ENCHANTED WORLD SERIES BOOK 4: MOON CHILD'S WAR
Chapter 17

Alli felt bile shoot up her throat into her mouth as her stomach heaved with panic when they arrived at the cemetery with Corleen. Before they left, Corleen asked her several times if she would be alright and Alli stubbornly made it clear that she could handle the cemetery. Somehow, she was positive whatever killed Conrad was sloppy and that there might be something that that thing left behind. The evil presence was stronger in Conrad than in the others.

“Are you sure about this, Alli?” Concern was written in Corleen’s face. Though she was not fully recovered, she wanted to be there for her. Corleen always appeared to be a tough ass but Alli knew her sister pretty well.

“Yes...let’s do this before my nerves get the best of me and I run,” Alli muttered getting out of the car.

Corleen followed her. The night was clear for once but there was a certain stillness about it that unnerved Alli terribly. It was as if the entire place was holding its breath, waiting for something bad to happen.

Alli cuddled deeper into her jacket and started moving forward with her flashlight. The cemetery was a beautiful place in the morning. It was well kept with several benches for people to sit around while they talked to their loved ones, but at night it suddenly morphed into a scene of a scary movie. It made her skin crawl.

“This way.” Corleen took lead when she saw Alli hesitate.

“We still haven’t talked about the Varga, Corleen.” Alli reminded her as they bee-lined their way through the rows of graves.

Corleen turned to her, flipping her pony over her shoulders. “You want to talk about that now?”

“I can’t think of a better time than now.” Alli took a deep breath, the night air cool and crisp, filling her lungs like a soothing balm for her fiery nerves.

Corleen was quiet for a few seconds before she let out a puff of air. “Okay...I don’t think you remember much of dad when we were young--you were but a toddler. When he died, mother went through a breakdown that affected her foresight. She kept on seeing nothing but bloodshed and death.”

“Who’s blood and death?” A chill passes up Alli’s spine.

“The wolf community. She saw an evil that preyed on the wolves, sucking the very life of out them.” Corleen explained. “She kept on telling me to take you out of Ashwick. She wanted you somewhere far away from here.”

“Why me?” Alli asked.

“Because whatever she saw, you were always there, overshadowed by the evil. Sometimes, she didn’t sleep at night kept on being plagued by the nightmares and visions of you surrounded by this new evil. One day, it all stopped. I saw a change in her. She became calm and smiled more and when I asked her what happened, she told me that you would be safe because suddenly you were surrounded by a light that protected you from the evil.” Corleen stopped and turned to Alli. “She saw your savior, Alli and she said that she didn’t have to worry anymore. She felt that she could finally leave this world in peace.”

“Did the depression kill mom?” Alli whispered feeling something choking her life in her throat.

“Alli, mom was killed. Her throat was ripped open by a Varga. I believe she predicted her own death.”

Alli’s eyes widened at the revelation. She was too young to remember any of this but she remembered her mother’s face quite well. She was a woman who was gentle and kind, her eyes the same jade color as hers. “What?”

“Remember the night we slept at Donny’s place, the two of us? You were about five.”

Alli nodded.

“That night Lord Faelen’s hunters found her body at the house. That was when I knew there was something special about you because when we returned and you passed where mom’s body was found, you cried so much and could not sleep for days. Whenever you passed that place, you stuck to the wall and did not want any contact with it.”

Alli didn’t remember any of that. It was as if there was a block to that memory, something she created for herself because she couldn’t handle it.

Corleen turned towards the pathway and began moving forward again. “The camp-night we went with Xavier was not the first time I saw your gift...but it was the first time it attracted the Varga.”

“This same Varga?” Alli couldn’t even recognize her own squeaky voice.

Corleen nodded. “Somehow it has the ability to sense you.”

“Is it the same way that woman is able to connect with me? And Ruvin?” Alli blurted.

Corleen stiffened and stopped. “Someone else is able to connect with you? Have you seen her?”

Alli shook her head. “I haven’t seen her but the strangest thing is that her print is almost familiar to me and when she does connect with me, I am not scared.”

“What did she tell you?”

