|
Post by blackmoondagger on Oct 7, 2005 11:03:30 GMT -5
Author: blackmoondagger
Sumarry: When Morgan Conner gets transferred from the preternatural detective force in Alexandria, Louisiana to the elite preternatural detective force in Long Beach, California, she is faced with more challenges than she knows what to do with. She’s vampires trying to make her one of their own and lycanthropes trying to kill her. When she meets up with a werewolf trying to pass for human, Morgan is swept up into the pack wars. Can she resist the urge to join the howling wolves or will she become one of the monsters?
Copyrighted by Shandi Lemoine on September 15, 2005. For private use only. Do not copy with out explicit permission from me. Thank you.
Chapter One
I sat in my chair, watching the stewardesses walking up and down the aisle. They pushed carts of food, drinks, everything under the sun. I was glad for the air conditioning on the plane or I would have died of a heat stoke in my small jacket. The only reason I was wearing the d**ned thing in the first place was because I had my gun in a shoulder holster underneath it.
I had to flash my badge to prove to security that I was certified to have a gun with me. My trusty Sphinx AT 2000 could hold fifteen 9mm silver bullets. In all reality, if I needed any more than about five bullets I was on dead son of a pregnant dog. I doubted that I would get attacked three thousand feet in the air, but hey I’d rather be safe than sorry. Right?
I mean I’m barely over five foot tall for Christ’s sake. I needed someway to combat huge men and blood-thirsty monsters of the world. Vampires and lycanthropes could bench-press car for crying out loud. What was I going to do against them unless I had a gun with me? The answer, jack f**king squat that’s what!
I looked up at a tall, leggy blond stewardess. She gave me one of the fakest smiles any woman had ever given me in all my twenty-one years. I knew she was thinking I was a total freak with my crimson hair, cut short and choppy so that vamps, lycanthropes, and other creepy-crawlies couldn’t use it to their advantage. My mother had been so sad to see me cut all my luxurious blond hair off. My eyes were a deep sea green color set in a face with very pale skin. My skin is color of moonlight on a lake’s calm, black surface.
I might have looked like a punk rocker wanna-be, but she looked like a Britney Spears wanna-be before she got pregnant. I’d take looking like a rocker to that tramp any day.
“Could I get something to drink?” I asked.
She nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” she replied, smiling oh-so-sweet. “What can I get you?”
“A Sprite please.” I said, returning the fake smile.
If we didn’t get to the Long Beach Mun. Airport soon, I was going to lose my already-slipping mind. It was bad enough that my old boss had transferred me from BFE to a hellhole on the west coast. What had I done that had been so horrible to be transferred from my home state to Long Beach, California? I was one of Alexandria’s best preternatural detectives, but hell. Did I have to pack up everything and move to a completely different state?
The Britney Spears wanna-be came back with a can of Sprite and a small plastic glass for me to drink it out of. I took them, offering forced thanks. She continued on her very happy way down the aisle, asking various people if they needed anything. I sipped the Sprite right from the can, enjoying the crisp lemon-lime taste. I glanced over at the man sleeping in the seat next to me. He had long brown hair, tanned skin, and from his slouched posture I couldn’t really tell his height.
I took another sip of soda. Just as I was pulling it away from my lips, someone behind me slammed into my seat. Clear soda soaked the front of my black and blue Thrice T-shirt and I instinctively leapt to my feet. When I whirled around to face the jackass that had made me spill all over my favorite shirt, I came face to face with a six year old girl with long, curling black hair and deep brown eyes.
Her skin was so pale that she looked like a porcelain doll. Even the dress she was wearing made her look like a little doll. It was all pink and white with white lace. She wore shiny white shoes and little white stockings with pink flower buds on them. The woman sitting beside her looked up at me, pulling her glasses off of her face. I wanted to slap the smug look right off of her face.
“Is there a problem here, Miss?” this from the Britney Spears knock off.
I whirled on her. “Yes, there’s a f**king problem!” I shouted. “The kid kicked my d**ned seat and spilled Sprite all over my shirt.”
“There’s no need to shout, Miss.” she said. “I’m sorry for the inconvenience but I’m going to have to ask you not to use such vulgar language.”
“Vulgar?” I spat, crushing the can and sending Sprite foaming out of the top to run down my arm. “You haven’t heard vulgarity yet!”
The man sitting in the seat next to me, the one who had spent half of the trip reading a fantasy novel and the other half sleeping, rose to his feet. He laid his on my shoulder and leaned over the seats to smile winningly at the stewardess.
“You’ll have to excuse my sister.” he said. “She doesn’t like flying and this trip has left her a little stressed out.”
“I’m sorry for the inconvenience.” the woman said, her voice trailing off.
“Carson.” he said. “Zane Carson.”
“Mr. Carson.” the stewardess said, smiling. “If there is anything we can do for you or Ms. Carson, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Thank you.” he said, then added, “Ms. Hill. My sister will need another soda and I’ll have a glass of water. Thank you.”
She nodded and disappeared behind the curtained off area where the stewardesses kept the trays of food and drink from view during the flight. Zane Carson pulled me down into my seat and I turned to glare at him. The same winning smile that he had used on Ms. Hill was plastered on his handsome face once more. Now that I got a full view of his face, I noticed that he had midnight blue eyes, high cheekbones, a cupid bow shaped mouth with lush kissable lips, a very strong chin, and a small nose. On some men the small nose would have looked all out of place, but on Zane Carson it fit somehow.
“Who the hell do you think you are?” I demanded in a harsh whisper.
“Zane Carson, high school English teacher.” he said, holding out his slender fingered hand out for me to shake.
“Morgan Conner, preternatural detective and vampire slayer.” I said, shaking his hand.
“It’s very nice to make you acquaintance, Ms. Conner.” he said.
“Like wise.” I said, pulling my hand way from his as I caught sight of the stewardess coming towards us.
“Here are your drinks Mr. Carson, Ms. Carson.” she said.
We accepted the drinks, Zane more graciously than me. I glared at her and she left as quickly as courtesy allowed. I popped the top on my soda, glancing back at the little girl. She was sound asleep. Good. I took a sip of Sprite and looked back at Zane. He had his water held in his right hand. I kept mine in my left hand just in case I had to draw my gun. I couldn’t take the chance that some crazed human or lycanthrope might decide to go ape-nuts on the passengers. A girl had to be prepared in these troubled times.
“So why are you a preternatural detective?” Zane asked, setting his drink down on the fold out tray.
“Why are you a high school English teacher?” I countered, holding the soda away from me.
“I love English.” he replied.
“A good Samaritan and a nerd.” I said. “Great.”
He smiled. “Well that’s not a nice way to talk to the man who kept you ass out of jail.” he said.
I took another sip of Sprite and nearly choked at what he said. When I could speak again I said, “You think you kept me out of jail, Mr. Carson?”
“You weren’t doing a very good job at it by yourself.” he admitted. “And it’s Zane, Ms. Conner.”
“Morgan.” I said. “Just Morgan.”
Zane nodded and picked up his glass. “So what brings you to California?” he asked.
“Business.” I said. “Transfer.”
He swallowed his water, smiling. “Me, too.” he said. “Look, uh, how about we-“
Zane never got to finish because the pilot came on over the intercom. “We’ll be landing at Long Beach Mun. Airport in five minutes.” he said.
“Finally.” I sighed in exasperation.
I heard Zane chuckle. “Impatient?” he asked.
“A little bit.” I replied, downing the rest of my soda.
I felt his eyes upon me and turned to look at him. “Did I sprout an extra head?” I asked.
He turned away, blushing slightly. “Um…No,” he replied. “I was just wondering something.”
“What?” I asked.
“Would you like to have dinner with me when we land?” he asked.
“I can’t.” I said. “I don’t even know you.”
Zane smiled wickedly. “How could you not know your own brother?” he asked.
“Well,” I said. “When you put it that way, how can I refuse?”
We smiled at one another for a long moment. I nearly slammed into the seat in front of me when the wheels touched down, but I put my hands up to stop myself. The plane came to a screeching halt and the pilot came back on the intercom. He thanked us for flying with them and people began to pull their bags from the overhead compartment. I had sent all of my stuff ahead of me a week before so all I had was a carryon bag. I should have a black Ford Sport Track parked out in front of the airport.
Zane grabbed his bag and we filed out of the plane. When I stepped out of the dimly-lit plane and into the bright California sunlight, I wished that I could go back in and hid from the daylight. I was temporarily blinded by the brilliant sunlight. My foot slipped and Zane’s strong arms caught me before I fell. He smiled down at me and lifted me back to my feet. I pulled away from him quickly and made my way into the airport. If I ever got back to Alexandria, I was going to kill Gina for sending me here.
I had a great job waiting for me, a nice truck with plenty of room for my weapons, and I’d even met a very handsome man. Oh yes. She was going to die for this one.
|
|
|
Post by blackmoondagger on Oct 7, 2005 11:03:54 GMT -5
A/N: The streets and stores are just my little add in. I don’t know any real names, so I made up my own. K? Enjoy!
Chapter Two
Fifteen minutes after landing, I sat across from Zane Carson. He had a chili dog with cheese and jalapeños, a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos, and a glass of water before him. I had a large slice of cheese pizza, a bag of Sour Cream and Onion chips, and a glass of Coke before me. See, I drink more than Sprite. The little airport snack bar was packed with people. Zane and I sat in a corner, our bags tucked under the table.
Zane took a sip of his water, smiling at me. “So you’re Irish, Italian, French, and Indian?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yeah,” I replied.
“I should have known from your display on the plane.” he said.
I glared at him in mock anger. “What’s that suppose to mean?” I demanded.
“Your temper gave you away, Morgan.” he said, taking a bite out of his chili dog.
A big blob of chili dribbled down his chin and plopped down into the cardboard box on the table. I chuckled as he dropped the chili dog back into the little cardboard holder, grab a napkin, and wipe the chili off of his chin. When he was spotless once more, he smiled over at me. He smiled way too much for a man. No man in my life ever smiled at me as much as Zane Carson was right now.
I took a bite out of my pizza, looking at his face. Swallowing my food I decided to take my turn guessing what he was. “Brown hair, blue eyes, tanned skin.” I said, sipping my Coke. “Spanish and German?”
He smiled. Big surprise. “Indian, Spanish and Dutch.” he replied. “Good try though.”
I shrugged. “I try.” I said.
My eyes flicked to the clock. It was only 3:00 p.m. It was 5:00 p.m. in Louisiana. I was so going to have to get used to this two hour time difference. When I looked back at Zane, he was staring at me. I took another bite out of my pizza, concentrating on chewing.
A shadow fell over me and I whirled. A tall, skinny man with short blond hair, hazel eyes, tanned skin, muscles that you only get from weightlifting, defined cheekbones, a strong chin, and a hawk nose stood behind me. He wore a grey suit, a crimson tie, a golden tie track, and shiny, black shoes. He looked like he was someone I wouldn’t like.
“Zane.” the man said. “If you’re done dallying, we must go.”
“Hey, Josh.” he said. “Morgan, this is Josh Thorn. He’s a plastic surgeon. Josh, this is Morgan Conner, a preternatural detective.”
“Hello, Ms. Conner.” he said, turning his attention away from me. “Come on, Zane.”
“I’m coming.” Zane said, picking his bag up off of the floor. “Go wait for me by the car. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Josh glared at me for a long moment.
“Go, Josh!” Zane said his voice full of command.
Josh looked at Zane quickly and turned on his heel without another word. I looked up at Zane, frowning slightly. He held out a piece of paper to me. I glared at him for a long moment.
“It’s the number where you can reach me.” he said, still holding out the piece of paper. “If you want it, that is.”
I took the piece of paper. “Leave Mr. Stick in the Mud at home next time and I might call you.” I replied, shoving the paper into my jacket pocked.
Zane smiled. “Done.” he said and disappeared into the crowd of people.
Five minutes after he left, I rose from the chair and made my way to my truck. I pulled the keys out of my pocket, clicking the button to automatically unlock the doors. I pulled the door open and climbed in. Throwing my bag into the sheets next to me, I shoved the keys into the ignition. I started the truck, waiting for my turn to get out of the airport parking lot.
An old woman with a white bun on top of her head allowed me to pull out in front of her. I pulled out onto Interstate 405 and followed the flow of traffic. It took me an hour to get into Long Beach. I pulled out the little piece of paper that gave me directions to my apartment complex. I turned left on Benson St. and continued down Newman Ave. for about half a mile.
