Werewolf Queen

"I know love." I said. "But you look so perfect. Do you remember anything at all before...?" I let my words trail off.

"There was a man. He smelled funny. Like that raccoon that had died under Uncle Daniel's house once. I remember pain. Pain everywhere. Burning and screaming. Screaming for you."

I turned my head. I couldn't hear anymore. "I'm so sorry I failed you."

"No Jade. I'm new again. You should see the world how I see it. I can see the dust motes in the air like they are their own planets. I can see colors of light that have no name."

"Come home with us. We have a bigger house. Everyone will be so happy you're okay." I said and took her hands into mine. The cut had already stopped bleeding.

"Jade, I can't. I'm not human anymore. You are more human that I am. These vampires do not hunt humans like the others do. They live here underground and pay for a blood bank. Valentine says that if I'm around a human too soon than all of his work will be for nothing."

"What work?" I asked.

"He raised me from my grave. He brought me back to life."

"And what sacrifice did that take?" Brent asked.

"Six cows and a horse." Valentine answered.

"No, that's not right. Only a human life is sufficient for human life." Brent said.

"If the soul has already departed then yes. But her soul had stayed. Trapped in that box with her. Whomever killed her meant for her to suffer for all eternity."

"Tell me you got him Jade." Nikki said.

I nodded.

"She still has yet to tell us where she took his dick." Brent said.

"Nor will I." I told him and smiled. "I've got to tell, red is a little freaky." I said and looked in her eyes.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Your eyes." I answered. "They're red."

"Cool." She said and looked at Valentine. "Like his?"

"Yep." I answered.

"Jade, we have to be getting back." Brent said.

"Oh please stay a while." Nikki said.

"We haven't even slept. After that phone call we ran all night." I said.

"You can sleep here." Nikki said. "I'm sure Valentine can find you a place to stay."

"Actually I wanted to talk to you two about something. Seems like we have a common enemy." Valentine said. "We are being hunted just as much as you are. It seems like they are being more frequent in their attacks and their numbers have grown quite rapidly. We have killed nearly 30 of them in the past three months."

"We lost a brother to them. There were only 12 at that time." I said. "They attacked our home."

"Before they wouldn't do that. They would draw us beings out before attacking just in case there were humans around." Valentine said. "Something has happened that they don't like or else they have gotten a new person in charge."

"I'm betting on a new person." Brent said. "I met one in the '80's that had a hatred so fierce that my brothers and I almost didn't survive it. Maybe he went up the ranks and became their leader."

"I believe I met the same man." Valentine told us. "So I was thinking of joining up with you and your pack. You will have nothing to worry about from my coven. I know we have been enemies for centuries but it's time to put a stop to them once and for all."

"The enemy of my enemy is my ally." Brent said.

"I thought it was friend." I said.

"No." They both said together. "We shall be allies and nothing more."

Later that day after catching Nikki up to speed Valentine showed Brent and I to another room. I hit the bed and sighed. My entire body hurt and I was dizzy. I hated being dizzy more than anything. Well, throwing up was one of life's greatest tortures but being dizzy just plain sucked. Brent rubbed my back and laid a kiss between my shoulder blades. If only Brian were alive today would be on my top ten days. I know I didn't know him very well but he was mine. He was mine and I loved him.

"I'm glad you're friend is alive. Despite the fact she is a vampire it seems to make you happy."

"What's the problem with vampires?" I asked.

"They are our only natural enemies. They are the only things that can kill us besides ourselves, silver, and the damned Enlightened."

"They didn't seem so bad."

"You have met two. Try going against an entire coven. They are soulless murderers that have regard for no one else's life but their own. The only time you can trust one is if they swear on their own life. It's the only thing they love." He said.

"Sing to me?" I asked.

"That's an odd request." He said.

"You tend to sing in the shower and I love your voice." I said with a smile.

"What would you like to hear?" He asked.

