Howl Louder

Prologue

"Hello this is Madame Elizabeth's office, Secretary Joan Hemming speaking." My response to the call automatic although this wasn't my usual position I was well rehearsed. Since I had moved to the city I had been working in the financial section of Heathrowe Inc. a wealthy supernatural corporation which ran most of post war Chicago.

The shrill ring of the phone brought me to my usual routine, I grabbed a pale pink sticky note clicking a pin waiting for the person on the other line to relay their message.

A harsh baritone came across the line, I roll my eyes, "Miss. Hemming Tell Madame Elizabeth she will have a meeting with the court Monday, courtesy of Alpha Jean Dulles."

I open my mouth to respond, "Sir we-" But of course the line went dead before I could tell him the openings for Monday or acquire any pertinent information. Typical supernatural they won't take no for an answer and leave you hanging. I wasn't quite sure how to handle the situation. It must be important if a vampire is seeking help from an Alpha werewolf. But after all I was just subbing in for the actual secretary so she would have to sort everything out Monday.

Something sounded oddly familiar about the call, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I shook my head in dismissal I had to lock up my wing of the office. I was lucky enough to draw the short straw and had to stay late on Friday night. Not that I had much of any plans myself, maybe finish a few chapters of a book I've been trying to read about dating in the modern age. I smiled at the thought of a relaxing weekend, my boss a vampire supe Madame Amy had been exceptionally strict lately and had given me an overwhelming workload which is why I jumped at the opportunity to sub in another section. She's been extra testy, apparently the higher ups in the company want to make sure that all branches are following protocol.

I grabbed my purse checking to make sure the desk was in order one last time before I locked up. As i rounded the last corner near Madame Elizabeth's office, it hit me. A stench much like rotting flesh. My body was telling me to run, something evil was or had been in the boss's office.

Duty obligated my conscious and I hesitantly reached for the door handle shaking as my fingers grasped the cold metal. Slowly I opened the door and was rewarded with an eerie creak the stench grew worse and my eyes stung from the pungency. The moon light was the only illumination into the room casting a glow onto the office, cascading across the desk to the couch in the far corner like a spot light. I squinted my eyes trying to make out what was off in the room. Suddenly my breathing halted as a cold wind seemed to blow directly on the nape of my neck. I opened my mouth to let out a piercing shrill scream but it was too late a hand had already covered my mouth.

Chapter ONE

It has been five years since supernaturals' or as they are often called "supes" revealed themselves to the world, the dominant supernatural groups being the vampires and werewolves they unfortunately for the humans proved their superiority in a brief two year war, World War Three. It was a feeble attempt by humans to try to regain ignorance of other possible beings, an ignorance humans did not know they valued until their naivety was shown. Supes want things to go back to the way they were, except of course them coming out of the metaphorical non-sexual closet.

And there I was a twenty-five year old human woman standing outside in the cold Chicago wind waiting and trying to get into a supe club.

The reason I'm not tucked away in my meek little apartment is because my only friend Monica's twenty first birthday is today, she would start world war four if we did not do something tonight. I even got a temp secretary to lock up the office tonight without telling my boss. I'll reap the consequences Monday morning I'm sure.

Though I'm uncomfortable and quite possibly terrified out of my mind I relented to her pleas. If I had it my way we would have watched reruns of old human soaps and then after watching the news I would be thoroughly terrified, naturally humans were often found dead. After scaring myself by nine I would be safely tucked away in bed with three deadbolts securely in place. I am not very fond of supes and supes do not seem to be too fond of me. Maybe it's because I don't buy into any of their bullshit about equality or maybe it's just because I am one of the few humans whose fears are genuine.

Supes during the day are predictable, safe. Almost human if not for their dashing good looks and easily triggered temper one would not be able to tell.

Night supes were a different story.

I tensed, this is the time of night the streets are just dark enough and the moon is just high enough supes get a buzz of power and become unpredictable, more feral. And with the recent unrest in the vampire sector of the city I was a bit on edge.

