "Pack your bags. We leave as soon as we can." Duke, the crone and her granddaughter filed past them and out of the room. Jasper cracked through the phone again, "See you soon." And he was gone with a click. Ashlyn held still for a long moment. Raoul seemed equally lost in thought as he came around her and sat heavily in the chair behind the desk. Her mind reeled. They had uncovered the origins of the weres? Of the vampires? How could they? Did the vampires know this? Did they know what this creature was? How was she connected to the ancient vampire warrior they had captured? There were too many questions. She looked up at Raoul. "You knew?" Ashlyn whispered "She overstated," Raoul said, not looking at the woman in front of him. "When you and Jasper came to us with the ancient one's knowledge we knew that he was in possession of the original texts. Once Jasper got us inside we took most of what we found, not understanding it all. Methra was the only one who could make any sense of any of it. She doesn't have to tools the vampires do so she can't decipher all of it but I believe her when she says this girl is the sacrifice we need." "Do the vampires know about this prophecy? Jasper said that Ze'ev was the only one who knew about the weres destroying the vampires." Ashlyn swayed slightly. The sun had risen outside and she felt her energy draining away. Raoul shook his head. "They don't know, which is why we had been so successful in keeping our movement a secret." His voice became harsh suddenly. "Obviously they know something if they tried to get in touch about negotiations but they probably just assume we are the same pack of wolves who tried this a thousand years ago." Ashlyn sank into a chair, her legs wobbly. Her exhausted mind turned over the events in her head. She tried to make some sense of it but everything seemed too jumbled for her to sort through it without some sleep. Raoul looked up at her pale face and swore. "I forgot it was dawn," he said, getting up and coming over to her. That was almost an apology, she thought somewhere in the thick fog of exhaustion taking up her conscious thought. He scooped up her tiny body in his arms, cradling her against his chest. She was too weak to argue with him and she let herself be carried back to his room and laid out on his bed. "Don't leave me here," Ashyln managed to say as her eyes flickered closed. Raoul chuckled at her. "I wouldn't dream of it, Ashlyn. Just go to sleep before you pass out." It occurred to her, as sleep came crashing into her brain, that she couldn't remember the last time she had heard her names on his lips. *** Shane was folded up in the passenger seat as Cole's car rocketed away from the sunrise behind them. She tried to avoid looking too uncomfortable at their speed but day was fast approaching behind them and she could feel his anxiety rising. "Just let me drive!" She said again. Not sure if he could hear her. "We're almost there," he said through gritted teeth. His foot pushed harder on the already floored gas pedal. "How close?" Shane asked, turning and glancing at the brightening sky behind the car. "Twenty minutes at this speed." Cole said, eyes not leaving the road. "We won't make it," Shane said firmly as she watched specks of the sun appear between the blur of trees. "Please let me drive, Cole. Just let me help." She put her hand on his forearm, willing him to let go. For a moment it seemed like he was going to ignore her, keep driving. All at once She saw the lines of his face change, his arm softened under her fingertips. He took his foot off the gas and brought them to a screeching halt in the middle of the empty road. He gave her a pained look and in a flash he was lying on the floor of the back. He reached into a flap she hadn't noticed under the seats and pulled a thick black shield out from its resting place under the back seats. She could see it could fold down and over him so he would be completely covered but he left it open. "Well don't just sit there," he said, trying to smile. Shane could feel his fear; the memory of the sun's burn seemed so close she would fall into it again. She scrambled into the driver's seat and took off again. They rode in silence except for Cole's directions when they reached crossroads. The council was well hidden in the back woods of upstate New York and Shane would have had no idea how to get there. Finally she turned onto the last of the many dirt roads they passed and she saw an enormous security wall. "I think we're here." Shane said. "I know," Cole's voice sounded out from behind her. "Pull up and put your hands out. They will recognize my car but not you. They may come armed." Shane nodded and moved forward, slowing the car a respectable distance from the gate and putting her hands forward and above the wheel so that anyone looking could see her outstretched fingers. Six human heard beats sounded out from all sides as the guards closed in, their guns drawn and pointed at her. "Open the door and step out," one of them called out to her. Shane moved slowly and deliberately so as not to ruffle any trigger-happy fingers and she stepped out the vehicle, arms raised. "Where did you get the ancient one's car?" The same guard spoke again. "From him," Shane said, still not moving. "He's in the back. We tried to make it before sunrise but we got caught up." When no one moved for a moment she added "I need to get him inside." The guard that had spoken nodded at a second guard