Chapter 5

Madeline and the vampires village, showing a not so united front 

I glanced at Mystrel and realized he was wearing a turtleneck shirt in almost eighty degree weather. I gritted my teeth, angry at myself for marking the dog.

"Sorry my mark is so offensive to you," I growled bitterly and he huffed and looked away from my glaring eyes.

"I'm the alpha Maddy, I sure as shit can't be walking around with your frilly mate mark on the side of my neck," he replied back and I frowned and kicked his shin.

"Fuck you asshole, it was instinct that you instigated while you were fucking me," I snapped back and jumped upward onto a tree branch. I could feel him watching me as I skimmed along the branches.

"Come down we are almost there, we have to present ourselves as a united front. I rolled my eyes and dropped down beside him and plastered on a fake smile.

"I'm ready," I mumbled softly and he smiled. We entered an area full of construction and I was mildly impressed. The village mayor was an older vampire named Marcus. He and his mate Brock were voted in by the majority.

"We have had some problems with rogue wolves and two of our young village females were taken. We conducted several search parties but came up empty," Marcus said solemnly. Mystrel asked him to describe the wolf they'd seen and the description sounded a lot like his rogue brother.

"Would he kidnap vampire females," I asked curiously and he furrowed his brow and shrugged. 

"The only thing I can figure is breeding couples are getting rare with the packs spread out so far, finding your mate is getting more difficult, perhaps the women were taken for that reason," he said softly and I growled angrily.

"Is that why my sister and I were sent with you, to become broodmares," I snapped defensively. He gritted his teeth and growled NO angrily.

"Your father thought that you would be a help to me with the vampire instead of being a huge pain in my ass," he stated firmly and turned to walk away from me. I threw my arms into the air and Brock was smiling.

"You both are going to unite the vampire and wolves, mark my words, honey. There's all sorts of ville valo in the air surrounding you two," he said happily and I growled saying I had only the desire to gut him. He chuckled heartily and nodded. I said my goodbyes and followed after Mystrel's scent. I'd traveled several miles and stopped sensing strangers' eyes watching me. I extended my talons and jumped upward into the branches. I could navigate easily through the canopy. I glanced around me and saw red shine. Great a fucking rogue, I thought angrily and prepared to fight. I couldn't tell if it was vampire or lycan, the rogues were all the same, crazed and mindless killers. I sat on the branch and waited. If it was a vampire it would climb up to me. I furrowed my brow watching the rogue call back to a fucking wolf. My eyes widened momentarily, not believing what I was seeing. The rogue vampires were working with the rogue wolves. As I looked around I was fucked, unless I could dash away at a blinding speed. I cursed and mapped my way quickly across the tree branches. I sped off with two or more rogues trailing after me. Try as I might I couldn't shake them and felt clawed fingers brush my calf. I twisted in the air and swiped at the vampire that was trying to grab hold of me. I sliced through his chest and flipped him off as I landed on my feet to the ground below. I saw the gray wolf and pushed off the ground. I was close to Mystrel's home and yelled help me Fenrir. I prayed that he heard me as I scrambled back up a tree and continued to the house. I saw a black beast tear past me below and grinned happily. I stopped running and headed back to offer my assistance if the vampire interfered with the wolves. The wolves were circling each other and I noticed another rogue female vampire was above them waiting for the perfect time to drop down on Fenrir. 

"Not on my watch," I growled angrily and raced for the bitch. I dropped down on the female from above and knocked us both to the ground. I raised my fist and punched her chest. Grabbing a hold of her black heart I yanked and heard the rogue wolf cry out as I ended the life of its companion. The vampire turned into dust and I turned to see the gray wolf running off. Fenrir came to my side and licked my face.

"Well it's obvious one of you likes me," I chuckled and scratched his ears. More licks to my face and I wiped the slobber away.

"OK, OK, enough with the doggy drool," I mumbled sourly and stood. I noticed the big gash in my lower leg and hobbled towards the house. Fenrir whined and I patted his head.

"No worries, it will heal," I growled softly and made it to the kitchen for a bag of blood. I headed to the living room and sat down. My body was sore. I drank my blood and watched a bare assed Mystrel waltz in and pour himself a glass of whiskey.

"I take it, this look is something I need to get used to," I mumbled softly and his eyes landed on me.

"If you don't mind, I enjoy being naked, in my home," he smirked and took a big drink.

"Do your thing and forgive my wandering eyes," I chuckled and he nodded and downed his drink. He skipped pouring his liquor and just sat down with the bottle.

"Did I see correctly, the rogues were working together," he asked me and I nodded.

"That's what it looked like to me," I replied and he exhaled harshly. I watched him rub his eyes.

"I believe that you killed that wolf's mate and now that it's scented you, you're his target," he told me plainly. I twirled my finger in the air and shrugged. He shook his head and squinted at me.

"What defenses do you have," he asked roughly and I extended my talons to their full length. 

"These and they're like ten mini swords," I answered and he looked impressed at my weapons. 

"That will help you and stay in the trees too. No more going off by yourself. I'll send troops out to scout the area but things can get through," he stated worriedly. I rest my chin on my hand and watch him. He glanced at me and frowned.

"Please take my warning seriously. I don't wish to tell the vampire king that his daughter perished," he sighed and I grinned and told him I knew deep down he liked me, making him roll his yellow eyes and laugh. I looked over the mate mark I left. It was very pretty but I didn't know why it did that.

