10 comments/ 13618 views/ 58 favorites The Wolf's Call to the Moon Ch. 01 By: ArtForm I'm back! *** The moon was at its brightest and fullest tonight and Mallory knew that she had to hurry if she wanted to catch a glimpse of him -even for the briefest second. Her life, her work and her sanity depended on it and there was no way she was going to miss it. Not that she had, for the past six months. As she gathered her books, a knock came on her office door and in strolled Jamie, the archaeologist who hired her, his broad frame blocking her only way out of the room. "Mallory, I wasn't sure if you received my email..." he started, moving forward to box her behind her desk. "Oh, umm email... yeah, I did." Mallory started to straighten her skirt awkwardly before muttering apologetically, "I'm sorry Jamie, I have to go." "It's just dinner." She hated the guilt-trip in his tone. Yeah, sure she had been avoiding his unabashed advances since the start of the project but there was no such thing as just dinner. Why hadn't he asked her out for lunch instead? At least that would have been more neutral ground and she could give the excuse of needing to head back to the dig site to work. Mallory knew that the only way out was to lie through her perfectly straight teeth. "I'm having a girl's night out with Odessa and the others... I'm sorry Jamie. Maybe next time." With that, she pushed her way through, aware that he made no effort to step aside but allowed their bodies to slide, albeit seductively against each others. Having held her breath the whole time, Mallory finally exhaled dramatically the moment she stepped out of her door. It wasn't that Jamie Record wasn't handsome or charming or perfect -in fact, he was all that and more but still, Mallory didn't find herself attracted to the man. Shaking herself slightly, Mallory headed down the corridor towards Odessa's office to seek refuge. Thankfully, the cheerful woman was still there. "Oh! Mallory, what a surprise!" "I'm here to hide," admitted Mal unashamedly. At Odessa's raised eyebrow, Mallory explained, "It's Jamie... he asked me out again." "Wait, let me get this straight... Jamie, the most accomplished archaeologist of the century, asked you out even when you're looking like that?" she laughed, pointing to Mallory's haphazard getup. "Surely you didn't think he was planning for a romantic dinner to sweep you off your feet!" Mallory shrugged nervously. "Goodness girl! Half the expedition team is in love with him and here you are hiding from him, under what pretence exactly?" "Uh, I said we're having a girl's night out." "Fabulous! Because that's where we're going!" Odessa's laugh brought out her cute dimples. Mallory pouted. Why hadn't Jamie been attracted to her? Not only was she an amazing Project Manager but Odessa was also stunning with her honey-green eyes and midnight black hair. As the stepped out of the office, Mallory checked out the corridor to make sure that Jamie was nowhere in sight. "Not tonight Odessa. I've got something important to do." "Come on Mal, it's TGIF. You've got to come with us! Stop working already girlfriend! You're starting to resemble Ugly Betty!" whined her co-worker, Odessa, as she tugged purposefully at Mallory's long and oversized t-shirt. "I can't. Not tonight. I'm sorry Dessa, I really have to go." Mallory gave her the best pitiful look she could muster -even pouting her plump lips for effect. Not that Odessa would fall for it. "Tell me, is it a man? Ooo... it is, isn't it? That's why you brushed Jamie off! Is he tall? Sexy?" she clapped her hands gleefully before peering closer. "Yummy?" At the sight of Mallory widening her eyes in embarrassment and shock, Odessa broke out in giggles and simply gave her colleague and friend a hug. "Alright, I shan't keep you any longer from your dream date. Just make sure you take off those awful glasses. You know you don't need them." Before she could protest, Odessa had walked off to join their other colleagues who were heading off to the nearest club for drinks. Mallory stood rooted in her spot as she watched the trim little brunette clicking away in her high heeled shoes. Looking down at her own feet, Mallory nodded in approval of her sneakers. It wasn't like she didn't own a pair of heels, it was just... somewhere. As for her hair, it had none of the shine and volume as Odessa's but Mallory's soft auburn head had earned her quite a few glances over the years. Well... maybe not in this getup at least. Sighing, she tucked a stray strand behind her ear and started towards her SUV, keys jangling in her hand. Mallory tried not to acknowledge her sudden increase in heartbeat nor the feeling of exhilaration and anticipation of driving up to the Sleeping Giant. Even the name itself brought great pleasure to her senses. Who would have thought that the sleepy little town she had landed herself in would house such a magnificent summit? Smiling to herself, Mallory turned the key into the ignition and reversed out from her driveway. Technically, she didn't need to drive when the Sleeping Giant was literally beside the excavation site but Mallory had her sketchbook, haversack, a camcorder and a regular DSLR as well as her tripods with her and she had less than an hour before midnight to prepare herself for her moon-watching. Her colleagues thought her mad; trekking in the middle of the night with such bulky items, simply in the hopes of documenting what she called The Wolf's Call to the Moon. Mallory's was an Assyrian Historian but her expertise was in the study of the region's ancient languages, some of which were now extinct. As with many languages, oral traditions precede writing and in her research and documentation, she had collected thousands of folkloric songs and poetry recalling legends and myths - of which her favourite was that of wolves and the full moon. *** She remembered the first time she had seen him -the silvery light of the moon cast upon his sleek pearl coat; angelic and breathtaking as he stood atop the cliff, simply looking at the moon in all its fullness and grandeur. He had stood there, completely still; not a single sound -though one would have expected echoing howls -his head tilted upwards, eyelids closed and nostrils flaring now and then as he took in the fresh mountainous air around him. Mallory had remembered watching him and thinking that he seemed to be talking to the moon or perhaps pining for something that was so distant and unreachable. The thought always made her sad. Almost as sad as when the lone wolf took his eyes away from the moon to gaze directly at her; his sharp sky blue eyes lingering just for a moment before he turned and disappeared into the darkness. In fact, the only reason why she was trekking up the mountain with a fistful of filming and digital equipment was in the hopes of capturing that single moment -when he'd look right into her soul and steal her breath. This was her last chance, for in a fortnight she'd be leaving Lycia, Anatolia to return to London to further complete her work. She wanted... a memory; a living proof that she had witnessed such a magical sight. With a determined huff, Mallory slung her haversack behind her back and started trekking towards her secret spot just a few meters from the cliff's edge. It was a quiet little enclave that seemed like it was naturally chiselled out by the wind currents and was partly shielded by a shrub, allowing her to burrow deep within the crevice. Satisfied that she was comfortable, Mallory checked her watch before setting up her equipment. There was still fifteen minutes left and all she had to do was to set up the camcorder over the tripod; sit and wait. It didn't take long before the lustrous white coated wolf came into the frame; his proud snout tilted upwards as he moves forward, one muscular limb at a time as though he was royalty walking up to his pedestal. He was oblivious to everything but the call of the moon; its luring sirens singing a song only meant for his ears. His expression was one of rapture, longing and desire... Mallory was feeling no different. Her hand held the DSLR, intending to take as many shots of the wolf as possible but her fingers were uncooperative. She had no idea why she was enchanted beyond logical reasoning each time she looked at him basked in moonlight. She knew it was a 'him' but it was not enough to explain the inexplicable reaction she had to an animal no less. Of course, she could argue he was a werewolf and she was actually attracted to the human within the beast. However, she, of all people, should know that myths and legends were simply oral traditions. They were meant to convey particular morals, historical retelling and a mode of passing on one's culture and language to the next generation. In short -they weren't real. "Werewolves don't exist," she whispered to herself, willing her forefinger to move, to resist the ridiculous lull and snap a picture. Mallory regretted it almost instantly. She had forgotten that the shutters created an unbelievable crack in the wind sound and the flash -oh god -she had turned in on instead of switching it off! Swivelling her head, Mallory quickly tried to salvage the situation, praying that the wolf hadn't heard her interruptions. Her heart sank. He was no longer standing on the edge of the cliff. In fact, she couldn't see him anywhere! The flash must have scared the wolf away. Mallory wasn't sure if she was disappointed or sad but she knew it was useless to sit around and wait any longer. She had caught a decent few minutes of him on the camcorder -that would have to suffice. It was her fault for screwing it up anyway. Frustrated with herself, Mallory started dismantling the equipment and stuffing them back into her haversack. Consumed by annoyance for herself, she wasn't aware that she was being watched; every jerk of her arm, every hitch in her breath and every mumble of her self-cursing. "Damn it! Why don't you get in already, you stubborn old cam..." Mallory let out a low growl as she finally shoved the bulky camera into her bag. "I knew this was a bad idea... I shouldn't have..." Whatever she intended to say was forgotten the moment she crawled out of her hiding spot. Sitting down on its hind legs was the wolf; his blue eyes staring straight at her, yielding her to come closer. And yet, Mallory didn't move for her feet felt glued to the pebbled ground. Her heart was racing; her mind deciding between fight or flight. She was aware of how vulnerable she looked in her oversized shirt, muddy jeans and sneakers -hardly presentable in front of such a magnificent creature. Unsure of what to do, Mallory lowered her gaze. She didn't think she could outrun a wolf so she remained in her place, simply waiting for the wolf to make its first move, lethal or otherwise. *** Clayton had scented her down with the intention of scaring her off -oh, he had known about her monthly voyeurs; watching him as he paid respects to the full moon. He had gauged her as harmless and had allowed her to watch him because... it felt right. But tonight was different. He might have made no show of it, but he noticed a slight change in her scent and it had intrigued and annoyed him. For the past six months, he had tried his absolute best to ignore her, only giving her one look before leaving the clearing. It was enough, he told himself for there was no need to be attracted to a human. But Clayton wasn't sure right then as he watched her trembling right before him. Her lush figure was hidden underneath an obnoxious and oversized piece of cloth. He wouldn't have known if the breeze hadn't caused the material to hug her curves like a snug blanket. And her face... what the hell was she wearing over her eyes? They looked awfully like the eyelets from the early 20th century but there were two and it made her look old and tired. He didn't like that. Maybe he should tell her to take it off. Clayton took a tentative step forward, aware that the woman had gasped in surprise at his bold move. She ought to be scared but why wasn't she? Strange little human. When she made no move to step back, Clayton took a few more steps forward until his snout was in line with her hip. He shouldn't do this really, but he looked up into her piercing green eyes anyway. Hi The moment she widened her eyes in shock, he knew. Oh boy... *** When Mallory woke up, she found herself sprawled all over her passenger seat with her haversack at her feet. Confused, she knitted her brows and rummaged through the bag for her camcorder. Surely she hadn't just dreamt it all right? She had really gone up the Sleeping Giant to record the wolf standing on the cliff, hadn't she? A quick look at her watch showed that it was already two in the morning. Mallory didn't think she had dozed off so suddenly, not when she had been adamant to capture that moment on tape. Picking up the camcorder, she switched it on and turned to the last video recorded. Empty. Her recorder was empty. Had she been dreaming? Mallory pinched herself lightly. No. She's certainly not dreaming now. She was very sure that she had seen the white wolf right in front of her, his blue eyes looking deep into her eyes... and then it spoke. "Okay, now that's just stupid!" she laughed to herself. Wolves can't talk. And hell even if it was a werewolf -which she sure he wasn't, wolf to human communications do not take the form of human words. She must have imagined it all... Best of all, it had been so vivid that she hadn't bothered to wake up and film the real thing. Now she had missed her opportunity. "Damn it Mal!" she cursed, slapping her hand on the dashboard. Scooting over to the driver's seat, Mallory decided that she was going to find Odessa and the rest of the girls; get a drink and maybe clear her head a little before going home. She would have to be satisfied by the memory of what she had seen. There would be no footage for keepsakes. So be it. Taking out her phone, she dialed for Odessa, hoping that the girls were still lucid enough for extra company. *** The club that Odessa and the other girls had chosen was immensely crowded, so much so that Mallory gave up trying to find her colleague amidst the sea of jiggling bodies and sweat. Heading over to the bar, she chose the most seat right at the end and ordered a shot of tequila, straight up. As she downed the shot, she contemplated the events of the night. How is it that she couldn't remember stepping out of the SUV at all? Surely she wouldn't have crawled to the passenger seat just to fall asleep would she? "One more," she told the bartender. Gulping the second shot, Mallory tried to concentrate. The wolf did say hi to her. Yes he did. No, she just dreamt it. "Oh god..." she rubbed her temples slightly before raising her hand to order another shot. "This one's on me," said a soft masculine voice from behind her. Turning lazily, Mallory let herself smile at the sight of Jamie slipping into the seat beside her. Now this is real, she told herself, not a dream. "Why are you here?" He shrugged. "Can't a guy get a drink too?" Mallory smiled. Maybe she should just give him a chance. Who knows? She might actually like him. "Are you trying to get me drunk?" she asked when he ordered another shot for her. "Am I?" he laughed. "Then you'd better stop drinking young lady." "Hey!" she slapped his hand playfully and accepted the drink. The previous three shots were giving her a slight buzz and the usual warm feeling. One more wouldn't hurt. Indeed it didn't. By the time she had her fourth shot; Mallory had let down her guard enough to start sharing stories about her life with Jamie. Soon the two of them were laughing as they exchanged embarrassing moments and Mallory forgot all about her failed attempt at recording earlier. She didn't even protest when Jamie leaned forward. "Come home with me tonight Mal," his voice was silky and alluring as he whispered suggestively at her ear. At the back of her mind, Mallory was trying to process the question but as she was about to answer him, her eyes wandered to the entrance of the club and caught the gaze of a very rugged looking male. From a distance, she couldn't ascertain his features that well but she could tell that he was looking straight at her and for some unknown reason, her body started to respond in the most shameful ways. Mallory could feel her nipples peaking beneath the plain cotton bra she was wearing and she started to rub her thighs together uncomfortably. "Is everything alright?" asked Jamie with concern as he stepped back to study her face. Following her line of sight, he turned and saw a man walking up to them -his eyes focused only on Mallory with the same intentions in his mind as Jamie's. Instinctively, Jamie shielded Mallory from the approaching man but it didn't deter him from continuing forward. He didn't even bat an eyelid as the man came to a stop, towering slightly in front of him. He was about to say something to try and protect Mallory when the man simply offered his hand to her -and she took it without hesitation. It was only then that Mallory broke eye contact with the man and turned to give Jamie and apologetic look. "I'm sorry. I have to go." Then she let herself be pulled into the stranger's embrace. She felt his rough sturdy hands wrapping gently around her waist as he maneuvered them out of the crowded club. They weren't even talking but she knew what he wanted -hell, she wanted it too. Once they were out of the club, he ushered her away to the end of the parking lot where his car, was waiting for them. He maintained his gentleman composure as he opened the door for her but the moment he was inside, they were like two unlike poles irrevocably attracted to one another. Their lips met in fervour; hands desperately tearing at each other's clothes. Mallory vaguely heard her t-shirt being ripped but she was too engrossed trying to pull the man's shirt that she didn't care. He didn't bother to unsnap her bra nicely either for it was pulled and tossed without a care as he desperately wanted the feel of her flesh in his hands. Mallory let out a small scream as his lips covered her quivering nipple, feeling his teeth graze the sensitive bud as he suckled hard. Tilting her head back, she thrust her chest forward to give him more access. Whatever he was doing to her body, Mallory couldn't even describe but she knew that if he didn't take her there and then, she might actually pass out. Fingers threading through his shoulder length black hair, Mallory held tight and forced him to look up. Oh those baby blue eyes; she could get lost in them forever. "Take off your shirt... please," she whimpered. He smiled playfully at her before pulling his shirt off. Even though the car had tinted screens, she could still make out the erotically sexy build of his torso. And somehow it was all hers... for now. Trembling slightly, she dared herself to touch and almost groaned at the sturdy feel beneath her fingers. Moving her body forward, Mallory gave an experimental lick over his abdomen and heard him take a sharp breath. She grinned and started kissing downwards, as far as she could until she met the waistband of his jeans. But before she could open it, he was pulling her body forward; lifting her up until she was straddling him, her groin directly over his hardening member. Reclining the seat, he pushed it backwards to give them more space. Without the steering wheel pressed on her back, Mallory felt more comfortable and began to gyrate her hips, demanding his attention once more. The Wolf's Call to the Moon Ch. 01 The stranger smiled and moved forward to press a kiss down her throat and over her collar bone. She could feel him leaving tender bite marks as he made his way down but Mallory was too giddy with pleasure to stop him. His fingers were already unbuttoning her jeans, pulling it down slightly to allow him some access to her already soaked pussy. The moment his fingers stroke her heated flesh, Mallory let out a loud moan, tilting her head back in agony. He was teasing her, rubbing her clitoris lightly in slow circles; his eyes watching her face intently for every reaction. "More... please," she pleaded, rubbing her bottom closer to his fingers. She caught a smirk on his face before he plunged two fingers straight up into her dripping pussy, moving it in and out with alternating rhythm. When he felt her muscles squeezing his fingers tight, he simply bent forward to take one nipple into his mouth and sucked hard, bringing her to the edge of her first orgasm. Mallory was grinding her hips down, demanding more and more from him. He was touching her just the right way and with just the right pressure that she wasn't going to be able to hold back... "Oh god..." The first wave of orgasm hit her hard, shaking her body as the ripples of pleasure coursed through her body. He didn't pause but continued to plunge his fingers faster and deeper as best as he could even as warm liquid started to coat his fingers copiously. When Mallory finally opened her eyes; the tide of orgasm subsiding, she blinked as she watched the stranger pull his fingers out of her pussy and lick at the wetness dripping down his hands. Even that one simple move looked highly erotic to her. Mallory couldn't take it anymore. "Take me home... I want you." The stranger seemed reluctant at first to let her move over to the passenger seat but then he changed his mind. Adjusting his seat, he turned on the ignition and turned to face her. "I'm Clay." It was the first time that Mallory heard his voice and the low masculine tone stroked her senses. "I'm Mal." He didn't respond this time but shifted the car into gear and sped off. *** Jamie had stayed his ground, arms crossed over his chest, watching calmly as Mallory was whizzed away into the darkness of the parking lot. If he was angry, he made no show of it. He waited until he could hear the engine of the car revving to life before stepping out into the deserted parking lot. Leaning casually against a pillar, Jamie made sure he was alone before speaking out loud. "Follow them." To any normal person, it would seem that he was talking to himself but amidst the shadows, a tall muscular silhouette nodded before melting into the darkness away from his master. Jamie let out a long sigh. Mallory it seemed, was worth more trouble to him than he had expected. Had it not been for the need of an expert Lycian hieroglypher, he would never have hired her. She was infuriating with her rejections to his advances and her extraordinary obsession with the Sleeping Giant. At first he had suspected that she had discovered artefact there that she wanted sole credit for and was thus being secretive about them. But then he realised that she would only trek up the mountain at full moon each month and would return in an almost enthralled state, as if she was high on weed. He knew she was enchanted by the Werewolf legends but surely she was not... "Riiinggg" The annoying ringtone of his phone snapped him out of his thoughts. "Klaus," he answered; his voice a tone softer as a mark of respect. "How can I help you tonight?" "Tell me; are the twins ready to be shipped by next week as you've estimated? I want a run through again of the security involved in this transportation. You know how important this is to both of us." Jamie was aware of how important the relics were and not just to them but to their entire race. "The archaeological institute at Cambridge has confirmed my visiting status and given us the space to further study the twins with the caveat that their students are able to participate as well." The note of concern on the other line was a deafening silence. "I am aware of the risks that presents but it is..." "You should have listened to me and moved it to Sorbonne!" Jamie steadied his voice to deflect his annoyance. "We have had this conversation too many times Klaus. It is too close to Notre Dame for the study to be completed without raising suspicion. I have given too much of myself to the retrieval of this and I will not jeopardise it for your convenience!" Jamie knew he was threading the line with that accusation but then Klaus responded calmly, "Very well young Elder. I shall put our trust in your judgement but be warned - should you fail, I will not hesitate to ordain a Blood Hunt - the termination of your bloodline." The line went dead and Jamie closed his eyes to suppress the anger brewing within. He knew that Klaus was an overbearing son of a bitch who was holding on to the last months of his absolute authority by enforcing draconian laws. For at the turn of the century, the rotational system of the Council of Elders would decree that a new Elder be voted to be the Mulk. The Mulk was the reigning Elder of that century, enforcing the various laws and order upon their kind - descendants of Cain; cursed vessels ordained to roam the earth until the end of time. The Risen. *** The stranger remained cloaked in the shadows, watching as his subjects of interest tumbled out of the car in front of a simple stone and sun-dried brick house. His master had warned him that both subjects were to be watched very closely. He knew what was implied. Like all Risen, changelings are also able to mask themselves so extensively that some have developed the untraceable ability. Such a skill was rare even amongst the highest ranking Risen for it took centuries of solitude, without any social contact except with the natural environment. He smirked at the thought of the Elders not having such a luxury. Watching the subjects in such an intimate embrace did not faze him. He didn't feel lust nor needed it. Seduction was merely a means to an end - nutrition. He continued watch; heightening his senses to be able to hear, smell and feel them even through the walls. Sex was so boring that he almost fell asleep until he caught the stench of a Light Walker... *** They had tumbled out of the car and fumbled their way into his house; hands hungrily tearing at each other's clothes. Mallory couldn't believe what was happening. She was not one to simply jump at a man and engage in a one night stand but her body and her mind were so completely enthralled by this dangerously fascinating man that they were screaming to claim him. He was hers and she needed him now. Clay seemed to have sensed her desperate need for he lifted her in his arms, allowing her legs to wrap naturally around his waist as he carried her into his room. His wolf would have taken her there and then on the living room floor but Clay would not have allowed it. Mallory meant more to him than just an easy lay and he wanted her to know it. She was the only