Alpha Ch. 11

"The Archangels are not happy that she disbanded the Order. She is becoming a worry, if she continues down this path neither you or I will be able to protect her from what is coming. I've seen you throw away your life once for a fight you can't win, I will not watch you do it again." She paused and waited for him to look into her eyes. "Just come back. You were forgiven lifetimes ago. Come back with me Azrael."

"I can't. I fought with the Demon's for a reason and their fight is still going. I can't leave Ipos here alone and I can't leave Ealasaid. There is nothing for me with you anymore, everything is here."

Haniel nodded slowly. "You always were stubborn. I'll give my report but if they decide your little pet needs to be dealt with there will be nothing I can do. For once Azrael, make the smart choice. While you still can."

"And choosing you would be the smart choice?" He asked derisively.

Haniel smiled sadly. She let go of his hand and took a step backwards. She opened her mouth to say something else but couldn't find the words. She knew there was no point in trying to argue with him, once he made a decision there was no turning him from it.

Waving her hand through the air she conjured a door. Before she stepped through it she took one last look at him. He stood at the Simulacrum. His whole body radiated heat and she could see his shoulders rising and falling with his breathing. She left him and an unnatural chill ran through Hell.

Baal ignored the deep set feeling of dread in his gut and focussed on the image in the Simulacrum. He watched Ealasaid stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom. She still only wore her leggings and her eyes were staring at her form in her reflection.

Ealasaid tilted her head. Turning slightly, she looked over her shoulder and saw a faint handprint blooming on her skin where the tattoo had been. The print was huge but it sent a warmth through her as she looked at it. Looking out of the window she watched the dark night sky. The clouds moved lazily across the moon, creating dancing shadows on the floor of her room.

Her mind was spinning. She didn't know where to begin to fix her relationships with her family. She could still feel Lucius' and Anton's anger permeating the walls of the castle. She could feel Oana's pain as the change tore through her body. She could feel the mother-like worry of Nix. Making a decision, she pulled a t-shirt over her head and left her room. She moved quietly through the halls of the castle. She avoided the voices of her Pack and finally, slipped into Nix and Corban's room.

Closing the door, she turned and came face to face with Corban. She instantly felt embarrassed. She hadn't seen him in months but his gaze wasn't accusatory. He smiled warmly and chucked her under the chin.

"Hey kid. Feeling better?" He asked.

She laughed tiredly. "Not really."

"Give it time. Things can't really get worse can they?"

She shook her head and looked to the floor.

"I guess not." She said acceptingly.

"I'll leave you two alone." He said and left the room.

Ealasaid lifted her eyes and her gaze met Nix's. Nix was sat in high-backed, wooden rocking chair and her she moved back and forth absentmindedly. Her hand rested on the edge of a wooden crib and she rocked it in the same rhythm as her chair. Ealasaid could see a tuft of golden hair but not much else.

Nix regarded her with interest for a moment. The silence was becoming unbearable and Ealasaid shifted. Her skin felt hot and prickly and she twisted her hands together in front of her.

"I've seen that look before." Nix said after what felt like hours. "Drago had that same look when he came out of the Order. There was no warmth in him, he was cold."

Ealasaid pushed her hair back from her face uncomfortably. She didn't know how to respond.

"I've watched the Order destroy my family before. I won't watch it happen again. You don't want to be our Alpha; fine we don't need to be lead by just one person. It's a stupid outdated thought that one person can lead hundreds of others but I won't watch you fall apart without doing anything I can to help you. So tell me, what do you need?" Nix asked.

Ealasaid paused. It wasn't the question she had been expecting.

"What do you need us to do? What do you want?" Nix insisted.

Ealasaid still couldn't find any words. She swallowed and shrugged a shoulder. Her throat tightened and her mouth worked as she tried to speak. A soft sound from the crib broke the silence and Nix turned back to look at the tiny, blanket wrapped figure.

Ealasaid came further into the room and looked down into the cot. Two small fists beat at the air and a pair of bright blue eyes stared up at them.

"What's his name?" Ealasaid asked, her voice croaky.

"Caius. Caius LaBelle."

"LaBelle?"

"Yeah." Nix responded offering no other explanation.

"He's so tiny." Ealasaid said and her hand moved closer to the cot as though reaching for the child.