I pulled into an apartment complex with a big white sign that read “Little Taste of the South” written in green letters. A slight frown furrowed my brow. Gina and my new boss, Drew Montgomery, had discussed the best place for me to stay and this was the best they could come up with. It looked like an plantation house on the outside, but I knew that it would look just like every other apartment complex that I’d ever been it.
Grabbing up my bag, I climbed out of my truck. I walked up to the office. A chubby man with short salt-and-pepper hair sat behind the desk watching a baseball game. He wore a stained white muscle shirt, a red plaid shirt over it, cut up jeans, and dirty work boots completed the outfit. I rang the bell on the desk even though it wasn’t necessary. Sometimes I just like being a pregnant dog.
“Yeah?” he asked, frowning at me.
“I’m your new tenant.” I said. “I need the key for apartment, 205.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” he growled, rising off of the stool and lifted two keys off of a key ring. “Here.”
I took the keys and turned away from him. I didn’t owe him any thanks. He’d been a real jerk so I had the right to be a pregnant dog to him. I walked out of the office and up the stairs. Three flights of stairs later, I was standing in front of my new home. I placed the keys into the door and unlocked the door. All of my stuff was as it had been in my old apartment. I sighed. At least some things were the same.
“Home sweet home.” I whispered.
My couch, loveseat, and recliner were black. The carpet was a nice pure white. My coffee table and end tables black metal with glass as the table tops. I tossed my bag onto the couch and plopped down beside my carryon bag. My TV sat across from my loveseat. Kicking my shoes off, pulling off my jacket, and taking off my gun and shoulder holster, I gazed up at the oaken ceiling fan. The air conditioner whirred quietly.
I could go out for dinner tonight. I didn’t start work until Monday. It was only Saturday. I put my hand into my jacket pocket and felt a small piece of paper brush my fingers. I pulled it out and unfolded it. Zane Carson’s number stared up at me. He told me to call him if I wanted. Maybe I could call him tomorrow. I shook my head. No, I couldn’t do that. He wasn’t my type.
I placed the piece of paper onto the right end table were my phone and a black and white lamp sat. I’d call Drew Montgomery in the morning. He said he would send someone over to show me around Long Beach and then bring me back to the office so I could meet my coworkers.
A sigh escaped my lips as I lay on my couch. I was so tired and they plane trip had worn me out. I had been angry for half of the trip and pissed off for the other half. The fan and air conditioner sent cool air sliding across my pale skinned face. I closed and I fell asleep.
|
|
|
Post by blackmoondagger on Oct 7, 2005 11:04:16 GMT -5
Chapter Three
The phone was ringing. I opened my eyes, groaning in annoyance. No one but Drew knew my number. Why in the hell would he be calling? Another loud ring broke the silence. I gave a small shout of anger and sat up.
I grabbed the phone, pushed the Talk button, and said, “Hello?”
“Conner?” a man’s voice asked.
“Who the hell is this?” I demanded.
“Drew Montgomery.” the man replied. “It’s nice to hear your voice too.”
I ran my hand down my face in aggravation. “I don’t come in to work until Monday, Drew.” I said.
“Yeah I know that.” he said. “I just wanted to call and let you know that I sent over Andrea Vice over to your place.”
“Why?” I asked flatly.
“You need to get to know your partner.” he said. “Andrea should be there right now.”
As if that were some kind of cue, my doorbell rang. “Thanks Drew.” I said. “Bye.”
I could hear a smile in his voice. “You’re welcome, Conner.”
“Morgan.” I said. “My name is Morgan.”
I hung up the phone, staring at the door. The doorbell rang again. I sighed in exasperation and rose to my feet. I jerked the door open and there before me stood and olive skinned woman with long brown hair, brown eyes, a hawk beak nose, high cheek bones, and a thin-lipped mouth. She smiled at me, taking in the sight of me just as I was doing to her.
“I’m Andrea Vice.” she said. “You must be Morgan Conner.”
“I am.” I said, leaning against the doorframe.
“Aren’t you going to invite me in?” she asked.
Andrea Vice was taller than me five inches. It didn’t surprise me, most people were taller than little ol’ me. For a long moment I stared at the woman before me. I could tell she wasn’t armed. She wore a white tank top, a short, black cotton skirt, and spiked heeled knee-high boots. She didn’t even look like a preternatural detective, but that might have worked out to her advantage sometimes. I moved aside and allowed her to enter my apartment. She gazed around my living room for a moment and then made her way into my kitchen.
Andrea sat down at the small oaken table, fiddling with the navy blue place mat. I walked over to her and pulled the mat away from her. I hated when people fidgeted and I hated it even more when people played with my place mats. My mother had never let my sisters and I fiddle with hers place mats when we were growing up and it had kind of become a pet peeve with me as well. So my mother had taught me a few good habits. Brownie points for her.
“So you just moved here from Louisiana?” she asked.
“Is that what Drew told you?” I asked, placing the mat on the counter.
“Yes.” she replied.
“Then why ask me such a stupid question?” I demanded, lifting myself onto the countertop.
“You didn’t have many friends growing up, did you?” she asked, smiling at me.
I glared at her. “I didn’t have time for friends.” I said.
Silence stretched out between us for a long moment. Andrea Vice seemed like the kind of person I could get along with, but only time would be kind enough to tell. She smiled at me, lacing her fingers together.
“Wanna go get something to eat?” she asked.
“Sure.” I replied. “Where?”
“Wendy’s?” she asked, rising to her feet.
“Sounds good.” I said, also rising to my feet. “Your car or mine?”
“Mine if you don’t mind.” she said, walking to the door.
I walked over to the couch, picking up my gun and shrugging into my shoulder holster. Andrea stared at me for a long moment, but said nothing. Smart woman. I pulled on my jacket, looking down at the folded piece of paper near my phone. It was too soon to call Zane Carson. Pulling on my jacket, I followed behind Andrea and out of my door. I stopped at the doorway, glancing back into my apartment. It didn’t matter if I liked it here or not, this was my home. Joy and rapture.
I locked the door and followed my new partner out of the apartment complex. Monday, the real work would begin. Today, I was just like any other woman going out with a new friend for dinner. Right.
|
|
|
Post by blackmoondagger on Oct 7, 2005 11:04:44 GMT -5
Chapter Four
Thirty minutes later I sat across from Andrea Vice, eating a Classic cheese burger no tomatoes, lettuce, or mayo with a large Coke. I hated mayo. It was so gross. Andrea ate chicken stripes with barbeque sauce and a medium Dr. Pepper. Not my choice of drink, but hell she had her own mind.
Her cell phone rang, breaking the semi-quiet of the restaurant. “Hello?” she said. “Oh hey Drew. What’s up? Yeah, Morgan is here with me. Where? When? We’ll be right there!”
She hung up then and looked at me. Her eyes were clouded with worry. “There’s been a murder.” she said.
“What?” I said, choking on my Coke. “Where?”
“It happened just outside of Lakewood.” Andrea replied. “Drew said the cops found the body about an hour ago and they just realized that nothing human could have killed the victim the way the murderer did.”
“nuts!” I said loud and with great feeling.
A little girl laughed and repeated it. Her mother glared at me and I stared blankly at her. Turning my attention back to Andrea, I rose from my chair and picked up my tray. I walked past the little girl and her angry mother. The little girl kept saying ‘nuts’ over and over again and giggling like it was something grand. Andrea and I smiled at one another and walked out of the door. The heat of the day slapped me in the face and I nearly stumbled backwards.
“Drew said that it was pretty messy.” Andrea said. “We’ll get to see just how tough they make you southern belles nowadays.” she said.
I looked at her, smirking. “Where the hell did you get ‘southern belles’ from?” I asked.
“From Blanche from The Golden Girls, of course.” Andrea replied.
“How silly of me not to guess that.” I said, pulling the door of her car open. “”Forgive me for not knowing that right off the bat.”
She drove a black 2000 Dodge Neon. It had four doors so I knew the insurance wasn’t that hard on her. It was a nice car, but I was a truck loving girl myself.
Andrea and I slid into our seats. “You don’t play well with other people, do you?” she asked, putting the key in the ignition and starting the car.
“You’ll see how well I play when we get to Lakewood.” I said and buckled my seatbelt.
“I look forward to it.” Andrea said.
She threw the car into reverse and flew out of the parking lot. People honked in anger as we pulled out in front of them. Andrea and I both flipped them off and laughed. Her slender hand reached for the radio volume button and “Headstrong” by Trapt blared out of the speakers. We started to sing along with the lead singer.
Okay, we were on our way to a murder scene. So f**king what if we were happy on the way there? It was on the way back that made me sick. The ride home would be quiet, solemn, and completely stressful. I hated the ride home from any murder scene. It meant nightmares that night. Blood, gore, little kid’s teddy bears covered in blood. Not something most people dream about.
The ride to Lakewood was filled with me and Andrea’s singing and laughing. When we pulled into the driveway of a very small white house, our singing and laughter died on our lips. Half a dozen cop cars were scattered in the yard, lights blinking brightly in the fading sunlight. I glanced down at the clock. It was 5:30 p.m. Joy and rapture.
“Ready?” Andrea asked.
“Are you?” I asked.
She smiled. “No one is ever ready for what awaits us.” she replied, unbuckling her seatbelt and climbing out of the car.
I sighed heavily, said a quick prayer, undid my seatbelt and climbed out of the car. God willing, no children had died this day. The two of us walked down the driveway. Cops glared at us as we walked past them and ducked under the yellow police tape. We didn’t have to ask for clearance. We were the f**king preternatural detectives here, not them.
The smell of blood and fresh death rode the air. A young man with long black hair was crouched in the bushes tosses his cookies. I smiled faintly. I hadn’t thrown up in over two years. Brownie points for me and my gag reflex. Andrea walked into the door first with me trailing in her wake.
I nearly bumped into Andrea when I crossed the threshold. She had stopped so abruptly that I hadn’t been prepared to stop. I rose up on tiptoes to gaze over her shoulder and gasped. I sank back to my normal height, anger building inside of me.
Peeking around Andrea’s arm, I took in the sight again. A tiny body lay twisted and discarded on the living room floor. Blood pooled around the small body, painting the hunter green carpet brown. I stepped from behind Andrea, walking forward. The body had a face, but just barely. Deep slashes cut across the chubby cheeks and a deep gaping wound made a bloody smile across the throat. Long blond locks were stuck to the bloody forehead of the little girl. Her clear blue eyes stared blindly at the ceiling.
“A child’s death is always the hardest.” a voice said behind me.
I whirled to face a man with short black hair, brown eyes, tanned skin, a very well defined bone structure, long fingered hands, a big hawk beak nose, and lush lips stood before me. He was about six foot seven inches. He made me look like a dwarf. Size didn’t intimidate me and I sure as hell hoped he didn’t think it did.
“I’m Sergeant Allen Campbell.” the man said.
“Detective Morgan Conner.” I said.
Sergeant Campbell gazed down at me for a long moment; a shadow of doubt crossed his handsome face.
“What?” I demanded.
“You’re the new detective?” he asked, disgust filling his voice.
“Yeah.” I replied. “What of it?”
He shrugged nonchalantly. “I just thought you would be taller.” he replied.
“Bully for you.” I said. “Now what the hell do you think did this?”
He frowned at me, his brow furrowing. “Isn’t that your job?” he asked, crossing his arms.
I smiled up at him. “Yes,” I replied. “However, I am asking you opinion, Sergeant.”
“I think it was some kind of were creature.” he said.
“Very good.” I said. “I bet you came up with that all by yourself, too.”
Andrea laughed behind me. “There is no other option.” she said. “It is daylight after all, Morgan.”
I glanced back at her, smiling. “Of course, Sergeant Campbell here is smart enough to know that a vamp sleeps during the day, zombies are usually very well tempered unless their animator is not skilled enough and banshees are rarely leave their graveyards. All of them are night walking creatures.”
Campbell glared at me. “If you are going to be a smartass, you can leave.” he said.
“Do you know what kind of lycanthrope it was?” I asked, ignoring his question completely.
He heisted for a moment. “No.” he replied.
“Andrea?” I asked. “Do you have an idea?”
“Wolf would be my guess.” she said.
I nodded agreement. “Mine, too.”
“Why?” Sergeant Campbell asked.
I glanced back at Andrea. She motioned for me to speak for both of us. The cops knew how she was, but I was a whole new ball game to them. Fun, fun, fun in the sun. I inhaled deeply and turned back to the ass of a sergeant before me.