reason why he had taken his human form for the first time in over a year. For six months, they had watched each other - those few stolen hours more intimate than anything either of them ever experienced or understood, until now. They had bared their loneliness to each other and yet felt comforted by each other's presence even when no words were passed between them. Gently laying her on his bed, he began to take his time to explore every part of her. Tugging away at the remainder of her clothes, he took a step back to admire the woman in front of him. "You're beautiful," he whispered, bringing his face closer to hers as he slowly took her glasses off. Kissing her softly, he allowed his hands to roam over her breasts, moulding them to his palm and pinching her nipples to taut peaks. She whimpered against him, her hips arching close to the hardness still contained in his pants. "Please..." She pleaded, hands fumbling at his jeans buttons. "I need to feel you." Obliging, he unbuttoned his jeans, letting the material pool at his feet. Her hands immediately went for his erected cock nestled in the soft cotton of his boxers. Drawing a sharp breath, he allowed her fingers to explore the hardened muscle for a few more seconds before pulling her hands away to place them above her head. "Keep them there until I say so," he growled seductively. Mallory whimpered but he cut off her protest with a savage kiss on her lips; her scent - hot, female and intoxicating - infiltrated his senses. Trailing kisses down her body, he allowed his lips to close possessively over one of her nipples. A small explosion went off in her head as his teeth scraped the sensitive flesh while his other hand gripped her neglected breast firmly like a brand. "Keep your eyes on me, Mallory," he ordered as he began to kiss down her belly, pushing her thighs apart and rubbing his jaw against the tender flesh of her inner thighs. Watchful blue eyes held her attention as he brought his lips to the throbbing nub between her legs; his tongue licking and exploring her tender flesh with a burning hunger. Mallory knew she should be afraid. This man - this stranger - moved with a powerful grace that warned her that he was dangerous; a lethal predator and yet her body was arching defiantly into his mouth, giving him full access to every inch of her. Slipping two fingers inside of her, Clay revelled in the slickness of juices that started to flow and lapped it up, sucking hard on her clitoris. Pleasure wrecked her body, the wave of sensations causing her to grip tight at the sheets, her thighs quivering as the sexual pleasure rocked her senses. Clay had to clamp his hands on her inner thighs to keep her spread and open for him. When her orgasm had died down, she opened her eyes to find Clay staring down at her, his broad frame casting a shadow over her body. Experimentally, she spread her fingers over the hardness of his chest, gently trailing down to the defined muscles of his abdomen and finally resting at the waistband of his boxers. Instinct gnawed at her core. "I want you," she whispered silkily as she pushed the material down; her eyes fixated at his heavy erection. Clay wasted no time taking off his boxers to lie gloriously naked on top of her; skin to skin. He allowed his cock to rub erotically over the slicked entrance of her womanhood teasingly even as her hips arched in sexual demand. With his hands at each side of her head, Clay kept his eyes locked on hers as he began to push the tip of his engorged cock slowly inside of her. The sharp initial pain of the intrusion had her pressing her palm onto his chest but she held on as his cock continued to bury itself to the hilt inside of her. "Shh, I promise it won't hurt for long," he whispered, kissing her softly for reassurance as his body stood completely still, allowing her to adjust to him. The knowledge that she had never laid with any other man but him made him even more protective and possessive of her. Mallory was overwhelmed by the sensory overload her body was experiencing but she wanted more. Her lover had been gentle but now her body ached with the need for him. Moving her hips encouragingly, she nodded at him and whispered, "I want more." Clay pulled out an inch causing her to cry out at the erotic shock of his cock rubbing against her sensitive flesh but this time he didn't stop. He pulled his cock all the way out, only to thrust it back all the way inside of her causing her to scream out in pleasure and pain. When she was sure that her body could take no more, Clay only seemed to bring her ecstasy to even greater heights as he repeated his movements, thrusting in and out in a slow, sensuous manner causing her to moan over and over again. Her sexy whimpers were driving him insane. It took so much control to move inside her with such agonising slowness, especialy when her pussy gripped his cock with maddening tightness. Clay knew that his wolf was too close to the edge and when she whispered his name and pleaded for more, his control snapped. Flipping her over, he pulled her lush bottom up and slid into her slippery pussy again, feeling the searing heat of her flesh gripping his hard cock. She was so much tighter in this position that both man and wolf was perilously close to cumming. Mallory was screaming out his name as he fucked her harder and deeper; her head tossing backwards as pleasure wrecked her body. The pain she felt earlier was gone and only a primal need was now guiding her body and mind as they raced towards the end. "Mallory..." her name was a breath through clenched teeth. Clay had pulled her body up, his hands cupping her breasts roughly as his hips bucked continuously against her bum. The wolf was already taking over, wanting to bite and mark her as his own but Clay forced the beast down, wanting her to remember this moment as one of passion and not of pain. "Clay!" she gasped, the intensity of her orgasm causing her to clench painfully over him; her nails digging deep into the side of his hips. Clay knew that he could hold back no longer. Holding on to her tight, his beast roared as he came deep inside her; his warm cum mixing with her own. He held her in that position for some time before releasing her to collapse on the bed in exhaustion. Clay hadn't had a woman in his bed for too long and the exhaustion that followed was a silent reminder to him of his lack of practice. A satisfied smile painted itself on his face. He was sure Mallory would oblige practicing frequently to sharpen his skills. Turning her to face him, he gave her one last kiss before letting her curl up in a ball; her body and mind so spent, lulled by sleep and dreams. But for Clayton, his senses were wide awake, scanning his surroundings frantically. He had accidentally dropped his guard and betrayed his scent and he knew it was a matter of time before someone would find him. And someone did. As the last of his kind, Clayton and his pack were thought to be extinct and it should have remained that way. They were deemed traitors of the court who were sentenced to execution many centuries ago and if it had not been for a kind elderly man taking pity on him, he would have died too. Taking a deep breath, Clayton got out of bed and started walking towards the door. He had expected Hunters but the creature standing on his doorstep looked nothing like one. He was smartly dressed and bore only the scent of cologne. Though his memory was slightly clouded from lack of sleep, Clayton was sure that this was the same man curled around his Mallory last night at the bar. Before he could ask, the man spoke, "Do you have the woman and is she one of you?" Clayton was confused. Who is this man to Mallory and how is he aware of his... condition? "I will not repeat myself... Light Walker." Clayton froze. Had he been so out of touch with society that he no longer could scent a Hunter when he was facing one? Was Mallory a bait? The thought angered but he stayed his ground. "How did you find me?" he demanded. Jamie's blue eyes flickered with a hint of amusement. "I have no interest in you, Light Walker. I only want the woman. Is she one of your kind?" A slight pause. "Did you... change her?" Clayton was still confused as to how this seemingly human man knew of his kind but he weighed his options. Humans were off-limits when it came to Risen-Light Walker politics and he knew that Mallory was human and in remaining so, she was safe - for now. "No, she is only human." The reply seemed to satisfy Jamie for he smiled, lightly pushing Clayton aside to enter the house. Somehow with the unpleasantries out of the way, Jamie no longer needed to mask his scent anymore and he made it known to the Light Walker that he was now in possession of the human. Raising his head warily, Clayton growled as recognition dawned upon him. His inner beast demanded to be unleashed, to protect what he had just claimed but his mind was beyond his control at the moment. The Risen had put a block on his abilities - something only a very powerful Risen could have done. There was nothing he could do as he watched Mallory being carried out of his house, in the arms of another man. For that alone, his wolf would hunt the Risen down and kill him. *** In the safety of his car and away from the prying scent of the Light Walker, Jamie turned to Mallory whose body was limp as he had put her under. Placing a hand over her forehead, he held back his fangs as he caught glimpses of the intimacy she had shared with the Light Walker. "When you wake up tomorrow, you will no longer feel or remember all that," he said through clenched teeth. *** When she stirred back to consciousness, Mallory purred slightly recalling the intoxicating pleasures that had overtaken her, skin deep. In her mind, there were only flashes of skin against skin; heated bodies and sighs of ecstasy. Beyond that, everything was fuzzy but she smiled regardless, knowing full well that her mind would slowly remember what her body had clearly not forgotten. Clutching the covers of duvet closer, Mallory allowed her body to wallow in the warmth of her bed. She couldn't even remember how she got home from last night but from the gentle footsteps approaching her door, she knew she hadn't been alone. When the door swung open, she was not surprised to see a man walking in but seeing Jamie walking in made her sit up in bed, clutching her blankets instinctively as though embarrassed to be caught naked. "Good morning, sunshine," he smiled, bending slightly to kiss her cheek. "I brought you some breakfast, seeing how... spent I've made you last night." Mallory simply stared at him, somehow not wanting to believe what he was saying. Surely she had not been that drunk to have invited him home? Confusion was apparent in her face but she took the plate of waffles that he'd served her, not wanting to be rude. Surely a man who had made her limbs limber and satiated did not deserve such lack of appreciation. "Thank you," she managed to say; her eyes watching him intently as he walked around her room, picking up clothes that had been strewn on the floor. Indeed, she sighed, Jamie was a magnificent male - his body sculpted to perfection, his piercing blue eyes and luscious lips whispering of pleasurable nights. But somehow she knew she was not attracted to him. "Are you okay Mallory?" Jamie looked down at her, his face bearing the expression of a man who was being gentle with his lover. "I know this is going to sound stupid but did we... you know?" One of his eyebrows raised in what looked like amusement before he chuckled. "I don't think either of us caught much sleep." Eyes flaring open in shock, Mallory told herself to gain some composure. If that had truly happened - and she had no recollection of it - then he needed to know that it would never happen again. It was a mistake. However, what came out of her mouth dumfounded her, "Will you be seeing me again, Jamie?" This time, he genuinely smiled, "I don't intend to let you out of my sight, Mallory." *** In Notre dame, the Council of ShadowLords sat grimly around the conference table. Each council member represented the head of the five Light Walker clans - four patriarchs and one matriarch. The emergency meeting that had all the council members gathered was called for by Alkina, the matriarch Alpha. Her clan was so ancient that many have thought their kind had gone into extinction but Alkina was no old battered woman. Her caramel eyes glinted of a veracity that echoed the strength of her Tasmanian wolf. The Wolf's Call to the Moon Ch. 01 "I've received some information that a team of archaeologist have successfully excavated the tomb of an unknown pair. My scholars have been following their academic reports quite extensively and I have my suspicions as to what they are but I need to be sure." Alexander, the reigning Alpha of the European clan looked at her with worry in his eyes. He knew that Alkina's clans were renown for their intellect - they produced classes of teachers and scholars but without actual hard proof, it would be difficult for the Council members to sanction any actions. He knew that she was aware of that. "Let us be sure what it is they have uncovered. I'll send the scouts." *** The days following her temporary amnesia, Mallory knew she was being courted. Flowers began arriving on her desk every Monday and she would always find little sweet treats magically appearing in her backpack. However the man himself was never imposing; always waiting for her to come to him instead of constantly being in her way. But more importantly, he didn't make his courtship affect how he treated her as a colleague. He still valued her opinion as a researcher and made no distinction between her and their other colleagues - that included shouting at her when she was late with her submissions. "Why are you so pensive, Mal?" asked Odessa as she leaned against Mallory's desk. It was a particularly cold night and Mallory was spending it rushing some reports in preparation for their return to London that weekend. "I should think you'd be smiling to yourself silly, beaming with happiness." Looking up lazily, Mallory cocked her head slightly, "And why should I?" Odessa rolled her eyes. "Obviously not because Jamie's shagging a dead mummy!" "Well, he's not shagging me either..." thought Mallory although images of sweaty bodies and ragged breaths permeated her mind. Odessa was about to chide her further when Jamie gave a gentle knock on the door. Realising that she was intruding, Odessa promptly excused herself. Flashing her a warm smile, he turned his gaze to Mallory. "I was wondering if you'd like to get dinner?" "No, that's okay. I was planning to stay a little more to finish this report, lest you shout at me again." Jamie gave a small laugh as he made his way across the room beside her. Tilting her chin up, he looked longingly into her eyes before pressing a gentle kiss on her lips. "Stop resisting Mallory... It makes it so much more painful for me." She made no comment to his statement and resumed working on the report at hand. "I'll email this to you once I'm done. Goodnight Jamie." Acknowledging that he was being dismissed, Jamie stepped back quietly; the fury within him kept in check only by the fact that she was human. *** From the darkness, Clayton watched in rage as the wretched Risen touched his Mallory, claiming rights that he shouldn't have. His only consolation was that Mallory had seemed unfazed by the Risen's affection and bore none of the rust-like scent of a recently marked Vampire - that at least pacified him to know she was still human; still his. However, the fact that she was in such close proximity with a Risen of Elder rank worried him. He may have been so far removed from civilization and politics of the pack but he recognised the scent of an Elder Risen when he saw one. What was an Elder doing amongst Humans anyway? Weren't they always locked up in their majestic castles and political domain? And what value was Mallory to him? The Risens were not one to enlist the help of humans, much less claim possession of one. A day before, he had purposely brushed past her in a crowded market along the route she always took on her way home and she had looked right past him, as though he never even existed. The wolf growled. She was his and he was going to damn well make sure she knew that. Remaining in wolf form, Clayton stood still- a predator watching his prey. He listened as she muttered to herself about her academic observations and later made plans to transport her archaeological find to England where she would soon be leaving for. His heart sank. She was leaving. But then his lips curved in a devilish grin. She was coming straight into the lands of his forefathers. Perhaps it was time for him to return home, his roaming days finally over. *** Mallory was sure that someone... or something was watching her every move, the silence of the predator a deafening sound she couldn't drown out with her furious keyboard tapping. Yet, at the same time, she felt reassured by its presence; a warm comfort enveloping her body, putting her at ease. Putting pressure on her temples, Mallory tried to will away the headache that was budding in her head. It felt like there was a heavy rock pressing down on her, a block that she couldn't seem to dislodge from her mind. Looking over to the open window to her left, she glimpse the light of the gibbous moon and something furious lit inside of her. She knew something was missing but she didn't know what. *** Jamie stepped out to the veranda of his office into the pale white light reflected from the moon. "Just a couple more days and the prophecy will be fulfilled," he whispered to the emptiness; drawing in a large breath. "I long to see your face again, to bow before your feet; at your greatness, at your pureness." Something flickered at the screen on his computer, capturing his attention. Jamie turned his focus to the live camera footage from the shipping container of the twin sarcophagus on route to London. Everything looked normal. It was probably a rat scuttling past. Jamie turned away from the screen and stepped out once again. If he had looked carefully, he would have seen the trail of blood leading out from one of the twins. *** The Wolf's Call to the Moon Ch. 02 "Alessa, get everyone to rendezvous at the baggage collection in ten minutes." Jamie loosened his tie in an attempt to look relaxed after the four hour flight from Istanbul to Gatwick airport. His petite secretary nodded before scuttling across to the immigration checkpoint. She did not wish to have a giant wall clock tossed on her desk again should she fail to meet his timeline. Scanning the passengers trickling out of the Airbus, Jamie waited until Mallory came to view. Her eyes were almost a dull mossy hue, accentuated by the heavy darkness just lurking beneath her lashes. "Let me carry that for you," he offered, gesturing to her rust-coloured rucksack. Not many women favoured the bulky contraption but for some reason, Mallory could never part with it. She made a casual grunting noise before begrudgingly handing over the bag to him. Today was not the best day for arguments. Now that her feet were on land once more, Mallory could feel the pressure in her chest loosening. Airplane cabins were too stifling for her; the compactness like an icy grip around her windpipe. After passing through border control, they made their way to the baggage carousel where the rest of the team were being herded efficiently by Alessa. Murmurs of protest died the instant Jamie cleared his throat. "We're going to have the attention of the academic community here and I cannot stress how important it is that we do not leak any uncleared information to the public." Jamie looked at each and every one of his team members to ensure that they knew the consequences of such a breach of this trust. Disagreements rippled through the team. Some were of the favour that they should have just remained in Turkey if the aim was not to have their work judged by the public eye. Others mumbled that despite having access to the best archaeological resources in the world, none of the actual publications would be of any value to the academic world if they withheld information. "Enough!" Jamie kept his voice level; his frustrations bubbling just beneath the surface. This was why Elders in his position never took any interest in the mundane world of the humans and the lesser races. They were frustrating and needed to be guided and told what to do all the time. Jamie didn't have much time. He knew what was needed. Closing his eyes, he simply erased any further thoughts anyone had about his ruling and leashed their will to his. From then on, they would do as he says without them even knowing that it wasn't their choice to begin with. "Is everyone in agreement with this?" he asked again, smiling to himself when he received unanimous nods from the group. Jamie almost couldn't contain his smirk when he dismissed them. Weak minds were so malleable. They made it too easy for him. However, there was one particular mind that he found extremely difficult to control and he attributed it to his emotional investment in Mallory. An open mind appeared fluid and penetrable like a bubble filled with water, with thoughts floating in a mess of twirling smoke. Memories appeared as doors with no locks and feelings tinted the bubble with various hues depending on the individual's mood. But for Mallory, her mind was a glass orb, making it possible to see in when unclouded but impossible to penetrate. His only option of control over her was to encapsulate that orb under a blindfold –one that easily slipped, allowing her periodic autonomy of her consciousness. To him, she represented a fluttering butterfly in a glass jar. Her captivity antagonised him and yet it enraptured him. Her presence created fractures in his control but for the sake of what she meant to him and to his plans; he was willing to allow such an imperfection to persist. "Mallory, would you like a lift to the campus lodging?" It was a useless question because both of them knew that he had arranged for their accommodations to be located side by side. It had infuriated her when she had found out and it had taken him an expandable amount of power to keep her under leash, just enough to make her say yes. "I don't see any reason to refuse," she said politely. "I'm too tired to argue with you at this moment." Her words left a tinge of guilt in his heart but he brushed it aside. A mind that tried to resist his control always worked the hardest and he knew how much he had pushed her. Closing his hand around her arm, he guided her to his car and allowed the deafening silence between them to linger for the remainder of the journey to the university. *** The five Light Walker scouts, headed by Jean-Pierre, their most senior tracker were also making their way to Cambridge. They had been given two days to assume the identities of five international students who had just been accepted as undergraduates at the prestigious institution. It had taken a lot of persuading and political threats by the Shadow Lords to have such a covert operation allowed on the grounds. This was possible seeing that Alexander, the Alpha of the Light Walker clan in Europe was an important stakeholder in all the European institutions, not only the universities but also the prisons, hospitals and even the political and economic domains. "It is imperative that you blend in with the students. Dress like them. Talk like them," said the senior tracker. Like all trackers, Jean-Pierre was born with the obfuscate ability which he exploited on a daily basis. At the moment, he was a fourteen year old petite brunette with eyes as big as saucers and hair tied in braids. Accompanying him, the other trackers were disguised as his parents and siblings. Handing them each a file, he continued, "According to Alkina, our main purpose is to shadow the human historian and her tech team to uncover what they have excavated." "What exactly are we expecting to find?" Jean-Pierre turned to the only female tracker in the group, Sophie and smiled. He had always been against having a female in his team seeing that trackers could assume any identity but he acknowledged that she was the best fit for this particular assignment. Sophie had a beguiling face with cheeks that were still pouchy like a child. The innocence she naturally portrayed was further augmented by breasts that purposefully spilled at the top of her tank top. According to Jean-Pierre, she basically looked like a virgin who had a body built for sex but did not know it. Men would blab just about everything in her presence and college boys would be lining up outside her room to do just that. "Alkina thinks that the sarcophagus houses the lost remains of one of our race's most important relic. Our job is to ascertain what it is and if it is a threat to have it in the possession of the humans." The group stared at him, surprise clearly etched on their face. The Shadow Lord relic was something so legendary, it was only supposed to be a myth. "What do we know of this human historian?" asked another tracker, Eduard the youngest of the team. Jean-Pierre leaned back in his seat, the crease in his forehead uncharacteristic of the young girl he was personifying. "Not much is known about her. She grew up in an orphanage and has no known permanent address –not surprising seeing that her work takes her everywhere. But to be honest, that alone sets red flags in my head." Jean-Pierre would keep a close eye on her personally. "The fact that she is far too young to be recruited for such a prestigious excavation also baffles me." Sophie frowned at his analysis and countered, "What if she is not as young as you think?" Everyone looked at her, knowing that she was implying something more sinister. Jean-Pierre shook his head disapprovingly. "She is human, as far as the intel comes." He paused deliberately. "But... I will personally sniff her out to confirm otherwise." *** Tracking Mallory had not been easy, seeing that her scent was swathed by the stink of a Risen but Clay managed to track her to the campus of the Cambridge University. He had originally intended to corner her at her off-campus accommodation but the scent of the Elder was too strong and repugnant there that he had to reign in his wolf several times in order not to barge into her room and take her out. The beast within him did not understand the fragility of the situation but the human part of him did. He needed her to be alone, where she was not under the influence of the