"Would you like to hold him?" Nix asked but Ealasaid shook her head violently, yanking her hand back as though she had been scolded and jerking back from the crib.

"No."

Nix sighed and began to rock the crib again.

"Have you spoken about it at all?"

Ealasaid shook her head in confusion. "Spoken about what?"

"About the Order and what happened to you in there?"

Ealasaid's eyes flashed, the silver darkening and Nix watched as her hands clenched into fists.

"No." Ealasaid repeated through gritted teeth.

"You should Little One. It doesn't have to be now and it doesn't have to be with me but you do need to talk about it. It will eat you from the inside if you don't."

Ealasaid clenched her hands in front of her and began to pace back and forth. She ground her teeth and tried to work through the mess of thoughts. Images of her time in that dark place filled her head and she winced, threading her fingers through her hair she stopped and swayed on the spot.

"I was so scared. I woke up in a locked room, alone, chained like an animal. Just like I was when Calan had me. I don't know how long I was in there before they came to get me. They wouldn't tell me anything. I remember I just kept asking them what I had done, what they were going to do to me but they were quiet. They took me to another room. It was white and there were no windows but this bright light. It hurt my eyes. They chained me to the table and just left me."

Ealasaid paused and took a steadying breath.

"It was weeks before they even told me where I was. People will talk about the smell of that place but it was feel of it that drove me mad. It was like a crushing, it pushed down on me, made my bones ache. It wasn't long before they put me in the Pits. The smell there was unbearable. Like shit and blood and death. Rotting flesh and rusty metal. The noise was terrible. They invite people to watch the fights and they cheer and place bets like it's a sport. People were dying and they were watching it like football."

Nix felt a chill. She had heard Drago and Lucius speak about their time in the Pits but it took on a whole new horror when spoken about in Ealasaid's soft voice.

"I waited for months for someone to help me but no one came. I used to dream about it. I would see Drago, Lucius, you while I slept but none of you ever came. I was tired, I was hungry. I was cold, that place was so cold. Every time I was taken away for Correction I prayed that they would kill me so I wouldn't have to suffer there anymore but they never did. They always knew just when to stop."

Ealasaid paused again. Her eyes were empty and her voice was devoid of any emotion.

"I realised I was going to die in there. I couldn't just sit and wait for something to come for me, I didn't even know if you were looking for me. I knew that if the Fae change was complete I would be strong enough to get out of there but I didn't know if, after it happened, I would still be able to think for myself. I've never been so scared but I couldn't sit there and wait for them to kill me. Do you remember what it felt like the first time you turned?"

Nix nodded.

"Were you scared?" Ealasaid asked and again Nix nodded her head. "So was I." Ealasaid added sadly.

"Everything went black. I hoped I would pass out but I was awake for every second. I could feel my bones changing. I tried to scream but I couldn't. It was like something was growing in my chest, I couldn't breath. It was this black, cold thing and it took over. It took everything I had to push it back and take control again. I thought it would disappear when I came back here but it didn't. It's still there and it's growing."

Nix stood from her chair and crossed the room to stand in front of Ealasaid. Ealasaid shook her head but Nix didn't take any notice and swept the girl into her arms. Sinking to the floor she curled Ealasaid in her lap and held her tightly.

"What can I do Little One? How can I help you?" Nix asked through her tears.

"You can't."

*

Lucius sat in a chair in the corner of the room he shared with Oana. His eyes burned with exhaustion and his muscles ached. Oana had finally fallen into a fitful sleep in the early hours of the morning and now, as the sun began to shine through the high windows, she stirred again bringing her hand up to her face and a quiet moan leaving her lips.

Suddenly, she sat bolt upright in bed with a jagged scream. Lucius scrambled from the chair and fell to his knees at the side of the bed. Oana was breathing heavily and she squinted at the bright sunlight that now burned her eyes. Her head was pounding, voices and footsteps assaulted her ears. She could hear a soft, rhythmic thumping and a hot, wild smell forced its way into her nostrils.

"Fiara?" Lucius asked gently and Oana's head snapped around to look at him.

Lucius went cold. Her eyes, once a deep calm blue, now glowed a blood red. Her skin, already pale, was a porcelain mask and her hair had lightened to a platinum blonde. She was unrecognisable from the sweet girl that he used to see whenever he looked at her.