I kept my head down and let Monica shuffle us along the line to club Howl; I rolled my eyes at the name, a werewolf club naturally. The street was crowded with supes and a few hopeful human women hoping tonight they would discover they are a potential supe mate. I certainly am not one of them, I am quite satisfied being unattached and independent; even if it is said the supernaturals are wonderful lovers. Younger supes are willing to hook up with humans but never long term relationships supes always have the thought of a mate in the back of their mind. A human mate is the perfect genetic compatibility with a supernatural, such compatibility makes it so a supe can have more than one mate option but the chances are slim and they are too territorial to share. Once a supe finds a potential mate they will show off their abilities and prove their worth, which they will be able to protect any offspring they would have. If a potential mate still declines more drastic measures are taken usually the supe will have to "persuade" the potential mate which entails harming, frightening, controlling, and in some extreme cases kidnapping.

The older the supe, the more conservative and unpredictable they become. Lord help any human who has an old supe as mate they're ten times more animalistic than the newbies.

If I were to ever be a supes mate I wouldn't want an older than dirt supe, a human girl at my office found her mate and he was 110 years old. Of course he didn't look his age supes live for an undeterminable amount of time, far longer than any human. He made her boss fire her and even forced her to move in with him by means of getting her landlord to kick her out and scaring her friends from giving her a place to go. He was the only person she could go to he said it was all for love the design of things, I for one have a slightly different opinion.

Monica brought my attention back to her by shrieking loudly at her own unthought-out joke. I glanced up periodically to show I was paying attention to whatever Monica was saying, but a cold breeze reminded me of the dress Monica had convinced me to squeeze into, a skimpy little neon tank dress which made me feel cheap. I pulled at the hem trying to force it to become longer.

Monica swatted my hands away from the dress, and said, "Charlotte, you look fabulous, I would never let my bestie look anything but fabulous."

She emphasized "bestie" implying I was crazy to insult her fashion sense, I felt like a prostitute or better yet by the looks the other patrons were giving me, meat hung up to dry.

She's always called me her "bestie" I think it is because she does not have anyone else, it is probably why we clicked. Her family is all deceased and I mean six feet under dead; not drink your blood dead, in these days you have to clarify a miscommunication can be insulting.

My family may as well be deceased; though technically I have a brother, Redford. His real name is Bobby, naturally his vampire blood mate thought Redford was more appropriate for his new lifestyle as her mate. After his mating and my refusal to move into a coven and become a snack all contact we had ceased.

In my opinion covens are like nudist colonies, parents cover their children's eyes when they go by one and the elderly join them just to feel youthful albeit for the energizing euphoria vampires give their donors rather than an acceptance of their wrinkled bodies. He was the only immediate family I had left after World War Three.

Mom died during WWIII a measly attempt by us humans to be the superior race, it's not like I can blame the supes for her death, even if I'd like to. Supes didn't kill her, cancer did and a broken heart which never healed after Pops died when I was nine in a mining accident. The war ended three months after her passing, I was seventeen when the war started by the end of the war I was twenty three and ready for a new beginning.

I was not able to graduate high school due to the war, the supes must of felt bad for human teens they made sure most had money for trade school. I was tired of being stuck in one place for too long with little to no change. The day after I graduated from secretary school I moved out of the little West Virginia coal mining town I'd grown up in and out of my Aunt Lily's trailer to the Windy City, Chicago.

It was easy to find a job since the war most humans were hesitant to work for a supe even if it was the same boss they had before the war. I now work as a secretary for a HR department or as they now like to call themselves HSR(Human and Supernatural Resources) in a large international business and trade company Heathrowe Inc. run by a wealthy Werewolf Heathrowe Mikael.

My feet hurt from the only heels I owned sliver sparkly heels which seem to make me wobble with every step. I needed a nice strong drink, I've been stressed and have been working overtime lately my rent keeps going up due to humans wanting to move back into the city the fear from the war was ebbing, as in not just the freaks and the desperate.

I let out a breath of relief we had finally got to the front of the line the faster we get in the sooner Monica would find a supe for the night and I could go back to my apartment.