Elder. To do so, he had to find out just what she would be doing at the campus and where he could chance a meeting. Walking down the brownstone arched corridor, Clay caught snippets of conversations from students ranging from their class schedules to the upcoming visiting professors. Deciding that this was the best place to pick up on gossip, Clay conspicuously leaned against one of the brick pillars and did his favourite thing – people watching. A few male students passing by gave him a thumbs up. He obviously looked out of place, albeit rebellious, with his low-slung cargo pants; tie-dye t-shirt and beanie over his shoulder length dark curls. Seeing a group of girls passing by, Clay lowered his sunglasses to wink at them, rendering them in giggles behind their books. He continued watching the students and staff behind the anonymity of his shades when his ears pricked up at the mention of Mallory's name. "Yeah, I heard that Professor Albert won't be teaching us this semester. There's a visiting professor called Mallory Roux coming and I'm actually quite excited! Her expedition team is using one of the labs here to study their archaeological findings so we'll get a chance to sit in! Oh my god I am so excited! Did you know she wrote her first academic paper at the age of 18?" chirped one of female student. "Whoa, that's some amazing shit. I suppose that's why they made us do that special entry test for this class." Clay remained in his position, arms folded across his chest. Sneaking into this class of hers might be the perfect opportunity for him. If his instincts were right, the Risen would allow her complete autonomy in this class for he had surely vetted and approved all the students prior to their move here. Whistling a silly song to himself, Clay tucked his hands into his pants pocket and started to saunter out of the campus. Amazing; he didn't even know she was a genius in her field. Feeling the rush of adrenaline hit his veins; Clay decided to do his research on her. *** Head drooping over his laptop, Clay was about to fall off his chair when his alarm rudely woke him up. "Fuckin hell..." he groaned, lifting his head slightly to inspect the noise. "Can't a wolf get a little bit of peace and quiet...?" His head slumped back with a thump on the desk. Daft Punk didn't think so for it blasted the alarm at him once more. Tapping his fingers blindly to look for his mobile phone, Clay almost growled at the pesky device. "No one's getting lucky dude so shut up." It was only then that he realised the time. "Damn it! Mallory this is all your fault," he muttered as he jumped off his seat and ran to the bathroom to get dressed. There was no way he was going to miss her first class of the semester – especially not after he spent the entire night reading about her and her work. When he finally made it to the auditorium, class had already begun. Slipping into the back entrance, he melded into the shadows and simply watched his woman of interest. "As I've mentioned, historical sources have many forms – material, textual, representational and oral." Stepping away from her projector, she began to quiz a few students for an example of each of the types she mentioned. "All your examples are so boring," she mocked moaned as she settled herself at the edge of the stage. "If I were your history student, I'd be bored to death by now." Clay couldn't help but chuckle to himself. He didn't think anyone could be bored when taught by someone so energetic such as herself – she was never in a position for more than 5 minutes; always moving around, interacting with a student. "Okay, so I'm going to claim that... the internet meme is a representational source of history." Chaos ensued. Some were giggling; some furiously typing on Google search to confirm her claim and some just stared blankly. But most had their hands up, prepared to challenge her statement. The discussions that followed made him proud that this woman was his; she was a glow in his heart. Both man and wolf were enchanted by her voice, her intelligence and most of all her gentleness as she went about teaching her class. When the students had finally trickled out, Clay stepped out of the shadows and made his way down the auditorium to where she was busily packing up her things. "Hi." Startled olive eyes looked up at his and she took a step back – akin to a prey recognising a predator in its midst. "I'm sorry if I startled you," he whispered softly. Regaining some composure, Malloy shook her head and smiled at him kindly. "No, I apologise. I thought everyone had already left –but clearly I was wrong." Clay watched her brows knitting as she studied his face more carefully, as though trying to match him to a distant memory in her mind but when she shook her head silently, he knew she had yet to remember him. "I enjoyed your classes. You speak with such passion for something so..." "Dead?" she supplied, laughing slightly at her own joke. The wolf inside of him sat at attention, deciding that he liked her laughter very much. It sent him ideas of eliciting those laughs just for himself. "I'm sorry. I make such bad jokes I know," Mallory said suddenly as she awkwardly started to gather her things again. Clay was confused by what she had said until he realised that he had been staring at her blankly for the past few seconds that she must have thought he was bored by her. "No, no I was thinking of someone that you reminded me of," he replied gently, coaxing her out of her embarrassment. Mallory wasn't easily fooled. She gave him a once over, unsure what to make of the hipster getup. "You don't look like you belong in this class." Instead of justifying his actions, he gave her a big grin. "I heard there was a really beautiful new professor and I just had to find out if the rumours were true." Her face flushed red but she betrayed no embarrassment. "I see. And what did you find out?" Clay's grin only widened further. She was playing with him. Giving a casual shrug, he replied, "I don't know yet. I'll have to crash your classes a few more times to give you a definitive answer." She arched an eyebrow at his response then started to laugh; the sincerity lighting her up from inside. "Alright now, I have to go. It was nice talking to you..." "Clay." "Clay," she whispered, giving him a polite nod as she exited the room. Alone in the auditorium, Clay took in her lingering scent with a big smile. She may not have remembered him, but at least she had not been afraid of him. That was a start. *** The next few days consisted of the same routine. He would come down to her after class for a casual few minutes of chat before letting her pack up to leave the room. Even though he sat right at the back, his face mostly in the shadows, he knew that she always sensed him there as her eyes would flick up ever so often to make sure he was listening. And he was. Every word. Today she had brought in digital analysis of the sarcophagus that her team had extracted back in Turkey. "Before the development of such technology, researchers in this field were never able to map out an entire mummy without having to dismantle the artefact. Nowadays, we can begin to study the artefact without even having to open it," she shared. A hand shot up. "But what's the fun of having a treasure you can't open?" "Ah, but like all treasures, there will always be a key. Having x-ray scans will reveal the level of puzzles that we need to decode before actually opening the tomb. Many historians in the past have made mistakes and in doing so, ruined a precious part of our past." For their assignment, she had given them a few sets of common codes and puzzles that entombers used to leave behind as a safety precaution against thieves and the likes. She promised them that whoever solved the codes first would be allowed to be present with her and the research team when they start to open the sarcophagus. Clay wasn't much of a history buff but he loved puzzles and his mind whirred in excitement at trying to break the codes she had given the class. "Do you think the human mind is capable of locking itself with similar codes like this?" he asked when all the students had finally left the auditorium. She looked up at him and pursed her lips. "Well... I wouldn't be able to give you a scientific answer to that. I am not a trained psychologist or neurologist." "How about an educated guess?" Mallory gave a considerable pause as though thinking of the best way to answer him. "I suppose... it is possible. Trauma and PTSD have been known to create a sort of 'lock' on memories in some people. It takes certain triggers for the memory to resurface. For instance, I'm sure you've experienced a sudden flashback when you scented something familiar or find yourself in a familiar location." "Always." In that instant, Mallory felt like those sky blue eyes of his were looking straight into her soul, as though he was recalling a distant scent and smell of her in his memory. She knew she should be feeling uncomfortable, yet she couldn't take her eyes away from him. She could feel his gaze like a warm caress on her skin and for a moment she wondered what it would be like to have those strong muscular arms wrapped around her; her body moulded into the protective span of his defined chest... "Mallory?" She almost scowled at him for interrupting her thoughts. "Yes?" Clay did his best to hide his amusement. He had caught her eyes roving along his torso; the silhouette visible given his choice of the stretchy polyester shirt. Giving a straight face, he decided it was now or never. "Have a bite with me?" Mallory narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him. Oh, he had chosen those words on purpose! She'd admit that she wouldn't mind a bite... or two. "Yes." This time, Clay couldn't resist a chuckle. He had never seen Mallory reduced to one worded syllables and his wolf particularly enjoyed teasing her like this. Unaware that his hands had found hers, he led them out of the auditorium to the nearest café. *** Jean-Pierre was seated alone at the campus café, trying to break the code that Mallory had assigned to them. It had to be either him or the other four scouts who'd break the code first. To help them along, Alkina had given them access to all the scholar libraries, even that of the other clans. The other Alphas had been reluctant initially but she had convinced them that if her hunch was right, protecting their histories would no longer matter if they were all dead. Jean-Pierre was not one to question the female Alpha, even when she had no direct authority over him for he had always been impressed by her resourcefulness. He had no idea how she managed to get them access to files from the vaults of the now extinct Ombre clan; the pack executed for treason. When he had asked how the files would be of use, she only told him that a limited mind was of no use to her. Determined, he sat fiddling with the last piece puzzle when he noted Mallory walking towards the café with a man he had not seen before. Her face was tilted in his direction; her eyes lit with laughter. She was skipping slightly as though to catch up with his broad pace. Suspicion grew within the senior tracker. According to his file, Mallory was single with no significant others. But by the way the man was echoing her laughter as he casually stroked her arm, signalled a layer of trust and... familiarity. The Wolf's Call to the Moon Ch. 02 Whoever the man was, Jean-Pierre was sure he had never seen him before. He was not one of her colleagues or her students. And his garb and demeanor... was just so out of place. Sending a text to Sophie, he instructed her to track down the unknown man and find out who he was and what he wanted from Mallory. Despite the information overload he just had, Jean-Pierre never slipped on a hunch. Something was off about this man and he would do everything to find out why. *** "So, what would you like to eat?" asked Mallory after they've taken a seat. "I usually have the pastrami sandwich. It's good." "Uh, yeah." Clay looked suspiciously at the menu, unsure of what it was he was reading. A few decades of living as a wolf more than a human made his choices of food rather... wild compared to whatever was on the menu. Deciding that trusting Mallory would be his best bet, he left it to her to order. She was smiling when she left to purchase their food at the counter. It was when he was left alone, relaxing in his chair that he spotted the buxom blonde walking his way. His senses immediately went on high alert, his untraceable ability hiked to its maximum. He could tell that she was not human and whatever it was she was trying to do to mask it, was not done very well – or it was done on purpose to test him. "Hi." If Clay was any other male, he might have pounced on her right then. Her voice was dripped with sex and her feminine scent strong and alluring. He merely kept quiet and nodded slightly in acknowledgement. "May I sit here?" she asked, not waiting for his reply. Making herself comfortable, she crossed her legs causing her skirt to rise slightly to mid-thigh. In response, he merely got up and moved to another empty table, aware that her eyes were two orbs burning a hole in his back. His in turn were focused on Mallory who was walking back to their table with their food. "The sun was in my eye," he said even before she could ask the question. Mallory simple shrugged and placed their food on the table. Before she could sit, someone gave a tap on her shoulder. "Hi Professor!" chimed the blonde. "Oh, Sophie it's you. You're alone today?" Mallory gave her student a sweet smile. "Yeah, you know boys... they're off chasing some girls so I'm alone today. I just wanted to say hello and tell you how much I'm enjoying your class." "Oh that's great!" Gesturing to the empty seat, Mallory offered, "Well if you'd like you can join us. Clay here is also a student who sits in our class from time to time so I'm sure we'll have plenty to talk about." Clay narrowed his eyes at Mallory, unhappy with the fact that he had to share her with her student. The heels of his chair creaked when he stood up suddenly; the metal scrapping over the concrete floor. Towering over both women, he crossed his arms over his chest. Mallory sent him a look saying "behave!" Oh boy she had no idea how well he was behaving right now just by not ripping off the blonde's head. Holding himself back so as not to even bare his teeth at the woman named Sophie, he sent a 'push' in her mind telling her to get the fuck out. When she felt it, Sophie widened her eyes in shock; stepping back to stare at the man in front of her. No one had the ability to intrude on a Light Walker's mind unless he or she was an Alpha... or otherwise a very ancient Risen. "Oh... that's alright Professor. I'd like to finish up my assignments in the library. I'll catch you in class tomorrow!" And she was gone in a heartbeat. "You scared her," Mallory said accusingly. "No I did not!" he protested. "I think she got the message that I wanted to be alone with you." The annoyance on her face melted into one full of curiosity. "Do you?" "Not unless it makes you uncomfortable," he replied. "That's not answering the question. But to answer your unspoken one, no, I'm not uncomfortable." Taking a bite out of her sandwich, she studied him carefully. His shoulder-length black hair and unshaven jawline seemed so out of place in the strict campus setting but it only accentuated the striking blue of his eyes. "Do I pass inspection?" he teased when his gaze caught hers. Feeling her cheeks flushed from embarrassment, Mallory quickly changed the subject. "Where are you from, Clay?" Clay took a second to consider his reply. He was born during a time where boundaries were more fluid than now. Much territory had been conceded to different reigning powers over time but if he had to choose one, it would probably be... "France." Mallory was quiet at his answer; her eyes cast down for a minute. When she spoke, it was almost a whisper, "Me too." Clay didn't need to hear her explanation to know that she too had experienced loss. Hadn't he seen it in her eyes for the past six months? That was what drew them to each other. Not wanting her to languish in her memories, he spoke first. "I had a very large family. My mother had five younger sisters and the youngest was my uncle so I grew up with lots of crazy cousins to annoy me even though I had no siblings of my own." He laughed recalling a distant memory. "Me and a few of my cousins would sometimes sneak out in the middle of the night to the little bar at the edge of the cliff where we would then dare each other to jump off into the sea below." "That's crazy!" she gasped, slapping her hands on the table. "Trust me. When you're a teen, nothing is crazy except maybe your parents." Unsure how to respond, Mallory gave him a smile and leaned back in her seat. "Well, I never had any crazy cliff jumping memories though" she said after a while. "Mine... well mine were filled with mostly memories of moving from house to house until I was old enough to be on my own." "It's always hard being on your own." He'd know. For a century he'd been alone. Hoping to put the past behind them, he forced himself to smile. "What are you doing tonight, Mallory?" His question startled her. She opened her mouth as though to answer him but she was silent; her mind devising some lame excuse to refuse him. That was when she noticed Jamie coming towards her from a distance. Leaning forward, she whispered quickly into his ears, "Would you like to go out tonight?" "Meet you here at 8pm?" "Deal." She gave him a peck on his cheek and excused herself. There was no way she was going to allow Jamie to take this from her. Clay made her feel like herself again and she knew he would do everything to take him away if he found out she was getting too close to someone else not 'authorised' by him. *** "So, what did you find out?" Jean-Pierre looked up from the papers he was reading to the blonde tracker in front of him. "She said that he is a student who occasionally pops into our class." "You don't buy it." "I checked school records and no one with the name of Clay popped up. But that's not the most worrying thing." Sophie took a seat in front of him. "He can speak to me with his mind." That got his attention. Sitting up, he frowned as he tried to piece the information together. If this man had gotten past their keen senses for such a long time, he must be a very powerful person – Light Walker, Risen or otherwise. "What is your assessment?" he asked. "At this moment, I can only tell you that he is definitely not human. He has no scent, JP and that worries me." "Untraceable" he nodded, catching her trail of thought. "I have yet to meet a Light Walker with that ability. So it's possible that he is in the ranks of the Elders of the Risen Council. Mallory and whatever she's working on must be damn important." Jean-Pierre concurred but something about the way Clay moved disturbed him. Risens always had an air of arrogance about them and would have made their abilities clear right from the beginning. But Clay had only done so in retaliation –a very 'pack' like trait. Even then, he didn't deny that Sophie could be right. A Risen with subterfuge ability could trick a Light Walker's mind into thinking he was a pack member; allowing him safe entry into their telepathic network. Of course, the alternative and simplest explanation would be that Clay was a Light Walker. The problem with the latter theory was that Light Walker communications between clan members were a two-way signal. Light Walkers can instinctively initiate communication with anyone at the same rank or lover. Sophie would not have even known that she could communicate with Clay if he had not forced his thoughts into hers. Only five Light Walkers in the world had that ability and they were the Shadow Lords. Rubbing his temples as though to clear his mind, Jean-Pierre dismissed Sophie and told her to keep an eye on Mallory and Clay. He had to find out which of his theories was right and how it would affect their clans. Picking up his phone, he decided to contact the two people he knew would have answers – his own Alpha Alexander and Alkina. *** When Mallory finally got back to her temporary lodging that evening, she was not surprised to see Jamie leaning against her door waiting for her. "I have not been able to catch you at all the whole day," he said in a flat tone. Unsure if he was accusing her or simply being matter-of-fact, Mallory shrugged. "I've been busy Jamie." The Risen did not appreciate that the human felt it her right to ignore or challenge him. She belonged to him and if it took drawing her blood to make her understand that, then so be it. Closing the gap between them, he pressed his knuckles gently on her cheekbones. "You should stop resisting me Mallory," he whispered in her ears, his teeth scraping her earlobe as a warning. Her body stiffened in shock at the contact. "I could give you so much pleasure... if only you'd stop denying me." Soft lips were slowly kissing down the column of her neck. It would only take one bite... "Jamie... please..." Hands pressed against his chest, Mallory tried to push him away but he was too strong; overpowering her body and mind. Incisors lengthening so precariously close to the tender flesh... A blur of darkness caught Jamie's attention and he retracted his fangs and spun Mallory behind him so quickly that she almost fell. "Get indoors and stay there!" he instructed, using a blast of power on her mind to ensure she'd comply immediately. With Mallory behind closed doors, Jamie began to scan the forested area in front of him. He didn't sense anybody but that never meant no one was watching. Then out of the shadows, a blur of white jumped at him so fast that Jamie was unable to block the attack, gaining a deep gash in his abdomen. Although the gash was aimed to maim and not kill, it was still deep enough that Jamie had to clench his hands over the wound to stop him from bleeding out. "Fuck!" When it came to healing, Jamie had no inert abilities. Though Risen wounds heal faster than humans, it would not be fast enough for him to recover to launch a physical counterattack. Hidden in the darkness provided by the trees, Clay remained low and at a distance safe enough to prevent the Risen from using his abilities to render him defenceless. He continued watching as the Risen – whom Mallory had addressed as Jamie – kept searching for his attacker in vain until he could no longer stay in the open and retreated to heal his wounds. Satisfied that Mallory was no longer in immediate danger of being marked by a Risen, Clay decided to return to his temporary accommodations to get ready for his date with Mallory that night. He wasn't intending on allowing her to stay in that wretched hell-hole aside the Risen so he was going to do all he could to make her stay in his – even if that meant seducing and pampering her all night... With his mind occupied with thoughts of Mallory, Clay almost missed the scent of another Light Walker in his midst. Retreating back into the shadows, Clay kept his eyes on the lone brown wolf padding her way through the foliage. Clay was sure that he hadn't betrayed his scent ever since stepping foot in Europe but when a Light Walker scout was out hunting, there would be no mistaking the wolf prints and marks he had left behind. And while the tracker was tracking his tracks, Clay knew he would soon have to follow the tracks that the wolf left behind in an attempt to understand who was following him and why. But first he needed to get dressed for his date. *** Jamie stormed into the spacious abode he temporarily called home, slamming the door behind him. "What the fuck are you looking at?" He bared his teeth at the uninvited guest; eyes glowing a silver that signalled an over-exertion of powers. "I can help." "Get your fucking hands off me. I'm a fucking Elder am I not?" Pure venom laced his voice as he spat out his frustrations. "What do you want Yuli?" The ghostly figure simply stared at him with eyes as mysterious as night betraying no emotion. Yuli could smell every cell of blood flowing out of the Elder; the tang of iron rich in the room. It would have taken him a mere minute or two to repair that damage and yet... "I sensed a Light Walker nearby and followed her here. I didn't think she would be a threat. You bear no scent of a Risen." Still wincing in pain, Jamie clenched his fingers tighter across the wound; channelling all his powers to stitching what he could to stop the bleeding. His blonde hair fell across his face as beads of perspiration dripped from his forehead. Gritting his teeth, Jamie lifted his head to look at his personal bodyguard. "You didn't think the animal was a threat?" Every word punched by an antagonised breath. "I want you to eliminate any Light Walker that dares to come close, much less breathe near this place!" Yuli's eyes was focused on the ground – a cockroach was running helter-skelter as though aware that a predator had spotted it. "What of the human?" Jamie's eyes snapped up to look at Yuli. "What of the girl?" Yuli considered telling the Elder about the earlier interaction he had witnessed between Mallory and the unknown stranger but another look at Jamie's current state had him changing his mind. He would keep it his secret for now. "She's slowly fighting your control." "Don't you think I already know that, Yuli? Now fuck off and do your job." Nonchalant, Yuli simply vanished; his body disintegrating into smoke. *** Mallory had been staring at her closed door for the past fifteen minutes; her face expressionless and her body stiff as a corpse. All she could think about was the cold chill creeping up the back of her neck at Jamie's touch. There was something about the way he held her that felt... wrong. It made her blood hum in her ears; her pulse thudding at her temples. Mallory closed her eyes and he appeared as a magnet; her blood inadvertently drawn out through every pore of her body. Snap out of it! Her eyes flared open; palm pressed against her own chest to still her thundering heartbeat. She did not understand what was happening. Hadn't she been around Jamie for close to a year now? Why the sudden change in his behaviour towards her – this claiming, this... chill. Shuddering to rekindle some heat in her body, Mallory made her way to the bathroom and forced herself to soak in the hot tub. The warm water slicked over her skin, lulling her into slumber. She felt herself slipping lower and lower into the water... It had been such a long day... England