Paul opened the door wide and allowed whoever was on the porch to enter. He still hadn't said a word. A tall, thin man entered wearing a black, wide-brimmed hat. The brim was so wide that I couldn't see his face. He wore a trench coat. Who the hell wore trench coats these days? And who was it?"Paul," the man said. I could see the man's severely deformed face, and it scared the holy shit out of me. His face was covered in coarse black and gray hair, and his eyes squinted too close to his nose. That nose wasn't human. That nose was the snout of a canine.He was a Werewolf, but not like Lon Chaney or Michael Jackson from "Thriller." This man was utterly deformed.Monica inhaled sharply. The man glanced up at her but hadn't yet seen me. "Did you think we would not find you?" His accent was so heavy that I had a hard time understanding him."That's exactly what I thought." Paul crossed his arms over his chest. "Who else is here?""Many," the man said.I could hear the inherent th
"You are in my home, uninvited," I said. "You've threatened us, you've insulted us, and if you don't leave I will be forced to kill you.""Perhaps we misjudged you," Yosef said. "But three against …" He spread his hands and gestured to the others in the room."Julie! I need you. Bring Ran and as many others as you can. Hurry!""Tige! I'm in trouble. I need you.""Frank, Tony, Keada, Cyrene, Kaniji—to my home! We're being attacked!"The air in the room seemed to thicken. Anyone with a sense of the supernatural could tell that something huge was about to happen.Before their eyes, Vampires began to appear. They dotted the room out of nowhere. Julie was first and didn't have to ask any questions. The sight of the roomful of werewolves was self-explanatory. Ran was a step behind her along with both of their Vampire assistants. They all stared at the werewolves, who were busy turning here and there trying to protect themselves on all sides from attack.Tige appeared already with drop
Paul put his arm around my waist. "Kim, I had no idea they'd ever find me. I mean, they live in fucking Poland and they're dirt fucking poor!""It's okay," I said. "I'm just happy that they're gone. They were nasty.""They're not," Paul said. "Not really. They just need to save themselves from dying out, that's all.""That one was touching himself, as if he'd rape Monica and me if he got the chance." I gave Paul a piercing look. "That's what he was threatening."Paul pulled me to him and kissed the top of my head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring my baggage.""I know, baby. I know."He pulled back. "Do you regret that I came back?""No! I'm so happy that you're home. There's been this horrible empty spot in my center that I could never fill. It didn't disappear until you came back. So it doesn't matter to me if you're a Werewolf or if you were a were-rat! I'm just happy you're home."Ran took Julie's hands, and they communicated something to each other. He leaned down and kis
We were a bit late, but the Council was used to that when dealing with me. Everyone including Carmine was in the lower level, but Letrelle was a no-show. "It's about time," Keada said in her deep Russian accent."I'm fifteen minutes late, Keada. Damn." And this time I had a good excuse. Did she not remember that I'd just had a pack of werewolves in my house? Cut a sister a break!Keada looked Paul up and down. "My time is just as important as yours.""Where's Letrelle?" I asked to no one in particular.Carmine answered. "I doubt that we will see that punk tonight."I glanced at Paul. "He brought the case and now he doesn't want to resolve it.""Like Carmine said, he's a punk," Paul said. "I believe Letrelle would like to sneak into my home and arrange my death," Carmine said. "He has no desire to fight fairly.""Did you have a contingency plan?" Tony asked. He was lounging next to Kaniji, who eyed me smugly."Tyler," I said.Everyone was quiet, even Carmine. "I announce
"You know there has been a longstanding mistrust between the Old World Neratomay and the New World," Keada said. "Something like this could tip the scales to another war, and it won't be as easy to hide from the humans as the last one. In this age of technology, the Neratomay could be exposed.""This is all speculation," Cyrene said. "Still the Barcelona Council is angry and not just at Athena, but at you."I sucked in air through my teeth. "Well, hell.""What do you think the threat is from Athena?" Paul asked.Kaniji smirked. "That's obvious. She could implode our esteemed fellow Council member with a mere thought."Paul stared at Kaniji. "Athena is being judged on what she did to Esmeralda. If she hurts Kim in addition to that then she'd be breaking a direct command from the Committee. I hear that breaking rules is considered disastrous for Vampires." "Only if the Committee finds Kim's death a bad thing," Kaniji said. "They might decide it's a good thing."Did I say before t
We had plenty of time for Paul to feast and for us both to come at least once more.As his tongue lapped at me and my limbs weakened with the approach of dawn, I wondered if he'd continue eating me out after I slept. Some men liked going down, but Paul obviously loved it, though I wasn't quite sure if it was him or if it was the wolf in him.It wasn't Paul I should have been worried about. When I awoke I was being eaten, but not by Paul. Blood was everywhere, and the sudden streak of pain I had was indescribable. I looked down to see something in my hands, slick and long like a snake. It was my intestines.~*~The pain was intense. One moment I was asleep, the next I was convulsing in agony. My hand clawed at my stomach, and dark, blackish blood was pouring out of me. Despite the agonizing pain, my mind snapped to attention though I wanted to writhe in agony. I felt as if I was moving underwater, and everything seemed to be going in slow motion. I could barely move