who went to check the car. Shane heard Cole snap at the man to let them pass. Her mouth twitched in a smile. He sounded pissed. "It's alright. He's in the back. Let them through," the second guard said fast. Cole could make an impression. The rest of them lowered their guns and Shane lowered her hands, still slowly though. You never know. "Alright, take the left and they're waiting for you at the underground garage," The first one said and nodded at the car. Shane got back in and closed the door. Cole remained quiet in the back. "Are you sulking?" Shane asked as the gate rolled opened and she started the car again. He snorted. "Hardly, but I can think of less humiliating things than hiding in the backseat of my car from a little sunlight." "Like having seizures in an ice bath?" Shane offered. He couldn't just accept her help could he? He had to feel bad about needing it too. She could sympathize with the emotion but she had long put that aside when it came to him. Why couldn't he do the same for her? "Or maybe being carried to the bathroom for three days because you couldn't walk. Or—" "I get it. Point taken." Cole cut her off. He sighed, "You're right, of course. No one ever said vampires weren't infantile sometimes." Shane took the left the guard had spoken about. She had never seen the outside of the council. When they had brought her here she had been hooded in the back of a van. They had thrown her into a basement and she had seen nearly nothing for a year besides her bed and the practice room where Adriana had trained her. A lump formed in her throat. How was she going to face these people? What was she going to say to the woman who had trained her, had been her only company for so long, and then betrayed her? Anger boiled inside her, but also hurt. She didn't know how she was going to react. Cole's hand reached out from behind her and gave her hip a brief squeeze before disappearing back into the darkness. At least she wouldn't be alone. She rounded the last bend and the building came into view at last. "Oh glory," Shane breathed. The structure was massive, an intricately beautiful mansion with large, imposing windows looking out on expansive grounds. The front entrance had pillars so large it would take three people to circle it with their arms outstretched. There were towers and spiraling staircases that lead up to them. The center of the house was dominated by an impressive dome that shone black in the morning sun. Shane had never seen a house that looked like this. "Don't you start too," Cole groaned from the back seat. "It looks like a castle," Shane replied. "That's what they were going for: intimidate and impress I suppose." Shane could hear the distain in his voice but she couldn't help herself. "Job well done." She laughed and made her way to the underground garage that gaped as the road sloped down, still a ways from the main structure. Before they went in Shane saw that the mansion was flanked by several other buildings. She could have been kept in any of them. The thought sent a chill down her spine. She knew so little. Cole sat up with a grunt as the door closed behind them. "Head to the far end. We'll go in from the back." Shane complied, passing endless rows of vehicles of all kinds. She saw everything from ATVs to Bentleys. They even passed what looked suspiciously like military trucks, complete with mounted machine guns. Shane shook her head. She was beginning to think Cole had been right to warn them away from here. There was a creeping feeling that had taken root in her lower spine and she was not looking forward to what was to come. They reached the end of the garage, and large metal doors stood in front of them. Shane pulled the car to a stop as Cole climbed into the seat next to her. She took a deep breath and looked at him. He looked back. "Ready?" he said. "Not really," she said honestly. "But you'd be pretty uncomfortable in the back if we made a break for Mexico." Cole laughed; his hand brushed hers lightly. She smiled back at him. Once they went in through those doors they had agreed to keep their relationship a secret. There would be no caresses, no kisses, no looks. Shane squared her shoulders. "No time like the present," she said. As she did, the great metal doors in front of them rolled open. There were more humans behind them. Shane and Cole got out of the car. Shane went to grab the bags from the trunk while Cole went to speak to the attendants. "Can I help you with that?" One of the humans appeared at Shane's elbow. "Um, no, I got it." She said, lifting the shoulder strap on. Did he have to stand so close? "Really I can help," he offered again, reaching for the bags. Shane pulled away at his movements. She gave him a look. He backed off. "Shane, give him the bags, let's go," Cole barked from the doorway. Shane sighed and handed the bags to the human, watching as he stumbled with the weight that hadn't given her any trouble. She fidgeted inwardly. She followed Cole and one of the attendants through endless hallways, elevators and more hallways. The house seemed to blur into itself. The windowless walls kept out more than just light, they seemed to block out time. Shane felt Cole's nervousness as they approached their destination. She tried to bottle up what she felt, tried to block out Cole's distress from clouding her performance. She felt his emotions recede but with them a wave of nausea settled in. She saw him stiffen, as if he had felt the wall she