was so cold... All she wanted to do was snuggle... Against bronzed skin... Savouring the dangerous scent... "Clay!" Mallory sputtered; coughing violently as she regained her consciousness. Then she began to laugh – a full bodied laughter that started from her belly and up to her head. Throwing her head back, Mallory was gleeful as her laughter sounded like a gurgle in her throat. "Well Mr-I'm-so-sexy-and-mysterious, you are going to be the death of me someday!" she chuckled as she got out of the bath tub. Humming a tune in her head, Mallory walked to her closet to pick out a decent outfit for the date. She didn't really have much to be honest. A few pants, jeans, t-shirts, sneakers... Rolling her eyes, Mallory let herself freefall backwards onto the bed. "I'm never going to get laid with this wardrobe," she sighed holding her hands up high in front of her. She remembered the gentle way he had held her hand; pretending to ignore the sizzle that was there. "I want to touch you again," she whispered to herself. But I'm scared. A quick look at the wall clock told her that she had exactly twenty more minutes to get dressed and haul her ass out of the room. Ten minutes later, Mallory was scrunching her face in front of the mirror, scrutinizing what she had put on. It was a simple getup: Jeans and a tank top under a blazer. Twirling around, she checked her bum in the mirror, hoping he wouldn't think it too big. Satisfied, she wrapped a shawl around her neck, slipped on her only pair of heels and left. *** When Clay finally spotted her, he couldn't help whistling in approval. How does the woman make jeans and blazer look sexy, he didn't know. "Hey, am I late?" she started, apologetically. He gave her a casual kiss on both cheeks. "Nah baby, I'm early." Her smile was broad; the gleam in her eyes almost childlike. "So what do you feel like having? I don't actually know this place that well... so... we might just have to explore." "I'd like that." He grazed his lips over her fingers. "You up for a drive out of campus? I might know a fantabulous place up north...It reminds me of home." More kisses on her knuckle. Mallory found herself fluttering her eyelashes at his remark. Clay was making her feel all molten inside just from that intimate gesture. Seated in the car, Mallory tried her best to ignore her little desires to come closer, to take in a little more of his scent, to touch him. "I like you," she suddenly blurted. Mallory froze. Where did that come from! Clearly sensing her embarrassment, Clay snickered. "Hey, what's there not to like about me? I mean I'm smart, sexy, handsome, good in bed... ya know... just to mention a few things." His candour got her slapping at his arms. "Now you're abusing me..." he pouted. They continued with the banter for the next half-an-hour until they finally reached the outskirts of the campus compounds itself and into the city. When she was finally tucked into the seat of a quaint little French restaurant, Mallory gave a decadent sigh. It had been too long since she indulged herself in good food, wine and most importantly, a date. Looking over the rim of her wine glass, she studied the man in front of her. Unlike Jamie, he was not conventionally handsome. He had a sharp, dangerous edge to his looks, accentuated by his square jawline, slightly crooked nose and mutinous length of hair. Mallory had no doubt that he started and ended fights all the time. However, basked in the warm glow of the candles, he appeared completely harmless; his innocent dimples flashing ever so rarely when he laughed. "You don't strike me as a Cambridge student," she said finally, leaning back in her seat with the wine glass in hand. "No?" Eyebrows rose questioningly. When he offered no explanation, Mallory leaned forward, her voice a silky whisper, "I don't date my students." Unrepentant, he merely gave a chuckle and brought his face closer to hers. "Bite me." Caught off guard by his response, Mallory tipped back into her seat; her eyes widening in surprise. "You cannot say such things!" Her eyelashes fluttered with every punctuated word. A devilish grin curled on his face. Taking her fingers to his lips, he pressed a gentle kiss and oh so very lightly grazed his teeth over her knuckles. The Wolf's Call to the Moon Ch. 02 Whatever protest she had turned into liquid amber inside her. Her hand felt like jelly; malleable to his touch. All she wanted was to curl on his lap, press her breasts against his solid chest and purr like a contented kitten. The slight grip on her forefingers brought her attention back to his piercing gaze. "When we're alone," he whispered; his eyes lit with a pleasurable promise that had her pulse racing. She could feel his body heat from the across the table and scent his need in the air. She wanted to bite him. "All in time..." Releasing her hand, he winked at her and nonchalantly started on his soup. Mallory blushed slightly and picked up her soup spoon. Did he just read her mind? Or was she that... obvious? Mallory could feel herself rolling her eyes in her head and chided herself. She expressed her emotions too literally; getting into trouble so many times with her expressive face and body language. Eyes downcast, she only hoped that he had not read her gesture as wantonly... "Hey... chin up baby." Clay's voice like melted butter over her skin. "Or else somebody in the kitchen's going to get hurt for giving you terrible soup." Clearing her throat, Mallory sat up straight, flinging her hair back slightly. "The food is good." "It is as good as it gets –Homemade medicine for the soul." Mallory couldn't agree more. She recalled Clay mentioning that the place reminded him of home and she could see why. With every spoonful of flavours, the familiar hint of Provençal herbs made her recall snippets of memories that she had long forgotten. "I think my father used to make this." Blond hair plaited from the top of his skull down to the curve of his back; the sides shaved clean. Long robes of the deepest red, like the colour of... "Mallory?" A gentle hand covered her own. Blue eyes looking at her searchingly. "Dessert?" she replied, turning her palm over to cover his; embracing his warmth. Clay nodded and took his eyes away from her momentarily to call for the waiter. She needed a second to her thoughts –that was all he was going to allow her. Though she appeared frail and unsure of herself, Clay had a sense that it was a façade that had been placed as a form of coping mechanism for something much deeper and darker. But beneath that, he knew there was fiery passion lying dormant –waiting to be rekindled. And he would be the one to light that fire. The thought made one corner of his lips curl in anticipation. This time he was going to lift her up and pound her against the wall – long and deep strokes. The slight gasp from Mallory told him he was on the right track. There was no denying it – she was his and their minds and bodies knew that. Her eyelashes lifted cautiously to catch his gaze; her lips slightly parted. "Come home with me Mal." "Yes." *** The blazer and jeans were first to go; thrown into a pile on the floor. Grabbing her lush bottom, Clay murmured into the crook of her neck. Such bountiful plump flesh should never be contained or covered up too long. Cornering her back to the wall, he braced his hands at each side of her head; his body pressed dangerously against hers. She was all curves against his solid muscles, the scent of her arousal ambrosia to his maddening lust. Tilting her chin up, he gazed into her eyes of liquid heat; need and desire echoing in the depths. He felt her fingers reach out to comb through his hair, cradling his head closer to her face. An instant later, she crashed her lips on his, her onslaught soft and unyielding. Clay gratefully conceded to the urgency of the kiss, coaxing her tongue into a tangle as he deepened their kiss. "I want you, all of you," he whispered, cupping her face in his palm. "This time, there will be no turning back Mallory" No forgetting me. She turned her cheek towards the heat of his palm and kissed the tender inner flesh – a promise. Pressing the hardening bulge in his jeans closer to her midsection, he moved his hands down to her heart-shaped ass; his fingers slipping into the waistband of her thongs. "I hope you're not too attached to this," he murmured against her mouth. Whatever she wanted to say died in her moans when he ripped the material away, allowing the cool air to brush against her soaking pussy lips. The wolf was in a frenzy. With his senses on overdrive, the intoxicating scent of her moistness was amplified, causing his cock to harden even more at the thought of burying deep into her soaking pussy. With his hands firm on her butt cheeks, he parted her legs slightly, before running two long fingers down to the folds of her wet pussy lips. As he traced the plump flesh, her wetness was like baby oil on his fingers – Slow rubs over her clitoris; the rough callous edge of his fingers circling the sensitive nub driving her crazy. "Clay... please..." she murmured against his lips. When the pleasure became too much that it racked her nervous system, Mallory pulled her lips away and bit into the curve of his neck. The unexpected bite made him moan; his wolf clearly pleased at being marked. Lifting his fingers away, he brought them to his lips and licked at the liquid, making sure that she knew where he intended to get more later. Mallory, however had other plans. Dropping to her knees, she began unbuckling his jeans; her fingers eager to have her fill of his hot, hard cock. "Mallory, fuck... that's... oh my god..." Clay pounded one fist on the wall in front of him, his forehead pressed on his arm. His cock was wrapped between hot, wet lips; her tongue twirling at the sensitive head. With one hand clenching the base of his cock, she moved it up and down in a pumping motion while the other caressed his balls ever so gently. "You've got to stop that baby..." he managed to moan when she engulfed his cock in her mouth once more. "Or I would be shooting my load on that pretty face instead." Pulling her up, he tossed her over his shoulder and walked them to the bathroom where he then sat her on the sink countertop; legs spread open for his forage. There was no gentleness this time when he held her thighs apart, his teeth sinking in the tender inner flesh to mark her, sending tiny explosions in her head. He continued his assault towards the enticing wet entrance, his teeth slightly grazing over the wet pussy lips before settling over her clitoris. Rolling the nub between his lips, he gave a tentative suck. "Clay!" she screamed. The sensation of his rough stubble on her sensitive flesh was just too much but she craved for more. Bucking her hips, she fed him more of her sweet secretions; her fingers fisting in his hair, demanding more of his lascivious tongue that was searing her already hot insides. Clay loved the feeling of her pussy juice smeared all across his chin; the liquid gushing out even as his tongue lapped it up greedily. "No more please..." she whimpered, tugging him up. "I want you inside..." Clay didn't need any more invitation. "Get in the shower baby." With hot water running down on them, he pressed her face-front to the wall; pulling her hips back in line with his erection. The sight of her tender ass cheeks spread apart was an inviting siren to his cock. Putting one palm on the wall near her face, he guided his cock into the soaking heat of her pussy. There was no emotion to describe that first instant grip the soft walls make around his aching cock –Clay revelled in it. Holding her by the hips, he began to pound mercilessly into her pussy; their combined grunts and moans filling the room. Smack! A slap on those jiggling ass cheeks. "Move those hips back and fuck me!" he ordered. Putting his hands up, he allowed her to ride his cock; the sight of her moving back and forth along his rigid member bringing him close to the edge. She was so tight in this position, almost clamp-like around him. "Turn around baby... Let me see your beautiful face." Olive green eyes met his – the flash of desire evident on her face; her cheeks flushed and her breath ragged. And those lips...so plump and invitingly naked. He covered them with his own, coaxing them apart to allow his tongue access to her crevice. Deepening the kiss, he roamed his hands up her body, searching for her bountiful breasts. Palming them, he massaged the twin mounds until she whimpered against him. "No I'm not done with you baby..." Lifting her from her bottom, he pressed her back against the wall, waiting for her to automatically wrap her legs around his waist, her arms around his neck. Slipping his cock inside her, Clay allowed himself a few seconds to marvel at the warm tightness before pulling out slightly and thrusting in again and again and again. Mallory could feel him touching all the way inside her; the tip of his cock rubbing at the entrance of her cervix. His thickness was stretching her tight, filling her up so much that she knew she would be sore the next day. Grinding her hips forward, she felt him slamming in and pulling out faster; their sweaty bodies slapping in rhythmic thrusts. Her pussy was on sensory overload and she knew that she was about to cum.When she felt the hard grip on her butt, she knew he was close too. Bucking against him, Mallory tipped her head backwards and let out a scream of pure pleasure as her pussy muscles clenched tight, the spasms rocking her. She heard him take a sharp breath and then he stilled. "Fuck Mallory! You can't tighten up like that..." he groaned before emptying himself inside of her. Pure ecstasy laced through his veins as both man and animal gave every last drop of themselves into the awaiting pussy. It was when they held on to each other that Mallory heard the 'click' in her head – the emotions, the sensations all familiar once more to her. *** With her head resting on his chest, Mallory trailed her fingertips in circles on his abdomen as she listened to his slow breathing; her mind and body was satiated and at peace. When he stirred awake, Mallory shifted to sit cross-legged on the bed. "Morning." Rubbing the sleep away from his eyes, Clay smiled. Turning to his side so that his head was resting on his hand, he watched her expressions carefully. "You're still here." It was not an accusatory remark but one of surprise and pure simple happiness. "I remember you." Clay wasn't sure he heard her correctly the first time. Inching closer to her, he laid his head gently on her lap and looked up. "Say that again?" "I know you from a long time ago." His forehead creased slightly. Has her perception of time been distorted so much? Surely it hasn't been that long? Turkey was only a month ago. But he didn't push. "You're a wolf." Her voice was level, not a slight tremble to indicate the irrational fear or curiosity that most humans have when confronted with this reality. Clay whistled his surprise. "Whoa baby, you sure you alright?" Where did that come from? He hadn't marked her nor had he unleashed his beast in her presence. Narrowing her eyes, she gave him an accusatory look. "You took my recording tape!" Oh that... His inner wolf chuckled, clearly pleased that she remembered him. Clay had to resist the urge to shift and allow her to pet the animal. Instead, he sat up straight and gave her an indignant look. It was not time yet. She was not ready –for the wolf nor her place in his world. "I picked it up while I was exploring. I didn't know it was yours." He shrugged casually, not wanting to betray anything. "And I'm definitely not a wolf. Werewolves don't exist." "What were you doing in Lycia then?" "I'm a wildlife photographer." Thumb gesturing to the big bags at the corner of the room. "I travel a lot and I can go wherever I want mostly." His knuckles brushed her jawline. "But I came here for you." The temper in her eyes subsided, almost as though she was retreating from battle. Pressing a kiss to his cheek, she got up and headed for the showers, leaving Clay sprawled in bed. "The wolf – he had the most beautiful blue eyes... I could stroke his pelt forever," she shouted a second before the showers were turned on. Clay had to grit his teeth to hold back the crazy impulse to jump into the shower with her in wolf form just to tangle between her legs. *** He was walking her back home when he caught the first signs of danger approaching. Pulling her closer to him, Clay kept his senses on high alert. They were not too far from her accommodation so if they just hurried slightly, he might make it in time to keep her safe behind closed doors – That was before he got brutally knocked onto the ground by a massive brown wolf. Run Mallory! Run! But she simply stayed rooted; shock clearly overriding her motor responses. "Clay!!" She tried to lunge forward but the brown wolf gnarled at her; one clawed foot pressed on Clay's face. Paralyzed with fear, Mallory's legs gave way and she dropped knees down to the ground. Get the fuck off me bitch! The wolf bared her teeth and brought her snout closer to his face. Fight me! You fucking kidding? There's a human! Clay wouldn't hesitate to tear the wolf from limb to limb with his bare hands. Even in human form, he was stronger than most Light Walkers. But for the sake of the terrified woman on her knees not far from him, Clay refused to attack. Until he sniffed the tang of a Risen in the wind streams. Releasing one arm from under her hold, Clay twisted the wolf's paw and pushed her off him. The force of his exertion had her flying a few inches to smash on a nearby tree. Not wasting another second, he shifted; taking in the morning light that metamorphed him from man to wolf. Grabbing Mallory by the scruff of her blazer, he flipped her onto his back and began to run. Mallory, please hold on. Please. There was no denying the increased speed and stamina of being in wolf form especially if one had to outrun a fast approaching Risen who had taken the form of smoke. He hadn't recognised the scent of this Risen –it was not Jamie – and the fact that he was attacked just slightly before by another Light Walker didn't sit well with him at all. Something was up. Clay continued running until he reached the edge of a lake. "Shit!" Looking left and right, he saw no other path to the other side of the forest except through the misty fog of the lake. "Afraid of getting cold feet?" Yuli materialised from the smoke; clad in black leather. The icy sneer sent goosebumps down his neck. Whoever this Risen was, he had no political or social importance –killing, had no repercussions for him. Clay looked straight at him. There was no way to communicate with a Risen in his current form and to shift back into human would sacrifice precious seconds – time he knew was enough for the Risen to snatch his Mallory from him. Shielding her from his view, Clay knew their only chance was to somehow cloak both of them with his untraceable ability. He had never known of any Light Walker to have extended their abilities beyond themselves – apart from the healers –but he had to try. Keep your breath steady baby... I won't let anyone touch you. Olive green eyes fixed on him. A nod. From the corner of his eyes, he could see the Risen circling them. He kept on goading, knowing that the wolf could not respond. Looking down at Mallory, Clay could see that his ability was working – except that he was not good enough to cloak both of them at once. A mist had surrounded them, rendering them opaque to the Risen's view but that was not good enough. I love you Mallory. I have, for a long time. A full-fledged white wolf pounced on the Risen, knocking him to the ground. Confusion was etched on his face. "Where... what! Where's the human you beast!" he clamoured towards the water but Clay simply dug his claws into his limbs. Don't kill him. Blue eyes framed by black pelt came into view. Flanking his side were two grey wolves and two brown ones – one of which limped slightly. Trackers. Built slightly smaller than other wolves, the trackers were lithe and fast, which explained how they got to him so quickly. Eduard will tranquilize him. A hesitant pause. Don't you dare move or he will put you down too. The white wolf snapped its head up in anger. How dare this low ranking wolf speak to him like that! Knowing that Mallory was still watching, even if she was hidden from view, Clay reigned in his claws to make way for Eduard. One of the grey wolves shifted and Clay recognised him as the medic of the team for he had a small pouch on his back that had been made especially not to disintegrate during the shift. The Risen had struggled when Eduard approached him. Clay simply crushed a foot down on his face, knocking him out cold. Get it done with. Yes sir. The compliance was so instinctive within the pack structure that Eduard could not disobey a direct order by a higher ranking wolf. The other trackers noticed it too. For Jean-Pierre, the discovery of Clay was very problematic. A dominant as he was, Clay was much more dominant than him and to question him would be a feat. How did you survive for so long, Light Walker? A haughty snort was all he got for an answer. Fine. We'll take the Risen and the woman too. They'll have answers. That got his attention. You fucking leave her alone! An intense flickering of light and heat later, Clay towered in front of the wolves, a clear sign of authority and dominance. "If you touch my mate, you will die. A painful, slow death. I promise." Picking up the Risen as though he was nothing more than a sack of feather, Clay began to walk away from them. "Tell your Shadow Lords, I am willing to pay them a visit." *** The Wolf's Call to the Moon Ch. 03 Hi all! Thank you so much for the emails and messages of encouragement. They really mean a lot to me and I appreciate all your patience! *** Mallory in a dream - one where she was a third-party observer, understood everything despite the incredulity of the situation. Yes, she just witnessed a man changing into a wolf - she had clutched at his fur while riding on his back and she had seen the wolf change back into a man. How dare he say that werewolves didn't exist! There was no mistaking those eyes. She knew them - man and wolf. They were the same piercing blue that had first stolen her breath back on the slopes of the Sleeping Giant. Mallory wasn't a historian archaeologist if she didn't have an eye for detail. And she had noted that the five seemingly normal wolves who had appeared a while ago were of the changeling kind like him -but different. Not only where they smaller, they also had an air about them that denoted a lower rank in hierarchy. The only thing she couldn't understand was why he had followed after them and left her alone in the foliage. He had even taken the assailant who was chasing them! Fumbling around for support, Mallory tried to get on her feet but her muscles were under the attack of pins and needles after having crouched behind a bush for so long. "Goddamn it Mallory!" Cursing to herself, she managed to rummage for a thick broken stick and used it as a form of lever to hoist herself up. "Who says I love you and then disappear?" she grumbled. The fear that had consumed her earlier was replaced by annoyance and a tinge of worry. Emotions aside, she had understood that something sinister was happening. Why had the man come after them? Was it Clay that he was after? Or was it her? And those wolves... One of them - the black one -had looked straight at her before leaving, the warning in his eyes clear. "Clay..." she whispered, her eyes following the direction where she last saw him. She didn't want to admit it but it hurt. It hurt that she had allowed herself to let him in only to have him abandon her. Hadn't she already had enough of that while growing up? Shipped from house to house each time her foster parents could no longer tolerate her or control her. And finally, at 18, when the system could no longer support her, she was thrown out on the streets to fend for herself. It wasn't that she resented being left behind. Mallory had no parents, no family, nothing -she never had a bond to anyone that mattered. At every stage of her life, relationships were temporary. That shouldn't have changed. *** Even with his arrogant face plastered on, Clay bore the slight note of worry in his eyes - something that Sophie had picked up, despite his insistence that Mallory meant nothing to him. She was merely a human he saved from an attacking Risen, so he said. Although Mallory was off-limits to them for the moment, Jean-Pierre had still ordered three of the scouts to continue keeping watch over her. Sophie couldn't disagree. Human or not, Mallory Roux was a piece of the bigger puzzle and they needed to figure out what part she played. As for herself, the senior tracker had requested that she accompanied him back to Notre Dame, in a bid to coax some answers out of the two prisoners. Pursing her lips, Sophie crossed her arms as Jean-Pierre tried to discuss his interrogation strategy. There were times when she really hated how he used her looks as a tool to acquiesce men, especially when the specimen in front of her was anything but attracted to her. Clay had not once looked at her nor acknowledged her presence. "Jean-Pierre, please. You know as well as I do that he is not going to speak to us." "Doesn't mean we stop trying," he replied curtly before turning his attention to the captured Risen in front of him. They weren't any more successful with him either. Yuli was sat back in his seat, eyes wary and watchful. Though they had bound his hands and feet, he knew he could escape if he wanted to -merely disappearing in a puff of smoke. By the looks of it, the captured Light Walker knew it too. Their eyes crossed for a split second and Yuli caught the murderous edge in those sky-blue irises. Finally, after a long period of silence, the two trackers stood up. "It won't be long before we reach Paris," announced Jean-Pierre, looking intently at his two captives. "I do so wish that you would tell us something useful so we could help you out. The Shadow Lords can be merciful." Clay resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He knew all about their mercy alright. Like how they mercilessly butchered his entire family. So screw them. Crossing his arms over his chest, Clay endured the slow descend to Charles de Gaulle Airport. He hated the place - the rank scent of decay and filth was always heavy in the air, choking him. He longed for the vast countryside, where the air smelled of ripened grapes and