“She is always warning me to stay out of the woods. I am sure she knows who this Varga is.”

Corleen placed a hand on Alli's shoulder. “This thing will not get you, Alli. Whatever it wants with you, it will not get you. We are all here for you.”

A small smile appeared on Alli’s face. “Thanks, Corleen. We will get to the bottom of this. Thank you for telling me all this.”

Corleen smiled softly and turned back to the pathway. “We are almost there.”

Alli nodded and followed Corleen with more determination to get to the bottom of this.

Ruvin stood in the middle of the woodlands. How the hell was he supposed to replace a rogue slayer in all that woodland?

“So, tell me the plan again?” Edon moved forward adjusting the gun holster around his shoulders and back. Two black pieces hung on either side of him and Ruvin was positive the male had a blade or two in his boots.

There was no plan. This was a lone hunter who lived in the woodlands. Finding her in there was like replaceing a needle in the haystack. “Scout the common grounds. The weakbloods will not be out this evening so it should make our lives a lot easier.” He turned to Lukas who suddenly wanted to stay away from the house. “I want you at the foot of the mountain today. I heard the news about a mangled body of a mountain wolf.”

“Probably a territorial spur,” Lukas muttered absentmindedly.

“Or a Varga,” Ruvin assured him. “Take someone with you.”

“Let me call Vixen and Raul,” Lukas said.

Both Ruvin and Edon’s eyebrows snapped up.

“I thought you would want to take Izzy,” Edon asked.

“Not tonight.” Lukas turned towards the edge of the woodlands.

“Why is that?” Ruvin followed him.

“I don’t wanna talk about it.” Lukas snapped, his frustration was as evident as ever.

“Something happened last night when you took her out. I saw the bite mark on her hand. That was you, wasn’t it?”

Lukas raked his hand through his hair and turned around. “Look, I already apologized to her about it okay?”

“What happened?” Edon crossed his arms on his chest. “Are you turning Varga on us?”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Lukas asked in bewilderment. “It is nothing like that.”

“Then what, dammit!” Ruvin barked.

“I--I...” Lukas sighed and ran his hand over his forehead. For a male who was always calm and collected, it was alarming to see Lukas sweating and agitated. “I can’t control myself when I am with Izzy. She doesn’t want to heel when I tell her to. She is stubborn and very frustrating to the point I replace myself enraged and then...things happen.”

“Why would you want to make her heel?” Edon frowned knowingly at Lukas.

“Only a mated male has the urge to make his mate heel. It is something we have no control over.” Ruvin stated.

Lukas opened his mouth as if you say something in his defense but then clamped his mouth shut.

“Have you slept with Izzy, Lukas?” Edon asked quietly.

Lukas’ jaws worked together tightly and for a moment Ruvin thought the male was never going to answer--until they finally heard the quiet, “Yes.”

Well, that wasn’t a surprise, Ruvin thought.

Lukas didn’t want any other male to associate with Izzy, it was only natural that he would want to jump in bed with her himself. “When?”

“Last night.” Lukas looked down at his tight fists.

“Has it happened before that?” Ruvin asked.

Lukas looked up at Ruvin, his eyes bright with what looked like panic. “I have always had a strong urge to but I didn’t. Yesterday was the first time and--something changed.”

“When you claimed her last night--” Edon started but Lukas cut him off.

“I didn’t claim her!” Lukas exclaimed. “It was just in the heat of the moment.”

“Are you sure you haven’t marked her?” Edon asked.

“Apart from the bite on her hand, my teeth went nowhere close to her skin.” Lukas gritted his teeth.

It was difficult for such a male to speak of such things because he was the most feral of them all. Usually, Lukas had no emotions when he was out on the job so it was quite surprising to see him stumbling for words.

“Not that marking, dimwit.” Edon rolled his eyes. “Didn’t any mark appear on her skin? It would have been like--”

“Four black wolf claws. It is the mark that appears on a female who is a true mate to a Lycan.” Ruvin said quietly. It was something he had seen on one of the females mated to a half-blood back in the enchanted world.