What happened next wasn't pretty. Hair started sprouting from his body in ripples. It reminded me of a wheat field and the way the air seemed to make the stalks move in waves. He howled again, and it seemed there was pain in the cry.I tried to swallow.Paul shook his head back and forth and gripped his head in hands that were hooked and taloned. Paul's face elongated with a series of cracks. Fine black hair sprouted, and his nose became canine. In less than a minute, the new Paul crouched before me. He was bigger, taller … and I wouldn't have recognized him if I hadn't seen him change before my eyes.Unlike an actual wolf, the Werewolf looked like a monster. Paul was black with thick hair covering his entire body. His chest had lighter fur that ran down to his groin. I could see his genitalia, which was more human than animal, his scrotum covered in finer hair and his penis thick between his thighs. Those thighs were roped with muscles that stood out barely confined by his skin. Bu
Any remaining fear turned to anger, and anger turned to rage. My body shook as I pulled myself to my knees. My eyes turned red. I felt my teeth rip through my gums. My skin split from my neck all the way down my back. My muscles burst from my skin so much faster than the first time I became the creature that my fangs punctured my lower lip! I don't remember jumping on Yosef, but I did remember the look of surprise on his face when I changed and landed on him. He tried to morph but couldn't do it as fast as I had."Motherfucker!" I screamed in a voice I didn't recognize. Yosef tried kicking me in the belly, but I had no stomach wound. I forced my hand into his chest, and when I withdrew it, I was holding his beating heart.Yosef and I watched it pulsating, he with horror and me with hunger.Monica … I shoved Yosef's heart into my mouth and chewed as Yosef died.I turned to the sound of Paul's fight.Paul had felled another were, but other werewolves were taking potshots a
"Are you ready, my love?" Alexis asked."I'm not sure," I said. "She's still so little."Alexis kissed the dark curls at the top of our daughter's head. "Tiye is strong enough to travel back to our realm. We've been here a year. Don't you miss home?""Yeah, but a year here is only like five minutes in the Above," I said."More like a few weeks," Alexis said. "The Ladies are anxious to meet their new niece."He gently lifted his sleeping daughter, tucking her blanket carefully around her body. She had just turned three months old and was as round and plump as a melon. Her thick, curly hair was sure to be as wild as mine was when I wasn't wearing the plaits that Oni put them in. She looked like us—my brown skin with Alexis' nose and Mona Lisa smile.Alexis had named her after an ancient Egyptian Queen who was the deity of light. Leave it to him to name his daughter after an angel and a queen.He carried her outside and stood on the porch staring out at a vast sea made by his own h
Paul smiled and relaxed. I led him to the study where Alexis was waiting. Alexis nodded in greeting."Alexis, thanks for agreeing to this meeting," Paul said.Alexis gestured to a throne. "Please, have a seat."Paul looked at the throne and sat. "Mmm, comfy."Alexis moved the other two thrones to form a triangle, and we sat."We saw the gathering video," Paul said. "We didn't know we were being filmed," I said."I figured as much," Paul said. "But you made a good point when you said that one supernatural group cannot rule over another. My Werewolf Council has been meeting for the last few days. We don't want a war with the Neratomay.""And we do not want a war with the Werewolves," Alexis said.Paul nodded. "We have been in discussions with the Alliance of the Supernaturals, and I expressed King's beliefs that if we do not work together then we will all fall together.""That's right," I said."After a lot of negotiation, the Alliance would like to extend an offer for you to
Ran continued. "We asked the Wolves to coordinate their attacks with ours, and that is all they agreed to do.""But what about the carnage that occurred in Epic Cu?" The Councilmember asked."Are you for real?" I asked in irritation. "There were hundreds of Rectors at that gathering! All it would have taken was for one of those Rectors to snap Alexis' neck before he could summon King to close the portal to the Underworld. We had to take out the Rectors and luckily the Alpha aided us or—well we wouldn't be here and you'd still be kissing the ass of your demon master!"Alexis put his hand on mine but Ignacio smiled in amusement. Will you be quiet! Cyrene snapped silently in my head.When has that ever happened? I snapped back.Ladies, Alexis interrupted. Now is not the time. My love, try to be more…diplomatic.Fine, I replied."We won that war by any means necessary," Alexis said, his voice annoyed. "We don't appreciate your line of questioning. Do you want to go back to the way
