Blood & Carrots - Silverpaw Ep. 08

The werewolf howled in fury and clambered forward, bounding towards me, it's large tongue hanging out, dripping saliva as it charged me.

"Oh, you're just a puppy... you're not even close to my level." I sighed and frowned, drawing my saber. "You must have just turned recently. Well, I will make it quick then and put you down painlessly."

I showed my teeth in a hungry grin as the large dog was nearly atop me, then it halted and lifted it's large brown ears. I lifted my own as well, hearing the audible sound of several semi-automatic rifles having their safety locks disengaged.

Me and the wolf scattered as gunfire raked across the ground where we had been standing. I barked out my frustration as I slipped into the darkness. "Fucking acolytes!" I spat out the words, then lifted my ears as I heard a scream, then the unmistakable sound of someone being torn apart limb from limb.

A moment later the brown wolf emerged behind me, its muzzle now soaked in blood as it threw the remains of the body to the ground at my feet. I set the dog with a cocky grin and lifted my ears. "Oh... you got enough sense in there to know what's what, puppy? Fine... a truce then."

The wolf snarled but lowered to all fours and turned its back to me, bounding into the darkness. I barked out my own laugh as I homed in on the nearest soldier, I wasn't about to be outdone by a fledgling lycanthrope.

I and the werewolf stalked through the jungle for several minutes, tearing apart the soldiers of the church. The constant gunfire in the distance told me the twins were having a good time as well.

"Well, that was fun!" I stood before the large dog, my arms folded, my clothes covered in fresh blood as well as my mouth and throat. I had been famished and happily fed while I killed. The wolf apparently had been as well, its whole snout and chest drenched in crimson. The twins found me moments later, their weapons drawn.

"Mistress, are you okay?" Jennifer called out, both glaives drawn as she took a step towards the lycanthrope.

"Hold, my dear..." I spoke the words and held a hand up.

Both the twins looked at me in shock, then realized the wolf wasn't attacking. I put my finger to my bloody chin and flicked my tail.

"What to do with you... I hate to just kill you, we fought together after all..." I hummed the words and the wolf gave me a heavy snort before turning it's back on me and plodding away.

"You will let it go, my lady?" Jeremy asked as he looked at me out of the corner of his eye.

"No, I won't." I frowned and launched forward off my feet. I was atop the wolf faster than it could blink and leveled a heel drop right into its skull. The dog slammed into the earth with a mighty impact. The blow made it lose consciousness as it reverted back to its normal form.

"It's... he's a soldier?" Jennifer called out next to me, having stayed near me during the attack.

"So it would seem, he showed some reason just now too, not completely lost to the madness of the change..." I looked down upon the wolf, his short hair sandy brown, his military uniform torn to shreds. I frowned and folded my arms, giving the situation some thought. I then turned to the twins. "Check his dog tags, get his information and send it to house Blackpaw. If anyone can help the stupid bastard, he can." I barked the orders to the twins and turned my back on the whole thing, returning to the small village.

To make a long story short, Jennifer and Jeremy took the lycanthrope back to what they assumed was his former military camp. They simply followed his trail of destruction back to it. They left him there to figure out what happened and returned to me a few hours later.

We spent the next week helping the villagers prepare to move to a new location. I wasn't thrilled about it, but I commended the trio of vampires for their loyalty to the small collection of mundane. When all was said and done the village was safe and house Silverpaw now had six members. Albeit three fledglings, but members all the same.

#

Time moved on and we ended up with two more members, more fledglings that didn't know what they were or the power to defend themselves. I settled a new home on the east coast of the region Blackpaw resided in. Far enough away to give my husband peace, but close enough to be within striking distance if the need arose.

Jeremy and Jennifer were ever-present through the decades that followed. I even formed a decent relationship with Radcliff. They were all dutiful and always tried to calm my madness. I met with Lorelai several times and each time the sheep tried to convince me to speak to Elias. It would do no good, I knew I was already too far gone. Civility under extreme duress would be all I could muster.

I longed for my husband, I longed for my family. I even missed that stupid cat he found, even though she was always so mouthy, and I didn't like how she looked upon him. I found myself with a family,but still alone and lost. I spent most days sobbing to myself and cursing my hatred, while nights I brooded while trying to keep it together.