Lukas shook his head. “Nothing like that.”

“Are you sure?” Ruvin asked.

The look on Lukas’ face told him that the male didn’t bother to check. He groaned when inwardly. “One way to replace out--”

Ruvin’s skin crept and it was the only warning he had before the slashing of claws against the skin echoed in the woods! “Fucking hell!” He groaned as pain seared through him, crippling his body and forcing him to the ground. Ruvin felt the warmth spreading down his back as blood began to seep out of the shredded jacket and t-shirt.

“Ah fuck!” Edon removed his guns and started shooting as three gigantic wolves came charging towards them with their red eyes wild and full of blood-lust. They had hideously sharp teeth that snapped at the males standing like beacons in the woods.

"Vargas?” Lukas asked and he went to help Ruvin to his feet just as Edon braced for the change. Edon lunged forward turning into a massive brown and black-colored beast named Lux.

“No, there are the same creatures we fought the other day.” Ruvin braced himself against the pain and turned to the creatures that had strategically surrounded Edon. “Call for backup. Get Zach here this moment!”

Ruvin pushed away from Lukas but Lukas had a grim smile as he removed the double katanas from a hidden holster at the back. “We can handle these three freaks.”

And just like that, gone was the hesitant and frustrated Lukas, and in his place was the hunter everyone had come fear and marvel at.

Lukas dashed forward in a burst of energy just as one of the mutated wolves managed to sink his teeth in Lux’s shoulder. Edon’s beast howled in pain trying to shake it away and Lukas slashed one of his blades against the mutant catching it on the back.

The mutant let Lux go and turned to Lukas with murder in his eyes. Lukas was propelled into action, his movements sleek and precise. The mutant was disoriented for a moment as Lukas whizzed around him, slicing and stabbing at every vulnerable place he could get close to. The mutant threw his head back and howled in rage before slashing his claws against Lukas’ face. Lukas tumbled back, catching himself on the way down and rolling safely away as the wolf lunged in the air to try to trample on him. The wolf landed with a tremor on the earth but Lukas was at a safe distance, though his neck and jaw were bleeding.

Ruvin got up, pushing the pain aside as he stalked forward while his body enlarged and his legs turned into a wolf’s hind legs. The expansion of his muscles caused the grooves on his back to hurt even more. He changed into the ultibreed and found himself in the middle of the action pissed off as hell! He didn’t know where the hell those freaks came from but none of them were leaving the woods alive. He couldn’t have them roaming around attacking everything in their sight. They could be the ones who killed the mountain wolf for all he knew. These guys were messing with the wrong Lycans and they were about to pay the ultimate price.

As one of the wolves snarled and went to attack him, Ruvin slashed his claws against it, catching it on its face and destroying one of its eyes. The mutant staggered back and whined in pain but that did not stop him from launching itself in the air towards Ruvin again.

The large mass of muscles landed on him, causing him to lose balance and fall back under it. Damn the thing was heavy and its breath was hideous!

The mutant snapped wildly inches from Ruvin’s muzzle trying to sink his teeth in his neck but Ruvin had his claws tightly locked on the shoulders holding it away. The strength in the abomination was staggering because although he was in his ultibreed form, Ruvin was having difficulty trying to roll the beast off. Finally, he sank his claws into its neck. The mutant stopped attacking and started shaking Ruvin off.

Broken branches and ragged rocks underneath Ruvin cut and sliced his back into ribbons but Ruvin didn’t let go. Black blood began to sip from the wounds as the beast fought vigorously to get free.

“Your time is up!” Ruvin growled and sank his claws deeper into the neck before twisting them. One last howl of pain escaped the beast before it collapsed on top of Ruvin.

He was tired but he was able to heft the mass from him and roll off. His back felt like it was on fire as he got up and turned to see the half-bloods struggling with their wolves. Lux was wounded and was losing too much blood from his wound. His brown fur was matted with blood that shone black in the darkness.

Lukas, though wounded on his neck, the claws had missed the major arteries. He was still stronger than ever, exhausting the mutant before he was able to render the final blow.

Ruvin went to help Lux who was already staggering on his paws in exhaustion.

