The Werewolf and the Halfling Ch.15

Christian groaned softly as he felt a small spray of cold water hit his face. His head throbbed and he knew from experience there would be a large bump.

"Little brother." The voice was faded, distant. "Little brother." Came the call more fiercely.

Cold water drenched his whole body forcing his eyes open. Steven, Gabriel, Simon and his father surrounded him in the attic their looks of worry quickly changed into looks of anger.

"Get your furry ass up!" Julian yelled dragging Christian by the collar of his shirt.

Christian fought him off, running an aggravated hand though his hair, hissing as he felt the lump on his head.

"Jessica." He growled, she done this to him. "Where is she?" He asked sniffing the air for any traces of her scent.

"That is not important, Vincent and his army are here as is Vlad."

Christian paused. An army? Here? And his brother had come, to what purpose, did Vlad truly think himself safe with a legion of trained werewolves? Christian peered through the attic's window undaunted by what he called see. Around five lycans stood outside his home. Some in the shape of wolves, some as men but the majority as werewolves.

Something drew his attention to the skies. Even in the dark countryside night he could clearly see Vlad and by his side stood a young woman close to the age of eighteen, dark red hair rolled down her shoulders as black onyx eyes searched the lands surrounding her. There was something shockingly familiar about her but he had little time to ponder.

"I can take care of them." Prepared to end this stupid war once and for all. Feeling a firm hand on his shoulder he turned.

"It's not that simple my friend. These warriors have been trained to kill, to kill only you. I'd hate for you to die foolishly, you are too good a friend." Gabriel's concern touched Christian but he had no time for sentiments.

"I understand, believe me I will not be so reckless as to leave my son without a father and my mate without her male." Julian scoffed at his son's bravado feigned or true he was walking to death.

"More than hatred drives Vincent de Groudané. Revenge is a bitter demon in his heart."

"For loving Jess?"

"For killing his son. Jessica's father."

Christian balked, his brow furrowed, could it be possible? Could he have killed them? He tried his best to banish the faces of those he killed, too many nightmares plagued his dreams.

"What?" Was the only response he could think of.

"Yes, Christoph and Nicole remember?"

Christian felt his heart clench. How could he forget, they had been the closest friends he had ever had but in the end like everyone else they had betrayed him and now he had betrayed Jess.

"I need to see her." He whispered blindly fumbling for the door handle.

"No, Jessica left you here to save you, don't let it all be for nothing."

"She could have told me before, we could have run." His words sounded desperate even to his own ears.

Jessica hadn't told him because she couldn't betray her grandfather, yet she loved him enough to give him a chance.

"Fine, I suppose you have a plan lets have it. My son has been to long been gone from my arms and my mate from my lips."

...

Jessica rocked Raphael in a vain attempt to get him to sleep, but the only person who could settle him was his father. Had she done the right thing? She no longer doubted Christian's motive for killing her parents, to know that they had betrayed him and attempted to kill him upon learning his identity made her feel sick. Most of his life Christian had been alone, now he had her and Rafe, she would never take that away for him, it would devastate him.

"Jess I brought you some food."

Diane and Mary stood in the doorway, a plate of steaming meat and vegetables lat swimming in a lake of gravy and blood. Handing Raphael to Mary she began to devour the food her mind once again set.

"You are going to join him." Jessica looked up into Diane's blood red eyes. Her mother-in-law had the uncanny power of perception.

"Go to him Jess, let him know he has your love and loyalty or forever wish you had." Jessica didn't need to be told twice.

Placing a motherly kiss on her sons head she quickly hugged her two mothers.

"I will bring him back." Then she was gone.

...

Christian breathed weakly, his ribcage had been crushed and one rib pierced his lung making it hard to move and breathe to top it off Vincent's soldiers were relentless. Blasting a fast approaching wolf into air he ran into the throng of lycans.

"Julian what's your ETA?" Simon said over the two way radio.

"Behind you." Simon clapped Julian and his fellow fighters in the back. For a moment he had feared the werewolf prince had been waylaid.

"We need to buy Christian enough time to get to Vlad." The others nodded in agreements.

Christian had only just healed when his father and his men joined the fray, assured that they could handle everything he flew into the night sky ready to defeat his brother once and for all.

All the while Vlad and his companion had been watching the battle stoically, even now as Christian approached them they remained collected.

"It ends tonight brother." Christian said calling upon the powers bestowed upon him at birth. This time Vlad would not escape him.

"You are right little brother, it does end tonight but before that allow me to introduce you to Siren, my daughter."

The young woman beside him curtseyed before blowing Christina a kiss. She wore a simple silk tunic evidence that she was part of the Greek pantheon.

"All my life I have been trained to fight you." She said her voice light and lilting, she was as beautiful as the Luna goddess but her soul was ugly and black.

Christian could sense her power and he knew she would be a worthy adversary.

Vlad threw back his head and laughed at the look of disbelief on his brothers face. now to exact his revenge.

"Get him." Siren nodded flicking her hand upwards she raised Christian further into the air before slamming him down to the ground.

The impact of his body hitting the earth left a crater surrounding him. Those fighting were thrown off their feet as a wave of energy emanated from Siren.

Christian groaned as he pushed himself of the ground. Dust and soil flew from his body as he rose into the sky once again, his two hand balled into fists. Siren's attack had shown him how much power she had and if she was able to cause this much damage with the flick of her hand he feared the destruction she would bring.

Ignoring the sting of air against the gash in his gut, Christina conjured a helix of fire which licked at Siren menacingly. The flames engulfed her and for a moment he was sure he had her, of course nothing was ever easy.

...

Jessica reached the house in time to see two figures clashing in the sky like twin orbs of energy, they would collide then retreat then collide again. The fissure of magic they emitted tingled down her spine.