put up too. He gave her a quick glance over his shoulder. She gave him a stiff nod, willing him to understand why she had pushed him out of her head. He returned it. "Many of them are done for the night," the attendant was saying to Cole. "There are just a few left in the conference room." The man gestured to the doors at the end of the hall and allowed the pair to pass him. Cole didn't give him a glance. Shane turned and mouthed a quick 'thank you.' That seemed to surprise the man. Guess vampires don't thank people often, she thought with a shrug. They neared the door, and Cole turned to her one last time, the tiniest twinkle in his eye. Then he leaned forward, opening the door and stepping into the great room. Shane took a beat and followed him. Cole turned his back to her again as they entered. Her presence loomed large in his mind but he could no longer feel her nerves amplifying his own. She had been right, of course, to close him out, but it left a throbbing in his head where she should have been. Most of the Night's Guard had retired and only Landsman and Medea remained from the council and they were currently involved in a heated conversation with a raven-haired vampire whose back was to Cole. Cole assumed his stance, arms crossed, shoulders squared, and waited. Landsman's eyes fell on him and Cole watched them slide over his shoulder to where Shane was standing. His eyes widened and snapped back to Cole's. The others around him also turned to see what had diverted his attention so completely. Landsman and Medea both looked paler than usual but Olrun and his captains gave Cole a puzzled look. A hush filled the room. Shane, much to Cole's relief, was not fidgeting under the glare of these rather intimidating vampires. Out of the corner of his eye, Cole saw the tell tale movements of Einar, moving himself out of the shadows. Cole felt more than saw the look of intense interest Einar was giving Shane. He willed himself away from the protective surge he felt. He had made up his mind, he would present their connection as nothing more than a debt to be paid. He could not appear possessive. "Good to see you back ancient one," Olrun started, still unsure why Landsman and Medea looked as though they saw a ghost. The vampire who had her back to them turned; Cole recognized her instantly. She was painfully beautiful. Her coloring spoke to her origins deep in Central Asia, her skin was dusty and deep but her eyes sung out, clear and green against her dark complexion. Cole saw she was still wearing her usual uniform of black, covering every possible inch of skin except for her face and fingers. Iris had emerged from the libraries. Battle for Blood Ch. 07 "I was called away unexpectedly," Cole said, his voice sounding harder than it needed to be. He was glaring at Landsman and Medea. "And whom have you returned with?" Olrun asked. He didn't want to be territorial but the war room was no place for a human. Cole's lips twisted into a wry smile. He looked at Landsman. "Would you like to tell him?" Cole asked. Once again he watched the tired, grim look overtake Landsman's features. The council head slouched slightly, another mannerism that spoke of youth and yet he managed to look all of his 800 years. "We need some privacy," Landsman sighed. "That's it for today," he said loudly to the rest of the room's occupants. "We will meet back here in the evening." A murmur went through the room at the sudden change in atmosphere. More than a few sideways glances were shot at Shane. When they had left only Olrun, Medea, Iris and Landsman remained with Cole and Shane still holding their position on the far end of the large table. Landsman slumped into his chair at the head of the table. Iris looked confused and Olrun looked like he was losing his patience. Medea, for her part, was still hovering behind Landsman as if trying to shield herself from something. "Can someone explain what is going on?" Olrun was definitely losing patience. Landsman made no move to speak so Cole broke the silence. "This is Shane. She is the one who extracted me from the prison the wolves had built in the woods. She is also the only known offspring of a vampire and a human." At his words Iris's eyes went wide and flew to Shane. She had clearly known about Shane's existence but had never actually seen her. Olrun gave Cole a hard look. "You are joking of course." "I am not," Cole responded. "He's not," Iris breathed. Her voice was low and soft, caught in a permanent whisper that spoke of some damage to her throat. The sound was almost inhuman enough to give Shane a chill. She started coming towards Cole and Shane, her eyes still wide with curiosity. Shane did not like the look the beautiful vampire was giving her. She could almost see the woman itching to put her under a microscope. Those clear, piercing eyes were looking at her as though she was not a person but an object that required study. Shane registered the woman's elegant face, her high cheekbones and her strong nose that would have looked strange on anyone else, but not this woman. She was breathtaking. But Shane also saw the scars creeping out from under her high black collar the covered her neck. She snuck a glance at the woman's fingers, which were the only other visible skin to see the same purple scars marring her brown skin. The vampire was still coming towards her, eyes intent on her face and yet not truly looking at her. Shane gave her a look that she hoped was withering. It