As I said before, time moved on. I tried to keep a peaceful distance and keep the fires of hatred at bay. Things were going well enough and we made our way into the turn of the millennium. I desperately wanted to reach out to him, but I could not bring myself to. Still, it had been over half a century and each year a rose was delivered to my home on our anniversary, making his lingering intentions clear.

A few decades into the new century, something changed. Something happened that reawoke my anger and dialed it straight to uncontrollable.

#

"Mistress! Please calm yourself!" Jennifer cried out to me from across my study, her brother standing beside her looking both concerned and fearful.

"I will not!" I screamed the words and grabbed the chair behind my desk, throwing it out the nearby window, the force of the toss taking several inches of the wall with it. I snarled and punched one of my bookcases, shattering it and sending books and papers flying in all directions as I huffed.

"My lady, please... what happened?" Jeremy called out, raising a hand as he took a few cautious steps towards me.

I snarled and my flames erupted as I looked at him through my cracked fingers, my palm over my face. "Get away from me, rat..." I hissed the words with a glare. I saw the look of hurt on his face as he slowly backed away from me.

The look on his face, the way he defended her. I still could hear his words ringing in my ears, 'My rabbit'. She kept a cocky look on her face the whole time, knowing she was playing me and making me look a fool before him. I growled furiously and kicked my desk over at the thought of it all. Then to see her steal my powers and show them off in my face like that.

"My lady!" Jennifer spat out sharply at me. "You left him! It has been half a century. Is he not within his rights to move on!?"

I snarled at the mouse, feeling my flames rolling off me as I tried to compose myself. I dug deep and took a calm breath, trying to quell the fury. My demons in me wanted to just go to Blackpaw and deal with this tonight. I shook my head and folded my arms across my stomach, trying to push the anger away. I could still feel her pulling my power away, feel her taking what was mine. I also felt what she did to my body, pushed feelings of desire into me I had not felt since I left him, reawakening the carnal urges he used to fulfill so well for me.

I gave what probably sounded like a pitiful bark and slumped my back to the wall, sliding down it and laughing out bitterly as tears rolled down my cheeks. "Ha... true... so true... I am nothing but a bad memory for him now... I could smell Katrina upon him as well..."

The mice shared a look before turning back to me. "My lady, we are here for you, you know that. You are not alone or lost." Jeremy called out to me softly, giving a polite bow.

"He speaks the truth, your life has much meaning. Everyone in this house looks up to you and loves you. Please do not take this on alone." Jennifer spoke out as well, giving me her own polite bow.

"Not alone... don't take it on myself..." I whispered the words, shaking my head before I gave Jeremy a hard look. "Take Radcliff and call upon the magi circle. They owe us for that little ordeal last decade. I want any information on our ancient laws. Anything I can use as an excuse to declare war."

"M-my lady...is that wise?" Jeremy lifted his ears and frowned.

"Are you questioning me, Jeremy? If you do not agree with my orders, then you may withdraw and find a new house." I showed my teeth as I slowly climbed to my feet.

"A-as..." He set his jaw before he gave me a sharp bow and turned. "It shall be done, my lady." He spoke the words dutifully and quickly slipped from the room.

I shifted my gaze to Jennifer. "Reach out to the celestial council. I want to meet with Rachel, see what she can tell me about that rabbit, what she is and what to expect from her."

Jennifer gave me her own frown but nodded and quickly left the room, leaving me alone with my carnage I had wrought upon it.

#

"From what little I know of her, she appears to be a succubus, but feeds as a vampire as well." The platinum-haired fox gave me a shrug. "Granted that's just cursory observation. We have a cadet stationed in the city near where we think their house is."

"How can she be both?" I folded my arms, my sharp teeth showing. It had been a few months since the incident. I had been spending most of my nights training with Jennifer and trying to arrange plans as best I could.

"Sarnai, it's not like me being a celestial opens my mind to all the secrets of the world. I have no idea how she can do both, but that appears to be the case."

"For fuck sakes... useless..." I snarled and whipped my tail as I turned from her.

Rachel gave me a dry look and folded her arms. "I'm already meeting with you against protocol. I'm a Bishop now, I could seriously jeopardize my position and even my life by doing this."