wheat and fields of sunflowers. Coming home had a bittersweet edge to it. The journey to the grand cathedral was wordless. The captives found no reason to speak and the captors knew there was nothing more they could gleam from the two. Clay kept his eyes on the road, noting how despite the passing of time, every building was still recognisable, the streets littered with the same type of people and the air of melancholy still permeated the city. Even the river Seine held the same charm and serenity as before. Now that the car was crossing the bridge over her, he knew the time had come. He was finally home, in the land of his forefathers and back here he was after a century. When Jean-Pierre tried to guide them towards the main entrance of the cathedral, Clay simply pulled away and headed up the path that he had memorised by heart. He knew the tracker was going to bring them through all the memorials and grandeur as a farce of intimidation but Clay was not one to waste time. At the side of the spiral staircase at the back entrance was a secret door that led to another set of stairs at the end of a corridor. It was there that he had seen his family for the last time before they were all herded to the main courtyard like sheep to slaughter. Clenching his teeth at the memory, Clay continued down the path; aware that Sophie was following him. Jean-Pierre must have set her on him while he tended to the captured Risen. When they finally reached the end of the corridor, Clay pushed the door open and welcomed the flood of light from the open-air cloister. But it was the chapter-house at the east side of the cloister that had his attention. A soft hand on his shoulder. "Wait, please." He gave her a momentary glance. "I know they are aware of my presence. There is no need to chaperon me." "I don't understand." The tone of resignation and innocence had him stopping in his tracks. "What?" "You. This." Clay continued walking. There was no need to explain anything. His business was not with her. *** The wooden ceiling high door was heavy and damp against his fingers as he pushed it forward, the weight putting a slight strain on his biceps. Light was minimal in the chapter house -only a stream falling from a circular sky roof illuminating the round table that was surrounded by the Alpha Light Walkers; the Shadow Lords. Confused and bewildered eyes immediately turned to examine him; gasps muted and heartbeats stilled. "Impossible!" Clay caught a blur of imperial green robes, a second before he was lifted off his feet by a strong hold on his neck. "Alkina..." he managed to breathe out; his claws drawn out and perilously close to puncturing her radial artery. He would claw it out and destroy her arms in a heartbeat if he wanted. She caught the intent in his eyes but didn't let him go. "I don't suppose you came here to die." The blue of his eyes locked on hers - one wolf to another. "Put him down Alkina." The deep baritone voice of the European Alpha echoed through the room. "He's worth more to us alive than dead." Who is he? Alexander flicked an eye towards Alkina. She was always the most knowledgeable amongst them all but she was also known to keep her secrets protectively guarded. He shouldn't be alive. His lips curled up in response. Just as he thought -she wasn't going to give up that information to him willingly. Comparatively, Alexander was only a century younger than Alkina but she had been in the ranks of the Shadow Lords for much longer and held many secrets about the clans that he never had privy to. She was a guardian of their past and he respected her for that, seeing that she had also outlived all her peers -a genetic trade-off of her wolf species. Just as well. He wasn't going to be bothered by histories and secrets. They were often kept that way for a reason. As an Alpha, he always chose to focus on what was now -such as the arrogant young Light Walker in front of him who looked at everyone with frigid, suspicious eyes. From his scent alone, Alexander could tell that he was of his hearth... How that could be possible was for another time. There were more pressing urgent matters at the moment. Gesturing to an empty seat by his side, Alexander merely nodded - the invitation implied. Rubbing at the soreness at his throat, Clay walked up to the empty chair but did not sit down. Instead, his eyes scanned the entire room, taking in the details of every Light Walker he could see and sense. He recognised the Tasmanian wolf Alpha but the others -he only knew their names, by news and gossip that came along with them. Turning to the one who had offered him a seat, Clay held the Alpha's calm gaze. Unlike the other Shadow Lords, this one -Alexander Glas was dressed in jeans and a long sleeved shirt; his face clean shaven to look like a mid-thirties IT geek. The facade was something he constantly upheld to keep up with the time as well as his stake hold in various industries. Something bubbled inside of him -an instinct Clay recognised as the dominance game. It had been so long since he ever felt it necessary to tussle with a fellow pack mate to ascertain his rank and to feel so now was an indication of how long he had been away from the pack life. Not that he had one anymore. Sensing the same, Alexander simply gestured once more to the wooden chair. "Please sit. I'd love to introduce myself but that would just insult your intelligence. So why don't you introduce yourself instead?" Smooth, very smooth, thought Clay. "My name is Clay." He sat down. "Do you know why you're here?" asked Alexander, ignoring the non-verbal cues from Alkina who wanted to take reign of the interrogation. He preferred to call it conversation. He knows about the sarcophagus Alex... don't beat around the bush you idiot. You're wasting precious time! At Clay's non-committal shrug, Alexander lifted his gaze and nodded to Sophie who had been standing guard by the door. "We found this Light Walker during our investigation of the sarcophagus. He has implicated himself by being around the chief historian of the expedition and has been known to be in the presence of another Risen." Biting her lips, she paused. Then her eyes found Alexander's, seeking permission to continue. "We had initially thought he was one of them... for he bears no common scent of the five families..." "Enough." Alkina stood up, her palms imprinting itself on the wooden table. "Why isn't this chief historian brought in for questioning as well?" she demanded. "Because I told her not to." The simple answer left the room in a mess of commotion. Alkina, her eyes glowing amber, crossed the room in giant strides to stand next to Clay. "What right do you think you have over any pack business? Or any other right for that matter?" "None whatsoever." Clay returned her icy stare with his own; a warning for her to back down. "Argh, why you imbeci..." Her wrist was caught mid-slap by Alexander. What the fuck is wrong with you? It should not take an Alpha this long to acknowledge the most basic reason. The gold of her irises shot angrily at him. He dares to command your kin! Are you not threatened by this? No I am not. And that was the truth. To him, Clay was nobody and had chosen to remain that way. Regardless of Clay's dominance, the only command that a Light Walker will not ignore was when it concerned... "She is his mate." Sophie's voice broke the tension filling the room. The silence that ensued was stifling. The only sounds that could be heard were the shuffling of heels approaching the main chamber doors. A creak and a sliver of light later, Jean-Pierre entered with the captured Risen tagging behind him. "Finally! Something useful I could use," snarled Alkina. "We will deal with you later." Turning her back to him, she waved her hand nonchalantly. "Guards! Have this Light Walker removed from this chamber. Should he attempt to escape..." Her lips curled; her face reflecting her pleasure. "Kill him". *** Jamie stood in front of the twin sarcophagus with his back to his laptop screen. The Risen Council members had requested to have the virtual conference set up in lieu of their physical presence for the progress report. This method had been commonly used since the advent of technology for having 13 head of the bloodlines congregating in one location usually led to an increase in death in that area. It was as though having that many powerful Risens fed the bloodlust of their kind within the vicinity. "So, have you cracked the code yet?" asked Klaus, his silver eyes twinkling behind the computer screen. Nodding, Jamie moved towards the centre of the conjoint twins where the 'hands' held a dual-disk dial intricately carved from stone. "The inscriptions were in the form of a love poem. Mallory deduced that it was possible that the iambic pentameter..." "Cut the crap Jamie. Just open the damn lock already!" snapped Klaus, cutting him from his explanation. Jamie could hear the other Elders murmuring under their breath but no one dared to voice their opinion as yet, seeing that Klaus had spoken. "It's a mathematical equation, locked within the words," he said quickly as he started to move the top dial to match the corresponding symbol on the lower stone disk. Jamie felt even more alone in the room at the moment despite the fact that twelve other Risens were listening and watching intently. It was as though each one was holding their breath... Click. Jamie gave a tentative push at the crack in between the dial. "And we have a problem." Jamie let out a loud sigh. He knew it wouldn't be that easy. Beneath the shell of the sarcophagus, the two bodies were encased in individual cases. There was no way to tell which was which. "What! What does that mean!" The questions started pouring out, filling the room with thundering noise. Jamie was thankful that none of the Elders were with him at the moment, for surely they would be all over the artefact, trying to break it open for themselves. That would have been stupid. Had Mallory not break the first code correctly, they would have released a stone-corroding acid onto the second set of locks; causing the liquid to eat away at anything else that remained within it. "It's a second set of code..." sighed Jamie as he took the laptop camera closer for everyone to inspect together with him. "It looks like a key hole to be honest," said one of the Elders. "Yes... but it's like a shape of a well..." said another. "I don't suppose... we need a sacrifice?" Jamie put the laptop back on the desk. The last Elder might be on to something. Taking a closer look at the incision on the stone, Jamie instinctively knew what was needed to fill up the well - About 5ml of blood. But he kept it to himself for now. Turning to face the other Elders once more, he assured them of another progress update soon and logged off before they could protest. That wouldn't hold them off for long. He had caught the recognition and understanding in the eyes of some of the quieter Elders. It was a matter of time before they made their way to Cambridge and be the first few to bow at the feet of the Forbidden one. Jamie was going to beat them to it. If the legends were true, the one who unleashes the creator of all Bloodlines would be rewarded greatly. And to be at the side of Forbidden one at the onslaught of a new era for their kind made his blood boil with anticipation, his head giddy with excitement. Taking a scalpel from a nearby tray, Jamie carefully brought his arm closer to one of the wells. This had to be the one. It was carved intricately to depict some sort of coat of arms, with symbols written in a spiral manner ending at the core of the well. He knew he should wait for Mallory to ascertain what the symbols meant but his patience was wearing thin. He had to do this now. Even as his hands trembled slightly, Jamie knew that to mistakenly awaken the wrong ancient would alter the course of history. If he awaken the 'Other'... he and his entire race will die. Deciding to take his chances, Jamie brought the sharp end of the blade close to the thudding vein on the back of his forearm and held his breath. And stopped. He had not noticed it before but right at the centre of the well of the other tomb casing was a slight discolouration that appeared fresh -like blood had spilled in it very recently. This well had been carved in almost haphazardly such that it was merely a few cracks in the stone. Surely this couldn't belonged to the great Forbidden one? Bringing his nose closer to the well, he took a whiff and felt his bones shudder. Yes... The Forbidden one had sensed its kin nearby and found a way to draw blood. But how? Jamie crouched at the foot of the sarcophagus; curious as to how anyone or anything could have gotten in without having opened the outer casing first. Examining every inch of the stone, Jamie came to realise a crucial detail he had missed previously - a swath of colour, almost as though it was a paintbrush pressed over the dust. Putting the tip of his finger to the rust-coloured area, he smiled as he gathered the image of an injured mouse limping across the floor. The stone itself was carnivorous, wanting to feed its occupants at every chance it had. Swallowing the lump that had collected in his throat, Jamie moved his hand to the cracked well. "Master, I am your slave," he chanted as the tip of the scalpel sliced through flesh to draw scarlet. Drop upon drop of blood disappeared through the crack. The sarcophagus shook slightly; a distant sigh echoing in the room. And then... Nothing. "What? What, I don't understand!" Jamie was shaking his head vigorously, as though the reality was unthinkable. Pressing the scalpel deeper, he allowed more of his blood to seep through, ignoring the pain that sliced through him. "No, this has to be it..." he insisted, giving the dead a shake. And still nothing. His hands fell limp on the stone, the scalpel falling to the floor with an unmistakable clang of metal. As his knees crashed onto the tiles, Jamie gave a low howl. "Noooo" Hands cradled his head; blood staining his shirt. He must have missed something... Or had the Forbidden one deemed him unworthy? Eyes hardening, Jamie got to his feet. Mallory. She would know what to do. *** The shadows cast by the prison bars marked him like zebra stripes. Clay hated being down in the dirty, freezing cellar again; hated that the memories were rushing back to choke him once more. The Wolf's Call to the Moon Ch. 03 Winter nights were most punishing to the human body. He had learnt that the hard way. Stripped of all but their most basic clothing, many of his little cousins had died as they were not strong enough to fight the cold. They didn't even have shoes to keep their feet warm. His mother had huddled him close, sharing her warmth with him even when he could see the tips of her fingers turning black from the frigid ice encasing them. He longed to shift, to let his wolf care for his body... but they had put a collar of spokes around everyone's necks. To shift was to die. From the corner of his eyes, he caught hints of blonde. "What do you want?" His voice was sharp and iced; betraying nothing of his psychological turmoil. Sophie leaned her back against the cold metal bars. "I thought you might want some company." Clay was too tired to argue. With his body slumped against the brick wall, he shrunk further in the shadows. He could escape; fight his way out of this hell hole but he knew that the remaining trackers left on duty in Cambridge would jump on Mallory the instance they were given the go. The only reason why they have not touched her was because he had exchanged his life for hers. It was an unspoken trade that occurred in the chambers the moment Sophie had claimed Mallory as his mate. She would be safer without him and knowing that the Elder Risen had his eye on her was an additional albeit disturbing comfort. Scouts with no attack capabilities would have their throats ripped off by the Elder in a blink of an eye. Clay was counting on that. *** Yuli That was the third time he was calling for the damn Risen. Resisting the urge to punch his fist into the wall, Jamie decided to compose himself. Mallory could scent anger from a mile away and any attempts to penetrate into her mind would be futile once her blocks were up. Raking his fingers through his blonde hair, Jamie checked himself in the mirror a last time before stepping outside to find her. He was barely halfway across the lawn when he spotted her -stumbling over her own shoes; her hair slick with sweat, sticking to her neck. "Are you alright?" She took his offered hand but her mind was a complete blank to him. Her expressions said otherwise -brows knitted, cheeks rouge-tinged and lips slightly blue and cracked, likely from the heavy breathing of the cold morning air through her mouth. Jamie didn't like not knowing what she was running from. "Stop that," she chided out of a sudden, her eyes flashing accusingly at him. Her words made him step back in genuine surprise; one hand on his chest as reassurance that he wasn't dreaming. She was indeed regaining back her autonomy; her resistance towards him merely increasing by the day. But how did she know he was trying to read her mind? That was what she meant earlier right? Deciding that it was best not to push that button, he went straight to the point. "It seems that the sarcophagus requires a second layer of code breaking." For the first time, her face bore no expression. She stood completely still and just looked at him for what felt like an eternity before narrowing her eyes at him. Her silent stare felt like pin-pricks on his skin that for a moment, Jamie was sure he had physically felt the pain. She was definitely pissed off at him. "Yes, fine! I had to demonstrate the code-breaker to the funders. They were clamouring for answers and we are taking too damn long. I'm sorry I didn't wait for you." His arms folded crossly. "I didn't think it would have been that complicated. We were both there when we received the X-ray scans - there was no indication of further layers to the tombs." Relaxing her stance, Mallory pulled back her hair into a ponytail to help her think better. "I'm not surprised actually." A casual shrug. "Alright, let me see this next code." When she saw the opened sarcophagus, Mallory felt a lump lodged in her throat. They were beautiful -at least one of them was. She could feel that so much love and detail had gone into this tomb and it only made her all the more eager to find out who it was. The only issue was that the hieroglyphic inscriptions were scattered so randomly that she had to crouch down to have a better look at them. "What? It's not Lycian?" "It is..." "Then what's the problem?" Jamie's voice racked up a notch; his feet tapping impatiently. Since he was being such a dick, she decided to decipher the code in the isolation of her mind. Shutting out everything around her, she took in each inscription to memory and then closed her eyes. It had to be a puzzle. Always another puzzle. Piecing words together, she tried one variant of the sentence. "No, I'm missing something." Her voice barely a murmur as she trailed her fingertips across the textured surface of the tomb. And felt it. So miniscule, it would have been missed by the naked eye. Like braille, this time the clue had to be read using her sense of touch - each embossed dot a signal for the reading order of the hieroglyphic. Blooms this seed. Lost as it grows. Over time, becoming stronger O! But it knows no death. Deep is this love, so pure. When Mallory read it out loud to him, Jamie couldn't help but scoff. "I already tried my blood." "I thought you couldn't read ancient Lycian?" "I made a good guess. Most of these ancient artefacts always require some form of sacrifice; almost to weaken those who dared to enter it." "Which one?" Mallory was surprised that he pointed to the one with the single crack on it. While she agreed with his logic, there was something about the tomb he chose that didn't feel... normal to her. The poem in its native tongue hung heavy with a sense of so much death, loss... and blood. It was a running motif that she couldn't just seem to shake off her mind. Mallory had been around tombs of great conquerors in the league of Genghis Khan but this one just reeked of a... killer. "Jamie, I want you to be honest with me. Who does this body belong to? I know you know." "I... can't." Jamie tried his best to divert his gaze away from her piercing green eyes. "Then I can't help you. Goodnight." Twirling on her heels, she marched out of the research lab and was slightly disappointed that he made no move to stop her. "Wait." Mallory took her hand off the doorknob. She didn't know how he could have covered that distance in a heartbeat but he was now looming over her; his body heat so perilously close to singeing her. "What difference does it make to know who he was?" He. Yes, this tomb definitely belonged to a 'he'. The other one, the adorned tomb was definitely the female. After all, the purpose of a conjoined sarcophagus was to house a couple. Running her fingers over the ugly neglected tomb, Mallory could see no marks of any kind that indicated the finishing works of an entomber. In fact, it appeared more plausible that the sarcophagus was locked from the inside. Mallory had a gut feeling that the tomb of the wife had been so intrinsically decorated because it was done first and then the partner had laid down in his own tomb next to her, leaving nothing but a single crack -for air? That was just crazy. Unless... Of course. "Tell me. Who are they?" She stepped closer; her breath just inches away from his lips. Looking up, she could see that he was watching her carefully. Palms resting on his chest, Mallory gave him her most defiant look. "Are they... non-human? A Vampire perhaps or a Werewolf?" She picked up on his increased heart rate and the startled fluttering of his eyelashes. Jamie frantically tried to break past her mental defences. He needed to know if she was... one of them. A Light Walker spy. Nothing. "I don't know where you got that idea from Mallory but I can assure you that there are no such things as Vampires and Werewolves." A slight pause as he gently pushed her away. "But I can tell you this. In one of the tombs lies my ancestor. That is why I tried my blood, thinking it would work." Mallory contemplated his answer. Yes, that made sense but Jamie had miscalculated severely. "You're not a direct descendant of this person or it should have worked." "What do you know?" He gave her a suspicious look. She was only human. What does she know about Risen lineage? "The poem calls for a sown seed; a child lost -at birth? I don't know. I can't tell you much until I know more background about this person, of which you refuse to enlighten me with." Jamie had had enough. How dare she insinuate that the Forbidden One had a living flesh and blood! He may have Sired the 13 bloodlines but he never had a child - how was that even possible? A Risen was made, as their namesake implied. "If that is all, thank you Mallory. I will take it from here." Mallory wanted to argue. After all, she knew history and lineages better than he did. But she understood a dismissal when she heard one. Exiting the room, she decided it would be best to leave Jamie to his own conclusions. She would work on hers, right after she made sense of Clay and of everything that had happened since this morning. *** At that very moment, Yuli was smirking at the exotic female Shadow Lord speaking to him. She was stern but underneath all that control and authority, he could tell she was a feisty one. If she wasn't a Light Walker and a bitch, he might just fuck her. Alkina seemed to have caught his train of thought for her hands went straight for his throat; the edges of her sharp claws slightly pricking around his tender neck. "Charming." "Screw you!" she spat as the back of her hand slammed against the side of his cheeks. Clearly entertained by her show of prowess, he merely shrugged and leaned back in his seat. His abilities allowed him to escape easily but he was more curious than anything. He understood that this was his 'in' to understanding how much the Shadow Lords knew of the Risen project. He had no qualms about cutting off his mental link with Jamie - the Risen may think he had a hold over his mind and power, but the Elder knew nothing. Besides, Yuli didn't want to handle the drama that would arise should Jamie had a hint that he was in the hands of the Light Walkers. The light creak from one of the chairs jolted him from his thoughts. Ah, Alexander the Great. "What is the nature of your relationship with the Light Walker prisoner?" Yuli didn't understand. Surely these Alphas were not stupid, nor blind to tell that he was chasing Clay? What were they playing at? "What business do the Shadow Lords have of Risen interests? Or who we choose to associate ourselves with?" Alexander smiled. "It does, when the Light Walker in question is a fugitive. We have every right to protect our own interests. I am asking you politely and simply -whatever it is that you both are planning, now is a good time to spill it." Yuli's thunderous roar of laughter echoed within the eight walls of the chapter house. "Or...?" The rhetoric was a clear warning in itself. Killing him would lead to an immediate war. They all knew that. To his surprise, it was Alkina who spoke, her feminine voice emerging from the dark corner of the room as she approached him. "Believe me. No war ever started, with a nobody." The scathing tone of her words scratched at his insides. "Besides, you are not the utmost concern of the Elders at this time." When she caught the slight flicker in his eyes, she knew she was right. Turning away from him, she signalled for Jean-Pierre to her side. "Don't think for a minute that I have any real use for you." Offering her hand to Jean-Pierre, Yuli almost choked on his bile at the person staring back at him. "Jean-Pierre here is you." "Fuck you!" Yuli lunged forward; the chains around his hands and feet wrangling defiantly to hold him back. Even when the metal started cutting his flesh, Yuli continued to struggle to break free. He should have been able to disappear like smoke but there was something about the shackles that impaired his abilities. "Noticed that did you?" Alkina tilted her head towards the chains. "I'm afraid you're not going anywhere Risen." "I'll kill you bitch! I'll personally rip your skull open!" Yuli never got to finish his verbal abuse for his jaw dislocated an instant later; knocked out of place by an iron-hard fist. He fell knees first to the ground but remained