"Why did my bite leave that kind of mark," I asked him curiously. He tried to look down at it and sighed.

"It's an ancient lycan mate mark, given to royal couples," he said firmly and I cocked my brow as my brain bypassed that and honed on something different.

"Do you think that all the originals were a mix of vampire and lycan," I asked, finding it fascinating.

"Well it seems possible since they all had yellow eyes," he shrugged and I frowned because he had yellow eyes. 

"Are you my pereche, or just a mixed mutt," I mumbled sourly and he chuckled. I laughed with him at how that sounded.

"Ok, so as far as my mark goes it made that design because I'm royal and you're a lycan," I asked him curiously and he nodded. I also asked if it happened all the time.

"I don't know, Maddy, I've never been marked by a royal before nor has anyone else out here in the woods," he chuckled heartily and I eyed him with a glare. 

"This is nice, us talking while I'm in the buff, it's so domestic," he grinned and I rubbed my eyes.

"You're three sheets to the wind, Mystrel," I mumbled sourly and leaned back into the cushions to hear him laugh. I was extremely wiped out. I ended up closing my eyes and sliding down upon the couch and falling asleep. I felt something tickle my nose and waved my hand connecting to something furry. I squinted my eyes and saw I'm laying in a huge bed next to a warm nude Mystrel. His hair was in my face. I lifted the blanket covering me and saw I was wearing a large red tee. I yawned and scooted closer to Mystrel and snuggled against his warmth. His arm laid across me and pulled me against his chest. I smiled and rested my head against him as I closed my eyes and drifted back to sleep. That morning I woke up alone. I sat up and stretched. As I climbed out of the bed I realized that the shirt I wore went to my knees. I grinned slightly and headed towards the kitchen. I was running my fingers through my hair and stopped seeing a head of thick red hair at the kitchen table. My brow furrowed as I looked directly at Mystrel and he's waving me back. I gritted my teeth and turned walking straight out the front door. I jumped up on a branch not even sure if I had on underwear. My stomach rumbled and I frowned. I bent over and had a terrible hunger pain tear through my insides. What the hell, I thought bitterly. I dropped to the front door and pounded as I doubled over again. I was hunched over when Mystrel answered his door.

"I need to eat," I said, barely legible and fainted right there. When I opened my eyes again I was at the pack house in an infirmary with tubes of blood getting fed into me. I glanced to the side and see Mystrel asleep in a chair. I tried to swat him but I wasn't close enough.

"Wake up butt head and take me home," I growled angrily and his eyes fluttered open. He rubbed his eyes and glared at me angrily.

"Who pissed in your cheerios," I mumbled sourly and he told me I had some explaining to do. I looked at him like he was nuts and tried sitting up. A white haired older gentleman entered the room and asked me how I was feeling.

"I feel better, just super hungry," I mumbled softly and he smiled and nodded.

"Your pup is growing at an accelerated rate princess and is consuming much of your nutrients," he told me happily and my eyes widened and I sputtered, excuse me.

"You're having a hybrid, Maddy. So maybe you should tell me who you were with," Mystrel growled menacingly and I chuckled loudly because he was such a fucking idiot.

"I've only been with you dumbass, soon to be daddy," I mumbled firmly and the doctor looked between us both and whistled.

"Congratulations Alpha," he grinned and Mystrel glared at me and walked out of the room, making me sigh sadly.

"Can I be released? I will be sure to eat more," I told the doctor and he nodded and said he was sorry about his alpha. I explained that I would sit down and talk about what his issue was. The doctor nodded, left and came back with care instructions. I thanked him and checked out as I headed towards Mystrel's home. I wasn't certain if he was even there and when I saw him sitting on his porch I smiled slightly at least I did until a bag was pulled over my head. I yelled, Fen, right before something heavy was whacked against my skull, knocking me out cold. When I woke blood was dripping in my eye and three sets of red eyes were focused on me. I swallowed slowly and pressed my hand against the injury that was bleeding on my head. One of the vampires asked if he could drink from me in Slavic. The lycan told him, no in English and offered me a rag for my head.

"I'm Boris Romanov and that's Jacob and the one wanting a taste is my lover Lennex. We are what you call rogues because of unfortunate circumstances. We actually are rather decent individuals and only wish to live, fornicate and prosper in peace," he stated and my head hurt too much to pay attention.

"Why kidnap me," I asked curiously and he  chuckled.

"For an audience with the king of course and my stubborn brother, that is if he doesn't kill me first. I figure if I get you on our side he will hesitate long enough for me to speak," he told me and I rolled my eyes.

"He doesn't even believe that I'm carrying his pup, so good luck with that," I growled angrily and Boris's red eyes lit up more.

"You're carrying his hybrid," he said and laughed hysterically. I growled angrily and said that I was hungry and needed a lot of  blood for my child. Boris nodded and surprisingly dropped 3 bags of blood down on the floor before me. 

"Thanks," I told him and meant it as I bit into the bag.

"You're a descendant of Vlad's brother , Ambrose, that's impressive. When you're finished eating I'll show you to your room. We actually are staying in one of your uncle's abandoned properties and it's fabulous," he stated and I grinned slightly. Mystrel's voice was heard yelling my name on the wind and Boris eyed me.

"Perhaps this little bump in your life will wake his ass up, he needs to mark you, sweetie," he stated firmly and shook his head. I was really starting to like this no nonsense Romanov brother.