"Well, why is a high and mighty Bishop bothering with me then?" I barked the words and shot her a glare over my shoulder. "Not like you were a help to me anyway."

The fox snorted through her nose and ran her fingertips through her hair. "Thanks... as to the why's, well that's my business." The angel snapped her wings out before folding them along her back once more. "You should have listened to me back then... I could see how much you loved him, now you want his blood... did the centuries mean nothing?"

"Who the fuck are you to judge or question me?" I barked out, showing my teeth, my flames rolling off my hands as I turned and jabbed a finger into her chest.

The celestial showed her teeth and slapped my hand away hard. There was a moment of burning from the contact before we both drew weapons and moved into a combative stance. I held my saber in my left hand, my revolver in my right. She had drawn a small curved sword, holding her own gun at me as well with her off-hand.

"Never seen you with a handgun before..." I showed my teeth as I grinned at her, moving to aim the barrel of my own gun to her head.

"A lot changes in a hundred years or so, let's say I was enchanted watching you and Elias use them against Charlotte." Rachel barked the words, her own gun aimed between my eyes as well.

"Do not say that name to me!" I shouted the words at her, snapping my teeth together.

"Fuck you, Sarnai. Elias is a good fox, more than you ever deserved, especially now." Rachel lowered her ears, watching me draw the hammer back on my revolver.

My eyes burned red and I squeezed the trigger, the revolver going off right in the other foxes' face. She simply ceased to be there and I yelped out as a booted kick landed into the small of my back.

Everything happened in a blur and I was on my knees, the celestial holding my raven hair in her fist, the curved wakizashi at my throat, my own blood rolling down the blessed silver as a small curl of smoke rolled into the air.

"Do it, I would thank you for the release!" I snarled the words back at the angel.

Rachel snorted out a huff and withdrew her sword. I felt her kick my back as I tumbled forward to the ground before quickly picking myself up and rubbing at my throat.

"You want to die, go take a walk in the noonday sun, Sarnai," Rachel growled the words and sheathed her blade along her back.

"I'm sure everyone would be thankful for that," I spoke bitterly as I sheathed my saber.

"Are you trying to die? You were holding back just now... is this whole war you seek a glorified suicide mission for you?" The angel asked me while putting her hands upon her hips. "He's a good fox, if you wish to go down in a blaze of glory, leave him and the rabbit out of it."

I already knew the answer. I knew that if I ended him I would be right behind him. Perhaps that was indeed what my madness wanted, a clandestine tragedy to end our marriage, both of us lying dead together. I clenched my teeth and said nothing, jerking my gaze from the piercing blue eyes of the fox before me.

Rachel sighed and I saw her eyes shift to gold, looking me over for a moment before she turned her back to me. Her head lifted and she spoke out calmly, "The cadet in the city near her, she is due for evaluation in five years. I will seek to speed that along, perhaps I can garner some information for you or at the least, set the cadet to gather intel. Give me a few years."

"What do you want in return?" I spoke the words calmly, not bothering to turn and look upon her.

"Nothing. I will be in touch." Rachel spoke the words and I heard her wings snap outward, feeling a rush of wind as she launched up into the sky before I could say anything more.

#

Jeremy and Radcliff returned with information I could use. A bygone accord that the magi circle had discovered after deep research into their tomes that had come straight from the now gone library of Alexandria. It was a grand feat to find and handily expended the favor they owed the house. Still, I felt helping to put down a possessed archmage would have garnered more, but I had what I needed.

"My lady... Sarnai... I implore you to reconsider this course of action." Jeremy stood before me alone in my chambers. He was on his knee and bowed as if we were on council business.

I lifted my ears and looked upon the small mouse before shaking my head. "This is fate, I will not step from the stage until my role is played."

"This is not fate, it is madness! You let the demons in you control you!" The mouse lifted his gaze, spitting the words at me with a furious glare upon his face.

I scoffed and took a seat upon the edge of my desk, crossing my leg as I looked the mouse over. "I let the demons have me long ago, Jeremy. A price I paid for someone I loved. Do you think to reason with me now? Did I not warn you about this before you agreed to come with me?"

He jerked his head away with a frown but said nothing. I gave him a smile and shook my head. "Even knowing he lays with Katrina and that deplorable rabbit, I still love my husband you know. That is why I must end his life with my own hands. We must die together on the same day as husband and wife." I hummed the words cheerfully as I spoke.