“Wererats aren’t prone to killing very often for some reason. Wereleopards are rare here. They only have about thirty of them in this area and don’t want to cause trouble for themselves. So that rules them out. Swanmares are not killers. Werehyenas are prone to leaving a bigger mess than this. They like carnage.” I explained, staring down at the broken body of the little girl.
“Motive?” he asked.
I shrugged. “No real pattern of killings yet.” I said. “Can’t be sure just yet.”
“Could you come up with one?” he asked, impatient ringing in his voice.
“Sure.” I said. “That doesn’t make it right.”
He sighed in exasperation and ran his hand down his face. “Just tell me what you think!” he shouted.
A man of about thirty with salt-and-pepper hair and a balding crown, deep green eyes, tanned skin, and muscles built up from manual labor walked into the living room. A woman with the same colored hair as the broken girl had her face hidden in her husband’s chest. Her body shook with silent sobs. The man glared at Sergeant Campbell and me.
“Why would someone do this to us?” the man asked.
“We’re trying to figure that out right now, Mr. Sims.” Campbell said. “Ms. Conner was just about to tell us.”
I looked past Campbell and at the man and his sobbing wife. “Did you do something to anger the werewolves?” I asked.
“What?” the man demanded, his face flushing red with anger. “Why would you ask that?”
“They killed your daughter.” I said. “The only thing I can think of right now is that they did as revenge.”
Campbell and Mr. Sims stared at me for a long moment. Mrs. Sims pulled away from her husband and looked at me. We were about the same height. She was maybe a few inches shorted. Bully for me. Her eyes and face were swollen with crying.
“We never associated with the monsters, Ms. Conner.” she said. “We do not think that those creatures are even fit to live.”
I thingyed an eyebrow at her. “Lycanthropy is a disease.” I said. “That’s like saying that someone with AIDS deserves to die.”
She stared at me, anger making her otherwise-lovely blue cold. “It is human nature to be prejudice.” she said. “Are you saying that you are not?”
“I have family who are lycanthropes.” I said. “I treat them no different.”
Her anger washed away then and she crumpled in a heap at her husband’s feet. “They took my baby!” she screamed, tears rolling down her cheeks.
“I promise that I will do all I can, Mrs. Sims.” I said, kneeling before her.
She lifted her eyes to mine. Her eyes seemed to glow now that they were bloodshot. “Your promise won’t bring Elizabeth back.” she said.
“I never said it would.” I said, rising to my feet. “All I can offer you is my promise that the person who did this will pay.”
I turned on my heel and walked past Sergeant Campbell. Mr. Sims came to his wife then. I glanced back at the crumpled body of Elizabeth Sims. I turned away from the ruined body of the little girl and walked past Andrea. She followed me out the door and to her car. We climbed in and drove away from the Sims’s house. The family needed to grieve. I only prayed that Campbell had the good sense to take the body to the morgue soon. Somehow I doubted that very seriously he would.
|
|
|
Post by blackmoondagger on Oct 7, 2005 11:05:10 GMT -5
Chapter Five
When we pulled up to my apartment, Andrea and I sat in silence. I was looking down at my hands, my fingers twitching. Andrea had called Drew to tell him that the two of us would be on the case. He’d taken the fact that neither Andrea nor I would be there Monday to take the first few clients. Montgomery and Co. Preternatural Detectives Agency took in more private cases than George, Silverton, and Anderson Detective Agency. GSA is mostly for the really wealthy, but they weren’t nearly as good as Montgomery and Co. Not being arrogant, I’m starting a cold, hard fact.
“I’ll call you if I hear anything.” Andrea said. “The cops have my number.”
“Alright.” I said. “I’ll see you later.”
I reached for the door handle and her hand wrapped around my upper arm. I looked back at her. Her eyes were shinning with tears. For a long moment I just sat there, gazing back at her. Why would she be crying? She must have seen dozens of crime scenes like this one. What could make this one so different for her?
“That little girl.” she said. “She was my brother-in-law’s niece.”
“Then why didn’t the Sims say anything to you?” I asked.
“I never met them until today.” Andrea replied. “I knew Lizzie though. She was so beautiful. She wanted to be a dancer.”
Tears overflowed, running down her cheeks in tiny rivulets. She flung herself at me, weeping on my shoulder. I patted her awkwardly on the back, unsure of what to say or do. I had lost a lot of people to the monsters, but never a small child relative. After five minutes of Andrea’s silent sobbing and my awkward rubbing, she pulled away from me and sat up. Her brown eyes looked black now that they were blood shot. Mrs. Sims face flashed in my mind’s eye.
“I’m sorry, Andy.” I said. “Are you sure you can handle this case?”
She nodded, wiping a tear from her cheek. “I’ll be fine.” she said.
“Okay.” I said, pushing the door open. “Have a good night.”
“Morgan, wait!” she said.
I turned back to her. “Yeah?” I asked.
“I have to go check my sister and brother-in-law.” she said. “After I finish at their house we can go invest the werewolves tonight.”
“Sure.” I said. “You gonna pick me up?”
She nodded. “Yeah.” she replied. “We can take your truck.”
“Alright.” I said. “Say around eight or so?”
“Two hours is enough.” Andrea said. “My brother-in-law will understand my needing to leave. I’ll see you then.”
I climbed out of the car and bent down to look at my new partner once more. “Be careful, Andy.” I said. “Werewolves can attack during the day.”
She smiled. “I did go to college, Morgan.” she said. “You be careful, too.”
“I always am.” I said, closing the door.
She drove away then, leaving me staring up at my apartment building. I sighed heavily and walked back towards my home. I passed by the office, but gave no welcoming gesture to him. I walked up the stairs and stopped a few steps from my landing. Sitting near my door was Zane Carson. My mouth fell agape as I gazed up at him. He smiled at me, waving.
“How did you find me?” I asked, walking towards him.
“I have connections.” he replied.
I nodded. “Are you with the mob?” I asked, coming to stand beside him.
He smiled. “No,” he replied.
“Then why would you want to look for me if you have such great connections?” I asked.
Zane was wearing a black t-shirt, blue jeans, and black Nikes. The shirt made his muscles visible, but didn’t show them off too much. It was just enough to make you wander what he looked like without a shirt on. He rose to his feet, gazing down at me. He was five foot seven inches. Nice. I stood near my door, keys in hand. We stood there a long moment, looking at each other. Why would he want to see me so soon?
The door across the hall opened and an elderly woman with a pug trailing behind her on a pink leash walked out of the apartment. The door looked at me and gave a happy yip. Her beady eyes fell on Zane and she began to bark angrily at him.
“Fifi!” the woman shouted, jerking the leash. “I’m so sorry, young man. She is normally so nice.”
Zane smiled at the woman. “It’s no big deal.” he said. “Few dogs like me.”
“I’m Mrs. Leanne Barnes and this is Fifi.” she said.
“Zane Carson.” he said. “Nice to meet you both.”
I stood there, looking at the woman for a long moment. Her features were a little mousy. Her hair was grey and tied up in a bun at the top of her head. She had beady black eyes blinked many times at me.
Mrs. Barnes looked at me. “Your wife is lovely.” she said.
“Oh, I’m not…”
Zane grabbed my hand. “She’s not my wife, Mrs. Barnes. This is Morgan Conner.” he said, smiling at me. “We’re dating, but that is in the cards later.”
Mrs. Barnes nodded, smiling at me. “He’s a handsome young man, Ms. Conner.” she said. “Keep him close to you.”
I nearly burst out laughing. “Thank you, Mrs. Barnes.” I said. “I will.”
The old woman and her dog walked away then. “Have a good day, you two.” she said.
“You, too.” we said in unison.
When she was gone, Zane and I burst out laughing then. So far he had been my brother, thought to be my husband, and now he was my boyfriend. What was it with these California people? They see you with a guy and they assume that you are related to them in some way. I turned towards my door, putting the key into the lock.
“Do you want to come in, honey?” I asked, smiling at him.
He laughed then. “Yes,” he replied. “I would love to, dear.”
I pushed the door open and we walked inside my apartment. “So why did you try to find me, Zane?” I asked, closing the door behind me.
He stood in my living room, gazing around. “Did you know that your neighbor is a wererat?” he asked.
“How did you know that?” I asked, stripping off my jacket and gun.
Zane smiled slightly at me. “I can tell these things.” he replied. “You couldn’t tell?”
I shook my head, continuing to stare at him. Few humans could tell lycanthropes when they saw them. I had to admit that Mrs. Barnes did look like a mouse with a human skin, but I wasn’t going to just plaster ‘wererat’ on her forehead at the first sight of her. How could Zane Carson be so sure of what she was?
“So what were you doing?” he asked, moving towards my kitchen.
“There was a murder.” I replied. “Want something to drink?”
He nodded. “You already went grocery shopping?” he asked, sitting down at the table.
“I had Drew get someone to do it for me two days before I got here.” I said. “She got everything right.”
“I’ll take some water, please.” he said.
I went to the cabinets and pulled out a glass. I walked to the fridge and opened the freezer. Zane’s eyes were upon me the whole time I fixed his drink. Ice clinked in the glass and then walked over to the sink. The water ran into the glass, watching it fill the tall glass. I went back to the fridge and grabbed a can of Coke. I set the glass in front of Zane and sat down across from him.
“Answer my question now, Zane.” I said, lacing my fingers together.
Zane took at sip of water, looking everywhere but a me. His midnight blue eyes were lovely and looked even darker now that he was wearing black. A shadow of doubt passed behind his eyes and something else. Something I had only seen in my brother-in-law Steven. He was a weretiger and his beast often loomed just above the surface of his eyes.
“You’re a lycanthrope!” I said, leaping to my feet and knocking my Coke over.
My chair toppled to the floor with a clatter. Zane gazed up at me, fear taking the place of his beast. Was he afraid that I would turn him in? Why in the hell was he telling me this?
“How can you tell?” he asked.
I gripped the table top, staring at him. “Your eyes gave you away.” I said. “Why do you want me to know this, Zane?”
“A werewolf has gone rouge.” he said. “I don’t know who he is, but I do know that one of them has gone crazy. I can smell the pack’s fear, their anger. I haven’t been home for nearly two years and my pack acts as if I’m not one of them. You told me that you were a preternatural detective and I heard about the murder of the little girl.”
“No one knows about that yet.” I said. “How the hell do you know about it?”
“I have connections.” he said. “Now will you help me? Will you help my pack?”
I inhaled deeply. “Why Zane?” I asked. “Why come to me? Why not the cops?”
“Do you really have to ask that?” he asked. “If anyone finds out that I go furry once a month, I’ll lose my job. I can’t lose my job, Morgan.”
Silence stretched then. I remembered Mrs. Sims words to me. She thought that lycanthropes were no better than the rest of the monsters. Okay so they go furry once a month, but they we alive unlike vamps and zombies. I looked at Zane for a long moment. Here I thought I had found me a human, but I had met a d**ned werewolf. Why was God so cruel to me? Weren’t there any human men left in the world?
“Morgan?” Zane asked. His midnight blue eyes were on me now. “Will you help me?”
“I’ll have to call Andrea Vice, my partner.” I said. “She’ll have to know that you’re going to come with us when we investigate tonight.”
Zane shook his head. “No.” he said. “She can’t know that I’m a werewolf.”
“She won’t say anything, Zane.” I said. “We have to tell her! It’s either both of us or nothing.”
He sighed. “Fine.” he said. “My pack leader has finally agreed to allow you to come to our aid. You and Andrea will come with me to the lupanar tonight. ”
I nodded, looking down at him. She’d be here in an hour and a half. Now I was here, alone in my apartment with a werewolf. What in the hell was I going to do now? I knew that he was a lycanthrope and now he was asking me to find a rouge member of his pack. What in God’s name had I done to deserve this?
|
|
|
Post by blackmoondagger on Oct 7, 2005 11:05:32 GMT -5
Chapter Six
The hour and half passed slowly for me. Zane and I had sat there in silence for a long moment before I could find anything to say. I asked him if he’d had dinner yet. He hadn’t so I decided to cook something. He said he didn’t want me to go to too much trouble so I made him a ham and cheese sandwich. Really classy.