"Vanator." She said quietly, her accent even more pronounced and her voice had taken on a lilting, sing song quality. "I dreamt about you. You looked so sad." She winced again as a blinding pain shot through her head and whimpered. "What happened?"

"A Vampyre, bit you."

"Bit me?" She asked and instinctively brought her fingertips up to her throat. She could feel the two marks on her skin and felt how cold she was.

Lucius couldn't answer. He couldn't tear his eyes from her. She looked so beautiful, so monstrous.

"Am I dead?" She asked.

"No." Lucius shook his head aggressively.

"But I'm one of them?"

Lucius sighed, looking to the floor he nodded. "Yeah. I'm so sorry darlin, I should have been there. I could have stopped this."

"So I'm a Vampyre now?"

"Not fully," Lucius said running his fingers through his hair, "I don't really know how any of this works but the bite, it should have killed you. Fuck, I was scared, I thought I was going to lose you."

"My head hurts." Oana said touching her temple. The thumping continued and she groaned. "I can hear your heart beat. Is this what it's like all the time?"

"I don't know. Fiara, when I saw you there, with him, all I could think about was tearing him apart. Ealasaid stopped us, said you would need him after you woke up."

"Tanner?"

"Yeah."

Oana looked into his face. His eyes were bloodshot and his hands were shaking. Spinning around she let her legs drop of the bed and touched his cheek.

"Hey, I'm OK. I'm OK." She spoke comfortingly.

Lucius moved between her legs and ran his hands up her thighs. Holding her hips, he kissed her stomach and breathed in her new scent. Vampyres had a distinct smell, cold and lifeless but underneath that he could recognise her soft scent. Oana threaded her fingers through his hair leant down to kiss the top of his head.

She could feel him shaking and gently turned his face up to hers. She stroked his cheek with her thumb, feeling the rough stubble on his skin. Leaning down she pulled him closer.

"Kiss me." She said, less of a question and more of a command.

Lucius obliged happily. Rising up he claimed her lips but jumped back slightly at the feel.

"You're cold." He said in surprise.

Oana took her hands from him and clutched them together in her lap. She looked down at them before recoiling in horror at the dried blood on her skin. It covered her clothes and the smell hit her, becoming overwhelming. Her stomach turned and a nauseating pain hit her. She felt hungry.

"Sorry, I just wasn't expecting it." Lucius slid his hands around her waist and kissed her again.

She resisted for a moment before letting her eyes close and surrendering to his talented mouth and strong fingers. Pushing her back, he crawled onto the bed and settled himself between her thighs. Her legs wrapped around him instantly and everything fell back into place. It didn't matter that she smelt different or that her skin was ice cold, she was his wild beast and he found himself instantly lost in her.

Lucius rose onto his knees and stripped her blood covered clothes from her. His eyes drank in her snow white skin and he ran his hand up her stomach.

"You're so beautiful." He said reverently.

Covering her pussy with his hand he teased her entrance with his finger. Slowly, he pushed inside to the knuckle and laughed softly.

"You're still warm here." He said and curled his finger inside her, hitting her g-spot and making her moan.

Oana shot up, placed her hand on his chest and rolled them quickly. Lucius found himself staring up at her in surprise but his hands came to rest on her thighs happily as he watched her tear his shirt open. Her new strength made tearing the material easy and she moved down to pull the button of his trousers open. She yanked them down his legs then ran her hands back up his thighs. His cock was already hard and she wrapped her fingers around his thick length.

Straddling his hips, she guided him into her. A surge of sensations washed through her and she bit her lip as he bottomed out inside her. Lucius groaned and his nails dug into her thighs. He began to move her but she shook her head. Taking his wrists in her hands, she pulled his arms over his head and held them against the bed.

Oana's eyes closed and she rested her hands back on his chest. Rolling her hips, she felt him hit deep inside her and the shock of pleasure gripped her entire body. Everything felt different now, more intense and a violent shiver ran down her spine at the feeling. She chased the feeling. Her hips sped up and her nails scratched at his chest.

Lucius went to put his hands on her but she shook her head and held his hands back against the bed. She didn't open her eyes but shook her head.

"No, don't touch me." She said softly.

Lucius snarled but he couldn't move his hands. His eyes widened in surprise as he came to a realisation.

"I'm stronger than you." She said with a happy smile, the same realisation hitting her.