I thought a moment. For the life of me I couldn't think of anything. But he started a song anyways. "If I could find assurance to leave you behind, I know my better half would fade, and all my doubt is a staircase for you, opened out of this space, the first step is the one you believe in, the second one might be profound." He sang quietly. I had never heard the song before. "I'll follow you down through the eye of the storm, don't worry I'll keep you warm, I'll follow you down while we're passing through space, I don't care if we fall from grace, I'll follow you down where forever lies, without a doubt I'm on your side, there's nowhere else that I would rather be, I'm not about to compromise, give you up to say goodbye, I'll guide you through the deep, I'll keep you close to me." He got up and I turned to face him as he finished the song. "If I could find assurance to leave you behind, I know my better half would fade. I'll follow you down." He kissed my lips softly.

Brent

Jade sat up and put her arms around me. She nuzzled my neck and kissed it softly. If I would have known my singing made her act like this I would have started a long time ago. She used her strength she gained from being a wolf and used it against me. She was suddenly on top of me. She kissed me like she never had before. I put my arms around her and held her closed to me. She laid on top of me and kissed my neck and collar"I love you." I whispered.

"I love you too." She replied.

I rolled her over and was between her legs. I rubbed myself against her and she gasped. I pushed into her and her fingers dug into my back. I never had a problem with the clawing. I personally liked it. I stayed inside her for just a moment enjoying the feel of her around me. I wanted to make love to her, not just fuck her.

Jade fell asleep in my arms. A little smile on her lips. I closed my eyes with her vanilla scent around me.

I woke up a couple of hours later with her still in my arms. The smell of snakes was strong. I looked up and Valentine was sitting in a chair near the door.

"We need to talk." He said quietly and got up. He put clothes on the end of the bed for the both of us. "Let the woman sleep." He left the room.

I moved slowly to not wake Jade. She rolled onto her stomach and didn't wake up. I got dressed and went out the door. Valentine and other vampires were waiting right outside. One punched me hard in the stomach and I went to my knees and silver chains were put on my wrists.

"If you want you and your mate to see the light of day again you will come with us.

Jade

I woke up alone. I got up and saw clothes on the end of the bed. I got dressed and grabbed a lantern and went out the door. I didn't get three feet out into the darkness when the lantern was yanked out of my hand and something smashed across my face. I hit the wall and then something was put on my wrists. They started burning.

I was dragged by my wrists out into the open. I saw a large stage and Brent was on his knees with his arms outstretched at awkward angles. His face and torso were covered in blood. He strained against the chains when I was pulled up the stage by my wrists and dropped in front of him.

Without a second thought I went to him. I gingerly touched his face and tears came down.

"I'm so sorry. We should have run. We should have turned around and ran whenever I noticed what they were."

"I'll kill them." I whispered in his ear and was dragged away from him.

That was their last mistake. The beast tore through me and the crowd gasped as the shackles popped. Brent's eyes widened and that was the last thing I remembered.

I came to my senses with fire all around me. Vampires were screaming. I walked back up the steps of the stage. I went up to Brent and he stared at me with fear in his eyes. I had changed in anger. It was one thing he told me I wouldn't remember.

I snapped his chains and he got on my back. He held on as I ran towards fresh air. I got one last look at Nikki before I went into the sunlight. She had a look of revenge in her eyes. She started to run towards me and Valentine stopped her as a beam on fire came down between us.

I ran outside and four werewolves joined me. They had followed me outside. I didn't remember anything up until going on stage to get Brent. They motioned for me to follow them and Brent told me to.

"We owe them that much." He said.

I followed them to a small village. They transformed right outside and Brent got off my back. I transformed and we followed them. They went into a small house right on the edge. House wasn't really the word for it. It was more of a closet.

"It is assorted by sizes." The apparent leader said. "Don't worry about putting on a shirt. We'll bandage you up." He told Brent.

I grabbed my size in clothes and so did Brent. All the clothes were the same. A black t shirt and tan cargo pants. No one bothered with shoes. We dressed and I had to help Brent with his. They had whipped him. The gashes went below the pant line. They must've used silver if he hadn't healed by now.

We followed him to a large building and went inside. A woman was waiting inside and took Brent by the arm and took him behind to an area with a bed. She closed a curtain like one would in a hospital.

"You're safe here." The male said. "We mean you no harm."

"The last person that told me that peeled the flesh from his back." I said.

"I don't understand why you would even trust a vampire. But we are grateful. We have been looking for that coven for a while. We saw the smoke and went running."