At 7:30 there was a knock on my door. I went to answer it, leaving Zane to finish his sandwich. Andrea stood in my doorway wearing a black leather mini-skirt, a black tank top, and knee-high spike-heel boots. Her make-up was perfectly applied so you couldn’t tell the difference between her real skin and the base. She smiled at me when she caught sight of Zane. Her hair was curled and pulled back into a very nice ponytail to reveal little silver bat earrings hanging from her earlobes.
“He’s just a friend.” I said.
Her smile widened. “That’s what they all say.” she said, walking past me.
I turned around, watching her walk towards Zane. The werewolf looked past Andrea and at me. I shrugged and made my way back towards them. Andrea sat on a barstool and I sat across from Zane. Her smile widened at the sight of me near him. Zane thingyed an eyebrow at her.
“What is so amusing?” he asked.
“You met her on the plane?” Andrea asked.
Zane nodded.
“So when is the wedding?” she asked, smiling wickedly at me.
“Don’t start Andy.” I said warningly.
Zane took another bite of his sandwich and took a sip of water. “We were thinking of late December.” he said, smiling at me over his glass.
I sighed in exasperation. “Andy, this is Zane Carson.” I said. “He’s a werewolf and he’s going to help us find our rouge. Zane, this is Andrea Vice. She’s my new partner.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Zane.” Andrea said. “I guess you’re good enough for Morgan.”
“Like wise on both counts, Andrea.” Zane said.
She smiled. “Andy, please.” she said. “There is no need to be so formal now that I know your plans for my partner.”
“Will you two stop it?” I shouted, slamming my fist on the table. “d**n!”
Both of them laughed at my anger. I glared at Zane and then at Andy. They were doing it just to piss me off. Was I really that easy to read? d**n it! I closed my eyes and counted to ten. God knows that nuts didn’t work, but it was worth a shot. Right? Wrong! I opened my eyes and looked calmly at Andy.
“So where are we going?” I asked.
“Bloodmoon Café.” Andrea said.
“The lupanar.” Zane said.
It was my turn to smile. “Some disagreement about where we should look first?” I asked.
“The Bloodmoon Café is where the leader of the pack hangs out.” Andrea said.
Zane thingyed an eyebrow at her. “He is awaiting us at the lupanar outside of Rolling Hills. I know my pack better than you do, Andy.”
Andy sat there for a long moment. “I guess that I’m underdressed then.” she said, looking down at her clothing.
Zane shook his head. “No,” he said. “You are dressed just right. Now we must convince Morgan to show a little flesh to the good wolves of my pack.”
I stared at him for a long moment. “Is that a joke?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I am afraid not.” he said. “You must let them see that you are not afraid of your sexuality. Plus, my king loves women’s bodies quite a lot.”
Andrea began to laugh. “You’ll have to sacrifice a gun or two, girlie.” she said. “This should be interesting.”
I glared at her and then looked back at Zane. He wasn’t going to budge on this. I gave a small scream of anger and rose from my seat. Andrea slid off of her barstool, flashed Zane a wicked smile, and followed me into my room. She closed and locked the door behind her.
My bed was a queen size four-poster made of polished cherry wood. The dresser, nightstand, and chest of drawers were made of the same polished wood. The bed rested in the center of the left wall on the right side of the only window in my bedroom. The nightstand was on the right side of my bed with a lamp, alarm clock, and a cordless phone making their home there. The dresser was on the wall across from the bed and nightstand. The chest of drawers was on the left side of the window.
The closet was behind two white doors to the right of my dresser. I walked past my bed and towards my closet. Andrea walked behind me, sitting on my bed. My comforter was navy blue and the pillows covering the bed were also blue. Sitting on the bed with my pillows were an array of anime character plush toys. Andrea smiled slightly at the sight of my bedtime partners. I glanced at her, glaring at her warningly.
“I won’t say a word.” she said. “Promise.”
She made a gesture as if she were locking her lips and throwing away the key. I smiled slightly and pulled the closet doors open. Staring into my closet, I looked inside for anything that might be good enough to wear to the werewolf gathering. I pulled out a black t-shirt with a purple fairy on it sitting on a crescent moon and a pair of blue jeans that I had taken a pair of scissors to. I showed them to Andrea.
“Put it on.” she said.
I sighed in exasperation and put the clothes on. The jeans hugged my buttocks and the holey legs showed off my pale, muscular calves and glimpses of my thighs. The shirt hugged my breasts. I remembered it being baggier. Oh well. Couldn’t change that now. Andrea got up and walked towards the nightstand. She dug around for a moment and pulled out a pair of scissors.
She walked up to me and cut a hole in my shirt. My mouth fell open as she cut the lower half of my shirt off. The cloth came an inch under my breasts now. She walked around me, smiling at her handy work. Andrea paused behind me.
“Nice tattoo.” she said.
I looked over my shoulder and down my back. I couldn’t see the tattoo, but I know it was there. When I was eighteen I had gotten a tattoo to piss of my mother. It came from Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey. Phedre no Delaunay had it on her full back. I wasn’t woman enough to get it all over my back so I got it from my tailbone to the middle of my back. It had hurt like f**king hell, but it was beautiful. The stem was black and the petals were red. My blood had been the outline for the petals. Joy and rapture for me.
“You need to redo the coloring.” she said.
“No freaking way.” I said, pulling away from her. “Can we go now?”
“Let’s see what lover boy says.” she said, smiling at me.
I glared at her. “Don’t call him that!” I shouted.
She smiled at me and opened the door. “Hey Zane!” she called. “Come see.”
I heard the chair push back from the back and Zane stood beside Andy in my doorway. His eyes widened and a smiled played at his lips. Andy looked from him to me.
“Likey?” she asked.
He nodded. “Very much.” he replied. “Are you guys ready?”
I nodded. “Yes.” I replied. “I want to go and get this over with.”
“Me, too.” Andrea said. “I have a date at ten.”
“Well, then let’s get going.” Zane said, walking out of the bed room.
Andrea winked at me and I followed her out of the bedroom. I grabbed a silver knife off of my dresser as I passed it and shoved it down the right side of my pants. I gazed at my Sphinx AT 2000 but didn’t take it. The werewolves would play nice tonight. I hoped. Zane stood at the door, waiting for Andrea and me. He opened the door, waiting for us to pass him.
Andy passed by him, smiling wickedly. I walked behind her, eyes straight ahead. Zane grabbed my upper arm and I looked at him. He gazed down at me for a long moment, his midnight blue eyes intense. His beast moved across the blue surface, making me tense. He released me then and walked away from me. I stood in near my open door, watching him walk away from me. What had I done?
“Come on, my little southern belle partner.” Andrea called, smiling up at me. “Our hosts await us! It would be rude to keep them waiting too long.”
I nodded, closed my door and locked it, and followed Andy and Zane down the steps. God willing I wouldn’t regret not bringing my gun with me. If something did go wrong, would Zane protect us? Somehow I felt that he would, but he might get killed trying to keep us humans safe.
|
|
|
Post by blackmoondagger on Oct 7, 2005 11:06:00 GMT -5
Chapter Seven
Rolling Hills lived up to its name. Clean, tiny houses were divided into subdivisions. Thirty minutes after we passed the last subdivision, lines of trees darkened the hills. Zane smiled slightly as he gazed out the window. I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. He was happy to be joining his pack tonight. Had they ordered a goat for the occasion?
“Turn left.” he said.
I jerked the wheel to the left, gravels pinging on the bottom of my truck. The half-moon cast a dim silver light on the road causing eerie shadows to dance along the dirt and gravel that littered the ground. Andrea glanced over at me. I could tell that she was uneasy. She hadn’t talk to me for about an hour.
“Stop.” Zane said suddenly.
I slammed on the brakes and we all flew forward. Andrea cursed when she slammed back against her seat. I gazed out the windshield, watching the boughs of oak and maple trees dance in the light breeze. I unbuckled my seat belt and climbed out of the truck. Zane slid out behind me. I stood beside my truck, trying to peer through the velvety blackness of the forest.
The sound of rustling cloth turned my attention back to Zane. His shirt was bunched up in his hands, the pale moonlight bathing his tanned chest in a silvery glow. My breath caught in my throat at the sight of his rippling muscles and the long scar that ran from his right nipple, over his shoulder, and down his right shoulder blade. Only silver would have left a permanent scar on a lycanthrope.
“Who did that?” I asked.
“My father.” he replied, tossing his shirt back onto the seat and slamming the door shut.
Andrea slammed her door, coming to stand at the front of the truck. “Let’s go, love birds.” she said. “This werewolf king isn’t going to wait all night.”
Zane smiled at me. “Shall we?” he asked, holding his arm out to me.
I looked at him for a long moment, and then took his arm. We walked past Andrea and she smiled at me. I glared at her as Zane lead me into the dark forest. She followed behind us, bringing up the rear.
We walked a half a mile into the forest before I caught sight of flickering torchlight. I wanted to turn back now before the werewolves ever got sight or scent of me, but I had a job to do. Zane had practically delivered information to us and I couldn’t just ignore it. We entered the clearing, stopping just short of flicking torchlight.
Men, women, and even a few children stood in a cluster to the left of the clearing. In the very back of the clearing stood a stone throne, encrusted with sapphires, rubies, carbuncles, emeralds, topaz, and diamonds. The seat and arms on the throne had been rubbed smooth from centuries of Nanrics, werewolf kings, sitting there. A man sat there now. He had long brown hair, tanned skin, and deep chocolate brown eyes. A woman, probably his lupa, stood behind the throne and to the right. She had short brown hair with red highlights, caramel colored skin, and deep blue eyes like Zane.
Zane bowed before the man and woman. “Father, Mother. I bring before you Morgan Conner and Andrea Vice.” he said.
For a long moment, Andrea and I stared at him. He was their son? d**n it! An abrupt sound of laughter from the throne turned my attention back to the man. He smiled, revealing canines that were a little too pointed. He’d spent more time in animal form than in human. I glared at him for a long moment. The woman stepped out from behind the throne. She wore a long white dress with diamonds flashing like white fire in the dancing torchlight.
“Raise my son.” she said, motioning for Zane to come to his feet.
He did as he was told. Just like a good mama’s boy. Double d**n! He was an obedient dog and a mama’s boy! His bare arm brushed mine and I tensed. The woman smiled wickedly at me. I met her gaze. She moved forward gracefully, her arms swaying as if to some silent music that only she could hear.
“She desires you, my son.” the woman said. “How long have you known this woman?”
“A few hours.” Andrea said, glancing over at me.
The woman turned to Andrea, frowning. “I did not ask you, human.” she growled.
Andrea smiled wickedly. “I hate to be left out of a conversation.” she said. “Your Highness.”
Silence filled the clearing then. A movement to the right of the clearing made me whirl, knife in hand. A man’s rich laughter filled my ears, running along my skin like fur. A tall man with short blond hair, hazel eyes, a finely sculpted face, and skin the color of white marble stepped out of the trees’ shadow. There was a stillness about him that only the dead could achieve. A vampire. nuts! My cross was in my apartment, tucked inside my jewelry box. A hell of a lot of good it did me now!
A woman joined the man, wrapping her arm around his waist. She had long, curly white-blond hair, green eyes the color of Louisiana swamp water, high cheek bones, a tiny nose, and deeply tanned skin. There was no denying that she was alive. She was the human servant to the vampire standing before us. Another man and woman stepped out of the shadows. The man was black as dark roasted coffee beans, had brown eyes, and curly brown hair that grew close to his head. The woman was a lighter shade of black, nearly brown. Her eyes were an amber color, her hair a dark brown and cut short, and her bone structure was like the first woman who had appeared with the vampires.
“Fredrick,” the first vampire said. “Your guests are truly lovely.”
“They are indeed, Conroy.” Fredrick the werewolf said, smiling at me.
The brown woman took a step towards us, moving in a blur. She was beside Andrea in a heartbeat. Her fingertips hovered above my partner’s lips, a smile crossing the vampire’s lovely face. Fear played across Andrea’s face, her eyes dark with anger. The black man laughed, moving up beside the brown woman.
“You like her, my sweet?” he asked the brown woman.
“Very much, Cole.” she replied. “Can I keep her?”
Andrea jerked away from the woman. “Like hell you will!” she shouted, slapping the woman’s hand away.
“Father!” Zane shouted. “This is not what we discussed.”
Fredrick frowned at his son. “You question me, boy?” he asked, his voice growing deep. “Jocelyn, your son has surely gone soft in these past two years that he has been away from us.”
Jocelyn frowned at her son. “Zane, there was a time when you would join Conroy, Lorie, Cole, and Antoinette.” she said. “What has happened to you, my son?”