Monica stuck out her chest shamelessly flirted with the two gruff looking bouncers at the door who were clearly not interested but the high of her birthday seemed to make her feel invincible.

The bigger of the two bouncers whose tight black T-shirt barley contained his muscled chest screamed supe security and whose designer jeans would equal two months' rent he must be paid handsomely for his job, definitely a supe.

Turned to me and took a deep breath too close to my face for comfort, his irises yellowing for brief second.

Nothing came of the blatant sniff other than a curt "I.D"

Racism seems trivial now the supes have revealed themselves, a worse problem has formed since WWIII. specism an entirely new word meaning the discrimination against a different species than your own. Specism goes both ways human and supes.

There are supes who like to openly be their true selves, but see humans as second class worse than the scum between their toes. This bouncer clearly felt it about me, a quick jerk of his head indicating to the supes just behind us to pass by us into the club.

Adding for Monica's clearly confused benefit, "Human limit, wait" his words short and dismissive.

Monica let out a shrill whine and stomped her foot much like a child. I pinched the bridge of my nose, and grabbed her arm firmly. My head ache from work was coming back.

I grumbled stepping off into another line half as long as the one we'd just been in, unfortunately it also seemed to not be moving. To top it all off it was a line of entirely human and entirely desperate women. Of course Monica now felt at home, chatting with the equally desperate women.

She squealed, "This is so unfair it's my birthday it should count for something..." She went on but my mind drifted off I was trying to decide when the most appropriate time to leave would be.

I opened my mouth and uttered the worst words I could, "Do we really have to go to this club clearly we are not wanted." Nodding my head to the bouncers and the supe patrons, before adding a last ditch effort, "it's getting late." Even though it wasn't quite eleven.

She looked at me like I just kicked a puppy, she started to tear up, "But I thought we were friends and friends stick with each other."

I very well could not leave her crying on her birthday even if I didn't want to be here, I sucked down my selfish want to go home deciding I would go in for a drink I deserved that much for allowing her to poke and prod for an hour to make me presentable.

Monica dabbed her eyes and dug through her purse so she could reapply her make up.

BAM BANG BAM BAM

Every one outside froze at the loud unfriendly noises coming from inside the club, obviously a supe fight and by the increasing noise they were going to bring it outside.

For a moment there was complete and utter silence, suddenly a supe flew out of the club he hissed loudly as his face met the cruddy Chicago sidewalk.

He looked up wheezing out, "Fucking dog, you'll regret this." As he slowly picked himself off the ground he was lanky and pale his eyes blood red only the dark black of his pupil gave any indication he could see. His mouth had fresh blood dripping from it, clearly he took a bite from someone he should not have.

My attention was on the vamp, I quickly turned my head after hearing a deep baritone growl come from the entrance of the club. He looked like every wet dream I've ever had he may as well of been the northern god of war Thor, his wavy long blond hair reaching just past his shoulders, his bright green eyes held a feral hint of a powerful shifter, a wolf. His face strong and angular a thick scar started from his dimpled chin to his neck, a scar he must of had during or before the healing change.

His pupils morphed into slits akin to a wolf on the hunt, his barred teeth turned into a wolfish grin influenced by the thrill if the hunt and the primal urge to kill his challenger. This shifter was certainly an older supe, the older the supe the more power and control they have. The vamp supe was only a baby his skin still pale from his draining ceremony. With a quick jerk forward in mock attack the shifter frightened the vamp away, the vamp quickly ran down the dark street realizing he was outmatched.

The wolf had walked out of the door way eerily close to the human women line, ironically the incredibly hot supernatural men the women had been talking about was right next to them and most had fled including Monica.

Leaving me to fend for myself, I didn't feel scared at all, strangely I felt sexually charged. Seeing the man of my fantasies, prove he was dominate was a major turn on. The only thing he is missing from my fantasy man is humanity but a girl can dream.