Lucius growled and fought to get himself free from her grasp. "Fuck. Just let me touch you." He said, not caring how pathetic he sounded as he pleaded with her.

"What's the matter Lucius? You used to being in control?" She asked smugly as she held him still easily.

Lucius laughed in frustration. He relaxed back on the bed and stared up at her. She moved slowly, her wet pussy gripping his cock tightly and her eyes stared hotly at him.

"Please." Lucius said and Oana let go of him.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. Their chests were pressed together and he took over, thrusting up into her tight heat.

Oana buried her face into his neck and felt his pulse beating against her lips. once again the hunger swept through her and the hot, wild scent of his blood overwhelmed her. She hissed in a breath as a pain shot through her upper jaw and she felt a strange shifting in her teeth.

She slid her hands around his throat and threaded her fingers into his hair, holding his head still and she kissed his neck. Her vision blurred as his scent invaded her head and she felt a strange, black need welling in her chest.

Her hands began to shake as a deep, primal instinct began to rise to the surface. With a feral snarl she sank her new fangs into his throat, tearing through the skin and ripping his throat open. Lucius felt his blood rush out of the wound and soak their bodies.

Lucius let out a strangled cry but couldn't speak. His body felt cold and he felt a sharp pain as Oana latched on and pulled deeply. His mouth worked but only small, stilted sounds fell from his lips.

"What the fuck?!" A deep voice resonated through the room and Oana felt hands grab her and throw her across the room. She slammed into the wall and looked up into Anton's furious face.

Lucius lifted a shaking hand to his neck and felt the torn skin. His blood still pulsed out and he felt it spill over his hand and down onto the sheets beneath him. Anton looked from Lucius to Oana and felt panic rising. Lucius wasn't healing. Anton didn't know what else to do and opened his mouth to shout.

"Alpha!"

He wasn't even sure she would answer him but when he felt the warm presence behind him. He turned and saw Ealasaid stood in the doorway. Her bright eyes scanned the room, moving from Oana huddled in the corner, to Anton stood in the middle of the room and finally to Lucius on the bed, clutching his throat and gasping for breath.

"I heard a scream." Anton started.

"Take her. Take her somewhere quiet and keep her there." Ealasaid said pointing at Oana and Anton sprung into action.

He took Oana by the arm and marched her out of the door. Before he left he turned to look at Ealasaid who was moving towards the bed but didn't stay to watch what she would do.

Ealasaid climbed onto the bed and knelt beside Lucius. His green eyes found her face and she saw the look of terror there. He looked at her as a man who knew he was going to die.

The dark magic swelled within her again and she allowed it to take over, moving her hand to his throat and covering the wound with her hand. immediately he stopped moving and calm bled through his features. Ealasaid took a steadying breath and closed her eyes.

A cold wind swept through the room, lifting her hair from her shoulders and making goosebumps erupt on her skin. Suddenly, it was hard to draw breath and felt a warm liquid spill from her own throat and down her chest to soak her clothes. She kept her eyes closed but she felt the wound on Lucius' neck begin to close and over her own frantic gasps for air she heard his breathing become easier.

Finally, she was forced back from him and collapsed on her back on the bed beside him. She lay still, staring up at the ceiling and felt the skin on her throat knit back together. The wind died down and the two of them were left in the quiet room.

Slowly she turned onto her side and looked at Lucius' profile. His skin slowly returned to its warm hue and he turned his head to her.

"You saved me?" He asked in a hoarse voice.

"I couldn't just leave you could I? Who would sass me if you were gone?" She said forcing her tone to be light.

With a groan he rolled onto his side and his eyes lighted on the deep red blood soaking her white t-shirt. He lifted his hand and touched the sodden fabric.

"Is that mine?" He asked.

"Some of it." She replied.

Lucius nodded and moved his hand to her cheek. She smiled sadly and turned her face into his hand.

"How did you do that?" He asked.

Ealasaid thought for a moment then shrugged. "I don't know. There's still so much about me that I don't understand. I have no one to teach me about this stuff and," Lucius cut her off.

"And that's why you kept Tanner around?" He asked.

"Yeah. I fucked up, I've fucked everything up. I kept strange Vampyres here as prisoners, chained them in silver and left them for months without letting them feed. What did I think was going to happen?"