Let me handle this, Lux. Ruvin connected with the half-blood psychically.

Go ahead, sunshine. My keeper and I are just about done. Lux chimed in.

Of all the beasts with a sense of humor, Lux by far took first prize.

Just as the mutant wolf was about to sink its teeth in Lux again, Ruvin punched it in the muzzle causing it to lose concentration giving Lux a few seconds to move away from the danger.

When the mutant snapped its head towards Ruvin, its red eyes were blazing with fury and hatred. A slow snarl echoed in the woods as it soon forgot Lux and turned to attack Ruvin.

“Lukas I need you!” Ruvin snapped at the half-blood.

“A moment.” Lukas curved one of the katanas around the second mutant’s head, sending it rolling down the ground then rushed to Ruvin who was able to lock the wolf’s head tightly in his crook and wrestled it down, exposing the soft underbelly to Lukas. The male slashed the sword across the belly and the wolf’s guts spilled out together with black blood.

Both males cringed at the foul smell that had their eyes tearing.

“What the fuck is that smell?” Lukas shook his head as if the action was going to help him get rid of the rotting smell that had suddenly polluted the crisp and cool night air. “And have you seen the marks on these things?”

“It’s...like something--straight from a...Mage manuscript...” Edon staggered to where Ruvin and Lukas were. His face was clouded in pain, one hand stiffly against his stomach while his other arm braced a tree to stop him from falling forward.

“In High Priestess’ name, Edon, you look like you are about to pass out!” Lukas sheathed his katanas back in their holster and rushed to catch Edon before he collapsed.

“We need to get him back to the house.” Ruvin transformed back to his human form and frowned down at the wolves. “I’ll call Raul and Jake to come and clear these bodies before dawn. I want one body to be taken to Briar--” Ruvin’s frown deepened as he looked closer at the wolf’s eyes. “What the fuck? I could have sworn their eyes were fiery red--not midnight black.”

Edon took that moment to lose consciousness and had Lukas drag him out of the woods. “Can we talk about that on our way back? It’s a little difficult concentrating on keeping Edon conscious and listening to you.”

Ruvin fished out the keys to the car. “Take Edon back and I will return with Raul and Jake.”

Lukas nodded and as he left, Ruvin crouched out at the wolf that was gutted. The eyes changed to black pools. Even the body had suddenly shriveled back to normal size. And what was up with the markings on their bodies?

Could Zach figure it out?

“Come to the wood in instant and bring Zach with you. I am sending you the coordinates.” Ruvin stated on the phone and hung up before sending Raul the coordinates.

“Anything?” Corleen asked for the hundredth time as Alli hovered her hand over Conrad’s grave trying to catch anything. It was so frustrating that she was trying to concentrate and Corleen was impatiently standing close to her asking the same thing over and over again.

“I never took you for a scaredy-cat, Corleen.” Alli hummed softly stealing a glance at Corleen who darted her eyes around them like she had her panties on fire!

“Cemeteries just give me the creeps. Anything?” She asked as her hand flexed one of her guns on the holster around her waist.

Alli sighed and rolled her eyes. She didn’t know what made her think that coming to the cemetery would have given her answers. “Nothing.” She sighed and rested her hand on the tombstone.

A bolt of energy passed through her numbing her senses for a second before a burst of heat coursed through her body and images began replaying in her mind. She felt cold hands grabbing her head, locking it into place and something started working its way from the stomach to her throat. She fought for breath as the coldness began engulfing her body to the point of pain. A scream tore from her throat as the energy burst out from her mouth and was being pulled in by the evil that had his skeletal fingers wrapped in her hair.

He was sucking her life essence!

Alli’s eyes widened as she tried to fight him off but the grip was too tight and her body was already numb.

“Alli! Sweet Heavens, Alli!” The screams echoed from Corleen as she tried to shake her awake.

Alli fought the vision but it triggered something in her that had her turning to her side and heaving out everything she had in her stomach! She whizzed as her stomach continued to tremble, wanting to get rid of everything inside it.