The shifter who was corded with sinewy muscle much like a boxer rolled his shoulders back in a sign of winding down from the excitement of a fight and turned back to the club. He stopped mid stride inhaling deeply his face in a slight tilt in my direction, you could visibly see the tension he had released return tenfold. The muscles in his back tightening becoming more defined under his dress shirt.

He slowly turned back around toward me, his eyes entirely wolf, and his teeth even looked slightly pointed. I thought before he had let out his beast, now I could see the little vamp only scratched the surface. This bright green eyed shifter must have complete control of his beast bringing me to one unfortunate conclusion, he's an ancient.

Why did I have to be the little human woman that would manage to turn this devilishly handsome beast of a man around? Maybe everyone else was smart enough to be afraid of him, and not aroused.

Unfortunately for me I now have a wolf literally on my trail all because of my neglected libido.

You see after a successful challenge not only is the winner amped up on adrenaline but also sexual hormones. It's odd though a clearly older supe taking interest in a human but then again everyone else seemed frightened where as I was turned on.

As looked around trying to find a distraction I noticed nearly everyone had their gazes' adverted and their necks slightly exposed. I looked back up staring straight into the eyes of the beast, his eyes were dilated feral I knew I shouldn't but I sure as hell wasn't thinking straight I showed my teeth in a grimace on instinct mimicking his expression. If he wanted me he would have to prove he could come get me I'm not going to just roll over for him no matter who he may be.

He grabbed me, one arm behind my back pulling me close securing his hand on the nape of my neck securing me in place. I closed my eyes tight my breathing shallower he lent down running his nose along my jaw I was ridged as a statue.

As he whispered in my ear endearingly, "bitch" nipping hard enough to sting but not break skin.

His nose trailed to the crook of my neck placing kisses as he searched for a forbidden spot, where a supe will place a claim, as if I'm his property. The thought left a bad taste in my mouth.

This was supposed to be impossible ancients do not have potential human mates. I knew this was not something that appealed to me. My hate of being controlled and told what to do started to bubble to the surface I placed my hands on his chest he seemed pleased at first but less so when I started to dig my nails into his skin with malicious intent.

The wolf grabbed my hands stopping my attack which seemed to have no effect on him except to anger him.

"Woman, are you mad? Unacceptable. How can I trust you to raise my pups when you attack me an guardian ancient.", He spoke with sincerity only causing me to become even more frightened and intent on getting away before the monster pulls me into his clutches.

Oh hot damn I'm in deep shit this guardian ancient, I made a mental list off the things I knew about them.

1.) Extremely possessive

2.) Their wolf is in more control than the man

3.) He's probably older than dirt

4.) He sees me as a potential mate

5.) I'm totally fucked

I must be the only woman supe or human who is stupid enough to garner attention from an ancient and refuse him at the same time. Ancient Guardian supes control treaties they are essentially the peace keepers and the executioners in our new society not much is known about them, less so than the normal knowledge of supes.

His whole demeanor changed he snapped his fingers blatantly ignored me as I was grabbed quite roughly from behind by two gorillas of men who I assumed were his goonies. He looked at them his expression all business, "Take this human to be screened."

My jaw dropped as he walked back into the club and I was dragged and shoved into the back of a shiny black car that surely costs more than my rent the past two years. I was being kidnapped to be "screened" whatever the hell that meant other supes doing anything he commands it baffled me why would they so blindly follow someone's orders? But of course this is just a day in the life of a powerful supe; not some poor human from the rural hills.

The two supe sitting in the front of the car were like stone figures, neither talking to each other, or of course the puny human in the back. I idly pulled on the string holding together the expensive leathers seats only to hear a satisfying rip, my heart stopped as both of the demons in front turned back to inspect the damage their looks of pure disgust either of my poor background or the simple fact I'm a human therefore in their eyes inferior. The supe with dreads gave me a snarl as the other bared his teeth apparently I was to be obedient and go along with my kidnapping due to their superior status in our society. Don't get me wrong I was freaked out and pissed but I was about to wet myself but I couldn't get the guts to defy them the power they seemed to have over me was paralyzing.