The Neratomay flashed themselves away once they were outside of Epic Cut. The Supernaturals carried away their dead and injured, and what was left inside of Epic Cu was blood, gore, and ash. Paul left with his pack, and Ran, King, Alexis, and I flashed back to our villa where King fell in an exhausted asleep.Alexis and I watched him with pride. "It could have gone so much different," I whispered."No." Alexis continued to gaze at King's small sleeping form. "Not if we understand King's true potential—this is the way it was meant to be."It was time discover the fallout so we turned on the radio and television. Many countries were in a state of emergency based on what had happened over the last several hours. News outlets and radio stations made announcements that people should stay indoors because there were reports of wild, strange beast attacks. Videos of humans turning into Vampires and using impossible speed to attack the beasts clogged the Internet. Supposed experts in the s
I moved from zombie to Wraith, pushing them through the portal and trying not to think about those they had possessed.The Wraiths will take you…Oni had said.I saw Alexis keeping King in the light flowing from the portal, but the portal had grown smaller.It was working!King was closing the portal to the Collective!As I zapped zombies and Wraiths, I noticed with surprise that the Supernaturals were fighting with the Neratomay to kill the zombies! When they ganged up and killed a zombie and the wraith left the zombie's body, I was able to zap the Wraith and send it back where it belonged."Aleawdat 'iilaa alealam alsuflii!" I chanted loudly along with King. Although I didn't understand the words, I could repeat them exactly.Then Ran, who still stood sentry beside me, began repeating the words. Alexis joined our chant, and that portal began shrinking even more.The larger Wraiths became bottlenecked trying to squeeze up and out of the shrinking portal. They were so freaking g
I stared at the center of the pentagram where so much power was streaming through to seek out vessels, as if that power was a thinking, conniving being. It infused its targets with power so they could fight for it. And Alexis thought that my son should face that? My little boy?"Alexis, he's just a baby!""He is a demon!" he said sternly. "He only pretends to be a baby because that's what you need, Kim. You have to know that it has been many years since our son was a baby."The way King talked to the Wolf Council, the way he seemed to understood so much and so easily, the way he commanded attention whenever he spoke. I didn't want my child to fight this battle, but Alexis and King both knew this was what King was meant to do.Alexis released me and turned toward the pentagram. He raised his hand and began pulling power from the portal in the center, pulling so much that he glowed with the unnatural light that the energy emanated.Paul squinted and stepped in front of me, preventin
Alexis raised his hand. "We learned the truth, secrets that have enslaved us all!" Alexis' nose began to bleed. He stumbled and swiped at the blood angrily and then raised it to show everyone. "Secrets that prevent me from speaking these truths. But you see! You see!"Ran glared out at the group. "We know, even if we can't speak it. But if you can read it in our heads, you will know this secret, too!"The pain was so sudden that I could not have taken a step. I couldn't even see! Buzzing filled my brain as instead of a dozen bees, hundreds of them seemed to fill my head. I had expected it and thought I was prepared, but there is no way to be prepared when someone is inside of you filling your brain to bursting!"Kim!" Paul shook me.I tried to open my eyes then realized they were open. I couldn't see!"Build your wall!" Paul shouted. "Build it now!"I tried to imagine the bricks—white bricks. White…but I could only see black vapors!Then Alexis was inside my head cutting through
I smelled Alexis and Ran, but so had Paul. He was already heading toward them. When we finally met up, I dropped Paul's clothes on the ground before him. He changed quickly back to a man while I stared up at the castle where more Neratomay than ever attempted to enter Epic Cu."Once we're inside we cannot flash ourselves out," I said.Paul narrowed his eyes. "You'll be trapped inside?"Alexis frowned, but Ran and I nodded.Paul slipped his shirt over his head and peered at the castle. "We can blow this bitch up.""Blowing up Neratomay won't kill us," Alexis said. "Not unless our heads are severed or our hearts pierced.""Why does this castle remind me of Hogwarts?" Paul asked.I smiled. "That's what I thought!""How do we enter?" Paul asked. "That entrance is a hopeless bottleneck." "You could enter through the front door once we're inside," Alexis said, pointing at the opening four stories up. "That's how we exited."Paul licked his lips. "I can make that jump.""Not as a
"You're behind this, aren't you? Somehow—"His head exploded. I flinched at the spray of gore. When it turned to ash, I brushed it off me."Which one of you did that?" I asked."He searched my head," Alexis replied."Well, warn a sister next time," I said.Then I felt a loud buzz in my head, and across the room another Elder's head exploded.This created more bedlam and screaming from Council members who flashed themselves away or who sought the aid of another Elder."Do you feel that?" Ran asked."I don't feel anything because these people are screaming and hollering so loudly," I said.They were the most cowardly individuals I had ever seen. These powerful Vampires sat here crying like wusses! The very Council members and Elders who had tortured and murdered other lower level Neratomay could only hide and cry when they met a foe they couldn't overpower. They were the very definition of bullies!Ran turned to me. "It's Paul.""Paul? How…?""I can still hear him from my tim