“I’ve grown up, Mother.” he said, frowning at him mother.” he replied. “Forgive me for that.”
The brown woman, obviously Antoinette, walked towards Zane. She ran her finger tip down his jaw line. He grabbed her wrist and flung her hand away from him. His beast roiled under the surface of his eyes, a growl starting low in his throat. Andrea gasped and my eyes shot to her. Cole, the black vampire, had her pressed against his body.
I turned towards Fredrick and Jocelyn. “Stop this!” I ordered. “This is ridiculous! You brought us here so we would know which werewolf to look for! Why the hell did you bring vampires in on this?”
Conroy and his human servant, Lorie, walked towards me. Each wore a dark smile, thinking wicked thoughts all their own. Antoinette had moved back to Cole’s side and Jocelyn now stood beside the throne near Fredrick.
I was surrounded by werewolves and four vampires. I had no cross, no gun with silver bullets, and one knife that everyone and their mother now knew about. The odds did not look super.
|
|
|
Post by blackmoondagger on Oct 7, 2005 11:06:27 GMT -5
Chapter Eight
I glared up at Conroy, my eyes on his chest. It really sucks when you’re trying to be all tough and you can’t look the bloodsucker in the eyes. nuts! I could feel him trying to force me to look into his eyes. I gripped the hilt of my knife and dug the blade into the palm of my right hand. Pain helps to clear your mind. I felt him bend forward, heard the intake of breath as his lips parted, and felt the brush of fangs as he came within biting distance of my neck.
“Stop!” someone said and a pale figure clothed in black silk shirt, black slacks, and knee-high leather boots stepped out of the shadows. “You know what Bella said.”
My eyes flicked to the man. He was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. He wasn’t handsome like most men. There was nothing feminine about this man. You could tell that he didn’t flow that way. He floated over to Conroy and me. My eyes were locked on his deep, amber eyes. His hair was the auburn that I had used off of the shelf at Wal-Mart when I was a teenager.
His slender fingers curled around Conroy’s shoulder and he pulled him away from me. He was still within touching distance, but he wasn’t touching me anymore. Zane appeared in front of my, his body touching mine. I tore my eyes away from the beautiful vampire’s and drew the bloodied knife away from my hand. I wiped the blood on my pants, but I didn’t put it back into its sheath. Not just yet anyway.
“I was only playing.” Conroy said. “Why did you have to interfere, Julian?”
“Get away from her Conroy.” he growled. “Now.”
Conroy smiled wickedly at him. “My, my.” he whispered. “Aren’t you a protective pup?”
Julian jerked Conroy away from us, frowning.
Zane glared at him. “Get the f**k away from her.” he growled.
I glanced down and gasped. His finger nails were curling, black claws. Conroy looked down as well and frowned slightly. Fredrick and Jocelyn were smiling brightly at the sight of their son losing control. Andrea moved up beside me, taking my hand. It was more of an act to comfort her than me. I looked up at her, and then turned my attention to the werewolf king and his queen.
“Stop playing f**king games with us, Freddy boy!” I shouted. “Call off the bloodsuckers and let’s get down to business.”
Fredrick looked at me behind his son. “Conroy, my old friend,” he said, “The human grows impatient and my son is getting reckless. Let us end this so we might return home and enjoy the company of our women while there is still night for us to enjoy them by. “
Conroy pulled away from Julian and turned to Fredrick, smiling. “As you wish, Ulfric.” the vampire said, taking his servant’s hand.
Cole and Antoinette were standing to the left of the throne, glaring at the three of us. Conroy pulled Lorie up next to Cole and Antoinette, his eyes on me. I stared at the scar on Zane’s shoulder, not daring to look into his eyes. Fredrick rose out of his throne, gazing down at Andrea, Zane, and me. I glared up at him. He couldn’t bespell me so I was safe.
“The man you seek is named Bane Carson.” Fredrick said. “Zane’s twin brother.”
Zane tensed, his hands clenching into fists. His nails were still claws so they dug into this skin, causing rivulets of blood to trail down his palm and land on the browning grass. Andrea whimpered beside me. It was obvious she didn’t like blood as much as Conroy and company seemed to.
“Where do we look for him?” I asked.
Fredrick smiled at me. “I do not know everything, human.” he said. “Follow the trail of blood that he leaves you.”
I pulled away from Andrea and stepped out from behind Zane. “You sorry son of a pregnant dog,” I shouted. “People are dying and all you telling me to do is to wait for him to kill the right person so I can catch him in the act?”
Jocelyn frowned at me. “If you are around my other son long enough, he might come to you.” she said.
The way she said ‘my other son’ made me glance at Zane. It seemed that Zane was the older of the two, but not by Jocelyn’s decision. Fredrick dropped back into his throne and flicked his wrist, motioning us to leave. Andrea didn’t need a second urging. She turned on her heel and walked quickly out of the clearing. Zane lay a hand on my shoulder, pulling me backwards out of the clearing.
When we stood near my Sport Track once more, Andrea was huddled on the front seat. She could hang out with the monsters, but they scared the nuts out of her. Who the hell was I trying to fool, they scared me too. Zane grabbed my hand, stopping me a few feet away from the truck. We were just far enough away so that Andrea couldn’t hear us.
“My brother has your scent.” he said.
“What?” I asked, shaking my head. “How can he? He wasn’t here tonight. Your father and mother don’t seem very proud of the fact that their baby boy has decided to go on a killing spree.”
Zane jerked his head towards my truck. I looked towards it and my mouth fell agape. Five claw marks marred the black paint of the tailgate of my Sport Track. I walked up to my truck, running my fingertips in the deep groves. I hadn’t even been her for twenty-four f**king hours and already I had a blood-thirsty werewolf after me.
“She’ll be safer with you.” Julian said, stepping out of the trees. “Bane will not tolerate a human coming between him and his war with his brother.”
I turned to Zane, frowning. “War?” I asked. “What’s he talking about?”
Zane sighed. “I came home to take my place as Ulfric for the Bloodmoon Clan.” he said. “Bane will not have that so he has decided to kill any human that ever had any contact with me growing up.”
“You knew the Sims?” I asked.
He nodded. “I was friends with Neal Sims in junior high.” he said. “We barely spoke after we reached high school, but Bane doesn’t seem to care.”
“Anyone else?” I asked.
Zane looked towards Julian. “Most of my friends are lycanthropes or vampires.” he said.
“Bane is not stupid enough to attack me.” Julian said. “He will be dead before his body hits the ground.”
I ran my hand down my face. “Are there anymore humans?” I asked.
“Only you and Andy.” Zane said.
My hand fell away from my face. “You mean to tell me that Andy and I are now on his list just because we rode here with you?”
Julian nodded. “Seems that way doesn’t it?” he said.
“That’s not fair.” I shouted, kicking my tire.
Andrea opened her door and came to stand beside me. “Is something wrong?” she asked.
“We are now the targets of a crazed werewolf.” I said.
“Why?” she asked.
“Because we helped ol’ boy here.” I said, motioning towards Zane.
Andy frowned. “So now we’re gonna die because of you?” she demanded.
Zane nodded. “My followers will protect you both.” he said. “I will assign someone to be with you at all times, Andrea.”
She smiled slightly. “Will he be cute?” she asked.
“Andrea!” I shouted, frowning at her.
“What?” she said. “I’m just making sure that I’m not stuck with some scruffy mutt while you get little prince wolf here!”
Julian laughed. The sound was like silk rubbing against naked flesh. I shuddered at the sound of it. What I wouldn’t give to have my cross right now.
“Landon!” Zane shouted. “Come here!”
Out of the trees came a tall young man with short black hair, black eyes, tanned skin, high cheek bones, a hawk beck nose, and a small scar over his right eyebrow. He smiled at Andrea and me and bowed to Zane and Julian. Andrea’s mouth fell agape and she grasped my hand in her own.
“He’s gorgeous.” she breathed.
“Thank you.” he said, walking over to us. “Shall we go?”
Andrea released my hand. “Yes.” she said. “Oh, um, I’ll call Drew tonight and tell him about this. He’ll understand I’m sure.”
“d**n it!” I shouted. “I don’t even get to work because of some jack ass werewolf.”
She smiled at me. “Just look at it as a paid vacation.” Andrea said. “Drew is good about giving us a sort of paid vacation when stuff like this happens.”
“How many ‘paid vacations’ have you had?” I asked.
“This is my sixth one.” she said. “No go home and get some sleep.”
She turned her attention back to Landon, took his arm, and the two walked off into the shadows. I stood there with Julian and Zane. What in the hell was I suppose to do? I couldn’t go home, I couldn’t go to work. Andrea and I were the only humans that were in contact with Zane. Well, that lived here anyway.
“So I get to go home with you?” I asked Zane.
He nodded. “You don’t have much other choice.” he said.
“I could go home and shot anyone who comes through my door.” I said.
Zane smiled. “We’ll go to your apartment, get some clothes, and then go back to my house.” he said. “Okay?”
I inhaled sharply. “If I have to go check out another murder scene, you have to let me go.” I said.
Zane nodded. “I’ll send someone with you.” he said. “Let’s go.”
Julian walked up to me, took my hand, and bushed his lips against it. “Good night, ma petite belle.” he said.
I jerked my hand away from him. “Good night to you, too.” I said. “Let’s go Zane.”
He shook Julian’s hand and we got into my truck. I started it and we drove back to Long Beach. It was 11:00. I already had a dead girl on my hands, a crazed werewolf on my trail, and I couldn’t even sleep in my own bed. Man, I was on a roll.
|
|
|
Post by blackmoondagger on Oct 7, 2005 11:06:49 GMT -5
Chapter Nine
Zane stood in the door way of my room, gazing around at all my plush anime toys. I ignored his questioning gaze as I packed myself some t-shirts, jeans, undies, and socks. After I’d packed clothes for about a week, I tried to decide on what weapons to bring. I opened my closet and pulled out a sawed off shotgun, a cherry wood box that held four daggers with enough silver content to kill any lycanthrope, a dual bladed polearm that my brother-in-law had gotten me for my nineteenth birthday, my trusty Sphinx 2000, and my Ultrastar.
Okay, so I was heavily armed. Not as heavily armed as I would have liked to have been, but it would do for the time being. The Ultrastar only held nine rounds of .84 mm bullets so see I’m not as paranoid as everyone thinks. As I stood over my suitcase of clothes and my gym bag of weapons, I tried to remember if I was forgetting something. Zane cleared his throat and held up a black leather chocker with at silver Celtic cross dangling from it.
“Good puppy.” I said, grabbing the cross out of his hand and putting it on. “You’ll get a Scooby Snack for this.”
Zane frowned. “That’s not funny.” he said.
I smiled. “It’s making me laugh.” I said, smirking at him.
“You’re a sick and twisted woman.” he said.
It was my turn to frown. “Now that wasn’t funny.” I said.
The werewolf smiled down at me. “It’s making me laugh.” he retorted. “Are you ready to go?”
I nodded and went for my suitcase. Zane grabbed the gym bag and suitcase away from me. I wanted to tell him that I was capable of carrying my own thing thank you, but decided against it. I couldn’t be rude to the fur face that was willing to help me out. d**n him! He turned on his heel and walked out of my apartment. We had decided to take his car and leave my truck here. It might throw Bane off of my trail for a while. Maybe.
As we left my apartment, I locked the door behind me. A lot of good it would do me to lock the d**ned door. If the werewolf wanted to come in, he would. I followed Zane down the steps, my hands empty and the knife at my hip still the only weapon I had. Well, my cross was a weapon against vamps and after meeting Conroy and his posse the cross was welcome.
Zane pulled the door of his silver 2004 Chrysler Crossfire opened and threw the bag onto the back seat. He slid inside and unlocked my door. Zane started the car and the air conditioner kicked on. I looked back over my shoulder back at my apartment complex. There was no way in hell I was going to endanger Mrs. Barnes and Fifi. I slid into the car sighing as my bare back touched the cool black leather.
He put it in drive and pulled away from the curb. I sat there with my eyes closed, listening to the sound of the gears shifting. The silence was so thick you could have cut it with one of my knives. His power was running off of his skin like rain water off of a tin roof. It was kinda sexy and scary at the same time. I heard him snicker and opened my eyes.
“What’s so funny?” I asked, anger creeping into my voice.
He shook his head. “I can smell your lust, Morgan.” he said.
“You can what?” I demanded, leaning as close to him as my seatbelt would allow.