took a moment for the vampire to register it and she stopped her approach, though not her stare. "The reason the council members look as though they have seen a ghost," Cole continued, "is because they sent her on a suicide mission when they ordered her to collect me, or rather, to die at my hands." Olrun looked aghast. "What?" was all he could muster. "I'm assuming from your reaction that this was not a matter the discussed with the council in the old world. No matter, what was done is done. Shane survived them, and me and now the wolves. She requested I not make her survival known to the council but it appears that, despite my best efforts, she is no longer safe from the wolves the plague us. My debt will be repaid to her once we have solved this menace and she will be free of our kind." He hoped his voice held the right notes of detachment and intent. The room certainly seemed to buy it. Olrun looked at Shane dumbfounded. Cole had never seen a Viking look so confused. Landsman gave Cole a tired look. "We were desperate," he began, and stopped realizing the futility in trying to justify himself to the girl he had sent to her death. Medea, however, didn't see it that way. "He's right," she snapped. "We were. There was no one from the old world to help us, as they were buried in the archives talking about silver net recipes from ancient times. The wolves were gaining strength and this girl could barely fight off Adriana, much less champion the fight against their army. You were our only option. As unstable and impulsive as your existence is, you are the only one who has fought for us in every major conflict we've had against the wolves." Shane gave the old woman the same withering look but didn't respond. She had thought it would be harder to face these people who seemed intent on justifying sending her to her death. She had thought her righteous anger would be directed at these sad, tired looking vampires. Instead she felt nothing but a twinge of annoyance. Let them justify it to themselves. She didn't need to forgive them anything. "Adriana is the one who suggested it," Medea continued, pushing off the blame. "She was in charge of the girl from the beginning. If you have a problem with what she did then take it up with her." "I did not come here to put you on trial. Shane also does not expect justice. She is here now only so that I can keep her safe until we have destroyed the wolves." Cole cast a glance over the mess on the tables. "Which I had hoped would be soon. Though from the looks of things, not much has changed since I was here last night." Olrun snapped out of his reverie. This was a topic he was more comfortable with. "We are at an impasse. The wolves seem to have used the same type of defenses on this compound to keep out vampires as they did on your prison. Landsman's scouts have garnered all the information they can but we may not be able to penetrate the compound at all." "Which leaves engaging them on open ground," Cole finished the thought. "That would be suicide if the wolves are truly there in those numbers." Olrun nodded. So they were no closer to an answer of how to deal with the wolves. Cole looked back at Landsman who was refusing the meet his eyes. Medea had faded away from the table, seemingly trying to disappear. Iris alone stood near them, here eyes still fixed on Shane. "She got past the defenses," Iris said quietly. Landsman looked up, frowning and then looked over at Shane. Fury exploded in Cole's chest as he saw the plan fall into place in the council chief's mind. They were going to ask her to fight for them? Impossible. Even they didn't have the gall to ask her that. He was about to let his anger boil over, expose them to the rage he felt on Shane's behalf when the sound of Shane's clear laughter rang out from over his left shoulder. Cole turned to look at her. She was beautiful, her eyes dancing wickedly from Iris to Landsman and Medea. The smile on her face was wry but genuine, her laughter short but the incredulity behind it was real. "You got a lot of nerve, lady," Shane said. Cole looked at Iris, who didn't seem to care about Shane's obvious distaste for her. "Do you drink blood?" Iris asked. Cole recognized the look on her face. Iris was in full-fledged research mode. Shane had caught her attention the same way an ancient scroll might have and Iris was known to have an unwavering focus when it came to her work. "This is not an interview," Shane snapped at her. "I'm not here to have you prod me, woman. Stop looking at me like I'm a piece of meat." Iris's eyes flew back to Shane's face, and for the first time Shane felt like she was actually making eye contact. "Sorry," the woman breathed again in that soft whisper of a voice. She opened her mouth again and closed it, choosing against saying whatever had been on her lips. Cole was impressed despite himself. He had never seen Iris be deterred so quickly; he could see her considering Shane with different eyes now. "You admitted the wolves were a threat to her," Olrun said, clearly picking up on the plan taking form in their minds. "If she can get us in, then we are still in this fight." "He's not wrong," Landsman offered. "We are hopelessly out of options." Shane laughed again, this time it rang false, full of anger. "You want me to fight for you after you killed my father, threw my in a hole for a year, drugged me into oblivion and then sent me to my death? You vampires must have grown some real