“Oh, goodness, Alli!” Corleen sank down beside her and hugged her tightly.

He is coming! Run! The female voice shimmered in Alli’s mind.

“He...” She coughed out hard. “We need to get out of here! He is coming!”

“Alli, you are scaring the shit out of me.” Corleen already had her gun in her hands. “Who is coming?”

“The life sucker!” Alli cried trying to get up but her body was trembling so hard she couldn’t do anything. She saw how Conrad died and how terrified he was. She didn’t want to stick around there and see it happen to her or Corleen.

“Come on, get up.” Corleen helped her up and they stumbled away from the graves just as a howl sounded behind the trees surrounding the cemetery.

Hurry! The voice was desperate and Alli could tell that she, too, was on the move.

I can’t control my body. I am trying the best I can. Alli felt tears of frustration stinging behind her eyes as they moved slowly towards the parking lot outside the cemetery.

If he gets his hands on you, you are done for! Now move! She practically growled at Alli.

Who the hell are you and why do you know so much about him? Who is he?

There was a long pause that Alli thought the woman had severed the connection until she finally answered. He is my father.

Pain shot throughout Alli’s body as her stomach clenched some more. Her skin began to creep and crawl as she recognized the evil behind them. She stopped suddenly and turned to Corleen.

“He’s here.” She said with so much dread in her voice.

Corleen’s face harden as she settled Alli on one of the graves and removed her double guns before whipping around and started shooting at the two massive wolves racing towards them, one carrying a man on its back.

Corleen peppered them but all they did was grunt and shake the bullets away as they got closer and closer.

“Oh no,” Corleen whispered, alarm ringing in her voice, and Alli knew straight away they were in deep shit.

When all hope seemed lost, there was a crackling sound from the woods and suddenly sharp-ended pieces of wood started spearing themselves towards the wolves. One wolf stumbled on its paws and came to a crashing halt almost toppling the other but the second wolf jumped over it and continued moving forward.

Alli laid her eyes on the man riding the wolf and her entire soul quaked in fear. She had never seen such a beautiful face but she was dead scared of what was lurking behind that facade. He looked like the angel of death and in the literal sense, Alli felt her soul shrink away from him.

A sudden blur caught her attention from the woods as the woman dressed in leather appeared beside the fallen wolf who was struggling to get up but it had the most wooden spears on its side. The woman produced a long blade and stabbed it in the chest where its heart was then twisted.

When she was sure the wolf was dead, she turned towards the racing wolf and threw her sword forward then raised her hands and moved them apart. Alli watched in amazement as the one blade split into several other blades that sailed towards the man and the wolf.

A dark and cold smile curled on the man’s mouth as he held his hand up and the blades disintegrated into ash then he flipped his wrist and the woman went flying across the graves, her small body slamming itself in one of the larger stone crosses so hard that the cross cracked into two.

It’s alright my sweet, I won’t hurt you. I promise. His thick and balmy voice penetrated Alli’s mind and her body started jerking violently.

“Come on, Alli.” Corleen tried to pull her up again but the wolf was already beside them, sinking his large teeth into Corleen’s shoulder. Corleen screamed as the wolf lifted her from the ground and tossed her away like she didn’t mean a dime.

Through the haze, Alli heard the man speak...

“Finally, I have found you. You are the one who will serve me for eternity, my precious sweet.” He hissed as he got off the wolf and walked to where Alli was writhing on the grave. “Yes...can you feel the power that is struggling to come out? The others didn’t have as much power as you, my sweet Alli and that is why they died...but you, when you transform, you will be unstoppable and you and I will rule this world together.”

“Get--away from me--you sick bastard!” Alli managed to say between her gritted teeth.

“Now, now, now, Alli--” he crouched down and scooped her into his arms like a baby. “I can’t wait for the next full moon until you are strong enough. I know you are strong enough to endure a moonless transformation so I will grant you that gift.”

“No!” Alli rasped fighting him off because being in arms was like being constantly plagued by nightmares. He was the nightmare machine because everything that he did blur into Alli’s mind. Voices pleaded and screamed for mercy. Some cursed and others accused and Alli heard everything.