partially suspended due to the restraints holding him back. "Speak like that to me again and it will be the last words you'll ever say in your life." As Alkina disappeared into the shadows, Alexander got to his feet. Things were never going to progress with her aggressive tactics. "Perhaps... it would be more fruitful for our discussion if this was more... beneficial for both sides." Yuli looked up at the Alpha; his lips dribbling blood even as he tried awkwardly to smile. The crookedness of it didn't last long for he was slowly healing himself - at a speed that was fascinatingly efficient. If Alexander was impressed, he made no show of it. Instead, he gestured to the guards to help their prisoner back to his chair, noting that the wounds around his shackled hands and feet had healed too. "So... where were we?" Yuli swiped a hand across his mouth, smearing blood across his cheek. "I am willing to give you whatever possession you want for every useful information that you can give us. Name your price." The dark eyes of the Risen glintered. It wasn't the money that he wanted. No -he wanted recognition and autonomy. There was no such thing as loyalty in his dictionary. "Fine. Send me back then. I am more useful to you this way." Unconvinced, Alexander merely raised his eyebrow. "How does that work?" Yuli gave a careless shrug. "You have control of what info you want me to leak to the Risen and I give you what info you need from them." "What's the catch?" "Nothing. I am my own agent." "Is that so?" Alkina responded, her face still hidden in the shadows. "Very well then. To test this proposition, why don't you tell us what you know about Mallory the human and this research project she's doing? From what I understand, she was in your midst when... the capture happened." Yuli considered his answer carefully. He didn't really care about a war between the races but he didn't want the sarcophagus to fall into the hands of the Light Walker either. "Mallory and her team discovered a twin sarcophagus. She is still deciphering the codes to it but I do not know the contents nor am I interested in it." Alkina didn't buy his half-baked answer. He had deliberately left out an important element to it. "Who funded this? The Risen Council?" "It was funded privately. None of my concern." "Then what is yours?" Yuli leaned forward so that his face would be fully in the light. "I am to keep watch over her. She is deemed a threat to the Risen community, especially with her association with your fugitive." The room broke into an uproar. Yuli leaned back and crossed his legs as the Alphas around him started to shout random questions at him -who is she? How do you know him? Only when it got too much for him to bear that he clapped his hands in a bid for attention. "It's simple really. The Elders are... concerned to know the findings of this excavation. The fact that the human is a Light Walker suspect makes the Council wary of what the tombs may contain. I mean you gotta admit. It is suspicious. Light Walkers generally do not have a major role in historical artefacts. If I recall, you're more the progressive type." Oh he was good. Yuly silently congratulated himself. Twisting reality to look like it was the Light Walkers who started it? Check. "Preposterous!" Alkina shouted before turning to Jean-Pierre; her command a sharp wail in his mind. Well? Go and grab this woman then! She's about to start a war, whether she knows it or not. The tracker was leaving when Alexander interrupted their thoughts. Perhaps... it's best if we sent you back with Yuli to watch over this. Taking in a human without solid evidence violates the co-existence code. Locking his thoughts only to Jean-Pierre now, Alexander gave his final instruction. I want you to be there at the opening of this tomb... but I only want you to report this to me. "Very well then," proclaimed Alkina. "We shall send you back with our scout but do not be fooled by this generosity." Approaching the Risen, she uncuffed his shackles only to enclose another brace around his neck -the metal slowly disappearing until all that could be heard was a gentle'click'. "As you said, we are a progressive lot. So I hope you like your new dog tag. I'll be watching you." *** Mallory was slumped over a pile of old books and some of her hand scribbled notes. On her left was her laptop showing carefully digitized copies of even older books that she had painfully copied over the years. She had started with the legends dating to the oral histories of the Vikings and then trickled down to the modern France. Werewolves, or Loup Garou as they called it had always existed in legends and even historical recordings. But to postulate that they existed well into the modern times of scientific advancements? Mallory shut her laptop forcefully. "Fine, I suck. I mean... I've know the guy for what? One month and I still did not get his number?" Her forehead thumped on the desk in front of her. "Why? Why do I always get myself in a mess?" She was still wallowing when she heard a knock on the door. Frowning, Mallory got up. It was past seven in the evening. Who could possibly be knocking without calling first... "Clay?" "Hi Mallory." "Oh!" The frustration melted from her face instantly as she jumped and pressed her lips flat onto his. However, her exhilaration was matched by a lukewarm kiss. Was he not into her anymore? Putting some space between them, Mallory went to the kitchen and offered him a drink instead. She recognised him and yet he was just so aloof that she felt slightly suspicious. "Is something wrong?" "I'm just worried about you." Clay stepped closer to push a stray hair behind her ear. "That...man that chased us? He was after you. Why is that?" Repulsed, Mallory took a step back. "What! He was? But why?" Her head shook in disbelief. She had never met that guy in her life! "Am I safe?" "You're working on something that is valuable isn't it?" He ignored her inquiring look. "I mean, people kill for treasure." Eyes narrowing, she studied him closely. "The sarcophagus has no treasure. We covered the x-ray scans of it in class remember?" "Yes... but I mean beyond that. Who does it hold? Is it someone important? That could be just as valuable." Mallory was about to burst with the need to share what she had witnessed with Jamie earlier but something about Clay's behaviour made her hold her tongue. She didn't know why he was suddenly so interested. The Clay she knew love the puzzle of it more than the content - just like her. Maybe he just had a long day. After all, she could tell that he was in some sort of trouble earlier that morning during the confrontation. Deciding that he needed to get her thoughts off her chest anyway, she continued; trusting that Clay would give her a fresh perspective. "Yes... I think... well since I now know you're a Werewolf and all, I do have my hunch that this contains someone important..." Her voice went down a notch. "And not of the human kind." The Wolf's Call to the Moon Ch. 03 She caught the slight worry flash across Clay's face but when he made no comment, she continued. "I managed to break the first layer of code but I'm surprised at the second level of coding that it requires. We certainly did not catch that on the x-ray scans. I can't say for certain that I've cracked the code this time. I just know there is something else hidden within the codes that just screams at me to be found." "I don't understand." "I think the second key is an almost impossible lock to break. It requires some sort of sacrificial blood - and I don't mean by anyone but by a true heir! I mean, how are you supposed to trace the living descendants of someone when you don't even know who it is inside the coffin?" Her tone invited a response; a discussion but Clay simply stood up and started walking towards the door. "I see. Thank you Mallory. I think you should keep me updated on this. I'll leave you now." He gave her a peck on the cheeks and left. Once he was outside, he made his way to the shadows of the trees nearby and shook off his façade. Jean-Pierre hated tricking her like that. Mallory was nice; too nice. Turning to his cloaked companion, he relayed the conversation he had with Mallory. "Yuli, I need you to find out more about this. Have the Risen found the key yet?" The nod was barely visible in the darkness before he disappeared. Giving a long sigh, Jean-Pierre placed a call to Alkina. Her scream was loud and clear in his ear. "Impossible!" The Wolf's Call to the Moon Ch. 04 Jamie was hunched over his notebook; the papers filled with scribbles detailing each of the thirteen blood lines. He had to find the key to the tomb and it was hidden somewhere in the hierarchy, he was sure of it. Pressed gently against the paper, his lead pencil took down the minor details streaming from his mind. Crack! He must have leaned on it too much. Jamie gave himself a shake and was about to look for another pencil when he realised what the broken lead was pointing at. Hitori "Hell no..." His head moved side to side; the denial slowly sinking in despite the loud hissing sound in his head signalling another Elder in his presence. Not bothering to be neat, Jamie took an empty laptop bag and simply swept all the paper, files and stationery from the table into it. Then he went hunting for a suitable spot to hide them. There weren't that many options considering that the house was built to accommodate only one person. He had barely hidden the bag beneath the floorboard under his bed when his doorbell rang. Dressed in a slim cut suit, the collar unbuttoned with his tie slightly askew, the man at the door was indeed dashing. The long black hair that he usually tied in a thick rope behind his back was currently unbridled and framed his face like an ebony curtain. They exchanged the customary greeting -flipping their palm up to expose the tender flesh of their wrist. Only in each other's presence will the numerical marking of their bloodlines be visible. Hitori was number 4 and Jamie, 13. Stepping past Jamie, the other Elder shrugged out of his jacket and sat at the dining table with his feet up; clearly making himself at home. Gritting his teeth, Jamie updated him on what he had learned so far. He had wanted to keep the information to himself for much longer but the puzzle proved to be beyond his scope of control. And if he had to trust anyone, it would be Hitori. The Elder's mind was like a warping maze. Any attempts to penetrate will result in an explosive being set off in the intruder's head; reducing him or her to a vegetable. Besides, the Elder was a genius. Even before the advent of science, Hitori had been the head of their haematology unit; constantly finding more ways of sustenance. Blood was becoming scarce and it was the Council's ruling that their kind remained hidden. Drawing attention to themselves by feeding off humans, many Risen had been captured and tried as witches back in those days. Hitori remained seated, balancing only on two legs of the chair as he studied the little riddle that Mallory had written out for Jamie earlier. Gnawing on the ends of a spare pencil, he'd circle a few letters and made some markings on the scrap of paper every now and again. Then he'd erase everything and started all over. Circles and boxes and numberings and crosses. Jamie could feel his blood pressure rising. "So? What have you found?" Jamie's impatient interruption went ignored. Instead, Hitori hummed to himself as he marked out a box divided into 25 cells and added seemingly random numbers at the bottom of each cell. Jamie was close to bashing his head against the wall. What the fuck was Hitori doing? Almost sensing the Elder's distress, Hitori finally lifted his gaze and tapped the pencil on the table. "Can you get this human to come here?" "Why? What do we need her for?" "I think I know how to break this puzzle." Obviously confused, Jamie remained still. "She's already solved it. What more can she do?" "I didn't say she didn't." Groaning, Jamie reached for his phone and sent Mallory a text. His decision not to call her did not go unnoticed. He wanted to buy time. "She'll be here any minute now so dish." In lieu of a reply, his chair immediately landed on all fours; feet off the table and he stood up to straighten his suit. "We have a guest." When Mallory walked in, she almost choked from the intense energy radiating off the two men in the living room. There was so much raw power just bouncing off the walls, cornering her, closing over her... "Dr. Roux." The silky voice of the other man was like a knife through her mental haze. Looking up into his handsome features, she smiled and took his offered hand. "Hi. My name is Akio Hitori. I'm a consulting geneticist." "A geneticist? I don't understand." Despite her annoyance at being called up so late, her eyes sparkled with curiosity. Hitori merely smiled as he gestured her to the sofa. "Did you know that one of the most beautiful things about the genetic code is its simplicity?" Taking a pencil, he began to draw out the well-known diagram of the double helix. "Three letters of DNA, 64 different combinations and 20 standard amino acids that combine to form a protein. Simple." "I don't see where you're going with this Mr Hitori." "Humour me." When she nodded, he continued. "But did you know that between the DNA and proteins is another code called RNA? RNA is like a shape-shifter, sometimes carrying genetic messages and sometimes regulating them. It's a clever little bugger this one - adopting a multitude of structures such that we can never predict all its permutations and yet; it is the key that instructs the cell on how genes are to be controlled." "Look here Mister, it's close to midnight and I'm clearly not in the mood for a cryptic message..." she trailed off as she realised what he was trying to tell her. "Yes, very astute Doctor. That was what you missed." Hitori took the scrap of paper he was fiddling with earlier and showed her the riddle she had solved. "You're saying there's another code within this?" Curiosity and amazement was clearly etched on her face. "I've never seen anything like this." "So how do we crack this? From what you're saying, it's almost impossible," said Jamie. "Improbable likely, but not impossible." Mallory was almost jumping up and down as she followed Hitori's various puzzle breakers scribbled on the paper. Even without knowledge of lycian hieroglyphics, he had broken the riddle down into 25 components and came up with the same two hieroglyphs despite using different puzzles to solve it. "You see, there is only one function being described in this code and it keeps coming up over and over again. Whoever created this is truly intelligent and did not want anyone breaking into the tombs." Mallory stopped what she was doing to look into Hitori's eyes. "Wouldn't you? If you had built such an elaborate resting place?" Turning to the puzzles once more, Mallory allowed the silence to fill her concentration. Hitori had spliced the hieroglyphics into equal sizes and in doing so, changed the meanings of the words. Looking at the two pictures in front of her, Mallory did her best to make sense of them. The first one appeared straight forward. It was of wheat and a giant wheel. Milling to make flour. And the second hieroglyph was of a man on the floor with a group of other men pointing at him. A spectacle. To laugh. It didn't make sense. "Are you sure of this? Because I'm telling you that the final answer does not make sense." "What is it? Maybe I can help." "If I were to translate it crudely, it would be 'the fallen miller'. Unless that is another code, I'm not sure how that would be helpful." Jamie looked at Hitori, seeking confirmation. I don't think we have any millers in the bloodlines. It doesn't have to be a person. It could be a place name. I'll go check. What place in the world has the world miller in it? When Jamie left the room, Hitori moved closer to inspect the choice of translation that Mallory had done. "Why'd you translate the second picture as 'fallen'? Is it not 'laughing'? It sure looks like the crowd is laughing at the man who fell." "Taken out of context, it means fallen. The graphic itself isn't humorous at all. It looked almost as though it means condemnation." Hitori smiled. Indeed, the Forbidden one had yet again given another layer of meaning to a somewhat simple word. His eyes glanced secretly at the video streaming of the tombs in the lab. Condemnation indeed. *** In his room, Jamie dug out the bag with the notes that he had hidden under the floorboard. He had just thought of something that he had never considered before. Why was the sarcophagus hidden in Turkey? It was almost as if whoever had hidden it there did not want anyone to find it - just as Mallory had said earlier. If indeed this was the tomb of the Forbidden one, then why was it not buried in France; the nexus of his empire? Or the place where he was born? Although, that might prove problematic seeing that there were no records ever kept of the birth place of the Forbidden one. But as oral histories go, Jamie had heard the stories so many times as a little boy - of the crying house; south of Lake Geneva and north of the Mont Blanc. No one had ever found the house of course, but stories always came from some truth. And there had to be some truth being concealed here. What secret was he trying so hard to bury that an immortal such as himself had allowed death to consume him? Then it dawned upon him. A life for a life. Mallory had to be right. He had a child and instead of giving that child the grand life of a Risen, he had chosen for the child to... what? Live as a human? Then that heir would have been just as dead! Unless, that tomb next to him... *** Clay sat huddled in the corner of the brick prison, simply watching the shadows. Now and again, he tried to establish a mental link with Mallory -something instinctive to a mated Light Walker. Except that she hadn't accepted the mating bond yet nor was she aware of one. It killed him not being able to hear her nor sense her. All he could hope for was that the Risen by her side would keep her safe. "Thinking of your mate?" The feminine sneer had him baring his teeth in retaliation. He was not surprised when Alkina's face materialised under the light of the moon. However, when she started to slide down to sit outside his cell, Clay sat up straight; cautious and alert. In the moonlight, she appeared so young and fragile; the lines on her face blurred to reveal smooth baby-like complexion. He had trusted that face once. "You know Clay, I've always wondered how you escaped." She leaned her head back against the wall so casually but he knew it was no informal chit chat. "Thoughts of ripping your throat out helped." Unfazed, she continued her soliloquy. "I blame the executioners. Useless brutes who couldn't even do a proper body count. What do I know they say? I'm just a little girl; a book keeper in the libraries. Fuck them. Of course... they died of natural deaths and accidents. What can I say? Karma's a bitch." Clay almost smiled. Alkina was a sadistic bitch. Clever but heartless. She was the one who suggested minimal clothing for the prisoners. "But to be fair, I admire your mother. Ayla was one of those beautiful types you know? Like Sophie. They get what they want with their looks. I mean... I'm sure that's how she got you." If it was meant to agitate him, it clearly failed. Clay simply remained in the shadows; blue eyes watching her in the darkness. His father had died even before he was born and had left his mother as the reigning Alpha of his clan. If anything, Alkina was jealous of his mother. She wanted to be the only female in the ranks of the Shadow Lords and Ayla was just in the way. "What do you want Alkina?" "Nothing." Her shrug was non-committal as she got to her feet. "Except... to tell you that your mother's body wasn't among the body count." Clay was sure he heard her wrongly. "What? What does that mean!" But she was already gone. *** "I think we've been approaching this whole thing from the wrong angle right from the start." Jamie looked straight at Mallory. "You're not translating it correctly. Try... French." "That's absurd! We found this in Lycia and it definitely was buried using an ancient language the French would never have come across before." "No wait, he has a point." Hitori nodded to himself, coming to the same conclusion as Jamie had. "You see Mallory, whoever is buried inside those tombs were originally from France." "A really small commune possibly close to the Alps. If it was not French, then it would be a variant of it," added Jamie. Mallory stared into those blue eyes of his and for a moment caught a short flash of blue waters and clear sunny skies. Fishing boats and cold waters so clear you could see the remnants of the old quarry rocks. And on a clear day in summer -the snow tipped mountain ranges above lush green valleys. She'd always begged him to bring her there but he'd laugh and said he was afraid of heights. "Meillerie," she whispered; arms wrapped around herself, to hold the memory close before she forgot them. "Mallory?" nudged Jamie. "You alright?" "I think it's likely to be Latin. But I don't know that language." Blinking back to reality, Mallory looked at both men and decided it was time to leave. "I apologise for not being of much use. I'm exhausted. Goodnight gentlemen. We'll talk tomorrow morning." At the click of the closed door, the two Elders turned to each other. "She knows something," said Jamie. "I can't say. Her mind is a complete blank. It's unnatural for a human." "I don't know. She's a difficult girl this one." He gave a long sigh. "Right. Let's work with what she has given us so far. I need to break this code before Klaus makes a personal trip down here." "Have you considered it might be him who is the heir? That the answer was lying in front of us all along?" *** Mallory started the engine of her car. Yes, it was close to one in the morning, but she needed to know. She had to. The five minute drive felt like an eternity and when she finally made her way to the lab, Mallory could no longer hold back her pounding heart. She tore pass the door and ran into the temperature controlled testing lab where the two tombs laid side by side. Her laughter bounced off the walls; it was their secret little joke. Oh he was so clever. She had understood the meaning of the two words instantly the moment Jamie told her to translate it in French. The symbol for laughter was what in modern terms represented 'lol'. Even from his grave, he was making a joke about the stupidity of the people who tried to break into his tomb. But the first symbol was the most important clue - one only she could understand. It was his favourite advice to her - that there could never be shortage of grain mill; everything was grist to the mill. And to jog that small slice of memory back, she translated the code in Latin but this time reading backwards, using the second hieroglyph first. When taken to mean 'fallen', it set the sombre tone to the meaning such that the only logical interpretation of the first hieroglyph was 'grinding'. But nothing was literal with him. 