balls in your lifetime." Cole couldn't help but notice that she hadn't yet denied them their request. A sinking feeling began in his chest. He had to keep her out of this fight. Landsman sat up in his seat. "What do you mean 'drugged me into oblivion'?" Cole had missed it. Shane was better at this than he had realized. "I mean," Shane replied, her voice icy as she stepped closer to the table, coming up next to Cole, "that you forced me to drink vampire blood for the better part of a year so you could pump me up and send me out like some sort of meal delivery. I guess you never thought I'd live to see withdrawal but I guess I have that to thank you for too." Landsman's frown deepened. "We never agreed to give you vampire blood." "So just to die then," Shane snapped back at him. "Aren't you splitting hairs here?" But Landsman had stopped listening to her. Cole could see the wheels turning in his head. Landsman suddenly slammed a fist into the table. "Fucking Adriana," he cursed. He threw a furious look at Medea. "This is why she got rid of Ricardo. Those are the holes in the human's memory. Ricardo knew about the blood. Adriana was covering her tracks." "What are you talking about?" Cole said, deadpan. Landsman gave him a look. "Before you mysteriously disappeared yesterday a murder was committed by one of Adriana's attendants. Her mind had been pretty terrifically wiped and we couldn't understand why. It seems Adriana, possibly worried because of your return, was trying to cover her tracks and arranged the human to kill him." Cole let the silence stretch out after he was done, giving the impression he was thinking over what Landsman had said. "That seems like a terribly foolish thing to do on her part." "No one ever accused Adriana of being a tactical genius," Medea snapped from her position further and further from the others. "Did he smoke?" Shane asked suddenly. Cole tried not to stiffen. What was she asking? "Did who smoke?" Landsman still couldn't look at her. "Ricardo." "Yes." "Cloves?" "Yes." Shane nodded slightly. Landsman waited for her to say something. Cole also held his breath, trying to understand what she was getting at. She didn't seem in a rush to enlighten them. "Why?" Landsman asked finally. Shane shrugged. "It was his blood," she said simply. Cole ground his teeth together. She hadn't mentioned this before. She must have just realized it. He felt a twinge of panic and reached out to her. She let her block slip a little and sent him a reassuring feeling that helped bring his focus back to the room. Landsman began muttering to himself in what Cole could only assume was his native tongue, some strange southern Spanish dialect, long forgotten. Iris looked like she was bursting with questions, but she managed to keep her mouth closed. Olrun was exasperated. "Can we stop focusing on political murders of vampires and get back to this war? If what they say is true and this girl is capable of overcoming the defenses then we need to figure out how to proceed." Cole pushed back his anger. He did not want to see Shane fight but he certainly couldn't come out with it without seeming too protective. He was also very aware that she must be uncomfortable with the fact that they had not actually spoken directly to her about this but rather only addressed Cole. "I'm afraid I can't help you," Cole said. "Shane is not in this fight and I can't change that." Olrun looked over at Shane. "Well then? Are you willing to fight?" Cole was impressed once again with Shane's ability to withstand Olrun's intimidating presence. She gave the Viking a hard, appraising look. "Fuck you," she said finally. Relief washed over Cole. He could keep her out of it. He hoped. Olrun turned to Cole. "Can't you do something about this?" Cole knew the man was not used to dealing with humans or females. He was out of his depth and he knew it. Cole simply shook his head. There was a long pause. No one quite knew where to go from here. "I'll consider it," Shane said. Cole felt as if someone had poured freezing water over his head. It took every bit of his control not to lose it. He turned stiffly towards her. "That is not wise," He said in a low voice. "It looks like it's the only option," she replied, her voice equally low. She managed to raise her eyes to his for a second, both of them painfully aware of the scrutiny they were under by the others. Olrun let out a relieved sigh. "You have no idea how right you are." Cole could have killed them all where they stood. His fury was rising, pouring through his veins. He would not put her in harm's way again. Shane's eyes widened as she felt the power ripple off of him. She had underestimated his response to her decision. "Don't get too cocky just yet," Shane said to Olrun. "I haven't said yes." Cole struggled to retain control. He needed to get out of this room. He needed to get her alone and talk some sense into her before any more damage was done. "No, she hasn't," his voice was more threatening than he would have liked it to be but he was barely holding onto his power as it stands. "How can it possibly be that there is no other way in?" Olrun tossed a thick report at Cole. "That's everything they could discover about the compound. We also have the blueprints of the place but that wont help at all unless we can get past their shields. See for yourself. If you can find another way, then by all means. I don't relish the idea of taking a mortal to war." Cole took the report without