“I can smell you lust.” he repeated. “You want me so bad it’s funny.”
I fell back against the leather seat, glaring at him in the darkness. He turned left on Calvin Ave. and continued down it for about two miles before turning right on James St. We rode down James St. for what felt like ours. We had left the urban area of Long Beach and had entered an area where dirt roads were still kicking up dust. A tiny sign said Zachary Lane and only one street light painted the dirt road in a dim yellow light.
“Why the hell do you live out here?” I asked, breaking the silence.
“Privacy.” he said. “I can’t risk exposing myself and my pack.”
I nodded and then realized that he couldn’t see me. “I see.” I said. “Are we almost there?”
“Are you really that ready to be away from me?” he asked, turning to me.
I frowned. “I’m going home with you, fur face.” I said.
He smiled. “I know.” he said. “You don’t feel weird coming home with a man you just met?”
“I’m not having sex with you.” I said. “I’m not even sleeping in the same room as you.”
He looked away then. “I haven’t fixed up the guestroom yet.” he said. “The bed is still in storage so you’ll have to sleep in my room. I’ll take the couch.”
“I don’t want to put you out.” I said.
Zane shook his head. “It’s okay.” he said. “I don’t mind giving up my bed for you. When you leave your scent will linger.”
“Cut that nuts out!” I shouted.
He jerked the wheel to the right and my head slammed against the glass. “nuts!” I shouted, rubbing my head. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I would have missed my driveway.” he said, smiling at me.
His smile was a flash of white in the darkness. I looked at his house as we pulled into the driveway. It was a one story house with an oak door with a picture window on it and a window on each side of the door. The front was vinyl siding and the sides and back were grey brick. All it needed was the white picket fence and it would be too perfect.
He pushed a button on a small remote and the garage door opened. Zane pulled in and the door shut behind us. He cut the car off and climbed out. I sat there while he retrieved my bags form the back seat. This was the first time I had gone home with a man that wasn’t family. My mom would be thrilled to know that I’d met a man out here in Cali. My sisters would be thrilled that he was furry. That seemed to be a thing with my family.
I pulled the door open and stood beside the car. Zane was at the door, holding it open for me. I inhaled sharply. It was time to teach this puppy how to play by my rules. I slammed the door, walked up to Zane, and jerked my gym bag away from him.
“I’m a big girl.” I said. “I can take care of myself.”
Zane smiled. “I know.” he said. “It’s the second door on the left. Just follow the hallway.”
I nodded and made my way to my room. The spot between my shoulder blades began to itch. I whirled around to find Zane staring at me. The look in his eyes made me shudder. He was looking at me like a fat kid looks at the last piece of chocolate cake. I didn’t like that look. I didn’t like that look at all.
|
|
|
Post by blackmoondagger on Oct 7, 2005 11:07:11 GMT -5
Chapter Ten
I tossed my gym bag onto the bed, gazing around the room. The bed itself was an oak four poster bed. The bedspread, sheets, and pillow shames was a deep navy blue. There was a picture of a wolf sitting on a hill top howling at the moon. I guess it was appropriate considering the fact that Zane was a werewolf. His walls were an eggshell white which help bring out the colors of the picture.
A nightstand sat in front of the large window to the right of the bed that went from ceiling to floor. A cordless phone, an alarm clock, and a blue and gold lamp sat on the nightstand. It was now 2:20 a.m. Joy and rapture. The only sleep I had had all day was that pathetic excuse for a nap after I had gotten off the plane. I smiled when I noticed that the navy blue curtain covering the window was thick enough to block out the morning’s sunlight. On the left side of the bed was an oak bookshelf.
Shelves lines most of the walls up to the closet. The whole shelf area was covered from end to end with books. I peered up at the books seeing novels by various authors, research books, photo albums, and many others. Zane walked up behind me, his body so close to mine. I whirled around and he caught me in his arms.
“What the hell are you doing?” I demanded, putting my hands against his chest.
He smiled down at me. “Enjoying the thought of you sleeping in my bed.” he said.
I frowned. “Are all lycanthropes sex fiends?” I asked.
Zane laughed. “I don’t know about all of us, but a good majority of us are.” he said.
I slammed my fist into his chest and he let me go, smirking. If he wasn’t the only thing standing between me and his insane brother, I’d have pulled a knife on him. You can’t kill your ally. It’s bad for business. Zane moved back a few steps and sat down on his bed. I gazed into his midnight blue eyes. Something about standing there, in his room barely clothed made this feel too intimate.
Zane smiled. “You’re uneasy.” he said.
“Stop that!” I growled.
“Stop what?” he asked, stretching out on his bed.
I glared at him. “You know what!” I said. “You can smell my emotions and you enjoy letting me know it!”
“Oh.” he said, smiling wider. “That.”
“Yes, that.” I said, crossing my arms over my stomach. “Why do you do that?”
Zane shrugged. “I have to have something to keep me entertained.” he said.
“Well I’m so very happy that you find me so d**ned amusing.” I growled, averting my face.
The sound of the bed moving as he rose to his feet, made me want to look at him, but I resisted the urge. I caught sight of his body out of the corner of my eye and looked up into his eyes. His expression was so solemn now. No hint of laughter in his eyes now that he stood near me. He reached out to touch my cheek and I stiffened. It wasn’t that I was uncomfortable with lycanthropes because I wasn’t. My brother-in-laws were all lycanthropes. No lie. I’d watched them change from human to animal form more times than I could count.
The phone rang and I let out a breath I hadn’t even known I had been holding. Zane cursed under his breath and stalked over to the phone on the nightstand. I watched him as he lifted the phone off of the receiver and put it to his ear.
“Hello?” he said. “Oh, hey Andy. Yeah, she’s right here. Hang on.”
He handed the phone out to me. I took it. “What’s wrong Andy?” I asked.
“Just got a call from Campbell.” she said. “There’s another girl dead.”
“What?” I demanded. “Bane’s killing again?”
“No,” Andrea said. “This wasn’t a lycanthrope’s doing.”
I gave a deep sighed of relief. “Then what the hell was it?” I asked.
There was a pause. “Vampire.” she said. “The girl and her mother had been in to see me about five days before. The mother was afraid that her daughter was going to become a vampire.”
“How old is the girl?” I asked.
“She was eighteen.” Andrea replied.
The way she emphasized was told me that the girl was well dead. “Has she been turned?” I asked.
“Yeah.” she replied. “The vamp that turned her brought her back to her house. When the girl knocked on the door, her little sister answered.”
There was another silence from the other end. “So our girl killed her little sister?” I asked.
“Unfortunately.” she said. “The mother is in hysterics. She was us to find the girl and kill her. Campbell even got us a warrant.”
I sighed, falling to the bed. I was so d**ned tired and now I had to go a-hunting vampires. The joys of my job never ceased to amaze me. “Why would a vamp take the time to turn a teenage girl?” I asked.
“She is oldest daughter of Fiona Cliff.” Andrea said. “The Cliff women are the most renowned witches in California. My guess is that there is a master vampire out there that Bella doesn’t know about. If it turned a witch then that can’t mean anything good for Bella and her gang.”
“You think this vamp is trying to take the city from Bella?” I asked.
“Yes.” Andrea said. “You got any other explanation?”
I shook my head and then realizing that she couldn’t see me said, “I don’t know the deal with this area.” I said. “If were on my turf you would be the one playing 20 Questions.”
Andrea laughed. “Do you think that you and loverboy could make it to the Sunflower Subdivision in about an hour?” she asked. “Bring your vampire hunting gear. It should still be lingering around the house or at least some other vampire should be lingering around the place. We’re going kill us a fangface one way or another. .”
“Yeah,” I replied. “I’ll be there and I’ll have my gear.”
“Bye, Morgan.” she said.
“Bye.” I said and hung up.
I turned back to Zane. He was leaning against the bookshelf, gazing down at me. I fell back onto the bed with a sigh of exasperation. All I wanted was another five hours sleep. Was that asking too much? The bed sighed as Zane fell down beside me. He was propped up on his elbows, gazing down at me. A lock of his long brown hair fell into his eyes and I had the urge to move it aside for him, but didn’t.
“A vampire killed her little sister.” I said. “Andrea said she was the daughter of Fiona Cliff, the most powerful family of witches in California. She believes that there is a master vampire in the city who knew Fiona Cliff’s daughter and decided to turn her into a bloodsucker so that they could rage war on Bella and her gang.”
Zane snorted. “There are no master vampires in the city that Bella wouldn’t know about.” he said, sweeping the lock of hair out of his face. “So we have to be at the Sunflower Subdivision in an hour? Give me plenty of time.”
“Plenty of time for what?” I asked.
He sat up and climbed off of the bed. “It gives me plenty of time to cook dinner for you.” he said.
Without another word he walked out of the door. The sound of a pan hitting the cabinet broke the silence. I lay on the bed, watching the doorway for about ten minutes. I rose off of the bed and walked down the hall. I walked into the living room, gazing around. The couch, loveseat, and recliner were hunter green and the carpet was a beige color. The walls were white with hunter green stripes. A 32 inch TV and a Panasonic stereo sat in a black entertainment center. There were various pictures of Zane and his family.
I smiled at the sight of Zane and a man who had to be none other than his twin brother Bane stood with their arms around each others shoulders holding beers up to the camera. At least Zane had known his brother before he’d become a greedy little son of a pregnant dog. I wonder what Bane had been like before his jealousy had taken over him? I guess I would never know.
Zane cleared his throat and I whirled around to look at him. “Pizza’s ready.” he said.
I nodded. “All right.” I said and made my way towards the kitchen.
As I came level with Zane, I stopped. “Was there ever a time when your brother liked you?” I asked.
“I don’t know.” Zane replied. “Let’s eat before the pizza gets cold.”
With that he walked into the kitchen. I trailed behind him, unsure if I had said something wrong or not. Me and my d**ned big mouth. I sat down in front of a plate of steaming pepperoni pizza and a tall glass of Coke. Zane had already started eating. So much for small talk. I took a bit of the pizza, finally understanding what it must have been like for my sisters to live with lycanthropes. I frowned at the thought of them. They lived with lycanthropes, but they're husbands hand never pushed them to become lycanthropes as well.
One of my brother-in-laws had told me that it was easier to live with another lycanthrope. He'd said not only did it make sex more exciting, but they didn't feel so out of place with a lycanthrope partner. I thought I understood how my sisters felt when their husbands would disappear for a whole night and they had no idea what they were doing.
If I hung around with Zane long enough, would I want to become a werewolf? Would I be different from my sisters in that one way? Would I break the norm? Somehow I seriously doubted that I could handle being furry once a month. I also doubted very seriously that Zane and I would ever become so involved that I would want to become a werewolf for him. I didn’t want to be one of the monsters. Well, I guess in my own twisted way I was already one of the monsters. d**n thinking too much.
|
|
|
Post by blackmoondagger on Oct 7, 2005 11:07:34 GMT -5
Chapter Eleven
I stood by the body, watching the scene of the attack in my head. The little girl could be no more than five years old and her big sis had killed her for food. Zane stood beside me, his face totally blank. Bully for him. Andrea and Landon stood to my right side, also looking at the mangled remains of the child. Sergeant Campbell walked up to us, frowning.
“What do you make of it?” he asked.
I looked up at him. “Are you serious?” I asked, frowning.
He stared at me for a long moment. “Of course I’m serious.” he said.
Fiona Cliff walked out of her kitchen and my eyes went to her. She was a tall woman with long, flowing black hair, hazel eyes, tanned skin that you can only get from a tanning bed, high cheek bones, lush lips, and slender fingered hands that would make any pianist jealous as hell. She walked up to me, a frown causing her forehead to crease. I stared back at her. Witches didn’t scare me as much as a witch turned vampire did.
“What have they done with my daughter?” she asked. “Where is my Emily?”
“Dead.” I said. “She’s dead and walking around the streets of California. Your daughter is a vampire now and there is nothing you can do to change that.”
“We are sorry for you lose.” Andrea said. “All we can do is get a warrant out for her and kill her. Your daughter might retain some of her old self. There is no guarantee of that though. She might be insane for all we know.”
Fiona nodded. “I understand.” she said. “Then get your warrant and kill her. I have more important things to worry about.”
She turned and started walking away from us. I grabbed her arm. “What could be more important than grieving for your children?” I asked.
“Making new ones to carry on my line.” she said.