'Molere' was more than just a verb. It was a noun and carried with it the weight of despair and grief of a fallen. "I never really understood if I was named for happiness or sadness." The first trickle of her blood dripped into the small crevice of the tomb; the colour spreading onto the stone like cake batter in a pan. . "Maybe this was all a big mistake and I'm completely wrong about this..." But all she could think about was the course texture of his blonde plait of hair, the velvety softness of his robes... "Oh hello hello. Look what we've got here." Swirling around, the sight of the shadowy veiled man had her bracing the sides of the tomb; her left hand desperately pressing on her right wrist to quell the bleeding. "Please. I can smell you. It's... intoxicating..." His voice was like a purr. "If you're really good, I might even sample you a bit." An icy finger trailed her jaw. "Would you like that?" "How... how did you get in here? What do you want!" "The same way you did. The same thing you want." Yuli was about to pounce on her when the room started to shake. At first it was a slight tremor. The tables started to move on their own. Metal equipment bounced on the floor. Unable to balance, they both fell to their feet; hands on the floor to brace themselves for the next wave of earthquake. Then a crack. Like the sound of an egg breaking from the inside. The cloud around Yuli's eyes cleared instantly; the dark of his irises looking straight at Mallory, her bloodied wrists and then at the moving tomb. "It is you." Before she could say another word, he grabbed her by the arm and everything was a blur of smoke and collapsing walls. *** "What the fuck was that!" Jamie ran to the window and looked across to the campus to witness an eruption of smoke and dust. "It's the tomb!" Scrambling to the monitors streaming the live recording of the lab, Jamie could only see chaos erupting. Hitori didn't miss the cue. With a hand on Jamie's shoulder, he teleported them into the eye of the storm. The walls had been reduced to rubble; the floor cracked with potholes of cement. Dust continued to circle around them; blinding them and leaving their throats parched. Jamie was on his knees; both hands around his own throat; his eyes bulging to resist the uncontrollable desire to kill himself. WHO DARES TO AWAKEN ME It is I... Master... Jamie was gagging on his own saliva; the pressure around his neck a deathly knot. A sharp high pitched wavelength hit both Elders; the noise blasting in their eardrums. The light seemed like a distant away. And then it all turned to darkness. *** "I can heal that for you." Mallory only tightened her grip on her wrist. "Where are we?" she demanded. "Safe." No longer cloaked in his shadowy façade, Mallory had a good look at the Risen for the first time. Pale, he looked almost ghostly with the black of his hair plastered against his sweat-drenched scalp. And his eyes were not hard onyx as she had originally thought but a soft lead-like hue that shimmered slightly in the light. Light. "Where the hell are we? It was definitely night a second ago!" "You'll be safe here." Mallory looked around; carefully studying the shadows and direction of the sunlight. Wherever they were, it had to be at least six to seven hours ahead of England. With the heels of her palm pressed over her eyes, Mallory tried to re-orientate herself. If she wasn't dreaming, that meant her body had literally moved across time and space within a heartbeat. So excuse her if she needed a breather and maybe kill someone. Bloodshot eyes turned to look at her captor. She marched towards him, slapping away her frustration at his arms. "You're a Vampire. You're the one who tried to kill me the last time! Why? What do you want from me?" Her screams ended with a sob as she pressed her forehead to his shoulder. He allowed her to cry; ignoring the wet stains that formed on his right sleeve. They stayed that way for a couple of minutes before he started to shift and stood up. "I need to go but I will be back. Please stay here." When she blinked, he was gone. Yuli reappeared again at the lab but all that was left of it were rubble. The entire building had collapsed around the two tombs; not a speck of dust marring the stone. When he caught the stir of movement beneath the cement crumbs, Yuli kept very still; cautious. A hand propped up followed by the familiar blonde of Jamie's hair. Groaning, he pulled himself up to a sitting position and started looking around for Hitori. The Wolf's Call to the Moon Ch. 04 That was when his gaze connected with Yuli's. For a moment, Yuli thought that the Elder was about to berate him for his sudden disappearance. Instead, he gestured to him; pointing to his feet. They were crushed. Shards of bone had torn through the skin; leaving behind a mangled mess. It was then that he knew he made the right decision of saving Mallory. If she had truly awakened the Forbidden one, then his only chance at survival was to keep her alive. Self-preservation. Another groan came from behind one of the pile of debris. Unlike Jamie, this Elder had his bones fully intact but Yuli could see claw marks around his neck; a chunk savagely slashed off. Recognising the Elder as Hitori, Yuli figured that he had barely teleported himself out of the danger zone before the entire building caved in on itself. It was a pity that the Elder's teleport capabilities were limited to short distances. His one the other hand - were limitless. "Yuli..." Jamie croaked; his face straining when he spoke. He gestured to his throat, shook his head and then pushed Yuli in the direction of the tomb. "Check..." Hell was he going near that thing. It fucking exploded in his face! Another push; this time harder, insisting that he check out the tomb. From where he was, the tomb looked untouched. If the Forbidden one had awakened, it surely would have split in half by now. A loud hiss from Jamie and a final shove had him on his feet, tiptoeing towards the two tombs. He needs blood to restore himself. Yuli looked up to see Hitori limping towards him; one palm covering his neck, healing his broken vocal chords. What the hell happened here? It tried to kill us to take our blood. Yuli took a step back. Don't worry. I've called for reinforcements. Stealing a glance at Jamie, Hitori then tapped his temple and looked straight at Yuli. The Forbidden one has broken his mind. What! Why! The edges of Hitori's lips curled into a wicked grin. Doesn't matter. I need you to destroy and dispose of the second tomb. It is useless to us now. When Yuli remained rooted, the Elder shook his head and glanced at the shaking tomb. You'd better go before he thirsts for blood again. Yuli wasn't going to argue with that. Hands firmly on the other tomb, he took a deep breath and allowed his mind to whirl around him. *** Jean-Pierre had been sneaking around the campus like a thief; his back constantly against the wall and his face hidden in the shadows. The institute had been issued an alert to clear the premises. An infectious bio threat had been found and it was contaminating the water supply. After some freshmen were found catatonic in their locked dormitories, all students had been given the order to go back home immediately. Yeah right. It was for their own safety that the Risen Council had issued the edict in the first place. Risen from all over the world had been flocking to the campus; their presence creating blood lust and feeding frenzy. While the escalating human casualties had caused a temporary panic, the situation had forced the Light Walker students to go into hiding. Jean-Pierre had no doubts that a very powerful Risen had put that idea into the humans' minds to force them to evacuate. That only meant one thing. The Council were gathering. "I see you've been busy." Jean-Pierre dropped his phone at the baritone greeting. Cursing under his breath, he turned to face to Risen who ambushed him. "How'd you track me Yuli? I gave away no scent." A careless shrug. "I can go to you as long as I can visualise you. Besides, you're dressed as me, that's not hard to miss." Jean-Pierre narrowed his eyes. "What have you got?" "The Risen in the tomb has awakened. I'm not allowed to hang around for it to fully rise but I can tell you that was one hell of a powerful being." "Wait... what are you saying?" Clamping a hand on his shoulder, Yuli looked straight into the Light Walker's eyes. "Look, you need to get the hell out of here. It is not safe. You felt the tremor earlier? That's just the beginning." Understanding began to slowly register. "And... what of the other tomb?" "It has been disposed of." Eyes bulging out, Jean-Pierre slapped both his palms onto Yuli's shoulder. "No! Why didn't you stop this? Where? Where was it destroyed?" Yuli felt almost sorry for him. He understood the importance of the other half to the Light Walkers. That tomb was significant to them as the Forbidden one was to the Risen. But who was he to complain? As the Light Walkers die one by one, this hold they had on him would disappear along with their race. "I don't know where the Elders took it... But I can help you find out." Jean-Pierre didn't trust the Risen but what choice did he have? "Fine. And report back to me once you know the identity of the awakened Risen." Giving the Light Walker one last look, Yuli couldn't help but shiver slightly. "They call him the Forbidden One." The dark orbs of his eyes became a shadowed mist. Before the Council, the Forbidden One held absolute power over the lands. He could hear every thought, know every desire and feel every ounce of your emotions. But what made him so deadly was his ability to kill a complete stranger - one he' never met or known before even if that person was halfway around the world. *** Jean-Pierre shielded his eyes as the wisp of smoke thickened around him. Picking up the phone he dropped earlier, he checked for Yuli's current location. "That's not possible." Tapping the phone on his palm, Jean-Pierre tried to sync it once more. The Risen had just disappeared a second ago. There was no way his tracking location could indicate Myanmar. No Risen or Light Walker alive ever had the ability to travel across that much space and time. His device had to be faulty. "Great," he huffed as he punched in his codes to connect to the Shadow Lords Headquarters. "Jean-Pierre! What the hell is going on? We've been receiving countless emergency calls and extraction requests all over the country!" Alkina's piercing commands felt like minute slaps on his face. "We will need reinforcements, Alphas. I have been too late at stopping the Risen from awakening and his presence has caused a serious lockdown on campus. Students are evacuating in manic." Jean-Pierre could hear the Alphas murmuring but no one said anything. "I must insist that the remaining Light Walker students be extracted immediately. Risen are flocking to the scene in numbers and human casualties are increasing. It's only a matter of time before the Risen finds us." A single bite was instant death for a Light Walker. "And the casualties?" Jean-Pierre recognised Alexander's voice. "The Risen are doing a good job so far of keeping them quarantined." He knew that wasn't the question. But they all understood that no human could have survived a blood lust gang attack. Those who did, would Rise in a matter of hours. "And Mallory?" "She is not my priority at this moment Alpha." "If she broke that second code as you said then she is the key to reversing this mess. Find her and stay with her." Before he could reply, Alkina's voice dominated the conversation. "The tomb?" "It's been destroyed." "Find it." "Yes Alphas." Locking his phone, Jean-Pierre gave a long sigh and started making his way to Mallory's house. He hated impersonating Clay, especially when it demanded that he return the same affections and feelings that Mallory had for him. Jean-Pierre hated kissing. The disastrous thought of her lips died at the sight that greeted him. It was like a scene fresh out of a nightmare. The academics' accommodations were reduced to nothing but rubble; burst water pipes creating faux fountains showering the mess. Instinctively, he clamoured over the broken cement and metal, searching for the scent of any living being. "Mallory!" Clay - the real one - was going to kill him. When it came to mates, pack members were known to go irrational. Knowing that he didn't have much choices left, Jean-Pierre placed a private call to the only person back at the headquarters that he trusted. *** Click Clack Click Clack The sound of heels slapping on the granite floor woke him up from slumber. Peeling his glued eyes open slowly, Clay came face to face with the buxom blonde. "Hi." "Go away." Sophie stood up and straightened her blouse. "In fact I am. I just... wanted to say goodbye." She waited a heartbeat for him to catch the bait. "You're going back to the UK?" Clay moved his face closer to the metal bars; angling his face upwards to catch a ray of sunlight. "We've been mobilised. The Shadow Lords are preparing for war." Moving closer so that he could see her face, she whispered. "The Risen in the tomb has been awakened." She watched his fingers tightened around the prison bars; his knuckles turning white. Jean-Pierre had instructed her to relay the message, knowing full well that Clay wasn't going to take the news demurely. Then out of nowhere, Sophie's face was pressed against the slimy metal, the top of her blouse twisted in Clay's fist. "Sophie, get me out of here," he ordered; the words out through clenched teeth. "I need to find her. Find Mallory. She's not safe." "Jean-Pierre's looking out for her. She'll be fine..." "You don't fucking get it." He pulled her closer. "You're a tracker. You can't defend your own self much less another. So fucking get me out now or I'll find some other goddamn way out of here!" Releasing her, he punched his fist on the metal bars and started pacing in his cell. Sophie was confused as to why she couldn't just walk away. Clay had given his command and the wolf inside her was not allowing her to simply ignore him. That was impossible. Taking off her shoes, she stepped barefoot onto the grimy floor and began to strip off her clothes. "Take off yours too... please." Clay was about to protest when he noticed her facial structure slowly changing. He was staring at his own reflection. Taking a small access card hidden in the pleat of her skirt, she scanned the security code on his cell and entered. "We have only 30 seconds before the system alerts the Shadow Lords of unauthorised access. Get out of here." "And you?" "I have my access codes." She winked before slowly retreating into the shadows. "Take my place on the next flight to London. Use your gifts." Clay stepped out and picked up her clothes. "Thank you Sophie. I owe you my life. I will be back once she's safe. I promise." Slipping into an unlocked store room, Clay started working on his impersonation of Sophie. While obfuscate was not one of his strongest abilities, Clay managed to alter himself just enough to fit into her clothes. Grabbing a spare cap from one of the cupboards, he dashed out, following the sound of car engines. He had to admit though that he had high regards for Sophie now that he realised what a bitch it was running in heels. "Geez, Sophie, you still look hot as a brunette!" whistled one of the younger scouts. Clay managed to flash a middle finger at him before getting into one of the cars with the other deployed Light Walkers. Mallory had better be unharmed or somebody was going to get hurt real bad. *** Thanks everyone for the comments so far! I think my favourite was the one where the story has a movie feel to it. It made me smile silly all day. And if any of you caught the references to Hitomi (like the puzzle) and broke the possible origins of Mallory's name (before I gave it away), then congrats! The Wolf's Call to the Moon Ch. 05 Hi everyone! So here is another chapter since I've been getting sooooo many emails! It really means a lot to me to know that people like the stories I'm writing. So here's to you the readers who wrote in! WCTM won't be updated as regularly as TAM but rest assured that I am slowly working on it (try checking only once a month, not every week!) The story arc has become complex and I still am having a bit of a writer's block with how to move it forward so I'm open to ideas. Who knows, maybe one of your emails might put that spark right back! So for now, enjoy! *** Clay kept to himself; his face glued to the windows of the airplane and his body pressed as close as possible to the sidewall. He couldn't risk the chance of being caught off-scent or off-character. Sophie's life, after all, was in his hands. One wrong move and she could be killed for treason. "You're awfully quiet." Clay pretended not to hear but when Alkina sat next to him, his senses went on hyper-alert. He did not have to oblige her but Sophie - a lower ranking wolf -would be seen as insubordinate if she continued ignoring an Alpha. "I don't like plane rides that's all." "I don't think so Sophie." Clay held his breath as amber eyes looked searchingly into his own blue. "I know you are thinking of him." His brows creased. "What? I don't understand." "Please. Do I look stupid to you?" she huffed; leaning comfortably into her seat. "I know you've been visiting his cell - a tad too often I must say. And I've seen the way you look at him. All baby blue eyed and pursed lips. Honestly revolting." Clay didn't know what to say but Alkina wasn't concerned about that. "I can help you with that," she whispered. Curious, Clay leaned forward; a lock of his hair gently caressing her arm. Intrigued by the colour, Alkina took a hold of it and rubbed the strands between her fingers. "Interesting choice. You even tried to mould yourself to look like Mallory. A tad pathetic now aren't we?" She tapped Sophie's cheek mockingly. "I know how you can make him like you. But first, you must help me." Suspicious, Clay crossed his arms over his chest. "How?" "Help me find the key to the sarcophagus and kill it. That will stop the full awakening of the Risen. If the Risen is stopped, Mallory's life will be spared. She is after all, fuel for the hungry." Clay had to reign in his claws. He hated this woman in front of him so intensely that he could have ripped out her throat just for being so callous. But for the Sophie's sake, he attempted a sad whimper; his eyes glistening slightly. "But... it doesn't matter! She is his mate and I'm... nobody. He can never like me like he yearns for her." Alkina merely rolled her eyes at Sophie's emotional display. "To be honest, Mallory is already dead. From what Jean-Pierre has reported so far, there are too many Risen in that vicinity for any humans to have survived. But you my dear, have the honour of finding her body and bringing it back to him. He'll understand." "Understand what?" "That humans are not born to mate. They are weak. They die." Choking back on his fake tears, Clay thumped his chest and tried to process the information. His wolf was going mental; the flurry of emotions overriding his system. Mallory couldn't be dead! He would know... right? "Such an important job... why isn't Jean-Pierre the one? Why me?" Sophie's gentle voice came out calm; denoting nothing of the state of Clay's mind. "He's a man. When it comes to women, they all have a weakness. But you my dear - you can be just like me. Women to women, we shouldn't give a shit. We step on whoever to get up the chair of command." Clearly disgusted, Clay turned away. Only to notice his hands swelling; the veins slowly becoming more visible. Folding his arms, he quickly hid them from view and disciplined his mind to remain focused. Just one more slip like that and he would have sacrificed the lives of two women. "Sophie? Are you alright?" Clay slowly raised his gaze to meet hers. She was looking more annoyed than concerned for Sophie. "Yes... I'm sorry. I was just thinking of things." Alkina raised an eyebrow. "Well... I don't know if you know anything about this but Clay told me that his mother is still alive." Clay caught the look of pure venom in her eyes. "Is she?" "Ayla? Please. I just said that to rile him up," she scoffed as she got up to leave. Clay knew it was now or never. Clutching her wrists, he willed her to turn and face him. "But... there were never records of her death no?" Her body turned slightly, the twist in her waist creating a strain that was visible on her neck. The vein that throbbed there was the only sound that stood between the both of them in that moment. Amber eyes stared deep into blue. SMACK "Don't you ever dare touch me again." Clay wiped his hand over the side of his lips; the taste of blood slowly attacking his tastebuds. "I just wanted him to like me..." The show of weakness seemed to calm her down for she took a seat once more beside him. Her silence was a cue. "I just thought that if I found out more, he might view me more favourably..." Clay attempted to wipe tears from his doll eyes. "She seemed important to him." A sneer. "Well, he was her only child so I suppose they were important to each other." Alkina shrugged into her seat. "I can't say if she's alive -only that we didn't find her body." "Why... how was she killed? In the line of duty?" At the look of pure naivety on Sophie's face, Alkina tilted her head back and laughed rumbustiously. "She was a traitor! There was no duty in that!" Her fingers flicked away at an escaping tear before her face turned solemn and serious. "She was an Alpha and she dared to bring a Risen into our midst. Trying to convince us that peace was possible." Clay clutched the arm rest tight. "But it is! We have not been warring for decades!" "Stupid naive girl. The peace only came into effect after the war. Risen attacked us because they saw us as kidnapping one of their kind, to torture for information. Countless of our own died because of her. In the end, we had to punish her and persecute her entire packline." "But... there were innocents..." "They were abominations! Half-breeds!" "What... I don't understand!" Alkina was on her feet once again but this time she did not turn. Very softly, under her breath, she whispered, "Ayla fell in love with a Risen. God knows what she did to contaminate her bloodline." Clenching his fist tight, Clay fought against his impulse to squeeze her throat between his fingers. Instead, he gave a calm, albeit enthusiastic reply. He needed to know; needed to understand his past. "Where do I start?" The edge of her mouth tipped with approval. *** Though his eyes hung like golf balls loose from his rubbery sockets, visual details were not lost to the Forbidden One. And what he saw repulsed him. Beyond the physical, the auras encapsulating each Elder were a mirror into their thoughts, moods and feelings. Their minds and hearts were riddled with corruption, distrust and lust for power. Pathetic. Why have I been awaken? The question boomed like an amplifier in the Risens' head. Accusatory glances erupted amongst the thirteen Elders. Many had their heads hung low; eyes avoiding contact with each other. Their lacklustre response caused them dearly for they soon found themselves on their knees, choked by the grip of their own hands over their throats. They should not have been so defiant. At such a close proximity, he could order their death as naturally as their next breath but he had other plans. Disappointing as they are, their blood was a necessary life force he needed to regenerate; their memories and experiences these past decades critical for his cognitive re-awareness. Besides, death it seemed was never permanent. These imbeciles had no right awakening him. He had chosen to die to that his daughter could live. And now... she would have to die. Anger bubbled within him - the rising blood pressure causing him to start seeing spots of red. "Where's my companion?" he bellowed; their stunned silence fuelling his annoyance. "The tomb that was buried with me!" "Gone my Lord... We had to destroy..." The one who dared speak had half his face cindered off in flash of cold blue fire. HOW DARE YOU MOCK ME. He knew that she was still untouched. Though their bodies had gone into hibernation in death, their minds were still alert, constantly touching each other. "I do not accept failure." Thirteen heads bowed at his feet, their allegiance sworn as blood coursing through his body. On their knees, each Elder surrendered at the might of their Sire; blood droplets flying out of every open pore in their body as though sucked out by an invisible force. Blood swirled over his remains, forming vessels then muscles; ending with a fresh coating of skin that was taut and befitting of a Risen in his prime. The Forbidden One finally took his first full breath in centuries; eyes prying opened. The sting of humidity and heat was like a warm welcome to his sense. With hair flowing down like shimmering silk and skin smooth and taut, he stood up to his full height, leaving no trace of the sleep that had robbed his youth. Lord Aldéric the Red had finally awoken. But he was not done yet. There was still one part of him missing - His heart. *** Mallory no longer smelled like a human. Back in the decrepit wooden shack he considered a safe house; Yuli studied his guest with great interest. "Mallory, Mallory, Mallory," he chimed as her eyes of pure jade concentrated on him. Was it just him or was the red ring around her irises becoming more pronounced? They now encapsulated the inner green, making them appear frighteningly glow-in-the-dark. "Why are we here?" she demanded. "I have to head back! Release me!" Yuli continued to watch her like a cat fixated on a pendulum clock. She didn't appear frightened or confused. If anything, she looked pissed. "Do you remember who you are?" he finally asked. "My name is Mallory." "And where are you from, Mal-lor-ry?" Her name, drawled out in a sarcastic sneer. For a moment, her gaze faltered. "I... I don't know. But..." "But you remembered..." Mallory stared intently into the lead-like eyes of her kidnapper. Who was this man? What did he think she remembered? "Nothing," she announced, wary of the disappointment on his face. What was she supposed to say? That she tried to reawaken a corpse hoping that it would be her father? Who does that? It was stupid anyway. It didn't work didn't it? Mustering the best stern look she could do, Mallory jabbed a finger on her captor's chest. "Mind your own business." Yuli simply threw his head backwards and laughed. "Unfortunately my sweet, you are my business. You have a hefty price on your head and every being on this earth will be looking for you in a matter of days -" "Beings? What do you mean beings? Vampires like you?!" Yuli cocked his head to the side; revelling in the sound of cracking bones and tendons snapping back into place. "We prefer the term 'Risen' but call us what you like. But don't think for a second that you are innocent. You opened that tomb. You are responsible for all of this." All this? Mallory didn't understand. Had she caused some sort of epidemic unknowingly? "Jamie said that the tomb belonged to his ancestor. Does that mean he is a vamp -Risen too? But he looks so... normal!" Yuli sighed. Until Mallory's memory returned on its own, he was going to have to keep her safe. By now, the Forbidden One would have awakened and soon he will be looking for his heart. "You need to eat," he instructed, throwing a greasy paper bag at her feet. "You're useless dead." Coughing up her strength, she spat on him in a spatter of fear, anger and disgust. She had barely taken her next breath when he appeared behind her, his hands taking a fistful of her hair and jerking it back forcefully. "You fucking eat!" he roared, pushing her head down hard until her nose was inches away from the bag of food on the floor. And then he was gone. Mallory curled up against the wall, bringing her knees close to her chest. Rocking herself gently, she willed herself not to cry. No one was going to hear her. *** Clay hated the fact that he had to report and be subservient to Jean-Pierre. The tracker was a dominant strong leader of the team but he was still of a lower rank than he was. Accepting orders was going to be a problem. "Sophie, did you relay the news to the prisoner as instructed?" asked Jean-Pierre as a way of welcoming. Clay noted that he looked physically drained; his eyes bloodshot and his hands jerking occasionally - a side effect of adrenaline overload. Clay couldn't blame him. He had been on extraction missions alone for the past 48 hours, rescuing Light Walker students who had barricaded themselves in the campus bunkers and stores. "I did. Jean-Pierre, you need to rest. Reinforcements are here now so tell me what to do." Weary eyes looked up at him. "Now is not the time Sophie. Gather the rest of the trackers. We are going to enter the Risen lair." Clay remained rooted. Just what the hell was Jean-Pierre thinking? Five Trackers entering a blood-lust nest? They couldn't even defend themselves if their lives depended on it. "We should bring Enforcers. They're combat-trained and would protect us better. Surely you don't hope to come out of the lair alive?" said Clay, squeezing his vocal cords to mimic the high-pitched shriek of a woman. Jean-Pierre frowned. Sophie was not one to disregard his orders so openly. "Do as you are ordered, Tracker. I will not repeat myself." Gnarling to himself, Clay left the room in search of the other trackers, based on his memory of their scent. Two grey and one brown wolf. He only hoped that they wouldn't need to shift into wolf form during this recon. Altering his features was one thing but there was no obfuscate ability that could change a wolf's pelt. Their beasts don't play by the same rules. "So what's the plan?" Four trackers, including himself disguised as Sophie, crowded around Jean-Pierre. "According to my sources, the tomb has been opened and the Risen within awakened. It may be too late to destroy it now but we have to