looking at it. "We will take the day." Landsman looked relieved. It seemed the promise of any kind of hope meant more than Cole had anticipated. "I'll arrange for Shane's rooms," he said, moving towards the phone at his right. "I'll be staying with Cole," she said firmly. Cole gave her a sideways look. He tried to trust her not to give them away. Landsman raised his eyebrows at her. She continued, "I'm not fool enough to think that you won't take measures to convince me otherwise if you don't like my answer. Hell if I'll be caught in one of your holes again." "Very well. I'll order another bed brought it," Landsman said patiently, as if trying to soothe her into forgetting that they were perfectly willing to do just that. "Unless you don't need it." Shane gave him a sneer that even Cole believed. "Don't add pervert to the long list of stellar attributes you already seem intent on accumulating." Cole was impressed despite himself. If he didn't know better it would seem that Shane had little interest in him beyond his protection. With that he turned to leave the room, Shane following behind him. Iris caught up to them at the end of the hall, "May I please come to call early this evening after you've rested? I need to speak with you both." Cole looked at Shane, who shrugged. He nodded at Iris and quickly guided Shane back to his rooms, closing the outer door firmly behind him and drawing her away from any prying ears. "Are you insane?" he hissed, trying to keep his voice low. "What are you thinking? You can't go up against an army of werewolves single handedly." Shane gave him a patient look. "It looks like there aren't many other options. How are you supposed to end this war if I don't help? And if you don't how are we ever going to be really safe?" "That is not the issue. We will find another way. I'll find another way." Cole fumed. He was not going to let her do this. Shane felt her temper rising and opened her mouth to snap at him when a knock sounded at the door. Cole stomped over and let in the attendants who brought in a smaller bed, dumped it in the corner of the sitting room and fled. Cole's anger rippled around him making the air waver. Shane turned her back to him, letting her emotions settle down. She wanted to tell him to stop patronizing her, and telling her what to do but that wasn't the source of all this turmoil inside her. She dug further, trying to examine why she felt this need to do this, to do what she could. She didn't owe anyone anything. She didn't need to protect these vampires. She had come back to help Elise and so she had. Maybe Cole had been right about running, making a break for the hills. But he had also told her about how strong this movement was, how much they had to lose if they didn't stop them. She felt her heart twist at the thought. She couldn't lose him. She turned back to him, facing his rage and lowering the shield she had put up between them. She felt his pain and panic, his anger and frustration like a tide pool, swirling around her. In return she tried to convey to him her heartbreak at the thought of losing him. Cole looked into her eyes, his violent emotions began to pull back from her. He swore and closed the distance between them, wrapping her in his arms and holding her against his chest. She buried her face in his chest, reaching her arms around him and holding there for a moment. "I can't lose you," she said into his shirt. "You won't," he said back. "You can't promise that. What happens if you go out there without being able to get past their security? You even said it would be suicide. Then what would happen to me?" Shane pulled back and looked him squarely in the eyes. She took a deep breath. Part of her warred with what she was about to say, not wanting to open up that far, to let him see how deep her anguish went. But now was not the time to hold back. "You are the only thing I have in this world. If anything were to happen to you there would be nothing left. Don't keep me from fighting. You have to let me help." Cole held her gaze. She felt the same heartbreaking thought run through his body. "And if something happens to you? How am I supposed to keep on living?" Shane ran her fingers through his hair. "You can't just choose a new person to become? One without me?" Shane said it before she realized how painful the answer might be. Cole's eyes bore into hers. She could feel the truth pulse through his chest to hers when he said, "No, never again." For a moment they held there, clasped in each other's arms like two condemned souls searching for some last bit of salvation in each other's eyes. "You'll just have to come up with a really good plan," Shane said finally. Cole sighed, bringing his lips to her forehead. "Get some sleep okay?" Shane nodded and made her way to the smaller bed that now stood at the far end of the sitting room. "What about you?" she yawned as she stripped to her t-shirt and crawled into bed. "I don't need nearly as much sleep as I've been getting thanks to you," he said, making his way to the couches where the reports lay, waiting for him. "Besides, no time like the present and all that." He paused, listening as she snuggled into the bed and her breathing slowed down. He tried not to look too long at her peaceful face; it would do her no good if he gave in and went to join her. *** Thanks for reading! Again, comments and criticisms welcome. I hope to get at least one more chapter up as September barrels towards me.