“Yes...” He hissed against her ear and with a sharp, glass-like claw, he touched her chest. A white light bloomed underneath it and rippled inside Alli awakening a part that she didn’t know about. She felt something unfurl inside of her and pain cascaded down her body, pain without comparison because never in her twenty-one years of living had she ever experienced such pain.

“Get away from her!” The woman cried and something hit the man on the back of his head propelling him forward. The boulder rolled away with black blood smeared on one side.

The man tsked and placed Alli back on the grave before turning to the woman in leather. She had several boulders levitating in the air. “You are such a bother, Asari. Why don’t you just die and stay dead, like your mother?”

“Thanks to you, I can’t.” The bitterness in her voice had Alli’s heart twist in her chest. She didn’t know why but she felt somehow she was deeply connected to Asari...and the way she was always showing up and helping her.

“I will rip you into shreds and feed you to the wolves!” The man hissed.

“You already did that, remember? Enough with the talking.” And suddenly she was shooting boulders that smashed against her father and his wounded monstrous wolf.

Corleen! Where was Corleen?

Alli tried to sit up but the pain that was going through her body had her trembling back on the gravestone. She felt the new presence, as scared and as confused as she was. It was fighting off whatever mambo jumbo the man had done to her.

Suddenly, all she could think about was Ruvin. If he had been there he would have known what to do!

Ruvin! She sent the mental cry.

The fighting continued with daughter and father. Asari was quick on her feet and sometimes Alli couldn’t even catch her movements as she attacked her father from all angles. The man just brushed off the boulders and raised one of his hands up.

Asari started levitating her hands flying to her neck where her father had an invisible grip and was cutting off her air supply. Alli watched in horror as Asari’s brown eyes widened and her strength began to wane.

Bullets echoed from behind catching the man on the back of his head and neck. He staggered to the ground a low hiss of retribution rippling in the air. Corleen clutched her bleeding shoulder just as the wolf lunged towards her but Asari was quick to stop it, holding onto its head and twisting it so hard that the neck cracked with a sickening sound. Bile filled Alli’s mouth as the wolf fell to the ground and Asari leaped off the wolf, backflipping towards her father who was still struggling on the ground.

“Get your sister out of here,” Asari said as she produced a knife and stabbed the man on the heart. “This will only hold him for a while.”

“Wait, he doesn’t stay dead?” Corleen struggled to get to Alli.

“No, he has made a pact with a very powerful sorcerer, and now he is cursed with immortality--taking me down with him,” Asari answered nonchalantly as if it was something she had already accepted because there was nothing she could do about it.

“What did he do to my sister?” Corleen asked when she looked down at Alli and saw the pain etched on her face.

Asari turned to them, regret written in her eyes. “I am sorry I couldn’t stop him sooner. Your sister is undergoing her transformation.”

Corleen’s face paled. “What? Without the full moon? It is not possible for a wolf. It is only possible for an enchanted beast.”

“It is possible for her because she is not like you.” Asari assured Corleen.

Alli’s body went cold when she heard Asari say that.

“What do you mean she is not like me!” Corleen exclaimed. “She is my sister!”

Asari nodded. “That, she is.” She didn’t add anything more which left them in silence as she worked on the man’s body. She murmured something quietly and her hands did some quick movements before energy bloomed from her fingers into the man’s chest.

“You are a Mage?” Alli asked when the pain had subdued a little giving her a break.

“Half Mage.” She answered getting up and removing her blade from the man’s chest. When she saw the worry in Alli’s and Corleen’s faces she gave them a small smile. “Don’t worry. I have placed an enchantment on him. It will take him a while until he breaks it.”

“You are an enchanted being,” Corleen stated more than asked a question. When Asari nodded, Corleen asked. “What is your other half?”

The small smile on her face disappeared as she replaced her blade in her belt and looked up at Corleen, her eyes dark and distant. “You should get that cleaned and checked. Get your sister to safety. There might be hunters looking for their boss right now.”

“Wait!” Corleen called out as Asari turned to leave. “Thanks for saving our asses.”