track down the other tomb. It is missing but hopefully not destroyed. Finding it might give us clues on how to take down the Risen." Jean-Pierre paused, taking out a building layout of the archaeology lab. Raising his gaze, he locked them on Sophie, a dominant gesture to ensure her obedience. "We are not heading directly into this dark hole," he continued, jabbing his fingers on a part of the map. "Instead, we check the security footage. This area is on 24 hour surveillance. One feeds directly to the Risens but the other, is simultaneously broadcasted onto Dr Mallory Roux's laptop. We will go to her office." "And we're just going to waltz in?" Clay was sceptical. "Yes. We are, after all her students." Looking down at his watch, Jean-Pierre finished up the last touches of his appearance and gestured towards the door. "Thirty minutes in and out." *** Five trackers, moving silently; feet as light as feather over the marbled office floor. It took Jean-Pierre two seconds to pick the door lock of Mallory's front door using a paper clip and a pencil. Clay was impressed. Where he would have used brute force, the tracker had completed the job efficiently and with no mess. "10 min." Not hindered by their size, trackers were agile and moved with strict preciseness. Not a breath was wasted, nor a gesture spent unless necessary. Like a coordinated hive of bees, the four trackers took apart Mallory's laptop, checked for hidden bugs and salvaged what notes and footage they could find about the tombs. Apparently, Mallory also kept a detailed diary and organiser - something that Jean-Pierre had entrusted to Clay, in his capacity as Sophie, a woman. "Make sense of it. I have no time to browse through nail or hair appointments." Holding back his snarl, Clay opened to the last entry of her diary, hoping to understand her sudden disappearance. Molere. I never really understood if I was named for happiness or sadness Two squiggly drawings. A code? "Let's move," ordered Jean-Pierre, his body halfway through the front door. "Within two minutes, this place will be swarming with Risens." A long claw emerged from his knuckles; the sharp talon piercing the emergency glass panel triggering the fire alarm. The quintet ran, following the lead of their head tracker as he took them closer to a massive heap of rubble and settling dust. Here, the acrid metallic scent of Risen was overwhelming. Clay kept his eyes focused, trying to see through the dust. The destruction was akin to an asteroid crash; rings of debris forming around... The tomb was empty. "Very powerful Risen stood here mere seconds ago," whispered Jean-Pierre as he circled the tomb, studying the track marks and heat signatures. One thing in particular confused him. Where the second tomb lay, there was only a shadow of its existence - a rectangular mark on the ground that was not covered by debris. And yet there was no indication that it was removed. No trail marks or wheel marks. Even if a Risen had lifted it, surely there would have been footprints? It didn't make sense. Tombs don't just fly off or disappear. "I recognise one of the scents," said Clay. "Jamie... that son-of-a-bitch." Jean-Pierre stopped his inspection and looked up with much curiosity. He could barely differentiate one scent from the other. "How can you be so sure? There are too many scents co-mingling here to be certain." Clay didn't bother to reply; his focus solely on the heat signatures dampening the soil. He needed to remember these scents - each and every one of them. One of the Risens must have taken her - but for what purpose? As he moved closer to the tomb, his senses went into hyper alert. Blood - not Risen, nor Light Walker... and neither human. "JP, look here," he instructed, pointing his finger to door of the tomb. The box itself had split open in the middle like an open cabinet, but at each side of the door held half a circle stained with blood. Jean-Pierre moved close, sniffing at the blood before taking a swab from his pocket to take a sample. "Whoever opened this tomb is an abomination." The tremble in his voice did not go unnoticed by his team. "I must return to Notre-Dame immediately. What we seek, is no longer here." *** Alderic could feel her heart beating profusely. Was she afraid? Or was it adrenaline? He could still recall the scent of strawberries in her hair, the freckles dotting her cheeks and those jade buttons-eyes that looked at him with such guile and trust of a daughter for her father. *** Two days later... Yuli emerged from the shadow just as Jean-Pierre stepped into the grand cathedral of the Notre Dame. "I want answers." "Ask away then." Yuli leaned lazily against a limestone pillar. "Who opened the tomb?" "I don't know." Jean-Pierre regarding the double-spy Risen carefully. Yuli had answered a little too quickly, raising an alarm in his head. "Fine. Then tell me about this awakened Risen - and don't you dare hold out on me." Yuli looked mutinous. "Or what?" "You desire power and knowledge. I know what is inside the other tomb." The Wolf's Call to the Moon Ch. 05 He was bluffing. None of the Risens know what was hidden in the other tomb so how could a lowly dog know? Jamie had had a theory that it contained the heir of the Forbidden One but with the discovery of Mallory, that went down the drain. Yuli still had the tomb; the one so beautifully carved and polished. He had planned for Mallory to open it but she was proving to be difficult. Perhaps it would be wise to gleam something from the Light Walkers in exchange for a history lesson. "The Lord was the only Ancient to have created bloodlines -thirteen - that you know today as Risens. It was forbidden you see, to recreate life, but the Lord does what he wants and for that they cast him out of their sanctum. From then on, they refer to him as the Forbidden One and so have we." Jean-Pierre paled. Other Ancients? He had no idea of the hierarchy of Risen lineage. "How was the tomb opened? Don't try and bullshit with me Yuli. I examined it and I saw blood. Was it a human sacrifice?" A look of pure venom and disgust crossed the Risen's face. "We are not savages, you fool! Blood was given willingly, out of curiosity, of love... of whatever emotion you want to believe in." Jean-Pierre remained silent as various questions riddled his thoughts. The blood sample had to be rushed to the lab. Trace the blood, find the instigator right? "I've told you what you needed to know. Now it's your turn." "Come with me. My Alpha will be the best person to tell you." It's a trap thought Yuli as he entered the sunny chambers of the Alpha named Alexander Glas. He looked barely older than 40 years old, the modern garb of jeans and shirt making him appear laidback and casual. So unlike what Yuli would imagine as an Alpha. "So I understand you have been forthcoming with Jean-Pierre here about the tomb, though you are still keeping secrets from us. Do you wish to have that tracer tag with you for eternity?" Alexander tapped his fingers together; his eyes focused solely on Yuli. "The Forbidden One is looking for his companion tomb and this will be the first place he'll visit. Expect death, lots of death. Oh he wouldn't kill you straight away but in a week, a month, a year later your brain suddenly switches off and you're dead." Alexander wasn't taking the bait. "If he is all powerful, then he would know that what he seeks is not here. It has been taken from him by his own brethren has it not?" Yuli blinked back in surprise. Surely this Light Walker does not know the truth of what he has done? No, he was merely bluffing. "He who displeases him can only hope for a swift death." That was all he was saying about the matter. "Now, why don't you tell me what is inside the other tomb and I may possibly help you avert a disaster with the Forbidden One?" "You bring the tomb to me first and I will tell you." "I know not where it is!" Alexander considered the Risen carefully. If this companion tomb was indeed that important to the awakened Risen, then it must be a useful tool for control and negotiation - something that the Light Walkers would find useful. "I will grant you your freedom and more money than you could possibly imagine, if you can bring me the tomb within the next 24 hours. Should you fail, Jean-Pierre here will hunt you down and your status as our spy will be revealed to your kind." Yuli bared his incisors at the Alpha Light Walker, growling at the threat. He needed to be smarter. Bring the tomb you say? Sure. The Alpha didn't specify that it mustn't be empty... *** His next stop was the dungeons. After promising to report to Jean-Pierre every five hours, he disappeared like a puff of smoke, making his way down the winding tunnels; barely visible in the dark. The Light Walker had lied to him. They did not know the contents of the tomb and yet they sought to tame it. Yuli looked at his watch. An hour down. The tunnels were proving to be more complex than he had thought. Navigating them was one thing but bypassing their security was another. Often he had to wait until a Light Walker guard tapped in before he could squeeze through the gap of the door unnoticed. This deep underground, his senses were dulled and though he tried to focus the image of Clay in his head, his mind refused to teleport him directly to the captive. That was when he heard it - a low guttural growl like the deep breathing of Darth Vader. Ah, the wolf. No wonder. Yuli was not expecting Clay to revert to his animal self but in such dire circumstances, perhaps the wolf was better at survival than the human form. The wolf was pressing his nose against the bars, his canines exposed - a painful promise. His claws were out, pawing the bars; the sound of his nails scrapping the metal making a screeching sound. "Please, stop. I am here to get you out. I need you. Mallory needs you." At the sound of her name, the wolf stopped its aggression, retreating into the darkness. Yuli took that as a sign that he was willing to listen. But what happened next, caught him by surprise. Instead of the unshaven black haired man he was expecting, a petite blonde reappeared in the dim lighting. "Who the fuck are you? Where's Clay? Is he in the cage too?" Sophie looked at the Risen, recognising his scent from their previous encounter. It seemed like he had forgotten who she was but Sophie couldn't blame him. Prison life had made her gaunt and dirty. And keeping up with the physical illusion as Clay had zapped away most of her energy. "Get me out of here and I will bring you to him," she croaked; one hand reaching out to the Risen. "What the hell..." Yuli cursed under his breath. How could they have put this woman in a cage? Animals! Placing his hand over hers, he allowed the smoke to surround them both; his mind focused on the shabby shack halfway across the globe. Sophie wasn't sure what was happening but her body felt like it had been split into a million molecules; each with its own consciousness. She could feel her arms, her legs - or what should be her limbs - tingling as though it was stroked with claws. It was neither painful nor unpleasant but definitely strange. Her eyes could not see but she registered the light frequencies around her, the swirling intensity of streetlights and then it was completely bright. When she opened her eyes, she was sitting face to face with Mallory. "Sophie?" Turning to Yuli, Mallory began to claw at him with as much strength as she could. "Why did you bring her here! Are you planning on some perverse harem with the two of us?" Yuli looked at both women with disinterest. Mallory did bring up an interesting proposition but for a Risen of his age and strength, there wasn't much that could make his blood boil as food and sex once had. "I have done my end of the deal. Now you tell me where the Light Walker is." His onyx eyes looking straight at Sophie. "He will be looking like me but with brown hair." Yuli was not expecting that. But before could comment further, Mallory jumped in. "What? How can he look like you? Explain!" "Professor... I mean, Mallory, I suppose by now you understand that both Mr Smokescreen here and I are not... human." "Yes yes I know he's a Vampire, you're a Werewolf. Move along." Sophie cringed a little but whether or not she wanted to, Mallory was embroiled in this mess. Better equip her with the knowledge than leave her stranded with doubts. "Each of us has a special ability. For example, I can alter my looks to be whoever I want. Clay it appears, also possesses this ability. We swapped places so that he could go and look for you. Though... he failed it seems" "Alright, enough chit-chat," said Yuli, taking both women by the wrists. "I get it. Now, I need you both to start figuring out how to open this box. Whoever opens it first gets to live." "Tomb you mean," corrected Mallory. "Whatever. Just get to work. You have twelve hours." And then he was gone. *** Sophie looked over at Mallory as the historian pondered over the artefact. Surely she would be the one to crack it open -after all, she did this for her living. "It's a shame that we didn't study this one in greater detail," said Mallory absently. "Who would have guessed that underneath the outer layer laid a tomb this intricate?" "Is it Egyptian?" asked Sophie, turning instantly red at Mallory's raised eyebrows. "I am obviously not a history student." But Mallory merely shook her head and laughed; her voice gentle even as she corrected her student. "The tombs were buried in Anatolia under the Lycian rites and customs and I finally figured out why." Mallory traced a finger along the symbols spiralling towards the centre. "You see, the Lycians were the only civilisation at that time that valued women more than men. This tomb here is a dedication to a great mother, whose death rendered her husband without meaning nor purpose." "Wow. Are you saying he built this for her?" Mallory nodded, pointing to a specific symbol at the outermost tip of the bowl-shape recess. "These engravings are harpies -motifs often depicted as evildoers; a female monster. But the Lycians, draw them in this ovoid-shaped manner, revering the womb of which all children come from. I must say it is rather poetic - to describe the death of your wife as robbing the earth of a generation of children." Sophie watched as the historian sank down on her knees with a sigh. "But... the Risen who was awakened from the other tomb did not sound like the kind to be romantic," said Sophie. In fact, by the sheer destruction he had caused, he had to be a very powerful being. Sophie was also aware that the thirteen elders had congregated just to witness his resurrection. "Maybe he is just misunderstood," whispered Mallory; her eyes going slightly glossy. "I had seen in person the state of his tomb. It was nothing of the grandeur bequeathed to this one." Sophie held her tongue. Perhaps it was the way that Mallory was caressing the tomb or the melancholic tinge in her voice that brought her pause. Something about these tombs caused a deep sadness to the human historian. Not wanting to cause her further discomfort, Sophie turned to the other woman and brought up the topic that caused her acute sadness. "I think you would be able to reach out to Clay... if you just call him." At Mallory's shocked face, Sophie knew she had to continue; had to say the words to seal the truth. "We Lightwalkers -Werewolves if you like, choose one person to mate for the rest of our lives." "Like a spouse?" Sophie had to hold back her laugh. "Oh no! More than that. A mate is someone who completes the other - a soulmate if you will -but more. If I had to be romantic about it, I'd say, it would be your opposite yet your entirety in another gendered form." Mallory looked sceptical. Sophie couldn't blame her. The topic of mates was always a difficult subject for those who were never raised in the packs. Sure, some wolves take human mates and it was acceptable but they always found it a difficulty to have their mates accept the bond when they have no comprehension of what it was. "So what you're saying is that I'm Clay's... mate. And that I can somehow communicate telepathically with him?" Mallory's face scrunched in confusion. "But then why hasn't he contacted me already? Hello? Helloooo..." She couldn't hold it anymore. Sophie burst out laughing at the sight of Mallory reaching out to Clay with an imaginary receiver. After a full minute, the professor slumped and raised her hands up in the air in surrender. "I don't get it. Come on; show me how you do it!" "Eh?" Blue eyes met olive ones. "Well... I can't." "Why not?" Sophie shuffled her feet some before turning away. "Well... because I'm not mated yet." At first there was silence. Then she sensed the human coming closer, hoping to provide what? Comfort? Pity? Sophie didn't need that to be honest. Some of Lightwalkers were lucky to find theirs at a young age but some... they roam the world for decades searching but never finding. "Well, doesn't mean you can't enjoy the non-mates while you can!" exclaimed Mallory. Now that - she wasn't expecting. "Did you?" asked Sophie, almost shyly. "I mean, I've seen the way Professor Jamie Record looks at you. Now that man wants to eat you up!" "Please. He's not my type." Mallory rolled her eyes. "He's just using me." "He's a Risen you know." Mallory raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips. "I figured. There was a moment in our relationship - I'm talking about the work one; yes stop laughing! -where I was sure he was controlling my mind. I couldn't remember things and sometimes I was made to remember something that never happened." Sophie nodded. A Risen with subterfuge abilities could do that. "I don't suppose Clay could do that? It would be a shame if everything that happened was a lie..." The Lightwalker watched as the human looked up and away; pensive for a moment. Sophie should say something. After all, true mates did not use their abilities on each other but then again, Sophie did not know Clay at all. He was an enigma and for that he intrigued her. "We don't actually know who or what he is. The Lightwalkers all belong to at least one clan but Clay..." "He's a lone wolf." Mallory said it with such finality that Sophie almost believed her. But surely, he must have come from somewhere? "I don't know why I'm telling you this but... I suppose it doesn't matter since I'm already doomed for treason." "Treason?" "In a few hours, the guards will realise that Clay's prison cell is empty. They'll play back the CCTV and they'll know what happened - that I switched places with him." "Then they'll also know that Mr Smokescreen rescued you." "Yes double jeopardy. Siding with the enemy on both counts." "Then you're better off here in the meantime. We'll think of something." Mallory laid her hand over her shoulder. "Now, what was it you were saying?" Sophie wasn't sure if anywhere was safe really. Death it seemed was catching up to her quickly. Well then... if she was going to be executed, then she would at least ensure that there was one witness to her discoveries recently. Taking in a deep breath, Sophie began. "I believe Clay belongs to an extinct clan called the Ombre. We are forbidden to speak of it but somehow in the past weeks, I've been given access to the clan's archives and... well, I don't think their demise was anything natural." "I don't understand." With a long sigh, Sophie patted the tomb before them and took a seat next to Mallory. "You see, the Ombre clan were wiped out of existence. No individual Alpha has the authority to order such an extreme execution so it had to be a unanimous vote amongst the ShadowLords - our governing council. And it started me thinking that maybe, out of the many things they tell us, most are lies. Take this tomb for example - it's a mythical relic. It is said to not exist and yet here it is. And I think Clay and the Ombre clan's extinction is the biggest lie of all because obviously he survived." Sophie saw Mallory sitting up; eyes focused solely on her. When she made no comment, Sophie continued. "You see, the Mother Wolf, our ancestor, she was also of this clan! And to think that all these while we were told she has passed on, albeit naturally? That's a complete lie! And I kept wondering why our Alphas chose to kill off a wolf so sacred and important? After all, without her, we would never have come to being. But as I dug further, I realised that the witness testimonies and execution notes were also missing from the files. They were either destroyed or not collected at all." "Wow, you guys have such a meticulous recording system! I would have thought you'd be more -" "Archaic?" supplied Sophie with a smile. "I was going to say ritualistic, but yours work just as fine," replied Mallory. "Wait, so how do you know if the entire clan was executed if there were no records?" "Word of mouth mostly -stories we were never allowed to tell in public but the ones everyone loved to talk about under the covers and in secret." Mallory bit her lips nervously. "I don't suppose you could tell me more about this Mother Wolf?" Figuring that she was in enough trouble as it was, Sophie decided it wouldn't hurt to just tell the human their origin story. "The legends tell of a pack of wolves, attacked by ferocious creatures known as those who perish in the light. The Alpha, not wanting to draw another attack on her family, told her them to disperse and scatter all over the earth. Knowing that the creatures would come for her first, she sought shelter in the last place they would come looking - in a human home. It was said that the Alpha allowed the humans to care for her like a pet; feeding and nursing her back to health until the birth of her cub. For that reason, we LightWalkers have been serving your kind for years - as your protectors, your friends, your companions -even if you were not aware of it." "Wow. Just... wow. I mean, I've studied so many oral retellings of werewolf legends but to actually hear of one literally from the horses - or should I say wolf's mouth is incredible! Guess we're really not that different, you and I, and our natural need for stories." Mallory flashed a broad smile. "I'm curious about one thing though; I thought Alphas were almost always male?" Sophie pursed her lips disapprovingly. Humans were so ignorant sometimes! "Actually you know what? I think our little history lesson here is quite similar. You mentioned the matriarchy of Lycia right? It was the same for us. The Alpha female was the centre of all life in the den - well, at least historically. A male may be granted the title of an Alpha during the period of gestation but he does not have exclusive access to the Alpha female. "So basically she's Beyoncé." "What?" "Queen Bee, Beyoncé... okay never mind. So then what happened to her? Did the Risen caught up with her?" Sophie smiled. The historian was indeed very quick. "They did. Only to find a new source of food - the humans." "Shit." Nodding, Sophie continued. Here was the crucial moment were they became more than just their animal selves. She wasn't even sure if anyone outside their pack structure knew about it. "The Alpha female had always been impressed and intrigued by the humans that she desired greatly to be like them; to walk the earth on two feet and live as they do. It was her greatest wish that her son be born into a human existence and not that of the wild -so that he may protect their kind from the Risen in ways she could never. And so he did. You see, the child that the female Alpha carried was not sired by an ordinary wolf." Sophie looked over at the attentive historian. "In your research, have you ever come across the name Lycaon Nyctimus?" Mallory's eyes immediately lit up. "Yes! He was one of the fifty sons by King Lycaon who were turned into wolves by Zeus." "Indeed. His brothers, intending to trick the god, sacrificed Nyctimus and served him to Zeus. It angered the god greatly for he turned Lycaon and his sons into wolves before killing them with his lightning." "But Nyctimus was spared; his life returned to him no? At least that was how he came to rule Arcadia upon his father's death," completed Mallory. "Yes. Zeus gave him back his life but to remind him and the people of Arcadia of the crimes of their previous king, Nyctimus was to live only half his life as a human. The other half was that in wolf form." "Wait a minute. Wouldn't he then be the Alpha of this Ombre clan?" The Wolf's Call to the Moon Ch. 05 "Unfortunately he was a cursed wolf of no lineage nor dominance in a pack structure. But he was still sought out by the Alpha female for the human qualities she wished to imbibe her offspring with." "I like her already." "Me too." Both women stared at each other and laughed. Sophie didn't know why but talking to Mallory made her feel like she had a friend for the first time in her life. Pack hierarchies and the overdominance of male trackers had always put her on the side line. "And so her son became the first LightWalker?" "And so did she. Upon the death of Nyctimus, his curse was passed on to her bloodline which she in turn passed to her siblings and their children." Mallory leaned backwards; resting her head on her hands as she stared at the ceiling. "That was an amazing story but I still don't know how I'm supposed to communicate with Clay." Sophie smiled at her new friend. "You'll know when you're ready. But seeing that we only have the next twelve hours to live... I'd say no pressure." That earned her a playful shove before the two women returned to cracking the code on the tomb. *** The Forbidden one closed his eyes; his mind searching for that one being whose heart belonged to him. She was excited about something, he could feel it. What was it that had captured his beautiful Meillerie's heart? He tried to pierce into her mind, but it was a clouded bubble. Doesn't matter. Whatever had excited her, it was a pity that it would be short-lived, for his body was compelled to hunt her down and take back his heart. What was the point of being reawaken if he has to go back to sleep? It was unfortunate that she would have to die in the process. It was also a bit of a nuisance that he would have to search for her himself. Those fools had no respect for the sacredness of his actions. He could never trust them to bring her to him. After all, she was a secret that no one knew about, not even she herself. And it should stay that way. *** PS: Yes I know I sound extremely feminist and geeky in this chapter but I figured it's time to switch a little. And I'm sorry about the long history lesson! But I hope you guys found it interesting as I did!