"It was a trap." I said and he motioned for me to sit down in a chair. I heard Brent hiss in pain.

"I've seen a lot worse." The woman said behind the curtain.

I sat down and the other wolves which were women left.

"They have families to get back to." He said as I watched them. "I wanted to talk to you. I have never seen such ferocity in a wolf before. It's like you weren't even there."

"I don't remember anything." I said.

"I doubted you would. How long have you been a lycan?"

"Almost six months." I replied.

"Amazing." He said and looked at me for a moment. "You move as if you were ancient. Do your eyes always turn wolf?"

"No." I replied. I stared at him. He looked as though he were in his late fourties. His hair was graying and was in a ponytail. His eyes were a deep brown and lines had started forming on his face.

"My name is Jed. I'm the alpha of this pack. And you?"

"I'm Jade. It's just Brent," I motioned my head to the curtain, "And our brother Jack."

"Pack brother or blood?"

"Jack is my pack brother, Brent and he are blood."

"And Brent is your mate?"

"Yes." I answered.

"Where do you come from?"

"Oklahoma. I had gotten a phone call from a girl that died six months ago."

"Were you sure she was dead?" he asked.

"I pulled her charred corpse from my restaurant." I said. "A rogue had killed her and to make matters worse The Enlightened had showed up."

"I see." He said. "We have a couple here that comes from Oklahoma with the same story. They said that their territory was stolen from them while they were in hiding. Lone Wolf I believe they called the town."

"Derek and Jessie are here?" I asked.

"So you do know them." He said.

"My first day as a wolf Brent and his brothers came into town. I offered hospitality. His brothers left after a disagreement. Enlightened showed up and Brent and I had to hide together."

"And you had to change. That first day is always hardest."

"Yes. Well Derek had been my mate while I was human. I pretty much made him change me." I smiled at that. "Well when Brent and I changed we realized that we were wolf mates and the bond between Derek and I was broken." I explained. "Derek didn't like this and after I had brought out my dead sister I ran. The grief just overwhelmed me, that first day, yada, yada, yada. Brent went with me and I guess Derek and Jessie followed. Derek attacked Brent with no warning and still lost. And by wolf codes when one loses they forfeit the territory or step down as alpha."

"That beta thought he was alpha?" Jed laughed a good belly laugh. "Forgive me. That's just funny."

"Yeah." I said and crossed my legs and my arms. A therapist would say I was cut off, unsociable. Fuck them.

"Well the free women did swoon of him while he was human. He's a good looking young man. Jessie didn't even fight."

"So he's not with Jessie anymore?" I asked.

"Gods no. He dumped her as soon as someone showed interest in him."

"Fucking bastard." I said.

"You're telling me. The poor girl was distraught. Kept saying she would go home if you'd accept her back but she was too scared. Did you kick her ass?"

"Yes I did." I answered. "She used to be one I considered a sister."

"I see, and she took your mate behind your back. That's the biggest no-no. Yes mates can be won and lost but a wolf doesn't go behind one's back. It's a betrayal and we don't do betrayal well." He said. "But I can see the bond between you and Brent there. Almost physically. There is something that connects you two. But I also see it going out the door. Are you connected to his brother as well?"

"He is my protector."

"You mean you have a Skoll?"

"What's that?" I asked.

"A Skoll is one that is chosen to protect a king or queen. There are no oaths taken, one is just compelled to protect that wolf. But there hasn't been a king or queen in over a hundred years."

"And what exactly does a king or queen do?" I asked.

"Lead us. Guide us. Protect us from harm. It makes sense though. The Enlightened has doubled their numbers therefore doubling the attacks made. More and more of us are dying by their hand."

"I'm not a queen." I said.

"I'm not saying that you are, but for it is rare for a lycan to stop and just protect one. Did this feeling occur immediately?" He asked.

"Pretty much." I said.

"I see." He said.

"Damn it woman ow!" Brent hollered.

"Well if you were human you'd be dead so be grateful for the pain. And you know morphine burns through too fast and we only have enough in stock for a mercy killing."

"Mercy killing?" I asked Jed.

"For the ones too hurt to change and have too much silver in them they can't heal."

"Why not just put a bullet through their head?" I asked.