The mouse looked upon me, his eyes widening. I could see the look upon his face, the look of someone gazing upon a lunatic that was spouting nonsense. "Sarnai... my lady... I beg of you-"

"I have a request for you." I barked out the words, interrupting him.

Jeremy swallowed the lump in his throat and lowered his head. "Anything you desire, my Mistress."

I hopped from the desk and turned from him, moving to the window and looking upon the dark sky, watching the angry Atlantic ocean crashing against the shore near our home. "When my husband has fallen, I won't stop... the madness in me won't be satisfied."

I saw him look up at me through the window pane and I turned my head to look upon him. "If my lady gets to me first, so be it. However, if I fell Elias... while I am in the throes of my vengeance, take my throat."

"I will do no such thing! Not even if I must walk from this house!" Jeremy yelled the words at me, rising to his feet and showing his sharp canines as he glared upon me, fists clenched.

"Jeremy... I cannot ask your sister to do such a thing." I gave a bitter laugh and ran my fingertips through my hair and shook my head. "Do you not see I am struggling even now to have this conversation with you? I can push the cry for blood back for only so long and it gets shorter with each attempt... I know myself and my madness... I will take him first, simply for the joy of watching his kin agonize, then I will turn my blade upon them."

I folded my arms and turned to fully face my brother, giving him a strong look, my eyes blood red as I focused my will to keep myself sane for the brief moments. "I beg of you brother... before I take the rest of my family, even before I take that stupid rabbit... once Elias falls, send me to the void with him."

"You... you are truly a selfish master, my lady..." Jeremy spoke the words bitterly as he looked away.

I felt my time slip away and gave him a coy grin, shrugging my shoulders. "I am... and I will not be satisfied until all of Blackpaw is dead at my feet. Former family as welll, let their blood wash away the screams in my heart and mind."

Jeremy gave me a sad look and bowed. "I am yours to command, my lady. I will follow your orders... all of them."

#

"My my, has it been five years already, Rachel?" I gave the fox a cocky grin, she didn't look very happy to see me, or her face was simply filled with concern.

"Sarnai... are you well?" She folded her arms and tilted her head, giving me a motherly look that just irritated me.

"I am well enough, out with it, Bishop." I barked the words, showing my teeth in anger.

"That's High Bishop, actually..." She looked away, folding her hands behind her back with a frown, averting her gaze.

"Ha! That's quite a rank improvement. Isn't that as high as they go short of being an Archangel?" I grinned and put my hands on my hip. "What strings did you pull to get that?"

Rachel gave me a sigh and shook her head, setting me with a concerned look, her eyes shining of gold. "Sarnai... that rabbit... she is a chimera."

"What the hell is that?" I frowned and folded my arms, plucking through my memories from centuries of knowledge. I had never heard the term used in such a way that I recalled.

"I do not know the extent of her abilities, but suffice to say she can take power and claim it as her own. She doesn't lose it either... she can improve it and build upon it." The angel frowned, seeing the look of fury cross my face.

"You mean to tell me... what she took from me, was not temporary? She literally cleaved off a hunk of my power as if it were a slab of meat and kept it?!" I barked the words furiously, my eyes flaming red.

"A small piece, but she has grown it, she has turned it into her own. It is... what I saw was comparable to the power I saw you and Elias display two hundred years past." Rachel shook her head. "There's more..."

"More? How can there be more?!" I snarled furiously, my fists clenched so hard I felt blood rolling down my wrists from my nails digging into my own flesh.

"At the evaluation, she had the power to nearly stand up to the former High Bishop. However, Elias and Lorelai also appeared to defend her and the cadet on trial." Rachel sighed and shook her head as she spoke the words. "It seems the cadet was her lover and I saw the trend in her, that I saw within everyone present."

I frowned and tried to make sense of the words, digging deep to quell the fury and clear my mind. "Rachel... what do you mean?"

She showed her own teeth in a snarl as she looked upon me. "Sarnai. All of them... All of them were exhibiting power that simply shouldn't have been possible. Especially Lorelai... It was as if she had aged another half a century in the span of a decade. Elias also, he casually kicked the High Bishop around as if he were nothing, as if his levels of power were on par with archangels."