Asari gave a little nod and suddenly disappeared into thin air.

Take care, Alli. Asari’s voice whispered in Alli’s mind and she was gone.

Corleen looked down at the immobile body of the man that almost killed the two of them and cringed visibly. “Let’s get out of here.” As Corleen bent down to pick Alli up, a shifting behind Alli had her craning her neck to see what was happening.

The familiar low growl had Alli’s heart shudder on her chest.

“Oh, great!” Corleen threw her hands in the air and rolled her eyes. “And how the fuck did you two replace us?”

“What happened?” Zach asked looking down at Alli.

Ruvin didn’t wait to be told anything and just scooped Alli into his arms. The warmth and scent of him had her quake with a yearning like no other. More pain seared through her body and she bucked in his arms. “You had one job, Corleen, one job!” he barked.

“Excuse me?” Corleen looked offended when she turned to Ruvin. “You have no idea what we just went through so don’t you go judging me, asshole.”

“She was not supposed to be out here, to begin with! You said she would have been safer with Faelen yet I replace her in the cemetery surrounded by dead mutant wolves and a man I am not sure I want to know!” Ruvin snarled.

“She wanted to visit Conrad’s grave. She was positive there was something to replace.” Corleen exclaimed.

“You shouldn’t have allowed her to get out of the fortress!” Ruvin barked back.

“Listen, I wanted to catch this son of a bitch as much as anyone else--” She pointed to the dead man. “But I was told he doesn’t die. He comes back again and again--”

A slurping sound rang around them and both Ruvin and Corleen turned to see the male’s head hanging by his hair from Zach’s fingers, black blood spurting down on him.

In his defense, Zach shrugged his shoulders. “I was getting a terrible feeling from him.”

“We should get the hell out of here.” Corleen sighed tiredly and she was losing a lot of blood from her shoulder wound.

“And that scent...” Zach’s eyes scanned the area. “Someone else was here with you.”

“Yes, she saved our lives but she is gone. My sister is going through a forced transformation and we need to get to safety before something else pops out the woods.” Corleen started walking away.

“What? How is she going through the transformation without the full moon?” Ruvin followed Corleen behind, his arms tightening around Alli. Alli welcomed the comfort and the feeling of safety in his arms.

“Ask the dead guy--oh wait, your friend just decapitated him!” Corleen snapped. “He did something to her and this is the reason why I don’t trust you enchanted beings!”

Ruvin suddenly stopped and turned to the dazed Zach. “Yo, dollface, let’s get going this century.”

Zach suddenly snapped from his dazed state and stalked towards them, his eyes stormy and confused.

“We are taking her to Faelen’s fortress, right?” Corleen asked warily.

Ruvin looked down at the shivering girl in his arm and nodded. “Open the back door.”

Corleen opened the door and Ruvin placed Alli in the car.

You scared me yet again, baby mate. Ruvin connected with her mind. I don’t know what I did to make you want to stay away from me but I will allow it for now. However, know this...when I come for you again, I will never let you go.

Alli swallowed visibly and Ruvin placed a slow kiss on her lips while Corleen was distracted by Zach.

Alli felt the kiss all the way to her bones. It ignited every part of her and only propelled her emerging wolf to struggle further with these new emotions. Her spine arched forward crushing her lips harder onto Ruvin’s as she started responding to his kiss.

Ruvin tore himself away with a growl and pushed her damp locks from her face. Make the change first and I will not have the reason to hold back.

“Hey!” Corleen exclaimed. “Get away from her.”

Ruvin rolled his eyes and stood straight. “For someone with a mean reputation in this town, you sure make the most stupid mistakes--and those mistakes could have cost Alli her life.”

“I don’t have to answer to any of you, now move out of the way and let me take my sister to safety.”

Alli watched Zach and Ruvin from the window and as the car drove away, she felt the desperation of her emerging wolf kick in. This was a new feeling that had her desperate and needy.

The pain had her gritting her teeth.

“Hold on a little longer sweetheart. I will get you to safety.” Corleen said as she raced the car away from the cemetery and towards Faelen’s Fortress.