Fiona Cliff tore away from my grasp then, leaving me with my mouth agape. I felt Zane rest his hand on my shoulder and I leaned back against him. Andrea stood beside Landon, horror twisting her face. She couldn’t believe what Fiona Cliff had just said either. Sergeant Campbell gazed over at me, frowning as well.
“I’ll get you your warrant, ladies.” he said. “Thank you for coming out.”
I looked at him. “Why so nice all of a sudden, Campbell?” I asked.
“No child deserves to be killed.” he said. “The monsters have taken two in one day. You seem to care more about this little girl than her own flesh and blood. I take it that you can’t be all bad.”
I smiled slightly. “Truce then?” I asked, pulling away from Zane and offering him my hand.
He took it and shook my hand. “Yes,” he said. “A truce.”
We let go of one another’s hands. “Have a good night, Sergeant.” I said. “Let’s go.”
The four of us turned away from him then and walked out the door. Landon moved in front of us and Zane walked behind us. Andrea walked beside me, her eyes on Landon’s ass. She was tense and her hands twitched at her side. When we were at our cars, Landon and Andrea quickly climbed in and were gone down the road before Zane could start the car.
The ride home was a quiet one. I sat in the passenger side seat of Zane’s Crossfire, watching the trees go by. Landon and Andrea had been more than happy to go home. I could tell by the way Andrea was acting when we had gotten outside of the house that she and the werewolf had had sex before they had met us over at the house. Now they were going home to have even more sex. Must be nice to just throw yourself around like that.
“You’re upset.” Zane said, breaking the silence.
“I just saw a second little girl murdered in two d**n day.” I said. “How am I supposed to feel?”
Zane glanced at me. “That is not the only thing that is bothering you.” he said.
I sighed in exasperation and my head hit into the window. “Why don’t you tell me what is wrong with me, Dr. Phil if you’re so d**n smart?” I said. “That way we’ll both know more about me and less about you.”
Zane frowned. “You want me, but you don’t want to take a chance at actually falling in love with me.” he said.
I looked at him. “Lucky guess.” I said.
He nodded. “I got it right though.” he said. “Why won’t you give me a chance, Morgan?”
I looked back out the window. “I don’t want to discuss this with you.” I said.
He shifted gears and turned sharply down Weston Ave. I was swung back against the armrest that sat between the seats and his face was inches from mine. This couldn’t be safe. His lips hovered above mine as he kept the car on the road. I held my breath as I listened to my heart slamming in my throat.
Zane moved away from me suddenly and kept his eyes straight. I leaned against the armrest, unsure of what had just happened. Nothing had happened. Why did I feel a little upset by that fact? I sat back up and spent the rest of the ride looking out the window.
When we reached his house, Zane pulled into the garage and quickly got out of the car. I followed him. He walked quickly through the kitchen, past the living room, past his bedroom, and into his bathroom. The door slammed in my face and I stood there for a long moment just staring at the door.
“Zane!” I called, banging on the door. “Open the door!”
“Go away!” he said. His voice sounded like a growl.
“Let me in Zane!” I shouted, hitting the door with the palm of my hand. “Let me in!”
The door swung open and he stood before me in just his boxers. What in the hell had happened to his clothes? How had he gotten naked so fast? Questions that would remain unanswered as long as I didn’t ask them. Zane stepped back into the bathroom, sliding down the wall and sitting near the toilet. I walk into the bathroom, my eyes on his.
“Talk to me Zane.” I said.
“Get out, Morgan.” he said. “I don’t know what I’ll do to you.”
I squatted down in front of him. I reached out my hand to touch him. “What do you mean?” I asked.
He shrank away from me. “All that blood.” he said. “I…It made me…”
His voice trailed off and I frowned. “It made you what?” I asked.
“It excited me.” he said, averting his face.
My mouth fell open. I hadn’t expected him to say that. For a long moment we sat in silence. I took his hand in my and rose to my feet. He looked up at me, frowning slightly.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“We’re going to bed.” I said. “You’re going to sleep with me.”
His frown deepened. “I’m not having sex with you when I’m like this, Morgan.” he said.
I smiled. “I didn’t say anything about sex, doggy.” I said. “I meant what I said. You’re going to sleep in the same bed as me. Maybe it’ll make you feel better.”
He rose to his feet, towering over me. “Thank you.” he said.
“Hey I owe you.” I said. “You took me in when you could have let your brother kill me. I should be thanking you.”
Zane smiled softly and scooped me up into his arms. “I’ll have to thank your sisters for exposing you to lycanthropes so much.” he said. “I’ll do it at the wedding.”
I laughed. “You do that.” I said, resting my head on his shoulder. “You do that.”
He carried me with no problem and I let him. Shocking, huh? Sometimes I’m nice. Zane laid me on the bed and I pulled my jeans and shoes off. He pulled the covers over me, gazing down at me for a long moment. He climbed in next to me and pressed my body against his. Somehow it just felt right having him next to me while I slept. Shh. That’ll be our little secret. I fell asleep within minutes of lying down.
|
|
|
Post by blackmoondagger on Oct 7, 2005 11:07:59 GMT -5
Chapter Twelve
The sound of pots and pans banning together woke me. I sat up, gazing through a curtain of my crimson hair. Zane’s cologne clung to my skin and my t-shirt. His smell took over my nostrils as I sat in his bed. The sound of footsteps reached my ears and I quickly hid myself under the covers. The door slid open and Zane entered the room. I lay stock still, listening to him as he neared the bed.
“I know that you’re awake.” he said. “Pull the covers from over your head.”
Flinging the covers away, I came face to face with the most gorgeous monster I had ever seen. The night before hadn’t been a dream. I was really in his house, in his bed. The girls were dead in a matter of two days and there was nothing that I could do to stop the killing spree. I had a werewolf on my trail and a vampire uprising on my hands. Time was against me in every way imaginable.
Zane set a tray in front of me. A plate piled high with pancakes, a glass container of syrup, a bowl pull of butter and another full of peanut butter, and a large glass of chocolate milk sat on the tray. A fork and knife rested on a folded napkin to the left of the plate of pancakes. I looked up at Zane and then down at the breakfast. How had he know what I liked to eat?
He smiled. “Did I neglect to tell you that my great-aunt was a Reader?” he asked.
I frowned. “Reader is nothing more than a nicer word for a Talent who pries into other people’s minds.” I growled.
“Just eat your breakfast.” he said, sitting on the edge of the bed.
I looked up at him. “Did we…”
Zane looked down at his hands, hiding a smile. “What would you say if I told you that we didn’t?” he asked.
“I would say thank you for not raping me.” I said.
He looked up at me, frowning. “It would not have been rape, my pet.” he said. “You want me more than you have words for.”
I glared at him, knife in hand. I could have stabbed him. Three things happened so quickly that I couldn’t have stopped them if I tried. Zane grabbed my wrist, flung the tray of food to the floor, and climbed atop me before I even had enough time to blink. His mouth hovered over mine, his breath warm against my lips. My eyes were wide with shock at the fact that he had acted so quickly.
“Don’t think that you could kill me, my pet.” he said. “You could not. Please don’t make me regret saving you from my brother’s wrath.”
“You sorry son of a pregnant dog!” I growled. I bucked to get him off of me but he didn’t budge. “Get off of me!”
He moved his mouth closer to me ear. “Don’t fight me, my pet.” he whispered. “It only excites me. Like the blood that we saw last night in the Cliff’s house.”
A gasp escaped my lips. I couldn’t help it. Zane moved his mouth away from my ear and to my neck. My breath caught in my throat when he licked the line of my neck. Things lower than he had touched tightened and I moaned softly as he kissed his way down my neck, my shoulder, and continually south to my breast. I felt his teeth elongate against the cloth of my shirt and whimpered.
Zane froze above the spot where my nipple would be. His eyes roved up to mine and they were no longer midnight blue but the amber of that a black wolf often had. I tensed, a scream welling up in my throat. Zane threw himself away from me, slamming to the floor. I could hear him gasping for breath as he lay there beside his bed. Both of us lay still, unsure of what we should do.
“Forgive me.” he said. “I…I lost control of myself for a moment.”
I didn’t want to speak. I feared that my voice would not be steady enough for speech just yet. He had very nearly eaten me. Or he had wanted to eat me. I couldn’t tell which I wanted to believe more at that moment. Both choices really scared the nuts out of me. Zane laid his chin on the mattress, gazing up at me. I closed my eyes so I didn’t have to look back. I couldn’t look at him yet. Not yet.
“Morgan?” he whispered.
“What?” I asked.
I felt the bed move as he crawled towards me like a dog begging for forgiveness for tearing up my favorite pair of shoes. His hand hovered above my cheek and I turned my face away from him. I didn’t want him touching me. Not yet. I heard his breath catch and knew that he had heard my thought. I opened my eyes and saw that his eyes had bled back to their normal blue.
“Please.” he breathed. “I didn’t mean for that to happen. You just…You just looked so wonderful right then.”
“So I looked like a f**king appetizer?” I demanded.
He shook his head. “That’s not what I meant.” he said.
I rolled away from him and off of the bed. I hit the floor on my knees and rose to my feet. “Say what you f**king mean then!” I said.
Zane crawled towards me, head down like a wolf that had done something to displease his alpha. “I’m sorry.” he said. “I meant that I wanted you. I wanted to take you even if you would not let me do it.”
A rich laugh filled the air and I tore my eyes away from Zane. Zane whirled around, his eyes bleeding back to amber. He leapt backwards and landed before me. I rose up on tiptoe so I could gaze at the man standing in the doorway. He had long brown hair with red highlights, tanned skin, chocolate brown eyes, and looked exactly like Zane.
“Bane.” I breathed.
He looked at me. “In the fur, my pretty little girl.” he said. “You must be the woman that has captivated Zane and the vampires. Quite a lovely little thing you have found to be your lupa.”
“What are you doing here, Bane?” Zane growled.
Bane smiled. “I have come to watch you act like a submissive pup to a mere human.” he replied. “Father will love this.”
Zane’s body was tense as a bow string. “You will utter no word of what you have seen here, brother!” he said, his voice now a rumbling growl.
Bane laughed, tossing his head back. “Your followers will be disgusted by what I have seen.” he said. “They would leave your side in a heartbeat.”
I moved from behind Zane, showing myself to Bane. His gaze shifted to me and he licked his lips. I wanted to squirm under his dark gaze, but I held myself steady. Brownie points for me. Both men gazed at me, both with different ideas in mind. I kept my eyes locked on Bane’s for fear of what I would see in Zane’s.
“What would it take for you to remain silent on this matter?” I asked.
Bane looked shocked by my question. “I have come for you, little human.” he said. “If you were to come with me willingly then I would not speak of my brother’s disgusting display of affection for you.”
I wanted to ask how submissiveness was a show of affection, but decided against it. Zane had moved closer to me, his hand hovering above mine. I moved away from him and towards Bane. If I went with him, I might be able to save Andrea and get rid of him at the same time.
“Morgan, you don’t have to do this.” Zane said. “My honor is not worth your life.”
I turned to him. “Then find a way to save us both.” I said and closed the distance between Bane and I.
He grabbed me around the waist and hoisted me onto his shoulder the same way that firemen carry victims. I kept my eyes locked on Zane’s as he grew farther and farther away. I wasn’t sure how it would look for Bane to come out of the house with a woman flung over his shoulders. The sunlight was horribly bright as we burst out of the house. As Bane neared a black 2000 Pontiac, I heard a howl break the morning silence.
I heard Zane scream just before Bane threw me into the back seat of the car, “MORGAN!”
The door closed and Bane climbed into the passenger side of the front seat. I watched the front door of Zane’s house as we drove away. He appeared in the doorway just before we turned a corner. Another howl tore through the air. There was a sharp pain at the base of my skull and my world went black.
|
|
|
Post by blackmoondagger on Oct 7, 2005 11:08:23 GMT -5
Chapter Thirteen
I felt something pierce my skin and blood run down my shoulder. A hissing breath slipped between my clenched teeth. My eyes flittered open and I saw ice blue eyes inches from mine. Blood red fangs hovered near my mouth. The man before me looked almost exactly like Zane except for his hair, eyes, and skin. My memory came flooding back to me and my eyes shot open. I shivered and realized then that I was naked.
The man moved away from me laughing. My hands were chained above my head and my legs were chained as well. I was pinned to the wall in a spread eagle position. I didn’t know what time it was. Hell, I didn’t even know what f**king day it was. Bane backed away from me, still laughing. I felt sick to my stomach.