"Well it would be quicker yes, but it is not always guaranteed a death. And I really don't want to put a bullet through one of my brothers or sisters."

"Makes sense." I said.

"Last week we had to kill a brother. The vampires used a bomb with shrapnel. Silver the size of pinheads. If he were human he could have survived until infection set in and morphine to ease the pain. But silver burns us. Your wrists for example."

I didn't even notice my wrists. It didn't hurt at all until I looked at them. They had bloody and blistered burns all the way around. Why is it something doesn't hurt until you look at it?

"For my gratitude I want to welcome you, Brent, and your brother a place in my pack. You are always welcome here. Most have to go through initiation but I think taking out a coven of vampires is good enough for me. Good enough for you Darla?"

"It's more than good enough." The woman behind the curtain said.

"Darla is my mate and second in command." Jed said as the curtain opened. She went to a sink nearby and washed the blood off of her hands.

"I'll give him enough to sleep for a while so he can heal quicker." She said up and went to a fridge. She pulled out a small bottle and then went to a draw and pulled out a syringe and needle in a package. At least they were sterile.

"Would you happen to have a phone so I could tell my brother where we are?" I asked.

"Sure." He said and Darla tossed a phone from across the room. He caught it and handed it to me. I was amazed by the catch. If I were a human I bet the damn thing would have been shattered on the ground.

"Thanks." I said and dialed the number.

"Please be Brent or Jade." I heard him say as he answered. "Hello?"

"And if it's not Brent of Jade what would you do?" I asked.

"Damn Jade where in the hell are you guys?"

"New Mexico." I answered. "We got into a bit of trouble with vampires."

"Vampires! Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Brent is hurt pretty bad. We were rescued by a pack of wolves out here. I'll let Jed the Alpha tell you where we are because I have no damn clue. And bring my car. I'm not running all the way back." I handed the phone to Jed and he gave directions and which highways to take.

Jed handed me back the phone. "Jack, if you get a scratch on my car I'll put a scar on your pretty behind." I said.

"Ouch, I might like that." He said teasingly. "Make me howl for you Jade." He said and hung up.

I pretty much face-palmed myself and handed Jed back the phone with a deep blush on my face. He just had a huge grin.

I got up and went to Brent. She was about to give him a shot and had prepared his arm for it. "See you when you wake up." I said and kissed his cheek softly. He was laying on his stomach and bandages covered his entire back. She had even pulled down his pants.

Darla gave him the shot and I watched his eyes flutter a few moments later and then he was out.

Jed showed me to a small house that wasn't being used. He had explained that all the houses were furnished because most newcomers didn't have a penny to their names. He helped them with that. Also nomads came in every once in a while looking for a hot meal and a nice mattress to sleep in.

I actually thought about staying for a while to see if other wolves could train me where Brent and Jack lacked. Maybe they would agree with me on that. Plus it put dad and Daniel out of harm's way if The Enlightened showed up again. I was so sick of death.

I took a shower and as soon as I got out a knock came to the front door. I grabbed a towel and looked out the front window and saw Darla. I opened it and she came in with a box in her hand. I closed the door behind her and she put the box on the closest table and opened it.

"Wrists." She said and I held out both of my wrists.

She put some smelly goop on it and bandaged them with gauze.

"So how is being a lycan working for you?" She asked trying to make conversation.

"I love it so far. I feel free when I run." I answered.

"We all do." She said and smiled and closed her box. "I'll bring your mate to you when he wakes up. Get some sleep. In the morning we have a pack meeting that Jed wants you to attend. What kind of car will we be looking for when your brother comes?" She asked.

"It's a black classic Firebird. Hard to miss."

"Really?" She asked with surprise in her voice. "What year?"

"'69." I answered.

"Mines red." She said with a small smile.

"Wait, you have one too?" I asked.

"I got it the year it came out. It's got a lot of miles on it but I would never part from it. It's family." She said.

"Mine too." I said. "I was so pissed when my dad and Derek made me believe they got rid of it."

"I would have cried."

"I did." I said.

"So what did they do with it?" She asked.

"Put a better motor in it and redid the paint. It was almost a rust bucket but it was my rust bucket."

She nodded. "Welcome to family Jade. I'm sure we'll get along just fine."