"Who's winning?" She asked as she spotted Gabriel, the hunter was favouring his left leg and he had a long cut on his cheek.

"Can't tell, but I would say Siren."

"Who?"

"The daughter of Artemis and Vlad. Yeah I was surprised too." He chuckled noticing her expression.

Jessica continued watching the fighting figures. The woman and wolf in her wanted to help her husband but she couldn't fly, there was very little she could do.

'I understand your need to help me but you must leave, if they see you here there's no telling what they will do to you.'

'I'm your mate Christian if you fall, I fall with you.'

Jessica could tell Christian was stunned by her words but on her way here she realised that her soul belonged to Christian if anything happened to him she didn't know if she could survive.

'If I can't help you up there, I'll help down here.'

Shifting into a werewolf Jessica began to fight against her grandfather's warriors after all it was what she had been born to do.

...

Christian struck Siren in the stomach sending her somersaulting through the air. Sweat dripped into his eyes, blood ran from his mouth. Each time he believed he had her, she escaped him.

"I think Uncle Christian is getting tired."

"Leave him, I want my words to be the last he ever hears." Vlad snarled grabbing Christian by the throat.

Christian had no energy to fight him, Vlad's clawed nails bit into his flesh drawing blood.

"All those times you were outed and hunted, those people were led by me, when I was imprisoned my minion did it for me."

Christian gasped for breath as Vlad's hold tightened. Leaning closer he whispered into Christians ear.

"Because of you my mother left me, left me with my crazy father. Because of you I am who I am. So I made it my mission to hurt you, I told Vincent about how you killed his son and I...I sent those wolves to kill your parents. Shame they couldn't stay dead. I shall enjoy eating their hearts, your mate's heart, your son's heart."

Christian's eyes widened as Vlad released him. All those years without peace, having friends turn on him. Years without his parents, without his mother's loving touch and his father's protection.

"Jess, Raphael." He whispered, he could see them in his mind, their chest ripped opened bleeding profusely as his brother stood over their bodies blood trickling from his mouth. He had failed them.

The wolf within raged, the vampire snarled powers of old channelled through his body as he focused all his energy, anger and power at his enemies.

"It ends here!" He yelled.

...

Julian yanked his weapon from the wolf corpse just as lightening splinted the sky. Rain began to fall in harsh, painful shards, stinging his skin. A ball of flame plummeted from the air, hitting the ground with a large thud.

Walking towards the body with his sword raised above his head, Julian wasn't prepared for what he saw. Siren lay on the unblinking as her body slowly disintegrated in the wind, glittering ash swirled before disappearing all together.

"What on earth." Jessica looked at Julian expectantly, but he had no idea what was happening.

An ear splitting cry erupted as Vlad met the same as his daughter. The battle was over. Christian landed softly to the ground an aura of gold radiated from his body as al his wounds healed. Jessica ran, ran into his arms her hands searching, feeling him needing to know he was ok.

"It's over now." Vincent said standing beside Julian, the fight had finally left him and he could only feel happiness for his granddaughter.

Christian continues to hold Jessica as the sun rose. For the first time he felt safe, loved and

free.

"What of Artemis?" Jessica asked as they walked back towards their home. Looking up into the retreating darkness Christian felt a brief link with the goddess.

"She sends us these things to test us. I think we've passed."

...

Epilogue.

.........

"Are you ok mom?"

Jessica smiled at her thirteen year old son as he handed her a glass of lemonade. His dark blonde hair shone beneath the fairy lights that decorated the marquee.

"I'm fine Christoph."

Catching a glimpse of the bride and groom dancing Jessica burst into tears. A red eyed Maria hugged her friend also feeling the same, sad jubilation.

Christian and Gabriel had no idea what to do, as much as their wives claimed they were fine, they were constantly in tears.

"It's a woman thing." Christoph supplied.

Electra, Christians eighteen year old daughter

rolled her eyes in despair.

"Men, you're all so dense." She huffed, handing Maya, her four year old sister, to their father.

"I have to agree." Diane said, applauding Electra's outfit.

The young woman wore a black corseted dress that swept the floor, auburn hair similar to her mothers curled down to her hips,. Her pale skin gleamed in the moonlight. Red eyes flashed with affection as she hugged her grandmother.

"A vampiress in the making."

"Yes definitely, you must come by the palace again." Diane smiled up at her father clutching his hand as Philippe laughed beside him, relations between the lycans and vampires had strengthened these past twenty five years.

"Sorry to interrupt, but could someone please tell me why my mate is in tears?"

"Because your eldest son has just gotten married, therefore living an independent life from his mother." Diane explained stunned that her son could be so stupid.

"Oh." Christian and Gabriel said collectively, both men went to pull their very pregnant wives into their arms cooing reassuringly.

...

Just before the sun rose Christian and Jessica saw their son and bride off to start their new lives.

"Look after him Sarah." Jessica whispered kissing her daughter-in-law on the cheek.

"Don't worry I will." Sarah said hugging Raphael's arm tightly to her bosom.

"One down four to go." Christian joked as their car drove down the lane, Maya sleeping in his arms. Christian was the only one who could ever get their children to sleep.

"Don't count on it, Electra is ever the radical feminist, whilst Christoph thinks girls are icky. Maya is your princess so you won't ever let her out of your sight. God knows what trouble these two will be." She said rubbing her stomach.

Christian laughed in agreement, pulling Jessica into his loving embrace.

"As long as you stay by my side I'll be happy." He said against her mouth. Nipping his lip playfully she kissed him.

"I'm not going anywhere."

THE END

........................................

Huzzah, it's finished. As my friend kindly reminded me, I have been writing these story for almost two years. So as I nurse my bruised wrist and fingers, I hope you enjoyed the story. All comments welcome.