“It is such a shame that I could not have you as my own, Ms. Conner.” Conroy said. “Bane said that it would pain his brother to know that he had turned you into a lycanthrope.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
My head ached, but it was a dull pain. Easily ignored if I got really pissed off. Conroy sat in a cushy arm chair with Lorie curled up at his feet like an obedient cat. Cole and Antoinette lay naked on a four poster bed. Another girl, no older than eighteen lay curled up between them. A picture flashed through my mind. Fiona Cliff’s daughter lay there among the monsters.
“Emily?” I breathed.
She looked up at me. Emily Cliff was the spitting image of her mother, save for the fact that she was now a walking corpse. “Do I know you?” she asked.
I shook my head. “No.” I said. “No, you don’t know me.”
Emily rose into a sitting position and slid to the edge of the bed. “Then how do you know me?” she asked.
“You mother.” I said. “I know your mother.”
Conroy made a slicing motion with his hand and I cried out in pain. A gash appeared on my right arm. “Enough of this!” he said. “Emily has no family other than those gathered here.”
I steadied my breathing and gazed at him through a curtain of my hair. “You’re a lot stronger than you let on.” I said.
The vampire smiled at me. There was no show of fangs. Only the newly dead liked to show of what they were physically. Older, more powerful vampires could let you know what they were with a simply show of power. Something akin to magic, but not quite that. Conroy rose to his feet, stepping over Lorie. Emily still sat on the bed, watching me. I met her eyes, tears welling up my eyes. She would never know what she had done to her little sister. She would never know how that her mother hadn’t grieved for her.
Bane hovered near me. Almost protectively. I glared at him. “Get away from me, bastard!” I growled.
He smiled. “You are mine now, girl.” he said. “I have mad you one of us.”
I pulled against my chains. “You sorry son of a pregnant dog!” I shouted. “What have you done to me?”
The vampires all laughed. All of them except Emily. She continued to look at me. Conroy walked to the far wall were a crimson curtain hid most of the wall. He grabbed the golden cord and pulled. When the curtains parted, I gasped. Julian hung suspended five feet above the floor by chains. Like me he hung spread eagle and naked. His glorious body was covered in small scars. They had cut him with silver and then burned the wounds with hot metal so that they would scar over when he healed.
His hair hung in his face like a red curtain and his amber eyes held so much pain. When he looked at me his face was so sallow and his skin sunken in then I knew that he had not feed for quite some time. “Ma petite belle.” he breathed. “Are you alright?”
“Julian.” I whispered. “What have they done to you?”
He smiled weakly, mirthlessly. “Things that I do not deserve, ma petite belle.” Julian said. “It is such a shame to see you this way under these circumstances.”
More tears ran down my cheeks. I was crying for the monster. What in the world was wrong with me? I shook my head. I was one of the monsters now as well if what Bane said was true. From the blood running down my shoulder, I had no doubt that he had spoken nothing less than truth.
A scream welled up in my throat and burst through my lips. I felt my best uncurl like a dog from a long nap. My bones cracked and I cried out in pain. I was changing and I couldn’t stop it. I grunted when a needle was shoved into my ribs. My body went limp against the wall. The change stopped.
“You must wait for Zane, you silly girl.” Bane said. He tossed the syringe and needle away from him. “It is a full moon and it would not end well for you to change now.”
I glared at him. “You’ll be the first one I eat when I change, Bane.” I growled. “Then I’ll eat Conroy and his crew.”
Conroy gave a bark of laughter. “You think you can eat me, little pup?” he asked. “Tonight blood will spill onto the earth. Tonight I become Master of the City. When I do, you will be mine.”
“Go to hell!” I said, spitting at his feet.
He laughed once more and I shuddered. “Oh I am already on my way there.” he said. “If I have my way, you would have joined me there, but Bane intervened with something so much better.”
I closed my eyes and screamed once more. “ZANE!” I cried. “Where the hell are you?”
Bane laughed now. “My brother will not hear you, girl.” he said.
“Morgan?” a voice rang in my head. “Are you hurt?”
I opened my eyes and gazed over at Julian. “No,” I replied. “Well, not really.”
“She is different, my friend.” Julian’s voice rang in my head. “Your brother and mine have gone mad. Bella is walking into a trap.”
“Then let us walk into it.” Zane said. “What has he done to you, Morgan?”
“Something that you won’t like.” I replied.
Silence filled my mind and I felt alone. Both of them were gone and I hung on my wall all alone. I looked over at Julian. He was looking at me as if I were the last little sandwich on a tray. I squirmed under his gaze and he tore his eyes away from me. Turning my attention to Conroy, I decided it was time to get some answers.
“So you’re the one who turned Emily.” I said. “You’re going to use her to kill Bella.”
Conroy smiled. “Very good, my little wolf.” he said. “You are very smart.”
I frowned. “Why not just kill her yourself?” I asked.
“I am strong enough to kill Bella myself, but to do that I might die in the process.” he replied. “We can’t have that, can we?”
“Then why do you have Bane helping you?” I asked. “He wants to be Ulfric, not your lackey.”
Bane stepped into my line of sight. “My father is allied with Bella. If she goes to war so does he. I kill my father and I become Ulfric.” he explained.
“And if Zane kills you after you kill your father then he becomes Ulfric.” I said.
“My brother will not kill me, my pet.” Bane said. “That I know for a fact. My brother is nothing more than a sniveling pup compared to me.”
Conroy made a show of looking down at his watch. “Well, it is time to make ready.” he said. “Bella will be here soon.”
“You’re going to have a war here?” I asked. “In this tiny room?”
Conroy laughed. “No, my pet.” he said. “The room we are using is just on the other side that door over there.”
I looked to the left of the room where he pointed. A black door stood alone. “It’s the six you against Bella and Fredrick’s army?” I asked.
Cole and Antoinette sat up then, stretching luxuriously. “Don’t be silly, little wolf.” Antoinette said. “You and Julian are going to help us.”
“A newly turned werewolf is easily expendable when it changes for the first time.” Cole said. “You will dispose of a great many of them, but you will die in the end.”
“I am stronger than Bella knows.” Conroy said. “She is a child compared to me in terms of power.”
Bane walked over to me and released me from my shackles. He flung me over his shoulder once more and I didn’t even try to move. I was going to die here as a monster. Antoinette, Lorie, Emily, and Conroy walked towards the black door. Cole released Julian, dragging him towards the black door. We filed into the dark room just as the door to the sleeping chamber burst open in a shower of splinters.
|
|
|
Post by blackmoondagger on Oct 7, 2005 11:08:43 GMT -5
Chapter Fourteen
Bane dropped me unceremoniously onto the hard wood oak floor. I glared up at him, but remained silent. What in the hell was I going to say to him? Cole dumped Julian down beside me. He caught himself before his naked ass hit the hard floor. Julian hovered over me and I gazed up the line of his body. He looked wonderful. Almost good enough to eat.
I turned my attention away from him. What in the hell was I thinking? I couldn’t eat him! That was wrong and totally sick! A howl made me whirl around. The black door burst in a shower of splinters and a whirl of hair, flesh, and fur rushed into the room. At the front of the army was a tall, pale woman with the most beautiful green eyes shiny blond hair and the smoothest skin I had ever seen. To her right was Fredrick, caught between the change. To her left was Zane. Behind her stood three vampires and four werewolves. Ten against seven. Not bad odds, but not very good either. I guess this wasn’t a full tilt war after all. Maybe just a squabble. Riiight.
“Morgan.” he breathed. “What has he done to you?”
Bane stepped up behind me, his hand stroking my hair. “I have made her my lupa, dear brother.” he said. “Do you not think she will make a lovely wolf?”
“You bastard!” Zane growled. “I’ll have your head!”
He charged forward, but a woman grabbed his shoulder. Zane was breathing heavily, his eyes wild with anger. I sat there, watching him as he watched me. A sharp pain in my ribs made me gasp. Zane tried to move towards me, but the woman stopped him. Bane moved away from me, his laughter filling my mind. It lay down on my side, rocking back in forth as pain tore my body.
My ribs cracked and reformed. I cried out in pain as my limbs began to stretch or contact where necessary. My ears moved to the top of my head and my mouth and nose stretched forward like someone was pulling Silly Puddy to form a muzzle. I could smell sweat, the stale scent of old blood, sex, anger, lust, hate, love. I could smell it all.
“Isn’t my new wolf lovely, Bella?” Conroy asked.
I looked over at the woman that Conroy spoke to. It was the pale beauty that had entered first. She frowned at him, but when she looked down at me I saw pity in her green eyes. Zane tore away from the woman and moved towards me. The change was almost complete now. I felt fur spread from my head, down my spine, and cover my body. My fur was the color of blood. The color of my hair.
“Morgan?” Zane said. “Morgan, look at me!”
I rose to my feet, gazing at him through the eyes of a wolf. A howl tore free of my lips and a few of the werewolves still in human for answered me. Zane stood before me, gazing down at me. I lunged at him, gnashing my teeth. He caught my muzzle in his hands and held me at bay. All around me, werewolves and vampires rushed forward, locking grips with Conroy’s small army.
Zane flung me off of him and I slammed into the wall. I rose to my feet, shaking off the pain like a dog shakes off the water in his fur. Zane looked at me for a long moment. Behind him, war raged. This was no squabble. This was the war that would shake Long Beach to the core. This battle decided how things would be from now on. Bane and Fredrick were off to the right away from the main fray. Bella, Emily and Conroy were off to the left. Julian was among the other vampire and werewolves battling it out in the center of the room.
“I don’t want to fight your Morgan.” he said. “You don’t know what you’re doing. Let me help you.”
I stood there for a long moment, watching him breath. I could have killed him then and he would have let me. The sound of his bones cracking and reforming made me tense. He knew without knowing how that I wouldn’t stop. Even if he was willing to call off out little war, I wouldn’t stop until one of us were dead. d**n him! In minutes a ginger colored werewolf stood before me, his eyes a burning amber.
We growled at one another and lunged at the same time. When we clashed, I clamped down on his shoulder and he bit down on my foreleg. He could have grabbed me by the throat with no problem, but he wasn’t going for a killing blow. He was trying to make me stop being so savage before I wound up dead.
I tore my head to the right and blood filled my mouth. The sweet metallic taste of his blood ran down my throat and I savored it. He growled angrily and pulled my leg out from under me. I hit the ground and he moved on top of me. My eyes roved up to him, anger burning in both our gazes. Zane moved his muzzle down to mine and licked his blood away. I lay beneath him, taunt as a bow string.
He nipped at my neck and I knew that it was a way for him to show affection. Such a good d**n time to be romantic, eh? The sound of bones cracking and a woman screaming her death to the world made both of us look towards Conroy, Emily, and Bella. Conroy held Bella’s beating heart in his hands and Emily lay dead at his feet. Her throat was torn open. My eyes moved to Bella. Her mouth, chin, and the bodice of her dress were covered in blood and gore.
Bella had killed Emily and Conroy had killed Bella. Conroy was now Master of the City. Zane and I lay very still as we gazed at Conroy. The fray in the center of the room had ended with Julian and two werewolves still standing. In my one-on-one battle with Zane I missed everything else. Lorie, Antoinette, and Cole lay mangled on the floor at the trio’s feet.
Another scream tore through the room and everyone looked over at Fredrick and Bane. Neither of them had changed. Fredrick had been between human and wolf, but Bane had stayed completely human. Bane’s arm was buried in his father’s chest. His hand had come out of the other side and in his hand he gripped a silver knife. Bane tore his arm free of his father and Fredrick fell limply to the floor. Conroy laughed evilly, his head tossed back. If I could have crawled out from under Zane fast enough I would have ripped the throat out.
Bane and Conroy moved side by side, looking at the survivors. “We’ll have to kill them all, Bane.” Conroy said.
The werewolf nodded. “Yes,” he said, “We will.”
Zane moved off of me, his eyes filled with hate. His muscles were tense and twitching with the effort not to lung at his brother. Julian moved towards Zane and me, but other than that, there was no other movement. The sound of booted feet rushing down the hall made everyone look that way.
“Police!” a woman called.
A group of half a dozen of Drew’s men and women burst into the room. When I turned to look at Bane and Conroy, they were gone. Bones cracked and Zane was human above me. My own bones began to reform to my human form. When I was fully human again, exhaustion took over. The last thing I saw was Andy, Julian, and Zane gazing down at me worriedly.
|
|